Silvia Violet's Blog, page 11

Needing A Little Christmas – First Chapter

Let Needing a Little Christmas put you in the Christmas spirit!

Read the first chapter here then buy at Silver, Amazon, ARe, or Barnes and Noble.

Chapter 1

“What do mean you’re not going to be with Dave’s family for Christmas? Why?”

I pulled the phone away from my ear. I’d known my mother would be upset, but her reaction was even more vehement and loud than I expected. “Apparently one of the junior partners at his firm isn’t nearly as boring as I am. They’ve been having an affair for months.”

My mother made a sound of disgust. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry, and you are not boring.”

“Sure, I know, but Dave thinks I am.” And honestly, I thought he was probably right. I preferred to stay at home rather than go out. I spent most days in sweats and T-shirts. When Dave did drag me to a party with his socialite friends, I inevitably embarrassed him with my lack of knowledge of current affairs. I’d taken to hiding out in the bathroom writing notes for my next book on my phone. He’d even attempted to coach me in the art of party conversation. I’d used his lessons in a book but ignored them as they applied to me. The book had done well; readers found the lessons hilarious.

When Dave suggested I was not only an uninteresting social companion but boring in bed as well, I’d taken that seriously. I might prefer a quiet lifestyle, but I knew how to please a partner sexually. After pondering what I could do to shock him, I’d gotten my nipples pierced, something I’d secretly wanted to do for years. He’d laughed. I should have broken up with him that night. We’d only had sex a few times after that, and each time, Dave raced to completion, showered off the scent of me, and promptly fell asleep.

I heard my mother’s heels click against the floor. She must be pacing, something she always did when strategizing. “I’m so sorry, honey. Do you want us to cancel our cruise?”

That was the last thing I wanted. “Of course not. You’ve been looking forward to it for months. I’m fine. Really.”

“Are you sure?”

I held the phone between my shoulder and ear as I poured myself a generous measure of whiskey. “Yeah, things hadn’t been great between me and Dave for a long time.”

She huffed. “That doesn’t give him any excuse to—”

I held up my hand even though she couldn’t see me. “No it doesn’t. He acted like an ass, and I think he knows it. He moved out of his beloved apartment and told me I could keep it.” Not that I could afford it for long unless my next book was a runaway hit.

Mom sighed. “I don’t want you spending Christmas alone.”

After draining my drink, I’d wandered into my bedroom and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eyes were red from lack of sleep and they looked more hazel than their usual bright green. My curly dark hair stood out at odd angles. The stress of trying to meet the deadline for my book and trying to hold on to a relationship that had died long before I caught Dave fucking his colleague in his office hadn’t been good for my appetite. I’d lost weight and the bones in my face showed prominently. I was definitely not looking my best, but I wanted a few more days to wallow in self-pity.

“I really don’t want to be around anyone right now.”

My mom sighed. “But it’s Christmas.”

I ran my hand through my hair, making it stick out even more. “I’m not in the mood for holiday cheer.”

“Your dad and I can go on a cruise another year.”

“No, arranging this once was difficult enough. Rick and Cindy will want to spend next year with you since they’re with Cindy’s family this year. And Ally’s trip to California is a special one-time deal. This is our gift to you, and I won’t be responsible for screwing it up.”

“You wouldn’t be responsible, Dave would be.”

“I wasn’t exactly looking forward to listening to his family brag about how wonderful they all are. I’ll have a better time alone.” My mom’s pacing stopped, and I realized I’d said the wrong thing.

“Eli, why didn’t you tell us you didn’t want to go home with Dave? We would never have agreed to the cruise if we thought you’d be miserable at Christmas.”

I tried to back pedal. “It would have been fine. I enjoy visiting Boston even if the company leaves something to be desired.”

“Hmm.” My mom didn’t sound convinced. “Maybe we could get you a ticket for the cruise. It might not be full.”

The cruise was supposed to give my parents some uninterrupted time together. And the last thing I wanted was be trapped on a ship with lots of happy, smiling people encouraging me to socialize while my mom fussed over me. “No, thanks. I really, truly would rather be on my own.”

“But what will you do?”

“Stay home and drown my sorrows in Christmas cookies and eggnog.”

She gasped. “Eli, I’m going to see if we can schedule the cruise for another time.”

I rolled my eyes. “Mom. I’m kidding.” A little. “I’m truly not that upset over Dave. More than anything I’m angry I didn’t end it sooner. I’ll enjoy having some quiet writing time.”

“You work too much. At least if you’d gone to visit Dave’s family you would have been forced to get off the computer for several hours a day.”

While being tortured with small talk and the dreaded Christmas play Dave’s family put on every year with Dave playing a wise man who somehow became the star of the show. “I like my work.”

“Still, you shouldn’t be in that apartment for Christmas. There are too many bad memories for you. You need to get away.”

“Mom, I haven’t been in love with Dave for a long time. I’m not going to be lying around pining for him”

“Well…”

I imagined she was weighing what she could and couldn’t say. To help her out, I said, “I know you didn’t like him.”

“He didn’t respect you.”

I ran a hand through my hair. “No, he didn’t. I realize that now.”

