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RELEASE TOUR ~ Silver Belles & Stetsons Box Set
SILVER BELLES AND STETSONS
TEN WESTERN ROMANCE CHRISTMAS NOVELLAS
Bestselling and Award-Winning Authors bring you ten western romance novellas featuring alpha-cowboys from the past. This boxed set will take you back in time when men were rugged and handsome and the women who loved them, courageous and daring.
Available as a boxed set for a limited time
A savings of more than 75% if the books were purchased separately.
Amazon Bestselling and Award- Wining Author.
Looking for the man who ran out on her, Ginger finds a cowboy worthy of love but he doesn’t want or need love.
Amazon Bestselling and Award-Winning Author.
During a supernatural dust storm, Fate steps in when rugged army tracker Elam helps Catherine deliver her child.
Amazon Bestselling and Award-Winning Author.
Can Celia restore the town’s Christmas spirit? “A beautifully written story about love and hope and all the emotions Christmas brings out in people.” Karren Lucas
Amazon Bestselling and Award-Winning Author.
Does Angel trust marriage to the man she suspects of killing her husband or the stranger who promises to pay off her debt and set her free if she decides their marriage of convenience won’t work?
Amazon Bestselling Author.
The baker’s man is home for Christmas…
“Compelling. Heartwarming. Tender.” ~Diane Darcy, USA Today Bestselling Author
Friendship has blossomed into young love, but it seems destined to die on the vine…until an unexpected Christmas gift promises happiness.
She married the wrong man. Will fate intervene?
Christmas Redemption by Paty Jager
Amazon Bestselling and Award-Winning Author.
Can two battered hearts find solace or will the past continue to haunt their lives? “A story of forgiveness that has a wonderful hero who has worked hard to redeem himself.”
Amazon Bestselling Author.
Two damaged souls. Can their budding love and the healing power of Christmas bring them together?
Will a miracle Christmas baby unite two tortured souls, or will it forever keep them apart?
Kathleen Ball writes contemporary and historical western romance with great emotion and memorable characters. Her books are award winners and have appeared on best sellers lists
While Cait Braxton’s childhood friends dreamed of becoming ballerinas, nurses and movie stars, Cait wanted to be a cowgirl when she grew up. Some of her best memories stem from long visits to her grandparents’ farm. Here she reveled in the delectable scents of pines trees, leather and horse. Her idea of a grand adventure wasn’t hosting a make-believe tea party but rather riding through the woods and fields on the back of beautiful stallion.
Her love of the Old West (and the New) continues to this day. That’s why she writes about strong alpha cowboys and the courageous women who loved them. She hopes you share her love for a majestic, rugged time gone-by and…the cowboys of today.
Caroline Clemmons is an Amazon bestselling author of historical and contemporary western romances whose books have garnered numerous awards. Her latest release is GABE KINCAID, book four of her popular Kincaid series. A frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, she has taught workshops on characterization, point of view, and layering a novel.
Caroline is a member of Romance Writers of America, Yellow Rose Romance Writers, From The Heart Romance Writers, and Hearts Through History Romance Writers. Her latest publications include the acclaimed historical Men of Stone Mountain series: BRAZOS BRIDE, HIGH STAKES BRIDE, and BLUEBONNET BRIDE and the audiobooks of BRAZOS BRIDE and HIGH STAKES BRIDE.
Caroline and her husband live in the heart of Texas cowboy country with their menagerie of rescued pets. Prior to writing full time, her jobs included stay-at-home mom (her favorite), secretary, newspaper reporter and featured columnist, assistant to the managing editor of a psychology journal, bookkeeper for the local tax assessor and–for a short and fun time–an antique dealer. When she’s not indulging her passion for writing, Caroline enjoys reading, travel, antiquing, genealogy, painting, getting together with friends, and enjoying watching the birds, butterflies, and squirrels wandering through her back yard. Find her on her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, Shelfari, Goodreads, and Pinterest.
Carra Copelin writes “well-written novels, complete with correct places, weather, and flavor.” … from a Native Texan reader. Her books are contemporary and historical romantic suspense about Texans set in Texas. No matter the murder, mystery, or mayhem that may surround or involve the hero and heroine, every story revolves around their romance and family.
She is a member of Romance Writers of America and President of Yellow Rose Romance Writers, plus she regularly contributes to Smart Girls Read Romance and Sweethearts of the West Blogs.
She and her hero live in North Central Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex where they enjoy their family and grandchildren. In addition to writing and researching with her fabulous critique partners, she enjoys playing bridge, crochet, and genealogy.
Kristin Holt: I recall the winter of my first grade year, basking in the heat from our fireplace in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Dad read aloud Madeline L’Engle’s A WRINKLE IN TIME and Mom peeled orange segments for us to enjoy. That was the definitive moment I fell in love with fiction.
I write sweet (wholesome) romances set in the 19th Century American West. I’m newly active in a fantastic Facebook group for authors and readers of Western Historical Romances:
Lyn Horner resides in Fort Worth, Texas – “Where the West Begins” – with her husband and several very spoiled cats. Trained in the visual arts, Lyn worked as a fashion illustrator and art instructor before she took up writing. She loves crafting passionate love stories, both historical and contemporary. Lyn also enjoys reading, gardening, visiting with family and friends, and cuddling her furry, four-legged children.
The author’s Texas Devlins series blends authentic Old West settings, steamy romance and a glimmer of the mysterious. This series has earned multiple awards and nominations, including Crowned Heart reviews and a Rone Award nomination for DEAREST IRISH from InD’Tale Magazine.
Lyn is a contributor to Rawhide ‘n Roses, a Western Romance Anthology. This book is a finalist in the 2015 RONE Awards anthology category. Lyn is proud to be in company with such a talented group of authors.
Jumping from the American Old West to the present day, Lyn is now hard at work on her romantic suspense series, Romancing the Guardians. These books combine her trademark flashes of psychic phenomena with Irish folklore and a chilling apocalyptic theme. Along the way, readers will be treated to thunderous action, terrifying suspense and sizzling romance.
Susan Horsnell: I grew up in the Western Suburbs of Sydney in the 50’s and 60’s and have always been a fan of Cowboys, Indians and Outlaws.
During my years as a nurse I would write down ideas and when I retired five years ago I finally published my first book – The Glenmore’s: Revenge. This developed into a four part series.
Since then I have published a further eleven Western Romance books and one contemporary. My westerns are set in Texas, USA during the 19th century and my contemporary in Sydney, Australia.
When I am not writing I enjoy walking our dogs with my husband and travelling.
Award-winning author Paty Jager and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. On her road to publication she wrote freelance articles for two local newspapers and enjoyed her job with the County Extension service as a 4-H Program Assistant. Raising hay and cattle, riding horses, and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.
