Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 434

#3 — A Taste of TEXAS SURRENDER

If the boat didn’t break down in the Gulf, today we’re in Key West! Woot! In the meantime, here’s another snippet from Tuesday’s release, TEXAS SURRENDER!

Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free download from another Western series, the Triple Horn Brand books!

This is from A Four-Gone Conclusion…

“A FOUR-GONE CONCLUSION is a prime example on how a novella should be written; fast and fun, touching characters that pull you in and a story that is completely fulfilling.”

4.5 Cherries, Long and Short Reviews

One devilish night…or a chance at heaven?

Sam Logan’s foster sons have a bad rep in Two Mule, Texas. Most of it earned. When it becomes clear they don’t plan on giving up scootin’ after ever pretty pair of boots in town anytime soon, he issues the one thing he knows they can’t resist: a challenge. Find a wife.

The oldest, Johnny, is actually grateful. He’s had his eye on Mean Ellie Harker for a long time, and Sam’s challenge is the kick in the pants he needed to ask her out. Except before he can make his move, his brothers kidnap her right out from under his nose. Now, instead of being one question away from victory, he has to compete for the woman of his dreams.

Ellie thought she’d be a dried up old spinster before Johnny finally untangled his tongue long enough to ask for a date. But instead of teaching him better uses for that tongue, his brothers have whisked her away to the ranch. At first she’s furious…then intrigued when she starts to wonder what it might be like…

Warning: Four handsome cowboys. Four choices. Would it be a single sordid night or a chance at heaven as she savors every luscious inch of the Logan brothers?

“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 corners of his eyes. 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 his spoon down 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 ladled 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 a 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.”

“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 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 their 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 you 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 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 to it 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’d 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 back-breaking 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 challenge, 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. 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, bro. 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 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 a 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 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,” her repeated under his breath.

Killian arched a brow. “We could follow in the twin’s 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 alright. “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 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 what I had in mind at all.”

His mind went blank for 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. A 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 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.”

#2 — A Taste of TEXAS SURRENDER

BEFORE O-dark-thirty this morning, I boarded a plane for Miami. Mom and I will be staying in hotel there tonight, and then board a boat heading toward Key West! While I’m traveling, don’t forget to check in every day this week. I’ve pre-posted blogs to keep you entertained. And there are giveaways involved…

On Tuesday, TEXAS SURRENDER releases. I’m giving you tidbits from the stories that make up that anthology, hoping to tempt you into buying it!

Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free download from another Western series, the Triple Horn Brand books!

Today’s offering is from Breaking Leather…

“…Put into the mix three sexy brothers who happen to be cowboys and who are hot for one lucky female? You have a sexual, erotic masterpiece!”

5 Stars and Top Pick!, The Romance Reviews

“…Delilah Devlin just makes this type of story such an adventure as well as a hot ride… You will never go wrong with a Delilah Devlin story and you will never be disappointed.”

5 Cherries, Whipped Cream Reviews

“Cleverly written, Breaking Leather breaks the mold when it comes to ménage stories… Highly recommend.”

Sizzling, 4 1/2 Stars, Sensual Reads

“…The characters themselves are fantastic. All three men are alike and yet very unique. Chrissi is a strong woman and her character is flawless. Add in some wonderful support characters and you’ve got one robust set of characters and one outstanding story that shouldn’t be missed.”

5 Hearts, The Romance Studio

One for remembrance…one for healing…and one to seal her heart forever.

Chrissi Page has tried to find one man who heats her bed the way the Kinzie brothers did one shameful night years ago. She’s failed miserably, leaving her with no choice but to bank that inner fire—and keep a lid on her inner bad girl.

She’d been weak, unable to choose between three men who appealed to her in different ways. And when they’d confronted her as a tease, anger had boiled over into a passion so wild, she’s still trying to live it down.

Since that night, Ezra, Cade and Joshua have individually sown their wild oats with pretty much the entire available female population of Two Mule, Texas. Yet nothing erases the attraction they still feel for Chrissi. And when she ends up stranded on the road near their ranch, it’s their last chance to turn their mutual obsession into an unusual proposition.

One weekend, three on one. If she can’t stand the heat, they’ll let her go on with her life. And try to find a way to live with the hole she’ll leave behind in theirs.

Warning: A girl who thinks she can’t have it all, and three brothers who set out to prove otherwise. One on one, two on one, and three on one; bondage in the wild; a bit of riding crop action. And a pickup truck load of emotion.

Chrissi Page raised her cell phone in the air, staring at the screen. No bars. Not even a hint of one skinny, green nub. “Oh, come on,” she moaned as her radiator hissed behind her. “Damn, damn, damn.”

She’d been tempted to ignore the CHECK ENGINE light when it first appeared, wanting to take the chance she could limp back into Two Mule. However, the steam seeping from under the hood had pretty much killed that hope.

Today was not the day for her car to break down. Not so far from town. Not so close to their ranch. Any minute now one of the Kinzie brothers might happen by.

They’d stop because they’d never leave a woman stranded.

They might not let her go because of their shared past.

And she didn’t know if she had the strength anymore to fight fate or her own inexplicable needs.

Macy Pettigrew, her best friend and boss, had sent her to the Dunstan house to make sure the owners had followed her suggestions to increase the house’s curb appeal. Never mind that there wasn’t a curb. Not really even a road—more of a caliche-covered goat trail that meandered up a steep hillside, rutted from runoff during recent summer storms.

Something must have happened to her car on the run up that hill. She’d heard the rocks pinging against her undercarriage but had been too busy thinking about Ms. Dunstan’s handsome neighbors. She’d been afraid she’d pass them or that they might stop in to see old Lettie Dunstan, the widow selling off her roughhewn, century-old home.

Chrissi had forced a smile on her face, looked at the potted plants the old woman had placed in pretty window boxes and admired the paint she’d used to spruce up the weathered door and window frames. The junk the old woman’s husband had accumulated, and that she hadn’t had the heart to part with after his passing, was gone from the front lawn. And lo and behold, grass was beginning to grow to fill in the brown patches where engines and tires had lain.

Macy would be pleased. They had a potential buyer. One who’d relayed an offer via email, which had checked out with the mortgage lender. Details Macy had been eager to handle herself, leaving the showings to Chrissi.

