M. Leighton's Blog, page 21

Decisions, decisions

To say my life has been a whirlwind lately would be like calling Katrina a puff of wind.  Okay, that might be a bit much, but you get what I mean.  I feel...crazy.  That's not so unusual, but this is a good kind of crazy, so I'm okay with it.  hehe

Let me start from way back when I published The Wild Ones on July 30, 2012.  That book was my hail Mary, but that's another story altogether.  This story starts when I reached the top 40 on Amazon and attracted the attention of some literary agents.  *cue the dreamy, rewind-time music*

It all began on August 21, 2012.  That was the first day I heard from Trident Media Group.  I'm gonna skip some things and hit the high spots so that this doesn't take you for-freaking-ever to read! I'm considerate like that:) hehe  Anyway, over the following weeks, I spoke to several awesome agents, but decided on September 5th to go with Kim Whalen of Trident.  Best.  Decision.  Ever.  OMG!

The very next day after I decided to go with Kim, she came with the information that Berkley (part of Penguin) wanted me on exclusive (preempting other publishers, which is a whole other awesome thing altogether) and, after much discussion, we decided to do it.  This is where I'll skip the days and days of working through details and Kim bringing her big guns to the table, making sure to watch out for my best interests.  I'll just say that I'm FOREVER grateful to her and leave it at that. 

So, here we are, weeks later, and the announcement has been made by Berkley that we've reached an agreement for a three book deal to publish The Wild Ones as a series.  I didn't want to say anything until it was a done deal, but I guess the cat's out of the bag now.  LOL  Anyway, I don't know if you're throwing confetti, but I sure am:D  hehe There was a lot of soul searching and late-night talks with hubby about doing this and about what would be best for me as a person, as well as me as a writer.  We finally decided that this IS the wise move for right now.  And one of the best parts is that I will still be able to publish books on my own in the meantime.  Wahooooooo! 

I say all that to say this:  I am committed to writing the next two books over the next 5 months, so I won't be working on anything but The Wild Ones series and book 2 in the Down to You series.  I write fast, but there's no way in the world I can work on anything else until I finish.  Now you'll know why I won't be on Twitter and Facebook as much.  I am contractually bound to get these books done on time, so my days of shopping instead of writing are over for the foreseeable future.  *cries*  But I think it will be worth it in the long run.

Updated:  Also, please know that I am trying my absolute best to keep up with Twitter, Facebook and e-mail.  IF I miss you, know that I am genuinely sorry and it was completely by accident.  Some things just fall through the cracks.  Just know that I'm trying my hardest and that I WANT to respond to every single one:)

The sentiment I want to end this post with is that none of the above would've been possible without all of you.  Every single person that bought and loved The Wild Ones and told their friends about it played a vital role in pushing it up the charts and getting the attention of the big dogs up in New York.  For that I am TRULY, HONESTLY, DEEPLY grateful!  Y'all have helped make my dreams come true and I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart and the quietest part of my soul. 

I'm saving Down to You gushing and confetti-throwing for a later post.  It has earned its own spot and thank-you shout-out:)

I love y'all.  And I'm more grateful than you could ever, ever, EVER imagine!  I hope you have an amazing day!!

Down to You playlist- where the songs fit

Okay, so I wanted to give you an idea of where each song fits in the book, just in case you don't already know. I'll be vague in some places so as not to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it or isn't finished yet.  I hope you can see it in your head like I can--the song playing along with the scenes.  I didn't want the post to be enormous, so it doesn't include all the songs from the list.  For the complete playlist or if you want to listen as you read, I'm embedding the Spotify playlist on my sidebar;)  I hope you enjoy it! 
Nickelback, Figured You Out, is the song that's playing when Olivia strips Cash's shirt off when they first meet.  Yowza!


Def Leppard, Pour Some Sugar on Me, is playing when Olivia "auditions" at the club.  *shivers*




Jessie James, Wanted, is playing when Taryn does her dance on the bar.




Flo Rida, Whistle, is playing just before Olivia has to make her version of a margarita.  I had to include some Flo Rida after the whole Wild Ones thing;) 





Whitesnake, Still of the Night, is playing during when Olivia gets the night visitor.  There's a part in it that's just instrumental. Listen to the tempo and let that scene play through your head.  Holy.  Moly.


