Tag Archives: romantic suspense

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | January 26, 2021 · 5:00 am

Beyond Power Blitz

Florida Wildlife Warriors, Book 2

Romantic Suspense

Release Date: January 26, 2021

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Sultry romantic suspense set in Florida’s untamed wilderness…

When your heart’s involved…

If you dare venture beyond Disney’s magic and Miami’s high-rises, you’ll find yourself in Florida’s untamed wilderness.

A bush pilot and officer for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Josh Tanner is one of the tough cops needed to manage these rugged areas. And the minute he finds Delilah Atwood deep in the woods without a good explanation, he knows something is very wrong…

All the stakes are raised…

Delilah barely escaped her ultra-fundamental militia family years ago. Now she’s back to save her sixteen-year-old sister, and no government man is going to stop her. Josh isn’t going to stand by and watch Delilah risk her life, but unless he can get her to trust him, she may end up being the next victim.

Other Books in the Florida Wildlife Warriors Series:

Beyond Risk

Florida Wildlife Warriors, Book 1

Release Date: January 2019

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Author Connie Mann delivers clean romance with a side of intrigue and suspense the likes of which you’ve never seen. Florida’s untamed wilderness beckons with its beauty and mystery, but this paradise has a dark side that’s waiting for you to step off the path…

Former Florida Fish & Wildlife Officer Charlotte “Charlee” Tanner still carries the guilt of a tragic drowning accident that occurred on her watch. She hoped moving back home to central Florida would provide a safe haven―until she learns that her beloved wilderness is full of twisted lies and deadly secrets, including the fact that the death that’s haunted her was no accident…and she was the intended target.

Tough and decisive, Lieutenant Hunter Boudreau has just been promoted as a law enforcement officer with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, though not everyone on the force is happy about the change. Despite the friction at work, Charlee is his best friend, so when she comes under fire, he’s not letting her out of his sight until the killer is caught. But Hunter has secrets of his own, and Charlee is determined not to let anyone else die for her.

As danger closes in and Charlee and Hunter’s attraction threatens to consume them, Charlee has to decide whether she can trust Hunter. And to save Charlee, Hunter will have to trust her, too.

Amazon

Excerpt

Delilah raced after Mary, ignoring the gunshots spitting sand up at her. She’d pulled her weapon from her waistband, but she didn’t fire, wouldn’t risk hitting Mary by mistake. She just had to find her, fast.

If Mary disappeared now, Delilah might never see her again. Her family would disappear, and their like-minded friends would make sure no one could find them. She couldn’t bear the idea of her sister going through what she had.

She ran despite the bullets that just kept coming. Some part of her brain was surprised she wasn’t down on the ground, bleeding, but whoever it was knew exactly where they were placing those shots. They were trying to keep her away, not kill her.

The moon slid behind some clouds, and Delilah momentarily lost sight of her sister. One minute, Mary was ahead of her, and the next, she’d disappeared.

Delilah ran farther, heart pounding, until the gunshots stopped and the silence told her Mary was gone. Panting, defeated, she collapsed against a live oak tree and slid down to the ground. Bark scraped her back, but she didn’t notice. “Oh God. Mary.”

She’d hoped once her sister knew she’d come to rescue her, she’d meekly follow and they’d get the heck out of Dodge. Easy-peasy. She snorted at her own naïveté. What had made perfect sense in her Tallahassee apartment she now saw for the same childlike thinking that had gotten her trapped eight years ago.

Frustrated, she climbed to her feet. She wasn’t that scared girl anymore, but she understood Mary’s thinking. Her sister had no doubt been rigorously indoctrinated into the importance of family and sticking together against the outside world. Her reaction tonight said she’d also seen enough to want to protect Mama.

But given the gunshots, Mary’s cooperation was only part of the equation. Either Aaron or John Henry obviously didn’t want her to leave. They didn’t go to that much trouble for a “mere woman” without good reason.

Which meant she not only had to find them, she had to find out exactly what they were planning so she could use that as leverage, too.

