Sandra Bunino's Blog, page 19

Mid Week Tease: Off-Limits #MWTease

Happy Hump Day!

Thanks for all of your good wishes last week. The pitches went really well, resulting in requests for the manuscript. It’s just step one in a long journey, but each step forward is a good thing.

Thanks to a Twitter DM session with my good friend a new title was born: The Colors of Us. I think it fits the story well.

Here’s another scene from the story. Everything is not flowers and rainbows for Hunter and Michelle (that would be boring, right?). Hunter’s had a crappy day and it’s about to get worse…

Hunter felt the added weight of a knowing stare and caught his brother’s eyes. Alex raised his eyebrows and jerked his head toward Michelle who was busy mixing paint colors. Hunter shook his head, brother-speak for ‘I don’t want to talk about it.’ Another group of businessmen walked through the door, saving Hunter from a verbal lashing from his older brother. Glancing at the men sliding onto barstools, Hunter swore under his breath. He’d choose a brawl with Alex over serving Greg Krouger, self-proclaimed hot-shot investment banker, and his band of yes-men. Greg frequented McAvery’s for a liquid lunch about once a week. He took the gold star for asshole of the year. The cocky ass was even more unbearable when he had an audience, especially for any unsuspecting female within earshot. Hunter caught Greg’s eyes on Michelle as he ordered their first round of drinks.

“Looks like the painting is almost done. I’m gonna miss watching that ass wiggle around.” He nodded at Michelle and slid off his barstool while his cronies snickered. “I think it’s time to get some of that ass.”

Hunter was one step ahead of him. Before Greg reached Michelle, two hundred and ten pounds of Hunter McAvery blocked his path. “What the fuck are you doing, Greg?”

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m about to ask your artist friend out.” He looked over Hunter’s shoulder and attempted to step around him.

“I don’t think so,” Hunter bit out, grabbing his arm.

“Let go of me, man.”

“As long as she’s working here, she’s off-limits.”

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Mid-Week Tease: Fight or Flight #MWTease

It’s hard to believe it’s the middle of March! The snow is finally melting and the birds are singing. Spring can’t come soon enough for me. It’s been a long and cold winter in the northeast.

This week also marks my first writer’s conference of the year, the Liberty States Fiction Writers – Come Create Something Magical conference (wow, that’s a mouthful) is Saturday and I have a couple editor appointments scheduled to pitch my new series.

Here’s a scene from book one (tentative titles: Before You, Love on Broome, Canal Street Promises, Love Shaken, Not Stirred) of the McAvery’s Bar series. Hunter convinces Michelle to meet him at his gym with the promise of helping cure her fears. However, instead of walking into a candied colored exercise joint with state of the art equipment and Zumba classes, she finds herself in a dusty boxing gym.

*****

“You lost,” a gruff female voice asked.

Michelle spun around to face the chipped Formica desk. An older woman with gray streaked hair pulled back in a ponytail offered a warm smile.

“Sorry?”

“Ya look lost,” the woman said, leaning her elbows on the desk.

“I’m meeting someone here.” Michelle handed the woman the card.

“Yup, you’re in the right place then, I’m Max.” She extended a calloused hand. “Is that the guy you’re supposed to meet?” Max jerked her head toward the window. Michelle turned and caught a flash of Hunter rushing down the stairs with a couple bottles of water and what looked to be black boxing gloves under his arm. A whoosh of cool wind bit her cheeks as he swung open the door.

His lips upturned into a smile when he saw Michelle. “Sorry I’m late. I stopped for water.” He  jiggled the bottles in his right hand and turned to Max. “Good morning, Maxie. Have you been entertaining my new student?”

Michelle crossed her arms. “Your what?”

“Student. I’m going to show you how to defend yourself.”

Between his words, the noise of gloves hitting punching bags and the pungent smell, nausea rose in her throat. “I-I don’t think this is a good idea after all.” She rushed past Hunter, pushed open the door and climbed the stairs to the sidewalk. Stopping, she took a few deep breaths of fresh air. Footsteps sounded behind her.

“Where you going? I thought you wanted to learn to fight?”

