Michelle Roth's Blog, page 13
December 15, 2015
Out Now! Cupid by Lucy Felthouse (@cw1985 @evernightpub) #holiday #christmas #erotica #romance #shifter #paranormal #pnr
Blurb:
As a postman by day, and one of Santa’s reindeer on a single very special night, Cassius Cupid eats, sleeps, and breathes deliveries. He doesn’t mind, but sometimes wishes that someone would send him something more exciting than bills and junk mail.
One cold January morning, Cassius gets his wish. A young woman arrives with a parcel. Turns out it’s for his housemate – but Cassius doesn’t care. All he’s interested in is Carina – the beautiful female courier.
Has Cupid finally met his match?
Buy links: http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/published-works/cupid/
Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27255784-cupid
*****
Excerpt:
Cassius Cupid woke with a start, and then sat bolt upright in his bed. Shit, I’m going to be late! was his first thought.
Milliseconds later his brain switched on, and he remembered. He was on holiday. Flopping back onto the warm mattress and pillows with a contented sigh, he smiled. No work for fourteen whole days—it was going to be utter bliss. He stretched, relishing the feeling it created in his sleep-softened muscles. Ahhh…this is the life.
He knew he wouldn’t go back to sleep—hell, it was eight o’clock, which was practically the middle of the day for someone in his profession—so Cassius fell to thinking about how he was going to spend his day, not to mention the several others in front of him. God knew he deserved to relax and have some fun. He’d just emerged from the busiest part of his year, and he was more than ready to do some chilling out.
He enjoyed his job as a postman—he really did—but the Christmas period was a total killer. He idly wondered how many cards and presents he’d delivered over the past few weeks. It didn’t bear thinking about. Once you factored in the festive period itself, the weird few days between Christmas and New Year, and then the flurry of mail that got sent when everyone went back to work properly at the beginning of January, he’d racked up some serious deliveries. And that was before you even thought about his other job—which was for just one day a year, but was arguably more important than the other 364 put together.
Cassius—or Cupid, as he was known to his boss and colleagues in his second, but most important job—was not only a regular postman for the Royal Mail, but also a reindeer. For a single day of the year, Cassius had the supernatural power to transform into one of Santa’s faithful steeds and help pull that famous magical sleigh, delivering presents to excited children the world over.
Therefore, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Cassius really did eat, sleep and breathe deliveries, but not for the next fourteen days. All he planned to do was watch some TV, read some books, maybe go out hiking, meet some friends… basically anything that wasn’t delivering something to someone. Hey, he might even receive something through the post himself—preferably not the usual crap; bills and junk mail. He didn’t hold out much hope.
He lounged in bed for another ten minutes before realising he was lying there just for the sake of it. Being on holiday didn’t have to equal staying in bed all day—and certainly not for someone as active as him. He reached over to his bedside table, grabbed his glasses and put them on. Throwing off his thick duvet, he walked to his bedroom window and peeked out through the curtains, immediately glad of the effective central heating he and his housemate had forked out to have installed the previous year.
The outside world was covered in a thick layer of snow, and Cassius was mightily glad that he wasn’t out delivering letters and parcels. The stuff was treacherous enough without having to carry a heavy bag up and down driveways, paths, and pavements — most of which either hadn’t been cleared, or had been cleared badly, leaving incredibly slippery patches of ground for an unsuspecting postie to come across. God knows he’d gone down enough times, but, much to his relief, nobody had ever seen him do it. He’d always been relatively unharmed—excerpt for his pride, of course—and had been able to scramble back to his feet and carry on.
The eerie silence outside was broken by the rumble of an engine, and Cassius turned his head to look up the street—he lived in a cul-de-sac, so he knew that’s where the vehicle would come from—and watched as a delivery van made its way slowly and carefully down the road. He hoped the driver was sensible enough to try and steer over the thickest parts of the snow—the more people went over and over the same patches, packing it down, the more the road surface resembled an ice rink. And since the cul-de-sac was on a slight hill, it was easy enough to get stuck. He’d seen it so many times—even going outside one time last winter to suggest the driver go down to the bottom of the road, turn around and try reversing up the hill—an almost foolproof plan for vans with rear-wheel drive. He’d gotten a big thumbs-up for that suggestion as the driver finally got to the junction where the road became flat, and went on his merry way.
As the van drew closer to his house, he saw that the driver was a woman. That would explain her cautious driving—he’d never admit it to one of his drinking buddies, but women were far superior when it came to driving in adverse weather conditions. He even thought he’d seen some survey containing statistics that proved it.
*****
Author Bio:
Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over 140 publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include several editions of Best Bondage Erotica, Best Women’s Erotica 2013 and Best Erotic Romance 2014. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies, and also edits for a small publishing house. She owns Erotica For All, is book editor for Cliterati, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9
December 14, 2015
Spotlight on A Red Dress for Christmas by @ErzabetBishop + REVIEW!
Title: A Red Dress For Christmas
Line: Romance on the Go
Genre: Contemporary erotic romance/ mf
Blurb:
Angel in a red dress…
Cecily’s husband Neil has kept her waiting one too many times. After another lonely night of movie watching, she decides to take her pleasure into her own hands. Neil comes home from work and catches her being a very naughty girl. Tangled up in tinsel and wearing a smoking hot red dress, surely her holiday wish will come true.
Be Warned: BDSM, sex toys, spanking
Buy links:
Evernight Publishing: http://goo.gl/cGh5sg
Amazon: http://goo.gl/fST87y
All Romance E-books: https://goo.gl/Q4F0Bp
Excerpt:
“Why did you have to leave?”
Neil rubbed his hand along Cecily’s ass, his finger edging between her skin and the lacy red panties from behind. “Why do you think?”
Neil’s cock pressed against Cecily’s side. His fingers continued their distracting path even as he upped the pulses on the vibrator. “How do you like that?” he whispered, voice husky. He untied
the strings on the panties, giving him greater access to her slick folds.
“Oh. My. God!” Cecily moaned into his thigh as he slid two fingers inside of her at the same time as he cranked up the power on the tiny vibrator to what felt like its highest capacity.
Neil pumped his thick fingers into her pussy relentlessly, taking Cecily close to the edge and pulling back out again. He turned off the vibe, leaving her staring down at the carpet, completely bereft.
“But… Oh, Neil!” Cecily wriggled against his lap, her erect clit pulsing between her legs and her molten core longing for release.
Neil smoothed her hair from her face and wiped a tear that slid from her eye. “That’s how I felt looking at those pictures. I wanted to bury my cock inside of you and I couldn’t. I haven’t seen you much at all with this new job, let alone been able to do anything about the raging lust giving me a boner big enough to buy out the vibrator counter just so I’d have a bag big enough to walk out of the store without disgracing myself.”
“I’ll make it up to you.” Cecily started to move, but Neil stilled her.
“Wait. I have an idea.” Neil kissed her on the top of her head. “Come on. Let’s go in the living room.” He helped her up and eased off the bed and onto his feet. The walk to the living room was quick, Neil shutting off the lights as he went.“I want to take you here. Right in front of the tree.”
Cecily grinned, desire raging through her veins. “What about Lulu?”
“Look, she’s on the chair asleep.”
“Mmmm.” Cecily turned her gaze to the twinkling holiday lights and knelt down on the carpet.Neil slid behind her and she heard the sound of a zipper.“I can’t wait.”
“Neither can I. Take me.” The tip of Neil’s cock teased her entrance. Suddenly he was in, thrusting balls deep. With a groan, he slid his hands down her sides. With one hand he grasped her hip, the other her clit.
