— Oscar Wilde, from The Importance of Being Earnest.
Surrender at Canyon Road Excerpt
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She held onto him, afraid if she let go her trembling legs would betray her, and she’d fall to the floor in a heap.
She’d never been so brazen. Never so bold as to come on to a man this way. But she needed him. It frightened her to admit it, even to herself, but she had to. As much as she wanted him to leave and stop meddling with her thoughts, she wanted him to stay, hold her and fill the emptiness her thoughts brought her.
She closed her eyes as his arms came around her. Strong, warm. Gentle. It was just as she expected. Just as it had been before. Every time he touched her, she felt something she’d never felt. Full, yet light. As if just by being with her, he took away some of the pressure. She needed that now. A release of pressure. A feeling of being wanted. And of not being alone.
Not tonight. She couldn’t bear to be alone tonight.
He leaned into her, and she waited for his kiss. Waited for the heat of it to consume her as it did before. Oh, but she wanted this. She hardly knew him, would never see him again after tomorrow, but for tonight? She felt as if she belonged to someone real. Someone caring. Someone who would do just about anything for those he loved.
She felt it then, his lips touching hers. Lightly, just a slight brush, a tease. And then they were gone.
“Dani.”
She liked the way he said her name. As if he owned it. As if it were something special. She opened her eyes, and looked right into his.
“You have to be sure,” he said.
She was. She’d only known him a day. It went against everything she believed in but it felt right. Just this once. She wanted it. She knew what she felt and how to satisfy it. It wasn’t emotion in control, it was physical need and satisfaction with someone she’d quickly grown to trust.
“I am sure.” She stood on tiptoe to reach him better. “Are you?”
A gruff breath was her answer. His arms wrapped tight around her, so sure, so strong, he nearly lifted her off her feet. This was the same man who’d frightened her with his size, his power, and barely controlled emotions. But now, as he held her, none of the fear surfaced. She welcomed his power, admired the command he had over it each time he touched her this way.
He made her feel secure.
Alive. Seen.
Wanted.
5-Star Review from READERS FAVORITE®
SURRENDER at CANYON ROAD by Debora Dale is a stunning romance novel that takes the reader on an exciting adventure. Steeped in dread and anxiety, the tension is so palpable you can feel the apprehension building from the very first page until the final chapter. The story moves at a quick pace, complete with riveting scenes, bold protagonists, and sinister villains.
Duplicity Excerpt
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Maybe that’s why he'd been so abrupt and dismissed her after his kiss. “Have you ever been tempted?” she asked.
“Temptation…love…it’s all a distraction.”
What a sad outlook. “Love is not a distraction, Jax. It’s a beautiful gift.”
“Survival, sex and sustenance.” He gave her another quick glance. “Remember?”
Of course she remembered. Though earlier he’d put sustenance first in his list. “But when you love someone, they become your sustenance. Your survival.”
“And sex?” he said. “Where does that fit in?”
“When you’re in love?” She imagined that. Being in love. Having someone love her unconditionally. Someone listening to her deepest secrets without judging her. Confiding his secrets in return. Trusting her, having her trust. Wanting her. Holding her, kissing her.
The way Jax had done.
Until he pulled away.
Where did love making fit into that? She closed her eyes. Imagined her life with a man who loved her the way she’d dreamed.
The smile formed on its own, and she couldn’t tame it if she tried. “Any day. Any time. Anywhere.”
She opened her eyes, found him looking at her through the rearview with only a single glance toward the road. She took in their surroundings. Faced him again. “What?”
“For real?” he said.
“What are you, twelve?” She pointed ahead. “Watch the road, please and thank you.”
It was for real. Or could be. How long had it been since someone had touched her? Close to two hours, if she counted Jax. Years, if she were honest with herself… though that was as much her fault as anyone else’s. Always playing therapist, unable to stop herself from prying into the minds of the men who showed interest. She’d hoped to gain their trust, hoped they’d share with her in the here and now, as she shared with them. Expecting a different outcome each time, yet getting the same. Making them feel both put upon and vulnerable.
“Yes, for real,” she said, playing with the gloves in her lap. “Making love makes you vulnerable. It’s the most raw you can be physically. But it’s not enough.”
“It’s not?”
The shock in his voice made her smile. Twelve for certain. “No,” she said. “Honesty, revealing who you are inside, what your failures were or are, what your dreams are—even if they’re silly and unattainable. Your regrets, your hopes. When you can share it all with someone without fear of reprisal, when you can be that raw emotionally, then everything else becomes so much more fulfilling.” She believed that with her whole being, though she’d yet to experience such a deep level of trust for or from anyone, and was beginning to think she never would. “I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe that’s too much to hope for.”
“Maybe?”
5-Star Review from READERS FAVORITE®
Filled with intrigue and high-stakes tension, DUPLICITY by Debora Dale is a gripping romantic suspense novel. The story has a captivating plot filled with surprising twists, an underlying atmosphere of danger, engaging characters, and physical intimacy. The protagonists and the antagonists are equally complex and relatable. Their motivations, strengths, and weaknesses are skillfully threaded into the storyline without overdoing their backstories. Expertly intertwined, the story threads create an exciting tale of romance and mystery, with villains lurking in the shadows. This builds a sense of urgency and vulnerability, making this book unputdownable. It is perfect for everyone who loves a mystery with an invisible threat, a strong female protagonist, and a budding romance.
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