Lady In White

Author: A. J. Matthews
Liquid Silver Press

What’s scarier than ghost hunting? For Martin, it’s meeting Claudia’s branch of the Clan Mackenzie for the first time.

When Claudia brings Martin home for Thanksgiving dinner, he gains firsthand experience of how family tensions can affect even the most joyous occasion. Just when it seems Martin has soothed Claudia’s overprotective father, her sister Caroline confesses that she’s seen a ghostly lady in white, plunging Martin and Claudia into the dark world of the Daniels LaRoche hospital, a mental health facility with a shadowed history. Martin soon finds that there’s an evil presence at the old hospital, one so powerful that even he may not be able to vanquish it.

Distracted by family squabbles and the saintly Caroline’s increasingly strange behavior, Claudia and Martin have their work cut out to preserve their relationship and get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding the Lady in White.

Excerpt:

“Well, that wasn’t bad, but it could’ve gone better!” Claudia sighed as she walked into their hall and kicked off her shoes.

He winked at her. “Yes–Claudie.”

She looked up at him, a dangerous glint in her eye. “Marty, don’t go there!” She held up an admonitory finger. “Just…don’t go there.”

“Understood, lover.” Martin closed and locked the apartment door, then leaned against it. “I so wanted to get along with your dad, but he’s a tough nut to crack. I know the bottle of Scotch helped break the ice, but he still seems so suspicious of me. I told him something of what Britain is like these days, and for a while there he thought I was running from there instead of running to you.”

“Did you tell him I want to be with you wherever you are?” she asked anxiously.

“Yes, and I told him I felt exactly the same as you, darling.” He shook his head. “Family can be difficult sometimes.”

“I know.” She grimaced. “I’ve known Dad to do some mean things in his time, but I can’t believe he sold you his old truck! He could’ve let you use it while you were here, so long as you put gas in it!” She stepped on one of her discarded shoes and kicked it away angrily.

He walked over to her and took her into his arms. “It’s not a problem, love. I know a bit about cars, and it looks like a good buy.” He laughed ruefully. “Being British, I’m too polite to refuse a kind offer! But I’m sorry if I’m causing any ructions between you and your folks.” He sighed, breathing in the scent of her hair. “Mmm! You smell wonderful!”

“So do you, sweetheart.” She stroked his back. “It’s okay, honey. What problems there are between me and my folks were always there, and I guess they always will be. We’ve learned to live around them. Everything will be okay.” She even sounded half-convinced.

“You don’t get along very well with Caroline,” he said, thinking of the younger woman’s strange approach.

“Oh, we get along just fine.” She set her teeth and grunted in mock pain. “Caroline’s my kid sister; I should hate her! She should be borrowing my clothes without asking–well, apart from my bras. No doubt you saw she’s a fully paid up member of the IBTC?”

He blinked. “The what?”

“The Itty-Bitty-Titty-Committee.” Claudia touched her own breasts. “She’s not got much up front.”

Laughing in spite of himself, he shook his head. “As if I’d go around ogling my girlfriend’s sister!”

She smiled and raised an eyebrow. “I know you wouldn’t look at her that way, Marty,” she said with evident patience. “I’m just asking if you noticed it in the course of things.”

“Yes, all right, I did.” He nodded, feeling sheepish. “I did notice that much.”

“Don’t worry about it. She’d tell me immediately if you did hit on her. Caroline’s not one to steal my clothes and makeup…” She poked him in the stomach. “Or attempt to score with my handsome boyfriend! She doesn’t do any of that. The girl’s so damn saintly sometimes, she makes Mother Theresa look like Osama bin Laden! She volunteers to work on Thanksgiving every year to let other folks with family enjoy the break. Sheesh!” She touched his arm. “Don’t get me wrong; I do love her, seriously.”

“I know you do. Claudia, she’s worried about a paranormal encounter she had today. She asked me to ask you for her cell phone number, so I could arrange to talk to her about it.”

“Caroline? Caroline saw a ghost?” Claudia looked at him doubtfully. “Wow! It must’ve been due to overwork or something. She’s never seen anything spooky that I know of. That was always my department when we were kids.” She cocked her head and looked at him with interest. “Did she say what it was?”

Martin shook his head. “No; it’s what she wants to talk to me about.”

“You see what I mean?” Claudia groaned. “Rather than give you her number outright, she wanted me to know she’d approached you and not think she was trying to steal you.” She shook her head. “The girl’s so discreet, she’s unbelievable! Remind me tomorrow morning, honey; I’ll give it you then.”

