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Teresa Noelle Roberts: 2015 Dreams (Contest)
Monday, January 12th, 2015

At the close of the old year and start of a new one, the Internet sets itself on fire trying to keep up with everyone posting resolutions, goals, plans and wishes for the year to come. I’m definitely one of those ambitious planners  dreamers. I even spent part of December taking a wonderful online course, “How to Write 50 Books a Year,” offered by Delilah and her sister Elle James. (Writers: take this class the next time it’s offered. It’s amazingly useful.) With the help of that class, I developed not only an ambitious set of work-related goals for 2015, but a workable plan to achieve said goals.

As I write this blog entry, it’s the sixth day of 2015. (I know you’re actually reading it on January 12, but I had to get the post to Delilah ahead of time). I’m already behind on the word count I needed to finish all the planned books by the end of December 2015. I’ve also started a book that wasn’t on the original work plan, one that popped into my head on January 2 and demanded to be written now. According to calculations I made before I conceived this new novella, I have more than half a million words to write this year, and I can now add another 25,000 words minimum to that. You think I’d be panicking.

But I’m not.

At my age, which is older than Taylor Swift and younger than the average mountain, I’ve learned that no plan survives contact with the enemy, as Eisenhower should have said but didn’t. (It was actually a 19th-century Prussian field marshall named Helmuth Von Moltke, as I discovered when I went to double-check the quote. The literal translation from German is much clunkier, so I’ll stick with the version that Eisenhower may or may not have paraphrased.)

Life likes to keep things interesting. Sometimes it’s in good ways, like throwing a new book idea at you when you were already looking at six or seven books for 2015. Sometimes it’s in a more mind-boggling fashion, like discovering in December, while you’re petting your shiny new 2015 work plan, that you’ve just been assigned a new editor who may have her own ideas about which book she’ll want when. And sometimes it’s just plain stupidity, such as the gaping plot hole into which your almost-finished book falls. (By “your,” of course, I mean “mine.” I know by this point in my career there’s always enough narrative rope to pull the book out of the hole, but when it happens it does kind of spoil the hope of wrapping the first draft up by the end of the week.)

But I can handle these changes of plan. Realizing I’ve mentally committed myself to writing more than half a million words in a year is daunting, but it’s nothing compared to some of the things I’ve done to my poor characters. If I can guide my heroes and heroines in defeating angry demons or government agencies run by evil sorcerers—and finding true love in the process—I can write the narrative of my year so it has a happy ending, even if there are a few plot twists along the way.

What are your goals and/or dreams for 2015? Post something about them in the comments and one random commenter will win a copy of my new (sexy!) paranormal romance Witches’ Waves.

About Teresa

Teresa Noelle Roberts started writing stories in kindergarten and she hasn’t stopped yet. A prolific author of short erotica, she’s also a published poet and fantasy writer—but hot paranormals and BDSM-spiced contemporaries are her favorites. Or they were until she discovered that SF romance offers new possibilities for wild sex, imaginative adventure and love beyond boundaries, so she’s added that sub-genre to her repertoire. Oh, and she’s also half of the writing team known as Sophie Mouette, writing mostly light-hearted spicy romances (with occasional forays into erotica).

Teresa is a crunchy granola girl who enjoys belly dance, yoga, medieval re-creation, playing in the ocean, cooking, and growing more vegetables than she and her husband can possibly eat.  She’d enjoy sleeping, too. She thinks. But it takes so much time!

She shares her home in southern Massachusetts with her husband, a Leo in law enforcement, and two overstuffed cats. She and her husband often plan vacations around food, history, and/or proximity to water.

Find Teresa at www.teresanoelleroberts.com, like her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTeresaNoelleRoberts or follow on Twitter, where she’s @TeresNoeRoberts.

And check out her alter ego Sophie at www.sophiemouette.com.

About Witches’ Waves

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Witches’ Waves (Duals and Donovans: The Different, book 4)
Samhain Publishing

“The overall message is one of hope and the healing that love can help bring, w/some really hot sex […] for good measure.” Four stars—Romantic Times

“This novel definitely hooked me for this series.”—From Me to You Video, Photography and Book Reviews

“Well written and full of emotional depth.”— Manic Readers

Buy links: Samhain /Amazon / Amazon UK / B&N Nook / Kobo / iBooks (iTunes)

The ocean is on their side. But the fight is on land—and it’s about to get dirty.

