Massive Army helicopters were constantly coming and going, landing in the field just beyond our backyard. The nearby elementary school – the one I attended – had been turned into an emergency evacuation center. My dad, an avid fisherman, put on his hip-waders and used his bass boat to help rescue people that lived on the bottom of our steeply-inclined street, those for whom the water level had risen far more quickly than anyone had predicted. My mom, an OR nurse, was called to the school to administer vaccinations to those exposed to the filthy, disease-infested waters and to perform triage.
More than forty years later, I still get chills thinking about it.
Heart Disease: Jack’s struggle with heart disease hit especially close to home for me. Over the last ten years, I’ve found myself sitting in surgical waiting rooms and step-down units while my father underwent angioplasties, catheters, a quintuple bypass, and got a pacemaker. To all of the surgeons, nurses, and techs that take care of our loved ones during those very scary times, I’d just like to say, Thank you.
The Molly Maguires: Also real. If you have any Irish ancestry and live in the coal mining regions of Pennsylvania, then chances are, you have heard the whispered stories of the secret society of poor immigrant activists who lashed out against the mine owners of the latter 19th century. To this day, they are spoken of in hushed tones, if at all, in public. The identities of many long since passed are known only to a few, their names still whispered down from generation to generation.
So, there you go. If you’re wondering if I plan on writing more about the Callaghans in the future, the answer is an unequivocal YES! I’ve still got Nick Milligan, Brian and Colleen McCain, and Taser waiting to tell me their stories. And I’m pretty sure there will be some Callaghan family escapades as well.
Until then,
Go raibh míle maith agat
Abbie
If you liked this book...
... then you might be interested in my Connelly Cousins series. Across the river from Pine Ridge is a little town called Birch Falls where Celina, Johnny, and Michael Connelly live. (You may remember them from their cameo appearances in the Callaghan Brothers books).
They’re not SEALs, but they are hot and sexy, and include a bad boy biker, a construction worker, and an Army Ranger. Like the Callaghans, their stories are based on finding and keeping their croies, those fated for them and them alone.
Check out this excerpt from Celia: Connelly Cousins, Book 1:
The corner of Kyle’s mouth twitched. He didn’t know what was more amusing – the cute blonde chugging her beer like it was the last one on earth or the priceless look of shock on Jamie’s face as she did. He hadn’t been looking forward to playing Jamie’s personal sex counselor, but this might actually turn out to be fun.
The chick – Celina – suddenly realized they were both staring and lowered the bottle, blinking rapidly and blushing furiously. “Sorry,” she managed. “I was a little thirsty.”
Kyle knew it was impossible for anyone to see his eyes behind the heavily tinted shades, and he was thankful for that because he simply could not take his eyes off the woman sitting across from him.
Jamie hadn’t been exaggerating when he said how gorgeous she was. She was on the petite side, so he could only glimpse her from mid-chest up – and quite an abundant chest it was. She was wearing some kind of simple cotton sundress, a light pastel color that showed off her bronzed skin to perfection. A brief scan revealed no visible tan lines. Did she sunbathe topless? The thought had him shifting slightly.
His eyes raked over the parts of her he could see, mentally cataloguing her with the skill of a man who was an expert when it came to sizing up women. Her jewelry was understated. A simple gold chain, semi-choker, hung around her neck. Small gold and diamond studs in her double ear piercings, and – was that a chain dangling from one hole to the other in her right ear? Interesting. A hint of naughty, perhaps? Spiral gold thumb ring. No other adornments, though he would bet she wore a matching gold anklet beneath the table.
He was sorely tempted to drop something to check. As it turned out, he didn’t have to. A mild breeze blew her menu off the table and Kyle reached down for it. Bingo. Knotted gold anklet and matching gold strappy-heeled sandals, adorning perfectly shaped, curvy legs. Legs made expressly for wrapping around a man’s hips. Damn.
And that innocence thing? She was a real pro. Right down to the baby powder and cocoa butter scents wafting his way, with subtle overtones of a citrusy shampoo that had his pants suddenly two sizes too small. And her voice – it was soft, almost purring - a total bedroom voice. Make that three sizes.
