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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Thursday, November 8, 2018

will they live long enough? Atlanta's Finest by Sharon C. Cooper

OMG Read this book!!!!!
Great read!
What a journey indeed. Laz & Journey law enforcement attraction
A fantastic book from a fantastic series
Awesome!!!
Description:

Accused (#3)

He wants to forget his past… She’s hiding from hers…

Former FBI agent Kenton Bailey traded in his badge when an assignment went horribly wrong. Now he provides personal security to high-end clients. But falling for Egypt Durand, the Queen of Supreme Security, wasn’t part of the plan. She’s smart, classy, and ignites a fire in him that only she can extinguish. Except she retreats from his advances…and she’s shrouded in a veil of secrecy.

Egypt has never met a man as sexy as Kenton. Funny and smart, he’s hard to resist. But her past leaves no room for a happily ever after. Still, with him, she dreams of a future.

Finally, Egypt’s startling truths are revealed, throwing Kenton off balance and forcing him to confront the past he left behind. And when threats from a dangerous crime family send Egypt bolting, Kenton convinces her to stay. Together they will fight to bring closure to their pasts, but will they live long enough to explore the passion brewing between them? 

EXCERPT

“Why do I always have to go through this with you, Hamilton, and Angelo? Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate you guys looking out for me, but I’m a big girl. I don’t need my big brothers, going all He-Man whenever I have a date.”
“You know not to include me in the big brothers’ scenario,” Kenton said in a low voice close to her ear, his hand moving to her hip.
Had he not known for a fact that their feelings for each other were mutual, he wouldn’t have made such a bold move. He was close enough to feel Egypt shudder against him.
“I definitely don’t see you or consider you as a sister. In fact, the things I’d love to do with you would not fall into the brotherly love zone.”
Her hand went to his chest, and her touch scorched his skin right through his shirt. At 5’9” she was tall for a woman, but even with her high heels, the top of her head only came up to his nose. He had always been attracted to tall, curvy women and she didn’t disappoint.
“Kenton, I…we,” she started, but stopped and dropped her gaze. When her tongue slid across her bottom lip, an uncontrollable growl rumbled in his throat.
“Cancel your date, and go out with me,” he said, caressing her soft cheek with the pad of his thumb.
Egypt glanced up at him, and the urge to kiss her was stronger than ever.
“I already told you. I can’t go out with you.”
“You can’t or you won’t?”
She stepped out of his hold but didn’t move away. “Is there a difference?”
Kenton shoved his hands into his front, pants pockets to keep from touching her again. “Yeah, there is a difference. Have you ever seen the movie, Pretty Woman?”
Egypt’s brows shot up. “Are you kidding me? There’s not a woman alive who hasn’t seen the movie, at least twice. Question is, have you seen it?”
“I have three sisters, two who are older. It was impossible for me not to see it and every other chick flick that exists. The point is, toward the end of the movie, when Edward asks Vivian to stay with him for one more night, she gives a teary-eyed I can’t. That’s how you say I can’t, but without the tears.”
Egypt stared at him with her mouth hanging open but didn’t say anything.
“When you tell me you can’t go out with me, that speaks volumes. It means you can’t go out with me because you’re afraid, or it’s because of something that has happened in your past. Deep down, you really do want to date me.”
She shook her head, and Kenton didn’t miss the soft smile spreading across her lips. “You’re too much. You know that?”
“Tonight, there was something else behind your words, and I can’t put my finger on it. Have I done something to make you think that you and I can’t date? And don’t give me that shit about fraternizing. That rule is not included in our employee handbook.”
“Kenton…”
He grasped her arm gently and pulled her close. “If you told me that you won’t or will never go out with me, I would’ve backed off a long time ago. You haven’t done that. So which is it? You can’t go out with me, or you don’t want to?”
Egypt folded her bottom lip between her teeth as if debating on whether to tell him the truth or lie. As a former undercover FBI agent, he’d been good at reading people, and he already knew the answer. She wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her, but something was holding her back. He didn’t know what, but he had every intention of finding out.
“Sweetheart, your silence tells me everything I need to know.”

