Daryl Devore's Blog, page 81
September 4, 2014
Spotlight on Jennifer Lowery's Maximum Risk (Book 1 - Wolff Series)
Hi Erotic Notions and all you fabulous readers out there *waves* Thank you so much for having me today! My romantic suspense, Maximum Risk (Book #1, Wolff Securities), released this month so I’m very excited to be here! Thank you so much for sharing it with me!! In honor of my release I am giving away an e-book copy of any one of my books (go to my WEBSITE to choose) to one lucky commenter so please leave me a comment with your EMAIL so I can contact you if you win!!
Blurb:It should have been a simple rescue mission…Retired Pararescueman, Quinn Wolff, wrote the book on how to stay alive during a mission when he founded Wolff Securities, an elite private sector security firm. When he fast-ropes down to save missing humanitarian aid worker, Avery Marks, in the remote mountains of Azbakastan he isn’t prepared for the brave, stubborn woman who challenges the rules he wrote in order to protect her.But when it comes to matters of the heart nothing is simple…Avery Marks learned a long time ago to take care of herself, but when her convoy is attacked, her friends and coworkers murdered, she has to rely on the aid of intensely capable and handsome, Quinn Wolff to get her safely out of the country. His skills keep her alive, but his kisses put her in danger. In danger of losing her heart. That’s a risk she can’t take ever again.Content Warning: Sexual contentExcerpt:
Copyright © 2014 Jennifer LoweryWhite-hot pain pulsed through his arm. Quinn clamped a hand over the wound, cursing a blue streak. “Kell? Where the hell are you?”Kell was a damn ghost—one minute he was there, the next he was gone and bodies were dropping. They’d managed to lure the army in the opposite direction and now the bastards were chasing their own tails.“Right behind you, bro.”Not in the mood for Kell’s warped sense of humor, he swung around and started trekking in the direction of the chopper. Warm blood leaked through his fingers.“You should wrap that.” Kell melted out of the trees and fell into step beside him.“Just a scratch.”Kell shrugged. “You’re the medic.”Quinn cast him a look and said into his lip mic, “Savat, ETA twenty minutes. Immediate take-off, so be ready.”“Copy that…Fuck! Hold on.”Something popped in Quinn’s ear and he drew back. “Savat, what the hell’s going on?”“We’re taking fire!”
Buy the Book: Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo iTunes
Meet Jennifer:NY Times & USA Today bestselling author, Jennifer Lowery grew up reading romance novels in the back of her math book and on the bus to school, and never wanted to be anything but a writer. Her summers were spent sitting at the kitchen table with her sisters spinning tales of romance and intrigue and always with a tall glass of ice tea at their side. Today, Jennifer is living that dream and she couldn’t be happier to share her passion with her readers. She loves everything there is about romance. Her stories feature alpha heroes who meet their match with strong, independent heroines. She believes that happily ever after is only the beginning of her stories. And the road to that happy ending is paved with action, adventure, and romance. As her characters find out when they face danger, overcome fears, and are forced to look deep within themselves to discover love. Jennifer lives in Michigan with her husband and two children. When she isn’t writing she enjoys reading and spending time with her family. Connect With Jennifer:
Author Website
Facebook
Twitter
Romance Recipes
***BONUS***For everyone who signs up for my NEWSLETTER you will receive an e-book copy of my short story,Taking Chances ($.99 value) for FREE!
Thank you for having me today, Erotic Notions!! I just want to send out a big THANK YOU to all my readers out there! Without you I wouldn’t be here. My wish is to one day meet each and every one of you so I can personally thank you for your generosity and support!
All my best,
Jennifer
What's happening in September on Erotic Notions6 - Weekend Writing Warriors 8 – Adriana Kraft – Willow Smoke9 – Sharon Struth - Share the Moon10 – WIP It Up Wednesday11- Lucy Felthouse – Timeless Desire13 – Weekend Writing Warriors 15 – 22 – Fairy Tale Magic Blog Hop – Sexy Red Hood19 – 22 – Fall into Romance Blog Hop 23 – Amelia Swan- Hot and Cold24 - WIP It Up Wednesday27 - Weekend Writing Warriors29 – A.R. Cummings - 30 – Leigh Caron – Fat Girl
September 3, 2014
Spotlight on A Soul to Keep by Moira Keith
A Soul to Keep by Moira Keith
Release Date: June 30, 2014
Blurb: In the realm of the Fallen, there’s a little saint and sinner in us all…
One moment can impact the future.
Love never served Jayde Cross well and owing a debt to a demon is the proof. Reaping is a lonely existence and with her thirtieth birthday approaching, she's got enough to worry about without adding romance to the mix. It's why her friendship with the man living next door works so well. They both live lives filled with secrets and ignoring their self-imposed rules isn’t an option. Too bad her heart disagrees.
The past is about to come back and haunt one of Heaven’s Fallen.
Caleb Thorne always found living among mortals difficult, until he met the intriguing woman down the hall. She demands nothing of him and is completely safe. When an enemy from his past catches up with him, Caleb soon discovers the rules of the Fallen exist for a reason and loving a mortal may prove to be the bigger danger.
In a world where their love is forbidden, Jayde and Caleb may just discover that sometimes breaking rules is the only thing that can set you free.
Authors Bio: Moira Keith is a lover of shoes, a connoisseur of Guinness, baker of cocktail themed cupcakes, and an overall complete mess! She is also a proud Texan by birth (and true Southern girl at heart).
Moira lives in the city of neon with her twin zombie sons, a fish, three parakeets, and a turtle.
Do you have a tag line: Where there’s magic…mayhem will follow.
http://moirakeith.com/
https://twitter.com/moirakeith
https://www.facebook.com/authormoirakeith
Buy Links:
Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Itunes
Excerpt:
So a little background to this scene. Jayde is a reaper and she's not all too fond of her job, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. This gives you a little glimpse into her world.
While he was preoccupied, I glanced around at the other patrons. They all appeared focused on their meals, or their dates. I reached over, flipped open the ring, and let the liquid pour into the glass of scotch sitting on the table. With a flick of my finger, the ring snapped shut and I pulled away from the man at my side.
“How about a toast?”
“What should we toast to? Your beauty?” He winked at me. “Getting lucky.”
Not in a million years.
“Survival.” I raised my glass.
“Odd thing to toast to.”
“Why is it odd?” I studied him for a moment and when he didn’t respond, I continued. “I learned a long time ago the will to survive drives people. It’s what drives you.”
“And you,” he said as he took a healthy swig of his scotch. “It’s one of the things that draws me to you.”
“Then I’m sure you will understand.” I watched over the rim of my glass as I took another sip and his face quickly began to turn shades of red and purple.
“What have you done?” He managed to choke out the words.
“What was necessary to survive.” I leaned in close and whispered against his ear. “Azrael's expecting you.”
Marco's eyes widened and he gasped for air. Before anyone noticed their beloved boss was choking, I grabbed my purse and slid out from the seat. I walked away, but not fast enough to avoid hearing Marco struggling to catch his breath and the commotion behind me as people rushed to his aid. There would be no saving him.
Once a name landed in the hands of a reaper, there were only three things that could stop the order from being carried out—a mortal willing to make a deal on their behalf, the demon in charge of the assignment, or the reaper themselves.
