First a brief background ... Nias H'udor is a member of an immortal race of daemons (the Djinn) from the hell-like realm of Sheol. Having escaped from the horrors of that world and now sworn to protect humans as much as possible from the horde of Shaitan daemons who are now committed to serving the ruler of that realm, Nias and his family and fellow Djinn have to combat not only the Shaitan, but their own darkness within. When Nias's younger brother is captured and taken back to Sheol, he is instructed by their patron goddesses to find a specific human and use her and her unique abilities to help him literally go through hell to save him.
Jade Shear is a normal woman, owner of a small business, and just looking for someone who can be her Mr. Right. Only one problem ... she has a secret, and it's one that makes it almost impossible for her to have a long-lasting normal relationship. Then a tall, dark, and sexy stranger walks into her bookstore, and just as suddenly disappears. She dismisses it until she runs into him again the next day, and is suddenly thrust into a world she never thought possible, side by side with one of the most infuriatingly arrogant men she has ever met.
Here is an excerpt from the upcoming novel, from their first encounter. Enjoy and keep an eye out for news on this pending series.
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“Hey gorgeous, thought it was your day off?” Matt lilted accusatorily and sauntered toward the cash rap. For whatever reason nothing ever seemed to ruin his good cheer. It was one reason she could stand to be around him. The other reason was he was one of the few men she could be around and not read lascivious feelings about her radiating from him. “You alright sweets, look like you need a drink,” his perfectly arched brows rose slightly for a moment, “and a brush,” he chuckled and pushed at her shoulder.
“Can you please not start with me?” Jade lifted her aching head to respond and tried to shake out the last bits of the obtrusive emotions around her.
She actually loved when Matt started up with her. Her favorite employee was a bright breath of fresh air in her normally ho-hum days and the ones where she was accosted by her irritating affliction.
“Now darlin’ what in the world would be fun about that?” He moved his hand like a wand through the air, a gesture he always seemed to make appropriate. Whether recapping a bad date he’d been on, appraising someone’s outfit, or generally talking trash about another of Jade’s employees, there was always “the hand” emphasizing his dramatic points.
He continued without waiting for a response. “Girl you need to stop with the workaholic spinster act.” He gave her a cursory disapproving glance from her disheveled hair down to her beautifully attired feet. He let a small smile escape at her footwear but then began again. “Get out of here, go dig up a life girl, get laid, fall down drunk somewhere.” He let loose with yet another wave of his hand around the room. “You know this place is fine. I’ve got the wheel, I make a fabulous captain.” Matt laughed; the man really loved to amuse himself.
“I just need a book or two, then I’m out, I won’t stay,” Jade swore, even as she scanned the room for other things she could be working on.
“Okay, mama, but I’m watching you.” The characteristic hand wave ended with an accusatory finger pointed at her.
A gust of cool air blew up from the floor behind her. It seemed to come from nowhere. Jade inhaled as the fragrance of dark sandalwood and a dirty masculinity wafted into her nostrils. Her eyes closed and as she breathed in, her mind was abruptly flooded with the image of all the sex she wasn’t having.
Matt’s lowered voice invaded the darkness of her shut eyelids. “Oh my Lord no, I am not looking at you, not anymore, now I’m watching that!” She opened her eyes and saw the look in Matt’s eyes glaze over slightly as he motioned to something, or someone, behind her that had now consumed his attentions.
“Do not turn around quickly, but girl, turn the hell around. Slowly I said, do not startle it and make it run away,” Matt hissed as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
Jade smirked, “What are you talking about now? Is there some kind of animal in my store?” Jade turned and not twenty feet away, he stood.
Legs crossed, a gorgeous man leaned against her book shelf, his cocked head rested against it in a lazy pose. A long stream of dark, almost black hair fell against the structure contrasting with the lighter red of the cherry wood mantelpiece. The man was making no attempt to hide the fact that he had been staring right at her, assessing her, and she had to mentally roll her eyes at his obvious audacity. But when finally her curiosity took over she just had to take another distant peek. Jade’s eyes met his and they seemed to grab and pull her in; then his emotion smashed against her unbidden, and she felt a sudden wave of lust crash over her.
She unintentionally released a breathy sigh and clenched her teeth as the pure animal nature of him surrounded her in an all encompassing cloud of arousal. Between this force and her body stood only a flimsy white tank and it apparently was going to provide her no protection. Her breasts and nipples tightened and became overly sensitive to even the slightest movements she made. The lower regions of her body went moist and warm and she crossed her legs; the clenching however, made the feeling even stronger.
“Holy cow,” fell softly out of her mouth.
And Matt concurred, “Yes, ho-oly cow girl.” Her mouth had apparently remained open because, keeping his gaze stuck on the tall hunk of man before them, Matt put his hand under her chin and popped it closed.
Trying to shake off the lusty arousal she turned and tried to once again take on the look of the professional establishment owner she was, but she couldn’t help but take a tentative step in his direction.
Of course that didn’t work out; instead she tripped on the edge of the Turkish rug beneath her, twisting her foot and breaking the heel off her favorite Jimmy Choo knee-high boots.
“Damn it,” she said under her breath, “I saved for months to buy those.” As she bent down to pick up the broken heel, she tried to take a step backward and stabilize her still sexually stunned body against the wooden counter behind her.
Of course, being that she was Jade, her hand landed at the base of a stack of returned books, sending them and herself tumbling to the floor. She was now red-cheeked, with hair strewn across her face with pieces in her mouth, on her hands and knees. She lifted her head, to wait for the typical Matt-like wisecrack.
The mysterious man flashed a condescending grin the Cheshire cat himself would have been proud of and slowly turned and sauntered toward her front doors and then just seemed to disappear. But that couldn’t be right, could it? He must have just walked out the door.
“What the fuck was that?” Jade gaped at the space the dark haired man had occupied; as she sat back onto her heels and shook her head to clear it.
That's fucking perfect!!!! I want more!
ReplyDeleteMore is coming :)
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