ISLAND ENCOUNTER—a conversation with Flynn and Traci

Flynn Ormond, a man of wealth and power, spotted the enticing Traci Meredith sunbathing on the deserted beach of his private island. But when he discovered her real reason for being there, he knew he had a problem. He couldn't afford the distraction to his decade long quest for revenge.

That sounds like something that definitely needs an explanation. And what better way to get that explanation than directly from the people involved.

My guests today are Flynn Ormond and Traci Meredith from ISLAND ENCOUNTER, an erotic romance novella by Samantha Gentry, released from The Wilder Roses (the Scarlet Rose line of erotic romance at The Wild Rose Press) on Friday, April 17, 2015 (an from other online vendors).

Thank you, Flynn and Traci, for being with us today.

Traci:  It's our pleasure, Samantha.

Flynn:  Thanks for inviting us.

Before we get into the details of how the two of you met, I'm curious about something. Perhaps you could enlighten me…Flynn.

Flynn (brief look of apprehension crosses his face):  I'll try. What is it that grabbed your curiosity?

You're a man of extreme wealth and power.

Flynn (emits an uneasy chuckle):  Is that a question?

Actually, it's a statement of fact. You own the island where you and Traci met and everything on it—a large conference center with luxury accommodations and amenities such as tennis courts, swimming pool, and even an 18-hole golf course. Rather than a vacation destination, its purpose is to provide a facility for things like corporate retreats. Yet you present yourself to everyone as the island caretaker—the liaison between the mysterious unknown owner and the people using the facilities. And apparently that's just the tip of the ice berg with regard to your vast holdings. It's commonly accepted as fact that with extreme wealth comes extreme power. My question is, why hasn't anyone ever heard of you? Your name doesn't appear in the newspapers, on the internet, on television. There aren't any reports of your business dealings, of your coming and going…not even any sordid gossip.

Flynn:  Wow…that's quite a question. You've put me on the spot here. My best answer is that I'm a private person and it's impossible to be private when the eyes on the world are following everything you do. I look at a public display of power and ostentatious flaunting wealth as an ego thing.  Don't get me wrong…I enjoy the money, the freedom it gives me, the very comfortable lifestyle it provides, but my ego doesn't require those strokes. (emits soft chuckle) Of course, now it's going to be much more difficult to remain anonymous. (shoots a get me out of this look at Traci as he reaches for her hand)

Traci:  When I first met Flynn, he said he was the island caretaker and nothing more about himself. I was suspicious of him. That description did not fit in with what I saw and heard…a confident, self-assured man of high intelligence, someone in control of his surroundings yet without any arrogance. A very unusual combination. No way was he some rich guy's yes-man. I couldn't figure him out.

The two of you met on the beach at Flynn's island?

Traci:  Yes, I had found what I thought was a deserved stretch of beach in a beautiful little cove away from the conference center activity. I had just stretched out on my beach mat when my peaceful reverie was broken by the voice of this stranger staring at me. My immediate reaction to the situation? Trepidation. The way he blatantly looked me over—all alone, scantily dressed, no one around to hear me yell for help. But that was closely followed by what I have to admit was a serious rush of desire on my part. Fortunately, he didn't give off any threatening vibes. We ended that brief conversation with a promise to have a drink together that night following dinner in the conference center's dining room.

Flynn:  I can definitely say for me, that encounter on the beach was lust at first sight. I had never seen anyone more stunning or desirable. As we talked, I became uneasy about her purpose for being at a corporate retreat attended primarily by what could best be termed members of the good ol' boys network of a large multi-national corporation. Even after she explained that she did not work for the corporation or any of its companies, that she was a freelance consultant presenting one of the scheduled seminars, I felt there was more to it than that.

You were concerned about her trying to dig into your past? Thinking that she might be an investigative reporter?

Flynn:  No…nothing like that. But I did have her checked out and what I found bothered me.

Traci:  And when I found out he had dug into my past…well I think it's safe to say I wasn't a happy camper.

Flynn (spontaneous laugh):  You can say that again! Merely unhappy doesn't quite capture the mood. She was livid and didn't hesitate in letting me know how she felt.