When Delilah stopped behind a tree, Josh deliberately made noise as he approached so as not to startle her. He was shocked to his toes when she stepped into view, Glock held in front of her, hands rock steady on the grip, eyes hard. “Hands up and move closer so I can see you,” she ordered.

He froze, stunned. Her confidence hit him square in the gut and made the attraction he felt for her burn even hotter. Damn, she looked good like that.

“It’s Josh Tanner, Fish and Wildlife. Please put down the gun, Delilah, for my safety and yours.”

Through his night-vision goggles, he saw her eyes narrow in surprise and suspicion, but she immediately holstered the gun.

He stepped into the small clearing, hands on his utility belt, in reach of his own weapon.

She gave his uniform a quick once-over, then fisted both hands on her hips. “What are you doing here?”

“I was going to ask you the same question,” he responded, her attitude fueling his own. He pulled off his goggles. “Why are you sneaking around out here in the middle of the night?”

She huffed out a breath. “Seriously? Since when can’t people go outside at night without being interrogated by Fish and Wildlife?”

He almost laughed at her belligerent tone. Almost. But then he noticed the pain shadowing her features. He softened his voice. “Who were you meeting with?”

Her chin came up, lips pursed. “I’m not sure that’s any of your concern.”

She was dressed in black from head to toe, the fabric of her T-shirt clinging to her curves, her hands propped on a utility belt that looked a lot like his own. He’d thought her beautiful when she was sipping coffee. But whoever the girl was, she’d sent Delilah into full-on protective mode, reminding him of Xena, the warrior princess. He felt the jolt all the way to his toes.

He took a step closer, and she stilled. When he reached out and plucked a leaf from her hair, she captured his wrist, questions swirling in her huge blue eyes. Seconds ticked by as they watched each other, her mix of strength and vulnerability drawing him closer. He ran his thumb along her jaw, and her grip on his arm tightened. He studied her lips, lush and full, and the urge to taste had him inclining his head. Inches before their mouths touched, their eyes met, held. She blinked, effectively breaking the spell as she eased out of reach.

He shook his head to clear his muddled thoughts. Focus, Tanner. “Who was the girl?”

She crossed her arms over her chest and regarded him steadily. “And if I said, again, that it was none of your business?”

“I would say I was making it my business, since you are considered a person of interest in a recent death here in the forest.”

Her eyes narrowed right before she huffed out a laugh and called his bluff. “Seriously? You and your FWC buddies have declared me a person of interest because some poor hunter got killed by a bear?”

Josh had to tread lightly. He couldn’t discuss an active investigation, but that death scene wasn’t right, which was why he was out here in the middle of the night to begin with.

“Who is she?”

“I don’t like being backed into a corner, Officer Tanner.”

Josh propped his fists on his hips. “Are you going to make me drag this information out of you one word at a time?”

“Never answer a question you haven’t been asked. And never offer more information than what is required.” She tossed the words out in a way that made Josh think they had been drilled into her from childhood.

He pulled back his irritation. There was something else at play here, something that clearly worried her. “I am not your enemy, Delilah. Talk to me. Let me help.”

By the light of the moon, he saw myriad emotions cross her face. “I appreciate that, but you can’t. This is a family matter, something I have to deal with myself.” She squared her shoulders and set off again.

He easily caught up to her and matched his steps to hers. “You don’t have to say a word to me if you don’t want to, but if you’re heading back toward your camper”—he hitched a thumb over his shoulder—“you’re heading in the wrong direction.”