She spun around. “Where’d you get that idea? I can’t fight, Hunter. I don’t have it in me.”

“I think you do. Everybody has the ability to fight. Come back in and give it a shot.”

Michelle shifted her weight from one sneaker to the next. Her gaze moved from the gym door to Hunter.

“Trust me on this. It’s great therapy. I know what I’m talking about.” He held out his hand and raised his brows. The pleading in his eyes touched her heart. Somehow she knew he needed to teach her as much as she needed to try. Maybe more.

Michelle nodded and took his hand. “Okay, I’ll try.”

She walked back in with him and stopped at Max’s desk. “Do you have any gloves Miss Willis may borrow?”

Max ducked under the counter and pulled out cardboard box of what looked to be discarded equipment. “You should be able to find something here.”

Hunter dug through the box and pulled out a matching pair. Michelle examined the gloves and tried to ignore what looked to be dried blood on the cracked leather. She picked the offending objects up between her finger and thumb and followed Hunter to the back of the gym. He dropped his gloves and water bottles on the mat next to a long black bag in the corner.

“Let’s get these gloves on.” He said, outstretching his hands.

Michelle gave him the gloves and slipped her hands inside the openings. “I don’t even want to know what germs are inside these things.”

Hunter chuckled and secured the Velcro straps around her wrists. “Okay, first thing you need to know is how to throw a punch. If you do it wrong you can break your thumb or even your wrist.”

Michelle opened her eyes wide. “That’s not something you want to tell someone who uses her hands for a living.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let that happen.” He cupped her right glove into his hands. “Make a fist.”

Michelle curled her fingers into a ball, the leather cracked as she squeezed tight.

“Good. Now make sure you tuck your thumb tight to your fingers and keep your wrists locked. As long as you remember that, you won’t get hurt.”

Michelle curled the fingers of both hands into fists.

“Good so far?”

She nodded, her gaze shifting from one gloved hand to the other.

 “Hey.” He hooked an index finger under her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his. “Did I mention you have to breathe too?”

Michelle searched his honey colored eyes and smiled before let out the breath she held within her lungs. “Got it.”

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Mid Week Tease: Miami Beach to the Vegas Strip #MWTease

It’s the first Mid Week Tease of March. Woo-hoo! Spring is coming soon! I took a short break from the cold Northeast weather with a long weekend spent in Florida. In honor of my getaway, I’m running a cut passage from Marooned with the Millionaire. This scene takes place in Las Vegas where Stephanie and Jason reunite after an unforgettable one night stand in Miami.

It should’ve been a savory little morsel of a memory she could tuck in the “once in a lifetime” section of her life. However, she wasn’t able to file it away and move on. She just couldn’t get him out of her mind. She needed a second helping of Jason Royce. That’s how Stephanie Thomas ended up in the swanky La Luna Lounge on the Las Vegas strip, waiting for the same man she met five weeks ago. The same man who was still under the impression that she was married. That was her shield. It was her way of not getting too close. After all, Jason was a confirmed bachelor. He had the looks and resources to play the field. Stephanie was sure he left a trail of broken hearts in his path and she sure as hell wouldn’t be one of them.

She closed her eyes and savored the first sip of her sugar-rimmed pomegranate martini. It was just one night, but what a delicious night it had been. She smiled and recalled how he brought her to sexual peaks she never knew existed. Her body hummed with thoughts of his touch and the last thing he said to her, “I haven’t tasted you yet.”

Her heart raced at the thought of seeing Jason again. But as quickly as the panic set in, it dissolved the moment she sensed a presence from behind. His warm hand caressed the bare skin low on her back sending sparks from his touch to the nape of her neck. The vibration of a husky voice rumbled from her ear to the tips of her toes.

“Stef.”

With a flick of her foot against the bar, she swiveled in her chair to meet Jason’s gaze. God, it was good to see him. Masculinity exuded from his rock hard body under a perfectly tailored black suit. His dark skin and features made him look almost dangerous, but his eyes sparkled as they seared into her flesh. Taking a deep breath, she instantly relaxed. She had been anxious to see Jason, but all doubts melted as he stood before her.

