Trista Ann Michaels's Blog, page 9

Dirty Dom for sale...

Dirty Sexy Dom is on sale at Amazon. $3.99 for a limited time..:)

If you haven't gotten your copy yet, swing by and check it out.


{{hugs}}
Trista

Updates and what not...

Well, I did it. I made it through the entire month of March and didn't lose a single pound.

Yeah, this diet thing sucks.

On a better note, Daniel's story is coming along...slowly...but it's coming along..:)

I've also mapped out four more stories, one novella, one more for Crime and Punishment, one more Entwined Fates and one erotic suspense/thriller. Yay!

I'm really hoping the next few months will be much more productive than the last.

Hope everyone is doing well...:)

{{hugs}}
Trista

Great News!

Great news!! Double Dom is now available on Amazon!


If you enjoy stories about best friends who become lovers, check out Double Dom..:)

Excerpt for Theirs To Share

“You will be happy to know,” Parker said as he walked back into the kitchen and set his phone on the island, “Steve is safe and sound with his agents. He also sent a message for you.”
Cheyenne stopped chopping the carrots and looked up at him. Her heart raced. “What did he say?”
Parker smiled. “That he doesn’t hate you. He loves you.”
Cheyenne smiled in relief. “Really?” She set the knife aside and ran around the counter. With an excited squeal, she wrapped her arms around Parker’s neck and hugged him.
Parker’s chest vibrated with his chuckle as he slid his arms around her waist and hugged her close.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome,” he replied.
It was then, when his voice resonated through his big chest to vibrate against her nipples, that she realized what she’d done and how close they were. Every inch of her body, from her shoulders down to her knees, rested against his muscular body. His heat seeped into her flesh, wrapping around her like a blanket of sexual warmth.
She had a sudden urge to sink into him, to feel his lips and hot breath against her neck. She gasped and quickly pushed away from him. What was she doing? “Sorry,” she mumbled and moved back to the carrots.
“I’m not,” he drawled.
When she looked up at him, he winked, and his lips spread into the most outlandish, wolfish grin she’d ever seen on a man. She snickered, then quickly covered her mouth with her hand before laughter bubbled out.
“That’s better,” he said before moving to the fridge. 
“Where’s Grayson?” she asked, still smiling.
“He’s in the basement putting the weights to good use.” Her mind shifted to a sweaty Grayson lifting weights. Her hand froze in midair as she thought about all those chest muscles flexing. Did he work out without a shirt? If she stuck her head in the basement, would she get a nice show?
“Do you need me to cut those?” Parker asked.
Cheyenne jumped slightly. “What?” she asked guiltily before glancing down at the knife in her hand. “No. Sorry. My mind just wandered.”
“So,” Parker said playfully. “Not only do you talk to yourself, but you get lost in your own little world at the drop of a hat. Should Grayson and I worry about our safety? Will you go all crazy lady on us?”
Cheyenne curled her lip and pointed the tip of the knife at his nose. “I might.”
Parker took the knife from her hands and nudged her aside with his shoulder. “Do me a favor, Doc. Go downstairs and tell Grayson to get cleaned up for dinner. He can sometimes lose track of time when he’s working out, especially if he’s got a lot on his mind.”
“Okay,” she said, then cringed at how excited she sounded.
She was sure he didn’t work out in the nude, so what did she think she was going to see? The second she landed on the bottom step leading into the basement, she knew, and every part of her tingled with a wild rush of need.
A few feet away, Grayson pounded out his frustration on a standing punching bag. Every thump of his fist hitting the leather sent a thrill down her spine to land somewhere in her nether regions.
Holy crap.
His chest glistened with a thin sheen of sweat. Muscles rippled and bunched with every swing of his arm or punch of his fist. Blue eyes glistened with determination. His jaw was clenched tight. Even the deep ridges of his stomach rippled as he moved.
She normally didn't see men like this. At least outside a magazine. The men she usually saw were older, sicker, and heavier. They came to her on their last legs. She had

a treadmill at home that she ran on, because trips to the gym were few and far between. But even when she went, she never saw hard bodies like his.
Stop staring, Cheyenne. Say something.
“Parker said to get...” He stopped punching the bag and turned his head toward her. She swallowed the sigh that lingered on the tip of her tongue. Get a grip. Get a grip. Masturbate later. “To get cleaned up for dinner,” she finished.
“How long do I have?” he asked.
She tried to think past the fog of lust filling her head. “About forty-five minutes, maybe.”
He nodded and motioned for her to join him. She raised an eyebrow. If she got any closer, she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t reach out and touch him. For crying out loud. She’d been with them for a grand total of three days, counting the trail, and all she could think about was sex. She was bored out of her mind, and if she didn’t stop this fantasizing, she was going to get into trouble.
“Do you know how to fight?” he asked.
“I...don’t know that I’ve ever been in one.”
He made a noise deep in his throat that sounded similar to a snort; then his full lips spread into a smile that made her weak in the knees.
Good grief.
“Then obviously you haven’t. Come here,” he said. “I think we should add hand- to-hand as part of your training.”
“Hand-to-hand?” she asked, but her mind went immediately to body-to-body. Hard body to soft body...to hard body. Sandwiched between the two of them. What an incredibly delicious idea. She shook her head, dislodging the naughty thoughts.
“Why not?” he asked.
“No, I didn’t...” She sighed before continuing. “Why the hell not?” 

