Soon, my precious, soon…
My new Romance on the Go story, Grading the Curve, will be released this Thursday from Evernight, and I just got the final cover art today. And as you can see, yes, that is a woman on the cover.
*pauses so that people can recover*
I know, I know, but I don’t always write M/M erotic romance. I don’t. Stop laughing. Look, sometimes an MF story will hit the “I must write this NOW” button, and Grading the Curve just happened to be one of those stories. And yeah, the fact that I have a rather pronounced teacher kink and my male lead is a gruff but sexy professor may have also had something to do with it, but we won’t get into that right now.
And no, Alex isn’t based on anyone in real life, so if (God forbid) any of my previous teachers somehow stumble across this website, don’t worry, I’m not writing about you. Anyway, here’s the blurb:
Ellen Ragsdale is a scholarship student who just wants to get her college degree and start her life. Alexander Cord is an English professor who hides his loneliness behind an arrogant facade. School rules have kept them at arm’s length all year long. But on the last night of Ellen’s college career, the two of them risk everything to find out if their mutual attraction is more than a classroom crush.
And because I love you all to bits, here’s a teaser:
“Did you know that you always blush when you talk to me?” he said quietly. “It’s charming. You look like a medieval maiden receiving her first suitor.”
It felt like someone had painted fire across her skin. She ducked her head, staring dumbly at the hallway’s scarred paint. He couldn’t know. Nobody knew that about her. It wasn’t that obvious.
Was it?
“Interesting.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “I meant it as a compliment, but perhaps I struck closer to the truth than I’d intended.” He moved closer, and she could feel the heat from his whole body now, warming her like an invisible caress. “Are you?”
She swallowed hard. He couldn’t be asking what she thought he was asking. “A-am I—”
“A maiden. A virgin. I believe a popular term is ‘unicorn bait.'” His voice dropped, turning into a soft rumble. “I have to admit, I’m puzzled as to how someone as lovely and intelligent as you could still be virginal.”
Her entire face now felt like it was on fire. She’d gone on the occasional date, usually doubling with Keisha or Dianne, but once the guys found out what her schedule was like they didn’t bother calling again. “Too busy, I guess. Working, studying.”
To her surprise, cool fingers slid under her chin, gently turning her face up. “What a shame,” Cord said, his voice low and soft. “But if it’s of any consolation, men your age do tend to be rather slapdash and impatient when it comes to women. I assure you, you haven’t missed out on much by skipping the undergraduate sexual circus.” The façade of the academic disappeared. Underneath was a man she didn’t know, warm and standing so close to her. “That being said, I wonder … would you be willing to consider me?”
“What—” Her throat clicked, it was so dry. She swallowed and tried again. “What are you saying?”
He tilted his head to the side. “I want to take you to bed, Miss Ragsdale. I want to kiss that pink mouth of yours, undress you ever so slowly, play with those gorgeous breasts and suck your nipples before I caress every inch of your body. I want to bury my tongue between your legs and lap at your clit, and when you’re dripping wet I want to bury my cock in you. I want to see that sweet mouth of yours open and scream my name as I make you come over and over again.” Now she could smell his cologne, something masculine, woody, and underneath that, the musk of clean male. “Come home with me tonight, Miss Ragsdale. Let me make love to you. I promise you, you won’t regret it.”
Marvelous Monday Reads: Sin’s Flower
Welcome to Marvelous Monday Reads, angels! Is it hot where you are? Well, it’s about to get hotter, because today I’ll be featuring the sinfully saucy contemporary erotic romance Sin’s Flower by Carlene Love Flores. This is what Carlene has to say about her book:
Hi Nicola! Greetings readers and visitors! I hope you’re all finding a way not to melt on these hot, hot days and nights of summer. I know as romance writers, we don’t do a whole lot to help in the cooling off department. It’s our goal, or at least one of them, to deliver a steamy read. I do have some good news though! Sin’s Flower, while sizzling hot, is also set during Christmas time in the remote riverside town of Bugscuffle, Tennessee. So perhaps you’ll find yourself pleasantly experiencing both ends of the spectrum with Jaxon and Lily. Please enjoy this sneak peek of their story and have a great summer!