“What did you see in him? I mean, he’s lovely to look at, but—”

What had I seen in him? He was older, successful, and interested in me when I would never have expected a man like him to be. I wanted him to want me. He’d lavished me with gifts and had been very attentive initially, if a little bit cold. At first I found his reserve charming. He was a fantasy, and I didn’t want to admit he didn’t really live up to my expectations. “I think I liked the idea of him more than the man himself.”

“Hmpf. You made his life way too easy. The nerve of him to cheat on you after all you did for him.”

Mom was right. He’d never taken my work seriously since I could do it from home in my pajamas, and I’d reinforced his thinking by doing the majority of the domestic chores since I was home anyway. No wonder he hadn’t wanted to break up with boring old me. How could I have been such an idiot?

My mom made a little noise of excitement. “I’ve got a great idea.”

My stomach knotted. What crazy scheme had she come up with now? I loved my mom, but once she concocted a plan, getting her to let go of it was next to impossible.

“Linda and Jim are going to visit Rosalind this year so they won’t be using their cabin. Let me call Linda and see if you can use it. At least a trip to the mountains would get you out of that awful apartment.” My mother had always found Dave’s apartment spartan and uninteresting, and she had a point.

“Mom, I don’t need to—”

“You need a vacation.”

I wanted to protest further, but my mother’s tone told me it would be useless.

“Think of it as a writing retreat if you must.”

There was no stopping her. If I didn’t give in to this scheme, she would cancel her cruise, and I’d never get over the guilt. And, as much as I hated to admit it, she was right. Getting out of Charlotte for a few days would be good for me, though I wasn’t sure I wanted to go anywhere as remote as Linda and Dave’s cabin that was located in Middle of Nowhere, Madison County. It did have the advantage of being only a few hours away so I wouldn’t have to stay long.

“Fine. If the cabin is free, I’ll use it for a holiday writing retreat.”

My mom sighed. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.” And I really would. I’d gone home for Christmas every one of my twenty-eight years.

“I’ll give Linda a call and see what I can arrange.”

“Okay, Mom. I love you. Tell Dad I love him too.”

She made kissing sounds into the phone. “I love you too, and so does your dad. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” Angry, embarrassed, and disgusted, but fine.

“You want me to do some damage to him, you just give me the word.”

Her words made me smile as she’d known they would. My mom might be five feet even and girlishly thin, but she was a force to be reckoned with. Dave would not want to tangle with her. “Thanks, Mom.”

Next Big Thing Blog Hop – Arresting Love

Welcome to the Next Big Thing Blog Hop. The delightfully talented Angel Martinez tagged me last week so now I’m here to share a little about my current work-in-progress.

What is the working title of your book?

Arresting Love

Where did the idea come from for the book?

This is Book 2 in my Wild R Farm series, and as I was writing Book 1, Finding Release, I developed quite a soft spot for Billy, the barn manager at the farm, and I decided he needed his own book.

What genre does your book fall under?

M/M Shapeshifter Cowboy Erotic Romance – I like to get specific J

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?

Billy: David Boreanaz

Levi: Colton Haynes

What is a one sentence synopsis of your book?

Billy Lawson wants a real relationship, but he’s just about given up hope when he meets Levi, a wounded cat shifter who needs his help.

Will your book be self published or represented by an agency?

I am self-publishing this series.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

a month

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre.

The farm setting combined with some suspense make it similar to Laura Harner’s Willow Springs Ranch series and Sara York’s Texas Soul series, but since I’ve combined my favorite elements of both western-themed romances and shapeshifter stories, it’s difficult to find an exact comparison.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

The horse farm setting was inspired by taking my daughter to horseback riding lessons and observing the horses in the barn and the paddock.

What else about your book might interest the reader?

Levi can take on the form of a mountain lion and I spent time observing the pair we have at a local zoo in order to visualize how he would move and behave. When I write shapeshifters, I like to make sure the characteristics of their animal form are also reflected in the gestures they make as humans.

I’m tagging Hank Edwards to post next week 12/19. I’m looking forward to hearing about what he’s working on.

Needing A Little Caramel Cake

In Needing A Little Christmas, Mac’s mama sends Eli a caramel cake and the two men get to know each other while enjoying it. Here’s the delectable recipe she used…..

Mac’s Mama’s Caramel Cake

You will need three layers of your favorite yellow cake. I love the one here but you will need to multiply by 1.5 to get three layers. If tackling this well-worth-the-time caramel is all you’re up for, then use Duncan Hines Butter Recipe Golden mix. It’s, in my opinion, the best yellow cake mix out there.

