Acts Of Creation by Elisabeth Staab…Spotlight And Exclusive Deleted Scene

About Acts of Creation:

He’s living a lie.

Dante Ramos: Champion. Ladies’ man. Party animal. Women want him, and men either want to be him or put his lights out for sleeping with their girlfriends. It’s all an act. Inside, he’s so full of self-loathing he’s on a fast-track to self-destruction.

She’s living in the shadows.

Meeting Michelle at a support group for assault survivors shows Dante a new world of possibilities. Finally, someone in his life might understand him, and she creates in him a fierce need to protect. Trouble is, Dante lives his life in the spotlight, and the only thing Michelle wants is a place to hide.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1LkRbux

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25913434-acts-of-creation

Apple order: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/acts-of-creation/id1025617403?mt=11

B&N order: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/acts-of-creation-elisabeth-staab/1122449826?ean=2940152282894

About the cover:

Cover Photography by Michael Stokes | Cover Model – Quentin Elias | Cover design by Babski Creative Studios

Excerpt (Michelle’s POV):

I plod down the church steps, taking my time heading into the parking lot. A quick summer storm must have passed through while we were all inside, and the evening is cool and damp with the smell of fresh rain. I love that scent. I love the electricity in the air before a big storm, and the way it makes everything smell fresh and brand-new after.

I’m so busy lifting my nose to the sky to take a big whiff, wishing the rain could make me shiny and clean like the streets, that I don’t at first notice Dante standing by his car. I jump a little. He’s so big that I can’t believe I missed him.

Mental head smack, Chelle.

He looks apologetic when he says, “Didn’t mean to catch you off guard.”

“You didn’t.” My mother always said I should never sell used cars. I don’t agree with her about much, but she’s right that I’m not a good liar.

With my face burning, I expect him to call me out on the fib. He doesn’t. He only gives me a winning smile and pushes away from the car. He’s got two takeout cups in his hand. “Okay. So I couldn’t make it to the meeting tonight, but I didn’t like the idea of you out here waiting alone for the bus. Wanted to make sure you got home okay. Also…” He holds out one of the cups. “I broke down and picked up a milkshake, and I hate to drink alone.”

Wow. That’s either a little weird or really nice. Under the circumstances, I decide to go with option B. I’ve always thought Dante was a player, but I’ve never thought he was a bad guy. After the last couple of weeks, I’m not even sure what to think. “What kind of milkshake?”

“Double chocolate cookies and cream. Unless that’s not your thing, in which case I’m willing to trade you my birthday-cake flavored. And I don’t give up my rainbow sprinkles for just anybody, Michelle.” He leans in and whispers that last part with a gravelly suggestive something in his voice, and even though he stops short of touching me I’m surprised at the flush of heat his nearness and his words bring to my body.

“That’s…” Ooh. Maybe he is a player. I don’t know why else he’d be acting flirty with the likes of me. I know my loose clothes and long, un-styled hair don’t do much to attract guys. I dress the way I do for a reason.

I recover and grab hold of the first cup he held out to me. “Thanks, but I wouldn’t dare ask you to make that kind of sacrifice. Anyway, chocolate is one of my favorite food groups.”

“For you, I would. But I’m glad I made the right choice.”

His eyes gleam when he smiles and leans into my space. My snap-fleeting thought is that he’s definitely being flirty. The idea nearly makes me snarf my first drink of shake. No way. “I… Hey, this is really good,” I say, pointing to the cup. Maybe I’m being a dork. Probably.

I’m not sure what surprises me more. The idea that he could possibly be making a move on me, here of all places, or the idea that I kind of would like him to be.

DELETED SCENE (Michelle’s POV):

“So are you, like, off the diet this week?”

He pulls out a cheese stick and offers me one. It reminds me of the last time we ate them together, and my weird, sudden urge to get flirty. The memory makes my face warm.

“I guess you could say I’m having a hard time sticking to the plan, lately.” He looks down into the bag, but I feel like he’s trying to hide something. His face is cloudy, and an unusual slope to his shoulders makes my stomach tight.

“Hey.” I sit and scoot forward on the bench, pushing my drawing supplies out of the way until our knees are almost touching. “What is it that John Lennon said about life being what happens when you make other plans?” I put my hand on his leg, because it seems like the right thing to do. “It happens sometimes. Life.”

He looks up then, swiping his thumb down the side of my face. “That why you’ve been crying? Did life happen? Or is that my fault, for being a dick and bailing in the middle of the night last night?”

Damn. I blow out a breath. I’d tried to get myself under control before he showed up, but I must still have those awful tear-streaks going down my face. “My parents called with some bad news.”

He leans forward. His hand is still on the side of my face, and the size and heat of it my stomach wobble. My face gets hot.

“Then you and I should make some other plans.” The way he smiles at me this time is different. It’s not his usual life of the party grin. It’s.. I don’t know, if I was a girl who believed in that sort of thing, I’d think maybe he liked me or something. You know. “That way.”