When Jaxon James, a sexy rock star and struggling single-father, is invited to ditch California and spend Christmas in Tennessee with his estranged family, he hesitantly accepts for his young daughter’s sake. But his attraction to his best friend’s baby sister, Lily Elstone, threatens to unravel the bonds he’s made for his daughter. The honorable thing to do would be to give up Lily. But his instincts are telling him she’s exactly the one who could bring light to his life and the missing fire to his bed. Unfortunately, Lily’s too sweet for his world. He fears his rock and roll life style will taint her. How far are Jaxon and Lily willing to go to find what’s missing at home?
Story Excerpt
Jaxon watched Lily’s hands sinking down into the sand from behind as hesitancy chopped up his steps. Years of ending up in dire situations had made him a decisive man when he needed to be. He was making one of those executive decisions right now. It didn’t matter why she’d come. And he was close to dismissing his reluctance over whose baby sister she was. Not when she wore that swishing angelic lavender top that covered her from neck to shoulder to fingertip, driving him insane with curiosity. God, and that flaming hair which had gone from neon just yesterday to a flattering shade of cinnamon temptation tonight. His grip tightened around the folding chairs he’d gone to fetch. Purposefully, he slowed down.
Then stopped.
Wanting her was one thing, but hurting this young woman was not okay.
Standing back, he took another couple minutes to contemplate what could happen tonight. What he could control and make happen.
He knew they should talk. He just hoped she didn’t mind how close he intended on being to her while that happened. His grip loosened and one of the folding lounge chairs fell to the sand. There would be plenty of room for the both of them on the one. He walked until he made it back to her side and unfolded the chair to its full length.
“Uh, hi,” she said shyly, her brow furrowing in concentration.
“Hey.” He sat down and held his arms out to assist her. “Sit with me?” He hadn’t given her much of a choice and caught her eye scanning the sandy trail where he’d come from. “Yeah, I figured we didn’t need that one.”
“Oh, okay. Wait, just so we’re clear here. You want me to sit, where exactly?”
God, she would kill him tonight. That amount of cute couldn’t be faked. “Here, with me.” Her eyes widened in disbelief so he scooted until he was flush with the back of the nylon chair and then opened his legs, letting one straddle each side. “There’s room.”
“You’re crazy,” she said shaking her head.
He let out a faked huff. His quick decision had been too fast for her and she wouldn’t believe this was his way of comforting her. “I’ll go fetch the other chair.”
She gouged her hand into her hip. “Wait. It’s just…I really don’t think I’m gonna fit.”
A hurricane couldn’t have swayed her decision to stay put. But she eventually bent her knees, bracing herself with strong hands, and lowered herself until her squeezable bottom met the chair. Because he wanted her closer, he took the liberty of placing his hands at each side of her waist and scooted her back until she was flush with his chest and his lap.
On second thought, that was way too close.
Someone would kill him for the throbbing going on so close to their little sister. He wiggled an inch of space between Lily and his now obvious and straining erection. The last thing he wanted to do was leave her thinking he was incapable of a conversation without sex ending up front and center. He had amazing amounts of control in that department. It came along with all the years he’d practiced on the road. Tonight, plainly put, he just wanted to be close to someone, to Lily. And this was the way he knew how to do that.
“So what did you want to talk about?” he asked.
“I, I don’t know.” It sounded like nerves had her.
They didn’t have to start with words. Fuck him for his appetite but he could say more by doing this anyway.
Hey you, horny fucker. This is the part where you pat her on the head, say you’re sorry, and send her back to her big sister. This is not the time for indulging. Pack it up, Jaxon.
Yeah, no questions about it. That’s what he should do.
Where to Buy
Evernight
Amazon
All Romance e-Books
BookStrand
About Carlene Love Flores
Carlene Love Flores is a big fan of the stars (especially Orion), honest music (especially Depeche Mode), and her travelling family (no favorites there-she loves them all). These things have always inspired her to think up edgy, intimate love stories and continue to do so. If she could touch someone’s heart with her writing the way others have done for her, she’d say truly there never lived a luckier girl.
Where to find Carlene Love Flores
Website
Evernight Publishing
Facebook
Twitter
Waterworld Mermaids
Marvelous Monday Reads: Board Stiff – Taking Advantage
Welcome to Marvelous Monday Reads, and today I’ll be featuring the hot new contemporary romance Board Stiff, Book One in the Taking Advantage series by Jessica Jayne. And if that wasn’t enough to send you off rarin’ to buy it, Book Two, Board Approved, is out today! And now, here’s something to whet your appetite!
