Sunday, March 24, 2013

Rites of Spring winners!

Hi, everyone!

Thanks so much for participating in the Rites of Spring Blog Hop!  So happy your interest in BLIZZARD was piqued.

 
My winner at this stop on the hop is Cindi! 
 
And the grand prize winners are:          1st Place: Kindle Fire
         Entry #4 – Karl

2nd Place: $50 Amazon gift certificate

Entry #187 -- Chum B
 
Congrats to the winners. Happy reading, all!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Ah, Spring!

Welcome to my stop on the Rites of Spring Blog Hop!


I'm soooooooo done with winter! Yeah, I know. Surprising sentiment from the author of FROST and BLIZZARD.  But really, look at the painting below (no, it was not painted by the hot and sexy Maxwell Raines, the sex-demon artist hero of FROST) and tell me you're not ready for springtime fun in the sun.
Nicolai Roerich design of stage backdrop for Stravinsky’s“Le Sacre du Printemp"

I thought we'd do our Rites of Spring first with Jack and Mandy, hero and heroine of BLIZZARD, my short and sexy story for Decadent Publishing's The Edge erotica line. They've had any number of hot firsts in their time, the sizzling snowstorm road tryst being just one of those.  (They like the road.)
 
Mandy: [sighs] But you know, I've got some really fond memories of that rest stop parking lot. Yeah, fond. That's a nice safe PG word.
 
Jack: Mandy's kind of a risk-taker. Drives me nuts. Also makes me hot as hell.
 
Mandy: Look who's talking, FEMA man.
 
Jack: You say that like I'm an old fuddy-duddy.
 
Mandy: Baby, I say that because you see so much death and destruction all the time. I like to, um, shake you up and entertain you when you're not on the job. 
 
Jack: Never a dull moment.
 
Mandy: Yeah, well, it's not like it's me in a harness, dangling from a helicopter to pluck flood survivors off the roof of a building.  When that's not even part of your job. But I love how you're always...ready. And always...prepared.
 
Jack: Like the first time on that golf course?
 
Mandy: Oh, yeah. Just like that.  [Blushes.] Now that was an awesomesauce first.
 
Jack: You, me, sneaking onto the course, naked on the fresh-mown grass. Spring in the air.A couple of cold ones. Cars whizzing by outside the country club gates. Hearing us, maybe. Not quite able to see us.
 
Mandy: Gah. I'm hot all over just thinking about that.
 
Jack: Yeah, I know.  I love our road trysts. And love how you squirm in your seat whenever we pass a rest stop or a golf course now.  [Winks.] Time to hit the road baby. Think this is where we make our exit.
 
Want more of Jack and Mandy?  Catch them in BLIZZARD.
Decadent | Amazon | Barnes&Noble | All Romance | Smashwords | CoffeeTime
 

BLURB:

Mandy Malone ditches her pharmaceutical convention and the married male colleagues hitting on her to hurry home to her waiting family. But she doesn’t bank on the blizzard that forces her off the road and into a deserted rest stop. When she meets another road refugee, their attraction is immediate and molten hot. Suddenly, getting stranded doesn’t seem like such bad luck after all. 

Although totally unprepared for Mandy’s unvarnished proposition, Jack is intrigued by the erotic offer of a promising night of no-questions-asked sex. But when he notices the wedding band on Mandy’s finger, will he forego the lure of a torrid clandestine affair, or give in to the fantasy of blazing hot sex on a wintry night?

 

EXCERPT:


She rooted around in her handbag again, on the off chance she’d missed something useful to her current situation.
“Is this what you’re looking for, lady?”
Mandy glanced up, startled by the deep, rumbling baritone that echoed loudly in the fairly quiet building. And even more startled by the tall, gorgeous hunk of manhood bundled into a down parka standing next to her table.
I could totally jump him. Right here. Right now.
From nowhere, steamy erotic images of what she wanted to do with the man leaped unbidden into her head. She’d never felt such instant attraction to anyone, such a frantic desire. Maybe it was a reaction to her frightening experience on the Thruway. Or maybe something else created the overpowering chemistry.
Besides being the most handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on, he held out a battery-operated pocket charger. A sigh escaped her as he stared down at her.
     “It’s not the only thing I’m looking for.” Her voice, husky and sultry, and laden with blatant sexual innuendo, shocked her. Where had those words come from? Nearly alone with him in the deserted rest stop…and still she felt…safe.
“Yeah?” The man removed his parka, revealing a plaid flannel shirt, the triangle of a white, cold-weather T-shirt peeping from the open neckline. When he raised his arms, thick bands of muscle rippled across his chest, beneath the layers of fabric. He riveted her with brilliant azure eyes, bluer than a lake under the summer’s sun. His hair, which curled a bit boyishly at his temples, resembled a wet beach, light, dirty brown, with shimmering bronze threads straggling through the locks. But this was no boy. No, indeed.
     God. Gorgeous did not even begin to cover it. The longer he looked at her, the hotter she became. So hot she suddenly felt she’d do anything, dare anything with this man.                                           