Duals and Donovans: The Different, Book 4

Long held captive as the Agency’s secret weapon—a blind witch with visions—Meaghan has come to a line she refuses to cross. Rather than betray the infant “child of five bloods” to the Agency’s scientists, she chooses death. Except when she throws herself into the ocean, she doesn’t die. Her repressed water magic comes to life.

When the sodden, delirious witch drifts into Kyle’s arms, his otter dual instincts tell him to get her to the Donovans as fast as possible. Even though one particular surfer-dude Donovan broke his heart.

Declan Donovan continually kicks himself for pushing Kyle away, but his touchy combination of water, earth and lightning magic is too volatile, and Kyle wanted more than Deck was ready to give.

When they come together to help Meaghan control her new magic, it leads the Agency straight to the child of five bloods. They’ll have to dive head-first into total trust—in their magics, in themselves and in each other—to save the child and stop the Agency once and for all.

Warning: Contains an oceanful of sex between an ethereal blind heroine who swears like a pissed-off Marine, an overly serious otter shifter, a would-be beach bum who may be descended from a Norse god, in permutations as fluid as the sea – and themes of abuse and recovery.

Series blurb:

Welcome to an America where the non-human Different and magically gifted humans live among ordinary people. Witches are both feared and honored, but shape-shifting Duals are treated as second-class citizens. The Agency, a government agency that’s supposed to monitor illegal uses of magic and Different abilities, has developed its own dangerous agenda. But when Duals and witches join forces, the Agency and other bad guys aren’t going to know what hit them.

And neither are the witches and Duals. Witch magic grows from the positive energy of love and sex–and the only thing better than one dual for sex magic is two of them!

Paisley Smith: Beguiled (Contest)
Sunday, January 11th, 2015

Ever since seeing Gone With the Wind when I was nine years old, I’ve been fascinated with the Civil War era. Of course, growing up in the South, I was surrounded by antebellum homes graced with Greek Revival columns, steeped in legends that fired my imagination as surely as Sherman burned a swath to the sea.

But the Civil War was more than a brother against brother fight to hold onto an archaic and brutal way of life. The Civil War furthered not only the rights of African-Americans, but those of women as well.

American Red Cross founder, Clara Barton, stated that the Civil War caused “fifty years in the advance of the normal position” of women.

Historian, Barbara Welters, referred to mid-nineteenth century women as “hostages of the home.” Women were supposed to be pious, pure, submissive, and domesticated. The Civil War changed that.

Some women worked as nurses, a job that prior to the war was held mostly by men. The women’s rights movement flourished under luminaries such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

And then, there were women who donned uniforms, disguised themselves, fought—and sometimes died—alongside men.

Some were wives who couldn’t bear to be separated from their husbands. Still others saw the war as a chance for independence.

Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, who fought with the 153rd New York Volunteers, wrote home to her family, “I am independent as a hog on ice.”

It is estimated some 400 females fought during the Civil War. These women’s struggles and intrepid strength inspired the character of Union soldier, Alice O’Malley, in my historical, lesbian romance, Beguiled.

About Beguiled:

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The Civil War has torn Isabelle Holloway’s world apart, and now she has little help to manage her vast Georgia plantation. But when the Union Army leaves a brash Yankee Zouave behind, Isabelle is inexplicably moved to nurse this gravely wounded, startlingly beguiling soldier.

Alice O’Malley wants nothing more than to recover from her injuries, don her male attire, and rejoin the Federal Army. But after the alluring Southern Belle discovers her true identity, their clash of wills soon transforms into passion-filled nights in each other’s arms. Alice has been in love with a woman before, and fears risking everything for her enemy lover. As war returns to Isabelle’s doorstep, Alice discovers the wounds of the heart are far more vital to heal than the wounds of the flesh.

Order Now

Kindle | In Print

Excerpt:

With a sigh, Isabelle ventured into the room and sat on the edge of the bed. “Are you feeling better? Do you still have fever?” Before she thought better of it, she touched the back of her hand to Alice’s forehead. She was cooler than before but still warm to the touch.

