It's Only a Matter of My Opinion

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2012-01-16T21:03:00.000-08:00

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Sizzling Hot News to Share! Guarded Secrets by Destiny Blaine is a 2011 Nominee!

2012-01-08T13:55:00.000-08:00

Sizzling Hot Romance News!

Guarded Secrets, a Resplendence Publishing title, was nominated for
Best Mystery/Romantic Suspense/Thriller Book by Love Romances Cafe in their Love Romances Cafe "Best of 2011" Awards

How do you feed your guilty indulgence for erotic romance books? Take a look at Destiny Blaine's updated website and start adding Destiny Blaine titles to your TBR list for 2012!

Guarded Secrets by Destiny Blaine
Chapter One Excerpt

"Well ain't this just grand?" Nathan Willingham grumbled the second he saw Audra McAllister standing on the veranda of his historic Franklin, Tennessee antebellum home. "The Confederation sent a damn woman to guard my family?"

Audra stiffened at the insult. She'd fully expected Senator Willingham's sharp tongue and unpleasant greeting, but she'd never imagined how much the politician's words would cut like a knife.

"In the early days, the Confederation protected its own. Now? Bah! Those in charge don't give a damn about anything, unless of course, their families are the marks. Then? Oh well, then it's a different story. Now you see why I'm glad that boy of mine left your schismatic group."

Squaring her shoulders and standing as tall as her five-foot-four frame would allow, Audra said, "Senator Willingham, I'm Audra McAllister, the senior agent in charge. I'm here to reassure you. Our best and brightest agency experts are working on the current threat to you and your family." She turned toward the men to her left. "This is Scott Swanson and Mark Reynolds. We're honored to serve you, sir."

Scott and Mark offered their hands. Both were ignored. Senator Willingham paced the length of his porch, chewing on the tip of an unlit cigar. "Thomas sent you out here with two agents, did he?"

"Yes, sir," Audra replied, thinking the senator would be pissed off over limited manpower, and for good reason. Audra had argued with her senior advisory agent, Thomas Hadley, until she'd been blue in the face. For this particular assignment, they needed a large team of security intelligence agents, and when their orders came down, she was shocked over the lack of front-line support.

"Do you understand the magnitude of this threat, Miss McAllister?"
"Senator Willingham, I can relate to your concerns. You have successfully managed to irritate the situation between the US and the cartel controlling Mexican border towns. You are viewed as a terrible menace to the cartel, and enormous profits stand to be lost. Understandably, corrupt Mexican leaders want you eliminated. However, I must encourage you to look at the minimal assistance we have and help us develop a plan for keeping your family safe. If we work together, we'll be better prepared when the threat arrives."

"When the threat arrives?" Steam could've been swirling from the senator's ears and it wouldn't have made a difference. He clenched his fists, growled like an enraged bear, and his brows came together as if they were destined to touch. He looked angry, mean, and just plain scary. "Do you have any idea what my children have sustained, the kind of torture my son endured? My teenage daughters were almost kidnapped twice. Where were you then, Miss McAllister?"

Audra understood Senator Willingham's anger and fear. She'd read the Willingham report, studied the senator's family like a science, and realized if an attack came down again, her team would suffer more than minimal collateral damage. There would be bodies to count. A bleak end result could be unavoidable.

Audra and her unit believed in their abilities, but the facts were hard to ignore. They were outnumbered. The Willinghams would need to take an active role in fighting their enemies. Agent Hadley had assured her she would have Brance Willingham's support, but until she saw Brance, she had no way of knowing. He'd walked away from the Confederation once.

Still, a recurring thought made her believe Brance might work with them. The previous year, he had been held hostage in a desolate location where he was said to have tolerated some of the most heinous forms of torture.

Most men would've died, but the survival skills ingrained in Confederation agents sustained Brance during impossible interrogations. When a search and recovery team of Confederation specialists found him, he was near death and barely breathing. Some believed his survival was a miracle.

After Brance's crisis, high-ranking company officials issued an internal statement reflecting their views on Brance Willingham's situation and warned agents he was deadly, dangerous, and had gone rogue. While a kill order wasn't placed on the former agent's head, a warning came down. Brance Willingham had potentially used his formal training to work as a mercenary.

In other words, he was a problem. How much of one was the question. And no one knew.

"I deserve an explanation! My family will die at the hands of these immoral monsters!"

"We may not have strength in numbers, but-"

"I don't have to tell you this is unacceptable!" Senator Willingham interrupted Audra. "Do you know what those terrorists will do to my children if they're able to apprehend them again?" He stopped pacing and started glaring, his gaze working from one agent to the next. "Answer me!"

Audra started to tell Senator Willingham he should've thought of that before he provoked a war with the Mexican cartel. Former politicians lost their lives dabbling on the wrong side of the border. Willingham wasn't naïve. He knew what was at risk when he started a personal campaign against notorious foreign enemies.

"Senator Willingham, my team is prepared. We're excellent marksmen, skilled in weaponry typically reserved for the military, and-"

"Your team?" he asked, arching a brow. "You call a trio of agents a team?"

Fuck it. There was only one way to earn a nod of approval in this business, and Audra understood what was required. "Senator Willingham, with all due respect, we didn't ask for this assignment, and my men damn sure didn't cross that border and pick a fight with the bully. They didn't punch him in the nose then sprint like hell, praying that they'd outrun the tyrants he'd send to settle old scores."

"You're acting as if you think this is somehow my fault!"

And the senator behaved like a spoiled child.

"Who would you blame, sir?" Noting the fury in Willingham's eyes, Audra bristled, and the tough-talking superior agent came to the surface. "Senator, if you want to rant and rave, you're welcome to do that. My men and I will still be here when you're finished. We're all you have. I suggest you find some measure of acceptance in that. We'll protect your family. Let us do our jobs so one day soon you can return to yours."

Senator Willingham wheeled around on his boot and stalked her. He narrowed his gaze and took a deep breath. For a moment, Audra felt as if she'd made headway, but her confidence disintegrated under his tough scrutiny. "Do you have a family, Miss McAllister?"

"We all have families, Senator Willingham."

"I'm asking if you have children. Do you?"

"No, sir. I've never been married and do not have children." For some reason, verbalizing that fact made her heart ache like never before. At twenty-eight, Audra's marital status rarely bothered her, but thanks to the way Senator Willingham phrased his question, she became greatly disturbed.

"If you had children, perhaps you'd understand. There's nothing you wouldn't do to protect them. Do you hear what I'm saying, Agent McAllister?"

"Yes, sir."

"If you were in my shoes, would you feel as if everything were in order to do that? Would you rest at ease if that damn organization-the one you represent-sent you a few good men, or women, to protect your family?"

"Sir, I don't know how I'd feel if I were in your shoes. I clearly am not. What I do know is how I can respond from my pair of sneakers. I will not run. I won't hide. I'll fight for your family and so will my men. Now, if you would please show us around the property and let us familiarize ourselves with our surroundings, I'd really appreciate your help. We don't have a moment to waste."

"No family," Willingham said quietly, as if he were just processing that one tidbit of information. "Then you have nothing to lose, do you, Miss McAllister?"

"Some believe that makes for the best agent, sir. You of all people should know that."

"Unless you're afraid," the senator pointed out, glancing at the other two agents. "Are you frightened?"

Mark shot Audra a quick glance and said, "We have an excellent unit in place, sir. You asked if Audra had something to lose. Maybe she doesn't, but I do. I'm not willing to die here, Senator. With all due respect, this is your war. You brought your enemies to small town America and backed away, fully expecting someone else to pick up their weapons and defend a cause that didn't concern you."

Mark paused. He rubbed his jaw in thoughtful consideration. "Senator, you stirred up the kind of trouble most wouldn't dream of antagonizing. Then, you expected the Confederation to come in and sweep up your mess. Well here, we are with dustpan and broom. When you have company, we'll clean house. That's what we're paid to do. We pick up after egotistical politicians that care more about their political agendas than the safety of their fellow countrymen and families."

Senator Willingham walked over to Mark and stood directly in front of him. They were about the same size-over six-foot-three and about two hundred and thirty pounds of hard flesh-and if expressions counted for something, they both looked mean as the devil with their cold eyes, set jaws, and overall stance.

Willingham had about twenty years on Mark, who was in his mid-thirties, but that didn't seem to matter. Willingham wasn't intimidated, and Mark never backed down from a good fight. Like Audra, he loathed their reasons for being there.

"Do you have a motive for disrespecting me in my own home?"

"No, sir," Mark replied. "I'm only pointing out the facts. Don't stir the kettle over a hot stove then call for the head chef when the damn thing starts to boil. You got what you asked for, Senator. I hate that for your family, and that's why I'm here.

"I want to protect the innocent-your wife, your son and daughters, and your neighbors who aren't exempt from the danger looming-but make no mistake, you'll be required to fight, too. You'll need to look over your shoulder, pick up a gun, and know damn well how to use the weapons we place in your hand. When the time comes, we may need backup, and when it's not there-and rest assured, it won't be-then your family's preparedness will be the only leverage we'll have."

Watching the blood rush out of the senator's face, Audra quickly said, "Senator Willingham, Agent Reynolds and Agent Swanson will fight for your family, but what Agent Reynolds is trying to say is that we want to cover our bases and make sure your family members are taught to protect themselves so they're never entirely vulnerable again. We'll do our best to-"

"What if your best isn't good enough?" Senator Willingham bellowed. "Have you ever thought about that? What if your best is one second shy of pulling the trigger when an intruder enters my home? What if you're three steps behind the men who take my daughters the next time or-"

"That won't happen," Mark told him confidently.

Scott Swanson grunted. A man of few words, Scott was the man on the team who mattered. A former SEAL, Scott didn't care if he lived or died, and often that was his greatest strength.

He was the one who would walk through fires to rescue the person he was hired to save. Audra would rather have Scott on her team than ten other men. His senses were razor sharp. He wasn't just a man. He was a machine. Plus, he had been Audra's best friend since they were kids.
Truth be told? Scott could be credited, or blamed, with her decision to join the Confederation. When Audra and Scott were children, they always enjoyed friendly competitions between themselves. Scott was twice her size, but Audra held her own in a battle of wits. He trumped her in strength and weight, but she beat him with speed and brains. As a young girl, Audra believed whatever he could do, she could do better.

They'd entered the Confederation together, which was really no surprise. Scott was the one who'd been heavily recruited by those funding the private organization. In early 2007, a SEAL mission went terribly wrong in Afghanistan. Attempts to rescue stranded servicemen were unsuccessful. Enraged retired military officials came up with a solution. They formed a conglomerate and hired the best men and women, training them for militia activity while invoking rebel practices. When Scott told Audra he was joining the group, hell's flames couldn't have stopped her from following right behind him.

Senator Willingham's gaze averted, shifting toward a newcomer. Audra turned, and when she did, it was as if her life passed in front of her eyes.

Brance Willingham's entry was in slow motion. As he moved toward her, every sound, every action was noted. The way his heavy foot dropped against the tile outdoor flooring. How his smile widened as he approached, and the lazy method used when he ran his fingers through his blond shag-style hair. He strode within inches of his father and immediately looked her up and down with this cocksure grin stamped upon his lips.

Audra sensed trouble right then, and the danger arriving wouldn't surface in the form of a professional threat. This job was bound to become personal.

Audra had feared the possibilities when she'd received the assignment. She and Brance trained at the same time. They'd worked together on two missions prior to Brance's resignation, a formal request only honored and granted because of Senator Willingham's political position.

Unfortunately, Brance still looked pretty much the same as Audra remembered him. Tall and tough, he was built as if he were specifically designed for pleasing the opposite sex. Brance was devastatingly handsome, and Audra's mouth watered when she saw him.

Damn him for having the same drastic effect on her. In his presence, she fell under this unexplainable spell.

"Agent McAllister, you remember my son, Brance Willingham. Brance, I'm sure you recall working with Agent Audra McAllister. She can introduce her team. I need to make a phone call."
Audra extended her hand. When Brance planted a kiss on her knuckles, she felt like a bolt of lightning struck at the base of her spine. "Miss McAllister, it's certainly a pleasure to see you again."

"Brance," she whispered. Scott chuckled, and Audra snapped out of her daze. "It's nice to see you as well, Mr. Willingham."

Formal connotations were her undoing. There were moments in the past, few and far between, where they practically pawed one another. Now, they were acting as if they'd only been mere acquaintances.

Thoughts of groping brought a smile to her face. She and Brance had never been intimate, but the long stakeouts had been enough to make a woman think...and fantasize. Close quarters offered opportunities for some mighty fine body-to-body friction when time allowed a woman and man to think about personal matters rather than strictly professional objectives.

"Please, call me Brance. I seem to recall how much you liked saying my name," he remarked, smirking.

Audra gulped, thinking Brance still represented nothing more than pure adult recreation, precisely the kind of obstacle Audra didn't need on this assignment. Within seconds of seeing him again, she lost her sense of purpose. They were inexplicably drawn to one another by that same familiar chemistry neither of them fully defied, and never denied, in the past.

As the senator disappeared behind two double doors, Brance introduced himself to Mark and told Scott how glad he was to see him again. Audra focused on a family portrait hanging on the far wall. In an effort to tear her gaze away from the object of her apparent attraction, she walked toward the painting, noting the obvious right away-Brance Willingham was in a wheel chair.

The image was almost too much for Audra to view. She was only somewhat aware of the silence behind her or the fact Brance had walked up and stood beside her.

"Mother wanted a family portrait. She'd waited years for me to sit still long enough for an artist to capture the perfect family she wanted portrayed. During my recuperation, we had a lot of idle time, so she bribed us to sit for one of the best painters in the country. Amazing what a son will do for a mother when sugar cookies and homemade brownies are used for bargaining chips."

"Maybe later on, I can trade weapons for chocolate."

"Mom will fix you right up."

Audra didn't mention her surprise. Based on the research she'd gathered, she didn't picture Mrs. Willingham as the domestic type. "I'll remember that."

She forced a smile, facing the man who had long since earned her admiration. She'd read the Willingham story. She'd looked over Brance's entire file from his earliest affiliation with her organization to his abduction in 2010. Without question, Brance Willingham remained true to his training. He wasn't just a civilian survivor. He was a Confederation fighter.

Audra planned to use him in several ways.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Purchase Guarded Secrets by Destiny Blaine from Resplendence Publishing, Barnes and Noble, All Romance Ebooks, Amazon, or your other favorite third party retail sites.

Excerpt provided by Destiny Blaine
Copyright ©2011 Destiny Blaine for Guarded Secrets, an e-book published by Resplendence Publishing

For the Holidays--Five Rings by Destiny Blaine

2011-12-10T05:44:00.001-08:00

Five Rings won an Epic Ariana 2011 Award for Best eBook Cover Art in the Fantasy/Paranormal Erotic Romance category. This beautiful cover was created by cover artist, Martine Jardin

Members of Jason Lory's original pride coalition warned of the shifter-mates remaining. Some were thought to be man-eaters. Others, the nomads, were considered very volatile and unable to shift successfully without the stimulation of five rings, only no one knew with absolute certainty what these rings were or where to find them. Jason Lory figured out the mystery.

Available now for $3.99

The following quotes are from Five Rings by Destiny Blaine. They are character quotes from a novella about a beautiful young woman with a very twisted mind.

“When the average man shops for a ring, he isn’t thinking of the gold band in the metaphorical sense.
He sees the symbolical meaning and finally understands.
While there are some things money can’t buy, love is not one of them…”
--Jason Lory

“Every nymphomaniac hopes good sex will find her
And then transform her into the goddess she already believes lives within…”
--Simon Warner

“A soldier leaves for war and hopes the hard battle ahead will not take his life.
A woman with multiple personalities leaves for an institution and hopes a life of confinement will not break her spirit…"
-- Jordan St. Johns

“She was like the current dragging back and forth under the wide open sea…”
--Michael Mahoney.

“She was a victim placed at circumstance’s door.
A woman who held her head high as she searched for pride.
She was there for a reason, for a purpose larger than anyone understood.
So they acted as men and did what anyone else would in their position.
They made her crazy… and they made the diagnosis stick.
Then, they brought her forward and loved her…”
--Fran Conway

Five Rings by Destiny Blaine is a holiday EROTICA story. Please note, while there are romantic elements, this is not a Christmas story for readers of sweet romance. Five Rings is a provocative tale with an underlying twist and for those readers who are fond of paranormal short stories with mysterious elements. Available now at eXtasy Books and a perfect choice for a holiday paranormal short story.

NEW! Available now at third party retail sites and Resplendence Publishing

2011-11-23T08:10:00.000-08:00

How far will a family go to hide embarrassing secrets? How deep will an intelligence agent dig in order to uncover them?

Audra McAllister is one tough broad leading a small team of modern day renegades determined to protect those they’re hired to guard. However, her extensive training never prepares her for Brance Willingham, a man from the past who is determined to win her hand, maybe even her love.

Safeguarding an affluent American family, Audra fears the enemy is living among them. Soon, her fellow agents discover they’re helping a high profile family conceal the truth behind an enormous political scandal. And they’re forced to make professional decisions with the potential to destroy them all.

Excerpt:

“Well ain’t this just grand?” Nathan Willingham grumbled the second he saw Audra McAllister standing on the veranda of his historic Franklin, Tennessee antebellum home. “The Confederation sent a damn woman to guard my family?”

Audra stiffened at the insult. She’d fully expected Senator Willingham’s sharp tongue and unpleasant greeting, but she’d never imagined how much the politician’s words would cut like a knife.

“In the early days, the Confederation protected its own. Now? Bah! Those in charge don’t give a damn about anything, unless of course, their families are the marks. Then? Oh well, then it’s a different story. Now you see why I’m glad that boy of mine left your schismatic group.”

Squaring her shoulders and standing as tall as her five-foot-four frame would allow, Audra said, “Senator Willingham, I’m Audra McAllister, the senior agent in charge. I’m here to reassure you. Our best and brightest agency experts are working on the current threat to you and your family.” She turned toward the men to her left. “This is Scott Swanson and Mark Reynolds. We’re honored to serve you, sir.”

Scott and Mark offered their hands. Both were ignored. Senator Willingham paced the length of his porch, chewing on the tip of an unlit cigar. “Thomas sent you out here with two agents, did he?”

“Yes, sir,” Audra replied, thinking the senator would be pissed off over limited manpower, and for good reason. Audra had argued with her senior advisory agent, Thomas Hadley, until she’d been blue in the face. For this particular assignment, they needed a large team of security intelligence agents, and when their orders came down, she was shocked over the lack of front-line support.

“Do you understand the magnitude of this threat, Miss McAllister?”

“Senator Willingham, I can relate to your concerns. You have successfully managed to irritate the situation between the US and the cartel controlling Mexican border towns. You are viewed as a terrible menace to the cartel, and enormous profits stand to be lost. Understandably, corrupt Mexican leaders want you eliminated. However, I must encourage you to look at the minimal assistance we have and help us develop a plan for keeping your family safe. If we work together, we’ll be better prepared when the threat arrives.”

“When the threat arrives?” Steam could’ve been swirling from the senator’s ears and it wouldn’t have made a difference. He clenched his fists, growled like an enraged bear, and his brows came together as if they were destined to touch. He looked angry, mean, and just plain scary. “Do you have any idea what my children have sustained, the kind of torture my son endured? My teenage daughters were almost kidnapped twice. Where were you then, Miss McAllister?”

Audra understood Senator Willingham’s anger and fear. She’d read the Willingham report, studied the senator’s family like a science, and realized if an attack came down again, her team would suffer more than minimal collateral damage. There would be bodies to count. A bleak end result could be unavoidable.

Audra and her unit believed in their abilities, but the facts were hard to ignore. They were outnumbered. The Willinghams would need to take an active role in fighting their enemies. Agent Hadley had assured her she would have Brance Willingham’s support, but until she saw Brance, she had no way of knowing. He’d walked away from the Confederation once.

Still, a recurring thought made her believe Brance might work with them. The previous year, he had been held hostage in a desolate location where he was said to have tolerated some of the most heinous forms of torture.

Most men would’ve died, but the survival skills ingrained in Confederation agents sustained Brance during impossible interrogations. When a search and recovery team of Confederation specialists found him, he was near death and barely breathing. Some believed his survival was a miracle.

After Brance’s crisis, high-ranking company officials issued an internal statement reflecting their views on Brance Willingham’s situation and warned agents he was deadly, dangerous, and had gone rogue. While a kill order wasn’t placed on the former agent’s head, a warning came down. Brance Willingham had potentially used his formal training to work as a mercenary.

In other words, he was a problem. How much of one was the question. And no one knew.

“I deserve an explanation! My family will die at the hands of these immoral monsters!”

“We may not have strength in numbers, but—”

“I don’t have to tell you this is unacceptable!” Senator Willingham interrupted Audra. “Do you know what those terrorists will do to my children if they’re able to apprehend them again?” He stopped pacing and started glaring, his gaze working from one agent to the next. “Answer me!”

Audra started to tell Senator Willingham he should’ve thought of that before he provoked a war with the Mexican cartel. Former politicians lost their lives dabbling on the wrong side of the border. Willingham wasn’t naïve. He knew what was at risk when he started a personal campaign against notorious foreign enemies.

“Senator Willingham, my team is prepared. We’re excellent marksmen, skilled in weaponry typically reserved for the military, and—”

“Your team?” he asked, arching a brow. “You call a trio of agents a team?”

Fuck it. There was only one way to earn a nod of approval in this business, and Audra understood what was required. “Senator Willingham, with all due respect, we didn’t ask for this assignment, and my men damn sure didn’t cross that border and pick a fight with the bully. They didn’t punch him in the nose then sprint like hell, praying that they’d outrun the tyrants he’d send to settle old scores.”

“You’re acting as if you think this is somehow my fault!”

And the senator behaved like a spoiled child.

“Who would you blame, sir?” Noting the fury in Willingham’s eyes, Audra bristled, and the tough-talking superior agent came to the surface. “Senator, if you want to rant and rave, you’re welcome to do that. My men and I will still be here when you’re finished. We’re all you have. I suggest you find some measure of acceptance in that. We’ll protect your family. Let us do our jobs so one day soon you can return to yours.”

Senator Willingham wheeled around on his boot and stalked her. He narrowed his gaze and took a deep breath. For a moment, Audra felt as if she’d made headway, but her confidence disintegrated under his tough scrutiny. “Do you have a family, Miss McAllister?”

“We all have families, Senator Willingham.”

“I’m asking if you have children. Do you?”

“No, sir. I’ve never been married and do not have children.” For some reason, verbalizing that fact made her heart ache like never before. At twenty-eight, Audra’s marital status rarely bothered her, but thanks to the way Senator Willingham phrased his question, she became greatly disturbed.

“If you had children, perhaps you’d understand. There’s nothing you wouldn’t do to protect them. Do you hear what I’m saying, Agent McAllister?”

“Yes, sir.”

“If you were in my shoes, would you feel as if everything were in order to do that? Would you rest at ease if that damn organization—the one you represent—sent you a few good men, or women, to protect your family?”

“Sir, I don’t know how I’d feel if I were in your shoes. I clearly am not. What I do know is how I can respond from my pair of sneakers. I will not run. I won’t hide. I’ll fight for your family and so will my men. Now, if you would please show us around the property and let us familiarize ourselves with our surroundings, I’d really appreciate your help. We don’t have a moment to waste.”

“No family,” Willingham said quietly, as if he were just processing that one tidbit of information. “Then you have nothing to lose, do you, Miss McAllister?”

“Some believe that makes for the best agent, sir. You of all people should know that.”

“Unless you’re afraid,” the senator pointed out, glancing at the other two agents. “Are you frightened?”

Mark shot Audra a quick glance and said, “We have an excellent unit in place, sir. You asked if Audra had something to lose. Maybe she doesn’t, but I do. I’m not willing to die here, Senator. With all due respect, this is your war. You brought your enemies to small town America and backed away, fully expecting someone else to pick up their weapons and defend a cause that didn’t concern you.”

Mark paused. He rubbed his jaw in thoughtful consideration. “Senator, you stirred up the kind of trouble most wouldn’t dream of antagonizing. Then, you expected the Confederation to come in and sweep up your mess. Well here we are with dustpan and broom. When you have company, we’ll clean house. That’s what we’re paid to do. We pick up after egotistical politicians that care more about their political agendas than the safety of their fellow countrymen and families.”

Senator Willingham walked over to Mark and stood directly in front of him. They were about the same size—over six-foot-three and about two hundred and thirty pounds of hard flesh—and if expressions counted for something, they both looked mean as the devil with their cold eyes, set jaws, and overall stance.

Willingham had about twenty years on Mark, who was in his mid-thirties, but that didn’t seem to matter. Willingham wasn’t intimidated, and Mark never backed down from a good fight. Like Audra, he loathed their reasons for being there.

“Do you have a motive for disrespecting me in my own home?”

“No, sir,” Mark replied. “I’m only pointing out the facts. Don’t stir the kettle over a hot stove then call for the head chef when the damn thing starts to boil. You got what you asked for, Senator. I hate that for your family, and that’s why I’m here.

“I want to protect the innocent—your wife, your son and daughters, and your neighbors who aren’t exempt from the danger looming—but make no mistake, you’ll be required to fight, too. You’ll need to look over your shoulder, pick up a gun, and know damn well how to use the weapons we place in your hand. When the time comes, we may need backup, and when it’s not there—and rest assured, it won’t be—then your family’s preparedness will be the only leverage we’ll have.”

Watching the blood rush out of the senator’s face, Audra quickly said, “Senator Willingham, Agent Reynolds and Agent Swanson will fight for your family, but what Agent Reynolds is trying to say is that we want to cover our bases and make sure your family members are taught to protect themselves so they’re never entirely vulnerable again. We’ll do our best to—”

“What if your best isn’t good enough?” Senator Willingham bellowed. “Have you ever thought about that? What if your best is one second shy of pulling the trigger when an intruder enters my home? What if you’re three steps behind the men who take my daughters the next time or—”

“That won’t happen,” Mark told him confidently.

Scott Swanson grunted. A man of few words, Scott was the man on the team who mattered. A former SEAL, Scott didn’t care if he lived or died, and often that was his greatest strength.

http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/m8/392-201-108-403-4--guarded-secrets-by-destiny-blaine.html

New Release Today, November 16, 2011

2011-11-16T11:12:00.000-08:00

How far will a family go to hide embarrassing secrets? How deep will an intelligence agent dig in order to uncover them?

Safeguarding an affluent American family, Audra fears the enemy is living among them. Soon, her fellow agents discover they’re helping a high profile family conceal the truth behind an enormous political scandal. And they’re forced to make professional decisions with the potential to destroy them all.

Excerpt:

“Well ain’t this just grand?” Nathan Willingham grumbled the second he saw Audra McAllister standing on the veranda of his historic Franklin, Tennessee antebellum home. “The Confederation sent a damn woman to guard my family?”

Audra stiffened at the insult. She’d fully expected Senator Willingham’s sharp tongue and unpleasant greeting, but she’d never imagined how much the politician’s words would cut like a knife.

“In the early days, the Confederation protected its own. Now? Bah! Those in charge don’t give a damn about anything, unless of course, their families are the marks. Then? Oh well, then it’s a different story. Now you see why I’m glad that boy of mine left your schismatic group.”

Squaring her shoulders and standing as tall as her five-foot-four frame would allow, Audra said, “Senator Willingham, I’m Audra McAllister, the senior agent in charge. I’m here to reassure you. Our best and brightest agency experts are working on the current threat to you and your family.” She turned toward the men to her left. “This is Scott Swanson and Mark Reynolds. We’re honored to serve you, sir.”

Scott and Mark offered their hands. Both were ignored. Senator Willingham paced the length of his porch, chewing on the tip of an unlit cigar. “Thomas sent you out here with two agents, did he?”

“Yes, sir,” Audra replied, thinking the senator would be pissed off over limited manpower, and for good reason. Audra had argued with her senior advisory agent, Thomas Hadley, until she’d been blue in the face. For this particular assignment, they needed a large team of security intelligence agents, and when their orders came down, she was shocked over the lack of front-line support.

“Do you understand the magnitude of this threat, Miss McAllister?”

“Senator Willingham, I can relate to your concerns. You have successfully managed to irritate the situation between the US and the cartel controlling Mexican border towns. You are viewed as a terrible menace to the cartel, and enormous profits stand to be lost. Understandably, corrupt Mexican leaders want you eliminated. However, I must encourage you to look at the minimal assistance we have and help us develop a plan for keeping your family safe. If we work together, we’ll be better prepared when the threat arrives.”

“When the threat arrives?” Steam could’ve been swirling from the senator’s ears and it wouldn’t have made a difference. He clenched his fists, growled like an enraged bear, and his brows came together as if they were destined to touch. He looked angry, mean, and just plain scary. “Do you have any idea what my children have sustained, the kind of torture my son endured? My teenage daughters were almost kidnapped twice. Where were you then, Miss McAllister?”

Audra understood Senator Willingham’s anger and fear. She’d read the Willingham report, studied the senator’s family like a science, and realized if an attack came down again, her team would suffer more than minimal collateral damage. There would be bodies to count. A bleak end result could be unavoidable.

Audra and her unit believed in their abilities, but the facts were hard to ignore. They were outnumbered. The Willinghams would need to take an active role in fighting their enemies. Agent Hadley had assured her she would have Brance Willingham’s support, but until she saw Brance, she had no way of knowing. He’d walked away from the Confederation once.

Still, a recurring thought made her believe Brance might work with them. The previous year, he had been held hostage in a desolate location where he was said to have tolerated some of the most heinous forms of torture.

Most men would’ve died, but the survival skills ingrained in Confederation agents sustained Brance during impossible interrogations. When a search and recovery team of Confederation specialists found him, he was near death and barely breathing. Some believed his survival was a miracle.

After Brance’s crisis, high-ranking company officials issued an internal statement reflecting their views on Brance Willingham’s situation and warned agents he was deadly, dangerous, and had gone rogue. While a kill order wasn’t placed on the former agent’s head, a warning came down. Brance Willingham had potentially used his formal training to work as a mercenary.

In other words, he was a problem. How much of one was the question. And no one knew.

“I deserve an explanation! My family will die at the hands of these immoral monsters!”

“We may not have strength in numbers, but—”

“I don’t have to tell you this is unacceptable!” Senator Willingham interrupted Audra. “Do you know what those terrorists will do to my children if they’re able to apprehend them again?” He stopped pacing and started glaring, his gaze working from one agent to the next. “Answer me!”

Audra started to tell Senator Willingham he should’ve thought of that before he provoked a war with the Mexican cartel. Former politicians lost their lives dabbling on the wrong side of the border. Willingham wasn’t naïve. He knew what was at risk when he started a personal campaign against notorious foreign enemies.

“Senator Willingham, my team is prepared. We’re excellent marksmen, skilled in weaponry typically reserved for the military, and—”

“Your team?” he asked, arching a brow. “You call a trio of agents a team?”

Fuck it. There was only one way to earn a nod of approval in this business, and Audra understood what was required. “Senator Willingham, with all due respect, we didn’t ask for this assignment, and my men damn sure didn’t cross that border and pick a fight with the bully. They didn’t punch him in the nose then sprint like hell, praying that they’d outrun the tyrants he’d send to settle old scores.”

“You’re acting as if you think this is somehow my fault!”

And the senator behaved like a spoiled child.

“Who would you blame, sir?” Noting the fury in Willingham’s eyes, Audra bristled, and the tough-talking superior agent came to the surface. “Senator, if you want to rant and rave, you’re welcome to do that. My men and I will still be here when you’re finished. We’re all you have. I suggest you find some measure of acceptance in that. We’ll protect your family. Let us do our jobs so one day soon you can return to yours.”

Senator Willingham wheeled around on his boot and stalked her. He narrowed his gaze and took a deep breath. For a moment, Audra felt as if she’d made headway, but her confidence disintegrated under his tough scrutiny. “Do you have a family, Miss McAllister?”

“We all have families, Senator Willingham.”

“I’m asking if you have children. Do you?”

“No, sir. I’ve never been married and do not have children.” For some reason, verbalizing that fact made her heart ache like never before. At twenty-eight, Audra’s marital status rarely bothered her, but thanks to the way Senator Willingham phrased his question, she became greatly disturbed.

“If you had children, perhaps you’d understand. There’s nothing you wouldn’t do to protect them. Do you hear what I’m saying, Agent McAllister?”

“Yes, sir.”

“If you were in my shoes, would you feel as if everything were in order to do that? Would you rest at ease if that damn organization—the one you represent—sent you a few good men, or women, to protect your family?”

“Sir, I don’t know how I’d feel if I were in your shoes. I clearly am not. What I do know is how I can respond from my pair of sneakers. I will not run. I won’t hide. I’ll fight for your family and so will my men. Now, if you would please show us around the property and let us familiarize ourselves with our surroundings, I’d really appreciate your help. We don’t have a moment to waste.”

“No family,” Willingham said quietly, as if he were just processing that one tidbit of information. “Then you have nothing to lose, do you, Miss McAllister?”

“Some believe that makes for the best agent, sir. You of all people should know that.”

“Unless you’re afraid,” the senator pointed out, glancing at the other two agents. “Are you frightened?”

Mark shot Audra a quick glance and said, “We have an excellent unit in place, sir. You asked if Audra had something to lose. Maybe she doesn’t, but I do. I’m not willing to die here, Senator. With all due respect, this is your war. You brought your enemies to small town America and backed away, fully expecting someone else to pick up their weapons and defend a cause that didn’t concern you.”