John Dorsey’s life is good. He is the owner of Dorsey Construction. He’s the youngest person on the board of directors for Advantage Insurance Company. He lives on the beach. And he knows he can have any woman he wants. John’s got the world at his fingertips… except he’s yet to find a woman that stimulates both his body and mind.
Elizabeth Wright worked hard in a large Tampa law firm making a name for herself, but it came at the expense of her personal life. When Advantage Insurance Company offers her a job as corporate counsel, Elizabeth cannot turn it down. The thought that she can have a successful legal career and a life excites and intimidates her.
But when their worlds collide one day in the Advantage board room, neither Elizabeth nor John knows what’s hit them. All they know is they can’t stay away from each other.
Story Excerpt
“Are you seeing anyone? Sleeping with anyone?” he asked further.
“What?” she said, standing up from her chair. Her face was incapable of hiding her shock at his questions. Her green eyes were wide. Her lips parted. “What sort of questions are these?” John’s stride made short use of the distance between them. He stood directly in front of her, cornering her behind her desk. He looked down into her green eyes. They were gorgeous… she was gorgeous. And he had every intention of claiming her.
“Answer my questions, Elizabeth. Are you seeing anyone?” He watched as her eyes widened even further with shock at his determination to get answers to his questions. Nervousness flittered across her face, but her breath came out in short pants as if his close proximity affected her. He watched as her chest rose and fell with each breath. God, he wanted to feel her body against his. He just knew she would feel perfect against him… in his arms.
“Your questions are inappropriate,” she replied sharply. Despite her body giving her attraction away, she held firm. He liked that. He liked a woman that wasn’t too easy of a catch.
“I agree,” he said, impatiently. “They are inappropriate. I need the answers nonetheless.”
“Why?” she asked. Her gaze scanned his face as if looking for the answer to her question.
“Answer me,” he demanded. His hand reached out and caressed her cheek as if to soothe the harshness of his words.
“You are way out of line, Mr. Dorsey,” Elizabeth said.
“Yes, I know,” he said a little softer this time. His fingers tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear. His gaze dropped to her bared neck. He had to fight the urge to nuzzle the spot just below her ear. “But I need to know if there are any obstacles to making you mine. Are you seeing anyone?”
“No,” she whispered. “I’m not seeing anyone.” Her lips parted for a moment before she bit down on her lower lip. That was almost his undoing.
“Are you fucking anyone?” he asked. She released her bottom lip and sucked in a breath when he asked that question. Her gaze fell from his eyes to his lips and then to her hands. He placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up to meet his gaze again. He wanted to see her eyes when she answered him. There was heat in her gaze, and that thrilled him.
“No, Mr. Dorsey, I’m not fucking anyone at the moment,” she said. Her voice was hard, but he heard the desire in it and that snapped his restraint. His hand weaved into her hair until his palm gripped the back of her head, pulling her into him. His mouth slammed down on hers. Her full lips were soft and pliable, and his tongue flicked out over her lips to taste her. She tasted so sweet…like candy.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
Amazon UK
All Romance Ebooks
Bookstrand
About Jessica Jayne
I am a born and raised small town Ohio girl, who moved to the Sunshine State after graduating from college. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English because I could not imagine doing anything else but reading and writing. It is such a pleasure to be able to share all the stories in my head!
In the journey of life, I also became a wife and a mother of three children. So, life is always an adventure. But the love of writing has never died.
My favorites: I love to read and write… obviously! But I also enjoy all sports, especially college football and the Ohio State Buckeyes! Go Steelers! Go Rays! I LOVE to travel… LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to travel. And I love sharing my love to travel with my children. I love to drink Teavana teas! I love a good glass of wine, especially if it comes from a bottle made by the FOOLS wine club… yep, I’m a member of that! I love hanging out with my family and my friends! Big fan of music, but love nothing better than putting on my jean shorts, tank top, cowboy boots and hat and watching Tim McGraw belt it out! I’m a sucker for a cowboy hat!
Where to find Jessica Jayne
Marvelous Monday Reads: Bedroom Bully
Welcome to Marvelous Monday Reads, and today I’ll be featuring the newest Romance on the Go story from the prolific Avril Ashton, Bedroom Bully. Here’s what Avril has to say about this unique line of stories:
Romance on the Go is a multi-author series unique to Evernight Publishing. Our readers have busy lives. Sometimes there just isn’t enough time to engage in a novel but an escape into romance is still desired. We offer our readers a collection of short stories that can be read during work breaks, on the bus, in the waiting room, or before bed.
