Daryl Devore's Blog, page 100

SIN'S FLOWER BLOG TOUR on Erotic Notions

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Sin’s Flower (A Sin Pointe Novel, Book 2)
Blurb: When Jaxon James, a sexy rock star and struggling single-father, is invited to ditch California and spend Christmas in Tennessee with his estranged family, he hesitantly accepts for his young daughter’s sake.  But his attraction to his best friend’s baby sister, Lily Elstone, threatens to unravel the bonds he’s made for his daughter.  The honorable thing to do would be to give up Lily.  But his instincts are telling him she’s exactly the one who could bring light to his life and the missing fire to his bed.  Unfortunately, Lily's too sweet for his world.  He fears his rock and roll life style will taint her.   How far are Jaxon and Lily willing to go to find what’s missing at home?Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Authors Bio: 
Carlene Love Flores is a big fan of the stars (especially Orion), honest music (especially Depeche Mode), and her traveling family (no favorites there-she loves them all).  These things have always inspired her to think up stories and continue to do so.  Carlene feels honored to be a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Washington DC Romance Writers (WRWDC), and The Waterworld Mermaids.  She currently lives in the D.C. area where she can often be found listening to live music and looking up at the sky on clear nights.  If she could touch someone’s heart with her writing the way others have done for her, she’d say truly there never lived a luckier girl.  ;)
Tag Line:  Love, Intimacy & the Night
Website Address:  http://carlenelove.com/

Other Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlene.l.floresTwitter:https://twitter.com/cloveflores

Sex on Erotic Notions on Summer Seduction Bloghop

Since it has been said that the biggest sex organ in a woman is her mind - then it behooves the woman to be destressed, relaxed and in a happy place with her partner.
One way to do that - is do something that has nothing to do with sex and is an activity you both enjoy For my husband and I, it is kayaking in the summer.
After spending a day outdoors, getting some sunshine, soaking up vitamin D and having some physical activity, the cares, worries and stresses of life can be forgotten. And the pleasure of spending time with the one you love can be one of the biggest turn ons there is.
Enjoy the pictures - breathe deep and relax. Feel the sun on your skin. The gentle rocking of the boat. The serene calmness. Then go nuzzle the neck of the one you love (unless you're at work!!)






















At the top of my blog are 4 free reads. Pick the one you think you might like to win and quote a line from it. It cannot be a line that someone else has used.

The Grand Prizes for this blog hop are 1. an Adult Toy Shop Gift Card or Basket and 2. Digital Book Bundle



Here are the other Summer Seduction Authors

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Harlem Dae and the Sexy as Hell Trilogy on Erotic Notions

Sexy as Hell Trilogy  -The Virgin, The Player and The VixenBy Harlem Dae
Sexy as Hell is an erotic trilogy that will submerge you into the black heart of a world of bondage and discipline, Dominance and submission, sadism and masochism.
Dare to take this twisting journey with Victor and you’ll learn the ropes with him, experience every carnal sensation and fall into a dark and dangerous love that grips like a fist and binds like a collar.
Get to know Zara, his sultry teacher, and you’ll gasp when she doles out her sinful instructions but then delight in the stunning results she not only demands but achieves. It seems Heaven and Hell are not so far apart when she holds the reins.
Victor has his layers peeled back, but when he does the same to try to get to his Vixen’s core, a revelation appears. Because Zara is a woman whose vast sexual experience is both her strength and her weakness; she can inflict pain and pleasure, make lusty demands and instruct, but she needs so much more, she needs…
Yes, the time has come to for her to admit to her needs and confess to the repairing her soul hungers for. A sea of memories, a lifetime of control requires an acknowledgement that will cut through her barriers, and there’s only one man up for the job—her virgin, her student, her newly trained monster, Victor Partridge.
Please note, in order to enjoy Victor and Zara’s adventures, the trilogy must be read in order.
About the Authors
Lily Harlem and Natalie Dae have been writing together for several years on top of their individual author projects. Their joint name is now Harlem Dae. They enjoy being represented by traditional houses including HarperCollins and Total-E- Bound as well as self-publishing their sexy stories on Amazon. Both live in the UK and gain great satisfaction from bouncing characters and their raunchy antics back and forth, growing, nurturing and stoking plot lines until they steam off the page and push boundaries. They consider themselves to be solitary, whacky, spontaneous and desirous for many things including perfection and are frequently caught sending messages back and forth referring to each other as Rodney and Delboy.
About the Sexy as Hell NovelsThe Virgin – Book #1
London – one meeting, one month of lessons and a landslide of depraved new desires.
My journey to Hell started with a decaff coffee. Nothing more than a grey mug full of dull-brown liquid devoid of its most useful ingredient.
One sip, one smile, one touch of her hand and it was soon clear my life wasn’t destined to stay dull. Oh, no, suddenly I had a month of bedroom education planned by a sultry vixen who intended to broaden my horizons beyond my usual peach-pink palette. 
She wanted to take me to deep purples and navy blues and the pitch blackness that was pure sin. And on the other side of that blackness was a place that might look like Hell, with debauchery and wantonness, people playing devil’s advocate, luring innocents into the hotter, steamier corners of the world.
Her world.
Oh, yes, she promised each night to take me there and paint me an orange-and-red picture that would come alive, flickering like flames, enticing me, holding me spellbound and eager to learn more. To touch, explore, drown in coming.
And drown I would. I was no match for her tricks and taunts. My only chance of survival was to show her that I was no vanilla virgin. I had a rainbow of mastery up my sleeve, too, and if she just opened her eyes, she might be dazzled enough to stay—stay and take ‘my’ lessons. If she didn’t kill me first, that was, with pleasure.
The Player – Book #2
Tuscany – New lovers, new lessons and an eruption of uncontrollable lust.
The real world was working for me, its pastel shades and straight-and-narrow route a familiar path to tread. It suited me, this normality; it was good for me too. Or so I thought, because the new light in my life, Catherine, was not quite fulfilling my needs. Her lack of colour, the weak whispers of her kisses were not touching my soul the way I’d become accustomed to. I needed more.
More of everything in my darkly addictive rainbow; the wicked wantonness of sin, the depraved pleasure of seedy seduction and the prism of delight I took in being struck…and of doing the striking. I missed the fireworks, the brilliant displays of Technicolor ecstasy that strung me out and bared me to my bones. I wanted to go there again, and take Catherine, too, see if I could have that pyrotechnic display with her. Did she have a riot of vibrant shades beneath her skin or was she magnolia to the core?
My teacher, Zara, told me I could discover her palette. That all I needed to do was show Catherine my world, my new world, the one I’d never inhabited alone. Zara couldn’t come with me this time, she had a new student now. I was on my own, it was down to me. Or was it?
It seemed my teacher had other ideas after all, and when she sashayed back into my life with her rules and murmurs of encouragement, I had no choice but to listen to her, take her advice, follow her lead, even though I knew nothing ever ended well with her. But resistance was futile, my protests fell on deaf ears. But that suited my plans, didn’t it?

