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Characters Tell the Story
My boss recently told me how impressed he was with my fiction writing. It made me nervous. I write romance novels! I don’t need my boss reading that!
Then I remembered that, although I am writing these novels about these characters, they are not me. It’s like being an actor. Jim Carrey is not a pet detective, Christian Bale, as much as we might like to think so, is not Bruce Wayne, and Matt Damon is not Jason Bourne and capable of killing. They are playing characters, and doing a damn fine job, and that’s what being a writer is all about.
Being a writer is like your character speaking through you. Like they have a story to tell, and they are using you as the vessel. Okay, that might be strange heebie jeebie stuff, and it isn’t as strange as it sounds, but believe me when I say it is my characters who tell the story, not me. My characters do go silent on me. They stop talking to me, and then I’m lost in my story, trying to find my way through a really confusing path. It isn’t fun.
As a matter of fact, the ones I’m writing now have done so. I’m trying so hard to tell the story they want me to tell, but I got stuck because I was trying to write things the way I wanted to write them, and not the way the character wanted me to. I think I’ve finally figured it out, but it’s still a really long process trying to weed through those, well, weeds.
So todays writing tip is to listen to your characters! Don’t let other voices get in the way of your voice. You have your own voice, and it usually comes through when you listen to your characters, because they are the ones to ultimately tell the story! If your writing is based on plotting more than character, then listen to the plot, because your plot is your character! And don’t be afraid to go all out. If others don’t approve, well, that’s their tough luck!
Harlan’s Haven by Sandra S. Kerns
Harlan’s Haven by Sandra S. Kerns
Colorado Skies Series; Book 6
310 Pages
Published: February 11, 2015
Published by: Sandra S Kerns
Blurb:
A Wounded Soldier. A Waitress. A Determined Mobster.
Harlan Granger is facing a fate worse than death. He’s been discharged from the Army thanks to a piece of shrapnel near his spine. He was born to be a soldier and hasn’t a clue what to do as a civilian. Hopefully, he can keep himself occupied with work on his parents’ house until the worst happens. All too soon, he realizes the peace and quiet he so desperately needs to heal and think isn’t to be found in his hometown. Trouble has found it’s way to Bluff’s Corner, and it’s centered around his brother’s business. His brother’s pixie-like neighbor has Harlan’s trouble radar going off the charts. It’s not just his attraction to her that has him second-guessing himself, he’s sure she’s hiding secrets of her own, secrets that could be dangerous both to her and his brother.
Rilie Lazar is finally beginning to enjoy life. The people in Bluff’s Corner, Colorado are friendly but not nosey. Her quilting business is going well and her best friend is the funniest guy she’s ever known. At least, he was until the night his brother walked into the bar. He might be the best looking Alpha male she’s ever met, but he’s putting a definite damper on the atmosphere. Worse, he’s bringing back memories she would rather keep buried. Memories that have her looking over her shoulder and being on guard all the time. She thought she left all that behind, but what if he’s right?
If you like brooding heroes, feisty heroines, and romance with a few bumps along the way, you want Harlan’s Haven.
Buy Harlan’s Haven to start romancing your soldier today.
Sandra will be donating a portion of all sales will be donated to Hope for Warriors.
Purchase Links:
A note from the Author:
You can see more of Harlan in the first book of my new Master Security series. While I can’t give you the link yet, I’ll let you in on a little secret. Harlan is stopping by this series to let you know he’s going to have a spinoff series of his own. That’s right. Later this year, I’ll release the first book in a series dealing with heroes and/or heroines who need some assistance getting their lives back on track after being discharged from the service. In fact, even before that series is released, the second book in the new Master Security series will have a hero who is one of the men Harlan helps. Stay tuned for more after you finish reading Harlan’s Haven.
If you want to know exactly when new books are scheduled, sign-up for my mailing list. You’ll receive 2 free books from my other series, and special offers for my readers. Enjoy finding out how Harlan deals with his haven being breached by a spunky pixie waitress. When you’re finished, drop me a line and let me know what you think. I love hearing from my readers!
Excerpt:
Chapter One
Bright lights and an air horn blaring catapulted Harlan from his thoughts. He cut the wheel hard to the right.
“Sonofabitch,” he hissed. His heart did a staccato beat on his ribcage. He pulled to the shoulder for a minute. After popping the gearshift to neutral, he pulled on the emergency brake and then fell against the back of the seat. The dust and dirt whirling in the beam of his headlights echoed what he’d been remembering before the air horn. At least this time his blood pressure had a reason other than his memories for being in the stratosphere.
Maybe he should have flown home and had Larry pick him up. The thought that he would have had to return to the base to pick up his truck reminded him of why he hadn’t done just that. The pity in the eyes of those at the hospital had been bad enough when he was still commissioned. There was no way he would survive going back on base again now that he’d been discharged.
He gave his heart a few minutes to recover while he considered his options. There weren’t many. Releasing the emergency brake, he put the truck back in gear, checked his mirrors, tapped his lights to high since there was no other traffic, and pulled back onto the road.
“You’re almost there. No reason to stop now. There’s nothing to go back to anyway. Besides, Larry’s expecting you. If you don’t show up soon he’ll panic and send out a search party.”
Hearing himself say the last made him grin. When he’d called his brother last night, Larry was already worried because the drive was taking twice as long. Usually laid-back, Larry became a world-class worrier if he had an inkling something might be wrong. That tone had come through the phone line loud and clear. Harlan knew if he didn’t make it home tonight, there would be hell to pay.
The extra illumination from his high beams gave him a look at more of the flood damage he’d noticed while driving across the plains. Now in the foothills, he could see places where the river’s path had changed.
“I guess nothing stays the same forever,” he said as he took the next ramp off the highway. Twenty minutes and four turns later, he was on the main road through town. The small mountain town near the Big Thompson River had changed from more than just the flood since he left almost fifteen years ago. If it wasn’t almost midnight, he expected he would notice even more differences. He’d had a chance to talk with his brother shortly after the flooding. Larry had said the town had some major damage, but everyone in Bluff’s Corner pitched in and it had bounced back.
He saw the new sign above the door to his brother’s bar a block down the street. Taking a deep breath, Harlan turned right onto the street then right again into the back parking lot. He pulled up beside his brother’s old car. The kid had bought the car in high school planning to fix it up. Obviously, that never happened, he thought with a grin.
After pulling the keys from the ignition, Harlan leaned on the steering wheel and looked at the back of the building. It was quiet. He thought back to when he’d grown up in this town. A few times over the years, there had been minor troubles, but nothing huge. The peaceful area, with the nearby creek, stream, or river depending on whom you talked to, fit Larry and their parents well. Their brother Gil and their baby sister, Priscilla were more like him. They wanted to see what else was out there. He had been more than ready to leave by the time he graduated from high school.
Now he wondered why.
Harlan stepped out of the truck and stretched as best he could. His muscles were stiff from lack of use the past month. Physical therapy hadn’t been half the workout he was accustomed to, but it was almost more than he could manage after being caught between two exploding vehicles.
Just the thought had him pounding his fist on the side of the truck. The resulting pain screaming up his arm was better than where his thoughts had started to drift. A few deep breaths and he shook it off.
A cold wind whipped through the back lot and he shivered. It must have been a clear day because he’d checked the temp and knew it had been ninety earlier. If the sky was free of clouds all that heat disappeared quickly at night up here in the mountains. He reached behind the seat and grabbed his leather coat, glad he hadn’t rolled it up and put it in his duffel. As he shoved his arms in the sleeves, he looked up. The sky was ink black with a myriad of stars. He caught himself naming constellations and grinned.
His dad had started teaching them to him when he was only four. There were some huge boulders near their house by the river. They would go out at night, lie on a boulder, and look at the stars. It was a time just for him and his dad. His brothers and sister never got the star bug, but he never got over it. The desert was the only other place he’d ever known where you could see so many stars. Unfortunately, the fact there was a war going on made stargazing difficult. Maybe he could get back into it now that he was home. He wondered if dad still looked up.
You could ask.
Harlan ignored his prodding conscience. He wasn’t ready to face the whole family. Larry was different. He would give him space and time. As long as Larry could keep an eye on him, he wouldn’t worry as much. Mostly, he was happy. That’s why I came here, Harlan thought lifting his bag from behind the seat. He needed to be reminded what it meant to be happy. The last couple of years, his missions required him to focus on war and survival.
He turned to face the back of the building. “Well, you drove all this way; you might as well go inside.”
He walked across the parking lot to the bar’s back door. Years ago, Larry had sent him a key to the building, the apartment stairwell door, and the apartment for the rare occasions he would come home. Somehow, his brother had known going back to the house wouldn’t have worked. Harlan still wasn’t sure why he’d been so against staying at their childhood home, but he didn’t have to figure it out tonight so he let it go.
The private entrance for the upstairs was immediately to the left after you entered the bar’s back exit. The alcove between the exit and the bar itself was empty, so he went upstairs unseen. He let himself in the apartment and dropped his bag inside the door. Exhaustion weighed on him. He really didn’t want to go downstairs.
In his teens, he’d been the life of the party. Now he preferred solitude and silence.
He didn’t want to upset his brother, so he used the bathroom, splashed water on his face, and headed back downstairs. To give himself a few more moments of quiet and to stretch his legs a little more, he walked around to the front. It had been a long ride from the east coast. The fresh air would hopefully give him some energy.
