Beneath Broken by C.J. Pinard

Title: Beneath Broken

Series: Imperfect Heroes #2

Author: C.J. Pinard

Release Date: July 5, 2016

He’s a clean-cut cop who loves a good challenge.

She’s a smart executive with no interest in falling in love.

It won’t take long for the flames of desire to scorch them both, forcing them to either douse the blaze, or succumb to the fire.

MASON

I don’t give up easily. My personality and training taught me that failure is not an option, and getting the attention of the beautiful executive president Harper Mathis is going to be my biggest challenge yet. But first I’ve got to find out why she’s so withdrawn. A woman that stunning must have secrets and I’m going to find out what’s hiding behind those baby blue eyes of hers. She’ll quickly see how much I love a good game of chase.

HARPER

I’ve gone through hell and am not ashamed to admit that I’m broken. Damaged goods. Used up and empty. I want nothing to do with men or love, especially not a cop and a veteran – one who puts his life in danger every day. I’ve been there, done that, and my heart has no interest in someone like Detective Mason Oliver. Even if he's the hottest thing I’ve laid eyes on in a very long time. I get the feeling Mason always gets what he wants, though. Well, he hasn’t seen my stubborn side.

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Mason

Well, damn. What in the fuck was this woman doing to me? Here she was, all sorts of closed off and shy during dinner. Being the gentleman I was, I walked her to her car. I was going to make sure she got in it okay, then leave. And yes, if the opportunity presented itself, I was going to kiss her, or at least touch her in some way. It was like she was unknowingly begging me to put my hands on some part of her. She probably didn’t even know she was putting out that type of vibe. Even though the professional side of me knew I shouldn’t be anywhere near her in a social setting, being that she was involved in one of our active open cases.

Then we had this awkward moment at her car. I couldn’t believe she reached up and touched my face. I wish I’d shaved today, but I hadn’t… and she didn’t seem to mind, so I just rolled with it.

It was hot outside as usual, the humidity was stifling, but nothing I wasn’t used to. I really wanted to get into the Mustang and crank the A/C, but when I looked down into swimming blue eyes, I forgot all about the Florida heat and zeroed in on the icy depths of her eyes that were in complete contrast to the heat radiating from them.

During dinner, my eyes had trailed down several times to her mouth. She had the most beautiful pouty mouth, nice teeth, and very smooth skin. I had noticed this the first time I’d seen her when Jenkins and I responded to the robbery, and had pushed it out of my mind. As a cop, it’s pretty much “frowned upon” to date suspects, witnesses, victims, or anyone else we meet while working. I say “frowned upon” because the Tampa Police Department knows damned good and well they can’t stop us from dating whoever the hell we want.

I was still reeling from her soft hand on my face. I realized she was using her finger to trace the stubble on my left cheek, which I’d been told on more than one occasion was sexy to quite a few girls, and just let her do it. I felt my mouth water when she closed the distance between us, her body giving off more heat than the hot day.

“What happened to your face?” she asked, not looking into my eyes but at the bruise Hunter had put on my jaw.

I ignored the question because I really didn’t hear it. Her touch had literally left me no choice. I wrapped my hand around her waist and pulled her to me. Her body felt so good against mine, and as I reached up to grab the hand that was tracing my face, I felt her melt into me. I moved her hand down and threaded it with mine, using my other one to caress her cheek. With her now pushed up against her car, I leaned down and sealed my mouth over hers. She immediately accepted the kiss and then used her free hand to rake her fingernails through my hair. I groaned in the back of my throat at the sensation. It had been way too long since I’d felt a woman do that. It had been way too long since I’d felt a woman against me… period.

She continued to kiss me, her tongue mingling with mine. I almost felt like I couldn’t breathe; she was so hot and I couldn’t believe how much I was attracted to her. I wanted to rip her clothes off and put myself inside of her right there in the parking lot. I had no doubt she could feel my arousal against her, because she was pushing herself – no, she was grinding herself – into me. The chemistry was electric and I had to keep myself from groaning again at the feel of her sensuous and silky tongue in my mouth.

