Lily Graison's Blog, page 33
September 17, 2012
18 and Over Giveaway Hop WINNERS
The WINNERS of the 18 and Over Giveaway Hop have been chosen via Rafflecopter.
Congratulations to Anne M. and Buffy K.
You've each won a signed, paperback copy of THE CALLING, my paranormal werewolf romance and book swag. I'll be in contact with you soon!
The next Giveaway Hop takes place Oct. 24th. Bookmark this page or join me over on Facebook to be informed of all the latest book news and Giveaways.
The Calling - Book 1 in the Night Breeds Series
In a world where the supernatural isn’t supposed to exist, one woman comes face to face with the monsters and fights to survive their call.
Investigative reporter Rayna Ford is sent to the small community of Wolf’s Creek to write an expose on a town supposedly over run with werewolves. Assuming the inhabitants to be under a mass delusion, she learns quickly that all isn’t as it seems. Their plans involve more than a newspaper article and her life hangs in the balance as their motive for luring her to them is revealed.
Garrett Kincaid knows a thing or two about werewolves. He is one. After leaving his pack, he’s spent the last twelve years pretending to be something he isn’t. His closely guarded secret threatens to destroy him when he meets Rayna Ford, the woman his wolf has claimed as his own. When he learns the pack has lured Rayna to them in order to get to him, he races to Wolf’s Creek to protect her from the very thing he fears the most. Himself.
The power struggle within the pack becomes clear once Garrett reaches his old home and learns of the packs plans for Rayna. The beast lurking beneath his skin is torn between protecting the woman he wants to call mate and keeping the balance within the pack on neutral ground. When choosing a side no longer matters, he does what he must to save his mate, even if that means making one of the most difficult decisions of his life.
When the stakes are high, and lives hang in the balance, can you ignore life as you know it to answer…The Calling.
Read the first 10 chapters of this book for free!
All material ©2005-2012 to Lily Graison
Congratulations to Anne M. and Buffy K.
You've each won a signed, paperback copy of THE CALLING, my paranormal werewolf romance and book swag. I'll be in contact with you soon!
The next Giveaway Hop takes place Oct. 24th. Bookmark this page or join me over on Facebook to be informed of all the latest book news and Giveaways.
The Calling - Book 1 in the Night Breeds Series
In a world where the supernatural isn’t supposed to exist, one woman comes face to face with the monsters and fights to survive their call.
Investigative reporter Rayna Ford is sent to the small community of Wolf’s Creek to write an expose on a town supposedly over run with werewolves. Assuming the inhabitants to be under a mass delusion, she learns quickly that all isn’t as it seems. Their plans involve more than a newspaper article and her life hangs in the balance as their motive for luring her to them is revealed.
Garrett Kincaid knows a thing or two about werewolves. He is one. After leaving his pack, he’s spent the last twelve years pretending to be something he isn’t. His closely guarded secret threatens to destroy him when he meets Rayna Ford, the woman his wolf has claimed as his own. When he learns the pack has lured Rayna to them in order to get to him, he races to Wolf’s Creek to protect her from the very thing he fears the most. Himself.
The power struggle within the pack becomes clear once Garrett reaches his old home and learns of the packs plans for Rayna. The beast lurking beneath his skin is torn between protecting the woman he wants to call mate and keeping the balance within the pack on neutral ground. When choosing a side no longer matters, he does what he must to save his mate, even if that means making one of the most difficult decisions of his life.
When the stakes are high, and lives hang in the balance, can you ignore life as you know it to answer…The Calling.
Read the first 10 chapters of this book for free!
All material ©2005-2012 to Lily Graison
September 12, 2012
18 and Over Giveaway Hop!
Welcome to the 18 and Over Giveaway Hop hosted by Bitten By Paranormal Romance and Gabrielle Bisset. This hop for is adults only so grab your big girl panties and get ready for all the naughty heroes you can handle!
My contribution tot he hop comes in the form of a shifter who knows what he wants and does everything in his power to get it...and keep it after he's let it go.
The Calling - Book 1 in the Night Breeds Series
In a world where the supernatural isn’t supposed to exist, one woman comes face to face with the monsters and fights to survive their call.
Investigative reporter Rayna Ford is sent to the small community of Wolf’s Creek to write an expose on a town supposedly over run with werewolves. Assuming the inhabitants to be under a mass delusion, she learns quickly that all isn’t as it seems. Their plans involve more than a newspaper article and her life hangs in the balance as their motive for luring her to them is revealed.
Garrett Kincaid knows a thing or two about werewolves. He is one. After leaving his pack, he’s spent the last twelve years pretending to be something he isn’t. His closely guarded secret threatens to destroy him when he meets Rayna Ford, the woman his wolf has claimed as his own. When he learns the pack has lured Rayna to them in order to get to him, he races to Wolf’s Creek to protect her from the very thing he fears the most. Himself.
The power struggle within the pack becomes clear once Garrett reaches his old home and learns of the packs plans for Rayna. The beast lurking beneath his skin is torn between protecting the woman he wants to call mate and keeping the balance within the pack on neutral ground. When choosing a side no longer matters, he does what he must to save his mate, even if that means making one of the most difficult decisions of his life.
When the stakes are high, and lives hang in the balance, can you ignore life as you know it to answer…The Calling.
To read a 10 chapter preview of this story, hop over to the Night Breeds blog!
Prizes
Two winners will both receive a signed, paperback copy of The Calling, along with a swag-pack that includes signed bookmarks, postcards and bookcover magnets.
How To Enter
1. Comment on the blog and tell me you're secret obsession.
2. Fill in the Rafflecopter form. Winners will be picked using the form so follow the directions.
3. If you'd like extra chances to win, feel free to do the additional tasks on the Rafflecopter form.
Commenting on the blog is the only requirement to enter BUT you HAVE to click the Rafflecopter form saying you commented or your entry won't count.
This Giveaway is International and open September 13th - September 16th.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Click on any of the following blogs for more chances to win!
All material ©2005-2012 to Lily Graison
August 27, 2012
New Release, THE RANCHER - Historical Western Romance
After a few setbacks and more hair pulling than I've ever managed to do and not go completely bald, THE RANCHER, book 4 in the Willow Creek Series, is finally available! Holden Avery, the man we've watched patiently waiting for his lady-love has finally found her and he wastes no time letting her know. Find out how they meet in the excerpt below.
The Rancher by Lily Graison
Book 4 in the Willow Creek Series
Laurel Montgomery wanted a new life, one that didn't include a man. She'd had enough of their pretty lies and broken promises but one night of reckless abandon weeks before taking a job as the new schoolteacher in Willow Creek would come back to haunt her. The man she thought to never see again turns out to be the father of one of her new students. A man so handsome and rugged he takes her breath away. Too bad she's sworn off men forever. If only the stubborn man would take no for an answer.
Holden Avery was love-struck the moment he saw Laurel Montgomery and cursed himself for a fool every waking minute since letting her walk out of his life. When she turns up in Willow Creek he's handed the second chance he didn't think he'd ever get but thoughts of pursuing Laurel are cut short when a stranger shows up in town. A man who claims to be Laurel's husband.
The happily ever after Holden thought to finally have is plagued with obstacles but he sets off to prove he's the man Laurel wants. Convincing her to give him a chance is nearly impossible but he's waited too long to find her to give up now. One way or the other, Laurel Montgomery would be his wife.
Ebook formats available at:
» Amazon: USA | UK | Germany | France | Italy | Spain
» Barnes & Noble
» Smashwords
Excerpt
Prologue
Missoula, Montana
Territory
As visions went, she
was by far the most alluring one he'd seen in years.
Holden turned up his
glass, swallowed what remained inside, and kept his gaze locked on the woman
making her way to the bar. The hem of her brown sateen skirt swept the sawdust
floor, the light from the lanterns catching in the shiny material of her dress
and drawing his eye to places no decent man should look, but the soft curve of
her breasts was too tempting to glance away from.
He'd seen many
beautiful women in his thirty-two years but something about this woman left him
dazed. It was probably the amount of whiskey he'd drank, or the fact the light
was so dim inside the saloon, but she looked ethereal, like some other-world
being straight from one of those fairytale books his daughter Alex had stacked
in her room.
His gaze swept over
her again. Her dark hair was left loose, long curls bouncing free over her shoulders
and when she put her back to him, he traced the line of her spine to her narrow
waist, the gentle flair of her hips to her rounded behind and he felt his
throat go dry despite the amount of alcohol he'd consumed.
He sat up straight in
his seat and tore his gaze from her to sweep over the room again.
His brother, Tristan,
had told him this was the best gaming house in all of Missoula and from what
he'd seen, Tristan had been right. It was clean, the whiskey was good and the
whores were pretty and smelled like a woman should, but picking one to spend
the evening with wasn't easy. The blondes reminded him of his late wife, god
rest her soul, and the brunettes weren't as buxom as he liked. Of course, they
all paled in comparison to the beauty who caught the attention of those not too
drunk to notice.
