Cerise DeLand's Blog, page 33

Desiree Holt builds Club Fantasy, Three of a Kind, for your reading pleasure! Quickie read!

It’s a place where your deepest, darkest secrets can come out to play. Where nothing is forbidden and everything is hidden. It’s sensual, erotic, an erotic playground. It’s….Club Fantasy.
For your evening pleasure, #5 in the Club Fantasy series, Three of a Kind, part of a 5-story arc the teaches you how to play the sensual game of Cut the Cards.Be sure to leave a comment, One lucky person will get their choice of the other Club Fantasy stories:Blind Ecstasy, Dark Desires, Cut the Cards, Blackjack
Blurb: Delaney Fox loves being a submissive. She loves being Hunter Mills’ sub. She’s even in love with Hunter, something she had never expected to happen. But Delaney can’t make that permanent commitment because she still feels there’s something missing in her life. When Hunter’s twin brother, Taylor, comes to visit between his globetrotting jobs as a photojournalist, Delaney wonders if he could be the missing piece of the puzzle. It takes a night at Club Fantasy and a game of Cut the Cards to show that three of a kind can work in love as well as it does in sex.
Excerpt:A hand touched her shoulder and she jerked, eyes opening. When she saw who it was she relaxed again. Hunter, six foot one of solid male, with thick dark hair that just brushed his shoulders, eyes a rich emerald green, a sculpted face and a smile that could melt her panties in a hot minute.  “You startled me,” she told him. “Sorry.” He leaned down to press a kiss to her lips, brushing his fingertips across the tops of her breasts at the same time. “You should take off this little scrap of cloth. It barely covers you, anyway.”Deftly he released the tie at her nape, slipped his hand down to reach the one at her back, and pushed her bikini top to the side. Delaney shifted in her seat. Part of Hunter’s thing as her Dom was to show his possession in ways like this. He enjoyed letting other people know that she obeyed all his orders as well as proudly displaying the assets of his submissive. Forcing herself to resist the automatic reflex to cross her arms over her breasts, she let her gaze roam casually over the others at poolside and on the wide covered deck. The men wore bathing suits that were little more than codpieces, the women either bikinis or tiny shorts and halters. Some of the women had already removed their tops. On a wide lounger Nia March sat cradled between the thighs of her Dom, “Blackjack” Blackwell, talking to a man standing beside them. Blackjack idly fondled his subs’ breasts, toying with her nipples, sliding a hand over her tummy into the tiny triangle of fabric covering her mound. Of course. Why should she feel the least bit uncomfortable? Everyone here at one time or another had taken part in performance night at Club Fantasy. And giving in to their sensual natures at informal gatherings like this was almost a given. It was a lot like being in the lounge at the dungeon only more private, because all the people here were friends.She looked up at Hunter and smiled. Of all the Doms she’d been with, he was by far the best. Not only was he inventive sexually but he was also caring, attentive, and considerate. He was one of the few she’d developed a relationship with outside the club, someone she enjoyed socially as well as sexually. Someone who understood her submissive needs outside the bedroom. So why couldn’t he be enough? Why couldn’t she agree to establish a household with him where they could live their lifestyle all the time? At least half the women who’d been with Hunter would have given anything to have that on the table. There must be something wrong with me.“Heavy thoughts there, sweetheart?” Hunter crouched down beside her, idly pinching one of her nipples.“No. Yes.” She sighed. “I don’t know.”His expression turned serious. “Are you not having a good time?”She smiled at him, arching slightly to his touch. “I’m having a wonderful time. I’m so happy for Tanner and Kelly.” She glanced to her right. “And I have a feeling Blackjack and Nia won’t be far behind them.”“I agree.” Hunter nodded. “And they can thank Kelly and Tanner for that, we were there the night they were introduced, remember?” He lightly pinched one taut bud. “What about us, kitten? Where are we going?”Delaney turned her head to look at him, a tiny thread of panic wriggling through her. “Are you unhappy with me, Sir?”He bent his head and took the nipple he’d been teasing into his mouth, sucked and gently grazed it with his teeth before lifting his head again. “Unhappy? Far from it. But I want more, sub. A lot more. And I sense you holding back.”
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Cerise's fan praises #romance #novel about #female #veteran home from war w. problems few #Americans understand

