So join me and Lynda Aicher, Gillian Archer, Christi Barth, Kelsey Browning, Anah Crow, Rebecca Crowley, Christine d’Abo, Amie Denman, LIz Flaherty, Dianne Fox, Jodie Griffin, Rachael Johns, Jeffe Kennedy, Samantha Ann King, Kat Latham, Amber Lin, Jana Richards, Reese Ryan, Lily Santana, Brighton Walsh, Maggie Wells every day.

There are weekly prizes this first month of a $25 Amazon gift certificate, so go on over for your chance to win (and discover some of your favorite or new authors.)

Most of my characters have known each other before they take things to the next level, but in Texas Tangle, Brett has had a thing for Nikki since high school. But to save his friendship with Dillon he set his own desires aside…

Texas Tangle
copyright 2010 Leah Braemel

It took them less than two minutes to stack the dishes in the dishwasher. Two long, awkward minutes where Brett was hard-pressed keeping his eyes off the way his shirt hugged the curves of Nikki’s breasts. The way the hem rode up when she reached up to close a cupboard door, promising a peek at her taut little ass. How pathetic was it that he was jealous of his own damned shirt?

Nikki leaned against the counter as he filled the soap dispenser in the dishwasher door. “Dillon asked me to marry him.”

“I heard.” It came out as a whisper. He cleared his throat. “He also said you didn’t say yes.”

“Once bitten, twice shy, you know?”

He closed the dishwasher, then fiddled with the buttons, trying to buy time. “There’s also the saying if you fall off a horse, it’s best to get right back up again. Dillon’s a good guy. He’d be there for you whenever you need him. Him and his family. You won’t go wrong marrying him.”

“Yes, he is a good man.” A sympathetic look flickered across her face then disappeared, as if she knew that wasn’t what he wanted from her.

“But you know, you’re a good man too.”

A good man wouldn’t be fantasizing about fucking his best friend’s girl, his conscience mocked. He shrugged her off, turning away, only to have her follow until she was directly in front of him.

She caught his face between her palms and forced him to look at her. “You are! You put your life on the line for strangers every day. And I know the Barnetts love you as much as if you were born to them. That says a lot about your character, you know.”

If she only knew where he wanted her to put her hands. Then she’d see his real character, discover the dark needs he kept carefully hidden, not only from her but from Dillon too. “I’d do anything for them.”

She searched his eyes for a moment. “Do you ever wonder where we’d be if it had been you who had stopped for me that night?”

“But it wasn’t me, was it?”

“What if it was?”

He opened his eyes. She was looking at him with such compassion, even love. The knots in his stomach twisted even tighter. “We can’t play that game, Nik. You’re with Dillon. You’ve made your choice.”

“Have I?”

“You’re here, aren’t you? Just leave it at that. Please?” He stepped back, leaving her hand hanging in mid-air for a second before she dropped it. “You’re better off with Dillon. He’s good for you. He’s got a family who will love you. He’s got this farm where you can keep your horses.”

He’s better than me; he’s not damaged.

“Love isn’t about money. It’s not about how much land a man has. It’s about how much he loves me. How much I love him.”

“Dillon loves you.” The words might have been broken glass, the way they tore at his throat.

“I know he does. Even if he hasn’t said the words.”

“You love him too.”

“Yes, I do.”

At Nikki’s answer, he sat down on the chair with a thud. “See? You’ve made your choice.”

And it wasn’t him. She’d chosen Dillon.

*HARLEQUIN COVER ART: Cover Art Copyright© 2010 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited permission to reproduce text granted by Harlequin Books S.A. Cover Art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved. © and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Don’t forget to visit the other Snippet Saturday participants:

Myla Jackson
Lauren Dane
Caris Roane
Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
McKenna Jeffries
http://shilohwalker.com/website
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Lissa Matthews
TJ Michaels
Mari Carr

Last week was about the heroine seeing the hero for the first time. So naturally, this week is about the hero’s first glimpse of the heroine. With the exception of Tangled Past, all my heroes have known their heroines for a while, so…how about the first time the hero has seen the heroine in over ten years?

When the Humvee pulled into the garage, he got his first good look at her in the light. There were a few more lines on her face than there had been, no surprise, though fewer than on his. Her hair was longer than it had been last time he’d seen her. Damn it, why was he so turned on by the thought of threading his fingers through her hair, holding her in place while she…Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Focus on the mission, not on her sucking your dick, you fucking idiot!

So much for maintaining any sort of balance. Thank God Troy had said he’d hang around a few days.