The Vixen – Book #3
Venice – Two people, a shed load of baggage and a way forward that takes extreme to new limits.
In an explosion of clarity, the mist cleared and I understood what my lascivious teacher, Zara, really was beneath the surface. I couldn’t see her beautiful core. Like a dank fog warning off poor unfortunates who wandered her way, she wouldn’t let the darkness lift, refused to light the way. But she gave me a key. It was small, stiff, and I was afraid of what I’d find if I turned it. But I did. I couldn’t resist. She did that to me.
In a tumble of truths, I understood her bleak voids and why she filled them with sharp slicing reds and hostile bruising purples. What had happened, what they’d done had bled her of colour and created a woman who needed so much more and always would—for all of time. But I could give her back that vibrancy, I was sure I could; my colours complimented hers and I had plenty of them. My needs could switch to take her to those grey places she needed to visit again in order to obliterate the memories that caused her pain. In the space they’d occupied, I’d create a pile of shimmering, perfectly cut-diamond memories, a rainbow cloud of sugar mist to replace that dankness. I could do it; I would help her become more beautiful than anything I’d seen before.
And within that new, delicate ‘thing’ was us. Victor and Zara. Unconventional, extreme, romantic, we spanned every shimmering stroke of the rainbow and all the coal-black shadows on the way down to Hell. But together we could fight demons. I would be her knight in shining armour even if it pushed me to the very limits of what I ever believed I could do to a woman. And what thrilled me, was if I bared my soul, found the courage to be a monster as well as an angel, I had a very real chance of making her mine—or did I? Because the only thing predictable about Zara, was that she was completely unpredictable.
Sexy as Hell Magazine




Buy Links

Amazon US
The Virgin - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E251FBW
The Player - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E251FOO
The Vixen - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E251KU8

Amazon UK
The Virgin - http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Virgin-Tr...
The Player - http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Player-Tr...
The Vixen - http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Vixen-Tri...

Author Links
Harlem Dae website http://www.harlemdae.com
Harlem Dae on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NatalieDaean...
Harlem Dae on Amazon US http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_...

Amazon UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=ntt_ath...

Excerpt from The Virgin

I sighed then sipped my coffee, wondering what on earth was the matter with me. Perhaps this game with Victor was dragging me down. If that was the case, I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I stared into space, working out what to show him next. There were the Swedes—mustn’t forget those—but maybe they’d be better off left for the finale. God, that would give him a last visual to remember his time with me by. I could only hope he learned from what I was teaching him and didn’t file it in the back of his mind. What a waste if he didn’t use it with future women, either as a sub or having a go at domination himself. When he’d got going last night he’d given off an unstoppable energy. It was muted assertiveness yes, but I was pretty sure it was there.
Bile rose into my throat.
Was I coming down with something? That would be all I’d need, being sick smack bang in the middle of a bet. I breathed deeply, waiting for a slash of nausea to strike, but nothing came. Maybe the milk in the coffee wasn’t as fresh as it could be. I shrugged, once again studying the men in the coffee shop. One of them, nice-looking and hair much like Victor’s, greying a bit at the temples but not quite as long at the back as his, was typing steadfastly on his laptop. I wondered what he did for a living that meant he spent his coffee break working. Or perhaps he wasn’t working at all. He might well be firing off saucy emails to a woman who read them while frigging her clit. Would Victor be up for something like that?
I wasn’t about to wait to find out. I reached into my bag and pulled out my phone. Having stored his email address in my mind, I tapped the icon for my mail app and typed it in, taking a moment to think on what to put. In the subject line I typed CAN YOU WALK PROPERLY TODAY? then proceeded with the main entry.

Dear Mr Doesn’t-Know-It-All-But-Knows-A-Bit-More-Than-Before,
I hope this email finds you in good spirits. How is your arse? Sore? I imagine it is. Mine isn’t, just in case you were wondering. I have a blissful kind of ache going on down there, and every time I move I think of you with your cock inside me. I have to admit, I’m wondering how that cock would feel in my cunt again, but we have plenty of time for me to find out, don’t we?
Now, about tonight. I doubt your back hole is up for any more invasions just yet, so I thought us watching a performance might be the best way to go. There’s an act you haven’t seen yet—The Harlequin; you’ll see why when you get there—and it will show you a thing or two.
8 o’clock sharp at Eden Street. If you don’t turn up this time…well, it’d be pointless if you didn’t. You know damn well I’ll only come and find you and do what I have in mind anyway. And you’ll enjoy it, I promise.
By the way, I’m enjoying a lovely coffee. Isn’t it about time you took a break?
Mistress Z

I smiled as I hit SEND, imagining his mail alarm tinkling, him opening his email browser thinking it was a client or one of his staff, only to find little old me had barged into his inbox. I wanted to barge into his inbox for real, but like I’d said to him, I didn’t think his arse could take another invasion so soon.
I sipped and gazed around while waiting for his response. If he didn’t send one immediately, then that was all right. He might be busy drawing or in a meeting or something. I hoped he wasn’t—hoped he was at his desk, bored and waiting for a decent distraction. Did he ever get bored at work, what with all those important projects to be getting on with?
My phone gave a solitary blip, and I looked down to see a number one in the corner of my mail icon. Excited, and wanting to laugh so loud it made people stare, I opened my mail.

Dear Mistress Z,
You are so naughty, emailing me like this. What did I tell you last night? I’m a busy man—too busy to be having filthy email conversations with you. Too busy to take a bloody break.
Yes, I’ll be at Eden Street at 8, not because you ordered me there but because I want to see The Harlequin. I enjoy a good show—perhaps you’d like me to take you to one of my kind some day? And yes, my arse is sore, thank you very much.
Mr Won’t-Take-Any-More-Orders-For-The-Rest-Of-The-Day

Ha! So he wasn’t so busy that he didn’t have time to respond. And as for not taking any more orders…he’d be taking them tonight.

