Friday, August 26, 2016

Summer Reading List- Final Installment and the last in a series

I can't believe I am saying this, but Monday I am back to work...The freedom to read and write as much as I want is now gone...

Before I end this series however, I'm leaving you with the final installment in my Defender's of Love series...Keegan James finally gets his girl...but not before she tries to arrest him...





He’s running away from a broken heart…


For Keegan James, his career meant everything. Until he let his heart get in the way of his good sense. Oh, she was thinking about the future too—with another man. So, he did what any jilted lover would do and left the FBI to move to the beach to join the Border Patrol. He bought an old farm in need of a ton of work—or a total tear down. Unfortunately for him, the entire property is under investigation by the DEA for drug trafficking and the agent on the case thinks he’s involved. What’s worse? She’s smart, sex and good with a gun.


Falling for those deep blue eyes could ruin her career…


Nikki Swenson has had to prove herself every step of the way to get where she is. After months of investigation, dedication, and surveillance, she’s about to break the biggest case of her career and possibly arrest the sexiest man she’d ever met. But things are not always as they seem. Will one tiny detail totally derail Nikki’s carefully constructed case?

Since it's the last week of summer, I figured I'd raise the temperature just a little bit with this week's excerpt...


    "I've got your towel," he called through the space between the door and the frame.
"Can you come in and put it on the counter for me please?"
Clearing his suddenly clogged throat, Keegan pushed the door open and stepped into the unexpectedly large bathroom. He intended to just toss the towel to the counter and hightail it out of there but the smooth glass of the shower, coated with steam, stopped him in his tracks. Despite the fogged over shower door, he could make out the definite outline of Nikki. She had her arms up over her head, massaging grapefruit smelling suds into her thick hair. The position accentuated the shadowy curve of her breasts and hips making his mouth go dry.
"Keegan? Can you leave it on the counter?" Nikki called, her back now to him.
"Yes," he croaked out over the lump that had formed in his throat.
Nikki jumped at the sound of his voice, dropping the bottle she held with a loud crash. "You scared me."
"Sorry. My brother always said my ability to sneak up on him was a mad ninja skill."
Nikki laughed. He watched as she leaned her
head back into the steady stream of water and worked her finger tips through the wet strands of thick, dark hair wishing those were his fingers.
"I guess it’s a skill that served you well in the FBI."
"I suppose." It used to drive Margot crazy that she never knew when he was approaching.
"I like surprises."
Damn. The way she said that made Keegan want to tear of his clothes and show her all of his secret talents. Why the hell not? His fingers went to the hem of his shirt when the water in the shower suddenly shut off. He was halfway out of it when Nikki cracked the shower door open, letting out a squeal when she saw him. Keegan froze.
"What are you doing?"
"Um, it was hot in here?"
Nikki smiled, a small knowing smile lacking the shock and annoyance he had expected. "Hand me the towel."
Keegan did as he was told, his eyes never leaving hers. The steam was beginning to dissipate enough that he could start to make out few details of the shadow that had been her body a few seconds ago. His self-control was dissipating at the same rate.
Nikki pulled the towel into the shower and
wrapped it around herself. He knew this because he watched every movement through the still opaque glass, his feet rooted to the tile beneath them. A memory of Margot doing the same thing passed through his mind but there was nothing sexy about it the way there was with Nikki. For the first time ever, he was beginning to think his entire relationship with Margot had been a mistake of epic proportions.
Yeah, but if he hadn’t been through the hell with his ex, he never would have quit the agency and most definitely wouldn't be standing there in Nikki's bathroom right then.
She pushed open the door, knocking him in the knee cap with the beveled edge. White hot pain shot through his leg in both directions dropping him to the tiles.
"Oh Keegan! I'm so sorry! Are you all right?" Nikki leaned over him, clutching the towel closed.
He looked up and straight down into the gaping towel between two smooth, creamy breasts and let out a groan.
"I did hurt you!"
Oh, she hurt him all right, just not in the way she thought. A certain other part throbbed a hell of a lot more than his knee did.
"I'm fine," he ground out between clenched teeth as he pulled himself upright using the
vanity.
Nikki used her free hand to help him. At least she thought she was helping. What really happened was his gut clenched with an overwhelming desire to feel her still damp skin pressed up against his. As he struggled to maintain his composure, Nikki turned him to face her, concern darkening her eyes.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
He shook his head. "No. No, I am not sure."
Without thinking through his actions, Keegan put his hands on Nikki's shoulders. Oh my God, her skin was softer than it looked. In one swift motion he backed her into the shower pressing her body against the slick tiles. Moving his hands to the wall on either side of her head, he crushed his lips to hers. No more dancing around each other. No more teasing and flirting. No more arguing and no more Margot
taunting him from the depths of his mind. He knew what she tasted like and he needed more. So much more. He was like an addict that carried his drug around to torture himself. That ended now. Being with Nikki all night, watching her fall into the icy water, feeling her cold, wet body shake so violently—it had shredded his soul in a way even his ex hadn’t
done. To hell with waiting until the case was over. She knew he wasn't involved and that was
enough for him.
Nikki quickly melded her body to his, her arms sliding up and around his neck as she parted her lips to his insistence. The only thing that held her towel closed was the pressure between them. Keegan was torn between not wanting to ever let her go and stepping away just to see what that piece of cotton hid from him.
He slid one hand slowly on the tile until his fingers touched her cheek. Trailing the now wet tips along her jawline, down her neck and on to her bare shoulder, Keegan moaned deep in his throat. Nikki responded by deepening the kiss and pressing herself more tightly against him. So much for letting the towel drop. He wouldn't break the contact between them now for all the money in the bank.
He let his fingers dance a little toward the top of her breast. This time the moan came from Nikki who lowered her hands from where they had been threaded in his hair to the waist of his jeans. She tugged his shirt out and slipped her hands up under the material. His skin burned at her touch setting every inch of him on fire. Grasping the towel she wore with both hands, he yanked it down between them, letting it fall to the shower floor.
Not breaking their kiss, Nikki started
frantically working the buttons on his shirt.
Keegan loved a woman who wasn't shy about what she wanted but he was as impatient as she was so he stepped back a little, reluctantly separating their lips so he could pull the offending clothing off letting it hang over the shower wall. In the process he caught a full glance of what had been hidden from him before and sucked in a breath.
"No talking," Nikki command as she pulled his lips back to hers. She didn’t wait for him to deepen it either, rather demanded entrance to his mouth which he readily gave her. Nikki's approach was refreshing and hot as hell.
His hands roamed everywhere they could reach, memorizing the contours of her hips, her waist and the firmness of her abdomen. He had just discovered the heaven that was her perfectly sized breasts when a loud voice boomed through the house.
"Nikki!"
"Oh, shit! It's Henry!" Nikki pushed him away reaching for her towel. "You have to get out of here."
"Your boss has a key to your house?" he asked with disbelief. "You sure there isn't
something—?"



