I’m excited to share this cover and excerpt with you. Kari is not just a friend and member of the 17 Scribes, but we’re sharing a release date, and her book looks amazing. I can’t wait to read it!
book #1 in the Love on the Line series
By
Kari Lemor
Kari Lemor
Published
by Kensington Lyrical Underground – March 2017
by Kensington Lyrical Underground – March 2017
All that glitters in Miami is not
gold…
Lured in by
a bad ex-boyfriend and the moonlight of Miami, Meg O’Hara is trapped in a
nightmare situation, waiting tables for a crime boss and fearing for her life.
When undercover FBI agent Christopher Shaunessy offers her a way out, she
seizes it. Getting the goods on Salazar Moreno might not be easy, but she’ll do
anything to be freed from her servitude and Moreno’s sexual advances, even if
it means moving in with the charismatic agent.
Chris Shaunessy pretends to be Meg’s lover in
order to keep her safe, but he steels his heart against further involvement.
Passion has no place in the sordid world of organized crime. And yet, the
closer they get to cracking the case, the stronger his feelings for the
spirited waitress shine. It’s a dangerous game he’s playing, and taking Meg in
his arms for real could prove a fatal misstep . . .
a bad ex-boyfriend and the moonlight of Miami, Meg O’Hara is trapped in a
nightmare situation, waiting tables for a crime boss and fearing for her life.
When undercover FBI agent Christopher Shaunessy offers her a way out, she
seizes it. Getting the goods on Salazar Moreno might not be easy, but she’ll do
anything to be freed from her servitude and Moreno’s sexual advances, even if
it means moving in with the charismatic agent.
Chris Shaunessy pretends to be Meg’s lover in
order to keep her safe, but he steels his heart against further involvement.
Passion has no place in the sordid world of organized crime. And yet, the
closer they get to cracking the case, the stronger his feelings for the
spirited waitress shine. It’s a dangerous game he’s playing, and taking Meg in
his arms for real could prove a fatal misstep . . .
Check out the awesome cover, then scroll down for an excerpt!
Excerpt
Chapter 1
“Does that man
never have a day off?” Margaret Kathleen O’Hara grumbled, grabbing her tote bag
and sarong to move surreptitiously along the chairs by the pool. If the hotel
manager saw her here again she’d be toast. He’d more than toss her out. Threats
to call the police had been thrown at her for months now. Although in her case,
that might be a better deal.
never have a day off?” Margaret Kathleen O’Hara grumbled, grabbing her tote bag
and sarong to move surreptitiously along the chairs by the pool. If the hotel
manager saw her here again she’d be toast. He’d more than toss her out. Threats
to call the police had been thrown at her for months now. Although in her case,
that might be a better deal.
With her eyes
trained on his location and the Miami sun beating down on her exposed skin, Meg
backed along the water’s edge attempting to leave the area before he spotted
her. She needed to shower the chlorine out of her tangled hair and change for
work soon. He looked in her direction and she rushed behind the closest object.
It was six-foot-plus of blond-haired gorgeousness. The man’s eyes were glued to
something on the upper deck. Her boss was sitting there with one of his
expensive bimbos. Did Blondie like that type? Maybe he wouldn’t notice her
little game of Hide and Seek.
trained on his location and the Miami sun beating down on her exposed skin, Meg
backed along the water’s edge attempting to leave the area before he spotted
her. She needed to shower the chlorine out of her tangled hair and change for
work soon. He looked in her direction and she rushed behind the closest object.
It was six-foot-plus of blond-haired gorgeousness. The man’s eyes were glued to
something on the upper deck. Her boss was sitting there with one of his
expensive bimbos. Did Blondie like that type? Maybe he wouldn’t notice her
little game of Hide and Seek.
She leaned around
him, ducking back when she saw the Pool Nazi still present. Getting caught was
not an option. She already owed more than she could ever repay.
him, ducking back when she saw the Pool Nazi still present. Getting caught was
not an option. She already owed more than she could ever repay.
“Are you okay?”
Forest green eyes stared down at her, puzzled. Would he buy that she was simply
looking for shade? He was big enough to provide it.
Forest green eyes stared down at her, puzzled. Would he buy that she was simply
looking for shade? He was big enough to provide it.
With strong hands,
he reached for her shoulders and Meg reflexively batted them away. She got
enough of people groping her at work. Scorching curses froze before erupting
from her mouth as the hotel manager moved, staring in their direction. Her mind
kicked into overdrive, scrambling for a way to hide in plain sight.
he reached for her shoulders and Meg reflexively batted them away. She got
enough of people groping her at work. Scorching curses froze before erupting
from her mouth as the hotel manager moved, staring in their direction. Her mind
kicked into overdrive, scrambling for a way to hide in plain sight.
“Sorry,” she
squeaked. Grabbing the man’s head, she planted her mouth solidly on his. Short,
thick strands of hair tickled her fingers. Firm lips yielded no resistance to
the increased pressure of her mouth. Better make this look good.
squeaked. Grabbing the man’s head, she planted her mouth solidly on his. Short,
thick strands of hair tickled her fingers. Firm lips yielded no resistance to
the increased pressure of her mouth. Better make this look good.
An electric
current skittered over her skin causing her heart to race. Maybe too good?
Slowly he pulled her closer with his muscular arms. Her eyes flew open and she
broke the connection. His hair-covered chest was too close for comfort. And
much too tempting. Distance, she needed distance.
current skittered over her skin causing her heart to race. Maybe too good?
