Guilt, secrets and second chances – #ContemporaryRomance #FirstNations #Giveaway @BlackbirdMaggie

Blurb

An ex-cop returning to face his horrendous past, the woman who won’t forgive him, and the family who’ll never let him forget that he killed their son.

First Nations Constable Jordan Chartrand’s guilt can’t handle the accusing stares from the family left to mourn their son after that horrible night…so he flees from his Ojibway community and the woman he loves. Two years later, his mother’s cancer diagnosis forces him to return to help her.

Devoted schoolteacher Ellie Quill wants nothing to do with Jordan after he bolted to the city and left her behind. Her life goals are set. As for her secret, she’ll keep that to herself, even if Jordan’s begging to know the truth about her child.

When the two are compelled to work on a community project to address the rampant drug problem, their forced proximity slowly melts Ellie’s icy walls. But no matter how much her heart desires to give Jordan the second chance he’s begging for, she refuses to because providing a life for her son in the tradition of the Ojibway culture is her top priority now, not moving to the city where Jordan continues to hide.

Excerpt

The bell tinkled above the door. Ellie, still hedging her way instead of outright walking, inched her way to the table. She set her purse on the back of the chair.

“I ordered a pot of tea. You wanna share?”

“Sounds good. What kind? The last time we met, the caffeine kept me up too late.”

“Good ol’ spruce. Your fave.” His face grew hot. Maybe he shouldn’t bring up reminders of the past.

The way her skin shone said she was flattered he’d remembered.

He gave himself a fictitious pat on the back for earning a point. “And fresh honey.”

Her smile was on the coy side. “Really? You’re going all out, aren’t you?”

Hmm, she was getting comfy and grinning. Her elbow rested on the table, and she’d cupped her chin in her palm. He also leaned in and caught a whiff of her fresh scent.

The waitress sauntered over with their pot of tea and honey. She set down the items and sashayed away, smirking.

Ellie’s brows bunched.

Jordan was about ready to arrest the waitress and cart her off to the holding cell for inciting irritation. Now he had to calm Ellie down before she found an excuse and bolted. “Never mind her. You know how people are around the rez. You can’t do anything without them squawking about it.”

He poured their teas.

Ellie continued to frown in the waitress’ direction.

“You gonna give her the power to dictate your feelings?”

“What?” Ellie squinted and faced him.

“You were having a good time. You gonna let her ruin it for you?”

“You’re right.” Ellie fixed her tea. “It’s been too long since I last went out.”

“That’s the spirit.” Jordan lifted his mug and sipped. The spruce mixed with honey was sweet pleasure on his tongue.

“Tell me something…” Ellie peeked at him over the rim of her mug.

“What’d you wanna know? I’m an open book.” He couldn’t help setting his forearm on the table.

“Winnipeg.”

His spine stiffened. “Winnipeg?”

Ellie nodded. “How’s your life going there?”

The sincerity in her gaze said she wasn’t attempting to goad him but sincerely wanted to know. It’d be a helluva lot better if you and your child were with me. Instead, he said, “It took some getting used to, but I don’t mind it. The pay could be better.”

“Where are you living?”

“North end. I got a bachelor suite. It came furnished.”

“You’re working at Portage Place. Right?”

“Yep. When I got the job, I wanted to be close by. Not stuck in some crazy commute. The north end also has a lot of ’Nish, so I feel right at home,” he told her, using the familiar shortened slang for Anishinaabe.

“Are you making lots of friends there?” She blew on her tea.

“Yeah. I made a few at work and met lots through the patrol group.”

Her lips parted, and then she clamped her mouth shut.

He’d best let her know he wasn’t dating anyone or hadn’t dated anyone. “I go home to a cold beer and TV dinner once I’m done my shift. That’s been my life for the last two years.”

“Oh?” Her gaze searched his face.

He didn’t look away. The offer was on the table. They’d come to the point where they had to shit or get off the pot. And he wasn’t getting off the toilet quite yet. “I told you why I had to leave.” He lowered his voice and leaned in even closer. “I couldn’t stay here after what happened. Leaving you behind… D’you really think I’d start dating again? After a girl like you?”

