UPDATE: The winners are Vickey Kennedy, Tamara Kasyan, and Debra Guyette!

* * * * *

It’s hard being mommy! And no, I’m not just talking about the fact I just birthed my 12th Uncharted SEALs tale. My dear daughter is halfway across the country helping out with her dad’s business, so I’ve pretty much moved in across the street with her family to watch kids, keep things orderly, and walk her way-too-fucking-many dogs. I get only a very slim window to escape to my office, check my email, and post a blog before I have to pack up for another day of challenges. Writing has taken a hit. Which isn’t good because I need to be making page count on my next story—something longer than I have been writing, but something I think you’ll enjoy—my first Montana Bounty Hunter story. So far, I only have one chapter. 🙁

She’s been gone a week, and I have just one more week to go. Did I mention that she has seven dogs that have to be rotated in and out of the yard in twos and threes or there would be war? And cats! And guinea pigs! Yeah, I much prefer my life with my solitary cat. I only occasionally have to watch my mom’s three Yorkies. And in the meantime, my bamboo plants are getting yellow. Isn’t it bad luck to kill them?

Anyways, what I would like is: 1) for y’all to go find a copy of my new release, SEAL Escort (of course!), and 2) tell me whether family puts impossible demands on you sometimes. 

Contest

Comment for a chance to win one of my previous Uncharted SEALs stories!

SEAL Escort

In case you couldn’t find it… And just because this cover’s so lickable…

[click on the cover to get your copy!]

So, I’m on this little trip. Yeah, I’m in Peru! First time on the South American Continent. I’m hitting one of my items on my bucket list. My husband and another couple are on our way to Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca ruins. And let me tell you, you can’t get there unless you’re specifically going there! No, you can’t fly direct. Hell, you can’t even fly to Machu Picchu. We flew from Arkansas to Houston, Texas. Houston to Miami. Miami to Lima Peru and stayed the night in the  airport hotel and then flew the next morning to Cusco. From there we were picked up and transported by van to the Sacred Valley. From here, we’ll ride a train up to the ruins. Though I’ve been traveling for 3 days, in this modern age of air travel, I have yet to get where I’m going! But it will be well worth it. I have no doubt. Watch my Facebook page for pictures of our trip. We’re surrounded by the Andes snow-capped mountains in a beautiful country. The people here have all be wonderfully welcoming and the cultural costumes are incredibly fun and colorful.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for the next in the Brotherhood Protectors series, you can preorder MONTANA RESCUE now. It comes out November 14^th. It’s also a part of the SLEEPER SEAL Series of books written by a fabulous group of authors. So don’t miss this book! Pre-order now!

MONTANA RESCUE

The Sleeper SEALs are former U.S. Navy SEALs recruited by a new CIA counter-terror division to handle solo dark ops missions to combat terrorism on U.S. soil

Plagued by survivor’s guilt and a bad knee, SEAL Maddog Maddox left the Navy and buried himself in a mountain cabin in Colorado where the only creatures he hunts now are those he puts on his table. Slowly going out of his mind with boredom, he’s on the verge of throwing himself off a cliff when an old friend, his former commander gives him a reason to live. His mission: Team with special CIA operative and assassin to reveal a terrorist on home soil.

Raised by her father in the Crazy Mountains of Montana, Jolie Richards learned to fire guns before she learned to do her hair. When her father was killed by a careless hunter, Jolie joined the CIA to get as far away from Montana and the emptiness of a home without her father. Her skills as an expert marksman land her as an assassin. When she kills one of a pair of brothers radicalized into ISIS, she becomes the target. In order to flush out the ISIS threat, she sets herself up as bait, but takes him to familiar ground in the Crazy Mountains. Used to working alone, she finds she’s been assigned a partner. She just hopes he stays out of the way of her accomplishing her mission.

Together Maddog and Jolie team with the Brotherhood Protectors, a protection agency comprised of former military members, to expose their enemy before he can kill more innocents.

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** Montana Rescue ** is part of the Brotherhood Protectors Series. It is also in the “Sleeper SEAL” connected series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone. They do not have cliffhanger endings.

Each book in the multi-author branded Sleeper SEAL series can be read stand-alone, and individual books do not have to be read in any particular order.

The Hidden Heart

Cara Montero had been kidnapped and then rescued by her sister Aly and Ram Torres.  Now free but traumatized, knowing she was going to become a sex slave sold to someone in Asia, she wrestles with PTSD symptoms.  When Ram and Aly have to leave, she feels as if she’s been abandoned, relying heavily on them.

Tyler Hutton, ex-SEAL, is assigned to take over and be there as a bodyguard and support for struggling Cara.  He’s destroyed his marriage two years earlier because of his own PTSD and doesn’t expect to be powerfully drawn into desiring more than a professional relationship with Cara.  He considers himself broken, just as Cara sees herself as shattered.  Can two people who are drawn to one another find a pathway to connect their hearts and openly admit they are falling in love?  Or will the dark past overwhelm the fragile, hidden hearts that yearned for a lifetime together?