What's happening in September on Erotic Notions5 – Jennifer Lowery – Maximum Risk6 - Weekend Writing Warriors 8 – Adriana Kraft – Willow Smoke9 – Sharon Struth - Share the Moon10 – WIP It Up Wednesday11- Lucy Felthouse – Timeless Desire13 – Weekend Writing Warriors 15 – 22 – Fairy Tale Magic Blog Hop – Sexy Red Hood19 – 22 – Fall into Romance Blog Hop 23 – Amelia Swan- Hot and Cold24 - WIP It Up Wednesday27 - Weekend Writing Warriors29 – A.R. Cummings - 30 – Leigh Caron – Fat Girl
Black Dorn on WIP It Up Wednesday #wipitup
ok - so some how I just deleted my post - so I'll try again
This is my first time on WIP. This selection is from my erotic medieval romance - Black Dorn.
"Stop that crying or by all that is powerful, I will beat you." "Do not yell so. You will frighten the poor child." Through tears, Branwyn stared at her uncle and aunt. "I…I do not understand. Why must I go?" Her aunt sat next to her. "It is your time, child. A husband has been chosen. You must leave us to join with him." "About time it is!" Her uncle’s face grew redder with each word. "One year shy of a score she is, and still unwed. She must fall to her knees to thank God someone wishes to marry such an old spinster." Branwyn slapped the arm of her chair. "I decline. It is my right. I shall not marry this man!" "How many men do you think you can refuse?" Her uncle paced about the small room. "This is the fourth suitor to ask for your hand. You cannot. It is done. Your things are being loaded as we speak." He jerked back a curtain in the window and pointed. The door opened and in stepped a tall broad-shouldered soldier. "The carriage awaits." "Branwyn." Aunt Selda patted her hand. "You have no dowry. This is a good match. He is a rich man. He will give you babies." Suspicion gnawed at Branwyn's stomach. "And what did he give you?" "Gold." Uncle Egbert picked up his purse and dropped it, with a rattle, back onto the table. Branwyn dried her eyes with the edge of her sleeve, stood, kissed her aunt on the cheek and strode out the door to face her destiny. A carriage with two strong, brown horses stood at the entrance. Two guardsmen on horseback waited. The driver offered his hand to help her mount. Branwyn paused and turned. No one waited to say goodbye. The door of her uncle's manor closed with a determined firmness. Warm tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. She blinked them back, then settled herself, pulled a blanket over her legs and snapped the curtains closed. If the family she’d grown up with refused to cry and wish her well, she would not shed a tear or turn for a final glance at her adopted home. With a shout and a shudder, the carriage pulled away. For three days and nights, the horses pounded across the land. Her body ached from the incessant shaking. The driver allowed her allowed brief intervals to exit the carriage. A guard, always on hand, escorted her to an inn. As much as she tried to converse with her escort, no one spoke to her. While she ate a quick meal, fresh horses, a new driver and soldiers relieved the tired ones. A rough blanket was Branwyn’s refuge into sleep—no bed, no soft down pillow, no gentle breeze billowing through her curtains, just the constant movement of the carriage. Branwyn’s eyes would begin to close when a sharp jostle would snap her awake. When the coach stopped, Branwyn’s trial was over. Her patience had worn thin and exhaustion weighed heavily on her. The door opened and she stepped down the stairs and onto the land of her new home.
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What's happening in September on Erotic Notions4 – Moira Keith - A Soul To Keep5 – Jennifer Lowery – Maximum Risk6 - Weekend Writing Warriors 8 – Adriana Kraft – Willow Smoke9 – Sharon Struth - Share the Moon10 – WIP It Up Wednesday11- Lucy Felthouse – Timeless Desire13 – Weekend Writing Warriors 15 – 22 – Fairy Tale Magic Blog Hop – Sexy Red Hood19 – 22 – Fall into Romance Blog Hop 23 – Amelia Swan- Hot and Cold24 - WIP It Up Wednesday27 - Weekend Writing Warriors29 – A.R. Cummings - 30 – Leigh Caron – Fat Girl
This is my first time on WIP. This selection is from my erotic medieval romance - Black Dorn."Stop that crying or by all that is powerful, I will beat you." "Do not yell so. You will frighten the poor child." Through tears, Branwyn stared at her uncle and aunt. "I…I do not understand. Why must I go?" Her aunt sat next to her. "It is your time, child. A husband has been chosen. You must leave us to join with him." "About time it is!" Her uncle’s face grew redder with each word. "One year shy of a score she is, and still unwed. She must fall to her knees to thank God someone wishes to marry such an old spinster." Branwyn slapped the arm of her chair. "I decline. It is my right. I shall not marry this man!" "How many men do you think you can refuse?" Her uncle paced about the small room. "This is the fourth suitor to ask for your hand. You cannot. It is done. Your things are being loaded as we speak." He jerked back a curtain in the window and pointed. The door opened and in stepped a tall broad-shouldered soldier. "The carriage awaits." "Branwyn." Aunt Selda patted her hand. "You have no dowry. This is a good match. He is a rich man. He will give you babies." Suspicion gnawed at Branwyn's stomach. "And what did he give you?" "Gold." Uncle Egbert picked up his purse and dropped it, with a rattle, back onto the table. Branwyn dried her eyes with the edge of her sleeve, stood, kissed her aunt on the cheek and strode out the door to face her destiny. A carriage with two strong, brown horses stood at the entrance. Two guardsmen on horseback waited. The driver offered his hand to help her mount. Branwyn paused and turned. No one waited to say goodbye. The door of her uncle's manor closed with a determined firmness. Warm tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. She blinked them back, then settled herself, pulled a blanket over her legs and snapped the curtains closed. If the family she’d grown up with refused to cry and wish her well, she would not shed a tear or turn for a final glance at her adopted home. With a shout and a shudder, the carriage pulled away. For three days and nights, the horses pounded across the land. Her body ached from the incessant shaking. The driver allowed her allowed brief intervals to exit the carriage. A guard, always on hand, escorted her to an inn. As much as she tried to converse with her escort, no one spoke to her. While she ate a quick meal, fresh horses, a new driver and soldiers relieved the tired ones. A rough blanket was Branwyn’s refuge into sleep—no bed, no soft down pillow, no gentle breeze billowing through her curtains, just the constant movement of the carriage. Branwyn’s eyes would begin to close when a sharp jostle would snap her awake. When the coach stopped, Branwyn’s trial was over. Her patience had worn thin and exhaustion weighed heavily on her. The door opened and she stepped down the stairs and onto the land of her new home.
