Mari Carr's Blog, page 62

March Madness – Week 1

This month, I’m participating in a March Madness Hop! There are lots of awesome authors participating and some really amazing prizes so I hope you will hit the court with us for some “ball-handling” and “slam dunks”–pun intended! LOL. Click on the banner above and it will take you to the blog homepage.

The contest runs from now until the end of March, so I thought it would be fun to fill in my own little 2013 bracket. Here’s the game…each Tuesday (March 5, 12, 19 and 26), I will pit two of my 2013 releases against each other, sharing blurbs, covers and excerpts. All you have to do is choose YOUR winner…select the book you think sounds the best based on what I’ve provided. If you’ve read the books and want to vote that way…that’s cool too. I will choose a winner from each week’s commenters at random and that person will win their choice of book from my backlist (print or ebook). That’s right! One prize a week. Four winners this month!

So…without further ado…here are this week’s contestants…

Contestant 1 – Elemental Pleasure

Trinity Masters, book one

There is passion and power in three…

When Carly Kenan joined the secretive Trinity Masters in college, she knew that she’d have to pay. That day has come. Returning to Boston, Carly meets former Marine Lance Glassco, a mathematician for DARPA, and Preston Kim, a celebrated chemist. Though on the surface they have nothing in common, it’s clear the Grand Master thinks that together the three of them can do something amazing. And that’s why he’s declared that Carly, Lance and Preston must unite. In a ménage.

Tempers flare as they struggle to understand each other, but their physical attraction is explosive, and the sex leaves all of them begging for more. Pushed beyond her limits, Carly runs from Lance and Preston. What she doesn’t understand is that she now belongs to them, body and soul…and they belong to her. When Lance uncovers a dangerous crime at Preston’s company, Carly is caught in the crossfire and the struggling lovers are forced to move beyond desire…to trust.

The Trinity Masters have the power to make careers and change lives, but there’s a price. Members know that the day will come when the Grand Master will select them, and pair them with two others. For the Trinity Masters the strongest bond isn’t a pair, but a threesome.

Elemental Pleasure is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Smashwords.

Excerpt:

Chapter One

She’d made a deal with the Devil, and now the Devil had called to collect.

Carly Kenan pulled her scarf up around her neck. At home in California, it was a sunny seventy degrees, but in Boston, early March still meant winter. The wind whipped down Boylston Street as she stood outside the imposing Boston Public Library.

Carly rubbed her cheek against the baby soft cashmere of her scarf. It cost more than her parents had made in a month when she was growing up. Those days were long gone, thanks to a deal she’d made nearly ten years ago. With her dark hair pulled up in an elegant chignon, a black wool coat, cream scarf and knee-high black boots, she looked exactly like what she was: a beautiful, successful woman.

Had it been worth it? Her success had surpassed even her wildest dreams, but it had come at a price. Now it was time to pay up. She wouldn’t know if it had been worth it until she walked inside.

The city moved around her, everyone with somewhere to go, something to do. Another minute ticked by, but Carly couldn’t bring herself to mount the steps and face the consequences of her achievements. Someone bumped her, forcing her forward a step, and she hitched her designer bag higher. The man who bumped her, chatting away on his phone, turned to glare. When he caught sight of her, he stopped mid-word, managed a smile, then slunk away.

She mounted the steps. It was something she’d done a hundred times before while a student at Harvard. A computer science major, the public library had always been a chance for her to get away from her electronics, and to honor the lineage of the scholars and inventors who had been trailblazers to the world she knew.

And in her junior year, the library had started to play a new, secret role in her life.

The grand hallway with its arched, illustrated roof was bustling with people, though the noise was muted. It was the hush of a library. The heels of her boots clicked against the stone floor as she made her way to the elevator. She rode it to the top level where there were fewer people. By the time she reached the rare book room, she was alone in the quiet hallway that smelled of books and secrets. There was a keypad on the door. She paused, realizing the Grand Master’s instructions hadn’t included a code. Surely it wasn’t the same one the society had used when she was in college.

Pulling off her leather glove, she folded and tucked it into her pocket. As she reached out, she noticed her fingers were trembling. She curled her hand into a fist, willed herself to be calm, then pressed the numbers.

333

There was a click as the door unlocked. Carly turned the handle and let herself in, careful to close the door behind her. The code was the same. She wondered what else would be unchanged.

The rare book room was small, with each rack dedicated to a subject. There were a few tables, each with a box of cotton gloves placed precisely in the center, so the rare books could be handled without picking up corrosive oils. Behind a section containing maps and diaries said to belong to members of the semi-secret Masonic Temple was a section of wall with a triangle inscribed into the plaster. She touched her scarf, which hid the chain she wore with the same symbol hanging from it. Below the triangle were three words. “Mitimur in Vetitum.”

“We strive for the forbidden,” she whispered, tracing the words.

Her stomach clenched. She was terrified of what she’d find beyond that door, of what she’d discover in the temple of the Trinity Masters.

With their help, Carly’s company was now one of the fastest growing in the industry, and at only thirty-two, she was well on the way to becoming very, very wealthy.

Taking a deep breath, she placed both hands on the triangle relief and pushed. A section of wall popped in and then slid to the side, disappearing into a pocket. She passed through and waited in the darkness on the other side as it shut, sealing her inside.

Once the door was fully closed, the lights clicked on.

The small foyer was exactly as she remembered. The room was small enough to be mistaken for a closet if anyone who was not a member found their way in. The walls were paneled wood, the floor covered with the same carpet as the outer room. An empty book cart took up a third of the space. Turning to her right, she examined the panels. Numbers were etched into the wood, seemingly at random.

The Grand Master’s instructions said she was to open box thirty-one. Pressing her finger against the number, she felt a click. When she pulled her hand back, a small tray popped out of the wall. Reaching in, she retrieved a key and a piece of paper.

You’ll find garments in Room C. Right hand corridor.

Wait until you hear the bell.

-Grand Master

The note was written by hand. Carly shivered a little. The Grand Master was the head of the Trinity Masters and a man of unspeakable power and influence. No one knew who he was, though there were plenty of rumors. At the Trinity Masters annual gatherings, meetings hidden inside library benefit galas, Carly had done her share of gossiping about who he might be.

