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Book Blurb
Lillian Caldwell has eyes on the hottie with the body, Jack Woods, one of the men who bought her family land and now new boss. She has big plans for Jack, including the getting-him-horizontal variety, and she always gets what she wants.
Jack is the family hard ass who’s trying to make amends. His plans of digging into the family secret he discovered are thwarted when he’s forced to work with Lillian, his gorgeous, pain-in-the-ass neighbor.
But a night of passion will unlock the secrets surrounding them and change both their lives forever.
Reader advisory: This book contains graphic language and explicit sex.
Book Excerpt
An Excerpt
From: SURROUNDED BY SECRETS
Copyright © MANDY HARBIN,
2013
All Rights Reserved, Amira Press,
LLC.
Chapter
One
Jack
stared at the photo he’d taken from his father’s desk weeks ago, when he’d
stumbled upon it during a conference call with Lillian Caldwell. He’d been
verbally sparring with the infuriating—and mesmerizing—neighbor about her desire
to work for his family’s tree business full-time, rather than contracted as
needed, when he’d discovered this picture of Lina Woods.
Mom.
She
was frozen in time with several other people he hadn’t recognized. She looked
beautiful, though. Timeless. Of course, he’d always known she was a captivating
woman. Up until her death, Lina’s presence in any room commanded attention. And
his father, Thomas, was always putty in her paws. They were mated, and a mated
pair’s bond was an unbreakable force fueled by love and respect, a lesson that
had only been reinforced by watching Jack’s brothers mate with their
females.
His
parents had never discussed the dynamics of their mating because it was a
personal experience meant to be shared with no one. Besides, talking about
mating and their heritage was pointless because Thomas’s parents had died when
he was young, the history of their kind dying with them. It seemed Jack and his
brothers would be doomed to struggle with the possibility of mating on their
own. But Josh, Toby, and Rob had beaten the odds. They’d all found mates who
loved them. Eric’s story was another matter entirely. He’d taken a mate against
her will, and they’d fought to the death.
Jack
figured if he were ever to be lucky enough to find a woman who wanted to spend
her life with him, it would go one of two ways.
Thankfully, the compound Ariel had created seemed to be
working. Now. Krista had coerced her sister
into coming onto the land, and once she fussed around with the mood recipe to
where Jack could stomach it, he’d been doing well on it—though he’d never truly
forgive himself for stopping the meds and almost raping his brother’s mate. He
had a lot to prove to his family after that major fuckup.
And to
himself.
Sighing, he put the photo away in his nightstand and
grabbed his worn work boots. He needed to talk to Josh about that photo, but the
timing just never seemed right. Jack knew the real reason he’d avoided the
conversation before was he’d been keeping his nose down, focusing on his work,
hoping it might make it easier to face his family. Though hiding behind that
mistake was just an excuse. Failure wasn’t something he was accustomed to, but
he needed to be a man and not a chickenshit. He wasn’t known as the hard-ass
around here for nothing. Besides, trying to constantly make amends had opened up
a whole other can of worms.
Because Lillian Caldwell was getting her wish.
Today
was her first day as an official employee of his family. And hell if that didn’t
make his life even that much more problematic. She was fucking beautiful, a true
vision of all that he’d ever thought made up the physical appearance of his
ideal woman, curvy and blonde. Damn, he was in some serious trouble now. All
those conference calls with her had done nothing but worn out his right hand for
hours. He’d thought that after attacking Ariel he’d be a cold fish, but oh no,
he couldn’t be that lucky.
His dick still knew what it wanted, and his lion still yearned for a mate. But
his brain knew better, and this had catastrophe written all over it. Not only
did he get to see his personal siren in the flesh, but he got to work with her.
Rather, she got to work for him. Indefinitely. God, the last thing he needed to
add to his mistakes was a sexual harassment lawsuit.
Lillian Caldwell, in all her physical perfection, was
off-limits. His dick, and his lion, would just have to get over it.
