Mari Carr's Blog, page 78

Empty Nest

So…I’ve been tearing up a lot lately in the past few weeks. I’m facing something that I can’t really believe. My son is graduating from high school tonight. That’s right…my baby is all grown up. My God, where did those years go? I swear it was only yesterday he was a chubby, tow-headed little toddler who only ever wanted to give me hugs and tell me he loved me. Now I’m living with this six foot two, hairy-assed man wondering when in the hell he grew up. I adored the little toddler, but I think I’m even more proud of the young adult he’s become. He’s quiet, thoughtful, respectful, and, while I may be the tiniest bit partial, I also think he’s very handsome.

I’m reminded of one of my favorite poems today, so I thought I’d post it here and dedicate to my son. I love you, Jack.

If by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;

If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,

And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch;

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run -

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And – which is more – you’ll be a Man my son!

 

Dangerous Curves

Woo Hoo! The print anthology of Power Play and Rough Cut releases today!

Rough Cut

Ty thinks he has it all until he reads a book that touches him in places kept hidden from the tabloids. He invites Gwen, the author, toHollywoodto work on a script. The moment he sees her, he realizes there’s something missing in his life, and it’s her. Gwen’s won over by Ty’s charm, discovering there’s more to him than a handsome face. As they re-enact scenes that delve into the BDSM realm, it sets Ty free to unleash his powerful cravings and exposes Gwen’s deepest needs.

Power Play

Reed is snagged him by the balls when Francesca announces she’s always fantasized about having sex with a stranger—a fantasy he is more than willing to help come true. While the sparks may fly between them physically, Francesca doesn’t believe they could spend more than a few minutes in the same room without arguing. When Francesca reports for her new position, she discovers she’s Reed’s partner. Competition is fierce—and hot. The hotter it gets, the closer they come to something they never intended…or expected.

Dangerous Curves is available at Samhain, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Saturday Snippet

This week we look at the alpha male with a theme we call Every Breath you Take.

Rekindled snippet

“No. I told you, I need someone who’ll stick around, someone who understands how to run a ranch.”

“Claire, for chrissake, I grew up on a ranch. I may have rejected the lessons and the lifestyle for a while, but I’m not thick. I know how to run a ranch. And I meant what I said earlier—I’m staying. It’s time.”

She fought back the instinct to shiver at Jeb’s comments. She could read between the lines. “I’m not ready.”

“It’s been a year. I know you’re grieving your husband, but dammit, I can’t risk you moving on without me. I made the mistake of giving up on us once. I won’t do it again.”

She closed her eyes, turned away. She couldn’t face him or the memories, the years spent wondering what if. “That was a long time ago. I’ve grown up, changed.”

“I’m banking on that.”

She faced him, eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“When we dated in high school, you were too young, too innocent to handle what I wanted. I know that. You’re a woman now. My woman.”

“No, I’m not.”

“You’ve been mine since the day you gave me your virginity. I let you slip away once. I’ve been a patient man. Stayed away these last ten years while you lived your life with Hutchins. I didn’t make waves, didn’t interfere.”

“I’m supposed to believe you traveled with the rodeo not because you loved every minute of it, but because you were avoiding me? Bullshit.”

“I love the rodeo. And you’re right, I wasn’t suffering riding the circuit, but by God, I suffered every time I came home. Every time I saw you with Hutchins, every time I thought of him sharing your bed at night.”

“Stop.” She put her hand up, anxious to wave away his words. “You and I broke up. We were never right together. You’ve got to—”

Jeb took a step closer and this time she did move back. “We were right. It’s the timing that was wrong. That’s not a problem now.”

“I can’t give you what you want.”

He grinned, running the back of his hand along her cheek. “You’re the only woman who can give me what I want. It’s always been you, Claire.”

He bent forward, his intention to kiss her as clear as the Texas sky. “Please don’t,” she whispered when his lips were a hairsbreadth away from her.

He paused for a moment but didn’t retreat. “I’ve missed you.”

She closed her eyes and gave in. She’d missed him too. Terribly. She closed the miniscule inch left between them and offered her lips. The moment they touched his, she was transported to the first time he’d kissed her—the night of the homecoming football game. She’d been sixteen and she remembered how excited she’d been when Jeb asked her to be his date for the dance the following night. He’d kissed her beside the bonfire at the end of the game.

Her first kiss, and it was every bit as beautiful as the one he was giving her now, and she felt all those old feelings rekindled. His lips lightly grazed hers, reawakening feelings she thought had died with her husband. Soon his kiss became hungrier, hotter. She reached up, gripping his neck, making her own demands as she pulled him closer. He rasped his tongue against her lips and she opened her mouth, welcoming him in. His grip on her waist tightened and she sucked in a breath as his hands began moving upward, not stopping until he cupped her breasts.

The kiss continued as Jeb tweaked her nipples through her T-shirt. She spread her legs and began rubbing herself against his thigh. Her body was on fire. It had been so damn long since she felt the slightest spark of desire. She’d have to change her panties at the end of this interlude. She was too wet, too needy.

One of his hands left her breast, rising to grasp her ponytail. She shuddered when he pulled her head back, directing her with slight tugs on her hair, nipping her neck.

“It’s still there. Still the same,” he whispered against her skin. It had always been this way between them. One kiss and it was as if the entire world had gone up in flames. She struggled to pull away.

“No,” she whispered. He hesitated and she could sense him taking stock, trying to decide if she really meant her refusal. She battened down her hatches and pushed against his chest. “No.” Her voice was stronger this time. “This isn’t the time or place.” She glanced out into the yard, relieved none of the ranch hands had walked by and caught her making out with Jeb Carter in the doorway.

She was just so damn tired. It had weakened her resistance. Next time he tried to kiss her, she would be prepared, stronger, betterable to fight him off.

“You’ve got dark circles under your eyes.” He studied her face and she knew he wasn’t discouraged by her pushing him away. If anything, giving in to his kisses had likely fueled his intentions to claim her…by any means necessary.

She shrugged. “It’s been a long month. Hell, a long year.”

He grasped her cheeks in his large palms but made no move to draw her closer. “You’re gonna hire me.”

He was relentless. She chuckled, then conceded. She needed help. “Maybe.”

The grin he offered in reply was cocky, smug, and she knew she’d lost this round. Jeb would get his way. “My duffel bag is in the car. Make room for my stuff in your closet.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You’ll stay in the foreman’s cabin and my bedroom door will be locked—every night.”

“Maybe.” He walked back to his car and she wondered what the hell she’d just unleashed.

Rekindled is available at Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo and All Romance Ebooks.

Want more snippets?

Megan Hart:Read in bed!

Rhian Cahill

Eliza Gayle

Jody Wallace

Mandy M Roth

Lissa Matthews

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Shiloh Walker

Shelli Stevens

TJ Michaels

Lauren Dane

Wanna try a new series?

Just Because?

Yesterday, Because It’s True released. It was the third and final story in my Just Because series. I thought I’d share little inside facts and an excerpt from each of the three stories with you today.

Because of You came out in August 2009. When I wrote the story, I intended for it to be a single title, but then…these brothers arrived on the scene. I tucked them away, in the back of my mind, because at the time…I’d committed to write about this other family (the Collins clan of Wild Irish).

Because of You had 4,785,485 working titles. I honestly feared that book would NEVER have a name. Let’s see…it was called Love’s Recovery originally, but my editor didn’t like that. We toyed with Finding Jess, then Revealing Jess, then way too many others that were instantly rejected. My mom actually came up with the title Because of You. We were jogging together at the time and my lack of title was driving me nuts. We bounced around ideas as we bounced around on the pavement. The second I heard it, I knew it was right. My editor agreed.