Sometimes a woman needs more than a gentle touch…
El Lively needs to be punished and after more than a few auditions, she’s found the perfect man for the job. Her body is up for grabs. Not her heart, and definitely not her secrets, but Jud has other ideas.
Jud Kincaid agrees to El’s more-than-indecent proposal, but he’s after more than the physical. He wants an explanation for her sexual kinks, and a way into her heart. El’s being stubborn, but lucky for Jud, he’s just signed on to be her own personal Bedroom Bully.
Story Excerpt
“Why choking?”
Her throat worked. It took a while, but she finally answered in a voice so low, he had to lean forward to catch the words. “It’s the only way I can get aroused. The way I can reach climax.” Wringing her wrists, she looked away.
Jud stared at her, at the forlorn expression on her face. He recalled the shame and pain in her eyes when she’d made her proposal. “Remove the scarf.” He made his voice hard, harsh, issuing the command that brooked nothing other than immediate compliance.
She obeyed, but didn’t look at him. Despite her skin color, he had no problem seeing the thick dark bruise that wrapped all the way around her neck like a collar. He got to his feet and went to her, dropping on his knees when she made room for him.
“What made this?” He touched her skin with the pad of a hesitant finger.
She inhaled sharply. “Leather belt.” She shook violently. “He buckled it around me and pulled.” Her voice dropped to a thin thread of sound, shuddering. “He pulled on it as I sucked him, as he fucked me.”
He cursed viciously.
“No. I wanted it. It’s what I want, Jud. It’s what I need.”
“Fuck.” He palmed her throat lightly. She trembled for him, wide eyes holding him in place. He applied a little pressure. “This, Elliot? This is what you want?”
“Yes.” She hissed and shifted, legs falling open. He got a whiff of it, her arousal, wafting to him from her parted thighs. “Jud.”
He squeezed her again, harder this time. Her pupils dilated. “I’ve decided to take you up on your proposal, Elliot.”
The pulse under his palm galloped. Her scent grew deeper, sharper. He leaned forward and nuzzled her cheek, ignoring his own hard dick pressing against his zipper. There’d be some marks on his flesh later, no doubt.
“I’ll give you what you need,” he whispered to her, loving the way she shuddered. “Only me,” he growled, “no one else.”
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
All Romance Ebooks
Amazon.com
About Avril Ashton
A Caribbean transplant, Avril now lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., with a tolerant spousal equivalent. Together they raise an eccentric daughter who loves reading and school (not so much school anymore). Avril’s earliest memories of reading revolve around discussing the plot points of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys with an equally book-minded mother.
Always in love with the written word, Avril finally decided to do the writing in August of ’09 and never looked back. Spicy love scenes, delicious heroes, and wicked women burn up the pages of Avril’s stories, but there’ll always be a happy ending; Av remains a believer of love in all its forms.
Addicted to cake, the ID Channel and the UFC, Avril writes Erotic and GLBT Romance for Ellora’s Cave, Evernight Publishing, eXtasy Books, Secret Cravings Publishing and Total-e-Bound.
Where to find Avril Ashton
Evernight Publishing at the Gay Romance Northwest Meet-up Conference
BOOYAH! I just found out that Evernight Publishing will be advertising new or recent GLBT titles at the Gay Romance Northwest Meet-up Conference, and one of the titles will be HIS: Manlove Edition with my story “In His Name.”
So if you’re in the Seattle area and enjoy gay romance, you may be interested in attending this shindig, to be help at the Seattle Central Public Library. I wish there was some way I could attend and help promote the antho, but barring a sudden Lotto win I can only say go, it’ll be nifty!
Houston, We Have Cover Art!
COMING AUGUST 15th
Strength. Power. Experience. There’s nothing like a man who knows how to get what he wants, both in and out of the bedroom. And these dominant alphas want nothing more than to please and possess the men they love. No kink is too risqué as these men ensure their lovers never want to be anywhere but under their command.
Come and find out how good it feels to be HIS.
HIS: Manlove Edition includes my short story “In His Name.”
