Shelli Stevens's Blog, page 13

Snippet Saturday ~ Author’s Choice

Welcome to another Snippet Saturday. Today’s theme is ‘Author’s Choice’. Yay! So here’s an excerpt from my book Negligee Behavior . Check it out, and then hop over to the other blogs participating.

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

“I’ll go cash out. Be back in a few.” He grabbed the till and snuck one last look at Brandy before heading into the back.

Hell, he couldn’t send her to a motel. His conscience wouldn’t let him—actually, there were probably other reasons, but he hesitated to acknowledge them. He counted down the till in record time and locked the deposit in the safe to be dropped off in the morning.

When he headed back up front, he found Sebastian sweeping the floor as he chatted with Brandy. He turned the lights off in the kitchen and then walked out to where they were.

“Hey, we all about ready to head out?”

“I think we’re set.” Sebastian went to return the broom. “So what do you say, Brandy?”

The hairs on the back of Marco’s neck rose. “Say to what?”

Brandy looked away from Sebastian and smiled hesitantly. “Sebastian offered me his couch tonight. That way I wouldn’t have to check into a motel this late at night.”

Marco’s vision blurred as the blood pounded faster through his veins. “What?”

Sebastian’s innocent look didn’t fool him for a second. “That’s right, mate. I have that big living room with the comfy couch. Tomorrow we can—”

“No.” Marco folded his arms across his chest.

Sebastian and Brandy both turned to look at him.

“Marco, there’s no need for her to waste money on a motel room this late at night.”

“She’s staying with me.” The words were out and he wasn’t sure he’d take them back even if he could.

Sebastian’s expression turned to pure satisfaction.

Damn it. Marco had walked right into that little setup.

The muscles in the back of his neck bunched with tension as he glanced back at Brandy. She seemed hesitant, and maybe a little relieved by his statement.

“Really, mate, are you sure?” Sebastian persisted.

“I don’t mind her staying with me.”

“Her stuff is already at my house.”

“Oh.” She patted her smiley face tote bag. “But I only have my purse—”

“You’re staying with me.”

Her eyes widened. “Okay…if you think that’s best.”

Sebastian lifted his palms in the air, his grin broadening. “Well, now that that’s settled, shall we call it a night?”

Eliza Gayle

Rhian Cahill

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Shiloh Walker

TJ Michaels

Shelli Stevens

Zoë Archer

Leah Braemel

Snippet Saturday ~ Author's Choice

Welcome to another Snippet Saturday. Today's theme is 'Author's Choice'. Yay! So here's an excerpt from my book . Check it out, and then hop over to the other blogs participating.

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

"I'll go cash out. Be back in a few." He grabbed the till and snuck one last look at Brandy before heading into the back.

Hell, he couldn't send her to a motel. His conscience wouldn't let him—actually, there were probably other reasons, but he hesitated to acknowledge them. He counted down the till in record time and locked the deposit in the safe to be dropped off in the morning.

When he headed back up front, he found Sebastian sweeping the floor as he chatted with Brandy. He turned the lights off in the kitchen and then walked out to where they were.

"Hey, we all about ready to head out?"

"I think we're set." Sebastian went to return the broom. "So what do you say, Brandy?"

The hairs on the back of Marco's neck rose. "Say to what?"

Brandy looked away from Sebastian and smiled hesitantly. "Sebastian offered me his couch tonight. That way I wouldn't have to check into a motel this late at night."

Marco's vision blurred as the blood pounded faster through his veins. "What?"

Sebastian's innocent look didn't fool him for a second. "That's right, mate. I have that big living room with the comfy couch. Tomorrow we can—"

"No." Marco folded his arms across his chest.

Sebastian and Brandy both turned to look at him.

"Marco, there's no need for her to waste money on a motel room this late at night."

"She's staying with me." The words were out and he wasn't sure he'd take them back even if he could.

Sebastian's expression turned to pure satisfaction.

Damn it. Marco had walked right into that little setup.

The muscles in the back of his neck bunched with tension as he glanced back at Brandy. She seemed hesitant, and maybe a little relieved by his statement.

