M.S. Parker's Blog, page 3

Except Collide Club Prive

Chapter One

Okay, so maybe driving from Washington, DC to New York City during the first week of January wasn’t the smartest thing I’d ever done, but since I had a history of always doing the right thing, the responsible thing, I figured I was allowed an occasional misstep.

I, however, seemed to be the only one who believed that to be true.

Right on cue, my mother’s voice shouted in my head. “You’ll regret this, Bryne Dawkins. You have no clue how good you have it.”

Despite what my mother thought, I was acutely aware of how fortunate I was. I remembered what it was like before my dad died, before Mom and I moved in with Nana and Papa, her grandparents, my great grands. I remembered lying in bed and hearing my parents arguing about rent and grocery money. And I could remember walking into Nana and Papa’s house, staring up at the ceiling so high above me with its glittering chandelier, unable to believe that we were going to live there now.

I wondered what Nana and Papa would’ve thought about what I was doing. They died shortly before I graduated high school, one of those couples who hadn’t been able to live without each other. Nana had gone first – her heart – and then Papa had followed two months later in his sleep. That’s when things started getting weird between Mom and me.

I sighed as I flicked my windshield wipers to high speed. It didn’t do much good. The visibility still sucked, and even though it was the middle of the afternoon, it was pretty dark. I probably should have waited to move since I wasn’t on any sort of timetable, but ever since I told Mom what I’d planned to do, she’d been impossible to live with. If I’d put off my plans, she would’ve used it as an opportunity to tell me how much I was messing up my life. Well, more than she already insisted I was.

“I can do this,” I whispered to myself. I wished my voice sounded a little more solid, more like I knew what I was doing.

I risked a glance down at the GPS that was supposed to take me to the hotel where I’d made a reservation. Except nothing had changed on it since the last time I looked.

Shit.

Something was wrong with the signal. I wasn’t a techie enough person to know what was wrong or how to fix it, but I did know that I was somewhere in the middle of New York City, completely lost, in a car that had been making a weird noise for the past twenty minutes.

Lost in New York.

In the snow.

In January.

At least the traffic wasn’t bad. I’d been dreading that part of driving in the city. Then again, the fact that I’d only seen two cars since I’d last turned was probably a good indication that the roads weren’t exactly safe at the moment.

I caught a glimpse of a bright light to my right just as my car sputtered to a stop, completing the end of a less than stellar day. I barely managed to pull it up to the curb before all forward momentum disappeared.

“No, no, no.” As if the denial would actually change the fact that every light in my dash was shining like a Christmas tree.

Dammit! I slammed my hand on the steering wheel. Because, of course, that would help things.

“Come on!” I tried turning my key off, then on, but all I could hear was the clicking sound that I knew meant something had gone more sideways than usual.

Mom had tried to tell me to get a new car, but this relic was the last of my father’s things. After he died and we moved, Mom had thrown out almost everything, but I’d put my foot down about the car. Nana and Papa had understood and offered to store it until I decided what I wanted to do. When I got my license, I declined their offer to buy me something new and insisted on insuring this thing. Mom told me I was being a sentimental fool, but I’d insisted.

You’re so hard headed. Your stubbornness will get you in a world of trouble one day.

Today is that day, it seems. Maybe I should’ve listened to her after all.

I put my forehead against the steering wheel and closed my eyes, telling myself that I wouldn’t cry. I was an adult dammit, and that meant I couldn’t sit here on the side of the road and indulge in the tears that were burning my eyes. I had a problem, and I needed to find a solution because no one else would do it for me.

I loved my mother, but her voice had haunted me from the moment I started loading my things into my car. Now, it wasn’t only her voice, but I could see her in my mind, her head shaking in disappointment.

We looked enough alike for people to comment on it. We were both short and curvy and had the same “cute” features that made us look younger than our actual ages. My eyes were from my dad though, the only feature of his that I got. Green. The same color as the leaves of a juniper tree, he always said.

Dad wouldn’t have wanted me to sit here and feel sorry for myself. He’d been a boxer, and he always told me that it wasn’t about how many times the other guy got in a punch, or even how often he got knocked down. What made a champion was that he kept getting back up. Not that getting back up had made my dad into one. I hadn’t minded though. Things hadn’t been perfect, but I’d loved my life even before I could afford anything I wanted.

It was that hard-headed nature that had given me the courage to move here by myself. Now, it would help me with my problem.

I opened my eyes and took a slow, deep breath. I needed to find out where I was before I could call a tow truck, which meant I needed to get out of the car since I couldn’t see anything from where I was sitting. I zipped up my coat, grabbed my purse, and stepped out into the snow.

I quickly walked around the front so I wasn’t standing in the middle of the street, and before I’d gone more than a few steps, I was cursing the fact that I hadn’t worn boots. The bottoms of my jeans were already soaked, and by the time I made it to the sidewalk, my socks were equally wet.

I really hoped this wasn’t an indication as to how my new life here was going to be.

Once I was safely out of the way, I looked up, squinting against the snow as I searched for the street signs. It was no good. Between the angle and the snow, I still couldn’t see much of anything.

Except the light that’d caught my attention. I could see now that it was a sign. A literal one, not some existential shit. DeMarco’s & Sons. I hoped that the light being on meant that they were open, because I really didn’t want to have to walk any farther than I had to, and I needed to find out my location.

I pushed open the door and stepped inside, blinking at the bright lights. My first impression was more sound than sight. The place was loud, and not just with the sort of noise that came with a garage. Mixed in with the sounds of tools was a radio blasting classic rock along with men’s voices.

“Excuse me?”

No one even looked at me, but that wasn’t surprising. I barely heard myself over the cacophony. I looked at the desk to my right and tapped the bell that was sitting there. Nothing. I scowled. I was no genius, but this didn’t seem like the best way to do business.

I was starting to get warm now, and my frustration at the situation wasn’t getting any better. I was tired and uncomfortable. All I wanted to do was check into my hotel room, shower, eat, and then spend the rest of the day sleeping.