Amazing green eyes, too. The way she flashed them at him did nothing to alleviate his burgeoning arousal. Oh yeah, she could play the proper little prude all she wanted, but he saw the fire in her eyes. Deep down, she was a hellcat; he knew that as surely as he knew his own name. Get her in bed and she’d pull a man’s soul right out through his dick, then make him sit up and beg for her to do it all over again.
When she tilted her head and started pulling on that beer again, his mind was assaulted with images of her pulling on something entirely different with that incredible mouth, swallowing something thicker and saltier than that swill she was downing.
Holy shit. He was close to coming in his jeans.
Kyle’s beer arrived. He was enjoying the show so much, he ordered another for Celina. Jamie had barely touched his, so he didn’t bother. Kyle wondered what she would be like after the second beer. Would she start to loosen up a little? Or would she maintain her quiet, shy girl act?
The server disrupted his train of thought. “Are you ready to order?”
Yes, kitten, thought Kyle. What are you hungry for this evening? Gonna play dainty and get a little salad with a light vinaigrette on the side, perhaps?
The men deferred to Celina, allowing her to order first. “I’m starving,” she said, looking at the plastic-coated menu before her. Her tongue peeked out absently, running slowly along her top lip while she perused the choices. Kyle shifted quietly across the table.
“Um, let’s see. Can I have the meatball parm, heavy on the parm, and, um, maybe something gooey and deep-fried in the meantime?” This time Kyle could not completely contain the grin that tugged at the corners of his lips. Jamie didn’t seem at all fazed by her order, and said that sounded good to him. Kyle kept it simple by saying “Just make it three.”
Jamie did most of the talking, which was all right with him. It gave him a better opportunity to study the mystery before him. He had to hand it to her – she was good. The light, musical laughter that tickled him somewhere deep in his gut, the natural way those golden curls fell when she tilted her head to look at whoever was speaking. And when she did, she seemed really interested, not just listening politely.
No wonder Jamie liked her. She could listen to him drone on incessantly yet gave the impression that she thought he was the most fascinating man on earth. He himself hadn’t heard a word Jamie said all night.
Another bonus - she was one of the few women who actually had longer hair than him, though maybe those were extensions. After all, that couldn’t possibly be her natural hair color, could it? All of those shades, combining together into silky waves with the hues of precious metals. The question made him want to find out in the worst way, though she’d probably notice if he crawled under the table and relieved her of her panties to check...
“I’m not wearing any,” she said, laughing. Kyle jerked from his musings and choked on his beer. Before he could pull away, she was leaning over the table, treating him to a close-up view of her well-endowed chest. She didn’t smack his back, like most people would, but rubbed it. Sweet Jesus, her hands were making his skin burn. How was that even possible? He was still wearing his leather jacket, though it was getting damn hot.
“What?!?” he managed to ask when the choking subsided.
“I asked what perfume she had on this evening, and she said she wasn’t wearing any,” Jamie explained
, looking at him oddly.
Celina resumed her place next to his brother, taking those full hips and tiny waist out of his immediate line of sight. Hell, she could have been the model for the original hourglass. Not super slim and streamlined like so many women these days. Why anyone thought that was attractive he’d never know. Celina was pure woman with all those soft curves that had his hands itching to cup and knead and squeeze, and his cock stiff and aching, knowing she would be sweet and soft and yielding beneath him.
Oh, man. He hadn’t been this hard for a woman since he first became aware of exactly what that particular piece of anatomy could be used for. Over the years, he’d had lots of women begging for the pleasure he could provide, but this time he was the one in danger of begging.
Kyle gave himself a mental shake and forced himself to get a grip. This was Jamie’s girl, and he was only here to observe and offer advice. His role was to decipher her subtle tells and provide his brother with a no-fail plan for getting a piece.