It’s an absorbed smile that produces unsettling warmth in places I didn’t think could get warm any longer. Maybe it’s the way the sun in his eyes looks like diamonds. Or maybe it’s the fact that his smile reminds me about how lately whenever I need someone to lean on, there he is with his big, strong shoulders.

I guess in actuality he’s the one who’s needed support some of those times, but it’s been nice to be needed. It’s been nice not to be the only one with the big “BROKEN” stamp on their forehead. We’ve both got some dings, and we don’t have to explain that to each other.

I hate having to explain. I did so much of that after what happened with Craig and his crew. To the police, to the therapists. All for what?

Which is why I’m immensely grateful he hasn’t asked me what’s wrong. He’s just suggested we go do something else.

About Elisabeth:

Elisabeth Staab loves passionate stories and happy endings. Her books have been called “emotionally delicious,” “action-packed,” and “gloriously snarky.” When not writing romance, she enjoys date night with her husband, reading Harry Potter with her kids, and marathoning her favorite books or TV series. Find out more at ElisabethStaab.com, follow along on Facebook and Twitter, and keep up with new releases and giveaways by signing up for her newsletter.

Hot Point by M.L. Buchman….Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway

Title: Hot Point

Author: M.L. Buchman

Series: Firehawks, #3

Pubdate: August 4th, 2015

ISBN: 9781402286940

Synopsis:

Pulled apart by past mistakes. Driven by a passion neither could deny.

FROM WILDFIRE TO GUNFIRE

Master mechanic Denise Conroy—with a reputation for being as steel-clad as the aircraft she keeps aloft—shuns useless flyboys who don’t know one end of a wrench from the other.

Firehawk pilot Vern Taylor—known for unstoppable charm and a complete lack of mechanical skills—proves his talent for out-of-the-box thinking with every flight. He’s a survivor and a natural-born heli-aviation firefighter.

When Denise and Vern crash together in the Central American jungle with wildfire on one side and a full-fledged military coup on the other, their newly forged partnership is tested to the max. They have each other, but not even their formidable skills combined can protect Denise and Vern from the conflagration sweeping the jungle…and their hearts.

Excerpt:

A Note From the Author: Part of the fun in any relationship is the discovery: what we share and what is different. In my latest release, Hot Point, I had so much fun with that in Vern and Denise’s relationship.

Everyone has always seen Denise Conroy as the cool, even cold mechanic, most especially herself. But Vern Taylor, a plain-spoken Seattle pilot of the wildland firefighting helicopters that Denise services, has become the chink in her armor.

He has no idea how that happened, not that he’s complaining, but as he discovers new depths to the person behind the cold steel façade, he’s powerless to do anything other than hope it keeps happening.

***

She didn’t kiss like steel.

She kissed like wildfire, flashing to full heat in the blink of an eye. She’d kissed him barely ten minutes ago, the fire line only twenty miles and six minutes from the Missoula airport, and his body was no closer to recovering than the moment she’d hauled his lips down to hers.

He was glad she’d been in back long enough for him to make a few discreet adjustments to his clothing or he’d have been in pain.

Did she have any idea what she’d done to him?

Did he?

It was the fantasy of the gorgeous woman in the Italian sports car come true. The unadulterated joy she revealed in her driving had been nowhere to be seen this morning.

Then, POW!

She’d come running toward the chopper—like in one of those movie scenes. Then, for reasons he still didn’t dare ask about, she dragged him down into a blazing hot kiss.

He really needed to pay attention to what the hell he was doing. They were descending back into the Missoula Aerial Fire Depot for another load of retardant, and he didn’t remember how he’d gotten here.

He talked to the tower and settled beside Emily’s Oh-One.

The Zulies’ ground crew clearly had this down to a science. His chopper was still rocking on its shock absorbers when he heard the loud clunk of retardant hoses hooking up to it. They ran dual two-and-half-inchers, which meant…

“You’ve got seventy seconds if you want off,” he informed Denise.

“Are you kidding?” She sounded breathless, wound way up. “I thought roller coasters were fun. I had no idea.”

He kept his attention on the tank fill. He needn’t have bothered. The loading team roared up to twenty gallons short of filled, then topped off at a thousand exactly using the reaction time to shut down the pumps. Three seconds later he heard the double-slap on the outside of the chopper, signaling that he was good to go.

He had the rotors humming even as the verbal confirmation came in over the headset.

A dozen feet aloft, Denise spoke over the intercom, her voice so calm and steady that it wholly belied the breathless gasp of moments before.

“I really liked kissing you.”

Beautiful, charming, and spoke her mind without games. Who the hell was she?

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1HOPXoc

Apple: http://apple.co/1Cpx0Iq

BAM: http://bit.ly/1J579lV

B&N: http://bit.ly/1foG3iA

Chapters: http://bit.ly/1HhSPWa

Indiebound: http://bit.ly/1D1MRYp

Giveaway:

To enter to win a copy of HOT POINT, just comment on this blog post! (U.S. entires only, please)

About the author:

M.L. Buchman has over 35 novels and an ever-expanding flock of short stories in print. His military romantic suspense books have been named Barnes & Noble and NPR “Top 5 of the year,” Booklist “Top 10 of the Year,” and RT “Top 10 Romantic Suspense of the Year.” In addition to romantic suspense, he also writes contemporaries, thrillers, and fantasy and science fiction.