The lush bronze color on her face slowly turned white.

“When you came back after getting your teaching degree, and I saw li’l Ellie all grown up, damned straight I went and talked to your class. After our first date, I knew then you were the only woman for me.” His cards were laid on the table. Now he’d find out if she’d play a game of poker with him or forfeit her hand.

About the Author

An Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes. When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most.

Social Links

Website: https://maggieblackbird.com/

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gJu2VL

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maggieblackbirdauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BlackbirdMaggie/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggieblackbirdauthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/maggieblackbird

BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maggie-blackbird

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Blackbird/e/B07KQP1FFG

Book Buy Links

Amazon.com:  https://www.amazon.com/Circle-Small-Maggie-Blackbird-ebook/dp/B0BYYPDX4Q/

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-circle-is-small

Barnes and Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-circle-is-small-maggie-blackbird/1143234026

iBooks:  https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-circle-is-small/id6446489025

Google Play:  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Maggie_Blackbird_The_Circle_is_Small?id=BJS0EAAAQBAJ&hl=en_CA

Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1365881

eXtasy Books: https://www.extasybooks.com/The-Circle-is-Small

Maggie Blackbird will be awarding a $10.00 eXtasy Books Gift Certificate to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The messy truth about romance – #MatureRomance #BlakesFolly #NevadaDesert @JArleneCuliner

By J. Arlene Culiner (Guest Blogger)

Romance is a dance, archaic and complicated, that has to be re-learned each time it appears. The first steps are awkward, tentative, then just when we gain a bit of confidence, we trip over our own feet, stumble, and sometimes come crashing to the floor. Oh, the misery — especially since this dance requires considerable elegance, high polish, and a promise of tenderness.

Romance isn’t polite. It’s an obsession that makes us rude to friends (think of canceled coffee dates), self-centered (we can’t talk about anything else), and narcissistic (we’re always looking for a mirror).

So it is in All About Charming Alice. Alice Treemont, an original but prickly character, lives in a semi-ghost town in the Nevada desert. She rescues dogs, studies and protects snakes. Jace Constant, a writer from Chicago, isn’t crazy about dogs or the Nevada desert. As for snakes… he’s terrified of them.

Neither Alice nor Jace are young; both have had relationships that fell apart, or grew dusty, or lacked long-term zing. Neither expects love when it comes galumphing over the horizon. But here it is, with all its doubts, hesitations, and misgivings…

And while Alice and Jace are taking those first tentative steps, the nosy, cranky folks in Blake’s Folly are watching from the sidelines: ageless, shapeless Ma and Pa Handy: beer-swilling Mick Fletcher; the lovely flirtatious Rose Badger; and Killer, the scruffy stray.

Blurb

Trust in love and solutions will appear

Alice Treemont has no intention of falling in love. Living in Blake’s Folly, a semi-ghost town, she cooks vegetarian meals, rescues unwanted dogs, and protects the most unloved creatures on earth: snakes. What man would share those interests?

Jace Constant is in Nevada, doing research for his new book, but he won’t be staying. He’s disgusted by desert dust on his fine Italian shoes and dog hair on his cashmere sweaters. As for snakes, he doesn’t just despise them: they terrify him.

So why does the air sizzle each time Alice and Jace meet? A romance would entail far too many compromises.

 

 

Excerpt

Suddenly he rose to his feet and, in that languid way of his, crossed to the doorway where she stood. She was a tallish woman, but he towered over her. Casually, stretching out one arm, he rested his hand on the doorframe, a hair’s breadth above her head. He was close, so close. His body was supple, strong and—yes, she had to admit it—warm, fragrant. The heat of him reached her over the few inches separating them, and she ached to curve into it. Aura? This man was a flesh-and-blood heat wave.

The strange, tingling excitation was flowing through her again like thick port wine. She lowered her eyes, refusing to meet his gaze, although she knew he was, once again, examining her minutely.

“I want to take the room.”

“Look, you don’t need my room,” she said, desperation too evident in her tone. “There’s a perfectly reasonable motel the other side of the Winterback Mine, out in the direction of Logan. Actually, it’s far better equipped to take in tourists than anything you’ll find here in Blake’s Folly.”

