Friday, February 28, 2014

Interview & Giveaway ~*~ Forbidden Bond by Jessica Lee




Interview with Jessica Lee . . . 

Are you a plotter or a pantser, or a hybrid?
 I would say I’m a hybrid. I have to know where several points in the story ahead of time. For example, I can usually see how the story will begin, the midpoint event, and usually the black moment at the end. Now how my characters will get me to those points, the chapter by chapter details on the journey, I normally don’t have a clue. lol That’s where the pantser in me will take over.


In your opinion, what makes a great hero?
 I personally love the hero, who despite the horrors of his past, has been able to hold onto his sense of right and wrong, his humanity, and compassion. In other words, someone who you can cheer for. No matter how much the world has beat him down, you know this male will rise up, and regardless of his pain, defeat his enemy.


Do you prefer strong women for heroines, or the ‘damsel in distress’ type?
 Strong heroines, for sure. I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy an occasional rescue by the hero. You know when the hero breaks down the door and takes a few heads during the rescue of his mate. *grin* I do love an alpha male. But I also enjoy a story when the heroine gets in a few punches as well right along beside him.


What book are you currently reading?
 I am currently beta reading book four in Naima Simone’s Secrets and Sins series, Chayot. Oh my God, this book is so awesome. I can’t wait for everyone to have a chance to get their hands on it.

Do you have anything in common with your characters?
 Oh, I wish I was as tough and badass as some of my characters and experience some of their adventures. But no, my stories are truly fiction.


What item, or items, is absolutely necessary to your writing mojo?
I would say that would have to be music. I’m not one, though, who can write when the songs are blasting in my ears. The lyrics sometimes get in the way. But I’ve gotten to where at first I need the music to help me get into my character’s headspace.


Do you have any rituals for writing or special locations that you prefer to inhabit when you’re writing?
Lately, it’s been my bedroom after the sun has set. I close the door, climb onto my mattress with my laptop, and die out to the rest of the world.


Right now, what items are on your desk that you’d be embarrassed to admit to?
 Maybe not embarrassed, but my desk could seriously use some organization. I have everything from a coffee cup, old birthday cards, to tax documents across the top.

What’s the strangest (neatest, coolest, etc) thing you’ve ever done?
Probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever done is attend a LeatherFet event. That was so much fun and quite educational!

Do you listen to music when you write? If so, what type(s) do you lean towards?
Yes! What type varies greatly by the book I’m writing. I typically play a set of songs whose beat or lyrics resonate with me and about my characters, their personality, their struggles, etc.

Who are some of your favorite authors?
Karen Marie Moning, JR Ward, Naima Simone, Lora Leigh, Sherrilyn Kenyon. Just to name a few. lol

What was your favorite subject in high school or college?
Believe it or not, I was always a science geek. During college, I would drop a class if I found out that they required essay tests or research papers. I didn’t like to write! lol  I’ve come to believe it all had something to do with being forced to write something that wasn’t my choice. Fiction, especially for me with paranormal romance, allows my imagination to run wild. It’s exciting to see where it takes me.

What are you currently working on, or what’s on the horizon?
The next book on my deadline list is book four in the Enclave series for Entangled Publishing, Undying Hunger. This is the long awaited book that will tell former Enclave warrior, Markus’ story. Will he find love and redemption? Or will he forever be lost to the darkness that’s touched his soul?

What do you do when you’re not writing?
Laundry! lol With a husband and 9 yr old waiting for me to emerge from the writing cave, there’s always something or someone needing mom. I’m also a big SYFY channel junkie. So when I’m not writing, I’m usually trying to catch up on my favorite shows like Being Human and Lost Girl.

Quick Questions:
Coffee of tea?  Coffee

Wine or beer? That would have to be neither. Never acquired a taste for wine or beer. Now I do love Tequila. lol  Margarita anyone?

Beach or mountains?  Beach

Summer or Fall?  Fall. Definitely. Summers are brutal in South Carolina

Pedicure or massage?  Massage. Sigh.



Blurb:
Some bonds run soul deep

Eion Mandrake, wolf shifter and rising alpha, has a secret. The years he spent at school in Little Crow Pass, Wyoming wasn't just for a typical high school education. He'd been sent to learn all he could about life as a human. What he wasn't counting on was his best friend's younger sister, Olivia Wilson. Saving the little daredevil from drowning bonded him to her forever. But pack law dictates no shifter and human are allowed to mate, leaving Eion no choice. He had to leave Little Crow.