Dear Mr I’m-Too-Busy-For-My-Mistress-Who-Likes-To-Put-Things-Up-My-Arse,
Thank you so much for your prompt response, despite being a very busy man. I appreciate you finding the time to squeeze me into your hectic schedule. I should be flattered. However, there’s always time for a bit of slap and tickle, and I aim to show you that all work and no play might make Victor a very dull man. And it had made you dull, hadn’t it? Admit it. When was the last time you had fun before you met me? Lighten up a little.
If you have a client sitting opposite your desk—and I can’t imagine you being so rude as to write filth to me if you did; again, not enough balls—or you have someone in your office, or perhaps you’re in someone else’s office and answering mail on your phone, just imagine what they’d think if they knew what we were talking about. Don’t you think it makes for an interesting deviance from your usual boring day? What a secret to have, sending raunchy messages to a woman when no one else knows.
What a secret to have when a woman emails you saying she’d like nothing more than to pay you a visit, yank down your trousers, and stuff your very hard cock into her mouth.
And you are hard, aren’t you?
Mistress Z

I sent the message and smiled. I was skating on thin ice here, risking annoying him or getting him so exasperated that the next response from him might not be so kind. Still, it was passing the time, and I could imagine him now, reading my message with a too-hard cock and no way to relieve it unless he visited the bathroom and took himself in hand. If he was in a meeting, all the better. A stiffy when sitting at a conference table could only make him want to see me tonight all the more.
My alert pinged.

Dear Mistress-Z-Who-Is-So-Infuriating-She-Makes-Me-Want-To-Scream,
I’m alone in my office, trying to work, and no, that doesn’t mean you can send me more of your dirty little messages. I really do need to get along here, and it’s all very well saying I should have secrets and should enjoy all this email sex malarkey—and I am in a way, I just wish you hadn’t chosen today to do it—but I have deadlines.
I don’t want to brush you off, believe me I don’t, but in answer to your question, yes, I’m too damn hard and it’s going to take a while for me to stop thinking about your pert little body and concentrate on work.
Now stop it. I mean it, just stop.
Mr Wants-To-Fuck-Around-With-You-But-Can’t

A grin a mile wide spread across my face. That was all I’d been after, him admitting he wanted me, giving me some assurance that he’d be at Eden Street tonight. Oh, I knew he’d said he’d be there, but after his no-show before, I’d had to make sure. And now I knew he wanted to fuck me, was sitting at his desk trying to deflate his cock, I was on cloud nine.
As I was just about to hug myself in victory, the man who looked a bit like Victor came up to my table. I stared at him, wondering what he could want, and slid my phone back into my bag.
“May I join you?” he asked.
“If you like,” I said, giving him my best I-can-hook-you-in-a-heartbeat smile. It felt wrong on my face, stretching it painfully, and I didn’t understand why. “So,” I said, following my usual patter, “what brings a hunk like you here?”
He grinned, blue eyes flashing, and placed his laptop on the table. “Having the chance to pick up a woman like you.”
Oh, someone else who thought he should be the one to run the show. I refrained from rolling my eyes and gave him another smile instead. Inwardly I sighed at having to go through this again, when all I wanted was to go home and think about tonight. I didn’t like other men encroaching on my time when I was teaching someone else.
So why were you here the other day then? The day Victor dropped in and caught you looking at other men?
I frowned. All right, so I was a hypocrite. I’d have to be honest with myself—this man wasn’t floating my boat, no matter how similar to Victor he was. No matter how attractive he was.
“I’m not here to be picked up,” I said. “I’m…well, I’m seeing someone.”
I stood and grabbed my bag, slinging the strap over my shoulder and heading to the door without looking back. I couldn’t believe I’d said that to him, had turned down the chance at a one-night stand come the end of the month. But it was all I’d been able to think of to get rid of him, to make my exit appear acceptable.
There was no other reason for saying what I had at all.

The future…

Look out for secondary characters in the trilogy, they all have their own sexy as hell stories to tell and they’re coming soon! More details about The Star, The Harlequin and The Mistress on the Harlem Dae website.

Melissa Stevens and Robin's Nest on Erotic Notions

Welcome - Melissa Stevens – author of Robin’s NestTell us about yourself.1. I’m shy2. I have a weakness for dark chocolate (yummmm)
3. I grew up in the tiny town where Robin’s Nest is set4. I’m kind of a tech geek5. I’m more in to action movies than romantic ones.6. I wanna be Anita Blake when I grow up.
Was there a moment when you first thought "I'm a writer."? Somewhere in between when my first book was published and my second. I felt like I’d finally earned the right to call myself a writer.
What genre(s) do you write in? Paranormal and Erotic Romance
Have many books have you written? List names of published books?5ChangeFightHuntRobin’s Nest
What is your latest book about?It’s about a young woman whose life is going along normally, until she’s in a car accident that leaves her comatose for over a week. When she wakes up she discovers she feels more there than friendship for her best friend, Robin. And he feels the same.
What is your favourite moment in the story (one that doesn’t give away any secrets) Ohh, that’s hard. My favorite moments are spoilers.
Have any of your characters ever been based on people you knew from real life?No. I use a lot of familiar names, and names that can be found in the area, (most of the places in my books are real towns) but I don’t write about people I know from real life.
Short question time.Favourite ice cream -  Vanilla in a glass with milk. Dream vacation –Alaska, My husband took me a few years ago and I can’t wait to go back. Least favourite food – That’s hard, I’m a picky eater. Um. Onions. I can’t stand anything with raw onions in it. If you won the lottery, what would you do?We’ve thought about this one a bit. Pay off all debt, buy houses for my parents and Hubsters, or pay off their mortgages. Then we’d set up college funds for our kids and bank the rest, live off the interest. We would both keep working (heck, you have to for insurance alone on his part,) besides, I love my writing, I wouldn’t quit because I don’t need the money anymore. 



