Jessica E. Subject's Blog, page 104
December 5, 2014
Her sexy words ~ #MySexySaturday from MADE FOR HER #eroticromance #scifirom
Hi peeps! It’s the 71st week of My Sexy Saturday. Here are the details: every Saturday, published and unpublished authors will be sharing 7 words, sentences, or paragraphs from a work-in-progress or an already published story.
Today’s theme is…
Our Sexy Little Words
Here’s seven from MADE FOR HER, an erotic sci-fi romance about clones.
Set-up: Mikayla risks her career when she invites Dare back to her home. But she cannot deny her yearning for him.
“I’ll be reprimanded if anyone finds out. I’ll lose my career.”
He leaned closer and rested his chin on her shoulder, taking in her musky yet feminine scent. Nothing would stand in his way. “No one has to know.”
“There are no secrets at this base.”
He pulled her body against his. This was taking too long. He wouldn’t leave without experiencing her. “I’m sure there are many secrets at this base. We’re about to make another.”
In an unexpected move, she brought her leg across his lap to straddle him. “This has to be quick. I hope you’re ready.”
He held her hips, feeling her heat against him. “I’m always ready.” How can I not be with her?
She claimed his mouth. He opened up to her tongue as it made sweeping, swirling motions inside his mouth. She was forceful, but he liked it that way. Her hands yanked his shirt out of his trousers before she unbuttoned it. “I never expected to fall for a student, let alone a clone.”
~ About Made For Her ~
After terrorists murder the love of her life, Colonel Mikayla Jones trains squadron after squadron of the clones he brought to life, to take to the skies. When she discovers a young clone of her husband in her newest class, her world spins out of control. How can she command the look-a-like when she can’t help but yearn for him to fill an ache in her heart?
Dare was created to be the best. As the first Daniel clone to leave Onatria labs, he needs to prove he is more than just a DNA copy. To do that, he must rely on the wife of the man who donated his genes. But when she refuses to train him, Dare faces discharge and returning to the labs. Can he convince Colonel Jones to finish his training and find a way into her bed? Or will long kept secrets unhinge the entire clone project?
Another nod for Made For Her on USA Today
Available From:
For more My Sexy Saturday postings, check out the participants’ list here.
Did you figure out the first phrase yet for THE STAR PRINCESS tour? $25 GC #Giveaway!
Hello everyone! Well, all the posts for the first week of THE STAR PRINCESS Word Search tour have been posted. Have you collected them? If not, you can find them here:
Stop 1 – Taryn Kincaid
Stop 2 – Cara Bristol
Stop 3 – Kacey Hammell
Stop 4 – Erotica For All
Stop 5 – Sara Daniel
Remember, each phrase gains you 10 points in the draw for a $25 GC to Amazon.com or AllRomanceeBooks.com.
And next week, you can collect the words for week 2’s phrase by visiting these blogs:
December 8 – For the Love of Bookends
December 9 – Renea Mason (stop 1)
December 9 – Lea Bronsen (stop 2)
December 10 – Hawt Reads & Dirty Talk
December 11 – Eva Lefoy
December 12 – Kelsey’s Corner Time
Today you can also check out an interview with Prince Deion at ARe Cafe. And tomorrow, read a special excerpt from the story at Diane Burton’s blog.
December 3, 2014
On the run with a HOT & dangerous man in THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN by @NicholeChase
I’m excited to be a part of the Release Day Launch for Nichole Chase’s THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN! THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN is a New Adult contemporary romantic suspense novel. Be sure to read the excerpt, enter to win, then go grab your copy today!
About THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN:
Ava McKenzie is a creature of habit. Life is passing her by and she has nothing to show for it. She’s had the same job since she started college, she orders the same dish every time she goes to her favorite restaurant, and only reads books from authors she knows. There is nothing new or surprising in her life… until her best friend marries a man from London. When her newlywed friend asks her to house-sit while she honeymoons, Ava jumps at the chance. She thinks this could be the very thing she needs to shake up her life. Ava throws herself head first into her new lifestyle; she wants to try everything, go everywhere, and never get stuck in a rut again. Of course, offing a man in a car garage hadn’t been one of the things on her list to try.
Owen Walker spends every day in a new place with a new case. As one of the most renowned assassins in the world, he has his choice of marks—and he’s never failed in a mission. When a new hit takes him back to his hometown, he looks forward to spending time somewhere familiar. What he isn’t expecting is to help an attractive, confused American woman find out how she’s ended up on a hit man’s list.