Twelve years later, Eion's returned, and all he wants is to get in and get out of town as quickly as possible. Yet, the moment he runs into Olivia he realizes the flame he's carried for the human stills burns hot and out of control.

But Olivia is all grown up now and has a new man in her life--one she can count on to stick around. She's doing her best to move forward and forget her childhood crush. However, Olivia needs Eion's help. Problem is, lowering the wall around his heart to become Olivia's hero once more could destroy both their worlds.


Buy link:
ARe  ~  Amazon  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon CA  ~  Barnes & Noble   ~  Goodreads 


Bio:
Jessica Lee is an EPIC eBook Award winner and international bestselling author of paranormal romance. She lives in the southeastern United States with her husband and son. In her former life, Jessica was a science geek and spent over twenty-five years as a nurse. But after the birth of her son, she left her medical career behind. During that transition, she discovered her passion for writing romance and has never looked back. Jessica Lee is currently published by three houses:
Entangled Publishing, Resplendence Publishing, and Ellora's Cave. In addition, she has several self-published titles available. Jessica is a member of Romance Writers of America and Carolina Romance Writers.

Twitter: @jessleenovels
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jessicaleenovels
Website: www.jessicaleenovels.com


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Excerpt & Giveaway ~*~ Hero by Leighton Del Mia

Hero Blitz Banner
Title: Hero
Author: Leighton Del Mia
Release Date: February 27, 2014
Genre: Dark Erotic Romance Standalone
add-to-goodreads-button31    

Synopsis
 
Calvin Parish They call me Hero. I defend. I protect. I ask for nothing in return, and that makes me good. Doesn’t it?
That which makes me the ultimate predator also feeds dark impulses I’ve learned to control—until I bring her too close. For years I’ve watched her from afar, but what started out as duty has become obsession.
Cataline Ford I work hard. I play by the rules. I’m content. My scars are quiet and invisible, and that keeps me hidden. Doesn’t it?
One fateful walk home, I’m taken by someone I didn’t know I should fear. Captive and afraid, nobody will tell me why I’m confined to this hauntingly beautiful mansion. I’m given everything; I have nothing. He takes what he needs from me, and for that I hate him. But I might have loved him once.
And just because you’re reading this doesn’t mean I survive him.
 
Buy the Book
ebook
 
About the Author
Author Pic LDM
Leighton Del Mia lives behind large sunglasses and under massive headphones. She can usually be found behind and under these things at any Starbucks on the West Coast, which is where she writes twisty books between sips of black coffee.

 
Giveaway
smalljacket
 
Keep Me (A Hero Novella)
magic size
“I will disappoint you. I will hurt you. If I could be different, I would. But I don’t think I can.”
Declarations and sacrifices have been made. After three years, a better life is finally on the horizon. But when the past leaves marks that are both painful and permanent, is there ever such a thing as starting over? Can memories be replaced or forgotten—and should they be? Keep Me is a follow-up novella for Hero readers who want a glimpse of life after breakfast. It is only intended to be enjoyed after Hero and is not a standalone. It is entirely optional and not essential to the original plot.
BTSPRprofile-1

Excerpt ~

Because I’m lost in my thoughts, I don’t hear Cataline enter the room. Her tight black dress cuts across her mid-thighs, and her cleavage teases from a plummeting neckline. She’s done her makeup for probably the second time since arriving at the mansion.

“What is this?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.

“What?”

Jasmine drifts under my nose as she walks away from me to her seat.

“I told you not to dress up for dinner.”

“I thought you’d like it,” she says, lowering herself gracefully into the chair. Her back is straight as a rod, and her fingers are laced. “You don’t?”

Norman decorates the table with food as I stare Cataline down. He clears his throat. “For dinner, we have—”

“Leave us.”

He pauses. Though my eyes are still fastened on Cataline, I know he’s watching me as he bows his head. “As you wish, sir.”

I stand and slowly walk the line of the long table. My footsteps echo through the hall, appropriately menacing. I’ve just come from a burning building but am back in my suit and tie to maintain appearances. And my ridiculous glasses, which I remove and toss aside. She’ll believe I’ve just returned from the office. When I’m standing over her, she tugs up the neckline of the dress and blinks at me. I resist smirking as she tucks hair behind her ear twice.

