Raine Miller's Blog, page 5

Smoke and Mirrors~

“My wife will never agree,” I told him, picturing how I’d left her in bed after crying herself to sleep.  Drained and exhausted, and very emotional from the argument with her mother.  That insensitive cow was on my last nerve too.  I stubbed out my ciggie and lit another.

“Make her agree, Blackstone.”

“I know you care for nothing but the success of your campaign, Senator, not even what’s happened to your son, but I don’t give a maiden queen’s first fuck about your politics, or your rapist son.”

I’d give Oakley points for laying it all out on the line.  He wasted nothing on words.  Just went straight to the issue in that tonal American accent of his that seemed almost devoid of humanity.  “Don’t you think it’s better to be a couple of indiscreet teenagers who had a lapse in judgment years ago, and who’ve put it firmly behind them, than to worry about extortion should their shameful secret be brought to light?  If they are still friends, then no crime ever occurred.  Simple insurance, Blackstone.  I think you should care very much.”

As much as I hated to admit it, Oakley’s ‘insurance’ scheme was really very clever.  But the cleverness of it wouldn’t help Brynne.  It would hurt her.  “I care about the welfare of my pregnant wife, who was made ill tonight by this whole shitstorm blowing up in media.  And that, Senator, is not going to help you one iota.  I can’t make her go and see him.  She won’t do it.”

He responded with, “Within the week, please,” and cut the line.  I stared at my mobile, sure the number he’d called from was already deactivated.  The tingle of fear scratched its way down my spine.  I lit another Djarum and filled my lungs.  I didn’t know how to fix this problem, and it had grown exponentially in the matter of hours.  The US presidential election was propelling this one.  How in the goddamn shitting hell did one fight that monstrous beast?

So I got up and left my office.   I went to sit outside on the balcony, where I started smoking in earnest.  One ciggie after the other, until I was high from the pumping nicotine that fueled the addiction I couldn’t deny.

The smoke drifted away on the cool nighttime breeze in lazy, wafting swirls.  I had a flash of longing that my problems could magically do the same.  Wishful thinking.  Real life never worked that way.  My hand was being forced in this.  Sometimes my experience with poker was a curse…because I knew the odds here.  I could see when folding was the only option.

It wouldn’t help Brynne to bring her into Oakley’s circle, but I feared it was already too late for that.

***

Rare and Precious Things coming February 28th
#Blackstone4  on Twitter @Raine_Miller
The Blackstone Affair Fan Page on Facebook

***

xxoo R

Brynne the Model~

Brynne the model.  Yes, we mustn’t forget this is how Ethan discovered his American girl in the first place.  And the particular type of modeling she does?  …Well, let’s say has caused some bumps along the way for these two–especially him.

With Rare and Precious Things just 23 days out, here is another teaser for you.  Ethan and Brynne are at a cocktail party, at the home of Marco Carvaletti, while honeymooning in Italy.  Marco is one of Brynne’s photographers, and Ethan…well, he isn’t so keen about the party, but he goes anyway.

xxoo R

 

***

“BELLA, you look magnificent, the glow in your cheeks, everything, is utter perfection.”  Marco, kissed me on both cheeks as was custom, then held me at arm’s length for a thorough perusal.  “Lovely dress.  I can see that marriage and motherhood is agreeing with you, darling.”

I felt Ethan’s hand at my back soften and relax at Marco’s friendly, but appropriate greeting.  Maybe he’d get over his paranoia that Marco was trying to bag me every time he photographed me.  Ethan just didn’t understand that Marco wasn’t like that at all.  He was a professional photographer doing a job with me, and nothing more.  Well, nothing more than a working, platonic friendship.  He’d always been kind to me, and I liked working with Marco Carvaletti very much.  I hoped Ethan could see it here tonight as we all interacted.

“It is, Marco, and I don’t think I could be any happier.”  I leaned into Ethan, nudging him to speak up.

“Mr. Carvaletti, thank you for the invitation.  We’ve been looking forward to this all day.”  Ethan lied smoothly, offering his hand, playing the social gentleman to perfection, which he was well skilled at.  I guess he did it out of love for me.  I knew he didn’t want to be here anymore than he wanted me modeling.  I mouthed a thank you only visible to him.  He kissed me on the cheek and whispered in my ear, “Don’t forget about Simba, baby.”  Then he wandered off to get drinks for us.

