Friday Feature: Excerpt from Hebby Roman's New Release, MIDNIGHT PROMISE

Today I'm visiting with Angela Hayes on her blog, participating in her Thankful Author Roundup. You can come visit me there...

...and meanwhile, I have a little treat to make you thankful you stopped by! Hebby Roman visited my blog last month to talk about the Mexican tradition of Los Dias de Muertos, a holiday she researched for her latest romance, Midnight Promise. Today I've got an excerpt from that novel to share - enjoy!

Excerpt from Midnight Promise, by Hebby Roman

Ruíz's eyes appeared sleepy. His gaze lingered on her, open and unguarded for the first time since he'd returned home. And the admiration in his golden-brown eyes was unmistakable. Like a silent caress, his gaze slid over her. And her body responded immediately with a shuddering awareness and a hot rush of blood, making her dizzy.

"I believe a toast is in order." He poured a fresh glass of wine. "Won't you join me?"

Julia considered his offer and then shook her head.

He shrugged one broad shoulder and sauntered around the table. He stopped a mere breath from her. His own distinctive masculine scent mingled indiscriminately with the earthy aromas of the wines.

Ruíz propped one hip on the table. "If you won't take the credit for your plan, Julia, then I must toast someone. Me gustan los vinos. They are excellent. Paco is a genius." He lifted his glass again. "To Paco, the master vintner."

She scooted backward on the bench by the table, but he caught her arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. She faltered, enthralled by his touch. Tentatively, he rubbed his calloused thumb up and down the soft inner flesh of her arm.

The candlelight glowed softly behind him, and Julia was bewitched by his touch. Trailing tendrils of fire scorched her skin where his fingertips brushed her. Gooseflesh rose on her arms and her breasts swelled, hot and heavy.

He abruptly withdrew his hand, and she almost cried out. Almost. Instead, she took a shaky breath and prayed that he wouldn't notice how she was trembling.

He poured himself another glass of wine and raised it to his lips. He lowered the glass, but her gaze was riveted upon his lips, stained crimson from the wine.

He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, but his gaze never left her. And what she found in his eyes jolted her to the very core of her being. His brown sugar-colored eyes were dark with lust and something else, too. A look of longing. Their gazes locked in silent understanding. An understanding as old as time itself.

He finished the glass in one swallow and set it upon the table. "No more for me, I'm afraid. If I keep going, I'll drink up all the profits in one night." He quirked one eyebrow at her.

This was the Ruíz she knew, always in control. Sometimes, though, she despised his cold and aloof demeanor. A glimpse of the warm and more relaxed Ruíz had been welcome tonight, even if his usual guard had been eroded by Paco's wine.

He reached out and touched one of the braids of her hair. Gently, he tugged on the braid. "I used to tease you unmercifully when we were children, Julia. Do you remember? Pulling on your braids."

"Sí, I remember."

He grinned but didn't remove his hand. Instead, he gently threaded his fingers through her hair, working to release the interwoven strands and combing his fingers through them. She trembled again and her nipples pebbled into hard points.

What was he doing? What did it mean? And did she have the fortitude to push him away?

But when she tried to pull away, she couldn't move or speak. What he was doing to her hair was unspeakably intimate. And when he freed the coils of her hair, it was as if her body and heart soared free, too. Her hair fell about her face, unfettered, like a thick curtain. The strands caressed her shoulders and bare arms. A blind craving rose within her, turning her insides to masa and causing simmering heat to build between her thighs.

Melting slowly, from the inside out, she leaned into his arms.

He buried his hands in her hair and pulled her closer. Rational thought fled as she savored his hands stroking through her unbound hair. His touch was soft and tender, just as she'd always known it would be.

            "Your hair. How I've longed to … Julia. You are beautiful. So very, very beautiful."

            And then his mouth captured hers.

            She'd envisioned this--their first kiss. Ruíz's lips on her mouth, and his strong, muscular body pressed against her. She dug her fingers into the coiled strength of his shoulders. The hard planes of his chest crushed her breasts. The powerful sinew of his thighs molded themselves to her legs, making a mockery of the flimsy protection of her skirts.

            And the hard evidence of his desire swelled against her abdomen.

            His mouth moved over hers, tasting her fully. His lips were soft but firm. He grazed the corners of her mouth and tested the seam of her lips with his tongue. She opened to him, and he insinuated the hot tip of his tongue between her lips. Her body dissolved into his, her bones liquefying.

            With their mouths open and hungry, they devoured each other; their tongues intertwined.

            Tiny shivers of pleasure chased up and down her spine, and she clung to him, her body perfectly fitted to his. More than that, her body craved his. From the pit of her stomach the pleasure-pain wove itself through her heated blood, setting her female passage on fire--filling her with an achy, craving that had been long denied.