“If you don’t fuck me now I’m going to die,” Cecily whispered, grinding herself against the root of him. “I need you.”
A lot of people ask me why I do short fiction. It’s a fun escape into another world and it lasts long enough to break the cycle of everyday but still feel like you’ve read something fun and worthwhile. The Romance on the Go line is exactly that. Tight stories that explore erotic romance with flair and in this case, some tinsel and a whole lot of naughty.
Happy reading and I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season.
Erzabet Bishop is a bestselling and award winning author who loves to write naughty stories. She is the author of Lipstick, Dinner Date, Crave, The Science of Lust, Wicked for You, Arcane Imaginarium: Spirit Board, Holidays in Hell, Sigil Fire, Written on Skin, Club Beam, Pomegranate, A Red Dress for Christmas, The Black Magic Café, Fantasies in Red, Sweet Seductions:
The Erzabet Bishop Collection, Holiday Cruise, Fetish Fair, Temptation Resorts: Jess, Temptation Resorts: Marnie, Taming the Beast, The Erotic Pagans Series: Beltane Fires, Samhain Shadows and Yuletide Temptation along with being a contributor to many anthologies. Erzabet has been a finalist in the GCLS awards for 2014 and 2015, winning the Goldie for her spot in two anthologies. She has been nominated for the 2016 Golden Flogger Award for Crave. She lives in Texas with her husband, furry children and can often be found lurking in local bookstores. She loves to bake, make naughty crochet projects and watch monster movies. When she isn’t writing, she loves to review music and books. Follow her reviews and posts on Twitter @erzabetbishop.
Links:
Newsletter and website:
http://erzabetwrites.wix.com/erzabetb...
Are:
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/store...
Facebook “like” page:
https://www.facebook.com/erzabetbisho...
Amazon author
page:http://www.amazon.com/Erzabet-Bishop/...
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Street team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/10182...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erzabet.bishop
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/erzabetbishop/
Review Blog: http://erzabetsenchantments.blogspot....
As someone who’s been in a long term relationship, I totally understand the ebb and flow. Over time, when both of you are moving at full speed ahead, it’s easy to let certain things slip. In the case of Cecily from A Red Dress for Christmas, she’s worried that the previous spark has gone out of her marriage. She wistfully remembers the good times and tries to recapture them with some sexting. She’s in for a shock when her husband, Neil, arrives home late for their date (again) with a few surprises in store. Does this spell the end for her relationship, or will she get far more than she ever could have dreamed of?
A Red Dress for Christmas addresses those issues and answers those questions in a clever, and realistic way.I really, really enjoyed this book. The romance was sweet and the sexual chemistry between these two characters was off the charts.I hope to see more of Neil and Cecily in the future. This is an enjoyable read that I could really relate to on a personal level.
December 13, 2015
Spotlight on Josephine Revisited by Silke Ming
Today I’ve got the lovely Silke Ming on my blog today talking about Josephine Revisited, the thrilling followup to her previous novel, Possessing Josephine. I’ve been on the edge of my seat waiting for this one. Without further ado, I’ll let Silke tell you a bit more!
We met Josephine Fletcher and her lover Richard Schreck earlier in ‘Possessing Josephine. ’ One year later we revisit the couple in ‘Josephine Revisited,’ and find them still deeply in love, but lurking in the shadows is Richard’s ex-girlfriend, the African model known only as Willow. The case against her mother was still on-going, until word reached Richard that was a publicity stunt to keep the aging model in the limelight.
Richard takes Josephine on a trip to Venice, where for the first time, as a black woman, she feels like an equal. A chance meeting in a restaurant brings them into contact with the Italian socialite, Alessandra Graziani. Things get out of hand after they consume copious amounts of alcohol and end up in bed together. Josephine cannot forgive herself, but Richard consoles her by taking the blame.
On their return to Connecticut, Richard marries Josephine much to Willow’s chagrin, because she had hoped to recapture Richard’s heart.
She was angry with herself for allowing Michael to see her vulnerability. She was no longer in love with him, but seeing him brought back too many memories that she would soon rather forget. Should she tell Richard that she had seen her ex-lover? Yes. She had to be honest with him. She turned off the highway which meant she was only five minutes away from home. She could see the lights at the end of the long driveway and the black SUV parked at the front. She felt like a traitor. But why? She hadn’t done anything wrong. Why was Michael having this effect on her, and who was the woman he was with? It was not the girl, Kimmy, who had destroyed their relationship.
Once a backstabber, always a backstabber, she whispered.
She opened the entrance door and came face-to-face with Richard, decked out in a pair of black trousers and a white shirt. He didn’t say they were going out for dinner. He seemed to be in a strange mood. He took her hand and brought her into the hallway, took her purse and set it on the winter bench. He backed her up against the door and his lips met hers in a sweet kiss. He sucked on her bottom lip and she moaned as the kindling that started the fire was now blazing throughout her body. His eyes, green and intense locked with hers, daring her to look away.
The first button of her blouse was open which was standard for her, and she looked down and watched as he slowly opened the remaining ones, and finally yanked the blouse from the top of her skirt. She shuddered as his tongue licked her shoulder, moved down her neck, swirled against the top of her breasts and over the lacy edge of her bra. Pinned against the door, her body cried out for more. He held her chin firmly in his left hand still kissing her while he skilfully released the snap of her bra with the other. Not one part of her upper body was left unscathed, as he washed it with his warm tongue. Her breasts, two plump, ebony packages of pleasure, were now the center of his attraction. Her dark nipples met his lips and she gasped at the increments of pleasure that were seeping into her bones.
It was like sweet torment as he pulled one nipple between his lips, then the other, moving his head back and forth as they gazed at each other. Pulling her hips away from the door, he eased her legs apart with his foot and dropped to his knees. His fingers worked their way up and down her inner thighs inflaming the smoldering embers there, and as if to put her out of her misery, two fingers moved along the length of her wet panty-clad cleft.
“Oh God,” she gasped, as her breath escaped her lungs, leaving them almost empty. “Richard, what are you doing to me?”
Ignoring her pleas, he pushed up the front of her skirt, and brought his head to her moist center, gently licking her through the silky crotch of her underwear. She threw her head back against the door and danced to the movement of his tongue. Still balancing on her red stilettos, she grabbed his hair and spread her legs still wider. The skirt was now totally wrapped up around her waist, and her lacy panties he pulled over her thighs, down her legs, and onto the floor. He lifted one leg and she stepped out leaving them still dangling around the other leg. He came face-to-face with her swollen lips, which he held apart with his thumbs and forefingers and gripping her thighs, he restricted her movements as he traveled along the path he had grown to know so well. His tongue slowly and tortuously licked her clit, dispensing morsels of delight and bringing cries of anguish from deep within her. He nibbled on her tender flesh throwing her body into another dimension. Her knees grew weak and she bent them, widening her stance to accommodate the man she loved.
Two fingers entered her exploring her warm, wet depths while he lingered with long slow licks against her nub of pleasure. Her pelvic movements quickened and he kept licking until she shattered into a million little shards, her fingers firmly entrenched in his hair.
Slowly he removed his fingers from her warm passage and lifted his head. It looked as if she was barely clinging to consciousness when he stood up and held her in his arms. She lazily opened her eyes and smiled up at him.
“A girl can get used to greetings like these,” she whispered.
“I’ll remember that, my love, but we must hurry. We have a six o’clock appointment for dinner,” he said softly.
She removed her shoes and took his hand.
“Let’s go upstairs and freshen up. You owe me one,” he said nibbling on her ear. “You can tell me about Gypsy over dinner.”