“Well,” she says, “aren’t we going to eat?”

“I’m going to eat.”

“I’m not?”

“As far as I’m concerned, there’s only one meal at this table, and it’s you.”

My ears pick up her slow swallow, my eyes the curl of her hands in her lap. “That sounds like a threat,” she says quietly.

I bend over, flatten one hand on the table and wrap the other around the arm of her chair. “It’s not. This is a threat: if you’re not naked and spread out on this table in two seconds, I’m going to spank you so hard, you won’t know up from down.”

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Cover Reveal ~*~ Desired by Stacey Kenney




Publisher: Loveswept
(Random House Publishing Group)
ISBN: 9780553391183
Release date: July 22, 2014

Readers of Fifty Shades of Grey are sure to love Desired, Stacey Kennedy’s latest seductive, electrifying novel of Club Sin, where fantasy becomes reality.


 

Kyler Morgan, Master at the legendary Club Sin in Las Vegas, knows how to give women what they want—too well. He hasn’t had a real challenge in a long time. Then Ella Snow enters his life. Beautiful, inhibited, and innocent in the ways of submission and domination, Ella is the new blood he’s been lusting after. Soon, the thrill of training her to embrace his world brings forth desires Kyler cannot control.
 
After ending an abusive relationship, Ella makes a promise to herself to start living life to the fullest. It’s one of the reasons she seeks out Club Sin. Here, Kyler’s every touch is a lesson in liberation, stirring passions that have no bounds. But as she falls under Kyler’s command, Ella discovers that some secrets are so dark they must come to light. Submission alone may not be enough to save her, leaving her Master with only one question: How can he help Ella heal while unlocking the deep pleasures she craves?
 
Desired is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.
 



Buy links:
Amazon   ~  B&N   ~   More buying options 

About the Author:                                      
 USA Today Bestselling Author, Stacey Kennedy is an urban fantasy lover at heart, but she also enjoys losing herself in dark and sensual worlds. She lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, who gave her a happily-ever-after. Together, they have two small children who can always make her smile, and who will never be allowed to read Mommy’s books. If she’s not plugging away at a new story, you’ll find her camping, curling up with the latest flick, or obsessing over Supernatural, True Blood, Lost Girl, and Sons of Anarchy.

Loveswept website - http://www.readloveswept.com


Check out the latest release in the CLUB SIN series…

Publisher: Loveswept
(Random House Publishing Group)
ISBN: 9780804178884
Release date: February 10, 2014

“Bared is a seductively haunting tale of control and surrender that will tantalize existing fans of the series, while enticing new readers into the passionate world of Club Sin.” ~Eliza Gayle, New York Times bestselling author of SUBMISSIVE BEAUTY

In a novel that’s perfect for fans of Fifty Shades of Grey, Stacey Kennedy returns to Club Sin with another wicked and wild tale of submission, seduction, and love.

At Las Vegas’s exclusive Club Sin, Aidan Knight is the Master, unleashing the erotic yearnings of his submissive lovers. But his dominant façade conceals a devastating loss—something he instantly recognizes in his personally trained submissive Cora Adams. Sworn to unearth her secrets, Aidan uses his seductive skills to ignite her wildest desires until Cora yields to the pleasure she can find only with him.

Cora came to the BDSM club to act out her sub-and-dom fantasies without ever revealing the heartbreak that haunts her. But Aidan’s masterful touch is bringing her closer to the edge . . . and deeper into a world of control and surrender. He refuses to allow her to submit to any other man—nor does she want to. It’s a dangerous game they’re playing. For as they give in to passion, they must lay bare their souls for a love that could heal—and free—them both.

Bared is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.
Buy links:

Amazon   ~   B&N  ~   More buying options 






Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Review & Giveaway ~*~ Hot Shots Anthology




ISBN-13: 9780758288950
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication date: 2/25/2014

Sexy as sin and hot as hell, these firefighters smolder with passion and burn with desire. . .

"Fired Up" by Anne Marsh
Hannah Green watches for wildfires from an isolated fire tower in Sequoia National Park by day and radios Cajun firefighter Cole Henry at night to share carnal fantasies hot enough to start a forest fire. . .

"Sizzle" by Lynn LaFleur
When photojournalist Maysen Halliday arrives in Lanville to take calendar pictures of the sexiest firefighters in Texas, red hot Fire Chief Clay Spencer makes her want him for her own personal centerfold...