She has published twenty novels, three anthologies, and seven novellas. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Her penchant for research takes her on side trips that eventually turn into yet another story.
Hebby Roman is the multi-published author of both historical and contemporary romances. Her first contemporary romance, SUMMER DREAMS, was the launch title for Encanto, a print line featuring Latino romances. And her re-published e-book, SUMMER DREAMS, was #1 in Amazon fiction and romance.
Hebby is a member of the Romance Writers of America, and the past president of her local chapter, North Texas Romance Writers. She was selected for the Romantic Times “Texas Author” award, and she won a national Harlequin contest.
She graduated with highest honors from the University of Texas in Austin with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. She was selected for inclusion in the first edition of Who’s Who in American Women.
She is blessed to have all her family living close by in north Texas, including her family’s latest edition, her granddaughter, Mackenzie. Hebby lives in Arlington, Texas with her husband, Luis, and maltipoo, Maximillian.
Margaret Tanner – WESTERN ROMANCE AUTHOR With the encouragement of friend and Western Romance author, Susan Horsnell, she has fallen in love with writing Western Historical Romance. Frontier Australia and frontier America, have many similarities, isolated communities, a large single male population and a lack of eligible women.
She has always loved Westerns, soaking up all the Western TV shows and movies when she was young. Bonanza was her all-time favourite show. Little Joe Cartwright was her hero. Western Author, Zane Grey was her favourite author at that time.
Margaret has a short story published in the Western Romance Anthology, Rawhide ‘N Roses which was a 2015 Rone Finalist.
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PROMO TOUR ~ Anywhere the Sun Shines box set
ANYWHERE THE SUN SHINES
Official genre of box set:
Contemporary and Paranormal Romance, Suspense, Action, and Drama
Contemporary and Paranormal Romance, Suspense, Action, and Drama
Presented by the Crazy Lady Authors, this box set of NINE incredible short stories is sure to take you on an adventure. Whether you have an hour or a whole afternoon, crack open this set and escape to someplace new. Contemporary and Paranormal Romance, Suspense, Action, and Drama . . . Anywhere the Sun Shines has it all. Fits conveniently in your travel bag; pairs well with poolside relaxation. Serve with tropical, fruity beverages containing bright pink mini-umbrellas and perhaps a box of tissues. Happy reading!
Enchanted in Time by USA Today Best Selling Author Nikki Lynn Barrett
Still reeling from a tragedy, Roxanne Ferris takes a summer job as a caregiver to bestselling author Claudette Grayson. The ailing woman doesn’t have long to live, but wants to spend the rest of her days in the house she’s fond of.
Roxanne and Claudette bond over enchanting stories of fictional characters that feel so real. It’s the perfect escape for both women who carry haunting memories. But when mysterious things happen, Roxanne questions her sanity, especially when she begins seeing one of the fictitious characters in the house.
Who is the mysterious stranger? What’s his story? This summer could go one way or the other- bringing peace and closure, or destroying what’s left of two women’s tormented minds.
Sunday Hill by Alisa Mullen
A prequel to 77 Steps, Sunday Hill introduces you to Keely Milliken, an aspiring scientist, works hard at her school work and never notices that there is an outside world. As well as Rory McCary, an aspiring professional snowboarder, whose world has been so busy that he never let anyone into his heart.
Summer in Scotland, and Mari is working on an archeological dig of a Viking burial ship during Beltane, a time of the year when the veil shrouding the spirit world thins. What could possibly go wrong?
Like the story? Holly is working on further adventures for Mari and her friends in an upcoming series.
Summer Angel by Samantha Jacobey
What would you do if you discovered Guardian Angels are real?
Charlie and his parents had planned a fabulous summer vacation; the last one before he heads off to college. Things go mysteriously awry when the young man meets Clarisse; he finds himself separated from his parents and on a different sort of holiday.
Caught up in a strange adventure with the slender blonde, Charlie learns right away that things are not what they seem. She easily convinces him that her magical powers are real, and introduces him to a world mankind has only dreamt of. Promising to have him reunited with his family soon, the girl takes him on a gallery walk of life, using her abilities to give him a summer vacation he will never forget… and then again, may not even survive.
Road Talk by Cherime MacFarlane
Molly only takes chances while driving. Life burned her and she isn’t ready to open herself up to being wounded again. Louis, Lou for short, knows more about the woman than she cares for. It’s a business trip into the wilds of Alaska. Where will their road talk take them?
Short Bio:I am an Alaskan woman and very proud to be one. I didn’t get here easily but the journey was interesting. The things I write about I have done. Although born in New Orleans, I have lived here since 1977. I have seen -40 degrees, hauled water, made bear bacon and I live in a cabin. I have used a fishwheel to catch salmon coming up the Copper River. I was my second husband’s chief mechanic’s helper and roadie.
Waiting a Lifetime by Michele E. Gwynn
Wade Walker had his whole life planned out. He was going to earn his law degree, marry his high school sweetheart Arlene Richards, and live the perfect life. But life doesn’t always go according to plan. Betrayal was about to derail Wade’s well-laid plans, and he would soon discover that he’d been on autopilot heading in the wrong direction. Melissa Ryan had never been in love. A car accident that robbed her of the full use of her legs as a child left the grown woman too shy to even try and date. Melissa spent her time building up her photography business, but despite all her efforts to avoid men, one found his way to her front door anyway. Wade knew his buddy Jed’s sister was shy. Hell, she ran to her room every time he came over. He’d barely gotten a look at her, but when she finally wandered into Pelican’s Market, the opportunity to say hello presented itself, and he took full advantage. There was something pretty special about this quiet girl, and even her crutches couldn’t take away from the fact that she was simply beautiful. For the first time in years, Wade felt alive. Melissa brought out the best in him, and he proved to her that she was a desirable woman. Their love was destined, yet his ex-fiancé couldn’t let go. And one stormy night set actions into motion that would have devastating consequences. Wade knew he found the love of his life, but would it be this life or the next before they could be together?
Unchained Melody by R.E. Hargrave
Marshall Chandler is a true American who grew up wanting nothing more than to serve his country to the best of his ability, by becoming a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. On the eve of his first assignment, he meets the woman that will haunt his dreams and change his life.
A single night to connect, but a decade to realize it . . . when one man is torn between the love of his country and what might have been the love of his life, how does he stay sane? How does he cope? And will he ever get a second chance at love?
Sometimes fate works in mysterious ways.
Sunsets and New Beginnings by Teri Riggs
Mandi Waters had the worst day ever. She lost her job, found her fiancé in bed with her best friend, then discovered he’d been stealing from her. She seeks refuge with her beloved aunt in the peaceful seaside town of Heaven’s Beach. Her ability to trust may be in tatters, but the handsome businessman with the surfer boy looks, might have her reconsidering.