 
Leave me a comment about BLIZZARD or Jack and Mandy and be sure to include your email address and you're eligible to win my giveaway -- a book from my backlist and some cool swag. Sorry, the swag is open only to U.S. residents due to postage insanity. Everyone's eligible for the ebook! And you're also eligible for the two Rites of Spring Blog Hop Grand Prizes -- 1st prize a Kindle Fire; 2nd Prize a $50 Amazon gift certificate. Be sure to stop by the other stops on the hop for more chances to win! You can find the list here: Rites of Spring Blog Hop



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, March 22, 2013

Lisa Fox!

I LOVE Lisa Fox. Her writing, her blog, her knack for finding hot and hunky man candy pictures, her choice of exotic restaurants on Second Avenue. Um, maybe. But that's another story.

She's got a huge announcement for y'all today! Take it away, Lisa!


Hi Everyone!
I am thrilled to announce the release of my erotic, fantasy romance, KNIGHTLY DESIRE!

To celebrate, I am giving away a copy to one lucky commenter on my blog. Head over to LISA FOX ROMANCE (http://lisafoxromance.wordpress.com/2013/03/22/knightly-desire-release-blitz-giveaway/) between now and Sunday, March 24, 2013 to enter!

                                                         Knightly Desire by Lisa Fox

Blurb:

A routine mission turns disastrous when Knight Captain Brant and his men encounter a renegade mage. Injured and near death, Brant is brought to a nearby sanctuary of the god Ison, where the chaste sisters heal all those in need.

He is given into the care of Gabrielle, a talented healer. She is young, vivacious, bold—and a mage. She is everything wrong for him, and yet their desire and need can’t be denied.

Brant lives for his duty. Gabrielle belongs to a god. The lust-filled bond between them is powerful, but forbidden. No matter the consequences, their erotic bond cannot be ignored. 

An Excerpt From: KNIGHTLY DESIRE

Copyright © LISA FOX, 2013

All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.

 “You’re awake,” a female voice said and Brant jumped. He turned his head toward the sound and found a young woman roughly twenty years his junior sitting on a stool on the opposite side of the room. His armor, sword and shield sat on a table beside her. “The Mother feared you would never rise.”
She was a spark of brilliant light in the otherwise barren room and Brant hungrily drank her in, everything in him yearning to absorb all of her vibrant energy. He took in her round face, smooth with the innocence of her youth and marveled at the striking contrast with her wide, sapphire eyes. Those eyes held ancient wisdom in their depths and seemed to know secrets far beyond her years. That look, that shadow, added maturity and dimension to her youthful appeal, making her a devastating woman. He tried to tear his eyes away, he knew his examination was improper, but he couldn’t help himself. It had been too long since he had gazed upon anything beautiful.

She ran her hand over her short, spiky red-brown hair as she studied him. Her eyes trailed over him as she waited for him to respond, her gaze both curious and sensual. Her lips parted as she lingered over his bare chest, and when she dragged her tongue over her plump bottom lip, his cock stirred. Visions of capturing her warm, wet mouth assaulted him, and he could almost feel how soft her lips would be against his, how sweet she would taste. Blistering arousal ignited in his chest, awakening all of the nerve endings in his body, and he was suddenly, acutely aware that he was naked beneath the thin white sheet. Her gaze traveled farther down, leaving a path of fire in its wake, and when she paused at his waist, he almost gave in to the fierce, animal desire.
With a silent curse, he bit down on his tongue, hoping to temper his thundering pulse. It was completely inappropriate for him to respond to her in this manner. Especially since he had no idea who she was or what circumstances had brought him to her. He cleared his throat and tried to shake off the lust racing through his bloodstream. “The Mother?” he asked, and winced as fresh pain shot through him. “Where am I?”