The story came to me in the middle of the night. Well…actually…just one scene did. It was the image of a woman waking up in the hospital after a car accident. She receives some very sad news. I remember waking up that night with tears in my eyes. Then…I did what I always do. I got up and wrote it down. From there, the rest of the story formed.

Because of You

Sometimes what you’re looking for is closer than you think.

Jessie’s life is a mess. Her husband died in a freak accident, she’s been mugged, her house trashed, and she’s receiving some frightening pranks calls. In an attempt to leave her misfortune behind she takes a vacation and meets Caleb James, a dedicated ER doctor.

The attraction is immediate, but Jessie’s heart was lost when her husband died. Until she finds it again, she’s not ready to commit to anyone new. When it becomes apparent her bad luck is all connected to the death of her husband, Caleb decides—ready or not—Jess needs help…his help.

Warning: Reading this book may cause the following side effects: laughter, tears, moments of heart-racing fear as well as that ‘hot and bothered’ feeling. Prescription: Grab a box of tissues and take a cold shower…stat!

Excerpt:

She shrugged and closed her eyes. She was a master at controlling her tears, yet here with Caleb it seemed harder to do. She’d managed to push her pain deep inside her and she even found it easier of late to discuss Tommy’s death. Tonight, whether it was the alcohol or her tiredness or Caleb’s compassion, the emotions were threatening to bubble over and she refused to let that happen.

“Well, I suppose I managed to bring tonight’s fun level down. That’s me—the official ruination of all parties,” she tried to joke. She pulled her hands out of his comforting grip and went back to the counter. “Do you like cream and sugar in your coffee?”

“No, I drink it black and Jessie, you didn’t ruin anything. You’re going through a damn hard time right now, dealing with something no one should ever have to deal with. Don’t be so hard on yourself. I wish I could give you an easy fix, but I’m afraid nothing except time will cure this.”

She grinned over her shoulder, determined to return to the easy banter they’d enjoyed all night. “That’s quite a bedside manner you have Dr. Caleb,” she said flirtatiously.

He laughed softly. “Oh yeah, I’m a master at bedside—” He paused mid-sentence and she was surprised when he walked over to her and placed his hands on her cheeks. “Christ, Jess. I want to kiss you so badly it hurts.”

“So kiss me,” she whispered, uncertain where the words had come from, his and hers. From the second he touched her face, she wanted him with a passion she’d thought long gone.

He leaned down and took her lips gently, sweetly, but she refused to be patronized, treated with kid gloves. She was a living, breathing woman and she wanted him. Wanted him beyond reason, beyond care.

She reached up, gripping his hair in her fingers roughly, pulling his face more firmly to her. She opened her mouth and welcomed his tongue, before pushing it out of her way to explore his lips, his teeth with her own.

He moved his hands down to her waist, his grip stronger, more certain, more controlling. She was giving him everything her broken shell of a body had left to give and she sensed he was more than ready to take her up on the offer.

Because of You is available at Samhain, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo, Fictionwise, and All Romance Ebooks.

Fast forward to Jan. 2012…yep…three long years have passed, but I’ve finally laid my Wild Irish series and the Compass Brothers to rest, so I have time to get back to my original cowboy family–the James brothers! Because You Love Me had been in my head since I put the epilogue of Because of You down. In fact, I allude to the fact the twins, Matt and Mark, are going to be fighting over the city-girl Bridget.

I’ll confess…I’m love writing contemporary romances and I adore romantic comedy. However, romantic suspense is tough for me! I love reading it, but dayum…writing a compelling mystery while weaving in a romance with lots of sex is tough. I spent HOURS trying to figure out the coded clue Lyle left behind for Bridget. Literally hours! The puzzle-lover in me got a kick out of it, but the fast-writer side of me struggled with the fact the words weren’t coming as quickly as usual. I can’t tell you how relieved I was whenever I hit a sex scene! LOL

The title for Because You Love Me came easier. I knew I wanted it to start with Because and I wanted another song for the title. Because of You is an awesome song by Kelly Clarkson and Because You Love Me by Jo Dee Messina is a beautiful song I was introduced to through another erotic romance book called Ice Queen by Joey Hill. God–I LOVE that book. I’ve probably read it a hundred times. In the story, she mentioned that song. Music freak that I am, I immediately went out and downloaded it on my iTunes.

Because You Love Me

Safety in numbers? Depends on what you mean by safe…

Bridget Wilder’s life is shot to hell—literally—when she witnesses the murder of her best friend, Lyle. Protective custody? What a joke. Time after time, someone has leaked her whereabouts, forcing her to run from one safe house to the next.

Tired of cold, lonely beds and living in fear, Bridget convinces her guardian cop she’s safer off the grid, following Lyle’s trail of clues to a missing flash drive that could put the killer behind bars.

It doesn’t take twins Mark and Matt James long to figure out two things. Bridget’s not only in trouble, she is trouble—they both want her. When things get a little hot and heavy one night, though, they’re stunned to discover that they don’t mind sharing. And she loves being shared.

Between the James brothers’ hot, hard bodies, Bridget finally feels safe—and loved. When a hit man tracks her down, the last thing she wants is for them to place those bodies between her and danger. But those cowboys have other ideas. Like keeping her alive long enough to convince her she belongs with them. Forever.

Warning: Scary times ahead! An evil judge, a car chase, a hit man and more! Luckily, the rough times are soothed by lots and lots of ménage sex with two, red-hot alpha cowboys.

Excerpt:

“Goin’ somewhere, darlin’?” Mark drawled.

She was well and truly stuck. “Doesn’t look like it.”

“That’s right,” Matt agreed. “You made a bet, so it looks like you’ll just have to stick around a couple more days to make good on it.”

“I wasn’t aware that I was working with a handicap taking on Todd and Steven as my partners. You cheated.”

Mark chuckled. “Didn’t peg you as the type to renege on a bet.”

“I’m not going back on my word. I’m simply saying you knew the cards were stacked against me and you still pressed for the wager.”

Rodney turned to look at her. “Wager?”

Mark saved her from answering. “Deal was if we won, she’d let us teach her how to ride a horse.”

Matt pulled her closer. “We’ll start first thing in the morning. Takes a while to get the hang of it though, so y’all might have to put off leaving for a couple days.”

She expected Rodney to lose his temper over her foolishness. What she did not expect was for him to shrug as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “That’s fine. No rush.” He glanced at Jacob. “Want some help making that coffee?”

She grinned at her friend’s transparent new attitude, especially when he checked out Jacob’s ass as they followed Steven and Todd to the kitchen.

She turned around to gloat about the hookup, but Mark held up his hand. “Don’t even say it. You were right. A man would have to be blind to miss the sparks flying between those two.”

“And you guys are okay with that?” She was surprised to discover two hardcore alpha cowboys living in the heart of the West who weren’t squicked out about their brother’s homosexuality.

Matt shook his head. “We’ve known about our brother’s sexual preference for a very long time. Had plenty of time to get used to the idea. It’s not a life I’d choose for myself—I like boobies too much—but if he’s happy, I’m happy.”

Bridget laughed. “You like boobies, huh?”

He nodded. “I like your boobies.”

She swatted playfully at Matt’s arm. “You need to keep your eyes pointed at regions directly north of my boobies.” She indicated her face. “There’s nothing down here for you,” she teased as she pointed at her chest.

Matt let his gaze linger on her chest. “That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. There’s plenty down there for me.”

Mark rolled his eyes. Taking Bridget’s arm, he led her to the sofa, where they sat down together. “Ignore my brother. He’s missing a filter or two and usually says completely inappropriate things as a result.”

She moved closer to Mark on the sofa, enjoying the jealous glare from his twin. “So I wouldn’t have to worry about that with you?”