Josh Foster’s mother has her greedy eyes on the only waterfront property left in Heaven’s Beach. Unfortunately, it belongs to a woman unwilling to sell. Her solution is simple: coerce Josh into seducing the owner’s niece, in hopes she’ll sell. However, Josh will never get involved in the same kind of sordid relationships his mother had. Especially when he meets Mandi. She’s the kind of woman he could love–until he discovers Mandi is the prey his mother means to trap in her tangled web of deception.
Mandi and Josh have both sworn off love. But if they will let it, the magic of Heaven’s Beach may help them find a way to let the sun set on the past and together discover a new beginning.
The Hipster Dude, The Gamer Girl, and the BOMB! by Jayne Hyatt
On a hot summer day in downtown Denver a bomb threat is made against the public library. Neil and Evie, strangers to one another, are evacuated and detained by police while authorities search for the bomb … and the bomber. Thrown together in a frightening situation, Evie and Neil can’t figure out if they should trust one another – much less like one another – until the crisis reaches its climax, and their dilemma is resolved in a way that surprises them both.
Alisa Mullen is the author of the Best Selling Saga Series The Chosen Series and Psychological Suspense Fiction The Good Bye Trilogy. She grew up in Down East Maine. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, making necklaces, and spending time with her family. Mullen now lives in South Texas with her husband and their two children. She loves the beach, Estate Sales, Blue Bonnet season, and art.
Mullen owns a macramé necklace business, Devika Knots, which she started with her daughter in 2009 and it has become a great part of her life. Many times her whole family will go out to the markets to be around other artisans and farmers. She and her husband look forward to one day owning an RV and following their noses around the country year round.
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Holly Barbo‘s world is shaped by her love of family, the beauty of the natural world and an irrepressible creative drive. She has always been curious and sees life through questions. These four characteristics color her writing voice and her stories frequently evolve from her asking “What if….?” Her tales tend to have non-urban settings with nature contributing to the plot, building discordant themes inside a seemingly peaceful refrain.
Holly weaves alternative worlds with threads from today.
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Samantha Jacobey: Anyone who knows me could tell you, I am a friendly kind of person, never met a stranger and take up conversations any where at any time. I work hard, and my mind never seems to shut down, as I wake up often in the middle of the night with ideas pouring out and demanding to be dealt with. Of course that means much of my books were written in the middle of the night.
I grew up and still live in the great state of Texas where everything is bigger, where we have warm weather and a central location. I love my state, my town, and my family, which includes my four sons, my significant other, and many friends as well.
I have thoroughly enjoyed writing the books that are currently available and hope you will enjoy reading them just as much. And of course, there will be many more stories to come.
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Cherime MacFarlane: Although born in New Orleans, I am proud to call myself an Alaskan. I have lived here since 1977. I have seen -40 degrees, hauled water, made bear bacon and I live in a cabin. I have used a fishwheel to catch salmon coming up the Copper River. I was my second husband’s chief mechanic’s helper and roadie. I have cut firewood on shares. I worked as a cocktail waitress during pipeline days in a small lodge on the Richardson Highway.
My second husband, a Scot from Glasgow, was the love of my life. When I write Scots dialect, I personally experienced hearing it from my in laws. When my husband got on the phone to Scotland, after 5 seconds I could barely understand a word.
We moved to Wasilla to get warm. It barely drops past -25 degrees here in the winter. I became a paralegal and worked for over 26 years for the same firm.
Alaska is my home. I never thought I would love it so much, I never want to leave. The beauty of Alaska is a draw I cannot resist. I love the people and the history. I have been captured by a place I came to under duress. Life does play some interesting tricks on one. My love and I were not apart more than 24 hours for 20 plus years. I never wanted to be anywhere but with him. He was a man to run the river with and was my biggest fan.
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Nikki Lynn Barrett: I’m an avid lover of books. I’ve been writing as far back as I can remember, completing my first “book” by fifth grade in one of those one subject spiral notebooks. I have a passion for music, photography, jewelry and all things creative. I live in Arizona with my husband and son, but dream of being somewhere much colder and stormier. For now, I’ll have to live that life through my characters and stick it out with the summer heat.
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Michele E. Gwynn is a freelance journalist in San Antonio. She writes for newspapers, magazines, and online websites like Examiner.com (under the categories of Film, Animal Rights, and Sex and Relationships), Alwayz Therro Magazine, FashionErotica Digital, and more. She also edits websites and books.
Gwynn has published several books and has three series currently; the Kriminal Erotic Series (crime/detective for 18+); The Harvest Trilogy (Horror/Sci-Fi #UFO series inspired by a true event); and the Angelic Hosts Series (supernatural action/adventure, romance YA & NA). She also has a new Contemporary Romance Short Story – Waiting a Lifetime. Coming to Amazon soon (2015) are the third books in all three series, and her first darkly romantic paranormal vampire novel (title not yet released). The new year will see the publishing of the first full novel in her new series, The Ghosts of Cardiff, Murder in the Vale: The Mystery at Llandaff Cathedral, and the long-anticipated second children’s book, The Cat Who Cooked Spaghetti.
For discriminating bibliophiles, there is also a science fiction short published in a charity book for which all funds raised will help build a new library: Tales and Poems from Universal City, Texas (Synthesis by Michele E. Gwynn)
As if that weren’t enough, she has published adult short stories under the pen name Xaviera Snow. (On Amazon.com)
Much of her career has been spent interviewing all manner of celebrities for Examiner.com, and hometown newspaper and magazines. Life has been kind, and these interviews can be found on her blog over at micheleegwynnauthor.com. She resides in the small town of Schertz, Texas on the northeast side of San Antonio with her four felines who so graciously allow her to reside in their home.
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Amazon International Best Selling author R.E. Hargrave lives on the outskirts of Dallas, TX where she prides herself on being a domestic engineer. Married to her high school sweetheart, together they are raising three children. She is an avid reader, a sometimes quilter, and now, a writer. Other hobbies include gardening and a love of music. A native ‘mutt,’ Hargrave has lived in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Alabama, Texas, and California. She is fond of setting her stories~which range from the sweet to the paranormal to the erotic~on location in South Carolina and Texas, but its anybody’s guess as to what the genre will be!
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As a child, Teri Riggs made up her own bedtime stories. When her children came along, Teri always tweaked the fairy tales she told her daughters, giving them a bit more punch and better endings when needed.
Now she spends her days turning her ideas into books. She lives in Marietta, GA with her husband.
