Melting Shadows
by Rhea Rhodan
Genre: Romantic Suspense, with a Fantasy twist
Publisher: Rhea Rhodan
Date of Publication: March 4, 2016
When fantasy and reality collide, only love can be believed.
Shattered by a brutal attack and forced to flee, painfully withdrawn Dr. Prudence Marsh buries her emotions under numbing logic. For years, her escapes to a fantasy world created to survive her hellish past have been nothing more than a guilty pleasure. But when the host of the safe house turns out to be a dead ringer for her dream warrior, she fears she’s lost her precious mind along with everything else.
Ex-SEAL Max Delaney has been known to dabble in a hot, delicious mess—or two, or three. He has no idea how to handle a cold, sour one. Blackmailed into babysitting Dr. Marsh in his hidden bunker while she finishes a top-secret project sucks. Until he falls for her. Then it blows. Every clue Max unravels buys him more questions. Every step forward lands him two steps back, flat on his ass.
Demons past, present, and future haunt Max and Prudence as they stumble along the twisting path to love. Merciless enemies and shifting alliances drive both to desperate measures, tumbling them over the border between shadow and substance—where each must choose what, and whom, to believe.
Amazon BN iBooks Kobo Amazon U.K. ARe
Shattered by a brutal attack and forced to flee, painfully withdrawn Dr. Prudence Marsh buries her emotions under numbing logic. For years, her escapes to a fantasy world created to survive her hellish past have been nothing more than a guilty pleasure. But when the host of the safe house turns out to be a dead ringer for her dream warrior, she fears she’s lost her precious mind along with everything else.
Ex-SEAL Max Delaney has been known to dabble in a hot, delicious mess—or two, or three. He has no idea how to handle a cold, sour one. Blackmailed into babysitting Dr. Marsh in his hidden bunker while she finishes a top-secret project sucks. Until he falls for her. Then it blows. Every clue Max unravels buys him more questions. Every step forward lands him two steps back, flat on his ass.
Demons past, present, and future haunt Max and Prudence as they stumble along the twisting path to love. Merciless enemies and shifting alliances drive both to desperate measures, tumbling them over the border between shadow and substance—where each must choose what, and whom, to believe.
Amazon BN iBooks Kobo Amazon U.K. ARe
He whispered praise in her ear, “That’s it. Now don’t you feel better?”
She shivered in response, though her hands at his back had warmed. He smiled into the fresh scent of her hair and wrapped her more tightly in his arms. She was his now; even if she didn’t know it yet.
With firm, subtle pressure, he brought her head to rest on his shoulder. Her hands tightened around him, then, finally, her body relaxed fully into his.
Her sigh was what did him in, what scrambled his brain and sent the jolt to his heart, then racing lower, hotter. He swallowed hard. Patience was suddenly a whole lot scarcer than it had been a minute ago.
The Balconies. Any one of the half dozen private patios facing the ocean would do. Each of the double doors was chaperoned by a broad back discreetly turned from the couples enjoying the seclusion they offered. It was one of the unique and best features of the club.
With experienced ease, he guided his plunder across the dance floor to the nearest unoccupied one. “You’re a bit flushed. Would you like some ocean air? The view is great.”
She blushed and murmured something indistinct he chose to take as assent. Another covert tip and nod to the bouncer—the same one who’d been at the VIP gate, still wearing the frown—and their path was clear.
The moon cast a diamond-strewn path across the water and glimmered in her depths of her eyes. He wanted to climb into that fire and stay there until Judgment Day.
After a few gulps of the salty night air, she said, “Thank you, Mr. Delane. I’m afraid the effects of the alcohol may have—”
“It’s Delaney." He squeezed her hand. “Calling me Max would solve the problem, you know."
“I’m still not certain I’m comfortable—”
“We can’t have that. I want you very comfortable.” He kept his voice low and soothing, ran his hands up her tantalizingly bare arms to cup her face. She gasped at his touch, her eyes widened and her lips parted.
He’d meant the kiss to be subdued, a simple brushing of mouths, and that’s how it started. But he couldn’t stop what followed. Couldn’t keep his hand from gripping the back of her head; holding it at the best angle for his access; from tracing her lips with his tongue and gently opening her mouth to accept it; prevent his other hand from roaming between the cool satin of her hair and the warm silk of her dress to the swell of her sweet, tight ass; squeezing it, and pulling her close. Close enough for her to feel the rock hard extent of his hunger. Close enough for him to feel the moist heat of hers—God help him with what control he had left.
