Eve Langlais's Blog, page 141

A Stubborn Bear Who Fights His Attraction

Just after seven, Jan poked her head into Reid’s office. “I’m leaving, boss, and so should you.”

“I will as soon as I get done here.” And by done, he meant staying late enough to ensure Tammy would be abed—without him.

“Done what? Travis and Boris don’t leave until the day after tomorrow. That leaking hydraulic line is going to have to wait until Danny opens his shop in the morning. You’ve got no paperwork left on your desk, and you’ve yet to eat a proper meal today.”

Because the meal he wanted wasn’t on the menu. “I had a large lunch.”

“For a supposedly big strong bear, you’re an awfully big pussy.”

“For an animal lower than me on the food chain, you’re treading a thin line between friendship and dinner.”

A perfectly groomed blonde brow arched as Jan sassed, “Big tough guy doesn’t want to admit the cute little human scares him, so he resorts to threatening his perfect secretary.”

“Perfect?” He snorted. “I don’t know if I’d go that far.”

“Hey, if you can lie about your attraction and avoidance issues with the city girl, then I can pretend I’m in the running for a major raise and employee of the year award.”

“I don’t know what makes you think I’m attracted to her.”

“Let’s see. When she was here yesterday, you paired her with the oldest, most solidly married guy on staff to take her on tour.”

“Tom is knowledgeable.” As well as very dedicated to his wife. Not that the thought crossed his mind when he selected him.

“You called Ursula about six times today to check on her.”

Actually it was eight, not that he counted. The stupid call log mocked him the last time he went to dial. “She’s a guest in my home.”

“And if I told you that Ursula left for her knitting group and the human is alone?”

Alone, wearing those ridiculous pajamas that begged for a big strong bear to shred them from her body?

 

Signed Paperback Giveaway – Kodiak’s Claim

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Kodiak’s Claim
by Eve Langlais

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Milly Taiden and Unexpectedly Mated

After years of lusting over Jake Wolfe, Nicole Acosta finally got a taste of the dirty-talking bad boy. During the scenting ceremony, he showed her how explosive things can be between them. But Nicole doesn’t do love. She doesn’t even know what love is. So how can she know if a relationship with Jake would be the right path to take? Jake Wolfe wants Nic more than his next breath. She’s curvy, mouthy and so hot his blood boils just thinking of her. But Nic’s been keeping him at a distance. And Jake is tired of her games. One fateful trip to Sin City and all bets are off.  After a fun night of drinking, Nic wakes up married to Jake and with a second shifter wanting her for himself. She’ll have to finally face the feelings she has or shut them out forever. Their newly formed bond will either allow her to open her heart to love or leave Jake without a mate to call his own.

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Excerpt:

Property of Latin Goddess Press

© Milly Taiden 

FOR CRYING OUT loud! Nicole Acosta tugged the earpiece out and glared at it. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Emma, heck, most of the time she pretty much ignored her friend. Emma was just…bossy. Yeah, bossy. But tonight, that wasn’t the problem. She glared into the darkness. There better not be any mosquitoes or she’d go ballistic. Already her skin crawled with the thought of what could be in the area.

She shoved the ear piece back in.

“It’s only for a little while,” Jordan said. “We’ll be out of here in no time, Nic.”

Right. Not frickin’ likely. She bit her lip to swallow the yell she wanted to throw at her friends. There were bugs all over the place and she and bugs did not mix. She’d have to buy new trainers after this. There was no way in hell she’d wear those mud-covered ones again.

“It’s not the end of the world,” Emma whispered. “We all agreed to come and do this for Ellie. Just suck it up.”

Suck it up? Easy for her to say. Emma loved the outdoors and all that stuff. Outdoors to Nic meant the park. Or the pool. Now here she was, like a deranged teenager, spying on a scent ritual that was sacred to Ellie’s people. All for what? To catch a glimpse of Jake Wolfe. That philandering mutt.

She couldn’t help herself, she peeked over the ceremony site where Mrs. Wolfe or as she preferred to be called, Barbara, motioned the guys into the woods. Ellie said they’d be on watch. Something moved on Nic’s leg. Oh God. Was it a snake? She peered into the darkness and swatted away whatever crawled on her.

