{"id":5959,"date":"2016-02-24T01:05:30","date_gmt":"2016-02-24T05:05:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kate-hill.com\/blog\/?p=5959"},"modified":"2016-02-21T16:52:28","modified_gmt":"2016-02-21T20:52:28","slug":"guest-blogger-cerise-deland-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kate-hill.com\/blog\/?p=5959","title":{"rendered":"Guest Blogger: Cerise DeLand –"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"cdTHE<\/a>Focused, driven, SEAL Mike Lyons put duty first\u2026until an IED changed all that. Rebecca Tierney was the woman he always left behind\u2026until he had to protect her from creeps who threatened to kill her. <\/strong><\/p>\n

THE LION, OMEGA TEAM, Crossover to Scorpian, SEALed Securities, Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Former SEAL Mike Lyons goes to work locking down bad dudes, State-side, for the Omega Team<\/em>. His PTSD is his biggest enemy but he\u2019s doing an A1 job\u2026.<\/p>\n

Until Grey Holden of Omega <\/em>assigns him to protect the woman Mike has always left behind. \u00a0Mike\u2019s on point for the mission but questions if Rebecca Tierney will give him a crack at a happily-ever-after.<\/p>\n

Becka nixed hope for any long-term relationship with Mike long ago. Too bad she\u2019s never been able to nix her love for him. When he shows up and carries her away Tarzan-style, she\u2019s determined to chill.<\/p>\n

But old habits die hard.<\/p>\n

Even though mixing business with pleasure would be the worst thing they could do.<\/p>\n

A NIBBLE of THE LION!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Copyright 2016, Cerise DeLand. All rights reserved.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The shop door snapped open. The bells above the frame rang in an awful clatter.<\/p>\n

And in walked Mikael Lyons.<\/p>\n

Becka laughed. Am I dreaming?<\/em><\/p>\n

But she wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Mike stood, surveying the art gallery like a man with a mission. Focused, pointed, his gaze swept the large display floor jammed with furniture and paintings, sculpture and china, ancient, modern, all of it fit only for the upper one-percent\u2019s purchase.<\/p>\n

She shot from her chair. What was he doing here?<\/em><\/p>\n

She hadn\u2019t seen him since they\u2019d argued and parted last summer after that summary meeting in the State Department. Days after the end of their Paris job. The end of our two-month affair.<\/em><\/p>\n

She sucked in a breath, wrestling with her memories of how scrumptious The Lion had been as her lover. Instead, she zeroed in on what had happened to him after he\u2019d left her on the sidewalk last summer holding pieces of her heart in her hands. His grandmother had notified her the day she\u2019d gotten word of his injuries in Afghanistan. The elderly lady had faithfully kept her up-to-date about his wounds, his hospitalizations, his PTSD. Oh, but he looked so good now. The shock of sun-kissed hair, streaked with bronze and gold. The enormous shoulders tucked into a steel gray suit that fit his broad chest and powerful arms like a well-tailored glove. The height, six-four or more. Comforting to stand next to. Maddening beautiful. A little thinner than when they\u2019d rolled around in bed together last July before they returned Stateside and he\u2019d left for the mission that changed his life.<\/p>\n

His neon blue gaze locked on hers. A ghost of a smile crossed his chiseled lips. And then he moved. Like quicksilver, he wove through the maze of furniture. His stride was long. His goal clear. He\u2019d come for her.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

Why now?<\/em><\/p>\n

Today?<\/p>\n

Panicked, she remembered the flash drive. The green bar on the screen moved an iota more. Almost done.<\/p>\n

Mike rounded the doorway to her office. Up close he looked pained. But furious. At her? Really?<\/em> What had she done?<\/p>\n

\u201cCome with me,\u201d he said in that bass voice that reverberated inside her like the roar of the huge male lion at the Washington zoo. He could say her name and her insides got all mushy. With that voice torrid in her ear, he could tell her fairy tales and she\u2019d believe in Hansel and Gretel and reindeer that flew because stars always exploded when he was near.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d she asked him, confused. He\u2019d stormed away from her last summer, warning her yet again that he might not return. And he\u2019d been prophetic, coming home from the mission to Kandahar badly wounded.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell you. But you have to come with me now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere? Why?\u201d She shot a glance at her drive. Done!<\/em> She grasped it and yanked it from the computer. Then she dropped it in her skirt pocket.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t explain. Need you to walk out with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d If she did that, if she stayed with him for more than five minutes, she\u2019d hop into bed for a damn luscious lay\u2014and then he\u2019d be gone again. Messing up her life. Always. \u201cNever.\u201d<\/p>\n

He winced, bared his teeth and shook his head. \u201cEither you come quietly or I take you.\u201d<\/p>\n