"Five-Alarm Masquerade" by Stacey Kennedy
With her home destroyed in a fire, Abby has only the muscular arms of a rock hard firefighter to hold her up and the dream of blazing hot nights of pure erotic pleasure to keep her going. . .
This book contains adult content
Buy links:
Amazon   ~   B&N  ~  More buying options 

Review ~
First, Hot Shots is definitely hot!  You may need to put a firefighter or two on speed dial for when the heat starts to feel like too much!  Let me also tell you that each of these stories is a novella, about 100 pages a piece ~ They are all encompassing stories thought and work well, the stories also don't interact, their commonality is simply firefighters (none of the above are negatives, just letting you know what you are buying)

I won't give too many details about each story.  They are well described in the blurbs above and being sorter, I don't want to give anything away. Each story is well written and while shorter, they are complete with a happy ever after or happy for now ending.  There is a lot of passion and heat, while still pulling in emotions and engaging the reader.

Hot Shots is definitely a book I would recommend if you like a man in uniform, heat that comes from fires both internal and external, and well developed romances :)  So in a nutshell, don't hesitate to pick this one up.  

About the Authors:
A professional technical writer, Anne discovered that getting laid off was actually A Very Good Thing. While looking for her next writing gig, she picked up her pen (well, okay, she used her writing as an excuse to buy a new Apple laptop) and started writing. She soon discovered that writing was uncomfortably similar to sit-ups: add a few more crunches each day, wake up sore, but, by God, you will fit into that bikini. Or finish the book (she’s still working on the bikini).  Now she cranks out software manuals during the daylight hours– and writes about alpha shapeshifters the rest of the time.

~*~

Lynn LaFleur was born and raised in a small town in Texas close to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Writing has been in her blood since she was eight years old and wrote her first story for an English assignment.

As well as writing at every possible moment, Lynn enjoys reading, scrapbooking, photography, and learning new things on the computer. She’s a software junky and loves to try out new programs, especially anything to do with graphics.

After living on the West Coast for 21 years, Lynn now lives 17 miles from her hometown in Texas. She’s a romantic at heart and can’t imagine ever writing anything but romances. A full-time writer, she spends her days creating stories of people who find their happily-ever-after, sometimes with the help of an alien or psychic or vampire.

~*~

USA Today Bestselling Author, Stacey Kennedy is an urban fantasy lover at heart, but she also enjoys losing herself in dark and sensual worlds. She lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, who gave her a happily-ever-after. Together, they have two small children who can always make her smile, and who will never be allowed to read Mommy’s books. If she’s not plugging away at a new story, you’ll find her camping, curling up with the latest flick, or obsessing over Supernatural, True Blood, Lost Girl, and Sons of Anarchy.


~*~
EXCERPT from Fire-Alarm Masquerade by Stacey Kennedy:

On her tulip-lined pathway, Abby Hill stood, unable to move, barely able to breathe. She stared in horror as harsh smoke drifted through the air and fire licked out of the bedroom window of her Federal-style row house.

Firefighters passed by in a blur, portraying a sense of calm in the chaos. Though she’d heard things like possible electrical fire discussed among the men, the voices around her were distant. She wrapped her arms around herself, tears dampening her cheeks.

“Miss, you need to back up,” a low, smooth voice said.

 “This can’t be happening,” Abby managed through her tight throat.

Firm hands gripped her arms and turned her to face warm green eyes with hints of brown around the irises. The firefighter, decked out in full work uniform with a 4 on his black hat, had dark soot on the right side of his squared jaw. His brows drew together with his frown. “Is this your house?”

Abby never thought of herself as a person who showed emotions to a stranger. Now, she could hide nothing. “Oh, God . . .” Hot sickness rolled through her and the world got dizzy, real fast.

His grip on her arms tightened. “I’m taking that as a yes.”

Before she could drop to the cement below, she found those firm hands belonged to strong arms as the fireman tugged her into his powerful body. He lowered her to the ground, settling her between his legs.

Abby pressed her head against his rough coat, which smelled richer with smoke than what lingered in the air. She held on tight to the coarse material, unable to let go.

Quick minutes passed, and soon the wooziness faded. All but sitting in his lap, she noticed the smoke wasn’t nearly as thick. When her spun around thoughts centered, that’s when she realized something didn't make sense. “Why is my bedroom window broken?”

