Mari Carr's Blog, page 67

A new release for Rhian

My critique partner has a new book out and she’s here to do a little hootin’ and hollerin’ about it.

The second of my holiday novella series is out today!

 

She didn’t plan to fall in love, but he’s not accepting anything less.

 

Emily has a five year plan, and romance isn’t on it. Unfortunately no one told Wade Johnson that.

 

Wade never thought he’d need to resort to blackmail to get a date. But if that’s what it’ll take to convince Emily Warner to join him, that’s what he’ll do – and make it a date neither of them will ever forget.

 

New Year’s is all about new beginnings and Emily and Wade are about to discover the best beginnings start at year’s end.

 

Excerpt -

 

Emily Warner threw another skirt back into her closet and cursed Wade Johnson. The man had her questioning every decision she’d ever made right down to the clothes in her wardrobe. Indecision was not her thing. She was a take-charge-get-it-done kind of woman. Except when it came to Wade. Her shoulders drooped and her head fell forward as all the air left her chest. How had one man managed to shake her confidence with such profound effect? If only she hadn’t needed that favour. But she couldn’t put on a Christmas concert for the children without a Santa. Refusing his offer of help to avoid a date hadn’t seemed fair.

She’d met Wade months ago, their attraction mutual and obvious, but Em had a five year plan and nowhere was there mention of a man, least of all one who made her stomach drop and her mind wander through a white picket fence and down the garden path. With her plan firmly in place, she’d rejected every advance he made in the hope he’d give up and move on to greener, more amenable pastures. She should have known better. A man like Wade couldn’t be brushed aside so easily. He was like a dog after a bone and now that he’d finally sunk his teeth into her, she doubted either of them would come out unscathed.

Cursing the man and his rotten timing – and her treacherous libido – Em dove back into her closet with the determination to wear the first thing she put her hands on. Whatever she pulled out next would be it. No more waffling. The black dress she came out with was the sexiest piece of clothing she owned. Wasn’t that just typical of her current off-the-track life plan that it would be the outfit she’d grab?

“Dammit.” Emily tossed the dress across the end of her bed and stared at it, muttering. “Dammit, dammit, dammit.”

She didn’t have to wear it. Except she’d made a decision and she would stick to it. She’d be damned if Wade Johnson was going to make her second guess one more thing. Head high, she spun on her heel, and stomped to the bathroom. He’d arrive in less than an hour and she needed every second of that to pull herself together. Heaven forbid he see her flustered. The man would pounce on any weakness she showed and Emily Warner never showed anything but calm, cool certainty. Her shoulders drooped slightly. Until Wade.

Steam from her shower still hovered in the bathroom and she had to swipe a towel across the mirror to clear the fog. Emily studied the face in front of her, but only saw the same woman she’d seen every day for years. Nothing had changed outwardly, but internally… Inside something was different. Cracked. It didn’t matter how much she denied it or fought it, there was no way to hide from the impact Wade had on her. He made her think of things she’d put aside years ago. Made her remember what it was to yearn for something she didn’t have and thought she didn’t want. Not yet anyway. And now he had her questioning the plan.

With a sigh, Em pulled the towel from her head and picked up her comb. Her short hair was practical for work and the natural curl gave her a feminine look, but if she were being honest she’d have to admit the style was quite boyish. The robe she wore hung off her slender shoulders, emphasising the less than curvaceous body beneath. More proof she didn’t live up to the image of most men’s fantasies. With another sigh, she began to run the wide-toothed comb through her tangled curls. It didn’t take long to remove the knots and fluff the waves into place. Reaching for her make-up bag, she pulled out her meagre supply and set to work on her face. She may lack curves in the places men lusted after, but her face was her saving grace.

She’d been called classically beautiful. What that meant Em wasn’t sure, but her deep blue eyes and long lashes were often called bedroom eyes, and drew more than a few compliments. Her full red lips had been described as kissable by a number of guys she’d dated over the years. Personally she thought they were over-large and took up too much of her face. To counteract her large mouth, Emily emphasised her eyes and down-played her lips. The one place she didn’t worry about make-up was at work; she never knew when one of the children would plaster a paint covered hand on her cheek, so it was best to not have to worry about cosmetic repairs at all.

The old cuckoo clock that had been her grandmother’s whirred to life out in the living room. With a squeak of hinges and a time-worn voice, the little cuckoo sprang from his house and chirped seven times. She was down to thirty minutes before Wade arrived. He hadn’t told her where they were going or what they were doing but considering it was New Year’s Eve and he’d asked her to dress semi-formal Em expected to be attending a party or perhaps an upscale restaurant. Her stomach fluttered at the thought of spending hours with him. From the few conversations they’d engaged in over the last few months she knew he was intelligent and didn’t doubt he’d be a charming companion for the evening. It was how charming he’d prove to be that had her worried.

Slicking on a coat of lip gloss she rolled her lips together to spread the layer evenly. She bypassed her foundation and blush and opted for a single swipe of mascara on her lashes. The temperature hadn’t lowered a great deal and she’d learned not to risk melted make-up disasters long ago. Sydney’s summers were best dealt with naturally and today was no exception. If the weathermen were to be believed there’d be no relief from the heat in the next few days and her car’s climate control system had registered a stifling thirty-eight degrees when she’d arrived home at five o’clock.

Emily checked her reflection one more time. Happy with both her hair and face, she made her way back to the bedroom and the black dress awaiting her. She pulled a matching bra and panties set out of her top drawer while she eyed the slinky material draped over her quilt. The fabric shimmered in the low light and Em couldn’t help but wonder what Wade would think when he saw her. A smile tugged at her lips. She’d never be a traffic stopper with her overly slender body, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t look good. Knowing how to play up her best assets had served her well in the past.

Not that she was out to impress him.

She slipped the belt of her robe free and shrugged out of the satin negligee she’d spent far too much money on last birthday. It wasn’t often Em spoiled herself, the plan didn’t allow for it for a start, but she’d never been one to indulge in frivolous things. While she hadn’t needed a new robe Em had found it impossible to pass up and consoled her practical side by saying it was a birthday gift to herself after exceeding the first year’s goal in her five year plan.