"Really, mate, are you sure?" Sebastian persisted.

"I don't mind her staying with me."

"Her stuff is already at my house."

"Oh." She patted her smiley face tote bag. "But I only have my purse—"

"You're staying with me."

Her eyes widened. "Okay…if you think that's best."

Sebastian lifted his palms in the air, his grin broadening. "Well, now that that's settled, shall we call it a night?"

Eliza Gayle

Rhian Cahill

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Shiloh Walker

TJ Michaels

Shelli Stevens

Zoë Archer

Leah Braemel

Snippet Saturday ~ Cold Places

Welcome to another Snippet Saturday! Today's theme is Cold Places. My excerpt is from my book Seducing Allie. Check it out and then blog hop to the other peeps listed below! Have a great weekend!

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

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

The next day Clint woke early. Naturally a morning person, it was instinct to leave the tent at the first crack of dawn to wash up quick in the lake and then go build a fire.

He'd slept hard last night. They both had. Allison was still asleep. She hadn't even stirred when he'd left the tent.

After crunching some newspaper in the fire pit, Clint laid some kindling on top. Crouching down, he lit a match and held it to the paper, watching it catch fire.

The zipper on the tent sounded and he jerked his head up, his blood pounding a little faster in the anticipation of seeing Allison.

It took a moment. He watched her small hands pry back the edges of fabric before her head popped out.

"Is it cold out there?" she asked groggily. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but a few blonde wisps had escaped to fall around her hazel eyes.

"Probably."

She sighed and looked down at the ground, mumbling something.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

Her head snapped back up, her eyes flashing now. "I said I need to shower."

"There aren't showers here."

"Yes, I realize that." Her nose wrinkled. "But perhaps you could explain how one would bathe or shower while camping?"

"You bathe the same way you washed your face." He jerked his thumb toward the lake. "In there."

He heard the deep breath she drew in as her eyes drifted shut.

"That lake is pretty damn cold."

"Then don't bathe."

"Umm, gross. I need to shower and if freezing my ass off is the only way it'll happen, then I'll do it." She scowled and pulled her head back into the tent.

Clint bit back a laugh and walked over to the SUV, opening it and pulling out the bacon and eggs.

This would probably be the only morning they could eat the good stuff. Once the ice melted in the chest, they'd be stuck with the dry foods unless he decided to make another run into town to grab some more ice.

Slamming the door shut again, he made his way back to the fire, food and a box of cooking supplies in his arms.

He'd just set down the supplies when Allison stepped out of the tent.

"I can't believe I'm camping," she grumbled. "Why couldn't you be a little more civilized and take me somewhere with plumbing? Maybe even a shower?"

"Not as much fun. Then I wouldn't get to see you naked as you bathe in a lake." He gave a roguish smile and opened the bacon, tearing off a strip and tossing it into the pan.

Her cheeks turned red. "You're not going to watch me."

"Sorry to break it to you," he gestured toward the lake. "But in case you didn't notice, there're no shower curtains around."

"Jackass," she muttered and grabbed a bottle out of the duffle bag, then hurried toward the lake. "Does your environmentally safe soap work on hair?"

"You can use it on any part of your body you want." He set the grate over the fire, then the pan on top of it.

"Don't look," she screamed and pulled off her clothes, striding naked into the water.

Good Lord in heaven. She was curvy temptation. The air rushed from between his clenched teeth and despite the fact he'd already bathed, he resisted the urge to strip naked and run in after her. Pick her up and wrap those long legs around his waist, then thrust straight into her hot center.

The smell of burning bacon snapped his attention from his growing hard-on. Not now, buddy. You're cooking something else besides your hormones.

"Shit, this water is freezing!"

He glanced up from the bacon and caught her rising from beneath the surface, water dripping down her body. His gaze locked on the drop that seemed suspended on the curve of her breast, before rolling down her nipple and falling back into the lake.

Disappointment set in when the erotic vision was blocked. She lifted the bottle of soap in front of her, squirting some into the palm of her hand. She lowered the bottle again and he bit back a groan. She moved her hand over her body, leaving a sudsy film over her upper torso. Her gaze lifted to his and she arched a brow, slipping her hand beneath the water. A second later her lids fluttered shut and she bit her lip.