Extreme Couponing...sortof

Have you ever seen that show? They go through sales papers and coupons and get $800 worth of groceries for $50.

I'm not so sure that show's real.

I've done coupons for years. Not to that extent, but I go through coupons and clip the ones for things I actually use. Not once have I been able to get something for free, even when it's on sale.

For example. I went to the store this morning, a handful of coupons in my purse and my list.

Charmin toilet paper. $5.99. I had a .50 coupon that doubled to $1.00. Final price $4.99. Not free.

Cherios on sale for $1.49. I had a $1.00 coupon for two. $1.00 from $2.98 is $1.98. Okay, $1.98 for two boxes of Cherios isn't too bad, but it's still not free.

Glad trash bags $6.99. $1.00 coupon. Final price, $5.99. Still not free.

Maxwell House Coffee on sale for $5.99. .50 coupon that doubled to $1.00. Final price $4.99. Again, not free.

If you plan things right and use your coupons for what's on sale, you can save money. By the time I was done, between the Kroger sales and coupons, I saved $70 total. Do I believe you can get that many things for free? No.

I had an open mind. I tried watching the show. Not once did they show the whole list. That's what I want to see. I want to see what they bought, for how much, and what the coupon was. I bet money you couldn't eat for a weak off what they actually bought.

I would love to meet someone who has actually made it work so I could see how it's truly done. Because in all honesty, so far, I'm just not seeing it..:/

Trista

A sneak peek..:)

I'm so excited! I'm doing so well on my diet, I'm actually down a size in jeans!! Squee!! lol

And to celebrate I'm posting a sneak peek at the next Entwined Fates sage.

Enjoy...:)

