It was time to give my bestselling Christian Historical Romance, "A Walk in Heaven", a face-lift. Now ALL of my book covers have the same cover artist - Sheri McGathy!
Before -
After -
In
the early hours of the morning, Careen becomes Matthew Grayson’s wife…and then
in a blink of an eye, his widow. How can she tell the family she’s never met
that her own cousin is responsible for their son’s death?
While
she waits for the right moment to admit the cousin’s guilt, a budding
attraction grows between Careen and her new brother-in-law, Joshua. But this
will only complicate matters, especially when the truth finally comes out.
Joshua
Grayson could never understand why his brother left the family ranch to wed –
in secret – a woman he’d never met. And now Matthew is dead. Killed just
moments after taking his wedding vows. Joshua struggles with both resentment
and a growing attraction for his mysterious sister-in-law. He knows Careen is
hiding something, but can he give love another chance or is he just setting up
his heart for another break?
I'm in the giving mood. After all...there are only 12 more days until Christmas, right? So...I've decided to put some of my books on sale for Kindle readers for only 99 CENTS! This is my "Fielding Brothers' Saga" (Victorian-set Romance) Or, if you're a paperback reader, leave me a comment with your email and I'll give you a 30% discount on my paperbacks!
"Love Me Always" book 1 No Way Out – Catherine Martin is trapped. Either she wed an elderly man and commit to a marriage without love, or continue living with the father who believes her guilty of murder and one foot outside the asylum. Catherine picks marriage to the Duke of Ashton, Grant Fielding. However, when she stays with the Fielding family before the wedding, she doesn’t plan on falling in love…with Grant’s nephew, Nicholas.
Destined for a lonely life – Nicholas Fielding loves his uncle’s soon-to-be bride, and has loved her since they were children. Now Nick must choose between his dying uncle's last wish to marry, and the woman who will make Nick happy for the rest of his life. No matter how hard Nick tries, he cannot stop his love for Catherine.
A flurry of accidents begins to happen around the Fielding estate and soon all accusing eyes turn to Catherine. When accidents escalate to murder, suspicions expound and even Catherine’s father believes she’s gone mad. Does Nick love her enough to discover the truth?
"Charmed by Knight" book 2 Megan Ramsey will do anything not to marry the drunken lord selected for her – even if she must follow her parents’ plan and trick a duke into marriage. Instead of capturing the duke, she mistakenly traps the man who put her family in financial ruins.
Edmund Knight will stop at nothing to take back the deed to his gold mine. When he meets the thief’s daughter, Edmund sets his mind on charming her in order to get back his treasure. Will he find the real treasure beyond his precious gold?
"True Love's Deception" book 3 Not even lies can deceive the heart.
Juliana Beaumont wants to keep her freedom—and her grandmother’s estate in Scotland. But can she do both? Especially when her father demands she marries a man from England before he can give her an inheritance.
Andrew Dean is tired of being the stable help, and jumps at the chance of playing Miss Juliana’s pretend husband. But he doesn’t believe in marrying unless it’s in a church. He hopes Juliana doesn’t discover that they are legally married until he can make her fall in love with him. But a secret that has been hidden in his memory for twenty years may just keep them apart.
"Belong To Me" book 4 Charlotte Fielding, tired of being without her wayward husband, travels to Bath to find him. She discovers him at a masked ball amidst the throng of revelers. Her revenge on him is that he doesn’t know who she is, so she seduces him. When his reaction to her identity isn’t what she expects, she hardens her heart against him. Charlotte wants an annulment and nothing less. He talks her into a bargain—to stay as his wife for a month and then if they don’t suit well with each other, he’ll grant her wish. What she uncovers about his life is far more than she bargained for. In addition to the disguises in his closet from his investigative business, she stumbles across secrets. Those of which she wished she’s never known.
Framed for a crime he didn’t commit, Ian Fielding has his hands full with proving his innocence. His wife picks that moment to show up on his doorstep, and he’s forced to take her with him. Matters become more complicated when he becomes unexplainably attracted to her. The timing couldn’t be more inconvenient. When the couple takes refuge in an old castle owned by a recluse beastly lord, they soon become aware that the owner has plans of his own.
Swept into a whirlwind of mystery, passion and adventure, Charlotte must discover the truth of her own heart before it’s too late for them both.
"Love Comes Blindly" book 5 Gregory Fielding has been wounded when he travels to Scotland to find the next big story for his London newspaper. Now blinded, he relies on the soft, comforting touch of one of the nurses at St. Mary’s Abbey. He thinks she’s a novice, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to give her his heart.
I don't think I've talked much about my Romantic Suspense - "In the Arms of Danger". Most of my readers know I love to write historical romances, but I have written modern day romances as well. This was my very first Romantic Suspense story, and I loved writing it so much that I decided to add a little (or a lot) of suspense in all my stories.!!
Taylor Marshal and her daughter need protecting, yet the
bodyguard assigned is the one man she fears the most.