* * *
*
Lillian looked in the mirror. Red thong? Check. Matching
red bra? Check. She cupped her breasts and shook her head. Lordy, her boobs were
too big. It’d be nice if she could walk into Victoria’s Secret and buy off the
shelf, but unfortunately, she had to get her bras at the big-girl store. At
least she’d found a sexy one. Knockers this size usually required her to wear a
grandma bra. But that was unacceptable for today. She needed something sexy in
case the hottie with the body got her clothes off. Jesus H. Christ, but Jack
Woods was sex on a stick.
And
come hell or high water, she’d have him in her bed. It wasn’t often she set her
sights on a man, but there was just something about Jack that got her body
humming. It’d been too long since she’d been truly pleased by a man, and she was
long past due for a righteous big O.
There
was only one real reason Lillian had strong-armed the Woods clan into giving her
a permanent position with their tree farming business, and she wasn’t too much
of a flake to admit that. She wanted to see the hottie with the body
nekkid.
She
hadn’t lied when she told them there weren’t that many jobs around here, but
they were right in that she didn’t need the money. They had offered her dad
plenty of money for his land. She’d tried to stop the sale at first, but her dad
really did need a break. He seemed so distracted lately, so she hoped unloading
the responsibility of their tree farm would help him. It definitely freed up his
time.
He had
flown out yesterday to visit her grandma for a couple of weeks. Thankfully, when
she’d told him she’d taken a full-time position with the Woods family, he hadn’t
seemed that upset. Actually, he was almost happy for her. Little did he know
that selling their land had opened up another, more physical, opportunity for
her, too.
An
opportunity she was going to grab by the balls.
Not
that she didn’t have other offers. Lillian had broken up with her ex-boyfriend a
few months ago, but the dickhead was still hounding her about going out again.
Maybe she would if David knew how to please her sexually, but he was a little
too passive in between the sheets. The notches on her belt were limited to just
a few men since she was incredibly choosy, but David had been a major
disappointment. He was tall with dark blond hair and green eyes. Muscular.
Tanned. Gorgeous. But when it came to sex, he was a little too submissive for
her liking. Ugh, and when
he came, the sounds he made were a total turnoff: whiny, whimpering, weak. Such
a contradiction to his strong, manly presence out of bed. Jack wouldn’t sound
like that. She just knew it. He’d growled at her several times during their
arguments, and each time her panties got wet. He just oozed sexual
dominance.
And
that was just what she needed.
She
slipped on her tight jeans, put on a lacy shell, and then donned a fitted
flannel shirt, leaving the top few buttons undone so the camisole, and her
cleavage, peeked through. She shifted. Thongs weren’t really work attire, but
she’d deal with the discomfort. She was on a mission.
No
pain, no sex.
She
slipped into her boots. She’d considered trading them out for something a little
more fashionable, but she was going to be there to work. Wearing new shoes was a
rookie mistake, so if she wanted to be taken seriously, she’d have to wear her
old work boots. Besides, blisters were not sexy, and new shoes had to be broken
in before being acceptable as work-wear attire.
Lillian grabbed the keys to her four-wheeler and trotted
out. She didn’t need to bring a purse or anything else since she’d faxed her
driver’s license and Social Security card to them last week. And since she lived
next door, she wouldn’t have to pack a lunch.
She
climbed onto the wheeler and started it. After revving it a few times, she
kicked it into gear and headed down the trail to the Woods estate. Within a few
minutes, she’d passed the gate that had been left open and made it through the
clearing. Surprisingly, she wasn’t feeling nervous at all.
Under
normal circumstances, she didn’t chase men, but for some reason, she knew she’d
have to make the first move if anything were to happen with Jack. And that
helped her resolve.
There
he was. Standing next to a large pine tree that started a section of new growth
stood the hottie with the body. She pulled right up to him and killed the
engine. Okay, so there were some butterflies swimming in her now because, holy
Christ, he was way hotter in person.
“Lillian.” He nodded to her and took her hand as she
started off the wheeler.
His
voice was like rough silk. She loved hearing him talk over Skype, but that paled
in comparison to hearing him speak now. And the feel of his hand sent electrical
sparks arcing through her. Oh yeah, she was going to fuck him. Tonight.
“Hello, Jack.”
Once
she was clear of her four-wheeler, he let go of her hand and stepped back while
he slid that hand through his hair. His gorgeous blue eyes held her.
