Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 301
July 17, 2017
Lindsay McKenna: Trapped (Delos Series, Book 7)
Hated enemies. Trapped together. Fight one another? Or fight together and maybe survive? Or maybe die…
Aliyana Montero will do anything to rescue her sister from the ruthless kidnappers who took her from outside the school where she works. Even if that means accepting help from Ram Torres, the most infuriating—and sexy—man Ali has ever met. She and Ram first met on a mission in Afghanistan and they clashed instantly. Ram accused her of being hotheaded and impulsive. She thought he was cold and arrogant. Both refused to acknowledge the heat that flared between them. Now, as her sister’s life hangs in the balance, Ali will have to swallow her pride and once again work with the man who has secretly haunted her dreams.
Read the opening of Trapped …
Sergeant Ali Montero had to admit it—she was worried as hell. She tried to force the snakes roiling around in her belly to stop, but her gut was tight. Worry plagued her as her combat boots thudded down the dirty ply-board floor that was in desperate need of a good sweeping. She knew what was coming: Chief Wyatt Lockwood, the leader of Bravo SEAL team here in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, had requested a private meeting with her. Now, she reluctantly dragged herself toward his office, wishing the reprimand—or whatever he had in mind—was over.
For sure, these meetings were never a good sign. The SEALs she worked with called them “woodshed moments,” meaning you were probably in deep shit and Lockwood was going to let you know it. She’d been with Bravo team for over three months, and now, in June, her number had come up and the shit was probably going to hit the fan.
What had she done wrong? She bit her lower lip, trying to figure out why he’d be calling her, of all people, in for a roasting. Like her fellow SEALs, Ali wore a tan t-shirt and desert camo trousers. Unlike the others, she wore her long black hair back in a ponytail most of the time.
J-bad, in their cramped, one-story brick compound behind the wire, everyone wore a sidearm. They knew their base was a major target for the Taliban, given the SEAL teams’ talent for decimating the enemy. Ali was part of a snatch-and-grab team aimed at killing high-level Taliban commanders or capturing the bastards alive, then handing them over to the CIA for interrogation.
Actually, she suspected she knew what had brought on this meeting. Ever since arriving in J-bad on special assignment to the SEAL team, one guy had put her in his sights: Petty Officer Two, Ram Torres, a Mexican-American born in Nogales, Arizona. For some reason, he seemed to hate her on sight. He’d never accepted her as a part of their all-male team, even after Ali had tried to warm up their frosty relationship. The SEAL would have none of it, constantly turning his back on her efforts to be pleasant.
She wished she could avoid him, but they were a small team and inevitably found themselves thrown together at times they would have preferred never to see each other again. Ever!
Ali slowed down as she approached Lockwood’s office, pausing at his door hanging slightly askew on its hinges. There was nothing perfect about the SEAL group’s housing. The Navy Seabees hadn’t made up this hodge-podge of three-quarter inch ply-board. Rather, the first SEAL units had cobbled it together hastily within the grey cement structure. It wasn’t great carpentry, nor was it an engineering feat to brag about. But it kept them out of the elements and dry, and that was all that mattered.
Taking a deep breath, she looked up and down the quiet passageway. Lockwood had told her to arrive at 0800. To Ali’s relief, the area was empty. She didn’t want her teammates knowing about this—although she was sure word would get back to the guys sooner or later. She knocked firmly on the door, and from the other side, she heard the reply in a heavy Texas drawl, “Mosey on in, Montero.”
LINKS:
KOBO.com
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/trapped-131
BN.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/trapped-lindsay-mckenna/1126323626?ean=2940157541019
July 16, 2017
Toni J Strawn: How to date a supermodel…
Most people have their super crush. The waiflike model, the handsome and alluring actor or the cutest member of the boy band who makes you squeal every time he picks up his guitar. They are the stuff dreams are made of…the accidental meeting where they fall instantly, irrevocably in love, whisk us off to their mansion to live happily ever after.
I’m game! Let me just check with my husband first.
There is a lot of good advice on the internet about how to date a supermodel. To bag a female, you need to be yourself. Don’t be scared to ask. Don’t assume she’d stupid. In other words, be bold and natural and the astute beauty will give you a chance. Said husband will be pleased he’s in with a shot.
Unfortunately the news is not so flattering when it comes to pursuing my dream man. The most prevalent advice given is ‘DON’T’. Apparently, dating a man prettier than you are should be avoided at all costs. The reasons? You won’t be able to wear their shirt the morning after…because it won’t fit you. You will get jealous of seeing your super-stud cozying up to other beautiful people for photoshoots or movie scenes, people you will never be able to complete with. And get this. They will go to lots of parties, which they may or may not invite you too—but if you go, be aware you are likely to be the ugly duckling.
Whaaaa? Talk about double standards. Do females—the same ones who understand how a female supermodel will give anyone a chance if they are true to themselves—in the next breath say females won’t cope with a little healthy competition.
I, for one, don’t believe it. And I will not give up on Max Riemelt, just because I can’t fit into his morning after shirt! Cole Langford got his beauty in The Rebound and he wasn’t nearly as nice about it as I would be. So, leave a comment and share the details of your super crush. What would you be willing to give up to get them?
THE REBOUND
One Night Stand Series
One bite is never enough…
Madison St James’s life was a glittering fairy tale, until her Prince Charming turns out to be Prince Cheating. With the help of a sexy stranger, Madison lets loose her inhibitions for one night of no-holds-barred sex.
It’s hot. It’s sensual. And so real that Madison doesn’t know if she can return to her superficial life, except her mother isn’t going to make her escape easy.
Cole Langford has one of the most powerful names in Maryland, but none of the money and prestige that goes with it. But he knows first-hand about getting knocked down by power-wielding megalomaniacs.
Lately, Cole’s libido’s is MIA, until he finds the very trouble he’s been trying to stay away from in Madison St James. But Madison is like decadent candy, and Cole can’t resist one more bite.
