Lucy Monroe's Blog, page 42

Thursday Morning Cuppa and Daily News

The table is set, come on over for a morning cup of tea
while we chat and review the agenda for the day. 
Guest Bloggers (please remember that all times are Pacific Daylight Time)Jude Urbanski 8:00 amErin Nicholas 10:00 amRobin Covington 12:00 pmAnn Harrison 2:00 pmAvril Ashton 4:00 pm

Hospitality Suite 6:00 pm
Featuring recent releases from Nicola Marsh, Rasalie Lario, Debra Parmely,
Jami Davenport, Ashlynn Monroe and Mia Marlowe.

Thursday Night Activity at 6:00 pm
Who's up for a party?  Everyone is invited over to my Facebook Fan page for a Masquarde Ball tonight.  Stop by and show off your best costume or fancy dress with some of your favorite authors.  
Cover Model Contest
Don't forget to vote for your favorite cover model on my Facebook Fan page or on the Cover Model Contest board on Pinterest.
Door Prize No Greater Glory (ebook) by Cindy Nord
Daily Prizes (Prizes will be awarded throughout the day to registered participants - Each prize listed below is a separate gift, which means there will be as many winners for today as prizes listed.)

Holiday Affair (ebook) by Annie Seaton A Night of Southern Comfort (ebook) by Robin CovingtonWinner choice of Fight or Flight, Behind the Scenes or Acceptable Risks (ebook) by Natalie DamschroderSigned copy of Sleigh Ride with the Rancher (winner choice print/ebook) by Donna AlwardMillion Dollar Mistake (ebook) by Meg LaceyThe Murder King's Summons (ebook) by Jamie Leigh HansenFinally Home (ebook) by Helen Scott TaylorTagged (ebook) by Gin PriceHis Mistletoe Bride (print) by Vanessa KellyTouch of Scoundrel (ebook) by Mia MarloweDeception (print) by Kris KennedyThe Promise (ebook) by Tory Richards$5 Changeling Press gift certificate by Margaret RileyObsession (winner choice print/ebook) by Monica Burns Bodygurads in Bed (print) by Lucy Monroe 

*All prize winners will be announced in a single post on Sunday!* No attendee shall be awarded more than 1 Blog Post Prize


And in other news....
Buy the book 



This is definitely one of Lucy Monroe's best works for 2012. I read it in a few hours and, it was definitely worth missing a couple of hours sleep. Happy Reading!!! Amazon Reader Reviews (Capri of Isle)

Wednesday Night Hospitality Suite

Welcome to Wenesday'sHospitality Suite!  Hope you had a fun day chatting with our guest bloggers. Feel free to browse through the books and leave a comment for the authors.  Each author's name will link back to their personal website where you can get more great information and see what other books they've written.

Buy the bookBaer Necessities
by Linda McMaken


Connor Baer left the ranch to see the world. Jessie McIvey wasn't far behind.

He wanted no part of small town life, and she didn't want a cowboy in her future.

But sometimes the thing your heart wants the most, you've had all along. Two people left one small town to find what their hearts were searching for only to find everything they'd ever wanted right in their own backyard.



No Greater Glory
by Cindy Nord


Amid the carnage of war, he commandeers far more than just her home.

Buy the book Widowed plantation owner Emaline McDaniels has struggled to hold on to her late husband’s dreams. Despite the responsibilities resting on her slender shoulders, she’ll not let anyone wrest away what’s left of her way of life—particularly a Yankee officer who wants to set up winter camp on her land.

With a defiance born of desperation, she defends her home as though it were the child she never had…and no mother gives up her child without a fight.

Despite the brazen wisp of a woman pointing a gun at his head, Colonel Reece Cutteridge has his orders. Requisition Shapinsay—and its valuable livestock—for his regiment’s use, and pay her with Union vouchers. He never expected her fierce determination, then her concern for his wounded, to upend his heart—and possibly his career.

As the armies go dormant for the winter, battle lines are drawn inside the mansion. Yet just as their clash of wills shifts to forbidden passion, the tides of war sweep Reece away. And now their most desperate battle is to survive the war with their lives—and their love—intact.