Opening the door, Harlan felt like he was entering another dimension. Loud music, loud laughter, even louder conversations, and a lot of people filled the neighborhood bar. For the past month or more his life had been filled with beeps from monitors, squeaky wheels rolling down hospital hallways at night, and the quiet of staring out the shrink’s window while listening to him ask questions Harlan never answered. But, he’d wanted a change, and this was definitely different.
Stepping inside he scanned the entire room by the time he’d taken two steps. The place was impeccable, just as he’d expected. The brass accents on the bar gleamed. The real and locally created stained-glass lights cast colors into the mirror behind the bar. The floor had some peanut shells on it, but it was late on a Friday night. Yep, neat and tidy, just the way Larry liked things.
As he made his way to the far end of the bar, several people stared as if trying to figure out who he was before it would register. Then they’d smile and offer their hand. Harlan forced himself to nod and return the handshakes. He clenched his jaw to keep from groaning when a few people slapped him on the shoulder. He didn’t speak to anyone. There was nothing to say, they simply recognized him because he’d grown up here and was Larry’s brother. The resemblance was clear even though they were very different. Harlan didn’t really know or at least didn’t recognize anyone here anymore except Larry. As far as he was concerned, that was fine.
Halfway to the other end of the bar a waitress almost backed into him. At the last moment, she turned, avoiding him with a fluid grace he couldn’t remember seeing in a bar before. She cast him an apologetic smile before turning to give Larry her order. That’s when Larry looked up and saw him for the first time.
He nodded and Larry returned the greeting with a smile. Harlan knew he wouldn’t have long to come up with a better hello. He hoped the waitress had a big order for his brother so he would have a few extra minutes to think. Not having come up with anything in the past four days, he couldn’t imagine what good a few more minutes would do. He watched the waitress for a moment. Larry listened and started mixing drinks, though he kept glancing at Harlan. Offering the closest thing to a smile he could dredge up, Harlan continued his journey toward the back.
He didn’t remember the place being so busy it needed waitresses. Then again, it had been years since he’d been back. That was when he realized the bar itself was almost a full circle. Most of the wall between the two buildings had been knocked down. The bar now encompassed the first floor of both buildings and included a new dance floor. Harlan was impressed. Larry worked hard and deserved the success.
Rounding the end of the bar, he headed for the last seat. He was glad this part of the wall was still intact. When he was here, he always sat here so he could watch both entrances. The stool had a cardboard sign propped on it. Harlan picked up the placard. Reserved for the guy with black eyes. He grinned. It was a family joke. Somehow, he had been the only one to inherit his grandfather’s black eyes. Everyone else had brown eyes. When he looked up, his brother was walking toward him with an amber-filled glass and a smile. Yeah, maybe a scotch would help rid him of the last of the tension from unintentionally playing chicken with an eighteen-wheeler. He dug deep and found a real smile for his brother.
“I was starting to wonder if you were going to make it tonight,” Larry said, grasping Harlan’s hand after setting the glass down.
Harlan held up the sign in his other hand. “Cute.” He was thankful that since the real black eyes he’d had in the hospital had healed the joke wouldn’t take on a different meaning.
“Hey, I wanted to make sure no one took your place. I haven’t seen eyes like yours since you left, so I figured it was a safe bet.”
Harlan nodded as he sat on the stool. “Sorry I’m so late. I needed to stop and get out of the truck more than I used to. Guess I’m getting old.”
“Not old, just human,” Larry said.
Seeing the concern in his brother’s eyes, Harlan shook his head.
“I’m okay, stop worrying. I’ll hang out here until you close up,” he said taking a sip of the single malt. “I hope you have some iced tea down there though. One of these will probably be my limit tonight.”
“It’s brewed and chilled. I figured you wouldn’t want much else,” his brother said as someone called from the other end of the bar. “Gotta get back to it, we’ll talk later.”
Harlan nodded. Turning on the stool, he settled his back against the wall. After a minute or two, he found a comfortable position that didn’t irritate his aching body too much. Unfortunately, the position had the light above him shining directly into his eyes. Snagging a napkin, he twisted the bulb and almost sighed aloud with relief.
It didn’t take long for the noise to become minor background while he observed the room. There was a good crowd, but the place wasn’t packed. The waitress made her way between the various tables with practiced ease. She had a ready smile for each table. She obviously had a good memory as well. He counted four tables before she went to the bar and placed the orders. The length of time it took for her to tell them to Larry, said it wasn’t just four pitchers of beer. Taking another sip of his scotch, Harlan decided to see if she managed to get it all right with the delivery.
While she waited for the drinks, she looked in his direction. It wasn’t a glance. Her gaze was intent and searching. Harlan held her gaze. It felt more like the inspections he withstood in boot camp, than a woman sizing him up. He’d had more than his share of typical female once-overs and he didn’t usually waste his time acknowledging them. He had no intention of becoming involved in a relationship. But this, this was different. It felt like she was trying to assess his right to be here. The moment Larry started setting glasses on her tray the perusal stopped. She gave Larry a megawatt smile and returned to business. Harlan’s gaze remained on her while the shock hit him that he felt she’d taken his measure and found him lacking.
It didn’t bother him. He’d already had his ego blown apart . . . that’s fitting, having your ego blown up like you were, he thought barely stopping himself from shaking his head. With no ego and no idea what life held now, there was nothing left for the little wisp of a woman to hurt, the look did, however, intrigue him.
He watched her deliver her orders. If the bills she stuck in her apron were any indication, she got the first three tables right. She returned to the bar to pick up another tray and returned to the last table. After efficiently placing each glass in front of the women seated there, she patiently waited for the money, returned the change, and smiled before turning away, even though she didn’t receive a tip.
Watching the table full of women, to see if the reason for lack of tip was placing the drinks with the wrong customer, he watched each one take a sip. Every drink was in the right place. The women were just cheap.
Score one for the waitress, he thought as his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. When he pulled it out and glanced at the display, he rolled his eyes and stood. Heading toward the back door, he answered the call.
“I’m fine, Colonel. Besides, I’m not your concern anymore. Remember?”
“Are you there yet?”
Harlan clenched his jaw as he opened the door that led to an alcove and the back entrance. He needed less background noise to get through to his ex-CO. “Yes. I’ve already checked in with my brother if you want to call him to verify.”
“I’m concerned about you, son, but I don’t plan on going behind your back or talking to anyone about you. That’s your business. I just wanted to make sure you made it to Colorado. It was a long drive to take so soon after being released.”
Harlan took a deep breath, remembering his close call with the truck less than an hour earlier. Releasing the breath, he managed a calm tone when he replied. “Yes it was a long trip. I’m tired, but that’s no excuse for insulting you. I know you tried.”
“I’m not insulted, Harlan. I’ve known you too many years to let a little sarcasm from you get under my skin.”
“That’s true. Anyway, I’m relaxing in the bar until Larry closes up. I’m still too wound from the drive to go to sleep.”
“I can understand that. Listen, I may not be your commanding officer anymore, but if you need to talk you can call. My phone’s on 24/7/365.”
“Yes, sir.” Flipping the phone closed he shoved it back in his pocket then blew out a tense breath. With the number of deep breaths he’d taken in the past hour and the increased elevation, he should be light-headed. Exhaustion was obviously dogging him if he was mouthing off to the Colonel. The man had backed him at every turn. He scrubbed his hands over his head and squeezed it for a few seconds. Dropping his hands from his head, he released yet another breath, and tried to center himself before walking back toward the bar.
He rubbed his stomach as he walked out of the small alcove and through the door. When he got back to his stool, a plate of nachos waited next to his drink. Looking up, he wondered how his brother had known he was hungry. Larry walked over while he dried a glass.
“It’s Fiesta Friday,” he said, motioning toward the plate. “I held some aside for you before it was all gone. I figured you wouldn’t stop once you got close.”
“Thanks. I take it the customers like it.”
“They seem to,” Larry said, leaning on the bar. “I’m thinking about offering more. There’s a kitchen in the back of the other building. I’m renovating it now and trying out some recipes. I think it would give the place more of a pub type feel and bring in more business during the lunch hour.”
Harlan nodded. The nachos were putting a dent in his hunger. The colonel had backed off. Larry was talking to him as if it hadn’t been over two years since they’d seen each other. The scotch was starting to take effect, too. Maybe coming home was the right thing to do.
“What do you think?”
“Sounds like a good idea,” Harlan said biting into another chip before looking at his brother. Larry gave him a curious look.
“Not the business. Rilie, the waitress?” he said, nodding toward the waitress who had avoided Harlan when he’d been walking through.
Maybe the scotch was having too good an effect. Obviously, he’d missed something. He followed his brother’s gaze to make sure they were talking about the same waitress. “She seems good at her job.”
Larry shook his head. “I asked you why a girl like that would prefer being alone?”
Ah, now Harlan understood. “Struck out, huh?”
“No, never even tried. I know a lot of guys who have.”
Harlan let his gaze follow the waitress in question as she went from table to table. He found himself enjoying it. Her short, spiked, perky, golden hair suited her toned, compact body. He shook his head for looking that closely and refocused his mind. She always had a smile and a few words for the customers. He could tell she had a good rapport with the regulars. He could also tell which people weren’t regulars. Like the table of women who hadn’t given her a tip. And the table of rowdy young men in the front corner where she was heading now.