What did you find out that bothered you so much?

Flynn:  I was concerned about her having a hidden agenda…something that would interfere with my personal agenda, a plan I had been working on for a decade. A plan known to only two other people. (very serious expression crosses his face)

I understand that you were looking for…uh, I heard you were out for revenge. Is that true?

Flynn:  Well…yes. I had a long term goal for revenge. I had spent a lot of money getting everything in place with the final step only a few days away.

Revenge for what? Why? And how did Traci's past seem to interfere with this agenda of yours?

Traci:  Let me tackle this question. Even though Flynn and I had never crossed paths, each being totally unaware of the existence of the other, we had something from our separate lives that put us on a collision course in the present. But we had very different plans for how to deal with it, what we each wanted that put us in the same place at the same time and on that inevitable collision course.

This all sounds very mysterious. What is it from your past that the two of you had in common?

Traci (laughs):  I think you need to read the book to find out.

Flynn:  I second that. You'll have to buy the book.

Thank you, Flynn and Traci. So, everyone out there, get to The Wilder Roses (or your favorite online vendor) and purchase your copy of ISLAND ENCOUNTER.

The Wilder Roses buy link:

http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/wildcatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=182&products_id=1042

BLURB:

He wants revenge. She wants peace.

A man with the wealth and power to make things happen, Flynn Ormond is about to see his decade-long quest for revenge fulfilled. But then he stumbles onto a bikini-clad beauty sunbathing on his deserted beach. He wants her, and he's accustomed to getting what he wants. However, she's a distraction he can't afford, not at all what she seems, and stands against everything he believes is right.

Traci Meredith has a long term plan of her own, to confront the man responsible for the death of her parents and finally move on with her life. But when sun-kissed god of a caretaker wanders into her life one sunny morning, she lets more than the tropical paradise seduce her from her goal. Then she discovers the truth of his identity and the length he'll go to for justice. Can she lure him from destruction's grip or will the fingers of the past hold on tight?

Publisher's Excerpt:

She carefully measured her words. "You seem to know a lot about his personal life. Does the island owner require that type of personal information about the people who use the conference facilities?"

He propped his body up on one elbow facing her. "And do you always follow sex with accusations and an interrogation? I think any concerns you have about me or my character would be more appropriately addressed before sex."

Even though the gleam in his eyes and mischievous grin said he was teasing, she couldn't stop herself from throwing his own words back to him. "That doesn't really answer my question, does it?"

His expression turned serious. "The answer to your question is no, the island owner does not require extensive background checks on those who wish to rent the facilities. Usually nothing beyond the normal credit check unless the potential client has a reputation for destructive behavior such as the case with certain celebrities. Now, to repeat my question. Do you always follow sex with an interrogation? Take a beautiful and incredible interaction and put a damper on it?"

A nervous jitter told her she had pushed her concerns too far. She forced a smile. "We seem to have veered off into some sort of a strange direction."

"Yes…you have. Would I get a straight answer from you if I asked why?" He furrowed his brow in a moment of confusion. "Is there something about you being here that I need to know? And before you take offense, let me clarify. By here, I mean at this conference rather than here in my bed. I consider our being in my bed a personal matter based on mutual attraction and having nothing to do with the outside world."

She took a deep breath in an attempt to steady her tensed nerves. "Well, we do agree on that." Her defensiveness quickly gave way to feelings of guilt over misleading him. "I apologize if I've given you the wrong impression. It's just that…well, I'm not accustomed to hopping in bed with a man I've only known a few hours. Or more accurately, one I don't know at all and only encountered for a few minutes earlier today. I guess I allowed my insecurities to show."

His turquoise eyes seemed to delve into the very essence of her psyche. As if she had no will of her own, she felt herself being drawn into his mesmerizing aura. Her mind clouded and her body once again ached for his touch. "Maybe I'm just experiencing the equivalent of morning after jitters."

He drew her closer. "Let's see if I can calm them for you."

Stop by my website for additional excerpts from ISLAND ENCOUNTER and a look at my other available books.   www.samanthagentry.com