The Greatest Risk by Kristen Ashley…Review, Excerpt, and Giveaway

Synopsis:

A woman unable to connect, struggling to hide another part of her. A man burning to learn her truth, and make her whole. Through explosive passion and deep exploration, they are about to take the greatest risk of all. But will they be able to take that leap, and come out on the other side together? In this next passionate novel in the Honey series, New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley delivers a stunningly romantic and intensely sexy novel that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

 

My Review:

Ok, I have to admit that since starting this series I have been DYING to get to this couple.  I have been intrigued with both of these characters since they were introduced and I just knew they would be a delicious sort of magic together and after finishing this book I can assure you, indeed, they were.  A damn delicious sort of magic I won’t soon forget.

I’ve learned after reading Kristen Ashley over the years that there truly isn’t anything she can’t write.  She can do fun and quirky and she can do dark and sexy.  But no matter what she writes, she delivers a deep level of emotion that touches you like no other and in this particular story that’s the element that really resonated with me.

Stellan and Sixx are a couple that share a level of intimate emotion in their journey that had me falling deeper in love with them with each page I read.  Stellan is patient, understanding, sexy as hell, and beautifully educated in learning what Sixx needs, even if she doesn’t realize it’s what she needs.  SIxx is strong, yet vulnerable, with so many layers to her personality.  I loved reading these two.  I loved reading the complexity of their relationship, the deep emotion involved, the heat and connection they share, all of it was sublime. *dreamy sigh*

While I’m so sad to see this series end, there was no better way to have finished it than with Stellan and Sixx.

Thank you, Ms. Ashley, for yet another incredible read!

Five Loves

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Read Chapter One:

one
Let’s Go

SIXX
Present day …
Sixx wandered the halls of the Bee’s Honey for absolutely no purpose except to make the boys in the
booth watching the cameras that monitored the action in the club think she was taking in the scene.
Instead, she was biding time to go into the Dom Lounge to get what she’d stashed in her locker.
She was over it.
Over the scene.
Over the wait.
Done.
The Honey had now become a place she could hang and have a drink, connect with some friends if she
was in the mood, get some of her kink by watching, and torture herself being around Stellan.
It was also where she stashed something if she had it to stash. This was because the Honey had
surveillance and security that rivaled that of the White House. If a person wasn’t supposed to be there,
they didn’t get in there. The end.
She’d been back in Phoenix now for a while.
Months.
And although she’d put on a variety of shows, bided her time, put herself out there, made herself
available, Stellan hadn’t thrown down the gauntlet.
She sure as hell wasn’t making the first move.
Thus that first move wasn’t going to be made.
So be it.
She hadn’t expected much and she sure got that.
And she had to admit, part of her was relieved (a large part).
Because if he took a shot, what then?
Could she protect him from all that was her?
Doubtful.
More like impossible.

She never had with anyone who mattered, not that she’d had many in her life who mattered.
And Stellan absolutely did not deserve to have to deal with all that could befall anyone who got close to
Sixx.
Tonight was different, though.
Tonight, she wanted done with the extracurricular activity she was engaged in.
Also tonight she roamed the halls knowing Stellan was there, he’d taken a room, and he’d gone off his
normal modus operandi.
He’d selected a female sub.
He’d also selected a male.
If in a mood, though that mood was always rare, he’d pick more than one sub.
But they were always females.
Sixx had a feeling she knew why he’d done this. She had Google alerts set up, and she’d seen it.
That it being that it was announced to the media that day that the two-and- a-half- month marriage of
Andreas Lange and his pretty-much- child bride Priscilla was done. Although the press was asked to leave
the couple alone in this trying time, it was nevertheless reported that Andreas might often think with his
dick and had apparent self-esteem issues that drove him to having a pretty young thing dripping off his
arm, but when it counted, he used his other head. The one with an actual brain in it.
In other words, he had a reported ironclad prenuptial agreement, and the soon-to- be-again Ms. Newton
would walk away with the engagement ring he gave her, any gifts she’d acquired during their
relationship and nothing else.
Nothing else.
Not even a settlement.
She was young, and Sixx knew that young didn’t make you stupid, it just made you young, naïve, and
perhaps with the beauty that girl had, overconfident. Thus she probably thought her golden looks
mingled with a twenty-two- year-old pussy would buy her a lot more time to get a lot more gifts.
Sadly, she’d been wrong.
Sixx could not know how this news affected Stellan. Although they had exchanged a variety of words
since she’d been home, they’d both been at a few get-togethers where he didn’t avoid her, but he didn’t
pursue her, they’d caught each other’s eyes on a number of occasions; and she’d noted him watching
her work with her submissives, as he’d noted her doing the same with his, they had not even
resurrected the loose but friendly relationship they’d had before she’d left.
She put it down to him still smarting from Leigh’s falling in love with another man.

That said, even if Leigh had, it appeared that not much had changed between Stellan and Amélie.
Although chilly between them when Sixx got back, that had thawed, and they were as sociable and close
as they ever had been. And it was clear Stellan liked Olly, Amélie’s enormous, gorgeous stallion.
Then again, everyone liked Olly. It was impossible not to like the guy. He was just that guy who had it all
and not simply the fact he was so easy to look at.
He adored Leigh, for one. Utterly. And he did not hide it in the slightest.
But he was outgoing, funny, solid. If you were moving house and you needed an extra pair of hands, he
was there. If you had a nephew (or niece) who wanted to be a firefighter (which Olly was), he’d take the
kid through his station and introduce him to all the guys. If you were at a cookout with him and running
low on your drink, you found your glass slid out of your hand and another one put in it without even
having to ask.
Even Stellan, wanting Amélie for as long as he did, couldn’t dislike the guy.
So they’d become friends.
And Sixx had watched.
That was one of the two things she’d done since being back.
In a halfhearted attempt to get his attention (and keep Aryas off her back), she played.
And she watched.
Which was what she was on a mission to do now before she hit the Dom Lounge to prepare to complete
her other mission.
As she wandered, Sixx didn’t spend time watching Mira and Trey in their room.
It was tough watching Mira work now that she had a sub and they were together together. In other
words, in love. Mira was good at what she did, and Trey liked what his Mistress gave him, but that look
of adoration on her face while she was doing it …
Sixx just couldn’t deal with it.
This was also why she avoided Leigh and Olly when they were at play (and more recently, also when
they weren’t because the connection they had between them just didn’t stop).
Right then they weren’t in a playroom. They were still in the bar, holding court, The Stallion Alpha Sub
King and his Dominatrix Queen, as usual reigning supreme over the club and enjoying it before they
moved to a room to enjoy each other.
They were actually worse to watch than Trey and Mira, they were so beautiful together. They were like
watching dancers, so perfectly in sync, expressive, at one with each other and their own bodies. The
sequence practiced, even if it was always different, it was so graceful it was sublime.
Putting this out of her mind, Sixx moved on her black platform pumps to the back hall full of playrooms,
noting, and not surprised, that Aryas’s red room was shuttered away from view. The blackout blinds to
that room were scarlet, not black like all the others, thus its name.

It was his own personal playroom if he was in town. And he was. And he had one of his babies in there,
working her.
Sixx didn’t need to watch that, although she would have. She’d not only seen Aryas at play, he’d worked
her because he’d trained her. He showed her how to be who she was. He introduced her to other
Dommes to teach her the things he could not. And he’d played with her in his sessions in which she was
required to sub so she could understand the headspace her own subs had to get in to serve her.
She had been surprised she’d liked it.
She’d been freaked she’d liked it so much.
Too much.
Aryas had handled that too for her—amazingly. Which meant he’d helped her handle it.
And then she’d locked it away.
However as she bypassed his room, she felt her lips thin that he was back there with one of his babies
and not with the woman he should be with.
At first when Sixx arrived back in Phoenix, he’d let things lie.
Now that months had passed, he was getting up in her face about making a move on Stellan.
Fortunately, she was able to fight back since he wouldn’t make a move on Mistress Talia.
Which was where Sixx went and where she stopped to watch, also not surprised that Talia was working
a sub mostly because those two circled each other just this way. If Talia took a sub and he caught it,
Aryas wasn’t too far from taking his own. If Aryas took one and Talia caught it, she hustled a sub into a
playroom.
Retaliation.
As Sixx watched Talia work a sub named Bryan, definitely a favored and oft-used toy of hers, she got
worried.
In a heartbeat, Bryan would take things further with his tall, slender, lithe, beautiful, mocha-skinned,
tawny-fro’ed Mistress, and not just because he seriously got off on the way she worked him.
She wasn’t just beautiful and had a serious style going on in and out of a playroom. She was funny,
quick-witted, smart-mouthed, loyal and very sweet. And Sixx had witnessed her aftercare of Bryan when
she got down to serious business with him, and even knowing Talia’s heart was with Aryas, her head and
attention was with Bryan in a way he could mistake the fact that he didn’t have a place in that particular
vital organ.
Sixx considered having a word with the Mistress.
She did that, and then she decided instead to have a word with Leigh so Leigh would have a word.
Amélie was probably already thinking of doing it. She wasn’t Queen Bee just because she rocked a
playroom, and she took her unofficial role seriously.