After that orgasmic welcome, she wasn’t sure if she should tell him about Michael. Why was she so afraid? There was nothing to hide, and therefore she decided she would tell him everything.
Amazon.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silke-Ming/e/B00LCK7UFU
Amazon.fr http://www.amazon.fr/Silke-Ming/e/B00LCK7U
Amazon.com www.amazon.com/silke-ming/e/B00LCK7UFU
Ming Website http://www.silkeming.com
E Mail silkeming@gmail.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/silke.ming
Bookstrand www.bookstrand.com/silke-ming
Barnes&Noble www.barnesandnoble.com/c/silke-ming
Pinterest www.pinterest.com/silkeming/
I have always loved writing. I started out with poetry and then moved onto novels. Not a day goes by that I do not do some form of writing. I have written six fictional novels, and when time allows, I try to read at least two books per month, thanks to the convenience of the E Reader, which makes it easy to shop the bookstores from the comfort of one’s home.
In addition to my love of books, is my love of travel. Although my career was in travel, I am still bitten by the travel bug, and still travel when I can. I have lived in The Caribbean, Italy, India, Germany and now make Canada my home. Thai and Italian are among my favorite foods and my other pastimes are cooking and gardening.
I am new to romance writing and it has been quite a challenge, but I’m enjoying it tremendously.
.. and now an interview with Silke Ming:
Q. Who is Silke Ming?
She is a lady who loves to laugh. She knows what she wants from life and sets out to get it.
Q. What was your inspiration for your latest book, ‘Josephine Revisited?’
This is actually the sequel to a book I wrote last year. It was called ‘Possessing Josephine,’ and dealt with the topic of female genital mutilation. I decided that readers would probably be interested to know the outcome of the case that the daughter had brought against her mother.
Q. Why did you choose the Romance genre to tackle such a sensitive subject?
Let’s face it. It may not seem like the right platform to advocate matters as important as this, but since the romance market is geared toward females, and there are many female romance readers who have never heard of this inhumane practice perpetrated on young girls in Southeast Asia and Africa, I thought it a good idea.
Q. When did you first hear about this practice?
I was actually on my first visit to West Africa when I heard about it. This is so ingrained in the culture, that young women are preyed upon and no one is ever prosecuted.
Q. Do you think that speaking about it on this forum will make a difference?
Who knows? At least women who are not as fortunate as we are will be more aware of this horrible thing that is imposed upon women.
Q. Silke, what are your pleasures in life?
I am an avid gardener. As soon as the spring thaw is gone, I am one of the first persons out there trudging through the slush in the back garden. Traveling is my passion and I love cooking. I will proudly say that I consider myself a gourmet cook.
Q. So what is your favorite cuisine?
Thai. I love the Thai flavors.
Q. You seem to have traveled extensively. If you had to choose one place in the world where you would rather live, where would that be?
Without a doubt New Zealand. That country has the most breathtaking landscapes and the New Zealanders are the loveliest people I have ever met.
Q. Where would you like to travel to next?
I would like to visit Cuba. I have been there on three occasions, but it was always on business, and I would like to really see it again before it changes and is over-run by tourism.
Q. Have you any regrets about your life? Or is there anything you wanted to do or wished you had done?
I wish I had learned to play the violin. I envy people who took the time to learn the instrument.
Q. Who is your favorite author and why.
I love the Austen sisters, Charlotte Bronte and Charles Dickens. I have been reading these authors’ books since I was a little girl and I have lost count of the times that I read Jane Eyre.
Q. Lastly, Silke, what does your normal day look like?
I wake up around nine thirty in the morning, have breakfast which my husband prepares. I make lunch around two and then I start to write. We never have dinner, because lunch is usually more substantial. Later in the evening I watch my cooking shows and if time permits, I get my E Reader out and try to read some of the books I’ve bought and haven’t yet read.
December 12, 2015
Spotlight on The Secret of Obedience by Liv Rancourt
The
Secret
of
Obedience
Blurb
Can a jock find love with a hot little hipster?
Opposites attract, but secrets divide.
Ronnie Durand is a country boy who transfers to the University of Washington after two years at Central. He’ll have to give up playing football, though finishing his education at a major university in Seattle – and being out and proud without having to look over his shoulder – makes the sacrifice worthwhile.
But finding friends at a huge school is tough, especially when the hottest guy Ronnie meets makes him doubt his own sanity. Sang’s been on his own a long time. He’s only a couple steps away from living on the street, and he’s got dreams so big they don’t leave space for a steady boyfriend. Then he meets Ronnie, who just might be strong enough to break through his barriers….as long as Sang lets him in on one big secret.
Buy
Links
Amazon – ARe – Evernight – Barnes
& Noble
Excerpt
It’s warm enough for shorts and a t-shirt, and the campus is relatively quiet except for a handful of die-hard election enthusiasts who are still passing out flyers in front of the HUB. I ignore the idiots pushing their anti-gay marriage agenda, and sidestep the fans of Senator Whozit. My freakishly liberal mother married a small town Republican, so I grew up taking the fifth on political stuff, more of an agnostic than an actual atheist. I pretty much can’t open my mouth without being accused of siding with one of them, so I keep it shut.
But I do grab a pamphlet explaining why marijuana should be legal, because duh.
The Ave is busier than the campus, mostly with college kids wandering through the pizza places to the used book stores to the faded pubs. A steady stream of cars rolls past, blunting the crisp fall air with exhaust. I’m about to duck into the College Inn Pub when Sang comes around the corner of 40th St.
Sang.
Surprise hits me harder than the coffee I had for breakfast, fading to a rock-hard blast of desire. His long hair is twisted into a bun and secured with a pair of glossy black sticks. His faded gray tunic hits him about mid-thigh, his legs are bare, and he’s wearing a beat-up pair of Dr. Martens and a long feathered earring. Maybe I’m weird, but I want him in all his freaky, funky beauty.
I cross my arms and wait. There’s no place for him to go except right past me. Across the street, someone bursts out cursing and a driver lays on their car’s horn. I glance over. No blood. I glance back. No Sang. Dammit. There’s only one store between me and where I saw him last, and it’s one of those one-off Asian places where the window’s crowded with candies and porcelain bowls and small brass Buddhas. Nowhere else he could have gone, so I push through the door.
The light is much dimmer than outside, and it takes me a minute to adjust. I catch a flash of white in the corner, Sang’s feather. He’s contemplating a display of colored packages, but all the labels are in some other language, so I don’t know what they are. I walk up behind him, close enough to pick up his unique scent through the store’s incense and sesame oil smell.
“Don’t crowd me, Sugar Cookie.” He doesn’t turn around.
Right. I take another step, close enough for the hem of his skirt to brush against my shorts.
He spins around and puts his hand on my chest. “What are you doing?” He sounds indignant, but his eyes are laughing.
And his smile strips me bare.
“I was thinking about grabbing a beer next door.” I flick the feather with my index finger. “Wanna join me?”
His smile softens, and he tugs my hand away from his earring, lacing our fingers together. “I’m sorry, baby. I can’t. I’m working today.”
“What are you doing? Do you live down here?” So many questions. Finding him on The Ave pretty much convinces me his “I don’t go to UW” line is bullshit.
He brushes my knuckles against his cheek. “I wish I had time to play.” He spins back around. “I’m just grabbing something quick for lunch.”
Frustration forces me back a little. “Okay well, maybe I should grab something, too. The Husky game starts in about an hour.”
“Are you going to watch the Seahawks tomorrow?” He slides a glance over his shoulder and flicks his fingers so I can see his team-colors manicure.
I almost say “only if you’ll watch it with me”, but I don’t want to get shot down again. “Yeah, if I get my homework done.”