Website: http://melissastevens.us/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissastevensauthor?ref=hlGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5062799.Melissa_StevensAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Stevens/e/B008H4LM8K/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1366990131&sr=8-1Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeltstevBlurb: After a car accident puts her in a coma, Samantha awakens to find her best friend, Robin, never left her side.  While she recovers, Sam realizes there’s more between them than just friendship, but she’s afraid. What if it doesn’t work out between them, and it ruins their friendship. Sam’s brush with death gives her a renewed understanding of how short life really is. Deciding the possible benefits are worth the risk, she faces the challenges from her over-protective family head on and leaps into life with both feet. When more challenges come their way, can Sam and Robin handle them together?   Excerpt:
As I drew closer, I saw Robin push himself off the side of the truck and stand to his full height of 6'1". He opened his pickup door and reached for something inside. I pulled the Jeep off the highway, and watched as he locked and closed the door then crossed the highway and rounded the Jeep to the passenger side. Robin isn't a particularly large guy. Yeah, he's tall, but he's lean, like the basketball player he'd been in high school. I leaned across the seat and lifted the lock on the door to let him in. "So, what's the problem this time?" I asked as he climbed inside and closed the door. "Damned rotor again," he replied, tossing his baseball cap with his keys inside onto the dash. He ran his hand through his shaggy blond hair. It stayed back for maybe three seconds before falling on either side of his face again, framing his deep green eyes.  I waited while he buckled his seatbelt, then checked for cars before pulling back onto the highway. Only going far enough to make a U-turn without hitting his truck, before heading back into town. "I thought you kept an extra one in the glove box for when this happens?" I asked. "I do, but I used my last one a couple of months ago and I forgot to get more on my next trip to Safford, then I just spaced it." He ran his hand through his hair again, only to have it fall right back where it started. "Of course, it was about time for Murphy's Law to smack me upside the head again, so here we are."I couldn't help but laugh. "Are you about ready to give up on that antique or are you gonna buy another case of rotors for it?" Ribbing Robin about his stubbornly keeping the old pickup, despite its oddities, was an old habit between the two of us. Though we dig at each other and bicker once in a while, I don't think we've had more than two or three real fights in our entire friendship. "So it eats rotors. So what? They're cheap. The frame, body, and motor are all in good condition. Why junk a good machine for one small, and relatively inexpensive, inconvenience?" He easily fell right back into the old game. "It's broken down, and left you stranded along the side of the road, how many times now?" "A few," he admitted, "but I can usually repair the problem in less than fifteen minutes and be back on my way. It's my own fault I ended up stranded tonight. Besides, if you'd been busy I would have found someone else, or eventually, someone would have come along and given me a ride into town."He's right, someone would have come along. It was barely eight o'clock, and not quite dark yet. However, this wasn't the most used road out of town and he might have had to wait a couple of hours before someone came along. "What were you doing out here?" I glanced at him before looking back at the road."I was on my way back from a meeting in Lordsburg." "That sounds fun." My tone was dry. I didn't know what the meeting was for, but if had been something he had enjoyed, he would have shared more about it."Any leads on a new job?" "Not yet." I shrugged. "I'll find something, I'm sure. The question is, how long until I do?" "If you need something to make ends meet, I can put you to work. It's long hours and muddy as hell, but it's work.""I'll keep that in mind, thanks. I've got a while before I have to worry, though. I have a good chunk in savings and since I don't have a house payment or rent, it will go a lot farther.""That's true."I reminded him that I'd pick him up at eight the next morning as I dropped him off in his driveway. I waited until he made it to the door before turning around and heading home. Pulling out onto the highway my mind raced ahead. My thoughts were already back at the house. It was only eight thirty, I still had plenty of the evening left. I could settle back onto the sofa, but the thought of a hot bath was even more enticing. Suddenly, I was drawn back to what I was doing by bright lights directed at my face. I shook my head and barely had time to register the vehicle that was supposed to be in the left lane, it was in mine instead. I had nowhere to go. I couldn't avoid it. The last thought that went through my mind was "How badly is this gonna hurt?" then everything went black.  Melissa was born and raised in Arizona, she’s spent her entire life living across the southern half of the state. She’s found that, along with her husband and three children, she prefers the small towns and rural life to feeling packed into a city.
She started reading at a very young age, and her love for series started early, as the first real books she remembers reading is the Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Through the years she’s found that there’s little she won’t read, and her tastes vary from westerns, to romance, to sci-fi / fantasy and horror.

Brenda Dyer's Prophecy's Child - Interview and Review on Erotic Notions

I had the great honour of doing a beta read on Brenda Dyer's latest book –Prophecy's Child. For those of you who aren't writers - a betta is a fish –
A beta is the person who reads the entire book to check for mistakes, plot problems etc. ex. The hero is a werewolf named Bill at the beginning, but somewhere in the middle turns into a vampire name Dave. Betas needs to catch hitches like that.So as I said, I got to do a beta for Brenda. This is what happened. I opened the document, rubbed my hands together and in a sing song voice said, "I get to read Brenda's book first." And that's what I did. Oh, I guess before I tell whether I liked it or not, I should interview Brenda.Hits knuckle on laptop screen – Knock. Knock. Knock. Hey Benda, you in there?
*Brenda runs into the room. Papers drop from her hands, leaving a trail behind her. Her purse is dangling off her left arm.* I’m here! Sorry, I’m late. Shit, the bloody traffic is nuts out there. *Sits and tries to smooth out her windblown hair.*
Wanna go to Timmies? My treat. Double double or an Ice Cap?
Hmm, do I have to pick one? Can I have both, lol?
Okay – both then.   After settling down and sipping our drinks, I put my serious interviewer face on and ask - Which of the following Canadian statements is true?
You've worn shorts and a parka at the same time. *Looks down at herself and smiles.* Yep—I mean, true.
You have switched from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again.   True!
You can drive 90 km/hr through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching. Nope—shoot, l mean false. I can’t drive in snow. LOL, are you surprised? A Canadian that can’t drive in snow is almost unheard of, so let me explain. I live on Vancouver Island. We don’t see a lot of snow there—and when we do get snow, it is very heavy and wet, which makes it suicide to drive in. I just like to play in it: build forts, snowmen—and women, kid stuff like that.
You install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked.  LOLOLOL, oh man, soooooo true!
Do you like poutine?  
I hated it at first, but my son Trevor loves it. I tried some of his last week and discovered I do like it.