Christian Marcone sat back and only half listened to the bickering around the table. So much for bi-partisanship. The hope of getting anything through this laughing stock of a senate anymore was practically non-existent. He looked to the head of the table where his best friend and now brother-in-law, Chancellor Alexander Dorn sat with his head in his hand, his finger and thumb squeezing his temples. Christian knew that position. Alex was close to his breaking point and shit was about to hit the fan.Just as Christian thought it, Alex growled and lifted his head while at the same time slapping his palm against the table so hard the glasses rattled against the wood.“Damn it, enough!” he bellowed.And there it was—Alex’s breaking point.Every senator around the table froze and stared at the formidable chancellor as he came to his feet and leaned his palms on the table. With eyes narrowed into hard slits, he slanted an angry look around the table that had several men swallowing their tongues.Despite himself, Christian bit back a grin. When he wanted, Alexander Dorn could be quite intimidating. No wonder everyone compared the man to Christian’s father, Lord Sidious Marcone. He’d seen his father stare down a room full of men with that same exact look.“If all you can do is bicker, get the hell out. I’ve heard enough,” Alex snarled. When no one moved, he added loud enough to shake the crystal light fixture above their heads. “Now!”Everyone around the table quickly stood and gathered their tablets. Christian did as well, anxious to be out of this joke of a meeting. His heart wasn’t in it anyway, or his mind. All he could think about this morning was Sharna and the fact she hadn’t shown up for work this morning. Sharna was never late.“Except you, Marcone,” Alex barked.Christian sighed and set his tablet back on the table. Two men walked past, sending him looks of sympathy. Christian gave them a half smile before turning back to Alex and waiting impatiently for whatever his friend wanted to say. Alex waited for the door to shut before dropping back into the leather chair with a sigh. “Tell me again why the hell we’re doing this?”Christian snorted. “I’m the last person to ask. I’m not even sure anymore.” He picked up the tablet and touched the edge of it to the table. “I will say this though…” Alex raised a wary eyebrow. “When pissed you’re a dead ringer for dad.”“Speaking of,” Alex began dryly. “Have you heard the latest talk working its way through the senate gallery?”Christian winced. “I don’t listen to the talk, Alex. You should know that by now.”Despite his arguments to the contrary, Christian knew exactly what Alex was talking about. He knew what the other senators said—what they accused his father of wanting to do.“You should, Chris. Do you have any idea what they’re accusing him of?”Christian pursed his lips and nodded. “Is this your way of trying to tell me my father paid you to marry my sister so our home world of Tillarus would be strategically aligned with yours?”Alex harrumphed. “You and I both know your father would’ve paid me not to marry your sister.”“Hell, Alex. I would’ve paid you not to marry her. I’ve seen you wield a flogger. I know how you like to have sex.” Christian shuddered. “And now I’m envisioning you flogging my sister. Thank you very much for that lovely image.”Alex grinned wickedly. “Your sister likes my flogger.”“Alex,” Christian growled, making his friend chuckle.“This isn’t about me and Miya. It’s about your cousin, Jacquelyn and her royal husband Haydrian. Rhianna and her twin king husbands, Keenas and Jorel, your Uncle Stefan’s friend, King Lucian Amanpour. These are major alliances and the members of the senate are beginning to take notice and your father and Jonah’s snooping into the private affairs of the current senate regent aren’t helping matters.”“The man is corrupt.”“You’re preaching to the choir… Brother-in-law.”Christian curled his lip at the reminder. Granted, he’d never seen his sister happier, or Alex for that matter. When his sister entered the room, Alex’s whole demeanor changed. He trusted Alex with his life; he also trusted him with his sister. He just hated the idea he had sex with her, especially knowing what he knew about him and his fetishes.“Shouldn’t you be having this talk with dad?” Christian asked tiredly.Alex sighed and rubbed at his forehead again. “I tried.”Christian’s lips twitched in a barely contained grin. That couldn’t have gone well. “How’d that work out for ya?”Alex lifted his head just long enough to glare at him.“You know dad’s not going to stop until he rids the senate of the corruption that got us into the whole dictatorship mess to begin with. He lost ten years trying to clean that shit up.”Alex dropped his hand and leveled his tired stare toward Christian. The lines around his eyes looked deeper than usual. For the first time, he saw just how tired his friend was. “We’ve had four regents since building back the senate and he’s discredited every fucking one of them but the first.”Christian inclined his head, fighting a grin. “Of course he wouldn’t go after the first. Dad picked him.”“This isn’t funny, Chris. I told Sidious either leave the damn regents alone or take the fucking job himself.”Raising an eyebrow, Christian stared in surprise at Alex. “Trying to force dad’s hand and get him into the one thing he detests more than corruption? And you left with your head intact?”Alex dropped his head back against the chair and stared at the ceiling. “Barely. I think the only reason I did was because he didn’t want to leave Miya a widow.”Christian snickered. “It was probably more he didn’t want to face Miya’s wrath. Sick her on him.”Alex glared at him. Sighing, Christian dropped back into the chair. “Alex, Dad spent ten years of his life taking that dictator down. He and Uncle Stefan rebuilt this senate from the ground up. He believes he has to protect it.”“By tearing it apart? Every regent he exposes as corrupt expands the ever widening gap between the senators. No one can agree anymore. No one trusts each other. Everyone’s too busy watching everyone else, wondering who will be exposed next.”“Then perhaps they should behave themselves and do what they were voted into office to do. If you’re looking for sympathy from me, Alex, I have none. If keeping them in fear is what it takes to keep them in line, then so be it.”“You sound just like him,” Alex grumbled.“I take that as a compliment, but now I’m changing the subject.”“I thought you might,” Alex replied without looking in his direction.After a few seconds pause, Christian asked, “You haven’t by chance seen my assistant, have you?”Christian didn’t miss the slight twitch of Alex’s lips, and he frowned. Did Alex know something? “Alex?” Christian snarled.He then turned to face Christian, but his expression was unreadable as usual. “Why do you ask?”“I had planned to…” Christian raked his hand through his hair. “I had a private dinner planned.”Alex raised an amused eyebrow. “It’s about damn time. What happened?”“When I got back to the apartment, I found a note on the kitchen island. She already had a date.”Alex grinned before his expression turned serious once again. “You took too long. I said you would lose her if you didn’t get your act together.” Christian started to say something, but Alex held up his hand, stopping him. “Don’t give me that song and dance about how she’s your assistant; just tell me what you’re going to do to fix it.”“For starters, spank her ass,” he drawled as images of doing just that ran through his mind.He pictured the smooth fair skin of her ass pink from the strikes of his hand, his flogger, his paddle. He’d done nothing but think about her for months. He was tired of thinking about it. He wanted to finally make her his, but was Alex right? Had he waited too long? Would she even have him now?“Sharna’s going to kill me for this, but I hate to see you so…” Alex waved his hand and chuckled. “Downtrodden.”“Fuck you,” Christian growled. When Alex just continued to grin at him, Christian rolled his eyes and leaned back in the leather chair. “Go ahead.”“She was at my house last night. Her and Miya went out for breakfast this morning. She made you think she had a date and was late deliberately to try and get a jealous rise out of you.”Anger and maybe a bit of relief worked its way through his chest. Damn woman. Trying to make him jealous? “Now,” Alex drawled. “What are you going to do about it?”With a growl of aggravation, Christian stood, shoving the chair back across the tile floor. “Like I said. Spank her ass.”
He swung the door to the meeting room open so hard, it banged against the wall behind him. He ignored Alex’s amused voice as he called out to him, “About damn time.”

Excerpt....Wicked Lies.

Sinclair climbed from the limo and adjusted the sunglasses on her face. Marcus stood by the Gulf Stream IV, a small sexy jet that could fly to Europe without having to stop for fuel, doing what he called his pre-flight walk around and tire check.

Dressed in his usual uniform of black slacks, white shirt and black tie. With the gold
striped epaulets across his shoulders, he appeared very professional and his upper body very wide. The uniform suited him and accentuated a narrow waist and hips. His wavy dark brown hair was pulled back at the nape, giving his face a more serious appearance.

The driver grabbed her bags from the back of the car and carried them to the jet. Sunlight reflected off the black paint job of the plane and she squinted, despite the sunglasses. There were about four planes in the whole feet. They had no markings, no designs, just black. The color gave it a mysterious and dangerous appearance. If a plane could be sexy, then this one with its sleek design was definitely that.