Mark paused. He rubbed his jaw in thoughtful consideration. “Senator, you stirred up the kind of trouble most wouldn’t dream of antagonizing. Then, you expected the Confederation to come in and sweep up your mess. Well here, we are with dustpan and broom. When you have company, we’ll clean house. That’s what we’re paid to do. We pick up after egotistical politicians that care more about their political agendas than the safety of their fellow countrymen and families.”

Senator Willingham walked over to Mark and stood directly in front of him. They were about the same size—over six-foot-three and about two hundred and thirty pounds of hard flesh—and if expressions counted for something, they both looked mean as the devil with their cold eyes, set jaws, and overall stance.

Willingham had about twenty years on Mark, who was in his mid-thirties, but that didn’t seem to matter. Willingham wasn’t intimidated, and Mark never backed down from a good fight. Like Audra, he loathed their reasons for being there.

“Do you have a motive for disrespecting me in my own home?”

“No, sir,” Mark replied. “I’m only pointing out the facts. Don’t stir the kettle over a hot stove then call for the head chef when the damn thing starts to boil. You got what you asked for, Senator. I hate that for your family, and that’s why I’m here.

“I want to protect the innocent—your wife, your son and daughters, and your neighbors who aren’t exempt from the danger looming—but make no mistake, you’ll be required to fight, too. You’ll need to look over your shoulder, pick up a gun, and know damn well how to use the weapons we place in your hand. When the time comes, we may need backup, and when it’s not there—and rest assured, it won’t be—then your family’s preparedness will be the only leverage we’ll have.”

Watching the blood rush out of the senator’s face, Audra quickly said, “Senator Willingham, Agent Reynolds and Agent Swanson will fight for your family, but what Agent Reynolds is trying to say is that we want to cover our bases and make sure your family members are taught to protect themselves so they’re never entirely vulnerable again. We’ll do our best to—”

“What if your best isn’t good enough?” Senator Willingham bellowed. “Have you ever thought about that? What if your best is one second shy of pulling the trigger when an intruder enters my home? What if you’re three steps behind the men who take my daughters the next time or—”

“That won’t happen,” Mark told him confidently.

Scott Swanson grunted. A man of few words, Scott was the man on the team who mattered. A former SEAL, Scott didn’t care if he lived or died, and often that was his greatest strength.

Buy Now from Resplendence Publishing

GRAND PRIZE WINNER & RUNNERS-UP WINNERSWe're celebrating the release of Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts by Natalie Acres

2011-11-08T10:05:00.000-08:00

In celebration of the Inaugural Natalie Acres Boot Scootin’ Boogie Blog Tour, we have some prizes to share with the list of random winners below. Thank you for participating in this exciting tour while we celebrated the release day of Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts by Natalie Acres. Random winners were chosen to receive the following prizes:

Our Grand Prize Winner Receives

$25 in StrandBucks available to spend as you wish at Bookstrand. Choose from a wide selection of talented authors when you cash in your StrandBucks for books of your choice.

In addition to the $25 in StrandBucks, our grand prize winner may choose one full series from any ONE of the collections below:

The Winning Virgin series by Destiny BlainePublished by Siren-Bookstrand

The Cowboy Sex series by Natalie AcresPublished by Siren-Bookstrand

The Sports Wives series by Destiny Blaine

Published by Siren-Bookstrand

The Country Roads series by Natalie Acres Published by Siren-Bookstrand

Congratulations to our grand prize winner APRIL S!!

April registered to win at Black Raven Reviews!

Her post at 10:21 on November 6th was entered and APRIL S won FIRST PRIZE in our random drawing!!! APRIL, please contact me as soon as possible at natalieacres@yahoo.com with GRAND PRIZE WINNER in the subject line!

Additionally, the following prizes are awarded as runner-up prizes!

Congratulations to the following:

F.L. Bicknell--Faith posted at several blogs and locked up a runner-up position!!!!

Jean P.---Posted at several blogs and locked up a runner-up position!!!

Tammy J (jfarms....) posted at several blogs and locked up a runner-up position!!!

Our runners-up can choose ONE FULL series from the listed series above. Remember, these books are only available in PDF format. Write natalieacres@yahoo.com with RUNNER UP in the subject line! ADDITIONALLY, our runners-up will receive $5.00 in StrandBucks awarded by the author and purchased at www.bookstrand.com.

Congratulations to our GRAND PRIZE WINNER AND OUR THREE RUNNERS-UP!!!

Thank you for participating in this exciting tour!

Thanks to you, Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts began its climb up one of the toughest bestselling charts in the industry. Thank you for placing this title in Bookstrand's TOP 50 AND for telling your friends about the Cowboy Boots series.

I sincerely appreciate my fellow authors and each blog owner for sharing their blogs on this Inaugural Boot Scootin’ Boogie Tour. A special thank you goes out to all of you who took the time to comment at the blogs on tour. You’re appreciated!

Natalie Acres
natalieacres@yahoo.com

PLEASE NOTE: Allow up to 24 hours for prize delivery and a response. Thank you!

Don't Miss a Moment of Excitement!!! Natalie Acres Goes on the Virtual Road with a Boot Scootin' Boogie Blog Tour

2011-11-06T07:51:00.000-08:00

A New Release and Back to the Drawing Board—Where to Begin

A woman’s life is hectic. Between family and career, it’s often difficult to juggle day-to-day activities much less squeeze in something extra. As a writer, I often find myself in a crunch for time. The muse pulls one way and readers guide in another direction altogether. Lately, I’ve discovered my muse shouldn’t have a dog in the race. When readers ask for a certain book, the excitement and energy they have for a particular series is a great source of inspiration when I finally sit down to write a new book.

Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts is a prime example. Readers supported this series from the very beginning and because of their requests for more from the Underground Unit, I couldn’t wait to deliver another Cowboy Boots novel.

The series began with Cowboy Boots and Untamed Hearts which kicked off the Cowboy Boots saga in April of 2009. The book captured the #1 spot at Siren-Bookstrand and went on to become the #1 bestselling erotica and western title at Amazon. A bestselling title at All Romance Ebooks and Mobipocket, Cowboy Boots and Untamed Hearts was soon followed by Cowboy Boots and Unfinished Business which was also received well by readers who supported the series.

I’m thrilled and excited about the new Cowboy Boots release, but must admit Cowboy Boots and Unfinished Business remains my favorite due to the unusual bond formed between sisters as one woman courageously faces her death while asking another woman to take care of the men she’ll soon leave behind.

Readers write to ask questions about continuing the series and I can promise there’s more in store. While writing Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts, book three, the idea for the fourth installment materialized as well. Cowboy Boots and Undesirable Characters will soon be submitted for consideration.

In the meantime, more books are in the pipeline for the Cowboy Sex series as well. Sex Party was my first western ménage romance. If you enjoy family sagas, come on over to the ranch and meet the Cartwell family. While you’re there, stop by and say hello to the McKay brothers, too. You might want to call ahead. It’s hard to say where you’ll find these fellows if you stop by unannounced! One thing is certain— you’ll spot a strong-willed, feisty woman keeping an eye on her men.

As we take a tour around the internet, I’d like to invite you to check out the entire collection of Natalie Acres books, but particularly Cowboy Sex and Cowboy Boots. The Cowboy Sex novels tend to write themselves. The stories unfold quicker than they can be put down on paper. The Cowboy Boots novels were a little more difficult to write. Driven by the hot romance and fast action, the characters found in Cowboy Boots tend to ‘get carried away’ with their toys and props. These heroines understand their men are hardcore males with certain expectations in the bedroom.

Speaking of expectations, I hope the week ahead produces some emails because I’m at a crossroads again. With several series to complete and numerous manuscripts stored on my desktop, there’s the ever-present daily question—Where to begin? In fact, if you’re stopping by to follow the tour today, please leave a comment and your advice! You could win a free download of a backlist title!

You know as readers we ask the “Where to start” question a lot, too. It’s not always simple to find the order in which series books were written. Today, as we celebrate the release day of Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts, I invite you to check out the entire series.

Start with Cowboy Boots and Untamed Hearts and meet the Donovan brothers from Southwest Virginia. Then, say hello to the Remington men and the women they love in Cowboy Boots and Unfinished Business. As they cope with tremendous loss, they find strength and hope in the arms of a woman they never expected to love. Finally, I invite you to pick up your copy of Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts, on sale today at Siren-Bookstrand.

Below, you’ll find an excerpt and blurb from Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts followed by the blog tour information. Please visit the blogs listed and leave a comment. At the end of the tour, we’ll have prizes to distribute so the more you comment, the more chances you have to win some nifty prizes!

Natalie Acres

natalieacres@yahoo.com

Book Blurb:

Seduction turns deadly when Abby Rose, an agent with the Underground Unit, decides to put a provocative spin on revenge. Her plan to sleep with a cartel leader backfires when fellow operatives refuse Abby the opportunity to face her enemy alone.

Abby’s fellow agents begin the fight of their lives. After discovering Abby will use her body to lure the man who killed her father and their command leader, seven highly trained operatives cope with high tensions.

This team isn’t fighting for another cause or plotting the best way to take out their mark. The stakes are much higher. These men will take up arms and meet their greatest challenge as they work together to protect the woman they admire and love.

Rated R for content and language

Ace snarled. “I will spank her when this is over.”

“Sure you will,” Casey said. “About like Porter plans to put a dildo in her pussy and paddle her twat.”

“I never said that,” Porter said, keeping a keen eye on Abby.

“Talk about that kiss and I’ll deck you,” Ace said.

“Damn, those lips were sweet,” Porter teased.

Ace faced him. “I wasn’t kidding.”

Porter took a deep breath. Sometimes Ace’s attitude was a real obstacle. He was a smart-ass SOB when he wanted to be. Standing about six foot four, Ace was nothing more than layers of muscle. The only soft spot the man possessed was the one Porter held in high regard, too—Abby Rose.

“I say we take him out right here,” Casey said, always ready to jump the gun.

Casey looked like a kid, and very often Porter reminded himself Casey wasn’t a child, hard to do since the guy looked like a surfer boy of about eighteen. Only a year separated them. Porter was twenty-nine. Casey followed only a year behind.

Still, Casey was a trained killer just like the lot of them. Under normal daily circumstances, he was such a klutz and a clown, but when he aimed his gun and pulled the trigger, no one had a more accurate shot.

Fowler folded his hands atop the table. “I’m ready for this to be over.”

“What’s wrong, Fowler,” Ace taunted him. “Afraid Juraz is gonna tap that?”

“He won’t be a-tappin’ that. I’ll promise ya.”

Porter and Ace exchanged a knowing stare. Porter shook his head in warning. It wasn’t worth the argument. They all recognized the possible scenarios. The best they could hope for was the most favorable. If Abby went to bed with Juraz, they wanted her to kill him before she was forced to fuck him.

Unfortunately, they needed information from Juraz before she pulled the trigger. And he probably wouldn’t open his mouth unless she first opened those long, shapely legs.

"This series moves faster than the hit TV Show 24"
Don't miss a moment of the excitement!

Tour Stops for NOVEMBER 7th

Author Keta Diablo at Keta's Keep

Author Paige Tyler and the Nice N' Naughty Authors

Author Melissa Bradley's Imaginarium

Author Sofia Hunt

Author Katie Alexander

Author Tammy Maggy

Author Tammy Maggy and Behind Closed Doors Blog

Author Karenna Colcroft

Author Lindsay Townsend's Lindsay's Romantics

Affaire de Coeur Magazine Blog

Author Raine Delight Blog

Author Tabitha Shay Romance Blog

Black Raven's Erotic Café

Dark Divas Reviews

Author Shannon Leigh

Author Hanna Rhys Barnes

Author Francesca Hawley

Naughty Edition Book Reviews

Author Ashlynn Monroe

Blog Tour Hosts Sunday, November 6th

Author Lia Slater

Author Jami Davenport

Honey Bunny Promos/Judie

The Romance Studio Blue Blog

Author Kayelle Allen

Author Amber Skyze

Author Cindy Spencer Pape

Author Melissa Schroeder

The Reader's Roundtable After Dark

Romance is Forever with Rachel Cron

*Authors and Blog Owners—if you wanted to be included in this tour and do not see your name and link listed above, please send an email to natalieacres@yahoo.com right away. Thank you! *

WARNING!!

This tour is in progress to celebrate the release of Cowboy Boots and Unsettled Debts, book three in the COWBOY BOOTS series. Cowboy Boots and Untamed Hearts kicked off the series and was one of the first ménage books to include more than three heroes. This series is labeled SCORCHING HOT and for adults only. If you are easily offended, I highly recommend the Country Roads series for the more sensitive reader. Thank you for reading my books!

Natalie Acres

Welcome Cindy Spencer Pape!

2011-11-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to welcome Author Cindy Spencer Pape to my blog today. Cindy, as many of you know, is one of my all-time favorite authors. Today, she'll stop in to tell us more about her latest book release, Wrong Side of Town. Make sure you leave your comments and questions!

I was so pleased to have the opportunity to interview Cindy. She’s one-of-a-kind and shares some behind the scenes as well as good advice for the aspiring writer.

1) How long have you been writing? What or who would you credit with inspiring your writing?

I’ve been writing seriously since about 1999, published since late 2006. As far as inspiration, it’s hard to say. I think it’s something I always had in the back of my mind and “someday” turned into, “let’s give it a try” when I had a job that required me sitting in my office, but not always with anything to do unless people came in. So in between, I wrote.

2) Tell us about your first book publication. What was the title? What was the book about? Who published the novel/novella? Is it still available for sale?

I had three books I’d subbed and had been rejected. I finally decided to try subbing to e-publishers and sent each one to a different house. So basically I sold three books in a 3-4 month span in 2006. The first one sold was Curses, to Triskelion publishing (came out March 2007). It’s a paranormal romance set in Michigan ’s UP, and it’s now up for sale with Wild Rose Press after Triskelion folded. The first one published was The Cowboy’s Christmas Bride, which came out in Nov. 2006, a contemporary western romance.

3) Goals often change and influences do as well. Who or what influences your writing now?

Everything I see or hear around me is liable to filter its way into my writing. Music, scenery, snippets of overheard conversation… My influences are too many to name. My goals remain the same, but I think I have a better handle on them now. I want to write books that will make people smile, and get them out there so readers can find them. Paying the bills along the way would be a nice bonus.

4) As a reader, what genre do you read most? As a writer, what genre do you enjoy writing most?

Probably paranormal romance, but historical and romantic suspense are close behind. I truly just love romance, which also explains why I can’t just write one kind. I’m currently having a lot of fun with the steampunk/gaslamp fantasy setting, though. That may end up being a favorite, possibly because it combines so many others.

5) Which Cindy Spencer Pape book was the easiest to write and why?

Easiest? Argh. They’re all work! Actually, Steam & Sorcery flew pretty easily. So did Crazy for the Cowboy, and Eagle’s Redemption.

6) Which Cindy Spencer Pape book was the most difficult to write and why?

The hardest for me always seems to be book 3 in any series. No idea why, but #3 always kills me, even if that isn’t the final book.

7) Tell us about the ideal setting. What setting have you created that you enjoy most? Why is it ideal?

Again, I’m leaning toward my steampunk world, which combines Victorian social structure with futuristic technology, plus vampyres and werewolves. It’s just cool, and dark, and different. I’ve also set up a Michigan college town that attracts unusual beings in my Geek Love series, one of my first. That one remains a favorite.

8) Do any of your heroes or heroines have a common thread? Tell us about them.

I think all my heroes are smart and strong-willed, and usually in good shape. They have to have a sense of humor. They’re not all alphas, and they range from college professor to cop, but they all have a little something that makes me love them. My heroines all have to be smart and gutsy—even if they don’t know it themselves. And none of them, heroes or heroines can be perfect. They have to have flaws. Perfect people scare the crap out of me!

9) What is your latest book release?

A contemporary romance from Resplendence Publishing called Wrong Side of Town. It’s got a hot ex-military sheriff’s deputy and a feisty librarian, and a handful of goth teenagers in a small Texas town. I had a lot of fun with this one!

10) Tell us about your upcoming books or recent contracts you're excited about.

I’ve got the final Urban Arcana book, Motor City Mage coming out from Carina Press on March 12. That one will be hard to say goodbye to. I’m hoping to have a steampunk novella out from them next summer, but that isn’t final yet. Beyond that, I’ve got a bunch of stuff in the works, but nothing contracted at this point—which is kind of scary!

11) The book industry is forever changing. Where do you see yourself in five years?

I really wish I knew the answer to that. Hopefully, my readership will continue to grow, and my books will be available in whatever formats the readers want to buy—whether that’s e-books, audio, or print.

12) You’re multi-published. Why have you chosen to submit to your current publishers? What makes your publishers stand out in a crowd?

Oh, wow, that’s a tough one. I’ve been with Ellora’s Cave and Wild Rose Press from the very beginning of my career. I subbed to EC (their Cerridwen Press imprint) because at the time they were the big dogs in e-publishing, and I’ve been very happy there. Wild Rose was looking for Christmas stories that first year they opened, so I landed there with Cowboy’s Christmas Bride, and am still a big fan of that company. Total-E-Bound and Resplendence Publishing I got into through anthologies. In each case I was invited by a friend to contribute to an anthology, and I have a hard time saying no. My one little short story with Resplendence did so well, that I decided to try publishing a full-length novel there, which is why today’s release is with them. And finally, when Carina opened up, it seemed like a wonderful new venture—an e-publisher with the backing of Harlequin Enterprises. I submitted Motor City Fae the day they opened their doors, and was one of their launch-day authors several months later. So far the experience there has been good, though unfortunately they don’t yet offer print.

13) If you could give a new writer one piece of advice, what would it be?
Don’t give up! I almost did and it scares me, how close I came to quitting. Always send out one more submission, then write one more book!

Destiny, thanks so much for having me visit today. I hope everyone will also stop by my blog when Destiny chats with me later this week.
I’m offering one free download of Wrong Side of Town to one random commenter, so leave a note below to be entered.

Cindy
www.cindyspencerpape.com

Now for a sneak preview inside WRONG SIDE OF TOWN

Blurb:

Zach Shannon is back in town, and tiny Hawthorne , Texas will never be the same. When the local military hero comes home and starts working for his father, the sheriff, one of his first cases is a string of minor fires that everyone seems to blame on a handful of teens from the wrong side of town. Even worse, Zach is rapidly falling for Laney Burroughs, a quiet librarian whose Goth nephew is the suspected ringleader. Their attraction deepens but both have too many responsibilities and too much baggage to make it easy, especially with Zach’s wealthy family, Laney’s nephew, and the entire town looking on.

Excerpt: (PG)

“Wow! Who do you know who drives a Corvette?” Parker’s newly developed baritone caught Laney by surprise as she finished loading the last few dishes into her apartment-sized dishwasher. Even after two years, the appliance was still her pride and joy—a luxury this little bungalow had never seen before she’d taken over the financial reins. It was a small step, but she hated doing dishes and she was proud to be able to fix up the place, little by little, all on her own.

“Nobody.” She dried her hands and flipped on the machine before walking out to the living room to see what her nephew was talking about. She squinted into the setting sun at whatever was reflecting the red orb right into her window.

Damn, there was a shiny silver sports car in her driveway. Laney swallowed hard when the car door opened and Zach Shannon stepped out. Even in jeans and a blue-striped dress shirt, he still looked every inch a cop.

“Oh, crap, which one of us is in trouble this time?” Parker skittered off the couch and up the stairs. “I swear, Aunt Laney, I didn’t do anything.”

Was Parker in trouble again? Laney bit her lip as she moved to open the door a heartbeat before Zach’s fist could land on it. He stopped mid-swing, managing not to hit Laney instead, and her insides melted when he smiled.

“Nice place. Hope you don’t mind I looked up your address in the county tax database.”

Did she? No, she was too shocked to be offended.

“Is something wrong?” Automatically she stepped back from the door to motion him inside. Her mother might have been “trash” according to some people in town, but she had taught her daughters proper manners. “What can I do for you, Deputy?” She cast frantic eyes around her crowded living room, to make sure it wasn’t too much of a mess. The small space wasn’t anywhere near as shabby as she remembered it from her own high school days, but it was also nothing like what Zach must be used to. She didn’t even have time to worry about her own appearance—ratty shorts, a T-shirt featuring the library’s owl mascot, and her long hair bundled back in an untidy bun on the back of her head.

He gave her a rueful grin. “Well, to start with, you can call me Zach. I’m not here in any sort of official capacity.”

She let herself relax for a moment and smiled back. “Well, in that case, Zach, can I get you something cold to drink? I have iced tea or lemonade. Or there’s the house special—my nephew Parker prefers a half and half mix. It’s surprisingly un-disgusting.”

“Just tea sounds great. It’s shaping up to be a hot summer already, and June’s barely started.”

Great, now he was talking about the weather. She motioned him toward the sofa—an inexpensive but decent piece covered in terracotta cotton. “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.” As he did, she disappeared into the kitchen.

Tray. I have to have a tray around here somewhere. A jolt of memory struck moments before she started hyperventilating, and she pulled an old tin tray from atop the refrigerator, then rinsed the dust off under the sink. She even found two tall glasses that matched—a feat in itself. She carried the tea into the living room. Whew, I didn’t spill a drop. Sometime while she was in the kitchen, Parker had come back downstairs and started peppering Zach with questions about the car.

“Well, I know it’s traditional for a Texas boy to get a truck, but after spending the last twenty years driving big ol’ Humvees and such, I just wanted something fun.” He glanced out the window, beaming at the shiny sports car.

“Well, good for you.” Laney set the tray down on the coffee table then sank into the old bentwood rocker next to the couch.

Zach helped himself to a glass and added a generous spoonful of sugar, while she squeezed a lemon wedge into hers. “I like your house. It’s warm and colorful—sort of like its owner.”

“Thanks.” Laney was sure her skin turned as red as the sofa. With lots of plants in bright pottery containers and throw pillows matching the colorful Navajo blanket draped across the back of the couch, her home did look warm and inviting—at least, she’d hoped so. But her? She was just plain old Laney the librarian.

Welcome to Country Roads

2011-10-30T08:37:00.000-07:00

Lucy Malone is going home to Tennessee. A world away from the stock car racing limelight, the Church Hill farm Lucy reclaims is full of bittersweet memories. As the distant and recent past collide, Lucy rediscovers a love she never lost and professional ties she’s unable to leave behind.

Rex and Luke McDavid have been awaiting Lucy’s return. When she finds her way home, they’re ready to pick up where they left off and claim the woman they’ve always adored.

Unfortunately, before the McDavids can move forward, a villain from Lucy’s professional past resurfaces. Can the McDavid brothers keep Lucy safe and protect her from those hell-bent on destroying her? And what extreme measures will these good ole boys take in order to protect the woman they love?

As a child, Princess imagined a fairy tale ending. As an adult, she envisions a satisfying conclusion to a storybook romance years in the making.

Abandoned as a little girl, Princess Sterling met Brant Levy and Colt Manning in the mountains of Kentucky. Thanks to Colt and Brant, Princess is adopted. She becomes the pampered child of racing royalty and enjoys a life of luxury.

As Princess matures, she realizes something is missing. With a successful racing career of her own, Princess longs for love and dreams of one day reuniting with the cowboys who saved her from homelessness.

Years later, Brant and Colt drive to Bristol with every intention of locating Princess while she’s in town for a race. As soon as they see her, they know they’re in trouble. They aren’t just hooking up with an old friend. They’re about to seduce the woman they plan to love.

Julie Jenkins should’ve died. After crawling away from one of the worst crashes in drag racing history, Julie faces rehabilitation manipulated by two stubborn cowboys. Somewhere along the way, she discovers her torrid past and accepts her racing failures as stepping-stones to a future filled with love.

Duke and Hank Hinman are troubled by Julie’s accident. They build an automobile with Julie’s protection in mind, hoping she’ll prefer stock cars to dragsters. When tampered brakes nearly put her in the wall, Julie reevaluates career choices. Someone wants to kill her, but the reason behind their quest isn’t clear.

Suspecting foul play will continue, Duke and Hank vow to protect Julie. However, they quickly discover it’s hard to win a race when the opponent refuses to show his face. And it’s harder still to defeat the challenger when the opposition refuses to lose.

Can't decide which book to purchase first? The Country Roads series can be read in any order. If you haven't read this series, author recommends starting with BANG THE BLOWER, a romantic story about hope, courage, and everlasting love.

The Country Roads series is available at Bookstrand, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Mobipocket.

If You Enjoyed Destiny Blaine's Sports Wives, You'll Love One for the Team by Natalie AcresOn Sale Today at Siren-Bookstrand

2011-10-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

Lauren Haverfield makes a forward pass and gains possession of a football team full of prospects. Kevin Deller and Darren Banks are the first eligible receivers of Lauren’s affections, but will they face their share of penalties if they score a touchdown and win their team owner’s heart?

The line of scrimmage won’t prevent this dynamic duo from rushing for the ultimate score after Lauren secures team ownership of the Knoxville Soldiers. With big plans and illicit long-term goals, Lauren offers perks and benefits as she renegotiates contracts for the men she wants playing on her field, and in her bed.

The Following Excerpt is suitable for most audiences:

Prologue

She was the kind of woman other women envied, the type of broad that didn’t just turn heads, but she gave them a good spinning. And from the moment Kevin Deller set eyes on her, he wanted her. He desired her even though he knew what having her would potentially cost him.

The price he’d pay didn’t matter.

The only thing Kevin concerned himself with was how Lauren Haverfield made him feel. Whenever she strolled into Cap’s office with her hand out, Kevin’s heart stopped. One glimpse was all it took, and with the 2011 season upon them, he needed to focus on football, not the pussycat purring from the sidelines.

He might as well have a word with the head coach. Maybe he’d tell Cap, the team owner, to keep his ex-fiancée off the damn field.

After spotting the sexy siren entering the stadium, Kevin couldn’t remember the next play they were due to run. A Lauren sighting made him stark crazy. The guys on the offensive line knew it and ribbed him about her on a daily basis.

God forbid if her gaze wandered toward the locker room where all the guys stripped and washed. Most of the fellows didn’t care if Lauren was around or not, but Kevin wasn’t one of them. Oh no, when her eyes were set in motion, it was the only time in a bazillion years that he was the slightest bit modest.

Yeah, he knew his reasons.

He made up his mind a long time ago. If Lauren gaped at the goods between his legs, she’d pay the price and get a ride for the show.

Cap didn’t seem to mind that his pretty young ex pranced in and out of the stadium at will. “Ah hell,” he’d say, “I’ve bought and paid for the broad. Don’t give a damn what she sees now, just as long as I don’t have to hear about it later.”

At one time, Lauren belonged to Cap because Cap made sure he put enough in her pocket to guarantee she stayed loyal to him, lavishing her with the finest of everything. Cap had the money to do it. He’d made a name for himself when he started a conglomerate of sports team franchises.

He also acquired quite the reputation among the ladies which was probably why Lauren broke off the engagement. Cap didn’t seem to notice. His social calendar stayed full, and the hostesses entertaining him were among the most desired women in the world.

Kevin avoided those circles even though he could’ve chosen from any number of beautiful arm ornaments readily available to professional athletes. If rumors were accurate, Kevin was paid more than anyone on his boss’s payroll, which appealed to the typical groupie, but only one gal held his attention and now Lauren was a free agent. Still, Cap wouldn’t want her in bed with one of his top earners. Kevin sort of believed that piece of gossip held some truth.

Besides, Kevin realized a long time ago relationships never lasted forever, so why mess up a good thing all for a romp across the mattress? Unless, of course, he could bargain with Lauren for a little discretion and some part-time lovin’, but then, Kevin had a feeling, forever would come with a price tag he’d never be able to afford.

He still wanted her all the same and maybe even more.

Temptation possessed an alluring name. Lauren Haverfield was the forbidden fruit dangling in front of him with a promise of pure carnal sinning. His fellow players weren’t short on opportunities to taunt him, and they should have teased him. He gave them plenty of ammunition. He acted like a young man in search of a first fuck rather than a grown adult who knew what to do with the hardened tool of maturity.

The ball snapped, and he fumbled. “Ah shit,” he grumbled, staring at his wide receiver who was smirking back at him. Hell, ninety percent of the players on that field wanted a trip to Lauren’s bed.

It was only a matter of time. Soon, Kevin Deller would take one for the team. Whether or not Cap would employ him after the fact was the question.

Kevin reached a decision right then. He didn’t care either way. There were other teams. There was only one Lauren.

http://www.bookstrand.com/one-for-the-team

A Huge Welcome to Cerise DeLand Today

2011-10-25T06:29:00.000-07:00

Today, Cerise DeLand is our blog guest. She'll drop by to discuss her latest Ellora's Cave release, STRONG ARMS OF THE LAW. Please post your comments and questions for Cerise and make her feel welcome!

Oh, and make sure you read the scorching HOT excerpt below! Then, click the link provided and order your copy of STRONG ARMS OF THE LAW.

http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9414-strong-arm-of-the-law.aspx

Every woman values the strong arms of the law. Especially Skye Chamberlain.

Why?

She’s a crime writer and she’s in a heap of trouble since she saw a murder by the leader of a Mexican drug gang. But that’s not her biggest problem. Oh, no.

For two months now, she’s been cooped up in witness protection in a teensy weensy house with the biggest, toughest, most maddeningly charming Texas Ranger.

And he? Rex Martinez thinks this sassy piece of Anglo ass is the sweetest, wildest chick to ever give him a hard-on.

How can they survive two more weeks of this torment--and keep their hands off each other?

Visit Cerise DeLand on the web at www.cerisedeland.com

New Review from Just Erotic Romance Reviews! Five Stars for Mary Had a Little Problem

2011-10-12T06:52:00.000-07:00

Promo: Mary Had a Little Problem Earns Five Stars from JERR

Stop by JERR and read their 5-star review for Mary Had a Little Problem! http://tinyurl.com/3pe4qxf

Mary Worthington is a widow, or at least, she should’ve been. A former Navy Seals wife, Mary has a difficult time accepting the fact her husband isn’t coming home. Without a body to bury or witnesses to explain what happened, there’s no way Mary can put the past to sleep until someone provides her with the truth about her husband’s final hours.

Trying to step out and socialize once again while gathering facts about her husband’s death, Mary is introduced to Brock Taylor, a hard-core ladies man dedicated to the Marines and sharing himself with any woman who wants a piece of one. That is, until he meets Mary, a woman he's heard about through a man they both know well.

Mary and Brock fall in love, plan a wedding in the Great Smoky Mountains, and well, things could’ve been headed toward a happy ending only six months after Brock finally wins Mary’s hand, Mary’s missing husband reappears. And Mary isn’t sure she can give up one man in exchange for another.

Story Excerpt for Mary Had a Little Problem:

Somewhere in Afghanistan

“He says his name is Lieutenant Lucas Worthington,” someone said in the distance.

“Worthington?” A deep voice resounded in the distance. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” the same voice quickly replied.

“Does he have any identification?”

“No, sir.”

“But you’re sure he’s an American?”

“Oh, no question. The guy has a thick Southern accent.”

“Let me talk to him.”

Luke tried to open his eyes. He’d made it to Bagram Airfield. After months of crawling in the sand, eating and drinking what he could find, he’d finally spotted the control tower and support buildings. Now, he could finally rest.

“Son, are you with the United States Navy?”

Luke’s head rolled to the side. His mouth was so dry. He couldn’t open his eyes now. The dust was heavy in his lids. He blinked, tried to make out the figures and shapes approaching him. Was he delusional? Had he even made it to Bagram, or was this an illusion?

He gasped for air, but his next breath was more labored than the last. His breathing remained uneven and burdened. He’d survived and escaped days of torture, but where was he now? Maybe the buildings he saw were in fact occupied by the enemy.

“Are you Lieutenant Lucas Worthington?”

“Mary,” he whispered, remembering her sweet smile, her loving kiss, and the way she’d begged him not to come back here. Why had he signed on for another tour? What had he been thinking? Why hadn’t he listened when Mary begged him, when she told him she longed to start a family?

“Son, can you hear me?”

He saw a bright light and reached for the sun. Mary. Mary. Mary. Then the world went dark.

Buy now from Resplendence Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/3w7h4tr

Amazon link: http://tinyurl.com/3uj4mqf

ARE link: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-maryhadalittleproblem-599440-144.html

Other titles available from Resplendence Publishing and perfect selections for the paranormal season!

Coming Soon to Resplendence Publishing:

Guarded Secrets by Destiny Blaine

How far will a family go to hide embarrassing secrets? How deep will an intelligence agent dig in order to uncover them?

Romance Readers, Check out Sports Wives by Destiny Blaine and Get Ready for a Weekend of Football!

2011-10-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

Curl up this weekend with Sports Wives by Destiny Blaine

*Sexy is Never Ignored is ‘on sale’ at a discount this weekend at Siren-Bookstrand*

Cassie appears to live a simple life. But look beyond the surface and discover a complicated lady with scandalous secrets as two sexy men bide for her love and everything that goes along with her attention.

There's unconditional love and there's obsessive love. In a love triangle, sometimes there's a little of both--and it can complicate a marriage.

He is Sports and Entertainment World's Man of the Year. She is the woman lucky enough to marry the highest paid quarterback in the history of the Professional Football Confederacy, but Cassie Teller's luck doesn't stop there...

