Title: Dark Attraction
Series: Corde Noire Society Novel #2
Author: Alexandrea Weis
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: May 16, 2016
She keeps it hidden from the world … the world of the living, that is.
When Doug Morgan moves into her apartment building, Sam is intrigued by her sexy new neighbor. She struggles to keep her ghostly ability from him, but Doug isn’t interested in her spiritual sense. He’s after something much more … sensual.
A Dominant with dark tastes, Doug offers Sam a glimpse into his world. He invites her to take part in an experiment to explore the extremes of pleasure. Seduced by his lifestyle, Sam agrees. There’s just one little catch … Doug also has a secret.
Someone Sam never saw coming.
Sometimes, the dark side of pleasure can turn deadly.
From New Orleans, Alexandrea Weis was raised in the motion picture industry and began writing stories at the age of eight. In college she studied nursing and went on to teach at a local university. After several years in the medical field, she decided to pick up the pen once again and began her first novel, To My Senses. Since that time she has published many novels. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her award-winning books, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story memorable. Her work has been critically acclaimed and has been continually growing in popularity.
Alexandrea Weis is also a certified/permitted wildlife rehabber with the La. Wildlife and Fisheries. When she is not writing, she rescues orphaned and injured wildlife. She is married; they live in New Orleans.
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Paranormal Romance
Date Published: May 16, 2016
Kaitlin Mayer is on the run from the father of her baby – a vampire who wants her to join him in deadly eternity. Terrified for her young son, she seeks sanctuary with the Hunters Guild. Yet they have their own plans for her son, and her hopes of safety are soon shattered.
When she runs into Matthew Blair, an old nemesis with an agenda of his own, she dares to hope for a new escape. But Matthew is a telepath, and Kaitlin's past is full of dark secrets she never intended to reveal.
*Companion to the Cassie Scot Series
Excerpt
Chapter 1
From: [email protected]
Re: Jason is Dead
Jason is dead.
Go ahead. Say “I told you so.” You never do, but just this once could you stoop down to the level of us mere mortals long enough to sneer like a ten-year-old? Put a little hip wiggle into it and wrinkle your nose. Roll your eyes at me like I’m the biggest moron on the planet.
After all you did, in fact, tell me so.
And when you’re finished, I need you to do me the biggest favor I’ve ever asked in my life. In all likelihood, the last favor I’ll ever ask. I need you to take Jay. I need you to keep him safe, because you and Evan are probably the only two people who can. I hope that one day you can find it in your heart to love him like you love your own daughter.
Your Friend,
Kaitlin
Kaitlin closed her eyes as she hit send, praying that Cassie still was her friend. Praying that nothing went wrong over the next two days. And just… praying.
* * *
“It’s time, Kaitlin.”
Kaitlin rocked her one-year-old son back and forth, trying to convince him to go down for a nap, but Jay wasn’t having it. He was teething, and it seemed to hurt him worse when he lay in a horizontal position. He was so tired that Kaitlin swore she’d hold him upright for eight hours if he’d just fall asleep, but he seemed, paradoxically, too tired to sleep.
Jason’s intrusion wasn’t helping. Jay turned his head and reached his arms out for his father – or the vampire who had once been his father – instinctively begging for the love that should have been his by right. But Jason had never taken an interest in his son; he could barely stand to look at him. In fact, if anything had finally convinced Kaitlin that Jason was dead, it was the fact that the real Jason had died for his son. This thing now inhabiting his body didn’t even seem to care.
“Did you hear me?” Jason asked, his voice unusually sharp.
Jay cried harder. Kaitlin shushed him and rocked more furiously, pretending she hadn’t heard. Pretending she could delay the inevitable a few more days. But she’d known this day was coming for a while now. Had sensed it would be soon. It was why she had e-mailed her best friend in the world two days ago, begging for help, prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of her son. But Cassie had not responded, and Sara, the nanny who had agreed to transport Jay, had disappeared.
“Answer me, Kaitlin,” Jason said in a voice that at one time would have compelled obedience. It no longer did, even though Jason continued to feed from her daily, simultaneously injecting her body with a venom that should have kept her in thrall. She wasn’t sure why the thrall had gradually dissipated over the past few months, but her new clarity of mind had bigger problems to work out – like the fact that Jason wanted to make her just like him.
Jason took another step into the nursery, his form now illuminated by the soft glow of the night light. He looked the same as he had in life – tall, broad, muscular and very, very large. He rarely ventured inside these hallowed walls, but Kaitlin had spent more and more time there of late, requiring him to come inside if he wanted her.
“Can’t you make him shut up?” Jason asked.
“I’m trying! Can’t we talk about this later?”
“Can we? You never leave this room.”
And he never came in. Would Kaitlin come in after she turned? Or would she forget Jay’s existence, the way Jason had? Her nightmare was that of Jay screaming for his mother, but she never came. Eventually, he would stop crying. Then after a few days, when no one came to feed him, he would stop doing everything else.
“Please, just let me get Jay down for his nap. Then we can talk.”
“There’s no need to wait.” Another man came to stand just inside the doorway, a man who made Kaitlin’s blood turn to ice whenever she saw him. Xavier looked so deceptively ordinary; it was part of his power. Brown hair, brown eyes, medium build, medium height… But she had seen him rip the throat out of men and face an entire heptade of vampire hunters without breaking a sweat.
He wasn’t superhuman,; he was inhuman. She couldn’t fathom his purpose, but she suspected his goal was to create an entire new race of vampires under his control. At least, that’s what she assumed happened to the dozens of people who came into their lives for varying lengths of time, most of them nearly catatonic from the vampire’s thrall. She was not permitted to speak to them, and when they left, she never saw them again.
Xavier was over two hundred years old, but he didn’t look at Kaitlin as though she were a child. He looked at her as though she were food. Kaitlin had long sensed that he was no longer human, that he was somehow alien. She had sensed it in him before the thrall had worn off, though she hadn’t cared. The realization had taken much longer with Jason. Perhaps that sense of other increased over time.
Even Jay could sense the evil in Xavier. The boy started bucking and twisting, his tiny face turning red. He might have had his supernatural strength bound so he didn’t accidentally hurt someone, but even without it he was a marvel of physical strength. He had crawled at about two weeks old. Now, at a year old, he could run like a ten-year-old. According to stories Jason’s mom had told her, Jason had grown up the same way. Jason the vampire never talked about his childhood.
“Please, leave us alone!” Kaitlin cried, trying with all her might to cling to the wriggling child.
“Sara can take him,” Xavier said.
He stepped to the side and Kaitlin’s heart leaped. Oh thank God! Not that she wanted to give up her son. It was the hardest thing she would ever do in her life, but she had gone over it and over it in her mind. She had no choice. Jason would not take no for an answer any longer. He would turn her into a vampire tonight and when he did, Jay would need protection. Even from her.
The thirty-something woman who had helped Kaitlin with Jay over the past year strode into the room as if she hadn’t just disappeared without a word for two days. Kaitlin didn’t need a nanny; as she’d told both Jason and Xavier a hundred times, she could handle Jay on her own. But Sara had provided some companionship and comfort to her, especially in the months since the thrall had worn off. Sara always had a friendly smile on her face, was infinitely patient with Jay (something Kaitlin definitely wasn’t), and despite their age difference, they had a lot in common. They read the same books, liked the same movies, and both feared the men who haunted this house alongside them.
Kaitlin smiled at Sara despite the churning of butterflies in her stomach. Sara knew what to do. She’d pretend to take Jay for a quick drive to the store, but she wouldn’t stop for diapers. She’d keep going, leaving their two-story house in Virginia and not stopping until she reached Eagle Rock, Missouri.