“I know. Rider Motel. Air conditioning, cable TV, and right across from the Dew Drop Inn.” His smile was wry. “That’s exactly where I’ve been staying for the last three nights. And over and over during those three nights, I remembered Blake’s Folly and the Room to Rent sign on your wall. And the more I thought about it, the more appealing it got. There’s nothing worse than an impersonal motel room when you have to stay in an area for a while.” He let his eyes wander over the faded wooden framing, over the settee on the veranda. “Right here, it feels more like home.”

That wasn’t it, she knew. That wasn’t even part of the truth. He was back because something hot and wonderful shimmered between them. Did she fascinate him as much as he did her? Possibly. Although she hadn’t done anything to encourage him, not once. It would have been hard to find someone less friendly than she’d been.

Yet, there was something about him that touched her, something that had nothing to do with raw desire. Was it the warmth in his eyes? A quirk to his lips that promised humor and understanding? Or was it plain magic, the magic that happens when the right female meets the right male.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l2VyHtsY7A

Buy Links: https://books2read.com/Charming-Alice

Author Links: https://linktr.ee/j.arleneculiner

Review Quotes

Gosh, I enjoyed reading this book immensely. The humor during Jace's courtship of Alice and her self doubts often had me laughing out loud.

~ Diana Lanos, Smile Somebody Loves You

The perfect story for all the hopeless and hopeful romantics out there.

~ Lisa McCombs, Readers' Favorite

The writing and dialogue is magical and masterful. The romance filled my heart with an emotional, heartfelt, dazzling experience. Enjoy!
~ Sheila Clapkin, author

About the Author

Writer, photographer, social critical artist, and impenitent teller of tall tales, J. Arlene Culiner was born in New York and raised in Toronto. She has crossed much of Europe on foot, has lived in a mud house on the Great Hungarian Plain, a Bavarian castle, a Turkish cave dwelling, a haunted house on the English moors, and on a Dutch canal. She now resides in a 400-year-old former inn in a French village of no interest where, much to local dismay, she protects spiders, snakes, and all weeds. She particularly enjoys incorporating into mysteries, non-fiction, and romances, her experiences in out-of-the-way communities, and her conversations with very odd characters.

Escaping the chaperone – #MFRWHooks #99cents #Humor

For today’s MFRW Book Hooks blog hop, I’m straying a bit from romance to feature a PG-rated bit from my humorous erotic title Hot Brides in Vegas. This novella is on sale for the month of April for only 99 cents. If you’d like some steamy, feminist, sex-positive entertainment, you might give it a try.

Blurb

Never underestimate the power of a horny bride.

Francesca Torelli’s tycoon father is throwing a lavish Las Vegas wedding for his only child. Her fiancé Jake and his buddies set out for a stag night, exploring the fleshpots of Sin City. Meanwhile, Fran and her bridesmaids Laura and Chantal are stuck at the resort under the watchful eye of her stern Aunt Giulia, who has promised her brother that Franny will come to the altar a virgin.

Frustrated and annoyed by these double standards, the young women hatch a plan to escape their chaperone and have some fun of their own. With the help of a susceptible concierge, a butch ex-cop limo driver and a scandalous French couturiere, they find their way to The Fox’s Den, the most exclusive—and outrageous—gentlemen’s club in the city. Owner Larry Archer and his crew of strippers, bouncers, voyeurs and sluts are more than happy to welcome the delectable trio as contestants performing at the club’s famous Amateur Night.

The gleeful permissiveness of the Den challenges the women’s assumptions and undermines their inhibitions. Complications ensue when Jake and his groomsmen arrive to find Fran in the midst of her strip act. Then Aunt Giulia crashes the party, determined to save her virgin niece, and things get really sticky—both figuratively and literally.

Will love triumph? Will Francesca be drawn over to the dark side? Is there a difference?

The Hook

Giulia insisted on meeting the limo driver before she allowed Michael to lead her to the spa. Even for someone with her suspicious soul, the ex-policewoman inspired confidence. Margaret Saunders was a sturdy, no-nonsense, forty-something with short hair, dark eyes and a quiet smile. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Torelli,” she said. “Your girls are safe with me.”