The things she did for her insatiable crush on Jake. It’d been that way from the first time she’d met him. And what a way to meet a man that had been. If first impressions were everything, Nic got the best first impression of Jake ever. She’d visited Ellie’s house for a weekend sleepover when they’d been in college. Their gazes met and she swore she’d been electrocuted. She’d been rooted to the spot like an idiot, staring at his hunkiness in all his wet and naked glory with stars in her eyes. Well, that’s what he loved to tell her.

From that moment on, Nic knew she couldn’t let Jake get to her. He was the world’s biggest flirt, used to women falling to his feet. And while she wasn’t familiar with the whole love thing, she knew all about lust. He’d smiled one time. That’s all it took. For him to show her that dimple she adored and her girly bits had readied for surrender. Not to mention her brain cells had gone AWOL. It was pathetic. It was also the reason why she’d let herself get talked into sitting on a picnic blanket, with her knees to her chest. She still couldn’t figure out what made the noise in the grass.

Maybe Ellie was wrong. What if there were snakes there? A firefly zoomed around her. She watched the tiny bug light up the dark with its yellow glow, zipping and buzzing back and forth in front of her. Some bugs weren’t so scary. From far away.

Her attention shot down to the blanket in the darkness. She’d swear it moved again. Her mind ran on overdrive and she knew the likelihood of her seeing shit that wasn’t even there was big. She took a deep breath and sighed. Her muscles ached from how tense she held herself. The night’s coolness did nothing to stop the heat from the earlier part of the day. Her tank top stuck to her back. She yanked on the front part and blew on her boobs. Thank goodness she was alone or she’d look so stupid doing that.

The others had gone silent. She wondered what they were up to. Where they as freaked out as her? Probably not. She’d bet Emma would live in the damn forest if she got a chance. Leaves crunched from a nearby bush. With an agility she knew she didn’t possess, she got on her knees on the blanket. The noise in the trees increased. Fear froze the blood in her veins. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears along with the sound of the harsh breaths that struggled in and out of her lungs. There was a wild animal near her.

Holy. Shit.

“Oh, hell no!” There was no way she would sit around to find out what the heck was in the bush. She struggled to her feet. Her leg had gone numb so she had to put her weight, which was not just a couple of pounds, on her other leg. Screw the video, she’d return in the morning and remove the camera.

She bent and yanked her bag from the blanket. Something poked at her ass. She turned on her heel to run. Her knees hit a big lump of…fur? Her body did a full flip over the big furry body and she landed on her back with a thud, half on and half off the blanket.

“Ouch!”

Within seconds, a furry face she knew all too well came into view.

“Jake?”

The big wolf lowered his head down to her face and licked her cheek. Figured. He was such a horndog. Even in his animal shape, he was still a flirt.

“Jake, I’m sure you have better things to do than scare me half to death.” Then, when she remembered where she lay, she scooted up to sit on the blanket. “I need to get out of here before something else crawls on my leg.”

Jake growled. She widened her eyes in disbelief. “Did you just growl at me you big mutt?”

The wolf prowled around her in a full circle. She couldn’t figure out what the hell Jake thought he was doing, but she had to get off that grass. There was shit in it and she couldn’t see it for the life of her. She lifted a hand to her ear. The others were much too quiet. Her hand touched a small diamond stud. She’d lost the ear piece.

“Fuck!”

Jake growled again.

“Shut it, mutt. If you’re not here to help me, then you better go,” she hissed, then tapped the massive wolf’s nose and turned. Now on all fours, she tried to peer into the darkness for the ear piece.  “This is the shit I get into for minding other people’s business. If I’d have stayed home and bought shoes online, this wouldn’t have happened,” she mumbled, feeling along the blanket for the small piece of technology. “I could be having a nice Apple Martini or a Cosmo and watching my man Vin Diesel riding the streets in his latest flick. But no, I had to come here to see what all the fuss was about with mating between shifters.”

She didn’t care that she continued to ramble while Jake, in the form of a wolf, stood behind her. The idea of him as nothing more than a possible pet was easier to handle than his sexy human face. Or those big arms. Or those washboard abs. She gulped. Crap if she continued to think of him as a man, she’d end up all kinds of turned on.

