Category Archives: First Kiss Friday

First Kiss Friday with guest R.L. Merrill

15 Friday Mar 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Today’s guest is my dear friend R.L. Merrill who will be giving you some info on her trilogy and, of course, an excerpt. Take it away, Ro!

Thank you, Sherry, for having me on your blog today. We’re going to go back in time a little…This week is the 4th birthday of my novel Teacher. The characters in this trilogy have been so near and dear to me, as well as my readers, that I was tickled to bring them back in my new series from Dreamspinner Press, the Forces of Nature Series. In the first book, Hurricane Reese, Jesse is mentioned in the epilogue as the choreographer for Reese and Toby’s new musical, and then in book two, Typhoon Toby, Jesse and Danny end up playing peace-and-matchmakers. Today, however, I’m taking you back to book one and this adorable couple’s first kiss. It happens quite late in the book due to a series of complications: Jesse is Danny’s home instructor. He hires her to help him earn his high school diploma as he recovers from vocal cord surgery which could have potentially destroyed his music career. For two-thirds of the book, he can’t speak, forcing them to use texts, notes, and whispers in order to communicate. It’s enough because these two fall madly in love despite some pretty heavy obstacles. They’ve had a couple of falling outs by this point and in this scene, she’s coming over to work with him but she’s no longer able or willing to hide her feelings for him.

Excerpt:

I made myself get in the car and drive, telling myself I could do this a hundred times before pulling up at his curb. I got out slowly and trudged up the driveway. Nora opened the door and squealed.

“Jesse! You were beautiful last night! Connie and I saw the show! I am so proud of you. You got skills, baby!” She hugged me and it brought a faint smile to my lips.

“I’m glad you guys got to see the show. Weren’t the kids great?”

She stopped smiling and said, “Yeah, the show was fantastic.”

She frowned. “You ok?”

I choked back a sob and looked back at my car. “Nora, I don’t think I can do this today. Can you please tell Danny that I’ll come tomorrow? I can’t—”

Danny flung the door open, took one look at me then picked me up and carried me inside. I tucked my head into his shoulder and cried my heart out. He brought me into the library and sat me on the couch, kneeling next to me on the floor.

“I’m sorry, Danny, but I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep coming over here and pretending I am just doing a job with you. I promise I’ll find a replacement to get you through the rest of your credits and I’ll pay you back the money. I just can’t do this anymore. I quit.”

Danny took my hands in his and whispered, “Good.”

Startled, I looked up at him. “What do you mean, ‘good’?”

A smile formed on his lips. He cleared his throat and spoke in a deep, raspy voice, “Good. I’m glad you won’t pretend anymore.”

I pulled my hands from his frantically and put them over his mouth. “What are you doing?! You’re not supposed to be talking!”

He took my hands in his again and held them to his chest. That deliciously deep voice said, “The doctor cleared me Friday. I’ve been waiting to have you alone to tell you.”

My eyes locked on his and his smile just about knocked me out. I reached out and touched his throat and giggled. “It’s not how I thought you’d sound,” I whispered and he took my hands in his again.

“Jesse, I wanted to wait until I could speak to tell you…I love you. I love you so goddamned much that I don’t want to stop saying it. I want you to quit. I don’t want you to be my teacher anymore. I want you to be mine.”

My hand clutched my chest to keep my heart from falling out on the floor. It was pounding so hard I thought I would burst. “But what about your diploma? You have to finish!”

“I will finish, but not with you as my teacher. You’re mean anyway.”

I gasped at him in shock and moved to smack him, but he grabbed my hand, placing it on his chest over his heart.

“Didn’t you hear the first part? I love you, Jesse! I’ve loved you since that first weekend when you fell into my arms in that very doorway. Or maybe it was that night you didn’t back off when I challenged you at the restaurant. I haven’t decided but the point is, I fucking love you.”

I smirked, sniffled, and took a deep breath. “Well, since you put it that way, I fucking love you too, Danny Black.”