Chrissi heard a powerful engine rev. She slowly lowered her arm and glanced nervously over her shoulder. A metallic sage pickup truck pulled off the road behind her, and her stomach dropped to her toes. She’d known the moment her CHECK ENGINE light had shone that this was going to happen.

And good Lord, it had to be Ezra Kinzie. His dark gaze narrowed on her through the windshield, the intensity of it feeling like the hissing heat of a brand against her skin.

He opened his door and stepped down, slamming it with a decisive shove. Everything Ezra did was deliberate. He never wavered once a decision was made.

Long ago, he’d decided he wasn’t going to fight his brothers for her. If she wasn’t going to decide among them, then she’d have to take them all.

And, Lord help her, she had.

She’d never gotten over that night, had never been able to push it to the farthest corner of her mind when she lay down to sleep. Just the memory of it made her hot, cold, _wet_…

And horribly ashamed. Anyone could have seen them beneath the bleachers at the homecoming game. Gossip hadn’t followed, but that didn’t make her any less self-conscious when she strode down the sidewalk on Main Street.

Someone might know. Someone might tell. The thought of that sordid night being revealed left her feeling nauseated. Her life had been circumspect ever since, her love life nonexistent.

They’d left her scarred. Unable to move on.

Not because they’d harmed her physically, but because she hadn’t been able to shake off the terrible attraction that tempted her every single day since that fateful night.

Boots crunched on the gravel at the side of the road. The brim of Ezra’s straw cowboy hat left his ice-blue eyes in shadow.

She straightened away from her car and squared her shoulders.

“Havin’ trouble, Chrissi?”

“It just showed up,” she said under her breath, determined not to let him see how flustered she felt.

One side of his mouth quirked up. He glanced up at the sky, squinting against the bright Texas sun before leveling that devastating stare on her again.

Her belly clenched, and she fought hard not to give him any clues about how he still affected her. Just the rumble of his deep voice always made her think of crisp, cool sheets and hot, slick skin.

Her glance flicked over his body-hugging dark tee, noted his well-developed chest, the bulge of his biceps, his taut abdomen. She started to sweat. “Will you call a tow truck for me when you get home?”

A frown dug a deep crease between his dark brows. “Get in my truck, Chrissi. I’m not leavin’ you on the side of the road.”

“I’m not goin’ anywhere with you, Ezra Kinzie,” she said tightly.

A muscle rippled alongside his jaw. “I’m just offerin’ you a place to wait out of the sun. And a cool drink. Nothin’ more.”

His features were stern, his jaw rigid, but the heat blazing from his eyes mesmerized her, made her want to sway toward him. The intensity of that unblinking stare made her wish he’d take the decision right out of her hands. She’d never willingly take that first step. Her days of following his commands were over.

Chrissi swallowed hard and broke from his glance, looking down the road and praying someone else would appear over the crest of the hill. She needed rescuing from the deep emotions roiling inside her—from the temptation his large, hard frame embodied. However, only the shimmer of heat waves rose off the black tar.

A trickle of moisture dripped between her breasts, gliding along one curve—and just like that, her imagination replaced the slide of that hot little bead with the tip of his tongue. She turned away from him and dragged in a couple of deep breaths, trying to stiffen her resolve, but the only things hardening were the tips of her breasts. She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her chin, then turned to aim a glare at the one man who had the power to make her knees quiver.

So many memories swamped her as she stared into his handsome, rugged face. So many regrets sat like soured milk in her gut. He’d been “the one” until she’d succumbed to a dark sensual greed.

Too bad she couldn’t turn back the clock about seven years. She’d make damn sure she’d never let him take her hand and pull her into the shadows.

Ezra barely suppressed the urge to step closer and crowd her tall, lithe body against her car. He’d love nothing better than to snug his dick between her legs while he licked that trickle of sweat tracking down her chest, and then follow the curve of her sweet, round breast.

But he and his brothers had planned this abduction down to the last detail. No time now to let a hard-on get in the way. “I’m not leavin’ you on the side of the road. It’s a hundred damn degrees out here, sweetheart. Get in the truck.”

“Don’t call me sweetheart,” she said, sounding a little breathless.

It did his ego good to know she wasn’t unaffected. This was the closest they’d stood in seven years. Since he’d kissed her before letting her head to the girls’ restroom to clean up after he and his brothers had her.

A sordid little chapter he was determined to remedy. If he could get her ass inside his truck.

However, Chrissi, stubborn as ever, jutted her chin high and crossed her arms over her chest. Did she know she was plumping up her breasts, drawing his gaze to the creamy tops? Her clothing stuck to the sweat coating her skin. Her light blouse skimmed close to her narrow waist. Her dark blue trousers pulled tightly as she braced apart her legs. Did she know how well they cupped her mound?

Just that hint of a cleft was enough to add a spike of steel to his already raging erection.

“Maybe you’d let me use your cell phone?” she ground out.

Ezra let a hint of a smile curve the corners of his mouth. One thing he’d learned over the years was the value of patience. He’d waited a long time to be where he was, standing in front of the one woman who had the power to make his knees buckle. The one woman he’d gladly share if that was the only way he could have her.

“Chrissi, don’t you think we’ve waited long enough?” he asked quietly.

Her breath caught, lifting her chest. “I’ve waited long enough for you to act the gentleman and do what I asked. I’ll walk back to town.” She dropped her arms, reached through her car window for her purse, then straightened.

She’d have to stride around him, and he guessed she was girding herself to do just that. Her gaze didn’t rise above his shoulder. She sucked in a deep breath and gave him a wide berth as she brushed past.

Ezra let her go, easing a hip against her red Mustang and watching her walk away—on three-inch heels that stuck to the hot tar, making a sticky sound with each step she took. She made it only about ten feet past the end of his truck before she slowed.

Her shoulders fell, her head turned to the side, but not quite far enough for her to meet his gaze. “You’re not gonna let me go, are you?” she asked softly.

Her profile, so pure and pretty, stirred a suffocating desire inside him. He steeled himself to pretend a strength he was far from feeling. So many hopes rode on the next few minutes.

“I’m just givin’ you a few moments to make up your mind, sweetheart. I have every confidence you’ll do the smart thing.”

“Just a ride to your place to make a call?”

“And a cool drink. Whatever else happens will be up to you. I’ve always let you make your own choices. Even when you were dead wrong. Even when it was killin’ me.”

