Cerise DeLand's Blog, page 65

ALL TOGETHER NOW! with Morticia Knight, out today!

Erotic Romance author Morticia Knight enjoys a good saucy tale. Whether it is contemporary, historical, menage, M/M or BDSM - she loves it all! One of her passions is bringing people's fantasies to life on the page, because life is too short for even one boring moment. Her stories are volcanic in heat, deep in emotion, and sprinkled with doses of humor. This is her first story for Total-E-Bound Publishing.

Adult Excerpt from “The Perfect Third”, a contemporary MFM Menage that is included in the All Together Now Anthology from Total-E-Bound Publishing. All rights reserved.
Denise had been begging for what they were about to do for a long time, but they always wanted to make sure a girl knew what she was getting into—or, more accurately, what was getting into her—before they attempted it.“Hold on, boys,” she said lasciviously. “If we’re going to do what I think we’re going to do, I want to use some of my toys.”Lorne was puzzled, but Antony looked almost insulted.“I’m sure you’ll get plenty of pleasure from what our cocks are about to do to you,” said Antony, trying not to let his pride bring the evening to a halt.“Oh, sugar, I know they will! It’s just that, well, you boys are so…organic in your tastes. I’ve wanted to add a little more spice to things for a while. I promise you, it’s purely to heighten what I’m already sure will be sensational.”Antony looked at Lorne to gauge his reaction. Lorne merely shrugged as if to say ‘Why not?’“Sure, babe, tell us what you want.”“Okay, Lorne darling. Antony’s already nice and ready for me here. Do you mind grabbing my little bag of tricks over by my closet door?”Lorne looked in the direction she was pointing and saw a small black tote. He picked it up, and when he unzipped the top to view the contents he got the complete picture of what she wanted. Their kinky little Denise liked it rough. Lorne and Antony had very little in the way of taboos, but BDSM had never been their first choice with a date. They both truly loved women, and would never do anything to hurt or degrade one. But if that was something the woman wanted, they would do their best to please her.“Any requests?”He could see Antony sitting up on the bed, straining around Denise to try to get a good look at what was going on. The evening had taken an interesting turn. "
AND ANOTHER NIBBLE:
“That was an awesome film,” gushed Jill as they got out of the taxi to go into the after-party.“Yeah, it was okay,” responded Alexa. She nervously gathered her coat about her and adjusted her red silk cocktail dress that she had spent way too much money on. She felt ridiculously out of place among so many celebrities and the whole film world in general. It didn’t help that she had been stressing about this party throughout the whole movie. She had put too much emphasis on a silly party where she’d know no one except for her friend, who was already trolling the surroundings for a hot guy. Alexa checked to make sure she had enough cash for a taxi home; she could already see where this evening was headed.They approached the new, trendy restaurant that had been taken over for the evening, and gave their names to the attendant at the door. After checking his list, the tall, impeccably dressed man undid the rope and let them pass, eyeing them up and down like they were prize cattle. Alexa realised at that second that she was not cut out for the meat-market lifestyle. She wanted an erotically charged lover, but she didn’t want to have to go through this leer-fest to get there. Once inside, however, she decided she didn’t have to worry. There were so many gorgeous females dressed to the teeth in hot designer outfits with amazing bodies, she doubted any man would even glance at her. She drank in the sights and sounds of the rich and successful, all glorying in their latest triumph, while the rest of the party-goers did their best to absorb what they could by basking nearby. As one of the designated baskers, Alexa turned to comment to Jill that the opulent gold filigree decor was a bit much, and discovered her friend was nowhere in sight. Instead, she locked eyes with the most glorious hunk of male flesh she’d ever had the chance to see this up close and personal. Like a blond Adonis, he was tall, with blue eyes and an obviously muscular frame that was being held at bay by his tuxedo. Alexa couldn’t believe such a creature stood next to her. His eyes lit up as he gazed down at her, and she noticed he took a quick peek at her neckline before looking back up. Alexa flushed, silently thanking the garish restaurant for having the wisdom to install dim lighting, and she smiled what she hoped was not too brazen a smile. “How lovely,” she thought she heard the Adonis say.“I’m sorry?” she said. The laughter, chatter and live blues band were making it almost impossible for her to hear.He leaned in closer to her and she caught her breath as she felt his warmth near her ear.“My name is Lorne.”

Buy link for All Together Now anthology: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1647Link to Morticia's blog: www.morticiaknight.blogspot.com

Renaissance romance and yummy men!