            His mouth feasted upon hers, and she responded with an equally fierce passion. The passion she'd felt for him since time began. The passion she'd freely bequeathed him. Ruíz was hers. She was his. Secretly, she had promised herself to him, long ago.                      

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 Buy the Book on Amazon ~ http://amzn.com/B00MLSBYEK

About the Author:

EXCERPT: My Kind of Crazy, available March 27!

Here's my gorgeous book cover again! The book will be available exclusively for Kindle starting March 27, with the worldwide all-format release scheduled for July 30. Plan to pick up a copy for your beach bag, as it'll be great summer vacation reading!

The Kindle version will be available in two short weeks - mark your calendars now!

And as promised, an exclusive excerpt from Chapter One...

Excerpt from MY KIND OF CRAZY, by Katie O'Sullivan. The Wild Rose Press 2014

“Excuse me?”

She turned to find the stranger from the corner table on the sidewalk next to her. He was much taller than she’d guessed, maybe six feet or a little more, with long legs and wide shoulders. “You left these on the counter.” He held out her sunglasses. “I thought you might need them.”

She looked from the glasses up into his smiling face, and felt her knees go a bit weak. Up close, his eyes were the most brilliant shade of green Kendall had ever seen. Her stomach tightened into a knot and the air around her seemed to disappear, making it hard to breathe. Laugh lines radiated from his eyes and the small creases of dimples in his cheeks as he smiled. Kendall exhaled, and reminded herself that it didn’t matter how breathtakingly cute he was. The guy was having an affair with a married woman.

“Umm, thanks, I guess.” Her voice sounded as awkward as she felt. She reached to take her glasses, and realized that both hands were full with the coffee cup and bakery box. She juggled to balance the large box on top of the cup’s plastic lid to free up a hand.

“Here, let me help.” He stepped in even closer. Instead of taking either the box or the cup out of her hands, he slipped the sunglasses on her head, sliding them through her long curls and into place over her ears. This close, the clean scents of soap and citrusy shampoo wafted from his still-damp hair.

Major sparks tingled throughout her entire body, his hands lingering for a moment in her hair before he seemed to catch himself and take a step back. “My name’s Jon, by the way. And you are?”

Join me at Avery Olive's Christmas Celebration!

Today I'm the Guest Author over at Avery Olive's blog, where she's been hosting a Christmas party all month long! She's got a great Rafflecopter Giveaway with tons of prizes from some great authors - if you haven't been over there to enter, what are you waiting for?

And today I'm her guest, so scurry scurry! My topic: What do you Give a Mermaid for Christmas? As a Christmas bonus, I've posted a special excerpt from BLOOD OF A MERMAID, the second of my mermaid series, where Shea gives a gift to his special mermaid... what did he give her?

Join us and find out!

Writing Wednesday: an Excerpt from DROWNING, by Rachel Firasek

Sometimes one of the most important things you can do as a writer is read. Read books by other people, I mean. Classics, bestsellers, new authors, book candy - you need to read lots of different things, and you also need to read in the genres you want to write in. It helps make you a better writer. (And it's fun.)

It's also good to review other people's work - being able to sit back after finishing a book and figure out why you liked or didn't like it helps you understand your own writing process better. You might not be able to see the plot holes in your current story, but they'll be glaring in that novel you didn't like. Learning to write good POV and sparkling dialogue are important, and reading examples of both good and bad is critical to your own writing journey.

Yesterday I posted my review of DROWNING. Today for your reading pleasure (and just to tease you) I have a special treat - an "official" (author sanctioned) excerpt from the book!


I loved the way the author did the alternating POV thing in this novel, and she's careful to keep them separate. Seth never knows what Alice is thinking or about her past until it's revealed in the story. Alice doesn't understand Seth until he opens up to her.

This is a fairly long excerpt, and told in the POV of Alice. I also enjoyed the crackle of dialogue between the characters, as there aren't a lot of extraneous words or explanations.

See what you think...

 Excerpt from DROWNING, copyright Rachel Firasek

In the hall, arms laden with musical equipment, four large and totally hot guys fill the space—Seth James leading the pack. He stops, drops the cymbal dangling from an index finger, and stares. His too bright gaze travels down my scantily, and very sweaty, clad body and back up. When our eyes meet, he grins. “Come to help?”

“No.” I have no idea what makes me do it, but I snatch his cymbal off the floor and carry it into his apartment. I’m asking for trouble, but can’t seem to stop myself. They follow me inside, jaws still slack. Okay, so I’m cute, but not worthy of jaws dropping. I plop it down on his couch and rush back to the door. Taking on Seth doesn’t scare me, but a crew of hotties is a little much.

His strong fingers wrap around my shoulder before I make it through the walkway. It’s not controlling or holding me back. His hand is simply resting on me. “Hey, thanks. I’m sorry if we…uh…interrupted your day.”