I looked over at a group of four men who were the closest to me. None of them had even glanced in my direction. I sighed and started their way. I didn’t know what their problem was, and I really didn’t care. I just wanted to find out where I was.

Before I reached them, one of the men looked up, and I found myself staring into a pair of deep, vibrant cobalt blue eyes. They flicked down my body and then back up.

“Can I help you?”

Damn, that was some voice.

And some man, I realized, as he stood. Over six feet tall, and every inch of it lean muscle – a fact I was able to verify because he was wearing a skin tight t-shirt and a pair of worn but well-fitted jeans. His hair was dark, the color of cocoa, and tattoos wound their way up his arms, disappearing under his shirt.

I could see the desire in his eyes as I stopped, and it wasn’t the soft admiration or even the sort of inappropriate lechery I’d seen before. This was soul shattering desire that made my mouth go dry and my heart race. I’d never had anyone look at me that way before, and it completely threw me. As if everything else that had happened today wasn’t enough.

By now, the other three men were looking at me, but none of them held my attention like the man still watching me so intently.

“Something we can help you with?” A man to my left spoke.

I glanced at him. “I…where are we?”

“You’re right here, sweetie.”

All the men were standing now, and the two who hadn’t yet spoken took a step closer. The movement drew my attention, and it was only now that I realized coming in here might not have been a good idea. They were shorter than the first man – the one with the eyes – but broader, rougher looking. He looked like he could handle himself in a fight. These guys looked like they started the fights.

“My car broke down.” I blurted it out before I could think better of it. “I want to call a cab, but I don’t know what street we’re on.”

It was only as I said it that I realized I could’ve told a taxi to come to DeMarco’s & Sons and I wouldn’t have needed to come inside. I could’ve gotten back in my car and waited there. It might’ve been cold, but I wouldn’t have felt like I was in some sort of nature documentary – the kind of documentary where an announcer with a British accent talks about how hyenas take down a gazelle who dared to stray from the pack.

And I didn’t need to be a genius to know who the gazelle was in this scenario.

I wondered if I had enough time to dig in my purse for the pepper spray I bought a couple years ago. I had one of those rape whistles too, but I doubted anyone would be close enough to hear it. And judging by the way these guys looked, I doubted anyone would come, even if the thing carried sound across New York.

“I’ll be happy to fix your car for you, baby.” One of the other men leered at me. “And I’m sure we can work out some way for you to pay me back.”

“Or you can just stay here with all of us,” another man said. “You look like you could take us all on.”

“I bet she’d like that.”

The three of them were coming toward me, and I took a step back.

“Would you like that, sweetheart? Three fat dicks–”

“Lay off.”

The words were quiet, but the three men turned toward the first man I’d seen.

“You want in on this, Dax?” The shortest of the three motioned toward me. “I’m sure she can take one more, especially one with a dick as small as yours.”

The man and his two buddies laughed.

I glanced over my shoulder and tried to judge the distance to the door. Tried to remember how far it was from the door to my car. And then wondered if my car would even stop them if they were determined enough.

“Why don’t you guys go fuck yourselves?” The man they called Dax said the question in such a conversational tone that it took me a minute to realize what the words actually were.

For a moment, I thought there would be a fight, but then the trio laughed again, and one of them smacked Dax’s arm.

“We got shit to do,” the shortest one said and threw a wink my way. “When you’re done with her, try to talk her into coming back. We can have a party.”

“Fuck off, Georgie.” Dax walked around the three other men and came toward me, his long legs eating up the distance between us.

Electricity crackled around me, as if his very closeness changed the atmosphere of the room. I was torn between wanting to run away and wanting to know what it was like to be touched by him. Since I had no clue what the best thing to do was, I stayed in place and waited to see what he would do next.

“Dax Prevot.” The words were soft, as was the small smile curving his beautifully formed lips. He held out a hand to me, and I hardly noticed the other three men walking in the opposite direction.

I placed my palm against his and felt that surge of energy I’d been anticipating and fearing. His hand was warm and strong as it closed around mine. His smile faded, and for a moment, he looked as surprised as I felt.

I’m not sure how long I stood there, drawn into the spell his presence cast over me, but it wasn’t until Dax gave my hand a squeeze that I realized I hadn’t offered my own name.

“Bryne,” I said a bit too breathlessly for my liking, which snapped me back to reality. I pulled my hand away and gestured toward the door behind me. “If you could just tell me where I am, I’ll call a taxi.”

“You’re in Hell’s Kitchen,” Dax said as he grabbed a coat from behind the desk. “Let me take a look at the car.”

It wasn’t really a request, I realized as I followed him outside. I shivered as the cold hit me but there was no way I was going to stay inside the shop without Dax. He was a different kind of scary than those other guys.

He didn’t speak as he popped the hood of the car and started fiddling with things. After a couple minutes, he glanced up at me. “Try to start it.”

I nodded as I climbed into the car, my jaw starting to ache from clenching it so tightly. I knew the moment I opened my mouth, my teeth would chatter hard enough to hurt. I breathed a prayer as I turned the key and sighed in relief when the engine turned over. It sounded rough, but it was running.

A knock at the window made me jump. Dax stood outside the passenger’s side door for a moment, then opened it and climbed in without waiting for me to ask.

“Are you okay driving in this?” He didn’t look at me as he asked the question. “I can drive you if you’re not.”

“I’m fine.” I pulled my phone from my purse. “I just need directions. My GPS died.”

“Where are you going?”

“Casablanca on West 43rd Street.” I found myself watching him as he stared out the window. I’d always been pretty good at reading people, but this guy was impossible.

He glanced at me, then went back to watching the shop as he gave me clear, easy directions that I wouldn’t need my GPS to use. When he finished, silence fell, and for a few moments, I felt like we were in our own little world.

“Thank you,” I said quietly. “I don’t know what would’ve–”

“You should be more careful,” he cut me off. He turned toward me, some emotion flaring in his eyes. “Guys like that…” He shook his head and frowned. “Just be careful.”

The warning didn’t annoy me like it did the thousands of times I’d gotten it from my mother, which, I supposed, was unfair to her. In my defense, there was a difference hearing it from the woman who’d spent most of my life nagging me, and hearing it from a scary-hot stranger who’d essentially rescued me.

