Tory Richards's Blog, page 38
August 28, 2017
Tempting Their Best Friend
HAPPY RELEASE DAY !
TEMPTING THEIR BEST FRIENDMadison Blake, Sienna Matthews
Series: No Holds Barred Book 1
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Chained Hearts Publishing
Publication Date: August 22, 2017Add to GoodreadsTempting their best friend has never been so sweet…or delicious.Things to do on a Saturday night:Watch National Geographic on TV? Check.
Sexy times with lover and best friend Ethan Hunter? Check.
Going to a party with other best friend Shelli Madison? Not if he can help it.But Adrian Greene doesn't have a choice, as he's not the kind of man to bail on his best friend when she needs him. Having Ethan at the same party is his only consolation until a mistletoe-induced kiss with Shelli heats his blood, sends his fantasies rioting and hardens his…body.And when Ethan expresses the same interest in Shelli? Things get a helluva lot more interesting.Wicked shenanigans, seduction maneuvers and naked times ensue as the men think up of creative ways to tempt their best friend into something more…all without destroying their friendship.Tempting their best friend has never been so sweet…or delicious.Product Warnings: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language and sexual situations such as anal sex and m/m/f pairing.* Though this story is book 1 in a series, it's a standalone with a happy ending. No cliffhangers.
This is one of those stories where you'll find yourself smiling at the end with a heavy dose of swooning...- Gabrielle Sally, The Romance ReviewsPurchase Links99 cents promotion! Until 8/28 only! Grab your copy today.
(Regular price: $3.99)Available at Amazon.comAn Excerpt from the BookTake an inside look at Tempting Their Best Friend. Read this sizzling excerpt from the book.Adrian was stunned at the crush of bodies inside the room—there didn’t seem to be enough space left to breathe. The logistics committee didn’t appear to have done their job very well. Having gone to more than his share of company events, he realized that Shelli’s company must have invited their suppliers and valued customers as well as their staff, and the numbers had gone out of control. He was just wondering, if maybe, they should go home and watch National Geographic instead, when several people right in front of them shrieked with laughter and pointed above their heads. "Kiss, kiss, kiss!"He looked straight up and, lo and behold. Mistletoe. Bunches of it decorating the whole doorframe, an unexpected trap for the unwary. He stared at them, nonplussed and wondered why there should be mistletoe when it wasn’t even Christmas. Someone’s idea of a bad joke, or an innovative ice breaker to get everyone in the party mood.Several people right in front of them shrieked with laughter and pointed above their heads. "Kiss, kiss, kiss!""Oh," Shelli glanced first at her colleagues, then up at the mistletoe, dismayed, then spread her hands helplessly, "but they’re my—"The distress on her face registered in his mind simultaneously with one other thing. If she admitted they were only friends, then all was lost. He and Ethan might as well have not come. He spun her toward him before she could complete her sentence. "Give in gracefully, Shell," he said, laughing, playacting for the benefit of their audience. "It’s tradition." He slid his hands from her shoulders up to cup her head and brought her inexorably closer. Her head, her entire body strained away from him and her eyes communicated mute panic. "You stupid fool," he hissed near her mouth, willing her to relax, to trust him. "Don’t give the game away, not when we’ve come this far. And it’s just a kiss. We might have to play it up to make it look real…"His lips brushed hers, once, twice. He had meant for it to end there but her lips were so soft, so sweet, so intoxicating, he just had to taste them again. He was drawn in and unable to pull himself away. He forgot that they had an audience. He forgot that he’d suggested for them to work at making the kiss look real, because it was suddenly all too real…He pressed his mouth more fully against hers and nibbled and licked and begged for a taste of the rich flavors he was sure she was keeping from him in her mouth.He wanted in.GiveawayWIN $10 GC AND MORE!
Prizes up for grabs:
$10 Amazon Gift Card
Tempting Their Best Friend eBook CopyContest runs from August 1 - 29, 2017.a Rafflecopter giveawayAbout the AuthorsMadison Blake is a firm believer in love and happy endings. That’s why she loves stories wherein the characters go through adversities to emerge victorious in the end. Holding a day job means that she doesn’t get much time to write, so Madison tries to cram her free time with as much writing as she can. Even so, she would make time to read her favorite genre (romance), especially when she’s experiencing writer’s block. She loves to read and write about strong heroines, and she’s on the eternal quest for the powerful, attractive, mysterious, yummy hero, the kind of man who’ll make you sigh and say, "He’s the one."Sienna Matthews is a bespectacled, mild-mannered office employee by day and turns into a mad, raving writer at night and during weekends. The only thing that can be heard from her are the tap, tap, tap of her keyboard. She doesn't need food or sleep as she follows the calling of her muse.To receive regular updates on freebies, giveaways and more, be sure to join Sienna Matthews's newsletter.Sienna Matthews social media links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Bookbub | Amazon Author PageIn partnership with
Book Unleashed Blog Tours
TEMPTING THEIR BEST FRIENDMadison Blake, Sienna MatthewsSeries: No Holds Barred Book 1Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Chained Hearts Publishing
Publication Date: August 22, 2017Add to GoodreadsTempting their best friend has never been so sweet…or delicious.Things to do on a Saturday night:Watch National Geographic on TV? Check.