The little witch. She did that on purpose.

"Bacon's burning," she called throatily, a hint of a smile in her tone. "And I don't like mine burnt."

He cursed and dragged his focus back to the breakfast. Hell, she was right. The meat was almost black on one side.

Grabbing a pair of tongs from the utensil box, he quickly flipped all the strips.

Another splash sounded and he glanced up to see her disappear under water. She reappeared a moment later and swam toward the shore.

She strode out and he had a moment to drool over her naked dripping body, before she wrapped a towel around her.

"That water is freezing," she said, teeth chattering.

"Get dressed. You'll be fine."

Her face, fresh and clean, scrunched together to display her displeasure.

"Will I? Because I'm pretty sure my nipples have turned to ice and are ready to break off." She rushed

past him into the tent again.

An amused laughed bounced in his chest and he shook his head. Lord, some of the things Allie said just made him raise his eyebrows. She was so random. A little crazy at times. And, hell, definitely had moments when she was almost offensive. And yet…he'd always loved that about her. And he didn't really get offended by her swearing, no matter how many times he might chide her on the cursing habit.

He grabbed the tongs again and lifted the cooked bacon onto a plate, then went to crack a half-dozen eggs into the pan.

"Please don't burn those as well."

His lips twitched and he lifted his gaze to see her climbing out of the tent again. Attired in the pink sweat suit he'd bought and with her damp hair pulled back in a ponytail again, she was the image of squeaky-clean innocence.

Innocent? Yeah right. His gut twisted and his mouth went tight. That wasn't exactly a phrase he associated with Allie much.

Eliza Gayle

Rhian Cahill

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Shiloh Walker

TJ Michaels

Shelli Stevens

Zoë Archer

Foreign Affair is out!

I'm so excited to announce that my book Foreign Affair is out today!

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

"I'm really not very comfortable with the slow songs." Lena's voice cracked as his hips pressed tight into hers.

"Relax, Lena. I'll help you through it." His hand traveled down to the small of her back.

His words and voice were hypnotic, and Lena closed her eyes. Every nerve in her body tingled when his fingertips started a light massage at the base of her spine. She caught herself just as she started to press herself against him.

Dear God. She had to get away from this man before she made a complete idiot of herself.

She glanced over at the table and noticed Stephanie speaking somewhat anxiously into her cell phone. She looked up at that moment and gave a tight smile and a thumbs-up sign, gesturing at Tyler.

All right, this little moment with Tyler had to end and now. She'd just have to catch him off guard.

"Okay, here's the deal." She took a deep breath in and then glanced at a point beyond his shoulder. "You're incredibly sexy, and you know it. But I don't feel too great monopolizing you all night. Steph's been lusting after you since

this afternoon."

He glanced down at her, his lips twitched in amusement. "Are you saying you're not lusting after me?"

She froze, the air stranded in her lungs. Her plans at shocking him into letting her go backfired, and she couldn't have formed a word if she wanted to.

"Because that really hurts a guy's ego, Lena. Come on. Tell me you haven't thought about me ripping off that pink silk sweater—"

"It's cashmere, and I am not interested in you…" Her face burned with a blush. "You're hell-bent on embarrassing me, aren't you? I don't see why you're even making the effort. Go find Stephanie. She wants you, and you want her."

"No, I don't."

"Well, of course you do," she argued in exasperation. "Why wouldn't you want her? She's beautiful. You couldn't take your eyes off her when she walked in."

"Yes, she is beautiful. And I couldn't take my eyes off her dress. It's hideous."

He laughed and shook his head. "But I'm not interested in her. She's not what I want."

"Oh, really?" Irritation pricked at her, and she tried to step away, but his arms tightened. "And just what is it you want, Tyler?"

"Someone a little less flashy. Subtly attractive, with sexy brown eyes."

"Sexy eyes? Please," she scoffed. "And you sure are particular. Where is this woman? Back in your hotel?"

"Not yet." His hand trailed up her back and closed around the nape of her neck. "But you're welcome to join me later."