Sherri Chianti, my guest blogger, will tell us about  Unveiled , her debut romance novel, and explain the allure of Italian men.
Thank you for having me, Cerise.
Why are Italian men so enticing?
Let’s see how Perini, the hero of Unveiled, measures up:
1) They’re stylish. -- Italian shoes, custom-made shirts, expensive jackets…unless they’re artists.
2) They look historical. -- Whether it’s a Roman nose or exquisitely carved muscles, one look cam transport us to ancient Rome. History, for many of us, means escape and romance. Perini lives in Renaissance Rome and rubs elbows with the Medicis.
3) They’re passionate. -- Whether they’re feeling jovial, angry, or anything in between, you know it…times ten. Perini has so much passion he doesn’t know how to contain it all.
4) They’re intense. -- Italian men don’t just look at you. They sear you with their gaze, split you open, and bare your secrets. Even if 90% of their body language broadcasts bored nonchalance, that 10% of intensity more than makes up for it. Michelangelo’s intense passion for art inspired the character and the book.
5) They’re bad and good at the same time. -- Because they may not follow all the rules and even hint of danger, they make great bad boys. Because they have all the above going for them, they can often get away with it. In other ways, they’re amazingly idealistic and good, valuing family and the like. Perini quest for perfection makes him both endearing and maddening.
Unveiled by Sherri Chiantiunveil the magic…
Genre: time-travel romance (Renaissance Italy)ASIN: B007XKRNBYAmazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007XKRNBYWatch the video trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGMako...
Blurb :
Leah Miller is tired of being the ugly duckling in a family of beauty queens. When the opportunity to graduate with honors from her art school comes along, she takes it, agreeing to go back in time 500 years to Renaissance Rome to earn a certificate of study from the moody but attractive artist Bertoldo Perini. Unfortunately, the tall girl who had to play boys in school plays must disguise herself as a man.
Perini has devoted his life to rebuilding his art career after a past romantic liaison nearly destroyed it. Alessandra Paloverde, the beautiful and powerful woman he rejected, will stop at nothing to be back in his arms. If she doesn’t get what she wants, she’ll destroy every obstacle in her path—including him.
Earning the elusive certificate proves much harder than Leah imagined, but she discovers her true calling and makes plans for a promising future in her own time. While she fights her attraction to Perini, he sacrifices passion to his recovering career. When Leah’s secret is unveiled at last, will their love be strong enough to keep her in the Renaissance?
Excerpt :UNVEILED - Copyright 2012 Sherri Chianti, All Rights Reserved
“Can I help?” Leah asked.“Yes, come support my arm. It is so weary.”Although not the kind of help she had in mind, she did as he asked. His bare arm was heavy and warm, his scent a mixture of exertion and plaster. What was left of his sleeve hung in tatters. He’d probably ripped or bitten it off years ago in one of his fits of terribilità. His bent leg caused the skirt of his tunic to ride up high on one side.Her mouth went dry. When had he removed his hose? Dark hair lightly furred his legs, and a slash of dried white paint led straight to his— No, she wouldn’t go there—mentally and definitely not physically.But supporting his arm didn’t seem to help either. The muscles were so fatigued they quivered. He could barely hold his brush, much less paint with it. He cursed again, loud enough to curl off the plaster he’d already applied. Then his fingers shook, as if seized by a large cramp, and he dropped his brush.“Confound it,” he bellowed as he rolled over and reached for it.“No,” Leah said, more forcefully than she’d intended. “Your arm is exhausted, and you won’t get another ounce of work out of it right now. Let me rub it for you.”He closed his eyes and made a keening sound that echoed back to them as soon as she dug her fingers into his spastic muscles.“That feels divine, but we haven’t time for this.” He frowned as he pulled his arm away then pointed. “Look. The fresco is drying as we speak. I suppose you must paint, Leo.”The ceiling arched so low in that spot she would have to lie down too. She waited for him to move out of the way, but he didn’t. She cleared her throat, but Painter Boy didn’t seem to catch the hint.“Um, scusi. Are you going to move?” she asked.“I changed my mind.” He bathed her with a look that felt like a broad brush stroke on her face. “We must do this together.”She glanced at his reclining body. He had to be kidding. “You want me to lie on… I mean, can’t you—”“Confound it, Leo. Climb up before I drag you over here myself.”So she did it. Climbed on top of her master and lay on him face up as if he were a bed. It was the first time she’d ever gotten horizontal with a guy. Somehow she’d always pictured a bedroom or at least the backseat of a car. Definitely not under the roof of a church.She was glad her back was against him so he wouldn’t discover her breast flattener. Nothing prepared her for the flood of warmth that raced through her body. He felt wonderful, so warm and strong and alive beneath her.Blood pounded through her head so hard she could barely think as she noticed every muscle in his body, each strung as taut as a bowstring. The rest of her concentration blew to bits when he grabbed her hips to align her body better with his. His legs opened out, cradling her.Leah grabbed the brush and continued the tree he worked on while she could still function. She wished this long-awaited moment of artistry had come in an area with more headroom. Painting was the last thing on her mind right now.His breath was steady and warm as the heat from the nearby candle. The cathedral was so silent and sealed off from the outside world she only heard the paint, wet and sticky, as she rubbed it into the ceiling.“No, that isn’t right,” he said.“Are you going to let me do this or not?” she asked, frowning.“Use lighter strokes. Yes. Yes. Blend gently. Ever so gently.”“There?”“Yes. There. Do not stop, Leo. You must feel the tree. Become it. Remember what I taught you. The passione. You must feel it.”He tensed up even more under her and panted with such intensity as he spoke it was hard to understand him. He clapped his left arm around her waist, as if that would help her concentrate. It didn’t. She stifled a sigh of pleasure when his strong fingers twitched against her belly in impatience. They were too warm and heavy through her thin tunic, as if his next gesture might pull away the fabric, baring her flesh and all her secrets.“Do you feel it?” he asked.She felt it all right. More than he could possibly know.
Sherri Chianti A change of place www.sherrichianti.com