Alice froze. Her eyes widened and the look of shock in her blue eyes caused a strange fluttering in Isabelle’s stomach. Alice’s stare captivated Isabelle’s, refusing to relinquish its hold—direct, penetrating, seeming to take her in all at once. The innocent touch suddenly became charged with something akin to lightning. Something too intimate. Dangerous.

Shaking herself into motion, Isabelle withdrew her hand and brushed her hair back toward her chignon. Even though she curled her fingers into a loose fist, she could still feel the ghost of warm, dewy skin. She rubbed her palm on her apron, wishing she’d checked her reflection in the mirror. Her nose was probably red. Tear stains doubtless shone on her face.

Heat rose and settled in her cheeks under Alice’s piercing stare.

Clearing her throat, Isabelle averted her gaze. “W-what possessed you to join the Union Army?”

“After the emancipation proclamation was issued, I felt I needed to help right an injustice.” Alice’s hint of a brogue overshadowed the meaning of her words.

Isabelle regarded her once more, trying to absorb the meaning. “Lincoln signed that proclamation over a year ago.”

Alice’s chin dipped in a nod. “Aye.”

Isabelle wanted to argue that the proclamation did not refer to slaves in Union-held portions of the Confederacy, but she couldn’t shake the rampant images in her head of Isabelle charging into battle. “You’ve been in the Union Army for a year? An entire year? How’d you hide…your identity?”

Alice shrugged one shoulder. “When you can shoot straighter, march farther, and fight harder than any man, they don’t tend to ask too many questions.”

One corner of Isabelle’s mouth twitched as she fought off a grin. It irritated her that she found humor in the thought of a woman—this woman—fooling so many men. But she did.

From where she sat, Isabelle studied the remnants of Alice’s uniform with its distinctive red, blousing breeches and blue, cutaway jacket decorated with red piping. “Why the Zouaves?”

Alice raked a trembling hand through her short hair. “A good many other Irish were in it. I knew they’d accept me. Besides, the uniform concealed…more.” With that, her plush lips curled up on one side in a smile that sent a jolt of something Isabelle couldn’t define straight to her pantalets.

She swallowed, instantly dismissing the unwelcome sensation. “Laws of mercy! You’ve all but ruined your chances of making an advantageous marriage.” Heat crept up her neck. Her pulse accelerated and she didn’t know why.

Perhaps merely because the idea of wearing a man’s clothing, of pretending to be one, seemed so taboo. So decadently sinful.

“Married? Me? Oh no. I’ll never stand at the altar. Of that you can rest assured.” Alice dismissed that idea with a wave of her hand.

Isabelle blinked. What sort of woman wouldn’t want to marry? But she knew the answer to that. The sort of woman who’d join up with the army and fight. The sort of woman whose livelihood wasn’t dependent on a man. “How will you make your way in the world? You can’t go on pretending to be a man forever.”

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Kindle | In Print

Her Beguiling Bride

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Be sure to pick up a copy of the novella length sequel, Her Beguiling Bride!

Three years have passed since Isabelle Holloway gave her heart to Alice O’Malley, the brash woman Union soldier left on the doorstep of Isabelle’s Georgia plantation. Now Reconstruction Era taxes threaten their home, and Isabelle must decide between the female lover whose touch sets her flesh and soul ablaze, or a cold marriage to a wealthy man and an even colder bed. In hopes of saving the plantation, Isabelle and Alice travel to Savannah where doors close at every turn. Until Alice tenders a scandalous proposal that could cost them everything…or offer them the love of a lifetime.

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*Contest

Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for a copy of Beguiled!
Print or ebook, winner’s choice.

About Paisley Smith
Paisley Smith is a full time author who can usually be found in front of her computer either writing, chatting, promoting or plotting. It’s a glamorous life…working in one’s pajamas. She attended college in the Deep South where she obtained a slew of totally useless degrees and developed an unrelenting sense of humor. Website: https://PaisleySmith.net

Flashback: Shattered Souls (Contest)
Saturday, January 10th, 2015

UPDATE: The winner, chosen by a random number generator, is…ilona!