Now she wasn’t curious, she was afraid.

Note and key in hand, she moved the cart out of the way and—with another push—opened the door hidden in the back wall. It revealed a narrow elevator. When she pressed the button, the door opened and Carly stepped in. She took a moment to gather herself as the small elevator took her down to the sub-basement. When it stopped and the door slid to the side, she bit the inside of her cheek to center herself.

A long marble hallway stretched out in front of her. Columns supported the double-high arched ceiling, which was a smaller replica of the grand hallway above. Her footsteps rang as she made her way along the hall, the sound bouncing off the walls to echo down to the grand double doors at the far end. There were no books here to muffle the sound. At the midway point, there were openings in the walls, one to the right, another to the left. She’d been down the left hallway before. There were changing rooms there, elegant as the locker rooms in a fancy spa. For ceremonies, all members wore robes to protect their identities, and those with the most need for secrecy had private dressing rooms.

As she turned right, she wondered if that was where she was going—to a private dressing room. Now that she had been called to the altar by the Grand Master, she supposed she’d earned a private dressing room.

After all, she was about to meet her husbands.

Or maybe it would be husband and wife.

Her hands shook, and it took her a few tries to get the key into the lock on Room C. Once in, she found a small, but well-appointed room. A white robe waited on a hook. Normally they wore gray.

Setting her purse on the vanity, she touched the robe. “It’s like a wedding dress,” she whispered to herself.

It would be the only wedding dress she’d ever wear.

In exchange for the Trinity Masters’ help, she’d given up her future, specifically her choice of whom she would marry.

Throughout history, the world had been secretly controlled by relationships that defied societal standards. Some of those relationships had come to light, the most famous of which had been Vice-Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson, who’d been in a relationship with Lady Emma Hamilton and Sir William Hamilton. The gossip papers of the nineteenth century had called it an affair between Lady Emma and Lord Nelson, but it had been so much more. The three-way union between them had helped end the Napoleonic Wars, and both Emma and William had mourned Lord Nelson after his death.

The Trinity Masters believed that when three people were united, it created a bond far stronger than the pedestrian two-person marriage, and that these triads—if made between those with power and intellect—had the capability to change the world.

Carly slid out of her clothes, leaving on the corset-bra, panties and garter set she’d bought especially for today. She closed her eyes, trying to still her nerves.

She’d joined the Trinity Masters at nineteen, when the idea of some crazy secret ménage marriage had seemed exciting, elicit. In her twenties, she’d enjoyed herself, knowing there was no need for her to worry about falling in love or getting married. By the time she was twenty-eight and her friends were married, some expecting children, she finally understood what she’d really given up in her quest for success.

However, the consequences of crossing the Trinity Masters were too dire to contemplate, and so here she was, waiting to meet the people she’d share the rest of her life with. That thought sent another shard of panic through her before she beat it down.

She checked her hair and makeup in the mirror, then raised the hood and tugged the chain out from under the robe so it lay on her chest in plain sight, the triangle glinting in the low light. Carly had never shirked from a challenge…or a commitment. She wouldn’t begin now.

Taking a seat on a velvet chair, she breathed deeply, trying to calm herself.

A bell rang, the deep sound vibrating through her. She looked up as a door in the wall opposite where she sat opened.

Rising to her feet, Carly threw back her shoulders, lifted her head and walked through.

VERSUS

Contestant 2 – Misplaced Lessons

Foreign Affairs, Book Three

Fantasizing about forced sex with a stranger is one thing—waking up to find a scruffy man binding you to a bed is quite another. Amy fights him, until she realizes her friend Harper must have set up the sexy scenario. They’ve swapped lives, with Harper flying to Australia and lending her Chicago home to Amy. While she’s surprised Harper would go to such lengths to help her fulfill a fantasy, Amy figures…why not?

After days of nonstop travel, Andrew arrives at the home he shares with his sister, Harper, with sleep on his mind—until he finds a naked intruder sleeping in his bed. Subduing and binding the beauty, he assumes she’s the blind date his pal Mike had tried to set him up with. But would Mike actually sneak the woman into Andrew’s house? Seems so. And he’s not one to turn down such a gift.

By the time each has learned the other’s true identity, Amy and Andrew have shared the most intense sexual experience of their lives. And they certainly don’t want to stop now.

Misplaced Lessons is available at Ellora’s Cave, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Excerpt:

“I’m not going to hurt you.” His words sounded ridiculous even to himself. He’d gagged her and was now straddling her naked body, holding her legs to the mattress with his own after tying her to the bed. Regardless of who she was or why she was there, she’d be insane not to be afraid of his intentions.

She twisted her head, trying to dislodge the shirt from her mouth.

“If I take it out, do you promise not to scream?”

She blinked rapidly then nodded her assent.

He pulled the material away, ready to replace it if she broke her vow.

“Untie me.”

“No.” Andrew reached up to touch his tender cheek, his fingers finding the raised welts she’d put there with her long nails. “Who are you?”

Her breathing was labored, coming in hard pants after their fight. Even so, her gaze hardened and he knew she wouldn’t talk.

Something inside him cracked. He’d been traveling for days, stealing only a couple hours sleep here and there. This woman had broken into his house. She had some nerve acting like he was the villain. By God, he’d make her talk.

“I’ll give you one more chance to answer my question. Tell me who you are or you won’t like the consequences.”

She stilled beneath him, her intelligent gaze sizing him up. He should climb off the bed and call the cops. If he was in his right mind, that’s exactly what he’d do. Having her arrested would certainly be the kinder response. As it was, he wasn’t in the mood to be merciful.

Instead of answering, she threw his question back at him. “Who are you?”

“None of your business. Give me your name. Now.”

She bit her lip nervously. “I’m Amy.”

Amy? Mike’s Amy?

Andrew leaned back on his haunches, his mind whirling. Had Mike set this up? Past experience had obviously convinced his friend he’d never consent to a blind date. But would Mike actually go so far as to throw this woman into his bed?

Andrew knew the answer. It was more than possible. It was actually quite probable. Mike had the extra key to the house. He knew Harper was away and Andrew was back in town.

