Spotlight on Accidentally Again by Sydney Lea (@AuthorSydneyLea @romancerebels69) #downanddirty #getdirty

by | May 21, 2018 | | 0 Comments

Down and Dirty

Coming May 22!!

Published by: Romance Rebels Publishing

Cover Artist:  Sinfully Sweet Designs

BLURB:

Get in, get down…and get filthy with these sexy, hardworking, blue-collar heroes who don’t mind when things get a little dirty at work or at play.

This collection of 22 brand new stories from USA Today and International Best-Selling authors is full of scorching hot romance tales that will be sure to leave you breathless for more. These men work hard and play even harder.

From cops to mechanics, miners to brewmasters, they aren’t afraid to go all in. At the end of the day, when they find the woman who completes them, they learn love and life can be as messy as their day jobs…and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Featuring stories from: Lori King, Maia Dylan, Sarah Marsh, Elena Kincaid, Cecile Tellier, London Saint James, Bella Settarra, Rose Nickol, RL Merrill, Ashley Malkin, Lucy Felthouse, Scarlett J Rose, Sydney Lea, CR Moss, Samantha A. Cole, Danielle James, Ava Campbell, Eva Moore, Kimberlie L. Faye, Sabrina Sol, Nikki Prince, and Mia Hopkins

PREORDER LINKS:

AMAZON US  I  AMAZON UK  I  AMAZON CA  I  AMAZON AU

IBOOKS  I  BARNES&NOBLE  I  KOBO

*****

Accidentally Again By Sydney Lea

BLURB:

She wanted to stay. He knew she needed to go.

Police officer Gabe Hannigan had always done the right thing and followed the rules. With the exception of one night with the girl he had always craved, Billie Shannon.

When Billie returns four years later to care for her sick father, she comes home with a secret she knew she couldn’t keep forever, leaving the pair with no choice but to come to terms with the consequences of their night together and the actions Gabe took to try and protect Billie’s future.

Can this lawman make things right with the woman he should never have let go? Will they overcome their past in order to fall in love accidentally again?​

*****

EXCERPT:

“I’m sorry.”

Billie tensed in my arms, pulling away enough to meet my eyes, her gaze unwavering as she read my face. Something inside me broke as I witnessed her withdraw and close in on herself. “Sorry?”

Shaking my head I tried to reach for her only to have her step further back. “Billie. I…”

“You what?” She clenched her teeth, anger building in her stormy blue eyes.

I sat up quickly, tugging on the sheet to keep myself covered in some ridiculous and far too late attempt to stay in control. “We shouldn’t have done that. I shouldn’t have done that.”

As soon as the words left my mount I instantly regretted them. They sounded all wrong and not how I wanted to explain myself. I tried again. “I just mea—”

“Don’t you fucking dare,” she snapped, cutting me off. I remained silent as I watched her consider her next words. Her body was tense and rigid even as she slid from the bed and reached for the nearest clothing. When she was dressed in pyjamas, she turned to me and wrapped her arms around herself as though placing a barrier between us. I couldn’t fault her for that. Honestly, I doubt I could have fucked up the situation more if I had been actively trying to come off as a selfish, uncaring dick. “I think you should leave.”

“Bi-”

“I said leave,” she ground out, glaring at me. “I didn’t ask for an excuse. I don’t want to hear another apology. I want you gone. It’s very simple, Deputy Hannigan.”

I winced at her formal address of me. She was putting up walls and while a large part of me knew I could break them before they fully formed, could try to fix this at least somewhat, another side realized this might be the perfect exit strategy. Cowardly sure, but effective. She needed to go, and she needed to have no hesitations in doing so.

Maybe it was more selfish to want to fix things and the best thing I could do for her was leave and not come back. I could be selfless, right?

Dressing quickly, I moved around her to leave and her flinch at my nearness was like a slap in the face. I forced myself to walk out of her bedroom and down the hallway, taking the final steps to the front door.

Opening it, I turned to her finding her already shaking her head. “Just go.”