Sexy times with lover and best friend Ethan Hunter? Check.
Going to a party with other best friend Shelli Madison? Not if he can help it.But Adrian Greene doesn't have a choice, as he's not the kind of man to bail on his best friend when she needs him. Having Ethan at the same party is his only consolation until a mistletoe-induced kiss with Shelli heats his blood, sends his fantasies rioting and hardens his…body.And when Ethan expresses the same interest in Shelli? Things get a helluva lot more interesting.Wicked shenanigans, seduction maneuvers and naked times ensue as the men think up of creative ways to tempt their best friend into something more…all without destroying their friendship.Tempting their best friend has never been so sweet…or delicious.Product Warnings: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language and sexual situations such as anal sex and m/m/f pairing.* Though this story is book 1 in a series, it's a standalone with a happy ending. No cliffhangers.
This is one of those stories where you'll find yourself smiling at the end with a heavy dose of swooning...- Gabrielle Sally, The Romance ReviewsPurchase Links99 cents promotion! Until 8/28 only! Grab your copy today.(Regular price: $3.99)Available at Amazon.comAn Excerpt from the BookTake an inside look at Tempting Their Best Friend. Read this sizzling excerpt from the book.Adrian was stunned at the crush of bodies inside the room—there didn’t seem to be enough space left to breathe. The logistics committee didn’t appear to have done their job very well. Having gone to more than his share of company events, he realized that Shelli’s company must have invited their suppliers and valued customers as well as their staff, and the numbers had gone out of control. He was just wondering, if maybe, they should go home and watch National Geographic instead, when several people right in front of them shrieked with laughter and pointed above their heads. "Kiss, kiss, kiss!"He looked straight up and, lo and behold. Mistletoe. Bunches of it decorating the whole doorframe, an unexpected trap for the unwary. He stared at them, nonplussed and wondered why there should be mistletoe when it wasn’t even Christmas. Someone’s idea of a bad joke, or an innovative ice breaker to get everyone in the party mood.Several people right in front of them shrieked with laughter and pointed above their heads. "Kiss, kiss, kiss!""Oh," Shelli glanced first at her colleagues, then up at the mistletoe, dismayed, then spread her hands helplessly, "but they’re my—"The distress on her face registered in his mind simultaneously with one other thing. If she admitted they were only friends, then all was lost. He and Ethan might as well have not come. He spun her toward him before she could complete her sentence. "Give in gracefully, Shell," he said, laughing, playacting for the benefit of their audience. "It’s tradition." He slid his hands from her shoulders up to cup her head and brought her inexorably closer. Her head, her entire body strained away from him and her eyes communicated mute panic. "You stupid fool," he hissed near her mouth, willing her to relax, to trust him. "Don’t give the game away, not when we’ve come this far. And it’s just a kiss. We might have to play it up to make it look real…"His lips brushed hers, once, twice. He had meant for it to end there but her lips were so soft, so sweet, so intoxicating, he just had to taste them again. He was drawn in and unable to pull himself away. He forgot that they had an audience. He forgot that he’d suggested for them to work at making the kiss look real, because it was suddenly all too real…He pressed his mouth more fully against hers and nibbled and licked and begged for a taste of the rich flavors he was sure she was keeping from him in her mouth.He wanted in.GiveawayWIN $10 GC AND MORE!
Prizes up for grabs:$10 Amazon Gift Card
Tempting Their Best Friend eBook CopyContest runs from August 1 - 29, 2017.a Rafflecopter giveawayAbout the AuthorsMadison Blake is a firm believer in love and happy endings. That’s why she loves stories wherein the characters go through adversities to emerge victorious in the end. Holding a day job means that she doesn’t get much time to write, so Madison tries to cram her free time with as much writing as she can. Even so, she would make time to read her favorite genre (romance), especially when she’s experiencing writer’s block. She loves to read and write about strong heroines, and she’s on the eternal quest for the powerful, attractive, mysterious, yummy hero, the kind of man who’ll make you sigh and say, "He’s the one."Sienna Matthews is a bespectacled, mild-mannered office employee by day and turns into a mad, raving writer at night and during weekends. The only thing that can be heard from her are the tap, tap, tap of her keyboard. She doesn't need food or sleep as she follows the calling of her muse.To receive regular updates on freebies, giveaways and more, be sure to join Sienna Matthews's newsletter.Sienna Matthews social media links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Bookbub | Amazon Author PageIn partnership with
Book Unleashed Blog Tours
August 27, 2017
Blah! Blah! Blah!