He turned his gaze
back to the bar. She was still there, her face reflected in the mirror on the
wall. She wasn't a whore, that much he knew. She was too refined looking, not
to mention she'd entered from the street and was now ordering a drink from the
looks of it. A lady who drank in public. That was new.
Picking up his empty
glass, he stood, waded through the crowd and approached the bar with one goal
in mind. He had to get a closer look at this woman to see if it was the alcohol
making her so breathtaking.
He stopped beside her,
ordered another drink, and glanced up at her in the mirror, then turned to
where she stood. She was staring down into her glass, the amber liquid
untouched. "As whiskey goes, its not bad," he said.
She turned her head to
him and he'd be damned if his heart didn't give a little kick in his chest. Her
eyes were the oddest shade of brown he'd ever seen. They reminded him of the
whiskey in her glass, a light, swirling amber. The rest of her face was
remarkable too. Her complexion was smooth, her lips plump and pink. Small curls
framed her face making her look soft and feminine. Beautiful.
He blinked and nodded
to her glass. "Do you always order whiskey then just stare at it?"
She tilted her head a
little to one side. "Why are you talking to me?"
Holden opened his
mouth to answer but closed it with a snap. Beautiful and rude. He smiled and
leaned one arm on the bar. "To be honest, now that you ask, I've no
idea."
She stared at him for
long moments before smiling and looking back at her glass. "Honesty.
That's a rare attribute for a man."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Depends on the man, I suppose."
Her head turned, those
whiskey colored eyes giving him a look from head to toe. "Really? I didn't
think any man was capable of it."
Holden laughed.
"Beautiful, rude and bitter. A strange combination."
Amusement filled her
eyes and she turned her body to face him. "I'm also surly, mean-spirited
and suspicious."
"And you
apparently don't care what others think."
"What makes you
say that?"
Holden thumbed up the
front of his hat. "I don't know of any lady who would walk into a saloon
and order a whiskey at the bar, then stick around to drink it." He glanced
down at her glass. "Or stare at it."
She shrugged one
delicate shoulder. "Who says I'm a lady?" She lifted her glass, slung
back her whiskey as if she'd been doing it for years and grinned at him while
sitting the glass back down.
Holden swallowed his
own liquor, nodded to the bartender to refill their glasses and never took his
eyes off of her. "I'm Hol…"
"Don't!"
Holden shut his mouth,
one eyebrow raised as she yelled at him, her right arm raised as if to ward off
the words. Her cheeks pinkened before she straightened her spine.
"No names,
please."
He grinned.
"Okay."
She sighed, her
shoulders relaxing. "I find it much easier to just talk to someone without
really knowing who they are."
"Mysterious,
rude, bitter and beautiful. Now I'm intrigued."
She flashed him a tiny
smile. "Stop trying to flatter me."
"Who says I
am?"
She laughed, the sound
a tinkling vibration that coursed through his body and ended near his toes. Her
eyes sparkled as she laughed, and he knew before the night was out he'd be so
smitten with this woman he'd never get her out of his head.
They talked for close
to an hour about nothing specific, consumed more whiskey than he'd drank in
months, and when the crowd inside the saloon grew rowdy, their voices raised to
the point he couldn't hear what she was saying, she raised up on her toes, her
mouth next to his ear, and asked if he'd like to take a walk with her. All
thought of buying companionship for the evening was forgotten.
Out on the wooden
sidewalk, she turned and stumbled, her laughter like music as he reached out
his arm to steady her. "I think you may have had too much to drink."
"Are you saying
I'm drunk?" She leaned against him and grinned, taking hold of his arm and
looping hers through his before turning them and starting down the sidewalk.
Holden inhaled a
breath, her rose scented skin infusing the air around him. "I'd never
insult a lady in such a way."
She laughed again,
proving she had more to drink than she was used to and looked up at him with
those alluring eyes. "I'm far from drunk, Sir, I can assure you. I would
have never left the saloon with you had I been."
He smiled. "So
you would have passed out on the floor instead?"
"Probably."
She inhaled a deep breath, raising her head. "Do you live here?"
"I thought you
didn't want to know anything about me?"
She gave him a
sideways look. "I don't. The less I know about you the better off I'll be,
but it's so warm for fall. I'm just trying to find out if it's always this way
in Montana."
It took an effort to
mask his disappointment in her not wanting to know who he really was but he
shrugged it off. "No. It'll start cooling down soon and once winter sets
in, you'll wish you were somewhere else."
"I doubt
that."
She stopped in front
of one of the many hotel's in town and turned to face him. Her eyes were drowsy
looking, her lips glistening with moisture from where she'd licked them and
he'd never wanted to kiss anyone the way he did her. "Is this where you're
staying?"
"Yes."
He should have picked
this hotel, too. He'd chosen the more expensive one down the road and almost
wished he could check in here and go grab his things so he could spend his last
evening in town with her close by.
The past week had been
hard, a physical and mental drain on his body. Selling off his horses, paying
the wranglers and then watching them as they all grabbed a woman in the saloon
and headed upstairs planted a seed of longing in him that he hadn't felt in
ages. Being so far from home, he could indulge in any manner of debauchery and
once the idea was there, he couldn't seem to let it go.
Alex, his ten year old
daughter, was too impressionable to go traipsing off to town to find his
comfort with one of the whores at the Diamond Back Saloon in Willow Creek and
the dull ache from years of denying his body the pleasure of a woman was felt
in every muscle and every nerve. He'd spent an extra night in town just to see
those aches eased. No one at home would know, least of all Alex, and the moment
he decided to pick one of those pretty ladies at the saloon, in walks a woman
who put the others to shame.
She was still looking
up at him, her whiskey colored eyes sparkling in the moonlight and his entire
body jolted while looking at her. He wanted her. Wanted her unlike anything
he'd wanted in a long time but saying so would ruin the entire evening.
They stood staring at
one another for long minutes, the crowd on the street and sidewalks
disappearing and when she smiled at him, the look in her eyes telling him she
was thinking the same thing he was, his heart started racing.
"If I wasn't a
lady, I'd be tempted to ask you up to my room."
Holden's fingers
clenched into fists at his side. "If you weren't a lady, I'd take you up
on it."
She licked her lips
and Holden's gaze was drawn to her mouth while every nerve in his body jumped,
screamed, and demanded he forget his manners. To take advantage of the
situation, damn his conscience and take her to bed. Spend the rest of the night
between her thighs and make his way home come morning with a memory he'd have a
hard time forgetting.
The wind blew a strand
of her hair into her eyes and he pushed it away, tucking it behind her ear. The
moment he touched her, caught the faintest scent of roses on her skin, his
heart pounded so hard, he had trouble breathing around it.
She stared up at him,
an invitation in her eyes. "I'm in room twelve. Give me ten minutes."
Turning, she left him
standing on the sidewalk and entered the hotel, glancing back over her shoulder
to smile at him. He had one night in Missoula and even though he'd never see
this woman again, he'd carry the memory of her with him always. The way she'd
looked at him said she would too. The invitation to her room was there and he
wasn't stupid enough to pass on it.
Chapter One
Good lord above,
the man was all but naked!
Laurel blinked and
nearly ran the wagon into the fence as she stared at him. She managed to stop
the horses and even remembered to set the brake on the wagon, reminding herself
that she was a lady and averted her gaze.
Alexandra Avery
fidgeted in the seat beside of her and Laurel gave her a nod of her head,
watching as the girl stood and jumped from the wagon, running to whom she
assumed was her father. The man leaned down as the girl rushed out an
explanation and when he turned his head to look her way, and she got a good
look at his face, Laurel's heart skipped a beat as it slammed against her
ribcage. "Oh, sweet heavens, no." It couldn't be!
He stood to his full
height, his eyes widening a fraction as he looked at her, before he grinned so
devilishly, her breath caught. She knew in an instant she was in trouble.
How in the world did
she end up in the same town as him? The odds were too fantastic to even
imagine.
Memories of them
together screamed through her head as she stared at him. She'd spent every day
since that night in Missoula trying to forget about him. So far, she'd managed
to only think of him once or twice a day but seeing him again, standing right
in front of her with nothing but his trousers, hat, and a smile on, she cursed
her luck.
Squaring her
shoulders, Laurel climbed from the borrowed wagon and tried to keep her focus
on his face as she crossed the space to where he stood. It wasn't easy. Not
with the way the sun glinted off the sweat on his chest, the small beads of
perspiration shimmering like small jewels and drawing her gaze to the hard
lines of his naked torso. She'd felt those muscles against her hands, kissed
them with lips that still tingled just thinking about it and she was near dizzy
by the time she reached him.
She lifted her chin,
determined to keep her gaze on his face, and hoped he couldn't hear her
stammering heart beat. "Mr. Avery?" His gaze bore into her and
Laurel's heart screeched to a stop before it pounded so hard she fought for
breath. She cleared her throat and blinked, trying to regain her composure.