Saturday, August 20, 2016

Summer Reading List- Like a Little Mystery and Suspense?


Just because summer is almost at it's end doesn't mean you have give up those good summer reads! If you like gun fights, car chases, a dose of humor and some good old fashioned stolen kisses, check out Book 2 in the Defenders of Love Series. There are three books in the series but each one can be read as a stand alone. Watch out for Aunt Clara, she doesn't take anything from anyone!



                          Grab your copy here! $;99 summer sale or FREE in Kindle Unlimited!




All Katie McCoy wanted was a quiet Friday evening, a frozen pizza and a pair of comfy pajamas. Damn her stupid ex-fiance to hell for the armed men that stormed her apartment and dragged her off on a matter of “national security”. Wearing those comfy pajamas and nothing else, she wasn’t at all prepared for the interrogation that awaited her…or the man with the questions.
Kaiden James would like to get through one vacation without the job interfering. Just once… Called away from his cousin’s wedding and his best man duties, he is less than happy to have to deal with Homeland Security’s new domestic terrorism case. Until he gets a look at the pajama-clad suspect...
After several attempts on Katie’s life, it’s clear she’s no terrorist but a loose end the real suspects need to tie up…and fast. Can Kaiden solve the case and keep her safe without losing his heart in the process?

A little excerpt for your reading pleasure...