     I am proud and honored to post here for you an email I received from a reader and a fan of my novels. She writes to me often but this one brought me to tears. Writing about my recent release, WHENEVER WE TOUCH, my friend Shirley has given me permission to post this for you and your thoughtful consideration of those men and women in our armed forces about whom we know so little and to whom we owe so much.
     
Here is Shirley's email:

Good mornin'. Hope all is well in your part of Texas. Things in deep East Texas are moving right along.
Totally, absolutely, without a doubt fell in love with Garrett. He was, in my humble opinion, the total package. Sweet, rugged, loving and alpha. What more could a girl want? Seriously, you know I've read almost, if not all, of your work and this one is right up there at the top as one of your best yet.
The fact that Amy was a soldier was very special. I think we tend to forget that not everyone carries a gun in war zones. The details and descriptions of the war, the injured, the PTSD were very enlightening and inspiring. We should all be more thankful for what our military does and the problems they face when returning. Whether they be soldier, nurse, doctor, whatever. They all go thru hell and we at home need to be mindful of that. As the wife of a Air Force Vietnam veteran, I tend to be very vocal about our military and their families. Everyone who reads this book should stop and say a prayer for our service men and women. Whether we have someone currently serving or not, they all need our prayers and gratitude.
OK, off my soapbox now. :) Just wanted to say hello and tell you how very much I loved this book. This one will stay in my heart and mind for a long, long time.
Merry Christmas to you and your family. May 2015 be filled with happiness, love and success for you and yours.

Shirley * * * * * * * *     My great thanks to Shirley for her endearing words. 
     
     Also, my delight to have this book named a TOP PICK by Night Owl Reviews. See the review here:  http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews/ELF-reviews-Whenever-We-Touch-by-Cerise-Deland          As we go into Christmas and New Year, let us pray for peace on earth, good will toward men. And for those of us who have never been to a war zone, let us learn a greater understanding of precisely what our military endures to keep our peace—and let us develop a greater compassion for the conditions both physical and emotional that they endure to preserve our independence.
And here are a few  BUY LINKS, but available at all vendors. Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Whenever-We-Touch-Cerise-DeLand-ebook/dp/B00O3AIEOC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418070320&sr=8-1&keywords=Whenever+we+touch+cerise+deland

All Romance Ebooks: A RECOMMENDED READ https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-wheneverwetouch-1704522-340.htmlEllora's Cave: http://www.ellorascave.com/whenever-we-touch.html

Want a man in your stockings for #Christmas? Cerise DeLand does SANTA CUTIE!

I do!How really good will Santa be to you this holiday?Will he put a man in your stocking?Or…um…in your panties?Will he be the right man?(Please, God, let him be kind, smart, buff and OH. SO. HOT!)SANTA, CUTIE is all about the gifts we ask for and the ones we receive. Susanna Corrigan asks Santa Claus to make her holiday merry with the right man, if only for one night.When she arrives in (yes) Alaska for her rendezvous, she waits nervously for the man she requested to show. When he does, she is astonished that for once in her life, she gets the Nice Package of a handsome outside, and a Sweet Package of a caring man on the inside!If you need a little pick me up this Christmas, try SANTA, CUTIE…and ask him to hurry down your chimney tonight!BUY LINK:  http://amzn.to/ssT5GL Think of all the joys you’ve missed…Think of all the fellas that you haven’t kissed.Next year will be so cool…And I won’t be a lover’s fool.
So Santa, Baby, hurry down my chimney tonight!

You need Desiree Holt's newest #Naked Cowboy cuz a gal never has enough!