In among his career as a corporate project manager he has: rebuilt and single-handed a fifty-foot sailboat, both flown and jumped out of airplanes, designed and built two houses, and bicycled solo around the world.

He is now a full-time writer, living on the Oregon Coast with his beloved wife. He is constantly amazed at what you can do with a degree in Geophysics. You may keep up with his writing at www.mlbuchman.com.

Special Announcement from Laura Kaye!

From the author of the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Hard Ink Series, comes a special announcement sure to excite readers everywhere! Don’t miss what Laura Kaye has to say…

A Hard Ink Special Announcement from Laura Kaye!

As I celebrate the release last week of Hard to Let Go, the finale in my Hard Ink romantic suspense series, I’m super excited to share some more news about Hard Ink! I’m going to do another book in this series. And not just any book. I’m going to write a wedding novella for one of the couples in the series!! And I’m so flippin’ excited!!!

This is how this idea came about: I happened to see another author celebrating the release of a follow-up wedding book, and I’ve never written any follow-up stories about any of my characters—once they’ve gotten their happily ever afters in their original story, I just moved right on to the next couple. But that author’s book got me thinking about who I would even do a follow-up story on. Who is it that would get married? My initial thoughts went right to the Hard Ink series, of course, because I’ve been immersed in this world for the past two years and absolutely adore these characters. Seriously – I know many of us have joked about the title of the last book being apropos, and trust me when I say I’m feeling that, too. I want more Hard Ink myself.

And then I had to ask – which couple? My gut instinct was to say Nick and Becca. They started the series, have been together the longest, and the personal issues they each have and struggles they each face are less than some of the other characters. BUT…

But then my brain started to think about all the other couples. And as I thought through all of them, I could make a case why any of the Hard Ink couples might be the first to get married.

And that’s where YOU come in.

I can’t decide which couple to write.

I could make the argument for Nick and Becca for all the reasons above. I could make the argument that Shane would be eager to take care of Sara in every way he can. I could make the argument that Easy and Jenna’s bond would be so tight because of the hell Easy’s come through and him having saved Jenna’s life. Marz has never wanted anything more than a family, so I could see him being eager to make Emilie his forever. Jeremy and Charlie had the bond of best friends before becoming lovers, and I could see the two of them wanting to prove the depth of their love by committing to forever. And Kat so knocked Beckett on his ass that I could see him wanting to hold her tight and, well, never let go – and finally have a family that valued him.

So, yeah, I can’t decide!

Which means you guys get to.

For real.

I’m letting you pick.

Have you read and met all the Hard Ink couples yet? If not, now’s the time!

Because between now and July 31, you get to vote on which couple gets the bonus wedding novella.

Eeep! Can you believe it? I’m nervous! And excited! And eeep!

Whoever wins, the book will be called Hard Ever After and will release January 19, 2016. How freaking awesome is that title, by the way? I’ve been giggling over it for months! *winks*

Down below, I’ve got some wedding invitations for you to share around to encourage other readers to vote for the couple you want. So grab your favorite couple’s invitations and help spread the word! You can also grab one of the smaller avatar images for your Facebook and Twitter avatars. Have fun with it and vote, vote, vote!

And I figure we should have ways for you to win prizes, too, right? After all, weddings do have gifts! So see below for two big ways to win!

Now, please spread the word and vote! I cannot wait to see who I’m going to be writing about!

Thanks for reading,

Laura Kaye

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE HARD INK COUPLE HERE!

Vote by clicking on the link above and then grab the Avatar below for the couple you chose. Change your profile pictures on social media to show who you voted for!

The Hard Ink Series

HARD AS IT GETS (on sale for $1.99!): Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

HARD AS YOU CAN (on sale for $1.99!): Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

HARD TO HOLD ON TO: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

HARD TO COME BY: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

HARD TO BE GOOD: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

HARD TO LET GO: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

Pre-order HARD AS STEEL (Raven Riders Crossover): Amazon only to start

Pre-order HARD EVER AFTER: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

Add Hard Ever After to your Goodreads

GIVEAWAYS:

TWITTER HASHTAG CONTEST, 7/9 – 7/12

Tweet about the novella, the voting, and your favorite couple for a chance to win your choice of any one signed paperback from the Hard Ink series and lots of Hard Ink swag including stuffed animals! Open to international. One winner will be picked from tweets that use each of the following six hashtags:

#VoteNickandBecca

#VoteShaneandSara

#VoteEasyandJenna

#VoteMarzandEmilie

#VoteJeremyandCharlie

#VoteBeckettandKat

Check your spelling when you tweet because I will be picking winners only from those that use one of the six above hashtags! I will announce winners from the Twitter Hashtag Contest on Monday, July 13. Feel free to keep using the hashtag after the contest closes to connect with other readers who want your favorite couple to win, too!