But if Sixx had a word, she might light a fire, and perhaps if they double-teamed Aryas and Talia, they
could get something going.
Before hitting the Dom Lounge, she found her feet taking her one last place.
At first, she positioned herself carefully in order to be able to process what she might see and at the
same time be out of his line of sight because he always broke scene to catch her eyes if he saw her at
the windows. And the possibility of seeing him working a male sub was something she wanted without
him breaking scene.
This eye contact, at first, she’d found terrifying, because it was encouraging. It was rare a Dom working
would do that unless he was working directly with another Dom.
When months passed and nothing came of it, Sixx stopped finding it terrifying or encouraging and just
found it weird.
There was no invitation in his gaze. No challenge issued. No warmth or comradeship or humor or
anything.
He’d just catch her gaze and hold it for as long as it took for her to break it. Even if he was physically
inside one of his subs, he’d thrust while simply looking at Sixx, remote and disengaged, from her and his
sub, until Sixx herself broke the contact and his attention went back to his sub.
But if he was working a male, especially inside one, this she’d want to see. Man-on- man was a thing of
hers, and since she’d returned to Phoenix, she’d indulged in that, always taking multiple submissives,
they were always male, and she’d call the shots to get that fix.
Seeing Stellan engaged in something like this would probably make her orgasm right there in the hall.
Hell, just thinking about it got her wet.
Then again, although this would be an extraordinary sight to see, Sixx didn’t figure it would take much to
do that. In all her play since she’d come back, she had not once let a single sub touch her, she’d rarely
touched them, and she hadn’t had that first orgasm, not in play, not with some random partner she
picked up out in the vanilla world (because she hadn’t picked anyone up), not even at her own hand.
But as she hesitated at the edge of one of the rooms Stellan favored, the silhouette and blackout blinds
up like he normally played it, she didn’t even see Stellan.
The female was working the male, and that work was inspired, but there was no Stellan.
Sixx took one step along the hall.
Another.
And there he was, still in his trousers and dress shirt, but the suit jacket was thrown over the back of the
leather club chair he was sitting in. He had his long legs crossed, and he was slanted to the side, elbow
on the arm of the chair, head propped up in his hand where it held his square jaw at his knuckles with
his forefinger extended along his chiseled cheek.
She drew in a breath at the bored expression on his arrestingly beautiful face, that expression running
deep into his dark blue eyes.

He did not look annoyed, upset, or distracted, as news of his father acquiring then disposing of another
wife in a matter of months might make him.
He didn’t look anything, certainly not like he was in a room where sweet and dirty sex acts were being
performed at his command by the slaves he’d chosen for the evening.
He looked like he was in a meeting that he couldn’t wait to get out of.
Then suddenly, his gaze came to her.
He didn’t move, didn’t lift his head, just swept his eyes straight to her, not like he’d noticed her standing
there, like he’d sensed she was there.
His expression didn’t change. Neither did his position.
He stared her right in the eyes, pinning her to the spot, giving her nothing except his regard.
She wanted to scream, Why? Why do you look at me like that? Why can’t you give me something?
Anything?
She didn’t do that.
Of course not.
She accepted the only challenge he gave her and stared straight at him in return for as long as she could
stand it.
And Sixx could stand a lot, so this lasted a long time, perhaps full minutes, before, as ever (and as ever
wanting to kick her own ass), she broke the contact and walked slowly, and as casually as she could fake
it, away.
Once out of sight of Stellan, she didn’t mess around going to the Dom Lounge.
There were cameras in there too, but she’d given herself a reason to return there after she had a drink
in the hunting ground. This being so she could collect what she’d put there a week ago and be done with
the job she was on so she could then collect the paycheck.
She did just this, going directly to her locker and grabbing the small, boxy, black python Alexander
McQueen clutch with its four finger loops topped with various skulls or roses. A clutch she’d placed
there after she’d arrived rather than giving it to reception, which was what most of the Dommes did.
Inside was a slim, business-card- sized wallet with her credit card, ID and a few banknotes, her phone,
another phone that was hers-but- also-not, her lip liner and lipstick, her fabulous vintage compact with
mother-of- pearl inlaid in black depicting cranes flying across a yellow moon, her Cayenne keyfob and
nothing else.
With her back to the camera, she grabbed a random vibrator she had in her locker, twisted off the
bottom where you’d put batteries, upended the flash drive she’d hidden there, and slid it in the lining of
the clutch that she’d jimmied so she could open it, hide things behind it, and then press it back in place
where it held.
She then went to the mirror.

At first, she didn’t look at herself, but instead used it to take in the plush surroundings of the Dominants’
Lounge.
Deep-seated, purple-velvet banquettes spanned the walls. They were covered in red-and silver-velvet
toss pillows. The patterned silver wallpaper behind them was bottom-lit with soft light.
There were attractive steel tables with scented candles glowing on top of them.
The lockers were made of the same steel as the tables and looked like a bank of cabinets with a variety
of digital locks, not lockers.
The gleaming black basins had no faucets, just wide, lush waterfalls that activated by motion. There
were no paper towels, instead thick, soft, purple, red or silver hand towels and washcloths.
There were showers around the side, as well as a Jacuzzi tub, a steam room and a sauna.
Available for use was anything you could need. Disposable razors (for men and women) and shaving
cream, aftershave, a variety of colognes and perfumes, hairspray, lotions, oils, deodorants, tampons,
condoms, face moisturizer, bath soap and scrub, shampoo and conditioner.
Submissives were specifically disallowed there. The lounge was for downtime and Dom time outside any
scene. If a sub needed to be cared for or it was part of the scene, you requested a room that had those
amenities, and the Dom took care of that.
And Sixx longed to stretch out on those banquettes and close her eyes to the D. L. & Co. candles that
smelled like vanilla, balsam and pepper, soothing and spicy, so very Aryas. So very the Honey.
God, she loved it there. It was like her home. It was the only place, outside being on a job, where she
could be …
What?
Not herself. She played a role there. No one knew who she was. Not really. (Except Aryas, or at least he
knew more than everyone else.) Not even people she called friends.
So why did she love it there so much?
And why was her heart hurting that she wasn’t getting out of it what she needed anymore?
She looked at herself in the mirror.
“Because it’s safe,” she whispered to her reflection.
That was it.
And now it no longer felt as safe.
Because Stellan was there, and wanting him and not having him—but more, knowing she should never
expose him to what it would mean to have her … hurt.
That didn’t make sense either. She’d wanted a lot in life.
And never got it.

But Stellan was different.
Stellan was …
Sixx shook off her thoughts and took herself in through the mirror.
She couldn’t see the black pumps or her long legs she’d sleeked not only by giving them a close shave all
the way up to her pubis but also with a subtle oil that made them shine.
What she could see was the black leather micro-mini that sat tight on her hips, cupped her ass and had a
wide black belt with a bold silver buckle.
Up top she wore a white leather modified camisole that had a deep plunging neckline that went to her
midriff and spread wide at the sides, showing the inside curves of her smallish breasts. The straps were
very thin. There was a tight band across her ribs. It was cropped but not by much, showing only a hint of
flesh at her belly between camisole and skirt, depending on how she moved.
Her hair was short, clipped in a graduated bob at the nape of her neck, the champagne highlights in her
dark cinnamon hair looking (she thought) great in the sweeping, long bangs that fell well past her eye,
the sides of her hair hanging below her jaw, all the ends in messy flips.
She had to style it, which was a minus. But it was short so it didn’t take long, and it had a sex-bomb vibe,
so that was a definite plus.
She looked into her wide, brown eyes and wondered, What next?
A weighty question because it wasn’t about what was next for her at the Honey.
But what was next for her with everything.
At Aryas’s appeal (which meant repeated demands), she’d given up “the job.”
Ostensibly.
As far as he knew, Sixx had gone legit, working as the internal investigator for a large local law firm.
However, directly due to Aryas’s interference in some of his other friend’s lives, a need had arisen in
Phoenix when Branch Dillinger stopped doing what he did out there and became the operations
manager for all of the Bee’s Honeys.
Nature abhorred a vacuum.
Cue Sixx stepping in because first, her pay at the law firm was good, if you weren’t used to making a lot
more doing a lot more dangerous shit for a lot more dangerous people. And second, if you were used to
doing a lot more dangerous shit for a lot more dangerous people, as well as used to the adrenaline rush
that got you, it wasn’t an easy habit to break.
So she had a proper job, not a normal one, but one that included a 401K and a bi-weekly paycheck that
gave her insurance benefits.
And on occasion, she moonlit on the side.
Aryas didn’t know.

