By Robin Michaela (Guest Blogger)
Wishing
you all a happy and prosperous 2018!
Because
it’s January and freezing outside, I’m trying to think warm
thoughts of summer heat waves and long, sunny days. Like many
authors, I put lots of real life experiences and fantasies into my
stories and one of my books is set right in the middle of summer.
Baby,
Count on Me, takes place in the small town of Sweetness, in the
North Georgia Mountains. During one scene, Beau and Jenna hike to a
waterfall and end up making love behind the falls. While that doesn’t
sound too appealing in January, I’d absolutely go for it in July,
especially here in the steamy South. Confession time – I’ve done
the hiking part, but not the sex part (hmm, maybe I’ve got to plan
that for next year…).
The
North Georgia Mountains have lots of cute little towns and tons of
hiking areas (with or without waterfalls capable of hiding a
couple’s…um, outdoor activities). Because I live in the
metro-Atlanta area, it’s just about an hour’s drive to the
mountains, so hubby and I are up there a lot during the summer. We
especially enjoy poking around in the shops of Helen, which remade
itself into a German-themed town in the 1970s to draw in visitors.
A
river runs through Helen and, on hot summer days, buses loaded with
excited kids and sweaty parents make their way up the twisting
mountain roads, dragging huge trailers full of colorful pink and
green inner tubes behind them. Several restaurants line the river and
we enjoy eating lunch in the shade overlooking the water, while
watching masses of inner tubes float down the creek like flamboyant
jewels.
Because
the river is shallow and rocky, lots of people get hung up on their
way downstream. They have to use sticks and branches to push
themselves off the rocks. It can be hilarious to see people tip over
and come up dripping, only to find out they were just stuck in
knee-deep water. My characters, Beau and Jenna, have a scene in the
book where they watch the tubers before taking the float trip
together. After they come back, soaked through, it leads to a
little…indoor activity.
I
hope you enjoy the excerpt below.
Blurb
You
don’t always get a second chance on your first love.
Jenna
Carmichael played it safe all her life, except once in college when
she gambled on love and experienced heartbreak. Now she’s ready to
nurture a new spark of defiance and fight for the kind of
relationship she deserves.
Beau
Davis is back from the Air Force and ready to settle down, but he’s
still carrying a torch for his former college sweetheart.
When
Jenna and Beau are reunited, will they be willing to risk everything
for a second chance at love?
Excerpt
Beau
grinned and dunked the bandana in the water again, then draped the
dripping fabric over his head. “Man, it is hot today.” He
gestured toward the people floating down the creek. “I wouldn’t
mind joining them. I don’t even have to have a tube. Here, Jenna,
you go first and tell me how it is….”
A
quick jolt shot through Jenna when he grabbed her with muscular arms
and dragged her toward the stream. “No, I’m not dressed for it,”
she shrieked through her giggles. “Beau, stop, I’m not wearing a
bathing suit.”
He
snorted. “Typical girl. Always has to be dressed properly for every
occasion.” He stopped short of the water’s edge, acting like he
was going to throw her in.
She
had no choice but to fling her arms around his neck. Wrapping one
tanned leg around his thigh, she clung to him tightly. “If you toss
me in, I’m taking you with me.” Jenna loved how his eyes crinkled
with laughter when he gave her one more, gentle shove toward the
water. Shrieking again, she clutched at his shoulders.
He
yanked her back against his hard chest at the last second before she
fell in, then tightened his arms in a hug. In an instant, the
laughter faded from her lips, replaced by a flash of desire. Jenna
ran her hands lightly over his shoulders, releasing a long sigh of
appreciation. She traced her fingers along the outstretched wings of
his eagle tattoo and down over his powerful biceps, then slid her
arms around his waist.
Beau
groaned and bent his mouth to hers. His kiss was so intense, she was
sure it would set the grass around them on fire. For a moment, she
forgot everything except her mounting hunger. Then, the squealing
laughter of a child broke the spell and he pulled back.
Jenna
shook her head slightly to clear the haze of passion he’d ignited.
She reached for his hand, not entirely sure her wobbly legs would
hold her.
He
kissed her cheek. “After that, I think we both need a cold shower,
but since we don’t have one nearby, let’s go tubing.”
“I
told you, I’m not dressed for it.”
“The
hotel room is right up the road from the float trip landing. In this
heat, I guarantee you’ll be dry by the time we walk back. Besides,
if we go back to the room to change clothes, I’m pretty sure we can
cross off the rest of the day.” His voice was husky with unspoken
possibilities.
Beau’s
words sent Jenna’s heart rate spiking again. It was so tempting to
consider spending the day in bed with him. River tubing could hardly
compare, but they’d have all night together. Plus, now that summer
had truly kicked in, it was hot, even under the trees. “All
right, you’ve convinced me. But, I expect to collect on your
promise later.”
Her
heart did a little dance at the image of just how she would
collect from him.
Buy
Link
About
the Author
She’s
married to her own Handsome Prince (a military airman) and has lived
everywhere from the sunny shores of Florida to the wild crags of the
Colorado Rocky Mountains. She currently resides in the Deep South. By
day, she’s a dental hygienist and by night, Robin can be found
eating chocolate, training for her next half marathon, and crafting
her next novel (although not necessarily in that order).
*Subscribe
to Robin’s newsletter
for occasional emails about new releases, reader exclusives, and
more. When you do, you’ll get a copy of her sexy novelette,
Marrying
Mr. Wrong,
as a gift for subscribing.
Keep
in touch with Robin:
Website
www.robinmichaela.com
Amazon
Author Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01N1MUNAL
2 comments:
Welcome to Beyond Romance, Robin!
Hope the book does really well!
Thanks for hosting me, Lisabet!
Post a Comment
Let me know your thoughts! (And if you're having trouble commenting, try enabling third-party cookies in your browser...)