Charity Sunday: Stand with Ukraine -- #CharitySunday #StandWithUkraine

It’s another Charity Sunday, the day when my fellow authors and I make a small effort to improve the world. On Charity Sunday, every comment you offer is converted to a donation to a worthy cause. It doesn’t cost you anything, other than a few minutes of your time. If you want to do even more, share the Charity Sunday blog link with your friends and family. Some of us have limits on how much we’re willing to donate – but I’ve never come close to that limit. We need more visibility!

I realized a few days ago that none of my Charity Sunday posts have even mentioned the war in Ukraine. Honestly, I feel sick to my stomach every time I read about the situation there, but it’s hard to believe I can do anything that will make a difference. I am also conflicted about any support that provides military assistance or weapons. I truly believe that violence begets violence. Even though I can see that the people of Ukraine are fighting for their survival, I still want to do everything I can for peace.

When I’m not being Lisabet Sarai, erotic romance author, I’m a computer engineer. Yesterday I visited the website of a popular open source software project that was created by a Ukrainian developer. A popup appeared, urging the reader to do something about the war. From there I was led to a whole page of charities, some military and some not.

https://stand-with-ukraine.pp.ua/

There’s no shortage of ways to help.

I’ve decided that today’s Charity Sunday post will support Voices of Children (https://voices.org.ua/en/) This is an organization focused healing some of the psychological trauma experienced by the children in the war-ravaged country. The nation’s future depends on its young people. Voices for Children is working to counter the daily terror and stress Ukrainian children are suffering.

For each comment I receive on today’s post, I will donate two dollars to this worthwhile organization.

Meanwhile, for my excerpt, I have a seriously sexy bit from my new release, Bodies of Light. It’s not at all relevant to my cause, but I want to thank you for visiting.

Blurb

Love travels faster than light

Physicist Dr. Christine Monroe has devoted her lonely life to research on hyper-space travel. Her continued failure leads her to sign on to the Archimedes, a sub-light-speed mission aimed at establishing a colony in the Sirius B system. Waking from suspended animation, she discovers that the ship is wildly off course and the rest of the crew are dead due to equipment failure.

At first she thinks the two virile strangers who show up on the ship are figments of her imagination - erotic hallucinations created by isolation and stress. However, Alyn and Zed are solid, real, and ready to sacrifice their lives for the strong woman they’ve found stranded in deep space. As her ship begins to disintegrate, Christine must choose between the planet she was sent to save and the two aliens she’s come to cherish.

Note: This book was previously published by Totally Entwined. This new edition has been re-edited and revised.

Excerpt

“Christine.” The voice rang like crystal and flowed like water, a far cry from the flat, synthetic tones of the Archimedes. “Do not despair, lovely one.”

Christine could not help smiling at the endearment. No one had called her lovely for a very long time. She kept her eyes closed, willing the dream to continue.

“We are with you, Christine.” Deeper, richer, edged with laughter, another voice chimed in. “You are not alone.” A cool, soothing palm cupped her brow. Strong hands settled on her shoulders, drawing her upright, then slipped down to cradle her breasts. Luscious heat suffused her, focused on her suddenly-taut nipples. They were smoldering embers ready to burst into flame. Soft lips brushed her neck just below the hairline, sending shivers spiraling through her. Someone unknotted her hair and let the weight of it cascade freely down her back. She sighed as careful fingers eased out the tangles. Each gentle tug at her scalp was pure pleasure.

The caresses ceased for an instant while her chair swung away from the control panel. Then the sensations began again, delicious and irresistible—unseen hands kneading her breasts, a warm mouth nuzzling her earlobe, a teasing tickle tracing its way down her belly, firm pressure parting her thighs and the barest graze of a fingertip across her pubis. A fierce stab of delight ripped away her languid mood. She moaned, arching up towards the retreating finger. Laughter poured over her like dark honey.

“You like that, sweet?” asked the baritone. The finger returned, pressing into her nylon-covered cleft and sliding back and forth along her length.

Christine gasped. “Oh, yes…” Swirls of fluorescent color danced on her closed eyelids. Familiar scents teased her nostrils, earth after a rain and new-mown grass. The finger moved faster. The soaked fabric of her coveralls slithered across her sensitized flesh. A climax gathered in her depths, heavy and full as summer thunderheads. “More,” she whispered, just as someone dragged the zip of her garment down below her waist. “More!” she yelled, as sharp teeth fastened on her bared nipple and hard digits plunged into her naked sex.

Dozens of hands fluttered over her skin, strummed in her pussy, plucked at her swollen breasts. The ripe clouds burst. A torrent of pleasure flooded her senses. Her body dissolved. There was nothing left but pure ecstasy, vibrating through her being like celestial music.

“Open your eyes.” The higher voice, the one that shimmered like liquid starlight, spoke close to her ear. The suggestion filtered through her post-orgasmic haze. This dream is certainly tenacious, she thought, her limbs still tingling. Usually I wake up after I come.

“We’re here with you now,” added the earthy voice, from the other side. “Look upon us.”

Why should she resist? It was just a dream. Her eyelids felt leaden but she forced them apart.

A stranger stood to her right. He had marble-pale skin and hair like spun silver. Smoke-colored brows shaded his piercing violet eyes. A pert nose and full lips gave him an androgynous look, but his lithe body was undeniably male—especially the column of rigid flesh that jutted from his groin.

Arousal flickered through Christine’s body, faint echoes of her recent climax. “Who are you?” she queried, her mouth watering at the sight of his sturdy erection. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m Alyn,” the young man answered with a smile that stole Christine’s breath. His skin gleamed in the dim light of the bridge as though dusted with stars. Fat pink nipples winked at her from his smoothly muscled chest. She ached to touch them. As though he read her thoughts, he reached for her hand and drew it to his breast. “I’m here for you, Christine. To cherish and to comfort you.”

His skin was silk under her palm. She molded the shape of his pectoral and flicked at the taut nub at its center. His cock surged in response. A drop of clear moisture gathered at the tip. She wet her lips, suddenly hungry. “Alyn,” she repeated, rolling the name on her tongue.

“And I’m Zed,” came the deeper voice, from her left. She turned to gaze at the second man, taller and stockier than Alyn but equally beautiful. Zed had jet hair and ebony eyes. With his prominent cheekbones, broad mouth and bronzed complexion, he made Christine think of some ancient tribal warrior. A provocative grin lit his face. He seized her other hand and curled her fingers around his swollen cock. “This is for you, little one.”

Please leave a comment and help the children in Ukraine. And I hope you’ll visit the other bloggers participating in today’s Charity Sunday. Thank you!

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