An Excerpt from Marine on a Mission

Here’s an excerpt from MARINE ON A MISSION, my novella from the NAUGHTY HEROES: IN AND OUT OF UNIFORM BOXED SET.

The dimness of the bar had softened him slightly, but the stark lighting in the break room hid nothing. Mitch seemed an inch or two taller than when he’d left. His shoulders were broader, stretching the seams of his T-shirt, his biceps were huge. The soft material clung to his chest like a second skin. There was a scruff on his chin, as though he hadn’t shaved in a day. His hair was short, but still longer than military regulation. It was as black as night and thicker than ever.

He’d left her a boy but come back a man. Clichéd, sure, but no less true.

She jumped to her feet. “What are you doing here?” She needed space, some time to pull herself together before she faced him again.

He took several steps forward, and she noticed he was favoring his left leg. Had he been injured? She hadn’t heard and there’d been no one to ask. She’d tried to speak with his uncle after Mitch had left, but he’d run her off the property at gunpoint. She’d never gone back.

When he kept coming toward her, she wanted to back away, but held her ground.

“Sara Leigh.” He said her name. Just that, but it sounded so intimate. She closed her eyes against him, but it didn’t help. She was very aware of his presence. She caught the slightest whiff of soap, felt a breath on her face, and then his lips touched hers.

The bar, the past, everything disappeared. There was only Mitch and her. Only he’d had the ability to make her feel special, as though she could conquer the world, as if she was worth loving.

She yanked her head away. He’d taken that from her, forcing her to learn to stand on her own two feet, to find her self-worth by herself. She should probably thank him for that. Maybe in another decade or so, she’d be able too. Right now, all she wanted to do was gather the tattered remnants of her pride around her and survive this night.

“Why did you do that?” she demanded. “You have no right.”

He ran his fingertips down the curve of her jaw. “I did it because I had to.” He leaned closer until their noses were almost touching. “And sweet Sara, I have every right.”

NAUGHTY HEROES: In And Out Of Uniform A collection of UNFORGETTABLE HEROES

MARINE ON A MISSION 
N.J. Walters 

When Mitch McCoy left rural Kentucky to join the U.S. Marines he never thought he'd return. Now he's undercover with a state drug task force. He's not only facing his past, but also Sara Hawkins, the woman who broke his heart. This investigation will risk their lives and their hearts. 

 SEX BOMB 
Nicole Austin  

From first sight I knew Marine Lieutenant Harlie Savage wasn't fragile like a flower—she was fragile like a bomb. Definitely not some princess who needed to be saved, either. She was a queen who only lacked a sword, and I vowed to be her weapon. 

HER SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 
Belle Scarlett 


Leia has no idea who ex-Marine Major Tate McIntyre is when he saves her life in a dark alley. Yet Tate's certain Leia is his to have, hold, and protect. He vows to keep her safe at any cost. His only price is her heart. Semper Fi! 

THE NIGHT WATCHMAN
Katherine Kingston

A disabled vet rescues a woman on a mission to collect evidence, saving her from the men chasing her. As Jace and Shannon race to survive and outwit a traitor, a deep connection grows between them. But staying alive long enough to explore the attraction will take everything they've got.

MILITARY BLUES
Elizabeth Lapthorne

Luke is struggling to recover from a career shattering IED blast that sees him permanently discharged. Milly's career self-destructed and she's moved cities in the hopes of starting again. Can this new life and new relationship be a second chance for them both?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z29RCY1/

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1134068523

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/naughty-heroes

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1483388473

Universal: https://books2read.com/u/b5QgqA

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit me at: Website: http://www.njwalters.com
Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
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Christmas Traditions

I love this time of year—the music, the colored lights, the tree, the holiday movies and the excitement. Like most families, we have various traditions that have changed or evolved over the years. But one tradition that never changes is my mother’s fruit cake.

Yes, I said it. Fruit cake. We’re big on this holiday staple in my family and all of us would feel slighted if our mother didn’t make us one of her amazing cakes. Heck, when I was a kid, I used to ask for one for my birthday every year. Mom would make a fruit cake for the family celebration and a chocolate one for the party with my friends. I don’t know what makes hers so special. Maybe it’s the rum, maybe it’s the love. All I know is Christmas wouldn’t be the same without it.

Another tradition is chocolate fudge, but not just any fudge. I use the same recipe my mother used when I was a kid. It’s fast and delicious.


Five Minute Fudge (From the Carnation Milk Cookbook)

2/3 cup of Carnation milk
1 2/3 cups of sugar

~Bring sugar and milk to a boil and boil on low heat for 5 minutes. Stir constantly. Remove from heat.