* * * * *

I’ve written a lot of books and every one of them is special to me, but there are a few that are my favorite babies. Shattered Souls is one of those. From the moment I dreamed the pivotal scene in the first act, I was driven to write this story. I knew Cait inside and out from day one. I didn’t know exactly what she was capable of, but she led me through her story, bitching all the way. The words came fast, just as though they were being fed through a funnel. Like they weren’t coming from me at all. The sequel was almost as fun to write, although there was one particular scene that just about killed me. Those of you who read Lost Souls will know which one I mean… Enjoy the excerpt.

If you post a comment today, you’ll be entered
to win a free audiobook of the story below!

Shattered Souls

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“SHATTERED SOULS shocked me with its exhilarating story line and its magical world of Witches, Wraiths and Demons. Ms. Devlin wrote an intriguing urban fantasy with just the right balance of romance, nail-biting scenes and well-developed characters. She really got me hooked from the beginning until the end.”  5 Feathers and Top Pick, Under The Covers

“An intriguing paranormal tale that combines romantic suspense with a mesmerizing tale of otherworldly beings.”  Top Pick, Night Owl Reviews

“Delilah Devlin has created a fascinating world of magic and the mundane in SHATTERED SOULS… A terrific book, SHATTERED SOULS will leave you breathless for more.”  4.5 Blue Ribbons, Romance Junkies

When her mentor is brutally murdered by a supernatural force, an alcoholic former cop turns to her past lovers—her ex-partner and a powerful sorcerer—to help her hunt down a demon terrorizing Memphis.

Caitlyn O’Connell had it all: a career with the Memphis PD, a passionate marriage, and the satisfaction that her work made a difference in the world. But she also had a secret, a supernatural “gift” that cost her everything. Now she scrapes by as a private investigator, taking cases the cops won’t touch and counting down the minutes until happy hour. But when Sam Pierce, her former partner and estranged ex-husband, comes to her for help with a bizarre murder case, Cait can’t say no. And not just because Sam is still as irresistibly sexy as he was on the day they met. Something sinister—and demonic—is terrorizing Memphis, leaving a bloody trail of bodies and clues only Cait can read. Together she and Sam will venture into a dark world of magic and unholy terror, hunting a killer who will lead them to the brink of reality as they know it—and back into the thrall of their stormy past. Steamy and suspenseful, Shattered Souls is the pulse-quickening new offering from romance author Delilah Devlin.

“You don’t remember calling him here last night, do you?” Sam said evenly.

Cait closed her eyes. Bad move. The floor shifted beneath her feet. “No.” She didn’t remember making the call, didn’t remember if she’d come. She didn’t remember a damn thing past her fourth Scotch at O’Malley’s. Par for the course. And why she didn’t work past midnight these days.

The ever-present whispers softened, almost extinguished, and she swallowed, really needing that shot of Scotch now. She opened her eyes and met Sam’s flinty gaze.

Disappointment shone in his face. Anger she could have shrugged off, but this was the same look he’d worn through the last days of their marriage. It still cut her to the bone.

“This was Henry’s room?” She lifted her chin because she didn’t want him guessing that shame heated her cheeks.

“He registered yesterday. And we found his wallet on the nightstand.”

“What was he doing here?” Her head pounded, and she fought to pull together her thoughts. “The last time we talked he was in Florida, enjoying his retirement.”

“I hoped you’d be able to answer that.” He drew in a deep breath and ruffled the top of his head with a hand—a clear indication of his frustration. “Have a look around the room. Tell me what you see.”

“Your team’s been all over it. What can I add?”

“Humor me.”

She shrugged casually while a bad, bad feeling crept along her spine. When his expression settled into stubborn lines, she knew he’d just wait her out. So she stood in the center of the floor and visually scanned the room, looking for clues about what had gone down while she fought emotions she didn’t want to acknowledge. Read the rest of this entry »

Leigh Court: Fear Of Flying (Contest)
Friday, January 9th, 2015

UPDATE: The winner of an eBook copy of Fear Of Flying is Elaine Swinney!

* * * * *

Confession: I’ve pretty much always been afraid to fly. It started at age 18, with a rough plane ride on my first flight to Europe. Since then I’ve tried not to let my fear of flying control my life, but every time I board a plane, I can’t help but get a little nervous. Ironically, (since I didn’t actually search them out), I’ve had a fortune teller assure me I’ll never die in a plane crash and an astrologer friend tell me I will live to a nice old age. I think of those two women every time I buckle my seatbelt!!