Stepping into the lace underwear Em thought about how far she’d come. From high school drop-out to business owner in less years than it took most to get their degrees. Years spent with her nose buried in books earned her not only a high school certificate, but a degree in early childhood education and a business degree with a minor in accounting: all things necessary to make her childcare centre such a success that parents put their children’s name down on the waiting list before they were born. By most people’s standards she’d already made it. But Emily wasn’t quite done yet.

Two more years and she would have achieved her goal a whole year ahead of time. Then she’d be able to step back and enjoy the results of all her hard work. Until then she couldn’t afford to be distracted by a good looking man, no matter how he made her insides churn. She’d go on this date and make it perfectly clear that she wasn’t interested in anything more. Emily chewed her bottom lip as she bent forward to fit her breasts into the cups of her bra properly. The delicate lace hugged her size-A mounds, barely covering her nipples. She didn’t normally wear such a low-cut undergarment, but the dress’s scooped neckline made the risqué underwear a necessity. And Emily excelled at doing what was necessary.

Emily reached for her dress and lowered the zipper. Carefully, she lifted the fabric over her head and shimmied until the soft material floated down her body. The silky caress of cool cloth sent a shiver down her spine. Twisting, she managed to get the zip up to her shoulders before contorting herself like a pretzel to close it the rest of the way. With another small shimmy the dress rippled and slid into place. Satisfied with her outfit if not precisely comfortable, Em searched the cupboard for her black sandals then headed for the living room.

She checked her phone in the hope of finding a message from Wade telling her he had to cancel, but there was no little envelope icon on the screen. It was probably best if she just accepted she was going on a date with Wade Johnson no matter how much she’d fought against it. Resigned to the inevitable Emily sighed and sat on the couch to wait for him to arrive.

 

You can purchase New Year’s Kisses from -

 

ESCAPE PUBLISHING ~ AMAZON ~ KOBO

 

To celebrate I’m running a week long contest party on my BLOG so be sure to pop on over and enter for your chance to win a $10 Amazon GC. PLUS the other five Escape Publishing release authors are joining me in the week long party so there’s more prize to be had!

 

Rhian Cahill

www.rhiancahill.com

It’s the end of the world…

…Party, that is.

From now until the end of the Mayan calendar on Dec. 21, the International Heat ladies are throwing an End of the World celebration! We’ve asked some of our author friends to play along as we share what’s on our bucket lists and give away prizes! Come find out what we’re all just dying to do before that calendar comes to a close. We have a great line up including Jacquelyn Frank, Caridad Pineiro, Sophie Oak, Stormy Glenn, Cari Quinn, Dawn Halladay, Lena Mathews and many more! There will be daily prizes and folks who participate will have their name thrown into the hat to win a $100 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice). Grand prize winner will be announced Dec. 22.

Come on. It’s the end of the world and we all feel fine over at International Heat!

Merry Menage Blog Hop

Come join our Merry Menage Giveaway Hop hosted by Day Dreaming, My Secret Romance and The Book Tart!

Need a new bedtime story to light your fire? Looking for something with a little heat to warm you during the cold holiday season? Feel like decking the halls naughty style? Well then, come join us as we stand under the mistletoe for this wickedly sexy giveaway hop! The more the merrier! Have no worries, we’ll help you trim your trees, deck yours halls, and spark that fire!

Woo Hoo! Nothing like a little blog hop to get the holiday juices flowing. And who knows! You may even win yourself a little pressie or two! I would like to wish all of you the happiest of holidays and best wishes for a prosperous New Year. I have a new book releasing on Dec. 11 called Fix You and in the prologue, six friends get together to ring in the New Year and make goals…plans for a second chance at happiness. Here’s a brief excerpt from the prologue.

Zoey sat up straighter. “I think we need to make some vows right here and now. This year will be the year things change. For all of us.”

“Oh shit,” Georgie said. “You’re not proposing we make New Year’s Resolutions, are you? I suck at those.”

“No. Not resolutions. Second chances. Maybe the past hasn’t exactly been our friend. I say we throw all that shit away and start fresh.”

“How?” Kristen asked.

Zoey thought for a moment. “We each need to think, really think, about what would make us happy and go for it.”

Fix You is available for presale at Samhain, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

I hope that in 2013 you will really go for what will make you  happy! And I hope you succeed. So…this blog hop runs until Dec. 8 and my prize is winner’s choice of an ebook from my backlist. All you have to do to enter is tell me what would make you happy.

 

Shut Up and Kiss Me

Shut Up and Kiss Me by Rhian Cahill is OUT tomorrow and it’s available at Amazon.

The city of Sydney isn’t the only thing heating up this summer.

Jacqueline Mowbray has spent months fantasizing about her friend Kyle and never once did she consider he may be suffering the same unrelenting attraction. But Jac is about to find out that what Kyle wants Kyle gets.

Kyle Barnes has kept a lid on his simmering desire for Jac for years but what’s a man to do when faced with a hot, wet woman wearing only a towel? Take what he wants of course.

As the city around them melts under a summer heat wave these two friends will discover the sizzling temperatures aren’t the only thing boiling over.

Warning: This story contains more than rising temperatures and the author advises the reader to have a cold drink or suitable partner to help combat the heat.