Marco took me on a tour of his elegantly restored 17th century villa as I marveled at all of the art.  He had a whole room set up as a gallery of his photographs.  There were a couple of me in there.  One where I sat in a formal chair with one knee up, strategically placed, my expression far away and pensive.  The other pose was a side view recreation of a vintage Ziegfeld Follies girl with a feather boa and some satin pumps.  It was one of the first portraits I posed for and I really thought it was nicely choreographed.

“It is a beautiful piece, bella.  I knew when we did that series you had the gift.”  Marco stood behind me admiring the image he had created with me as the subject.

“I was so nervous posing, but you made me laugh when you told me to imagine Iggy Pop in a dress.”  I shrugged.  “That broke the ice and I was fine after that.”

“That one works for me every time, bella.”

“Well, Iggy Pop in a dress is funny, so good job, Marco.”  We laughed together and made our way back to the main gathering.

Where was Ethan with my drink?  I scanned the room for sight of him, but didn’t see his tall form standing out among the crowd anywhere.  And I needed water.

“He is talking to Carolina and Rogelio, my friends,” Marco said, correctly reading my quest to find Ethan.  “I believe they have discovered they are acquainted already.”

Really?  Ethan knew people at this party?  I suppose it wasn’t as bad as he’d predicted it would be after all.  Couldn’t wait to bust him about his whining to come here.

“Oh, well that’s great.  I look forward to meeting them.  But first, I need to get some water.  I’m really thirsty after spending a long time swimming in the ocean today.  Must be all the salt.”

“Come with me, bella, I will take care of you.”

***

Honeymoon Dating

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Mr. and Mrs. Blackstone have a “date” on their honeymoon.

~***~

“What are we doing on the beach?” I asked, as he  led me along the cool sand under my bare feet.

“Having our date.  Trust me, baby.  This is something I have all planned out for us.”

“I bet you do.  I am well aware that when you say date you really mean sex—”

My words were lost as we rounded a turn in the beach path and came out onto the shore. The waves lapped at the sand with the soothing sounds of water moving against earth.  A sliver of moon glowed up over the water, but the real beauty was the many glass jars lit up with tea lights set out on the soft sand of the beach. What seemed like hundreds of them flickering away around a pallet of blankets and pillows.  Off to one side, sat a bucket of iced drinks and what appeared to be little dessert cakes on a tray with some fresh fruit.

“It’s beautiful, Ethan.”  I could hardly speak as I realized what he’d done.  “How did you do…all of this?”

He led us onto the blankets and drew me down to sit beside him.  “It was my idea,” he began, “but I needed some help to pull it off.  Franco got it organized while we were at the party.”

I looked around behind us, imaging if the caretaker for our villa was lurking in the dark hoping for a glimpse.

“I know what you’re thinking, but you don’t have to worry, baby, Franco is not in the bushes watching, trust me.”

I laughed nervously.  “Well, if Franco is in the bushes somewhere, I am predicting he’s gonna get one hell of a show.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear.  My girl accepting the idea of a hot beach shag,” he whispered teasingly against my ear, his tongue flicking out for a lick along the shell.  “You like my surprise.”

My body came instantly alive, needing him so badly.  Ethan could get me hot with just the simplest look or touch.  He reached up and worked on the messy knot holding up my hair and unpinned it.  He was getting good at figuring out my hair.  It made me smile to watch him as he found the pins and pulled them, knowing how he’d be fisting my hair in handfuls and using it to dominate when we were deep into the sex.

“You’re smiling,” he murmured as he worked over my hair.

“I just love to watch you doing simple things.”

My hair fell free.  “This is not a simple thing to me,” he whispered, fingering through the tangled length with both hands.  His gaze grew smoky as he focused on my lips.  “It’s everything.”

~***~

  Rare and Precious Things is coming February 28th.
Preorder here:  Blackstone Affair BOOK 4
Twitter Hashtags  #RareAndPreciousThings  #Blackstone4
Fun interaction and news about all of my books found below
The Blackstone Affair Fan Page on Facebook

Wedding Night for the Blackstones

At the end of Eyes Wide Open, Ethan and Brynne were about to embark upon their wedding night.  Here’s a little tease for you to enjoy from the upcoming fourth installment in my Blackstone Affair series–Rare and Precious Things.

