Mari Carr's Blog, page 84

Saturday Snippet

This week's theme really speaks to me. Can there be anything more romantic than that first time a hero and heroine see each other? I hope you enjoy "Just One Look."

Snippet from Do Over:

When the parking lot was almost completely clear, he turned to her. "Happy anniversary, Faith."

Her brows lowered. "Our wedding anniversary isn't until next Tuesday."

He shrugged. "It's close enough. I wanted to celebrate it with you here."

"At the high school?"

He chuckled. "No, here. In Carlylse. Home."

She smiled at his words. "This place hasn't been home in nearly thirteen years."

"It'll always be home. Too much of our lives happened here for it to be anything else."

She nodded, knowing he was right. Then, he picked up the present and she blushed. "I feel terrible. I didn't get you anything yet."

Truth be told, she hadn't planned on buying him much more than a card. After twenty-five years of marriage, a simple card exchange and dinner out had sort of become their standard routine. There wasn't too much that either of them really wanted and with two kids in college, spending money on anything frivolous seemed like too much of a waste.

"You give me plenty, Faith," he said, tapping her nose playfully, and she had to take a quick breath to fight back the tears at his unexpected, sweet comment. She loved her husband and she knew for a fact that he loved her, but neither of them spoke in flowery phrases. Every night of their lives together, they'd kissed good-night and said the words, "love you," but after awhile, the meaning behind the words was lost in the rote pattern.

Looking down, she carefully opened the beautifully wrapped package. Pulling off the lid and digging into the tissue paper, she was surprised to find a photo album. She started to open the cover, butTroy's hand covered hers.

"You can only look at the first page," he said.

She looked up, the question in her eyes, but he didn't give her time to voice it.

"This is only the first stop in our celebration. One page for each place. I'll tell you when you can turn the page."

She looked at him for several moments, trying to assimilate this man and this incredibly romantic gesture with the easygoing guy who'd been leaving wet towels on her bathroom floor year after year.

Opening the photo album to the first page, she saw a picture of her andTroythe night of their senior prom. They hadn't come to the dance together, but they'd certainly left the gym hand in hand. His original date had come down with the flu, canceling the morning of. She'd come with Travis Scottsdale, her first semi-serious boyfriend and asshole of the century. Ten minutes after arriving at the dance, he told her he wanted to break up with her, leaving her sitting alone while he proceeded to make out in the corner with Amber Cooper.

"Oh my gosh. Look at us. We're so young."

"And sweaty,"Troyjoked. "We danced our asses off that night."

"It didn't help that the AC in the gym didn't work." Faith grinned at the memory.

"Must've been at least a hundred degrees in there."

Faith looked back at the photograph. "Where did you get this picture? I've never seen it."

"It was in the pocket of that letter jacket. I can't remember exactly where I got it. I think Judy Hayes gave it to me a couple weeks after the dance. I'm pretty sure I was supposed to pass it along to you."

"And obviously you forgot." Forgetting little things was a special talent ofTroy's. She always had to remind him it was garbage day or to stop on the way home from work to pick up the dry cleaning.

Troyshrugged. "I was a teenage boy falling in love for the first time. Believe me, I was not about to give up that picture. I looked at it all the time."

This time, she couldn't hold back the tears his kind words provoked.

"Troy," she whispered.

He bent forward. "Kiss me," he murmured. Their lips touched. They'd kissed a million and twelve times in their lives, but this kiss, gentle and sweet and innocent, reminded her of their first. It was in this parking lot after the dance and she could still remember the excitement she felt when Troy Wainwright offered her a ride home. They'd gotten into his car and before he started the engine, he'd turned to her and said the exact same words.

Kiss me.

The request and the action had taken her breath away that night and she was feeling the same lightheadedness now as she had then. As soon as the memory entered her mind, she pulled away with a gasp and looked around. If she wasn't mistaken, this was very nearly the same parking spot.

"Our first kiss."

He grinned, pleased she'd remembered. "Yep. Right here. In front of the school." He turned on the radio and slid in a CD. Pushing Play, he pointed back down to the photo album as the sounds of Fleetwood Mac drifted through the speakers.

For the first time, her gaze traveled from the picture on the left page to a letter protected under the plastic film on the right page. It was written to her inTroy's handwriting.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Read it."

Faith,

You and I have known each other nearly our entire lives, traveling the same path through elementary, middle and high school. While we were acquaintances through those early years, I feel like I never really knew you, never saw you until the night of our senior prom.

            Betsy Jordan coming down with the flu was probably the best thing that ever happened to me, even though I didn't realize it at the time. I remember how pissed off I was after her mother called and said she couldn't go to the dance with me. I almost stayed home that night, but my mom insisted I put the rented tux to use. You know my mom— waste not, want not.

            I came late and by the time I got there, that dickhead, Travis had left you sitting all alone. I knew you all had been dating, so I was surprised when I saw him with Amber. I can still remember the look on your face as you watched him dancing with that other girl. You were so pale and yet, so strong. I could see how hard you were fighting not to cry, to hold on to your dignity. It was like a light went on inside me. I'd passed you in the hallways for years and never really looked at you, but that night, you were the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen and I wondered why in the hell I'd never noticed it before.

            I was nervous as shit when I walked over to you and asked to sit down. You smiled at me and I felt like somebody had punched me in the gut. Talk about an instant attraction. We talked and laughed and after awhile, we started dancing. The last song of the night was "Landslide" and I took you in my arms and we slow danced while Stevie Nicks sang. After the dance, you said I could drive you home and we had our first kiss in the parking lot. I fell in love with you that night even though I was too stupid at the time to know it. When I dropped you off at your house, I asked if I could call you again and you said yes. I smiled the whole way home, thinking about you.

            Even after all this time, I only have to think about you and I smile.

Love, Troy

 Do Over is available at Carina, Amazon, Sony, Barnes and Noble, and All Romance Ebooks.

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One week from today…

…Western Ties releases! To get this countdown started, I thought I'd spend the next few days sharing excerpts from the first three books as well as some behind-the-scenes Compass Brothers stories and never-before-seen excerpts from Western Ties.

The Compass Brothers series begins when the oldest Compton brother, Silas, decides to leave home in Northern Exposure.

Prologue

Dry brush crackled under the hooves of Silas Compton's roan gelding. It hadn't rained in a while. He could tell it would be a long summer by the clouds of terra cotta dust rising in the wake of his brothers' galloping horses as they raced across the mountain ridge.

Not that he'd know it where he was headed. Alaska would provide a total change of scenery. Exactly what he needed. Pain lanced his chest, causing him to tense in his heirloom saddle. Rainey's ears flicked up. Silas patted the loyal animal's neck, settling into the rhythm of their canter, and wondered how he would survive so far from the land that had been a part of him since he'd been born.

Somehow he would have to make it work.

He sure as hell couldn't stay.

Like the three-legged dog they'd had as kids, he would learn to cope without an integral part of himself. If only he and his puppy had reined in their curiosity and avoided those damn traps…

But they hadn't.