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What's happening in September on Erotic Notions4 – Moira Keith - A Soul To Keep5 – Jennifer Lowery – Maximum Risk6 - Weekend Writing Warriors 8 – Adriana Kraft – Willow Smoke9 – Sharon Struth - Share the Moon10 – WIP It Up Wednesday11- Lucy Felthouse – Timeless Desire13 – Weekend Writing Warriors 15 – 22 – Fairy Tale Magic Blog Hop – Sexy Red Hood19 – 22 – Fall into Romance Blog Hop 23 – Amelia Swan- Hot and Cold24 - WIP It Up Wednesday27 - Weekend Writing Warriors29 – A.R. Cummings - 30 – Leigh Caron – Fat Girl
September 1, 2014
Release Blitz - Lucy Felthouse and Victoria Blisse's Smut by the Sea Volume 3
New Release: Smut by the Sea Volume 3, edited by Lucy Felthouse (@cw1985) and Victoria Blisse (@victoriablisse) #erotica #anthology #romanceBlurb:Light hearted, sexy fun by the sea is the theme of this erotic anthology, edited by Victoria Blisse and Lucy Felthouse.From exotic locales such as Croatia and Australia to the coastal caves of England, Smut by the Sea Volume 3 has it all. Whatever your interpretation of naughty seaside fun, there’s something nestling between the covers for you. Kinky role play, gorgeous artists, bobbing boats, sexy cougars, hunky hermits and more abound in this exciting collection of stories from erotica’s finest authors.Buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/smut-by-the-sea-volume-3/ Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22703850-smut-by-the-sea-volume-3 *****Excerpt from Hermit by Lucy Felthouse:Karen grimaced as she drove the car onto the Dungeness estate. She knew for a fact she was on said estate because she’d just passed a sign proudly proclaiming her whereabouts. Personally, she couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. It looked pretty damn grim, in her opinion.She sighed. As soon as she’d been handed the assignment, she’d known it would be a bitch. The blog she wrote for, Universe of Quirk, published just that—anything quirky. This meant there was a huge amount of scope for articles for the site. Mostly it was about weird phenomena, picking out oddities in popular culture and freaky findings the world over. For the most part, Karen loved her job—she had a genuine interest in the bizarre and unusual, and a good nose for sniffing things out to write about. She didn’t often have to leave the comfort of her office chair to write her articles—the Internet gave her all the information she needed, at the touch of a button. And what she couldn’t gather via Google, she could find out by interviewing people. By email, phone or Skype.But not Tom Pettyfer, it seemed. According to her notes, he was an ex-army dude who’d had some kind of meltdown, quit his job and moved to a shack in Dungeness. He was now a total hermit—hence the in-person interview. He had no telephone, let alone a computer or Internet access. Her boss had had to arrange the appointment by snail mail, for heaven’s sake! As such, there’d been no way of double checking he was still available. Karen hoped like hell he hadn’t suddenly decided to go out—leaving her with a long journey home with no article in the bag.Continuing along the poorly-surfaced road, Karen slowed the car to a crawl—both to avoid damaging the rental vehicle and also to squint at the shacks she passed to find the one she was looking for. They all seemed to have names rather than numbers, which made the signs easier to read, but it was more difficult to find the right one, as there was no rhyme or reason to the layout. For all she knew, Tom Pettyfer’s shack could be the very last one on the lane.Soon, she discovered that was not the case. Tom’s home was a strange-looking wooden building that wasn’t near to anything else. It sat alone in the shingle, a sparse garden-type thing surrounding it, and an ancient rusty car on the driveway. She supposed there was no point buying and running an expensive car if one didn’t go anywhere. Perhaps he just used it for errands and grocery shopping. He couldn’t shop online—so how else would he buy food and other necessities? How did he pay for those things if he never went out, didn’t have a job?She reminded herself that this was the whole point of the trip. To meet this hermit and ask him questions, to find out why he lived the way he did, what made him tick. What had happened to make him choose this lifestyle?Her car wouldn’t fit on the driveway behind his so she parked at the side of the road in front of his house, figuring traffic wouldn’t exactly be a problem anyway. Looking around, she was struck by the eeriness of the place, the loneliness. Add that to the ugly nuclear power station perched at the edge of the estate and you had a recipe for… well, hell on earth, really. And they called Kent the garden of England.Pulling herself back to the task at hand, Karen grabbed her stuff then stepped out of the car, locking it and walking up to Tom’s shack. The sooner she got the interview over with, the sooner she could leave this desolate dump. Grey clouds overhead threatened rain, and she could hear the sea crashing mercilessly against the shore, the saltiness in the air filling her nostrils and coating her tongue. None of those things endeared her to the place.Reaching the front door of Tom’s shack, she sucked in a deep breath and let it out, then straightened her stance. She was so used to working from home, lounging in her office chair as she researched and typed away, that she’d almost forgotten what it was like to meet someone on a professional basis. It was imperative to get this guy to trust her, so he’d open up and give her some good stuff for her piece. The project was a pain in the arse, but she couldn’t grumble too much—the site’s editor had made it worth her while financially.Satisfied her body language was business-like yet friendly; Karen knocked on the door, and waited.A couple of seconds later, the door opened. “Hi,” said a guy about her age, “you must be Karen, from Universe of Quirk.”“Uh, yeah… that’s me.” So much for being professional. She hadn’t been expecting a god to answer the door. It had totally thrown her. “I mean, sorry, yes. I’m Karen Wilson. Lovely to meet you.” Holding out her hand, she tried not to swoon as the hottie reached out and gripped it, his own hand warm and dry, the shake firm but not crushing. Her belly did flip flops.*****Editor Bios:Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over 100 publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include several editions of Best Bondage Erotica, Best Women's Erotica 2013 and Best Erotic Romance 2014. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies, and also edits for a small publishing house. She owns Erotica For All, is book editor for Cliterati, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes. 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
Victoria Blisse is a Mother, Wife, Christian, Manchester United Fan and Award Winning Erotica Authoress. She is also the editor of several Bigger Briefs collections, and the co-editor of the fabulous Smut Alfresco and Smut in the City and Smut by the Sea anthologies.Victoria is also one of the brains behind the fabulous Smut Events, get togethers for authors and writers alike. Check out http://smutters.co.uk for the details of the next smut gathering.She is equally at home behind a laptop or a cooker (She is TEB’s resident “Naked Chef”) and she loves to create stories, poems, cakes and biscuits that make people happy. She was born near Manchester, England and her northern English quirkiness shows through in all of her stories.Passion, love and laughter fill her works, just as they fill her busy life.You can find often find Victoria procrastinating on Facebookhttp://facebook.com/victoriablisse , Twitter http://twitter.com/victoriablisse and Pinterest http://pinterest.com/victoriablisse and if you want to know more check out her website http://victoriablisse.co.uk
What's happening in September on Erotic Notions3 – WIP 4 – Moira Keith - A Soul To Keep5 – Jennifer Lowery – Maximum Risk6 - Weekend Writing Warriors 8 – Sharon Struth - Share the Moon10 – WIP13 – Weekend Writing Warriors 17 – WIP19 – 22 – Fall into Romance Blog Hop 24 - WIP27 - Weekend Writing Warriors30 – Leigh Caron – Fat Girl
August 29, 2014
Erotic Notions on Weekend Writing Warriors #8sunday
This week my 8 sentence snippet for Weekend Writing Warriors is from my erotic contemporary – A Kept Woman.Scene Set up – Arianne has accepted the job as billionaire, Derek Davenport's diversion and is about to meet him for the first time. She's meeting him in a coffeehouse.The warm aroma of coffee teased her nostrils. Attempting to appear as if she were looking for a seat, Arianne surveyed the room. The instant her eyes passed over his table, she knew which man was Derek. In the corner, reading a financial paper sat a dangerously handsome man. He reached for his coffee mug and raised it to his lips. Arianne shivered. That mouth would soon be kissing her. She closed her eyes and imagined his lips closing around her firm nipple and gently sucking on it.