Even though Marco’s peers view Suzy as damaged goods, Marco falls in love with a woman he plans to change, but taming a vixen isn’t as easy as it looks.

Marco Giovanni adores his wife Suzy and he loves her enough to let her go, taking extreme measures to protect her.....

Suzy has always wanted more. Now, she has all she can handle and she still wonders, "Is it enough?"

Read excerpts and full book summaries here: http://www.bookstrand.com/destiny-blaine

Latest NEW RELEASES from Siren-Bookstrand and Natalie Acres

2011-09-30T10:55:00.000-07:00

Propositioned by Outlaws releases today from Siren-Bookstrand following the #1 Siren-Bookstrand title, Wanted by Outlaws. If you enjoyed Wanted by Outlaws, you'll love the sexy men of Propositioned by Outlaws. Out today and releasing from Siren-Bookstrand with a nice savings to boot!!!!!

They’re not ruthless outlaws, but they’re due to hang for a crime they didn’t commit, and only one woman can save them.

Fearing innocent men may swing from high ropes, Victoria uses her connections and issues a plea to the marshal, but she has ulterior motives and a personal agenda.

Lane and Art are on their way to Cripple Creek to clear their names. They encounter a woman in danger and lend a hand, but their protection costs her more than an average barter.

A prostitute’s daughter, Victoria discovers her mother once serviced men who were doomed to die. She reads explicit details regarding her ma’s past. Curious about womanhood, Victoria decides to have her way with the sexy bandits.

After a passionate night, Victoria realizes she’s unable to fathom the cowboys’ fates. She will protect the men who saved her and effectively keep them from a hangman’s noose.

And don't miss this Siren-Bookstrand TOP SELLING TITLE:

Two cowboys come up with a kinky treatment plan to save the woman they love from a deadly addiction. Morgan Keesling realizes she’s trading her drug habit for another dependency. As she begins to rebuild her life, she discovers a Dom-sub union she not only needs, but craves.

Blake and Grant have the perfect solution to help Morgan. With an underlying motive for rekindling old love, they devise an erotic rehab program. Introducing Morgan to bondage and submission, the cowboys use a good mix of punishment and rewards to prevent her from relapsing.

Determined to protect Morgan from a drug dealer hell-bent on destroying her, Blake and Grant prepare Morgan for an alternative lifestyle. Creating boundaries designed to make her accountable for her own actions, the men face numerous obstacles. And as Blake and Grant train Morgan for submission, they discover she isn’t the only one with past issues to overcome.

An exciting announcement—Bang the Blower hits the Bookstrand Bestseller List

2011-09-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

Marking a spot in Siren Publishing's TOP 20, Bang the Blower is climbing Bookstrand's bestseller list as well. Claiming a slot in the top 30 at Bookstrand, Bang the Blower follows two Bookstrand bestsellers—Sex Drive and Pole Position.

Sex Drive—Book One in the Country Roads series

Pole Position—Book Two in the Country Roads series

Bang the Blower—Book Three in the Country Roads series

[Siren Ménage Everlasting: Erotic Cowboy Ménage a Trois Romance, M/F/M, bondage, sex toys, figging]

Rex and Luke McDavid have been awaiting Lucy’s return. When she finds her way home, they’re ready to pick up where they left off and claim the woman they’ve always adored.

[Siren Ménage Everlasting: Erotic Cowboy Ménage a Trois Romance, M/F/M, BDSM, spanking, sex toys]

As a child, Princess imagined a fairy tale ending. As an adult, she envisions a satisfying conclusion to a storybook romance years in the making.

A Siren Erotic Romance

[Siren Ménage Everlasting: Erotic Cowboy Ménage a Trois Romance, M/F/M, bondage, spanking, figging, sex toys]

Thank you to Blog Owners and Authors for Posting Mary Had a Little Problem

2011-09-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

A HUGE THANK YOU to the following blog owners, readers, and authors who posted Mary Had a Little Problem on their blogs. Please stop by and visit these outstanding websites and online journals. Take a look around and leave a comment for the site owner. You may be surprised at what treasures you'll find!

Author Sofia Hunt:

http://sofiahunt.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-destiny-blaine-book-mary-had-little.html

Honey Bunny Promos:

http://honeybunnypromos.blogspot.com/2011/08/mary-had-little-problem-by-destiny.html

Affaire de Coeur Magazine

http://www.affairedecoeur.com/blog/?p=209

Author Tory Richards and Romance with Attitude

http://www.debbiewallace.blogspot.com/

Tami and Misc. Ramblings

http://tamis-ramblings.blogspot.com/2011/08/press-release-for-destiny-blaine.html

Author Raine Delight

http://authorrainedelight.wordpress.com/

Author Kayelle Allen and Romance Lives Forever

http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/2011/08/mary-had-little-problem-destiny-blaine.html

Author Amber Skyze:

http://amberskyze.blogspot.com/2011/09/destiny-blaine-in-house.html

Dawn’s Reading Nook:

http://lovesbooksandmore.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-release-from-destiny-blaine.html

Mary Had a Little Problem Releases Today from Resplendence Publishing

2011-08-31T04:55:00.000-07:00

Mary Worthington is a widow, or at least, she should’ve been. A former Navy Seals wife, her husband is killed in combat and Mary has a difficult time accepting the fact her husband isn’t coming home. Without a body to bury or witnesses to tell her what happened, there’s no way Mary can put the past to sleep until someone provides her with the truth about her husband’s final hours.

Trying to step out and socialize once again while pursuing facts about her husband’s death, Mary is introduced to Brock Taylor, a hard-core ladies man dedicated to the Marines and sharing himself with any woman who wants a piece of one. That is, until he meets Mary, a woman he’s known about through a past acquaintance.

Mary and Brock fall in love, plan a wedding in the Great Smoky Mountains, and well, things could’ve been headed toward a happy ending. However, six months after Brock finally wins Mary’s hand, Mary’s deceased husband reappears. And Mary wonders if she’ll be forced to give up one man in exchange for the other.

The following excerpt is suitable for all audiences:

Mourning the death of her husband began at the sound of the first shots fired. For some reason, up until then, Mary kept thinking she’d awaken and discover she’d been having another nightmare. Instead, reality set in and delivered its final blow. The ceremony in progress jolted her back to the present with a new understanding.

She was attending her husband’s memorial. Luke was gone, and he wasn’t coming back.

Mary had somehow remained stoic throughout the service, fearing if she looked up, turned to her left, or glanced right, she might meet a stranger’s gaze. She refused to lock eyes with those in attendance, realizing their hearts were full of pity.

Many of them knew Luke. Some of them had fought beside him. Others were there to pay their respects to a fallen soldier, but they didn’t know the man behind the uniform, the husband behind the Navy’s finest SEAL.

There was another powerful blast, and the jarring sensation came with a deafening and most eerie sound of a three-round volley. The air was thick with tension. Those in attendance jerked with every shot resounding through the hills.

Mary’s tears finally came, flooding her cheeks until the rapid falls ran dry. It was then when Mary understood a truer meaning of taps.

This was the end, the most monumental signal of all. It was time to turn out the lights and go home. The final seconds in the last hour approached. Now, she was expected to accept the fact that her happily-ever-after ending wasn’t meant to be. Mary needed to find a way to come to terms with the facts.

Her husband was dead. She couldn’t bring him back.

Lieutenant Lucas Worthington once spoke of a soldier’s death, an honorable death, the kind of burial all soldiers hoped they’d find. If Mary had been given one last chance to talk with Luke, she would’ve told him that this death wasn’t a clean death, as he’d once discussed. This casualty, no one understood.

Luke should’ve been careful what he wished for, and Mary should’ve selected a husband more wisely, refused to fall in love with a man destined to die. Mary gave her heart to a Navy SEAL. He, in turn, fell in love with the notion that freedom was won, honor easily earned, and death only came to those who were fighting for the wrong side.

Mary wished for one last opportunity to tell Luke her point of view on the subject now, perhaps show him the error of his ways, and explain devastation in simple woman’s terms.

At that moment, she wanted her husband to know how she felt. She longed to explain her agony. But it was too late for that, and she wasn’t sure she could put her sorrow into words.

Still, Mary longed to see Luke one last time. She would’ve given her final breath if she could’ve held something substantial in her arms, perhaps something to show her, help her grasp the idea that the love she’d cherished was lost. The man she’d worshipped was gone, and his funeral was anything but a bad dream.

Her life had turned into a nightmare. Without a body to bury, Mary had a feeling she’d never awaken from the hellish world that had somehow become her horrific reality.

http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/353.html

The following excerpt is rated PG17

“The next time you try and set me up with some hardcore, sexy-as-all-fucking-hell military prick, I swear to God, I’m gonna—”

“Anna told me how to get here,” Brock interrupted her rant as soon as the door was pushed all the way back.

“Fuck my life,” Mary muttered, thinking she’d never seen a hotter man than the one in front of her. Even Luke would have a difficult time measuring up to Brock, and that was saying a lot.

Stop it right now, she thought. She didn’t have the right to gawk at this stranger like he was a packaged adult delivery for an overnight stay. “This is not happening to me.”

Brock winked, a devilish grin marking a permanent place on his face. “Prick? Really? Is that the best you can do?”

She released a troubled sigh. Apparently, he missed the compliment laced through that warm greeting.

“Why are you here?”

She saw the attitude coming from a mile away. “I was afraid someone might try to set you up with some hardcore, sexy-as-all-fucking-hell military prick. I’m here to save you.”

“From myself?” she asked, meaning she needed all the help she could get since she had the open-mouth-insert-foot concept down to a perfected science.

“Should I take that to mean you’re interested?”

“What do you want?” she asked, ignoring his underlying insinuations.

“An invitation inside would be a nice start.”

“Why?”

“Maybe because it’s the polite thing to do, especially after you spoke so passionately about me.”

“The last time a soldier stood in my doorway, he brought bad news with him. Would you invite that into your home, Mr. Taylor?”

“Depends on what you consider bad news, Mary. And please, call me Brock. We’ll do better in the end if we start out with first names.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You think you could stand my answer?”

Mary propped her hands on her hips. “Depends. Think you can handle rejection?”

http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/353.html

Just Released Today at Siren-Bookstrand

2011-08-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

As a child, Princess imagined a fairy tale ending. As an adult, she envisions a satisfying conclusion to a storybook romance years in the making.

Abandoned as a little girl, Princess Sterling met Brant Levy and Colt Manning in the mountains of Kentucky. Thanks to Colt and Brant, Princess is adopted. She becomes the pampered child of racing royalty and enjoys a life of luxury.

As Princess matures, she realizes something is missing. With a successful racing career of her own, Princess longs for love and dreams of one day reuniting with the cowboys who saved her from homelessness.

Years later, Brant and Colt drive to Bristol with every intention of locating Princess while she’s in town for a race. As soon as they see her, they know they’re in trouble. They aren’t just hooking up with an old friend. They’re about to seduce the woman they plan to love.

A Siren Erotic Romance

Special release day discount: For one week only, Bridled and Bucked and Sex Drive by Natalie Acres are 15% off! Offer ends August 26th.

http://www.bookstrand.com/pole-position

Are you ready for football season?

2011-08-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

Destiny Blaine Productions has a novel YOU don't want to miss! And I have a deal for you RIGHT NOW. Buy BEHIND THE GAME by Destiny Blaine from Bookstrand, ARE or AMAZON and send me the receipt for your purchase dated after AUGUST 16th. I'll send you THREE FREE BOOKS including a hot bestselling romance from Addison Avery. TO receive your gift, drop an email to destinyblaine@yahoo.com with RECEIPT for BEHIND THE GAME in the subject line. PLEASE NOTE: You need to copy and paste the receipt in the body of your email. Allow 48 hours for delivery of your new ebooks!

Blurb for Behind the Game: Behind every game there are thousands of players but only a few true winners...

Tanner Dorsey is the only man Special Agent Ally Stephens has ever loved. He’s also a common criminal, a known drug lord and a gambler’s bookie, the kind of man known to play for high stakes.

Tanner is untouchable until Ally ends up pregnant. Then, the tables turn and Tanner suddenly has a lot on the line and plenty to lose.

With a hefty price tag placed on Ally’s pretty little head, Tanner turns to Santino DeLuca, a hired gun in the killing business. A true ladies man, Santino will undoubtedly complicate Tanner’s life but Tanner never anticipates Ally falling for the very man he hires to protect her.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.bookstrand.com/behind-the-game

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-behindthegame-468010-144.html

New Natalie Acres Books Just ReleasedBookstrand Bestsellers

2011-08-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

Sex Drive (MFM)
Country Roads 1

[Siren Ménage Everlasting: Erotic Cowboy Ménage a Trois Romance, M/F/M, bondage, sex toys, figging]

Lucy Malone is going home to Tennessee. A world away from the stock car racing limelight, the Church Hill farm Lucy reclaims is full of bittersweet memories. As the distant and recent past collide, Lucy rediscovers a love she never lost and professional ties she’s unable to leave behind.

Rex and Luke McDavid have been awaiting Lucy’s return. When she finds her way home, they’re ready to pick up where they left off and claim the woman they’ve always adored.

Unfortunately, before the McDavids can move forward, a villain from Lucy’s professional past resurfaces. Can the McDavid brothers keep Lucy safe and protect her from those hell-bent on destroying her? And what extreme measures will these good ole boys take in order to protect the woman they love?

A Siren Erotic Romance

http://www.bookstrand.com/sex-drive

Bridled and Bucked (LoveXtreme)

Bridled 3

By: Natalie Acres | Other books by Natalie Acres | Notify me of Natalie Acres's new releases
Categories: Erotic Romance, Contemporary, Menage a Trois/Quatre, Western/Cowboys
Word Count: 40,485
Heat Level: SEXTREME
Published By: Siren-Bookstrand, Inc.

This new release is offered at a 10% discount until August 12th.

[Siren LoveXtreme Special Edition: Erotic Cowboy Ménage Romance, M/F/M/M/M/M/M/M/M, bondage, sex toys]

Lynlee Lewis McCain is a targeted woman. Unable to understand why she’s another madman’s bull’s-eye, Lynlee relies on the McCain brothers to save her. But after one lunatic is put to rest, there’s another one awaiting his turn—and he shows his face when he’s least expected.

Blaine McCain wanted to love and protect his wife. In order to do that, he had to share her with those who were most capable of guarding her. Entrusting Lynlee’s life in the arms of his brothers and best friend, Blaine works with his family to help defend the woman he loves.

Will the McCain brothers and Rhett Mitchell save Lynlee from a serial killer’s protégé? And what risks will they take to safeguard the only woman they’ll ever truly trust and love?

http://www.bookstrand.com/bridled-and-bucked

Release Day!!! Roping in Forever is out today at Siren-Bookstrand

2011-06-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

Corbin Cansey will love the daylights out of Bella McDermott. That is, just as soon as he gets around to it. Corbin has been running from Bella since she was a teenager, and he’s been looking the other way since she became old enough to win his heart.

The trouble is Bella is tired of waiting. She follows Corbin to a San Antonio rodeo and watches as he indulges in a few sex-related activities. Green with envy, Bella realizes it’s time to teach Corbin a few valuable lessons about loving a woman.

Bella gives Corbin a good taste of what he’s been dishing up—a stout dose of jealousy. And even though her plan is destined to fail, her notions are guaranteed to make a man twitch in his Wranglers, assuming he can keep them pulled up where they belong.

I’m pleased to announce my latest new e-book release with Siren Publishing. Available through Siren-Bookstrand, Roping in Forever is Book One in the Forever Novella Series.

Special release day discount: For one week only, The Third Promise, Breakfast by the Sea and Winning Virgin Devotionstrong> by Destiny Blaine are 15% off! Offer ends June 8th.

________________________________________

To help celebrate the release of Roping in Forever, a brand new erotic romance novella, the following blogs are included in the Roping in Forever Blog Tour. Please stop by and leave a comment. While you’re visiting these blogs, take a look around!

Book Cover Lovers Blog http://bookcoverlovers.blogspot.com/

Dark Cravings Blog: http://darkcravings.blogspot.com/

Dawn's Reading Nook Blog (http://lovesbooksandmore.blogspot.com)

Raine Delight's Blog (http://authorrainedelight.wordpress.com)

Belinda McBride's Blog (http://belindam.blogspot.com/)

Amber Skyze's Blog (http://amberskyze.blogspot.com/)

Kayelle Allen's Blog

(http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/)

Tabitha Shay's Blog (http://tabithashay.blogspot.com/)

Shannon Leigh's Blog (http://authorshannonleigh.blogspot.com/)

Heather Lin's Blog (http://heatherlin88.blogspot.com/)

Special thanks to Dawn Roberto for lining up the Roping in Forever Blog Tour! For the best in author promotions, send Dawn an email at prp_dawn@yahoo.com. I couldn't manage promotions without her!

Bridled and Saddled follows Bridled and Branded by Natalie Acres

2011-05-24T04:38:00.000-07:00

[Siren LoveXtreme Special Edition: Erotic Cowboy Ménage Romance, M/F/M/M/M/M]

Lynlee Lewis McCain is a woman in love, only she's a little confused about who she's permitted to love. She married a man she adored, embraced a lifestyle he introduced, and ultimately understood what it meant to become a wanted woman—in more ways than one.

Hoping to keep Lynlee safe from a madman, Blaine McCain realizes he can’t move Lynlee completely out of harm’s way. After Lynlee is abducted by a serial killer, she becomes targeted by a lunatic, a madman reasonably distraught because Lynlee is the one who got away, the only victim who can identify him.

After a short stay in the hospital, Lynlee returns to the mountains of North Carolina where the McCain brothers vow to keep her safe. Lynlee soon discovers there are several men willing to die for her, but there’s also more than one lunatic interested in seeing her dead.

Blog Guest Today and Tomorrow: Welcome Jami Davenport

2011-05-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to welcome my friend and fellow author, Jami Davenport. Jami's new book, Fourth and Goal, is coming soon to LooseID. Below, you'll find a blurb and excerpt for Fourth and Goal by Jami Davenport. Pick up your copy tomorrow at Loose ID. I've added this e-book to my buy list and plan to read Jami's new sports romance this weekend. Take a look below and see why readers around the world are excited about Jami Davenport's Fourth and Goal!!!

Blurb:

In a game played on and off the field, only one of them will emerge the winner.

Armed with an uncanny ability for evaluating football talent, a dogged determination to succeed in a man’s world, and an empty bank account, Rachel McCormick agrees to help struggling wide receiver Derek Ramsey get his game back. Rachel believes Derek, her former best friend and lover, knows the truth behind a points-shaving scandal which ruined her father. She vows to expose the secret even if it destroys Derek in the process.

When Derek’s coach suggests sex as an excellent tension reliever the night before a game, Rachel takes one for the team. The next day, Derek has the best performance of his not-so lustrous pro football career. As Derek and Rachel rack up nights in bed and other places, the team racks up wins on the field. Rachel is torn between her loyalty to her father and her growing affection for Derek. Now it’s fourth and goal, one second left on the clock. Their hearts are on the line. Do they trust each other enough to go for the long bomb or do they get dropped for a loss?

EXCERPT

Chapter One -- The Kickoff

Hiring the one woman he could never forget was a dumb-assed idea and the wrong play to run, but Derek Ramsey took the ball and ran with it anyway. Five years ago, his one-weekend affair with Rachel McCormick had tackled him for an emotional loss. She’d been his best female buddy, and he’d fucked up a good thing by following his dick instead of his brain. After battling a half decade of guilt and coulda-shouldas, he dreaded and anticipated this reunion.

She’d been employed as his caretaker and living in the little house next to his barn for a few days. He’d managed to avoid contact by taking an impromptu weekend visit to his dad and stepmom a few hundred miles away. But he couldn’t stay away forever.

Weary of postponing the inevitable, Derek walked down the driveway from his ranch house to the barn and small caretaker’s house. Pausing halfway down the hill, he whistled for backup. Consider him a coward, but his chocolate Lab would serve as a diversion if this reunion didn’t go well. Oddly, Simon didn’t come running. Derek shrugged. He must be chasing rabbits in the woods or something.

He’d have to go it alone. As he rounded the last bend in his driveway, Rachel McCormick stomped up the hill toward him.

Oh fuck. He knew females. He’d endured growing up with an older sister. Rachel had that close-fisted, furious carriage to her stride that meant only one thing: someone was going to die. Please, God, don’t let it be him.

Even as he planned possible escape routes, his male head perused her body and responded with a resounding thumbs-up, though it wasn’t really his thumb that was up.

The woman marching toward him with murder in her eyes barely resembled his tomboy buddy from his high school and college days. This Rachel wore a navy blue blazer with matching skirt and shoes, complete with manicured nails and makeup. The suit hugged her tall, lean body and accentuated her curves and straight-to-heaven legs. Long reddish brown hair was pulled back into a tidy ponytail. While he preferred the blue jeans and T-shirt version, this one was just as gorgeous and way more unapproachable. Don’t mess with me radiated from every pore in her body. Not a glimpse of the shy, sweet Rachel he had once known.

“Rachel, good to see you again.” Derek spoke calmly -- hoping to defuse the bomb -- and halted a few steps from her.

She didn’t return his small talk. Green eyes blazing, she scowled, as dangerous as a hand grenade with the pin pulled in the hands of a chimpanzee.

“Problem?” he asked conversationally and forced a pleasant smile on his face.

“Do you own a demon chocolate Lab?”

Derek barked a laugh and sealed his death sentence. Her expression went beyond homicidal. “I have a Lab named Simon. He’s opinionated and untrainable. It sounds like you’ve met him.”

“How long has he engaged in a life of crime?”

“Oh shit. What did he steal now?”

“My truck keys. My only set.”

“Oh.”

“Where is the little delinquent?” She glanced up and down the driveway.

“I called for him earlier. He didn’t come. I suspect he’s busy burying the evidence.”

“I missed a job interview because of that hoodlum.” Her laser-tight glare sliced through his defenses.

“I’m sorry. I could get you a cab.”

“It’s too late now.” She spoke through gritted teeth and visibly drew in a long, calming breath. A split second of uncertainty flashed across her face, peppered with a vulnerability that brought memories flooding back to him of the girl he had once known. Sweet Rachel with a passion for football and a kind word for even the most unworthy person.

He watched as she gathered her composure and hid behind an emotionless mask. “I still need my keys.”

“I doubt we’ll find them. He’s very good. A serial digger.”

“What do you expect when you name a dog Simon? It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.” She stared up the dirt road. “My keys could be anywhere.”

Derek didn’t hold out much hope. Dense woods surrounded the driveway on both sides. At the end of the woods was a large field, cross-fenced into several smaller grassy paddocks. It’d take an act of God to find her keys. He truly doubted the Big Guy considered such a trivial matter worthy of his attention.

“So Simon’s on your hit list along with me.”

“Right up there at the top.” No denial of his place on the list.

“Are you a member of AAA?”

She pointed down the driveway. “That’s my truck. What do you think?”

He knew what he thought. He thought her lips looked pretty kissable, even without lipstick or gloss. He thought she was the sexiest thing he’d seen in a long time. And he thought -- oh damn, every thought bordered on dangerous and impossible and stupid.

“Derek.” She stared at him as if she expected an answer, but he’d be damned if he could remember the question.

“Yeah?”

“I said I’ve scaled back on material goods and choose to live life simply.”

He raised one eyebrow, not buying that one. “Judging by the dents in the thing, you might want to part with a few bucks…for your own safety.”

“Harvey has character.” Her anger still simmered below the surface, and a stranger stared back at him with frosty green eyes. Still beautiful, but formal and cold. He liked her better mad.

Derek snorted. “Harvey looks like he escaped a life sentence in a wrecking yard.”

“He runs great.” Rachel squared her shoulders and stood up straighter. She gave him her most charming smile, as if she didn’t have a care in the world. “Look, champ, I’d love to stand out here and shoot the breeze with you, but I’m a busy woman. Your agent already discussed the particulars of the position with me.”

He imagined all sorts of particular positions he’d prefer to do with her. She’d feel pretty good in his arms right about now, all soft and warm. And then he’d take her to bed and bury his cock deep inside her. She’d scream and beg for more, just like one weekend so long ago. Derek shook his head. This line of thinking headed nowhere but trouble and stopped now.

“I’ll get you a locksmith.”

“Don’t bother. I’ll call one.”

Derek wiped sweat off his brow and shoved his hair off his forehead. Damn. Was she so oblivious to him that she wasn’t picking up on his thoughts? He hoped so. As far as money, he knew better than to offer any. She had her pride. He’d let her keep it. He knew how valuable pride was. Since college, his none too lustrous pro career had severely dented his.

A joyous bark caught his attention. Simon trotted down the road toward them. A stick hung from his mouth, and his tail wagged with enthusiasm. No sign of stolen goods. On his best doggy behavior, the felonious Lab sat down next to Derek, grinning for all he was worth and incredibly pleased with himself.

“Simon, meet Rachel. Rachel, meet Simon.” Simon thumped his tail on the ground and gazed up at her.

“We’ve met.” Rachel glared at the dog. Undaunted, Simon took it as a compliment and drooled on her foot.

“Rae, I’m sorry. He’s my dog. I’ll take care of this.”

“A dog-skin rug in front of my fireplace would be payment enough.”

“You don’t have a fireplace.”

“One small detail. I’ll build a campfire on the porch.”

“You’re a heartless woman.”

“Don’t you forget it.”

There were lots of things Rachel McCormick couldn’t forget. Topping the list was Derek Ramsey, her former longtime best friend and one-weekend-stand lover. And not just any weekend lover, but the shatter-your-heart-never-slept-with-anyone-else-before-or-after type of lover.

He still had that rugged profile, gorgeous butt, and long legs. An oh-so-familiar scar zigzagged down the length of one upper arm and ended at his elbow, a souvenir from a pissed-off defensive back during his college football days. A Rose Bowl tattoo graced the other arm, a new addition since she’d last seen him naked over five years ago.

She’d rather fight ten linebackers for the last piece of double chocolate fudge cake than face this man, but she was committed to her mission. Everything hinged on her handling the next few months in his presence. Seeing him brought back a painful onslaught of emotions. Her head pounded. Her stomach ached. Her hands shook. Her heart beat a little harder in her chest. Rachel thought she’d gotten over him long ago. It appeared she’d been fooling herself.

Half a decade may not have changed her physical reaction, but a melancholy layer of mistrust coated her emotional reaction, a painful reminder of good times never to be recovered. Worst of all, an emptiness engulfed her like a morning fog in downtown Seattle, more unsettling than the physical pain.

Aware of every inch of his six-feet-five frame, Rachel turned to make a graceful exit. Big mistake. Her ankle twisted. Her clumsy feet wrapped around each other, and down she went, only to be suspended in midfall and hauled against his strong chest. He smelled of pure male with an underlying scent uniquely his. Their gazes met and locked. Sadness flickered in his eyes, then extinguished like a candle in a hurricane.

She gripped his shoulders. Her attempt to right herself rubbed her chest against his. Her body thrummed with excitement and anticipation, refusing to listen to warnings from her head. Those familiar brown eyes, kind and concerned, stared down at her like warm fudge brownies straight from her mother’s oven. A few wrinkles in the corners testified to the miles he’d put on since their college days. Yet they only added to his overall killer appearance -- an appearance of which he’d always been relatively oblivious. She, however, wasn’t.

Her heart lay down at his feet and begged for any crumb he chose to throw her way. Her pride gave it a swift kick in the pants and forced it back to reality. This man was not her friend. Not anymore. Not after what he’d done to her father.

“You’re still fighting a losing battle with gravity.” His mouth quirked and his eyes sparkled as he slipped into his old teasing banter.

“What makes you think that?” She’d mastered stilted conversation, but her voice shook like an unbalanced washing machine.

“I’m still holding you up.” His voice vibrated with that too-familiar deep, rich tone, making her want to jump into the nearest bed and drag him with her. Fortunately it was edged with pity and regret, which poured water on her fire.

She jerked out of his arms, backed up, and stumbled. He saved her again, this time around her waist. His big hands steadied her before he let go. Standing upright, Rachel pulled down her skirt and smoothed the wrinkles in her suit.

The corner of his mouth twitched as he held back a grin. “You’re a danger to yourself. How you’ve survived this long I’ll never know.”

“I’m nursing a bum ankle.”

“Bullshit.” He squinted into the sun at her. Leave it to Derek to call it as he saw it.

“Gravity is not my friend.” Her jaw clenched. She didn’t need him to point out her lack of coordination. It’d been the butt of her family’s jokes since birth.

“Gravity is your nemesis.” He raised one eyebrow for emphasis, still battling that smile. His gaze traveled the length of her body and lit up with appreciation.

Rachel took a step back, but a few feet couldn’t squelch the sexual chemistry crackling between them. “Thank you.” Let him think she always dressed like this, not just for an aborted job interview, thanks to a key-pilfering dog.

“You don’t look like you.” His brow furrowed as he continued to assess this new look of hers.

“Actually I do. I’ve outgrown my college image.” A bald-faced lie, but what did he know? He hadn’t seen her in five years. Despite feeling like an imposter, her power suit acted like Kevlar body armor, effectively disguising the chickenshit female bent on justice underneath.

His gaze settled on her face. “I always liked the way you looked. Natural. No pretenses. Real.” His voice came out soft and low.

Rachel had always liked how he looked too -- and still did. She stood up straighter and faked a confidence she didn’t feel, thanks to the suit. “It’s been a long time.”

The man looked at the ground and kicked at a small rock with the toe of his shoe. His head lifted, and he met her gaze. “Lots of changes. I suppose you know I haven’t taken professional football by storm.”

“I heard.” She’d heard plenty, such as washed-up, a disappointment, lost his nerve, finished. The list went on and on. Sympathy for his situation warred with cynicism regarding his character.

He forced a smile. “And you?”

“In between jobs right now. Just waiting for the right thing to come along.”

“You got a bum rap.”

“Who told you?”

“Tyler.”

“Cass talks too much.” Rachel averted her eyes, unable to face his sympathetic gaze. She shrugged like her employment status was nothing when it was everything.

“I’m sorry to hear about your dad. I considered him a mentor, a role model. I still don’t believe it.” His discomfort obvious, he concentrated on petting Simon. The dog’s tail thumped energetically on the ground.

“Neither do I.” A lump lodged in her throat. The pain inside squeezed the breath from her lungs. She studied Derek’s body language, searching for a revealing chink in his armor, but found nothing but sincere concern.

Derek threw the stick and jumped back as Simon barreled past. “I’m sure things will work out in the end.”

She was counting on it. “I hope so. In my line of work, jobs are a rare commodity.”

Derek started to open his mouth and seemed to think better of it. Most likely he didn’t have a clue what her line of work was. Heck, she wasn’t even sure what it was anymore.

Their small talk dried up, and an awkward silence followed. His jaw worked like it always did when he was trying to find the right words. “I want to thank you for agreeing to watch my animals and my place on such short notice.”

“It’s convenient for both of us.” He had no idea how convenient, nor would he be grateful to her if he knew her real reason for being here.

“Thanks just the same. There is one tiny catch.”

“What?” Rachel caught the twinkle in his eyes.

“Him.” Derek indicated the dog.

“Not him.”

“Yup, Simon.” At the sound of his name, Simon dropped the slobber-coated stick at her feet and whined.

She grimaced and ignored the stick. “Are you sure he’ll be out on parole?”

“I’m pretty sure.” His mouth twitched upward in a smile.

* * * * *

Two hours later, after several changes of clothes and a half-dozen unsuccessful attempts at applying makeup, Rachel hopped into Derek’s waiting car.

“Sorry it took me so long.”

“You’re a woman.” As if that explained everything. “We’ll grab a bite at the bar down the road and go over things. You didn’t need to dress up for that place.” He took in her ivory blouse and black pants.

It wasn’t the power suit, but it’d have to do. Her meager unemployment check didn’t pay for good business suits.

“I’m more comfortable in these clothes.” She looked out the car window. She’d always been a lousy liar.

Derek frowned, seemingly uneasy with this new Rachel. They drove in silence. A few minutes later, they sat at a table in a local bar, eating burgers and nursing their drinks. Derek went over last-minute instructions, and Rachel wrote down the details.

“I guess that’s everything. You’re taking a load off my mind. I couldn’t ask for a better caretaker.”

“That’s right, buster.”

“You’ll stay on until the end of my season?”

“Certainly. That’s the plan.”

“This season is pivotal to my future.” He smiled at her and warmed her from the inside out. Despite her misgivings, she felt oddly comfortable around him.

“I know that too.” She toyed with her napkin, ripped the corners off, and wished she’d worn the power suit.

“Do you?”

“I pay attention.” She lifted her head and met his steady gaze. Her heart ached for the carefree young man she had once known and for simpler times.

“I haven’t exactly lived up to my potential.”

“You will.” He’d given his all to the game he loved, yet it hadn’t been enough.

A slow smile spread across his face. “You always had faith in me. Have you seen me play in the past year?”

“A little.” A lie -- she’d watched every single game.

Looking away, he focused at a spot on the wall. “Remember how we used to pore over game film? You saw stuff no one else saw. Those little things make a big difference.”

“I tried.” She wanted to help him now, to tell him what she’d observed when she’d watched him play. Instead she held her tongue.

“You helped me. A lot. Now I just don’t know. I’ve lost it, and I don’t know how to get it back.”

