Publication date: September 1st, 2021
Synopsis:
Heal your heart with stories of love and heroism!
In honor of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, some of your favorite romance authors joined forces to create a charity anthology to raise funds to honor the memories of the heroes we lost that day. Starting in September, every single dollar without exception goes to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.
So grab a fan for some heat and tissues for some tears, and fall in love with the men and women first responders in this collection of heroic romances.
Featuring stories by
Carina Alyce
EmKay Connor
Karigan Hale
Lolo Paige
LC Taylor
Samantha Thomas
To keep up to date on the progress of our donations, join our newsletter at: https://carinaalyce.com/911-charity-newsletter/
Available at:
Excerpt from Incendiary by Karigan Hale
I didn't meet Marcus. I was exhausted by the time we'd finished at the scene and officially turned it over to the police. Not only that, but I wasn't sure I wanted to finish the "business" between me and Marcus.
I leaned against the side of the station shower, letting the water flow over my back and wash away the grime from the fire and the memory of Marcus's hands. God that kiss was hot. I could taste his need, feel his desire. Maybe he had missed me. Maybe he had changed.
Or maybe that was my libido clinging to hope? We'd been incendiary in the bedroom, Marcus and I. That was never the issue. Trust was the issue. Could I trust him again?
My naughty bits certainly wanted me to give him another chance. My core clenched when I saw his whisker burns on my neck. And now, as I ran my hands over my body to lather it with soap, parts of me wished it were his hands.
I shook my head to clear it. Oh no. I was not seriously considering this. I vowed I would never forgive the untrustworthy, egotistical, selfish douche canoe. And even if we set the bed on fire, real relationships were more than sex.
And yet, his remorse and guilt for the fire today were sincere. And he didn't alter our plan for the article even though we disagreed on some of the content. He'd built a name for himself in his industry as someone with integrity and compassion.
"Ugh!" I groaned, scrubbed my hand over my face. "Damn you, Marcus."
Why couldn't he leave me alone? I was doing perfectly fine before he swaggered back into my life with his "I'm sorry"s and "I want you"s. Besides, my career was demanding, leaving little time for dating and relationships and intimacy. I didn't have time for a relationship at all, much less to recycle one with an ex. So, what was the point?
When I'd asked Marcus that earlier, he'd made his point loud and clear: it would be a shame to waste our chemistry; our bodies fit perfectly together.
A heat started in my pink parts at the memories--recent and past. I closed my eyes and leaned against the cool tile.
The seed of a thought grew under the nourishment of those memories. Who said anything about a relationship? Why couldn't Marcus and I heat up the sheets? We were two consenting adults. Very compatible consenting adults. I just had to be clear it was only a booty call. Wasn't that what Kennedy was suggesting with her cowboy comment earlier? At least I knew Marcus and I were great in bed, so it would be worth it.
I toweled off my hair and tried to decide if being a fuckbuddy was actually something I could do. I'd already kissed Marcus without feeling the need to call him a boyfriend. It might be fun. Shit, it would be fun. And just what I needed to de-stress from this serial arsonist business.
Because when I kissed him, the only blaze I thought of was us.
About the Authors:
Carina Alyce is a full-time practicing physician who moonlights as a steamy romance writer and mother of six. Her MetroGen Downtown series is described as Grey's Anatomy + Chicago Fire + steam + actual medicine. She joined the anthology because she worked for years in the ER side-by-side with many firefighters and EMTs.
EmKay Connor is the author of contemporary romantic fiction infused with quirky humor and engaging characters. Her bright and breezy romances are set in small towns, tropical locations, and glamorous destinations where her heroes and heroines discover passion and fall in love. As a former Navy wife who lived on a military base in Washington, DC, during the 9/11 attacks and aftermath, she believes in honoring those serve and sacrifice for the USA.
Karigan Hale is a wife, mother, high school teacher, and photographer who is highly allergic to poison ivy and early mornings and highly addicted to fountain sodas and true crime. She writes steamy, slow-burn romantic comedies full of sarcastic females and the hot males trying to keep up with them. She chose to participate in this anthology to honor the amazing first responders that not only were heroes during the attacks on September 11th, but also during the recent pandemic.
LoLo Paige is an award-winning author who lives in Alaska and writes full time. Her Blazing Hearts Wildfire Series are action-adventure, romantic suspense stories set in the dangerous and exciting world of wildland firefighting loosely based on her experiences as a wildland firefighter in Montana, California, and Alaska. She joined the anthology because she supports all firefighters who put their lives on the line daily.
LC Taylor is a full-time educator that moonlights as a romance author. Starting out as a paranormal romance author, LC found she loved writing about Alpha Male Heroes. Which led her to writing about first responders. As a former police officer and married to one, LC found her niche in writing. Most of her recent books have a police, fire, military, or EMS undertone. And everyone gets their happily-ever-after. The reason LC chose to participate in the anthology because she worked alongside police officers and firemen for several years.
Samantha Thomas is an author who loves to write sweet, clean books, filled with lots of fun banter, good-hearted men, and the happiest of ever afters. Participating in this anthology is a privilege that allows her to honor the New York community, as well as her family and friends that work as first responders, in all capacities, everyday.