Ever had a PERSONAL ADVENTURE? Applause to Sidney Bristol for her newest!

 Hello! And thanks so much to Cerise for allowing me to drop by here today on my Mini Adventures tour. Cerise and I shared a release date yesterday, so big congrats to her on the release of Rope Me In . This is a super exciting week! In celebration of my new book, Personal Adventures , I’m making the rounds, talking about some of the adventures I’ve had. So far I’ve dished about learning to love adventure as a kid, stepping into the unknown as a teen and living in a foreign country. I thought today I’d talk about my college years.     Yup. College. I’m one of those odd birds who skipped the wild parties. I’m a people person, and I love a good time, but for some reason I never got into parties. What I loved going to was concerts. Music. That was my life blood in college. I would pinch all the pennies to go to the big concert. I went to local shows to absorb the scene and meet new friends.     This is also about the time my gypsy roots started to itch. You see, as a kid my parents and I traveled every week to a new location to work a rodeo. As a teen, this stopped, but I was busy enough going and doing things, it didn’t bother me so much. In college? I couldn’t stay put.College was the era of the crazy road trip. From pedal to the metal trips from Mexico to Dallas, sugar fueled treks across the desert to New Mexico, well intended summers spent living in a commune in Chicago and playing roadie for bands, I spent my college days living in a little maroon station wagon.      I think my favorite trip from these days was when I was living in Chicago at a straight up hippie commune. It was a great summer, my friends and I had just finished working a two week long outdoor music festival that had us camping out for a month in preparation for it. We had a few days to kill, and my roommate decided it would be a great idea to go to Indianapolis, Indiana, because it wasn’t that far and our favorite bands were playing there, then in Chicago, and then out in some small festival in Wisconsin.     There was just one little problem. She thought the distance between Chicago and Indiana was about a half hour drive. It’s more like a three or four hour drive! We spent that week touring with our favorite bands, I succeeded in breaking my arm and refused to go to the hospital for days, and we figured out that the back of my station wagon fits a mattress and sleeping in your car isn’t a bad way to avoid paying for a hotel.     I look back on those days with fond memories, and an appreciation for even a cheap hotel room.                  I’m going to give away a copy of my book, Personal Adventures, and a $5 gift card to the winner’s choice of either Barnes & Noble or Amazon. To enter, answer the following question. The contest will end in 48 hours, and the winner will be chosen at random.If you could take a road trip anywhere, where would you go?---It can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life.  She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.You can keep up with her by checking out her Website, where you can see her latest releases, blog and sign up for the newsletter. She’s active on both Twitter and Facebook.--- ---Personal AdventuresComing May 18th from Ellora’s Cave.Carey’s had the hots for his best friend Elise for two years, but the timing has never been right. Now they’re both single and Carey wants to entice her into an adventure that’s about just the two of them.Elise doesn’t buy into the idea of love, but lust she understands. Carey’s friendship is important, but a relationship doesn’t fit into Elise’s five-year plan. She isn’t looking to repeat her parents’ mistakes.With secrets coming out from under every rock, this adventure might make more than the water rush.--- Excerpt: Copyright 2012, Sidney Bristol. All rights reserved.      Elise gulped down a deep breath to steady her nerves and pushed away from the shed. Her stomach fluttered and her palms were moist. The cool evening air caressed her legs and whispered up her skirt, kissing bare flesh. Her nipples were tight, hard peaks. She had tried to find her one real bra with actual lace, but it had been a lost cause. If it wasn’t for her lack of breasts she could have borrowed one of her roommates’ bras like she’d “borrowed” the dress she wore. Her breasts weren’t much more than walnuts, but it was the idea of getting ready that had mattered at the time. She didn’t typically need to wear a bra and she never wore a dress, but she’d do both for Carey.     Ahead, light spilled from every window in the cabin. The tall pines stood sentinel around it. It was a beautiful home he’d had built not long after taking the job at Adventures. She’d been jealous of it in the beginning, but she spent a lot of time there, so she got to enjoy it almost as much as he did.     The house was a variation of the single-room cabins settlers used to build, very no-nonsense. A dividing wall separated his bedroom from the rest of the house, and the bathroom had an entrance into both spaces.      The front and back porches made up three fourths of the square footage of the actual house, and more often than not was where they hung out. Again, he’d used local people to build it. In true bachelor style, it was furnished with comfort in mind, but that was how she liked things as well, so she had no complaint about the cabin or Carey. Except that she wanted what he had.     As she stepped around the truck, her stomach threatened to mutiny. Who was she kidding? She didn’t have any business being here.     Movement in the far right window rooted her to the spot. Had he seen her? If he hadn’t, maybe she could back out of the drive and leave. Peering at the window, she waited for any sign that she might have been seen.     Carey stepped into view, perfectly framed by the window, buck-ass naked. And what a nice ass it was. The round globes were as tan as his chest. Elise imagined him sunbathing naked on the rocks behind his house. Her mouth dried. Wide shoulders tapered to a stomach she knew was firm and flat. He was muscular from hours of hard work, not hanging out at a gym. The tattoo circling his right arm stood out as the only bit of color. She’d gone with him to get the tattoo and let him squeeze her hand. It was a simple black silhouette of the mountains, but it symbolized his love for the great outdoors.    He turned, giving her a profile shot. His head tipped forward and his hand grasped his cock. He didn’t jerk himself hard, but it was a strong touch, sliding up his stiff flesh.     Oh god. Elise’s heart knocked against her chest and her breath hitched. She wanted to do that. She wanted to feel his skin against her palm, caress him in a way that would make him groan.     Her knees wavered at the hedonistic thoughts. Swaying, she caught herself with a hand against the hood of his truck.