No one knew (except her friend and sometimes partner, Sylvie Creed, and her husband, Tucker, who she
and Sylvie sometimes had to call in to help. But Sylvie wasn’t in the life Sixx pretended to lead through
her play and relationships at the Honey).
Even if Sixx got off on it, and the cash she accumulated doing it, not to mention the freedom that
offered, she knew she couldn’t do it forever. She had the scars to prove that particular story you told
yourself to stay on the job was a lie.
But what would she have if she stopped?
The kink was getting boring. There were only so many orders you could give that led—perhaps in a
lengthy way, but nonetheless the end was always the same—to someone else’s orgasm.
It had lost its appeal.
Because she wasn’t connecting.
She used to connect.
She used to stay mostly silent, watch, listen, open herself to being acutely aware of every expression or
even twitch of the skin to sense what her sub wanted … then she’d find some elaborate or creative but
always hard-earned way to give it to him.
Now she didn’t even have that.
Anyone could give their own self an orgasm. It was her job as a Dominatrix, regardless if the emotion
wasn’t there, the attention and the respect and the motivation and the deliberation had to be there
to connect. Somehow. Some way.
That was gone.
So what was the point?
To yank herself out of thoughts that were going nowhere, even though her long-lasting lipstick was
doing its job, she still opened her clutch, pulled out the liner and lipstick, refreshed the ruby red, ended
it with a nice coat of clear gloss, and dropped the stuff back in her bag.
She then grabbed her phone—not her actual phone, the other one—before she clicked the clutch closed
and made her way out of the lounge, deciding to have a drink while she dealt with the details of
finishing up her final mission of the evening.
She wandered the halls, doing it avoiding having to walk past Stellan’s room, and hit the hunting ground.
The back corner booth was open, so she went there, flipped open the burner phone in her hand, set it to
silent and then used her thumb in the onerous task of hitting the numbers on the pad repeatedly to get
to the letters she needed to send the short text.
Really, smartphones were a gift from God.
The drop happens tonight.

She tucked the phone by her thigh when a server came, and she decided cool-but- luxe Sixx, Mistress
with the Mostest, was fucking dead.
It was over.
No rep to uphold.
No bullshit to convey.
She was over that too.
She wasn’t going to sip from a glass of wine, withholding any personality, any hint of what made her,
what defined her, that she might convey through the simple matter of ordering her preferred drink.
“Gordon’s cup. Hendrick’s,” she ordered.
“Gotcha,” the server said then moved away.
She looked to the hunting ground and saw subs avoiding her eyes but still preening in view, hoping she
was there to make a selection.
God, she was dried up. Not even a tingle.
The only time she’d felt anything in—Lord, it had been days—was when Stellan’s eyes met hers earlier
through the windows to his playroom.
And those days had been the days since she was last at the Honey and Stellan had turned his attention
to her.
She looked down to her thigh, flipping open the phone to see no return text, and muttered under her
breath, “I’m a fucking mess.”
“Sorry, didn’t catch that.”
Her head snapped up just in time to watch Stellan, back in his suit jacket and definitely out of his
playroom, slide in the booth across from her.
God, he was gorgeous.
But …
What the fuck?
“You were saying?” he prompted.
She flipped the phone shut and tucked it against her thigh so she’d feel it vibrate when the text came in.
“I have something on my mind,” she shared, not knowing what to make of this, him in the booth
opposite her, making an approach, sitting there looking magnificent but still inaccessible, speaking
directly to her with only her there to speak to.
“And that would be?” he asked.
“It’s work,” she told him.

“Ah,” he murmured, glancing to the side and looking up when the server set her drink in front of her. An
action he oddly watched with what appeared to be rather avid fascination as the old-fashioned glass
came to rest on the burgundy cocktail napkin. “Scotch, please,” he ordered before the guy could ask.
“On it,” the server said and moved away.
Stellan didn’t watch him go and it took a good deal, Sixx didn’t look away when Stellan’s attention came
back to her.
“Not in the mood tonight?” he queried.
She shook her head, lifted her drink, and took a sip.
When she put it down, she verbalized that same response. “No.”
“Hmm,” he murmured, and there it was.
God.
There it was.
That “hmm” was almost like a purr, and that purr snaked right up her pussy, an area that instantly got
wet.
“You’re finished early,” she noted.
He gave a one shoulder shrug that managed to be masculine and elegant at the same time, something
only Stellan could pull off.
“I thought I’d try something new.”
“And?” she asked.
“It wasn’t as successful as I’d hoped.”
“Too bad,” she murmured, taking another sip of her drink.
“Is it?” he returned, and her gaze lifted to his, because he’d asked a question but mostly because that
question was strange.
“For you, and them, of course it is,” she replied.
“They got a good deal out of it, I assume, unless she faked it, which is doubtful. He, however, couldn’t
fake it as the evidence he left was physical.”
Perhaps she shouldn’t have left so soon. It would undoubtedly have been interesting to watch Stellan
orchestrate something like that.
“Unusual for you to choose a male,” she remarked.
He turned his head to the hunting ground and remarked, “An experiment I’m unlikely to repeat.”
She gave it some time, and this was mostly because she was arrested in the act of taking in the beauty
of his profile. The cut line of his strong jaw. The angle of his cheekbone. The shadowed hollow under it.

The fine lines that fanned from the corner of his eye. The straight slope of his nose. And, Lord God …
that remarkable swell of his lower lip.
When she realized another second and she’d start squirming in the booth, she spoke.
“It might be more enjoyable if you went hands on,” she suggested.
He looked back to her and more wet surged between her legs at the expression on his face and what
was emanating from his eyes.
“If I fancy ass, it comes with breasts and a vagina or not at all.”
Sixx would take him up her ass, deep, hard, fast, soft, slow, gentle, any way he liked it.
She’d beg him for that.
On that thought, her salivary glands went into overdrive, and she lifted her drink, tipping it to him in
salute, before she brought it to her mouth but didn’t take a drink.
“Too bad,” she murmured.
Then she sipped.
His lips, including that luscious bottom one, curled up slightly at the ends.
“Mistress Sixx,” he said softly. “If she had it her way, they’d be lined up by the score and fucked raw,
climaxing at her command at the tip of her whip.”
She stared at him, her stomach feeling like it was cramping, but her voice sounded even when she
asked, “You say that like there’s something wrong with it.”
“Of course there isn’t,” he drawled, totally and openly lying.
I’d make you like it, she said in her head. I’d make you beg for it. I’d break my back, sell my soul, do
anything I’d need to do to make you come harder than you’ve ever come before, tying you to me,
connecting you to me, making you never want to leave.
He held her gaze, his face arrogant and knowing.
Or I’d give it to you, her mind whispered. Anything you wanted, anything you’d want to do to me to give
you what you needed in a way that need could never be eased and you’d always come back for more.
He kept holding her gaze, but in the dim light of the bar of the Bee’s Honey, she could swear she saw
something in his expression grow soft, like he could read her thoughts.
Before she could get a lock on it, or better, turn from him so he couldn’t read anything further, for once
he looked away first, but only because the server was there, placing his lowball of Scotch over ice in
front of him.
Sixx picked up her drink, looked to the hunting ground, and took a healthy sip.
“Are you staying?”
Stellan’s question brought her attention again to him.

She put her drink down and asked, “Pardon?”
“In Phoenix,” he explained. “I know you travel for work and it takes you away for long periods of time.
But this time, you’ve been back for a while, so it seems like you’re staying.”
She had been intending to stay.
Now she didn’t know.
“For a while,” she replied.
He nodded, sipping his drink, and then stated, “I’ve been meaning to invite you, simply haven’t had the
chance. But I’m having a party next weekend. We’ve hit June, and the weather hasn’t yet started baking.
I’m taking advantage. We’ll start with a pool party, then everyone can change and we’ll move in for
dinner. I’d be delighted if you’d come.”
She hid her reaction to that by throwing back more gin.
“Leigh and Olly will be there,” Stellan went on, back to his gaze set unwavering on her. “Mira and Trey.
Felicia’s bringing a couple of her toys. Penn and Shane will be there. Victor has a new slave he’s enjoying
so he’s bringing her. In other words, it’s a play party, just to make that clear. Though, depending on how
it goes, we’ll make things more sociable and less structured for dinner. That will be up to the Dom.”
When he hesitated, she nodded, indicating she’d heard and taken this in, and he kept speaking.
“Belle’s bringing Tiffany. Talia is bringing Bryan. Aryas will be out of town, as will Evangeline’s partner,
but Evangeline will be there in her usual capacity. Observation only.”
It was an unwritten rule when referring to the Honey’s Domme Evangeline’s “partner”—who was really
her boyfriend who was essentially living with her—at least in the confines of the walls of the club,
people did not use his name.
But he was Branch Dillinger. Her partner. Her boyfriend. Her sub. But he was also the Honey’s new top
guy, since Aryas had taken a step back from operations in order to focus on opening his new club in
Tahoe, and he needed someone he could trust to pick up the reins.
And if Branch played it that way, wishing things to be private, he got it that way, and would even if the
man couldn’t probably snap your neck with his bare hands then walk away and not give that kill a
second thought.
It was just the life and everyone obeyed that rule.
Though the threat of having your neck snapped worked too.
Sixx was just relieved Evangeline was back, not to mention ecstatic she had a man in her life like Branch.
Especially after what was done to her to make her take a prolonged break, all of this happening when
Sixx was away.
It was good it happened when she was away. If she was close, retaliation would have been much
different than what Aryas had ordered, and even much different than the vastly more thorough way in
which Branch had handled it.

