Shelli Stevens's Blog, page 11
July 14, 2012
Snippet Saturday ~ Midnight Rider
Welcome to another Snippet Saturday. Today’s theme is Midnight Rider (hunky hero/bad boys!). Enjoy my excerpt and then blog hop to the other blogs listed below.
He’s going to show this wedding crasher just how dirty the outdoors can be.
Seattle Steam, Book 3
Allison Siegel is out to stop a wedding. With one of her best childhood friends about to marry a gold-digger, who wouldn’t at least try to stage an intervention? Apparently, her other childhood bestie, Clint.The minute Allie grew out of her sneakers and into her curves, Clint’s hormones went ballistic. But she had eyes only for Ken, so Clint made himself scarce, even after the relationship fizzled. Now she’s back, looking better than ever—and hell-bent on sabotaging Ken’s wedding. So Clint knows he needs to do whatever it takes to head her off at the pass.
Kidnapped! Allison can’t believe it. Now she’s stuck in the Montana backwoods fending off nature’s friends, and fighting a losing battle to resist Clint—the sexiest forest ranger on the planet.
Clint has big plans for Allie. Not only will he convince a city girl that she needs to embrace her inner nature freak, but he’s going to prove there’s sparks flying in more places than just the campfire.
Now available Samhain Publishing | Kindle | Nook | Print
Warnings
This book contains a city girl out of her element, a forest ranger determined to keep her there, and a campfire seduction hot enough to melt more than just marshmallows.
EXCERPT
“This is ridiculous!” She stared out at the blur of trees as they sped down a deserted road. “Where are we going?”
“Away,” he answered ambiguously.
“Away,” she mimicked him. “We’re going away? What the hell kind of answer is that?”
“The only answer you’re getting right now. And watch your mouth. I know your mom taught you better.”
“Didn’t your mom teach you that kidnapping is a felony?” she shot back and slapped the window again.
“If you break my window it’s going to seriously piss me off, Allie.”
“Well, guess what? I’m already pissed.” Slap. Her hand connected with the glass again and again. “Maybe you should have taken that into account when you abducted me, Clint.”
She nearly fell out of her seat as he swerved the car to the side of the road.
Was he going to let her go? Leave her stuck on some random back road? Hell, she didn’t care, she’d hike her way back to her car if she had to.
He climbed out of the vehicle and came around her side, wrenching open the door.
“Get out.”
Relief flooded through her. He was letting her go. Finally. She scooted out the door, making the jump down to the ground and smoothing her dress back down her thighs.
“Well, it’s about time you came to your senses—oh!”
He jerked her hard against him, both of her wrists in one of his massive hands.
“Maybe I didn’t make myself clear,” he murmured, his gaze full of determination and something else…something hot. Something that sent a jolt of heat straight from her stomach to between her legs.
Her pulse quickened and she dragged in a shuddering breath, tugging at her hands.
“Have you gone completely insane?” she whispered.
“Maybe.” His lips twisted, his gaze roving over her face. “Or maybe I’m just willing to go to any lengths to make sure you don’t break up Kenneth’s wedding.”
“I’m not…” She ran her tongue over her suddenly dry lips. “Wait, Kenneth’s wedding isn’t until next week.”
“Exactly. And that means we’ll have one whole week to catch up, kitten.”
Clint watched her eyes widen with shock and he almost felt sorry for her—almost. Except he’d warned her multiple times and she needed to be stopped.
Taking her out of the equation had been an idea he’d been playing with since she’d threatened to show up at the house this morning. And the more he thought about it, the better the idea had seemed.
He’d been ready, sitting in his SUV parked down the street and drinking coffee, waiting to see if she really had the balls to show up again. Not really thinking she would, but somewhat excited when she did.
“Clint, you can’t do this,” she choked, her body beginning to tremble. “This is kidnapping!”
“Yeah, you said that already.”
“You can’t take me away for a week!” She tugged at her wrists again, and he tightened his hold. “Oh my God. You’ve gone loony, Clint. You’re—argh!”
Her knee connected with his shin and he winced, pushing her back against his SUV.
“Stop it,” he said, irritated now. He tried not to think about how soft her body was against him and how her breasts pressed against his chest. “I’m not the one trying to break up a wedding.”
Her eyes flashed with frustration and fury. “You can’t play God, Clint.”
“And neither will you, Allie. Even if I have to see to it.”
She lowered her gaze and he watched her small pink tongue sweep across her lush mouth again. He bit back a groan. Man, she looked sexy when she did that. And she did it a lot.
“Okay,” her tone calmed significantly. “You’re right. Of course you’re right. Why don’t you just take me back to my car and I’ll just drive home. Deal?”
His chest shook with laughter and he shook his head. How stupid did she think he was? Did she honestly think she could pull out that docile act to convince him she’d changed her mind? He knew her way too well for that.
“No deal. I can’t take that risk. I don’t trust you any further than I can spit, kitten.”
“Stop calling me kitten,” she yelled and tried to—oh hell no she didn’t—knee him in the groin.
He pressed his body harder against her, making sure she couldn’t move. She glared at him, her mouth drawn tight and her breasts rising and falling with each breath she jerked in.
“Besides,” he continued softly, and gave her a slow smile. “A week together means we can take up where we left off last night.”
“If you think I would ever go to bed with you after—”
“I don’t think, I know, Allie. And I’m pretty sure you know it too.”
He reached out and ran a finger down the side of her soft cheek, and she sucked in a swift breath. He watched the heat flicker in her eyes and knew she could—and probably would—deny it until she was blue in the face, but Allison wanted him.
“I repeat. You’re loony.”
He laughed again. “I will bring you back here, but not until Ashley and Ken have exchanged their vows.”
“That’s not until next week,” she said again in a rush. “I have to be at work.”
“No, you don’t, teachers have summers off.” He watched her eyes round with shock.
What, did she think he’d forgotten about the teaching job at a private school Kenneth had gotten her a couple years ago? Whether she was the most qualified candidate or not, just the recommendation from a Williams’ family member—and money donated—was enough to guarantee her the position.
His thumb slid inward to stroke over her bottom lip. Her body trembled in the response. God, he wanted her.
“You have no right to do this to me, Clint. None. You’re being a total jerk. This is just—”
He pulled his thumb away and replaced it with his mouth. Crushing his lips down on hers in a kiss to stop her tirade, and because he couldn’t resist her any longer.
Her angry gasp parted her lips enough to let him slide is tongue into the moist cavern of her mouth. He tasted her. Warm, succulent and the spicy taste of cinnamon gum.