And don’t miss this second fantastic giveaway from Laura Kaye!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. 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. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

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Exclusive: Protecting Fate by Katee Robert….Girls Night Out Part 4

PROTECTING FATE

He’ll keep her safe…but who will protect her from him?

Fixer Sara Reaver is in serious trouble. She’s stepped on the wrong toes, and now her uncle is sending her out of the city in an effort to keep her safe—and he’s assigning her a glorified babysitter. The last person she expects to show up is the gorgeous Z, or for him to tempt her and then reject her in the space of a single night. Twice. Now she’s out to prove to him just how good they’d fit up together in every way imaginable.

Mercenary Z Loreto hates protection jobs, but he’s willing to make an exception for his best friend’s little sister. The only problem is she calls up things he’s been doing his damnedest to keep under wraps for the last seven years. But when she pushes him too far, it all comes rushing to the fore, and the fact she’s willing to submit to his every desire only makes the loss of control sweeter.

Sara and Z have a boatload of issues between them, but they’re sure they can make things work if they take it one day at a time… Right up until things spiral beyond their control. Now Z’s playing for keeps in a big way, and Sara’s got to decide if a chance at true happiness is worth the risk of repeating history.

See where it all began with Tessa Bailey’s Owned by Fate and Katee’s most recent installment, Betting on Fate.

Goodreads • Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Kobo • iTunes

Girls Night Out, an Exclusive Serial Short Story by Katee Robert!

To celebrate the release of PROTECTING FATE, Katee has written an exclusive short story that gives us a sneak peak into Girls Night Out with Ridley, Penelope and Sara. GIRLS NIGHT OUT will be posted in four parts as part of our release event, be sure check out these fantastic sites for the exclusive story!

Part 1:

3/20 Dirty Girl Romance

Part 2:

3/24 Shayna Renee’s Spicy Reads

Part 3:

3/26 Fiction Vixen

Part 4:

3/27 Read-Love-Blog

About Katee Robert

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. She found romance novels at age twelve and it changed her life. When not writing sexy contemporary and speculative fiction romance novels, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her wee ones, driving her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

Valentine’s Day in the Line of Duty with Tessa Bailey

(Oh, I am so excited for this!)

As many of you know, I abso-freaking-loutely ADORE Tessa Bailey and her alpha males. She writes some of the best I’ve ever read. And their hot and sexy dirty talk? Second to none.

Well, here it is, Valentine’s Day, and I have to admit I am so NOT a flowers and poetry kind of gal which may be why I love Tessa’s guys so much. Because those men are anything but flowers and poetry….thank all things holy! They are as manly and alpha as you can get and yum, they are perfection. I had a hard time choosing just ONE to hang with on Valentine’s Day, so I figured we could spend it with all of them. You’re welcome!

To celebrate, I’ve got Tessa’s favorite lines from each book and for the icing on the cake? Matt stopped by and wrote a little valentine for Lucy *swoon*

Oh, and I can’t forget the giveaway! A $50 Amazon Gift Card and silver handcuff necklace will go to one lucky winner.

Thanks so much for stopping by and ENJOY!

Protecting What’s His (Derek)

“Baby, if I’m going to take you into a room full of men wearing that dress, I’m damn well going to be the only one who knows the color of your panties.”

His Risk to Take (Troy)

“Yes. But don’t worry, baby.” Before she could register his intention, he’d swung her up into his arms. “Even with your panties on, it’ll still be the best sex of your life.”

Officer Off Limits (Daniel – inner thoughts)

Good Lord, baby, Say my name again. I need you to say it in your sleep. When you touch yourself. To no one in particular. Just say it, say it, say it.

Asking for Trouble (Brent)

“You made this fucking sound, Hayden. The first time you spread your legs to take my cock. I hear it everywhere I go. This goddamn…moan? Sob? I don’t know. All I know is if I don’t fuck that sound out of you again soon, I’m going to completely lose my mind.”

Staking His Claim (Matt)

“Trust me to be obsessed with making you come, Lucy.”

…ready to swoon?

An exclusive for you!

Matt’s Valentine’s Day card to Lucy….

Giveaway:

I am giving away a silver handcuff necklace, a “Be safe at night, sleep with a cop” tshirt and a $50 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blood Reunited by Amber Belldene….Book Trailer & Excerpt

Blood Reunited releases 1/28

Book links:

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Book Three in the Blood Vine Series.

Brooding vampire halfling and biologist Bel Maras is determined to create a cure for the wasting disease that plagues his vampire family. His work becomes essential as the Hunters intensify their global and bloody campaign. When Bel’s cure fails, only his ancient and estranged godmother Uta Ilirije can help. But seeing the ice-cold Uta reveals something shocking–she is his bonded mate.

She may be a dangerous warrior, but Uta feels her failures acutely. She has been unable to protect her kind from Hunters, and vampires are dying out. Worse, she tied Bel to her long ago in an accident of blood, then abandoned him for his own good–a choice he has never forgiven. Many days, she is convinced Bel and the vampires would be better off if she just walked into the sun.

Biology has fated them to be mates. Now these old enemies must overcome their past to save the vampires and come to peace with the bond they never chose.