Add:
1 ½ cups chocolate chips (I use semi-sweet dark chips)
1 ½ cups of plain mini marshmallows (I use Kraft minis)
1 tsp of vanilla flavouring

Stir until smooth and pour into greased 8” X 8” pan.

Cool and cut into squares.



And if you’re looking for a calorie-free treat to help get you through the season, be sure to pre-order Naughty Heroes now for only 99-cents. Price will go up soon after it releases.

NAUGHTY HEROES: In And Out Of Uniform A collection of UNFORGETTABLE HEROES

MARINE ON A MISSION 
N.J. Walters 

When Mitch McCoy left rural Kentucky to join the U.S. Marines he never thought he'd return. Now he's undercover with a state drug task force. He's not only facing his past, but also Sara Hawkins, the woman who broke his heart. This investigation will risk their lives and their hearts. 

 SEX BOMB 
Nicole Austin  

From first sight I knew Marine Lieutenant Harlie Savage wasn't fragile like a flower—she was fragile like a bomb. Definitely not some princess who needed to be saved, either. She was a queen who only lacked a sword, and I vowed to be her weapon. 

HER SOLDIER OF FORTUNE 
Belle Scarlett 


Leia has no idea who ex-Marine Major Tate McIntyre is when he saves her life in a dark alley. Yet Tate's certain Leia is his to have, hold, and protect. He vows to keep her safe at any cost. His only price is her heart. Semper Fi! 

THE NIGHT WATCHMAN
Katherine Kingston

A disabled vet rescues a woman on a mission to collect evidence, saving her from the men chasing her. As Jace and Shannon race to survive and outwit a traitor, a deep connection grows between them. But staying alive long enough to explore the attraction will take everything they've got.

MILITARY BLUES
Elizabeth Lapthorne

Luke is struggling to recover from a career shattering IED blast that sees him permanently discharged. Milly's career self-destructed and she's moved cities in the hopes of starting again. Can this new life and new relationship be a second chance for them both?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z29RCY1/

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1134068523

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/naughty-heroes

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1483388473

Universal: https://books2read.com/u/b5QgqA

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit me at: Website: http://www.njwalters.com
Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/gdblg5
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

Extracting Mateo is LIVE

Hey everyone! Extracting Mateo is live! It's been available since July 9th, but with everything going on kid wise prepping for her senior year and my mom having several doc appointments and surgery twice, it's been touch and go posting wise! (All is well though with the parental unit.)

Michele and I aren't done yet though. We have two more books in R.O.O.T we're going to try to put out by November. Jaqueline's Quest and Exploiting Scotty. So stay tuned.

Now, without further ado, here is Extracting Mateo!

Blurb:

Noah Hanover doesn’t mix business with pleasure—ever. His relationship and subsequent marriage to Mateo Aquino, hasn’t even been a blip on his team’s radar. He enjoys the peace and quiet when he’s able to come home to his husband and telling anyone would destroy his secret double life.

High school history teacher, Mateo Aquino, loves his job and his kids and is always willing to help anyone in need. When a man approaches him appearing lost, Mateo is thrust into the middle of a war he had no idea was happening around him.

In order to save Mateo’s life, Noah must expose the one thing he liked to keep tucked away—his marriage. With the help of Noah’s teammates, John “Tex” Keegan, and two temporary new recruits for R.O.O.T: Scotty “Ears” Reisner and AJ “Two Hands” Hoover, Noah will set out to find his husband.

However, when the suspect escapes, Mateo and Noah are thrown into a new reality where Noah’s job is exposed, and the things Mateo took for granted are destroyed. Can Mateo accept Noah’s double life? Will Noah be able to track down Mateo’s kidnapper before he strikes again? Or, are they once again, running out of time?

Excerpt:

The door to the examination room opened, and there stood Noah. He’d removed the paint from his face, but his clothes were the same. Mateo didn’t know this man. Yes, it was his husband, yet not. He raked his gaze over Noah. He always appreciated his muscular body. Always enjoyed the hard lines and the way his lover cradled Mateo’s body to his. He figured Noah had a gym fetish or had seen Mateo’s admiration and continued to go to please him.

The corner of Noah’s mouth kicked upward. The bastard. He should hate his husband. “I see Doc Rae got you fixed up.”

Mateo sniffed as he slipped off the table. “Shouldn’t have had to.”

The cocky expression on Noah’s face disappeared. “You’re absolutely right.” Noah brought one of his arms out from behind his back. “We found this while clearing the building. Thought you could use it.”

His bag with his initials emblazoned on the front—a present from Noah after he’d graduated with a Master’s in history and found his first teaching position. The well-worn leather satchel went with Mateo everywhere. It was like a security blanket of sorts. A way to keep a piece of Noah with him, even when his husband wasn’t home. “Ev-everything’s inside still?”