Slipping off of her seat, Stephanie reached for his chest, fingering the edge of his jacket lapel and tracing the planes of his strong shoulders with her fingertips. Enjoying the electricity coursing through her body, she moved closer to Jason until the heat of his mouth melded with hers.

“I’ve missed you,” she whispered.

Cupping her cheek with one hand, he encircled her waist with the other and pulled her close. Their lips touched and she kissed him slow, savoring every second. The contour of his mouth was instantly familiar and intimate. Memories of their Miami night flooded back as the tip of her tongue found his bottom lip.

 

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Mid Week Tease: Hope and Coffee #MWTease

Happy Hump Day! I love taking a breather in the middle of the week and read up on my favorite authors. Hope you’re enjoying the Mid Week Tease too!

I’m sticking with the same story as my last few teases, but I’m jumping around a bit. Michelle and Hunter are still getting to know each other in this scene. Here, they bump into each other on the street and Hunter invites Michelle for a cup of coffee before they head to McAvery’s bar where he tends bar and she’s painting a mural.

 

Twirling a wooden stirrer in the froth of her latte, she lifted the mug and took a sip. “I wouldn’t know about the party lifestyle. I live a dull life in comparison. Not much except working and painting, but I like it that way.”

“So, work and paint. That’s it? What does your boyfriend have to say about that?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Cheyenne was right to warn me about you.” She waved the stirrer at him.

Crossing his arms, he cocked his head. “Why is it you never answer a question?”

Michelle took another sip of her coffee. A dab of foam sat on her upper lip for a moment before she licked it away. Resting her elbows on the edge of the table, her summer blue eyes iced over. “You want to know if I have a boyfriend? Let’s just say I don’t do well with relationships. Men don’t really understand my crazy artist nuances.”

“Nuances?”

“Yeah, it’s a nice way to say issues. I have a lot of them, and most people run the opposite way from me. Especially guys. But it’s fine. I’m probably better off alone. It helps me be a better artist.”

“I think that’s a cop out.”

She shrugged. “Maybe, but it’s the same thing you’re doing. It’s easier to get involved with someone like Samantha because you know it’ll remain at a physical level. No chance of getting too close. See? Same thing.”

Hunter tried to swallow the bit of cookie in his mouth, but a lump in his throat replaced every last bit of moisture. He coughed and slurped the hot coffee, burning his tongue as he washed the cookie down.

“Did I hit a nerve?” she asked, stifling a laugh.

Hunter wiped his eyes with his napkin and coughed again. “You seem pretty confident in your analysis. Am I that transparent?”

“To me, yes. But don’t worry. I’m sure you have everyone else fooled.” Michelle tipped back the last of her latte and pointed to the door.

With a quick nod, he pushed the chair from the table before she continued her analysis. Michelle didn’t just hit a nerve, she split it wide open and left it exposed. She’d figured him out even before he understood his self-destructive actions and it threw him into a tailspin. His immediate instinct was to put distance between him and the artist who crept into his life and forced him to take a good look at the shell of a man he’d become. However, Michelle gave him something he’d lost when his world came crashing down that warm October day. Hope. It slowly seeped back into his veins and pumped through his body, healing the broken pieces.

“Hey,” he said in almost a whisper as he followed her to the door.

She swung her head to the side, the ends of her dark hair skimming her shoulders. “Yeah?”

“I like your nuances.”

Blue eyes flashed and crinkled at the corners as a small grin played on her lips. “I kinda like yours too.”

 

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Mid-Week Tease & My LOVE SCENE Winner #MWTease

Hiya! It’s Mid-Week Teasing time!

First, let’s congratulate Mary Jo Toth for winning my blog’s LOVE SCENE Blog Hop prize of a yummy cookie pail from Cheryl’s. Thanks to everyone who visited and read my Asher and Mia scene. It was fun to write and I hope to continue the story soon.

For this week’s tease, we’re picking up where we left off last week. Michelle’s walking home in the rain. A voice calls to her from behind causing her to drop her mace cylinder which in her mind is her only form of protection.

“Hold on!” The voice came closer.

