Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Tempestuous Contest Winners



Congratulations to Lori B., Nancy B., 
Meredith M., Faye G., and Linda P.,
winners of my ebook, Tempestuous. 
Happy reading, ladies! 



Tempestous

 

Once a woman’s deepest, darkest desires have been exposed—whetting her appetite for taboo pleasures of the flesh—her unquenchable hungers will not be denied.

 

Floggers and whips
Chains and leather restraints
Erotic rewards and punishments…oh my!

 

Seduced by erotic stories and the forbidden lure of Dominance and submission, Evie Sloan longs to explore the scintillating delights firsthand. While some fantasies are better left to the imagination, for the chance to visit a real BDSM club, she’s willing to take a risk.

 

Been there, done that, seen it all—or so jaded Dominant Niko Kovalenko thought. Evie’s arrival on the scene reawakens long dormant passions and ramps them up to a whole new level. She’s an exciting challenge—a dangerous temptation—igniting the compulsion to posses. To collar.

 

Evie is no man’s submissive pet. Niko stripped her bare, shed light on all her secret desires and weaknesses, but it’s still not enough for him. To win her man she’ll have to confront her fears and find a way to bridge the distance between them.

 

*This previously published title has been revised and reedited*

amazon all-romance-buy-button rsz_buynowbnnook1

http://www.nicoleaustin.net/excerpt-from-tempestuous/

Friday, October 14, 2016

Win Tempestuous

Tempestous

Once a woman’s deepest, darkest desires have been exposed—whetting her appetite for taboo pleasures of the flesh—her unquenchable hungers will not be denied.

 

Floggers and whips
Chains and leather restraints
Erotic rewards and punishments…oh my!

 

Seduced by erotic stories and the forbidden lure of Dominance and submission, Evie Sloan longs to explore the scintillating delights firsthand. While some fantasies are better left to the imagination, for the chance to visit a real BDSM club, she’s willing to take a risk.

 

Been there, done that, seen it all—or so jaded Dominant Niko Kovalenko thought. Evie’s arrival on the scene reawakens long dormant passions and ramps them up to a whole new level. She’s an exciting challenge—a dangerous temptation—igniting the compulsion to posses. To collar.

 

Evie is no man’s submissive pet. Niko stripped her bare, shed light on all her secret desires and weaknesses, but it’s still not enough for him. To win her man she’ll have to confront her fears and find a way to bridge the distance between them.

 

*This previously published title has been revised and reedited*

amazon all-romance-buy-button rsz_buynowbnnook1

http://www.nicoleaustin.net/excerpt-from-tempestuous/


Saturday, September 3, 2016

Coming Soon from Bestselling Author Kathy Kulig

Coming September 12st


Secret Destiny by Kathy Kulig
Book 1 in Sins of Odyssey series

Sexy. Seductive. Wickedly Delightful. Desperate and on the verge of financial disaster, Destiny Noir accepts a sexy offer from the mysterious billionaire manager at a hedonistic club. Dark Odyssey is in a mansion along the South Florida coast and caters to the rich and powerful, providing a particular service that satisfies their clients’ sinful requests.

Performing kinky sex shows at private parties with her lover Darius Logan should be easy for two lovers. The risk to her professional reputation is high, but the money and scorching sex is too good to refuse. This arrangement is just what the couple is looking for. But they discover the harsh consequences when their secret is exposed and their fun and well-paying side job takes a nosedive.

Amazed by how uninhibited she can be, Destiny is driven by a sensual need aroused by her audience. But when clients begin demanding special favors—slave services on a billionaire’s yacht, then a public ménage at a CEO’s cocktail party, Destiny has second thoughts. Are the risks to her professional career worth it? And what about her blazing-hot romance with Darius? Can they survive the consequences? Secret Destiny is book one in a new sexy contemporary series Sins of Odyssey. Coming soon: Secret Escort and Secret Sins.