I slowly eased away from her and looked down into her eyes again. “Would you like me to drive you home?” I was slightly panting and out of breath now.

Her blue eyes got big, and she wiped her bottom lip with her thumb. Looking into my eyes, she shook her head no, untangled herself from my embrace, and got into her car without another word. She started it up, and I heard a click as she put the car in gear. She didn’t even look at me through the closed driver’s side window.

I had to step away from the Honda so I didn’t get my foot run over.

I stood in the parking lot in stunned silence as she drove off.

I Knew You That Way – Luke Bryan

Fall Into Me – Brantley Gilbert

All of Me – John Legend

Body Electric – Lana Del Rey

Tryin’ To Love Me – Jason Aldean

Crazy Girl – Eli Young Band

A Little Bit Stronger – Sara Evans

Words – Skylar Grey

Learning To Live Again – Garth Brooks

Start of Something Good – Daughtry

Just A Dream – Carrie Underwood

Take Me There – Rascal Flatts

Hello – Adele

Probably Wouldn’t Be This Way – LeAnn Rhimes

Habits (Stay High) – Tove Lo

When Doves Cry – (the late, great) Prince

Goodbye – Secondhand Serenade

Dirt – Florida Georgia Line

Cut – Plumb

Love The Way You Lie – Skylar Grey

September –Daughtry

Better Than Me – Hinder

Saving Amy – Brantley Gilbert

Faded – Alan Walker

Heart of Stone – Iko

Love Your Memory – Miranda Lambert

Where Are U Now? – Justin Bieber

Can’t Help Falling In Love – Haley Reinhart

Broken – Seether

Take Your Time – Sam Hunt

Lost In Paradise – Evanescence

I Know You – Skylar Grey

Open Up Your Eyes – Daughtry

Call Me – Shinedown

Break On Me – Keith Urban

Ready To Love Again – Lady Antebellum

I'm a California girl living in land-locked Colorado. Lover of red wine, wearer of fabulous shoes, and a die-hard Niner fan, I'm also an editor at heart. I've written over a dozen books and short stories that contain both contemporary/new adult and paranormal romance that are a little bit badass, a little heart-wrenching, and sorta funny (to me, anyway). Almost all my books usually contain law enforcement or military undertones, since strong, brave, alpha men and women are my weaknesses. When I'm not writing, I can be found working at a very strange day job, which may or may not have some mild influences on my gripping stories - so strange, in fact, I think I'll write a book about it one day.



I'm also a proud member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA).

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website | Goodreads

Beneath Broken by C.J. Pinard

Title: Beneath Broken

Series: Imperfect Heroes #2

Author: C.J. Pinard

Release Date: July 5, 2016

He’s a clean-cut cop who loves a good challenge.

She’s a smart executive with no interest in falling in love.

It won’t take long for the flames of desire to scorch them both, forcing them to either douse the blaze, or succumb to the fire.

MASON

I don’t give up easily. My personality and training taught me that failure is not an option, and getting the attention of the beautiful executive president Harper Mathis is going to be my biggest challenge yet. But first I’ve got to find out why she’s so withdrawn. A woman that stunning must have secrets and I’m going to find out what’s hiding behind those baby blue eyes of hers. She’ll quickly see how much I love a good game of chase.

HARPER

I’ve gone through hell and am not ashamed to admit that I’m broken. Damaged goods. Used up and empty. I want nothing to do with men or love, especially not a cop and a veteran – one who puts his life in danger every day. I’ve been there, done that, and my heart has no interest in someone like Detective Mason Oliver. Even if he's the hottest thing I’ve laid eyes on in a very long time. I get the feeling Mason always gets what he wants, though. Well, he hasn’t seen my stubborn side.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Goodreads

Harper

I had to tell myself to breathe. To inhale and exhale. To pull in air in order to keep living. The minute Detective Oliver left my office, I scrubbed my hands over my face and smoothed the few stray hairs back into my sleek ponytail. I shook my head and laughed. Someone that hot should not be a cop. He looked like he should have been an underwear model or some kind of movie star.