Lumineers, Ho Hey, is playing when Cash performs his "deassholization" services;)

Ne-Yo, Let Me Love You, is playing in the shower.  You know which one I mean;)


Gavin DeGraw, In Love with a Girl, is playing when "they" are separated.



Rihanna, Rehab, is playing for Olivia when they're separated.  She wants to let go. She knows she should.  But she can't. 


And then, finally, you know when he's "home" and this is playing softly in the background.  *sigh*
I hope it helps you enjoy looking back on the scenes.  Music has such a huge influence on my mood and the way my scenes play out in my head. I hope you can feel it, too;)
Thank you all so much for reading and for loving Olivia and her men.  I'm more grateful than you'll ever know!!

Unlikely Allies by Tiffany King Tour Stop

Today, I have the awesome Tiffany King stopping by as she tours her new book, Unlikely Allies.  She's brought with her an excerpt of the book, but first let me show you the cover and the tell you a little about it. 


Eighteen-year-old Kimberly gets the shock of her life when she learns the father she thought was dead is not only very much alive, but never even knew she existed. Angry with her mother for lying all these years, Kimberly flies to Colorado to meet the father she knows nothing about before heading off to college in the fall.

Her father’s world turns out to be nothing like she expected. Rather than the typical nine to five lifestyle, Kimberly’s father runs a summer foster camp that teaches young children skills to build their confidence and self-esteem. The Colorado Rocky Mountains are a different world than the sunny shores of California, taking Kimberly completely out of her element, and causing her to second-guess her spur of the moment decision.

Never being one to quit anything, Kimberly is determined to show her father that a surfer girl can fit into this rugged mountain wilderness. That is if she can deal with Mason, an arrogant nineteen-year-old guy who has made it his mission to point out every mistake she has made since her arrival. While she would love nothing more than to rub it in his know-it-all face, Kimberly can’t deny the feelings he stirs up inside her, or the chemistry between them, even during their verbal assaults.

When a tragic accident leaves them stranded in the mountains, Kimberly must use her shaky skills to save Mason and survive the elements. Suddenly, fighting is the last thing on their minds as they must rely on each other if they want to live. In their struggle for survival, they realize what they thought they knew about each other isn’t true after all.
Sounds awesome, right?

Now for the excerpt!

Mason continued to rub my back as I slowly fell asleep. My dreams intertwined with reality as I dreamt that his hands explored more than my back. I began to respond to his touch in the dream and yearned for it to never stop as my body shifted closer to him. I woke when Mason's hand stopped moving as he shifted slightly. Waking fully, I was mortified to see that I had hiked my leg up onto his good one and was pressing intimately close to him. Not daring to move, I hoped against hope that he was asleep and had missed my lap dance.

"Kimberly?" he said questioningly.

Damn, he wasn't sleeping and he had caught my whole wanton act.

Also, OMG!  Tiffany is giving away a Kindle paper white and an ecopy of Unlikely Allies.  Eeeeep! Click here to enter.

More about Olivia

Okay, so many of you know I actually visited a sheep farm in order to research Olivia's childhood and the place she and Cash go to visit on that *ahem*  great weekend.  This is some of the scenery they would've seen while out running around on that 4-wheeler. 

*pauses*

*daydreams*

*snaps out of it*

Okay, I'm back.  Sorry about that.  Phew;)

Anyway, as promised, today I'm posting some pictures that might help you visualize some things that are mentioned.  Enjoy!!

 This is what Olivia grew up looking at.  You can see Pedro, the llama, in the background.
 This is Solomon, her Pyrenees  
 This pond might make a cameo in the next book *wink wink*

 This is Pedro the llama.  Some sheep might come into the woods by themselves to have their young
 And this might be the hilltop on which Cash and Olivia were parked with the 4-wheeler
Y'all, I had a blast touring this farm! It was awesome!  I hope you think it's kinda cool to see what Olivia's background is like.  You'll learn more in the next book.  She's just a country girl that grew up surrounded by natural beauty.  What she doesn't yet know is that she carries that beauty within her.  It's a part of who she is.  But one day, with the right guy's help, she'll see it. 

I can't wait to write the next book!  Squeeeeeeeeeeeee

Have a great day, y'all!!