But it was handled. So at Aryas’s firm request, she’d let it be.
She was relieved and ecstatic for Leenie … and also jealous.
Jealous because she wondered what it would feel like to have a miracle happen after the world as you
knew it turned to complete shit and then one day … you might not be healed, but you were again whole.
“And if you like, I’ll have a couple of male slaves available for your use. Fresh meat. I know a few who’d
volunteer that I’m sure you’d like,” Stellan continued.
And that stomach cramp got worse.
He’d provide her “a few volunteers.”
Thoughtful.
And damned disappointing.
She wondered who he’d have there.
And how many.
“I’ll think about it,” she told him.
“Please do,” he said before taking another sip of his Scotch.
She followed suit with her gin, practically willing her phone to vibrate against her leg to give her a
reason to get away from him.
Stellan spoke again.
“So you’re not in the mood, will you allow me to offer you something that might strike a different
mood? One I’d wager you’d enjoy a great deal.”
At this proposal that came out of nowhere, Sixx almost choked on her gin.
But of course she didn’t, and again her voice was clear and cool when she asked, “What’s that?”
He shook his head. “I’m afraid it has to be a surprise. But I will say it will be a surprise you’ll like. I also
have to say, you shouldn’t wait to make your decision or things will culminate and we’ll miss our
chance.”
Things will culminate?
Oh no.
She was intrigued.
Damn it!
“Can you give me a hint?” she pressed.
He made a tsking noise that she felt tap against her clit, and as was his usual, he didn’t lose contact with
her gaze.

But he wasn’t looking aloof anymore.
This was both an invitation and a challenge.
She just didn’t know to what.
And with Stellan—this sudden Stellan who was vastly different than the Stellan she’d been getting (or
not, as the case was) for the last too-many- months—she wasn’t sure how to handle it.
“Don’t disappoint me, Sixx,” he said quietly. “The Honey’s Ice Princess, cool and composed in every
situation, shying away from an adventure?”
“I simply need to know how long it would take,” she lied. “I have something I need to do tonight,” she
didn’t lie.
“As soon as you need to go, I’ll bring you back.”
He’d bring her back?
He was going to take her somewhere?
“What’s it going to be, Sixx?” he pushed. “In truth, I should have asked you the minute I joined you in
this booth. We risk missing the grand finale the longer we wait.”
“Stellan—” she started, wondering how to get out of it at the same time how not to appear like she was
jumping on it by accepting too quickly.
She needed time to assess this change, plan, strategize, prepare, fashion a brand-new Sixx. One who
could deal with the likes of Stellan Lange and come out the other side of whatever became of whatever
was happening unscathed.
And more importantly, make certain he did.
Or time to find a place to hide. Or escape, her mind taunted. Coward.
“I’ve bought you a present,” he shocked her by announcing. “I did this some time ago. I’ve been wishing
to give it to you but haven’t had the opportunity. Now’s the opportunity.” The movement was almost
not there, but yet it was when he leaned slightly her way and warned in a low voice, “Don’t waste it.”
Again, eye contact, unrelenting.
Challenge.
Invitation.
Finally.
And a gift?
She lifted her drink, took another healthy swallow, put it on the table and then dropped her hand to her
thigh to curl her fingers around the phone there while grabbing her clutch off the table with her other
hand.
She looked back to him and said, “Let’s go.”

When she did, all vestiges of her stomach cramps disappeared.
Because when she said that, Stellan Lange smiled a wicked, roguish, beautiful smile.
Right at her.

Copyright © 2018 by Kristen Ashley in The Greatest Risk and reprinted with permission from St. Martin’s
Griffin.

.

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Kristen Ashley is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over fifty novels, including Mystery Man, The Gamble, and Own the Wind. She grew up in Indiana, but has lived in Colorado and the West Country of England.

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Release Day Blitz…Two To Love by Lexi Blake

 

 

Re-released in a second edition with new content.

Three lost souls

Growing up in the eclectic, small town of Bliss was wonderful for Callie Sheppard. She loved everything about it, except for the lack of potential romantic partners. She only went wild once in her life, sharing a perfect weekend in Dallas with two incredible men she never thought she would see again. When they parted, she was left with a hole in her heart she feared would never be filled.

One romantic weekend

DEA agents Nathan Wright and Zane Hollister were thrilled when Callie agreed to spend the weekend with them. Just days away from a long, undercover assignment, they considered this passionate affair to be an ideal way to spend their last days of freedom. They never expected to fall in love. Leaving her behind was the hardest decision of their lives.

An unexpected reunion

Six years later, Callie is preparing to break in a new sheriff after Rye Harper walked out on the job. Her heart skips a few beats when the man walking through the door is none other than Nate Wright. Nate and Zane have come to Bliss, but their time undercover has left them broken and scarred. The boys are determined to win back Callie’s heart. But when the criminals they took down come seeking revenge, Nate and Zane may have to save the strange little town of Bliss before they can reclaim the woman they love.

 

AVAILABLE NOW

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Callie Sheppard was startled by the sound of the door opening. She sat straight up in bed and wondered what the hell she was doing. It had seemed like a great idea at the time, but now a tremor of trepidation ran through her system. She was naked in a notorious BDSM club, waiting for two men to walk in and take her virginity.

It wasn’t that she minded losing her virginity. She wasn’t doing anything interesting with it in the first place. It needed to go, but now she worried this wasn’t the way to do it. She wanted some affection and kindness. Would they give that to her? Oh, god, Stef had found her two guys for her birthday. She’d made him a loaf of zucchini bread and shared a bottle of cheap wine for his. What was she doing?

Could she run? She was naked. That didn’t really bother her, but it could confound a lot of people.

“Hello.” The deepest voice she’d ever heard pulled her from her panic.

She turned and hoped there wasn’t a line of drool running out of her mouth as she caught sight of them. Best birthday present ever. Stef might be straight, but he knew how to pick gorgeous men.

She climbed as gracefully as she could off the big bed and faced them. They were perfect. The one who had spoken was tall. She doubted she would reach his shoulders when she stood against him. He was at least six and a half feet, and his body was corded with muscle. Every piece of him seemed chiseled out of granite. He was male model perfection, with a strong jaw and piercing green eyes. His hair was inky black and curled sweetly over his ears.

His partner wasn’t quite as tall but still was no small man. He was a few inches shorter than the gorgeous monster, and his body held a lean strength. If the black-haired devil was a linebacker, this man was a swimmer. His eyes were a stark blue. His skin was sun kissed and smooth. Callie was fascinated with the idea of soft skin covering steel. His hair was cut in a military style. It was a rich brown. The intimate light of the room caught the gold and red streaks. He looked like a man who laughed often.

Everything inside her heated up at the sight of them, and she wasn’t so scared anymore. Why the hell would she run from all that hotness? And they were handpicked by a man who would never, ever hurt her. She was safe with them.

“Hello.” It seemed like a dumb thing to say to two glorious men when she was naked as the day she was born, but it was all she could think of.

“Hello, Callie.” The other man’s voice was deep, too, but there was an inherent friendliness to his Texas accent. It looked like Stef had found her a couple of cowboys. The blue-eyed man watched her. He gave her a small, calm smile, like he didn’t want to scare her. “Are you nervous, sweetheart? We don’t want you to be. Nothing happens here that you don’t want. All you have to do is say the word and everything stops.”

Their eyes were on her body. Callie had never thought much about her body before. It was a natural thing. She’d grown up in a household where nudity wasn’t frowned on. She was comfortable in her skin, only now she wasn’t. Now she was starting to feel hot and restless. They weren’t avoiding her private parts the way the nudists politely did back in Bliss. These men stared boldly at her breasts, and her breasts seemed to be staring right back. Her nipples were hard nubs.

