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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

New! Better Left Unsaid Wednesday.


Our Wednesday meme highlights those thought bubbles over our characters' heads. Do they say one thing and think another? Do they inwardly muse, ponder, laugh, fret, jeer, doubt, rage etc?

In comments, and in 300 words or less, give us a snippet from your novel that describes what your heroes, heroines, or bit players are thinking. If you are unable to post thoughts in italics, wrap their thoughts with *   * so they're easy to spot. Don't forget your buy link and website/blog link. Have fun!


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Come see my snippet on Exquisite Quills' Better Left Unsaid Wednesday!    

9 comments:

ML Skye said...

Today I'm sharing an internal between Max and Maggie from Surviving the Trap, my upcoming summer release and first book of the Top Dog Pilots series.

~*~

Maggie slowed down, but didn't let go of his arm. "Cutter, just shut up and come with me." Without another word, she rounded the next corner to duck through an open hatch, quickly pulling Max in behind her.

He stumbled a bit, barely clearing the raised threshold before she dogged the hatch. They were in an empty causeway. One used if a fire broke out on the ship. It was supposed to remain empty unless the fire signal had been activated. Clearly, the lack of sleep had Maggie unhinged.

Reaching to undo the hatch, he muttered. "You know we can't be here, Mags." Next thing he knew, Maggie backed him up against the bulkhead, her lips sucking on his neck sending him into a state of shocked arousal. "What the hell?" He shook his head, wondering if he'd maybe fallen asleep somewhere back on the flight deck. "Mags?"

Had to be a dream.

Her nose tickled his throat. He worried the mixture of sweat and traces of grease and fuel from the planes would wake her up, but Maggie only mumbled against his skin, "Cutter, please shut up." Dragging her lips up to his, she all but inhaled him before breaking the kiss to start undoing her buckles.

Max shook his head, confused and completely turned on. Maggie stood before him, looking like she wanted to eat him alive. Nope. Not a dream. And not one of his many dreams about having her naked.

Hell's bells… totally real.

~*~

I hope you enjoyed the preview.

Coming June 2014

~*~

Please stop by my blog for more snippets
Visit my website

Thank you for reading!

Margo Bond Collins said...

My life sounded a little bit like a word problem: Josh and Mason both want Laney to be their own personal yaw-taw. Mr. Bartlef has mostly invisible bat wings. They all hang out at John Hamilton’s ranch. Assuming that Laney isn’t a total moron, calculate her chances of survival.

Have I mentioned how much I hate math?

I didn’t sleep much that night. I climbed back into my window and pulled the screen back up after me. I locked the window. And for good measure, I put my desk chair under the door knob like I’d seen in movies. Even if it wouldn’t keep anyone out, maybe they’d trip on it trying to come in. Then I kicked off my shoes and huddled into my bed, fully clothed. After being out in the hot Texas night, the air conditioner on my skin made me shiver.

Or maybe it wasn’t the air conditioner.

At any rate, I curled up under the covers and stared at the clock. I dozed occasionally, but my dreams were strange and filled with bat wings and chants. I jerked awake several times. Finally I gave up on sleep entirely. Outside, crickets chirped softly. In Atlanta, I could hear the sounds of the nearby interstate from my bedroom. Here, sound seemed to travel farther, but all I could hear were animals: the crickets singing, cows lowing, and from a longer way off, coyotes howling.

After what seemed like an eternity, the window started to get light and I decided to start my morning.

Not sleeping ensured I got the shower first, at any rate. No one else was up yet, so I stood in the hot spray and let it sluice over me for a long time, until the water ran cool. That ought to irritate Kayla, I thought.

When I wiped my hand across the mirror to clear the steam, my shadowed eyes stared back at me, ringed with purple smudges so dark they almost looked like bruises.

Hooray for concealer.


Fairy, Texas is free this week on Amazon! http://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Texas-Margo-Bond-Collins-ebook/dp/B00I7BTMJ4/

http://www.MargoBondCollins.com

B.J. McCall said...

Dragonfire 2: Chosen by B.J. McCall

My dragonshifter hero Rett has a defining moment.


Dragonfire.

Rett opened his eyes and through the smoky mist he saw the fading flicker of green on his arms and the glint of gold on her face. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. And this moment, this joining was the pinnacle of his life.

*She’s the one.*

*My true mate.*

*But that’s impossible.*

His brain warred with his heart. Logic failed against his dragon essence. As a warrior he’d been taught to trust his instincts, to use the innate skills as well as his weapons. But how could he follow his heart and keep his honor? He’d already broken his word.

But his heart burned. He eased away from her and knelt beside her. “I had no right,” he said. “What have I done?”