I swallowed hard and smiled a little to myself. This was a ridiculous notion, being so attracted to someone who was obviously not attracted to me, but just doing his job by interviewing me. Yet, he looked familiar to me somehow. I could swear I had seen his dark hair and alluring hazel eyes somewhere before. He had a small smear of dark, sexy stubble on his chin, and the olive colored dress shirt he wore not only matched his name, but made his eyes gravitate toward the green side of hazel instead of brown. His colleague, Detective Jenkins, had been checking me out – I wasn’t stupid and these things rarely went unnoticed by me, but Jenkins wasn’t someone I would have ever taken interest in. He seemed a little overconfident and flirtatious, and the gleaming silver wedding band on his left hand was not overlooked by me.

But Detective Oliver – he radiated a heat and confidence that woke me up a little. This dead and desperate depression I’d been wallowing in for over a year had taken its toll on me. Between the under-eye bags and weight loss, I had little confidence that someone of his hotness and caliber would be remotely interested in me.

I bit back a smile as I thought about how proud my best friend would be of me for even having these thoughts. Today was Friday, and work emergency or not, I knew she’d be dragging me out to God knew where, as I had promised her I wouldn’t be spending another Friday night with a tub of Mint Chocolate Chip and reality TV.

I had to shake off the look of Mr. Oliver’s eyes and the way his dress shirt clung to his muscled arms and get back to work. Aside from the mountain of paperwork and endless emails, I now had to deal with police reports and insurance claims, and that was something that I needed a clear head and a no-nonsense attitude for. There was no time for lusty thoughts or lip-biting over a super-hot detective who probably had forgotten about me the minute he had stepped out through my shattered front door.

I'm a California girl living in land-locked Colorado. Lover of red wine, wearer of fabulous shoes, and a die-hard Niner fan, I'm also an editor at heart. I've written over a dozen books and short stories that contain both contemporary/new adult and paranormal romance that are a little bit badass, a little heart-wrenching, and sorta funny (to me, anyway). Almost all my books usually contain law enforcement or military undertones, since strong, brave, alpha men and women are my weaknesses. When I'm not writing, I can be found working at a very strange day job, which may or may not have some mild influences on my gripping stories - so strange, in fact, I think I'll write a book about it one day.



I'm also a proud member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA).

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website | Goodreads

Above Protection by C.J. Pinard

Title: Above Protection (Imperfect Heroes #1)

Author: C.J. Pinard

Release Date: March 30, 2016

Find on Goodreads

He's bearded, angry, highly trained, and has a job to do.

She's the damsel in distress who's smarter than she looks, and doesn't want anyone's help.

Could it be they both need something neither will admit to? Fate fueled by the laws of attraction may just decide for them.



DUKE

I didn’t ask for this. I was just doing my job, and they have the nerve to put me on a Witness Protection detail? This is crap. I’ll do my assignment, then go back to my job and what I love – kicking ass and taking names. I hadn’t spent 6 years in the Marine Corps to be put on babysitting duty once I’d joined the FBI. The witness they assigned me to, Rayanne, is an annoying, brainless blonde with a sassy mouth and a body that belongs on a website you have to pay to access. Not that I noticed or anything.



RAYANNE

I can look after myself. I don’t need anyone’s help, and the government is being ridiculous for putting me in the Witness Protection Program. I'll testify against my former bosses and then go back to my life as a single girl in the big city. I love my career as a paralegal, and once this Neanderthal they’d assigned to babysit me is out of my life, I'll go back to it. I just wish he wasn’t so easy on the eyes. The beard, hard body, and that voice. Why couldn’t they have sent me someone ugly – and nice? Because Duke is neither of those things.