Down to You Trailer, Playlist and Excerpt #5

I am so thrilled and so honored for the lovely and talented Rosette (from those fantastic Literati Literature Lovers) to have done a trailer for a second book of mine!  OMG!  I just can't say how freakin' awesome she is.  Why don't I just show you instead?  Check out her trailer for Down to You:



To find Rosette, click here

Also, you can listen to the entire Down to You playlist on YouTube here

I'm uploading this afternoon, y'all, so that it has plenty of time to post before tomorrow morning.  Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I'm so excited!  I'll post links the instant it goes live. Unless, of course, it's 3 am.  Hopefully I'll be asleep at that point, but if tonight is anything like last night, I'll still be sitting RIGHT HERE:P

Have a fantastic Saturday!  I'll leave you with this one last excerpt of Down to You.  This is Olivia...remembering...

Excerpt 5:

My first thought upon waking is of Cash.  Licking my stomach.  Tonguing my navel.  And then looking so hard into my eyes. 
God, I could’ve devoured him right then and there!
Damn the bad boys! 
I blame everything on my inherent weakness for them, because my head tells me I should be looking for someone much more suitable.  Someone like Nash. 
Nash.
In my head, I even sigh over his name.  He’s every bit as delicious as his brother.  Obviously.  They’re twins.  And even though he’s got less of the edge that seems to draw me in like a bee to honey, he’s got so many other things I love.

REMEMBER!  Down to You is an ADULT Contemporary Romance!  NOT suitable for younger readers!

Down to You- Excerpt 4- Cash...in a tank top

Okay, so Cash's tatoo covers the left side of his chest, but I can easily picture him as looking like this in the following scene.  Let me know what you think of my...visual;)

Olivia is waiting for him in his club and he scares her.

Excerpt 4:

“Holy mother of hell!” I say, grabbing my chest to still my racing heart.
He laughs.  “With a mouth like that, you’ll fit right in here.”
If I weren’t so surprised, I’d probably take exception to that comment.  Instead, I laugh.“You bring out the worst in me.  What can I say?”
Cash is wearing a black tank top that perfectly showcases his muscular arms and the interesting tattoo that adorns the left side of his chest.  I try not to think of him as mouthwatering, but that’s the word that keeps going through my head.
Dammit!
He puts his elbows on the bar and leans in closer to me.  “That’s because you haven’t given me the chance to bring out the best in you.”

Now, can you sort of picture this guy as Cash?



Now, if you want a little...steamier view of Nash, go check him out on The Autumn Review for an exclusive.

DOWN TO YOU, Sunday, September 23, 2012

Down to You- Excerpt 3- Nash

ANNOUNCEMENT: I am going to be finished with this book ahead of schedule and hope to release THIS WEEK!  Stay tuned for updates...

Meet Nash.  He and Olivia are having to go to an event together and he's been trying to put her at ease, telling her not to be concerned with what she's wearing.  This is playful Nash.  You can see a...steamier side of him tomorrow on The Autumn Review's blog.  *winks*  Enjoy!

Excerpt 3:

Her grin fully forms and she releases my wrist to salute me.  “Sir, yes sir.”
I love how playful she is.  Such a nice change from Marissa, who’s always…well…who’s just not.
“Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about,” I say with a nod.  “A woman who knows her place is beneath me.  Oh, wait.  That didn’t sound right,” I tease.
She laughs.  “I’m beneath no man!” she replies harshly.  Then, with a mischievous quirk to her mouth, she adds, “At least not without dinner and a drink first.”
“Ohhhh, so that’s how it’s gonna be!  Because  there’s a McDonald’s right across the street.”
I offer her my arm and she curls her fingers around the inside of my elbow.  I know it’s ridiculous and juvenile, but I flex my bicep hoping she notices. 
“Is that all it takes to get you to, ahem, come to attention?” she asks, suggestively sliding her eyes over me.
“I’m a twenty-five year old completing an internship at one of the most influential law firms in all of Atlanta.  McDonald’s would never do it for me.” I stop at the door and open it, gesturing for her to precede me.  “But now a look like the one you just gave me…”
 Her cheeks turn a delicate pink and she drops her eyes shyly.  It makes me want to tear that dress off her with my teeth. 
“Colonel, just what is it you’re insinuating?” 
“Colonel?  A salute like that and all I get is a Colonel?”
“I don’t know.  Have you earned enough stripes to be a General?”
We stroll leisurely to my car.  “Depends on how you think someone earns their stripes.”  Two little dimples pop out on either side of her mouth where she’s trying to control her smile. 
“Oh, I guess the same way most guys earn their stripes,” she says, swinging the red purse attached to her wrist, trying to act nonchalant. 
“Baby, if that’s your definition, I’d be a four-star General.”