Four years earlier, Taylor gave her heart to a stranger –
and married him in a quick Bermuda ceremony. A week later her hopes were
crushed when she finds out her new husband, Cory Ross, was a hit man. When she
witnesses him take another man’s life then watches her new found love fall from
a cliff after being shot, her heart shatters. Now she sees Cory Ross is alive –
and back in her life as her own personal bodyguard, yet how can she trust him?
Cory thought his luck had changed after his near death
experience in the Bahamas. But when he looks into the eyes of the woman who he
suspects had something to do with his accident, he realizes his new assignment
to protect Taylor and her young daughter will be a literal nightmare. But to
fall in love all over again with Taylor Marshall will be sheer torture.
Teaser -
If not for the chills
rushing over her skin and multiplying quickly, Taylor Mitchell would think
today’s stroll in the park was like any other day with her daughter. A soft,
autumn wind blew through the trees and stirred a lock of hair against Taylor’s
cheek as if to soothe her.
It didn’t.
Instead, fear pumped through
her like a disease, cold and impetuous. She sucked in a quick breath. Remember,
breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth. She peered over her
shoulder and glanced at the cluster of trees near the edge of the park. Nobody
looked her way, but it was as if somebody’s gaze crawled over her. Trepidation
of the unknown raked through her like jagged fingernails.
Taylor tightened her hands
on the handle of the baby stroller and pushed it faster. Instead of walking to
the swing-set like she’d promised her daughter, she headed back toward the
parking lot.
Three-year-old Megan tilted
her head and looked at her with sad eyes. “Mommy? I wanna swing.”
“Not today.” Taylor bit her
tongue, wishing her tone hadn’t been so sharp. Instinct told her to get out of
there as fast as she could.
Meggie’s big blue eyes
filled with tears and her bottom lip protruded. “I wanna swing.”
Taylor tried her best to
smile, but her unsettled nerves made her lips quiver. “Meggie, let’s go home
and make some cookies. Doesn’t that sound fun?”
Meggie shrugged. “O-tay, but
I wanna swing.”
Taylor glanced around the
park, taking in the number of people standing by the fenced pond, the park
benches, and the jungle gym. Since it was lunchtime, many walked toward the
group of trees near the picnic areas. Out of all the people who surrounded her,
there wasn’t one she detected watching her every move. Still, the unidentified
terror rushing through her testified differently.
The closer to the parking
lot she came, the more she wanted to break into a run. It was bad enough her
poor daughter’s head bounced in rocky rhythm as they dashed over the grassy
knoll. The heavy pounding of Taylor’s heart knocked through her chest,
overriding the steps her athletic shoes made as they slapped the ground. Her
car wasn’t much farther.
Who’d be doing this to her?
Could it be one of the many people threatening her father? She should be used
to this since he’d been threatened a lot in his profession. Although, this time
was different. Her father had acted different.
She clenched her jaw. Two
nights ago, her father informed her he’d been receiving threatening letters
again. Threats weren’t unusual for multi-billionaire Leland Mitchell, but he
had mentioned hiring a bodyguard to protect her. She’d argued. Her safety had
been just fine during her twenty-six years.
Almost to the car...
Taylor slowed as she neared
her shiny silver Audi. She calmed her breathing, hoping to ease the panic
lodged in her dry throat. When she stopped, her legs wobbled and her hands
shook. As she reached to unlatch her daughter, she glanced over her shoulder.
The cars that filled the parking lot held no immediate threat—none she could
see, anyway.
Meggie giggled and clapped.
“Fun, Mommy. Do it again.”
Taylor didn’t want to laugh,
but the sweet cherub face of her red-cheeked daughter had her smiling anyway.
“I don’t think so, honey. Mommy’s all out of breath from running.”
“You were fast.” Meggie
giggled. “It tickled my tummy.”
The burning in Taylor’s
throat matched the pain in her chest, and under her breath, she grumbled for
feeling like she was out of shape. She wasn’t, but fear made her body weak. She
bent and rested her hands on her knees, breathing in deep gushes of air.
Perhaps she was overreacting. She glanced behind her at each car. As far as she
could tell, nobody had followed.
She blamed her father for
putting fear into her. He’d drained the fun out of her childhood and teenage
years by being so overprotective; she didn’t want him doing it any longer.
She’d told him time and time again she needed to control her own life, not live
under the Mitchell Dynasty’s thumb.
Once she helped Meggie out
of her stroller, her daughter ran to the back of the car to help put it in the
trunk.
“No, honey, we’ll just put
this in the back seat.”
Meggie shrugged and skipped
to her side.
The keys rattled as Taylor
reached with a shaky hand to hit the unlock button. She took a deep breath. Steady.
Aiming, she clicked the remote and the doors unlocked. She yanked the door open
and motioned to her daughter. “Hurry inside, honey.”
Heavy footsteps thudded on
the pavement behind her. She turned her head and glanced in the direction of
the sound. A man barreled toward her wearing a gray jogging suit and a black
knit cap that covered most of his forehead. His heavy shoulder slammed into
Taylor and her body struck the car. Pain raced up her spine as breath whooshed
from her. The keys fell from her hands.