She struggled against him, each twist of her body brushed her breasts into contact with his chest. He slowed the kiss, rubbing his tongue against hers. The friction had his dick pulsing against his jeans and he ground himself against her stomach.
The fight in her seemed to disappear and she went slack in his arms. Her small moan sent a jolt of triumph through him and he released her wrists so he could grab her ass.
The swell of her bottom spilled over into his palms, and he squeezed the soft flesh, pulling her harder against him.
Allison. God he wanted her. Had been wanting her for so many years now. He was tempted to take her here on the side of the damn road.
Crack. The sound reached him before the sting of her palm glancing across his cheek.
She wrenched her mouth away from his, and glared up at him, her gaze both hot and skittish.
His fingers dug into her ass cheeks and his jaw clenched. Okay, maybe you deserved that. Taking a deep breath, he counted to ten.
“You know what, Allie?”
“You’re going to come to your senses and let me go?” she suggested with tight sarcasm.
“Oh, hell no, I’m gonna keep you.” He slid one hand up her back and pushed her close, until her tight nipples rubbed against his chest. “And I think we’re going to have a lot of fun together this week.”
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Leah Braemel
Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Mandy M Roth
Lissa Matthews
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Shiloh Walker
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Lauren Dane
Shelli Stevens
TJ Michaels
July 7, 2012
Snippet Saturday ~ Reunited
Welcome to another Snippet Saturday, where today’s theme is Reunited. Check out my excerpt and then hop on over to the other blogs listed below.
Revenge can be sweet…and oh so sexy.
Lena Richards’s whirlwind vacation to Europe with a friend is a welcome chance to shake her pre-wedding jitters—until she learns her high-school sweetheart is cheating on her, Hawaiian-style. Figuring all’s fair, she indulges in a fling of her own with a sexy New Yorker she meets in Amsterdam whose kiss blows her mind—and the lid off her hormones.
Tyler Bentz is wary that the petite bombshell, who only a short time ago insisted their one kiss must never happen again, has done a complete 180. His questions only make it clear she’s interested in probing of the sexual kind. Who is he to turn her down?
As they burn their way across Europe, something shifts, and it’s not just the earth moving with their exploding passion. Lena begins to realize what it really means to fall in love. And Tyler finds himself tumbling hard and fast.
Reality catches up with them in Paris, leaving Tyler to wonder if Lena’s really the one, or if he’s nothing more to her than a pawn in her game of revenge.
Product Warnings
Americans misbehaving in Europe. An attraction more potent than any drug Amsterdam has to offer. A fling that breaks all the rules. And the creative, sensual use of Chinese takeout.
Buy at Samhain | Amazon | Barnes and Noble
EXCERPT
The crash woke her. Then came the sound of breaking glass. Lena’s eyes snapped open, and her body froze after she’d jerked the blankets up to her chin.
It all came rushing back. Tyler was in the cabin.
Daylight had not yet broken, but she could hear the twitter of birds and the faintest light that suggested dawn fast approached.
She held her breath and stared at the closed door of the bedroom. Tyler was most definitely awake. His curses and footsteps filled the cabin.
“Where the hell am I?” His yell resonated.
Lena flinched, wishing that there were a lock on the bedroom door. Why hadn’t she barricaded herself in? Or put the dresser in front of the door as a way to slow him down?
“Where are the damn lights?” He let out a yelp of pain. “Damn it.”
Great, he must have stubbed his toe or something. Oh, yes, he was awake and as ornery as a bear.
“There’s gotta be a light around here,” he muttered. “Wherever here is.”
Light appeared through the crack of the doorway, signaling he’d found the switch for the living room. His footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Lena watched the doorknob twist and gave a silent prayer, tugging the blanket all the way up to her nose. Maybe he’ll be too out of it to see me.
The door swung open, and she bit her lip to keep from groaning. Tyler poked his head in and glanced around. It was silent for a moment, and then he shut the door.
Lena blinked and lowered the blanket and then sat up. He hadn’t noticed—
The door burst back open, and she screamed, scrambling to get out off the bed.
Tyler bolted across the room and jumped on the bed, sending her bouncing across to the other side of the mattress.
He grabbed her leg before she could fall off. His hands jerked her back onto the bed as he pinned her down flat on her back, her arms held above her head.
“I’m going to kill you, Stephanie,” he growled and then went still. “Lena.”
“Umm…yeah. Surprise.” She attempted a light laugh. Oh, Lord. He was lying on top of her. She couldn’t think with him on top of her. “You’re kind of heavy. Would you mind getting off me, please?”
Tyler paused a moment before lifting his body from hers. He swung his legs off the bed and groaned.
“Tyler—”
“I don’t even want to know right now,” he mumbled. “Don’t try to explain, and don’t tell me anything. I just really need something for this headache.”
“Headache?” Maybe he had been drinking last night. “Are you hung over?”
His head turned and the look he gave her could have frozen boiling water.
Her eyes widened, and she scurried off the bed. “Right. Let me go see if I can find something for you.”
She hurried into the bathroom and came back a minute later with two aspirin and a paper cup of water. She sat down on the edge of the bed and handed them to him.
“Thanks.” He swallowed the pills and water. Pulling his legs back up on the bed, he stretched his body out and pulled a blanket over himself.
Her breath caught. No way. There was no way she would sleep in the same bed with him.
“Umm, Tyler, this is actually my bed. If you could—” He opened one eye to stare at her, and she broke off.
“Lena, I feel like I got hit by a train. This is a double bed that can fit two, so I’m not moving. If you’ve got a problem, you go sleep on the stupid couch.”
“But—”
He reached up and closed a hand over her mouth. “We will talk in the morning. Now be quiet.”
Annoyance sparked in her belly, and she thrust his hand aside. She glared at him, hoping it would inspire him to change his mind. But he’d already shut his eyes and seemed oblivious to her telepathically yelling at him to get the hell out of her bed.
Her gaze drifted toward the living room and her second option, the couch. The idea of padding across the cool floor and sleeping on the couch with just an afghan held little appeal.
She sighed and lay down next to him, scooting as close to the edge of the bed as possible so their bodies wouldn’t touch.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she focused on the image of what she’d say to Stephanie when she came back to pick them up.
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Leah Braemel
Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Mandy M Roth
Lissa Matthews
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Shiloh Walker
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Lauren Dane
Shelli Stevens
June 30, 2012
Snippet Saturday ~ Author’s Choice
Welcome to another Snippet Saturday, where today’s theme is Author’s Choice. Check out my excerpt and then hop on over to the other blogs listed below.