Slowly he pulled her closer with his muscular arms. Her eyes flew open and she
broke the connection. His hair-covered chest was too close for comfort. And
much too tempting. Distance, she needed distance.
Her eyes darted
around, seeing no signs of the manager. A sigh escaped. Time to make her exit
as well.
around, seeing no signs of the manager. A sigh escaped. Time to make her exit
as well.
“Sorry,” she
mumbled again, looking up. Big mistake. The stranger’s curious eyes captivated
her. They were soft and tender and filled with something she could…trust? If
she still had any of that left in her. His hands were gentle as they held her.
A tiny smile played about the full lips she’d brazenly kissed. She couldn’t
believe she’d done it. Her mother would be appalled. But it had worked.
mumbled again, looking up. Big mistake. The stranger’s curious eyes captivated
her. They were soft and tender and filled with something she could…trust? If
she still had any of that left in her. His hands were gentle as they held her.
A tiny smile played about the full lips she’d brazenly kissed. She couldn’t
believe she’d done it. Her mother would be appalled. But it had worked.
The chlorine scent
from the pool faded into the background as sweat and suntan lotion wafted off
the man’s damp skin. Her stomach did cartwheels followed by a few back flips.
Dangerous.
from the pool faded into the background as sweat and suntan lotion wafted off
the man’s damp skin. Her stomach did cartwheels followed by a few back flips.
Dangerous.
“Let me go,” she
hissed as reality returned. She gave a swift shove at his well-defined
pectorals, rushing to get past, to escape from this distraction and the
possibility of being caught. Her head whipped around at the sound of a splash
and water droplets from behind. Gorgeous was just breaking the surface of the
pool. Had she pushed him that hard?
hissed as reality returned. She gave a swift shove at his well-defined
pectorals, rushing to get past, to escape from this distraction and the
possibility of being caught. Her head whipped around at the sound of a splash
and water droplets from behind. Gorgeous was just breaking the surface of the
pool. Had she pushed him that hard?
“Oops.” No time
for apologies. He looked like the forgiving type. She had to blow this joint
before the Pool Nazi came back. Grabbing her fallen sarong, she ran across the
deck to hustle inside the luxury hotel.
for apologies. He looked like the forgiving type. She had to blow this joint
before the Pool Nazi came back. Grabbing her fallen sarong, she ran across the
deck to hustle inside the luxury hotel.
“Damn.”
The manager stood
sentry near the front door. A crowd appeared at her back making that way
impossible. The stairwell to the left would have to do. She’d go up a few
floors then down to the side entrance. She wrapped her sarong around her as she
carried out her plan to avoid being seen…and caught.
sentry near the front door. A crowd appeared at her back making that way
impossible. The stairwell to the left would have to do. She’d go up a few
floors then down to the side entrance. She wrapped her sarong around her as she
carried out her plan to avoid being seen…and caught.
Meg should stop
coming here to use the pool: this proved it. Sneaking in was adding to her
already hellish life but swimming always helped work out the stress and the
pool here was more accessible than any other on the strip. Pretending she had
money to stay in a place like this, rubbing elbows with all the beautiful
people, yeah, that got her through too. She’d learned the best times to come
and not be seen. Well, for the most part. It was well worth the risk to get
away from her dump of a room and its enchanting neighborhood. She’d leave this
all behind her soon. She kept telling herself that. Had to believe it for her
own sanity.
coming here to use the pool: this proved it. Sneaking in was adding to her
already hellish life but swimming always helped work out the stress and the
pool here was more accessible than any other on the strip. Pretending she had
money to stay in a place like this, rubbing elbows with all the beautiful
people, yeah, that got her through too. She’d learned the best times to come
and not be seen. Well, for the most part. It was well worth the risk to get
away from her dump of a room and its enchanting neighborhood. She’d leave this
all behind her soon. She kept telling herself that. Had to believe it for her
own sanity.
Footsteps behind
her pushed those thoughts away. Her bare feet padded silently along the lushly
carpeted hallway. Heart racing, she ducked into the ice machine alcove, her
sigh echoing in the silence. She glanced down. Her bag? She must have dropped
it as she rushed off. How had she not realized? It couldn’t have been the
threat of being arrested. Or the crooked smile of the handsome stranger she’d
kissed. The one with the kind eyes and gentle hands. No, she couldn’t allow
herself to be led astray by a pretty face. Not again.
her pushed those thoughts away. Her bare feet padded silently along the lushly
carpeted hallway. Heart racing, she ducked into the ice machine alcove, her
sigh echoing in the silence. She glanced down. Her bag? She must have dropped
it as she rushed off. How had she not realized? It couldn’t have been the
threat of being arrested. Or the crooked smile of the handsome stranger she’d
kissed. The one with the kind eyes and gentle hands. No, she couldn’t allow
herself to be led astray by a pretty face. Not again.
She continued down
the hall, her trip cut short when someone grabbed her by the arm and spun her
around.
the hall, her trip cut short when someone grabbed her by the arm and spun her
around.
* * * *
Links to all pre-order retailers can be accessed on the Kensington site. For more
information on Kari Lemor or her Love on the Line series from Kensington
Lyrical Underground, follow her on social media.
information on Kari Lemor or her Love on the Line series from Kensington
Lyrical Underground, follow her on social media.
Thanks so much for sharing!! Can't wait to get my hands on your book also!