Schoolteacher Gracie James has never seen more danger than her kindergarten grade classroom, but when she goes searching for her missing sister, she’s thrown into a world of sex, crime…and passion. Following a hot lead, she sneaks onto a stranger’s boat—and gets caught. Their one-sided conversation convinces her of two things. One: the guy is seriously sexy. Two: he knows something about her sister. Oh, yeah. And did she mention he’s sexy?
And a sizzling attraction…Jake Alexander, former cop, is staking out a yacht brimming with criminal activity, for an insurance company, when a woman, dressed to kill and totally irresistible, stumbles into his dangerous undercover op. If he hadn’t tackled her, she’d have tottered straight onto the questionable yacht in those ridiculous high heels. Then she’d be dead. Or worse. As much as he’d like to kick her off his boat, he can’t risk her going off on some hare-brained scheme—but he can’t keep her around to muck up his job. Oh, yeah. And did he mention she’s distracting as hell?
Lead to dangerous desire…
Unfortunately, she has a keen mind of her own. And a body any man would die for. Jake’s attempt to keep Gracie safe quickly morphs into a reluctant alliance. And a whole lot more… But Gracie finds herself knee deep in more trouble than she bargained for, with secrets revealed and the criminals coming after her. Unless they find a way to trust each other, they’re finished. Oh, yeah. And did they mention they’re in love?
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Entangled Publishing – ignite imprint
Publication Date: September 23, 2013
“Oh my God, you’re sitting in here in the dark taking photos of those people? What are you a pervert…or paparazzi or something?” Before he could answer, a glimmer of hope filled her chest and she turned to him. “How long have you been here? Taking photos, I mean.”
He looked at her strangely and an idea flashed into her mind. Before she could think about the consequences, she seized the opportunity. She slid slowly back over the seat toward him, curled her fingers and reached up to his face, lightly brushing the rough stubble on his cheek with the back of her hand. His jaw was set rock hard and he didn’t move. She leaned in closer to him and dropped her voice to a whisper.
“So…you’ve got some photos of the…er…action on the Midas? Maybe we could look at them together?” She opened her mouth a little and ran the tip of her tongue across her top lip. “We might be able to make our own fun here?”
“Why?” he asked. “You think looking at the photos will turn me on?” A look of boredom crossed his face in the dim light. “Sweetheart, I’ve seen it all, but it you want to play, I’m happy to oblige.”
Gracie’s heart lodged in her throat when he lifted his hand and placed it at the side of her neck and she held her breath, waiting for his fingers to circle her throat. He curled his fingers and imitated the way she had caressed his cheek. His touch was warm and he trailed them down her neck and continued until they rested on the swell of her breast above the low cut neckline. “I’ll show you the photos…and then…”
She drew in a quick breath as his eyes narrowed and he slowly lowered his mouth toward hers. Time seemed to stand still as she tipped her head back on the seat and his lips came closer—inch by inch until his warm breath fanned her lips. His hand slid down to her bare thigh and the hair lifted on the back of her neck and her arms. The heat of his touch penetrated her skin and her heart raced with a dizzying mix of fear and excitement.
It was like a game of cat and mouse as though each was teasing the other to see how far the other would go before they pulled back. Slowly his lips touched hers and she opened her mouth as heat flooded her. His fingers crept up her thigh and ripples of pleasure shot through her. Gracie was the first to break—she reached down and grabbed his hand to still it on its journey up her thigh. For a couple more seconds the hardness of his mouth claimed hers until he pulled back and spoke coldly.
“You like to play dangerous games, but this is not a game. Now I want the truth.”
Thanks so much for stopping by the Authors' Cafe today, Annie. I'm very excited to host you and your book, Dangerous Desire! Okay, I see you've got your favorite beverage, so let's get right to the interview.
At what point in your life did you realized that being an author was no longer going to be just a dream but a career you were going to turn into reality?
