Today Tina Donahue visits with a look at her new release, an erotic paranormal romance called THE CRAVING, book 2 in The Wanderers series. Welcome, Tina!
Blurb:
She’s everything he’s desired… He’s the one man she shouldn’t crave.
Knowing the danger the Wanderers pose, Erica Vega intends to hunt down the mysterious group steeped in dark magic, curses, and mind control. As a Deputy U.S. Marshal, she has the law behind her, along with her telekinetic powers. Let the chase and battle begin.
Not so fast. Her superior forbids her to go after any Wanderer, instead ordering her to work cold cases with her new partner Lucian Navari.
Tall, dark, and hotter than sin, Lucian doesn’t play by the book. He has his own agenda and agrees to help Erica hunt Wanderers on the sly where he and she can be up close and personal.
Erica’s not one to mix duty with pleasure, but he’s impossible to resist in too damn many ways. As they investigate an elusive Wanderer, nothing is as it appears—she can’t trust what she sees or believes. Lies masquerade as truth, and deception rules while she and Lucian grow closer in a carnal dance that will change their lives.
Excerpt :
The Marshal’s offices were in the US Federal Courthouse in Miami. She took the elevator to the sixth floor and prepared for the worst.
None of the deputies, all male, noticed her arrival or bitched about being her new partner. Everything was the same as yesterday.
She crossed to her desk.
Horton leaned out of his office. “Vega. In here. Now.”
A low whistle broke out. Tongues clucked. A deputy laughed softly. “You’ve been a bad, bad girl.”
She gave everyone the finger. Two deputies blew kisses at her. She caught them and winked.
Francis Horton affected his grim look, no improvement over his usual no-emotion demeanor. At fifty-six, he wasn’t cuddly. A large, bulky man, he had a lined face and wore his salt-and-pepper hair in a modified crew cut. A Hollywood casting agent would have pegged him as the perfect Marine drill sergeant. Even though Horton didn’t take shit from anyone, he was fair.
Or had been.
She had to change his mind about Mike.
Horton stepped aside to let her pass.
She stopped short of a chair.
A man rose from the one next to it and faced her.
Something rushed through Erica she couldn’t pinpoint. It wasn’t surprise, but a feeling that defied description…something akin to wonder.
No man had ever affected her like this, not even when she’d been a hormone-flooded teen.
He couldn’t be her new partner. Wasn’t possible.
She guessed him to be her age, maybe a year or two older, and good-looking enough to grace magazine covers or star in an action flick. His features were beautiful, but masculine, not pretty.
He was taller than Horton, making him six-three, his shoulders broad, hips narrow, thighs muscular. That wasn’t the best part. The impressive bulge pressed against his fly was.
Despite the air-conditioning pouring down, she grew warm, which wasn’t like her. She’d always been practical and career-oriented, welcoming sex but avoiding commitment. Her folks had a great marriage and six kids, including her. Erica would have died if she’d followed their path. Having fun with a guy was one thing. Falling under his spell wasn’t on her radar.
Lusting after a guy she worked with wasn’t going to happen. It broke her most elemental rule.
His leather-scented cologne smelled delicious. She detected musk beneath it, also nice. His gray shirt, charcoal slacks, and white-and-gray-striped tie wasn’t off the rack from Sears or JCPenney’s. More like designer clothes. Not the threads a deputy would have worn.
He’d combed his dark-brown hair back, but a thick wave had escaped and grazed his forehead. His bronze complexion spoke of days spent in the sun. She’d never seen such piercing blue eyes, their color not quite real, too perfect. Like him.
Maybe he was a VIP who’d lodged a complaint against her.
He smiled, carving dimples into his cheeks.
She couldn’t manage a response, not understanding his friendliness or why he was here.
“Vega.” Horton closed the door and rounded his desk. “Meet your new partner, Lucian Navari.”
Even his name was unusual, special somehow.