Celebrating ROPE ME IN release with a giveaway!

Two people will win one of my backlist books today in celebration of my newest ROPE ME IN!
What do you need to do? 3 things:  1. Comment here2. Tell us why you like cowboys (ranchers, sheriffs, law men, Texas Rangers) Most unique two win!!!!3. Leave your email addy!
I will choose 2 lucky people to win a copy of one of the following of their choice:STRONG ARMS OF THE LAWI SHOT THE SHERIFFFALLING FASTDO READ THE EXCERPT of ROPE ME IN below in yesterday's post! The endearing MacRae men are hard to leave, easy to love!
BUY HERE: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10088-rope-me-in.aspx

Ever been ROPED IN to a love affair?

3 men for 1 woman?Cara Ford is about to be...with three hunky brothers.
Ranchers. Texans.Young, lickilicious bachelors who have a special challenge on Cara Ford can fix.
ROPE ME IN debuts tomorrow at EC!
Need a nibble?
Of course you do!
Excerpt, Copyright 2012 Cerise DeLand. All rights reserved.

   Jed could hear Harry and Will stomping up the covered back porch, their boots dropping on the wooden floorboards as they removed them so as not to track mud and water inside.      Harry opened the kitchen door and came in first, his straight black hair bound back at the nape in a string of Comanche rawhide. Will, broader, built like a heavyweight wrestler, was right behind.   “Hey,” Harry greeted Jed, his pale blue eyes scanning the kitchen for Cara.    “How we doing here?”   “Good.” Jed nodded toward their new bathroom, then continued to set the table for dinner. “Getting showered and changed. Slow and easy does it.”   “Does she have any ideas of what we had planned for her?” Will asked Jed, skeptical after years of looking for a woman to bed and wed that any one female could satisfy his hunger for lusty sex.   Jed chuckled at his youngest sibling.   “Not yet. Let her learn us slowly. We researched her well.”   “Yeah. With a helper she might not thank if she ever finds out.” Will nodded.    Jed agreed. “We’ll cross that bridge if we ever come to it.”   Will smacked his lips. “She is even sweeter up close and personal. I’d hate to blow this to hell now that she’s here. Good thinking to keep her box and hope she’d deliver ours.”   “She’s intrigued, for sure,” Harry confirmed. “But shy.”   “It’s not like we have no experience courting women,” Will pointed out.   Harry stared at him deadpan. “Ya think? Seems in the last few years all we found were the ones who’d slept around so much, they’d catch fire if they didn’t sweat.”   Will took a glass from a cabinet and filled it with water. “Remember the one in Dallas who turned out to be a professional roller derby gal?” He took a long drink as the other two groaned. “Hell in high heels. Mean as a bobcat.”   “Her IQ equaled her bra size,” Harry confirmed. “My personal fave was the conniving redhead in Waco who hustled us all the time to shoot pool before she let us take her to the private room and play with her.   Lost two months’ wages to her.”   Will choked on laughter. “Look at it this way. She inspired you to improve your game.”   “Not judging my women by their hair color any longer, am I? No. ’Nuf said.”   Will scowled. “I want a woman who’s real. No three-dollar wigs or false teeth.”   Harry grimaced. “None were that bad.”   “No, but you get me.”   Jed crossed his arms. “So yeah, we went hunting in the wrong places and came home sorry. We wised up. Looked in our own backyard. Checked first for character.”   “We’ve still got work to do. Cara’s been abused,” Will said with disgust. “Her asshole husband used his mouth on her and that’s a heavy load to take from her.”   “Underneath, she’s right as rain,” Jed declared. “Needs a little gentling, that’s all.”   "So we’ll give her a hand up,” Will said.   “Hmm.” Harry widened his eyes. “Maybe more than a hand.”   “She’s got some spunk and sass to her all right,” Jed acknowledged. “And she might not be a natural submissive.”   “Fine by me,” Will retorted. “But with her interest in lingerie and the way she lights up around us, I’d say she’s up for sex with boys and toys. She’s got an eye for us. So maybe we can help her out of her funk after Mister Ball and Chain. Not knowing anything finer existed, she let her instinct lead her to get hitched to the wrong kind of fencepost.”    Harry frowned at the hallway toward the bath. “Hope to god we can change that.”   Jed smiled. “If you have patience with her, Harry, and Will, if you can show her some of that Jolly Green Giant brawn, we’ll light her fire.”   Harry elbowed his brother. “Right. Let’s get cleaned up so we can show her what gentlemen can do for her. And you,” he tsked at Jed, “stop being housemother here. Go get yourself all bright and sparkly. I want to sit down and get to know her in the best circumstances.”   “I’ll go. But you two need to have some time with her alone. I’ve already made my impression. Laid the groundwork for us. But I told you, I’ll not make first claim on her just because I’m the oldest. Or the first to have some regular time with her.”   Will slicked back his unruly black curls and laughed for the first time in months. “If we get this right, we’ll each get a chance to show her how good we can be.”   Harry grinned. “Then we’ll go for the gold.”   Jed agreed. “Get a move on. She’s here for the duration of the storm. If it stops any time soon, we’ve lost the best chance to show her we’re human.”   “And if it lasts all night?” Harry waggled his slashing black brows in anticipation. “We might have a strong chance to entertain her for more than supper.”   “Hope, as Ma used to say, springs eternal,” Jed told him. “Go!”
BUY HERE: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10088-rope-me-in.aspx
ENJOY THE REST of the story, the first in my new series, KNIGHTS IN BLACK LEATHER , about the town of Bravado Texas, where the men are good and plenty...and lonely!

Last chance to win yummy prizes!

Win WONDERFUL prizes! WEB HUNT ENDS SOON!!! From me, one of you may win my NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA GOODY BAG for a Night of Nibbles, Wine & Romance! Why? Because I believe romance, great food and wine (and great books!) go together!What's inside this cute Napa Valley California wine bag (which you will reuse forever and a day) are the items to make a night of romance a grand one:  Cerise DeLand's SANTA, CUTIE story along with others in the anthology print book, MADAME EVE'S ONE NIGHT STAND (Decadent Publishing) Champagne bottle pressure stopper  Diva towel from Napa (Just add champagne!) Napa Festive Food Recipe Cards for Nibbles to go with all things Sparkly Wine Writer Pen, to personalize wine & glassware gifts
TOTAL VALUE: $59.00 How to win prizes? Go here:  http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Pages/springflingdetails.aspx Then, you must answer 40 questions correctly. So this means, you must visit at least 40 authors' websites and find the correct answers to the specific questions for each.  Remember, you need 40 correct answers, so do look at more than that!Good luck!Happy Reading!