EXCERPT:

She flipped the arm separating their seats up and laced her hands into his hair, pulling his ear to her mouth. Her deft, slender tongue traced a wet line around the shell before she nibbled on the lobe with blunt teeth. Tingles crawled from his scalp down his shoulders and arms, and he pulled her onto his lap.

She whispered. “I have done many things in my life. But I am not yet a member of this club for people who have had sex on airplanes.”

She was already fumbling between them for his belt, her tongue pressed between her lips in determination.

He pressed his forehead into hers and chuckled. “Yes.”

He ached to be with her again like this, but he wouldn’t make the same mistake as last time. This would change nothing.

Author Bio:
authorphoto-2 Amber Belldene grew up on the Florida panhandle, swimming with alligators, climbing oak trees and diving for scallops…when she could pull herself away from a book. As a child, she hid her Nancy Drew novels inside the church bulletin and read mysteries during sermons—an irony that is not lost on her when she preaches these days.

Amber is an Episcopal Priest and student of religion. She believes stories are the best way to explore human truths. Some people think it is strange for a minister to write romance, but it is perfectly natural to her, because the human desire for love is at the heart of every romance novel and God made people with that desire. She lives with her husband and two children in San Francisco

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Giveaway & Excerpt…Stripped Clean by Ellis Carrington

Happy Friday, everyone!

I am so happy to have an EXCLUSIVE excerpt from STRIPPED CLEAN by Ellis Carrington to share with you all today as well as a SIGNED PAPERBACK copy to give away to one lucky winner!

Good way to start the weekend if you ask me!

Thanks for stopping by and ENJOY!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Carlos O’Shea is stuck. He knocked up a girl in college after a night of too much drinking and then married her to be honorable. With little money, fewer options, and no degree, he winds up cleaning the floors in a small town gentlemen’s club and thinking desperate thoughts about the handsome owner that’ll lead to nothing but trouble.

Greg Moorehouse only invested in a nudie bar to help his best buddy out of a financial crisis. Now his drug-dealing ex-boyfriend, his reverend father, and a parade of surgically-enhanced DDs are driving him insane. But what’s really stripped him of all good sense is his growing obsession with his married employee, Carlos.

They circle each other in a push-pull of misunderstandings and growing attraction. Carlos needs to get his boss out of his head, and Greg can’t abide cheaters and married men. So what are a strip club owner and the guy who cleans going to do with their undeniable desires?

Please note: This is an adult gay romance, for mature readers only. Contains explicit love-making between two hot-blooded men, angsty dark moments, and cupcake-baking exotic dancers.

Excerpt:

Greg Moorehouse had removed the button-down shirt he’d had on at the start of the party, and now wore a muscle shirt that said “Staff.” It showed how fucking amazing his triceps were. One of those tribal tattoos snaked around the top of one of his biceps, the sort of ink that Carlos would have blown off as overdone and lame, except on Greg it fit. The band was classic and understated, but sexy.

Carlos had given up long ago on the kind of lean definition Greg had in his arms. When he lifted, he got bulk and more bulk. He stood there admiring Greg’s upper body right up until the man opened his mouth again to say, “Don’t you have a wife to get home to or something?”

And it had been such a lovely party. For awhile there, Carlos had belonged somewhere. He hadn’t been the kid who wasn’t white enough, or the Spanish kid who didn’t actually speak Spanish, or the inexperienced guy pretending he knew stuff. He’d talked to Paris about the new tablet she was thinking about getting for her husband to cheer him up, and to Shane the DJ about music selections for the club, and to Ricky and a couple of the other guys about going shooting sometime. He’d spent so long working his ass off and dealing with a wife who was alternately depressed and anxious and barely speaking to him. For a couple of hours he’d considered the idea of having friends, and it had made him all warm and fuzzy.

Now though, he stood in the afternoon glow on the back deck of this really gorgeous house. Damn, he couldn’t imagine having the money to live in the bathroom of this place. He stared at a sun-kissed Greg who looked even more gorgeous, and couldn’t imagine having him, either. The shittiness of it injected steel into his veins.

Carlos squared his shoulders. “You know, you’re right. This isn’t my job.” He headed for the sliding door into the house, handing the bag of trash to Greg on his way. “Here. You want to be cleanup crew, then by all means.”

They’d gotten along well before. He didn’t know what it was that he’d done wrong. Maybe back in the kitchen he’d stared a little too long at Greg’s lips, and he was pretty sure that awkward silence had been his boss picking up on Carlos’s attraction. Maybe Greg was trying to head Carlos off before he made a pass.

Carlos shoved open the sliding door. Whatever Lacey might be up to, he would not cheat on her while they still had a home together. With or without the fact that he was tied down, it would be dumb as shit to put the moves on his boss. Despite all the things his father had said when he was growing up, Carlos was not actually dumb as shit. And he was tired of being treated as if he was.

By anybody.

“I’ll see you around at work, Mr. Moorehouse.”