Mark hopped on board the flirting train, putting his arm along the top of the cushion at her back, gathering her closer. “Absolutely not. I can assure you I’m a complete gentleman.”

Matt plopped down on the couch on her other side, grasping her hand. She was ultrasensitive to every touch, every glance from these men. She wasn’t sure she’d ever been so hot for a man. Unfortunately, this wasn’t one man, but two.

“Get away from my girl.”

“Your girl?” Mark asked.

Though she could tell they were teasing, Bridget decided she’d be wise not to let the game go too far. “Oh no, you don’t. I’m not getting in the middle of a pissing contest. Something tells me the two of you take too much pleasure in it.”

Matt shrugged. “We’re brothers. It’s in the sibling rivalry codebook.”

She laughed. “Find something else to fight over. I’m only here for a few days more and I’d like to spend them in relative peace and quiet. I’ve had enough violence to last me a—”

She froze as both men’s faces turned from smiling to scowling in an instant.

Shit. Way to go, big mouth.

“Violence?” Mark asked.

She struggled to find a way out of the mess she’d just made. “I just meant fighting amongst siblings.”

Matt looked toward the kitchen. “Siblings? Do you and Rodney fight? Does he hit you?”

“Dear God, no. He’s the mildest, kindest, most compassionate man on the planet. How could you ask such a thing?”

Mark turned her face toward his with gentle fingers on her chin. “Violence is sort of strong word for simple arguments between a brother and a sister. You know you could tell us if something’s wrong, Bridget. We’d keep you safe.”

She’d never received a more welcome invitation. For the second time in one day, her heart ached to share her painful secret. Common sense reared its ugly head. “Help me? You don’t even know me.”

“We know enough to see you’re in some sort of trouble,” Matt said. “Rodney’s constantly running odd errands around town without you, while you’re supposedly on vacation. You’ve yet to leave this inn and, well, you’re a tad bit jumpy. What’s up with you two?”

How could anyone be that observant? Maybe Rodney had been right about them hiding somewhere more secluded. They obviously had shitty poker faces. “Nothing’s up with us. Everything is as we said. We’re just here on vacation.”

Matt looked like he wanted to press the subject further, but Mark’s heavy sigh cut him off. “Okay. We’ll go with that. For now. If you change your mind and want to talk, the door’s open.”

She forced a lighthearted grin to her face. “Nothing to talk about. I’m downright dull.”

Mark shook his head. “I seriously doubt that. So, about these riding lessons—”

While Rodney had given her the go-ahead, it didn’t change one very simple truth. “I was stupid to make that bet. I wasn’t kidding when I said I’m afraid of horses.”

Matt squeezed the hand she’d forgotten he was holding. “We’ll take it nice and slow, sweetheart.”

“In other words, you’re not letting me out of the bet.”

Matt grinned at her. “Not on your life. You’re going to spend the next three days—”

“You said it would take two days.”

The mischievous rogue winked at her. “You said you wanted to learn to be a cowgirl. That takes time. Trust me, at the end of four days, you’ll be—”

“Four days?” As much as Bridget hated to make the break, she forced herself to stand and walk away from the incredible heat of their strapping bodies. Facing them where they still sat, she put her hands on her hips. “You are a shyster and a con man. I agreed to riding lessons. I’m fairly certain that can be achieved in one day.”

Mark stood slowly. “Three days.”

“Two,” she countered.

Matt jumped up and shook her hand as if sealing the deal. “Two days plus one date.”

“Date?”

Matt retained the hand he held, using it to pull her closer. “You just shook on it. We teach you how to ride, and you let me take you out dancing one night.”

“You get to take her dancing?” Mark interjected. “I don’t think so. The whole idea behind this wager was mine to begin with. If anyone’s taking Bridget out on a date, it’s me.”

Bridget threw her hands up. “Enough. I’ll agree to three days of riding lessons if you two agree that we’re just going to remain friends. No more fighting.”

Matt looked like he wanted to argue about the friends idea, and Bridget tried to suppress the part of her that hoped he’d press the issue.

“Fine,” Mark said, though his tone indicated he wasn’t happy about her demands.

She grinned. “It’s better this way. Trust me.”

Matt shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

“I’m going to head into the kitchen for some dessert. Do you guys want some?”

Mark shook his head. “No. I think I’d better head back. One of the horses was acting strangely this morning and I’m worried she’s getting sick. I want to check on her before I go to bed.”

“I’ll walk back with you,” Matt said. They’d told Bridget earlier in the evening there was a small path toward the rear of the house that led straight to the James Ranch. “Jacob can ride back in the truck with Caleb and Jessie or on his own if the two love birds don’t make it back from your guest house. You mind letting them know we left?”

Bridget shook her head. “No, not at all.”

Mark tapped her nose playfully. “We’ll expect to see you at the ranch bright and early tomorrow morning.”

She narrowed her eyes. “What’s bright and early? Nine? Ten?”

Matt laughed. “I was going to say six. Maybe another compromise? How’s seven thirty sound?”

“Painful,” she groaned. “But I’ll be there.”

Mark reached for her hand and lifted it to his lips. She suppressed a slight shiver when he pressed a quick, hot kiss on her palm.

Never one to be outdone by his brother, Matt upped the ante, placing a friendly kiss on her cheek. “Night, sweetheart,” he drawled, his hot breath tickling her sensitive skin.

Because You Love Me is available at Samhain, Amazon, Sony, All Romance Ebooks, and Barnes and Noble.

And now…the end. I never in a million years intended to write an m/m story. Never. I’m far too attached to my girlie bits (literally–lol), but then, Jacob and Rodney appeared on the scene and I’ll be damned if they weren’t perfect for each other. I’m fortunate because Jambrea Jo Jones is not only an amazing m/m author, but she’s a very dear, very patient friend. She talked me off the ledge, assured me I could write the story and then served as a cheerleader for me.

Like the other stories, I found the title in music. Jacob’s love of ABBA was introduced way back in Because of You. The line from I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do kept playing over and over in my head as I wrote the book and it just fit.

Because It’s True

Sometimes there are only two choices. Love…or leave.

Jacob James falls for Rodney the moment the New York Citycop crash lands into his far-too-predictable ranch life. The sexy city slicker is everything a lonely Wyoming cowboy could ever dream of. When Rodney is shot in the line of duty, however, their off-the-charts attraction turns unexpectedly cool. Jacob offers the only thing he has left—friendship.

All Rodney can think about—besides his cowboy lover—is getting back to his job. But what good is a cop who can’t fire a gun? While he’s grateful for Jacob’s support through months of grueling physical therapy, how can he offer anything more when his own future is so uncertain?

When he’s finally cleared to return to work in New York, Rodney thought it would be the happiest day of his life. Except reaching his goal means leaving Jacob behind…and a future he never thought he wanted. Until now…

Warning: New York City cop meets Wyoming cowboy. Come on. You know that’s going to be hot.

Excerpt:

Prologue

Searing pain roared through Rodney’s arm as black spots danced before his eyes. More gunfire pounded into the wall of the building behind him, pelting him with shards of shattered brick. He’d known something was wrong the second he walked out of the bank. Hell, he’d had a premonition all morning that something would happen, that everything was about to change. He knew better than to ignore his gut feelings.

“Rodney!”

Fuck. Bridget was out in the open. He forced himself to remain conscious despite the agonizing fire currently raging through his body. He watched Mark throw himself on top of her, shielding her from the gunfire.

“Get her to the fucking car!” Rodney yelled. Jesus. If Bridget was killed, it would be his fault. His. It was his job to protect her.

Bridget crawled closer.

He reached out with his uninjured arm. “Bridget, take this. Get toNew York.” He pressed the flash drive they’d spent the last month of their lives searching for into her hand. It was the key to putting the judge whose henchman was currently trying to kill them away forever.