Another Naked Cowboy rides into town!We had SExcerpt:“How about taking a ride with me? It’s still early in the afternoon. I’d like to show you some of my work. Give you an idea of the kind of stuff I do.”Cyn’s stomach muscles knotted. Go for a ride? With Jesse Orosco? Her hormones already were doing the Texas two-step at being in the company of a guy who’d invented the words sex appeal and who didn’t treat her like dirt. Besides, spending time in a car with a man who had to be nine or ten years younger than she was and set her body to doing a happy dance made her nervous.“Come on, Cyn,” he coaxed. “I like to show off.” He looked at his watch. “One hour, then you’ll be back here.”Why was she acting like such a scaredy cat? At forty-two, she should be able to keep herself under control. This was a professional situation, right? Except there hadn’t ever been a man who made her girl parts stand up and sing the way Jesse did.Get it under control, kid.Dusting off her own smile, she nodded.“Thank you.”“Lock up and we’ll head out of here.”Cyn was glad she’d worn jeans today when she realized what a big step up it was into the cab of Jesse’s truck. Bracing her hands on the door and the frame, she attempted to hoist herself inside. Warm hands rested at her hips and lifted her effortlessly up to the seat. Even when he released her, she could feel the heat of his hands burning through the fabric of her clothes.“Big step up there,” he acknowledged. “Sorry about that.”“Oh.” She busied herself with the seat belt. “No problem. Thanks for the help.”And please do not start behaving like an idiotic schoolgirl. He’s only a man. That’s all. And one who’s definitely out of bounds.But for the first time in longer than she could remember, a man—this man—made her feel feminine and special. She found herself relaxing with him, asking questions about the town and the people who lived in and around it. She steered away from questions about herself, but beyond that, she found Jesse incredibly easy to talk to.Her friends were right about his talent. Jesse was an artist, a craftsman. He took her to a couple of shops off the main drag where he’d done interior work and then to the library. Then he drove past some of the older homes where he’d done some restoration, pointing out some exterior work.“I’d love to take you inside some of these places,” he told her. “And maybe I’ll call a couple of folks and see if we can drop by tomorrow or the next day. But I think you’ve got an idea of what I can do. Mostly it was the finish work I wanted you to see.”Cyn didn’t remember the last time she had been so conscious of a male body near her. The flex of muscle in his tanned arms as he drove. The stretch of jeans across his thigh as he shifted from accelerator to brake and back. The way the denim cupped what she was sure was the best ass she’d ever seen.And what the hell was the matter with her that she was practically drooling over him? Hadn’t she learned her lesson about men with Frank? Her scars from that disaster weren’t even healed yet, and here she was ogling a man she’d just met. She barely had the scraps of her life together, plus, if she hired Jesse Orosco, she’d be spending a lot of time with him. She needed to give herself a good talking to.
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Thursday you need to Party w. @desireeholt and @CeriseDeLand here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1508780312725324/
    Thursday, Dec 11 from 3-7 p.m. EASTERN, 2-6 CENTRAL, come party at JINGLE BELL ROCK with Desiree Holt and me!
    We'll have guests, fun, prizes, pix of fabulous men and more more more...like free books for those who join us for a bit of eggnog, rum and more!
    Here is the link! sing up! Put us on your calendar!
https://www.facebook.com/events/1508780312725324/

TOP PICK for Cerise's military romance starring female nurse #veteran, WHENEVER WE TOUCH!

   So delighted with my new Christmas gift from NIGHT OWL REVIEWS that gives my contemporary military romance WHENEVER WE TOUCH a TOP Pick, 5 star review.
 
   Tickled as I am, I give you the link and the word-for-word deliciousness of it.