DOWN TO YOU, an Adult Contemporary Romance, Coming September 23, 2012

Of Blood and Bone by Courtney Cole

All right, y'all.  The uber talented Courtney Cole has just released her new book.  It's dark and sexy and taboo and it's a fantastic Adult Contemporary read.  It's not horror, so don't be fooled by the title.  Click to read my review on Amazon.

Please stay tuned at the bottom to read the teaser. When you do, you'll know instantly why you have to read this book.

Okay, so without further ado, here it is!  Of Blood and Bone.


Love is dangerous…

“I’m a monster, Eva.  There is no saving a monster.  But I love that you want to try.”
My heart constricts at the expression on his face.  He has no hope for himself, so I have to hope for him.
“You’re not a monster,” I argue softly. “You’re a man, Luca.  A man like any other, you’re made of blood and bone.”



As a little boy, Luca Minaldi was told he was a monster.
As an adult, he knows it is true. 

He lives in Malta, a fairytale-like place filled with sunshine and sea, beauty and secrets.  And Luca’s darkest of secrets is the best kept of them all.

Eva Talbot is spending the summer in Malta to finish up her doctoral dissertation.  When she meets Luca, a mysterious and handsome shipping tycoon, there is an instant attraction, a disturbing and beautiful energy that she has never felt before.  But she senses the darkness that lives within him.

Eva is hired to care for his mother, who suffers from dementia, but it is Luca who Eva will eventually risk everything to save.  Her life becomes a swirling chaos of darkness and romance, of secrets and mystery.  And the question that emerges will become the most important answer of all.

Can she save Luca from the darkness that plagues him without losing herself?

The answer is a matter of life or death.