But now I’ve found a way to turn my fear of flying into a positive thing:

I’m the author of nine books, and the advice always given to writers is “write what you know.” So for my latest story, aptly titled Fear Of Flying, I decided to get semi-autobiographical. I gave my heroine, Jessie Jordan, a fear of flying and wrote her story based on many of the real-life experiences I’ve had.

A job as a book publicist? Check. On a nationwide book tour with a travel writer? Check. Winter de-icing of plane wings and bouts of white-knuckle clear air turbulence? Check!

Everyone probably has stories of scary plane flights, me just more than most people. And I included them all in this book! Pretty much everything in it is true, except for the ex-military travel writer hero of the story, Regan Quade, whose lust for Jessie helped make this a very hot contemporary romance!

Here’s the blurb:

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“You’re never going to die in a plane crash…”

A mysterious fortune teller’s prediction plays right into book publicist Jessie Jordan’s biggest fear. A difficult childhood has left Jessie determined to control all aspects of her life, but she can’t control airplanes…

Travel writer Regan Quade also has control issues. A devastating event during his time in the military has scarred him into believing he needs to remain single. He can’t risk being responsible for anyone else’s life.

But during a nationwide media tour to promote Regan’s newest travel book, Jessie’s fear of flying prompts Regan to help calm her anxiety in a shocking – and highly intimate! – way.

The sudden change in their relationship unleashes their mutual attraction, but Jessie doesn’t know if there’s any way to pierce the wall Regan’s built around his heart.

This romance is definitely one wild ride! I’ve gotten some great reviews and some wonderful feedback from readers. Here are two buy links if this sounds like a fun read to you…

Amazon: https://amzn.to/1CNHQX5
Nook: https://bit.ly/1xoXbsy
Smashwords: https://bit.ly/1xuh2tH

Now that you know I’m afraid of flying, it’s time to share! Tell me about one of your fears and how you cope with it. I’ll pick a comment at random to win an e-copy of Fear Of Flying.

Best,

Leigh
www.leighcourt.com

Roni Loren: Reading Resolutions for the New Year (Contest)
Wednesday, January 7th, 2015

It’s that time of year again. The time when we set bright and shiny goals and resolutions. I talked about some of my personal resolutions on my blog recently. But today I thought I’d talk about the resolutions we set as readers.

In general, it seems most people don’t set reading goals. But I’ve found that in the romance community, we’re all about the reading challenge. And I love that. I love having some goal set that I’m working toward with books. Last year, I created my Push Your Boundaries reading challenge to try to encourage me and others to step outside our favorite genres on occasion and expand our reading horizons. I did pretty well, hitting about 75% of the categories I’d set up. But this year, I’m not sure what challenges I want to do beyond my number goal of reading at least 60 books.

I want to continue to read widely and not just in my favorite genres because I definitely discovered some books/authors I liked last year that I never would’ve found without the Push Your Boundaries challenge. But I don’t know if I’ll do it as a formal challenge. And I’ve done the 50/50 challenge a few times before—50 books and 50 movies in a year—which was fun, but I’m not sure I want to focus on movies this year. I’m more behind on TV shows. And I’m way behind on my TBR pile because, lawd, do I have a lot of unread books. I may have a book buying addiction—shh, don’t tell. 😉

So maybe I’ll fashion some challenge this year that focuses on decreasing the TBR pile I already have and on watching some of those TV series that have piled up on my DVR and Netflix cue. Hey, maybe I’ll call it the Catch Up Challenge, lol.

But here’s what I want to know from you: What reading goals are you setting this year? Do you set a number? Do you participate in some of the fun annual reading challenges that book bloggers host? Tell me your favorites! I’m a sucker for a reading challenge. 🙂

CONTEST: Leave a comment and get a chance to win a copy of my book, NOT UNTIL YOU!

And if you want to help fund my book buying addiction (*wink*), here’s my newest release—a hot m/m/f ménage!