Snippet Saturday ~ Friends

Welcome to another Snippet Saturday! Today's theme is Friends. My excerpt is from my upcoming book Foreign Affair (which comes out in just a couple weeks!) Check it out and then blog hop to the other peeps listed below! Have a great weekend!

 

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.

This book has been previously released.

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.

Pre-Order at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

EXCERPT

When Stephanie came out of the bathroom, Lena had curled up on her side on the bed.

"Ummm, Lena? What's going on?" Stephanie sat down next to her and touched her shoulder.

Lena didn't look up, her face smashed against the pillow, eyes unblinking as she stared across the room. The anger grew thick in her throat, and she had to force the words out. "Keith is cheating on me."

Stephanie stayed silent for a second and then a short burst of laughter. "What? Of course he's not. Keith? That boy is as straight and narrow as they come."

Lena rolled onto her back. "Well, Mr. Straight-and-Narrow is in Maui right now screwing some other woman."

Stephanie shook her head. "How did you figure that out?"

"His mom told me." Lena sat up and hugged her knees, a harsh laugh escaping her. "His mom had a complete breakdown when she realized she'd unintentionally informed me that her son was cheating on me."

"I can't believe it," Stephanie repeated, her voice growing with rage. "What an ass. What a dumb-ass prick."

"I can think of better things to call him." Memories of this afternoon floated through her head. "I don't know…maybe its karma. I cheated on him too."

"Excuse me?" Stephanie's head swiveled back to her, and her eyebrows rose. "You cheated on Keith? Bullshit. When?"

"Earlier today."

"What? But you were with Tyler and me all morning." Her eyes widened. "Shut up. What happened in that hour alone together? Did you guys have sex?"

"Sex? Are you kidding me? Of course we didn't." Lena paused to bite her lip. "But we did kiss."

"You kissed." Stephanie's expression dimmed and her lips curled downward. "That's it?"

"Yeah." Lena touched her mouth, which started to tingle as she remembered the kiss. "And it was absolutely amazing. So romance novel cliché. I say no, and he still kisses me, and damned if I didn't enjoy it." She shook her head. "But it

was wrong. It shouldn't have happened."

"And you consider that cheating?"

"Well, yeah, I suppose."

"It doesn't even compare. Kissing a guy is like breaking a nail to me." Stephanie flung her hands up in the air. "It happens all the time. And for the record, you know I've always thought Keith was a complete idiot."

Lena pulled herself off the bed and walked to the mirror hanging above the dresser. She stared at her reflection—her pale appearance. What the hell was Keith thinking?

The fury that had been simmering inside her boiled over. She closed her hands around a hairbrush on the dresser and threw it across the room.

"You know what, Steph? Besides that kiss, I've never once cheated on him. And I've wanted to. I've had opportunities, but did I? No. Because we were in a committed relationship. Doesn't that mean anything to anyone anymore?"

Stephanie stood up and walked over to her. "Of course you didn't cheat on him. You're too good for him. I've been telling you this all along, but you just didn't get it."

Lena moved to the sink to splash some cold water on her face. She wanted to slam her fist through the mirror.

"Look…something's bothering me here, Lena." Stephanie began in a cautious tone. "You're very angry, and have every right to be, but you're not crying. You don't seem very…heartbroken."

Of course she was. Wasn't she? Lena braced her palms on the sink and stared down the drain. Or maybe Stephanie was onto something. Why wasn't her heart cracking into a billion little pieces? She didn't want to acknowledge the

possibility out loud.

She shook her head and averted her gaze. "The tears will come later, I'm sure." But would they?

"So what are you going to do? Do you want to go back home?"

"Not with Mr. Happy Pants away getting laid in Hawaii." Lena dragged a damp towel down her face and then met Stephanie's gaze in the mirror. "So what am I going to do? Besides get really drunk, because, hello, that's a given."

Stephanie came up behind her and placed comforting hands on her shoulders. They stared at each other in the mirror.

"You're going to go to Paris and stay at the apartment I've rented."

"I couldn't do that." Could she? The idea of retreating to Paris to lick her wounds had appeal.

