Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 284
December 31, 2017
Ready to take on 2018? First, a quick glance back at 2017…
Where did 2017 go? Dang, for me, it was a really short year! Must have been busy.
I hope you all stay safe tonight! I’ll likely be snoozing by the time the big apple or peach drops since I’ve been up since 3:30 AM—darn insomnia!
And just because I love to celebrate my accomplishments (who else will?!), I’ve posted last month’s releases, in case you missed them, and I’m giving you the great big list of all my 2017 stories. Prepare to be amazed. LOL!
Now, go stock up on champagne and noise-makers!! See you in 2018!
A Quick Recap of December!
Soldier Boy
Texas Cowboys, Book 3
Just home from war, Mac McDonough is in a world of hurt only a woman can cure. Her jealous stalker doesn’t stand a chance…
Fresh from war, “Mac” McDonough wants just two things: whiskey to drown the pain in his damaged leg and a woman. But one look into Suki Reese’s haunted eyes, and he knows she needs the kind of muscle only an ex-soldier can provide.
Mac’s brooding gaze and hard body leave Suki Reece breathless and disturbed. The rugged ex-soldier won’t listen to a word she says until Suki distracts him with a sexy striptease. That gets his attention. Suki may have gotten the upper hand, but Mac is going to be on top.
Wolf Moon Rising
Beaux Rêve Coven, Book 3
In Jefferson Parish, deep in the bayou, is a place called Bonne Nuit. Off the beaten path, isolated by swamp and connected to the sea, there the Beaux Rêve Coven thrives.
Five witches…Too many demons to count…
Aoife is the flightiest of the sister witches, and she has a secret, one her mother warned her to keep close to her heart. Her father was a fairy—which explains her quirkiness and her affinity for flowers. She lives in a cabin on stilts that juts into the bayou, and one of her demon guardians is a werewolf. She’s attracted, but how would he feel if he married her, fathered a child, and that child disappeared into the land of the fae?
Desperate to find a solution to her dilemma, she flees her guardian’s protection. Her last hope is to enlist her father’s help. Plead her case. Her happiness, and that of her one true love, Sigurd, depends on whether she can escape this fairy curse.
Arctic Dragon
Standalone
Escaping her destiny for a day in the human world, a snow maiden, is rescued after her horse bolts, and then is brought to an isolated cabin by a recluse—a handsome, gifted artist, living alone in an arctic wilderness…
Headstrong, and seeking a little respite from a suitor’s relentless wooing, Queen Larikke rides the arctic wind far beyond the bounds of Northland, only to have her horse bolt at a shot from a hunter’s gun. Her rescuer is a handsome, mysterious man who lives alone in the wilderness, his cabin filled with erotic images of women. Rather than fearing her fate, Larikke sets out to seduce him, hoping for one last fling before she settles down to do her duty and wed.
Thinking he was saving a life, Drake dragged a very strange woman home, stripped her, and warmed her by his fire. Now, he finds his long, self-imposed isolation may have made her allure impossible to resist, and Drake fears he’ll harm her if he shares his special kiss.
45 for 2017! Uh, actually more!
This is the list for 2017! I’ve highlighted my personal favorite stories in red. And note that numbers 29 and 30 are multiples, so my actual total sits at 51, I think. So, I don’t blame you if you haven’t caught up! 
01/10/17 – STEPBROTHERS STEPPING OUT: ULTIMATE COLLECTION, Box Set
01/24/17 – RIDE A TEXAS COWBOY, reissue
01/31/17 – SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT, Texas Billionaires series
02/14/17 – HARD SEAL TO LOVE, Uncharted SEALs series
02/19/17 – FUN WITH DICK AND JAYNE, reissue
03/11/17 – BEGGING FOR IT, reissue
03/24/17 – SWEETER THAN HONEY, reissue (Indie)
03/28/17 – STEPBROTHER’S STEPPING OUT: WITH HIS SEAL TEAM-4, short story
03/31/17 – SADDLED, reissue
04/08/17 – RAW SILK, reissue
04/11/17 – WHO’S YOUR DADDY, Texas Billionaire Club series
04/18/17 – BAD TO THE BONE, Night Fall series (Indie)
05/06/17 – UNBRIDLED, Lone Star Lovers series, reissue
05/10/17 – STEPBROTHERS STEPPING OUT: WITH HIS SEAL TEAM-4, short story
05/16/17 – UNFORGIVEN, Lone Star Lovers series, reissue
05/20/17 – NERD’S BLIND DATE, short story
05/27/17 – JANE’S WILD WEEKEND, reissue
06/02/17 – FOUR SWORN, Lone Star Lovers, reissue
06/08/17 – BIG SKY SEAL, Uncharted SEALs series
06/13/17 – BLUE COLLAR, Boys Behaving Badly series
06/16/17 – BREAKING LEATHER, Lone Star Lovers series
07/07/17 – HEAD OVER SEAL, Uncharted SEALs series
07/14/17 – FOUR-GONE CONCLUSION, Lone Star Lovers series
07/18/17 – ON FIRE, Anthology with Cleis Press
07/26/17 – LOVE & WAR, Texas Billionaire series
07/28/17 – TWO WILD FOR TEACHER, Lone Star Lovers series, reissue
08/10/17 – REINED IN, Lone Star Lovers, reissue
08/15/17 – LONG HOWL GOOD NIGHT, Night Fall series, reissue
08/21/17 – * DELTA BLUE series x 5, reissue
08/21/17 – * DELTA HEAT series x 3, reissue
08/24/17 – HANDY MEN, reissue
08/31/17 – FAMILY VALUES, Lone Star Lovers series, reissue
09/08/17 – FIRST KNIGHT, Night Fall series, reissue
09/14/17 – ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, Beaux Reve Coven series, reissue
09/21/17 – SEAL ESCORT, Uncharted SEALs series
09/27/17 – THE BOUNTY, short story
10/12/17 – WEARING HIS BRAND, Texas Cowboy series, reissue
10/19/17 – UNDER A BLOOD MOON, Beaux Reve Coven series, reissue
11/02/17 – THE COWBOY AND THE WIDOW, Texas Cowboys series, reissue
11/09/17 – BIG BAD WOLF, Night Fall series
11/14/17 – REAPER, Montana Bounty Hunters series
11/21/17 – WITH HIS SEAL TEAM-PART 5, Stepbrothers Stepping Out series
12/05/17 – SOLDIER BOY, Texas Cowboys series, reissue
12/12/17 – WOLF MOON RISING, Beaux Reve Coven series
12/20/17 – ARCTIC DRAGON, reissue
December 30, 2017
Plans for New Year’s Eve and Three Stories Coming Soon! (Contest & Excerpt)
Just one more day until we party like it’s 2018! Woohoo! Do you have big plans? A party? We’re still on grandma duty, so likely, we’ll raise our glasses early before my dd heads to grandma’s, and I bed down on the sofa at her place to watch the kids, while my SIL’s watching over restless prisoners at the county jail. Well, they do say you should start the year the way you intend it to go. We’re thankful for jobs, thankful to still have grandma with us, and I do love spending time with the kids, so there you are!