Get your copy here!

One soldier had told Cara Montero at the shower facility that she was special, which apparently meant she would get better treatment than the other women imprisoned with her. The Asian male who had bought her wanted her skin in perfect condition, no bruises, her hair and body clean.  Cara was afraid to ask the soldier more, but because he seemed in a good mood, she did.  He said it was because even though she was twenty-four, which was “very old” for a high-class sex slave, the Asian wanted her.  Then, the soldier took a last drag on his cigarette, tossing the butt beneath his combat boot.  He looked at her lustfully, telling her that if his boss hadn’t already sold her for a million dollars, he’d like to get a piece of her for himself.

Now, caged with her companions, Cara huddled with the two women, trying to calm their trembling bodies. She suddenly saw herself back in Tucson with her parents.  How happy she’d been then! She and her sister had grown up so loved, cared for and supported.  Family meant everything to her and yet, here she was, a thousand or more miles away, alone, helpless and afraid.

In another week, the ship to Asia would take them all away, probably forever. And then?  Cara simply couldn’t fathom what would happen to her.  The other three women did not know their fate.  Only she did.  But Cara was sure they had been sold, too.

The door to the villa opened and shut.  Cara’s head snapped up, her eyes focused.  There was the head soldier—she didn’t know his name, but he terrified her. He was even crueler than his companions, clearly enjoying the pain he inflicted on the women.  And he was walking quickly toward their cell.  Only a dark brown tarp lay across the top of it, keeping rain off them when a storm passed nearby.

The soldier, bald, six-foot five-inches tall was a Russian with flat, gray eyes and a four-day growth of bear—and his gaze was fixed right on her.  She often heard the guttural language interspersed with Spanish, and sometimes, English slang.

Oh, no!  Cara slowly stood up, her hands against her roiling stomach.

He opened the door with a jerk and stepped in.  “You!” he snarled in poor Spanish.  “Get over here!”

Cara froze.  They were going to rape her!  She saw the hardness in the man’s eyes and noted his powerful muscles. He had an AK-47 hanging off a strap in front of him.

“Get over here!” he bellowed, and took a threatening step toward her.

Stunned, she forced herself to walk around the two women who were whimpering with fear, holding tightly to one another.  Her heart was pounding so heavily she didn’t know if she could make it to where he stood, his hands imperious on his hips, his glare eating into her like acid.  Cara knew if she didn’t obey instantly, they’d grab her by the hair and jerk her off her feet.  They had never slapped her since she’d arrived. Was all that about to change now? 

Lowering her eyes, head bowed, she walked to within six feet of the soldier. Earlier that day, three cars had driven up to the double wooden doors of the villa.  The soldiers had opened the doors and allowed the visitors into the spacious area.  Cara had seen one man leave each chauffeured car. All three were dressed in expensive business suits, and she could only guess what they were doing here.  In the past weeks since her capture, she’d sharpened her hearing, listening to snatches of conversation from the soldiers.

She’d found out that Emilio Azarola was a Sonoran drug lord who sent drugs across the border to America and kidnapped young girls, some as young as age twelve. They came from various cities, some from the United States, and others from cities and towns in Central and South America.

Azarola’s sex trafficking trade was growing, which was why this Huge cell that was roughly two-hundred square feet, had been built: it was a holding cell for his captives until their ships pulled into the dock.  From there, children and young women would be shipped to the Middle East or Asia.

The soldier glared at her.  “Come with me.”

Shocked that he wasn’t going to grab her or yank her by the hair, she hesitated, at a loss for words.

“Move!” he snarled, making a sharp gesture.

Cara leaped out of the cell and stood.  There was no place to run, to escape this place.  Furtively, she looked around, trying to see if such an escape was possible.  There was nothing to indicate escape.  Disheartened, she saw him looking at her, stripping her from head to toe with his colorless grey eyes.

Now she knew what it felt like to be a mouse about to be pounced on by a coyote.

“Go to that door,” he muttered, walking toward her, threatening her with his height and bulk.

Instantly, Cara moved, but she suddenly felt weak, her knees turning mushy. Oh, Dios….protect me….protect me…

I have some pages to finish today and tomorrow on this story. It’s coming this coming Thursday, so be watching for it! In the meantime, have fun!

And if you want to dive into other stories in the series, be sure to check them out here: Uncharted SEALs

Hello and Happy Sunday All….

So I thought I’d share a little of what I’ve been dealing with lately then share a little about my books.