“I’m not leaving you,” Bridget insisted.

Rodney took a deep breath, praying for the strength to get her out of harm’s way. Mercifully, Mark grabbed her, dragging her to the truck.

Please let her make it. He sighed with relief, the sound coming out as a harsh shudder when he watched the truck with Bridget ensconced inside pull away.

“Bridget,” he whispered.

Strong hands gripped him, shocking him. What the fuck? He started to kick out, but the last of his strength slowly drained away.

“It’s me, Rod.”

Christ. Jake. No.

“Get down,” Rodney said, the words sounding more like a bark than his normal voice. “Get inside!”

Jacob didn’t reply. Instead he lifted Rodney’s upper body with firm hands beneath his armpits and dragged him to the entrance of the bank. The movement was excruciating and bile rose to Rodney’s throat. Waves of nausea caused by the red hot poker lodged in his arm enveloped him.

He’d been shot. It was a possibility he’d faced every day as he patrolled the streets of New York City as a cop. Who would have thought this sleepy town of Saratoga, Wyoming would be the place to bring him down?

The gunshots had ceased with Bridget’s escape.

Jacob laid him gently on the floor of the bank’s lobby. He saw a security guard standing next to his friend, talking on the phone. He would have grinned if he hadn’t been in so much pain. If he was going to die, he couldn’t think of a better last sight than Jacob’s gorgeous face. Sirens sounded in the distance.

“Bridget,” Rodney whispered.

Jacob knelt next to him. “Matt and Mark got her away. She’ll be fine, Rod. And so will you. Just hang on, man.”

She was safe. Jake was safe.

Rodney let those comforting thoughts permeate the haze of pain, though he still couldn’t let go of the premonition.

Everything is changing.

His eyes drifted closed, his body shutting down.

They were safe.

But was he?

Because It’s True is available at Samhain, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

It’s Raining Men, Part Two

Today, Jambrea Jo Jones and I are continuing the mini excerpts blog hop with a snippet from my new release, Because It’s True. The story releases TODAY and I’m so excited to share a bit of it with you.

Sometimes there are only two choices. Love…or leave.

Jacob James falls for Rodney the moment the New York City cop crash lands into his far-too-predictable ranch life. The sexy city slicker is everything a lonely Wyoming cowboy could ever dream of. When Rodney is shot in the line of duty, however, their off-the-charts attraction turns unexpectedly cool. Jacob offers the only thing he has left—friendship.

All Rodney can think about—besides his cowboy lover—is getting back to his job. But what good is a cop who can’t fire a gun? While he’s grateful for Jacob’s support through months of grueling physical therapy, how can he offer anything more when his own future is so uncertain?

When he’s finally cleared to return to work in New York, Rodney thought it would be the happiest day of his life. Except reaching his goal means leaving Jacob behind…and a future he never thought he wanted. Until now…

Warning: New York City cop meets Wyoming cowboy. Come on. You know that’s going to be hot.

Excerpt from Because It’s True by Mari Carr

“Can’t exactly blame your straight brother for putting a bar between him and all these gay guys. This place is more crowded than most of the gay bars in the city. I’ve been hit on half a dozen times already and handed three phone numbers.”
Jacob narrowed his eyes slightly. Rodney tried not to acknowledge how warm and fuzzy the jealous look made him feel.
“Anyone with potential?” Jacob asked.
He had to leave it to Jacob. He was a talented actor in the play it casual role. Rodney shook his head. “No. Not at all.”
“Good,” Jacob said so quietly Rodney wasn’t sure he heard it at all.
Caleb wiped up the counter in front of them. “By the way, Rodney, I ran into your PT, Joyce, this morning. Congratulations on the clean bill of health. Looks like all your hard work paid off. New York ’s going to be getting back one hell of a cop.”
“What?” Jacob’s shocked tone went through Rodney like nails.
“Jake, listen—”
“I thought you said she just gave you more exercises to do.”
Caleb’s softly muttered “shit” proved he knew he’d just fucked up. Rodney couldn’t be angry. It was his lie that landed him in this mess, not Caleb.
“I’ll leave you guys alone.” Caleb walked to the opposite end of the bar and began serving up more drinks.
“Why did you lie?” Jacob asked quietly.
“Tonight was your night, Jake. I didn’t want to take that away from you.”
“Do you honestly think I’d begrudge you your miracle, your happiness? This is what you’ve worked for, Rod. I don’t see how you being cleared to return to New York would take away from the party.”
“Don’t you?” It was a pointed question and as close as Rodney had ever come to calling Jacob on the carpet about his feelings. Rodney wasn’t blind and he wasn’t stupid.
Jacob cleared his throat, then looked away. He faced the makeshift dance floor, careful to avoid looking at him. “I have no hold on you.”
Rodney chuckled mirthlessly. “God. I wish that was true.”
WANT MORE? HOP OVER TO JAMBREA’S BLOG.


Because It’s True is available at Samhain, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.


And how about a contest? Since it’s raining men around here, simply leave a comment to tell me which man you’d like to find in your front yard after a downpour. Leave comment today to be entered to win a copy of Feel Me AND Because It’s True. The winner will be announced tomorrow evening at our “It’s Raining Men” all day event over on Heat Wave. If you’d like to come hang out with us, simply join here. I’ll also post the winner’s name here.

It’s Raining Men! Part One

This week I’m doing a three-day celebration with my friend, Jambrea Jo Jones. As luck would have it, we both have m/m stories releasing! Today, we’re going to do a mini excerpt blog hop. Very mini because it’s just my blog and Jambrea’s! LOL. Here’s the deal. She’s has the FIRST part of an excerpt from her story, Feel Me, which releases today at Total eBound. START on her blog or you’ll be reading out of order. Then…come back here for the rest of the excerpt.

Ready? Set….Go HERE!

Feel Me excerpt, part two (continued from Jambrea’s blog).

When I arrived, Sally was already hard at work and music was playing quietly in the background. I guessed that was so people could talk. She had a line going so I pulled up to the bar and waited until she was finished.

The club was nice. Better than I expected. High class even. I thought for sure it would be dripping with all that dungeon shit you hear about. Shows what I know. There were tables set up around the room and nothing real kinky was going on in the bar area. At least not that I could see. It might’ve been a little early. The light was low, but it wasn’t terribly dark, which was good. I wanted to see these men for myself and hoped they really were my type.

“Well, look at the hot stud bellying up to my bar.”

I grinned, leaned over and gave her a big smacking kiss.

“Hey, sweet thing. Looks busy.”

“What, this? This is nothing. The boys aren’t here yet, but I expect them any minute. Want something to drink while you wait?” Sally winked at me and handed me a Dream Machine, a concoction her girlfriend came up with that I loved. Salt, Patron Silver tequila and a cotton candy chaser. Only I used pixie sticks instead of salt. Sugar. Yum.

That was never good. Sally was winking and had my favourite shot all ready for me. Not something your standard bar stocks—the cotton candy and pixie sticks.

“What did you do?” I whispered and licked my lips. Double yum. Best shot ever.

Wait. She wouldn’t have—oh yes she would. I could tell by her big shit-eating grin.

“Well, Kam. It’s like this. I might have told them you’d be here. I might have told them you’d be interested. And they could have said they’d be here. Like—now.” Sally pointed to the door.

I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. It was like my dream had come to life. Two big, strapping men. Both had dark, short hair. And they were massive. Like, not body builder massive. Well, one was. The other guy was burly, in a bear type of way. The fit-looking guy was a little shorter than the big scruffy bear, but they looked right together. Just looking at them you knew they’d been together for a while. I gulped and held my hand out for another shot. Sally was quick and had everything ready for me. I needed the strength.