Read an Excerpt:

She talked as if they were living together, and he liked that a lot. Maybe he should bring the topic up again. When he was in town, they practically lived at her place. The last time he brought it up, they agreed to wait. His job, her studies, all was not the best environment for a steady relationship. But everyone had challenging schedules and busy lives.

“Great. Come have breakfast. Do you want to eat there or on the bed?” he asked.

When she looked up, he noticed the glitter of tears in her eyes. “The bed is fine.” She got up and put the album down.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” He placed the tray of food on the end of the bed and pulled her into his arms.

“I’m okay. Just looking at these old pictures got me thinking.”

He smoothed her short, dark hair out of her eyes. Without the long blond wig, she had more of a pixie face and less of a seductress face, but he liked both sides of her. He kissed her, but she returned the kiss with less enthusiasm. Something bothered her. “Thinking about what?”

“I love this house. But if I sell it, my financial problems would ease a bit. It may take years before I could afford another home. I do want a home. I have so many memories here. It would be hard to leave it.”

“Then don’t sell it,” he said. “You’re doing okay. This side job pays well, and we’re discreet. Oliver sets up the clients and prescreens them, which makes it even safer. I can always move in to help out. It’s more than that Paula. I want to be with you. I want a home that we share together. It’s hard, I know, when I’m away. When I’m in town, I want us to be together.”

“I thought you needed space.”

“Not true. My regular job requires a lot of travel, and I was afraid it would strain a relationship, so I avoided getting serious with anyone.”

“I know, but…” She hesitated.

“Tell me.”

She looked up at him. “I’m worried about what this job at Dark Odyssey is doing to us. What if we end up liking it too much? We’ve not had much sex alone since we started. I’m worried that sex will become just a job, an act. Each assignment is hot and fun and we’re making great money, but at what expense if we lose something between us, what we have together?”


RELEASE DATE: September 12th.

ENTER THE ENDLESS SUMMER GIVEAWAY: Click the Link to sign up!
https://goo.gl/forms/C09W1j2OJT6URqJO2
PRIZES:
1.     One Sea Glass Bracelet
2.     One signed print copy of either RED TAPE or HIS LOST MATE (Winner’s choice)
3.     Five $10 Gift Cards (Amazon or Barnes and Noble)
(Bracelet and Print book for US and Canada only please)
Read more about the SECRET lives and lovers within club Dark Odyssey! Hot men and the passionate women they love!

SINS OF ODYSSEY SERIES from KATHY KULIG
SECRET DESTINY by Kathy Kulig 9/12/2016
SECRET ESCORT by Kathy Kulig ~9/25/2016
SECRET SINS by Kathy Kulig ~10/9/2016

SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Discover Secret lives, Secret loves, Hot guys in SECRET DESTINY #Hot #ContemporaryRomance from @kathykulig  http://smarturl.it/secretdestiny

About Kathy Kulig
Kathy Kulig is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, sensuous romance stories for the smart, adventurous reader. Her titles range from sizzling contemporaries, to sultry paranormal and scorching romantic suspense. Visit her webpage at www.kathykulig.com to check out her books, news and contests. Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/FC_nP .
Follow my Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/kathykulig
Like my Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/KathyKuligAuthor
Follow me on Twitter @kathykulig https://twitter.com/kathykulig
Check out my Pinterest boards: http://www.pinterest.com/kathykulig/boards/
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathykulig/


Thursday, September 1, 2016

Get TEMPESTUOUS!

Tempestuous
Blurb:
Once a woman’s deepest, darkest desires have been exposed—whetting her appetite for taboo pleasures of the flesh—her unquenchable hungers will not be denied.
 

Floggers and whips
Chains and leather restraints
Erotic rewards and punishments…oh my!
 

Seduced by erotic stories and the forbidden lure of Dominance and submission, Evie Sloan longs to explore the scintillating delights firsthand. While some fantasies are better left to the imagination, for the chance to visit a real BDSM club, she’s willing to take a risk.
 