About the Author
Toni J Strawn is the author of the super-spicy contemporary One Night Stand novels, which include His Rules, The Rebound and Her Release, with His redemption coming soon. These can be read on their own, or as a trilogy.
Toni loves everything romance. Hot, bad, crazy, out-of-control romance. In the One Night Stand series the characters are set up for ultimate one night stand, before turning it into happily ever after—no matter how much they have been through. Because everyone deserves to find love. Right?
While not locked away in her Romansion—a tiny writing shed at the bottom of the garden—Toni can be found with super-hubby Chris and the kids, or feeding her addiction to reading…you guessed it…romance ©
July 15, 2017
Back in the saddle… (Contest–3 winners!)
Today marked the end of my weeklong writer’s retreat with Cynthia D’Alba, Parker Kincade, and my sister, Elle James. 
We’ve had a terrific, productive time! Thanks, ladies, for including me!
I didn’t make huge word counts on anything. But I did make progress on some things I probably wouldn’t have tackled…um, this year…or maybe ever. We’ll see how those “things” pan out.
In the meantime, I hope you noticed that I re-released Four-Gone Conclusion. Yes, I know, we all NEED more cowboy-brothers who love to gang-bang the love of their lives stories, right? I hope I met your kinkiness requirement. There are three more refurbed stories to release. When I’m done, be sure to let me know if you want more new stories. If you’re silent, I’ll move on to something else you might love. I take requests, you know. Why else am I writing stepbrother SEAL installments?
As I settle back into my office, do my laundry, visit with the kids, I’m gearing up to finish the first of the Montana Bounty Hunters stories. I loved introducing the agency in my two recent Uncharted stories, Big Sky SEAL and Head Over SEAL—same couple featured, by the way! (Love those covers! Thanks, sis!)
I see bounty hunter stories everywhere. I’m like that. I get stuck on a theme, and I can’t let go! Here’s hoping you get stuck on my bounty hunters, too!
And because I’m back home, catching up on mail, laundry, playing with my cat and babies, and getting pruny in the pool, because I’ve missed it so much, I want to run a contest. It’s simple. All you have to do is comment below and tell me what you’re most wanting to see me write. Have fun with it. You can suggest silly things or serious things. I don’t care. I just love your input and our interactions. Have a great weekend! ~ DD
July 14, 2017
Stephanie Berget: Catching a Cowboy
First off, I’d like to thank Delilah for inviting me and all these hot cowboys to join you today.
How many of you love cowboys? What is it that makes rodeo cowboys so attractive to you? Is it their old fashioned values, or their love of animals? Or is it their rugged good looks? How about all of these? In my opinion when you combine these qualities, you have the perfect romance hero.
My contribution to the anthology Catching A Cowboy: Roped into Love is Radio Rose. It’s filled with quirky characters, a small town that needs help and two people who are perfect for each other whether they realize it or not.
Radio Rose knows Martians aren’t real. As a DJ for a late night talk show about aliens, Rose Wasnowski could never admit to being a non-believer. Talking to crazies all night isn’t the perfect job for most people, but she’s happy with her solitary life. Until a middle of the night car crash and a blow to the head has her mistaking a reclusive rodeo cowboy for a real life extra-terrestrial.
Adam Cameron, raised by his narcissistic grandfather for most of his childhood, made his escape from Tullyville, Colorado the day he turned eighteen. He became a rodeo cowboy because he knew it would drive his domineering grandfather crazy. Forced to return ten years late for the reading of his grandfather’s will, he’s about to be pulled into a contest for a vast fortune and the future of a town he’d just as soon forget.
Relationships aren’t one of Rose’s strong points. Hell, she mistook the hot cowboy for an alien the first time they met, but Adam needs help and she’s the woman to help him—maybe.
In a town filled with new-found friends, Rose has to decide how far she’s willing to go to trust the loner.
Excerpt:
Still in shock, Rose shook her head. What a mistake! Glass shards of pain sliced into her brain. She slammed her eyes shut and sucked in a breath.
The alien-repellant helmet slipped to the side, and the being gently lifted it off her head. Pressing it into her hands, he waited for her to open her eyes.
She peeked at her helmet and saw half the lights had burned out. “Damn, piece of shit helmet. This piece of crap is guaranteed for ten years. How am I going to make good on the guarantee if I’m abducted? Answer me that.”
“Are you dizzy?” he asked. “Can you walk?”
As she lifted her gaze to his eyes, firefly sparkles flashed across her vision. She’d forgotten he was there.
I must be out of my mind. Abducted by aliens, and I’m worrying about this piece of junk.
As she tried to answer, the words froze into little clumps of ice and melted back down her throat.
“How many fingers do you see?” he asked, holding up one hand.
“Hold them still so I can count.”
“How many?” he asked again, impatience riding on each word.
It seemed a stupid question for an alien to ask, but now was not the time to question these guys on their mathematical skills. Focusing her eyes, she counted the fingers slowly, twice then told the truth. “Seven.”
“You need to sit down while I try to get you out of here.” He carried her to a vehicle, opened the door and placed her on the seat.
“Don’t take me with you. Please, I’m not a normal human. I wouldn’t make a good specimen,” Rose pleaded as she stuffed her trembling hands between her knees to hide the shaking. “Really, I’ll skew your results.”
She focused her vision and concentrated on his features. Nothing was making sense. He looked like a human, a darn nice one, but her callers had told her aliens could change form at will.
He placed her helmet in her lap. Only a light, here and there, was blinking now. Forty-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents down the drain when she didn’t have money to spare. If she disappeared into outer space to be experimented on money would be the least of her worries.
She didn’t have the energy to fight him when he lifted her legs, put them in the spaceship and dug around until he found the straps to tie her down. He reached across her, belted her in and shut the door. Now she was trapped. Running her fingers over the door, she tried to find the handle. Before she could make her move, she felt the spaceship lifting off.
Here are the blurbs from the other five books in Catching A Cowboy.
The Heartsong Cowboy by Melissa Keir- Can two people, one horse and the power of love cure a little girl?