“Do I get a safe word?” The question came out on a breathy sigh. She’d always wanted to know what it felt like to truly submit. Stefan’s subs always seemed satisfied.

The blue-eyed man’s mouth turned down. “Your safe word is no. We don’t have to play games. All you have to do is say no and we stop.”

“But we can play games if you want to.” That came from the big guy. His husky voice did all sorts of things to her libido. He walked boldly up to her and placed his hands on her hips. His touch lit up her skin. “Do you want to play, darlin’?”

Oh, yeah, she wanted to play.

 

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

 

Release Blitz…Indulge by Dani René

Title: Indulge
Series: Sins of Seven Series
Author: Dani Re
Genre: BDSM Erotic Romance
Release Date: April 3, 2018
Cover Design: Raven Designs
Photographer: Eric Battershell
Cover Model: Chris Williamson
I’m a glutton. I indulge in women because I can.

Carrick knows love is merely a shattered memory.
Until Peyton stumbles into his arms and he steals a kiss.
One taste isn’t enough. One touch would never satiate him.
And he does what he’s become accustomed to, he indulges in her.
A man hell bent on not falling in love, he pushes.
But Peyton’s not giving up.
Can they have forever while Carrick is haunted by a ghost from his past?

*This is an erotic romance with BDSM elements.
Due to scenes of an adult nature, this book is for 18+ ONLY.

Dani is an international bestselling author and proud member of the Romance Writer’s Organization of South Africa.

A fan of dark romance that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. It’s from this passion that her writing has evolved from sweet and romantic, to dark and delicious. It’s in this world she’s found her calling, growing from strength to strength and hitting her stride.

On a daily basis, she has a few hundred characters, storylines, and ideas floating around in her head. From the feisty heroines she delivers to the dark, dominant alphas that grace the pages of her books, she promises light in a world filled with danger and darkness.

She has a healthy addiction to reading, TV series, music, tattoos, chocolate, and ice cream.
For any inquiries, please contact me at info@danirene.com or my PA at danirenepa@gmail.com
Join my reader group – Dani’s Darklings

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Nobody Does It Better by Lexi Blake…..Blog Tour & Review

 

 

 

 

A spy who specializes in seduction

Kayla Summers was an elite CIA double agent, working inside China’s deadly MSS. Now, she works for McKay-Taggart London, but the Agency isn’t quite done with her. Spy master Ezra Fain needs her help on a mission that would send her into Hollywood’s glamorous and dangerous party scene. Intrigued by the mission and the movie star hunk she will be shadowing, she eagerly agrees. When she finds herself in his bed, she realizes she’s not only risking her life, but her heart.

A leading man who doesn’t do romance

Joshua Hunt is a legend of the silver screen. As Hollywood’s highest paid actor, he’s the man everyone wants to be, or be with, but something is missing. After being betrayed more than once, the only romance Josh believes in anymore is on the pages of his scripts. He keeps his relationships transactional, and that’s how he likes it, until he meets his new bodyguard. She was supposed to keep him safe, and satisfied when necessary, but now he’s realizing he may never be able to get enough of her.

An ending neither could have expected

Protecting Joshua started off as a mission, until it suddenly felt like her calling. When the true reason the CIA wanted her for this assignment is revealed, Kayla will have to choose between serving her country or saving the love of her life.

ADD TO GOODREADS

 

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“Kayla?”

Her eyes came up, a flash of recognition there. “Yes?”

“Are you going to sign the contract or do you have more questions?”

She picked up the pen sitting on top of the contracts that would bind the two of them together for the next six months. They would reevaluate the relationship at that point in time, but for the next six months, she was his. His bodyguard. His submissive.

Bought and properly paid for. He would take care of her and she would give him what he needed.

She signed with a flourish and sat back, a gleam of curiosity in her eyes.

He was curious, too, and there was zero reason to not satisfy their curiosity. Hard and soft limits had been gone over. They would find their communication style as they went along. But first she should understand that he was in control.

“Come sit on my lap.”

She didn’t hesitate. She stood and turned, shifting so she could maneuver her way onto his lap.

Her weight came down on him and he wrapped an arm around her waist. Damn but she made him feel big. He’d seen her take out a man twice her size, but sitting here in his lap she felt small and vulnerable, and fuck but that did it for him.

He slid a hand along her knee, letting himself indulge in the silky-smooth feel of her skin against his palm. “Did you do as I asked?”

He was well aware his voice had gone husky, deeper than normal.

“Yes, Joshua.” She squirmed the tiniest bit, as though trying to find a comfortable position. It might be difficult for her because she was sitting right on his cock, and it was harder and thicker than he could ever remember it being.

“How can I trust you?” This was all part of the game he loved. Here he could let go and play out the darker of his impulses—to control, to take, to possess.

See. Want. Have.

“You’ll have to check,” she replied. “Though shouldn’t we go inside?”

He reached out and picked up his cell with his free hand, pushing one number and connecting to the security room. He put them on speaker. She needed to understand what she was up against in order for the game to be fair. “Landon?”

“This is Burke,” the deep voice replied. “Shane’s on patrol. What can I do for you?”

“Burke, I would like to fuck my submissive on the third-floor balcony. Is anyone watching us? Can you see any cameras pointed our way?”

A low, masculine chuckle came across the line. “No, Mr. Hunt. And given the angle relative to the beach, you should enjoy your evening without worry. The only peepers I would worry about would be your next-door neighbor, and Jared is out for the night.”

“I wouldn’t care if he wasn’t. Keep up the good work.” He hung up and his hand tightened. “I would prefer when we’re playing that you don’t question me like that. I know where I want to fuck you. I know when I want to fuck you, and I’m in charge. If I want you in the middle of a crowded freeway, your only response is a yes or a no. Not to question me.”

She seemed to relax back against him, as though she was giving up the struggle and choosing to submit. “Yes, Joshua. Yes, I understand, and yes to the sex. Please.”

He liked the breathy please and loved how she squirmed. Still, he wasn’t absolutely sure she’d obeyed him, and he was a man who required proof. He slid his hand up her thigh. “Spread your legs for me.”

Her knees fell apart, and he could feel the heat from her core. He slipped a hand up until he made contact with her softest skin. No panties. Nothing but wet heat waiting for him, and it was obvious the play had cranked her up, too. His free hand eased one button on her shirt free, and then another and another until he could move in like a soldier conquering territory. No bra. Her breasts were like the rest of her. Soft and delicate. One nipple rolled against his palm, hardening then and there.

“I can see you’ve been an obedient sub,” he said, his mouth against her ear. “You need to stay that way or there will be punishment. I’m not a sadist, Kayla. I truly don’t get off on your pain, but I will give it to you if you need it. I am a disciplinarian. I gain satisfaction from your obedience. In exchange, I’ll show you how good it can be to obey me.”

 

 

 

I can’t believe this is the last book in this series – Yes, I know it’s book 15 but damnit I love this series so much. However, I am so excited that we have spinoff series coming about the lost boys and I am soooo looking forward to that.

So I had a hard time rating this book – I kept flipping between 3 and 4, so my overall is 3.5 but I leaned more towards 4 because I only had one issue and I didn’t feel that is bad enough to push the book to a 3.

Nobody Does It Better is Kayla’s book. She’s the last of crew and has spent the majority of her years as a double agent with MSS. She’s lived her life playing a role so her new assignment is nothing new to her – submissive bodyguard to one Hollywood’s biggest stars. Oh yea……

Josh Hunt has a wicked and dark past that he has tried to leave behind him. It’s left him bitter about love. But he has come to realize that the world of BDSM is his calling and one thing he can always rely on. And he now finds himself in need of someone to not only become his submissive but also be able to keep things strict and professional and be his bodyguard.

Lexi does sexy and suspenseful like no one else. She has this perfect mix of intensity with both the BDSM elements and the suspense/action going on. You find yourself get sucked into the story and just breezing through the pages needing to know what happens next. It’s that intensity that she just rocks at.

I may not have loved this one as much as others – there was ALOT going on that it was hard to keep track – but I still really enjoyed it. This may have been the last in the series, but she did a great job of transitioning us to the spin off series The Lost Boys. So as sad as I am to have to say goodbye to this series, she has me eager to start the next one.

 

 

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Release Day Blitz….Nobody Does It Better by Lexi Blake

 

 

 

 

A spy who specializes in seduction

Kayla Summers was an elite CIA double agent, working inside China’s deadly MSS. Now, she works for McKay-Taggart London, but the Agency isn’t quite done with her. Spy master Ezra Fain needs her help on a mission that would send her into Hollywood’s glamorous and dangerous party scene. Intrigued by the mission and the movie star hunk she will be shadowing, she eagerly agrees. When she finds herself in his bed, she realizes she’s not only risking her life, but her heart.