Karis sat up. “Dragonfire.”

For years he’d heard about dragonfire. The word was whispered when he was a boy and desired by hot-blooded unmated dragons. Only with one’s true mate could dragonfire be attained.

Dragonfire 2: Chosen at Amazon

http://www.amzn.com/B00839M81E

www.bjmccall.com

Viki Lyn said...

Detective John Reeder is upset for getting roped into seeing Vincent on a social level. He wants the information but must meet Vincent's terms by joining him at a restaurant. Just like a date, which John doesn't want, or does he?

John picked up his sandwich, thinking of the weird phone call from Vincent. What the hell had just happened? He had agreed to meet Vincent and it sounded strangely like a date. Fuck. Vincent had information but he hadn’t let John get in a word. Why not give him the information over the phone? His heart beat double time at the thought of seeing Vincent without the barrier of cop vs. suspect. Since Vincent wasn’t a suspect now, nothing stopped them from seeing each other. What an idiot, agreeing to meet at a restaurant.

Okay fine, he could handle Vincent. They’d meet, he’d find out what the joker had to say, and leave. End of story. But he didn’t trust the guy, no, he didn’t trust being alone with him. Well, they wouldn’t be alone, exactly.

Last night’s erotic dream bounced into his mind and he choked on his sandwich. He dropped his pastrami and bread onto the wrapping, licking smears of mustard off his fingers.

Heat spread through his chest as he closed his eyes and relived the memory of Vincent’s spicy fragrance and the taste of his skin. Stroking Vincent’s muscular legs, and the soft skin between his thighs. The memory of those lips left their imprint. He wanted more of that mouth and what it could do.

The dream had been too vivid, a real scorcher. He should have insisted Vincent come to the station instead of meeting him for dinner. Grabbing a couple of chocolate Kisses he had lined on his desk, he placed them in his pants pocket. He’d need them for the road while he found a polite way to decline the invitation.

Excerpt from the book For The Bite Of It - a vampire m/m romance.
Free promo on Amazon Thursday and Friday!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J5S2KMO

Rosemary Morris said...

Abridged Extract from Tangled Love

Tangled Love is set in England in Queen Anne Stuart’s reign: 1702-1714

By
Rosemary Morris


Maddy’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Chesney, since my husband died I have been waiting for you to propose marriage.’
He hesitated. Had he misjudged her feelings for him, by believing them to be shallow? Even if he had he could not marry such a woman.
‘Have I not made you happy?’ Maddy twisted round to face him, hostility in her eyes.
Chesney sought a way to help her accept his decision. ‘We enjoyed our bed sport, yet you never quickened with child. As you know, duty requires me to father an heir. No more tears. You told me a score of times you cannot abide puking babes. What’s more, you always claimed thoughts of motherhood dismay you. If you are honest, you will admit you could not tolerate your body thickening so I could never be brute enough to insist on fathering your child.’
Maddy stared at him, wide-eyed. ‘You are mistaken, I would be happy to bear your children.’
He bowed. *Her words were as false as her modesty.* ‘My dear, I cannot allow you to sacrifice yourself on the altar of reluctant motherhood.’
‘Then you are a true nobleman to part with me, your love, out of consideration as well as duty.’
His lips twitched. A cough concealed his amusement. He knew Maddy thrived on playacting. In all likelihood she would convince herself she had set him free. He did not doubt that before long she would either wed an unfortunate cuckold or console herself with other lovers.

www.rosemarymorris.co.uk
http://rosemarymorris.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/writerinagarret

Tangled Love is available from: MuseItUp Publishing – Amazon – Barnes and Noble – Smashwords – Omnlit – Coffeetime Romance and elsewhere.

Andrea Cooper said...

Viking Fire Historical Romance with a touch of magic:

His kiss became gentle and sparked a craving inside her for more. She slackened against him as his tongue played across her lips, stroking them and numbing her thoughts. He did not force his way further, but ended the kiss with her lips yearning for his.
Then he stepped back. She gasped, horrified. Her hands were clutched his hair and she
jerked them away as if he scalded her.
“Your lips and eyes speak of your love.” He beamed at her frown. “Now I am sure of
your passion for me.”
“No.” **That was enough! He had overstepped his bounds with his prideful arrogant
assumptions.** “You are mistaken; I wish to never marry you.” **She would not fall in love with him. No matter his handsome face. She must not allow herself to acknowledge that she liked it when he kissed her. How she wished to be rid of him and all the turmoil he caused. She would never be free if he became the laird over her.**
“Aye, your kiss spoke more that you know.” He chuckled and held her hand kissing
her palm. “In time the rest of you will agree as well.”
**What he possibly know of her. How could he not see that she despised his kind and would never trust him as her husband and lover.**
“You know not of what you speak.” She yanked her hand back.
“I know you long for me,” he whispered in her ear. “I like seeing your lips swelled and
soft from my kisses.”
**Auch! She should have bitten those lips. In her fuming to be ordered about during her
bath, she had left her dagger again.**
He strode away from her as her fingers clenched. **Aye, Bram was dangerous. Time she gave him a shove.**

Viking Fire is available from: Crimson Romance - Amazon - Barnes and Noble - iTunes - Kobo - Google Books and more.

www.andreaRcooper.com

Buy link: http://goo.gl/71VAsf

Unknown said...