“You’re not a quitter. You’ll find a way.” Part of her longed to take him in her arms and hold him, to deny he’d played a role in ruining her dad. Proving this man guilty would be more difficult than she’d ever imagined.

“I hope so.” His dark eyes brimmed with sorrow. “It’s good to have you here. To talk to you.”

“The agreement works for both of us.”

“Rae, I’m sorry. I was an insensitive ass our senior year. I never meant to hurt you. We should’ve never crossed the line between friends and --” He hesitated, struggling with the words.

“Friends with benefits.” She waved a hand and dismissed the subject as if her broken heart had been nothing at all, just an immature crush. “It’s in the past. Old history. No need to apologize. We were both young and dumb. End of story.” Rachel gulped down her liquid courage and called forth the ice princess. Unfortunately Her Highness refused to cooperate without her power suit of armor.

“Do you think there’s a chance we could be friends again?” Derek leaned forward. His chocolate eyes, earnest and bright, searched hers.

Rachel looked away and forced all expression from her face. “Let’s not run that play yet.”

It might be the one play that’d drop them both for a loss.

Available from LOOSE ID on Tuesday, May 3rd

BUY LINK: http://www.loose-id.com/Fourth-and-Goal.aspx

Author Info:

Website: http://www.jamidavenport.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jamidavenport
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jamidavenport

http://www.jamidavenport.com
Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?, The Dance, and The Gift Horse—available now from Siren Publishing.
Fourth and Goal—Coming to Loose Id in 2011

Put your hands together for Author Extraordinaire Mahalia Levey!

2011-04-18T20:13:00.000-07:00
I’m thrilled to introduce my special guest today. Author Mahalia Levey joins us to talk about what’s in a name. With a new release out now from eXtasy Books, Mahalia Levey is the author of multiple titles including her latest, Matters of the Heart. Leave Mahalia a comment today and hurry over to eXtasy Books to check out Matters of the Heart!

Take it away Mahalia!!!
Mahalia Levey Bio

Being smart and sassy with a great sense of humor comes easily for Mahalia Levey. An avid reader of books, she found herself enchanted with disappearing completely into the worlds authors created. One day she vowed to herself she'd be one of them. Then family life came, and college right after. Swayed from her childhood course of action, it took many years for her to get back to that place she held dear as a child. Now she is running full steam ahead to keep up with the many ideas flowing freely. She plans on taking her work to higher levels and expanding her genres. Her main focus is giving her readers variety. Her works in progress include paranormal, fantasy and mainstream romance. Taking characters and watching them grow past what she’s imagined is her true passion.
What’s in a Name?
Definition Dictionary.com says-a word or a combination of words by which a person, place, or thing, a body or class, or any object of thought is designated, called, or known.
So then how do we pick a name for our characters? Are there rules to picking names in writing?
Me? I either string letters together or go to a name search engine for mine. An example would be, 20000Names.com. I really enjoy reading the significance in names and the way different cultures alter their spelling. I could scroll for hours looking at names and their origins, surnames, and names linked with mystic properties, fabled legends, and historical significance. Epic names, never forgotten in time.
I put up a status about remembering all works written and was surprised when friends stated they kept a huge spreadsheet of names used and series in. Upon their answer I realized that at I have used the name Donato twice. Once as a first name and once as a last name and didn’t even notice it, so now I have a spread sheet.
In coincidence, if you believe in that, I’ve also found that at times my heroine and hero might have names that start with the same letter.
Whatever the case, I enjoy picking them and making them fit not only the personality that I see, but the story line and or significance of the story.
In Matters of The Heart a tarot read, I took the meaning of the particular card and created a short contemporary novella. Playing on the naivety of the young actress before she embraces womanhood and meeting for the first time the hero, a college athlete with high aspirations, a captain of every team he played on. I saw a more laid back name for the hero that inspired strength and would fit in with the man he would grow into.
From this…Madeline ‘Eden’ Jenning’s came and Tanner James Thornton.
Maddy and TJ for short.
Matters of the Heart
Queen of Cups
The Queen of Cups is the quality of a woman’s kind nature to others. Inside, she is at constant odds with self-love and often is troubled by insecurity. She is a provider to others, her chalice always overflows. Her cup in a situation symbolizes that the virtue of true love is unconditional. It is a calling for growth in emotional fulfillment. All one has to do is reach out and accept it. We can only hope she will see for herself that she is worthy of having what she bestows on others to herself.
Blurb
Madeline ‘Eden’ Jenning’s life is in upheaval. Growing older is perilous for her career. Aging gracefully does nothing for her if it means losing out on all she’s worked for. Plastic surgery becomes her obsession— finding the fountain of youth, a way to hold onto the persona she’s emulated for three decades. Desperation makes her beg her dearest friend for the best surgeon known in their area. She doesn’t expect him to be someone from her past.
Tanner James Thornton, a well-known plastic surgeon, takes only the worst of all cases, those needing his skilled hands to give them a semblance of normalcy once again. When he promises a friend he’ll assess a new client, immediately he knows being her surgeon won’t work. Not only is he attracted to her, but he remembers who she was before the glam. He has the answers she needs that don’t revolve around Hollywood’s superficial reasons for body augmentation.
Spicy Excerpt
Pure magnetism, Tanner walked in and sat down behind his desk. There were no family pictures or photographs gracing the polished cherry wood, and no ring on his ring finger. She observed it all with her first glance. “This is awkward.”

“You look beautiful Maddy,” Tanner complimented, taking the forms from her hands, setting them in front of him.

She watched him rove over her from head to blocked view. “You knew.” A rush of anger flushed her face, her embarrassment growing.

“Of course, I knew the moment Theresa called the office.”

“You agreed to see me, knowing how unethical it is,” her voice hit a high-pitched octave.

Tanner shrugged. “I can refer you to someone equally as good.”

“Sixteen years and now you decide you want to see me? You should’ve done us both a favor and cancelled as soon as you saw my name.”

“The same way you should’ve left me in peace in college instead of slumming?”

“Slumming? How dare you,” she said on a hiss, clamping her mouth shut, tearing her eyes from his intense glare.

“I wasn’t the one who lied for a year, I’m not the rich it girl who ran away, took a different name and decided to play with other people’s affections.”

“This meeting is over. Goodbye again, Tanner.” Eden stood, heading for his door.

“Sit down.”

The vehemence behind his voice startled her. “For what? To be your whipping post? I had enough of that sixteen years ago.”

“Damn woman, you still make me crazy. Just sit. I want to know why you want surgery.” He sighed and backed off.

“I want better parts, my career is slowing down. I need it to jump start.” Eden kept her distance from him. “Why do you care?”

“Because, darlin’, I remember your body and your curvy contours can’t be mistaken for anything less than perfection.”

Eden snorted. “You know how the biz is.”

“Which is why I don’t perform plastic surgery for starlets.”

“That’s rude, and pretentious.”

“My decision to perform on people who need help is not pretentious.”

“You never were going to help me so why am I here?”

“We have unfinished business.”

His matter-of-fact statement offended her. “What could we possibly have to say that wasn’t said?”

“Who said anything about talking? My cock is so fucking hard I could screw through steel.”

Eden rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her puckered traitorous nipples. Her pussy sluiced juices, dampening her panties at his declaration. She should be mad at his rude behavior and crass words, but she couldn’t be. His attitude always came out when he was too horny to think straight.

“I’m not interested in a tawdry affair, Tanner.” I’m going to go to hell for lying, I know it. She bit her lip to keep from speaking. The twinkle in his eye sent a flutter of anticipation through her body. If she uncrossed her legs, he’d for sure hear the pulsating charge happening at the apex of her thighs. Damn, she hadn’t felt so delicious in a long time.

“How dramatic of you,” he said, rounding on her.

“I’m an actress who’s good at her job.” She feigned lack of interest by playing with her French manicured acrylic nails.

“You’re good, but not that good.”

“Are you sure?” She let the implication fly. His eyes narrowed on her, stealing her breath away. Body heat from his close proximity and spicy cologne overwhelmed her. A tremor of trepidation surged within her. The boy she knew, the man, not so much so. Eden’s body burned poker hot, and Tanner James stared her down with the intensity of a predator. His sensual lips held a mocking smirk, as if any moment he’d spring on her.

Thinking quickly, she judged the distance to the door and his closeness and teetered between running home to use her toy or giving in to experience the greatest fuck in the last decade. Decision made, she put her purse down and met his hawkish gaze with a challenging one of her own.

Damn if his swagger wasn’t impressive. Eden groaned as he closed the few inches between them.

“I’m going to kiss you now,” he rasped and then touched his lips to hers.

Available Now at http://www.eXtasybooks.com

I hope you enjoyed my steamy tidbit and please come and visit me at!
www.mahalialevey.com
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Good Reads- Mahalia Levey

New Release from Siren Publishing--Bridled and Saddled is a Siren Best Seller

2011-04-12T03:38:00.000-07:00

Just Released Yesterday from Siren Publishing, Bridled and Saddled follows the best selling novella, Bridled and Branded. Bridled and Saddled joins Siren Publishing's new LoveXtreme line and can be purchased straight from the publisher's website: http://www.bookstrand.com/bridled-and-saddled

Lynlee Lewis McCain is a woman in love, only she's a little confused about who she's permitted to love. She married a man she adored, embraced a lifestyle he introduced, and ultimately understood what it meant to become a wanted woman—in more ways than one.
Hoping to keep Lynlee safe from a madman, Blaine McCain realizes he can’t move Lynlee completely out of harm’s way. After Lynlee is abducted by a serial killer, she becomes targeted by a lunatic, a madman reasonably distraught because Lynlee is the one who got away, the only victim who can identify him.
After a short stay in the hospital, Lynlee returns to the mountains of North Carolina where the McCain brothers vow to keep her safe. Lynlee soon discovers there are several men willing to die for her, but there’s also more than one lunatic interested in seeing her dead.

Available now at Siren Publishing: http://www.bookstrand.com/bridled-and-saddled

Released Yesterday from Resplendence PublishingDon't Miss Addison Avery's A Supernatural Experience

2011-02-24T07:07:00.000-08:00
Adult Playgrounds Aren’t Always Fun and Games...
Klark Lucard, Zander Dante, and Kemper Keetes are the vampire-owners of “The Adult Experience”, a slave camp they operate as a front for their truer motive—a means to find their blood supplier. When Macie Jenson arrives at their camp, the dashing vampires are taken aback by an attractive woman they feel they’re destined to love.
Within hours of her arrival, Macie is introduced to Domination and submission, apparent terms of a contract she signed but failed to read. As the consuming fires of lust quickly collide with a fated and quite forbidden love, the camp owners are plagued by a new discovery.
Realizing Macie once belonged to a coveted guarded vampire league, Klark, Zander, and Kemper are forced to cut their losses. In an effort to protect her, the camp owners ask Macie to leave.
On the spur of the moment, Macie takes a leap of faith. And her immortality lies in the hands of those who aren’t sure they can ever really save her.

The following is an adult-rated excerpt:

Excerpt One:
For pity’s sake! The next time Macie placed a bet with a mind-reading vampire, she’d remind herself to never gamble on a dead man.
“Fucking corpse!” she cried out, working to unlatch the security snap around her neck collar.
Fawn, the brunette from Brooklyn, walked in the tiny bathroom, used the facilities, and then stood beside Macie, washing her hands in the basin. “Nice necklace,” she said, forcing a smile. “Want me to guess who slapped that baby around your neck?”
“Very funny,” Macie managed, still working with the leather in an effort to rid herself of the ugliest thing she’d ever worn.
“If a vampire collars you, hon, you can’t remove it unless they want it off. They’re encrypted.”
“What do you mean they’re encrypted?” Macie asked through gritted teeth.
Fawn smiled sweetly. “It means as long as you have that collar on, those behind the leather know where you are, what you’re doing, and who you’re doing it with until they decide to take the leather away. Data is delivered to some kind of central documentation bank where your every action is recorded. Think of it as a way for your handlers to track you.”
“My handlers?”
Fawn winked. “You didn’t think you’d play here without one, did you?”
“I don’t know what I thought!”
“Well, that’s a good thing too. Here, you aren’t expected to think. Everything will be done for you. I don’t know about you, but for me, that’s part of the appeal found in this place. Don’t get me wrong, I have the ability to think for myself, but when I’m here, I find it comforting to know I can rely on a Dom to do the thinking for me.”
“You don’t understand,” Macie grumbled, working with the gaudy necklace she didn’t want. “I didn’t ask for this damn thing. Zander slapped it on me because I didn’t do what he told me.”
Fawn’s eyes glazed over. “What’d I tell you? Girl, you’re his supplier, and believe me, these guys take that shit home, if you know what I mean. They can’t get enough of their supplier’s blood. You’re like honey to the comb, strawberries in the wine…”
“Vinegar and water,” she snapped, grunting a last time when she yanked the neck band with all her might.
“Give it up. That thing isn’t coming off. Zander marked you as his when he put a collar around the neck he plans to protect.”
Macie was about fed up. She’d heard enough babble from Miss Brooklyn. She faced her then and thought, what the hell? Might as well just ask and get it over with. “What kind of drugs are you on?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Drugs, you know weed, coke, meth, shrooms, flying pickles, hell I don’t know—all I know is that you’re on something.”
Fawn blinked several times. “You should’ve read your contract. I’m just trying to give you a little insight. But hey, if you think I’m tripping out by what I’m telling you, then I’ll just get lost. Dopes like you deserve to find out the hard way.”
To read more, visit Resplendence Publishing: http://www.resplendencepublishing.com

Coming Tomorrow from Resplendence Publishing

2011-02-15T11:47:00.000-08:00

The Blood Countess comes to call and Armand and Matilda face a future they cannot control. When the elders hand down an order to revisit yesteryear and shift through the memories of one of the most dangerous vampire witches to ever live, Armand realizes his fate is just outright damning.

Transforming into the very vampire Erzsebet Bathory couldn’t have, Armand understands the future they’re set to claim. He’s troubled by history and the order to revisit a past his elders want him to change. And to make matters worse, Matilda believes she’s not only destined to step into the role of Erzsebet Bathory, but also fated to wear the title of another famous vampire.

Rated ADULT

“I’m anything but terrified of you, but I fear that you aren’t mature enough to cope with the consequences of the past and the choices you’ll discover in our future. It’s not time for you to find out everything you want to know, Matilda.” He spoke with finality. “I’m sorry you don’t understand. Perhaps one day, you will.”
“You’re a foolish vampire, Armand!” She stood up and dropped her robe. He swallowed once, cherishing every curve Matilda flaunted, and for a minute, he believed she might be right.
She cupped her full breasts, massaging her own body with gentle lifts to show off her perfect mounds. She created incredible inspiration and could easily lure in a dick for a little intimate dancing. He’d volunteer his, only that’s precisely what she expected.
Armand didn’t get in any hurry. He stood, toyed with his cufflinks, tried to talk himself down so he didn’t rape the willing, and then walked over to her dressing mirror, refusing to touch her outside of raking his gaze over her breasts. Instead, he stood behind her, inches from her head and thought of what he wanted to say.
Matilda didn’t need him for what she had in mind. She was quite capable of pulling out any number of toys or simply sliding her fingers into the pool of desire she’d created just by looking at her own body.
He finally squatted beside her. “My dear, you can pinch your own nipples, clamp them for all I care, but I am still your mate. You are still mine. I’ll own your pussy ’til the day you die, and since death doesn’t become Erzsebet Bathory, I imagine eternity will be exceptionally kind.”
Matilda pushed him away. “I’d rather fuck myself or the hired help than you!” She spat the words, clearly agitated that her moment of manipulated sweetness failed to produce results.
“I can wait, but you, love, are dripping with desire, so go ahead and give yourself some good old-fashioned attention. Take your time or wham bam that pretty little cunt by pulling out one of your vibrators. I do not care. I have somewhere I need to be.” Armand picked up a nearby plush towel draped over the back of a large wing-backed chair. Tossing it in her direction, he said, “Clean yourself up when you’re done.”
Feeling quite satisfied, he marched out of their bedroom and didn’t bother closing the door. If Matilda wanted privacy, she could shut the door herself, but he knew her well enough to know that anger would prevent her from self-love even if fury only stalled her with the temporary diversion.
Three steps down the hall and he had to reach into thin air and catch the can of hairspray she'd whirled at his head. “I wasn't counting on that.” He turned to face her before tossing the hair product back in her direction.
“Darling, I’ll always surprise you. You can depend on that if nothing else.” Matilda leaned against the far wall, striking a seductive pose.
“Fabulous. Now please go put on some clothes. I’m afraid you’ll frighten the house staff.”

Available on 2/16/11 from Resplendence Publishing and coming soon to all third party retailers.
http://www.resplendencepublishing.com

Destiny Blaine Book ExcerptsAdult Rated

2011-02-10T13:58:00.000-08:00
Lying Eyes—Available in Print by shopping Amazon

Audra immediately felt transparent when she saw him, especially since he’d become the object of her poker obsessions and a few fantasies, too. A spark of nervous energy inspired a few hairs to stand up on the back of her neck. Just feeling his warm palm in hers, even if it was only for a moment, did things to a woman that should’ve disqualified her from the tournament.

Soon after she took her seat, Audra posted the big blind and waited. She planned on folding her cards once she saw them but no one raised the bet so she stayed in the hand. The dealer dealt the first three community cards and after she saw the flop, Audra knew she owned the hand. She felt it in her gut or at least she thought so, and she’d played enough cards to earn rest assurance, to an extent.

She felt fairly confident until the man seated at the opposite end of the table decided to talk her right out of a comfort zone. Naturally, he would.

“You gonna call me, baby?” Max tossed in his chips with a raise around the same time he let go of the question. The man with the notorious reputation emerged and he didn’t waste time doing it.

As luck would have it, Audra became the center of attention. She swallowed hard. She hated to be taunted at the tables but knew how to deal with Reynolds. Even though the man she first met in Tunica didn’t remotely resemble the tough-talking poker player staring back at her now, she’d watched him play. She was ready for him because deep down she knew she needed to prepare for moments like these and men like Max.

“If I decide to call you, you’ll know it,” she fired back while trying to maintain some level of composure. Just hearing him say the word ‘baby’ shook her a bit but it didn’t rattle her enough to avoid a feisty comeback. Maybe it was because she anticipated words exchanged or maybe it was possible to sit there and imagine him in his underwear, an old trick she used back in high school whenever she stood in front of crowds. No, she didn’t think stripping him down to boxers worked, absolutely not. If she let her mind move too fast then she’d picture him at bare bones and her hours there would be limited. She tried to focus and just breathe. Most of the time the concept worked, she had nearly twenty-four years to serve as proof.

A player’s player, Max wasn’t just a dominant force at the poker table, he gained the respect of a true card playing powerhouse. From what Audra had heard, his skills reached far beyond the casino floor too, and one thing seemed certain, he earned quite the reputation with the opposite sex. In fact, his notoriety for being a ladies man proved legendary. A point she found hard to ignore after she began following his career.

Crossing his arms, he leaned back in his chair. “I’m right here waiting for you when you do,” he continued to tease her. Midnight blue eyes pierced through her with fierce intensity. Some would say they were as cold as the icy waters he often represented, but Audra saw something else beneath them, too. Thank goodness for Ray-Bans. She made a mental note to remember them on a daily basis now, right along with her iPod. If she covered her eyes and ears, then ignoring Reynolds wouldn’t present much of a problem.

“Waiting on a woman,” her voice hitched and the words spilled out like a song, “I imagine it’s something you’ll never tire of, kind sir.” She tilted her sunglasses down on the bridge of her tiny nose and tried to find a seductive smile—one just for him. She hoped it worked.

The men around the table appreciated the war of words. Snickers were followed by a couple of sound effects, not to mention outright laughter. The man seated on her immediate left slowly rippled his chips. Already, he irked her. It was a decision she reached in record time right after she sat down. His careful gaze, creepy really, made her very uncomfortable. Soon after she’d joined the table, the young man tried to profile her as she removed her chips from the rack.

Most of the time, profiling wouldn’t bother her. Players always tried to sum up the competition, but today wasn’t a day like any other, which is why she tilted the rack over. She even took her time to fumble around before gathering the fallen chips. Max chuckled on cue when it happened. He realized it was deliberate. The profiler didn’t have the brains to understand. He took her for a novice; a dumb brunette who had the audacity to show up at his table with boobs.

“How much you got there?” Max nodded at her chips after an awkward silence lapsed.

“More than you can handle,” she fired back before peering down at her chunk change.

“You tell him, Audra,” one of the men commented.

“Put him in his place,” another player added. She appreciated the older man’s support. In fact, on further observation, she recognized him. She’d put him in his place once or twice. Two years ago in Atlantic City—different town, same game. The world of poker often brought old friends and acquaintances back together for brief reunions.

Steady fingertips brushed over stacks of poker chips before she met his eyes again. “I have enough to make the call, if I decide you’re worth it,” she openly flirted with him. Whatever works.

She reminded herself who sat at the opposite end and tried to avoid stare tactics, not because she wanted to but because if she didn’t, she might cream her pants right there. The man had it in him to push a woman’s buttons. Max pressed hers without trying.

If anyone, male or female, spelled out beautiful, Reynolds did it without a problem. In fact, he likely inspired countless synonyms for the word. Sure, the man had a lot of self-confidence, which only upped the ante for women who wanted his attention, but his physical features were out-and-out perfect.

Regrouping again, Audra tried to think back to the way Reynolds played various hands on television. Finding mental clips from the big games at The Bellagio or the Australian tournaments proved simple enough in the past, but she wasn’t able to recall them now.

Her straight flush was almost unbeatable. That is, unless he held the mother hand—the royal flush. The way he seemed to mock her with daring eyes while teasing her with a deliberate tongue implied a significant meaning. Audra faced off with a true pro. The game’s finest.

Quick wit and dancing eyes undid the best of poker players, because regardless of his opponent, Max’s expressions and demeanor never changed once he made up his mind to take a player out. Max possessed those two qualities and nailed them down to a creative art form. She’d been fair warned by several women players who knew of his abilities—on and off the felt.

“Wha’cha holding over there in the hole, baby?” His words drifted across the table again. She felt them slide her way with sleek and arrogant sophistication. She thought about peering back at her hole cards but quickly decided against it after his comment suggested maybe she needed to take another peep.

He’s smooth. Dapper Don in the flesh. She couldn’t concentrate for his babbling. Her eyes focused on the board. The dealer deserved a standing ovation. The cards came down and formed a beautiful flop and if anyone else, anyone other than Max that is, was in the pot with her now then her confidence of a sure win would’ve been at an all-time high.

The ten of Hearts quickly led to the Jack and Queen of the same suit. It was without a doubt, absolutely gorgeous. Anyone would think so, especially if they held the suited eight and nine. The only thing better would be the royal flush.

Audra continued to stare at the three cards in the middle. What were the chances of the royal? Pretty slim.

Max pressed on. “I hear you play it pretty tight, little lady. Is it true or are you going to let go of it just for me?” Max’s ability to shake her left nothing and everything to the imagination, a skill which showcased some measure of calculated talent. Right now, she thought of it as an annoyance.

His choice of words proved he wanted her weak in the knees. Her legs weren’t jelly yet but the chill bumps existed there. He did have one thing right. She played it tight—all the way around.

She watched him only closer now. Oh yeah she did, and he was right there waiting for her when she finally tilted her chin upward in order to defy her better senses.

Glaring back at her, she saw a man with a woman’s means. She blinked. Damn it all, she did. Now, she was forced to look away from those broad shoulders and muscular arms because she didn’t find one inch of reassurance there.

She meant to give him a longing stare, one to channel some of the initial flirting back to the source but it wasn’t going to happen today. His light rose-colored shirt all but flaunted a glorified tan and the man just looked too sexy-hot for pretty in pink.

Now, her throat was dry and she felt a wave of heat, too warm for comfort. Someone must’ve messed with the thermostat. She focused on the fact until she voiced her sentiments. “Blistering,” she whispered quietly but someone heard a softly spoken word or better yet, focused enough on her lips to read them.

“Hot.” He snapped his teeth. Letting it slide must have been out of the question.

Max’s charming way with the ladies threw many of them off their game so fast their heads, and undoubtedly their bodies, would spin. It only required a few seductive words, a tongue swipe across very kissable lips or a provocative look. He’d have a woman stripped down to her thong in record time, but before the clothes came off, he wanted her chip stacks and he typically took those with a smile.

“Call.” Audra preferred to sit there all day and try to figure out what cards he held but the best thing to do was play her hand and move on. She wanted to see if he still had the balls to play. Her hand remained steady as she counted out the precise amount she needed to place the bet.

“It’s four hundred fifty thousand to make the call,” the dealer informed of the amount needed.

Audra nodded, continued the count and then moved the chips forward to indicate a placed bet.

Max looked over her shoulder and smiled for the cameras. They were playing at the featured table and Audra knew by his notorious theatrics, he thought he most definitely won the hand. He wanted to be sure the crowd believed in him too before they made it to the showdown.
The turn card came down and when it did, everyone could’ve heard a card fall from the table. King of Hearts.

Max’s shoulders shifted. He almost did a little dance movement. He stretched, yawned and then grinned even bigger than before. He certainly knew how to play it if he didn’t hold the Ace. “Baby, how much you got left over there?” Another round of conversation didn’t take long to start. Max and patience didn’t have a close personal relationship and those in the audience loved him for it.

Audra thought about how she wanted to finish out the hand. If he had the Ace of Hearts, which certainly seemed possible now, she’d lose and her tournament dreams would end. If she folded, she would take a substantial hit and start the following day off at a big disadvantage. She would spend the first part of the next day trying to make up for the loss. She didn’t like to play from behind or start the day bringing up the rear with the short stack.

The other players at the table shook their heads. They chuckled and waited. Everyone glared at the looming evidence of possible combinations as if the cards themselves revealed the winner. In the crowd, side-bets were most likely placed on who had the winning hand. If so, Max stood as the running favorite. She was a long-shot.

She decided to play his way. She just hoped like hell he would either fold or give away his hand. “I have enough to steal your lead today.” She finally answered him with a good comeback and she flashed a smile too, just for the camera crew.

“Ouch!” one of the other men responded. All eyes around the table turned back to Max.

The superstar leaned forward and focused on her chest with a cold stare before he offered a sudden flirtatious wink. He tortured her with his long, leisurely gaze, and then pressed his lips into a slow pucker. Upon smacking them in a makeshift kiss, he informed the dealer, “I think she has about three hundred left down there.” He nodded in Audra’s direction.

“I’ll raise for you baby.” He tossed his chips like three hundred big ones meant nothing to him. His words, never mind the tone he used or the quick show of tongue that followed, were thick with implication.
“Fine, but don’t expect me to roll over and play dead. I like to feel a little heat when a man decides to rise for the occasion.”

Breakfast by the Sea—An Amazon Best Seller

She tried harder and ran faster, controlling her breathing and pushing herself forward, wondering why Jeff hadn’t given up the chase. He was still on her tail and closing in again.

For over a month, Adam had limited where she could run, making sure she ran where they could see her, refusing to let her swim more than half a mile out in case they needed to save her. Now, they had Jeff on her. Damn Adam for this.

Is this why Adam had assigned Jeff to take care of her? Was he the only one who could keep up with her?

“Woman! Wait!” he yelled.

Jeff’s broken voice chimed right at her ear. She plunged forward, taking a last opportunity to swerve to her right. Maybe he could keep up on land, but he’d never catch her in the water. Long before she became a dedicated runner, Paige swam on a regular basis. Kicking off her shoes, she stripped her shirt over her head, losing her bra just for spite.

“Damn, baby, when you play, you play hard!”

The guttural way he called her by a pet name spiked her interest, but she didn’t look back. She wasn’t playing. She was teaching him a lesson. He needed to know who he could and could not control.

She heard the splash behind her and never glanced back. She swam freestyle until she reached the breaking point of the low-tide waves. That’s when she dipped underwater and lost herself in one stroke after another. Heading right, she hoped Jeff would keep swimming straight or hedge to the left.

Seconds later, she came up for air. A hand closed around her foot.

“Let me go!” she screamed, gasping for air. Breathless from the exercise, she fought back, trying to break free.

“Relax! I’m not going to hurt you.”

“The hell you aren’t!” she screamed, thinking Jeff underestimated her. After their initial meeting, she’d done her homework. Adam’s team seemed to know so much about her, and from what she’d gathered from Callan, Jeff was to blame. He must’ve established inside connections the rest of them didn’t have. He’d done his research. Well, so had she!

Over the past few weeks, Paige called in favors from some of her father’s old contacts. She’d discovered harrowing tales about Jeff Jacobsen. He was considered a heartless operative, a loose screw, a man who followed his own rules and didn’t have a soul or a conscience to speak of.

“I said let me go!” She somehow kicked him and wiggled free at the same time while he tried to protect his lower body. She made a clean break, but much to her surprise, Jeff was a strong swimmer.

When he bracketed his arms around her hips and pulled her against his chest, he hissed, “This is ridiculous. You will calm down, or I’ll yank your shorts down and fuck you where we stand.”

She gulped. How many times had she heard Ramone threaten similar things? How often had she run only to have Ramone’s men haul her back to him again? And why the hell did she find Jeff’s threat so arousing?

“That’s my good girl,” Jeff said, stroking her head. “Now, let’s get you back on the sand so we can lay down some ground rules.”

He used one arm to carry her, refusing to let her go. She went limp against his body, tired of the struggle and worn out from the strenuous exercise. Her labored breathing and the lapping of waves were the only sounds in the air, producing an erotic conflicting melody.

When they finally made it to ankle-deep waters, he released her. “Walk,” he ordered her, pointing toward the beach.

“I don’t have to do what you tell me,” she blurted out, feeling like a child defying authority. Her breasts bounced heavily enough to remind her she was topless. She didn’t give a damn.

Jeff seemed unaffected. He didn’t stare at her chest. Instead, he gritted his teeth and looked her in the eye. “I really don’t care if you go willingly or with great resistance, but let me explain something to you.”

He struggled to speak, still catching his breath. When he finally squared his shoulders, he pointed his finger directly in her face, and said, “I’m not Adam. I’m sure as hell not Callan or Miles. You may have all of them running around with their noses tilted in the air, waiting for that mating call, but not me. I’m not interested. I’m here to do a job. If I receive the order to snap your pretty little neck, I’ll listen to the pop and consider it a job done. Are we clear?”

Paige glared at her captor. He was the epitome of a hard man, all right, but he wasn’t as tough as he wanted her to believe. So he was better than the men he worked beside. He could keep up with her. He liked the chase, too, the challenge. That’s what got him going. He was, in many ways, like her—an adrenaline junkie.

“You’re lying,” she said finally, walking behind him.

“You think so?” He stopped abruptly, and she walked right into his bare back. A masculine sound escaped his lips, and he jerked.

She immediately backed off, covering her breasts with her hands. “Yes,” she said, taking another effort at a steady breath. “Your eye twitched when you said you could snap my neck. You might have been able to do that when we first met, but…”

“But what?” he asked, turning around and stepping into her.

Rather than push the right buttons in the wrong man, she said, “How can you keep up with me when the others can’t? I don’t see you overexerting yourself with daily exercise routines.”

He started walking. A few steps down the beach, he retrieved his shirt and shoes. At that point, he looked at her. Paige believed it was a telling moment. Jeff Jacobsen finally saw her as more than an obstacle and far more than an ever-present threat. He undoubtedly saw her as a woman, and maybe even his equal.

* * * *

He felt like he’d just laid eyes on her for the first time. He started at her chin, noticing the way the dark brown hair curved under her jaw, a lock of hair so delicate but there nonetheless, like it was clinging for dear life. Was that what Paige was doing? Was she frightened? Was she running scared?

His gaze traveled down her long, slender neck. He admired how she held her head high, the structure of her slender collarbone leading to a bare chest with plenty for a man to enjoy. Before he indulged too much, Paige knelt down and retrieved her clothes, shrugging into a sports bra, one she had to yank over those full mounds in order to secure them.

Damn. She was right. Snapping that neck of hers would be a terrible waste.

That’s when his mouth watered. Why hadn’t he gawked when she’d been topless?
And why did he find her sexy as all fucking hell right then?

Her flat stomach made him itch. He’d love to kiss around her sunken belly button and insinuate a slow sex act, make her arch for him, beg him for more.

Finally, he studied the band of her shorts. What he’d give to lick and tease his way a little lower, strip away those spandex and show her what she’d been missing. Maybe in her body, he’d find what he’d been looking for all along. Perhaps he needed to fuck a woman he wasn’t later expected to kill. Then again, he couldn’t be so sure that order wouldn’t come.

Stop thinking!

“Is something wrong?” she asked, batting her eyelashes.

“No,” he replied, storming ahead of her. Suddenly, he wondered why she followed him then when she hadn’t trailed behind him before. He stopped, turned around, and shook his finger again. “Don’t you dare run. I’d like to have breakfast before we do that again.”

“Okay,” she agreed, catching up and walking beside him. “Want to answer my question now?”

“Which one?”

“How can you keep up with me?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he growled.

“I’m asking.”

“I’m in great shape.”

“I can tell.”

Jeff stopped at the bottom of the steps. “Is that you coming on to me?”

She sashayed by him. “No, Jeff. That was me trying to figure out how I can outrun you next time.”

“There won’t be a next time,” he told her, grabbing her from behind and slamming her against the steps, bracing her back with his large hands.

His breath matched hers. The move knocked the wind out of both of them.

“Now what?”