Burst of Courage by Deb Julienne- Fixing your own mistakes can be the hardest to correct.
119 Days by RaeAnne Hadley- Divorced for five years, Celeste Howard was happy with her life. The only thing she missed was a man’s touch. Sean Mison fit her ideal of a perfect one-night stand, but what began as a simple stress reliever grew into more than what Celeste signed on for.
Promise Me Eden by D’Ann Lindun- She’s buried in grief. He doesn’t know how to help. Can they find their way back together before it’s too late?
Cowboy in Waiting by Leslie P. Garcia- She’d buried a hero. She wasn’t looking for another. But her cowboy in waiting was far from a hero…
Climb on board for the ride of your life!
Amazon buy link: Catching A Cowboy
July 13, 2017
Jennifer Kacey: Birthdays (Contest)
So…it’s almost my mum’s birthday!!!! Which got me thinking how much I LOVE my birthday. Mine in the beginning of December and I absolutely 169% love it. It’s a special day to remember I MADE IT ANOTHER YEAR and I rocked the shit out of it!
I love my birthday.
I love other people’s birthdays.
It’s just a special day to think about what you accomplished in the past year and what you want to accomplish in the next year. People you spent time with and loved, other people you miss and make a commitment to see them more.
And cake.
AND PRESENTS!!
And you get to feel like a pretty pretty princess!!! What? Just me????
I know some people don’t like their birthday but I’m soooooo thankful I’m one of the lucky ones who loves loves loves loves my day! So in honor of my mum’s almost birthday…….
Let’s have a giveaway with an AWESOME bag of goodies for one lucky poster! Two print books and lots and lots of other swag and kinky goodies! Plus a cup and a coozie and a pretty purple BED bag to hold it all!
**GIVEAWAY – US ONLY** – Just look at all the awesomeness you could win!!
So tell me the coolest thing you ever got for your birthday and who gave it to you!!
I’ll pick a winner on Friday the 14th!! Good Luck!! PS –It’s always great to leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you! Hate not being able to give winners their goodies!!
Decadently Yours,
Jennifer Kacey
About the Author
Jennifer Kacey is a writer, mother, and business owner living with her miniman in Texas. She sings in the shower, plays piano in her dreams, and has to have a different color of nail polish every week. The best advice she’s ever been given? Find the real you and never settle for anything less.
Website – Newsletter – The Decadent Divas– Amazon Page
Facebook – Facebook Author Page – Twitter – Goodreads – Pinterest
July 12, 2017
Releasing this Friday! Four-Gone Conclusion!
I’m still at the writer’s retreat. Still hammering my little fingers on the keyboard, hoping to finish up some new stories to share with you. In the meantime, I wanted to remind you that book 5 in the Lone Star Lovers series releases on Friday! These are all stories I had with Samhain, but I’ve revised them, given them sexy new covers (courtesy of my wonderfully talented sister, Elle James), and now I’m re-releasing them.
Read an excerpt from Four-Gone Conclusion below!
Sometimes a cowboy needs a little help–or three brothers–to snare a wife…
Sam Logan’s boys have a bad rep in Two Mule, Texas. Most of it earned. When it becomes clear his foster sons won’t settle down without a nudge from him, he issues his challenge. Find a wife…
The oldest, Johnny, already had his eye on Mean Ellie Harker. Sam’s challenge just gave him the gumption to ask her out. However, before he makes his move, the twins kidnap Ellie from under his nose. Now, he has to compete with three brothers for the woman he wants.
Ellie thought her prospects were drying up until Johnny Logan finally untangled his tongue and asked her out. When his brothers kidnap her and take her to the ranch, she’s furious…then intrigued by the thought of four men bent on showing her what being their’s would be like.
That excerpt…
“It’s time you boys found yerselves a wife.” Sam Logan made his pronouncement then waited, watching the four younger men seated at the table from the corner of his eye. He didn’t have to wait long for his words to sink in. They exploded in the room with the force of a silent grenade.
Johnny’s jaw closed with a snap, and he laid down his spoon on the scarred oak table. His black-winged brows drew together, nearly meeting over his dark eyes as he raised his head.
Sam suppressed a smile. That look could make the toughest hombre gulp, but Sam wasn’t the least bit concerned. Johnny tended to look mean when things changed. His oldest boy hated any kind of change.
If any other man had said what he had, Johnny would have cussed under his breath and aimed a piercing, silencing glare. However, he respected Sam, trusted him as much as he could anyone. That trust and respect were the only things that kept his butt on the bench beside his brother Killian.
For his part, Killian’s eyes narrowed. The corners of his lips twitched. Likely he was amused by Johnny’s reaction and didn’t want to let him off the hook too quickly, but was already lining up all the reasons why Sam’s idea was ludicrous. He was quick that way.
Sam calmly spooned the hearty stew he’d made into his mouth and let his gaze roam to the twins. Jason was coughing into his napkin, while Mace gave him “helpful” taps between his shoulder blades.
Mace caught his stare and grinned. “A wife, did you say?”
Sam grunted, ignoring the one word that had caught his son’s attention. “This is the third time this week we’ve had stew,” he murmured. Not to change the subject but to point out a glaring fact.
“I like stew just fine,” Johnny muttered.
“This house misses a woman’s touch.” There, he’d said it. Sat the big gorilla in the room right at the dinner table. Impossible to ignore.
“Gracie can’t be replaced,” Killian said softly.
The permanent ache next to his heart echoed that truth. Sam nodded. “She’s gone. Three years. I miss her every day. Know you do, too. But life goes on. You’re men now. You have an obligation. Ranchin’s a family business. Y’all need families.”
Johnny cleared his throat. “No disrespect intended, Sam, but you didn’t get sons the old-fashioned way.”
Sam slowly shook his head. “Not because Gracie and I didn’t try. And in the end, we had no regrets. We both loved you all like you was our own.”
“So, you’d rather saddle us with—”
Sam aimed a quelling stare. “Think I felt like Gracie was a noose around my neck?”