This could end very badly for me. I knew it, but my cock didn’t care. It said—Hello, I want a piece of that. I resigned myself to a night of pleasure. My hopes of forever more would have to be locked away.

Feel Me is available today at Total eBound!

And how about a contest? Since it’s raining men around here, simply leave a comment to tell me which man you’d like to find in your front yard after a downpour. Leave comment today to be entered to win a copy of Feel Me AND Because It’s True (coming out tomorrow).

Saturday Snippet

It’s another week of Say Anything. This week I’m going to share a snippet from one of my favorite stories, Power Play.

Power Play snippet

Reed Donovan stared at the flat-screen TV in the corner of the bar, and though his eyes were seeing the baseball game, his mind wasn’t processing a single aspect of it. He leaned back in his chair and tried to shake off the lingering traces of jetlag. Two days earlier, he’d flown back to the States after nine months in London. He only had tonight left to recover from the trip before he returned back to work bright and early the next morning.

He picked up the drink in front of him and took a long, deep swig. His throat was parched and his mouth dry. Clearly the stress of his day job was affecting his mind, messing with his head. He’d gone to London in the early fall to clean up the mess the former manager had left in his company’s branch office.

“Have to admit I didn’t think you had it in you to be quiet for so long.”

Reed looked up and found his cousin, the owner of the bar, looking down at him. He gestured to the chair across from him and watched Carter sit.

Reed lifted his glass. “Trying to drink away some of my damn tiredness. Not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow.”

“Nine months is a damn long time to uproot from your home, Reed. And I know you hate playing the admin role, know you’ve been gritting your teeth every minute of these last few months, wishing you were back doing what you love.”

“Uncle Brian needed my help getting the London branch back under control. The last manager only managed to run the damn thing into the ground. It was my job to clean house, to put the pieces back together.”

Carter leaned back in the chair, put his hands behind his head and studied his face. “So what’s stuck up your ass? You’re home now. Figured you’d be happy and celebrating that little fact.”

Reed rubbed his eyes wearily. His cousin was right, he should be doing flips around the bar. Instead, he felt tired, irritable. “You want me to make a bulleted list for you?”

Carter grinned. “Is this gonna be a long presentation, Mr. Exec?”

Reed leaned forward, not bothering to acknowledge his cousin’s joke. “Number one, I’m pissed as hell about Brian sending me to London. I’ve worked my ass off for that man for years and I don’t appreciate being used as a lackey to do his goddamn dirty work. I’m going into his office tomorrow and letting him know it’s not something I ever intend to do again.”

Carter winced. “Damn, man. That’s not gonna be a fun conversation.”

“You’re right. It’s not. Number two, while I was off wasting my MBA skills playing office manager, he let my marketing partner lose two prospective clients to The Wilkerson Team. I could have landed those accounts if Brian would have let me do my job.”

“Sounds like your partner sucks.”

“You’re missing the point, Carter. If I’d been there, those companies would be The Donovan Group’s clients.”

Carter waved a waitress over and ordered a whiskey, straight up, before gesturing for Reed to continue. “Anything else you need to get off your chest?”

Reed leaned back. “Frankie Carlyle.”

“Who’s that?”

“The bastard who stole my deals. Some hotshot upstart from The Wilkerson Team.”

“Ah, so you’ve finally got some competition, eh?”

Reed narrowed his eyes. “Hardly.”

“Damn, you’re a sore loser. Always have been.”

Reed wanted to argue, but figured it was pointless. Carter knew him too well. “Lucky for me, I never lose.”

Carter burst out with loud laughter.

Reed scowled. “I’m simply going to tell Brian I’m not cleaning up any more messes. I’m a marketing guy and if he’d let me do that job instead of shipping me off to goddamn London for nearly a year, Frankie Carlyle wouldn’t have two jobs that should have been mine.”

Carter sat up, leaning across the table to slap him on the shoulder in a supportive way. “You and I both know anger doesn’t win an argument with Brian. He had his reasons for sending you away. Whether or not he cares to enlighten you on the whys of it is another matter entirely.”

Reed nodded, but didn’t elaborate on his real concerns regarding Frankie Carlyle. He’d seen print copies of the presentations that landed the deals. They were good. Very good. And there was a small part of Reed that wondered if he could have landed the deals if he’d been around.

He attempted to stretch a tight kink out of his neck. He was stressed out and tired. There were three more big bids looming in The Donovan Group’s immediate future and Reed intended to land every single one of them. Carlyle was about to meet his match.

“Earth to Reed.”

He glanced across the table and realized his cousin had been speaking to him.

Carter gave him a grin and shook his head. “Damn, man. Grab yourself a woman and get this aggression out of your system. You gotta blow off some steam before you talk to Uncle Brian or you’re bound to get your ass fired.”

Reed snorted and nodded. Carter was probably right. He scanned the bar for the first time since he’d walked in tonight. He hoped to spot Genevieve. Though he didn’t date—his job didn’t allow him much time for romance—he did enjoy the occasional hook up with Vivi. When he spotted her in the corner of the room, he smiled.

Carter caught the direction of his gaze and nodded his approval. “Good call. Vivi will cure what’s ailing you.”

“I think she just might.”

He grinned, about to stand, when a woman seated at the bar turned to retrieve something from her purse and caught his attention. She was clearly a businesswoman. Her expensively tailored suit, the briefcase at her feet, and the Droid she was typing into fast and furiously all proclaimed her role. He could only see her in profile, but he was taken aback by the delicate curve of her face, the single loose tendril of jet black hair that had escaped her stylishly pinned-up French twist. She appeared to be tall, with long legs that just wouldn’t quit. She was slim and, much to his chagrin, the size of her breasts was concealed by her suit jacket. He was a breast man through and through.

As he continued to watch her tap away at the tiny phone screen, he wondered for a moment what it was about her that was holding his attention. She was lovely, yes, but he’d seen more beautiful women. And while her body—what he could see of it—was hot, Vivi was just as shapely, just as sexy.

However, there was something about the way she held herself as she sat at the bar, quietly sipping from her glass of red wine. She simply exuded confidence and the image struck him as vaguely familiar, though he’d bet his entire lifesavings he’d never seen her before. He stared at her for several moments before he realized Carter had turned to see what he was looking at.

“Ah, the fair Francesca,” his cousin said.

“Francesca?”

Carter gestured toward the beautiful woman. “She’s a regular here. Comes in a couple times a week. Sometimes alone, sometimes with friends or colleagues. Trust me when I say you should stick with Vivi.”

“Why?” He wasn’t sure what prompted his question. Until Carter spoke, he’d had no intentions of approaching the woman. Now that his cousin had piqued his curiosity, he wasn’t so sure.

“Because she’s the female version of you, Reed. Powerful, successful, used to being in control. She wouldn’t go for that macho routine of yours. Women like her aren’t into men like us. When she settles down, it will be with a nice, biddable man who doesn’t mind a woman who wears the pants in the relationship. That’s sure as hell not you.”

Reed turned his attention away from the woman’s face and back to his cousin’s. “You seem to know quite a bit about her.”

“We’ve talked, just about stuff in general, nothing personal. She’s smart and she’s funny, but she’s also…” Carter paused, and Reed sensed his cousin was searching for a word he couldn’t find, “…dominant.”

“Dominant?”

Carter shrugged. “I don’t mean in a leather-wearing, whip-wielding way, but yeah, she’s, well, hell, she’s you, but with boobs and nothing dangling between her legs.”

Reed laughed. “So you’re warning me away?”

“Honestly? Yes. You’re feeling sort of down right now and you need a pick-me-up, not more complications. Vivi’s made to order, no muss, no fuss. You two can get together, wrinkle the sheets for a little while and come tomorrow morning, your perspective on life will be clearer.”