ABOVE PROTECTION is book 1 in the Imperfect Heroes Series.  For readers 18+.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

He sighed and set the remote down. Picking up his plate, he stood but I was blocking his way. I moved right and he moved left, leaving me still blocking him. So I moved left, then he moved right, and we were still in the same predicament.

“Wanna dance?” I asked, thinking of all the times this would happen to my parents, and my daddy would ask my mom this.

Duke’s stormy blue eyes stared into mine, and setting his plate down on the end-table, he nodded slightly.

Did he just nod?

Why don’t you stay? I’m down on my knees… I heard the singer croon.

Gently slipping a hand around my waist, he pulled me flush against his body and began to sway slightly. He continued to stare at me.            

I’m so tired of being lonely, don’t I give you what you need?

In complete shock at the gesture, I tried to relax into his hold but I was just… just… stunned. Was I dancing with Duke Hawthorne?

His arm went around my shoulders and his warm hand gripped my neck.

When she calls you to go, there is one thing you should know…

Slowly, I reached my right arm to his backside and wrapped it around his solid waist. My other hand reached up and rested against his hard pec muscle.

We don’t have to live this way. Baby, why don’t you stay?

His hips began to sway, and as if my body had a mind of its own, I swayed with him. I couldn’t stop staring at him. His eyes bored into mine as if he wanted to say something. My head began to move in closer to his as we made slow circles around the small living room.

I can’t take it any longer, but my will is getting stronger, but I think I know exactly what I need…

As my face got closer, his did, too. When his face was inches from mine, my hand, without my permission, reached up and touched his cheek. The scruff of his beard felt good under my sensitive fingertips.

Then, Duke was kissing me.

It was passionate – desperate – but not like last night. There seemed to be an element of emotion with it. His right hand was still around my waist, but his left was now trailing up my neck with just one finger. As his warm tongue slowly licked along the seam of my lips, I had no choice but to open my mouth slightly and accept his invitation. Not that I would have denied him in that moment.

His hand on the back of my neck was seriously hot. I raked my fingernails through his short beard, then I skated them around his neck and shoved them into his hair at the back of his head, scratching his scalp. He groaned into my mouth and I was suddenly well aware of his arousal pressed into my stomach.

As the song began to end, he danced me toward the small hallway that led to the rooms. I didn’t resist at all, just continued to let him kiss me. In a move that surprised me, he picked me up and carried me the rest of the way to my room. He broke the kiss and then stared into my eyes.

I'm a California girl living in land-locked Colorado. Lover of red wine, wearer of fabulous shoes, and a die-hard Niner fan, I'm also an editor at heart. I've written over a dozen books and short stories that contain both contemporary/new adult and paranormal romance that are a little bit badass, a little heart-wrenching, and sorta funny (to me, anyway). Almost all my books usually contain law enforcement or military undertones, since strong, brave, alpha men and women are my weaknesses. When I'm not writing, I can be found working at a very strange day job, which may or may not have some mild influences on my gripping stories - so strange, in fact, I think I'll write a book about it one day.



I'm also a proud member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA).

Facebook | Twitter | Website| Goodreads

Above Protection by C.J. Pinard

Title: Above Protection (Imperfect Heroes #1)

Author: C.J. Pinard

Release Date: March 30, 2016

Find on Goodreads

He's bearded, angry, highly trained, and has a job to do.

She's the damsel in distress who's smarter than she looks, and doesn't want anyone's help.

Could it be they both need something neither will admit to? Fate fueled by the laws of attraction may just decide for them.



DUKE

I didn’t ask for this. I was just doing my job, and they have the nerve to put me on a Witness Protection detail? This is crap. I’ll do my assignment, then go back to my job and what I love – kicking ass and taking names. I hadn’t spent 6 years in the Marine Corps to be put on babysitting duty once I’d joined the FBI. The witness they assigned me to, Rayanne, is an annoying, brainless blonde with a sassy mouth and a body that belongs on a website you have to pay to access. Not that I noticed or anything.