“No sir, but…” Johnny’s hands fisted on the tabletop. “Hell, how’re we to find someone like her?”
Sam understood what he meant. Gracie’s passing had left a hole in all their hearts. The boys had loved her. Took to her the very first day he’d brought each of them home. Gracie had been born to be a mother, and she’d showered them all with the things they’d needed most—acceptance and unconditional love.
“Boys, Gracie wasn’t born a rancher’s wife. Truth is, she didn’t know a bull from a cow and damn near poisoned me with the first meals she cooked. But she learned. Find a woman willin’ to learn, one you kin love and who’ll love you back.”
“You said, ‘a wife’.” Mace wasn’t gonna let that slip of the tongue go.
Sam shook his head and gave the twins a faint glimmer of a smile. Those two could always see the humor in any predicament. “Thought I’d give you two options. I know one can’t piss without the other goin’ too. And there are damn few single women to go around these parts. ’Nough said?” When all of them nodded, he cleared his throat. “I’ll be out of town for the next four days. Auction in Abilene. The house is yours.”
Johnny glanced around the dinner table at his brothers, whose attention had been snared from the first moment Sam had made his firmly spoken pronouncement. They were accustomed to eating quietly, filling their hollow bellies at the end of a long, hard day’s work. Sam’s words echoed in the silence that followed and hung in the air like a sour-smelling cloud. At least to Johnny’s imagination. The thought of taking a wife, keeping a woman around on a permanent basis, made him itch.
The suggestion that they find “a wife” had come out of the blue. But the look on Sam’s face said he’d thought long and hard about it and would brook no arguments. His sly mention that the twins might share one should have been shocking but wasn’t, given the youngest sons’ recent escapades, as well as the unconventional relationships springing up like chokeweeds all around Two Mule, Texas.
The glint of humor in Killian’s eyes forewarned he was about to say something sly. Johnny grunted and shook his head. Now was not the time to make a joke.
Killian snorted. His lips twisted, but he gave a shrug to indicate he’d behave.
Johnny didn’t like the turn of the conversation, but it was Sam Logan giving the advice. When Sam spoke, which was seldom, they all listened.
After all, they owed Sam everything.
Jason leaned away from Mace and grabbed at the hand that been pounding his back. “Can we draw straws to see who gets saddled with one?”
Sam’s eyes narrowed. “Strange things been happenin’ around this town. Fact is, I don’t care whether you all find one woman to take y’all on or four. But it’s time for you boys to settle down.”
Johnny knew what this was about. From the flinty glint in Killian’s eyes, he did too. Apparently, so did the twins, who shifted uncomfortably in their chairs, cheeks flushing a dull red.
“I’m not sayin’ it was a sin, what you two boys did,” Sam said. “The girl was willin’ and yer young. But word gets around. Decent folks’ll keep their women away from ya. Best to make your move fast before everyone hears the gossip and doors close in your face. This is a hard life. A man needs his comforts. Do I need to say more?”
All four younger men shook their heads.
“No sir,” Johnny muttered. Sam’s pronouncements weren’t suggestions. He folded his napkin and laid it beside his plate. He’d been hungry before his foster father had spoken, but now his food sat like a cold lump in his belly.
A woman. He had to find a woman. He’d offer no arguments. Just like any other chore, he’d get it done with quiet efficiency. “If you’ll excuse me,” he said, glaring at the twins as he pushed away from the table. “I have business in town.”
Sam eyed him then solemnly nodded. “You do indeed. Good luck, son.”
It didn’t take long for the other three to find him. The bathroom door opened as he slicked back his wet hair. Mace sidled inside, while Killian leaned against the doorframe and Jason stood behind him with his hands in his pockets.
Mace grimaced as he sat on the edge of the bathtub. “Think he was serious?”
“When is he not?” Johnny said, keeping his tone even.
“You gonna do it? Just like that? Find yourself a wife?”
Johnny squared his shoulders. “It’s what needs to be done.”
“Because Sam said so?”
Johnny turned and shot out a hand to grip the collar of Mace’s shirt.
Mace met his glare with one of his own. “Didn’t mean it that way, bro. But hell, a wife? Shouldn’t we take our time? Do this thing right? It’s a big damn step.”
Johnny hardened his glare. “You two may have been the ones to draw attention to the problem, but we’ve all done plenty to answer for. If we’ve embarrassed Sam, it’s time we manned up.”
Mace’s lips firmed then he released a deep sigh.
Johnny let him go but stood with his hands fisted on his hips.
“Guess you’re right,” Mace muttered. “So, what’s the plan?”
Why was it they always looked to him for a plan? In this instance, he was the least qualified one to decide. But as always, Johnny gritted his teeth and kept it simple. “We find a woman, someone we all don’t object to, ’cause she’s gonna be underfoot. Then one of us has to marry her.”
“Think it’ll be that easy?”
“’Course not. But since when have we shied away from a challenge?”
“We’ll go in two separate trucks,” Killian said, straightening away from the door. “Cover twice as much ground.”
Johnny turned to the mirror and gave his appearance once last look. Wasn’t much he could do, but at least his hair was combed and his breath was fresh. He glanced over his shoulder as the twins headed down the hallway, laughing and shoving each other toward the stairs. “Don’t know why I’m suddenly scared to death,” he muttered.
Killian laughed. “Yeah, those two with a mission. Boggles the mind.”
The trip into town was made in silence. The way he liked most things. From the corner of his eye he could see Killian glancing his way, like he wanted to say something, but Johnny didn’t give him any encouragement. He was mad as hell it had come to this.
Up to now, they’d had it good. Sure, the work was backbreaking, but the ranch was all he had, all any of them had. Sam was planning to leave it to them, but only if they managed to keep out of trouble, learn to ranch, and be good citizens. Learning to ranch had been the easy part. They’d all taken to it like ducks to water, thriving on the physical challenges. Learning to rope and ride. Learning how to break a horse to saddle, how to birth a calf.