If she started thinking of him naked she’d be in all kinds of trouble. That had been the worst way to meet a man. Although with his body, it was probably the best unexpected nudity she’d ever come across. Her first time in the Wolfe household and she’d opened the wrong door to see Jake. A very wet and naked Jake that had just showered. Her mouth had dropped open, ready to apologize, but then he’d smiled. She’d been a goner ever since.

So many years had passed and he’d never let her forget that day. From then on he’d flirted endlessly with her and did his best to taunt her into seeing him as more. Only with Jake, more came at a price. From what she knew he wasn’t interested in anything long-term, much less a serious relationship. Not

that Nic wanted long-term commitment either. She wouldn’t mind long-term fun though. And Jake the dirty-talker could probably make her come with just the things he said to her. Christ. Most of the time their conversations ended with her rushing home to take a cold shower…with her vibrators.

Jake was another story. According to Ellie he didn’t even have a cell phone on contract because he didn’t like commitment. That spoke volumes of him. It didn’t stop the fact that Nic had developed some feelings for Jake. Feelings she didn’t like to think about most of the time. Emotions were dangerous. She wasn’t familiar with them much and preferred to keep them as far away as possible.

“Nic…”

Hearing Jake say her name made her squeal. Before she could catch her breath, his hands were on her hips, pulling her back into him. Air caught in her throat. He gripped her waist. Held her captive. The hard bar of his cock pressed at her butt, the thin spandex from her yoga gear no match for his hardness.

“Jake…” What? Her throat went dry. She didn’t know what to say, only that she really liked how good he felt holding her. How wet it made her to feel him pressing on her ass.

“God, Nic,” he growled softly. “I love how fucking good you smell. You’re hot for me. Aren’t you, sweetheart?”

Where is a park ranger when you need one?

The wolf got the first volley—technically his second, making it his unlucky day. With a low howl—that surely meant, I’ll be back to get you, bitch—he broke off from the tussle and ran. The bear seemed intent on chasing it, but just in case, Tammy decided additional incentive was called for, and given the large target before her—AKA its fat, hairy ass—she fired. And hit!

The bear roared, and it was uncanny how that sound made her think of Reid when she clobbered him with a frying pan. His grandma was right. He does sound like an ornery bear.

Before she could go looking for him, because the newest round of gunfire didn’t bring him running, another giant wolf came bolting from around the side of the house, its shaggy head turning for a moment to peer at her. Its vivid eyes caught her gaze with an intelligence surely imagined. This second canine beast loped after the injured wolf and bear. Well, after the wolf at any rate. The bear had another idea. It seemed her attempt to send it on its way had backfired.

Uh-oh.

Yeah, it was dark, the sliver of moon barely lighting the yard, but there was no mistaking the way the bear halted in its tracks. Turned. Faced her. Snarled. Stood, and oh yes, began walking in her direction.

“Oh fuck me to hell and back,” Tammy cursed as she reeled back into the false safety of the house. Her fingers fumbled for the ammo in her pockets, the simple act of reloading betrayed by the shaking of her hands.

It didn’t help that the upright bear roared. Not a happy roar. As if such a thing existed.

Where was a picnic basket or a park ranger when you needed one?

R.E. Butler has a new Wiccan Bear Story :D

Natural Wiccan Arissa Kensington takes a job at the vampire club, Fang, in an attempt to help protect the vampires’ mates who are being targeted by anti-vampire fanatics. She expects to perform protection spells and help out around the coven’s office, but she never expects to meet her mate or that he will have flashing purple eyes and double fangs.

One thousand-year-old vampire Brone has spent the better part of his immortal life with a sword in his hand. One look at the beautiful Wiccan, Arissa, and he knows that he’s found his beloved mate, and he’s willing to walk away from everything that he knows for her. When the coven’s enemies attack the one meant to protect them, can Brone get to her in time?

This story contains a vampire assassin, the Wiccan who loves him, a dragon who needs saving, and a heart-stopping battle. Expect possessive vampire behavior, spell casting, a sassy Wiccan, and plenty of neck biting.