RAYANNE

I can look after myself. I don’t need anyone’s help, and the government is being ridiculous for putting me in the Witness Protection Program. I'll testify against my former bosses and then go back to my life as a single girl in the big city. I love my career as a paralegal, and once this Neanderthal they’d assigned to babysit me is out of my life, I'll go back to it. I just wish he wasn’t so easy on the eyes. The beard, hard body, and that voice. Why couldn’t they have sent me someone ugly – and nice? Because Duke is neither of those things.



ABOVE PROTECTION is book 1 in the Imperfect Heroes Series.  For readers 18+.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

From the corner of my eye, I watched Duke leave the kitchen. After I’d put the meat and sauce into a skillet and stirred it, I added the spices. The water began to boil, so I opened the box and pulled out a handful of stiff spaghetti. I broke it over the sink into thirds, then dumped it into the boiling water, adding a few shakes of salt.

I glanced once again at the doorway to the kitchen and saw Duke was long gone. Biting my lip, I reached up into the cabinet and moved the remaining spices aside. I grinned as my fingers wrapped around the bottle of Jim Beam. Chancing a glance once again at the kitchen entryway, I looked back down at the bottle. I slowly twisted off the metal lid and carefully brought the bottle up to my nose and inhaled – which was quickly followed up by a cough.

Whew, that’s potent stuff! Shouldn’t take more than a shot or two to relax me. This guy, this cabin, this whole entire bizarre situation had me on edge. I just needed a little something to take that edge off.

I searched the cabinets but did not find any shot glasses. I poured a small measure into a beveled green glass that looked like it belonged in the 70s. I stared at the amber liquid for a long time before working up the nerve to take a sip.

A sip! my subconscious teased me. Just shoot it, you wuss.

Lifting my shoulder in a shrug, I tossed back the glass, wincing as the bourbon burned its way down my throat, warming my belly. I slammed the glass on the counter and had to ball up my fist to keep from letting out a whoop at the wonderful burn.

The sizzle of the skillet captured my attention, and I stirred the sauce mixture again, turning down the heat as it was beginning to splatter on the outdated yellow gas cooktop – and me.

The whole damn kitchen was outdated. It looked like my grandmother’s growing up. Yellow and brown linoleum floors, sparkly yellow and silver countertops, mustard-colored appliances. I giggled at the absurdity of this kitchen, hell, this whole cabin, and then hiccupped. Slapping a hand over my mouth, I shook my head at my silliness. Yet, I really wanted another shot of that bourbon.

Just one more.

“Just one more,” I said out loud.

Glancing again toward the kitchen entryway and seeing no Duke, I poured another small amount and quickly shot it back, enjoying the burn.

Smiling, I looked at the boiling noodles, realizing I hadn’t set a timer and now had no idea how long they’d been in the water for. The sauce was most certainly done.

Hiccup.

Cheese! I need cheese. I always make cheesy spaghetti. I get compliments on my cheesy spaghetti!

Opening the fridge door, I stared for a good, long minute, trying to remember why I’d opened the fridge. Then I spotted the bag of already-grated cheese.

“Well, thank the lawrd for pre-grated cheese,” I said, okay I think I slurred, in the most exaggerated Southern accent ever. I already had a slight one, or so I’d been told, but now I just flat-out sounded like my grand-mama from Mobile, Alabama. Bless her heart.

Hiccup.

I set the cheese on the counter and poured more bourbon into the ugly-ass green glass. Was this glass or plastic? I tapped my fingernail against it. Glass. I think. Cool. I grinned.

I slammed the liquid back and quickly placed the glass in the sink. No more. I need to stop.