[image error] Buy the bookA Night of Southern Comfort
by Robin Covington


One night of passion...

Detective Jackson Cantrell never imagined that one night with an irresistible stranger would turn his life upside down. He’s spent years living in the shadows, but Dr. Michaela Roarke awakened a passion inside him he'd buried years ago.

He never expected the woman would turn out to be the governor's daughter...and his next assignment. The governor blackmails Jackson to secretly watch over Michaela and protect her from a stalker, or kiss his dream job at the FBI good-bye. Swearing to keep things strictly professional, Jackson moves in with Michaela. Too bad his heart can't keep the same promise.

But when the stalker's attacks quickly escalate beyond mere photographs to bodily harm, Jackson must race to save Michaela's life. And he’ll have to figure out how to keep her once she discovers his lie.



Just a Kiss
by Erin Nicholas

Buy the book
She's unforgettable... and that's exactly what got him into trouble the first time.
The Bradfords, Book 5

As a paramedic in the busiest ER in the city, Kevin Campbell knows there's no such thing as a typical night-but this one definitely has them all beat.

His dad's been stabbed with a fork, his mom's been in a fight, and it's all because of a younger half-brother he never knew existed. And if that's not enough, everyone seems to agree that Kevin should take the boy in for the six months during his mom's rehab. Oh, and the annulment he thought he got fourteen years ago? Never went through.

It's really too bad he gave up drinking and swearing.

Eve Donnelly is shocked to see Kevin again, but not surprised they're still married. After all, she was the one who refused to sign the annulment papers. Now that she's got Kevin back in her life, nothing else matters. Not even her past fourteen less-than-virtuous years. In fact, the truth about her life without Kevin isn't even worth bringing up. She hopes.

When Eve offers to help Kevin with his younger brother, a sweet, devout preacher's daughter seems like an answered prayer. Besides, things can't get more complicated. Can they?

Warning: Contains a bad boy gone good, a good girl who knows all about being bad, and lots of hot, sweet, so-this-is-how-married-couples-do-it sex.


Buy the bookObsession
by Monica Burns


A woman on the edge of sin…

Helen Rivenall is willing to do anything to escape the brutality of her uncle’s home. But a promise of honest employment is a ruse. Drugged and auctioned off in a notorious London brothel, she finds herself won by a man who wants nothing from her except her participation in a harmless charade. Left with no choice, she reluctantly agrees, but as their web of lies grows, so does temptation and the realization that pleasure and sin are often one and the same.

A man about to lose all control…

Sebastian Rockwood, Earl of Melton is haunted by a dark secret in his past. One that taught him control is a personal trait to be valued above all others. He also learned never to give his heart to anyone. The risk is too great. Yet where Helen is concerned, his prized control is slowly giving way to temptation, and all too quickly he discovers nothing can protect him from….

The ultimate obsession—love.

Dark Days of Promiseby Shaunna Gonzales
Buy the BookWhile Vicki’s children grapple with the death of their father -- a man whom she’s successfully fabricated as loving, a lie her rebellious teenager recognizes -- she must find a way to support her family and find a role model for her boys. She never intends to fall for Staff Sergeant Chase, her best friend’s son, who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She’d much rather choose a safer man to love, but her children have a voice in the decision she makes. With two deaths to deal with, a suitor after her money, a rebellious son, and Sergeant Chase’s repeated attacks, she can only hope to survive the danger she faces. If she doesn’t, her children will be left without either parent. 




Don't forget to check out the websites for game night!

Game Night

Game NightHosted by Participating Authors  (See descriptions below and join the fun - game titles are linked to game site !)
Hot Guy Scavenger Hunt!Join the Rock*It Reads gang for a Hot Guy Scavenger Hunt! Pick your favorite covers from the drool-worthy art work on the author pages. Pop over to http://www.rockitreads.com to collect all the hunks! Enter your choices for a chance to win a Nook Color!

Romance around the world: Travel Trivia GameTravel and romance go hand in hand. Join Debra Parmley and Linda McMaken Wed. night for a game of travel trivia, test your knowledge and win prizes!
Twenty Questions with PG Forte, Kelly Jamieson & Erin NicholasPlay 20 questions with three amazing authors.  Our hostess authors will rotate hosting a round until the ending of the two hour time allotted, which means you could play a round with all three authors.  Categories range from food and drinks to things in the bedroom!  Chances to win prizes each round and an opportunity to be entered into a drawing for the Grand Prize!