Lucy Silver, the veterinarian's sweet daughter—who'd been dancing through his dirty dreams since he'd been old enough to have them—had spotted Silas making out with her boyfriend in the barn. It'd been like the day he'd watched his puppy scramble toward the razor-sharp jaws lying concealed under a pile of straw all over again.

Removing himself from the equation seemed like the only way he could halt imminent disaster and protect the two people he cared about most outside of his family. He'd already destroyed enough of Lucy's innocence.

Christ, he couldn't explain what had driven him to kiss Colby in the first place.

Impulsive. Rash. Reckless.

Qualities Silas didn't value. The one time he gave in to the dark urges he wrestled, he paid a horrible price. But he'd caught Colby checking out his sweaty muscles as they'd worked together in the heat of the day. Desire had arced between them.

Irresistible. Delicious. Forbidden.

Until the agony on Lucy's face had slammed him back to reality. Silas vowed to leave the couple to mend their fences and live in peace, without the threat of his interference ripping them apart. Lucy and Colby devoured each other with desperate gazes when they thought no one paid attention. It didn't take a genius to figure out their love was the real deal.

He'd go, even if it meant giving up everything familiar and cherished, including his brothers and his two best friends. Because he sure as shit couldn't stay and keep his hands to himself. Not with a double helping of temptation running wild.

Amber rays from the setting sun ignited the prairie below. The glowing grasslands seared into his memory. He'd never lose track of his roots. He'd never forget his heritage, Compass Ranch, even if he couldn't accept his destiny as its head.

His brothers would pick up his slack.

Seth, a year younger than him, whooped then grinned over his shoulder as he spurred his mare faster. Wild as a mustang, he flew over the landscape to the spot they'd claimed as their own. The twins, Sam and Sawyer, followed suit.

They hadn't discussed their plans for the evening. As soon as Silas had made his announcement to the family, the boys had glanced around the dining table—where all important family business was conducted—and nodded. They hadn't objected to his desertion, but strain lined their faces, sorrow dimmed their eyes and the betrayal he feared flashed in the air a split second before they began planning how they'd support him.

Christ, their generosity had made him feel lower than the shit on the bottom of his muck boots because he hadn't had the guts to admit why he really planned to leave. None of them would have been dumb enough to mess with something that wasn't theirs. And if they had, they wouldn't have lied about it on top. Such strong souls would thrive with or without him. But could he cut out something so essential to his being and live so wounded? So lost?

Cut adrift, he might not make it.

Silas gripped the reins too tight. He forced himself to relax his fingers.

One night. He'd give himself these final hours with his brothers to say goodbye to all he treasured. Tomorrow, he'd ride out. Forever.

The driving hoof beats slowed as they approached their destination. By the time they ducked beneath the shelter of the mountain cypresses, the rocky terrain forced them to walk their mounts. None of the teenagers would jeopardize the safety of their animals or their brothers.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to contain the agony lassoing his heart as he realized he'd never be close to the men they'd grow into, their families or the children who'd take their places in the tight-knit community like so many generations before them.

The last damn thing he wanted was to bawl like a sissy.

If his family caught on to his pain, they might not let him go. Luckily, he'd learned from the toughest sons of bitches in the west how to be a real cowboy. If that was the only way he could honor his legacy, he'd man up and do it. Somehow.

They dismounted, reverting to familiar patterns. Seth and Sawyer tied the horses as Sam gathered kindling for their bonfire. Silas patched the pit left from prior visits then dug some supplies from his pack, including hot dogs despite the fact they'd eaten dinner before they left. These days, the four of them could shovel in enough to feed an army.

Or so their mom said.

"Si, you're bleeding." Count on Sawyer to notice.

"It's nothing." Silas faced the youngest, by twenty-two minutes, of his brothers. The kid's twin had already picked up on the vibe. Damn their weird-ass mental connection.

"It's something." Sam sidled up behind him to take a peek. "It's too uniform to be a cut."

"Did you do it?" Damn if Seth didn't tip his hat and glare from beneath his dark brows. When Silas didn't answer, Seth stomped over. "Holy shit. You did. You got a freaking tattoo. Without me? Without us? You asshole!"

Silas dodged his brother's half-hearted punch toward the sore spot between his shoulder blades. The disappointment radiating from the guy in waves did more damage than his fist would have. After Silas's sudden declaration of independence, this looked bad, but he couldn't come clean and admit the craving he'd had to brand himself with some symbol of home before he took off. Not if he had any hope of escaping.

"I had a hard enough time convincing Snake to ink me. If I'd brought you guys with me, he never would have caved. He only did it because I'm eighteen now."

If Silas had told Seth, they wouldn't have been able to stop Sam and Sawyer from tagging along too.

"Well, I suppose that's true. Plus he's probably afraid JD will kill him if he finds out." Sawyer let Silas off easy, as usual.

"Yeah, that's why I took the bandages off. Didn't want him to notice."

Pride for their badass father glowed from the kid. Silas agreed. As head of Compass Ranch—the center of Compton Pass, Wyoming—JD Compton wielded vast financial clout but his personality made him larger than life and, most important, earned him respect by the acre.

"But you gotta let us see it at least," Sawyer insisted.

"Sure." Silas dropped a wedge of firewood on the crackling flame Sam had started, and then stood. All three of his brothers lined up behind him—Seth in the middle, the twins on either side—when he tugged his gray T-shirt over his head, wincing a little at the sting of his sweat in the open wound. The three usually raucous kids didn't make a single peep when he revealed the artwork. "It's swollen and stuff—"

"Whoa." Seth broke the silence.

"It's awesome." Sam laid his palm to the right of the emblem, careful not to touch the raw skin.

"Sweet," Sawyer agreed then added his hand on the left side of Silas's back.

"Does it hurt?" Seth completed their connection, touching the area below the design.

"So bad," Silas gasped, struggling not to drop to his knees.

"I'm still doing it. Next year. The minute I turn eighteen," Seth whispered into the gathering twilight. "Exactly like this."

"Me too," Sam chimed in. "The compass design is fucking great. And the ranch brand is perfect. It matches the one we use."

"I didn't know Snake had this kind of shit in him. The shading is so cool. It looks 3-D." Sawyer's hand shook on Silas's back. "I want one now. Like yours. But without the fancy N."

"You're only fifteen," Silas barked. "Wait a while and make sure it's what you really want."

"I know what I want."

"Things don't always happen like you expect, Sawyer." Silas felt the pressure of his brothers' hands bracing him as he heaved a giant sigh.

"Is that why you're leaving?" The high pitch of Sam's question reminded Silas that even though his youngest brothers had started fooling around with girls in their class, and he'd busted them splitting a six pack they'd swiped from the bunkhouse, they still had more boy than man in them.

"Yeah." He couldn't give them more of the truth than that. It embarrassed him. Angered him. And threatened to drown him in despair.