“What have you planned for tomorrow?” he asked, moving into the kitchen to turn on the coffee maker.

“If the license bureau is open in the morning, I’ll formalize my Indiana driver’s license; in the afternoon I’ll start prepping my papers for the office.” She came up behind him and wrapped her arms about his waist. “What about you?” She pressed her head against his shoulders.

“I’ve got some notes to finish up on the Catskill case, and I owe the editor of Occult Times an article on the Chestnut Mansion affair. Tomorrow night we’ll pick up my new truck…” Claudia snorted in mock derision. “…and the day after I’ll drive to Wally-world and buy some clothes.”

She smiled, and kissed him. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

* * * *

As Martin prepared coffee, Claudia went through into the sitting room. He heard her turn on the TV, and then came the creak of the antiquated couch as her weight settled on it. The Channel Thirteen News came on just as he walked in with the cups, and she grinned up at him sleepily. “Tired as I am, I’m not going to wait until tomorrow to ravish you, Mr. Grey.” She chuckled. “What do you say we watch TV for a while then go to bed?”

“Going to bed is always a pleasure with you, Ms. Mackenzie.” He grinned, sat beside her, and squeezed her knee…

Like This? Get Lady In White Here

Gypsy Crystal

Author: Lorrie Unites Struiff

Homicide Detective Rita Moldova has a secret, a crystal amulet from her Roma bloodline that allows her to see the last image a victim had seen in their eyes before they died. Now, a ritual killer is terrorizing her town and the crystal’s magic has suddenly stopped doing its job.

 FBI agent, Matt Boulet, is sent to lead the task force and gives the group strange orders. Worse, Rita senses he is holding back a deep, dark secret about the killer.

When she confronts her seer mother’s advice, she learns another secret about their clan that she finds impossible to swallow.

Rita swims through a whirlpool of confusion as the investigation continues. Can Rita deny the lore of the ancients? Can she deny her growing feelings for Matt Boulet?

Excerpt:

Before Rita had time to get her fingers on the gun, the man had shot out of the door, yanked her forward, and somehow shoved her headfirst onto the front seat. She skidded over the vinyl bench seat, her nose and cheek hitting hard, blocking her breath for a moment. Rita yelled; the door slammed shut. She scrambled to sit upright, gagging when she inhaled the dank, moldy scent of the interior. A metal object, hanging from the roof above the mirror, clunked heavy against her head. She swallowed the acrid taste in her throat.

The driver’s door opened and the man slipped inside. One corner of her mind wondered how he could have possibly run around the front of the van so fast.

Rita rubbed her bruised temple and twisted the door handle. It was stuck. She rammed her shoulder into the door. It didn’t budge. The window was up. Her purse with the gun lay on the sidewalk. She worked the lock button and slammed into the door again. The impact sent shock waves down her arm to her fingertips. Shit. The van was rigged. Rita looked at the serial killer, her heart banging against her ribs, her breathing short and shallow. Tapping the mic with frantic fingers, all she could do was pray.

The man grinned.

Like This? Get Gypsy Crystal Here

Awakening Augusta

Author: Cindy Spencer Pape
Ellora’s Cave

Regency Scotland can be a lonely place, but Augusta MacLeish has four mischievous younger siblings for company; now if she only had money to feed them! Colin Fordyce has recently inherited an earldom, along with five wards in a remote Scottish castle. When he travels up there, he discovers his predecessor was skimming their funds. He also learns the oldest Miss MacLeish is absolutely stunning. A knock to his head leaves him seeing two of the buxom beauty, just as one kiss from her tempting lips leaves him longing for more.

A night spent together forces Colin and Augusta to marry, leaving them all the opportunity in the world to explore the sexual hunger between them. Colin delights in teaching Augusta all the pleasures of the flesh, awakening the wanton lover beneath her ladylike veneer. From Scotland to London, the flames burning between them refuse to be doused, and oh, how they will set the Ton on fire.

Excerpt:

Miss MacLeish—he’d already begun to think of her as Augusta—hurried to his side and slid her arm around his waist again. “You won’t be riding anywhere tonight, I’m afraid. Let’s get you to a bed, my lord.”

He closed his eyes and sighed. Truth was, while he probably could make it back to the village inn, it would hurt like the very devil to do so. By tomorrow, he hoped to be back to normal, but for tonight, perhaps it would be all right for him to just rest

 “The MacArdles have quarters here on the first floor,” she told him. “That might be easiest, if you don’t object to being put in a servants’ room.”