Been there, done that, seen it all—or so jaded Dominant Niko Kovalenko thought. Evie’s arrival on the scene reawakens long dormant passions and ramps them up to a whole new level. She’s an exciting challenge—a dangerous temptation—igniting the compulsion to posses. To collar.
 

Evie is no man’s submissive pet. Niko stripped her bare, shed light on all her secret desires and weaknesses, but it’s still not enough for him. To win her man she’ll have to confront her fears and find a way to bridge the distance between them.
 

*This previously published title has been revised and reedited*
 

The story behind the book:
Imagine this if you will. Its early morning and you are a night person who hasn’t had your first cup of coffee. You’re at a conference, standing in the breakfast buffet line at the hotel when an acquaintance you know is a Dominant comes up behind you and whispers in your ear.

“We have an open spot tonight. You want in?”

The “oh holy crap” chorus echoing in your head comes along with a vivid slideshow of what a Dom could possibly mean when offering you a “spot.” A spot tied to a St. Andrews cross or some other device? A spot on a spanking bench?

Sometimes having an imaginative mind is a curse. Needless to say, a caffeine jolt is not longer needed because you are now wide awake and fully alert. This actually happened to me a few years ago.

So you are probably wondering what the Dom was offering. Two friends and I were invited to visit and observe at a private BDSM club with the Dom and his sub/wife. We even got to check the place out before it opened for the night. Score!

Being able to experience the club before scenes were conducted gave me a greater comfort level. Knowing that I was under the protection of a Dom I trusted helped a lot too. But talk about questions. My mind buzzed with a million of them from having read many wickedly delicious erotic BDSM tales.

The Dom who invited us, along with the Dom who owned the club, demonstrated fire flogging, a violet wand and knife play. They allowed us to try wielding a whip and check out the collection of canes and other toys. The truly brave among us even tried out the stocks and other devices to get a feel for being restrained. Once the club opened and members arrived, we were permitted to roam around and observe a variety of scenes.

The inspiration for Tempestuous came from that club visit. In fact, much of Evie’s first trip to club Rendezvous came from my walk on the wild side. Many of the questions popping into her head were ones I had, as was most of what Evie experienced. During the fire flogging demo, I held fire in my hand. I now know the tingling touch of the violet wand, the heart-pounding sensation of wickedly sharp knives sliding over my throat and arms and the sting of a whip.

My trip to the club was truly one of the most amazing, thrilling, exciting nights of my life! For me, that’s where the experience ended and my creativity kicked in. No, I did not meet a hunky, rich Dom like Niko or turn into a tempestuous brat and get spanked (darn it).

Oh, and speaking of the very delicious hero, Niko. He was inspired by a real life hunk straight from the pages of PlayGirl. Oh yes, ladies, he’s real, although I have no idea if he’s a Dominant, regardless of what my imagination insists.

Excerpt: http://www.nicoleaustin.net/excerpt-from-tempestuous/ 
http://www.nicoleaustin.net/excerpt-from-tempestuous/

Find Tempestuous here: amazon all-romance-buy-button rsz_buynowbnnook1


Note: 
Tempestuous is a work of fiction and incorporates only simplified elements of BDSM. It is not intended to accurately portray the complexities of a true Dom/sub relationship. Play safe, be well!

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Excerpt from Dirty Priness



Naughty Haunts

Eleven Spooky Love Stories

Pre-order the E-book:

amazon
Available for download September 2nd 
Blurb:
I’m sure there’s a rule in the friend code that makes lusting after your bestie forbidden. But if giving in to this off-the-charts chemistry is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

Genre/Theme:
New Adult, Stepbrother Romance, Friends to Lovers

Copyright © Nicole Austin, 2016


RYLAND

For more than three years I’ve been tortured by mile-long legs I want wrapped tight around my hips, hourglass curves I ache to run my fingers over, a lush rack with deep cleavage my dick needs to fuck. And those lips, Christ. Strawberry red and full, framing a wide mouth that stars in my spank bank.



