Release Information And A Little Something Extra

I'm very excited to announce that the third book in the Secret Lives Series will be released on May 3 by Limitless Publishing! I'll be sharing the cover here in just five days...and it's absolutely awesome!! I can't wait for you all to see it.

As a little treat in preparation for the cover reveal, I am sharing one of my favorite parts of In the Shadow of the Shield with you today.  Diana is finally pulling out mourning and allowing herself to live again...

      If you haven't read this book yet, you can get a copy here...or borrow it free in kindle unlimited



“So, what are you doing here anyway?” she asked as she pulled a couple of tea bags from a canister on the counter. “Obviously you’re on duty.”
He shrugged and offered a sheepish smile. “Would you believe that I missed you?”
She returned the smile. “I definitely wouldn’t mind if you did.” 
“You almost shooting me aside, is it okay that I dropped by? I was down the street on patrol, and my unit seemed to develop a mind of its own. Next thing I knew, I was sitting in your driveway.”

“You can stop by anytime. I’m glad you did.”  Diana set out two mugs, dropped the tea bags in them, and reached for the lemon juice and honey she kept handy.
Carter caught her hand from across the counter and held it, caressing the palm with his thumb. “It’s been a long week. I never minded going home to my empty apartment before. Now, I can’t stand how lonely and cold it is. For the first time since my wife left, I feel like I have a reason to be a little bit happy. Being with you makes me happy.” He looked up at her. “Too much too soon?”
“No. I have been pacing the house for days, hoping Louie would text you so you would have a reason to come by. Crazy, huh?”
“Not at all. I wanted to, but I figured you needed a little space after—how did things go with your son the other day?”
The tea pot whistled. Diana poured steaming water into both cups and passed Carter one of them with a spoon. “Jackson misses his father. He’s struggling with the idea that life has to go on, and you have to admit, he did happen in on us at a very inopportune time.”
 “Yeah, no kidding. It took me half the afternoon…”
“Half the afternoon to what?”
 “Let’s just say that kiss didn’t end in my mind for a good long time.”
“You youngsters are so dramatic!” She flipped a dish towel at him. Carter caught it in one hand, and his expression turned serious.
 “Why are you so hung up on our age difference? It’s only eight years. If I were older than you, would it even occur to you to care?”

She felt her cheeks heat up as Carter watched her intently. “I—I don’t know. I mean, it’s a little strange to me to have someone so much younger—I mean, the way I—” She threw her hands in the air in frustration and turned her back on him. “Look, Donnie was my high school sweetheart. I loved him for more than half my life. I still love him. I was not prepared for the way I would be affected by a man other than him.”
When she turned around again, Carter was standing there, his eyes filled with desire and emotion. “I’m not trying to take Massey’s place in your life. I had no idea when I went to the cemetery that—oh, I don’t even know. I was looking for you, yes, but only because I wanted to know what really happened to Massey. I wasn’t prepared for the way—for what’s happening either. I’m still not. Not really. I’m broken, Diana. I have a mother who didn’t love me, and a wife who couldn’t love me enough to stick around. It’s only been a week since I met you, and it has been the best time in my life in a very long time. I only want the opportunity to get to know you, see where— if anywhere—this thing will go. And figure out what really happened to Massey.”
 “How do we even know something happened to him?”
“It’s a gut feeling. That’s all I can say.” They were standing very close. Too close. She could smell that musky soap of his again, and it was all she could do to stay where she was. He sure looked good in that uniform. Too good. She moistened her suddenly dry lips with the tip of her tongue.  “Don’t do that.”

“What?”
 “Lick your lips that way. I have to get back on the road in a minute, and that might make me quit my job so I can see you do that again.”
She giggled like a schoolgirl. “Oh, you can’t do that. Your uniform is half the appeal. Don’t you know, once a badge bunny, always a badge bunny?” She tapped the badge on his chest with one finger.
“Badge bunny, huh?” In one smooth move, his arm slipped around her and his lips pressed to hers in a quick kiss. “I hate to leave, Madam Bunny, but the streets of Virginia Beach are begging to be kept safe.”
 “What kind of crime is there in a resort town in the middle of the winter?”
 “You’d be surprised. Hookers still got pimps to pay, no matter how cold it is. Crack heads still need a fix, and drive-bys are very popular this time of year. The discerning gangster prefers not to freeze the family jewels to get the weekly quota of shootings in.”
“I suppose that makes sense, since it was this time last year when Donnie got mixed up in that supposed meth case.” No sooner had the words left her mouth that they heard the ringing of a cell phone.
Carter let her go and dug into one of his pockets. “That’s the Louie phone number. A text message.” “What’s it say?”
 “He says he wants a pizza with his Snickers and his Mountain Dew.”
 “What?”
“Hold on. Another message is coming in. It’s a photograph.”