“Not at all.” Given what he’d seen, the servants probably lived as comfortably as the family. Besides, he’d spent two years in Calais, posing as the bookkeeper to a shipping operation, during his work for the Crown prior to Trafalgar. He was intimately familiar with living rough.

“This way, then.”  She picked up one of the lamps she’d lit during the meal and led him through the kitchen into a butler’s pantry then down a narrow hall. A plain wooden door opened into a small suite, simply but comfortably furnished. She led him through the sitting room into a bedroom with a decently sized wrought iron bed and a fire ready to be started in the grate.

“This is perfect,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. His arm around her shoulder felt natural and he let himself enjoy, just for a moment, the sensation of having an attractive woman snuggled close to his side. “I am sorry to impose, but I’m not sorry to have had the chance to meet in such quiet surrounds. I imagine our conversation would have gone very differently with four children in the room.”

“Aye.”  He felt her relax against him and lean that glossy chestnut head against his chest. The soft scent of heather mingled with the musky aroma of a woman who’d spent the day working.

“I’m still finding it hard to believe this is all real—that we can truly stop worrying about whether we can afford shoes when Arthur has outgrown his last pair or nails to fix the footbridge.”

“ I promise, ‘tis real.”  He heard the gruff huskiness in his own voice, felt his shaft harden. He touched her cheek with one finger. “On my honor, your family will never need to worry about such things again.”

She lifted her face to his, her eyes bright and shining in the flickering light of the lamp. “Thank you.”

Colin didn’t stop to think. His body simply responded by instinct. Cupping her cheek in his hand, he slowly lowered his face to hers, their eyes never breaking contact. There was plenty of time for her to pull back, or even just turn her head and reject his kiss, but she didn’t. Then his lips touched hers and time hung suspended. She was soft, so very soft. His hand tightened on her waist as his lips moved against hers. When he lightly nipped her full lower lip, she let out an inarticulate cry, which gave him the opportunity to slip the tip of his tongue inside her mouth.

Oh lord, she tasted like heaven. How had he ever been attracted to willowy blondes who never did a day’s work in their lives? This woman, curvy, sweet and strong, felt perfect in his arms. Her untutored but eager response to his kiss had him reaching for the fastening of her gown. She didn’t stop him as he untied the tapes at the back of her gown, making the snug bodice droop off her shoulders. The sleeves trapped her arms at her sides and he nudged her shift down as well, revealing two lush, white mounds. With one arm still wrapped about her waist to hold her still, he used the other to cup one of her heavy breasts. Her nipples were small but tautly furled, and he grazed it gently with his thumb, wondering how it would taste.

“Oh!”  She pulled away from him, clutching the burning oil lamp that she’d clearly almost dropped.

Colin swallowed hard and sagged against the doorframe. Holy hell, they’d nearly burned the house down, literally as well as figuratively. With his own hands shaking more than he’d like to admit, he reached out and took the lamp from Augusta’s hands while she made an effort to cover herself.

“I’d apologize, but it would be a lie,” he said thickly, setting the lamp down on a nearby chest. “Still, I am sorry for getting carried away.”

“I—ah—” She squeezed her eyes shut and backed out the doorway until her back bumped into the wall of the corridor behind her. “G-g-goodnight, my lord.”

“Colin,” he told her as she turned and fled toward the kitchen, without so much as a candle to light her way. “After that, you had probably better know my name.”

Like This? Get Awakening Augusta Here

Witch's Fire

Author: Tabitha Shay
Moon Gypsy Press

In a world where magic is dying?two people meet under unusual circumstances…

Realm of light?New to this witchy stuff, Kirrah Walker crashes her broom into a stranger and knocks him unconscious. Feeling guilty, she takes him home with her and nurses him back to health. However, she soon discovers a terrible secret?the stranger is on a mission to assassinate a witch. Now Kirrah must decide if she’ll set him free or keep him tied to the headboard of her bed…

World of darkness?Prince Stry, future King of Ru-Noc awakens to find he’s not only a captive, but captivated by the charming witch who flutters around him like a nervous butterfly. Her magick is wild and so out of control, he knows in his heart he should steal her soul, but kissing Kirrah is habit-forming.

Kirrah and Stry?magical beings who must face the fear of their past, acknowledge their future and trust in destiny in a world gone mad…

EXCERPT:

She sighed, shoved up her sleeves and went to work dragging off his low-heeled boots and socks. Carefully, she swung his legs onto the bed. Only?somehow her legs tangled with his. She stumbled and fell clumsily across the poor man’s chest.

His eyes flew open. A half-smile flirted at the corners of his mouth. Kirrah glared at him. How the heck did he manage to look so darned sexy with a big ole’ purple bruise fanning over his right eye?

