Teaser Tuesday | Caridad Pineiro® Romance Author

April 11, 2023April 11, 2023

Sexy Teaser from Lost in Little Havana

I haven’t posted a teaser in a while so I thought it might be fun to share this sexy bit from Lost in Little Havana. In this scene, Trey and Roni have just survived a drive-by shooting, and emotions are running high. They’ve gone back to the penthouse in the South Beach Security offices and Trey is tired of fighting his feelings for his baby sister’s best friend and the woman who is now his partner in an investigation. I loved this friends-to-lovers story and how Trey and Roni explore the changes and challenges in their relationship. You can find out more about Lost in Little Havana and the rest of the books in the South Beach Security series at https://amzn.to/3KOTutt.

Excerpt

The adrenaline was wearing off as they returned to the penthouse.

Trey’s hand shook as he reached out to take Roni’s uninjured arm and applied gentle pressure to urge her to face him.

She did, her muscles trembling beneath his hand as she finally released her grasp on the control she’d exerted at the crime scene. Lifting her gaze, she met his and the invitation there was clear.

He might have lost her tonight. Might have died himself. He wasn’t going to refuse her. He wasn’t going to hold back.

He hauled her close and kissed her, meeting her mouth over and over again as she strained against him.

He moaned, needing her more than he needed breath. Needing to make love to her to remind both of them that they were very much alive. That it was time they stopped denying what they felt for each other.

Still kissing, arms wrapped around each other, he backed her up until they were lying on the large couch in the middle of the room. Her body all soft womanly curves against his, but he worried he was too heavy on her. Shifting slowly, he let her be on top and in control because he had to know she wanted this as much as he did.

She slipped over his hips, her dress hiked up almost to her waist, and cradled his erection at her center. She leaned her arms on his chest, mindful of his injured shoulder. “I want this,” she said as if reading his mind and with no hesitation, she reached down and whipped the dress up and over her head.

harlequin intrigue

December 27, 2022December 26, 2022

Happy Book Birthday Brickell Avenue Ambush

OMG it’s the release day for Brickell Avenue Ambush, the second book in the South Beach Security series. I absolutely love how Ricky Gonzalez steps up to help protect Mariel Hernandez who is in danger from her abusive ex-husband. This is an emotional and action-packed story that will keep you turning the pages until the explosive end! This Teaser Tuesday, I’m sharing the first awkward encounter between Ricky and Mariela.

Excerpt

Ricky sat on the couch in his aunt’s office, sharing with her what he thought about the client she had sent him for a consult. “I think she’s experienced abuse based on what we discussed. Her husband regularly bullied her verbally and made her beg for money and time away from the house. He normally only let her out to do household errands and insisted on tracking her every move. There are also her accounts of how her husband would physically attack her.”

His aunt Elena nodded as she sat on the couch beside him. “We have a number of police reports about visits to the home. Neighbors called in because they were worried. She was also hospitalized a number of times because of his physical abuse.”

“It sounds like you have enough to build a self defense argument against the murder charge,” Ricky said, considering all the evidence his aunt had gathered.

“It does and I appreciate your help. Would you mind if I call in Dave Baker to confirm your analysis?” she asked.

He didn’t mind at all. He’d only just finished getting his PhD and license while Baker was an experienced psychologist well-known for his handling of domestic abuse victims. “Baker is an excellent choice, tia. His opinion will carry a lot of weight with the court.”

She leaned over and patted his knee. “Your opinion will be helpful also, Ricky. I see how well you’re doing with the members of your support group. In no time more people will be coming to you for help and for your opinion.”

“I hope so,” he said, but in the meantime, he was actively building his private practice, helping his aunt and the SBS when they needed it, as well as running his support group for people suffering from trauma.

His aunt’s phone rang, and she reached over and picked up the extension sitting on a table beside the sofa.

“This young lady wants to see me tonight?” Tia Elena said and did a quick look at her watch. With a resigned sigh, she said, “If Maggie recommended her to me, I can’t refuse. Please ask her to come over as soon as she can.”