Chad led her through the kitchen, introducing her to the couple who took care of the place throughout the year. He’d been here before, for visits and training exercises, so he stood back and watched her. Despite the circles under her eyes, she took the time to greet each of the agents who would be guarding her.

As he stood back waiting, he caught Walters slanting him a glance from time to time. Did Andy know Lauren was his ex-wife and now wondered why he hadn’t removed himself as lead op? Some great example he was setting to his agents, wasn’t he?

Or was Andy attracted to her and wondered if Chad might be jealous if he put a move on her? The little green-eyed monster he thought he’d conquered long ago flared into a dragon that filled the room.

After shooting Andy a narrow glance, Chad grasped Lauren’s elbow. “You must be tired. Let me show you your room.”

The second he touched her again his whole body reacted as if he’d grabbed a thousand-volt electrical wire—the same sensation he’d had that first night he’d escorted her at the bar. The same way it had each time he’d touched her every day they were married.

Or buy it in print in the PRIVATE DECEPTIONS anthology

at Amazon.com ~ Amazon.ca ~  Barnes & Noble,
Book Depository US and Book Depository UK or Indiebound

Don’t forget to visit the other Snippet Saturday participants:

Myla Jackson
Lauren Dane
Caris Roane
Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
McKenna Jeffries
Shiloh Walker
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Felicity Heaton
Lissa Matthews
TJ Michaels

For Leah:

The 35th wedding anniversary falls between the silver (25 years) and gold (50 years). Coral is the traditional anniversary gift (yeah right – try walking down to your local jewellers and ask to see the coral selection) although jade appears to have replaced it in the modern era (might be able to handle that.)

35 years have gone by in the blink of an eye. A baby boy, now in his late twenties, six foot tall and working as an electrician. A 2^nd boy now towering over both mother and father still living at home but itching to get out there and find his life.

For me work devoured the years. Twenty years in the mainframe computing field at a large bank – followed by a 2^nd career in the public sector. My life revolved around computer rooms and airports. It was a blur of projects and deadlines, technical diagrams and blueprints, industrial air conditioners and fast food. Thank God for Diet Coke (my caffeine of choice), Tums and Tylenol.

But there has been one constant through all those years, one thing that kept me sane and rooted and that was you Leah.

I’m sure there were years when you thought you were a single mom, raising two young boys and holding down a career of your own while I was off in (fill in the City here) doing God knows what. But I’d come home and find the boys healthy and happy, the house clean (ok – might be a bit of a stretch) and my bed warm and inviting (might be venturing into Leah’s written words here.)

How can you thank someone for giving you a life? For sharing theirs?

In good times and in bad. Sure there have been good times and bad, and a few down right awful times. But you pulled me through those and allowed me the luxury of time and patience. The time for my mind to come to grips with life, and your patience to put up with me while I did.

In Sickness and in Health. Those words spoken so fleetingly during our vows have taken on a much deeper meaning as we, dare I say it, approach middle age. In the words of the great philosopher Confucius ‘Getting old sucks’.

For Richer, for Poorer. Yeah well at least we have our health (see above.)

Until Death do us part. Let’s just hold off on that one for a while… Remember you promised that we both reach the age of ninety-two and just go to sleep after a night of amorous adventure….

As my career wanders off into its twilight years, Leah, you seem to have gotten your second wind.

I sit here tonight in a hotel room in Kansas City, not for one of my computer installs or work, but to be with you while you attend the Romantic Times Conference as a ‘Multi-Published Author.’  Let me say that again cause it sounds so nice, a ‘Multi-Published Author.’

As I write this you are up on the 40^th floor of the hotel wining and dining with editors and publishers as well as other authors.

There are stacks of postcards and bookmarks all over the hotel room – every flat surface is piled high. All swag to be given out to fans. Yes, I said the word fans. Some love your work so much they want to be a part of it, to have some involvement in the process, and have created a fan club and street team.

God, what a ride.

But they don’t know what I do. They never met the shy little girl scribbling in pencil in tiny journals the stories that were intended for no one else’s eyes.

Or the young woman writing fan fiction weaving Tolkien tales, and gaining a large following on the web.

No one else understands the courage you mustered to take your own work and send it out into the world. Well maybe there are a few hundred others in this hotel that have like stories. But your story is unique and I, like your Street Team, am glad to be allowed to be a part of it. I thank you for that.

And I thank you for the last 35 years. Here’s looking forward to the next 35.

I am supposed to be the romance writer, but I think Gizmo Guy got me beat today.

Happy Anniversary, Gizmo Guy. I love you.