Excerpt & Giveaway with Author Anne Marsh

Today I have author Anne Marsh here sharing an excerpt from her latest release, Burning Up, which just came out yesterday.

Welcome to The Book Vixen Anne!

---

For Jack Donovan, the hero of Burning Up, smoke jumping is a way of life. He lives for the adrenaline rush of flying over the burning California wildlands and diving straight into the inferno. There’s no room in his life for love—until an emergency call from his hometown of Strong brings him face to face with the one woman he can’t forget… Lily Cortez never got over the handsome rogue who once kissed her senseless—and then left. She vowed she was done with love ‘em-and-leave ‘em men and small town life. Until a series of malicious fires set by a stalker has her running home to hide. Now, their summer is heating up as Jack fights to save her from the stalker’s fiery threats and to convince her to give the passion between them a second chance.

She was nowhere near ready when Jack dropped down onto the porch step behind her. His legs slid around hers, and a hard, muscled arm wrapped around her waist, tugging her up and backward. His other arm rescued her coffee as she yelped.

He chuckled and stole a swallow. “God, Lily.” He stared down suspiciously into her cup. “Did you even bother putting coffee in here?”

So she liked her coffee milky sweet, and she used way more sugar than any adult should. Her house. Her rules. “Make your own damned coffee, then,” she snapped.

“Are you always this grumpy in the morning?” he teased. “Because, if you are, I’m going to need a few pointers.”

He’d obviously been up for a while. She’d heard the front door slam hours earlier as she lay there sleepless. Watched Jack take off down the road, running. Now, his hair was still damp from his post-run shower, but he was wearing his usual uniform of jeans and a T-shirt. Work boots. So close to him, she felt impossibly bare in her cut-offs and tank top, too aware of the contrast between her bare legs and his muscled ones.

His mouth brushed the skin of her neck, his tongue drawing a wicked little pattern on the sensitive skin. His teeth nipped at her, and the erotic sting had her stilling.

When his hand found the back of her neck and rubbed, she wanted to melt in sheer bliss. She should have moved away. Should have told him to keep his hands to himself. But Jack Donovan in the morning was even sweeter than her coffee, and she wanted something to keep her memories of that night, that fire, at bay.

When he pulled her onto his lap, wrapping her in those arms of his, she finally protested.

”I can’t do this, Jack.” She pushed at him, and he let her put a few inches of space between them. “You don’t want to stick around.”

“Take a chance, baby,” he growled. He nipped at her lower lip, his hands threading through her hair. “You take that chance on us. I would never hurt you.”

For me, smoke jumpers are the ultimate fire fighters. Not only do they put their lives on the line—they literally do so feet first. The elite of the wildland firefighters, smoke jumpers parachute into the very heart of the smoke and flames. The first and last line of defense between small towns, wildlands and the fires that burn there, the smoke jumpers are protectors to their core, putting their lives on the line with every jump. Hard-bodied, rough around the edges, and absolutely determined to do whatever it takes to hold the line between the wildfires and civilization, smoke jumpers are the ultimate bad boys of summer who ride into town to protect and defend—and leave as soon as the flames are out.

What appeals to you about firefighter heroes? Do you have a favorite firehouse romance?

---

A professional technical writer, Anne discovered that getting laid off was actually A Very Good Thing. While looking for her next writing gig, she picked up her pen (well, okay, she used her writing as an excuse to buy a new Apple laptop) and started writing. She soon discovered that writing was uncomfortably similar to sit-ups: add a few more crunches each day, wake up sore, but, by God, you will fit into that bikini. Or finish the book (she’s still working on the bikini).  Now she cranks out software manuals during the daylight hours– and writes about alpha shapeshifters the rest of the time.

Find the author online: website | twitter | facebook

---

Title: Burning Up
Series: Smoke Jumpers, Book 1
Author: Anne Marsh
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Published: October 30, 2012 by Kensington Books

It takes a special kind of hero to be a smoke jumper. To take the greatest risks. To live or die in the raging heat of the moment. And it takes a special kind of woman to love him. . .

Where There's Smoke. . .

For Jack Donovan, smoke jumping is a way of life. He lives for the adrenaline rush--the thrill of flying over the burning California hills, the intensity of diving straight into the inferno, the glory of taming the forces of nature. Love is a distant ember compared to the feeling he gets fighting fires--until an emergency call from his hometown brings him face to face with the one woman he can't forget. . .

There's Fire

Lily never got over the handsome rogue who once kissed her senseless--and then left. She vowed she was done with love-'em-and-leave-'em men and small town life. Until a series of malicious fires set by a stalker has her running home to hide. Now, their summer is heating up as Jack fights to save her from the stalker's fiery threats and to convince her to give the passion between them a second chance.

    

Also buy on: B&N | BAM

---

Thanks to Anne Marsh, one lucky winner will receive an ebook copy of One Hot Cowboy. Good luck to all who enter!

• No purchase necessary.
• Must be 18 years old or older to enter.
• Giveaway open Internationally. Void where prohibited.
• You must answer Anne Marsh’s question in the comments and fill out the Rafflecopter form in order to enter this giveaway.
• Please read TBV's Giveaway Policy before entering.
• Giveaway ends 9:01 pm (Pacific Time) on 11/14/2012.

a Rafflecopter giveaway