“I’m not going to kiss you,” he said, thinking he wouldn’t put up much of a fight if she laid one on him.

She moistened her lips. “I didn’t think so,” she whispered, arching her neck. “What if I kiss you?”

“Is that what you’re planning to do? You have the rest of these guys by the balls, and since I’m not turning tricks to taste the pudding, what ’cha gonna do, darlin’, offer me a spoon?”

“I don’t understand your riddles,” she stated flatly, licking those full, enticing lips once more.

“Let me give you a warning. I’m the real thing, sweetheart. I’m in Jekyll Island to work. It’s something all of us do very well when we don’t have a distraction. Now, since I’ve been assigned to you for the time being, I’m setting you straight. You’ll do what I tell you, and you’ll do it with a wide smile to boot. Understand?”

“Or you’ll what?”

“I told you what I’d do. If you want to see how much I enjoy skinny-dipping, pull one of your stunts again. I’ll drag you into that ocean and make sure every tourist within ten miles hears you when you scream.”

“I already heard the guys talking. You wouldn’t rape me,” she said, narrowing her gaze and proving then that she wasn’t so sure.

“Rape? Hell, no. You’ll respond to me like a bitch in heat. I have a way about me.”

“Really? Who would’ve thought?” she asked diabolically, moving her lips to his ear. “Who can I ask to verify this? Hmm? Have you left any of your past lovers alive? Because if you have, I’d love to give them a call and invite them to join me for tea.”

When she marched away from him, her eyes lowered and she set her jaw. He swallowed once, wondering what she’d found out about him, contemplating whether or not she’d discovered more about his past than the fellows on his team.

No, she was bluffing, grabbing at straws. Wasn’t she? Sure, that must have been the case. How could she know every woman he’d ever had in his bed had been a target? Well, without survivors around to confirm her theory, there was just no way.

Steam Toys—A New Amazon Release

“You haven’t slept with a lot of women, have you Edward?” she asked, unbuttoning her jacket and sliding her arms free at the same time.

He moistened his lips. “I don’t have time for a woman.”

“Hmm,” she whispered, propping her head on the leather seat and wiggling out of her dress pants.

“What are you doing?” he squealed, eying the driver now looking in his rearview mirror.

“Everything all right back there, Mr. Brady?”

“Yes,” he snapped, hitting the button for the partition glass. The divider window separated him from the driver. “Thanks to you, everyone will think I’m crazy!”

She grabbed his belt and immediately pulled free the leather strap. A wave of her hand and she had his snap popped and zipper down. “I’m not making anyone think anything.”

“Yes, you are,” he said, moaning when she tugged him free of his shorts.

“No,” she retorted. “You’re doing a fine job of that all on your own, Edward. You didn’t need my help.”

“Stop,” he said, grabbing her hands and holding her.

“Why?” she asked. “We don’t have an audience now. Seems a shame we should waste the drive back to the loft, don’t you think?”

“Why are you doing this?”

She lowered her head and licked the top of his cock. “Because I can and because I’m damn good at it.”

Edward leaned back and let her have him. Her hot mouth enveloped his cock and his hips shot off the seat.

“Relax,” she mumbled, tapping his balls. “I’ve given head a few times in my life.”

She raked her fingers across his thigh and in a matter of seconds, she was bobbing over his cock. “Damn,” he crooned. “I thought you might have been out of practice.”

She stopped and looked at him. For a few unspoken moments, they were held captive by one another’s eyes. She crawled up his belly and gave him a hot kiss, leading the way with her inspiring little tongue. When she finished delivering quite possibly the most sensual kiss Edward recalled, she reached down the length of his body and pumped his cock, staring into his eyes as she fondled him.

A few seconds after the hand-job, she tucked him in his pants and redressed quietly. He stared at her in disbelief. “You are most definitely a tease.”

“No, Edward. I’m not,” she assured him, adjusting her simple sleeves.

‘Then do you mind telling me why you didn’t finish what you started?”

“Of course not,” she said, crossing one long leg over the other. “Lesson number one is just for you, Edward. You may have a whore in your lap, with your cock in her cheek, but you never, ever make the implication you believe she’s old, used and cheap.”

“I made you feel that way?”

She tilted her head down and with wide eyes, she confirmed it. “Yes you did, Edward.”

“You’re the one that said you’d given head a few times. Not me.”

She smiled, placed her hands in her lap and looked straight ahead. When they pulled into the parking lot of the towers where Edward lived, she said, “And you suggested I may have been out of practice which was a direct slam to my age.”

“It wasn’t.”

“It was, Edward,” she said, pushing her hair over her shoulders. She tilted her head toward the driver approaching them. “Try not to act like a scorned lover when you get out of the car. Remember, he can’t see me. I’ve learned from experience those employees closest to you are the first to run their mouths when things begin to spiral out of control. The last thing you need is your driver telling a reporter you’ve lost it.”

The limousine driver opened the door. Edward stepped out. He was brewing. Not only did he have a hard-on, he had a complicated woman to credit and blame. Not only did he have someone to blame, he couldn’t publicly point an accusing finger her way.

“Did you have a nice dinner, sir?” the driver asked, trying to make small talk while Edward retrieved his wallet.

“We did,” he reported. “Thank you.”

The driver accepted his tip and arched a brow. “Did you meet friends while you were out?”

Heidi studied her fingernails. “You didn’t listen.”

“How the hell was I supposed to listen when I’m standing here with blue balls?”

“I beg your pardon, sir?” the driver fired back.

Heidi yawned. “Since your dick seems to be the only thing you can think with, see if it can help you worm your way out of this. I’m waiting upstairs.”

She was gone in a flash and Edward wished he could disappear just as rapidly.

“Sir, are you feeling okay?”

“No, Truman,” Edward replied. “I’m not. I apologize for the outburst. I’m hearing voices tonight.”

Truman frowned. “Sir, I’d strongly advise against telling anyone else about voices. You know how people like to talk.”

Cowboys for Christmas—A New Amazon Release

“What the hell did you try with her?” Brandon asked, closing the bedroom door behind him.

“Don’t worry. She survived.”

”In case you’ve forgotten, there’s over a foot of snow out there. I’ve been listening to the radio. Tennessee is about as well prepared for a snow of this magnitude as we are in Texas. They can’t even get their trucks out to salt the roads. The northeastern corner has been dubbed a state of emergency. If she kicks us out, we have nowhere else to go!”

“I don’t think she’ll ask us to leave in this.”

“Do you mind if I take a look inside that crystal ball?” Brandon asked, seething. “Let’s try and avoid a train wreck. If we stay off the tracks that don’t belong to us, we shouldn’t have any problems securing an invitation to stay over.”

“I didn’t do anything you wouldn’t have done.”

“And just what is that supposed to mean?”

“I tried to kiss her. Big damn deal. Thanks to my slip, though, you get to play Mr. Nice Guy. Julie thinks I’m the biggest player in the world, but she’s not threatened by me yet. If you act like your typical self, she might question how safe she feels with overnight houseguests. You need to find a way to assure her we’re not here to bring her any harm.”

Brandon grinned. He liked the sound of that. “Go on.”

“You’ll smooth things over or else, as soon as she warms up, she may kick us out on our white cowboy asses.”

“Are you sure you’re telling me everything?” Brandon asked, narrowing his gaze. This wasn’t like Quinn. He didn’t pick up women and take them home for a quick romp. He rarely flirted openly and most women loved him. Adored him, actually. Yeah, his approach was sickening, but Brandon was used to their differences. Quinn took the good girls out to a movie while Brandon fucked the bad ones in the backseat. That’s the way it had been since high school.

“We were in a coal bin under Mr. Thomas’s house. She had soot all over her face and I can’t tell you when I’ve ever seen a more beautiful woman. She looked up at me with those big, sincere eyes and I was a goner, man. A real goner.

“The way she handled that old man was something else too. I’ve never met anyone like her, that’s the thing. And I didn’t think about consequences. There was an opportunity. We were alone. I tried to kiss her.”

“It’s not an opportunity when you don’t stand a chance.”

“Since when did you become so philosophical?”

“Since I saw that,” Brandon said, pointing toward a photograph of Julie and some well-dressed fellow on the nearby mantle.

“Maybe he’s her brother,” Quinn suggested.

“Look at his left hand. He’s squeezing her ass.”

“Maybe he’s an ex.”

Brandon released a deep breath and then a whistle. “Damn, I hope so.”

“Don’t even think about her.”

“Why not?”

“Because, I’m not backing off so you can pursue her.”

“And what if I’m interested too?”

“Well then, I guess we have a little problem.”

“I have a solution,” Brandon said thoughtfully. “If the weatherman is right and this is the blizzard of the century, we may be here a while. What do you say we make the most out of our situation?”

“I say we won’t get very far,” Quinn said. “Julie wouldn't go for something like what you have in mind.”

Brandon’s gaze drifted toward a bookshelf located above a messy desk in the kitchen. After skimming over the titles from a distance, he moved closer. “Wait a minute.”

“What are you doing? Taking up a new hobby while we’re snowed in?”

Brandon pulled a few books free of the compact line-up, rubbernecking enough to study the binding on each book. “For an innocent woman, she sure reads a lot of naughty romance.”

“Put those back. You’ll embarrass her if she catches you looking at her private book collection.”

“She shouldn’t read this stuff if she can’t take ownership.”

Brandon waggled his brows, showing off the cover of one red-hot ménage. The woman on the cover, a beautiful busty blonde, was sandwiched between two warriors. The title led him to believe it was a spicy historical book.

“I’ve heard of Carla Carrington,” Brandon said, studying the book. “I saw a special on one of the major networks a while back. She’s one of the raunchiest writers in America. She’s been on every best seller list worth climbing.”

Quinn browsed through Julie’s book collection and chose a large paperback with a provocative cover. “Wonder why a woman like Julie would read a book like this?”

Brandon snickered. “I wonder.” He flipped about halfway through one book, tossed it down, picked up another and read, “She spread her legs for them, arching her back in acceptance, pleading for more, begging for harder thrusts, deeper penetration, anything to soothe the burn deep inside her pussy.”

Quinn gulped. “You’re kidding me. Women like Julie don’t read stuff like this.”

Brandon slammed the book closed. “I guess women like Julie don’t have sex either. I mean with a body like hers, why bother, right?”

“So this Carla Carrington is an adult romance author?”

“She’s the Dr. Seuss of hot romance. He wrote about green eggs and Carla Carrington writes about prime beef.” Brandon grabbed his front bulge. “At least we know what kind of woman opened up her home to us.”

“Don’t get too excited. Not only did she put me in my place in that coal bin, but she also informed me that she wasn’t opening up anything more than her home as a means of hospitality.”

Brandon stuffed the books back where he found them, squeezing them in between other hardback and paperback titles. “At least we know she wouldn’t oppose the idea of two men, ya know?”

“I don’t think she’d go a ménage a trois.”

“You might be surprised. Come to think of it, she may be waiting for us now.” He stroked his chin and added, “If I’m not back in a minute, grab one of those Carla Carrington titles and see if you can’t find a way to entertain yourself. You know, since Julie probably wouldn’t dream of inviting two fellows in to her bed.”

A minute later and Brandon headed down the hall toward Julie’s room. He knocked. By that time Quinn stood next to him. “Suspense is killing you too, huh?”

“Julie?” Brandon knocked. “Are you okay?”

He knocked again. This time, the door parted and they could easily see the outstretched body of one incredibly sexy seductress. Only she didn’t look like she’d taken the position on her floor as a means of seduction.

Behind the Game—New to Amazon in December!

Ally already understood the importance of time. They were out of it.

Marcel would hit the door at the Miami office later that afternoon and he wouldn’t look back. Steve confirmed Marcel knew where they were and in a matter of a few short hours, he’d be on his way to Key West.

The chokehold around their situation tightened because Steve was called back to work on an important case. He had less than forty-eight hours and Ally realized Marcel Fernandez was behind the request. If he was going to pursue her, he wanted her unprotected. Marcel didn’t want to go up against two trained agents. He liked the odds a little better, apparently, with Steve out of the way.

“Everything is out of both rooms,” Steve informed as he walked out of the small Key West motel.

Ally searched through the outside pockets of her luggage. “Did you happen to see my gold watch?”

“No. Do you think you left it in the room?”

“It’s possible. The latch needs repair so it could’ve slid off my wrist at some point. I’m not sure. Let me run back inside and check.”

Steve handed her the room key. “I’ll wait here.”

After she took the key, Ally hurried to the first floor room located right around the corner from the front office. She unlocked the door and walked inside. Standing in the middle of the room, the best looking man she’d ever seen in her life held her watch out away from his body. A devilish smile tilted his full, thick lips.

“Looking for this, Mrs. Dorsey?”

Ally reached for her gun. Concealed in her belt, hidden well by the navy blazer, she drew it with ease. He never flinched.

“I’m not the enemy. Go get your sidekick and let’s chat. We’re running short on time.”

“Who the hell are you?” Ally kept her gun pointed at his chest. She observed the twitch in her arms. She never shook when she drew her weapon but for some reason, this man made her nervous.

“Tanner sent me.”

“I doubt it.” She laughed as she considered it. Tanner was far too possessive to use a messenger who looked like the man in front of her.

“I can prove it if you’ll lower that piece.”

“Not a chance.”

“I have to get something out of my pocket.”

“Which one?” She stepped closer.

“The right front pocket.”

“Pants, I’m sure.” Her sarcasm laced through a thick tone. She kept the gun directed toward him and moved to his side.

“Sugar, it’s been said I don’t have to charm the ladies out of their skirts, I’ll find a way to entice them into my pants.” His dark black eyes danced with mischief.

She shoved her hand into his front pocket and right before she retrieved an envelope, a stiff jab poked her hand. “What the…”

The hunk in front of her growled. “Sorry, baby. It’s a natural reaction. One I can’t control, given the obvious.”

Ally snarled. “Let me give you some free advice. If Tanner sent you, there’s one thing you need to keep in mind: he might use you to carry a message but he wouldn’t—”

She let her guard down while she fumbled to open the letter. The gun tilted away from the messenger and it was all the leeway he needed.

Before she realized what happened, the tough guy in front of her turned the tables. With a flick of his wrist, he held her gun and she was pinned against the wall with the crumbled note in her hand, a hard body holding her in place.

“I’m not Dorsey. I’m not your brothers, either. I don’t play games with women. I protect them. When the need arises, I fuck them. What I don’t do is take orders from them or explain myself. Now, I’m going to release you and you’re going to go fetch a weasel for me. You know the one. The one who was man enough to run around the country with you for eight weeks or so without so much as laying a hand on you—I think that’s his room over there.”

He turned his cheek and glanced at the adjoining room. Then he rubbed his lips with the pad of his thumb, undressing her with his eyes. “What a dumb fucker he is.”

Waking up the Arguably Dead—New to Amazon in December!

Funny how quickly life changed. Addison had gone from being a virgin to watching an erotic video and acting out what she learned.

She thought about the continual transformations she’d gone through and grew skeptical. Since Drake Valentine came into her life, she’d been very sexual, in tune with desires she’d never even experienced, much less acted upon.

Had he somehow manipulated her? Why was she three doors down from the men who’d taken her to bed, watching the clock and counting down the minutes until they would rise and start the same activities all over again?

Something was certainly out of whack! She had turned into a sexual creature with insatiable desires.

There was a sensible explanation, of course. She was like a pregnant woman. From what she’d been told about pregnancy, some women experienced heightened sexual awareness in one of their trimesters, she forgot which one and it didn’t really matter. Maybe dying young women had the same problem, especially those who waited until their mid-twenties to have sex.

Rationalizing the progressive way she’d turned into a sex kitten, she decided to pick up the phone and call her doctor. Propped against several pillows, she listened to the continual ringing. Finally, a receptionist answered. “This is the office of Dr. Lenny Michaels. How may I help you?”

“This is Addison Deveraux. May I speak to Dr. Michaels please?”

“Sure, you may, at some point anyway. He isn’t here right now.”

“Oh,” Addison said. “Well I have a question. Can you help me?”

“Depends on the question. Is it regarding medications, an appointment, or general health?” Each word, the receptionist pronounced slowly, enunciating every syllable.

“Sexual health,” Addison said bluntly.

“Uh, oh, um well, I could sure try and answer your questions,” she said. “This is Melissa. What can I do for you, Addison?”

Melissa Garretson. Addison should’ve recognized her voice. Who would’ve thought the town slut would turn into the one and only receptionist and LPN Dr. Michaels employed? Well, Addison mused, it took one slut to answer the questions of another. She cleared her throat. “Is this confidential?”

“Sure darlin’,” she drawled. “I may have a mouth on me but I use mine for delivering more sensual messages, if you get my drift. I ain’t one to gossip around town.”

Great. “Well you see, I was a virgin until a couple of days ago—”

“Get out!”

“And anyway—”

“How did you do it?”

“Well, you know the guy, so I won’t tell you all the details but anyway, I guess we did ‘it’ like anyone else. Uh,” she paused, “well, you know, he was on top and hard, of course, and he—”

“No!” Melissa exclaimed. “Not that, girlfriend. I mean, how did you wait until your twenties to have sex? Heck, I lost my virginity as soon as I could talk.”

“Really?” Addison gasped.

“No,” she drawled in her country hick accent. “I was a little older. Think somethin’ like seventeen or eighteen. Don’t rightly remember. Just remember hearing all the guys talking one night calling me all sorts of names. I figured if I had the reputation, I might as well get busy and earn it, ya know?”

“Yes, well, you did a good job making good on that.”

“Huh?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

“Listen girl, you ain’t gonna hurt my feelings. So tell me, what’s the problem?”

“Well, you know I’m sick right?”

“Yes, I heard something about you having fibromyalgia. I hated to hear that. Is there anything I can do?”

Addison sighed. She remembered having a few classes with Melissa back in high school. She was such a likeable person and easy to talk to. Why not just tell her the truth, get it over with? It would be far easier to describe her problem on the phone to Melissa than to go in and talk to Dr. Michaels.

“The truth is, I lost my virginity to one guy and the next night I slept with two.”

“Oh. My. God,” Melissa drawled. “You trying to make up for lost time?”

“That’s what I thought too, at first. Now, I’m starting to think it’s something to do with my medication. Since I seem more promiscuous than normal, I thought there might be a side effect you can tell me about.” She should’ve elaborated, and explained all she thought about these days was sex.

“Hmm,” Melissa hummed. “I can see where you’re concerned. You’ve sat on that thing like it’s gold and now you’re opening up the mine and letting all sorts of fellows dig. That could get out of hand. Hang on, sugar. Let me pull your chart. I’ll see what I can find out.”

“Thank you,” Addison sighed in relief, wondering how Melissa translated two guys into anyone. She wasn’t sleeping around with just anybody.

A few minutes later, Melissa returned to the line. “Nope. Can’t sue any of these drug companies in civil court.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s a joke. Everybody wants to sue a drug company for their problems. ‘Course you really don’t have a problem if you’re screwing two guys. By the way, did you do ‘em at the same time?”

Addison wondered if she should answer Melissa.

“I mean, it ain’t like it’s any big deal. Once, when I was in college, I went to a tailgate party. Somebody asked me if I wanted to ride a train. I’d had a few beers and didn’t know what they meant but anyway, next thing I know, the fellas are lined up and boy oh boy, by the time they finished me, I felt like a caboose. You know, that little red car that brings up the rear of the train.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Oh honey, let me tell you, it was so exciting I would’ve followed that train anywhere. From then on, I thought of myself as a caboose, and I’ve been itching for someone else to mention riding that train!” she exclaimed, obviously proud of the fact she was passed around.

“Well, that’s interesting, Melissa.”

“I thought so,” she sighed. “So what’s the problem?”

“I just wanted to be sure I was normal and an over-active sex drive wasn’t a side effect of my medication.”

“Getting it on with two men doesn’t mean it’s a side effect of anything sugar, except maybe you had clogged hormones or something.”

“Clogged hormones?”

“Yes,” she said. “It’s a real problem for women our age. Read a few men’s magazines and you’ll understand. It’s kind of like blue balls only women don’t have, well you know…balls.”

Addison realized Melissa was as batty as she had been in school. “Well thanks a bunch for the information.”

“You’re welcome, sugar. You call me anytime, you hear?”

“Sure thing,” Addison said, feeling better than before even though she felt the information supplied lacked accuracy.

“Take care and uh, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do?” She laughed mirthlessly. “Choo! Choo!”

Addison replaced the receiver and stared at the phone. Addison thought she had problems? Next to Melissa she was practically ready for sainthood.

Visit http://www.destinyblaine.com

Breakfast by the Sea by Destiny Blaine is Available Now in Print

2011-01-30T08:18:00.000-08:00
Erotic Cowboy Ménage a Trois/Quatre Romance, M/F/M/M/M/M, M/F/M, May-December, Suspense
Siren Publishing
Nominated for Best Romantic Thriller and Best Contemporary at LRC’s Best of Awards 2010!

Five tough operatives fall for a woman they’re supposed to eliminate. When the team discovers Paige Lambert is in fact the Queen of Hearts, they can’t ignore their handler’s orders. Will the Queen of Hearts die for her past crimes or will she end up under the protective custody of the men hired to kill her?
Excerpt:

Why the hell did she care about those cards? Why were they so important to her? And if they meant something to her, then what kind of danger had he put himself in? Was Paige Lambert a dangerous woman or a lethal target? He shuddered. Regardless of which, Paige could’ve used his own necktie to finish him off.

She didn’t. He should’ve counted his blessings. He sure gave her plenty of opportunity.

He stared into her mesmerizing eyes, trying to figure out what kind of lunatic would sit down on his lap and grind out a lap dance worthy of a hefty tip while probing for information. Lord, if Jeff Jacobsen ever had a female counterpart, this chick could’ve been his alter ego.

“You need to move,” he finally said.

“Adam, if I wanted you dead, you’d be cold already.”

“If I wanted you fucked, you’d be penetrated and moaning.”

She moved. He did, too.

No second chances here. He didn’t trust himself. In all the years he’d been shuffling from place to place, from one job right on to the next, he’d always carried assurance in himself. He trusted his instincts. With Paige, a woman he’d just met, he couldn’t. She made him weak. Lesson learned.

“A big tough guy like yourself, and you’re afraid of me.” She twirled a lock of hair around her finger. He watched her, studied her like a new language, and decided Paige wasn’t easily interpreted. There were too many dark corners to search for everything she seemed determined to hide.

She arched a brow. The gesture made her appear smug, overly confident.

“I’m not afraid of you, Paige.” That much was true. He wasn’t scared. He was terrified. He’d let her get too close, move too fast, and while he pushed her away, he still wanted more.

“Yes, you are. You’re looking at me like you can’t wait to taste my lips again. So I dare you. Go ahead, Adam. Kiss me. Kiss me and then walk away. See if you can.”

“Two can master this game you’re playing,” he remarked, jerking her against him. “Let’s see if you receive as well as you give.”

Excerpt Two:

Callan brought her dinner—two slices of mushroom pizza. She was beginning to think she’d become a prisoner in her own home.

“Sorry it’s cold,” he began explaining. “We went over some new intel, and your microwave must require the expertise of a genius. We couldn’t figure out how to work the darn thing.”

“I can pick off the frost.”

He studied the pizza slices on her bone-white china plate.

“I’m kidding,” she said. “May I use the microwave myself?”

“Unfortunately, we’ve taken over your kitchen for the night. All appliances are temporarily unavailable. We needed the area for our computers.”

“Terrific,” she muttered, taking a hearty bite. “Tell me the refrigerator isn’t one such appliance.”

“No,” he said. “We had to keep the beer cold.”

“I’d kill for a beer.”

“Would you kiss for one?” he asked, dimples claiming his upper cheeks. Callan was a cutie pie, a real good-looking young man, but far too young for her. Prior to life-changing events and life with Ramone, Paige had liked her men young, but this one probably still slept in a cradle with a baby monitor and his pacifier nearby.

She finished chewing the remnants of a mushroom, savoring the texture like she might swallow a jagged little pill. “A little smooching, huh?” She tugged the bottle cap from the plastic water container and said, “We’ll do a little kissing after we do a little drinking.”

“You’re on,” he said, eyeing the bedside clock. “I’ll be right back.”

When Callan disappeared down the hallway, Paige noticed the time, too. It was a little after nine. Maybe she’d have enough time to find out more about their mission. If she could get an Irishman to drink, she could get an Irishman to talk.

If Paige spared a guess, Adam wouldn’t make his way upstairs before midnight. Since he stood out as the man in charge, he was probably the last one to fall in bed and the first to rise in the morning.

Bed.

She shivered. Did they really expect her to sleep with a total stranger?

“Get over yourself,” she said aloud. “Since when does sleeping with merciless killers bother me?”

“Damn, woman, I like a gal who gets right down to business. But I’m not a killer, for the record.”

Connor. Great. Talking to self? Very stupid. “Like hell you’re not.”

“Call me as you see me. You’ll eventually change your mind.”

“How would you describe yourself?”

“As someone who protects his country and fellow citizens, as a man who seeks justice for horrific crimes committed. That’s who I am.”

“You’re a contracted killer. I know an assassin when I see one.”

“Then you should take a closer look. I’ve killed, but that doesn’t make me a killer.”

“Your employer gives you carte blanche, a license to get rid of people your government officials don’t want standing trial for various crimes they’ve committed. Would you like to know why? I’ll tell you.

“They fear the court of law won’t hand down a punishment great enough. When you hunt your targets, you’re no better than an executioner. You’re looking for a man or woman you fully intend to kill. And when you find them, you become judge and jury.”

“Someone’s filled your head with garbage.”

“No, someone, presumably your boss, has given you a God complex. You don’t care to hear anyone else’s viewpoints. The way you believe is the only way. For all you know, you could be hunting down an innocent person. That makes no difference to you. What matters to you is that you make a decision when the target dies. It’s your choice, and no one can stand in your way.

“You convince yourself it’s okay to pull the trigger because it’s fair. It’s just. It’s an eye for an eye, and that’s the way your system of checks and balances works—you keep score with human life. Then, because you’re you and you’re on some kind of sacred team, you stand here in my face and tell me you’re not a killer.”

Connor took a deep breath. “I’d rather talk about something else.”

“I’m sure you would.”

“So tell me something.” He paused, moved closer. “As you were saying earlier about sleeping with killers, does that mean we all get lucky or just Adam?”

“I was thinking out loud.”

“I like where that train of thought was heading.”

http://tinyurl.com/4mfrghb

New! Reviews Posted! New Quotes from Reviewers! Reviews Posted! New!

5 TEA CUPS: "Breakfast by the Sea is a well written, what am I saying, this book is one of the best that I have read lately..... Sex and power go hand and hand in this story and Destiny made sure that there was plenty. Destiny kept you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what and who was going to be the man or men that kept Paige in place. I loved how each man took on their responsibility and involved each one in some aspect of her life. I recommend this book..." -- Wendy, Happily Ever After Reviews
http://hea-reviews.blogspot.com/2010/12/review-breakfast-by-sea-by-destiny.html

You Gotta Read Reviews Gave Breakfast by the Sea a YOU GOTTA READ!

Val said, "I loved the plot line in Breakfast by the Sea. I always love the mercenary kind of books that are filled with intrigue and a lot of action. Suspense is definitely my cup of tea and when you add the erotic element to it, it's a must have in my book. The one thing I really enjoyed seeing in this book is it's not necessarily the happily ever after you would think. I'm not giving away any of the story but trust me when I say, it will surprise you in the end.
The one thing I can say that is always a given with any Destiny Blaine book, is that she writes about characters that are less than perfect. And my promise to you is you will love every minute of it. Just when you think a character could in no way, shape or form redeem themselves, Ms. Blaine gives you a sneak into the reasons why they act the way they do. You end up falling in love with the character and the bonds he/she form along the way. The characters in this book are solid and realistic. The sexual scenes are very descriptive and sizzling hot. This is definitely one book that you don't want to miss. For fans of suspense and the erotic, this is a must read...."

http://yougottareadreviews.blogspot.com/2010/11/review-breakfast-by-sea-by-destiny.html

Be sure to check out the latest review posted at Whipped Cream Erotic Reviews for Breakfast by the Sea where the reviewer said: "Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Breakfast By The Sea. This novel is packed with plenty of action, tension, personal growth and some steamy hotness that had me reaching for a fan...."

http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/2011/01/breakfast-by-sea-by-destiny-blaine.html?zx=5a0cba924dba1d65

Put your virtual hands together and welcome Special Guests Tess MacKall and Natalie Dae

2011-01-26T07:54:00.000-08:00
I'm thrilled to welcome Tess MacKall and Natalie Dae. Today, Tess and Natalie have a sensational new release--The Black Cougar Curse just released moments ago from Ellora's Cave. The link is live under the Ellora's Cave cover image below so click the image and find out more about this new EC title. Destined to be a best seller, The Black Cougar Curse is co-written by two of the most talented authors in the industry today!
Ladies, welcome! Come on in and tell us about your new book and while you're here, tell us about your writing process and how co-authoring The Black Cougar Curse worked for you. We're anxious to learn more!
One man. One woman. A curse that binds them—and could tear them apart.....
Blurb:
Deep in the mountain wilderness, Lucia Chavez searches for closure to her father’s death, and the mythical black cougar he sought. Drop-dead sexy Cherokee Indian guide Sam Starr knows more than he’s telling. After he saves Lucia from being swept away in a mudslide, the bath they both need turns steamy indeed. Sam and Lucia are living proof that near-death experiences can bring two people closer together—they can’t keep their hands off each other.

Amidst danger and mystery, Sam and Lucia explore the lust that burns between them. If their desire gets any stronger it could bring down the mountains. Ancient secrets hold the key to their unbridled sexual need. Was their passion written in the stars?
Copyright ©2010 Tess MacKall and Natalie Dae

To celebrate their new release today, Tess wrote an article to share with us below. Take a look at Sexy is as Sexy Does!
Sexy Is As Sexy Does
What makes a man sexy? Is it that rock-hard chest? Those powerful thighs? That tight backside? Or what about chiseled cheekbones and a five o’clock shadow?

Is it physical appearance that just does it for you?
I admit to giving a man a good long look and finding him to my liking or not—physically speaking. But honestly? I never really consider a man to be sexy until I’ve spent a little time with him. It doesn’t take me long to figure out a few things about a man.
Now after I get to know a man—have spent much more time with him—I might decide he needs to go back to where he came from. LOL And that’s pretty much my history with them for sure. But what I find sexy might just surprise you.
Just because a man has movie-star good looks doesn’t mean he’s sexy to me. Those looks of his might get him an “interview”, but that’s as far as those looks will take him. Am I too picky? Well, I’ve been accused of that. LOL But I think in choosing someone to share a relationship with is where we shouldn’t stint on pickiness. I mean, after all, we worry over careers and what car to buy like there is no tomorrow. Shouldn’t we be a lot pickier over possibly sharing a life with someone?
I like a man with a sense of humor. Not the practical-joke-playing kind of humor. Not just dry or sarcastic wit. I want a well-rounded kind of sense of humor. A man who knows when and how to make me laugh. Laughter is very important to me. So a sense of humor really draws me in. It’s a sign of intelligence as well. Which is also of major importance to me.
I like it when I have to prod a man to talk about himself, too. When a man talks about his accomplishments and goals all the time, it’s a turnoff for me. He should be more concerned with knowing about me—just as I want to know more about him. It should be a mutual need and there should be balance. I don’t like blowhards. You know the kind of man I’m talking about. The kind that do nothing but try to impress you with how much they know, how much money they have, and what they’ve done in their lives. Conceit stops me cold. Bye byeeeeeeeeee…
Another thing I want to see in a man is honesty. And loyalty. Liars and backstabbers need not apply. There are plenty of them out there—on both sides of the gender fence.
Then there are things like self-confidence—just the way he carries himself. Does he walk into a room with that certain air about him or does he shuffle in taking careful measure of everything around him? I want a man with pride, too, but not one so prideful he isn’t willing to let it go in order to do the right thing.
So a sense of humor, intelligence, pride, self-confidence, honesty, and loyalty all top my list of what I find sexy in a man. If he possesses all of these character traits then chances are, regardless of how well-toned his abs are, I’m going to think he’s sexy. Sexy IS as sexy DOES.
Now I’ll admit there are some physical attributes that are a requirement for me. I prefer a man to be somewhere around six feet tall. I’ve never been physically attracted to men whose hair was any color except, dark (black, dark brown), salt ‘n’ pepper, or silver. I’m not partial to thin lips but heck, if he’s got all those character trait requirements, his lips will look downright delicious to me.
One more thing. While I consider myself to be a modern woman, when it comes to the whole male-female thing, I prefer the man to take the lead. I want him to hold the door for me, help me be seated at dinner, and kill the damn spider. If he’ll be the man, I’ll be the woman. And that, my friends, is a major turn on!
And that’s how I write my heroes. Great big ol’ Alphas who make you go mmmmmm…
Case in point—Sam Starr, a Cherokee Indian guide who lives in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. You can read all about my kind of man—and possibly yours too—in Black Cougar Curse, releasing today from Natalie Dae
http://nataliedae.blogspot.com">http://nataliedae.blogspot.com and moi, Tess MacKall http://tessmackall.com and Ellora’s Cave. http://jasminejade.com
Get your sexy on and read an excerpt here: http://www.jasminejade.com/productspecs/9781419931062.htm
What makes a man sexy to you?
Subscribe to Risqué! the hottest newsletter around featuring once-a-month news from erotic romance authors Natalie Dae, Regina Carlysle http://reginacarlysle.com , and Tess MacKall. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/risquenewsletter

Welcome Tess and Natalie!

