Are you ready for Mark and Toni?
Crash and Burn the next addition to the The Witness Series drops Sept 21st.
Read an sneak peek & reserve your copy today!
Crash and Burn the next addition to the The Witness Series drops Sept 21st.
Read an sneak peek & reserve your copy today!
Can duty override desire, or will it end in a fiery crash of wills?
Sometimes the crash is worth the burn.
Sometimes the crash is worth the burn.
EXCERPT
Toni’s POV
It didn’t take us long to get to our destination. Mark had maneuvered us through traffic expertly, and when we pulled up to Navy Pier, I laughed. “Where are we eating?” I looked around for the closest restaurant, and Mark chuckled.
“Right over here,” he led me away from the parking area and came to stop in front of a small hotdog stand. “I know it’s not fancy, but that’s what I like about you,” he grimaced as if he was insulting me. “You’re not high maintenance.”
“Gee, thanks,” I grumbled and watched his face fall. He actually thought I was insulted. This was classic. After all those texts he was sending me, I decided to have a little fun. “I was thinking that you’d want to impress me after all that begging at the bar the other night. Glad I was worthy of this,” I flung my hand in the air.
“Shit!” he cursed under his breath. “I knew I should have planned something else. Fucking Stevenson was right.”
“Relax,” I leaned into his side and started laughing. “This is perfect.”
“You played me,” he scoffed like he couldn’t believe that I would trick him.
“We’re even now,” I giggled. “After all that shit you were talking this afternoon, I figured I owed you.”
“Sweetheart,” he leaned down next to my ear, “we ain’t anywhere close to fucking even. Keep pushing me. See what happens later,” he hissed right beside me ear.
I swallowed before looking up at him and he winked in return. I was so screwed. As much as I didn’t want to want him, I did, and he now knew it.
After getting our hot dogs and drinks, Mark led me over to a small bench by the pier. We ate and watched the gulls fly around begging for some of our crumbs. It was a nice evening, and I couldn’t help but wonder what else he had planned. “You up for some physical activity?” he grinned as he balled up his trash and turned to face me.
“What kinda physical activity?” I narrowed my eyes.
“Guess you’ll have to trust me,” he shrugged as he stood, tossed his trash in a nearby can, and then offered me his hand. He led me back to the bike and after slipping our helmets back on, we took off down the street.
The farther Mark drove out of the city, the more I began to worry. “Where are we going?” I shouted as we left the city limits and began to hit the freeway.
“It’s a surprise,” he called back.
“I don’t like surprises,” I yelled again.
“Trust me!” he revved the bike as we zoomed down the interstate. My body tensed as we rode along. I tried to watch the road signs, but I missed the name of the exit he got off on. We were far enough out that we were surrounded by woods and not much else. Mark maneuvered down several back roads before coming to a stop near a dirt parking lot.
I glanced up at the sign before climbing off the back. When I pulled my helmet off, I laughed at him. “You looking to get your ass kicked again?”
“I’d like to see you try,” he lifted his chin.
“I won’t need to try,” I shook my head as I walked past him and headed for the door that led inside. My brothers used to take me to play paintball all the time. Mark didn’t know I’d been doing this since I was like fifteen.
“Those are some big words for such a little thing,” he snickered when he caught up to me. “I’ll give you a head start in hiding out before I pull out the big guns.”
I rolled my eyes as we walked up to the counter to pay for our admission and get our gear.
“So,” he grinned at me as he began strapping on his gear, “I’ve been meaning to ask you all night. Did you follow my directions?”
I looked over at him as confusion set in I had no idea what he was talking about. I looked down at my clothes because other than dress casual, I didn’t think I’d been given any other directions. He snickered before he lowered his voice and boldly asked, “You wearing panties, Toni?” Amusement tainted his words and for a moment I was caught off guard as wetness pooled between my legs. He was turning me on, but I was determined to not let him know.
“I didn’t know that was a requirement,” I glanced up at him from where I was bent over fastening a protective guard to my leg. “I thought it was just a suggestion.”
“So is that a no?” he leaned in, crowding my space.
“I didn’t say that,” I straightened and checked to make sure I was ready.
“So it’s a yes?” he nodded.
“I didn’t say that either,” I shook my head.
“So what are you saying?” he stressed as he leaned in with a shit eating grin.
“Come catch me, and maybe I’ll show you,” I walked toward the door that led out to the course he’d rented time in. We were the only ones there since it was meal time and most people came earlier in the day.
“You better hope I don’t,” he warned as we stepped outside. He turned his back to me and started counting.
“One, two, when I get to ten I’m coming after you, three, four, you better run sweetheart, five,” he kept counting and getting louder with each number.
“Shit!” I hissed as I took off.
It didn’t take us long to get to our destination. Mark had maneuvered us through traffic expertly, and when we pulled up to Navy Pier, I laughed. “Where are we eating?” I looked around for the closest restaurant, and Mark chuckled.
“Right over here,” he led me away from the parking area and came to stop in front of a small hotdog stand. “I know it’s not fancy, but that’s what I like about you,” he grimaced as if he was insulting me. “You’re not high maintenance.”
“Gee, thanks,” I grumbled and watched his face fall. He actually thought I was insulted. This was classic. After all those texts he was sending me, I decided to have a little fun. “I was thinking that you’d want to impress me after all that begging at the bar the other night. Glad I was worthy of this,” I flung my hand in the air.
“Shit!” he cursed under his breath. “I knew I should have planned something else. Fucking Stevenson was right.”
