Semper
Paratus. Always ready.
HIS LAST DEFENSE
Uniformly HOT!
Karen Rock
Released March 21, 2017
Harlequin Blaze
Semper Paratus. Always ready.
Years ago,
Coast Guard rescue swimmer Dylan Holt left Kodiak, Alaska, with his heart in
pieces. He thought Nolee Arnauyq and her mouthwatering curves were behind
him—until he's sent to rescue the crew of a capsizing boat…including Nolee. And
Dylan is definitely not ready for the too-familiar way his body aches at seeing
her again.
Nolee's
always gone after what she wanted, and to hell with the risks. Now she's a
rookie ship captain taking on the deadly waters of the Bering Sea. But out on
these treacherous waters, there's no way to avoid the sizzling sexual tension
between them—or the dangerous pull of emotions that could leave both their
hearts lost at sea…
“Still
here?”
Dylan
whirled at the soft voice behind him.
Nolee.
In the
twilight, her skin glowed iridescent and smooth. Her eyes sparkled as bright as
the growing starlight. And her lips. Suddenly he couldn’t drag his eyes off
their full shape. When her tongue darted out to lick her bottom lip, he nearly
groaned out loud.
How he
wanted her. Loved her, too, he realized.
But would
it be enough?
For either
of them?
Tomorrow,
he reported back to base and resumed his military life. The old thrill of
unknown adventures fizzled flat in his skull. For the first time in years, he
wanted to plant himself in one spot. With one person.
Nolee.
He didn’t
want to let her go yet, damn it.
“I’m not
ready for our time together to end,” he said, settling his hands on her waist.
She went
still and he found himself holding his breath, warring emotions erupting with
what he wanted to hear and what he was afraid she would say.
“I’m not,
either,” she admitted finally, the lapels of her jacket parting as she lifted
her hands to rest on his chest.
The clean
scent of open ocean drifted up from her skin, light and delicate. “In fact, I
have some ideas…”
Thank You,
God. Relief kicked through him with surprising force.
He caught
her hand in his and nearly yanked her off her feet as he hustled her back to
the now-empty pilothouse.
“So do I.”
His voice had deepened and grown rough, edgy with the primal, animalistic need
she aroused in him.
Control,
Holt, he ordered himself.
Tonight had
to be memorable. Savored. One neither of them would ever forget.
She
disappeared toward her stateroom while he grabbed the bottle of champagne he’d
stashed in the fridge the last time they’d been in port, along with a couple of
mismatched jelly glasses, then raced up the stairs two at a time.
He jerked
to a halt at her doorway and blinked.
Nolee
lounged on her bed. She’d shed her raingear and the white tank top and fitted
jeans she wore revealed lush curves. Anticipation churned inside Dylan. The
sight of her was enough to make a grown man weep in appreciation.
With her
dark hair tumbling helter-skelter around her smooth shoulders, her glowing face
makeup-free, her lips natural and full, she was beautiful and sexy without even
trying. It did him in.
Then he
looked into her eyes and his body hardened to instant attention at the heat
simmering in their chocolate brown depths. She didn’t need to put much effort
into seducing him—she could accomplish the task with a mere look. A lone touch.
A single word. A fleeting smile.
Need, sharp
and edgy, scraped through him, overwhelming him with the desire to yank her
into his arms and spend the next several hours blocking out the last few
stressful weeks, specifically the last few stressful hours.
All he
wanted to do was drown in her tonight.
Award-winning
author Karen Rock is both sweet and spicy—at least when it
comes to her writing! The author of both YA and adult contemporary books writes
red-hot novels for Harlequin Blaze and small-town romances for Harlequin
Heartwarming. A strong believer in Happily-Ever-After, Karen loves creating
unforgettable stories that leave her readers with a smile. When she’s not
writing, Karen is an avid reader who’s typically immersed in three different
books at a time, all in different genres. She also loves cooking her
grandmother’s Italian recipes, baking, Christmas (no need to specify—she loves
every bit of it), and having the Adirondack Park wilderness as her backyard,
where she lives with her husband, daughter, dog and cat who keep her life
interesting and complete. Learn more about her at her website.
Describe yourself in five words or
less.
Romantic
dreamer and complete dork.
Can you tell us a little about your
book?
This
is a high-stakes, action-packed second-chance romance that takes place on
Alaska’s most deadly waters: The Bering Sea. Nolee Arnauyq is a crab fishing
boat captain who’s determined to make her own way in a man's world after
growing up dependent on others' charity. She doesn't want to be rescued, least
of all by the ex that broke her heart, USCG rescue swimmer Dylan Holt who
plucks her from her sinking vessel after he's been assigned back to his old
hometown in Alaska. Out on the most dangerous waters in the world, where a
tumble overboard will stop your heart in five seconds, Dylan's greatest worry
is his returning feelings for Nolee, a woman who's never left his heart or
thoughts, no matter how far he's traveled for his coast guard work. He plans to
transfer stateside as soon as possible, and leave the stifling hometown that
holds bad memories, but Nolee's proving to be one sizzling temptation his body,
and heart, can't resist.
