Enjoy this snippet from my 1.99 Christmas romance, "The Faberge Secret."
BLURB:
Elise Goodwin operates a heritage museum in Brattleboro, Vermont. Needing to buy some items for her museum, she travels to Boston and acquires a delicious surprise that would excite any curator – a Faberge Egg.
Enter Russian businessman Dimitri Romanov, the true owner of the jewel. He's following a lead hoping to reacquire his stolen egg when he bumps into Elise. He can't hide his attraction to the petite brunette with doe-like eyes.
Dimitri's rival, Gustav Kelch, wants the rare Faberge jewel and will do anything to find it, including destroying Dimitri's life. Can Dimitri keep Elise and his Faberge heirloom safe or will his attraction place their lives in jeopardy?
This excerpt: Dimitri takes responsibility for Elise and Lucy's safety. ENJOY THIS EXCERPT:
Dimitri scanned the lobby. An older man sat at a table reading a New York Times. A lady
on a cell phone stood next to the window. The hair on the back of Dimitri's neck bristled. They didn't look suspicious, but he couldn't shake the feeling someone was watching him. A man dressed in a black overcoat stood near the door, his face invisible in the shadows.
Dimitri settled the bill and obtained the keys to the rental car.
He wanted to move fast because of the suspected surveillance. Dimitri took the stairs back to Elise's room two at a time. The ladies were packed and ready to go. Lucy appeared composed, but rubbed one of her wrists. Concern snaked through him.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"It's sore."
"I have some aspirin at my flat."
"Oh, I have some Advil in my purse," Elise said.
Dimitri waited patiently as Elise poured some water for Lucy and gave her the
painkillers. Lucy swallowed them. "What's next?" she asked.
Dimitri admired the lady's courage, especially since she was the one who had been
attacked. Elise picked her friends well.
on a cell phone stood next to the window. The hair on the back of Dimitri's neck bristled. They didn't look suspicious, but he couldn't shake the feeling someone was watching him. A man dressed in a black overcoat stood near the door, his face invisible in the shadows.
Dimitri settled the bill and obtained the keys to the rental car.
He wanted to move fast because of the suspected surveillance. Dimitri took the stairs back to Elise's room two at a time. The ladies were packed and ready to go. Lucy appeared composed, but rubbed one of her wrists. Concern snaked through him.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"It's sore."
"I have some aspirin at my flat."
"Oh, I have some Advil in my purse," Elise said.
Dimitri waited patiently as Elise poured some water for Lucy and gave her the
painkillers. Lucy swallowed them. "What's next?" she asked.
Dimitri admired the lady's courage, especially since she was the one who had been
attacked. Elise picked her friends well.
"The concierge told me you have to personally turn in your keys. I have a rental waiting on us in the parking garage. We'll leave your car here tonight. I suspect whoever has you under surveillance will be watching it for any activity."
Elise nodded and grabbed her bag. It rolled on wheels, as did Lucy's. Dimitri stepped forward and placed his hand over Elise's. His pulse spiked from the contact. Damn. She had a way of exciting his body with just a touch.
"I'll take the bag."
"We can take our own luggage." Her eyes shone with an independence of spirit he admired.
"I mean no offense. I'm only trying to be a gentleman."
"A gentleman usually respects a lady's wishes."
Dimitri reluctantly removed his hand from hers. "I do insist on taking your bag, Lucy,
since your wrist is sore."
Relief washed over her face. "Thank you."
He followed behind the ladies as they took the elevator to the lobby. The woman on the
cell phone had left. So had the man in the overcoat. Elise and Lucy turned in their key cards. Dimitri skimmed the lobby again, but everything appeared normal. So why did the hair on the back of his neck bristle once more? Maybe the man in the overcoat had only switched corners? Dimitri didn't see anyone watching them, but then again, he wasn't the trained policeman in the family.
When the ladies finished, Dimitri led them back to the elevator. They moved into the parking garage with quiet determination. Dimitri quickly found the rental, and they packed their bags into the back. The uneasy feeling had left him, but if he didn't move fast, he might lose the advantage.
"Ladies, get in and bend down so you can't be seen."
"Why?" Elise asked.
"In case someone is watching once we hit the street," Dimitri said.
Elise nodded and grabbed her bag. It rolled on wheels, as did Lucy's. Dimitri stepped forward and placed his hand over Elise's. His pulse spiked from the contact. Damn. She had a way of exciting his body with just a touch.
"I'll take the bag."
"We can take our own luggage." Her eyes shone with an independence of spirit he admired.
"I mean no offense. I'm only trying to be a gentleman."
"A gentleman usually respects a lady's wishes."
Dimitri reluctantly removed his hand from hers. "I do insist on taking your bag, Lucy,
since your wrist is sore."
Relief washed over her face. "Thank you."
He followed behind the ladies as they took the elevator to the lobby. The woman on the
cell phone had left. So had the man in the overcoat. Elise and Lucy turned in their key cards. Dimitri skimmed the lobby again, but everything appeared normal. So why did the hair on the back of his neck bristle once more? Maybe the man in the overcoat had only switched corners? Dimitri didn't see anyone watching them, but then again, he wasn't the trained policeman in the family.
When the ladies finished, Dimitri led them back to the elevator. They moved into the parking garage with quiet determination. Dimitri quickly found the rental, and they packed their bags into the back. The uneasy feeling had left him, but if he didn't move fast, he might lose the advantage.
"Ladies, get in and bend down so you can't be seen."
"Why?" Elise asked.
"In case someone is watching once we hit the street," Dimitri said.
REVIEWS:
4 Stars, Manic Readers
"A satisifying read."
4 Stars, Night Owl Book Reviews
The Faberge Secret is a fast paced, delightful adventure with plenty of love and adventure sprinkled in for spice.
3.5 Stars, Long & Short Reviews
"All this suspense had me flying through the pages so quickly I was able to read the book in one sitting."
BOOK TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf5ujOoDRXs
BUY LINKS:
AMAZON KINDLE :http://amzn.com/B006LTE2ZS
B&N NOOK:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-faberge-secret-stephanie-burkhart/1105070465?ean=2940013874596&itm=1&usri=the+faberge+secret
ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS:
PUBLISHER'S LINK:
Giveaway:
Leave a comment and I'll pick one lucky winner on 29 JULY to receive a print copy of The Faberge Secret.
I wonder if kids today understand about the detail that went into those eggs. There was this one lady who made eggs using real eggs and blew out the insides, painted them and put in hinges, to open them and decorated the inside like a display. All the best with your book.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, that's amazing. That's a lot of detail. Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSmiles
Steph