Excerpt -


Jacqueline Mowbray let herself into the oven that was masquerading as her apartment. Three days of the worst heatwave Sydney had ever endured had taken their toll on more than her hair. The city had hit crisis point this afternoon and now half the population was without power. Jac listened for the hum of her ancient refrigerator but heard only silence. With a sigh, she tossed her keys on the dining table on her way to the bathroom and a cold shower. Good thing she wasn’t after a hot shower or the lack of electricity would really top off her shitty day.
She stripped off her clothes as she went, leaving a trail of damp cotton in her wake. Work had sucked. Power had gone out around two but the boss, being her usual bitchy self, wouldn’t let them shut down until the dot of five. Fucking cow. Jac really needed to look for another job. She’d been Vanessa’s dogsbody for over a year and knew the reason the other woman was doing so well had nothing to do with Vanessa and everything to do with Jac.
If Jac had the cash, she would start up her own shop and give the bitch a run for her money. She smiled. The thought of snooty Vanessa helping women try on clothes was the funniest damn idea. She’d scare off buyers before they ever made it to a fitting room. It was a wonder the store hadn’t gone bust in the year prior to Jac’s employ.
Her feet connected with cool tiles, bringing blessed relief to her hot soles and she took a moment to curl and uncurl her toes to soothe them—and her mind. No more work. Well not for two days, anyway. Jac had never been more thankful for a weekend. She planned to spend it lazing around the house in her underwear, in part due to the unrelenting temperature and in part just because she could. Not even bothering with the hot water tap, Jac twisted the cold one all the way on. A draft of cool air caressed her naked body as the shower blasted against the tiled enclosure. Jac sighed as she stepped beneath the spray.
The water streamed over her short hair and down her back. Closing her eyes, Jac turned under the flow more fully and let the stress of the day wash away. In spite of the high heat and much-needed cooling-off, goosebumps broke out across her skin and a shiver skittered down her spine. She edged out of the flow and reached for the soap. After a quick lather, Jac rinsed, and once more let the cold water rush over her face before switching it off and getting out.
Tempted to air-dry, she thought about the carpet she didn’t own and grabbed a towel. The last thing she needed was to have to replace mouldy carpet. Her savings had already taken a hit from major car repairs she hadn’t counted on. She really should think about getting a new vehicle, but the hunk of metal in her parking spot out front held sentimental value. Jac had been so proud of herself when she’d bought the car. It was the first purchase her parents hadn’t made for her.
Of course Daddy had been a little upset and angry that she hadn’t accepted the brand-new BMW he’d wanted to give her but Jac had stood her ground and he’d finally—grudgingly—acknowledged her need for independence. Her car might not be the best model or the safest, flashiest ride in town, but it was all hers. He hadn’t stopped taking care of her over the years but she’d learned to pick her battles wisely and, other than a few small things, hadn’t allowed him to smother her with his well-intentioned love.
Jac wrapped the towel around her and tucked the end between her breasts. She scooped up her dirty clothes as she followed the trail down the hall to the living room. With the bundle in her arms she made her way through the kitchen to the tiny laundry. No electricity meant no washing, so she dropped the bundle on the floor and headed back to the kitchen and the fridge, where she debated whether or not to open the door. Her fingers curled around the handle just as someone knocked on her front door.
Hoping it wasn’t Mrs Jenkins from the ground floor with another complaint about noise, Jac went to answer the summons. When whoever it was knocked again, she smiled: it wasn’t her elderly neighbour. There was no way the woman had enough strength to bang that hard. Forgetting about her lack of attire, Jac threw the door open, the smile still tilting her mouth, and came face to face with her best friend—the star of her most recent fantasies and every woman’s wet dream.
Kyle Barnes.

* * *

Kyle’s temperature shot up ten degrees. The woman in front of him set him on simmer every day, but wrapped in a towel, damp from a recent shower, she set him to boil in an instant. He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to remember why he was knocking on Jac’s door. Something about cooling off … He lowered his eyes, taking in every exposed inch of her, from her curly blonde hair to her red-painted toenails. Her legs were smooth and tanned, long and sleek, and an image of them wrapped around his hips flashed across his mind. A drum beat in his ears, a matching one took up in his balls, and his cock hardened, tenting the front of his shorts.
“Hey, Kyle. What’s up?” Did she sound breathless?
He brought his gaze up to meet hers. The bright blue of her eyes sparkled and he found himself thinking of swimming pools, which made him think of skinny-dipping. His cock throbbed harder, but he refused to answer the urge to readjust and find relief. The lust he’d spent years trying to ignore surged through his veins. Damn. This couldn’t end well.
“Kyle?” One of Jac’s finely sculpted brows rose.
“Fuck, woman, are you trying to fry my brain?”
“Huh?” Her smile disappeared.
“You can’t answer the door dressed like that and not find yourself slammed against the wall with my cock buried in your hot pussy.” He took a step towards her. She gasped and took a step back. “You’ve had me grinding my teeth and taking cold showers for years, Jac. No more.”
Kyle’s control snapped, taking every ounce of civility he possessed. He barged in, grabbed Jac’s shoulders and, kicking the door closed, spun around so he could shove her against it. His mouth landed on hers with raw hunger. No finesse, just pure unadulterated desire. She whimpered and for a split second he thought about pulling away. But then she softened—melted like the city had in the merciless heatwave. Her lips parted and he thrust his tongue inside.
She remained passive, let him touch and taste what he wanted. Kyle took advantage, brushed his tongue against hers, licked at her teeth and eased off to nip at her plump bottom lip. He ate at the fleshy curve, sucked and bit from one corner to the other. Jac moaned and he drove his tongue back into the dark recess of her mouth. Blood pumped through his veins, pounded in his ears, his groin. With each stroke his arousal soared higher, until it wasn’t enough just to have her mouth.
He tore his lips from hers, gasped for air and said, “Tell me no.”
“What?” Her chest heaved with each ragged breath she took and her towel had come untucked; the only thing holding it in place was his body pressed to hers. “I don’t want to say no.”
Kyle’s gaze darted up to meet hers. “You want me to fuck you?” Could the burning attraction he’d fought for years go both ways?
“God yes.” Her eyelids lowered, the fan of lashes hiding her eyes from him. “I’ve dreamed about it for months.”
He cupped her neck, pressed his thumb beneath her chin and pushed her head back until it rested on the door. “Don’t hide from me. You want me, you say it to my face. Eyes open.”
Jac gasped, her eyes rounding and meeting his. Her pink tongue darted out, sliding across her lips to leave a glistening trail behind. “I want you.”
Her words were a whisper but he could see the truth in her gaze, feel it in the way her body melted against his. Kyle grinned. She might be saying yes now but once he’d laid down a few rules she might change her mind. Shame he wasn’t about to let her back out.
“Say you’re mine.”
Jac’s eyes widened further, if that were possible, and her slender throat worked as she swallowed.
“If you’re saying yes, Jac, it means you’re mine. All of you. To do what I want when I want. No holds barred.”
She opened her mouth to speak and Kyle placed his thumb over her lips to stop her.
“Make very sure this is what you want, Jac. I’m not easy. I’ll demand and expect you to give.” He saw fear flash across her face and he stroked her mouth with the pad of his thumb to soothe her. “I won’t hurt you, ever, but I’ll push every boundary you have and then some. You need to know what you’re getting going in.”
“Are we talking a one-time deal?”
“Hell no! When we cross that line, honey, we ain’t coming back. I’m not after a one-night stand. I can get that at the local club. Besides, what I want from you can’t be satisfied in one night.”
“Oh.”
Kyle smiled. She was starting to get it. Question was, once he’d given her a taste of what he liked would she like it too? “So are you in or am I out?”

