He’s trying to protect his heart…
She’s a shell of the girl she once was…
Can he chase away the demons threatening to destroy her?
Mackenzie Delano craves control. After tragedy strikes during her freshman year of college, she compensates for the helplessness she felt by micro-managing every aspect of her life, from her business life to her social life…to her love life. But she wasn’t expecting to cross paths with a mysterious man who seems to invade her every thought.
Tyler Burnham has been living his life with one rule in mind…never fall in love. Focusing solely on his career, he is able to remain a detached observer of life… Until a case is dropped in his lap, forcing him to form an intimate relationship with a sharp-tongued woman in order to obtain the location of a man deemed an enemy of the State.
When Tyler finds himself falling for Mackenzie, will he be able push his feelings aside and recover the information he needs? Or will he put the mission and their lives at risk to follow his heart?
Chasing The Dragon is the first installment of a two part series of deception and betrayal where nothing is as it seems.
***Note - Chasing The Dragon is the first book in a two-book duet and is a spin-off of T.K. Leigh's USA Today Best Selling Beautiful Mess series. It is not necessary to have read that series in order to read this duet, but it will contain a mild spoiler from the third book in the Beautiful Mess series, Gorgeous Chaos.***
“Dance with me, Mackenzie,” he said, holding my hand in his, sensually placing the other just below my hip bone.
“What are you−”
“Shhh…,” he admonished, expertly leading me in our dance, the band playing Cole Porter’s Every Time We Say Goodbye. “Just enjoy it and don’t think.”
I simply nodded, turning my head to scan the restaurant.
“Mackenzie, eyes on me. I need to know you’re with me.”
I snapped my eyes back to his, my mouth slightly agape as my heart pounded in my chest. He was warm and spellbinding. The way he held me in his arms comforted me and made me feel as if they were made to hold me.
“Are you with me?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Yes,” I said, my voice soft.
He leaned toward me and the bit of stubble on his chin brushed my skin. “Yes what?” he whispered.
“I’m with you.”
The corners of his lips turned up slightly and there was a spark about him that wasn’t present yesterday. “I like the sound of that, Miss Delano.”
He pulled me closer and I tilted my head to peer into his striking eyes, needing the connection I felt at that moment. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced, all because of a well-placed hand, a sinfully sexy voice, eyes that made me want to melt, and arms that felt like home.
“Who would have thought that the Mackenzie whose lips I couldn’t stop seeing in my dreams last night would turn out to be Mackenzie Delano, proprietor of South Padre’s hottest new spot?”
“How did−”
“Shhh,” he said once more. “You think too much. Just enjoy the moment because it’s over once the band plays the final note to this melody.”
I snapped my mouth shut, a strange awareness of loss washing over me at the prospect of this complete stranger walking away from me once the song came to an end, wondering if I would ever see him again.
“You’re a lovely dancer, Miss Delano,” he commented.
“Thank you,” I answered, unsure of whether to say anything further. He seemed to be in complete control of the dance, of his words…and of mine. And, for the first time, I was
okay with someone else calling the shots. “You have a dancer’s body. I’m confident you’ve bewitched quite a few men with the way you can seamlessly navigate the dance floor.” He leaned toward me and whispered, “I must confess… You’ve bewitched me.” His voice was sweet as it crooned in my ear, and I was left a silent, blubbering mute, the sincerity in his declaration sparking a renewed sense of longing I had ignored for years. My breathing grew ragged, and I was unable to formulate any response. I simply lost myself in the moment of our dance, wanting his sensual words to ring in the recesses of my mind for all eternity. I wished I could have recorded his voice murmuring those endearing words to me so I could replay them over and over again when I needed to feel something I didn’t think I would ever feel again. He molded my frame to his, our bodies swaying to the classic tune, and began to sing along with the band. I imagined he was singing to me, and me alone. His voice was deep and guttural, but sweet as he leaned toward my neck and crooned the last verse into my ear. I closed my eyes, losing myself in his warmth, his voice, his everything. All too soon, the final note rang out, silence encompassing the room, but we continued to sway to the music in our heads, our rhythm perfectly in tune to each other. A loud drum kick echoed, startling me, and I opened my eyes, almost expecting it all to be a dream. But it wasn’t, and I was met with my mysterious stranger’s strong face. Time stood still as we simply stared at each other, neither one of us moving. I licked my dry lips, nerves causing my breathing to grow more intense and labored. He grabbed my hand and brought it to his soft lips, placing a kiss on it. The contact caused a rush of adrenaline to run through me. Before I could ask his name, he was gone, leaving me stunned and alone once more.
okay with someone else calling the shots. “You have a dancer’s body. I’m confident you’ve bewitched quite a few men with the way you can seamlessly navigate the dance floor.” He leaned toward me and whispered, “I must confess… You’ve bewitched me.” His voice was sweet as it crooned in my ear, and I was left a silent, blubbering mute, the sincerity in his declaration sparking a renewed sense of longing I had ignored for years. My breathing grew ragged, and I was unable to formulate any response. I simply lost myself in the moment of our dance, wanting his sensual words to ring in the recesses of my mind for all eternity. I wished I could have recorded his voice murmuring those endearing words to me so I could replay them over and over again when I needed to feel something I didn’t think I would ever feel again. He molded my frame to his, our bodies swaying to the classic tune, and began to sing along with the band. I imagined he was singing to me, and me alone. His voice was deep and guttural, but sweet as he leaned toward my neck and crooned the last verse into my ear. I closed my eyes, losing myself in his warmth, his voice, his everything. All too soon, the final note rang out, silence encompassing the room, but we continued to sway to the music in our heads, our rhythm perfectly in tune to each other. A loud drum kick echoed, startling me, and I opened my eyes, almost expecting it all to be a dream. But it wasn’t, and I was met with my mysterious stranger’s strong face. Time stood still as we simply stared at each other, neither one of us moving. I licked my dry lips, nerves causing my breathing to grow more intense and labored. He grabbed my hand and brought it to his soft lips, placing a kiss on it. The contact caused a rush of adrenaline to run through me. Before I could ask his name, he was gone, leaving me stunned and alone once more.