That had been the simple part. The being good citizens part had been tougher. None of them had had the greatest examples of manhood in their lives to model themselves after. Not until Sam. And Sam had his issues. He was damn near a hermit and grumpy as hell around other people. Even more so after Gracie had passed away.
Johnny had grown more like Sam than the others, but hadn’t realized it was a problem, until it came to dealing with the opposite sex. While the twins and Killian never had any trouble finding willing partners, Johnny had bedded few. His straight stare seemed to scare women away.
And if they weren’t put off with the way he looked at them, he didn’t have a silver tongue. In fact, he couldn’t seem to put two coherent words together, much less figure out a way to put a woman at ease in his company.
Still, he wasn’t all that worried about Sam’s pronouncement. The others would have a better chance of finding a woman willing to take them on. He’d do his duty, give it a try, set an example for the others, but he knew his chances of finding a suitable woman, who could overlook his flaws, was slim to none. No, he didn’t have an ounce of charm, had two left feet, and a face as rugged as a mountain. Given those facts and his history, what woman would look his way and want to make a family with him?
Not that the thought of having children didn’t cause his chest to fill with a lonely ache.
“I could help you, you know,” Killian said, his tone casual.
Too casual. Johnny grunted. “With what?”
“Gettin’ you a wife.”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Worry about findin’ your own.”
“It’s not how it works. We’re brothers.”
“We’re not blood.”
“Blood’s not what counts.”
Which was a sorry damn truth they all knew too well. Blood had failed them all.
Johnny cussed under his breath. “How would you help? You gonna chat her up for me? You gonna tell her what a catch I am?”
“Well, you are. You stand to inherit a fourth of the Double Tree. And I’ve seen the way women look at you.”
Johnny snorted.
“You’re not a bad lookin’ guy.
Johnny aimed a blistering glare his way. “You gonna ask me out?”
Killian grinned. “Just statin’ the facts. You’re not hard on the eyes. And you’re tall. Girls like that. And they like your hair. They like you fine until you give ’em that thousand-yard stare like you’re sightin’ down a rifle barrel.”
Johnny gave him his meanest glare. “This isn’t gonna work.”
Killian gave a waggle of his eyebrows. “I’ll help. What’re brothers for?”
“You’re just hoping I’ll snag a wife, and that’ll be the end of it. You’ll be off the hook.”
“Maybe.”
“You think this is funny.”
“Watchin’ you tryin’ to sweet talk a woman…? Yeah, it’ll be the most fun I’ve had in while. So, where do you wanna start?”
Johnny didn’t answer, but he passed up the most obvious place. The saloon’s parking lot was already full. Instead, he turned onto Main Street and slowed as he searched for a parking place.
Killian straightened in his seat. “You’re not thinkin’ of Ellie, are you?”
The way Killian said it intimated he thought Johnny had lost his mind. Maybe he had. But she was the first woman he’d thought of when Sam had mentioned the stew. “She can cook.”
Killian gave an exaggerated shudder. “But she’s mean.”
“Should be perfect for me then, don’t you think?”
Killian gave a bark of laughter then crammed his cowboy hat on his head.
Johnny raked his hair with his fingers and wished he’d thought to bring a rubber band to tie it back. However, Killian had said girls liked his long, straight hair. He didn’t know why he’d kept it. It was the one most glaring trait that set him apart from his brothers. The last vestige of the heritage he’d thrown off when he’d run away from life on the reservation.
He trailed behind Killian, who stepped out with a bounce in his step, likely grinning his ass off that Ellie Harker was the first woman who’d come to his mind. What he didn’t know was that Johnny had been working up the courage to ask her out, sitting in the diner week after week, but never quite finding the right way to do it.
Killian pushed through the door of the café. Johnny caught it just before it slammed in his face, but didn’t say a word. Already, he could feel his body tensing at the thought of talking to the woman.
She’d taken over the running of Katie’s Diner when Katie’s belly got too big, and her husband, Cutter Standifer, had insisted she hire a cook until after the birth of their first child.
Inside, the smell of freshly baked apple pie assailed him, and his belly rumbled loudly. There could be worse things than being hitched to a mean woman, especially when she could cook almost as well as Gracie.
The place was busy. Wade Luckadoo’s girl, a college kid home for the summer with blue streaks in her white-blond hair, glided out of the kitchen with a tray balanced on one hand. “Someone’ll be right with you. Take a seat, if you can find one.”
Killian headed to the counter and slid onto a stool then patted the empty one beside him. Johnny felt his face harden to stone, his usual mask in public, as he sat. From this vantage they had a view straight into the kitchen where Ellie was working.
One glance and his body stilled, breath leaving in a quiet sigh. She was a pretty woman, although her looks weren’t flashy, like most men might prefer. Pale blonde hair, pretty milk-colored skin, and he didn’t need to see what stretched below. Her well-padded curves were burned into his memory.
Right now, her cheeks were rosy, a fine sheen of sweat glistening on her brow. Johnny stared, wondering, not for the first time, whether she’d taste like everything she cooked.
Ellie pushed back a lock of her pale hair that fell over her hazel eyes with the back of her hand, and then glanced up. Her startled gaze met his for a second then quickly darted to his brother before falling away.
He kept right on staring, wondering how long it would be before she’d come out to check on the customers first-hand.
Killian leaned toward him to whisper. “See? She was lookin’.”
“She looked at you, too. Would have looked at Ole Win’s ugly face, if he’d taken a seat right in front of her.”
“But she wouldn’t have blushed.”
“She’s cookin’ over a stove. Of course, her cheeks are pink.”
Killian grunted. “You are the stubbornest man I’ve ever known. She’s interested.”
Johnny didn’t like the little thrill of hope that warmed him. No use getting excited when Killian was only trying to warm him up to the challenge. “She looked at you, too,” he repeated under his breath.
Killian arched a brow. “We could follow in the twins’ footsteps…”
“I’m not sharin’ a wife with you.”