Andrew recalled a lifetime of little surprises his best friend had tossed his way. The high-class call girl who’d shown up at his door on his twenty-fifth birthday. The so-called conference that had really turned out to be an impromptu weekend trip to Vegas, complete with nonstop gambling and a private show with five of the hottest strippers Andrew had ever seen. Or this past year when Mike had managed to score tickets to the Super Bowl, but told Andrew they were headed to Indianapolis for his cousin’s bachelor party. He’d let Andrew bitch for three hours in the car about missing the big game, only letting him in on the surprise when they’d reached the entrance to the stadium.

Mike was the master of the unexpected, so it wasn’t farfetched that his friend would go to this extreme in a hookup. It would also explain his friend’s easy capitulation when he refused to go on a date with the woman earlier. Mike didn’t push the issue because he knew Amy was already here.

He grinned as his annoyance lifted. Amy was beautiful and feisty, with a hot accent. Australian, if he wasn’t mistaken, though he’d need to hear her say more before he could be sure. His best friend knew he was a sucker for a girl with an accent. For the second time in one night, it looked like Mike was going to be able to say, “I told you so.”

And since Mike had gone to so much trouble, far be it from Andrew to look a gift horse in the mouth.

SO…place your bets in the comments section. Simply say contestant 1 or contestant 2. If you want to explain your vote, that’s fun too. I will announce this week’s winner on March 12, along with the next contestants. Let the games begin!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Quote of the Day

“Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.” – Mae West

From Lila…

In preparation for St. Patrick’s Day, Lila Dubois has a free read out!

 The Irish Lover, with a beautiful cover by Valerie Tibbs, is available for free!

She didn’t expect to find love when she went looking for her past.

Growing up in America, Mary Callahan knew very little about her parents, who were killed when she was a baby. Returning to her native Ireland, she hopes to discover more about them…and herself.

Michael Baker is home from Dublin for the weekend when he sees a gorgeous American peeking in the pub door. Something about her calls to him. They don’t realize that it may be more than chance that brings them together, and when instant attraction leads to a night of searing passion they will both have to confront their sudden and powerful feelings for one another.

A nighttime excursion brings them face to face with lovers whose tragic fate has kept them bound to Glenncailty as ghosts. Michael knows the danger the past poses, but cannot protect her from things that happened long ago. Mary must decide if she’s willing to risk her heart for a chance at love and a place to call home.

Get it for FREE here (ARe): https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theirishlover-1091756-149.html  and here (Smashwords): http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/288700

Amazon and BN have it for .99 because Lila fears they “hate me and/or are being difficult.” LOL

If you want to click the “Report lower price” button on Amazon for Lila, she would appreciate any and all help. She really wants to give this book away for free! http://www.amazon.com/Irish-Lover-Glenncailty-Castle-ebook/dp/B00BK2GRP4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362169943&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Irish+Lover

Five for Friday

This story seems appropriate for a Five for Friday. Anybody up for a little Happy Hour?

Chapter One

“Another pitcher,” Jamie Fisher called out to the waitress.

“And some wings,” Grace added.

Jamie laughed as Grace raised her glass and quickly finished off her beer to make room for a fresh cold one.

“Take it easy, Ms. Wright,” he teased. “We have all night if you need it.”

She grinned and nodded, hoping Jamie couldn’t see the flush she felt heating her cheeks as his all night comment sent her mind straight to the gutter. After such a long sexual dry spell, she had the feeling she’d definitely need all night, especially if it was with him. “Oh, I need it all right. I’ve been living for this happy hour all week. It’ll be a miracle if I make through exams without killing a senior.”

“Yep. Same thing every year. Seniors check out at the end of April and it’s hell trying to teach them anything until graduation,” Jamie agreed.

“At least you have some underclassmen classes to break up the insanity. I’ve spent eight hours a day for the last few weeks trying to teach literary theory to AP kids and I’m fairly certain I’d be doing as much good if I just stood in front of the classroom and beat my head against the whiteboard.” Grace taught six classes of advanced placement English to seniors, a futile task in May as their minds were already focused on the after-graduation party, senior beach week and college.

“Well, there’s your problem,” Trey Donovan chimed in. “I don’t even know what the hell literary theory is and you’re trying to teach it to a bunch of kids with senioritis.”

Grace rolled her eyes, mainly to keep from letting her gaze wander over Trey’s pecs. His firm muscles pushed their way through his tight gray T-shirt. Ever since they’d entered the bar, she’d been fighting back some serious arousal issues as she considered slipping her hands beneath the soft cotton and touching the firm muscles and chocolate-brown skin taunting her. She took a deep breath and cast the thought aside…again.

Trey and Jamie were both teachers in the physical education department at her school, and while she’d never considered them dumb jocks, they liked to play the part whenever she started talking about literature or writing, teasing her about her highbrow lessons and bragging about how they got to play games all day. Lately, her feelings of friendship toward them had been laced with more than a healthy bit of desire. She needed to stop reading spicy romance novels. They were clearly leaving her too horny—and planting some pretty wicked seeds in her psyche. She’d hit the library on Monday and check out a murder mystery—the bloodier, the better.

“Should I launch in to today’s lecture about existentialism?” Grace asked.

“Jesus,” Jamie said. “I can’t even spell that word. We’re in the tennis unit this week.” He raised his short sleeve polo and Grace tried to ignore the purely female part of her that wanted to melt as she was treated to a glimpse of his muscular arm. “Been getting paid while working on my tan.”

She laughed, fully aware of the fact Jamie was much brighter than he pretended to be around his male friends. They’d had more than a few discussions about books while alone and he had a very sharp mind. Of course, tonight wasn’t about intellect. It was about talking, laughing and unwinding over a few beers with friends. As she glanced around the table, she knew she was blessed.

Lucas, a fellow English teacher, and her best friend, Cheryl, the librarian, were also casting off the stress of work at happy hour. The group had been coming to Tully’s Bar for the occasional Friday afternoon decompression as long as Grace could remember. She had worked with most of the teachers around her for years, and they’d become much closer than mere colleagues to her. They’d seen her through one of the darkest periods of her life and she sometimes wondered how she’d gotten through the daily stress of teaching without them.

