Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays from our house to yours! I hope this holiday season brings you peace, joy, and all the best presents from Santa. 💕

I’m so grateful for your enthusiasm and support this year, and I can’t wait to see what 2023 and beyond brings! With that in mind, I maaaay have included a new tiny little snippet of Capture the Sun below, but you won’t tell my editor, right? ;)

Happy holidays and happy reading!

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I blinked my eyes open to a room filled with dim light. When I lifted my head, I saw that the glass panels had darkened, shading the room from the blazing sun outside. I glanced down at Nilo and found him watching me with an unreadable expression. “What time is it?” I whispered, unwilling to break the fragile peace.

“Midmorning,” he replied just as softly.

I hummed an acknowledgment and then lay back down. Nilo froze as my head returned to his shoulder, then he slowly, carefully wrapped his arm around me. I wasn’t touch starved, not exactly, but it’d been a while since I’d trusted anyone enough to just cuddle.

Not that I trusted Nilo completely, but I trusted that he wouldn’t take advantage of this.

“You don’t have to stay, if you want to get up,” I murmured a few minutes later. Then I reluctantly added, “I should probably get up, too. We have things to do today.”

Nilo’s arm tightened around me. “I’m exactly where I want to be. Stay. Just for a little while longer.”

I’d expected him to tease me about my propensity for cuddling, especially given our rocky past, but perhaps I wasn’t the only one who was touch starved.

We lingered for long minutes as I slowly shook off the last dregs of sleep. Lingering in bed was always a pleasure, though one I rarely indulged in. It was even better when there was someone to share the pleasure with.

Better still when the pleasure turned physical, but I recognized the peril of that particular temptation.

I’d had my fair share of one-night stands and casual relationships because I preferred evenings of mutual pleasure with no strings—or deep emotions—attached. I knew how to protect my heart and enjoy physical intimacy.

I just wasn’t sure I could do that with Nilo. He effortlessly slipped past every wall I tried to erect between us. Case in point: in less than ten hours I’d gone from vowing to avoid him to being curled up on a couch with him.

I mentally shook my head at myself. I could not be trusted when Nilo Shoren was involved, because even knowing that it was a bad idea, I was still so, so tempted to see if he’d be amenable to sharing an orgasm or two before we parted ways.

And that was my cue to put some much-needed distance between us.

I started to sit up. Nilo’s arm tightened for a fraction of a second, then he let me go and shook off his blankets. He climbed to his feet, revealing soft, gray pants slung low around his hips and a tight, white shirt that was hitched up just enough to reveal the edge of the bandage.

“How’s your side?”

His nose wrinkled in thought as he stretched his arms overhead. “A little sore, but not bad. It should heal in a day or two with the med gel.”

“That’s good.” I dropped my eyes to my lap, troubled. Years of therapy had helped get my nightmares under control, and as far as I knew, I’d never attacked someone while asleep. Both together was unprecedented. And while I didn’t really believe the universe sent signs, I also couldn’t shake the feeling that I should check on Kee.

Careful fingers tipped my chin up before Nilo crouched down in front of me. “It’s not your fault.” When I would’ve protested, he gently cut me off. “I’ve lived with soldiers for most of my life. I know not to get close when someone is in the midst of a nightmare, but I did it anyway. The fault is mine.”

“Then we’ll agree to disagree. Only one of us was holding the knife, and it wasn’t you.”

A tiny smile curved his lips, and he leaned in, voice conspiratorial. “Good thing I find women with knives sexy.”

“Less sexy when they’re stabbing you, I’d imagine,” I replied, my voice bone dry.

His eyes glinted. “Not as much as you might think.”

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Lexi and Nilo will be burning up the pages while saving the galaxy in June 2023, but preorders are up now, if you feel so inclined. :)

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I’m taking the next couple of weeks off to celebrate Christmas with family, so I’ll probably be scarce around here, but I’ll be on Twitter, assuming it survives, or Instagram if you want to keep up with me. Happy holidays!