Indebted (#2)

Even when he does good, he’s bad…

Detective Lazarus Dimas doesn’t play by the rules. On the streets, he’s a force to be reckoned with, a dangerous man with a badge and a gun. But he does have a soft spot — the sexy assistant district attorney Journey Ramsey. There is something about the woman he can’t shake. She’s irresistible and off limits. At least that’s what he keeps telling himself, but one kiss leads to others and well…so much for limits.

Journey plays by the rules, normally. But she can’t deny the sexual tension that sparks whenever Laz is near, even when he puts her professional integrity at risk. Laz is complex. The type of man fathers warn their daughters about. Yet, there’s a gentle, vulnerable side to him that he lets no one see except her, and she can’t resist him.

Can Laz prove he’s the man for Journey before a reopened case exposes his true colors? Or will the danger they face show that the love they share knows no boundaries?

*Indebted is book 2 in the Atlanta's Finest Series, but can be read as a standalone.

EXCERPT

Journey moaned as his tongue danced with hers, familiarizing itself with every nook and cranny of her luscious mouth. All the desire he’d had pent up over the years to kiss her came to the forefront as he savored every moment. This connection exceeded his expectations and when her hands slid into his hair, he just about lost it. His body throbbed with need. But just as quick as the kiss started, common sense settled over him like a cold chill.

They couldn’t do this. He was no good for her. If she ever got involved with him, his reputation alone would ruin her good name. Laz couldn’t let that happen.

Knowing this, he reluctantly broke off the kiss, but was slow to release her. They were like two magnets molded together and it was almost impossible to pull away. He needed to…he should…but he couldn’t, at least not yet.

Journey took her time opening her alluring eyes and he easily got lost in the dreaminess of them. This woman had a hold on him that he couldn’t explain. And now that he’d kissed her, he was screwed. If she had any idea how much power she had over him, she could do some serious damage to his heart. Good thing she’d never know.

Laz dropped his hands and Journey visibly shivered before clearing her throat.

“Um, how about that drink?” She hurried away from him, pouring herself a glass of wine, and taking a huge gulp.

Laz released a noisy breath and ran his hands through his hair, glad to know he wasn’t the only one affected by their intense lip-lock. Making himself at home, he reached into the refrigerator, not surprised that there was very little food since she spent most of her days at the office. Yet, she had plenty to drink. He grabbed a bottle of water and moved to the other side of the long counter, where she’d set the burritos he’d brought. 

He pointed at their food. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”

He waited until she was seated at the breakfast bar before snagging the stool next to her. They ate in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. What he needed to do was find out what she’d been holding back from him earlier, but first he had to get his body under control. Only minutes ago, flames of desire consumed him like the hottest fire, singeing every cell within him. He hadn’t felt this worked up in a while. Sure, he’d been with plenty of women over the years, but not one had him ready to say to hell with everything in order to have her. He hadn’t felt like this since…not since Gwenn.

Don’t go there, Dimas. He definitely didn’t need to travel down that mental road.
“The flowers were from a client,” Journey said out of nowhere.
Laz nodded, not bothering to ask if the client was male or female. It was best he didn’t know.
“Are you ready to tell me what you wanted to say earlier?” he finally asked Journey, tossing the wrapper from his burrito into the trash.

He poured more wine into her glass before grabbing another bottle of water for himself. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”
She wrapped her hands around her wine glass and he could feel the tension bouncing off her.
“What’s wrong? Are you in trouble? Is it a case? Because whatever it is, I know it’s bothering you.” He touched her hand and she looked at him. “You can trust me. Tell me what happened.”
“Laz, I could lose my job or worse, be disbarred if I say anything right now.”

Okay, so this is serious.
“Is there something I can do to help?” he asked quietly. If she was in trouble, there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do. He couldn’t explain his possessiveness when it came to her. He wasn’t even sure when his feelings for her had grown so strong.
“Be careful of the people around you,” she whispered, staring at her wine glass.