He exhaled a relieved breath and pressed his forehead against mine. It felt so good to tell him, to remove the weight from my chest. Instantly I felt like I could breathe better.

“I am so goddamn glad you said that. I’m going to kiss you now. I’ve waited too goddamned long to kiss you.”

And then his lips were on me, his mouth was on me, and his hands were everywhere. I grasped the sides of his face and kissed him back with the same intensity. He tasted so good and he was so insistent that we were almost fighting each other trying to get closer. We pulled back laughing and he kissed me gently on the lips.

“Wow,” was all I could say. I’d had dreams about kissing Danny, but they didn’t compare to the real thing. His desire for me was barely contained. I could feel his muscles tensing under my hands as I ran them over his shoulders and back.

“Danny, are you sure about this?”

“We’ll figure it out. I’m not stopping my work.” His eyes were serious and I was relieved he wasn’t giving up on his goal. I figured we should make a plan.

“I think we should go see my boss tomorrow and tell her what’s going on. We’ll take her all you’ve done so she can evaluate it and maybe she can help us find another teacher to oversee your grades. I’ll still help you, but I won’t sign off on your grades.”

His eyes searched mine, thinking about what I proposed. “I like it. Now we need to go tell the Warden because I’m not taking my hands off of you for the foreseeable future.”

Teacher by R.L. Merrill

Thank you for joining me today. If you’d like to check out Teacher – The Hollywood Rock ‘n’ Romance Trilogy, you can find links as well as all kinds of info about my books on my website at www.rlmerrillauthor.com. You can also sign up for my newsletter-y thingie to keep up with my shenanigans and tomfoolery. Huge thanks to Sherry for being a gracious hostess. Stay Tuned for more Rock ‘n’ Romance…

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First Kiss Friday with Rue Allyn

08 Friday Mar 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Today’s guest is fellow Bluestocking Belle Rue Allyn who has an excerpt from her soon to be released novel, Her Cadillac Cowboy. Take it away, Rue!

Sherry, thank you so much for the opportunity to share Josh and Sara Anne’s first kiss with your readers and followers. I love writing Her Cadillac Cowboy, and hope everyone has as much fun with them as I did.

Excerpt:

Like yesterday, her tone was hard, completely at odds with the smiling, gentle Sara he remembered. As a teen, despite her father’s warnings, she’d filled the angry void that denied his mother’s death. But he wasn’t that kid anymore, and she wasn’t the starry-eyed teen who liked and respected him enough to make him finally feel safe. This woman wasn’t about to brave her father’s displeasure. And Josh wasn’t about to let memories of sweet, gentle Sara ruin his chance to make other kids feel safe. Nor his chance to prove he was more than a rodeo jock from a Detroit slum.

He lifted his head and watched for any sign of emotion. The glower was gone and her expression remained carefully set. Harder to read than a professional gambler.

“Well?” Impatience flashed in her eyes.

Finally, some emotion other than stony indifference. Could he prompt more than impatience from her? The urge was irresistible. “At your service, Miss Carson.” He grinned and swept in for a quick kiss.

For an instant, her mouth softened beneath his, just before she stepped back and slapped him.

“Ow.” He put a hand to his burning cheek and ran the other through his hair. “I suppose I deserved that.”

“Ya think.”

He nodded despite knowing the question was rhetorical.

She stared at his forehead. Her hand lifted, then dropped back. “What…what happened to you?”

Had she been about to touch him?

Tagline:  The past and a classic car stand between them. Will he give up the car he treasures, or will she abandon her dreams in order to ride into a loving future?

Blurb: A rich cowboy with a classic Cadillac—sounds like the stuff of dreams for a small-town Texas girl, right?  Wrong!  Josh McKinley and his classic car have been Sara Carson’s nightmare since Josh left ten years ago.  Now the cowboy and his Caddy are back.  Sara must choose between loyalty to her family and love for the one man she shouldn’t want.

Is the key to Sara Carson’s heart the Cadillac that their families have been feuding over for ten years?  Or will Josh McKinley have to give up the car he treasures in order to win the woman he loves?