As Ava and Owen dodge bullets, will they be able to escape their undeniable attraction to each other? Or will all of that chemistry blow up in a shower of hot and dangerous sparks?
Available from:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Kobo | iBooks
SPECIAL PRICE ~ Only $2.99! Price goes up to $3.99 after December 7th.
Excerpt:
I twisted the steering wheel sharply as I exited the garage and almost knocked over the doorman. But he was holding a large gun in one hand and to my shock he fired directly at my window. The glass shattered, but I didn’t feel any pain, which I hoped meant I wasn’t hit. I ducked in a belated reaction and the car swerved wildly, but the gun-toting hottie next to me steadied the wheel.
“I knew that doorman didn’t like me.” I gritted my teeth. “What an asshole. He’s almost as bad as you are.”
“I’ll drive now, if you’d like.” He said it like we were taking turns on a road trip, not running for our lives. Maybe he wasn’t running for his life. But I was still running for mine. I didn’t know what this guy wanted with me. Was I supposed to just let him drive me to some creepy kill room? An image of walls draped in plastic, knives on a table, and a bed with chains filled my mind. I didn’t think so.
“Now? You want to drive now?” My voice rose with each word. “Sure, I’ll pull over at the corner for a snack and let you take over. Holy shit! Are you crazy?”
“Has anyone ever told you that for such a beautiful woman you have a very dirty mouth?” He smiled at me as my mouth worked silently. “I think I like the odd combination.”
“Fuck you.” I glared at the road.
“So does that mean you don’t want me to drive?” He nodded toward the traffic that was growing thicker. “Do you have a plan for where to go?”
“The cops.” I didn’t mention that I had no idea where they would be located. I’d just stop the first one I saw. “And you told me to get in the driver seat.”
“You’re sure you want to go to the police?” He leaned back into his seat, getting comfortable. He looked, for all the world, as if riding around in a car with a bomb attached to it was normal. “You killed a man and fled the scene in his stolen car—which has a bomb attached to it. Oh, and someone was trying to kill you. I’m sure being locked in a tiny room with nowhere to run will make their job much more difficult.”
“Maybe they were trying to kill you. I can imagine why they’d want to.” I growled and turned down a street that was one way only. And I was going the wrong way. I muttered under my breath as I dodged cars and people honked at me. “I should’ve stayed in bed today.”
“Possibly. They were very sloppy.” He pointed to a street. “You should turn here and take the roundabout.”
“Roundabout?” My heart dropped into my stomach and I broke into a cold sweat. “That seems like a bad idea.”
Roundabouts were the devil. If you’ve ever tried to drive through a roundabout after years of driving in America, you’d understand. Everything was completely backward to how you instinctually drove. It gave me an ulcer just thinking about it.
“We’re being followed. We need to lose them.” He looked at me with serious eyes. “If you want to live, we need to put distance between us and the people in the black sedan.”
“Oh, Jesus.” I jerked the wheel and our car shot down the road toward the evil traffic circle of death.
Nichole Chase Bio:
Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal, Flukes, The Dark Betrayal Trilogy, and several short stories. She is also the instructor of Say What? a dialogue class at the Romance Academy.
Nichole lives in Georgia with her husband, energetic daughter, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats. When not writing, you may find her reading, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads
THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN on Goodreads
December 1, 2014
Get your alien on this holiday season! #holidayromance #scifirom #SALE
For the month of December, I’ve reduced the price of my alien holiday romance, HEY, SANTA by 50% at Coffee Time Romance. That means, you pay only 50¢ USD for this story.
Hey, Santa
An Alien for the Holidays story
Erotic Sci-Fi Romance
She doesn’t want a lot for Christmas…
Claire Otton dreads spending another holiday alone. When her best friend convinces her to approach the sexy mall Santa, she takes the chance and asks him out, hoping for so much more.
He’s waiting under the mistletoe…
Although Andreas Castellanos blends in on Earth, he knows he will never belong. But when the gorgeous woman he’d been staring at invites him to dinner, he has a hard time saying no.
All they’re asking for…
Can these two lonely souls find magic together or will their secrets steal their chance of a happy Christmas?
Only 50¢ from:
Excerpt:
“You can’t be serious.” Claire mustered the dirtiest look possible for her best friend.
Tiffany held out her hands and air-squeezed the man’s firm rear end from a distance. “C’mon. Look at that ass.”
“Yes, but a Santa Claus? How do I know what he looks like under that suit and beard?” Imagining removing the white hair to find a wrinkled old man, she shuddered.
