Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

The theme for this week is vacations and exotic locations. If you’re a regular visitor to my blog you’ll know that I love to travel. I’m all about vactions and exotic locations. (Check my photo album to see some of the places I’ve visited.) My snippet this week is from my recent release Tiger By The Tail, and the heroine, Ambar is in Samoa for a short holiday.

Tiger By The Tail by Shelley Munro

Ambar ambled to the swimming pool, pausing at the poolside shower to wash the white sand from her feet. The days had slid together and she hadn’t looked at a clock since leaving New Zealand. She’d come to a decision about her mates though. In the end, it hadn’t been difficult because she’d pined for Jake and Hari even more than she’d missed her brother and Kiran. She’d made a list as Isabella had suggested, going for total honesty since no one would see it apart from her. The big disadvantage was the possible restrictions on her freedom. She considered her friends who were in relationships and had officially mated, acknowledging they all seemed incredibly happy. Somehow, she would work things out too. When she returned to Middlemarch, she needed to discuss the future with Jake and Hari and lay out all her fears. She’d discuss things calmly without panicking.

Ambar scanned the pool area. Due to a camera crew preparing to film a tropical version of a popular reality show, there were lots of people her age staying at the resort. She’d made friends quickly, although without Jake and Hari it felt as if a part of her were missing. The anger and confusion that had hovered like a storm cloud when she left New Zealand had cleared, a few days helping her to see things at a distance. She had feelings for both men. Whenever she’d considered her future, she’d hoped to have a mate. She just wished it had happened when she was older.

“Ambar! Over here.” Anna, one of the girls she’d met on the first day of her holiday hailed her. “We saved you a lounger.”

Ambar smiled and waved, heading in her direction. She dropped her orange straw basket on the ground and shrugged out of her coverall to reveal her lime green bikini.

“Ambar, are you sure you don’t want to go out with me tonight?” Sam, a cameraman from Texas leaned close, his face full of expectation.

“I told you. I have someone in my life.” She waved her left hand at him to flash the gold ring she’d inherited from her mother. Normally it resided on her right hand, but instinct had made her transfer the ring to her left soon after her arrival. Another telling action, she realized. She thought of herself as taken.

“I’m not sure I believe you,” he drawled as his gaze did a smooth trip from her head to toes and back again.

“If Sam can ask you out, then I want to throw my hat in the ring too,” Gary, one of the soundmen said.
Anna waved a languid hand at her. “Leave her alone, boys. She’s already told you she’s not available.”

“Tell us about your man,” another woman said.

Ambar blushed, thinking the relationship she’d become embroiled with was hardly traditional. “It’s too hot for a chat. I’m going for a swim. Anyone up for a game of volleyball?” She indicated the volleyball net strung over a portion of the pool.

“I’m knackered after trudging halfway around the island scouting for film locations,” Anna said in her English accent. “I’m staying right here.”

A punch of longing hit Ambar, the accent reminding her of Hari. Did she miss them? Yes. Did she want to give up her dreams? Definitely not.

A dilemma, that’s for sure. Hopefully they could reach some sort of compromise.

“I’m in for some volleyball,” Sam said. “I’m on your team, Ambar.”

Ambar jumped into the pool, the water slipping over her skin in a cool kiss. Like most tigers, she loved the water and felt perfectly at home in it. With a whoop Sam and several of the others, both male and female leapt into the water. They were soon embroiled in a hard-fought volleyball match, shouts and victory cheers filling the air.

Ambar watched the ball sail over the net and called it. She jumped from the water, doing a perfect spike over the net.

“Woohoo!” Sam shouted, pumping his fist in the air. With each successive point they scored, the man became more exuberant. He hugged her, copping a feel at the same time. The first time she ignored it. The second time she started to get pissed.

“Knock it off, Sam.”

He shot her an innocent look, as if he didn’t know what she was complaining about and moved away.

Ambar held her breath and counted swiftly to ten. The next time he touched her she intended to deck him.

Purchase from Ellora’s Cave, All Romance eBooks or Amazon Kindle.

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

Mari Carr
Shelley Munro
Vivian Arend
Taige Crenshaw
McKenna Jeffries
Ashley Ladd
Emma Petersen
TJ Michaels
Jody Wallace

Related posts:

1. Setting Stories in Exotic Locations.
2. Spoooky!
3. Take The Tiger By The Tail!
4. New Sale: Tiger By The Tail
5. In Between: Leticia’s Lovers