Caramel Icing

3 cups sugar, divided

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1.5 sticks butter

1T white corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

Put 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. As the sugar melts, shake the pan so the sugar coats the bottom but don’t let it run up the sides. Stir gently so the sugar browns evenly. When the sugar is almond the color of the skin on an almond, slowly pouring in the evaporated milk while stirring vigorously. The mixture will boil rapidly and start to seize up but keep stirring, breaking up the chunks of sugar. When all the milk is combined with the sugar, add the rest of the sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Mix well. Attach a candy thermometer and bring to a boil. Boil for 10-20 minutes or until the candy thermometer reads 248F. Stir occasionally. If you see any signs of burning, turn the heat down a bit. Be very careful. The mixture can splatter and you don’t want to get burned!*

When the mixture is at 248F, remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a paddle attachment, turn the mixer on low and add the vanilla. Be very careful, it could splatter and it will still be very hot. Continue mixing on medium until the mixture begins to thicken and lose it’s shine. Working quickly while the caramel is still pourable, pour or spoon 1/2 cup on the first layer and spread over the top. Add second layer and repeat. Add top layer, repeat and then use remaining caramel to cover the sides.

*You may want to keep a bowl of ice water nearby. Submerge skin immediately if you are burned.

And now for a bit of Mac and Eli…..

Needing A Little Christmas is available at Amazon, ARe, and Silver Publishing.

Several minutes later, Mac had unloaded all the wood and gotten a fire going, and I’d made coffee and served cake. When we were seated at the table in the kitchen, I took my first bite of the gorgeous caramel cake and sighed. Forget sex. I was going to come from eating this cake.

“Oh my God, this is the best cake I’ve ever had.”

Mac smiled, not the sly sexy grin he’d given me earlier but a little-boy smile of pure joy. “It’s my great-grandmother’s recipe. Christmas just wouldn’t be right without caramel cake.”

I stared at him in horror. “This wasn’t supposed to be for your family tomorrow was it?”

He shook his head. “My mom always makes several of them. We give them as gifts and one would never be enough for us anyway.”

“I feel honored to have one. You don’t even know me; your mom doesn’t know me. I could have been an asshole or even a serial killer.”

Mac laughed. “Nah. I could tell you were all right when we talked on the phone. You sounded like a nice guy who was having a rough time and then got stranded. And I should know. I get plenty of assholes calling me demanding a load of wood five minutes ago because their cabin dropped below eighty toasty degrees for five seconds or expecting me to clear a foot of snow from the driveway of their artfully-decorated cabin so they can get their BMW down the mountain without a scratch. They don’t get the family treatment or the family rates. But I could tell from your voice that I was going to like you.”

Like I could tell from yours that you are a sex god. “Thanks. You sounded like a good guy too.” A good guy? Had I really said that?

He grinned. “I aim to please.”

Christmas Blog Hop: Needing A Little Christmas

I love Christmas. I don’t allow myself to watch Christmas movies or listen to Christmas music in the “off season” except during my kids annual Christmas-in-July party, but once November hits, I wait impatiently for the official kick-off of the Christmas season. No I don’t mean the day after Halloween like so many retailers but the day after Thanksgiving.

Rather than fighting crowds at the mall on Black Friday, I spend part of my day pulling out the boxes of Christmas decorations, books, movies, seasonal artwork my kids have done, ornaments that remind me of past Christmases and cookie tins. Cookie tins that will soon be bursting with our selection of holiday cookies. Sitting down with Christmas-themed cookbooks and magazines and selecting the cookies and candies my daughters and I are going to make is one of our favorite traditions.

I love the domestic coziness of Christmas – baking, admiring the Christmas tree lights in the evening, drinking cocoa while reading our favorite Christmas books, cuddling on the couch and watching A Christmas Story for the gazillionth time. That warmth and making myself slow down to enjoy more family closeness is what I treasure each December. When I write Christmas stories of my own I try to make sure my characters get a taste of this snuggly type of Christmas cheer.

In Needing a Little Christmas, Eli is used to a cozy Christmas with his family. He’s twenty-eight and he’s never once spent Christmas Day anywhere but at his childhood home with his parents and siblings. This year, however, Eli and his brother and sister have given their parents a special gift, a holiday cruise.

Eli is supposed to spend Christmas with his boyfriend, but when he finds his boyfriend doing the naked tango with a co-worker, he’s left on his on. At his mother’s insistence, he decides to get out of the city and go to one of her friends cabins right as a major snowstorm hits. When he realizes he’s trapped with no wood to heat the cabin, he calls Mac’s Wood Delivery and unknowingly saves his Christmas.

Mac has also spent every Christmas of his life wrapped in the warmth of family. He can’t stand the thought of Eli being alone without even a Christmas tree. He knows Eli needs a little Christmas, and Eli knows that what he needs most is Mac.

To offer you even more Christmas cheer, comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of my 2011 Christmas story One Kiss, filled with truffles, cinnamon rolls, light-up polar bears, and Christmas aprons.

Needing A Little Christmas will be released on December 6. You can pre-order it now.

Excerpt

“What do mean you’re not going to be with Dave’s family for Christmas? Why?”

I pulled the phone away from my ear. I’d known my mother would be upset, but her reaction was even more vehement and loud than I expected. “Apparently one of the junior partners at his firm isn’t nearly as boring as I am. They’ve been having an affair for months.”

My mother made a sound of disgust. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry, and you are not boring.”