The man who vows to protect her may be her biggest threat.
Savage, Book 1
Being the daughter of a world-renowned scientist, Sienna Peters has struggled to carve out her own career in the field. But her world is sent spinning when she discovers a secret species being held in the lab where she works, and the horrible things being done to them. Compelled to do more than hand off an information-packed jump drive to her father, she sets out to free the creatures.
The minute his team enters the compound, federal agent Warrick Donovan knows their mission will have more trouble than they bargained on. Unfortunately, trouble comes in the form of Sienna Peters, the younger sister of his close friend. Now not only does he need to save her pretty ass, he needs to discover just how involved she is with the imprisonment of the shifters.
Sienna knows she should trust no one—not even the man she might still love. But as the danger escalates and past passion ignites, her heart has other ideas. Even when the shroud of mystery is ripped off more than one stunning truth…
Order on Kindle | Nook | Samhain Publishing
EXCERPT
Oh my fucking God.
Sienna stared up at the man above her, her eyes rounded in disbelief. She probably would’ve recognized the voice earlier if she hadn’t been so damn terrified. The only part of him visible was his head and face, but it was a face she had never forgotten.
Her heart slammed in her chest like a caged bird and a sound of disbelief erupted from her throat, again to be caught against the calloused palm of the man above her. But not any man. Warrick Donovan.
She’d gone from getting felt up by some kinky burglar in black, to discovering that the man on top of her was no stranger.
This wasn’t happening. This had to be some kind of weird, messed-up dream. Maybe she’d fallen and hit her head. She blinked, then blinked again. But he still didn’t disappear. Okay, not a weird dream.
“Sienna?” he repeated again, harder this time.
She gave a jerky nod.
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” he muttered and looked up toward the ceiling before turning his frustrated gaze down to her again. “I don’t believe this.”
Yeah, well, that made two of them. She stared up into familiar gray-blue eyes that were narrowed with incredulity and something else. Something so hot it sent a shiver of awareness through her body. That look…she’d seen it before.
Though that had been a long time ago.
He lowered his head a bit, so their faces were just inches apart. “Okay, I’m going to remove my hand. But you need to promise me you won’t scream.”
She nodded again. He slid his palm off her mouth and she gulped in air. Her throat was so damned tight she probably couldn’t have screamed if she wanted to.
“Okay, now will you please tell me what in the hell you’re doing here?” he bit out harshly. “Did your father send you here?”
“My father?” she repeated in dismay, shocked by his anger. “Why in the hell would my father send me? I work here. Maybe we should talk about what you’re doing here?”
His mouth tightened and his gaze narrowed again. “You work here? Not exactly the answer I wanted to hear, kid.”
Her emotions, already running on a pretty short fuse, exploded. She made a choked cry of anger, her body bucking beneath him as she tried to free herself.
Kid? Six years had gone by, but nothing had changed. Nothing. She was still just Daniel’s little sister to him.
Unfortunately she realized her mistake in trying to get free of him, when her movements brought the apex of her thighs into hard contact with a certain part of Warrick she was trying very hard to ignore right now.
“Sienna,” Warrick hissed in warning, his mouth tightening almost as if he was in pain.
She stilled, acutely aware of his tall, heated and muscled body trapping hers against the cold concrete floor of the building. Heat sizzled through her body and it became harder to drag in a breath.
“I’m not a damn kid.” Her cheeks heated as she realized the adolescent protest made a mockery of her words.
Warrick gave a harsh laugh as his gaze slid to the swell of her breasts above the strapless blue gown. “No, of course you’re not.”
The unusual gleam in his gaze had her eyes widening.
“What you are is a shitload of trouble,” he muttered, his head lowering slightly .
In that moment she felt it. The memory of what his mouth would feel like on hers. The firmness of his lips. How he’d taste again. But Warrick didn’t kiss her. Instead, his sensual mouth, just inches from hers, twisted into a scowl and the muscles in his shoulders coiled.
“I’m here.”
Sienna blinked, arousal and confusion slowing her ability to think as she glanced around but saw no one.
Her brows drew together. “What—”
Warrick lifted his hand to silence her, and angled his head so she saw his finger touching his ear. “Everything’s fine. Just had a bit of a…distraction.” His lips curled into a grimace. “Shut it, Larson. I’ll bring her out in a minute.”
Seriously? How had she not noticed the tiny little microphone running along his jaw? How much had the people listening on the other end heard? Ah crap, probably way too much.
“Get off me,” she whispered.
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
Mandy M Roth
Lissa Matthews
Leah Braemel
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shiloh Walker
Shelli Stevens
Zoe Archer
Lauren Dane
June 16, 2012
Snippet Saturday ~ Kung Fu Fighting
Welcome to another Snippet Saturday, where today’s theme is Kung Fu Fighting (which basically means a fight scene!) Check out my excerpt and then hop on over to the other blogs listed below.
When lingerie heiress Brandy Summer gets cold feet and runs out on her Vegas wedding, she has nowhere to turn—so she hijacks a hunky biker waiting for a red light and begs him for help. What she doesn’t know is that her instincts are right: the groom has a hidden agenda. He needs her money to pay off his gambling debts and she’s his ticket to the good life.
Marco Vargas isn’t sure what he’s getting himself into when he rescues Brandy, but figures he’ll do the chivalrous thing. He offers her a job in his bar and the chance to sort out her feelings. But it seems that keeping Brandy hidden is easier than keeping his hands off her—and what will happen when Brandy discovers that Marco has secrets of his own?
Order from Carina Press |Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Also available in Audiobook
EXCERPT
Brandy pushed through the double doors and sent them slamming into the wall.
“What the hell? What’s going on?” Sebastian yelled.
“Where did Marco go?” She hurried over to him. “You need to stop him.”
“Stop him from what?”
Brandy turned away, scouring the crowd in search of Marco. “From beating up Elena’s punk ass boyfriend.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake.” Sebastian threw down the bar towel and moved out from behind the bar. “You can’t be serious.”
Brandy snorted and followed him, weaving through the throng of people. She spotted Marco moving toward the far wall.
“There he is! Grab him, Sebastian.”
Sebastian lunged forward but was too late. Marco grabbed onto the shoulder of a guy at least half a foot taller than him, spun him around and sent his fist flying into the man’s face.
The crowd scattered, startled cries and cheers mixing.
“What are you doing?” Elena shrieked, pushing past them all to grab her brother’s arm.
“Stay out of this, Elena.” Marco shook his fist and winced.