Cheryl leaned toward her with a mischievous grin. “Looks like the Cougar Club rides again.”

“Oh jeez,” Grace muttered.

Cheryl had given their little group the nickname last summer when they’d all gotten together to celebrate Grace’s fortieth birthday at Jamie’s house. When a discussion on age ensued, they’d learned Trey and Lucas were in their late twenties, a fact that delighted Cheryl so much she’d henceforth referred to them as The Cougar Club. The guys loved it. Grace, not so much.

Jamie laughed at Cheryl’s comment when Grace complained. “Do you have to call it that?” she asked. “You make me feel like a dirty old woman.”

Jamie winked at her and she tried to ignore the completely inappropriate Mrs. Robinson-like feelings his handsome face always provoked.

“I wouldn’t mind getting dirty with you.” He leaned closer as he spoke, running a finger along her arm seductively. Grace resisted the urge to glance down and make sure her suddenly tight nipples weren’t poking through her blouse. One touch and the man had her panting like a dog in heat.

They all laughed, but there were times when Grace wondered if there wasn’t some veiled invitation behind Jamie’s teasing comments. He joked about sex all the time with her. His playful words never offended her, but instead fanned the small flame he’d lit inside her. He made her feel young and attractive and desirable.

She dismissed the thought.

Wishful thinking.

Jamie wasn’t as young as the other guys in their group. She and Jamie had worked together for nearly eight years and they’d been close friends half that time. It seemed like lately she was seeing him more often. Not that that was surprising. She’d begun to instigate ways to run into him because she enjoyed his company more than she cared to admit. The past few months, she’d been suffering from this lingering sadness she knew was loneliness. It disappeared any time Jamie was with her, so she contrived ways to be around him. Still, at thirty-two, he was almost a decade younger than her forty. “Behave yourself, Mr. Fisher,” she teased, “or you’ll be singing alone tonight.”

“Jamie alone?” Cheryl asked. “Our resident Casanova?”

Jamie shook his head and threw up his hands. “I think you have me confused with Trey or Lucas here. Pretty sure they’re pictured in the dictionary under the term player, not me.”

“If the shoe fits,” Lucas joked.

Grace laughed. “Oh, it fits, hotshot. Hey, Trey. What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were going to a Jay-Z concert tonight.”

“Nope, the concert is tomorrow night,” Trey replied. He was sitting next to her and she could swear when they’d claimed their chairs earlier, his had been farther away. He was close enough now she could smell the faint scent of his cologne and his leg kept brushing against hers beneath the table.

She accidentally moved hers until her knee touched his thigh. She left it there. Trey looked at her and gave her a knowing grin. She returned it and suppressed a tiny giggle. She was flirting with him—pure and simple. She wasn’t sure why, but like everything with Trey, it was fun.

Jamie looked at Trey, then at her, his gaze curious. He moved closer to her, casually draping his arm along the back of her chair. In Grace’s sex-deprived mind, the gesture seemed charmingly possessive and hot.

She took a deep breath, resisting the urge to drag Jamie or Trey or both of them to the parking lot for some serious backseat fucking. Her hormones were out of control and she knew something was going to have to give…soon. Bottling up sexual desires for so long couldn’t be healthy.

Jamie picked up a strand of her hair and began looping it around his finger gently. “I dragged him out tonight because the bartender dumped him.”

“She didn’t dump me,” Trey replied. “It was a mutual decision. By the way, thanks for bringing it up, bro.”

Jamie laughed. “What are friends for?”

Grace could see Trey wasn’t really upset about the break-up and laughed at Trey’s “bringing it up” line. It was a Jamie and Trey standard. The two men constantly entertained the rest of them with stories of their adventures—in and out of the classroom. They were inseparable and lately she’d lie in bed each night playing out some pretty hardcore fantasies about the two of them taking her on a little adventure between the sheets.

“I’m sorry, Trey. I was starting to think she might be the one,” Grace said.

Cheryl rolled her eyes. “These guys wouldn’t know the one if she walked up and bit them in the ass.” Jamie grinned wickedly. “Believe me, if a woman bit my ass, I’d pay attention.”

Cheryl narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

“Now you’re in trouble,” Grace muttered, but Cheryl never paused, never missed a beat.

“Dammit, Jamie. At least Trey can sustain a respectable amount of time dating the same person.

Every time I see you out, you’re with a different woman. You’re not getting any younger, you know. What’s the fun of getting married and having babies if you’re too old to pick them up?”

“Whoa.” Jamie threw his hands up. “Don’t even mention the ‘b’ word to me. I work in a high school because the kids there are old enough to wipe their own asses. I was not made for little kids.”

Cheryl conceded that point and latched on to the first. “Don’t you ever think about getting hitched?”

Trey piped up, obviously enjoying the fact Jamie was now on the hot seat. “Yeah, Jamie. Don’t you want to settle down?”

Jamie narrowed his eyes at his best friend and then shrugged. “I guess I do.” He looked around the table and then grinned at Grace. “If you want the truth, I’ve just been biding my time with those other women until Grace comes to her senses and realizes how much she wants my hot bod.”

Grace rolled her eyes. He was a master at dodging subjects he didn’t want to discuss. “Such conceit,” she said. And such truth. She allowed herself the small pleasure of letting her gaze travel over his sexy physique.

“Now,” Jamie said, leaning closer to her, “about our duet…”

Jamie was a hopeless flirt, but she had to admit he was good for her ego. There wasn’t a single inch on his body that was hard to look at. Not that she’d seen much of his body anywhere besides her unprofessional fantasies.

The last few times they’d gotten together for happy hour, he’d dropped a quarter in the jukebox and managed to shanghai her into singing the Diana Ross part in “Endless Love” while their friends cracked up at his overdone Lionel Ritchie. To make it even funnier, they used their thumbs as microphones.

“I only sing while under the extreme effects of alcohol.”

“Even better,” he replied, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. “I’ll get you drunk and have my wicked way with you.”

“Good luck with that,” she teased.

He picked up the pitcher and topped up her mug. “Drink up.”