The water continued to boil. Since I was already practically in her kitchen, I remembered Granny’s advice about spaghetti. So with a shrug, I used the spoon to carefully remove a noodle. I inspected it close up, then, with all my might, I chucked it against the wall behind the stove. It did stick, and I smiled in victory. My pasta was good and cooked.

I turned off the burners to both. As I was about to begin to look for a colander to drain the pasta, a voice made me jump.

“What are you doing?”

Blinking in surprise, I cocked my head to the side and smiled. “Cooking.”

“Why are you throwing pasta?” Duke asked, standing at the entryway to the kitchen looking way too delicious.

“Um?” What was I gonna say? Wait, what was the question?

Fuuuuck it. I’ll just ignore him. I picked up the wooden spoon and stirred the sauce. Wait, what was I doing? I need to drain the pasta. Did this kitchen even have a colander?

I didn’t know, so I just stirred the sauce some more. Suddenly, a warm hand gripped my arm, then spun me around. I was met with stormy blue eyes.

I giggled. “Hi, Cowboy.”

He narrowed those beautiful eyes at me. The dark lashes framing them were just too much. “I asked you a question.”

Furrowing my eyebrows, I said, “What was the question?”

I noticed the wooden spoon was still in my hand and was dripping sauce all over the floor. As if in slow motion, I looked at the drips, then the spoon, and without thinking, I brought it up to my mouth. My tongue snaked out and licked the sauce, from the base to the tip of the spoon while I stared unblinking at Duke, waiting for him to tell me what his question had been.

“Holy fuck,” I heard him whisper, his eyes now fixated on my mouth.

I was suddenly acutely aware of how his hard chest was almost pressed against mine. While one hand still held the spoon, the other reached up. My fingertips grazed his rock-hard pec under his T-shirt. My eyes flicked back up to his.

Before I could register what was happening, his mouth crashed down onto mine, his right arm snaking around my waist and then down to my ass, grabbing it with his strong hands, pushing my body into his.

Wait.

Duke was kissing me. What the hell? He’s not supposed to kiss me! He’s a jerk. I don’t like him. I bit his lip – hard. He pulled himself away from me, his thumb grazing his bottom lip.

“You bit me!” he said, incredulous.

“You kissed me!” I replied, as if I had to remind him.

He stared at me dumbfounded for a few seconds, then said, “You were licking… you were ignoring me when I asked… you were giggling… oh, my God. What the hell is that?”

He reached around me and picked up my bottle of bourbon, holding it up. “Where did you get this, Blondie?”

I shrugged and giggled.

Hiccup.

“My spaghetti’s burning,” was all I said.

Turning my back on him once again I began to rummage through the cabinets for something to drain the pasta in. I grinned as I located a colander and placed it in the sink. Before I could pick up the heavy pot of water and noodles, Duke spun me around and pinned me against the countertop. This time, he pressed his hard body into mine, while shoving the booze bottle into my face.

“Where. Did. You. Get. This?” he asked.

Jerking a thumb behind me at the cabinet in which I was now pressed against, I said with a grin, “In there. You want some?”

It didn’t go unnoticed by me that he was pressing a very hard member of his body against my belly. I kinda liked it though, and began to wonder what he was working with under those jeans.

He sighed and pushed off of me, scrubbing a hand over his beard and storming out of the kitchen with my bottle of contraband in his hand.

I'm a California girl living in land-locked Colorado. Lover of red wine, wearer of fabulous shoes, and a die-hard Niner fan, I'm also an editor at heart. I've written over a dozen books and short stories that contain both contemporary/new adult and paranormal romance that are a little bit badass, a little heart-wrenching, and sorta funny (to me, anyway). Almost all my books usually contain law enforcement or military undertones, since strong, brave, alpha men and women are my weaknesses. When I'm not writing, I can be found working at a very strange day job, which may or may not have some mild influences on my gripping stories - so strange, in fact, I think I'll write a book about it one day.



I'm also a proud member of the Romance Writers of America (RWA).

Facebook | Twitter | Website| Goodreads