Hello, lovelies! This week I’m back to Lady of Thorns for my teasing snippet (mainly because I’m on deadline to finish it by Friday and yeah, WHEE). Amelie is back in Alain’s bedroom for more one-on-one instruction when he mentions an, um, advanced course of study. Ahem.

Oh, and yes, that is a Star Wars in-joke there. I do love my meta pop culture references…

Many thanks to Angelica Dawson for hosting us, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!

Alain got to his feet when he heard the scratching on the door. It opened and Amelie peered around the oak panel. “May I come in?”

He couldn’t stop the curl of anticipation that went through him. “Yes, please.”

Tonight she wore the same plain wrapper she had the night before, but when she undid the belt and let it slide off her shoulders he almost swallowed his tongue. Underneath she wore a short, silky gown of pale yellow with a low décolletage that framed her collarbones and the subtle curves of he breasts. Lower down it clung to her hips, and he imagined he could see the pink dots of her nipples and the dark fluff at the tops of her thighs through the delicate material.

“I’d forgotten I had this,” she admitted, draping the wrapper over a chair and walking into his arms. “It’s one of my ceremonial gowns from when I was younger. Do you like it?”

The way he was rapidly swelling in his breeches was physical proof of that, and he pressed his groin against her. “You are absolutely luscious. Although I have to wonder why a girl was wearing something so revealing.”

“It was an overgown. I wore a white chemise underneath.” She draped her arms around his neck and sighed happily. “Although I have to say, I much prefer wearing it this way. It’s extremely soft, don’t you think?”

He groaned as she executed a little shimmy against his throbbing cock. “You’re a minx, woman. It’s soft and very lovely, but I’d much rather be touching your skin.”

“I see.” Another wiggle. “The nice thing about this gown, counselor, is that it’s short. Quite easy to lift.”

He was never one to overlook a hint. Sliding his hands down, he gathered the hem of the gown and pulled it up until he’d bared her firm, silky rump. “If you continue to be this naughty, I may have to spank this beautiful bottom of yours.”

The glint in her eye turned challenging. “You might find that something of a challenge.”

He stroked the lovely curves, gently pinching one. “Not if I tied you to my bed first.”

A soft inhalation and a widening of her eyes was his answer. Interesting. She likes a bit of spice with her lovemaking. “Would you enjoy that?” he purred.

“I … I don’t know.” But her sped-up breathing and the color in her face indicated otherwise.

Tying a beautiful woman up and turning her into a writhing bundle of sexual need was one of his favorite activities. “I’d be very careful and use the softest ropes so that your skin wouldn’t carry a mark. But you wouldn’t be able to move when I was done. You would be completely at my mercy, your body turned into my own personal playground. And believe me, Amelie, I would play with you for hours until you begged me for release.”

She shivered deliciously at his words. “I don’t know if I could stay quiet if you did that.”

“Oh, a soft cotton gag would mute any noise you made.”

“Then how could I beg you?”

He brushed his lips over her ear. “You would whimper, of course. Widen your eyes and plead with me silently. Strain against your bonds towards my hands, my mouth, my cock. There are all kinds of ways you can beg without words.”

That lovely scent of fruit and cream from her skin deepened, taking on a hot note of mulled cider, and she squirmed. “You’re a wicked man, counselor.”

“Mm, I know.” He pushed his thigh between hers, gently rubbing against her heated flesh. “It’s why you like me, my lady. You need more wicked men in your life.”

She groaned as his hands cupped her ass, squeezing. “I like nice men, too.”

“I can be nice. Allow me to demonstrate.”

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to view this Linky Tools list…

Sorry about that! We’ve been kind of focused on Harvey here in Texas and I forgot today was Wednesday. As always, thanks go out to Angelica Dawson for making Mid Week Tease possible. And with that, here’s another saucy little snippet from Lady of Thorns, where Lady Amelie de Clerq, tired of her offputting reputation, has convinced the rakish lawyer Alain LaPorte to tutor her in lovemaking skills. In this bit, she decides that she wants a bit more, erm, hands-on instruction. As you do.

Check out the link after the snippet to see more awesome Mid Week Teases!

Amelie turned onto her side to face Alain, resting a hand on his chest. “But you haven’t had any pleasure yet.”

“On the contrary, I gained a great deal of satisfaction from yours.” He took her hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss, then drew it down and wrapped it around his rigid erection. She squeezed gently, enjoying the sensation of soft skin over a warm, heavy core. “I enjoy my partners’ delight as much as I enjoy my own. It was immensely exciting for me to feel you reach your peak under my fingers and mouth and know I brought you there.”