About The Author

Connie Mann is a licensed boat captain and loves writing romantic suspense stories set in Florida’s small towns and unspoiled wilderness. She is the author of the Florida Wildlife Warriors series and the Safe Harbor series, as well as several stand-alone titles. When she’s not dreaming up plotlines, you’ll find “Captain Connie” on Central Florida’s waterways, introducing boats full of schoolchildren to their first alligator. She is also passionate about helping women and children in developing countries break the poverty cycle and build a better future for themselves and their families. Besides boating, she and her husband enjoy hanging out with family and friends and planning their next adventure. Connect with Connie online at: www.conniemann.com

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Tagged as Beyond Power, Book 2, Connie Mann, Florida Wildlife Warriors, romantic suspense

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | January 16, 2021 · 5:00 am

The Ultimate Betrayal Tour

Maximum Security series book #3

Romantic Suspense, Action & Adventure

Date Published: paperback release date 12/29/20

Publisher: HQN

When investigative journalist Jessie Kegan’s father, a colonel in the army, is accused of treason, Jessie is determined to clear his name. Reluctantly, she turns to former Special Ops soldier, Brandon Garrett, her late brother’s best friend–a true heartbreaker, according to her brother.

With danger coming from every angle, time is running out and the game being played is deadly. Working together, Bran and Jessie must risk everything to solve the riddle and confront the threat–before it’s too late.

EXCERPT

Too much downtime always made him nervous, kind of edgy as he waited for the other shoe to drop. It had been a week since his last client had headed back to Nashville, a week of peace and quiet he should have enjoyed.

Instead, he had this nagging feeling that something bad was coming down the line.

Lounging back in the chair behind his desk at Maximum Security, Brandon Garrett looked up at the sound of the front door swinging open. A gust of cool, late October winds swept in, along with a petite, whirlwind of a woman with the prettiest strawberry blond hair Bran had ever seen.

She had a sweet little body to match her fiery curls, he noticed, outlined by the dark blue stretch jeans curving over her sexy little ass and the peach knit top that hugged her breasts.

It wasn’t tough to read the anxiety in her big green eyes as she surveyed the room, but instead of heading for the receptionist’s desk, those big green eyes landed on Bran and as she started toward him, there was something about her that rang a distant bell. Interest piqued, he rose from his chair. “Can I help you?”

“You’re Brandon Garrett, right? You were a friend of my brother’s. Danny Kegan? I recognize you from the photos Danny sent home.”

The mention of his best friend’s name hit him like a blow, and the muscles across his stomach clenched. Daniel Kegan had been a member of his spec ops team, a brother, not just a friend. Danny had saved Bran’s life at the cost of his own. He was KIA in Afghanistan.

Bran stared down at the girl, who was maybe five-foot-four. “You’re Jessie,” he said, remembering the younger sister Daniel Kegan had talked so much about. “You look like him. Same color hair and eyes.”

She nervously wet her lips, which were plump and pink and fit her delicate features perfectly.

“My brother said if I ever needed help, I should come to you. He said you’d help me no matter what.” She glanced back toward the door and his mind shifted away from the physical jolt he felt as he looked at her to the worry in her eyes.

“I’ll help you. Danny was my closest friend. Whatever you need, I’ll help. Come on. Let’s go into the conference room and you can tell me what’s going on.” When her gaze shot back to the door, his senses went on alert.

“I didn’t mean I needed your help later,” Jessie said nervously. “I meant I need your help right now.”

Gunshots exploded through the windows. “Get down!” Bran shouted to the other guys in the office as he shoved Jessie down behind his desk and covered her with his body. Glass shattered and a stream of bullets sprayed across the room.

Jaxon Ryker popped up, gun drawn, and ran for the door. Hawk Maddox and Lissa Blayne were shuffling through their desks, arming themselves. Jonas Wolfe drew his ankle gun and ran for the rear entrance, ready for any threat that might come from there.

“Black SUV with tinted windows,” Ryker reported. Six feet of solid muscle, dark hair and eyes, Jax was a former Navy SEAL, currently a PI and occasional bounty hunter. “Couldn’t get a plate number.” Jax’s gaze swung to the front of the room. “Mindy, you okay?”

The little receptionist eased up from beneath her desk. “I-I’m okay. Should I call the police?” Around here, it was never good to jump to conclusions.

Bran hauled Jessie to her feet. He could feel her trembling. Her eyes looked even bigger and greener than they had before. “Are they coming back?” he asked.

“I-I don’t know. It could have just been a warning.”