“The Britnol Sanctuary of Ison,” she said, and he blinked, finally taking notice of her robes, the red and white adornments of the sacred Sisters of Ison. Brant let out a disgusted breath. Oh, but he was a fool indeed. Even without the cowl of her station—which was odd, he’d never seen a sister with her head uncovered before—he still should have recognized what she was.
“Where is everyone?” he asked. The other sanctuaries he had been to were bustling centers of activity, the sisters treating multiple patients for a variety of injuries and illnesses. He seemed to be in a private room rather than the main hall of the temple, separated from the other patients, and disquiet settled in his chest. Could it have something to do with the mage? He had been touched by magic, was he now…tainted? He quickly pushed the thought aside. He was whole, weak, but still himself. He glanced over at his newfound companion. She did not seem overly concerned about being in his presence. He didn’t think she would be so calm if there was any reason for worry.
She shrugged one shoulder. “Who knows?”

Before he could stop himself, his gaze drifted back down to her mouth and unbidden desire resurfaced in his heart. There was probably a reasonable explanation for his segregation, but their isolation tested the limits of propriety. This woman may be a sister, however youthful her appearance, she was obviously old enough to have taken her vows, but he was an outsider. “Surely they wouldn’t allow a sister to remain alone in the presence of a strange man?”
“Why not?” she asked, cocking her head to the side. The gesture was all at once innocent and impishly wicked. “They say you are a man of honor.” She touched the white stallion emblazoned upon his shield. “They say that this means it is so.” She met his eyes. “Are they wrong?”

Brant’s heart swelled with pride as he looked at the stallion on his shield. It stood for everything he believed in, everything he fought for, held dear and would die to uphold. Honor, justice, duty. He met her gaze. “No, they are not wrong.”
Her smile brightened her entire face and her eyes sparkled. “Then why do you ask?”

He laughed. He couldn’t help himself. Her whole aura demanded it. She may be innocent, but she was also a tad bit too flirtatious for a sister. When the sisters took their vows, they gave themselves to Ison alone. He wasn’t much of a follower, but he did know that Ison was a jealous, possessive god. Brant decided he would do well to remember that—for both their sakes. He forced his face back into seriousness and tried to assume as commanding a tone as possible considering he was lying in a sickbed. “Bring me the Mother. I wish to depart.”
Her smile widened and his blood heated. He had seen beautiful women before, he had mingled with and even romanced some of the refined ladies of the royal court, but none had ever stirred in him the longing that she inspired. It was thrilling. “Oh, I don’t think that’s going to happen,” she said, her tone playfully admonishing. “You were quite wounded when your men brought you here and we vowed in His name to heal you. The Mother is not going to let you go until she feels that is done.”
That was not the answer he wanted and he bristled at the confinement. He needed to get back to his men. That mage had been gathering an army. He needed to make sure that the threat had been eliminated, that everyone was safe. He was almost certain that he had succeeded, but there was always a chance that the man still lived, still posed an immediate and terrible danger. “I’m fine.”

She laughed, a joyful sound that filled the entire room. “Are you? Well then, stand up.”
He couldn’t believe his ears. Was she actually challenging him? He was so shocked, he almost laughed. “What?”
“Come on,” she said, humor and mischievousness and deep knowing in her blue eyes. “Stand up. Prove how well you are.” She rose to her feet and extended her hand to him. “If you can take even two steps, I’ll get her for you.”
She was teasing him. He shook his head in disbelief. And he was enjoying it! “Why do I have to prove anything to you?”
She smiled. “Because, Sir Knight, I am your keeper until you have recovered.”
“You?” he said, and this time he did laugh. “You’re barely old enough to be your own keeper.”
“I am older than I look and we both know that wisdom is not reliant upon age.” She raised an eyebrow and her smile transformed into a smirk. “And you have not gotten out of that bed.”
He told himself that he was not being baited. He was going to get up, prove to her how fit he was and end this ridiculous game. And he was fine. Mostly. Fine or not, he had to get back to his men and resume his command. He wrapped the sheet around his waist and rose from the bed. His legs folded beneath him.
She was by his side in an instant, holding him up. She hugged him tightly and the soft, floral scent of her filled his head. He breathed deeply, taking in her delectable fragrance. Her body moved against him, lithe and firm under the heavy, shapeless robes, and the fire that had been simmering in his blood flared back to life. He wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her closer. Her smooth, white skin flushed a rosy pink and he could feel her breath catch. His eyes fastened on her mouth and hunger descended upon him in a wave of lust. She lifted her chin to him, her pink lips slightly parted and he leaned into her, accepting the unspoken invitation. The warm flutter of her breath tickled his lips and long buried desires swept through. He wanted to drink in her heat, her beauty, her feminineness, things that were forever missing from his life. His cock awoke with deep, throbbing need and his eyes drifted shut as everything in him yearned for one tiny taste of heaven.


