Break the Line
by Allison Mullinax
Contemporary Romance
Fiery Seas Everlasting
February 13, 2018
As a pro-fisherman, Benson Howell’s days are spent on murky lake water, reeling in largemouth bass and winning first place trophies. At twenty-nine, life is easy and carefree. His only job is to stay in the top rankings during the fishing circuit, and keep the sponsors happy. That is, until he meets hot tempered, fiery haired Danni-Rose in small-town Alabama. He has never backed down from anything too big to reel in.
Danni-Rose has spent the past six years of her life burying her past. When Benson Howell literally plows his boat right into her life, armed with simmering anger, she fights the current pulling her closer to him. With a past she can’t let go of, and the sexy fisherman breaking down all her walls, Danni-Rose does everything she can to break the line connecting her to Benson.
Will Danni-Rose be able to let go of the past? Can Benson change her mind about him? Or will they both miss the catch of a lifetime?
ISBN: 978-1-946143-43-3 ~ eBook ~ $3.99
ISBN: 978-1-946143-44-0 ~ Paperback ~ $10.99
Excerpt from CHAPTER 1
The afternoon sun is hammering down on the white tops of the lake, causing me to adjust the sponsor-supplied sunglasses a margin higher on the bridge of my nose. “Tell me again how long I’m required to wear these ugly, Tennessee-orange sunglasses?” I call over my shoulder to my long-time manager perched on the back of my bass boat.
“Damn it, Benson, as soon as I can get a shot where you aren’t bitchin’ about them,” he says, swiping the sweat from his forehead. I smirk at him while he repositions his camera on his shoulder, waiting for me to catch the big one so he can film it all. “It ain’t my fault you’re so dang pretty and the sponsors flock to you.” Jess snickers under his breath.
“Tennessee-orange, though? Come on, Jess, you’ve known me my whole life. I’ll wear a lot of shit... but this?” I flick at the nose piece.
“You’re getting paid a lot of money to put those on and smile, even more so if you are holding up the winning largemouth at the end of this tournament,” he reminds me.
Scanning the top of the water, I look for any cover the bass could be lurking under. I point a few yards down the bank to a patch of submerged tree trunks. Jess cranes his neck and shades his eyes to get a good look at where I want him to steer the boat. “Here, take these. You’ll see better,” I say, tossing the glasses back to him. He nearly drops his camera trying to catch them before they go overboard.
“Jesus Christ, that’s nine hundred dollars you almost donated to the bottom of this Alabama lake, you jackass.” He scowls, and I can’t help but laugh as he shakes his head. “No one else is out here, Benson. You sure about this?” he asks, doubtfully looking around.
“Yep. This is the spot.” And there isn’t a doubt in my mind.
The weight of the rod handle rests firmly in the palm of my hand. The feel of it always reminds me of coming home. I may have fished on hundreds of lakes across this nation, and won my share of tournaments, but the feel of a rod in my hand when I cast out the line never gets old. The anticipation of what could be waiting for me under the murky waters sends a wave of chills underneath the sweat pooling on my forearms.
My Grenade Crankbait hits the top of the water at the same time I hear Jess shuffle beside me. “All right, boss, we got forty-five minutes to get back to the weigh-in station. Reel us in a good one,” he croons anxiously. The drag adjustment clicks in time with my rhythmic pulling on the handle. Slow and steady, I call the open mouth of the bass in with my bait. He’s down there, I know it, it’s the luring him out of hiding that takes time. My Pop used to tell me I could seduce a fish out of the clay beds like no one he’d ever seen before, his words giving me all the confidence I need.
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About the Author:
North Alabama native, Allison Mullinax, grew up in the small lake town of Guntersville, AL. She discovered the escapism and addiction of writing at an early age. Today she remains a lover of reading, all things outdoors, and spending time with her husband and three daughters.
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