“Good. They’re playing Denver, you know, and I hate the Broncos.”
Talking football with my favorite freak surrounded by a store full of Made In China is a little surreal. My head’s pretty spun when he grabs a bag off the rack and shoves it at me.
“Here,” he says, grinning so hard he’s almost giving himself a dimple. “You need some of this.”
The bag is full of little brown balls about the size of peas. “What is it?”
“Bap chien gion. Like corn nuts.”
He’s still digging through the racks, flipping from package to package. “This one, too.” He tosses something back at me.
I do my best to read the label. “Moot dow tai.”
“Mut dau tay.” He echoes me, but the words sound nothing like mine.
“Is this Chinese or something?”
He gives me an exasperated look over his shoulder and twitches his ass so it bumps against my thighs. “Vietnamese, Cookie.”
I feel sorta stupid. I’ve never met anyone from Vietnam before. Still holding the last package he’s handed me, I ask “What are these red things?”
“Strawberry candy. I love them.”
Might be a weird combination with the beer I’d been planning to drink during the Husky game, but I don’t want to offend him a second time. If I even offended him the first time. It’s hard to tell. His energy is as changeable as a river when there are clouds overhead, sometimes sparkling but other times dark as pitch.
“This one’s good, too. Hat sen sey kho. Fried lotus seeds.” He spins, hands it to me, too close, making it hard for me to breathe. He grabs a couple more for himself and steps up until he’s pressed against me. “Come on, Cookie. Get out of the way so I can pay for this.” He snuggles his nose against my chest, humming so I can feel the vibration in my sternum.
“I gotta get back to work.” His body and his mouth are saying such completely different things that I can’t move, don’t know how to respond. After a moment he sighs and steps around me. “If I go out tonight, it won’t be until very late. I have to work.”
Hope and disappointment have an MMA bout in my gut. “Don’t know if I’ll go out at all.”
“Maybe I’ll see you next week some time, then.”
Hope gets the upper hand. “Will you?”
“What?” His feather flutters in a sudden breeze.
“See me next week?”
“If you get very, very lucky.” He slides some cash to the shriveled old woman behind the register. She speaks to him in Vietnamese, and he laughs and answers back. Then he’s gone, but when I go to pay for the snacks he’s chosen for me, I find out he already did.
Bio
I
write romance: m/f, m/m, and v/h, where the h is for human and the v is for
vampire … or sometimes demon … I lean more towards funny than angst. When I’m
not writing I take care of tiny premature babies or teenagers, depending on
whether I’m at home or at work. My husband is a soul of patience, my dog’s
cuteness is legendary, and we share the homestead with three ferrets. Who steal
things. Because they’re brats.
I can be found on-line at all hours of the day and night at my website & blog (www.liv-rancourt.blogspot.com), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/liv.rancourt), or on Twitter www.twitter.com/LivRancourt). For sneak peeks and previews and other assorted freebies, go HERE to sign up for my mailing list.
Come find me. We’ll have fun!
December 11, 2015
Spotlight on Donner and Prancer by Robin Badillo (@Robin_Badillo)
Noah nudged her against the door, closing it behind them.
Mira gasped. His smoldering expression turned her stomach upside down, and heat pooled between her legs. Had he cast a spell, stealing away her ability to escape? Her skin tingled at the thought of giving in to his silent intent.
Noah’s hands found her midsection and needy eyes drank her in as though she were a mug of hot, buttered rum on a cold winter’s night.
I’ve totally lost my mind. “Is this really happening?” Did I say that aloud?
Noah’s eyes gleamed and a mischievous grin spread across his face. “Oh, it’s happening.” He slowly leaned in, and his lips grazed hers, immediately followed by his tongue. Warm swipes plunged deeper with each pass, triggering moisture that dampened her panties.
Mira’s knees buckled and Noah scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the sofa as though she weighed next to nothing.
His kisses grew more passionate. Deeper. Hungrier.
Mira could hardly catch her breath. This was crazy. Insane. “Get the fuck out!”
Noah stopped. A look of confusion and shock flashed in his eyes. “What?”
Mira laughed, covering her mouth as heat rushed to her cheeks. “I’m sorry. That sort of slips out whenever I’m surprised.”
Noah’s brow pinched. “You’re surprised?”
She bit back another laugh and went with an enthusiastic nod instead.
“Why?”
Mira’s head spun and she strained to sit upright. How could she explain this? “Men like you don’t come home with women like me, Noah.”
He shook his head. “Why?”
He sounded like a broken record now.
“Be-because,” she said stammering through her reply. “Look at you.”
Noah rose and stood by the sofa, gazing down at her. “What about me?”
“Uh … well, you’re built like a Greek god and you have a reputation as a …” She searched for the correct words—words that held a little more delicacy than man-whore. “Ladies’ man?”
“Humph.” He rested his hands on his hips. “Ladies’ man, huh?”
“I was being polite.” Mira squirmed.
Noah’s eyebrows arched high. “Is that so?” He folded his arms across his chest. “Why don’t you tell me how you really feel, Mira?”
Bile shot up in the back of her throat as her nervous demeanor morphed into one a little more hostile. “How I really feel?” Dozens of irritating things about the man came to mind. Everything from his obnoxious, too-loud laugh, to the ugly reindeer sweater he wore, to the Christmas party every friggin’ year. “Well … for starters, you brag about your conquests entirely too much.” She’d keep her comments limited to the facts rather than opinions. “You treat women like trophies and well … you seem to have a serious problem with my ass.” The last part flew out of her mouth so fast she had no time to reel it back in.
Noah folded his hand around hers, then took the keys away, and unlocked the door.
Her pulse raced, quickly reaching full throttle.
When they entered the house, Mira’s purse slipped from her grasp and landed on the floor by her feet.
Noah nudged her against the door, closing it behind them.
Mira gasped. His smoldering expression turned her stomach upside down, and heat pooled between her legs. Had he cast a spell, stealing away her ability to escape? Her skin tingled at the thought of giving in to his silent intent.
Noah’s hands found her midsection and needy eyes drank her in as though she were a mug of hot, buttered rum on a cold winter’s night.
I’ve totally lost my mind. “Is this really happening?” Did I say that aloud?
Noah’s eyes gleamed and a mischievous grin spread across his face. “Oh, it’s happening.”
Links:
Author Bio:
Robin Badillo and her pseudonym, Tyler Robbins, is a down to earth mother of four, born and raised in a small Texas town where she still resides with her nearly grown kids and a pack of spoiled dogs.
After years of being a wife and mom, complete with company picnics and fundraisers for the P.T.A., Robin found herself starting over when her husband of fifteen years suddenly passed away. With no particular skills to speak of other than making killer chili con queso, Robin took the advice of friends and family, and followed her heart and passion for writing into the publishing world.
A fan of paranormal and southern romance novels, Robin does her best to offer up a plethora of tasty morsels to satisfy her readers’ appetite. Whether mainstream and/or paranormal erotic romance or Tyler’s LGBT romance line, Robin strives to create characters who are endearing and relatable.
Adversity is Robin’s motivation, which explains why she’s a true believer that grey hair is simply God’s graffiti.
Author Links:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/robin.badillo
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Robin_Badillo
Website/Blog
December 10, 2015
Spotlight on The Dukes’ Christmas Abductions by Doris O’Connor (@mamaD8) and Raven McAllan (@RavenMcAllan)
reader group The RavdorChicks started nagging us—in the nicest possible way of course—that they would love us to write a story together.