“Another late night, tia?” Ricky asked when his aunt hung up the phone.

“Sometimes it’s unavoidable,” she said, stood and held out her hand. “Thank you for helping me out.”

He cupped her hand with both of his and squeezed tenderly. “Thank you for trusting me enough to give me the business. I truly appreciate it.”

Tia Elena smiled indulgently. “The Gonzalez family sticks together.”

“We do, but only if you think I can do the job,” he said, not wanting the work if he wasn’t up to it.

“Of course, Ricky. I wouldn’t jeopardize my clients if I didn’t think you could handle it,” his aunt said and guided him toward the door to her office.

They exchanged a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek, and then he headed into the main space of the law firm where nearly a dozen attorneys and their staffs worked on assorted cases.

As he neared the door, an extremely attractive young woman entered. Sun-streaked, caramel-colored hair fell in soft waves around her heart-shaped face, accenting stunning eyes of deep emerald. She was casually dressed in jeans that hugged nicely rounded hips and thighs, and a flowing tunic top that did nothing to hide her voluptuous breasts.

His gut tightened in appreciation of her natural beauty, but he reminded himself that if this was the young woman who had just called for an appointment, she was likely a survivor of domestic abuse if Maggie Alonso had given her his aunt’s number.

Because of that, he gave her plenty of space as she hurried in, a wary look on her face as she saw him by the door. She was clearly leery of men, and it saddened him that she had experienced so much pain at such a young age. By his guesstimate, she couldn’t be more than thirty, but then again, abuse knew no age limits.

“Mariela Hernandez,” she said to the receptionist and shot a quick, suspicious look over her shoulder at him as he lingered by the entrance.

He raised his hands as if to say We’re cool and hurried out the door, his one hope that his aunt would be able to help her.

Order

Amazon Kindle: https://amzn.to/3svdwQj
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3l0kzfP
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/brickell-avenue-ambush/id1621843253
BN E-book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/brickell-avenue-ambush-caridad-pi-eiro/1141406424?ean=9780369732149
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/brickell-avenue-ambush
Additional Retailers: https://books2read.com/BRICKELLAVENUEAMBUSH

December 20, 2022December 19, 2022

Exciting Excerpt from Brickell Avenue Ambush

There are only 7 (yes SEVEN!) more days until the release of Brickell Avenue Ambush, the second book in the South Beach Security series! In Brickell Avenue Ambush the heroine, Mariela, discovers that her abusive ex-husband is involved in shady dealings. Now he’s out to make sure she doesn’t share any of what she’s overheard. After a chance encounter with Ricky Gonzalez, the SBS arrives to help protect her. In this scene, a goon sent by Mariela’s ex comes to silence her but Ricky is there to intervene.

Teaser

He’ll keep her safe
Even as their attraction intensifies with every hot Miami night…

Mariela Hernandez has a target on her back, thanks to her abusive ex-husband’s latest plot. Teaming up with Ricky Gonzalez and his family’s respected private security firm is her only chance at survival. Keeping the vulnerable woman safe isn’t easy. Neither is denying their growing attraction. But with bullets flying, Ricky will risk it all to be the hero Mariela needs….

Excerpt

Mariela struggled against the masked man who had assaulted her as soon as she had closed the door.

He had an arm wrapped around her waist and his gloved hand covered her mouth, muffling her screams and cutting off her air until black circles danced in her vision.

At the crash of someone breaking down the front door, the man reacted, loosening his grip slightly, and she bit down hard on his hand. The leather kept her from breaking skin, but her vicious bite made the man yelp and loosen his hold enough that she could elbow him in the stomach.

He let out a rough “Oomph” at the blow and released her. She rushed toward the front door and hopefully safety, but the man was on her again, tackling her to the ground. The weight of his body drove the air from her lungs, but a second later that weight lifted off her.

Rolling onto her side, she saw Ricky Gonzalez tossing the masked man away from her. The man stumbled back, but then regained his footing and whirled to attack again.

