Welcome To The Hot Autumn Nights Blog Hop

I’m an October baby, so I love autumn. It’s my favorite time of year. The heat of summer is over, but winter’s bitter cold hasn’t set in yet. My ideal hot autumn night would be lying on a blanket in my backyard, with a bottle of wine, a tray of chocolate strawberries, and a sexy man next to me.

Tell me what is your idea of a Hot Autumn Night and win a $20 amazon gift card.

Now for a hot excerpt of my debut novel, Eternity.

Rocking, no longer the purr of a car, but a steady, slightly nauseating rocking motion woke her. The chug and rumble, and a glimpse of water out of the car window confirmed her location. She was on a boat. A few feet away, Roman stood at the rail.

Stella opened the door and stepped into a fine mist and a slick metal deck. The strong smell of diesel filled the air. She’d traveled on the Staten Island Ferry for a job interview once. Too afraid to go up on the open deck, fear of drowning kept her in the middle of the ferry, seated near the snack bar. This rusted wreck couldn’t compare. No deck chairs, no snack bars, and no lower levels. The water lapping against the boat seemed dangerously close.

She looked around, searching for other travelers. There were none. Roman and she were the only people. She glanced up and spotted a shadow in the weather worn wheelhouse. The captain, hopefully. The boat rode a crest and groaned when it slammed back into the water. Stella clutched the car to steady herself. Level again, she carefully walked around to the front of the car.

“Where are we?” Afraid to cross the distance, Stella perched on the hood. Roman faced her. His shades were gone. In the weak light his eyes were deep, dark drowning pools.

“No one sits on the hood of a Shelby.”

“Why?” was the only thing she could think of to say.

“Because, it’s a Shelby.”

As if that answered the question. Cautiously, she came to the rail and stared out into the dark night for any landmarks. Light twinkled in the distance, but didn’t cast enough illumination to pick out any details. “Where are you taking me?”

“Somewhere safe.”

“Does that place exist?” Her lips twisted in a wry smile.

“It’s my job to make sure it does, at least for you.”

“Is that the only reason why you’re here, because it’s your job?” She shouldn’t have asked, but the words slipped out without a care for her pride.

“Why else would I be here? I’m a mercenary. I have a job to complete.” Monotone, his voice held no life, no passion.

Something in her heart broke. “Just a job?” Watery, her voice wavered.

“Just a job.” He turned his back on her.

Streaks of sunlight stabbed the sky. If she cared to see, the perfect sunrise greeted the day. She couldn’t enjoy it, not when a continent separated her and the man standing inches away. And rightly so. Too much shit had passed between them for anything meaningful to survive. Its best she let go of what she thought they had. It’s not like she didn’t have other things to worry about.

Like the serial killer chasing them.

“Did you know?” Her heart already knew the answer, but her head needed more confirmation.

“No.”

“Not a clue?’ she pressed.

His eyes snapped to hers. Pain did laps in their depths. They said what his lips refused to impart.

She touched his stubbled cheek. “I’m sorry, Roman.”

He jerked away. “Don’t pity me.”

She couldn’t deny it. Pity is exactly what she felt seeing his pain.

“Landing in ten.” The captain cupped his mouth and yelled from the wheelhouse.

Roman gave him a single wave.

“Landing where?” she asked.

“A small town upstate.” He walked over and stopped in front of her. “Fifty miles from here is a cabin on a lake. That’s where we’re going.”

“Why there?” She wanted to keep him talking.

“It’s a good place to hold up and rest.”

A simple touch stopped him before he went to the car. “I’m sorry you were betrayed.”

Though he turned away, his shoulders rose as he took a great shuddering breath. This time when she pulled him, he moved into her arms and she couldn’t help burying her face in his neck. She pushed all her questions and valid reasons aside. Q&A would come later. Right now, their joined pain needed easing.

God, his scent shot through her blood stream like nicotine to a three pack-a-day smoker who had quit puffing a week ago.

Roman bent her body to his and molded every inch to his strength. Pressed against the entire length of him, his heart thudded, echoing her loneliness and his anguish. In this moment, they were one.

She didn’t want his arms around her. Naked, that’s what she desire most, to peel his shirt off and touch his perfect body. Briefly, his arms tightened as she pushed away, but he released her and stepped away. She grabbed his belt. His silly expression made her giggle as her nervous fingers fumbled with his buckle, belt, button and zipper. Laughter came to a choked halt when her hands dipped in the waistband of his briefs and she sprang his erection free. Tip glistening, her thumb ran over the wet opening and delighted in the passionate gasp her single finger evoked from him.

She fisted her hand around him and rolled her palm over the sensitive tip. His hips jerked when she gave a gentle squeeze and stroked downward. From the roll of his eyes and rhythmically pulsing of his hips, she commanded his passion.

As he commanded hers. The heat between her legs gathered. She stroked, up, around, down, and watched his face contort into painful pleasure, then pulled her hand away. He nearly snatched her hand back, but Stella met his lust-crazed eyes with her tongue licking her lips.

Slowly, she circled his tense body. The first time or the hundredth, the sight of him made her breathless. She stepped in front of him and unbuttoned her pants.

“We can’t do this.” His hand stopped the descent of her zipper.

Please teetered on the tip of her tongue.

He drew in a harsh breath. “I’m your bodyguard. Nothing more.” Still hard, he stuffed himself back into his pants and walked away.

Did you like it? Want to read more?

Eternity-Final242 — Available now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

ROMAN NICOLIS

Cursed for 2000 years, Roman Nicolis has tracked his lovers’ soul through each reincarnation only to lose her horribly every time. Reclaiming their love is their only salvation. He’s been her friend, her father, her neighbor, but never again her lover … until now.

STELLA WALKER

A late night walk home throws Stella into the path of a killer. The last thing she remembers are the deep blue eyes of the man trying to kill her—and the first things she sees after a seven-day coma are the same blue eyes in the handsome face of the man hired to protect her. Is he truly the owner of a security firm assigned to protect her or the man who wants to finish her off? Is it fear she feels when Roman touches her or the memory of something sweeter? She will have to push past her fears and reclaim a love that has lasted two millennia.

Past secrets haunt them. An angry demon stalks them.

Roman will do anything to recover what they had. Though Stella’s ruined childhood has made her close her heart and body to any man, he must get past the walls around her to gain her love and trust, for it will take their union to defeat an unexpected enemy sent from the Egyptian Gods. A man Romans respects, and Stella trusts.