“Don’t be too late,” Giulia warned as the three young women piled into the vast back seat of the stretch Lincoln. “Remember that you’ve got the rehearsal tomorrow morning at ten, with lunch after.”

“But Jake and the guys will probably be out till—” Francesca began. Laura elbowed her in the ribs.

“Of course, Mrs. Torelli,” the blonde replied demurely. “We’ll be back in plenty of time.”

* * *

The three friends watched through the back window as the concierge took Aunt Giulia’s arm and escorted her back into the hotel. The older woman was almost smiling.

“I can’t believe it!” Francesca shook her head in wonder. “How did you manage it, Laur?”

Her friend smiled like the cat that ate the canary. “I’ll tell you later. In private.”

The panel separating them from the driver slid open. Margaret grinned at them. “So, where to, ladies?”

“Um—I’m not sure. Do you have any suggestions?” Francesca had been so focused on getting free of their chaperone, she hadn’t really thought about what she’d do if she succeeded.

“I’ve got an idea,” said Chantal. She dug a folded sheet of paper from her purse. “I saw this on the activities bulletin board at the resort.”

“‘Amateur Night at The Fox’s Den’.” Laura peered over Chantal’s shoulder to read the poster. “What’s The Fox’s Den?”

“Classiest strip club in the city,” the driver answered. “Larry Archer—the proprietor—has turned the Den into a legend.”

“What do you mean, a legend?” asked Francesca.

“Well, they’ve got the most gorgeous girls, the most generous drinks, the best sound system and the most friendly atmosphere you’ll find anywhere,” said Margaret. “At the same time, you never know what’ll happen at Larry’s place. I’ve seen some wild things at the Den!”

“You’d visit a strip club? Do you go with your husband?” Francesca tried to get her mind around the notion that a former vice cop would enjoy a titty bar.

“No husband for me.” The driver’s smile grew broader. “I go to watch the ladies, just like everyone else.”

Francesca was silent, trying to digest this notion.

“So do you know anything about this Amateur Night thing?” Laura asked.

“Sure. Every couple of months, Larry opens the stage to anyone who wants to give stripping a try. It’s great fun, a huge turn on for everyone involved. Plus there are great prizes.”

“A thousand dollars for first place,” Chantal read. “Second and third are five hundred and three hundred respectively. That’s definitely generous.”

“Larry can afford it. Each contestant performs, then the audience chooses the winners,” said Margaret. She gave the women in the back seat a once-over. “I have to say, all three of you would be big hits at the Den.”

Something about Margaret’s frank admiration set up a tingling between Francesca’s thighs. She loved to dance, everything from swing to salsa. What would it be like to be up on stage, dancing for an audience of horny men? And horny women, she reminded herself. She squirmed on the leather seat of the limo, her sundress becoming distinctly damp. She’d never had any sexual experience with a woman, but she did occasionally have fantasies. Not that she’d ever shared that fact with anyone, not even her best friends.

“Let’s do it,” said Laura. “We may never get another chance!”

Francesca gripped one hand in the other. She wanted to do it, but she wasn’t sure she had the courage. “I don’t know... what would Jake say?”

“Screw Jake,” said Chantal. “He and his mates are off chasing pussy as we speak. We deserve a bit of fun.” She turned to Margaret. “Take us to The Fox’s Den, please. We’re going to rock their world.”

The former policewoman smiled. “I think you’re right.”

You can find all the buy links for Hot Brides in Vegas here:

https://www.lisabetsarai.com/hotbridesinvegasbook.html

Be sure to visit the other authors participating in today’s Book Hooks event.

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Contrary Fantasies -- #Tropes #OppositesAttract #Fantasy

 Image by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay

Opposites attract.

We’ve all heard the saying, dozens of times. But is it true?

In real life, I have my doubts. However, the trope has abiding popularity, especially in the romance genre. The impoverished but virtuous serving wench wins the heart of the wealthy, titled rake. The mousy office temp catches the eye of the billionaire CEO. The virgin librarian finds herself swept up in the hedonistic world of the rock idol. The sophisticated city gal moves out west, only to end up with the gruff, unpolished (but rugged and handsome) cowboy.