Her heartbeat raced in her chest. She glanced over her shoulder and was about to run until she saw something familiar. It was her bike. Her glance traveled upward to the rider and she breathed a sigh of relief. “Hunter? What are you doing,” she called.

He lifted the fingers of his right hand in a wave. His dark green hoodie was almost black from the rain. Peddling to the curb, he swung his jean covered leg over the side and walked the bike onto the sidewalk. He blew out a breath sending water droplets through the air and he wiped a wet sleeve over his eyes. “Hey there, I’m glad I found you. It didn’t occur to me that I had no idea which direction you lived. You move fast,” he chuckled.

“What are you doing with my bike? I would’ve come to get it tomorrow.”

“I figured you can use it for work tomorrow so I thought I’d ride it home for you.”

“In the rain? Are you crazy? Those cabbies will run you down without a second thought.”

He smiled at her as raindrops flowed down his face. “I noticed that, which is why I’m now walking the bike. How about sharing some of that umbrella real estate?”

“Sorry.” She shifted the umbrella to her left hand and held it higher to accommodate his height. “How’s that?”

“Thanks. You, um, okay?”

Michelle stared ahead and focused on the street lights. Her heartbeat had finally returned to a normal beat. “I’m okay. I can take it from here.” She reached toward the handlebars to claim her bike.

He rolled the bike out of her reach. “Not a chance. Something’s got you spooked, so I’m walking you and your bike home. No questions asked. Besides, you’re the one with the umbrella.”

It was only a couple more blocks, and she was sure there was nothing she could say to get him to leave her. She’d actually begun to feel almost protected with his large frame walking beside her. They chatted about the bar and her plans for the rest of the mural until they reached the door to her building.

“This is me. She pointed to the door. Thanks.” Once again she reached for the bike only to have him pick it up.

He nodded toward the door. “Unlock the door, and I’ll bring your bike up.”

She stood with her feet planted on the sidewalk worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.

“Shit, Michelle. What’s the deal? Do you think I’m going to hurt you or something?”

“No. Of course not,” she said, realizing how stupid she must’ve sounded. “You just can’t be too careful in the city, you know.”

“You’re not going to mace me are you?” he asked, picking up her bike.

She chuckled. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I dropped it back there. I’ll need to buy another,” Michelle said, climbing the stairs leading to the building and unlocking the door.

He quickly followed, easily hoisting the bike frame into one hand and walking into the small entryway. He set it down next to another bike which was locked to a stand in the corner. Michelle bent down to run the chain around the frame and an available bar. Clicking the lock into place, she stood and sensed Hunter’s warmth over her back.

“What if I told you there was a way to protect yourself without relying on mace?”

Michelle turned to face him and lifted her hands from her sides. “Come on, look at me. How much damage am I going to do to an attacker?”

“You have more fight in you than you know.”

“No I don’t.” She shook her head.

“You do, you just need some help finding it.”

 

…and what do you know, Hunter’s the right man for the job. I’m getting close to finishing revisions on this story and I hope to have it ready for submission next month. Woo-hoo!

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Mid-Week Tease: Putting one foot in front of the other. #MWTease

Hey, it’s the Mid-Week Tease!

It’s Wednesday again and my teasing friends and I have a new set of teases for you. 

I’m sticking with my current project. Revisions are progressing and I’m excited about the new tweaks, layers and scenes.

This scene is one of the originals. It happens fairly early in the story and it depicts the some of Michelle’s internal struggle and challenges. Here she’s leaving the bar where she’s been commissioned to paint a mural. Not realizing it had started raining, she’s forced to walk back to her apartment instead of riding her bike. She refuses to take mass transit because she feels trapped on crowded subways and busses. It’s a feeling we’ve probably all had once in a while but for Michelle it’s magnified because of an event that happened in her past. 