She wasn’t sure why his statement pleased her so much, but it did. “Still, I do think that it’s time for the gander to enjoy some of the same sauce as the goose, don’t you?” She stroked him experimentally. “Show me what you like.”

“All right, then.” He rolled onto his back, throwing an arm around her and pulling her with until she was cuddled against his side. “While that fine object in your hand is the center of most men’s desire, there are other places that will pleasure him nearly as much.”

He tugged her hand loose and guided it until she cupped the warm, silky sac of his scrotum. “Many women have a tendency to overlook this part during lovemaking. If you learn how to play with a man’s stones properly, I can guarantee that he’ll worship you and do whatever you ask.”

That sounded promising. She considered the firm, egg-like shapes in their furry pouch, stroking her thumb experimentally along the grain of the hair. His testicles shifted under her touch, tightening closer to his body. “Oh. Did I do that?”

“You caused it, yes.” She could hear the amusement in his voice. “They rise and lower depending on stimuli — heat, cold, the touch of a beautiful woman.”

“Flatterer.” Fascinated, she continued to explore. She’d always thought that a man’s parts were somewhat ungainly, a floppy tube and bag that seemed added as an afterthought rather than as part of a grand design. But up close, so to speak, she could see the appeal of the organs. They really were rather marvelous, a combination of softness and firmness that drew her touch like a flock of doves to a dish of birdseed.

Her hand slipped under his balls and he spread his legs wider, allowing her to tease the springy hair in that shadowy furrow. “There is something you can do if you reach further back, but I would recommend that we save that for a future lesson,” he said, sounding a touch breathless now.

His comment was intriguing, but she was more interested in the more accessible parts of his body. She arched her neck and licked the nipple closest to her, letting the tip of her tongue toy with it as he’d done to her. He rewarded her with a low, pleased growl and she stepped up her efforts, sucking the hard nub before delicately worrying it with the edge of her teeth.

That caused him to suck in a breath. “Teeth. Yes. They’re an acquired taste with many men, but I happen to like them when they’re applied with care.”

“Good to know,” she mumbled, giving his nipple a slightly firmer nibble before running her tongue around it, then around the edge of his areola. “Why do men have these, anyway? It’s not as if you’ll ever feed a baby.”

“I have no idea. But I’m very glad I have them, especially at the moment.”

“Mm.” She shifted so that she could take his other nipple in her mouth. His chest hair was crisp and a bit prickly against her chin, and this close the scent of his skin was mouthwatering, a combination of musk and clean linen over something utterly male. His taste was even better, salt and a hint of savory that reminded her of woodsmoke. She decided she could run her tongue over him for hours, learning the different tastes and textures of his body.

His cock, however, had other ideas and throbbed once against her wrist. She let his balls slide out of her palm, turning the gesture into a caress of that lovely fat shaft. It seemed harder than before, the veins standing out now. “I think someone’s impatient.”

“He can wait.”

She wasn’t sure if she could. “Please. I want you, Alain.”

He urged her to look up at him. “Are you sure? We don’t have to do this at all tonight if you don’t wish to. There are a number of other things I think you would enjoy—”

“No.” The slow desire in her began to build again. “I want you inside me. Now.”

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to view this Linky Tools list…

Hello, lovelies! Thanks as always go out to the lovely Angelica Dawson for making Mid Week Tease possible. And now, here’s another sexy snippet from my current WIP Lady of Thorns (Two Thrones 3). The prickly Lady Amelie and the clever lawyer Alain have cooked up a plan between them to get Amelie comfortable with physical intimacy, but I don’t think either of them expected what’s about to happen. Whee!

Make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!

“Now, may I take off your chemise?”

Wordless, she nodded. With an unhurried grace he undid the ties at the neckline and eased it off her shoulders, letting it fall to her feet. Her nipples pebbled up in the cool air and she struggled to keep her hands at her sides, aroused and ashamed at the same time.

He seemed to understand and took her hands in a gentle grip, holding them away from her body while he studied her with what she prayed was an appreciative smile. “Oh, yes. You’re a graceful willow, with a bottom as ripe as an apple.”

She bit her lip. “I’m many things, Alain. Graceful is not one of them.”

“Mm. We’ll have to agree to disagree on that.” He let her go long enough to lean down and grasp the bedcover, drawing it back. “Get in before you grow chilled.”

She did, appreciating the camouflage of the bed linens and the lingering heat from the warming pan one of the maids would have swept over the sheets. “Are you joining me?”