Retreat Guest Blogger Tory Richards

Website ~ Facebook ~ TwitterHi everyone! I’m happy to be here today, participating in Lucy’s Online Retreat. Looks like it’s going to be loads of fun for both authors and readers alike. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Tory Richards, and I write erotic romance. Just this year alone I had four releases!  The Mercenary Man came out with The Wild Rose Press, Passionate Encounters came out with Whiskey Creek Press Torrid, Hot Spot was released with Liquid Silver Books, and my first self-published book, Up in Flames is available at Amazon Kindle.  All of my books are available at Amazon.

I’ve been a writer all my life. When I was younger, it was therapy for me. It was always there for me. Not too many people knew writing was my passion. Getting published didn’t really enter my mind in the early days. I just knew I had characters inside my head that demanded their stories be told, and I wrote them. Then my family encouraged me to give publishing a try and soon I was offered my first contract. After that, there was no turning back.

I hope you’ll check out my books.  Below are blurbs to Up in Flames and Hot Spot. They both received 5-STAR reviews from readers at Goodreads.

Buy on Kindle Up in Flames
Rachel Masters has had a crush on her sexy boss for three years. As far as she knows the millionaire architect is oblivious to her, walking past her desk every morning with barely a nod in her direction. But when the power goes out and they're trapped in an elevator, the truth comes out in one steamy episode designed to take Rachel's mind off being claustrophobic.

James White doesn't have a crush on his receptionist. He wants her, it’s as simple as that. He senses there's a real beauty hidden beneath the granny glasses and professional suites. And he plans to find out how hot she is as soon as the chance presents itself.

Hot Spot
There’d been something brewing between John and Sammy twenty years ago when they were teenagers. Only good girl Sammy had been too afraid of his bad boy image. Besides, in those days all he'd wanted was sex. She opted for his safer and more predictable brother, Pat. And when they get married, John disappears.

They’re reunited during a family reunion, and the years disappear in the blink of an eye. Seeing him now, as the successful, sexy man he's become, reminds Sammy that they're both free to pursue their attraction for each other that had never fully extinguished. Only giving in to a weekend of hot anywhere, anything goes sex isn't the only thing Sammy faces. She has to come to terms with loving him.


Let's Chat:
I thought I’d leave you with a fun and easy recipe for some Halloween treats. The picture speaks for itself.  What are some of your favorite Halloween treats?

Witch Hat CookiesKeebler Fudge Stripe Cookies - upside downKissesOrange frosting

Retreat Guest Blogger Donna Alward

Award-winning author Donna Alward has the best job in the world: a combination of stay-at-home mom and romance novelist. In 2001 she penned her first novel and found herself hooked on writing romance. In 2006 she sold her first manuscript, and now writes heartwarming Romances from her home in Nova Scotia, Canada. Donna loves to hear from readers; you can contact her through her website at www.donnaalward.com or through her publisher. Twitter: @DonnaAlward Facebook 

Are Characters Reflections of the Author?

Do you ever wonder if the characters in books are much like the writer? I get asked occasionally if a certain character is like me, and the answer is of course. There’s a part of me in every character I write, because that’s how I relate to them and build their outlook on the world.

Which is a little scary, actually, because when you write deeply emotional stories it’s kind of like standing outside in your underwear.

When Shirley, Fiona and I sat down to talk about the sisters in the Holiday Miracles Trilogy, it was funny how I could see our individual personalities forming in each one.  Shirley’s character, Grace, is independent, a bit sassy, and possesses an innate sense of style. That’s how I see Shirley – her shoe closet is a work of art and she always seems so put together. When we first met I’ll confess I was a little intimidated. The woman has it goin’ ON. I look at Shirley and think Gee, why can’t I do that?

