On the 9th Day of Christmas
For the 9th giveaway, I'm offering a calendar and a signed poster of The Hero Within. Open internationally, this giveaway ends on 12AM January 1st, 2018 (Australian EST), so make sure you get in quick.
THE HERO WITHIN
(COMING 2018)
THE BURNED LANDS SERIES
As the only healer in a war-stained town, Eden McClain is devastated when the Salt Plague sweeps through the wastelands she calls home. Suddenly she's racing against time to save her people–and her niece–before it's too late. When she hears whispers of a cure, she knows she can't cross the dangerous Wastelands by herself to get it. She needs a guide. And she's just desperate enough to turn to a man who once betrayed her.
Redemption comes at a price…
After years living on the leash of a dangerous psychopath, Johnny Colton is finally free, but that doesn't mean he can wash the blood off his hands. The easiest way to deal with the past? Just stop caring. Which is working perfectly for the rugged outlaw, until a beautiful ghost from the past rigs a trap for him.
The last person he wants to see is the woman who haunts his dreams, but as Eden points out, he owes her one. The only problem is, that the people with the cure might also have created the plague and deliberately unleashed it. It's a dangerous trap and the only way to escape it is for two past enemies to learn to trust each other.
EXCERPT…
“Where'd you learn to cook?” Eden murmured, resting her head on her hand as she watched Colton stir the cornmeal.
There was calmness about him in this moment, as though the action was almost meditative. Colton grabbed the frying pan and gave it a swirl, sending chopped bacon and onion sizzling around the pan. “My mother taught me,” he muttered, almost too quiet to hear. As he set the frying pan back on the rack, he glanced her way. “Where'd you learn to cook?”
And… there it was. Eden scowled. “Don't think I didn't see your expression this morning when you were eating breakfast.”
A faint smile danced over his lips. “You're officially banned from desecrating my frying pan ever again.”
Of all the nerve. She sucked in a breath… and deflated. “Okay, fine. I know I can't cook. I had better things to do with my time growing up.”
“Like trailing after the local healer?”
Eden shrugged.
“Here. Try this. Tell me if it's cooked.” Colton sliced off a piece of roast rabbit, offering her the sizzling piece of meat on the flat of his knife blade. Eden sat up, taking his hand and bringing it closer to her lips. She nibbled the delicious meat off the blade, watching him all the while.
Their eyes met.
And suddenly she realized how it might look.
Eden froze, burning her tongue on the hot meat.
“Don't worry, sweetheart,” Colton said, with a faint, half-mocking lilt to his voice. “I'm not getting ideas. You're the last woman I'd ever touch. Your brother would skin me alive.”
A little flutter went through her at the words, as she hastily swallowed. “You're the last man I'd ever allow to touch me.”
But that was a blatant lie, as evidenced by the rasp of her nipples against her bra and the sudden wet heat in her panties.