After his late-blooming sexuality prompts a crisis of faith, Father Sean Halloran is placed on sabbatical to reconsider his vocation. Taking a job at a homeless shelter, Sean is determined to rededicate himself to celibacy and return to the priesthood.
There’s only one problem: Matt McCormick, the authoritative shelter manager who has begun to haunt Sean’s dreams and challenge his ideas of what it means to serve God. Now, Sean must choose between a life of celibate service, or the possibility of love with another man.
Fabulous Friday Reads: Dark Hunter
Welcome to the weekend, and let’s kick it off with the new paranormal erotic romance Dark Hunter from Shannan Albright, now available from Evernight Publishing and other purveyors of fine erotic romance.
Vampire Mari Ankamunan struggles to pick up the pieces of her life after her bar The Asp becomes a war zone between the Enforcers and members of the Preservation Society, who want all dark breeds wiped out. The sudden appearance of the only man she ever loved brings her world to a crashing halt, for she witnessed his brutal murder two thousand years ago.
Navar’s spoken oaths to his Sire cost him Mari. Torn from her side by the sidhe queen, he is her Hunter, delivering justice for crimes against the breeds. Now freed he returns to his lovers side only to be caught in a dark plot where Mari is targeted for death.
The stakes are high, can they uncover a deadly plot against the Enforcers or will Navar lose Mari, forever by an assassin’s hand?
Story Excerpt
“I will do everything in my power to protect her, even lay down my life if it comes to that.” Navar’s words rang in the still air, spoken as an oath.
“Marcus will be relieved to find out Mari is well protected. I know after the incident with the Preservation Society, he has been concerned for her safety. Someday you must tell me how you secured your release.”
Mari blinked at the two men, feeling left out of the loop in the XY-chromosome chat. Males. Can’t live without them and can’t kill them. Irritation spiked into the red zone, her patience threadbare for the bullshit. Placing her diminutive self between the two towering males, she gave them both a fearless glare and fisted her hands on her hips.
All conversation stopped as they stared down at her with surprise. Good, now she had their attention. “I’ve been alive since the time of Cleopatra. I didn’t survive all those centuries by being a fucking weak female. I can fight, strategize, and I damn well have enough intellect in this ‘girly’ brain to figure out what I need to do to save my own hide, thank you very much. Now, if you don’t mind talking to me, not about me, it would be appreciated and might save your ball sacs from relocating somewhere north on your body. Are we clear, boys?”
Adrian threw his head back and roared a large rolling laugh that reverberated throughout the room. She blinked in surprise. She’d never once seen any enforcer laugh. Sure, they smiled, chuckled, and even smirked, but never laughed. She found it…disconcerting.
“Point taken. You will have your hands full with this little hellion, hunter. I don’t envy you.”
“Little hellion indeed. Yet well worth the extra trouble,” Navar agreed, his pale eyes darkening with hunger.
Where to Buy
Evrnight Publishing
Amazon
All Romance Ebooks
Bookstrand
About Shannan Albright
Growing up I was called the dreamer of the family, something not always thought of as a positive thing. As a child, I would draw and build stories around my pictures, so writing was a natural extension for me. Recently a family member told me that from now on she would encourage those dreamers she knew. Stating “with hard work and focus dreams can come true. Shannan Albright is proof that dreaming can be a positive thing.”
When not writing I spend my time between oil painting and reading. I love writing paranormal, urban fantasy, historical and fantasy romances because of the world building and rich characters I feel a connection to. I’m drawn to dark, edgy heroes and heroines overcoming impossible odds internal and external.
I’m a “hopeful” Romantic who believes a healthy relationship built on respect and a strong partnership is the key to a happy ever after.
Where to Find Shannan Albright
Nicola’s Sunday Shoutout: Tamsin Baker
Today’s Sunday Shoutout goes to Aussie Tamsin Baker, whose sexy new book Healed Hearts (Third Bite, Book 3) is now available from Evernight Publishing and other retailers of fine erotic romance. Lovers of ménage stories and sexy vampires, you are in for a treat!
Lucas and Thomas believed themselves unusually blessed to have found their third mate within only three hundred years of being a vampire. Unfortunately, once they turned Piers, that empty, lonely feeling is still there, within all of them.
Ten years of strained relations lead them to a ball where an old friend helps them track down a woman they have all dreamt of.
Maryanne has been thrown out of London in punishment for allowing her fiancé into her bed. She is traveling to meet her new horrid husband-to-be, when she is accosted by three male vampires, all claiming to want to love her.