The door opened and Brant started at the sound. The Grand Mother entered the room, frowning mightily as she took in the scene and the girl froze in his arms. The Mother’s steely-gray eyes fixed on the sister and he felt her twitch. “Gabrielle, attend,” the Mother commanded, and his beautiful keeper deposited him on the bed and went to the Mother’s side. “I believe it is your turn to stock the warehouse?” she asked, and Gabrielle flicked him a last look before nodding and leaving.
When the door shut behind her, the Mother turned her attention on him. “Welcome to the Britnol Sanctuary of Ison, Sir Brant,” she said. “I trust you are finding it comfortable here?”
Her voice was sharp with disapproval and it only deepened Brant’s regret for his actions. He had come into this house of a god and tried to take what didn’t belong to him, what he had no right to claim. “Mother,” he said, inclining his head to her. A formal bow would have been better, but it was the best he could manage. He did not think he could stand up again without help. “Thank you for taking me into your house of healing. I am in your debt.”
The Mother inclined her head in return. “We do our sacred duty here,” she said, and then met his eyes.
Brant heard the warning loud and clear. A warning he was ashamed to have to receive. He had tarnished his own honor when he tried to take advantage of the young sister. It was not a mistake he would make again, no matter how much his desire for her enflamed his blood. She was not his for the taking.
About the Author:

World-renowned neurosurgeon, jet fighter pilot, secret member of American royalty, seducer of legions of beautiful, outrageously sexy angels and demons and vampires and werewolves and the occasional pirate, Lisa Fox has done it all…in her own mind. In reality, she can generally be found at her desk with a cup of coffee close at hand. Or maybe a martini. It really depends on the day.

Feedback, comments, opinions, words of wisdom, chocolate cake and the addresses of super hot men are always appreciated and encouraged. Please feel free to contact Lisa any time.



Twitter: @LisaFoxRomance

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

FROST tour, day 2!

Here are the links for Day 2 of  the  FROST book blitz tour (arranged by Decadent Publishing) with Full Moon Bites (FMB) Promotions.  Drop by and comment to be eligible for the giveaway!

http://www.fmbpromotions.com/2013/03/book-blitz-tour-frost-by-taryn-kincaid.html

March 19th

Monday, March 18, 2013

Love & Curses

Pleased to welcome back L.J. Garland and Debbie Gould, for a sample of their paranormal, erotic romance suspense thriller, Love & Curses, Book 1 of their Cursed Ink series!

Love & Curses

Cursed Ink Book 1

 


BLURB:

Calista Page always gives her heart to the wrong guy. The latest one gives her a tattoo before he dumps her to move on to his next conquest. As she falls apart from yet another failed relationship, her sexy, steadfast neighbor holds her. Why can’t she find a guy like him?

Successful restaurant owner, Andy Mitchell pines for the girl next door. Tired of being her go-to guy, he decides to tell her how he feels. But fresh off her latest rejection, he wonders if he can convince her that this time love will last.

“Death is after you,” Calista’s crazy aunt warns. After cursing the tattoo artist who broke niece’s heart, she fears the black magic has splashed over to her. Gypsy mumbo-jumbo or not, Andy’s instincts kick in, but with Death determined to take Calista’s life at every turn, can Andy unravel the secret of Love and Curses before it’s too late? 

Genre: Paranormal romance, suspense/thriller, erotic romance

Heat level: 4

Word count – 18k

Cover art by TygraPro Designs

 

BUY:


ARe https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-lovecurses-1036532-140.html



 

EXCERPT:

“I’d hoped you understood.” Annoyance settled heavily in Ben’s belly, creating a familiar lead weight that threatened not only to ruin his good mood but also attempted to tether him to New Orleans. Hell, since he’d turned sixteen, he hadn’t been tied to any one spot, and today certainly wasn’t the day he would change. Rolling to his side, the sheet slipping from his hip, he reached over to smooth a dark lock of hair from his lover’s forehead. “I thought we were on the same page here, Calista.”