Out of the corner of his eye, Harlan noticed Larry push off from the bar at the same time his own trouble radar kicked in. So much for the drink taking effect, he thought still watching the waitress.
She cleared the table and turned to leave. Her glance met his for a moment when she looked toward the bar. He sensed unease in it. Then, one of the men grabbed her wrist. Harlan was on his feet instantly. Larry held up his hand to hold him in place. The jukebox chose that moment to go silent. All heads turned toward the table where the man held the waitress. Shit, he didn’t need to get into the middle of a bar fight. Hell, he wasn’t sure he could survive a bar fight tonight, but he’d do his damnedest if it came to that.
The waitress turned her head back toward the table and looked down at the man. “Sweetie, if you want to use that hand for fishing tomorrow, I suggest you let go of me.”
Her tone was even, she was giving him an easy out. From the tension that Harlan felt in the bar, the idiot should take it.
“I’d rather use it for something tonight,” the idiot said, tugging on the wrist he held.
Harlan watched, ready to jump in, as the movement unsettled the load of glasses the waitress carried. They all fell into the rude customer’s lap. Harlan took two steps as the man jumped up and grabbed for the waitress, screaming.
“You little –”
The man’s words were cut off by Larry’s martial arts fighting sticks slamming down on the table. Harlan had seen Larry snatch the sticks from under the bar before jumping over it in one smooth motion. Harlan hung back. He kept an eye on the waitress walking toward the bar. He’d smooth things over here, while his brother faced off with the idiot and his friends. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that Larry could handle them on his own.
The waitress offered smiles to customers who offered comfort as she made her way toward the end of the bar. Harlan could see the smiles were forced. She was working very hard to make everyone think she was fine.
She wasn’t.
Her movements weren’t fluid as they’d been before the encounter. Her body was tight. It was as if she were trying to make herself so small she wouldn’t touch anyone as she moved. Her gaze was straight ahead, but not really seeing. When she turned the corner, she froze, as if just realizing he was there. He pulled a stool out for her before lifting the hinged part of the bar near his seat. Once behind the bar, he snagged a shot glass and a bottle. While he poured the shot, he looked at the wrist she was rubbing. The guy had been holding on tight from the finger marks left on her pale skin.
“Drink it,” he said, swallowing his anger and setting the filled glass in front of her. She wasn’t paying attention to him. Her eyes were watching Larry and several others herd the idiot out the door. Harlan leaned sideways to block her view. “Drink.”
This time her gaze flew to his. Harlan saw a slight flash of anger, but it couldn’t erase the fear that had filled those gorgeous hazel-colored but Bambi-sized eyes. “It will help calm your nerves.”
She narrowed her eyes just a bit, but picked up the glass. Her hand shook and he knew he’d been right about how upset she was. He’d have to ask Larry if this type of thing happened often.
Thought you weren’t going to get involved in anything.
The reminder slammed him in the gut about the same time the whiskey hit the back of the waitress’s throat. His gut tensed. He prayed no one else noticed the fear enveloping him as he concentrated on the waitress. He gave her points for not choking outright. However, she did grasp her throat and her eyes filled with tears from the shock of the alcohol. He poured her another.
“Sip this one,” he said, before turning away. He faced the bar, but all he saw was the back of heads. A few turned around and looked at the waitress nursing the second shot he’d given her. The way her shoulders were almost touching her earlobes, he figured the attention bothered her. He needed to change the focus from the negatives to a positive. Damn. Fine, he could pretend to be a friendly and interested bartender for a few minutes if it killed him.
“Okay, folks. For your support, this round’s on the house,” he called out. Larry wouldn’t mind under the circumstances. Hell, if free drinks would stop the waitress from staring at him and get back to work, he’d pay for them.
“You heard the man,” Larry said, joining him behind the bar.
Harlan took orders and filled glasses, but his attention never left the waitress at the end of the bar. He glanced her way several times to make sure she was okay. Her color was better. Her easy grin when people spoke to her had him relaxing as he worked the bar. After about fifteen minutes, she slipped off the stool, walked to the jukebox, put in several coins, and pushed a number of buttons. Music once again filled the room.
“Feels like the old days,” Larry yelled from about ten feet down the bar.
Harlan nodded. They’d always been a good team growing up. The only difference was back then Harlan enjoyed people. Now, he was counting the seconds until he could stop smiling. He tried to focus on serving the drinks fast enough not to have to talk. He also tried to ignore the waitress watching him as she walked back toward the bar. It didn’t work. He finally gave in and walked over to her.
“Are you okay?”
Rilie appreciated the low volume of his inquiry. She did not want Larry getting anymore upset than he was all ready. “Fine.”
He focused that black-eyed gaze on her again. The one she’d noticed several times when he caught her watching him. Now she understood the sign Larry had put on the stool. “Okay, maybe fine is pushing it, but I’ll survive.”
The explanation seemed to satisfy him. The intensity in his eyes eased and she swore he released a sigh before he picked up the glass and plate he’d used earlier and turned away. She enjoyed the view. Tall and built he was a joy to watch. His movements were a bit stiff, but she doubted anyone else noticed how tightly he held himself. The tightness in what appeared to be a strong and flawless body intrigued her.
She had noticed him the moment he’d walked through the door. He was hard to miss. He was over six feet by an inch or so. Granted, not a giant, but being only five three most guys were tall to her. It wasn’t so much his height or size as the persona he had. Dark short hair, black leather coat, black button-down shirt, and black jeans, he stood out. Most of the people here wore flannel shirts, muddy boots, and ripped jeans. The fresh air scent she’d inhaled when almost running into him earlier had her senses reeling. The intensity of his onyx-like eyes had been hard to break.
But break it she did.
She had customers to take care of and fun to have. Her wariness caused by the intensity of his gaze, disappeared when Larry had walked over to shake his hand. The smile that broke on the man’s face was heart stopping. She’d never seen such an honest, glad to see you smile in her life. Obviously, the two men were good friends. After that, he hadn’t spoken to anyone except Larry, and someone on his cell phone. Until he started serving drinks anyway, then he had turned into the ultimate barkeep. He smiled and laughed with the people he served.
“You don’t have to worry about those guys, Rilie,” Larry said.
Having been deep in thought, Larry’s statement startled her. She aimed a smile at her friend. “You know better than that. I don’t worry about anything.”
“I’m sorry,” Larry said. “I just wanted you to know everything is all right. I reminded them they paid with a credit card so I have their names. I told them if anything happened to you or my bar any time soon, the police would be knocking on their doors.”
Rilie rolled her eyes at the over protectiveness, but couldn’t hold back the smile. “Thanks.”
It was nice to have someone looking out for her. She’d been looking out for herself for so long she’d forgotten how good it felt.
When have you ever known how it felt?
That was true enough. With her live and let live parents, if anything got done, she’d done it. Responsibility, or what most people considered responsibility, had never been high on their list of priorities. Rilie spent the majority of her life trying to be the exact opposite of them. Now, she’d give anything to have them back and tell them how much she loved them.
Lord, what was up with this emotional roller coaster stuff lately? The past couple of weeks her moods had been all over the charts. She hadn’t been so changeable since, well, since moving here. She needed to get back on track. Take control.
“So, who’s your friend?” She nodded toward the man who’d again turned his back to them.
“Hell, that’s right, Harlan hasn’t been home since you moved to town.” He hit his forehead with the heel of his hand making Rilie laugh. The guy was just too funny. “He’s my older brother.”
“You didn’t have to emphasize the older part, bud,” Harlan said, walking up behind him.
“Sorry, Major, sir.” Larry saluted. A bar towel hit him in the face.
“Can it, Lawrence.”
The man leaned against the bar pretending to glare, but actually smiling at his brother, while Larry grumbled something about retaliation for calling him Lawrence.
Rilie cracked up laughing. Gone was the polished, too neat for this town, serious man who had walked in. He’d been replaced by a fun-loving boy. Unfortunately, it made him that much more attractive. Any more attractive and she’d be throwing herself across the bar at him. Wouldn’t that get tongues wagging? She couldn’t remember any man ever enticing her like this.
“You served together as well as being related?” she asked trying to ignore the pull.
“Hell no,” Harlan said. “I’m the only one stupid enough to volunteer to have people shoot at me. Larry’s smarter than that.”
Rilie smiled at the offhand praise to his brother. “Yes, he is pretty sharp,” she said winking at her friend before returning her gaze to his brother. “So, you’re on leave then, Major?”
He winced and pushed off from the bar. “The name is Harlan, and no, I’m not on leave.”
Before she or his brother could say more, he turned and walked to the other end of the bar. Guilt immediately wrapped its fingers around her heart for upsetting him. She was supposed to cheer people up, not be a downer.
“Don’t worry about it, Rilie. He’s still adjusting to the fact he was discharged.”
She turned and faced Larry with a frown. “Why? He’s not old enough to retire unless he carries his age extremely well, and knowing your family the way I do, I doubt it was because he was a trouble maker.”
“To be honest, I’m not sure. He called a few weeks ago, said he’d been released from the hospital and was on his way home. He didn’t bother to fill in the details. Shocked the shit out of me.”
“Why?” The way they’d greeted each other and then been teasing each other, she hadn’t sensed any ill will between them.
