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Lizzie Ashworth: REPRIEVE — FREE Now! (Excerpt)
Wednesday, December 8th, 2021

House of Rae franchisee Marie Argenta is on the run after her estranged husband Ned inflicts unimaginable tortures. Leaving her Paris House to hide out in the U.S., she ends up at the San Francisco House to serve as temporary manager. The very first day, her gaze lands on the most arrogant man she has ever seen, Adrian Velasquez. He’s also the most compelling devastatingly attractive, over-the-top pleasure partner the universe could ever conjure, which makes her think twice about the rules forbidding employee relationships.

Adrian knows what he likes and this new House manager Marie ranks above and beyond anything he’s ever imagined. Too bad his life is already crammed too full of family troubles, work overload, and finishing his law degree to even consider stretching the rules with this irritating woman. But a touch here, a kiss there, might be too delicious to refuse and she’s, well, she wants him. He knows it.

What Marie and Adrian are soon to discover is that Ned knows where Marie has fled and plans to take her back no matter what.

West Coast life like you’ve never imagined! Take luxurious surroundings, drop in a few gorgeous men, and stir. Don’t forget there’s serious trouble ahead.

Get your copy! Amazon Free promotion Dec 7, 8, and 9 ONLY

Follow my blog for GIVEAWAYS of Book III and IV, coming up in a few days! https://lizzieashworth.com/

** Reviews Needed! ** Please take a moment and review this book!

Excerpt from Reprieve

Adrian lounged in the hallway outside the ground floor conference room. If it were his call, he’d bring everyone to the room at once throwing out ideas and arguing over word choice. But it wasn’t his call and Marie obviously preferred to take advice from one person at a time. He stopped himself from further questioning her reasoning. He didn’t want to think about her reasoning, her, or her luscious body.

Damn it.

He’d found it unexpectedly difficult to craft language that surpassed hers. He’d actually wasted a lot of time thinking up clever ways to make her uncomfortable with over-the-top sexual innuendo. Which wasn’t the purpose of the task, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. He wanted to provoke her, push her limits, test her control. Any opening and he would storm past her walls.

Ridiculous, he knew. Storming her walls was the last thing that should be on his mind. She set something loose in him, something he’d never encountered in all his thirty years. Not carefully calculating his hours, his days, his future as had been his pattern. Instead, this doppelganger lurking inside him plotted devious methods that would result in Marie’s eager nude body in his bed.

He shifted uncomfortably as his cock twitched.

The door opened and Savannah walked out, throwing him an amused glance. “Hey, sex boy. You’re next.”

He shook his head and grinned. “Tear it up, Savannah.”

He rolled his shoulder around the door frame, crossed his arms and looked down the long table to where Marie sat at the far end. Surrounded by papers she was organizing into stacks, she glanced up only momentarily before motioning to a nearby chair. Her hair had been fastened loosely on top of her head but a few strands had worked loose, drifting around her face and doing something outrageous with her beauty. A gauzy pink blouse floated around her shoulders and vanished into the shadow of her sumptuous décolletage. He was instantly hard as iron.

Did she know the image she presented, part sex goddess, part ice queen? He had no doubt of her intellect, whip smart and aggressive. He also had no doubt that she would be a wild cat in bed, a tempest of little moans and cries, all of which would ensure his undying servitude to her unending pleasure. Yes, in a perfect world, he would devote himself utterly to Marie, to fulfilling her every sexual need in long leisurely episodes of rampant lust.

His balls had drawn up tight.

As he pulled out the chair nearest her and sat carefully, her gaze followed the bulge straining his pants until his hips disappeared under the table. He watched her reaction, a careful flick of her tongue against her full bottom lip and a slight flush of pink across her cheeks. Goddamn it, that’s all he needed for his rowdy dick to threaten to leap out of his pants.

“Whatever this game is you are playing, monsieur, it will go nowhere,” she said in a husky voice. “Surely you know I cannot entangle myself with an employee.”