Slowly, he slid his arms around her hips and squeezed her buttocks. “Well, hel-lo.”

Kirrah widened her eyes. Oh, crap, that’s all she needed, a concussed Romeo with a sexy voice hot enough to curl her toes and set her thighs on fire, a voice that both compelled and could easily lead a woman astray.

The man looked at her as if he’d never seen her before and had just discovered his favorite eye-candy. “Aren’t you just a sweet little beauty?” he purred, sounding for all the world like a hungry cat whose appetite had just been satisfied. A big, dopey, contented cat.

Sweet little beauty? She blinked. Oh, yeah, the man was definitely off his meds. Obviously he was no stranger to seduction 101, either, if the way he massaged her butt was anything to go by.

And damn, did he have to have such dreamy bedroom eyes? Tiny gold specks sparkled like angel dust in the warm amber depths. Thick gold tipped lashes completed the allure of his heavy lidded gaze. He had the kind of gold-flecked irises that attracted a woman and sucked her right in.

He might as well wear a sign around his neck that read: Come and get it, sinful indulgence right here!

And boy was she ready to go get it.

Her brows knitted together in a deep scowl. What was wrong with her? All of a sudden her hormones were out of control? She wondered if her face was as red as it felt. Since she had red hair, her complexion was the fair one typical of redhead’s. She blushed as easily as she sunburned.

His gaze wondered from her hair to her lips. Oh, my. Those tiger-colored eyes fixed on her mouth. He licked his lips as though he’d just discovered a delicious snack he contemplated nibbling on.

Startled, Kirrah gasped as he suddenly tugged her closer.

Her hands splayed across his wide chest. “Uh-Mr. Wa-Wa, I think you might be getting a tad bit carried away here. Unhand me.”

“No.” One hand slid up her back and his fingers curled around her nape holding her in place. “I don’t think I should do that at all. You belong to me,” he whispered, and took her mouth.
 
That was the only word for it. Took. He ravaged her mouth with a slow steamy gut-wrenching kiss. Warm and wet. Hot and melting. Yum. He might be half-dead, but he had a mouth to die for and he knew how to use it.

Like This? Get Witch’s Fire Here

Starstruck: Hunter

Author: Michelle Lauren
Liquid Silver Books

In a city where danger never sleeps, love strikes when you least expect it…

PASSION. Death hunts celestial star Miranda Snow. When she crashes to
Earth, where humans kill her kind for their energy, survival depends
on police informant Noah Benson. His touch melts her defenses. His
demons threaten to destroy her.

BETRAYAL. Ten years ago, Noah lost everything in one night: his
freedom, his friends and all hopes of a future in his chosen career.
Now he is driven by revenge against the man responsible, a ruthless
killer determined to claim Miranda –something Noah refuses to let
happen.

LOVE. Faced with an impossible choice, can he protect Miranda or will
he lose her for good?

EXCERPT (PG-13)  (Warning: Brief Nudity)

The mission had officially gone to hell in a flaming hand basket.

Not only did Joel get away, but since the microphone in Noah’s shirt
had malfunctioned, the police didn’t have enough evidence for a
conviction. What a colossal waste of time. I should have just beaten a
confession out of him.

Noah unlocked the door to his room and reached for the light switch.
Nothing happened. Too late, he remembered he hadn’t paid the rent yet.
This was the motel manager’s way of reminding him to pay up or do
without. He crossed the stained carpet and grimaced when his boots
crunched over a roach.

He shed his shirt and started unbuckling his jeans as he stumbled into
the bathroom.

Right now, all he wanted was to clean up, then fall into bed and
forget tonight ever happened. The showerhead gurgled, then spat out a
stream of icy water that quickly turned scalding. Noah ignored the
pain as he thrust his head under the spray.

His mind returned to the fallen star. Joel had a dozen hunters
tracking its energy trail. They would probably make a capture by dawn.

And I will have another innocent life on my conscience.

The knowledge weighed on Noah’s mind. After toweling off, he pulled on
a pair of gray sweatpants and a black cotton T-shirt. On his way past
the window, something in the motel building’s pool caught his
attention. He looked closer and gasped.

A naked woman floated facedown in the water, long black hair spread
around her. Instincts took over as he leapt onto the fire escape and
rapidly descended the stairs. Water soaked all the outdoor furniture
and chunks of concrete littered the ground.

Something more than her must have fallen in the pool to cause that
much damage. He dove into the water and gasped. It was freezing.
Grasping the woman around the waist, he pulled her to safety and
stretched her body beside the pool.