So last Saturday night while I was sleeping at 11:54 Illinois, but 9:54 LA, California time, a hacker hacked my bank account, and by this past Thursday had hacked into all my accounts.  Now, you would think that after the first one when I had asked my bank if my other accounts were safe and after going through and changing passwords, etc., that everything would be okay.  That was a BIG FAT NO.  By the time the hackers were done, all my accounts were frozen and in the negative by, oh yes hold on to your panties, almost 11,000 dollars.  YES, $11 Grand.

So, here I am a Veteran of 23 years in the US Army; I am a 100% disabled Veteran; and now, I have no access to my money well for, as of today, 9 more days at the least and max time 24 more days.  Now, having 3 kids in college and paying for books, etc., there are no savings anymore, so I sit, and I wait.  But the reason I am telling you this is to recommend that you get credit monitoring, get bank monitoring, and watch your accounts.  Now, I have been informed that the hackers most likely got mine, my husband’s and my children’s information from the Pentagon and the Office of Personnel Management Hacking from last year.  Which would explain how the hackers were able to pretend to be my husband and create a profile connected to our accounts through our bank. Yes, the hackers called our bank and set up a profile linked to our account.  How did they do this?  Well, they had all the information from mine and my husband’s security clearances from the Army, so it was easy for them.  I was not the only one affected in this hacking. There were other Veterans and Active Duty personnel who also got hit.

So, what I am telling you is this: I did have all the monitoring available through Experian and through my bank.  So, pay attention! Do not rely on these companies to protect you, because like what happened to me, they were able to fool the bank into thinking they were talking to my husband.  Now we have safe words and sentences that the bank has to ask, and get the right response from us, in order to discuss anything with that person. So the public service warning is, always beware and be on guard.

A Little about Me…..

If I’m new to you I will go through the whole speech. ???????? I hope you don’t mind. ????????????

I served in the US Army for 23 years, and well, at 45 I decided my time had come. I retired out with a 100% service-connected disability. long story. So, now I am here to introduce you to my work and to me. (Scary I know but hold on for a wild ride)

I write Military Romance with SMOKIN’ ALPHA males and STRONG ALPHA females mixed with some suspense. I will always have strong male and female characters in my stories. Romance and action will always grace my stories, as well as some suspense and mystery. ALWAYS, ALWAYS my stories have an HEA—A Happy Ever After.

I am currently working on my second novel of the Warranted Series called Warranted Desires, due out in soon.  My first Book Warranted Pleasures is being released by Limitless Publishing July 25th. And I am an author in four upcoming anthologies. Craving Soldiers and Craving Secrets, which release on Aug 29th. Craving Christmas releases Nov 29th, 2017, and Counting Stars around Feb 2018.

I started my writing career while still serving in the US Army. I am a mother of 4, grandmother of two little girls, and a wife of 24 years.

I have made it a MISSION of mine since retiring that I recognize Fridays As “Buddy Check Friday’s”. Where not only do I call or text fellow veterans and family, but I put a post on my group page, my author’s page, and my personal page to remind all to check on your Battle Buddy. As a Veteran and sufferer of PTSD, I recognize first and foremost how important friends and family are, and to know to remain vigilant, and to seek help when I need it. That is where fellow Veterans, friends, and family come in, because we will a lot of times not seek you out. You must seek us out.

Now, let’s Be Book Buddies!

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The Men of the 9th

So, I am going to introduce you to a couple of the Men of the 9th today. My first one is kinda my favorite. I guess it’s because he was my first. He broke my writing cherry. 🙂

Who wants to meet Chief Warrant Officer Raleigh Fitzgerald? He is my Alpha, all male, and the main lead in what is now becoming a whole new series about the 9th Special Forces Reapers.”Bringers of Death and Destruction” is their motto.

Eventually, it will be an entire world of hottie, alpha and the strong women who fall for them.

Ok, this, my dears, is my Raleigh from my Warranted Series. I seriously want to lick him. I really don’t care where! LOL We can stare at him for a moment then I will show you an excerpt from Book 1 of Samantha and Raleigh’s story. The insignia next to each is special forces unit insignia, and the other is the warrant officer branch insignia.

So my novella, Snowed In, introduces you to the youngest member of the 9th Special Forces. I think you’ll like him. He’s a cutie from Georgia—a young and all Southern stud. 🙂

This novella is set during the time that Warranted Pleasures is set and is the story of Jackson and Annabelle. Jackson is a member of Raleigh’s SF unit.