He stiffened. The words were spoken so quietly, he almost didn’t hear them.
“So this is about me?” he asked cautiously.
She gave a slight nod of her head before turning her troubled gaze in his direction. His heart squeezed. Not so much for himself, but for the worry he saw in her eyes. “I can’t tell you anything more yet, but for now Laz just…watch your back.” 

Vindicated (#1)

She’s a distraction he can’t resist…

A spark ignites the moment security specialist, Hamilton Crosby, meets stuntwoman, Dakota Sherrod. She’s like no other woman he’s ever met. But Hamilton never ignores his gut, and his gut tells him to stay clear of the enticing beauty.

Dakota is an adrenaline junkie. Leaping off buildings and running through fire is just another day at the job. Hence when she sets her sights on Hamilton, she goes after him full-force. Their attraction is fierce, but he thwarts her advances at every turn. He’s the strong, silent type who operates by a set of rules, but he’ll soon realize she rarely follows rules.

Falling for Dakota catches Hamilton off guard. So does the fact that she’s attached to part of his past. A past that indicted him with shame and loss. But when Dakota becomes the target of an unknown enemy, Hamilton stops at nothing to protect her. In turn, vindication is his reward, except it comes with complications.

EXCERPT

Dakota snagged his attention when she revved the engine of a custom Ducati 1098S and took off down the street before slowing and circling back. She looked like a total badass on the sleek black bike that was accented in chrome with a matching helmet. The black leather jumpsuit she was wearing added to the fierce look.

“Your woman has nerves of steel, man. I can’t imagine doing half the stunts she’s performed on this project,” Justin said, admiration ringing in his voice. “How much did she tell you about this stunt?”

The question immediately put Hamilton on edge. “Not much. She just said that she’d be riding a motorcycle like one she wanted to purchase one day. I guess she’s been planning to test drive one but hadn’t yet.”

“With the way she’s handling that machine, no one would ever know she hadn’t ridden it before.”

As the words left Justin’s mouth, Dakota did a wheelie, riding a short distance with the front wheel of the bike off the ground. Considering the act was illegal on city streets, he hoped it wasn’t something she did outside of being on a movie set.

Justin chuckled. “Now she’s just showing off, probably for you.”

Hamilton’s pulse thumped loudly in his ear and his chest tightened as she popped another wheelie. When the front tire hit the ground, she sped down the street at top speed, then slowed and turned around only to do it again. This woman was going to be the death of him. He didn’t want her showing off. He just wanted her safe.

“This will be the last time I come and watch her do a stunt,” he said to Justin. “My heart can’t take this shit.”

Justin laughed and pounded him on the back, then gripped his shoulder. “Well, brace yourself, bro. You’re in for a treat.”

About the author:
Award-winning and bestselling author, Sharon C. Cooper, is a romance-a-holic - loving anything that involves romance with a happily-ever-after, whether in books, movies, or real life. Sharon writes contemporary romance, as well as romantic suspense and enjoys rainy days, carpet picnics, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She's been nominated for numerous awards and is the recipient of an Emma Award for Romantic Suspense of the Year 2015 (Truth or Consequences), Emma Award - Interracial Romance of the Year 2015 (All You'll Ever Need), and BRAB (book club) Award -Breakout Author of the Year 2014. When Sharon is not writing or working, she's hanging out with her amazing husband, doing volunteer work or reading a good book (a romance of course).

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7 comments:

Victoria Alexander said...

This sounds like a really awesome series, I've added all of the books to my TBR :D

Amy Friedentag said...

i love the cover and this series sounds really interesting!

Sharon C Cooper said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sharon C Cooper said...

Thank you, Amy!

Sharon C Cooper said...

Thank you, Victoria, and I hope you enjoy the stories!

Sharon C Cooper said...

Thanks for hosting my Atlanta's Finest series!

areck0001 said...

I enjoy reading. I have been to Atlanta and like the idea of reading more about it and how it can be good times but also struggles.