(Unchecked
#2)
Published
by: Carina Press
Publication
date: August 31st 2015
Genres: Contemporary, New
Adult, Romance
Synopsis
Book
two of Unchecked
After
her parents were murdered, Layna Blair spent three years on the run—until
Marine Sergeant Blaze Johnson stepped in and saved her. With him, Layna knew
safety for the first time…but two weeks after shipping out for another tour in
Afghanistan, Blaze comes home early.
When
Layna sees the jagged wounds covering his body, every truth she thought she
knew is destroyed. Blaze is distant and angry and though her heart is
shattered, Layna desperately tries to keep their relationship together in the
face of another tragedy. When the tenuous bonds holding them together are
ripped apart by a revenge-hungry maniac, Layna must trust her survival instinct
and bury her past for good.
But
the enemy is two steps ahead, and before she can take action, Layna’s hand is
forced by his deadly demands—save herself or save the man who risked his life
for her freedom. Blaze saved her once. This time it’s her turn to protect him.
91,000 words
Excerpt
I
stood there watching the huge bulk that was Blaze pluck two giant duffle bags
from the carousel. Mesmerized by the sight of him, I could hardly believe he
was home. When my brain kicked in, I picked up his small duffle and stepped
beside him. “I’ll grab a luggage cart.”
Half
his mouth twisted with a smirk. He hefted a bag over each shoulder then took
the small duffle from me. His free hand wrapped around mine and shock waves of
awareness shot up my arm. “Let’s go, baby.”
I
glanced at his bags. “That’s a lot of luggage.” I’d never seen him travel with
anything other than his small duffle.
He
looked down at me but he didn’t comment. “Where’d you park?”
I
indicated a direction with my head and he led the way. He didn’t speak and I
was too nervous to say anything.
When
he saw the Tahoe, he held his hand out. “Keys, baby.”
I
didn’t ask him if he was tired, or if he wanted me to drive. I didn’t ask him
how long he’d been traveling. I didn’t ask him where he’d been. I simply pulled
the keys out of my purse and handed them to him.
He
unlocked the doors, ushered me to the passenger side, kissed me hard and fast
then threw his duffels in the back. When he got behind the wheel, he spent
three seconds adjusting the seat and mirrors then he glanced at me.
“Stop
being nervous, nothing’s changed.” He didn’t touch me, he didn’t take my hand,
he didn’t kiss my knuckles or run a finger up my thigh.
Everything
had changed. “Those are big duffels.”
“That’s
what six years in the military will do to you.”
“Why
aren’t you touching me?” I blurted out.
The
ghost smiled appeared. “You really want me to answer that?”
Um...
“I don’t know, do I?”
He
moved. Quick, precise, I was dragged across the center consul, my legs
straddled his thighs, his hands threaded through my hair and he plunged his
tongue in my mouth. Heavy, wet, desperate need mixed with unrestrained desire
and we became a flurry of hands and teeth and tongues and thrusting hips. When
I reached for his belt buckle, his hand slammed down over mine.
“I
wasn’t touching you because I didn’t want to fuck you in a truck like some
cheap date. I was holding back, waiting to get home so I could make love you
all damn day and touch every inch of this body I’ve been fantasizing about for
the past sixty-eight days.”
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AUTHOR BIO
Sybil
Bartel grew up in Northern California with her head in a book and her feet in
the sand. She dreamt of becoming a painter but the heady scent
of libraries with their shelves full of books drew her into the world of
storytelling. She loves the New Adult genre, but any story about a love so
desperately wrong and impossibly beautiful makes her swoon.
Sybil
now resides in Southern Florida and while she doesn’t get to read as much as
she likes, she still buries her toes in the sand. If she isn’t writing
or fighting to contain the banana plantation in her backyard, you can find
her spending time with her handsomely tattooed husband, her brilliantly
practical son and a mischievous miniature boxer…
But
Seriously?
Here
are ten things you probably really want to know about Sybil.
She
grew up a faculty brat. She can swear like a sailor. She loves men in uniform.
She hates being told what to do. She can do your taxes (but don’t ask).
The Bird Market in Hong Kong freaks her out. Her favorite word is desperate…or
dirty, or both—she can’t decide. She has a thing for muscle cars. But
never reply on her for driving directions, ever. And she has a new book
boyfriend every week—don’t tell her husband.
To
find out more about Sybil Bartel, be sure to follow her
on Twitter (she loves to hear about your favorite book boyfriend!),
visit her website, like her on Facebook or join her Facebook
group Book Boyfriend Heroes for exclusive excerpts and
giveaways.
Author Links
Giveaway
Tour-wide
giveaway (INTL)
$25
Amazon Gift Card
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