“Let me try getting him to sleep,” Sara said, striding over.
“It’s no good,” Kaitlin said. “Maybe you could take him for a drive.”
When Sara reached the rocking chair, Kaitlin kissed Jay on the head, surreptitiously saying good-bye. Then she handed Jay to the nanny.
The baby cried harder still, his wails threatening to shake the house down. What was the matter with him? Jay was often quiet for Sara when he refused to settle for Kaitlin.
That’s when Kaitlin recalled the coldness of the woman’s arms as she’d passed Jay into them. The pallor of her skin. The slight yellow tinge to her eyes.
“No!” Kaitlin screamed, trying to get Jay back.
Jason got between the two women, using his superior strength to stop Kaitlin from moving at all. He had her arms pinned to her sides and then, inexorably, he pushed her out the door.
“I’m sorry,” Sara said, her voice flat, maybe even lifeless.
“No!” Kaitlin tried to dig her heels into the thick blue carpeting, knowing it was useless. Knowing Jason and Xavier had the strength to make her do anything. Knowing she was as dead as Jason. Knowing, but not yet accepting. “No! Not now! It can’t happen now!”
Jason picked her up easily with one arm and clamped his other hand over her mouth. She fought. She kicked and strained with all her might, but to an outside observer she probably looked as docile as a kitten.
Xavier followed in their wake as Jason made his way down the elegant, hardwood stairs to the sparsely furnished living room. Xavier was rich. Filthy rich after centuries of whatever he did. But he kept few creature comforts. When it came to houses he preferred quantity to quality – he had safe houses all over the world. In the past year, Kaitlin had lived in four of them.
Jason set Kaitlin down on the beige couch then sat beside her, pinning her there with his size and weight. She had already stopped struggling, however; it did her no good. She would have to think of something else, but what? She had been prepared to die to get her son to safety, but now it seemed that she was the only one who could save him.
With that thought steeling her resolve, Kaitlin calmed down. She might be the biggest moron on the planet for agreeing to run away with a vampire in the first place, but she was smart enough to know that if she had any hope of getting out of this, it was through words and cunning. She had no physical strength to pit against a vampire, one of the strongest creatures on the planet. Also, one of the fastest.
Jason placed a heavy hand on her pajama-clad thigh, squeezing slightly through the silky material. Kaitlin felt nothing but cold dead fingers, but she pushed away her revulsion the way she’d been pushing it away for the past few months. Closing her eyes, she melted against him, emitting a soft sigh of surrender.
“There, that’s better,” Jason said as he continued running his cold hand up and down her thigh. “Xavier, I don’t think you need to be here for this.”
“You’ve never watched anyone turn,” Xavier said smoothly. “And you’ve always been a bit of an idiot where that girl was concerned.”
Jason growled and Kaitlin tensed once again, not sure which of the two vampires she feared more.
“She’s mine.” Jason tightened the possessive hand squeezing her thigh; she struggled to keep from crying out in pain. “That’s what we agreed before you ever turned me.”
“She doesn’t want to turn and she’s immune to thrall.”
Immune? Did he know why? She dared to look at him; Xavier smiled, fangs bared, eyes yellow with bloodlust. He had looked at her just that way so many times she had lost count, but still she shivered.
“I can handle her,” Jason said. “But not with you here. She doesn’t trust you.”
“Have it your way.” Xavier supplied a mock bow to Jason, shot Kaitlin another malicious look, then backed out of the living room by way of the kitchen. Since vampires didn’t eat food, she was sure he meant to go through it to the garage and indeed, a few seconds later, she heard the garage door open.
“Sorry about him,” Jason said. “Now where were we?”
Kaitlin drew in a deep, shaky breath and forced herself to relax as he moved his hand away from her thigh, running it up her hips, around her waist, and then with an almighty tug, he pulled her forward so she sat atop his lap.
“We can’t do this now,” Kaitlin said, keeping her voice gentle and sweet. “I’m weak. You forgot to give me that blood replenishment potion yesterday.”
“I didn’t forget,” Jason said. “It’s time, Kaitlin. Time for you to join me for real, the way you promised you would when you left Eagle Rock last year.”
“I will. Of course I will! But you know how important it was for me to nurse Jay. I want only the best for our son, like you do.” She held her breath, wondering if the lie would continue to hold one last time. She hadn’t actually nursed Jay in at least six months. Apparently, exsanguination wasn’t good for a woman’s milk supply, even with regular blood replenishment potions.
Jason frowned, but she forced herself to remain outwardly calm. He might not have seen through the lie; he often got that look on his face when they discussed the baby. If he’d paid any attention to Jay at all he would have noticed the feeding change months ago.
“How stupid do I look?” Jason asked, finally. Then he shook his head. “Why don’t you want to turn?”
“Don’t be silly.” Kaitlin ran a finger across his smooth, pale jaw, remembering how it had sported a five o’clock shadow the first time she’d seen him. The first time they’d made love. The night they’d unintentionally made Jay – not that she’d change that part now. Only what came later. “Of course I want to live forever. You know me. I live for ‘happily ever after.'”
“I had to drag you down the stairs,” Jason said. “You’ve been distant since the thrall wore off. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”
Kaitlin’s mind raced. What were the right words? What would put off the inevitable? She had no idea, so she ended up blurting, “Why did the thrall wear off?”
“Something Xavier did,” Jason said dismissively. “He says it will make you a stronger vampire.”
Will it make me stronger now, when I really need it? Kaitlin wondered, but did not ask.
“Now answer my question” Jason continued. “Why don’t you want to turn? You weren’t in thrall when you first ran away with me.”
“I’m nervous. Weren’t you nervous before you turned? Xavier said it took months to convince you.”
“I was a hunter, brought up within my order to believe vampires are soulless monsters.”
Are you? Kaitlin wanted to ask. Even now, she wasn’t sure “soulless” was the right word. Something lurked behind Jason’s eyes – and even Xavier’s. She just wasn’t sure it was anything she wanted to be a part of.
“Well, I may know better,” Kaitlin began, “but I’m still not sure… I mean…” She cast about wildly for an idea. Something to delay the inevitable. Anything. And finally, she settled on the truth. Or part of it. “You’ve changed. I don’t pretend to understand how. I didn’t know you well before I ran off with you; we only had the one night together. Mostly, I knew you from stories your cousin Cassie told.”
“You know me now,” Jason said, sliding a finger down her slender throat. “You’ve known me for a year. Haven’t I treated you well?”
“Of course you have,” Kaitlin said. “You know I love you.” She leaned forward, letting the top of her button-down silk shirt part slightly, though Jason didn’t seem as taken with cleavage as normal men. His favorite parts of her were the throat, wrists, and inner thighs.
“I haven’t cheated on you,” Jason said. “I haven’t hit you. I haven’t even asked you to get a job. I take care of you.”
“And Jay?” Kaitlin asked, because what he said was sort of true. It wasn’t a high standard, but she’d chosen some real losers in her time who had done all those things – cheated on her, hit her, and sponged off her hard work.
Perhaps if she’d known Jason better in life she could be more certain now that he wasn’t the same man. After all, aside from the bloodsucking thing there wasn’t anything she could specifically put her finger on that was any different from regular imperfect mortals. Some men ignored their children. Some men were up at all hours of the night and slept all day. Some men only seemed to notice her when they needed something from her – blood or sex, it was all the same.