Twitter Hashtags  #RareAndPreciousThings  #Blackstone4
Fun interaction and news about all of my books found below
The Blackstone Affair Fan Page on Facebook

 ****

We both stood there panting,  our faces so close, but yet, not touching; him in his tux with the purple brocade vest, me in my vintage inspired lace wedding dress, the sexual tension crackling in the air between us like a raging electrical storm about to go nuclear.

I told Ethan what I wanted.

“I n-need to get ready for you,” I managed on a shaky breath, hoping he understood this was something important to me.

He swallowed hard, making his Adam’s apple flex at his throat.  “All right,” he said slowly.  “I’ll do the same.”

I looked back to where the glow from the en suite bathroom showed me the way.  “Where will you go?” I asked him, feeling slightly guilty about kicking him out, even if for just a short while.

“The adjoining bedroom is also very nice.”  He gestured toward a door in the wall to the left of the bed.  “These old manor houses always had lord and lady connecting bedrooms so they could meet up for the real important, private stuff that happened in the night.”  He drew a finger across the low neckline of my bodice, moving especially slow over the swell of my breasts sitting against the lace of my gown.

“Oh?  The important private stuff you say.”

“Undoubtedly, baby.  The shagging…is…very…very…very…important.”  He gave me soft, seductive kisses between each of the words.

“Which room are we in right now?  Lord’s or lady’s?” I asked breathlessly.

He shrugged.  “No idea.  Don’t care either.  I shag and sleep wherever my lady is, and I always will.  Pick a room, Mrs. Blackstone.”

I sighed with need and forced myself to take a step backward, creating some distance between our bodies.  “Okay…how does this room in fifteen minutes sound?” I stepped backward again, moving closer toward the bathroom door, my eyes never leaving his blues as they tracked my movements.

Those same beautiful blue eyes also glittered at me with all the shuttered heat of a man who would be ravishing me very soon.  Please, and thank you.

He gave me the serious Ethan-stare, the one I’d seen many times and was well familiar with—the one raw with male prowess…and the overpowering sexual dominance.

“Like fifteen minutes too fucking long, my beauty.”

****

Rare and Precious Things publishing everywhere February 28, 2014.

Pre-order available now only on Amazon:

A Scottish Christmas

I like to do a short story for Christmas every year.  Last year I did one about Brynne shopping on Christmas Eve in London, and her chance meeting with a very special lionfish–aaaaand a certain delicious smelling Brit in a nice coat.  This year I thought it would be fun to highlight the holidays for Neil and Elaina’s first Christmas together as a married couple, from my newest book, Cherry Girl.  If you haven’t read the book yet, it won’t ruin it for you.  (Unless knowing they get together in the end and married, ruins it for you.)  LOL  Blessings to all for a beautiful holiday season.

xxooR

A Scottish Christmas

 

24 December~

 

The Scottish winters were quite a step up from London’s constant wet.  The only difference was several degrees colder temperatures.  And constant wet.  I couldn’t complain too much though, and I never would, because I was blissfully happy being up in Scotland were it was very cold, and very wet, because I had my man to keep me warm when I felt the chill.  He never let me get chilled anyway.  I smiled secretly and thought about just how warm he’d made me in our bed this morning when he woke me up.  And last night before we fell asleep.

No, Neil was a dedicated husband when it came to seeing to his wife’s every comfort and pleasure.  Or, more accurately—pleasures.

We’d only been married for eleven weeks, but were still newlyweds in our heads where it mattered.  Just a little more than a year ago, we’d come crashing back together after so long apart.  I’d learned to accept that we were meant to be—and that in the end, nothing could have kept us from our fate.  We were truly destined to be together.

Our journey to get to this point, had been a painful one, but that was all in the past now. Neil and I had both learned so much along the way.  Like when you get a second chance, you hold onto it with everything you have in you, and thank God you were given the gift.

Which reminded me—I needed to sneak out so I could pick up Neil’s Christmas gift.

I hoped I could manage it without him discovering and trying to come with me.  He didn’t like me driving alone.  Maybe it was his job in the security field that made him so protective of me, but my man was a tad too overdone in that department sometimes.  I was working on training him out of it though.  I had my methods.

I hated to hurt his feelings by saying no, but this was an errand, which needed to remain solo.  My only partner in crime was Batesman, the man in charge of running this place.  I think in the olden days, such a person was called a steward.  I thought of Pride and Prejudice, probably my favorite novel of all time, and how Mr. Darcy had a steward to run the estate for him when he was away on business.

