Releasing in print on Friday!
Chaos is the second book in my
Cosmic Connections series. It’s more fun if you read
Questing first but it’s not really necessary. I have to tell you this couple may be the most entertaining of all my characters. They were a blast to work with. They argued inside my head the entire time I was writing their story, causing lots of laughter at the most inappropriate moments. It’s been some time since I’ve read this so I may curl up with the kitties this weekend and read it while it rains. Join me!
Blurb - When Shane McKade wakes up, trapped in bed, handcuffed to his brand new cousin-in-law, all he’s interesting in is getting them free so they can indulge in more mind-blowing sex. The woman aggravates him no end when clothed so better to keep her naked.
Alyssa Campini couldn’t agree more. Ever since she spent time on the street, capturing young gang members on film, McKade has been a thorn in her side. His only redeeming feature is that he comes through on his promise to deliver twenty four orgasms in twenty four hours.
Things get complicated, however, when Shane is shot protecting one of Alyssa’s gang kids while she’s off photographing tornados with a team of storm chasers. With their lives at stake, both are forced to reevaluate just what it is they really have together.
Excerpt - The clanking of metal against metal shattered the early morning silence. Shane McKade felt the stiffness in his shoulder and the pressure on his wrist as he tried, unsuccessfully, to lower his arm.
A feminine groan, followed by an extremely unfeminine string of obscenities, came from beneath the covers next to him. “What the fuck are you trying to do, McKade, pull my arm off?”
Shane’s brown eyes locked with luminescent green. He muttered his own set of obscenities. “Campini? What the hell are you doing here?”
“I was sleeping until you so rudely woke me.”
“This isn’t happening. I must be dreaming. Yeah, that’s it. I’m dreaming.”
“Why?” Alyssa Campini glared at him. “Is finding me in your bed so repulsive? That’s not what you implied last night.”
“Yes. No. Damn! I don’t fucking believe this.” Shane managed to sit up, relieving some of the tension on his shoulder.
Alyssa squirmed upward to face him. “What, exactly don’t you believe? The fact that we ended up here at all or the fact that I didn’t slink off during the night, as I assume, from your reaction, your other partners do? In case you haven’t noticed, that was impossible but if me being here annoys you so much uncuff me and I’ll go.”
“Uncuff you?” he said with disbelief.
“What?” she demanded, scowling.
“Me. Uncuff you. As in, you didn’t grab the key last night with the cuffs.”
His words sank in. “Where is it?”
“Over there, on the dresser, with my badge and cell phone.” He pointed to the other side of the room. “And, for reasons I’ll never understand, you weren’t happy to hook us to just the bed. No, that we could have managed. You just had to be thorough and loop the cuffs around the pipe too.”
“Why is that pipe there anyway?”
“It’s an old building, who knows?”
“Well? What are you going to do?”
“What am I going to do?”
“Yes, you. You’re the cop. Do something!”
“I’m the cop?”
“You know, McKade, this habit you’ve developed of repeating everything I say is getting old. It’s not helping. Can’t you pick the lock somehow?”
“I could if I had a paperclip maybe. We’re in bed, Campini.”
“I know where we are. Don’t you have something in your nightstand you can use?”
“I doubt it but shift your arm this way as far as you can and I’ll look.” Alyssa pushed her hand behind the pipe in order to give him as much leverage as she could. “Nothing.”
“Where’s your gun? I thought all cops slept with their guns under their pillows.”
“You watch too much TV. My gun is locked in my gun safe where it belongs. What good would it do us anyway?”
“You could shoot off the link between the cuffs.” Shane stared in disbelief. “Come on, McKade. Do something! You’re the cop.”
“You keep saying that like its significant. Yes, Campini, I am a cop. That doesn’t make me Houdini. You’re a photographer. Why don’t you come up with something?”
“Argh,” she growled in frustration. “This is all your fault!”
“My fault! You’re the one who snapped on the cuffs.”
“Well, you sure as hell didn’t stop me! In fact, you didn’t seem to think any of this was such a bad idea last night.”
“Yeah, well, it was different last night.”
“Why?” she demanded hotly.
“I don’t know. Maybe it was the romantic feel of the entire day or the moonlight on the patio while we were dancing or that you looked so soft and feminine in that dress.”
“Oh so that’s why you started kissing me.”
“No, I kissed you to stop you from biting my head off every other minute.”
“What’s your excuse for bringing me here?”
“Lust? Why did you come with me?”
“Your kisses had me hot. I wanted you. When I want someone and he’s willing and unattached, I see no need to be shy.”
“You, shy.” he snorted. “Now that’s a laugh.”
I spent much of my day reading a book. One that I wrote that I have yet to submit to my editor. It's been so long since I looked at it that I'd forgotten huge chunks so it was like reading something someone else wrote. I was amazed to find myself enjoying it as much as I did. Generally, I am very critical of my writing. But, as I said, I don't remember writing much of this one.