He yanked Meggie and hooked
her underneath his arm. Her daughter cried and stretched with outstretched
arms.
Fear gripped Taylor’s throat
and made it impossible to scream. She lunged for her daughter and grabbed at
the man’s baggy sleeve. With his elbow to her side, he shoved her away. The
corner of the door struck her back with the force of a sledgehammer and she
collapsed to the pavement. The man zigzagged between the vehicles and dashed
away.
Regardless of the pain, she
yelled, “Help me. He’s got my baby.”
Tears sprang to her eyes and
blurred her vision. She scrambled to her feet and broke into a run. Her lungs
ached, her throat burned. The faster she ran, the weaker her legs became, but
she couldn’t stop. She also couldn’t stop screaming, although nobody seemed to
care—or help.
The man headed for the clump
of trees while Meggie cried out for her. Held like a football in this monster’s
arms, Meggie’s head bounced as she reached out her arms toward Taylor. Big
tears streaked down her daughter’s face.
As he ran toward the other
side of the park, fear suffocated Taylor. Soon he’d be out of sight.
She tripped and her body
flew through the air. When she landed, her heart crumbled. An intense sting
ripped through her bruised knees and scratched hands. A loud sob tore from her
throat and tears streamed down her face. She couldn’t stop now. Limbs shaking,
she struggled to her feet.
A man in a business suit ran
by her, holding a gun, as he headed directly for the monster who’d taken
Meggie. The man in the suit suddenly stopped. Standing still, legs apart, he
pointed his gun.
“No! Don’t shoot…” She
sprang toward him, adrenaline pumping through her weak limbs.
The precise pop of the gun made her heart leap
to her throat. She stopped and clutched her churning stomach.
So since I can't get a much needed face-lift on my own face (hahaha), I decided to give three of my books one, instead. I totally love the new look to them!!! I hope you agree!
Presenting...my Heroic Rogue Series new book covers done by the fabulous, and very talented, Sheri McGathy!
My stories, "Take my Heart", and "Dreaming of You" are some of the books price marked 99 cents! Take advantage of this awesome sale from November 17-20th. (Click on the top picture and it will take you there)
If you liked the movie "The Great Gatsby" then you'll love "Aim for my Heart". Mobsters and suspense, and a bit of humor (of course) are intertwined in my romance novel.
Thanks again, Sheri McGathy, for creating another winner!
Unedited excerpt (warning...no other eyes have seen this, so it might be rough):
Chapter One
“I’m going to kill him with my bare hands!” Virginia Lange bunched her
hands into fists as a mixture of anger and sorrow filled her soul. Blinking
back the tears, she allowed rage to be the main emotion controlling her right
now. As she paced the floor in her stepfather’s den, her mind headed in one
direction—in the only direction it could right now.
“When I finally meet my stepfather’s
murderer,” she continued, “and just as I’m snatching the last breath from him, the
last words he’ll ever hear will be, you
messed with the wrong woman. Then, when the man laughs in my face—” She
paused and looked at her cousin, Anna, who sat on the sofa, listening to Virginia’s
outrage, “—and I know he’ll laugh at me. Evil men like this always think they
are in control.” She gave Anna a sharp nod. “But when he laughs, I’ll tighten fingers
around his throat and strangle the very life right out of him.”
Her mind envisioned this horrendous crime although she couldn’t see the
murderer’s face. The punishment fit the transgression. The pain in her heart
over her parents’ death weighed at least one-hundred pounds, and she could scarcely
breathe.
Finalizing her thoughts, she crossed her arms over her chest. The need
for justice pumped through her veins, and she needed it served now. Waiting for
the cops would be a waste of time. Yet, as she repeated the words she’d just
spoke in her mind, they didn’t sound realistic. Frowning, she added, “Oh,
applesauce! I can’t strangle him. He would be bigger and stronger than me.”
Growling, she ran
her fingers through her long hair, lifting the thickness off her neck as she
pondered her next move. “Let’s see…how can I kill him?” She paused for a brief
second as she dropped her hands from her hair, making her locks fall to the
middle of her back. “I’ll stab him.” She glanced at her cousin again who sat
quietly on the only stitch of furniture left in the study. The expression on
Anna’s face related her disbelief in Virginia’s threat.
Ignoring her
cousin, Virginia continued, “I’ll take my stepfather’s favorite knife and stab
the killer.” She made the motions through the air with her hand, emphasizing
her words. “I’ll keep on stabbing him until he’s dead.”
She stopped again,
rehashing it through her mind. Finally, this was doable. She’d certainly be
able to accomplish her goal. Satisfaction filled her and she smiled in triumph.
“Yes. That’s what I’ll do. Justice will be serviced nicely, don’t you think?”
Her cousin
remained on the couch, still as could be. Not even an eyelash flickered,
although the look of unbelief still etched on her expression. Virginia knew
she’d shocked Anna. Usually Virginia wasn’t this violent or calculating. It was
almost humiliating to have the revengeful demon inside her show itself in front
of her cousin. All during her childhood, Virginia had been the shy, demure
child. There wasn’t a mean bone in her body. Unfortunately, circumstances had
changed drastically, and she wasn’t a child any longer. Nor was she going to
allow her stepfather’s killer to get away with what he’d done.