When she knew her
voice wouldn't squeak, she said, "I'm Laurel Montgomery, the new school
teacher."
The grin on his face
grew as if he knew some wicked secret he wasn't about to share with her. But
Laurel knew his secrets. Well, the ones he'd displayed for her one warm fall
night in Missoula four weeks ago.
Laurel glanced at
Alexandra, his daughter, apparently, her little arms crossed over her chest and
an identical smirk was on her face. She stared at her, trying to come to grips
with the fact she'd more than likely slept with a married man. The guilt that
followed caused the butterflies swimming in her stomach to die and her stomach
ached to the point she felt ill.
She lifted her head,
cleared her throat and met his smiling eyes with bitter resentment growing in
her heart. "I've been meaning to meet all the parents of my students and
you were first on my list."
"I'm
flattered." The look in his eyes changed and Laurel knew he was
remembering that night too. Damn his hide. Why did he have to live here?
His voice was just as
deep as she remembered and the sound of it caressed her flesh as if he'd
physically touched her. Goose bumps prickled her arms and she ignored the
feeling, trying to remember all she planned to say to him. "Don't be
flattered, Mr. Avery. What I have to tell you is far from becoming."
Laurel turned her gaze on Alexandra, throwing her a disapproving look before
facing him again. "I'm sorry to say your daughter is a menace and has disrupted
my class on a daily bases."
That got his
attention. The smile vanished and when he looked down at Alexandra, the girl's
puffed-up pose, deflated. "What did you do?"
Alexandra huffed out a
breath, her hands curled into fists. "Jesse started it. He said I was the
ugliest boy he'd ever seen so, I popped him one." She grinned. "He
cried like a little girl."
Laurel exhaled,
exasperated. "He most certainly did not, Alexandra. You're telling stories
again."
The girl whirled on
her, her arm flung to point at her. "And she won't stop calling me
Alexandra. I've told her a hundred times, pa, my name is Alex, but she just
won't say it."
Laying his hand on
Alexandra's shoulder, the girl quieted instantly. When he looked up, amusement
shined in his eyes. "She doesn’t like to be called Alexandra."
"I've noticed but
that isn't reason enough to disrupt my classroom everyday without fail."
"No, it's
not."
Laurel glanced at
Alexandra before straightening her spine and looking back up. "Can we
speak alone, please?"
Something in his eyes
said she'd made a mistake in making that small request. The smile that followed
said as much too. He told Alex to wait on the front porch for him and when he
turned to face her again, Laurel felt instantly exposed. His gaze never left
her face but she knew he was picturing her naked. It was in the smile he gave
her, the way his eyelids lowered just a fraction, as if he too was remembering
that night. A night, she knew now, spelled trouble. Trouble she didn't want or
need, regardless of the fact he was the most tempting thing she'd ever clapped
eyes on.
She swallowed the
sudden lump forming in her throat and pulled at the high collar of her dress.
The sun was unbearably hot today for early fall. Much too hot.
Turning her head to
avoid looking at him, she watched Alexandra run to the house, her boy trousers
and chambray shirt causing a sigh to escape her. "She looks nothing like a
girl."
"No, and she
prefers it that way."
Realizing she'd spoken
out loud, Laurel's face heated. "I meant no offense. It's just… well, I've
never seen a girl act so boyish in all my life."
He laughed and leaned
against the fence rail, the whiteness of those boards making the tanned hue of
his skin even darker. His arm, propped on the top rail, was well muscled and
Laurel's stomach clenched tight at the sight of it. She'd held on to those
arms, felt them around her body and a tremor rushed through her limbs at the
remembrance.
Laurel blinked and
tried to remember why she'd made the trip out to his home. She had to clear her
throat and swallow twice just to moisten her mouth enough to speak. "She's
started three fights this week." Her voice cracked but she found it easier
to talk keeping her focus on his chin instead of his eyes. "She also
spits, has nothing to do with the other girls in class and her attire is
inappropriate for her gender." She paused, bitterness closing her throat
as her next words ate at her conscience. "I can't believe your wife
would allow her daughter to grow up to be so… boyish."
He smiled again.
"You're going to act as if we don't know each other, aren't you?"
Her heart skipped
another beat. "I think, under the circumstances, that would be wise."
"Why?"
She laughed and looked
up to meet his gaze. "Because I'm the new school teacher here, that's why.
I have a certain reputation to uphold and if the town council knew…"
"That you
frequented saloon's and invited strange men into your bed, they'd put you on
the first stagecoach out of town?"
Her face blazed hot.
"Don't you dare judge me."
"I'm not."
His gaze lowered to her breasts for a second before lifting again. "I just
don't expect you to treat me as if we're strangers."
"As far as the
people who live in this town are concerned, Mr. Avery, we are
strangers."
He laughed that
wonderful laugh again and Laurel had to look away. She gazed into the pasture,
noticed a few horses grazing beyond the fence and tried to will her pulse to
calm. Why did this have to happen? Why now?
"I've been
thinking about you."
"Don't." She
looked back at him and for the first time since meeting him, wished she never
had. "I don't want to be reminded of it."
He lifted an eyebrow
at her. "I was under the impression you enjoyed it as much as I did."
She bit her tongue to
keep from blurting out she had. That she couldn’t stop thinking about him, too,
and as much as she'd enjoyed their one night together, it was a mistake. She
glanced back at the house, saw Alexandra on the porch steps and tried to steer
the conversation back to the girl. "Where is your wife?"
"She died after
giving birth to Alex."
Remorse washed through
her system, a knot of sorrow filling her stomach. "I'm sorry."
He nodded his head at
her. "It was a long time ago." He sighed and lifted his hat, running
his fingers through his hair before resettling it again. "We've not had a
woman's influence at home until two years ago and honestly, I don't know a
thing about girls." His gaze lowered from her face, sweeping down across
her breasts and lower. "Well, I know nothing about little girls."
Her face heated again.
The sun was indeed unbearable. Laurel pulled at her high collar and tried to
convince herself it wasn't him causing her blood to heat and her skin to blaze
as if she was cooking under the Montana sun.
A simple glance at his
face caused her thoughts to run rampant. How she ended up in the town he lived
in the most prevalent. She knew nothing about him other than he had a daughter
and his wife had passed. Before today, she hadn't even known that much and she
preferred it that way. Seeing him now though, his skin glistening with
moisture, her fingers itched to touch him one last time. Her lips tingled with
remembrance of his kisses and a tiny voice in the back of her head whispered
she could have it all again.
She blinked, tried to
quiet her body's demands and remembered why she was here. "Be that as it
may, your daughter is a hellion. I'd think a man would want his daughter to be
taught manners. She'll not catch a husband acting the way she does."
He laughed.
"She's ten. I think I have a while until I have to worry about marrying
her off."
"Maybe so, but if
you continue to let her behave the way she does, you'll have a young lady who
prefers to spit, curse and wear men's trousers. How hard do you think it will
be to get her to change her ways then?"
The look on his face
turned thoughtful, small lines bracketing his mouth. When he turned to look at
the house, Laurel breathed a sigh of relief. It was much easier to talk to him
when she didn't have to look at him. "Baby steps is what I suggest. One
small change followed by another until she at least resembles a girl in looks
and nature."
He turned back to face
her, the lines still framing his wonderful mouth, and Laurel focused on his
eyes so she wouldn't become distracted.
"I'll have a talk
with her. She'll not cause you anymore trouble."
"I hope you're
right." Laurel knew their conversation about Alexandra was over but stood
like a deaf mute while staring at him. Something about this man was just too
mesmerizing. His eyes were so perfectly blue, his teeth white and straight. The
hard lines of muscle bisecting his abdomen, the definition of his chest…
She blinked and took a
deep breath. "Well then, I'll just be on my way." She forced herself
to turn and all but ran back to the wagon. Lifting her skirts to climb up, he
grabbed her arm and she shrieked, jumped back and could only stare as he stood
there grinning at her.
"This
conversation isn't over."
"It is."
Laurel inhaled several deep breaths, willing her heart to stop pounding.
"I didn't want to know anything about you for a reason. I didn't want any
attachments, then, now or ever. What we had is all there will ever be so
there's no use discussing it. Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Avery, I have three
more family's to visit this evening."
He offered her his
hand again. Common sense told her to ignore him but something inside of her
caused butterflies to dance in erratic patterns every time she looked at him.
That part of her screamed to accept. To touch him one last time. She lifted her
hand and placed it in his while that same voice screamed what a fool she was.
The smile he gave her
when his fingers closed around her hand all but took her breath. It hitched in
her throat when he lifted her hand, placed a small kiss on her palm, desire
shining bright in his eyes. "Since you refused to hear it in Missoula, my
name is Holden and I'll definitely be seeing you again, Laurel."