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Jayne Hyatt is a novelist who currently lives in Denver, Colorado. A lifelong bookworm, she especially enjoys reading contemporary and historical romance, romantic suspense and mysteries. When she’s not writing, or reading, she’s very likely hanging out with her best friend, cooking up a storm, watching a movie, trying out a new restaurant, browsing in a used book store, or simply daydreaming. As she puts it: “I seem to spend a lot of time daydreaming about what my characters are up to when I’m not with them.”
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♦ ♦ HALF PRICE SALE – 23 ’til 25 Oct ♦ ♦ ~ The Complete Divine Trilogy by R.E. Hargrave
An erotic read meant for adults, The Divine Trilogy is not your typical romance.
When you first meet Catherine and Jayden in To Serve is Divine, they aren’t looking for love at all. Catherine O’Chancey is a young submissive whose second Dom turned out to be an abusive fake. This is the story of her subsequent recovery and reentry into the BDSM lifestyle with the help of a new Dominant, Jayden Masterson. Come with me, and I’ll take you on the journey alongside Catherine and Jayden while their bond grows and deepens. It’ll be sexy and intense, but never fear, you get to be there to see the tender side of her new Dom as he helps her through her past tragedies.
The Divine Trilogy offers a different view of the BDSM world.
One that will enlighten readers and show them that those who live this Lifestyle often do so because it is a deep-seated need within their psyche, something that can’t be ignored. And that need is okay because, when practiced properly, BDSM is all about being Safe, Sane, and Consensual. Find within the pages a sampling of the different dynamics which can occur amongst kinksters. Everything from hardcore pain sluts to docile “littles” who want to be pampered and coddled, but the important thing to remember is that everyone has a place of acceptance, without judgement, in this Lifestyle.
Time and again reviewers have said they couldn’t put this book down . . . even when they don’t usually read this genre.
WHAT AMAZON REVIEWERS ARE SAYING:
“The relationship between these two dynamic characters is one I love to revisit time and again.”
“This series is phenomenal!”
“The Divine Trilogy by Ms. Hargrave is one of my favorite BDSM series on the market.”
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PROMO TOUR ~ The Dream Series (books 2-4) by JJ DiBenedetto
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Dream Series
BOOKS 2, 3 & 4 (STAND ALONE)
AUTHOR: JJ DiBenedetto
GENRE: Paranormal Romance/Suspense (shading towards mystery)
VIDEO TRAILER FOR THE BOOK THAT STARTED
THE SERIES (DREAM STUDENT)
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DREAM DOCTOR
BOOK 2
(PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 26, 2013)
Between adjusting to life as a newlywed and trying to survive the first month of medical school, Sara Alderson has a lot on her plate. She definitely doesn’t need to start visiting other people’s dreams again. Unfortunately for her, it’s happening anyway.
Every night, she sees a different person and a different dream. But every dreamer has one thing in common: they all hate Dr. Morris, the least popular professor in the medical school, and they’re all dreaming about seeing him – or making him – dead.
Once again, Sara finds herself in the role of unwilling witness to a murder before it happens. But this time, there are too many suspects to count, and it doesn’t help matters that she hates Dr. Morris every bit as much as any of his would-be murderers do.
Sara is in her living room, but she knows immediately that this isn’t her dream. She sees Brian sitting on the small loveseat, watching a baseball game on their tiny TV but she can tell that it isn’t his dream either. She’s confused – whose dream is it?
The doorknob turns, the door opens, and the answer is revealed: Barbara from next door. Barbara the tall and attractive law student, who’s currently wearing a bathrobe and – Sara is absolutely certain of this – nothing underneath it.
“Your wife’s not here,” Barbara coos as she approaches Brian. He says nothing, shows no reaction at all. “You don’t want to do anything that would hurt her. I admire that, you know. That’s how a real man ought to act,” she says, stepping between him and the TV.
Sara smiles as Brian continues to not react to her, except for tilting his head to see past her to the TV. She does not smile when Barbara sighs, takes Brian’s head in her hands and forces him to look at her. “You are a good man. But you’re only human,” she says, and then, letting go of him, she unties her robe and lets it fall to the floor…
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DREAM CHILD
BOOK 3
(PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 26, 2013)
BOOK 3
(PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 26, 2013)
Dr. Sara Alderson can deal with eighty-hour workweeks as a resident at Children’s Hospital. Dealing with crises in the Emergency Room or the OR is second nature to her. But now she faces a challenge that all of her training and experience hasn’t prepared her for: Lizzie, her four-year-old daughter, has inherited her ability to see other people’s dreams.
After Lizzie befriends a young boy on a trip to Washington, DC, and then wakes up in a panic that night because of a “bad funny dream,” Sara knows exactly what it means: her daughter is visiting the boy’s dreams. Complicating matters is the fact that the boy’s father is a Congressman, and he’s dreaming about a “scary man in a big black car” threatening his Daddy.
Unraveling a case of political corruption and blackmail would be hard enough for Sara under the best of circumstances. But when she has to view everything through the eyes of a toddler, it may be an impossible task.
Sara looks down, and she’s surprised to see her belly rather than her feet. She had no idea she would get this big this fast. It wasn’t like this the last time, with Lizzie, she thinks. But then, she reminds herself, Lizzie was just one – this time it’s two.
Sara walks into Lizzie’s room, where her daughter is sitting up in her bed, playing with a very old, very ratty stuffed rabbit.
“Lizzie, honey? Mommy needs to talk to you,” Sara says, and Lizzie sets Mister Pennington aside and looks up. Sara sees her own eyes staring at her, something that she wonders if she’ll ever get used to. She sits down on the bed, pats Lizzie on the head. “You know your friend Marnie?” Lizzie continues to look intently at Sara and nods her head up and down several times. “You know how she has a baby brother?” Lizzie continues to nod, not breaking eye contact with Sara. Sara wonders if this was how she was with her mother.
She’s about to continue when someone else walks into Lizzie’s room. Sara turns, but she knows before she does who she’ll see, and she knows – even though she’s never experienced this side of it before – exactly what’s going on.
Her daughter stands in the doorway, looking at Sara and another version of herself as well. Sara doesn’t say anything; she doesn’t want to scare Lizzie. Lizzie looks at herself briefly, but the image of herself seems to hold no interest. She focuses on Sara, concentrating all her three-year-old attention span on her mother.
“You’re so big, Mommy!”
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DREAM FAMILY
BOOK 4
(PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 26, 2013)
Dr. Sara Alderson didn’t think she had a problem in the world, when she walked into the office for her first day as a partner in her own medical practice. And then the police showed up and arrested her for a crime she couldn’t possibly have committed. Twenty four hours later, after a horrifying day and night in jail, Sara comes home a different – and completely broken – woman.
Clearing her name is her first challenge, but that’s nothing compared to the task of rebuilding her shattered psyche. And the only way she can do that is with the help of the supernatural dreams, the same dreams that have nearly cost Sara her sanity – and almost got her killed – in the past.
