Private Maneuvers: Hot Zone Book 3

by Denise A. Agnew

  He clasped her shoulders, then caressed gently. Desire melted in her stomach. She didn’t want him to stop touching her, even if he gazed down at her with consternation.

  “Do you trust me?” he asked.

  She didn’t need to think. She knew. “Of course. But Keith—”

  “A man you haven’t seen in twenty years?”

  She went silent.

  He cupped her neck, and she fell into his eyes, finding a heat there she didn’t want to ever leave. He brought her up against him. She wanted his touch, and craved his kiss. As he leaned in, she touched his hard chest. He felt so good. Solid. Reliable.

  “I know one damned thing for certain,” he said, his voice husky. “You’re dangerous to me.”

  Keith tasted Freddie’s mouth softly. Tenderness flowed through her as she fell into the moment. His tongue plunged in to take, to caress with hot intensity. Passion erupted inside her as she sank into his arms, embraced him wholeheartedly. His arms wrapped tight about her back. Her body reacted as if she’d loved him, made love to him forever. Heat burned low in her belly and pooled between her legs. She felt wet, hungry, aching to know him deep and hot. God, she wanted him.

  He drew back and took in deep breaths, his eyes smoldering with his intentions.

  His arms stayed tight around her. “That was…wow.” He grinned ruefully.

  She couldn’t help but smile along with him, the happiness swelling in her chest and dying to escape. “What are we doing here? Are you kissing me to convince me not to head to Mexico?”

  His eyes cooled. “No, damn it. Why do you think that?”

  Instant regret charged through her. “Keith, what is this we’re doing? Are we starting something that…”

  “We can’t finish.” His expression turned somber. “That’s what you think?”

  She cupped his face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m…this whole thing took me by surprise.”

  He released her. Keith traced her chin with his index finger. “Me, too. Let’s just take it one day at a time, okay?”

  Her heart sank, but she should have felt relief. Maybe. Otherwise she’d have to admit inside that she didn’t want to take it slow. She wanted him between her legs, pumping out his satisfaction and firing hers. She wanted him with a fierceness that stunned her.

  Oh, yeah. I’ve got it bad.

  “Come on. Let’s go back inside before one of your siblings sneaks out and sees us kissing,” he said.

  “In that case, let’s give them something to look at.”

  His eyes widened, then a slow smile broke over his lips. “You sure?”

  She giggled, feeling girlish despite the seriousness of their conversation a moment ago. “If I know my family, they’re probably taking a peek right now trying to see where we went.”

  “That nosy, eh?”

  “That nosy.”

  She slipped back into his arms, and they came together in a fresh kiss.

  This time Keith kept his kiss civilized, not as uncontrolled. His earlier kiss still raged inside him, a ferocious explanation for the tumult he experienced. Temptation slammed him. He wanted her. Here. Now. He wondered if she was as hot for him as he was for her. Her breasts pushed against him, warm circles he longed to cup. He wanted her hard nipples under his tongue, wanted to taste the folds between her legs. Freddie’s tongue flicked over his lips, but he pulled back. Part of him wanted her writhing in his arms. The other wanted her yearning for him, dying for it.

  They heard the screen door squeak from far away, and she eased from his arms. She sighed, and he wanted to hear other sounds coming from Freddie’s throat. Moans of satisfaction, his name on her lips. His restrained his lust enough to keep his cock under control, but it wasn’t easy. He wanted her with a sword-sharp pain. Her dad walked toward them, a mischievous grin on his face.

  “You think he’s walking this way now to kick my ass?” Keith asked.

  She laughed. “No. And I don’t think he could kick your ass.”

  “Never underestimate the protective instincts of a father.”

  “Maybe I don’t need protecting. I’m a big girl, remember.”

  “Yeah, I can see that.”

  Her irreverent smile stayed with him, even after he’d left for the night.

  All small towns have secrets. This one could be deadly

  The Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke

  © 2007 N.J. Walters

  Book 4 of Jamesville.

  After her father’s death, Cyndi Marks returns to Jamesville, determined to settle here and lay the ghosts of years ago to rest once and for all. But the past has a way of catching up—and hanging on.

  When her car breaks down outside of town, a handsome stranger stops to help. He intrigues and attracts her, but then she discovers who he is.

  Shamus O’Rourke enjoys his job, his family and small town living. What he’s missing is someone with whom to share it. Immediately drawn to Cyndi, he is determined to get closer to her, even as he senses her pulling away.

  But not everyone in Jamesville is happy to see Cyndi. People are hiding secrets. Secrets they would kill to protect. When violence erupts in her home, Cyndi turns to the only person in town she can trust—Shamus.

  In a situation where family loyalties are strained, Cyndi’s life is threatened and everyone is a suspect, will their emerging love survive?

  Enjoy the following excerpt for: The Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke

  Jamesville, Maine. It looked so peaceful nestled down in the valley below, but Cyndi knew that even a small town had dirty little secrets. Turning her back on the picturesque scene, she strode to the trunk of her car. She needed to keep focused on the task at hand and right now that included getting her car back on the road so she could reach her destination before dark.

