The good news is that SAFE FROM THE FIRE is shaping up – I can’t wait for you to see it!  The bad news is that I may have to push the release a few days – the editing is taking longer than I want it to, and life intrudes (boo).   More on that later.

However, keep your eyes peeled for a FREEBIE at the end of the week, along with Chapter 6 of SHINY THINGS, and if I’m feeling ambitious, the cover art reveal for SHADOW OF THE RAVEN, the prequel to my upcoming hot paranormal HEARTS OF STONE series.

Meanwhile, here’s an excerpt to brighten your Monday.  Poor Matt.  I alternate between feeling terrible about giving him such weighty issues to deal with and wanting to shake him and yell, “Just grab her and kiss her already!”  LOL, luckily for Matt and Grace (and all of you lovely readers!) I think my romantic nature will eventually triumph.

Happy reading!

EXCERPT:

“Why don’t you go home?  There isn’t anything you can do here.”

He was right, but there was no way she could just go home and sleep, wondering if the fire was out, wondering if he were safe.

She shook her head.

“I’ll wait.”

A muscle in Matt’s jaw twitched, but he nodded, his eyes lingering on her bare shoulders.

“Don’t move.”

He jogged back to the engine cab and a moment later returned with a blue Bright’s Ferry Fire Department jacket.

“I don’t want you to freeze,” he said softly, his voice low and rough, stroking every nerve ending.

Grace shivered again, but not from the cold, and she knew that he caught it as his fingers clenched on the soft material.  She turned around, letting him help her into the jacket, which bagged almost down to her knees.

“Thanks,” she murmured, rolling up the sleeves.

He nodded, smiling briefly.

“I’ve got to get back,” he said, and left her standing behind the rope line.

The moment his back was turned, Grace burrowed into the warm fabric, grateful for the protection from the cold night air, but almost dizzy as she took a deep breath.  It smelled like him, like pine shavings from his workshop, the spicy ocean scent of his aftershave, and Matt.  She knew she was being an idiot, but everything inside her went soft and gooey and even her knees felt a little weak.  Wrapped in his jacket, watching him be all brave and selfless and capable and hot, Grace was having a hard time remembering why she needed to push him away.

“SMOOTH MOVE BACK THERE, buddy,” Rafael said, grinning as he helped Matt adjust one of the hoses to combat a particularly stubborn blaze by the front entrance.

“What do you mean?”  Matt frowned.

“Going all Sir Galahad, giving her your jacket…shit, man, she was eating it up.”

“She was not.  It’s cold out here.”

And if he had to see her standing back there in that outfit, it was going to be really uncomfortable fighting a fire with a hard-on.

He knew Grace loved to dance, and had this thing for small clubs and smaller bands, but he’d never seen her dressed to party like that before.  It was probably a good thing, because Matt’s heart couldn’t stand the strain, not to mention the rest of his body.

Her skin was so pale and smooth, and that wicked little corset pushed up those sweet tits, making his mouth water.  Her hair tumbled around her in wild ribbons of red and purple, and when she’d turned around to accept his help with the jacket, he’d nearly swallowed his tongue.  The criss-crossed laces of the corset bared more than they concealed, and below that, her legs and, sweet heaven that ass, were poured into tight black denim, accentuated by boots that boosted her up to perfect kissing height.

Matt wanted to peel her out of those jeans and explore every inch along the way with his mouth.  He nearly dropped the hose at the thought of Grace in nothing but the corset, arching in pleasure as he held her open and licked her up like candy.

He shook his head, trying to focus.  Rafael was still speaking.

“…and if you took your head out of your ass, you’d realize that she’s over there right now, snuggled into that jacket like you’re the quarterback and you just asked her to go steady.”

Matt didn’t dare look, but his heart skipped a beat.

“Little busy right now, man.  And she made it pretty clear she’s not interested.”

“I’m just saying.  Maybe you should ask her out one more time.  Just in case.”

Matt couldn’t help it.  He looked back.

Grace was talking to Evie, her hair whipping around her, clutching his jacket close to her body, burying her nose in the collar whenever the wind kicked up.

Dammit.