Hopefully, Anna
understood and would help. Virginia had been losing control of her life since
the police told her last week her stepfather had been murdered. Then, three
days later she found out his life-long business had been sold right before he
died. Nothing made sense anymore.
Anna sat forward
on the couch, leaning her elbows on her thin knees. “You’re forgetting one
thing, Ginny. If you bump off the man who killed Uncle Norman, you will be no
better than a murderer, yourself. Do you want that? Do you want to sink to
their level? I can assure you, if Uncle Norman knew what you were planning, he’s
turn over in his grave."
For a few minutes,
Virginia stood firm as her mind raced to find answers, but she couldn’t. Defeat
swept through her, burning her hopes to ashes. She slumped on the couch beside
her cousin as tears gathered in her eyes. “You are correct. I don’t want to be
considered in the same class as a murderer. I’m sorry for saying that Anna, but
I’m all balled up. I don’t know what to do."
“Perhaps there’s
nothing you can do. Let it rest. Justice will prevail sooner or later.”
Virginia massaged
her forehead with her fingertips, trying to make the throb in her head
disappear. “It’s not fair. Someone killed Norman and nobody knows who it is,
and the low-down dirty creature is walking the streets free as a bird, while my
stepfather is six feet under.” Her voice cracked slightly. “There’s got to be
something I can do.”
Anna reached over
and placed her hand on Virginia’s arm, and rubbed small circles on her skin in
a soothing gesture. “There’s nothing you can do. Nothing at all. Do you
understand? If Uncle Norman’s neighbor, Mrs. Beckstead, is right and the mafia
killed him, then you’re at a standstill. You cannot mess around with men like
that or you’ll end up like your stepfather. We have to believe that sooner or
later the man who killed Uncle Norman gets what he deserves.”
Raising her gaze, Virginia
looked into Anna’s big green eyes. As always, she wished for the perfect life
her cousin had, and especially the perfect looks. She’d always wished she had
green eyes and the short, black hair like her cousin. Instead, Virginia was
cursed with dull blue eyes and plain blonde wavy locks.
She managed a weak
smile for her cousin. “Anna, thank you for caring. I know you’re trying to
help, but right now all I can think about is revenge. Someone needs to put Norman’s
killer away for what he did.”
“I know you can’t
help but feel this way. It’s to be expected.” Anna continued softly rubbing her
hands on Virginia’s arm. “Norman was more of a father to you than that
biological idiot who stuck around long enough to see you born before leaving
you and your mother. But revenging Uncle Norman is not the way to ease your
conscious."
Sighing deeply in
desperation, Virginia leaned back in the couch. “I suppose I should put my
worries aside and finish packing my things. The new owner of my father’s drug
store won’t allow me to live above the place any longer. He’ll probably live
here, himself.”
“Where will you
go? Back to your mother’s in Michigan?”
Virginia cringed,
wrinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue. “Not on your life—or mine. I’m
staying right here in Chicago until I’m old and gray. I don’t plan on going
back to her unless she changes her wild lifestyle.” She shook her head in
disgust. “You know, if she keeps picking her boyfriends younger, she’ll soon
pick one my age, and then maybe he’ll fall in love with me and want to marry
me, instead.” Anna chuckled,
making her emerald eyes twinkle. “Will you continue to live at the University?”
Virginia shook her
head. “Unfortunately, Norman paid on a monthly basis for that privilege, and
now that he’s dead, there are no funds for me to continue. I’ll have to find a
job, maybe get an apartment with three or four other college girls. I might
even have to find a job. The money my mom sends me isn’t a lot.”
Anna stood and tugged
on Virginia’s arms, helping her up. “I have a nifty idea. You can stay with me
until you find a job and another place to live. Let’s get a wiggle on so we can
pack your things. We don’t have very much time, do we?”
Sadness
encompassed Virginia again. “Unfortunately, time is something that nobody has
enough of.”
She struggled
through packing the remainder of her belongings, and each step out to her car
to load the boxes, her heart sank. How could all this be happening to her? She
thought for sure her stepfather would change his will and leave her everything—since
she was the daughter he’d never had—but the lawyer told her Norman hadn’t put
her in his will. Even if he had, there was nothing to get. According to the
lawyer, her stepfather sold every item he possessed—including the store,
leaving her with nothing. She wondered where the money from the sell went, but
according to the lawyer, Norman had nothing in his bank account.
Why didn’t the
police see this as suspicious? Apparently, the mafia had them in their clutches,
too.
Angrily, she
realized it was up to her. No matter what Anna said, Virginia needed to do
something. She had to find out who killed and stole her stepfather’s money.
Mafia or not. Evidence was what she needed to put the killer away.
After she placed
the last box in the car, she stepped back and gazed upon the two-story
red-bricked building. It had been her home until she started going to the
University. Now she was homeless, yet it was the loss of Norman that made
everything seem bleak.