I’m busy still looking at this last chaotic year and making plans for 2018. Plans that include new stories for you! And, hopefully, a few of trips. I’ll be in Nashville in March for a readers’ conference, Hawaii in April for a writers’ retreat (!!!), July in central Arkansas for another writers’ retreat, and lastly, I plan to be in Florida in October for a big writers’ conference. Four trips! I feel guilty about the expense and the time away—don’t most mamas feel that way, too?
Anyway, below are three stories dropping into Kindles very soon! Bound & Determined is coming January 9th! The other two are February releases. Drool away!
Click on the covers to reserve your copy!
Contest
For a chance to win a free download of one of my recent releases—your choice—tell me what your New Year’s Eve plans are!
Excerpt from Bound & Determined
When the DJ’s speaker set crashed to the floor as the first women to arrive rushed the tables nearest the stage, Tara Toomey scrambled for a replacement and chalked the mishap up to high spirits.
When one of the volunteers carrying a tray of Jell-O shots tripped, and cherry and lime gelatin slid in glistening trails down his face and naked chest, she laughed as eager women offered to lick him clean.
However, it wasn’t until one of her staff whispered in her ear that she knew she was in for a long night. The main attraction had yet to arrive.
She crushed her dog-eared copy of the “Hook-up” program in her fist and headed toward the old-fashioned, double swinging doors, ready to stomp all the way to Redbone Ranch to drag his butt to town.
As she passed excited, tittering women her smile felt strained, and her nerves stretched taut. The “Annual Honky-tonk Hook-up” had always been a good time, but this year she wished she hadn’t been so quick to volunteer her bar again. Sure, it was good for business and many of the “blow-ins” from Houston, San Antonio, and San Angelo returned throughout the year because they enjoyed the event and Paraiso’s authentic western ambience.
But Tara wished she could return home, crawl into bed, and pull the covers over her head. The last thing she felt ready to do was watch one particular cowboy strut his stuff across the stage and land in some other woman’s clutches—even if it was just one night, completely innocent, right, and for a really good cause. The fact he might blow off the auction pissed her off almost as much as the thought of the spectacle he’d cause if he did finally make an entrance.
If anyone thought splintered speaker casings or a little spilled Jell-O were trouble, they hadn’t seen a room full of women erupt in the wake of one seriously sexy cowboy.
The thought soured her stomach. Still, she had a part to play in tonight’s festivities. Everyone seemed to think it was her job to make sure that cowboy showed up because she was one of the few true friends he had. And after all, his picture in the auction advertisement had been the big pull.
Too many gussied-up women crowded the entrance to the bar, and the line wrapped twice around the narrow foyer. Not that anyone complained about the wait as bare-chested men wearing tight jeans, cowboy hats, and wicked smiles carried more trays laden with drinks down the long line.
Rather than wade through the cloud of perfume when all her “polite” was gone, Tara swept past the sign-in tables where volunteers busily took the women’s cash and handed out programs, shiny Mardi Gras beads, and wooden bidding paddles.
The combined scent of expensive perfumes made Tara’s nose twitch, so she pivoted on her heel and stomped toward the side entrance, reminded again about the cause of her agitation.
Perfume was like doe piss to this horned buck—irresistible bait. So where the hell was he?
“He’s late!” a high-pitched voice squeaked behind her.
Tara didn’t even bother trying to pretend she didn’t know who he was, or that she didn’t know he hadn’t shown. Any woman with an ounce of estrogen in her veins would feel the tingle the moment the cowboy sauntered into the room.
“Tell me something I don’t already know,” Tara muttered, pausing at the door to shoot a glance over her shoulder.
Meaghan Garrity, the event’s “man-wrangler”, trotted toward her, her anxious gaze rising over the top of the clipboard she clutched to her chest. Spots of hectic color glazed each pale cheek. Her long red hair escaped the untidy knot at the top of her head in long curling tendrils. “Didn’t you tell him he was second on the program? We can’t start until he gets here.”
“He’ll be here,” Tara bit out, and then forced a smile. No use getting Meaghan more nervous than she already was. He wouldn’t stand them all up, would he?
Even as she said it, her stomach churned. There was only one thing that would keep the cowboy from his adoring fans. An easier fish to land–one he didn’t even have to bother moving his adorable tail to find.
Tara wondered what her name was, and the image of a beauty with her head snatched bald flashed through her mind. But she pasted on a smile to reassure her friend, while inside her anger began a slow, hot boil.
Leave it to Cody Westhofen to keep three hundred intoxicated women waitin’ on his sweet ass. Does the man think his sex appeal will forgive all sins?
Tara carefully ignored the little voice inside her that screamed an emphatic “Yes!” Instead, she murmured, “Think that man would miss a chance at addin’ a hundred more numbers to his little black book?” Although she began the statement as a joke, anger scraped a sharper edge toward the end.
Tara caught herself before she began a rant, afraid Meaghan, whom she’d known since kindergarten, would wonder why one slow-as-molasses cowboy could get under her skin. After all, Tara was known for her ready smile, even temper, but especially, her cowboy-proof armor.
She shoved her crumpled program into Meaghan’s hand. “Um…I’ll check outside and see what’s keepin’ him.”
“Or who! Better check back seats!” Meaghan whispered loudly. “That man can’t take a step without trippin’ over a droolin’ woman.”
With a wry twist of her lips, Tara pushed open the glass door to step out into the parking lot.
Outside, stars twinkled above the spotlight that illuminated the gravel lot overflowing with cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks. More vehicles lined the road leading to the bar for as far as she could see. Luckily, the southerly wind that had whipped up the stink from the stockyards earlier had changed course. Although a little humid, the air was sweet and cool.
Muffled music and laughter sounded from the building behind her, but for a moment, a peaceful calm surrounded her. Tara closed her eyes and dragged in a deep breath, sure this would be the last time she’d get a chance to relax tonight.
Gravel crunched behind her, and her eyes shot open. Thick, corded arms encircled her waist, a cowboy hat held in one hand. The crisp scent of spicy cologne tickled her nose. “Hey darlin’, afraid I wouldn’t show?”
Even if he hadn’t spoken first, she’d have known it was him. That telltale tingle raised goose bumps all over her body.
Tara stiffened and her eyes slid open, but she didn’t push the arms away. The snug pressure provided a moment’s reassurance however empty the promise.
She slid her hands over the tops of his and squeezed. “Cuttin’ it a little close, aren’t ya, cowboy?” she said, hoping she didn’t sound as breathless as she felt. “The natives are gettin’ restless.”
“Been waitin’ on you, sweetheart. Thought I’d let you get mad enough to wrestle me inside. You know how much I love to get you riled.” Cody’s arms withdrew, but before she had a chance to light into him good for being late, his hands gripped her hips and twirled her around.
And although she knew peeking up into his face would spell the end of her self-possession, her gaze rose to lock with his for a long charged moment.
Even in the shadows, shards of pale electric blue pierced the night. Whoever didn’t think there was a God had never looked into Cody’s bluer-than-blue eyes. Their gazes had never lingered over the width of his shoulders, the masculine curve of his jaw, the strong jut of his square chin and straight nose.