What is a shamed lady meant to do? Her duty? To marry the horrible old lord, or risk loving three men who are the answer to her prayers?
Story Excerpt
“Tommy, I want you to drain me. I like your bite better.”
Thomas smiled, his eyes, an identical brown to Lucas’s, lighting up at the thought.
Lucas pinched him gently in reprimand.
“And what about me? You don’t love my bite?”
Piers reached out both of his hands, and his mates took one each. A bolt shot through him, pure pleasure. Nothing felt as good to him in this world as being connected to his two men, but it was still there. A loneliness, an ache. Something that did not feel quite right, but tonight they were going to change that.
“I want to drink your blood, Luc. Perhaps I will get some of your strength.” He joked, though they all knew he was partly serious. He hated being so much weaker than his mates.
Lucas leaned forward and dropped the sweetest kiss on his lips, and Piers felt his cock swell. These men aroused him like no others ever had.
“You don’t need some of my strength. You have all of it, Piers. I will love and protect you forever.”
Piers gripped the two hands he held tighter. He was ready.
“Tommy, I love you. Bite me.”
He tilted his head away and waited for the sweet pinch.
Thomas bit gently into Piers’s neck, and his heart sang with happiness. He moaned as Thomas continued to drink, far past the usual stopping point.
Death was nearing. Piers could feel a cold hand gripping his heart.
Lucas pressed his warm wrist to Piers’s open mouth.
“Drink, my love.”
Piers felt the pull of death dragging him down, but the hands that held him, anchored him in the real world. He extended his tongue and tasted sweet, thick blood. Slightly metallic, yet so addictive. He moaned as his body began to regain its strength. He attached more firmly onto Luc’s wrist and drank as much of the blood as he could swallow.
Heat flames licked along his legs and arms, and his chest swelled with power and blood.
He opened his eyes and saw his mates. They looked exactly the same. Well that was all right, he supposed. He gripped their hands tighter and smiled as he searched his feelings.
Oh my God!
“It’s still there!” He jumped off the bed and glared at his mates.
“We don’t understand … how?” Lucas looked at Thomas, who looked equally perplexed.
Anger, pure and unforgiving, poured through Piers. How could they do this to him?
“I will never forgive you for this.”
Where To Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon
Bookstrand
All Romance Books
About Tamsin Baker
Tamsin Baker is an Aussie girl who only found erotic romance about ten months ago. Before that she read sexy romance, skipping the plot looking for the ‘good bits.’ Since then she have written and obtained 14 contracts of varying lengths with erotic romance and erotica. She absolutely LOVES reading and writing it! She have two other jobs, kids and a hubby too, but writing is a passion that she has to indulge, for fear of insanity.
M/M is a passion of hers so even in her menage stories, there is always M/M. Female domme is a fun one to write too, but she is open to all genres. One step at a time she is learning to read more and write more. Soon she’ll have stories published in every sub genre of erotic romance – or that is her aim anyway.
Where To Find Tamsin Baker
Fabulous Friday Reads: A Secret Love
We’re kicking off this weekend with the sexy new Romance on the Go story A Secret Love from Douglas Black. Douglas was kind enough to send along some backstory on his new book, as well as three things that nobody knows about him — until now!
Thank you so much for having me over to talk about my new release, ‘A Secret Love’. ‘A Secret Love’ is a short, steamy M/M tale and is a story I just had to tell. I completed a first draft in just one day, but it took me months before I looked back over the manuscript and got it ready to submit to a publisher. To my delight, Evernight Publishing quickly picked up my story, and released it as part of their Romance On The Go Range on the 11th of July.
- After being forced by his grandfather to eat a fistful of the stuff straight out of the ground as a child, Douglas Black avoided flat-leaf parsley for over ten years. He continues to look on the herb with a lingering sense of dread.
- At the tender (perhaps not to some!) age of thirteen Douglas Black had his first ever encounter with a bottle of vodka. Ten years later, after a long evening in a Polish vodka bar, Douglas decided that he had had his last.
- Douglas Black is firmly of the opinion that, if Hell does exist, there will be a special place reserved there for whichever fool decided to cancel ‘Deadwood’.
James is nervous when he pulls into the car park of the secluded and conservative Caledonian Hotel. He slips off his wedding ring, gives a false name at reception and checks into his room.