Batesman lived here in Scotland and took care of the place when we were in London working at Blackstone Security International, and he looked after us when we were here visiting, which was mainly at the weekends.  Neil tried to get us up here at least one weekend a month, but since it was the holidays, Neil and Ethan, had ordered BSI closed through New Year’s, with only a skeletal staff on hand to secure any events.  The bosses were on holiday for the holidays.  We had ten more days before work called us back home to London.  Glorious.  Ten.  Days.

Neil said this was our place to make up for all the years we had lost.  And my man was determined to do that for us.  He told me all the time.  He also liked to have me all to himself, just the two of us alone, spending time together doing the simple things that we had both learned not to take for granted.

I cracked an even bigger smile, thinking about how he’d taken his time with me this morning, waking me up from a sound sleep in the most delicious way, or I should say—his tongue.

Neil didn’t hold back with me in the bedroom.  If he wanted to try something, he told me, or sometimes he just did what he wanted, and then asked me if it was okay.  Typical man.  Go for it first, ask later.

But I didn’t mind his tactics.

I was okay with everything my man did for me.  And my body had the luxurious aches and marks on my skin to prove it this morning.

He liked to mark me.  He also wanted me pregnant.

Maybe it was his lack of a normal family life growing up that made him crave the stability of a family.  Neil wanted kids.

We were working on it.  Very diligently.

I grinned as I rounded the corner at the bottom of the stairs and ran smack dab into a hard chest that carried the scent of my man.

“I’ve got you now,” he said, as his arms came out to snatch me.  He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist.  “Mmmmm, I like that, beautiful wife.”  He walked us up to the nearest wall, set me against it, and proceeded to kiss me senseless.

“I like it too.”  I managed to mumble behind soft lips and an even softer tongue that continued to own me.  He was seriously dangerous with those lips of his.

“I want to take you back up to our bed and do some more things that I know you like.”  He thrust his hips forward and hit me right where it counted.  My man’s stamina for sex was astounding to me, and something I hoped never changed, but it wasn’t happening right now.

“Nope, Captain.  I can’t.”

He pulled away from my lips and gave me his soulful chocolate eyes.  “But why not?”

“I have important work to do and an errand to run.”  I hoped he would take my explanation, but accepted the likelihood of that happening to be about nil.

“Where are we going then?” he asked, still pressing that impressive erection right up against me.  Yeah, he knew what he was doing all right—tempting me with his body and the promise of more explosive orgasms.  Resisting him was not going to be easy, but right now, it had to be done.

“We are not.  I have somewhere I need to be—”

“I’ll drive you wherever you want to go,” he interrupted, “where is that, Cherry?”  The look on his face made it difficult for me to say the next part.

“I have to go alone on this errand.  You can’t come along.”  I stuck out my bottom lip and mimed a sad face.

He reached around to the back of my thighs and set me down from the wall, but still kept me completely penned in, his big arms on either side of my shoulders.  He shook his head at me, a full-on frown set on his face.  “But I don’t want you driving alone on the roads—”

I brought my hand up to his cheek and looked into his eyes.  I’d learned that touching my man on the face soothed him when I needed to get my point across, and he was less than thrilled with the situation.  Me driving around Scotland on my own in winter and along country roads?  More than qualified as one of those situations that made my husband less than thrilled.

He grew still and waited for me to explain, his brown eyes searching my face.  When I was not forthcoming, he tried again.

“Why can’t I drive you?  I won’t be a pest.  Promise.”

“You can’t come along because I am going to get your Christmas present.  I won’t be long at all.”

Silence.  Pouty face.  A heavy sigh with a bit of eye narrowing.

“Do you know that you have the most adorable pouty face that is possible for a man to have, and not look like a little girl?”

“Is it working?” he shot back sarcastically.

“’Fraid not, Captain.”

“Well then, it’s utterly useless to me then, now isn’t it?”

God, he was hard to resist when he sulked and made the metaphorical knife twist into my heart.  And beautifully handsome and smelling like man-heaven.  Evil torture is what he was doing to me.

Didn’t matter. I still wasn’t letting him come along with me.

****

Later that evening~

 

“You look like butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth, Mrs. McManus.”

“Is that so, Captain?”

“Very much so.”

“Well you look nearly back to normal after your pouty fit from earlier,” she said with that sexy sass that made my cock sit up and beg.

“And I know just what put me back to normal, as you call it.”  And I most certainly did know.

