Saturday Snippet: Summer Excerpts ~ Liquid Heat

Memorial Day is a FANTASTIC day!

Of course I think so, I'm a US Air Force veteran and proud of it. What's more hubby and I are both disabled vets. He's rated with a 50% disability and I'm rated with 10%. Personally, I think the loss of hearing in one ear is worth a lot more than 10%, but oh well.

Although I know that summer doesn't officially start 'til June 21st, it starts for me this weekend. Since I live in South Florida, it's felt like summer for the past 2-1/2 months. Honestly, most of the year feels like summer down here. It's hard to be surrounded by palm trees, canals, and beaches and not feel summery.

To celebrate the beginning of summer, the Saturday Snippets authors are celebrating with summery excerpts today.

My excerpt is from my (Summer) Heatwave series book "Liquid Heat".

Joshua Daly never dreamed he'd fall in love with a man, but when he's stranded in a nudist colony, it's the super sexy Paul Norris that he wants.

Blurb:
When Joshua Daly wrecks in Georgia, aka Hillbilly Hell, he's put up by his rescuer, Paul, while his car's being repaired--in a nudist colony. He thought he'd be turned on by all the heavenly female bodies, but to his surprise Paul's beautiful bod is the one that turns him on. It's not his fiancee Carole who makes him hesitate to shuck his clothes and give up the corporate life; he's not sure a Yankee will be welcome in the deep South.




Excerpt:
Dawn broke over the mountains in a breathtaking array of pastels as Paul Norris rounded a hairpin turn in the mountain road. Straight ahead, a mangled car wrapped around the carcass of a bloody deer. His adrenalin pumping, he swore and stomped on the breaks. His tires squealed and the acrid odour of rubber burnt his nostrils as his car skidded to a stop a few short feet from the vehicle. Jolted, he almost choked on the Tootsie Roll Pop on which he'd been sucking.


Spluttering, his throat raw, he spit the candy out the window and struggled to catch his breath. Scared a car would speed around the bend, he pulled over to the shoulder before cutting the engine. He dialled the sheriff, while praying the people inside were okay.

He peered through the window, and to his relief, he spied a lone man who appeared to be in one piece and stirring. Paul rapped his knuckles across the glass and raised his voice. "Hey, buddy, are you okay in there? Do you need help?"

The door groaned, but finally, the guy squeezed out. When a blue eyed, blond giant faced him, Paul sucked in a ragged breath, and his heart did several flips. His knees went weak. His stomach clenched. His throat constricted. Never before had he seen such a drop-dead gorgeous man.

The man squinted and frowned at a bruise growing dark on his arm. "I'll live." As if to test his theory, he gingerly rolled his shoulders and stretched his appendages one by one.

Birds cawed and forest animals grunted as Paul strained his ears, but he didn't hear any signs of approaching traffic. Nervously, he glanced over his shoulder, then back to the Adonis. "We should wait in my car until the sheriff arrives."

The guy peered beyond him as his gaze narrowed on his car. He swallowed hard and nodded. "Yeah. Okay."

Paul's heart fluttered, and his stomach did a crazy little spin. Doing his best not to tremble after they'd gotten in the vehicle, he thrust out his hand. "I'm Paul Norris. Did anyone warn you that deer have a crazy habit of jumping in front of cars 'round these parts?"

The guy leaned back against the seat and stared at the ceiling. "Yep. Just a second ago." He twisted in his seat and took Paul's outstretched hand. "The name's Joshua Daly. I'm on my way to Ohio, but it doesn't look like I'll make it on schedule," he said with a grimace.

A lightning bolt shot straight to Paul's heart, and he let his hand linger in Joshua's several seconds longer than necessary. He clasped it strongly and was pleased when he received a firm shake. He noted the man had long, tapered fingers with clean, clipped nails and that blond hair curled profusely on his hand.

Sirens whirring in the distance bounced around the hills. The whirring quickly grew louder, also reverberating inside the cab. Relieved, Paul rubbed the back of his neck, and opened the door. "Stay here. I'll wait around the bend for them."

"Liquid Heat" is available at Fictionwise (40% this weekend).

"Liquid Heat" is available at Total-E-Bound.


Celebrate the beginning of summer with more great excerpts from the following authors.

Jody Wallace
Mari Carr
Lauren Dane
TJ Michaels
Ashley Ladd
Shelley Munro
HelenKay Dimon
Eliza Gayle


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Rejection: Where Do You Go Next?