Noah nodded. “Computer screen is trashed, but the hardware is still intact. Scotty and AJ are working as we speak to get the hard drive into one of our heavy-duty laptops. Your notes and paperwork from your students are still there as well. I-I couldn’t find your glasses though.”

“I can get those,” Rae said. “As long as you can tell me who your optometrist is.”

“It’s Dr. Gibbs at Virginia Beach Optical,” Mateo replied.

“Perfect. I’m sure Asher can get them expedited to you.”

Mateo let out a breath of relief. “I am still furious with you.”

Noah held up his hands. “He good to go, Doc?”

She nodded. “He is. I gave him instructions for tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll check on the stitches—see how he’s mending.”

“Thank you,” Noah said. “I appreciate it.”

“You’re both welcome, she replied then hesitated.

“Spit it out,” Noah grumbled.

“Nothing,” she stated. “Mateo, remember to keep your stitches moist.”

“I will.”

“And, Noah?”

“Yeah, Doc?” Noah glanced at her.

“Be gentle,” she said while grabbing something out of the drawer beside her. “Also, be safe.”

He cocked a brow as she closed the distance between them. “Always, Doc.” She placed several foil packets into his hands, and Noah roared with laughter before leaning into Mateo, who stared at the packaged disks in his husband’s hands. “Should you tell her, or should I?”

Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Extracting-Mateo-Special-Forces-Operation-ebook/dp/B07T2T4RYQ/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extracting-Mateo-Special-Forces-Operation-ebook/dp/B07T2T4RYQ

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Extracting-Mateo-Special-Forces-Operation-ebook/dp/B07T2T4RYQ/

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Extracting-Mateo-Special-Forces-Operation-ebook/dp/B07T2T4RYQ/

Coming soon Extracting Mateo

Good morning everyone!

Michele and I have some amazing news. We will be joining Susan Stokers Special Forces Operation Alpha series. We're super stoked to be bringing you the rest of our R.O.O.T series there. Right now, we're working on the second book in the series: Extracting Mateo.

Book 2 takes place 6 weeks after Asher saves Rae in Rule Breaker. As of right now, we have a semi plot for 3 books with an option for 3 more. We also have some interesting characters joining the ranks of R.O.O.T for special missions as well.

Today however, I want to give you a sneak peek at Extracting Mateo, enjoy!

TL

Blurb:

Noah Hanover doesn’t mix business with pleasure—ever. His relationship and subsequent marriage to Mateo Aquino, hasn’t even been a blip on his team’s radar. He likes the peace and quiet when he’s able to come home to his husband and telling anyone would destroy his secret double life.

Mateo Aquino is a high school history teacher. He loves his job and his kids, though they could be a little wild sometimes, and is always willing to help anyone in need. When a man appears to be lost, he unfortunately steps into the middle of a war he had no idea was happening around him.

Noah, used to controlling everything, is caught in a cyclone of events he had no part in. His life is being torn in two, and now, in order to save his husband’s life, he must expose the one thing he liked to keep tucked away—his relationship. With the help of Noah’s teammates, John “Tex” Keegan and two temporary new recruits for R.O.O.T: Scotty “Ears” Reisner and AJ “Two Hands” Hoover, Noah will set out to find his husband.

However, when the suspect escapes, Mateo and Noah are thrown into a new world where Noah’s job is exposed, and the things Mateo took for granted are destroyed. Can Mateo accept Noah’s double life? Will Noah be able to track down Mateo’s kidnapper before he strikes again? Or, are they once again, running out of time.

Excerpt:

He jumped into the cart next to Asher’s and turned the key while his new teammates got in beside him and behind him. “Hang on.” He hadn’t really known what to expect when Tex offered up two of his people. Seeing the kids though, hadn’t been what he’d been expecting. He figured the hacker would have experience or at least a little more than a couple of twenty-something millennials could.

“You’re judging us,” AJ said as she signed.

“More like sizing you up,” he replied.

“I get it,” she said. “We’re young. We look like we should be on some spring break in Cabo or whatever.”

“Well the thought had passed my mind,” Noah mumbled.

“It’s cool. Just means we’ll amaze you.” She grinned. AJ’s confidence quailed the growing knot of doom squeezing Noah’s stomach. “So, how long you been on the job?”

Noah snorted. “Probably longer than you’ve been alive.”

Ancient, Scotty teased.

“I can still run circles around the both of you,” Noah answered as they pulled up to the bank of elevators. “This is the end of the line. From here we walk.”