Undone Diva

Lila Dubois has done it again! The third book in her Undone Lovers series, Undone Diva, releases today. If you are looking for a red hot read that blows 50 Shades out of the water, this series is for YOU!

As an entertainment lawyer, Emory has his share of famous clients. But when A-lister Sasha Brazil is caught in a sex tape scandal it should have been a PR nightmare, not a legal matter. But Sasha is being blackmailed because her tape shows her bound and begging to be used, everything her hard action-star hero persona isn’t. If the tape gets out her image will be destroyed. 

Emory takes Sasha on as a submissive, telling her that she’s safer subbing to him than to a man who might blackmail or betray her. Together they begin a passionate BDSM relationship centered on Emory’s specialty, role-play. The sexual relationship quickly morphs into something more, but Sasha has secrets, and when the man who turned Sasha into a submissive shows up even love may not be enough to save her.

Excerpt:

Emory watched in stunned silence as a masked man hogtied Sasha. The video was dark and grainy, Sasha’s skin a strange green color. Despite the grainy quality, her naked body was clearly visible on the bed, her limbs long and supple. There’d yet to be a good shot of her fully nude, but there were plenty of her face. The video had started with her on her knees, head bent, though she was visible only from the shoulders up. There’d been a quick shot of her breasts as she stood and bent over a chair to have her ass paddled, and now she was facedown on the bed as the man looped rope around her wrists and ankles.

A BDSM session with her as the submissive went against everything Sasha Brazil was. Sasha Brazil was tough, smart, stylish and in control, not submissive—sexual or otherwise. The woman on the tape was soft, needy and above all submissive. No wonder they were worried.

“I’ve seen enough.” Emory paused the video. He saw Sasha’s shoulders sag in relief.

“We’ll all be ruined!” Sean circled back to the other side of the desk and dropped into his chair.

“Sean, perhaps you could wait outside.” Emory was tired of the other man’s near hysteria.

“Why?”

“You’re not helping,” he said frankly.

“Okay, okay, I need some tea or something anyway.”

Sean touched Sasha’s shoulder as he walked past. She had yet to turn around.

The door closed behind Sean and Emory slowly got to his feet. Sasha turned. Her shoulders were tense, her face expressionless.

Emory couldn’t believe it. She was a sub.

Of all the women in show business, she was the last he’d expect to be a submissive, which, he now understood was exactly the problem. She was known for being tough-sexy, not submissive-sexy. Her roles as the ball-busting action-movie heroine would dry up if this tape got out.

Then again, it was possible that she wasn’t a sub, but had simply been experimenting. But that didn’t seem like a sex game, it seemed like a formal BDSM session.

“I understand your concern,” Emory said. “This is not fitting with your persona.”

She snorted delicately but she was crushing the hat she held in her right hand.

“Please describe the circumstances that led to this video being made.”

Sasha paced his office side to side, her long legs eating up the distance in only a few steps. “I made arrangements to spend time with a…with the man in the video. I didn’t know he was taping it, and I didn’t tell him who I was. I thought it was okay, but yesterday I received this copy of the video with a demand for one hundred thousand dollars or the tape would be given to the media.”

Emory bent to make a few notes on a sheet of paper.

“And when did the events in the video take place?”

“The first of this month.”

“And where?”

“Columbus, Ohio.”

That surprised him and he looked up.

“Why were you in Columbus?”

“For that. To meet with him.”

Emory rubbed his thumb against his lips. There were still a lot of questions, a lot of gaps in this story, but he had a suspicion about what had happened.

And if he was right, it would mean that she wasn’t just playing at submission as part of a kinky sex game.

“You’re not being entirely truthful with me.”

“I’ve told you everything you need to know.” Her eyes flashed with dark fire as she faced him down. “Do your job. Make this go away.”

“It’s more complicated than that, and we both know it, because there’s more than this video, isn’t there?”

Her chin notched up. “Deal with the video and everything will be fine.”

Emory came around to the front of the desk and leaned back against it. “There are two possibilities in play here. The first is that you were experimenting sexually and decided to play at some BDSM.”

She jolted when he said BDSM and Emory grew more certain he was right.

“The second is that you’re a true submissive.”

Her eyes dropped. It was only a spit second before her fierce gaze met his, but Emory had caught it, her instinctive submission, evidenced in nothing more than the lowered gaze.

“What I want from you,” she said, voice a mix of silk and steel, “is to know what you plan to do about my problem.”

“And what problem is that? The tape or,” he pushed off from the desk and walked toward her, “your need to be dominated?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I don’t?” They were face-to-face, so close Emory could see the flecks of gold in her irises.

“Step back. You get one warning.” Sasha’s tone was cool but her entire body radiated danger.

Emory circled her until he stood at her back. She kept facing forward but threw her glasses and hat onto a chair as if she wanted her hands free to hit him. Emory grimaced. If he was wrong he was probably about to get his ass handed to him by a girl.

“I know what you need, what you want.” Very carefully, he slid his hand under her hair and touched her nape. She started to turn and he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, holding her tight. She could easily break away from his grip but she didn’t. Instead, her head dipped forward. He pulled the collar of her jacket down and pushed her hair aside, exposing bare flesh.

“You’re a submissive.”

She let out a long breath but didn’t say anything.

Emory pulled her jacket off her shoulders, pushed it down her arms until it dropped to the floor. “Are you a submissive?”

Still she didn’t answer, but when he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed down she dropped smoothly to her knees. Emory sucked in a breath. He’d never seen anything so arousing as the beautiful, powerful woman kneeling. Even fully clothed she was more alluring than any other woman he’d come into contact with.