Here first is the blurb:
   Lieutenant Amy Rawlins flies home from her year nursing wounded GIs intending to jettison the sexy rancher she married the weekend before she left the States. She and her husband Garrett have only two things in common, a last name…and lust. She’s too damaged to be a proper wife, so she’s got to end their sham of a marriage and set him free.
But Garrett knows why he and Amy were so wild to claim each other. From the moment they touched, their chemistry went nuclear. But there’s more to their union than hot hookups all over his house. There’s passion, yes, but love too, the kind that can last a lifetime. He won’t let Amy walk away from that so easily. Instead, he demands a week with his luscious, loving wife. He’ll use his hands, his lips and all his other sizable attributes to prove to her that when two lovers touch, their hearts speak as loudly as their bodies.

AND HERE IS NIGHT OWL'S REVIEW!
This novella is one that is both touching and arousing in a winning combination. The sensitivity with which the author presents the issues that confronts those who care for the brave souls who put their lives on the line provides an emotional hook, while the deep loyalty displayed by a man who has done the best he could to support and prepare for the return of the woman he loves makes this a richly romantic tale. The way the story builds is a great journey and I was mesmerized from the very beginning. I look forward to more stunning stories from this talented author.“Whenever We Touch” by Cerise deLand is the wonderfully emotional contemporary erotic military romance story of Lieutenant Amy Rawlins and the husband, Garrett, she hasn’t seen in a year. A marriage that took place at the spur of the moment is in danger of being destroyed when Amy returns from the front lines and isn’t sure what she has to contribute to the relationship. Garrett is prepared to use the determination that allowed him to become a champion bronco rider to fight for his marriage and remind his wife of the sizzling connection they share, but he may have an impossible task to overcome.REVIEW LINK: http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews/ELF-reviews-Whenever-We-Touch-by-Cerise-Deland 

BUY LINKS:
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Whenever-We-Touch-Cerise-DeLand-ebook/dp/B00O3AIEOC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418070320&sr=8-1&keywords=Whenever+we+touch+cerise+deland

Ellora's Cave:
http://www.ellorascave.com/whenever-we-touch.html

A Scorching New Release from Sabrina York and a #Tiara #Giveaway

Snow Angels, the final book in the Decadent Calendar Men Series is here!
SNOW ANGELS by Sabrina York
Available December 1stfrom Decadent Publishing
The last thing Wade Masters wants on his month-long getaway to his sister’s wilderness cabin is company.  A wounded warrior, Wade is looking for complete isolation to deal with the tragedy of his life and his screaming guilt.
But company he gets, in the form of Lyssa Salk, a spunky, diminutive massage therapist. Who says she can talk to dead people.
Trapped together in the snowbound cabin, Wade and Lyssa have little else to do but help each other heal, spiritually, physically and sexually.