MY REVIEW 5++ STARS
Right. ok. GOD where do I start with this. I usually go into detail in my reviews. I really talk about them in detail without giving major spoilers obviously BUT with this one? I won't. I just can't. This is something you need to completely experience for yourself. But first of all, one of my first reactions you ask?
IS IT FRIDAY YETTTT??Damn. ha!!
"I should warn you, Mackenzie," he murmured "When I'm through with you, you will be fully sated, unable to stand..."
"Stand what?" I whimpered, closing my eyes. I was lost in the sensation of Tyler's body looming over mine.
"That's it. You won't be able to stand... or walk."
Ok so a little about the book and characters, hopefully not giving too much away. Tyler Burnham has an assignment to do. Mackenzie Delano is an asset to that assignment. that is all you're getting from me! go read the book it's pretty freaking Amazing!
Mackenzie - There has been heartbreak and heartache in her life that leads to mold her into the person she is today and that person is a control freak that has completely withdrawn from everyone, except her two best friends Jenna and Brayden. At the beginning it was hard for me to make a connection with Mackenzie she just seemed so cold and a bit of a bitch if I'm honest but as the story went on you delve into her story more and that notion of her was well and truly gone. She is strong yet naive, she is a little broken yet so determined. she is anything but a simple character.
"The only way to make sure that didn't happen again was to stop trusting, so that's what I did. I stopped trusting everyone, even myself, because I never know when my own instincts will falter again."
Tyler Fucking Burnham. Well, damn. He's mysterious, he's sexy, he's charming he's completely unexpected. He is the younger brother of Alexander Burnham, who you will know from the beautiful mess series if you have read it. Tyler has a job to do and he will succeed. He is just as determined to break down Mackenzie's defenses as she is to keep them firmly up. Tyler's work life is his life. He has become his job.There is a hell of a lot more to Tyler than meets the eye. There is so much digging to be done with his character and the more you dig the more you crave for more with him. We got to see so many sides to him and don't get me wrong I am ALL for the sexy and he was seriously swoony - panty melting sexy but he had so much more depth to him and the glimpses of his heart sucked me in completely and I need more of him. Like now.
"Go ahead!...Fight me. I want you to! I want you to hurt me! Cut me! Kill me! I deserve it! My heart won't beat without you!"
There is also Jenna and Brayden.
Brayden is the gay bestfriend of both Jenna and Mackenzie and honestly? I straight away didn't love him. I was just waiting for the moment he was in love with Mack or the other way around and something happened with these two because it is done a lot, sometimes it works, most times not so much. But then I regretted that and felt so guilty because I love him and laughed or smiled every single time I read his parts.
Jenna - She's a treasure, a cutie and you can tell almost immediately tell she has the biggest heart and the three of them complete eachother and it's a beautiful, amazing heart felt friendship. We get little bits of Jenna and I can't explain it but I have such an emotional draw to Jenna and I really, really hope her and Richard get their story told.
T. K. Leigh done an outstanding job with this one. This is my first book I've read of hers. I have the beautiful mess series but haven't actually read it yet and felt I was just being out on some background and the characters from that series come into play in Chasing The Dragon so I'd read it first! Like Tyler and Mackenzie T. K . Leigh is anything but simple and goes all in when it comes to her writing. This is a sexy sinful story full of secrets and mystery, and the more you delve into it the more questions are asked. I feel like T.K watched a lot of pretty little liars and criminal minds during the writing process because I felt like I was in a cross over episode of them two shows! I didn't know who to trust, I had to keep reminding myself of all the little details when I was falling into the characters in this story. I was trying to figure it all out, I'm not even kidding my heart was beating out of my damn chest through the ,whole book. That last chapter? I re-read it like 3/4 times. I think that just may be the best cliffhanger ever. I don't even hate her for it it was genius. It's going to have my mind reeling!! So before I end this review I have to talk about Alexander * narrows eyes* I know how much everyone loves him and while I'm looking forward to reading his story. I sort of hated him in this and I completely blame it all on him, the downfall of everything is completely his fault, hence why I wish I read his story first. So Tyler Burnham is my number one Burnham. I will still totally be reading his story though. So to wrap this up, Chasing The Dragon was heart stopping, sexy, intriguing, mind blowingly deliciously enthrallingly suspenseful and although I'm pretty sure I won't survive it I CANNOT wait for the conclusion to Tyler and Mackenzies *Hopefully* HEA.
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T.K. Leigh, otherwise known as Tracy Leigh Kellam, is the USA Today Best Selling author of the Beautiful Mess series. Originally from New England, she now resides in sunny Southern California with her husband, dog and three cats, all of which she has rescued (including the husband). She always had a knack for writing, but mostly in the legal field. It wasn't until recently that she decided to try her hand at creative writing and is now addicted to creating different characters and new and unique story lines in the Contemporary Romantic Suspense genre.
When she's not planted in front of her computer, writing away, she can be found running and training for her next marathon (of which she has run over fifteen fulls and far too many halfs to recall). Unlike Olivia, the main character in her Beautiful Mess series, she has yet to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
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