Monday Mystery-

In a couple weeks my first attempt at action/adventure with romantic elements will be ready for readers. So until it is published I'll spend the next couple of Mondays giving you a peek into the book.

What happens when a brilliant anthropologist is lured into the jungle to be used as a human sacrifice?

Main Character:

Doctor Isabella Mumphrey has a genius IQ and graduated with a doctorate in anthropology at the age of twenty-two. She is currently head of a department in Indian Artifacts and Culture at the University of Arizona. Her favorite movie character is Indiana Jones and she lives with a white cockatoo. She's had very little home life and aches to learn about her Native American background which her mother keeps as tightly locked up as her emotions. 

Excerpt from Secrets of a Mayan Moon in the hero's POV

“Have you seen Indiana Jones?” The awe in her voice drew his gaze to her face.

Her eyes sparkled, her cheeks tinted a deeper pink, and her lips tipped in a wistful smile.

“Si.” Where was this leading? She wasn’t really an artifact hunter was she?

“Isn’t he wonderful how he gets out of all those dangerous situations and remains so loyal to the artifacts he finds? And that whip…” She pulled her glasses off and rubbed them with her soaked shirttail. Placing them back on her nose, she frowned and tugged them off. “I tried to work a whip once.”

The thought of her with a whip and black leather unzipped to her belly button, fitting snug over her hips, and displaying her long legs flashed in his mind and brought his body to attention.

“It was a disaster. I really should have tried it outside, but I was embarrassed and ended up breaking a table lamp, hooking the whip on a table leg, scuffing the floor, and scaring the daylights out of Alabaster, my cockatoo.”

“They are not easy to handle, I hear.” He held back the chuckle tickling his throat.

The roar of the rain lessened. Less than an hour. A light rain today. He stood.

“Where are you going? It’s still raining.” She started to stand as well.

“Stay. The rain is letting up. I am getting food. As soon as the rain stops we will head on downriver. There is still a good distance to travel to the spot I plan to spend the night.”

She nodded.

Tino dug through the supplies in the netting and found the already prepared lunches he’d purchased at the café in Sayaxche. He snatched a Gallo for himself and juice for Isabella.

Her eyes narrowed when her gaze landed on his beer. He smiled and handed her the juice and her portion of the food. For a skinny woman she ate like a soccer player. She’d downed all her food before he ate half of his. Her lingering stare at his fruit had him handing it over to her.

“You eat a lot for being skinny.”

“I have a high metabolism. No matter how much or what I eat I can’t gain weight. It’s as much a curse as people who can’t lose weight. People think I have an eating disorder because I’m thin and they see me eat a lot. Believe me—it’s not something I embrace. As a teenager, when my hair was cut short, women would tell me I was in the wrong restroom.” She glanced down at her chest.

Her dull eyes and grimace tugged at his sympathy. Tino reached out, touching her cheek.

“I did not think you were a boy, even before I saw the long braid down your back.”

A weak smile tipped the corners of her mouth. “Thanks. But I know my body isn’t appealing.” She sighed, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

Her skin was soft and slicked with rain. Drops clung to her wide, full mouth. He couldn’t draw his gaze from her lips. Knew he shouldn’t let the lure of her unhappiness and pheromones get to him, but he lapsed.

And leaned in.

Brushed his lips across hers.

Her eyes opened wide, and she stared into his. Curiosity replaced the surprise.

He pulled back, but kept his hand cradling her jaw. He smiled. It had been a long time since he’d locked lips with someone so innocent. Her emotions swam in her eyes. Uncertainty, curiosity, longing. Her lips remained partially open accommodating her rapid breathing.

Tino drew her face to his. “Do you wish another kiss?” He stared into her eyes, felt the racing of her pulse where his hand rested under her jawline and the puffs of her warm breath on his lips.

“Yes…” Her eyes fluttered closed, and she leaned closer. 

Coming soon to an ebook near you!