As soon as she’d arrived back to the house after her gift errand, I’d carried her upstairs and kept her in bed for the rest of the afternoon.  Having Elaina all to myself was something I didn’t think I would ever get enough of.  All of those years without her made me an overbearing arse sometimes, I know, but she seemed to put up with me without too much complaint.  And I knew exactly how to keep her content.  I gave her my best lecherous grin.

She ignored me.  “I want to give you your Christmas gift tonight if you don’t mind…I just can’t stand waiting until tomorrow morning.”

“Hmmmm…isn’t that sacrilege?”  Secretly, I was more than pleased by her suggestion. Exchanging gifts tonight would work even better for me as well.

“Maybe it is, but my gift can’t wait until tomorrow.  Like literally can’t wait—”

I kissed her on her puffy red lips, made that way by me earlier, and nibbled on the bottom one.  I liked seeing the evidence of me on her skin, the little markings and flushes where I’d been giving attention during our long afternoon sex session.  Neanderthal or not, it comforted me to know she was mine and wasn’t going anywhere that I wasn’t going.

I nodded against her lips.  “Okay.”

“Well, that was easy.  You must really want to know what I’ve gotten for you then.  I hope you like it.”

“Of course I do, but even more than that, I don’t want to wait to give you your gift either.  I say let’s do this, and I know I’ll love anything you’ve chosen for me.”

The smile she gave me then, lit up her face, making me want to kiss her some more.

“Okay, deal.  I need to go get it.  Be right back.”  She sailed out of the room, and I took the opportunity to go off in search of Batesman.

He’d been helping me with my gift for Elaina.  The man was seriously capable of just about anything and everything.  And he did it all so fuckin’ well.  Boggled the mind how some people could be so damn good at such a variety of things.  I knocked on his door in the east wing and called out in case he’d already turned in for the night.  Tomorrow was going to be a long day, as we had guests coming in early to stay with us.  This place would be transformed into a madhouse for certain with so many people coming up to Scotland to spend the holidays with us, but what in the hell was a big house for if you never used it for anything…  “Batesman?  Is it ready to go now?  My wife has decided to exchange gifts tonight instead of in the morning.”

He poked his head through the door crack and addressed me in that formal voice of his. “Sir, I have madam’s gift right here.”  He shoved a basket at me and then closed his door again.

I frowned.  “Thanks.”  Weird.  Maybe Batesman hated Christmas or something.  Some people had such bad experiences growing up; they found holiday festivities difficult to stomach.  I’d had mostly good ones growing up, a few bad ones when times were not so nice, but didn’t everybody?  Everything was golden now.

I took my basket and walked carefully back with it to the great room.

Elaina was already there, and sitting on the sofa, looking at the Christmas tree.  I still think she trumped the tree.  I knew she did.  Any day.  Any time.  My Cherry Girl was the most beautiful thing in the room.

She frowned at my basket though which didn’t please me.  She probably was going to hate the gift, but I really hoped not.  It sure seemed like a great idea at the time when I thought of it, and Batesman had assured me that she would be thrilled.  I was suddenly struck with how strange of an idea that was…  How in the hell would Batesman even know what Elaina liked or didn’t like?

“Who wants to go first?” I suggested, feeling more worried now than a moment ago.

“I think you should,” she said decisively.  “Sit down beside me, my darling.”  She patted the couch right next to her.

It’s now or never.  I sat down and placed the basket on the floor.

“Close your eyes, beautiful wife.”  She complied as she always did so easily.  Made my cock rock hard when she got submissive like that.  Later, lad.  I reached into the basket and took out the soft, warm, sleepy bundle, setting it carefully onto her lap.  “You can open your eyes now.”  

“Oh.  My.  God.”  Her hands reached down to pick up the puppy and bring him up to her face for closer inspection.

“Not a god, just a little pup,” I teased.  “Blue Merle Great Dane to be exact. “Happy Christmas, darlin’, I hope you like him.  I thought we could use a dog around the place, you know, for protection.”

“Did you now?” she asked absently, as she nuzzled the puppy, which was now a little more awake than he’d been just a minute ago.  “My turn, Captain.  Close your eyes, please.”

I did as she asked and heard the shuffling around of movement as she rose from the couch, and then felt something warm set down in my lap.  Could it be possible?

“You can open up now.”