Just to let you know that I've been in a real funk lately, mostly this past week. I blame it on the eclipse, some depressing news about my health, and a chopped up week that included picking up the grandkids from school at two different times per day, doc visits, pedicure and hair cut, shopping which I hate, and blah, blah, blah! I usually like getting my hair cut and I love pedicures but this time they just added to the many interruptions of my day. It takes a lot to get me feeling this way so I hope it doesn't last long. In the meantime all I seem to want to do is sleep. So, long story short, I haven't done much writing. Hopefully this coming week I'll get my mojo back. Oh, and it didn't help having to cut two full chapters in my current WIP because I decided they were unnecessary.
August 25, 2017
Freebie Friday
Emma caught her breath, recognizing Mike the second she heard the deep timbre of his sexy voice. He made a hunky Zorro, dressed all in black in a costume that fit his tall, powerful body like it was tailored especially for him. She’d seen him watching her while she crossed the room, ignoring him on purpose because she hadn’t wanted to encourage any unwelcome attention. Now that she knew who he was, she couldn’t take her eyes off him.He was what dreams were made of, the handsome hero disguised in a black mask, his steely eyes doing all his talking for him as he leaned insolently against the table with that wolfish grin. The bad boy every woman secretly yearns for. He had to know how he affected women with his mysterious presence. Goodness, she all but placed her hand over her pounding heart. What was wrong with her? It took effort to remind herself he was married.
She was about to step away when a dancer bumped into her backside, causing her to fly directly into Mike’s arms. “Oh!” she gasped, throwing her head back to meet his eyes just as his strong hands curled around the fleshy part of her arms, catching her against him. Their bodies were flush, and suddenly it seemed like they were sharing every breath, every heart beat as they stared intently into each other’s eyes.
Get it here!
Emma felt warm heat spread throughout her body, a heat that had nothing to do with the hot disco lights glaring overhead. Time seemed to stand still. She couldn’t pull her gaze away from his, too caught up in the spell of the moment and feeling way too much in his strong arms, experiencing way too much sensation against his hard body. She wet her lips to issue an apology. However, the only thing that came out was a noise that sounded very much like a purr of surrender, a sound of betrayal if she ever heard one.
“Mike,” she began, in a breathless tone that revealed her emotions. She was unable to finish, her body trembling on a sudden wave of weakness. Certain her knees were going to give way, she struggled to put the brakes on the obvious signs of what being in his arms was doing to her. “Please…” she began, intending to ask him to let her go, but there was no denying the invitation she heard in her own voice.
Mike’s eyes darkened with desire; he didn’t want to let Emma go. He’d known he was attracted to her from the start, but he wasn’t prepared for the instant results she produced every time she touched him in some way. Even innocently, only this was hardly innocent. He felt every inch of her. His hands tightened around her arms, a low groan locking in his throat.
The very air around them seemed electrified. He didn’t want to feel the attraction, yet he was powerless to push her away. Instead, he was acting like an adolescent discovering what sex was all about for the first time. Hell, he was breaking out in a sweat! Her sweet scent and softness was more than any mortal could bear.
Glancing down was his undoing. Her lovely breasts, crushed against him, were all but spilling out of their scant covering. The breath hissed from his lungs, lust shooting a direct path for his aching groin. Releasing a low growl of denial, he felt himself getting aroused, and realized he should set her away from him at once. But she felt too damn good right where she was. As if she belonged there.
August 22, 2017
The One That Got Away
I'm talking about thee one. The one person from your past that pops up occasionally in your mind. The one you still dream about and wake up feeling sad and lonely for. The person you hear about on and off through the years, maybe even see occasionally with their spouse, and think to yourself that that person (their spouse) is living what could have been your life. I think most of us have that one person that when you were with them at the time it just wasn't your time to be together. You go your separate ways for whatever reason but then wonder as the years go by what it would have been like if things had worked out differently.
That someone for me was a boy I'd met during the summer I spent in Maine with my dad. I'd lived in Florida at the time and my dad sent me an airline ticket. So I got to spend three months in a place that has to this day remained where my heart is. The boy I'd met that summer was a little older than me, but we were both fairly innocent. We spent a lot of time together, lying on a blanket beneath the stars, just talking, walking down to the corner ice cream stand. Every chance we got we found a way to be together. Before the end of the summer we shared one, little kiss.