Blurb – A Kept Woman – Daryl Devore -Erotic Contemporary Heat – 5 hot peppersDesperately unemployed, Arianne, answers an ad that reads Woman Wanted. With miniscule hours and excellent pay, she accepts the position of courtesan to Derek, a handsomely dashing man, whom she discovers is a billionaire. Engaging in a game of cat and mouse, will they drive each other crazy…or will they fall in love first?
Buy Links – New Dawning International Bookfair - http://www.newdawningbookfair.com/Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Kept-Woman-bdsm-spanking-ebook/dp/B004PGNB9CSmashwords - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/43872Reader Store - http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/daryl-devore/a-kept-woman/_/R-400000000000000350757BookStrand - http://www.bookstrand.com/a-kept-womanIf you prefer print books – All Book Stories - http://www.allbookstores.com/Kept-Woman-Daryl-Devore/9781466257245
What people are saying about A Kept Woman.5 Stars - Her style of writing is multi-layered, making this book plot and character-driven.
5 Stars - Arianne and Derek aren't predictable protagonists. They always have a surprise up their sleeves until the end.
5 Stars - A Good as Fifty Shades!
5 Stars - Need to get hot and steamy. Read this book. Another one my husband didn't mind me buying.
Link to WWW - www.wewriwa.com
What's happening in September on Erotic Notions3 – WIP 4 – Moira Keith - A Soul To Keep5 – Jennifer Lowery – Maximum Risk6 - Weekend Writing Warriors 8 – Sharon Struth - Share the Moon10 – WIP13 – Weekend Writing Warriors 17 – WIP19 – 22 – Fall into Romance Blog Hop 24 - WIP27 - Weekend Writing Warriors30 – Leigh Caron – Fat Girl
August 28, 2014
Suz deMello’s latest - Sherlock’s Scandal!
Suz deMello’s latest is Sherlock’s Scandal! Now that courts have declared Sherlock and Watson to be public domain, Sherlock fanfic will no doubt take off. Suzie’s story imagines a xxx-rated romance between Sherlock and The Woman—the American opera singer Irene Adler.Here’s what it’s about:
A bored Sherlock is a dangerous Sherlock. His twin vices of cocaine and sex could prove his undoing, until he meets his match in elusive, enigmatic Irene Adler. Hiding her heart, Irene deserts Sherlock in the midst of their affair. He schemes to win her back, but the lady won’t come easily to hand. Instead, she forces him to compete for honor, glory, and love.
Here’s a snippet to sharpen your appetite:
If perhaps I had Watson’s talent as a wordsmith, I could describe her flawless beauty. The dusky rose nipple contrasted with her pearly skin, with the slightest sexual blush beginning to color the breast. I wanted to bite the tip, redden it, hear her scream my name when I entered her. I nibbled at the ripened peach, then suckled, the nipple hardening on my tongue. I bared the other breast to suck on it also, creating a matching set. I sat back and admired my work, loving the sight of her white globes tipped by rosy-red nipples glowing in the dim, shifting light inside the cab.
Ignoring the possible damage to my trousers, I knelt on the floor of the rattling hansom and lifted her voluminous velvet skirt.
She relaxed against the cab’s padded squabs with a sigh. “Yessss…”
I found my way through petticoats and pantaloons to her gartered thighs, prying them apart so I could reach the prize. With closed eyes—it was too dark to see anything—I kissed her tender flesh, up, up, up, until I discovered the slit in her drawers that led to the softest, sweetest place, her richly scented and furred mons, hidden treasure buried within rustling swaths of silk and velvet.
I rested my face on her mount of Venus for a moment, glorying in her, breathing her unique fragrance, and thanking the goddess of love, who had surely blessed me this evening.
Here’s where you can score a copy:http://www.ellorascave.com/sherlock-s-scandal.html
About Suz deMello:
Best-selling, award-winning author Suz deMello, a.k.a Sue Swift, has written seventeen romance novels in several subgenres, including erotica, comedy, historical, paranormal, mystery and suspense, plus a number of short stories and non-fiction articles on writing. A freelance editor, she’s held the positions of managing editor and senior editor, working for such firms Total-E-Bound, Liquid Silver Books and Ai Press. She also takes private clients.Her books have been favorably reviewed in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus and Booklist, won a contest or two, attained the finals of the RITA and hit several bestseller lists.A former trial attorney, her passion is world travel. She’s left the US over a dozen times, including lengthy stints working overseas. She’s now writing a vampire tale and planning her next trip.
find Suzie’s books here:
http://www.tinyurl.com/SuzDeMello(publisher’s site)
https://www.amazon.com/author/suzdemello
https://www.amazon.com/author/sueswift
August 26, 2014
Daryl Devore's A Kept Woman on Book Hooks #MFRWhooks
Welcome to Erotic Notions and Book Hooks. This week's 6 to 8 sentences are from my erotic contemporary romance – A Kept Woman
Set Up – Arianne just finished venting her anger about men and her ever-practical roommate asks an important question.
Excerpt –
When her ranting subsided, her roommate, Taylor tried again. “This is where I get practical and ask, you do have some money saved up, right?” Arianne shook her head. “How can you be employed for two years and not have saved anything?”“Well, I had to pay off my college loan.”“Not to mention a new pair of shoes every other week. So how much do you have or do I have to start looking for a new rent paying roommate?”“I’m broke."
Blurb – A Kept Woman – Erotic Contemporary Heat rating – 5 hot peppers
Desperately unemployed, Arianne, answers an ad that reads Woman Wanted. With miniscule hours and excellent pay, she accepts the position of courtesan to Derek, a handsomely dashing man, whom she finds out is a billionaire. Engaging in a game of cat and mouse, will they drive each other crazy…or will they fall in love first?
What people are saying about – A Kept Woman
5 Stars - Her style of writing is multi-layered, making this book plot and character-driven.
5 Stars - Arianne and Derek aren't predictable protagonists. They always have a surprise up their sleeves until the end.
5 Stars - A Good as Fifty Shades!
5 Stars - Need to get hot and steamy. Read this book. Another one my husband didn't mind me buying.
Buy Links – - New Dawning International Bookfair - http://www.newdawningbookfair.com/Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Kept-Woman-bdsm-spanking-ebook/dp/B004PGNB9CSmashwords - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/43872Reader Store - http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/daryl-devore/a-kept-woman/_/R-400000000000000350757BookStrand - http://www.bookstrand.com/a-kept-womanIf you prefer print books – All Book Stories - http://www.allbookstores.com/Kept-Woman-Daryl-Devore/9781466257245
What's happening in August on Erotic Notions28_ Joey Jameson - Twisted29 – Suz de Mello – Sherlock's Scandal30 – Weekend Writing Warriors
What's happening in September on Erotic Notions3 – WIP 4 – Moira Keith - A Soul To Keep5 – Jennifer Lowery – Maximum Risk6 - Weekend Writing Warriors 8 – Sharon Struth - Share the Moon10 – WIP13 – Weekend Writing Warriors 17 – WIP19 – 22 – Fall into Romance Blog Hop 24 - WIP27 - Weekend Writing Warriors30 – Leigh Caron – Fat Girl
August 22, 2014
Erotic Notions on Weekend Writing Warriors #8sunday
This week my 8 sentence snippet for Weekend Writing Warriors is from my erotic contemporary – A Kept Woman.
