Czech Mate: Cherish Cove, #11

By Brynn Paulin

I couldn't say no to spending the holidays in the Czech Republic with my high school friend. I miss her, and it's the opportunity of a lifetime. My life at home is topsy turvy as I finish up college, too. The respite away seems like just the thing, while I make a decision about my future.

 

Until I meet her older brother, Hasya. He does strange things to my insides and sends shivers down my spine. When I'm around him, I have no space to think. Good thing his sister and I will be seeing all the sights. I'll barely see him.

 

Best laid plans and all that…

 

Hasya has other ideas. He intends to spend every minute of my vacation right beside me. Yay, me. At least, the "sights" are drop-dead gorgeous no matter where we go.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Supernova Indie Publishing Services LLC
• Release date: Apr 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9781623444419

Book preview

Czech Mate

By Brynn Paulin

Supernova Indie Publishing Services, LLC

Powered by Your Imagination

Czech Mate

by

Brynn Paulin

I couldn’t say no to spending the holidays in the Czech Republic with my high school friend. I miss her, and it's the opportunity of a lifetime. My life at home is topsy turvy as I finish up college, too. The respite away seems like just the thing, while I make a decision about my future.

Until I meet her older brother, Hasya. He does strange things to my insides and sends shivers down my spine. When I’m around him, I have no space to think. Good thing his sister and I will be seeing all the sights. I’ll barely see him.

Best laid plans and all that…

Hasya has other ideas. He intends to spend every minute of my vacation right beside me. Yay, me. At least, the sights are drop-dead gorgeous no matter where we go.

Copyright

© 2023, Brynn Paulin

Czech Mate

Cover Art by Supernova Indie Publishing Services, LLC

Electronic Format ISBN: 978-1-62344-441-9

Published by: Supernova Indie Publishing Services, LLC

Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and occurrences are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places or occurrences, is purely coincidental.

Thank You!

Thank you for your purchase of Czech Mate.

I hope you enjoy the story and will consider leaving a review or telling a friend about the book.

I love hearing from readers! To keep in touch and follow my news, please visit me on my website at www.brynnpaulin.com.

Chapter One

Bells with solid fill

Sutton Donovan

Since this was only my second flight ever, the first being my connector from Michigan to JFK, I wasn’t very versed on the etiquette of being shoulder-to-shoulder with a stranger. Was I supposed to say hi? Introduce myself?

I turned from the window I stared out and gave the man a small smile. Holy Mother of Everything! Seriously? The Universe chose to seat me beside a demigod?

Whoever he was, he’d shed his coat, and his muscles strained against the sleeves of his white shirt he’d rolled to his elbows. He wore a black buttoned vest over it, and dark pants molded his powerful legs. Light brown hair curled at his collar, and his green eyes danced as his lips tugged, trying to smirk.

Because, yeah, I was staring. Gaping, really.

I sucked in a sharp breath, tightened my smile then turned back to the window. Shoot, I’d just totally checked him out, and he knew it. Normally, I’d pray for a hole to open up beneath me, but we were on a plane, and I couldn’t be responsible for that sort of tragedy. So I’d just quietly die of mortification in my cushy first-class seat—thank you, Mom and Dad for the gift.

At least, embarrassing myself had distracted me for a second. And…I hadn’t drooled. That would have upped the embarrassment ante. Thankfully, he couldn’t see what looking at him had done to my panties.

Geez, I was a mess.

Closing my eyes, I clasped my hands in my lap and reminded myself I was a confident woman who’d graduated a semester early with her degree in atmospheric science. I’d even been accepted into an advanced program for next year.

That didn’t mean anything to my nerves. They tumbled over and over on themselves, wrestling for dominance in my middle as my flight to the Czech Republic AKA Czechia, as it was more casually called, prepared to take off from JFK in New York. The craft maneuvered from the gate and taxied to the runway. I listened to the pilot speak then refocused on the cabin attendant giving flight instructions.

Do not worry, my seatmate said, leaning toward me and inadvertently giving me a whiff of his enticing cologne. I have done this many times. I will assist you if there is trouble.

He flashed me a smile, and I thought perhaps he was the trouble I’d encounter. If I’d been intrigued by his looks and scent, his accent roped me in. I gave him another smile I hoped was friendly enough.

American? he asked.

Obvious? I asked.

He shook his head. "Just a guess. You seem nervous. First time to Czechia, Ano?"

Ano? Wait. I remembered from Ondra that that meant yes. Ondra had been the exchange student who’d lived with my family when we were both sixteen.

I nodded in response to the guy, thinking I had no business visiting a country where I didn’t even know the language. I would have learned something if I’d had more time. But I hadn’t. I’d only been invited to visit Ondra a week ago. Thankfully, I had a passport, and it had taken ten minutes to get my ETIAS visa waiver. But the language… Therein lay a problem. Ondra assured me I’d be fine, though. Many in Prague spoke English, and she’d be with me.

Today, while I traveled, I found the whole trip overwhelming. I could only