He
cleared his throat and shifted. “I apologize for being so difficult about you
working here. I shouldn’t have—”
She
waved her hand, dismissing the comment. “No need. I’m here.” She took a step
closer. “Now where do you want me, Jack?”
She
smiled at him and raised a brow, knowing her comment was borderline suggestive,
and hoping like hell he thought so, too.
He
looked to the right and indicated the nearest patch of trees. “I figured I’ll
show you around the farm and tell you the years when each section is to be
harvested and replanted, make sure you know your way around before setting you
loose.”
Hmm,
he didn’t even flinch at her suggestive tone. And she had her hands on her hips,
thrusting her bodacious tatas in his direction. She wasn’t used to playing the
vixen. Maybe she was doing it all wrong. A panicked thought of her making a fool
of herself in front of her new boss almost paralyzed her. Then she chastised
herself. She wouldn’t know if she didn’t try. But she needed to take it down a
notch. This was just going to be harder than she’d thought.
Lillian nodded and tried to seem nonchalant. “Sounds good.
I’ll just follow you on my wheeler.”
When
she turned to her four-wheeler, she noticed a tic in his jaw. Odd.
“You
shouldn’t wear perfume to work. It can attract insects,” he practically barked
at her.
At
that, she had to laugh as she straddled her ride and looked over at him. “Don’t
worry, big guy. I know the drill. I don’t wear perfume. There’s nothing
artificial about me.”
Heat
flared in his eyes before he quickly banked it. Well, well, well, maybe this
wasn’t going to be so hard after all. Time to sink or swim.
“Since
this is my first job outside of my family business, I think drinks are in order
tonight. You can pick me up at eight.”
She
started her wheeler, not letting him answer. She saw the warring in his eyes. He
was going to try to turn her down.
Good luck with that, hottie with the body. Tonight, you are mine.
THE WOODS FAMILY Series
Blurbs & Buy Links
SURROUNDED BY DEATH - Prequel
His family speaks of his death as a tragic example of why it’s too dangerous for the Woods men to be around available women.
Eric Woods is now dead, but was his last night as a living, breathing mountain lion shifter as horrible as his family has always believed?
Experience Eric’s last night with Simone--a woman whose need for carnal pleasures for exceeds all rational thought.
Reader advisory: This book contains graphic language and explicit sex. It is meant as a bonus read in the Woods family saga and should not be viewed as a typical romance.
SURROUNDED BY WOODS - Book 1
When Mikaela Patterson must take on a client with specific requirements that no single women be allowed on his property, she keeps her broken engagement a secret. She doesn’t realize her client and his sons are mountain lion shifters whose instinct to mate with any available woman turns deadly.
Josh Woods is her client's eldest son, and he is immediately drawn to Mikaela. Knowing his father would never allow an available woman on the property, Josh doesn't understand his fascination with her. Josh and Mikaela fight their attraction because of their own secrets, but when the truth comes out about Mikaela's true availability and Josh's animal instincts, they must be prepared to face the consequences.
Reader advisory: This book contains graphic language and explicit sex.
When Mikaela Patterson must take on a client with specific requirements that no single women be allowed on his property, she keeps her broken engagement a secret. She doesn’t realize her client and his sons are mountain lion shifters whose instinct to mate with any available woman turns deadly.
Josh Woods is her client's eldest son, and he is immediately drawn to Mikaela. Knowing his father would never allow an available woman on the property, Josh doesn't understand his fascination with her. Josh and Mikaela fight their attraction because of their own secrets, but when the truth comes out about Mikaela's true availability and Josh's animal instincts, they must be prepared to face the consequences.
Reader advisory: This book contains graphic language and explicit sex.
SURROUNDED BY PLEASURE - Book 2
Krista Owens is an attorney who works too much and plays too little. When her colleague, Mikaela, requests her assistance for a month on the Woods estate, hinting that her brothers-in-law are all hot with commitment phobias, Krista agrees to tell the guys she has a boyfriend, hoping to finally lose her virginity.
Toby Woods doesn’t want anything to do with Krista, but watching his brothers fight over her ignites his feral side. He wants her, and he’ll stop at nothing to have her.
