Hawke's Nest
by Darcy Flynn
Running away is
nothing new for Annie Dell, aka high-fashion model Anna Delany. With the
paparazzi hot on her trail, an out of town wedding couldn’t have come at a more
opportune time. What better place to hide out than the quaint Florida beach
town Liddy’s told her so much about. But a delayed flight, the mix up with
the car rental, then a speeding ticket from the local Sheriff of
Nottingham, her getaway is looking anything but relaxing.
Franklin County
Sheriff, Levi Hawke, is tired of the spoiled, out-of-control students on fall
break, who think they can speed through his county without consequence. After
giving a ticket to a beautiful young woman he assumes is just another daddy’s girl
looking for some fun in the sun, he discovers she’s his weekend date at his
best friend’s wedding.
Through gritted
teeth, masked by a half-hearted truce, they survive the weekend, only
to find themselves stranded alone in the middle of a hurricane. You can
discover a lot about a person while spending thirty-six hours without the
comforts of electricity and modern conveniences. When circumstances
further extend her stay in town, Levi pries deeper to find out what Annie’s
running from. He knows when someone is haunted by their past. As the saying
goes ... it takes one to know one.
Excerpt One:
Levi
lifted his glass to his lips, sipped his wine, and watched her. He hadn’t
missed the slight flush to her cheeks. If anything, it made her more beautiful.
Gave her an innocence he was certain she didn’t possess. At that moment, the
small orchestra began to play and several more couples moved to the dance
floor.
“Would
you like to dance?” he asked.
She
lifted her eyes to his and blinked. Pleased to see he had surprised her, he
stood and held out his hand.
I’m
not the small town bumpkin you thought I was.
She
hesitated, but only for a moment, then stood and placed her hand in his. He led
her to the dance floor and deftly took her into his arms. He placed his hand
against the small of her back and pulled her closer. Her silky dress did little
to hide her slender form or the warmth emanating from her skin. He couldn’t
lie. The combination of chiffon and flesh raised his heart up a notch. Her lips
parted and she drew in a deep breath. The small, but audible sound pleased him.
Could he actually be making little miss snooty nervous? Her chest rose and fell
as she strove to gain her footing. “Sorry, is my grip too tight?”
“No.
No, it’s fine.”
She
was lying. He was trained to know when someone wasn’t telling him the truth.
“You
dance beautifully,” she said.
“You
sound surprised.”
“I
am. In New York, I went dancing often. You’d be surprised how few men can
dance. Really well, I mean. Most of them have two left feet and by the end of
the evening my toes would end up black and blue.”
Open
and frank, her eyes held just a hint of laughter. His stomach lurched at her
candid, forthright gaze. Wholesome. That he wasn’t expecting and he was
surprised at the sudden pull against his ribs. He didn’t much like it. He liked
it better when she played it coy. That he could deal with. This sudden, sweet
innocent act was just that, an act. He deliberately twirled her hard and fast
around another couple. She stumbled and she gasped. Daggers shot from her eyes.
There
she is. She couldn’t stand him. Well,
that was fine with him. The feeling was mutual.
Excerpt Two:
Annie took a sip of Sauvignon Blanc and glanced at Levi. He had
shoved his chair back from the table and sat holding his wine glass in his
right hand while perusing her with his keen baby blues.
Blatantly.
Openly.
Audaciously.
Fine, she could handle his rude stares. She’d been ogled by far
worse than him. She tilted her head to one side and smiled. The smile
photographer Dave Mandel of Glamour Magazine claimed was
irresistible. Well, no time like the present to put that ridiculous statement
to the test.
“So, Sheriff.” She scooted her chair closer to his and the sudden
alarm that entered his eyes was delicious. She lifted her glass in the air. “I
propose we call a truce. After all, we’re here to celebrate the wedding of your
best friend and my best friend. And since we’ve been paired for the weekend, by
the matchmaking bride, we may as well make the most of it.”
She gave him her most candid, but coy expression, daring him to
disagree. “What do you say?” she coaxed softly.
“How could I deny such an earnest and sincere request?”
Something about the way he said it churned her insides, but she
gave nothing away as she smiled brightly at him. Tilting his head in salute, he
raised his glass and touched it to hers, the sound of crystal sealing the deal.
Social Links:
Website/Blog: www.darcyflynnromances.com
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Buy Links for Darcy Flynn's other books:
Sealed With a Kiss: http://www.amazon.com/Sealed-With-Kiss-Prequel-Keeper-ebook/dp/B00HB7N13S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395275002&sr=8-1&keywords=Sealed+With+a+Kiss+by+darcy+flynn
Sealed With a Kiss: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/406072
Keeper of My Heart: http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-My-Heart-Darcy-Flynn-ebook/dp/B00775ITM2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1395275309&sr=1-1&keywords=keeper+of+my+heart+by+darcy+flynn
BIO:
Darcy Flynn is known
for her heartwarming, sweet contemporary romances. Her refreshing storylines,
irritatingly handsome heroes and feisty heroines will delight and entertain you
from the first page to the last. Miss Flynn’s heroes and heroines have a
tangible chemistry that is entertaining, humorous and competitive.
Darcy lives with her
husband, son, two English Setters and a menagerie of other living creatures on
her horse farm in Franklin, Tennessee. She raises rare breed chickens,
stargazes on warm summer nights and indulges daily in afternoon tea.
Fun premise! Those excerpts are great.
ReplyDeleteThank you Donna! I appreciate your stopping by! :)
DeleteLooks like a fun summer read!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Karen! :)
ReplyDelete