And even though she still hadn’t moved, he straightened away from her car and walked to the passenger door of his truck. He opened the door and waited.

Chrissi turned her head toward the road, and Ezra held his breath, praying another vehicle wouldn’t come along, praying he’d have the strength to do what had to be done, no matter how much she might beg him to end it later.

When she faced him, he couldn’t read her expression. Her mouth was firmed into a thin line. Her chin tilted. Her brown eyes raked him up and down, and she stepped out, her body moving fluidly, hips swaying. Not a conscious invitation, but he knew if he touched her between her legs right this minute, she’d be wet.

He fought a smile of satisfaction as she walked toward him and stepped up into his cab.

#1 — A Taste of TEXAS SURRENDER…and a New Contest!

Today, I’m doing my last bit of packing for my cruise. I’ll be mostly offline for the next week, but blogs are pre-posted so you’ll have something new to read here every day. I’m also providing multiple chances for you to win things! So, be sure to check in daily. Details about today’s giveaway can be found below. But first, we have some exciting administrivia to take care of…

November’s Winner

My November contest winner, chosen by random number generator, is…Cyndi Faria (Nov. 7)!

Congrats, Cyndi! You’ve won an Amazon gift card worth $20! Be sure to send me an email to let me know you have seen this announcement. I’ll send you your gift when I return next weekend.

December’s Contest

Let’s make this super easy because I’m a little distracted with all my packing and lists. I’ll give away another Amazon gift card worth $20!

What do you have to do to win? Simple. Comment on my blog—on any posting—from now through December 31st! I’ll choose a winner at random from among all the comments. Good luck!

A Taste of TEXAS SURRENDER

Although the official release date is December 3rd, Amazon is already shipping this book. Over the next few days, I’ll post snippets from the four stories inside Texas Surrender.

Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free download from another Western series, the Triple Horn Brand books!

A Romance Reviews “Best Book of 2010 Nominee”!

“…what you get is explosive, emotional and endearing, something Delilah Devlin does better than anyone…” 4 Cherries, Whipped Cream

There’s a wild child trapped inside her, and they’re hell-bent on unleashing it…

As the pretty daughter of the town whore, Shanna Davies has always tried hard to toe the line. But she just can’t help it. Her boyfriend, Bo Crenshaw, has lured her untamed spirit out to play once too often. It’s time to get the hell out of Dodge and make a new start where no one knows her past. After she fulfills one last, wicked fantasy.

Shanna is Bo’s first everything. First kiss, first sexual playmate, first love. Yet he’s never managed to convince her that he accepts her—good girl and bad—just as she is. So, she wants a memorable send off? No problem. He’ll give her one that’ll make her think twice about leaving.

On the appointed night, Shanna expects nerves. Yet once she crosses the threshold, the prospect of surrendering to a night of unrestrained passion with Bo and the three Kinzie brothers makes her mouth water—and her courage dry up.

But she asked for it, and now she’s not about to blink first in this game of sexual chicken…

Warning: Four lusty cowboys prove a little domination goes a long way in breaking a stubborn woman to saddle. Lots of spanking, binding, flogging, and double-dipping can keep a girl on her toes, her back, her belly, her knees…

“Dance with me, cowboy.”

Bo Crenshaw didn’t know what surprised him more. Her wanting to dance—or her asking him. She always cringed over her inability to master a simple two-step, and she usually avoided him like the plague in public.

But he wasn’t arguing. It was Friday night after a long week of wrangling cattle. He wanted to replace the musky smell in his nostrils with something a whole lot sweeter. Giving his drinking buddy a shrug, he let Shanna Davies tug his hand and lead him onto the dance floor, pretending a reluctance he didn’t feel.

Not that dancing with Shanna wasn’t pleasurable—if a little painful. She danced the same way she lived—a little too fast and completely out of synch with everyone around her.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, but her head was tilted as she peeked around his shoulder. “Let’s go this way.” She bumped his knees, and they scooted backward toward her destination.

He pulled in her hips to slide a knee between her lethal knobs and circled so he had a view of what had caught her attention. Eyeing one particular trio of dancers at the far edge of the parquet floor, he thought he knew what had Shanna so intensely curious.

“Get me closer,” she hissed.

“What’re you doin’?” he asked, his tone dry.

“Tryin’ to see.”

“See what?”

“Them. Oops.” She ducked her head and stared at his chest. “He knows I’m watchin’.”

“Who?” he asked, pretending confusion.

“Justin Cruz.”

Bo leaned closer to whisper in her ear and bury his nose in her fragrant hair, feeling sure she’d allow it—seeing as how she was trying to pretend she wasn’t there to spy. “How do you know he knows?”

“He winked at me.” She lifted her head and gave him a glare.

Bo suppressed a grin. “You’re really curious about them.”

She slid her hand down to twist his nipple through his shirt, and he winced.

“Don’t make fun of me.” She blew out a deep breath, frustration turning down the corners of her mouth. “Most exciting thing to happen around these parts, a real ménage à trois, and I can’t get close enough to see.”

“See what?”

She shrugged. “I’d like to see how they all dance together like that. For starters.”

Bo chuckled, and then hissed when she twisted his nipple again. He’d be bruised. Worth it, though. He’d missed holding her close.

“Oh hell, they’re leaving. You wanna get outta here?” she whispered.

Bo grunted and pulled her tall, slender body closer, rubbing his belly against hers. “You want to see if they do it in the parking lot, or are you horny? Thought you said we weren’t gonna do that anymore—use each other.” He ground out the last because the way she’d described their last sexual rendezvous still stuck in his craw.

Shanna grimaced in dismay but her brown eyes glittered with humor. “Did I make it sound that way? I’m sorry,” she said, her tone anything but apologetic. “It’s not that the sex isn’t great, but…”

He couldn’t help his impatient snort. “I know. You’re blowin’ this town as soon as you have the cash.” Bo turned around on the floor again, fighting her for the lead and winning. He danced them into the darkest corner of the dance floor. “Hell, see what you did now?” he grumbled, pushing her hand down to the front of his blue jeans.

She cupped his erection, running her palm up and down his length, and then tossed back her dark honey-colored curls. Her laughter was low and dirty. “Guess since it’s my fault, I should do something about it, shouldn’t I?”