But it all came down to the one thing she knew for sure about Jason: He had loved his son. He had cared so much that he had died to protect the baby from his own father, who had planned to body-hop into Jason, then again into Jay when he was old enough. Jason even turned into a vampire – a being he’d been trained to hate – so he would still be able to guard his son in death. And maybe the vampire Jason would protect Jay if ever put to the test, but Kaitlin wasn’t sure how he would even know the baby was in danger.
The vampire almost didn’t seem wholly connected to this world. He didn’t see it the same way humans saw it. There was something alien in his eyes and cold in his touch – and it wasn’t just the fact that no blood ran through his veins. Maybe the vampire hunters had it wrong, maybe he wasn’t entirely evil (though she wouldn’t say the same about Xavier), but she didn’t trust the vampire sitting beneath her. He wanted to seduce her into turning for reasons she could not possibly fathom, like trying to understand the will of God.
“Who will take care of Jay after I turn?” Kaitlin asked.
“You will.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
“Sara will. Or we’ll hire someone else. What does it matter?”
Indeed. “Just give me a few days. I told you I need to wean the baby. I can do it quickly. We’ll drop one feeding per day so that will be…” Kaitlin tried to think. How many times per day did a one-year-old nurse? Well, she’d go with the number of bottles she gave him a day and figure it was close enough. Jason wouldn’t know the difference. “… four days.”
Jason snorted. “And in four days you’re going to want to turn?” He gave her a piercing look, and she suddenly knew – just knew – that he didn’t believe her. “I want you to want this, Kaitlin. Xavier says it goes better when they want it.”
“I do want it. Of course I want it.” She placed soft kisses on his cheeks, his forehead, his ear. He lifted his face to give her better access, making her think she had convinced him. Lulling him into a false sense of security.
“Liar!” He shoved her off his lap, not onto the couch, but onto the ground. Kaitlin, not expecting the movement, fell heavily to the hardwood floor and yelped when her bottom connected with the unyielding surface.
“Jason?”
He stood, towering over her, and she scooted backwards on hands and knees, getting tangled in her long blonde hair.
“Xavier intercepted that e-mail you sent to Cassie the other day,” Jason said, stalking her as she scuttled across the floor.
“What?” Oh no. But that did explain Sara. And why Cassie hadn’t replied.
“You were going to give away the baby.”
“Why not?” Kaitlin asked. “You don’t want him! You said it didn’t matter who raised him.”
“This host wants him, and so do I.”
Kaitlin’s eyes widened. This was the first time Jason had ever let slip a hint that he was not the same person he had been before he’d turned.
“You can’t run from this fate,” Jason said.
Kaitlin’s scrambling hands had found the edge of the stone fireplace and she stopped, able to move no further. Jason knelt to loom over her, cupping her face in his hands. From anyone else, it might have been a caress.
“Cassie and Evan can’t protect you or the boy, you know,” Jason said. “Evan’s strong, but he’s never been much use against a vampire. I should know. I saved his life once.”
“You did? Or your host?”
Jason scowled. “There’s no place you can run. No one to protect you. Give up. Give in. Come gracefully.”
He still wanted her to agree to this, Kaitlin realized. He still wanted her willing cooperation. She had no idea why, but she’d take any opening she could get. “Three days. Give me three days.”
“We have your blood,” Jason said.
“So?”
“Didn’t you learn anything about magic from Cassie? I haven’t just eaten from you. I have your blood, and I’m a sorcerer as well as a vampire. I can use it to find you anywhere on this planet, so unless you can get to Mars, you can’t hide from me.”
“Oh.” Kaitlin was shaking now. She wished she’d thought to start a fire in the fireplace behind her, though she doubted the warmth would have penetrated.
“Tomorrow night,” Jason said. “That’s as much time as I’ll give you to prepare.”
A reprieve. She had no idea how, but she had a reprieve. Twenty-four hours wasn’t much, but it was more than she’d had a few minutes ago.
“Tell me you understand,” Jason said. “Tell me you’ll come to me tomorrow. Tell me like you mean it.”
“I understand,” Kaitlin said.
And then she wound her arms around Jason, kissing him for all she was worth. She explored his mouth with teeth and tongue, tracing the outline of his fangs. He bit her lip, stinging her for a moment before the pain-numbing property of the vampire venom set in. After a minute, he drew his head back, traced the column of her neck with his index finger, and sank his teeth in with such force that for a moment she thought he’d snapped her neck.
“Oh!” she cried, trying to make it sound like a moan. It didn’t hurt, but it didn’t feel as good as it once had, especially now that she worried Jason wasn’t planning to wait another night after all. What if he took every last drop? What if he drained her dry? He had never pulled from her so hard or drunk so long.
“Jason!” Kaitlin finally cried. “Please. You said tomorrow.”
He pulled back, fangs and lips stained red with her blood. The venom coagulated the wound so she wouldn’t bleed out, but she felt so lightheaded she wondered if she’d lost too much blood anyway.
Jason ran his thumb across his lips. “Yes, tomorrow night.”
“Blood replenishment potion?”
“No.” Jason rose to his feet, taking several deliberate steps away from her. “I don’t think I want you strong enough to escape.”
“You said there was no escape.”
Jason didn’t answer, he just turned and walked away, leaving Kaitlin on the floor, her head spinning, her breath coming in shallow gasps, her pulse weak and thready. But she wasn’t dead yet, and as long as she wasn’t dead, there remained hope.
About the Author
Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.
At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, which scars the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.
Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. In addition to being a writer, she's a freelance editor, mom, and foster mom.
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Buy Links
The Cassie Scot Series
Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective (Cassie Scot #1)
Secrets and Lies (Cassie Scot #2)
Mind Games (Cassie Scot #3)
Stolen Dreams (Cassie Scot #4)
Madison's Song (a Cassie Scot Companion)
Releasing May 19th Add to your Goodreads shelf now I love women. I’m not ashamed to admit that making a beautiful woman come is my main goal in life—one that I accomplish night after night. Women are as drawn to me as I am to them. I don’t get turned down. It’s not a brag, just a fact. At least it was a fact. Until I met Quinn—the one woman who didn’t fall for my easy charm. Now, I have to have her. She may not want to get close, may not want to admit that I turn her on and can give her a night that she’ll never forget, but she was mine the first moment I saw her. Eventually, I’ll have her beneath me, my hands in her hair, and my name on her lips. It’s what I do. I’m the Panty Whisperer.