Bran turned to Mindy. “Unless someone’s already phoned it in, let’s wait to call the cops till we know what’s going on.” His attention returned to Jessie. “We need to talk.”

She just nodded. Her face had gone pale, making a fine line of freckles stand out across her forehead and the bridge of her nose.

Bran took her arm and urged her toward the conference room. “Keep a sharp eye,” he said to The Max crew. “Just in case.”

Jessie sank unsteadily down in one of the rolling chairs around the long oak conference table. The man she had come to see, Brandon Garrett, sat down beside her.

“Okay, let’s hear it,” he said. “What’s going on?”

She thought of the men who had just shot up his office and her pulse started thumping again. “Danny said if I ever needed help–“

“Yeah, I get that. Your brother knew he could count on me. Like I said, I’ll help you any way I can, but I need to know what’s going on.”

Bran was taller than Danny, around six-three, with a soldier’s lean, hard body, vee-shaped, with broad shoulders and narrow hips. Powerful biceps bulged beneath the sleeve of his dark blue T-shirt. With his slightly too-long mink brown hair, straight nose and masculine features, he was ridiculously handsome, except for the hard line of his jaw and the darkness in his eyes that contrasted sharply with their beautiful shade of cobalt blue.

“Start at the beginning,” he demanded.

Since she wasn’t sure exactly where to begin, Jessie dragged in a shaky breath and slowly released it.

“I’m here because of my father–Colonel James Kegan, Commander U.S. Army Alamo Chemical Depot. Just before he died a little over two months ago, my father was removed from active duty. He was charged with larceny–specifically the theft of chemical weapons stored at the Depot. Because the Army believed he was selling the weapons to a foreign entity, he was also charged with espionage and treason. I need you to help me prove his innocence.”

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. Currently residing in Missoula, Montana with her Western-author husband, L. J. Martin, Kat has written sixty-five Historical and Contemporary Romantic Suspense novels. More than sixteen million copies of her books are in print and she has been published in twenty foreign countries. Kat is currently at work on her next Romantic Suspense.

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Tagged as Action & Adventure, Kat Martin, romantic suspense, The Ultimate Betrayal

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | December 21, 2020 · 12:33 pm

The Accidental Heiress Blitz

The Accidental Series, Book 3

Romantic Suspense

Release Date: December 21, 2020

Publisher: Pegasus Prose

Jessica and Robbie Mitchell’s belated honeymoon to Ireland begins with a surprise landing—ala Miracle on the Hudson—in the Shannon River. Robbie saves Jessica and the service dog of a blind passenger, who is the only casualty. Born in Ireland, Robbie is eager to see his native country 136 years after he emigrated to America, after bridging time to meet his contemporary Wyoming soulmate, Jessica.

The couple ends up at a B & B that was the manor house Robbie and his mother once served. Here, they learn that before Robbie left home, he unwittingly set in motion a dark family scandal that has affected generations who run the B & B. The family “healer” is a mysterious104 yr. old woman. As the couple sink deep into the enchantment of Eire and the mysteries and misfortunes of his descendants, including the actual 200 yr. old Magdalen scandal, he wonders if there is a way to reset history without losing the love of his life.

The book is set in two contemporary parts with an 1883 historic part sandwiched between, giving the reader a “fly on the wall” view of what happened to the family Robbie left behind. If history can be reset to restore a broken family, will it separate or spare the soulmates?

Excerpt

I squeezed Robbie’s hand as I gazed out the window. When the wing of the plane dipped again, the airport runway came into view along the Shannon peninsula. It was then I heard it, low and grumbling…escalating to a higher pitch that overpowered the drone of the engines. Every few seconds, the screech persisted. A buzz of bewilderment boiled into fear among the passengers.

“Did you hear that?”

“What’s happening?”

“Oh God, Something’s wrong!”

The wing of the plane quivered as we tilted like a carnival ride in an orbit of descent. I could see vehicles, streaming out of an airport hangar, ants lining the runway, all moving toward the Shannon estuary. Suddenly, the loudspeaker crackled to life, but the clipped message was not an answer to my frightened prayer.