She swatted his hand away from her glass playfully while Cheryl laughed. “What’s Maddie up to tonight?”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? She went away for the weekend with Jessica’s family. They own a cabin on the lake. Sort of a last hurrah for the two of them before graduation.” Grace’s heart gave a painful lurch as it always did when she remembered her days with her daughter were numbered. Maddie would graduate from high school in one month. For weeks now, Grace had suffered from pre-empty nest syndrome. Her colleagues who’d already sent their children off to college had assured her it would only get worse before it got better. Some consolation. On top of that, there was a tiny part of her that was terrified about the prospect of being alone for the rest of her life.

“Good for her,” Cheryl said. “She’s worked hard this year. She deserves a little fun time.”

Grace nodded, acknowledging the truth behind her friend’s words. Maddie was a straight-A student, active in too many clubs to list as well as the pitcher for the Varsity Softball team.

“She’s a good kid,” Jamie added and Grace realized that over the past two years, her daughter had become less child and more friend. They’d always been close—fate and circumstance had pretty much assured that. Losing a husband and father had bound them together in ways no one should ever have to experience. Maddie had only been twelve when they’d lost their beloved Drew in a car accident. Since then, Grace had taken on the role of both mother and father, and now friend.

“She sure is. I’m lucky.”

Cheryl shook her head. “Nope, you’re a good mom. Luck had nothing to do with it.”

“Amen,” Jamie whispered low enough that Grace was certain she was the only one who’d heard. She gave him a grateful smile and thought for a moment he was blushing. “I’m going to go throw a few quarters in the jukebox.”

Grace nodded as he stood up. One of the best things about Tully’s was the old-fashioned jukebox. She wondered how much money their small group had thrown into the machine at these Friday afternoon get- togethers.

“You sure you don’t want a beer, Cheryl?” Trey offered.

“No way. I’m Grace’s DD tonight. She drove my drunken ass home last time and I still have the headache to prove it. Remember?”

“Hey, that was a special occasion,” Lucas said. “We won the state basketball championship. It was your God-given duty as a teacher at that school to get ripped.”

Cheryl shook her head. “Yeah, you suckered me in with your line of bull that night, hence the hangover. I’m too damn old to drink like that. I’m fine with my diet soda, thank you very much. Besides, Jeff is still teasing me about the way I acted that night. Gonna take years for the man to forget about it.”

“That sounds like your hubby,” Grace joked. “You really were funny that night. I had no idea you could dance like that.”

“Christ,” Cheryl muttered. “Don’t remind me.”

“Come on, Trey. We better make sure Jamie picks some decent dance music. Otherwise, we’ll be listening to fucking Jimmy Buffett all night,” Lucas said. He and Trey walked across the room to where Jamie was bent over the machine, making his selections.

Happy Hour is available at Samhain, Amazon, Fictionwise, Barnes and Noble, Sony and All Romance Ebooks.

Dragon of the Month

It’s that time of the month again. Everyone ready for some more DRAGONS!!! Bianca D’Arc is back with the next story in her Dragon Knights series, Keeper of the Flame!

A warrior, a maiden…and a passion that could set the whole world aflame.

Dragon Knights, Book 7

Despite the fact he is the largest of his half-dragon brothers and better suited to fighting, Hugh has been sent on an undercover mission. Forced to stay in human form, he must discover if the land of Helios is truly the Draconian ally it pretends, or something more sinister.

When he witnesses injustice in the form of a misshapen baby gryphon kicked out into the cold, he cannot remain in the shadows and watch the child suffer. All he can hope for is that his act of kindness will go unnoticed so his mission can continue.

But someone does notice. When Lera cautiously approaches Hugh, she is drawn to his strange, foreign magic. She is entranced by its irresistible allure—until assassins come calling and reveal her true identity.

She is Valeria, queen of Helios, Keeper of the Flame. And she has been betrayed. Together they must risk everything to uncover the traitors and reforge the alliance between their lands. Yet beneath their blazing passion, both are still keeping secrets. Secrets that the Sacred Flame will reveal—if their love survives its cleansing fire.

Product Warnings

When a dragon prince and a Flame Keeper come together, the conflagration is definitely too hot to handle!

Quote of the Day

“There is only one success–to be able to spend your life in your own way.” – Christopher Morley

Saturday Snippet

Woo Hoo! It’s Author’s Choice day and I’m in the mood to do a little shouting about my latest release, Winter’s Thaw. It’s the first book in my new series with Jayne Rylon called the Compass Girls. Yep…those Compass Boys grew up and had daughters!

Snippet:

Daniel lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. He refused to look at his clock again. At last check—no more than five minutes earlier—it had been midnight. He’d ticked off every hour since he’d crawled into bed at nine and he was still no closer to finding sleep.

Eventually, sheer exhaustion was going to have to win out. God knew he couldn’t keep going at this rate. It had been a week since he’d kissed Sienna in the stable. He would have tried to steal more than a few heated kisses from her, but Sienna pulled away when they’d heard someone enter the stable.

Daniel shuddered to think how close Seth had come to catching them. Even though they were standing a proper distance away from each other when Seth approached, he still sensed his boss was suspicious. For one thing, Sienna’s face had been flushed, her gaze roaming everywhere to avoid her father’s questioning stare. She may as well have stamped the word guilty on her forehead.

Since then, Seth had kept a very close eye on where he was and who he was with. Not that Seth had needed to be on his guard. Sienna was doing a good enough job staying away from him without her father’s interference. He hadn’t caught more than a glimpse of her when she came home from work each day. She’d stopped eating dinner with the family and even eschewed riding her beloved mare, Maria.

According to Doug, Sienna was depressed over Josh. Daniel knew that reaction was natural, but it didn’t stop him from wishing she’d open her eyes and see him as a suitable replacement.

“Screw that,” he muttered. He didn’t intend to replace Josh. He wanted to erase him from Sienna’s thoughts forever. He wasn’t sure when his intentions had changed, but somewhere along the way, he’d stopped hoping to just get into Sienna’s pants. Lately, he’d been thinking it might be nice to find a way into her life, but that didn’t seem possible.

For one thing, she’d just gotten out of a relationship. There was no way she was ready to hop right back into one. And secondly, he’d heard her conversation with Josh. They hadn’t broken up—not officially. They’d just taken a timeout. Daniel didn’t think Sienna would let the idiot come back, but, well, dammit, he wasn’t sure.