Fiona’s character, Faith, is more of a peacemaker rather than someone who makes a big time about anything. Fiona and I are really good friends and she is always all smiles and really quite logical. I do get the feeling though that if she were ever really fed up and riled she would be a sight to behold. But Fi, for the most part, is really easy to get along with. We’ve been roomies for two RWA conferences now and it’s easy as anything.  When life starts blowing around like a hurricane, Fiona is like the eye of the storm.

Buy the BookAnd my character, Hope – well, I can speak about her far better than the other two. Hope is a bit of a perfectionist. She likes to do it herself so she knows it will be done right. She’s a bit of a control freak. Which has served her well professionally, but she also has a softer side that she doesn’t show, because she’s very afraid of getting hurt.

And you know, that’s something that sounds very familiar. I’m a super sensitive person and I feel rather deeply – I must, because I write romances where I don’t skirt around the tough stuff. But when it comes to my own personal emotions I often lock them down if they are too painful. It’s not always a good thing, I don’t think. But I understand it. And I also think that’s why I love the romance genre so much – my heroines always find the one person who they love and trust enough to see them in their underwear (metaphorically AND literally). My husband is that person for me, and after more than twenty years he hasn’t run away yet.

Sleigh Ride with the Rancher

A week before Christmas, city girl Hope McKinnon finds herself snowbound with rugged rancher and all round do-gooder Blake Nelson. What is it about this handsome, generous man that has her blood boiling and her pulse racing? 

Blake knows his ranch is the last place that Hope wants to be, but somehow her presence feels so right! Hope is the first woman guarded Blake has wanted to be around for a long time. Her visit may be temporary, but he has one more night to convince her to stay….


Let's Chat:
Leave me a comment below, I'll be stopping by to chat with readers!

Retreat Guest Blogger Nicola Marsh

Website ~ Blog
Facebook ~ TwitterUSA TODAY bestselling author Nicola Marsh writes flirty fiction with flair.

She’s had 32 books published with Harlequin Romance and Presents series, a fun, flirty contemporary mainstream romance BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD with Entangled Publishing (nominated for Romantic Book of the Year 2012) and sold over 3 million copies worldwide.

Her first category romance for Entangled Publishing’s Indulgence series, NOT THE MARRYING KIND, released July 2012, with another category contemporary romance FALLING FOR FLYNN releasing with Crimson Romance October 2012.

Her first indie pubbed contemporary romance, CRAZY LOVE, released September 2012.
Her urban fantasy young adult novel SCION OF THE SUN releases November 2013 with Month9Books and her YA thriller with Harlequin Teen in 2013.

She’s also a Waldenbooks and Bookscan bestseller, has finaled in a number of awards, including the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, HOLT, Booksellers’ Best, Golden Quill, Laurel Wreath.

More than Magic and has won several CataRomance Reviewers’ Choice Awards.

A physiotherapist for thirteen years, she now adores writing full time, raising her two little heroes, sharing fine food with family and friends, and her favorite, curling up with a good book!


Doesn’t a reader retreat sound divine?


Buy the bookI envisage a cozy day spa packed with soft sofas to snuggle into it, copious chocolate on hand, cabana boys to serve and a library packed with fabulous books!

So while I pass around some cyber Tim Tams all the way from Australia, let’s snuggle into our comfy chairs and chat books.

After traditionally publishing 35 novels, I’ve recently launched my first indie novel, a contemporary romance, CRAZY LOVE.

All's fair in love...and matchmaking!

Sierra Kent doesn’t do love. 
While she embraces the quaintness of her home town Love and delights in matchmaking her clients through her Internet dating agency Love Byte, she doesn’t trust her intuition when it comes to the one emotion that has repeatedly let her down. 

City-slick Marc Fairley, CEO of LA's premier acquisition company, doesn’t have time for Love. 
From the minute he enters the kitschy town he can’t wait to hotfoot back to LA with his deranged mother in tow. 
Instead, he gets roped into the town's Love Fest hoopla, investigates the shady farmer his mom is engaged to, berates his butler for a mad crush on a brash Aussie waitress, and finds himself falling for the brazen red-head who continually baits him.
His life couldn't get any crazier.
Until he discovers in exacting revenge on his father and achieving his lifelong goals, he may lose the one thing he values most...

Can Sierra and Marc create enough sparks to send Love up in flames? 
And prove that winning isn’t everything in the love stakes, it’s how you play the game.