Reed glanced at Vivi and knew his cousin made a good point. Being with her was easy, relaxing, comfortable. They knew what the other liked in bed and neither of them expected a morning after courtesy call. Simple.

Then, from the corner of his eye, he saw Francesca move, turn her face toward the room. Her gaze met his and held. He leaned forward in his chair. It was the first time she’d acknowledged his presence. He narrowed his eyes, wondering what she was seeing. Was she feeling the same attraction? The same fascination? She studied him for only a fraction of a minute, mere seconds, but in that time, Reed felt as if he’d been shocked by the electrical current flowing between them.

“Should have saved my breath,” Carter said, rising.

“What?”

“I’ve never known you to take the easy way. Good luck, bud. You’re going to need it.” Carter turned and walked to his office, leaving Reed alone.

He looked at Vivi once more. She’d drop everything to spend the evening obeying his every command if he walked over and offered the invitation.

He didn’t.

Instead, he stood and walked toward the bar, toward Francesca.

Claiming the empty seat next to her, he waved the bartender over. “Hi Joe. I’ll have a Guinness, and get another glass of red for Francesca here.”

She’d already been looking at him as he ordered, but when he mentioned her name he noticed the slightest narrowing of her eyes.

“Do I know you?”

He shook his head. “No. My cousin Carter owns this bar. He mentioned your name to me.”

She digested that information as he studied her face. She was gorgeous. Now that they were in closer proximity, he was able to spot the slightest amount of her generous cleavage through her blouse.

“Up here, babe,” she said pointing to her face, when his eyes lingered too far south for a second too long.

He grinned at her joke. Oh yeah. She was everything his cousin described. Trouble in a thirty-four D cup. Good stuff.

“So, your cousin suggested that you buy me a drink?”

“No.” Reed pointed to where Vivi still sat behind her. “He told me to buy her a drink.”

Francesca glanced over her shoulder. “Pretty girl. Did you miss your mark? Need me to draw you a map? Help you get over there?”

“My sense of direction is just fine.”

She rested her chin on her hand and, for the briefest moment, he wondered what the hell was going on in her mind. Then the bartender returned with their drinks and distracted her.

She sighed heavily as she looked at the full glass of wine. “I really shouldn’t drink this. I’ve had two glasses already. I have a big day at work tomorrow and attempting it hungover isn’t a good strategy.”

He grinned. She clearly wasn’t drunk. He wasn’t even sure he’d call her tipsy, but she was definitely enjoying the relaxing effects of the wine.

“You strike me as the type who can handle her alcohol. And anything else that might come her way.” It was an obvious come on, but he didn’t care. There was something about her that screamed sex…and something else. Some elusive something he couldn’t put his finger on.

He took a sip of his Guinness. The alcohol was working on smoothing his rough edges too. His neck wasn’t stiff anymore and he was feeling looser, freer from the stress of work.

She leaned closer, her cheek still resting on her hand. “You know, I’ve always had this fantasy.”

He moved toward her. Her voice was low, husky, sexy as hell. “Oh yeah?”

“Sex with a stranger.”

Her words hit him like a punch in the stomach and his groin filled the maximum weight recommended for his pants in three seconds flat. There was no way he could adjust them without drawing her attention to his dilemma. Then he grinned and made the adjustment anyway.

Her eyes followed the motion of his fingers.

“Up here, babe,” he teased, mimicking her words.

She laughed. “You’re really Carter’s cousin?”

“Yep, I’m Re—”

She cut him off quickly with a wave of her hand. “No. You tell me your name and we stop being strangers.”

She had a point. And a set of knockers that had him feeling lightheaded.

Taking a deep breath, he decided to go for broke. “Where do you wanna do this?”

“Follow me.”

Power Play is available at Samhain, Amazon, Sony, Barnes and Noble, Fictionwise and ARe.

Want more snippets?

Megan Hart:Read in bed!

Rhian Cahill

Eliza Gayle

Jody Wallace

Mandy M Roth

Lissa Matthews

Leah Braemel

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Shiloh Walker

Shelli Stevens

Zoë Archer

Lauren Dane

Saturday Snippet

This week’s theme is a fun one, “Why can’t we be friends?” The concept immediately made me think of Party Naked. The hero and heroine definitely started out on the wrong foot. Luckily…they managed to find a way to solve their differences…in bed.

Party Naked snippet

She was halfway to the bar when she spotted a familiar face walking through the front door. She stopped in her tracks. Detective Nolan sauntered in like he owned the place and the temper she’d managed to subdue all afternoon flared hot once again.

He glanced around the bar quickly, looking over at the boisterous book group as he took a seat at the end of the bar. His gaze missed her completely.

Suddenly she felt as if the clouds on her lousy day had lifted and she’d been granted a bit of good fortune. She’d had hours to fume about the detective’s behavior and, as always happened, she’d thought of a million clever, cutting things she could have said to him after she’d driven away. She’d been pissed off about missing her opportunity.

A smile crossed her face. Time for round two.

She walked toward him.

As if sensing sudden danger, the detective turned, his gaze catching hers as she approached. She enjoyed the myriad emotions that covered his face in the few short steps it took her to reach him—surprise, annoyance, anger and, finally, was that regret? The last pulled her up short for a moment, then she drew near.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t De—”

The detective grabbed her shoulders, pulled her toward him and cut off her words with a kiss that left her stunned motionless for a full thirty seconds.

What the hell?

She put her hands on his chest and tried to push him away, but the man was relentless. He turned his head slightly, his tongue brushing her lower lip. She gasped and he took advantage, opening her mouth even more for his beautiful assault.

Stephanie might be angry, but she appreciated a good kiss as much as the next woman, and it seemed a shame to interrupt the man when he was on a roll. Then she recalled the ticket and his rudeness. She shoved at his chest again, but he dipped his tongue in farther, the brief scent and flavor of peppermint on his breath making her mouth water.

Anger. Arousal. Those two emotions seemed to be in direct opposition and she was torn. Should she break the contact—and his neck—or hang on and enjoy the ride? For all his personality defects, the cop could work magic with his mouth. Holy wow.

He stroked her tongue with his, touching it with quick, teasing brushes. His hands moved from her shoulders to her face, cupping her cheeks, and Stephanie felt herself go molten, her panties suddenly wet. She was a sucker for a sexy kisser and a good face hold. God, she loved it when a guy touched her cheeks so sweetly.

After a few hours, the detective pulled away, though his face was so close to hers, she could feel his hot breath on her skin. With a bit of distance between them, Stephanie’s wits began to return.

“Are you mental?” she whispered, too breathless to speak louder.

“No.”

His answer was too quick, too pat, too unsatisfying.

“You better have a damn good reason for doing that, Offi—”

He covered her mouth with his again. Rather than repeating the initial, long, soul-searching kiss, this time it was harder, hungrier. The horny fool inside her returned the effort…with interest.

The next time he moved away, he spoke first. “Is there somewhere private where we can talk?”

She snorted. She couldn’t help it. “You just came in here and attacked me in my bar. I’m not about to go anywhere with you alone until you give me some answers.”

The detective sighed heavily and then looked around, first at the bar and then over his shoulder, through the plate-glass window facing the street. Stephanie noticed he hadn’t released her and she was beginning to suspect it was to keep her in check.

For what?

“How about outside? The city street is private enough for our conversation, but public enough you don’t have to worry about me overpowering and taking advantage of you.”

She heard the humor in his tone, but she also sensed there could be some truth to his admission. Of course, she wasn’t so sure she’d kick up much of a fuss should he try that overpowering thing.

She looked at his quiet, serious face and just like that, she knew she’d be perfectly safe with him. Damn it. “Street’s fine, but make it quick. I’m working.”

