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Is it hot in here? by C.H. Admirand


I’m on deadline with book three of my series: The Secret Life of Cowboys and Deb just emailed the cover to me a few days ago…isn’t he hot???  Don’t you just love the pickup truck?

But then again...Dylan's cover is pretty hot, too!


But to be fair...I really loved Tyler's too. So many hot cowboys...so little time!


Since the second book, Dylan, comes out in January, I wanted to share an excerpt. (it's G-rated):

       Dylan Garahan narrowed his gaze trying to focus in the glare of the spotlight, searching the crowd for her face. It was time for the big move in his act—the show-stopper.
       Where was she?
       Jolene would kill him if he messed this up, but he’d made it through the last two nights and would make it through tonight. The redheaded owner of the club should have no complaints about the middle Garahan brother not keeping his word or holding up his end of the bargain. Damn the woman and her tests!
       Controlling the urge to turn on his heel and walk off the stage, he dug deep and found the grit to stick it out. Hell, if Tyler could handle this job, so could he. Garahans went down fighting!
      Oblivious to the adoring gazes of the women around him, he moved toward center stage, bent, and picked up the coiled rope. He looked up as a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead walked into the bar… right on schedule… but there was something different about the brunette. Maybe it was the blindfold. He struggled not to laugh, but he couldn’t keep from smiling, wondering why the cloak-and-dagger bit.
         Looping the lasso in his hands, he started the slow circular motion. Getting the rhythm going until it was smooth and sweet, he raised it above his head and locked gazes with the blonde. When she nodded, he let the lasso fly, as the blonde whipped the blindfold off the brunette.
        The woman’s stunned expression as the rope slipped around her upper body didn’t stop him from tugging on the rope and reeling her in. The patrons of the Lucky Star hooted and hollered, encouraging him to pull faster, but he didn’t want the little lady to trip and fall on her pretty face.
       Glad that the focus of the crowd wasn’t totally on him, he gently pulled her toward him. The brunette’s gypsy-dark skin, full red lips, and almond-shaped eyes captivated him. The promise of pain-filled death in her dark green eyes, as she struggled against the bonds that held her, had his lips twitching, fighting not to smile.
      She dug in her heels, but he used his strength to subdue her. Undeterred, he yanked on the rope. When her eyes widened in shock, he used her surprise to his advantage and reeled her in the last few feet. When they were a few inches apart, he tipped his hat, smiled, and rumbled, Happy birthday, darlin’.”
      Her eyes narrowed, and her nostrils flared; Dylan recognized the signs of a fractious filly about to raise a ruckus. Not a problem, he was ready. Wrapping his free hand around her, he hauled her in close, pinning her to him before she could let loose and kick him.
      The crowd roared its approval.
      “Let me go,” she demanded, her sweet breath tickling the hollow of his throat.
      Enjoying himself for the first time since he’d hit the stage, he chuckled and bent his head closer to her full red lips. “Why?” His gaze locked with hers. “So you can have more room to do more damage?”
       “I don’t like being manhandled.”
      Her vehement protest didn’t deter him; he had a job to do and an act to finish. “Well now, darlin’,” he drawled, “that’s not what your friends said.”
      Her eyes sparkled with temper, and her willowy body trembled with anger. Dylan’s body stood up and said hell yeah! It’d been a long time since he’d had a woman tempt him. The sultry brunette in his arms looked like she wanted to tear a few strips off of his hide… right before she killed him.
         Damn, but that turned him on. 

But let's be honest, hot men not only get the heroines we write about into trouble…they can get the author into trouble, too!  Those that know me know that I’m a sucker for a man with broad shoulders. Usually I prefer that he have a shirt on or else I get um...distracted—which reminds me of the time I nearly hit a tree driving home from the grocery store.  

I was minding my own business (driving the speed limit) and noticed a landscaper’s truck parked on the street jutting out into my lane. As I slowed down to drive around the truck, I heard the roar of the stand-on lawnmower and glanced in the direction of the sound…my breath snagged in my lungs, my heart skipped a beat and then started to pound—a tall, broad-shouldered god of a man was pulling a white t-shirt over his head, revealing washboard abs, pecs-to-die-for—and that’s when I saw the tree!

I didn’t realize that I’d started to steer toward him (and the 150 year old Oak tree at the edge of the road) until he turned toward me with an incredulous look on his face. I cut the wheel and avoided the tree, but can’t help but wonder if he was shaking his head in disbelief at my near miss, or if he was flattered that I’d nearly wrecked my car due to the fact that I’d been hypnotized by his good looks and dangerously distracted when he recklessly stripped off his tight-white t-shirt in public. I guess I’ll never know.

Soooo...I’ve fessed up to one of my more embarrassing moments. How about you? Have you ever had a situation where a totally hot guy distracted you and you ended up in trouble?