She ignored him best
she could, climbed into the wagon seat with his help and settled her skirts,
grabbed the reins in hands much too sweaty for a proper lady to admit and
flicked a glance back at him. "Seeing as you live here and avoiding you
will be impossible, I would appreciate it if you would keep our future meetings
on a professional level. I'm your daughter's teacher. Nothing more."
"That's not going
to happen," he said. "I cursed myself for a fool the morning I left
Missoula and was halfway home before I turned around and went back. You'd
already checked out of the hotel." He tipped his hat to her, took two steps
back and gave her a look that sent tingles racing down her spine. "I'll
remind you every chance I get of what we shared, Laurel, and you can count on
that."
Laurel clenched her
teeth and flicked the reins, willed the horses to run, and was headed back to
the road before her heart stopped racing. She was tempted to look over her
shoulder but refused to do so.
Spending the night in
Missoula instead of traveling on was a mistake. She knew that now but at the
time, she'd wanted one last night. One night to just be herself. To walk into
the saloon and not care what people thought. To order a drink, let all her
troubles wash away with strong whiskey and not have a care in the world come
morning.
That hadn't happened
though. Not exactly. She'd met him, Holden Avery, moments after walking inside
the saloon and that little voice in the back of her mind had whispered
seductively to her that it was her last chance. The last chance to throw her
inhibitions to the wind and just grab onto life one more time. And she had.
She'd invited Holden to her room and spent hours having the most life altering
sex of her life. She'd never had a man so attentive in her bed. Her body had
burned, her lungs ached with need of air as he took her to heights she never
knew existed again and again until she lay exhausted in his arms, his fingers
and lips playing over her skin until she'd fallen asleep.
Her body still tingled
in remembrance of his touch and that little voice in her head was whispering
she could have it again. That her desire for him could be sated night after
night. She refused to listen. She couldn’t get involved with him. Ever.
Regardless of how much she wanted to.
She rode under the
curved arch leaving Avery Ranch and she couldn’t stop from turning her head,
peering over her shoulder to where she'd left Holden standing.
He was still watching
her.
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All material ©2005-2012 to Lily Graison
The Rancher by Lily Graison
Book 4 in the Willow Creek Series
Laurel Montgomery wanted a new life, one that didn't include a man. She'd had enough of their pretty lies and broken promises but one night of reckless abandon weeks before taking a job as the new schoolteacher in Willow Creek would come back to haunt her. The man she thought to never see again turns out to be the father of one of her new students. A man so handsome and rugged he takes her breath away. Too bad she's sworn off men forever. If only the stubborn man would take no for an answer.
Holden Avery was love-struck the moment he saw Laurel Montgomery and cursed himself for a fool every waking minute since letting her walk out of his life. When she turns up in Willow Creek he's handed the second chance he didn't think he'd ever get but thoughts of pursuing Laurel are cut short when a stranger shows up in town. A man who claims to be Laurel's husband.
The happily ever after Holden thought to finally have is plagued with obstacles but he sets off to prove he's the man Laurel wants. Convincing her to give him a chance is nearly impossible but he's waited too long to find her to give up now. One way or the other, Laurel Montgomery would be his wife.
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Excerpt
Prologue
Missoula, Montana
Territory
As visions went, she
was by far the most alluring one he'd seen in years.
Holden turned up his
glass, swallowed what remained inside, and kept his gaze locked on the woman
making her way to the bar. The hem of her brown sateen skirt swept the sawdust
floor, the light from the lanterns catching in the shiny material of her dress
and drawing his eye to places no decent man should look, but the soft curve of
her breasts was too tempting to glance away from.
He'd seen many
beautiful women in his thirty-two years but something about this woman left him
dazed. It was probably the amount of whiskey he'd drank, or the fact the light
was so dim inside the saloon, but she looked ethereal, like some other-world
being straight from one of those fairytale books his daughter Alex had stacked
in her room.
His gaze swept over
her again. Her dark hair was left loose, long curls bouncing free over her shoulders
and when she put her back to him, he traced the line of her spine to her narrow
waist, the gentle flair of her hips to her rounded behind and he felt his
throat go dry despite the amount of alcohol he'd consumed.
He sat up straight in
his seat and tore his gaze from her to sweep over the room again.
His brother, Tristan,
had told him this was the best gaming house in all of Missoula and from what
he'd seen, Tristan had been right. It was clean, the whiskey was good and the
whores were pretty and smelled like a woman should, but picking one to spend
the evening with wasn't easy. The blondes reminded him of his late wife, god
rest her soul, and the brunettes weren't as buxom as he liked. Of course, they
all paled in comparison to the beauty who caught the attention of those not too
drunk to notice.
He turned his gaze
back to the bar. She was still there, her face reflected in the mirror on the
wall. She wasn't a whore, that much he knew. She was too refined looking, not
to mention she'd entered from the street and was now ordering a drink from the
looks of it. A lady who drank in public. That was new.
Picking up his empty
glass, he stood, waded through the crowd and approached the bar with one goal
in mind. He had to get a closer look at this woman to see if it was the alcohol
making her so breathtaking.
He stopped beside her,
ordered another drink, and glanced up at her in the mirror, then turned to
where she stood. She was staring down into her glass, the amber liquid
untouched. "As whiskey goes, its not bad," he said.
She turned her head to
him and he'd be damned if his heart didn't give a little kick in his chest. Her
eyes were the oddest shade of brown he'd ever seen. They reminded him of the
whiskey in her glass, a light, swirling amber. The rest of her face was
remarkable too. Her complexion was smooth, her lips plump and pink. Small curls
framed her face making her look soft and feminine. Beautiful.
He blinked and nodded
to her glass. "Do you always order whiskey then just stare at it?"
She tilted her head a
little to one side. "Why are you talking to me?"
Holden opened his
mouth to answer but closed it with a snap. Beautiful and rude. He smiled and
leaned one arm on the bar. "To be honest, now that you ask, I've no
idea."
She stared at him for
long moments before smiling and looking back at her glass. "Honesty.
That's a rare attribute for a man."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Depends on the man, I suppose."
Her head turned, those
whiskey colored eyes giving him a look from head to toe. "Really? I didn't
think any man was capable of it."
Holden laughed.
"Beautiful, rude and bitter. A strange combination."
Amusement filled her
eyes and she turned her body to face him. "I'm also surly, mean-spirited
and suspicious."
"And you
apparently don't care what others think."
"What makes you
say that?"
Holden thumbed up the
front of his hat. "I don't know of any lady who would walk into a saloon
and order a whiskey at the bar, then stick around to drink it." He glanced
down at her glass. "Or stare at it."
She shrugged one
delicate shoulder. "Who says I'm a lady?" She lifted her glass, slung
back her whiskey as if she'd been doing it for years and grinned at him while
sitting the glass back down.
Holden swallowed his
own liquor, nodded to the bartender to refill their glasses and never took his
eyes off of her. "I'm Hol…"
"Don't!"
Holden shut his mouth,
one eyebrow raised as she yelled at him, her right arm raised as if to ward off
the words. Her cheeks pinkened before she straightened her spine.
"No names,
please."
He grinned.
"Okay."
She sighed, her
shoulders relaxing. "I find it much easier to just talk to someone without
really knowing who they are."
"Mysterious,
rude, bitter and beautiful. Now I'm intrigued."
She flashed him a tiny
smile. "Stop trying to flatter me."
"Who says I
am?"
She laughed, the sound
a tinkling vibration that coursed through his body and ended near his toes. Her
eyes sparkled as she laughed, and he knew before the night was out he'd be so
smitten with this woman he'd never get her out of his head.
They talked for close
to an hour about nothing specific, consumed more whiskey than he'd drank in
months, and when the crowd inside the saloon grew rowdy, their voices raised to
the point he couldn't hear what she was saying, she raised up on her toes, her
mouth next to his ear, and asked if he'd like to take a walk with her. All
thought of buying companionship for the evening was forgotten.
Out on the wooden
sidewalk, she turned and stumbled, her laughter like music as he reached out
his arm to steady her. "I think you may have had too much to drink."
"Are you saying
I'm drunk?" She leaned against him and grinned, taking hold of his arm and
looping hers through his before turning them and starting down the sidewalk.
Holden inhaled a
breath, her rose scented skin infusing the air around him. "I'd never
insult a lady in such a way."
She laughed again,
proving she had more to drink than she was used to and looked up at him with
those alluring eyes. "I'm far from drunk, Sir, I can assure you. I would
have never left the saloon with you had I been."
He smiled. "So
you would have passed out on the floor instead?"
"Probably."
She inhaled a deep breath, raising her head. "Do you live here?"
"I thought you
didn't want to know anything about me?"
She gave him a
sideways look. "I don't. The less I know about you the better off I'll be,
but it's so warm for fall. I'm just trying to find out if it's always this way
in Montana."
It took an effort to
mask his disappointment in her not wanting to know who he really was but he
shrugged it off. "No. It'll start cooling down soon and once winter sets
in, you'll wish you were somewhere else."
