Today I have an excerpt for you from a new paranormal romance story by Tricia Schneider. The story, "Stranded with the Jaguar", is part of a new anthology, "Midsummer Night Shifts".
Tricia Schneider is a multi-genre romance author. From werewolves, vampires and witches to wicked pirates and sexy aliens, she weaves sensual stories where happily-ever-after is a guarantee. She firmly believes there is a book for everyone. A sentiment she gained after years of working as assistant manager and bookseller at Waldenbooks (I spent sooo much money at that store ~ Bea). After the store closed, she turned to writing full-time, publishing all kinds of romance such as paranormal, historical, fantasy, sci-fi and gothic romances.
Tricia lives in Pennsylvania with her four children and two rescued cats, Harley and Cassius. When she’s not typing away on her laptop, she’s riding shotgun in a ’67 Impala while keeping her eyes open for a madman in a Big Blue Box.
Find Tricia online:
She couldn’t think about anything other than that damned kiss.
“I’ll tell you what,” Beckett said, getting her attention. “We need to relight this fire. You want to get some more fuel for it?”
Lara nodded. That she could do. She spent the next several minutes lost in thought as she searched for dry wood to burn. When she returned, Beckett had finished cleaning the fish. She helped stack the wood for the campfire as she’d seen him do, and once it was lit, he set about cooking the fish.
In the meantime, Lara gathered her courage to pursue her plans for this evening. If she wanted to be a wild, tempting seductress, this was her chance. She couldn’t let it slip through her fingers. Rescue could appear at any moment, taking away the last chance she’d get to feel this man’s lips against hers.
Once the fish was done cooking, they both ate by the fire, staring out at the ocean. Lara took in the beauty of nature surrounding them. It was the perfect location for a seduction.
When she suggested a shot of tequila, it was more to calm her jittery nerves. Beckett handed her the bottle. She gratefully took a few sips of the liquid, welcoming the warmth as it slid through her veins. Then sipped some more.
Beckett was unaware of her nervousness. He sat by the fire, enjoying the view of the sun’s descent. She saw his jaw clench a few times, and she wondered at that. He glanced suspiciously at the sky.
“Do you hear something?” She asked, thinking he might have heard a plane overhead.
“What?” He glanced at her, his brow furrowed in question.
“You keep looking at the sky.”
“Oh, no, I… uh… just noticed the moon.”
She’d noticed it, too. Growing large and round, reflecting the sun’s light from so high above. “It’s full tonight.”
“Yeah…” He said although he didn’t sound thrilled about it. “It is…”
Okay, she thought. Not as romantic as she’d hoped. She took another mouthful of tequila. This wasn’t going as smoothly as she’d hoped.
After the way he’d behaved with her earlier… with that kiss… she’d thought it would be easy enough to toss her hair over her shoulder, bat her long eyelashes in his direction and then call to him with the crook of her finger.
Not so much. He wasn’t paying her as much attention as she desired, and she wasn’t sure how to get him to look her way without making it so obvious.
Cecily’s voice haunted her brain, insisting she should stand and start stripping her clothes off her body. What man could say no to that?
Instead, Lara continued to sip the tequila and dream about the many scenarios that could play out in this situation.
“Are you tired?” Beckett’s voice shocked her. They’d been sitting in silence for a long time. “You look tired. Why don’t you get some sleep?”
“I’m not sleepy.” Lara’s senses tingled with awareness. Although, that might be because of the effects of the tequila. She didn’t care. All she knew was that she wanted to feel Beckett’s lips against her, kissing her, licking her in all those secret places.
She inhaled sharply at the thought.
“Are you sure?” Beckett leaned closer.
“How’s your head?” Lara asked, glancing at the scratch on Beckett’s temple. They were close enough that she could reach out a hand to touch him. Gently, she placed her hand on his cheek, getting a better look at the wound. “D-does it hurt?”
“It’s fine,” he said. “I’m fine.”
“G-good.”
Now. She should lean forward, kiss him… now.
Publisher: Dangerous Words Publishing
Release Date: July 16th, 2020
Formats: Kindle
Buying Links: Amazon* | * associate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.
Beckett was unaware of her nervousness. He sat by the fire, enjoying the view of the sun’s descent. She saw his jaw clench a few times, and she wondered at that. He glanced suspiciously at the sky.
“Do you hear something?” She asked, thinking he might have heard a plane overhead.
“What?” He glanced at her, his brow furrowed in question.
“You keep looking at the sky.”
“Oh, no, I… uh… just noticed the moon.”
She’d noticed it, too. Growing large and round, reflecting the sun’s light from so high above. “It’s full tonight.”
“Yeah…” He said although he didn’t sound thrilled about it. “It is…”
Okay, she thought. Not as romantic as she’d hoped. She took another mouthful of tequila. This wasn’t going as smoothly as she’d hoped.
After the way he’d behaved with her earlier… with that kiss… she’d thought it would be easy enough to toss her hair over her shoulder, bat her long eyelashes in his direction and then call to him with the crook of her finger.
Not so much. He wasn’t paying her as much attention as she desired, and she wasn’t sure how to get him to look her way without making it so obvious.
Cecily’s voice haunted her brain, insisting she should stand and start stripping her clothes off her body. What man could say no to that?
Instead, Lara continued to sip the tequila and dream about the many scenarios that could play out in this situation.
“Are you tired?” Beckett’s voice shocked her. They’d been sitting in silence for a long time. “You look tired. Why don’t you get some sleep?”
“I’m not sleepy.” Lara’s senses tingled with awareness. Although, that might be because of the effects of the tequila. She didn’t care. All she knew was that she wanted to feel Beckett’s lips against her, kissing her, licking her in all those secret places.
She inhaled sharply at the thought.
“Are you sure?” Beckett leaned closer.
“How’s your head?” Lara asked, glancing at the scratch on Beckett’s temple. They were close enough that she could reach out a hand to touch him. Gently, she placed her hand on his cheek, getting a better look at the wound. “D-does it hurt?”
“It’s fine,” he said. “I’m fine.”
“G-good.”
Now. She should lean forward, kiss him… now.
***************
Stranded with the Jaguar by Tricia Schneiderwithin the pages ofMidsummer Night Shifts: A Limited Edition Summer Shifter Romance CollectionBlurb:Overworked and newly divorced, single mom Lara Harper needs more than a vacation—she needs a complete getaway where she can forget life’s woes. Craving escape, she books an island fling to feel sexy and alive again. When her plane crashes on a desert island, she wonders if her dream has come true with the sexy pilot who saves her life. It’s just the two of them, stranded in paradise… until she discovers they aren’t the only inhabitants on this island.There’s a wild jaguar stalking her.Flyboy… loner… jaguar. After a deadly attack by a shifter, Beckett has escaped to the paradise of the Caribbean islands. His solace is interrupted when Lara Harper crashes into his life. Together, they must fight to survive until rescue arrives… if it arrives. In the meantime, he must hide the secret that sent him seeking solitude in the first place.But, of course, tonight is a full moon…Unleash the beast within!
Fall in love with shifters stalking through the moonlit heat of a summer night.
Join the hunt as these shifters slide through the shadows unseen, stalk their enemies, pursue their loves, and take down their prey.
Sink your teeth into 20+ stories of hot city streets, steamy tropical jungles, pack politics, and fated mates as the heroes and heroines embrace their inner animals.
Publisher: Dangerous Words Publishing
Release Date: July 16th, 2020
Formats: Kindle
Buying Links: Amazon* | * associate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.
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