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About NOTHING BETWEEN US:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Need You Tonight comes a steamy Loving on the Edge novel that proves watching is only half the fun…

Unlike the heroine of her popular thriller series, Georgia Delaune can’t afford to take risks or push sexual boundaries–unless you count spying through her neighbor’s bedroom window, and never missing a single move he makes.

Colby Wilkes is more than willing to put on a show for the alluring woman next door. But his dominant side aches to show her the pleasures of submission up close. As a counselor, Colby is sensitive to Georgia’s fears. As a Dom at The Ranch, a private BDSM retreat, he’s the perfect teacher to unleash her passion.

But just as Georgia lowers her emotional barriers, an unexpected complication arrives: a bad boy musician from Colby’s past who adds fuel to her heated imagination. Now, the lonely author has two gorgeous men eager to fulfill every fantasy she’s ever written–and one she’s never dared to dream….

Buy: Amazon | B&N

Delilah’s Random Scavenger Hunt! (Contest)
Tuesday, January 6th, 2015

UPDATE: The winner of the scavenger hunt is…Susan Rollison!

* * * * *

My daughter is producing a PILE of envelopes and packages to mail. Wait! Let me take a picture…

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THAT is my office floor. I have to walk through those landmines to get to my desk until she has time to come back and finish up. I called and wheedled her into doing it for me. And she loves monotonous tasks like this, but you should have heard the cursing when she saw just how deep was the stack of requests and prizes she had to handle. Now you know it’s being handled. And you know they’ll go out soon, because I have to reclaim my office!

So, today I won’t add one more thing to her mailing pile. :mrgreen:

We’re having a scavenger hunt! The winner gets his/her choice of download from among my currently available Samhain ebooks.

RULES:

DO NOT POST YOUR ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS HERE! Why would you want to help someone else qualify for the prize, huh!?

DO POST HERE SAYING HOW MUCH FUN YOU HAD! Not that I’ll make posting here a requirement to win. I just like knowing that the things I do here are something you enjoy!

So here are the questions. All the answers can be found on my website or on links that exist on my blog page…

1) What is the name of Delilah’s upcoming February release?

2) Which phrase or word appears the largest on my blog’s tag cloud? (Hint: Scroll down the left-hand column to the very end.)

3) What three titles appear on my Bookshelf page?

4) How many series are listed on my Series page AND how many of them only have one entry (meaning more books are to come!)?

5) How many books are listed in my Collections? What was the title of the latest release?

6) Do you subscribe to my blog? (If not, you can do so by scrolling down the left hand column of this page to “Subscribe to Blog via Email.”) Do you subscribe to my newsletter? (If not, that signup is right next to the blog signup!) And lastly, do you follow me on Pinterest? (No, no, no is a perfectly acceptable answer. I won’t ding you!)

And that’s it! REMEMBER! Do not post your answers here! Send them to me privately at: Delilah@delilahdevlin.com. Enjoy!

This contest will end Friday, so there’s plenty of time to play!

Megan Mitcham: Favorites (Contest)
Sunday, January 4th, 2015

You’re not supposed to pick favorites with your kids or your novels. But hey, I’m a rule breaker. I won’t confess to having a favorite child. A waterboarding expert couldn’t get it out of me. My favorite novel on the other hand… Vail Tucker made it impossible for me to keep it under wraps. Take a peek…

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Warrior Mine Excerpt

In little less than a second Vail had a decision to make. Option one, continue the draw, shoot her in the head, and hope he could grab the detonator before she depressed it. Option two, leave his gun where it hung, attack with bare hands, get the detonator before she depressed it, and then find out who the hell she was and why she’d broken into his office. Deciding on option two, he released the gun and coiled slightly to strike. But a closer look brought that train to a grinding halt.

A long lever compressed between a slender metal box and her palm. That, combined with the distance she put between them, railroaded a surprise attack.

“Listen carefully,” she demanded in an even tone. “I do not wish to harm any of you nor steal your secrets. But, if you push me, I will lay waste to us all and have completed my task all the same. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” He held his body loose, waiting for any opening, while he catalogued the intruder.

Five-eight, maybe five-nine. Slender frame. Full breasts.

Not important at the moment, Tucker. 

                Still, he couldn’t help but notice how the thin cotton fitted the pretty mounds and dipped at the sway of her waist.