Scene Set up – Arianne has accepted the job as billionaire, Derek Davenport's diversion and is about to meet him for the first time.Tuesday at 12:50, the subway raced through the dark tunnel. Arianne felt as if everyone knew and was staring at her, silently condemning her for what she was about to do. She had spent the morning indulging in a long, hot soak in the bathtub. Every piece of clothing she owned had been tried on and rejected a half dozen times. Outfits ranging from Catholic school girl to sleazy woman of the night were created and discarded. She pulled her winter jacket closer to her body as she felt the subway train slow then stop at the station. Stepping out onto the street to her left, two stores away, was the Corner Coffee House. The clock above the door read 12:59.
Blurb – A Kept Woman – Daryl Devore -Erotic Contemporary Heat – 5 hot peppers
Desperately unemployed, Arianne, answers an ad that reads Woman Wanted. With miniscule hours and excellent pay, she accepts the position of courtesan to Derek, a handsomely dashing man, whom she discovers is a billionaire. Engaging in a game of cat and mouse, will they drive each other crazy…or will they fall in love first?
Buy Links – New Dawning International Bookfair - http://www.newdawningbookfair.com/Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Kept-Woman-bdsm-spanking-ebook/dp/B004PGNB9CSmashwords - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/43872Reader Store - http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/daryl-devore/a-kept-woman/_/R-400000000000000350757BookStrand - http://www.bookstrand.com/a-kept-womanIf you prefer print books – All Book Stories - http://www.allbookstores.com/Kept-Woman-Daryl-Devore/9781466257245
What people are saying about A Kept Woman.5 Stars - Her style of writing is multi-layered, making this book plot and character-driven.
5 Stars - Arianne and Derek aren't predictable protagonists. They always have a surprise up their sleeves until the end.
5 Stars - A Good as Fifty Shades!
5 Stars - Need to get hot and steamy. Read this book. Another one my husband didn't mind me buying.
Link to WWW - www.wewriwa.com
What's happening in August on Erotic Notions27 – Book Hooks29 – Suz de Mello – Sherlock's Scandal30 – Weekend Writing Warriors
What's happening in September on Erotic Notions3 – Book Hooks 5 – Jennifer Lowery – Maximum Risk6 - Weekend Writing Warriors 10 – Book Hooks13 – Weekend Writing Warriors 17 – Book Hooks19 – 22 – Fall into Romance Blog Hop 24 - Book Hooks27 - Weekend Writing Warriors30 – Leigh Caron – Fat Girl
August 21, 2014
Spotlight on Tabitha Foster's Sweet Temptations and The Surprise Billionaire
Sweet Temptations and the Surprise Billionaire
Tabitha Foster
Blurb: Always the baker…never the bride.
Ambitious and fresh-faced beautiful, Liliana McCrory has spent the last couple of years entirely concentrated on building her business baking elaborate gourmet wedding cakes. Just when Liliana’s almost all but given up on the idea of romance in her own life, she literally runs into the dapper best man at her most high profile wedding while carrying a tray of strawberry shortcakes. Despite the instant spark with the mystery man, the appearance of his fiancée by his side quickly dashes any thoughts of potential romance.
Technology innovator and billionaire, Cole Montgomery, always puts family first. After the passing of his beloved wife, Katherine, he focused on rebuilding his family and giving his young son, Jackson, a new mother figure by becoming engaged to the high school sweetheart he recently reconnected with. However, a chance meeting with the radiant natural beauty and business savvy Liliana at his best friend’s wedding plants seeds of doubt about his upcoming nuptials.
When Cole hires Liliana to bake the cake for his own wedding, the two find themselves undeniably drawn to each other. As a surprising connection between the two is revealed, will Cole and Liliana listen to the voice in their hearts or risk missing out on the chance at a great love?
Authors Bio: Tabitha Foster is also the author of Short Order Daddy, Surprise Billionaire, The Billionaire’s Surprise Christmas Twins, and The Billionaire’s Surprise Virgin Pregnant Bride. For more information on Tabitha, please visit www.chancespress.com.
Website: www.chancespress.com
https://www.facebook.com/tabithafosterromance
Giveaway: One ebook copy per tour stop.
Excerpt:
Chapter One
“Now are those two handsome guys or what?” Cole Montgomery asked his five year old son, Jackson, as he adjusted the boy’s bowtie, and they looked at their reflections in the mirror of the chapel dressing room. Father and son were dressed in matching black tuxes and red bowties, and Cole couldn’t help but feel a pang on bitter sweetness as he realized how fast his boy had grown over the past year. With his wavy strawberry blonde hair and dimples, five year old Jackson looked so much like his mother. So much that Cole found it just the slightest bit painful at times. If only…
Cole’s own Irish heritage showed through with his reddish brown hair, green eyes, and ruddy complexion. At six foot three he towered over his son, but if Jackson’s growth spurts were any indication, his son would probably be as tall as him one day. At thirty-two years old, many people in Cole’s life told him he looked more handsome at this age than ever before. Something about an aura of maturity and understanding one often doesn’t have yet until they hit their thirties.
“And now the rings please. And now the rings please,” Jackson said, repeating his cue for his part in the wedding.
The little boy had been so nervous over his part in the wedding that Cole started to believe that his son had inherited his own need to strive for perfection. But he hoped that Jackson would learn to take the time to enjoy the little things along the way. That had been something Cole started to appreciate a little later than he wished.
“You’re going to do awesome, buddy,” Cole said, kneeling down and hugging his son. “I’m so proud of you.”
Jackson smiled and said, “I want to do good.”
“You will,” Cole said. “Don’t worry about it at all. Your Uncle Jack is going to be proud of you, too.”
It also felt like just yesterday that Cole and his best friend, Jack Van Buren, were in college and studying and partying with the kind of boundless energy one has in their late teens. Party until five in the morning and take an exam at eight. No problem!
Jack, along with his brothers, was an heir to a billion dollar restaurant empire. However, Cole came from a middle class family in Wisconsin with two teachers as parents. He got to attend Berkley on a scholarship after working his ass off throughout high school. Despite their different economic backgrounds, the two of them became instant friends after, ironically, crushing on the same blonde girl in their chemistry class. The girl ended up having a steady boyfriend, but the two of them ended up with a longtime friend. Jack taught Cole how to surf and properly flirt with the women. Cole helped tutor Jack through calculus and gave him a reality check when he needed it. And when Cole had his first son, he named him after his best friend.
Jack had been there at his side lending advice when Cole launched his own company, ColeTech, and developed an app that estimated the wait times at the most popular restaurants called, Why Table Wait?. That app made Cole richer than he’d ever dreamed possible. Jack had also supported him when Cole decided he had to sell his company to devote all of his time to his son and his wife, Katherine, during the hardest, darkest part of Cole’s life. Jack had also been the one who left in the middle of the night in New York to arrive in San Diego at the hospital the morning everything changed.