Bright gold eyes turned toward him. “I thought we were, too.”

“Good.” He trailed his fingers over her collarbone and down to her chest where he drew lazy circles over her damp, bronze skin. Damn if she hadn’t ridden him like a female jockey. Got them both across the finish line, too. If only she’d had a whip—

“I just don’t understand why we can’t go out to a restaurant and have an actual meal together.” She sighed, her breasts rising and falling enticingly. “It’s not like it’s a big deal.”

Not a big deal? One meal turns into two, and next thing, she’s picking out fucking china. Hell no. Ben gave her his special smile—the one that more than one girl had admitted made her panties wet—and ground his pelvis against her thigh. “C’mon, baby. We’ve had two weeks of fun, why ruin what we have by getting dressed? Le’me order us a pizza.”

“It’s been ten days.” She shoved him away and sat up.

He nodded. “Yes, we’ve been eating way too much pizza. Chinese. How about Moo Shu Pork?”

Scooting her long legs over the side of the bed, she perched on the edge of the mattress with her back to him, shoulders hunched. “So, what is it? Do I embarrass you or something?”

Ben scrubbed his hands over his face. This was exactly why he didn’t care for relationships. Games, wordplay, the struggle for control, insecurities—all of it a waste of time. Amid that were about three hours of hot, sweaty sex—sometimes more if the girl he was with understood the score.

Calista did not.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re gorgeous.” He moved closer to her, the thin sheet sliding away and the cool air wafting over his heated skin. As he reached to brush her long black hair to the side, a shudder coursed down his back. “And the tat on your shoulder makes you sexier than ever.” He trailed his fingers over his work, the tribal-style bird he’d inked two weeks—no, ten days ago. “My little sparrow.”

She twisted toward him. “So, you think of me as something you can keep caged?”

He bowed his head and squeezed his eyes closed. Damn it. Here we go. “No. Nobody’s caged. No one’s controlling anyone else.” He lifted his gaze to meet hers. “That’s the point.”

Her jaw tightened, and she swallowed. “So, all I am is a good time, right?”

“You sure sounded as though you were having a good time when you were riding me like there was no tomorrow.”

Her expression darkened, and tears welled in her eyes. Aw, hell.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

FROST two-day tour!



Hey, guys! FROST is going on tour (arranged by Decadent Publishing) with Fullmoon Bites. Hope you'll join me at some of the blog stops. There'll be a giveaway!
 
 
Tour Schedule: 
 

March 18th
 
March 19th



Sunday Sizzle 3-17-13

Some hot stuff from BLIZZARD:


“Nevertheless. Talk is what we’re doing.” He leaned down and stroked a finger across her hot cheek. “First.”

He left his parka on the banquette across the table from her and strode off to one of the food vendors. She watched him go, admiring his easy gait, the confident way he carried himself, the spare, sinuous play of ass and thigh muscles inside his tight jeans. Broad, masculine shoulders. Long, long legs. Ending in sturdy Timberlands. Easily six-four. About 220 pounds of prime male beef. More fantasies bombarded her. She wanted his weight on top of her, her legs wrapped around his lean hips, the jeans down around his ankles, his cock driving into her, making her scream in passionate release. Boots optional. On or off, she didn’t care. As long as his fly was open.

They were going to do it. She would wrap her needy body around this man. Once she stopped shaking and got her conscience and libido in control. In her head it was already a done deal. They were going to screw like bunnies. And then screw some more.

Decadent | Amazon | Barnes&Noble | All Romance | Smashwords | CoffeeTime

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Sunday Sizzle 3-10-13

From FROST, my erotic paranormal romance, a sizzling 1Night Stand story from Decadent Publishing:



“Oh, yeah. Your work talks. Like a bullhorn in a library reading room.” A knot appeared between his eyebrows and his lips creased downwards. “Don’t worry,” she assured him. “I’ll play whatever games you want. So relax. And tell me why you’re here.”

“My last painting sucked. My inability to work requires me to get naked.”
His words—especially get naked— had her all jazzed again.

Don’t faint. Don’t faint. Don’t faint.

She put a hand to her spinning head to collect herself. “You’re looking for a muse?”