Cold wind blew against her legs and she shivered, pulling her coat a little tighter around her. She hated winter. In some ways she was looking forward to this trip if for no other reason than to get out of the cold for a few days.

Marcus turned and his eyes met hers. He smiled and her legs, that normally held firm, now shook with butterflies. He was so handsome he often took her breath away. More than once he’d spoken to her and she’d stared at him speechless like an utter idiot. Marcus would just grin knowingly and return to whatever it was he’d been doing. At least he hadn’t teased her about it.

“Afternoon, beautiful,” he called over the wind.

Sinclair warmed slightly at his usual greeting. He was such a damn flirt. Not just with her but with every woman out there. Marcus didn’t discriminate. Tall, short, overweight, skinny, beautiful, not so beautiful, Marcus made a point to say something nice or sexy to all of them. It was one of the many things she admired about him. He didn’t just talk to the pretty ones, he talked to all of them, and when he did, he made her feel as though she were the only one in the room.

“Afternoon. Are we ready to head out?” she asked.

“Anxious to get out of the cold, huh?” he teased.

She stepped closer. “You could say that.”

He nodded toward the plane. “You can go on up if you want. It’s warm inside. I also
made a pot of coffee.”

“Oh, God love ya,” she said with a happy sigh. “Coffee sounds wonderful right
now.”

“Just save me a cup,” he called as she jogged up the steps.

Stepping inside the warm cabin, Sinclair didn’t pay too much attention to the beige
leather interior. She’d seen it so many times now it failed to impress. As she stepped into the small galley, she let her fingers trail along the shiny wood trim of the cabinets. She enjoyed the feel of this wood. It was so dark, so soft. She would love to have a house full of furniture made from the same wood.

She heard Marcus behind her as he made his way up the stairs and into the cabin. Her heart did a little flip of excitement as she reached to open the upper cabinet and pull down two ceramic mugs with lids.

“Still take it black?” she asked over her shoulder as he passed behind her and into the cockpit.

“Of course,” he said with a grin that made her stomach flutter.

God, he made her crazy with just a simple look. If she ever got drunk around him, she’d embarrass the hell out of herself by making a pass at him. Or worse, seducing him. She had no business doing that, although she could definitely admit, at least to herself, she fantasized about it.

His wide, thick shoulders dwarfed her, but she never felt intimidated. She felt safe when he was close. More than once his “don’t mess with me or mine” stance and hard-as- stone stare had scared off more than one guy who had gotten too aggressive. He’d turned out to be quite handy to have around on occasion.

He’d never made a pass, though. He’d flirted, teased, even lightly touched a time or two, but not once had he tried to kiss her. She pursed her lips in deep thought as she poured their coffee. Did he not find her attractive? Sometimes she caught him watching her, but if he wanted her he never let it show. Maybe it was because they both worked for the same man ... maybe. Or maybe he just didn’t see her that way.

She had to admit sometimes she wished he did. Sometimes, she wished he would just grab her and kiss her senseless. It had been so long since she’d had sex. Toys were great, but after a while, even that didn’t do it.

The whine of the jet engines let her know they would be taking off soon, so she pushed her naughty thoughts of Marcus aside and tightened the lids on their cups. Grabbing both of them, she stepped into the cockpit and handed him one over his shoulder.

“Thank you, baby,” he murmured as he took it from her, but kept his eyes on the instruments in front of him.

He often used endearments when he talked to her, but it still never failed to make her spine tingle.

“You’re welcome, darlin’”, she replied before turning and stepping back into the cabin.

She didn’t miss his chuckle and smiled to herself as she settled into one of the six leather seats and made herself comfortable for the flight. The small phone next to her beeped and she quickly picked it up, knowing it would be Marcus on the other end.

“It’ll take us about five hours, give or take, to get there. We’ve got a strong tail wind that will help push, so I’m hoping we can shave a little off that time.”

“Sounds good. I’ve got plenty to keep me busy,” she replied, enjoying the sound of his deep baritone voice through the phone line.

“Have you ever been to this place?” he asked.

She grinned slightly. “Never even heard of it, much less been to it. You?”

“I’ve heard of it.”

“Really?” she asked, intrigued. “Then you know more than I do. He didn’t send me
much information. I’m assuming it’s a pretty large piece of property.”

“It’s not property, baby. It’s a resort.”

She remained silent for a few seconds. “A what? Never mind. I’m coming up front.” She hung up the phone and headed to the cockpit. Marcus settled his headset and adjusted the mic so it rested in front of his lips as he continued to fly through the preflight checklist with the speed of someone who’d done this a million times or more.

She leaned against the doorjamb and placed her palm against the other side as she frowned down at a grinning Marcus.

“Okay, spill it. What do you know that I don’t?” 

“I don’t know a thing,” he said, grinning.

“You said it was a resort.”

“It is.”

“What kind of resort?”


His lips twitched and he had a twinkle in his eye that made her think he knew more than he was letting on. “Let’s just say you’re in for a surprise. It’s not your average Caribbean resort.”

