Title:
One to Protect (One to Hold #3)
Author:
Tia Louise
Release
Date: April 21, 2014
Genre:
Contemporary Romance
Tour
Host: The Book Nuts Author Promotions
Readers
are saying…
"Derek is hot! Patrick is equally hot! Put these two hot men together and what do you get?!? Panty Dropping holy mother of god hotness! The gang is back and I couldn't be happier!"
Karrie, Panty-Dropping Book Blog
"Each scene flowed into the next effortlessly... drama, suspense and then a scene that will have your pulse racing and your eyes dilating."--- Daphnie, Bound by Books blog
"5 of 5 breathtaking stars."-- Lisa, Goodreads reviewer
"The sex scenes are hot, and the story is great! The love Derek has for Melissa just pulls you in and you know he would do anything in his power to make sure she is safe, which makes him a new addition to my book boyfriend list!"--Chrissy, Reading Past My Bedtime blog
"I love this series. I think I enjoyed this book the most because of the suspense element."--Helen, Kinky Book Klub
~ Synopsis ~
One
scar.
One betrayal.
No escape.
When
Sloan Reynolds beats criminal charges, Melissa Jones stops believing
her wealthy, connected ex-husband will ever pay for what he did to
her.
Derek
Alexander can’t accept that—a tiny silver scar won't let him
forget, and as a leader in the security business, he is determined to
get the man who hurt his fiancée.
Then
the body of a former call girl turns up dead. She’s the
breakthrough Derek’s been waiting for, the link to Sloan’s sordid
past he needs. But as usual, legal paths to justice have been covered
up or erased.
Derek’s
ready to do whatever it takes to protect his family when his partner
Patrick Knight devises a plan that changes everything.
It’s
a plan that involves coloring outside the lines and taking a walk on
the dark side. It goes against everything on which Alexander-Knight,
LLC, is based.
And
it’s a plan Derek’s more than ready to follow.
Note:
Standalone, M/F, HEA.
~ Excerpt ~
“What have
you done?” His voice is full of warmth as he watches me from the
sofa.
“Since you’ve
been working too hard—”
“Exaggeration.”
“Since you’ve
been working too hard,” I repeat, “I decided to recreate our
relaxing spa vacation in the desert.”
Placing the
tray on the coffee table, I hand him his flute and lift mine. “To
family restrooms.”
He laughs and
clinks back. “To the gorgeous woman who drives me to crazy
extremes.”
We sip and I
crawl forward on the couch to kiss him and tell him again. “I love
you.”
He leans
forward, placing his flute, the tray, my flute, all of it on the
coffee table. Then his hands move through the open robe to pull me
onto his lap in a straddle, facing him. Just that fast, his mouth is
on my neck, nibbling and kissing. My eyes are closed, and I’m
powerless.
“I love you
more,” he says beside my ear with a deep inhale. “You smell so
good.”
Threading my
fingers in his hair, I kiss his temple. “I wore the red lace…”
A rumble of
approval, and his lips touch that spot behind my ear, a light scruff
against my skin, sending shivers flying down my legs.
“My
favorite.” His voice is thick as I pull his cheeks, reuniting our
mouths.
For a moment,
we make out like teenagers, hot and breathless, tongues entwining. He
holds me against his bare chest, my elbows are bent, and my palms are
on his cheeks. His mouth is like some rich, decadent chocolate I can
never get enough of tasting. As we kiss, I feel him relax, and my
hands slide behind his neck, my lips travel up to his brow. He hugs
me against his torso and doesn’t move. Neither do I.
This big,
strong man saved me twice. If comfort is what he needs, I’m here to
give it to him. I’m here to give him anything. After a few more
breaths, his arms relax. I lean back and study his face a moment. The
robe has dropped around my shoulders, so I’m basically sitting nude
on his lap, but I don’t care.
“Hungry?” I
reach for the sandwich plate and hold it between us, right at our
chins. “You probably won’t think it’s as good as Central
Grocery, but I think it’s delicious.”
His blue eyes
take me in before he bites. “Mmm…” is all I get.
Giggling, I
lean forward and take a bite myself. The tangy, savory flavor of
olives and smoky provolone fills my mouth.
“Delicious!”
My voice is muffled.
His smile glows
as he watches me, his voice full of love. “How’s the baby?”
Lowering the
sandwich to the plate, I turn and put it on the side table again. “I
can’t feel a thing, but the doctor said he’s doing great.”
My last checkup
was a week ago, and we both agreed unless something unusual occurred,
Derek could miss the routine exams. So far everything has been by the
book.
“So he’s a
boy now?” I love his grin at the prospect of a little son.
Shrugging, I
acquiesce. “Maybe… it’s too soon to know.”
His attention
moves from my face to my abdomen. Large hands span my bare stomach
before he leans forward and kisses me right below my sternum, right
at the top of my belly.
“I love you,”
he whispers to the little bean growing there.
I’m certain
my heart melts in that instant, and I catch his face again to cover
it with kisses. He’s right with me, lifting me in his arms and
carrying me to the master suite. A California king-sized bed fills
the space, and he spreads me out on the soft mattress, lying on his
side next to me.
I trail my
fingers lightly over his brow, to his temple, following a line to his
strong jaw. He looks at me like I’m the most fragile thing in his
bed—another detail he knows isn’t true.
We don’t
disturb the moment, though. The truth might be that both of us are
strong as iron, tough as flint, but holding each other, we know how
precious it is that we’re here, together.
The randomness
of chance keeps us both in awe, and for that, we treasure these
moments. After working so hard, our reunions are the sweetest bliss.
He holds me, and I feel very needed and extremely sexy. This man is
like water in the desert to me, and it isn’t hard to see the
feeling is mutual.
“I’m sorry
I interrupted dinner.” Leaning forward, he nibbles the skin at my
neck, and a surge rises between my legs. “Can you wait?”
My voice is
thick as I answer. “I guess so…”
~ Meet
The Author ~
Tia
Louise is a former journalist, world-traveler, and collector of
beautiful men (who inspire all of her stories... *wink*)--turned
wife, mommy, and novelist.
She
lives in the center of the U.S.A. with her lovely family and one
grumpy cat. There, she dreams up stories she hopes are engaging, hot,
and sexy, and that cause readers rethink common public
locations...It's possible she has a slight truffle addiction.
~ Books
by Tia Louise ~
ONE TO HOLD (Derek & Melissa), 2013
ONE TO
KEEP (Patrick & Elaine), 2014
~ Newsletter ~
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Stalk the Characters of One to Hold & One to Keep
~ Other
Books in this series ~
One
to Hold:
Book
Trailer:
One
to Keep:
Book
Trailer:
Buy
Links:
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