Available now at Amazon

INTERGALACTIC HEAT by Jessica E. Subject

a collection of 1Night Stand stories

by Jessica E. Subject

A date on a space station? Alien lovers? Madame Evangeline, owner of the exclusive 1Night Stand dating service is known to be magical in fulfilling the ideal dates of her clients, but she’s outdone herself this time, bring together beings from Earth and beyond. As long as applicants are willing to let go of their pasts and open their hearts and minds, she will find their perfect match, whether they be a former sci-fi television star, a nurse, an employee of the Space Service, a former Marine, or even an extraterrestrial. Because everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after…

 

Available FREE in for your Kindle!

July 31, 2014 to August 4, 2014

 

US | UK | Canada | Australia | Germany

 

Brazil | France | India | Italy | Japan | Mexico | Spain

 

Also available in PRINT from:

 

Amazon (Canada/US/UK) | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | more

 

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/8pY8tDTBhbk

 

Reviews:

Beneath the Starry Sky

“Instant attraction leads to heart pounding passion.” – Coffee Beans & Love Scenes

Celestial Seduction

“If you’ve never thought of the stars as steamy, this [story] with have you rethinking the entire sci-fi genre.” – The Indie Elite

Unknown Futures

“Unknown Futures…was tasteful, yet highly erotic and it handled the relationship between two women wonderfully.” – Tracy Riva Books & Reviews

Satin Sheets in Space

“Jessica Subject is the queen of science fiction romance. Her stories pull you into other worlds where anything is possible. Satin Sheets in Space is no exception.” – Sizzling Hot Book Reviews

Sudden Breakaway

“When Jared and Paige come together…it is hot enough I am surprised they didn’t melt the ice in the hockey rink.” – Cocktails and Books

Author Bio:

Jessica E. Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous. If you’re looking for something really steamy, check out her stories written as Paisley Brown.

When Jessica isn’t reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

Website/Blog | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook

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Excerpts

Excerpt from Beneath the Starry Sky – M/F Contemporary Erotic Romance

She’d held onto so much hope for this date, and nothing had gone right. She still didn’t know who this guy was. Yet, he’d already rejected her with his expression. This is the last date I’m going on, unless I’m lucky enough for my hair to grow back.

His gaze never left her, making her even more humiliated. “You’re….”

“What? Ugly? Bald?”

He shook his head. “No, I was going to say my date. I’ve been so busy lately and Madame Evangeline had to send me a reminder.”

She paused at the Frenchwoman’s name. Could this hunk of a man really be her date? Didn’t matter. He wouldn’t want her now. “Well, surprise! I’m damaged goods, so you might as well leave and ask her for a refund.”

As she slumped to the floor, more tears streamed down her face. Why is life so unfair? She’d worked hard all of her life, never taking shortcuts or the easy way out. Not an outcast or popular, she’d been friends with everyone in school and college. And healthy. She’d taken extra care to eat properly in order to avoid being diagnosed with diabetes, like her parents.

Since that fateful day when she’d discovered her two, oval-shaped bald patches, she’d been dumped by her fiancé and lost all of her hair, along with any chance to find love and have a family vanishing. Kids were out of the question. Sure, their chances of inheriting alopecia were unlikely, but on the chance they did, they’d hate her for passing her faulty genetics on to them. She couldn’t live with that. She’d be alone. Forever.

 

Excerpt from Celestial Seduction – M/F Science Fiction Erotic Romance

Her intensity excited him, but he needed to find a way to keep her calm. She refused to look into his eyes. His mouth crashed down on hers, absorbing her next words. She objected at first, but then her tongue reached out to him, a passionate gesture unheard of on Ginnun.

 

He matched the force of her kiss and skimmed his hands down her arms to rest on her sides near her breasts. She no longer struggled. Her arms wrapped around him, keeping him close. When she released his mouth to take a breath, he sat up. She panted underneath him.

 

“That was incredible. I….I felt like I was flying through space. So many colors and the brightest stars.”

 

He experienced something different. With that kiss, he had finally found someone who could keep him grounded on Earth and repress any regret for not returning to Ginnun. He brushed his thumb along her cheekbone. “I’d like to continue if you’ll let me.” He leaned down and placed light kisses across her face.