Cole often reflected on the past with a mix of anger and longing. It all happened faster than we thought possible. How could it already be two years?
“There’s my ring bearer!” Jack Van Buren exclaimed when he walked into the room wearing a white tux with his shoulder length blonde hair pulled back into a tidy ponytail. Jack rarely did formal, and Cole knew that he was only having a wedding this fancy to please his fiancée, Bianca, who had always dreamed of a storybook ceremony. The only twist in the wedding was that Bianca was already carrying Jack’s child, but through artificial insemination since Jack had hired her to be the surrogate mother for the child he longed for. It had only been after the two of them had gotten to know each other during the pregnancy that they fell in love. Now that Bianca was eight months along, the two were on the fast track to make things official.
Little Jackson ran to his namesake and grabbed his hand.
“I’ll do good, Uncle Jack!” the boy exclaimed.
“No doubt,” Jack said, picking the boy up and giving him a bear hug.
“Where are your brothers?” Cole asked regarding Jack’s brothers Max and Bruce who served as groomsmen.
“Checking on their wives like dutiful husbands,” Jack said with a smile.
“That will be you soon,” Cole replied with a grin. “Something I wasn’t sure I’d ever see.”
“Me, either,” Jack admitted.
“Nervous?”
Jack set the boy back down and lightly ruffled his hair.
“As hell, but in a good way. And did you find someone for your fiancée to sit with?” Jack asked, referring to Cole’s high school sweetheart, Samantha, he’d recently become engaged to.`
“She’s sitting with your sister-in-laws,” Jack said. “I’m sure she’s having a grand time getting swept up in her own wedding fever.”
Cole neglected to tell Jack that Samantha had thrown a slight fit that she had to be on her own without him during the ceremony. Cole wasn’t sure what she had expected. After all, he was the best man, and that came with a bunch of duties. Samantha had hardly been this high maintenance when they were in high school, and he often wondered what made her change. Although, he still cared for her deeply, and she had reappeared at the moment he’d felt the loneliest and most lost in his life.
The music coming from the chapel changed to signal that everyone should get ready to take their places.
“Time for you to get married, my man,” Cole said, slapping Jack on the shoulder.
“Let’s do this!” Jack said, his eyes sparkling all of a sudden.
Cole couldn’t get over how Bianca had so quickly run away with his friend’s heart.
“Ready, little man?” Jack said, looking down at the boy.
“Ready,” Jackson answered in such a serious voice for a little boy.
Jack led the boy out of the room, and Cole followed them with a huge smile on his face. Inside though, the music brought back a flood of memories of his own wedding and the day he pledged to love his sweet Katherine until death do they part. How could he ever have imagined that that day would have come so soon?
What can you do when the dream wedding is not your own?
Standing underneath one of the reception area outdoor tents, Liliana pondered that question. She looked out over the kind of setting she’d always hoped to have for her own wedding since she was a girl. She gazed over at the bluff, overlooking the blue waters of the Pacific near Santa Barbara, California. A cool ocean breeze brushed across her cheek, and a slowly setting sun painted the sky in brilliant hues of orange while a harpist played the classical works of Beethoven and Mozart as the finely-dressed guests made their way to the seats. She would describe this wedding as simple by most wealthy family standards but very elegant. For her, the perfect combination. And God knows she’d seen her share of weddings over the past few years. To be honest, most of them had started to blend together in her mind and become just a mix of gowns, first dances, and cake cuttings. But something about this ceremony, this day, felt different for reasons she couldn’t explain or shake.
Cake. That’s where Liliana came in. After having her bakery, Sweet Temptations, named the hottest place to have your wedding cake designed by Los Angeles Food and Drink magazine, Liliana went from a struggling baker barely affording the rent for her business to a workaholic who often spent seven days a week mixing flour, spices, fruit fillings, and secret recipe icings to help make a part of couples’ wedding dreams come true.
Normally, she wouldn’t travel and bring her employees this far from Los Angeles for a multiple day affair as an on-site bakery caterer. But this was Jack Van Buren’s wedding, Jack Van Buren of the family that owned the nationwide chain of Tio Jose’s Mexican restaurants. Usually, she’d just supply the cake that the main caterer would pick up and deliver to the wedding site. But the Van Buren wedding requested an entire spread of her baked goods: twelve flavors of cupcakes, gourmet cookies, and handmade fresh organic breads, and they’d offered a dollar amount that Liliana never dreamed she’d ever see when it came to one single job.
At only twenty-nine years old, she’d found herself on the fast-track of success in the highly competitive world of baking, and she loved every minute of it. Still, it didn’t stop her from occasionally thinking about what it would be like to have a special man in her life. But the last man she gave her heart to proved to be more of a hindrance than a supporter of her career, and the whole experience had proven to be hard to shake off.
“Hey, boss lady! You going to spend all afternoon day dreaming or help us ice these red velvet cupcakes?” her first assistant Grace cracked as she playfully slapped Liliana on the back.
“Sorry,” Liliana replied, smoothing down her white apron, not exactly glamorous attire. “I guess I zoned out for a second. Always the baker. Never the bride.”
“Well, now whose fault is that?” Grace said, reaching out and brushing some of Liliana’s wavy dark brown locks behind her ear.
Part right hand employee, part big sister/mom figure, Grace, still striking in her late forties with her blond curls and infectious laugh, could get away with being blunt with Liliana in a way others wouldn’t dare. A former sitcom actress in the early 1990s, Grace spent all of the money she made back then as fast as she could whip out her credit cards. When the money ran out, she’d found a new passion to bury her depression in…baking, and promptly gained one hundred pounds. After that, future roles had been practically impossible to get. After shedding seventy-five of the extra pounds, she’d answered Liliana’s ad for an assistant deciding if she could keep herself busy enough baking she wouldn’t have time to eat it all, too. Liliana had been skeptical of hiring her at first. After all, Grace was the woman who played the ditzy secretary on the office sitcom Cubicles in Hell, and as her first employee, she could barely pay Grace anything. But Grace persisted until Liliana gave her a shot, and it proved to be one of her best business decisions ever as Grace proved to excel in booking clients in addition to whipping up some yummy baked goods.
“I don’t need another dating lecture,” Liliana replied, dismissively waving her hand.
“If I was your age and looked like you…um…the trouble I could get into,” Grace said wistfully.
Liliana sighed loudly to signal she really didn’t want to get into this right now. She’d grown quite content with letting her bakery be the only commitment she needed…or at least that’s what she told herself. Still, as humble as she was, she noticed she could turn heads on occasion on those rare times she walked away from the oven. At a trim five foot five with just enough curves to be womanly, green eyes, and peaches and cream complexion, men had been known to flirt with her on a regular basis. But ironically, the more time that went by and the more weddings worked, the less romantic she felt overall. Romance had begun to feel like a business.
“The snicker doodles are done,” Jason, her other assistant, an eager twenty-three year old fresh out of culinary school, said as he walked over carrying a tray of the groom’s favorite cookies.
“Great. Thanks, Jason,” she said, glancing back out towards the ceremony as the wedding procession began. “We better quickly wrap up and cross check everything.”
