TJ Michaels

I really enjoy Snippet Saturday! Each week there’s a different theme and this week’s subject had me putting on my thinking cap. Why? Because none of my heroes or heroines have pets. They have spirit guides, which is an all together different kind of animal – pets require attention, love, food, etc. Spirit guides just might kick your azz if you get out of line, hero or not ;D

I picked a snippet from one of my favorite paranormal stories, Primed to Pounce. I think it’s my favorite because it was my debut, the first book ever published in my 3 1/2 year writing career,

It’s the story of an undercover drug agent who is starting a new life after a bitter and nasty divorce. In this scene she is about to meet a man that turns out to be two things she doesn’t expect – a rival agent who is after the same bad guy, and according to her spirit guide, her mate. After you’re all done, be sure to click through to the links of all the other Snippet Saturday authors to see what they have in store for you.

Another favorite book of mine is Jaguar’s Rule. It was nominated for a CAPA award and later published by Pocket Books. Ever wonder what a jaguar sounds like? Well, I’ve got an answer for you. Choose from the several selections on the player below, close your eyes and imagine yourself in the jungles of Belize in the middle of the night…

“Here I am eating a delicious dinner in a swanky, first-class mingling establishment, and I’m sitting here talking to myself,” Delaine grumbled under her breath, hacking her asparagus into itty bitty pieces with her steak knife.

*But you are not speaking with yourself. You are speaking, or rather arguing, with me,* Sapa whispered sarcastically into her head.

‘I am NOT going over there to talk to that man!’ Delaine growled back along their bond, stabbing her knife into a steak fillet so tender she could have cut it with a fork. The lioness was trying to get her to talk to the gorgeous redhead eyeballing her from across the room. But the cat was clearly crazy.

*You know you want to meet him, Suta.*

‘Who the hell cares whether I want to or not? There’s no way I’m making a fool of myself. I did that for eighteen years, and I am SO done,’ Delaine fumed at her spirit guide.

*Pride versus opportunity, Suta Winyan. Choose one. He’s interested. And quite tasty looking.*

‘Puh-lease! A man as fine as that, interested in me? Riiiiiight.’ It was times like this Delaine wished her spirit guide would go on vacation or something, but no such luck. The attractive man had caught the big cat’s eye.

*A possible mate, yes?*

‘NO!’ Delaine wailed in her head.

More than confident at her job, Delaine just wasn’t that bold when it came to trying to develop a love life. She’d been with the same man since her nineteenth birthday. At thirty-seven, she had no clue how to play dating games, and there was no way between here and hell she was putting herself out there with a total stranger. Besides, if the father of her children didn’t want her, then who would?

*You admit the puny Gary person you were married to was right?* the lioness asked on a sly purr.

Delaine bit the inside of her cheek to keep her mouth from falling open. What an ah-ha moment. Sapa was right. What the hell was she thinking, allowing that bastard Gary to make her feel unworthy and unwanted? She’d been more than good enough for him. He was the first man she’d ever dated, ever made love to, and unfortunately, settled for. But she would never settle for a mealy-mouthed, untrustworthy, spineless, selfish asshole again.

Mr. Handsome-As-Sin with the piercing eyes didn’t look like he fell into the mealy- mouthed category. He was stunning. He must be intelligent or he wouldn’t be in this group. She would never know if he fit the rest of the bill if she didn’t take a chance.

‘Okay, Sapa, let’s do this,’ she said, and took a deep breath as Sapa appeared behind her eyes, ready to give any aid Delaine might need.

Delaine squared her shoulders and pushed to her feet. The butterflies in her stomach grew kite-sized wings the moment she locked eyes with him. He didn’t look away. If anything, he stared harder. The man had no shame. The expression in his eyes was primal, like he had an unsatisfied craving for something. So that’s what lust looks like? Her knees felt peculiarly weak, but she kept right on walking.

She told herself to relax, painting on a calm facade. He stood and waited for her as she made her way over to his table. Lord, he was so tall and powerfully built. Forcing her eyes not to widen like a startled owl’s, she took in the length of his legs. He had to be at least six-foot-five to her five-foot-seven inches. His gray fine-gauged sweater accentuated the width of his shoulders. A pair of jet-black, tailored trousers showed off a trim waist, flat stomach and super long legs.

Sapa purred in her head as Delaine entertained thoughts of sliding her hands over the well-developed deltoids and thick biceps that bulged through the material of his sweater. His wavy, dark red hair was tastefully cut, with the sides and back cut shorter to fade into a neat line at the nape of his neck. His eyes were the most vivid, breathtaking blue. Like perfectly cut Caribbean Sea gemstones. Jeweled topaz blue. Damn, she’d always been a sucker for blue stones.