 

A sigh escaped her lips and the last of her tight muscles relaxed underneath him. He slid his body down her legs, his hands returning to her belly.

 

“I thought you were going to continue something else,” she whispered.

 

His cock pressed against his pants already. Her sudden interest in sex made it painful. “I want to, but I need to finish giving you this gift.”

 

Her body moved but she didn’t struggle or try to get away. “What exactly are you doing to me? What is this gift? Why was my stomach glowing?”

 

He took in a deep breath and released it a little faster and louder than he’d wanted. He knew the answer would lead to more questions. While prepared to answer them, he didn’t want to scare her away. His response required carefully chosen words to ensure he gave her the gift before he told her of his origins.

 

“I’m healing you.” The blue glow returned across her belly as his hands warmed. “You’ll be able to have a child when I am finished.”

 

Her eyes widened. He sensed her fear, but she didn’t move. “Your child?”

 

“No, I am not giving you a child. That can only be done in the usual ways. I am simply making your body able to become pregnant and carry a child.”

 

Carrie propped herself up on her elbows. Her eyes stared down at her belly, but she remained calm. “How? No doctor could do that for me. How can you? Are you some type of voodoo priest or something?”

 

“No.” He needed to continue and keep his heritage from her for as long as possible.

 

“A religious fanatic who thinks I’m possessed by demons?”

 

Frey laughed. “Nope.” He was almost finished. Just a little longer. The scarring had all returned to normal, healthy tissue. He only needed to stimulate the maturation and release of eggs in her ovaries.

 

“How then? I know you’re doing something to me. I can feel it.”

 

“Remember how I said I needed an open-minded partner?”

 

She nodded, her eyes catching a quick glance from his before returning to her stomach.

 

Just a couple more minutes and he’d be finished. He prepared to hold her down should she freak out when he told her he came from space. “I’m not exactly like you and most of the people on Earth. I’m….different.”

 

“Like a demon or a guardian angel?”

 

He laughed. It sounded forced, but he needed to stay focused on healing Carrie rather than mating with her. “No, you’re thinking paranormal. Try science fiction.”

 

She began to squirm under him, but he didn’t need to restrain her. “A….clone? Artificial intelligence?”

 

He finished healing her and lay down beside her. His thumb ran across her lips, wanting to taste them again, but knowing he probably wouldn’t. “Try alien.”

 

Excerpt from Unknown Futures – F/F Science Fiction Erotic Romance

“Let’s hit the dance floor.” The drinks could wait. She wouldn’t let her guest out of her sight again.

The music thrummed, filling her to the core, preventing her from standing still. She found a spot with just enough room for the two of them. No one else mattered. With each hit of the bass, she moved her feet, her hips, her hands. She let the beat control her body and her heart.

Although others might be watching, her attention remained on Jewel. Each movement, a planned seduction. She couldn’t let her go without trying. When the next song began, Jewel finally relaxed. She moved to the music.

And V moved closer. She slid her hand from Jewel’s waist, down, then back up, swaying in front of her. Only an inch between them. She couldn’t get enough. Her Earth scent became intoxicating.

Beat after beat, song after song, she kept her hands on the sexy woman. She claimed her, telling everyone else to stay away. She wanted to savor her precious body. Maybe she could make her forget about her date.

She pulled Jewel even closer, her sensitive nipples pressed against the woman she desired. Holding her with both hands, grinding against her to the music. Her heart raced with hunger. I want to take her on the floor. Right here. Right now.

But the song changed. The beat slowed, indicating last call. The club would close soon.

Most of the patrons had left. Only those hoping to hook up remained. She stepped back. Jewel would have to make the first move. V could never force herself on anyone.

When Jewel took her hands and placed them back on her body, she couldn’t help but smile. Perhaps the evening would end the way she wanted.

Jewel pressed against her, her head resting on her shoulder, swaying to the decelerated beat. “I don’t want this night to end.”

Their dancing became deliberate, a sensuous and intimate rhythm. “It doesn’t have to.”

Jewel stopped and looked up at her. “You…you’re interested?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? You’re the most beautiful creature in the space station.”