“Sure, I know, but Dave thinks I am.” And honestly, I thought he was probably right. I preferred to stay at home rather than go out. I spent most days in sweats and T-shirts. When Dave did drag me to a party with his socialite friends, I inevitably embarrassed him with my lack of knowledge of current affairs. I’d taken to hiding out in the bathroom writing notes for my next book on my phone. He’d even attempted to coach me in the art of party conversation. I’d used his lessons in a book but ignored them as they applied to me. The book had done well; readers found the lessons hilarious.

When Dave suggested I was not only an uninteresting social companion but boring in bed as well, I’d taken that seriously. I might prefer a quiet lifestyle, but I knew how to please a partner sexually. After pondering what I could do to shock him, I’d gotten my nipples pierced, something I’d secretly wanted to do for years. He’d laughed. I should have broken up with him that night. We’d only had sex a few times after that, and each time, Dave raced to completion, showered off the scent of me, and promptly fell asleep.

I heard my mother’s heels click against the floor. She must be pacing, something she always did when strategizing. “I’m so sorry, honey. Do you want us to cancel our cruise?”

That was the last thing I wanted. “Of course not. You’ve been looking forward to it for months. I’m fine. Really.”

“Are you sure?”

I held the phone between my shoulder and ear as I poured myself a generous measure of whiskey. “Yeah, things hadn’t been great between me and Dave for a long time.”

She huffed. “That doesn’t give him any excuse to—”

I held up my hand even though she couldn’t see me. “No it doesn’t. He acted like an ass, and I think he knows it. He moved out of his beloved apartment and told me I could keep it.” Not that I could afford it for long unless my next book was a runaway hit.

Mom sighed. “I don’t want you spending Christmas alone.”

After draining my drink, I’d wandered into my bedroom and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eyes were red from lack of sleep and they looked more hazel than their usual bright green. My curly dark hair stood out at odd angles. The stress of trying to meet the deadline for my book and trying to hold on to a relationship that had died well before I caught Dave fucking his colleague in his office hadn’t been good for my appetite. I’d lost weight and the bones in my face showed prominently. I was definitely not looking my best, but I wanted a few more days to wallow in self-pity. “I really don’t want to be around anyone right now.”

My mom sighed. “But it’s Christmas.”

I ran my hand through my hair, making it stick out even more. “I’m not in the mood for holiday cheer.”

“Your dad and I can go on a cruise another year.”

“No, arranging this once was difficult enough. Rick and Cindy will want to spend next year with you since they’re with Cindy’s family this year. And Ally’s trip to California is a special one-time deal. This is our gift to you, and I won’t be responsible for screwing it up.”

“You wouldn’t be responsible; Dave would be.”

“I wasn’t exactly looking forward to listening to his family brag about how wonderful they all are. I’ll have a better time alone.” My mom’s pacing stopped, and I realized I’d said the wrong thing.

“Eli, why didn’t you tell us you didn’t want to go home with Dave? We would never have agreed to the cruise if we thought you’d be miserable at Christmas.”

I tried to back pedal. “It would have been fine. I enjoy visiting Boston even if the company leaves something to be desired.”

“Hmm.” My mom didn’t sound convinced. “Maybe we could get you a ticket for the cruise. It might not be full.”

The cruise was supposed to give my parents some uninterrupted time together. And the last thing I wanted was be trapped on a ship with lots of happy, smiling people encouraging me to socialize while my mom fussed over me. “No, thanks. I really, truly would rather be on my own.”

“But what will you do?”

“Stay home and drown my sorrows in Christmas cookies and eggnog.”

You can find a list of all the posts for the Christmas Blog Hop here.

 

Thanksgiving Recipe Blog Swap

I love pie. Really I do – fruit pies, pecan pie, savory pies. I don’t think I’ve ever been confronted with a type of pie I wouldn’t eat – even mincemeat. When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, I enjoy the turkey and stuffing and cranberry sauce but to me, Thanksgiving is a holiday for pie.

Growing up my family always went to my Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, and the desserts had their own buffet. Grandma’s specialty was lemon merigue pie but there were also sweet potato pies, pumpkin pies, and chocolate pie made from a recipe passed down from her grandmother. My dad was the oldest of five children, and it had been decided either before I was born or when I was very small that no one got to take leftovers home. You had to be the first one back to Grandma’s house the next day to get your pick of whatever was left after we’d all filled our bellies. I remember many a day after Thanksgiving waking up a 4am not to get in line in front of Wal-mart but to get to Grandma’s for the leftover lemon pie.

 

Silvia’s Grandma’s Lemon Pie

Vanilla Wafer crust

1.5 cups of crushed vanilla wafers

1/2 cup melted butter

Combine and press into a 9in pie pan. Grandma only pressed the crumbs into the bottom and put whole vanilla wafers around the edge but you can press the crumbs up the sides if you like.

Filling

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

3 egg yolks (save whites for meringue)

1 tsp vanilla

Combine and pour into pie shell.

Meringue

Beat 3 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat to combine.

Top filling with meringue.

Bake at 350F until meringue browns just a bit. It doesn’t take long. Then refrigerate for at least three hours.

 

I like to include pie in my stories. My free Thanksgiving short, Heat in the Kitchen, involves the demise of a pumpkin pie and  in Paws on Me, Brandon and Seth get creative with apple pie.