“Only one way to find out.” Smacking Claire’s butt, Tiffany urged her forward. “Go ask him.”
She planted her feet. Thank goodness she hadn’t worn heels for their marathon shopping trip two days before Christmas. “If you’re so interested, why don’t you?”
Tiffany rolled her eyes, sighing. “Because I’m engaged to be married to the love of my life. You’re the Grinch who needs to get laid.”
“I’m not a Grinch,” she snapped. Breathing deeply, she counted backwards from ten. “I’m sorry. This is a very stressful time of year for me.”
“I know.” Tiffany cupped her elbow. “I just want to see you happy at Christmas again. It doesn’t have to be a miserable holiday anymore. That’s part of the reason I dragged you with me today.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat, tears welling already. Please don’t let me turn into a blubbering mess in the middle of the mall. While she appreciated her friend’s concern, she coped better on her own. “I…I should go home. I can’t pretend it didn’t happen.”
November 30, 2014
WIN a $25 GC with THE STAR PRINCESS WORD SEARCH TOUR! @DecadentPub #giveaway
Woo-hoo! The Star Princess is on tour. For the next two weeks, my new release will be visiting eleven blogs, each with different excerpts from the story for you to read.
This is a different type of tour though, in that you can collect the words from each of the tour stops and then put them together to enter the giveaway.
Giveaway details:
Enter to WIN a $25 GC to Amazon.com OR AllRomanceeBooks.com!
Collect the words from each stop during THE STAR PRINCESS tour. (5 stops week 1, 6 stops week 2) Put the words together to make a phrase and enter it into the Rafflecopter draw to gain ten entries into the draw. There is one phrase for each week of the tour. There are other ways to enter on the Rafflecopter widget as well.
Contest is international, but no substitutions of listed prizes will be made. Must be 18 or older to enter. Void where prohibited by law. Good luck!
Word Search Tour December 1-12, 2014
December 1 – Taryn Kincaid
December 2 – Cara Bristol
December 3 – Kacey Hammell
December 4 – Erotica For All
December 5 – Sara Daniel
December 8 – For the Love of Bookends
December 9 – Renea Mason (stop 1)
December 9 – Lea Bronsen (stop 2)
December 10 – Hawt Reads & Dirty Talk
December 11 – Eva Lefoy
December 12 – Kelsey’s Corner Time
November 28, 2014
Sexy lives next door in ALIEN ADORATION #MySexySaturday #scifiromance
Hello all! I hope all of my U.S. friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Thank you all for joining me for week 70 of My Sexy Saturday!
Today’s theme is…
SEXY DOWN THE AVENUE
While I don’t write historical romance, I do have some stories about Sexy living down the street. Right next door, in fact.
Here’s seven from ALIEN ADORATION. Enjoy!
Set-up: After being woken by a woman leaving her neighbor’s house, Rachel stares out her window, thinking about the man who lives next door, the one she’s too shy to talk to.
Luke Jones.
Whether he wore his work clothes of jeans and a T-shirt that clung tight against his
muscular body, or leather pants and a jacket when riding his motorcycle, he defined sexy,
making every other guy seem drab. She licked her lips, thinking of him, the hero in every
single one of her fantasies since moving in two years earlier, and obviously as the leading
man for so many other women, bringing home several each month. Though not one of
them ever returned for a second visit. They all left with a commotion, waking her in the
middle of the night.
What she wouldn’t give to experience an evening with him. She rolled her eyes. No,
never going to happen. Putting out on the first date led to one night stands. And sex on
the second night didn’t hold much promise for a long-term relationship, based on her past
experiences. One month of seeing Dirk Chambers, the grocery store manager, and she
still hadn’t slept with him. Maybe if he didn’t wind up drunk on every single date, she
might consider it. Though his suggestions of making out in the bathroom of the local pub,
and in the back seat of his car did not appeal to her. So not how she wanted their first time
together to be. Those places were fine for the second round of sex and beyond. But, for
the first time, she wanted romance, to be swept off her feet.
She studied the water stain on her ceiling, visible by the light of the street lamp. Yet
another thing she couldn’t afford to fix. If a man offered to fix her roof for her, she’d find
that romantic, and break her first date rule. But did any guy know the meaning of
romance anymore? Surely no one from Hanton. The small town boasted the highest rate
of divorce in the province due to extramarital affairs. No one in town got married
anymore, expecting all vows to be broken within the first year. Those of her classmates
who’d been lucky enough to move away bragged of their success in both their marriages
and their careers.