He opened the door, climbed out, then bent back down to look at me. “You’re new here, right?”

I nodded. “From DC.”

He seemed to be thinking about something, and I waited, hardly feeling the cold air blowing into the car.

“Meet me at Jane’s tomorrow at one. It’s a restaurant on West Houston Street.”

He closed the door before I could even decide if I wanted to accept or decline. Apparently, that wasn’t a request either. I stared at him as he walked back into the shop.

Well, damn. My new life here was definitely off to an interesting start.

Dark Pleasures Released!

So excited to tell you all that Dark Pleasures, the continuation to Forbidden Pleasures is live.
Grab you copy here:
Amazon US: http://bit.ly/DarkPleasuresUS
Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/DarkPleasuresUK
Nook: http://bit.ly/DarkPleasuresNook
Kobo: http://bit.ly/DarkPleasuresKobo
Ibooks coming later this week.

Twisted Affair - Excerpt

So excited to tell you about my brand new series, Twisted Affair, release in March. Please enjoy this sneak preview:



BlayneMy head was pounding again, but at least, this time, my mouth was just dry and tasted like leftover moderately expensive vodka. It wasn't entirely pleasant, but I was pretty sure I hadn't thrown up, so that was good. The thing that was not good was that I once again had no idea where I was or how I got there.I groaned as I pushed myself up into a half-sitting position. To my relief, my stomach only did a couple mild somersaults. I opened my eyes and processed my surroundings.I was on my own couch, which was weird since I had no clue how I'd gotten home, but I was grateful I was here. My couch was comfortable and that also meant I didn't have to spend the next couple hours trying to figure out where I was and how I would get home. I frowned. I really hoped I hadn't driven back. I remembered leaving my parents' house and parking somewhere. I rubbed my temples as I tried to recall if I'd left my car. I could be irresponsible, but I never wanted to be one of those idiots who got behind the wheel after drinking. As far as I knew, I never had.I continued to take stock of my surroundings. I was fully clothed and nothing was buttoned up wrong or on inside out, so I assumed that meant I hadn't gotten lucky. I'd had a couple drunken hook-ups before and I always ended up with some part of my clothing being off.Another good thing. The last thing I wanted to do was have to worry about getting some nameless random out of my apartment.A noise caught my attention and I turned my head.Oh shit.Speaking of random.Sitting in a nearby chair was a woman I'd never seen before. Caramel-colored curls, porcelain skin... she was gorgeous.I let my eyes run down her body. She was dressed well in the sense that she looked good, but her clothes weren't overly expensive. She definitely wasn't a stripper and she didn't look much like the kind of women I usually picked up. Well, the smoking hot body did, but not the clothes.Where would I have met someone dressed like that?Where had I ended up last night?I frowned and closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. I'd left the house, driven into the city. I remembered thinking about going to a club, but I hadn't. I'd decided against it, I was pretty sure. So where had I gone?It hit me suddenly.A bar.I'd gone to a bar.I opened my eyes and looked over at the woman in the chair. She was the bartender. Liz or Liv or something like that. She'd been nice. Accent of some kind. From the Czech Republic, if my memory was reliable, which I wasn't entirely sure it was.What was she doing here? She'd been nice, but I didn't remember her flirting with me, which meant she hadn't brought me home thinking we'd fuck.Shit. A thought hit me. I reached into my pocket, sure I would find my wallet empty. It didn't matter that she was still here. I'd met plenty of would-be thieves dumb enough to try to rob me and then pass out before escaping. I'd never claimed that any of the women I hooked up with were bright. It wasn't like I was into them for the conversation. Though I did have the vague recollection of thinking she was intelligent.I opened my wallet and was shocked to see all of my credit cards were still there. I checked for the cash and that was there too. I frowned. Okay, so she hadn't tried to rob me. I was completely confused now. If it wasn't about sex or money, why was she here?I started to stand and then stopped. That wasn't a good idea. I hadn't gotten sick last night, but if I kept moving, I might. I needed something to drink. My eyes fell on the glass coffee table. A glass of water and a couple pills were sitting there. I looked at the bartender. Had she put those here?I picked up the glass and sniffed. Water. I took a sip and my stomach didn't rebel. That was a good thing. I reached for the pills next, turning them over in my hand to see if they were marked. I scowled. I didn't know what they were, but they seemed like as good an idea as any. Plus, I didn't have to get up to get them. They went down easy and I waited to see if they were anything good.Hmm. Maybe that was it. I leaned back. Maybe she was here for drugs. Selling or buying. I looked at her. Maybe sharing.But I didn't feel like I'd been high earlier, only drunk. Then again, maybe what I'd just taken was something good. As the throbbing in my head began to recede, I was forced to admit I'd taken aspirin. At the moment, however, I was glad that's what I'd swallowed. Now I wondered if I'd gotten the water and medicine out before passing out on the couch or if the bartender had done it. I was pretty sure it hadn't been me since I'd never been smart enough to do it before. I really hoped I hadn't left anything embarrassing in my bathroom or kitchen.I sighed. I had no clue what I was supposed to do now. Did I wake the bartender up and ask her why she was here or let her sleep? How long was I supposed to let her sleep? If we'd had sex, I wouldn't have felt bad about waking her and letting her politely know it was time for her to go. But I didn't know why she was here and it felt kind of rude to wake her up. Plus, it would mean I'd have to get up, and while I was feeling better, I didn't want to press my luck.I looked at her again. She was curled in the chair, her long legs tucked up under her, her hand cradling her cheek. Asleep, she didn't look old enough to drink legally, much less be a bartender. Her lashes were impossibly long and I tried to remember what color her eyes were.Livie. That was her name. And her eyes were green.It still didn't tell me why she was here.I wasn't sure how much time passed, but at some point, I realized that I really needed to take a piss. As I slowly got to my feet, I was actually a bit relieved that I had to go since that probably meant I hadn't pissed my pants during the night. It didn't happen often, but I'd have been lying if I said I'd never done it.When I came back out into the living room, the bartender was starting to wake up. I walked over to the couch. but just perched on the arm rather than sitting down again. I was worried if I did, I wouldn't get back up.I managed a smile. “Morning.”She flushed as she straightened, smoothing down her clothes. “Good morning.”I figured I'd get the elephant in the room out of the way. “This is awkward.”She laughed, a soft, low sound. She stood. “I do not know what you remember from last night.”“Not much,” I admitted.“You passed out while I was running your card for your tab,” she continued as she pulled her hair out of its ponytail. Her curls tumbled over her shoulders. “I could not wake you, so I had a taxi bring us here. You paid.”I was aware I was staring at her, but I couldn't stop. She'd had my credit card, but had only used it to pay my bill at the bar and then for a taxi? I would have to check my account to be sure, but I didn't see where else she could've used it.“And you stayed?”She gave me a stern look, the kind that I'd seen Hannah give her kids. “No one else was here and I could not leave you. What if you had become ill?”Now I started to wonder if I'd guessed her age too young before. She sounded much more like my mother than some sexy model wanna-be.“Thank you,” I said. “I really appreciate you doing that for me.”She nodded and looked around. I wasn't sure what she was looking for until she picked up her coat. I wasn't sure why I was surprised that she was getting ready to go. She'd stayed because she'd wanted to make sure I didn't get sick. Now I was awake. Problem solved.“So, um, did you drive?” That was a stupid question. “I mean to the bar. Do you need to go back there to get your car?”She shook her head. “I take the bus.”“I can give you cab fare,” I offered. “I don't know when the next bus runs.”“I will wait,” she said. “I do not mind.”“Livie, right?” I said as I stood again. “You could've taken everything out of my wallet and sent me to the drunk tank, but you didn't. Let me at least send you home in a cab so you don't have to wait in the cold.”I could see on her face that she was debating the offer. She didn't want to stand at a bus stop in February, but there was pride on her face and I knew she was thinking of it like charity.“Think of it as payment for baby-sitting me.” I gave her my best charming smile. Or at least the best one I could muster in my current condition.That got me a partial smile. “Thank you.”I pulled out my wallet and handed her a few bills. I didn't even bother to see how much I gave her. She followed my example and didn't count it. She put it in her pocket and picked up her purse. We looked at each other and I realized she didn't know how to stop the awkward silence any more than I did. Should I tell her I'd see her later? Thank her again?I was saved from having to figure things out when someone knocked on the door. I went to it, wondering who it could be. As soon as I opened it, however, I wished I hadn't. I wished I'd just pretended I wasn't home.“Blayne.” My father's voice would've made it clear that he wasn't happy with me, even if I hadn't been able to feel the disapproval radiating off of him. He stepped past me into my apartment without waiting for an invitation.I supposed I couldn't really blame him. I wouldn't have asked him in anyway.“Good morning to you too,” I muttered as I turned and followed him.“I called you.”“I turned off my phone.” I wondered if I could get Livie out without her having to hear whatever shit it was my father would say. That hope vanished the moment he stepped into the living room.“Is she why?” He pointed at Livie, like she wasn't even there. “Is this the reason you fucked everything up for our family?”“Dad,” I hoped interrupting him would work.“No,” he snapped. “I will not let you stand here in an apartment I'm paying for and watch some good-for-nothing gold digger ruin everything!”
“She's not a gold digger!” I didn't know much about Livie. Hell, I knew practically nothing. What I did know was that she was kind enough to take care of a complete stranger and expect nothing in return. What I said next, however, came out of nowhere. I hadn't thought it at any point and I sure as hell hadn't planned it, but I said it anyway. “She's my fiancée.”
***Don't miss Vol. 1 - release February 26th.***
Full Release ScheduleTwisted Affair takes place over five volumes with a new volume released every Thursday in March. Here’s the complete release schedule. If you would like to get an email reminder on release day, you can sign up to my email list here: MS Parker Email ListTwisted Affair Vol. 1 – February 25th
Twisted Affair Vol. 2 – March 5thTwisted Affair Vol. 3 – March 12th
Twisted Affair Vol. 4 – March 19thTwisted Affair Vol. 5 – March 26th