“Hey, Ginny, I’ll
meet you over at my apartment. I have to swing by and pick up Paul first.”
Virginia glanced
at her cousin. “Who’s Paul?”
“A new man I met.”
Virginia flipped
her hand in the air in a dismissal wave. When wasn’t Anna meeting men? “No need
to worry about me. I’ll see you later.”
She climbed in her
brown interior, two-door Sedan and drove across the street to the ice-cream shop.
Memories crashed through her, leaving shards of her heart to keep her company.
Norman had taken her here for hot-fudge sundaes once a month since she was six
years old. She’d definitely miss those monthly chats with the man she’d wished
was her true father.
On weary legs, she
moved to her favorite booth and sat. Norman’s drugstore was right in view. The
sun descended behind the building as pink light gleamed through the sky. Tears
filled her eyes, and she realized she hadn’t grieved for Norman like she should
have. True, the shock of hearing he’d been murdered devastated her, but when
the police acted as if they weren’t going to do anything about it, that was
when the need for revenge kicked in and consumed her every waking thought.
After giving her order
to the waitress, Virginia stared out the window until the girl delivered her
ice cream. As she ate, loneliness crept over her. Anna was the only family left
here in Chicago. Although her favorite cousin, Anna rarely had time to spend
with Virginia. Anna was a woman of the 20’s—a real flapper. Men (many of them,
in fact), alcohol and dancing was all her cousin wanted in her life. There was
no room for boring, puritan Virginia. She’d always been a wet-blanket.
As she ate the
last spoonful, a tear slipped down her cheek. Time to start a new life. No
more going to her stepfather to ask advice. No more surprise birthday parties,
and no more eating ice-cream once a month…even on very cold days.
Gathering her
purse, she fished for her keys amongst everything that filled her bag. From out
the window in front of the drugstore, a car pull up in front and stopped in
front of the building. Zeroing her attention to the vehicle, she sighed in awe.
Never before had she seen such a beauty, especially in a vehicle.
Since Norman had
been a fan of the stylish motorcars, she knew all about this one. The 1907
Rolls Royce Silver Ghost was furnished in the style of the French King, Louis
XIV. Silver plating fittings highlighted the vehicle. Although in convertible
style, the back seat was separated from the driver’s front. A low built unique
and beautifully shaped radiator shell sat between the front wheels, long
multicolored hood lined with rivets accented its crisp hard edge shape. With its
built in stone guard, the car mounted on a pair of black rubber handballs,
which neatly embedded in the casting attached to the radiator and chassis.
Norman would have loved to see it.
The driver opened
his door and climbed out. Dressed in a chauffeur blackish-gray suit, he moved
with the ease of a jungle cat when he walked to the back and opened the door.
Never had Virginia gazed upon a man who made opening doors for others look like
an art form.
An elaborate
dressed man in a black and white pinstriped suit ascended from the vehicle. On
closer inspection, she noticed the Italian ancestry through his olive skin. A
mobster?
She peered closer,
but bumped her nose against the shop’s window. Grumbling, she pulled back and
rubbed the sore spot, continuing to watch the activities across the street. The
fancy dressed mobster stood in front of the store and pulled out a ring of
keys. Her heart picked up rhythm when the man entered.
Once again, the
inner demon of revenge ate away at her soul, moving her out of the booth and
out the front door. Determination led her across the street, and with every
step, hatred burned a permanent mark in her heart.
Sneaking around to
the back of the building, she tiptoed in between the hedges bordering the
property, as she made her way to a window. Hesitantly, she peeked inside,
taking caution not to be seen. The Italian stood in the center of the store,
assessing every little detail of the layout. Most of the shelves were empty,
and she figured the person who killed her stepfather had something to do with
it.
The man scratched
the small patch of hair on his chin, then turned back toward the front door.
She, too, hurried to watch his departure, moving around the building. Staying
as close to the building as she could, she practically scooted around the
corner—and ran into a solid form.
The surprised movement
had her falling back and landing on her bottom. Locks of her hair bounced into
her eyes, blocking the full view of the person she’d ran into. Using her hand,
she swiped away her hair and looked up. The chauffeur. How could she
have forgotten about him?
“Oh, I’m sorry, Miss.”
He knelt beside her and touched her arm. “I didn’t think anyone was on this
property. I didn’t expect to run into somebody back here.” Neither did I.
“Forgive me, because I’m the one to blame.”
He grabbed her by
the wrists, assisting her to her feet before stepping back. The setting sun
highlighted behind him, spilling right into her eyes. She squinted and tried to
block the glare with her hand, but she still had a hard time seeing him. All
she could see was an amazing sculptured face, and a wonderful smile. He even
looked as if he might be Italian, too.
“I’m…I…um, I was
just looking for my dog.” She fibbed, not wanting him to guess her true
purpose. “I thought he’d run over here.”
The man looked
around him and shrugged. “I haven’t seen a dog, Miss.”
“Oh, well, then
I’ll keep looking. Thanks anyway.”