“Marcus—”

He held up a finger and she could hear the voice coming through his headset loud and clear, giving him clearance to proceed to the runway. This conversation would have to wait. The tower always came first, which was as it should be. Detroit airport was crowded and Marcus needed to have one hundred percent of his attention on flying and the circling traffic.

He put his fist over the mic and winked. “Relax. You’ll love it.”

There was something about the deep, sexy tone to his voice that made Sinclair question just how much she might love it. If there was one thing Sinclair hated most, it was surprises. 

Buy

Willpower

My husband and I both bought a fitbit surge a little while ago in the hopes that we could keep better track of how we eat and what we burn on a regular basis. He was diagnosed with Diabetes a few years ago, and I've been struggling with my weight ever since I had my third child.

It's been a constant up and down. More up than down, unfortunately. My best weight so far was when I joined the gym and hired a trainer. I worked with her for several months and went from a size 16 to a size 12. I looked so much better and felt fabulous, until...I started having trouble with my knee. At first they thought I'd torn the meniscus, but an MRI revealed I had degenerating cartilage...Arthritis.

Hearing that news sucked. I'm only in my 40's!!

Oh, well. such is life, I suppose. I stopped working out for a while and went back to a 14. Now, I'm back in it again, but not working quite as hard, and definitely not running. Running just makes my knee pound.

Even though I worked out really hard with my trainer, I never lost as much weight as I should've during that time. Mostly because I never got my diet right. Still don't really have it right, but I  am doing much better. Especially with the fitbit. I pay close attention to my calories more so than the workout and it seems to be working. At least so far.

Willpower is my biggest thing. I allow myself one cheat day. But it seems like all week prior to the cheat day all I can think about is what I plan to cheat with. Will it be chips...or ice-cream? I've never been a big sweats person, but when I'm trying to eat right, which for me is low carb, I start craving sweats. It's the most annoying thing..:/

Ugh!! I want a cookie!! lol

So that's what is up with me. Struggling to get my writing done. Struggling to not eat a cookie..<sigh>

Hopefully, the cravings will pass soon. But I have even more hope that I get this stupid Menage story done before I throw it out the freakin window!!

{{hugs}}

Trista

Excerpt Her Pirate Master

“Morning, Doc.”
Jack’s whole body tingled at the sound of Haydrien’s deep, booming voice. She stiffened but kept her gaze on the mountains.
“Morning, Haydrien,” the doctor replied. “You’ll be happy to know she’s in perfect health.”
“Excellent. Birth control?”
Jack bristled and frowned. 
“Already implanted.”
“Perfect. Where is she?” he asked. “On the terrace.”
Haydrien’s footsteps echoed on the stone tiles as he walked outside to join her. Jack kept her gaze straight ahead, determined not to look at him.
“I wasn’t able to get my clothes off the ship,” she said, still not looking at him.
“You won’t need them here,” he replied as he sat in the other seat.
“So you’re going to keep me naked the whole time?” she asked sarcastically. Turning slightly in her seat, she faced him.
“That would certainly make it easier for me to have you anytime I wanted, now wouldn’t it?” he replied.
Jack tried to determine if he was serious or not. Unfortunately he had too good a poker face. “Are you trying to scare me?” He snorted. “I think it’s obvious that would be a waste of time.”
“You have my clean bill of health. Do I get yours?”
“If I’m going through all the trouble to make sure you’re clean, then most likely I am as well, don’t you think?”
She scowled and turned her attention back to the view. “What do you want with Marcone?”
“Worried about him?” he countered.
“Of course.”
“I want him to pay for the destruction of my ship and the death of the hands on board.”
Jack closed her eyes briefly at the sadness that gripped her chest. “That was your ship?” She swallowed the lump of sadness that threatened to choke her. “It was an accident.”
“And you know this how?” he asked. “Because he told you?”
“I was there. Those ships were old, but we didn’t realize how old until we fired. The shot was only supposed to be a warning. The hull couldn’t withstand it, and the ship blew.”
Her voice cracked, and she quickly swallowed the tears that threatened to spill over. The destruction of that ship had haunted her ever since. She’d never meant for that to happen.
Maybe she deserved this.
“Tears for your captain?” Haydrien taunted.
Jack sniffed and stood to walk back into the bedroom. “Screw you,” she snarled.
Haydrien caught her wrist as she walked past. She winced at the small bite of pain that traveled up her arm when he pressed against the bruises that had formed from his rough grip just eighteen hours before. With so many boys in her family who liked to roughhouse, she was used to bruises. He lifted it and studied the light purple marks. In a move that surprised her, he gently rubbed his thumb across them, and a warm tingle began to travel upward. She watched in stunned shock as he brought her wrist to his mouth and kissed it. The feel of his full, warm lips against her cold skin sent a shiver of awareness up her spine. She quickly jerked her hand free.
He met her gaze, and Jack hardened her resolve. He may be handsome. He may be sexy. He may even, at times, show a gentle side, but she refused to let her heart soften toward him. He was her captor. Nothing more.
“I believe you have a punishment coming,” he murmured. Jack tensed and took a small step back.
“Strip,” he commanded.
Her eyes widened. “What?”
“I said strip.” He smiled. “Or would you prefer I do it for you?”
“Neither.”
“That’s not an option.”
He reached for her hand, and Jack jerked away. His eyes narrowed dangerously, and it was all she could do to keep from shaking. 