Then I had to fly back to Florida, and he went into the navy. We wrote each other for two years until he met a girl and got married. That summer was forty-seven years ago, and because his family and my family come from the same small town the connection has kept him in my life in a very distant way. Yet I still have the occasional dream of him, and wake feeling as if I've lost something.
Can anyone relate?
That someone for me was a boy I'd met during the summer I spent in Maine with my dad. I'd lived in Florida at the time and my dad sent me an airline ticket. So I got to spend three months in a place that has to this day remained where my heart is. The boy I'd met that summer was a little older than me, but we were both fairly innocent. We spent a lot of time together, lying on a blanket beneath the stars, just talking, walking down to the corner ice cream stand. Every chance we got we found a way to be together. Before the end of the summer we shared one, little kiss.
Then I had to fly back to Florida, and he went into the navy. We wrote each other for two years until he met a girl and got married. That summer was forty-seven years ago, and because his family and my family come from the same small town the connection has kept him in my life in a very distant way. Yet I still have the occasional dream of him, and wake feeling as if I've lost something.
Can anyone relate?
August 21, 2017
Virtue and Honor by Randi Perrin
NEW BOOK RELEASE
VIRTUE AND HONORRandi PerrinDamaged hearts, broken wings, only the past can determine the future
Series: Earthbound Angels Book 3
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing
Publication Date: July 29, 2017Add to GoodreadsAngela Waters juggles two high-stress jobs: nurse and earthbound angel. On a rare girls’ night out, she intervenes and saves the life of Mason Kearney, a stripper with southern charm and a secret. It’s a move that will force her to contemplate why in all the heavens she puts up with the injustice of being an angel, which leads to a bombshell that challenges everything she’s ever known.In the midst of falling for the Alabama boy, she’s in for the fight of her life when a demon, hell-bent on taking her wings, shows up at the most inopportune times.With a family of angels rallying behind her, she’s sent on a mission to learn everything about them, herself, and evil, to save all the earthbounds from an untimely demise.Can Angela survive with her heart and her wings intact?Perrin's new novel sizzles with scorching charisma. A cheerfully satisfying end to this trilogy, VIRTUE AND HONOR will leave you breathless.- Sara Bauer, Goodreads ReviewerThis book is one of the best ones I have ever read!- Amanda Jane Williams, Goodreads ReviewerPurchase LinksAvailable now for $2.49 cents only. Grab your copy today.Amazon | Books2ReadAn Excerpt from the BookTake an inside look at Virtue and Honor. Read this sizzling excerpt from the book.His gaze seemed to bore through her, all the way through her soul and to her deepest secrets. As if on cue, her back began to itch, the message that she had a miracle to perform and her iridescent purple wings longed for release. She ignored it; after all, he was dancing her way and all thought processes ceased to function.Maybe Harper was right, maybe she needed to move on. Or at least find a distraction, like the itch on her back.The itch graduated to a burn, and it became apparent her miracle was needed, and soon. She looked around, trying to figure out who was supposed to be the lucky recipient of grace that evening. Her extra sense of perception, another gift that came with her wings, failed her in the orgy of lights, loud music, alcohol, and dancing men.A low click echoed in her ears. The people around her acted oblivious to the sound, but it rattled through her, setting every nerve in her body on fire. It was the sound of a cocking gun, and she swallowed hard. After three years of working miracles, her boss must have expected her to be desensitized to the sound, but she was not.The sound of the trigger as it moved backward was enough to cause her heart to leap into her throat, followed by the explosion that came as a bullet exited the chamber. Each painful second moved in slow motion, the bullet slicing its way through the air, a path set straight for the sweaty chest of the guy who had smiled at her moments before.Ignoring the eyes that might be on her, she wrapped herself in invisibility, and let out her wings as she jumped into the air. Drawing attention to herself by disappearing in front of them was a huge risk, but as the piece of metal tore through the air, she had no other choice. If she was chastised later for her actions, so be it. She wasn’t going to let a bullet take someone, not on her watch.She made contact with him, slamming hard into his chest and wrapping her arms around him. A searing pain spread across her shoulder, and she bit her lip as hard as possible to keep herself from making a sound as they fell to the ground. The last thing she needed, in addition to everything else that night, was for him to know she was there.Fluttering her wings, she tried to ease their descent to the floor, but her left wing remained still. Something was wrong—very wrong.Other Books by Randi PerrinDon't miss the other books in the Earthbound Angels series. To keep up with the demand of the ever-growing population, the earthbounds were created—angels who were born human and gifted wings on their eighteenth birthdays. With love as the last thing on their minds, how will these three women tread the line between divinity and their hearts?
BOOK ONE
The last thing she wants is to fall head over heels in love.
Amazon.com: $0.99
BOOK TWO
The last thing she expected was to find love, or for it to threaten her entire existence.