Intro THE MAJORITY OF men want sex just to get off. They blow their load, roll over, and fall asleep. That's not my style. I want you to remember my face. I want you to remember every inch of me. And you will. I want to watch your eyes roll up in your head, your toes cramp up while curling under your feet, your thighs trembling around my face, begging for my stiff cock inside your hot, wet pussy. Every time you tease your clit, longing for your hair to be pulled, while squeezing those quivering pussy walls around your slippery fingers, you'll be wishing it was me inside of you, drilling balls deep into that aching cunt while you dig your nails into the sheets. I want to own your mind for the rest of your life. The thought of me will be a thirst you can't quench, a drug you can't have, an itch that can't be scratched, no matter how hard you try. Nobody will send a shock of neural ecstasy from your pulsating little cunt to the tips of your toes the way I will. Care to bet me? Jessica Moore MOST PEOPLE HAVE something they're good at: math, sports, music, art. I wasn't born with some common talent. I'm a master of making women come. I don't know why, or how it happened, it's just built into my DNA. I've always been able to talk to women and get them to do whatever I want. Ever since I was a teenager, if there was a girl nobody could bed, I got there first. My name is Joel Hannover. Well, actually, that's a bit of a lie. Joel is my middle name. My first name is Herbert. I hate that name. It's like my parents were trying to cock block me from conception. I work as an accounting software consultant. It sounds fancy like I should be good with math or computers. Nothing could be further from the truth. I'm a salesman. My job, however, is perfect for my hobby. Most accounting departments are comprised of women. Women that most people think are boring or uneventful. I meet these women every day. Insecure, dressed conservatively, hiding their beautiful bodies behind layers of clothing, afraid a few pounds of baby weight might still show. They're ladies who work crossword puzzles, and process numbers and transactions. It's all a façade though. These women are just like any others. Sexual creatures who want to have all of their desires met and all of their needs fulfilled. They're practically begging for someone to explore them, to bring them out of their shell, and release the sexual tension that has saturated their entire being, afraid to break free. They get their rocks off reading erotica, watching porn, or using the shower head in a manner it was not intended for. I can't allow this. They need someone to open their mind, and release their fantasies into the wild. Someone to spread their thighs and take them to places they never knew possible, where all of their darkest fantasies reside. This is the environment where I thrive. Meet Jessica Moore: mid-thirties, married with two kids, unhappy. Fucking hot. She's a senior fixed asset analyst at a company that's implementing my firm's new software. She is amazingly sexy and wasting away in a bad marriage that is held together solely for the kids. We've been working together on this project for about two weeks now and have grown somewhat close. She cracks a smile as I walk through the door to her office. "Good morning." "Jessica—" I pause for a moment and eye her curvy hips and round breasts. "—you look nice." She looks hot as fuck, if I'm being honest. Jessica bites her lip and smiles. I want to put my cock in that beautiful mouth so badly. I have to have her. I've been observing her for the last two weeks, processing every bit of information she provides. She loves Starbucks, romantic comedies, and has an adventurous side to her that she's afraid to act on. Well, she didn't exactly say that, but like I said before, I can sense these things. It's an innate ability. "Did you have a good weekend?" "Completely boring, didn't do much of anything. Philip went hunting and left me with the kids. So we had a movie night on Saturday. You?" I can't really tell her I filmed myself banging two twenty-year-old co-eds, and then watched it while going a second round with them. "Oh, I had a movie night myself. New indie film, you wouldn't have heard of it." Hey, you didn't lie to her. I can't stop staring at her black, mid-length skirt hugging tight around her hips. I get the slightest peek at her tanned cleavage protruding through her low-cut red top as she reaches into the bottom of a file cabinet. She's dressed up today, and it's for me; we both know it. The first day I was here she wore mom jeans and a sweater. Her wavy brunette hair is pulled back into a ponytail, and her bright-blue eyes send my stomach churning in knots every time I catch a glimpse of them. It's obvious that she works out and watches her figure, but she's got these curves that send blood straight to my dick. I have to fuck this woman. No, I want to make this woman come harder than she ever has in her life, if she ever has at all. She deserves it. She works hard and is a good mother. I'm going to plow her so hard she wants to scream but the words won't come out. I can tell she wants it, constantly eyeing my six-foot-two frame, wondering what I'm packing in my slacks. It's not ten inches, but it gets the job done. A massive cock is overrated anyway. I'm not trying to scar her for life. I pull a caramel macchiato with no whipped cream out from behind my back and set it down on the desk in front of her. It's all about paying attention to details. "Oh my god. You're my hero. Seriously." She takes a sip. "I'm a slave to caffeine." "I know how it goes." Only my drug of choice is that yearning pussy that's heating up for me in your panties while you eye fuck the shit out of me. Soon. "So, what's on the agenda for today?" She walks back behind her desk. "Just a follow up consult, half a day. Make sure all the modules are functioning the way you like, and then I'm out of your hair." Her head drops a little and she stares down at the desk for a moment before looking back up at me. "Well, I'm taking you to lunch before you leave. On the company, if that's okay?" "I can't say no to a free meal." I laugh, knowing what I'll be dining on. It's under that skirt of hers. Today is a day she'll remember for the rest of her life. She just doesn't know it yet. Most of the morning is uneventful, working out kinks in the software. Lunch can't get here fast enough. "Hey, can you take a look at this? I'm not sure this menu is exactly how we'd like it." She turns back to me, then back to her screen. I lean over her shoulder, perching up near her ear. God, she smells amazing. I try to look at the screen, but all I can focus on is a black lace bra corralling a pair of 38D breasts. She knows exactly what she's doing, breaking out the sexy underwear for my last day here, longing for them to end up on the floor. "I think we should switch options three and four on this window." "Shouldn't be a problem." I don't even look at the fucking screen. My eyes are busy, working down those creamy thighs with her knees pressed together, calves running down to a pair of black heels, legs crossed at the ankles. I look up at the screen and try to buy myself some extra time. "Well, wait, what if we moved option two, and had a separate pop-up option for four?" I don't even know if my words made sense or not, and I can tell she doesn't care. She starts to speak and I exhale lightly across her neck. "Hmm, I—" Her voice cracks a little as her eyes close, the tiny hairs on her neck standing at attention from my warm breath. I interrupt her. "No, never mind. I think I like your idea better." I breathe into her ear as I raise my head up. I spy her brushing her hands across her legs and onto her knees as I walk away. She doesn't think I notice, but I do. I can't stop thinking about how wet her cunt is right now, her lips begging for my cock to drive into them. It's going to be a long lunch. I ride with her to the restaurant, but don't make any moves. I want to tease her as long as possible. It's a long-term investment for the eruption that will take place between her legs later, when I press the buttons in every erogenous zone in her brain. The clacking of her heels on the tile floor of the restaurant and her ass swaying back and forth in that skirt have my cock rock hard against the zipper of my pants. She knows she's driving me crazy too. Jessica thinks she might know what's coming, but there's enough uncertainty to keep her wondering if she'll merely be dreaming about fucking me when she rubs one out later. I pull her chair out for her, to her surprise. "Sorry if that makes you uncomfortable. My mom drilled the behavior into me since I was a boy." "Aww. A mama's boy? I think it's sweet that she taught you to be a gentleman." She blushes. "Yeah, she's old school. Guys sometimes look at me funny, but it always seems to work in my favor with the ladies." I flash her a devilish grin as I sit down. The sexual tension is building, and for some reason seeing her wedding ring makes me want her more, as if it makes the game more of a challenge. I mean, I don't go out seeking married women, but I don't turn them down either. I didn't make any promises to anyone to remain faithful, that's their issue. She's staring at me with those seductive blue eyes again. Goddamn they drive me crazy. I'm a sucker for beautiful eyes. Her hair pulled back makes them pop even more. I want that red lipstick smeared all over my cock while I stare into them. "So, what are you having?" she asks. Definitely not the salad you will order. I can tell she'll order one before the words leave her mouth. It's a funny thing. Honestly, if she ordered a cheeseburger or steak it'd probably turn me on even more. I'll order something decent, but not something that will make her feel bad for ordering salad. Grilled chicken or salmon is usually the go to. "Oh, I think I'll have the lemon pepper chicken." I look over to see a guy tearing into a cheeseburger. Fucker. But it's a price I'm willing