He cleared his throat, fighting against laughter. Triumphant laughter. So the cards were on the table.

“Of course,” he said in his most dignified voice. “But I don’t know what ‘game’ you mean. I’m here only to offer advice on the advertisement.”

Her long lashes blinked up and her aquamarine gaze intensified as she studied him, her brow creased. Oh, he could make that gaze darken and smooth that lovely brow all in the same moment. Just one moment to bare her lovely breasts, taste the dark pink nipples—she would call his name. He would draw those rosy tips hard against his tongue until she cried out.

Then he would move lower, teasing with little kisses and bites, until he reached the altar of her body, that delicious valley of moist ruddy flesh where he would live off her delectable nectar. His tongue, his mouth, and his fingers would perform ancient rites of homage until she flailed and cried out, desperate for his engorged cock.

He suppressed a groan, couldn’t help that his glance had drifted to those luscious mounds waiting for him under that flimsy pink blouse. Was it his imagination or could he actually make out the erect peaks of those perfect tits pressing their captivity, begging him?

She brought her papers into a neat stack and looked up. “When you manage to tear your eyes away from ma poitrine, perhaps we can hear your ideas? S’il vous plait?”

He dragged his gaze back to her face, unable to keep the guilty grin off his face. “Ma poitrine,” he drawled. “Is that what they call those lovelies in French?” He leaned forward, as much to punish the rigid length of his raging cock as to push the boundaries of her personal space. He knew he was acting like an ass, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. His outrageous alter ego was in full control.

“It’s a shame their beauty must be hidden from the world.”

“Pah, you are not here to seduce a client, Monsieur Velasquez.” She tapped a perfectly manicured fingernail on the papers. “What ideas do you have?”

M.D. Stewart: Let me introduce myself…
Monday, December 6th, 2021

Thank you, Delilah Devlin for having me today!

Let me introduce myself, my name is M.D. Stewart and I live in southern West Virginia. I was born and raised here, but due to marrying a Navy man, moved around from age eighteen to twenty-two. I came home and, after much trial and error, I finally found my forever-person and moved to rural Boone County fifteen years ago. We have three indoor cats, three old lady chickens, and when I’m not writing, I’m canning and freezing our garden veggies. He’s also a hunter, so we process deer in the fall.

As the only girl child in my family, I grew up watching soap operas, sci-fi programs (Star Trek reruns mostly), and sneaking my mom’s Harlequin romance books into my room where I devoured them cover-to-cover! All these things combined to give me a vivid imagination and a desire to create my own Universe! I’ve always dreamed of becoming an author and in 2018, I self-published my first book.

This entire journey has been a learning experience! I also think I’ve evolved as a writer. I started with sci-fi romance, dabbled in paranormal romance, and now I’m writing contemporary motorcycle club romance. My Fae Shifters duo is mmf and some books in my series do have menage of mfm and mm merging to mmf throuples. Basically, I think love is essential for survival if you’re an alien, shifter, or human.

I also exclusively pen LGBTQ paranormal romance for Changeling Press. My books with CP feature mm, mmm, and mmf romances with ghosts, psychic vampires, hellhound shifters, demons, angels, and trolls! Like I said I think love is for everybody!

If your interested in my backlist, there is my Amazon Author page! I’d love for you to take a peek!

Let me tell you what I’m working on right now! My most recent release that came out on December 3rd is Her Three Bears. It’s a retelling of Goldilocks if it were set in modern-day West Virginia with a motorcycle club romance trope. Her Three Bears is part of the Bleeding Souls Saved by Love! Anthology.

The BSSBL books are all MC romance or dark Mafia romance based on fairytale retelling. The series started releasing in March 2021 and various authors are scheduled for release through 2023. Each book is a standalone. While not all the BSSBL books are, Her Three Bears is exclusive to Amazon so you can read it FREE though Kindle Unlimited.

Here’s the description of Her Three Bears.

Amber Gold needs to escape and hide from her treacherous family. 