Amazon.com: $0.99
GiveawayWIN $10 GIFT CARD AND MORE
Prizes up for grabs:
$10 Amazon Gift Card
Virtue of Death (eBook Copy)
Promises of Virtue (eBook Copy)
Virtue and Honor (eBook Copy)Contest runs from August 21 - 27, 2017.a Rafflecopter giveawayAbout Randi Perrin
Randi has spent her entire life writing in one form or another. In fact, if she wasn't writing, she'd likely go completely and utterly insane. Her husband has learned to recognize when the voices are talking in her head and she needs some quality time with an empty Word file (the key to a successful marriage with a writer).She lives with her husband, daughter, and four-legged children (all of which think they are people, too).A pop culture junkie, she has been known to have entire conversations in movie quotes and/or song lyrics.Official website: http://randiperrin.comConnect with Randi Perrin on social media:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Amazon | BookBub | GoodreadsIn partnership with
Book Unleashed Blog Tours
VIRTUE AND HONORRandi PerrinDamaged hearts, broken wings, only the past can determine the futureSeries: Earthbound Angels Book 3Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing
Publication Date: July 29, 2017Add to GoodreadsAngela Waters juggles two high-stress jobs: nurse and earthbound angel. On a rare girls’ night out, she intervenes and saves the life of Mason Kearney, a stripper with southern charm and a secret. It’s a move that will force her to contemplate why in all the heavens she puts up with the injustice of being an angel, which leads to a bombshell that challenges everything she’s ever known.In the midst of falling for the Alabama boy, she’s in for the fight of her life when a demon, hell-bent on taking her wings, shows up at the most inopportune times.With a family of angels rallying behind her, she’s sent on a mission to learn everything about them, herself, and evil, to save all the earthbounds from an untimely demise.Can Angela survive with her heart and her wings intact?
Perrin's new novel sizzles with scorching charisma. A cheerfully satisfying end to this trilogy, VIRTUE AND HONOR will leave you breathless.- Sara Bauer, Goodreads ReviewerThis book is one of the best ones I have ever read!- Amanda Jane Williams, Goodreads ReviewerPurchase LinksAvailable now for $2.49 cents only. Grab your copy today.Amazon | Books2ReadAn Excerpt from the BookTake an inside look at Virtue and Honor. Read this sizzling excerpt from the book.His gaze seemed to bore through her, all the way through her soul and to her deepest secrets. As if on cue, her back began to itch, the message that she had a miracle to perform and her iridescent purple wings longed for release. She ignored it; after all, he was dancing her way and all thought processes ceased to function.Maybe Harper was right, maybe she needed to move on. Or at least find a distraction, like the itch on her back.The itch graduated to a burn, and it became apparent her miracle was needed, and soon. She looked around, trying to figure out who was supposed to be the lucky recipient of grace that evening. Her extra sense of perception, another gift that came with her wings, failed her in the orgy of lights, loud music, alcohol, and dancing men.A low click echoed in her ears. The people around her acted oblivious to the sound, but it rattled through her, setting every nerve in her body on fire. It was the sound of a cocking gun, and she swallowed hard. After three years of working miracles, her boss must have expected her to be desensitized to the sound, but she was not.The sound of the trigger as it moved backward was enough to cause her heart to leap into her throat, followed by the explosion that came as a bullet exited the chamber. Each painful second moved in slow motion, the bullet slicing its way through the air, a path set straight for the sweaty chest of the guy who had smiled at her moments before.Ignoring the eyes that might be on her, she wrapped herself in invisibility, and let out her wings as she jumped into the air. Drawing attention to herself by disappearing in front of them was a huge risk, but as the piece of metal tore through the air, she had no other choice. If she was chastised later for her actions, so be it. She wasn’t going to let a bullet take someone, not on her watch.She made contact with him, slamming hard into his chest and wrapping her arms around him. A searing pain spread across her shoulder, and she bit her lip as hard as possible to keep herself from making a sound as they fell to the ground. The last thing she needed, in addition to everything else that night, was for him to know she was there.Fluttering her wings, she tried to ease their descent to the floor, but her left wing remained still. Something was wrong—very wrong.Other Books by Randi PerrinDon't miss the other books in the Earthbound Angels series. To keep up with the demand of the ever-growing population, the earthbounds were created—angels who were born human and gifted wings on their eighteenth birthdays. With love as the last thing on their minds, how will these three women tread the line between divinity and their hearts?
BOOK ONEThe last thing she wants is to fall head over heels in love.
Amazon.com: $0.99
BOOK TWOThe last thing she expected was to find love, or for it to threaten her entire existence.