Before he could
say any more, she swung around and hurried to the alleyway. When the man didn’t
try to stop her, she breathed a deep sigh of relief. Once her heartbeat started
a normal rhythm, anger for the interruption shook through her body. If that
chauffeur hadn’t stopped her, she may have been able to study the man inside
the drugstore a little better. With that information, she could have turned it
into the police, too.
She rolled her
eyes. They wouldn’t have done anything. But…
A grin tugged on
her lips. Perhaps that would have given her something to do while she mourned
for Norman. If the law wouldn’t help her, she’d certainly seek justice
herself.
Last night, I spent the evening with my best friend, Dawn, and her daughter, Jessica, and Jessica's friend, Karen. Dawn won tickets to "Erin's Night Out"- a lady's only event...even though there were men there, too. lol http://www.rewind1007.com/erins_night_out_is_on_baby/blog/553 (pics on this link are from last year)
Radio DJs Todd & Erin has functions like this all the time and they give away tickets. I'm so happy that my friend won the tickets and asked me to go, because the whole evening was a BLAST! There was so much to do, and so much to see.
The first thing I did when I got there was get a body massage. Ahhh.... I need more of these every week! The woman who gave me a massage told me that having regular massages will help the bulging disc problem in my back. And you know what? I believe it, because I felt soooo much better when she was done, and although I walked for several hours last night, my feet, back, and neck, never hurt once during the evening!
There were many tables there to sign up for free stuff - along with getting free stuff - and even vendors there selling their jewelry, lotions / oils, baked goods, clothes, books, and even make-up! There were classes to attend, too! My friend and I (and Jessica & Karen) attended the Ghost Hunters' class. WOWZA! How freaky was that, but I totally loved every story Todd Carr (author of "Talking To Yourself in the Dark" http://amzn.com/0557322146 ) told us and the amazing recordings he let us hear when he talked to spirits!!
Oh, and let's not forget the adrenaline-rushing moment when I tried out for the title of "Best Grandmother EVER" when I had a very large snake draped around me just to get a picture for my grandkids! I would have gone for the title of "Best Mother EVER, but my friend, Dawn, got that title when she had her pic taken, too. lol
And let's not forget having pics taken with some SEXY Firemen! Okay, I'll admit, that's not the real reason I wanted my pic taken with them. I gave a donation for a good cause (just don't ask me what it was right now because I can't remember) ... heeheee
Once it became dark, we got to watch a spectacular show. The Fire Muse Circus was amazing, and had me holding my breath several times during their performance. Of course, because they danced with fire - and the wind was blowing - also made me nervous. Still, nothing caught on fire, which was good, but our trust firemen were there and ready just in case!
Another highlight of the evening was talking with Todd & Erin of the radio station Rewind 100.7 https://www.facebook.com/Rewind100.7 and getting my picture taken with them!! I have listened to these crazy, fun-loving people for so long I feel like they are my favorite neighbors! It was good to meet them face-to-face finally!
Here are some pics of the evening. ENJOY!
This was the chocolate fountain table! OH YES!!
Here is Karen with the icky snake. She wasn't freaking out like Dawn and I were.
This bird was in the same location as the snake. Since I have a bird like this in my book "Amazon Sunset" I thought I'd take a picture of it. :)
Another exotic bird
This was the area where the Fire Muse Circus performed.
This is the beginning. This are just those awesome lights. Dancers were great!
So here is the guy who danced with fire. FREAKY!!
The rope dancers. Dang, I was scared they would fall!!
Here is the lovely Erin from the Todd & Erin show on Rewind 100.7! She is awesome!
And here is Todd from the radio station. Isn't he sexy?? :)
I want to thank my Facebook and blog friends who gave me such great suggestions for this story. My muse is back and I finally want to write!! I have picked my FB friends Lee Parry and Nicole Laverdure's names for my hero / heroine. My hero is Ashton Lee, and my heroine is Nicole Bastian. Also, I will use the names of those who posted a comment on my blog on FB post as secondary characters in my story: Veronica, Emily, Steven, Brenda, Sheri, Gina, Kelly, and also my co-worker Glen. (either first names or last names)
I've already written the prologue to "Secrets and Lies", and I'm so excited to write more. I decided to share this with my friends, and yes, even to tease you a little with my story. My reviewers don't label me "Queen of Tease" for nothing!
On secret assignment from President Grant,
Nicole Bastian is tasked with investigating a string of train robberies in
which several caches of government gold were stolen. The stakes are high and
she is utterly devastated when she uncovers information that indicates the man
of her dreams, Ashton Lee, the wealthy co-founder of Conrail is the number one
suspect.
Desperate to remain cool
and impartial, Nicole strives to keep her suspicions quiet until she learns
what he keeps from her.
Prologue
New
York City, 1870
When
had the man of her dreams turned into her worst nightmare?
Terror
seized Nicola Bastian’s whole body as she stared at the pistol pointing
straight at her. Holding her breath, she dared not even breathe, yet her
heartbeat hammered so quickly, she had to do something to calm herself. Slowly,
she released a small bit of air between her lips as she forced her frightened
brain to start functioning. There had to be a way out of this mess. Not often
had she found herself in situations like this, but when she did, she had always
squeezed out of the predicament.