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Warranted Pleasures

★‿¸.•*´´*•.¸(*•.¸¸.•*)¸.•*´´*•.¸‿★

Excerpt  WARRANTED PLEASURES

★***•.¸.•*(¸.•*´`*•.¸)`*•.¸.•***★

4.7 out of 5 Stars on Amazon

57 ★★★★★ Ratings

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Raleigh opened the door to O’Shea’s Pub and walked in. He scanned the bar—no Sam. He scanned the tables—no Sam. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her as she emerged from the bathroom. Her long, blonde hair draped over her bare shoulders, and her legs were so long they could almost reach the sky. She was tanned from head to toe, and the dress she had on left nothing to the imagination. It melted into her skin like it was made for her. The heels she wore inched her almost as tall as him. WOW! She is amazing! He could lose himself in those eyes and that smile. He could forget about everything this world offered and just concentrate on making her every wish come true. Because right then, at that very moment, she was everything he had ever wished for and so much more. He wanted so badly to take her in his arms and whisk her away to a remote island and make her his forever. He could feel himself shake as he walked towards her. He knew he had to get it together, or he would look like a fool.

***

Sitting here with Raleigh was almost a dream come true. She could smell his musky scent from across the table; the smell enticed her senses. She could feel her skin get warm and beads of sweat made their way between her breasts. Thoughts crept into her mind of all the heavenly things she would do to him if she got him alone in a room. It had been too long since Sam had felt a man’s touch—a real man’s touch. She wanted to be taken—body, mind, heart, and soul. Her heart ached for the love and tenderness of a man; Raleigh reminded her of the emptiness she had been feeling for quite some time. Could a guy like Raleigh make all her hopes come true? Or for one night, make her forget all her troubles and be a woman again? She didn’t care either way. There were carnal, sexual needs that she wanted to follow.

As she sat so close to the man of her dreams, the man who could fulfill her deepest desires and the fantasies she had yet to share, she had a feeling she could share any one of them with him and he would be more than willing to make them all come true.

In his deep southern twang, he asked, “Have you ordered yet?”

“Just a drink. I thought I would wait to order food once you got here.” Sam’s voice trailed off as she felt the distinct touch of Raleigh’s leg against hers. The heat she felt skyrocketed to pure pleasure. Is that by accident? Or is he playing with my emotions? She moved her leg just inches, testing the hypothesis that his touch was an accidental one. But his leg moved between hers and pressed them apart. Her heart quickened and her breath hitched. Without control, she had allowed his leg in deeper and could feel her wetness envelop her. She had deliberately gone without panties to avoid panty lines; now she worried he would inch ever so close feeling the wetness soak his jeans. The tablecloth had hidden what was going on under the table, so Sam was happy to oblige Raleigh’s advances. For one night only, she would put away her emotions and her inhibitions and just let the chips fall where they may. She already had a few drinks in her before Raleigh arrived. She was now relaxed enough to let herself go and enjoy where this may go. If she ended up in his bed, she would count it as a notch and let it go. She couldn’t fight her feelings anymore. She needed to be taken, and she needed it now.

The table hid Raleigh’s intentions, and he slid one hand on Sam’s leg and up the length of her thigh. The higher he moved up, the warmer it got. He hoped once he reached her spot, she would be ready and willing to take his length and the pleasure he had secretly sworn to give her the moment he laid eyes on her. He could feel her legs tighten as he inched closer and felt her breath quicken the closer he got to her folds. I pray she isn’t wearing panties. As he reached within centimeters of her warmth and folds, the waitress arrived.

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Craving Soldiers

Craving Soldiers
Operation Codename Wolverine
Unedited Excerpt

amazon.com/dp/B073KM3H7H

Sergeant First Class Logan Macalister stood steadfast as the dust and sand flew and laughed as he watched the young woman fumble around.  He had been waiting for this CIA agent for the last few hours, and he was ready to get back to the poker game he and the guys had started.  He was ahead a few hundred dollars and didn’t want to miss out on his winning streak.  He couldn’t see her quite well, but he could make out the figure and damn it was impressive.  “What I wouldn’t give to have those legs wrapped around my neck.  If the rest of her looks are as good as they are from the neck down we in business.” He thought as she approached him.  It had been months since he had seen a woman let alone been with a woman so lucky for him she was extremely nice to look at.

“Are you SFC Macalister?” she asked

“Yep, that’s me!” he said as he held his hand out to her “Logan Macalister, but everyone calls me Wolverine.”

“Well, Wolverine how about getting me out of this dust-up and inside so I can sit down.”

“Yea, no problem.  Let me take your bag for ya.” He said as he reached for the bag draped over her arm.  “Looks heavy.”

“Yea, a bit!  I’ve been lugging it around for the last several hours.  I am beyond bushed.  I need a shower a bed and a drink.” She complained as she handed him the bag.

Logan grabbed the bag then motioned her to follow him.  “Follow me, ma’am, I will get you over to the command tent first.  You need to report to the commander first then personnel will get you set up with a bunk and a private area.  Once you get set up, I can show you where the shower facilities are.”  As they walked into the small makeshift building that looked as though it had been put together with cardboard and duct tape a blast a cool air finally hit her face.  “Whew, finally.” She thought as she stopped for a moment to take it all in and to take the scarf down from her face.  Realizing she was no longer following him Logan stopped and turned just in time to see Mackenzie as the scarf fell. 