Amazon.com: $0.99
GiveawayWIN $10 GIFT CARD AND MORE
Prizes up for grabs:$10 Amazon Gift Card
Virtue of Death (eBook Copy)
Promises of Virtue (eBook Copy)
Virtue and Honor (eBook Copy)Contest runs from August 21 - 27, 2017.a Rafflecopter giveawayAbout Randi Perrin
Randi has spent her entire life writing in one form or another. In fact, if she wasn't writing, she'd likely go completely and utterly insane. Her husband has learned to recognize when the voices are talking in her head and she needs some quality time with an empty Word file (the key to a successful marriage with a writer).She lives with her husband, daughter, and four-legged children (all of which think they are people, too).A pop culture junkie, she has been known to have entire conversations in movie quotes and/or song lyrics.Official website: http://randiperrin.comConnect with Randi Perrin on social media:Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Amazon | BookBub | GoodreadsIn partnership with
Book Unleashed Blog Tours
August 20, 2017
Cover Reveal
Nomad Outlaws Trilogy Book 1Coming late 2017Pre-order available soon!
August 19, 2017
August 18, 2017
Freebie Friday
He pulled her with him to where the flashlight had landed, and while holding her against him, bent and snatched it from the floor. “I just want to know what the hell is going on around here.” He started to shine the beam of light around the room, searching for God knows what. It began to dawn on Annie that maybe he wasn’t the killer after all. Perhaps he was with the Security Company that took care of the building complex. Or, worst case scenario, he’d just been driving by and noticed a strange light flashing around the office and stopped to investigate—sticking his nose into something that was none of his business. Maybe he was an off duty police officer.
“Are you going to answer me?” the man growled.
“I have nothing…”
Get it here!
He snorted and dragged her around the room with him. “Nothing? Lady, you sure put up one hell of a fight over nothing.”“You frightened me,” Annie said, her eyes darting to her office door and praying he didn’t insist on checking it out. She tried to will her body under control, but her heart was pounding like a jackhammer inside her chest. “Are you with security?”
“You might say that.”
Annie started to drag her feet when he headed straight for her office. If he noticed, he didn’t say anything, but continued pushing her ahead of him in that direction. When they reached the threshold, she actually leaned against him in an unconscious effort to keep him from entering the room.
“Please...” She couldn’t get the words out. The thought of Martin Strong on the floor on the other side of her desk made her stomach churn. “I can’t go back in there!”
She struggled to break the hold he had on her wrist. He was too big and strong to win against in a struggle, but if she could manage to pull away, speed might be on her side.
“Why not?” He pushed her further into the room. “What are you hiding?”
“Nothing…”
He gave a dissatisfied grunt. “Let me be the judge of that. Something’s going on and I intend to find out what it is.”
Helplessly, Annie watched as he shined the flashlight around the small office until the beam landed on a pair of shoes. Her heart sank. The more he pushed her into the room the more she strained against his unyielding form. He halted when they were close enough to see Martin’s body slumped against the wall, the beam of light zeroing in on the nice neat bullet hole in his chest.
“Damn...” he whispered against her ear as they stood above Martin.
Unbelievably, Annie felt his hold around her wrist begin to relax. She took advantage of his momentary lapse and slammed her heel down on top of his foot. He swore a blue streak when she pulled away from him. She heard the flashlight drop to the floor but didn’t let it stop her from her desperate flight.
She almost reached the door but it was over before it began. He caught up to her in the office doorway. She let out a blood-curdling scream when his hand tangled in her hair. Before she knew it, she was hauled back into his arms.
He slammed her against the wall and pinned her there with his body. Breathing hard, he took a moment to catch his breath. “No wonder you were in a hurry to get out of here,” he rasped, close to her face. “Who’s the stiff, honey?”
“You don’t understand!” Annie cried out desperately. She strained against his hold. “I was going for the police.” She had to make him understand.
“Yeah right, and I’m Santa Claus. That’s why you were running away.”
The Duke's Defiant Bride
HAPPY RELEASE DAY
THE DUKE'S DEFIANT BRIDEMichelle McMasterThe Duke of Hawksmoor reunites with a beautiful spy from his past...but can he trust the defiant Lady Blade?