Comments

  1. Not for me, CH, but my critique partner said she was in Drivers Ed, of all things, behind the wheel when some hottie distracted her, and she ran through a stop sign. She flunked. :)

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  2. LOL! Great story, Terry!It's all about focus, isn't it?

    I was just reading my post to my hero--my hubby--while he had his coffee and he chuckled...I guess he had no trouble envisioning me being easily distracted. Go figure.

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  3. It's happening in my books.... the hot guy showing up on the page when I have work to do. Because I'm writing a sibling series, the later books feature cameos by the previous books' heroes and heroines. These guys can't just sit in the library swilling tea, though, they must offer their contributions from their bedrooms, under the sheets, and while enjoying moments of marital intimacy.

    Some people must flaunt their HEAs before us all. Repeatedly. It's enough to make you write an epilogue or something.

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  4. Absolutely! I was a freshman working for my college radio station, and my producer (a senior with whom I'd had a very good, very platonic working relationship) started to give me detailed instructions on my assignment. As I listened intently, I suddenly noticed his eyes were the most incredible color green. I stared, mesmerized, until I heard him say, "...and then you'll cut to commercial. Okay?" I reeled my tongue back into my mouth and nodded vigorously--and then had to sneak off and ask someone else what I was supposed to do. From then on in, I'd get incredibly flustered whenever we worked together.

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  5. How much room do I have to comment on this blog? LOL!
    Love your story and your covers. Cowboys like that always get us in trouble, especially when they take up residence in our mind and pop up at the most unusual time...ever tried listening in church when a cowboy is telling you his next moves in the WIP?

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  6. Thanks for the chuckle, Grace. I can just picture one of your impeccably dressed...and undressed heroes in my mind. Talk about distracting!

    I don't know about you, but when I'm writing a series, I can't tell if it's the characters who just aren't satisfied with their HEA, or me...that I hate to say goodbye.

    Hmmm...here's where people who don't have characters and voices chatting in their heads usually look at me funny... :)

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  7. Love it, Carolyn! I can just see you listening and then getting lost in his fabulous green eyes.

    BTW...my DH's green eyes change hue depending on his moods-brilliant green when he's happy (or about to become even happier)- to a dangerous shade of yellow green when he's about to unload both barrels at some who made the mistake of crossing him. ;)

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  8. Kind of. My 14 year old daughter pointed out a very fine looking man one day at the store. I agreed and was proud of the girl for recognizing a gorgeous man when she saw one. she later told her father about the "vision" she'd seen and what I had said...darn kid.

    Good reading ~ Escape by Fiction :)

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  9. Even food shopping has its perils for me. I'm in the pickle aisle, with all those glass jars, and this incredible, I mean absolutely gorgeous cover model looking guy strolls down past me and smiles...a friendly smile before moving on. I had this jar in my hands and it slipped--but I caught it before it hit the floor. My husband was in another aisle with the girls. There is danger in a beautiful face.

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  10. OMGoodness! Obviously your teenage daughter has great taste.

    Isn't it funny how daughters love to share these things with their fathers? ;)

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  11. It is a rare moment when someone that gorgeous just strolls past the unsuspecting grocery shopper. Doesn't usually happen up in the wilds of North Jersey. LOL!

    Good thing you caught the jar, Irene. Btw...where do you live?!?

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  12. C.H. I love the line that said, "Right before she killed him." This book sounds like great stuff. And yes, all the cowboys are hot!
    Amelia

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  13. More than a few times, CH. The last time was having a construction crew at my house to repair tornado damage. They were all impressive but there was one who was tall dark and with the most gorgeous blue eyes, a black pony tail, tribal tats on his arms, and his chest and abs... Holy yikes! There was enough hawt testosterone to fuel several books, lol!

    Wonder what story your Adonis told around the watering hole that day? lol!

    I love your covers!

    Btw, I have a Sourcebooks debut author on the blog today. Stop by and cheer her on.

    Sia McKye's Thoughts...OVER COFFEE

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  14. Oh man, I'm gonna have to take the fifth. I'm always getting myself into one jam or another where ever good looking men tend to be. I always have a good time though, and am very happy to have a DH who doesn't have a jealous bone in his body.

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  15. Thanks, Amelia ;) It was such fun writing about Dylan and Ronnie--
    there is just something about getting an East Coast woman together with a Texas Cowboy ;)

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  16. Hey Sia...hmmm...construction crews should always have warning signs...danger ahead! LOL!

    I am partial to a man with tribal or the really cool Celtic knotwork wrapped around his arm.

    I'm glad you like the covers;)

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  17. Sounds like he's a definite keeper, Robin!

    Hmmm...maybe I can get you to tell me one of those stories the next time I see you...

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  18. Sorry nothing to report here, but enjoyed reading others' responses and of course reading it in a book:)

    Great covers!

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