Prizes! Spring Fling Blog Hop, get hopping!

Win WONDERFUL prizes!From me, one of you may win my NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA GOODY BAG for a Night of Nibbles, Wine & Romance! Why? Because I believe romance, great food and wine (and great books!) go together!What's inside this cute Napa Valley California wine bag (which you will reuse forever and a day) are the items to make a night of romance a grand one:  Cerise DeLand's SANTA, CUTIE story along with others in the anthology print book, MADAME EVE'S ONE NIGHT STAND (Decadent Publishing) Champagne bottle pressure stopper  Diva towel from Napa (Just add champagne!) Napa Festive Food Recipe Cards for Nibbles to go with all things Sparkly Wine Writer Pen, to personalize wine & glassware gifts
TOTAL VALUE: $59.00 How to win prizes? Go here:  http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Pages/springflingdetails.aspx Then, you must answer 40 questions correctly. So this means, you must visit at least 40 authors' websites and find the correct answers to the specific questions for each.  Remember, you need 40 correct answers, so do look at more than that!Good luck!Happy Reading!

IS THAT A GUN IN YOUR POCKET? Hope so.

NEW! 99 cents on Amazon only until May 15. Hurry!  IS THAT A GUN IN YOUR POCKET? is my newest!Fun, sassy, sexy sheriff and his main squeeze. Her name? Mae. His? West.They are happy to be here with their love story.Need a taste?Yes. You do!
Buy Link:  http://tinyurl.com/7o7guuk