READ AN EXCERPT:He probably stayed in the shower too long; the water was turning tepid. But Wade didn’t care. He stepped out and dried off, ruffling his hair with the fluffy towel. He tried to ignore the pink hearts. But it was either pink hearts or Hello Kitty.He resolved, if he ever visited this cabin again, he would bring his own towels. Something manly.Camo maybe.A sharp series of barks brought his head up with a snap.Bo.Bo rarely barked, and then only at a threat.Wade snapped into gear, wrapping the towel around his waist and stopping in the bedroom to grab his pistol. He’d seen bear tracks and scat on his run and though it was the middle of winter, he knew they could come out of hibernation. They’d been known to break into cabins if they smelled food.His heart leapt into his throat at the thought of Bo facing a hungry five-hundred pound beast with no protection.Towel flapping, he pounded down the short hall into the great room of the cabin, expecting the worst. He stopped in his tracks.Yeah.It was the worst.Not a bear.But an even greater predator.There, pressed up against the door, cornered by his snarling protector, be-speckled with snow and clutching a mangy backpack, was a woman.He could tell she was a woman, even though she wore about six coats, one on top of the other, and a knit hat pulled down over her ears. Long black hair escaped from the cap, trailing over her shoulders. But it was the eyes that gave her away, wide and round and fringed with thick lashes. And her chin. It was delicate, dimpled, quivering. Her lips were parted. Her exquisite face pale.Bo glanced back at him as if crowing, look what I caught! And then edged forward with an ominous growl.The girl clutched her backpack closer and issued a panicked little peep. She tried to press back into the door, making herself as tiny as she could, but there was no give.  Besides, she was tiny enough.Like a woodland sprite.He would have thought her a fairy come in from the woods if he’d had a hint of whimsy in him. And if she hadn’t been wearing everything she owned. He didn’t know much about fairies, but he was pretty sure they had some fashion sense.Bo’s growl became a snarl, a snap, and the girl warbled a wail. “Please!” she cried. “Call him off!”Wade snapped his fingers, fully expecting Bo to heel. He’d been methodically trained by a world-renown expert. He always behaved.He did not.His hackles rose and he took another menacing step toward the girl. A tear tracked down her cheek. Her entire body shook. “P-please!”“Bo! Fuß!” The command to heel in the language he’d learned as a puppy, penetrated and Bo licked his muzzle, gave a canine whine and padded to Wade’s side. “Braver Hund.” Wade riffled the scruff of Bo’s beck and gave him a scratch. “Good dog.”The girl collapsed against the door, but her attention did not waver from Bo, whose hackles were still up. Wade didn’t understand his dog’s reaction. He’d always been friendly to strangers before, more likely to whap them to death with his tail than to so much as growl. But then his gaze fell on the small cage at the girl’s feet and he froze. He could see a hint of the creature inside and he suddenly understood.Hell.She had a cat.Perfect.Not only was his solitude shattered by an unwanted female guest, a bedraggled homeless ragamuffin, she’d brought a cat.Damn.He hated cats.
GET YOUR COPY NOW!
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Angels-Calendar-Sabrina-York-ebook/dp/B00NF6LWZS/KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/eboo...ITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/snow... http://www.decadentpublishing.com/ind...
About the Calendar Men SeriesRead all 12 stories in this brand new multi-author series for 2014...and you'll have a new book-boyfriend for every month of the year!

http://calendar-men.blogspot.com/

Off the charts swoon-factor.
Hot heroes.
A man for every month.

Told by some of best authors in the world of romance, the Calendar Men stories have contemporary settings and star strong heroes doing good while
looking great; men pose for a charity calendar to help military families of fallen heroes. Each has his own special reason for wanting to help the fictional Hero Family Fund, and each has his own obstacles to overcome.
January – Outback Dirty by JoAnne KenrickFebruary – February Lover by Rebecca RoyceMarch – Seducing Helena by Ann MayburnApril – Frontier Inferno by Kate Richards
May – Shockwaveby D. L. Jackson
June – The Other Brother by Lucy FelthouseJuly – The Letter by Mina Carter
August – Burning Love by Cassandra Carr
September – A Model Hero by Sara Daniel
October – Falling For her Navy SEAL Again by Clarissa Yip
November – Thankful For You by Cindy Spencer Pape
December – Snow Angels by Sabrina York
WIN A TIARAI admit it, I am a bling addict. As a result, I occasionally need to empty out my tiara closet so I can buy more. Enter to win one of your own and a signed copy of one of my print books here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway ends December 31st
About Sabrina YorkHer Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, humorous stories for smart and sexy readers. Her titles range from sweet & sexy to scorching erotic romance.  Connect with her on twitter @sabrina_york, on Facebook or on Pintrest. Check out Sabrina’s books and read an excerpt on Amazonor wherever e-books are sold. Visit her webpage at www.sabrinayork.com to check out her books, excerpts and contests. Free Teaser Book: http://sabrinayork.com/home-2/sabrina-yorks-teaser-book/And don’t forget to enter to win the royal tiara!
Favorite my Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/sabrinayorkLike my Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/SabrinaYorkBooksFollow me on Twitter @sabrina_york https://twitter.com/sabrina_yorkFollow me on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5817917.Sabrina_YorkCheck out my Pintrest boards (prepare to spend the day): http://www.pinterest.com/sabrinayork/boards/ Other Books by Sabrina York
Tryst Island Series—Steamy Contemporary Romance  ReboundBook 1Dragonfly Kisses Book 2 Smoking Holt  Book 3Heart of Ash  Book 4Devlin’s Dare  Book 5Parker’s Passion  Book 6
Anthologies and CollectionsHeartbreak on a Stick (Hometown Heroes: Hotter Ever After Collection)Five Alarm Fire (Erotic Contemporary for the High Octane Heroes Anthology, Cleis Press)A Cowboy for Delilah (Erotic Contemporary for the Cowboy Heat Anthology, Cleis Press)Saving Charlotte (Erotic Contemporary for the Smokin' Hot Firemen Anthology, Cleis Press) Stone Hard Seal (Hot Alpha Seals: Military Romance Megaset)The Real McCoy--in the Cowboy 12 PackWhipped--in the WTRAFSOG Collection #8  
Stand Alone Contemporary Romance
Heartbreak on a Stick
ALSO FROM DECADENT PUBLISHING!
Fierce (A One Night Stand Story)The last thing Katie expects—when she meets her friend Joy for a girls’ weekend in Vegas to celebrate her divorce—is an ambush. But Joy, determined to get Katie “back on the horse,” has submitted her profile with Madame Eve—who’s found her the perfect man.
Katie doesn’t want another man. She certainly doesn’t want or need confirmation that it’s her fault Mark could never satisfy her.