“Sasha, you need to answer me.”

“You know the answer.” Her words came out through gritted teeth. Emory circled to her front and tipped her chin up with one finger. Her eyes were flashing fire and the muscles in her jaw working. Her fingers curled into fists and uncurled.

She was at war with herself; he could see it in her eyes, read it in her body language.

He had his answer.

Emory held out his hand. Confusion flitted across her face. Gingerly she put her hand in his. He pulled her to her feet, then turned back to his desk. He took a seat in his chair and focused on his computer, giving her time to compose herself. That was a mistake, because he still had the video up. Paused, it showed her beautiful, bound and ready to be used. The masked Dom had his hand between her legs, the other on the ropes that bound her.

Emory took a moment to compose himself before turning his attention back to her. She’d taken a seat in the chair across from him. She was wearing her jacket and her face was a cool mask, only her eyes showing inner turmoil.

Emory smiled blandly—his client smile—and pulled his notepad and pen toward himself. “Perhaps we could be more honest about the situation surrounding this video and the extortion attempt.”

“You seem to know a lot about it.”

“About the video? No, all I have is supposition.”

“Not about the video. About…me.”

Emory steepled his fingers, pressing his thumbs into his lower lip. He studied her for a moment, then said, “Though I don’t normally discuss my personal life with clients, in this case I think it’s only fair. I am an active player in the BDSM community. I’m a Dom.”

Sasha licked her lower lip, then leaned back in her chair to study him. “I can see it. You as a Dom.”

“I tell you only because it seems fair that you understand where my knowledge base comes from.”

“Is that how you talk when you’re topping? All studious and boring.”

“That’s not relevant to this conversation.”

“It’s not? You just got me on my knees, I think I’m entitled to be a little more personal.”

“My apologies for that. I needed to confirm my understanding of the situation.”

“And what is your,” she crossed her legs, dark eyes flashing, “understanding of the situation?”

“You’re a high-profile woman. Your sexual needs are the antithesis of your actor’s brand. I can only assume that in order to meet your sexual needs you’ve been seeking out professional Dominants, or men you trust not to betray your secret. Since that trust has been betrayed, I further assume you put your faith in the wrong man, or that he realized there was more money to be had through blackmail rather than merely the payment you gave him for services rendered.”

“I didn’t hire a hooker.” Sasha snarled the words. “You think I need to pay for my needs?”

“It might be safer to have involved a professional. If you didn’t hire a sex professional, then how did you meet the man in the video?”

She uncrossed her legs and sighed. For a moment her fierce expression slipped and she looked tired and a little scared. Emory blinked in surprise. It was the first time he’d really thought of her or seen her as a person, rather than a client. Unexpectedly, his heart clenched for her.

“I found him on a message board. I never told him my real name, I had Sean run a background check on him before I went out to meet him.”

“Why Columbus?”

“That’s where he is. I lied and said I lived nearby. I always leave the state. Usually people will say that I remind them of someone, but no one has ever figured out who I am. Until now.”

“We’ll put aside how dangerous it is to meet men out of state, without your bodyguards, and focus on this instance.” Emory made a quick note of what she’d told home so far, then said, “What concerns me is what may be out there besides the tape itself.”

Sasha’s brows drew together in confusion for a moment, then her eyes widened. “Oh fuck.”

Emory nodded grimly. “You signed a BDSM contract, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did. I thought I was being smart.”

“It’s the responsible thing to do.”

“Until you get blackmailed. Fuck!” Sasha smacked her hands on the arms of the chair and pushed to her feet. Anger radiated off her.

“Do you have your copy of the contract?”

“No, I threw it away. I assumed I was done with it.”

“We can assume he retained his. Did you fill it out by hand?”

“No, we negotiated the contract and the contents of the session online. But I signed it.”

“With your real name.”

“No. You might not believe it, but I’m not stupid.”

“I would think you’re stupid if you hadn’t negotiated or signed the contract. What concerns me is that even if you signed a false name it will be possible to match your handwriting. If this were to go public someone would go to the trouble of matching your handwriting, were he to sell not only the video but also the contract.”

“It’s not just the contract. I also signed a Risk-Aware Consensual Kink form.”

“Appropriate.”

“Stupid. God, how could I be so dumb!”

She pressed her fists to her forehead and paced.

“Sasha, please remain calm.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“Tell me about the man in the video.”

“His name is Don, Donald Sawatsky. He’s been part of the scene in Columbus for ten years. I emailed one of his regular subs, who said he was a good Dom. Like I said, I had Sean do a background check. He’s an insurance broker or insurance adjuster. Something boring.”

“Did he give any indication of knowing you when you were with him?”

“No.”

“How was the blackmail threat delivered?”

“It came to Sean’s office. He said it just came in the mail.”

“So he identified you, then found the address for your manager.”

“Yes. There was the flash drive and a demand for $100,000. He said I had three days to pay and he wanted the money transferred to his account.”

“An offshore account?”

“No idea. It was…ten digits I think. I stared at it plenty.”

“I’ll get it from Sean, but that sounds like a domestic account. I don’t think this man is a professional blackmailer who intentionally sought you out.”

“And again, fuck. I never even thought of that. If that were true, it would mean that people knew, that people could find out…” Her voice trailed off.

“There’s no need to panic, as it seems that it’s not the case here. It sounds like a case of someone being opportunistic.”

Sasha braced her hands on the back of the chair she’d been sitting in and bent at the waist, bowing her head. Her position was vaguely reminiscent of how she’d been in the video—bent, ready to be used. Emory wanted her like that. He wanted her.

“This problem is solvable.” Emory already had a few ideas of how to make this go away. All of them legal, none of them ethical.

“It is?”

“Yes. I’ll need everything Sean has, but I anticipate that we can take care of this. Please do not worry.”

“Right. That’ll be easy to do. My whole life hangs in the balance, and your advice is to relax.”

“There’s nothing you can do. You came to me. I’ll take care of it now. As your attorney, I’m advising you to have no contact with,” Emory checked his notes, “Mr. Sawatsky.”

Sasha met his gaze. There was a tense moment when he could see she was battling against her fear and anger, then she nodded and dropped into the chair.

