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Blind Trust sneak peek

Blind Trust releases in two weeks, and I thought you might enjoy a sneak peek at the first scene.

Blind Trust cover

CHAPTER ONE

The trip to Montana was supposed to be a celebration. Instead it had become a nightmare.

Lindsey Garcia’s pursuers were so close she imagined she could feel their hot breath on the back of her neck. The narrow trail that cut across a steep hillside offered nowhere to hide, and she could see the men a few turns back, running toward her with purpose.

A shot of adrenaline pushed her forward on blistered, half-numb feet, but her muscles were twitchy and uncoordinated from dehydration and fatigue.

Don’t give up. Meg was counting on her to get help. Sucking air, Lindsey tried to match her breath to her pace, out for three steps, in for two, just like she did when running on the beach back home. Except she was nowhere near her typical pace.

Unless she could somehow round the bend and scramble up or down the hill before they realized what she’d done, the men would be on her in minutes.

Sidling up to the trail’s edge, she peered into the brush-covered valley. Yesterday, she and Megan had marveled at the resplendent yellow of the faraway aspens that stood out from the pine like torches. Today, the mountains appeared treacherous, the mood only enhanced by the low clouds snagged on the peaks, breaking the sun into a thousand shards of light.

One wrong step and she’d break her neck.

Maybe the better option was to find a weapon and lie in wait, get the jump on these guys somehow. Squinting against the sun’s glare, she hobbled around a curve, searching the ground for anything she might use to defend herself.

Oof. Lindsey collided with something solid.

Make that someone.

Oh, God. Had one of the men circled around to cut her off?

Scrambling backwards, the rubber shower shoes she’d been forced to flee in slipped on the loose dirt.

Her legs flew out from under her.

As if on ice, her feet shot right off the edge of the trail. Her hip slammed the dirt, following her legs over the precipice as the ground beneath her gave way in an avalanche of rocks, twigs, and soil.

She screamed, her stomach bottoming out as debris scraped along her ribs and her hands scrabbled for purchase on the soil.

I’m sorry, Megan. I tried.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Lindsey prayed her parents knew how much she loved them, prayed that someone would find her body so they’d have closure.

Something caught her wrist in a tight grip and her body jerked to a halt with a wrenching pain in her shoulder. What the hell?

“Hang on,” a deep voice said from overhead.

Lindsey opened her eyes and blinked up at the man. Despite his fair complexion, it was obvious to her now that he was a hiker, not one of her pursuers. He lay on his stomach, dark aviator glasses shielding his eyes under a gray brimmed cap. A large backpacking frame covered him like a turtle shell.

His long, muscular arm hung down from the now-ragged edge of the trail, shaking with the effort of arresting her descent. “I’ve got you.”

The flip-flops dropped from her feet and she found a toehold on a tree root, using it to ease some of the man’s burden.

His other arm extended down. “Can you grab my wrist?”

Her throat had cinched so tight she couldn’t speak, so she nodded and reached up, her arm trembling. Where was that superhuman strength you were supposed to get when threatened? She couldn’t lift herself, let alone a freaking car. Instead, she curled her fingers around the man’s forearm in a death grip.

“I’m going to pull you up slowly, alright?” he asked, the barest hint of a twang in his strained voice.

He grunted, biceps bulging as he hoisted her up the rocky hillside, snaking backwards as he tugged her closer. His hat caught the wind and sailed away, revealing thick, red hair that flopped over his brow. Sweat slicked her palm, but she held tight and tried to help by pushing with her toes until her arms rested over the edge. Then, he grabbed her shoulders and helped her scramble onto flat ground.

She rolled onto her back and closed her eyes for a moment, catching her breath, tremors rolling through her body like an earthquake.

She should be dead.

“Are you okay?”

Lindsey scoffed. She was so far from okay it wasn’t even funny. None of her limbs would move, and everything hurt, but she was alive. “I will be.”