"I doubt
that."
She stopped in front
of one of the many hotel's in town and turned to face him. Her eyes were drowsy
looking, her lips glistening with moisture from where she'd licked them and
he'd never wanted to kiss anyone the way he did her. "Is this where you're
staying?"
"Yes."
He should have picked
this hotel, too. He'd chosen the more expensive one down the road and almost
wished he could check in here and go grab his things so he could spend his last
evening in town with her close by.
The past week had been
hard, a physical and mental drain on his body. Selling off his horses, paying
the wranglers and then watching them as they all grabbed a woman in the saloon
and headed upstairs planted a seed of longing in him that he hadn't felt in
ages. Being so far from home, he could indulge in any manner of debauchery and
once the idea was there, he couldn't seem to let it go.
Alex, his ten year old
daughter, was too impressionable to go traipsing off to town to find his
comfort with one of the whores at the Diamond Back Saloon in Willow Creek and
the dull ache from years of denying his body the pleasure of a woman was felt
in every muscle and every nerve. He'd spent an extra night in town just to see
those aches eased. No one at home would know, least of all Alex, and the moment
he decided to pick one of those pretty ladies at the saloon, in walks a woman
who put the others to shame.
She was still looking
up at him, her whiskey colored eyes sparkling in the moonlight and his entire
body jolted while looking at her. He wanted her. Wanted her unlike anything
he'd wanted in a long time but saying so would ruin the entire evening.
They stood staring at
one another for long minutes, the crowd on the street and sidewalks
disappearing and when she smiled at him, the look in her eyes telling him she
was thinking the same thing he was, his heart started racing.
"If I wasn't a
lady, I'd be tempted to ask you up to my room."
Holden's fingers
clenched into fists at his side. "If you weren't a lady, I'd take you up
on it."
She licked her lips
and Holden's gaze was drawn to her mouth while every nerve in his body jumped,
screamed, and demanded he forget his manners. To take advantage of the
situation, damn his conscience and take her to bed. Spend the rest of the night
between her thighs and make his way home come morning with a memory he'd have a
hard time forgetting.
The wind blew a strand
of her hair into her eyes and he pushed it away, tucking it behind her ear. The
moment he touched her, caught the faintest scent of roses on her skin, his
heart pounded so hard, he had trouble breathing around it.
She stared up at him,
an invitation in her eyes. "I'm in room twelve. Give me ten minutes."
Turning, she left him
standing on the sidewalk and entered the hotel, glancing back over her shoulder
to smile at him. He had one night in Missoula and even though he'd never see
this woman again, he'd carry the memory of her with him always. The way she'd
looked at him said she would too. The invitation to her room was there and he
wasn't stupid enough to pass on it.
Chapter One
Good lord above,
the man was all but naked!
Laurel blinked and
nearly ran the wagon into the fence as she stared at him. She managed to stop
the horses and even remembered to set the brake on the wagon, reminding herself
that she was a lady and averted her gaze.
Alexandra Avery
fidgeted in the seat beside of her and Laurel gave her a nod of her head,
watching as the girl stood and jumped from the wagon, running to whom she
assumed was her father. The man leaned down as the girl rushed out an
explanation and when he turned his head to look her way, and she got a good
look at his face, Laurel's heart skipped a beat as it slammed against her
ribcage. "Oh, sweet heavens, no." It couldn't be!
He stood to his full
height, his eyes widening a fraction as he looked at her, before he grinned so
devilishly, her breath caught. She knew in an instant she was in trouble.
How in the world did
she end up in the same town as him? The odds were too fantastic to even
imagine.
Memories of them
together screamed through her head as she stared at him. She'd spent every day
since that night in Missoula trying to forget about him. So far, she'd managed
to only think of him once or twice a day but seeing him again, standing right
in front of her with nothing but his trousers, hat, and a smile on, she cursed
her luck.
Squaring her
shoulders, Laurel climbed from the borrowed wagon and tried to keep her focus
on his face as she crossed the space to where he stood. It wasn't easy. Not
with the way the sun glinted off the sweat on his chest, the small beads of
perspiration shimmering like small jewels and drawing her gaze to the hard
lines of his naked torso. She'd felt those muscles against her hands, kissed
them with lips that still tingled just thinking about it and she was near dizzy
by the time she reached him.
She lifted her chin,
determined to keep her gaze on his face, and hoped he couldn't hear her
stammering heart beat. "Mr. Avery?" His gaze bore into her and
Laurel's heart screeched to a stop before it pounded so hard she fought for
breath. She cleared her throat and blinked, trying to regain her composure.
When she knew her
voice wouldn't squeak, she said, "I'm Laurel Montgomery, the new school
teacher."
The grin on his face
grew as if he knew some wicked secret he wasn't about to share with her. But
Laurel knew his secrets. Well, the ones he'd displayed for her one warm fall
night in Missoula four weeks ago.
Laurel glanced at
Alexandra, his daughter, apparently, her little arms crossed over her chest and
an identical smirk was on her face. She stared at her, trying to come to grips
with the fact she'd more than likely slept with a married man. The guilt that
followed caused the butterflies swimming in her stomach to die and her stomach
ached to the point she felt ill.
She lifted her head,
cleared her throat and met his smiling eyes with bitter resentment growing in
her heart. "I've been meaning to meet all the parents of my students and
you were first on my list."
"I'm
flattered." The look in his eyes changed and Laurel knew he was
remembering that night too. Damn his hide. Why did he have to live here?
His voice was just as
deep as she remembered and the sound of it caressed her flesh as if he'd
physically touched her. Goose bumps prickled her arms and she ignored the
feeling, trying to remember all she planned to say to him. "Don't be
flattered, Mr. Avery. What I have to tell you is far from becoming."
Laurel turned her gaze on Alexandra, throwing her a disapproving look before
facing him again. "I'm sorry to say your daughter is a menace and has disrupted
my class on a daily bases."
That got his
attention. The smile vanished and when he looked down at Alexandra, the girl's
puffed-up pose, deflated. "What did you do?"
Alexandra huffed out a
breath, her hands curled into fists. "Jesse started it. He said I was the
ugliest boy he'd ever seen so, I popped him one." She grinned. "He
cried like a little girl."
Laurel exhaled,
exasperated. "He most certainly did not, Alexandra. You're telling stories
again."
The girl whirled on
her, her arm flung to point at her. "And she won't stop calling me
Alexandra. I've told her a hundred times, pa, my name is Alex, but she just
won't say it."
Laying his hand on
Alexandra's shoulder, the girl quieted instantly. When he looked up, amusement
shined in his eyes. "She doesn’t like to be called Alexandra."
"I've noticed but
that isn't reason enough to disrupt my classroom everyday without fail."
"No, it's
not."
Laurel glanced at
Alexandra before straightening her spine and looking back up. "Can we
speak alone, please?"
Something in his eyes
said she'd made a mistake in making that small request. The smile that followed
said as much too. He told Alex to wait on the front porch for him and when he
turned to face her again, Laurel felt instantly exposed. His gaze never left
her face but she knew he was picturing her naked. It was in the smile he gave
her, the way his eyelids lowered just a fraction, as if he too was remembering
that night. A night, she knew now, spelled trouble. Trouble she didn't want or
need, regardless of the fact he was the most tempting thing she'd ever clapped
eyes on.
She swallowed the
sudden lump forming in her throat and pulled at the high collar of her dress.
The sun was unbearably hot today for early fall. Much too hot.
Turning her head to
avoid looking at him, she watched Alexandra run to the house, her boy trousers
and chambray shirt causing a sigh to escape her. "She looks nothing like a
girl."
"No, and she
prefers it that way."
Realizing she'd spoken
out loud, Laurel's face heated. "I meant no offense. It's just… well, I've
never seen a girl act so boyish in all my life."
He laughed and leaned
against the fence rail, the whiteness of those boards making the tanned hue of
his skin even darker. His arm, propped on the top rail, was well muscled and
Laurel's stomach clenched tight at the sight of it. She'd held on to those
arms, felt them around her body and a tremor rushed through her limbs at the
remembrance.
Laurel blinked and
tried to remember why she'd made the trip out to his home. She had to clear her
throat and swallow twice just to moisten her mouth enough to speak. "She's
started three fights this week." Her voice cracked but she found it easier
to talk keeping her focus on his chin instead of his eyes. "She also
spits, has nothing to do with the other girls in class and her attire is
inappropriate for her gender." She paused, bitterness closing her throat
as her next words ate at her conscience. "I can't believe your wife
would allow her daughter to grow up to be so… boyish."
He smiled again.
"You're going to act as if we don't know each other, aren't you?"
Her heart skipped
another beat. "I think, under the circumstances, that would be wise."
"Why?"
She laughed and looked
up to meet his gaze. "Because I'm the new school teacher here, that's why.
I have a certain reputation to uphold and if the town council knew…"
"That you
frequented saloon's and invited strange men into your bed, they'd put you on
the first stagecoach out of town?"