Excerpt...Darkness Falls

“Are all the cameras on the third floor in place?” Alana asked. “Oh, yeah. And check out this view.”Alana leaned forward, staring at the massive computer screen over Tray’s shoulder. He was her best tech and always got her the best angles.“Looks perfect,” she mumbled as she studied the third-floor landing through the eyes of her infrared camera with a cynical gaze.Alana James, paranormal-romance author and ghost-hunter extraordinaire, was nothing if not skeptical. She’d become fascinated with ghosts while investigating her first paranormal romance. So fascinated, in fact, ghost hunting had become her second job after writing. Upon the success of her books, she’d approached one of the cable networks and now had one of the highest-rated ghost-hunting shows on television.But Alana wasn’t easily convinced. She debunked a lot of stuff just by looking at it logically, which more often than not pissed off their flashy tech guy, Tray. Now there was a man who saw ghosts everywhere he looked.Tray glanced at her sideways and frowned. His impatience to begin this latest investigation was evident in the anxious drumming of his fingers on the makeshift desk that took up the back of the small box truck that held all their equipment.“Is our contact here yet?” he asked.Sighing, Alana straightened and tapped the edge of her walkie-talkie against her upper arm with growing impatience. “Nope.”“Well…damn,” he snipped.Alana’s lips twisted with impatience. She knew how he felt. She was just as ready to get this started as the others were. They’d spent weeks investigating this house and just as many weeks playing phone and e-mail tag with their contact for this project, Councilman Aiden Barns.Truthfully, she wasn’t sure if her excitement was over the house or finally seeing Aiden in person. She knew what he looked like. She’d Googled him almost as soon as he’d contacted her about investigating the house. For one, she liked to know who she would be working for, especially long-term, which this project could prove to be. But also his voice had sent a ripple of pleasure through her she hadn’t felt in…well, ever.Tray snapped his fingers in front of her face, getting her attention. “You’re thinking about that politician again. I can see it on your face.”Alana snorted. “He’s not a politician. He’s a councilman.”Tray’s lips twisted. “Same thing. When did he say he’d be here? It will be dark soon, and I want as much time in that house as possible.”“It will take us at least a week, possibly two to go through this house, Tray. It’s what? Thirty-five, forty thousand square feet? You can wait until he gets here.”She jumped from the back of the truck and glanced again toward the end of the long, tree-lined drive. What was taking him so long? He’d texted her earlier saying he had a last-minute meeting, but he’d promised he’d be no later than six. It was now six thirty.“I hate waiting on people,” she grumbled under her breath. She spun around and smiled at Tray. To hell with waiting. “You know what? He’s running late, so go ahead and send Lisa with one of the cameramen up to the second floor.”Tray grinned. “I already did.”“When?” she asked. “About ten minutes ago.”She leaned forward and hissed. “You’re supposed to wait for me, you ass.” Then she grinned wickedly. “But off the record, good job.”They both high-fived with a laugh as Alana lifted the walkie and hit the Talk button. “Lisa, where are you?”“I’m on the second floor, heading toward the tower,” her friend’s voice came back.“Anything going on so far?”“God, yeah. Tell Tray he’s gonna love this place.”Alana smiled. Lisa was one of the senior members of her investigating team. Lisa and Tray had been with her since the beginning, before Alana had her ghost-hunting show, even before she had her first paranormal romance published. Lisa and Tray went with her everywhere.In the distance, she noticed a set of headlights and sighed in relief. Finally.“Be careful up there. Looks like our contact has finally arrived.”“Careful’s no fun,” Lisa replied, and Alan could just see her sticking out her lower lip in a playful pout.
Lisa made her way down the dark hallway with a broad smile, the show’s cameraman, Keith, just a few steps behind her. This house was amazing. It was huge, dark, spooky, and -- if all the crap she’d seen in the last ten minutes was any indication -- haunted to boot.Unfortunately, it would take a little more than shadows and a few EVPs -- or electronic voice phenomenon -- to convince her friend and business partner, Alana.Lisa heard the slamming of a car door and quickly made her way to one of the windows overlooking the front drive. A tall, gorgeous man climbed from the truck, and Lisa grinned, knowing Alana would be creaming her jeans standing that close to the hunk. “That the guy you were telling me about?” Keith asked as he looked over her shoulder to see out the window.“Maybe. If he is, Alana is probably having a cow right about now.”“Why’s that?”“Because he’s gorgeous.”The cameraman shrugged. “If you say so. You said the other day Alana needed to get laid. Maybe now’s her chance.” “She does need to get laid, but not by the guy who hired us. Are you crazy? Even I know not to do that. If we were out of here in a couple of days, I would say go for it, but he wants us to stay through Halloween and host the spook fest. That would be plenty of time for Alana to fall head over heels and get her heart broken. Not a good combination when the man is writing the checks.”Lisa looked over her shoulder toward Keith and narrowed her eyes. “If you repeat that, I’ll cut off your penis, and you can forget about reattaching it because there won’t be enough pieces left that are big enough.”Keith laughed. “You’re brutal, do you know that?”