Her dad is a mean drunk, her brother is abusive and her life at home is deteriorating fast. When she stumbles on a cabin in the woods, Amber thinks she’s found a safe shelter. Sneaking in at night while the owners are away, she doesn’t realize the danger her heart is in.

Parker “Papa Bear” Kodiak has earned his grumpy, hardcore reputation.

Growing up poor in a rural West Virginia town, he struck out on his own at sixteen. He found acceptance as a Prospect in the Wicked Warriors MC. Through brutality and determination, he became the youngest Sergeant-at-Arms in their history. No one crosses Parker and lives to talk about it.

Someone has been breaking into Parker’s home.

While his brothers Max and Bryson aren’t concerned, Parker is determined to make the intruder pay for their crime. But is Parker willing to pay the ultimate price when he finds the golden-haired beauty asleep in his baby brother’s bed?

I had so much fun writing Her Three Bears, that the story just came to me and flowed to the page. Trust me, it is a gift when that happens. It was different for me to have a little bit darker characters than I was used to writing. It is a romance though, so an HEA is guaranteed!

When I wrote Her Three Bears, a character showed up that intrigued me. Well, two characters actually; Mark and Mac “Rogue” Steele. Mark is a West Virginia State Policeman and his twin, Mac is a member of the Black Dagger MC. I knew they were twins, but it wasn’t until I started writing Rogue’s story that they revealed they were mirror twins. So fascinating!

Even though it is a spin-off of Her Three Bears, Rogue, Black Dagger MC, begins a new series but has a lot of cross-over characters. I also introduce a badass female MC, Devil’s Daughters. The leader, Sammi Jo, is based on a friend of mine.  My beta readers loved this story, and I’m so happy to bring it to you!

Here’s the description of Rogue.

With a corrupt cop and an escaped killer hunting them, can Rogue do the impossible and save Stevie?

Stevie Anderson barely eluded death when deranged serial killer, Paul Turner, murdered her entire family before setting their house on fire. While in protective custody, she’s hidden where the killer would least suspect — the home of a biker in the Black Dagger Motorcycle Club.

Mac “Rogue” Steele resisted his twin’s suggestion to hide a federal protection witness at his home until he got      to know the shy but charming woman. With a bruised heart, scarred body, and beautiful soul, it doesn’t take long for Stevie to claim his cynical heart.

After her family’s killer contacts Stevie from his prison cell, Rogue takes her on the run through the hills and hollows of southern West Virginia. Relying on the help of his MC, Rogue desperately searches for a way to keep Stevie alive.

If you’re interested in Rogue, and his twin, you can preorder on Amazon, and they will show up on your Kindle on January 21st! It will also be FREE on Kindle Unlimited.

While writing Rogue, I met a character that I really didn’t like. He was rude, bitter, and just angry at the world. Rogue wanted to kill him, even though he’s part of the same MC! I decided to get to know Dodge a little more and what I learned was heartbreaking.

Dirk “Dodge” Hodges had a hard life as a kid. His dad was both physically and sexually abusive to him and his brother. But he found a home with the Black Dagger MC as a teenager. Dodge was a strong character, and I knew he needed a woman who could go toe-to-toe with him and not back down. Kira Taylor is that woman.

Here’s a little more about Dodge.

Someone made the fatal mistake of abducting Dodge’s son

When Dodge’s Old Lady suddenly wants out, and his brother goes to prison for murder, all Dodge has left is the Black Dagger MC. Abandoning the club that gave him acceptance and safety is simply out of the question. Six years later, his old childhood sweetheart, Kira returns with a surprise — their son. What should be a happy reunion is cut short when the boy goes missing.

Kira Taylor once found club life thrilling, but as a nurse she saw first-hand how quickly things get bloody. After becoming pregnant she leaves town and made a clean break from everyone. But the freedom for her son only lasts until a tragedy befalls them and she must return home.