Have you ever seen a Mountie? A Beaver? A Beiber? Or an Igloo? Mountie—yes. Beaver—yes. A Beiber—only in pictures and on TV. An Igloo only in pictures. We live a little too far south for igloos.
Why is the vampire in your latest book so sexy??? LOL, this is a hard one to answer. I wish you could see Kal how I do. He’s tall—six-foot-four. Muscular—not body-building muscles, but REAL honest muscles. A gorgeous face that we just don’t see on men in the real world. And black hair streaked with blue highlights. The highlights in his hair match his eyes…*sigh*. And on top of all that, he is a super nice guy, great personality, and he has an awesome, if not wicked, sense of humor.
Do you have plans to write about any more sexy vampires? (Note the only correct answer is yes. If you write no – I will change it to yes.) Yes. The next book in the series is called Prophecy’s Power. This is Soren’s story. Book #4 will be Sin’s story—not sure of the title yet. I’m still working on it. Book #5 is Black’s story. And the last is Ace’s story. Once I’m finished with these 6 books. I’ll then start the series with all their children grown up. We then move into the beginning of the end to this whole series. Will Lucifer be destroyed once and for all? LOL, stay tuned.
YES! YES! YES! YES!!!!! – how many books is that I get to beta? – Daryl sits down and tries to look cool.
Do you have a bunch of sexy vampires locked up in your garage??? I sure do! We have Mel, who you’ve met. Kal, of course. Soren, who you will get to know better soon, along with Sin, Black, and Ace. And how could I forget the leader of them all, Roarik. But he is happily married. He won’t be getting his own novel. But I do have a novella planned for him. It will take place in the past when he first met his wife, Celeene—before he became a squad leader.LOL, believe me, they’re all fighting to get the hell out of my garage. But until I’m finished with them, there they will remain.
Anything else you wish to add before I scoot on home and write out my review. Umm, can’t think of anything, except give my novels a try—you won’t be disappointed—I guarantee it. 100% money back guarantee, lol.
Review – I loved it. Do I need to say more? :-)Betcha you're worried that's all I'm going to say.I am a little worried. I have my fingers crossed. PC does kinda worry me…Well stop worrying. Let's start with - I loved Brenda's first book – Love's Prophecy. (My review is in archives – March 2012.) So I was worried could she do it again. Could she suck me into the book and not let me go until I hit the dreaded words – The End. And yuppers – she did it. As I said – I was doing the beta – so I had to read slow and check each word. I'd look up and I was 5 chapters further into the story. I had to backtrack and figure out where I was and start again. Her characters kept grabbing me and wouldn't let go.What Brenda's worried about is the heroine is a bitch. She's madder than hell at Kal and she's got a good reason to be. But that's the beauty of the story. Brenda doesn't transform this angry woman overnight. It is a slow and realistic change. A bit of two steps forward and one step back that will drive the reader crazy and yell at the pages – Stop it. Stop being so angry. Love him!!!!!The sexual tension is superb and I write erotic romance, so I kinda know what I'm talking about.Oh, and the bad guy in the book – the creepy evil villain – you'll cheer at his comeuppance (comeuppance -noun - deserved reward or just deserts, usually unpleasant).Would I recommend this book? Only if you wanted to read a great romance, full of action and passion and realistic characters with faults and plots twists and turns and a very satisfying ending – especially to a nasty bad guy.
As I said at the end of Love's Prophecy review and it holds true for Prophecy's Child  - This is not a I'll put this on my TBR list book – this is a get the damn book and read it book!
So without further ado- 
 His secret will shatter her world.Katherine Colby’s life splintered ten years ago when her lover suddenly vanished, leaving her with more than a broken heart. But when Kal unexpectedly makes an appearance, her safe, dependable existence is shattered once more. Drawn into Kal’s deadly world of vampires and demons, she must now put aside her hurt and anger and learn to trust him. Can she forgive past deceptions and find the courage to love again? Or will she turn away the one man who owns her heart and soul?
Her secret will change his life.
Powerful, and lethal, Kal is a vampire warrior, sworn to protect humans from demons. Loving Katherine too much to pull her into his dangerous world, Kal deserted her, believing his decision was best for them both. But not even time could assuage his yearning for the woman who has captured his heart. As fate tosses them together once again, Kal must fight to win Katherine’s trust and forgiveness before evil separates them forever. But is he ready to become the man she needs him to be? Or will he lose the one woman he can’t live without?
Excerpt -
Katherine crossed her arms over her chest. “Why can’t you tell me?” Her eyes narrowed. “What are you hiding from me?”
“Its work related. I promise, I’ll tell you about it later,” Kal said.
Her face turned hard; all earlier warmth vanished. “Don’t bother. What you do is none of my business.” She marched out of the kitchen.
Kal jogged after her, catching her as she entered his bedroom. “Katherine, hold up. Please don’t be mad—I’ll tell you everything when I get home.”
She spun around, placing her hands on her hips. “I knewyou were hiding something from me, but I shrugged it off. I wanted to believe you wouldn’t keep anything from me again. Guess I was a fool to believe you’d be honest and upfront with me.”
“I have been—I haven’t lied…just not told you everything.”
“Almost the same as lying. Look what happened the last time you decided to withhold information from me. Thought you would have learned by now, but obviously not. Just…just leave me alone.”
She tried to shut the door in his face, but he held it opened. Anger made his voice hard. “You know why I didn’t tell you everything before—I explained until I was blue in the face, but you just keep on making me feel like shit. Well I’m sick of it. And I’m sick of you acting like a cold bitch whenever our son’s around, but the moment we’re alone, you’re all hot and ready ta go.”
She gasped. “You bastard. How dare you say that to me? I told you I don’t want to confuse Ike where we’re concerned—and I don’t know where this”—she made air quotations with her fingers—“is going.”
“As soon as you decide where this”—he copied her air quote gesture—“is going, do you mind filling me in ‘cause I’m confused as fuck.”
If eyes could shoot daggers, he’d be lying on the floor, bleeding out. “Don’t worry because it’s going nowhere!” she shouted in his face.
She wrestled with the door, but he didn’t let go. The logical—sane—part of his brain told him to shut up before he dug the hole deeper, but the irrational side—the part in control—wanted to say more.
A knock at the outer door slapped him back to his senses. God, he was such a moron. He handled that situation like a real winner.
And here she is - 

Brenda Dyer lives in the small town of Sooke off the coast of British Columbia with her husband, two teenage boys, and an assortment of animals.
She is a graduate from LongRidge Writers group.
When she isn't writing you can find her out in her gardens or working with her two miniature horses.
Brenda loves to hear from readers. If you would like to contact her, visit her website.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrendaMDyer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrendaMDyerWebsite: http://www.brendamdyer.comBlog: http://www.brendamdyer.blogspot.com

And now the most important part - where to buy Prophecy's Child -
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E0R4230
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/337666