He grinned and her stomach lurched unsteadily at the sight. Detective Asshole, as she’d taken to thinking of him in her mind, was gorgeous. Stunningly so. With deep, rich brown hair and eyes so dark they looked black, he also had a small cleft in his chin that added a bit of interest to his perfectly put-together face.

“You work here.” His words didn’t seem to be posed as a question so she didn’t answer. Instead, she followed him as he headed for the front door. He’d released her face, only to reach down and grasp her hand. She felt foolish and ridiculously happy to be holding his hand as they walked to the sidewalk, standing right outside Books and Brew. She noticed he was careful to make sure she was still in sight of her friends inside. She appreciated that small, thoughtful gesture.

So much for first impressions.

The detective was quickly becoming an enigma—asshole, sexy, arrogant, confusing. He pushed every button inside her and poked at every emotion. This was not good.

Party Naked is available at Ellora’s Cave, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, and All Romance Ebooks.

Want more snippets?

Megan Hart:Read in bed!

Rhian Cahill

Eliza Gayle

Jody Wallace

Mandy M Roth

Lissa Matthews

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

HelenKay Dimon

Shiloh Walker

Lauren Dane

Sinful Sirens Giveaway Hop!

For the next few days, I’ll be participating in a blog hop with LOTS of awesome authors and reviewers. Visit them all or just a few. There are prizes at every stop along the way! The event begins today and ends May 20.

Today…I thought I’d crank up the heat with a little snippet from the first book in the Foreign Affairs series I’m co-writing with Lexxie Couper. Misplaced Princess releases June 20 and it’s available for preorder now at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Excerpt:

Hunter ran his finger down the pretty blonde’s arm, enjoying the flirting and easy banter. He’d hit the bar after seeing his idiot brother off at his gate. They’d flown the station helicopter toSydney, leaving so early this morning it had still been dark. Hunter had a couple of hours to kill while he waited for the flight mechanic to refuel the chopper and clear him for take off.

“So you live on a cattle station?” the blonde asked. He’d forgotten her name the second she’d said it. One of these days he was going to have to learn to pay attention to details like that.

“Yep. Farpoint Creek. My family’s owned it forever. Established it back in the 1800s.”

The woman feigned interest, but Hunter could see the disdain in her eyes. She was clearly a city girl and the idea of living out whoop whoop in the Outback was less than appealing to her. Lucky for both of them, he wasn’t considering taking this game of slap and tickle out of the airport.

She leaned closer, accidentally brushing the side of his arm with her breast. They’d started their flirting at different tables. Then he’d joined her. After a few minutes of sexual innuendoes, he’d given up his seat across the table and moved over to share her side of the booth.

“You know, I’m a member of the Qantas Club.”

“Is that right?” he asked.

“I was actually thinking of heading over there and freshening up before my flight. They have showers in the lounge.”

“Showers, eh? Bit bloody fancy.”

She dragged her hand along his leg, starting at his knee and working her way up. He liked a woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to grab it. His dick twitched when her hand crept closer.

“Wish I had someone to wash my back,” she purred.

He started to offer his sudsy services, but something on the PA caught his attention. “What did she say?”

“What did who say?”

The PA announcement was repeated. Dylan Sullivan, please meet your party at the customer service desk located at terminal one.

What the hell? Dylan wasn’t here. At least, he bloody well shouldn’t be.

Hunter reluctantly pushed the woman away while silently cursing his brother. “Sorry, love, but I gotta go do something.” Dylan would pay dearly for costing him a shower with this beauty in the high flyer’s club. He retrieved his hat from the table and put it back on his head.

“You’re leaving?”

Hunter nodded regretfully. “Yeah. Afraid it can’t be helped.” He threw enough cash on the table to cover both of their drinks and a generous tip for the waitress. “Sorry.”

He walked toward terminal one, trying to figure out why Dylan wasn’t jetting away fromSydney, getting closer to making one of the dumbest mistakes of his life. He’d loaded his brother on a plane headed forNew Yorkover an hour ago.

Hunter had spent most of their morning trek to Sydney trying to convince Dylan that taking off halfway around the world to hook up with some broad he’d met on one of those stupid online dating services made him look pretty desperate.

He’d also pointed out that precious little could come of this trip, besides getting a piece ofNew Yorktail. Dylan lived and worked on Farpoint Creek cattle station. InAustralia. Trying to hook up with some American chick wasn’t exactly practical.

Dylan, ever the romantic idiot, seemed to think Annie had the potential to be his soul mate. Jesus, his brother had actually used those words—soul mate—and was supposed to be headed toNew York to prove that asinine fact.

Had Dylan missed his plane? Hunter couldn’t figure out how. They’d made it to the departure gate in plenty of time. And if so, why would he page himself rather than ask the customer service rep to page Hunter? Maybe Dylan had given his own name as well and the lady had fucked it up.

He glanced at the crowd standing around the service desk as he walked toward the terminal. He and Dylan weren’t lacking in the height department. If his dickhead brother was around, he sure as hell wasn’t standing up; he’d tower over these people. Add the fact he and Dylan hardly ever took off their bloody hats and Hunter should be able to spot him a mile away.

He started to get in line at the desk to ask who’d paged Dylan when a woman walked up to him.

“You’re here!” she said.

Hunter tried to place the woman’s face. She looked vaguely familiar. “I am?” His mother claimed he’d been cursed with a sarcastic streak as wide as Farpoint since the day he was born. While his mum found it annoying, Hunter had never found a good reason to curb that personality trait.

The pretty woman smiled. “I was starting to worry.”

Before he could tell her she had the wrong bloke and should go ahead and hang on to her anxiety, she took a step closer and threw her arms around him.

The hard-on Hunter had managed to batten down as he’d walked away from his potential shower partner reemerged when her firm breasts brushed against his chest. Bloody hell. Who knew the airport was such a great place to pick up women? He might have to fly to Sydney International more often.

Never one to pass up an opportunity, he accepted the embrace, loosely wrapping his arms around her back. The lovely lady was just the right height for him and had some sexy curves. He liked a woman with meat on her bones.

She pulled away slightly and he started to release her, but she kept her arms wrapped around him and upped the ante, kissing him.

It started as a sweet, friendly kiss, but Hunter wasn’t having any of that shit. She smelled and tasted too good. He grasped her soft face and held her close. He turned his head and deepened the kiss, pressing her lips open so he could get an even better taste. He was thrilled when her tongue met his halfway. Jesus. This chick could kiss.

CONTEST – Annie and Dylan met on an online dating website. To be entered to win an ebook from my backlist, simply leave a comment telling me if you’ve ever used an online dating service. Why or why not? Oh…and this contest is open to anybody and everybody. 

Nailed to the Wall

My BFF, Jayne Rylon has a new book releasing tomorrow and I wanted to give her a little shout out. Nailed to the Wall is part of a little series called Powertools. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? LOL.

As always…Jayne’s written a SCORCHER. Make sure you’ve armed yourself with plenty of cold water and have a fan on hand. You have been warned.

The crew is back and they’re dirtier than ever.

Powertools, Book 5

Five sexy men with a penchant for love and lust in any variation have formed a crew. They work hard and play harder—together. Though their partnership began in construction, renovating houses and selling them for a mint, they’ve formed a bond around their shared goal to provide women, and each other, with the ultimate sexual experience.

Over the past year, as each member discovered his soul mate—or two—they expanded the reach of their circle, lighting up their nights along with their souls. Monogamous relationships and the desire to start families threaten to put their libertine revelry on the back burner. Will the passion that bonded them fade away? How will the new crew wives cope with the complex relationship the men will always cherish and crave?