“I’ll keep my distance.” She picked up her glasses from the other chair where they rested with her hat and fiddled with them. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Emory glanced back to his computer screen and the frozen grainy image of her naked body. He closed the paused video and faced Sasha once more. “I have another piece of advice, which you’re not going to like.”

She raised a brow.

“You cannot have BDSM sessions anymore.”

Sasha tensed. “I’ll be more careful.”

“No. It’s too risky. You’re lucky you haven’t faced this issue earlier. If this video were made public, I can only assume that anyone else you’ve been with, especially if they remarked on your resemblance to the actress Sasha Brazil, would come out of the woodwork, looking for their moment in the sun.”

“If you’re really in the scene then you know I can’t just…put away my feelings, my needs.”

“I completely understand, but unless you have the luxury of living the lifestyle full time, you need to protect your vanilla life. For you, the only foolproof way of protecting Sasha Brazil is to keep the needs of Sasha,” he had to search his mind for a moment for her real last name, “Menezes as secret as possible.”

“I have no desire to be some full-time house slave.” She sneered the words.

“That’s your choice, but not the point I was trying to make.”

“I know your point. You think I have to be some kind of nun.”

“No. I’m saying you need to find someone trustworthy, maybe a full-time partner—”

“No,” she shouted the word, nearly coming out of her chair. For a moment Emory was sure he could see fear in her eyes. “I won’t do that a—”

She cut herself off, turning her face away, but Emory was sure she’d been about to say “again”. Perhaps she’d had a bad experience with a regular partner, or in mixing a relationship with BDSM play.

“There are several men in L.A.’s BDSM community I know and trust. I could introduce you.”

“No. I don’t play in L.A.”

Interesting. He’d have to find out more about her past.

“Sasha, you need to understand—”

“I do understand, I’m the one being blackmailed. You don’t seem to understand.” She threw her glasses against the wall where they fell to the ground broken.

Slowly, Emory rose. “Control yourself, Sasha.”

She glanced toward him. There was only a moment of contact, but in that meeting of gazes Emory saw her need and knew what she wanted.

She was going to throw a tantrum, let out the anger and fear she was feeling. She was going to do it so he’d have a reason to punish her.

This sub needed, wanted, a spanking.

Prince of Spies

I’m going to begin a little feature I like to call my Dragon of the Month post. LOL. My very lovely friend, Bianca D’Arc, is having a wonderful time over at Samhain as they are creating new covers and re-releasing her amazing Dragon Knights series. Today marks the release of Prince of Spies, book 4. If you haven’t picked up this series yet, what are you waiting for?

Can the master of stealth master a maiden’s fragile heart?

Dragon Knights, Book 4

Nico is known as the Prince of Spies for a reason. He’s a cunning shapeshifter able to take the form of a dragon at will—the gift of his royal heritage.

Riki lives in misery, chained up to serve a mad king’s perverted magic. Forced to use her draining healing skills to keep him alive, Riki is a shadow of the woman she should be.

Nico knows Riki is the woman he’s been searching for the moment he sees her sad, beautiful face. He wastes little time breaking them both out of the enemy palace, beginning an adventure that will take them across two countries, through peril and danger, and the discovery of an undeniable love and mutual respect.

With the help of an old friend and ally, Nico teaches her the many varied and exciting ways of pleasure. Riki teaches him a thing or two in return—including the fact that he should never underestimate her. Will Nico have the courage to let her fly free, trusting she’ll return to him, or will his love smother the fledgling beauty who is breathing free air for the first time in her tragic life?

This book is a re-issue – all the books in the series will be re-issued. 

Product Warnings

Contains a princely scoundrel who enjoys a little exhibitionism when the mood strikes. He’s also not above asking a friend to help pleasure his lady. Be careful, lest the dragon’s fire singe your senses.

Excerpt:

Nico woke to the rich scent of woman in his nostrils. Unsure of his surroundings, he immediately noted the soft, female form snuggled at his side. She was thin and shaking with cold, clinging to him for warmth. He opened his eyes and was startled to see the girl there, her elfin face resting against his heart.

Something inside him twinged at the sight. The sleeping dragon inside him woke, possessively pulling the small woman closer as if to never let her go. Nico noticed then the energy flowing between them, from him to her and back again, making them both stronger. Already he could see a bloom of healthy color on her pale cheeks and a new vibrancy to her previously pasty skin.

He took a moment to savor and examine the connection. It was like nothing he’d ever experienced before, but he’d heard of it surely enough. In the ancient texts of his ancestors there were tales of this kind of sharing, and his own brother had mentioned just such a phenomenon when he’d met his new wife. A dragon healer might be able to absorb and reflect the massive power of his dragon half, strengthening them both in the process.

He looked more closely at the beautiful waif in his arms. No wonder he’d been so drawn to her when all other females left him cold. This half-starved woman was almost certainly his new sister-in-law’s twin, though she looked far different from the robust woman his brother had just married. No, this poor creature had been starved and tortured for months, perhaps years, but there was still a marked resemblance to the healthy woman she should be.

There were her eyes, for one thing. Nico had been struck by the luminescent green of her eyes right off. Royal green, some in Draconia called the color, since many of royal blood had just that shade, unlike himself. Nico was the rarity among the royal princes, with his tourmaline gaze. Most had the deep emerald of this woman’s eyes.

Her hair would probably be a deep, blazing auburn if it were healthy. Even under her pallor and the sad state of her clothing, it shone with reddish highlights, very much like her sister’s. She was the same height as well and had similar bone structure, though this woman’s features stood out much too prominently, her body mere skin and bones.

She stirred in his arms as if she felt his close study and her eyes opened. Nico caught his breath, knowing this poor girl was the reason he’d come to Skithdron. When he thought his mission utterly failed, she’d come to him as if the Mother of All had brought them together.

And indeed, perhaps She had. Nico had no other explanation for the set of dire circumstances that had led him directly to the girl. She blinked and tried to move away but Nico held her firmly, though not harshly, his gaze gently questioning.

“Arikia?” He breathed her name, watching reaction jolt through her. She recognized the name, he felt it immediately from the tremor in her spine. His quest was at an end.

“How do you know my name?” Her whispered words tugged at Nico’s heart. This was the first time he’d heard her speak, and the sound of her quiet voice lanced through him.