"Of course you can. And you will."

"Will I now?" Though it would be good to get away and think. Or not think about a certain bastard fiancé.

"Yes, you are." Stephanie suddenly grinned. "And you're going to have Tyler take you all over Amsterdam for the next few days before you leave."

"Tyler is going to show me around? You think I should have Tyler show me around?" Lena started to laugh and then faltered. Oh. Now there was an idea… "I think I just made up my mind what I'm going to do."

Stephanie nodded. "Oh, now see, there you go. That sounds positive. What are you going to do?"

"Maybe I shouldn't say what I'm going to do, but who I'm going to do." Lena folded her arms across her chest. "Tyler."

Stephanie choked, and her eyes widened. "I don't think I heard you right. Did you just tell me you're going to do Tyler?"

Lena turned around, determination pumping through her blood. "If my fiancé thinks he's the only one who's going to have a last-minute fling before the wedding, then he's an idiot. I'm going out, and I'm getting laid."

Megan Hart — Read in bed!

Eliza Gayle

Rhian Cahill

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Leah Braemel

Shelli Stevens

Shiloh Walker

TJ Michaels

Zoë Archer

Lacey Savage

Snippet Saturday ~ Setting

Welcome to another Snippet Saturday! Today's theme is Setting! Check out my excerpt and then hop along to the other blogs! Have a great weekend!

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.

Pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

EXCERPT

"Will you please get up? You're sleeping the entire day away."

Lena groaned and pulled the pillow over her head. She may as well have had a hangover for how awful she felt. What a long flight that had been.

"It's not daytime, Steph. It's the middle of the freaking night."

Stephanie spun from the mirror and pounced on her, dragging the blankets off Lena's curled up body. "It is the middle of the night in Portland. We, in case you haven't noticed, are in Amsterdam. Amsterdam, Lena. It's ten in the morning here. Now get your ass out of bed before I drag you out."

Lena answered with her face still buried against the pillow. "Can't we just take a couple more hours to sleep?"

"No, we can't sleep. I want to go eat Dutch pancakes and drink wonderful coffee." Stephanie grabbed Lena's leg and jerked her toward the edge of the bed. "Once you have your coffee, you'll feel fine."

Lena pulled her leg back from Stephanie and then sat up on her own.

"Jesus." Stephanie sat back on her heels, her face settling into an expression of wonder. "What did you do to your hair?"

"Don't make me hit you. You know I'm not exactly Mary Poppins in the morning." Lena yawned and patted down the hairs on her head that were sticking straight up. "I'll go shower."

 

An hour later they strolled down the streets of Amsterdam, careful to avoid the astonishing amount of bicyclists. Cars rarely passed by.

Lena had traded in her pajamas for jeans and a black sweater, with a heavy wool coat to combat the cold. She nursed a latté as they walked the streets of the city. The weather must've been just above freezing. It almost hurt to breathe. Not

that she cared. She was in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam.

"This is too amazing. Saying thank you seems somewhat inadequate." Lena glanced at her friend, giving her a big grin. "So where do we go now?"

"This great café." Stephanie stepped to the right and allowed a bicyclist to pass on the left. He smiled, waved, and pedaled on by. Stephanie's gaze followed him down the road. "People are so friendly here. Not to mention hot."

"I don't really look anymore." Lena shrugged and paused to lean over the rail of the bridge they were on. "But this view is gorgeous."

The canal shimmered in the muted winter sunlight. Tour boats glided through the icy water. Beyond the canal lay buildings that had probably been around longer than America had been a country.

Lena inhaled the cool air and watched her breath drift upward as she exhaled. "Do you smell that? It smells like aged Gouda…" Her nose scrunched. "And cigarettes."

Megan Hart — Read in bed!

Eliza Gayle

Rhian Cahill

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Shelli Stevens

Shiloh Walker

Zoë Archer

Snippet Saturday ~ Fear

Welcome to another Snippet Saturday! Today's theme is Fear. Check out my excerpt and then hop along to the other blogs! Sorry I can't be more chatty, BFF is in labor!

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.