Brandy folded her arms across her chest and groaned. Five seconds earlier and she could have stopped this. And now Marco would be lucky if he hadn’t broken his hand on the other man’s jaw.
Customers crowded around them, talking excitedly.
“Why did you hit him?” Elena placed herself between the man and her brother and glared.
“Because of what he did to you—”
“You hit Tony. The bass player.”
“So?”
She placed her hands on her hips and glared. “So I was dating the drummer, you idiot. Que pendejo.”
“What? I thought—” A massive fist connected with Marco’s head, sending it snapping to the left.
The room lit up from the flash of a camera as Marco stumbled backward.
Someone yelled, “Look out, he’s going down!”
Brandy lurched forward to catch him as Marco staggered toward to the side. The left side of his face was already starting to swell.
The bass player shook his head and walked away with a scowl.
“You,” Sebastian snapped at a man standing back a bit looking on in dismay. “You’re the drummer, right? You’d better get your sorry arse out of here while you still can.”
He paled, and his skinny body shook. “But they haven’t announced—”
Marco lunged forward again and Brandy screamed, holding onto his arm for all she was worth.
“Yeah, hit him too!” Someone else in the crowd yelled. “He looks like an asshole.”
“Okay, okay. I’m outta here.” Bill stepped away and scowled at Elena. “Nice little drama you started, bitch.”
Oh, lord. Brandy braced herself and tried to keep Marco from nailing the other guy.
But from the corner of her eyes she saw someone else’s fist go flying. She turned just in time to see Sebastian knock the drummer on his ass.
“Let me go, Brandy.” Marco pulled away, stepped over the downed man and walked through the crowd and then to the back office again.
“What? What the hell just happened?” Valerie rushed over.
Elena sighed. “Fight between my brother and a few members of my band.”
“No way. I run to the bathroom for a few minutes and miss all the fun? I have the worst damn luck.”
Time to get this under control. Enough. Turning to Elena, she asked, “Can you get rid of the reporter?”
Elena nodded and turned around to face the reporter. “My pleasure. All right. Time to go, boys.”
Once they were leaving, she turned to Sebastian. “And not that I don’t appreciate you hitting him for me, but can you please escort Bill out of the bar?”
“Will do, kid.” Sebastian stepped forward and grabbed the younger man by the arm pulling him up. “Let’s go, you little punk ass.”
Brandy turned away from the drama of watching him escort the drummer out the door. She nodded and switched into teacher mode. Time to get things back to normal. Or as close to normal as it could after a bar fight.
“The show’s over, people. We’ll announce the winner of Dante’s Band Battle shortly.”
The crowd, half-drunk and all riled up from the fight, slowly dissipated.
“Good lord, what a mess,” Brandy muttered and shook her head.
There’d been a fight once during a choir class, but at least there she’d been able to send the boys to the principal’s office.
She stared toward the back of the bar where Marco had disappeared. Should she be mad at him for going after Bill, or proud of him? Maybe just a little of both.
Rubbing the back of her neck, she sighed and set off to make the rounds through the bar.
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
Mandy M Roth
Lissa Matthews
Leah Braemel
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shiloh Walker
Shelli Stevens
Zoë Archer
TJ Michaels
Lauren Dane
June 12, 2012
Seducing Allie is available in print!
Seducing Allie is now available in print! If you still prefer a paperback, now’s your chance to get your hands on the print version of my third Seattle Steam book!
He’s going to show this wedding crasher just how dirty the outdoors can be.
Seattle Steam, Book 3
Allison Siegel is out to stop a wedding. With one of her best childhood friends about to marry a gold-digger, who wouldn’t at least try to stage an intervention? Apparently, her other childhood bestie, Clint.The minute Allie grew out of her sneakers and into her curves, Clint’s hormones went ballistic. But she had eyes only for Ken, so Clint made himself scarce, even after the relationship fizzled. Now she’s back, looking better than ever—and hell-bent on sabotaging Ken’s wedding. So Clint knows he needs to do whatever it takes to head her off at the pass.
Kidnapped! Allison can’t believe it. Now she’s stuck in the Montana backwoods fending off nature’s friends, and fighting a losing battle to resist Clint—the sexiest forest ranger on the planet.
Clint has big plans for Allie. Not only will he convince a city girl that she needs to embrace her inner nature freak, but he’s going to prove there’s sparks flying in more places than just the campfire.
Now available Samhain Publishing | Kindle | Nook | Print
Warnings
This book contains a city girl out of her element, a forest ranger determined to keep her there, and a campfire seduction hot enough to melt more than just marshmallows.
EXCERPT
“This is ridiculous!” She stared out at the blur of trees as they sped down a deserted road. “Where are we going?”
“Away,” he answered ambiguously.
“Away,” she mimicked him. “We’re going away? What the hell kind of answer is that?”
“The only answer you’re getting right now. And watch your mouth. I know your mom taught you better.”
“Didn’t your mom teach you that kidnapping is a felony?” she shot back and slapped the window again.
“If you break my window it’s going to seriously piss me off, Allie.”
“Well, guess what? I’m already pissed.” Slap. Her hand connected with the glass again and again. “Maybe you should have taken that into account when you abducted me, Clint.”
She nearly fell out of her seat as he swerved the car to the side of the road.
Was he going to let her go? Leave her stuck on some random back road? Hell, she didn’t care, she’d hike her way back to her car if she had to.
He climbed out of the vehicle and came around her side, wrenching open the door.
“Get out.”
Relief flooded through her. He was letting her go. Finally. She scooted out the door, making the jump down to the ground and smoothing her dress back down her thighs.
“Well, it’s about time you came to your senses—oh!”
He jerked her hard against him, both of her wrists in one of his massive hands.
“Maybe I didn’t make myself clear,” he murmured, his gaze full of determination and something else…something hot. Something that sent a jolt of heat straight from her stomach to between her legs.
Her pulse quickened and she dragged in a shuddering breath, tugging at her hands.
“Have you gone completely insane?” she whispered.
“Maybe.” His lips twisted, his gaze roving over her face. “Or maybe I’m just willing to go to any lengths to make sure you don’t break up Kenneth’s wedding.”
“I’m not…” She ran her tongue over her suddenly dry lips. “Wait, Kenneth’s wedding isn’t until next week.”
“Exactly. And that means we’ll have one whole week to catch up, kitten.”
Clint watched her eyes widen with shock and he almost felt sorry for her—almost. Except he’d warned her multiple times and she needed to be stopped.
Taking her out of the equation had been an idea he’d been playing with since she’d threatened to show up at the house this morning. And the more he thought about it, the better the idea had seemed.