“In a moment.” Giving her a lazy smile, he slowly stripped off his shirt, letting the garment fall to the floor next to her chemise. She swallowed hard, unconsciously rubbing her thighs together in anticipation.

His torso wasn’t the heavily muscled body of a farmer or warrior, built to wield a sword or a scythe. Instead, he was pale and lean, with well-defined shoulders and light brown hair softly thatching the flat pads of his pectorals. His nipples were small and dusky pink, only a few shades darker than his skin, and the cool air had caused them to stand up. A fine trail of hair led downward across a belly as lean as the rest of him, disappearing into the waistband of his breeches.

Still with that infernal smile, he pulled off his boots. Only then did he undo the ties of his breeches, pushing them down in a slow tease. More hair appeared first, a darker brown than the trail leading to it, then the thick root of his penis. Amelie couldn’t help the small sound that escaped her when it bobbed free, a goodly length with the smooth skin stained a dusky rose in the firelight. Darker veins were starting to show beneath the mushroom cap, and she saw a tiny bead of moisture caught in the eye there.

He planted his hands on his hips, clearly enjoying her stare. “Do you approve?”

She tried to swallow. “It’s very … nice.”

He peered down at it. “Nice?”

His mock-incredulous tone made her giggle. “I’m sorry. That’s not an appropriate thing to call a man’s pride and joy, is it? It’s very handsome.” The dryness returned to her throat. “And thick.”

“Ah. Thank you.” He grasped the shaft, squeezing it and causing the veins to distend. “I think you’ll come to appreciate the extra heft.”

He finished kicking off the breeches and climbed into bed as Amelie scooted over. “Now,” he purred, turning onto his side and propping his head on his hand, “before we begin, do you have any questions?”

She could feel the heat coming from his naked body. A sudden urge to cuddle into his arms and soak in the warmth surprised her. “I—no. But thank you for asking.”

“This is for your edification, Amelie, as well as our mutual pleasure. If you have any questions at any point, you need only ask.” His expression turned gentle. “And if something displeases or hurts you, tell me immediately and I’ll stop.”

His simple, quiet kindness caused tears to rise, and she blinked quickly. She didn’t want to cry, not now. They had much better things to do. “Kiss me again, please.”

“With pleasure.”

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to view this Linky Tools list…

Hello, lovelies! Hope you’re ready for a hot scene from my forthcoming fantasy romance Lady of Thorns. Tired of her reputation as the stiff, standoffish Lady of Thorns, Lady Amelie de Clerq has asked Alain LaPorte to tutor her in lovemaking, but she’s about to get more than she ever expected.

As always, a huge thank you to Anglica Dawson for making this possible, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!

“How do we do this? Go from sitting here to naked and in bed?”

Alain studied her, then drained his goblet. “Like this, my lady.”

Getting to his feet, he held out his hand. The fluttering in Amelie’s stomach grew, but she rose and took it. A tingle raced over her skin, surprisingly similar to the feeling of worked magic. But this isn’t magic. Is it?

The heat from the fireplace combined with the warmth from his body as he took her into his arms. His hands spread across her back, the touch sinking through her gown and into her skin. “May I kiss you?”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. He lifted her chin and brushed their mouths together, catching her lower lip between his own in the softest of bites. Her nipples pebbled up, rubbing against the cotton of her chemise as her body responded to this sublime seduction. His tongue slipped between her lips, a clever intruder that probed every corner of her mouth. She met it boldly with her own tongue, delighting in how this man could set her on fire with something as simple as a kiss.

He pulled away, hazel eyes dark now with desire. “There is honey in your kiss, my lady. The sugared touch of your lips is sweeter than the ripest fruit.”

She couldn’t help smiling at the poetic compliment. “All the better to feed a hungry man, counselor. The bounty of my harvest is yours.”

“Mm, and I intend to take full advantage of your bounty.” Another kiss, deeper and richer, and Amelie drowned in the golden pleasure of it. When they parted this time, they were both breathing heavily. “May I call you Amelie?”

Her first name on his lips, a privilege restricted only to her immediate family, sent a wicked tingle though her. “If I can call you Alain.”

“Of course. Lovers should be on a first name basis, don’t you think?”

She smothered a delighted squeal when he swept her up, carrying her to the bed. Setting her down again, he cupped her face and gave her the most passionate kiss yet, his hands stroking down the column of her neck to her shoulders. Her breasts ached with a sweet need and she wanted his hands on them.