to pay to get inside Jessica. We laugh for a while, trading war stories about work, bad relationships, all the while flirting. Instinctively, I reach for the check when it comes. "I told you it's on the company." She shoves my hand away, but not before holding on to it an extra split second. "Sorry, it's a force of habit." Yeah right. I know exactly what I'm doing. She's sharp, so I'm sure she's caught on to some of the bullshit. It's still worth it, as long as I don't overdo it. The drive back is the longest of my life. I can see her subtly squirming in her seat, anticipating what will come next, afraid that it's going to end, and she's going to be left with nothing but her hand and a cold shower. A memory of what might have been. I smile at the thought and glance over at her. Don't worry, Jessica. You're going to get everything you want and then some. Just wait. Tension is building in my balls already as we pull into the parking garage. I'm on the verge of exploding in my pants. This is what I live for, the moments right before. All the anticipation, the sweaty palms, the stomach butterflies, my prick growing hard in my slacks, the animalistic instincts of wanting to drill the woman sitting two feet away, separated only by a console and some cup holders. Finally, we pull into the parking space, staring at each other momentarily before opening our doors. I pretend to be a little upset that she opened the door for herself. "I'm so sorry. I'm not used to the royal treatment. My husband would have been inside the building by now." "Well, why don't you make up for it and walk me to my car?" That gets a giggle out of her. It's cheesy as fuck, but she eats it up. Jessica holds out her arm to escort me, and I take it. I feel my forearm rub against her tight hard nipple and soft breast. It sends a warm sensation straight to my cock. The sound of her heels clacking on the concrete as we near my car has my pulse racing. I can see her biting her lip, knowing this is the moment for her. I can practically see everything she is thinking. Is he really going to fuck me in his car, or in the dark corner of this busy parking garage? Why did he park all the way back here anyway? Did he plan this out? You're goddamn right I did, Jessica. We approach my '67 Fastback in the corner and she gasps. I've had it since I was 17 and restored it myself. Classic muscle cars are an aphrodisiac if there ever was one. She releases my arm to walk in front of me. Her ass is driving me wild in that skirt, I want to bite it and hear her squeal. "Is that a '67?" Jesus Christ, she knows her cars. I'm now rock hard. "Sure is." She's walking faster, and I match her pace as she turns to the driver's side door. I have to check this out." She runs her hand down the sleek metal in the sexiest way possible. It's time. I walk up behind her and press my palm to the small of her back before smoothing it down to her ass. Her eyes close as she presses her tits up against the window, hands resting at the top of the car. I lean in close, next to her ear. "I have to check you out." My voice is a whisper as I watch people get in and out of their cars, nothing between us and them but my Mustang. "I know you want this." I whisper in her ear as I dig my fingers into her ass. "But, I'm married." Her words are a muttered gasp. She moans lightly as I run my hand up her skirt. She's trying to tease me. She'll find out who's in control momentarily. "You sure? Last chance?" I exhale in her ear, and walk my fingers up her inner-thigh. She won't resist anymore. "I think we both know the answer to that." I rub my fingers back and forth on her hot, wet panties, circling around her clit. A shudder rips through her shoulders. I whisper in her ear again while breathing down her neck. "This is what you've wanted all week, isn't it? Me, behind you, my hand up your skirt, playing with this pussy? Look at all these people. They have no idea I'm about to shove my fingers inside you." I lean forward and watch as she opens her eyes to see all the people in front of us who have no idea what we're doing. I can see the spark in her eyes as the heat rushes through her veins like a strong narcotic. "You've been dreaming about my fingers inside this tight little cunt, knowing you could lose your job if you get caught. But you don't care, do you? You want it too bad. You need me finger fucking this needy pussy, don't you?" I slip my thumb inside of her, two fingers swirling on her clit. "Oh my fucking god, yes." She coos, and spreads her thighs, giving me more access. I roll one of her tight nipples between my fingers before running my hand over her breast. I can feel Jessica's heartbeat on my thumb inside of her, panties cocked to the side. I focus on her clit, still running my fingers over it in small circles. "Keep an eye out." I drop to my knees slowly. "What?" She glances back and down to me as I raise her skirt up, releasing her beautiful peach-shaped ass with black lace panties covering the upper half. She looks back up immediately before closing her eyes, finally giving in to the possibility of being discovered. I massage her ass cheeks over her panties—I know she wore them specifically for this moment—before pulling them down around her knees, revealing her swollen, pink entrance, already wet and glistening between her thighs. I take my time, working up the back of her tan legs, teasing her slit with the tip of my tongue, before burying my nose in her ass, and darting my tongue into her. Jessica lets out a slight squeal, and then covers her mouth, looking around to see if anyone noticed. A family of four is walking through the parking lot, oblivious to me tasting her sweet pussy a few cars down. I pick up the pace, flicking my tongue on her clit and probing her while she squirms against the car door, wanting to shout but knowing she can't. I grip her ass, and turn her around to face me, staring eye-level at her pink, freshly shaved cunt. I can see the lust in her eyes, and it fills me with a sense of power and satisfaction, knowing that she is going to finally open her mind and release all of the tension that's been building for years in every bone in her body. I yank her pussy to my mouth, which sends her bending over me in surprise. "Oh my god, oh my god." Her words are jumbled under her breath. I start working my fingers up her inner thigh while teasing her bump with my tongue, licking her wetness that flows down onto my face. The closer my fingers get, the tighter she squeezes her legs together. I lean back and look up to her eyes. "Relax. You're about to experience something you've never felt before." She loosens, and her legs slowly spread as I work my fingers in, still teasing my tongue on her clit and watching her paw at her breasts. Neither of us give a fuck about getting caught at this point. The attraction is too strong. Her eyes roll back as I take my two fingers to the hilt, curling them up to the ridge I find deep inside. Her walls squeeze tight around my fingers, and I imagine what they'll feel like around my cock later. Wow, this pussy is tight. She definitely hasn't had it in a while. The suctioning noise of my fingers pumping in and out of her echoes off the concrete walls surrounding us. My fingers are drenched as she grips the back of my scalp, the insides of her arms pressing those beautiful tits together. I snake my tongue over her and work it in circles as my fingers hammer away deep inside of her. "Goddamn it, Joel, fuck!" Her words are a little too loud for comfort, but it doesn't slow me down. She's on the edge and doesn't realize what's on the other side. She's always been too afraid to let go and take the plunge. I'm about to take her there. I lift up my pinky finger. My entire hand and her thighs are shimmering, and covered in Jessica's wetness. I slide my pinky finger between the crack of her ass with each thrust of my fingers, before teasing her tight little puckered asshole with it. "Holy. Fuck." She's panting, barely able to breathe. Her hips fly back and try to push her ass through the car door, barely able to handle the intense nerve firings ripping to her core. I keep my head buried into her, my mouth latched onto her pussy, increasing the tempo of my tongue and fingers. I remove my head from between her legs for a brief second. "Just let it happen," I whisper, before diving back in, lashing my tongue across her pussy. "Okay, okay. Oh my fucking god!" She covers her mouth, trying not to scream as my pinky slides slightly inside of her asshole, and I start rubbing over her g-spot in small circles, my fingers fully plunged into the depths of her. She's now bucking her hips into my face, fully engrossed in her fantasy. A shudder starts in her legs and shoots through her. Her entire body tenses as her thighs squeeze around my face, her nails digging into my scalp. Her pussy clamps around my fingers like a vise and she convulses against my face, before letting go and coming all over my lips, unable to make a sound. I savor every drop as time freezes for her, all of her sexual energy channeled into her pulsating clit, then shooting to her extremities. She finally relaxes a little, her beautiful breasts rising and falling with each deep breath. I stand up slowly to meet her with a smile, running my fingers across her tight nipples just to see a shiver jolt through her torso. "You are a genius." A huge smile spreads across her face. "Holy fuck!" I've unleashed the beast. It's inside of every woman, she just doesn't know it. She throws me up against the car, and my cock immediately rises to attention as she rubs her palm over it. Her eyes widen as she feels my length in her hand, growing more and more the tighter she squeezes. "I have a few things I want to do to you." "Do it then." I grin. She drops to her knees and unbuckles my belt, then pulls it apart with her teeth, one of my weaknesses that I find ridiculously hot. Her bright, blue eyes staring up at me have my balls roiling with tension, and I haven't even been inside her yet. She