A leading man who doesn’t do romance

Joshua Hunt is a legend of the silver screen. As Hollywood’s highest paid actor, he’s the man everyone wants to be, or be with, but something is missing. After being betrayed more than once, the only romance Josh believes in anymore is on the pages of his scripts. He keeps his relationships transactional, and that’s how he likes it, until he meets his new bodyguard. She was supposed to keep him safe, and satisfied when necessary, but now he’s realizing he may never be able to get enough of her.

An ending neither could have expected

Protecting Joshua started off as a mission, until it suddenly felt like her calling. When the true reason the CIA wanted her for this assignment is revealed, Kayla will have to choose between serving her country or saving the love of her life.

ADD TO GOODREADS

 

Amazon | iTunes | GooglePlay | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

 

 

 

 

“Kayla?”

Her eyes came up, a flash of recognition there. “Yes?”

“Are you going to sign the contract or do you have more questions?”

She picked up the pen sitting on top of the contracts that would bind the two of them together for the next six months. They would reevaluate the relationship at that point in time, but for the next six months, she was his. His bodyguard. His submissive.

Bought and properly paid for. He would take care of her and she would give him what he needed.

She signed with a flourish and sat back, a gleam of curiosity in her eyes.

He was curious, too, and there was zero reason to not satisfy their curiosity. Hard and soft limits had been gone over. They would find their communication style as they went along. But first she should understand that he was in control.

“Come sit on my lap.”

She didn’t hesitate. She stood and turned, shifting so she could maneuver her way onto his lap.

Her weight came down on him and he wrapped an arm around her waist. Damn but she made him feel big. He’d seen her take out a man twice her size, but sitting here in his lap she felt small and vulnerable, and fuck him but that did it for him.

He slid a hand along her knee, letting himself indulge in the silky smooth feel of her skin against his palm. “Did you do as I asked?”

He was well aware his voice had gone husky, deeper than normal.

“Yes, Joshua.” She squirmed the tiniest bit, as though trying to find a comfortable position. It might be difficult for her because she was sitting right on his cock, and it was harder and thicker than he could ever remember it being.

“How can I trust you?” This was all part of the game he loved so much. Here he could let go and play out the darker of his impulses—to control, to take, to possess. See. Want. Have.

“You’ll have to check,” she replied. “Though shouldn’t we go inside?”

He reached out and picked up his cell with his free hand, pushing one number and connecting to the security room. He put them on speaker. She needed to understand what she was up against in order for the game to be fair. “Landon?”

“This is Burke,” the deep voice replied. “Shane’s on patrol. What can I do for you?”

“Burke, I would like to fuck my submissive on the third-floor balcony. Is anyone watching us? Can you see any cameras pointed our way?”

A low, masculine chuckle came across the line. “No, Mr. Hunt. And given the angle relative to the beach, you should enjoy your evening without worry. The only peepers I would worry about would be your next door neighbor, and Jared is out for the night.”

“I wouldn’t care if he wasn’t. Keep up the good work.” He hung up and his hand tightened. “I would prefer when we’re playing that you don’t question me like that. I know where I want to fuck you. I know when I want to fuck you, and I’m in charge. If I want you in the middle of a crowded freeway, your only response is a yes or a no. Not to question me.”

She seemed to relax back against him, as though she was giving up the struggle and choosing to submit. “Yes, Joshua. Yes, I understand, and yes to the sex. Please.”

He liked the breathy little please and loved how she squirmed. Still, he wasn’t absolutely sure she’d obeyed him, and he was a man who required proof. He slid his hand up her thigh. “Spread your legs for me.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Release Day Blitz….Away From Me by Lexi Blake

 

 

Re-released in a second edition with updates.

Shattered by the loss of his wife, Callum Reed is a man surrounded by rules designed to protect him. He rebuilds his life with careful discipline, but can’t deny what he feels when he meets the lovely Gabrielle Sullivan. She’s everything he wants in a woman, but he views all relationships as contractual. Despite her misgivings, Gaby signs his contract and becomes his perfect partner. Until the night she breaks his cardinal rule.

After three years of perfect obedience, Gaby declares she wants love and she isn’t settling for less. Love isn’t in their contract, so Cal lets her go. But Gaby has a secret reason for leaving. When Cal discovers the truth, nothing will stop him from following her.

On a secluded island paradise, Callum will do anything to prove he’s the perfect husband for his defiant love.

 

 

 

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Google Play | Kobo | Smashwords | Print

 

 

 

 

 

“Hello, Cal,” she said evenly. “How are you?”

He looked her up and down, his dark blue eyes showing absolutely no expression. Those eyes assessed her, roaming every inch of her body in a decidedly clinical fashion. “I’ve been perfectly fine, Gabrielle. How have you been?”

His hand was suddenly on her elbow. Her skin tingled where he touched her. He didn’t pull at her, merely squeezed gently, and she let him lead her. Yes, that was a force of habit, too, but perhaps her Irish friend was right. If they had any hopes of being comfortable around each other, they had to talk. They began walking slowly away from the pool.

“I’m well.” That could have come out a little stronger. She sounded like a scared rabbit and that wasn’t at all the impression she wanted to make on Cal.

“That’s nice.” Naturally, his voice sounded perfectly even. He could be negotiating a deal rather than talking to an old lover. “From the evil glances I’m getting from some very old friends, I would think I had tried to kill you.”

“I’m sorry, what?” This wasn’t the way she’d expected their first meeting to go. She’d kind of avoided thinking about it.

His jaw went tight. “I’m talking about all my friends looking at me like I’m some kind of criminal. I’ll admit I haven’t exactly been social lately, but I didn’t expect to walk into a party and find myself completely unwelcome. The only thing that’s changed is the status of our relationship, so I’m wondering what’s been said about me.”

Damn Heather and her big mouth. It was supposed to be a secret. She smiled brightly and slipped her arm through Cal’s. Yes, she needed to handle this. She’d never intended to make anyone hate Cal. He simply hadn’t been able to love her.

She had no interest in the two of them becoming a focus of gossip. If she seemed comfortable with her ex-lover, perhaps the other guests wouldn’t talk about them. She tried to look nonchalant. “I have no idea why. I haven’t seen any of these people since I left town ten months ago. Maybe it’s me they’re wary of.”

“I doubt that, pet,” Cal said, all silky and smooth. His voice had a direct line to her soft parts. “Even my oldest friend seems to have turned on me. Greg barely spoke to me this evening. His friendliest words were to tell me to leave you alone. I swear, Gabrielle, if he didn’t need me to broker his deals, he might not talk to me at all. Now I wonder why that is.”

Gaby flushed, guilt flooding her system. She truly hadn’t meant to hurt him, but she didn’t want to rehash the end of their relationship. She’d kept the secret this long. There was no reason he should know about it now. “I don’t know. I have never spoken to Greg about us.”

“I’m sure Heather talks enough.”

Gaby felt her heels sink into the grass as they left the deck. The evening grew darker as the lights from the torches got further away. The gazebo in the distance seemed to be Cal’s destination. She followed willingly. If they were going to talk, it was best to do it in private.

“I can’t control Heather’s mouth. That’s supposed to be Greg’s job. He’s her husband, after all.”

Cal helped her up the gazebo’s steps. He was always solicitous. It was one of the first things to attract her. He was a Dom of the first order. Gaby had been looking for someone like Callum since the day she realized there was a whole world out there for people like her. She’d gone through a couple of men who claimed to be Doms but really just used it as an excuse to be selfish. A real Dominant was someone like Cal, who always took care of her, even if he didn’t love her.

“Well, as it was pointed out to me recently, a Dom only has as much control as his sub allows him.” His deep blue eyes were almost black in the moonlight and there were lines around them that hadn’t been there before. There was a weariness to his frame that called to her. She fought the urge to smooth down his tie and snuggle in his arms. He wasn’t hers to take care of anymore. He turned to her. “So what have you been up to since you left?”

Her hand unconsciously went to her breast, thinking of the pain that centered there. “This and that.”

He leaned back, staring at her as though trying to decide something. “I never could figure you out, Gabrielle. I didn’t know if you were simply content to be kept or if there was some ambition lurking under the placid surface.”

The darkness was a welcome ally as she felt herself flush. If they’d been under even the soft lights of the party, he would have known how much that hurt. “Well, you weren’t interested in my ambitions.”

He shrugged. “I just wondered what you did all day.”

Her laugh was bitter and without an ounce of humor. “I ate bonbons and watched soaps. I counted the hours until you got home.” She turned away from him and looked out over the yard. In the distance, her friends mingled and laughed. She still seemed so far away from them. Maybe she would always seem far away now.