Now Kira’s only chance at happiness is to confess everything she hid from Dodge. With his help, they might be able to rescue their son. But with both of their lives shattered by this news, can they learn to forgive each other and finally become the family they were meant to be years ago?

If you would just love to fall for a bad boy with a tragic past, you can preorder Dodge now and you’ll have him on your Kindle March 21st. Again, Dodge will be FREE on KU.

I don’t want to take up all of your time, so I’ll leave you and Delilah with my thanks and the links to my social media if you’d like to follow me. If you go to my website, you can sign up for my newsletter which, to be honest, only comes out when I have new releases. I don’t flood your email, that’s for sure!

MD Stewart’s Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MDStewartAuthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mdstewart8
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gooseandmindi
BookBub: www.bookbub.com/profile/m-d-stewart
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18294133.M_D_Stewart
Website: https://mdstewartauthor.com
Blog: https://wordpress.com/mdstew.art.blog
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B07GBFKNDP
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mdstewartauthor

#KissApp HOTTER WITH A POLE is on KISS! (Contest–4 Winners!)
Wednesday, December 1st, 2021

So, have you heard about KISS? I have three of my Entangled books in the app now: Five Ways ‘Til Sunday, Burning Up Memphis, and the latest release, Hotter with a Pole.

Don’t know what KISS is? Here’s the pitch!

KISS is a new and exciting way to experience Romance stories of all genres. Enjoy serialized quality content from NYT and USA Today bestselling authors, available right from your phone.

KISS has hundreds of titles and authors to choose from, including new and exclusive content from some of your favorite voices!

Best of all, you can choose just how much to read with our pay-as-you-go format!

Where can I download it? 

IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kiss-read-write-romance/id1508942129

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stardust.kissreader&hl=en_US&gl=US

So basically, it’s a phone/tablet app you can use to download stories.  It’s easy and so addictive to use! And to help you on your way to your new addiction, I’m offering 20 coins to four readers!  Let me know below whether KISS is something you’ve already tried or are going to try right now for a chance to win those coins! There will be 4 winners!

Open Contests

Be sure to enter these contests while you’re here!

  1. Thanksgiving Leftovers (Puzzle-Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
  2. Elizabeth Andrews: Holiday Favorites (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
  3. What have you binged lately? (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
Sherri Hayes: Tangled in His Embrace (Excerpt)
Friday, November 12th, 2021

With the holidays right around the corner, I’ve been thinking about what holiday romances I would like to add to my TBR list. I try to read, or listen to, at least 4 holiday-themed stories during the month of December.  

Are you a fan of holiday romances, too? 

I’m not sure what it is about romances set around the holidays that have me swooning, but they are some of my favorite stories. Over the years, I’ve incorporated the holidays into a lot of my stories, but only one of my books has been a standalone holiday romance. 

As with many of my stories, the idea for Tangled in His Embrace came when I was writing another book. I was about halfway through Longing for His Kiss when I realized I needed to give Gabby her own story. She was a single mom who’d had her heart broken when the man she thought she’d spend the rest of her life with up and left her…and their daughter. 

The setup was perfect for a second chance romance (another one of my favorites). And what better time for it to take place than Christmas. 

One of the advantages to writing a story that takes place in the winter months, at least for books set in the northern hemisphere, is the ability to add snow to make things interesting. It’s amazing how those cold temperatures always help to heat things up! 

Below is an excerpt from my second chance romance, Tangled in His Embrace, which is on sale now through December 15th for only 99 cents. 

Tangled in His Embrace

A lock of Gabby’s blond hair had fallen out of her ponytail, her loose curls tickling the side of her face every time she moved. The urge to brush it back out of the way was strong, but he resisted. Jax knew it wouldn’t stop there. He’d want more. Like he’d wanted more the last time he’d stepped into her personal space to pick a piece of lint from her jacket.  

It had been completely innocent, until he’d touched her, felt the heat coming off her body, calling to him. He’d looked into her eyes and in that moment he saw the same need reflected there that he felt deep in his soul. Instinct had taken over and before he knew it she was lying naked beneath him and he was buried inside her.  