“Only one of us can marry her, but seein’ as you’re a little stunted in the courtin’ arena, you might need someone watchin’ out for your interests. I can close this deal for you, bro.”
Johnny thought about all the times he’d rehearsed the perfect opening line but sat tongue-tied when Ellie’s attention landed right on him. He might need some help all right. “Say I was to agree to let you help. No one else would have to know?”
Killian’s lips curved in a sly arc. “No one other than Ellie.”
Johnny ground his teeth. “I might need a little help. The woman ties my tongue into a knot.”
“You just do what you always do. Play the silent Injun. Be mysterious. Leave the rest to me.”
Johnny didn’t like it one bit, but he didn’t see another way around it. And the last thing he’d admit to Killian was that Sam’s pronouncement had given him the nudge he’d needed. He’d had his eye on Mean Ellie Harker for weeks but hadn’t gotten up the gumption to do anything about it.
He nodded, then instantly regretted agreeing when Killian’s mouth stretched into a wider grin. “Not a word to the twins,” he said, gritting his teeth.
“It’ll be our little secret.”
The kitchen door swung open, and Ellie breezed out, a towel over her shoulder and a pitcher of water in her hand. She grabbed two tumblers from under the counter and set one in front of each man. “What can I do for you boys?”
Johnny bristled. No one called him a boy except Sam these days. And the way she said it with that wicked glint in her eyes told him she knew he didn’t like it.
Killian leaned over the counter and tilted back his head. “Sweetheart, how come no one’s married you out from under this place?”
Johnny stepped on Killian’s boot and ground his heel into his brother’s toe.
Killian grimaced but didn’t turn away from Ellie’s narrowing glance.
“Guess I’ve just been lucky,” she said, her tone brisk. “What’ll it be? We’ve got meatloaf and mac tonight.”
“Just pie. Johnny here’s been goin’ on and on about how good your pie is.”
“Has he, now?”
Her razor glance flicked to Johnny, and he felt its scrape against his cheek.
She leaned closer, her face inches from his. “What do you say, cowboy? Want me to top it with cream?”
He gulped at her throaty purr. Not a sound he’d ever heard her make. His dick stirred, and his cheeks heated. “Vanilla,” he ground out.
She tsked. “A shame. Not at all what I had in mind.”
His mind went blank for a second. “Um, you meant whipped?”
She gave a wicked chuckle, and his skin burned like fire.
“Now, that’s more like it,” she said, her voice deepening into husky purr again.
Beside him, Killian choked on laughter.
Ellie straightened and raised both brows. “Pie comin’ up. À la mode.” She turned on her heel, but not before he saw a hint of a smile on her face.
“Not bad, bro. Not bad at all.”
“Not bad?” Johnny growled. “She thinks I’m an idiot.”
“She was flirtin’ with you.”
“She knows I can’t get a word out that makes a lick o’ sense around her.”
Killian turned his gaze from the sashay of her pretty bottom. “She knows you’re interested.”
“How long we gotta sit here?”
“’Til this place closes down. Don’t eat that pie too quick.”
“It’ll be soggy.”
“Then get another slice.”
Johnny ducked his head and turned to watch Ellie as she refilled glasses, pausing to share a word or a quick quip. She had a way with her customers. A sassy flare. With her other customers anyway. Most times, she just ignored him. Or teased him, like tonight, until he couldn’t think he was so damn hard.
Her head tilted back in laughter at something a couple said to her, then she turned to catch him watching her.
For once, he didn’t let his glance skitter away. He held her gaze, let her note where he looked, and then burned a slow trail down her body.
This time, he saw her throat work around a gulp.
Killian nudged him with an elbow. “Not bad, bro. Not bad at all.”
July 11, 2017
If you loved BIG SKY SEAL, you don’t want to miss HEAD OVER SEAL!
Dear Readers and Friends,
I’ve been at a writer’s retreat since last Saturday. Every now and then, I soooo need time with other writers to recapture that spark. I pre-posted this blog before I left, and as it was the day Head Over SEAL released, that’s what’s on my mind! So, read on… 
I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s tough for me to let characters in my stories go. That was the case with Big Sky SEAL. I loved writing about Jamie and her friends at Montana Bounty Hunters, and I loved her new boyfriend, Sky. So when it came time to write something for Susan Stoker’s Special Forces Kindle World, I picked right up with their Happy Ever After.
So, while those two stories are books 10 and 11 of the Uncharted SEALs series, they are standalone, but connected to each other. Hope I haven’t confused you! And I hope you’re ready for more Sky, Jamie, and her dog Tessa!
Happy Reading! And if you’re ready to read stories about those Montana Bounty Hunters, let me know, because I’m ready to write them!
*~*~*~*
Head Over SEAL
Happy Ever After for a SEAL and a bounty hunter requires true dedication…
A former military dog handler, now Montana bounty hunter, Jamie Burke’s still trying to adjust to life with a live-in boyfriend. With a testy personality, Jamie’s circle of friends is very small, and includes one very loyal canine best friend. Which is how she likes it. She also likes uncomplicated, but her feelings for her boyfriend, Sky Reynolds, are anything but simple.
With ex-SEAL Sky away on a weeks-long mission, she jumps at the chance to work with the Charter Group again, happy to do anything to keep her too busy to worry about him. She heads to Mexico with her dog Tessa to be part of a team working to discover the whereabouts of a cache of weapons stolen from the Army. She’s thrilled when Sky meets her at the airport.
However, Sky’s not happy Jamie’s in the middle of this op. Having nearly lost her months before, he’s going to stick close. Not a tough job it turns out, since they’re staking out a beachside mansion from the mansion next door. Things heat up as they reconnect, but Jamie and Sky both worry about their future, until a cartel arms dealer arrives and bigger worries mount…
Get your copy here!
July 10, 2017
Ann Jacobs: Cooking up a series with wounded soldier, BDSM theme, western setting… (Contest)
Cooking up a series with wounded soldier, BDSM theme, western setting
Too much for three short novels? I wondered, but I had to give it a shot.