With a body made for loving and hair so pale and silky it captured light like a halo around his head, a woman could be fooled into thinking he just might be an angel incarnate.
Until they saw the wicked curl of his lips—a smile so seductive, so sensually ripe, it triggered a primal response an octogenarian nun couldn’t deny.
Trapped against his naked chest, Tara dug deep for any frayed fragments of pride she still possessed and scowled. “What do you think you’re doin’? Anyone could look outside and see us.”
“What do you care?”
“I’m not your girlfriend,” Tara growled. “And I don’t want to be mistaken for one of your goodtime squeezes. I’d just as soon keep it on the down low that I’ve succumbed a time or two to your charms.”
Cody’s brows drew together, deepening the shadows engulfing his eyes, making his appearance seem a tad sinister. “Ashamed of me?” he asked softly. “Or are you ashamed you want me?”
Tara shivered, whether from the cooling tension in his voice or her own tightly wound anger, she couldn’t have said.
Her last speck of self-respect kept her frowning, denying his overpowering attraction. “No, I’m not ashamed of you, and I’m woman enough not to be ashamed all my parts seem to function just fine when you’re around, but I do have a reputation to uphold. If anyone found out I’ve been sleeping with the biggest womanizer in Texas, it would be ripped to shreds.”
“Sure sounds like shame to me.”
The easy, sexy slide of his voice told her she’d amused him. Cody always said he knew when she was lying because she talked too much without saying anything at all.
She took another deep breath to calm her racing heart. “I just don’t want everyone knowin’ my business. And since there isn’t really anything for them to know—I mean, it’s not like we’re a couple, right?—I’d just as soon not ask for trouble.”
“What kinda trouble you expectin’?”
Tara rolled her eyes. “You’re kidding, right? Trouble follows you everywhere you go! That wasn’t you Brandon Tynan took a couple of swings at for gettin’ fresh with Lyssa? Sarah Michelson didn’t almost get arrested for indecent exposure when she cornered you in the bathroom?”
“No man’s gonna punch me out for messin’ with you. They’d probably pin a medal on my chest for havin’ the guts. And I didn’t ask Sarah to follow me inside the bathroom.”
“No, you didn’t, but she did. And she wasn’t the first to throw herself at you. Do you think I’d have a business left if half my customers, the female half, decided to boycott me?”
Cody snorted. Then his lips stretched again into a smile. “You’re not makin’ any sense at all. Tonight got you rattled, sugar?” His hands slid up and down her back in an attempt to soothe her.
Her irritation spiked like oil breaching a well-head. “Cody, we don’t have time for you to play with me. Besides, would you want any of those women you’re trolling for tonight think you’re already taken? They don’t know you like the rest of Paraiso does. They might think you actually do have a loyal bone in your body.”
Cody’s lips tightened for a second then relaxed, slowly sliding into his trademark smirk. “Gimme a kiss for good luck?”
“Do you promise you’ll get your butt inside if I do?”
“Lady, don’t you know all you have to do is ask? Your pleasure’s all mine.”
She stifled the sigh sifting between her lips. If only that were true. “Well, I’m askin’.”
“For a kiss?”
She wrinkled her nose at him and forced a light-hearted laugh. “You’re impossible.”
His grin stretched. “And you’re beautiful.”
His head bent towards hers, and Tara forced herself to turn her head to the side. “This isn’t part of our agreement,” she whispered.
“It’s just a goddamn kiss,” he growled.
“Anytime you want to change the rules…”
His hands tightened on her waist. “Maybe those rules should be up for renegotiation. All I want’s a kiss. Not anything I’m not gonna give a dozen women tonight.”
“You’re wasting time.”
“You wanna explain what kept me in the parking lot?”
Tara tightened her lips and turned her head toward him. “Be quick.”
“Stubborn woman,” he said softly as he bent toward her.
A smile tugged at her lips as he bent over her again. No way was he gonna let a woman have the last word.
All her arguments bled away as he closed in. She pushed aside her concern that anyone might see. She’d waited all night for this kiss. Not that she’d let him know it. And lordy, he didn’t disappoint. Never did.
Never mind his mouth would be kissing dozens of lips before the night ended. For this moment, he was all hers.
His firm mouth captured hers and began a sexy, circling glide that sent an electric jolt of awareness straight through her. Her pulse began a delicious throb, her nipples beaded, and moist little tugs of arousal stirred between her legs.
She gasped against his mouth, and his tongue swept inside to ravish. A low, throaty growl rumbled from his chest into her mouth, and he jerked back his head. “Damn. Do we really have to go inside now?”
“It’s that or risk having three hundred women descending upon us mid-stroke in the parking lot.”
He settled his forehead against hers. “I love when you talk dirty. You should do it more often.”
“It’s a sad fact it doesn’t take more than ‘hello’ for you to get horny. Better get inside. Meaghan’s gonna have a coronary. And you forgot your shirt.”
“No, I didn’t. Just didn’t want it disappearing like the rest of my clothes did last year.”
“Women takin’ souvenirs?”
His grin stretched wide. “Will you fight them off if they manage to get my pants this year?”
Her glance fell to the blue jeans lovingly curved over the bulge at the front of his pants and the leather chaps that encased both of his thick, muscled thighs. “Why on earth would you think I’d care?”
His eyes narrowed, falling to her mouth.
She fought to keep her lips from thinning or Cody would know she was lying. Another little “tell” she’d never known she gave away—until he’d mentioned it.
His chest expanded around a deep sigh. “You sure know how to sink a dent in a man’s ego.”
“Someone has to give it a prick every now and then or you’d be a complete jerk.”
“Why do you put up with me if I’m such a pain?”
Tara felt her face and chest warm. “I live in hope of seeing you hog-tied to one woman some day and lovin’ it.”
His snort jerked back his head. “Better plan on livin’ a long, long time, sweetheart.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “You had your kiss…”
His hands dropped from her hips. “Guess Meaghan’s havin’ kittens right about now.”
“Kittens? I’m havin’ goddamn orange tabbies and alley cats!” Meaghan shouted from the side door. “Get your butt inside before they start a riot!”
December 29, 2017
Yasmine’s Room: Want 2018 to be fantastic?
Want 2018 to be fantastic? Yasmine’s Room wants to help you invite more Love, Pleasure & WellBeing into your life!
Thank you, Delilah for the opportunity to write and share with your audience!
The new year is upon us once again. With the beginning of every new year, we immediately create a list of goals, or resolutions on how to change and better our life. How many resolutions did you fulfill last year? How many have you listed for this coming year? Do any of your listed resolutions allow you to love yourself more, find more pleasure daily, increase your wellbeing?
We want to suggest scrapping the whole resolution thing, and make yourself only one promise that will change your life. It doesn’t cost a thing, and really works.
Here’s how you begin: look at yourself in the mirror, make eye contact and say the following promise to yourself outloud:
“I pledge to invite and allow more love, pleasure and wellbeing into my life, every day, starting today.”
