Category: Teaser Tuesday

I can’t wait for you to read K-9 ON A MISSION, my May 2027 release from Harlequin Intrigue! It’s a story revolving on Crooked Pass Security’s K-9 Division solving the theft of artwork and gold from a museum. I loved writing a morally gray character, namely, Rafael “Rafe” Aguila, a retired professional thief who has no regrets about the life he’s led. Despite that, he’s become a kind of Robin Hood, helping the police solve crimes and volunteering and raising funds to improve the lives of children in the Miami community. But the heroine, K-9 handler Bailey Vega, finds it hard to reconcile Rafe’s past and his lack of guilt over his many thefts. It makes for great conflict between the two! Today I’m sharing a scene from K-9 ON A MISSION in which Rafe is breaking into the museum to attempt to figure out how it had been robbed. You can pre-order your copy today at https://amzn.to/4xHxPta

Excerpt

Shinnying to the center of the structure, he grabbed the thick gutter and lowered himself over the edge.

Luckily for him, the building had been constructed to show the wealth of its owner, which meant that the windows were topped by fancy carved limestone pediments. They provided a good handhold, and then a solid footing until he stood on the thick sill.

Balancing gingerly, he examined the window. It was painted shut. A quick look at the nearby windows confirmed they were all in the same condition. No one had come in through them.

Repeating his earlier actions, he reached the third floor and his primary goal: priceless paintings any collector would pay millions to have in their private collection.

Again, the windows were sealed shut by years of paint. Not a problem to open them, but they would delay his entry into the museum.

Satisfied he could return to achieve his goal if need be, he drifted down to the next floor.

He found purchase on the pediment with his booted feet and shifted his weight to move downward, but then the wet stone betrayed him.

His boot slid out. Gravity propelled him backward.

His heart pounded in his chest as he fell, arms flailing. He clawed out for any hold that would keep him from plummeting downward.

Breathless, he braced for impact, imagining the pointy spikes of the museum’s wrought iron fence impaling his body.

Good morning! On this Teaser Tuesday, I’ve got a short excerpt for you from K-9 TRACKER, the first book in the Crooked Pass Security K- 9 Division spinoff. I love this story about Nicky Garcia, a young woman trying to solve the disappearance of her father twenty years earlier. Her father was a soldier at Fort Dix in my home state of NJ, and when he was listed as a deserter, Nicky and her family lost all benefits. Now that her mother has MS and needs treatment, Nicky needs to prove her father didn’t desert in order to restore her family’s military benefits. That’s when Nicky reaches out to Crooked Pass to solve her father’s cold case. In this scene, Nicky and Cisco, the hero and K-9 agent, have just gone through her father’s belongings to look for clues about his disappearance. You can pre-order your copy today at https://amzn.to/4x5ILRb.

Excerpt

He peeked at his watch and realized it was nearly midnight. They’d lost track of time while reviewing the materials.

“We should call it a night as well,” he said, as he stood and started gathering everything to put it away.

Nicky helped, and in no time, the boxes were stacked in a corner, and the assault pack had been stored in its plastic bag again. But Nicky grabbed that bag and said, “I’ll take this to my room. I’m not sure my mom would want to see it.”

“I understand. I’m sure it’s still not easy for her.” He’d lost many a friend during his service, and their losses still weighed on him at times.

Nicky’s face was expressive, and he did not doubt she recognized his losses as well.

She laid a hand on a spot over his heart. “It’s easier if you have someone to help carry the burden.”

Although she said the words, she’d been carrying the weight of her father’s disappearance for years. “Says the pot to the kettle. You’re not alone in this anymore, either. I’m here for you.”

She smiled, rose on tiptoes and brushed a kiss on his lips, lingering there to whisper, “I know.”

He should have let her go up the stairs then, but he couldn’t.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her close.

She dropped the plastic bag, which landed with a crinkly thump, and met his lips, opening her mouth to him. Kissing him over and over until they were both trembling and breathless.

He slipped an arm beneath her buttocks and drew her center to his hardness as he backed her against the wall.

I’m so excited for you to read K-9 TRACKER! I love this story about Nicky, a young woman seeking justice for her missing father and trying to help her mother receive much-needed medical treatment. I also love Cisco, the hero who is a slightly cynical former soldier who fully embraces Nicky’s quest, but has to fight falling in love with her. And then there’s Havana, an adorable beagle who’s not only good at tracking scents, but also a wonderful emotional support for both Nicky and Cisco. Today I’m giving you a sneak peek at the story. In this scene, Nicky and Cisco are finally exploring the emotions growing between them! Pre-order your copy of K-9 TRACKER today at https://amzn.to/4pT0QiD.

Excerpt

“G’night,” they both said at the same time, and the video call ended.

Cisco relaxed back into the chair, which creaked from the weight of his body. He turned slightly, faced Nicky, and said, “It’s time we got some rest. Tomorrow is going to be busy.”

With a quick bob of her head, she popped to her feet and glanced toward the living room.

“Are you sure you’re going to be comfortable on the couch. You’re…big,” she said as color exploded across her cheeks.

He fought back a grin and said, “I’ve slept in worse conditions.”

Nicky gestured upward with her index finger. “I could take the couch, and you could sleep in my bed. It would be more comfortable.”

It was his turn to be discomfited as desire rose at the thought of lying in her sheets, surrounded by her scent. He shifted uncomfortably on the chair and, in a husky voice, said, “I’ll be fine. Besides, I want to be the first line of defense from anyone coming through that door.”

The earlier color on her face fled, leaving it a pale, almost sickly green from fear.

Hating that he’d put that worry there, he rose and engulfed her in his arms. “I’m sorry. I can be…tactless at times.”

She snuggled against his chest and murmured, “No, you’re right about taking precautions.”

Pulling away slightly to meet his gaze, she said, “I want to believe no one would really hurt us, but that’s wrong. I need to grow up and accept what’s happening.”

Cradling her cheek, he soothed his thumb across the creamy skin there. It was so soft and smooth, and with his touch, that telltale flush of color crept across her cheeks.

“I imagine you had to grow up fast after your dad disappeared. And it’s okay to believe the best in people.”

“Like you? Should I believe the best in you?” she said, then cupped his jaw, and scraped her thumb across the dimple in his chin and the silvery scar there.

With a rough laugh, he said, “Sometimes people disappoint, but I’ll try my best not to.”

She surprised him then, rising on tiptoes to brush a fleeting kiss across his lips. “Try hard,” she said, and before he could react, she raced to the stairs and bounded up the steps.

He almost couldn’t believe she’d kissed him, but there was the barest hint of cherries on his lips, maybe from the lip gloss she wore.

A young woman’s fun lip gloss. A woman who didn’t need a beat-up, cynical, old thirtysomething warrior like him.