Her arms circled his waist, her delicate, surprisingly strong hands pressed into his back, stroked, pulled at him in helpless, inexperienced little tugs that made him want to push up her dress and set her on the railing, wrap those long legs around his waist, and--
“Please, Delane.” The desperate ache in her plea squeezed him like a fist and echoed all the way to his toes. He shook with the effort to clamp down on his lust.
“‘Max.’ Say it, Prue. Say it and I’ll take you to paradise, sweetheart. C’mon,” he whispered it into her ear, then nipped it tenderly. Understanding why he needed that particular surrender wasn’t important, winning it was.
He slipped the hand on her ass under her dress, ran his finger under the lace of her panties, reached to stroke the hot velvet, teasing her, driving himself to the knife edge of desire.
“Oh…ah…M-M-Ma—”
A warning rush of overused air boxed his ears a few seconds before a shrill voice pierced them. “There you are, Max, darling! I thought this was our balcony. Remember? A couple of weeks ago we…”
Bam. Just like that, Prue froze in his arms. He opened his eyes and saw the shutters slam over hers, dousing the lighthouse, leaving him at sea in empty darkness.
She shivered in response, though her hands at his back had warmed. He smiled into the fresh scent of her hair and wrapped her more tightly in his arms. She was his now; even if she didn’t know it yet.
With firm, subtle pressure, he brought her head to rest on his shoulder. Her hands tightened around him, then, finally, her body relaxed fully into his.
Her sigh was what did him in, what scrambled his brain and sent the jolt to his heart, then racing lower, hotter. He swallowed hard. Patience was suddenly a whole lot scarcer than it had been a minute ago.
The Balconies. Any one of the half dozen private patios facing the ocean would do. Each of the double doors was chaperoned by a broad back discreetly turned from the couples enjoying the seclusion they offered. It was one of the unique and best features of the club.
With experienced ease, he guided his plunder across the dance floor to the nearest unoccupied one. “You’re a bit flushed. Would you like some ocean air? The view is great.”
She blushed and murmured something indistinct he chose to take as assent. Another covert tip and nod to the bouncer—the same one who’d been at the VIP gate, still wearing the frown—and their path was clear.
The moon cast a diamond-strewn path across the water and glimmered in her depths of her eyes. He wanted to climb into that fire and stay there until Judgment Day.
After a few gulps of the salty night air, she said, “Thank you, Mr. Delane. I’m afraid the effects of the alcohol may have—”
“It’s Delaney." He squeezed her hand. “Calling me Max would solve the problem, you know."
“I’m still not certain I’m comfortable—”
“We can’t have that. I want you very comfortable.” He kept his voice low and soothing, ran his hands up her tantalizingly bare arms to cup her face. She gasped at his touch, her eyes widened and her lips parted.
He’d meant the kiss to be subdued, a simple brushing of mouths, and that’s how it started. But he couldn’t stop what followed. Couldn’t keep his hand from gripping the back of her head; holding it at the best angle for his access; from tracing her lips with his tongue and gently opening her mouth to accept it; prevent his other hand from roaming between the cool satin of her hair and the warm silk of her dress to the swell of her sweet, tight ass; squeezing it, and pulling her close. Close enough for her to feel the rock hard extent of his hunger. Close enough for him to feel the moist heat of hers—God help him with what control he had left.
Her arms circled his waist, her delicate, surprisingly strong hands pressed into his back, stroked, pulled at him in helpless, inexperienced little tugs that made him want to push up her dress and set her on the railing, wrap those long legs around his waist, and--
“Please, Delane.” The desperate ache in her plea squeezed him like a fist and echoed all the way to his toes. He shook with the effort to clamp down on his lust.
“‘Max.’ Say it, Prue. Say it and I’ll take you to paradise, sweetheart. C’mon,” he whispered it into her ear, then nipped it tenderly. Understanding why he needed that particular surrender wasn’t important, winning it was.
He slipped the hand on her ass under her dress, ran his finger under the lace of her panties, reached to stroke the hot velvet, teasing her, driving himself to the knife edge of desire.
“Oh…ah…M-M-Ma—”
A warning rush of overused air boxed his ears a few seconds before a shrill voice pierced them. “There you are, Max, darling! I thought this was our balcony. Remember? A couple of weeks ago we…”
Bam. Just like that, Prue froze in his arms. He opened his eyes and saw the shutters slam over hers, dousing the lighthouse, leaving him at sea in empty darkness.
Award-winning author Rhea Rhodan resides in Minnetonka, Minnesota. She’s been telling herself stories since long before she learned to write. She attended the University of Minnesota with a focus on Journalism, then Brown Institute for Broadcast Journalism. After many adventures, misadventures, and a couple of short marriages, she found the love of her life in Regensburg, Germany, and has been living happily ever after since.