Nominations for Love Romance Cafe's Best of Awards 2010

2011-01-23T12:04:00.000-08:00
I’m so excited to share some news with you today. My books have been nominated in various categories for Love Romance Cafe’s Best of Awards for 2010. I’m honored to have been nominated. If you haven’t voted, would you please consider supporting my books? Below, you’ll find the books nominated. To vote, click on the LRC banner listed below each book.
Thank you for your consideration. I really appreciate you.
Destiny Blaine
Best Romantic Thriller
Breakfast by the Sea by Destiny Blaine (Siren)
Two Books Nominated for Best Vampire Book

Waking up the Arguably Dead by Destiny Blaine—Passion in Print
Winning Virgin Devotion by Destiny Blaine—Siren Publishing
Best Contemporary

Breakfast by the Sea by Destiny Blaine (Siren)

Two Nominations for Best Book Cover
Cowboys for Christmas by Destiny Blaine (Aspen Mountain Press)
Bewitching Bite by Destiny Blaine (Resplendence Publishing)
Best GBLTQ Book
I Kissed a Boy by Addison Avery (Aspen Mountain Press)
Best Book All Around
Cowboy Boots and Unfinished Business by Natalie Acres--Siren Publishing

Best BDSM Book
Cowboy Boots and Unfinished Business by Natalie Acres--Siren Publishing
Best Paranormal AuthorDestiny Blaine
If you’re voting in the Preditors and Editors Readers Poll, please consider the following two nominations as well:
Sexy is Never Ignored, a Sports Wives title was nominated for Best Book Ever at P&E

I received a nomination here as well:
http://critters.org/bestpoll/erot_book.shtml
Thank you again for your support. You’re appreciated more than you know. I’m looking forward to spending time with you in 2011.

Destiny Blaine

Coming to Siren Publishing May 2011

2011-01-21T17:10:00.000-08:00
Bridled and Saddled, the sequel to Bridled and Branded, is coming soon to Siren Publishing. Mark your calendars and watch for this exciting new sequel coming to Siren-Bookstrand in May 2011!

Lynlee Lewis is an old-fashioned girl who might as well take the lead in a modern day romance. She met a boy, when he was just a boy. She fell in love, but he barely noticed. Now, Lynlee wants to place a woman’s brand on Blaine McCain, but will his past prevent her from staking a claim?

Pick up your copy of Bridled and Branded this Weekend

2011-01-15T19:28:00.000-08:00
Bridled and Branded by Natalie Acres

Blurb:

Lynlee Lewis is an old-fashioned girl who might as well take the lead in a modern day romance. She met a boy, when he was just a boy. She fell in love, but he barely noticed. Now, Lynlee wants to place a woman’s brand on Blaine McCain, but will his past prevent her from staking a claim?
Lynlee’s storybook romance isn’t without its villains and obstacles. Add in the fact that Blaine rarely travels behind a bedroom door without company and Lynlee wonders why she’s so taken by the cowboy in the first place.
Throw in a deadly situation and Lynlee finds herself in the midst of danger when a knife is shoved against her throat. Worse still, the man behind the blade is traveling with a wife who is no stranger to Blaine McCain. And someone wants to turn Blaine's life upside down with a package full of problems.

Excerpt:

Copyright © 2010

The following excerpt is suitable for all audiences

Chapter One

Lynlee’s gaze darted around the crowded equestrian center as the riding groom led her to the show ring. Prancer danced underneath her, but Lynlee used her leg muscles to grip tighter, determined to drive the feisty mare forward.
Even with a large purse and a grand championship at stake, only one thought crossed her mind.
Where is he?
The announcer welcomed the new competitors. The Five-Gaited Open Division was full of trainers, not amateurs, but Lynlee had the horse for show and the skills to guide Prancer straight into the winner’s circle and claim the coveted victory.
Entering the class with a good first pass, Prancer moved to the outside and struck a gait with an aim to please. The sensational feeling of gaining one of the judge’s attentive gazes washed over Lynlee upon entry. She resisted the urge to look over her shoulder and see if the judge made a mark on his score card.
Around and around, she met up to the challenge of being in a class some might consider out of her league. She didn’t share those sentiments, and besides, Lynlee only had one reason for being there, and she hadn’t spotted him yet.
Blaine McCain never missed the Annual Carolina Showplace Horse Show in Asheville, North Carolina. And when he arrived, Blaine put forth a lot of effort in order to command center stage. His entourage, a pack of pretty boys, gained every woman’s undivided attention. If he walked into the facility, Lynlee would see him.
“Rack ’em on!” The announcer called out. Prancer’s hooves plodded against the ground, and by the time Lynlee returned her focus to the horse under hand, the crowd hummed with plenty of praise.
Glancing out of her peripheral vision, she made a beautiful pass in front of the judges, and in Lynlee-style, she flipped her wrist and gave Prancer the signal her mounts recognized. The gesture was a simple movement to warn of a nearby crop she never used, but the horses she trained responded to the caution and let their legs work for the money.
A few minutes later, the crowd took to their feet and palms came together as they cheered for Lynlee and Prancer, the champions of the hour. With her number called and then her name, she relied on her loyal companion to march toward the gate. She waited for the roses, smiled for the cameras, accepted her blue ribbon, and then enjoyed a coveted victorious finish, which was all the sweeter when she spotted Blaine.
With a standing ovation and many admirers, Lynlee savored everything about her ten seconds of glory. The relished championship made the moment priceless, but Blaine gave her something more. He nodded his head in her direction and nudged one of his buddies in the process.
Life was never sweeter until she went one way, and Prancer went the other......

Read adult excerpts here:
http://www.sirenpublishing.com/natalieacres/

Waking up the Arguably DeadAvailable Now at Passion in Print and Amazon

2011-01-12T08:49:00.000-08:00
The following excerpts may contain adult material:

Fibromyalgia is not a death sentence but because of the lack of information supplied, Addison believes she’s dying. To read more of Addison’s story, go to www.passioninprint.com or pick up Waking up the Arguably Dead at All Romance Ebooks or Amazon: Prologue:

Addison Deveraux stared at her family physician for several minutes, unable to speak and incapable of processing the information he relayed. She focused on the white walls around her. She skimmed over the medical licenses and board certifications, eventually narrowing her gaze on the overstuffed plastic brochure rack housing material about common medical problems. The entire time, she remained faintly aware of her doctor’s monotone voice. An avid movie enthusiast, Addison disconnected from the moment and recalled a recent flick she’d watched.
She remembered one scene in particular where a woman learned of her life-destroying health circumstance. Thanks to modern day technology, the character slipped into a mind-boggling funnel surrounded by noise typically found in a seashell. The echo intensified and the room scrambled into spinning pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
On the big screen, the actress sobbed. The doctor calmly provided information about the disease for which she’d been diagnosed and the woman finally zoomed in on those fated words: “You’re dying.”
Addison blinked. “I am?”
“Addison,” Dr. Michaels began gently, “Haven’t you heard a word I just said?”
She swallowed. “No, I was…” Thinking about dying.
“Addison, this isn’t something you should take lightly,” Dr. Michaels stressed, leaning over his desk. An older man with salt and pepper hair, Dr. Michaels wore tinted large-rimmed glasses and resembled someone who might have been chosen to portray a physician delivering detrimental news. If only he were an actor.
Addison watched his mouth move. His words hummed all around her, beating into her ears like a hollow drum. “Treatment is something we should discuss together. This isn’t the end and that’s it.”
Boom. Boom. Boom. The maddening tempo gained momentum.
Advice slipped from his lips but the words ran together in a never-ending slur. “Think of diagnosis as a transition. By the time you’ve processed the information I’ve given you, you’ll be ready to face the days ahead. In the end, you’ll be much better off.”
She gulped. There it was. The dreaded statement: You’ll be much better off.
How many times had she attended a funeral for one of her grandmother’s friends and heard the same thing? Mary Lou Cornell went to a better place. Dan Bradley was much better off after both arms and one leg were amputated.
Carla Sue Davis found Jesus after living on the streets and working for some pimp who decided to repay her years of servitude with continual beatings. And Barbara Jo Jones faced death the same way she’d faced living; always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
No indeed, Addison refused to walk down the same road chosen by Granny Myrtle’s best friends, or her cousin Gertrude, who for some reason received her bad news and decided to kick the bucket, before the bucket smacked her upside her head. No way. Addison planned to do a little better for herself. She’d die on her own terms.
The way Addison met death was her decision. Since she had a choice in the matter, she planned to go on out there and greet death—take her fate by the horns and ride the daylights out of it. Yep, it was time to get on with dying.
Excerpt Two:
Funny how quickly life changed. Addison had gone from being a virgin to watching an erotic video and acting out what she learned.
She thought about the continual transformations she’d gone through and grew skeptical. Since Drake Valentine came into her life, she’d been very sexual, in tune with desires she’d never even experienced, much less acted upon.
Had he somehow manipulated her? Why was she three doors down from the men who’d taken her to bed, watching the clock and counting down the minutes until they would rise and start the same activities all over again?
Something was certainly out of whack! She had turned into a sexual creature with insatiable desires.
There was a sensible explanation, of course. She was like a pregnant woman. From what she’d been told about pregnancy, some women experienced heightened sexual awareness in one of their trimesters, she forgot which one and it didn’t really matter. Maybe dying young women had the same problem, especially those who waited until their mid-twenties to have sex.
Rationalizing the progressive way she’d turned into a sex kitten, she decided to pick up the phone and call her doctor. Propped against several pillows, she listened to the continual ringing. Finally, a receptionist answered. “This is the office of Dr. Lenny Michaels. How may I help you?”
“This is Addison Deveraux. May I speak to Dr. Michaels please?”
“Sure, you may, at some point anyway. He isn’t here right now.”
“Oh,” Addison said. “Well I have a question. Can you help me?”
“Depends on the question. Is it regarding medications, an appointment, or general health?” Each word, the receptionist pronounced slowly, enunciating every syllable.
“Sexual health,” Addison said bluntly.
“Uh, oh, um well, I could sure try and answer your questions,” she said. “This is Melissa. What can I do for you, Addison?”
Melissa Garretson. Addison should’ve recognized her voice. Who would’ve thought the town slut would turn into the one and only receptionist and LPN Dr. Michaels employed? Well, Addison mused, it took one slut to answer the questions of another. She cleared her throat. “Is this confidential?”
“Sure darlin’,” she drawled. “I may have a mouth on me but I use mine for delivering more sensual messages, if you get my drift. I ain’t one to gossip around town.”
Great. “Well you see, I was a virgin until a couple of days ago—”
“Get out!”
“And anyway—”

“How did you do it?”
“Well, you know the guy, so I won’t tell you all the details but anyway, I guess we did ‘it’ like anyone else. Uh,” she paused, “well, you know, he was on top and hard, of course, and he—”
“No!” Melissa exclaimed. “Not that, girlfriend. I mean, how did you wait until your twenties to have sex? Heck, I lost my virginity as soon as I could talk.”
“Really?” Addison gasped.
“No,” she drawled in her country hick accent. “I was a little older. Think somethin’ like seventeen or eighteen. Don’t rightly remember. Just remember hearing all the guys talking one night calling me all sorts of names. I figured if I had the reputation, I might as well get busy and earn it, ya know?”
“Yes, well, you did a good job making good on that.”

“Huh?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
“Listen girl, you ain’t gonna hurt my feelings. So tell me, what’s the problem?”
“Well, you know I’m sick right?”
“Yes, I heard something about you having fibromyalgia. I hated to hear that. Is there anything I can do?”
Addison sighed. She remembered having a few classes with Melissa back in high school. She was such a likeable person and easy to talk to. Why not just tell her the truth, get it over with? It would be far easier to describe her problem on the phone to Melissa than to go in and talk to Dr. Michaels.
“The truth is, I lost my virginity to one guy and the next night I slept with two.”
“Oh. My. God,” Melissa drawled. “You trying to make up for lost time?”
“That’s what I thought too, at first. Now, I’m starting to think it’s something to do with my medication. Since I seem more promiscuous than normal, I thought there might be a side effect you can tell me about.” She should’ve elaborated, and explained all she thought about these days was sex.
“Hmm,” Melissa hummed. “I can see where you’re concerned. You’ve sat on that thing like it’s gold and now you’re opening up the mine and letting all sorts of fellows dig. That could get out of hand. Hang on, sugar. Let me pull your chart. I’ll see what I can find out.”
“Thank you,” Addison sighed in relief, wondering how Melissa translated two guys into anyone. She wasn’t sleeping around with just anybody.
A few minutes later, Melissa returned to the line. “Nope. Can’t sue any of these drug companies in civil court.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s a joke. Everybody wants to sue a drug company for their problems. ‘Course you really don’t have a problem if you’re screwing two guys. By the way, did you do ‘em at the same time?”
Addison wondered if she should answer Melissa.
“I mean, it ain’t like it’s any big deal. Once, when I was in college, I went to a tailgate party. Somebody asked me if I wanted to ride a train. I’d had a few beers and didn’t know what they meant but anyway, next thing I know, the fellas are lined up and boy oh boy, by the time they finished me, I felt like a caboose. You know, that little red car that brings up the rear of the train.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Oh honey, let me tell you, it was so exciting I would’ve followed that train anywhere. From then on, I thought of myself as a caboose, and I’ve been itching for someone else to mention riding that train!” she exclaimed, obviously proud of the fact she was passed around.
“Well, that’s interesting, Melissa.”
“I thought so,” she sighed. “So what’s the problem?”
“I just wanted to be sure I was normal and an over-active sex drive wasn’t a side effect of my medication.”
“Getting it on with two men doesn’t mean it’s a side effect of anything sugar, except maybe you had clogged hormones or something.”
“Clogged hormones?”
“Yes,” she said. “It’s a real problem for women our age. Read a few men’s magazines and you’ll understand. It’s kind of like blue balls only women don’t have, well you know…balls.”
Addison realized Melissa was as batty as she had been in school. “Well thanks a bunch for the information.”
“You’re welcome, sugar. You call me anytime, you hear?”
“Sure thing,” Addison said, feeling better than before even though she felt the information supplied lacked accuracy.
“Take care and uh, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do?” She laughed mirthlessly. “Choo! Choo!”
Addison replaced the receiver and stared at the phone. Addison thought she had problems? Next to Melissa she was practically ready for sainthood.

Meet Sloane Taylor and Robert AppletonTwo Amber Quill Heat AuthorsCreate Magic in Claire De Lune

2011-01-10T05:56:00.000-08:00
Today, we have a special treat. The sensational Sloane Taylor and remarkable Robert Appleton will drop by and answer your questions about Claire De Lune, a novel recently released from Amber Quill Press-Amber Heat.
Sloane and Robert, when you stop in, tell us what inspired Claire de Lune, and provide some behind-the-scenes insight. Take us through your journey and tell us how working together on this Amber Quill presentation impacted your writing career.
Thanks for being here today!

CLAIRE DE LUNE

Robert Appleton & Sloane Taylor

ISBN-13: 978-1-61124-011-5 (Electronic)

ISBN-13: 978-1-61124-995-8 (Paperback)

Amber Quill Press – Amber Heat

Genres: Science Fiction / Futuristic / Action / Adventure / Mystery / Detective / Voyeurism

Heat Level: HOT

Length: Novel (70k words)

Buy Link E-book http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/ClaireDeLune.html
Buy Link Paperback http://www.amazon.com/Claire-Lune-Robert-Appleton/dp/1611249953/ref=sr_1_3_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292945266&sr=1-3
EXCERPT:
Evelyn’s self-esteem soared like a rocket as she gazed into Gerry’s eyes. All the need and desire that filled him shone through. She liked him, maybe more if she were honest, and had wanted him from the moment his pompous ass walked into her hotel room. Being with him and initiating sex tonight was the right thing for her to do.
Gerry wrapped an arm around her waist, tugging her closer. Damn, his hard chest felt good against her achy boobs, but not as good as his rigid cock nestling into her belly.
“Evie—"
“Don’t talk.”
He nodded and traced his index finger along her bottom lip. She nipped the tip, then sucked it in, tonguing the pad until he groaned.
“Ah, Ev—” He caught her face in his hands and kissed her with a passion that ignited her.
His tongue toyed against the seam of her mouth, then delved in, a beautiful taste of wine and herbs, lapping and swirling until her knees trembled. With a regretful sigh, she pulled away.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“No talking. It’s my little quirk.” She tapped his mouth, then took his hand and led him to the sand. After she stooped, she patted the ground, inviting him to join her.
Evelyn rose up on her knees and combed her hands down his chest, flicking his nipples until they sprang to life. Intrigued, she swiped her tongue over her dry lips and leaned into him, licking and sucking the copper-colored discs.
She continued lower to the blond tuft cradling his cock. Gently, she glided her thumb over his swollen head, teasing the drops of pre-cum from the slit to the sensitive underside. Her other hand cupped his balls, rolling the tight sacs with her fingers, taking pleasure in her teasing.
His hips jerked with each touch. Through hooded eyes, he watched, but did as she had requested and maintained silence.
On a rush of air, she gave his lips a quick peck and eased over him, holding her thighs tight against his frame. Heat emanated from his body, soothing and stimulating, a new awareness she longed to experience more than once.
Her breasts swayed close to his mouth. He stretched up and tweaked her pebbled nipples with his thumbs and index fingers. Cuddling them together, he licked and suckled the sensitive tips, first one, then the other. A deep shiver rocketed through her, increasing the ache low in her belly.
She teased his cock along her nether lips, loving the feel of his hot flesh grazing against her clit. In slow motion, she edged onto his shaft, savoring the inches that penetrated her wet vagina.
He rocked into her, clutching her hips, holding her in place. She locked her hands around his wrists and pulled them away, the need to set the pace paramount.
“This is so sexy I don’t want to come,” he bit out through clenched teeth.
“I do.” She slapped his hip. “Again and again.”

LINKS:
Robert Appleton www.robertappleton.co.uk

Sloane Taylor www.sloanetaylor.com

New ReleasesAnd a Big Thank You toSome Very Special Authors

2011-01-07T16:45:00.000-08:00
New Releases and Awesome Author Pals

Today, Steam Toys released from Aspen Mountain Press. I'm thrilled to bring you this steampunk novella which includes some gadgets and toys you may never forget!

With a new release today, I should've been working. Suffice it to say, when my son asked me to spend the day with him,I was torn. In the end, he won out. We went to meet his recruiter, spent two hours at the gym, and had lunch with the DH. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed his company.

Today marked a special day for my son as well. Matthew leaves in exactly a month and after boot camp, he’s off to spend a year in Groton, Connecticut. He’s considerably nervous about his first stop in Chicago but he scored extremely high on his ASVAB and thanks to that score, he’ll be on a submarine—which is where he wants to be.

So rather than promote my new release today, I spent the day with my son and we had a great time. I was able to do this because I had a little help from my friends.

I want to thank the following authors, bloggers, and friends who were kind enough to promote the release of STEAM TOYS today on their blogs. A huge thank you goes out to:

Tina Brunelle
Dawn from Dawn’s Reading Nook
Author Tracey Kitts
Author Cindy Jacks
Author K.A. M’Lady
Author Mahalia Levey
Author Sloane Taylor
Author Jude Mason
Author Raine Delight
Author Keta Diablo

***If I missed anyone, please email me because it wasn’t intentional***

And Bloggers! I have a special treat for you. Some of the authors listed above have some recent new releases or old favorites I wanted you to see so I've included those below. Mahalia Levey has promised to stop by soon and she has some news coming soon so make sure you keep up with Mahalia here:

www.mahalialevey.com
http://quackersandtease.blogspot.com/
http://novelsisterhood.blogspot.com/

In the meantime, drop by today and blog with us at Mahalia Levey's blog:

http://mahalia2010.wordpress.com/2011/01/07/author-destiny-blaine-is-pleased-to-announce-she-has-two-new-releases-for-her-readers-to-enjoy-this-january-2011/

As always, I'm thrilled to blog with Dawn at Dawn's Reading Nook. Dawn was kind enough to post about Steam Toys bright and early this morning. Stop by Dawn's and take a look around. See what you've missed and what's coming soon:

Dawn’s Reading Nook:
http://lovesbooksandmore.blogspot.com/?zx=a26d8c7373f3b29

Author Jude Mason was also nice enough to let us take over at her blog as well. I'm excited to learn more about Jett's Gift and below, Jude shares a sneak preview of this very special paranormal novella. Take a look:

Jett’s Gift
By Jude Mason
ISBN: 978-0-85715-462-0
Genre: Gay MM/ Vampire/ Contemporary
Publisher: Total E-Bound
Release date: Feb.7.2011

Purchase Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1072

A six hundred year old vampire finds love, but will it, can it, last when AIDS pokes its ugly head up?
Jett is a creature of the night and he’s not happy. In fact, he’s heartbroken and in love. The man who’s torn his world apart has been diagnosed with AIDS.
Jett knows he can save Alex, the man who’s stolen his heart, but for some reason he’s been denied.
After weeks, months of frustrated discussions and fighting, Jett’s determined to give it one last try.

Excerpt

Three months later, they were exclusive to each other. Funny thing was, Alex never asked about being turned. He seemed happy enough to accept the time Jett gave him. Alex did extremely well as a model and was much in demand by some of the more prominent fashion houses. His tall slenderness, the washboard abs and that mop of unruly hair were always sought after. Jett had money enough to keep them both if that’s what he’d wanted, but Alex wanted to work. Secretly, Jett thought he revelled in the attention. Now he’d become more successful, the PR had ramped up and they partied and did the nightclub scene at least four or five nights a week.
For eight years, Alex had been his lover. For eight years, they’d worked hard to learn how to deal with Jett’s difference. Jett was a creature of the night—one of the undead, a vampire.
It all changed when Alex got sick. It wasn’t anything drastic or horrible, at first. He just had a cough that wouldn’t quit. Three weeks ago, after much urging and coaxing, he finally went to a doctor.
“Yes, I know you’re fine,” Jett had told him softly one evening, pushing a lock of blond hair out of Alex’s eyes.
“So what’s the rush? I’ve got one more shoot then I’ll be able to take a little time off.” Alex had turned his back and thrust his hands into the sink full of dirty dishes and hot, soapy water. He pressed his butt against Jett’s crotch, and began washing the dinner dishes.
A few minutes shy of midnight, Jett knew Alex was tired, while his own day was just beginning. “You’ve had this fucking cough for three months. That’s too long, and you know it.”
“Yeah, well, someone has to pay the rent.”
“Listen you stubborn son of a bitch,” Jett growled and took hold of Alex’s shoulders, spinning the man around to face him. “We both know I can buy this building ten times over, so there’s no ‘rent’ issue.”
“Yes, I know. You’re filthy rich. You can buy anything and anyone you want. So why are you bothering with a sicko queer model?” Alex countered.
“Because, I love you.”
There it was. He’d said it out loud and knew it was the truth.
“Dayum!” Alex whispered and bent forward, wet hands slipping along Jett’s forearms. “Okay, I’ll do the damn tests the doctor ordered.”
Jett leaned down and pressed his lips against Alex’s cheek. “Thank you,” he murmured.
Nothing showed on the test results, at first. It was a cold. Then it was bronchitis. Pneumonia. Coughing non-stop scarred his lungs. His eyes sunk from lack of sleep. The specialist he’d begun seeing ordered more tests. He got some results.
For such a small word, AIDS took such an enormous toll on people’s lives.

We're blogging with Jude tonight so stop by: http://jude-mason.blogspot.com

Author K.A. M'Lady always amazes me by her talent. Today, she shared her latest book of poems and you're sure to be as impressed as I was:

Look for K.A.'s latest--Ramshackle Castle by following the links below:

http://www.mojocastle.com/RamshackleCastle.html

Ramshackle Castle - Bent Poetry & Other Altered Verse
Humor, Paranormal, Poetry
Ramshackle Castle
K. A. M'Lady
Rated: The Curtain Wall
Length: Sigil
Price: $1.99
ISBN: 1-60180-RCC

Come, walk the night road through your memory of childhood fairy tales, limericks, ghostly apparitions and the lingering breath of classic poetry gone awry. At the Castle, magick and mayhem are a lyrical delight spun with fairy dust. It may at times be dark, dusty and a bit bent but every word is a glamorous enchantment.

Ramshackle Castle Bent Poetry & Other Altered Verse
By
K.A. M’Lady

Excerpts:

Tread Lightly

The road less traveled. Whoever told me to take that damn road was an idiot! Yellow woods indeed. Maybe from the field full of fairies -- no doubt. Crazy bitches with wings!

Dead Birds & The Ghosts of Psycho Ex-Girlfriends

One would think that a mind numbing midnight drunk would still the incessant tapping; hammering its way inside my lonely chamber. I groaned, “Be gone, I’m napping.” Only this and the tome I chucked at said wavering chamber door. Only this and nothing more.

What becomes of falling snow

the dwarves never understood the longing
and after months in a hovel cleaning
what should have been diamonds
but remained only dust; coal black
and caking on the threshold of a place
now known as home, even doc couldn’t
cure the insatiable need for belonging,
and love, ah that sweet poison,
piercing my heart from a childhood
haunted by shadows and lonely dreams,
I still long for a woodland filled with hope
where the wind, subtly cresting in the night,
sometimes whispers -- maybe,
someday,
maybe…

The ugly side of trolls

the night wrangles on amidst long intervals
of heavy pacing and endless moments
of deep introspection, for there is much to consider
beneath the dim light of plank-board
and the dark cool stench of wet, root filled earth --
for even bridge trolls get bored

The sorrows of an ugly step-sister

you, Cinderella with your flaxen waves
and sparkling eyes, know not what it is
to be cast in the shadows -- the second born,
a grey goose of waddling travels mucking about
in a truly murky lake, suffering
an unsavory flair as a true second class citizen

K.A. M’Lady Copyright 2010
All Rights Reserved

K.A. M'Lady
www.kamlady.net
www.myspace.com/kamlady

We're also blogging with Tracey Kitts! Stop by Tracey's and be sure to check out Wicked City as well as this hot new favorite--SEX SYMBOL: http://traceyhkitts.blogspot.com/2011/01/guest-blogger-destiny-blaine.html
Author Tracey Kitts blogged
http://traceyhkitts.blogspot.com/2011/01/guest-blogger-destiny-blaine.html

Sex Symbol is the story of Lucy Harper, an ordinary woman who suddenly finds herself in extraordinary circumstances. Not only is her new boyfriend a werewolf, but her new tattoo might be more than a picture of her favorite flower. According to the local werewolf pack, it’s a “sex symbol.”

Excerpt:

The room was lit by candles. There was one small table and a few shelves in one corner of the room. A shelf of some sort blocked my view, but when I stepped around it I saw where the sound had come from. Eramus was chained to the wall. One arm was locked above his head and his feet were shackled where he stood. I ran to him.

“Eramus, who did this to you?”

I started to look around for a key, but he stopped me, putting his free hand on my shoulder.

“I did.”

I stood there for a moment and just stared at him.

“I don’t understand. Why would you do this to yourself? How do you expect to ever get free?”

“The shackles are controlled by a machine. In twelve hours, it will release me.”

“Why? What happens for the next twelve hours?”

The look on his face was pained and though I made a move toward him he turned his face away, stopping me once again.

“The full moon,” he answered.

It took me a minute to find my voice. “Eramus, a wolf chased me he—”

“I don’t know who’s doing this,” he said. “But if I am to have the strength to fight him, I have to stop suppressing what I have become. I thought that I could pretend to be a man in order to…in order to love you.”

Tears stung my eyes, but I ignored them. “If you’re not a man, then what are you?”

“A beast.”

The pain in his voice was like nothing I had ever heard. And all the sadness in the world was in the eyes that looked back at me as they slowly turned to amber. I understood what he was trying to say and it made no difference to me. I touched his face and as his fangs grew he started to cry.

“Get out of here,” he said.

“I’m staying.”

He was still human to all appearances except for the short fangs and amber eyes. He looked like something wild and a passion stirred in me such as I have never felt before. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and when I placed my hand against his chest it seemed to me that his flesh burned.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he pleaded.

“Then don’t.”

When he looked at me I felt a flame ignite in my soul like hellfire. Anything I felt before was in comparison to a match. The tortured look in his eyes broke my heart in two. I didn’t think it could ever be repaired, but he was surely welcome to both pieces.

I kissed him and my heart leapt. It danced against my ribs to a beat all its own and Eramus trembled at my touch. Sweat shown on his forehead like a fine mist and as I trailed my hand down his face I could feel his stubble already starting to grow.

A low growl escaped his throat as he said, “You should be running.”

“Didn’t you know? Beauty is incomplete without the Beast.”

I didn’t call myself beautiful because of my own opinion, but because he always said that I was. It may seem ridiculous, but I was not afraid. Not just because he was chained, but because whatever he became, he was still my Eramus underneath. And I was completely and irreversibly in love with him.

Sex Symbol can be found at www.traceyhkitts.com

Author Cindy Jacks told her friends about Steam Toys, too, blogging today at Bad Girl (And Bad Boy) Writer’s Block
http://cindyjacks.blogspot.com/2011/01/guest-author-destiny-blaine.html?zx=7cd871cfb7eb8aed. Cindy has a hot new release that just made its debut at Ellora's Cave:

Buy-it-now: http://www.jasminejade.com/m-683-cindy-jacks.aspx
Website: http://cindyjacks.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.cindy.jacks

http://cindyjacks.blogspot.com/2011/01/guest-author-destiny-blaine.html

Cindy Jacks
Fiction for the bad girl in every woman
http://cindyjacks.com

GET IT HERE: http://www.jasminejade.com/pm-8987-683-love-game.aspx

Battling housework, Sandi wonders if the spark in her marriage has disappeared. When her husband interrupts their hot-shower lovin’ to take a call from work, she’s positive the magic is gone.

In an attempt to spice things up, she gets a makeover and sets a date with her hubby for a night of passion and romance. There’s only one problem—Roberto doesn’t show. But all is not lost. Alejandro, a silver-tongued Latin loverboy wrapped in an expensive suit, volunteers to keep her company for the evening. He says all the right—and deliciously wrong—things, leaving Sandi no choice but to see him again…and again and again.

One by one, Alejandro strips away her inhibitions, pushing her to act out her darkest fantasies, desires so private she’s never mentioned them to anyone, not even her husband. Blindfolds, bondage with silk ropes, sex on the roof—nothing is off limits. But everything is not as it seems. The game’s afoot—a love game—rekindling the scorching-hot passion in Sandi and Roberto’s marriage.

Line: Branded
Series: None
Book Length: Short Novel
Book Type: eBook

Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing

ISBN: 9781419930829
MSRP/List Price: $10.40
Our Cover Price: $5.20

Sloane Taylor is another author friend who really gets things done. She'll be here on Monday to talk about what's new with her but in the meantime, I'm sharing one of my Sloane Taylor favorites:

Synopsis:

Determined to prove herself and shed her party girl image, Donatienne Dubois pins her hopes on the exclusive cooking school in Nice, France. One by one her expectations are shattered by a foul-mouthed parrot, a bogus Michelin chef, and a headmistress with a heart of tungsten steel. Her lifesaver is a bad boy hunk too hot not to handle.
Sebastien Reinard is incognito, hating every minute. To pose as a student while protecting a rich wild child is his version of hell, until he partners with the slice of Crème Brule good enough to eat.
Class takes on a whole new meaning as Doni and Sebastien heat up the kitchen when they discover honey has better uses than sweetening tea.

Read an excerpt of French Tart here: www.aspenmountainpress.com

Speaking of favorites, Keta Diablo's Where the Rain is Made is gaining a lot of attention. I wanted to post something for Keta as well since she was kind enough to post about Steam Toys over at: http://quackersandtease.blogspot.com.

A decadent-looking savage has captured Francesca DuVall and her brother, Marsh. Now she must spend every waking moment planning an escape from the camp of the brutal savages. What she doesn't count on is the powerful draw of desire interfering with her scheme.
Ethan Gray is a curator at a national museum in Washington, D.C. . . . most of the time. But when he travels through time to help his beloved People, he becomes Meko, leader of the most revered and feared tribe of the plains, the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers.
Their worlds are decades apart, yet Meko can’t resist the dark beauty he kidnapped during a raid. He has many battles to fight, but none more crucial than capturing Cesca’s heart forever.

Genre: Native American romance, Shapeshifter, Time travel, Historical

Thanks again to those of you who blogged with me today. Be sure to visit the blogs above and leave a comment. Also, for those of you who haven't received your prizes yet from our Christmas blog tour and chats, the prizes are on the way. If you contacted me after December 24th, delivery was delayed. Your gifts are on the way!

Love and hugs,
Destiny Blaine

Happy New Year!

2011-01-06T15:35:00.000-08:00
Happy New Year!

Yes, I’m late by a few days but better late than never, right? I started to write about 2010, review the entire year from start to finish. However, 2010 is a blur, and who has that kind of memory, right? We had so much going on here at the Alvis (Blaine) house that if I tried to remember everything, it would be next to impossible. I still wanted to take a moment to highlight some special books, releases from the previous year that stood out and were special for various reasons.
So here goes…
Cowboys for Christmas
Aspen Mountain Press

Released in December 2010, Cowboys for Christmas hit Bookstrand’s Top 100 and is available now at Amazon and OneRomanceEbooks.com

Bewitching Bite was re-released through Resplendence Publishing and immediately gained a nod of approval from readers who loved this short story the first time around.