He released an annoyed breath and forced his eyes shut. He’d never fall asleep at this rate. He tried to clear his mind of Sienna Compton completely.

A knock sounded on his door.

“What the hell?”

He listened again, wondering if he’d imagined it or if it was the cold winter wind knocking a branch against the trailer.

Another knock. Someone was definitely outside.

He rose and slipped on a pair of sweatpants. Opening the door slowly, he was surprised to find Sienna, wrapped in a coat and shivering.

“Sienna? Get in here. It’s freezing out there.”

She quickly climbed the three stairs, passing him as he closed the door.

“Is something wrong?” He couldn’t imagine there was anything—short of bad news—that would bring her to his trailer at this time of night.

She shook her head. “N-no. Everything’s fine.”

“Okay. That’s good.”

She didn’t bother to explain more. Instead, she shrugged off her coat. Underneath she was dressed in a little slip of a nightgown. He hadn’t realized until that moment that her legs were bare. She’d walked all the way over here in a bit of silk and slippers. Obviously she was paying for the decision, given her uncontrollable shivering.

“Jesus, Sienna. What the hell are you wearing? Or not wearing? You’ll be lucky if you don’t get frostbite.”

She rubbed her hands together, blowing on them for heat. “This was a lot s-sexier when my cousins and I p-planned it from the warmth of my bedroom.”

“Sexy?” Her words hit him like a sledgehammer to the forehead. “Did you come over here to sleep with me?”

Her cheeks were red from the cold, but even so, her blush enhanced the color. “If you h-have to ask, then it’s s-safe to say I’m not doing s-so well.”

He laughed. He couldn’t help it. She was here because she wanted to have sex with him? He’d never been offered such a delectable frozen treat. Unfortunately, she mistook his response.

She reached for her coat, intent on putting it back on. “This was a mistake.”

“Oh, hell no. No mistake.” He pulled the coat away from her and tossed it onto his couch. Then he tugged her into his embrace, trying to infuse her trembling form with some of his own body heat. He rubbed her back lightly.

“You’re warm,” she murmured against his chest.

“And your hands are like ice cubes.”

“Sorry.” She tried to step away, but he stopped her, gripping her wrists. He placed her palms on his chest, holding them there.

“Don’t pull away. Let me warm you up.”

They stared at each other for a few hushed moments, as Daniel allowed his gaze to travel over her silky nightie.

“Say something,” she whispered.

He shook his head. “No. You first. Ask me, Sienna. Ask me to touch you, to take you. I promised I wouldn’t do that until—”

“Touch me,” she interrupted.

Daniel didn’t wait for her to say more.

Winter’s Thaw is available at Samhain, Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble.

Want more snippets?

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Shiloh Walker

Delilah Devlin

Jody Wallace

Shelli Stevens

TJ Michaels

Leah Braemel

McKenna Jeffries

Taige Crenshaw

Felicity Heaton

Five for Friday

It’s time for another Five for Friday. Today’s five pages are from Saturday Night Special.

Chapter One

Aaron Young walked into the Mirage and took a deep breath, trying to calm his ragged nerves. After all, Riley had called her sister Keira and told her where she was, and that she was fine. Unfortunately, that wasn’t registering in his incensed mind. She’d run off to Las Vegas with Trevor Blankenship, the biggest moron in their graduating class, on a drunken whim. The fact that Trevor was newly separated from his wife wasn’t helping to calm Aaron. The asshole wasn’t even pursuing a divorce, if the local gossip was accurate.

What the hell was she thinking?

Aaron walked through the miles and miles of gambling tables and slot machines, well aware that finding Riley in the massive casino was a bit like trying to find an honest politician in D.C. For a second, he wondered if he should have left a trail of breadcrumbs or something. He was afraid he’d get lost forever in this maze of mind-numbing noise and flashing lights.

A loud cheer captured his attention and he spotted a large crowd. Bingo. He headed toward the gathering, unsurprised when he saw Riley’s bouncing brunette curls at the center of the group. The lively woman always managed to attract the loudest, rowdiest sort of people, regardless of the setting.

She laughed and did some sort of victory dance with the woman next to her that reminded him of Beyonce’s Single Ladies video. He grinned despite his anger. Damn, she knew how to have fun. It had always been this way.

He’d met Riley Collins when they were both three years old and their mothers struck up a conversation at the playground. From that day ’til now, he and Riley had been best friends, in an “opposites attract” sort of way. While Riley was the life of every party, Aaron was more content to hover in the background. Happy to watch her shine. She was beautiful and dynamic, perfect in every way.

Except when she pulled stunts like this little impromptu excursion to Vegas. Then she frustrated the hell out of him, drove him insane. Sadly, her wild escapades had become more frequent and more dangerous since the wedding of her older sister Teagan. She was headed for disaster, and for some reason, her brothers and pop were looking to Aaron to rein her in. He snorted. None of the males in the Collins family had managed to control Riley the past twenty-five years, so he wasn’t sure what magic they expected him to work.

Keira had called him, frantic, when she’d learned Riley—after a long night of partying—had hopped on a red-eye flight to Vegas. Now here he stood, early Saturday evening, watching the source of his annoyance putting another twenty dollar bet on the blackjack table. Standing behind her, a totally wasted Trevor had his hand down the front of a bleached-blonde woman’s sequin dress.

This day kept getting better and better.

The dealer placed more winnings in front of Riley and Aaron decided now might be a good time to break up the party. Find a way to convince her to quit while she was ahead.

He shoved his way through the rambunctious crowd, his police training and large build coming in handy. A few people looked as if they wanted to protest the fact he was pushing them aside, but backed off when they saw his determined face. He intended to get Riley Collins’ perky little ass out of this casino and on the next plane back to Baltimore—and he didn’t care who he had hurt to make that happen.

He squeezed in between Riley and the woman next to her. The dealer looked up, perhaps ready to tell him the table was full, but he closed his mouth when Aaron flashed him an angry look.

Riley grinned when she spotted him, the only person he’d encountered thus far who didn’t seem confused or annoyed by his pushy arrival.