"Well, some people might flip flop around. Not me. Not going to change my mind." Sawyer stuck to his guns. He'd always been the most determined to prove himself despite being the baby of the group. Maybe because of it. "I'm joining the Coast Guard. Gonna see the world."

"What?" Silas pivoted to stare at the kid, severing the connection with his brothers. He regretted it instantly, but he had to search Sawyer's eyes for the truth. "You've been watching too many freaking commercials. Your place is here, on the ranch."

"No, it isn't," the teenager whispered.

When the other two nodded in agreement, Silas staggered backward.

"You're not planning to stay?" His forehead crumpled as he tried to understand. "None of you?"

"Don't look at us like that." Seth waved his hands in front of his chest. "I figured you'd understand. I need to get the hell out of here. Find my own place. Same as you. Not Alaska though, I hate winter. You're crazy to take on all that snow. Somewhere warm. Maybe I'll head down south. Yeah, that's what I'll do. A fancy S instead of an N on my compass, bro."

"What? No!" Silas couldn't explain. "It's not like that. I mean—"

"We understand, Si." Sam smiled then nodded. "I'd like to go to college. Earn a degree, find a real job. Something where I don't have to dirty my hands to rake in cash. I'll have fancy clothes, a slick apartment and a kickass car. I'll party every night with the hottest girls in the city."

The relief washing over his brothers filled Silas with anxiety and left him reeling. Who would help their father with the ranch? Who would continue their family traditions? Who if not him? Or Seth? Or Sam?

"Oh, no." Sawyer shook his head as he kicked a rock. "Don't give me that look. I told you, I'm not getting stuck here. Fuck that. You think someone should hang around, then stay put. It ain't too late to cancel your plane ticket."

"I-I can't."

"And neither can we." Seth slugged his shoulder. "Come on, start the dogs. I'm starving. Jake slipped me a couple Playboys for doing his chores last weekend so he could bang Misty Trelane."

"Nice! Me first." Sam managed a head start for their brother's backpack as Sawyer launched himself after his twin.

Silas watched them wrestle, laugh and call each other names as though his entire world hadn't been ripped apart. Then he pivoted and stared out to the horizon as the sun set on his childhood.

Northern Exposure is available at Samhain, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Fictionwise, Kobo and All Romance Ebooks.

Now…how about a sneak peek of Western Ties?

Stacey sighed. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Leah rolled her eyes. "Oh my God. We're not really going to have this conversation again, are we?"

"I want to know that you're going to take this seriously. These parties aren't games, Leah. They aren't jokes. The host has rules that he expects us to follow."

Leah observed the partygoers as Stacey spoke. She knew exactly what was expected of her. It was the reason she'd come to California, though she'd never admit that desire to Stacey.

"I know what's expected of me, Stace. You don't have to worry."

Stacey studied Leah's bracelet and shook her head. "Well, I have to admit, of all our friends at college, you were the last one I expected to bring to a place like this. Don't get me wrong, but you're sort of a goody-goody."

"Goody-goody? Shit, that's not a compliment. Why on earth do you think that?"

"You're straight as an arrow. I've never once seen you step a little toe out of line or take a walk on the wild side. In college, while we were all partying it up at the frat houses, you were in the dorm, doing homework."

"I was there on a scholarship, Stacey. I couldn't let my grades slide or I would have lost it."

Stacey nodded. "I know that. It's more than just the constant studying though. You are the queen of play it safe."

Leah gave her friend a frustrated sigh. "Did you ever stop to think that sometimes it sucks to be the reliable one, the boring friend, the designated driver for every single party? I want to cut loose, Stacey. I want to have my night."

Stacey's face radiated guilt. "You never seemed to mind picking me up at the bars in college."

"I didn't. Not really. You were having fun. I'm pretty sure you got as much, if not more, out of your university experience than I did. Lately, I've been feeling restless. I don't know how to explain it. There's got to be more to life than work and shitty sex with losers."

Stacey's gaze traveled over her outfit. "Yeah, well, looking like you do tonight, I'd say it's a sure bet you're going to get a hell of a lot more. Never thought I'd see the day where you'd walk into a party dressed like that."

Leah laughed. "What? You don't see me as a sweet little submissive girl?"

Stacey snorted. "You're sweet, Leah, but I'm worried you may be a little too sweet for the kind of stuff that goes on at these parties."

Leah appreciated her friend's concern, but it was misplaced. She'd never felt more certain about any decision. She needed to try this or she'd spend a lifetime always wondering. "I'll be fine. I'll mingle and make conversation with the big bad Doms. See if I can entice any of them into huffing and puffing and blowing my house down."

"God. See? This is what I'm talking about. Ever since I picked you up at the airport, it's been one lame joke after another about this lifestyle."

Leah shrugged. "I can't help it. When I'm nervous, I make jokes."

"I wish Bill was here. If you speak to any of these men like you talk to—"

"Leah?" a familiar male voice behind her said.

Leah closed her eyes and prayed she'd imagined it. There was no way. No possible way—

"Leah Hollister?"

She sighed. Fuck. What were the chances?

Turning, she realized her night wasn't going to end as she'd planned. She should have saved her money. Should have stayed in Compton Pass. She was screwed.

"Sawyer."

Western Ties is available for preorder at Samhain, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

 

Crossed Wires

I had a very exciting day today. I finished the first complete draft of Misplaced Princess, book one in the Crossed Wires books I'm co-writing with Lexxie Couper. Lexxie and I pitched these to our Ellora's Cave editor a few weeks ago and she bought them! On proposal! Nothing like a signed contract to get the old fingers tapping the keyboard. LOL.

The premise of the stories is a fun one. Basically, Dylan and Annie meet in an online dating site. They begin chatting, become friends, and start to wonder if they could actually become more. The problem: Dylan is an Australian stockman and Annie is a New York City journalist. One day during a playful IM'ing session, Dylan offers a challenge, asking to meet face to face. Annie accepts. Unfortunately their wires get crossed. Dylan flies to New York at the same time Annie takes off for Sydney! Sounds dire, right? Nope. Fate steps in when Dylan meets Annie's best friend, Monet, and Annie is swept off her feet by Dylan's identical twin brother, Hunter.

The co-writing of the books has been quite a challenge simply because the setting of my story and the lifestyle of my hero were completely foreign to me. However, I knew working with Lexxie would make it easier. For one, Lexxie is uber-talented. I absolutely adore her writing style. And secondly, she's funny as crap. The first time I met Lexxie was in a hotel room at the Romantic Times convention in Columbus, Ohio. I knocked on her door and Lexxie (who was suffering from extreme jetlag) opened it (in an exhausted stupor) standing before me in nothing but her Australian flag undies and camisole. We've been laughing together ever since that day.