“This is your pilot… Brace for river impact!”

About the Author

Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI, Cj moved to Rochester, MN where she raised her family, and on hilltop acreage pursued her lifelong dreams: horses, rescue animals and published articles, short stories and award winning novels.

On occasion she ventured downhill to climb a waterfall in Jamaica, float in the Dead Sea, kiss the Blarney Stone and always, always…research settings for the next plot.

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Tagged as Cj Fosdick, romantic suspense, The Accidental Heiress

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | October 12, 2020 · 5:00 am

Hell & Back Tour

Outbreak Task Force, Book #5

Romantic Suspense

Date Published: 9/21/2020

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Racing to lock down the CDC’s deadly virus samples from terrorists,
ex-Special Forces medic Henry Lee partners with Ruby Toth on the Outbreak
Task Force. But the terrorists always seem one step ahead. As they work side
by side, Henry’s taken with how Ruby accepts and respects him, instead of
pitying him for all he lost overseas, including his leg. Ruby’s hiding
something, though, and Henry fears she’s been leaking sensitive information.
Terrorists have kidnapped her brother, and now microbiologist Ruby Toth
faces a horrible choice. If she doesn’t give them a vial of Small Pox as
ransom, her brother will die. She knows her prickly—yet very
hot—boss, Henry, could provide the help she needs. But she joined the
CDC to root out insiders plotting to unleash a bio-engineered pandemic, and
she can’t trust anyone. Not even Henry.

EXCERPT

About time he called her. Where the hell was he?

She answered the phone with, “Where have you been?”

“Your brother is with us, Miss Toth,” a distorted voice said. “If you don’t do everything we tell you to do, you’ll never see him in one piece again.”

A cold fist punched her in the stomach, and she was standing without recalling how she got there. The cold pushed its way through her body, weakening her knees until she collapsed back onto the chair she’d been sitting on.

“Who is this?”

“You know who we are.” The distortion made it impossible to discern if the voice was male or female. “Your brother is healthy. For the moment.”

Assholes. Anger freed her diaphragm from its icy cage. She harnessed the energy and rode it, breaking it down into something useful. Patience.

Watch, wait, listen, then act. She’d learned the hard way not to let her emotions hijack her mouth. To get along with difficult people, you had to figure out what they wanted and what they didn’t before you spoke.

What kind of response would a bunch of terrorists who’d kidnapped her brother want from her? Defeat, not defiance. Compliance, not confidence. She needed to make them believe she’d do whatever they told her to do.

“Please don’t hurt him. Wh-what do you want?” There was enough adrenaline surging through her system it wasn’t hard to stutter and breathe a little too hard. To sound like she was on the edge of panic.

“A live sample of smallpox.” Despite the distortion, the voice sounded self-satisfied. Arrogant. Superior. For a moment, she couldn’t quite believe what she heard.

“You can’t be serious.”

“Get it or your brother dies.”

“How do I know he’s not already dead?” Her voice broke on the last word.

About the Author

Full-time author and workshop facilitator, Julie Rowe’s first career
as a medical lab technologist in Canada took her to the North West
Territories and Fort McMurray, Alberta, where she still resides. Her most
recent titles include Search & Destroy book #4 of the Outbreak Taskforce
series and Trapped with the Secret Agent book #1 of the Trapped with Him
series. Julie’s articles have appeared in magazines, such as Romantic
Times Magazine, Today’s Parent magazine and Canadian Living. Julie
facilitates communication workshops at Keyano College in Fort McMurray, and
has presented writing workshops at conferences in the United States and
Canada. You can find her at www.julieroweauthor.com , on Twitter
@julieroweauthor or at her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/JulieRoweAuthor.