His breath hitched, and his heart raced as he took the sight all in.  “My God! he thought she’s the most beautiful women in the world.  Why the hell is she in this rat hole?  Yep, he thought definitely have to get those legs wrapped around my neck.”  When she looked up at him, he realized her eyes were the darkest brown eyes, and her hair was long and dark drown with hints of auburn scattered about.  Then she smiled at him looking up thru her eyelashes, and that smile reached down to his dick and pulled it up and stretched it hard.  He now had a hard on from hell, and there was not a thing he could do about it.

“You good? He asked can we head on?” he knew he sounded like an ass, but he also didn’t want to stand around too long and reveal the raging hard on he had that was pushing against his pants.  It seemed obvious to him that his cock was trying to inch its way closer to her.  “Down boy.” He whispered to himself.

“What was that, Sergeant?” she questioned, looking back at him over her shoulder.

“Nothing all good back here!”

“Oh ok, I thought you said something to me!”

“Nope, all good back here.” He said as he pushed down at his crotch

“Good.  How much further to the commander’s office?”

“Just turn to your right up there, and he’s in there.  I will wait out here.” He said fumbling with his waistband.

“You’re not going in?” 

“Nope, no need. I’ll wait for you out here.  Would you like coffee or water?”

“Water, please. As she turned into the commander’s office, I’ll grab it when I come out.”

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Craving Secrets 

Craving Secrets 
Breach of Trust
Unedited Excerpt
https://a.co/g0VBHhj

Madison’s heart sank when she heard her name. She was frightened, so she grabbed the broomstick again and prepared to smash whoever popped their head through the exposed hole in the old building. Gretchen grabbed Jasper. Madison hoped he would not bark, but it was too late. He was a small, strong little dog and had easily jumped from her arms and into the opening in the bricks.

Jasper’s barks echoed throughout the building. Madison could hear the man’s voice calling for her. As he got closer to the opening, she heard him say, “Madison, if you are in there, this is Chance Maxwell. I am with the CIA. Agent York sent me to come get you. I swear I will toss you my wallet so you can see I am who I say I am.”

Chance tossed his wallet toward the opening, and Gretchen popped her head out to retrieve it. Chance grinned as the old woman snapped him a look of disgust then went back into the building. Handing Madison the wallet, she then popped her head back out like a turtle from its shell.

“Is it him?” she asked Gretchen.
“Yes, child, it is the same man,” Gretchen answered.
“Okay, let him in,” Madison said.

Gretchen leaned back out of the hole, “Okay, you can come in,” she said. “But watch what you do, or Jasper will bite your cock off.”
***
Chance laughed.

“Don’t worry, ma’am. I am only here to help Ms. Madison,” Chance replied.

Chance crawled through the opening, his head down, watching for hidden items in the rubble that might hurt the knee or hands as he crawled through. Once he got all the way inside, he looked up then over to the right, and he saw her. She was even more stunning in person; her hair was a mess, her clothes torn, and she had on a pair of mismatched shoes. Her makeup had long since run down part of her face, but despite all of that, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever set eyes on. Her eyes were deep green, and although her hair was disheveled and matted, it was blonde and hung past her shoulders. Even in this state, his cock took over his mind, and his cock started to thicken. What the hell, man? Get a fuckin grip. This is a woman in need of help, and a bath. He grinned to himself.
***
Madison peered at him, still holding the broken broom handle at the ready. “And what the hell are you laughing at?” she asked, waiting still holding the broomstick above her head.

“I am laughing at you, miss. Do you seriously think that would do any kind of damage whatsoever?”

“Well, it could, if I hit hard enough,” she replied.

“Doubtful, but I’ll take your word for it,” Chance replied, standing up and walking over to her and grabbing the broom handle.

“If you don’t mind, I will take that. I have something that will do a little bit more damage than that, so you are perfectly safe with me. I promise,” he said, winking at her then focusing on the small barking dog at his feet.

“Now, who is this little guy?” He bent down to pet Jasper’s head and scratch his ears. Jasper was now on Team Chance and was currently in the process of rolling onto his back for a belly rub.

Gretchen replied, “That, my dear, is Jasper, my guard dog. This is our home. Welcome. Welcome, young Chance, my name is Gretchen.”

“How long have you and Jasper been here?” Chance asked.

“Oh, we have been here for, oh, say, ten years. Well I have had Jasper for only four years. I found him abandoned down at the city center, not far from the cathedral. We have been together since. He protects me, and I protect him,” she answered.

“Well, you have a very nice home, Frau Gretchen.”

“Ah, poppycock! It’s a shithole, but thank you for saying so,” Gretchen announced as she laughed.

Pre-order Aug 19th
Releasing Aug 29nd
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I really hope you will consider giving me and my stories an look through.  I know I am most likely new to you but I hope you will allow me to entertain you.  I know you have tons of choices but i would be honored if you chose me.