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Romance requires a hopeful ending and that is why Ellis Carrington is driven to write it. She loves to create original stories that are gritty, witty, and a little unexpected, just like the heroes who inhabit them. Her guys come in both human and non-human form because spirit guides and vampires deserve love too. Her favorite things are great friends, great music, and books that make her sob like there’s no tomorrow.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Exclusive excerpt from All My Life by Rucy Ban

Happy Monday!

I am BEYOND excited to share an exclsive excerpt from Rucy Ban’s book, All My Life, from Neil’s point of view.

Huge thanks to Rucy and a big dreamy sigh for Neil!

Enjoy!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

(you can find my review of All My Life here)

Exclusive Excerpt:

Thank you dear readers for all the love you’ve shown me! You are all amazing and I wanted to share this new scene from ALL MY LIFE with you as a special thanks! So go ahead and enjoy the ‘drive-in’ scene from Neil’s POV!

The following excerpt is for 17+ due to the hot, steamy foreplay and liberal use of the F word.

“You being the best goddamn people!” I tell her and tug on her hand. Her softness slams against me and I bite my cheek to stop myself from groaning out loud.

I know it’s too soon for her. The marks haven’t left her yet and I shouldn’t push her. I don’t want her to get that horrible hollow look on her face again. My heart clenches every time I see her like that. Like something inside her died.

I wish I could kiss away all the scars he’s left on her heart. Maybe sing her one of those songs she likes so much or sketch her face just the way I see her. Those soft brown eyes, pink lips, her dimples etched out and a cheek-cramping smile covering her face. No trace of sadness anywhere on her. But I’m neither a singer nor an artist. I’m none of that.

I’m just hoping my love will be enough to make her forget. She raises her hand and quickly wipes something off her cheeks. I lower my head and whisper in her ears, “No tears, Angel.”

She looks up at me and there’s a playful annoyed look on her face that makes me relax. She’s happy.

Not scared. Not nervous. Happy. Thank fuck.

Then she pouts her pink lips at me and my gut clenches. Somehow that little act of hers snaps something inside me and I just can’t wait any more. I have to taste her…now. I crush my lips to hers and God it’s like I’ve just tasted heaven. Soft, hot, wet and sweet. My tongue delves in her mouth and the beat between us flares. Her heart pounding against my chest, the chills covering her arms, the soft moans she’s whimpering in my mouth, everything tells me she wants me. And when she raises her legs, wrapping them around me, it’s all the confirmation I need.

Whatever little doubt I have is crushed just as she pulls my shirt out and slides her soft hands on my chest. She moans at the contact and damn the purr in her voice drives me right over the edge. This is my chance and nothing on this planet can stop me from taking it.

I pull her waistband down and graze my hand just under her belly. She stops breathing and I can tell she really wants me to go on. But I don’t want to rush this. I change direction and lower my hands on her back, squeezing her behind. God but having her in my hands is the most incredible feeling I’ve ever had. I just hope she doesn’t ask me to stop because I think it’ll kill me if I have to.

I look down at her and will her to open her eyes, to give me her approval to continue. But she doesn’t and just when I think I should tell her I’ll stop and we’ll take it slow, she lets out a long overdue breath, opens her eyes and gives me the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen in my entire suckass life. A fist clenches around my heart, freezing me to the spot. Her fingers reach for the zipper on my jacket, pulling it down. It falls open and I shrug it off, soon followed by my shirt. All this while her lips keep mussing with mine, her tongue keeps making short, hesitant strokes in my mouth and her teeth nibble on my lower lip. God help me but I’m only human.

I drive into action like a man possessed. I remove her coat, flick off her shirt and am rewarded with the sight of her in a white lacy bra. My eyes trail over her nipples pebbled and straining against the cotton, almost as if they’re calling out to me.

My heart slamming against my chest, I look up at her face to judge where she’s at. Her eyes closed, her lips apart, her breath coming in short, fast gasps and her long, silky hair falling in a sexy mess on her white, creamy shoulders. It’s the most erotic sight I’ve ever seen.

A sigh escapes my lips just as I lower them on her neck. The pulse racing through her veins quickens as I press my lips on her skin and then graze them down to her breast. I thrust them into the soft swell there just as I bring my hand up to cup it from below. Both of us groan at the same time at the intensity of feelings that rock our bodies.

But I don’t want to act on them just as yet. I want her body to go completely wild with need, till there is not an ounce of shyness or unease left behind in her.

I slip off her straps and take off the cups still molded to her breasts. Fucking hell’s angels. I was so wrong. This is the most erotic sight I’ve ever seen. My chest is thrumming for a taste of those hardened peaks and I just cannot fucking wait. I bend my head and pull in a nipple in my mouth.

“Oh!” she gasps and immediately melts into me. I tighten my hold on her and as I keep sucking, her breath starts coming in soft desperate pants, her fingers dig into my skin and her musky scent surrounds me completely. I can tell my angel really likes my lips on her.

Dear readers, hope you enjoyed this scene! Leave me a message on my Facebook page or my blog if you like this or want more!

FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/rucy.ban

BLOG – http://jiltedgenius.wordpress.com/

ALL MY LIFE ON AMAZON – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CFB35UO/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

Blog Tour, Guest Post & Giveaway…Officer Off Limits by Tessa Bailey

Happy Tuesday! As you may know, I am a huge fan of Tessa Bailey so I am super excited to be a part of the Officer Off Limits Blog Tour!

Tessa was kind enough to stop by for a guest post today and I can’t wait for you to read what she has to say about the always delicious alpha male hero.

Also, I’m giving away an eCopy of OFFICER OFF LIMITS to one lucky reader! Enter to win in the rafflecopter below.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ Kobo

Synopsis:

His need to possess her is non-negotiable.

Story Brooks’ fiancé just called off their wedding two weeks before the happy day. As if that isn’t bad enough, her semi-estranged father, an infamous NYPD hostage negotiator, has suffered a heart attack. Not wanting to examine her lack of emotion over the broken engagement, she hops on a plane to reconnect with her father before it’s too late.

Playboy hostage negotiator Daniel Chase has never, not once, been refused by a woman, so when a debate over hospital snack foods with a delectable kindergarten teacher ends in flat-out rejection, he makes it his mission to seduce her. His only obstacle? She’s the daughter of his mentor who implicitly forbade Daniel from pursuing her.

Despite her father’s warnings and Daniel’s troubled past, Daniel and Story can’t resist their intense attraction to one another. But when the reason for her fiancé’s abrupt wedding cancellation comes to light, can Story and Daniel’s already forbidden relationship survive?

Guest Post:

What Makes an Alpha Male so Alluring to a Gal?

“The simple answer is DNA. Hear me out.

Women can pretty much do anything. I realized this right around the time I gave birth to another human being. I was lying there thinking, oh my god, I could conquer France right now if I so desired. And still fit in an hour of Pilates. I’m like, a freaking warrior and I had no idea. As times have changed and women have moved into positions of power (I’m not just talking about in the corporate world, I’m talking about everywhere, even at home), we’ve been conditioned to meet men halfway. Pick the restaurants, pay half the check and find your own damn way home. All this on top of acting like you cringe in the face of commitment just so homeboy doesn’t freak out and make a break for it before your main course arrives. That’s if you’re lucky enough for him to spring for dinner.

So…this is what we wanted right? To be equal in all things, including love? Yes and no. In the workplace or when making household decisions, we obviously deserve to have a voice that counts. But when it comes to the dynamic in our relationships (this is where the DNA comes in) we, as women, have a built-in mechanism that…hmmm…wouldn’t mind a man taking care of us a little. Even just for an hour in bed. It’s not something that should make us ashamed or feel inadequate. It should increase our feeling of power because we’re ultimately being revered. Cherished. Yay, us.

My best friends, twenty-something girls trying to navigate the dating scene here in New York, have such a difficult time figuring out what a man wants from them. These guys flirt like crazy, then don’t ask them out, leaving the ball in the woman’s court. For once, wouldn’t it be nice to have a man tell you exactly what he’s thinking? Where the hell he wants the evening to go? Mystery is overrated, in my opinion.

Enter my heroes

They are alpha males that say very bad things. Things maybe the heroine didn’t realize she wanted to hear all along. She should be offended, but instead she’s turned on. A man who knows exactly what he wants and isn’t afraid to voice that desire is sexy as all get-out. That is why alpha males appeal to women. It eliminates the guesswork and throws in a whole lot of sexy excitement.”

Enter to win an eCopy of OFFICER OFF LIMITS here and for more stops, and more fun, on the Blog Tour, click HERE

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Tessa lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.

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Swoon Romance’s Summer of Love YA Blog Tour

I am pleased to be a part of Swoon Romance’s Summer of Love Blog Tour and bring you exclusive teasers from each book featured on the tour!

Enjoy!

Charm and Consequence by Stephanie Wardrop

Buy from Amazon

Synopsis:

One superior smirk from Michael Endicott convinces sixteen-year-old Georgia Barrett that the Devil wears Polo. His family may have founded the postcard-perfect New England town they live in, but Georgia’s not impressed. Even if he is smart, good looking, and can return Georgia’s barbs as deftly as he returns serves on his family’s tennis courts. After all, if Michael actually thinks she refuses to participate in lab dissections just to mess with his grade, he’s a little too sure that he’s the center of the universe. Could there be more to Michael Endicott than smirks and sarcasm? If Georgia can cut the snark long enough, she just might find out.

Teaser:

I try to read and forget the major feats of hypocrisy I’ve witnessed in the last forty-eight hours, from tree-huggers eating meat to Michael blowing me off after winking at me to Alistair preaching against lust and leering at my sister’s ass. I also try to shrug off the ironic awareness that while Alistair Colwin is obviously a sexist dork, he is downstairs watching a morally unobjectionable movie with his girlfriend, while I am doing homework on a Friday night, reading Hamlet, in fact, just to ensure that the whole night is a laugh riot.

So which one of us is the dork, really?