  The sun was low in the afternoon sky, but she had an hour or so until it finally sank. Lots of time to change a flat tire and get to the lawyer’s office before it closed for the day. Unlocking her trunk, she pocketed her keys and hauled out her two suitcases, setting them beside the car. Next came her laptop, which she tucked into the backseat for safekeeping. Two boxes containing her pillows and comforter, specialty teas, and her favorite snacks were next. She figured she’d need all the comforts she could get. She was under no illusion that the task ahead of her would be easy.

  Cyndi ignored the small voice in the back of her head that whispered she didn’t have to stay. She’d made her decision and she wasn’t about to back down now. It was time for her to face down the demons of her past and put them to rest once and for all. The only way to do that was to settle in Jamesville. She’d put all her belongings in storage, let the lease on her apartment lapse, and quit her job as manager of an upscale bed and breakfast. For better or worse, she was here to stay.

  Dragging out the jack and the spare tire, she carried them one at a time to the front of the car. The left-hand tire was as flat as a pancake. She must have picked up a nail or something. As soon as she hit town, she’d have to go to a garage and get it seen to.

  As she was shoving the jack beneath the car, she heard another vehicle rumbling up behind her. She scooted in front of her car, not wanting to be out in the road as the other vehicle passed. She’d pulled her car as far off the road as she could, but the shoulder wasn’t that wide and part of the vehicle was still on the pavement. A dusty, blue truck passed her, but the brake lights flashed almost immediately, and the vehicle rolled to a stop several yards up the road.

  Cyndi climbed back into the driver’s seat and locked all the doors. Maybe she was overreacting, but a woman on her own, on a fairly deserted stretch of road, couldn’t be too careful. She knew what Jamesville used to be like, but that was a long time ago. The whole world seemed to have changed in the intervening years.

  The truck door opened and a long, jean-clad leg came into view, quickly followed by another. The man who got out of the vehicle was huge, standing at least several inches over six feet. His shoulders were wide,
straining the seams of his dirty, white T-shirt. The short sleeves of the shirt did nothing to hide his thick biceps and muscular forearms. His jeans were faded white at the knees and crotch area. Cyndi forced herself to look away. A stranger was coming toward her, and she was staring at his crotch. It had to be the stress she’d been under making her so loopy. Still, she did enjoy the view.

  His large, booted feet quickly ate up the distance between them. Cyndi reached into her purse and yanked out her phone, ready to call for help if necessary.

  The man stopped beside her door, leaned down and tapped on the window. “Didn’t mean to frighten you, ma’am.”

  Cyndi got her first, really good look at his face and it started her heart pounding, but not from fear. The man was gorgeous, in a rough sort of way. His thick, molasses-brown hair was tied back at the nape, falling just below his shoulders. His face was all sharp angles and planes; his nose was large, but somehow suited his face. Eyebrows the same color as his hair were straight slashes above a pair of concerned, blue-gray eyes, eyes the same color as the sky just before a storm.

  “Ma’am?” She heard his voice through the glass and realized she was sitting there like a fool simply staring at him.

  Quickly she rolled the window down, but just a crack. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

  He tilted his head to one side, staring at her. Cyndi knew she looked a mess. She’d been traveling for hours, and the past few weeks had been extremely stressful. She knew she had dark circles under her eyes and wasn’t wearing any makeup, save her clear lip balm. Her days of dressing to please other people were long over.

  “I said that I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He smiled then, a slight upturn of the corners of his mouth, but the effect was devastating.

  Butterflies danced in her stomach and she felt a throbbing between her thighs. She shook her head, desperately trying to fight the unwanted burst of physical attraction. She was thirty-nine years old, for heaven’s sake, long past the stage of being ruled by her hormones. And he looked to be at least ten years younger than her.

  “A woman alone can’t be too careful these days.” His words echoed her earlier thoughts. “You stay put in the car and I’ll take care of that flat tire for you.”

  “No,” she snapped. Realizing what she’d done, she softened her tone. After all, it wasn’t his fault she was attracted to him. All he’d done was stop and offer to help. “That’s fine. I’ll take care of it myself.”

  He scrubbed his hand across his jaw and her eyes followed the action. She could see the five o’clock shadow on his chin. It made him appear even sexier, if that was possible. There was something elemental about this man. Even dressed in old work boots, faded jeans and a dirty T-shirt, there was an air of barely restrained power about him.

  “I figured you could handle the problem on your own, ma’am, but there’s no need for that now that I’m here.”

  Was he for real?

  She guessed so when he turned on his heel and crouched down by the front tire. Within seconds, the front of the car was raised and he was using the tire iron to loosen the lug nuts.

  Something’s hot in Seattle, and it’s not just the espresso.