Write this down, post it in places you will see it every day, say it outloud to yourself every morning.
Why?
“Because you yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” Buddha
Here’s how to put the above promise into action!
LOVE
Love yourself. Many women go through life looking for love, looking to receive love and to share love. However you can’t experience love fully until you love yourself completely. Here’s a technique to start the process and receive the love that is waiting for you.
Again, look in the mirror. Look deeply into your eyes and say to yourself, out loud with feeling:
I love you. I am worthy, strong, beautiful, capable and deserving of all that is good and waiting for me.
This may be hard for some of you, but make this a daily morning practice (combine with the promise above for quicker results!) As you begin to get comfortable with declaring love for yourself, your daily life will begin to change. You will be more open to receiving love, and your decision making will be based on your needs and which choice will contribute to your wellbeing. You will begin to subconsciously make yourself a priority.
For more tips on self care and allowing more love into your life, download our free Self Care Guide here.
PLEASURE
We deny ourselves pleasure all the time, but pleasure is essential to living a happy, joyful life. Pleasure is not about having that second muffin, or that extra drink. Pleasure is about feeling happy, satisfied, and joyful. The feel of soft sheets on a cool bed is pleasurable. The feel of your lovers hand on your arm is pleasurable. Laughing with friends is pleasurable. When we feel pleasure, we release oxytocin, our feel-good hormone. During sex and orgasm, we release endorphins, hormones that contribute to feelings of euphoria. Make a list of what brings you pleasure, and incorporate one or more into your everyday routine.
Click here to read our blog on 10 Things that can give you Pleasure right now!
We’ve got a lovely shop of luxury adult toys, lubricants, massage oils and more. For being a valued member of Delilah’s audience, use coupon code LUVDELILAH for 20% off! Click here.
WELLBEING
Our focus at Yasmine’s Room is on the wellbeing of the whole woman, inside and out, head to toes. Holistic health is impossible without exercise, sexual wellbeing and a positive outlook. So how to accomplish such a tall order?
Start with mindfulness. Bring yourself to be here, now. What is it about this moment that you enjoy? For me it is the sound of my pen on the clean sheet of paper, writing these words you read now, in other words, creating.
Another way to increase your wellbeing is to have a good night’s sleep. If you are having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or feeling refreshed when you awaken, then it’s time to create a sleep hygiene routine. The better you sleep, the better you will feel, the healthier you’ll become. All this will add up to you feeling happier.
Read our blog to help you create your own sleep hygiene routine, “Want to feel better? Get a good night’s rest.”
*~*~*~*
If you’ve enjoyed this guest blog, you’re invited to join us at Yasmine’s Room here. You will receive monthly information on health, sex, and overall wellbeing, plus alerts on specials, and access to free romance stories, chapters and erotica in your inbox.
Are you a Romance or Erotica author?
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December 28, 2017
Anni Fife: A Pathological Fear Of Writer’s Block! (Giveaway)
I have a pathological fear of writer’s block! The very idea of joining the ranks of pantsers—those that write by the seat of their pants—gives me waking nightmares. I’m an ardent planner. I like to detail every scene, then move on to the research, and end by checking that my character development and arcs are complete. This works because when I start the actual writing of my novels, I can focus on the creative process without panicking about what is going to happen next.
To say that things didn’t go as planned when I finally sat down to write Gray’s Promise, is like Nora Roberts saying she likes to write a bit of Romance—an understatement of note! I hadn’t even reached the end of Chapter One, when I realized Gray and Zoey’s journey to their happily ever after was going to be so painful and intense, and so darn beautiful, that a complicated suspense plot was only going to distract from their explosive relationship. Without hesitation (but after two shots of Tequila), I threw out my intricate suspense plot that had taken me months to plan and research, and replaced it with an evil much closer to home. But this still wasn’t enough. I decided to also rework the physical relationship between Gray and Zoey because their sexual chemistry might have been as combustible as dynamite, but it was also intricately linked to their long and unbreakable bond to each other. Complicated emotional factors (clear in the story when you read it) determined I delay the actual consummation between them. This presented a huge challenge because I had to find a way to make their sexual encounters smoking hot without them actually doing the deed until the final chapter of their story.
Yowza! The love scenes between Gray and Zoey ended up being the hottest scenes I’ve ever written, most likely because the emotion between these two complicated characters is intensely raw, but also because Gray is just that darn hot!
I hope you enjoy the blurb and the short excerpt I’ve selected that gives you just a hint of the heat between Gray and Zoey.
Wishing you all an awesome festive season…and hours of happy reading.
Anni x
Gray’s Promise
A jealousy that destroys everything in its path…a love that refuses to die.
Zoey Morgan seems to have it all as a successful surgeon in Boston. However, perfection lies only on the surface. Plagued by nightmares and amnesia from a tragedy that ripped her family from her fourteen years ago, she finds the courage to reach out to the only man who can make her feel safe. She’s buried the memory of their love, but her heart—and her body—responds to the ex-marine in ways that are all too familiar.
Grayson “Gray” Walker’s heart shattered when Zoey chose another man over him. Since then, he’s built an impenetrable wall around his emotions. But from the moment she implodes back into his life, her vulnerability breaches his defenses. His skills as an elite member of the King Security team cannot shield him from the devastation of learning he might have left Zoey high and dry when she needed him most. Now, Gray must navigate the tripwire of helping her heal while protecting himself from being hurt again.
As the embers of their potent love reignite, an old threat awakens, leading to greater danger than ever before.
EXCERPT
The porch door was open, letting a soft breeze move through the cottage. I breathed in the dewy dampness, and a faint pain echoed near my heart. If I closed my eyes, I could almost hear Mama chattering to my dad in the kitchen. She always got up early to make breakfast. The memories were buried but when they surfaced, they were mine to treasure. I drank my coffee and washed down the last of my cinnamon roll. And with it, gently nudged the memory away.
The breeze gusted and I brushed away a curl of hair fluttering in my face. Gray was cracking eggs now and a wave of lust crept over me. His easy—and mostly naked—confidence in the kitchen was weirdly heady. An image of his face when he came last night slipped into my mind. The dampness in the air transferred to my skin and I shivered, goose bumps prickling up my arms. Jeez. He was so sexy. Even more than I could have ever imagined. Rubbing at my goosies, I peeked at him through my lashes. A vague heaviness fluttered in my tummy. He was confident and seductive as hell, but he was also holding back. He might have had reason last night, but I wasn’t going to let him get away with it for long. Gray’s running days were coming to an end. Soon.
“Butterfly.” His sexy growl demanded my attention. He was sipping coffee, his electric gaze focused on me. “You wearing panties?”