Then there’s her hair. Black and glossy as a raven’s wing, it falls in thick, long waves to the upper swell of her mouthwatering, heart-shaped ass. I want to feel the silken mass sliding over my body while she rides me. See it spread out on my pillow. Tangle my fingers in the gorgeous strands and pull while I fuck her from behind.

And her expressive eyes. I could easily lose myself—drown in the sparkling blue pools. But I can’t. Hallie’s strictly off limits. The deceptively quiet girl I befriended on our first day of freshman year. The one I’ve coaxed and prodded into relaxing and enjoying life. The sweet, serious, cautious girl who astounded me with her depth and intelligence once I gained her trust. And the craziest thing is…she has no idea she’s smokin’ hot, which makes her even more incredible.

My dad and her mom met during the first family weekend event and an instant connection formed. Our parents became close friends. The four of us have gone on vacations together and they even hang out when we’re not around.

Early on her mom took me aside, asked me to watch out for Hallie, keep her naïve daughter from getting hurt by manipulative guys. I readily accepted the job, swore to protect my friend. Since then I’ve kept her close, chasing off any guy who would have asked her out. Those douches won’t get their hands on her. Hallie’s mine. My precious introvert who’s clueless to the fact she holds my heart and soul in her slender hands.

But no more. Last night changed everything. Under the influence of tequila, Hallie shared erotic fantasies that got me so hot and hard I came in my pants without ever being touched. That hasn’t happened since puberty. But watching her palm her tits while telling me what she wants, fuck. It felt like she’d seen into my head and discovered all my sexual desires.

You see, it turns out my little Princess is a dark side lurker who wants to be watched while having rough, no holds barred sex. She breathlessly admitted it all in vivid explicit detail. Right before she passed out.

But that’s okay. It’s all good. I want Hallie sober and clearheaded, knowing who possess her, gives her everything she needs, when I take her for the first time. Then I’m never letting her go.

So yeah, the restraints are gone. There’s nothing holding me back. Tonight I make her mine. And knowing my girl like I do, I didn’t give her time to stress over the party. I made the invite a last minute challenge, a way to prove she’s able to be spontaneous and conquer what she fears most—walking into a social event alone.

But I’m waiting. Watching. Ghosting the halls of the antebellum mansion, a silent dark wraith. Not interacting or even noticing the other partygoers. Not until an electrical charge surges in the air, tingling over my skin. And I don’t have to be told.

Hallie’s here. My wait is over.
 

Monday, August 1, 2016

Erotic Horror - FATAL SUBMISSION

The idea of combining two of my favorite book genres, erotic romance and horror, in one story was a exciting idea. Little did I know when my mind first conjured up Fatal Submission what a challenge it would be.

Writing horror is a vastly different experience. Detailed descriptions are essential to set the creepy scene and immerse the reader in the story. 

Blurb: 
Claire Hanson is a submissive in need of a Dom. Finding one in rural Illinois in 1981 is no easy feat but her requirements are simple. Forget complicated limit lists, take charge and give her lots of hot, sweaty sex. 

On edge, body humming with arousal, Claire aches to have her desires sated. And ruggedly handsome Dominant Mason Burke is the man she wants. But for Mason work comes first and Claire’s tired of waiting. 

Mason’s loss is Dr. Carl Skinner’s lucky break. The bonus—Carl’s a rich, drop-dead gorgeous Dom with a real dungeon in his basement. 

Getting what you want isn’t always a good thing and the game takes a drastic turn Claire never saw coming. According to the Dungeon Master’s victims who still haunt his torture chamber, submission has fatal consequences and she’s running out of time. 

*Note: This scary tale contains graphic scenes of erotic torture and violence that may cause the reader to stay up late reading with all the lights on. Previously published title that has been revised and re-edited* 

Here's a snippet from when the heroine, Claire, first enters the dungeon.