Gabby tucked the hair behind her ear, drawing his attention back to the present. “Are your parents going to pick her up next weekend or . . .” 

“Yeah. Mom was hoping to pick her up from the babysitters so they can beat the Friday rush.” 

“I’ll let Emily know.” 

There was awkwardness in the air that never used to be there between him and Gabby, and he had no idea how to fix it. After Taylor’s nightmare the night before, he didn’t know if he deserved for it to be fixed. He’d caused his little girl pain. He deserved to suffer. “I should get going.” 

A look of relief showed on Gabby’s face and it was like a knife to his heart.  

“Mommy, why don’t we have a Twist-mas tree like Grandma and Grandpa?” Taylor walked into the room, dragging her favorite stuffed animal behind her.  

“I just haven’t had time to drag everything out of the attic yet.” Gabby ran her hand over the top of their daughter’s hair in a loving gesture. “Maybe we can do it this week before you leave on your trip with Grandma and Grandpa.” 

“I can get everything down out of the attic for you if you want,” Jax said. 

“That’s okay. I can—” 

“Come on, Daddy. I’ll shows you.” Before Gabby could even get her refusal out of her mouth, Taylor took him by the hand and coaxed him to follow her down the hallway.  

Jax shrugged as he let his daughter lead him down the hall to where the attic access was in the ceiling. He reached up to pull the rope that would lower the staircase. “I need you to stand back.” 

Taylor moved closer to her mother, one arm wrapped around Gabby’s legs. 

The fold-up ladder creaked as he lowered it. He looked over his shoulder at Gabby. “Is there still a light up there?” 

“Yeah. As soon as you get to the top it’ll be on your left.” 

Jax nodded and climbed the steep rung of stairs leading up to the attic.  

He’d only been in Gabby’s attic once before. They were fixing up the room that would become Taylor’s nursery. It had been a happy time for both him and Gabby. He’d been so full of nervous excitement that he hadn’t paid much attention to the attic itself or what was up there.  

Gabby’s house wasn’t all that big, but it still took him several minutes to locate the artificial tree and two boxes of Christmas decorations mixed in with several boxes of toys and baby clothes. He couldn’t help but wonder why Gabby was holding on to Taylor’s old clothes. Was she hoping to have another baby one day? Or maybe she was holding on to them for her sister. 

As much as it shouldn’t matter what her reasoning for keeping Taylor’s baby clothes was, Jax couldn’t shake it off. He carried the boxes Gabby needed down the ladder and placed them along the wall.  

Once everything was down, he folded the ladder back up and made sure the access panel was secure before grabbing one of the boxes from where he’d left it. “Did you want these in the living room?” 

“I can get them.” 

He met her gaze and held it for a long moment. “I’m here. Let me help.” 

She didn’t answer right away, seeming to weigh her options. Finally, she nodded. “Yes. Thank you.” 

Jax didn’t stay long after putting the boxes in her living room. It was getting late and he knew Gabby would want to start getting Taylor ready for bed. As much as he wanted to stay, he knew he had given up that right when he’d decided to leave them. 

Grab your copy of Jax and Gabby’s story at one of the below retailers.
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3ooAMgb
Apple: https://apple.co/3bQLvtS
Nook: https://bit.ly/3bVFzzv
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3quP8hJ
Google: http://bit.ly/2Tgqa1N 

Sherri Hayes
Sexy Stories. Real Heroes.
http://www.sherrihayesauthor.com/

Team Trojan: Defending Evangeline is out!! FREE in KU!
Tuesday, November 9th, 2021

What readers are saying….

“Outstanding Romantic Suspense…”

“Defending Evangeline is a phenomenal romantic suspense…”

“With a plot that is engaging, filled with danger, good guys, bad guys, and of course romance, we end up with another entertaining story in the series.”

Not enough to convince you that you need to read this story? How about it lives inside Elle James’s Brotherhood Protectors: Colorado series? Read on!