I opened my eyes to find another puppy looking up at me with blue eyes and a cocked head of inquisitiveness.  This one was a bit darker in the face than the little male I’d picked out for Elaina earlier, and wearing a Christmas plaid ribbon around its neck, but was clearly from the same litter of Blue Merle Great Dane puppies.  Batesman’s odd behavior suddenly made a ton of sense.  The old coot must have been enjoying himself immensely over our little newlywed spectacle we’d provided for him the last days.

“It appears that we have very good taste in dogs, beautiful wife.”

“Obviously, Captain.  We always have good taste.”

She leaned forward to kiss me, the two pups between us.

“Happy Christmas, my darling.”

“Happy Christmas, Cherry.”

THE END

 

Rare and Precious Things~Pre-Order

I have good news for you all.  The fourth book in The Blackstone Affair has a release date of February 28, 2014 and is now up for Pre-Order at Amazon.  If and when we have other platforms with the option to pre-order, I will announce those links as well.

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon Canada
Amazon Australia

Here are some beautiful photo teaser collages made by the amazing Luna Sol for Rare and Precious Things.  Enjoy.

xxoo R

Ethan will be getting a new “name.”

The Blackstones on honeymoon.

Cherry Blossoms & Dragonflies

Thank you to the amazing Luna Sol for this gorgeous collage of pictures from Cherry Girl.
That is Heath Hutchins and Barbara Palvin as muse for Neil and Elaina.

So, Cherry Girl has now been born into the Blackstone Affair family and the secret is out.  The book I really never planned on writing, but had a voice, and was determined to get out of my head and onto the page, has arrived.  The story of Captain Neil McManus, a soldier in the British Army Special Forces, and Elaina, the girl who has loved him since she was ten years old.  It is a more romantic story than any book I’ve written, and will hopefully bring out some emotions for the reader.  Cherry Girl is in the Blackstone Affair world, but is a standalone novel that can be enjoyed without reading the other books.  Ethan is on the page, making the ladies swoon and shake their heads at him at the same time, of course.  And, there will be more to come in the future for Neil and Elaina I am guessing…and Elaina’s hottie of a brother, too…  *sneaky giggle and a cough* “Ian Morrison.”   I enjoyed writing every word of Neil and Elaina’s love story, and I hope my fans will enjoy reading.  Below are the buy links for Cherry Girl, and as the others come online, their links will be added here.

Amazon Kindle
Barnes & Noble Nook
Apple iBookstore
Kobo

There is a Facebook Discussion Group for people who have already read Cherry Girl and want to chat about it, and the Pinterest board for a look at more pictures that inspired the story.

#NeilLovesCherry   @Raine_Miller on Twitter

Blessings to all, and now I have to go rejoin the world of the living, get my Christmas tree up, and be a wife and a mom again.

xxoo R

Cherry Girl

This might be news to a lot of you because I’ve kept it pretty much under wraps, but I have a book coming out next month and you’re looking at the cover for it.

Cherry Girl is my Blackstone Affair spinoff novella about a couple of characters you’ve already met in those books.  Neil McManus, Ethan’s number one partner in his business and a fellow British Special Forces officer from their army days, and Elaina Morrison, the receptionist at Blackstone Security International, helping Brynne with wedding plans and talking smutty romance novels with Gaby at dinner parties.  LOL

Neil and Elaina have quite a history together and you’ll get that story in Cherry Girl.  The main portion of the book is set in time about one year before the events that take place in Naked.  Ethan Blackstone is very much in this but it’s not about him.  This is Neil and Elaina’s story and I hope you’ll fall for them and spread a little of that magical Blackstone Love around and send some their way.

Look for Cherry Girl to release around the third week in November.  *yeah, I know I’m being vague but it’s the best I can do*

xxoo R
#NeilLovesCherry   @Raine_Miller on Twitter

~***~

I stayed in Neil’s bed for another moment and tried to take everything in.  I was definitely a mess on the outside, but inside where my heart pounded, I was absolutely floating on cloud nine.

He loved me.  Neil really loved me, but damn if I’d allow him to kiss me again before I got clean and comfortable.  I felt utterly gross and hideous and still had trouble believing all that had just happened in the small space of a very few hours.

I left his bed and went into the bathroom.  The shower was already hot and steaming up the small space.  He’d set out his toothbrush and paste for me to use and even a soft black T-shirt with The Jimi Hendrix Experience in white letters across the front.  I knew Neil was a Hendrix fan and I’d even seen him wearing this very shirt on occasion, and yet the fact he’d picked it out for me in particular, touched me.  I reached for it and buried my face in its softness, inhaling deeply.  Neil’s scent has always been heavenly to me and I’d been addicted to it for years.  Hard to describe, but absolutely lush on my sensibilities.  Like fresh air and forest spice and pure water all combined into the perfect blend of male fragrance.  And I’d been restricted from indulging in it for most of my life.