The firefighter's thick thighs pressed against her, as did his arms. “We needed to break the window to evacuate the heat and smoke before we put out the fire.”

Somehow, being in his arms made facing what happened easier, or maybe the shock had worn off and she could process better. She noticed that no other windows were broken in her house. “Was the fire only in my bedroom?”

“Yes, you got lucky.” He shifted on his knees, yet didn't move away. “The fire was contained to the master bedroom.”

She gulped. “Lucky?”

He hesitated, and all the pressure around her faded before he squeezed his arms. “I’m afraid you can’t enter your house until the chief gives you the all clear. Do you have someone you can stay with?”

She gripped his coat, resting her head against his arm, tears trailing over her hot face. Though she noticed the firefighters coming in and out of house, and heard the loud conversations going on around her, she didn’t care she sobbed in front of strangers. “It’s gone.”

He leaned away and his gentle eyes held hers. “Abby Hill? Is that what I heard the police say?” She nodded and he waited for the car with the loud muffler to pass before he added, “What you have is a partial loss, Abby. Yes, your bedroom is gone. The rest of your upstairs might have smoke and water damage, but your insurance will cover it.”

She understood why he looked to her as if she was overreacting. In the scheme of things, this didn’t seem all that bad. “I don’t care about the rest of the house.” Her voice cracked. “The photos of my family were in my bedroom.” Ten years ago, a car accident had stolen away her parents, younger brother, and older sister. “It’s all I had of them. There’s nothing left.”

He rubbed her back, giving an understanding nod. “I’m sorry.”

Somehow, his response was better than, “At least you weren’t hurt, or it could’ve been worse.” Though there were positives in her current hell, it didn’t change the fact that every picture she had of her family was likely destroyed. Nothing else remained that proved they’d ever existed, except for their gravestones.

A moment passed as his eyes searched hers. “You have no other family that would have some photos?”  “Both my parents didn’t have siblings. There are a few friends of the family . . .” Her chest ached. “Possibly they have some, but it’s not . . .”

 “Not the special pictures of you and your family,” he offered.

Her chin quivered. “Exactly.”

His lips pinched with his regard of her. The firefighter excelled at serving the public, she actually believed he felt bad for her. While she knew she should let him go, being a complete stranger and all, she couldn’t find it in herself to tear herself away.

Staring into his piercing eyes, she had the oddest sense that he didn’t want her to either. Something so sweet and pure passed in the air between them. A sensation of understanding that at this moment she needed more than anything. And how did that make any sense?

Why was being in a stranger’s arms providing her with such warmth and familiarity, and more than anything making her feel this safe?

“Where is she?” a familiar feminine voice snapped. “And if you dare tell me again that I can’t see Abby, I’ll remove your manly bits, you giant ass!”

Abby glanced over her shoulder, catching sight of Sierra, dressed in her typical black skirt and red blouse. Abby didn’t know how Sierra found out about the fire, but she didn't care; she needed her best friend.

Sierra’s blue eyes were narrowed and her bright red lipstick covered her frown as she gave the firefighter a glare promising a painful death. After a good stare down, the man gestured in Abby’s direction, then Sierra rushed forward. She yanked Abby into her arms. “Jesus, sweetie. Can you believe they wouldn’t let me through to see you?”

“It’s all gone.” Abby rested her head against Sierra’s shoulder, hugging her tight. “They’re gone.”

Sierra paused, then heaved a sigh. “Shit, this is awful. I’m so sorry, Abby.”

Of course, Sierra understood the depth of Abby's despair. Sierra had been there the night they worked on their high-school assignment together. That fateful night Abby didn’t go for her brother’s special dinner to celebrate his touchdown at the football game, and the night where the car carrying her entire family collided with the transport truck.

Leaning away from Sierra, Abby looked into her best friend’s teary eyes. “That’s all I had of them.”
Sierra gathered Abby’s hands. “You don’t have any pictures in your attic or storage?”

Abby shook her head. “I kept everything in my bedroom in a memory box. I wanted to scan them all, keep them safe, but—”

 “Don’t do that to yourself," Sierra interjected with a soft voice. "You’re not to blame for this. It’s a horrible accident.”

Abby remembered hearing something similar from her therapist. Not that she thought she could’ve prevented the car accident that killed her family, but her guilt for not being with them that night had stayed with her for a long time.