Hey, I plead guilty to using the device myself. In Power andPersuasion, set in the first decade of the twentieth century, my heroine Olivia is a liberated, intellectual labor activist. Somehow she finds love with a robber baron whose riches depend on the oppressed masses. Theo, in The Gazillionaire and the Virgin, is a surly, sexually-inexperienced recluse who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Yet he manages to snag the affection of extroverted, media-savvy Silicon Valley hotshot Rachel, who’s had dozens of lovers.

The attraction of opposites shows up in a lot of non-romantic erotica, too. In these stories, “opposite” often means unfamiliar, forbidden, even dangerous. A buttoned-up career woman ends up with her back against the brick wall of an alley, being fucked without mercy by a luridly tatooed biker. A hen-pecked husband takes a risk and hires a glamorous, seductive high class hooker for a night. A petite, Caucasian woman gives in to her craving for a huge, well-hung Black man. In my erotic story Muse, a popular author of erotic romance discovers she’s being stalked by the scruffy janitor of her apartment building – and that he’s exactly the sort of stern and demanding Master she has secretly craved all her life.

Why does the “opposites attract” trope work so well in erotic fiction? To be honest, I think we’re trading on everyone’s contrary fantasies. The sexual grass is always greener over on the neighbor’s lawn. We imagine how exciting love and lust could be, if it were somehow different from what we actually experience. Nothing seems hotter than sex with a stranger — a real stranger, someone from a totally different world, with a different background, different expectations, different tastes. (Perhaps this explains the popularity of alien abduction!)

For the romantically-inclined, there’s another angle to consider. In the most satisfying romance, love conquers all. It bridges gaps, heals divisions, harmonizes even the most extreme differences. The greater the disparity between the protagonists, the more impressive and affecting we find love’s ultimate triumph.

Fiction is designed to entertain, to enlighten, to provide cathartic identification with the characters. It’s exciting, fascinating and novel to fantasize about loving (or fucking) the Other.

In the real world, though — well, at least in my personal experience — I’m not likely to be attracted to someone who is truly opposite to me. I’m never going to be drawn to a rap musician who sings about beating up his bitches. I can’t imagine connecting with a rabid sports fan, or someone who spends six hours a day in the gym, or, to be honest, with a millionaire. I just couldn’t communicate with people whose priorities were so different from mine — and great sex, even for one night, depends on communication as much as on chemistry.

All of my serious relationships and most of my casual encounters have involved people with whom I had quite a lot in common: educational level, intellect, values, and interests. Most of my lovers have cared more about books than money, more about world peace than basketball, more about new experiences than new things.

I do believe in biologically-based attraction. There have been a few times in my life when I’ve been inexplicably drawn to someone who seemed all wrong, a panoply of opposites. Usually it turned out that he or she was wrong for me, the chemistry spoiled by a persistent lack of comfort.

Hence, I tend to be skeptical when people claim that opposites attract. Except, of course, in books.

A Gifted Trickster – #Fantasy #Adventure #Asia @anno_ruini

Blurb

Young boy Hatsukoi leaves his village to become a monk, only to find monastic life incredibly boring. With a new-found name and a new-found friend, Hatsukoi travels the countryside and plays tricks at the expense of corrupt, irate, greedy, and ignorant people. Nobles of all ranks—from petty governors to crown princes—fall victim to the boy’s wit and cunning.

As his tricks evolve from childhood frolics to elaborate cons, Hatsukoi grows as well. He learns not only the craft of his trade, but also its higher purpose.

Join Hatsukoi’s journey, laugh at his exploits, and learn with him.

Excerpt

Governor Tu Fang was the first to notice Hatsukoi, who was lying on the roof of the well with his head hanging down.

“What are you doing there?” he asked.

Hatsukoi shrugged his shoulders. “I’m looking to see if the well has a bottom.”

Tu Fang frowned at the boy’s response. Why would someone need to look for the bottom of a well? It sounded very suspicious to him.