BUY LINKS
Amazon.com – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077KRRX15
Amazon.uk – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077KRRX15/
Nook – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grays-promise-anni-fife/1127486541?ean=2940158745911
Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/gray-s-promise
iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/grays-promise/id1315176273?ls=1&mt=11
Bookstrand – http://www.bookstrand.com/grays-promise
The Wild Rose Press – https://wildcatalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-erotic/5486-gray-s-promise.html
OTHER BOOKS IN THE KING SECURITY SERIES
Luke’s Redemption (King Security Book 1)
A RONE Award Finalist for Steamy Contemporary
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/Lukes-Redemption-King-Security-Novel-ebook/dp/B01M4ITMS7
RAFFLECOPTER – GRAY’S PROMISE RELEASE GIVEAWAY
Start Date – 8 December 2017
End Date – 8 February 2018
Prizes:
3 x eBook copies of Gray’s Promise
ENTER Gray’s Promise Release Giveaway!
You can be a lucky winner of one of three free copies
of this #Must Read new release. Good luck!
ABOUT ANNI FIFE
Anni Fife is an exciting contemporary romance author who has already made her mark in the popular genre of Steamy Romantic Suspense. Her debut novel, Luke’s Redemption, has been acclaimed by critics and readers and was a Finalist in the 2017 RONE Awards. Anni says she credits Kristen Ashley as her guiding inspiration, and strives to make her characters equally as heart-wrenching and unforgettable. She is currently working on Eva’s Peace (King Security Book 3).
Last year, Anni closed the door on a successful career in television production to fulfill her lifelong passion, writing. In the space of a month, she shut her business, packed up her city life, and moved to a small seaside village. When she’s not writing, she can be found on the beach searching for pansy shells, or drinking red wine and gabbing with her gal posse.
If you want to know when Anni’s next book is releasing and be first to get regular updates and BONUS TREATS, visit her website and sign up to join her POSSE.
Anni is published by The Wild Rose Press, and is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA).
ANNI’S SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
You can read all about Anni on her website, and join Anni’s Posse to get regular updates and Bonus Treats—www.annifife.com
Or LIKE Anni on Facebook—https://www.facebook.com/AnniFifeAuthor/
Or follow Anni on Twitter—https://twitter.com/AnniFifeAuthor
Amazon— https://www.amazon.com/author/annifife
Goodreads— https://www.goodreads.com/AnniFife
BookBub— https://www.bookbub.com/authors/anni-fife
December 27, 2017
Lindsay McKenna: Why I wrote BOXCAR CHRISTMAS
When I was six years old, 1950, we lived on an island in the middle of the mighty Snake River near Ontario, Oregon. At six, I was going to the first grade. But there was a huge hurdle I had to walk every day to go meet the school bus. There was a huge train 3-span bridge stretching across the Snake River. And I had to walk it.
I don’t know if you can imagine this but my Scorpio mother taught me how to walk across it BY MYSELF after she showed me how to do it. There was a big problem: I was dizzied by the brownish/green water far below me if I looked down. And I’d lose my balance. The chances of me falling off the bridge were very real. Consequently, I learned to walk those trestles above the water WITHOUT LOOKING DOWN, which increased exponentially, my miscalculating and stumbling and thereby, pitching off the bridge, falling into the water and drowning. Even at five, I understand all of that! In 1950, there were no safeguards on bridges for anyone, much less a 5-year-old little girl.
My mother worked, so she too had to walk across that bridge twice a day, too. She would park our car on the bank, near the bridge, and walk across to our home on that island. She taught me that if a train came? I was to lay down in the middle of the tracks, flatten out and keep my arms and legs within the rails while the train passed above me. That way, I’d survive. Otherwise, I wouldn’t.
Now, it’s 2017. Can you imagine ANY mother doing that nowadays with a 5-year-old, much less a child of any age under 18? I’m sure you wouldn’t. She did NOT accompany me across the bridge after that—I was on my own. She was already at work and couldn’t do it even though she wanted too. My stepfather was too injured from the war to do much walking, so that was out, too. BUT….we had Blackie, an older Border Collie, who we found on the island when we moved into the house. He adopted us.
And he would accompany me to the bridge, stand watch, but not go across it because he was frightened of it, too. So was I. My greatest fear was not hearing a train coming behind me and then having to do my safety thing to survive it. That scared me more than walking across the three-span bridge. Blackie would then meet me in the afternoon when the school bus dropped me off and I had to walk the bridge to get back home.
I loved that dog with my life. He sensed how frightened I was of that bridge, sensing that if I looked down, I’d get dizzy, lose my balance and fall in and drown in the Snake River. He was my guardian.
I wanted to write a book about a Border Collie based upon my childhood experiences with Blackie. I wanted to honor him and his breed. So, there’s lots of wonderful emotions I was able to write into BOXCAR CHRISTMAS and I know my readers will feel it as they read Freya’s story of survival. And how she helped her 2 humans immensely and in important ways after they rescued her.
I went through a LOT of stock photos to find Blackie. I wasn’t sure I would, but as luck would have it, I did. And now the Border Collie on the book’s cover looks EXACTLY like my beloved Blackie. Every time I see that cover, I smile and my heart expands with love for my guardian angel dog who met me every day for a year when I had to walk that train bridge over the Snake River ;-).
BOXCAR CHRISTMAS
One train car. Two lost souls. Five adorable puppies.
Travis Ramsey is back in Hamilton, Montana, after 10 years serving as a Delta Force operator in Afghanistan. Now responsible for his dad’s fishing guide business, Travis has to deal with his increasingly distant and difficult father, and guilt over his brother’s death. His life takes a turn for the better when he meets Army vet Jesse Myers. Jesse is taken with his grandparent’s quirky boxcar cabin and wants to rent it. Taken by her beauty, and the familiar haunted look in her eyes, he makes her a deal. He will rent the boxcar to her for free in return for her help in making renovations.
December 26, 2017
Finishing up the year… (FREE READ & Upcoming Class!)
We’ve just whizzed past Christmas. It’s on to the New Year! Here are a couple of things you might want to check out!
FREE READ
Over on the my collections website, I’m giving away this free read!
If you’d like a copy, here’s where you go!
The Bounty
This story was so much fun to write! It first appeared in Blue Collar, and so inspired me that I had to start a new series of books centered around Montana bounty hunters. Check out the first story in that series, Montana Bounty Hunters: Reaper.
About “The Bounty”…
After bucking her trainer’s orders during a takedown, a female bounty hunter proves she’s more than ready for the job..
FOR AUTHORS!
JANUARY PLOTTING BOOTCAMP!
This message is for any authors or aspiring authors who might be interested in some intensive help developing their next stories.
Don’t let that word “intensive” scare you away; I’ve led newbies, as well as multi-published authors, through our plotting process numerous times. Everyone comes away with new knowledge and insight, or at the very least, some terrific brainstorming support!
While lessons and exercises will be posted throughout the month of January, this is truly a self-paced class. We all have busy lives, and the workshop is designed to accommodate any schedule. Enjoy the pitch below!
ROSE’S ONLINE PLOTTING BOOTCAMP
Dates: January 8 – February 2, 2018
Last date to register: January 8, 2018
Cost: $50.00—cheap, considering everything you get!
Your DI (Drill Instructor): Delilah Devlin
Offered through: www.rosescoloredglasses.com
What you can expect:
LOGLINE (Lunges)
PREMISE (Pushups)
CHARACTER (Strengthening exercises)
CONFLICT! CONFLICT! CONFLICT!