“I came to Skithdron looking for you. Your sisters Alania and Belora, as well as your mother Adora, were recently found and reunited. They miss you, Riki.”

Tears flooded her eyes and he pulled her gently closer, raising one manacled hand to soothe the hair back from her face as he crooned to her. His hands were bound together with strong chains, but he wasn’t worried. The dragon inside him would break them easily enough.

“No one’s called me that since I was little. No one knows my name.”

“Except your family,” Nico said softly, “and those of us who have been searching for you. I’m glad I was the one who found you.”

Her beautiful eyes widened with hope, but then disillusionment shattered her expression. “But what good is it? We’re both prisoners here.”

Nico was glad to see some spirit still flared within her battered soul. She was of royal blood, after all—as was he. Nico knew firsthand how hard it was to keep one of their kind down for long.

“Did Lucan say when he’d come back?”

“Not ’til morning. We probably have only a few more hours of peace at most.”

“That’ll be more than enough.” Nico smiled at her confusion, a little hesitant about how to broach the next thing he must tell her. He decided to start off slowly. “Riki, your sister recently discovered she can, well…change. Do you know what I’m talking about?”

Riki shook her head. Nico didn’t know if she was merely protecting herself or if she truly wasn’t able to shift from human to dragon like her twin. But then, if she’d discovered how to shift, she would most likely have escaped long ago.

“All right. Promise not to scream. I’m going to shift just a little bit and it might frighten you, but I would never hurt you. Neither man nor dragon in my homeland would ever harm you, Riki. Do you believe me?”

“Dragon?” She paused. “My mother told us stories of a dragon she once knew.”

“Ah yes, the infamous Lady Kelzy.”

“Yes! Kelzy. That was her name.” Riki smiled with obvious delight at the small memory of her youth returned to her.

“My name is Nico, and if you sit tight, I’ll have us both out of these chains in a moment. Do you trust me enough to do that?”

Sitting up and hugging her knees, she nodded, though she was nibbling on her lips in worry. Unable to resist, Nico bent forward and kissed her forehead quickly. She jumped a little, but seemed encouraged by the small, comforting gesture. Moving back, Nico called forth the change and allowed the black mist to envelop his human form.

Prince of Spies is available at Samhain and other popular third party sites.

A week of new releases

…written by my dear friends. Seems like all my writing gal pals are having a release this week. So…for the next three days, I’ll be offering y’all some sneak peeks at these new stories. First up is a new book by Jambrea Jo Jones called Avenger. It’s book 6 in her Alliance series at Total E-bound.

Sometimes going back is all you can do…

Angel Carter doesn’t know why he kidnapped a criminal and fled the planet. He just knows that he’s confused and the man responsible is one Frank Morgan. His ship crashes leaving them both stranded on Earth, a planet that is supposed to be free of people. A perfect hide out—or it was until he’s greeted by the natives.

Frank wanted to be free of a life of crime and made a deal to turn in his boss when things went crazy. He was injured in the process and woke up when the ship he was on crashed. He didn’t remember much—only now he’s in a jail cell with the very man he was supposed to be working with.

Will the past bring them their future?

Excerpt:

Angel Carter couldn’t believe his bad luck. It was supposed to be an easy undercover job. But he should have known by now that nothing in his life was ever easy.

“Buckle up, we’re about to crash.” Angel glanced at Frank Morgan—his inside man on the deep undercover job had gone all to hell. Frank looked rough. His stubble had stubble and there were circles under his eyes. His short dark hair sticking up every which way and the white of the bandage on his side stood out against his skin. Angel hadn’t put a shirt on Frank. Angel licked his lips and he should’ve been ashamed of himself for being turned on when it appeared as if Frank was passed out from lack of blood.

He wasn’t sure if Frank had even heard him, the man had been loopy from the drugs. Getting shot would fuck anyone up. Angel didn’t know how he felt about Frank getting injured or why he felt the need to run when he should have stayed and helped his brother, Alphonse, but every instinct had screamed at him to get Frank and get off the planet. Now they were about to both go down in a hail of metal and fire. If the crash didn’t kill them, the re-entry into Earth just might.

But he was out of options. He was going to the one place he should be safe. Earth had been abandoned for decades after it had almost been destroyed. Reports showed it was liveable again, but the Alliance was keeping it under wraps for now. They wanted to get hard data before letting people re-inhabit the place.

He hoped to hell the reports were right because in T-Minus twenty minutes he was going to find out, first-hand, just how good the air quality was. Angel leaned over and strapped Frank in, taking a moment to caress his cheek. Damn this attraction he had to Frank. It was going to get them both killed—if the ship didn’t kill them first.

“Erik…where…what…?” Frank winced.

Angel wanted to apologise, but really…what could he say? It wasn’t his fault Frank had been involved in a lot of bad shit that had come back to bite him on the ass.

“Frank, you shouldn’t call me that.”

And he shouldn’t have said that. Frank knew Angel was undercover, but not his real name, and now there would be questions. He should have just left it alone. But no—they might die and he didn’t want to lie. Damn it. His timing sucked, but he had a strong pull towards the criminal and he wanted him something fierce.

“Why? It’s your name.” Frank blinked at him—he still seemed a bit out of it.

“Not really.”

Shit, shit, shit. Shut up, man!

“Huh?” Now Frank looked confused on top of being hurt.

“I’ll explain later.” Angel tried to wave it off, but he’d got to know Frank somewhat during the investigation and the man wasn’t going to give up.

“Just explain now.” Frank bit down on his lip as the ship hit a bad run of turbulence.

They were going down fast. The outer shields were burning as they entered the atmosphere. Out of his peripheral vision he could see a blue glow—flames coming from somewhere. It didn’t look good. He had to switch to manual. The computer shut down—he wasn’t sure if that was from the heat inside or if it’d been hit.

“My full name is Angel Erik Carter. You knew I was undercover. I try to stick as close to my name as possible. I used Erik Angel so people still call me Angel—well, except you. Makes it easier. Of course, now you know my last name and you can’t say anything. Not yet. There are too many—”

Shit, Frank had passed out. His head listed to the side. Frank needed help and Angel wasn’t sure he’d be able to do much good with only basic medical skills. Fuck. Frank should be in a base hospital. Angel’s head was all screwed up. He needed to call Alphonse or his dad. Someone had to be able to help him.