unzips my pants and pulls my briefs down with them in one quick motion, releasing my cock like a spring-loaded weapon. "Oh my." She strokes the length of my prick slowly with one hand, the other rubbing on her beautiful tits over her shirt. She teases my tip with her tongue. A tingling sensation shoots through my legs as soon as her warm tongue curls around the head of my cock. "You've wanted to suck that dick, haven't you?" I stare down at her skirt that's hiked up over her beautiful ass. She nods, taking me a little farther into her mouth, those blue eyes locked on mine, logging away every reaction in her memory. The inside of her cheeks closing around the head of my cock sends my head flying backward. She's surprisingly better than I thought she'd be. Accountants, they have a wild side to them. She's now hit her groove, stroking and sucking in one smooth, rhythmic motion. It feels amazing. I can't stop staring at those ruby-red lips spread tight around my stiff prick, smearing her lipstick on the length of it. Suddenly, she lifts my cock and presses it to my stomach, before diving onto my balls and sucking on one and then the other, all the while stroking my cock with her palm. "You like that, don't you?" She pauses for a moment. I'm not going to lie; it feels fucking amazing. Apparently, I don't answer her fast enough as she spits all over my balls, and takes one in her mouth, sucking forcefully on it. Goddamn. I'm contemplating letting her have control of this whole ordeal. She might fuck even better than I thought. "Hell yes, just like that." "I saw you staring at my tits in the office. You've been teasing me with this dick all week. You want to fuck them. Don't you?" I grin. What have I created? This woman is incredible, radiating sexual confidence. I'm going to change her life. "Thought you'd never ask." She looks around as if she's suddenly worried about someone seeing her pull her tits out. Never mind the fact that she just smothered her face with my balls. Before I know it, she has her bra pulled out through her sleeve, and she's lifted her shirt up, releasing a beautiful pair of natural tits that bounce slightly. I want to bury my face between them and never come out. She squeezes them together and lets her spit slowly fall into her cleavage. "You like these?" "They're fucking perfect." "I can't wait to watch you fuck them." She spits on my cock, then scoops under her tits with one arm, her free hand palming my shaft. She slaps the head of my dick on each one, then teases at her nipples with it. I'm about to explode every time her tight pearls rub against my swollen head. "You like it when I slap your cock on these big fucking tits?" "Hell yes." Then she slaps it on her cheek and her tongue a few times, sucking the tip for a moment. Before I know it, she has those gorgeous breasts wrapped around the length of me, bobbing up and down. God I love my dick between her tits. She slides me back and forth between them, increasing and decreasing the tempo at will. I fist her ponytail in one hand, and cage her throat with the other. Her eyes grow wide as I thrust my cock back and forth between her tits. I have to get inside of her. It's uncontrollable. I grab her under her arms and yank her to her feet. She lets out a slight squeal that turns to a moan as I flip her around and shove her up against the side of the car. Her legs spread, offering her ass to me. "You want my cock inside you?" I smack her ass and dig in with my fingers, as I lean in next to her ear. "Please." I slap my dick on her ass from the side, watching the unsuspecting people come in and out of the building. "You've been dreaming about this all week haven't you? This big fucking dick in your tight cunt. It's been driving you crazy. Hasn't it?" "Mmhmm." She nods. "Ask me for it." "Can I have your cock?" "How bad do you want it?" I grip her by the hair and she moans. I rub my dick underneath her, back and forth between her soaking wet lips, coating it with her wetness. "Give it to me. Please. I want to come on your cock." I pull back on her hair and her face tilts toward the ceiling. Her tits press against the car window as I tease my head around the edge of her pussy. I slowly push into her, watching my cock disappear an inch at a time. Goddamn. She's so fucking tight and wet. She's moaning and I haven't even given it all to her yet. I can't wait for her hot walls to spasm around me. I work about three quarters into her and I start to speed up. Surprisingly, nobody has even turned a head in our direction. I lean in next to her ear. "You ready for me to fuck this pussy?" "God yes!" I grip her around the waist and go into jackhammer mode. She starts to scream and bites down on her forearm that is resting on the car. My pelvis is ramming into her ass cheeks, smacking into her as I plunge balls deep. Her tits shake against the glass. "You like that shit?" She can't even respond. I grab her ponytail and smack her ass with my free hand, leaving a red hand print. "You like that? You like being fucked like a naughty little slut?" "Jesus, I'm going to come again." "Yeah, come all over this fucking dick you've been craving." Her hot cunt closes in on me. Her eager pussy clenching for more. She's going to make me blow my load. I reach around and play with her clit, working tiny circles around it while ramming her full speed. Her thighs start to tremble. It's all too familiar now. She knows what she's capable of, and she needs it. I push her past the breaking point and her pussy clamps down on me, her ass and hips vibrating out of control as she bucks back into my cock. I hear a moan and she pauses, unable to speak. Number two is a success. Her mouth opens to scream but no words come out, just a slight squeal and heavy, deep breaths. I flip her around and lift her against the car, working my cock back inside of her. The car is supporting most of her weight as her tits smash against me. "Are you going to come for me?" She grips my tie in her right hand. "Soon." "I want it on my face." She yanks me closer by the tie, those blue eyes locked on mine. I picture her on her knees, looking at me with those eyes, while I blast her face with my warm load. It sends me into a frenzy. I start pounding into her. The smacking sounds of me ramming her, coupled with my balls slapping up against her tight little asshole, have me in another world. Tension builds inside me as I continue to fuck her as fast and as hard as possible. I can feel my load inching its way up my shaft as she starts convulsing on my prick with orgasm number three. When she squeezes that slick little cunt around me, it's all over. "Get on your knees." I slip my prick out into my palm and start stroking it furiously. She kneels down and looks up at me, her mouth open wide with her tongue sticking out, those gorgeous blue eyes locked back on mine once more, begging for every ounce. The head of my cock is expanding like a balloon. I can't speak. I can only nod to give her a warning before thrusting and letting loose. I spray across her nose and up under one of her eyes, grunting with each thrust. Her eyes close as I explode all over her. Each stroke of my cock sends a new stream into her mouth and onto her forehead, some of it dripping down to her tits. The sight of her face covered in my hot come makes my balls ache as my pelvis and thighs quiver. Finally, I finish, releasing the last of it onto her soft, pink tongue. I grab a tee shirt from inside the car. She cleans up the tip of my cock and shaft, before wiping the rest from her face and tits. I can't lie. I fuck all the time, but it never gets old. Every unique conquest is etched into my mind, a memory I'll keep forever. Each orgasm is like a symphony, in a different location, with different instruments. I look back down into those huge, satisfied blue eyes. A huge grin spreads across her face. "That was amazing." My breath is labored as I admire her beautiful face. "You think?" She giggles. "I didn't even know that was fucking possible. Who are you?" The panty whisperer. Sloane Howell lives in the Midwest United States and writes dirty stories. When not reading or writing he enjoys hanging out with his family, watching sports, playing with the dogs, traveling, and engaging his readers on social media. You can almost always catch him on Twitter posting something goofy. Visit his web page www.sloanehowell.com to sign up for his mailing list to get updates on new releases, promos, and giveaways. Thanks for reading. Author Links Twitter Facebook Web Goodreads Amazon page Instagram About the BookAuthor: Christine Amsden Genre: Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy Kaitlin Mayer is on the run from the father of her baby – a vampire who wants her to join him in deadly eternity. Terrified for her young son, she seeks sanctuary with the Hunters Guild. Yet they have their own plans for her son, and her hopes of safety are soon shattered. When she runs into Matthew Blair, an old nemesis with an agenda of his own, she dares to hope for a new escape. But Matthew is a telepath, and Kaitlin’s past is full of dark secrets she never intended to reveal. *Companion to the Cassie Scot Series
About the AuthorChristine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone. At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, which scars the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams. Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. In addition to being a writer, she’s a freelance editor, mom, and foster mom. Social Media Links: Get the Cassie Scot SeriesCassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective (Cassie Scot #1) Secrets and Lies (Cassie Scot #2) Mind Games (Cassie Scot #3) Stolen Dreams (Cassie Scot #4) Madison’s Song (a Cassie Scot Companion)
Matthew couldn't help it. He reached out one long hand, just brushing a silken strand of hair that she had missed when she'd done her earlier hair flip. Her breath caught, and so did his. Her heart was pounding, echoing within his own chest.