Rachel hadn’t had the chance to move away. Thankfully, the view next door didn’t
hurt. Though he would never be more than a fantasy. She wanted a relationship, not a
one-night stand.
Ready to return to her bed, she squinted at the glow of moonlight reflecting off her
neighbor’s front screen door. She sucked in a breath, hoping to catch a glimpse of him to
use as a happy thought before going to sleep.
He walked out to his LJ Construction truck in only flannel pants hanging low on his
hips. Opening the door, he ducked inside, grabbing…something. Then he slammed the
door behind him. The view provided plenty of inspiration for her fantasies, his back
muscles just as appealing as his washboard abs.
~ About ALIEN ADORATION ~
Erotic dreams fill her with need…
Night after night, Rachel fantasizes about her sexy, playboy neighbor. But in her small town, no one changes, least of all the bad boy next door. But when Luke rescues her not once but twice from disastrous dates, she dares to believe her knight in black leather armor may be the right man for her after all.
Until she learns the truth…
Life on Earth has never been easy for Luke. Stranded as a little boy, he struggled to craft an existence for himself, but he never forgot the first human he met–and he never stopped wanting to see her again. Returning to Hanton, Luke longs for Rachel. Yet nothing goes as he plans, and Rachel barely notices him. Convincing her he isn’t like all the jerks she’s dated means telling her the truth, but can she handle it?
Can she overcome her fears, or will she deny her alien adoration and leave him stranded once more?
Available from:
Be sure to check out other MY SEXY SATURDAY excerpts!
November 27, 2014
Black Friday SALE! 50% OFF my @DecadentPub titles & BOGO FREE RTC Con 2015
All of my Decadent Publishing titles are
50% OFF at All Romance eBooks!
**This SALE is for November 28, 2014 ONLY**
Click here to find all of my titles listed on All Romance.
~*~*~*~
Black Friday Two For One
Registration Deal
Romancing the Capital might be a Canadian conference, but we Canucks love a good sale, and there’s no better sales available than the day after the American Thanksgiving.
In celebration of Black Friday, Eve Langlais is offering a ridiculously awesome deal. Register via Paypal for the conference between 12:01 am EST, November 28th, 2014 until 11:59pm EST, November 28th, 2014 and get a second registration, FREE.
You read that right. If you purchase a full priced reader registration ticket at $115 CAD, then you’ll receive a second reader registration ticket FREE.
Keep in mind, this sale ONLY applies to purchases made between 12:01 am EST, November 28th, 2014 until 11:59pm EST, November 28th, 2014. All sales are final.
Don’t delay. There are only 50 of these special two for one tickets available. So treat yourself. You’ll be glad you did.
I hope you’ll join me and the other 50+ attending authors for this incredible event in Canada’s capital next April 17th & 18th, 2015.
November 26, 2014
So HOT, it’s WICKED! Check out THE WICKED BAD by @KarynGerrard #eroticromance #99cents
The Wicked Bad is the first book in Karyn Gerrard’s Wicked Men of Rockland series with Crimson Romance. It was for their spicy line, so it is HOT. (erotic romance, but a romance nonetheless)
It is 54,000 words and released April 2013. It sold well.
Now, it is part of a box set SUMMER HEAT available for 99 cents! What a deal! 10 novel length spicy stories for a steal! And The Wicked Bad is part of it. Start this series and read great books besides!
THE WICKED BAD
Book #1 Wicked Men of Rockland
File Size: 531 KB
Print Length: 210 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1440573468
Publisher: Crimson Romance (April 15, 2013)
BLURB: Nick Crocetti is an imposing figure in black leather riding his motorcycle about the town of Rockland. Owner of a bar, The Chief, whispers of criminal dealings and a murky past swirl around him. Dark and brooding, Nick is “the wicked bad” in looks and demeanor.
Veronica Barnes, leaving a husband from a disastrously quick Las Vegas marriage and her high-paying consulting job, returns home after ten years to follow a lifelong dream and open her own bakery. Despite the mutual physical attraction – and a shared past – Nick and Veronica are wary of each other and have protective fences around their hearts.
Can they break down the barriers of past heartbreak, or is Veronica just a good girl who longs to rub against “the wicked bad”?
Sensuality Level: Hot
FREE READ: The epilogue to The Wicked Bad Click HERE
EXCERPT: When they stood to leave, Veronica impulsively slipped her arm through his. She felt him stiffen. Was her touch so horrible? She gazed up at him and his face seemed to be devoid of emotion as it had been since they’d became reacquainted.