With her therapist’s voice in her head reminding her she couldn’t stay in the past and mourn things she couldn’t change, she pushed off the cement pathway. She glanced around, seeing that the entire neighborhood was watching from the other side of the street, and she didn’t want to process the loss of photos under the scrutiny of onlookers.

Sierra must’ve read Abby’s thoughts, since she reached up and fixed Abby’s hair. There wasn’t a day that Sierra had let Abby walk out the door with a strand of hair out of place. She ran her fingers under Abby’s eyes, clearing away her mascara. “Let's get out of here.” She gave a small smile, wiggling  her eyebrows. “Unless you’d rather stay in the arms of that sexy firefighter.”

Abby blinked. “Who’s sexy?”

Sierra snorted. “Seriously?” She grasped Abby’s shoulders. “When I found you, you were in the arms of that.”

Abby spun to face the house and she discovered a man whom she suspected was the fire marshal, dressed in a blue uniform. “Am I missing something, or are you suddenly digging older guys?”

“Older guys?” Sierra stepped in next to Abby, then she frowned.  “Ew, not that guy.” She gestured to the garden off to the right. “That guy.”
Abby followed Sierra’s direction and her mouth dropped open. Though the firefighter’s attire made the man look bulky, she wondered how much of that was the gear, or if his thickness was due to a muscular body.

Standing near her front window, he chatted to another firefighter, who was slightly shorter than him. The height difference made the taller firefighter look masculine. He’d clearly noticed them ogling, since he caught her gaze.

Under his direct stare, funny things happened low in her belly. Odd, strange happenings, considering seconds ago, a soul-crippling despair had overwhelmed her. The fireman’s features portrayed more than confidence, more than strength, but she thought that came from the sexy, arrogant twinkle in his eye.

The firefighter broke the connection, and Abby exhaled. He turned to the other man and exchanged words. Then hotness packaged in firefighter gear approached. Similar to when she watched her bedroom burn, she froze.

She knew, with total certainty, her reaction was absurd. Her bedroom was destroyed, along with precious pictures, but her body flared with a heat so addictive and intoxicating.

Over Abby’s shoulder, Sierra whistled. “Holy hell—all he needs is the fire burning behind him and we’d have one of those perfect calendar shots.”

“No kidding,” Abby agreed.

On his way down the pathway, Abby scanned over his black boots, to the thick pants she knew had suspenders, and images of a shirtless man filled her mind. She swallowed, forced herself to stop thinking in the gutter, and focused on appropriate places, like his face.

That didn't help much—he had a chiseled face with masculine features, all making him way too noticeable. Lifting her gaze, she looked past his kissable lips that held a slight arch in the corners, and when his piercing eyes captured hers, she finally released the breath she’d be holding.

Whoa . . .

He was drop-dead gorgeous.

Once the firefighter reached her, he smiled. “You look like you’re feeling better.”

Abby blinked.

Sierra elbowed her in the side. “She’s much better, thank you.”

“Glad to hear it.” His voice wasn’t too deep, but low enough to sound smooth. “Do you have somewhere to stay, Abby?”

Her mind stuttered under how he said her name. As if he wasn’t stating a name, but the one word held powers making her feel like he noticed her, too. A hot shiver slid right down to her toes. “Um . . .

“She can stay with me,” Sierra interjected with a laugh. “Unless you’re offering—”

Abby jabbed Sierra hard in the side and Sierra cursed.

The firefighter chuckled, focusing on Abby. “Please give the chief the address and telephone number where you’ll be staying so he can get in touch with you. You’ll also want to contact your insurance company right away.”

She parted her lips to respond, yet closed them a second later.

Eyes squinting, lit with a twinkle of mischief, he said, “All right, Abby, you’re good to go.” His eyebrows creased. “Again, I’m sorry about your home.” He hesitated. “And your pictures.”

He turned, walking down her pathway.

Abby stared after him, her mind snapping into focus. On a gasp, she hurried to reach him. Just as he neared her front door, she grasped his bicep, giving his coat a tug. “Wait!”

Glancing over his shoulder, he looked at her hand before his gaze lifted. She nearly melted into a puddle of goo right there on her front porch. “Thank you for holding me like that. I know it’s not in the job description.”

He tipped his hat, giving a soft smile. “Maybe it should be.”





a Rafflecopter giveaway