Shiloh Walker's Blog, page 55

Deeper than Need…next week!

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Max hadn’t been able to keep Noah from seeing the bloody smears on the windows or the rusty stains on the porch. The lingering ache that had haunted him for so long had finally faded. But now he felt raw, exposed, as he stood there, ready to bare himself to the woman who was coming to mean everything to him.

If they were going to have any chance at all, this talk had to happen. It had to happen now.

Closing his eyes, he forced a breath past the band that had wrapped around his lungs, and then he turned his head and stared at her. The soft light of the fading day painted her skin a delicate gold and he reached up, cupped her skin.

“I’ve got things I need to tell you,” he said gruffly. “Things that are almost impossible for me to talk about. But before I do . . .”

He dipped his head and pressed a kiss to her lips, felt her soften against him, reach for him. He caught her wrists as she reached up to cup his face, felt the maddening beat of her pulse. “The past twenty years of my life have been nothing but a cloud. Everything was just . . .grey. There was no color, no light, no laughter. All that changed the minute you and Micah came barreling into my life. I don’t want to lose that.”

“There’s nothing you’re going to say that will change what I feel. I . . .” She paused and blew out a breath. “Sometimes I get a little scared about just what I feel, considering that we really haven’t known each other that long. But . . . you felt right to me the first time I looked at you. Whatever you have to say to me isn’t going to change the man you are.”

The words rested on his heart, almost painful yet still enough to make him catch his breath. Hope could cut deep sometimes.

 

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Thank you

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For those who’ve served…thank you.

For those who are still serving, thank you. If you’re a family member, thank you. And for those who have lost a loved one…may you have peace.

Random bits of fun

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First…let me prove my unending dorkiness …I’m up top at heroes and heartbreakers… see?  see? SEE!!!!!! And just in case they take me down….here’s a link the excerpt.

Two of my oldest titles are a daily deal on Kindle… The Hunters: Books 1 & 2, available for 1.99 on Kindle.

 

Ilona Andrews posted this to her FB yesterday

Ilona via Telle Smith

Then there was this piece of beauty. And let me tell you…it’s beauty.

If A Mom Sang The Frozen Song… via Joy FM

RT Wrap up

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Honestly, I dunno how thorough this will be because my brain is mush from RT.  I do remember some things…

 

I stalked Larissa.  I saw copies of Reaver.  Dear Larissa…why don’t I have Reaver?

I had beignets and cafe au lait and regular coffee will never taste the same.

Again, why don’t I have Reaver?    ETA: Sad sigh. The REV threw me.  I want REVENANT and I thought I saw it.

I saw Ilona & Gordon Andrews and I heard after I’d gone there were BURN FOR ME samplers, so I was sad.

My ankle, which I’d hurt a while back, was killing me by day 2, and I limped off and on (more on than off as the con went on).

Again, why don’t I have Reaver?  (ETA: FYI, I still think I should have Revenant.)

I saw Nalini Singh and she has the prettiest damn pink purse, which I want.

Nalini, why don’t we have Bluebell yet?

We had an epic and awesome social media panel and FYI, Jaye Wells really knows how her stuff, so if we ever do this, I’m volunteering her as moderator.  I also threw stuff at people.  It was chocolate, though.  People seemed to like it and the room was almost full.

I stalked David Morrell and got my husband a signed copy of one of his books–that’s the dude who created RAMBO, guys… RAMBO!

I’m still hung up on Reaver (that hot R angel) & Bluebell. why…..

I ate more food than what seems humanly possible.

There is too much alcohol available and too much yummy food and I crashed my first ever party…because Cara McKenna made me.  Megan Mulry and Anne Calhoun and Jeffe Kennedy and Sasha (twitter, @Caribbeanaccent) had rented this house and I kid you not, it was like this epic bordello that was just a little too much and tried to be fancy and elegant, but went over the line in the best possible way and it was awesome.  Cara dragged me in and I said I was crashing but I’d leave if they’d just let me pee and they said no, I could stay.  The caterer redefined barbecue.  I think angels sang when I took my first bite.

Then there was the street performer.  She all but turned the world inside out with her violin and I don’t know if I’ve ever heard anybody play so beautifully.