“Hey, sugar,” she slurred. Great, she was drunk. That helped him ignore the pleasure that suffused his body when she called him by her nickname for him.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Riley?” His voice was deep and clearly furious.

She shrugged, oblivious to his feelings. “Playing blackjack.” Then she really looked at him and started to giggle. “Oh my God, Aaron. Did you know you’re in Vegas?”

“Yeah, I had a few clues, but I think it was the seven-hour flight and hour layover in Chicago that sort of solidified it for me.”

Riley laughed, dismissing his angry sarcasm as humor. “Hey, Trev.” She turned to get the attention of the man Aaron was three seconds away from laying out on the floor with his fist. “Look who’s here. My BFF Aaron.”

Trevor looked up, his surprise muted by his downright drunkenness. “Hey, Aaron.” Trevor’s arm was still slung around a woman Aaron would bet his entire retirement fund was a prostitute.

“Trevor,” he forced out in as calm a fashion as he could manage.

Trevor stepped over to him and slapped him on the shoulder, staggering a bit as he walked. “I’m glad you’re here, man. Me and Bella were just going up to my room. Maybe you wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on ol’ Riley for me.” The drunken ass followed up his comment with a lecherous wink, as if Aaron couldn’t figure out what he intended to do with the woman in the hotel room.

Aaron narrowed his eyes furiously, perfectly aware Trevor would have left Riley alone regardless of his arrival. He consciously took a deep breath and nodded.

“You have money, Trev?” He hated that for some reason he felt the need to protect the dumbass. Unfortunately, the last thing he needed to deal with was Trevor stiffing a hooker—literally and figuratively. He was pretty sure the high-school quarterback, who also had the distinct honor of having the lowest GPA in their graduating class, had no idea his “date” for the evening would expect to be paid for her efforts.

Sure enough, Trevor’s forehead creased in confusion. “Um, yeah. Why? You need a few bucks for the slots?”

“No,” he said, “just making sure you didn’t need any.”

Trevor smiled at what he no doubt thought was a generous offer. “Ah no, man. I’m good. Thanks, though. I’ll catch you later, Riley.”

“Okie-dokie, Trev. See you later.” Riley grabbed her poker chips and headed toward the slot machines. Trevor pinched the blonde woman’s ass and she laughed, taking his hand and leading him to a bank of elevators.

“Nice of you to keep me company. Trevor was starting to get on my nerves. Jesus, he’s thick,” Riley said as he followed her to a Lucky Seven Bars machine. She almost fell in her attempt to sit down and he steadied her with a firm hand on her back. Shit, how much had she had to drink?

“You’ve known Trevor for years, Riley. What made you think he’d be an entertaining traveling companion?” He claimed the stool next to hers.

“I don’t know. I just wanted to do something fun and he was sulking over Johanna kicking him out, so we decided to get out of town for a while.”

“Why didn’t you call me?” He was hurt she’d chosen to take off with Trevor rather than him.

“Yeah right,” she said with a laugh. “I’m so sure you would have hopped on a plane to Vegas with me. You would have had seven hundred and ninety-eight reasons why we couldn’t come here. Trevor just said sure.”

He considered her words. She was right. He would have tried to talk her out of it. Hell, he probably would have succeeded. “But Trevor?”

“He’s harmless as a puppy and you know it. You didn’t think I’d run away with him romantically, did you?” She laughed hysterically when his face betrayed that thought had briefly crossed his mind.

“Holy shit,” she said once she’d regained control. She waved a waitress over and helped herself to one of the free drinks on the woman’s tray. “That is just freaking twisted, sugar.”

He sighed heavily. One question was tormenting him. “What are you doing in Vegas, Riley?”

“Gambling.”

“Very funny.” He grimaced, not amused by her joke.

“I’m having fun, Aaron. You know, that thing you’ve never quite mastered?”

He sucked in a deep breath and counted to ten. Riley constantly teased him about being a stick in the mud. He knew it was said in good fun, but this time her words felt more like an insult than a joke. Sometimes it sucked being regarded as the boring, responsible one among their group of friends.

Need a ride home from the bar? Call Aaron. Got a flat tire? Aaron will have a jack…and a spare. Moving? Aaron will lug all your shit down three flights of stairs and supply the truck to haul it.

A growl rose up in his chest. He was pissed off at Riley for thinking him so dull he wouldn’t do anything as spontaneous as taking a weekend trip to Vegas.

“You seriously call hopping on a plane and flying to Vegas with Trevor Blankenship ‘fun’? I call it fucking dangerous.”

“Bullshit. I haven’t done anything even remotely dangerous…yet. I called Keira and told her where I was and I didn’t come alone. I came with a friend.” Riley threw another dollar in the machine.

“You didn’t call Keira until after you were already here.”

“And like the good sister she is, she called you to come save the day. Right?”

“She was worried about you, Riley.”

“I’m a big girl, sugar. A fact my family and you seem content to ignore.”

“I’m not forgetting you’re an adult. I’m just not overlooking the fact you’re completely drunk in a strange town with Trevor and a hooker as your chaperones.”

Riley’s gaze traveled from the slot machine to Aaron. “I told Trev she was a hooker, but he wouldn’t believe me.” She took a long drink before setting the cup down and hitting the Spin button again.

“What are you drinking?” He picked up her glass and drained it. Alcohol suddenly seemed like a very good idea. He waved over the waitress and grabbed his own drink.

“Tasted like something with rum to me,” she said. “You better take it easy on that. I’m already wasted. If you keep pounding those down, who’ll get us home?”

Saturday Night Special is available at Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony and All Romance Ebooks.

Winter’s Thaw

Today marks the release of the first book in the new Compass series Jayne Rylon and I are writing. Winter’s Thaw hits the virtual bookshelves today and I’m so excited, I can hardly stand myself! When Jayne and I finished Western Ties, we tried to let go of Compton Pass, but it was impossible. I couldn’t help feeling there were more stories to tell. So I begged and pleaded and twisted Jayne’s arm (actually she said HELL YEAH immediately) to write more! The result is the Compass Girls. It’s Compton Pass–the Next Generation (cue the Star Trek music–lol). We tried to think figure out what would be the one thing that would terrify our hunky brave Compass Brothers and the first thing that came to mind was…DAUGHTERS. In Winter’s Thaw, Seth’s daughter, Sienna struggles with an overprotective father, a broken heart and some pretty hardcore lustful feelings for the new ranch hand, Daniel Lennon. Let the games commence!