So, after much frantic skype messaging, where we brainstormed ideas, and one very sleepless night from me, when the start of a workable story actually came to me, the idea
was born. What followed was a fun filled four days with Raven in Scotland, where we put our heads down, fuelled by wine, chocolate, and Gin&Tonics, and our fingers flew.
We had so much fun writing this story I can say this won’t be our last collaboration. We hope readers will like The Dukes’ Christmas Abductions as much as we loved writing this story.
Much love from both of us!
Stay naughty now, folks.
D & R
xxx
Blurb:
Follow your heart and cross space and time…
When Clara lands the job as curator of Faversham House it’s a dream come true. Especially when her favorite Regency Erotica writer Vicky Hopewell shadows her in the run up to the annual estate ball—a tradition left over from Regency times. The costume ball is always the highlight of the year, but neither woman expects to be confronted by two drop dead gorgeous Dukes.
Daniel Danvers, the Duke of Hockwell thinks Clara is one of the servants invited to the estate ball. Kit Capel, the Duke of Aulban cannot understand why his wife Victoria acts as though she doesn’t know him.
As both couples slowly come to terms with the reality of their situations, can they find happiness? Is it as simple as following your heart?
Be Warned: bondage, spanking
Buy it from: Evernight Amazon Amazon UK ARe Bookstrand
Excerpt (18+):
Daniel paused mid swatting the delectable arse in front of him to rub, what must be a considerable ache by now, away. His quarry had stopped screaming for this
Vicky, at last, and unless his senses were completely off, she was starting to enjoy his attention. Certainly her breaths were coming in short gasps, and
instead of struggling, she was raising her bottom into every carefully placed swat of his hand.
The evening was definitely looking up. As was his cock, which was in danger of splitting his evening breeches. There was one way to find out for sure. Daniel slipped his fingers under the hideous undergarments, and smirked at the all over body shiver his girl gave. Satisfied with not only her reaction but also by the wet, hair-free cunt he found, he let his digits linger.
“Oh, god.”
Her breathless moan spurred him on, and he grinned when he found her hidden pearl.She shivered again when he circled the tight nub, and Daniel set up lazy circles, designed to drive any woman wild. This chit proved no exception. The air grew heavy with the musk of aroused woman, and Daniel inhaled deeply, before he stopped the movement.
A strangled groan escaped his girl, and he tapped her arse again, when she tried to rub her cunt on his fingers. “Oh, no, you don’t. I want the truth, starting with your name, and maybe then I’ll let you find release. Only on my say so, though, are we clear here, girl?”
“Fuck, yes … ow.”
Her arse cheeks wobbled most satisfactorily, when he yanked that odd fabric down to her knees, and delivered a few more swats to her delectable arse. The woman had a derriere made for fucking, hips to grab onto while he sunk his cock into her body and claimed what was his. That thought made his head come up. His? He had no business having proprietary thoughts toward a servant like that.
“Fuck, we most certainly will, but not without you telling me who you are, so…” He delivered another open handed swat across both of her arse cheeks this time, and her answering deep throated moan made him go so hard it was a wonder he hadn’t spilled in his breeches yet.
“Clara, Sir. My name is Clara.”
Daniel slid his fingers through her sodden slit, and flicked her nub once, causing her to give another one of those cock hardening moans. “Very
nice, but the correct address would be my lord, chit, would it not?”
A strangled groan was his response this time, and when he withdrew his fingers again, she slumped. “Sorry,
My Lord.”
The girl, Clara, he mentally amended, had fire, that was for sure, if the intonation she gave his title was anything to go by. A certain amount of boldness was something Daniel certainly appreciated in his bed partners. If Clara was a lady’s maid, she was wasted in that position. As his mistress, however… His mood improved dramatically as that thought took hold.
It was Christmas, time to be charitable and all that went with such bounty, and what could be better than elevating this lovely creature from her status of mere
servant to his mistress.
Mind thus made up, it was time to taste her nectar and to see if what he was suspecting would be true. That Clara and he would mesh perfectly in the bedroom, and he could let his darker desires shine through. He indulged himself by sliding several digits through her wet cunt, lubricating them with her juices, before he slipped one finger into her tight channel, and
brought his thumb to press against the puckered hole, guarding that entrance.
Clara stiffened slightly, but she didn’t voice any protest, and when he started to thrust the finger in her cunt slowly in and out of her, she gasped. Her hips rose in involuntary jerks, which told him how close she already was to exploding under his ministrations. Her untutored responses made him want to hurry this along, but Daniel was never an inconsiderate lover. He would give
her several releases before he claimed his own.
“Good girl, and who do you work for?”
Clara moaned and writhed against him, her internal muscles fluttering around his fingers in rippling moves, which signaled her impending orgasm as clearly as the rosy flush spreading across her skin. So beautifully responsive. She jerked when he tapped her nub, and then withdrew his hand. “Faversham Estate. Oh god, please, My Lord … I.” The rest of her pretty little plea was lost in a screech as he swung her off his lap and onto his bed. Her breasts bounced most satisfactorily, and her lovely almond shaped green eyes widened further when he crawled onto the
bed with her, and straddled her midriff. Daniel grasped her arms and brought them high above her head. The action made her breasts rise up in silentoffering, and Daniel smirked.
“Hmm, that would mean you work for me. How delightful. Whatever position you hold here, I much prefer you in this one, unable to move and at my mercy. I’m going to tie your wrists together and tether you to one of the posts, sweet Clara. Is that acceptable to you?”
*****
About the Authors:
Doris O’Connor
Doris is a writer of sensual, sassy, and sexy tales involving alpha heroes to die for, and heroines who give as good as they get. From contemporary to paranormal, Time Travel, Sci-fi, BDSM, F/F, M/M, and Ménage, haunting love stories are guaranteed.
Happily married for the last twenty-five years, she lives with her husband and their brood of nine in a far too small house filled with love, laughter, and chaos. Stalk her in these places
Website Reader Group Tsu Twitter Facebook Pinterest Evernight Publishing
Amazon All Romance E-Books BookStrand Barnes&Noble
Raven McAllan
Raven lives in Scotland, along with her husband—their children having flown the nest—surrounded by beautiful scenery, which inspires a lot of the settings in
her books. She is used to sharing her life with the occasional deer, red squirrel, and lost tourist, to say nothing of the scourge of Scotland—the midge.
A lover of reading, she appreciates the history inside a book, and the chance to peek into the lives of those from years ago. Raven admits that she enjoys the research for her books almost as much as the writing; so much so, that sometimes she realizes she’s strayed way past the information she needs to know, and not a paragraph has been added to her WIP.
She admits she’s no domestic goddess, and wonders why tourists think she might run the local bed and breakfast. She doesn’t.
Her lovely long-suffering husband is learning to love the dust bunnies, work the Aga, and be on stand-by with a glass of wine. Stalk her in these places
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Facebook (Author Page)
Buy Links
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December 9, 2015
Monica Beggs by @Sheri_Fredericks #Contempory #Humor #Romance
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Monica Beggs is more than the hottest porn star out on DVD–she’s Finn Daniel’s next assignment.
Lights. Camera. Lube?
Famous porn star Monica Beggs wrapped up another grueling on-location movie shoot when the Colombian cartel attempted to kidnap her. Their guns are as real as the price on her pretty head.
Former Special Ops and present day surfer, Finn Daniels recognizes a lady in distress when he sees one—especially if it’s his adult film crush being hustled out the door. He’s no longer in the business of busting up the underworld, but that doesn’t deflect his moral compass.
In a fast-paced adventure– over land, sea, and air– playing it hot and heavy will only lead them straight into action!
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Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/1OIUFXH
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Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1KZwC7l
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1LkMxvp
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Name: Monica Beggs (Moni to my friends)
Gender: Female, duh!