Michelle pushed open the door with more force than she intended and winced when it smacked into the outside brick wall. She pressed the button and shook the umbrella as it expanded, providing the needed shield for the soaking rain. Tucking her bag tightly under her arm, she grasped the mace container like it was her lifeline. Averting her eyes to the sidewalk, she dodged puddles as she began her long walk home. If she picked up her speed, she just might make it before dark set over the city. One reason she loved living in New York is it never got really dark. It was the pitch dark that seeped into her head late at night coaxing feelings of terror and helplessness. Just like her studio apartment, there was always a light on in the city. However, the absence of true darkness never gave her a false sense of security. It just helped her feel a little less vulnerable.

She shook her head to rid thoughts of insecurity. She had a long walk ahead of her and couldn’t afford to freak out just because of a little rain. Mentally counting the precious folded bills and few coins squirreled away in the pocket of her handbag, she determined she had enough for cab fare. She’d just need to live on ramen noodles for the next week and a half. Not that she’d be able to summon a cab anyway. It was next to impossible to find a free cab in the rain, and Michelle’s slight frame didn’t help much. She scanned the street at the yellow cabs zooming by, spraying dirty rain water everywhere.

No, cabs were probably not an option. Put one foot in front of the other. Somehow the song from the old Christmas special played through her head during times like that exact one. It propelled her ahead, putting distance in front of where she’d been and got her closer to where she was headed. Raindrops played an eerie staccato on the panels of her umbrella as she focused on her footing along the slick sidewalk. Each step bringing her closer to the only place she felt relatively safe. Gripping the mace canister in her left hand, her heartbeat matched the rhythm of her footfalls.

“Hey! Hey!” A deep voice called over the whoosh of the cabs.

Michelle kicked up her walk to a jog, her heartbeat thumping in her throat. Don’t look. Just keep walking.

“Wait up! Michelle!”

She froze at the sound of her name. Fumbling with the mace cylinder, it slipped form her hands and landed with a “kerplunk” followed by a quick roll over the curb and into the street. “Shit.” She scooted to the edge of the sidewalk and squinted through the driving rain. The metal cylinder, her only defense, was nowhere to be seen.

“Hold on!” The voice came closer.

I hope you enjoyed this peek into my manuscript. It’s a special project to me in many ways and I hope to do the story justice. Please visit my teasing comrades! Comments are not necessary but certainly appreciated. Have a wonderful rest of your week!

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Evernight’s #LoveScene Blog Hop

Love scenes… who doesn’t love them?

I thought long and hard about the scene to share with you this week and I kept going back to the love story of Asher Cane and Mia Lavender.  My SRE series has grown from the introductory short story, The Satin Rose Experience, in Evernight’s Keyboards & Kink anthology to four novellas, each with different main characters. However, one thing remains constant throughout the series, Asher and Mia’s love for each other.

Asher is full of surprises and he has a huge one waiting for Mia. Read on…

“Hey beautiful, you ready to go?”

Mia glanced past her computer monitor to Asher, leaning against her door with his arms folded, impeccably dressed in a dark suit. The sight of him still made her breath hitch. Almost one year had passed since she took the job as VP of Client Experience and more importantly, Asher’s sub in training.

“A little early for lunch, isn’t it?” she asked, tapping her wristwatch.

“Who said anything about lunch, love. Let’s just call it a field trip,” he said with a wink, crooking his index finger in a come hither motion.

“Field trip? What are you up to, Mr. Cane?” Mia smiled and raised her eyebrows.

“It’s a surprise and I know how much you love surprises.” He held his hand out.

“Okay, as long as you promise to feed me at lunch time.” Mia stood and walked to her closet. She pulled her jacket from the hanger, slipped it on and kissed him lightly on the lips as she walked by him out of her office.

The black SRE limousine was waiting curbside for them. Asher held the door open for Mia and slid in beside her. The dividing privacy screen powered down and the driver’s piercing blue eyes peered at them in the rear view mirror.

“Hi Miss Mia. Good to see you. To JFK, Asher?”

Asher nodded and smiled at Mia. “To JFK.”

Mia swung her head to the side toward  Asher. “The airport? Where are we going? I don’t have any clothes, I left my computer on in the office. Asher, I’m not prepared to go anywhere,” she sputtered.

He put his finger to her lips. “You think too much. Just sit back and let me take care of everything.”