Somehow, she had to make her see. She brushed her thumb across her lips, wanting to touch more, her entire luscious body. Taking a deep breath, V steadied herself. If this were to go any further, Jewel needed to show her own intentions. As warm moisture pooled between her thighs, V schooled herself to patience.

“Are you sure you’re not my date?”

Shit! That damn date, the only wedge between them. “No, but I wish I was.”

“I wish you were, too.” Jewel stood on the tips of her toes and claimed her mouth.

V pulled her closer until the bit of space between them had been filled. Excited by the warm, curvaceous body pressed against her taut nipples, she fed from the sweetness of Jewel’s mouth, drawing out each delicious sweep. But she wanted more. She wanted all of her.

Excerpt from Satin Sheets in Space – M/F/M Science Fiction Erotic Romance

She had her eyes closed, her lips pressed against his, when the sensation started. First, a tingling in her hands and feet, as he swept his digits deep inside her. The buzz spread up her arms and legs until it engulfed her entire body. She no longer sensed the ground below her.

The man continued to drive his fingers into her core with vigor, ridding her of the urge to pull away and find out what was happening to her. She landed with a thud, feeling returning to her limbs. Nothing stopped the man who held her, though. He continued to ravage her mouth, her jaw, her neck, keeping her pressed against the wall.

But something felt different. Gone was the hard brick pressing through her corset and against her skin. She reached behind to brush her hand along the surface. Soft. Almost like cushioned satin.

With a whimper, she pushed the strange man away. Where was she? What had she been thinking? This is the stupidest, most insane thing I’ve ever done.

The Prince Charming she’d had the fortune of being set up with peered down at her, his gaze intense and filled with lust. “My name is Galan, and we’re in my spaceship.”

At least she now knew his name, but wait…. Spaceship? She stared at the man, disillusioned. She could think of no other explanation for how they had traveled to a new location with the press of a button. Oh God, she’d been abducted by an alien. How would she get out of this situation? The first time she’d done something spur-of-the-moment, and she’d ended up being finger-fucked by an extraterrestrial.

Or was this some kind of elaborate stunt Josh had pulled off? But why? He was on his honeymoon, unable to enjoy his handiwork. Her body grew numb; a loud ringing pierced her eardrums. She could no longer think with the clouds invading her mind. Then she blacked out.

Excerpt from Sudden Breakaway – M/F Interracial Military Science Fiction Erotic Romance

Jared shucked his towel and stroked his rigid cock. That woman made him hard every time she came to the door, trying to persuade him to sign up for the Space Service. Her claims had seemed far-fetched when she’d first approached him, yet his commander had confirmed her credentials, having been approached to join by another many years ago. While Jared would never add his thumbprint to the contract he’d read, he wouldn’t mind if she stopped by to try and convince him again.

Ms. Brown, with her black blazer revealing a hint of cleavage and a skirt that showed the perfect curvature of her ass. When he’d answered the door fresh out of the shower and seen her on his porch, he’d gripped the door handle to hold himself back from yanking her inside and tearing off her fine-pressed suit.

He squeezed his balls; no time to jack-off. Dylan and Madison would arrive in an hour, and he had to take one last run through his house to get rid of any lingering dust bunnies before Children’s Services appeared. No obvious dirt in the living room, he headed toward the kitchen, but his mind kept flying back to Ms. Brown.

She had the whole librarian thing going on, with her dark hair tied up in a bun and glasses resting on the end of her nose. Though, none of the women who worked at the local branch made his cock throb. Perhaps there was some truth to the naughty librarian tale. He wished.

Most women’s version of naughty did not come close to his. While the whole BDSM club scene didn’t appeal to him, he enjoyed a little bondage during foreplay. He’d spent months at a time deployed in the Middle East. While home, he appreciated the opportunity to date the pretty women who found a guy in uniform sexy. But once he fetched the cuffs, they bolted. They hadn’t even wanted to use them on him.

Ms. Brown was no girl, though. No more than a couple years his senior, she exuded experience with her seductive glances, her posture that plunged her cleavage into his line of sight, and that damn wiggle of her ass as she sashayed back to her car. She could teach him a thing or two. He yearned for the chance to find out.