 

Protect and Serve: Paws on Me by Silvia Violet

Blurb:

Lieutenant Seth Morrison loves being a cop, but with budget cuts and crime both on the rise, he’s stopped making time for anything but his job.

On the outside, Brandon Lord is an easy-going, flirtatious club owner. On the inside he’s a man trying to overcome a difficult past.

When a murder investigation brings the two men together, passion roars to life. They’re both willing to break the rules to be together. Because as mismatched as they might seem, each man is exactly what the other needs.

Excerpt:

I’m Seth Morrison. I’m a cop, a police lieutenant to be precise. I’ve been on the force more years than I want to think about. I’ve seen good men get killed, turn dirty, lose themselves in the bottle, lose their fucking minds, but I’m still here doing what I do. I don’t know any other life. People tell me I need a break, a vacation, to relax. I don’t want to fucking relax. I just want to do my job and keep this city from falling apart.

I park my car, grab my coffee from the cup holder, and charge up the front steps of the station. I could take the side door, it’s closer to my office, but I love the chaos of the bullpen. When I open the door, I breathe deeply, enjoying the variety of smells: coffee that’s been on the warmer far too long, the sickeningly sweet smell of candy and doughnuts, pine-scented cleaner from the scrubbing the janitors gave the floors last night, and something unnamable that simply smells like cops and hard work. I shake my head as I try to imagine not being here nearly 24/7. This is where I belong.

My stomach rumbles. I should’ve had dinner, but after pretending an afternoon nap was a night’s sleep, I’m running late. I’ll grab something from the vending machine while I dream about a juicy burger and thick home fries. It sure would be nice to have someone cook for me. I don’t seem to get along with stoves. Years ago, I tried being married. That worked for about 30 seconds. My wife wanted me to work shorter hours. I wanted her to talk less, or maybe never.

Friends tell me I should make an effort to date, but I’m more comfortable at a gruesome homicide scene than making small talk at dinner with a woman or a man. Yeah, I like both. I stopped going out with men when I entered the academy. I just couldn’t deal with the shit the guys would give me. Now, I don’t advertise what I like, but I pick up a guy now and then. I’m discreet, but if somebody finds out, I’ll deal.

One-night stands I can handle, but relationships are beyond me. People think police work is draining, but I’d rather spend all day in the field and all night at my desk filling out fucking paperwork — and often I do — than try to decode relationship signals. I inevitably screw things up and never understand why.

Sex I need. Romance I don’t.

My phone rings. I pull it out of my pocket hoping the call will save me from the mountain of paperwork on my desk. It’s Drew Danvers, detective and vampire. That’s right, a vampire who works for the good guys. We’ve got a werewolf in homicide too. And he’s a damn fine cop.

I remember when the shifters came out of the closet, scaring the hell out of us humans. One by one other monsters made themselves known. Most people assumed they were all assholes who wanted to eat us, but I quickly learned not to judge a man because he sucked blood or turned into a wolf. I judge men based on how they treat others.

I answer the call. “What’s up, Detective?”

“Two dead werewolves found in a closet at Shift. Hacked up pretty bad. The scene’s a circus. Jenkins called in sick. I’m on my own, and –”

“I’ll be there in ten.”

“Thanks, sir.”

“No problem. Murder scene or paperwork, which would you choose?”

* * *

I step inside the club. A crime lab team is there and several uniformed officers are talking with employees. I spot Drew in the entryway of an office. He’s frowning as he questions a tall hairy hunk of a man. I’ve seen this man around the area several times, and just like every other time, he makes my cock sit up and take notice.

Our most recent encounter was a week ago. When I want to grab a beer and be left the fuck alone, I go to Mitch’s, a dive just down the street from Shift. Last time I spent the evening there, he sat next to me at the bar and came on strong. I was in a shitty mood. I wanted him, and it pissed me off. He’s not my type. He’s young, hip, and outrageously flirtatious. I walked away, but I regretted it later that night when I couldn’t stop fantasizing about him.

The man looks my way and catches me staring. His grin says he knows the direction my thoughts are going. Fucking bastard winks at me. Drew scowls.

I turn to face him. He grins down at me, that same cocky-as-fuck little smile he’d given me earlier, making me even more aware of how close we are and how big he is. At 6’2″, I’m hardly small, but he’s got several inches on me. And while I’ve got a rather thick pelt, the fur visible above the vee of his t-shirt is astounding.

He smiles mischievously. “You gonna cuff me if you take me in?”

“Impeding a murder investigation will get you thrown in jail.”

He rolls his eyes. “I found two dead guys in my closet when I came to work tonight. My business is shut down, and I’ll be losing money every minute that you’re here. But at least I have a sense of humor.”

“Well, I don’t.”

He shakes his head. “Are you taken too?”

I take another step back. “You’re making a lot of assumptions.”

I look over at Drew and realize he and Jason are grinning like loons. Fuck. All I need is the two of them ragging me.

I glare at Drew. “Detective, do you think you can question this man without killing him?”

“Probably.”

