Entangled in Romance: Dark ‘N Deadly by Tee O’Fallon

Happy holidays! All month long meet some of our authors and their best selling books.

Today we’re getting to know Tee O’Fallon and her hero and heroine from her best selling book, Dark ‘N’ Deadly!

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Hi Everyone and Happy Holidays! I’m Tee O’Fallon, and I write sexy romantic suspense with hunky heroes, spunky heroines, and courageous, loving K-9s. I have two series out, the NYPD Blue & Gold Series, and my Federal K-9 Series.

There are so many things I love about the holidays… Where to start? I love the atmosphere of joy and giving. And doesn’t it always seem like everyone is just a little bit nicer to each other this time of year? I especially look forward to spending time with family and friends. Then, there’s the food. Everyone cooks and bakes their little hearts out and recreates their favorite family recipes. Holy yum! Gift giving is always fun, but it truly isn’t about the dollar value of the gift; it’s about the thought behind it. If your gift is hand made, even better!

Favorite Holiday Song: Elvis Presley’s 1957 version of Blue Christmas showcases that deep, crooning voice we all know and love in a sad, yet beautiful song full of hope.

Favorite Holiday Food: Without a doubt, my favorite holiday food is chestnuts. Not just for the wonderful flavor, but for my family and this species’ history. In our back yard is one of the few remaining native American chestnut trees in the state, and, quite likely, the country. This tree has been around longer than I have, and roasting chestnuts during the holidays is an annual family tradition in my house. Most people don’t know that the American chestnut was once a major US forest tree numbering in the billions until a fungal blight accidentally introduced to the US from Japan began decimating this species in 1904. By 1950, there were no known mature forests of these trees. The American chestnut is considered to be the finest, tastiest chestnut out there, and we still love it!

Favorite Holiday Movie: This is a toss up between the original Miracle on 34^th Street with John Payne, Maureen O’Hara, Natalie Wood, and Edmund Gwynn, and the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas. No matter how many times I’ve seen these shows, whenever either of them is on TV I can’t resist watching. Max, the Grinch’s adorable, loyal dog, is my favorite character.

Are you the type of person who on November 1st…thinks it’s time to break out the Christmas music or thinks It’s not even Thanksgiving yet folks! Nope, gotta wait until after Thanksgiving. That’s just me, probably because I like to fully enjoy each holiday for its own merits before moving on to the next one.

Are you one of those shoppers who has gone through your list and are done shopping well ahead of Christmas, or are you elbowing people out of your way on Christmas Eve to finish your shopping? No elbowing for me. I’m the shopper who finishes well before Christmas. While I do thoroughly enjoy the festive, holiday atmosphere of malls and little shopping towns in the days and hours leading up to Christmas, I prefer not to stand in line at the last minute. I’d rather be home sipping eggnog or my specialty homemade Irish cream.

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Get to know Tee’s hero and heroine from Dark ‘N’ Deadly…

Hero’s Name: ATF Special Agent Eric Miller

Heroine’s Name: Tess McTavish

What would be the perfect gift your hero would give your heroine and why? That’s an easy one. Tess absolutely adores Stangl dishware, but could never afford more than a chipped plate here and there she found at antique stores, so Eric would give her an entire set of Stangl dishes in whatever pattern she wished for. For those who aren’t familiar with Stangl, it’s an antique line of dishware that was only made in two places in the country: Flemington and Trenton, New Jersey. Both factories have been shut down for decades, so it’s become a collector’s item. I have a few pieces from the Chicory pattern that my family gave me years ago for Christmas and some in the Blueberry pattern that my mom and I found buried in a New Jersey antique store. The colors are so rich and vibrant!

What would be the perfect gift your heroine would give your hero and why?

If Tess were to ask Eric what he wanted for the holidays, he’d say: “Not a thing, babe. I have you, and that’s all I could ever want, need, or ask for.” But she’s gotta get the guy something, right? She’s a vegetarian. He’s not. When she stocks the refrigerator with all her vegetables and tofu, there’s not much room left for the steak Eric loves so much and the organic chicken and beef for his K-9, Tiger. So Tess would get Eric (and Tiger) a separate freezer stocked full of porterhouse, filet mignon, ribeye, and sirloins.

Where would your hero or heroine secretly hang some mistletoe to catch an extra special holiday kiss and why?

Okay, so I know this location itself isn’t exactly a romantic kissing spot, but I’m going to say the laundry room. The reason for this odd choice is that it doesn’t matter where they are because even the most mundane place is a great spot for an impromptu holiday kiss. Imagine…Eric is unloading the dryer…he turns around…Tess is there and lands a sweet, hot kiss on him.

EXCERPT

He had absolutely no business kissing her again, but he couldn’t stop. Not when he was a lit fuse that no amount of freezing cold water could put out. Not when she felt so good with her slim arms wrapped around his waist and digging her fingers into his back in a way that set every one of his nerve endings on fire.

Holy hell, she tastes good. No, better than good. Like, amazing, freaking good.

Her lips were warm and soft. Sweeter than honey. When he deepened the kiss, she uttered a feminine moan that sent blood surging to his groin, and oh, man. This was what he’d been missing out on. What he’d denied himself.

When he’d admitted his reasons for leaving Springfield, he’d given it to her straight. Gant had been only part of the reason he’d bolted. The other reason was her.

He was terrified of a mere slip of a woman. Even as he thought the words, he kissed her deeper, lowering one hand to cup her shapely buttocks, and the other to curve around her supple breast and rub his thumb over her hardened nipple. As he skimmed his other hand up her side, warmth from her body seeped through the thin cotton nightie.

If he could even call it that.

The second he’d stepped into the hall, he’d done his best not to stare at the way her small, perfect breasts jutted against the thin cotton, or how shapely her thighs and calves were. She felt so good in his arms, like she belonged there, and one thought pounded relentlessly in his brain: more.

He wanted to carry her into his bedroom and make love to her all day. Wanted to sink deep inside her tight, wet heat again and again and again…

Tearing his mouth from hers, he pressed kisses on the creamy curve of her neck, using his tongue and lips to gently suck her warm, delicate skin into his mouth. He imagined licking and sucking on other beautiful parts of her body.

More blood blasted to his groin, and the pressure behind his zipper verged on unbearable. He’d never wanted someone so much in his entire life.

“Eric,” she gasped, slipping her hands beneath his shirtsleeves to claw at his biceps.

Her nails dug into his flesh. Sparks shot up his neck and out the top of his head. He was harder than a rock and ready to explode.

Groaning, he took her mouth again in a kiss so deep he could taste her yearning, along with his own. The craving built inside him like a geyser about to gush from the earth’s crust. She was so willing and pliant in his arms, as hot for him as he was for her.

I could have her. Just once, to get her out of his system. If that wasn’t enough, he could have a brief fling with her for the time she was there, then call it good. I can’t do that to her. It was wrong on so many levels because she deserved better than being any man’s temporary squeeze. He hadn’t taken advantage of her in Springfield, and he couldn’t do it now.

Drawing on strength he didn’t know he possessed, he lifted his head and set her from him. His heart raced and he drew in ragged breaths. The look in her eyes nearly destroyed him.

Shock. Confusion. Hurt.

Her chest rose and fell, her pulse beating rapidly at her throat—the same spot he’d had his mouth pressed to only moments ago.

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