Teaser Tuesday! Yellowstone Origins

Here's today's teaser for YELLOWSTONE ORIGINS!

“Why is this happening?” she whispered, asking a question that had no rational answer.
He shook his head slightly, never wavering from her gaze. “I don’t know. All I know is that I’ve found my purpose,” he murmured against her lips. He drew in a long breath, and raised his head slightly. “But I also know that I have to let you go.”


He took her mouth again in a tender kiss that melted her from the inside out. Riley parted her lips in response, and leaned into him, giving back with all her heart. With each sweet moment that he held and kissed her, reality came crashing down on her.


Tears filled her eyes, and squeezed through her closed lids. He was quietly telling her that their time together had come to an end in the tender way his lips moved against hers. This was not a kiss that promised a future with the most incredible guy she’d ever met. This was a goodbye kiss.

Teaser Tuesday - Yellowstone Origins

I've been having a lot of fun lately making little graphics on a simple program called PhotoGrid on my phone, that one of my readers told me about. I'm sure there are better, more sophisticated programs out there to generate these "teaser graphics" that have become fairly popular on Facebook. 

Since we haven't had a teaser in a while, I thought I'd share two that I made this past week. Yes, they are super short, and contain just one line as opposed to several paragraphs. I will get back to the longer teasers soon. I do post those in my Facebook group ever week, and I will get my act together and start posting teasers to the blog again, as well. For now, here are a couple of one-liners....

Teaser Tuesday! First look at In His Arms

What am I thinking, trying to write two books at once?!? I tried that a couple of years ago when I started Ain't No Angel and Teton Sunset. After about five chapter into each book, I had to make a decision and choose to focus on one over the other. I chose to finish Ain't No Angel first.
I'm sort of in the same situation again. This time, I'm working on Yellowstone Origins (Book 6 in the Yellowstone Romance Series), and In His Arms (Book 3 in the Blemished Brides Series). The current score as of today is:

Yellowstone Origins: 7 chapters done
In His Arms: 10 chapters done

So, here's a first look at In His Arms, since I've posted a first snippet of Origins a couple of weeks ago. I will try and make this a weekly feature again. 

Levi pulled his hat from his head, and raked his fingers through his long hair. Perhaps he should visit the barber in town, but shook his head. He didn’t need a haircut. He preferred his hair long, and kept his face clean-shaven.
“Keeps the vermin away,” Buck had always said.
Levi glanced toward the store in front of him. It had been over a year since he’d last been in town. He’d come more often while Buck was still alive, but folks had looked down their noses at him even then.
A woman holding a screaming child’s hand rushed past him, walking faster and glancing at him with fear in her eyes. Levi shook his head. Things hadn’t changed much. If he didn’t need to stock up on a few items, he wouldn’t have come out of the high country at all. He had most things he needed at his cabin. This was his first venture out of the mountains since Buck’s death, and a sudden wave of loneliness washed over him.
“Man’s gotta have coffee and biscuits every now and then,” Buck would say during their twice-a-year visit into town.
The old trapper had gone under more than a year ago, and the coffee had finally run out. Levi tossed a quick look over his shoulder toward the hitching rail. More than a year’s worth of furs were piled onto the mule’s back. Hopefully the owner of the mercantile would buy them, or trade for some supplies.
He headed for the store, when a woman emerged, and he nearly collided with her heavily pregnant belly.
“Beg your pardon, ma’am,” he stammered, and skirted around her.
“No harm done.” She smiled, and Levi’s brows rose. That wasn’t the reaction he usually received from folks.

Teaser Tuesday! First look at Yellowstone Origins

It's been a while, but I thought I'd bring Teaser Tuesdays back. I'm currently working on two books - the third Blemished Brides (In His Arms), and also Book #6 in the Yellowstone Romance Series. I've had a three-book spin-off to the Yellowstone Series in mind for quite a long time (over a year), and up until recently, I wasn't sure whether to make these books part of the series. Well, I finally made a decision. The three books will be part of the Yellowstone Romance Series, so Books 6, 7, and 8. 

Book 6 is called Yellowstone Origins, and here is a short teaser:



Riley shot a hasty look over her shoulder, then turned back to the ranger. She stepped closer, and leaned forward, folding her forearms over the counter.
“I’m not here for a permit,” she confessed. Her gaze darted to the nametag on his uniform.
Daniel Osborne. There couldn’t be more than one, could there?
His brows rose even higher, and he looked at her expectedly.
Riley straightened. She cocked her head slightly, and pointed her finger at him. She should come right out and ask him, but her academic mind took over.
“You have an interesting last name,” she said. “Looks like we have something in common.”
“We do?” Dan Osborne leaned forward, and looked her in the eye. “Is your name Osborne?”
Riley laughed, and shook her head. “No, but our names have similar meaning.” She reached her hand out to him. “Riley Bernard.”
Dan hesitated. His eyes narrowed, then he shook it. His large hand nearly swallowed hers. He waited.
“Your name, it literally means ‘bear god’.” She sniggered. “And my name means ‘brave, or hardy bear’. I’m not sure I fit that description, though.”
Dan’s brows furrowed. Yeah, he was thinking she was nuts. She waved her hand in front of her face. She was doing it again. Acting all nerdy when she was nervous, trying to impress someone with trivial knowledge.
“Why exactly did you come to the ranger station, Riley?”
She glanced over her shoulder again, then leaned toward him over the counter.
“I need a favor,” she whispered.

