Excerpt & Giveaway: Deadly Games by Karen Rock

Deadly Games
Karen Rock
(Dallas After Dark)
Publication date: July 17th 2018
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

ONE NIGHT ONLY
Special Agent Katherine Bowden doesn’t do girls’ nights out. She doesn’t do blazing hot dances with male strippers or unbelievable, uninhibited one-night-stands. If you ask her ex, all she does is work: study evidence, profile criminals, track them down. And now Katherine’s back home in Dallas, with a new set of all-male colleagues second-guessing her every move, and a possible serial killer hunting women just like her. But just this once, Katherine is going to try all those things she doesn’t do . . .
Growing up on the Reservation led Nash Hawkins down paths he’d rather forget. When his dream of joining the police force was crushed, he turned his hard body and wicked imagination into a meal ticket. His chemistry with Katherine is like nothing he’s ever felt. And though he’s sure a woman like her won’t want to get seriously involved with him, Nash knows things—things that might help catch a killer.
Nash and Katherine can save lives, if they put aside the desire that torments them both. But the closer they get, the more they have to lose . . .
“A highly entertaining and cohesive suspense novel with an emotionally satisfying romance that will keep readers glued to the page.”
—RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars on Dangerous Moves

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EXCERPT

“There’s only one woman I’m interested in impressing.”
Leaning forward, Nash brushed his lips where Katherine’s neck met her shoulder. Her soft, sweet fragrance wafted from her skin, reminding him of their incredible night. Moments when their limbs had been entwined, when his hips moved against hers before giving way to an explosive joining.
The memories rolled over him in sweetly painstaking detail. He dipped his tongue into the hollow at the base of her throat. Her heartbeat tripped along at high speed, her pulse pumping overtime beneath his mouth.
Her head tipped back and her fingers landed on his shoulders, gripping him. “Nash,” she gasped, a throaty sound of want.
His fingers slipped one of her buttons through its hole, then another, as she arched towards him. With a growl, he tunneled his fingers through her hair and kissed her.
He put his hands on her hips, and he tightened his grip, the effort costing him. He wanted to continue, his whole body primed and ready, but he needed to let her go. She’d resent being maneuvered if he didn’t back off and would see him as a lover, not a real partner on this case and in… …and in what?
What other kind of partner did he want to be to her?
He ended the kiss gradually, giving her mouth a little nudge as he pulled away. “Much more of this,” he murmured against her lips, “and I won’t be able to stop.”
Katherine’s eyes were dazed when they opened, her breathing ragged. “Right,” she gasped and withdrew slightly, confirmation he’d done the right thing by hitting the brakes.
So why the hell did it feel so damn wrong?
He rested his cheek on the top of her head. How well she fit in his arms, tucked under his chin. Her breath rushed against his neck, slowing with his. For a couple of heartbeats, she said nothing, then she cleared her throat. “I’m not very good at this.”
“At what?” he murmured against her silken hair.
“The whole seduction thing. Sex…”
“You’re kidding, right?”
Pulling back, she shook her head. Her expression was one of numb misery, her face pale, hands clenched into fists in her lap. It made him want to kiss her all over again and soothe that pain away.
Where did her insecurity come from?
He had a hunch and played it. “At the club, your friend said you were recently divorced.”
Katherine’s emotions churned so close to the surface he could feel them. She was trembling, whether from hurt or rage he wasn’t sure. Possibly both. “Six months ago. Cheating ex. He and the woman I caught him with are engaged.”
“What an ass. And a damn fool.” He smoothed loose strands from her face and rubbed his thumb over
her lips, which had turned down in a frown.
“There’re always two sides. I didn’t give him enough attention or affection. He called me an ice queen.”
Nash’s nostrils flared, expelling the outrage rising on her behalf. “You’re the most passionate, responsive woman I’ve ever met.”
“You are the sex god,” she joked. “Guess that makes you the expert.”
“That’s on stage. Off it, I’m just a man who feels damn lucky to be with you. The problem was your ex, not you.”
She jerked back to stare at him, wide-eyed. “What do you mean?”
“You just weren’t into him.”
Her mouth opened, a rounded “O” of surprise.
“You’re a woman of discerning taste.”
Her lips closed then curled upward in the corners as her eyes ran over him. “So, you’re saying I’m into you?”
He cupped her face. “God, I hope so.”
With a groan, she stood. “I should get going. If I stay, our one-night stand will turn into two and then…”
He got to his feet and slid a hand in hers. He didn’t know where any of this was headed, but he damn well knew he had to let her make the next move. “Let’s take this one step at a time.”

Author Bio:
Award-winning author Karen Rock is both sweet & spicy—at least when it comes to her writing! The author of YA and adult contemporary books writes spicy suspense and small-town romances. A big believer in Happily-Ever-After, Karen loves creating unforgettable stories that leave her readers smiling. Karen is an avid reader and baker who loves having the Adirondack Park as her backyard, where she lives with her husband and daughter who make her life complete.

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