No, his next lay could no longer be at the forefront of his mind. In less than an hour, he would become the father-figure to two impressionable young children. His sexual urges would have to take leave for the foreseeable future.

He’d been in his last month of deployment to Afghanistan when the call came in. And it took another day for his commander to reach him with the news. His brother-in-law had been killed in a car accident, leaving his niece and nephew orphans. And as much as he loved the Marine Corps—Semper Fi—he couldn’t let the kids be raised by strangers. They had no other family left.

So, after he returned to the States, he contacted his lawyer and spent a couple of weeks obtaining guardianship of the children. He’d received his discharge papers, found a civilian position working as a desk jockey for the CIA through his contacts with the Marines, and bought a house suitable to raise two growing youngsters. After months of preparation, they were coming to live with him.

He glanced at his watch. Ten minutes until they arrived.

Shit! He’d wasted precious time thinking about Ms. Brown and his new life.

Grabbing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, he yanked them on. Screw the boxers; his niece and nephew wouldn’t notice. He peeked into their rooms to ensure they looked somewhat presentable. Would Children’s Services take them back to California if his new living space didn’t meet their standards?

He groaned. They weren’t even at his house yet, and he’d been distracted. No more. Nothing would come before them. The children would be his priority. Everything he did would be for them, for the rest of his life.

Where’s the party? On Facebook, tonight at 8pm

Kodiak’s Claim Release Party – July 31st, 8pm-10pm EST

Special guest appearances by bestselling authors: Milly Taiden, Celia Kyle, Georgette St. Clair and Cynthia Sax.
Prizes, games, giggles and more …

Lynn Red is back with more Jamesburg Shifters

99c this week only

In a town packed with shifters of all stripes, a cowboy bear with a shadowed past won’t stop until he wrangles the woman of his dreams!

AMAZON | B&N

It’s hard to say that Elena St. Claire – an arctic fox-shifting, private investigator – is “down on her luck.” She’s got stable work, a couple of close friends… but when it comes to finding a mate? All she knows is that if she DOESN’T find one, and quick, she’s gonna go crazy from staring at every bear or wolf who tears through Jamesburg on a motorcycle.

Thomas James Westing – but please, just call him West – is a muscled-up bear who long ago turned to organic farming as his way of keeping his cool. He lives outside Jamesburg, alone, and he likes it that way. Sort of. At least, if he’s alone, his secret – a past filled with rage – can stay that way: a secret.

When West wakes up one morning to find his garden ravaged, he calls the best private investigator in town. He expects to get the case solved, but when a white and copper-haired fox shows up at his doorstep with a cute little snaggle-toothed-on-the-bottom grin, West realizes he just got a lot more than he bargained for: his heart isn’t gonna let this one go. This is a fox he needs to possess, to claim as his mate. If he doesn’t? He might just go straight off the deep end.

The second Elena lays eyes on the dark haired, dimple-cheeked cowboy bear with legs so big they stretch his Wranglers, she knows she’s in big, big trouble… and not just because he’s a big, big guy, but because straight off the bat, she falls real, real hard.

But when petty garden vandalism turns out to be a plot to destroy every single crop in the greater Jamesburg area, can Elena manage to keep West off her mind for long enough to catch a crook? Or will the biggest case she’s ever had bury her – and her chance at the mate she’s always wanted – before they can even kiss?

**The Jamesburg Shifters are a series of standalone novels that can be enjoyed in any order you like. No cliffhangers here!**

 

 

Bestseller Julia Kent has a new release

She dressed professionally, wearing a plum-colored fuzzy v-neck sweater that contoured to the swell of a rack I remembered so well, legs encased in a slim pencil skirt that embellished those creamy hips I could imagine naked with a flicker of memory, lips painted fire-engine red and that maniac-inducing fifties pin-up girl look that I’d dismissed as silly when the girls in college wore it – but that made her smoking hot.

Down, boy.

God damn Charlotte, my ex-girlfriend, had to be here, of all places. At a bachelorette party where I was a stripper, dressed in a cop uniform with pants that suddenly got way too tight.

And she had to be so fine.

“Ooooh, honey, you’re one big officer,” said a sultry voice behind me as I watched Charlotte in the other room, chatting with the bride.

