Welcome to the Hot Winter Nights Hop!


Who’s your favorite warm and cuddly on a hot winter’s night? Leave a comment and your email address for a chance to win my site’s prize of a $5 Amazon gift card.


But wait, there’s more…

Nicole and her crew are giving away a grand prize worth over $100 in value, which includes 11 eBooks and
$60 in eGift Certificates:

1. $50
Amazon Gift Card

2. $10
Bookstrand Bucks

3. eBook
prize package including: 




Now, here is Angel’s favorite warm and cuddly. 

He is known as the Falcon, but he prefers the name Tony for this particular assignment. Only a few get to call him by his real name: Armand Falcone d’Alessandro, on a hot winter’s night. 



Excerpt

“You want the Stradivarius!”
She jabbed her finger in the air towards the speakerphone, her next statement
louder so Granger would hear. “He tried to take it from me that day. You’re
working together.”

“It’s not what you think. I’m
trying to protect you.”

“Oh, that’s original! You’re
not trying to protect me, you’re lying. You lied about everything!”

“No, tesoro, I didn’t lie about
us. I love you.”

“Great, just great.” The lament
from the speakerphone rang out in the silence.

Angelina looked into Tony’s
eyes. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to rewind the last twenty-four
hours of her life and go back to living with him, loving him, when she felt
safe with him.

But the proof of his deception
was all around her. She was standing in the apartment he’d claimed to have
missed out on. The detective’s words played over in her mind, a subliminal
message.

“No…” She shook her head. “I
don’t believe you Tony, or Armand, or whoever you are. If you really loved me,
you wouldn’t have lied.”

“You know I love you. You love
me, too. You feel it, like I do.” The calm conviction in his voice made her
pause. But he moved towards her once again. “You’re mine, Angel, you always
will be.”

“No! I believe the detective.
He said you wanted the violin!”

“What detective?” He tilted his
head as if he hadn’t heard her correctly and his eyes narrowed.

She backed away. “You know what
detective! He’s been trailing you for a long time. Detective Luciano Biagi told
me all about you yesterday at the restaurant!”

“What did he look like?”

“Stop it! Will you please just
stop the lies? It’s over, and I never want to see you again!”

Angelina ran through the living
room to the front door and turned the knob. But with the swiftness of a loping
panther, Tony had reached the door. His hand above her head held it closed. He
stood behind her hip to hip, his breath against her hair.

“You don’t mean that. And I
can’t let you go.”

There was love and regret in
those quiet words, filling her with a strange ache that she was horrified to
recognize as craving.

He kissed the top of her head
and for just a moment, she leaned back against him. Why does it feel so
right?

She let out an agonized sigh. I’m
in love with a master thief!

Angelina pushed back, kicking
him in the groin before she jerked the door open and ran.

Blinded by her tears, she ran
down the stairs, furious for being so weak, for wanting him so badly. For
giving herself to him so completely. A horrible notion snaked its way into her
thoughts. What if she never got her heart back now that she had given it to
him?

She didn’t know where she was
going. She ran all the way to the first floor and then jerked that door open.
She felt like running all night, until she was out of breath and couldn’t run
anymore, couldn’t think anymore. She was running down the deserted Piazza
Avellino when she heard him behind her.

“That hurt, Angelina!” Tony
sprinted towards her like a distance runner, his back

straight
and elbows bent, his long legs effortlessly closing the gap between them. “Come
back here!”

Angelina tried to run faster
over the uneven cobblestones on the ancient street that hurt her bare feet. She
ignored the pain because he was coming swiftly towards her and would soon
overtake her. He was much faster and stronger. She had to get as far away from
him as possible.

The midnight street darkened
even more. A shadow fell over the moon and she looked up.

There was a black fog overhead,
hanging so low in the sky it came almost to the apartment building windows.

‘Margaux…’

She stumbled, looking around
for whoever had called the name. Someone had spoken in her ear, but no one was
there.

“Angelina! Stop!” Tony was
gaining on her, she had to run.

“Signorina Natale! In here!”

A Fiat was at the curb with its
rear passenger door open.

Detective Biagi waved to her
from the front passenger seat. She didn’t think twice, but jumped into the back
seat and slammed the door behind her.

She was pushed back onto the
seat when the car lurched away from the curb.

There was a loud thump on the back
of the Fiat. She turned to see Tony on the hood, shouting at her to get out of
the car.

Angelina put her hands over her
ears to block out his shouts. Someone was sitting next to her in the back seat,
but she couldn’t look away from Tony.

“What about him?” The man next
to her asked.

Detective Biagi glanced out the
window at the sky above, thick now with the fog blacker than night. “He’s not
going to be a problem.”

Detective Biagi nodded to the
driver and the car swerved with such force that Angelina was pushed against the
person sitting next to her. She had a terrifying view of Tony being thrown
backward against the sidewalk headfirst. He lay still on his back.

“Stop! He’s hurt!” Angelina
screamed at the driver, but he didn’t stop the car. They were speeding away.

The black fog descended on
Tony, obscuring her view of him. “What is that? What is it?” She tried to open
the passenger door, pushed against it, but it was locked.

The distance between her and
Tony on the dark street grew until she couldn’t see where he lay anymore.

In this old district of Naples,
there were no street lamps, no traffic lights. There were no rules in this
section of the city. Tony could be killed laying there at the side of the road.

She turned to Detective Biagi. “Stop!”

The car’s engine sputtered.
They coasted until the driver got the engine started again.

The detective turned. “Jacopo,
put her out before she…” His eyes traveled over her in compassion, as if she’d
breached social etiquette. “…Upsets herself,” he finished quietly. He faced
forward in dismissal.