She journaled those adventures extensively (some might say rabidly) beginning in middle school, but didn't combine her writing and story-telling until several years ago, when one of the stories grabbed her by the throat and shook her like a rag doll until she gave in and wrote it. Having tasted freedom, her muse refuses to return to the confines of her head, and has successfully turned the tables, keeping her at the keyboard to appease it.
She welcomes feedback and fan mail :>). You can join her on Facebook and Goodreads, too. Rhea is always happy to meet new friends.
http://www.rhearhodan.com
http://www.facebook.com/rhearhodan
https://twitter.com/RheaRhodan
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6152084.Rhea_Rhodan
For (very) occasional updates with great contests, subscribe to Rhea's newsletter on her website.
Thank you for having me on Recipe Fairy. I’m Rhea Rhodan, and I write romance with a touch of magic or paranormal twist.
How did you get started writing?
I’ve journaled pretty much since I learned how to write. I began telling myself stories long before I learned to read. I didn’t combine the two until six or seven years ago, when one of my stories wouldn’t let go of me. After completing the rough draft, I began to research the industry and hone my craft. My first book was published in 2012.
Where do you get inspiration for your books and characters?
TV, books, or even someone standing on a street corner may trigger ideas. Research can be inspiring, too. For example, the location of my previous release, The Legacy of Buchanan’s Crossing (a contemporary fantasy), is a real place. It’s history gave me great fodder for some aspects of the story. Characters spring from my own twisted imagination. For the most part, they write the stories.
What kind of books do you enjoy reading yourself?
My reading time is precious these days, so I’m particular in how I spend it. I crave variety, in reading as well as writing, so I’m not as big on series as other readers seem to be. I’m not a fan of first-person point-of-view for the same reason. I enjoy a range from dark erotica to YA fantasy (but do not care much for the popular dystopian variety), with sci-fi romance, historical romance, romantic suspense, and some paranormal thrown in.
Romances (from medium to extra spicy) are far and away my favorite read. The only sub-genre I rarely pick up is pure contemporary romance. I crave a little something extra. For example, my debut novel, Finding Grace, is a contemporary/romantic suspense with a heroine who gets visions. My new release, Melting Shadows, is a romantic suspense with a different paranormal twist.
For audiobooks on the StairMonster, gripping mysteries are best. They get me back on that torture machine because I have to know what happens. Books I listen to while knitting can lean toward the literary (though not much farther than Neil Gaiman or Georgette Heyer) :>D.
Most of my non-fiction comes from magazines and books on writing, so I expect my fun reading to be just that, entertaining and satisfying. I avoid anything depressing, overly detailed, too literary, and loathe cliff-hangar endings.
Any suggestions for my TBR within those parameters would be much appreciated!
How did you get started writing?
I’ve journaled pretty much since I learned how to write. I began telling myself stories long before I learned to read. I didn’t combine the two until six or seven years ago, when one of my stories wouldn’t let go of me. After completing the rough draft, I began to research the industry and hone my craft. My first book was published in 2012.
Where do you get inspiration for your books and characters?
TV, books, or even someone standing on a street corner may trigger ideas. Research can be inspiring, too. For example, the location of my previous release, The Legacy of Buchanan’s Crossing (a contemporary fantasy), is a real place. It’s history gave me great fodder for some aspects of the story. Characters spring from my own twisted imagination. For the most part, they write the stories.
What kind of books do you enjoy reading yourself?
My reading time is precious these days, so I’m particular in how I spend it. I crave variety, in reading as well as writing, so I’m not as big on series as other readers seem to be. I’m not a fan of first-person point-of-view for the same reason. I enjoy a range from dark erotica to YA fantasy (but do not care much for the popular dystopian variety), with sci-fi romance, historical romance, romantic suspense, and some paranormal thrown in.
Romances (from medium to extra spicy) are far and away my favorite read. The only sub-genre I rarely pick up is pure contemporary romance. I crave a little something extra. For example, my debut novel, Finding Grace, is a contemporary/romantic suspense with a heroine who gets visions. My new release, Melting Shadows, is a romantic suspense with a different paranormal twist.
For audiobooks on the StairMonster, gripping mysteries are best. They get me back on that torture machine because I have to know what happens. Books I listen to while knitting can lean toward the literary (though not much farther than Neil Gaiman or Georgette Heyer) :>D.
Most of my non-fiction comes from magazines and books on writing, so I expect my fun reading to be just that, entertaining and satisfying. I avoid anything depressing, overly detailed, too literary, and loathe cliff-hangar endings.
Any suggestions for my TBR within those parameters would be much appreciated!