But not anymore.

I shut the bathroom door, stripped out of my bra and knickers, and got clean in my boyfriend’s shower.  I so love the sound of that!

I’m sure I wore a ridiculous grin on my face the whole time I scrubbed.  Once I was finished in the shower and out brushing my teeth with his personal toothbrush, I still kept grinning into the mirror like an idiot, glad the door was shut and Neil couldn’t see how much of a lovesick fool I was being right now.  Pointless indeed.  He would know it the moment I stepped out anyway.  He probably already did know it.

I left the bathroom dressed in his shirt.  It came down on me to mid-thigh and I’d already decided I was keeping the thing.  Yeah, Neil’s beloved Hendrix shirt would forever belong to me.  I had absolutely no qualms about my thievery either.  I didn’t want to have to be without the scent of him once his leave from the army was over.  That meant his shirt wasn’t getting washed anytime soon.  If ever.

My inner ramblings distracted me to the point I wasn’t thinking about what might be waiting for me when I came out.  But the sight that greeted me upon my return to the bedroom in nothing but my clean skin and Neil’s shirt, was so not what I was expecting.  I stopped dead in my tracks and stared, the towel I was using to hand dry my hair slid from my grip and onto the floor with a soft thud.

Neil was waiting in the bed for me.

Holy Hell he was beautiful, sitting up against the headboard, his wide chest bare for my eyes to drink in.  The cuts and angles of his hard muscles and golden skin in contrast to the white sheets nearly made me break down again.  I could see that his nipples were hard and his gaze on me was deep with liquidity.  Mysterious and sensual with a bit of an edge.  I could only imagine what he might be thinking about right now.

My nipples were hard too, and I felt an involuntary shiver roll down my spine.

I’d seen his body before.  I knew what Neil looked like without his shirt on, and I knew very well about the washboard abs, and how they tapered into a V at his hips that made my insides a quivering mess whenever I was lucky enough to get a decent look at him.  Which wasn’t often, unfortunately.

Neil was blessed with an earthly form that screamed ‘sex god’ for a man.  But I’d never been in a position to think of  him in that way.  Those times I’d seen him had been when he was working out with Ian or roughing ’round with boys at football.  This right now was completely different.  Neil was like this for me and me alone.  He was offering himself to me—his body for my eyes to see, for my hands to touch, and for my lips to kiss.

“You dropped your towel,” he said softly, splaying a hand out over the sheet.

“I know.”  I struggled to breathe through the pounding in my chest and began to reach down for the towel.

“Leave it.”

Neil’s voice was harder, different—a command really.  I froze in step, flipping my eyes up so I could see his face and understand what he meant.

His long muscled arms were stretched out.  “Come here, beautiful,” he said softly.  “Don’t think about anything that scares you right now.  It’s just you and me here.”

Neil kept his arms out, his eyes glittering at me in a way I’d never experienced coming from him before, but thrilling and wonderful at the same time.

“Come to me.  My beautiful Cherry Girl…come over here and let me love you.”

I started walking.

~***~

Elaina Morrison ~Cherry Girl

Stories for Amanda

I finally got invited to participate in an anthology project after years of hoping someone would ask me.  I have to say that I LOVE the one I am a part of and grateful to Kahlen Aymes for reaching out to me with an inquiry.  Stories for Amanda is an anthology collection of sixteen short stories from amazing authors of romance and young adult.  The proceeds will go entirely to benefit the Amanda Todd Legacy as a way to educate people about the harmful effects of bullying.  In Amanda’s case, bullying was the cause of the destruction of her young life at only fifteen years old.  If you don’t know who she is, then you need to watch her video, made shortly before she took her life.  It is not easy to watch, and you will need tissues to get through it, but it is important to understand how much pain bullying caused for her to the point that she couldn’t face even another day.  Think about that for a moment. Sobering isn’t it?

Click here to view.  The video is 8:55 minutes long.

*hands you a box of tissues*  I know that was rough, but necessary…  I remember when I watched it just one year ago and I think I sat still and stunned at my computer for at least an hour afterward.  Amanda’s story pulled me in and wouldn’t let go.  I guess being a teacher for two decades has opened my eyes to how devastatingly hurtful words can be to a child.

