Here is a excerpt from Saffron (Kemet Uncovered, Book # 4) a book I co-authored Aliyah Burke. Enjoy.
Somalia“Look here, dammit, I don’t need any fucking geo-freak coming in here and telling me what I can’t and can’t do!” Kenric Annson shouted into the phone. “I’m here doing my God damn job. It’s not like it’s a picnic out here where you can walk up the street to the Starbucks for a venti Mocha. There’s war going on around here and sending some pencil pusher down isn’t going to do a damn thing except complicate things. My men and I are busy enough without the added job of babysitting.”
The response he received only infuriated him further. After cursing a streak at the dial tone in his ear he slammed the phone down.
“You okay boss?”
The question came from Shade, one of the workers on this crew. Actually Shade was his next in command. Kenric only knew him as Shade and that was fine. He trusted him with his life, hell Shade could call himself Tinkerbell if he wanted to. Shade was a huge muscular man with braided hair which he kept confined to a ponytail most of the time. A goatee and dark brown skin completed the package. Man looked downright lethal standing there with his personal arsenal strapped to him and everyone respected him.
“Hell no.” He popped his neck and sat on the edge of his desk, arms crossed.
“What’s up?”
“That was Frank.”
Shade groaned and rolled his eyes as he snipped the end off a cigar. Frank Grimmel was technically the boss down here. However, as far as Kenric and the others were concerned he was a waste of sperm. Part of the reason everyone called him boss, to add another dig into Frank’s authority. Frank was only here since his brother owned the company.
“What’d the dumbass want?”
“He’s sending us a civilian.”
“What?!” Shade looked over the tops of mirrored sunglasses and stared while he lit his cigar, the smoke curled up and around his face like a snake.
“Yes, something about this doctor being able to help us find the natural gas pockets faster and dig for them safer.”
A snort of derision. “Does he not get this isn’t your America? That while we’re digging we have men standing guard? Hell, even when we’re not.” Shade shook his head. “I mean even Frank has two men guard him the rare occasions he’s here.”
Kenric shrugged and got up to lean against the wall near the window. He stared outside at the steppes only to turn fully and brace a hand against the pane of glass, warmed from the summer sun.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” he muttered. “A fuckin’ rock doc.”
Shade cleared his throat. “Boss.”
“Yeah?” He continued to stare out over the brush and scrub.
“We have company.”
He spun around and found himself staring at a woman. A gorgeous woman. Whose skin, the colour of melted caramel, covered an amazing body. One reminiscent of an old pinup girl, nothing but swells, dips, and curves.
Oh fuck.
Her black hair drawn back from haughty facial features by a tight bun. On her face was a cool look of dismissal. Her navy blue skirt suit brought some other things to mind and he felt his body respond. Almost violently. Her dark brown eyes were framed by thick, sooty lashes. She had full lips which shone with a clear lip gloss.
In one hand she held a black briefcase. He’d never seen anyone so determined to dress severely and look so damn hot. He allowed himself one more leisurely perusal of her fuck-me heels, long legs, and up over nice breasts and an amazing—even with the hint of superbia—face.
Hellfire and damnation. I would love to see her in a bikini. Or nothing at all. He spied Shade staring at her too, and for some reason it pissed him off. From deep within a rush of anger coursed through him at the thought of Shade even touching this woman. Why is she looking at him?
“Can I help you, darling?” he drawled, leaning against the windowsill.
Her gaze snapped from Shade to him, her eyes narrowed a fraction before that damn unimpressed stare took over.
“First, I’m not your darling.”
Her voice was a raspy alto which sent shivers all down his spine. His cock stiffened in his BDUs and he almost shook his head to clear the fog which seemed to encompass his mind steering him down the sexual path.
Want to be? He put a toothpick between his teeth. “Testy. Who are you?”
“I’m here to see Mr. Kenric Annson.”
Another thrill rushed through him. He quirked a brow and glided toward her noting how she held her ground. Like a stalking lion, he prowled around her. She smelled fresh with a light yet unrecognisable scent. No one smelled this good around here. Another punch to his gut made him bite back his groan.
He wanted to know if she smelled like this all over. How soft her skin would be beneath his. How all those damnable curves would feel pressed to him.
Back before her, he gazed down to her waiting stare. “I’m him, darlin’. What can I do for you? Hell, why don’t you tell me who you are.”
She never blinked. “I’m...how did you put it...the fuckin’ rock doc. Dr. Eshe.”
Copyright © Taige Crenshaw and Aliyah Burke, 2012.
All Rights Reserved, Total E Bound.
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Her heart raced, although it wasn’t his eyes’ colour that caught her. No, it was the look of cool calculation in his stare. Struggling to breathe, she heard someone come up behind her. She turned slightly to see Christos come in but still kept the man in her line of sight. Kalina flicked her hand, materialising her baton.
Her mouth moved, those full, kissable lips forming words. Words he wasn’t paying the least bit of attention to. He blinked and said, “If you have a moment, could I have a word, please?”
“But I didn’t count on you. The temptation that you would bring me. You made me hope. Hope that I could have an invincible man who would never leave me, but then you told me about your wife dying. Yes I know she chose to save your son, but I couldn’t take the chance. I fooled myself into believing it was just sex but it wasn’t. Isn’t. I can’t take it if you die on me, Nigel, but I can’t live without you either. It’s like you died anyway. In here.” She pressed her hand over her heart.