Sara is in the workroom on the second floor east ward of the hospital. It’s been a year and a half since the last time this happened, but the feeling is unforgettable; she’s in someone else’s dream. But whose?
Colin Jackson, last year her junior resident and now, in his third year, Chief Resident, is alone, poring through a pile of patients’ charts. As Sara watches him, she knows it’s not his dream. She’s puzzled; there’s no one else in the room.
But her confusion is dispelled a moment later when the door is thrown open and a familiar face looms in the doorway: Paul Sorrentino, with his little girl in tow. Grace Sorrentino, eight years old, looks deathly pale, while her father’s eyes are red and he’s pointing at Colin menacingly.
It’s Paul’s dream, Sara is certain. He growls at poor Colin, “Why the hell am I paying you? Gracie’s doin’ worse again! I want her old doctor back, Dr. Alderson! She took care of Gracie the right way. You tell me where she went, you understand?”
Colin stands, somewhat shakily, and answers Paul. “She’s gone on to a private practice. She’s down in Washington, DC now.”
“I want her back! Grace needs her!” Paul bellows. As she listens to him, Sara’s years of medical training assert themselves. She can’t help but notice that he does not look well. There’s a slight yellowish tinge to his skin, and in the corners of his eyes. And she is certain that he looks thinner than she remembers…
J.J. (James) Dibenedetto‘s fans would swear he’s got a sixth sense when it comes to seeing into the minds of others and often wonder if his stories could possibly be fiction. He enjoys suspending disbelief with suspenseful paranormal tales that are a perfect blend of reality meets fantasy.
His popular Dream Series continues to delight readers with each and every exciting installment.
Born in Yonkers, New York, he currently resides in Arlington Virginia with his beautiful wife and a cat he is sure has taken full advantage of its nine lives. When it comes to the cat, he often wonders, but then again it might just be his imagination.
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TRIPLE RELEASE TOUR ~ Men of Mercy Series (Books 1-3) by Lindsay Cross
Triple Release of the MEN OF MERCY Series
AUTHOR: Lindsay Cross
COVER DESIGNER: Kim Killion
OFFICIAL GENRE: Romantic Suspense (hot heat level)
PUBLICATION DATE: Oct 21, 2015
REDEMPTION RIVER
BOOK 1
BOOK 1
Hunter James didn’t want or need redemption.
Until one mission turns his world upside down.
He left Mercy to fight for his country and escape a broken heart. Years later, he is hard. Cold. A man without mercy. Part of an elite Task Force, he tracks a brutal terrorist to his home town. And runs into the woman who betrayed him…
Evangeline Videl was destroyed when Hunter left. Determined to move on, she finds another man, but discovers too late the monster hidden beneath his smooth smile. Struggling to find the conviction to live, Evie finds her life spinning out of control.
Then Hunter returns…
Forced to band together to find the terrorist before its too late, Hunter and Evie must learn to forgive or risk losing the promise of redemption and their lives…
“Hey.” His Southern drawl put Matthew McConaughey to shame. Slow. Sexy. And familiar.
Her gaze traveled up the muscled torso to a pair of dark chocolate-brown eyes.
Holy crap.
“Hunter James.” His name breathed past her lips on a whisper.
For the second time that night her heart stuttered and her stomach clenched tight.
Hunter blocked her path, his towering six-foot-four frame packaged in a tight-fitting black T-shirt and jeans that showcased his muscles. His arms had to be twice the size they were the last time he’d been here. His gaze twice as intense. Her reaction twenty times that.
According to the town gossips, he’d been back in Mercy for a couple of weeks, but so far he’d avoided her. And she’d prayed daily he would stay away. Every time he came home on leave, he seemed to make it a point to show up here. At her bar. With another woman on his arm. Making sure she saw he’d moved on. And each time her heart broke a little more.
“Need some help?” he asked.
Her brain took a full minute to kick into gear, then another minute to reconnect to her mouth. “What?”
“You look like you could use some help. Can I do anything?” His serious voice passed through lips that were way too tempting.
She couldn’t think. The man standing before her had gone AWOL with her heart over five years ago, like the tail end of a twister after a storm. Part of her had been happy he’d left. The other part had been devastated. Their love had been wild and crazy, but ultimately destructive.
She noticed the knotted wood cane leaning against the table beside him. “What’s with the cane?”
Hunter grinned and shifted his weight to the side. “What’s with the wet clothes?” He extinguished his cigarette and stepped away from the doorway leading to the upstairs apartment, his limp noticeable.
Evie crossed her arms over her chest, the action squeezing more beer out of her bra. Her lips pressed into a tight line and she forced herself to answer, “Wet T-shirt contest. It’s a new thing we’re trying.”
Evie straightened her arms, clenching and unclenching her fists at her sides in time with the ticking in his jaw. A couple day’s stubble graced the hard planes of his face, only a little shorter than the black hair buzzed close to his scalp. He looked as if he’d been chiseled from steel.
Hunter leaned in close and Evie’s stomach knotted. Lust built inside her, pushing against her dam of resistance. “I bet you won.”
He wasn’t staring at her chest, she had to give him that. No, his target appeared to be her mouth. His head lowered to hers and her mind went blank. If she had been thinking like a full-grown woman, she would have jerked back before his lips made contact. But tonight her brain had pointed and aimed but failed to fire.
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RESURRECTION RIVER
BOOK 2
Ranger James accepted his best friend’s death like a good soldier. With guilt. Regret. Vengeance. But a forbidden desire keeps pulling him from his mission…
Desire for his best friend’s widow.
Killed in Action. That’s why Rachel Carter’s husband wasn’t coming home.
A war widow, alone and broke, Rachel struggles to revive her family’s crop dusting service to survive. Now she takes to the skies to find escape. Escape from the pain. From the guilt. From the earth-shattering desire for her husband’s best friend.
Rachel and Ranger can’t fight the attraction between them any longer. But one fateful night cleaves their new found love in two…
Can they find the will to fight for true love? Or will an evil so shocking destroy their lives for good?
Rachel spun around, the yellow airplane a perfect backdrop to her beautiful face. “What are you doing here?”
Ranger let his gaze travel from her scruffy boots, torn jeans and gloriously figure hugging tank, to the top of her dark red head. Her pink cheeks flushed.
“Like what you see?”
Ranger approached, her green gaze turned wary. Good. She should be worried. She’d doused him in chemicals. His skin still itched. He reached forward, plucked an oil stick from her ponytail and sent her hair spilling to her shoulders. He caught the brief scent of flowers and oil.
Rachel grabbed her hair, lips parted. Angry. Stubborn. Sexy.
He held up the stick right in front of her face. “Oil stick.”
Rachel snatched it from his fingers and tossed it across the room. “I told you to stay away from me.”