So…how are we co-writing these stories? I wrote the Misplaced Princess story and passed it to Lexxie. She's now going to turn my American cowboy into an Aussie stockman. I can't wait to hear Hunter's accent! She's also going to correct all my Australian setting screw ups. Lexxie is nearing the end of Misplaced Cowboy. Once she's finished, she's sending it to me to Americanize Monet and add the New York City features. So far, our biggest challenge has been keeping our timeline straight. I emailed Lexxie late last week and asked what we were thinking setting our two stories in the same week in two different time zones! Ack. It was murder trying to figure out who could call home when!

I suppose you can tell I'm really excited about this project. Once release dates are assigned, I'll post them here. It's still early days and I couldn't even begin to guess when they'll hit the EC shelves. My hope (and this is a wish, not a reality) is that they'll come out this summer.

Saturday Snippet

Today's theme is an easy one – Author's Choice. I thought I'd go with a blast from the past and one of those books I don't seem to talk about much. It's a shame really because it's one I loved writing and a story that in some ways closely mirrors my real life. Like the heroine, I was a high school English teacher for years and some of Kelly's conversations with her students were things that actually occurred in my classroom. Unfortunately…there was no hot undercover, alpha male, dominate cop named Mac hiding out in my room and pushing all my hot buttons.

Snippet:

"Such big words, Lieutenant."

The immediate disappearance of his smile clued her in to her mistake. Glancing around quickly to make sure they were alone, she held up her hand to ward off the chastisement she read on his lips.

"Sorry. Slip of the tongue. It won't happen again, I promise."

He stalked toward her and she found herself backing up involuntarily at the anger she saw in his face. In four steps, she found herself cornered in the book room off the office, backed up against the wall and watching him kick the door shut with his foot. The room was tiny at best and finding herself in such close proximity to him left her struggling to take a deep breath.

"I said I was sorry." However, he simply continued to glare at her.

"Sorry isn't really enough, Kelly," he said sternly. "If Meg or anyone else had been in that room, my cover would have been blown in an instant. Not only would you have ruined my chances of working here covertly, you would have made it next to impossible to sneak someone else in without raising suspicion."

"I understand all of that." She was unhappy with being treated like a child by this infuriating man.

"Do you?" he asked hotly. "Do you really? Because from where I'm standing it seems to me you'd be very happy to see this investigation fail."

"That's not true," she retorted. "I don't like the underhanded way you're going about it, but I do realize the need for change. I don't like my students being in danger and I'm perfectly aware of the fact that gangs are dangerous. Hell, I broke up two fights just last week outside my classroom door! I'm not an idiot."

At his deepening scowl, she feared her words weren't soothing his temper at all. "What do you mean you broke up two fights?"

She was taken aback by the quick change of topic. "Verbal altercations and a little shoving. Not fights, really."

"Well, you won't be doing that again."

She was appalled by the man's conceit. Surely he didn't think he could solve all the school's problems in one day? "Well excuse me, Mighty Miracle Worker, but I hardly think you can claim there won't be any more fights simply because you're in the building."

"Oh there are bound to be more fights, but you won't be breaking them up. Good God, woman, what were you thinking? Tiny thing like you? You could have been hurt."

She was confused by his immediate about-face. One minute he was yelling at her for nearly blowing his cover and the next he was yelling at her for endangering herself. Infuriating, frustrating man. Anxious to recover the upper hand, she dismissed his words with a shrug of her shoulder. "It's part of the job. Besides, as I recall, you were brought here to put an end to gangs taking over the hallways, not to act as my personal bodyguard. If trouble starts up again, I'll step in."

He leaned toward her as a smile she immediately distrusted claimed his handsome face. "Perhaps it's time for us to establish some ground rules."

"Rules?" His lips hovered mere inches from hers. The temperature in the small book room shot up and she fought the impulse to fan herself.

"You're a teacher." He moved even closer, although she wasn't sure how that was possible given the fact that it already felt as if he were taking up every available square inch of the room. "No doubt you have rules in your classroom and consequences if those rules are broken. That might be a good idea for us as well."

"Fine," she choked out. "Rule one, you can't keep—!"

He interrupted her. "Oh no, sweetheart. You misunderstand. I make the rules."

Fury rippled through her at the thought of Mac attempting to impose a bunch of rules on her. Did the pompous male chauvinist pig actually think she would consent to such foolishness?

"You can kiss my ass if you think—"

"Careful, Kelly, you might not want to give me that particular permission. You see, there's nothing I'd like so much as to kiss your…" He reached back to envelop her rear end in his strong hands, letting his fingers fill in the blanks.

"Get your hands off me!" She was shocked by the liberties he was taking. And in the English office, first thing in the morning. "Someone could walk in!"

Rather than removing his hands, he started lightly stroking her buttocks through her dress slacks. "So you wouldn't mind me doing this if there weren't a chance we'd get caught?"

"God." She drove both her fists against his rock-hard chest. "You are the most annoying, irritating man I've ever had the misfortune to meet!"

Taking his hands away from her bottom, he smiled and moved them up until he gripped the shelf of the bookcase right above her shoulders. "You played with fire yesterday, Kelly, and now I think it's important you realize how dangerous that was."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you?" He leaned forward and, taking her earlobe in his teeth, he nipped lightly. "We had a name for a girl like you when I went to high school. A cock-tease."

Offended by his words and insult to her reputation, she started to protest, but he bit her ear again, this time hard enough to sting.

"Rule one," he whispered as his tongue dabbed the sore spot briefly. "The next time you undress me with those sexy eyes or tease me with that husky voice, I'm going to give you exactly what you're asking for. Rule two, if those lovely lips of yours call me 'lieutenant' again, I'm going to fill them up so you can't speak at all. And rule three, if you put yourself in danger and attempt to break up another fight, I will turn you over my knee and spank that lovely ass of yours, then I'll take you up on your invitation and kiss it better. Understand?"

She was overwhelmed by his powerful words. She knew she should be appalled by his rough treatment, yet she was incredibly turned-on. God help her, what did that make her? She wasn't some weak-willed woman who let a man order her around and yet, the idea of taking orders from Mac in the bedroom made her so hot and bothered she could barely breathe. The temperature in the damn book room must have been pushing at least a hundred and ten.

When she failed to respond, he pushed away from her and looked at her face. "I said, do you understand, Kelly?"

Gathering her wits about her, she replied with as much strength as she could muster. "I'm not one of your subordinates, Lieu—"

His lips devoured the rest of her words as he demonstrated exactly how he intended to silence her.

Covert Lessons is available at Ellora's Cave, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo and All Romance Ebooks.

Want more snippets? Check out these authors!

Eliza Gayle

Rhian Cahill

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

McKenna Jeffries

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Shiloh Walker

TJ Michaels

Shelli Stevens

Zoë Archer

Leah Braemel

Saturday Snippet

This week, we're sharing romantic snippets. When I think of romance, I instantly think of Pat and Sunday from the Wild Irish series. They shared a life of love and happiness as they raised their seven children. In December, Wild Irish Christmas released and it shared the story of how this amazing couple met.

Snippet:

Once they were alone, Sunday looked at him. Patrick had never been the recipient of such a thorough examination. He stared back, equally as enthralled. He felt as if he was a blind man seeing for the very first time. He wondered if she felt the same connection.