Broken Pleasures - A Prequel

So excited to tell you about my upcoming Pleasures series.
The 100 pages prequel will be released next week and will be a free download. Please enjoy a sexy sneak peak. :)


Broken Pleasures A Prequel
By M.S. Parker
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.Copyright © 2015 Belmonte Publishing LLCPublished by Belmonte Publishing LLC.

   Chapter 1It happened during my last session with my court-appointed therapist. She'd given me two pieces of advice that I decided to follow. The first was to not let anyone define who I was, to be an individual who was comfortable in her own skin. The second was to have a healthy sex life. I remember thinking that was kind of strange, considering I was only eighteen at the time.Somehow, I doubted this was what she pictured when she'd imparted those words of wisdom.The man beneath me moaned as I rode him. The muscles in my thighs were starting to burn with each rise and fall, but I didn't slow. I kept my eyes open, my head down, but I barely registered the pretty-boy features of the young man I'd picked up just an hour ago. My hands splayed on his muscular chest, helping me balance.“Fuck, babe, you're so tight.”Okay, so I hadn't picked the guy for his eloquence, but he had a nice thick cock and no issues with me calling the shots. That's what mattered.I flexed my muscles the way I'd been taught, and he swore again. “I work out,” I said and flexed again.I leaned forward, and he pushed himself up on his elbows, his mouth latching on to a pale pink nipple. My eyelids fluttered as he sucked on it, his tongue and teeth teasing, but I didn't close my eyes. I always fucked with my eyes open… always. Lights on. No exceptions.“Harder,” I said and ground down, the angle allowing just the right amount of friction on my clit. I was close. The pressure inside me was at the point where I had to come or explode. “Come on... baby.” I almost tripped over not knowing his name, but I caught myself. “Suck harder. Make me come.”Technically, I was doing most of the work, but he deserved a little credit for his nice cock and the wonderful things his mouth was doing to my breast, especially when he followed my directions. Never underestimate the importance of a man who does what he's told.“Ah,” I moaned as the suction increased, sending jolts of intense pleasure from my breasts straight to my throbbing pussy. I moved one of my hands to the place where my body joined with his and my fingers found my clit. I rubbed it with quick, rapid circles, the combined friction and pressure making it hurt beautifully. I always needed that edge.“Fuck, I'm gonna...” The guy's words turned into a loud grunt as his hips jerked up against me, his final thrusts hard and fast.The hand not between my legs moved to my breast. Even as I felt my partner's cock begin to pulse inside the condom, it was my turn. A light pinch and twist to my nipple, and I was there. My muscles tensed and my pussy contracted around the thick shaft inside. The nameless young man swore again, his face a mask of pain-pleasure. As I descended from my high, I rolled off him, and his now-sensitive cock slipped out. I lay on my side, breathing heavily and enjoying the little bursts of electricity racing along my nerves, the aftershocks of a pretty good orgasm. Eight on a scale of ten.He moved closer and I immediately stiffened, adrenaline flooding my system. I jerked upright, pushing myself back until I was well out of arm's reach.“Easy, babe.” He gave me a smile, showing a set of deep dimples that went perfectly with his baby blues. He leaned on his elbow. “That was amazing.”I nodded in agreement and climbed off the narrow dorm bed. College boys were easy, but their beds were generally shit. I picked up my underwear and bra.“Leaving already?”I glanced at him as I dressed. He hadn't moved, even to cover himself.“Come back,” he continued. “Give me ten minutes and an energy drink from the mini-fridge, I'll be good to go again.”It wasn't even remotely tempting since that would mean at least ten minutes of small talk, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings. I wasn't a bitch, no matter how often I'd been called one. “Thanks, but no. I have to go to work.”He glanced at the clock, a puzzled expression settling on his handsome face. “It's three in the afternoon.”I smiled and shrugged as I adjusted my tank top. His eyes locked onto the bit of cleavage the tight black top exposed. I didn't say anything. He'd seen them bare. As long as he kept his hands to himself now, he could look all he wanted.“Will I see you around?” He sat up, but didn't reach for me.“Probably not for a while,” I answered truthfully. While I liked coming to campus, I generally tried not to frequent the same places when I had an itch to scratch. No matter how good the sex, I rarely repeated. I knew society liked to pretend it was the women who got clingy, but I'd met plenty of men who thought a couple roles in the hay meant we were a regular thing.I smoothed down my miniskirt and pulled on my nearly knee-high boots. I had two pairs, but these were my favorites. The four-inch heels raised me close to five-eight and I preferred being tall. Plus, if I ran into any trouble, they packed a hell of a kick.“Where do you work?”I gave him a small smile, but didn't answer. I scanned the carpet. One of my earrings had fallen out. I still had the other three in my right earlobe, but the hoop from the cartilage at the top was missing.“Let me guess.”I rolled my eyes, knowing he couldn't see my face. I knew what was coming. I knew how people saw me. I'd dyed my hair several times over the years, but for the past six months, I had rocked a bright blue. It was cropped short, angled at my chin in a way that kept my heart-shaped face from looking too delicate. My eyes were a pale gray that most people thought were contacts though they were one hundred percent natural. Aside from the multiple piercings in my ears, I also had an eyebrow ring and one in my bellybutton. That, plus my numerous tattoos and the way I dressed, meant people generally made the wrong assumptions regarding my occupation.“Dancer at The Blue Moon?”At least he’d picked one of the classier strip clubs in the area. I had a feeling more than one of my conquests over the past three and a half years had gone trolling clubs looking for me. The thought was amusing. What did it say about the state of feminism in society when a woman couldn't express herself through her appearance without people assuming she was a stripper?I finally spotted the small silver hoop and slid it back into place with practiced ease. “It was fun,” I said as I headed out the door.By the time I reached the dorm lobby, I was already running through my schedule for the day, my encounter all but forgotten. I only had two jobs today, but the second had a long list of things I needed to do, most of which had to wait until everyone at the company had gone home. Those were my second favorite kind of jobs, because it meant I rarely had anyone staring at me or trying to talk to me while I worked. The best work was, of course, the kind I could do from home. I liked crowds at clubs and concerts, the anonymity that came with being part of the masses, but I wasn't a social person. There was only so much personal interaction I could handle at a time. I'd heard half a dozen psychological diagnosis as well as a multitude of reasons behind them. I had a simpler explanation that I preferred.I didn't play well with others.