Determined to prove they stand by their men, the women decide it’s time to flex some muscle and give the crew a dose of girl power. They collude to take the guys as their horny hostages, using some big guns: boudoir photos, a pillow fight and a calculated foray into partner swapping. But will they have the guts to go through with their plans?

Product Warnings

By Book Five in this series, fans will attest that anything goes in the crew. Be prepared for ménage in every flavor—m/f, f/f, mfm, fmf, and more—along with a slew of that’s what he said jokes. No throwing tomatoes at the author, please!

Excerpts:

Devon popped another handful of caramel corn into her mouth, despite the fact that the credits of their third movie scrolled past on the muted TV. She smiled as she thought back to Dave and Kayla’s first fight—a battle over the installment of the enormous flatscreen. Secretly, she was glad her friend had compromised and allowed the technology in her haven. The custom oak cabinet the crew had devised to hide any trace of ugly black plastic was a work of art.

Crispy, coated kernels surrendered to her chomping. She licked sticky sweetness from her fingers. When she looked up, she caught Kayla peeking at her from the corner of her eye.

Devon knocked her knee into her friend’s. “Want some of this?”

“Yeah.” Kayla made no move to grab a snack.

Morgan refilled their pretty, hand-blown margarita glasses. Colorful blobs encased in the clear material looked like confetti. They swirled and mixed in Devon’s blurred vision. Last round for her. Being petite had been a curse she’d endured her entire life. Little to no tolerance for alcohol was a related inconvenience to suffer.

When Morgan finished serving them—all except Kate, who’d opted for fancy tea instead of booze—she plopped on the floor beside her best friend.

“So…” Kate leered at each of them in turn. “Truth or dare time.”

“My favorite.” Devon grinned.

“Good, then you first.”

“Truth.” She had no qualms about sharing herself with these women regardless of the silly game they played.

“Make it something juicy.” Morgan poked Kate in the ribs. “You’re evil at this. I should know. Remember when you forced me to admit my crush on your boyfriend in high school? Holy crap. I forgot his name. How can that be?”

“I think it was Tim. Or Ted maybe. Damn.” Kate squinted. “It seemed like the end of the world at the time. Now that we have the crew, I can’t help but think you saved me from potential disaster.”

“Plus you got even in college with…” Morgan paused.

“Dan?”

“Uh, something like that. No, no, Doug. Definitely Doug.” Morgan laughed. “I guess we’ve always had similar taste in guys.”

“Great hormones think alike.” Kate winked. “And now I know you’ve got it good with Joe.”

“Lucky bitch.” A slap on Kate’s bared thigh accompanied the half-hearted curse.

“That’s me. Anyhoo… It’s been a while.” Kate tapped her chin, then glanced at Kayla and Morgan. “I’m rusty. Help me. Both of you.”

“Hell-oooo. You’re the only sober one here.” Kayla rolled her eyes. “You’ve got a pretty big advantage.”

“Good point.” Kate utilized their fit of giggles to consider. “Okay. But maybe we should change the rules. No singling anyone out. We’ll all answer the question.”

“Why the hell not?” Morgan shrugged. “We don’t really believe in the whole solo thing around these parts. We’re like the nine musketeers. Or is that three, three musketeers?”

“I can’t do math after four margaritas!” Kayla rubbed her temples.

“You’ve had five,” Kate corrected.

“You sort of proved her point.” Devon nodded gingerly enough to avoid rattling her brains.

“Okay, okay.” Kate held her hands up in surrender. “How about this? What’s one thing you always hoped to try with our guys but haven’t had the balls to go for yet?”

“Time to start planning our coup, huh?” Morgan clinked her glass against Kate’s teacup.

“Yeah. I’ll kick us off with some honesty of my own. Part of me is nervous. It’s been a while now, coming up on two years, since I met the crew. I feel like we need to keep things fresh for Mike and the rest of them. They’re used to adventure. I couldn’t stand it if we didn’t satisfy them as much as they’ve done for us.” The rush with which the confession burst from Kate had them all sobering a tiny bit.

“You’ve thought about this a lot. Worried.” Devon leaned forward to pat Kate’s shoulder. “Mike adores you. You’re all he really needs. You know that, right?”

“Yes.” Kate swallowed hard enough for Devon to spot her throat flex. “I do. Deep down. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to give him the world. Better than only what he requires. Bare minimum isn’t enough for the man of my dreams. We’ve also…”

“What, Katiebug?” Kayla defaulted to the nickname the guys had given their friend.

She released a dreamy sigh, then confessed, “Mike and I have toyed with starting a family.”

“No wonder you’re not drinking tonight.” Kayla stared at the cup of tea clutched in Kate’s white-knuckled grip.

“I’ve been dying to tell you all. I just…” She shook her head.

“You’ve been keeping too much inside.” Morgan glared at Kate. “Don’t you know we’re here for you when you need us?”

“If we’d hidden something like this, you would have kicked our asses.” Kayla leaned in closer. Morgan didn’t harp, though. She glanced away, and her cheeks seemed to blush. Before Devon could dig deeper, Kate sighed.

“I know.” At least she didn’t attempt to deny it. “I’m sorry.”

“So what’s your main concern?” Devon tilted her head as she tried to decipher the issue.

“Once we have more responsibility, what if Mike is restless? As much as I can already feel a burning love for the baby we’re praying for, I also know things will get harder. More stress. More obligation. More work. Our relationship could suffer. I’m terrified this brilliant magic we’ve created could fade into a perfectly comfortable, ordinary life. While he might be content, I can’t imagine him happiest like that.”

“Never forget we’re a team.” Morgan smirked. “With this many aunts and uncles to love a child, he or she won’t be hard up for attention. And you’ll never have to worry about a babysitter if you two need some time alone. Then, maybe someday, you could return the favor for Joe and me. Just think, our kids will grow up like brothers and sisters.”

“That is nice to dream about.” Kate brushed discreetly at the corner of her eye with a knuckle. “So I guess I’m going to answer my own stupid question. Tell me if I’m crazy.”

“You are,” Devon answered immediately.

“Brat.” Kate’s insult held no heat. Some of her seriousness dissolved. She took a deep breath, then admitted in a rush, “I’d like to watch one of you with Mike. I can’t promise I won’t get psycho jealous and try to rip you apart—gouge out your eyes or pull your hair or scratch you to shreds—but I’ll do my best. I think he should have the option. And secretly, though he’s never said anything, I think he’s a touch jealous of the other guys. They got to be with some of you and he never did. Not that he wants to screw around or anything. But he’s possessive. He considers all eight of us his in some way, you know?”

“You’re both similar in that regard. Always taking care of the gang.” Kayla grinned. “So how about a trade? Dave told me you were pretty damn hot that first time they shared you in the pool. I’m sure he’d be up for another taste. And he’s plenty strong enough to keep your cat-fighting ninja moves in check should you make a break for me.”

Devon noticed Morgan nodding in agreement. She thought about her relationship with the rest of the crew and how easy it would be to take the last step toward full-on intimacy. She loved each of the men for things they had in common as well as their individual strengths and quirks.

Morgan added softly, “I’ve grown so close to you all, and our guys. Most of us have been with some combination of them already…when we were first finding each other. One thing I’ve wondered about is making our sessions a free-for-all. The guys share each other. So why not us too? There are times, when we’re all together, it would be so easy to reach out and touch Mike, Dave, Neil or James. They’re gorgeous, and I love each of them. I’m sure I could improve their experience, same for them with me, but I’m afraid they’re off limits. Why do we do that?”

Devon gnawed her lip. It was no secret Neil and James had played around with every one of her friends before she entered the picture. Truth be told, she imagined sometimes what it would have been like to be Kate. To have had all five men focused on her pleasure.

Greedy much? Hell, yeah.

Nailed to the Wall is available for preorder at Samhain.