"Why do you work so hard, Patrick Collins?"

No one had ever asked him that before. It was simply expected that he do his chores on the family farm, while Scully proclaimed him a born barman and assumed he worked at the pub because he loved it.

What no one in his family realized was—Patrick had a plan, a dream for his future that didn't include sheep or even Ireland. He took one look into her bonny blue eyes and revealed what—until he'd met Sunday—had been his deepest desire. "I'm saving up enough money to leave Ireland. I want to move to America. Scully has an older brother who lives in Maryland who's hoping to retire soon. He's agreed to hire me as a bartender while letting me gradually buy the business. One day soon, I'm going to get out of Killarney. I'm going to be my own boss in a pub in America."

He hadn't intended to share so much. Most young men he knew dreamed of moving away from this small Irish town, dreaming of a better life somewhere else. Very few of them ever managed to make it more than a mile away from their birth home. They continued to toil all day on the farms while drinking away their wages at the pubs each night. What if Sunday thought he was one of those wishy-washy dreamers?

She smiled. "I think that sounds wonderful."

He studied her face, trying to decide if she was humoring him, but he saw no deceit. Quite the opposite. She appeared impressed.

"You do?"

She nodded. "I suppose everyone dreams of going somewhere else, doing something special with their lives. You've set your goal and you're working hard to achieve it. That's admirable."

Patrick had never received such a compliment. It touched and humbled him. "Thank you." Her kindness encouraged him and he found all his private thoughts flowing out in a rush of words. He described his ideal pub, as well as pictures he'd seen of Baltimore and the Inner Harbor. At one point, Sunday closed her eyes as he spoke and he imagined she was letting him draw a picture of the place in her mind.

Finally, he paused, realizing he'd kept her sitting at the bar for nearly an hour. He picked up a glass and hung it from the rack above his head. "I suppose you have some big dreams as well. I mean, a woman with your singing talent could go far."

She rested her chin on her hand. "I do love singing."

"You're one of the best I've ever heard. You'll be famous one day. Mark my words."

Sunday laughed softly. "Maybe. Maybe not. You and I share a dream, Patrick. I hope to go to America one day too."

"Well, of course you do. I'm not surprised to hear it," he said. "Best place for a truly talented singer to catch a break."

Sunday took one last sip of her ale and glanced at her watch. "I suppose I should head home. My aunt wasn't too keen on me taking this job since it would mean staying out so late."

"If you give me a minute, I'll walk you. Not that Killarney is dangerous, but maybe it would set your aunt's mind at ease."

"Wouldn't that be out of your way?"

He shrugged. "I like walking in the moonlight. Gives a man some quiet time with his thoughts."

"And you have a lot of those?"

"A million," he confessed, enjoying their lighthearted banter.

"I think I'd like to hear a few."

"Well," he said, lifting the end of the bar and walking toward her. "You're in luck. Since I'm escorting you home tonight, you'll be privy to all my silly dreams and schemes." He pulled off his apron and placed it on the bar.

She picked up her guitar case. Patrick took it from her then reached out his free hand.

He struggled to contain his grin when Sunday placed her hand in his, allowing him to hold it during the entire trip to her aunt's house.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"I escorted Sunday home from that pub every night for three months, holding her hand as we shared our thoughts and dreams with each other."

Teagan sighed. "What a romantic story."

Wild Irish Christmas is available at Ellora's Cave, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Want more snippets? Check out these authors!

Eliza Gayle

Rhian Cahill

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

McKenna Jeffries

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Shiloh Walker

Zoë Archer

Lacey Savage

Leah Braemel

Any Given Sunday

I'm very excited to announce that Any Given Sunday is up for Book of the Year at LASR! The voting begins today and runs through the 29th. I thought I'd share the review with you here because…sigh…it's so nice.

Sean Collins and Lauren Chase have been friends forever, and are very much in love. The logical next step is to move in together, and that is exactly what they do. When they buy a house, they invite Sean's best friend Chad Watterson to share it, at least until Chad and Lauren graduate and start their respective careers as psychologists.

Everything is perfect; or at least it should be, but Lauren, Sean and Chad are all hiding something, and none of them wants to open that door to address the elephant in the room.

The stalemate could have gone on forever, except for the research assignment that Chad and Lauren received. The assignment would stretch their boundaries, and possibly their friendship, to new levels, and only they can decide if it is where they want to take it.

When Lauren proposes an experiment, to push the limits on three successive Sundays, can Chad and Sean accept her ground rules? Can Sean come to terms with his feelings, for Lauren and for Chad? Can Chad accept what is offered to him, or will he walk away from all he really wants?

Leave it to Mari Carr to bring her Wild Irish series to a close with the hottest and most emotional story of them all. I looked forward to reading this, but it was a bittersweet feeling, knowing I wouldn't read any more about Ms. Carr's wonderful Collins clan. I should not have worried, as this book brings a perfect amount of closure to the series, and gives a bit of a glimpse into how the family has grown and yet stayed close. The characters in this are everything Ms. Carr has always embodied: complex and passionate and very down to earth. Real people, who could live next door, and who would be the friends you meet for barbecues and parties.

Lauren is a wonderful character. She wants both men, but rationalizes it away, at least at first. I enjoyed watching her open up, first to Sean's sisters, and then to Sean and Chad about what she wants and needs in her life. She is intelligent, and determined to get what she wants. I enjoyed watching her grow into her sexuality, and I liked watching her surprise at experiences she discovered were enjoyable to her.

Sean is the baby of the family, and has watched his siblings each find happiness with their mates. But he is a realist as well, and knows that he has a darker side to him, one that tends toward Domination and being in control. He also has tried to erase feelings for his best friend, feelings he acted on once, years ago, and that weren't returned. Now he is content to be just friends with Chad.

Chad is the conflicted one. Smart and determined to succeed, he can't come to terms with his feelings for his best friend's girl. Especially when it comes out that she has feelings for him too. He is the one who tries to leave, and I cried at the emotions his confusion and suffering created.

Any Given Sunday is a fantastic reading experience, and it will make you laugh with the characters and the fun they have. It will also draw you in to the story and make you cry at the decisions they make along the way to the very wonderful and totally unorthodox happy ever after for all three of the characters. My advice for this one is to turn the fan on high, and keep the tissues handy.

 

How to Love your Dragon

The incomparable Lexxie Couper has a new release at Ellora's Cave today. As I've mentioned in the past, Lexxie is one of my most favorite authors in the world. Her imagination, humor and talent simply blow me away! We've recently begun collaborating on a duo of romantic comedies and OMG–I'm having a blast. Lexxie is too much fun!

 

Fire Mate, Book Two

 

Yorick "Rick" Hayes takes only two things seriously—his work as a veterinarian and the seduction of lovely ladies. He's unprepared for the lovely lady police officer who pulls him over for speeding, however. Inexplicable, overwhelming lust threatens to make him do something stupid—like try to seduce her on the side of the road. Throw in sudden flashes of past life memories and Rick is confused, monumentally horny and borderline obsessed with his sexy, no-nonsense cop.