***The brisk wind that greeted me as I stepped outside was much chillier than it had been less than an hour ago. Autumn really had come to Colorado. I shivered and pulled my long-sleeved shirt more tightly around me. I'd been debating about stopping home before hitting my first appointment—the weather just cinched it. Coming home late tonight without a jacket would suck.I headed toward the apartments that sat on the edge of the Colorado State University campus. They were a nice mix of graduate students, married students and recent graduates in the transition stage between college and real life. Age-wise, I fit in with them, even though I'd graduated three years ago. I didn't really hang out with any of them though. I preferred my own company. I could trust myself.I didn't even give the 'out of order' sign by the elevator a second glance; it had only worked the first year I'd lived here. I didn't mind the walk up three flights of stairs most of the time. Less time I had to spend on the treadmill at the gym. It was a real bitch when I had to carry stuff though.The apartment was small, but I didn't need a big place. When you grow up with hardly any room to move, a one-bedroom with a kitchen, bathroom and living room all to myself was a luxury. The place was neat and simple, the furniture a mismatch of clunky college thrift store finds and the nicer pieces I'd been slowly buying. A bedroom suite had been my first purchase, a celebration of my first self-employment check. I didn't go in the bedroom though. I didn't need to. Still, I paused at its doorway and looked at my place, allowing myself to feel the satisfaction of knowing I'd accomplished all this on my own.I swapped my outer shirt for my favorite leather jacket and headed back out. Nothing like a good fuck and then a little affirmation of how far I'd brought myself. I wasn't a shrink, but I thought I was pretty well-adjusted. Considering other people who'd gone through the same things I had were either dead, drug addicts or prostitutes, I felt a pat on the back was well-deserved.I was still in a good mood when I strolled in to Khan and Associates, and the secretary glaring at me only brightened my day. She was a new addition since the last time I'd been here, which meant I was going to enjoy this.“May I help you?”If she'd had glasses, she would've glared at me over their rims. I plunked my backpack down on her desk just to see her eye twitch.“I'm here to see Ms. Khan.” I kept my tone polite and professional. “She's expecting me.”“Take a seat.” The secretary gave me one of those condescending looks that women like her seemed to reserve for people like me. “I'll get to you when I get to you.”I laughed and the scowl deepened, creating an array of tiny wrinkles on her forehead. If she kept that up, she'd make herself look years older than she was. “Check your appointment book. Lang Tech Consulting.”She didn't even pretend to look at her computer or the calendar on the desk. Instead, she pointed toward the chairs and looked at me like I was something to scrape off the bottom of her shoe. My mild annoyance started to turn into actual anger. I didn't show it though. Even as good as I was at my job, if I got too mouthy, people wouldn't overlook my appearance to hire me.“Ma'am,” I spoke through gritted teeth. “I'm going to say this one more time and then I'm going to make a call that you really don't want me to make. Let Ms. Khan know I'm here.”“Excuse me?” She stood up, leaning toward me with her hands on the desk.I was sure the look she was giving me had quelled plenty of people who seemed tougher than me. Unfortunately for her, my past was full of people a hell of a lot scarier than a middle-aged secretary with a superiority complex.I sighed and straightened. “Don't say I didn't warn you.” I pulled my phone from my bag and scrolled through my business contacts. I tapped on the right name and waited.“Yes?”“Ms. Khan, this is Jenna Lang.”“You're late, Ms. Lang.” My client's voice was sharp.“Yes,” I agreed. “I've run into a bit of a snag and it doesn't look like I'll make it in.”“Ms. Lang,” Ms. Khan interrupted. “Is there a point to this? You're far too professional to sound so flippant about canceling at the last minute.”“Indeed,” I said. “Your secretary seems to be under the impression that my presence here is unwelcome.”Ms. Khan muttered something under her breath that could have been a series of swear words. “I'll be right there.”I ended the call, put my phone back in my bag and then gave the secretary a sugar-sweet smile. “It'll be just a minute.”“Young lady,” she said, far from threatened. “And I use that term very loosely, if you don't turn around and start walking toward that door, I will call security and watch them haul your slutty little ass right out of here.”A door at the end of the hall opened, then closed, and I took a step back from the desk. A flash of triumph crossed the secretary's face and I knew she thought she'd won.“Sandra!”I couldn't stop the smirk when I saw the secretary's face go pale. I didn't want her to get fired, but I'd have been lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to witnessing her bubble get popped.“Ms. Khan.”“Didn't Ms. Lang tell you that she had an appointment with me?”The secretary glared at me, crossed her arms and turned back to her boss. “No, ma'am, she just marched right in here and demanded to see you.”My smile disappeared. She was seriously going to stand there and lie? I glanced at Ms. Khan. The woman was impeccably dressed, as always, the picture perfect business woman. She didn't look at me, but I could tell her face was blank.“Your job, Sandra, is to make inquiries in situations such as this, not prevent work from getting done. Something to keep in mind for the future.” Ms. Khan turned back the way she'd come, making an impatient gesture over her shoulder. “Come on, Ms. Lang. I'm not letting you bill me for the time you've wasted.”I pressed my lips into a flat line and followed. I'd done four jobs for Khan and Associates and had always thought she'd been at least indifferent about me. Apparently, I'd been giving her too much credit. As we walked down the hallway to her office, I realized she was just a good actress. She'd been tolerating me because I was good at what I did and still new enough to charge a lower rate than my competitors. I didn't feel any anger though, just resignation. It wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last.Fuck them all.I didn't care. I was who I was. No one would ever change that.