Her face blazed hot.
"Don't you dare judge me."
"I'm not."
His gaze lowered to her breasts for a second before lifting again. "I just
don't expect you to treat me as if we're strangers."
"As far as the
people who live in this town are concerned, Mr. Avery, we are
strangers."
He laughed that
wonderful laugh again and Laurel had to look away. She gazed into the pasture,
noticed a few horses grazing beyond the fence and tried to will her pulse to
calm. Why did this have to happen? Why now?
"I've been
thinking about you."
"Don't." She
looked back at him and for the first time since meeting him, wished she never
had. "I don't want to be reminded of it."
He lifted an eyebrow
at her. "I was under the impression you enjoyed it as much as I did."
She bit her tongue to
keep from blurting out she had. That she couldn’t stop thinking about him, too,
and as much as she'd enjoyed their one night together, it was a mistake. She
glanced back at the house, saw Alexandra on the porch steps and tried to steer
the conversation back to the girl. "Where is your wife?"
"She died after
giving birth to Alex."
Remorse washed through
her system, a knot of sorrow filling her stomach. "I'm sorry."
He nodded his head at
her. "It was a long time ago." He sighed and lifted his hat, running
his fingers through his hair before resettling it again. "We've not had a
woman's influence at home until two years ago and honestly, I don't know a
thing about girls." His gaze lowered from her face, sweeping down across
her breasts and lower. "Well, I know nothing about little girls."
Her face heated again.
The sun was indeed unbearable. Laurel pulled at her high collar and tried to
convince herself it wasn't him causing her blood to heat and her skin to blaze
as if she was cooking under the Montana sun.
A simple glance at his
face caused her thoughts to run rampant. How she ended up in the town he lived
in the most prevalent. She knew nothing about him other than he had a daughter
and his wife had passed. Before today, she hadn't even known that much and she
preferred it that way. Seeing him now though, his skin glistening with
moisture, her fingers itched to touch him one last time. Her lips tingled with
remembrance of his kisses and a tiny voice in the back of her head whispered
she could have it all again.
She blinked, tried to
quiet her body's demands and remembered why she was here. "Be that as it
may, your daughter is a hellion. I'd think a man would want his daughter to be
taught manners. She'll not catch a husband acting the way she does."
He laughed.
"She's ten. I think I have a while until I have to worry about marrying
her off."
"Maybe so, but if
you continue to let her behave the way she does, you'll have a young lady who
prefers to spit, curse and wear men's trousers. How hard do you think it will
be to get her to change her ways then?"
The look on his face
turned thoughtful, small lines bracketing his mouth. When he turned to look at
the house, Laurel breathed a sigh of relief. It was much easier to talk to him
when she didn't have to look at him. "Baby steps is what I suggest. One
small change followed by another until she at least resembles a girl in looks
and nature."
He turned back to face
her, the lines still framing his wonderful mouth, and Laurel focused on his
eyes so she wouldn't become distracted.
"I'll have a talk
with her. She'll not cause you anymore trouble."
"I hope you're
right." Laurel knew their conversation about Alexandra was over but stood
like a deaf mute while staring at him. Something about this man was just too
mesmerizing. His eyes were so perfectly blue, his teeth white and straight. The
hard lines of muscle bisecting his abdomen, the definition of his chest…
She blinked and took a
deep breath. "Well then, I'll just be on my way." She forced herself
to turn and all but ran back to the wagon. Lifting her skirts to climb up, he
grabbed her arm and she shrieked, jumped back and could only stare as he stood
there grinning at her.
"This
conversation isn't over."
"It is."
Laurel inhaled several deep breaths, willing her heart to stop pounding.
"I didn't want to know anything about you for a reason. I didn't want any
attachments, then, now or ever. What we had is all there will ever be so
there's no use discussing it. Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Avery, I have three
more family's to visit this evening."
He offered her his
hand again. Common sense told her to ignore him but something inside of her
caused butterflies to dance in erratic patterns every time she looked at him.
That part of her screamed to accept. To touch him one last time. She lifted her
hand and placed it in his while that same voice screamed what a fool she was.
The smile he gave her
when his fingers closed around her hand all but took her breath. It hitched in
her throat when he lifted her hand, placed a small kiss on her palm, desire
shining bright in his eyes. "Since you refused to hear it in Missoula, my
name is Holden and I'll definitely be seeing you again, Laurel."
She ignored him best
she could, climbed into the wagon seat with his help and settled her skirts,
grabbed the reins in hands much too sweaty for a proper lady to admit and
flicked a glance back at him. "Seeing as you live here and avoiding you
will be impossible, I would appreciate it if you would keep our future meetings
on a professional level. I'm your daughter's teacher. Nothing more."
"That's not going
to happen," he said. "I cursed myself for a fool the morning I left
Missoula and was halfway home before I turned around and went back. You'd
already checked out of the hotel." He tipped his hat to her, took two steps
back and gave her a look that sent tingles racing down her spine. "I'll
remind you every chance I get of what we shared, Laurel, and you can count on
that."
Laurel clenched her
teeth and flicked the reins, willed the horses to run, and was headed back to
the road before her heart stopped racing. She was tempted to look over her
shoulder but refused to do so.
Spending the night in
Missoula instead of traveling on was a mistake. She knew that now but at the
time, she'd wanted one last night. One night to just be herself. To walk into
the saloon and not care what people thought. To order a drink, let all her
troubles wash away with strong whiskey and not have a care in the world come
morning.
That hadn't happened
though. Not exactly. She'd met him, Holden Avery, moments after walking inside
the saloon and that little voice in the back of her mind had whispered
seductively to her that it was her last chance. The last chance to throw her
inhibitions to the wind and just grab onto life one more time. And she had.
She'd invited Holden to her room and spent hours having the most life altering
sex of her life. She'd never had a man so attentive in her bed. Her body had
burned, her lungs ached with need of air as he took her to heights she never
knew existed again and again until she lay exhausted in his arms, his fingers
and lips playing over her skin until she'd fallen asleep.
Her body still tingled
in remembrance of his touch and that little voice in her head was whispering
she could have it again. That her desire for him could be sated night after
night. She refused to listen. She couldn’t get involved with him. Ever.
Regardless of how much she wanted to.
She rode under the
curved arch leaving Avery Ranch and she couldn’t stop from turning her head,
peering over her shoulder to where she'd left Holden standing.
He was still watching
her.
Ebook formats available at:
» Amazon: USA | UK | Germany | France | Italy | Spain
» Barnes & Noble
» Smashwords
All material ©2005-2012 to Lily Graison
August 13, 2012
Hot Summer Heroes Giveaway Hop
This week, I'll be participating in a Giveaway Blog hop hosted by Caris Roane, H D Thomson and Bella Media Management which runs August 13th - August 19th. The giveaway is international and there will be two winners in my giveaway!
The Prize
I have a few Wicked treats for two winners...the entire Wicked Series, in digital PDF format. This four book contemporary romance novella series revolves around a band of Rock Stars that are sinfully delicious and bring the term 'bad boy' to all new levels.
The Wicked Series
The four men who make up the rock band, Wicked, the hottest act to hit the scene in years, have earned their wicked status without much help. They’re bad, sinfully delicious, and a temptation to every woman they meet.
Gearing up for a worldwide tour, the guys are about to come face to face with the only women strong enough to tame them. But it’ll take more than a few smooth words to win the hearts of these ladies. When you can have any woman you want, how do you convince the one you can’t live without her?
To read excerpts from these books, click on the links below.
Book 1: Wicked: Tempt Me Not
Book 2: Wicked: Leather and Lace
Book 3: Wicked: Jade Butterfly
Book 4: Wicked: Sweet Temptation
~*~
Two winners will receive all 4 books in PDF format. Just fill in the Rafflecopter form below to enter. (This giveaway is open internationally and will end midnight on Aug. 19th.)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Click on any of the following blogs for more chances to win!
All material ©2005-2012 to Lily Graison
August 6, 2012
Farewell ManCandy Monday
As some of you may have noticed, the ManCandy Monday posts haven't been going up as usual and there's a reason for that.
First, I'm a terrible blogger. No big secret there and to be honest, most of the time, I just simply forgot to make my post. But recently, I ran across a blog post by author Roni Loren where she posted about being sued for posting pictures on her blog.
Now, I don't have to tell you how fast this made me stop and think. All those pictures of delicious men I kept posting weren't mine, the original owner owned the copyright, so legally, I was stealing them. That's a hard pill to swallow when you think about it for one reason alone: I get irate when people steal books from me and post them on file sharing sites or give them away to friends. I can only imagine how the owner of those pictures feel knowing us ladies are just slapping their pictures online like we own them. Basically stealing them.
So, that's why the posts haven't been going up in recent weeks and also why they won't be up in the future. There are still plenty of blogs out there brave enough to post the photos so we can all still get our fix but for now, I'll stick to a ManCandy-less blog format. I surely can't afford to get sued and I don't want to steal someone else's work even if it's in harmless fun.