Lucy Felhouse's A Taste of Paris on Erotic Notions

Writing a Series by Lucy FelthouseWriting a series was just one of those things that I knew I’d get around to eventually. Like writing a novel. But I held off for a long time because of time restraints, and also because I thought the idea was scary. It would involve commitment and consistency. Luckily, though, I knew I could achieve those things if I put my mind to it.And so the A Taste Of... series was born. A Taste of London gave a bit of background on Ryan and Kristian, then A Taste of Paris took that and spun a bunch more adventures out. I had lots of fun giving the boys sexy time with a variety of girls, and I started a list when writing the first book which helped out with the consistency issue.Now, my list contains names and descriptions of all the girls involved in the books, as well as where the boys met them. That way, I won’t accidentally have girls with the same names, or wrongly mention a girl and the wrong place, or something.Also, because each adventure, each city is pretty much self-contained, I didn’t have to worry too much about getting something wrong, unless I was referencing the past, in which case I checked out the previous books.As for the commitment, because the books are long short stories, they don’t take a massive amount of time to write and I can squeeze them in between other things I’m writing/working on. However, I’m determined now to write about Ryan and Kristian’s gap year in its entirety. And who knows, if the books do well, I might even continue with their University adventures. Watch this space...Thanks so much for stopping by! Don’t forget to scroll down, add the book to your Goodreads shelves and enter the awesome giveaway.*****Book two of the A Taste Of… seriesRyan Stonebridge and his friend Kristian Hurst are traveling on their year off before going to University.Unfortunately, Kristian has been called back home due to a family emergency. Ryan continues on to Paris alone, hoping his friend will join him again soon.In the meantime, Ryan’s lucky streak with women continues, and by the time Kristian makes it to Paris, Ryan’s bumper box of condoms is depleting rapidly. However, there are more than enough women to go around, and Kristian intends to have some sexy fun of his own, and when the boys get a chance to play with two sexy ladies at once, they certainly aren’t going to turn it down.More info, excerpt and buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/a-taste-of-paris/Add to Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17368766-a-taste-of-paris*****Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over seventy publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include Best Bondage Erotica 2012 and 2013, and Best Women's Erotica 2013. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies. She owns Erotica For All, and is book editor for Cliterati. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9*****GIVEAWAY:a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview with K.J. Wolf's on Erotic Notions

May I introduce K.J. Wolf.Tell us some things  about yourself.
1.  I love cheesy romantic movies2. Sarcasm is my second language3. After years of avoiding the kitchen, I discovered I love to cook4. I have too many pets to count- including chickens and sheep5. I’m a proud Christian…who writes steamy sex scenes between unmarried people- get over it6. I won my first and only writing award in sixth grade
Was there a moment when you first thought "I'm a writer."?  No!  In fact, I first tried my hand at writing when I was a teenager.  I made the mistake of showing my work to my younger and often spiteful sister (she’s grown out of that…mostly).  She ripped it to shreds.  The trauma of my firstborn going to college made me realize I needed something for me.  Writing was my first and only choice.
What genre(s) do you write in?  I love contemporary, blue collar romance and erotica, but I’ve dabbled in some supernatural stories with shifters.
Have many books have you written? List names of published books?  I’ve written tons of stories but only two have been submitted to publishers.  My latest release, Dangerously Safe, is currently out with Evernight Publishing.
What is your latest book about?  I love Hannah and Chris.  They could be people everyone would know and love with the same garbage that comes with being human.
Hannah’s about as messed up as they come and Chris just got dumped by his latest girlfriend.  A Valentine’s Day pact and too much whiskey lead to a night of passion they both want but Hannah freaks out when it’s over. 
What is your favourite moment in the story (one that doesn’t give away any secrets)  My favorite moment is Hannah’s big “Ah-hah” moment with Chris at the very end.
Have any of your characters ever been based on people you knew from real life?  I plead the fifth.
Short question time.Favourite ice cream – Heavenly HashDream vacation – Staying home.  I honestly love being home and have no desire to go anywhere else.Least favourite food – OlivesWhat super power would you like to be granted. Why? Laser eyes.  Because when my youngest was little, she asked me if I could fly or have laser eyes, which would I want.  I said laser eyes and she said she would fly to get away from my laser eyes.  Unfortunately for her, I burst her bubble and let her know she wouldn’t get far when I shot her out of the sky with my laser beams.  :D
Links: Amazon: http://alturl.com/sze8oEvernight: http://alturl.com/u4bug Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/dangerously-safeAll Romance: http://alturl.com/cy6bp   Excerpt:  “Hannah. What’s the matter? You’re never this … shy with me. What the hell’s wrong?” He didn’t really want to know the answer, but he couldn’t live without it.
She sniffed and buried her face in his neck. “I don’t know, Chris. It’s you, you know? I feel so … exposed. It shouldn’t be this way, right?”
The brick sank lower. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed with his hands up and down. What was he supposed to do?
Hannah pulled back and looked at the floor. “Maybe I should get going.”
The brick ignited into flames, and his stomach burned in fear. Now that he finally had Hannah in his bed, he didn’t want to lose her. He couldn’t let her walk out. There had to be a way past the wall she’d slammed up. He’d deal with why she’d slammed it up later.
“No. We’ve been drinking. You’re not driving. Come on.” He took her hand and blew out a breath when she didn’t resist following him into his bedroom.
He turned on the light and moaned. Hell, he wished he’d taken the time to clean up. He hadn’t known this was going to happen, but from now on, he would make sure his clothes made it into one pile instead of several scattered all over. And the empty beer bottles lining the nightstand and dresser just looked sad.

He cleared his throat. “So, obviously I wasn’t expecting company. Sorry ‘bout the mess in here.”
She snorted. “I’ve seen it much worse, Chris. Everyone knows you’re a freakin’ slob in your room.”
Heat rose to his neck, but he couldn’t feel too embarrassed. If she was teasing him, then she wasn’t completely freaked out over what they’d just done.
He strolled to the bed, grabbed handfuls of clothing and tossed them towards the farthest corner of the room. She still avoided making eye contact, and he put his hands on his hips.
“Hannah. Seriously? We’ve known each other forever. You don’t have to be self-conscious in front of me. You’re beautiful.”
Pink flushed to her cheeks. She shuffled to the bed and sat down on the edge still clutching the towel.
“When I’m with some guy I don’t know, it’s somehow easier. I don’t worry about how I look. I know we’re both there to get off and go our separate ways.” She bit the inside of her right cheek. “God, that sounds so bad. I’m pretty fucked up. But you knew that already.”
“Do you trust me?”
She glanced at him. “What?”
“I asked you if you trust me, Hannah.”
She didn’t answer right away and bit her cheek again. “You know I do, Chris.”
He went to his closet, slid the door aside, pulled out a tie and settled behind her on the bed. “I’m going to make you stop thinking about yourself and just feel. Are you okay with that?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Are you sure you trust me?”
She nodded slowly and tried to turn to face him, but he grabbed her shoulders to hold her still. “I need you to just focus on what you feel. This is going to help you.”
Hannah let out a tiny yelp as he blindfolded her with his tie.