Casual Encounter Vol. 3

Overview I thought I could handle this business arrangement. It was what I'd wanted, after all. Someone to teach me how to be the kind of woman every man desired. Every man, that was, but one. 

When Bree Gamble agrees to let escort Cade Shepard mold her into a beautiful, confident woman, she tells herself that it's business, nothing more. A transaction between consenting adults. Sex with no emotional strings attached. Exactly what she needs after the disastrous end to her previous relationship. 
However, as things with Cade progress, she is forced to admit that she's starting to fall for the handsome gigolo. 
Will Bree be able to keep her feelings hidden or is her relationship with Cade doomed? 


Find out what happens next in the third Casual Encounter installment by best-selling author M.S. Parker.

$2.99 $0.99AMAZON B & N APPLE KOBO

Casual Encounter Vol. 2

Overview When I found out that Cade Shepard was my white knight, I let myself believe that I could fall in love again. And then I realized that everything had been a lie.
Twenty-five year-old Bree Gamble feels betrayed by her best friend after discovering that the man she thought could help her get over her broken heart is nothing more than a paid escort.But Cade surprises her. He shows up at her door with an apology and a proposal. He offers to teach her how to become the kind of woman that no man will ever be able to refuse. He only has one rule: She can’t fall in love with him or the deal is off.
Will Bree give in to the temptation and risk losing her heart in the process?
The second installment of Casual Encounter by best-selling author M.S. Parker is a must-read seductive roller-coaster.$2.99 $0.99AMAZON B & N APPLE KOBO

Casual Encounter Vol. 1

My wedding day was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. Instead, my heart was shattered into a million pieces.
When twenty-five year-old Bree Gamble was left at the altar by her long-time boyfriend, she isn't sure where she's supposed to go from there. Her friends try to help by setting her up on blind dates, telling her she needs a casual encounter to move on. Then a mysterious stranger comes to her rescue and Bree thinks that maybe she's met the one person who can help heal her broken heart. What she doesn't know is that her handsome hero isn't the white knight she imagines.