“Well, get down!” he barked.

“No,” Hatsukoi answered.

“Get down by your own will, or my hunters will shoot you with their arrows.”

Hatsukoi slowly climbed down. Tu Fang waved to one of his hunters, who immediately grabbed the boy by the scruff of his neck.

“Ai! What are you doing?!” yelled Hatsukoi, struggling, but the hunter held him tightly.

“Tell me at once,” demanded Tu Fang, “what is in this well, and then perhaps I’ll let you go.”

Hatsukoi trembled like bamboo in a strong wind. He began, “I have seen—”

“What did you see?” Tu Fang interrupted impatiently.

“I saw a thief hide his bounty here.”

“Bounty?” Tu Fang exchanged glances with his brother.

It must be said that unselfish people rarely went on to become governors. Tu Fang was no exception. He thought only of ways to feed his insatiable greed. And Tu Liwei, being his half-brother, was a pea from the same pod. So, at that moment, the brothers came up with the same thought.

And Hatsukoi was counting on it.

“A whole bag filled with all kinds of stuff,” he said confidently. “Gold, jewels, pearls… If you look from the roof, you can see how it glitters at the bottom.”

About the Author

‘Ryū’ means ‘dragon’ in Japanese, and ‘Zhong’ can be translated from Chinese as ‘flute’. This amalgam of languages represents the fusion of cultures that characterises the writings of Ryū Zhong.

In their books, Ryū Zhong explore challenges that humanity might face as our technology gets more and more complicated to the level where it becomes magic. Such a shift would force people to look towards religion and reinterpret realities that today, we call fairy tales.

Ryū Zhong were lucky to be born and grow in Asia. Now they live in Amsterdam, study Dutch, and adapt their writings to English.

Links

https://anno-ruini.com — website for the book series

https://ryu.anno-ruini.com — Ryu’s personal blog

https://www.instagram.com/anno.ruini/ — Instagram

https://twitter.com/anno_ruini — Twitter

Book in the Stores

https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Blue-Flowers-Adventures-Takuan/dp/B0BRC7BGB4/

https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=L4unEAAAQBAJ&pli=1

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/prince-of-blue-flowers-ryu-zhong/1143052777

One randomly chosen winner via rafflecopter will win a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's your birthday, baby... #Menage #Billionaires #Chocolate

 

A note from Tina Donahue

Do you like chocolate? If you do – frankly, I’m an unrepentant chocoholic – then you’ll enjoy my newest release Anything You Want. When my editor at Extasy said they were looking for chocolate-related (and other treat-related) romances, I knew Anything You Want was perfect for them... and anyone else who enjoys two smokin-hot billionaires, a sweet yet feisty heroine, luscious chocolate, a decadent resort, and romance that can't be stopped.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy this sneak peek… preferably with a box of chocolates nearby. 😊

Blurb

At a hedonistic resort, her indecent cravings are about to be sated…

With the big three-o only days away, Jamie’s had it with dieting, exercise, and being alone. Off she goes to Wicked Desires, a decadent Caribbean resort where clothing is optional, carnal appetites rule, and food, especially chocolate, is celebrated. If only she had a guy to indulge with…

How about two? Billionaires Creed and Tav are checking out ideas for their new video game. The play features a resort where anything goes and an unlikely heroine as the star. Jamie’s luscious curves and sweet vulnerability make her the perfect type to base their game on. Since she’s also in IT—having put her dream to create candy on hold—she understands their lingo.

Hell, their desires are perfectly in tune with hers, whether it’s food play during meals, punishment in the discipline room, or a romantic evening on the beach.

When it comes to sweet delights and these two hunks…who says she can’t have anything she wants?

UNIVERSAL LINK: https://books2read.com/b/mYxJ0w

Excerpt

If she lived sixty more years, Jamie sensed she’d always remember this moment.

She melted into Tav as though they’d been making out all their lives. There were no awkward moments where noses bumped or elbows and knees hit.

That kind of clumsiness usually happened in bed, at least for her and the guys she’d been with.

No way did she want to think about those other men now.