“First, I didn’t know he’d been in the hospital or why. Second, home has always been the last place Harlan wanted to be.”
Learning he’d been in the hospital accounted for his stiff movements, though she didn’t know what had put him there. What confused her was the home comment. She’d met Larry’s family and they were the most loving family she’d ever known. Obviously, she needed more information. “He didn’t get along with the rest of your family?”
“What? No, nothing like that,” Larry said, shaking his head. “It’s this town. The slow pace and calm attitudes always drove him crazy. He was always looking for excitement, action, adventure. Before he graduated high school, he had a summer job lined up in Fort Collins so he could get a head start on college. From CSU he went into the military and hasn’t looked back since.”
“He never came home?” Rilie was shocked. Who could turn their back on family like that? Even with her odd family dynamic, she had always loved her parents and visited them.
“Oh he came home to visit. I’ll even give him credit for spending all of his leave time with family. He wasn’t into running around with old friends and such. He came to see us and that was it. Still, he was never all here. His mind was on his next assignment, or his men, or whatever it is soldiers think about. That’s why his call surprised me. I never expected him to come home even when he retired.”
“Have you asked him why?” Rilie asked Larry as she watched his brother serve customers at the other end of the bar.
“Yep and I knew it was a mistake the second the words left my mouth.”
Rilie’s gaze whipped back to Larry. “Why?”
“Because I almost lost him altogether. He said he understood and wouldn’t bother the family again. Can you believe it? He thought I didn’t want him to come home. Stupid bastard’s always been stubborn as the day is long.”
Rilie slapped Larry’s arm. “Don’t talk about your brother that way. You love him and you know it. Obviously, something happened and he needs some time to deal with it. Once you get him to talk about it, he’ll–”
“Talk about it? Yeah, that’ll be the day. Harlan will charge into the middle of a fight no problem, but talk, that he doesn’t do.”
She watched her friend walk away when a nearby customer motioned for a refill. Upset didn’t begin to describe how he felt. She didn’t like it. Larry was the most upbeat person she knew, that’s what had drawn her into their friendship. He was easy-going, carefree except when it came to business matters or people hurting, and best of all he wasn’t interested in a romantic relationship with her. Their friendship was the best she’d ever had because they didn’t want anything more. However, she did want him happy and his brother seemed to be messing that up.
Looking toward the other end of the bar, she saw a man giving a woman the hard sell. It was clear the woman wasn’t interested, even from this distance. Deciding to help her out, Rilie started to climb off the stool when Harlan blocked her view of the couple. His hands grasped the edge of the bar. The way his shirtsleeves pulled tight, he was definitely poised for action.
A second later, the man stood up with his hands held out and backed his way to the door. Rilie watched as Harlan eased back from the bar. He stopped and dipped his head closer to the woman. She could see the woman’s profile. Her face was flushed, but she offered a slight nod and uncomfortable smile to Harlan. It wasn’t hard for Rilie to imagine him speaking softly and offering support to the woman as he had to her earlier. He was an interesting mix of tough and compassionate, a rare combination in a man these days.
I thought you were irritated with him.
The reminder had her glancing at Larry. Now she understood his problem. His brother wasn’t hard-hearted as much as hardheaded and overly independent. A grin pulled at her lips because she knew what that felt like. It meant she had her work cut out for her if she planned to teach him how to enjoy being part of his family and community again. It was a good thing Rilie had never been afraid of hard work. When she glanced up, she saw Harlan walking toward her. His face was similar to the thundercloud it had resembled when she’d found his gaze across the room after the jerk had grabbed her.
He mumbled something to Larry as he walked past and threw the bar towel he’d been strangling under the bar. When he reached her, he lifted the hinged bar top and walked through then reclaimed the stool he’d been sitting on earlier.
“Problem?” she asked.
“Have all the men in this town turned into as–jerks?”
Rilie grinned at the correction he made. She was waitressing in a bar, she’d heard worse than the word ass before.
“Not that I’m aware of,” she said. “The guys from earlier and the man you just chased off aren’t regulars. I can tell you that.”
“I sure as hell hope not. If so, you need to work on your clientele,” he said to his brother as he joined them again.
“Excuse me?”
“He’s complaining about the poor manners of the men here tonight,” Rilie explained.
Larry nodded. “I can understand. It seems we’ve had our share of jerks this evening. If anybody bothers you and I’m not around, tell Harlan. He’ll take care of it.”
“Why would anyone bother me? I’ve been here long enough to know pretty much everyone in town.” Since when had this conversation changed its focus to her?
“Obviously, you’re more special than you think,” Larry said, chucking her under the chin. “Guys are always looking at you.”
“You’re crazy, and I may not know the tourists, but most of the time they don’t act like idiots. You know I can handle myself when someone does get too friendly. If you hadn’t slapped those silly sticks down, he would have found out just how well I can handle myself,” she told him, aiming her I’m serious glare at him for all the good it ever did her. Then the man beside her spoke and totally ruined the effect.
“Hopefully, you’re as good as your word, because I’m nobody’s hero,” he said solemnly. “Also, I can’t vault the bar to rescue you like Superman here.”
Rilie laughed, she couldn’t help herself. The image of muscled but thin Larry in red and blue spandex was too comical. “Good, because I doubt the wives of the men who come in here could handle seeing you in spandex.”
A pained expression screwed up his handsome face. “Just thinking that is painful.”
She watched Harlan shake his head and chuckle, but that was about as loose as he got. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several couples step onto the small dance floor as a new song came on. She also noticed concern wrinkle Larry’s forehead as he leaned on the bar across from his brother. Shamelessly, she listened to their low-voiced exchange.
“You really need to loosen up. All this tension isn’t good for you,” Larry said. “It sure won’t help you heal faster.”
“Don’t start. All I want from you is a place to sleep. I don’t need or want anything more.”
Rilie noticed the tension level increasing. Obviously, Larry’s penchant for mother-henning didn’t go over any better with his brother than it did with her. She decided to help her friend before his brother stormed out ending their reunion before it began. Slipping off the stool, she snagged Harlan’s hand from the bar but spoke to Larry.
“Mind if I take a spin on the dance floor before getting back to work?” She didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, she turned her gaze to Harlan and offered a smile and a nod toward Larry hoping to get him to agree to the dance. When he stood, she felt rewarded. Deciding not to wonder what that was about, she led him to the dance floor.
The song wasn’t fast, but it wasn’t too slow either. She wondered if the guy even knew how to dance to it. A second later, she felt his left arm at her back as he moved to the beat. Obviously, he knew how to dance. This wasn’t the arm flailing, gyrating, and groping dancing most of the kids she watched on teen night did. This was smooth, well, as smooth as you get when someone is pretending they’re not in pain.
“You’re lucky I’m too tired to get into it with Larry.”
“Lucky?” Rilie asked tipping her head back to see his expression.
“Yeah, I don’t dance.”
Rilie couldn’t keep the smile from her face. “Obviously, you do, and well I might add. Don’t worry. I know it’s not what you want. I just didn’t want you walking out and upsetting Larry more than he is already.”
“I don’t need a keeper. Never have.”
His insulted tone made her frown a little. “I didn’t say you did, but I have been on the receiving end of his mother-hen nature. Sometimes he can lay it on a bit strong. You didn’t seem in the mood. I thought this would give you both a break. Plus,” she added wiggling her eyebrows as she stared into his bottomless black eyes, “I haven’t had a decent dance in I can’t tell you how long. Looks like I picked the right guy for my splurge. Now relax and enjoy the moment.”
He watched her face in silence for several heartbeats making Rilie wonder if he would ever do as she asked.
“I don’t do relaxed.”
She shook her head, amazed that her easy-going friend could have such a serious brother.
“Try,” she said, and found herself twirled out then pulled back into his embrace. For a man who said he didn’t dance he was putting on a great impression. They moved around the floor as if gliding on air. Rilie felt more carefree than she ever had in her life.
Then someone bumped into him from behind.
Meet Sandra Kerns~
Sandra is the author of three series, totaling 18 books so far. She writes contemporary romantic-suspense. The majority of her stories are located in Colorado because it possesses such a diverse selection of heroes and heroines. In less than a minute you can see a cowboy, an engineer, a lawyer, or a stay-at-home mom/dad. The combinations of characters keeps her very busy. You can also find her characters visiting New York or finding trouble in Florida. These two locations pop up because she grew up in central New York and enjoys vacations at Cocoa Beach.
When she’s not writing you might find her at a sewing machine. Learning to sew at age seven, she enjoyed making clothes for herself and family for years. Now she prefers making quilts for family and friends, though occasionally she will whip out a skirt or two.
Before writing full time she had various jobs. Her employment started as a substitute church secretary when she was in high school and ended as a faculty assistant (aka Copy Lady) in a high school in Colorado with stints as bank secretary, fabric store clerk, and temp secretary in between.
She lives in northern Colorado with her husband and Rudy, their rescue dog from Japan. Her sons are grown and move around the country, but still provide endless inspiration and support for her writing.
