Author Kathleen Rowland picked the setting of Cuba for a reason.
She wanted
to trap her proud Cuban professor there. He survives because of his flamboyant
personality and opportunistic nature. Cuba is a fascinating mid-century time
warp. The 1950s cars still run due to amazing mechanics. No matter how
hardworking, Cubans exist under strict communistic rules such as the inability
to move from one section of the country to another. Without free-enterprise
they can’t make much money. If they do
leave, they can only bring ten thousand dollars with them, but this would be a
huge amount of money for most Cubans. Big business such as cigar manufacture is
government-run.
A desperate
competition and sizzling attraction leads to dangerous desire.
New York Marine biologist Veronica “Roni” Keane is attending the Havana Bay Conference in Cuba. Tomorrow only one grant will be awarded which will provide the winner with professional recognition, resources for a project, and living expenses for two years. She hopes to continue her deceased father’s work, but smooth operator, Carlos Montoya, has won many grants in the past.
Carlos, a freelancer for the Havana Port Authority, works to help protect Havana’s reputation as a bastion of safety. As international travelers flock to the island, attracted by its 1950’s time-warp and colonial architecture, the drug business is running rampant, particularly on Roni’s cruise ship. Something’s not right, and when her scuba tanks are tampered with, Carlos brings in the military police to investigate. For her safety, he keeps her close, but he craves her body.
Their attraction leads to a fun night with a bit of kink. But Roni finds herself in more trouble than she bargained for when the criminals blame her for alerting the military police and come looking for her. Can Roni trust Carlos to protect her? Will she stay in Havana if Carlos wins the coveted grant, or kiss her lover goodbye?
New York Marine biologist Veronica “Roni” Keane is attending the Havana Bay Conference in Cuba. Tomorrow only one grant will be awarded which will provide the winner with professional recognition, resources for a project, and living expenses for two years. She hopes to continue her deceased father’s work, but smooth operator, Carlos Montoya, has won many grants in the past.
Carlos, a freelancer for the Havana Port Authority, works to help protect Havana’s reputation as a bastion of safety. As international travelers flock to the island, attracted by its 1950’s time-warp and colonial architecture, the drug business is running rampant, particularly on Roni’s cruise ship. Something’s not right, and when her scuba tanks are tampered with, Carlos brings in the military police to investigate. For her safety, he keeps her close, but he craves her body.
Their attraction leads to a fun night with a bit of kink. But Roni finds herself in more trouble than she bargained for when the criminals blame her for alerting the military police and come looking for her. Can Roni trust Carlos to protect her? Will she stay in Havana if Carlos wins the coveted grant, or kiss her lover goodbye?
Excerpt—Chapter One
“Why, Veronica Keane.” A voice heavy with a Spanish accent drawled
from behind her. “A dive bar?” A taunting tsk.
“What do we have? A slumming New Yorker?”
She stiffened and closed her eyes. She knew that voice and its
owner, Dr. Carlos Montoya, a finalist like her, competing for the same damn
grant at the biggest Cephalopoda
conference of the decade. Her heart pitter-pattered against her ribs. To
turn toward him would intimate distress, or worse yet, weakness. She wouldn’t
fail to win this grant, not when she was a final contender. “I like this funky
little place.” Sia Macario Café, smack in the center of Havana, allowed her to
observe locals and their daily lives.
“You need to eat with all the mojitos you’ve downed.” The big
tease wasn’t counting. This was her first drink, but his rumbling, sexy timbre
hinted at all kinds of dark, hot promises. She’d rubbed shoulders with the
Cuban scientist all week. This splendid specimen of Latin male brought on a
physical ache that punched low.
A flare-up stirred fear. For her own good, she needed to resist.
“I ordered camarones enchiladas.” By
now she knew the menu on the chalkboard by heart. She tipped her head back to
whiff grilled shrimp soon to arrive in sofrito sauce with fried sweet
plantains.
“The flan is good. Just like my abuela makes.”
“I bet. Your grandmother would be happy to hear that,” she said,
knowing he brought out the best in most people. Two days ago he'd invited her
and a handful of others scuba diving. The chance to ogle him had been one of
the perks. He’d worn nothing but swim trunks, his bare chest on display. Every
glistening muscle was finely etched. Not a drop of fat on him. Since he’d not
given her the time of day, she’d checked him out without him noticing.
The hard-bodied host had led the way toward habitats of
soft-bodied creatures. To find where invertebrates lived was never an easy
task. Octopuses squeezed into narrow passages of coral for protection and gave
females a place to keep their eggs. She’d discovered the remains of a few meals
nearby. Octopuses scattered rocks and shells to help them hide.
This grant meant so much to
her and no doubt to him as well. Veronica mindlessly toyed with the gold
necklace around her neck, but anxiety crackled through her brain. Unlike this
man of action, she lacked the flamboyant personality necessary to talk people
into things. Carlos had that ability. He'd made friends with judges on board
while she’d conversed with an older woman about a box of scones made with Cuban
vanilla cream.
That day the wind had picked up to a gale force, and this woman
named Bela with Lucille Ball red hair needed help walking to her home. The half
mile down the seaside promenade, The Malecón,
had provided her with time to practice her Spanish. Turned out Bela was
Carlos’s grandmother. She’d worked as a maid when the Castro government came to power. When private homes were nationalized,
titles were handed over to the dwelling occupants. Bela owned a crumbling home
in the respected Verdado district and rented out rooms.
What Veronica detested about Carlos was his abnormal level of
talent for schmoozing. Not that he wasn't charismatic; he drew her like a
powerful magnet with emotions hard to untangle. Why was a self-assured woman
who ran her own life thinking about a man who commanded everyone around him?
Book Buyers Best finalist Kathleen Rowland
is devoted to giving her readers fast-paced, high-stakes suspense with an
erotic love story sure to melt their hearts.
Her latest release is One Night in
Havana, #34 in the City Nights erotic romance series.
Kathleen also has a steamy
romantic suspense series with Tirgearr Publishing, Deadly Alliance is followed by Unholy
Alliance. Keep an icy drink handy while reading these sizzling stories.
Kathleen used to write computer
programs but now writes novels. She
grew up in Iowa where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and raced her
sailboat on Lake Okoboji. Now she wears
flip-flops and sails with her husband, Gerry, on Newport Harbor but wishes
there were lightning bugs in California.
Kathleen exists happily with her
witty CPA husband, Gerry, in their 70’s poolside retreat in Southern California
where she adores time spent with visiting grandchildren, dogs, one bunny, and
noisy neighbors. While proud of their
five children who’ve flown the coop, she appreciates the luxury of time to
write. If you’d enjoy news, sign up for
Kathleen’s newsletter at http://www.kathleenrowland.com/.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rowlandkathleen
Tirgearr Publishing: http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Rowland_Kathleen/one-night-in-havana.htm
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