Destiny Blaine Productions released the first round of backlist titles and Behind the Game, the first novel we released, immediately earned best seller status at ARE.

Winning Virgin Devotion, released from Siren Publishing and marked my biggest writing challenge to date. Read the book and you'll understand why. Now available in print.
Breakfast by the Sea released at Siren Publishing and hit the Top 20 best seller list running thanks to pre-order sales and an abundance of reader support for this ménage romantic suspense western novel. Currently available on Amazon Kindle, this novel will be available in print soon.

Writing as Natalie Acres, I submitted Bridled and Branded to Siren Publishing and the book was released this past summer, marking the start of another potential series. Cowboy Boots and Unfinished Business, the sequel to the controversial Cowboy Boots and Untamed Hearts was released as well.

2010 was full of one book debut after another and I feel very blessed that you've allowed me to entertain you with my novels, short stories, and novellas.
In addition to numerous writing projects, there was never a dull moment here at the Alvis home. My son, Matthew, was set to begin college at Lincoln Memorial but changed his mind and decided to enlist in the Navy. Needless to say, as a mother, I’ve had a lot of mixed feelings. My daughter Amber, as many of you know, plays volleyball but due to a sports injury, has been unable to play this winter. Instead, she's shopping all the time. I prefer seeing her on the court. It's much cheaper.

We’ve also been blessed with the arrival of a new family member. Terek, a friend of a friend, moved in with us in October. He’s brought a lot of joy to us and we’re excited for him because even in the face of adversity, he graduated from high school this month and actually picks up his diploma tomorrow. We’re hopeful he’ll be ready to start college this summer. However, my son is trying to drag him off to the Navy, too.
2011 holds a lot in store. I’ll be back soon to tell you what you can expect in terms of book releases and other book related news.
Wishing you a wonderful 2011 and extending my gratitude to each of you. Thank you for your support and for reading my books.

Destiny Blaine/Natalie Acres

Recommended Romance Books to Heat up your Holidays

2010-12-26T19:35:00.000-08:00

Heat up your winter nights with new e-books from Destiny Blaine

Available now at Aspen Mountain Press and Bookstrand
Julie Kensworth opens her door to more than a blizzard and greets two wayward cowboys. She realizes right away she’s headed straight for the eye of the storm.

Brandon Blake and Quinn Stewart are a long way from home. They’re looking for a warm place to hang their hats while they try to wait out the snow and ice, which continues to gain momentum.

Julie is an author and she’s not just the average writer, she’s one of the most notorious writers in the world. When Quinn and Blake figure out Julie is an erotic romance author, well, needless to say, their minds churn with all sorts of ideas, most of them geared toward how they can heat up the cold winter nights ahead.

Available Now at Amazon, ARE, and Bookstrand:

A soldier may wave a white flag of surrender but a cowboy never concedes, especially at Christmastime.

Luke McGregor knows how to protect himself. He’s a hard ass but even a cowboy with a cocksure attitude understands what he’s facing when his heart speeds up and his words slow down all because of one little brown-eyed darlin’.

Marcy Killian has something about her, a way of making Luke stand up and take notice. She may scare the livin’ daylights out of him but Luke’s played around with wild notions long enough. It’s time to approach the enemy and make nice with an old friend.

Marcy is a little older and quite a bit wiser since the last time she saw Luke McGregor. She knows all about missed opportunities and since she’s not getting any younger, she’s bound and determined to capture Luke’s attention once and for all. But she may bite off a little more than she can possibly chew.

Sparks fly when Marcy and Luke end up at the same bar on Christmas Eve. They immediately realize fate has a hand in bringing them together. Will their holiday happenstance lead to more than one night of passion or will their pride and stubbornness keep them from sharing Christmas together?

Available Now at ARE, Amazon, and Passion in Print

Martin Cartwright's neighbor receives disheartening news. She's dying. As far as Martin can tell, Addison has never looked better, but when daily sightings of his beautiful neighbor become few and far between, Martin realizes Addison isn't too keen on living. And he decides to help her get on with dying.

Martin plans to scare Addison into living. Unbeknownst to him, someone is watching with similar goals. Only Drake Valentine's interests in the lovely Miss Deveraux vary from Martin's ambitions. Soon, Addison must choose between living in the shadows of sickness and stepping into the darkness where she's always been drawn.

Breakfast by the Sea by Destiny BlaineAvailable Now at Amazon Kindle

2010-12-23T12:01:00.000-08:00
Erotic Cowboy Ménage a Trois/Quatre Romance, M/F/M/M/M/M, M/F/M, May-December, Suspense
Five tough operatives fall for a woman they’re supposed to eliminate. When the team discovers Paige Lambert is in fact the Queen of Hearts, they can’t ignore their handler’s orders. Will the Queen of Hearts die for her past crimes or will she end up under the protective custody of the men hired to kill her?
Excerpt:
Why the hell did she care about those cards? Why were they so important to her? And if they meant something to her, then what kind of danger had he put himself in? Was Paige Lambert a dangerous woman or a lethal target? He shuddered. Regardless of which, Paige could’ve used his own necktie to finish him off.
She didn’t. He should’ve counted his blessings. He sure gave her plenty of opportunity.
He stared into her mesmerizing eyes, trying to figure out what kind of lunatic would sit down on his lap and grind out a lap dance worthy of a hefty tip while probing for information. Lord, if Jeff Jacobsen ever had a female counterpart, this chick could’ve been his alter ego.
“You need to move,” he finally said.
“Adam, if I wanted you dead, you’d be cold already.”
“If I wanted you fucked, you’d be penetrated and moaning.”
She moved. He did, too.
No second chances here. He didn’t trust himself. In all the years he’d been shuffling from place to place, from one job right on to the next, he’d always carried assurance in himself. He trusted his instincts. With Paige, a woman he’d just met, he couldn’t. She made him weak. Lesson learned.
“A big tough guy like yourself, and you’re afraid of me.” She twirled a lock of hair around her finger. He watched her, studied her like a new language, and decided Paige wasn’t easily interpreted. There were too many dark corners to search for everything she seemed determined to hide.
She arched a brow. The gesture made her appear smug, overly confident.
“I’m not afraid of you, Paige.” That much was true. He wasn’t scared. He was terrified. He’d let her get too close, move too fast, and while he pushed her away, he still wanted more.
“Yes, you are. You’re looking at me like you can’t wait to taste my lips again. So I dare you. Go ahead, Adam. Kiss me. Kiss me and then walk away. See if you can.”
“Two can master this game you’re playing,” he remarked, jerking her against him. “Let’s see if you receive as well as you give.”
He bit at her lips, tasting a riveting dose of uncertainty and loving its spellbinding flavor. Ah, yes, he’d find a way to work this woman if it was the last thing he’d ever do. Unfortunately, she was probably thinking the same thing about him, too.

Excerpt Two:
Callan brought her dinner—two slices of mushroom pizza. She was beginning to think she’d become a prisoner in her own home.
“Sorry it’s cold,” he began explaining. “We went over some new intel, and your microwave must require the expertise of a genius. We couldn’t figure out how to work the darn thing.”
“I can pick off the frost.”
He studied the pizza slices on her bone-white china plate.
“I’m kidding,” she said. “May I use the microwave myself?”
“Unfortunately, we’ve taken over your kitchen for the night. All appliances are temporarily unavailable. We needed the area for our computers.”
“Terrific,” she muttered, taking a hearty bite. “Tell me the refrigerator isn’t one such appliance.”
“No,” he said. “We had to keep the beer cold.”
“I’d kill for a beer.”
“Would you kiss for one?” he asked, dimples claiming his upper cheeks. Callan was a cutie pie, a real good-looking young man, but far too young for her. Prior to life-changing events and life with Ramone, Paige had liked her men young, but this one probably still slept in a cradle with a baby monitor and his pacifier nearby.
She finished chewing the remnants of a mushroom, savoring the texture like she might swallow a jagged little pill. “A little smooching, huh?” She tugged the bottle cap from the plastic water container and said, “We’ll do a little kissing after we do a little drinking.”
“You’re on,” he said, eyeing the bedside clock. “I’ll be right back.”
When Callan disappeared down the hallway, Paige noticed the time, too. It was a little after nine. Maybe she’d have enough time to find out more about their mission. If she could get an Irishman to drink, she could get an Irishman to talk.
If Paige spared a guess, Adam wouldn’t make his way upstairs before midnight. Since he stood out as the man in charge, he was probably the last one to fall in bed and the first to rise in the morning.
Bed.
She shivered. Did they really expect her to sleep with a total stranger?
“Get over yourself,” she said aloud. “Since when does sleeping with merciless killers bother me?”
“Damn, woman, I like a gal who gets right down to business. But I’m not a killer, for the record.”
Connor. Great. Talking to self? Very stupid. “Like hell you’re not.”
“Call me as you see me. You’ll eventually change your mind.”
“How would you describe yourself?”
“As someone who protects his country and fellow citizens, as a man who seeks justice for horrific crimes committed. That’s who I am.”
“You’re a contracted killer. I know an assassin when I see one.”
“Then you should take a closer look. I’ve killed, but that doesn’t make me a killer.”
“Your employer gives you carte blanche, a license to get rid of people your government officials don’t want standing trial for various crimes they’ve committed. Would you like to know why? I’ll tell you.
“They fear the court of law won’t hand down a punishment great enough. When you hunt your targets, you’re no better than an executioner. You’re looking for a man or woman you fully intend to kill. And when you find them, you become judge and jury.”
“Someone’s filled your head with garbage.”
“No, someone, presumably your boss, has given you a God complex. You don’t care to hear anyone else’s viewpoints. The way you believe is the only way. For all you know, you could be hunting down an innocent person. That makes no difference to you. What matters to you is that you make a decision when the target dies. It’s your choice, and no one can stand in your way.
“You convince yourself it’s okay to pull the trigger because it’s fair. It’s just. It’s an eye for an eye, and that’s the way your system of checks and balances works—you keep score with human life. Then, because you’re you and you’re on some kind of sacred team, you stand here in my face and tell me you’re not a killer.”
Connor took a deep breath. “I’d rather talk about something else.”
“I’m sure you would.”
“So tell me something.” He paused, moved closer. “As you were saying earlier about sleeping with killers, does that mean we all get lucky or just Adam?”
“I was thinking out loud.”
“I like where that train of thought was heading.”
Excerpt Three:
Retrieving a large piece of leather luggage from the top of her closet, she started packing. Jeff stood near the French doors, eyeing the beach. “Tell me about the resort.”
“The Jekyll Island Club is swanky, a throw-back from yesteryear with many of the same upper-class families vacationing there. The old families have been coming to the island for generations. As a business owner, it’s hard to compete. The resort appealed to the upper echelon of society for a great number of years.”
“What about security?”
She looked right through him. “I’m sure you’re aware of Ramone Carpasia’s reputation. I hope you won’t put untrained guards in harm’s way. The rent-a-cops at the club are no match for Ramone. If Ramone goes public for a battle, hotel security won’t stop him. We may not.”
Jeff snickered. “I’m not afraid of your ex, baby. Besides, we’re not facing off with him tonight. We have time to put a plan together. We’ll go out to eat, enjoy a little wine, a little dancing, maybe even a little—”
“Take me off the menu,” she advised him, walking to her closet and throwing a few dresses into her suitcase. At the same time, he strolled over to her dresser, and as luck would have it, he didn’t have to search for the lingerie. He removed the narrow top drawer from the bureau and dumped all the contents into her luggage.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m making sure you’re prepared.”
She glared at him. “Have I missed something? You’ve been here for about a month. You stare at me like you hate me, threaten me whenever the opportunity presents itself, and now you seem hell-bent on fucking me.”
“Sounds about right,” he said, fingering one of her favorite lingerie items, a thin, royal blue silk negligee with lace cups, thin threads barely holding them in place, a satin tie at the waist, and a transparent skirt.
“I’d rather be married to Connor.”
His head jerked. Winking, he said, “If we were talking a true honeymoon and wedding here, I might choose Connor for you, too. But since we’re trying to keep you alive and secure our target, I’m the man for this job. At the end of the day, you’ll be glad I’m me and you’re you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, tossing a blouse toward him and watching him fold the soft cotton like the feel of material she’d worn against her skin excited him.
“We are what we are, Paige. Men aren’t that different from women. There are men you fuck, enjoy the hell out of in bed, but you wouldn’t take them home to Mama.”
“I’m not sleeping with you.”
“You didn’t let me finish,” he said. “Those are the men you want standing beside you when you meet an enemy. They have testosterone on their side. It’s what gets them going in the sack, and it’s the same thing you see coming out when a man fights for what he believes in.”
“But you won’t fight for me. You might fight beside me, but you won’t draw your gun for me.”
Moistening his lips, he caught her wrist when she tossed another article of clothing toward the luggage. “If I’m standing beside you, or anyone else, I’m fighting for you. I don’t step into the line of fire without knowing why I’m there and who I’m responsible for protecting. Got it?”
She tried to break his grip. When she failed, her gaze met his.
“We’re working together. For the time being, trust me to guard you.”
She swallowed. “I wonder how many women you’ve led to your bed with similar promises.”
“All of them.”
“And they ended up dead,” she stated flatly.
“So I’ve been known to tell a lie or two.”
“I’ll sleep with both eyes open.”
“Perfect. I knew you were a woman after my heart.”
“Bah! That’s the last thing I’m after.”
He patted her behind. “After you rubbed this all over my hard-on, I know what you’re after. My heart won’t get you off, but I have something that will.”
She grated back the urge to curse him. “God! You are so full of yourself!”
“I’d like to show you why sometime. Maybe I’ll get a chance on our honeymoon.”
“I hope I never get that desperate.”
“You will,” he promised. “I’ll make you wet, Paige, fucking wet. And then I’ll do something about it. That’s not a promise. That’s a no-questions-asked money-back guarantee.”
She picked up her luggage, and he immediately took over, placing his hand over hers until she released the handle. “I won’t be used by you or anyone else.”
“Maybe not, but I’m still going to fuck you. That’s what it’s going to take to make us both happy.”
KINDLE USERS: Breakfast by the Sea is available for Kindle users. Give a friend or loved one a Kindle for Christmas and include Breakfast by the Sea in the Christmas gift package. Available now at Amazon Kindle here:
http://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Siren-Publishing-Menage-ebook/dp/B004GKN8ZE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1293134430&sr=1-1

The First 20 Plus Pages of Breakfast by the Sea by Destiny Blaine

2010-12-20T07:38:00.000-08:00
BREAKFAST BY THE SEA

DESTINY BLAINE
Copyright © 2010

Part I

Chapter One

Paige practically danced across the balcony. She pulled a heavy lounge chair behind her, positioning the chaise close to the timber banister. The autumn wind danced under her silk gown, catching the hem with a sudden breeze. Before she caught the material, the garment covered her face.

Laughing, she sat down and eyed the deserted beach. She looked to the left and then to her right. A few seagulls scattered, and she sighed. She couldn't think of anything she loved more than a sunny fall morning, except maybe the tranquility of enjoying the new day without anyone in sight.
Drawing her knees to her chest, she fell against the uncomfortable patio furniture. While she savored the privacy, she often found loneliness existed in the most serene settings. Paige always had the feeling someone was watching her. Jekyll Island's off-season meant days, if not weeks, of vacancies. Sometimes, when she went to bed at night, she became aware of a harrowing fact—no one would hear her if she ever had a reason to scream.

Rather than revisit her haunted past, Paige closed her eyes and listened to the waves crashing against one another in turbulent competition to reach the sandy shore. The peaceful swooshing sound became louder and louder with the rising high tide. Maybe the ocean supplied a sign of things to come. She'd experienced similar mornings and discovered nature often had a way of providing warning signs.

She glanced at her watch. At eight o'clock, she still had time to go for a run, but she wouldn't take the opportunity. She wanted everything in perfect order by the time her new guests arrived.

The day before, Paige confirmed reservations for five, but her visitors bought out the place, renting all ten bedrooms. Adam Bales, the man who booked her bed and breakfast, took time to explain his reasons. Adam and his friends were a team of professional ropers taking a hiatus from the rodeo. They needed a place to rest and relax away from the limelight. Apparently, Mr. Bales had a thick wallet and a huge ego.

When Mr. Bales secured their reservation, Paige reluctantly accepted the booking. The past had a way of rearing its ugly head when too many men occupied her rooms. Plus, Paige was a little suspicious.

The cowboy securing the reservation made his expectations clear. He booked her B&B for three months. He wanted confidentiality, for whatever reason, and promised to pay double her rate upon check-in, pointing out he would pay for her silence as much as her hospitality.

The locals, he reminded her, would talk if they discovered she was all alone with five young cowboys. What an assumptive fellow. Paige couldn't care less what the island residents thought. Like her, most of them were transplants, and Paige had few friends there.

Adam Bales acted like he knew a lot about her, but when she asked him simple questions, such as a request for his mailing address or phone number, he told her that information was classified. For all Paige knew, she was expecting the arrival of several assassins.

Her doorbell buzzed in the master suite, and she hurried inside. She picked up the bedside clock and read the burgundy numbers. The timekeeper kept right on ticking, clicking off another digit. Thank God she still had a few hours. She wasn't quite ready for her new arrivals and needed every minute in order to properly prepare.

The doorbell rang once more, followed by a loud knock. Someone grew quite impatient.

"Coming!" she screamed, snatching a pale pink robe from her walk-in closet. She rushed down the steps and opened the front door without peering outside first.

She expected to find Sylvia, the older lady she often hired as the only outsource she trusted for baked goods. Instead, she discovered a quite early surprise.

"Paige Lambert?"

"Yes, that's me," she replied, quickly tying together the satin sash around her waist.

A man with bedroom eyes and fashionable facial stubble extended his hand. "I'm Adam Bales. We spoke on the phone. I believe you're expecting us?"

"No, not this early," she stated flatly. She didn't like guests who checked in before three. She stared at one handsome man and then another, working her gaze among four fellows dressed in cowboy boots and worn jeans. "I mean, yes, yes, of course."

What difference did a few hours make? A lot could happen in between eight and three, not that she thought in terms of seducing a cowboy, but good Lord, the men standing on her porch made a woman pay attention.

"Miss Lambert?" Adam said her name again. "May we come in?"

She gulped. "Please do," she said, stepping out of their way. "I wasn't expecting you this early." So she'd said once already. Forcing a smile, she quickly added, "Follow me to the study, I need to get some information."

"That won't be necessary," one of them said. "If you don't mind, we'd like to keep this as simple as possible." The tall cowboy turned around and reached for something. The young man in the back passed forward a briefcase. "We'd like to pay for your services in cash, if you don't mind."

She blinked. "You mean the rooms?"

A flash of mischief inched its way across the young man's face. "And everything that goes along with those rooms."

"Excuse me?"

"Knock it off, Connor," the guy in the middle spoke up. "Ma'am, you'll have to look over him. We're typically on missions in desolate areas. He's not used to seeing pretty women dressed in…" His gaze worked over her, and he quietly finished with, "such sexy lingerie." He cleared his throat and shifted his weight. "As a matter of fact, none of us are."

"I see," she said, suddenly embarrassed and quite aware of his slip. Did he say "mission"? What happened to the rodeo? "Well, if you don't mind giving me a few seconds, I'll run upstairs and find something more appropriate. Make yourself at home. I'll be right back."

"If you don't mind my saying so, Miss Lambert, you can change the wrapper on the candy, but the sweet temptation will still be there all the same. Besides, if we're all going to live under the same roof, I'm sure we'll see you dressed in your robe plenty, and if we're lucky, maybe even a towel."

This Connor guy was unbelievable. He hit the ground running and bypassed polite introductions for an unstoppable seduction. He didn't start with hello. Oh, no, he wanted her to bend over and take everything he had to give. Apparently, he wasn't used to a woman who knew how to buck back.

Paige resisted the urge to cluck in agitation. She might as well let Connor work his swagger in front of his buddies. She'd put him in his place by mid-afternoon.

"If you need some help up there, just give me a whistle."

The chuckles resonated up the first flight of stairs. Great, she mused, she really needed a bunch of smart-ass bad-boys signing their name on her guest registry and expecting a pat on the booty for the effort.

Once upstairs, she stared outside. What had she been thinking earlier? She was lonely? She wanted company? Bah! She marched across her bedroom and slammed the terrace doors. Securing her room, she turned the lock and lost the robe.

What the hell had she been thinking?

A new realization slapped her in the face. She quickly replayed the phone conversation she'd had with Adam when he'd called to book their reservation. He'd said words like "confidentiality expected" and "privacy required." He'd told her to keep their arrival low profile, implying they were some kind of big deal or something.

Paige had limited knowledge of the rodeo, but she imagined, especially after seeing the cowboys downstairs, some of the guys probably had a female following. No, she mused. She knew better. She'd lived a classified life, and the word "mission" had been thrown out there, too. She didn't know much about the rodeo, but she was pretty sure those guys on the circuit didn't refer to their jobs as missions.

Paige had been on the run before, and that life wasn't what it was cracked up to be. Being the one chased didn't offer any appeal whatsoever. It fact, it was frightening. Her guests didn't look like they were easily spooked. No, indeed, they weren't running from anything. If she had to guess, they were pursuing someone, and since they wanted anonymity, was it possible they chose to hide under a cowboy cover?

Great. How in the hell had she lucked up and gotten their business?

Paige walked over to her nightstand and retrieved her Bible. She'd bookmarked a place with a long business envelope. With trembling fingers, she retrieved the contents and read the warning she'd received from Cairo the year before—You'll never escape me, Jillian. I'll always be watching, and when I'm ready for you, I'll send for you. We'll be together again.
Had that day finally come?

She replaced the note inside the small Bible and returned both to the long, narrow drawer. She'd known Ramone wouldn't forget about her but often thought he might die before he took the opportunity to reenter her life.

Ramone had a lot of enemies. She'd always hoped one of them would get the best of him.

Paige heard a few footsteps right outside her door. Gone were the days of privacy. Peace and quiet only existed in the past.

A light knock made her head jerk. Persistent and impatient—that's exactly what she needed in houseguests.

"Yes? May I help you" she asked politely, opening the door.

Holding onto the doorjamb, Connor occupied the entire space in front of her. Good Lord, talk about a doll! His large, hard body must've been rolled in muscles right before it was dipped into his tight black T-shirt.

"Thought I'd get settled in."

"This is my private room," she told him.

"Good. Then I guessed about right," he said, reaching for his bags and tossing two large duffels inside her spacious owner's suite.

The young gun evidently thought of her as a woman who could be pushed around. Had she played the part of ordinary civilian to the point of overkill or what? If Connor had any idea who she'd once been, he'd pack up his team of lasso-twirling cowboys and head on back to the Longhorn State.

"Do I need to translate the word `private' for you, cowboy?" she asked, grating back the need to curse the arrogant male invading her space, never mind the sudden urge to drop him to his knees just for being straight up assumptive and cocky.

"Connor Corbin," he said, taking her hand in his. A bolt of electricity shot up her right arm, alerting her to the obvious—she had some kind of instant chemistry with this guy. "I'm your new roommate."

"Like hell!"

They made eye contact, which was a good thing given the fact her gown brushed against her nipples and barely concealed her chest. The black spider lace dipped low, accentuating the valley between her breasts. Paige's ex had paid a pretty price to ensure she possessed the best boobs money could buy, and most men took notice of what he'd purchased.

"Wait and see. It's you and me, sweet cheeks. Adam wants me to protect you."

"And why would I need security in my own home, Mr. Corbin?"

Connor's grip on her hand changed all at once. He snatched her wrist and tugged her against him. Paige landed against his steely body with nothing left to do but glare into his dark blue eyes.

"Are you trying to scare me, Mr. Corbin? Or are you trying to seduce me?" Either way, he'd provoked her, and that wasn't necessarily a good thing.

"No," Connor replied. "But since we obviously hit it off from the very beginning, the boys sent me to establish a few ground rules."

Paige shivered when his free hand worked up and down her back in one brisk motion. Her nipples tightened. How could she react this way in the arms of a complete stranger? Had she been treated like trash so many times that she'd forgotten how to behave like a lady?

Connor smirked, apparently wise to the way she responded to him. "Good, I have your attention," he said. "One—you will not be left unattended while we're here. Two—you must rely on us for your security. And three—you won't go anywhere without permission and an escort, understood?"

Now she was pissed.

How many years had she lived with a crazed lunatic? How many months had she endured life as Ramone's pawn? How often had she followed what someone else told her, reacting like she'd been programmed just so she could stay alive?

Too damn long, she decided, curling her arm around Connor's neck and grabbing him in a chokehold. She could twist his neck and bring about a violent, sudden end if he further provoked her.

Ramone and his men had taught Paige to fight. This man was no match for her speed.

Instant shock washed across Connor's face, and she delivered a swift kick to the genital area, sparing him death but giving him a taste of true pain all the same. Rolling three times, she hurried out of his strike zone, anticipating retaliation.

"Damn you, woman!" he cried out in agony. Stooped in the expected position of a man suddenly disarmed, he growled when he stood. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Don't move," she warned him, drawing her weapon of choice from under her mattress.

"Dear God," Connor breathed, eyeing the longest blade he'd ever seen in his life. "What are you, some kind of fucking psycho maniac?"

"You pushed yourself on me."

"I was trying to cover some preliminary business so we could set aside any false pretenses!"

The men downstairs rushed toward them like a herd of cattle. The pounding of footsteps alerted her to the arrival of Connor's posse. In a moment, she'd be surrounded. The time she spent in Cairo returned in a series of flashbacks.

Her mouth went dry. Her eyes were heavy, but focused. She felt the heat licking at her nape, like she often did when she awoke in a cold sweat, fighting her way out of the nightmares of a past she desperately wanted to erase from her memory.

Adam started inside the room. His thick muscles bunched over the long sleeves pushed above his elbows. "What the hell did you do to her?"

"Adam, back off man, she's crazy," Connor bit out.

"I'm crazy?" Paige asked, gripping her weapon. "You're the one who came in here pitching a bunch of rules, implying I can't protect myself."

"It's a machete," Connor informed them.

"No shit," one of the other fellows said, looking over Adam's broad shoulder. "Ya don't say?"

"Where the hell did you get that?" Adam asked her, giving Connor a hard stare in an apparent effort to translate one of those I've got this kind of messages.

"You're not going to talk me down," she stated flatly, making her position known. "I'm not angry. I'm certainly not insane. But I'm not easily shoved around, especially not by a cocky-ass man." She checked out Connor's behind and then added for sport, "Especially not one who is apparently under the impression he's more cock than ass."

The cowboy who looked a few years younger than the rest chuckled. "She's got your number, Connor. Before long, she'll be leading you around on a leash and insisting you call her sugar momma."

"Knock it off, Miles," Adam demanded, keeping his arms spread wide, never changing his stance or his grip on the wooden door frame. Evidently, he wanted to protect the young dude from crossing into the danger zone.

What she'd give to taunt Connor. If anything, she should make an example out of him. He'd entered her bedroom uninvited, handing down orders like he was a decorated soldier with clout and political position. Then, he'd had the audacity to rub his pecker against her pussy!

She swallowed hard eyeing the men staring back at her.

"What's it going to be, Paige?" Adam said, negotiating. "Can we all get along here?"

"Probably not, but what the hell?" She took a deep breath, realizing the consequences awaiting her action. She dropped her weapon anyway. She might as well get to know her guests. Besides, she'd missed her morning jog and needed a good workout. And hadn't she decided that a solitary existence was overrated anyway?

Yep, sure enough.

She might as well get to know each of her guests on a more personal level.

* * * *

Once she tossed aside the heavy knife, Connor and Adam tackled her.

"Damn it to hell! I'm not armed!"

Adam held her down by placing his palms on her back and hips. Connor wasn't so kind. He pushed her face against the hardwood floor.

"She pulled the weapon from the mattress," Connor told the others when they entered her room.

The guy no one bothered introducing searched her room. Connor and Adam seemed unaffected by her continual squirming.

"Let me go! Damn you! I said let me go! Who are you?" Her cheek remained pressed against the cold, hard floor. Her mind was reeling, taking her back to another time when she'd been in a similar situation.

Paige wanted to run and hide, but she had been trained to fight. She wanted to cry, but she wasn't one to show emotion.

Sheets and clothing flew across the room. Her dresser and closet were ransacked. Guns, knives, and a few little goodies the normal civilian wouldn't have—grenades, as an example—were uncovered.

"The question is—who the hell are you?" Connor demanded, wrapping his arms around her torso and giving her a sharp yank. Her knees threatened to buckle, but he held fast to her middle, groping her in a way she accidentally encouraged when she tried to break free.

"You aren't going anywhere until you answer me," Connor grated out. Adam and the others looked on, waiting to hear her story.

That wasn't going to happen.

"I'm nobody, just a woman trying to get by."

Connor's eyes held blue-hot fire. "Bull shit. You aren't a little old maid wilting away by your lonesome out here on this island! Now who are you?"

She studied Adam. He looked like a sensible kind of guy.

"I'll talk to him," she said, tilting her chin in Adam's direction.

"You'll talk to all of us," the handsome one said, prowling through her lingerie drawer. He fingered a thong and held the hot red silk high enough for all to see. "Nice, eh?"

"Do you mind?"

He chuckled. "No, darlin', not in the least. Will you be modeling this little number now or later?"

She was seething. "Let. Me. Go."

"Considering your own guerilla warfare tactics, you shouldn't be that surprised," Adam pointed out. "You were told, at least in so many words, what to expect. You were apprised of the classified nature of our visit."

Adam's eyes followed hers, and he pointed to the corner where she'd made the mistake of staring. There, Miles retrieved another rifle, the last one she had tucked away in her once-private quarters.

"You told me you were cowboys on an extended vacation!"

"We are," Miles assured her, grabbing his invisible reins and riding his make-believe pony for show. "Any man can be a cowboy when there's a worthy mare to saddle."

"Is there any way you can turn these bruisers out to pasture so we can have an adult conversation?" she asked Adam. She ignored the other goons in her room while trying to draw Adam into her world, the sensible place where she hoped to discuss canceling their pending reservation.

"Considering the weaponry you keep stashed around here, you should've anticipated a thorough strip search and greeted us in your birthday suit. Everything should've been open for exposure," Connor said, scrubbing the pad of his thumb over his bottom lip and giving her a thorough inspection.

Paige felt naked. Connor eyed the lower half of her gown, where she was confident he'd see a patch of dark hair under the sheer material.

"Boys, once she's broken in, I have a feeling she'll provide hours of entertainment." Connor shot Miles a wink and then added, "By the way, do you know how to pole dance?"

"The only pole I see," she said, lowering her voice, "is the one barely visible under your tight denim pants, and it's a skinny one from what I can tell."

"Great, Adam, this is exactly what we needed: a beautiful hostess with a model's body, a hooker's mouth, and a criminal's arsenal."

The others laughed, but Adam looked like he was ready to talk business. He crossed his arms and leaned close. "Miss Lambert, I would take things down a notch or two if I were you. When Connor conducts a search, he checks every nook and cranny. And when I strip a woman, body cavities are my specialty."

The moment turned into a complete nightmare. The inner warrior desperately reappeared. The woman within fought for survival as much as for respect, and the victim she'd once been was ready to surrender life for a better cause. She mentally questioned herself. What did she stand for or against now, after all these years? Did she even know? Probably not.

If Ramone had sent for her and this was his idea of a joke, the separation hadn't changed him. He was even more manipulative.

"There's been a mistake," she finally managed. "You boys have the wrong bed and breakfast."

"Nice try," Connor remarked, unzipping his bag and dragging a few articles of clothing from the side pouch. "We're not going anywhere, lady."

"We couldn't if we wanted to," Miles explained. "The logistics of this mission are set in stone, and no one, not even Adam, has the power to change our orders."

"Orders?" Paige asked, nearly choking on awareness. "So you aren't cowboys?"

"Ah, darlin'," Connor said, "don't act like that. We can still be your cowboys when the time is right."

"We have a ranch," Miles told her. "Operation Cowboy."

"What?"

"It's the name of our place in Tennessee," Miles further explained. "Acres and acres of farmland used for training our special forces."

Who were these men? Why did they feel compelled to charge into her life and turn it upside down? Why couldn't they take their superior cowboy attitude and move on along? She could recommend a few places…like Siberia.

"In case you're curious, Jeff and I do some farming."

Good for them. "Who the hell is Jeff?"

"You'll meet him later. He's on another job at the moment," Adam casually answered, like she should interpret that to mean he was chasing bulls and riding women.

"You don't understand. You can't stay here. We'll kill one another. I can almost see the body parts scattering now."

Connor arched a brow. Adam moved into what she considered her justifiable combat zone.

"In that case, sunshine, you'll have two roommates instead of one." Adam motioned toward the others. Miles appeared to balk at his pending assignment and turned toward the door as if to avoid eye contact with the obvious officer in charge. "Miles, you'll bunk here with Connor and Miss Lambert."

"Damn you to hell!" she yelled. "You don't understand! You can't stay here! I do not need your shit!"

"Do you have a problem with gun-slinging modern-day cowboys searching for bad guys who need to be taught a lesson or two?" Adam asked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. I don't appreciate trouble showing up at my door, and I'm not in the mood for a battle on my front porch. This is a bed and breakfast. This is not ground zero for hot-shot cowboys to flex their muscles and show off their guns!" Jeez, whatever happened to free speech, and why didn't someone listen when she exercised her right?