His words sound sincere and slightly slurred, and I can’t find it in my heart to be bitchy to the first guy in a long time that has only shown me kindness. I sigh and pivot to face him. “It’s not me I’m worried about. My sister is asleep.”

He glances at his watch and frowns.

“She’s recovering from an accident. So, if you don’t mind, keep it down in the halls.”

He leans forward. “Will do and I’m sorry.”

When he enters my personal space, my heart speeds up. His eyes stare into mine. I feel this incredible connection, like he knows my pain. Like he can see my guilt.

The distance between us seems to be shrinking, and I’m not sure if it’s me shuffling closer or him.

He snags the zipper on my jacket and runs it up and down. “Is she going to be okay?”

I pluck at a button on his shirt and glance up. “Eventually.”

His friends form a half-moon circle around him and gape at me. I flick a glance at each of them. They all have a very different style of dress, which only raises more questions about the man in front of me. 

“Am I the first girl they’ve ever seen?”

Blondie, with the coal lined eyes, on the left snickers. “In Seth’s apartment? Hell, yes.”

Seth elbows him, but grins.

The tall guy in a kind of hot-nerd ensemble leans over and shakes my hand. “Deacon. Would you like a beer?”

I eye the leering men again. “It looks like you started without me, and I’m not into gang-bangs.” I disengage the overlong hand play with the nerd and back away from the group. “G., I’ll catch you later.”

“Hey, wait. I’ll walk you back over.”

The hotties chuckle, high-five, and rib Seth as we walk toward the hall. He shuts the door to their gazes and catches my hand before I can cross back to my apartment. “Hey, are you going to tell me your name?”

“Nah, this is more fun.”

“Why?”

“I think you’re used to having your way.”

He smiles. “Maybe.” He leans against his door and crosses his arms. His smile slips into a smug grin I’d seen on so many rich boys in this city. He thinks he has me. “I’d like to have my way with you.”

He’s quite the talker when he’s sauced. Good to know. It’s nice to see his thoughts. “That’s the beer talking.” I step close, arch up on tip-toe, and tap a finger to his slightly parted lips. “A few hours ago, you didn’t have much to say. I’m okay with keeping this awkward tension between us. It’s all we’ll ever have.”

He scowls at that and twists the knob back to his apartment. “Whatever.”

Mission accomplished. I’d succeeded in pissing him off. If he stayed mad at me, then we could squash this weird attraction that we obviously both feel.

I grin. “Bye, G.”

His brows dip low, and I shove the door behind me, sagging against it. My breath swooshes out from between my clenched teeth. Damn, he is going to be trouble. I feel it all the way to my pinky toe.

A soft knock against my back drives home the point. I twirl and open the door before he disturbs Molly—or maybe because I’m not ready to share him with her yet. “What?”

He tucks a hand into the waistband of my shorts and hauls me into the hall, pulling my door shut behind me. “Where did you get that?” His gaze lingers on the small bump decorating my forehead.

I reach up and touch the sore knot. “Oh, I fell.”

“How?” He raises his free hand and traces the swelling.

I don’t even feel the careful prodding. No, my concentration is solely focused on the fingers tucked inside my shorts and only inches away from becoming way too familiar with me. “Um…I was doing yoga when you guys came down the hall.”

“And?” He tugs me closer. His thumb rakes a small path below my belly button.

Oh my. “Uh…I fell out of…of…my pose and banged my head on the floor.”

His eyes darken and those beautiful lips part. I want to snake my tongue across the bottom one to find out if it is as soft as it looks.

He winces and lowers his eyes to mine. “So this is my fault?”

I grab onto his wandering hand and pull it free of my shorts. If I didn’t, I’d be asking him for a wall orgasm in less than two minutes and random teasing and fleeing was a no go for me now. “No. It was an accident. Lighten up, G.”

“I don’t want to cause you pain.”

Wow, that feels like a loaded proclamation. “Okay. Well, keep the noise down, and we should be good.”

He drops the hand that had been rubbing away my bruise. Funny, I’d totally forgotten it. “I don’t want to cause you pain. It’s a personal thing.” A deep shudder races over him, and for some reason, I don’t think he is with me anymore.

“You didn’t. I’m fine.” I lift a hand and cup the side of his face, bringing his gaze to mine. It is the gentlest moment I’ve ever had with a man, and we’ve just met. “I’m not sure what this is, but I think I should go inside.”

He glances down the corridor, takes a deep breath, and nods. “Yes, you should.”

“Go play with your friends. Be men or whatever that means, and I’ll go back to my yoga.” I was going to need it after this.

He groans and drops his head back, his hint of an Adam’s Apple bobbing down the column of his neck, begging for my tongue to taste him there. “Did you have to bring that back to mind?”

I grin. “What? Me all hot and sweaty in contorted positions? Do you like that?”

He groans, and one side of his mouth slants up. “I have things to do and don’t need no-named neighbors distracting me.”

 * * *

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