As the three headed back into the catering tent where the groom even had ovens set up, Liliana looked back one more time at the ceremony as the first bridesmaid and groomsmen began making their way down the aisle.
One day, she thought. One day.
Tabitha Foster
Blurb: Always the baker…never the bride.
Ambitious and fresh-faced beautiful, Liliana McCrory has spent the last couple of years entirely concentrated on building her business baking elaborate gourmet wedding cakes. Just when Liliana’s almost all but given up on the idea of romance in her own life, she literally runs into the dapper best man at her most high profile wedding while carrying a tray of strawberry shortcakes. Despite the instant spark with the mystery man, the appearance of his fiancée by his side quickly dashes any thoughts of potential romance.
Technology innovator and billionaire, Cole Montgomery, always puts family first. After the passing of his beloved wife, Katherine, he focused on rebuilding his family and giving his young son, Jackson, a new mother figure by becoming engaged to the high school sweetheart he recently reconnected with. However, a chance meeting with the radiant natural beauty and business savvy Liliana at his best friend’s wedding plants seeds of doubt about his upcoming nuptials.
When Cole hires Liliana to bake the cake for his own wedding, the two find themselves undeniably drawn to each other. As a surprising connection between the two is revealed, will Cole and Liliana listen to the voice in their hearts or risk missing out on the chance at a great love?
Authors Bio: Tabitha Foster is also the author of Short Order Daddy, Surprise Billionaire, The Billionaire’s Surprise Christmas Twins, and The Billionaire’s Surprise Virgin Pregnant Bride. For more information on Tabitha, please visit www.chancespress.com.
Website: www.chancespress.com
https://www.facebook.com/tabithafosterromance
Giveaway: One ebook copy per tour stop.
Excerpt:
Chapter One
“Now are those two handsome guys or what?” Cole Montgomery asked his five year old son, Jackson, as he adjusted the boy’s bowtie, and they looked at their reflections in the mirror of the chapel dressing room. Father and son were dressed in matching black tuxes and red bowties, and Cole couldn’t help but feel a pang on bitter sweetness as he realized how fast his boy had grown over the past year. With his wavy strawberry blonde hair and dimples, five year old Jackson looked so much like his mother. So much that Cole found it just the slightest bit painful at times. If only…
Cole’s own Irish heritage showed through with his reddish brown hair, green eyes, and ruddy complexion. At six foot three he towered over his son, but if Jackson’s growth spurts were any indication, his son would probably be as tall as him one day. At thirty-two years old, many people in Cole’s life told him he looked more handsome at this age than ever before. Something about an aura of maturity and understanding one often doesn’t have yet until they hit their thirties.
“And now the rings please. And now the rings please,” Jackson said, repeating his cue for his part in the wedding.
The little boy had been so nervous over his part in the wedding that Cole started to believe that his son had inherited his own need to strive for perfection. But he hoped that Jackson would learn to take the time to enjoy the little things along the way. That had been something Cole started to appreciate a little later than he wished.
“You’re going to do awesome, buddy,” Cole said, kneeling down and hugging his son. “I’m so proud of you.”
Jackson smiled and said, “I want to do good.”
“You will,” Cole said. “Don’t worry about it at all. Your Uncle Jack is going to be proud of you, too.”
It also felt like just yesterday that Cole and his best friend, Jack Van Buren, were in college and studying and partying with the kind of boundless energy one has in their late teens. Party until five in the morning and take an exam at eight. No problem!
Jack, along with his brothers, was an heir to a billion dollar restaurant empire. However, Cole came from a middle class family in Wisconsin with two teachers as parents. He got to attend Berkley on a scholarship after working his ass off throughout high school. Despite their different economic backgrounds, the two of them became instant friends after, ironically, crushing on the same blonde girl in their chemistry class. The girl ended up having a steady boyfriend, but the two of them ended up with a longtime friend. Jack taught Cole how to surf and properly flirt with the women. Cole helped tutor Jack through calculus and gave him a reality check when he needed it. And when Cole had his first son, he named him after his best friend.
Jack had been there at his side lending advice when Cole launched his own company, ColeTech, and developed an app that estimated the wait times at the most popular restaurants called, Why Table Wait?. That app made Cole richer than he’d ever dreamed possible. Jack had also supported him when Cole decided he had to sell his company to devote all of his time to his son and his wife, Katherine, during the hardest, darkest part of Cole’s life. Jack had also been the one who left in the middle of the night in New York to arrive in San Diego at the hospital the morning everything changed.
Cole often reflected on the past with a mix of anger and longing. It all happened faster than we thought possible. How could it already be two years?
“There’s my ring bearer!” Jack Van Buren exclaimed when he walked into the room wearing a white tux with his shoulder length blonde hair pulled back into a tidy ponytail. Jack rarely did formal, and Cole knew that he was only having a wedding this fancy to please his fiancée, Bianca, who had always dreamed of a storybook ceremony. The only twist in the wedding was that Bianca was already carrying Jack’s child, but through artificial insemination since Jack had hired her to be the surrogate mother for the child he longed for. It had only been after the two of them had gotten to know each other during the pregnancy that they fell in love. Now that Bianca was eight months along, the two were on the fast track to make things official.
Little Jackson ran to his namesake and grabbed his hand.
“I’ll do good, Uncle Jack!” the boy exclaimed.
“No doubt,” Jack said, picking the boy up and giving him a bear hug.
“Where are your brothers?” Cole asked regarding Jack’s brothers Max and Bruce who served as groomsmen.
“Checking on their wives like dutiful husbands,” Jack said with a smile.
“That will be you soon,” Cole replied with a grin. “Something I wasn’t sure I’d ever see.”
“Me, either,” Jack admitted.
“Nervous?”
Jack set the boy back down and lightly ruffled his hair.
“As hell, but in a good way. And did you find someone for your fiancée to sit with?” Jack asked, referring to Cole’s high school sweetheart, Samantha, he’d recently become engaged to.`
“She’s sitting with your sister-in-laws,” Jack said. “I’m sure she’s having a grand time getting swept up in her own wedding fever.”
Cole neglected to tell Jack that Samantha had thrown a slight fit that she had to be on her own without him during the ceremony. Cole wasn’t sure what she had expected. After all, he was the best man, and that came with a bunch of duties. Samantha had hardly been this high maintenance when they were in high school, and he often wondered what made her change. Although, he still cared for her deeply, and she had reappeared at the moment he’d felt the loneliest and most lost in his life.
The music coming from the chapel changed to signal that everyone should get ready to take their places.
“Time for you to get married, my man,” Cole said, slapping Jack on the shoulder.
“Let’s do this!” Jack said, his eyes sparkling all of a sudden.
Cole couldn’t get over how Bianca had so quickly run away with his friend’s heart.
“Ready, little man?” Jack said, looking down at the boy.
“Ready,” Jackson answered in such a serious voice for a little boy.
Jack led the boy out of the room, and Cole followed them with a huge smile on his face. Inside though, the music brought back a flood of memories of his own wedding and the day he pledged to love his sweet Katherine until death do they part. How could he ever have imagined that that day would have come so soon?
What can you do when the dream wedding is not your own?