I did want to thank Tea and Book and also Redheads Review It Better for co-hosting the hop with me. It was fun while it lasted, ladies!
All material ©2005-2012 to Lily Graison
July 4, 2012
The Rancher Release Date
I've had a steady stream of emails and messages from people
asking about THE RANCHER so I thought I'd make a small post to keep everyone
updated.
When I set this series up, I had planned on releasing the
stories one every other month and it worked perfectly doing it that way until I
hit book 4, which I had stated would be released on July 2nd. That was
yesterday and still, no book.
Most of you already know I'm a 'pantster', meaning…I write
by the seat of my pants. I don't 'plan' my books out in advance. Well, not much
planning, anyway. I never have.
I have this weird way of doing things. For some reason, if I
'know' how a book plays out from beginning to end, the muse doesn't see the
need to write it because…well, we know how it ends. Why bother?
From the time I started writing way back in 2002, all I've
ever done was 'get an idea', a small seed of a plot and it takes me less than a
few days to know 'where' I want to go with the story. A few major scenes to
include and I then come up with a title. With no more than those few pieces of
information, I can then sit down and write. And most of the time, I don't have
any problems.
Not the case with THE RANCHER. Without giving too much away,
a key character didn't 'work' the way I thought he would so I had to stop and
re-think the direction of the story only, nothing I came up with seemed to work
out right. I still had more questions than answers. I spent hours brainstorming
with fellow friend and author Candy Nicks and still nothing.
I sat at my desk every day, staring at the story, reading it
and re-reading it, trying to 'see' what the problem was and how I could fix it.
Then, I caught some nasty flu-type bug from my daddy and spent a week in bed
waiting to die. I felt 'that' bad. hehe
It wasn't until two weeks later that, still unable to come
up with a solution, I sulked away, mad as a hornet and jumped in the swimming
pool, ignoring the problem all together, that I was able to come up with the
solution. My sister is actually the one who, nonchalantly suggested one tiny
piece of information and presto! All the pieces fell into place.
I've been writing for the past several days and its working.
My 'problem character' is now on scene and so far so good. The only problem I
have now is it's near 100 degrees outside everyday I have a pool outside and
the temptation is SOOO great! I've had to rework my schedule to indulge. Play
all day, write all night. It's working and the story is moving along.
As far as a release date…I still have about 15,000 words to
write. Hopefully less than that but as I don't plan a story out, I really never
know. I'm shooting for 40,000 but it'll probably run to 45,000, at least. Then
the story has to go through the editing process which will take about 2 weeks of
non-stop work so the RELEASE DATE will be closer to the 'END' of July. What
date? I have no idea. When will I know? When the story is finished and I can
talk to my team to see how busy they are. Once I know all that information, I
can tell you 'exactly' when the book will be ready.
I'm heading on vacation July 28th and I'll be gone for an
entire week with NO internet service so I imagine it will definitely be before
that date as I don't want to leave it sitting. I'm shooting for July 23rd but
we'll see.
Thank you all for waiting. I know how frustrating it is
waiting on a book. I read every evening before bed and waiting on that 'one
special' book is nail-biting so thank you for hanging in there with me. I'll
have the story out just as soon as I can.
All the best,
Lily
All material ©2005-2012 to Lily Graison
June 27, 2012
FREE eBook: Blame It On The Mistletoe - Contemporary Romance by Lily Graison
My Christmas eBook, BLAME IT ON THE MISTLETOE is now available for FREE on Amazon.Com!
Blame It On The Mistletoe by Lily Graison
When Macy Carter’s parents order her to bring her live-in boyfriend Sean home with her for Christmas she has no idea that her little white lie is just about to snowball into a fabrication of monstrous proportions. Sean isn’t her boyfriend, he’s her boss. Now she has to reveal the lie she’s been telling her family for the past two years or hastily concoct an elaborate ruse to fool them instead.
When Macy tells Sean Mathis of her predicament he does what any gentleman would - he laughs and then agrees to help her out. Little does he know that one misplaced word in their little scheme will backfire and land them both in the hot-seat.
Secluded in the mountains, surrounded by snow and good will, Sean and Macy can’t help looking like the perfect couple. So perfect that the family decides a Christmas wedding will make it a holiday none of them would ever forget!
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Book Excerpt
Chapter 1
“Tell him while you’re naked. He’d agree to anything then.”
“Mom!” Macy gripped the phone tighter to her ear. She knew no one could hear her mother on the other end, but felt paranoid nonetheless. She glanced out across the reception area and turned in her chair before lowering her voice. “I’m not telling him while I’m naked.”
“Don’t act so scandalized,” her mother said. “I’m just trying to be helpful, you know.”
“I know that,” Macy said. “And regardless of how I tell him the situation is still the same. He’s still busy. I’m not sure he can make it this year.”
“How busy can he be? He’s a veterinarian for cripes sake.”
“I know but this practice is his whole life. He can’t just drop it.”
“You’ve said that for the last two years, Macy. I want that young man here for Christmas. No excuses.”
Macy Carter grimaced at her mother’s tone of voice. She glanced across the room at Sean, watching him smile at Mr. Peterson and sighed heavily. Her mother was still talking, her voice a constant echo in her head while she tried to think of a way to dissuade her from forcing this issue. They’d been over it every holiday for the past two years. Every time she went back home, the first question anyone asked was, “Where’s Sean? Why is he always too busy for you?”
She finally cut her mother off. “Okay. I’ll let him know how you feel about this. I’ll do what I can.”
“You do that, honey. Your father is starting to get worried. If you’re boyfriend can’t even manage a weekend to meet us, he isn’t good enough for you. You can tell him we said so.”
Macy hung up the phone and let her head fall to the desk. She thumped it several times; cursing her stupidity before someone cleared their throat and caught her attention. She rolled her head to the side, looking up at them through her hair and felt her stomach coil into a knot. “Hey Sean.”
“As much as I find this self mutilation amusing, you’re scaring the patients,” he said with a smile, turning his head to look out over the reception area.
Macy followed his gaze, noticing everyone staring at her and the patients, all their furred faces, looking anxious and nervous. The clinic was full today. Almost every species of pet you could name was inside the small veterinary clinic waiting for a shot or just a general check-up. She clearly didn’t have time for a breakdown at the moment. It would have to wait.
She sat up when Sean handed her the folder he’d been holding and walked around the desk, picking up the next file. He stopped beside her, leaned down toward her and quietly said, “Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.”
“That’s what you think,” Macy mumbled when Sean called out to the next patient and walked the short hall to the last exam room. She sighed again, pushing her hair out of her face and let her shoulders slump.
Macy picked up the discarded file and tapped it lightly on the desk while trying to think of a solution to her Mother’s demands. There was no way her family would believe Sean was again too busy for a visit. Just like her mom said, how busy could a veterinarian be? They were allowed time off of work too, right? And why would he not want to visit them?
She moaned out loud, turned in her seat and stood, making her way to the end of the hall and stepping into the tiny room that was used as their makeshift lounge. A brown, rather ratty sofa, sat along one wall. A refrigerator and microwave sat on the other and a round table took up the space in-between.
Walking to the fridge, Macy opened it, taking out her juice carton and gulped a huge amount right out of the jug. It did nothing to calm her nerves. Not that she thought it would. She needed something a lot stronger than orange juice for this.
Hearing the door across the hall open, she shoved the juice back into the fridge and turned just as Sean walked into the lounge.
“Why she brings that dog in here week after week when nothing is wrong with him truly boggles the mind.”
Macy grinned. “It isn’t the dog she wants you to see, Sean.”
He lifted a curious brow and grinned. “Really?”
“Yes, really,” Macy said. “Haven’t you ever noticed how she’s dressed for a night out on the town?”
“No. Of course, I don’t make it a habit of checking out sixty year old women either.”
He crossed the room, falling onto the sofa before looking over at her and smiling.
“What?” she said when he continued to stare at her.
“Go ahead and tell me what the problem is so you won’t be bruising your head by thumping it on your desk for the remainder of the day.”
Macy rolled her eyes, pulled a chair from the table out, and sat down. “It’s nothing you should worry about. Just family stuff.”
“Like?”
“Like… family stuff,” she said, grumpily. She glanced at him, regretting the way that had come out. She sometimes forgot Sean didn’t have to deal with family. He had none. She shook her head and smiled to try and soften her earlier tone. “Just my mom and Christmas. She wants me to come home for the week.”
“Most mom’s would,” he said. “What’s the problem, then?”
Macy blushed. She felt heat crawling up her neck and settle on her cheeks. She looked away from him. Lord, how did she get herself in to these messes?
“I’m waiting.”
“It’s nothing,” she said.
“Nothing doesn’t cause you to bang your head on a desk and it certainly doesn’t cause your cheeks to get all rosy.”