“Relax,” I leaned into his side and started laughing. “This is perfect.”
“You played me,” he scoffed like he couldn’t believe that I would trick him.
“We’re even now,” I giggled. “After all that shit you were talking this afternoon, I figured I owed you.”
“Sweetheart,” he leaned down next to my ear, “we ain’t anywhere close to fucking even. Keep pushing me. See what happens later,” he hissed right beside me ear.
I swallowed before looking up at him and he winked in return. I was so screwed. As much as I didn’t want to want him, I did, and he now knew it.
After getting our hot dogs and drinks, Mark led me over to a small bench by the pier. We ate and watched the gulls fly around begging for some of our crumbs. It was a nice evening, and I couldn’t help but wonder what else he had planned. “You up for some physical activity?” he grinned as he balled up his trash and turned to face me.
“What kinda physical activity?” I narrowed my eyes.
“Guess you’ll have to trust me,” he shrugged as he stood, tossed his trash in a nearby can, and then offered me his hand. He led me back to the bike and after slipping our helmets back on, we took off down the street.
The farther Mark drove out of the city, the more I began to worry. “Where are we going?” I shouted as we left the city limits and began to hit the freeway.
“It’s a surprise,” he called back.
“I don’t like surprises,” I yelled again.
“Trust me!” he revved the bike as we zoomed down the interstate. My body tensed as we rode along. I tried to watch the road signs, but I missed the name of the exit he got off on. We were far enough out that we were surrounded by woods and not much else. Mark maneuvered down several back roads before coming to a stop near a dirt parking lot.
I glanced up at the sign before climbing off the back. When I pulled my helmet off, I laughed at him. “You looking to get your ass kicked again?”
“I’d like to see you try,” he lifted his chin.
“I won’t need to try,” I shook my head as I walked past him and headed for the door that led inside. My brothers used to take me to play paintball all the time. Mark didn’t know I’d been doing this since I was like fifteen.
“Those are some big words for such a little thing,” he snickered when he caught up to me. “I’ll give you a head start in hiding out before I pull out the big guns.”
I rolled my eyes as we walked up to the counter to pay for our admission and get our gear.
“So,” he grinned at me as he began strapping on his gear, “I’ve been meaning to ask you all night. Did you follow my directions?”
I looked over at him as confusion set in I had no idea what he was talking about. I looked down at my clothes because other than dress casual, I didn’t think I’d been given any other directions. He snickered before he lowered his voice and boldly asked, “You wearing panties, Toni?” Amusement tainted his words and for a moment I was caught off guard as wetness pooled between my legs. He was turning me on, but I was determined to not let him know.
“I didn’t know that was a requirement,” I glanced up at him from where I was bent over fastening a protective guard to my leg. “I thought it was just a suggestion.”
“So is that a no?” he leaned in, crowding my space.
“I didn’t say that,” I straightened and checked to make sure I was ready.
“So it’s a yes?” he nodded.
“I didn’t say that either,” I shook my head.
“So what are you saying?” he stressed as he leaned in with a shit eating grin.
“Come catch me, and maybe I’ll show you,” I walked toward the door that led out to the course he’d rented time in. We were the only ones there since it was meal time and most people came earlier in the day.
“You better hope I don’t,” he warned as we stepped outside. He turned his back to me and started counting.
“One, two, when I get to ten I’m coming after you, three, four, you better run sweetheart, five,” he kept counting and getting louder with each number.
“Shit!” I hissed as I took off.
☆☆☆☆☆☆
MORE ABOUT CRASH AND BURN
Detective Mark Colby is used to being in charge whether it’s on the job, or in the bedroom. He knows the rules and follows them to the letter, that is until she steps into his station.
Detective Antonia Rossi has always had to fight her way to the top. Being the police commissioner’s daughter in a male dominated profession has always come at a price. When she’s assigned as Mark’s new partner, she knows she’s in for a fight. Mark’s reputation for dominance proceeds him, and he makes no effort to hide it.
Can duty override desire, or will it end in a fiery crash of wills? Sometimes the crash is worth the burn.
Detective Mark Colby is used to being in charge whether it’s on the job, or in the bedroom. He knows the rules and follows them to the letter, that is until she steps into his station.
Detective Antonia Rossi has always had to fight her way to the top. Being the police commissioner’s daughter in a male dominated profession has always come at a price. When she’s assigned as Mark’s new partner, she knows she’s in for a fight. Mark’s reputation for dominance proceeds him, and he makes no effort to hide it.
Can duty override desire, or will it end in a fiery crash of wills? Sometimes the crash is worth the burn.
LIVE SEPTEMBER 21ST!
☆☆☆☆☆☆
Heather D’Agostino is an avid reader turned Bestselling Author of the Contemporary Romance Series The Broken Series, The Shattered Series, The Second Chances Series, The Cook Brothers Series, and Romantic Suspense series The Witness Series.
She attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in Mathematics.
She currently lives in Central New York with her husband, two children, two dogs, and three cats. When she’s not writing she can usually be found at the dance studio, soccer field, or one of the many other places that she plays ‘Supermom’.
I Facebook I Amazon I Reader Group I GoodReads I Instagram I Website I
She attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in Mathematics.
She currently lives in Central New York with her husband, two children, two dogs, and three cats. When she’s not writing she can usually be found at the dance studio, soccer field, or one of the many other places that she plays ‘Supermom’.
I Facebook I Amazon I Reader Group I GoodReads I Instagram I Website I