Ranger shrugged, his brain still caught on the image of her jean-clad ass hanging out of that airplane. Forget Sports Illustrated. He had farm fucking fantastic right here.
“Don’t you think dropping that all-natural excuse for chemicals on me is a bit dramatic? If you want to get me naked all you had to do is ask.” Ranger gestured to himself, sweeping his hand from his head down to his torso, Rachel’s eyes followed.
That definitely wasn’t desperation or anger in her gaze.
The desire he’d been trying to hold in check for months reared up inside him.
“You think I want to see you naked?” Rachel snorted, lifted her chin. “Besides, I figured anything would be an improvement to your normal smell.” So much for her vulnerability.
The wind picked up, blew into the hangar. Ranger shifted, praying the wind wouldn’t open the fly on his boxers, and almost covered himself. Almost. Until he remembered she was the reason for his stench. Instead, he stood tall. “You’ve never had a problem with the way I smelled before.”
“My manners were just too good to say anything.” She strode past him, punishing him with the sexy sway of her hips.
Dammit, he was so hard up for her, even her walk had his mind blanking. He stood there, nearly naked, and drenched in herbicide, and she walked past him like a stranger on a sidewalk.
Running from him. Again.
“Rachel Ann.” He didn’t yell, but she stopped mid-stride. Turned. Lips parted.
“You did that on purpose,” Ranger said. She’d been hard headed even in high-school, when he tried to break up with her, explaining that he needed a little space to see if life in Mercy was what he really wanted. Jumping on the marriage and kids bandwagon at eighteen years old had scared the shit out of him. But he’d obliterated any chance for reconnecting with Rachel when she’d seen him making out with Tonya at the football game senior year.
He hadn’t thought that leaving her to sow the wild oats of his youth would be a self-fulfilling prophecy of regret. Or that his best friend would move in on Rachel so fast and fill the void that Ranger had left in her heart.
“You bet your ass I did.”
“What the hell for?” He couldn’t get her smell, her taste, her touch out of his head. But she’d dumped shit on him for the last time.
Her eyes narrowed and her lips flattened. “I warned you.”
Yeah, she’d warned him to stay away from her. He’d stayed with her for weeks, helping her after the funeral. She’d healed physically, but remained an emotional tomb.
“I promised Shane, if anything ever happened to him, I’d look out for you.” He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss that angry expression right off her face. He’d wanted her since high-school, but when she’d married Shane, he’d vowed to put those feelings away. Forever. But the attraction hadn’t disappeared. And he knew it never would. “I know the chemistry between us is weird. Scary. But dammit it’s real and it’s here and now. You’re just flying through the clouds because you don’t want to see what’s on the ground right in front of you.”
If he hadn’t been studying every minute expression on her face he would have missed the brief flash of vulnerability in her gaze. Then her anger slid back in place. “The only thing I feel is annoyance. Are you so desperate that you have to chase after what you can’t have? You dumped me first, remember?”
Him? Desperate? No. He’d never had a problem getting women. Until Rachel.
If he hadn’t been so young and stupid he would have been the one she’d married. Not Shane.
Now all he could think, all he could see, was the small sprinkle of freckles across her pert nose. He could be on a mission in a third world country or down the road. It didn’t matter. She affected him.
He had an all-consuming need for his best friend’s wife. He hadn’t counted on lust eating him alive.
But he had honor. He had loyalty. Ranger had vowed over Shane’s grave to take care of Rachel.
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RECKLESS RIVER
BOOK 3
They say you can’t go home again. Jared Crowe never wanted to.
Home meant facing memories of abuse and neglect. Of dark closets and evil nightmares. Of his own relatives intent on killing him. But now his brother’s kidnapping forces him to face those demons. Only this time, Jared isn’t a scared little boy. He’s a full-grown Special Forces operative bent on revenge.
As a little girl, Sparrow Pickney risked her life to free two abused boys. As a grown woman Sparrow needs to earn a place in her adopted family’s business or be forced into a life of degradation. The chance to prove her family loyalty comes when she catches Jared spying on the compound and captures him.
When Jared sees his captor, he realizes she’s the girl of his dreams and vows to rescue her from a life of poverty. What Jared doesn’t know is Sparrow may not be the savior he remembers…but the one responsible for abducting and torturing his brother.
Jared is determined to find the truth. But that truth may be more than his heart can take.
It had been nearly twenty years since he’d seen her, but Jared could never forget those golden eyes. Eyes that had haunted his dreams ever since. Had she joined up with Kay? Or was she simply one of those poor souls struggling to survive?
The thought of Sparrow slowly starving filled him with a sense of guilt. He should have made her leave with them. Even though they’d been children when she’d freed them, Jared had been big enough to drag her out, whether she’d wanted to go or not.
She leaned over him, reaching for his hands. Her floppy hat fell down, blinding her, and she ripped it off and tossed it across the room. Long caramel-colored hair, full of sun-kissed highlights, waterfalled down the sides of her face and tickled his nose. Her scent surrounded him now, flooding his senses. Honeysuckle and wildflowers. His cock swelled in an instant. Jared gnashed his teeth together, trying to quell his intense reaction to her nearness.
Sparrow leaned down further and her loose tank top gaped open, treating him to a glorious view of surprisingly plump breasts cupped in a plain sports bra. His gaze locked onto her beaded nipples through the cotton. Fuck he wanted to rip that bra down and reveal what was hidden beneath. The loose manly clothes she wore made her look stick thin, but womanly curves were concealed beneath them.
Sparrow sighed and sat up straight, leaving rope dangling uselessly on his wrists. Jared gripped the metal headboard with his hands, waiting for her next move. She stood there for a moment and studied him, trying to decide what to do. Well, he wasn’t going to help her out one little bit.
“Keep your hands right there, got it?” Her voice was stern.
“Yes ma’am.” He had no intention of acting up. Yet.
She placed a knee on the mattress, and in one swift movement straddled him, settling on his belly. Jared groaned and closed his eyes thankful she hadn’t sat down lower on his body; otherwise, she would have gotten her own surprise. She leaned over him spreading her knees wider up his chest. His eyes popped open, unable to resist another view of her bare skin.
“You can stop with the theatrics right now, I know I’m not big enough to crush you.”
If only that were his problem. Her shirt dipped down even more and he fixated on the pale mounds of her breasts straining against the material of her sports bra. It was a crime to lock those beauties up in serviceable cotton.
She should wear nothing but pure silk and lace, perfect for him to rip off her body.
Her hair curtained around him again, and her soft lips parted in concentration as she worked. He was aware of every inch of exposed skin—from the graceful hollow of her neck to her supple forearms peeking out from the rolled up sleeves of her checkered work shirt. Even more aware of the intense heat radiating from her core, pressed so intimately to his chest.