Ignoring her nudity, he scanned her for injuries. Her cuts were still
fresh. Blood trickled from a gash on her forehead and she sported a
black eye. He checked her arms and relaxed slightly when he didn’t
find the usual needle marks he saw on jumpers. At least this isn’t
drug related.

“Hey lady, can you hear me?” Grasping her wrist, he felt for a pulse.
Sluggish, but it was there. He pinched her nose and blew air into her
lungs. He started chest compressions, but she didn’t respond. “Come
on, fight!”

He lowered his mouth to continue CPR. The soft lips came alive beneath
his as the woman sputtered. Her body jerked, and she rolled onto her
side, expelling water from her lungs. Noah reached out to steady her.
He blinked in surprise when she shrank away from his touch.

“I won’t hurt you. Don’t move. I’ll go call an ambulance.”

Thick lashes fluttered and hazel eyes pinned him before he could move.
She had the largest pupils he had ever seen, like those sported by
characters in anime cartoons. When she tried to sit up, he overrode
the effort by placing a hand on her stomach.

With the immediate danger over, Noah suddenly became aware of the
intimacy of their position. His eyes drifted down her body, lingering
on the swells of her breasts and the dark areolas of her nipples,
visible through the cottony curls plastered to her chest.

“Is this heaven?”

Her voice, husky and rich, rolled over his senses. It took a moment
before the question registered. It surprised a laugh from him. Noah
shook his head. “Far from it, sugar. This is Neptune.”

“Oh. What constellation is that in?”

His blood froze. “What did you say?”

She touched her temple, drawing his attention to the ring glittering
on her left hand. “Something hit me when I was leaning out the window.
I must have fallen.” Her expression morphed from confusion to terror
as she stared at him.

“Where do you live?”

She pointed a trembling finger at the sky, cementing his suspicion:
she was the star. His eyes closed. Of all the places she could have
landed, why here? Should he contact the police? At least they would
place her in protective custody. Then again, that was worth about as
much as Confederate money these days. Noah knew from experience that
Joel didn’t mind spilling a little blood to get what he wanted.

“Where am I?”

“Earth. I guess you’ve heard of it?” he said drolly when she gasped.
He got the feeling that she would have run if she’d had the strength.
He purposely gentled his voice. “Don’t worry; you’re safe with me.
What’s your name?”

“Miranda.”

Leaning forward, he captured a tear as it slid down her cheek. It
shimmered on the tip of his finger and crystallized. Amazing. “My name
is Noah. Whoa!”

He caught her as she fainted. He scanned the area, realizing for the
first time how exposed they were. “Come on, sugar. Let’s get you
inside.”

He carried her up the fire escape to his room and settled her on the
bed. Moonlight streamed over her body, highlighting her delicate
features. Unbidden, a memory leapt forward, that of pale eyes begging
him for help. With grim resolve, he focused.

Ten years ago, he failed to protect a star. He would not fail again.
He would protect this one no matter what. His lips ghosted over hers.

“You’re safe with me. I promise.”

Like This? Get Starstruck: Hunter Here

The House On The Shore

Author: Victoria Howard
Vanilla Heart Publishing

Anna MacDonald never felt so betrayed.

Not only had Mark, the Head of the English Department, given the job he’d promised her to someone else, but he hadn’t had the nerve to tell her himself. But that was just like him. He’d do anything to avoid confrontation.

What should she do? Everyone in the department knew they’d been seeing each other, and would hear on the university grapevine that she’d been passed over for promotion. How could she face the humiliation and the knowing stares? And how could she work with Mark each day knowing he’d betrayed her?

Anna leaned back in her chair and considered her options. Could she continue to work with someone she couldn’t trust? The answer had to be no. But lecturing posts in Scotland were hard to come by, especially in creative writing, the subject she taught. And what about their personal relationship? Mark had destroyed her trust in him, not only as a colleague, but as her lover too. Did she really want to carry on dating someone she couldn’t trust? Of course not.

The more Anna thought about her situation, the more she realized she had only one option. She crumpled the letter into a ball and tossed it into the waste paper bin.

Straightening her shoulders she marched down the university’s wide corridor to Mark’s office. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door. Mark sat at his desk, a pile of term papers in front of him. He must have sensed her presence because he looked up—and paled when he saw her.

“Anna—”

“A letter, Mark? After telling me the job was as good as mine, you send me a letter saying you’ve given it to someone else. Couldn’t you have told me face to face? I’m not just your work colleague, I’m your girlfriend. Or have you conveniently forgotten that fact?”