I wonder what Michael is doing tonight that’s so much better than sitting in a dark movie theater with me and Tori and Trey. And where he gets off blowing me off and acting like he’s the most important and upright person at Longbourne High School when he’s only at LHS because he got kicked out of the Pemberley School for some reason. There’s much speculation about it, but maybe it’s no mystery after all; maybe he became so insufferable that even the snottiest prep school in New England bounced him out on his preppie little posterior.

Not that I think about Michael’s posterior, preppie or otherwise.

Or any other part of his anatomy.

Author Links:

Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Tumblr

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Advantage Heartbreak by Kelly Hashway

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Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Meg Flannigan thought she’d made up her mind about love. But with two guys still vying for her attention, she wonders if she made the right decision. Ash is everything she’s ever wanted in a boyfriend: loyal, loving, and totally hot. But then there’s Noah: fun, sexy, and the more he sticks around, the more Meg wants him there.

What’s a girl to do?

Make up her mind, before it’s too late. Gorgeous freshman Liz has set her sights on Ash, and Noah is beginning to remind Meg of her last boyfriend—the one who broke her heart. Can she figure things out before she ruins not one, but two relationships? Or is she doomed to serve up heartbreak?

Teaser:

I freeze. Noah’s lips are moving in slow motion toward me. He’s giving me the chance to say no.

“Noah.” That’s all I can manage.

He pulls away. My head leans back against the wall, and I close my eyes. What am I doing? How is he able to make me feel so confused? My emotions are a jumbled mess right now. I look at him, begging for answers. “Why didn’t you kiss me?” I’m not complaining. I’m glad he didn’t do it. I just want to know why he didn’t do it.

“I told you. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to. You wouldn’t have stopped me. I think you would’ve even kissed me back. But that’s not how I want to kiss you. I want you to want to kiss me.”

What if I do?

Author Links:

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon

Advantage Heartbreak on Goodreads

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Secondary Characters by Rachel Schieffelbein

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Synopsis:

When Mabel’s best friend, Amber, drags her along on a double date she finds herself falling for Lance, the obnoxious class clown whom she swore she’d have no interest in. The only problem is, she’s not sure if she’s really the girl Lance is into, or if, like every other guy she knows, it’s really Amber he’s after. One thing is clear, if Mabel wants to be the lead in her own love story, she needs to start acting like it.

Teaser:

I try really hard not to stare at Mabel’s profile during the movie so she doesn’t think I’m a psycho, but it isn’t easy. I love the curves of her face, the slope of her forehead, the way her nose turns up, the pout of her bottom lip.

I’m all tense and my heart is pounding like crazy. I think hers is, too. Unfortunately, I don’t think it has anything to do with me.

She looks totally freaked out. She seemed nervous when the movie first started, but now her eyes are wide and she’s biting her bottom lip. Her teeth dig into it to the point where I’m afraid it might actually start to bleed.

Every time she jumps I flinch a little. All I want to do is put my arm around her and let her bury her head into my chest and close her eyes. But I think putting my arm around her out of the blue might freak her out more than the movie is. So I just sit here like a jackass and do nothing.

Maybie jumps again, her hand flinging up to cover her mouth. She has a great mouth, wide with dark pink lips. Her hand flies back down to her arm rest. She’s gripping it so tight her knuckles are turning white. I resist the urge to pry her hands off the seat and hold them. Instead I try to come up with another idea.

Author Links:

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

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About the Publisher:

Swoon Romance is a digital-first imprint from Month9Books founder and publisher, Georgia McBride. Our stories are full of second chances, forbidden love, sexy encounters, hidden feelings, happy ever afters and flirtatious first love. It’s easy to get lost in one of our books. Go ahead . . . swoon.

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Cover Reveal…Soulless by Joshua J. Johnson

I am beyond excited to bring you the cover of Soulless, the debut YA novel from Joshua J. Johnson:

Synopsis:

Mia and Roxanne have always been the best of friends, supported each other throughout their lives, and have always been happy for one another… but that’s when things were simple.

Fast forward to their teenage years, and now life is full of complications… but only for Mia.

Everything seems to happen to Mia, whereas Roxanne seems to be living the sweet life– literally. She has her family, her bakery, and the love of her life– everything that Mia wants.

But one day something terrible happens, and Ryan–her boyfriend– is nowhere to be seen, people go missing, and bodies are found. The creatures appear in your bathroom, down your streets, and inside your bakery, and along with them they bring blood, action, and hunger– a hunger for souls.

Because the question is:

Who is the villain?

Maybe it just isn’t who you think it is…

Written from different points of view, SOULLESS will raise questions about each character, as well as humanity as a whole, whilst being packed with action, guns, cakes, blood, kisses and romance.

SOULLESS is Joshua J. Johnson’s debut YA novel, and is due to be released November 30th, 2013.

About the author:

Joshua J. Johnson currently lives in England with a Giant African Land Snail called Tiny, and a wardrobe full of books.

He started writing as soon as he discovered that books didn’t randomly appear, and that they are actually written by people. After growing up writing short stories by hand for his brother and his family, he decided to create a blog to post some of his creations. His blog is now read in over 80 countries around the world.

He is the proud author of the upcoming children’s book, and several YA novels.

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