Taking a deep breath, she descended the stairs and shoved her crazy fears aside. She’d gone into this with her eyes open and she would not freak out. Carl was a Dom. Her Dom—at least for tonight. If she went into this without trust, limiting her submission, they might as well not even bother. 

When she safely cleared the last step, she lifted her gaze and looked around the room in awe. An actual dungeon. 

Heat washed through her body as her nipples puckered and her panties grew damp. Lord, she felt as if she’d waited her whole life to submit in a real dungeon. 

Gray cinderblock walls and cement foundation. Track lighting fixtures on the ceiling cast a soft glow yet left areas in shadow. A pegboard held a wide variety of floggers, whips, crops and paddles. There against one wall was a strange chair with a padded V-shaped seat to spread the legs open and leather cuffs attached in strategic locations. She noted the familiar shape of a St. Andrew’s Cross looming in the shadows next to an ancient-looking stockade. The dungeon was well-stocked with various padded tables and spanking benches, each one equipped with built-in restraints. 

A small part of Claire hadn’t believed Carl had a dungeon in his basement. But the proof surrounded her. At that very moment in time, she stood in the middle of a private, subterranean, fully equipped dungeon. 

Anticipation supercharged her blood, sending it zooming through her veins. Her abdominal muscles fluttered and she wasn’t sure if the cause was excitement, fear or a combination of the two. She hadn’t thought this far ahead or even got around to wondering how it would feel to be in a dungeon. To know that soon, Carl would restrain and dominate her. 

She shuddered as slender fingers skated over her shoulder and down her spine. Carl. How had she forgotten she wasn’t alone? 

“Go ahead. Take a look around. Check out the equipment while I fix a drink.” He nodded toward a small wet bar. “Would you like anything?” 

She had to pry her tongue from the roof of her dry mouth to respond. “Water.” A strong drink might help bolster her courage, but Claire didn’t want anything to dull her senses. 

Carl turned to the bar and she moved about the room to get a closer look at things. Hanging from a sturdy chain in the ceiling was some kind of contraption with thick, flat metal vertical slats and horizontal bands. It was elongated, rounded at the top then broadening before tapering again toward the bottom. She estimated it at six to six and a half feet tall. 

Her hand flew upward, covering her mouth to hold back a gasp. 

It couldn’t be? But it was. The damn thing was some kind of cage, roughly in the shape of a human. 

Moving past it quickly, she came to a standing device, shaped like the one hanging from the ceiling but solid. An iron maiden? The device had hinged doors, one of which had been left open, revealing an interior lined with spikes. When a person was shut inside, those spikes would press into their flesh. 

Shooting a nervous glance over her shoulder, she located Carl, still at the bar with his back to her. 

Lord, had she made a mistake believing in this man? If he went too far and she asked him to stop, would he? 

Kind of late to get nervous. 

Skirting around a gynecological table complete with stirrups, she approached the center of the room and the least threatening apparatus she’d seen so far. Similar to a padded massage table with thick wooden legs but oddly canted, as if the maker cut one set of supports shorter than the other. The table surface itself was short, perhaps two-feet long. At the higher end the padding curved over the rounded edge. She noticed a cut out section at the lower end and off to each side were wide, hinged metal cuffs that would lock someone in place. She stepped around the table and saw similar cuffs toward the bottom of the taller legs. 

Just as she stepped forward, hand extended to test the thickness of the leather padding, a scraping sound had Claire turning her head toward Carl. The toe of her shoe caught on something and her forward momentum threw her off balance. 

Several things occurred at once. She felt herself moving through the air as if she’d been pushed, practically flying with her arm extended, her pelvis slamming into the curved table edge. Her hips folded and her upper body continued, coming to an abrupt halt on top of the table, knocking the breath right out of her. The material of her skirt flapped up, bearing her panty-clad ass to the chilled air. 

She heard the scrape of wood on the concrete floor as the heavy piece of furniture was shoved by the hard impact of her body. This was followed by the loud clang of metal on metal. 