How did you come up with the concept
and the characters for the story?
I’m
addicted to Discovery Channel’s hit show THE DEADLIEST CATCH! I knew I wanted
to set a book in this extreme setting but needed the right, high-octane story.
When I saw an episode where a USCG Air and Sea Rescue team rescues a crab
fishing crew from a sinking vessel, I imagined the ultimate sexy alpha hero- a
fearless rescue swimmer daring and determined enough to fling himself into most
dangerous waters in the world to save others. Of course, then I needed a
heroine strong enough to go toe-to-toe with such a tough guy and who better
than a headstrong, fearless crab fishing boat captain whose staked her claim in
this testosterone-charged world. I wanted them to be second-chance lovers with
lots to lose by risking their hearts with each other again. Putting them on a
boat together in a life-and-death adventure, where they can’t resist their
sizzling chemistry, made this one of my favorite sexy romances to write of all
time.
What gave you the most trouble with
this story?
My
biggest challenge was the painstaking research I undertook to ensure that I
created an authentic experience for the readers in the unique world of crab
fishing on Alaska’s Bering Sea. In addition to watching lots of THE DEADLIEST
CATCH episodes and videos of USCG Air and Sea rescues, I fact checked with USCG
Commander Bill Friday, a Jayhawk pilot who was stationed for several years in
Kodiak, Alaska and one of THE DEADLIEST CATCH’S captain's THE TIME BANDIT'S
Jonathan Hillstrand. He provided the kind of insider details that helped me
convey an unforgettably sexy romance set on treacherous waters.
Name one thing you won’t leave home
without.
My
cell phone! I’d feel lost if I couldn’t connect to my family and friends via
social media, email and texts. The downside is that it’s also next to me as I
write and even though I mute it, and turn it upside down, I still find myself
checking it way too much.
Name three things on your desk right
now.
Since
my “desk” is really an easy chair where I write with my laptop, the following
three things are on it: a can of lemon-flavored seltzer water wedged between me
and the arm rest, Post-It notes stuck to the edges of my laptop reminding me of
appointments, changes to make to my MS, reminders for contests and grocery
lists, and my puppy, Zoey, who takes her job as “author assistant” very
seriously by laying at the end of my chair, her head resting on my ankle, as I write.
Tell us all about your main
characters—who are they? What makes them tick? Most importantly, what one thing
would they need to have with them if stranded on a desert isle? ;)
Nolee Arnauyq has a
white father, who abandoned her before she was born, and an Inuit mother who
struggled to provide for them due to her serious health issues. Growing up
dependent on others' charity has made Nolee fiercely independent and determined
to make her way in the world- even in a man's world- like becoming a crab fishing
boat captain. This high risk job also comes with huge rewards and she's willing
to gamble all, even her life, to never be dependent on anyone else again, and
to provide for her mother. It surprised me just how easy it was to insert a
female character into such a macho world. The crew men accept her as their
leader and look up to her because she's good at her job and keeps them safe
while pulling lots of crab to fatten their bank accounts. She can also
transform from tough as nails captain to an irresistible temptress when she
decides to make the most of her time with her ex, gorgeous USCG rescue swimmer
Dylan Holt. If stranded on a deserted isle, the one thing she’d need to have
with her would be a fishing pole since she’s an expert fisherman and could feed
herself with it.
Dylan Holt grew up
in Kodiak Alaska. He’s the youngest son of a father he could never please,
especially when he refused to join the family business to join the Coast Guard
as a rescue swimmer. He’s tough, fearless and gorgeous with a sense of humor
that’s disarming and so sexy. He’s also loyal and passionate and he’s never
forgotten his first love, Nolee Arnauyq, who crushed his heart years ago. He
vowed never to return to Alaska, but can’t avoid confronting his past when he
rescues Nolee off her sinking crab fishing vessel when he’s transferred to the
USCG Kodiak Air Station. Dylan is a talented swimmer and exceptional athlete.
If he were stranded on a deserted isle, he’d need to have his swim gear
(snorkel, mask and fins) so that he could deep dive for crab and other fish to
feed himself, and possibly swim to safety. If anyone could cross an ocean in
fins- it’d be Dylan.
Are there certain characters you
would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
Military
and law enforcement heroes are the ultimate sexy alpha male romantic hero.
They’re strong, commanding, passionate, fearless and are smoking hot in those
uniforms! I love personal courage and conviction and plan to write many more
books featuring them. I’m drawn to stories with lots of edgy action and am
currently working on a high-stakes suspense series set in a Dallas male strip
club that will feature under cover law enforcement. Book One- Dangerous Moves-
will be released with Kensington Press in 2018.
For updates about my new
releases and giveaways, follow my Amazon author page at http://amzn.to/1NSRVrT , follow me on
Goodreads on http://www.goodreads.com/karenrockauthor
or drop by my website at http://www.karenrock.com
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