In my romantic
suspense series, Dr. Nick Franklin showed up for work with some baggage.
Handsome, and
recently burned by a torturous relationship with a snake of a girlfriend, (one
of my favorite scenes in Careful…) the last thing Nick wants to deal with is
the prospect of another relationship.
Working as a
famous New York City television psychologist, when Nick runs into Evie
Longfellow running from the mob his first thoughts are to get her to safety.
Then the idea of soaring ratings present themselves – if he can get Evie on his
television set she just might be the story of a lifetime. One of the FBI’s Most
Wanted criminals is stalking Evie, and Nick knows violence like this makes for
great TV.
He gets a chance
to make a character arc and redeem himself – Evie is hard not to love. She’s
kick-ass, defiant, and she’s no shrinking violet. It just so happens Evie is
the one person Nick’s family back in Vermont are dying to get to know – she’s
their favorite crime-fiction author.
The other baggage
Nick gets to deal with in Careful… is his older-than-dirt family argument. His
sister Meg wants Nick to move back to Vermont and get the hell out of New York
City. Wrangling his older sister and her snappy, bad-assed vigor for the
good-life in Vermont is a real issue, and rife with sibling rivalry.
Nick steps up to
bat and does the right thing in this woman-in-peril story. He changes from
someone who’s focused on taking care of himself to a hero who takes care of
business. The relationship Nick and Evie develop is hot, and wonderful, and
exactly the prescription this doctor needs to help him become the hero he
deserves to be.
Check out this
steamy deep cut from Careful What You Wish For…
Chapter 41
Careful…
His
hand was a beacon of strength. Evie held tight, wrapping her arm around his as
they ascended the cabin stairs. He opened the door, his slender fingers at the
curve of her back, guiding her inside. When he released her to shut the door,
she paused, hating the separation.
He turned to
meet her. She crowded him against the door. She caught a flare of concern light
his eyes. They darted, looking for escape. She had two choices – let him run
for it, or press the issue. She pinned arms on either side of him. “Just what
the hell is going on here, Nick?”
He pivoted,
thrust his arms under hers and spun her around. Now her body was pinned against
the door, one massive hand cradling her head. His eyes glittered. “Careful…”
Nick’s warning
snapped clear. No match for his strength, trembling hands reached for his hips,
pulling him closer. She was done with careful. She wanted him. Now.
Masculine lips
crushed down on hers. He ground his hips into her soft belly, and she pressed
back, shuddering from the intimate contact. Liquid warmth flooded her center. Don’t get your motor purring – he’s just gonna pull away again.
She pushed, whirled out of his arms, and stalked off into the house.
Heavy male
footsteps pursued. Evie’s eyes flared, and she spun to meet his hungry advance.
She held out a hand. He pulled up short, an expression of lust and confusion
whipping across his face. “See what if feels like, you pulling away from me.”
She’d reached her limit – if she was going to die tomorrow, either by giving
her freedom to the Feds, or worse, facing those men who came after Jennifer,
then by God, she would have him tonight.
He reached for
her. She flushed back. He advanced, but she whipped around the couch. Hard-to-get’s teasing the animal inside him. Yell at him or something.
“I’m nothing but a story to you.” She had to make him react.
His head threw
her a firm no.
Evie thrust a
hand in the air. “This will never work! How many women do you have waiting on
you?” Evie assumed that’s why he refused to follow through.
Anger blazed in
his eyes. First a scowl, then his expression went livid. “Hundreds.”
Evie’s eyes
narrowed. “Then why the hell are you fucking with my head?”
He squared his
shoulders, pulled up to full height. Erotic images flickered through Evie’s
head at the sight of his body, the perfect blending of male DNA. She wanted to
exploit that. Had to break his resistance. Warm red heat flushed up her neck,
colored her face. She planted her hands on hips, jutted her chin. “Go back and
hide in your own world and stay the hell out of mine.”