It’s fun being a hybrid author and I look forward to writing many more category romances, contemporary romances and urban fantasy young adult novels.

Let's Chat:
While we’re all imagining what the perfect reader retreat would look like, who would be the perfect fantasy celeb to turn our pages?

(I’ll start: for me, it’s Gerard Butler!)

Retreat Guest Blogger Debra Parmley

Website ~ Facebook ~ TwitterOriginally from Ohio, Debra now lives near Memphis, Tennessee.. She has lived in six states and traveled extensively. Debra is the author of two western historical romances, A Desperate Journey, and Dangerous Ties, available in eBook. Print release for Dangerous Ties is April, 2013. Aboard The Wishing Star will be released Oct.11, 2012. Trapping the Butterfly, a 1920's romance set in Hot Springs, will be an April 2013 release.

The Romance of Cruising

Anyone who has cruised the seas or who has watched "The Love Boat" knows there can be romance to sea travel. Feeling the wind in your hair, the endless ocean views, stars twinkling above a darkened sea, the setting sun and exotic ports of call, all can set the mood for love. Yes, this is cliché, but onboard ship it is also a real experience, not only a daydream.

Cruising by its very nature is romantic. Many people remember the popular American television show The Love Boat, which aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986 and was watched all around the world. The show was based on a 1976 made for TV movie based on the nonfiction book The Love Boats by Jeraldine Saunders, who was a cruise director. The sitcom was usually set aboard the Pacific Princess, a Princess Cruises cruise liner.

It might seem unlikely but aboard a ship filled with hundreds, even thousands of people, together time for two still happens. So many things can be arranged. A table for two at dinner, lounge chairs side by side at the pool, dancing together in the evening followed by a walk around the outer deck, and then there are the private cabins with balconies. For couples wishing to spend their honeymoon or anniversary onboard a cruise, many options are available.

Read an excerptI spent several years as a travel consultant and have arranged many such trips for my clients. I have also sailed on many cruise lines and on many ships. I love being at sea. So it's no surprise I would set one of my romance novels onboard a ship sailing the Caribbean. My third book, Aboard the Wishing Star, is the story of Kara, a widow who sails away thinking she has escaped her problems only to find they have followed her.
One of the problems Kara deals with is a phobia of deep water, a fear of drowning. You might ask why she goes on a cruise if she has this fear. The answer is, she wins a cruise for two and invites her best friend, Viv. Now you might be thinking even that wouldn't be enough of an incentive and while it is true there are people with water phobia who would never cruise no matter how great the incintive, there are people who would. How do I know this? Because I am one of them.

I have a water phobia which I have had since I was a small child. I'm not sure where it came from, there are no stories of me almost drowning, but there it is. I didn't learn to swim until I was in college and only then because it was a requirement for graduation at the private women's college I attended. I took the "timid non-swimmers" class and I passed, but just barely. The instructor told me I was the first truly phobic student she'd ever had. Today I will swim in a lake or ocean but only with a life vest on and I can swim in a swimming pool but only with flotation. Why? Because without flotation I tend to freak out and cannot hear anyone who is yelling at me. Anyone trying to save me had better get behind me so I don't hurt them. I'm simply not capable of intelligent coherent thought when that phobia strikes. And yet, I love the sea and I love sailing. I love the ocean and the beach. Nothing feeds my soul quite like it, so I am always drawn back no matter how far away I live from the beach. I love to snorkel and I have even gone tubing (though just one time for that because it felt like I was going to drown) and I once walked the plank of a pirate ship off the coast of Grand Cayman. I've pushed myself to my limits, always with flotation of course. I love the ocean too much to stay away from it, even with the phobia.  

So I can relate to Kara, a little bit when it comes to swimming in the ocean. The scenes where Nate teaches her to snorkel are my favorites and I'm hoping they come across well to my readers. I admit to being a little nervous about this. Perhaps this is normal when an author puts a little bit of herself into one of her characters, particularly when it involves a phobia. But I went out on that limb and here I am. That's what I do with this phobia. Every so often I go out on a limb.

