Title: Banner's Bonus
Author: Carole Ann Lee
Email: carolescorner@aol.com
Excerpt Heat Level: 1
Book Heat Level: 1
INNOCENCE MEETS HEDONISM:
He’s a father’s worst nightmare. Yet cargo pilot, Nick Banner, is Jonathan
Loring’s only hope of getting his daughter, Tressa, safely off-planet
and out of harm’s way.
Within
the tight confines of Banner’s ship, Tressa
battles a girlhood crush gone dangerous. As a sheltered teen, she secretly
worshipped the hotshot cargo pilot from afar.
Even his carnal reputation seemed romantic. But, now, those old feelings
are unsettling.
Banner misses nothing, particularly her
coy glances. Yeah, he’s
noticed, and sexual tension smolders.
Danger stalks them across the galaxy and when Tressa is captured by
pirates, Banner finds himself willing to sell his soul to free her.
EXCERPT
Without so much as turning
to address her, Nick’s satin baritone calmly broke the silence. "It’s a
damned good thing we don’t have any more days left on this run. With your
lengthy showers everyday you’ve managed to put our more-than-sufficient water
supply into the red."
"I have not been
taking lengthy showers. For your information, I’ve been very
conservative."
Nick smiled. "Yeah,
well we’ve got a flashing indicator here that says differently."
Tressa cast a glance at
the pulsing light on the console, then made her way to her seat. "I can
assure you that’s not my fault."
"No of course it’s
not. It’s TiMar’s." Reaching overhead, he flipped a series of switches and
waited for a cluster of lights to turn green.
"It appears to
me," Tressa said as she settled into her chair, "that once again your
immaturity is at fault."
"Is that right."
He continued monitoring the controls.
"Yes. Did you ever
stop to think that the cause of the low water supply might be all those cold
showers you keep taking?" The instant the words were out Tressa regretted
them.
His head came around with
a slow grin, and she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was about to be
had for lunch.
"You think that’s what I’ve been doing in
there?"
With heat scorching her
cheeks, Tressa looked away, refusing to respond.
Taking a cold shower is probably the least of your
busy little activities behind a closed door. A silent voice added.
"Tressa? I asked if
that’s what you--"
"I really don’t care
what you do, Banner." Glancing down, she feigned sudden interest in her
fingernails.
"Ah, but you’ve
wondered, haven’t you?"
She ignored him.
There’s nothing to wonder about, flyboy.
"Haven’t you,
Tressa?" he taunted. "You had it all figured out."
She slid him a retiring
look.
He grinned. "Besides,
why the devil would I be taking cold showers?"
Refusing to rise to the
bait, Tressa began examining one particular fingernail with avid interest.
"I couldn’t care less why," she mumbled beneath her breath.
"What was that? You
say something?"
Without looking up she
replied, "The low water supply is just another classic example."
"Of what?"
"Your lack of
self-control, of course."
Silence.
You just can’t leave well enough alone, can you?
Tressa didn’t dare look at
him. He was spoiling for a fight and she had just delivered the first punch.
And if you don’t stop, you’re going to find yourself
out-gunned on a subject you’ll wish to stars you hadn’t opened.
"Ya wanna know what I
was really doin’, Irish?"
Feigning boredom, she
turned her sights to the small port window. "No thanks, Banner, you can
keep the details to yourself."
"Allow me to satisfy
your curiosity by enlightening you on several ways in which-"
"I’m not
interested."
"But I’d be happy to
educate you on some of the--"
"How much longer
before we get there, do you think?" she asked, releasing a heavy sigh.
Satisfied and grinning,
Nick turned back to the control panel. "Never challenge me, Irish--either
directly or by insinuation--and particularly on a subject you know so precious
little about." With a wink he added, "You’ll lose every time. I
guarantee it."
Tressa didn’t respond, at
last heeding the silent voice of reason.
5 Stars--Naomi of Fallen
Angel Reviews
Banner's Bonus totally blew me away! I absolutely loved every page.
Linnea
Sinclair--Award Winning Science
Fiction Romance Author
What a wild ride! Futuristic
romance fans will love the passion and adventure in Lee's Banner's Bonus. Nick Banner can swagger through the stars with the
best of them!
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