Love and Hugs,

Shannon Nemechek

Delos Series
7B2 Sequel and Novella

Ali Montero pushed aside her pride and accepted help from arrogant Ram Torres to help rescue her sister Cara from kidnappers. Now safely back at home with her family, Cara doesn’t feel safe without Ram nearby to protect her. He agrees to stay with Ali and her family until Cara recovers, but spending time around the boisterous Montero family makes Ram yearn for the one thing he has never had—a loving family. Ram wants to explore the connection he feels with Ali. But can he convince her to take a chance on such a flawed man?

BUY LINKS:
Kobo.com: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/taking-a-chance-26
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0725QDZ98/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1495110135&sr=1-2&keywords=Taking+a+Chance+by+Lindsay+McKenna
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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT…

CHAPTER 1

Ali felt anxious and frustrated while trying to project calm to her younger sister, Cara. At age twenty-six, two years younger than herself, Cara shakily stood between their parents, trying to smile, but it was forced and brittle. She tried to look ”normal,” but that word would never apply to her again.

Ali watched as her parents, their arms around her sister’s waist, carefully walked down the steps from the Operations building. Her sister was still weak after having been a prisoner in Mexico for three long weeks.

Above them, two A-10 Warthogs thundered by.  The family was now at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.  Ali had helped rescue her sister, along with the Artemis Security team. Afterwards, the group had flown from Mexico to Tucson for a long, arduous debriefing with the FBI, CIA, DEA and ATF.  Everyone was exhausted, but Cara looked pale and weak. Ali suspected her sister would head straight for bed as soon as she got home.

Cara had been kidnapped off a street in Tucson less than a month ago.  A kindergarten teacher for Delos charity, she’d been walking home from the school, only five blocks from the home where she and her parents lived. She had been stuffed into a car trunk, tied up, duct-taped across her mouth and drugged.  She was then driven into the Sierra Madre mountains in the state of Sonora, which butted up against the US border.  There, she was thrown in with three female German tourists, also abducted by his men. The four women were kept in a mountain fortress belonging to a drug lord named Azarola. who planned to sell his captives to sex traffickers.

Cara found out that a container ship anchored at Puerto Nuevo on Baja’s west coast would be leaving shortly for Asia.  She would be hidden in a truck and driven dockside, put on board the container vessel, and join over a hundred other kidnapped women from North and South America, as well as children as young as eight years old, promised to buyers awaiting them. Fortunately, their plan was foiled by Ali and the Delos security team.

Now, Ram Torres, Ali’s black ops partner on the rescue mission, came and stood quietly by her side.  They traded brief looks with one another. Ram’s presence always calmed Ali as nothing else ever could.  She could feel tension radiating off him, his green eyes narrowed upon Cara as the family slowly approached them.  Ram and Ali had been working together for years in the military and she was highly sensitized to his feelings.  Right now, he was feeling very protective of Ali, knowing that her sister would be leaning heavily upon her in the coming weeks after being rescued.

Cara’s forced smile made Ali’s stomach clench.  Her sister was, as Ram had put it earlier, “a clam without a shell,” unlike Ali.  They had always had very different personalities, even as children. Cara had always wanted to be a teacher, and had gloried in her job as a kindergarten teacher.  All she’d wanted was to make a positive change in the lives of needy children.

Ali, on the other hand, had gone into the Marine Corps at age eighteen.

“Ali!” Cara said brightly, “Thank you for coming!” and her parents released their arms around her, allowing her to move freely toward her sister.

Swept up in her grief for her traumatized sister, Ali forced her own wooden smile, opened her arms and took Cara into her embrace.  As her arms wrapped around Cara, Ali could feel her sister trembling, and Cara clung tighter and tighter to her, burying her face against Ali’s shoulder.

As they separated, Ali saw the worry in her parents’ eyes.  They knew Cara had been shattered by the experience–who wouldn’t be?  And afterwards, she’d been debriefed for three long days, trying to answer questions along with the German women who had also been captured.  Authorities had asked them detailed questions about Azarola and his fortress in the mountains, where they had been kept prisoners.

Ali knew that each woman had undergone a thorough medical exam by a woman doctor on base, and then spent hours with an Air Force psychiatrist.  All that debrief material would be sent to Artemis Security, the in-house firm for Delos charities. The top-secret debrief would also be sent to other security and law enforcement agencies worldwide who were dealing with this situation.

Ali was itching to read that report! As she released Cara, she saw that her skin was stretched tight across her high cheekbones, her black hair drawn into a pony tail, her dark brown eyes almost black with terror etched deep within them.

Ali knew her baby sister did not have the internal grit that she did.  Cara had always been the “soft” one in the family, as her father, Diego, had once confided to her.  Mary, her mother, once told her that Cara had been born without a protective shell and therefore, needed protection.