Interested in more by Rue Allyn? Sign up for her newsletter https://www.rueallyn.com/ravonsubscribe/and get a FREE sneak peek at her May release, Forever Hold My Heart.

Save the Date: March 18, 2019 from 7PM to 9PM EST Her Cadillac Cowboy release day FB party. Many authors and prizes.

*Buy Links ~ Available for pre-order

Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/Her-Cadillac-Cowboy-Rue-Allyn-ebook/dp/B07MQ25ZLQ/

About Rue Allyn: Hi, I’m Rue Allyn, I write heart melting romance novels. Books about characters and adventures in which love triumphs at the darkest moment. The kind of hopeful, steal-your-breath romance that melts a reader’s heart. The type of book I like to read. Hope you will too.

Find Rue Allyn at the following social media sites:

Rue’s Website: https://RueAllyn.com

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/rue-allyn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RueAllynFriends

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00AUBF3NI/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5031290.Rue_Allyn

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/RueAllyn/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RueAllyn

 

 

 

First Kiss Friday with Lizzi Tremayne

01 Friday Mar 2019

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Please help me welcome fellow Bluestocking Belle Lizzi Tremayne to another First Kiss Friday. Happy reading and enjoy!

Blake and Lena are finally talking… and maybe more, after a lovely friendship—with undercurrents—has slowly developed, neither wanting to destroy this fragile love they have begun…

Excerpt: THE KISS

“Who was he?” Blake’s voice was edged with steel.

“He?” I turned my head away.

“The man who wouldn’t let you feel safe in any man’s arms.”

I hesitated until he gave me a little jiggle.

“He… he was another vet student. A few years ahead of me. Thinks he’s god’s gift…. but he’s just a bully.”

“What did he do?” Blake growled, tension locking his every muscle.

“Wined and dined, then proceeded to get demanding. When I resisted, he got rough. When I wouldn’t go out with him again, he threatened me. I still have nightmares.”

“What’s his name?”

“It doesn’t matter. He’s graduated and gone. I’ll never see him again.”

“Did you report him?”

“What’s there to report?”

“You’re that scared of him, eh?”

I nodded and stared off into the distance. “It would be his word against mine. Just drop it, please. I’m happy now. I didn’t think I’d let a guy near me again, but your patience won out.” I looked into his eyes and his lips lowered to mine, softly, gently, in a kiss, then he lifted his head.

“Okay?”

“Better than okay. Fantastic,” I said and sought his lips myself this time.

His body stiffened and hardened “against me as the kiss deepened and somehow spread between us. I opened my lips to his soft request and he asked for more. I gave it willingly and soon forgot my surroundings in the rolling wave catching us up, until a wet nose worked its way under my armpit, and I giggled.

Jake LaRue grinned into my face.

“Jake, you know just when to show up, don’t you?” Blake said, shaking his head. The other two dogs crowded around, now Jake had broken the ice. We patted them and looked up to see Myrtle coming out the front door.

“We’re screwed now,” I whispered.

“No, we ain’t,” he replied.

I’d learned his mantra last week. It broke the tension when things weren’t going quite to plan.

“Off again, more golf,” Myrtle said, not looking down at us. “Don’t wait up.”

“She’s getting cocky,” Blake said.

Myrtle turned and shook her head. “Just leaving you two alone, or you’ll never get together.” She stomped off.

We stared at each other.

“Are we really taking too long?” I whispered, joking.

“Maybe. If Myrtle thinks so, we might indeed be.”

“Do you think we should do something about it?”

“Got any bright ideas?” He raised a lazy brow at me.

“A few…”

“I’d like to see them… shall we go inside?”

My heart pounding, I slid to the deck and stood, reaching a hand out to him. He took it and rose, then kissed my hand, picked me up and carried me over the threshold and up the stairs.

We didn’t awaken until the dawn peeked through the east-facing windows and spread its light over Blake’s big four-poster log bed.

“Good morning,” he whispered, his arms snug around me.