Three siblings, raised in rugged, beautiful Wyoming…
ROPED: The youngest, Jared, has come back from Iraq missing a leg. He’s not certain he can still function as the alpha Dom he was, until a submissive nurse shows him he’s still the man he was, just as capable as ever to claim her with gentle domination. He’s all in to give her everything she needs, even if her kinks don’t always coincide with his own.
HITCHED: Brad, the local bad boy, owns a BDSM club. He wants to own Keely, but she’s reluctant to be seen with him outside the club—until they’re marooned together in a blizzard. He uses the time with her to show her she wants him, reputation and all, for her very own Dom.
LASSOED: A Retired NFL star now home on the ranch, Matt has wanted Diana, the oldest sibling, since high school. Having escaped a cruel master, Diana has vowed to make a switch. He’s willing to play sub to win her, but as they get reacquainted, she realizes his hot vanilla loving is just what she needs now as she recovers.
I will be running an exclusive giveaway through Book-a-licious.com from July 10 to July 21. There will be one grand prize of a Kindle Fire and the complete e-set of Roped, Hitched & Lassoed. Five more e-copies of the set will go out to the runner ups. Here is the direct link: https://app.viralsweep.com/sweeps/full/e80abe-21399&framed=1. Winners will be announced on Saturday, July 22.
A reader recently asked me what sorts of research were required to write this series. Honestly, I did more studying about the Wyoming settings, which I’d never visited before in my writing. I’d written BDSM-themed books before, but I found I had to do a bit of indepth study about shibari, or rope bondage, as well as some nonfiction reading about the psychology of domination and submission as it affected Diana regarding the past abuse she endured.
As for Jared and his injury, I delved into the usual processes of recovery for a person who has lost a limb. I didn’t want him to seem debilitated physically, but I needed to show his doubts and fears about how his changed body will impact his relationships. I hope I achieved all I set out to do while writing these books!
Ann Jacobs
Website: http://annjacobs.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnJacobsAuthor
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/AuthrAnnJacobs
Email: ann@annjacobs.net
July 9, 2017
Helena Fairfax: Romance and the beautiful Lake District, England
The Lake District in the north of England has inspired some of the most romantic poetry and literature in the world. It’s no wonder William Wordsworth – one of the most famous poets of the Romantic era – made the Lake District his home, calling it “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found.”
Courtesy of Pixabay
The shining lakes, the green mountains, and the dramatic changes in weather in the Lake District make the perfect backdrop for a romance novel. The heroine of my novel Felicity at the Cross Hotel has travelled to the Lake District from her home in Norfolk – a part of England that’s renowned for being completely flat. Here is Fliss’s first sight of the spectacular view looking down on my fictional lake, Emmswater:
“The jagged mountains of the Lake District rose and fell in great dark peaks on the skyline, their sides flecked with splashes of bright, mossy green. Soft fields crept down into the valley, dotted with the fluffy white forms of sheep, and lying at the centre of it all was the gleaming lake.
Fliss took in a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill her lungs. ‘What a magical place,’ she said to the man standing next to her. ‘ And look, the sun’s come out.’ She held up a hand to the pale sky. ‘Where I come from is so flat. I’m starting to get vertigo here, but in a really good way. Like being on the roller-coaster at Great Yarmouth fun fair.’”
Some people find living in mountains claustrophobic, but my heroine is trying to escape the stresses of working in her father’s business, and instead of feeling hemmed in she finds the mountains exhilarating. I wanted to capture this feeling of wild escape when she looks down on the wonderful landscape.
The setting of the Lake District is also a novelists’ dream because of the dramatic actions the landscape can inspire. The beauty of the scenery can become threatening, as swiftly as the clouds that roll in from over the mountains. Patrick Cross, the hero of my novel, is grieving the death of his friend, who died because of an act of recklessness while diving the still, green waters of the lake. There have been many deaths in the mountains and lakes of Cumbria, and I’ve used the symbolism of the landscape to reflect the contrast between the beauty and the danger.
It’s a shame that nowadays some parts of the Lake District are inundated with tourists, and the roads in summer are very often clogged. But it’s only in recent times that the Lakes have become a tourist destination, and there are many quieter areas that have remained unchanged for centuries. Alone in this magnificent landscape, away from the traffic, you can’t help but feel a part of a long, long history of the soil that stretches back thousands of years.
Lots of people have fallen in love in this wonderful setting, but there are some exceptions. Bill Clinton was famously moved to propose to Hillary for the first time by the shores of Ennerdale Water, but she turned him down. Obviously there are some people who remain unmoved by the romance of the Lakes!
Ennerdale Water, scene of Bill Clinton’s proposal. Attribution: Trevor Harris, via Wikimedia Commons
Will love blossom for Patrick Cross and Felicity Everdene, the hero and heroine of my novel? Here is the blurb to Felicity at the Cross Hotel:
A quaint hotel in the Lake District. The Cross Hotel is the perfect getaway. Or is it?
Felicity Everdene needs a break from the family business. Driving through the Lake District to the Cross Hotel, past the shining lake and the mountains, everything seems perfect. But Felicity soon discovers all is not well at the Cross Hotel …
Patrick Cross left the village of Emmside years ago never intending to return, but his father has left him the family’s hotel in his will, and now he’s forced to come back. With a missing barmaid, a grumpy chef, and the hotel losing money, the arrival of Felicity Everdene from the notorious Everdene family only adds to Patrick’s troubles.
With so much to overcome, can Felicity and Patrick bring happiness to the Cross Hotel … and find happiness for themselves?
Amazon universal buy link for Felicity at the Cross Hotel: http://mybook.to/FelicityCH
About the Author
Helena Fairfax is a British author who was born in Uganda and came to England as a child. She’s grown used to the cold now which is just as well, since these days she lives in an old Victorian mill town in the north of England, right next door to the windswept Yorkshire moors. Helena walks this romantic landscape every day with her rescue dog, finding it the perfect place to dream up her heroes and her happy endings. Subscribers to Helena’s newsletter receive news of free stuff, competitions with prizes, gossip, and links to cool websites she’s been looking at when she should have been writing.
