Book: Finding Resolution (Centre Games #4)
Author: Natalie Gayle
Release Date: February 28th, 2015
Hosted by: Book Empire Promotions
Finally, Dr. Jasmine Carter (Jazz) was getting her shot at taking the lead on one of the Centre’s highly covert operations. Great, wonderful, a dream come true even—you’d think. Well, that was until Mr. Tall, Dark, and Broody—Quade Roston, her fellow Centre co-worker—was assigned to be her partner.
For the last twelve months, these two had been at war. In fact, they’d elevated trading verbal barbs to the level of an international sport. For all the antagonism, the chemistry between them was just as strong. They both knew it—their teammates knew it. But what the hell were they going to do about it?
Simple—Jazz issues a challenge to Quade that she thinks he’ll never accept nor live up to.
Then their seemingly straightforward assignment to investigate a few cases of a mystery illness suddenly morphs into something much more deadly. Jazz finds herself the unknowing target in the middle of a bikie war. Now she’s dealing with threats from all corners. But maybe, just maybe, the biggest threat will be to her heart.
EXCERPT
A few minutes later, she pulled her coffee from under the machine when the front door opened. Quade walked in, looking all sexy and macho in his jogging gear. Or more accurately—his lack thereof. He wore only loose athletic shorts. His magnificent body was bare. The discarded shirt was tucked into the waistband of his shorts and trailed behind. In his hands, he juggled a couple of large bakery bags and the smell of warm butter croissants filled her nostrils. Croissants were an absolute favorite of hers. More brownie points for Mr. Roston this morning.
“Hey, sexy lady—you sleep well?” His deep and low voice immediately made her hot for him.
“I just woke up. You been out long?”
“I headed out around five.”
“Five! That’s so early.”
“You know we don’t need to sleep much, Jazz. I got about two or three hours. That’s fine. I was feeling restless so I headed out.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t wake me.” She gave him a very suggestive look.
“Don’t worry—I thought about it long and hard.” Two could play at innuendos, it seemed.
“Why didn’t you do something about it then?”
“Because I figured you needed the sleep. As it is, you’ve only have a couple more hours than me. You need more.” Jazz tried to keep her heart under control at his concern. “I wouldn’t want you to be tired and bitchy.”
Her temper sprang to life.
Ah—she should have known. He just couldn’t help it. Just when she thought he was being sweet, he went and ruined it.
“I don’t get bitchy.”
Quade paused from unloading the bakery bags on the table.
“You sure about that?”
“Absolutely.”
“Well, I guess this is another one of those areas that we’ll have to agree to disagree.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I thought it was straightforward? We’re talking about you being bitchy when you don’t get enough sleep.”
He was so frustrating.
“And how would you know anyway? This is the only time we’ve spent the night together.”
“I’ve spent the last twelve months observing you from a distance. I know more about you than you think.”
“Well, that may be the case but I’m not bitchy.”
“Alright then, you’re not bitchy. Just incredibly hot when you’re out of sorts.”
“You think I’m hot when I’m grouchy?”
“I do, and you just admitted you get grouchy!”
Ahh! He was a pain in her backside. A very sexy one but a pain in the arse nonetheless.
“You are a very strange and annoying man.” She huffed, trying not to get pulled too quickly into an argument.
“No doubt about that, but that’s why you find me irresistible.” A cheeky grin turned up the corner of his mouth.
Was she really having this conversation? Jazz placed the two cups of coffee she’d made on the table.
“Who says I find you irresistible?” She stood back, hands on her hips; her eyes flashed, looking for a fight.
Almost quicker than her eyes could see, his hand snapped out and caught her around the wrist and pulled her in tight to his body. Before she could utter a word, he’d taken a seat at the table with her safely perched on his lap.
His lips crashed down on hers as her protest started to escape. His tongue thrust inside and suddenly she was lost to all rational thought—her body just responded to his demands. Their kiss started at scorching hot and kept climbing till it topped out at what felt like nuclear fusion.
One of his hands tangled in her hair and held her head in place for him to plunder and the other caressed her back, ribs, and finally settled on her breast.