After
all, she was a trained Secret Service Agent as was her brother and father. She
was in the family business for a reason. She was so very good at it.
Yet,
ever since meeting Ashton Lee, things had not gone as planned. Especially when
she had allowed him to capture her heart.
Nicola
moved her focus from the black, shiny weapon in his hand, up to the distrustful
eyes of Conrail Railroad’s co-founder, Ashton Lee. He was one of the wealthiest
men in New York City…and was number one on her suspects’ list for the recent
train robberies, as well.
She
tried to gulp down the fright lodged in her throat, but it wouldn’t move.
Keeping her legs from trembling, she slowly shifted her arms in front of her
and clasped her cold fingers. After licking her suddenly dried lips, she
cleared her throat. “Mr. Lee. Wh-what are you doing here?”
He stepped
into the room a little farther until reaching the low-burning lamp on the side
table. He turned it up and seconds later, the light brightened the room. She
squinted from the sudden brightness until her vision adjusted. When she was able
to see him more clearly, a frown marred his handsome face. Her heart twisted.
“I
live here.” He arched a critical eyebrow. “Or had that somehow slipped your
mind as you wandered through my house uninvited?”
No
matter what, she couldn’t tell him what she suspected him of doing.
“Forgive
me, Mr. Lee, but I entered your house uninvited, assuming you wouldn’t mind.
I…um, I seem to have left my wrist purse somewhere, and I thought perhaps I’d
left it here when I visited you the other day.”
Gradually,
the hand holding the pistol lowered, but suspicion still sparked in his eyes.
“Then you should have sent me a note and I would have searched for it. But
instead, you waited until you thought I had left before sneaking in and coming
to my study. When you were here the other afternoon, we sat in the parlor, so why
would you think your wrist purse was in my study?”
Silently,
she grumbled. She really needed to think up better answers. Right now, however,
her heart was beating frantically and her mind was spinning out of control. She
couldn’t think straight to save her life.
Shrugging,
she said, “Pardon me, once again for assuming, because I had just figured you
would bring my purse in here to keep it safe until I came for it.” Hopefully,
he’d believe that statement. For a moment, she thought it had worked, because
his arm lowered another inch.
He
studied her through a hooded gaze. Still his mouth hadn’t moved from the
distrustful scowl he wore when he first entered the room. She didn’t dare say
anything more, but she felt she needed to convince him that she wasn’t trying
to steal from him.
Doubtful,
he’d suspect her of being a secret agent. After all, women usually didn’t have
occupations like this, and she’d worked so hard to try to present herself as a
carefree heiress who didn’t know how to use her mind. To be sure, Ashton Lee
would be shocked to know this wasn’t her at all, which is why he must never
know. She must protect her true identity.
He
took another step toward her. “I see your reasoning, Miss Bastian, however, you
haven’t answered my question on why you
came when you thought I was gone?”
Oh, dear. She
moistened her mouth with another swallow before answering. “I had actually
dropped by, but the lights were out. I knew it was late, and…and I really
didn’t want to bother you with something so mundane. I thought if I could sneak
in and just peek in your study, no harm would be done.” She smiled as
charmingly as she could muster with quivering lips.
“Miss
Bastian,” he said, coming even closer, “do you make it a habit of going out
after dark to visit men at their homes, and then sneak in when the lights are
out?”
What is wrong with me? Never
before had she felt so dumbstruck. “Well, no, but—”
“Nicole,”
he whispered her name closing the space between them as he stood in front of
her, “I have always wondered something about you from the very first time we
met. I couldn’t quite understand what had me so perplexed, but I felt as if you
were holding secrets.” He swept the fingers of his free hand along the curls by
her cheek. “I now realize that you are not the woman you have pretended to be.”
Ice
chilled her blood. No! He couldn’t
possibly know that. She wouldn’t admit the truth to him even if he threatened
her life. Then again, with him holding a gun on her, perhaps her life was at
stake. “I-I-I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
“Oh,
my dear, Nicole.” He shook his head slowly. “It is time to stop playing this
game with me. I’ve suspected who you were for a few days now.”
She
gasped. “You thought I was lying to you when I was here the other day?”
“Not
at first, but the more we talked, the more I realized your charade.”
He
couldn’t possibly have guessed. “I, Sir, do not have a charade! If anyone has
one, it’s you.”
“And
how did you come to that conclusion, my dear?”
Once
again, he had put her on the spot. When would her mind start functioning
correctly? She needed to think rationally soon. “Oh come now, Mr. Lee. You
cannot tell me that you haven’t heard the rumors.”
He
arched an eyebrow. “Rumors? Of what, may I ask?”
Uncomfortable,
she laughed lightly. “Have you not heard of the train robberies these past few
months? Not only important government mail was stolen, but several gold bars
were taken, as well.”
“You
don’t have to explain about the robberies. Because I’m one of the owners of the
rail line, I know what is going on. But what does this have to do with me?”