That's what Kara must do. Go out on that limb, taking a chance on a shipboard romance, which is always a chance because who knows what will happen once they disembark? And that's one of the more risky things we do, if we've ever been deeply hurt, taking one more chance at love.


Aboard the Wishing Star is an Oct. 11th release and that's tomorrow!

To celebrate my new release, I'm celebrating all week and so excited to be here at Lucy's Online Reader Retreat. Thank you, Lucy!

Let's Chat:
Leave a comment below, I'll be stopping by to chat with readers.  Here are a few questions to help you out. What do you think of cruises? Have you ever been on a cruise? If you have never been, would you like to go? Do you have a phobia and if so, how have you handled that?

Retreat Guest Blogger Heidi Rice

Website ~ BlogUSA Today bestselling author Heidi Rice is married with two teenage sons (which gives her rather too much of an insight into the male psyche). She also works as a film journalist and was born in Notting Hill in West London (before it became as chi-chi as it is in the film starring Hugh Grant). She now lives in Islington in North London - a stone's throw away from where they shot Four Weddings and a Funeral... (She has asked Hugh very politely to stop stalking her, but will he listen?)

She loves her job because it involves sitting down at her computer each day and getting swept up in a world of high emotions, sensual excitement, funny feisty women, sexy tortured men and glamorous locations where laundry doesn't exist ... Not bad, eh.

Then she gets to turn off her computer and do chores (usually involving laundry!)


A Sneak Peek of One Night, So Pregnant! by Heidi Rice

Thanks so much to Lucy for inviting me to join her Online Reader Retreat. Personally I can’t think of a better way to spend my time than with a bunch of romance readers. Because let’s face it ladies, we’re all smart, savvy, brilliant women who know the value of a happy ending. In other words, we rock!

So with no more ado, I wanted to offer you all a sneak peek of my latest Harlequin Presents Extra which is due out in December 2012. Sadly this is going to be my last book for a line which I love, but happily it’s because I’m moving into the brand new Kiss line next year.

But because One Night is my last PE I wanted to sign off in style.

The story stars Tess Tremaine a San Francisco party planner who appeared briefly as my heroine Eva Redmond’s meddling best friend in The Good the Bad and the Wild. As soon as Tess starting giving Nick, Eva’s hero, a hard time for breaking her friend’s heart, I knew I was going to have to give Tess a hero of her own. And I also knew she was going to be quite a lot for any hero to handle. Luckily for me, billionaire CEO Nate Graystone turned out to be more than up for the task of taming Tess — what he hadn’t bargained on though, was that Tess was going to do her damndest to tame him in return.

Here’s the book blurb:

Pre-orderWhat to expect when you’re unexpectedly expecting:
• Shock: Telling a gorgeous (almost) total stranger that he’s going to be a dad is never easy!

• Cravings: The instant chemistry that catapulted Tess Tremaine into the wildest night she’s ever had isn’t
        going to just go away— and no one says no to Nate Graystone when he’s determined to be
        involved….

• Hormones Gone Wild: Surely that’s the only reason she’s failing to keep Nate out of her bed and out
        of her mind…and why she keeps wanting more from the most unattainable man she’s ever met?

And here’s an excerpt from the second chapter, when Tess arrives at Nate’s office to give him some shocking news — which is destined to change their wild one-night encounter in a restaurant closet into a life-changing experience for both of them:

‘Hi Tess, this is a surprise.’

The slow smile that spread across Nathaniel Graystone’s features as he walked across the royal blue carpeting towards her had Tess’s heart beating into her throat — and several more intimate areas of her anatomy.

‘A great surprise,’ he added, gesturing towards one of the large leather armchairs arranged around a coffee table.

Tess perched on the soft leather, and tried to even her laboured breathing. She hadn’t quite prepared herself for seeing him in the flesh again. Instead of the debonair tuxedo of their closet encounter, his broad shoulders stretched over a pale blue shirt. Steel grey trousers fell in pleats around a lean waist and then hung in razor-sharp creases down long legs. His cropped black hair, which she knew was deceptively soft beneath her clutching fingers, contrasted sharply with those striking sapphire blue eyes — which twinkled with mischief, as if the two of them shared a naughty secret. 

Probably because they did.