Sometimes life doesn’t go according to plan. Sometimes it’s better.

Compass Girls, Book 1

Sienna Compton has it all figured out. Her life’s goals are set and it is all systems go. At least, it was. Until her long-time boyfriend Josh threw a ringer into the master plan, requesting a “break” from their relationship. Now she’s left alone during the long, cold Wyoming winter, questioning what her heart has always believed to be true love.

Daniel Lennon is facing an uncertain future. When a tragic accident leaves him unable to pursue his career as a professional bull rider, he finds himself at Compass Ranch, working to help Sienna’s father, Seth, build his horse breeding business. One look at Sienna has Daniel envisioning things he never imagined wanting—a permanent home, love, marriage—and he’s willing to use all the red-hot tricks in his sexual arsenal to melt the ice surrounding Sienna’s broken heart.

When lust turns to genuine emotion, can Daniel convince Sienna to take a chance on something different and unexpected? Can he persuade her to consider a new path, one that will lead her directly to his arms…forever?

Product Warnings

Roping and riding, past and future, cold winter and fiery desire, lust and love all come together in this new Compass series. Saddle up and hang on. The Comptons are back!

Excerpt:

Daniel lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. He refused to look at his clock again. At last check—no more than five minutes earlier—it had been midnight. He’d ticked off every hour since he’d crawled into bed at nine and he was still no closer to finding sleep.

Eventually, sheer exhaustion was going to have to win out. God knew he couldn’t keep going at this rate. It had been a week since he’d kissed Sienna in the stable. He would have tried to steal more than a few heated kisses from her, but Sienna pulled away when they’d heard someone enter the stable.

Daniel shuddered to think how close Seth had come to catching them. Even though they were standing a proper distance away from each other when Seth approached, he still sensed his boss was suspicious. For one thing, Sienna’s face had been flushed, her gaze roaming everywhere to avoid her father’s questioning stare. She may as well have stamped the word guilty on her forehead.

Since then, Seth had kept a very close eye on where he was and who he was with. Not that Seth had needed to be on his guard. Sienna was doing a good enough job staying away from him without her father’s interference. He hadn’t caught more than a glimpse of her when she came home from work each day. She’d stopped eating dinner with the family and even eschewed riding her beloved mare, Maria.

According to Doug, Sienna was depressed over Josh. Daniel knew that reaction was natural, but it didn’t stop him from wishing she’d open her eyes and see him as a suitable replacement.

“Screw that,” he muttered. He didn’t intend to replace Josh. He wanted to erase him from Sienna’s thoughts forever. He wasn’t sure when his intentions had changed, but somewhere along the way, he’d stopped hoping to just get into Sienna’s pants. Lately, he’d been thinking it might be nice to find a way into her life, but that didn’t seem possible.

For one thing, she’d just gotten out of a relationship. There was no way she was ready to hop right back into one. And secondly, he’d heard her conversation with Josh. They hadn’t broken up—not officially. They’d just taken a timeout. Daniel didn’t think Sienna would let the idiot come back, but, well, dammit, he wasn’t sure.

He released an annoyed breath and forced his eyes shut. He’d never fall asleep at this rate. He tried to clear his mind of Sienna Compton completely.

A knock sounded on his door.

“What the hell?”

He listened again, wondering if he’d imagined it or if it was the cold winter wind knocking a branch against the trailer.

Another knock. Someone was definitely outside.

He rose and slipped on a pair of sweatpants. Opening the door slowly, he was surprised to find Sienna, wrapped in a coat and shivering.

“Sienna? Get in here. It’s freezing out there.”

She quickly climbed the three stairs, passing him as he closed the door.

“Is something wrong?” He couldn’t imagine there was anything—short of bad news—that would bring her to his trailer at this time of night.

She shook her head. “N-no. Everything’s fine.”

“Okay. That’s good.”

She didn’t bother to explain more. Instead, she shrugged off her coat. Underneath she was dressed in a little slip of a nightgown. He hadn’t realized until that moment that her legs were bare. She’d walked all the way over here in a bit of silk and slippers. Obviously she was paying for the decision, given her uncontrollable shivering.

“Jesus, Sienna. What the hell are you wearing? Or not wearing? You’ll be lucky if you don’t get frostbite.”

She rubbed her hands together, blowing on them for heat. “This was a lot s-sexier when my cousins and I p-planned it from the warmth of my bedroom.”

“Sexy?” Her words hit him like a sledgehammer to the forehead. “Did you come over here to sleep with me?”

Her cheeks were red from the cold, but even so, her blush enhanced the color. “If you h-have to ask, then it’s s-safe to say I’m not doing s-so well.”

He laughed. He couldn’t help it. She was here because she wanted to have sex with him? He’d never been offered such a delectable frozen treat. Unfortunately, she mistook his response.

She reached for her coat, intent on putting it back on. “This was a mistake.”

“Oh, hell no. No mistake.” He pulled the coat away from her and tossed it onto his couch. Then he tugged her into his embrace, trying to infuse her trembling form with some of his own body heat. He rubbed her back lightly.

“You’re warm,” she murmured against his chest.

“And your hands are like ice cubes.”

“Sorry.” She tried to step away, but he stopped her, gripping her wrists. He placed her palms on his chest, holding them there.

“Don’t pull away. Let me warm you up.”

They stared at each other for a few hushed moments, as Daniel allowed his gaze to travel over her silky nightie.

“Say something,” she whispered.

He shook his head. “No. You first. Ask me, Sienna. Ask me to touch you, to take you. I promised I wouldn’t do that until—”

“Touch me,” she interrupted.

Daniel didn’t wait for her to say more.

Winter’s Thaw is available at Samhain, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Quote of the Day

I generally like to give credit to the person I’m quoting, but I heard this on a commercial for New York Life and couldn’t find the name of the person who said it. Even so…it really resonated with me, so I thought I’d share.

“We are all reflections of the people who came before us.”