I made it halfway done the path to the street where I had parked the patrol car, feeling her eyes on me the entire way before I broke. I had to make sure she wouldn’t change her mind, wouldn’t think there was a chance. I couldn’t be why she gave up her future. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but I am sorry. It was an accident, one that can’t happen again. You and me? We can never be something, we can never be what you want. You’ll be better off moving forward and never looking back.”

I glanced back to see her expression. Hurt warring with frustration. Not giving her a chance to respond a hastened my pace and slipped into the car, starting up the engine and pulling away from the curb even as I saw her move towards the vehicle.

“Fuck!” I shouted to myself, slamming my palm on the steering wheel. “I’m a selfish bastard.”

I should have just left. Selfish and a coward. Right then I knew, Billie would be better off without me.

*****

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sydney Lea is a married mother of two and an avid reader who enjoys falling in love with one book boyfriend after another. After years of dreaming up Mr Perfect, she has finally put pen to paper and created him herself. Whether your ideal man is a ​bad boy, law enforcement, shifter, vampire, cowboy or alien, she has something for everyone.

WEBSITE  I  FACEBOOK  I  TWITTER  I  INSTAGRAM

NEWSLETTER

 

FOLLOW DOWN  & DIRTY ON FACEBOOK

New Audiobook: What I Would Give to See You Again by @JewelQuinlan

by | May 20, 2018 | | 0 Comments

A Reverie Resort Vacation

Blurb:

Visit Reverie Resort, a luxury hotel on a tropical island where vacationers come to enjoy their wildest dreams but get more than they ever expected…

Vampire Ahram Bahar comes to Reverie Resort to experience his deepest wish; to relive a moment he had with a woman over one hundred years ago. In 1892, he was reunited with Angelica Meitner, his childhood friend and soul mate. It was a moment of deep love, exquisite tenderness, and a horrifying ending that has haunted him ever since. Now, he wants a chance to savor the good without the bad, but did he remember to tell the resort hosts?

Audiobook Details:

Listening Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Narrated by: Dene Woods

Listen to a sample on SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/jewel-quinlan/00-whatiwouldgivetoseeyouagain-retailaudiosample

 

Where to buy the audiobook:

Audible  |  iTunes  |  Amazon

 

Want the ebook instead? Get it here:

Amazon  |  iTunes  |  Kobo  |  Nook

Add it to your shelf on Goodreads

Enjoy this excerpt:

“I have to confess something, Angelica. I’ve never forgotten about you. As a boy, I remembered having feelings for you that were more than friendship, not that I could have said what they were. But seeing you now, I know it was the real thing. I loved you then and I still do now. I was really the one who pushed for this trip, not Serapis. I thought, if we came here, I might be lucky enough to find you. And I was, though in a completely unexpected way.”

She blinked rapidly and lifted the shawl from beside her to blot at the tears squeezing from the corners of her eyes. “This has to be a dream.” She sniffled. “You being here so suddenly…saying all the words I’ve imagined you saying.” She took in a shaky breath and looked up at him. “I never married because of you, you know.”

Ahram felt again the overwhelming surge of love that consumed him. It was twice now what it had been before because of all the longing he’d stored up for her over the past century. It was a tidal wave of emotion. He drew her into his arms and kissed her soft lips, felt her full breasts press against his chest, again memorizing the precious feel of her and the sensation of her lips against his. Unexpectedly, she parted her lips for him and their tongues slid against each other. Ah, she tasted so wonderful…delicious…

He broke the kiss.

 

About the Author:

Restless by nature, Jewel Quinlan is an avid traveler and has visited sixteen countries so far. Lover of ice cream, dark beer, and red wine she tries to stay fit when she’s not typing madly on her computer concocting another romance novel. In her spare time, she likes to do yoga, hike, learn German, and play with her spoiled Chihuahua, Penny.

