Welcome to Sneak Peek Sunday!
Here are six paragraphs from my upcoming release, AEquana's Quest, Book 2 of the AEquana Series.
Blurb: It will take a very long time before AEquana heals from the
abuse and torture she endured growing up in those government labs. But Talon's
love is helping her forget and go forward with life.
Unfortunately, they stumble onto a multi-million dollar
gem heist, and are targeted by those who think they're easy prey. Their enemies
have no idea who they're up against when they try to take on an ex-Navy SEAL
and his mermaid.
* * *
1. As she
strapped the transmitter around her wrist, he glanced over her as she lay
sprawled on the bottom of the boat, the tail's horizontal flukes arched over
his tank of oxygen. The plasti-sheen skin glistened in the mid-morning sun. The
suit adhered to her with its microscopic inner layer of adhesive, but it did
nothing to shield her with any kind of protective covering. Heat and cold could
easily penetrate the fine layer, as well as could probing eyes—which was the
biggest reason why Talon refused to let anyone else come within sight of his
wife once she’d prepared herself. Or else they would be able to see everything
about her. Everything, including every inch of her cream-colored skin, the
thatch of snowy curls at the juncture of her thighs, and those enticing
dusky-rose nipples. Only a set of twenty-seven tiny puncture-like scars
circling around her left hip, thigh, and buttocks marred her perfection. Talon
knew every one of those scars, left behind by a bull shark’s attack a few
months before. He knew them, had since kissed each one of them, and had learned
a lot about himself in the days that had followed.
2. Reaching over, he lifted her
chin so he could see into her face. Her eyes were expressionless. Waiting.
“We’re going to take this slow and very, very carefully. First thing, right off
the bat, when you meet Giles, if in any way you feel uncomfortable or uneasy
around him, let me know immediately and we’ll call the whole thing off. Do you
understand what I’m saying? You’re going to run this show. Not me. Not
Giles. You. You will have the ability to stop any process, any examination with
a simple word. And I’m going to be beside you every second, every step of the
way.”
3. Jeters watched the SUV pull
into the parking lot of the canoe rental shop and stopped. A moment later two
people he instantly recognized emerged from the vehicle and strode over to
where he was waiting by his patrol car. The big Indian was as
intimidating-looking as he remembered. But, if anything, the willowy beauty
taking his hand had grown more intoxicating.
4. “If you already knew the answer, why did you ask?
Besides, having two pairs of eyes down there might help us find those diamonds
quicker. And the sooner we can do that and go home, the happier I’ll be.” He
turned around so she could see the worry he would no longer hide from her.
“You’re not yourself, my love. And I swore to myself that day I took you out of
that bunker I would never let any thing or any one ever hurt you again.”
5. She silently handed it over, then watched as he withdrew
a hammer from behind the driver's seat. Closing the door, he went around to her
side of the vehicle where he would be shielded from traffic. Placing both
phones on the cement, he proceeded to pound them into oblivion. Æquana watched
in the rearview mirror as he attacked the devices with something akin to
viciousness. As if by demolishing them, he was getting back at Santo Mario for
all the trouble and worry the man had caused. Venting his frustration in a way
that would temporarily gratify his need for retribution.
6. Unable to resist, he lovingly kissed her again.
"We're going to find out who this shark is. And when we do, and I promise
we will, Deb is going to make certain he spends a long time behind bars. But in
the meantime, I can't risk him getting his hands on you. The last time that
happened, I thought I had lost you, and I nearly came unglued. I can't risk
that happening again. Do you understand? That's why you and Buck need to hang
back. If something does happen to me, the team will take you both away from
here, out of harm's reach, where they can safeguard you. Maja, promise me
you'll do that. For me. Because you love me."