Breaking through the STORY STRUCTURE stronghold
Battling the PLOT LINES
We do more in one month than some people do all year! Get tough! Get motivated! Get plotting!
Join your Drill Instructor, Delilah Devlin, to learn a methodical approach to harness your creativity in order to produce an in-depth plot for your next novel.
Sound scary? It is!!!! Especially when you’re staring at an empty page without a compass and a map to guide you through the novelistic jungle. Your DI will lead you through four weeks of tactics, exercises, and training that will help strengthen your abilities. Delilah will accomplish this with weekly lessons, bi-weekly chats, and daily online communication. Join her for bivouac in January!
Join this elite force now!
For those who don’t know, my sister and I co-founded the website for writers called Rose’s Colored Glasses in 2004. From that site, we run a critique group and provide workshops—some free and some for pay. In January, I will be leading a month-long plotting bootcamp. It’s a great time to join—something you can do to kick off the New Year! Join me if you can! ~DD
How’s our workshop different from every other one out there? I’ll provide feedback and brainstorming every step of the way!
Interested? Follow this link to sign up:
http://www.rosescoloredglasses.com/Online%20plotting%20boot%20camp.htm
And feel free to pass this along to anyone else you think might be interested with my thanks!
December 25, 2017
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
…from my family to yours! ~DD
December 24, 2017
Cynthia Sax: Sexy Female Vs. Male Fight Scenes
In Dark Warlord, my story in the absolutely awesome Alien Alphas box set, the Barbarian Warlord hero, Batu, battles Genine, the warrior heroine, in the fighting ring. This might not seem like a great premise for a SciFi romance. The hero is battling the heroine. One of them might die.
I think it is super hot. During the battle, the two of them are focused fully on that moment, on each other, noting the look in their opponent’s eyes, the way her feet are placed, the heaving of his chest. It’s physical. There’s touching, the bumping of bodies, the slap of skin against skin. The hero grunts with exertion. The heroine is covered with the sheen of sweat. The passion from the fight quickly flows into another type of passion.
There have been some great female vs. male fights in fiction, on TV, and in the movies. Three of my favorite fight scenes in movies also have that ‘will they kiss or won’t they?’ tension in them.
The T-850 vs T-X battle in Terminator 3 was awesome. They were breaking down walls, setting off sprinklers, trying to set faces on fire. I knew they were enemies and more machine than human but I really wanted them to have sexy times.
The fight scenes in Mr. & Mrs. Smith were so steamy; I think we all predicted Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie would be more than friends. When he does that ‘come fight me’ flick of the fingers and she absolutely gives it to him, my toes curled. And then that hot kiss after the gun standoff? That was Sexy with a capital ‘S.’
Hawkeye and Black Widow’s fight scene in The Avengers also got my heart pumping. He pulls her hair. She bites him. Their bodies were pressed together during the standoffs. I thought, for certain, he’d kiss her (but he, unfortunately, didn’t).
Those are three of my favorite female vs male fight scenes in movies. What are yours?
Alien Alphas
Alien Alphas: Twenty-Three Naughty Sci-Fi Romance Novellas
Fierce warriors. Savage barbarians. Powerful warlords.
All ready to claim their mates.
Alien Alphas is a collection of panty-melting sci-fi romances, featuring dominant alien heroes, penned by New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling authors. This decadently naughty box set includes twenty-three ALL-NEW, stand-alone novellas full of hot alien alpha males, breathless passion, and reluctant surrender. Take an exhilarating trip beyond the stars with this limited time only bundle that’s sure to leave you turning the pages late into the night.
Featured authors: Cari Silverwood, Cynthia Sax, Renee Rose, Lee Savino, Addison Cain, Kallista Dane, Maren Smith, Ava Sinclair, Sue Lyndon, Emily Tilton, Ashe Barker, Korey Mae Johnson, Grace Goodwin, Ivy Barrett, Jane Henry, Jaye Peaches, Katie Douglas, Lili Zander, Loki Renard, Maria Monroe, Megan Michaels, Myra Danvers, Sara Fields, and Sophie Kisker Publisher’s Note: The stories featured in this collection involve MF and MFM pairings. They include spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this box set.
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0785FQ2BH/
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alien-alphas-grace-goodwin/1127581629
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/alien-alphas
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=wURBDwAAQBAJ
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1321113956
About Cynthia Sax
USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Sax writes contemporary, SciFi and paranormal erotic romances. Her stories have been featured in Star Magazine, Real Time With Bill Maher, and numerous best of erotic romance top ten lists.
Sign up for her dirty-joke-filled release day newsletter and visit her on the web at www.CynthiaSax.com
Website: http://cynthiasax.com/
Newsletter: http://tasteofcyn.com/2014/05/28/newsletter/
Facebook: facebook.com/cynthia.sax
Twitter: @CynthiaSax
Blog: http://tasteofcyn.com/
December 23, 2017
Flashback: Hotter With A Pole (Contest)
Christmas is almost here! And so much is happening in my world, I’m having a hard time catching my breath.
Some of you may remember that, last year, my family was dealing with my then 97-year-old grandma who had fallen and broken her back. After spending time in rehab, she was moved home, and our family pitched in to give her round-the-clock care. Well, this year is a new crisis. Beginning about two weeks ago, her health is failing, and despite the doctor’s best efforts, and ours, she’s declining. I suppose it’s to be expected at 98, and she’s ready for it. Still, we’re all very saddened, and we’re back in “pitch-in” mode.
My dd is her nighttime care-giver now. My SIL just started a new job with the sheriff’s office and works nights. So, guess what my job is? Yeah, I’m the kids’ nighttime babysitter. They are running me ragged, and my working hours have been slashed. We’re all tired and squeezed. No complaints though. Grandma and the kids come first.
So, here’s hoping your holidays are more joyous and restful than mine!
Contest
Comment for a chance to win one of my Delta Blue or Delta Fire stories!
Hotter With A Pole
Noah hopes buying the classic ’68 Camaro from a fellow firefighter’s widow will ease some of the grief weighing down his heart. When a noise under the hood sends him looking for a mechanic, he finds so much more. Big and burly Hoyt grabs Noah’s attention right off, and not just because of his bad-boy biker looks and ice-blue eyes. The fact Hoyt is a Dom and a member at Club LaForge certainly interests Noah.
Hoyt never thought he’d feel that rush with a man again after his partner died, but his body certainly reacts to meeting Noah. LaForge seems like the perfect place to meet and work off some energy and explore this sudden flood of desire. The heat between them starts to burn through their emotional barriers, whether the men are ready to make a deeper connection or not.
Read an Excerpt
Noah stopped before the sign at the intersection. One right turn and one block’s drive, and he’d be at the fire house.
His fingers tightened on the leather-wrapped steering wheel of the Camaro. He still didn’t think of it as his Camaro. No one at the station would either. It was Danny Truitt’s car.
And the only reason Noah was driving it now was because Danny was dead.