For more information about Jewel Quinlan

Website | Facebook | Twitter  | Tumblr | Goodreads | Amazon | Instagram

Or join Jewel’s newsletter if you just want to get the most important updates

Are You Ready for Good With His Hands? #downanddirty #getdirty

by | May 20, 2018 | | 0 Comments

Hi all,

I can’t believe it’s just two days until the Down and Dirty set releases. As I’m sure you already know, if you pre-order, you’ll guarantee the price of 99c, but it will go up soon after release, so be quick! If you haven’t been tempted already, maybe these teasers from my story, Good With His Hands, will get that clicking finger going!

Pre-order your copy here: http://books2read.com/downanddirty

Happy Reading!

Lucy x

Spotlight on Sweet Addiction by Sarah Marsh (@SM_Fiction @romancerebels69) #downanddirty #getdirty

by | May 19, 2018 | | 0 Comments

Down and Dirty

Coming May 22!!

Published by: Romance Rebels Publishing

Cover Artist:  Sinfully Sweet Designs

BLURB:

Get in, get down…and get filthy with these sexy, hardworking, blue-collar heroes who don’t mind when things get a little dirty at work or at play.

This collection of 22 brand new stories from USA Today and International Best-Selling authors is full of scorching hot romance tales that will be sure to leave you breathless for more. These men work hard and play even harder.

From cops to mechanics, miners to brewmasters, they aren’t afraid to go all in. At the end of the day, when they find the woman who completes them, they learn love and life can be as messy as their day jobs…and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Featuring stories from: Lori King, Maia Dylan, Sarah Marsh, Elena Kincaid, Cecile Tellier, London Saint James, Bella Settarra, Rose Nickol, RL Merrill, Ashley Malkin, Lucy Felthouse, Scarlett J Rose, Sydney Lea, CR Moss, Samantha A. Cole, Danielle James, Ava Campbell, Eva Moore, Kimberlie L. Faye, Sabrina Sol, Nikki Prince, and Mia Hopkins

PREORDER LINKS:

AMAZON US  I  AMAZON UK  I  AMAZON CA  I  AMAZON AU

IBOOKS  I  BARNES&NOBLE  I  KOBO

*****

Sweet Addiction By Sarah Marsh

BLURB:

The opportunity to build her own future and start over is exactly what Sasha needs. Moving to the small town of Digby to open up a pastry shop is more than enough to make her happy, or so she thought. What she wasn’t counting on was the sexy rancher that seems to have quite an interest in her, for far more than her baking skills.

Sasha has exactly what Declan needs to take care of his sweet tooth, and any other hungers that may arise…if she has the courage to show it. He’s figured out that Sasha is gun shy when it comes to men, but with some patience, he hopes to sneak past her walls and show her that he’s in it for more than just dessert. When his past comes calling, will Sasha open up and trust him, or will she shut her heart down for good?

*****

EXCERPT:

“Thank you for walking me.”

“Of course, everyone knows how shifty this town is,” he winked. “I wanted to make sure you didn’t get abducted or roughed up by one of the street gangs from the senior’s home down the way.”

“Wow… I had no idea,” she had a tough time keeping a straight face. “I guess I better stop walking around with my knitting needles and bags of yarn, it’s just asking to get mugged.”

“It’s okay, I’ll keep you safe,” he managed with his most serious tone as they came to a stop in front of the stairs to her apartment. Declan moved in closer, taking her other hand, twining her fingers in his own.

“That’s very nice of you,” her breathy whisper made his own heart beat faster as he searched her face for permission to do what he was aching to.

****

Sasha felt like she could barely breathe, the warm spicy scent of Declan surrounded her as he leaned in closer. She’d spent most of the night wondering if his lips would be as soft as they looked, and she was now almost desperate to find out.

“Well,” his green eyes searched hers before they wandered lower, seeming to follow her tongue as she absently ran it over her lower lip, “I have to admit, it’s partially a selfish motivation—if you get attacked by senior citizens, I wouldn’t be able to do this…”

Declan’s mouth softly touched her own, and she sucked in a breath. His skin was so warm everywhere it moved against hers, and without her even realizing it, her fingers were suddenly tangled in the silky black hair at the nape of his neck. He seemed to approve if the low groan that escaped him was any indication, and when his tongue rubbed against her lips, she eagerly opened, loving the wild taste of him.