Nick surprised her tonight so far. The ease in which he ordered the wine, his mode of dress, and when she had managed to get him to talk it was obvious he wasn’t a knuckle-dragging nimrod. He fascinated her to no end. The questions she wished to ask mounted, but Nick remained guarded about a lot of things, his past most of all. This would require a good deal of patience. Veronica could be patient when needed. Instead of being put off by his reaction to her touch, she pulled herself closer to him. Did he just moan? The sound so soft she’d barely heard it. She smiled. Perhaps he was not as unaffected as she thought.
The time was close to nine o’clock when they arrived at a small piece of beach not far outside of Easton. Nick removed a blanket and the basket from the back of the bike.
“Don’t get any ideas about me. I saw it in a movie once, I’m no romantic,” he said.
Veronica had to admit, she was having a nice time. She enjoyed sitting behind him on his bike as he raced up the highway. Her arms clung to his broad, muscular back and chest. Feeling the powerful bike vibrate under her and feeling Nick vibrate next to her was a total turn on. Touching and holding on to him sent such waves of pure, raw heat through her body. Though at first, she was scared to death. Before they left, Nick instructed her on how to be a passenger. Lean into the turns when he did and don’t clutch him too tightly. Veronica knew she shamelessly felt him all over as he drove. Nothing prepared her for the rush of excitement, not only being curled against all that male muscle, but the feeling of driving fast on the open road with the wind whipping around her body. She wished she could’ve taken the helmet off and let the wind take her hair skyward. The sensation was incredible, a real rush.
She followed him toward the beach. The shoreline wasn’t very big, but private, as you couldn’t see the road or much else from their vantage point. Wonder how many other women he brought here, she thought cynically.
He spread the blanket and assisted her in sitting down. Again, the touch of his hand made her face flush as well as parts further south. Nick sat next to her with one leg bent and he rested his arm on the top of his knee. They sat quietly and gazed out over the water. The waves caressed the sand with a serene almost hypnotic sound.
“I saw you talking to that wuss, Jake Spooner, as I left the other day. I can imagine what he said about me,” Nick said in a voice so soft, she hardly recognized it as his.
Veronica cleared her throat uncomfortably.
Nick laughed. “I see. Go on, amuse me, what did he say?”
“Um, he said you were in prison—” she began.
“Jail. Not prison,” he retorted.
“There’s a difference?”
“You’ve got the cop for a brother, you tell me,” Nick snapped. He shook his head, more gently he said, “Sorry. It’s a touchy subject. City jail, for assault and destruction of property. Prison usually means a state or federal beef. Mine was local and a long time ago. I did my time and it’s over. I don’t like talking about it.”
“He called you a thug and said you deal drugs among other things.” She shouldn’t be telling him this, but the words tumbled out of her.
“Really? And still you went out with me? Are you some thrill seeker, one of those good girls eager to rub up against some wicked bad? Is that why you’re here? I’ll be as bad as you want, just say the word.”
His voice grew tight and edgy. Barely restrained anger simmered below the surface, she could hear it.
“I’m just telling you what Jake said, you asked.”
Nick stared at her for several moments. “Yeah. I did. Sorry. I haven’t been out on a date in awhile.”
“You haven’t been with any women…”
“Oh, I didn’t say I haven’t been with women, just haven’t been on a date.” The right corner of his mouth twitched in what Veronica supposed was amusement.
Veronica laughed out loud, she couldn’t help it. Nick smiled broadly in return. He could be funny. How wonderful.
He opened the basket and lifted out a couple of candles. Reaching in his pocket for a lighter, he lit them and buried the large pillars in the sand.
“No breeze tonight, perfect.” Next, he brought out a bottle of wine and two glasses. “A Riesling, hope you don’t mind a little more wine.”
Veronica couldn’t believe this. She watched as he skillfully removed the cork and poured the wine in the crystal U-shaped goblets. Nick handed the glass to her. Reaching in the basket again he came out with a rose, the most perfect red rose she’d ever seen. He handed the flower to her.
“For you.”
GET THE WICKED BAD IN THIS 99 CENT BOX SET! LIMITED TIME!