Distance had given her some perspective, especially when it came to her old Dom. “You weren’t interested in who I was as a person, Callum. You were interested in who I was as a sub. My submissive self was docile and sweet. That was what mattered to you. I didn’t ask questions or make demands. It was a D/s relationship. It wasn’t a love affair.”

She knew the difference now.

His fingers ran across the exposed skin of her shoulders and she held on to the railing of the gazebo. The spaghetti straps that held her dress up offered little protection against his gentle assault. She shivered at the touch.

“And you don’t want that anymore, do you? You don’t want a man to dominate you? You don’t want a man to take charge?”

Oh, there were certainly parts of her that did. His hands ran down to her waist, settling on her hips. Push him away. Do it now or this is going to go poorly. You are not capable of handling this.

But she’d waited too long. When he pressed his groin against her backside, she could feel the hard ridge of his erection, and she knew she wasn’t going to walk away.

It was only sex. Sex with Callum had been mind-blowingly good. There wasn’t any reason she couldn’t enjoy it again as long as she held herself apart. It had been so long. And tomorrow morning, she would be on a flight back to her island, where she was surrounded by gorgeous men she couldn’t fuck because they were either an employee or a guest. She was starting over. Shouldn’t she honor her past with one last nice night?

Yeah, her girl parts were super stupid and they were firmly in control.

Cal pressed his hard dick against her and her brain no longer mattered. That dick had been the best she’d ever had and her whole body reacted. It was like her body knew what it had been through in the last ten months and was demanding payment. That big, hard dick was payment for all the pain.

She could handle it. Hell, after what she’d been through, she could handle anything.

 

 

 

 

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

 

Cover Reveal…At Your Service by Lexi Blake

New York Time bestselling author Lexi Blake brings us the cover for AT YOUR SERVICE, the next book in the Masters and Mercenaries: Topped series releasing on November 14th!

 

 

 

Juliana O’Neil’s promising future was burned away in the heat of battle. She had been an officer with a bright future in the military, but now she is struggling to survive. Her husband gone and her career in shambles, she finds a job at Top as a hostess and tries to put together the pieces of her life. The last thing she needs is any kind of male attention, but she can’t help but be amused at her neighbor and coworker’s lothario antics. Not that she would have anything to do with him, at least not for more than one night.

Javier Leones doesn’t understand monogamy. No woman could ever be enough for his endless libido, but he has to admit Juliana has his attention. For reasons he doesn’t fully understand, he can’t seem to get the gorgeous redhead with the sad eyes out of his head. After one scorching night together, he realizes he’ll never be able to get her out of his system. But with his reputation, he fears she’ll never see him as more than a one-night stand.

When their passions collide, these new lovers will be forced to confront Juliana’s past and come to terms with Javier’s present. Will they find their way or will this reservation be canceled at the last minute?

 

Click to pre-order!

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Smashwords and Kobo: Coming Soon!

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Love Another Day by Lexi Blake…Excerpt & Review Tour

 

 

 

A man born to protect

After a major loss, Brody Carter found a home with the London office of McKay-Taggart. A former soldier, he believes his job is to take the bullets and follow orders. He’s happy to take on the job of protecting Dr. Stephanie Gibson while the team uses her clinic in Sierra Leone to bring down an international criminal. What he never expected was that the young doctor would prove to be the woman of his dreams. She’s beautiful, smart, and reckless. Over and over he watches her risk her life to save others. One night of pure passion leads him to realize that he can’t risk his heart again. When the mission ends, Brody walks away, unwilling to lose another person he loves.

A woman driven to heal

Stephanie’s tragic past taught her to live for today. Everything she’s done in the last fifteen years has been to make up for her mistakes. Offering medical care in war-torn regions gives her the purpose she needs to carry on. When she meets her gorgeous Aussie protector, she knows she’s in too deep, but nothing can stop her from falling head over heels in love. But after one amazing night together, Brody walks away and never looks back. Stephanie is left behind…but not alone.

A secret that will change both their lives

A year later, Stephanie runs afoul of an evil mercenary who vows to kill her for failing to save his son. She runs to the only people she trusts, Liam and Avery O’Donnell. She hasn’t come alone and her secret will bring her former lover across the world to protect her. From Liberia to Dallas to Australia’s outback, Brody will do whatever it takes to protect Stephanie from the man who wants to kill her, but it might be her own personal demons that could destroy them both.

 

 

 

Amazon | iBooks | Google Play | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

 

EXCERPT

The door slammed and she suddenly found herself with her back against it. Brody crowded in, taking up all the space and staring down at her. His body brushed hers and she found both her wrists captured in one of his. He dragged them over her head, forcing her chest to come out, breasts skimming along his body. “I shouldn’t do this.”

Tough chick was winning. Steph let her take over. It was surely better than the desperate girl who lived inside her. She kept asking for love and affection and getting swatted away. This was the next best thing, possibly the only thing she would ever get. “Then don’t. Let me go and I won’t bother you again.”

“No, you’ll go find Ezra Fain and bother him,” Brody said on a growl.

“Somehow, I don’t think he’ll find me a bother.” She’d barely spoken two words to the man, but she wasn’t going to admit it. It was better to let Brody think she wasn’t a love-starved girl.

“He won’t fucking find you anything at all. If you’re determined to not sleep alone tonight, you can damn well do it with me.” His mouth came down on hers and every inch of her skin came alive. His kiss was overwhelming, hungry. There was no slow meshing of mouths. He took her, his tongue surging inside and dominating her own. He let go of her hands and started to explore her body. His hands were on her hips when he came up for air. “I’m leaving in the morning. I’m going back to London and I can’t come back.”

She’d known that would probably be his answer. She’d known he wouldn’t want to stay and she couldn’t leave.

“One night. That’s all I want.” It was all she could have. It had been foolish to think it could be any different.

His mouth came down on hers again and she let herself get swept away. One night and her life would go back to normal. One night and then she would be alone again. His hands started to roam over her and she tried to forget all the reasons why this was a bad idea.

He stepped back, his entire body set in hard lines. He strode over to the bed and sat down. “Take off the gown. It’s pretty, but I want to see you.”

She hesitated, all her insecurities coming to the forefront. Somehow, she’d thought he would simply take her. “Let me get the lights.”

He was back in her space again, his hand wrapping around her wrist. “I didn’t say turn off the lights. I said take off the gown. How am I going to see you if you turn off the lights?”

“Brody,” she began.

He was having none of it. “You got on your knees in front of me and you said you knew what you were offering me. The first thing you were offering me was obedience. The second was your body. You’re giving me neither right now.”

His voice had gone midnight dark and something about the tone made her soften. He was right. She did know what she’d offered him and now she was trying to have it all her way.

There was nothing wrong with her body. It was feminine and she was healthy. What was she afraid of? “All right.”

He let go of her wrist and sat back down, looking like a damn king waiting on his concubine’s performance. For all his “I’m nothing but a grunt” talk, the man could be incredibly arrogant, and damn if she didn’t find it sexy as hell.

Something about that voice let her know that everything was going to be fine. He was past the point of rejection. He was in and that meant he would play her Dom for the night. He would take care of her. She was as safe with him in the bedroom as she’d been in the field.

At least she was safe for the night. In the morning she would be in a world of hurt, but she wasn’t thinking past tonight.

 

 

 

Ok – I am just going to talk about the huge elephant in the room first on this one – what is with the cover?!?! I hate saying it, but WHY??? This cover is just hideous and reminds me of the romance novels I used to see in grocery stores as a kid that had me running over to Steven King books going “OMG, why can’t those books look like you?” Thank god the story is WAY better than the cover.

So please – do not judge this book by its cover. Because it is way off basis on the awesomeness that is Love Another Day. Now onto the book.

Love Another Day is Brody’s story involving the lovely doctor, Stephanie Gibson. I have been waiting for this story for who knows how long. For whatever reason, I took a huge interest in Brody. As for Stephanie, she sort of annoyed me and this book showed why. Don’t get me wrong, she’s an awesome doctor, but her woe is me attitude constantly annoyed the shit out of me.

There was a lot more BDSM in this book than in the last few books and that was nice breath of fresh air for me. I love the suspense and dramatics but with this couple, their relationship definitely needed more the BDSM element than the dramatics. And Lexi wrapped everything up beautifully in the end for these two.

Do I really need to reiterate how awesome Lexi is and her writing abilities?!? Especially when it comes to BDSM mixed with an amazing suspenseful plot?? Lexi has definitely found her niche in the writing department. And I love that she never repeats anything – no schexmy scenes, plot twists are always new and exciting and the characters are all unique (aside from the alpha part – but again, their different in ways). And lets be honest, that is damn hard to do after so many books, but this is book 14!!! And I am not bored yet!!