Kaitlin licked her lips, her thoughts racing, but not entirely in words. He won't kiss me, she thought, it's too soon. And I don't want him to, do I? Talk about being attracted to a bad boy! Cassie always said I had terrible taste in men, and doesn't this just prove it? And it's not just me I have to worry about now, it's Jay. But oh, her body loved the idea. It's been so long, and I almost thought that part of me was dead. It isn't. It so, so isn't. She practically tingled. Like a teenager with my first crush. Or was that an echo? Matthew suddenly realized he was having trouble keeping her thoughts separate from his own. He'd felt this way before, but never so soon. His hand moved from her hair to her upper arm, and he scooted towards her several inches. Her eyes were on his lips; her mind half-hoping, half-disbelieving. Any minute now, I'm going to wake up, she thought. Not if he could help it.
Title: Plan A: Lycaon's Kiss
Author: S. Briones Lim
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: May 15, 2016
Jensen was the perfect boyfriend - or so Morgan thought. Left as collateral for his gambling debts, Morgan finds herself held captive by a group of "Rabid" werewolves and their overly eccentric leader, Greg. As if things couldn’t get any worse, she finds herself accidentally turned into one of them!
Enter Braedon. Tall, dark, devastatingly handsome. Braedon is the Alpha of his own pack of wolves who are determined to make Morgan one of their own. After saving her from the Rabids he takes it upon himself to train and prepare her for his pack’s mission, Plan A.
As a new pup, will Morgan be able to hold her own alongside the Alpha pack? Will her feelings for Braedon get in the way? Better yet, what the heck is Plan A?
Thanks to her Mom’s unwavering devotion to read a bedtime story to her every single night throughout her childhood years, S. Briones Lim’s love for books began before she could even speak.
Raised in Southern California, Lim initially dreamt of becoming an artist and/ or Book Author. A Psychology Degree (Summa cum Laude), a stint in Art School, and a career in Advertising/Media later, she is finally delving back into her first love – books. As a self- renowned bookworm, Lim’s love for books has inspired her to pen her own novels and hopes her readers will fall in love with her stories as much as she enjoyed writing them.
Author of the Amazon Bestselling novel, Caught Inside, Lim’s other obsessions include time with family, POPCORN, watching movies and her dogs, Tobi and Roscoe. She currently lives on the East Coast with her husband and continues to write every day.
Title: HIS TO LOVE (Fireside, #1) Author: Stacey Lynn Publication Date: May 10, 2016 Publisher: Loveswept Watch the Book Trailer Blurb In the explosive debut of Stacey Lynn’s irresistible Fireside series, a pair of estranged lovers are reunited by dangerous loyalties—and intoxicating desire. Tyson Blackwell never saw it coming when his Mafia princess girlfriend dumped him and disappeared at the age of eighteen. He never forgot her, either, even after what happened next: the killing of his father, a Detroit PD officer, at the hands of one of her father’s men. Tyson swore revenge, and now, ten years later, the kid who dreamed of a pro football career is a hard-nosed FBI agent, back in town to take down the Galecki crime family once and for all. But Tyson’s mission gets complicated fast—because going undercover means seducing the only woman he’s ever loved. Gabriella “Blue” Galecki has been in hiding for a decade. She finally comes home to spend time with her terminally ill mother, only to receive a blast from the past when she runs into Tyson. His brooding eyes and electrifying touch still send chills down her spine. But as heir to the family empire, Blue has been promised to another. Caught in a web of deception, she is tempted to pull the trigger on the boldest risk she’s ever taken: trusting Tyson with her life, her body, and her heart.Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks HIS TO PROTECT (Fireside, #2) - Coming July 12, 2016! Pre Order from Amazon A warm home for broken hearts, the Fireside Grill serves up hope and healing in equal measure. Stacey Lynn’s sensual, deeply emotional series heats up as a jaded restaurateur falls hard for a woman who’s hiding from a damaged past. Declan James lost his last ounce of trust the day his wife walked out the door, leaving him to save the restaurant they built together. Throwing himself into his work, Declan swears off women—or at least, women who expect him to stick around in the morning. But when he discovers a skittish beauty scrounging through the Fireside’s trash to feed her dog, Declan offers her a job and a place to rest her head. There’s just something about her that awakens his protective side. And soon, not even that mangy mutt can stop Declan from caring for her. After one too many trips to the ER, Trina Wilson finally gathered the courage to leave her husband, taking only her car and hyperactive boxer. Unfortunately, life on the run proves harder than she anticipated—until Declan takes a leap of faith on her. But even as Trina starts to see beyond his gruff exterior, she can’t relax, even for a moment. Not with her husband still tracking her down. What Trina doesn’t know is that in Declan, she has a powerful ally—and, if she would only follow her heart, a devoted lover.About the Author Stacey Lynn is a simple girl, raised most of her life in the MidWest. Perhaps it was the long, frigid winters that left her so bored she had nothing to do but spend time reading every book she could get her hands on from John Grisham and Danielle Steel to Ann M. Martin and CS Lewis. As an avid reader, she began penning poems and short stories long before she reached high school and her love of the written word has never diminished. Now, as a wife and mother to four children, she finds solace from the craziness of her life by creating steamy, sexy stories that generally tug at your emotions. What began as a hobby and a way to survive a Minnesota winter three years ago and the dream of publishing her first book, has now turned into an unending passion. For more information regarding Stacey Lynn's books, you can contact her at: www.Staceylynnbooks.com, [email protected] or www.facebook.com/staceylynnbooks by Lauren Skidmore Genre: Fantasy Release Date: May 10th 2016 Summary from Goodreads: Princess Bianca returns to her court to find it poisoned from the inside out. Faced with mysterious sicknesses, power disputes, and whispers of impending death, Bianca turns to an unlikely allyâa former assassinâto find the antidote that will save her kingdom. But Bianca quickly realizes that she might not even be able to save her own life in this Snow White story.