Mark held out his hands as if offering an apology. “I was only following procedure.” A lock of blond hair fell into his blue eyes and he brushed it away without thinking.

“I see.” Anna swallowed her hurt. And rage. She didn’t want to leave on a sour note. “Well, you can’t complain about my letter of resignation, then can you? Either you accept it, or I go over your head and give it to the vice chancellor.”

“Anna, darling, I thought you enjoyed your job. Sit down and let’s discuss this.”

“I don’t want to sit down, thank you, and I did enjoy my job.”

“Then I don’t understand why you want to leave. Isn’t this a bit impulsive? You should take some time and think about it.”

“I think I’m being very reasonable under the circumstances. You expect me to carry on working in the department while… while your new blonde bimbo sits in what should have been my office, doing what should have been my job!” Anna felt her blood pressure rising. She took a deep breath.

“We only went to dinner…” Mark shuffled the papers on his desk.

“Don’t lie to me, Mark.”

“I’m not.”

“Think again. And while you’re doing that you’d better start advertising for a new lecturer because I’m leaving at the end of the term whether you like it or not!”

“But term finishes on Thursday—”

“So it does. That gives you three days and all of the summer vacation to find a replacement for me. I’ve marked and returned all the end of term papers to my students. I have no more classes scheduled, so this is my last working day.”

“Look, can we talk about this tonight? You can see that I’ve a mountain of paperwork to get through. I’ll stop at the supermarket on my way home pick up a bottle of that red wine you like and a Chinese take-a-way.”

“Are you serious? You don’t really expect us to continue our relationship, do you?”

Mark stood and stepped out from behind his desk. He rested his hands on her shoulders, his face devoid of expression. “Anna, please, this is business. Just because you were passed over for promotion, doesn’t mean our relationship is over. You love me.”

Anna stared at him and wondered why she had ever considered him husband material.

“No, Mark, I don’t. What’s more, I don’t trust you. And without trust there can be no love.”

Like this? Get The House On The Shore Now

Temptation Eve: Nocturnal Cravings - Book 1

Noctournal Cravings – Book 1
Author: Michelle Lauren
Cobblestone Press

Sometimes passion has a price…

Icy hot lawyer Eve Templin meets her match in playboy incubus Alonso D’Agostino, who dominates her body and wins her heart. When he offers her more than a fling, will she risk her career for love or walk away for good?

EXCERPT (Rated: R)  **Warning: May cause hot flashes. The good kind.**

Sex with an incubus definitely wreaked havoc on a woman’s wardrobe.

Eve Templin glared at the run in her black lace thigh highs before she turned and scowled over her shoulder at her lover.

“You are costing me a fortune in lingerie. This is the third pair this month!”

Said incubus, Alonso D’Agostino, grinned. Lush, midnight black curls fell across his forehead as he studied her. Hunger darkened his normally pale gray eyes to pewter. His finger trailed up her thigh, causing the muscles to jump.

“Let me make it up to you, bellissima.”

Eve gasped as his callused hands palmed her butt and then spread her cheeks. She bit her bottom lip to muffle a moan. No matter how many times they met, this part—the anticipation—never got stale.

“Do you have any idea how hot you look right now?”

She could imagine. Kneeling on the floor, hands bound behind her with his red silk tie, her thick curls swinging around her waist and naked except for those thigh highs, she probably looked like a pagan offering to the gods.

Warm breath ghosted over her entrance, followed by the cool glide of Alonso’s tongue thrusting inside her heat. Eve’s head dropped on a moan—only to jerk upright as laughter, loud, feminine and entirely too close for comfort, filtered through the door. Her pulse skyrocketed.

More laughter, accompanied by the clink of glasses and the crooning strain of a saxophone, reminded Eve why having sex in a closet during her law firm’s annual Black and White Ball was a really bad idea. Right now, a flimsy door was the only barrier between her and two hundred of her coworkers and clients. Even worse, Alonso seemed oblivious to the danger.

What was it about him that made her natural sense of caution disappear? Six months ago, Eve would have blamed her reaction on his powers. Blessed with a touch that could take a woman from zero to orgasm in seconds, the thirty-four-year-old playboy never lacked for lovers.

Alonso was everything she wanted in a Dominant: exotic, intelligent and insatiable.

But their attraction went beyond physical chemistry. She enjoyed spending time with him. Beneath his aloof exterior was a man who—despite spending most of his adult life on the wrong side of the law—could win legal debates with his eyes closed, was surprisingly insightful, and had a biting sense of humor and a smile that made her forget why falling in love with him would never work.