“A photo of what?”
“Hard to tell. It’s pretty dark, but it looks like three people. He says he caught them leaving the house, and they are the same guys he saw the other night.”
“Ask him who they are.” Her heart rate picked up at the thought of a possible lead. “Are they cops?” Carter tapped out a message and then waited for Louie to reply. “Okay, he says they left and locked the place up tight. He doesn’t know who they are, but he is certain they are the same guys he saw the other night.” Carter typed in another message, then set the phone down on the counter by his radio. It buzzed almost immediately with a message from Louie, promising to let them know the second the men returned, as long as he could have an extra-large double cheese pie. “All right, as much as I hate to go, I need to get back out on patrol. Lunchtime is over.”
 “Lunch time? Was I supposed to be a quickie on your lunch break?”
Carter grabbed his radio and clipped it back on his belt. “Trust me, baby, if that was why I was here, there would be nothing quick about it.”

Excerpt #2 from Homeland Security

As promised, here is the second of three excerpts from my new book being released tomorrow. Homeland Security is the second book in the Defenders of Love series.


Excerpt #2

In another place, under other circumstances, silk, satin and lace rubbing up on him would have been a turn on. At one in the morning, in a building that smelled of dust and must, nothing got turned on except his allergy response. He needed an antihistamine and a cup of coffee in the worst way. And maybe a sandwich. Or some fried chicken. His stomach rumbled at the thought of hot, moist fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits. He had missed dinner, after all.

He caught Katie's eye over a display of animal print push up bras. His blood warmed pleasantly as she smiled at him. A hunger of a different sort clenched in his gut.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I know it's late but I can't stomach the thought of anything that man touched on my skin. I want to grab a couple of things to hold me until I can get to the mall."

"Take your time. You might not be able to go home for a few days so grab what you need," Kaiden responded with more conviction than he felt. He nodded at a leopard print push-up in front of him. "That looks nice." It would look real nice on Katie. Forget about his allergy response, everything started to warm up.

"Agent James! I had no idea you had such a wild side to you!"

"I'm not all business all the time you know. And please, call me Kaiden already. I am pretty sure we have gone beyond formal. Not every woman I meet gives me a sponge bath." He winked at her as a blush formed on her cheeks.

"We probably shouldn't discuss that. Nurse-patient privilege or something." She reached for a deep emerald satin and lace set that would look like the jewel of the same tone against her creamy skin and bring out the green in her hazel eyes.

"I don't think there is any such thing. Besides, it's something I certainly enjoy thinking about."

He watched as the flush in her cheeks darkened by at least three shades. Kaiden couldn't help but wonder if Nurse Katie had ever thought about him. Of course not, you idiot, she was engaged! Still, during his stay in the hospital they had definitely shared a flirtation. Apparently it ended at flirting since she had a boyfriend the entire time. The pain meds had probably colored the experience, making it something more in his mind than it had actually been.

"All right then it must be off-limits for a secret agent to discuss such things with a suspect."

Kaiden laughed. "There is nothing secret about this agent. You know who I am and what I do and I'm fairly certain the only thing you are guilty of is bad judgment in men."

 

Homeland Security will be $0.99 for a limited time upon release!

Don't forget Witness Protection is also on sale this week.

New Release- Book 2 in the Defenders of Love series- An Excerpt

The James men are back and not looking for love...until love finds one of them...

Available on Tuesday (9/1/15)- Book 2 in the Defender's of Love series

 

Here's a little excerpt for you...(I'll post a second one tomorrow and a third on Tuesday, release day!)

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."

 

Sale Alert!  On release day, both Homeland Security AND Witness Protection will be available for only $0.99 each! As always, both are free on Kindle Unlimited as well.

Excerpt from Tormented- New Release

I hope you all are having a great summer! It's hot, hot, hot here on the coast. Too hot to be outside but perfect for writing. Perfect for reading as well. In honor of the dog days of summer, I thought I would give my readers a treat... How about an excerpt from my newest book, Tormented, now available in a complete novella rather than the three part serial.

Check out the beautiful cover!