Age: 20-something (I’m not telling – LOL)
Profession: Former multiple AVN award-winning adult film actress, now pencil-pushing Admin Assistant to Pacific Surf, Inc.’s CEO. (aka, my husband, Finn.)
Do you have any special skills or training? Uh, well…yeah. No talent that I can use in my new career. (male voice calling from outside the office, “I could use some of your special skills right now, Sweetheart!”) Little does Finn know, I’ve been taking private instruction in mixed-martial arts so I can travel with the team when they go on assignment.
How would you describe yourself? The luckiest woman alive. I’m here, not locked up in a Cartel compound in God-only-knows-where. Plus, I have Finn.
Who is your significant other(s)? Finn Daniels, former Special Ops agent turned surfing accessory entrepreneur, and sometimes hired investigative bodyguard. Is that last one a real job?
How would they describe you? Oh, I’m sure they’d come up with a few doozies, but mostly the worst coffee maker in California, spunky to the point of irritating, buyer of great shoes, and the Energizer lover.
Tell us about your family. I have a sister and five nieces and nephews, my mom lives in Las Vegas (last time I heard), and my dad is in Texas for another fifteen years… doing time. Finn and everyone here at Pacific Surf are my family now.
What do you think was left unsettled in your story? Not so much unsettled as unmentioned, was how Finn dealt with my former manager, Darrell, when he approached us before the last AVN Awards. Let’s just say he sat in the back, in the dark, where nobody would see his face.
If you could change anything about your story, what would it be? I’d happily change the choices I made, or maybe the frustration I allowed myself to feel. But then there wouldn’t have been the adventure that brought Finn and I closer together, the force that drew us together, or the life threatening circumstances that showed me the proof of Finn’s love. Because of all that, I’d never change a thing.
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Author Bio
Always on the hunt for the uncommon things in life, award-winning author Sheri Fredricks thrives on creating adventures in her contemporary stories, mythological kingdom, and soon-to-be-released western time-travels series.
A former engineering secretary, she lives on California’s beautiful central coast. “I wanted to move away from a profession of inflexible right angles and create an unboxed world with no boundaries.” A voracious reader since her early years, Sheri found her brain crowded with stories of her own. “Ultimately,” she says, “my husband encouraged me to write them all down.”
Winner of the Paranormal Romance Guild Reviewer’s Choice Award, and multiple Finalist for InD’Tale Magazine’s Reward Of Novel Excellence (RONE) award, she has numerous five-star reviews everywhere eBooks are sold.
Sheri loves to spend time at home and connecting with readers. A computer hutch keeps her focused on creating stories, but the panoramic view of life on a ranch will call her outside to play in the sun.
Author’s Social Media links
Website: www.sherifredricks.com
Blog: http://sherifredricks.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Sheri_Fredricks
Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/SheriFredricks
Google+: http://is.gd/VmLa5I
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomsheri_fredricks
Author Info: http://www.amazon.com/Sheri-Fredricks/e/B008L3T50Y/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/sheri-fredricks/26/384/829
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sherifredricks
Don’t forget to stop at the other hosts for this tour so you don’t miss a single peek into this book or what this author has to offer!
12/4
Sensuous Promos
http://sensuouspromos.blogspot.com
12/4
Get Cozy
12/5
The Book Pub
http://thebookpub.blogspot.com
12/5
Nics Book Nook
http://nicsbooknook.blogspot.com
12/6
All Book Finds
http://shannaclemens.blogspot.com
12/6
Starla Kaye
http://starlakaye.com/category/blog/
12/7
Nicole Morgan
http://nicolemorganauthor.blogspot.com
12/8
Fantasy Pages
12/8
Nikki Noffsinger
http://nikkitrueblue.blogspot.com/
12/9
Kelsie Belle
https://kelsiebelle.wordpress.com/kelsiebelle
12/9
Taylor Brooks
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12/9
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12/10
Darkest Cravings
http://darkestcravings.blogspot.com
12/10
Michelle Roth
The Sheriff Meets His Match by Jacquie Biggar (Wounded Hearts 4) @jacqbiggar #Contemporary #RomanticSuspense
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Jack Garrett has been stung by love in the past so he’s not in a hurry to get burnt again, but he can’t deny his attraction to the new receptionist, Laurel Thomas.
When trouble comes to Tidal Falls, Jack worries that Laurel is in over her head.
Laurel loves her dysfunctional family but dreams of a place to call home. Just as she settles into a new life, her old one catches up to her and delivers chaos to the town.
Can these two strong personalities find a way to trust in each other and find their happy ever after?
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“Jack.” She inhaled, panting like she’d just run the Boston marathon. “Jack, we have to stop.”
“Hmm?” he hummed and the vibration tickled her core and made her ache with needs and desires fated to be unfulfilled.
“My uncle is in the other room.”
That got a reaction, but not the one she expected.
Instead of leaping away like a scalded cat, Jack laid his forehead alongside hers and took a few cleansing breaths before leaning back.
“You don’t know how relieved I am to hear that.” And then he saw her puzzled frown. “I heard a male voice when I arrived and assumed you had a man here.”
As if that should explain everything.
Laurel scowled. “I do have a man here. I just told you that.”
Now he was getting irritated also. He stood straight and glared into her upturned face. “Don’t be an idiot,” he said.
She gasped in outrage.
“I was talking about a lover, of course,” he growled.
What the h-e-double-l did that mean, of course?
Men.
You can’t live with them, and you can’t shoot ’em. It’s a felony.
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http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0150T696Y/
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From the time Jacquie was twelve years old, she knew she wanted to be a writer. That year she wrote a short story called Count Daffodil after spending countless hours searching for ideas. The story garnered Jacquie an A and was read aloud through the school’s loudspeaker system. Needless to say, after that she was hooked.
Jacquie grew up, got married, raised a family and left her writing urges to simmer in the background unattended.
She owned and operated a successful diner in her hometown for a number of wonderful years before deciding to live her dream of becoming an author.
Jacquie’s first book, Tidal Falls, a romantic suspense novel about second chances, released September of 2014.
http://Facebook.com/jacqbiggar
http://amazon.com/author/jacquiebiggar
https://www.goodreads.com/JacquieBiggar
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Don’t forget to stop at the other hosts for this tour so you don’t miss a single peek into this book or what this author has to offer!
12/8
Sensuous Promos
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12/8
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12/9
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12/10
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12/10
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12/11
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12/11
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http://nikkitrueblue.blogspot.com/
12/12
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12/13
The Book Pub
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12/13
Darkest Cravings
http://darkestcravings.blogsot.com
12/14
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12/14
Kelsie Belle
https://kelsiebelle.wordpress.com/kelsiebelle
December 7, 2015
Turn Card (The Kathleen Turner Series) by @Destiny Blaine #Romance #Military
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~Not everyone plays by the rules~
Kade Dennon tried to stay away from his brother’s girlfriend and remain loyal to the only family he’s ever known but Kathleen Turner is his forbidden fruit. Eventually temptation drags Kade back to Indianapolis and the one woman who feels like home.
~The players changed but the game remains the same~
Kathleen Turner knows what she wants and who she desires. She seizes a new job and an opportunity unfolds. Soon, she’s working with her boyfriend’s brother and nothing will ever be the same again when Kade stakes a claim and aims for Kathleen’s heart.
~It’s impossible to break a player who refuses to lose~
Blane Kirk needs his brother Kade to keep his girlfriend safe but when Blane sends Kathleen out of Indianapolis to protect her, he has no idea what kind of danger Kade and Kathleen will find while testing a new Las Vegas casino loyalty program. When an old enemy resurfaces with threats and an agenda, Blane goes to Sin City to warn his brother and discovers a few unwanted surprises of his own.