So, that being said, I hope you will purchase the book when it goes live next month, and support this worthy effort.

I also hope you enjoy my contribution to the anthology.  The story I included is called Priceless, and is the basis for a novel I am writing for publication in 2014.  Priceless contains a deleted scene from All In on the night of the Mallerton Gala.  Have you figured out where I am going with this one yet???  Gabrielle and Ivan have a thing… Brynne’s best friend, and Ethan’s sexy aristocratic cousin, Lord Rothvale, ie. Ivan Everley, meet up and share some time together at the gala.  I’m excited for readers to finally know what really happened with those two in that dark room before the alarm went off and cleared out the building. Ethan definitely saw them and wondered precisely what they were up to, but was far too preoccupied during his frantic search for Brynne to pay much attention.  *snickers*  I bet you can guess…

Here is a small excerpt from Priceless.  Gabrielle is looking at a painting and thinking about her life.

 

Two hundred years, two years.  They might as well be the same thing.  A lot could change in just two years…
I tried not to think about what I’d lost, but my self-imposed loneliness got the better of me sometimes, and I desperately longed for what Mrs. Gravelle had in her painting.
“I found you,” a smooth voice said behind me.
I turned to see who was speaking to me and got an eyeful of beautiful.  The man before me was six feet plus of dark, lean and sexy with green eyes the color of my dress.  He flashed me a smile that could only be described as wicked.
“Are you sure you were looking for me?”  He appeared to have money because I’d bet my extravagant new gown, that the tux hanging off his fine form was most certainly bespoke.  No doubt about it.  Was he a patron in need of a gallery tour?  A large contributor VIP?
“Oh yes, it’s definitely you,” he purred, “the beauty in the green dress.”  He leaned forward.  Close but not touching, his face tilted toward my neck.  I backed up.  He followed…until I was pressed against the wall.  “And they were so right,” he said in his silky voice.

Gabrielle Hargreave

“Right about what?” I asked, mesmerized by his features and his delicious scent, totally overpowered by how close he was to me.  My God, he smelled good.  “Um…d-did you want the standard t-tour?” I stuttered, amazed that coherent words were even forming from my lips.
“Mmm hmm,” he said, nodding slowly, drawing his gaze up my neck, “I definitely want your tour.”

 

I cannot wait for you all to read it.

xxooR

Rare and Precious Things

Today is a very special day. A day that one year ago put into motion the events that have led to many changes in my life.  One year ago, on August 25, 2012, I self-published Naked, The Blackstone Affair Part 1.  I didn’t have any grand expectations about my little novella– I was far too busy at my teaching job with the start of a new school year.   I think I sold 44 copies on the very first day and the majority of those sales were friends who LOVE me, so they don’t really count.  I know for sure I sold 11 copies on the 2nd day.  And you know what?  I was totally happy and satisfied with that number. That’s over 300 books in a month and was the biggest success I’d had up to that point.  I’d happily take it and count my blessings.  But something very unexpected happened over the next few days and into the 2nd week. I also clearly remember coming down the stairs and saying to my husband in bewilderment, “Something weird is happening on Amazon.  I think I’m going to sell over 100 books today.”

The surprises just kept coming and still continue up to now, one year later, like when an amazing author comes up to me at a signing and wants to meet me, or says they know all about me and my books and I think:  This cannot be happening to me.  It has to be a dream.  Surely they’ve made some kind of a mistake.

Surreal.  Every bit of it.

So I asked myself what I could give back to all of the amazing fans on this day as a token of my extreme thanks and appreciation for their support of this book series and their love for the characters over this past year?

I thought about it a lot and then decided that this was the perfect time to share what is coming.

Everyone has been so patient with waiting on me to reveal the title for my fourth Blackstone Affair book.  Thank you for that.  *Raine has truly been impressed*  But I can tell you that the wait is now over…AND there’s the added bonus of getting a first look at the cover as well.  I hope you love it as much as I do.  I am supremely grateful to the crazy talented Marya Heiman of Strong Image Design for helping me to get my vision realized for this fourth book which I have titled Rare and Precious Things.  She nailed it!

You have the title.  You have the cover.  The book will be here sometime before the end of 2013 and that is as specific as I can be right now.

Blessings to all of you and please know that I am always feeling ever grateful for mine.

xxoo R