When Sebastian—scarred by the infidelity of his wife—overhears Katie’s confession, and the fact that she was faithful to her husband for ten years even though he never met her needs, he’s intrigued. More than intrigued. He’s determined to prove to this gorgeous, tempting, fascinating woman that she is not frigid. In fact, she is fierce.

Cerise went to #Paris and came home in raptures over #Fontainebleau, Part 5

The main entranceThe wonderful bit about my latest trip to Paris was that so many of the sights we wanted to see had double or triple significance for my research.
   I know. I know. Your eyes glaze over. You want to get to the good stuff!
   Hmm. Licking my lips.
 
A closer look at the main entranceOkay. One fine day, hubbie and I traveled to Fontainebleau. Gorgeous serene Fontainebleau at the end of an RER ride from our apartment in Montmarte was such a treat (at the end of a bus ride after the train). All worth the effort!
   We stopped before we entered the chateau to have lunch. In a cafe on the main street, we walked in to order champagne (because what else would you have, if not a bottle of Sancerre from the nearby Loire Valley). We each ordered the mussels, too. And let me say, OMG (like a screaming girl) I counted no less than 5 dozen mussels in my fabulous white wine broth. Served, yes, it was, with French bread . We were stuffed as we crossed the street and took our first look at this building.
   Famous for the attention given the original hunting lodge by Francis I, the chateau was occupied by many French kings and queens. Anne of Austria, the mother of Louis XIV, loved this palace and her receiving room and bedroom are grandiose examples of the sumptuous appointments in which French royalty lived.

Fontainebleau was also a favorite of Napoleon. In fact, in 1814, he abdicated his imperial throne from here and spoke harshly to his generals whom he felt had deserted him in his time of desperation.
The enormous tombs of Francis I and his wife, Claude of France in the Basilica of St. Denis in Paris suburbs.
This cathedral, one of the first examples of gothic architecture is where all French kings and queens are buried.
This relief is life size, which means Francis was at least 6 feet tall. 
And let me just say, his feet had to be size 15!   From here in southern areas of Paris, Napoleon left for Elba in the Mediterranean for his first exile, but returned only months later to rouse the country to his cause. Arriving in March 1815 in Paris, he gathered troops but the latest alliance of Allies met him on the field at Waterloo in June 1815 and defeated him.
   The furnishings are scrumptious, many assembled from lesser castles and chateaux and restored. The friezes and art, including innumerable tapestries, take your breath away. But the sight that stopped me cold and kept me enchanted was the hallway you see pictured here.
This picture does little justice to the high relief of these whimsical plaster casts. They fairly leap from the walls.
This was a hallway constructed by Francis I to allow him to meet with his advisers easily, passing from the far part
of the monarch's residence to that used more by his ministers. The art is high Rococco, 
glorious in depiction of humans and animals.   Other rooms, many of them redecorated by Napoleon, Josephine and the emperor's second wife, are as stunning for their color and form. In the enfilade type of French architecture, where one room empties into another, you also gain the sense that no one had much privacy. Nor heat! That, too, is another reason why people died young and/or suddenly of horrible maladies.
Napoleon's throne room with his famous imperial bees decorating the canopy. The side apartments to the left of the main entrance where
attending ministers and servants lived when the king or emperor was in residence.   Originally a hunting lodge, successive kings of France enlarged Fontainebleau into a sprawling entity, requiring hundreds of staff and enormous amounts of money to run.
   Seeing the gilded splendor on the walls and door knobs, the richness of Aubusson carpets and fine Sevres china on the tables, you do understand why and how the French ultimately revolted from a system that favored the few above the many.
The far gate, looking away from the cobblestoned main entrance, adorned with Napoleon's imperial Eagles.