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by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | October 10, 2020 · 5:00 am

The Haunting on Palm Court Tour

Book #1 in the Isle of Palms Suspense series

Romantic Suspense

Date Published: Sept. 1, 2020

photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png

After Blake Nelson catches her abusive fiancé, Parker, with another
woman, she seeks serenity at her late grandmother’s beach cottage. He
follows Blake to the island and attempts to kill her, but instead, he dies
in an accident while fleeing the police. His malevolent spirit returns to
the cottage to finish what he started. The haunting intensifies when Blake
reconnects with her first love, Clint. Will Blake discover how to banish
Parker before it’s too late?

Excerpt from Chapter 14-The Haunting on Palm Court

Blake walked down the long hallway and through two sets of doors to the ladies’ room. While washing her hands, a cool breeze grazed her shoulders. The hair on her arms stood up on end, and her head began pulsating.

She continued washing her hands, but her curiosity got the best of her. From the mirror, Parker’s green eyes bore holes into her.

“You shouldn’t be here! Go away!” Blake cried. She’d never been so glad for a restroom to be far removed from a restaurant dining room. Anyone who couldn’t see spirits would think she was crazy. They might not be wrong.

“Happy Birthday, beautiful. What—you thought I’d forgotten? No way. I have to celebrate with you. Did I see your family out there? I sure have missed them. Wouldn’t it be nice if I came out to say hello?”

“No! Leave them alone. It’s bad enough that you’re tormenting me. They don’t deserve to be tortured. Seriously, please go somewhere, anywhere else.”

He stood behind her and put his arm around her waist. “I’ve missed you, Blake.” His icy breath frosted the mirror, and her chest compressed. She inhaled and pried his icy fingers off her abdomen, and he laughed. How would she be able to get rid of him now that he was strong enough to materialize and touch her?

“Why do you insist on wrecking my life every chance you get?” Blake asked.

“Isn’t it obvious? You ruined mine. I’m dead.” He chuckled.

“That’s your own doing. Now go to hell where you belong!” Blake opened the bathroom door and slammed it behind her.

Parker just had to show up today of all days. Blake clutched her purse to her chest, took a deep breath and gathered her wits. She wanted to make a run for it and try to hide from him, but she couldn’t.

As she returned to her family’s table, they were talking, oblivious to the nerve-wracking scene that had just taken place in the bathroom.

Smile and breathe. You don’t want to worry them.

Full Chapter – Chapter 19

Excited to host their first wedding, Nancy and Blake set out a brunch buffet so the bridal party could eat as they had time.

The vendors began arriving and setting up. A couple of hours later, they had transformed the garden into an enchanting wedding setting.

“It’s breathtaking!” Blake said, stepping into the garden as she made her way to the room where the bride and bridesmaids were getting ready.

When the photographer arrived, Blake took her to Emily.

“You are such a beautiful bride!” Blake said, picturing herself in a white dress and her grandmother’s pearls.

Emily smiled. “You will be, too.”

The wedding was a blur for Blake. As the ceremony played out in front of her eyes, she imagined marrying Clint. The couple had faced hardships, but they always found their way back to each other. That had to mean something.

“You may now kiss the bride,” the officiant announced, bringing Blake back to reality. She scurried to make sure the caterers had set up the reception buffet in the garden.

After dinner, the bride and groom cut an elegant two-tier cake, delicately feeding each other a bite.

Not interested in a lot of dancing, Emily had opted for an alternative to the traditional reception—a private moonlit tour of the Charleston Harbor aboard a yacht.

She invited Clint, Blake and Nancy to join the wedding party for the tour. Nancy stayed home but told them to have fun. When they arrived downtown, Blake gasped at the sight of the church steeples spanning the skyline of the Holy City, named for its sheer number of churches.

“It’s beautiful.” Emily grinned.

“Not as beautiful as my girl.” Clint stood behind Blake, wrapped his hands around her waist and kissed her cheek.

Emily gave them a knowing smile.

As they stepped onto the boat, the steward handed each of them a glass of champagne. Everyone took a seat on the deck, except for Cooper, who climbed onto a railing and began making a toast.