An
indescribable expression crossed his features and darkened his face. She
couldn’t tell if he was extremely humored at her comment, or shocked that she
would say such a thing. He kept silent for a few awkward moments as his gaze
bore deep into hers. She didn’t dare say anymore until he gave her his reply.
Slowly,
the unfathomable expression left his face as a grin tugged at his mouth. He
moved closer, not stopping until he was mere inches away. The bulk of her gown
rubbed against the material of his trousers. Uncertainty jumped inside her, and
although instinct told her she should be afraid of him, fear was not the
emotion swirling inside her stomach and warming her blood right now.
The
pistol he clutched fell to his side, but his weapon of choice now was his
limb-melting gaze and sensual grin. In a way, this one was more dangerous.
“Nicole,”
he said in a husky tone, “are you seriously accusing me of thievery?”
A
quick thought flitted through her head. He must be some kind of thief because
he’d nearly stolen her heart. And he had certainly taken away her control over
this situation!
Up
this close, the few freckles across his nose were more prominent, and the
dimple in his cheek made her want to stroke the pad of her finger across it.
Instead, she did her best to remain still, even if her insides were having a
jumping match at the moment. “I’m not accusing you of anything, Mr. Lee. I’m
merely pointing out the similarities.”
“Didn’t
I ask you the other night to call me Ashton?” His voice deepened.
“Uh,
yes.”
“Then
why aren’t you?”
“Because
I thought…well, you see…I just don’t think—”
“Nicole,
do you know how lovely you are when you’re flustered?” He used his other hand
to caress her cheek.
A
shiver of excitement rattled through her, and she cursed him for being able to
do this. Why had he said such a thing—now, of all times? Had it slipped his
mind that he’d caught her in his house, and that he was holding a pistol? Or
had she somehow gained control over this conversation without knowing it?
Then
it struck her like a thick piece of wood between the eyes, and the realization
made her heart sink. He was trying to change the subject. For some reason, he
didn’t want to talk about the train robbery or that he’d suddenly came across
more money. He was using his charm to weaken her. That only meant one thing.
The
man was guilty. Ashton Lee was indeed the train robber—or at least one of the
men involved. Because of his position with the company, he was probably the one
who had planned this whole thing and hired the thugs to do the dirty work.
“You
think I’m flustered?” she asked, her voice cracking.
His
grin grew wider. “Aren’t you?” His touch moved from her cheek to her bottom
lip. The pad of his thumb rubbed the skin, his gaze staying on that spot. “In
these past few weeks of knowing you, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you stumble
over your words. In all this time, you have been such a confident woman. You
say what’s on your mind. So to answer your question, yes, I do think you’re
flustered.” He paused, then added, “And I find it adorable.”
Slowly,
his head moved closer as his hand dropped to her shoulder. He’s going to kiss me! Yet knowing this didn’t make her want to
stop him at all. Instead, she was encouraged and grasped his waistcoat with
both of her hands, waiting…anticipating his lips on hers.
His
warm breath touched her mouth just before his lips did. Sighing a satisfied breath,
she leaned into him, pressing her mouth intimately against his. Strong arms
wrapped around her body, settling her in his embrace a little better. When her
hands felt imprisoned between their chests, she slid her palms up over his
shoulders and to his nape.
Although
gentle, the kiss was also wild. He kissed her like he couldn’t get enough,
slanting his head from side to side. She responded with the same eagerness.
Inside
her heart, emotion grew—very tender; very endearing. But inside her head, doubts
crept in, reminding her that he only acted this way as a diversion. It
shouldn’t matter how charming, handsome, and sweet he’d been to her—and how
incredible she felt kissing him—he was guilty. He would eventually be arrested
and thrown in prison for his crimes. Unless the judge decided to hang Ashton,
instead.
Her
conscience screamed for her to stop the kiss, but she couldn’t. Indeed, he was
a thief, because he’d taken away her control once more. This time, however, she
didn’t mind that much, especially when a few pleasurable sighs released from
his throat. At least she wasn’t the only one enjoying this moment.
Within
seconds, his lips grew soft, his actions tender, his kisses slow, almost
leisurely. He left her breathless. How could a heartless criminal show her so
much affection? It was obvious he did care about her in some way.
When
he finally broke the kiss, he seemed to have difficulty breathing as well. His
hazel eyes smoldered with desire while he held her stare. She scrambled for
something intelligent to say, but as before, she was a loss for words.
Soon,
the scowl reappeared on his face and he frowned. “You kiss too well for an
innocent woman. Just as I had suspected, you are not whom you’ve proclaimed to
be.” He released her and stepped several feet away, raising the pistol to her
once more. “Such a shame I have to kill you. We could have been good for each
other.”
Fear
bolted through her again. This time, it nearly had her body crumbling to the
ground. He couldn’t kill her! This wasn’t the way it was supposed to end. There
must be a way to convince him otherwise.
Sadness
darkened on his face and he shook his head. “Believe me, Nicole, I wish things
would have turned out differently.”
The fire
of a pistol exploded through the room. Darkness quickly filled her mind as she
collapsed on the floor.
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