“Promises, promises,” he muttered, acting like he wasn’t so excited his head and heart were pounding faster and heavier than the band. “You bring a purse?”

“Do I ever?”

“Then let’s go.”

He dropped his arms and resisted the urge to snag her hand inside his. They walked out of the bar and into the gravel parking lot, making a beeline for his truck—but not before she’d darted a glance around the rows of vehicles for the threesome’s vehicle.

When her shoulders sagged, Bo opened the cab door. “Hop up.”

As he climbed in behind the steering wheel, she raked a hand through her hair. “We don’t have to go far.”

“You in a hurry?” He turned the key and the engine rumbled to life, growling like he wanted to. He was pretty sure Shanna was right there with him by the way she clenched together her thighs.

“Don’t be a shit,” she said, punching his arm.

He let a grin slide across his face. “Sweetheart, I know just the place.”

* * * * *

Bo gave Shanna a quick kiss then slid all the way inside her, sighing as her moist heat enveloped him. It had been far too long since the last time she’d succumbed to her natural urges and begged him for a quick “dick-fix”.

Her legs wrapped around his hips and hugged him so hard he had to thrust a couple of times to remind her to give him a little room to move.

As he got down to work, his cock rocking inside her lava-hot little channel, he blessed his Boy Scout training for his foresight to stuff a thick blanket behind the seat of his truck. It gave him just enough padding beneath his knees to keep him comfortable and to shield Shanna’s back from the cooling metal.

“This workin’ for ya?” He tried to sound nonchalant when what he really wanted to do was let out a whoop it felt so good.

She gave him a coy look from beneath her lashes. “You needin’ a little praise?”

She lifted her head and scooped his mouth with hers, fluttering her tongue over his bottom lip until he growled and consumed her like a bear dipping into a honey jar. She giggled into his mouth, and he pulled back, making a face. Moonlight shone so bright he could see the gleeful humor digging dimples deep into her cheeks.

He frowned. “Do you know what it does to a man when he’s balls-deep and the girl starts laughin’?”

Which only made Shanna laugh harder. “Since you’re not wiltin’ beneath the disrespect, I’m not gonna feel sorry for you.”

Bo gave a rumbling groan and tunneled deeper into her slick heat, every inch of his dick surrounded by her gently rippling channel. They grew silent, their bodies straining together.

Then, “You don’t think what they’re doin’ is dirty, do ya?” she asked, her tone far too conversational, considering how much effort he was exuding.

He knew how her mind worked and what had precipitated this hot little interlude, but he still couldn’t resist the urge to tease. “Who?” he asked, stroking deeper and cupping her butt with his palms as he powered into her.

“Dani and her two fellas.”

“Long as they aren’t hurtin’ anyone else, I say let ’em be.”

“I’m envious as hell,” she groaned.

“Woman,” he growled. “How the hell can you hold a thought?”

“I’m a girl. My brains don’t flee south at the first sign of pussy.”

Bo’s bark of laughter ended in another groan. “Hush. Talk in a minute.”

“A little overconfident, aren’t you?” she quipped, but she was gasping now too.

Holding her against him, he rolled.

Shanna tossed back her wavy hair and gave him a look that bespoke challenge and arousal. A heady mix as she drove her slender body downward then ground against the crinkly curls at the base of his cock. Up again, she went, moonlight gleaming on the sweat coating her small breasts.

When he’d been a teenager, he’d ogled the women in his daddy’s Playboys, but he’d been hooked on Shanna’s little “fried eggs” since the first time she’d bared them in a dare. They’d still been middle school virgins.

“Now, don’t you tease me,” a thirteen-year-old Shanna had whispered, when he’d double-dared her into it, her hands shielding her chest after she’d let him pull her shirt up.

“Scout’s honor, I won’t,” he’d said, so hard and excited he’d have spent himself in his jeans if she’d so much as rubbed against him.

Even now, when her hands cupped her little breasts and her eyelids slid closed, he thought her breasts were just about perfect.

“Ever think about…” She bit her lip and ground down his cock again, a little faster and harder, and he knew she was still thinking about the trio everyone in Two Mule, Texas couldn’t stop talking about.

“Ever think about what?”

Her gaze went skyward. “About doing it with another guy?”

His derisive snort brought her attention back. He gave her a scowl.

She snickered. “I didn’t mean it that way. I mean doing a girl with another guy.”

“Why stop at just two?” he asked, liking the conversation because he’d never seen her so hot, and moisture was seeping faster as she thought about her wicked little fantasy.

“Lord, Bo,” she moaned, swirling her hips, screwing him sweetly. “You shouldn’t say things like that. My legs are shakin’.”

“Need me to take over?” he murmured.

“Would you? I know you’ve had a hard day at the ranch, but…”

“Honey, I’m never too tired for this. Not when it’s you.”

He could have kicked himself for that last bit. In all the years they’d snuck away to play, he’d never let her see how much she meant to him, sensing she’d shy away like a nervous filly, and he couldn’t have that. If all they ever had was this, this strange, sexy friendship, then he’d savor every minute.

He rolled with her again, his hands slipping beneath her ass to cup her close. “Now, do you think we might concentrate for just a second or two? And yeah, I’m bein’ overconfident again.”

She grinned and slid her hands down his belly, past where their bodies joined and cupped his balls.

“Take that hand away, baby. I’m ready to come.”

“Ready to go all Terminator on my pussy?”

He gave her a sexy roll of his hips, circling inside her. “I’m not out to demolish. I just want what’s mine.”

Her hands tugged his balls gently. “Think this pussy’s yours?”

“Is someone else’s dick divin’ deep inside you?”

“Gawddamn, cowboy, I love it when you talk dirty.”

“You’re the one with the potty mouth,” he said, giving her an openmouthed kiss. He pulled back because she was massaging his balls, and he was quickly getting lost in the sensations building inside him. “Shanna?”

“Yeah, stud?”

“Take that hand away so I can fuck you raw.”

“Tell me more,” she said giving his sac another gentle pull then slipping her hand from between them. “Whatcha gonna do to me?”

He gritted his teeth. “Can’t think. Wanna go wild on your ass and hammer until you’re flyin’ apart—so wet and hot and close that you can’t do anything more than squeal and bleat like a pink little pig.”

She wrinkled her nose. ‘“Cowboy, you tryin’ to spoil the mood? That’s so not sexy.”