“Fine. Fleetfoot, head back to the lab. Take my car. I’ll get a ride with Danvers.” I throw him my keys, and he snatches them out of the air as he gives Drew’s hand a final squeeze. Jason is better in the lab than any tech we have. We only send him into the field when we’re desperately short-handed. I run a hand through my hair, wishing I knew how I’m going to hold the homicide division together if we don’t get more funds.

He holds out his hand. “I’m Brandon Lord. I own Shift.”

“Lieutenant Morrison.” I shake his hand. His skin is surprisingly smooth, his grip tight and warm. I want to feel those big hands running over me. I want to rub his furry body with my own. Fuck! I should assign someone else to this case right now and get the hell away from him. But some crazy restlessness he’s dredged up in me makes me fight my instincts.

“Nice to meet you, Lieutenant.” His voice is low and rich. And his grin lets me know he’s well aware of my body’s reaction to him.

I need to get away. His smell alone is making me hard. “I’m not here to play games. Drop the act and treat this case seriously, or I’ll find an excuse to throw your ass in jail.”

He grins. Fuck, he knows he’s got me rattled. “I’d never kill anyone, Lieutenant. I’m just a cuddly teddy bear.”

The bear shifter and the bear. Ridiculous. I need to leave now. This man is no cuddly toy. I don’t think he’s our murderer, but he’s far smarter than he wants me to believe and likely far more dangerous. “I know what cuddling leads to.”

Brandon laughs, a deep, infectious sound. I can’t help but respond. Now I want him more than ever. Taking this case was a supremely stupid idea, staying on it now is unprofessional.

But I won’t walk away.

Buy it at Changeling Press, Amazon, ARe

 

 

 

 

 

Free Story – Heat in the Kitchen

Heat in the Kitchen is a Thanksgiving story that’s hotter than your oven after working overtime on turkey, pies and all those sides. This story appears in Silver Shorts Week 45, and you can download it here. Or you can read it now on my site…..

Heat in the Kitchen by Silvia Violet

“You want me to cook Thanksgiving dinner for your family?”

Allen looked everywhere but at Layton. “Well, yeah. You know what it’s like to suffer through my mother’s cooking, and we already decided not to fly to see your dad, so…”

“The last time your family came to dinner, you gave me a blowjob in the pantry, and I burned the chicken.”

Allen had the decency to blush. “You know how I get when you wear an apron. It brings out the animal in me.”

Layton gave him a hard stare. “That’s exactly what I’m worried about.”

“I’ll be good.”

Layton sighed. “No, you won’t, but that’s part of what I like about you.”

“Exactly.”

“So what should I make?”

Allen’s eyes widened. “You’ll do it? For real?”

Layton wanted to strangle him. “I didn’t think I really had a choice.”

“Well, there’s always dry turkey and instant mashed potatoes.”

“Any chance of skipping it all and spending the day in bed?” Layton asked.

Allen smirked. “I’d sure be thankful then, but no, my mom would be hurt if we were in town and didn’t spend the day with her. There’s always the day after Thanksgiving though.”

“All right. I’ll cook, but no interruptions this time. There’s no point in having me make dinner if we’re just going to eat something burned anyway.”

Allen raised two fingers and tried to look innocent. “Scout’s honor.”

Read the rest on the story page. And look at the other free reads on my site.

Hoofin’ it to the Altar now at Amazon, ARe, and BN.

Hoofin’ it to the Altar, my most recent contribution to the multi-author Protect and Serve series, is now at Amazon and ARe and Barnes and Noble.

Blurb

Deer shifter Jason Fleetfoot and vampire detective Drew Danvers have been together for a year. When Drew proposes, Jason is thrilled but shocked. Vampires aren’t usually the marrying kind, even the few who side with the good guys. Drew wants to elope, but Jason’s sister, Natalie, insists on planning an elaborate ceremony.

As Jason and Drew fend off well-meaning friends and family, a far more serious problem threatens their union. A vampire killer is on the loose. He subdues his undead victims without a struggle and finishes them off by literally curdling their blood. Drew has no idea what could kill a vampire so easily, and everyone suspects he’s next on the killer’s list. Can he stop the killer in time for “Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today…” to start his wedding instead of his funeral?

Reviews for Hoofin’ It to the Altar

“Ms. Violet has the knack for infusing lots of witty humor into the dialogue between the characters. They click as friends and even better as lovers. The storyline was interesting and very sexy. This author knows how to write some hot sex scenes.”

– 4 Hearts from Beverly, The Romance Studio

“I absolutely adore Silvia Violet’s Protect and Serve stories in this multi-author series. She infuses her stories with some humor, lots of lovin’ and amazing characters. The writing is tight, story moves along at a nice pace and there were a few twists that had me flipping the pages quickly to see what would happen next.”

– 4 Hearts from Dawn, Love Romances & More

Mikela Q. Chase’s Rhea Part 15

Mikela Q. Chase (Amber Kell’s alter ego) is visiting today as part of her Birthday Bash. Below is Part 15 of her story m/f story, Rhea. Go here to find links to Parts 1-14 and look for more to come each day this month.

Rhea wrenched her arm free. “We aren’t getting married. I don’t know what kind of lame idea is forming in your head, future brother-in-law.”