  Dangerous Grounds

  © 2007 Shelli Stevens

  Madison’s needs are simple. All she wants are two things: Make Ooo La Latté the newest trend in espresso, and seduce the sexiest cop in Seattle. But things aren’t going exactly as planned.

  First, Gabe’s a little hung up on the fact that she’s his best friend’s little sister, and he’s determined to keep his hands off. Second, her shop gets robbed by the increasingly violent Espresso Bandit, and now she’s the only one who can identify him.

  Gabe whisks her into hiding for her own protection, but soon finds his heart is under assault by the luscious—and persistent—Madison. But no matter where they hide, danger follows.

  On such dangerous grounds, the trick will be to live long enough to keep the flame alive.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Dangerous Grounds:

  Gabe watched her go and gave a weary sigh. She seemed to be up to something, but the hell if he knew what. And maybe he didn’t want to. He did know that it was ten at night and he had to be at work in eight hours.

  He reviewed tomorrow’s schedule again in his head. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been given the okay to guard Madison when she went to work tomorrow. Another officer had been assigned to watch over her shop during the day. The thought of it pissed him off.

  Round-the-clock protection had been suggested for Maddie. They had felt confident in Gabe’s ability to keep her safe at night, but tomorrow she’d be in somebody else’s care. Damn. She should just close up shop until they caught the Espresso Bandit. Even as he thought it, he knew the idea was ridiculous. Maddie would never do it. She wouldn’t let herself be intimidated. He wouldn’t do it either, if he were in her shoes.

  “Hey...”

  Gabe glanced up and his breath locked in his throat. Jesus. What was she trying to do to him? Her bare feet padded across the room toward him as the silk robe she wore swayed around her calves.

  She sank down on the sofa next to him, curling her legs under her bottom.

  “You wanted to talk?” He just managed to get the words out.

  “I do.” She gave him a slight smile. “I want to apologize for pressuring you into bed with me. You’ve been so great the past two days and all I’ve been doing is acting like a sex-starved nympho.”

  “Are you?” The words were out before he could stop them.

  “Maybe,” she admitted with a smile and shrugged. “But forget it. I just wanted to say sorry...and give you a kiss goodnight.”

  “Ah,” he murmured as his gaze fell to her lips. Warning bells were ringing like crazy in his head. Just a kiss? It was never just a kiss.

  “Come on, Gabe. Just one.” She leaned forward, her hair falling in a curtain around her face, her lips just above his.

  That kiss was beginning to sound pretty damn good. His hands circled her satin-covered waist and dragged her toward him. He slid one hand up to tangle in her hair.

  “Just a kiss,” he repeated and then she covered his mouth with hers. Her mouth rubbed against his in a light caress, retreating and returning many times until he couldn’t take it any longer.

  His tongue thrust between her lips, stroking over her teeth and into the moist interior of her mouth. She sighed and angled her head against him, bringing him deeper.

  She tasted of mint, cool and sweet like she’d just brushed her teeth or eaten a mint. She grabbed the back of his neck and wrapped her tongue around his, sucking in a steady rhythm. God, he thought, the things she could do with that mouth.

  He groaned and started to reach for the belt of her robe, then froze. Self-control, get some. He repeated the mantra in his head several times until it returned.

  “Okay.” He lifted his lips from hers and whispered, “There’s your one kiss.”

  “You mean you want to stop?”

  Gabe nodded and waited for her to get ultra pissed off again. Instead she surprised him by laughing in amusement.

  “Well.” Her lips brushed against his one more time. “I guess we’ll just have to do this the other way.”

  Her words registered just as he heard an all-too-familiar clicking sound. He tried to push her back, but it was already too late. She had one of his wrists handcuffed and just finished securing the other cuff to the lamppost by the couch. Where the hell had she hidden the cuffs in that robe?

  “I found these in your sock drawer this morning.” She gave him a casual shrug.

  “Maddie.” He growled and jerked forward, forgetting she’d cuffed him. He jerked to a stop and fell back onto the couch. She’d chained him like a dog! How the hell had he let her get control?

  “I’m going to make you a deal, Gabe.” She sat on his lap and smoothed a hand through his hair.

  Even though his right hand had been restrained, his left was still free. He reached up and
grasped her wrist, stilling its movements.

  “No. You’re going to get the key out of my dresser and let me go,” he ordered, his voice dropping an octave.

  He knew he’d made her reconsider, because she swallowed hard and, for just a second, looked hesitant. Then she shook her head, and pried her wrist free.

  “Like I said. I’ll make you a deal.” She climbed off his lap, as if sensing she’d be safer further away from him. She was right. “For the next half-hour or so I’m going to...entertain you. When I’m done, you can either tell me to go to bed, or you can fuck my brains out. I’m hoping for the latter.”

  Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

  It’s all about the story…

  Action/Adventure

  Fantasy

  Historical

  Horror

  Mainstream

  Mystery/Suspense

  Non-Fiction

  Paranormal

  Red Hots!

  Romance

  Science Fiction

  Western

  Young Adult

  www.samhainpublishing.com