Not only was he a commitment phobe, he was also a client. Make that her firm’s biggest client. Wolkowich, Blythe & Templin was a Virginia-based law firm that catered to paranormal clientele. At age thirty-one, Eve was the youngest partner and the only female, a distinction she’d worked too hard to jeopardize.

Despite the preternatural nature of the firm’s clients, Wolkowich, Blythe & Templin maintained a disappointingly conservative view on some matters, including lawyer-client fraternization. If her relationship with Alonso ever went public, she could kiss her
professional credibility goodbye.

Eve opened her mouth to tell him to wait…

Like This? Get Temptation Eve Here

**BONUS READ** Get “A Taste of Temptation” (a 6,000 word story) FREE
when you purchase this book! To receive, email your receipt to interactive AT michellelaurenbooks dot com.

Namaste, My Love

Author: Sam Cheever
Aspen Mountain Press

Attractive divorcee, Felicia Jeffries is turning 45 years old and her friends have dragged her to a male strip club to celebrate. She never guessed she’d find herself up on stage, dirty dancing with a sexy young dancer. Or that her body would scream for another chance to wrap itself around him.

Classy and shy, the last thing Felicia wants is to sit in a crowded bar with a bunch of drunk women, stuffing twenty dollar bills down the thongs of sexy young men on stage. The last thing she expects is to find herself incredibly drawn to one of those sexy young men. And the last thing she needs is to deal with the consequences.

But deal she will. Because the alternative is unthinkable…losing the heart and body of Bris Holcomb, uber-sexy exotic dancer, popular yoga instructor, and the man who’s grabbed her heart and won’t let go.

 ~*~*~

 Suddenly a large, square hand appeared in front of her face.

The crowd went crazy. They screamed and started chanting again. At first Felicia couldn’t hear what they were saying, but soon she realized they were chanting, “Go for it!”

She shook her head, her eyes lowered to her feet, but Sis wasn’t gonna let her get away with that. She grabbed Felicia’s arm and pulled her out of her chair. Before Felicia knew what was happening the hunk on the stage had grabbed her hand and she was flying upward, onto the stage with him.

She hit his broad, naked chest with an undignified “umph!” and felt the jolt to her system through her whole body.

The first thing she noticed was his scent. It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. He was all warm musk overlaid by clean sweat and something that she couldn’t quite identify which reminded her of hot sex.

The next thing she noticed was the smooth warmth of his naked chest. His well formed pecs were right in front of her nose, a small triangle of dark gold hairs nestled between them.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her body into his, swaying to the decadent pulse of the music. Felicia held herself stiffly in his arms at first, but the combination of hot, sexy man and the throbbing beat of the music quickly overcame her natural resistance and she felt her muscles softening and molding to his.

She closed her eyes and swayed with him, feeling every hard line of his long body against hers. His hands slid over her back and shoulders, soothing, caressing, until her muscles felt like the softest butter under his fingers.

Felicia realized suddenly that her hands were moving over his body. She slid them across his narrow waist, up his sides, and then drew her fingertips across his broad chest, past the strong shoulders and thick neck, to a square jawed face with just the hint of dark gold stubble across it.

The room erupted as he lowered his head and laid his lips over her throat.

Felicia gasped at the moist heat of his mouth resting on the pulse at her throat and threw her head back. His tongue slipped out between his teeth and he licked her.

Feeling as if she’d been drugged, Felicia pressed herself against the hard thigh between her legs, humping it shamelessly as she felt her body climbing, incredibly, toward release.

His tongue was replaced with the sharp points of his teeth. He bit her, gently, and then followed the tiny nip with a swipe of his hot tongue.

The room fell away. Felicia was aware of the music and the room full of friends and strangers only as a dull throb at the back of her consciousness. It disappeared under the all encompassing aura of the man in her arms.

His was a sensual sphere, filled with promises and forbidden delights. And Felicia suddenly realized she wanted it all.

Like This? Get Namaste, My Love Here

Rituals

Author: Kiki Howell

After a Wiccan ritual opens her eyes to her old friend, Maddie’s first week together with Ryan, goes by in a blur of knots and ropes. Creative in their endeavors, they tie each other to everything from the coffee table to the kitchen cabinets while also implementing various positions. Neither the sash of her silk robe nor the curly ribbon on a present is left unused as a device of sensual torture.

Together, they find the freedom they seek in bondage. But, when Maddie’s controlling ex-husband returns hell-bent on taking her back, will Ryan and Maddie be bound by the past or become tied to each other?

Warnings: This title contains graphic language, bondage, anal play and sex toys.