A Sheriff, A Hot Gal and his gun.
What’s a girl to do when she has the hots for the local sheriff—and he’s playing it cool? Mae Montaine knows the man has a gun in his pocket and he’s always happy to see her.So why won’t he come over and see her sometime…for a date? A hug? A kiss? More?West Farraday yearns for the All-American knock-out who lives next door, but Mae’s got problems and secrets. He’d love to help her out…of her problems. And her clothes. Then into his bed.When timing seems right, West makes his move. He’s happier than a colt in clover.Mae’s skeptical they can make it as a couple. After all, town gossip says the good sheriff is hard on the ladies.But when three bad coyotes invade Mae’s life, West tries to prove to her that a man who’s hard in the sack can be easy to love.
Excerpt: (Copyright 2012, Cerise DeLand. All rights reserved.)
Something was burning.August in Texas meant crispy grass, drought and wild fires—and West Farraday had no desire to see his house burn to the ground. Where was that smoke coming from?He lifted his nose and tracked the smell of charcoal, then startled when he saw red flames rise over the top of his tall wooden fence.A barbeque pit out of control? Not good!“Aw, hell!” No need to think.  He’d learned from previous incidents that his new neighbor was an East Coast gal with no clue how to survive in Texas. Hightailing it into his kitchen, he pulled open the pantry door and grabbed the fire extinguisher. He pivoted, broke into a run, charged through his gate and darted for the tiny house next door.Mae Montaine. Mae from New Jersey. Mae of the flowing, dark-chocolate hair and aquamarine eyes. Mae of the creamy skin, the voluptuous breasts and curvy legs. The fillings in his molars melted every time she sashayed past him. Mae, that gorgeous klutz, had gotten herself in a pickle again. And he was her handy dandy neighbor, ready at the draw.Jumping her waist-high chain-link fence, he instantly saw her problem. Not only was she staring at the leaping fire in her potbellied grill, but she jumped up and down, screeching, doing nothing to contain the blaze.“Move!” he yelled at her as he thrust one arm out and pushed her behind him. Then he let loose with the foam, dousing the five-foot tall flames and cursing beneath his breath.He spun to check where Mae’s niece was. There. He breathed more easily. In her playpen by the door stood little Emma, grinning her welcome to him.“Oh, oh, that’s wonderful,” Mae cooed in the raspy contralto that ignited wild fires along his spine and had him stealing a glimpse of her loveliness. “That’s terrific. I didn’t know what to do. I had no idea. How did this happen? Who knew? Oh, you are so good to do this. How can I ever thank you?”I know one way. “Don’t think about it,” he offered as he continued to spray the flames, keeping his gaze on the fire even if his mind sizzled with the glimpse he’d gotten of her skimpy top and shorts.“I don’t know what I did wrong. I was so careful.” She fretted and fumed, her firm breasts brushing his arm as she leaned forward to peer at his efforts. “I’m so grateful you even noticed.”He snorted. How could I not? “I was home. Outside working on my lawn. This could have been a real disaster.”“I’m sorry,” she said in a wee voice. “I thought I knew how to do this. Build a fire, that is. You must think I’m a mess.”“Truly?” He threw her a smile and the one he got in return dissolved his urge to scold her. The most gorgeous mess I’ve ever seen. “A bit accident prone.”“I’m so sorry,” she said beneath her breath. “I don’t know what I would do without you. I guess you’re used to saving people. Sheriffs do that, don’t they? You’ve saved me so many times now.”