“Maybe.”

“I’m a succubus. I need sex to live.”

“I supply it.” He swept his hand toward the opposite wall indicating his largest painting—subdued in the dimmer light but still throbbing with carnal vitality.
She squirmed, the stimulating effect of the piece enhanced by the illumination below. Perhaps further animated by the presence of the artist himself. She wanted to be pleasured by Maxwell Raines so badly, the pulsing between her legs turned to pain.




 
 

Monday, March 4, 2013

Sins of the Mind

Please welcome back my fellow Decadent Publising authors, L.J. Garland and Debbie Gould.

Here's a little taste of  Sins of the Mind, part of their Red River Series, an erotic, romantic suspense. Sounds awesome, doesn't it?.


SINS OF THE MIND

Red River Series

 BLURB:

Seven years ago, Abby Montgomery survived a brutal attack. Now she is ready to put her pain in the past and move on with her life. The problem is, one by one the men in her life are being viciously murdered.

The detective assigned to the case, Ethan Parker, has demons of his own to hide. As the danger gets closer to Abby, so does Ethan. But can they get past his secrets before the killer gets to them? Sometimes the sins of the mind are more depraved than the sins of the heart.
 Genre: Contemporary, erotic romance, suspense, thriller, romantic suspense
Heat level: 4

Word count – 87k

Cover art by LFD Designs

BUY:





EXCERPT:

“Moment?” He raised his eyebrows, tried for a surprised expression. “We were having a moment? Where was I?”

A husky laugh escaped Abby’s lips. She gave him a playful shove, but he caught her hand, his fingers encircling her delicate wrist. With great care, he bowed his head and pressed his lips to the center of her palm. Her sharp intake of air told him she liked it.

“Is this the moment you were referring to?” He kissed her wrist. “Or this?” His mouth grazed along her skin, up the side of her neck to the tender point below her ear.

“Mmm.” She shivered.

He inhaled, reveled in her unique scent. A mixture of spicy vanilla and exotic flowers invaded his senses and sent the room slowly spinning. Primal lust roared through him, demanded he possess her in a rush of carnal passion.

But Ethan resisted.

Intent on enticing Abby into a wild, heated frenzy, he trailed the tip of his tongue along her throat. Her pulse hammered beneath his ardent attention, and he reveled in her response. His fingers slid over her supple skin. One hand sought the silky tresses adorning her head while the other coaxed her legs across his lap and then slipped around her waist.

He pulled back, stared into her lovely face. Eyelids fluttering, she sighed in his arms. When she looked at him, desire burned bright in her eyes. His heart stuttered at the sight, and hot need rushed to his groin.

“Abby.” Her name rolled from his tongue in a mix of desperation and lust. A voracious hunger to taste every inch of her body washed over him. The urge to kiss the small of her back, to run his tongue along her skin, delving and dipping into her secret, sensitive places, all but overwhelmed him. “Tell me to stop. If you’re not ready, honey, tell me to stop right now and by all that’s holy, I will. But you need to know how much I want you right now.”

 

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Sunday stuff

Yeah, so. Thought we'd try something a tad different today. From a long ago WIP that remarkably resurfaced last weekend. My unnamed not-so-secret baby story:


Joe scooped the whimpering child out of the dirt and into his arms. He hot-footed over to his office door, away from the throng already gathering to gossip in the street.
“You’re going to be fine, champ.” He laid Danny on the bare examination table. The little boy's blue eyes were awash with tears.

He'd ripped through both legs of his dusty overalls and scraped the palms of his hands. The angry wound on his torn knee oozed blood. But a quick assessment convinced Joe the child had sustained no serious trauma.

“Let’s see if we can patch you up, okay?”

Danny sat up and looked around, choking back a sob. “This in't the feed store."

“My office now.”
"I  fought you were a fisherman.”
“I am,” Joe said. “And a doctor.”

           The child absorbed that. His teary eyes widened. "Are you Joe Granville?”

           Joe nodded.

          “I’m Danny Granville.”

Words failed him so he bobbed his head again, like an apple in a tub.

“Do you like me?” the little boy demanded.

A large lump lodged in Joe’s throat. “Very much.” He could barely force air through his lungs or the words past his lips.
 “You’re big, but not as big as I thought,” Danny mused. "Mom says Pritchard Falls in't big enough for you. But you look like you fit okay to me."