“Mmmm… I don’t think they get any better,” I said and rolled over, still in his arms, to face him.

“No, surely they don’t. And it’s only Sunday morning. We have another whole day more.” He took my lips with his and pulled me hard against him.

“But what about the horses?” I leaned back and looked into his hooded eyes. Eyes that were anything but sleepy.

“Found a note slipped under the door an hour ago. Myrtle’s feeding everyone. Complete with threats.” He held it up and read it aloud. “If you come down those stairs before ten, I’ll murder you both.”

“I’d sure hate to see her get arrested for a double murder,” I murmured.

“Me too. See? She even brought up a breakfast tray.”

I shook my head and chuckled under my breath. “Wonderful woman.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lizzi’s novella, Once Upon a Vet School #6: Fifty Miles at a Breath, is set Southern California in 1987.

Once Upon a Vet School #6: Fifty Miles at a Breath

Horses bring them together and their future looks rosy—it’s the present they can’t handle.

A summertime stint at a small animal clinic takes veterinary student Lena away from her beloved horses, but at an endurance ride she finds horses— and her ideal man, veteran pilot Blake. She decides she can’t do without him and his world— after finishing vet school, that is.

Blake’s past experiences don’t help his attitude when Lena heads back to vet school. Things don’t improve with the distance and her workload. His green-eyed monsters strain the already-tense situation, but at least he has his horses and dogs.

The final race tests their horse’s endurance—and Lena’s and Blake’s, as well. The pair must come to terms with their fears and make the right choices to create the future they so desire.

About Lizzi Tremayne

Unpretentious, eminently readable Contemporary and Historical Fiction… by a horse vet!

Lizzi’s awarded historical and contemporary suspense, women’s, YA, and veterinary fiction has an equestrian flair, part and parcel of her other life as an equine veterinarian and carriage competitor.

The Long Trails historical fiction sagas follow a growing list of dashing heroes and heroines from the wilderness of 1860 Utah to Colonial New Zealand, Historical Scotland, and Tsarist Russia. Not necessarily in that order!

In the Once Upon a Vet School series, you’ll find the tale of a gutsy equestrian who dreamed of becoming a vet—her life on the way and beyond. Did YOU ever dream of becoming a vet?

Lizzi grew up riding wild in the Santa Cruz Mountain redwoods, became an equine veterinarian at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and practiced in the California Pony Express and Gold Country before emigrating to New Zealand. Her writing is awarded in fiction and veterinary nonfiction.

When she’s not writing or reading, she’s swinging a rapier or shooting a bow in medieval garb, riding, driving a carriage or playing on her hobby farm, singing, or working as an equine veterinarian.

 Social Media

Lizzi’s website and blog: www.lizzitremayne.com/lizzi-tremayne-author

Subscribe to Lizzi’s VIP Club: https://lizzitremayne.com/VIP/

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Amazon author page: www.amzn.to/16VVn1w

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YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/lizzikiwi

First Kiss Friday with NN Light

22 Friday Feb 2019

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Please welcome NN Light to another First Kiss Friday who will be sharing the first kiss scene from Planting the Seeds of Love. Happy reading and enjoy, my lovelies!

Excerpt:

“Are you alright?” he asked.

Sally put her palm on her forehead, feeling feverish.

“Yeah, I think so.” She looked at him. “Did I read that figure right? Five million dollars?”

Jack exhaled.

“Yes.” He paused and searched her face. “It’s a lot of money, more money than I ever thought I’d hear, let alone be offered.”

Sally looked off into the distance, daydreaming.

“That kind of money could set us up for life.” She refocused on his face. “I mean, we’d never have to work a day in our lives.”

Jack sat down beside her. He closed his eyes while tilting his head back.

“It’s a very generous offer, that’s for sure.”

Sally grabbed his hand and stared into his dreamy eyes.

“We could retire and do the things we’ve always wanted to do. I could open my own little cafe. You could travel.”

“You mean, your cafe in the city?” Jack’s tone was like a bucket of cold water, causing Sally to sputter.