I also had beignets…I mentioned that right?  Drool.  I haggled at the French Market and I met a bunch of lovely new readers and I signed quite a few books at the bookfair.

For me, I had fun.  There was an issue with a couple of booksellers, but that was the booksellers, and I ranted in private with a member of the RT staff.  I met lots of lovely readers, which really, is the point of the signing.  I hate that so many had to wait so long.  I had to bail early because of my flight.  But I had a ball.

Altogether, RT 2014 was lovely.

Now… my favorite pic…

New Orelans | Pic is mine

I have news…such nice news, I have.

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So I live by the Ohio.

It’s weird how you never realize how something like that plays into your life until you find yourself driving down by it.  Stopping to taking pictures…

And then one day…bam…there’s a book.

More like three.  This idea has been toying and dancing and flirting with me for a while now and finally, it let me catch it.

It’s a fun one, too.  Fun as in, it’s suspense-ish.  But I won’t be killing people all around town, either.  I mean, yes, there will probably be mayhem.  But I don’t think I’ll be smashing and bashing on every corner.

That’s the fun for me…maybe a little more laid back.  Maybe.

Here’s the fun for you…(and me)…I sold it.

St. Martins has bought a new trilogy for me.  It’s going to be a three book series, another small town romantic suspense series, this one, set in the south.  Instead of the Ohio, I ended up going with the Mississippi for reasons that I won’t be going into, but it was important to the story.

I have NO idea when it will be out.  I kinda need to write it first.

But here’s a snippet.

 

 

The last thing Gideon Marshall expected when he woke up that morning was to see trouble come rolling back into town.  But, unlike most people, he didn’t mind one bit.

He’d always had a soft spot for Neve Flanagan, the hellion youngest child of the family that had been the central figure in this small town for more than a hundred and fifty years.

Now that he was the sheriff of said small town, people might expect things to change—Neve had gotten into trouble more than once in her life, both before and after she’d left home.  But to be honest, Gideon suspected a lot of that was because people had expected her to get in trouble.

Neve simply gave them what they wanted.

Right now, as she leaned against the side of the beat-up Corolla that looked nothing like the fire-engine red Porsche she’d driven away from here eight years ago, she did the same thing.  She gave him what he wanted.

A smile.

It wasn’t the same smile, though.  That hit him, right in the heart.

Neve was like the little sister he’d never had and that wan, tired smile mad him want to chew nails and hit something.  Or somebody.  Because he recognized the look on her face, all too well.

She had the look of somebody who needed to hide.

But he knew his Trouble too well.  Instead of handling her the way he wanted to, hugging her up against him and demanding she tell him what was wrong, he did what he would have done eight years ago.  He reached up and caught of lock of her hair—deep red and soft—and pulled.  “Well, well, well.  Trouble is back.”

She made a face at him.

“In town fifteen minutes and I’ve already heard that—three times now.”

Gideon grinned, somewhat relieved to see an echo of her old smile flash across her face.  Then she moved away from the car and wrapped her arms around him.

Now, he let himself hug her.  And it hurt, he realized, more than he’d thought possible to feel the sharp bones and frail strength in her.  She’d lost weight, too much of it.  It was like there was nothing but skin, bone and the remnants of that cocky attitude.

“You stayed gone way too long, sugar,” he murmured against her temple as she tucked her head against his chest.

“Yeah, well.”  She sniffed and snuggled in closer.  “I kept thinking about coming back and nabbing you up for myself since my sister was dumb enough to let you get away.  But…well.  You’re so old.”

“Old?”  Chuckling, he rubbed his cheek against her hair.  “You mean to tell me I’ve been waiting around here for eight long years, pining after you and you think I’m too old for you?”

The gas pump shut off and she sighed, breaking away from him.  “Well, maybe not too old.”  Then she shrugged and finished dealing with the car, grabbing her receipt, putting the gas cap back on.  “But you and I both know you’ll never love anybody but Moira.”

He didn’t say anything.

Neve’s gaze swept up to him and he knew he didn’t have to.  She wouldn’t tell anybody.  Neither would he.

Their secret.