He’d been ready, sitting in his SUV parked down the street and drinking coffee, waiting to see if she really had the balls to show up again. Not really thinking she would, but somewhat excited when she did.
“Clint, you can’t do this,” she choked, her body beginning to tremble. “This is kidnapping!”
“Yeah, you said that already.”
“You can’t take me away for a week!” She tugged at her wrists again, and he tightened his hold. “Oh my God. You’ve gone loony, Clint. You’re—argh!”
Her knee connected with his shin and he winced, pushing her back against his SUV.
“Stop it,” he said, irritated now. He tried not to think about how soft her body was against him and how her breasts pressed against his chest. “I’m not the one trying to break up a wedding.”
Her eyes flashed with frustration and fury. “You can’t play God, Clint.”
“And neither will you, Allie. Even if I have to see to it.”
She lowered her gaze and he watched her small pink tongue sweep across her lush mouth again. He bit back a groan. Man, she looked sexy when she did that. And she did it a lot.
“Okay,” her tone calmed significantly. “You’re right. Of course you’re right. Why don’t you just take me back to my car and I’ll just drive home. Deal?”
His chest shook with laughter and he shook his head. How stupid did she think he was? Did she honestly think she could pull out that docile act to convince him she’d changed her mind? He knew her way too well for that.
“No deal. I can’t take that risk. I don’t trust you any further than I can spit, kitten.”
“Stop calling me kitten,” she yelled and tried to—oh hell no she didn’t—knee him in the groin.
He pressed his body harder against her, making sure she couldn’t move. She glared at him, her mouth drawn tight and her breasts rising and falling with each breath she jerked in.
“Besides,” he continued softly, and gave her a slow smile. “A week together means we can take up where we left off last night.”
“If you think I would ever go to bed with you after—”
“I don’t think, I know, Allie. And I’m pretty sure you know it too.”
He reached out and ran a finger down the side of her soft cheek, and she sucked in a swift breath. He watched the heat flicker in her eyes and knew she could—and probably would—deny it until she was blue in the face, but Allison wanted him.
“I repeat. You’re loony.”
He laughed again. “I will bring you back here, but not until Ashley and Ken have exchanged their vows.”
“That’s not until next week,” she said again in a rush. “I have to be at work.”
“No, you don’t, teachers have summers off.” He watched her eyes round with shock.
What, did she think he’d forgotten about the teaching job at a private school Kenneth had gotten her a couple years ago? Whether she was the most qualified candidate or not, just the recommendation from a Williams’ family member—and money donated—was enough to guarantee her the position.
His thumb slid inward to stroke over her bottom lip. Her body trembled in the response. God, he wanted her.
“You have no right to do this to me, Clint. None. You’re being a total jerk. This is just—”
He pulled his thumb away and replaced it with his mouth. Crushing his lips down on hers in a kiss to stop her tirade, and because he couldn’t resist her any longer.
Her angry gasp parted her lips enough to let him slide is tongue into the moist cavern of her mouth. He tasted her. Warm, succulent and the spicy taste of cinnamon gum.
She struggled against him, each twist of her body brushed her breasts into contact with his chest. He slowed the kiss, rubbing his tongue against hers. The friction had his dick pulsing against his jeans and he ground himself against her stomach.
The fight in her seemed to disappear and she went slack in his arms. Her small moan sent a jolt of triumph through him and he released her wrists so he could grab her ass.
The swell of her bottom spilled over into his palms, and he squeezed the soft flesh, pulling her harder against him.
Allison. God he wanted her. Had been wanting her for so many years now. He was tempted to take her here on the side of the damn road.
Crack. The sound reached him before the sting of her palm glancing across his cheek.
She wrenched her mouth away from his, and glared up at him, her gaze both hot and skittish.
His fingers dug into her ass cheeks and his jaw clenched. Okay, maybe you deserved that. Taking a deep breath, he counted to ten.
“You know what, Allie?”
“You’re going to come to your senses and let me go?” she suggested with tight sarcasm.
“Oh, hell no, I’m gonna keep you.” He slid one hand up her back and pushed her close, until her tight nipples rubbed against his chest. “And I think we’re going to have a lot of fun together this week.”
June 2, 2012
Snippet Saturday ~ Every Breath You Take
Welcome to another Snippet Saturday. Today’s theme is Every Breath You Take! Hope you enjoy my excerpt from my new book Beauty and the Sheikh, before hopping off to the other blogs participating. Have a great weekend!
The man who vows to protect her may be her biggest threat.
Savage, Book 1
Being the daughter of a world-renowned scientist, Sienna Peters has struggled to carve out her own career in the field. But her world is sent spinning when she discovers a secret species being held in the lab where she works, and the horrible things being done to them. Compelled to do more than hand off an information-packed jump drive to her father, she sets out to free the creatures.
The minute his team enters the compound, federal agent Warrick Donovan knows their mission will have more trouble than they bargained on. Unfortunately, trouble comes in the form of Sienna Peters, the younger sister of his close friend. Now not only does he need to save her pretty ass, he needs to discover just how involved she is with the imprisonment of the shifters.
Sienna knows she should trust no one—not even the man she might still love. But as the danger escalates and past passion ignites, her heart has other ideas. Even when the shroud of mystery is ripped off more than one stunning truth…
Warning: Must love alpha males, be intrigued by federal agents who may or may not shift into wolves, and most importantly be prepared for intense action of the dangerous and sexual kind.
“A thrilling, sexy adventure from page one. Awesome!” Cherry Adair, New York Times Bestselling Author
“The first book in the Savage series by Stevens is off to a rockin’ start. Filled with intrigue and action it seems like the plot of a television series. It has a cast of characters guaranteed to cause a reaction — either annoyance or intrigue — and is sure to catch even the most cynical reader’s attention.” ~Romantic Times Magazine
Order on Kindle | Nook | Samhain Publishing
EXCERPT
Son of a bitch.
The clenching of his jaw was the only movement Warrick allowed himself as Sienna moved from the bathroom toward the bedroom door. It hadn’t even been a half hour since he’d told her to go to sleep. Did she honestly think he was that stupid?
Dammit, he’d hoped he could trust her. Had decided to not force her to share a bed with him, because he’d told himself he could trust her.
Well he should’ve known better. Should’ve damn well remembered that Sienna had never exactly been the agreeable type. And if he’d learned one thing over the years, it was that you couldn’t trust some women farther than you could spit. And he’d be sure to thank Sienna for the reminder when he put a stop to whatever harebrained idea she’d talked herself into.