 

For nearly half a century, Officer Kenna Mackay has denied her dragon side. Her twin sister was betrayed by her mate, and Kenna refuses to risk the same fate—until she makes eye contact with Rick. Her dragon awakens with a vengeance, the mating fire claiming both woman and beast. Hard. Hot. Unstoppable. And exquisitely arousing. The dragon wants her Fire Mate—now.

 

But history could repeat itself when that mate turns out to be a Druid; one who may have done something bad to dragon-kind in his past life. Something very, very bad indeed.

Excerpt:

Kenna Mackay couldn't believe she was on fire. Now, of all times, every molecule in her body was at the incineration point.

Is this why you didn't call for backup?

She stared at the serious man lifting the poor dog from the fence. A man who, only a short while ago, had been roguishly, worryingly sexy as he'd tried to flirt his way out of a ticket—and felt her entire existence burn hotter still.

And the only way that could be happening was if part of her existence, the part she'd denied for so long, was recognizing her destined mate. And there wasn't a hope in hell that was—

"The gauze, Officer. Now."

Kenna blinked, numb shock smacking into her. The man's blue gaze flicked from her to the dog and back, his expression both calm and determined.

Oh hell, the dog.

She leaped forward, pressing the folded strips of gauze to the torn wound in the beagle's left side. Hot blood flowed from the hole in the dog's body, staining the gauze red with horrific speed. But the animal didn't make a sound, nor fight the man sliding him from the fence. In fact, the dog gazed at him, something close to utter trust in his beautiful brown eyes as the spike quickly exited his body.

Kenna had never seen anything like it.

Without hesitation, she scooped her arm under the beagle and pressed her other hand to the wound, now freshly exposed. For a few seconds she held the dog's entire weight, her stare jerking between the surreally calm animal and the man she'd chased to this very spot, and then said man wrapped his arms around the dog, placed his hands over hers and said, "I've got him."

But the words didn't make it to her ears. Not when the roaring of her blood was so deafening. Not when, at the very instant he touched her, she was engulfed in heat so incinerating the only sense left to her was sight.

She gaped at him, her heart hammering its way into her throat, her mouth, her temple.

Good Lord, her Fire Mate was touching her.

No. It's not happening. I refuse to acknowledge—

"Honey, I know you're feeling whatever the fuck is happening between us as well, but you've got to let go of Barney now so I can save his life."

The words, uttered in a low murmur, made her blink. Her stomach clenched. No, her sex clenched. No, it was her chest, her heart. Her ass. Her wings…

Wings? Wings? What the hell is going on?

Kenna staggered back a step, sliding her hands from beneath his, her stare still locked with the stranger's.

And the fire consuming her abated. A little.

The man's lips curled in a loose smile, two dimples creasing either side of his mouth, his face turning from handsomely serious to blow-your-mind gorgeous. "We'll talk about that later," he said, curling his arms until he cradled the beagle against a chest Kenna only now noticed was broad and undeniably well sculpted. "But first…"

He turned from her and lowered the dog to the ground, the animal far calmer than he should be, given he'd just been impaled by a fence.

And yet even that fuck-with-your-head fact wasn't important. Not now. Not when, after forty-two years of constant, tenacious suppression, the dragon deep inside her was surging to awareness. The very aroused dragon.

God save her. It was mating time.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope everyone has enjoyed Susan's recipes. She's incredible, right? She's back again with one more yummy dessert. And I think this one may be the most romantic one of all! At least it is from this chocolate and cheesecake lover's perspective!

Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

This is a very dense, rich cheesecake with a dark chocolate taste.  Sometimes I still have white cream cheese specks in it, it always cracks when cooling – and still it ends up amazing every time.

12 oz chocolate chips

3 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened

14 oz sweetened condensed milk

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Crumb Crust (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 300 degrees.  Prepare crust and set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, over very low heat, melt the chips, stirring constantly.  In a large bowl, beat the cheese until fluffy.  Gradually beat in the sweetened condensed milk until smooth.  Add the melted chips and the remaining ingredients; mix well.  Pour into the crust.  Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is set.  Cool; chill.

Refrigerate leftovers.

Chocolate Crumb Crust

1 ½ cups vanilla wafer crumbs

½ cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/3 cup melted butter

Combine all ingredients and press firmly on the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.

How about a little Valentine's Day excerpt from Slam Dunk?

Ellie laughed as Trey led her down the hallway toward his kitchen. "I thought we were going out for Valentine's Day."

Since leaping the friendship-to-casual-dating hurdle over Christmas, Trey and Ellie had been inseparable. While they spent weeknights apart, they took turns staying at each other's houses on the weekends. Trey was still nagging her about finding a new place to live, but between working and coaching and having the best sex of her life with him, Ellie was pressed to find the time to house hunt.

Trey shrugged. "I don't remember saying anything about going out. Just said we were going to celebrate the day together."

Ellie gasped when they entered the kitchen. Trey had spread a thick quilt on the floor. In the middle of the blanket were a bottle of champagne, two glasses, strawberries and a bowl of chocolate sauce. "Holy crap," she said, turning to look at him. "You are the most romantic man I've ever met in my life."

He laughed. "Why do you sound surprised?"

"Because you're such a jock. I never would have guessed…" She pointed at the dreamy setup, unable to find the words to describe how touched she was by his gesture. "This is perfect."

"Perfect hasn't even started yet. Sit down."

She dropped to the floor, sitting cross-legged on one corner of the quilt. Trey plopped next to her.

She started to reach for a strawberry, but Trey smacked her hand away. "Actually, I have a confession to make."

She frowned. "Oh yeah? What's that?"

"I wasn't going for romantic. I was going for kinky."

She snorted. "Oh my God. That's not good."

He shook his head and reached behind him. When he pulled out a blindfold, she changed her mind.

"On the other hand," she started.

Trey laughed, reaching up to tie the cloth around her eyes. Sparks of arousal flared. She'd never been blindfolded during sex before. Without her sense of sight, her other senses awakened. She started slightly when his hands touched her chest.

"Easy," he said. "I'm going to take off your blouse."

She sat still as he removed her top and her bra. The slight chill and nervous anticipation tightened her nipples.

"Lift up a bit."

She obeyed his command as he worked her skirt and panties over her hips. She marveled at his abilities. Within twenty minutes of arriving at his house, he had her naked and blindfolded on his kitchen floor. She was like putty in his hands and she loved it.

The sound of the champagne cork popping drew her from her thoughts and she heard the soft sizzle of the fizzy wine being poured. Trey lifted her arm and placed the glass in her hand. She heard a soft clink as he tapped his glass to hers.

"To us," he whispered.

She smiled and sipped, the bubbles tickling her nose. She was surprised when he took the glass away from her. "Hey, I wanted some more."