She finally opened her eyes. Her rescuer had removed his pack and sunglasses, and sat on the ground next to her, breathing hard. He wiped the sweat from his face with the hem of his T-shirt, revealing chiseled abs, before he scanned her from head to toe with brilliant blue eyes. Dirt streaked his cheeks and dusted his auburn whiskers, but did nothing to hide how handsome he was.

“I’m Todd.” He frowned. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Lindsey,” she said, without thinking.

 His pale brows furrowed at the sight of her bare feet. “You’re the first person I’ve seen on this trail today.” 

Oh, shit. She sat up, still shaky. For one blessed moment, she’d forgotten about—

“And now you’ve seen three,” a man said.

She gasped, her gaze locking onto the two men. The tall one was JJ, the shorter, thicker man went by Harris. Both made her stomach turn.

“Are you okay?” JJ asked, the apparent sincerity in his voice belied by the permanent scowl on his rugged face.

“I’ve been better.”

He nodded, his cruel green eyes hidden behind mirrored lenses. “Let’s go.”

“Hold up.” The redhead looked between her and the men as he stood. “Do you want to go with them?”

Not a chance in hell. But she couldn’t let some innocent guy—one who’d saved her life no less—take a bullet trying to protect her. Especially when it was two against one and his death would be in vain. She hadn’t made it to town to get help for Megan, but she could help this man. Assuming JJ would let him go.

“It’s okay,” she said, blinking back tears as she pushed to her throbbing feet. “Thank you for saving me.” Somehow, he’d reached down like the hand of God and snatched her out of thin air, and the only way she could repay him was to protect him from these two assholes.

“Are you sure?” Her hero looked at her then, his Pacific-blue eyes full of concern and confusion.

Let him think she was a battered wife or something. The truth could get him killed.

She nodded, trying to mask the pain and frustration coursing through her. If she thought she had a chance, if she thought the pair to her right wasn’t armed to the teeth, maybe she’d fight. Instead, she lifted her chin and looked up at JJ. “Yes, I’ll go.”

❤️

Want more? Preorder Blind Trust now from your favorite bookstore and it'll show up on your e-reader on the 26th.

Amazon | Apple Books | Nook | Kobo/Walmart | Google Play | Goodreads

Blind Trust Cover Reveal

Blind Trust releases October 26th—available now for preorder at Amazon, and at other retailers next week—and I can finally share the cover with you.

An ice-cold mountain. A deadly enemy. A scorching-hot desire they can’t ignore.

After escaping from kidnappers in the Montana wilderness, Lindsey Garcia is her best friend’s only hope for rescue. But when her enemies trap her on the mountain with a sexy stranger she’s not sure she can trust, both her life and her heart are in danger.

Former special operator Todd Brennan is on a personal hunt for a killer when he saves Lindsey from a deadly fall. He plans to get her to the nearest town and renew his pursuit, but a fatal encounter forces him to choose between love and justice.

small mountain icon

You might have noticed this one’s a little different from books 1-5. Well, it was time for an update, so the whole series is sporting a fresh look. Don’t they all look pretty? ❤️

Cover reveal! Blind Justice available for preorder now.

Tara Fujimoto's story is almost here! She's played an integral role in every Men of Steele book since she first got into trouble in Blind Fury (Book 1), so I'm excited to have found her perfect match in Jeff Patarava, a former Air Force Combat Weatherman (yes, it's a real special operations role).

He craves the outdoors. She's a hardcore city girl. Sometimes opposites attract…a killer.

And then it gets hot. 🔥

Blind Justice cover art: shirtless man in front of eerie forest with Gwen Hernandez and Blind Justice written on it.

When Tara Fujimoto’s quest to avenge her sister’s death makes her a target, a sexy security specialist steps in to watch her back, but his quiet appeal threatens her carefully guarded heart. Can she resist their lightning-hot attraction, and stay alive long enough to expose her enemy?