“Sasha,” the low timbre of his voice made goosebumps wash over her body, “you feel so perfect in my arms.”

Those words only made her control unravel even faster, and she pulled his mouth back down to her own, exploring as ardently as he was. She felt a wall at her back and realized he’d backed her into the alcove beside the door. When his body finally stopped, she could feel the hard length of him against her stomach, and her body flooded with heat, knowing that he wanted her as much as she ached for him.

She moved her hips closer, and Declan swallowed her groan as the hot ridge of his cock moved against her sensitive clit, setting off a round of fireworks in her body. One of his large hands moved along her back until it settled comfortably on her ass, pulling her even closer as his talented mouth moved to nibble along the side of her neck.

Sasha couldn’t think, her body was on fire with need for this man, and when his lips stopped moving, she couldn’t stifle her whimper of protest. Declan’s forehead moved to rest on her own, and she loved that he was as breathless as she was. He also hadn’t let her go, and the feel of his strong frame against her own was almost as intoxicating as his kisses.

“I need to go… before I end up doing something on the street my momma would kill me for.” He sighed loudly before placing one more, gentle kiss on her lips and stepping back to release her. “I have dinner with my parents tomorrow, but can I see you on Tuesday night?”

Sasha didn’t really trust her voice at that moment, so she simply nodded, still incredibly distracted by this man’s presence. She wanted to take his hand and drag him up to her home… to her bed, but she’d never been the aggressor before in sexual situations, and as soon as she hesitated, the old voices in her head undermined her passion.

“Do you want to come for dinner?” she cleared her throat and smiled up at him. “We could watch a movie after?”

“I’d love to, that sounds perfect.”

He leaned down and placed one more kiss on her lips, groaning as she kissed him back before he retreated once more. “What are you doing to me, Sasha?” The whispered words made her smile as he opened the door and watched her walk up the stairs to her apartment.

“I have no idea…” she muttered back, her libido on fire and a perma-grin on her face.

I might not know exactly what I’m doing, but whatever it is… I know I want more of it.

*****

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Marsh was born in British Columbia, she’s only recently began her writing career finding it the perfect outlet for taking the edge off a nine to five job. She’s a science fiction and romance junkie and when her imagination started to take the characters she’d read about even further in their adventures she decided to try writing something of her own.

When it comes to life in general she’s a big believer that laughter is the best medicine and that there’s no such thing as too much love, which is why she’s such a sucker for a happy ending.

WEBSITE  I  FACEBOOK  I  TWITTER  I  INSTAGRAM

NEWSLETTER

 

FOLLOW DOWN & DIRTY ON FACEBOOK

Bound to Favor by @KiruTaye #ContemporaryRomance #LBASPromos #OneClick @lovebitessilk

by | May 18, 2018 | | 1 Comment

Bound to FavorBLURB

Kamali Danladi has sworn never to get married again. But his meddling mother is bent on hitching him to any eligible female that comes along to the next family gathering. There’s only one thing for it. Get fake-hitched to his executive assistant. If anyone is more averse to marriage than he is, it’s her. So they’ll be perfect together. Or at least, they’ll fake perfect together.

Ebun Forson doesn’t do families. She certainly doesn’t do festivities. So when she has to spend a week playing fiancée to her boss, how is she going to cope with the extensive Danladi kinsfolk without breaking out in hives? Her next shopping trip funded by the bonus he’s giving her should more than make up for the inconvenience.

However, she soon finds the real threat is to her heart. The dark and intense Kamali behaves as if he sees through to her soul, making her almost forget that this is all an act. In any case, someone with a past like hers doesn’t deserve a happy ever after, surely.

Bound to Favor is a story about learning to heal from emotional pain and finding love in the most unexpected places.