Tormented is currently available in ebook on Amazon:
See Tormented Here

Print copies will be available later this week on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com

Kindle Unlimited users will also be able to read Tormented for free.


And now, some leisure reading to heat up your afternoon... Chapter One of Tormented. Enjoy!

"The next time I decide to quit my job, leave the city, and try to run a cattle ranch, just shoot me." Layla let out a string of curses as the big beast she was attempting to milk kicked the bucket over and spilled what little milk she had gotten all over her jeans. "Forget it. Just shoot me now and be done with it!"

Warm, chocolate brown eyes watched her with pity as Chloe, one of the two dairy cows she had inherited snorted softly. Even the cow knew how pathetic she was. Layla righted the bucket and gave one of the udders a good squeeze like she had seen on the internet. Milk hit the side of the bucket, sprayed in her face and ran down the front of her shirt. "That's it, I'm done." She rose from the stool she was perched on and backed out of the stall.

"Come on, Chloe, let's get you out in the pasture with Zoe. You two gals can soak up a little sunshine while I figure out how the hell I ended up here."

Chloe let out another grunt as she let Layla slowly lead her toward the barn door. Three months ago leaving her job as a criminal defense attorney with a prominent law firm in Virginia Beach had seemed like a good idea. She was exhausted, burnt out really, from the evils of human kind. Spending her days with cattle and horses seemed like a great idea at the time. Excellent therapy. Except she didn't know a damned thing about raising cattle, milking a cow, or riding a damned ranch horse. Ten years of riding lessons, prancing around an arena and dressing in fancy riding gear hadn't prepared her in the least for the wild nature of the horses at her new home.

"Let's move it, girl. We're burning daylight here!" At least she had the lingo down. Hours of watching online videos on how to care for ranch animals had taught her that. Layla laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. Once she managed to get the huge animal out into the pasture with her calf, she had to saddle up the one horse she could pretty much handle and ride the fence line. One of the videos said if she didn't want her cattle to escape she had to check for breaks in the fencing. He called it riding the fence.

Chloe finally sauntered out into the sunlight and immediately started grazing the fresh spring grasses that were finally poking through the old hay Layla spread during the winter months. It took longer than it should have to saddle up Domino, the largest of the horses in the stable. Country Cattle Man, her favorite video host, made riding the fence look like a walk in the park so Layla figured it would be like one of those mud runs that were all the rage now. Sloppy, sweaty, and dirty but done by the end of the day.

The ranch was large, two hundred and fifty acres of grazing lands for her income source, a mid-sized herd of Angus beef cattle. A simple fence of wood posts and barbed wire snaked its way around, through brush and fields, even crossing the small stream she had discovered running through one back corner of the property. She didn't have a clue about handling cattle so she had a couple of hired hands that tended to most of that business. They came three or four times a week and did what needed doing. Her property's perimeter fence she had saved for herself.

Scrambling astride her huge mount, Layla urged the beast forward with a gentle nudge from her heels and a click of her tongue. Domino just stood where he was.

"Come on, Dom, let's go!"  She yanked the reins, muttered a curse and kicked harder. Domino strode toward the barn door. Apparently the animal liked to be cursed at. Ugh. Once they stepped outside, Domino took off. Layla gripped the reins and held on as tight as she could. Domino always ran like his tail was on fire when they first left the barn so she just held on and waited. As was his fashion, Domino slowed to a decent trot as they crossed the field and headed toward the fence. She got the feeling that the horse had ridden a few fences in his day.

Layla was feeling pretty confident when the stream came into view. They were more than halfway through the day and the fence had proven sturdy so far. She urged Domino toward the water. The animal had to be in need of something to drink. As Domino did his thing, Layla downed half a bottle of water and pulled her cell phone out to check the time. Movement on the other side of the barbed wire caught her eye. Bright red shone through the green of the trees and brush. She felt for the shotgun she had gotten used to taking with her on rides. It was still slung down by the saddle. The brush moved, a branch snapped. Layla tried to turn Domino away from the water but the stubborn beast refused to move. She tried to set the shotgun free but her shaking hands fumbled with the sling.

"Let's move, Domino!" She tried to get the horse going but he ignored her. Panicked she yanked at the shotgun, finally setting it free and raised it to her shoulder.

"Who's there?" She demanded, hoping the shake in her voice was only audible to her. Something shot of the brush, running between Domino's legs. The horse startled, rearing up on his hind legs. Layla's body flew through the air, landing on the grassy embankment.