Asher held the door for him as they hustled to the waiting car. Once inside, the chatter quieted. It gave him a chance to study the kids who’d be helping him save Mateo. Just means we’ll amaze you, AJ’s words ran through his mind. He hoped they would. All he cared about was finding his husband and making sure he was safe. Everything else could wait.

When the doors slid open, they piled out and headed down the corridor to C&C—Command and Control. Inside, Callahan sat at one of the computers, O’Malley sat at one of the other. On the lower screen on the left, near the Mexico clock, was a small house in a dirty neighborhood built into a hillside, next to it, a name—Juarez.

“Welcome to Command and Control,” Asher said. “This is where the magic happens.”

Scotty whistled and shook his hand. Hot. I could get used to a place like this.

“These are two of our team members—” he pointed to Jake first then Drew— “Jake O’Malley and Drew Callahan. If you should need anything, Jake is Second-In-Command.” Then pointed to Scotty and AJ. “This is Scotty and AJ, they’re going to help us locate Mateo.”

Where do we sit? Scotty pulled off his backpack from his shoulder.

Asher tapped the chair he stood behind. “Noah, give him your phone.”

He didn’t hesitate. “I’m not sure what you can get off it. There’s a video and a text.”

Leave it to the professionals. Scotty grinned.

“Well, if you have what you need?” Tex headed for the door. “Melody and Baby are waiting on me to get home and I hate to keep them waiting.”

“Go,” Asher said with a chuckle. “We appreciate the help. If I get any updates from Murray, I’ll pass them along.”

“Glad I could be of some assistance.” Tex nodded.

Noah stepped back toward the kids. “Need any coffee or food or anything? I can get the mess to make you something.”

Scotty pointed to the grey can sitting next to his laptop. Energy drink. Gives me wings. He made a fluttering motion with his hands and Noah laughed.

“AJ?”

She shook her head. “I’m good.”

Noah grabbed himself a cup of coffee and walked back over to the station to wait. Sitting back and allowing others to figure out the plan of attack was never his MO. He liked being in the thick of it. He enjoyed being hands on and in control. In this situation, he had none, and it was driving him insane.

“It’s not easy,” Asher said, taking a seat beside him, “relying on others to help you.”

“Never is,” Noah grunted. “How’d you do it with Rae?”

Asher snorted. “I fucking didn’t have a choice.”

True, Noah didn’t either. “It’s like I’m watching all this shit happen and I’m helpless to make it stop.”

“Pretty much.” Asher crossed his arms. “We both know Mateo isn’t a fling. Why didn’t you tell me at least?”

Noah sighed. The million dollar question with a two dollar answer. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”

“Biting you in the ass now, huh?”

He nodded. “Yep. I figured if no one knew about us, we’d be safe.”

“I can see where you’d think such.” Asher glanced at him. “Rae kind of fucked that up though.”

In a way, she had. Her testimony in congress and subsequently in court for the criminal case against Senator Lincoln, drew a lot of unwanted attention in R.O.O.T’s direction. She’d been the first civilian to grace the base and the first civilian to land their Commander, Asher. “Well, not like we can blame her.”

“True,” Asher said.

“I got it,” AJ said.
Also, if you haven't had the chance to read book 1 Rule Breaker, it's available now through KU and exclusively through Amazon. Check it out!

Blurb:
Commander Asher Rainer is tough as nails. Working with an undercover Black Ops group sanctioned by the U.S. Government—Project R.O.O.T—his team is sent to obtain reconnaissance on a village suspected of illegal activity before the next scheduled United Nation conference. However, the team encounters a soft cell terrorist group hellbent on destruction, and in search of weapons grade uranium. To make matters worse, the terrorists are funded by a U.S. backed contingency. His only eyewitnesses to the crimes committed by the paramilitary group is Dr. Rae Kenzie and one of the group’s members, Joseph Franks.

Rae Kenzie, a physician with Doctors Without Borders, is currently on rotation in South America. What should’ve been a routine inspection by the local guerilla army turns into a bloodbath. Without any consideration to her own wellbeing, Rae rushes to protect the village children from certain death—unwittingly thrusting herself, and them, into the middle an ongoing power struggle. Rae has to trust someone with what she knows, but it doesn’t mean she has to like them—even if she finds Commander Asher Raines devilishly handsome.
Asher has no time for love. His dedication is to his team, his country, and protecting the innocent before all else. But when the heart desires what it shouldn’t, will one night with Rae be enough to satisfy his baser needs? 
Or will he be the one to break all the rules?
US: https://amzn.to/2C5RTvO
CA: https://amzn.to/2NPddKI
UK: https://amzn.to/2Tm68as
AU: https://amzn.to/2EIS8xs