I had always dreamed of being a writer and always said ‘one day.’ I was fully immersed in a career when that winding road of writing beckoned to me and ‘one day’ arrived. I made a snap decision to retire early and take up writing. When I read an article about myself as a local writer in the newspaper, I knew it was a dream that was now my reality.
Which of your characters is most like you?
Many of my heroines seem to have a penchant for being disorganized. I kid myself that I am organized and I try very hard to be, but mange to live in a perpetual state of chaos.
LOL - I hear you there! If you were stranded on a desert island, which character from Dangerous Desire would you want with you?
Silly question… Raw power radiated from him, both physically and in his attitude. And he’s a bad boy so there’s not even a second choice for company on the island. It would have to be Jake!
Where do you write?
Mostly I sit in my writing chair in the corner of my living room which faces the Pacific Ocean. A vase of roses sits next to me as well as a pile of well read books...and endless cups of coffee. In the winter, the sun pours through the window and my writing corner is warm and sunny. Sometimes when my husband takes our fishing boat out, my trusty laptop and I go with him.
I don’t use any props or charts, or timelines or Pinterest for my writing. It is all in my head! So I can write anywhere.
Do you have any “rituals” you go through before you write?
Must have coffee…that’s all.
What was your favorite chapter (or part) of Dangerous Desire to write and why?
There is a very steamy sex scene in a swimming pool which my editor asked me to make even more explicit and sexy. That challenged me and pushed my boundaries as a writer but I did it and I think it turned out rather well. I would love to hear what readers think of it!
How did you come up with the title?
I am hopeless at thinking of titles and with my editor and publisher, we all brainstorm together till we come up with the most attractive title. When I thought of Dangerous Desire by listing the elements of the story I knew it was just right.
What would YOU like your readers to know about this book or you in general?
I am passionate about my writing and a perfectionist. I would like to think that it makes my books make an enjoyable experience for my readers and takes them to another place as they read.
What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Follow your dreams... persevere... and they will come true if you believe in yourself!
Do you have a favorite author?
Essie Summers..who wrote introduced me to romance many years ago when I was a teenager.
What is your favorite quote?
Dare to dream.
What genre of books do you read for pleasure?
Romance in all its incarnations. Contemporary, historical, steampunk.
What’s the most amusing thing that’s ever happened to you?
Being stressed in my office and putting a stapler to my ear as I dialed on a calculator. I am sure I can still hear my secretary laughing.
Ha - Too funny! What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I love to go to the beach and look at the ocean.
If all TV shows were real, what show (all time) would you most like to live in?
Happy Days with the Cunninghams!
At what point in your life did you realized that being an author was no longer going to be just a dream but a career you were going to turn into reality?
I had always dreamed of being a writer and always said ‘one day.’ I was fully immersed in a career when that winding road of writing beckoned to me and ‘one day’ arrived. I made a snap decision to retire early and take up writing. When I read an article about myself as a local writer in the newspaper, I knew it was a dream that was now my reality.
Which of your characters is most like you?
Many of my heroines seem to have a penchant for being disorganized. I kid myself that I am organized and I try very hard to be, but mange to live in a perpetual state of chaos.
LOL - I hear you there! If you were stranded on a desert island, which character from Dangerous Desire would you want with you?
Silly question… Raw power radiated from him, both physically and in his attitude. And he’s a bad boy so there’s not even a second choice for company on the island. It would have to be Jake!
Where do you write?
Mostly I sit in my writing chair in the corner of my living room which faces the Pacific Ocean. A vase of roses sits next to me as well as a pile of well read books...and endless cups of coffee. In the winter, the sun pours through the window and my writing corner is warm and sunny. Sometimes when my husband takes our fishing boat out, my trusty laptop and I go with him.
I don’t use any props or charts, or timelines or Pinterest for my writing. It is all in my head! So I can write anywhere.
Do you have any “rituals” you go through before you write?
Must have coffee…that’s all.
What was your favorite chapter (or part) of Dangerous Desire to write and why?