BUY LINKS

Amazon: http://ow.ly/giYP30jKkUu

Kobo: http://ow.ly/e5rO30jKkX1

B & N: http://ow.ly/D6VH30jKkYX

iBooks: http://ow.ly/PeFS30jKl1n

Okadabooks: http://ow.ly/KOds30jKl5g

Goodreads: http://ow.ly/kVVz30jKl96

*****

EXCERPT

“Oh, don’t you dare patronise me. I am not your fiancée. I’m not polished or elegant enough to be considered your wife. According to your family the only reason you would consider me is if I were pregnant.”

He moved and sat at the edge of the bed. “Don’t mind my sisters. Their opinions don’t matter.”

“So if I discount your sisters, what about you?” She waved her hand in the air at him.

“What about me?” His eyes narrowed as his brows creased.

“I’ve worked with you for two years and you’ve never even noticed me, never paid me any attention other than for work. I’m here now because you need a fake fiancée. Your sisters think we’ve been having sex in the office. If only they knew you wouldn’t touch me with a barge pole.”

She suddenly had no wish to hide her emotions about him, as anger bolstered her resolve.

“You think I never noticed you all these years?” Kamali asked in a gravelly voice that carried a warning.

Ebun halted before she reached the door to the bathroom. Heart racing, she folded her arms around her midriff to hide their trembling and didn’t turn to face him.

“When you’re deep in concentration you bite your bottom lip until it turns pink,” he continued, his tone deeper than normal. “When you smile, a dimple appears on your left cheek … and when you’re excited, your brown eyes sparkle like gold dust.”

So enthralled by his words, she hadn’t heard his approaching footsteps until her back prickled with his body heat.

“Ebunoluwa, I notice you every goddamned day.”

His candour undid her, and smashed through defences she’d erected around her. All the while she’d thought he’d overlooked her, he’d been paying attention. Warmth seeped into her heart and tingled across her chest.

What could she say to him? ‘Thank you’ seemed inadequate and inappropriate.

In any case, it wasn’t gratitude making her pulse accelerate and her body tremble as she turned around.

Her heart slammed against her ribs when she met Kamali’s burning gaze.

The intensity of his stare pinned her to the spot and she couldn’t move.

“Granted, we’re here now because I need your help. But it doesn’t take away the fact that you are a beautiful woman. There’s no way anybody will not notice you. Trust me.”

Before she could assimilate his words, his lips descended on her. First it was a light brush against hers from one edge to the other. But in that heart-stopping moment, her lips parted as she wanted closer contact, the urge to taste him increasing by the second.

He didn’t disappoint her. His tongue delved into her mouth. Plundered and possessed her. She yielded and opened up. Welcomed the heat, and the intensity.

He unleashed repressed feelings, allowing passion to reign supreme.

Her fingers clutched his shirt, clinging on, needing his solidity to keep her standing when her knees threatened to give way.

 He was her anchor keeping her grounded in a world where she was boneless and about to float away.

He broke the kiss and whispered against her lips, “Look at what you do to me.”

The deep timbre of his voice made her heart race as his fingers gripped the nape and tilted her head back.

“If you knew the thoughts in my head, the things I want to do to you, to your beautiful body,” he continued.

She breathed in short bursts, his words as electrifying as his touch. He thought she had a beautiful body?

There was no mistaking the lust in his dark gaze. But there was something else, enthralling and revealing, all at the same time.

“You want me?” She couldn’t hide the surprise in her voice. She’d just had the most exhilarating kiss of her life. Was there a chance for more?

“Yes. Don’t look so surprised. I’ve wanted you from the first day I met you. But I swore I wouldn’t touch you.” His thumb stroked the sensitive skin of her neck.

The weight on her chest fizzled away leaving her lightheaded as her pulse sped up and adrenaline rushed through her.

“I thought…” Her mouth had dried out. She licked her lip and swallowed. “I thought you didn’t want me. Couldn’t want me. Look at me, I’m not pretty.”

“Ebunoluwa,” his voice suddenly took on a stern, warning tone. “Don’t ever say that. You are beautiful.”

She shook her head. He had to say it to cheer her up.

How could he describe her as beautiful? His sisters were beautiful. The woman they’d called Laila was beautiful.

He gripped her hand and tugged it down. “Do you need proof of how beautiful you are, of how much I want you?”