She seethed. \u201cWho the hell do you think you are?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now? I\u2019m the guy who\u2019s saving your pretty ass. So come quietly or you won\u2019t like what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo?\u201d She folded her arms and glared at him. \u201cWell, now hear this\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cNo time.\u201d He stepped forward, hauled her into his massive arms and anchored her head with one meaty hand. \u201cKiss me, baby. Like there\u2019s no tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

There never has been.<\/em> \u201cYou\u2019re crazy if\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cCrazy is my forte,\u201d he crooned, turning her so her back was to the shop floor. And then he crushed his mouth to hers.<\/p>\n

She was gone to heaven. His lips were hot as August, his demand heavy and urgent. She loved him rough and ready. She loved him tender and teasing. She loved him and part of her wanted to linger here, kiss him back, forget why he came and destroyed her. Again.<\/em><\/p>\n

She pushed at his chest.<\/p>\n

Why bother? <\/em>With a man this freaking size, what woman had a chance? Not me. Never me with this man.<\/em><\/p>\n

He pressed his thumb over her swollen lips. \u201cLook like you want me. Hate me, but want me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like that wasn\u2019t the truth.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cListen to me, Becka. Fast. You have documents?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHuh. What?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDocuments? Sensitive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cY-yes. How do you know?<\/p>\n

\u201cTell you later. I\u2019m assigned to help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike we did in Paris?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly like.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have them.\u201d She sidled closer to him, whispering, \u201cOn me. But I\u2019m not going with you, Mike. Every time I do, I get myself in a helluva bind. I won\u2019t do it again.\u201d<\/p>\n

He took her by her upper arms and gave her a little shake. \u201cI have no time to argue with you. There\u2019s a gunman out there. Maybe headed this way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her jaw dropped. But her old Langley training kicked in. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDunno.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay then.\u201d He picked her right up off her feet and hauled her over his shoulder. \u201cWe\u2019ll do this my way.\u201d<\/p>\n

One hand to her ass, he pivoted and threaded his graceful way double-time through the tables and chaises, the mirrors and marbles.<\/p>\n

As he passed Vince, her boss, and the senator, he said, \u201cThanks, got what I came for.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRebecca?\u201d Vince followed behind Mike.<\/p>\n

She glimpsed his feet tracking her. She tried to raise her head, but all she could do was watch the beautiful muscular play of Mikael Lyons\u2019 fabulous glutes. She suppressed the urge to laugh and indulged the need to bitch. \u201cI\u2019m fine, Vince. I know Superman, here. He\u2019s harmless as a pussy cat.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor that,\u201d Mike growled when they were on the sidewalk and he ran up Wisconsin Avenue with her ingloriously over his shoulder, \u201cyou will pay.<\/p>\n

Who is Cerise?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Cerise DeLand loves to cook, hates to dust, lives to travel\u2014and write! Publishing award-winning historical and contemporary romances for more than 3 decades, she is #1 Bestselling Regency Author of spicy romances starring dashing heroes and sassy women.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Find Cerise:<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Cerise DeLand’s Website<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Cerise DeLand’s Delicious Doings Blog<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Like her on Facebook:\u00a0 <\/strong>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cerisedelandauthor<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Goodreads: Cerise DeLand<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cerise’s Treasures on Pinterest!<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Follow her on Twitter: @cerisedeland<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sign up for her newsletter: <\/strong>http:\/\/cerisedeland.us7.list-manage.com\/subscribe?u=7c62061b8fb7fd1c0fe6b9348&id=bcc5c70484<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/a>Check out all the OMEGA TEAM Kindle World Launch Authors!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cerise DeLand, The Lion\u00a0<\/u><\/a> Brenna Zinn, Precious Cargo<\/u><\/a> Susan Stoker, Assisting Aimee\u00a0<\/u><\/a> Kate Richards, The Soviet Connection<\/u><\/a> Heather Long, Keeping Karen<\/u><\/a> N Kuhn Buffalo Undercover<\/u><\/a> Sable Hunter, Texas Stand-Off<\/u><\/a> Mandy Harbin, Before the Bang Shift<\/u><\/a> Sabrina York, Hot Rod<\/u><\/a> Jordan Dane, Hot Target<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Focused, driven, SEAL Mike Lyons put duty first…until an IED changed all that. Rebecca Tierney was the woman he always left behind…until he had to protect her from creeps who threatened to kill her. THE LION, OMEGA TEAM, Crossover to Scorpian, SEALed Securities, Inc. Former SEAL Mike Lyons goes to work locking down bad dudes,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,1,5],"tags":[551,514,430],"class_list":["post-5959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cerise-deland","category-general","category-guest-bloggers","tag-contemporary","tag-military","tag-romance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kate-hill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5959","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kate-hill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kate-hill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kate-hill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kate-hill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5959"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kate-hill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5959\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5961,"href":"https:\/\/kate-hill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5959\/revisions\/5961"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kate-hill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5959"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kate-hill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5959"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kate-hill.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5959"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}