“Lucian, Erica Vega.” Horton gestured to her.
“Hi.” Lucian put out his hand.
She was thankful hers didn’t tremble. Even during tense moments, she’d always maintained her cool, at least until today. His grip was strong, not macho or hurtful, his palm dry, his heat seeping into her. Felt good. Really good. “Hi.” She released him first.
He regarded her hand and met her gaze. Curiosity flared in his eyes.
Another emotion flickered across his face. Amusement? Concern? Why? If it wouldn’t have looked weird, she would have cradled his head and stared at his gorgeous eyes to catch his innermost thoughts.
Horton cleared his throat.
She looked over.
He sat. “Lucian comes to us from Miami-Dade PD. He worked in their cold-case squad. We were damned lucky to get him.”
Lucian didn’t react to the compliment.
Until now, Horton had never said anything nice about a deputy he supervised.
He and Lucian exchanged a glance, something going on between them she couldn’t figure out. “We’re lucky because he worked cold cases?”
“What?” Horton pulled his gaze from Lucian and frowned at her. “That’s only the start of his value to the team. He has a criminal justice degree from John Jay. Graduated top of his class. He closed more cold cases than anyone on the squad. He…”
She stopped listening, stunned by Horton’s proud smile. Like he was gushing about a son. This was beyond surreal. In a minute, she suspected he and Lucian might get a room and whisper sweet nothings to each other. Maybe Lucian was gay. It was always possible Horton also was despite his decades-long marriage and three grown daughters.
At last, Horton wound down, winded, his face blowsy.
Erica said the one thing she could. “How nice.” She spoke to Lucian. “Have you ever protected a witness before? You know, done street work where a gangbanger or crazy could blow you away?”
“He doesn’t have to.” Horton pushed up in his chair. It squeaked. “You’re both going to be working cold cases.”
He couldn’t have surprised her more than if he and Lucian had shared a kiss. “I’ve never done one before.” Except for her investigation into the Wanderers.
“I’m well aware of that.” He straightened the papers on his desk. “Lucian will show you the ropes. He’ll be in charge.”
She bristled. He had zero experience at the Service but was going to call the shots because he’d gone to John Jay, wowed them at Miami-Dade PD, dressed nice, and could pee standing up? “Have you considered what I asked you before about Mike Stearn and the cases we’d like to explore?”
“Not going to happen.” Horton’s face was a mask, not letting her know his thoughts. “Stearn has his own assignments, and the Wanderers are off-limits to you.”
“Why?” She gripped his desk. “What they’ve done are cold cases. They’ve hurt countless people in this state and many others. Going after them makes sense.”
“I said no. Step back.”
She did.
He rolled his shoulders and looked down his nose at her. “They haven’t been charged with anything. The only one who’s committed a crime is Desiree Zazou. The Feds are handling her. She’s not your concern. The Wanderers aren’t, either. Get started on cases you can solve. Follow Lucian’s lead. Don’t give him any grief. If you do, I’ll hear about it.”
Buy Link: https://shorturl.at/sc102
About Tina Donahue:
Tina’s an Amazon and international bestselling novelist who writes passionate romance for every taste – ‘heat with heart’ – for traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. She’s won Readers’ Choice Awards, was named a finalist in the EPIC competition, received a Book of the Year award, The Golden Nib Award, awards of merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competitions, and second place in the NEC RWA contests. She’s featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, she worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.
On a less serious note: she’s an admitted and unrepentant chocoholic, brakes for Mexican restaurants, and has been known to moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally while wolfing down tostadas. She’s flown a single-engine airplane (freaking scary), rewired an old house using an ‘electricity for dummies’ book, and is horribly shy despite the hot romances she writes.
Website/Blog: https://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tinadonahue
Amazon author page: https://amzn.to/1ChWFkO
Sweet ‘n Sexy Divas: https://sweetnsexydivas.blogspot.com/
Thanks for hosting me today! :)