Blitz for Chandra Ryan's Ink in the Blood on Erotic Notions

Ink in the bloodChandra RyanPrequel to Bond BetrayedIzzy has lived between two worlds her entire life—one filled with magic and darkness, the other populated by mundane humans. She was born into the magical world of the Community. But sexy, forbidden DEA agent Jacob belongs to the other. He has no idea her world even exists.But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t noticed her. They’ve worked together for the past six months, attempting to bring down her drug-dealing half-brother while driving each other crazy with pent-up desire. But now that it’s time to say goodbye, they both find it impossible to let go.After one passionate night together Izzy realizes her mistake. She can’t bring him into her world. She has to end things before she gets too attached. When he refuses to leave, she must find a way to guide him through the darkness.
Inside Scoop: In this scorching urban fantasy, ink is thicker than blood.A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s CavePublisher’s Note: This book was previously published elsewhere under this title in 2010, but has been revised for Ellora’s Cave.

EXCERPT She’d almost made it to the next section when a familiar face grabbed her attention. He was wearing tight jeans and a black t-shirt instead of the suit that she’d grown accustomed to seeing him in, but there was no mistaking his smile. Or his lean, muscular physique.As if hearing her thoughts, he looked up. His gaze caught hers for a second before he began making his way toward her.“Isabella.”“A—” Realizing she was about to call him Agent Phinney, she stopped and shook her head to clear it. “Um, Jacob. This is a surprise.” She couldn’t help but wonder how he’d gotten past the guards.He smiled rakishly as he ran his fingers through his short black hair. It was a gesture she’d become endeared to over the past six months. “I know, small world.”“What are you doing here?” She’d expected to see him, but not until the bust had gone down. And, try as she might, she couldn’t think of a single good reason for him to be at the bazaar. Admittedly it was difficult for her to think of anything at all given his proximity. He was so close she could smell the spicy mint of his shampoo and her arm would brush against his chest if she swayed ever so slightly.“I’m on a date.”The words snapped her out of her haze. He didn’t seem to notice, though. He was too busy staring at the voluptuous redhead several people ahead of them whose singed fingertips hinted at fire manipulation.That explained security. With someone like her as a date, they’d have let him through, no questions asked.“Funny, she isn’t what I’d imagined as your type.” Izzy realized that he could never be hers, not really, but she didn’t like the idea of him being with someone else. Especially when that someone could manipulate fire. In her experience, pyros were one of the more dangerous types. They tended to run hot in all things—including their emotions. “She looks kind of dangerous.”“Although I do go for the dangerous type,” he whispered with a playful wink, “you’re right. She just happened to be in the right place at the right time—here.”Hearing his words, a possible reason for his presence became painfully clear. “Wait. Are you checking up on me?”He looked genuinely hurt. “I thought you knew me better than that. I’m here as backup, nothing more,” he whispered softly.He’s human, he’s human, he’s human…The warning echoed softly in the recesses of her mind. But as his fingers tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, it faded into silence.  “I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to you on my watch,” he said. Buy links :Ink in the Blood


Being from a rather nomadic family, Chandra Ryan loves to travel and meet people. But she’s found that sometimes, like when you’re stuck inside because of a good old-fashioned Southwestern heat wave, you have to make do. Fortunately for her and her loving family, who don’t like seeing her suffer from cabin fever, she’s found creating new people and places equally as fascinating. Also, you’re a lot less likely to spill your ice tea.TWITTER  FACEBOOK  WEBSITE 

Any of you who follow anything of mine know that if there...

Any of you who follow anything of mine know that if there's chocolate - I'm there. So without further babble...


Sweet Proposal by Celia J Anderson Books, chocolate and a Jacuzzi: could there be a better combination? Gorgeous Geordie Leo arrives in Clayton-on-the-Bream with a mission to make his mark. When he reveals his ideas for a bespoke bookshop and chocolate-themed cafe, struggling writer Mab can’t resist his plea for help.
However, Leo’s timing is disastrous. Engaged to flighty, super-thin Sophie and knowing that Mab is up to her neck in a mysterious scheme of her own, Leo fights hard to ignore the warm, sensual friendship that is growing between them. When their eclectic mix of family and friends weigh in to help, the dream seems almost possible, but can Leo ignore Mab’s shady past? As they battle with sabotage, jealousy, vindictive neighbours and unpredictable relationships, Mab and Leo find that even chocolate can’t always make miracles happen . . .Available from:http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DRI0N2C/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00DRI0N2C&linkCode=as2&tag=lucyfelthouse-21http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DRI0N2C/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DRI0N2C&linkCode=as2&tag=lucyfelt-20*****Excerpt:Leo swerved to avoid a dead badger. The A1 was still so quiet that groups of starlings rose in disgruntled crowds as he disturbed their breakfast, and the café where he had once eaten the best bacon sandwich of his life was firmly shuttered. He gave in to the violent rumblings of his stomach and reached into the glove box, tearing the emergency chocolate bar open with his teeth and chewing until the bitter sweetness melted on his tongue, soothing and sensual. Chocolate and the future – they were closely linked in Leo’s mind. He sighed deeply. It was a pity that Sophie didn’t share his enthusiasm, but he supposed it was hard to get enthusiastic about a chocolate-based dream when all you ate was lettuce. Sophie was only twenty-five after all, ten years younger than Leo, stunningly beautiful and harder to amuse than a teenager on a family holiday. Maybe after they were married she would realise what a brilliant opportunity this move was going to be, and would be ready to leave Newcastle and her weird friends behind.Stretching his legs, Leo decided that this cab must have been designed for a much smaller man. He yawned, felt his eyelids droop and blinked furiously, thinking of hot baths and strong coffee. He’d had no sleep for almost twenty-four hours. Celebrating was fine, but work would have to come first from now on. It was time for the Chocolate Project. The excitement that had been building up in waves washed over Leo again, and he gave the middle-aged lady driving towards him the full benefit of his flashing grin and dimples. He saw her jaw drop and laughed for the sheer joy of living – at last, Leo was about to make his mark, and no one was going to stop him.*****Author Bio: When she’s not marking children’s work, or writing stories involving pants, Celia spends far too much time on Facebook (Celia Joy Anderson) and does a lot of walking to counteract the cooking, eating and drinking which form another of her hobbies. She blogs as part of the Romaniacsonline writers’ group - http://theromaniacgroup.wordpress.comand tweets as @CeliaAnderson1. Her own website was recently launched thanks to Lucy Felthouse – http://celiajanderson.co.ukand she has an author page on Facebook (Celia J Anderson)Her ultimate dream is to have her children’s books published too. Usually sea-starved in the depths of the Midlands, she can often be found wandering happily around Brighton visiting her two daughters and pretending to collect ideas for her next book.