“Four.”“That many? Maybe so. There was the nail in my tire.”“Your kitchen faucet blew its gasket,” he reminded her, recalling Mae Montaine appearing at his front door last Sunday morning in a white cotton sundress wet from nipples to knees. One look at her display and his legs had turned into feathers. He’d had to brace himself against his door jamb at the sight of her asking for help. Every one of her lush curves had been defined in mouth-watering detail beneath the sodden, transparent fabric. Including her round, puckered nipples.“I’m grateful.” Her sensuous mouth tipped up in a grin.  “Really.”So was I. Better than an X-rated flick to see you in all your glory. “No worries, Mae. I was here. I was available.” I am now certifiably hooked on your looks and your humility.“I’m trying so hard,” she fussed at herself.“Don’t. Just let yourself ease into country life,” he consoled her, complementing  his words with a broad smile in her direction. But he froze. Her gaze had been plastered to his naked back. When his eyes sought hers, her lashes fluttered. Flustered? Interested? Maybe?Do not go there. He ground his teeth. Then returned to his work. How one woman could have so many challenges beat him. How he could be her savior so often thrilled him. Getting close to her—within inches as he was now—made him hard. Made him drool. Made him rein in his fantasy of having her sighing beneath him and remind himself of how that was such a bad idea.“And damn. All my wieners are burnt!”Mine is too, lady.“Plus, the neighbors will be so scared. Because of the drought, the brush fires have been so terrible.““Doubt anyone else saw.”“I feel awful. They’ll think I’m an idiot.”“No. No.” That’s what she had said the first time he’d  saved her from disaster. When was that? A month ago? He’d been outside then, too, heard her yell in dismay and come barreling over the fence. She had stepped in a giant mound of red ants and they had feasted on her feet. Her elegant feet. Her slim, red-lacquered toes.Shit. Are you playing with a full deck, Farraday?“Think I should go apologize to them?”“Who? The ants?”“What? No, the neighbors.” She waved a hand in the direction of the other houses around theirs. Her beautiful breasts bobbed.His brain sizzled like an egg in a frying pan. Ah, Farraday, you have lost your mind over this woman. “You don’t have to.”“But I do. Oh, I do! They probably think I’m a nitwit screaming for help every other day.”She didn’t calm down quickly after any of her disasters.Just call me your fireman, your handy man, your only…. Enough. He bit his lower lip. Pain would bring him back to sanity. “Look, Mae. You are fine. No one else is running over. The fire is almost under control—““Thanks to you. What if you hadn’t been home?”“But I was.” Good for me.“And now I don’t have anything else for dinner.” She babbled on about this and that, while he did more damage control and stepped forward to peer into the grill and check for any smoldering embers.Like he wasn’t one himself.“Thank you, Sheriff.” She laid a hand on his and his skin melted.What the hell is wrong with you, Farraday? This is just one woman with nice tits. And a great ass that would fit just fine into your two palms. Up against you, your cock nestled between her thighs.Stop. This.“West,” he corrected her as he worked on the pile of glowing coals. Get a grip, man. Like most city slickers, she’s oblivious to the world. Sadly, to you, too. Some folks are built like that, and you have to accept what you can’t change. Take another woman to bed and squelch your own fires.

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Watching Women in Movies, Part 1, Doris Day (aka What Would Friedan say?)