‘To what do I owe the pleasure?’ he asked, the frank, assessing look he sent her reminding her of the first time his eyes had locked on hers across the crowded bar in the Skyline.

She’d been unable to tear her gaze away then. She was finding it equally tough now. ‘I needed to see you.’ 

He didn’t look surprised by her answer, the easy smile only becoming more assured. 

The fine hairs on her nape tingled. Of course he wasn’t surprised. No doubt he was used to women chasing him, and flinging themselves at his feet. But the indignation quickly passed, to be followed by humiliation. 

Why wouldn’t he think that?

His arrogance on their only night together had been one of the things she had found so irresistible about him, the moment of insight deeply unsettling. She, who had strived for ten years to be the driver of her own destiny, had succumbed far too easily to his dominant, take-charge masculinity that night after two glasses of champagne, some sexy small talk and a few come-to-bed looks. 

He’d made her feel desirable, in a way Dan never had. Dan had never shown anything like the same urgency or dedication when it came to getting into her knickers. No wonder she’d been so susceptible to Graystone that night. It had been a sop to her pathetically fragile ego. 

The sensual smile curved into a rakish grin making his harsh features look almost boyish. She wasn’t fooled. Her heartbeat careered up another notch.

He propped his tall frame against his desk and folded his arms over his chest, making her uncomfortably aware of pale blue cotton stretching at the seams around impressive biceps. Then his gaze took a leisurely trip down to her kitten-heeled pumps and back again. 

‘Let me guess,’ he said, his deep voice rumbling up her spine as the corners of his eyes crinkled with amusement. ‘You came to get your panties back.’ 

Tess cleared her throat as her nipples squeezed into hard aching peaks — and hot blood coursed up her neck. 

 ‘Not exactly,’ she said, her voice coming out on a distressingly breathy whisper.  

‘Are you sure?’ he teased, sounding very sure.

She lurched out of the chair. ‘Yes… I…’ Panic skittered up her spine and the fog of arousal cleared, as she recalled how her whole life had gone into freefall at precisely eight-twenty-two am that morning. ‘I didn’t come here for another quickie.’

The leisurely glance that swept down to her bullet-tipped breasts called her a liar. ‘Then how about we try slow and easy?’ 

Indignation flared, eating away at the supernova of guilt. 

 ‘My apartment’s a few blocks away,’ he continued, without waiting for a reply. ‘While the janitor’s closet was memorable.’ His eyes met hers, the dark arousal in the translucent blue reminding her of the sexually charged moment when he’d grasped her hand and dragged her inside the closet.  ‘A bed would work better.’

Temper burned up her throat and took hold of her tongue.  

‘I didn’t come here to sleep with you, you arrogant jerk. I came to tell you I took three pregnancy tests this morning.’ The words flew out of her mouth gaining force and velocity. ‘And they were all positive.’

Tess’s tiny spark of satisfaction was very short-lived when instead of looking shocked, or even surprised at the news, he simply said. ‘Well, that’s one hell of a passion killer.’

Nathaniel Graystone kept a tight rein on his temper, even though keeping the nonchalant smile on his face was making his cheeks ache. ‘And I suppose now you’re going to tell me the baby’s mine.’

The pleasure at seeing her again had died a quick and painful death.

 She’d driven him wild that night, with her light flirtatious touches, her fresh, funny, forthright manner — and a raw, naked passion that had just about blown his head off. 

But then she’d left him standing in a closet, still dazed with afterglow, his pants round his damn ankles and nothing but a pair of torn silk panties and several sleepless nights filled with sweaty erotic dreams to remember her by. He’d been right to be suspicious of the insane chemistry between them. And right not to have called her — although it had taken every ounce of his will power not to pick up the phone in the last six weeks. The whole thing had been a set-up, from start to finish, just like Marlena, just as he’d suspected when she’d run out on him – without even the decency of a goodbye. 
‘
Baby?’ she yelped. ‘It’s not a baby yet, it’s a collection of cells.’

His gaze swept over her. The sheen of distress in her striking green eyes spoke of someone on an emotional knife-edge. Damn, she really was an accomplished little actress.

‘Whatever it is,’ he said, because she appeared to have missed the point. ‘I’m not the father.’ 