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July 8, 2017
Marie Johnston: Unmistaken Identity
They say “write what you know” and I feel like I’ve been studying for Unmistaken Identity, book one in my Fanboy series, my whole life. It started with the lack of cable TV out in the country where I grew up. We had one channel, two if there was good weather, and on one station my brother and I watched many episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. (Little did I know how much that would help me in my marriage.)
As the little sister, I wanted to do whatever my brother did, and he was a comic book guy. I followed him to the arcade, browsed comic books next to him, and played with his action figures the rare times I was allowed in his room. My grandma recorded movies that we constantly borrowed. In those days, there was little parental concern over what we watched. Before I was barely double digits in age, I was watching RoboCop, Batman (Micheal Keaton era), and Howard the Duck. (Little did I know how much that would help me in my marriage.)
Speaking of my marriage… Almost twenty years ago, my friend was telling me about his new roommate. “I mean, I like those shows, too, but he really likes them.” Turned out I really liked his roommate. Now there’s arguments over whether my hubs and I can go to Guardians of the Galaxy on our date night or if we have to take our older kids.
I’ve learned the difference between the comic universes of DC and Marvel—my brother is Marvel and my hubs is DC. So my kids get Spiderman-related gifts from my brother while my nephew runs around in Batman shirts and has a Justice League lunchbox thanks to me. We gotta keep the balance.
Despite all of this, I still have a hard answering one of the frequent questions I get from my kids: If you could have any superpower, what would it be? I default to flying because it’d be like rollercoasters with no lines to stand in for ever. What would you choose?
Unmistaken Identity
Mara Baranski is living the fangirl’s dream, running a comic book shop that supports her and her ailing mother. She is even given the chance to buy the building—for a dollar. That is, until her dear friend and landlord dies before the sale goes through. Now Mara has forty-five days to clear out her shop or convince the resentful son of the old owner to change his mind—if she can only corner him long enough to ask.
Despite being abandoned by his father years ago, Wesley inherited all of his dad’s assets and ambition—but not his gullibility. When the tantalizing woman at his nightclub turns out to be the woman who scammed his lonely father, he seizes the chance for a little revenge. But after using a fake name to get close to his target, Wes is soon coming up with excuses to keep his identity secret a little longer.
As the forty-five days count down, Mara’s loyal customers swoop in to help save her store. Even more, her handsome new boyfriend is making her believe in happy endings again. Too bad secret identities only last forever in comic books.
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Excerpt…
She had to hunt Wesley Robson down tonight, didn’t want to waste more time on her search. As it was, the night would be too short for decent sleep. Saturday was game day at her comic book shop. Participants showed early and played intensely for hours. Board games, card games, electronic games. She would jump in and play them all, or run around the store helping customers.
It was her favorite day of the week, but still a long one.
What did Wesley look like, anyway? She would’ve seen him if she’d been able to go to the funeral. By the time she’d found out about Sam’s sudden death, though, he’d been gone and buried. There had to be a picture of his boy online. Just as she pulled out her phone to do a search, someone settled onto the barstool next to her.
“Macallan 12.”
The deep voice resonated through her bones. She almost groaned. He had the rumble of a rugged man, a primal mating call in her opinion. Admittedly, her last few dates had put the “boys” in fanboys, not men who knew their way around a woman.
She peeked at him from the corner of her eye. Her fingers tightened around the stem of her glass.
Holy hotness, Batman! He reminded her of one of her favorite superheroes. Jet-black hair, sky-blue eyes nearly glowing under the club lights, wide shoulders. If he wore a cape and had a large S on his shirt, she’d sit on his face. She’d still consider it, given his charcoal slacks and white-striped shirt, which likely had been cinched by a tie all day. The first two buttons were undone and his sleeves were rolled up. What was that style called? Industrial hot-as-hell businessman.
“What’s your poison?”
She shot him a surprised glance. He gestured to her already half-empty glass.
What had the bartender said it was? “I think it’s named after some rapper.”
He chuckled with genuine humor. “Are you here with the bachelorette party?”
When hell froze over. “No.”
The bartender leaned over the counter to hand him his drink. “The lady said she was looking for the owner.”
Stay out of it, dude. Wait, he knew the total package next to her? Maybe the new arrival also knew the owner. “Do you know Mr. Robson?”
His eyes crinkled with his smile. Even the man’s teeth were perfect. “Why would you want to find him? I’ve heard he’s an ass.”
She rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it.”
Hotness savored a long sip of his…whatever a Macallan was. “You’ve gotta tell me what he did to you.”
The pink bangs that framed her face dropped into her eyes. She feathered them away. His gaze traced from her hand to her dual ponytails, the plain brown hair streaked with pink. Instead of blond highlights, or lowlights, or whatever stylish women did, she’d chosen pink—because it was fun and girly. One of the few splurges she allowed herself.
Her hair often drew attention, not always the flattering kind. But she enjoyed his. “He’s shutting down my store. Tearing down the whole damn building. ‘Upgrading.’” She gave the last word air quotes.
His right eye twitched and he stared at her for a heartbeat. Humor drained from his expression and his gaze narrowed slightly.
Her heart rate increased at being the object of such scrutiny. She wanted more, but she also felt like she’d done something wrong.
Finally, a grin curled his full lips. “That bastard.”
About the Author
Marie Johnston writes paranormal and contemporary romance. Before she was a writer, she was a microbiologist. Depending on the situation, she can be oddly unconcerned about germs or weirdly phobic. She’s also a licensed medical technician and has worked as a public health microbiologist and as a lab tech in hospital and clinic labs. Marie’s been a volunteer EMT, a college instructor, a security guard, a phlebotomist, a hotel clerk, and a coffee pourer in a bingo hall. All fodder for a writer!! She has four kids, an old cat, and a puppy that’s bigger than half her kids.