Defending Evangeline

Defending Evangeline

A sharp-edged, disgruntled former Green Beret who needs to find redemption finds himself attracted to a woman hiding dangerous secrets.

Zeke Turner still can’t get his head wrapped around the fact he’s been all but booted from the job he loved. Angry over the fact Trojan Team took the fall for their leadership’s failure, he’s relieved that he and his buddies appear to have landed on their feet, still together, having been hired by the Brotherhood Protectors, but he doesn’t trust this move will end well. Once burned, twice shy is his motto—and he was never very trusting in the first place.

His first protection job doesn’t leave him feeling any surer he made the right decision, but he’s keeping his dissatisfaction to himself, keeping his head down…until then he bumps into a dark-haired angel in Fool’s Gold, who manages to both attract and intrigue him. He knows something’s not right, that Evangeline Carré is scared and hiding secrets. With his protective instincts going into overdrive, he’s determined to unravel the mystery surrounding her while keeping her safe, even when she swears she doesn’t need or want his help.

Get your copy here!
FREE inside KU!

Better yet, this book is in a sub-series of five stories—Team Trojan stories—written by some amazing authors! Check them all out!

Defending Sophie
Defending Evangeline
Defending Casey
Defending Sparrow
Defending Avery

7 open contests! And a timely reminder from yours truly!
Friday, November 5th, 2021

This is just a quick peek inside the door! My son’s visiting this week, and I’ve been mostly absent online. I just wanted to remind you that Defending Evangeline releases next Tuesday! I can’t wait for you to read it! Also, I have some contests on this site and my Collections website that are wrapping up! $ are at stake! So, enter now!

Open Contests Here!

  1. COWBOY is here! Brand new release! FREE in KU! (Contest) — This contest ends this weekend! Win an Amazon gift card!
  2. The World of Dead Horse, MT (Contest) — This contest ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
  3. Happy Halloween & October Wrap-up! (Contest) — This contest ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!

 Open Contests on the Collections site!

  1. IN ONE PICTURE: JENNIE KEW’S “TYING THE KNOT” (CONTEST)This contest ends this weekend! Win an Amazon gift card!
  2. IN ONE PICTURE: REINA TORRES’ “SWEETGRASS SUMMER” (CONTEST) — This contest ends this weekend! Win an Amazon gift card!
  3. IN ONE PICTURE: IZZY ARCHER’S “SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT” (CONTEST) — This contest ends this weekend! Win an Amazon gift card!
  4. IN ONE PICTURE: DELILAH DEVLIN’S “HUNK OF BURNING LOVE” (CONTEST) — Win an Amazon gift card!
Reminder! In One Week! DEFENDING EVANGELINE releases! (Excerpt)
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021

In one week, ALL FIVE TEAM TROJAN stories release! My book, Defending Evangeline is the second in the series, following Desiree Holt’s Defending Sophie! And you don’t want to miss a single story! Here’s the link to the series: Team Trojan

Want to know more about Defending Evangeline? Read on!

Defending Evangeline

Defending Evangeline

A sharp-edged, disgruntled former Green Beret who needs to find redemption finds himself attracted to a woman hiding dangerous secrets.

Zeke Turner still can’t get his head wrapped around the fact he’s been all but booted from the job he loved. Angry over the fact Trojan Team took the fall for their leadership’s failure, he’s relieved that he and his buddies appear to have landed on their feet, still together, having been hired by the Brotherhood Protectors, but he doesn’t trust this move will end well. Once burned, twice shy is his motto—and he was never very trusting in the first place.

His first protection job doesn’t leave him feeling any surer he made the right decision, but he’s keeping his dissatisfaction to himself, keeping his head down…until then he bumps into a dark-haired angel in Fool’s Gold, who manages to both attract and intrigue him. He knows something’s not right, that Evangeline Carré is scared and hiding secrets. With his protective instincts going into overdrive, he’s determined to unravel the mystery surrounding her while keeping her safe, even when she swears she doesn’t need or want his help.