Bring on Tucker’s book, cause the man has me all too excited for his story!

 

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Love Another Day by Lexi Blake….Release Day Blitz

 

 

A man born to protect

After a major loss, Brody Carter found a home with the London office of McKay-Taggart. A former soldier, he believes his job is to take the bullets and follow orders. He’s happy to take on the job of protecting Dr. Stephanie Gibson while the team uses her clinic in Sierra Leone to bring down an international criminal. What he never expected was that the young doctor would prove to be the woman of his dreams. She’s beautiful, smart, and reckless. Over and over he watches her risk her life to save others. One night of pure passion leads him to realize that he can’t risk his heart again. When the mission ends, Brody walks away, unwilling to lose another person he loves.

A woman driven to heal

Stephanie’s tragic past taught her to live for today. Everything she’s done in the last fifteen years has been to make up for her mistakes. Offering medical care in war-torn regions gives her the purpose she needs to carry on. When she meets her gorgeous Aussie protector, she knows she’s in too deep, but nothing can stop her from falling head over heels in love. But after one amazing night together, Brody walks away and never looks back. Stephanie is left behind…but not alone.

A secret that will change both their lives

A year later, Stephanie runs afoul of an evil mercenary who vows to kill her for failing to save his son. She runs to the only people she trusts, Liam and Avery O’Donnell. She hasn’t come alone and her secret will bring her former lover across the world to protect her. From Liberia to Dallas to Australia’s outback, Brody will do whatever it takes to protect Stephanie from the man who wants to kill her, but it might be her own personal demons that could destroy them both.

 

 

 

Amazon | iBooks | Google Play | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords

 

 

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Cover Reveal….Theirs To Take by Laura Kaye

 

Decadent… Sensual… Forbidden…

 

12 Masters. 12 Desires. 12 Fantasies Come to Life.
Meet the Masters of Blasphemy…

 

Cover design by Kim Killion from The Killion Group

About THEIRS TO TAKE (Blasphemy #4, 9/26/17):

12 Masters. Infinite fantasies. Welcome to Blasphemy…

She’s the fantasy they’ve always wanted to share…

Best friends Jonathan Allen and Cruz Ramos share almost everything—a history in the Navy, their sailboat building and restoration business, and the desire to dominate a woman together, which they do at Baltimore’s exclusive club, Blasphemy. Now if they could find someone who wants to play for keeps…

All Hartley Farren has in the world is the charter sailing business she inherited from her beloved father. So when a storm damages her boat, she throws herself on the mercy of business acquaintances to do the repairs—stat. She never expected to find herself desiring the sexy, hard-bodied builders, but being around Jonathan and Cruz reminds Hartley of how much she longs for connection. If only she could decide which man she wants to pursue more…

As their attraction flashes hot, Jonathan and Cruz determine to have Hartley for their own. But the men’s erotic world is new and overwhelming, and Hartley’s unsure if she could really submit to being both of theirs to take…forever.

A Special Cross-Over Release with Jennifer Probst’s Reveal Me from her Steele Brothers Series!

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Add to your Goodreads

 

 

 

And don’t miss the first standalone titles in the Blasphemy Series!

Hard to Serve #.5

Bound to Submit #1

Mastering Her Senses #2

Eyes on You #3

Theirs to Take #4 (9/26/17)

On His Knees #5 – Coming Winter 2018

 

 

About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books in contemporary and erotic romance and romantic suspense, including the Blasphemy, Hard Ink, and Raven Riders series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. Laura also writes historical fiction as the NYT bestselling author, Laura Kamoie. She lives in Maryland with her husband and two daughters, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

 

 

 

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The Red by Tiffany Reisz…Release Day Blitz & Review

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Title: The Red

Subtitle: An Erotic Fantasy

Author: Tiffany Reisz

Publisher: 8th Circle Press (eBook and Trade Paperback) • Tantor Audio (Audiobook CD and Download)

On-Sale Date: July 11, 2017 (Worldwide)

Genre: Erotica/Paranormal Erotica

Page Count: 248 pages

Retail Price: $5.99 (US/eBook) • $14.99 (US/trade paperback) • $24.99 (US/audiobook MP3 CD/audiobook download)* • $35.99 (US/audiobook CD)

Summary:

Never make a promise you don’t intend to keep…

Mona Lisa St. James made a deathbed promise that she would do anything to save her mother’s art gallery. Unfortunately, not only is The Red painted red, but it’s in the red.

Just as she realizes she has no choice but to sell it, a mysterious man comes in after closing time and makes her an offer: He will save The Red if she agrees to submit to him for the period of one year.

The man is handsome, English, and terribly tempting…but surely her mother didn’t mean for Mona to sell herself to a stranger. Then again, she did promise to do anything to save The Red…

The Red is a standalone novel of erotic fantasy from Tiffany Reisz, international bestselling author of The Bourbon Thief and the Original Sinners series.

Retail Links: Amazon | Amazon Australia | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | iBooks Australia | iBooks UK iBooks Canada | Kobo

Pre-order links not available for the trade paperback or audiobook at this time. Details about signed print copies will be available after release.

Goodreads Link: Goodreads

WHAT IN THE HELL DID I JUST READ!?!?!?! Talk about WOW!

When I was contacted my Tiffany Reisz’s publicist to read an arc of her upcoming release, I jumped at the chance. I have to be honest, I have never read any of Tiffany’s work before (yes, I know, I have been missing out on ALOT), but I have heard nothing but great things so I was excited for this opportunity.

Tiffany Reisz is the first author to ever push me outside my boundaries with this book. And let me tell you, I have some extremely high boundaries, even when it comes to erotica. But this one, yea, I got a tad unsettled with some scenes (beastiality – not my cuppa tea at all). Tiffany definitely knows how to write unique and cringe-worthy scenes. So please, if you can’t stomach more than soft book porn (or even soft book porn), this book will not be for you at all; unless you want to push your boundaries, then by all means – GO FOR IT!!

I won’t go into any specifics of what occurs in this book. It is very fast paced and Tiffany dives right into the heart of this book. Tiffany holds nothing back in her writing. And I love how she has woven the arts into this and the history behind these great pieces. While I was cringing during certain scenes, I was still intrigued to see where this book would go. I did figure out the whole underlying mystery before it was revealed, but I still enjoyed how Tiffany made everything come full circle.

Overall, this book was very good. Even though it pushed my boundaries, I am glad that I forced myself to continue on and not allow small parts to ruin the book completely for me. And I did find myself looking up pieces of art that were mentioned in this book and learning more about the artists and the history. Tiffany’s tie-in of the arts was an integral part of this plot line and I really enjoyed that aspect.

GIVEAWAY

 

Praise for The Red: An Erotic Fantasy:

“Deliciously deviant… Akin to Anne Rice’s ‘Beauty’ series.” — Library Journal (Starred Review)

“Kinky, well-written, hot as hell.” — Little Red Reading Hood

“Tiffany Reisz at her best.” — Collector of Book Boyfriends

“Wonderfully erotic and passionate.” — Crazies R Us Book Blog

“Don’t expect lovey, dovey romance here. It’s pure filthy erotica – just the way I like it.” — Warhawke’s Vault

“This book needs to come with a fan, it’s so beyond HOT!!!” — Beauty and the Beastly Books

“You can’t quite believe what you’re reading.” — Lil Maso

“Not your average erotic fantasy story… [Leaves] you hot one moment, then raw the next.” — Texas Reader Stacy

“Filthy.” — Blogger Vivien Olvasókuckója

“I tossed sleep aside to finish it in a night… This book is worth it.”— No Pithy Phrase

“No holds barred.” — Sarah Tandy, A Woman and Her Books

“Raw, graphic, hardcore sexual fantasy that defies the realm of reality… I’ll never look at a piece of artwork the same way again…” — Cross My Heart Book Reviews

“A lovely bit of literary smut, full of art and sex and mystery.” — RITA Finalist Kira Gold

“Mysterious, scandalous, strange, and weirdly arousing.”— (un)Conventional Bookviews

“Unlike anything I’ve ever read before.” — A Reader Who Reads Blog

About Tiffany Reisz

Tiffany Reisz is the international bestselling author of the Original Sinners series for Mira Books and Mills & Boon, including the RT Book Reviews Best Erotic Romance 2012 winner The Siren and the LAMBDA Literary Award-winning The King. Her novel The Saint won the Romance Writers of America RITA® for best Erotic Romance in 2015.

Follow Tiffany on Social Media: Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

About 8th Circle Press

8th Circle Press is a Lexington, Kentucky-based publisher of literary friction. For more information, visit our website at www.8thCirclePress.com.