And here's a teaser:
Luca is gone.  I know it before I open my eyes.  The weight of his body next to me is absent, the scent of him gone from the air.  I sigh, reluctant to begin this day because I know what it holds for me.  I know that if Luca is truly gone, I will spend every hour frantically searching for him.Gazing around, I find my large suite empty.  Everything is neat and tidy and exactly in place. Each lavish piece of furniture is polished with lemon oil, each extravagant painting on the wall carefully dusted.  Each expensive vase, each crystal lamp, each woven rug is perfectly aligned and exactly how I left it.  Something is different, though, somehow changed in this room that I fell asleep in last night.My sleepy eyes do another quick sweep, and this time I notice the balcony doors standing wide open while the bright morning sun streams onto the mahogany floor and the white sheer curtains on either side flutter in the sea breeze.  This is the difference and it slams into me like a concrete wall.  I didn’t fall asleep with those doors open. I would never do that now, not since I know what dangers lurk in the world, the darkness that can find me. Immediately after I notice this inconsistency, I also see that across the room, my bedroom door is tightly closed and the bolt is still slid firmly in place. Just as I left it last night.My heart stutters as I realize what this means.  While I slept, Luca must have climbed from my balcony ledge to escape.  But the drop is well over thirty feet and there are sharp rocks at the base of the house.  There are gardens directly behind, but beyond that, there is a cliff with a hundred foot drop to the sea below.   I leap naked from bed and rush to the balcony’s edge.  My bare breasts press against the cold railing as I peer down at both the gardens and what I can see of the pristine sand beyond that.  Luca is not lying broken and bleeding there, so I try to still my racing heart.  I search the beaches and craggy landscape on both sides of my periphery and I still do not see him. He somehow survived the fall. A hundred different things run through my mind, but the one that stands out in the forefront is the image, the possibility, that he managed to drag himself, broken and bleeding, to a different location, somewhere where he is even now waiting for me to help him.  Because I promised.  I promised him that I would help him, that I would keep him from the darkness that plagues him, that I would heal him.  That I would save him. I swallow hard and as I do, I realize that my throat is tender from Luca’s hands last night. I know that if I look into a mirror, there will be a bruise in the perfect formation of his long fingers around my neck.  As I softly touch it, I remember his face from the night before.  It was shadowed in the moonlight and like always, he was beautiful.  Luca is handsome in a very classic and beautiful way, dark hair and cut cheekbones.  His bangs are long and almost hide his magnificent dark eyes until he shakes his hair away.  And when he does, the sadness that dwells there is apparent to anyone who knows him. But last night, I didn’t need to look into his eyes to see that his darkness had returned.  I knew it from the moment he stepped into my room. I can always see it.  It changes everything about him, even the way he walks and moves.  The way he stands.  The way he speaks.  The way he feels.  He is an entirely different person when the darkness comes.  These are the moments that he dreads with every breath when he is himself; the moments when he is no longer Luca.  In these moments, he is filled with thoughts that are no longer his own.  He cannot help it, he cannot control it, he cannot stop it. But I promised him that I would. And I have failed him. I scramble to my wardrobe and pull on clothing, choosing a shirt with a collar, hoping to somewhat hide the bruise on my neck.  The only other people here at Chessarae are servants, except for Luca’s mother in her lonely wing.  But she is locked in so she never comes into the main part of the house.  No one will see me but the staff.  And they are used to seeing strange things. I rush through the house, through the extravagant corridors and over the marble floors, the rich and polished surroundings that I would never have dreamed I would find myself in.  I don’t notice it now though.  It has faded into an insignificant corner of my mind.  All that matters now is Luca.  I make my way out the back of the house, through the gardens, through the English maze that is perfectly manicured and challenging to maneuver.  I manage it with ease, however.  I memorized its twists and turns on a happier day. The weather is stormy today and the normally cheerful and bright Maltese sky is gray and thunderous. I can feel the electricity in the air, snapping the ends of my long hair with static.  This day looks as foreboding as I feel, which I hope is not a sign.I search through the maze.  I search the beaches as my feet sink into the cool sand.  I search the gardens with their exotic and sweet-smelling blooms and then I search the garage.  His car, a shiny black Jaguar, is still in its slot and its hood is cool to the touch.  Luca has not driven it today.  I search the front lawns and the back.  And just when I begin to panic, to fear that he has not returned to Chessarae after all, I search the stables. As I walk through the heavy wooden doors, the smells of the horses and the hay and the saddle-soap and leather assail my nose and I breathe them in.  I’ve always loved this place.  It is peaceful here.  And I suddenly know, because I can feel it, that Luca is here.  I walk quietly down the main corridor, staring into each stall as I pass. And finally, finally, when I come to the very last stall on the left, Luca is there and my breath hitches in my chest, freezing on my lips.Luca is slumped on the ground, in the corner, his expression desolate. He is beautiful even here, even in this condition, and I cannot help but stare down at him as tears fill my eyes.    He is dirty and his clothing is torn.  There are smears of blood on his shirt, dried now to a rusty dark brown.  I swallow hard, trying not to imagine where the blood has come from.  Luca’s face is tortured as he stares up at me, his head in his hands.  There is blood on his fingers.  “It happened again.” His words are low and husky and rough, yet elegant at the same time.  He is always refined, always perfect, always Luca.  His self-loathe is apparent and it breaks my heart.  I nod mutely because there are no words for this moment.  I bend to help him to his feet.  At 6’3”, he towers above me.  He is slender and strong and masculine.  He is lithe and powerful, beautiful and graceful. And sometimes, on his very darkest days, he is a depraved killer. But I have gotten ahead of myself.  I should begin at the beginning.  If I don’t, you will never understand. 

Click here to purchase Of Blood and Bone on Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Down to You- Cover Reveal & Excerpt 2- Cash

Down to You
The scorching tale of one girl, two brothers and a love triangle…that’s not.
Olivia Townsend is nothing special.  She’s just a girl working her way through college so she can return home to help her father run his business.  She’s determined not to be the second woman in his life to abandon him, even if it means putting her own life on hold. To Olivia, it’s clear what she must do. Plain and simple.  Black and white.
But clear becomes complicated when she meets Cash and Nash Davenport.  They’re brothers.  Twins.Cash is everything she’s always wanted in a guy.  He’s a dangerous, sexy bad boy who wants her in his bed at any cost.  He turns her insides to mush and, with just one kiss, makes her forget why he’s no good for her.
Nash is everything she’s ever needed in a guy.  He’s successful, responsible and intensely passionate.  But he’s taken.  Very taken, by none other than Marissa, Liv’s rich, beautiful cousin.  That doesn’t stop Olivia from melting every time he looks at her, though.  With just one touch, he makes her forget why they can never be together.
Black and white turns to shades of gray when Olivia discovers the boys are hiding something, something that should make her run as far and as fast as she can.  But it’s too late to run.  Olivia’s already involved.  And in love.  With both of them.
Both brothers make her heart tremble.  Both brothers set her body on fire. 
She wants them both.
And they want her.
How will she ever choose between them?