She lowered her gaze to his groin before he placed her hand on the bulge tenting his trousers. He was hard and hot under the fabric.

“This is what you do to me every time I see you.”

“Really?” she asked in a breathless voice.

“Yes,” his voice sounded gruff as if he was fighting for control.

Desire burnt away the last of her inhibitions. Feeling emboldened, she stroked his turgid length through the linen.

His groan rumbled around them, his eyes gleaming. “If you keep doing that, I’m going to come. But I’d rather do it while buried inside you.”

*****

CONNECT WITH KIRU

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKiruTaye

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/KiruTaye

Website: http://www.kirutaye.com/

Google+: https://www.google.com/+Kirutaye

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kirutaye/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirutaye/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5242699.Kiru_Taye

*****

GIVEAWAY!

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Spotlight on Mud and Honey by R.L. Merrill (@rlmerrillauthor @romancerebels69) #downanddirty #getdirty

by | May 17, 2018 | | 0 Comments

Down and Dirty

Coming May 22!!

Published by: Romance Rebels Publishing

Cover Artist:  Sinfully Sweet Designs

BLURB:

Get in, get down…and get filthy with these sexy, hardworking, blue-collar heroes who don’t mind when things get a little dirty at work or at play.

This collection of 22 brand new stories from USA Today and International Best-Selling authors is full of scorching hot romance tales that will be sure to leave you breathless for more. These men work hard and play even harder.

From cops to mechanics, miners to brewmasters, they aren’t afraid to go all in. At the end of the day, when they find the woman who completes them, they learn love and life can be as messy as their day jobs…and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Featuring stories from: Lori King, Maia Dylan, Sarah Marsh, Elena Kincaid, Cecile Tellier, London Saint James, Bella Settarra, Rose Nickol, RL Merrill, Ashley Malkin, Lucy Felthouse, Scarlett J Rose, Sydney Lea, CR Moss, Samantha A. Cole, Danielle James, Ava Campbell, Eva Moore, Kimberlie L. Faye, Sabrina Sol, Nikki Prince, and Mia Hopkins

PREORDER LINKS:

AMAZON US  I  AMAZON UK  I  AMAZON CA  I  AMAZON AU

IBOOKS  I  BARNES&NOBLE  I  KOBO

*****

Mud and Honey by R.L. Merrill

BLURB:

A deputy sheriff and a tree trimmer meet during storm cleanup on a treacherous road and literally fall for each other in the line of duty. Calvin wants to explore their connection and Flor is game. Then things get sticky when his hard-earned sobriety is threatened and her pride is bruised. Their chemistry can’t be ignored, but can they get past their personal obstacles? It’ll take some getting dirty to get to the sweet in this story of broken hearts and fresh starts.

*****

EXCERPT:

So that’s how I found myself parked on Crow Canyon road, blocking part of a lane, waving traffic through a coned-off area where Alcosta County Public Works was trying to remove a downed tree that, if left to hang there, would end up in the middle of traffic the next time it rained. The hillside looked awfully close to sliding right down on top of us, it was so saturated, but I supposed that’s why the good old sheriff’s department was out here keeping the public safe.

Cars flew by, ignoring signs to slow down, and my field training officer, Sergeant Diaz, warned me this could be a seriously hazardous situation. Diaz and I had thrown down some flares to hopefully grab the attention of drivers multitasking in their SUVs. Maybe we needed to put up a Starbucks sign. People sure as hell seemed to stop for that.

I couldn’t help but be distracted myself. Way up high on the hillside, a lone tree trimmer was strung up in the tree, trying to cut back some limbs that had fractured but hadn’t dropped. The guy’d been up there for at least two hours and the crew kept a close eye on his progress. He’d come down a few minutes prior and was on his way up the second tree, and for the life of me, I couldn’t help but watch the graceful way he managed to climb the ropes like some sort of acrobat in Cirque du Soleil. He was obviously experienced. I turned back to watch the traffic but I kept glancing back, captivated by his movements.