Ooh it was fun to watch him wince.

“But we are going our separate ways and if we’re lucky we’ll only run into each other at the occasional family gathering. And, if you are really lucky I’ll resist the urge to gut you with my blade.”

The hammering started again.

“Enter.” Rhea yelled before Teven had the chance to lecture her again.

Married. Not in this lifetime. There was no way she was pinning herself down to one guy when there were so many out there. She hadn’t even sampled more than one of the men on this planet. With the number of moons on this planet she’d need much more tasting, comforting and red hot sex.

She didn’t have time to think of much else because two of her largest guards Peller and Rafe slammed their way in. They must’ve just arrived planetside and discovered her missing. The two cat shifters shoved the other guards out of her way. Rhea winced, so much for interplanetary relations. She’d fucked the king and they trounced his servants. They were off to a stellar start.

Two pairs of burning amber eyes glared down at her.

Rhea shrugged. “I guess I should’ve let you know where I was.”

Like she didn’t know about the tracking device they had embedded in her heel. She showed them her best “contrite” look.

“Try to remember next time.” Peller scolded gruffly.

Rafe nodded his angry expression already fading.

“Oh please, I can’t believe you bought that.” Teven glared at her. “If you’d skipped out on me I would’ve spanked you until you couldn’t sit for two days.”

Rhea lifted her chin. “Which is why I’ll never be yours.”

On that pronouncement she sashayed out of the room…only to come face to face with her sister.

“Tell me you didn’t sleep with the king,” Jamie begged.

“Yes darling tell your sister that lie she wants to hear.”

Jamie looked over her shoulder at the king. “She’s really good with a knife you know.”

Rhea smiled, she purposely didn’t turn around and see the king’s face. Better leave while she could still cling to her dignity with her last desperate breath.

“Come on sis, I’ll take you to your room and you can try to get some sleep. Even though you never do,” Jamie coaxed.

“She slept with me.” Teven’s voice could only be described as smug.

Rhea frowned as she realized the king was right she had slept quite soundly in the king’s arms.

Weird.

Rhea didn’t bother to answer the king, instead she hooked arms with her sister and walked away, her two guards trailing behind.

To give her credit, Jamie waited until they were out of earshot before she gave Rhea hell for being with the king.

“What were you thinking!” Jamie whispered. It was an angry whisper but quiet all the same. The cat shifter guards were probably the only people who could hear her.

“I didn’t know he was the king.” Rhea confessed after she was pretty certain her sister had run out of steam.

“It all happened really quickly and the magic was riding me hard.”

“Oh.’ Jamie didn’t have a response for that they both knew what bad decisions she made when she was trying to dull the power of the magic.  It was generally agreed among their people that Rhea had too much magic, but the only effective way of draining it was sex. That still didn’t stop her from denying her mother’s request to set Rhea up with a harem.

Of course picking up strange men who turned out to be kings?

Not necessarily a better choice.

Amber Kell’s Wandmaker Part 15

Amber Kell is visiting today as part of her Birthday Bash. Below is Part 15 of her story m/m story, Wandmaker. Go here to find links to Parts 1-14 and look for more to come each day this month.

Wandmaker Part 15

Silvan kept a hand to Cebrus’s back and he rushed him back to the castle. He nodded to people who came to speak but brushed them off. No way would he lose his opportunity. If he gave Cebrus a chance the man would come up with some excuse to ditch him. He knew that without asking. The wandmaker had that jumpy wild-eyed look like an untamed horse ready to bolt.

They might be wand-bonded but his wand maker would be the one person in the world who could probably figure a loophole for their situation. Silvan had no wish to be unbound and he figured by keeping Cebrus off balance he won’t be able to come up with an escape plan.

Silvan opened the door to his room and pushed Cebrus through the doorway. Now wasn’t the time for subtlety he needed to cement their bond before Cebrus wiggled out of it.

He slammed the door behind him, keeping an eye on Cebrus. “Strip. I need to claim you properly,” he demanded.

A smile curved Cebrus’ lips. “And what makes you think I want to be claimed?”

“Baby you’ve been traipsing around the country dying to be claimed, I’m just the lucky bastard who got to you first.”

Cebrus laughed. “You’d be surprised at the number of offers I’ve turned down.”

Silvan smiled. “Not in the least but apparently they weren’t worthy if you rejected them.”

“Hmm, you might have a point,” Cebrus agreed.

“I have a very nice one and if you get naked I can share it with you.”

Cebrus snorted. “Oh, that was horrible.”

Silvan pulled Cebrus into his arms. “I am a horrible, horrible man, let me show you how much.”

The first brush of Silvan’s lips across Cebrus’s sent a shiver down Silvan’s spine. Need raced through his body faster than a stampede of stallions. He’d never had anyone spur him to passion through a simple touch before. Silvan knew he’d do anything to keep Cebrus by his side.

Even help on a quest. He might doubt the wisdom of Cebrus’s plan but he’d do nothing to stop him. Besides even if they trekked all across the world there were no guarantees they’d find Cebrus’s mythical tree.