All pix in the blog from http://www.dorisday.netMarathoning? Watching Doris Day movies a few weeks ago, I got my popcorn, my beer and sat myself down for hours. I laughed, I roared in delight and by the end of Doris's 88th Birthday Week, I chomped at the bit to write this ditty.
Watching lovely blonde cutie Doris for more than 10 movies, I was struck as never before by how influential these images of her were in my life. While her too-sweet-for-words looks and voice sometimes made me wince even as a kid, this week I was enthralled by her range. But I am also struck as never before by how much she marks the specific years of her work as an icon of that moment in time.
Note that the following week, I watched Doris's polar opposite and contemporary artist, Rita Hayworth, Bad Girl Personified. I hope to have a few thoughts on her persona, too. Later.
Going from band singer to movie star, Doris started her career as the "sweet kid next door" who can get the man. With laughs and a ploy here and there, Doris sang her way through charming feel-good flicks of the post-war era of the 1940s. With a note of drama here and there, she remains in each script the Girl who is Normal, Sweet and Deserving of the Hero. Even in such dramatic pix as The Man with the Horn (1951), Doris portrays the foil to sophisticate Lauren Bacall opposite an alcoholic trumpeter played by Kurt Douglas.
But in 1955, she gets the role of blues singer Ruth Etting in Love Me or Leave Me , starring with ever-so-bad bully James Cagney .
I remember seeing this as a kid, being told by my father that "Ruth was a great singer and this guy she married was a bum."
Watching this the other night, I recalled this from my Dad with a smile, but wow, was I looking at Cagney as more than just a bum. He was the villain, the thug, The Man Every Woman Wants to Hate. And he was the guy we some know put on our Watch List: The Abuser.
And as we watch Ruth deal with this man, we see why Betty Friedan did so well so quickly with her theories of the need to rise up and break the chains that bound women.
Cagney blusters, bullies and brow-beats. He struts and manipulates and totally cows Ruth, first as a singer whom he "discovers" and gets her her first gig. But then later, he builds on that, makes her beholden and ensures she remembers it.
The astonishing facet to me, of course, is that with this portrayal of a woman living in the 1920s, Ruth Etting never questions that he has a right to bully or berate her. (At least this is true in the script.) And this makes me cringe, point my finger and say, wow, Ruth, you never thought you had options?
Answer?
No. She did not. And she, sadly, was not alone.
The rule of the 1920s and as we can see in the portrayal of 1950s housewife Betty Draper in MadMen, many women thought there was no way out.
They took what they could get, paid for it with a devotion that was half dead and then paid other prices in self-esteem, drugs, alcohol and who knows what effect upon their children.
Fast forward to the movies at the beginning of the 1960s. Gee, golly, what a difference for Doris and the rest of us!
Three comedies of hers with different leading men had me laughing like a loon.  Yes, they had cute but not wildly unique plots and scrumptious leading men. James Garner in the Move Over, Darling and The Thrill of It All (written by Carl Reiner , no less!) were 2 great choices. Rock Hudson is a hoot in Pillow Talk. Less thrilling than either of those two simply because he acted this in such a flat, poker-faced manner was Cary Grant , age 58 at the time to Doris's 38, in That Touch of Mink .
While I leave it to you to watch these yourself, I will say my conclusions about what is happening to women in the first three years of the sixties is phenomenal.
I know. Because I remember those years VERY WELL.
In the Rock Hudson movie, we see Doris as as professional woman who works her butt off to succeed in business and she is foiled mightily by a scheming no-good wily man who is her rival for the same accounts.  The plot is terribly funny and in the end she loves him, he loves her. AND WOW, we wonder why!
At no time in the movie except for the last ten minutes does this man show any redeeming qualities. Yes, he is handsome. A CATCH, right? He is rich, successful, and the fact that he has been unprincipled toward her and his clients seems to matter not at all! SHE LOVES HIM! If I wrote this in a book, captured this man's essence in words, I WOULD BE REJECTED. He is about as worthy a hero as Vlad, the Impaler. But of course, that is what he reps, isn't it? A Romantic Vlad.
We will have a moment of shuddering here....
In the Thrill of It All, we get Doris with James Garner. A delight visually, this couple can bring on the laughter. But the substance of the plot?
This flick left me rather agog that I had watched this then...and now!
Why?
She is his wife and mother of his two charming children. He is a noted OB-GYN. Quite by chance, she becomes a spokesperson for a product that sweeps to her onto billboards, fame and money. When hubby Jim gets fed up with her celebrity, his bright idea to bring her back to home/heel/submission (do choose a word you like here) is to get her pregnant again.
He actually has a moment in the film where he sits at his desk and recalls one of his patients telling him that there is no finer calling in life for a woman than to have a baby.
Okay, then!
While I had three of my own babies, and loved every moment of being pregnant and their early lives and bringing them up to adulthood, I must say that they rank up there with a few other events in my life.

My enduring relationship with my husband, now more than 45 years.My enduring relationship with my writing profession, now more than 32 years.And my enduring relationship with my devotion to my intellectual stimulation, now more than...well, let's say...lots of decades!
Doris, you did right by me at the time.  But not all of what you taught us was the whole picture of what a woman can and should become.
On to Rita Hayworth!