Read a snippet…

Evangeline Carré rested her back against the door of the Bottom of the Barrel Tavern as she fought to catch her breath.

He was here. Or at least, his men were here. Or worse, maybe he’d put a bounty on her, and more hunters would descend on Fool’s Gold looking for her. As much as she hated the thought, she had to leave, even though the cash she’d fled with was quickly dwindling.

“Damn him. Why won’t he let me go?” she whispered to herself.

Her eyes adjusted to the dim interior of the bar, and she straightened away from the door, stepped forward, and looked for the darkest corner in the establishment. She’d sit there until it was dark before leaving. She might as well eat and get something to drink before then. Who knew when she’d get the chance again? While she waited, she’d make a plan.

Then she remembered she’d dropped her shopping bag with her wallet inside it. She closed her eyes and gave a little moan.

Just then, the bar brightened as the door behind her opened.

She glanced over her shoulder, and her stomach dropped to her toes. The man who’d followed her from the coffee shop had just entered. Standing in the middle of the floor, frozen in place, she watched as he glanced around. When his gaze landed on her and stayed, any doubts she’d had about whether he’d been following her in the first place evaporated.

She looked to the bartender, who was frowning at her. With his long, greasy hair, cutoff sleeves and tattoos snaking up both arms, she doubted he’d be much help. Deciding she’d rather stand and defend herself rather than cowering on the ground, she lifted her chin and waited as the man approached.

He looked like any one of the men her boyfriend hired to do his bidding—tall, intense, frightening. A tall, well-muscled man, he had dark, close-cropped hair, a days-old beard darkening his cheeks and jaws, and a nose that looked a little crooked. The closer he came, she noted his eyes were brown but gleamed gold in the light shining from the bar. His stare as his gaze roamed up and down her body made her shiver.

When he reached her, he frowned. “Are you okay?”

Swallowing the rock that had lodged at the back of her throat, she nodded.

“I don’t know what was going on back there, but do we need to call the police?”

Her mouth parted. That was the last thing she’d expected him to say. “Why would you ask me that?” she whispered fiercely. “The police won’t pay you.”

His head tilted to the side, and his dark eyebrows drew together. “Why would I be looking to be paid?”

At that moment, she noted the hint of white foam clinging to his upper lip, reminding her of when she’d first seen him and his disgusted look at the coffee he’d purchased. Her shoulders relaxed a fraction as she matched his stare, unblinking. “You were following me.”

His chest rose as he drew a long breath. “I’m not sorry for that. Well, maybe I’m sorry you noticed and that I scared you, but if I hadn’t been following you…”

Tears pricked her eyes, and she hated showing him any weakness, but she was still quivering inside, and she didn’t know how she was going to escape this man when she was almost done. Done being afraid, done running. Her hand went to her belly, and she blinked her eyes. “Do you work for him?” she asked, thinking, maybe, if he was a bounty hunter, she might be able to pay him enough to let her walk away.

“Who do you think I work for?” he asked.

His voice was deep and rasped a bit. As rough as he appeared. Was he going to pretend he didn’t know? “Look, I have money. Back…where I’m staying. I’ll give it to you, if you’ll just let me go.”

He rocked back on his feet. “Marie? Why would I want your money?”

She jerked at the name, realizing he’d remembered it from when the barista had called her name in the coffee shop. It was the name she’d used since arriving in Fool’s Gold. Maybe he was just a smarter bounty hunter and was trying to win her confidence before he captured her. Or maybe, he wasn’t here because Emil wanted her found. Maybe he was just a nosy sort of guy.

He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “Marie, you look ready to pass out. Why don’t we take a seat and get you something to eat? We’ll talk over lunch, and then you can tell me what kind of trouble you’re in.”

Although she had every reason not to trust him, when he waved a hand toward an empty booth in the back, she turned away from him, leaving herself vulnerable to attack, and strode with unsteady steps toward the dark, shadowed corner.