When Mark finally arrives James expects their time together to conform to the usual pattern, but Mark surprises him. Mark wants candlelit dinners and walks on the beach. James, well, James just wants to make up for lost time. More importantly, he doesn’t want to get caught. They have six months left before they can leave behind everything they know and start a new life together and James is desperate to be discreet. Unfortunately, he never could control himself around Mark. Throw in an interfering old couple and some very public displays of affection and Mark and James’s short hotel stay might just be about to destroy not only the secrecy that has always shrouded their relationship, but also their plans for a future together.
Story Excerpt
Mark returned the kiss passionately. James trembled in his arms. Tension coursed through his body and he could feel it mirrored in Mark’s. He could almost taste the other man’s nerves in his kiss. James savoured Mark’s strong arms around him. He pushed his hands inside Mark’s suit jacket and clung to the warm, toned body underneath. The body was so familiar despite the amount of time that had passed since their last meeting.
“God I’ve missed you,” James said when he finally pulled away. Mark was breathless and didn’t respond at first, but the sexy, playful smile on his lips told James everything he needed to know. James took his hands and led him further into the room.
It was a large suite with living area and a huge bathroom. Mark swung a new sports bag, bright orange and emblazoned with sponsorship logos, off his shoulder and dumped it onto one of the two couches. He paused momentarily, reaching into his suit pocket.
James watched as Mark pulled out his phone and turned it off without checking for messages. He waited patiently until Mark had tucked it safely into his bag and smiled at him when he had finished. “Difficult getting away this time?” he asked.
Mark nodded. “I left as soon as I could. I was so scared I was going to miss the flight. I’m sorry it had to be mid-week this time. Will you get in trouble at work?”
“I have the flu.”
Mark smirked. “You look perfectly healthy to me.”
“It came on all of a sudden,” James said, closing the space between them. “Unexpected. Probably be gone in a few days. You know how these things are.” Mark nodded and James slipped into his arms once more. With his head on Mark’s shoulder, he turned to whisper against the other man’s neck. “I wouldn’t have been able to stand it if you had missed the flight, if you had cancelled. It’s been so long. It’s always so long.”
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Bookstrand
All Romance Ebooks
About Douglas Black
Douglas Black was born and raised in bonnie Scotland. He started writing erotica as a means of paying the bills when he was a student at university, but after graduation he found he no longer had the time to write. Over the summer of 2012, Black picked up a pen once more. After a brief, successful flirtation with self-publishing, Black’s novella ‘Business or Pleasure’ was picked up and released in April 2013. It quickly made the publisher’s best-sellers list. Douglas Black’s short story, ‘A Secret Love’, was published in July 2013 by Evernight Publishing.
Where to Find Douglas Black
Fabulous Friday Reads: Taming Dru
We’re kicking off this weekend with the fabulous new erotic romance Taming Dru from Nikki Prince. Here’s Nikki!
First of all thanks so much for having me here. I had so much fun writing this story. Taming Dru is my first foray into a female/female experience and I’m quite pleased with it. The story at first was supposed to be a male/female story and then the next thing I know the characters were calling out for it to be different. I’m glad it was. I don’t think it could have been written any other way in fact I know it couldn’t be. Drusilla is a character that needed a softer hand to take her to task and Flora was that for her. You’ll see what I mean in the excerpt…now by softer I don’t mean necessarily that she’s gentler than a guy would be when being a Domme…but I mean by beaning that feminine touch that Drusilla craves even when Drusilla doesn’t realize it.
Once Upon a Dream, 4
Drusilla Trumane has been a naughty girl. Flora LeBeau knows just what to do to tame the beast.
When beauties Drusilla Trumane and Flora LeBeau meet, the only thing beastly is Dru’s behavior. But Domme Flora has just the cure for that.
Drusilla’s ghastly attitude may have alienated her from her sisters, but Flora sees beneath the façade to the hurt woman beneath. Refusing to be turned away by her snide comments and bitchy attitude, Flora continues to bring the haughty woman to her knees, showing her at every turn she knows what she needs.
Desperate to retreat to the safety her walls provide, Dru agrees to allow Flora one night. Will twenty-four hours be enough to get the other woman out of her mind and her heart?
Story Excerpt
“I get it. You’re in denial.”
Flora was twirling the ball gag around in her fingers, all the while the expression on her face was one of extreme contentment and confidence.