"You'll get it. Don't worry." He followed up his promise with a kiss. She was addicted to his lips. The man certainly knew his way around her mouth. For two months, he'd drugged her with long, slow, tantalizing brushes of his lips against hers. At other times, he'd sneak up on her at work, stealing quick, hard kisses that left her light-headed.

Something touched her lips and she smelled the sweet scent of a strawberry.

"Open up," he urged.

She parted her lips, letting Trey feed her a bit of the juicy fruit. After she swallowed it, he placed the champagne glass to her mouth and she took a sip of the tart liquid, reveling in the contrasting flavors.

He fed her two more strawberries, alternating each bite with a drink of the sparkling wine.

"How about something sweeter?" Until he spoke, she'd failed to realize how quiet it was in the house. It felt as if they were the only two people on the planet.

Trey rubbed something along her lower lip and she instantly smelled the chocolate. Her tongue darted out to lick it, but he stopped her.

"No," he said, leaning close enough that she could feel the heat of his breath on her cheek. "That's mine."

He ran his tongue along her lip before sharing the treat with her, kissing her deeply. Twice more, he painted her lips with chocolate, devouring it with the sweetest kisses of her life.

He pressed his forehead against hers. "You taste delicious. Lay back. I want more."

Slam Dunk is available at Samhain, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo and All Romance Ebooks.

Cooking with Heat, day two!

Susan's back again with another yummy recipe. Nothing like sweets for the sweet. I jokingly told her I gained ten pounds just reading the recipe. LOL

These are just amazing.  Basically, you dip the strawberries in chocolate.  Once they are set, you inject them with gran marnier and let them sit for 24 hours.  The berry absorbs all the alcohol and it just tastes sweeter/more yummy.

Gran Marnier Strawberries

Strawberries (if you can get the driscol's long stemmed ones, these work best), washed but NOT de-stemmed

Your favorite chocolate chips (I like the semi-sweet for this)

Gran Marnier

A syringe – for this you can get the kind from the cooking store – something like this will work well http://www.amazon.com/Cajun-Injector-Deluxe-Marinade/dp/B00005NUVV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328577885&sr=8-1  Or if you live near a feed store, you can get one there near the animal medicine area.  These work better because the needle is smaller.

Melt the chocolate.  I like to do mine in the microwave.  The instructions on the side of the bag work great!

Dip the strawberries in the chocolate, covering as much as possible up to the stem area.

Place on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper and place in the refrigerator to set.

Once the chocolate is set, inject each strawberry with gran marnier.  You want to just fill it – you don't want it oozing out at all.  You will get a feel for it after the first few.  You can add a little melted chocolate on top of the hole to seal it up if it is leaking out.  Set each strawberry back on cookie sheet once injected and place in the fridge for 24 hours.  The fruit will absorb all the alcohol (so you won't notice when you bite into it – it just makes it super  yummier!)

Safety Notice: These don't taste alcoholic at all, so be careful around children!

Today's excerpt comes from Three Reasons Why. I'm a sucker for a romantic guy.

Excerpt:

"We're closed," she said before she realized it was Wes on the other side.

He smiled and held up a picnic basket.

She turned the lock, trying not to be so pleased by his unexpected appearance.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as he walked in and placed his basket on the nearest booth. She locked the door behind him.

"Since you couldn't go out for dinner, I thought maybe I could entice you into joining me for dessert." He opened the basket, pulling out large, fresh strawberries and a container of melted chocolate sauce.

"Strawberries and chocolate, my favorite."

"I know," he said.

She was taken aback by his admission. Wes had been paying closer attention to her over the years than she'd realized. The wildflowers and dessert all proved he had indeed done his homework. The idea put the lump back in her throat. He wasn't making this easy.

"Here." He pulled out several more items from the basket. "Why don't you pop this CD in the stereo and I'll light a candle and open the wine?"

She grinned. Candlelight, music, wine. He was certainly pulling out all the stops, and her traitorous heart was falling for every delectable bit of it.

"Wes." She needed to find a way to get him out of here. She'd always thought herself too practical, too cynical to fall for such romantic trappings. "I'm sort of tired."

He turned and softly ran his finger along her cheek, studying her face. She tried to hide the traces of her earlier anguish, tried to erase all evidence of how depressed she truly was. "You work too hard. I just want to take care of you, Jill. Give you a few minutes to relax, to throw off the stress."

His words soothed her soul, cooled the red-hot pain like aloe on a sunburn. She nodded, unable to speak. Turning away, she walked to the CD player.

She returned to the corner booth he'd set up for them. Just a few minutes. She wanted just a few minutes with him. Tomorrow she'd be strong. Tomorrow she'd tell him the real reason she couldn't be with him and he'd leave. Leave her alone forever.

The soft sounds ofGeorgeStraitsinging a slow song filled the air. Damn, how did he know she was a sucker for a country love song?

"So how was your job interview?" she asked, desperate to find something innocuous to lighten the spell he was slowly putting her under.

"Pretty good. I'm not sure it was an 'are we going to hire you' interview as much as a 'get to know you before you start' interview."

"So you got the job?" She reached for a strawberry only to have him swat her hand away.

"Let me." He picked up a strawberry and dipped it into the chocolate before raising the fruit to her lips. She leaned forward, biting the entire berry, her lips brushing his fingertips where he held the stem. His eyes darkened at her movement, and he stared at her mouth without moving.

"You have a bit of chocolate on your lips." He bent to swipe the sweet sauce from the corner of her mouth with his tongue. His lips lingered on hers and she closed her eyes, lost to the soft touch.

She was disappointed when he sat down and pointed to the seat across from him. She struggled to gather her composure.

"I got the job."

"So tonight is a celebration?" She gestured at the wine.

"Every night I'm with you is a celebration."

She expected him to follow his compliment with some sort of joke. When he merely smiled at her as if she were Cleopatra, Helen of Troy and Aphrodite all rolled into one, her face flushed. Shit, he meant what he was saying. This wasn't good.

She cleared her throat. "So what's the job?"

He shook his head. "It's a surprise."

"A surprise?"

"Yep. I'll tell you tomorrow. Tonight I just want to be with you." He fed her two more strawberries before he rose from the booth. Holding out his hand as another slow song came on, he reached for her. "Dance with me."

She started to refuse but the idea of being held in his arms was too great a temptation. She took his hand as he led her to the large aisle next to the table. They swayed slowly in time with the music, and Jill closed her eyes, reveling in the moment. He was a wonderful dancer, and as the Dixie Chicks sang about a cowboy taking them away, Jill marveled at the sensation that she truly was flying away with him, free at last from her fears, her responsibilities, her loneliness.

She rested her cheek against his chest and listened to the sure, strong sound of his heartbeat. His hand drifted along her back, up and down in time with the music, and she savored the sensations his gentle touch created. She was relaxed, comfortable, at peace. All those concepts that were always just out of her reach permeated every part of her being, and she was hard-pressed to resist the magic of it.