Connect with Sandra~
Website : Facebook : Twitter : Blog – Ramblings & Reviews : LinkedIn : Pinterest : Goodreads : Amazon : Smashwords
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Somebody’s Chelsi by Theresa Marguerite Hewitt
Somebody’s Chelsi by Theresa Marguerite Hewitt
Wakefield Romance Series; Book 5
98 Pages
Published: March 24, 2016
Published by: Theresa Marguerite Hewitt
Blurb:
Every girl wants to be a man’s everything. They want to be the one their man says “Yeah, that’s my girl,” with a huge smile on their face and pride in their eyes.
Chelsi Ryder was someone’s everything, once, but that was a long time ago. Most said they were young and dumb, but ever since losing him Chelsi hasn’t given love another chance. She keeps her distance, making herself unavailable, that is until SEAL Team Lieutenant Austin French stumbles into her life.
Austin French is no stranger to love, being both hounded and rejected more times than he can remember just because he is what he is; a Navy SEAL. He’s sick of the one night stands with the uniform chasers and with most of his friends settling down around him, he wants a piece of the paradise Wakefield seems to offer. He’s fascinated with the strawberry blonde girl with the light green eyes and wants to know more-no, he wants to know everything about her.
Can walls be broken down in the hopes of finding a new love?
Can two people be everything to each other and fill a space in one another’s heart that neither knew was missing?
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Meet Theresa M Hewitt~
I am a very simple girl. I like reading, being a dork and just, well, anything that’s fun and will most likely land me in some kind of trouble.
I am a wife to my wonderful hubby and mommy to our little girl.
I have a dirty mind, mouth and attitude, and I’m not ashamed to admit to it. Most people have said my stories are TOO real and too redneck, but hey, that’s who I am and it’s what I know; so why not write about it?
I love writing things that make people’s emotions work in overdrive, stories that make them think and make their heart race.
I love to hear from fans and readers.
Connect with Theresa~
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Buried Flames, by Kennedy Layne
Buried Flames by Kennedy Layne
Surviving Ashes Series; Book 3
223 Pages
Published: March 29, 2016
Published by: Kennedy Layne Publishing
Blurb:
Mason Sykes had served many years in the Marine Corps for his country. His loyalty and sacrifice had left him disfigured—inside and out. He didn’t harbor regrets, especially since he’d finally found the peace and quiet he’d always desired on a Nebraska farm.
Brenna Helm was a country girl through and through, right down to her cowgirl boots. Her heart had always belonged to the acres of land that had been her family’s legacy through multiple generations. She’d only ever loved one thing more, and that was the military man who’d moved back to town a few years ago who’d come home a changed man—one who apparently wanted nothing to do with anyone.
The day the world filled with ash was the day Mason was forced to rise above his scars. Facing death off of the battlefield made him realize what he’d pushed away in the name of compassion, but that was about to change. The flames of desire he’d once felt were about to be reignited, but he first had to get Brenna to safety through the fiery, harsh new world that could claim their lives if they took one wrong step.
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Excerpt:
“Just…just give me another minute,” Brenna said with slight desperation as she followed him back around to the trailer. Mason made sure everything was secure. These horses would be his only chance once he hit Montana. “You never answered my question as to why you’re going to try and make it to Washington. All because your friends will be trying to do the same thing for a slight chance that an area might be protected enough to survive? That makes no sense, Mason.”
“It does to me.” Mason was finally ready to leave, so he turned to face Brenna for their final goodbye. He didn’t need for her to understand his reasoning or his connection to these men he’d served with. He would never be able to explain to her the trust they shared for each other’s welfare. If they said Washington was the place to be, then that’s where he would go without question. She clearly had some deep-seated guilt at the thought of traveling east without him. He honestly didn’t deserve anything she felt for him based on how he’d all but ignored her for the last few years. “Now go. You’ll be in good company with people who will all watch out for one another.”
“Don’t do this…”
Mason closed his eyes at the despair in Brenna’s voice, unable to walk away from her now. He was already berating himself for the action he was about to take, but he took a step toward her anyway. He slowly reached out with a hand and lightly ran his fingertips down her unblemished sun-kissed face, doing his best to memorize every line and curve of her features.
Brenna had been his everything back before he’d been wounded and she had absolutely no idea how those memories had carried him through some of the most harrowing days of his life afterward. He brushed his thumb over her lower lip, remembering the softness and warmth from when he used to kiss her. It had been so long ago, and it wouldn’t be fair of him to take another taste. He forced himself to do the right thing and gave her an encouraging smile before dropping his arm and stepping back.
“Good luck. You’ll have a better chance with them, Brenna.”
Mason turned on the heel of his boot and walked toward the driver’s side door, purposefully not looking back. It was bittersweet to leave the same woman twice, even if both times had been under far different circumstances. He was doing what he thought best for them both, just as before. Their lives were meant to be on different paths and he’d come to terms with that a long time ago.
“I won’t need luck, Mason,” Brenna called out determinedly from where she still stood by the horse trailer, her entire demeanor changing on a dime. His shoulders tensed at the tone of her voice, already knowing what she was going to say and just as firm in his stance as she was in hers. They were about to come face to face with a battle of wills. “I’m going with you.”
Meet Kennedy Lane~
Kennedy Layne loves life. She loves that she is a wife, mother daughter, sister…and a USA Today Bestselling Author.
She is one of the lucky women in this world who gets to do what makes them happy. As long as she has a cup of coffee (maybe two or three) and her laptop, the stories evolve themselves and she tries to do them justice. She draws her inspiration from a retired Marine Master Sergeant that swept her off of her feet. Smoldering romance, military men, intrigue, with a little bit of kinky chili pepper (his recipe), fill her head and there is nothing more satisfying than making the hero and heroine fulfill their destinies.
Connect with Kennedy~
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Inevitable Love, by J.C. Santo
Inevitable Love by J.C. Santo
The Navy Love Series; Book 1
331 Pages
Published: October 15, 2015
Published by: J.C. Santo
Blurb:
Sometimes the things we fight hardest against are inevitable in the end.
Hunter Stevenson wasn’t interested in wasting nights with bed warmers, he had a daughter to take care of and a life to build. Leaving behind the mother of his four year old child and her incessant partying, Hunter moves closer to his family to help provide Sawyer some stability.
Tessa Daniels didn’t share the ‘typical American dream’ like most girls. A husband, 2.5 kids and a white picket fence weren’t the things she wanted for herself. She had a plan laid out, which included a career in the Navy and being surrounded by her best friends. She was perfectly content with her carefree, fun lifestyle and her casual relationships, but all of that changed when she met him.
What neither of them expected was a nosy brother and best friend with some serious matchmaking skills. The two have an instantaneous pull towards one another, they can’t fight the spark even though they both do. Until one drunken night, Tessa throws herself at Hunter, only to face an agonizing rejection. However, Hunter’s gentlemanly facade doesn’t last with the sassy sailor girl, his alpha attitude quickly emerges in the midst of their sexual tensions.
Hunter refuses to be another one of Tessa’s casual hook-ups, and won’t allow her to run away from the idea of ‘them’. No matter how many obstacles stand in their way of a happily ever after. Now he must convince Tessa that their inevitable love is worth fighting for.
Can their newfound love survive the stress of an impending deployment and Hunter’s past pushing it’s way back into his life?
Purchase Links:
*Exclusively on Amazon & Kindle Unlimited
Excerpt:
“So how long are you gonna give me the silent treatment?” She should be warned, I’m a pro at ending silent treatments; I do have a four year old daughter who uses that as her to go defense mechanism when she doesn’t get her way. “Because you should know, I’m a pro at ending them.”
She finally looks over at me with an arched eyebrow. “Do I look like a child? I’m not giving you the ‘silent treatment’, I simply don’t have shit to say to you. I think everything was said and done, or not done, the other night. And as far as I can see, you had the perfect opportunity to talk to me about any pressing matters last night, which you didn’t.
This is going to be more difficult than I thought.
“What exactly do you want me to say Tessa?! That I’m sorry I didn’t fuck the hell out of you the other night? That I wanted you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone else before? Because I did. God, I wanted you so fucking bad, and it was the hardest thing I’ve had to do to stop from going farther.” I turn my barstool sideways to face her, but she’s still looking anywhere but at me. “If you really want to have this conversation that’s fine, we can, but for the love of God, can you look at me and go put something other than a damn towel on?”
Finally! She looks over at me, some of the anger has left her eyes but there is still a little bit there, but now I can see some mischief in them as well.
“What, something wrong with my being in a towel? Pretty sure this is my house, I’ll wear whatever I want. If you don’t like it, you know where the door is.” She gets up from her barstool and breezes into the kitchen where she sets up her coffee maker to brew another cup. I can tell she’s trying to calm her nerves by the way she’s avoided eye contact and keeps her back turned to me the entire time, choosing instead to face the counter, huddled in the small corner of the kitchen. My confession has affected her.
“And there’s nothing left to discuss, you had your shot and you passed it up. Guess next time we go out I won’t waste MY time and I’ll find someone who’s willing to close the deal. Funny how you were the one who spouted off bullshit about not wasting your time, yet you’re the one who ended up being a waste of mine.” She finally faces me again. I’m assuming she’s proud of her little rant, hoping her harsh words will hide the fact that she is indeed aroused.
“You know Tessa, I was being truthful when I ‘spouted off’ that I don’t like to waste time, and I wasn’t going to waste my energy on fucking a girl too drunk to remember it. I wasn’t going to waste it on a girl who refuses to acknowledge that she likes me, or that she wants me to fuck her.” Once again, her eyes shoot down to the floor. I know my gut is telling me she wants this so badly, but I have to have the words from her before I can act on what our bodies are begging me to do. I get up and move to the kitchen as well, rinse out my cup, then turn around and lean against the counter, crossing my arms and waiting for her comeback.