“In denial about what?” Drusilla frowned.
“What you desire, my girl.”
“And just what would that be? You’ve known me all of what, ten minutes?”
“Oh I know exactly what you want and what you need. Hell, anyone within a few feet of you could tell what you want and smell what you’re thinking.” The grin that Flora shot Drusilla pissed her off.
“You don’t know me, nor do you know what I want or even need.”
“When’s the last time you came to an image of a man, if you ever have.”
She gasped. “What kind of fucking question is that?”
“An honest one that I want the answer to, petite amie.”
“That’s none of your fucking business.”
“We’re back to that?”
“Yes, we’re back to that, and you better not try to use that shit on me.”
“Oh, I love a challenge. You’re going to find that out rather quickly.”
Before Drusilla could react, Flora was in her lap, straddling her in the chair. She pressed against her, tangling her fingers into Drusilla’s hair and tugging.
In shock Drusilla just stared at Flora. Flora pulled her head close with a tug of her hair. Like a deer stuck in the headlights, Drusilla could only watch as Flora pressed their mouths together, and then she was lost. Oh fuck.
She moaned softly into Flora’s mouth as the other woman nibbled at her bottom lip, then licked it, teasing her tongue into her mouth. Flora tasted of warmth and cinnamon. Spicy and sweet. Her scent was just as delicious. She smelled of freshly cut roses. She was fragrant and delectable. Drusilla’s head fell back against the chair, and she gasped for breath. She was breathing just as crazy as Flora had said. That brought her back to her senses, and she started struggling.
In a split second, her hands were wrapped up in the bondage tape and pulled up above her head and held against the wall that the chair rested against. She struggled and found that she couldn’t free herself.
Flora had fucking put her hands up against the wall on some sort of hook that held her snuggly in place, and she was unable to free herself. Shit, who knew that the petite woman was strong. Looks were definitely deceiving. God, why did she like what she was doing to her. She’d soaked her panties.
“Now if you’re going to be a good girl, I won’t tie you the rest of the way up.”
“Get off of me and let me fucking go.”
“Wrong answer, kitten.”
She couldn’t kick out because the other woman was sitting in her lap. She was arched in a way that even if the other woman got off of her, there wasn’t much she could do to free herself. The only thing she could do was rock back and forth trying to get her off her lap. It didn’t work.
Flora snickered and pulled on her hair, arching her head back.
“Still think I can’t subdue you, kitten? I suggest you put away your claws and play nice, or I’m going to gag you.”
Drusilla glared at her. “You wouldn’t fucking dare.”
“You’ve already seen what I would dare. That should tell you I’d dare so much more.”
Flora got off her lap with a chuckle and grabbed one of her legs, locking it into the cuff that was at the bottom of the chair. A cuff Dru hadn’t seen until now. Fuck. Flora gave the other leg the same attention.
Standing back to her full height, Flora had her hands on her hips, the ball gag still hanging from one hand.
“So tell me what wouldn’t I dare to do again?”
“I—” her words were cut off as the ball gag was shoved into her mouth and the strap placed over her head.
“I like it much better when you’re quiet, kitten. You roar so fiercely but inside you’re a cuddly little cat needing to be stroked.” Flora stroked her finger against her cheek, and Drusilla tried to flinch away.
“That’s okay, kitty cat. I’m going to enjoy taming you.”
Flora turned towards the door that had opened, and Drusilla saw Anastasia enter. Shit. This was all she needed, her sister seeing her tied up like a trussed-up goose.
Where to Buy
Evernight Publishing
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Bookstrand
All Romance Ebooks
About Nikki Prince
Nikki Prince is a mother of two, who’s always had a dream to be a published author in the romance genre. Her passion lies in raising her children as readers, gaming, cooking, reading and her writing. Her mother can now breathe easy about the child who used to get in trouble because she was hiding books everywhere and reading when it wasn’t appropriate.
Nikki’s a multi-published author with several epublishing houses. She loves to write Interracial romances in all genres, but wants to let everyone know to not box her in, because there is always room for growth.
Nikki’s also a member of Romance Writers of America National chapter (http://www.rwa.org) and OCC/RWA local chapter (http://www.occrwa.org) and is a member of the board as Co-Programs Director. She is also a member of the online chapter Passionate Ink RWA.
Nicola Cameron Writes 