The wind picked up and howled through the canyon, causing his ropes to sway. Someone in his crew shouted at him in Spanish and he flipped them off. I chuckled to myself at their camaraderie before I turned back around.

In time to see my life flash before my eyes.

Diaz shouted as the SUV heading right for us skidded at a forty-five-degree angle. The driver overcorrected and clipped our patrol car, causing the front end to slam into me and knock me backward. The SUV crashed into the trees, one of which the trimmer was suspended from.

Everyone froze as that tree groaned and lurched sideways, falling into the tree next to it. The trimmer dangled between the two, frantically trying to grab on to one or the other. He swung into the tree that the car hit and it creaked ominously, shifting farther into the other one, so he let go. He swung to the other tree and wrapped his arms and legs around the trunk.

And just like that everyone sprang into action. Except me. I was still trying to catch my breath from where the fall had knocked the wind out of me. Diaz ran to my side.

“Sonofabitch, Graham! You alright dude? You went down hella hard.”

I nodded as I coughed and gestured for him to help me up. He was shorter than my six feet three inches, but he was a stocky guy and he had me on my feet in no time.

“Paramedics are on their way. You need to get checked out.”

I did a quick assessment: bruised ribs and hip on one side, and both hands scraped. Maybe a little road rash, but other than that, I was fine.

“Let’s check the driver.”

Diaz cursed under his breath and ran with me over to the SUV, now crumpled against the tree.

The airbag had deployed and the woman was groaning when we got to her side. With her cell phone clutched tightly in her hand.

“Ma’am, are you alright?” Diaz asked as I checked the backseat.

Fuck. She had two kids in booster seats. They were both crying, but neither looked hurt.

“My car just started skidding. I don’t know what happened,” she said over and over. Diaz and I both shook our heads, knowing exactly why she didn’t know what happened.

California had adopted strict hands-free laws this year, and since the lady’s car was fairly new, it most definitely was equipped with hands-free or Bluetooth technology. She was one of those holdouts who made things dangerous for the rest of us.

I opened the rear door and looked into the biggest blue eyes I’d ever seen.

“Hey sweetie, are you alright? Did you bump your head?”

The little girl clutched her American Girl doll to her and shook her head, her cries settling down to whimpers and sniffles.

Her little brother was still wailing away. He looked to be a little younger than her, maybe two to her four years old. She looked over to him and held out her hand. He took it and squeezed, continuing to cry.

“I don’t know what happened,” the mother was still mumbling.

“Ma’am, the ambulance is on the way, do you feel like you can—”

A cracking noise came from the other tree her car had smashed against and it shifted, jolting the car. Diaz and I exchanged looks and began moving quickly. He went for the driver’s seatbelt while I fumbled with the car-seat buckle on the little girl’s seat.

“Honey, I need to get you out of this car, okay? I’m going to get your brother out first and then I want you to wrap your arms around my neck so I can carry you both, okay? We need to hurry.”

She nodded, her big blue eyes growing even wider. I leaned across her and started working on her brother’s buckle, but he just screamed louder for his mommy and slapped at my hands.

Diaz got the mother out of the car but she was so out of it she didn’t seem to notice her kids were still inside. I worked frantically to get the boy out of his seat, finally springing the buckle from the latch and moving quickly to scoop him up into my arms.

I heard another crack and then shouts from the public works crew.

The little girl snaked her arms around my neck and I backed out of the SUV with both kids in my arms. I managed to get several steps away as the tree groaned once more and fell forward onto the car.

The tree trimmer screamed as the rope, which was caught in the second tree, pulled his legs away from the tree he was holding on to.

That was a female scream.

That’s a woman up there!

*****

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Once upon a time… a teacher, tattoo collector, mom, and rock ’n’ roll kinda gal opened up a doc and started purging her demons. Several books later, R.L. Merrill is still striving to find that perfect balance between real life and happily ever after. You can find her lurking on social media where she loves connecting with readers, educating America’s youth, being a mom taxi to two busy kids, in the tattoo chair trying desperately to get that back piece finished, or head banging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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