Angelina stared at his dark
ponytail, speechless, and then felt a pinprick on her arm.

She turned just in time to see
the man sitting next to her put a needle away in a leather case.

When the man turned facing
front, folding his hands in his lap, done with her, she saw the gold earring in
his ear.

Angelina
tried to lift her hand to pull at the dragon loop, but it wouldn’t move. Her
body felt weighted down, as if something heavy rested on her chest. She could
only move her head now, and turned it slightly, an arduous task, it felt filled
with water.

Hardly able to keep her eyes open, Angelina
tried to get a look at the driver, who remained silent throughout this
high-speed getaway. Her last thought before she lost consciousness was that his
ear was no longer bleeding.

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60 Replies to “Angel’s Hot Winter Nights G*I*V*E*A*W*A*Y HOP!”

  4. Great excerpt! My fav cuddle partner is a sexy alpha who is all strong silent with a gooey center!

    grapeapril75(at)gmail.com

  5. I’m a sucker for the H E A which is why I like the romance books. I especially like the paranormal or futuristic romance books with hot sexy alpha heroes and kick-ass heroines
    I love to curl up by the fire on a cold winter night with the hubby drinking hot chocolate toddies and watching a movie, or reading a HOT romance book if hubby is working. Thanks for being part of the hop and for the chance to win. <^_^>
    reneebennett35 (at) yahoo (dot) com

  10. The best person I love to curl up with on a cold winters nite is my hubby – LOL or a sexy paranormal or fantasy greek god hero in a book – LOL I have many favorites so it is hard to choose since I read so many books.

    Hope you have many blissful hot nights this holiday season.

    Ronda Tutt
    mrsqueentutt@gmail.com

  11. I love a romance where I feel for the characters, and that has streamy hot scenes!
    laceyblossom1(at)gmail(dot)com

  15. My favorite thing about romance is the warm fuzzies you get when you are starting to fall in love, or the way your stomach churns out of desire….ahhh I miss those days.

    Thanks so much for the great prize and being a part of this amazing hop.

    Happy Holidays,
    Marlena
    charmedpoms(at)yahoo(dot)com

  16. In reading romance stories I like things that have a commitment goal, not just for a time, I like to see characters that are real. Love that is patient , kind, realistic, with a touch of fantasy or parsnormal characters

  23. Without the whole package, meeting, drama, hot smexy action then finally the HEA.

    Dawna Newman
    vampiremistress2010(at)gmail.com

  24. I really like the HEA and the love story.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    by.evie at yahoo dot com dot br

  25. I love strong men in book and how characters try to build their relationships 🙂
    swordlily_girl[at]yahoo[dot]com

  26. My favorite thing about romance is having a strong alpha bad boy! I’m a fan of forbidden love!
    Thanks for the great giveaway hop! I enjoy my winter nights curling up on the couch with my favorite read and a cup of hot chocolate!

    kacidesigns AT yahoo DOT com

  27. I’ve been reading romances for a long time now. I love the HEA, the sexy heroes, the strong heroines, and the power that books have to transport you into the story!

    Julie K
    kornhsl@yahoo.com

  28. It’s usually the HEA that I love, although not all of my favorite romances have that. I tend to love more old fashioned romances with strong men or else dominant men in the modern romances.

    kesummer69(at)gmail(dot)com

  29. I love the chemistry between the characters and I love happy endings! Thank you for the post!
    verusbognar (at) gmail (dot) com

  40. I love that falling in love feeling you get each time.
    Mel
    bournmelissa at hotmail dot com

  42. I like the HEA or HFN endings and the emotional connections of the characters the most.
    manning_J2004 at yahoo dot com

  43. the erotica of course just kidding mostly anyway. just the whole falling in love when most of the time it feals imposible or unexpected
    kaholgate at ymail dot com

  44. Great excerpt! My favorite thing about romance is the relationship building. I love to see them bloom. And of course the HEA! 😉
    Thank you for the wonderful giveaway.

  45. Romance must have a sexy alpha male who can hold his own in defending what’s right and the heroine as well. Steamy sex and a rich external story give a romance a well rounded story line.

  47. I really love Alpha males in romance but who can be sweet too! Thank you for the great giveaway and fun blog hop!
    Latisha D
    tishajean@ charter.net

  50. Has to have humor, and the Happy Ever After or I cry and I dont like to. Thx for the hop stop.

    blinkysthebest at aol dot com

  51. my favorite thing to curl up with is my husband. And when he’s not available, it’s a super steamy book.
    I like romance books, that have conflict, sexual tension, can make feel a range of emotions, and keeps me guessing as to how it will end.

    luvfuzzzeeefaces at yahoo dot com

  53. A hot winter night to me is either sitting by the fire snuggling under a soft comfy throw just talking or watching a movie with the love of your life…that is heaven! You can’t ask for anything better…

    My books have to have the HEA..what’s a romance without it?

    Thanks for the opportunity to share, meet new authors and perhaps snag new books to read.

    Belinda G
    belgreATComcastDOTnet

  56. My favorite thing about romance is the romance. I love the connection and the sparks between the characters.

  57. I like romances because of the commitment to another person and the happily ever after. Too often we don’t see that if real life.
    planterofhope(at)aol(dot)com

  58. What are your favorite things about romance?

    Romances help renews my belief in romance and people. My hubby is not very romantic so it gives me a taste.

  59. I like to get some ideas about how to be romantic and drop subtle hints to my boyfriend hehe 🙂 katieamanda1(at)yahoo(dot)com Thanks!

  60. Thank you lovely readers for spending hot winter nights with Falcon!
    He’s glad to know you 🙂

    Congratulations, Carla! You won my site’s prize for the Hot Winter Nights Blog hop. 🙂 Enjoy!

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