“Thanks to all of our friends and family who made our wedding day so incredible. Tomorrow, we leave for our honeymoon, and everyone knows what that means…”

“Okay, bud, come on down.” Clint offered his hand and helped him down just as the yacht motor began purring, keeping him from falling on his face and possibly overboard.

Emily’s cheeks flushed, and she took Cooper to the seat next to hers.

Clint took over the toast. “To Cooper and Emily! Thanks for trusting us with the most important day of your lives. Here’s to many happy years together.” Clint raised his glass, and everyone else followed.

Emily mouthed the words “thank you” and took a deep breath.

Underneath the blanket of stars, the tour guide delivered a dramatic monologue about Charleston’s cobblestone streets, unique architecture and storied past.

“The beautiful oleander flower is quite poisonous and had no scent or taste. It was undetectable by medical examiners in the 1800s. The running joke was to be careful who you accepted a cup of tea from back in those days, or it might be your last.”

Clint seemed to eat up this account of his hometown’s history. Blake had to stifle her laughter when his amused grin faded, and he placed his finger and thumb on his chin.

After the tour guide finished his spiel, Cooper’s parents asked everyone to join them inside for a surprise. Blake told Clint to go ahead. She needed to use the ladies’ room on the other side of the deck.

Leaving the restroom, she began making her way across the series of wooden deck planks. The gaps between the boards started blurring. She pressed her head between her hands to right her vision and alleviate a splitting headache.

With the swell of the waves, the boat shifted onto its side. And Blake fell over the railing. Her foot became trapped underneath a trim board—the only thing standing between her and the gray, choppy water. Taking deep breaths, she told herself a powerful gust of wind had sent her tumbling, not Parker’s vengeful spirit. Regardless, the more she struggled, the looser the grip of the board.

She began screaming for help; her body dangled mere feet from the swelling waves.

The door to the cabin opened. “Don’t move, we’re coming to help you!” Clint yelled as he and Cooper ran to her, freeing her foot and pulling her back over the railing.

Blake sat on a bench, shaking and her chest heaving.

“Are you alright? What happened?” Cooper asked. Blake stared at her feet in silence.

Clint patted Cooper on the back. “Thanks so much for helping, man. I’ve got it from here.” Cooper frowned but nodded and walked away.

Wincing, Clint asked Blake what had happened. Tears began streaming down her cheeks before she could open her mouth to speak. He held her close and consoled her.

When the boat finally returned to the marina, Blake silently vowed not to travel by sea for a while. Her body trembled. What if Clint had not been there? Would Parker have succeeded in drowning her?

Clint drove them back to the cottage. She climbed out of the Jeep, tempted to kiss the ground. Parker had been a creep in life, but his spirit could show up in the most random places and do things Parker could not have done in his human form.

Walking into the kitchen, Blake put on a pot of decaf coffee. The crisp night air and Parker’s icy grip had chilled her to the bone. She poured a cup for each of them and grabbed a handful of fresh-baked chocolate and toffee cookies.

Clint leaned over the table to kiss her on the forehead. “Are you okay? Really?”

“Yeah—It was just a shock. I guess I’d better get used to it until we figure out how to get rid of Parker.”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. I love you,” Clint said. “If I didn’t tell you already, you look gorgeous tonight.”

“I’m glad I don’t look the way I feel…exhausted,” Blake said with a half-smile.

“You’re the most beautiful person I’ve seen on the island, in South Carolina, and throughout the world.” He always said the right thing, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t tease him.

“So now you’re a world traveler.”

“I could be anything as long as I’m with you.” Damn! He led her to the bedroom, where he kissed each of her fingers delicately. The couple became intertwined, connecting on a spiritual level. Their love was more than a fleeting romance. They were more complete, more themselves together. Who could ask for more?

About the Author

Stephanie Edwards has been writing professionally since she landed her
first newspaper column at the age of 13. Her love for the Lowcountry, the
Atlantic Ocean and a good ghost story inspired her to write her first book.
She lives in Tennessee with her husband, Ron, and their adorable dog,
Shadow.

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Twitter: @steph_a_edwards

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