Excerpt:

“Are you quite agreeable to beginning, Maddie?” Ryan asked in the formal pedagogy of days gone by. She knew he had done so for her benefit with his coy smile and his come-hither voice he adopted when he wanted to lighten the mood. While she was grateful for his attempts, he had not succeeded in easing her nerves. As she looked to the silver cord hanging in loops over his outstretched hand, she did her best to smile reassuringly back at him to return the favor. Behind the facade, her thoughts flowed like turbulent seas as she tried to maneuver through the jagged rocks of her ineptitude.

Still, she was more than ready. A restless sort of eager, she earnestly desired the proposed outcome of this new experience. It was as if she had been preparing herself for this moment for the last few years. To prove it, she nodded her head at him and dropped the white silk cape he had given her.

As she looked down over her conclusively revealed figure, she disregarded the fact that this was the first time he had seen her naked. She had chosen to participate in tonight’s rite, thought it out and drafted herself to take the final step she needed to freedom. Ignoring the way her body trembled within his field of vision, she looked at the breathtaking yards of material embroidered with delicate flowers lying in a shimmering puddle at her feet. It reflected the candles all around them making her feel for a moment she was a goddess on display at the altar.

“Kneel before me,” he requested. Yet, within his sovereign voice, she detected a slight tremor. Maddie was obedient, lowering herself before him with as much grace as she was capable of. Upon kneeling, she had caught a glimpse of how his jeans curved over a quite impressive outline, and she couldn’t get past the bulging part of his anatomy presently at her eye level. Although she was trying to focus in on his words, as she understood the vital importance of comprehending his directions, she was distracted even after he tugged closed his own robe to cover himself. Pondering for just a moment that her present state of undress had something to do with the extent of his forming erection, she reveled in the sweetness of the stroke to her ego. She had needed the boost anyhow. Looking up at Ryan as he spoke about relationships and transformation specifically in the vain of what would transpire tonight, hope filled her.

A Questionable Hero

Author: Kiki Howell
Shadowfire Press

Abdamas is a halfing, born of a moral woman but raised in hell by the demon who sired him.  All his life he has been proof incarnate of the war between good and evil that exists in every human soul.

Shaebiel is a human angel warrior earning her salvation by fighting demons like Abdamas on earth.

When Abdamas is injured playing unlikely hero Shaebiel takes him to her apartment to heal him.  There is both heaven and hell to pay for their actions. As they both fight and surrender to their desires, the conflict around them rages on.   However, once heaven offers a deal and hell breaks in to counter, the stakes get higher and higher.

Soon, the true question becomes, how much will they sacrifice of themselves in order to find their true destiny together?

Excerpt:

Wanting to kiss him, to feel him pressed against her with his warm skin nearly melding to her, she still resisted the urge to pull the sheets back off the bulge below his ripped abs. She was wet and ready for him to penetrate her, to claim her, to join with her again, not fearing what would happen next…

“You will let me make love to you,” he interrupted her beginning fantasy. “I can feel your emotions and desires now too, you know. I can feel all of them, not just the baser ones. You want me as much as I want you. Don’t deny me any longer.”

“Okay, then, have your way with me, my warrior.”

“I will, as again I find myself to have woken up in your bed naked.”

He tackled her, and she was thrilled to find him pinning her down to the mattress with the weight of his large form. His erection landed on the soft pouch of her stomach. He had her hands trapped in his above her head like before, but she felt no fear this time. This time she wanted to free her hands so she could run them down his back and over his ass to reposition them, realign their bodies together. She wanted out of her own clothes so badly she wished she could will them to evaporate along with his sheet.

He slithered his body up onto hers. His stare was intense, full of the dichotomy of him—loving and ice cold. She felt possessed, like he was marking her as his, while tempting her to do just the same. He was almost daring her to meet him, testing the waters. Even though she could feel his assertive nature telling her he would not be denied, she also felt his overwhelming need to claim her and the tinge of doubt which still edged it. 

She knew for a time he would still be damned by the self-loathing of his old demonic nature. The memories would not go away. She imagined that it would take some time for his mind to catch on that he could not lose control and shift, that the physical representation of the scaly crimson serpent no longer lived within him. It was her personal mission to change that for him, and she could start now by giving herself up freely, allowing him to see her needy nature when it came to him.

“Undress me. I won’t move. I give my body to you to do with whatever you wish. Claim me with your cock, for I am your willing prisoner, angel warrior. Have no mercy upon me. And, may I deliver my return message in person—I love you too.”

Like This? Get A Questionable Hero Here