Katie glanced around the small, dark room where she sat with one wrist handcuffed to a steel table. The only furniture in the room—a table and a couple of metal chairs—were bolted to the floor. All of her attempts to slip out of the handcuffs had been futile. The more she struggled the tighter they seemed to get, chafing the skin around her wrist until the flesh felt raw.
Dropping her head to her free arm resting on the table, Katie sighed deeply. Twenty four hours ago she had been jogging down the boardwalk enjoying a stunning Virginia Beach sunset.  A hot shower, some worn flannel pajamas, and a frozen pizza had been her big plans for the night. Until armed men dressed all in black came crashing through her front door and dragged her away to God knows where for God knows why.
Actually, she had a pretty good idea as to why. But she wasn't about to say, not without a lot of
prodding. That lousy no good ex of hers had stirred up more than one mess in her life and she wanted nothing more to do with him. Ever.
The echo of footsteps in the hallway caught her attention. When they stopped outside the door, Katie braced herself. The way this night had gone so far, who knew what was about to happen. Not that she could do much with one wrist handcuffed to the table. She eyed the single incandescent bulb that hung over her head, the only other item in the room aside from the table and two chairs. Nothing to defend her one-armed self with.
Muted voices passed through the small space beyond the heavy door but strain as she might, Katie couldn't make out any words.
Katie refused to give into the panic that was building. She needed a clear head to figure how to get out of this mess. The bad guys had guns. All she had were her wits. If she could keep them about her, that is. Which didn't seem likely as the panic grew when the sound of a key in the lock echoed through the small room.
The heavy door swung open. Fully expecting
another black clad, automatic rifle bearing commando like the ones that had dragged her from her apartment, Katie's jaw dropped when a tall, broad frame wearing a tuxedo filled the space. His form almost completely blocked out any light from the hallway. Katie sucked in a breath.
"Good evening, Ms. McCoy." Tuxedo man stepped through the door, not making eye contact as he studied the file in his hand.
He didn't have to introduce himself. She knew exactly who he was. Oh crap. Would he remember her?
"I'd shake your hand or curtsy or something if I weren't attached to this stupid table." Katie scowled for effect but he still wasn't looking at her. Instead, he chuckled as he settled himself in a chair opposite hers, stretching his long legs underneath the table.
"Don't worry, Miss. Despite the fact that I missed a delicious prime rib dinner this evening I will not bite you." That explained the tux.
"You mean you don't always dress that way for an interrogation? Don't I feel special now?" she snapped, unable or unwilling to bite back the sarcasm as she sat as far back in her chair as she could.
Finally he looked at her. She saw the quick gleam of recognition before it disappeared.
He knew who she was.
"See anything you like?" Katie grumbled, resisting the urge to squirm under his blue gaze.
"What's your name?" the man asked casually, although Katie knew casual had nothing to do with it.
"You know my name. You just used it. Stop trying to butter me up and get down to business. I'm sure you know everything about me. I mean, I doubt those commandos of yours kidnap random women for fun on a Friday night. Or maybe they do?" She noticed the man watching her with the slightest hint of a smile.
"Are you always so defensive?" He eyed her again, as if seeing straight into her soul.
Her blood started to percolate a little in her veins under the intensity of his scrutiny. Aggravation, that's all. What other explanation could there be for the sudden rise in her internal temperature.
"McCoy. My name is Katie McCoy. And only when I have been kidnapped by a bunch of Special Forces wanna-be's. That tends to ruffle my feathers a bit, Mr…?" Two could play his game.
"James. Agent James."
"Your mother not like you much?"
He eyed her questioningly. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"She named you 'Agent', so she must not have liked you very much."
The man chuckled and she almost smiled in return until she went to push a stray hair behind her ear and realized handcuffs still held her to the steel table.
"It's Kaiden, Ms. McCoy. Agent Kaiden James."
"Agent of what agency?"
"Well, aren't you full of questions tonight?" He winked at her as he leaned back in his chair.
Katie scowled at him across the small space. "I always have a lot of questions when I am dragged from my home in my pajamas in the middle of the night."
Agent Kaiden James looked at his watch. The same military style, digital type Nathan used to wear. Katie scowled again. The memory of her ex-fiancé was not what she needed to be thinking about.
"It's barely nine in the evening, Ms. McCoy. I would hardly call it the middle of the night. Do you always dress for bed at dinner time?"
"I wasn't exactly expecting any company," she shot back.
"No, I suppose you weren't." He fiddled with his watch again, eyes narrowing as he studied the illuminated face. She didn't remember him being so pensive the last time they had met. Of course he had been under the influence of some strong narcotics. When would he admit that he knew her?
"Why am I here, Agent James?"
"Please, call me Kaiden."
"Fine, Kaiden, why am I here?'
"Do you really expect me to believe that you have no idea why you are here?"
"Yes, I do. Apparently making a frozen pizza is a capital offense in this part of the world. You still haven't even told me what agency you represent, Agent James."
"I'm with Homeland Security. My specialty is domestic terrorism."
He thinks I'm a terrorist? Seriously? Katie started laughing.
"There is nothing to laugh about, Ms. McCoy. You are in some serious trouble here."
"You think I am a terrorist? Please. Did you have a few drinks at that wedding?"
"Sadly, no. I didn't have the opportunity. Which means I am completely sober as we have this conversation." His words were serious but his voice held a hint of humor.
"Do you remember me, Agent James?" Do you remember a certain sponge bath perhaps?
 He shrugged. "Should I?" He acted nonchalant but she could tell he knew exactly who she was. Well, if he wanted to play hard to get, she could too.
 "It must have been another Mr. James who… well, I must have been mistaken anyway." She offered up a smile meant to be both a little sexy and a little bit shy.
Katie watched as Kaiden sifted through some papers in his file without acknowledging her. She tapped a finger against the metal table as she watched him intently. Oh, he definitely knew exactly who she was.
"Do you want to tell me why I am here or what?"
He looked at her pajamas with a half-smile.
"Pajama party?"
"You are overdressed for the occasion, Agent James."
"Perhaps a hospital gown would have been more appropriate?"
He did remember her. Katie couldn't help but smile. Despite the circumstances—she eyeballed the cuff on her wrist—seeing Kaiden James again was the best thing to have happened to her in months.

Other books in the series...also currently on sale: