Title: Afternoon Delight
Author: Sheila Kell
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Book Blurb:
He’s charismatic, and she’s cautious. Neither wants what the other has, until…
Experience the electrifying novel from BEST-SELLING and AWARD-WINNING Author Sheila Kell. Embark on a thrilling journey where a man accustomed to using force to solve problems is forced to employ diplomacy. Join a fun-loving HIS agent and his unconventional partner as they fight to protect his family's business from a relentless enemy.
Mike "Cowboy" Vaughn had a passion for detonating things. Working as an explosives expert with HIS, he had zero interest in diplomacy. When summoned back to the family ranch to identify the saboteur, he continually faced situations where he preferred to blow things up rather than engage in necessary discussions.
Elizabeth Ladner was captivated by Cowboy from the very beginning. Despite the professional boundaries, she couldn't help but strongly connect with him. When a crucial decision arose between choosing Cowboy and her ex-husband, she may have chosen the wrong path.
Excerpt:
The doorbell rang, and he checked his watch. Excitement rippled through him. LizzyBeth was early. Great, he would have time to chat with her before she got lost in her work or the game began, whichever she chose. He opened the door with a smile and instantly lost it when he saw who stood on his doorstep.
Ballpark, Doc, Romeo, and Speedy stood there with a case of beer and grins a mile wide. They knew nothing about LizzyBeth, and he wanted to keep it that way. He had to get rid of them.
Instead, Doc led the way into the house, pushing past Cowboy. “We figured you needed company today. ’Bama is going to put a whoop-ass on A&M, and we’d hate to know you’re here crying alone.”
The others followed Doc into Cowboy’s home—uninvited—laughing. He loved his fellow agents, but today wasn’t the day for them to be there. He had to call LizzyBeth and tell her to wait until Sunday before working on his kitchen. The others would hound him about having a female handyman—no matter how sexy she was. Well, precisely for how sexy she was. What big, bad alpha male hired a woman to fix the sink or toilet? He would never live it down.
He closed the door and walked inside. “Let me make a quick call.”
“Oh, did we interrupt something?” Ballpark pointed to all the snacks. “Or were you planning to drown your sorrows in munchies?”
The group of men chuckled. He knew they were not all ’Bama fans, but they partnered against A&M and him. It's just his luck.
The doorbell rang. Shit. Too late to call LizzyBeth. Cowboy would have to turn her away at the door before the men saw her.
Cowboy opened the door to a smiling LizzyBeth. His stomach fluttered. She looked terrific in her jeans and T-shirt, with her raven hair pulled back in a ponytail and no makeup. She had that clean, girl-next-door look that all boys loved.
“Look,” he said. Before he could continue, he felt the presence behind him.
“Ooh,” said Ballpark. “No wonder you didn’t invite us over.” Ballpark turned to the others. “He had plans with a woman.”
The leather couch creaked when the others stood to see who Ballpark was talking about. Speedy approached, and Cowboy closed his eyes and sighed.
“I’m sorry,” he said to her. “My friends dropped in to watch the game. We can reschedule if you’d prefer.”
She smiled, and his heart clenched. Beautiful. “No, it’s okay. I can work and keep the noise down for the game.” She stepped inside and held out her hand to Ballpark. “Hi, I’m Elizabeth, the handyman.”
“Dude,” Speedy said to Cowboy as he slapped him on the shoulder. “You have a female handyman?”
“That’s awesome,” Ballpark added. “Come in, Elizabeth. Watch the game with us.”
Cowboy could tell they wanted to grill her, and he didn’t want that to happen.
“I was supposed to work today,” she told them. “But, if it’s okay with Cowboy, I’ll watch a bit. I’m a huge ’Bama fan.”
His friends laughed. “Dude,” Speedy said, “even she’s rooting against you.”
“What?” she said, looking at Cowboy. “Oh, I should’ve guessed. All Texans love A&M. Well, I’m sorry to say they’re going to get their butts whooped.” She grinned and flicked his cowboy hat brim. “Roll Tide.”
He loved her playfulness. This interaction was the first time they’d had this type of camaraderie. “Well, we’ll see about that,” he said. “Would you like something to drink?” At least she had agreed to watch the game instead of the guys watching her butt while she worked in the kitchen. And they would have.
As he expected, she said, “Just some water.”
“No, you have to have a beer with us,” Speedy said.
“No, she doesn’t,” Cowboy countered. “She has what she wants.”
The men chuckled at him. What had he done to deserve that? He led LizzyBeth to the kitchen. Before he could make it there, his doorbell rang. Who the hell now? It was supposed to have been only him and LizzyBeth, and now it was the guys and her—too much testosterone in the room.
“I’ll get it,” Ballpark said. He opened the door. “It’s another woman.”
The men chuckled and headed to the door like little schoolgirls.
Cowboy looked over and stopped, stunned at who stood on his doorstep. His heart sank, and his gut clenched. It couldn’t be. He walked to the door. “Jasmine, what are you doing here?”
Her sweet smile worried him. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
He wanted to shout “No!” especially with the men and LizzyBeth at his home. How would they respond when they learned he had kept this part of his life secret? He couldn’t bring himself to speak of his life before the Air Force and before HIS. However, he knew he couldn’t keep her on his doorstep. He invited her in instead of stepping outside with her as he should do, knowing her mouth. Opening the door wider, he said, “I have company, so please behave.”
He had to get everyone out of there and find out why this woman, of all women, had shown up on his doorstep. Something had to be wrong for it to happen, and hell must have frozen over, or someone was seriously injured or in trouble.
Once inside, he glanced guiltily at LizzyBeth before introducing his newest guest. “Everyone, this is a friend of mine from back home. Jasmine”—he nodded to the group—“this is everyone.” He didn’t feel the need to introduce them personally because she wouldn’t know them.
“From home?” Danny questioned. “Back in Texas?”
“Yes. I’m Jasmine Vaughn, Michael’s wife and the mother of his child. I’m here to bring him home where he belongs.”
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What makes your featured book a must-read?
Cowboy is the wittiest of all the operators, coming up with one-liners that have had him punched in the face by a woman or laughed at by others. His hobby is blowing things up, and that’s the only way he knows how to solve problems. Then, a confirmed bachelor meets a woman with a child, and he can’t stop the protective need but can’t solve their problems by blowing things up.
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Author Biography:
Sheila Kell writes about romantic men who leave women’s hearts pounding with a happily ever after built on memorable, adrenaline-pumping stories. Her debut novel, His Desire (HIS Series #1), launched as an Amazon #1 romantic suspense bestseller, later winning the Readers’ Favorite award for best romantic suspense novel.
Having left behind her days in the United States Air Force and as a University Vice President, she can usually be found on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where she lives with her cats and all the strays that magically find her front door. When she isn’t writing, you can find Sheila with her nose in a good book, dealing with the woodland critters who enjoy her back patio, or wishing she had a genie to do her bidding.
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