Connor chuckled. "I like that."

Adam rubbed his neck. "Listen, Paige, we won't put you in any danger. If you do what we tell you, no one will get hurt, and that's kind of our goal here. We don't enjoy stuffing innocent people into body bags."

"Whew! I can't tell you what a relief that is," she said in a singsong pitch.

"Uh, pardon me for saying so, but I don't think we have to worry about someone hurting her. She's the one who was waving that machete around her head like she owned fundamental control," Connor reminded them.

"Would you prefer a mild-mannered maiden with an even temperament? I can recommend several bed and breakfast accommodations where you'll find the hostess perfectly affable. Then maybe I can return to my ordinary life."

"You lead anything but a simple life, lady," Miles said, finally making his formal introduction. "I'm Miles Landon and probably the only one with manners enough to formally introduce myself."

"Wrong," Connor grumbled, remaining committed to his cause of unpacking his belongings.

"At what point did you shake hands with the lady?" Miles asked, taking the hand Paige reluctantly offered and bringing Paige's long fingers to his lips. His gentlemanly ways inspired a round of applause.

Paige had misjudged her current predicament. This wasn't just her nightmare. It was every man's sweetest dream. The good old boys club in living color.

Connor ogled her again. "Introductions were exchanged somewhere between how do you do and lessons one, two, and three."

God help her. What was wrong with her? Why in the bloody hell did Connor's hot-blue gaze heat her to the quick? Why was she responding to his nonsense? That was a rare and unusual happening.

"I can't recall your stupid rules," she informed flatly, noting how the men exchanged glances around the room. What, were they telepathic?

Miles rubbed his chin. "Where'd you learn to fight?"

"My father was involved in guerilla warfare," she lied. "He taught his children survival skills." Considering the blade she'd retrieved from under the Sleep like a Darling Mattress, maybe they'd believe her.

Two of the four bought her story. Adam and Miles left the room.

Connor grabbed a few items from his open vinyl bag and walked over to the closet. "I have my own hangers."

"With all the bedrooms in this place, you know what? You can have your own accommodations, too. We aim to please at Breakfast by the Sea."

"I'm staying," he said firmly, "in here." He pointed toward the floor with his index finger. "With you."

"Uh, no, you aren't," she said, removing several items of clothing from her antique armoire. "If you prefer the private beach entrance, then I can move my things to another room, but I won't be sleeping in here with a complete stranger." Especially one who looks like you! "The arrangement is not in my best interest."

Connor grinned. "That's up for debate, sweet cheeks."

Sweet cheeks? Okay, back up a step. She didn't want to look at him now. No, she had a true need to wallop him!

"Not so fast, sunshine," the tallest of the bunch said, stepping inside the closet and placing his hand over hers.

"And who are you?" she asked, trying to take her focus away from the large hand covering hers. How long had it been since a man's hand had cupped hers?

"I'm Callan O'Bree."

"You're Irish?"

Callan's light blue eyes dashed up and down her body. "I am," he replied. "And if ya goin' for a pint, I'll bend ye ear."

"Don't buy his `me Ireland is me heart' act. His parents were raised there. Callan was born and bred in the South, not too far from here, actually."

"Really?" she asked with piqued interest.

"My dad was stationed in Charleston. Did you say your parents were in the military?" Callan quickly lost his thick Irish tongue.

"No, I didn't say," she replied, ready to make an escape.

Connor latched onto her wrist before she exited. "We'll meet downstairs in a few minutes. You caught me off guard earlier. Since you like the fight, I'll be watching for you next time."

Paige stared at the grip he secured around her arm. She had so many sensations zipping around her body that she wasn't sure which ones she should claim as her own and which ones she should chalk up to past training. One minute, she wanted to fight, and the very next, she found herself dying to know more about these man-beasts invading her home.

"Miss Lambert?"

Shaking free of her zoned-out mode, she said, "Oh, for God's sake, you've already felt me up and down. The least you can do is call a woman by her first name when she's the reason you're standing there with a boner. It's Paige. Welcome to Breakfast by the Sea. I hope you don't choke on your stay."

Cowboy Boots and Untamed Hearts by Natalie Acres

2010-12-19T18:17:00.000-08:00

Kevin opened the door wide and kept an open palm on his lower back right next to his gun. He focused on the man in front of him, but his eyes didn’t stop moving around the yard. If someone else was out there, he wanted to see them before any shots were fired.
“Can I help you?”
Riley was behind him with a pistol lowered to his side out of the visitor’s view.
“Sure,” he said in a slow drawl. He turned around and studied Kevin before he acknowledged Riley with a tilt of his head. “Mighty cold out here. Do you fellows always run around without a shirt in the dead of winter?”
Kevin started to say something.

Riley beat him to it.
“What can we help you with?” Riley asked. This time he stepped away from the door, enough to let their visitor see his weapon.
Amused, he glanced down and then said, “I’m here to see Sydney.”

“Sydney is busy,” Riley snapped. “Real, busy.”
“She is?” he asked in a deep baritone voice before adding a chuckle. “I imagine you’re right. I bet little Sydney has her hands full here.”
“Yes, she does,” Riley said defensively. “Can I relay a message to her?”
Kevin studied the man in front of them. Something was strangely familiar about him. He didn’t like the fact that he couldn’t spot a vehicle anywhere. Then again, the guy may have walked in from the gates. He might have the access codes if he worked for Sam, but why the hell would he bother in this weather?
“Are you from around here?” Kevin asked before the guy had the time to answer Riley.
“Yeah, I am. Just tell her Brock stopped by. She knows me and she knows I’ll be around.”
“Brock, you gotta a last name?” Riley stuck his hand out in an attempt to shake it and knowing Riley, tug him inside and start a good ole southern brawl.
“Yeah, I do.” He said when he reached for Riley’s hand, took it and shook it. “It’s Brock Donovan,” he let the dark glasses fall to the bridge of his nose. “I’m your brother,” he nodded at Sydney as she nearly tumbled down the stairs when she heard the news. “And she’s my girl.”

We're at Dawn's Reading Nook Today

2010-12-18T09:54:00.000-08:00
The Destiny Blaine 12 Days of Christmas Blog Tour is winding down and we only have a few days left. Today, we’re at Dawn’s Reading Nook. Stop by and leave a comment. Free prizes will be up for grabs later this afternoon!

http://lovesbooksandmore.blogspot.com/

Destiny Blaine’s 12 Days of Christmas Blog Tour ContinuesWe're Celebrating a Very Special Release Day Cowboys for Christmas

2010-12-16T12:14:00.001-08:00
Destiny Blaine's 12 Days of Christmas Blog Tour Continues
Today, December 16th, we're at Author Raine Delight's Book Nook Blog
http://rainedelightbooknook.blogspot.com/
Known for her best selling sensational paranormal series, Devon Falls, Author Raine Delight is continually praised for her romantic stories and world building. I’m so excited that Raine is hosting us today because I love Devon Falls and know you will too.
Today on our blog tour, we’ll continue our discussion about Cowboys for Christmas, my western holiday story releasing tomorrow from Aspen Mountain Press. Who knows, you may even win a copy of this MFM holiday western romance. Stop by and post before 8 PM EST—only one free copy will be up for grabs and a random winner will be chosen late tonight!

Destiny Blaine's 12 Days of Christmas Blog Tour

2010-12-14T08:39:00.000-08:00

The Party Begins Right Here, Right Now

Christmas is the season for giving and if you want to win books and other prizes, mark your calendars now and follow along on this Twelve Days of Christmas Blog Tour!
Take a look at where I’m stopping in December.
The more you post, the more chances you have to win. Visit each blog on tour and post up to three legitimate comments per day. One random winner will be chosen from those of you posting the most. If only one clear winner stands out at the end of the tour, we'll declare the commenter with the most posts the natural winner.

THE PRIZE? Is a surprise.
No, it's not a paid vacation to the beach like Author Tess MacKall recently won in the Breakfast by the Sea contest but it sure is a sweet Christmas gift, one you won't soon forget so get those comments rolling and I'll tell you more about the grand prize as the Twelve Day of Christmas Blog Tour progresses. One lucky winner will receive a very nice CHRISTMAS PACKAGE delivered to his or her home right after the blog tour ends. You can't win if you don't post!

In addition to the blog tour commenting contest, we'll also celebrate new releases, show off some new covers, talk shop with Destiny Blaine's BEHIND THE BOOK, and post several other contests at the blogs on tour. So are you ready for this? I hope so! Mark your calendars now!
This is where we're stopping on tour:

Dec. 9th:
The Romance Studio Blue Blog: http://www.theromancestudio.com/blue/home.php. Don't miss kicking off the tour at TRS BLUE BLOG. We'll give you a run down of what to expect and you can comment up to three times at one of the most popular blogs on the internet today!
Sloane Taylor-http://www.sloanetaylor.com/blog
Our second stop is at author Sloane Taylor’s blog. Many of you know Sloane because of her well written French series (French Twist, French Kiss, etc.), available now at Aspen Mountain Press.
On December 10th, I’ll share some excerpts from Waking up the Arguably Dead, a MFM paranormal comedy releasing from Passion in Print. I’m thrilled to introduce this novel especially since you’ll get a glimpse of my hometown—Blountville, Tennessee.
Dec. 11th: Tabitha Shay- http://tabithashay.blogspot.com/
Day Three of our tour takes us to Tabitha Shay’s blog where you’ll discover why everyone is so excited about Tabitha’s best selling Witch series, now available at Amazon, in print. We’ll continue our discussion of Waking up the Arguably Dead and I’ll post some behind-the-scenes insight about this MFM book and why it’s so special to me. Come on over and celebrate release day—Waking up the Arguably Dead releases from Passion in Print on December 11, 2010.

Dec. 12th: Tilly Greene- http://tillygreene.blogspot.com/
Author Tilly Greene is one of my favorite authors so when Dawn Roberto told me we were stopping off at Tilly’s, well I gotta tell ya, I was pretty darn excited. Today, after we all gawk at her cowboy on Ride ‘Em, we’ll have a discussion on writing ménage romances and finish with some news about Waking up the Arguably Dead. Additionally, today is my annual Christmas party so we'll post some recaps from the party as well. See below for more information about the Destiny Blaine and Friends Annual Christmas Giveaway at LRC.
Dec. 13th: Tami’s Misc. Ramblings- http://tamis-ramblings.blogspot.com
Tami’s Misc. Ramblings is one of my all-time favorite blogs and on December 13th, we’re there! We’ll talk about a new release for one of my pen names— show up at Tami’s to find out about this pseudonym! With vampires and shape-shifters, the holiday romance releasing on December 14th is sure to draw some excitement. Don’t miss this special announcement December 13th!
Dec. 14th: Amber Skyze http://amberskyze.blogspot.com/
Author Amber Skyze is the notorious author of Gettin’ Lucky and other bestselling books. On December 14th, we have the opportunity to stop and chat with Amber and today I announce the release day of the shape-shifter/vampire romance mentioned above. I’ll take you behind the scenes and show you why I wrote this special surprise holiday installment.
Dec. 15th: Kayelle Allen’s Romance Lives Forever Blog http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/
I’m thrilled to stop at Kayelle Allen’s Romance Lives Forever Blog. Kayelle is the award-winning author of the acclaimed Loose ID title, For Women Only and many other science fiction titles. On December 15th, we’ll start our discussion about cowboys and I’ll give you a sneak preview of my December 17th Aspen Mountain Press release—Cowboys for Christmas.
Dec. 16th Author Raine Delight's Book Nook Blog
http://rainedelightbooknook.blogspot.com/ Known for her best selling sensational paranormal series, Devon Falls, Author Raine Delight is continually praised for her romantic stories and world building. I’m so excited that Raine is hosting us today because I love Devon Falls and know you will too. Today, we’ll continue our discussion about Cowboys for Christmas, my western holiday story releasing tomorrow from Aspen Mountain Press. Who knows, you may even win a copy of this MFM romance, but stop by and post before 8 PM EST—only one free copy will be up for grabs and a random winner will be chosen late tonight!
Dec. 17th: Cynthia Vespia http://cynsights.blogspot.com/
On December 17th, we have the pleasure of dropping by fellow author Cynthia Vespia’s blog. Cynthia, another Aspen Mountain Press author, is best known for her bestselling titles The Chosen One and Seek and Destroy. On December 17th, we’ll celebrate my Aspen Mountain Press release day and finish our discussion about Cowboys for Christmas.
Dec. 18th: Dawn's Reading Nook- http://lovesbooksandmore.blogspot.com/
Dawn’s Reading Nook is another one of my favorite blogs and a regular stop for many of us in the industry. Over at Dawn’s today, we’ll discuss one of the books above in more detail and another new Destiny Blaine Productions book so stop by to find out more. The day promises a number of surprises!
Dec. 19th: Love Romances Review Blog http://loveromancesandmore.blogspot.com/
On December 19th, we’re dropping in on Love Romances Review Blog. Love Romances Review Blog recently posted a review for Winning Virgin Blood. Take a look at what the reviewer had to say about the Spenser clan and since we’re dropping by Love Romances Review Blog today, it's a perfect opportunity to discuss the Winning Virgin books, my bestselling paranormal vampire series available now from Siren Publishing.
Dec. 20th: Melissa Bradley's Imaginarium
http://melissasimaginarium.blogspot.com/
Today, our Twelve Days of Christmas Blog Tour comes to an end. Our last stop will take us to author Melissa Bradley’s blog at Imaginarium. Melissa is best known for her well written books found at Amber Quill. Titles like Dream On and Encore Performances are sure to grab your attention. After twelve days of blogging, we’ll have some winners to announce so don’t miss our last stop!

****JOIN IN AND POST ANYTIME--You can enter to win at any blog. The more you enter the better your chances to win!****

Destiny Blaine and Friends Annual Favorite Things Giveaway Chat at Love Romances Cafe

2010-12-11T07:29:00.000-08:00
Promo Flyer Created by Dawn Roberto:

You are cordially invited to THE EVENT of the Season when Destiny Blaine and all her friends take over the LR Café Loop for a fun filled day of books, gifts and more.

It’s time for Destiny Blaine’s and Friends Annual Favorite Things Christmas Giveaway

DATE: December 12th, 2010
TIME: 9 AM EST start time till…..
WHERE: LR Café Loop (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/loveromancescafe)

Some of Destiny’s Friends are stopping by and giving away a few of their favorite things.
Take a look at this remarkable line-up of talented authors and publishers:

Secret Cravings Publishing
Dark Castle Lords
Changeling Press
Samhain Publishing
Siren-Bookstrand
Manlove Romance/Passion in Print
Aspen Mountain Press
Evernight Publishing
Kiki Howell
Jennifer Campbell
Desiree Holt
Ginger Simpson
Jessica Freely
Nicole Morgan
Jillian Chantal
Barrie Abalard
Christie Gordan
Missy Martine
Eternal Press
Damnation Publishing
Realms of Fantasy Magazine
Whispers Publishing
Gianna Bruno
Giselle Renard
Melody Layne
Sayde Grace
Natalie Acres
Addison Avery
Christina James
James Hatch
Sam Cheever
Bethany Gaines
Skylar Sinclair
Lex Valentine
Paige Tyler
Ariel Tachna
Sandy Sullivan
Selena Illyria
Lizzie T. Leaf
Selena Kitt
Cammie Eicher
Trinity Blancio
Tess MacKall
Cynthia R. Arsuaga
Tabitha Shay
Michele Hart
Laura Tolomei
JJ Keller
Jenika Snow

Over 200 authors and publishers will stop by and many of them are giving away some extravagant prizes.

Readers: Authors and publishers are giving away their FAVORITE THINGS and you’re invited to come on out and see what you can win. A lot of winners will go home with their arms loaded down with prizes. If you aren’t a member of Love Romances Café, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/loveromancescafe/ and join now. Tell us you signed up for the chat and be sure to tell all your friends where they need to be on December 12, 2010!
So come on over to the LR Café December 12th and party with Destiny Blaine and her talented friends.

Christmas is coming early for Destiny Blaine readers. Come on over and celebrate the holidays with us--Christmas could come early for you, too!

A Warm Welcome to K.A. M'Lady

2010-12-08T21:23:00.000-08:00

I'm kicking off my Twelve Days of Christmas Blog Tour today over at TRS Blue so it seemed like a fine time to turn my blog over to a very special guest, a guest you're sure to enjoy.
I'm honored to introduce K.A. M'Lady, a sensational author who took the reins of Just Another Paranormal Monday along with talented author Brigit Aine and made the group a global romance community for paranormal readers. Congratulations on your continued success, ladies.
I asked K.A. to stop by and tell us about her books today. She's hosting a remarkable horror-filled holiday giveaway. K.A. is giving away the loot over at her website this month. Be sure to hop on over there and leave a comment. Take a look at what you have the potential to win this month from Author K.A. M'Lady!
Horror-filled Holiday Headlines
25 Days of e-Book Give-aways
Join K.A. M'Lady December 1st through December 25th
Enter K.A.'s website at:
www.kamlady.net
Then, Post Your Horror-Filled Holiday Headline
under Dark Matter Comments
&
Sign her Guest Book
Winners Chosen Daily
& At Random
Starting 12-1-10 through 12-25-10

Prizes Choices Include:
(e-book format only - in a pdf copy)

one winner/one book per day...

Realm - Book I ~ To Tell of Darkness
In Glen Hills sometimes, even the monsters are afraid of the darkness

Realm - Book II ~ Shadow Slave
Suffering is Darkness' Pleasure and Pain it's Shadow Slave

Realm - Book III ~ Illuminated Death
Some Darkness Glows Eternally

Faith's Temptation - Bonus Story - A Faith Savage Demon Huntress Novel
In the beginning there were those with faith and there was Faith's Temptation

Glow - Book 1 - A Faith Savage Demon Huntress Novel
And the Light Shall Shine in the Darkness

Fear No Evil - Book 2 - A Faith Savage Demon Huntress Novel
Though I May Walk Through the Valley of Death - I Shall Fear No Evil

Transgressions - Book 3 - A Faith Savage Demon Huntress Novel
In the war between good and evil - whose side will you be on?

When Angel's Fall - Book 4 - A Faith Savage Demon Huntress Novel
The Light Will Show the Way for the Damned to Meet their End

Just Another ParaNormal Halloween - Anthology ~
Love, Lies & Zombie Cries by K.A. M'Lady -- "When it comes to the heart something always bleeds."

On the Darkest Knight of a Pixies Holiday, you'll feel an A-mazing Grace, but beware of Love, Lies and Zombie Cries, for Samhain's Visitor and His Girl will arrive at the Tiger's Masquerade, followed by the Man in the Long Black Coat. It's Just Another ParaNormal Halloween at the Castle... Mojocastle.

Song of the Wolf ~

There is a darkness to be found in the forest. And a beast that dwells within. If you listen closely you can hear it - Follow the wolf-song….

Get Lucky ~

What's a lovely Irish girl to do when one of Shiretown's biggest mob bosses owes his life to you and everyone else just wants to Get Lucky?

Violet Visions - Anthology ~
Everscape - Dark Night of the Soul by K.A. M'Lady

Secrets lie in ancient bloodlines
Darkness awaits in the Lands of the Dead
Some journeys are better not taken alone

Sanguinary Seductions - Anthology ~
Through the Red Door Starkly by K.A. M'Lady

There is a thin line between reality and the world of Other. Magic and Mysticism are the doorway to belief—Through the Red Door Starkly

(Back-listed Books - currently unavailable - but included in this contest only)

A Walk in the Black Forest ~

Women! Damon DeGracey did not need the trouble of another one. Not in his keep, not in his life, and certainly not in his heart. Yet her beauty and fire draw him as no other. But where has she come from? Is she a witch or a woodland sprite? A rebel or a warrior? Has she come to kill him or steal his soul with her beauty? Can he trust her enough to hold his heart when treachery is all around? The fire of deceit and desire burn brightly, the question is -- will they survive the flames?

Dreamwalker ~

An untried warrior King. A Witch with the power over the land of dreams. Two lives entwined by betrayal and hate. What lies ahead is in the hands of Fate. Cast the Stones…Seek your Fate…Follow your Dreams

Rational Animals ~

Kin to the wolf & brother to man,
Inside ~ Every man holds a darkness

K.A. M'Lady

www.kamlady.net
http://www.myspace.com/kamlady
http://kamladyotherworld.blogspot.com/

Five Card Stud by Gem Sivad is in the Spotlight Today

2010-12-08T04:33:00.000-08:00
I invited Gem Sivad to join us for blogging when I discovered Gem’s book Five Card Stud was set for release at Ellora’s Cave. Since a lot of my rowdy gambling friends are romance readers too, I couldn’t wait to drag Gem over here. Put your hands together and make Gem feel welcome. And make sure you leave a comment!

When bounty hunter Sam McCallister sees Eden Pace playing poker for the first time, he loses all interest in the cards; instead, the thought of playing stud with the lady gambler stirs his cock to life. Eden’s the prettiest woman and the best card sharp Sam’s ever met. Good thing he has a few cards up his sleeve.
Eden’s doing her own outlaw hunting. She’s on the trail of her husband’s killer and Sam’s in her way. To get free of this hardheaded, softhearted, gorgeous man, Eden tries strip poker and naked truth-or-dare, but when Sam ups the stakes, carnal submission and desire are unleashed.

When Sam discovers Eden’s wanted for murder, he figures his bed is the safest place for her. But taking Eden prisoner isn’t as easy as Sam expects. He’s in a high-stakes poker game with lust on the table and his heart on the line, because one taste of Eden just isn’t enough.

YOU TUBE TRAILER: COPY AND PASTE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf8NsGq7EXk&feature=player_embedded

Excerpt from Five Card Stud by Gem Sivad:

Eden was cautiously attuned to the danger in the man across from her. She gathered her winnings and said, “It has been a long day and I’m afraid I’ll have to say goodnight now.”

“Hell, Eden, we’re just gettin’ started. It ain’t uncommon for me to go all night long.” Eden swallowed back a scathing remark. When she didn’t give a response, he added, “I’ve got a pile of money here for you to rake into that honey pot you’re sitting on.” His words were crude, blatant and insulting.

She could tell from the easy way he talked to the men, Sam was more than a stranger passing through Eclipse. The saloon’s occupants watched as she retreated from both the card game and his suggestive remarks.

She would have preferred to wipe the smug grin from his face but bowed to her instincts instead. “I don’t have that much, Sam. I’m afraid I’ll have to decline.” Eden scooted her chair away from the table, impatient to be gone. Before she could retreat with the money she’d already won, he stopped her.

“How about those earbobs you’re wearin’?” he drawled. “They must be worth a little something. I’ll make it easy. My pile against your pile and you throw in your jewelry, including that pretty ring on your finger.”

His voice was a deep, rough growl. What is the matter with this man? Eden looked him over for head wounds or signs of recent violence that might have jarred his senses. She had no idea how to handle him.

Her stomach twisted in anger. The table was ringed with bystanders who had watched her win steadily all night, defeating the other players with skill. Sam issued a challenge and the night’s losers waited expectantly for her to accept the bet.

She allowed her gaze to be caught and for a moment, he let her see truth. The man who stared at her with eyes as cold blue as a winter lake wasn’t going to let her leave. “This ring?”

She held up her hand and flashed the impressive emerald at their audience. “I’m afraid you don’t have enough cash there to cover this jewel, Sam. It’s a family heirloom, anyway, and I could never part with it.” Again she attempted to leave, this time with a sense of urgency beating a steady warning in her head.
“I think I can change your mind, Eden. Let’s put this in the pot. It’s the deed to some property I own.”

Eden opened the folded paper he pushed across the table and hesitantly looked at it. Shock rippled through her when she saw her own face staring up from a wanted poster.

http://www.gemsivad.com

http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8904-50-five-card-stud.aspx

Welcome Ellora's Cave Author Paige Tyler

2010-12-05T18:12:00.000-08:00
Oohlala! Paige Tyler dropped by today to showcase her new release from Ellora's Cave. I know you'll agree, this cover and Paige's new book are DEAD SEXY!

SHOW A ZOMBIE SOME LOVE!

Thanks so much for letting me guest blog today!

Readers often ask me how I come up with ideas for my books, so I thought I'd give you a little behind-the-scenes peek at how I came up with my new release, a paranormal erotic romance from Ellora's Cave called DEAD SEXY.

Before I say anything else though, isn't that cover too hot for words?! When the art department sent it to me, I probably gazed at it for a good ten minutes in mouth-drooling appreciation before I could email them back telling the artist it not only rocked, but totally fit the book. The hero is "Dead Sexy," after all!

Okay, back to the story and how I came up with it. First, to set the stage, I need to share a little something with you about myself. Well, about my hubby and me, actually. We love zombie movies, from the George Romero gems to Shaun of the Dead and everything in between, including "Walking Dead," the new series on AMC. You just can't go wrong with a movie full of walking dead people, can you? Well, if you've ever seen a zombie movie (or even you haven't), then you know the creatures aren't the heroes of the film. I mean, how can they be, right? They're all dead and decayed and downright unattractive, not to mention pretty damn scary. Which was why you can imagine my surprise when my hubby suggested I write an erotic romance about a zombie hero. I was like, you're kidding, right? What woman in her right mind would fall in love with a dead guy? No way could that possibly work, or so I thought.

Turns out, my hubby wasn't kidding. In fact, he started working up ideas for the story.

"The hero didn't have to be a zombie all the time," he told me. "Think outside the box - take a little literary license!"

Okay, I thought. I suppose I could be open minded.

My hubby told me that in his out-of-the-box world, the hunky hero got cursed by an evil Voodoo priestess and only turns into a zombie sometimes.

"I'm listening," I said.

"And when he does go zombie, he doesn't have to be like the kind in the movies," my hubby added. "Well, he has to look like one, you know all dead and stuff, but he doesn't have to be a mindless creature or attack humans or eat anything gross."

So, brains are completely out, thanks goodness!

"Think Jensen Ackles or Jared Padelecki, with a really, really, really dark tan - (yes, my hubby knows I've got a thing for the Supernatural hunks!) - well, maybe more gray and black than tan, but you get the idea."

I thought about that for a minute. "So, the hero's dead, but he's still sexy, is that what you're saying?"

"Exactly," he said, giving me a grin as my eyes lit up with understanding.

By that point, my hubby had pretty much sold me on the idea. Of course, I knew if I ran with it, I was going to have to sell it to a publisher, and I knew that could be tough since the hero is a zombie. But I ran with it anyway and ended up with a full-length novel. And it came out pretty damn good, if I do say so myself! I still had to find a publisher for it, though.

About this same time, It just so happens that several of my other books were in the process of being picked up by Ellora's Cave and I thought what the heck? Why not pitch it to my editor there and see what she thinks? So I did, and she told me to send it to her. She was interested to see how I handled the whole zombie-thing. Well, long story, short, she liked it. A lot! My zombie romance with it's dead-sexy hero had a home! I was thrilled and my hubby walked around for a week with a smug, "I-told-you-so" look on his face.

I've been getting the word out there about DEAD SEXY ever since I signed the contract for it and I'm thrilled with the interest from readers who can't wait to get their hands on it! I can't wait for them to read it, too!

Now that I've revealed the story behind the story, I thought I'd share the blurb and an excerpt just to whet your appetite for more!

Blurb:

Romance author Simone Kent thinks she might just have found the most perfect guy in all of New York City - in bed and out. But Drake Parrish is about as far from perfect as any man can get. Eight years ago, he was cursed by an evil Voodoo priestess to live part of his life as a zombie. Since then, he has lived like a recluse on New York’s Upper East Side, afraid to go out for fear he’ll suddenly turn into one of the walking dead.
The sex if the hottest either of them has ever experienced and Simone discovers just how naughty she can be with Drake, while he finds himself feeling things for her that he hasn’t felt in a very long time. When the Voodoo priestess learns of their relationship, however, she comes after him again. She is determined to make sure he won’t have a future with Simone, even if that means killing both him and the woman he loves.

Excerpt:
As she led him up the steps to the second floor, Drake found himself wondering if she would ask him in. And wondering what he’d say if she did. When they came to a stop outside the door to her apartment, Simone turned to give him a smile.
“I had a great time tonight.”
“Me, too.”
She caught her bottom lip between her perfect white teeth and chewed on it thoughtfully as if unsure what she wanted to say next. It was probably an unconscious gesture, something she did whenever she was thinking, but to him, it was sexy as hell and all he could think about was kissing her.
Surely, one kiss couldn’t hurt. He desperately wanted to. He hadn’t kissed a woman in so long. It would be nice to see if he still remembered how.
Before he could stop himself, Drake tilted Simone’s face up to his and pressed his mouth to hers.
She tasted just as sweet and delicious as he thought she would. Her lips were soft and pliant under his as she kissed him back, her tongue eagerly seeking his out.
Drake groaned and slid his hand into her hair, deepening the kiss. Simone sighed into his mouth, running her hands up the front of his shirt to grasp his shoulders. The feel of her touch was like a tonic to his deprived soul and he let out another groan, deeper this time.
He ran his free hand up her side and around to her breast, cupping it through the soft material of her dress. He couldn’t stop himself and apparently, Simone didn’t want him to. She moaned and arched against him. He could feel the heat of her pussy through their clothes as she pressed up against his hard cock. Damn, she felt good.
Drake drew her bottom lip into his mouth and gently suckled on it before slowly kissing his way along the delicate curve of her jaw. Simone clutched his shoulders and tilted her head back. He eagerly trailed a path of hot kisses down her neck, then back up, his mouth finding hers again. Simone looped her arms around his neck, pulling him in even closer as their tongues met.
Down the hall, a door slammed, reminding him where they were.
Drake dragged his mouth away from hers, his breathing ragged as he tried to regain control. He had to get it together because he was about five seconds away from doing something really stupid. Like taking her to bed. “I should go.”
Her lips curved into a sexy, flirtatious smile. “Or you could stay.”

God, how he wanted to. But as much as he’d love to spend the rest of the night exploring every inch of her body, he couldn’t take the chance he might go zombie on her right in the middle of sex. Talk about coitus interruptus, And it had already been almost four days since he last turned, which meant he was already pushing his luck.
“You don’t know how much I want to,” he groaned. “But I can’t.”
Simone looked up at him with those big, blue eyes. “Why not?”
“Because I…” He hesitated, trying to come up with something that would sound believable. “I have a column due in the morning and I haven’t even started on it yet.” She knew all about deadlines, so she would understand that. Besides, he did have a column to write, it just wasn’t due until next week. “Rain check?”
She looked disappointed, but she smiled anyway. “Absolutely. How does coming over for dinner tomorrow night sound?”

It would be crazy to agree when he could be so close to having an episode, but he couldn’t say no. Not when she asked in that soft, sultry voice. “Sounds great.”

“Good. Be here at seven.”
“Seven it is.”
She pulled him down for another long, slow kiss on the mouth. “Don’t be late.”
His mouth twitched. “I won’t.” He bent his head to kiss her again, then groaned. “If I don’t go now, I’ll be here all night.”
Simone laughed. “Would that be such a bad thing?”
“Not to me, but my editor at Money Issues might not be too understanding when he doesn’t find my column sitting in his inbox tomorrow.”
She sighed. “Deadlines can be a real pain in the butt sometimes. Okay, go home and write your column. I’ll cuddle up with a bowl of ice cream instead.”
He chuckled. “Sounds better than taking a cold shower, which is what I’m going to be doing when I get home.” He closed his mouth over hers once more. “See you tomorrow night, beautiful.”
Resisting the urge to pull her into his arms again, Drake turned and walked down the hallway toward the stairwell. At the top of the steps, he glanced over his shoulder to see Simone standing where he’d left her, a sexy curve to her lips.
It took every ounce of strength he possessed not to go back and pin her against the door for one more long, lingering kiss. God, what he wouldn’t give to spend the night with her. Man, it was going to take more than a cold shower to get her out of his head.
Hope you enjoyed the excerpt and that you can't wait to read more! You can get DEAD SEXY from Ellora's Cave at http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8917-50-dead-sexy.aspx

You can also check out the trailer here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5D_YH6bYrE

If you decide to pick up DEAD SEXY, let me know how you like it!

*hugs*
Paige

http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com
http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com

We have a winner! Congratulations Author Tess MacKall!

2010-12-01T17:18:00.001-08:00

As promised, we have an announcement today and some big news.
We received several entries for the Breakfast by the Sea contest posted last month.
Please note: In order to make sure all qualified entries were counted, I emailed those who appeared to be trying for the grand prize through the various blog comments left at participating blogs. Individuals were asked to forward their original entry on the chance an entry was missed somewhere. In the end, we only had one qualified entry and a winner has been determined. If you have reason to believe you had a qualified entry, please contact me for information regarding your entry and I’ll explain why it was disqualified.
Now, the good stuff—We have a winner!
Please put your hands together for Tess MacKall! Tess will be spending a week at the beach in 2011. To find out more about what Tess has to look forward to, visit here: http://destinyblaine.blogspot.com/2010/11/enter-to-win-breakfast-by-sea-with.html
*Please note: During the contest, some of the posts were not coming through as comments posted on the blogs participating in the Breakfast by the Sea Contest. During the qualification period if someone couldn’t see their attempted post, their entry still counted as a qualified entry for the attempt after verification. Tess met the qualification period and followed the rules for entry. Congratulations, Tess! See you at the beach!