“It is from up here,” he said dropping his voice to a purr. “I like your piggy squeals.”

“I’m gonna kick your ass.”

“Not until after I fuck your pussy raw.” He thrust harder, cramming his swelling cock through tissue so hot and wet he thought he’d lose his mind.

Her eyes widened, and her fingernails dug into his ass. “Bo?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“Now! Do it now!” Her back arched off the truck bed, and her head dug into the blanket.

He withdrew all the way, re-centered his cock, and slammed home, not stopping until he felt the end of her channel and bounced against her cervix. He knew what that was because he’d been as avid a sex-ed student as she’d been. They’d both peeled off their clothes to explore and name of every part in high school—and they’d both gotten As.

With her eyes squeezing shut, and her moan tightening to that sexy-as-hell little squeal, he let loose, hammering her over and over until the pressure in his balls released. He shouted, come spurting deep inside her. Then chest heaving, he landed on top of her.

Her hands stroked over his back, gliding in his sweat.

“That would be just plain greedy, don’t you think?” she said softly

This time, it took a second for him to recall the thread of conversation they’d dropped somewhere between the heavy thrusting. “If it’s not hurtin’ anyone…”

“I wouldn’t want it to be a permanent thing,” she said, her voice sounding dreamy. “I don’t think I could be as strong as Dani.”

“You think she has to be strong to have two men?”

“She has to be strong to put up with havin’ everyone talkin’ about her business. You should hear how the old biddies at the beauty shop skewer Dani Cruz. Even at church. Sanctimonious bitches.”

Bo dragged in a deep breath and came up on his elbows so he could watch her face. “You’re really curious about it, aren’t you?”

Her gaze slid away from his to where she curled a finger in the hair above his ears. “It’s just a fantasy. Gets me hot.”

His lips twitched. “I couldn’t tell. What if I told you there might be a way to satisfy that itch without anyone ever knowin’?”

She gave his hair a tiny yank and stared up at him. “I’d say you’re a horrible tease, and now I’m completely horny again just thinkin’ about the possibility. You did it on purpose, didn’t you? Just ’cause I said we shouldn’t have sex again.”

He reached up to pull her fingers away from his head and kept them cupped inside his hand. “I’m not teasing. I have a solution. Guess it just depends on if you’ve got the guts.”

She bit her bottom lip. “No one would ever know?”

“Just those there. And the guys I’m thinkin’ of don’t gossip.”

Her eyes narrowed. “How do you know?”

Gotcha, babe. “Ever hear of Chrissi Page gettin’ naked and fuckin’ three guys under the bleachers during halftime at the homecoming game?”

“No.” Her eyes widened. “Prissy Chrissi? Really?”

He nodded.

Her eyes widened. “Were you one of those boys?”

“And if I was?” He’d been there but hadn’t been one of the three havin’ a go, but she didn’t need to know that.

A frown dug a line between her brows. “I never would have put you with her. You said she wasn’t your type.”

Bo bit the tip of her nose, embarrassed now to admit his part. “She wasn’t when she thought she was too good for anyone around here.”

“How’d you ever talk her into it?”

He hadn’t, but he gave her a wicked waggle of his eyebrows. “Now, I’ve already said too much.”

“You just tryin’ to get me hot enough for another round,” she muttered.

“And if I am?”

“Just remember, I ain’t marryin’ you, Bo.”

“Did I ask?”

“No, but people see us together too often, they’ll start makin’ plans. And I already have plans.”

Bo ground his hips against hers, dragging his slackening cock around and around her pussy. “No one will know about us,” he said softly. “No one will start sendin’ out wedding invitations. And I really can give you one hot-as-hell night. You game?”

Her teeth bit into her lush bottom lip as she studied his expression. “Who’s your posse?”

He lifted his eyebrows, telling her silently that she ought to already know.

“You talkin’ about the boys at the Triple X?” She stared. “Holy cow.”

He could tell from the hitch in her breathing that the idea appealed.

“But why would they go for it, with me, I mean? I’m not…like Chrissi.”

“Don’t you dare say you aren’t pretty enough.”

“I’m okay, but they’re…” She blew out a breath between pursed lips. “Let’s just say there’s not a woman in Two Mule, except maybe Dani Cruz, who hasn’t thought about tryin’ to lasso one of ’em. How you gonna ask them?”

“Leave it up to me.”

Shanna swallowed hard. “Why would you do this for me?”

He gave her a one-sided smile, aching inside to tell her the truth, but settled for, “What’re best friends for?”

Sharon Cullen: To Send or Not to Send

TO SEND OR NOT TO SEND

Thanksgiving has past and now the holiday season is upon us (we won’t discuss how the retailers think the holiday season starts after Halloween. That’s a different post for a different time). For the Cullen family that means putting up the tree, dragging out the decorations, and Christmas cards.

It saddens me that over the years the act of sending out Christmas cards has dwindled. I love reaching into my mailbox and finding a stack of cards, of reading the Christmas letters and looking at the pictures of everyone’s kids.

I guess in this age of social media and being so connected through Facebook and Twitter that people just don’t feel the need.

I’m not bashing Facebook or Twitter or any other social media site by any means. I’m addicted to all of them. But there are still some “old ways” that I cling to and one of those is sending out my annual Christmas cards.

Another one is my address book.

Yes, I still have an address book. The physical kind that has the three rings and the little laminated letters on the side so you can flip to the correct part of the alphabet.

Every year I dig that address book out (it seems I only need it at Christmas time) and I look through it. I’ve had the same book for about twenty years and that means there are lots of addresses crossed out and new addresses written beneath it. My grandmothers, both now deceased, are still in there as well as friends I haven’t seen in a long time.

It’s sort of a walk down memory lane for me to open that book. It makes me smile, reliving memories of the people written on those pages.

I hope that sending Christmas cards never truly goes away because I think it’s a wonderful way to reconnect to people that you normally don’t “see” on the internet or real life.

What about you? Do you still send out Christmas cards?

In Sharon Cullen’s sizzling novel of scandal and seduction, a headstrong beauty is pursued across Europe by London’s most notorious rake.

Having vowed never to wed again, widowed viscountess Claire Hartford is about to do the unthinkable: travel unaccompanied across the continent in search of a lover. Her adventure begins sooner than expected, when she meets a magnificent cloaked stranger on her ship’s gangplank. He is Lord Blythe, a man whispered about in London’s ballrooms and drawing rooms, a scandalous rogue hell-bent on seduction.