Teaser Tuesday - Teton Sunset

Here's today's sample:

Glancing up and over his shoulder, she stood behind him. His eyes widened, and his breath caught in his throat. She’d removed not only his shirt that she’d worn all this time, but also her own. Mercifully, she clutched one of the articles to her chest. Lucas tore his eyes away from her exposed shoulders and slender arms. He gritted his teeth and forced his eyes back to the fire. This woman had a way of igniting a man’s body without even realizing it. It was doubtful that he’d be cold for much longer. His insides were ready to boil over after just one glimpse of her exposed skin.

She squatted down beside him, and held one hand to the fire, the other over her chest. Lucas turned his head toward her. He couldn’t stop from staring. Her nude back was exposed fully to his view, and his eyes followed the water droplets that ran down her spine from her wet hair, and disappeared along the gap at her waist between her skin and britches.

“When are you gonna stop gawking at me, Lucas?” She shot him an annoyed look. “If I have to sit here in the nude to warm up quicker, then that’s what I’ll do, but I’d appreciate it if you’d look away. And please, keep your lecherous thoughts to yourself.”

Lucas raised his eyes to hers, and met her challenging stare. His lips twitched in the corners, and slowly rose. If she only knew what sort of lecherous thoughts were going through his mind. 

Teaser Tuesday - Teton Sunset

He picked up a rock and hurled it through the air. He cursed her name again, then laughed out loud. He really had underestimated her. Rather than anger, a sudden surge of desire swept through him. She was a remarkable woman, and if nothing else, Lucas would enjoy a good chase. If she thought that taking his clothes and horse would keep him from going after her, she was sorely mistaken. All he had to do now was find her before Black Sparrow got to her.

 There would be hell to pay when he caught up with her. He smiled. He could think of a dozen ways he would make the little spitfire pay for running off on him. All of them ended with her wrapped in his arms, soft and compliant.

The sound of an arrow whirring through the air was followed quickly by a loud thud. Lucas stopped in his tracks. His head turned in time to see the shaft of an arrow lodge deeply in the trunk of a tree not five feet from him. He swore loudly. Before he had time to react, six warriors darted from the bushes and surrounded him. Each one of them pointed strung arrows at his chest. Damn! Thinking about that infuriating woman had made him careless again.

One man stepped forward, and laughed heartily. The other warriors quickly joined in. Lucas clenched his jaw. Black Sparrow.

Teaser Tuesday and Cover Reveal - Teton Sunset

Inching closer to a completion date for Teton Sunset....personal stuff and involvement in a Western Romance Anthology of short stories (which will be released on March 15, 2014 and includes my short story Yellowstone Proposal - set between Teton Splendor and Teton Sunset and blends this series with the Yellowstone Romance Series) have delayed the release of Teton Sunset. I want to thank my readers for their continued patience. 

Along with today's teaser, I'm posting the beautiful cover for the book for the first time on the blog.

The look of deep longing and admiration in Lucas’ eyes wouldn’t leave her mind. No one had ever looked at her like that. No one had ever spoken such words of admiration to her. She swallowed the lump in her throat. Her skin tingled everywhere, as if Lucas had touched her with his appreciative stare.

You can’t have feelings for him. He’s nothing but an overbearing lout. He’s toying with your mind to make you compliant.

She glanced toward the water’s edge again. She gasped, and her eyes widened.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she called in outrage. Lucas stood at the lakeshore, pulling his shirt over his head. He reached for the ties at his waist to loosen his britches.

“I need a bath as much as you do,” he answered. “Besides. I think it’s only right, since I saw you in the nude, that I’d return the favor.” He flashed her a wide grin.

“Don’t you dare come near me again, Lucas Walker.” Her voice echoed in a shrill tone across the lake. His laughter followed.

“You’re welcome to watch,” he said loudly, and slid his britches past his hips.

She whipped around, and paddled into deeper water. The temperature dropped suddenly, and she changed direction back toward shore, keeping a swath of dense willows in her sights. It was time to end her bath if Lucas thought he was going to join her. The nerve of that arrogant, overbearing man!

She reached the shore, and ducked through the dense foliage, just as a loud splash reached her ears.

“Enjoy your bath, Walker,” she mumbled under her breath. She smiled slowly at a sudden thought. She might still get the chance to escape after all. 

Teaser Tuesday - Teton Sunset

Enjoy this week's teaser!

Satisfied that there was no danger at the moment, Lucas turned back to the fire. The girl hadn’t moved. She’d eaten the meat, and listlessly rotated the skewer between her fingers. Lucas nudged her arm.

“Bring your blanket,” he said, and motioned to the other side of the fire. She stared up at him with wide eyes.

“What for?” she challenged. She didn’t budge.

Drawing in a deep breath, Lucas reached for her arm, and easily hauled her to her feet. “Because I’d like to get some sleep.”

“Don’t let me keep you, Walker,” she retorted, and yanked her arm back. He tightened his grip, and his lips widened in a smile.

“It might get a tad cold tonight,” he drawled, and glanced up at the cloudless night sky. “I think it’s best that you and I stay close.”

Her eyes widened. Her tightly drawn lips quivered, as if she was about to erupt like some of those hot water pools he’d seen up along the Yellowstone. No question she would scald him with her words just as those hot pools would scald a man to death.

“Over my dead body. I’m not sleeping under the same blanket as you.” She tried to pull away from him. Lucas easily hauled her up against his chest. A fierce determination settled in her gaze, but he also detected a hint of fear. He cursed himself for putting that look in her eyes. Why did she have to be so disagreeable?

Before he did something foolish, like wrap his arms around her and kiss her, Lucas wrapped the strip of leather around her wrist instead, then tied it to his own arm.

“What are you doing?” she demanded heatedly, and yanked to pull her hand free.

“Making sure you don’t run off in the middle of the night.” Lucas pulled her along behind him.