“There. All done.” She sat back, a satisfied smile on her lips.
Jared tugged on the rope. He’d completely zoned out on anything other than her straddling him. It didn’t give an inch—the knot she’d tied was worthy of a professional. A small ounce of foreboding seeped into him. “Where did you learn to tie knots?”
“Trapping. Working snares. Been doing it since I was a kid.” Her words were so matter-of-fact, he had no doubt she spoke the truth. Holy shit. He yanked on the ropes, but they didn’t move.
“Impressive.” Jared wriggled his fingers and wrists, testing for any weakness. He found none.
“Might as well stop struggling. Nobody’s ever been able to get out of one of my knots. And I used my new rope too, so it wouldn’t snap easy.” She made a snapping motion with her fingers, the emphasis driving in just how stupid his plan had been. He should have used that easy opening she’d given him with the gun.
His foreboding turned to real worry. He had to get out of here to rescue his brother. Hoyt’s life depended on him. If he couldn’t get free… “Nice, now what?”
“Now you tell me who you are and why you’re here.” Sparrow sat back on her heels, the curve of her ass grazing the tip of his cock. He clenched his muscles, fighting to free himself from the pull of lust.
Remember, you’re the soldier trained in interrogation techniques. Now he just had to stop thinking with his dick for long enough to find out where Hoyt was being held. “My name is Jake.”
She tapped her chin, staring down at him. Once again he was enthralled by the intense color of her eyes. They were golden, almost like a cat’s, with a darker brown ring around the edges. “Jake. You don’t look like a Jake.”
He enjoyed hearing the name on her lips. Would enjoy hearing his real name even better. Her soft accent and long vowels stretched it out slow. Sensual. “And what do I look like?”
“I don’t know. Killer? Tiger?”
“That’s what people name their cats.”
“True. Why are you here?”
“Why did you take me hostage?” he countered.
“You were spying on my family. Only our enemies do that.” She shifted, brushing against his tip again. Fuck he wanted to rip free of these bonds and throw her down beneath him. Where was his detached logic now? Something about her was making him lose control.
“I have no interest in you. I was looking for a family member who went missing, know anything about that?” He studied her reaction intently, watching for any flash of awareness, but she didn’t give away anything.
“Haven’t seen anybody new around here in a long time, and I would know. Sorry, but you plopped down on the wrong piece of land.”
“He told me he was coming here.” Not really, but Jared knew without the slightest shred of doubt that Hoyt had been taken by the Crowes. Miss Kay wanted to finish what she had started all those years ago, even if Jared didn’t know why. It was bad enough his parents had died when Jared was only nine, Hoyt six, but to have his aunt try to murder them….
Jared yanked on the bonds again, testing the bed frame. It screeched but held firm. Shit.
“What does he look like?” Every time Sparrow moved or shifted he felt her. Desire was holding him hostage as much as the damn ropes. Got to get free. Got to find Hoyt.
“What do I get if I tell you?”
“What do you get? You get to live.” Her brows shot down as if confused.
“You won’t kill me.”
“Try me.”
“How about we make a little trade—you give me something, I give you something.”
“Give? What do you want?” She laid her palms on her thighs, kneeling over his body, the position incredibly erotic.
Blushing aside, maybe she wasn’t so innocent after all. He had a plan and she was part of it. He knew he could get more information out of Sparrow than her giant ass brother. And he’d find it a hell of a lot more enjoyable too. “Kiss me.”
She stopped moving all together and her eyes narrowed in on his mouth.
“Give me a kiss and I’ll sing like a bird.”
Lindsay Cross is the award-winning author of the Men of Mercy series. She is the fun loving mom of two beautiful daughters and one precocious Great Dane. Lindsay is happily married to the man of her dreams – a soldier and veteran. During one of her husband’s deployments from home, writing became her escape and motivation.
An avid reader since childhood, reading and writing is in her blood. After years of reading, she discovered her true passion – writing. Her alpha military men are damaged, drop-dead gorgeous and determined to win the heart of the woman of their dreams.
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RELEASE TOUR ~ Mr. Blackwell by AB Novak
MR. BLACKWELL
AUTHOR: AB Novak
AUTHOR: AB Novak
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
COVER DESIGINER: Rue Volley
PUBLISHING DATE: October 15, 2015
COVER DESIGINER: Rue Volley
PUBLISHING DATE: October 15, 2015
In the deep, bice, swampy waters of Louisiana, novice journalist Vivienne Gray falls head over heels in love with a man she supposed to be interviewing, Jase Blackwell. When Vivienne saves Jase’s life they are pulled into an ancient curse that has plagued the Blackwell family for years. There is a reason behind superstition. It’s because it’s all true. Not believing does not make it go away.
Unsure whether I was making a mistake or not, I sat back down and, from the moment we restarted the interview, it went pretty well. Jeffery and Julius answered most of my questions, and Father Joe commented here and there. Jase was the only one who didn’t talk or seem interested in the conversation. Everyone else was cooperating, though, so I didn’t mind.
That was until Julius brought up Jase’s snakebite. I learned that in the springtime, just a few months ago, Jase was bitten by a diamondback rattlesnake and had survived on his own, for about a day, in the swamp. The snake bit him in his lower abdomen, and he almost died. When they found him, he was barely breathing and had to be flown to the hospital to receive twenty-two anti-venom shots.
My reporter’s brain started spinning fast. Intrigued by his survival story and desperately wanting to know more about this man, I asked if he could show me how, what, where, when, and how he survived. He was hesitant, but in the end, the family made him do it, most likely just to make it up to me. That’s why I ended up in a dark corner of the Blackwell hunting cabin, cradling my plate, and waiting for him to say something, anything.
He must have known I’d wanted to clean my plate because he got up, walked over to take it from me, and exited through the only door. I heard him scraping both plates and then running water. He came back with two clean plates.
Not wanting any more silence, I spoke up. “So is this where you were bitten?”
He put the plates away on the shelf above the fireplace then strode back to the table, and sat down in a bit of a huff. He ran his fingers through his auburn hair and rubbed the back of his neck a few times.
I kicked an invisible piece of dirt on the ground, pretending I wasn’t watching his every move. Another shiver went down my spine. I reached up with one hand to untwist my necklace, thinking once more I shouldn’t have come out here.
Again, I barely heard him speak. “No, it’s a two-mile hike from here. I’ll show you in the morning. We got a late start today. I’m not taking you out there at night. We’ll leave at first light and get you back in time for your flight.”
My mouth felt dry. I liked his slow, southern way of speaking. Shaking my head a little and deciding to take a chance, I went to my bag and pulled out my pen and pad. I didn’t really need to take notes because I knew that nothing he said would be forgotten. I sat back down at the table, gave him a reassuring nod, and he began.
