Dear Diary: HTJB, Inc. & A Giveaway

February 2, 2012 is a day that will go down in infamy in my life as an author for it was the day that my company was founded: HTJB, Inc. went on the official books with the Rhode Island Secretary of State yesterday! HTJB stands for: House That Jack Built. Read the full story behind the company name here. This is one of those things I used to dream about way back when, long after I finished Jack's book, Treading Water. I'd say, if I ever form a company around my books, it will be HTJB. I can check off that item on the to-do list. HTJB is a reality, and I'm so excited!

I'm also excited about the launch on Monday of Fatal Flaw, book 4 in the Fatal Series. In honor of the upcoming release and the formation of my new company, I thought it would be fun to post a new excerpt today and offer a giveaway copy of the book to one lucky commenter. What I'd like to know is this: What is your all-time favorite Sam & Nick moment? Please include your email address with your comment! I'll use a random calculator to pick a winner tomorrow morning. 

Without further ado, here's a glimpse at Flaw:

The front door swung open. “Hey, babe,” Nick said. “You coming in?”

Celia had promised to call if she needed help, so Sam tore her eyes off the house down the street and let her husband usher her into their home, a renovated double-sized townhouse he’d bought so she could be near her dad and work. Of course its Capitol Hill location put him in close proximity to his office too.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, taking her coat and hanging it in the closet when Sam would’ve tossed it over the sofa. Why hang it when she’d need it again in the morning?

“I think my dad is sick. He’s all congested and wheezy sounding, and he has a fever.”

“What did Celia say?”

“She’s on it, but I’m worried about pneumonia.”

“And what’s this?” Nick asked, gesturing to the garbage bag full of wedding cards that sat on the floor next to her.

“More well wishes that went to Dad’s house—at least I hope they’re well wishes.”

Nick kissed her forehead and then her lips. “My poor wife’s first day back to work was far more stressful than it should’ve been, wasn’t it?”

She nodded. “And now this with my dad. Maybe I should go back over there. Just in case.”

“If that’s what you want to do, I’ll go with you. We can sleep over there tonight.”

“Really? You wouldn’t mind?”

“I’d rather have you there where you can be near him than watch you wear out a path in the carpet over here worrying about him.”

Sam hadn’t realized she’d been pacing as they talked. She stopped and looped her fingers together, filled with nervous energy. “Sorry. Anything with him totally freaks me out. We’ve been so lucky to get two pretty good years since the shooting. All that time we’ve known how precarious his health is now. A simple cold is anything but for him.”

Nick came to her and put his arms around her. He unclipped her long hair and combed his fingers through her curls. Breathing in the scent of Nick, the scent of home, Sam closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest. At times like this, she could no longer remember what it had been like to live without him.

“Sometimes I feel guilty because I’m so grateful he survived the shooting even if I hate the way he has to live now,” she said.

“I think he’s come to terms with it. In his own way.”

“Yeah, but it still sucks.” What really sucked was the case remained unsolved more than two years later, despite ongoing effort by Sam and all of Skip’s former colleagues at the Metropolitan Police Department. “I’m beginning to give up on ever solving his case.”

“You will.”

Sam drew back to look up at him. “You sound awfully sure of that.”

“I’m awfully sure of you.” Keeping his eyes firmly on hers, he lowered his head and captured her mouth.

Sam linked her hands around his neck and teased him with her tongue, making him groan.

“This was the longest day,” he said. “I spent most of it missing you and daydreaming about Bora Bora.”

She kept her lips close to his. “Me too.”

His hands found their way to her bottom and squeezed. “How soon until we can go back?”

Sam laughed. “Not soon enough.”

He surprised her when he suddenly lifted her and arranged her legs around his waist. “No reason we can’t relive some of the magic right here at home.”

“Is that so?”

“Mmm-hmm.” His kisses became more urgent as he lowered them to the sofa. “I feel like I’m going through withdrawal or something.”

“Just think,” she said, running her fingers through his hair, “we get to stay on this drug for the rest of our lives.”

“Do you promise the same number of daily doses I received in Bora Bora?”

Sam laughed and brought him down for more of those heated kisses he was doling out.

“So that’s a ‘yes’?”

“You’re rather persistent this evening, Senator.”

His hands were busy divesting them of clothes. “I’m rather horny too.”

Normally, he was the epitome of finesse, but tonight he was all about urgency. The moment they were both naked, he surged into her and dropped his head to her chest. “God, I needed this.”

She loved watching his legendary control waver and then break as he took fierce possession of her. Sweat dampened his back and brow. Sam gave herself over to him, loving him more than she’d ever imagined possible.

“Babe,” he whispered. “Can’t…” He moaned and tightened his hold on her.

“It’s okay.” She ran her hands down his back and clutched his backside, which seemed to send him careening completely out of control.

His face was tight with tension as he came hard. His fingers gripped her arm and shoulder so tightly she suspected there would be bruises, not that she cared.

“Sorry,” he said, breathing hard.

“For what?” She brushed the damp hair off his brow.

“You didn’t come.”

“You can make it up to me next time.”

“And I will. I promise.” He ran his hand down her arm and linked their fingers. “I wish we’d never had to leave Bora Bora.”

“Is that so?”

“They were the best days of my life. I could’ve stayed there with you forever.”

“You would’ve missed work and your friends and your life here after a while.”

“I had everything I needed right there with me.”

“You would’ve gotten fat and lazy and slovenly.”

He chuckled and brushed his lips over the side of her breast, sending a shiver of sensation rippling through her. “We found a good way to burn off calories.”

“We certainly did.”

“More than anything, I liked having you all to myself.”

“You’ll have me all to yourself every night.”

“Not the same. Not nearly enough.”

Sam placed her free hand on his face, urging him to look at her. “What’s this all about?”

Hesitating, he looked away for a moment before he brought his gaze back to meet hers. “Having you all to myself showed me how little time together we get at home.”

“It’ll be better now that we’re officially living together.”

“It won’t be better. We’ll always be competing against a million other demands for time to ourselves.”

“True, but as long as we make our relationship the top priority we’ll work it out.”

“I told Christina today that from now on I’m only giving two nights a week and one weekend day to the campaign.”

“Can you do that?”

“I have a sixty-five-point lead over my Republican opponent, so I’m willing to risk it.”

“Is that an unusually high lead?”

“I guess so,” he said modestly. “We got a nice bump out of the wedding.”

“Glad to be of assistance.”

That sexy grin of his made her go weak in the knees even when she wasn’t lying naked in his arms. “Anyway, since we’ve got a pretty solid lead, I don’t see the need to spend so much time campaigning. Especially,” he added, kissing her, “when I have so many other things I’d rather be doing.”

“You won’t get any argument from me.”

“I had a feeling you might approve.” He propped his chin on her chest. “So do you want to go over to your dad’s?”

Sam thought about that for a minute. “Celia said she’d call if anything changes, so I guess we can stay here.”

“Want some help going through the cards?”

“Sure. The faster I get that done, the faster I can go to bed.”

“Why do you think I offered to help?”

“And here I thought your offer was entirely unselfish.”

“Oh no, babe. Not entirely.”

Copyright 2012. Marie Sullivan Force. All rights reserved.

Go forth and comment on your favorite Sam & Nick moment! Remember--to be entered into the drawing--you MUST list your favorite Sam & Nick moment HERE ON THE BLOG, not on Facebook, and you must list your email address. Thanks!


Have a great weekend and GO PATS!!!!!!