Title S’mores Siren Song
Author Virginia Barlow
Genre Paranormal Romance
Publisher The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
Adysson Townsend spends her nights as a siren and days as a human. She owns an ice cream parlor along the waterfront and challenges a big fishing company over their illegal activities. But she’s almost out of time. On her twenty-fifth birthday, she must decide which form she’ll keep. It’s simple until a handsome officer comes to town and steals her heart. Commander Benjamin Yeates volunteers for the job in Maine. Ever since he spotted a mermaid as a youth, he’s been curious about Mystic Cove. Now a marine biologist, he jumps at the chance to find out if they’re real. He falls hard and fast for Addy before he discovers there’s more to her than meets the eye, depending on the time of day....
Excerpt
The boat turned around and hummed away from shore.
Adysson sucked in a much-needed breath of relief. She’d deal with the rumors of a mermaid later. Right now, the importance of clothes outweighed anything else. She glanced at the beach and found it deserted. Making a beeline for the chest holding her terry robe before any more prying eyes spied her, she stepped from the water, retrieved the garment, slipped her arms through the sleeves, and cinched the belt.
Relieved, she turned and walked right into a human wall adorned with black wavy hair and sultry blue eyes. “Oh! I…uh…didn’t see you there.” Her voice quivered with tension. Damn! Damn! Damn!
“I would say it’s pretty obvious.” His dark gaze roamed over her too hot face to her bare toes and back up. “Nice, uh, robe you’ve got there.” He glanced up and down the beach. His gaze fell to the waterproof bin at their feet. “I didn’t realize Mystic Cove had a nudist beach.”
Her gaze shot up to his. “We don’t. This beach belongs to me. See the No Trespassing sign?” She pointed at a sign next to them and waited for his reaction.
He stood a head taller and wore a navy shirt open at the neck and navy trousers. A grin crossed his face. “What’s the penalty for skinny dipping here?” His amused expression did a once over her body before gazing into her eyes.
Heat flamed her face. “A thousand bucks and up to six months jail time. Do you plan to turn me in?”
His gaze darkened and dropped to the V in her robe.
“No.”
Adysson swallowed and shifted her feet. She’d never been this close to such an attractive man before. “The fine varies up and down the coast.” He gazed at the water behind her head for a moment and then returned to her face. His voice dropped to a sexy drawl. “Since this is a private beach, I’ll let you off with a verbal warning.”
Confused, she frowned. “What?”
He took a leather billfold from his front shirt pocket and flipped a badge at her. “I’m Coast Guard Commander Benjamin Yeates. My friends call me Ben.”
Adysson groaned. Her knight in shining armor arrived to slay Marshal International, and she stumbled into him naked. “Adysson Townsend. My friends call me Addy, but I don’t think we qualify as friends.” He chuckled. “Oh, I don’t know. I’ve seen more of you than most, I’m betting. So, I’d say we were friends.”
She chose to ignore his comment. “Can you arrest me? I thought your authority ended at the shore.”
“I can go anywhere as long as it’s tied to my investigation.” A gleam entered his dark eyes. He leaned closer. “Do you want me to arrest you? I’ve got a set of cuffs in my truck, but I can think of a better use for them than taking you in.” His breath brushed across her cheek, and desire glittered in his eyes.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub)
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/smores-siren-song-virginia-barlow/1141502780?ean=2940185824528
Author Biography
I love being an author. It's all about where your characters lead you. I start with a general idea. As the story unfolds, I type as fast as I can in hopes I keep up with my characters. They have had me jotting on napkins, making notes while I'm waiting in a line, and waking me up in the middle of the night. The hard part is always the ending. My characters live with me and when I reach the end of the story, it is hard to say goodbye. Sometimes I let the story sit for a few days to make sure I'm okay with them leaving home to get published. Kind of like when you kids move out. LOL
I enjoy my grandchildren, and the time I share with them. They make me smile with their antics. I like to quilt, crochet, knit and sew. Cooking and baking are occasional itches I scratch. The rest of the time, they are necessary evils. LOL.
My greatest support comes from my husband. He has been my sounding board for all my stories. My daughters are also a great support to me. I couldn't do it without my family
Social Media Links
Twitter: https://twitter.com/virginiabar1031
Webpage: http://www.virginia-barlow.com