Claire struggled to draw air into her abused lungs and make sense of what had happened. After several painful, wheezed breaths, she pushed with her hands to lift her upper body but was stopped short, her right wrist held firmly in place. Horror dawned as she turned her head to see the cuff had snapped closed over her wrist. 

Her palms were sweaty, her heart pounded against her ribs and her ears were filled with the loud swish of her galloping pulse. 

Lord, she wasn’t sure what won out, her mortification over the indignant position or fear that she’d had help getting into this mess. Had Carl pushed her or had it been an innocent trip and fall? 

You can find Fatal Submission at Amazon http://amzn.to/1POciSH

http://amzn.to/1POciSH

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Ex-EC Titles Re-Released: Part Two #notchilled

This is a re-post from Regina Kammer's blog

For an explanation of what I’m doing here, please see Part One of this blog series. More authors and their reverted titles are listed below. This time around I received help from a reader who had an extensive library of books purchased from the Ellora’s Cave website — a library that vanished during EC’s website “upgrade” (many readers had this happen). This reader, Cayenne, started keeping track of reversions and re-releases for herself, and shared the list with me. Readers are awesome. Authors would be nothing without them, and publishers should do more to recognize readers’ importance.
Now for the list. Let’s do something positive to support your favorite author and their ex-EC titles! Buy their books! Review their books! Spread the word about their books on social media!

Anna Alexander

Heroes of Saturn (series)

Nicole Austin

Alien Rights published in the boxed set Naughty Heatwave

Sidney Bristol

Bound with Pearls (Atlanta BDSM 1)
Collar Me in Paris (Atlanta BDSM 2)
Under His Skin (So Inked 1)
The Harder He Falls (So Inked 2)
His Marriage Bargain (So Inked 3)

Marisa Chenery

Touched by a Gladiator

L.M. Connolly

(Lynne Connolly now writes contemporary and paranormal romance as L.M. Connolly, and writes historicals as Lynne Connolly)
Pure Wildfire (series)
Sunfire (Pure Wildfire 1)
Icefire (Pure Wildfire 2)
Moonfire (Pure Wildfire 3)
Thunderfire (Pure Wildfire 4)

Tracy Cooper-Posey

Vistaria Affair (series)

Lucy Felthouse

A Taste of London (World of Sin 1)
A Taste of Paris (World of Sin 2)
A Taste of Rome (World of Sin 3)

Cat Grant

Icon Men (series): The entire series of three books – The First Real Thing, Appearing Nightly, A Fool for You – is now available as a boxed set.

Ann Jacobs

This Time, Forever (previously Irresistible…Again)
A Patchwork Romance (previously Mountain Heat)
Bliss House (previously Haunted)
A Very Special Favor (previously A Mutual Favor)
Beneath a Cornish Moon (previously Dark Side of the Moon)

Allyson James

Tales of the Shareem (series)

Kathy Kulig

His Lost Mate (previously Wild Jade)

Lynn LaFleur

Visions (previously Premonition)

Rose Maybud

Something in the Coffee

Cait Miller

Believe In the Magic (Shifting Magic Book 1)

Shelley Munro

House of the Cat (series)
Middlemarch Shifters (series) (previously Middlemarch Mates)

Beverley Oakley

Her Gilded Prison (Daughters of Sin 1)
Dangerous Gentlemen (Daughters of Sin 2)
The Mysterious Governess (Daughters of Sin 3)

N. J. Walters

Summersville Secrets series:
Uncovering Annabelle (previously Annabelle Lee)
Enticing Emma (previously Heat Wave)
Lily’s List (previously Lily Blossoms)
Happy reading! And stay tuned for Part Three…

Monday, June 6, 2016

Excerpt from Alien Rights


Part of the NAUGHTY HEATWAVE boxed-set, available now.