She’s quick to retort. I’m seeing that sass that Marshall loves so much about her now. “What is it you want from me Hunter? It’s pretty clear by your smug attitude that you knew I wanted to you to fuck me the other night. What exactly do you expect me to say now? Thanks so much for considering me? Sorry I didn’t pass your final inspection?” She’s standing facing me now with her hands firmly on her hips, all of her weight pressing down on her left side causing that hip to be cocked up, by her stance I can tell she’s prepared for a huge fight to ensue. However that’s not what I have planned. She finally admitted she wants me. That’s all the ammunition I need. I push myself off the counter with my hands and slowly walk towards her. I can tell she doesn’t know what to expect because with each step I take, her hard set face falls a bit more into an unsure look.
When I make it across the kitchen to her, I don’t stop. All at once, I grab her left hip and pull her to me with one hand while the other goes to the back of her neck, pulling her face to mine and I firmly plant my lips on hers.
It’s not an easy or gentle kiss. This is a rough, angry, dominating kiss. It only takes seconds before she releases the tension in her body and molds to mine. I’m holding my shit together by a thread here, all I want is to rip this damn towel away and fully explore every inch of her body. The moment her tongue slides across my bottom lip, that small bit of restraint breaks. I open my mouth and thrust my tongue into hers quickly. She must be comfortable with it because she lets out a moan around my tongue.
Again, more ammunition that I didn’t necessarily need. My ever growing hard on is pressed against her stomach and I feel her start to move against it. I know she’s seeking some kind of physical touch other than our mouths.
I glide my hand up her side from where it’s been firmly gripping her hip. I move it up to her breast and cup it. God, she has the greatest tits ever, and that’s saying something. I’ve always been a boob man, but it’s a huge compliment for me to make that assumption without ever having seen them. I swiftly move my hand to the center of her chest, where I feel the tie of the towel. The only piece of material that’s separating me from seeing Tessa’s full body.
I slip my hand in the top of the towel and pull the offending piece of material out and let it go, exposing most of her curves, as I kiss down Tessa’s neck. I pull my mouth back up to her ear, I can tell she’s more than okay with this move and how quickly things are going, but I need to hear the words.
I place my mouth by her ear and whisper, “Please, tell me you want this Tessa. If not, this is your last chance. If I see your body, I won’t be able to stop myself from giving you the fuck you want so bad.”
Meet JC Santo~
JC Santo is a true southern girl born and raised a in Central Texas. Until her husband’s Navy career sent them to Norfolk, Virginia. That’s where she has been for the past 5 years being a wife and stay at home mom to 3 boys.
In the rare occurrences she gets free time it’s usually spent reading a good book. Three things she will never turn away are tattoos, cupcakes and arbor mist!
Connect with JC~
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Rescuing Rayne, by Susan Stoker
Rescuing Rayne
Delta Force Heroes Series; Book 1
414 Pages
Published: February 9, 2016
Published by: Susan Stoker
Blurb:
As a flight attendant, Rayne Jackson is used to cancellations, but she never dreamed her latest would lead to a whirlwind tour of London with a handsome stranger…or a life-altering night in his bed. One evening is all the enigmatic man can give her, and Rayne greedily takes it, despite suspecting it will never be enough.
Heading home after another extreme mission, Keane “Ghost” Bryson hadn’t planned to seduce someone during his layover, but Rayne is too sweet to resist. Being a Delta Force member means lying to protect his identity, which is unfortunate, considering Rayne seems made for Ghost, right down to the tattoo on her back. For the first time in his life, regret fills him as he slips away the following morning.
Both are shocked when, months later, they meet again—under the worst possible circumstances. Seems fate has given them a second chance…if they can survive the terrorist situation they’re in. If Rayne can forgive Ghost his lies. And if Ghost can trust Rayne to be strong enough to endure the secrets and uncertainty that come with loving a Delta Force soldier.
** Rescuing Rayne is the 1st book in the Delta Force Heroes Series. Each book is a stand-alone, with no cliffhanger endings.
Purchase Links:
Excerpt:
Rayne couldn’t resist one last dig. “Damn, for a super-secret spy, you’re acting a bit like a wuss.”
She barely smothered a shriek, remembering where they were, when Ghost moved with deadly intent. She was lying flat on the pew with him pinning her arms above her head and resting his considerable weight on her upper body, keeping her immobile, before she could even try to evade him.
“Wuss?”
Rayne smiled, knowing he wasn’t going to hurt her in the middle of the day in the busy church with all the tourists wandering around. “Well, in my defense, you did want to talk about your feelings a bit more than any man I’ve ever been attracted to before.”
“One, I don’t think I like you talking about other men when your nipples are hard and begging for my touch…”
Rayne glanced down and swallowed. He was right. The way he so easily manhandled her but was careful not to hurt her, and the feel of his hard body pressing into hers, was turning her on, and her body was showing it.
“…and two, now that we’re on the same page, I can guarantee we won’t be ‘talking’ much later tonight.”
Rayne didn’t say anything, merely lay under him, waiting for him to make the next move. When he didn’t shift his hold for several moments, she arched her back the smallest amount and tested his grip on her wrists.
Finally Ghost took a deep breath, ran his eyes down to her chest one more time, then brought them back up to her eyes. He leaned down and kissed her lightly and carefully on the lips, then sat up, pulling Rayne with him.
“You’re gonna be the death of me. I can’t make out with you in a pew in Westminster Abbey. I might be insane, but even I’m not willing to push my luck that far. Too many ghosts looking over my shoulder give me the willies.”
Meet Susan Stoker~
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Texas where she lives, but this all American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, and Indiana. She’s married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country.
She debuted her first series in 2014 and quickly followed that up with the SEAL of Protection Series, which solidified her love of writing and creating stories readers can get lost in.
Connect with Susan~
Facebook : Facebook Author Page : Twitter : Goodreads : Amazon : Pinterest : Instagram : Soundcloud : Email : Newsletter Sign Up
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Make Me Whole, by Kaithlin Shepherd
Make Me Whole by Kaithlin Shepherd
Callaway Series
181 Pages
Published: September 8, 2015
Published by: Hot Tree Publishing
Blurb:
Take the journey with the oldest Callaway brother as he finds and fights for true love.
Surviving the unimaginable, Jamie Caldwell finds herself at a crossroads. Her only chance at a full recovery sends her to Montana. Anxious but determined, Jamie is resolute on her mission to break free from her past, leading her into the care of Cole Callaway. Instantly, everything changes. Jamie knows the cowboy has the ability to help fight her demons, but opening up to him also gives him the power she’s just not ready to relinquish.
Returning from Afghanistan a different man, Cole Callaway is damaged. His new mission leads him to supporting wounded veterans and helping them get back some of what they’ve lost. With his own demons to battle, every day is a trial, but the moment Jamie Caldwell walks into his life, his focus and aim changes. Cole faces the biggest challenge of his life: Make Jamie stay in Montana and if he has his way, into his bed.
Purchase Links:
Excerpt:
He sat down beside her on the swing and heard her sigh when their thighs touched. Maybe his brother had been right; maybe she needed him more than she cared to ask. “You don’t get a sky like this in the city. It’s so beautiful and clear,” she said, avoiding eye contact with him. He was pretty sure she had no idea she was making his insides heat just by sitting beside her.
“After my dad died, I used to come out here to think about whatever was going on in my head. When I came back from Afghanistan, I didn’t want to talk to anyone, so I hid in the cabin in the mountains and would go outside at night to look up at the sky. It was the only thing that brought me peace.”
Cole asked himself where that had come from. He never talked about Afghanistan and he sure as hell didn’t talk about how hard it had been for him to come back to the ranch. But talking to Jamie, it just felt right.
“That must have been hard. I know a lot of ex-military guys who didn’t adjust that well to being back home.” Her voice was soft and kind, and unlike others who had tried to get him to talk, she didn’t pity him or try to mother him. She just cared.
He took a deep breath and a sip of whiskey before he continued. “You know, it’s funny. It wasn’t so much returning home that was hard, it was seeing everyone look at me differently, as if I were broken or something. I was injured. I lost friends over there, and then I came back here and people looked at me with pity. I just couldn’t deal with that very well, so I devoted a lot of my time to building the clinic.”
He was opening up to her, not because he wanted her to talk about what had happened, but simply because he wanted to share things with her, and that was a first for him. She turned around on the swing to face him, putting her hand on his forearm, and he felt the electricity of her touch down to his toes. Before she could take her hand away, he covered hers with his. He didn’t say anything, just waited for her to share what she wanted him to know.
Meet Kaithlin Shepherd~
Kaithlin Shepherd was born and raised in Canada where she learned to figure skate and crafted a love affair with coffee. Growing up in a household filled by strong-headed women, she learned early on that life is what you make it.
You’ve probably never met a bigger country music fan and in the words of Brooks and Dunn, she’s a die-hard ‘George Strait junkie.’ Constructing a world away from her real life, Kaithlin loves the feeling of creating a universe where her fans can forget about everything in their life.