When the summer sun beats down on the beach, Crimson Romance turns up the sizzle between the pages. From hot bikers to powerful venture capitalists and those oh-so-sexy military men in—and out—of uniform, these ten books put the spotlight on the heroes who make us melt. It’s a collection of our steamiest stories by these rising stars:
The Wicked Bad–Karyn Gerrard
Infamous—Irene Preston
Prelude to a Seduction—Lotchie Burton
Inventing Sin—Alicia Thorne
His Fantasy Maid—Susan Blexrud
Island Pursuits—Heather Rodney-Diaz
Dangerous Love—Lilou DuPont
Her New Worst Enemy—Christy McKellen
Blitzkrieg Love—Livia Olteano
As If You Never Left Me—Katriena Knights
AVAILABLE FROM
AMAZON | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CANADA
CRIMSON ROMANCE/ADAMS MEDIA STORE
BARNES AND NOBLE | ALL ROMANCE
Book 2 NOW AVAILABLE! HIS WICKED CELTIC KISS
It took just one teasing wink and a sexy Irish lilt from bad boy Lorcan Byrne to turn Julie Denison’s world upside down. The problem is, he’s only in town for six months, and happily ever after isn’t in this world traveler’s vocabulary.
Julie’s worked hard to get her life in a good place—dropping substantial weight and getting a great job at her friend’s bakery. But this handsome charmer is just as tempting as any of the decadent pastries she sells, and she can’t resist his advances for long. Julie fully expects Lorcan to break her heart—but she’s planning to enjoy every second she can of their explosive chemistry.
After years of danger as a soldier and a spy, Lorcan fled to tiny Rockland, Maryland for some boring downtime. He didn’t count on meeting someone who could ignite his libido and soothe his damaged heart, and their passion soon leads to deeper feelings. But can Julie convince Lorcan he has more to offer her than just his wicked Celtic kiss?
Sensuality Level: Sensual
AVAILABLE FROM:
AMAZON | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CA | AMAZON AU
ALL ROMANCE | BARNES AND NOBLE | KOBO | iTunes
Karyn Gerrard
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | PINTEREST
November 25, 2014
#Giveaway & extended excerpt from FROSTY RELATIONS by Tara Quan @LaylaTarar #romcom #1NS
A huge thank you goes to Jessica for having me over today. With the holidays upon us there are troves of books to curl up with by the fireplace. My paranormal romantic comedy goes great with mulled wine and cinnamon cookies. Part of Decadent Publishing’s 1Night Stand line, Frosty Relations features a young college graduate facing the complicated world of adulthood and confronting the frost mage she’s had a crush on for most of her life. Add some Christmas magic and Madame Eve’s renowned matchmaking service, and we’ve got the beginnings of an icy-hot love story. Hopefully this extended excerpt will manage to pique your interest.
FROSTY RELATIONS
A Witch’s Night Out, 2
by Tara Quan
Attorney Jack Frost never understood why holidays did weird things to people. His secretary went on vacation, his best friend ditched their annual Aspen trip, and the law firm’s stubborn human resources assistant refuses his clerical support request. What’s a warlock to do on Christmas Eve but go on a 1-Night Stand? But when an oddly familiar empath shows up as his date, this ice mage has a hard time denying the magic of the winter solstice.
Faced with an anemic employment market and financial woes, college graduate and former witch Mina Mao lands an HR assistant job at Frost and Sons. Having spent her day saving Christmas from Frost Junior’s Grinch-like behavior, she accepts the gift of Madame Eve’s service and heads over to the Castillo Capital. When her date turns out to be her childhood crush and workplace nemesis, she braces herself for the sexiest icy ride of her life.
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Comedy, Interracial/Multicultural
Enjoy an extended excerpt from Frosty Relations…
Yawning, Jack settled more comfortably into the seat and embraced the lulling haze. His mind wandered to the day Mina had showed up for an interview. In a departure from her current fashion slump, she’d worn a short skirt suit and glossy-black high-heeled pumps. On her way out, she’d swung by his office to drop off his major weakness—Shanghai White Rabbit Creamy Candy. He’d given her a high five and wished her luck.
That day, she’d stayed for no more than a few minutes and had left the door open. But in this foggy, slumbering vision somewhere between the dreams he could never recall and actual memory, he reached over her shoulder to shut it.
***
A mischievous grin on her face, she tilted her head back and met his gaze. “What do you want, Jack?”
He lifted his index finger and placed it over his lips. “Shh….”
Sashaying past him with feline grace, she shrugged off her jacket to reveal a crimson silk blouse. After draping the discarded garment over an office chair, she turned to face his desk. Placing her palms on the suddenly clutter-free glass, she threw him a sideways glance and motioned him over with her head.
The warmth of balmy fall allowed her to show off those smooth, toned legs. The tailored dark-green cotton hugged her ass’s subtle curve, the back slit giving him glimpses of her creamy thighs.