“How do you think I got as far as I did in life?” she countered, smiling. “Now let’s hit that room Tray was telling us about.”“I’m right behind you,” he said as she headed back down the hall. Lisa opened the door to the large bedroom at the far end of the hall by the tower. It was dark inside, darker than she expected, so she pushed the button at the bottom of her flashlight to turn it on. For a fleeting moment, light penetrated the corners before it faded, leaving her in darkness once again.“Damn,” she said, shaking the flashlight. “I had a battery drain. How’s yours?”“Mine are okay. No, wait… Damn. I just lost battery power too.”She glanced at the small camera she had in her hand. “This one is okay, so far.”Just as she was about to turn, the door slammed shut between her and Keith. She gasped and dropped the camera onto the floor. “What the hell?” The hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up, and cold air encompassed her entire body. She shivered and crossed her arms over her chest. The sensation of being watched made goose bumps rise along her flesh. “Who’s there?”“Lisa?” Keith called from the other side of the door. Through the darkness her gaze caught a brief glimpse of a horribly deformed face, its skin ghostly white, its eyes a ghoulish shade of red. She’d never seen anything like it and screamed just as sharp claws caught the side of her face, knocking her off her feet.
Alana slowly walked away from the truck holding their equipment, moving to greet the oversize pickup as it sped down the drive and came to a gravel-grinding halt next to her SUV. She held her breath as a man opened the door and climbed from behind the steering wheel, a warm smile of welcome across his handsome face. Black hair teased the edge of his shirt collar, the thick strands outlining a rugged, tan face. His lips were full and kissable, and his eyes were the most startling shade of blue-gray. Her gaze dropped to his chest, and she swallowed at the width. The expanse had been hidden under his jacket in the picture, but without it, the fact he worked out was glaringly obvious.God, he is so out of my league.Alana had been out with her share of men. She enjoyed being around them, sometimes more so than women. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the beauty-queen type, so guys tended to pass her by, seeing her as more of a friend or “one of the guys” than a girlfriend. Guys like Aiden wanted eye candy, not tomboy.“I see you made it. I’m so sorry I’m late,” he added as he extended his hand to her in greeting.Alana took it, almost gasping out loud at the tingling warmth that traveled up her arm. She quickly jerked her hand free and tried to cover up her surprise by talking. “It’s not a problem. All the cameras are in place, and I just sent one of our investigators to the second floor to begin.”“Excellent,” he said with a smile as he rubbed his hands together. “Mind if I watch? I would love to know how one of these shows is done.”With a shrug, Alana turned, expecting him to follow. “Sure. Just don’t get in the cameramen’s way. They tend to get a little bitchy when too many people get underfoot.”He chuckled softly, and the deep sound made her stomach tighten. Why did he have to be so hot?“I can certainly understand that,” he replied.“I think we all could,” Alana said, smiling at him over her shoulder.Their eyes met, and she’d swear she felt a jolt clear to her toes. Turning back to the front, she led Aiden to the truck. Tray spun around in his chair to greet them. “Aiden, this is my tech guy, Tray Sharp. Tray, this is Councilman Aiden Barns.”Aiden extended his hand to Tray, but all Alana could see was the way the moonlight reflected in his black hair. “Just Aiden, please.”Tray grinned and took his hand. “Just Tray.”Aiden chuckled. “Nice to meet you, Tray.”Her tech guy shot her a sideways knowing grin. Her eyes narrowed in warning. She knew Tray, and Tray knew her, which meant he knew she was attracted to Aiden. Hell, who wouldn’t be?“Not so bad for a politician,” Tray said, and Alana rolled her eyes.“You’ll have to excuse him. He spends too much time working with computers and not enough time with humans, so he lacks manners.”Aiden’s lips twitched in amusement. “There’re days I would give my eyeteeth to trade places with him, I think.” He looked at her with those heavenly eyes, and her knees weakened. “Have you given any thought to what we talked about?”She swallowed, trying her best to remember. “The haunted house deal?”Aiden wanted to do a month-long Halloweenfest in his town, with this haunted monstrosity at the center and her and her team as the hosts. It was an intriguing idea, one that had never been done, but she still hadn’t made up her mind. As she continued to stare at him, she couldn’t for the life of her come up with a reason why she shouldn’t do it.“I’ll decide after we investigate the house,” she replied, a little more breathlessly than she’d intended.His gaze bored into her, and her heart skipped a beat at the heat she couldn’t help but see directed at her. He blinked, and it was instantly gone.“Fair enough,” he replied.“Don’t worry,” Tray offered from inside the truck. “The team loves the idea. We’ll wear her down.”“Tray --”“Oh, shut up,” he interrupted, making Aiden chuckle.“Our town could really use something like this to boost the local economy. Most everyone is for it.”“And who’s not?” she asked in curiosity.