He moved on. Belt with extra magazines. Knife strapped to thigh. Bulge at ankle, probably a small cannon. Dark, sad eyes. Light caramel skin. Smooth. Long lashes.

Again, not important.

                Heedless of the warning, his body stirred.

“Open your left desk drawer.”

Tracking his options, he did as she asked, knowing what came next.

“Remove your gun with two fingers, place it in the drawer without putting your hand inside, then close it.”

Her gaze didn’t rove like his had, but speared him in the solar plexus. A nice trick to watch the surrounding area and your target at the same time.

“What is it you hope to accomplish with this misadventure?”

“Secure your sidearm. Then we’ll talk.”

“I don’t expect talking ranks high on your to-do list,” he said, dropping his weapon into the shallow drawer and pushing it closed.

“It is my list.”

“Really?” For a reason completely concealed from understanding, the words, ‘I think we’d fare better with action,’ tickled his tongue. He swallowed them, but his brow and smirk refused to fall in line.

She surged forward one brimming step. The gloved hand not holding the key to their possible doom snapped to her hip. Her gaze rose and lanced his own.

“Yes,” her sweet voice lashed like the end of a whip.

Vail remained still and watchful, a ready predator to his unsuspecting prey. She calmed in stages, as if summoning all her strength to rein a simmering rage. Again he inspected her eyes. There was no more accurate tell about a person’s mental state than the eyes. They were windows all right—he just didn’t think soul described what they revealed. Intent. Sanity or the lack. Direction. Fear. Malice. Truth and lies. If only they’d differentiate the lies from the truth.

The hue of her big rounds matched his coffee—devoid of cream or sugar—and the eyes that stared back in the mirror every morning. Only where his gave nothing away but the chill of earth’s poles, hers revealed everything. Passion. Fear. Determination. Stability.

“Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be.”

“For you?” he asked.

“For me. For you, Mr. Tucker. For your agents and organization. For your secretary.”

She’d done her homework because she knew just how to tweak him to get the desired results. His people and the security of his organization trumped it all, even his own wellbeing. Most of his people were currently on mission, but the lives of the few who remained were in his hands. Plus the lives of those on the thirty-one floors above them. Yeah it was late, but more and more people put in grueling hours, striving for that next corporate rung or avoiding home life. He couldn’t make a move without endangering their lives. So he’d ride this wave a bit further and look for a safe break for land.

“How can I do that? What’s your name?”

The mask moved around her mouth, but she didn’t speak. A smile, maybe, or a frown. He hated not being able to see her face. The tiny gestures lost behind the knit also gave vital clues to a person’s intentions.

“Pick up your phone, hit only the top left button for your secretary, tell her you need a boost and this coffee isn’t doing the trick. You need her to go get you a triple shot espresso.”

“Would you like anything?”

“I’d like for you to quit being a smart ass.”

 

Warrior Mine – Base Branch Novel 4
A silver fox learns new tricks.

The Base Branch office in Washington D.C. is so heavily fortified it makes Fort Knox look like a 7-Eleven. After twenty years in covert ops, nothing fazes Commander Vail Tucker. When a lightning bolt of feminine fury crashes into the interrogation room, holds him at gunpoint, and takes over the task with his prisoner, he’s more than surprised. She escapes without a trace, but Vail is unable to remain dispassionate. He must know what is so important the beguiling woman would risk her life to find it.

Carmen Ruez is deadly and desperate—a combustible combination. Born into the remnants of the Arellano Felix Organization, drugs and violence kept her in a gilded cage—until a twist of fate showed her the roots of their riches, making her yearn for freedom. She works for it. Fights for it. But her brother crosses the line to keep her loyal to the treacherous family she is determined to leave behind. Following instinct, Vail uncovers Carmen’s motives and is galvanized by a protective instinct he hadn’t known he possessed. Determination and desire force them to work together to defeat those loyal to Carlos Ruez and the AFO. But are those traits enough to make them fight for a future together?

 

Tell me in the comments below who your favorite book boyfriend is and what quality made him achieve that rank and one lucky commenter will win a digital copy of Enemy Mine, the first installment of The Base Branch Series.

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Megan Mitcham
Sizzling Suspense – Are you sizzling yet?

The Base Branch Series
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