Nathan Ferguson curses the day he agreed to look out for his best friend’s wayward sister. The charismatic earl is traveling to Paris to uncover the truth behind his father’s death, but his desire for Claire threatens to be his undoing. From France to Italy, on a journey of passionate discovery and danger, Nathan is honor-bound to protect her—from himself most of all. What can he offer Claire? Only love, as he sets out to prove to the woman of his dreams that she belongs to him—body, heart, and soul. 

Advance praise for Loving the Earl

“Loving the Earl is charming and fast-paced. It’s filled with passion, intrigue, a resourceful heroine you’ll love, and a delicious hero you’ll fall in love with. An absolute delight!”—New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jacquie D’Alessandro

“Sharon Cullen is a natural-born storyteller. Her twists and turns will keep you turning the pages.”—Margo Maguire, bestselling author of The Highlander’s Desire

“With its bad-boy hero and spunky heroine, Sharon Cullen’s Loving the Earl is sure to please readers looking for more than the typical Regency come-out story. Intrigue and romance fuse seamlessly in this adventurous romp that takes the reader from Dover to Paris to Venice and finally to a sigh-worthy happily ever after.”—Shana Galen, author of True Spies

Sharon Cullen’s BIO:

Sharon Cullen is the author of the historical romance, THE NOTORIOUS LADY ANNE, LOVING THE EARL, and PLEASING THE PIRATE (available February 2014). She’s also published in romantic suspense, paranormal romance and contemporary romance.

Her other job descriptions include chauffer, laundress, cook and mediator to her three very busy kids, her husband and two dogs. She lives in southwest Ohio with her brood although her dream is to someday retire to St. Maarten and live on the beach.

If you’d like to find out more about Sharon and her books, you can visit her website. She’s addicted to social networking so you can find her on Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter. Friend her! Like her! Follow her! She’d love to hang out with you and talk about her passion—books.

Links for LOVING THE EARL:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Random House

Alexia Haynes: Got Ink?

Got Ink?

Writing is my dream job, but my day job is actually about as stodgy as it gets.  The forced conformity has started to chafe like an ugly polyester uniform, over a girdle in a size too small, and toe-pinching heels.  All around me, I see tattoos decorating arms, legs, wrists, and backs.  The book covers in my favorite genres sport heroes with tattoo-painted muscles.  The real me wants purple hair, a piercing, and a couple of tattoos. 

My characters have the freedom that I am denied.  In Too Fast, Savannah has her nose pierced, and Luke has a tattoo.  They live in Athens, Georgia, home of the University of Georgia, and a city close to my heart.  In Athens, the unique mix of music, culture, and higher education has fostered an environment that encourages individuality. 

Luke is no billionaire.  In fact, he’s got the responsibilities of a man twice his age and the means of a twenty-year-old.  Luke wouldn’t spend money on a tattoo without a good reason.  Since he didn’t have any friends who were tattoo artists (which by the way, each of us should have), Luke needed body art with real meaning.  His art signified his commitment to caring for his younger sister.  He works to shield her from the tumultuous home life caused by his mother’s mental illness.  Luke’s tattoo ends up playing a big role in the story.

I believe that the act of getting a tattoo always has meaning—sometimes a rite of passage, coming of age, or act of bravery.  I have seen body art honoring loved ones, memorializing special events, and featuring literary characters. 

Do you have a tattoo with special meaning? 

How do you express yourself through body art?

Too Fast by Alexia Haynes

Twenty-year-old Savannah enjoys a one-time one-night stand because a real relationship would never fit into her busy schedule.  Working two jobs and pursuing her degree takes all of her time.  Besides, the guys she has dated haven’t been much better than the random barfly.

It’s a good thing Luke’s body is honed by the long hours of carpentry and construction because he carries the weight of his family on his shoulders.  School hasn’t been an option for him since he dropped out to make the house payments his mother had failed to make. 

Luke finds what he’s been longing for in a night with Savannah.  She’s determined to stop with a one-night stand, but he wants more.  Neither can deny the perfection of their passionate interludes, but with such imperfect lives, do they have any chance for a future together?  Suddenly they’re falling in love but it’s all happening much too fast.

Cathryn Fox: Staying Organized

Staying organized!

Some people ask me how I can write under so many names, so many genres, run a family, cook meals, and keep a clean house (fairly clean!) and still find time to get lost in a good book.  Well, the answer to that is by staying organized!  How do I keep organized you wonder?  By keeping lists, and lists and more lists, and being careful to stick to them.  I have a notepad in front of me and every night I make a list of what I need to accomplish the next day, and not just work wise.  I have a family, and they need food and clean clothes once in awhile, so I put that in there too!  I also delegate duties. Hey I’m not superwoman, and when it comes to meals, the crock pot is my friend!  This might surprise you, but nine times out of ten, if you’re on the phone with me, I’m sweeping my floor!  I’m a serious multi-tasker!

And of course, I’m careful to schedule ‘me’ time in there, otherwise I would work day and night…yeah, I’m a bit of a workaholic for sure…but isn’t every writer?

The last few months have been very hectic for me, I received edits on three different books from three different publishers, and one book required a major overhaul, with a very, very short turnaround time.  During all this I was invited to participate in two boxed sets with some very special authors, that required major promotion time!  Then when another opportunity came up, and I had to write a brand new story during all this commotion, and I knew it was something I really wanted to be a part of, I scheduled it in.  I certainly feel that being organized has opened doors for me, and given me new opportunities. 

Well I’m sure glad I was able to schedule those writing days in, because UNRAVELED, the boxed set I was invited to participate in, and my story in it YOURS TO TAKE, just hit the USA today bestsellers list!  It’s currently on Sale for $.99, but this won’t last long so grab your copy today!   

Buy at Amazon

Be sure to also keep your eye out for SEDUCTION IN THE SUN, the third boxed set I was invited to participate in, and my brand new story HANDS ON, with the billionaire CEO…by Cat Kalen, a very sexy New Adult romance coming out December 3rd!