She didn’t say anything. 

‘Look sweetheart,’ he said, keeping the smile firming in place. ‘I wore a condom that night. And we only did it once. And while my sperm might be Olympic swimmers, even they can’t swim through latex.’ 

‘I know you wore a condom,’ she said. ‘But you obviously didn’t put it on as efficiently as you did everything else that night.’ The tartness of the reply surprised him. He’d expected contrite by now, and maybe some wheedling. Instead, her slender frame stiffened, as if she were getting ready for battle. The flush of colour in her cheeks turned the pale skin a vibrant pink and the flash of temper in her eyes made the green sparkle. He forced himself to ignore the residual hum of arousal.

‘I put the condom on just fine,’ he stated easily as a slow-burning resentment settled low in his gut. 

She gave a soft sigh, but the expression in her eyes when they met his again seemed more weary than calculating. He knew it all had to be part of her act, making the strange tightening in his gut kind of annoying.

‘If you say so,’ she said at last, the words barely audible. She gripped the strap of the purse and gave him a stiff little nod. ‘I guess this is goodbye then, Nathaniel. It was certainly a memorable night.’ The wistful tone shocked him, but not as much as the sight of her slim shoulders rigid with tension as she crossed the room and walked out the door without a backward glance.

Let's Chat:Leave me a comment, I'll be stopping by to chat and answer reader questions. 

Wednesday's Morning Cuppa and Daily News

A cup for me, a cup for you...always nicer with a friend.  Let's
drink together and see what's on the agenda today.
Guest Bloggers (please remember that all times are Pacific Daylight Time)Heidi Rice 8:00 amDebra Parmley 10:00 amNicola Marsh 12:00 pmDonna Alward 2:00 pmTory Richards 4:00 pm

Hospitality Suite 6:00 pm
Featuring recent releases from Linda McMaken, Cindy Nord, Robin Covington,
Erin Nicholas and Monica Burns.

Wednesday Night Activity -  Game Night
We have three opportunities to participate with authors for fun, games and prizes.
 Don't miss out on the fun!
Here are the links (Specific details will be on the 5:59 blog post.)
Hot Guy Scavenger Hunt!
Romance Around the World Travel Trivia
Twenty Questions
Cover Model Contest
Don't forget to vote for your favorite cover model on my Facebook Fan page or on the Cover Model Contest board on Pinterest.
Door Prize Yes...My Master (print) by Justus Roux
Daily Prizes (Prizes will be awarded throughout the day to registered participants - Each prize listed below is a separate gift, which means there will be as many winners for today as prizes listed.)
Holiday Affair (ebook) by Annie SeatonTaming the Outback (print) by Ann HarrisonDark Days of Promise (ebook) by Shaunna GonzalesLove Rehab (winner choice of print or ebook) by Theresa ScottWinner choice of Fight or Flight, Behind the Scenes or Acceptable Risks (ebook) by Natalie DamschroderWorth the Risk (ebook) by Robin BielmanGiving It up (ebook) by Amber LinJust a Kiss (ebook available on release day 10/30) by Erin NicholasThe Murder King's Woman (ebook) by Jamie Leigh HansenA Clockwork Fairytale (ebook) by Helen Scott TaylorHow to Vex a Viscount (ebook) by Mia MarloweDeception (print) by Kris KennedyInside Heat (ebook) by Roz Lee$5 Changeling Press gift certificate by Margaret RileyKismet (print) by Monica Burns Bodygurads in Bed (print) by Lucy Monroe 
*All prize winners will be announced in a single post on Sunday!* No attendee shall be awarded more than 1 Blog Post Prize


And in other news....
I hope you are all having as much fun as I am at this year Online Reader Retreat!  I'm having a blast connecting with readers and other authors talking about our books.  I wanted to invite you to sign up for my monthly enewsletter.  Each month I share a little about my life, husband, kids and grandkids, as well as, inside information on my book and upcoming releases.  I'd love for you to be a part of that!

Sign up here. 

ORR Cover Model Contest

Cover Model Contest Don't forget to vote for your favorite cover model on my Facebook Fan page or on the ORR Cover Model board on Pinterest.