Standing underneath one of the reception area outdoor tents, Liliana pondered that question. She looked out over the kind of setting she’d always hoped to have for her own wedding since she was a girl. She gazed over at the bluff, overlooking the blue waters of the Pacific near Santa Barbara, California. A cool ocean breeze brushed across her cheek, and a slowly setting sun painted the sky in brilliant hues of orange while a harpist played the classical works of Beethoven and Mozart as the finely-dressed guests made their way to the seats. She would describe this wedding as simple by most wealthy family standards but very elegant. For her, the perfect combination. And God knows she’d seen her share of weddings over the past few years. To be honest, most of them had started to blend together in her mind and become just a mix of gowns, first dances, and cake cuttings. But something about this ceremony, this day, felt different for reasons she couldn’t explain or shake.
Cake. That’s where Liliana came in. After having her bakery, Sweet Temptations, named the hottest place to have your wedding cake designed by Los Angeles Food and Drink magazine, Liliana went from a struggling baker barely affording the rent for her business to a workaholic who often spent seven days a week mixing flour, spices, fruit fillings, and secret recipe icings to help make a part of couples’ wedding dreams come true.
Normally, she wouldn’t travel and bring her employees this far from Los Angeles for a multiple day affair as an on-site bakery caterer. But this was Jack Van Buren’s wedding, Jack Van Buren of the family that owned the nationwide chain of Tio Jose’s Mexican restaurants. Usually, she’d just supply the cake that the main caterer would pick up and deliver to the wedding site. But the Van Buren wedding requested an entire spread of her baked goods: twelve flavors of cupcakes, gourmet cookies, and handmade fresh organic breads, and they’d offered a dollar amount that Liliana never dreamed she’d ever see when it came to one single job.
At only twenty-nine years old, she’d found herself on the fast-track of success in the highly competitive world of baking, and she loved every minute of it. Still, it didn’t stop her from occasionally thinking about what it would be like to have a special man in her life. But the last man she gave her heart to proved to be more of a hindrance than a supporter of her career, and the whole experience had proven to be hard to shake off.
“Hey, boss lady! You going to spend all afternoon day dreaming or help us ice these red velvet cupcakes?” her first assistant Grace cracked as she playfully slapped Liliana on the back.
“Sorry,” Liliana replied, smoothing down her white apron, not exactly glamorous attire. “I guess I zoned out for a second. Always the baker. Never the bride.”
“Well, now whose fault is that?” Grace said, reaching out and brushing some of Liliana’s wavy dark brown locks behind her ear.
Part right hand employee, part big sister/mom figure, Grace, still striking in her late forties with her blond curls and infectious laugh, could get away with being blunt with Liliana in a way others wouldn’t dare. A former sitcom actress in the early 1990s, Grace spent all of the money she made back then as fast as she could whip out her credit cards. When the money ran out, she’d found a new passion to bury her depression in…baking, and promptly gained one hundred pounds. After that, future roles had been practically impossible to get. After shedding seventy-five of the extra pounds, she’d answered Liliana’s ad for an assistant deciding if she could keep herself busy enough baking she wouldn’t have time to eat it all, too. Liliana had been skeptical of hiring her at first. After all, Grace was the woman who played the ditzy secretary on the office sitcom Cubicles in Hell, and as her first employee, she could barely pay Grace anything. But Grace persisted until Liliana gave her a shot, and it proved to be one of her best business decisions ever as Grace proved to excel in booking clients in addition to whipping up some yummy baked goods.
“I don’t need another dating lecture,” Liliana replied, dismissively waving her hand.
“If I was your age and looked like you…um…the trouble I could get into,” Grace said wistfully.
Liliana sighed loudly to signal she really didn’t want to get into this right now. She’d grown quite content with letting her bakery be the only commitment she needed…or at least that’s what she told herself. Still, as humble as she was, she noticed she could turn heads on occasion on those rare times she walked away from the oven. At a trim five foot five with just enough curves to be womanly, green eyes, and peaches and cream complexion, men had been known to flirt with her on a regular basis. But ironically, the more time that went by and the more weddings worked, the less romantic she felt overall. Romance had begun to feel like a business.
“The snicker doodles are done,” Jason, her other assistant, an eager twenty-three year old fresh out of culinary school, said as he walked over carrying a tray of the groom’s favorite cookies.
“Great. Thanks, Jason,” she said, glancing back out towards the ceremony as the wedding procession began. “We better quickly wrap up and cross check everything.”
As the three headed back into the catering tent where the groom even had ovens set up, Liliana looked back one more time at the ceremony as the first bridesmaid and groomsmen began making their way down the aisle.
One day, she thought. One day.
August 19, 2014
A Kept Woman on Book Hooks #MFRWhooks
Welcome to Erotic Notions and Book Hooks. This week's 6 to 8 sentences are from my erotic contemporary romance – A Kept Woman
Set Up – Last time we met billionaire Derek Davenport, now it is time to meet unemployed Arianne. She's having a bad day and is venting to her roommate, Taylor.
Excerpt –
Unsuccessfully tossing the paper across the room, it fluttered to the carpet near Arianne's feet. “And to top it off, Kyle broke up with me. He suddenly woke up and found that he’s in a different place and I don’t belong there with him. Whatever the hell that means.”“This is where—”“And, I’m living a stereotype - like one of those sitcoms." She rubbed her forehead and continued, "Straight girl lives with gay guy. Hell, I can’t even screw you ‘cause we like the same thing - men! Except, I hate men!”
Blurb – A Kept Woman – Erotic Contemporary Heat rating – 5 hot peppers
Desperately unemployed, Arianne, answers an ad that reads Woman Wanted. With miniscule hours and excellent pay, she accepts the position of courtesan to Derek, a handsomely dashing man, whom she finds out is a billionaire. Engaging in a game of cat and mouse, will they drive each other crazy…or will they fall in love first?
What people are saying about – A Kept Woman
5 Stars - Her style of writing is multi-layered, making this book plot and character-driven.
5 Stars - Arianne and Derek aren't predictable protagonists. They always have a surprise up their sleeves until the end.
5 Stars - A Good as Fifty Shades!
5 Stars - Need to get hot and steamy. Read this book. Another one my husband didn't mind me buying.
Buy Links – - New Dawning International Bookfair - http://www.newdawningbookfair.com/Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Kept-Woman-bdsm-spanking-ebook/dp/B004PGNB9CSmashwords - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/43872Reader Store - http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/daryl-devore/a-kept-woman/_/R-400000000000000350757BookStrand - http://www.bookstrand.com/a-kept-womanIf you prefer print books – All Book Stories - http://www.allbookstores.com/Kept-Woman-Daryl-Devore/9781466257245
What's happening in August on Erotic Notions27 – Book Hooks28_ Joey Jameson - Twisted29 – Suz de Mello – Sherlock's Scandal30 – Weekend Writing Warriors
What's happening in September on Erotic Notions3 – WIP 4 – Moira Keith - A Soul To Keep5 – Jennifer Lowery – Maximum Risk6 - Weekend Writing Warriors 8 – Sharon Struth - Share the Moon10 – WIP13 – Weekend Writing Warriors 17 – WIP19 – 22 – Fall into Romance Blog Hop 24 - WIP27 - Weekend Writing Warriors30 – Leigh Caron – Fat Girl