 

"Son of a bitch!" Ben Callahan dropped the rabbit he was holding by the legs and sprinted to where the woman lay in a crumpled mess.

A tiny stream of blood flowed from a gash on her forehead. Ben grabbed the first aid kit from his back pack and tore open a pack of gauze that he pressed gently to the wound to her face. She stirred slightly but didn't wake up. He looked around for her horse. Where did that evil animal get off to?

"Miss? Miss, can you hear me?" He jostled her ever so slightly.

"Mmm..." She moaned and tried to roll over.

"No! Don't move," Ben commanded.

"What happened?" Her words came in short little gasps. "Who—who are you?"

"Name's Ben Callahan and I'm the guy who's gonna get you outta here."

Fear seized her expression. "I don't need help. I just need to get out of here." She pulled herself up, ignoring his command to stay where she was.

"You really should get checked out. You hit your head on the fall." Ben reached for her but the woman scooted out of his reach.

"I'm fine. I just need to get home." She looked around for her horse. The movement forced the trickle of blood on her forehead into her eye. "I'm bleeding."

Give the girl a gold star for the obvious. Be nice, Ben. She just flew off a damned horse.

A horse she had no business riding. That animal was huge. Not at all the right fit for her. None of your business. Help her out and move on.

Ben reached out again, holding the gauze. "Here. Use this to put pressure on it."

Their fingers grazed as she accepted his offering. The contact was brief but electrified. Ben bit down on the gasp that accompanied her touch. Did she feel it too?

You've been alone way too long.

That had to be it. Two years living in isolation would make any man hungry for a little close physical contact of the female kind. He watched as she applied the gauze to her wound with tentative fingers. She was pretty with shoulder length brown curls, green hazel eyes and eyelashes that never needed to see a drop of mascara they were so long and full.

Ben moved toward the woman slowly, like he would approach a spooked horse. She had that same wide eyed look of fear. He knew she would take off through the trees if she weren't still reeling from her spill.

"You really should get to a hospital. You could have a concussion."

"I'm fine. Just a little sore," she snapped, backing further away from him.

"I'm not going to hurt you. You know that, right?"

People were always afraid of him. He couldn't blame them, his disfigured body was nothing to look at—and nothing compared to the emotional scars he carried with him.

She nodded but didn't look convinced, although he gave her props for trying to appear confident. "I—I know. I just don't know what happened to my horse." She glanced around as if to make her point.

"Your horse took off. Probably back at the barn by now, grazing the fresh grass and wondering what's taking you so long to catch up. He'll expect a full brushing when you return." Ben offered her a smile, a lot more crooked and uneven than it used to be thanks to one very sharp blade and a pissed off Taliban soldier.

Surprisingly, she smiled back. Sort of.  "I guess I have quite a long walk back."  

"You the lady who took over the Evans ranch?"

"Why?" She stiffened and her eyes narrowed with instant distrust as she studied him.   

"Just making neighborly conversation. My momma taught me to be polite under every circumstance. Of course she also taught me to offer a glass of sweet tea and a cookie to every person that shows up at my place but since you caught me unprepared all I have is a bottle of water and a protein bar."

The woman relaxed a little as she eyed the bottle and bar he removed from his pack. He could practically see the hunger and thirst in her green eyes so he held them out to her. "Are you thirsty?"

She nodded. "Domino took off with my pack. I was planning lunch here by the stream before—before you showed up and…"

"And spooked your horse out from under you?"

"Something like that." This smile was bigger but didn't quite reach her eyes. She accepted the bottle of water and polished off half of it in one gulp. "Thank you, that tastes good."

Her lips were damp and glossy from the water. Something deep in his gut churned. He ignored the long forgotten sensations and nodded at her. "You're welcome. We really need to get you out of here. I've got my horse just over the stream. I'll grab him and give you a ride back."

"Hey? What happened to the fencing that went over the stream?" she asked, ignoring everything he just said.

"I removed it."

"Why? That's my property. You can't do that." She motioned toward the stream.

"It was catching storm debris and backing up the flow."

"You still shouldn't have touched it. It's on my property."

"I don't know who you think you are but you're sure no farm girl or cattle rancher. Just look at you. Are you wearing designer cowboy boots?"

"I like these boots!" she snapped.

"Impractical. And proof that you know absolutely nothing about running a ranch. Whoever put that fence up was an idiot. You defending it makes you a bigger idiot." He tossed his first aid kit back in his pack and zipped it up. Let her find her own way home. He didn't need this sort of aggravation in his life.