She loves writing about hot alphas and doesn’t shy away from turning up the heat with scorching hot sex scenes.
Connect with Kaithlin~
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After Love, by Kathy Clark
After Love by Kathy Clark
An Austin Heroes Novel; Book 1
266 Pages
Published: January 19, 2016
Published by: Loveswept
Blurb:
A pulse-pounding tale of two wounded souls tempted by a dangerous proposition: new love.
DEA agent Nick Archer puts his life on the line every day. A former Marine, he fears nothing . . . except commitment. Nick has no trouble finding women eager to warm his bed, and no problem sending them on their way the morning after. Relationships don’t mix with risky careers, a fact Nick learned the hard way after his marriage fell apart.
He’d go it alone if it weren’t for his new K-9 partner—and the stunning trainer who makes Nick sit up and take notice.
Purchase Links:
Excerpt:
They lay there, their limbs entangled, their skin slick with sweat.
“I made a chocolate cake for dessert,” she said, her voice muffled against his neck.
“I thought this was dessert.” He nuzzled his face into her hair. “It was delicious.”
“Hmm…I’m glad you liked it.” She stirred, pulling away from him. She took the red, white and blue crocheted throw off the back of the couch and wrapped it around herself.
Nick took that as a sign that it was time for a break. He got up, wincing as he levered himself up from the hard floor. “I’m getting too old for this.”
“Next time, we’ll go to my room.”
She said it so casually, he almost missed it. But his heart quickened at the promise there would be a next time. He’d been afraid this would be a one-time shot. But he wasn’t sure he was up for another round so soon. “Right now?”
“No, not now. Maybe Harley will need a refresher course sometime soon.”
Nick felt uncomfortable standing naked in front of her while having what appeared to be a serious conversation. “Hold that thought.” He returned to the kitchen, stepping over Harley who had moved into the living room to be closer to them. Nick pulled on his jeans and stuck his underwear in his pocket. He put on his shirt, but didn’t bother buttoning it. He was about to go back into the living room when Jamie walked in.
She had wrapped the throw around her, under her armpits and tucked in between her breasts. The open weave of the crochet allowed tantalizing peeks at the bare skin underneath. She filled their glasses with the rest of the wine, handed him one, and sat at the table.
Nick remained standing, but he leaned forward on the back of the chair he’d sat in earlier. “Now, about that refresher course.”
“That’s what I was talking about earlier,” she said.
“Your proposition?”
“That makes it sound sleazy. What I have in mind would be mutually satisfactory for both of us.” She hesitated.
He waited.
“I’m not looking for a relationship,” she finally continued. “I’ve been in love, and it was wonderful. It’s the after love part that brings pain. I worried every time Mike left the house. And when my worst nightmare happened, it was suddenly all over…the love…the laughter…someone to cuddle with at night and to celebrate the holidays with…and the sex.” She wiped away a tear that had trickled down her cheek. “I’ve had a great love. I don’t need another. I have the farm, the dogs, my brother, and a busy life.”
There was another pause. Nick waited patiently, still with no clue where the conversation was going.
Jamie met his gaze steadily. “I have to be honest with you. I don’t need love any more. But I miss the sex. You and I get along okay. I just thought…”
Nick cocked his head as if he hadn’t heard her correctly. “So, I’m your booty call?”
She shrugged. “You don’t have a girlfriend, do you? Who would we be hurting? Just some hot sex…and no strings. And it’s all temporary. I can end it whenever and you can do the same. Isn’t that every man’s dream?”
“Well, yes,” he answered reluctantly. “But…”
“And tonight was good, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, but…”
“Then why not?”
Nick’s first thoughts were that this was the craziest idea he’d ever heard…from a woman. It sounded like something he would suggest. His own experience with love had ended badly, too. He understood her concern that there was nothing but pain after love. He definitely had no plans for any type of permanent relationship either. It was just a little unnerving to think about it in such clinical terms.
But then, she was right. Sex without responsibility was perfect world…especially if it was with Jamie. Why was he hesitating? He was being offered an endless dessert tray…without calories.
“Are you serious?” he asked, still concerned that this was some sort of test, or a game whose rules he didn’t know.
“Absolutely. Of course, I would expect your discretion. I work with a lot of law enforcement agencies, and I need to protect my credibility. And then there’s my brother…” She shook her head. “He would never understand.”
“Probably not,” Nick agreed. He still wasn’t sure he did. But, hey, who was he to turn down a beautiful woman who needed sex? If she wanted a businesslike arrangement, he was up for it. Nick held out his hand.
Jamie smiled and heaved a relieved sigh. She took his hand and shook it. “Then we have a deal.”
“I guess we do.”
She stood and gathered her clothes.
“I’m taking Harley to Grammy’s to meet the family tomorrow. Plus, I’ve got the boys, and my brothers should be there, too.”
Jamie clipped the leash on Harley and handed it to Nick. “Let me know how Harley does.”
“Uh…I will.” He retrieved his gun off the refrigerator, slipped his feet in his tennis shoes and squatted down to tie them. When he stood back up, Jamie handed him his socks and practically pushed him toward the front door. “Why don’t you come with us? I’m not sure how he’ll act around kids, and it would be good to have to along to keep an eye on him. I can’t vouch for the company, but I guarantee the food will be great.”
“I don’t know. What would your grandmother think?”
“That I just got a new K9 partner, and this is part of his training.”
She considered it for a moment. “I suppose I could go. Sundays are always slow.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up around eleven.”
“I’ll be ready.”
They paused in the doorway. What exactly did one say to someone he had just fucked but who had now become a secret partner…of sorts? A handshake? A kiss? He bent down to kiss her, and she turned her face so it landed on her cheek.
Jamie squatted and gave Harley a hug and a goodbye scratch on the ears. “You take care of your man,” she told the dog. “Keep him safe and make me proud of you.”
Harley wagged his tail and nudged her with his nose.
She stood and tightened the throw around her. “Goodnight, Nick. Drive carefully.” She started closing the door.
Nick nodded and was left no choice but to cross the porch and head toward his truck. With his underwear in one pocket, his socks in the other, and his unbuttoned shirt tails flapping in the wind, he had a sudden flash of empathy for all the women he had sent away after a casual fuck.
And he didn’t like it.
Praise for After Love
“Fast-paced, riveting . . . Playful dialogue between Nick and Jamie certainly kept me entertained, and I loved every moment they were together as their banter increased the sexual tension between them. . . . [The author] did justice to their instant and intense chemistry.”—Harlequin Junkie, on After Love
After Love is the first book in the Austin Heroes series about three brothers, a DEA agent, a Texas Ranger, and a Homeland Security Agent. The second book Almost Forever comes out in July, and I can’t resist sharing the gorgeous cover of Justin, the Texas Ranger.
A cold case leads to blazing-hot temptation in this novel of romantic suspense from bestselling author Kathy Clark. For readers of Nora Roberts and Karen Robards, Almost Forever pairs a rugged lawman with a woman who may just be a murderer.
Meet Kathy Clark~
Kathy Clark is the pen name of the writing team of Bob and Kathy Wernly. Kathy had almost two dozen books published by Harlequin, Dell, Crown, and others before her husband offered to do all the marketing and write the first drafts. Who wouldn’t eagerly accept that kind of free labor? Since 2012, Kathy and Bob have self-published nine novels, including the award-winning YA time travel series, Time Shifters, and a New Adult series called Scandals. They also self-published an erotic romance and had another erotic romance novel published by Loose Id.
They currently have a six-book contract with Random House for their Loveswept line. The first three books were in the Denver Heroes series and were published in 2015. In 2016, they launched their Austin Heroes series with the first book, After Love, coming out in January. This series is about three brothers, one a DEA agent, one a Texas Rancher, and one an agent for Homeland Security. Almost Forever will be out in July, and Another Chance comes out in November.
Kathy and Bob love the sand and surf of Florida or the Caribbean when they travel, but they also enjoy their view of Pikes Peak from their home in Colorado.
Connect with Kathy~
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Unhidden The Gatekeeper Chronicles; Book 1
Unhidden
The Gatekeeper Chronicles; Book 1
320 Pages
Published: December 29, 2014
Published by: Team D Enterprises
Blurb:
It’s not always easy to differentiate between the good guys and the bad guys, especially when your heroine is a trained killer and she may be falling in love with her evil hunter…
Emma Hayes, a former military Special Forces Operative turned mercenary-for-hire, finds her tightly controlled world turned upside down when she is attacked by horrible monsters.
Emma must use every skill in her arsenal to stay alive as she tries to solve the mystery of why she has been targeted. Her list of enemies keeps growing – from Zane Shayde, an evil Mage, to a secret branch of the US government – and she doesn’t know if there is anyone left she can trust.
To complicate matters further, Emma is inexplicably drawn to Zane in a way she doesn’t quite understand, even knowing her life is forfeit if captured. Who is he and why does he have this affect on her? How can she fight a being that calls to her, body and soul?
Emma is left haunted by questions, doubts and fears as to why she has been targeted, when they will come for her next, and how she will possibly be able to survive against an enemy she doesn’t understand.
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Excerpt:
The highway was empty, but Lilly continued to swerve randomly because an unpredictable moving target was harder to hit. The chimera threw another firebomb, and Lilly avoided it by mere inches. Realizing it wasn’t having much luck with this tactic, the creature tried a different approach. The chimera flew lower until it could peer through the missing rear window of the car.
