Thirteen Random Snippets I Like from HOLD ON TO ME

1) Caitlin Falconetti stood before him in all her Bureau glory, and he was dirty, wet, and smelled of dead chicken.

2) “You’re a sick bastard.”
“Yeah, I know.” Cookie heaved an unrepentant sigh as they reached the water’s edge.

3) “Now tell me you don’t want me.”

4) “Right. You never noticed the guy tripping all over himself when you’re around.”
She pinned him with a withering look. He was on a fishing expedition, but if he thought she’d fall for the oldest interrogation trick in the book, she had news for him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you don’t.”
“If you don’t shut up about it, Cook, I’m going to kick your ass. Right here, right now.”
“Stop.” He picked up a toothpick and began cleaning under his thumbnail. “You’re turning me on.”

5) Holy hell, let her do whatever she wanted. He was too damned tired to care anymore.

6) “Think.” Cookie thumped him on the forehead.

7) “I was being facetious, Falconetti. You don’t have to take everything so damned literally.”
“Gee, I’m sorry, Reed. I didn’t realize you actually possessed a sense of humor.”

8) Absolute glee flowed through his sister’s words. “Maybe you want to go church with us, too. I think the sermon is on the sins of the flesh. You can repent.”
“Tori.” He ground his teeth. “I haven’t done anything to repent for. Nothing happened.”

9) “Do you realize what you’re doing to your lungs? Could you even pass a physical training run right now?”
He laughed. “I’ll have you know I conduct our training runs every week.”
“Standing on the track with a stop watch does not count.”

10) Tick muttered a curse. “If I shoot him…”
“I’ll swear it was justified.” Caitlin tried to smile.

11) "If you say love and forever, or anything else along those lines, I’ll puke, Lamar. Seriously.”

12) “Yeah, I know, but it’s fun to push your buttons. You’re awful cute when you’re jealous, Falconetti. Makes those Irish-green eyes of yours glitter like crazy. I’ll bet you can turn on the mean real quick.”

13) "Hell, boy, her shoes cost more than your last set of tires.”

I Am . . .

. . . the worst blogger ever, lately. I'll get better, I promise.

I've finished my first graduate course -- whoo-hoo! The last time I checked, I had an A. Might better check to see if final grades are posted.

First round of edits on Anything But Mine are turned in.

I'm working on Madeline and Ash's book, although I should be working on the novella I want to submit for Samhain's psychic-themed anthology. Maybe when my Alphie gets here . . .

Need to be grading journals and senior projects. Blech. I want to write.

What are you up to?

Go Check It Out!

Pics from my booksigning up at Romance Worth Killing For.

Contest

I am coming back with a "real" post later today. I promise. :-)

But first, go check out Kate's blog for a contest in which you could win a copy of your choice from my backlist.

Where To Find Me Today

At Lucy Monroe's Blog.

HOLD ON TO ME Now Available!

She keeps a secret buried in the past. He wants the truth—now. But an unknown killer could destroy their future.

Hold On to Me by Linda Winfree
Book Three in the Hearts of the South series.

For FBI profiler Caitlin Falconetti, immersing herself in her job is the only way to quell the memories of a vicious, near-fatal attack and what it cost her, including the only man she ever loved. Better to let him think she simply rejected him, rather than reveal a painful secret that she's certain would have destroyed his feelings for her.

Investigator Lamar “Tick” Calvert is determined to clean out the corruption-riddled sheriff’s department in his hometown. While he understands Caitlin's drive to excel at her job, that doesn’t mean he's happy about the prospect of working with his former lover, the one woman he tried and failed to hold onto.

A rash of unsolved murders, including a politician's daughter, brings them together to find the murderer before another woman dies. Daily contact re-ignites the lingering attraction between them, but Caitlin won't risk opening herself and revealing her secret. She plans to complete the killer's profile, make an arrest and get out of town for good.

Tick plans to solve this case, too, but now that Caitlin's back in his life, he also plans to finally dig up the truth about why she left him.

But there's an added complication—the killer isn't done, and Caitlin could be the next target.

For purchase information and an excerpt, click HERE.

I Am Alive.

I stepped into this wicked timewarp or something.

Anyway . . . Hold On to Me releases NEXT WEEK!

I am not ready for this. I'm excited, but ready.

Okay, so blogging over at Lucy Monroe's Tuesday. Chatting at the Samhain Cafe tomorrow afternoon.

And I'll update the word meter soon, Carol. I'm at 35,856, 'kay?