Series: Brides of Mayfair Book 4
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Publication Date: August 18, 2017Add to GoodreadsCarver Adams, the powerful Duke of Hawksmoor and brave war hero, makes a shocking discovery at a glittering Mayfair ball. The one woman he could never forget––the infamous spy, Lady Blade––is very much alive. Though he balks at the idea of teaming up with the woman who betrayed him and his men during the war, the beautiful former French spy may be the key to his next undercover mission.Juliet Reed never wanted to love the handsome British army captain. After an unspeakable tragedy changes her life forever, the half-English and half-French young woman became a deadly spy for the French, known as Lady Blade. When she is taken captive by Captain Adams, the two enemies must fight against the heated attraction that burns between them, or betray everything they have fought for.Now, a year after the Battle of Waterloo, the two former lovers––and former enemies––must re-unite in order to stop a dangerous plot which could cost many innocent lives. But with their volatile past and their dangerous passion for each other re-ignited, will the two star-crossed lovers risk everything to trust each other once more?Purchase LinksAvailable now for $3.99 only. Grab your copy today.Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Barnes & NobleAn Excerpt from the BookTake an inside look at The Duke's Defiant Bride. Read this sizzling excerpt from the book.Bellamy House,
Mayfair, London
April, 1816Carver Adams, the Duke of Hawksmoor, had a secret. Two, actually—and either one of them would knock the ton on its head if the truth ever came out.As he stepped into the glittering ballroom of Bellamy House, he scanned the room for his host and spotted him immediately.His old friend, Beckett, the Earl of Ravenwood, took notice of his arrival and approached with champagne in hand."Your Grace," Beckett said, bowing slightly. "Welcome. Though I’m a bit surprised to see you here tonight. Are you finally in the market for a bride?"Carver chuckled. "You never quit, do you, Beckett.""Certainly not. If you are, Isobel would be happy to help. Lady Weston would, too, I suspect. Look, there are Alfred and Prudence, now."Carver turned to see Alfred, Baron Weston and his beautiful wife, Prudence, taking the final steps in a lively quadrille in the center of the ballroom. They turned and locked eyes with Carver, smiled and approached."Tell me, Your Grace, is it true? Are you on the hunt for a duchess at last?"He was on the hunt for something, or someone, Carver mused to himself. But men like him always were."There is quite a crop of beautiful young ladies to choose from here this evening," Alfred added, scanning the room. "Simply take your pick."His wife cocked her head to the side. "I do beg your pardon, Alfred, but what of the young ladies? Do they not have a say in this? Perhaps they don’t wish to have a husband. Even a duke. Pardon my saying so, Your Grace."Prudence, Baroness Weston, was known for her independent speech and intelligent mind, which was no surprise, considering she ran a successful school for young ladies who came from troubled backgrounds, or even the streets themselves."I am not seeking a duchess this evening, Lady Weston," Carver replied. "But if I were, you and Lady Ravenwood would be the first I would consult for advice and recommendations. You are both modern-thinking ladies, and as you know, I have come to the dukedom rather late in life. Truth be told, I still feel like nothing but a lowly captain of the West Devonshire, and nothing more.""Forgive me, Your Grace," she replied with a charming glimmer in her eye, "but as my husband tells it, Captain Carver Adams was quite a distinguished soldier. You led many brave missions in the Peninsula and saved countless English lives. You are a true hero."Carver thanked her but looked away from the compliment, for there was one mission where he had failed catastrophically—the mission to escort a beautiful French spy, Lady Blade, to his superiors at Villarosa.Two-and-a half years later, those hellish events still haunted him in the darkest hours of the night. The explosions… The screams of dying men...And of course, the beautiful Lady Blade haunted him most of all.Other Books by Michelle McMasterDon't miss the other books in the Brides of Mayfair series. Join the handsome heroes and spunky heroines of this sparkling series, as they find romance and adventure in the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair in Regency London."Michelle McMaster knows exactly how to keep readers entertained with the perfect mix of romance and laughter."
- USA Today Bestselling Author, Julianne MacLean
BOOK ONE
FREE!
Get it now!