She had managed to get to her feet, her hands resting on her hips, full lips were pursed with anger and she looked about to shoot daggers at him from her beautiful eyes.

Kiss her.

What the hell? Kiss her? Where did that come from?

"I am not an idiot! How dare you! No wonder you wander out here in the woods alone. No one could put up with your nasty attitude! Just where do you get off anyway, telling me who and what I am?"

His nasty attitude? That was it? That was the reason she thought he hid out on his own ranch?

"Look lady…"

"The name's Layla! Stop calling me lady." She actually stomped her foot for emphasis and it took all of his composure to not dissolve in laughter.

"Okay Layla, I'm sorry you're angry about the fence but it had to be done. If that backed up it could cause a flood on your property and cut off water to mine. I didn't know you were living here now. I figured Evans would have wanted me to fix the problem."

"Oh."

He had just apologized, spoken more words in one breath than he had muttered in months and one syllable was all she could manage?

He let out a low whistle and waited until his horse appeared through the brush. "I'm sorry about the fence. Make sure you get someone to look at that cut on your head." He felt her eyes on him as he splashed through the water and climbed in the saddle Sam wore.

"You're just going to leave?" she called after him as he turned Sam around and started making their way back toward home.

"It was nice to meet you, Layla!" he called over his shoulder. It was not nice at all. She had him all confused with her hot and cold behavior. And the way he had been in a perpetually semi-hard state since that first contact with just her fingers. He didn't need that in his life. Nope. What he needed was a cold shower and a beer. Maybe a thick steak on the grill and one of those potatoes he had managed to produce in his garden. Yup, that's all he needed— steak, potatoes, and beer. And to forget he had ever met the feisty Layla. Nothing good could come of it. Even if they one day learned to get along, maybe she wasn't so bothered by the scar on his face but there was no way she could look past the rest of what those monsters had done to him.

He was about a hundred feet into the woods when he started to feel guilty. He was the monster if he made a woman find her way back in the dark—and it would be dark long before she made it home.

"What the hell," he muttered as he pulled up on the reins. "Come on, Sam. Let's go get her."

Sam snorted agreement and turned back toward where Layla had last been. As they broke through the brush by the stream, he caught sight of her making her way slowly and tediously along the embankment. Her obviously expensive jeans fit her curves perfectly—as though they were made just for her. Perhaps there was something to be said for designer fashion after all.

He pushed Sam to pick up the pace until they were right beside her. The little trail was barely wide enough to accommodate them both so he let her get a couple of steps ahead. She refused to look up at him.

"Come on, Layla, let Sam and I give you a ride home."

"I'm fine, thanks," she replied without making eye contact.

"It's a long way back and you are in no condition—" Good Lord he had just made it sound like she was pregnant or something. Smooth, Callahan. Very smooth.

"Why do you go on back to your cave or rock or wherever it is you live. I've got a long way to go and I don't have time to deal with you."

He pulled Sam to a stop and jumped down. Leading the horse by its reins, he fell in to step beside her. "I'm sorry. I can come across as a real ass sometimes."

"Hmpf. Sometimes? I bet you are a real riot at parties and weddings."

She had spunk. And a sense of humor. Two pluses in his book.

Why do you even care? You'll take her home and then get to back to doing what you do best—avoiding the world.

"I said I was sorry. I'm not what you would call a social guy. I'm a little rusty on how to interact with the general public."

"Yeah, well, I'm not a fan of the general public either. Or guys who act like asses."

Try as he might not to, Ben was starting to like Layla.

"My name's Ben. Ben Callahan. I live on the next ranch over."

"So you said. I'm Layla. Layla Evans."

"Evans? You related to…"

"He was my father," she said shortly.

"Wow, I had no idea Evans had a family."

"He didn't. Just a daughter. Me."

"So, you inherited his place?"

She nodded but didn't reply or offer any other information. Her foot hit a loose stone, turning her ankle. "Ouch!"

"Okay, Layla Evans, no more arguing. Sam insists." Without another word he grabbed her at the waist with both hands and lifted her towards the saddle. Ben climbed up and settled behind her, his arms wrapping around her.

Touching her turned up the heat in his blood almost instantly. His cargo pants couldn't hide his body's response this time and he half-expected her to throw herself from the horse to get away from him. But she didn't. In fact, he kind of felt her relax against his chest and that cranked up the volume of the pulse sounding in his ears.

For the first time in over a year, Ben actually felt a little bit happy.