Coming this Spring!

EXCERPT

The creatures inside the cell continued to howl and scream as their bodies contorted. Fingers splayed out at awkward angles, stretching longer and longer, while joints grew thick and gnarled. Hair poked through the human skin covering the—oh God it was a wolf. The smell in the hall was rancid with sweat and human waste…animal waste.

Her heart stuttered at the sickening scene, and she wasn't even aware that she'd stopped fighting Warrick, but now clutched his shirt in fear.

Unable to close her eyes, Sienna watched as another creature appeared to shift back into human form, the fur on its body retracting as smooth dark skin appeared. And the change kept happening to all the creatures. Obviously uncontrollable, inexorable and agonizing. They were human, and yet they were animal.

Her gaze connected with one of the creature's—a woman—inside the cell, and the glaze of pain in her stare had everything inside her clenching with compassion and helplessness.

"I'm taking the tango outside to the van," Warrick said.

Her body jerked as he kicked open a door, his shoulder digging into her stomach. Then the door swung shut and the inside of the lab disappeared. But what she'd seen had been burned into her mind—she couldn't get rid of the image.

Warrick's grip on her tightened as he lowered her back over his shoulder and to the ground. Before she could get her balance or take note of their surroundings, she was forced up against the side of the building.

She welcomed the rough brick surface against her bare shoulders. It jarred her back to reality a bit. The slight chill in the night air added to the goose bumps that already covered her, but the proximity of Warrick's hard body radiated a heat that reminded her this whole situation was entirely too real. What she'd seen was real. She swallowed against the nausea that now threatened.

Warrick's arms came down on each side of her head and his face closed in on hers, his expression fierce, any trace of softness from earlier long gone. She blinked, trying to gain her surroundings, to calm herself, to form a clear thought.

"Tell me, Sienna. What the hell are you doing here tonight?"

Her heart couldn't seem to slow from its erratic pace. In a daze, she shook her head, trying to suck a breath. "It's not possible…things like that just can't exist."

He laughed mockingly, even as something hard—frightening—flickered in his eyes. "To the rest of the world, they don't."

"I…oh my God, Warrick, I don't feel so well." Her body started to tremble and she shook her head. "I need to get out of here. I need to get out of here! Warrick, let me—"

"Hey." Warrick caught her chin in gentle hands and forced her to look at him. "Look at me, Sienna. Come on, look at me. There's a good girl. You're all right."

She stared into his eyes, almost hypnotized at the intensity and firm conviction in his gaze. The reassurance and calm that Warrick had always been so good at giving. He stroked his thumb in a gentle caress down her cheek.

"You're all right, Sienna. Okay, sweetheart? Take a couple deep breaths. You're fine."

And suddenly she was. His familiar, gentle voice and reassuring words sucked the fear and anxiety right out of her. It was the closest she'd been to a panic attack in years.

Her muscles lost the tension she'd been holding and with each slow breath she dragged in she became more aware of everything. The smell of freshly cut grass and the scent of Warrick's soap. The sound of the suffering creatures inside, mostly muted by the thick brick walls of the building.

"Better?"

Sienna gave a heavy nod to Warrick's soft question. "How did you find out about them, Warrick? Those creatures? Are your friends going to hurt them?"

"Are my friends going to hurt them?" The gentleness in his expression vanished, replaced instead with disbelief as he leaned his face closer to hers. "My friends are on a damn rescue mission from whatever the hell kind of evil your employer was behind."

A flush of guilt stole up her neck and she averted her gaze. She couldn't exactly deny his accusation. But what did Warrick mean by rescue mission? And who were the other guys who he was communicating with?

Feeling much calmer now and a little more in control, she asked, "How did you know they were here, Warrick?"

Warrick stared at her, his gaze narrowed with consideration. The intensity of his stare had her squirming and her gaze shifting away from his.

"You didn't answer my question, Sienna."

"I'm here for the same reason you and those men are. To set them free."

Her admission was met with silence. A sliver of unease moved through her and she turned her head to glance back at Warrick. If his gaze had been intense before, it was downright intimidating now. Even though they'd grown up together, and she knew instinctively he'd never hurt her, a shiver of fear ran down her spine.