A hand stroked my hip and hesitated before sliding a bit lower, filling a palm with my ass. “Arrest me, Officer. I’ve been a bad, bad girl.”

With one look at the source of the voice, my night went from Oh, man to Oh, no.

That voice? That hand?

That was my mother.

–

Random Acts of Hope is the fourth book in the romantic comedy Random series, and features guitar player Liam McCarthy from the band, Random Acts of Crazy. Five years ago, Liam and his girlfriend, Charlotte Greyson, were deeply in love. When a betrayal eviscerates them both, each clings to their separate truths as an anchor to navigate the perfect storm.

But when the biggest ego in the band reconnects with the only woman who stole his heart, sparks fly in this sequel that asks whether you can believe in the impossible without sacrificing every ideal you hold – in order to find a love bigger than you ever imagined.

Amazon | B&N  | Kobo | iBooks

Kodiak’s Claim has released!

He might growl, but she’s not afraid to bite.


































A BIG bear romance.

Hands full taking care of his clan, the last thing this Kodiak bear needs is a woman poking her cute little nose into his affairs. But when she refuses to back down—and shows the courage to stand up to him—he can’t resist the allure of a curvy city girl.

She’s mine. All mine.

And when a rival clan thinks to use her to force his paw, he’ll show them why you never piss off a Kodiak, or threaten what’s his.

Tammy is convinced men are all scum, even gorgeous ones like Reid Carver. She knows he’s hiding something. Something big. She just never expected a real freaking bear hid underneath all those muscles. But when the truth comes out and he tries to scare her off with a roar, she shows him not just bears have bite.

 

Excerpt:

It took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, and when they did, she got to admire an alien landscape of snow, the surface marred in spots by snowmobile tracks. A distant light on the garage didn’t do much to illuminate the yard, the crescent moon with its wan glow off the snow doing more for visibility. Between the two sources, she had enough light to notice movement coming from the front of the house, a lumbering motion that made its way to the porch steps. Given the proximity, she had no problem recognizing the massive freaking bear that plodded up them. And she meant massive!

Oh my freaking god.

Slowly, holding her breath, she backed away from the window lest the beast spot her and decide a layer of glass wasn’t an impediment to a fresh midnight snack. The problem was, backing away meant losing her line of sight on the bear. But she was safe. I’m in the house. The bear is outside. It can’t get to me here.

Unless it decided to come in.

Her eyes widened and threatened to pop out of her head as she noted the handle to the outside door turning. At that point rationality fled, and she frantically tried to recall what her dad said to do if ever confronted by a bear.

Play dead? She doubted she could fake that, not with fear making her tremble.

Make noise? With what? Somehow shrill screaming didn’t seem like the right approach. But what if she found something noisy to bang and scare it off?

The counter behind her was pristine, but above it, on a suspended rack, hung pots and pans. A plan formed. She’d grab two and smash them together in a symphony of noise frightening the bear—who in some Darwinian feat had learned to operate doors—and hopefully bring someone with a gun running.

She managed to only unhook one large frying pan when the door creaked open—and this was just another good reason to always have the habit of locking them, city living or not. A swirling gust of snow blew in.

Shutting her eyes, snowflakes coated her lashes and when she opened them, she couldn’t make out much detail-wise about the large shape that loomed in the doorway. Didn’t matter. Her father didn’t raise a coward, and she wasn’t about to become a midnight snack without a fight. She let out a battle cry and swung.

Thwack!

“Ow!”

That didn’t sound like a bear. Oops.

Tammy backed away as the lights flicked on in the kitchen. She blinked in the sudden glare, and the crystals on her lashes melted leaving her with perfect—and unfortunate—vision. Uh-oh. She blinked some more. Licked her lips. Wet her panties. And not in fear, even if a bear of a man glowered down at her, his irritation over the lump forming on his cheekbone probably the cause.

‘Are you seriously accosting me in my home, again?”

“I thought you were a bear,” she explained feebly with a wave to the window. “I saw one on the porch, and then something opened the door. I reacted to defend myself.”

“With a frying pan?”

She shrugged. “I had to think fast.”