He focused his piercing eyes on the fire across the cabin. “As I said, I hiked about two miles east from here. I was looking for some wood for a bow I was working on. The rattlesnake must have just shed its skin or the rattle was broken off because I didn’t hear or see it until I was right on top of it. Mating season makes the snakes more aggressive. He got me here.”
Leaning back in the chair, he patted his lower, right abdomen. I was hoping he was going to lift up his shirt, but he didn’t. A girl can dream. Pushing those thoughts out of my head, I pretended to make a note. “You have to stay calm when you get bit like that. You don’t want to get your blood pumping too fast because the venom will spread faster. By the time I made it back here, I was feeling the effects… bad.” His deep voice was extremely attractive.
He got up effortlessly from where he was sitting at the old wooden table, walked across to the fire, and poked at it with a stick of some sort. Feeling myself shiver, I slowly walked over to where he was by the fireplace and sat down cross-legged, needing the heat. He glanced sideways at me and put down the makeshift poker. He sat, too, resting his weight on his hands behind him and stretching out his long legs. The fire danced in his eyes. They were normally a deep royal blue, but when they mixed with the yellow firelight, they seemed emerald in color. Every hair on my body felt like it was standing on end, ready to ignite.
“My head was throbbing, my right leg was numb, my back ached, and I was getting sick to my stomach.” He reached up and touched his forehead as if the pain was still there. It wasn’t me making him act this way; he was reliving the horrifying experience. He’d thought he was going to die out here.
I opened my mouth to speak, to tell him to stop. He didn’t have to tell me any more. I couldn’t stand to hear the pain in his voice anymore. But before I could say anything, he continued. “I crawled to the boat. I don’t know how I was able to start the motor, but I did. I hoped I’d pointed it in the right direction down river. I don’t remember anymore. Dad found me a few hours later. The boat was grounded on the riverbank a few miles up from here.” His eyes became distant as his thoughts engulfed him.
I never wanted him to feel that way again and changed the subject, quickly. “So since you’ve caught my gift of gab, Jase, why don’t you tell me more about your gift of silence?” I liked the way his name slipped easily off my tongue. I smiled at him, hoping he found the humor in my words. He closed his divine eyes for a moment then he was back from wherever he had gone. I got my first real smile from him, and it took my breath away.
I watched as his sublime lips parted, and he began to speak. “I find that if you listen, you learn a lot more than when you talk.”
“Ouch,” I said. “You really don’t like me, do you?” I asked, tapping my pen on my notepad, trying not to sound hurt. But I was.
“You don’t understand what I’m saying, Miss Gray,” he chuckled, sitting up and poking at the fire again.
Feeling as if he’d just called me brainless, I lashed out. “I see and understand everything, Jase Blackwell. I can comprehend everything you’re saying. You think I’m some young, dumb, blonde girl who has no business being out here. Hate to break it to you, bud, but I think you’re more afraid out here right now than I am.” His eyes never left mine during my rant. I felt my body moving involuntarily closer to him as I watched his eyes light up with amusement. “What’s so funny?” I asked in the meanest tone I could muster.
What’s with me? One minute I’m captivated by this man, and the next I want to slap him across his bearded face. I sat back with a huff then got up and walked back to my dark corner. I was ready to tell him to just forget it.
He stared into the fire and spoke quietly. “I’ve learned that when you’re nervous, you don’t know what to do with your gentle hands. You often reach up to make sure your necklace is there. It must be of some importance to you. When you get mad, your eyes narrow, and I can almost see the fire burning inside you. I can tell you’re in good shape because most people don’t hold up well in temperatures like this unless they’re used to it. You don’t mind the dirt and grime that comes with spending a night in the swamp, so I’m guessing you’re not from the city like my dad thought. The big bugs freak you out… a lot. And when your yellow hair blows in the breeze, it reminds me of sunbeams, and when you’re embarrassed, your fair skin turns my favorite shade of red.”
I stood there, not knowing what to say. If he could see my cheeks in the shadows, he’d probably be happy. Trying to shake off the chill and yearning for the heat of the fire, I emerged from the darkness. “Well, that was honestly the biggest flying monster I’ve ever seen. It was huge. It wouldn’t leave me alone. It kept coming back, and it stung me twice.” I snatched the poker out of his hand and poked at the fire with it, not wanting to talk about me. “It’s your perfume. It’s very sweet. I should’ve warned you before we left the house.” He grinned, sniffing the air with his absolutely perfect nose.
I stopped fiddling with the fire and glanced at him out the corner of my eye. I wasn’t sure if my face was giving anything away, but I was certainly doing back flips on the inside. “I don’t wear perfume. I’m allergic.”
His piercing eyes looked like he had just revealed a secret that he wasn’t supposed to, and his lips parted slightly as we once again locked eyes. My skin was on fire again, and the urge to reach for him was back.
Shaking his head slightly, he stood up, went over to our gear, and started laying out our sleeping bags. I saw him pull out a large, silver knife and place it next to his sleeping bag. Next, he moved his bow and arrows closer to the fireplace.
My eyes grew wide, and my heart beat rapidly. So consumed was I with trying to figure out Jase Blackwell that I’d forgotten I was miles away from civilization in the middle of a Louisiana swamp with a man I had only known for a few hours. He sensed my sudden edginess.
He lay down and said, “Don’t worry—you’re safe with me. I’ll never let anything happen to you.” It was as if he was stating a fact he had known all his life.
And I believed him. I did feel safe and warm when he was near. No man had ever made me feel this way. I should be afraid, but I wasn’t. I should want to be boarding that plane back to Baltimore, but I wasn’t. For some unknown reason, I knew I didn’t want to be anywhere but next to him. He laid a muscular arm over his face to block out the moonlight coming through the front window of the cabin. Or maybe it was just a sign for me to stop talking.
“Good night, Miss Gray,” he whispered.
“’Night, Jase,” I said. It was all I could manage.
With that, I went to my bag and pulled out a hair tie. I braided my long, blonde hair back as I did every night, took my boots off, and slipped into my sleeping bag. For a while, I just lay there in the moonlight, watching Jase’s chest rise and fall and thinking about how satisfying it would be to touch him. I thought about what his beard would feel like if I ran my fingers through it and gave it a tug. I thought he’d like it. I didn’t care if he saw me watching him—I couldn’t help myself. I kept my hands pinned under my head just in case I got the urge to reach out for him. All the emotions that had been running through me simmered as I realized I was lovesick for Jase Blackwell.
A.B. Novak grew up in Northern Maryland. She graduated from college with a degree in Fashion Design. In 2009 she married her college sweetheart, moved to a farm and had two beautiful children. She is an avid horse rider, author and business owner with her husband.
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