Where the hell did she think she was going? They were miles from a main road, and that main road wouldn’t be seeing much traffic this time of night anyway .
He could’ve grabbed her before she’d left the bedroom, but he was going to give her a little rope to hang herself with first, see just exactly what she thought she was going to do.
He waited, eyes closed and ears alert, until he heard the faint click of the front door opening and shutting. Then he was on his feet, moving swiftly and silently through the house after her.
In the darkness he kept his movements stealthy and stuck to the shadows.
A few minutes later he shook his head in dismay as he watched her start jogging—in her dress and heels, no less—toward the main road. His lips quirked in amusement and he was tempted to let her make it all the way there. The blisters might just be punishment enough.
But Sienna slowed down a moment later and he fell back, brows drawing together. Until he saw a familiar glow and heard the beeping of buttons on a cell phone.
The hell she did.
Done with the little game of cat and mouse, Warrick sprinted forward and grabbed her, covering her mouth before she could scream. He snatched the phone from her grasp and disconnected the call before someone on the other end answered, then tossed it to the ground.
“Dammit, Sienna, what the hell were you thinking?”
She stopped struggling and the tension eased from her body. A sob of frustration spilled past her lips to caress his hand.
“You don’t know how much I wanted to trust you.” He turned her around, uncovering her mouth and catching her wrists in one of his hands.
She groaned and shook her head. “You don’t understand, Warrick. I can’t stay here, you’ve got to listen to me.”
“I don’t recall giving you a choice.” He ran his thumb over the inside of her wrist, felt the blood thundering through her veins. “What’s so important that you’d try to hike all the way to a highway? And where the hell were you even hiding that phone?”
He’d searched her back at the lab, hadn’t he? Or maybe he hadn’t. His gaze slid to the top of her dress where it hugged her breasts as realization clicked into place.
The phone wasn’t overly big and it was entirely possible she’d hid it in the bodice of her dress. The one place he hadn’t searched, because she’d bit him.
Coincidence? Hardly.
His gaze narrowed and he slid his palm up her back, holding her tighter. “Just what else are you hiding? If I searched you right now, Sienna, would I find anything else in that pretty little gown of yours?”
The muscles beneath his hand bunched with tension and he could almost smell her panic.
“What do you mean? No, of course not, Warrick. I just like to keep my phone on me.”
Bullshit. Dammit, there was something else.
“Really? Well you don’t mind if I check for myself?” he muttered.
He lowered his head so that their faces were just inches apart in the darkness. Her perfume, faded now, and the hint of sweat off her skin formed a scent that was seductively feminine.
Initially in the lab it had thrown him, he hadn’t expected to find Sienna there. But now he could place the vanilla perfume as the same one she’d worn for years. Whatever it was didn’t smell expensive or overpowering, but it was what he’d always associated with Sienna…and that made it sexy as hell.
The blood in his veins quickened as every inch of him became aware of the softness of her breasts pressed against his chest.
Need crashed through him, distorting his thoughts and his original plan to try and search her. But that mouth, it tempted him…so lush and sweet…so damn close. All he had to do was—
“Donovan.”
The harsh voice cracked through the night and Warrick cursed, stepping back from Sienna but not releasing her.
Nathan Larson stood a few feet away wearing a pair of swim shorts, his arms folded across his chest. “I thought I told you to handle her.”
Warrick’s jaw flexed and he bit back a sharp reply. “I’m taking her back inside now.”
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
Mandy M Roth
Lissa Matthews
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shiloh Walker
Shelli Stevens
TJ Michaels
Lauren Dane
May 26, 2012
Snippet Saturday ~ Author’s Choice
Welcome to another Snipped Saturday. Today’s theme is It’s Raining Men! Hope you enjoy my excerpt from my new book Beauty and the Sheikh, before hopping off to the other blogs participating. Have a great weekend!
A is for Alpha series (book 1)
Indulge your fantasies with these steamy, contemporary romances about sexy, billionaire alpha males, and the women who capture their hearts.
His price is her innocence…
Holly Winchester is desperate. With her brother facing theft charges and a potential prison sentence in a foreign country, she seeks help from the one man she knows can give it. But will the ruthless, billionaire sheikh who once broke her heart be able to forget and forgive their painful past?
Two years ago, Sheikh Rafiq Al Hakimi allowed a beautiful foreigner not only into his country, but nearly his heart. It was all too easy, falling for the one woman who didn’t fear him or his scars. Until he discovered her intentions were as shallow as the modeling world she thrived in.
Now Holly’s returned to his country, begging for his help. He’s willing to give her brother his freedom—if Holly gives up hers by agreeing to become his mistress…
Available at Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords
EXCERPT
“Are we really going to resort to small talk?” Her fingers twisted her napkin.
Amusement flickered in his eyes. “Is there something else you’d prefer to discuss?”
“Will you just stop this?” she cried, losing any ability to stay civil. “You forced me to stay here at your palace last night under the pretense that you’d consider my brother’s case, but you never had any intention of letting him go. Did you?”
Rafiq leaned back in his chair, watching her through narrowed eyes.
Holly closed her eyes briefly, instantly regretting her outburst. Stupid! She’d made it this far, only to scream at him like a fishwife the moment they sat down for breakfast.
“Your brother is guilty.”
The world around her spun out of focus at his flat declaration. A clammy cold sweat broke out on the back of her neck and she forced herself to suck in a needed breath. Her hands shook at the image of her brother locked in a prison in this intimidating, foreign land for ten years. “You condemn him as judge and jury without a trial.”
“I have seen the footage. He was as discreet as a three-year-old stealing from a cookie jar.” Rafiq leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “And it’s not the first time he’s done this, is it, habiba? Your brother has also stolen money from you in the past, countless times.”
“He’s changed,” she whispered. How could Rafiq possibly have known about Andrew stealing from her? “He promised me.”
“I understand why you would like to think as much, but the evidence says otherwise.”
Bile rose in her throat. She believed him. She didn’t want to, but oh God, she did. “So you intend to lock him up? For how many years? He’s all I have, Rafiq.” She didn’t care that she’d dropped his respected title. What would he do? Call in his servants to scold her again? Throw her in prison next to her brother? Let them!
Tears blurred her vision as she plunged on. “He kept me from going into foster care after our parents were killed. He gave up everything and quit school to raise me. Please, you can’t throw away his life like this.”
“I would think twice before trying to place the blame on me.” His words snapped like a whip through the empty dining hall, his stare glacial. “You’ve protected him for too long, Holly. When will it end? He’s a grown man who lives the life of a spoiled boy.”