“I’m going to undress you now,” he murmured. “And then I’m going to start at the top of your head and kiss every part of you.”

She couldn’t believe that she whimpered at his statement, but there was no denying the soft sound that escaped from her. She let him turn her, felt his fingers work at the laces of her bodice. As it loosened she shivered, imagining his touch on her breasts, her belly, the soft flesh between her legs.

The bodice fell away from her, a shed skin ready to be stripped away. He pushed it down her arms, exposing her shoulders and pressing his lips to one. “Beautiful,” he murmured.

She wasn’t sure if it was the compliment or the feel of his lips that sent more bolts of desire crackling across her nerve endings. Quite frankly, she didn’t care. She needed more.

He urged her gown to her hips and then to the floor, helping her step out of it. Removing her stays was interspersed with more warm, sweet kisses across her shoulders and neck, whispered endearments filling her ears. She gasped when he nibbled on one lobe, the wet heat of his mouth a most delightful shock.

And then the stays joined her gown on the floor. She turned back to him, clad only in her chemise and stockings. Her nervousness returned, and she didn’t know where to look, finally staring over his shoulder at the waiting bed.

A crooked finger slid under her chin, urging her to look at him. “What is it?” he asked.

“I feel … exposed.” it sounded ridiculous, but it was true. When he was behind her, she could enjoy his caresses knowing that he couldn’t see her. Now, however, she was acutely aware that he was face to face with the Lady of Thorns, and the echoes of every cutting comment sounded in her head.

“That’s because you are. Exposed, and lovely enough to make my head spin.” He paused. “You don’t believe that I want you, do you?”

Her eyes stung, and she blinked to hold the salt water at bay. Damn it all, was she truly that transparent? “I believe that you’re willing to adhere to our agreement, which is kind of you.”

“No, it’s not. I’m afraid you’ll find that I’m not a kind man, not in the slightest.” His voice lowered. “My lady, a man may lie about his wealth, his occupation, even his family name. But one thing he cannot lie about is when he’s attracted to a woman.”

His hand slipped around hers and drew it down. She knew instinctively what he was doing but still gasped when he pressed her hand against the heavy, warm length in his breeches. The muscles between her legs contracted in a unexpected clench at the physical proof of his desire.

He folded her fingers around him, keeping her palm pressed against his hardness. “I wanted you from the first moment you walked into the king’s study, travel-stained and exhausted as you were. If we hadn’t had other matters to attend to, I would have pressed my suit then and there.”

Amelie could still remember the acrid stench of the privy that had been the only avenue of escape from the mage-proof chamber where her mother had jailed her. With only enough time to crop her hair short and change its color, she had spent a sleepless night riding across country to reach Mons and plead for Matthias’s help. “I was a fright,” she muttered. “How could you have wanted me?”

“You were stunning. A warrior goddess come to earth to claim fealty from the king.” His hand began to move hers, guiding it up and down the heated ridge. “Although I prefer your own hair color. The blonde didn’t suit you.”

“I meant it as a disguise.” Her thoughts were fragmenting, split apart by the promise of his flesh against her palm. The growing ache between her thighs throbbed, making her wonder what it would be like to feel him inside her, filling her. Would it be as delicious as the gossiping girls promised, or would it be yet another disappointment? “You don’t mind that my hair is brown?”

“It’s not brown. It’s sable, with streaks of caramel and auburn in the sunlight.” He studied her irises. “And your eyes are the color of rich, dark sherry with a hint of russet in their depths.” He leaned down and kissed the tip of her nose. “Your nose is lovely and delicate, and as I already mentioned there is honey in your lips. Your skin is soft and creamy and gives off the most delicious scent, and I can’t wait to worship your breasts with my mouth.” He moved his mouth to her ear, breath warm on the shell. “Or that sweet flesh between your thighs. Mark my words, Amelie, I fully intend to taste you there tonight.”

The thought of his mouth between her legs caused that area to grow alarmingly wet. “You can’t,” she whispered, delighted and shocked at the same time.

“Oh, I can. And I’ll enjoy it. You may well become my favorite dessert.”

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to view this Linky Tools list…

Hello, lovelies, and many thanks to the lovely and talented Angelica Dawson who makes Mid Week Tease possible!

This week I’m featuring a rather intriguing scene from the third book in my Two Thrones series, Lady of Thorns. In this teaser Amelie is trying to talk Alain (who is quite sought after by the noblewomen of Mons for his skills in the bedroom) into going to bed with her–for science! Or at least for experience. Will Alain agree to this most unexpected request? Keep reading to find out, and make sure to hit the list after the teaser to see other great Mid Week Teases!