Former military special operator Jeff Patarava has good reasons to keep his distance from his impossibly perfect coworker, but when her life is threatened, his resolve is shot to hell. Forced into close proximity, sparks fly as he learns she’s far more than her flawless appearance suggests. Now, he’ll put everything on the line to keep her alive.

Preorder Blind Justice today from your favorite retailer!

book cover on iPad with kissing couple in background. Text: Tara Fujimoto finally meets her match. March 25th. Preorder now.

Amazon | Apple Books | Kobo/Walmart | Nook | Google Play

Cover reveal: Running Blind (Men of Steele #4)

Running Blind cover artYes! Kurt Steele finally gets his own book. Running Blind (Men of Steele #4) releases January 16, 2018, and is available now for preorder at Amazon, iBooks, and Kobo. For fun facts and an excerpt, check out the book page.

Description

Charter pilot Caitlyn Brevard’s sister disappeared while working undercover to expose human traffickers in the Caribbean. Four months later, Caitlyn has finally found her, but to infiltrate the captor’s inner circle and rescue Rose, she must appear at the man’s gala event with a fiancé she concocted to keep his lecherous son at bay. Can she convince Kurt Steele to forgive a past betrayal and play the doting groom-to-be?

Former special operator and wounded warrior Kurt can’t say no to a friend in need, especially not Caitlyn, who he can’t forget, no matter how hard he tries. But playing ardent fiancé to the woman who broke his heart—and still attracts him like no other—might just be more than he can bear. When their mission turns deadly, he and Caitlyn must risk everything to save Rose and get a second chance at a love worth dying for.

BLINDSIDED cover reveal

BLINDSIDED (Men of Steele #3) is up for preorder now, and releases Feb 14th!

I’m excited to share this fast-paced romantic suspense between former Marine sniper Scott Kramer—who played a key role in Blind Ambition—and gutsy white hat hacker Valerie Sanchez.

Blindsided cover

Here’s a short description and a preview of the first chapter. Enjoy!

SHE’S RUNNING FOR HER LIFE

Framed for espionage, reformed hacker Valerie Sanchez has no choice but to run. Worse, when the proof of her innocence is destroyed, things turn deadly. Can she trust the sexy terrorist hunter who mysteriously turns up to protect her, or is he the real threat?

HE’S HOT ON HER TRAIL

Former Marine sniper Scott Kramer’s job was supposed to be easy. Follow the hot computer geek who stole plans for classified weapons until she meets her buyer, then let law enforcement take over. But when Valerie becomes an assassin's target, Scott's gut says she’s innocent. Now, he must risk his life—and his heart—to keep her safe.

CHAPTER ONE (EXCERPT)

Valerie Sanchez summoned her most dazzling smile and prepared to lie through her teeth. She unzipped her long wool coat as she approached the Westgate Defense Systems security desk before the early crowd of employees arrived.

“Hi, there. It’s my boyfriend Brian’s thirtieth birthday today, and I’d like to decorate his cubicle before he arrives.” She tugged the bouquet of Star Wars-themed helium balloons she had picked up that morning, making the shiny Darth Vader and R2D2 bounce.

The security guard, his badge pinned proudly to his chest, glanced around the empty lobby and swallowed. “I’d like to help you, ma’am, but I can’t let in anyone without an employee ID or visitor’s pass. Your boyfriend would have to vouch for you.”

“That would kind of give away the surprise, wouldn’t it?” she asked, her grin cheeky. “But, I understand.” Resting her free elbow on the counter, she leaned forward enough to give the man a glimpse of her already ample, plumped-to-the-max cleavage.

When his eyes strayed to the shiny little charm sewn to the front of her bra, she asked, “What if you escorted me?”

He snapped to attention, raising his eyes to meet her gaze, and cleared his throat. “I can’t leave my post. Not until the other guy shows up.” He checked his oversized sport watch. “And even then, you’d need someone to sign you in.”