She was a challenge, he’d give her that. Not many women could pull off that combination of sweet, sexy, innocent, and hot so seamlessly. Even he might have had to put a bit of effort into seducing this one, though the thought shouldn’t have been as appealing as it was.
It didn’t help that she kept sneaking glances his way, either. This time, Celina was looking at him as though she was trying to figure out what he had thought she said. He knew the second the plausible explanation came to her, because her eyes widened and she blushed furiously.
Thankfully, their food arrived and provided a much-needed distraction. Kyle was finding it hard to swallow past the constriction in his throat. It only got worse when he saw her two-hand the long sandwich, her tongue licking the sauce that dripped along the meatballs on the end. Her eyes closed in ecstasy as she rolled the first bite around in her mouth and moaned appreciatively. Oblivious to everything else around her, she handled that sub with total focus and intent. He glanced at his brother. Jamie was happily tucking into his own meal, completely ignorant of the X-rated sideshow going on right next to him. No wonder he couldn’t get himself laid.
“Is everything alright?” Celina asked when she’d taken several bites from her sub and he had barely managed one.
“Not hungry,” Kyle rasped, pushing the plate away. Jamie was looking at him strangely again, well aware that under normal circumstances, Kyle had the appetite of a linebacker. Celina was watching him again too, but her eyes were ... curious. She reminded him of a little girl peeking through the bars at the lions pacing around their cages at the zoo, one without enough sense to be afraid.
Celina: Connelly Cousins 1 is available on Amazon now:
US: http://bit.ly/CelinaUS
UK: http://bit.ly/CelinaUK
Germany: http://bit.ly/CelinaDE
Canada: http://bit.ly/CelinaCA
Australia: http://bit.ly/CelinaAU
... and other Amazon locations
Keep turning the pages for some amazing excerpts from authors Elaine Levine, Jessie Lane, and Tonya Brooks!
About the Author
Abbie Zanders loves to read and write romance in all forms; she is quite obsessive, really. Her ultimate fantasy is to spend all of her free time doing both, preferably in a secluded mountain cabin overlooking a pristine lake, though a private beach on a lush tropical island works, too. Sharing her work with others of similar mind is a dream come true. She promises her readers two things: no cliffhangers, and there will always be a happy ending. Beyond that, you never know...
Also by Abbie Zanders
Contemporary Romance
Dangerous Secrets (Callaghan Brothers, Book 1)
First and Only (Callaghan Brothers, Book 2)
House Calls (Callaghan Brothers, Book 3)
Seeking Vengeance (Callaghan Brothers, Book 4)
Guardian Angel (Callaghan Brothers, Book 5)
Beyond Affection (Callaghan Brothers, Book 6)
Having Faith (Callaghan Brothers, Book 7)
Bottom Line (Callaghan Brothers, Book 8)
Five Minute Man (Covendale Series, Book 1)
All Night Woman (Covendale Series, Book 2)
Celina (Connelly Cousins, Book 1)
Johnny (Connelly Cousins, Book 2)
Michael (Connelly Cousins, Book 3) – also includes bonus series novella
Jamie (Connelly Cousins, Book 1.5)
The Realist
Celestial Desire
Time Travel Romance
Maiden in Manhattan
Raising Hell in the Highlands
Paranormal Romance
Vampire, Unaware
Black Wolfe’s Mate (written as Avelyn McCrae)
Historical
A Warrior’s Heart (written as Avelyn McCrae)
Excerpt from Sweet Agony
by Jessie Lane
Lucas
Letting the love of my life go was not the hardest thing I’ve ever done. No, that particular duty had been much worse. It was pushing her away when every fiber of my being told me she should be mine, but couldn’t be mine.
See, when you let someone go, there’s that whole cliché phrase we’ve all heard that if the person loves you, they’ll come back to you, and then they are yours forever. When you push the person you love away... well, that’s a whole different story.
My parents raised me to cherish and protect the ones I loved. Bonds formed in my lifetime had always run strong. The very core of who I am came down to the ideals of loyalty and responsibility. Some may say it’s the first born child mentality, I don’t give a shit what anyone calls it. When it all comes down to the bare bones of reality, those strong bonds were eventually what led to me ending up as I am now. Alone.