LaPorte blinked once, slowly. “I … beg your pardon?” he finally said.

Amelie stiffened her spine. “You heard me,” she said evenly. “I would like you to take me to bed.”

The counselor blinked again, leaning back in his chair. “Yes, that’s what I thought you said,” he murmured, his voice slightly faint. “My lady—”

“Before you refuse, hear me out,” Amelie said quickly. She had to get this out before her courage failed. “I don’t mean this to be some sort of grand affair. I like and admire you, and I find you to be a handsome man, but I have no romantic feelings for you.”

If LaPorte’s eyebrows rose any higher, they would merge with his hairline. “No?”

“No.” She licked dry lips. “I mean this to be—a course of study, for lack of a better word.”

She waited, watching him. To her relief he didn’t burst into laughter, or seem angry. In fact, he seemed more curious than anything. “Study.”

“Precisely.” This next part would be exquisitely embarrassing, but there was no other way except through it. “Lierdhans are comfortable with sensuality. Clearly, I don’t share that same sort of ease, but I believe it’s from lack of practice, not any sort of inherent lack in myself.” The thought of the pleasure that had sent white sparks shooting across her vision the night before danced in her memory, and she could feel her cheeks heat even more at it. “If your earlier statement is to be believed, I do possess certain … charms.”

His head came up slightly at that, but he said nothing.

She took a deep breath and plunged on. “I would like to feel more comfortable with physical intimacy. But I can’t gain that experience without a willing partner. And few men wish to brave the Lady of Thorns, so I sit here at an impasse.” She tried to smile, but felt it quirking towards bitterness. “And throw myself on your mercy.”

“Ah-ah.” The counselor lifted one finger. “First off, you needn’t throw yourself on anyone’s mercy, least of all mine. I believe I already said that what you require is a man of stronger mettle than those you’ve encountered to date. If they aren’t willing to risk the thorns, they don’t deserve the rose at the heart of the briar.”

Tears rose in her eyes at the unexpected compliment, and she quickly blinked them away. “Thank you.”

Another finger joined the first. “Second, are you sure you don’t wish to save this sort of exploration for the man you will marry? I can assure you, few husbands would be horrified to find their wife virgin on their wedding night.”

She imagined Daniel climbing into bed beside her, while she lay there like a corpse from sheer embarrassment. “That’s assuming I marry at all, which doesn’t seem to be likely at this point.” Yes, snap at him. That will entice him, I’m sure. She took a breath and softened her tone. “Counselor, I know how strange my request must sound, believe me. But at the moment my virginity is more of a millstone around my neck than something I can gift to a man I don’t know I’ll ever meet. I wish to be relieved of it by a man of experience and tact.”

LaPorte didn’t smile, but a certain glint entered his eyes. “While my colleagues at the Law College might wish to debate you on the topic of my tact, I do admit that I possess a certain amount of experience in the pleasures of the flesh.” The glint sharpened. “Do you use childbane?”

Her cheeks felt even hotter if that was possible. “Since my first courses. It’s common practice for Lierdhan girls once they become fertile.”

“Good. Then we won’t have to wait for you to procure a dose or for it to take effect.” There was something in his expression now that made her heartbeat speed up. “We can start after dinner tonight.”

Her mouth dried. “Tonight?” It came out as a squeak.

“Unless you have an objection.”

She hadn’t expected him to agree this quickly. She’d racked up a number of arguments, logical reasons why their bedding would be a mutually beneficial arrangement. For him to say yes so easily came as a shock. “No, no objection.”

The smile he gave her had a definite predatory cast. “Good. After you retire for the evening, come to my room.”

“Your room?” That, she hadn’t expected. In her mind, their encounters had always taken place in the familiarity of her own bed.

“For the purposes of discretion. This being your home, you would be able to explain your presence in the halls late at night better than I could. Also, there may be some blood. If your sheets are stained outside your courses—”

“That would be difficult to explain,” she concluded, wishing she would stop blushing. He was being logical, dammit. “Although I can lift blood out of fabric with a spell easily enough.”

“Good to know if it becomes necessary. There’s also the fact that I’m at the far end of the guest wing, while you reside in the family wing. There’s less likelihood that someone will interrupt us in my room, or hear any—noises.”

Her embarrassment dimmed as a soft heat bloomed to life between her thighs. “Eminently sensible,” she got out.

He gave her a brief, appreciative nod. “I do my best, my lady.

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to view this Linky Tools list…