Release Day for Tempeste O'Riley's Designs of Desire

Designs of Desireby Tempeste O’RileyM/M Erotic BDSM/Kink Contemporary RomancePublisher: Dreamspinner PressRelease Date: July 29th 2013Length: Novel / 200 pages
Order: Dreamspinner Press
Description:Artist James Bryant has forearm crutches in every color from rainbow for fun to sleek black for business. He even has a pair with more paint splatters than metal. After his family’s rejection and abuse from a man he thought loved him, James only just gets through the day by painting. He lives in constant fear that he’s not worthy of anything, let alone love.As CEO of his company, Carrington Enterprises, Seth Burns is a take-charge kind of guy, and he is instantly smitten by the artist helping with his newest project. When he witnesses James suffer a panic attack, a protective instinct he never knew he had kicks in. He truly believes nothing is unobtainable—including James—if he’s willing to put in the time and effort.James is shy and confused by Seth’s interest in him as a person. With Seth’s support, can he work through his fears to finally find the true love he deserves, or will someone finally land the crushing blow he won’t survive?About the Author: Tempeste O’Riley is an out and proud omnisexual / bi-woman whose best friend growing up had the courage to do what she couldn’t–defy the hate and come out. He has been her hero ever since.Tempe is a hopeless romantic that loves strong relationships and happily-ever-afters. Though new to writing M/M, she has done many things in her life, though writing has always drawn her back–no matter what else life has thrown her way. She counts her friends, family, and Muse as her greatest blessings in life. She lives in Wisconsin with her children, reading, writing, and enjoying life.Tempe is also a proud member of Romance Writers of America® and Rainbow Romance Writers . Learn more about Tempeste and her writing at  http://tempesteoriley.com .
Website ♥ Email ♥ Twitter ♥ Facebook ♥ Google + ♥ DSP ♥ Blog
 
Excerpt
667, 668, 669…. A file slapped the desk in front of James, distracting him from his attempt at counting the dots in the ceiling tiles above him. “I know you’re busy and all,” Brian said, his usual sneer in place. “But do you think you’ll have time to help a new client?” The man just lived to give him a hard time. James took a deep breath. He desperately hoped his hatred of the man towering over him didn’t show. James Knew open displays of boredom pissed Brian off, but James hadn’t had a prospective or existing client call in two days. He’d finished his purchasing reports, sent the work orders and e-mail. All calls done. What else was he supposed to do? “Sure, Brian. Let me see what we’ve got, and I’ll head right out,” James replied. He tried to sound upbeat. It wasn’t that he didn’t like his job; he did. But Brian hated him, and he always got the leftovers—usually clients the other designers did not want for one reason or another. “I’m sure this one’s right up your—” Cough. “—alley,” Brian finished with a snicker. James never figured out how someone so hateful and narrow-minded as Brian stood working in their field, much less kept his job. In James’s opinion, art, even corporate branding and design, should attract people with a bit more open-mindedness. He had a few ideas on the latter but kept his opinions, and gutter-mind, to himself. Forcing a smile across his face as he opened the folder in front of him, James called out to Brian’s retreating form, “No worries, boss.” Brian paused and turned to look over his shoulder and with a nasty smile added, “Oh, and the guy’ll be here in about ten minutes. Don’t screw up.” Ten minutes? Seriously? He started to peruse the new client information, pleased that at least the file seemed to be complete—charts, images, budget, etc.—and his phone rang. He answered on the second ring. “Good morning, James Bryant speaking.” “Ah, Jamie, got the file yet? ’Cuz let me tell you, this one’s something else,” came the disembodied voice of his best friend and co-worker, Chase Manning. “He’s not like most of the scraps Brian-the-dick tosses you.” “I’m sure I can handle whatever he sends my way. The clients aren’t usually as difficult as Brian and the others make them seem. They just don’t want to deal with high maintenance or quirky. Which, when you consider the job, makes no sense. But—” “Jamie, dear,” Chase said, cutting him off. “That’s not it at all. This guy’s hot, and I mean H-O-T, hot. He’s waiting for you already and man, I so wish I had your job today,” he practically squealed. “So hurry up and get your sexy ass down here. Now.” “Shh…. Don’t be so loud. The last thing I need is you to offend a new client. Now, go back to work and let me read over the file, would ya?” He shook his head and clicked off his Bluetooth. James glanced over the information for his new client. Seth Burns? Carl, their senior manager, had been trying to get Mr. Burns of Carrington Enterprises as a client for years. Wonder what he’s looking for and how this project slipped past Brian to me? Setting it aside, James pulled out his messenger bag and loaded it with the folder. He already had all his staples in there: pens, pencils, a notebook or two, and a couple of sketch pads. He carefully hung it across his neck and shoulder so the bag wouldn’t slip. He preferred his backpack, but his boss frowned on “casual.” James gathered his forearm crutches, the plain black ones he only used for work, and he began the arduous task of getting up before he slipped his arms through the cuffs. Once satisfied he wasn’t forgetting anything, James slung himself down the hall to the elevator, where he waited. He hated standing there, given Brian’s office faced the hall. When James reached the main floor, Chase seemed to vibrate as he waited for him. His face reminded James of a child at Disney World instead of the twenty-five-year-old man he actually was. “Do you want to meet with him down here in one of the conference rooms?” Chase pleaded, batting his eyes for full effect. He knew better than to act like that, but, oh well. “Relax, Chase,” James said with a smile. Chase, his sometimes assistant and best friend, always worried about James walking too much, but then he never managed to understand the idea of limitations versus inability. James could walk, though he couldn’t walk far or carry much of anything. He simply needed his crutches. Limitations James loathed but had learned to accept. “I just hate you traipsing up and down the halls. I wish—” “Don’t,” James snapped harder than he’d meant to. “Sorry. You know I appreciate your concern, but I’m a big boy and can manage fine. Now, go back to your desk and do your job so I can do mine.” With a huff, Chase flounced back to his desk. “Fine,” he called over his shoulder. “Be that way.” James ignored him and pushed on, maneuvering himself around to reception to meet his new client.