This time next week…

Some months ago, my mother bemoaned the fact her traveling days were over. My father isn’t in the best of health and likes to stay close to home. He’s not very fond of boats (he gets seasick) or crowds. But my mother has always wanted to go on a cruise. So, I said I’d go with her. We chose a short cruise, one of those hops from Miami to Key West, then on to Cancun and back. Four days only. Long enough to see some things but not wear her out completely, and not so long dad would pine.

On Sunday, we’ll fly to Miami, stay the night, and on Monday, we’ll board the cruise ship. I have guests lined up to entertain you while I’m gone, and I have some pre-posted contests to celebrate the release of Texas Surrender, which happens on December 4th while I’m gone, so you still have plenty of reasons to stop in every day.

So answer me this: Have you ever been on a cruise? Is there somewhere you’re dying to sail?

Sidney Bristol: Top 5 Reasons New Orleans is Like a Romance Hero…

Thanks so much to Delilah for hosting me today! I’m celebrating the release of an all new, completely original boxed set titled, Midnight Ink.

One tattoo shop, eight couples and more steamy action than I can count!

The Midnight Ink boxed set is a little different than what you’ve seen lately. You see, besides being completely new stories, each of the titles touches the others in one way or another. There are cameos, overlapping stories—it’s amazing we pulled this off!

We chose New Orleans as the backdrop for this book for many reasons, which I soon realized were an awful lot like the characteristics of a romance hero… So today I give you…

The top five reasons New Orleans is like a romance hero:

1) It will show you a good time.

I’ve only been to New Orleans once, but combine that with all the other personal stories I’ve heard about the city and I’m totally convinced you always have a good time there. Romance heroes like to woo their heroines, and not always between the sheets. I love a book where a hero goes out and does something with the heroine, a new experience, something one or the other loves—I’m sold! Show me a good time and you’ve got me.

2) It has manners.

Every romance hero I’ve read has at least some type of manners. He might not be the open the door and pull out her chair kind of man, but he won’t let her be disrespected. Touring up and down Bourbon street was a whole other experience, but everyone was always so very nice about bumping into you or going in or out of places. It really seems as if there’s an ingrained sense of the southern charm there. And I’m a sucker for a southern gentlemen with a little rough edge.

3) It has a rough side.

Yes, that rough edge. We love a rough-around-the –edges hero, don’t we? New Orleans is a beautiful place, but all the plumage and glitz can’t hide that under the fun times. Even before Hurricane Katrina, there was a darker, dangerous side to the city that’s appealing. Anything too perfect is unsettling, and New Orleans is rough enough to feel a little dangerous, but also just a bit familiar, too.

4) It knows how to feed you.

Have you had a beignet? I could wax poetic about the cuisine! You can’t just win over a man through his belly. Even a picky eater like me could fall in love with New Orleans on the food front alone.

5) It always makes a lady feel special.

Any hero has to make the heroine feel special, and New Orleans doesn’t fail to come through on that front either.

So come explore New Orleans in the pages of Midnight Ink!

Jayne Rylon

Report For Booty

When Burke Levine got marching orders, he couldn’t bear to make his girlfriend Chavon White a military widow. Years later, discovering his name tattooed on her perfect ass via a New Orleans’ artist’s portfolio confirms his epic mistake. Will Midnight Ink’s New Year’s Eve party grant them a second chance?

Sidney Bristol

Picture Her Bound, a Bayou Bound novella

She’s a police officer desperate enough to break the rules. He’s the bounty hunter standing between her and ruin. Picture Her Bound is —the first book in the brand new Bayou Bound series from Sidney Bristol—a story of right, wrong and binding pleasures.

Robin L. Rotham

Not So Over Eli

Paramedic Bart Rigger finally has the life he wants rather than the one his father dictated, thanks to hot new fiancée Rhonda Giannetti. But a whirlwind trip to New Orleans puts it all at risk when he’s forced to confront unresolved feelings for his first love, tattoo artist Elijah Bell.

PG Forte

Inked Memories

All Sophie wants is a tattoo to commemorate her battle with cancer. What she gets is celebrity tattoo artist Declan Ross, the same sexy bad-boy who used to rock her world. This time, they’ve both got scars and it’s still the ones you can’t see that are the hardest to cover.

RG Alexander

To The Bone, a Bone Daddy novella

Etta Santos has one resolution—to cover up the last visible evidence of her past. When Christie Ryder, sexy musician and new owner of Midnight Ink, pursues her, he seems too good to be true. His music touches her soul, but can she risk trusting another bad boy with her heart?

Eden Bradley

Dangerously Inked, a Dangerous Romance novella

When the tattoo artist Finn Carter lined up for his visit to New Orleans turns out to be the mysteriously alluring sub he played on New Year’s Eve at The Bastille, the city’s BDSM club, more than his skin will be marked forever—and Rosie is just the woman to bring this playboy to his knees.

Carrie Ann Ryan

Ink Inspired, a Montgomery Ink novella

In Carrie Ann Ryan’s Ink Inspired, the prequel to her upcoming Montgomery Ink series, Ice Princess Shea Little wants ink and a change. Shepard Montgomery not only wants to ink her, but get through that icy exterior.  Together, they’ll heat up the streets of New Orleans…and each other.

Mari Carr

Blank Canvas, a Big Easy novella

Disillusioned by divorce, Jennifer’s about to discover her wild side, starting with a tattoo from Caliph. And continuing with submission, spankings, wax play…all under the skilled hands of her wickedly sexy tattoo master.

Buy Midnight Ink: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ARe | Kobo   

—

It can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life.  She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.

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Contest Reminder…and a Question…

First, I have to brag. This was a momentous week for the Devlin house. From the USA Today Bestseller’s List:

Nuff, said, right? Whee!

Company left early this morning. We celebrated Thanksgiving early because this past weekend was the only time all the siblings’ schedules matched.  It was a lovely weekend. Lots of gossiping to catch up on. Tons of laughter. Now, it’s back to my writing cave.

This is the last week of NaNoWriMo and I have some catching up to do. I think I’ll make it. I just have to be in “writer-mode”—head down, fingers flying on the keys. I removed my solar nails so I can type faster.

Yes, November’s nearly gone, which means November’s prize will be awarded next weekend. Be sure to comment as often as you can this coming week to add more chances to win the Amazon gift card!

And to give you something to comment on, and for us to learn a little bit more about you, here’s a question…

In your opinion, what is the most beautiful foreign language to hear spoken?

Mahalia Levey: Forbidden Deception

Good Morning!

