“You got it.”
Carter faced Mic and silently stared at her. She stared at him. Looking back and forth between the two, Phillips got the picture and picked up his duffel. “Um. I’m just going to go check on the pilot. See you onboard, Mic.”
When the other man left them alone, Carter took a step toward the petite blonde. Reaching out, he stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. “I’m glad the last of the bruising is gone. I felt a kick in my gut every time I saw it.”
She shrugged but didn’t pull away or take her eyes off him. “Forget about it . . . it’s over.”
“So it is.” He continued to caress the soft skin of her cheek, her jawline, and under her chin. They weren’t made for each other—a fact he truly regretted—but there would always be a strong connection between them he couldn’t explain to someone else if he tried. They were too much alike, and if they attempted to have a physical relationship, he knew in the end they would just wind up hurting and hating each other. He valued his newfound friendship with her too much to lose it. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to take the opportunity to give her a proper farewell. “If I walk away without kissing you goodbye, I’m going to regret it. This may be the last chance I ever have . . .”
His words trailed off as he cupped her chin. His mouth turned up in a somber smile. “Somewhere down the road, you’re going to meet the guy who’s going to win you over, sweetheart. You deserve to be happy, not just content with your life. Don’t get so wrapped up in your career and missions that you don’t reach out and grab him with both hands. Remember to live in the moment, not in the past, because if you blink, you may miss out on the one person who makes you complete.”
She didn’t answer him. Instead, she swallowed hard as she gazed at his mouth with sad, yet hungry eyes. Taking that as consent, he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. When her breath hitched, he did it again. Her hands flew to the back of his head as she crushed her mouth to his. They wouldn’t . . . couldn’t go any further than this, but kissing her goodbye was worth the painful hard-on he was now sporting. Drawing her up in his arms, he lifted her feet off the ground as the kiss deepened, and rued the thick winter coats preventing him from having her body closer to his.
They clung to each other as if their lives depended on it . . . at least, as if their souls did. Their tongues danced to nature’s music, which was as old as time. This wasn’t the usual kiss he shared with a woman. Bea Michaels was his equal, in more ways than one, and they both gave and took as much as they could in that brief moment. In another lifetime, she could have been his—but not in this one.
In the hangar behind Mic, the whine of the Steel jet’s engines started. It was time for her to go, and for him to disappear once again. With great reluctance, Carter eased up and placed a few more pecks on her swollen, red lips before setting her down on her feet again. He took a step back as she straightened her jacket, which had risen up above her waistline. A wistful smile spread across his handsome face. “That was better than I’d hoped for.” Picking up his duffel bag, he slung it over his shoulder. “I don’t know when we’ll see each other again, sweetheart, but you take care of yourself, you hear me? And if you ever need me . . . for any reason . . . even just to talk . . . you know how to get a hold of me.”
“Same here.” Her voice was raspy, and she cleared the same lust and desire he felt from her throat. “You take care of yourself, too. The woman who’s going to rope you in, so to speak, is out there, and I’m sure she’s one hell of a badass. Don’t let her go, my friend.”
Bending, he gave her one last, tender kiss on her formerly bruised cheek before turning and heading toward where his own pilot and jet were waiting for him a few hangars down. But before he got out of earshot, Mic shouted at him, “And stop fucking calling me ‘sweetheart’!”
If you enjoyed No Way in Hell, please take a moment to place a review for both Books 1 and 2 on Amazon.
Thank you!
Other Books by J.B. Havens
Core of Steel
Hardened by Steel
Forged by Steel
Bound by Steel
Beyond the Night: An Anthology
Find them here!
Other Books By Samantha A. Cole
The Trident Security Series
Leather & Lace: Book 1
His Angel: Book 2
Waiting For Him: Book 3
Not Negotiable: A Novella Book 3.5
Topping The Alpha: Book 4
Watching From the Shadows: Book 5
Whiskey Tribute: A Novella Book 5.5
Tickle His Fancy: Book 6
No Way in Hell: A Steel Corp/Trident Security Crossover: Books 1 & 2
Absolving His Sins: Book 7
Option Number Three: A Novella Book 7.5
Salvaging His Soul: Book 8
The Deimos Series
Handling Haven: Special Forces: Operation Alpha:
Deimos Book 1 (Available on limited sites.)
The Trident Security Omega Team Series
Mountain of Evil: TS Omega Team Prequel
A Dead Man’s Pulse: TS Omega Team Book 1
Forty Days & One Knight: Book 2—Coming Soon
Summer’s Fall: Book 3—Coming Soon
The Doms of The Covenant Series
Double Down & Dirty Book 1
Entertaining Distraction: Book 2
Hammered & Nailed—Coming Soon
The Malone Brothers Series
Take the Money and Run: Book 1
The Devil's Spare Change: Book 2
The Ultimate Price: Book 3—Coming Soon
The Blackhawk Security Series
Tuff Enough: Book 1—Coming Soon
Stand Alone Novels
The Friar
Special Projects
First Chapters: Foreplay Volume One
First Chapters: Foreplay Volume Two
First Chapters: Foreplay Volume Three
Word Search For Warriors: Authors For a Cause
Authors’ Note
Any information regarding persons or places has been used with a creative literary license so there may be discrepancies between fiction and reality. The Navy SEALs and other U.S. military branch’s missions and personal qualities within have been created to enhance the story and, again, may be exaggerated and not coincide with reality.