She stopped fidgeting and studied his eyes. A feeling of calm flowed through her veins. She’d learned to trust him completely, especially over the past few months. She was safe and secure with Asher, that fact was never questioned. She leaned her head back into the soft leather upholstery and turned her head to look at his profile.

“Would you at least tell me where we’re going?” she asked.

He turn toward her, his eyes dark and mysterious. “I was half considering blindfolding you but that may upset the other passengers and possibly get me kicked off the flight or even in jail so I’ll hold on to the blindfold for later.” He winked. “You’ll find out soon enough. It’s still a surprise that I’m going to keep for a while longer.” He turned his head to face forward but kept the sexy smirk plastered on his face.

Asher held their boarding passes out of Mia’s vision while he checked them in curbside, passing the attendant a fifty dollar bill to keep their destination a secret. He handed the TSA agent her ID and boarding pass and whispered “No peeking” as she was checked in.

Intertwining his fingers with hers, they strolled up the corridor lined with terminal gates. He teased her as he pretended to guide her into a few on their way to their real destination.

“Oh, Barcelona!” She pointed to ahead. “I’d love to go there.” Mia pretended to pout as they walked by the passengers lining up to board the flight to Spain. She looked ahead. “Cleveland. No, I’ll pass.”

Asher chuckled. “I will tell you we’re not going to Barcelona or Cleveland. Keep walking.” They continued past a few more gates before he stopped and wrapped his hand around her waist. “Here we are.”

Mia squinted at the sign next to the airline’s gate. “We’re going to Vegas? But I thought the club won’t be ready until next month?”

“It’s not. I need to check on a couple of things and I have a surprise for you that I’ve been working on for quite a while.”

Mia wrapped her arms around Asher’s neck. “You’re too good to me, Sir.”

“I like the way that sounds, love.” He brushed his lips over hers.

Still in the process of testing their D/s relationship, Mia never used “Sir” in the bedroom. Her submission training was both the most satisfying and frustrating experiences of her life. Asher continued to push her to her limits. Since taking over the Vice President of Client Experience position at SRE, she’d had many first time clients in her office wanting kinky experiences as tame as a blindfold and as extreme as a harsh whipping on a St. Andrews cross. A shiver ran threw her body as she wondered what Asher had planned for her.

Asher traced the pads of his fingers across the back of her neck making her shiver again in a good way. “What’s the matter, love?”

She turned to face him. “What’s waiting for me in Vegas?”

“Don’t you trust me to know what you can handle?”

“Yes, but–”

He held her chin between his thumb and index finger. “It’s all about trust, love.” His lips were a whisper from hers.

Mia’s fingertips trailed up his back to the collar of his jacket. “I do trust you, with my heart and body. I’m ready for whatever you have planned for me.”

So, what do you think Asher has in mind for Mia in Vegas? Leave me a comment below with your answer for a chance to win a sweet and delicious Love Bird Treats Basket.

Every comment also gets you another chance to win Evernight’s GRAND PRIZE of a $100 VISA gift card for a night out on the town!

Want more Asher and Mia? The Satin Rose Experience series includes Mia’s Submission, Brooke’s Wish, Mafia Princess and Tie Me Free.

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Mid Week Tease: Sweet First Meet #MWTease

It’s teasing time again!

Snow-megeddon is happening in my neck of the woods today so I’m excited to dig into our Mid Week Tease list. My good news of the week is I heard back from Mr. B about my manuscript and he gave me a big thumbs up, followed by some suggested revisions, including the climactic love scene at the end.  

I’ve also decided to enlarge the story to a full novel length of 80k words because my characters are insisting on it! They have a lot more story to tell. So, it’s back to work I go. I’ll share parts with you along the way, including this scene where Michelle first meets Hunter McAvery in line at a new Starbucks-like coffee shop.

“You would’ve thought this was the only coffee shop in the city,” a husky voice said behind her.

Michelle turned, acknowledged the voice with a casual nod while keeping her eyes averted downward. Her glance rested on a pair of black boots and worn jeans wrapped around muscular legs.

“Sorry, I’m just talking to myself. Shouldn’t complain since it’s a free cup of coffee,” the graveled voice continued.