I am so excited to be visiting on Delilah’s blog again.  Today I’m going to share some back story on my latest IR Fireman story.

It all began when I was twenty-one…a long time ago. I happened to be out with a friend at a club. I was single at the time, not really looking for a hook up but I was looking to have some fun.  The club we were at was a popular night-club. Twenty-0ne and up only. My girlfriend ended up running into a guy she’d went out on some dates with. He was with some friends and a family member.

That was when I met the mystery man. Me at about five feet two inches and around a hundred thirty pounds. Mystery man easily six three and I’d say about two hundred forty pounds of solid muscle and Hispanic. 

Mystery man and I hooked up and had a fabulous time. We dated a bit, I think a few months at least, hung and then… I called his house for him and his mom picked up the phone. I asked for my mystery man only to find he was grounded.

I remember thinking… skipping class in college is normal and who grounds a twenty-one year old. So then I ask his mom, how old is mystery man and she says seventeen. I politely thanked her and hung up. When he was ungrounded and called me back, I refused to talk to him. I was a bit ticked off because you know…that’s jailbait.

Early this year, thanks to social media, mystery man found me on facebook, or did I find him? Maybe it was his cousin who found me. Oh, I friended his cousin and then saw him and at the time, I was trying to figure out my next plot. I had a sexy fireman and a hot Latina woman to create.

Thus the plot was born with a twist…Why not do a story with the age conflict and lies by omission…and the damage that could ensue then make them meet up by chance ten years later.

No one knows how a solitary lie has the power to rip a heart to pieces. For ten years Ailyn Dominguez has lived with a constant reminder of heartbreak that left her devastated and pregnant. While nothing gives her more pleasure than being a mother, the lie she lives weighs her down like a ball and chain. Even if she knew where to look, her deceit could cost her everything she holds dear.

Responsibility for others has always rested on Seth Mahone. Every day he gears up to protect and serve, leads his men and finds fulfillment in doing his best. With one friend settled down, he reevaluates his life and the price he paid when the one woman he loved disappeared, leaving a void in his life. Regretting what caused their split, he hasn’t fully let go or found another to take her place.

When the past collides with the present both must confront the deception that split them apart.

“Now that is something you don’t see every day.” Ailyn wiggled her head out from under her car to see Seth’s team of men in full gear openly appraising her.

“Do you mind? Staring is rude.” She bet her salary her face was flushed and the men before her were enjoying her discomfort.

“What do you think she has on? I thought she was stark naked when we left. Lieutenant, get a load of your girl.”

“I am not, and I repeat—not—his girl. Now, shh. Don’t call him over here,” she hissed at the men.

“Well, hey darlin’, I thought you were waiting for me in my office.” Seth lay down on the ground next to her. She bit her lip, dying in mortification as he raked a lingering gaze up and down her body.

“Go away. I’m going home. As soon as I get my key.”

“You mean this one? Yeah, I remembered teaching you to put a spare on the underside, since you were famous for losing them back in the day.”

“Thanks for the ride down memory lane. Now go away. I really don’t want to be near you. As you can see, since I was trying to leave before you got back.”

“Come on. You didn’t think I was going to let you walk away so easy this time, did you? Although, I must say I’m impressed with your resourcefulness. Saran Wrap has never looked so damn sexy. The tape is a nice touch. To think you did this all for me. New form of foreplay, darlin’?”

“You left me no choice,” Ailyn sputtered. “Please leave me alone. I can’t get up unless no one is looking.”

Seth chuckled and eased from beside her. Heat seared her cheeks. “Stop looking at my goods.”

“Just seein’ if they’re as hot as I remembered and they’re even hotter.” He shifted and moved away. She took a deep breath, glad the overbearing man gave her breathing room. She wiggled to move out when rough hands picked her up off the ground. She found herself hauled over a shoulder, one hand holding her ass firmly, the other clasped around her legs preventing anyone from getting an eyeful.

“Put me down, I can walk.”

“Lt. has a pretty package right there. Man I would love to have a piece like that wrapped up like a present for me.”

“Those men are just as bad as you are.” She slapped him. “Put me down.”

“Don’t hit.” A palm cracked across her near-bare ass. She yelped and beat at him with her fists. As much as she hated him, her pussy creamed. In the past being spanked always ended in cream drenched panties and rough sex. “You didn’t used to be so mean.”

“A lot has changed since last we met.” As if he knew the direction of her thoughts, he landed another blow.

His long strides brought them to his office, where he shut and locked the door and found the ripped hemline. He withdrew a cutter from his pocket and sliced up the side, freeing her lower half from the sweltering confines. “Hmm, to free your breasts or leave them for later.”

“I don’t think you’ll be seeing them anytime soon.”

“Damn, Ailyn. I can smell your arousal. I bet your sexy cunt is dripping wet and glistening underneath this plastic. Shame on me for forgetting how wet you get when spanked.” He leaned his head between her legs and inhaled. A sexy growl departed his lips, making her empty core clench.

“I-I need to get dressed.” Dear Lord, he was undeniable ten years ago. Time had done nothing but add to that dangerous trait. Dark need crackled between them, making her forget she despised—no hated him. One look from him, one touch, and her traitorous body reacted, leaned into his care, shivered at his words, ached to be caressed, teased, fucked. He turned her into a great big erogenous zone demanding satiation.

“Sure you want to leave?” He swiped his tongue along her slit, causing her legs to tremble and her thoughts to stall.

“I’m not having hate sex with you.” She pushed her legs closed, he knocked them back apart.

“Hate sex? Your gorgeous body doesn’t hate me. She responds to my voice and touch.” Seth’s mouth latched over her nub, closing his teeth around the button. Shellshock and pleasure ramped up. Ailyn bit her lip to keep from screaming out. Seth looked up from his position and winked at her surrender. The man ate her like he was starved for his next meal. She gripped the edge of his desk and canted against his devouring lips. He flattened his tongue into her slit, stabbing her cunt.

 “This is hi-highly inappropriate here.” Whoa. A slow burn radiated through her from her belly. Her pussy constricted against his tongue.

 “But so worth the consequences.”

Forbidden Deception is already a ARe Bestseller! I received my button and email two days ago.

On Amazon it hit #97 on Interracial and Multicultural romance.

If you haven’t grabbed your copy, check out the links above!