Don't miss the first installment in the Casual Encounter series, the latest by best selling author M.S. Parker.
Casual Encounter Vol. 1Chapter 1 BreeEverything was perfect.My wedding dress was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I'd fallen in love with it the moment I'd first seen it at the bridal store and everyone said it was made for me. The only one, of course, who hadn't given an opinion was Ronald, but everyone assured me that he'd love me in it.As I stood at the back of the church, watching my bridesmaids make the slow walk up the aisle, their royal purple dresses shimmering, I hoped everyone was right. I wanted today to be the most special day of my life. I was marrying the man I loved and I'd remember this day forever.Then came the wedding march and my dad gave me a supportive smile. We started down the aisle and the audience stood. All eyes were on me, but… no one was smiling. In fact, the expression on every face – my friends, my family, my co-workers – was one of pity. I didn't understand. What was wrong?I was halfway toward the front when I looked up. My bridesmaids were all there, lined up in order. My two closest friends, my sister-in-law and my cousin. Their face held pity as well. I looked to my right. The groomsmen were all there, including my brother, but I didn't see Ronald anywhere.My heart began to pound as my father and I kept walking. Where was Ronald? Why wasn't anyone stopping the music and looking for him? Why was the priest just standing there, a solemn expression on his face?Suddenly, the pressure on my arm was gone. I looked to my right but my father had disappeared. A glance to my left and found him sitting with my mother now and they were both looking expectantly at the priest. I turned toward the old man as well.“Dearly beloved,” he intoned in a flat voice. “We are gathered her to witness the humiliation of Bree Gamble as her fiancé Ronald Peterman has chosen to desert her on their wedding day...”I jerked awake, a protest on my lips and breathed a sigh of relief as I flopped back down onto my pillows. My pulse was racing and there was a thin sheen of sweat on my skin despite the air conditioning in my tiny bedroom.It was a dream. A nightmare. Sort of.I turned my head and in the dim early morning light, made out the stack of presents sitting in the corner of my room. Their unopened paper and untouched ribbons reminded me that it was a nightmare based on reality. While the events hadn't played out the same way, the ‘humiliation of Bree Gamble’ had occurred. I rolled away from the gifts and punched my pillow a few times, wishing it was Ronald’s face instead. He and I had dated for five years, then been engaged for nearly two. Everything had been perfect – until that day. I'd been standing in front of the mirror, waiting for my maid of honor to come and tell me it was time. Instead, she'd come into the bridal room looking both pissed and upset in equal measure. Ronald had left... with our wedding coordinator.Over the past week, I learned that the two of them had slept together one night when Ronald had volunteered to go over the seating arrangements because I'd been sick. Now, they were living together in the apartment we'd picked out, leaving me to figure out the best way to return all of the gifts we'd never opened.I closed my eyes for a moment, wishing I could block out my memories as easily as I could the gray light. The pain was still fresh, but I supposed that was normal. It had just happened last weekend. This past week, I'd intended to be on my honeymoon, but instead, I'd given the tickets to my parents, hoping the Caribbean cruise would make up at least some of the cost of the wedding. I hadn't gone crazy with it, but I was the only girl, so my parents had been more than happy to pay for the wedding of my dreams.I barked a harsh laugh. For the past nine nights, I'd been learning the hard way that there was a difference between a day-dream wedding and an actual dream wedding. I sat up and raked a hand through my short, cocoa-colored curls. I was still getting used to that. My hair had been down to the middle of my back last week, but on Wednesday, tired of moping around the house and avoiding phone calls, I'd decided I wanted to make a change. I'd gone into a stylist and gotten my hair cropped shorter than it had ever been before. Even I didn’t recognize me sometimes.I glanced at the clock. Five minutes until my alarm was scheduled to go off so no point in laying back down. I climbed out of bed. Other than that one little foray to the salon, today is the first day I ventured outside my apartment since my non-wedding. I hadn't even gone to the teachers' meeting on Friday.Headmaster Norris had already given me permission to miss the meeting for my honeymoon, so she was willing to give me time off for my bittermoon as well. She’d been pretty sympathetic and it hadn't taken much to convince her I was having a hard time pulling myself together. That wasn't entirely true. I wasn't falling apart. Sure, I'd spent pretty much the entire week in my pajamas, sitting on the couch binge watching television shows online, but I wasn't breaking down in tears or drowning my sorrows in alcohol. Double chocolate fudge ice cream worked just as well.I was actually looking forward to getting back to work, getting my mind off of things. One of the reasons I'd been thrilled to get hired at Legacy Academy last year had been their rigorous academic standards. Their students were among the brightest in all of Chicago. Keeping lesson plans that would engage, interest and challenge students whose IQs were in the gifted to genius ranges was quite a challenge.The one thing I wasn't looking forward to, however, would be the questions from students and staff as to why the diamond ring they'd gushed over hadn't been joined by a wedding band, but had, rather, disappeared. Only a couple of the other teachers at Legacy had been invited to the wedding, but I was hoping they'd at least told the faculty what had happened. I didn't want to spend the entire first day having to repeat that story.Almost unconsciously, my thumb rubbed against the inside of my ring finger. In the two years I'd worn it, I'd gotten in the habit of playing with my engagement ring. Ever since I'd taken it off and mailed it back to Ronald, I'd found myself behaving as if it was still there.My phone buzzed as I finished laying out my clothes. I glanced at the name before swiping the screen to read the full message. I'd gotten a text apology from Ronald a few days ago and ever since then, I felt a knot of dread inside me whenever my phone alerted me to a text.This one, however, was from my best friend, Adelle Merriman-Dane. She and I had grown up next door to each other in one of Chicago's middle class suburbs and we'd been inseparable almost from moment one. Our birthdays were even only two weeks apart, with me being the older one. We'd been through a lot together. My mom's breast cancer, her father's heart-attack. Her marriage at twenty-two and then being widowed just six months later. Everything had just brought us closer together. She'd been the one to tell me about Ronald leaving and the one who’d held me while I cried, telling me I'd feel better in time.I read through her text, the tension inside me easing when I saw that it wasn't more bad news.Hey sweetie, wishing you luck on your first day back. Don’t let the little hellions get to you.  Don't forget dinner at L20. You, me and Mindy are getting our wine on Friday night! I managed a faint smile as I sent back a quick thank you and five emoji shaped bottles of wine. Adelle and I had made Friday dinners a thing since we were in college, though those had usually consisted of pizza in our dorm room. When she'd married a dot-com billionaire, we'd started going through the finer restaurants in Chicago. By the time I met Mindy at Legacy while we were both student teaching three years ago, Adelle and I had regular reservations at L20, a beautiful seafood restaurant with amazing service and even better food. Adding one more to our table hadn't been difficult.I climbed into the shower and thought about how nice it would be to drown my sorrows in some expensive wine. It had taken me a while to get used to Adelle paying for our Friday nights out, but once she'd shown me the extent of the fortune her late husband had left her, I hadn't let it bother me. I’d do the same for her if the situation was reversed.I dressed automatically, but when I looked in the mirror to apply my make-up, I did a double take. My skin had always had a golden touch to it and it got even darker if I tanned, but now I looked practically pale. The circles under my eyes were purple, almost the same shade as my violet irises, and I looked at least ten years older than twenty-five. I scowled at my reflection and then got to work. By the time I finished, I didn't look completely like my old self, but I was at least presentable.I took a deep breath and looked myself square in the eye. I could do this. So what if my entire adult life so far had been as Ronald's other half. I'd moved into my own apartment after I'd signed my contract at Legacy. Granted it was in Washington Park, but it was still my own place. I could stand on my own two feet.I kept telling myself that as I headed out the door, determined to have a good first day.Casual Encounter Vol. 1 Release November 11th.