Based on her previous surveillance, she was ninety-nine percent positive the other guard wouldn’t arrive for at least ten more minutes. Her partner Jay had pegged this one as more vulnerable and figured if she could get him alone, he’d be more susceptible to her “wiles.”

“I could be your guest,” she said, pushing the red-framed prop glasses onto the bridge of her nose.

His eyes widened. “But I don’t know you.”

“Well, let’s change that.” She held out her hand and smiled. “I’m Vanessa Rios.”

His face reddened all the way up to the roots of his receding brown hair. For a full five seconds, he didn’t respond. Then he grasped her hand in his own thick, clammy one. “John Watkins.”

She resisted the instinct to slide her palm against his. If she laid on the sex appeal too thick, he’d question her devotion to Brian, the programmer whose computer had access to the entire network at Westgate. A man she’d never met.

“Nice to meet you, John. I work in human resources at Farmington International. That’s where I met Brian before he got the job here. We’ve been dating for about two years.” She raised her eyes in thought. “Let’s see, what else? I’m a Libra, my friends call me Van even though I hate it, I have a sister, two cats, and a small apartment in Georgetown. I love living in D.C., but hate the traffic, and someday I want to do something important that changes the world for the better.”

He was giving her a funny look, but she was pretty sure she had him. “Or would it be easier if I just showed you some ID?”

A small part of her almost hoped he wouldn’t give in. As much as she wanted her pretext to work, this guy would be in big trouble if she succeeded. And he seemed nice.

Then again, if he wasn’t doing his job properly…

John chuckled and shook his head. “If you can wait until my partner shows, I’ll take you up.”

She glanced at her watch. “Unfortunately, I can’t. I have to leave for work in the next five minutes or I’m going to be late.” Frowning, she asked, “You know what? When your other half gets here, can you put this stuff on Brian’s desk for me? I was going to really do it up”—she placed a sack of streamers, banners, and party favors on the desk—“but the balloons will have to do. Oh! And don’t forget the cupcakes.”

Popping the lid on the Tupperware full of chocolate cupcakes with colorful confetti candy on top, she pulled out two and leaned over the counter to set them on John’s workspace. “One for each of you.”

The guard laughed outright and shook his head. “You’re something else, Van.” He glanced around the empty lobby, chewed on his lip, and stewed for several seconds before nodding. “All right, surrender your ID and I’ll give you five minutes.”

“Oh, my God, thank you.” She flashed him a smile as she lay her jacket and scarf over a nearby chair. Then she traded the fake license for a clip-on visitor’s badge, grabbed the party supplies, and turned for the elevators. “I’ll be quick.”

“I’ll be watching.” He pointed to the TV monitors.

Heart pounding, Valerie had to keep herself from running across the gleaming white marble. Not that she could have run in her heels anyway. She didn’t have enough practice wearing them, and they were pinching her toes. A minute later, she emerged onto the third floor and made her way along a row of blue, cloth cubicles. Based on the map Jay had found God-knew-where, Brian’s desk was the fourth one on the right.

The entire space was eerily hushed, with no sound but the faint hum of fluorescent light bulbs and the whoosh of warm air coming from vents overhead.

She glanced up at the camera stationed on the ceiling behind Brian’s cubicle and waved. Then she clipped the balloons to the desk, casually positioning them to block the camera’s view of the computer. Draping streamers with one hand, she leaned over the keyboard, giving the guard a shot of her ass. She let her dress ride up as she used her other hand to snap a tiny gadget into a slot on the back of the computer.

Quickly, she finished decorating the small workspace and hightailed it to the lobby. “Thanks so much. I really appreciate this, John,” she said, smiling as she returned the badge for the license and donned her winter armor.

“Brian’s a lucky guy,” he murmured as she walked toward the tall glass-encased exit.

If he only knew. She gave the guard a little wave and forced herself to stroll nonchalantly into the cold.

* AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER NOW AT AMAZON, iBOOKS, & KOBO *