Megan Hart — Read in bed!

Eliza Gayle

Rhian Cahill

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Leah Braemel

Shelli Stevens

Shiloh Walker

TJ Michaels

Snippet Saturday (I forgot!)

Welcome to another Snippet Saturday! Today's theme is "Endings" and unfortunately I completely forgot about this until the 12th hour! (SORRY!!!)

So I'm just going to link to the other blogs, and wish you all a very happy and safe New Year's Eve!

Lauren Dane

Rhian Cahill

Eliza Gayle

Selena Blake

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

Shelli Stevens

Shiloh Walker

Leah Braemel

HelenKay Dimon

TJ Michaels

Snippet Saturday ~ Beginnings

First, before I jump into Snippet Saturday, let me just do a quick announcement that Dangerous Grounds is still free on the Kindle and Nook for another week! Pick it up at Amazon or Barnes and Noble .

Now onto Snippet Saturday! Today's theme is Beginnings.Check out my excerpt, and then hop around and read others! Thanks for stopping by, have a Merry Christmas (if you celebrate!).

The man she wants is the one she must deceive.

Seattle Steam Book 2

Christy Wallace may be a respectable Seattle Spanish teacher, but she's got a sultry side. She lets it come out to play during the summer, when she moonlights as a Salsa dancing instructor.

Sexy, cowboy Adam wants more time with her than just a fleeting cup of coffee, but she makes it clear that if he wants her, he'll have to sign up for dance class. Amazingly enough, he does. And Christy finds herself falling for a charming country hick with hands as fast as his feet.

Adam's no hick, though. He's the owner of Adam's Apples, the fastest-growing cider business in eastern Washington. To his own surprise, one night with her has him thinking in terms of forever. That is, until he walks into a restaurant for a family lunch—and finds Christy on the arm of his brother.

Is there a logical explanation? Or is something rotten in Seattle?

Warning: this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, dirty mechanical bull riding, and the violation of blueberries.

Available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

EXCERPT

"Do you want it wet?"

What? Christy Wallace snapped her attention away from the intriguing man standing in front of her, and back to the woman speaking. "I'm sorry?"

"Your cappuccino, Christy. You usually order it wet, but I just wanted to make sure." Madison, who owned the shop, gave her a patient smile even though there was a line of customers to the door.

"Oh. Yes. Wet, please. Thanks, Madison." She flushed, her face giving away the direction of her thoughts. Great, now the entire store probably thought she was some tawdry sex fiend.

Normally the question wouldn't have been such a doozy. She was a regular at Ooo La Latté—had been coming here since shortly after Madison had opened shop—and ordered the same wet cappuccino every day.

But her brain had gone to pot the moment she'd walked through the door and laid eyes on him. The man standing at the end of the line looked like he could've been the stunt double in any James Bond film. Well, a blond Bond. Wait, wasn't Bond blond now anyway? In any case. He had a lean muscular body, hard jaw-line, sensual mouth…and a

butt you could bounce a quarter off.

This was the first time she didn't mind waiting ten minutes in line for coffee. Not with the view standing in front of her. Her imagination had gone into overdrive. Those hands…those hands on her body. His body on her body—in her body. The fantasy had gone on and on—only to be broken when Madison confirmed her usual order.

Christy shifted as she waited for her drink, trying to forget about the man who now stood beside her. But, God, he smelled good. She leaned forward slightly and inhaled again. Even over the intense coffee aroma she could smell his cologne. Something woodsy and oh-so-male.

"What's the difference?"

She blinked and then blinked again. Oh God. He was actually talking to her? Her nerves jumped to life. "Difference in what?"

"Between wet and dry cappuccinos?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her as he accepted his drink from the barista.

She ran her tongue over suddenly dry lips. His gaze dropped to observe the small movement and her nipples tightened under her sweater.

Christy bit back a groan. What the hell was happening here? She'd been attracted to men before, but never this quick. Sex. Ah, there it was. She needed to get laid. Two years without sex turned her into a sex-starved nympho.