Chasing Perfection Vol. 3 Released Today!

So excited to announce that the final book in my latest series, Chasing Perfection, is now released on all sites. Get your copy today and read the exciting conclusion to the story. Will Krissy and DeVon find a HEA?
Get it here and enjoy the ride:

Amazon: http://bit.ly/Chasing3
Nook: http://bit.ly/Chasing3BN
Kobo: http://bit.ly/Chasing3Kobo
Paperback: http://bit.ly/Chasing3PB
iBooks: http://bit.ly/Chasing3itunes

Chasing Perfection Vol. 3 Teaser

Here's a sneak peak of my upcoming book, Chasing Perfection Vol. 3, to be released September 8th. Hope you enjoy it. :)





Chasing Perfection Vol. 3By M.S. Parker

Chapter 1
KRISSY
I was still in the process of brushing out my hair when I heard someone knock on the front door. I tightened the belt of the robe around my waist and walked out of the bathroom and through the bedroom. I didn’t see Carter anywhere. I assumed he thought I was still in the shower, but since I was expecting a cab to pick me up, I figured I might as well answer the door. I gave myself a quick once-over to make sure the silk robe Carter had loaned me covered everything important, and then opened the door.My mouth was opening to thank the person on the other side...and then I saw who was staring at me with dark, intense eyes.“DeVon,” I said, not able to hide the surprise in the tone of my voice. My heart did a funny little skipping beat. Who’d called him about my accident? Had it been Carter? The fact that he’d come to make sure I was okay tempered my previous anger at him for pushing me on Carter. It didn’t make things good between us, but it was at least a step in the right direction.“Nice to see you’re taking one for the team,” he snapped. “Hope he was a good lay.”My jaw dropped as DeVon spun around and started to storm away. What the hell? All prior thoughts of forgiveness were chased away by the anger boiling inside me. I walked after him, not caring that I was only wearing a robe or that the man I was about to yell at was my boss.“Where the hell do you get off acting like that wasn’t exactly what you wanted me to do?!” I cut in front of him, forcing him to stop. “You told me that Hollywood was all about tits and ass.” I pointed an accusing finger at him and had to resist the urge to poke him in the chest with it. “You told me to flirt with him and then when Carter said he wanted me to come by, we both knew he didn’t want me here to read for him. You wanted me to fuck him just so you could get him to let Mirage clients read, and then you have the balls to show up here and act like I did something wrong! I looked to you for an answer and you fucking nodded.”He sneered at me, his eyes flat. “And that’s all it took to get you to spread your legs.”I sucked in a breath and tried not to let him see how that stung.He continued, “I didn’t expect anything less. After all, you fucked Taylor once you found out there wasn’t a rule against it.” He took a step towards me until our bodies were nearly touching. “Not that the rules seem to matter much to you when it comes to getting laid.”“Look who’s talking.” I didn’t like him crowding my space, especially when the scent of him brought with it a rush of memories, but I refused to back down. I glared up at him, focusing on my anger. “You’ll fuck anything that stands still long enough.” I paused, then added, “Or anything you can tie down.”His jaw clenched so tightly I could see the muscle twitching, and I knew he was working on keeping that control he prized so much.“You know what?” I said. “You said the two of us were alike, and maybe you’re right in some ways, but at least I treat people with common courtesy. Just because we fucked doesn’t give you the right to treat me like shit, not matter who else I sleep with. I may be a slut, as you not-so-subtly implied, but at least I’m not an asshole.”For a moment, I thought he was going to say something else, but instead, he just stepped around me and got into his car.I didn’t give him the satisfaction of me watching him leave. I spun around and marched back into the house, tears stinging and burning my eyes as I refused to give in to them. I wasn’t going to cry. I was done crying over DeVon Ricci.

Chasing Perfection Vol. 3 is being release Monday, September 8th. If you would like an email reminder on release day, sign up here:  http://www.msparker.com/p/newsletter-signup.html  

New Release Sale

Chasing Perfection ReleasedGet it now for only $0.99
Thank you so much for checking out my blog. I truly appreciate you.
As a big THANK YOU my new book, Chasing Perfection that was released on Amazon today is on sale for 99 cents. The sale will only last a couple of days before it goes back to the regular $2.99.
Here are the links:
Amazon US: http://bit.ly/Chasing1
Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/ChasingUK

Nook, iBooks and Kobo coming soon.

Chasing Perfection is the story about Krissy, Carrie's roommate from Club Prive.
Check it out!


BUY NOW FOR ONLY $0.99