Tav’s tender and searching kiss stoked her desire until she was near to bursting. Greedy for more, she angled her head to get closer, giving him greater access to her mouth. His lips’ silky warmth, the way his bristly cheeks scoured her skin was a memory she’d already stored in her heart.

Good God, she could get used to kissing him on a regular basis.

Releasing a breathy moan, she drove her fingers into his hair, the locks softer than she expected, and so thick her insides quivered. She held him to her and suckled his tongue, heated and wet, its clean taste more intoxicating than a slug of booze.

He didn’t hold back. Tender turned intense, searching evolved into raw lust. He tightened his hold on her and she pressed closer, both of them making sounds proving their delight and need.

His beer-scented breath was utterly masculine. His musk and clean lime fragrance added to his allure. She was certain the sun couldn’t provide as much warmth as his body did, his chest and pecs hot against her, offering excitement, passion, comfort.

He made her feel safe, not judged or used. She barely knew him but already sensed his wealth hadn’t made him a player, out for what he could get, ready to take off once he satisfied his own needs.

Her enjoyment mattered to him.

He gentled his hold and stroked her back.

Bursts of delight toppled any lingering reservations she might have had. Feeling bold and desired, as she hadn’t for too long, she eased his tongue from her mouth and slipped hers inside his.

His thrilled groan and the way he suckled her tongue proved his satisfaction.

She stroked his muscular biceps and pecs, circled his nipples, and explored his solid abs. When she reached his navel and the short hairs surrounding it, she just about died from pure bliss.

Without warning, he pulled his mouth free and gulped air, looking slightly dazed, his mouth wet from hers.

Her lips felt puffy, bruised from their passion, cheeks stinging slightly from his stubble. Nice.

But she had to have more. No way could she forget about Creed, nor did she intend to deny him or herself…if he’d have her.

She ran her fingers over Tav’s lips in a temporary farewell then turned to Creed. Her breath caught at the sin in his eyes, his shameless smile. She matched it without having to try. He brought out the devil in her—so did Tav.

He and Creed might have been richer than God and hotter than the deepest depths of Hell, but they were also good guys.

She eased into Creed’s arms.

His embrace was stronger than Tav’s had been.

Not hesitating in the least, he demonstrated his alpha position, his hard kiss possessive, demanding.

She surrendered, loving his big body and barely restrained strength. His scent filled her, the fragrance bringing to mind a primeval forest, him clad in a loincloth, hair long and wild, his piercing gaze pinning her as she knelt naked and wanting before him.

Her soft folds grew wet. Make that wetter, especially from the pleasured noises he made, both primitive and fully male.

Heat rushed to her face. Her ears rang. She pushed her fingers through his hair as she’d done with Tav’s. Creed’s skin was amazingly warm, pecs dancing beneath her touch.

While she explored his assets, he cupped her boobs, testing their weight in his palms. He squeezed them gently and dragged his thumb over her nipples.

Reckless need and base desire cascaded through her, every part she owned acutely sensitive from not having experienced a man’s touch for so many months. Her nipples pebbled instantly. With each of his strokes, more delight dashed through her.

They kissed noisily.

His smile lifted his lips against hers. She offered a grin in return and might have remained in his arms forever if not for them both needing a full breath.

Also, Tav waited on her other side.

About the Author

Tina’s an Amazon and international bestselling novelist who writes passionate romance for every taste – ‘heat with heart’ – for traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. She’s won Readers’ Choice Awards, was named a finalist in the EPIC competition, received a Book of the Year award, The Golden Nib Award, awards of merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competitions, and second place in the NEC RWA contests. She’s featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, she worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.

On a less serious note: she’s an admitted and unrepentant chocoholic, brakes for Mexican restaurants, and has been known to moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally while wolfing down tostadas. She’s flown a single-engine airplane (freaking scary), rewired an old house using an ‘electricity for dummies’ book, and is horribly shy despite the hot romances she writes.

MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/tinadonahue

Website/Blog: https://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/

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Amazon author page: https://amzn.to/1ChWFkO

Sweet ‘n Sexy Divas: https://sweetnsexydivas.blogspot.com/

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/AuthorTinaDonahue 

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