So I've told this story before, how
Erin Nicholas writes books that make me stay up all night long on work nights to finish them. Seriously, can you imagine? And then she has to go and keep writing MORE amazing books...which reminds me, she has a brand new release out just yesterday from Samhain,
HOTBLOODED.
I have my copy...and if you comment after reading Erin's post, you might just win yours! If you don't, go buy it. Because Erin's books=awesome. But Marc from
ANYTHING YOU WANT is mine, just saying.
Here's Erin! And don't forget to leave her a question or comment with your email included if you want to be entered in the drawing (you do! trust me, you do!)
I love writing heroes who come to other people’s rescues—sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively. Often the guys I write are reluctant heroes. Ben Torres, Sam Bradford, Mac Gordon, Marc Sterling… yep, all pretty reluctant. They don’t want to be the knight in shining armor. They want to be the bad boys, they want to have a good time, they want to avoid the complications. Yet… they can’t help it in the end. Certainly for the heroine, but even for other people around them.
*sigh*. Reluctant heroes are fun. Because it really shows the depth of their feelings when they step up anyway.
Then I also have a soft spot for the quiet heroes. The ones who do the right thing, are rock solid, always steady, but don’t call attention to their actions. I’m married to one of these. I don’t need dragons slayed or villains battled, but I do need someone to vanquish the things that suck my time and energy and make me less than happy—like laundry. That’s right, he does laundry. All the laundry. All the time. He also shares in cooking, does dishes and grocery shops! Which leaves me time to write. Since I work and we have two kids, giving me time to write this way is a precious gift.
So I really like both reluctant and quiet heroes.
Which is why Jack Silver, the hero in my newest release, Hotblooded, made me a little nervous. When I “met” Jack, I immediately recognized that he was different. He’s not just willing and able to do the right thing, to help people, to take the lead… he thrives on it. He’s an ER physician because he likes to be the hero. His brother (who happens to be a psychiatrist) accuses him of having a super-hero complex. Which Jack doesn’t deny.
He’s pretty in-your-face—in a sexy and charming way, of course ;) -- about doing whatever it takes to make things right. So when he feels obligated to the heroine, Brooke, there’s no getting rid of him. Brooke doesn’t want him around, doesn’t want his help and doesn’t appreciate his pushy ways. But that doesn’t slow Jack down at all.
Here’s what I mean:
“I’m going to help you make this clinic successful.”
Oh, no he wasn’t. Hell no.
For one thing, she didn’t want anyone’s help with anything. Second of all she didn’t want this clinic to be successful. She was here temporarily to fulfill her contract. Period. She crossed her arms and lifted her chin. “I don’t need your help.”
“So you’ve been telling me since I got to town.”
“When are you going to start listening?”
“When you don’t need help anymore.”
She stared at him for several ticks of the clock. Then she said tightly, “I am perfectly capable of seeing the patients scheduled today. That’s the nice thing about having a small caseload.”
“That’s why you should let me help. Let’s build this up, do some renovations maybe, get some—”
“You think we should renovate.” Really? He wanted to put up curtains or something? That’s what all of this was about?
He lifted a shoulder. “Just make it feel a little warmer and friendlier.”
“You think people aren’t coming in because of how we painted the waiting room?” Not that she loved the waiting room either. It was boring and, okay, cold. But that wasn’t why she could hear crickets up there.
“New paint can’t hurt, can it?”
“We’re not repainting.”
He waited until she’d brushed past him.
When her hand was on the swinging door he said, “Fine. But that still leaves one issue un-attended to.”
Don’t ask. Keep walking. Leave. But she asked, “What issue?” anyway.
“The issue of you needing a supervising physician as of…let’s see…oh, yes. Today. Right now.”
She stood stock still at the door for several long seconds. Then she turned. Even once she faced him again, she didn’t speak right away. Finally she asked simply, “You?”
He grinned, clearly pleased in spite of her lack of enthusiasm. “Yes. Me. You need a supervising physician to practice as a physician’s assistant. I’m a physician. It works perfectly.”
She frowned at him. “How did you know I needed a supervisor?” But she held up a hand as the answer came to her. “Carla.” Clearly her nurse—and former friend—had filled Jack in on the fact that Dr. Cunningham was retiring and that there was no replacement yet. The patients on the schedule today were the last ones she could see until someone stepped up to supervise her.
She hadn’t been exactly pushing for that supervisor. All she had to do in this clinic was show up. Patients or not. Supervising physician or not.
So what if that bugged her a little? So what if she was a little bored, knew she was wasting her time and knew there were patients she could be helping? It wasn’t like they were going without medical care entirely. They had to drive an hour but no one was dying. And she didn’t want to get attached. She’d gotten attached in San Antonio and then had to leave. It had been hard on her patients and on her. She wasn’t going through that again. Especially here. She wasn’t staying even if she did get attached and that was that. Better not to have to say any tearful goodbyes.
He nodded. “She confirmed it.”
Brooke rolled her eyes. “It’s amazing the topics that come up over cups of cappuccino. I’m so glad we got that machine.”
He smiled widely. “Anyway, you need me.”
He shouldn’t seem so pleased by that. And she needed to get her imagination in check. She couldn’t go off on pornographic daydreams every time he said the word need or help
or take or…
She shook her head and asked, “So you think you’re going to be my supervising physician?”
“Yes.”
“What about your real job?”
“Leave of absence.”
“Indefinitely?”
“No.” But he didn’t elaborate.
She studied him for a moment, considering the information.
“You don’t know what you’re getting into,” she finally said, simply, but honestly.
“I’m not worried.”
She sighed. “I know. But you probably should be.”
I can assure you that eventually Brooke comes around. I mean, who can resist a guy whose sole focus is making you happy?
“You should always show your true emotions. You shouldn’t close yourself up. People can tell when you’re holding back and it’s hard for them to trust that. You don’t have to have all the answers or be happy all the time. Just be real.”
“You want real?” she asked. “You want me to just do what I want, whatever I’m feeling, no worries about consequences?”
“I think you should do what makes you happy.”
She licked her lips and nodded, her eyes on his. “Okay. You asked for it.” She shrugged out of her jacket and let it drop to the floor behind her. Then she leaned in, wrapped her arms around his neck and put her lips against his. “Why is it whenever you’re within five feet of me I want to kiss you?”
Ah, consequences.
“Five feet? Hell, girl, I can’t be in the same town without wanting to kiss you.” Then he sealed his mouth over hers.
The moment she stroked her tongue along his, he put both hands under her butt and lifted her, turned, kicked her chair out of the way and set her on the edge of her desk.
So, how about you? Do you like the guys who swoop in and save the day, cape billowing behind them (figuratively ;) ) or do you like those guys who try to stay aloof but in the end can’t help being heroic? Personally, as long as they do laundry, I like ‘em all! :)
Erin
And just so you can get to know Jack even better, I’m offering an e-copy of the book to one commenter! So let me know what you think! (we’ll draw the winner on Saturday, November 12th :) and I’ll e-mail the winner directly, so don’t forget to include your e-mail address!)
See what I mean...HOTBLOODED sounds like a winner! And trust me, with Erin in control of the keyboard, you know it will be. Just leave her a comment or question and you'll be entered in the drawing!