The ship began to beep at him. Angel needed to get his head back into the game before the ship was completely wrecked. If the trajectory was just right the craft would be salvageable. A landing in a body of water might work if his maps on board were up to date. Angel always fell behind in getting his ship upgraded and not much of Earth’s terrain was known anymore, at least not by him. Their scientists hadn’t been out there for a really long time as far as Angel was aware. Of course, science wasn’t his forte.

Angel took a quick glance at his passenger. Was Frank getting pale, and was that blood seeping out of the bandage? Landing on an unpopulated planet with a man who could be dying, he’d been in worse situations, right? He could do this. Double damn.

The ship shook so badly Angel feared it would fall apart. Land was in view and there wasn’t a body of water in sight. Of course not. That would’ve made things easier for him. Angel pushed a couple of buttons and reversed thrusters, engaging his emergency landing gear. The Avenger made a god-awful screeching sound. Angel put up a quick prayer as the ship slammed into the ground. He jerked forward, his safety harness biting into his neck. His head hit the console and bounced back against his seat. He blinked as something warm and sticky slid down his face.

He used a hand to wipe it off. Blood. Just what he needed. What else could go wrong? Angel took a moment to collect his thoughts and catalogue any injuries he might have. He wasn’t feeling so hot and his head was spinning from the blow, but that seemed to be the extent of the damage to his person. Angel fumbled with his buckle but couldn’t seem to undo it—his hands kept slipping. He wiped them on his jeans.

An alarm buzzed through the ship. That should have happened sooner—like, on impact. His ship was fucked. Damn it. Smoke was starting to fill the bay. He needed to get up and see how Frank was.

“Come out with your hands up.”

Well, fuck.

Avenger is available at Total E-bound.

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope all the Americans have a happy Thanksgiving. Go forth and “stuff” yourselves with turkey.

And…if you’re looking for something to put you in the holiday frame of mind, I have two short stories up for sale at Amazon and Barnes and Noble this year.

Naughty is Nice

During the holidays, sometimes the nicest things are the naughtiest. Joy is making a heck of an erotic wish list for St. Nick this year. Lucky for her, she’s been a very, very good girl. This short story features Kylie, Heath and Colt from Tequila Truth. Approximately 4000 words.

Available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

This story and In the Running are my first attempt at self-publishing. I am in the process of learning how to upload it to Smashwords. Please check back if you prefer other formats because I’m hoping to figure this all out very soon.

 

In the Running

Noelle falls head over heels for Tom after they meet online. When they decide to meet in person for the first time over Christmas, Noelle gets a hell of a lot more than she bargained for from Santa! This story also features Julia and Ross from Erotic Research. Approximately 4400 words.

Available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

 

 

Cooking with Heat Day Four

Susan’s back for one last day and you know her…she’s saved the best for last!

This pie is a recipe I got from a friend.  O.M.G. It is SOOO good!  Almost like a pecan pie filling – quite sweet – with walnuts for crunch and the tartness of the cranberries.  I was skeptical before making it the first time, but this is now my go-to pie recipe!

Maple Walnut Cranberry Pie

An interesting combination of sweet and tart.

1 recipe pie dough or one store bought pie shell

4 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/2 cup tablespoons sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup maple syrup

1 1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup cranberries

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Partially bake pie shell as directed below.

Meanwhile, melt butter in microwave until melted but not hot. Mix in sugar with a wooden spoon until butter is absorbed. Beat in eggs, then maple syrup. Stir in walnuts and cranberries.

As soon as pie shell comes out of the oven, decrease oven temperature to 275 degrees. Pour walnut mixture into pie shell.

Bake until center feels set, yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pie to rack, let cool completely, at least 4 hours. Serve pie at room temperature or slightly warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

And for the final snippet, I’m sharing a bit from Wild Irish Christmas. Thought it might get us all in the holiday spirit.

As the bottle moved from hand to hand, they each offered up words of thanks or wishes for the New Year. When it reached Patrick, he lifted the bottle and proposed a toast he hadn’t used since the last Christmas he’d celebrated with his wife, Sunday.

“To Conall Brannagh.”

Ewan took the bottle from his father. “Who?”

“Conall Brannagh,” Patrick repeated. “If your mother had chosen him over me, none of us would be here tonight.”

Sean leaned forward, a definite gleam of interest in his eyes. “So you had some competition for Mom, eh? I never knew that.”

Keira grabbed a bag of pretzels. “I didn’t either. Was Mom in love with him?”

Teagan looked at Patrick. “I always thought you were her first love.”

Patrick smiled at his daughter. “I was her last love, Teagan. That’s a much better spot to claim.”

Wild Irish Christmas is available from Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, ARe, Sony and Kobo.

Cooking with Heat Day Three

Susan shared a link she found for a Cranberry Cocktail. Since Susan and I are both big gin fans, we couldn’t resist passing it along.

Cranberry Ginger Fizz Cocktail

4 cocktails

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1/2 orange, cut into slices
1 1/2 cups dry gin – Bombay Sapphire, Beefeater or Tangueray suggested
1 cup chilled Ginger Ale
4 mint springs

PREPARATION

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; pour off all but one cup of syrup, reserving any extra for another use.
Heat the syrup to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Add the cranberries and simmer for 2-3 minutes until they just begin to burst. Remove from heat and let cool in syrup.
Place 2 Tablespoons drained cranberries and 6 Tablespoons cranberry syrup in a large pitcher; add the lemon wedges and orange slices.
Using a muddler or wooden spoon, vigorously mash the fruit.
Stir in gin and let steep for at least 5 minutes.
Strain into a medium pitcher.
Fill 4 glasses with crushed ice and 1/4 cup ginger ale.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and then pour half the cranberry mixture into the shaker and shake vigorously for 10 seconds, strain liquid into two glasses. Repeat.
Mound additional ice on top of each glass and garnish with 3 candied cranberries and a mint sprig.

It comes from Creative Culinary, which is amazing site. I hope you’ll check it out.