Friday 56

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So, who is all at RT this week and which of you are living vicariously through the tweets and Facebook posts? I fall into the latter category. I love New Orleans and I hate that I’m missing out on so much fun and a wonderful city.  But, don’t fret if you’re like me and had to stay home; we can still have fun, right?  We’ve made it to Friday…and it’s time for some Friday 56.  Grab your closest book and flip to page 56 and give me the 5th full sentence.   This week, I’m going to go back a bit and I have one of Shiloh’s older novels, The Hunters: Eli and Sarel, and it’s a steamy one ;)!

 

Lifting his head, he asked, “No panties, darling?”

 

If you’re at RT, make sure to find Shiloh and say hello!

Leaving…

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And I’m gone.  I headed out yesterday for NOLA & the RT Convention.  I managed a feat of of epic proportions by packing all of my stuff into a carry-on, just mailing the my promo.

I’ll be back in a few days…

So… did you read LONG FOR ME?  What did you think?

 

Also…don’t forget the contest going on with the SECRETS & SHADOWS novellas…if you haven’t entered, please do.   Barclay PR is helping spread the word and you can maybe swing by there and see what all is up today… it looks like they keep links posted on the what’s what. ~I forgot to ask and I’m posting in rush…shocking surprise  ~

 

LONG FOR ME… available now..

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Nothing but the desperation of a man staring down the business end of a gun. Guy knew that well enough.  But all of this added up to yet another scar on the Bell family and they already had enough.  And Chris . . .

The door slammed shut behind him.

He had to fight not to flinch.

Of course she was here.  After the night they’d spent, after everything she’d been dealing with, how could he not expect her to come looking for him?

She always came to him.  It was something that he both needed and hated, because he needed her, more than he needed to breathe, it seemed.  But she didn’t want the things from him that he wanted from her.

She wanted comfort, wanted silence. Wanted a million things, and he just wanted her.

Feeling the weight of her gaze, he turned to face her, leaning against the counter behind him, his hands curling around it so he didn’t give in to the temptation to reach for her as she came even closer to him.

“What in the hell are you doing?” she demanded.

“Taking some personal time,” he said levelly.

It had been his idea to take a few days away from work. Piss-poor timing, he knew, but the sheriff hadn’t been able to deny it made sense.  Fifteen years ago, Guy had been tangentially involved in what was likely going to be a manslaughter case.  They didn’t need him around right then.

He didn’t need to be around right then.

If he could cut the ties that bound him to Chris, he’d just leave Madison altogether.  She was the only thing that really held him here, but those ties were strong, forged of iron and lust and love and need.  To cut those ties, he’d have to cut out his heart.

“Personal time.”  She continued to stare at him, her eyes glinting, sharp and brittle.  “What did you do? Roll out of my bed and just decide you needed a few days away? Just like that?”

“Actually, I’d put the request in the day before the memorial.”  Setting his jaw, he looked at the wall past her.  “I should have mentioned it before that.  This isn’t exactly the best time for me to be around, Chris.”

“Not the best time.”

The wooden tone of her voice was so unnatural, he couldn’t help but look at her and the shattered expression on her face ripped at him.

“Aw, fuck,” he muttered, shoving away from the counter.  “Chris, that isn’t what I . . .”

“No.”  She shook her head, her throat working as she swallowed.  Vivid bursts of ink, those sexy, insane bursts of color that bloomed on her flesh moving as her chest shuddered, a ragged breath easing out of her.  “Fifteen years, I waited for answers.  Now I have some of them, and the person I always turn to just up and leaves.”

He closed his eyes.

“Okay.  Fine.  I get this is hell on you, too.  I thought maybe we could help each other through it.  But you don’t want that.  I’ll see you around.”  She turned and headed for the door.

She was two feet from the door when the threads of his control broke.  Slamming a hand over her head, he shoved the door closed as she went to slip outside.  When she attempted to jerk it open, he simply outmuscled her.

When she spun around and glared up at him, he glared back. “You get that this is hell on me,” he said, echoing her words.  “You have no idea what kind of hell this is.”

Her lip quivered, a snarl forming on her face.  “Poor Guy.” She gave him a look of mock pity and reached up to pat his cheek.

He caught her wrist, pinned it to the door.

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Long for Me… one more day!