“You’ve known all along you wouldn’t help him.” She thrust back her chair and stood. “I don’t even know why I let myself think you would. You’d probably rather face a firing squad than assist me. I’ll go to the American embassy. I’ll—”
“No one would dare challenge my decision.”
Her heart pinched with helplessness and the despondency that flowed through her blood thickened until it consumed her. “Then why did you do this?” Tears burned. “Why toy with me and keep me here last night?”
“It’s simple, habiba. Because I want you.”
Holly’s heart slammed into her ribcage. He still wanted her? For a moment she didn’t believe it, refused to believe it. Until she stared long enough into Rafiq’s eyes to see the smoldering heat and desire.
It was so potent it sent a rush of warmth through her body and quickened her blood.
“What are you saying?”
Rafiq stood and approached her, or rather, stalked her like a lion with his prey. Holly just barely resisted the urge to turn heel and run, and then it was too late as he stood in front of her, blocking her exit.
Every harsh and beautiful feature on his face came into focus, especially the thick scar that began barely an inch away from his captivating dark eyes. “I will release your brother under one condition.”
She knew. Even before he could say it, she knew. Her head jerked from side to side in denial, but her gaze was riveted to his lips as named his price.
“You will agree to stay in Raljahar as my mistress.”
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
Mandy M Roth
Lissa Matthews
Leah Braemel
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shiloh Walker
Shelli Stevens
Zoë Archer
Lauren Dane
May 5, 2012
Snippet Saturday ~ It’s Raining Men
Welcome to another Snipped Saturday. Today’s theme is It’s Raining Men! Hope you enjoy my excerpt from Command and Control, before hopping off to the other blogs participating. Happy Saturday!
He’s afraid of losing his grip. She’s about to untie his last knot…
Holding Out for a Hero, Book 2
Megan Asher has a thriving career, looks, self-confidence to spare. It all means little without the love of her life. Trevor has returned from deployment in Afghanistan a haunted man, emotionally distant and unwilling to connect—except in bed. Then even that fragile thread snaps. Brokenhearted, she is forced to call off their wedding and, after a few months’ separation, try to move on.
With every aspect of his life spinning out of his once-legendary control, Trevor Wyatt convinces himself that Megan is better off—and safer—as far away from his demons as possible. Until he comes back to town for his brother’s wedding, and discovers Megan is dating.
Suddenly realizing what he’s thrown away, he vows to breach the fortress she’s built around her heart. They come together in a cataclysm of rekindled passion that unleashes the very demons he never wanted her to witness.
Back to square one, Megan realizes she must take the ultimate risk to slip past Trevor’s defenses. Give him control in the one place she can. The bedroom. The seductive move is one she prays will be the first step in helping heal him and their love.
Buy at Samhain Publishing Amazon Barnes and Noble
EXCERPT
“Can I get anyone another beer?” Todd asked, standing from the couch and stretching. “This game is kind of slow.”
Trevor shook his head at the suggestion to another beer. This baseball game wasn’t doing shit to distract him from his thoughts, which alternated between luscious ideas of what he wanted to do to Megan and darker memories of Afghanistan. Alcohol wouldn’t help his state of mind either way.
There were less than ten of them here at Todd’s house, watching the game and drinking beer. The Wyatt brothers, a cousin and a couple close friends. Not much of a bachelor party, but it’s all Tyson had wanted.
Trevor glanced over at Tyson and bit back a smile. His middle brother sat at the far end of the couch, his fingers clenching and unclenching around his beer. He’d look at his watch occasionally, then shift in his seat.
“You really should’ve had a bachelor party,” Todd muttered, returning from the kitchen with a beer. “You’re just sitting here thinking about Ellie all night anyway.”
Wincing, Trevor shook his head, thinking his little brother shouldn’t have brought up the reminder that Ellie was at a bachelorette party.
“I’m sure they’re just hanging out, Ty.” Trevor kept his voice casual as he gave Tyson a brief smile. “Probably just having lots of sugar from Kate’s place, some wine and gossiping.”
Tyson grunted. “They took over The Oceanside Tavern. I have a feeling it’s more than cupcakes and chatting.”
The tavern? Really? Trevor scowled and shifted on the couch. Hell…maybe it wasn’t quite so innocent.
The front door burst open and a man hurled himself inside, out of breath and wide-eyed.
Tyson came to his feet. “Jimmy? What’s going on?”
The just-out-of-college kid pulled his hat off and twisted it in his hands. “Sheriff, I just came from the tavern and it’s getting a little rough. A stripper just arrived, think it might even be the younger Haggerty brother. And I think one of the girls just busted her ankle.”
“Jesus.” Trevor joined his brother on his feet, hoping he didn’t sound too excited as he suggested,
“Maybe we oughtta go calm things down?”
Tyson’s jaw flexed and he nodded. “Someone get me my keys.”
Trevor rode shotgun in Tyson’s SUV, while Todd sat in the back. The three of them were silent as they made the two-minute drive down to Main Street where the tavern was located.
When they pulled up in front of The Oceanside Tavern the sound of music and women yelling could clearly be heard.
“Shit,” Tyson muttered. “I’m surprised nobody called the station yet.”
“No kidding.” Trevor agreed and opened his door, stepping down from the vehicle.
Todd came around beside him and grinned. “I don’t know, this could be fun. Lots of buzzed women, no men. Maybe I’ll stick around for a while.”
Trevor slapped his youngest brother on the back of the head and bit back a curse. Though the women of Wyattsville would likely love having the town’s most notorious flirt—who’d also been labeled sexiest firefighter in Wyattsville—staying to hang out.
“Well,” Tyson sighed and placed his hands on his hips, staring at the door to the tavern. “I guess we’d better do this.”
Todd nodded, wiping the smile from his face, even though his eyes still danced with amusement.
“Let’s do this. Time to reel in the fiancée, bro.”
Trevor fell back, let Tyson stride in first and do what he needed to do. He and Todd walked in a moment later to join the chaos.
“Holy shit balls,” Todd muttered in dismay.
Trevor silently echoed the sentiment as he took in the scene. Jesus, he almost preferred hand-to-hand combat than having to face breaking up this.
All around them women were dancing and slamming back alcohol. Some were even dancing on the bar. In fact one gal, probably the one rumored to have busted an ankle, was sitting on the bar with a fat ice pack on her foot. Poor Evan and whoever else was on duty were standing far back behind the counter, watching with wide eyes as if they contemplated abandoning ship.