Ricky faced him, standing between her and her attacker. Protecting her with his body.

The man rushed at Ricky, throwing punch after punch as he tried to reach Mariela. The blows landed with sickening thuds against Ricky’s face, arms and occasionally his midsection.

Ricky took the brunt of the violence, defending against the wild, almost haymaker punches of her attacker. But when their assailant paused, Ricky fought back with almost surgical precision, landing a sharp blow to the man’s face that snapped the man’s head back. The man reeled from the jab, but then struck out again.

Mariela screamed, “I’m calling the police.”

She dialed 911 but the attack didn’t stop. Ricky blocked blow after blow until the assailant gave him an opening and Ricky once again struck out, punching the other man and driving him back. That gave Ricky the space to execute a roundhouse kick that sent the man reeling across the room. The man stood unsteadily and raised his fists to fight again until the sound of sirens coming closer made her attacker stop short.

Before either Ricky or she could react, the man raced toward the back of the home and disappeared through the open sliding glass doors into her backyard.

Ricky came to her side, his face bloodied. His one eye swelling shut from the masked man’s blows.

“Are you okay?” he asked, apparently unconcerned about his own injuries.

“I am,” she said, but suddenly her knees felt weak. She swayed, struggling to stay upright.

Ricky slipped an arm around her waist and helped her to a sofa. A second later two armed police officers rushed through the door, guns pointed and yelling, “Police.” But as they saw Ricky and her sitting on the sofa, they lowered their weapons.

Ricky motioned toward the sliders and said, “He ran out the back.”

One officer raced in that direction while the other holstered his gun and walked over to them. “Are you hurt?”

Mariela shook her head and glanced at Ricky, who said, “I’m fine. I need to make a call.”

As Ricky walked off, the officer pulled out a pad and started asking Mariela questions about what had happened.

She answered as best she could, trying to remember everything from the moment the man had grabbed her when she’d walked in, to when Ricky had burst in to protect her.

It seemed like long minutes passed as she talked to the officer and the second policeman returned with Ricky and another man who looked so much like Ricky they had to be brothers. They had the same dark wavy hair, light eyes, straight noses and dimpled chins. But this man’s body had heavier muscle, unlike Ricky’s lean, almost elegant, build.

The man walked over and the police officer, who had been sitting in a nearby chair, popped to his feet. “Detective Gonzalez,” he said, admiration obvious in his voice.

Ricky’s brother smiled and clapped the officer on the back. “Just Trey Gonzalez now, Officer Walsh. I retired from the force last month.”

Trey walked over to her, smiled and offered his hand in greeting. “I’m Ricky’s older brother, Trey.”

She hesitantly shook his hand. “Mariela Hernandez.”

“Nice to meet you, Mariela. I’m not sure Officer Walsh has explained yet—”

“I haven’t had a chance,” the officer jumped in to confirm.

Trey nodded and continued. “This is a crime scene now, which means you won’t be able to stay here for a few days. If you can pack up some things—”

“But where will I go?” she said, worried about not only the money if she had to stay in a hotel, but whether Jorge would come after her again. She had no doubt that Jorge had sent the man who had attacked her. And she had no doubt that if it hadn’t been for Ricky, she’d be dead.

Ricky came over then, his one eye even more swollen than before. He sat on the coffee table in front of the sofa and said, “You’re coming with us. We’ll make sure you’re safe.”

Order

December 13, 2022December 13, 2022

An awkward first encounter in Brickell Avenue Ambush

The heroine in Brickell Avenue Ambush, Mariela Hernandez, is only just getting over her abusive husband and an ugly divorce. When her ex continues to bother her, Mariela knows she has no choice but seek out legal help to rebuild her life. In this scene, she accidentally runs into Ricky Gonzalez, not knowing how that interaction is about to change her life. Brickell Avenue Ambush is the second book in the South Beach Security series and is available on December 27, 2022. You can find out more about the series at https://amzn.to/36KrDcR.