Coming up behind her, he closed one palm over her mouth. She remained still, her small body trembling as he nibbled her neck. He grazed his teeth over the slender slope, pausing to suck a bright-red hickey onto her snowy skin.
Hearing a muffled moan, he clamped his fingers tighter as he slid his other hand under her skirt. Finding damp heat, he yanked down her panties. The scarlet lace fell to circle her four-inch heels.
Biting her earlobe, he whispered, “Stay quiet, or everyone will know I’m fucking you.”
With one hand, he unbuckled his belt and freed his erection, his other arm still holding her in silent captivity. He kicked her legs apart and hiked up her skirt. Sliding his length between the creamy cheeks, he probed her wet opening with the tip of his cock.
A loud feline hiss jerked him out of the dream. Sharp claws dug into his thighs as the chair rolled back and hit the wall. The cat scampered off his lap. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to remember where he was. Once his mind regained focus, he glanced down at his crotch and noticed the very visible bulge. He could see why she’d reacted in a rather extreme fashion.
With a soft popping sound, the woman whose bare butt he’d envisioned appeared in front of him, her snowflake earrings swaying against the sides of her rosy face. At least she’d lost the Santa hat. “What the heck were you thinking about?”
The most honest answer would give her the wrong idea. After all, he wasn’t attracted to her. He’d happened to be envisioning office sex with someone who bore a remarkable resemblance to her, at the same time he got an erection, while she’d been on his lap—all unrelated events. “My hot date tonight, obviously.”
She scrunched up her cute little button nose. “Gross. Couldn’t you have waited until I left?”
He checked his watch. More time had passed than he’d thought. “I’m a dude, and you were on top of me for two hours. If I’m not distracted, I start thinking about chicks. Why do you care?”
Her round pink cheeks turned an even darker shade. Considering she’d done him a huge favor, he decided not to comment. “I’m better now, by the way. You can go do your salon thing.”
She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and munched on her lower lip. He’d made her nervous. He wished he knew how he’d done it. She took a step back. “You’re in better balance now, but you need a long-term solution. You know that, don’t you?”
Why did she always have to be right? He found it annoying as all hell. “Can’t I just buy you a steak once a week or something? God knows you need the calories.” Sighing, he gritted out an admission, “I’ve already gotten better since you started working here. If we could come up with an informal arrangement, I’d be all set.” This unprecedented level of commitment should have driven him to the hills. Instead, spending one night a week with her sounded pretty damn nice.
She hesitated for a moment before answering, “While I’m here, sure. But I’m leaving in the spring, so you should start searching for permanent help. Astrology isn’t my thing, but I heard this amplification effect might last a few years.”
For some reason, her words felt like a sucker punch. “What do you mean, you’re leaving?”
She fiddled with the ponytail that had draped over her shoulder and fell in a straight line down her chest. “I turned in my notice before my boss went on vacation. She asked me to keep it on the down-low until she came back.”
His throat went dry. “If you’ve got a better offer, I’m sure Dad will match it.” And if the old man didn’t, Jack would put his own trust fund to good use.
She shook her head. “It’s kind of a career change. This whole full-time job, taking grad school classes at night, and dumping my paycheck into tuition isn’t working out so well. I applied to join Teach for America back in October, and I got accepted. The pre-service training starts in May, so I gave the firm until April first. I want to do some traveling before I move to Detroit.”
“Detroit? What the fuck is in Detroit?” He hadn’t just shouted, had he?
Her brows drew together. “Low income schools? They’ll help me get loans to finish off my master’s so I can actually go into practice, and I’ve always been interested in teaching. Anyway, you shouldn’t count on me hanging around.”
Glancing at her own watch, she edged toward the door and sent him a hasty wave. “I’ve got to go. Merry Christmas, Jack. And have fun on your date.”
Frosty Relations is available from:
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Globetrotter, lover of languages, and romance author, Tara Quan has an addiction for crafting tales with a pinch of spice and a smidgen of kink. Inspired by her travels, Tara enjoys tossing her kick-ass heroines and alpha males into exotic contemporary locales, paranormal worlds, and post-apocalyptic futures. Her characters, armed with magical powers or conventional weapons, are guaranteed a suspenseful and sensual ride, as well as their own happily ever after. Learn more at www.taraquan.com
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November 24, 2014
Caught between desire and loyalty ~ HARD TO COME BY is now available! #HardInk
I am thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Laura Kaye’s HARD TO COME BY! HARD TO COME BY is the third full length novel in Laura’s Hard Ink Series, published by Avon Romance. As a special treat, through December 2, pre-order Hard to Come By or purchase it during release week, and receive exclusive bonus content! Just fill out the quick form here!