Purchase the E-book:
amazon all-romance-buy-button googleplay kobo_button nook

Purchase the Print Book:
amazon

Blurb:
Be careful what you wish for—it just might come true. While Emily may have wished to be taken away, waking up on an alien cruiser, naked and intensely turned-on wasn’t what she’d had in mind.
*This title has previously been published*

Genre/Theme:
Sci-Fi, BDSM, alien romance, submission, space travel romance

Copyright © Nicole Austin, 2016

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Bells tinkled a merry greeting as the door of the Moonlight Diner swung open. Emily Baxter finished refilling the last salt shaker and glanced at the clock. Ten minutes until closing time and a new customer shows up. Great, she’d have to work late again.

Story of my freakin’ life.

With his brown hair sticking up in all different directions, white shirt buttoned haphazardly and one pant leg partially tucked into a sock, the man who’d walked in had a wild gleam in his glassy eyes. He had the lean, athletic body of a runner and when cleaned up was probably rather attractive.

“Aliens!” He pointed toward the back of the diner. “I was abducted!”

Okay, cleaned up and dried out, she amended.

Hank’s bald head appeared in the pass-through. “Aliens? Hey, did you get probed?”

“How’d you know?” The customer stumbled as he made his way toward the counter and dropped down onto a stool with a sharp hiss. “Did Calgon get you too?”

She glanced back at Hank, owner of the diner and her boss. One corner of his mouth drew upward into an evil grin Emily knew well. She’d been a victim of Hank’s bullying and her heart went out to the customer who thought he’d found a sympathetic listener.

“Calgon the alien took you away, huh?” Hank sputtered, barely getting the words out. “You’ve been watching too much TV, dude. Hey, Em. Better call the guys with the white coats. He needs a padded cell and one of those jackets with the really long sleeves.”

While Hank laughed and cracked jokes at the man’s expense, Emily set a cup of coffee in front of the customer and patted his arm. “Ignore Hank. Everyone else does.”

The second she went through the swinging door into the kitchen, Hank grabbed her arm and dragged her over to the grill, where he kept a close eye on the man who sat hunched over the steaming mug.

“That guy’s a total crackpot, Em. Don’t get close to him. Might rub off on you.”

“Insanity isn’t catching.” Jerking free of his hold, she punched Hank’s beefy tattooed arm. “But stupidity is,” she mumbled under her breath.

She understood Hank’s bully mentality—how making other people feel small gave him the false sense of being a big man. Still, understanding didn’t make dealing with him any easier. “You are such an ass! That man is obviously down on his luck and could use a little compassion.”

“Compassion?” Hank gave her a slack-jawed stare. “You’re crazier than he is.”
Emily sighed and shook her head. She preferred to believe everyone had some goodness in them, but Hank had proven himself rotten to the core, lacking any depth or virtue. A true lost cause.

The grill had been shut down and cleaned for the night but there was still a pot of soup simmering. She filled a bowl, put a couple of rolls on a plate and headed for the door, not surprised when Hank moved to block her path.

“That bum didn’t order anything and sure as hell won’t have the money to pay.”

“I’m not sending him back out on the street without a meal.” She couldn’t afford to lose her job but would make a stand on the issue if necessary.

“Okay, Sister Teresa, but you’re not giving my profits away.”

Emily shook her head. “You mean Mother Teresa, moron, and I’ll pay for the meal.”

Hank’s brow furrowed with confusion and disbelief shone in his dark eyes. “Must be paying you too much if you’ve got money to throw away on bums.”

Grinding her back teeth, Emily battled the urge to throw the soup in Hank’s cruel face. “The way you treat people is going to come back and bite you in the ass, Hank. It’s called karma. Because I’m kind and help others in need, one day when I’m down low, someone will offer me a hand.”

Hank’s riotous laughter had her hoping she’d be around to witness the day karma tore him a new one. Why did she continue to try to get through that thick skull of his? He would never see acts of kindness as anything other than signs of weakness. And having shown that weakness would make her a prime target for Hank’s brutality in the days to come.

So be it.

