Everyone, please welcome my guest Naomi Bellina, one of the authors in the Harlequin E urban fantasy launch anthology!
Every year, traveling sucks a little bit more. I take a
plane trip in October to visit family and I don't know, maybe it's just me, but
the whole adventure seems to be weirder each time. This last trip through the
airport I had to stand in this strange machine I can only assume was scanning
my body looking for contraband. The position I assumed was feet slightly apart,
arms over my head with my hands almost touching. I swear, I almost rose up on
my toes in a “pointe” ballet move, which would more than likely have
resulted in a not-so-graceful teetering fall not to mention an increased
interest in searching me more thoroughly. But it was tempting.
Riding in the airplane is actually big fun to me. I love
being in the air and looking down at the landscape and the clouds. The take-off
is awesome and the landing is even better! I've never been in a small plane,
but that's what was required for my heroine in Her Wild Protector. Not only does she have to board a Cessna, she
also has to ride in a small boat. Tara doesn't do so well with either of these
and is given some relief by using bracelets designed to combat nausea. After
doing the research on these, I'm thinking about getting a pair. I'm trying to
work up the courage to take a cruise soon and the bracelets might be just the
thing to fight off a case of the pukes. After spending one stormy night on a
smaller-size gambling boat with my head in the toilet, I don't want a repeat of
that.
All the research for this story was fun. I now know a lot
about the Bahamas and how to get there. Only certain ones have airports large
enough to land a big plane, so if you decided to go to one of the smaller
islands, you'll be traveling by small plane or boat , just like Tara. Check out
this great website if you want to know where you can and can't land, then enjoy
this excerpt from
Her Wild Protector.
http://www.pilotpub.com/bahamas-airport-map.php
It's out now as part of the Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Box
Set from HarlequinE, at a great price!
Excerpt:
Tara jogged inside
and found the small bathroom. Obviously a male hangout. The bar of soap was
dirty with grease and the seat on the toilet was up. She squatted, thankful for
strong leg muscles. She washed her hands, put on lotion and ran a finger under
her eyes to fix her makeup. Back at her apartment she’d taken just a minute to apply
a bit of eyeliner and mascara, and the hurried application wasn’t quite a
success. Under the dim lighting in this room, she looked like death warmed
over. Of course, considering what she’d just seen, her pallor was
understandable.
She pulled out her
phone and turned it over in her hands. It wasn’t too late. She could call the
cops, run out the back door, find a place to hide…
A light tapping on
the door interrupted her thoughts.
“Tara, come on out
of there. We need to get moving.” Marshall spoke in a low tone. She opened the
door and stuck her head around.
“I don’t want to
go.”
“Come here,” he
beckoned, crooking his finger, still using the gentle tone one uses with a
frightened animal. She emerged halfway from the bathroom. He took one hand and
squeezed it, then gently pulled her all the way out. “I know you’re scared and
this is all pretty strange to you. I’m going to do my best to make sure you’re
safe. I promise.”
“Take off your
glasses—look me in the eye and tell me that.”
He removed his
shades and stared at her intently. Those gorgeous eyes! She forced herself not
to focus on Marshall’s good looks but instead to study him to see if he was
telling the truth. Tara liked to think she was good at reading people, but she
knew she was far too trusting. Saying “I do” to Karl proved that.
In Marshall’s eyes
she saw sincerity. He truly believed he could protect her and her gut feeling
told her to trust him.
“I will keep you safe,” he said, still
holding her hand, and this time the low timbre of his voice stirred feelings
deep inside. Her knees wobbled and her heart sped up. A familiar tingle that
she hadn’t felt for a long time ran between her legs and heat rose to her
cheeks. She ducked her head. She would not let him see the effect he had on
her. He would use that to manipulate her, she was certain. Already he’d
convinced her to climb into a small tin can and fly to who knows where.
“This is the best
option, believe me. If you stay here you’re in danger,” Marshall said, and
still holding her hand, they walked to the airplane. The warmth and pressure of
his grip gave her comfort but she pulled away, not wanting to get so drawn into
his masculine presence that she couldn’t think clearly. She had a feeling that
was easily possible.
“It’s got blade
thingies,” she said when they reached the plane. It seemed even smaller close
up.
“Propellers, we
like to call them,”
“What kind of
plane is this?” Still stalling, Tara walked around and kicked one of the tires.
It felt solid.
“It’s a Cessna
Conquest. I ride in them all the time—it’s perfectly safe. Hop in.”
She climbed the
steps and looked inside.
“It’s kind of
small.”
“There’s plenty of
room. Grab a seat and buckle up.”
Tara did so,
wiggling around. The chair was roomier and more comfortable than she remembered
from her other flights, and there was enough room to stretch her legs. The
interior was actually fairly spacious, she noted, now that she was seated. She
let out a breath. Claustrophobia wouldn’t be a problem.
Marshall joined
her a few moments later, sitting in the seat across from her.
“Hang tight, we’ll
be in the air shortly. Use this if you feel nauseous.” He handed her a bag.
Tara gripped her
purse as they taxied down the runway. The scenery flew past and suddenly they
were in the air. Her stomach lurched and she grabbed the airsick bag Marshall
had given her. The droning sound of the engine pulsed and she could feel the
plane vibrate.
She turned to find
Marshall watching her, his brow furrowed and a look of concern in his eyes.
Damn it, she did not want to get sick. She hated to throw up, despised that
burning feeling in her throat. She also found, to her annoyance, she wanted to
make a good impression on Marshall. Taking a deep breath, she stole a glance
out the window and was instantly distracted. The view was breathtaking!
Sunlight sparkled off the water where shades of blue and green blended together
to form a colorful mosaic.
“Wow, the world
looks different from up here,” she said.
*****************
About Naomi:
Naomi lives in beautiful
sunny Florida with the love of her life and a magical calico cat. She writes for
various fiction and non-fiction markets, but finds she is drawn to romance
because her characters insist on canoodling and falling madly in love. So she
lets them. Occasionally, however, they go to dark and strange places. She lets
them do this also. Most of her stories will surprise readers with unexpected
twists and turns, because isn't that what makes life
exciting?
Her interests include dancing, hula-hooping, drumming, and
creating healthy meals. She takes the opportunity to play, have fun, and indulge
in the pursuit of passion whenever possible. She hopes you enjoy her stories and
would love to hear from you at naomibellina(at)live(dot)com. Visit her website
at http://www.naomibellina.com/ and chat on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NaomiBellinaAuthor
Her motto: Never pass up the opportunity to have an
adventure!