There is a very steamy sex scene in a swimming pool which my editor asked me to make even more explicit and sexy. That challenged me and pushed my boundaries as a writer but I did it and I think it turned out rather well. I would love to hear what readers think of it!
How did you come up with the title?
I am hopeless at thinking of titles and with my editor and publisher, we all brainstorm together till we come up with the most attractive title. When I thought of Dangerous Desire by listing the elements of the story I knew it was just right.
What would YOU like your readers to know about this book or you in general?
I am passionate about my writing and a perfectionist. I would like to think that it makes my books make an enjoyable experience for my readers and takes them to another place as they read.
What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
Follow your dreams... persevere... and they will come true if you believe in yourself!
Do you have a favorite author?
Essie Summers..who wrote introduced me to romance many years ago when I was a teenager.
What is your favorite quote?
Dare to dream.
What genre of books do you read for pleasure?
Romance in all its incarnations. Contemporary, historical, steampunk.
What’s the most amusing thing that’s ever happened to you?
Being stressed in my office and putting a stapler to my ear as I dialed on a calculator. I am sure I can still hear my secretary laughing.
Ha - Too funny! What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I love to go to the beach and look at the ocean.
If all TV shows were real, what show (all time) would you most like to live in?
Happy Days with the Cunninghams!
Party dress or blue jeans? Depends on my mood… but probably blue jeans!
Plotter or Panster? Panster ..but I love the term organic writer.
Print or e-Book? Still reading both but leaning to e-Book.. it is so convenient and portable.
Coastal walks or extreme sports? Definitely coastal walks...I walk the beach every day with our dog.
That sounds lovely! Cookies or cupcakes? Anything with cake and sugar I eat it!
Yes, unfortunately I know exactly what you mean! Super hero or super villain? Super villain…I love the bad boys.
If I had a free afternoon I’d . . . go to the beach with my Kindle.
Me too! Peanut Butter: Crunchy, Creamy, or I hate peanut butter and am addicted to Nutella. Ergh..I hate peanut butter and Nutella!
You suddenly realize you live in a haunted house. Do you:
- Run screaming for the door.
- Bravely go to a church, load up on holy water and try to get rid of the ghost.
- Set up ghost hunting equipment to capture phenomenon.
- Call in the Ghost Adventures crew so that you can ogle the lead guy Zac’s amazingly stiff hair when you’re not ogling his….physical attributes.
- Deny you have a ghost and just let it scare the bejesus out of your visitors.
Oh definitely #4…nothing beats a good ogle no matter how scared I was.
Could you tell us five random facts about yourself?
- I am driven and determined.
- I am an obsessive ranks checker on Amazon.
- I can’t ride a bicycle.
- My favorite food is potato.
- I am a grandmother… too young you say!
Annie Seaton lives with her husband, and ‘Bob’ the dog and two white cats in a house next to the beach on the east coast of Australia. She sits in her writing chair, gazing at the ocean and writing stories. Their two children are grown and married and she loves spending time gardening, walking on the beach and spoiling her two grandchildren. She has always been fascinated by all things romantic and has found her niche in life writing romance novels, ranging through contemporary, historical, suspense and paranormal…but all with romance of course.
Her love of reading and history began at an early age and she was a child who always carried a book (or two) no matter what she was doing. Several of her favourite books were confiscated from beneath her desk by teachers who had no understanding of her capacity to read while she was doing her schoolwork!
Her working life has seen her through several major career changes and Annie has now retired from the world of full time work and has fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a published author.
Annie’s debut full length novel, Holiday Affair, a contemporary romance set in the South Pacific was released as part of Entangled Publishing’s Indulgence line in March 2012 and has been a best seller on both Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. The sequel Italian Affair was released in June 2013, and will be followed shortly by Outback Affair. Annie has more books being released in 2013 and 2014 with Entangled Publishing in the Bliss, Entangled Ignite and Covet imprints.
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