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You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Wendi Zwaduk are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

And I Said I Wasn't Going To Spend A Lot On Christmas Shopping This Year...

I said I wasn’t going to do much Christmas shopping this year, not like other years anyway, but I’ve done some. So far I haven’t gone wild in Walmart or the mall like usual. However, I stopped at Walmart this morning as I got paid yesterday, to look for something for those on my list I haven’t bought anything for yet. Wouldn’t you know it? I saw all kinds of things I wanted to get for me. A swimming suit. A Christmas sweater. A cute dress. A couple cute watches. Temptation called to me down every aisle. I really wanted that swimming suit as I’ve gained a size and I’d like to go swimming at the gym again (so I can lose that size and more!) So that’s more of a need. Still, I didn’t get it today. I’m thinking about it, though. I might go back. Swimming sounds delicious. But I’m also on deadline (past deadline on one book) for two books so I need to work on those. That’s why I’ve been absent from my blog a bit lately. How I wish I could clone myself so I can go swimming and work all at the same time. I even feel guilty blogging instead of working on my stories. I also saw a lot of things I wanted to buy for the family and I drastically limited myself today. I saw a cute camera that would be perfect for both my 14 year-old son and my 9 year-old grandson. But I already have gifts for them and spent the allotted amount of money I set myself per person. Plus, my oldest son gave my youngest son a great birthday gift last night that I’d be hard put to top anyway. DS#1 gave DS#3 a mini laptop with a web cam built in (yeah, I’m a bit worried about the web cam part for a teenage boy so I’ll have to find out how to monitor it). The thing is so CUTE. It looks like a baby lap top. I didn’t know they came so tiny until last night. Trust DS#1 to have the latest technology. He’s a real techno geek. Suffice it to say DS#3 is extremely happy right now and playing with his new toy. I haven’t sent out my Christmas cards, either. I had two packages of banana bark cards from my charity (you have to see them – they’re hand made by the poor of Haiti and Jamaica and so beautiful and best of all they help them to support their families. Click here.) since before Thanksgiving and I’ve still not addressed them much less mailed them. I have to squeeze that in this weekend, too. We decorated our front yard but not much on the inside yet at all. Our tree is still in its box in the garage. We’ll have to put it up tonight or tomorrow night. We also meant to do that Thanksgiving weekend. I can’t remember what we did the day after Thanksgiving – oh! I think I was working on my books. I didn’t go out into the Black Friday craziness. And still, I found a pretty purse for my older daughter today for $5.00. (Walmart of course. Walmart’s getting a lot of my dollars this Christmas. And the Flea Market.) I haven’t bought anything for hubby yet. He told me not to spend much money this year in general but then he told me that he wants a “good” MP3 player, better than the one he has. Excuse me? My MP3 player isn’t working at all plus he told me not to spend much. That or he wants a silver Corvette (and not a toy one). I know he knows I can’t afford the Corvette but I bet he’s expecting me to buy him a good MP3 player. I guess I’m only allowed to spend a lot on him and no one else? I’m confused. Our family picked names this year and I drew one of my kids, not the hubby. Still, as Mom, I feel like I have to get everybody something. Even the 14 year-old was in the name draw. Of course I have to pay for the gift he buys anyway. I’ll get more for the one whose name I picked. It seems like I’m spending more than I said I was going to anyway. At least at work, we decided not to exchange gifts this year, to donate the $ to our charity. However, one of my staff gave us all a gift already so I need to return the gesture. I’m afraid that will start something after all. Here I am, embroiled in the materialism of the season again. Let me get off this focus and concentrate on the true reason and meaning of Christmas. Let me put up the tree, make some hot chocolate and Christmas cookies tonight, and hunker down with some poignant Christmas movies. Let me listen to some Christmas carols and spend time in church celebrating. Let me lift my voice on high and reflect on the true joy of the season. With only a little over 10 days until the big day, let us all enjoy the beauty of the miracle of the Christ child and the spirit of St. Nick. It is a little difficult, however, to get in a summer mindset for the summer story I’m busy writing. Then again, I was writing my Christmas stories in July. We writers are always a season or two off. One of these days, I’ll actually write a Christmas story during the Christmas season (for the following year). If I wasn’t on deadline for the summer story, I’d do so now. You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)