WeWriWa: Not My Kind of Party . . . BOUND BY MOONLIGHT

In my youthful college days, I was up at 6:00 a.m. to get ready for my 7:30 a.m. full load of university classes (pulling an honors degree!), went from there to my 25-30 hours per week part-time job in retail, then spent evenings out with a group of friends until 2:30 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday nights. Only once did I do something truly stupid, but once, as in my excerpts from BOUND BY MOONLIGHT this month, could be more than enough . . .
Bound by Moonlight (By Moonlight - Book 4) Length: 370 PagesAdd to Goodreads TBR→
POLICE DETECTIVE CHARLOTTE CAISSIE AND HER SHAPE-SHIFTING PARAMOUR MAX SAVOIE THOUGHT THE PAST WAS BEHIND THEM. BUT IN NANCY GIDEON’S IRRESISTIBLE NEW ROMANCE, THEY DISCOVER IT MAY NEVER LET THEM GO. . . .
THEY SWORE THEY’D BE TOGETHER FOREVER.Detective Charlotte Caissie is suddenly sharing drawer space and making local news with her shape-shifter lover, Max Savoie. He’s determined to be accepted by her peers—so how can she ask him to return to his criminal roots to help her solve a complex case?
BUT THOSE THEY TRUST THE MOST . . .Working undercover with her partner to find the serial killer who’s kidnapped a colleague’s daughter, Cee Cee is caught between her job and her fiercely possessive lover. And when she calls on Max’s preternatural talents to aid his hated enemy, she crosses a line that strains their relationship to its limit.
. . . WILL DO ANYTHING TO TEAR THEM APART.With his secret spreading, Max is forced to protect his family and his clan. The only certainty is his love for his human mate . . . unless the loyalties that define them divide them forever. The Excerpt 

She froze in the glare, like a performer with stage fright.

Stones crunched as the car moved forward at a slow stalking pace.

She started back peddling toward the main street, hearing those whispers in her head, warning her to be careful, warning of the danger. . . because of the other girls. Scrambling for the safety of the sidewalk, she fumbled in her purse, looking for the pepper spray she always carried as the car edged into view, turning onto the street to stop next to her.  The passenger window slowly rolled down, taking with it the image of a frightened young girl all alone. She couldn’t make out the face of the driver within the shadowed interior.

Exhaling a shaky breath, she cast off the shivers of panic. Probably just a john looking for some early action. She straightened, cocking her hip, tossing her head.  Maybe he’d be willing to give her a ride to the bus station if she threw in a little extra. A little lagniappe, ‘cuz these new boots weren’t made for walking.

“Hey there. Lookin’ for a party?” 

. . . and a little bit more . . .

She started toward the car with an exaggerated roll of her hips, bending down near the window to begin the bartering when the passenger door pushed opened. A shadowed figure leaned toward her. She began to smile.

“You nearly scared me to death turning on the headlights on like that,” she scolded with a breathy little laugh as she leaned in. “What—?”

Strong fingers gripped her upper arm, jerking her off balance on the skyscraper shoes, pulling her upper body inside the car before she could think to struggle.  Her temple struck the door edging, making everything go as bright and glittery as the New Orleans nightlife she loved. A sharp sting at the base of her throat, a flare of burning heat.  Then nothing.

The door closed and the car moved in no hurry into the morning mists.

Detective Charlotte Caissie knows what can happen during those few minutes of inattentiveness and now she works the streets of New Orleans to make sure others don’t suffer from the same kind of mistakes she’d made. But unlike most of them, she had a dark guardian angel looking out for her and they’ve been covering each other’s backs ever since.
I’m having such fun reissuing the “By Moonlight” series, getting to know the characters all over again and now . . . wanting to explore more about them. 2023 is going to be an interesting year.

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