“Huh.” Noah rubbed the pain over his heart. It was funny, but even thinking those words still had the power to make his chest tighten. Which made driving his buddy’s car feel somehow disloyal.
When Melody, Danny’s widow, had offered the car for sale to someone at the firehouse, he’d been sure Coop would take it. Coop had been Danny’s best friend, but Coop had stayed in a deep blue funk for weeks after the accident. Melody had wanted the car that had been Danny’s pride and joy out of the garage because she said looking at it hurt. When Coop walked away, Noah, who had always admired the car, paid her better than market value for the black 68 Camaro with white racing stripes stretched over the hood, but then he’d only stored it in his apartment building’s parking garage under a tarp.
Today, was the first time the car had been driven since he brought it home. And he was taking it to the station. Farley Russell, the grief counselor working with the men at Firehouse 69, said it was time to own it. Let the guys feel the punch to the gut when they first saw it. Danny was gone, but they needed to move through their grief, to talk about the things they’d loved about Danny—and his cherry Camaro he’d spent so many hours restoring was one of those things.
Every one of the guys at the firehouse had lent a hand with the car at one time or another. Whether helping to change the oil or apply a layer of Turtle Wax to the fresh paint job, they’d bonded over the car that had been a regular fixture in their parking lot.
Noah nudged the gas pedal but rather than getting a steady purr and moving into the intersection, the car sputtered and died. He twisted the key in the ignition, listened to the metallic grind as it started up, then put it into gear again and pulled forward. As soon as this shift was over, he’d drop it at the repair shop just around the corner from his apartment. The old girl needed a tune-up and likely a new starter, and he wasn’t willing to tinker under the hood. Not without Danny standing at his elbow to supervise.
A minute later, he rolled into the station’s parking lot, cut the engine and climbed out of the car. The bay doors were open, and the guys from the previous shift were beginning to filter out into the lot, heading to their own cars. Their gazes snagged on the Mustang, but other than a nod to him, they quickly looked away and moved on.
He made his way through the bay and into the open recreation room. The smell of bacon frying made his stomach lurch. As he’d feared, the guys on his shift lined the window facing the parking lot, Coop at the center, hands on his hips.
Noah stiffened, waiting to see how they’d all react, but especially how Coop would. He didn’t want to rub salt into a gaping wound. Wouldn’t have dared if Russell hadn’t suggested it.
Slowly, Coop glanced over his shoulder. His crooked smile was at odds with the stark look of his blue eyes. “She looks great. I can tell she’s in good hands.”
Noah gave him a nod, and feeling lighter, headed toward the locker room to stow his gear.
His gaze went to the new guy’s locker—Danny’s old locker. A gold plate replaced the temporary masking tape label. Luke Harris seemed to be all right. Seemed a good fit. Ex-military and older than most rookies, he hadn’t made any mistakes, so far, and he’d been a good sport about the probie hazing rituals. Last shift when his cot had collapsed due to a few loosened bolts, he’d laughed and settled back, hands behind his head, announcing he preferred a firm mattress.
Noah stowed his gear and ambled back to the rec room. The men had moved away from the window. The TV blared with the morning news. Luke was busy ladling scrambled eggs into a dish. Coop was seated at the table with a cup of coffee in his hand.
Noah poured himself a cup and took his usual seat beside him.
“I’m serious. I’m glad you took the car. Danny would have liked that.”
Noah nodded. “Melody wanted it gone. If you ever want to take it off my hands…”
Coop arched a brow. “What? You don’t like it?”
“Of course, I do. I love it, but you were his best friend.”
“Then shut up.” Coop’s smile was sad, but relaxed, something everyone at the firehouse was relieved to see, because he’d been a walking dead man since the roof collapse that had claimed Danny. Noah could only imagine the guilt Coop had felt, however misplaced. He’d been on the roof standing right beside Danny. But shit happened in fires.
“I’m coping better these days,” Coop said, “but I don’t want the car. Besides, Moira and I are talking about getting married, and we’ll be looking for something more family-friendly.”
Noah’s jaw dropped just a little. He was happy for his friend. “Seriously?” He playfully punched his arm. “You dog.”
“Yeah. Things are good.” His gaze went to the window. To the car. “Just wish Danny had met her.”
“Melody already thinks of her as a sister.”
Coop made a face. “I’m just glad no one’s blabbed to Mel about how we met.”
Noah choked on his first sip of coffee and quickly set it down. “What did you tell her? I know she had to have asked.”
“I told her I met her when I was out clubbing with the guys.”
Noah chuckled. “Kept it close to the truth. Smart.”
“Will we see you there tomorrow night?”
The way Coop asked, too casual to be real, had him giving Coop a steady stare. “She talked you into it, didn’t she? You’re going to play on a stage.”
Coop grimaced and took a quick sip of his own coffee. Then he cleared his throat. “With Britney and Anton.”
Noah’s grin stretched so wide he felt the pull in his cheeks. “No shit.”
“So if you don’t go tomorrow night…”
He knew Coop was asking him not to come. It was bad enough he’d be showing his junk to a crowd of strangers. Noah patted his shoulder. “Of course, I’ll be there. A show of support. Wouldn’t want you to be putting on a scene without anyone there to watch.”
Coop rubbed his eyes and then gave a rueful shake of his head. “If I didn’t love her…”
Luke Harris approached the table, and Coop and Noah quieted. The new guy wasn’t aware of their shift’s extra-curricular activities at Club La Forge. They didn’t know him well enough or trust him to keep quiet about the fact they all frequented a BDSM club. Everyone except the LT and the new guy was aware.
Drawn by the smell of food, the rest of the firefighters on the shift gathered around the table, helping themselves to biscuits and gravy, bacon, eggs and toast. “This is good,” Noah said, reaching for the Louisiana Hot Sauce.
Luke smiled his thanks. “Hard to screw up breakfast.”
They laughed, thinking about the spaghetti he’d made the last shift that had stuck together like a giant dumpling.
“Never had to eat spaghetti with a knife before,” Gage Eastwood said in his gruff voice. “What new culinary delight are you gonna inflict on us tonight, Harris?”
“Thought I’d try meatloaf.”
“Noah makes the best,” Lieutenant Knox said, giving Noah a steady glare.
“Yeah, I’ll show you how I make it,” Noah said, then ducked his head and kept eating. It was time to treat the guy like one of the crew. He’d earned his spot the last few times out.
And it was time to stop resenting the fact he’d replaced Danny. Wasn’t his fault Danny wasn’t there. “I’ll show you how to make scalloped potatoes like my mama, too.”
Gage groaned. “Love your mama’s potatoes.”
Noah glanced around the table, happy to be among his crew and feeling lighter than he had since that fateful day when the roof collapsed beneath Danny’s feet. They were all moving on. Not that they’d ever forget, but at last, the raw agony of their loss had passed.
Farley Russell had been right. The Camaro might always be Danny’s, but it also belonged to the firehouse. And he belonged to it as well. Past and present pulling together, knitting as cleanly as a healing fracture.
Coop kicked his foot under the table and nodded toward Luke Harris. “Think it’s time to feel him out?”