Jenna was laughing and looking around at the other guests when she finally spotted Jackson. He was standing in the open patio doors. Believing that the sun was in his eyes, she allowed herself the luxury of watching him, absorbing every masculine inch of his tempting frame. “There’s Jackson. I can’t believe it. Two Ramseys making an appearance at the same time. The world must be coming to an end.”
Addison shook her head. “No, it must be halftime or something.”
Jenna nodded absently as Jackson stepped out onto the patio and was immediately surrounded by a group of men. While the men
talked to him, the women with them tried their best to get Jackson’s attention. The cynical part of herself, the girl from the poor side of town, gave a silent snort of derision as she watched the hussies shift closer to him. They were so obvious, playing with their hair and fluttering their lashes as they tried to draw him away from the tall, slender brunette at his side. Damn, she thought. *I will always hate seeing him with another woman.*
She tortured herself by watching as he pulled his date closer to his side then looked around the yard. The sun turned his sage-green eyes to gold as his gaze swept over her. She smiled as he looked into her eyes, and a wave of heated longing flowed through her. He stared at her for a moment, and then, without acknowledging her in any way, he turned back to the brunette by his side.
His dismissal stole her smile as she watched him bend down to
listen to the woman by his side then tip his head back and laugh. Even from where she stood across the yard, Jenna could hear that deep gravelly laugh, and it had the usual effect on her. Her belly muscles fluttered and the crotch of her barely there thong became damp as her heart rate sped up.

http://www.amazon.com/Mardi-Maxwell/e/B00HUWU9FM
http://www.bookstrand.com/mardi-maxwell
http://www.mardimaxwell.com

Rose Anderson said...

I love these! It's great to get a glimpse your characters' minds. Thanks for playing along today. :)

E. Ayers said...

This is from my very first book publication, A FINE LINE. Doesn't everyone have a Dickie Warren in their life? Eighteen years after high school...things happen. There's a fine line between love and hate.

The room immediately hushed as a man entered. From where Chloe was sitting she could only see his back as he strode to the front of the room. It wasn’t until he pulled out the lone chair at the head of the table that she caught a glimpse of the Vice President of NUAgra Foods. Her mouth fell open as her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. “Dickie Warren?” The name escaped from her lips.

His head jerked in her direction and a smile slowly spread across his face. “It’s Rich, Ms Woodrich.”

“Pleased to meet you Rich. I dropped the Woodrich for Langston about ten years ago.”

“Ah, my newest team leader. Interesting. I’ve called this meeting….”

Shock kept her from hearing what he was saying. Instead she stared at him, trying to piece together the images from so many years ago to fit the confident executive. It wasn’t tallying. Gone were the braces, the thick lenses embedded in ugly black frames, and the ears that stuck out. How had she even recognized him? His once dark brown hair was now prematurely shot with silver especially at his temples. The glasses were gone. ***Contacts or laser surgery? His ears. What happened to his ears? He had to have had surgery to correct those wind flaps.*** Lost in thought she didn’t hear her name being called.

Tara hissed, then nudged Chloe’s foot.

“Mrs. Langston, would you like to comment?” Rich Warren tapped his pen on the table.

Her breath caught in her throat. Flustered, she asked, “Excuse me, on what?”

“The new proposed package.” His smug grin looked exactly the way she had remembered it.

***Think!*** “Why don’t you ask someone who has been with the company for more than three weeks?”

“Because, I asked you.”

She unknotted her gut long enough to gather her wits. “From a marketing standpoint you’ve presented a unique and interesting challenge.”

He glared at her. She felt the heat of his stare into the pit of her stomach. She returned his gaze with a slight smile, knowing he was toying with her as a cat would harass a mouse before the kill. Suddenly she was fourteen again facing her nemesis while vying for scholastic honors. ***I hate you, Dickie Warren!***

“Ms Langston, I’d like to see you in my office after this meeting is adjourned. Does anyone have any questions?” Rich Warren asked.

http://amzn.com/B004Y0XACC