Ginny DuBois was the girl who lived across the street during my childhood. She was my baby sister’s best friend. The scared girl with big blue eyes and the face of an angel. She worked her way into my heart, and once she had it, I never wanted it back. Too bad, she doesn’t know what she has carried with her for all this time.
I had settled myself years ago to not having her the way I wanted. To be brutally honest, it was more than mere want with Ginny. She was a craving I couldn’t fulfill. An addiction I couldn’t ease. Eventually, I realized that she was the oxygen I needed to breathe to survive. It feels like I’ve been slowly suffocating for years.
My strategy to keep her at a distance was to protect her from the dangers and heartbreaks of the life I lived. It didn’t mean I ever planned on letting her go. Not entirely. Never once had I planned on living a life where I didn’t see her sweet face every once in a while. Although, not having her the way I wanted her was never supposed to mean not having her in my life at all. Only to keep her at a safe distance. Enough contact to make sure that she was breathing easy, living life and happy. Now I see why they say the path to hell is paved with good intentions.
The sweet agony of my plan to give her up blew up in my face when she disappeared without a single trace. The sooner I could find her, the sooner she would know just how deep my feelings ran. The time has come for her to know what she has had all along.
Warning: This is the first book (50,000+ word novel) in a three-part serial spin-off from the Ex Ops Series. Each of the three books will feature a piece of Lucas & Ginny's story and leads directly into the next installment. IN OTHER WORDS, THIS STORY ENDS ON A CLIFFHANGER. Also, be fair warned their story will make you laugh, cry, and possibly throw your e-reader at the wall. <- You've been warned.
Sweet Agony is available on Amazon: http://goo.gl/CbKtqr
Excerpt from The Edge of Courage (Red Team, Book 1)
by Elaine Levine
He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t hear, couldn’t stand, but his goddamned eyes could still see. Everything.
Women hurried in random directions, their faces filled with terror, their mouths open and straining with silent screams. Most of them were still in their house clothes, exposed in their panic to the eyes of men. Children were clinging to their mothe
rs. Others cried where they stood. Or worse, lay silent and bleeding in the dirt.
He pushed himself up to his elbows and looked behind him.
Dust fell like snow. Not dust. Ash. Debris rained down on him. A boot. A brick. An arm. A scream pushed its way from his gut, cut through his heart, and erupted from his mouth.
Silent, like all the others.
Rocco landed on his stomach, his hands clasped to his ears. He pulled a deep breath, felt the air scrape his raw throat, then screamed again.
And woke himself up.
People surrounded him. Faces he didn’t know. A room he couldn’t remember. Where the hell was he? Men pulled at him. The jagged noise of their shouts slammed into his head like knives. They yanked him up to a sitting position, dragged him into the light, shaking him and gesturing.
“No. Don’t. Don’t touch me!” he shouted to everyone around him, in this reality and the one he’d just left. “Don’t touch! Get the fuck off me!” They looked at him with odd expressions.
Christ, what language was he speaking? He looked at his clothes, seeking a clue from what he wore where he might be. He had jeans and a T-shirt on. Not a shalwar kameez. He was not in Afghanistan, then. He should have spoken in English or Spanish.
“What’s he saying?” one of the men asked the others.
“Who the hell knows? He’s still hallucinating. Shit, can’t a man get a little sleep?”
“It ain’t English. You heard him.”
“It’s Pashto. I served over there. I know that language. Look at him. He ain’t American. He’s a Pashtun, a goddamned haji.”
More men gathered around, frowning, reaching toward him. He pushed himself back with the heels of his bare feet, shoving and tearing at the people around him as he did a crab-walk shuffle to the nearest wall. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t get free. And the blood. The blood was everywhere. Tears spilled down his cheeks. He let loose a roar and shoved again at everyone around him, punching them, warning them.
Forever Mine: Callaghan Brothers, Book 9 Page 24