Noah studied Luke for a long moment and nodded. He’d been a Marine. Knew how to be loyal. And he seemed to want to belong. There was nothing like bonding with a group of guys bent on playing rough. “While we’re cooking dinner…”
They glanced around and snagged Gage’s gaze. Gage as always was perfectly in tune with their conversation even if he was across the wide table from them. He grunted and stuck another forkful of eggs in his mouth.
Noah could almost read his mind. “Gettin’ too cozy here,” he’d say. Not that Gage missed a Friday at the club either. Friday night was time to play, to get their sexy on, and try things they’d never have dared on their own. Where else could a guy paddle a woman he had tied up and bent over a bench and not worry he’d overstepped? Not with skilled Doms watching over them.
Not that Noah liked spanking girls. No, he was discovering a side of himself he’d never have known if not for the freedom afforded at the club. For nothing gave him greater pleasure, made him harder, than bending over that bench himself. The first time Anton had raked his balls with the soft strands of a flogger, he’d nearly shot off like canon.
When Anton had ringed his cock to prevent his orgasm, he’d been shocked, not because Anton was handling his junk—he’d watched him handle Coop’s without Coop getting too bent out of shape—but because he’d liked the idea of large firm hand gripping his cock.
At first, repulsed by the thought, he’d grown more accepting. The club did that. Seeing men and women float from male to female partnerings, learning the ins and outs of that lifestyle, he’d grown inured. And the fact some of their good friends were in ménage relationships where the men interacted as easily as they did with the woman who completed their trio, made it feel more…natural.
Still, Noah had yet to act on the yearnings that had been building inside him as night after night at the club, he watched men taking dicks in their asses and their mouths, and he wondered what it would feel like. Whether he was just curious or whether he would love it. But he worried about doing it in a public setting. Definitely, not on one of the stages or anywhere inside the salon. Maybe in private. Away from prying eyes, while he came to terms with what he might be and what he might need.
He didn’t think the guys on his crew would look at him any differently. They’d seen too much real shit to care which way his dick swung. But firefighters as whole were a macho group. Others wouldn’t be as accepting.
If he was actually gay. But that wasn’t even something that bothered him at the moment. He wasn’t looking. Experimenting at the club was simply showing him there were other options. At the moment, he’d only admit to being curious.
He spooned egg onto a biscuit and broke two pieces of bacon in half and stacked them on the sandwich.
Gage perked up across the table from him and made his own sandwich.
Sure enough, a second later, tones blared, followed by the dispatcher’s voice. A structure fire. Apartments. People trapped.
“Damned uncanny,” Gage barked as they hotfooted it to the truck in the bay, his sandwich in hand.
Noah shrugged and hurried along. So, he had these feelings every now and then, something seemed to tell him when a call was coming. Firemen were a superstitious lot anyway. He didn’t think too hard on it.
Putting his sandwich in his mouth to free his hands, he stepped into his turnout gear, eased his boots on, and then climbed into the truck as he closed his jacket. Once inside, he glanced across at Gage who was busy stuffing the rest of his breakfast in his mouth.
Gage gave him a nod, and Noah finished his own sandwich. Then they both gazed out the window, getting ready for the next battle, and praying silently they wouldn’t lose anyone else.
The next morning, Gage pulled into the automotive shop and cut his engine. He sat for a moment, breathing in the fresh air, feeling light and happy—surprisingly fresh given the fact he hadn’t slept a wink during his shift.
It had been a good fire. Yes, several units of the apartment building had been left charred hulls—but no one had died. He’d rescued a baby from a crib before the smoke had roiled in to smother her. Retrieving a dead child from a fire was the worst fate a firefighter faced. A save was the best. Once he’d placed the crying infant in her mother’s arms, he’d felt like a superhero and was reminded why he loved the job.
All the firefighters had looked up as he’d handed over the little blonde-haired cherub and smiled. The mood at the station had been happy even if they were dead tired.
When he entered the auto shop, a young woman with a dirty blonde ponytail sat at the desk.
She glanced up and offered him a smile, and then her gaze went to the Mustang just outside the door. “You’ll want Hoyt.” She raised a hand and pointed inside the garage. “He’s working on the Beemer.”
Noah entered the shop and passed a row of empty, rectangular pits, heading straight toward a shiny black BMW, the hood raised, a tall figure bent over the engine.
He couldn’t help but look. “Hoyt” was a husky dude, thick arms and thighs, a tattoo ringed the upper arm exposed by the rolled sleeve of his t-shirt—something black and tribal. But Noah’s gaze didn’t linger there. He noted the long black hair tied back and the stubble on the side of a firm jaw.
Noah cleared his throat. “The lady inside said I’d want you.” A flush heated the back of his neck when he realized what he’d said.
Hoyt glanced to the side then straightened, reached into his back pocket for the greasy bandana hanging there, and wiped his hands before offering one to Noah. “Did she now?” His gaze narrowed and gave Noah a bold onceover.
Had he been checking him out? Noah’s stomach tightened. Felt…fluttery. The blush spread across his cheeks. He jerked his thumb over his shoulder toward the lot outside. “I have a Camaro.”
Hoyt’s mouth quirked up on one side.
Noah couldn’t help but drop his gaze to that smile. He didn’t miss the sparkle of humor in Hoyt’s pale blue eyes.
Feeling flustered and not liking it one bit, Noah turned on his heel and walked through the garage doors to the car.
Outside, with the sun beating down, he felt more in control, until he reached the Camaro and turned. The closer Hoyt drew the more unraveled he became. Damn, he liked the way the other man moved. His hips rolled. His long legs ate up the pavement as he neared. He moved gracefully, like a big cat. Every move economical. The front of his dark tee depicted a Harley and a local bike club’s name. Already in his mind’s eye, he was picturing Hoyt in black leather pants as he strapped him to a St. Andrew’s cross.
“I haven’t driven her much since I bought her,” Noah blurted. “She died at an intersection yesterday, and ever since, she grinds when I twist the key.”
Hoyt grunted and held out his hand for the keys.
Noah passed them and nearly groaned when Hoyt’s gaze snagged on the La Forge key fob in the shape of an iron anvil. From the way he hesitated, Noah had the sneaking suspicion the other man recognized it.
Hoyt opened the door and slid behind the wheel, taking a second to adjust the seat backward to accommodate his longer legs. He adjusted the throttle and turned the key. A grinding sound was followed by the slow tumble of the engine as it roared into life.
“Your starter’s going.”
“Yeah, I figured it was the starter.”
Hoyt glanced around the interior of the car, his lips pursing as he gave a slow whistle. “She’s in nice shape.” He glanced up, his gaze squinting. “Might take a while to get the part.”
“It’s an old car. I figured that too.”
Hoyt smiled. “Need a lift home or are you going to keep driving her until I can get the part in?”
It was on the tip of his tongue to tell Hoyt he could drive it home and park it, but the thought of sharing a ride with the man…
Excitement stirred inside him. That look had probably meant nothing. The other man might even be mocking his interest, but on the off-chance the spark was returned, he nodded. “Yeah, I could use a ride.”
December 22, 2017
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