“The usual uptight characters.”She grinned. “Why, Councilman, surely you’re not talking disparagingly about your constituents.”Aiden snorted. “Don’t get me started.”Alana couldn’t help but laugh at the thoroughly disgusted look on his face. From the sound of things, he’d apparently had more than his fair share of run-ins with those uptight characters.Another member of her team, Jordan Sanders, stuck his head around the back of the truck, practically jumping in place to get inside. “Can we go in now?” he asked.Alana nodded, and he waved toward his partner and the cameraman assigned to follow him. “We can go.”“Take the third floor,” Alana called out as they headed toward the massive wraparound front porch.“Who’s taking the first?” Jordan asked.“Tray and I will shortly.”“Can I tag along?” Aiden asked.Alana looked at him in surprise. She wasn’t sure she could have him close to her and still concentrate on what she needed to do.“Well --”Suddenly a scream came from the house that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She jerked around, glancing toward the second-floor window where the scream seemed to have come from. “Was that Lisa?” Alana waved her hand at Tray, who had stood and walked to the end of the truck bed. “See what you can find on the cameras.”“I don’t have anything pointed in that direction. Lisa was supposed to take care of that when she want up there.”Tray jumped from the back of the van while Alana lifted the walkie and pressed the Talk button. “Lisa.”Nothing.“Damn it, Lisa. Answer me!” she cried anxiously into the walkie.More screams filled the air, and Alana took off toward the house at a full run, fear for her friend overriding everything else. Behind her, she could hear Tray calling for her, but she ignored him and headed into the double-door entry to the house. All the lights were out, but there was enough moonlight coming through the windows to light her way. She sprinted up the grand staircase and turned right down the long dark hallway heading toward the room where she believed Lisa had gone.Keith was up ahead; the soft glow from his LED headlight cast a soft blue light against the wall and helped to guide her to them as he kicked relentlessly at the immobile bedroom door. Behind her, she could hear numerous footsteps as other members of her team ran to Lisa’s aid.Lisa’s screams echoed through the halls, and Alana tried not to think too much about what might be happening. Maybe something had just spooked her.Keith shoved at the door with his shoulder, cussing and yelling, “What the hell is the matter with this damn door!” He looked at her in desperation as she came up. “I can’t get it. What the hell is going on in there?”A loud bang shook the entire wall, as though Lisa had been thrown against it. Alana gasped and pounded her fist against the heavy door. “Lisa!” She could hear screams and reached for the handle, shaking it as though that would open it. “Lisa!”“Was anyone in there?” she asked Keith as Tray, Aiden, and a few others joined them in the hall.Keith shook his head. “I didn’t see anyone. Lisa went in first, then the door slammed shut between us, locking me out. That’s when the screams started.”“Move,” Aiden said as he pushed Alana out of the way. He turned sideways slightly and rammed the door with his shoulder. The door didn’t move. “Son of a bitch.” He reached up to rub his shoulder and step back to study the door.“You okay?” Alana asked, concerned. Aiden nodded. “Oak. Serves me right.”Alana stepped forward to slap her hand against the wood. “Lisa!”The room went silent, and everyone froze, listening. Alana could swear they could all hear her beating heart as it slammed out a rhythm within her chest. “Lisa,” she called out, pressing her ear against the wood. “Please.”A moan sounded from the other side, and Alana breathed a short sigh of relief. “We have to get this door open,” she said as she again tried the knob.Aiden moved her out of the way and waved for Keith to join him. “Let’s see if the two of us can kick this thing open.”On three, they both kicked, and the door swung open with a loud crack as the lock gave way under the force. Alana’s worried gaze landed on her friend, huddled in the corner. She rushed forward, oblivious to the men cautioning her. Deep gouges in Lisa’s skin oozed blood over her face, chest, and arms. Alana gasped as she tried to wipe some of the blood from her friend’s face. “Lisa,” she whispered. “Can you hear me?”Lisa just continued to stare straight ahead, her eyes glassy and fearful, her hands trembling. Aiden squatted next to her and wiped a strand of blood-soaked hair from Lisa’s brow.“My God,” he whispered. “Someone call an ambulance.” He turned and stared at several stunned faces. “Now!”Three members of the team pulled cell phones from their pockets to do his bidding while Tray began to walk a circle around the room, studying the walls. The window was shut, not to mention the fact they were at least twenty feet off the ground, so it was doubtful whoever it was had gone that way. “Do you see anything?” Alana asked.“Nothing,” he said in exasperation. She turned to Aiden. “How the hell would whoever did this get out of here? Where did they go?”Aiden sighed. “This house is full of secret passages.”“Oh, come on,” Tray exploded. “The two of you don’t really believe that whatever did this was human?”“Not now, Tray!” Alana snapped.She glanced back at Lisa, who continued to stare off in the distance as though in a trance, her body shaking from head to toe. “She’s in shock,” Aiden said softly. Alana looked around the floor. “Where’s her camera?” Lisa always carried a small handheld with her. It had to be there.“It’s here.” Tray bent down to retrieve the small camera from the far corner. “I’ll take this down to the van and see what’s on it.”Lisa grasped Alana’s wrist with a hard grip. Alana met her friend’s fearful gaze. Tears sprang to her eyes as she studied the deep scratches over Lisa’s face and neck. “Not,” Lisa whispered through chattering teeth. “Not human.”