~A house of cards now destined to fall~
Working side by side, Kathleen’s and Kade’s relationship quickly changes, a fact they can’t deny. Seduction and passion lead them to a night that will scorch the sand right off the Mohave Desert and this time, foreplay won’t sustain them. With no one to stop them, Kade and Kathleen tread into the realms of unforgivable betrayal. And when Blane arrives in Vegas, he realizes too late that his brother is now playing for keeps.
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“I’m Kathleen Turner, the new tramp…I mean temp.” Certain her expression revealed her absolute horror, Kathleen cleared her throat and tried again. “Get to Work Indianapolis sent me.”
“Perfect.” The sharply dressed receptionist tucked a phone between her ear and shoulder before leveling a cool glare at Kathleen. “Let’s hope your Freudian slip isn’t a sign of things to come.” The older woman looked like she’d taken a plunge off the backside of sixty-five and wasn’t too happy about it. She grabbed a clipboard full of forms and shoved it forward. “Looks like we get what we pay for.”
Instead of adding a dash of smartass to a heaping cup of embarrassment, compliments of a lousy first impression, Kathleen said, “Thank you. I’ll get to work on these.”
“You do that,” the receptionist said, pasting on a smile.
Kathleen claimed her spot in a comfortable oversized chair. She took a minute and scanned the spacious lobby, admiring the tasteful décor. The walls, filled with mosaic artwork, brought out the gold and royal blue hues in the circular sofas. At least Galloway and Associates made their first impression count. The waiting area was like a welcoming hug, a greeting that more or less assured visitors of a nice environment. The mid-wall oval windows provided good lighting and the versatile rugs with various patterns gave the office instant appeal.
“What’d I tell you?” The older woman hissed. “This temp agency leaves a lot to be desired. Third time is anything but a charm.”
So much for the welcoming hug.
As the receptionist gossiped on the phone, the scent of hazelnut coffee filled the air with a hypnotic blend. A proud java connoisseur, Kathleen often drove several miles out of her way just to visit a new coffee shop or try a new blend.
Realizing she probably shouldn’t make a beeline for the refreshment station so soon after her arrival, she quickly filled out her employee paperwork. Minutes later, the receptionist made her way to the nearby coffee bar and filled a Styrofoam cup. Over her shoulder, she snapped, “Mr. Galloway is waiting. Let me know when you’re finished.”
“Sure thing,” said Kathleen, taking a deep breath.
Too bad she couldn’t reap the aromatic coffee’s benefits by inhaling the air. Smelling warm caffeine held as much appeal as watching a steamy rated-R movie. The hot scenes might awaken the senses, but in the end, the viewer didn’t get anything out of it.
Kathleen set aside pen and clipboard. With full intentions of pursuing that coffee carafe, she jumped when the blue-haired lady asked, “Done already?”
“Um…almost,” Kathleen replied, picking up where she left off. She glanced over her shoulder and decided not to chance it since Mr. Galloway was “waiting” and she hadn’t exactly dropped by for refreshments.
The receptionist smirked. “I’ll let Mr. Galloway know you’ll be a few more minutes.”
“That isn’t necessary. All done here.” Whatever she’d scribbled down would soon become part of her permanent employee file so she hurriedly read over her answers a final time.
She’d told the truth about where she lived. She’d skipped the part about why she’d left her last job. She was honest about her education, but fudged about her career aspirations. Kathleen needed a job but she wanted this job.
According to a recent press release, Galloway and Associates had been retained by Worldwide Entertainment Software, a China-based company often commended for their innovative slots. Galloway’s programmers would conduct initial tests on upgraded player loyalty cards in Nevada-based casinos. While Kathleen didn’t know squat about gambling, she wanted the job at Galloway for personal reasons. She’d recognized someone in one of their press release photos. That ‘someone’ would lead her to CJ, her former neighbor.
Kathleen was prepared to do whatever necessary to land the job at Galloway. If things didn’t go well, she could always return to her old job at Gage, Kirk, and Trent.
At the thought, she sighed in resignation. She didn’t want to work for her boyfriend—if she could even call him that—but Blane Kirk had assured her that she had job security regardless of what their future held.
Sometimes she wondered if that was a warning in itself.
“Hmm,” the receptionist muttered, reviewing Kathleen’s paperwork. “Interesting.”
While Kathleen waited, she revisited her reasons for avoiding further employment at Gage, Kirk, and Trent. Blane typically didn’t keep a steady girlfriend for longer than a season. Spring was right around the corner and based on Blane’s relationship history, she’d begun to dread the expensive parting gift, a classy but predictable MO that he used to cut ties.
In Blane’s defense, he had tried to convince her to remain at the firm. He’d kicked in perks, a raise, and an office with a view. His generous offers tempted her, but she stuck to her guns. She didn’t want to be known as the woman who slept with her boss.
“Are you willing to work out of town when the job requires it?”
The question startled Kathleen. Would Blane want a girlfriend who traveled? And since when had she begun to think of herself as ‘his’ girlfriend? They were more like friends-with-benefits than a couple heading for the committed relationship discussion.
Clearing her throat, she said, “Yes, of course.” The “requires it” phrase insinuated only one right answer existed.
“Perfect. I’ll fax these upstairs. Take the elevator to the fourth floor. You’ll find Mr. Galloway there.”
“Thank you.”
“Yes, well, you might.” After a final head-to-toe appraisal, she squinted and quickly added, “If you don’t, he probably will.”
Boarding the elevator, Kathleen recalled the last time she had worked for a temp agency. It had been disastrous from the get-go. She worked briefly for a monster—Stephen Avery. It didn’t end well. She still shuddered at the memory.
Kathleen had landed face-down on a bed and Avery, thanks to putting her in that position in the first place, wound up dead. If it hadn’t been for Kade Dennon, Blane’s half-brother, she might have been—would’ve been—damaged for life, maybe even killed.
Jolted from her thoughts when the loud ding announced her top floor arrival, Kathleen stepped off the elevator. Instead of finding a suite arrangement with closed office doors and a receptionist to handle the business going on behind them, she walked straight into an open floor plan without cubicles or walls. It reminded her of a loft apartment rather than a business office.
To the left, a wall of windows offered enough light to make her feel as if she were standing outside in the warm sun. To the right, she spotted a spacious living room arrangement, complete with leather sofas, a glass coffee table, packed bookshelves, and a wet bar.
“Mr. Galloway?” She walked toward the large desk in the room’s center. “Your receptionist told me it was okay to come on up.”
Seated in an executive chair, Galloway faced the window. At first Kathleen thought he might have been on the phone, but after noticing it was cradled on its stand, she asked, “Um…should I come back?”
“No.” Galloway’s deep baritone voice was somewhat recognizable but she couldn’t place it by the simple one-word response. The leatherback chair slowly swiveled around. It was as if the man seated there had thought out this moment and wanted to set up the right scene. Almost cobalt-blue in color, his eyes twinkled as he tucked steepled fingers under his chin.
Kathleen’s heart raced as soon as she saw him. Her next breath caught in her chest. What was he doing here?
Full lips twitched before a slow smile crept across them, but the grin contradicted the tight expression on his face, the coolness in his hypnotic gaze.
Kathleen stared back at the man who had saved her from what could’ve been the worst night of her life. Given the look on his face, he may have been revisiting recent memories, too. His recollections were probably in line with what happened after he saved her.