Book Trailer:
Chapter One
My parents were sick. That was the first news I received when I returned to the palace after nearly six months away. I was Venesiaâs princess, and so its ambassador. I was happy to serve . . . but not if it meant coming home to this. âWhatâs wrong?â I asked, shedding my cloak and shaking it out before handing it to a servant. It was still damp with seawater from the journey. It hadnât exactly been a peaceful trip. âAre they up to visitors now?â The two handmaidens that had greeted me exchanged glances. âYou should rest from your journey first, princess. Itâs late, and the details can wait until the morning.â I frowned. âNo. You cannot welcome me back by saying my return may aid my parentsâ recovery and then refuse to tell me whatâs wrong.â âWe donât want to worry you, princess,â the other one said, throwing a nervous glance at her companion. Sheâd been with the palace longer and knew I would not be easily dissuaded from getting what I wanted. âItâs too late for that.â I sighed. âWhere is my brother?â âPrince Aiden went to speak to the Guard about the successful capture of that Chameleon. He was eager to see the killer in person.â I braced myself. Aiden was in for a surprise on that front. âMaybe I will go rest after all,â I said, brushing a dark curl behind my ear and adjusting the purple mask I wore across the upper half of my face. I would miss the freedom of not wearing my full Venesian mask while I was away from court. âBut donât think itâs because you dissuaded me from seeing the king and queen tonight. Surely, if they were seriously ill, theyâd have ordered you to take me to them right away. I wonât disturb their sleep.â âOf course, princess.â They both curtseyed. âBianca!â I cringed. Aiden. âYouâre dismissed,â I said quickly to my handmaidens. I didnât need spectators for this. They scurried awayâthough Iâm sure to only just around the corner so they could eavesdropâand I turned to face my elder brother. He came barreling down the dimly lit corridor, his half-cloak billowing out behind him. He wore the emerald green mask he favored when he was out of the palace so no one would bother him as the prince. The pure white masks of the royal family tend to stand out in a sea of blues and green. âWhere is he?â he demanded. The head guard and a young woman in a green mask were just a few steps behind him. Looks like we were going to have an audience after all. I was tempted to play dumb but knew that would only make him even more upset. And he had good reason to be upset; I couldnât deny him that. âPlease hear me out,â I began slowly, my voice even and calm. âYou set him free, didnât you?â He shook his head in disbelief. âBianca, he killed Evieâs father.â He gestured to the woman behind him, who shifted her weight from foot to foot uncomfortably, a medium-sized brown dog with a fluffy, curled tail at her heels. âHe tried to kill me.â âI know that, butââ âThere is no excuse here! He killed and was willing to kill again. He stole masks and identities. He betrayed the trust of a kingdom who took him in. He is a criminal who needs to pay for his crimes.â âHe saved my life. I owe him,â I explained simply. That made Aiden pause, but only for the length of a breath before retorting, âOne good act does not make up for all the evil heâs done.â âBut it proves there is good in him.â âOr he is just trying to save his own skin by having you in his debt.â âHeâs not as terrible as you think he is.â âBut you admit he is terrible.â âAiden.â I started to truly feel the late hour now and my shoulders drooped. âHe deserves a fair trial at the very least.â âI canât give him a trial if he is mysteriously set free in the middle of the night.â âYouâre being dramatic.â âI think Iâm being understandably upset. I went from news of my baby sister returning home with the scum Iâve been hunting for the past three monthsâto finding out that the scum has vanished and has said sister to thank for it! With everything thatâs been going on in court, and now with Mother and Father illââ âDo you know whatâs wrong with them?â I interrupted, both wanting to know and hoping to change the subject. Iâd bristled slightly at being called his âbaby sisterââthere were only two years between us, after allâbut was willing to overlook it in the name of the greater good of the moment. His accusations werenât untrue; he just didnât know the Chameleon like I did. I might have been part of the reason heâd been captured, but we had a history. And that history meant that I owed him his freedom. It seemed Aiden was as tired of arguing as I was. He answered, âThe doctors arenât sure. Itâs not an illness theyâre familiar with. Mother and Father are on bed rest now until a cure can be found. They can barely eat and are very weak, and they both have a pink rash all over their bodies. It happened so suddenly, but no one else in court has the same symptoms, so we donât know where it came from.â âHow long have they been like this? Why did no one tell me?â âThey only just felt sick enough to admit it and seek a doctor, though Father mentioned to me heâd been feeling poorly for several days.â I sighed. It was just like them to overlook any health problems until they got too serious to ignore. They didnât want to appear weak in front of the kingdom, and to appear human was to appear weak. In the kingâs eyes, at least. âIâll go see them first thing in the morning. We all need our rest.â I gave Aiden a meaningful look. âThat means you as well.â I was sure his mask hid dark circles under his eyes, one benefit of our countryâs tradition. I knew my brother, and heâd been pushing himself too hard. Iâd gotten snippets of the unrest that had crept into our court from his letters while I was away, but it was another matter to see him in person. From what I understood, the court was reluctant to accept him as their next ruler. He had no respect for tradition, they claimed. For generations, the royal family protected themselves behind pure white masks, fine clothes, and strict rules. Aiden wanted to make changes that gave him more personal freedom as well as control over the country. âWeâll all of us go to sleep, and discuss things again after breakfast.â âFine,â he begrudged as he turned, offering his arm to the woman beside him, who looked as tired as I felt, plus awkward after witnessing a royal argument. Evie, he said her name was. Heâd written about her. He had proposed marriage to her, and sheâd said no. I was very curious about her. âI am glad youâre home, though. I missed you,â he said. I smiled. âI missed you too.â My gaze shifted to Evie, and I opened my mouth to greet her properly. âLetâs save introductions for a less unconventional time,â he interrupted before I could say anything. He reached for her hand, tucking it in the crook of his arm. âIâd rather your official meeting be a more pleasant one. Or at least one where weâre not arguing.â She rolled her eyes at him but offered me a shy smile. âIf you insist,â I replied with a smile for her and a raised eyebrow for him. Its effect was somewhat lessened thanks to my mask, but he knew my expressions well enough to spot it. He chuckled and shook his head with affection in his eyes. âUntil tomorrow,â he said, and we parted ways. The halls were dim and quiet, but I could have found my way to my chambers in the dark. I rarely left the palace growing up, and walking through these halls now felt like slipping into a warm bath. I loved the palace. Servants had already brought my trunk to my parlor. Normally, I would need help dressing for bed, thanks to the complex finery of the clothing that comes with royalty, but since I was still dressed in a simple traveling dress, I didnât bother ringing for a handmaiden. Iâd missed my rooms. It had been a long time since Iâd been alone, and my rooms were the one place I was granted my privacy. For six months, Iâd been acting as ambassador to Nishima, a neighboring country we had strong ties with. That meant that for nearly six months, Iâd been constantly surrounded by peopleâif not by the dignitaries I was there to see, then by my own guards who never left my side. Even on the journey home, when weâd been sidetracked by the hunt for the Chameleon, Iâd never been left on my own. But in my own palace, in my own rooms, I was alone. And I felt safe. I fell asleep almost as soon as my head touched my pillow. â The next morning, Iâd barely dressed before I heard insistent knocks at the doors to my suite. I knew it was Aiden even before my handmaiden opened the door to reveal him. âI said after breakfast, Aiden. Iâm stillââ âTheyâve gotten worse,â he interrupted me, his eyes grim. âMother and Father. And another doctor, a specialist from Nishima, has examined them.â He opened and closed his mouth several times, searching for the right words. âJust say it. What is it?â âBianca . . . theyâve been poisoned.â
About the Author
Lauren Skidmore grew up in Kansas, with stints in Ohio and New York, and currently lives in Utah. She attended Brigham Young University where she earned a BA in English Teaching with an emphasis in Teaching English as a Second Language and Japanese. She then spent a year in Japan teaching and travelling. She hasnât made it to Europe yet, but itâs on the list and has been to 30 states in the U.S. so far. When sheâs not exploring new places, you can probably find her on the internet with fifteen windows open and looking at just one more thing before actually getting something done.
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