One long leg
moved. Nick stormed the couch in two steps, up and over the back, violating the
barrier separating them. She tried for a shriek, but he was on her so fast the
sound barely made a gasp. He latched one arm around her waist, scooped knees up
with the other, and stalked off with his prize to the bedroom.
Careful What You Wish For…
The Wishes Chronicles
Book 1
Paula Millhouse
Genre: Romantic Suspense
ISBN 13: 978-1468029567
ASIN: BOO63XNT6K
Number of pages: 368
Word Count: 66K
Cover Artist: Paula Millhouse
Book Description:
Author Evie Longfellow wants to stay alive long enough to write her fourth New York Times Best Seller. She accepts a blind date that changes everything sane in her life. Drugged, kidnapped, and horrified Evie escapes and runs for her life with evidence the FBI needs to nail one of their most wanted.
TV Psychologist Dr. Nick Franklin wants to help Evie with her goals. He hides her from a sadistic mafia kingpin, and even though he doesn’t trust his judgment when it comes to the diagnosis of love, he senses Evie may just be the story of his life.
Hit man Tony Aiello plans to do whatever it takes to protect Miss Aida Marino and her Fortune 500 company. He chases Evie and Nick from New York City to the wilds of rural Vermont to recover the stolen evidence threatening to take Miss Aida down, and faces off with evil in a showdown that brings hometown justice to life.
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All Your Wishes…
The Wishes Chronicles
Book 2
Paula Millhouse
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Thriller
ISBN-13: 978-1468069402
ASIN: BOO6HJ72E
Number of pages: 348
Word Count: 61K
Cover Artist: Paula Millhouse
Book Description:
A Christmas Story to warm your heart.
Dr. Nick Franklin finds himself falling hard for the love of his life, Evie Longfellow. Hunted by a mafia princess, Evie’s terrified something’s wrong, and revenge won’t let her rest.
Tia Marino figures the person who killed her father is his last victim - Evie Longfellow - the only one that ever got away from Paulie Marino. Tia plans to kill Evie in front of her grandmother just before she takes Miss Aida’s place as the new queen of Marino Industries. Hostile-takeovers have never seen the likes of Tia.
Nick’s not gonna have it.
He’ll do anything to protect Evie, even if it means aligning himself with Miss Aida’s hit-man, Tony Aiello.
Follow Nick and Evie from their simple home in the winter wonderland of Vermont down to New York City in their race to stay alive, and out of the hands of a new generation of criminals intent on tearing them apart.
ALL YOUR WISHES… Book 2 in THE WISHES CHRONICLES torches up 60,000 words with Romantic Suspense.
Christmas has never been so hot.
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About the Author:
Paula Millhouse grew up in Savannah, Georgia where Spanish moss whispers tales in breezes from the Atlantic Ocean, and the Intracoastal Waterway. As a child Paula soaked in the sunshine and heritage of cobblestones, pirate lore, and stories steeped in savory mysteries of the south.
She’s a member of Romance Writers of America, the Fantasy, Futuristic, & Paranormal Writers specialty chapter, and the KOD Mystery and Suspense Writer’s specialty chapter. She achieved the opportunity to become a member of the distinguished RWA designation of PRO after submitting her first full-length romance novel for publication in 2013.
In the southern tradition of storytellers, she loves sharing the lives of her characters with readers, and following her muse on the quest for happily-ever-afters. She writes fantasy romance and romantic suspense.
She lives with her hero, her husband of twenty-five years at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains with their pack and pride of furry babies.
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2 comments:
Thanks for hosting my blogpost today, Roxanne - it was fun to write.
Hope your readers enjoy the excerpt, and the books, and I hope they enter the contest and WIN!
Happy Hero hunting,
Paula
Wow, Paula, Nick sounds positively YUMMY! Is your cover photo a good representation of how you imagined him? Who would you cast him if they made Careful What You Wish for a movie?
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