COMING: OCTOBER 2, 2012

Excerpt #2:  Meet Cash (Cash's POV)

Damn, she’s beautiful!
Between this girl’s black hair, her bright probably-green eyes, her banging little body and the way she seems a tiny bit shy, I’m wishing we were alone in this room together.
Her smile doesn’t leave her lips as she runs her hands around my waist, untucking my shirt.  When it’s free, she starts to pull it up.
But then she pauses.  For a split second, I see her hesitate.  She’s trying not to show that she’s unsure of herself, of what she’s doing.
I stare down into those liquid eyes.  I don’t want her to stop.  I want to feel her hands on my skin.  So I taunt her, hoping to feed the feline that I’d be willing to bet is buried somewhere down deep. 
“Oh, come on.  Is that all you got?” I whisper.
Her eyes bore into mine and I hold my breath, waiting to see which side will win.  In fascination, I watch as the balance of power shifts and the change is reflected in her eyes.  They get a little brighter, a little feistier.  I’ve never actually seen someone muster courage.  Determination.  Something in this girl refuses to give in, to back down.  She’s rising to the challenge.  And it’s hot as hell. 
She keeps her eyes on mine as she starts to pull up my shirt.  She leans in closer and I get a whiff of her perfume.  It’s sweet and a little musky.  Sexy.  Just like her.
She has to plaster her body to mine and stretch up on her tiptoes to get my shirt over my head.  I can feel her breasts pushing against my chest.  I could make the task easier for her.  But I don’t.  I like the feel of her rubbing against me.  There’s no way I’m ruining that.
Once she has my shirt off, she backs up and looks me over. She’s shy about it.  That much is obvious.  It’s like she wants to look, but she’s a little embarrassed to, which actually makes it more of a turn on for some reason.  I’m sure every other eye in the room is watching me, watching us, but hers are the only ones I can feel.  They’re like tongues of fire, licking my skin.  They’re searing and tangible.  Or at least they feel that way to me.
I take a deep breath and her eyes drop to my stomach.  Then they flicker down a little further.  She stares longer than she should, but not nearly as long as I want her to.  I start to get hard. 
Her eyes widen and her lips fall open just enough for her tongue to sneak out and wet them.  I have to grit my teeth to keep from pulling her to me and kissing that lush little mouth of hers.
Then light pours into the room. It’s just enough to break the spell.

Down to You- Excerpt 1- Olivia

Meet Olivia.  She's just been wrangled into doing something she's way too shy for, yet feels compelled to do anyway--strip a stripper.

Excerpt 1:

Taking a deep breath, I stand and turn toward the Hot Stripper Guy, purposely jacking my chin up another notch.  He’s still watching me with those smoky coal eyes. 
When I take a step toward him, he very slowly raises one eyebrow.  
Heat washes through me.
Must be those dangerous drinks, I think.  It has to be. 
I feel flushed and a little breathless, but I take another step anyway. 
Hot Stripper Guy takes a step away from Ginger and turns to face me fully.  He crosses his arms over his chest and waits, that one brow still raised in curiosity.  He’s not going to make it easy.  He’s leaving it all up to me, just like Ginger asked them to do. 
As if on cue, the music that’s been pumping into the room all night gets louder.  It’s a sexy song, heavy on the bass.  It’s mood music for sure.  It seems to punctuate every intense beat of my heart as I get closer and closer to those velvety eyes.  
When I stop in front of him, I have to look up.  My five and a half feet of height is nearly a foot shorter than his towering frame. 
Up close, I see that his eyes are brown.  Dark, dark brown.  Nearly black.
Sinful.
I’m lost in wondering why that particular word would come to mind when the girls start chanting for me to take his shirt off.  Uncertainly, I glance at their excited faces then back to him.  Slowly, he spreads his arms, holding them out to his sides, away from his body. 
One corner of his mouth twitches.  His expression, his body language is rife with challenge. 
I realize he doesn’t think I’ll do it.  No one probably does.
And that’s exactly why I will.
Letting the beat of the music relax my tense muscles, I plaster on a smile as I reach forward to tug Hot Stripper Guy’s shirt from the waistband of his pants.


DOWN TO YOU, Coming October 2, 2012