Dominique Eastwick treats us to her new #Regency, THE EARL AND THE VIRGIN COUNTESS

The House of Lords Book 31 Night Stand RegencyBy Dominique EastwickDecadent Publishing.Price 2.9986 PagesHeat Level 4ISBN 9781613337707ASIN B00PKVPMRK.   Lord Andrew Masterson, Earl of Windenshire has had a string of bad luck with women. While his best friends are all getting leg-shackled, he can’t seem to get a lady to stay in his presence long enough to court them. Not sure what he might be doing wrong, he turns to Madame Evangeline, hoping she can help him change his luck.Betrothed since before her birth to Lord Masterson, Miss Miranda Beauchamp has prepared to be his countess ever since. Although the Earl of Windenshire maintains her upkeep and pays for everything she needs, she might as well not exist for all the attention he pays her. Determined to break the marriage contract, she’ll go to desperate measures to achieve her goal, even if it means losing her virginity to do so.Can Madame Eve show Andrew and Miranda there is more than a contract between them? Or will family secrets and years of hurt be too much for the earl and his virgin countess to overcome?
Excerpt: Copyright 2014, Dominique Eastwick.
“Yes, please. Perhaps it’s unladylike to admit, but I am starving.”He smiled, taking her plate. “It’s actually quite refreshing. I grow tired of petite young things who eat nothing and pass out at a drop of the hat.”“I am neither young nor petite.”No, she had curves in all the right places. Making sure it wasn’t ignored, his cock twitched as it hardened. “You seem perfect to me.”“Ha! Far from perfect.” Again her lips formed the tantalizing O before she asked, “Did you put something in my tea?”“I did not.”“Then I have no excuse for my behavior.”He laughed that time, filling her plate with a bit of everything. “You have done nothing in need of excusing.”“But I would have thought you’d prefer a perfect woman.” Her eyes clouded with what appeared to be confusion. He supposed it wasn’t too hard to believe; a peer of the realm would be looking for what society considered would be important in a mate. He handed her the plate laden with delicacies and far more food than he had ever seen any woman eat.“Thank you, milord—Andrew.”“You’re welcome. Now, indulge me.” he said, retaking his seat in the high back chair. “What do you think is perfection?”“I believe....” Taking a bite, she contemplated the question. “Perfection for you would be a woman who is well-mannered and carries herself with decorum at all times. She is the perfect hostess. She does delicate needlework, plays the pianoforte, and sings beautifully. She would complement you, if on your arm, and would never argue.”What she described sounded like a paper doll. A woman with no thoughts of her own. He didn’t want a vacant vessel in his bed only for the purpose of begetting children; he wanted a partner. Andrew yearned to have a woman look at him the way Llysa and Chandra looked at their men. Both women stood up to their lordly men, all the while complementing and supporting Wolfe and Simon. “Sounds bloody boring, if you ask me.”“Really.”“Might as well be with a living statue. I’ll bet this woman would also stare at the ceiling and think about England while I drive into her.”She choked on her bite. “I suppose she just might.”“And she probably eats enough to stay barely alive, ties her corset too tight, and then faints at the slightest hint of impropriety.”“Oh dear, yes, into the most dainty faints possible.”“I would rather face the guillotine than endure a woman of that sort.” Setting his food aside, he turned his attention fully on her. Her face lit up as they continued to banter back and forth, showing none of the disgust she’d found for him earlier. Standing, he grabbed her plate while ignoring her protest. “Would you condemn me to such a cavernous, empty life, Miranda?”“Condemn?”Decadent Publishing || Amazon || ARe || Barnes & Noble || Smashwords || Kobo
About Dominique Eastwick:Dominique Eastwick currently calls North Carolina home with her husband, two children, one crazy lab and one lazy cat. Dominique spent much of her early life moving from state to state as a Navy Brat, because of that traveling is one of her favorite past times. When not writing you can find Dominique behind the lens of her camera following her second passion...photography.
Where you can Find Dominique:Website http://dominique-eastwick.wix.com/dominique-eastwickBlog http://dominiqueeastwick.blogspot.com/ FB https://www.facebook.com/dominique.eastwickTwitter @dominieastwickPinterest http://www.pinterest.com/dominieastwick/Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4188870.Dominique_EastwickAuthorgraph http://www.authorgraph.com/authors/DominiEastwick