Her eyes trailed up the faded jeans to a hand holding a certificate identical to the one in her hand. “Me too.” Michelle held out her own certificate and glanced at the voice’s owner. Her breath caught for a moment as she scanned his face starting with shoulder length hair that covered one brown eye flecked with green. Her gaze trailed to a firm mouth and stubbled lined jaw. Her eyes flicked back to meet his stare before Michelle glanced away as heat crept up her neck.

“Those cookies look pretty good though. I guess corporate America knows what they’re doing with these chain restaurants. Send local businesses a few freebies to get them into the shop then hook them on expensive coffee and baked goods.”

Michelle gladly focused on the pastry case so she didn’t gawk at the man behind her. She spied her favorite cookie, peanut butter chocolate chip, and licked her lips.

“You work around here?” he asked.

Michelle turned and glanced at the stranger again. He casually brushed the hair from his eye, revealing a jagged scar above his eyebrow.

“You don’t have to tell me. Shit. I usually don’t chat up strangers in a coffee line. I must really need a cup of coffee.” He shook his head.

Michelle laughed. “I work in one of the galleries. You?”

“I’m at McAvery’s.”

“The bar?”

“Yeah. You ever go there?”

“No, but I ride past it on my way to work. I love the facade. It’s a great building.”

He nodded. “It’s one of the oldest bars in the city. I’m Hunter, by the way.”

“Michelle.”

“Looks like you’re up, Michelle. Pick your poison.” Hunter nodded to the counter.

Michelle ordered two caramel macchiato coffees with extra whipped cream and pushed the free coffee certificates across the counter.

“Anything else, Miss,” asked the barista.

She glanced at the dish of peanut butter chocolate cookies and remembered her empty pockets. “No thanks,  just the coffee.”

The barista turned to Hunter. “What can I get you?”

“Coffee, black and…” he turn to Michelle. “What do you recommend?”

Michelle’s eyes flicked to the case. “I’d get the peanut butter chocolate chip cookie.”

Hunter held up two fingers. “Two of those, please.”

Michelle collected her drinks, took a sip from one of them and closed her eyes.

“That good,” Hunter asked after he passed his certificate and a few dollars to the barista.

“Yeah, really good. Have a good day.” Michelle took another sip and turned toward the door to leave.

“Hold on a sec.” Reaching into the bag, he pulled out one of the cookies and handed it to Michelle. “Thanks for the recommendation.”

She shook her head. “Oh, no thanks. Save it for later. I gotta get back to work.”

He tilted his head. “Please take it as a thank you for keeping me company in that long line.”

Michelle looked from the cookie to his golden honey eyes. “Thanks.” Reaching for the cookie, her fingers brushed against his, sending a tingle to places in her that hadn’t been touched in a long time. She lingered a moment longer than she should have. Glancing at him, her eyes fell on a sly smile. She took the cookie and turned before the heat creeping up her neck became visible on her cheeks.

“See you around.” Hunter’s voice called out as she pushed open the door.

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Catch @JasindaWilder’s interview in the Feb. issue of #BTS Book Reviews eMag!

Jasinda Wilder’s new release, Forever & Always, lights up the cover of the BTS Book Review’s February issue! Isn’t it beautiful?

Be sure to check out Jasinda’s interview and sneak-peek into her hot series, The Ever Trilogy.

But that’s not all! There are almost 100 pages of author features, including Victoria Vane, Shaunna Wolf, C.A. Szarek, Bec McMaster and more. Plus fantastic articles like Nikki McCarver’s The Heat Diva and, of course, my column, Chic Trends in Romance on The Sexy Serial. I’m featuring my favorite series authors including Beth Kery, Sara Fawkes, Ruthie Knox and Opal Carew.

Serials are making a comeback. Click on over to my article (pg. 23) and decide if you like your romance devoured at once or in teaspoon sized installments.

Did I mention the BTS Book Reviews eMag is absolutely FREE? There are tons of reviews, interviews and even a short story packed into this wonderful issue.

Happy Reading!

xoxo

~S

“Can we just stay like this forever?” Mid Week Tease #MWTease

Welcome back to the Mid Week Tease!