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Tomorrow, the conclusion to the Bell family story is wrapped up with the release of LONG FOR ME…of course, this doesn’t mean we’re leaving the SECRETS & SHADOWS series behind yet. There’s a lot more to come with the release of DEEPER THAN NEED.

But for now…

 

 

“That was mean, and stupid,” she said, the words rushing out of her.  “I don’t know why I said it. I’m never going to learn to think—”

He’d like to think he did it just to make her stop kicking herself.

But Guy would have given his left arm to have the chance to kiss her again.  And there she was, tears blurring her beautiful green-gold eyes, while the self-doubt and self-anger built inside her.

Because he hated seeing it, he caught her face in his hands and cut off her words by pressing his lips to hers.  “No,” he murmured as she stumbled to a halt, her lips still moving slightly against his as she sucked in a breath.  “Just no, Tink, okay?”

He went to pull away.

Her hands came up, fisted in the lapels of his suit.

“Do that again,” she said.

He stared at her.

“Chris . . .”

She licked her lips, her gaze locked on his mouth.  “There’s been nothing but noise in my head most of the day.  I’ve told you what it’s like.  Usually I can turn it down or tune it out better than this, but not today.  When you’re touching me, it’s better.”

She eased back in and pressed her lips to his again.  “Do it again.  But really kiss me.”

He tangled his fist in her hair.  “Chris, we said we weren’t doing this anymore.”

“Does that mean you don’t want me?” she whispered, easing back just enough to touch her fingers to his lips.

That light touch was a torturous pleasure, one that went flying through him, straight down to his cock, drawing his balls tight while he fought the urge to grab her dress, pull it up, and just bury himself inside her.

“Not want you . . .” He closed his eyes, struggled to think for just a blessed minute. Chris complained that she had noise in her head and he could believe it.  She lived her life like she was running at high speed and only had so much time to do the million things she had firing inside her head.  Guy had something in his head, too.

Just her.

Always her.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked back at her.

He tugged her up against him, her body flush with his.  His erection pulsed against her belly and her breath shuddered out of her. “Oh,” she whispered, a smile lighting up her face.  “You do want—”

“Want has nothing on how I feel.  But you need to be sure this is what you want.  What you really want.”  He dipped his head but instead of pressing his mouth to hers, he angled her head back and pressed his mouth to the delicate notch between her collarbone, felt the soft gasp fall from her.  “It’s not just something you’re doing to kill the hours before you can sleep.  It’s not something you’ll regret in the morning.  You regretted it last time.”

“I didn’t.”  She slid her hands up, her fingers biting into his shoulders through the layers of clothes.  “I didn’t regret it. It was just . . .” She shook her head.  “You’re making me think too much but it wasn’t regret.  Anything but that. And I won’t regret this. Give me tonight, Guy.  Please.”

 

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Wanna win?

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From LONG FOR ME…

Please. Don’t make me beg—

Those words hovered on the tip of her tongue, but then, words and thought lost all meaning as the hand he’d tangled in her hair moved, bringing her in closer to him.

Hunger, anticipation, vied inside her and she rose up onto her toes to meet his kiss.

But he didn’t kiss her.

His lips feathered across her cheekbone, brushed down her jawline to her neck.  She whimpered as he tugged her head to the side, exposing her neck, but before she could even think about complaining, he pressed a hot, open-mouthed kiss to her neck.

At the same time, his other hand pulled her skirt up.

She gasped as cool air kissed her flesh.

His hand, rough and warm, palmed her flesh and he muttered, “Damn.  Here I was getting all worked up and you had to go and decide to wear panties.”

It surprised a laugh out of her.

“I always wear panties when I’m wearing a dress.  And how do you know that I tend . . .”

She lifted her head to meet his eyes and the words stuck in her throat.  His eyes, those dark gray eyes, burned hot.  “I’ve got a fascination with how your ass fills out a pair of jeans, Tink.  I can tell you how many times you’ve worn panties every day this past week.”

 

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Giveaway includes:

A Coach purse

Signed books from my back list

$20 Gift Card to Amazon or Barns & Nobel

***Due to shipping & insurance, this contest will be limited to the US only***

Retail value $150

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