Meet the House of Lords!
The DUKE, His Grace Wolfe Thane, Duke of Foxhaven (The Duke and the Virgin)The MARQUIS, Lord Simon James Winston, Marquis of Breckinridge (The Mistress and the Marquis)The EARL, Lord Andrew Masterson, Earl of Windenshire (The Earl and the Virgin Countess)
The VISCOUNT, Lord Jonathon Railey, Viscount of Aunton (The Viscount and the Heiress.)

Cerise went to #Paris and came home w. tales of Josephine from #Malmaison! Part 4

Entrance to enchanting MalmaisonJosephine's home in what is now suburban Paris truly gives the feeling of having been hers. From the decor to the flower gardens, the furniture and appointments, the house is a glorious example of Directorate and Imperial decor.

But it tells you about the feeling conveyed by what we Anglophiles call the period, the Regency. The colors are muted, pastoral, juxtaposed by splashes of vermilion, encrusted in gold filigree.

I showed you one pillar from the lobby and parts of Josephine's reception room or Music Room. Here I give you tastes of more.
(Do please note these are my pictures and while they may not be professional grade, please do cite them as my copyright, should you download and use them.)
Seating in one part of her large and inviting Music Room

Napoleon's bedroom made to look like a military tent!
Portrait of Josephine
Josephine's Boudoir with her dressing table Josephine's Bathing room where she bathed, dressed and
occasionally ate because it was so warm in here! One set of gold plated serving ware created for the Empress and Emperor, bequeathed to Josephine's son, Eugene.
The service, passing down through generations of Eugene's descendants, wound up in Russia prior to WWI.
Between the two world wars, the owners sold the set back to the State of France.
Josephine's gardens, famous when she was alive for their beauty, astonish visitors still today. The French government cares for the property, employing landscapers and gardeners. Here, even in mid-October, we see one of her rose bushes in beautiful bloom.

Today a trip to Rueil-Malmaison on the RER from Paris is a joy. The town retains the charm of its former smaller self and Josephine's house is tucked into a corner of it, a bit of a walk from the train station but worth it on a fine day.

What I came away with was a feeling of how much Josephine enjoyed the house, how she relished the gardens and how she lavishly entertained. It is a fine credit to her that she had the foresight to leave the house and its contents to her son and that he tried, as did the family and subsequent non-family owners, to keep the possessions in tact. Though time and wars took their toll and many of the items in the house are now "claimed" from the palace at Saint Cloud or the Tuileries, the house is a marvelous representation of the Empress's personality and taste.