It’s a fun little snippet hop where you’ll find teaser excerpts from authors’ unfinished and published work.

I’m giving away another $10 Amazon GC to one commenter again this week. Congratulations to Susan for winning last week’s prize!

In last week’s tease, I introduced you to Alex and Miranda, the H/h of my current WIP, book 2 of a new series tentatively named Shaken, Not Stirred. A draft of book 1 is still with my agent for comments. I expect it back any day now. *fingers crossed*

This week, we’re back into book 1. In this scene, we find Hunter and Michelle reunited but their time together is limited…

Michelle lay in his arms. They’d made love for hours and she was physically and emotionally spent. However, her belly  protested loudly. Her hands covered her stomach after the third loud growl.

He gave her a squeeze. “Hungry?”

“Yeah, I think we worked up an appetite. You did promise me dinner, remember?”

He laughed. “That’s right. We never did get our date in, did we?”

“I guess that’s a reason to see me again.”

Hunter hunched up on his elbow and searched her eyes. His face held an expression she couldn’t quite place. Or maybe she just didn’t want to understand. His finger traced her lips. “How about I run to the corner and grab us a pizza with every imaginable topping?”

She nodded. “Sure, but no anchovies or onions. Everything else is fair game.”

He rolled out of bed and threw on his clothes. “I’ll be right back.”

“Here, take these so you can let yourself back in.” She reached for her purse on the floor, pulled out her keyring and tossed it to him. He winked as he closed the door.

An emptiness filled her as soon as Hunter left. She sat up, switched on the lamp and checked the time. It was past midnight. She rubbed her eyes. In a matter of hours, she’d confirmed what she’d known for a while. She was in love with a man she could never have. The smell of their passion lay heavy on her skin. Flipping the sheet from her legs, she padded into the bathroom and turned the knobs, filling her small bathtub. Besides the location, she’d loved that her apartment had a bathtub. Most studios were built with just a shower stall. Baths always put her at ease. She added a few drops of her favorite jasmine scented bath oil, slipped into the steamy water and closed her eyes.

The scrape of the lock turning in her door prompted another hungry growl from her stomach. “Pizza delivery for Miss Willis,” Hunter sung.

“I’m in here.”

Hunter sauntered in and leaned against the door jam. “Forget the pizza, you look good enough to eat.”

She wiggled a finger at him. “You’re not tricking me with that line again, Mister. Be a good deliveryman and bring me my pizza.”

“I’ll do better than that.” He placed the box over the vanity sink and stripped off his clothes. Opening the lid, he pulled a slice out and moved to the bathtub. “Sit up.”

She leaned forward and he stepped in behind her. As he sat, straddling her body between his legs, the water rose dangerously close to the edge. She giggled and rested her back on his chest. “Now this is what I call service.”

Folding the pizza to hold in the toppings, he held it to her mouth. Michelle a large bite she savored the warm crust and cheese. “Mmm, so good. Thank you.”

They shared the slice and Michelle leaned back onto his chest and closed her eyes. “Can we just stay like this forever?”

“The water will probably get cold,” he chuckled.

“How long?” Michelle asked without opening her eyes.

“I don’t know. It’s starting to get cold now, isn’t it?” Hunter used his foot to turn the hot water knob. Steamy water slowly trickled from the faucet.

“You know what I mean.”

His chest rose with a deep breath of air before falling as he let it out. “My flight leaves at noon.”

She nodded and a single tear fell down her cheek as she opened her eyes.

“Hey, come here.” Hunter twisted her around so she lay on his chest. He cupped her cheeks between his hands and wiped the tear with his thumb. “You’re going to be okay.”

Michelle swallowed hard. She didn’t want him to see her fall apart. There’d be plenty of time for a full out breakdown after he was flying three thousand miles away from her. She met his stare. “I know and so will you.”

*sniff sniff* Poor Michelle. I feel for her. Join me next week for more Hunter and Michelle…or maybe Alex and Miranda. We’ll see how far I get with them this week.

Please check out the lovely and talented authors who are teasing along with me!



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