Cover Reveal
ONE TO LEAVE
(One to Hold #5)
By Tia Louise
Release Date: December 29th, 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance
BLURB
Some
demons can't be shaken off. Some wounds won't heal. Until a pair of
hazel eyes knocks you on your ass, and you realize it's time to stop running.
Meet
Stuart Knight Dec. 29, 2014.
#SexyCowboy
EXCERPT
*unedited draft, subject to change*
Years earlier,
behind enemy lines. Long nights, sitting against the wall staring into
darkness. We’d shared just about everything to pass the time, to keep from
going insane from the monotony combined with the stress of knowing at any time
we could be blown up or shot. We were walking targets, and we’d been lucky. “You’re
right,” Derek exhaled, looking away again, out at the expanse of beige. “I’m
proud of my service, but when the time comes, I’ll walk away.” “You’ve got
another road ahead of you.” I didn’t think any less of him. Some guys in this
outfit didn’t have the right stuff, the right attitude or the honor, but that
could never be said of this guy. “I’m glad we served together.” “Now who’s
getting soft?” His deep laugh was the last sound I heard before the staccato CLANK! of a grenade dropped into
the space with us. We had seconds, if that long. No time to speak, only
time to act. Reaching down, I grabbed it, and threw it as fast and hard as I
could. It was just out the window when the BLAST! Threw us both against the wall. My back had been
curved from the throw, and I hit a bare space. I was winded, but not hurt.
Derek was out cold. White smoke filled the room. Our luck had run out, and we
were under attack. Shots fired outside as I made my way through the
blindness to where his dark body was slumped on the stone floor. “Fuck!” I shouted. He was as big as me
and twice as heavy, but I’d be damned if I left him. With a deep grunt, I
hauled him onto my shoulders. His voice was a groan in my ear. “Stuart. Go on.
Go.” “You’re not dying today, soldier,” I shouted back. Months of
working out and not much else between the explosions and the darkness had me
strong as a damn mule. I went up the short flight of steps to the exit. I had
no idea what I’d be stepping into when I went through that door, but they knew
we were in here. We couldn’t stay. I held Derek steady on my back as I
peered into the smoke and dust filling the air. Two bodies in robes right ahead
of us. Not Americans. There wasn’t anything we could do for them, but I would do
something for us. A convoy had been preparing to transport the last of us
two houses down. If I could make it that far, it was possible we’d be safe. I
couldn’t see a damned thing as I made a break for it. My thighs burned with the
exertion and the extra weight, and my lungs seized from the smoke. Derek was a
fucking dead weight on my back, but I barely noticed with the adrenaline
pumping in my veins. I was born for this. Blinking hard, I could just make
out the hulking shapes of the armored trucks waiting to take us away. “We’re
almost there,” I shouted, even though I was pretty sure he was out again. Taking
the first step, I dug in with my heel, trying to gain speed with traction.
Combat boots, thirty-seven pounds of weaponry, ordnance, spying shit, and my
commanding officer. I ran as fast as I could to the symbol of safety. I was
just there when my feet went out from under me. My ears rang with the noise of
the explosion, and pain shot like fire through the lower half of my body. I
flew forward and landed on my chest in the dirt. I couldn’t stop shaking.
It wasn’t fear—it was adrenaline combined with the effort I’d been pushing to
get us to safety faster. My brain tilted on its side. The trucks were near, but
they couldn’t see us in all the smoke and confusion. Bodies were running all
around us. I needed to get up, but I was dazed. God dammit! I was made for this. I tried to force myself to
get up, but my body didn’t respond. I was above myself looking down. Derek lay
on my back exposed, unprotected. What
the fuck was happening to me? I fought against this pansy-assed
flake-out. I had to get back down there. I had to carry my brother to safety. I
was stronger than this.Somebody had to see us, but the whole place was in
confusion. Another whistling rocket, another explosion. I struggled to open my
mouth and yell for backup. Nothing came out. I saw a truck jolt and fly back.
It was hit. Then, like an old-fashioned television switching off,
everything blinked to black. I didn’t see anything anymore.
EXCERPT BOOKS BY TIA
LOUISE
One to Hold (Derek & Melissa), 2013
One to Keep (Patrick & Elaine), 2014
One to Protect (Derek & Melissa), 2014
One to Love (Kenny & Slayde), 2014
One to Leave (Stuart & Mariska), Dec. 29, 2014
Purchase Signed
Copies: http://smarturl.it/SignedPBs
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tia Louise
is a former journalist, world-traveler, and collector of beautiful men (who
inspire all of her stories... wink)—turned wife, mommy, and novelist. She
lives in the center of the U.S.A. with her lovely family and one grumpy cat.
There, she dreams up stories she hopes are engaging, hot, and sexy, and that
cause readers rethink common public locations~ It’s possible she has a
slight truffle addiction.
CONNECT WITH TIA
Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Website | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram:
@AuthorTLouise
Sign up for
Tia's Book News
Get
Exclusive Sale and New Release text alerts straight to your device:
Text
"TiaLouise" to 77948*
*Max 6
messages per month; HELP for
help; STOP to cancel;
Text and Data rates may apply. Privacy policy available, allnightreads@gmail.com.
thanks so much~ <3 Tia
ReplyDelete