When he chuckled, Macy turned her head and rolled her eyes at him. “This isn’t funny.”
“And I’m supposed to know that how? You still haven’t told me what the problem is.”
“Why do you even care?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “Does it matter? Come on, Macy. If something’s wrong, maybe I can help.”
She snorted a laugh. “Yeah, you can help all right,” she mumbled.
“It can’t be that bad.”
“Fine. You want to help me?” she said, challenging. “Then come home with me for Christmas.”
“Come home with you? To your parents house?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She blushed again and ducked her head to try and hide it. “The truth?”
“Of course.”
“Okay then.” She took a deep, cleansing breath and stared down at the scared tabletop. “My mother said if I didn’t bring you with me this time, not to bother coming at all.”
He didn’t say anything for long minutes, just stared at her with a confused look on his face. He sat up straight and raised one dark brow. “Me? She wants you to bring me with you at Christmas?”
Macy glanced at him and nodded her head. “Yeah. They want to meet you.”
“They want to meet me?”
“Stop repeating everything I say. I feel like you should be sitting on my shoulder asking for a cracker.”
“Huh?”
“Parrot?” she said with a chuckle. He clearly didn’t get it. “Never mind.”
He waved a hand, dismissing her last comment and jumped right back in the conversation. “Your parents want me to tag along for Christmas? Why?”
The knot in her stomach grew until she felt nauseous. There was no way to avoid this. Either he went with her or she spent Christmas alone. Her shoulders slumped seconds before she buried her face in her hands and bravely mumbled out why.
He laughed. “Sorry, darling, but I didn’t catch a word of that.”
“Oh for Pete’s sake,” Macy growled, lifting her head and pushing her hair out of her face. “They actually want to meet the man I’ve been living with for the past two years. The man who will some day marry me and give them a house full of grandbabies. The same man who has always been too busy to meet them.”
“Okay,” Sean said. “So, they want to meet your boyfriend.” He narrowed his eyes at her and leaned his head to one side. “You’ve been living with someone for two years? How did I not know this?” he shook his head, a funny look falling over his face before he leaned back. “It doesn’t matter. What does this have to do with me though?”
Macy felt sick. Her stomach clenched the same instant her throat grew tight. She swallowed and weakly said, “I may have told them it was you.”
Sean stared at her for long minutes, watching the pink tint on her cheeks deepen to a rosy red. When she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, what she’d said finally dawned on him. She told her parents he was her boyfriend? As much as he tried, he couldn’t help it. He laughed. He laughed until his eyes watered and his stomach ached. When she stood and started for the door, he jumped to his feet and grabbed her before she left. “Not so fast,” he said, grinning. “I want to hear this. Every sordid detail.”
Get your FREE copy now at Amazon.Com! http://amzn.to/NObeSA
All material ©2005-2012 to Lily Graison
June 14, 2012
Lucky Seven's
I was tagged by Hayden Braeburn to do Lucky Sevens and it sounded like fun so...I'll play along.
Here’s the challenge. Post seven lines from an unpublished work of fiction.
• Go to page 7 or 77 in your current manuscript
• Go to line 7
• Post on your blog the next 7 lines, or sentences, as they are – no cheating
• Tag 7 other authors to do the same
This is from my current WIP (work in progress) THE RANCHER, Willow Creek book 4, page 7:
His voice was just as deep as she remembered and the sound of it caressed her flesh as if he'd physically touched her. Goose bumps prickled her arms and she ignored the feeling, trying to remember all she planned to say to him. "Don't be flattered, Mr. Avery. What I have to tell you is far from becoming." Laurel turned her gaze on Alexandra, throwing her a disapproving look before facing him again. "I'm sorry to say your daughter is a menace and has disrupted my class on a daily bases."
That got his attention. The smile vanished and when he looked down at Alexandra, the girl actually deflated from her puffed-up pose. "What did you do this time?"
Not very 'exciting' but the rules said no cheating so...I didn't. But the rules didn't say I couldn't add more! *grin*
"You're going to act as if we don't know each other, aren't you?"
Her heart skipped another beat. "I think, under the circumstance, that would be wise."
"Why?"
She laughed. "Because I'm the new school teacher here, that's why. I have a certain reputation to uphold and if the town council knew…"
"Knew that you frequented saloon's and picked up strange men, that they'd put you on the first stagecoach out of town?"
Her face blazed hot. "Don't you dare don't judge me."
"I'm not." His gaze lowered to her breasts for a second before lifting again. "I just don't expect you to treat me as if we're strangers."
"As far at the people who live in this town are concerned, Mr. Avery, we are strangers."
He laughed that wonderful laugh again and Laurel had to look away. She looked off into the pasture, noticed a few horses grazing beyond the fence and tried to will her pulse to calm. Why did this have to happen? Why now?
"I've been thinking about you."
"Don't." She looked back at him and for the first time since meeting him, wished she never had. "I don't want to be reminded of it."
Holden lifted an eyebrow at her. "I was under the impression you enjoyed it as much as I did."
She bit her tongue to keep from blurting out that she had. That she couldn’t stop thinking about him, too, and that as much as she'd enjoyed their one night together, it was a mistake.
And that's enough of a teaser for now. You'll just have to wait until July for the rest! I'm not going to tag anyone BUT everyone who writes should play along as it is quite fun! If you do post your own seven, be sure to post a link here in the comments for me.All material ©2005-2012 to Lily Graison
June 7, 2012
A New Approach To Blogging
I've been in a 'Blogging Funk' lately, as many of you may have noticed. And it's not entirely my fault.
There's so many 'How To' articles out there telling authors to do this...do that...you 'must' always do this and... it's a bit overwhelming. I think, in the end, everything is scheduled to the point no one knows where they are and the effect you were trying to create is lost.
Which is where I am at the moment.
I used to blog several times a week but I'll admit, its a time suck. Trying to 'think' of things to say/do every week is draining and after spending that time, getting the posts made in advance, it's like crickets around here. No one comments or engages the page and it causes that little voice in the back of my head to whisper...you did it wrong. Which leads to thinking...why bother? So I didn't. For weeks.
But I hate thinking like that.
I started this blog back in 2005 and back 'then' I just posted what I wanted, whether that was about my books or my dogs. I enjoyed it. It was a release, so to speak.
I've been thinking for days now to just shut my blog down but I like being able to post things where my 'space' isn't limited. I enjoy Facebook and Twitter but with word restrictions, it makes it very hard, so...I've decided to use this blog as a journal of sorts. No schedule's (well, except for ManCandy Monday! *grin*) and just post what I want. You may get book news one day and the daily trials of the dogs and cats tearing up my house the next. If no one responds...I'm okay with that too because I'm not looking for interaction but if I get it, great.
I think that's the difference in what I've experienced in the past and what's happened over the last year. All those 'writing articles' telling me I should be engaging my readers with brilliant content when in the end, just being ME is what's important.
So...if you'd like to join my journey of nonsensical ramblings from a author who suffers from memory loss on a daily basis...this is the place to be! *assuming I remember I even have a blog - LOL*
For those out there who are like me, and can't remember to check things on a regular basis, and would like my blog posts to show up in your email inbox, then use that nifty little sign-up form below. You never know when something brilliant may actually appear here.
What? It could happen!
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All material ©2005-2012 to Lily Graison
May 14, 2012
Sinful Sirens Giveaway Hop - Win 4 book, Contemporary Romance, the Wicked Series in Print!
The Winner is this Giveaway is Kelly Reci! Congratulations, Kelly. I'll email you soon.
I wanted to thank everyone for coming over to my blog. I enjoyed all your comments. Looks like print books will always be everyone's favorite. *whispers - mine too*
The next Giveaway Hop takes place in June!
This week, I'll be participating in a Giveaway Blog hop hosted by Under the Covers and Guilty Pleasures! I have a few Wicked treats for one winner...the entire Wicked Series, written by yours truly. This four book novella series revolves around a band of Rock Stars that are sinfully delicious and bring the term 'bad boy' to all new levels.
The Prize
The Wicked Series
The four men who make up the rock band, Wicked, the hottest act to hit the scene in years, have earned their wicked status without much help. They’re bad, sinfully delicious, and a temptation to every woman they meet.
Gearing up for a worldwide tour, the guys are about to come face to face with the only women strong enough to tame them. But it’ll take more than a few smooth words to win the hearts of these ladies. When you can have any woman you want, how do you convince the one you can’t live without her?
To read excerpts from these books, click on the links below.
Book 1: Wicked: Tempt Me Not
Book 2: Wicked: Leather and Lace
Book 3: Wicked: Jade Butterfly
Book 4: Wicked: Sweet Temptation
~*~
One winner will receive all 4 books in print, signed by me, along with bookswag. Just fill in the Rafflecopter form below to enter. (This giveaway is open internationally and will end midnight on May 20th.)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
After you've entered my contest, click on any of the following blogs for more chances to win!
All material ©2005-2012 to Lily Graison