Silvan ran his hand beneath Cebrus’s shirt sighing into his mate’s mouth as the feel of silky skin met his touch. Unlike the hard muscled bodies of a fellow knight, Cebrus had a leaner form. As if he were created for Silvan’s pleasure between the sheets instead of on the battlefield.

A moan vibrated their lips. Pleased, Silvan lapped at Cebrus’s mouth trying to lure the sound out again.

Tightening his grip, Silvan rubbed his body against his mate’s slighter frame.

This was what he’d been born for; ruling a kingdom, and loving this one man.

Silvan shoved the straps off of Cebrus’s shoulders. His pack hit the ground with a loud thunk.

“You better not have snapped one of my wands,” Cebrus scolded, however his tone didn’t hold the annoyance his words implied.

“If I did I promise to make it up to you.” Silvan bit at Cebrus’s neck, leaving a satisfying mark of ownership on the long bare length of skin.

Guest Author: Cari Silverwood

Welcome Cari Silverwood! She is here to share her new co-authored book, The Dom with a Safe Word.

I have a new book out called The Dom with a Safeword which I co-wrote with two other authors.

Here’s what the book’s about:

Late at night, on an amateur ghost hunt, Sabrina and her best friend Q are caught trespassing by the gorgeous, blonde Jude. The embers of attraction between them sizzle when they discover Jude’s kinks match their own. Jude is a Dom on his last summer of freedom before starting the prison sentence that is med school. Q is a badass bi switch who knows what she wants, and for years it’s been her cute, doe-eyed straight friend Sabrina. But the only way for Q into Sabrina’s heart and panties may be with Jude’s fist wrapped in her hair.

Domming the bratty Q and mischievous Sabrina isn’t going to be easy but Jude relishes the challenge. At the end of the summer, will they find a way to stay together when everything is tearing them apart?

So it’s a BDSM contemporary romance with a ménage and Mff sex scenes as well as quite a few girl on girl kissing and sex scenes.

People often ask how the three of us came to write The Dom with a Safeword – after all, it’s uncommonly difficult to get along with one other writer enough to do a book, let alone three!

We three became friends first – I already knew Leia Shaw, of course, as we wrote 31 Flavors of Kink together. And when we discovered that Sorcha was a good writer, despite being new and a bit clumsy with the grammar, we considered doing a book together (Her writing is now awesome, by the way). We all wanted to try contemporary fiction but all of us were more comfy with fantasy writing. Things rolled out from there.

It became quite simple for each of us to slip into one character and we alternated chapters as the points of view (POV) changed from one person to the next. We came to know our characters so well that we would often alter the dialogue or body language someone else wrote in. I was the sexpert (lol) as I seem to write those well, and Leia was the US dialogue and humor coach.

I won’t say who wrote what, though I have mentioned it elsewhere. You can guess. We critiqued each scene anyway, and swapped, and so things merge to a degree. I also wrote the sex and some of the kissing scenes told from Leia’s character’s POV.

So there are three characters and each chapter is labeled with the name of the character whose POV it is.

We figured out the people and plotted it first, though that did alter a bit as the story progressed. Mostly we wrote it in time sequence, but toward the end we overlapped so as to get it finished.

The book was released early on the 28th of October, because of worries Hurricane Sandy would mess up our release plans. Our first review on Amazon:

5 Stars

“Absolutely LOVED this story! It was so hard not to fall in love with Jude! The story of Jude, Q and Sabrina was adorable! Such a wonderfully written piece where everyone ends up happy, even if there is a heart breaking moment of separation. I thoroughly enjoyed this story of the dom/sub play, and it truly showed the respect and unconditional love a Dom has for his submissives. A fantastic read!”

Kayla-Marie

Excerpt from The Dom with a Safe Word by Cari Silverwood, Leia Shaw, and Sorcha Black

Here’s an excerpt where Sabrina has found herself bent over and pinned facedown to a table by Jude.

Jude lifted his hand from her lower back and the spot felt suddenly cold. She almost complained but caught herself. No way would she give any indication she enjoyed this. When his hand came down again, she could tell he was gathering handfuls of her dress. Inexorably, like the raising of the curtain on a stage, he was hauling it up.

Then the hand dragging up her dress switched from hard and heavy, to a lighter grasp. Q had taken over the task while Jude went back to holding her down at neck and lower back. Her dress was staying on. The threat of sudden, terrible nakedness was gone.

Yet that hold of Jude’s on her – so firm, unrelenting, and male. His calluses rubbed her nape. He’d shown her such consideration without relinquishing a single bit of control. And without him speaking a word to her, she felt their connection sink in, from where his palm touched her skin, and spread through her flesh.

The hem of the dress reached her upper thighs. Trembling, she adjusted her grip on the tablecloth, and put her forehead to the cloth. If they looked, they’d see her thong was drenched.

A touch of cool night air hit her bared ass. So vulnerable.

Q came into her vision again. She looked down at Sabrina curiously.

Maybe she could appeal to her too-nice side.

“Q,” she said in a small voice. “Just…just be nice.”

Q smiled. A good sign, right? “I don’t think you really want me to be nice, little girl.”

Learn more about Cari Silverwood at her website.