Trevor stepped farther into the tavern and slid his trained gaze over the crowd. Searching for any sign of real problems, but mostly searching for Megan.
He caught sight of the stripper—fortunately he wasn’t quite naked—with half a dozen gals circled around him hooting and hollering. Ellie being one of them.
No Megan though. He slid his gaze beyond the group to the corner of the bar. Bingo. She was there, facing the crowd, leaning back with her elbows on the bar. Her breasts peeking over the neckline of the clingy blue dress she wore.
And she was watching him. Her blue gaze met his solidly over the madness inside the tavern. Trevor couldn’t look away, almost like an invisible laser connected them. Even across the room he could see something had changed. He didn’t sense resentment or anger in her eyes. Instead it was something else that gave him a hell of a lot of hope. His breath caught, the muscles in his body coiled, and his dick leapt to attention against the denim of his jeans.
Not breaking her gaze, he pushed through the crowd of people toward her. Dimly aware of Tyson and Todd shouting out instructions for the stripper to put his clothes back on and the women to calm down.
Trevor reached the counter and sat on the empty stool next to Megan. Close up he searched her face, trying to tell if she was drunk or not. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, but her eyes lacked that intoxicated glaze. Instead they sparkled with heat. With need.
He arched a brow and took the almost full cocktail from her hand, setting it on the counter.
“You girls having fun?”
“You could say that.” She ran her tongue over her mouth and smiled slightly. “Though I suppose you boys will put an end to that?”
“I suppose so.” He tried, and failed, not to let his gaze slip from hers to explore her body. But the way she sat, her breasts thrusting against the clingy blue dress, made it impossible not to.
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
Mandy M Roth
Lissa Matthews
Leah Braemel
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shiloh Walker
Shelli Stevens
Zoë Archer
TJ Michaels
Lauren Dane
April 28, 2012
Snippet Saturday ~ Author’s Choice
Welcome to another Snipped Saturday. Today’s theme is Author’s Choice. Well, since I’m wrapping up a week in the Las Vegas area, I figured a fun excerpt would be from my book Negligee Behavior.
When lingerie heiress Brandy Summer gets cold feet and runs out on her Vegas wedding, she has nowhere to turn—so she hijacks a hunky biker waiting for a red light and begs him for help. What she doesn’t know is that her instincts are right: the groom has a hidden agenda. He needs her money to pay off his gambling debts and she’s his ticket to the good life.
Marco Vargas isn’t sure what he’s getting himself into when he rescues Brandy, but figures he’ll do the chivalrous thing. He offers her a job in his bar and the chance to sort out her feelings. But it seems that keeping Brandy hidden is easier than keeping his hands off her—and what will happen when Brandy discovers that Marco has secrets of his own?
Order from Carina Press |Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Also available in Audiobook
EXCERPT
When the food arrived he dug into his greasy burger, his awareness of the woman across from him diminishing some. He was almost able to stop thinking of her as the woman he’d just shared an insanely hot kiss with, and instead went back to thinking of her as the choir teacher in a cat shirt.
Then she slid her fork into the cheesecake and lifted a bite to her lips. With her eyes closed, she began emitting the most seductive, orgasmic noises as she took a bite.
“This is good,” she said, her fork diving back down for another bite. “This is really good. I needed this.”
Did it make him an asshole for thinking she needed a whole lot more than cheesecake? She needed to get laid, and not by some dumbass named Gordon.
“Did you want some wine?” she asked.
Marco blinked. “Wine?”
“You were just staring at my wineglass, and I thought you might have wanted some.”
Actually, he thought, I was staring at your breasts behind the wineglass. Were they big or small? It was the damn mystery of the night.
“No, thanks.” He gave her a brief smile and picked up a fry.
“Can I have one?”
He looked down at his dwindling fry supply, ready to protest, but she’d already picked up a fry and proceeded to eat it, savoring each bite as erotically as she had the cheesecake. Was she doing it on purpose?
No. That would have been about as likely as Brandy having actually been a stripper.
“So where do we go from here?” she asked, licking the grease from her fingers.
He ground his teeth and forced his attention away from her mouth.
“I was thinking,” she went on. “Maybe we could go to a show? I haven’t had the chance to really do the whole Vegas…”
He listened to her drone on about the Vegas experience as she polished off the rest of his fries. He hated going to shows. They were a waste of time and money.
“I’ll pay, of course.” She drained the rest of her wine and then looked at him, a dazzling smile on her face. “I think the alcohol is kicking in. It should by now. I mean I had a half a bottle earlier, and another glass here. I can tell because—”
“I think a show sounds great,” he interrupted, not even wanting to know how she could tell she might be drunk.
“Oh. You are the best.” She snagged another fry.
“Do you think we could get tickets for Donny and Marie?”
Donny and fucking Marie? Seriously? This was hell. He was fantasizing about a woman that dressed worse than his grandma and wanted him to go see The Osmonds in concert.
He should have taken her up on the wine.
“They are still here, aren’t they? My mom loved Donny Osmond. I had to listen to him when I was a kid. You know that song, “Puppy Love?” I could sing it for you.”
Fuck, please don’t. “No, that’s cool. I know it,” he said so fast he nearly tripped on the words. “But I don’t think I can get tickets. I’m sure you have to book way in advance.”
Brandy ate the last bite of her cheesecake and gave him a suspicious look. “Okay, let’s be honest. I’m guessing you’re like every other man out there. You’d rather have a root canal than see Donny and Marie in concert.”
Marco grimaced. “That about sums it up.”
“How about a magic show?” she suggested hopefully. “That’s not so bad, is it?”
When? When would this night end? Come midnight he was gone, out of here. Good-bye. Good-night. Gone. Good Samaritan hat could be hung back up.
“No. That’s not so bad,” he heard himself say.
Her mouth tilted upward and something shifted inside him, made his breath catch.
“You’ve got an amazing smile,” he told her without thinking.
Megan Hart:Read in bed!
Rhian Cahill
Eliza Gayle
Mandy M Roth
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Delilah Devlin
HelenKay Dimon
Shiloh Walker
Lauren Dane
Shelli Stevens
Jody Wallace
Lissa Matthews
Zoë Archer
April 22, 2012
Signing/Speaking this week in Nevada!
If you’re in the Las Vegas area, I’ll be speaking on publishing, answering questions, and signing books this coming Friday! I’m visiting my cousin who lives in the area and was invited by a local library. I would love to see those who might be able to come out!
When: Friday, April 27, 2012 @ 1 p.m.
Where: Paseo Verde Library, Conference Room (Henderson, Nevada)
