Lauren
Scott is a wealthy widow with a lot of embarrassing secrets. Her late husband,
a convicted stock swindler, died under mysterious circumstances, just as he was
about to name names in Federal court. His legacy supposedly includes a list of
VIPs who attended sex parties on a private Caribbean island, among other
things. Now Lauren has become the target of too many people who think she holds
the secrets he once kept, and they just might kill her for them.
She
calls on her friends, former CIA spies Nick Seven and Felicia Hagens, for help.
Despite initial misgivings, they agree to assist her. But their laidback
Florida Keys life is quickly disrupted by those in hot pursuit, including a
zealous podcaster who is making Lauren’s private life public, a Treasury agent,
victims of her late husband’s Ponzi scheme, and a Southern governor who has his
eye on the White House.
Looks like there might be trouble brewing in paradise.
This year marks my 22nd anniversary as a published author. “One Way Out” is my 30th book, and the 9th entry in the Nick Seven series. They don't need to be read in order. I’ve referred to “One Way Out” as the book I wasn’t going to write. My previous release in this series, “Out of the Shadows,” did very well critically and commercially. I was surprised when fans of the Nick Seven adventures began asking “When will we see a sequel?” I hadn’t considered a follow-up to “Shadows” beyond another series entry. Apparently, readers felt I had left some loose ends, and they wanted to know what happened next. The reality is that I ended “Shadows” with a question mark on purpose, sort of a “Did it happen or didn’t it? Will they discover the truth? Does the brass ring everyone is after really exist?”
The
basic elements of “One Way Out” were influenced by some classic caper movies,
like “Charade” and “The Maltese Falcon,” along with several Hitchcock films.
There’s a strong current events element involving the young trophy widow of a
convicted financial scammer and sex trafficker who was found hanging in his
jail cell before he could testify in Federal court. It was suggested by actual
events, and I’m sure you can fill in the blanks. I also included the governor
of a southern state who has his eye on the White House, and may have been a
guest at the island sex parties. You can probably name that person, too.
Of
course, there are the usual lead characters, Nick Seven and Felicia Hagens. They
both left the CIA to find peace in paradise, but somehow never manage to do so,
thanks to past events intruding at unwanted times. They still generate more
heat than Key West in July with their sensuous romantic banter and teasing. Here’s
an example:
The scent of patchouli from a burning candle permeated
Nick and Felicia’s bedroom, accompanied by smooth piano jazz from the stereo.
The room was dark, and the window was open to let in fresh night air along with
the sound of waves gently hitting the seawall in the channel. Nick lay on his
back with one arm behind his head on the pillow, his eyes closed, enjoying the
peacefulness. Felicia curled up next to him, her naked body close to his while
gently running her fingers over his bare chest. He relaxed under her gentle
touch.
“This is nice,” Nick muttered.
“Very relaxing,” she softly concurred.
“You always like to burn scented candles when we’re
trying to unwind,” he observed. “How do you decide which scent?”
“If we’re really tense, I’ll burn somethin’ like this
or ocean breeze. If it’s to freshen a stuffy room, it might be apple cinnamon.
Around Christmas time, I’ll burn evergreen or pine.”
“Sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into this.”
“How do you decide which music to play?”
“Depends on what we’re doing. If I’m working on
something or we’re just hanging around the house, it’s Miles Davis, Count
Basie, or Buddy Rich. If we’re having a romantic evening, I like piano music
like this. Or maybe Sinatra, Dean Martin, or Nat Cole.”
“Yeah, you always seem to match the music with the
mood.”
“Thank you. I try not to play Louis Prima when we’re
feeling intimate.”
Felicia laughed. “Yeah, all that jump, jive, and wail
stuff would be distractin’.”
Nick rolled over and placed his palm on Felicia’s
cheek. They stared into each other’s eyes while moving closer until their lips
met. Nick gently kissed her. She returned his passion, massaging his lips with
hers. Their tongues dueled in a sensuous erotic dance as their kissing became
more intense and passionate. Nick’s hand strayed to Felicia’s firm breast and
cupped it, gently massaging her nipple until it was as hard as a gumdrop.
Felicia exhaled a deep contented breath. “Wow.”
He kissed her. “You’re the most passionate lover.”
“I always knew you’d be a good lover. Even before we
sealed the deal the first time.”
“How did you know that?”
“Because you’re a good kisser. Where you have one, you
have the other.”
Nick reached up and brushed back a strand of hair from
her sweaty forehead. “You mean after we kissed the first time, even though I
didn’t make a move, you knew what kind of lover I’d be?”
“Mm-hmm. Surprised?”
“Astonished. You must tell me your secret someday.”
She kissed him. “Some things are better left
unspoken.”
If you’re in the mood for an escape to a sultry location
populated by interesting characters and adventure, join Nick and Felicia as
they outwit the bad guys in “One Way Out.” I think you’ll enjoy the trip!
Tim Smith is an award-winning, bestselling author of
romantic mystery/thrillers and contemporary erotic romance. His novels
featuring former CIA agent Nick Seven have garnered several awards and
international critical praise. He is also a freelance writer, blogger, editor
and photographer. When he isn’t pursuing those interests, he can be found in
the Florida Keys, doing research in between parasailing and seeking out the
perfect Mojito. His website is Tim Smith, AllAuthor.
2 comments:
Major congrats, Tim! One Way Out sounds like another winner for the Nick Seven series. Love the cover. :)
Thank you, Tina!
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