Hi everyone! Today, my friend Adrianna Kraft is visiting, and she's talking about her new release, THE UNMASKING. It looks really good... Show her tons of love!
That Kiss! The Unmasking, by @AdrianaKraft #Samhain #Halloween #RomanticSuspense
It’s Halloween – did you get all your preparations done? I
co-write erotic romance and romantic suspense with my husband, and we had a lot
of fun delving into Celtic myths and rituals as we were writing The
Unmasking. Halloween, of course, is Samhain, the end of the Celtic year and
start of a new one, when the veil between worlds grows thin and spirits wander.
Do we wear costumes to mimic them, or to protect ourselves from them?
Nancy Appleby is wearing a costume, but she’s not going
trick or treating. An undercover cop, she’s on the college campus masquerading
as a co-ed to try to stop the campus stalker.
BLURB
Whose
mask will crumble first—
the enigmatic professor of
Celtic Studies,
the undercover cop
masquerading as a co-ed,
or the campus stalker,
biding his time to strike
again?
Is anthropology professor Matt
Bayfield the Blackthorn College rapist, or a potential ally? Aloof and
unapproachable, Matt has academic ambitions. He can’t escape Blackthorn College
soon enough, and he doesn’t want any entanglements to slow down his exit.
Nancy Appleby would like
nothing more than to solve the string of campus rape cases before Thanksgiving
so she can go home. The last thing she wants is a relationship to complicate
her life—but she’ll settle for a fling, especially when the sex sizzles.
The stalker has his own
carefully crafted timetable, with a special date just for Nancy. Can Matt and
Nancy force him out of his hidey-hole before it’s too late?
EXCERPT
Set Up: It’s Samhain—after leaving Professor
Bayfield’s Celtic lecture, Nancy’s determined to smoke out the stalker; she’s
pretty sure he spots his victims at a local bar…
At the bar two hours later,
Nancy sat on a bar stool next to the open space where patrons came to place their
orders. Her purse lay on the stool beside her so there would be plenty of room
for her perp to sit down—if he ever arrived. She'd wait another half hour and
then make her exit. She was nearly certain the man was somewhere in the smoky
bar.
Slowly adding another layer of
lipstick, Nancy studied her image in the mirror that stretched the full length
of the row of liquor bottles behind the bartender. She hardly recognized
herself. Her own dark hair was tucked under an auburn wig. Fake contacts made
her eyes appear dark brown instead of gray. The sweater she wore dipped low,
revealing much more of her breasts than she preferred, but then she was trying
to fulfill every man's dream. She hoped her red leather mini-skirt screamed
availability. Once again, she had on the calf length black boots. They provided
her with some sense of being covered up as well as warmth. Now all she needed
was a man—the right man.
She took a sip of Coors and
watched a new patron enter the room still huddled over from fighting the cold
wind. He straightened and stepped into the light.
Nancy raised a hand to cover
her largely exposed breasts. It couldn't be, she screamed to no one. It
couldn't be. She looked away and then peeked back at the man approaching the
bar. Holy shit! It was.
Be calm. He won't recognize
you. You're in disguise.
And what in the hell was Matt Bayfield doing here? This wasn't his kind of
scene. She closed her eyes, taking in the lilting Celtic music. Of course it
was, tonight. She should have remembered that. She shivered and then warmed to
her task. It might be fun observing the man when he didn't realize she was even
nearby.
Nancy concentrated on her beer
and nearly snickered when Bayfield came to the bar to order a drink. His
fingers drummed against the bar surface no more than two feet from her arm. The
bartender was busy at the other end of the bar and Bayfield's impatience was
evident.
At last, the bartender nodded
at Bayfield. "What can I get for you?"
"A glass of
chardonnay," Bayfield said, distinctly as if the man might be hard of
hearing.
The man wiped his hands on his
once white apron. "Drinking heavy tonight, huh?"
Nancy gave Bayfield credit for
not rising to the bartender's bait.
Out of the corner of her eye,
she watched Bayfield accept his drink and change. His gaze swept above her
trying to locate a seat in the crowded tavern. His eyes lowered meeting hers.
She tried to control her racing pulse. He shook his head. And then his eyes
bugged.
"Ms. Cr—"
Before he could mutter another
syllable, Nancy leaped to her feet, wrapped her arms around his neck, and
planted the biggest, wettest kiss she could muster on his mouth, swallowing the
rest of her name and his breath. He stumbled backward. She refused to let him
go, imprinting her lips on his.
She started to release him, but
then one of his hands pressed against her back and the other curved over her
buttocks. Her eyes widened. Professor Bayfield was kissing her! Not about to
pass up this opportunity, Nancy closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment.
His tongue pushed into her open
mouth; she greeted it with her own. He brought a hand between them and squeezed
a breast. Her eyes flew open. Would she burn up right there in the damn bar? As
if he sensed her changing mood, Bayfield's eyes sprang as wide open as hers. He
started to pull away.
Applause and hoots broke out
from bar patrons. Steins were raised in salute.
Nancy and Matt looked
sheepishly at the other patrons. "Don't say a word, Bayfield," Nancy
said, still holding him close. "I can explain everything, but we've got to
get out of here, now." He started to open his mouth. Brushing her lips
across his, she whispered, "Please, don't say my name. It could be a
matter of life and death."
BUY LINK
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IDVB6KQ/
Always free at Kindle Unlimited
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Having
lived in many states across the Midwest, we now make our home in southern
Arizona, where we enjoy hiking, golf, and travel, especially to the many
Arizona Native American historical sites.
Together
we have published more than fifty romance novels and novellas to outstanding
reviews. We love hearing from readers at adrianakraft99@yahoo.com, and here is our website:
When
It’s Time to Heat Things Up https://adrianakraft.com
Blog: https://www.adrianakraft.com/blog
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Thank you so much for hosting me today - and Happy Halloween!
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