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and get awesome bonus content !
Marz was playing with fire. He damn well knew he was. But that didn’t make him want to pull away.
He just wanted more of the heat.
Marz nuzzled the side of Emilie’s face with his nose, his lips. She turned her face toward him and offered her lips. He couldn’t refuse.
Capturing her mouth on a tortured groan, Marz poured every ounce of his longing and confusion and desire into the kiss. They grasped at each other and Emilie turned in his arms. He pinned her against the railing and planted his hands in her hair. She opened to him and accepted his tongue, sucking him in until Marz’s blood ran hot and his hard-on ached. He ground himself against her and devoured every little moan and whimper and gasp she spilled.
Trailing kisses from her mouth to her jaw to her ear, Marz dragged a hand down her body and grasped her breast in his palm. She cried out and her head dropped back, drawing his mouth to her neck, where he licked and sucked and nipped as he kneaded her soft flesh. “You are so damn sexy.”
Her hand flew to his hair and grasped the back of his head. “Touch me,” she said. “Don’t stop touching me.”
Marz pulled away long enough to do a three-sixty scan. The lighthouse cast a dark shadow over them, and the pier was otherwise empty. His heart raced and his pulse hammered. He dove back in, trailing kisses down her neck to her collarbone, which he traced with his tongue. Her nails scratched deliciously at his scalp and her grip urged him down.
Through the thin material of her blouse and bra, he mouthed and flicked at her nipple. He shifted the deep vee of the neckline to reveal a lacy royal blue bra. He tongued her through the lace until she was panting and moaning and writhing against the railing.
“Oh, my God,” she rasped as he shifted her shirt and moved to her other breast. This time, he tugged the lace down to bare the deep pink of her nipple. She tasted and smelled like something fruity and sweet, and it made Marz hunger for more. “Derek,” she gasped. “Yes, yes, yes.”
Her palm cupped and squeezed the bulge of his erection through his jeans. His hips jerked into the touch, craving more of her, all of her. He groaned and it seemed to egg her on, because she pressed and rubbed her hand against his trapped cock until he was panting and imagining taking her down to the ground.
“Jesus, Emilie, you’re driving me fucking crazy,” he said as he worked kisses back up her body to her mouth.
“I know just what you mean,” she said. Her molten hot gaze met his. Eyes hooded, lips shiny and swollen, cheeks flushed, she was a freaking goddess standing under the moonlit sky. He felt the force of her beauty every bit as much in his chest as in his cock.
“You sure about that, babe?” he asked as he took her mouth in a deep, wet kiss. “Because my imagination has me stripping you of those fuck-hot jeans.”
“Yeah?” She rubbed his cock in a long stroke with the heel of her hand. “Mine has us getting a room at the hotel back there. So I’m sure,” she said with a smile.
Marz’s heart hammered against his breastbone and his cock jerked, clearly liking her idea, too. Except, if he took her up on it, he was going to end up buried inside her for as long as she’d have him. And so long as this clusterfuck of a situation defined their relationship, he couldn’t take things that far. Could he?
About HARD TO COME BY:
Caught between desire and loyalty…
Derek DiMarzio would do anything for the members of his disgraced Special Forces team–sacrifice his body, help a former teammate with a covert operation to restore their honor, and even go behind enemy lines. He just never expected to want the beautiful woman he found there.
When a sexy stranger asks questions about her brother, Emilie Garza is torn between loyalty to the brother she once idolized and fear of the war-changed man he’s become. Derek’s easy smile and quiet strength tempt Emilie to open up, igniting the desire between them and leading Derek to crave a woman he shouldn’t trust.
As the team’s investigation reveals how powerful their enemies are, Derek and Emilie must prove where their loyalties lie before hearts are broken and lives are lost. Because love is too hard to come by to let slip away…
And don’t miss the other Hard Ink books, now available:
Hard As It Gets
Hard As You Can
Hard to Hold On To
Praise for Hard to Come By:
“Rough sex and explosive fights power Kaye’s third Hard Ink novel, a thrilling adventure that feels more like an action movie with a romantic subplot than a typical contemporary romance. New readers will head straight for Kaye’s backlist after powering through this installment.” ~Publishers Weekly Starred Review
“TOP PICK! If you’re looking for danger, gritty action, and sizzling passion, then Kaye has just the book and the series for you.” ~RT Book Reviews Magazine
Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.
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