“Cara, I’d like you to meet Ram Torres, the man who led the Artemis team to free you and the others,” Ali said.

Cara turned to the tall, dark-haired man with intense green eyes.  “Thank you, Mr. Torres,” and she stuck her hand out toward him.  Her voice trembled.  “Thank you for saving all of us…”

Ram managed a gentle smile, knowing that his hard, weathered face had been known to frighten women and children.  He gently grasped Cara’s damp, cool hand.  “You’re welcome, Senorita Montero.”

“Call me Cara,” she insisted, releasing his hand.  Then, glancing at her parents, who stood nearby, she asked wearily, “Mama? Papa?  Can we go home now?”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Mary said, coming forward, sliding her arm around Cara’s waist again.  “Papa put our pick-up in the parking lot across the street.  Come this way.”

Hesitating, Cara gave Ail and Ram an anxious look.  “You’re coming with us, aren’t you?  I don’t feel safe alone. I was told in the debriefing that Mr. Torres would be staying with us at our home for a while to make me feel safe. Is that right?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ram said, speaking up.  “I’m your personal bodyguard detail.  Your parents have given me their guest bedroom and I’ll be in the house and accompany you whenever you go.  You’ll be safe, Cara.”

Ali saw her sister’s face mirror utter relief hearing Ram’s words of reassurance.  She knew he could project quiet strength to her sister and her parents. He was a wonderful anchor for someone to hold onto.

Ram had been right in his raw assessment of her younger sister’s state:  she was traumatized to the point of being lost, unable to grapple with what had happened to her. Actually, Ali still wasn’t sure what had happened to Cara.  She was eager to get her hands on the debrief report that Lockwood had.

“Oh,” Cara whispered, giving Ram a grateful look, “that’s wonderful. Thank you for doing this, Mr. Torres.”

“Call me Ram, and it’s my job—one I’m happy to provide, by the way. Just know that I’ll be with you for as long as I can.”  He gestured to Ali, who stood nearby.  “And remember, your sister is a trained operator, just like me.  You actually have two guard dogs in the house protecting you.  Ali is just as good as I am at being a private security detail.”

Cara gave her a grateful look.  “I-I know.  But it’s nice to have both of you so close.  I-I worry that Azarola will send men back here to take me away again.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Ali told her.

“A-are you staying with us, Ali?  Tell me you will, okay?” Cara begged.

“I’m staying for as long as you need me, Cara.”  Ali reached out, briefly touching her sister’s slump shoulder.  “You’re safe now.  And there’s no way Azarola will come after you again.  Ram and his team put a huge hole in their operations.  They aren’t focused on you any longer.  They’ve got their hands full with other issues they have to address, okay?” and she gave her sister a very confident look.

There was no way Ali was going to appear weak, unsure or hesitant around Cara.  She knew what it took to make her sister feel stable again.  She’d spent her formative years being Cara’s shield and protector, so it was easy to move into that role once more for Cara’s sake.  Instantly, she saw Cara grow a little less frightened.

“That’s wonderful!” Cara wobbled. She reached out, gripping Ali’s hand.  “I’m ready now. Let’s go home.”

I can’t believe another month has flown by! The first week of July was so totally fun and refreshing! I spent it at a retreat with some author friends of mine, and while my page count wasn’t huge, it was worth it just to be with other authors who “get” how strange this calling is. 🙂

I’m ending the month feeling odd. I’m tiring fast. My head feels heavy. My thoughts are hard to corral. I’m sure it’s the stupid heat. As much as I love the summer because I love to swim, I’m ready for cooler weather. I’m housebound for most of the day because I just melt when I step outside.

Anyways, I just wanted to jump onto my blog to remind you about the stories I’ve released this month—two brand new, two refurbished treasures, plus a collection I’m proud to be a part of.

The refurbs of Lone Star Lovers will end in August. No new stories have been written, but then again, that depends on what you might like to see me do next. Are you ready for more lusty, sharing Texas men? I’m thinking about writing a story about step-siblings inside a ranching family, finally taking the plunge. What do you think? Or how about a crossover between my Uncharted SEALs and Lone Stars, with a SEAL who returns, knowing his former lover is married to his best friend… Let me know!

New in July!

Happy Ever After for a SEAL and a bounty hunter requires true dedication…

A former military dog handler, now Montana bounty hunter, Jamie Burke’s still trying to adjust to life with a live-in boyfriend. With a testy personality, Jamie’s circle of friends is very small, and includes one very loyal canine best friend. Which is how she likes it. She also likes uncomplicated, but her feelings for her boyfriend, Sky Reynolds, are anything but simple.