She fidgeted. Smoothing her hands across her ordinary black skirt, she looked at him spot-on and waited for him to speak. At that moment, his blue-hot gaze dipped and his tongue swept across a too-noticeable mouth.
“Hello, princess.” This time his smile lit up the room. “I’ve been expecting you.”
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For more than a decade, Destiny Blaine and her pseudonyms have earned the coveted #1 spot in over half of Amazon’s sub-categories. Her international bestsellers have landed in the top 20 in many categories at Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon CA and Amazon Australia. With more than 300 titles on the market today, Destiny is widely known as a sprint writer and currently writes under seven active pen names.
In 2015, Destiny will release more than 22 novels and novellas. She still takes on the occasional ghostwriting project and is represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency.
Married for almost 25 years, Destiny and her husband have two grown children and love their empty nest. They spend a lot of time with their granddoll in Connecticut and Virginia Beach.
When Destiny isn’t writing, she can be found watching a football game, attending music festivals and book events, or playing casino craps and poker at one of her favorite casinos.
Author’s Social Media links
Twitter https://twitter.com/destinyblaine
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/destinyblaine/
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Don’t forget to stop at the other hosts for this tour so you don’t miss a single peek into this book or what this author has to offer!
12/3
Sensuous Promos
http://sensuouspromos.blogspot.com
12/3
Nicole Morgan
http://nicolemorganauthor.blogspot.com
12/3
All Book Finds
http://shannaclemens.blogspot.com
12/4
Sage Marlowe
http://sage-marlowe.blogspot.com
12/4
Bound by Passion
12/5
Nicki Day
12/5
Get Cozy
12/6
Darkest Cravings
http://darkestcravings.blogspot.com
12/7
The Book Pub
http://thebookpub.blogspot.com
12/7
Nikki Noffsinger
http://nikkitrueblue.blogspot.com/
12/7
Kelsie Belle
https://kelsiebelle.wordpress.com/kelsiebelle
12/8
Nics Book Nook
http://nicsbooknook.blogspot.com
12/8
Michelle Roth
12/9
Andrew Jericho
http://andrewjericho.com/blog/
12/9
Taylor Brooks
http://authortaylorbrooks.blogspot.com
December 6, 2015
Book Tour: Trusting Love Again @starla_kaye #ContemporaryRomance #Abuse #Healing @BlackVelvetSeductions
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Book Title: Trusting Love Again
Publisher: Black Velvet Seductions
Date Published: November 8, 2015
ISBN: 2940156674237
ASIN: B017RNS888
Genre: Contemporary romance
Heat Rating: 3
Page Count: 99
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All she wants is to start over, live a peaceful life…
After an abusive marriage and an ugly divorce, Toni needs to rebuild her self-confidence and start a new life in her hometown. Going home again and confronting people she’d hurt when she’d left is never easy. She’d hung onto the idea of buying a long-abandoned old house and remodeling it to help her recover. But a man from her past has recently purchased it for his business. That’s her emotional breaking point and she does something reckless. Now she must pay the legal consequences of her foolish actions…by working for him.
All he wants is to focus on his work…
Chad’s job as a lawyer working to protect the rights of the abused elderly consumes his time and energy. It cost him his marriage and an aborted child he hadn’t known about. Now he works harder, guards his bruised heart. Yet the return of someone he’d held secret feelings for comes back to town. She upsets his world, starting with minor destruction of his business property and causing him minor injury. He shouldn’t become involved in helping this troubled woman, yet he can’t keep from doing so.
Two heart-damaged people have trouble trusting love again.
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Trusting-Love-Again-Starla-Kaye-ebook/dp/B017RNS888/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/trusting-love-again-starla-kaye/1122924735
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He glanced at the young woman standing close by, worrying her lower lip. “Maybe you should call—”
“What? Call my father? Because I’m acting a little wild?” Toni snorted and cut him off. “I have every right to act upset. Yet another man has messed with me, lied to me.”
His angular face tightened in annoyance. “I still have no idea what you’re talking about.” He stepped closer and reached for her.
“No!” She jumped back, breaking off the other stiletto heel, and barely managed to keep from falling. Her entire body tensed.
A memory flashed into her mind. Stanley had grabbed her arms during their last argument right after they’d eaten a special meal she’d prepared for him. His grip had been agonizingly tight. When she’d hissed in pain, he’d shoved her away. She’d landed hard on the floor, knocking her head against the dining room table. After a half-second of possibly regret, he’d turned and hurried out of the house. No apology.
“Antoinette,” Chad said again, sounding cautious.
She pushed the recollection away and looked at Chad. His expression appeared concerned. Again, he inched forward and tried to reach for her.
“Don’t touch me!” she gasped, batting his hand away, dropping the heel and purse. She hated that she was reacting this way but felt helpless to control it.
“What’s your problem?” Appearing confused, he moved toward her once more.
Panicked, defensive, and determined to stop him, she snagged the iPad from his grasp, flung it away. It crashed into the nearby towering, leafless elm tree. The sound of cracking glass made her flinch. What had she done?
Footsteps behind her on the sidewalk pounded in her direction. The young woman on the porch gasped and Chad’s father walked behind him.
“Have you been drinking?” Chad’s tone dripped with disgust as he seemed to sniff for hints of alcohol.
Her cheeks flamed. “No, I haven’t been!” she bit out. It was humiliating to realize that her brother must have told Chad about her drinking problem, something he must have read in the gossip columns.
His vivid blue eyes didn’t look as though he believed her. His jaw taut, he latched onto her left forearm before she could move. He gripped her tightly.
No! Panicked, she drew on the self-defense lessons she’d learned after the separation. With a palm strike, she gave a hard jab to his shoulder.
“What the hell?” he snapped, jerking but not releasing her. His arm was stretched out between them.
Heart racing, she hit his elbow with another palm strike. This time he lost his grasp on her arm and glowered at her in frustration and pain. She sensed he would reach for her again, but she couldn’t let it happen.
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Starla Kaye wears many hats professionally and as a writer. She is the community coordinator for a Midwestern accounting firm, a gerontologist who volunteers with an active group of senior adults, a mentor/teacher of writing, and a multi-published author. She dabbles in writing romances of many sub-genres: contemporary, historical Western, medieval, sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, and Regency. To date she has published 20 novels, 39 novellas, 8 anthologies, 18 short stories, and 3 audio books. You can learn more about her work at http://starlakaye.com
Website:
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/starla_kaye
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/StarlaKayeWriter
Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/starlakaye/
Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Starla-Kaye/e/B002ZH8K3U
Goodreads Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5494986-starla-kaye
Authors Den Page:
http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=151725
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Don’t forget to stop at the other hosts for this tour so you don’t miss a single peek into this book or what this author has to offer!
12/1
Sensuous Promos
http://sensuouspromos.blogspot.com
12/1
Nics Book Nook
http://nicsbooknook.blogspot.com
12/1
Nicole Morgan
http://nicolemorganauthor.blogspot.com
12/2
Andrew Jericho
http://andrewjericho.com/blog/
12/2
Taylor Brooks
http://authortaylorbrooks.blogspot.com
12/2
Darkest Cravings
http://darkestcravings.blogspot.com
12/3
Nicki Day
12/3
Get Cozy
12/4
The Book Pub
http://thebookpub.blogspot.com
12/4
All Book Finds
http://shannaclemens.blogspot.com
12/4
Kelsie Belle
https://kelsiebelle.wordpress.com/kelsiebelle
12/5
Sage Marlowe
http://sage-marlowe.blogspot.com
12/6
Fantasy Pages
12/7
Nikki Noffsinger
http://nikkitrueblue.blogspot.com/
12/7
Michelle Roth