“Oh, shit! It’s going to blast us,” I realized.
“Not if I blast it first,” Jason responded. He aimed the grenade launcher I had been using earlier, but the chimera was faster. It let loose a burst of flame from its throat. Lilly tried to stay ahead of it by speeding up yet was only partially successful. The tail end of the flames still reached the back of the car. I had ducked behind the seat, but Jason was still intent on aiming his weapon, and the molten phlegm touched his arm.
Jason’s scream of pain pierced the night, but the sensation also caused his hand to spasm and depress the trigger before he dropped the weapon. He landed a perfect shot right to the chimera’s head, although when the smoke cleared, the creature was still coming. The grenade didn’t seem to have seriously injured it, but it must have been enough of a nuisance to cause the creature to fly farther back from the car.
“Jason! Are you okay?” It sounded like a stupid question even as I said it, but I didn’t know what else to say. He clearly wasn’t okay. He had managed to put out the flames; however, the skin underneath was charred black and melted. He clutched his wrist, his face twisted in an agonized grimace.
The chimera came at us again, but this time, it rammed its full body weight into the side of the car, tipping it onto two wheels for a moment before the car righted itself again.
“We can’t stay out in the open like this,” Alex said.
“I know, I know. I’m working on it!” Lilly turned off the highway and onto the Brooklyn Bridge.
The network of steel cables that crisscrossed the historic bridge framed the roadway like a prison, making it impossible for the large chimera to fly alongside or directly above the car without slamming into the cables. The chimera was forced to pace us along the outside of the bridge over open water.
Alex shifted in his seat, pulling out his rune-carved staff. He rolled down the window, pointing his staff down toward the churning, black waters below. He muttered indecipherable words under his breath, his green eyes developing a deep luminescence I was learning signaled the use of magic.
Nothing happened at first, then a roaring began, like the sound of a freight train. It rapidly grew closer, louder. Jason and I leaned toward the window, trying to figure out what Alex was doing, when a geyser of water shot up from the East River, rising hundreds of feet into the air. It slammed into the chimera with such force the beast howled and went spinning through the air toward us.
The chimera was pitched violently into the steel cables of the bridge. Several cables snapped, and the bridge swayed slightly under the impact.
“You’re going to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge!” I screamed in horror, slapping Alex in the back of the head. “Figure out another way to kill that thing without destroying an iconic landmark.”
About the Author~
Dina Given lives in rural New Jersey – home of farms, horses and the largest hot air balloon festival in North America – with her husband, two crazy kids, and one rescue dog. She is an exercise enthusiast and avid lover of food and wine (hence the need to exercise).
Dina also works full time for one of the largest healthcare companies in the world. She attributes her ability to juggle family, work and writing to her obsessive, hyper-focused, Type A personality.
Connect with Dina~
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Merciless Ride, by Chelsea Camaron
Merciless Ride by Chelsea Camaron
The Hellions Ride Series; Book 3
210 Pages
Published: October 7, 2014
Published by: Chelsea Camaron
Blurb:
***Although this book is part of a series it can be read without reading books one and two.***
Mercy is no friend of mine. Karma, she has yet to show kindness to me.
The hits just keep on coming for Tessie Marie Harlow. She has never had an easy life. Her mom disabled, her dad long gone, and a single mom raising a rambunctious little boy, that’s Tessie’s world.
Her childhood aspirations to be a nurse long since disappeared after a college spring fling both blessed and burdened her with a baby boy. Dropping out of school, she returns to her hometown and begins to settle in. Getting the only job she could as a bartender she spends her days caring for her son and nights serving the Hellions Motorcycle Club and their affiliates.
Tired of waiting for Rex to grow up, she’s faced with the bane existence of her life until one night changes everything. In the darkest hour of her merciless ride through life, she’s saved by a quiet, laid back Hellion.
Andy ‘Shooter’ Jenkins has always been around. Too wrapped in Rex she has never really noticed him before. He has never been loud or known to have the girls hanging all over him. He is a mystery. A chance encounter brings him to her rescue not once but twice.
The Desert Ghosts Motorcycle Club are in town and bring their own brand of chaos right to Tessie’s door. Forced into her day to day life, Shooter is doing everything he can to shelter and protect her as lines are crossed and a war between two clubs begins.
Secrets revealed putting two brothers in the Hellions Motorcycle Club at a serious crossroads in their lives.
This is not a ride for pleasure. This is not a ride for safety. This is not a ride for love. This is a ride for endurance. Mercy has never once shined her grace down for these two, but in the midst of the danger and lies can they learn to rely on one another and ride it out together?
*Intended for mature audiences only* 18 and older
This series contains strong language, strong sexual situations, and violence. Please do not buy if any of this offends you. This is not meant to be a true or exact depiction of a motorcycle club rather a work of fiction meant to entertain.
This is a full length novel with a HEA, no cliffhanger. Each book in the Hellions Ride series is a stand alone novel. Although best read in order it is not necessary.
Series Order:
One Ride
Forever Ride
Merciless Ride
Eternal Ride
Innocent Ride
Buy Links:
Meet Chelsea Camaron~
USA Today Bestselling author Chelsea Camaron is a small town Carolina girl with a big imagination. She is a wife and mom chasing her dreams. She writes contemporary romance, erotic suspense, and psychological thrillers. She loves to write blue-collar men who have real problems with a fictional twist. From mechanics to bikers to oil riggers to smokejumpers, bar owners, and be-yond, she loves a strong hero who works hard and plays harder.
Connect with Chelsea~
Website : Newsletter : Facebook : Twitter : Pinterest : Goodreads : Amazon Author Page : Signed Books : Email
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True Blue SEALs: ZAK, by Sharon Hamilton
True Blue SEALs: ZAK
SEAL Brotherhood Series
261 Pages
Published: February 20, 2016
Published by: AL Publications
Blurb:
Zak and Amy are destined for each other. After successfully passing the BUD/S training, and helping to stop a San Francisco terrorist attack, Zak goes to the arena of war with the rest of his SEAL Team 3 buddies, to return a changed man. Amy will have to negotiate the pain in her heart as she works to discover the man she loved going off to war is still the man of her dreams, and only if she can convince Zak he still is that man.
Purchase Links:
Excerpt:
His hands smoothed up and down her upper arm as he stared at the ceiling. He’d made the first step to do something important with his life by becoming a Navy SEAL. His new family, the Brotherhood, healed and filled so many holes in his soul. He felt the honor of serving with men who would gladly die for him, without thinking about it. He was indeed one of the lucky ones. Now, he was about to do the next big thing in his life. He was “securing the target,” bringing Amy into his life not just as a girlfriend, but also as a mate and life partner. He’d even been honest with her. If she couldn’t take the intensity of his family now, couldn’t deal with the stress and loss and tears that sometimes came with the job, along with the joy of doing something more important than all of them, he’d have to walk away.
And, as hard as it would be, he’d do it. He’d make sure he didn’t give up on his shot to become one of the best of the best, and to serve his country proudly with honor.
They were to meet Carter at an omelet house for breakfast. He and Amy noodled around in the shower until they were going to be very unfashionably late. He was always the one to have to turn down the heat so they could keep to a schedule. Amy would have been fine just staying in bed the whole time.
She made a point of showing him she wasn’t going to wear panties, “just in case.”
“This is going to be a painful day for me, I can see.”
“I have the cure for that pain,” she whispered.
“Indeed you do.” Her hopeful face was seeking out a message he wasn’t going to give her. “You’re here to learn about my community. And before you tell me you learned all you need to know in that bed,” he pointed to the tussled sheets behind him, “I need to show you things. Things that are important for you to know. I’m doing this for you, Amy.” He added a smile he’d almost forgotten to show.
She got that little flighty look as she continued dressing and then examining the floor, turning her head from side to side, the pouty smile on her face, just reminding him that he really wasn’t in control. “Zak, I hope you’re not tired of me already,” she whispered to her bright red toes.
“Not a chance, sweetheart.” He grabbed her and held her tight. Lifting her lips with fingers gently under her chin. “Stay just the way you are. Insatiable.” He kissed her. “Sexy as hell.” He kissed her again. “Riding my cock all night long like last night. I’m going to be ruined when you have to go back.”
“Then keep me here.”
Her clear brown eyes were honest, unflinching. He knew she was ready to take that step through the doorway with him. As long as everything else worked out for these next two days, he’d be able to convince her to get married before he deployed. That was the mission. That was the target to be acquired.
Meet Sharon Hamilton~
Sharon Hamilton is a NYT and USAToday bestselling author most known for her SEAL Brotherhood series.
Her Golden Vampires of Tuscany are not like any vamps you’ve read before, since they don’t have to go to ground and can walk around in the full light of the sun.
Sharon’s Guardian Angels struggle with the human charges they are sent to save, often escaping their vanilla world of Heaven for the brief human one. You won’t find any of these beings in any Sunday school class.
All of Sharon’s books are available on eBooks (most formats), print and Audible.
A lifelong organic gardener, Sharon lives with her husband in the Wine Country of Northern California, where most of her stories take place. When she’s not writing, she’s getting verra verra dirty in the mud or wandering Farmer’s Markets looking for new Heirloom varieties of vegetables and flowers.
Connect with Sharon~
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