"Wet is with more milk and less foam." She lifted her gaze from his solid chest and up to his amused hazel eyes. Jeez, he was tall. At only five-one, she'd wager he had at least a good foot on her.

"Hmm. I guess I can understand that."

"One wet cappuccino." The barista grinned and handed Christy her drink.

"Thank you." She took it with a grateful smile.

The man next to her looked at her beverage and then gave his a pensive look. "I'm not used to fancy drinks. I just wanted a cup of coffee."

Fancy drinks? Definitely not a local. Christy offered him a smile. "Espresso drinks really aren't all that intimidating. And you know, rumor has it they're even made with coffee."

"I don't think I'd have a clue where to begin."

"Ah." She walked towards one of the leather couches in the shop, elated when he followed. "See, I think what you need is an espresso tutor."

He sat down next to her, stretching his long legs out in front of him. The plush couch seemed suddenly inadequate.

"An espresso tutor, huh?" His mouth curved into an answering smile. "You have any idea where a fellow might be able to get one of those?"

Lauren Dane

Rhian Cahill

Eliza Gayle

Selena Blake

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

Shelli Stevens

Shiloh Walker

Leah Braemel

HelenKay Dimon

TJ Michaels

Snippet Saturday ~ Winter

Welcome to another Snippet Saturday! Today's theme is Winter! Check out my excerpt and then hop over to the blogs listed below!

Available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

EXCERPT

"You want to leave tonight?" He glanced at the clock above the fireplace. "It's almost one in the morning. Where will you go?"

"I don't know. A hotel?" She shrugged and headed toward the

door.

"The nearest hotel is at least an hour or two away."

"So I'll drive all night back to San Francisco."

Was she completely insane?

"Wait."

She paused, turning to face him and raising an eyebrow.

Or maybe he was the one who was crazy. Was he really going to

tell Justin's girlfriend to spend the night here? The wind whistled outside

the windows, and the faint ticking of the clock confirmed his decision.

"You can't get back on the road this late at night. It's probably

going to snow."

"Snow?" Her eyes widened, and she looked horrified by the idea.

"Yeah, snow. White, cold stuff? Couldn't you smell it in the air?"

"Smell the snow in the air?" She blinked and shook her head. "Umm. I'm from San Francisco. I have no freaking idea what snow in the

air smells like."

"I think you should stay here tonight."

She cocked her head and her eyes narrowed. "Are you hitting on

me?"

"Am…am I hitting on you?" he sputtered. "No. Of course not."

"Hmm." She dropped her suitcase on the floor and walked past

him toward the bedroom. "Too bad. You're kind of cute. Okay, I'll stay."

She thought he was cute?

He watched her retreating figure, noting again the curves under the

bizarre, but sexy, outfit. The blood in his dick stirred, and he groaned in

alarm.

Oh, God. What was he doing? She was not his type. She was

nowhere near his type. Not to mention she was Justin's girlfriend.

"So are we sharing a bed, or are you going to be a gentleman and

take the couch?" She laughed, and the soft, feminine sound tantalized his

senses like silk. "I promise not to bite if you want to share a bed. Unless

you're into that kind of thing."

She turned around and batted her eyelashes at him. Lord, she was a

flirt. And damn it, it was working. He shifted, his pants feeling a little

tighter in the crotch now.

"I'll take the couch." Like any horny gentleman getting hit on by

his brother's gothic girlfriend would.

"Bummer." She smiled faintly. "Hey, if your name's not Roger,

what is it?"

They didn't even know each other's names. The last few minutes

seemed surreal. He was sharing the cabin with a complete stranger.

"It's Chase."

"Cool. I'm Nikki. Short for Nicole." She gave a slight nod. "Thanks

for letting me crash here. I'll get out of your hair in the morning."

Lauren Dane

Rhian Cahill

Eliza Gayle

Selena Blake

Anne Rainey

Jody Wallace

Lissa Matthews

Mari Carr

McKenna Jeffries

Myla Jackson

Taige Crenshaw

Alison Kent

Delilah Devlin

HelenKay Dimon

Shelli Stevens

Shiloh Walker

TJ Michaels