He knows it’s temporary, but will he be able to let her go when it’s time?
Reader advisory: This book contains graphic language and explicit sex.
Krista Owens is an attorney who works too much and plays too little. When her colleague, Mikaela, requests her assistance for a month on the Woods estate, hinting that her brothers-in-law are all hot with commitment phobias, Krista agrees to tell the guys she has a boyfriend, hoping to finally lose her virginity.
Toby Woods doesn’t want anything to do with Krista, but watching his brothers fight over her ignites his feral side. He wants her, and he’ll stop at nothing to have her.
He knows it’s temporary, but will he be able to let her go when it’s time?
Reader advisory: This book contains graphic language and explicit sex.
SURROUNDED BY TEMPTATION:
When Krista needs Ariel's biochemical expertise because her new boyfriend can turn into a mountain lion, Ariel thinks her sister has lost her mind. But the possibility of a major discovery like this is too much of a temptation to ignore. Create a drug to stop a shifter from forcing a mating? Only if she got to test his sexual limits herself.
Rob thinks Ariel is an angel in disguise, and he immediately knows she's the one for him. But is he strong enough to resist his animal's need to claim her once the temptation begins?
Warning: This book contains a shifter who must resist his feral need to mate and a biochemist who is hell-bent on testing his sexual limits. You'll never look at science the same way again.
When Krista needs Ariel's biochemical expertise because her new boyfriend can turn into a mountain lion, Ariel thinks her sister has lost her mind. But the possibility of a major discovery like this is too much of a temptation to ignore. Create a drug to stop a shifter from forcing a mating? Only if she got to test his sexual limits herself.
Rob thinks Ariel is an angel in disguise, and he immediately knows she's the one for him. But is he strong enough to resist his animal's need to claim her once the temptation begins?
Warning: This book contains a shifter who must resist his feral need to mate and a biochemist who is hell-bent on testing his sexual limits. You'll never look at science the same way again.
SURROUNDED BY SECRETS:
Lillian Caldwell has eyes on the hottie with the body, Jack Woods, one of the men who bought her family land and now new boss. She has big plans for Jack, including the getting-him-horizontal variety, and she always gets what she wants.
Jack is the family hard ass who’s trying to make amends. His plans of digging into the family secret he discovered are thwarted when he’s forced to work with Lillian, his gorgeous, pain-in-the-ass neighbor.
But a night of passion will unlock the secrets surrounding them and change both their lives forever.
Lillian Caldwell has eyes on the hottie with the body, Jack Woods, one of the men who bought her family land and now new boss. She has big plans for Jack, including the getting-him-horizontal variety, and she always gets what she wants.
Jack is the family hard ass who’s trying to make amends. His plans of digging into the family secret he discovered are thwarted when he’s forced to work with Lillian, his gorgeous, pain-in-the-ass neighbor.
But a night of passion will unlock the secrets surrounding them and change both their lives forever.
Author Bio
Mandy Harbin is the
author of several books across multiple romance genres that range from
contemporary to paranormal erotic romance. Her books include the award
winning Darkest Sin, an erotic romantic suspense and first in
the new Darkest series. Mandy also continues to work on her Possession series,
which explores BDSM elements with Digital Possession being the
series starter, and the ever popular Woods Family series,
which began with the best seller Surrounded by Woods. She lives in
a small Arkansas town with her family and can be reached via:
Her Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
~*Giveaway*~
Mandy is giving away a $100.00 Gift Card to either Amazon or
B&N (winners choice) to celebrate the release of SURROUNDED BY SECRETS.
TWO runners up will receive an eBook of SURROUNDED BY
SECRETS.
To Enter:
Fill out the Rafflecopter widget below. The more tasks you complete, the more points
you get.
Loved the excerpt! This sounds like an awesome series!
ReplyDeleteParanormal is my favorite genre, so it is really hard to choose just one. My favorite type is shifters, mainly wolves.
One of my favorite paranormal heroes is Demetrius from Elisabeth Naughton's Tempted. He is not a shifter, but still yummy. ;)
Thank you for sharing and for the awesome giveaway!