With ex-SEAL Sky away on a weeks-long mission, she jumps at the chance to work with the Charter Group again, happy to do anything to keep her too busy to worry about him. She heads to Mexico with her dog Tessa to be part of a team working to discover the whereabouts of a cache of weapons stolen from the Army. She’s thrilled when Sky meets her at the airport.

However, Sky’s not happy Jamie’s in the middle of this op. Having nearly lost her months before, he’s going to stick close. Not a tough job it turns out, since they’re staking out a beachside mansion from the mansion next door. Things heat up as they reconnect, but Jamie and Sky both worry about their future, until a cartel arms dealer arrives and bigger worries mount…

Get your copy here!

* * * * *

Sometimes a cowboy needs a little help—or three brothers—to snare a wife…

Sam Logan’s boys have a bad rep in Two Mule, Texas. Most of it earned. When it becomes clear his foster sons won’t settle down without a nudge from him, he issues his challenge. Find a wife…

The oldest, Johnny, already had his eye on Mean Ellie Harker. Sam’s challenge just gave him the gumption to ask her out. However, before he makes his move, the twins kidnap Ellie from under his nose. Now, he has to compete with three brothers for the woman he wants.

Ellie thought her prospects were drying up until Johnny Logan finally untangled his tongue and asked her out. When his brothers kidnap her and take her to the ranch, she’s furious…then intrigued by the thought of four men bent on showing her what being their’s would be like.

Get your copy here!

* * * * *

In On Fire, today’s top erotic romance authors don’t skimp on love or lust–they are entwined in tales that will make pulses pound and hearts race. Bestselling editor Rachel Kramer Bussel takes us inside the passions of couples who go above and beyond in their pursuit of sexual and romantic satisfaction, exploring the racy to the outrageous during their many arousing adventures. You’ll treasure the sex toy exploration in “Every Second of It,” find paranormal pleasure in “Masquerade,” and be transported to “A Place As Beautiful As This.” You’ll go “Beyond the Blindfold,” find out what lurks in the “Art of Darkness,” and delight in discovering “The Sweetest Thing.” These steamy stories by Kristina Wright, Delilah Devlin, Giselle Renarde, Kay Jaybee, Victoria Blisse, Jade A. Waters and others are perfect intimate reads to enjoy with your lover or for your own pleasure.

Get your copy here!

* * * * *

Sophie Keaton’s love life is a disaster. Too busy with her art gallery and weekends spent with the Army National Guard, she rarely has time for a date. Her orderly existence takes a twist when her Army National Guard unit gets a new Company Commander, Captain Gage Jenkins, who dislikes the idea of women in the Army, particularly her, and proceeds to make her weekend drill miserable. To bolster her self-esteem, Sophie finally takes her love life in hand and goes out on a date. Unfortunately, her date ends up in the emergency room with an allergic reaction to her cat. Her mooch of a brother, Bryce, feels sorry for her and offers to take her out to pick the “perfect man”. When she finds Mr. Perfect, she spends a passionate night with him, but awakens to discover that Mr. Perfect is none other than her new commanding officer!

As a member of the Texas Billionaire’s club, Gage has watched every one of his college buddies tie the knot. Although he’d met every challenge the group set in the early days, he resisted the last one—finding the perfect wife. Now, with his hands full expanding his construction business and whipping his new Army Guard command into shape, he has plenty of excuses to avoid that particular commitment. However, when he moves next door to one very attractive, very sexy woman, he finds himself deliciously distracted. When he discovers that woman is the same klutzy lieutenant he’s been dogging from day one, he’s not angry. He’s amused. And intrigued.

When the pair are challenged by their warring pets and matchmaking sergeants, the rules of Love and War get complicated…

Get your copy here!

* * * * *

Two bad boy cowboys need a little tutoring to learn how to love…

Fathers know to keep their daughters close whenever Sam Logan’s twin sons come to town. Those two hell-raisers have a bad rep in Two Mule, Texas. All of it earned. When it becomes clear his youngest sons won’t settle down without another nudge, Sam reissues his challenge. Find a wife…

There’s only been one woman who could hold their attention for more than one night, but she’s been out of reach. Their former teacher’s a little too worried about a pesky morals clause to let them close. But they’re older now and ready to prove to her that sometimes rules are meant to be broken…

Molly Pritchet thinks her path is predetermined: to always be a child’s teacher, never a mother or a wife. Until the two boys who tempted her way back when crash back into her life. Overwhelmed by yearnings she’s long suppressed, she’s swept along on a tide of forbidden desires.

Get your copy here!

Coming in August!

I have four releases planned for August, but I’m still waiting on the cover for one, so for now, feast your eyes on these three! If you’ve been waiting on a glimpse of the other polyamorous relationships in Two Mule, there’s a sweet scene at the end of Family Values…  You can click on Reined In and Family Values and pre-order those two. I’m not done writing With His SEAL Team, Part 5 just yet. But hint: Mom and Dad are coming for a visit!