He pulled away slightly. “Mmm, you smell of sex, me, and that spicy body wash you use. Delicious—I love it.” His voice was little more than a low rumbly growl and goose bumps shot up her arms.
“Hey, sexy lady—you sleep well?” His deep and low voice immediately made her hot for him.
“I just woke up. You been out long?”
“I headed out around five.”
“Five! That’s so early.”
“You know we don’t need to sleep much, Jazz. I got about two or three hours. That’s fine. I was feeling restless so I headed out.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t wake me.” She gave him a very suggestive look.
“Don’t worry—I thought about it long and hard.” Two could play at innuendos, it seemed.
“Why didn’t you do something about it then?”
“Because I figured you needed the sleep. As it is, you’ve only have a couple more hours than me. You need more.” Jazz tried to keep her heart under control at his concern. “I wouldn’t want you to be tired and bitchy.”
Her temper sprang to life.
Ah—she should have known. He just couldn’t help it. Just when she thought he was being sweet, he went and ruined it.
“I don’t get bitchy.”
Quade paused from unloading the bakery bags on the table.
“You sure about that?”
“Absolutely.”
“Well, I guess this is another one of those areas that we’ll have to agree to disagree.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I thought it was straightforward? We’re talking about you being bitchy when you don’t get enough sleep.”
He was so frustrating.
“And how would you know anyway? This is the only time we’ve spent the night together.”
“I’ve spent the last twelve months observing you from a distance. I know more about you than you think.”
“Well, that may be the case but I’m not bitchy.”
“Alright then, you’re not bitchy. Just incredibly hot when you’re out of sorts.”
“You think I’m hot when I’m grouchy?”
“I do, and you just admitted you get grouchy!”
Ahh! He was a pain in her backside. A very sexy one but a pain in the arse nonetheless.
“You are a very strange and annoying man.” She huffed, trying not to get pulled too quickly into an argument.
“No doubt about that, but that’s why you find me irresistible.” A cheeky grin turned up the corner of his mouth.
Was she really having this conversation? Jazz placed the two cups of coffee she’d made on the table.
“Who says I find you irresistible?” She stood back, hands on her hips; her eyes flashed, looking for a fight.
Almost quicker than her eyes could see, his hand snapped out and caught her around the wrist and pulled her in tight to his body. Before she could utter a word, he’d taken a seat at the table with her safely perched on his lap.
His lips crashed down on hers as her protest started to escape. His tongue thrust inside and suddenly she was lost to all rational thought—her body just responded to his demands. Their kiss started at scorching hot and kept climbing till it topped out at what felt like nuclear fusion.
One of his hands tangled in her hair and held her head in place for him to plunder and the other caressed her back, ribs, and finally settled on her breast.
He pulled away slightly. “Mmm, you smell of sex, me, and that spicy body wash you use. Delicious—I love it.” His voice was little more than a low rumbly growl and goose bumps shot up her arms.
Note: All books can be read as a Standalone
Book One: Finding Trust (Currently 99cents)
Book Two: Finding Judgement
Book Three: Finding Freedom
ABOUT NATALIE GAYLE
Natalie is the author of the Centre Games Series. A fast paced, romantic suspense series set on the Gold Coast, Australia. The series tells the stories of the Centre, a quasi government agency established to fight environmental, biological and agricultural threats. The Centre Games books are filled with hot alpha males and the feisty independent females strong enough to capture their hearts. Natalie’s books pack lots of action, hot romance and surprises.
A confessed readaholic and romantic junkie, Natalie spends
her time juggling a busy career as an IT professional and author. In between staring at a computer screen (she spends lot time doing that!) Natalie, enjoys living the Gold Coast life with her very tolerant husband and two school aged children.
She loves spending time with family and friends, hitting the beach, cooking, working out and curling up with a good book. Her pet hates are cleaning and anything else that can be considered “domestic dullness”. If she could have one wish it would be to be able to fit 48 hours into 24.
Natalie is currently working on her fifth instalment for the Centre Games Series and a brand new series for 2015.
1 comments:
Thanks so much for hosting :)
Post a Comment