“Grow up, Hank. You’re not in grade school anymore.”

Emily not only fed the man, she listened to his tale about the aliens and their high-tech spacecraft. She mentally went over her mounting bills and declining budget as he detailed the aliens probing his rectum. She gave him bus fare to get home before showing him out and locking up the diner.

Her own commute was brief—out the back way and up a rickety flight of stairs to her rented room above the diner.

Stepping into the alley, Emily gazed up at the stars. As a child she’d dreamed of blasting away on the space shuttle to visit distant mysterious places. Her customer had insisted there were other forms of life out there, and as crazy as it may seem, she agreed. Considering all the planets in existence, so many more than humans were aware of, surely some of them were inhabited. To believe Earth harbored the only intelligent life would be rather arrogant and naïve.

The whole idea of being abducted and taken away in a spaceship actually sounded pretty damn good to Emily. No more working her fingers to the bone or fending off idiots like Hank. She’d travel to exotic locations and settle down when she found a culture where women were not only cherished but treated with respect as equals.

While the night sky was full of beautiful stars, one in particular captured Emily’s attention. It shined a bit brighter than the others, twinkled faster and appeared closer.

With the customer’s story still fresh in her mind, Emily held out her arms, reached toward the beacon of light and yelled, “Calgon, take me away!”

Between one heartbeat and the next, darkness shut out the stars, her body became weightless and rose into the air, and she drifted off into nothingness.
 


Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Naughty Heatwave - Available Now!

Naughty Heatwave
Turn Up The Heat

Available Now!

Purchase the E-book:
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Including BBW, BDSM, Contemporary, Fantasy, Lesbian Romance, M/M/F, Ménage, Paranormal, Sci-Fi & Speculative Fiction from bestselling authors

Featuring:
Paradise Found ~ Frances Stockton
When Cara Summers and Ian Hamilton are selected for a contest to live off the grid on a private island both have their reasons for needing the grand prize. Neither expects an instant attraction. As the temperature rises between them will they find love or end in heartbreak when reality returns?


Featuring:
Sex Wax ~ Tamara McHatton
Enchanted by a sun-kissed Adonis that sweeps her off her feet, both figuratively and literally, Brooklyn is willing to play on the ever changing tides of her life.

Alice’s Sheikh ~ Suz DeMello
A virginal English noblewoman finds herself under the complete control of an autocratic sheikh–an unexpectedly sexy one who will do whatever he must to have her.

Kismet ~ Alexa Silver
Jon and Alan get together once a year. When Jon’s wife interrupts their reunion, passion explodes. Ghosts from the past threaten to upset the delicate balance.

Alien Rights ~ Nicole Austin
Be careful what you wish for—it just might come true. While Emily may have wished to be taken away, waking up on an alien cruiser, naked and intensely turned-on wasn’t what she’d had in mind.
*This title has been previously published*

The Agreement ~ Francesca Hawley
Can the arranged marriage between Lord Thanos and Lady Zayna move in a new direction or will they remain perpetually at war?

One Kinky Weekend ~ Berengaria Brown
Logan and Zara’s sex life is dead boring, so they ask another couple to join them for a very dirty weekend of naughty sex.

Hot Buns ~ Marianne Stephens
Angela offers to pay Vinnie to use his bakery ovens until hers are delivered. For financial reasons, he agrees. Being near her threatens his determination never to forgive her betrayal. When the truth surfaces, both must share the blame. Can smoldering love between them flame into passion once again?

Weapon of Choice ~ Katherine Kingston
Selvya’s gift for controlling fire made her a weapon in the hands of unscrupulous men. The king’s commander offers a chance for revenge and redemption, but it’s a risk she’s not sure she can take.

The MageWynd’s Cauldron ~ Charlotte Boyett-Compo
Confined to quarters in a windowless room without air conditioning, Fin O’Kelly thinks he’s dropped into hell. When the lovely electrical tech comes to his door to fix the problem, Finn finds out what heat really is!