As the song ended, Wes loosened his grip, reaching up to cup the back of her head. She raised her face to his as he kissed her. The kiss was warm and slow, the sort of kiss every girl dreams of receiving just once in her life.

It was perfect.

He was perfect.

Three Reasons Why is available at Ellora's Cave, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Sony.

Cooking with Heat!

Cooking with Heat and Susan are back for this month's very special, sweet recipes. Between now and Valentine's Day, we'll be pairing some decadent dessert recipes with some romantic excerpts to get you "in the mood" for love.

Here's Susan!

Decadent Chocolate Torte

I got this recipe from a Spa Cuisine course I took in NYC years ago.  It is light and fluffy and amazing!  There are quite a few steps, but the result is well worth the effort.  And you will never miss the extra calories.

5 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 whole egg

1 egg, separated

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg white

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

½ cup plus ½ TBS unsweetened dutch process cocoa

2 TBS all-purpose flour

2/3 plus ¼ cup sugar

¾ cup low-fat (1%) milk

1 ½ cups raspberry sauce (recipe follows)

 Position rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.  Spray the sides of an 8 inch round, 1 ½ to 2 inch deep cake pan with vegetable oil spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.  Put a kettle of water on to boil for step 4.
Place the chocolate in a large mixing bowl.  In a small bowl, combine the whole egg and 1 egg yolk with the vanilla.  Place the 2 egg whites in a medium bowl (glass or metal is preferable) with the cream of tartar.  Set all 3 bowls aside.
Combine the cocoa, flour and 2/3 cup sugar in a 1 to 1 ½ quart heavy bottomed saucepan.  Whisk in enough of the milk (about half) to form a smooth paste.  Mix in the remaining milk.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof paddle to prevent burning (especially around the bottom edges) until the mixture begins to simmer.  Simmer very gently, stirring constantly, for 1 ½ minutes.  Pour the hot mixture immediately over the chopped chocolate.  Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla mixture.  Set aside.
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until soft peaks form.  (Make sure to use a glass or metal bowl for better results).  Gradually sprinkle in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, beating at high speed until the egg whites are stiff but not dry.  Fold a quarter of the egg white mixture into the chocolate to lighten it up; then fold in the rest.  Scrape mixture into the cake pan and smooth the top.  Set cake pan in a large baking pan (at least 2 inches wider) and place on oven rack.  Pour enough boiling water into the baking pan to come about 1/3 to halfway up the sides of the cake pan.  Bake for exactly 30 minutes.  The surface of the torte will spring back when very gently pressed, but it will still be quite gooey inside.  Remove pans from oven.  Remove the cake pan from the water and cool completely on a rack.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
To serve: Unmold by sliding a thin knife or metal spatula around the sides of the cake pan to release the torte.  Place a piece of waxed paper on top of the torte.  Invert a plate on top of the waxed paper and turn torte over on top of the plate.  Remove the cake pan and peel away the paper liner.  Turn torte right side up again onto plate and remove waxed paper.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar through a tea strainer to dust the top (optional).  Cut torte into wedges with a sharp, thin knife.  Dip the knife into hot water and wipe it dry between each slice.  Or cut with dental floss as you would a moist cheesecake.  Serve each slice with about 2 TBS raspberry sauce.  I also like to sprinkle some fresh raspberries on top, and long as they are very fresh.

Raspberry Sauce

2 (10 ½ oz) packages of frozen raspberries

Sugar (optional)

Thaw the raspberries.  Drain them and reserve the juice.  Puree berries briefly in a food processor.  Sieve the puree to remove the seeds.  Thin it with some of the reserved juice, if desired.  If the puree seens too tart, sweeten it to taste with sugar.  Cover and refrigerate until serving (sauce may be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 6 months or longer.)  Leftovers go great over waffles with some whipped cream!

And what Valentine's Day treat would be complete without a bit of romance as well. Today's excerpt comes from Friday I'm in Love.

Excerpt:

As the elevator took them up to their room, Ewan kissed her gently and she felt like a princess, the most cherished woman on the planet.

He held her hand as they walked along the lushly carpeted hallway. "So you were awfully sure of yourself," she said as they paused outside the door.

"I don't know if it was confidence as much as hope. I want you, Natalie. I've wanted you for years." She'd intended her comment as a joke, a smartass way to bring a bit a levity to a moment that was suddenly too serious, too important.

Ewan's response threw everything into another realm and she realized whether she admitted it or not, tonight was different. Tonight was special.

He slid the card key through the slot and gently pressed on her back, guiding her inside. She gasped when she saw the room. It was lit by several candles and the king-sized bed was covered with luscious, bright-red rose petals. The Jacuzzi tub at the side of the room was filled, steam rising from the hot water, and there was a bottle of champagne chilling on the counter of the wet bar.

"This looks like…" She couldn't make herself say the word.

He smiled. "The honeymoon suite. It is. It's a Tuesday night. It wasn't booked, so I grabbed it. I remembered some of your comments about romance and your lack of belief, so I thought I'd bring you here. Prove to you that it really does exist."

"Tonight's lesson," she whispered. "It's romance?"

"It does exist, Nat. And if any woman ever deserved to be romanced, it's you."

She swallowed against the lump his words had provoked. He was wooing her, romancing her. Giving her the most precious moment of her life.

"Ewan," she said, but the rest of her words failed. Nothing she could say would tell him what this moment meant to her.

"Are you sure you want this, Nat? Sure you want me?"

"You know I do."

He gave her a crooked grin. "Then I'm yours. Come here."

She walked into his arms as if she were returning home after years away. There was no question in her mind that in this moment in time, she was exactly where she wanted to be.

He kissed her softly and when she tried to deepen the embrace, he pulled away with a sexy grin. He walked over to the table by the window and pressed play on a CD player she hadn't noticed. She gave him a quizzical look.

"I came over this afternoon to pick up the key, drop off a few things." He reached out for her hand as a slow song began to play. "Dance with me, Nat."

She bit her lips to stop the slight quiver his sensual gaze provoked. She took his hand, let him pull her close, let the music take over as they gently swayed and turned. She rested her head against his chest, felt the strong, steady beat beneath her cheek as he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.

She'd never danced with anyone like this, though she'd photographed it, captured this moment a million times in the past. Always the observer, never the dancer. "I like this song. What is it?"

"Falling Slowly. It's from a movie I saw once."

"It's nice."

They didn't say anything else as the song continued, simply held each other and moved. As the music drifted away into another song, Ewan grasped her head in his hands, smiled as he bent down to steal the perfect kiss. His lips rubbed lightly against hers, enticing her to open her mouth. She sucked in a deep breath of his air, reaching out to taste him as well. Their tongues met, touched, played. If there was ever a moment in her life she'd want to freeze, this was it. She wanted to stop time, wrap up the occasion in tissue paper and tuck it in her pocket, so she could always pull it out and come right back here.

Friday I'm in Love is available at Ellora's Cave, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony and All Romance Ebooks.