BOOK TWO
Amazon.com: $2.99
BOOK THREE
Amazon.com: $2.99
GiveawayWIN $20 AMAZON GIFT CARD
Contest runs from August 18 - 24, 2017.a Rafflecopter giveawayAbout Michelle McMaster
Michelle McMaster loves writing about dashing heroes and spunky heroines in her historical romances, and is known for humorous dialogue and memorable characters. Michelle holds a degree in English Literature from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia. She enjoys travelling, reading, quilting, and gardening. She lives on the east coast of Canada with her husband and their two dogs, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and a Border Collie mix.Official website: http://michellemcmaster.com/Connect with Michelle McMaster on social media: Facebook | TwitterIn partnership with
Book Unleashed Blog Tours
THE DUKE'S DEFIANT BRIDEMichelle McMasterThe Duke of Hawksmoor reunites with a beautiful spy from his past...but can he trust the defiant Lady Blade?Series: Brides of Mayfair Book 4Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Romance
Publication Date: August 18, 2017Add to GoodreadsCarver Adams, the powerful Duke of Hawksmoor and brave war hero, makes a shocking discovery at a glittering Mayfair ball. The one woman he could never forget––the infamous spy, Lady Blade––is very much alive. Though he balks at the idea of teaming up with the woman who betrayed him and his men during the war, the beautiful former French spy may be the key to his next undercover mission.Juliet Reed never wanted to love the handsome British army captain. After an unspeakable tragedy changes her life forever, the half-English and half-French young woman became a deadly spy for the French, known as Lady Blade. When she is taken captive by Captain Adams, the two enemies must fight against the heated attraction that burns between them, or betray everything they have fought for.Now, a year after the Battle of Waterloo, the two former lovers––and former enemies––must re-unite in order to stop a dangerous plot which could cost many innocent lives. But with their volatile past and their dangerous passion for each other re-ignited, will the two star-crossed lovers risk everything to trust each other once more?Purchase LinksAvailable now for $3.99 only. Grab your copy today.Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Barnes & NobleAn Excerpt from the BookTake an inside look at The Duke's Defiant Bride. Read this sizzling excerpt from the book.Bellamy House,
Mayfair, London
April, 1816Carver Adams, the Duke of Hawksmoor, had a secret. Two, actually—and either one of them would knock the ton on its head if the truth ever came out.As he stepped into the glittering ballroom of Bellamy House, he scanned the room for his host and spotted him immediately.His old friend, Beckett, the Earl of Ravenwood, took notice of his arrival and approached with champagne in hand."Your Grace," Beckett said, bowing slightly. "Welcome. Though I’m a bit surprised to see you here tonight. Are you finally in the market for a bride?"Carver chuckled. "You never quit, do you, Beckett.""Certainly not. If you are, Isobel would be happy to help. Lady Weston would, too, I suspect. Look, there are Alfred and Prudence, now."Carver turned to see Alfred, Baron Weston and his beautiful wife, Prudence, taking the final steps in a lively quadrille in the center of the ballroom. They turned and locked eyes with Carver, smiled and approached."Tell me, Your Grace, is it true? Are you on the hunt for a duchess at last?"He was on the hunt for something, or someone, Carver mused to himself. But men like him always were."There is quite a crop of beautiful young ladies to choose from here this evening," Alfred added, scanning the room. "Simply take your pick."His wife cocked her head to the side. "I do beg your pardon, Alfred, but what of the young ladies? Do they not have a say in this? Perhaps they don’t wish to have a husband. Even a duke. Pardon my saying so, Your Grace."Prudence, Baroness Weston, was known for her independent speech and intelligent mind, which was no surprise, considering she ran a successful school for young ladies who came from troubled backgrounds, or even the streets themselves."I am not seeking a duchess this evening, Lady Weston," Carver replied. "But if I were, you and Lady Ravenwood would be the first I would consult for advice and recommendations. You are both modern-thinking ladies, and as you know, I have come to the dukedom rather late in life. Truth be told, I still feel like nothing but a lowly captain of the West Devonshire, and nothing more.""Forgive me, Your Grace," she replied with a charming glimmer in her eye, "but as my husband tells it, Captain Carver Adams was quite a distinguished soldier. You led many brave missions in the Peninsula and saved countless English lives. You are a true hero."Carver thanked her but looked away from the compliment, for there was one mission where he had failed catastrophically—the mission to escort a beautiful French spy, Lady Blade, to his superiors at Villarosa.Two-and-a half years later, those hellish events still haunted him in the darkest hours of the night. The explosions… The screams of dying men...And of course, the beautiful Lady Blade haunted him most of all.Other Books by Michelle McMasterDon't miss the other books in the Brides of Mayfair series. Join the handsome heroes and spunky heroines of this sparkling series, as they find romance and adventure in the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair in Regency London."Michelle McMaster knows exactly how to keep readers entertained with the perfect mix of romance and laughter."
- USA Today Bestselling Author, Julianne MacLean
BOOK ONEFREE!
Get it now!
BOOK TWOAmazon.com: $2.99
BOOK THREEAmazon.com: $2.99
GiveawayWIN $20 AMAZON GIFT CARD
Contest runs from August 18 - 24, 2017.a Rafflecopter giveawayAbout Michelle McMasterMichelle McMaster loves writing about dashing heroes and spunky heroines in her historical romances, and is known for humorous dialogue and memorable characters. Michelle holds a degree in English Literature from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia. She enjoys travelling, reading, quilting, and gardening. She lives on the east coast of Canada with her husband and their two dogs, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and a Border Collie mix.Official website: http://michellemcmaster.com/Connect with Michelle McMaster on social media: Facebook | TwitterIn partnership with
Book Unleashed Blog Tours
August 16, 2017
Update on RUTHLESS (Nomad Outlaws Trilogy Book 1)
Wasn't able to do much writing last week because I had my grandkids. But that's okay. I'm 15 chapters into it. I hope to have a release date soon, and I can't wait to show you the cover!