The authors have full respect for the members of the United States Military and the varied members of law enforcement and thank them for their continuing service in making this country as safe and free as possible.
Acknowledgments
As always, I want to thank my husband, Mike, for his unending support. Thank you for believing in me when I didn’t even believe in myself.
Sam, I just gotta say, co-authoring a novel never entered in my mind. But as we’ve worked together on this project I’ve come to call you friend. Thanks for your help, guidance, and support. What are we going to write next? It’s been so damn amazing that I don’t want it to end!
Jules and Jess, you’re more than beta readers, you’re friends. Your love of Steel is just as great as my own. Thank you!
Brian Parker, thank you for your insight and for tearing us a new one and helping us get it right. We strive to entertain and you helped make sure we do it accurately. Mic and Carter thank you as well.
And to you dear reader, thank you for reading. I hope you love this collaboration as much as Sam and I do. It’s EPIC I tell you! :D
Sincerely, J.B.
Oh, where to begin? There are so many people I need to thank!
My family and friends, of course, for supporting my exciting journey into the world of literature.
J.B., this has been the most fun I’ve had since I started the Trident Security series—and that’s saying a lot because you know I much I love writing it. This collaboration started as a joke between new friends and fans of each other’s stories. But then something clicked and I couldn’t have asked for a better co-author. Just say the
word, and Carter and the Sexy Six-Pack will be ready to work with Mic and the boys again.
Jess and Jules—Lucy & Ethel, Frick & Frack, Jekyll & Hyde, and whatever future nicknames we come up with for you two—without you this book would never have been written. It was because of you yelling at me to read Core of Steel that J.B. and I connected. You didn’t steer me wrong and I will be forever grateful. As J.B. said, you’re beyond my beta readers, you are my friends, and I will never take that lightly.
Eve, you have been a godsend to me. Your editing and input helped make this book the best it could be (not to mention all my other books, lol). Thank you for everything and for meeting every deadline I’ve thrown at you.
To my beta readers and the Sexy Six-Pack Sirens, your continued support and encouragement means more to me than you’ll ever know. I cannot say thank you enough. Your posts, messages, shout outs, and reviews are the highlight of my day, every day.
And last, but far from least, to my readers. Your love and loyalty has humbled me. I wish I could one day meet each and every one of you, just to thank you in person. I hope you enjoy No Way in Hell as much as we did while writing it. Stay beautiful and happy reading.
Sincerely, Sam
Connect with the Authors
J.B. Havens
Facebook - www.facebook.com/jbhavens
Steel Corps Stalkers Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/530337027168918/
Twitter @havens_b
Or on her website www.jbhavens.weebly.com, where you can find character bios and even a short story or two. She loves to hear from readers, so reach out and tell her what you think!
About the Authors
J. B. Havens is the author of the military thriller book Core of Steel, the first book in a series that follows the main character, Staff Sergeant Bea "Mic" Michaels, as she leads her elite force of black-ops on missions that don't exist to the public's knowledge.
Born in Colorado, J.B. moved with her family when she was young and grew up in central Pennsylvania. Her love of books started when she was young, reading the Little House on the Prairie books and Goodsebumps, and graduated into Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series. Her favored books span the spectrum of genres, everything from Stephen King's The Stand to Mark Tufo’s Zombie Fallout series and all the way to the romance genre.
J.B. has always been fascinated with the military and wanted to explore how a strong female lead would affect a special forces operation. This birthed the idea for J.B.'s first book, Core of Steel, which hosts a strong female lead character, Bea Michaels. The series continues to its conclusion with the fourth and final book, Bound by Steel. Also under her belt are one anthology; Beyond the Night, a short story; Ashes & Madness, and two co-authored novellas, No Way In Hell, parts One and Two. She is currently working on the beginning of a zombie horror series featuring the character first introduced in Molly: Survivor which is in the anthology, Beyond the Night. Molly Everett has many more stories to tell and J.B. is anxious to hear them.
A proud member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Samantha A. Cole is a retired policewoman and former paramedic who is thrilled to add award-winning author to her list of exciting careers. She has lived her entire life in the suburbs of New York City and is looking forward to becoming a snow-bird between New York and Florida someday. Her two fur-babies, Jinx and Bella, keep her company and remind their mom to take a break from writing every once in a while to go for a walk, which is the best way to deal with a stubborn case of writer’s block.
An avid reader since childhood, Samantha was often found with a book in hand and sometimes one in each. After being gifted with a stack of romance novels from her grandmother, her love affair with the genre began in her teens. Many years later, she discovered her love for writing stories was just as strong. Taking her life experiences and training, she strives to find the perfect mix of suspense and romance for her readers to enjoy.
Her standalone novel, The Friar, won the silver medal in the 2017 Readers' Favorite Awards in the Contemporary Romance genre out of more than 1000 entries.
While the original planned stories for the Trident Security series have been completed, they have brought many opportunities for Samantha to spread her wings and bring her readers more characters and stories to love. Look for her new Trident Security Omega Team series, Doms of The Covenant Novella series, Blackhawk Security series, and more from the Malone Brothers series, in addition to several standalone projects.
No Way in Hell
Copyright ©2016 J.B. Havens and Samantha A. Cole
All Rights Reserved.
No Way In Hell is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Front Cover Designed by Samantha A. Cole
Edited by Eve Arroyo
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
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