“I-I-I don’t have to have it in the city.” She turned away, letting go of his hand.

He swore under his breath.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin the moment.”

Anger rose up in Sally’s chest.

“Why do you do that? Why do you insist on bringing up the city at a time like this?” She narrowed her eyes. “It’s like you’re trying to drive a wedge between you and me.”

His eyes flashed and without warning, Jack pulled her into his embrace.

“Because,” he briskly spoke. “You belong to Trevor and not me. Yet this is all I think about.”

His lips kissed her with pent-up passion and need. She responded with the same intensity, tongues dancing, and her body on top of his, his desire for her evident. She moaned, giving into him. All thought fled from her mind except one.

You have to choose, city or country.

 Jack shifted and pain shot up her arm. She screamed in his mouth and pulled away.

“Ow!” Tears sprang to her eyes.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Jack cradled her body, gentle so her injured hand didn’t twist.

She shook her head, her cheeks warm from the blush.

“No, it’s just my hand.” She peered at him through her lashes. “I’m… oh Jack, I’m so confused…”

Jack put a finger up to her lips.

“It’s okay, it’s my own fault.” He stared into her eyes for a long time. “I kissed you, remember?” He dropped his finger from her lips and ran his fingers through his hair.

Planting the Seeds of Love: A Novella
by N. N. Light

Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, New Adult Romance

Blurb:

The day her grandfather died, Sally’s life changed forever.

Twenty-Two-year-old Sally Rayton returns to the family farm she deserted four years ago to bury her grandfather. Her plan: to settle her grandfather’s estate and return to her life in the city with her boyfriend, Trevor Mattson.

Her childhood friend, Jack Smith, has other ideas.

Jack convinces Sally to transform the farm into a brewery and fulfill her grandfather’s dream while keeping the Rayton Farm in the family. Sally works side-by-side with Jack while Trevor is hundreds of miles away in the city. The more time she spends with Jack, the stronger her feelings are for him. Sally’s torn between her new feelings for her best friend, Jack and her boyfriend, Trevor.

When Trevor shows up to propose to Sally right before Christmas and finds her in Jack’s embrace, she’s unsure which man she loves. Will it be her best friend and farmer, Jack, or will it be rich, successful Trevor? City or Country… only Sally’s heart knows what’s right and true.

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/plantingseeds

Amazon https://books2read.com/u/4781Qa?store=amazon 

​Walmart https://www.walmart.com/ip/Planting-the-Seeds-of-Love-A-Novella-eBook/545712189

Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940155029793 

Apple https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1321493388

Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/Search/Query?fcmedia=Book&query=9781386472568

24 Symbols https://www.24symbols.com/book/x/x/x?id=2490898

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39979296-planting-the-seeds-of-love​

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/planting-the-seeds-of-love-a-novella-by-n-n-light

Author Bio: N. N. Light is the award-winning husband-wife writing team, commonly known as Mr. N and Mrs. N. Mrs. N. has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let’s just say she was a born storyteller.

They’re blissfully happy and love all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports, trains, history, cooking and baking. Their mantra is to spread the Light.

Most of the time you can find them on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest. They’re a proud member of ASMSG and Independent Author Network.

In addition to being authors, they’re also book promoters/reviewers, social media marketers/influencers and the owners of N. N. Light Author Promotions. They both love books, have ever since they were young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives them great pleasure.

They’d love to connect with you either via email or via these various social media sites:

Website: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/

Newsletter: ow.ly/jWec308TabL 

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/nnlight

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Instagram https://www.instagram.com/n_n_light/

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-n-light

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nnlight

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/n-n-light/90/1a7/902

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/nnlight

Independent Author Network: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/n-n-light.html

First Kiss Friday with Caroline Warfield.

15 Friday Feb 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Please help me welcome my dear friend Caroline Warfield who will give you an excerpt from her novella Candles in the Dark from the Bluestocking Belles’ box set, Valentines From Bath! Happy reading and enjoy.

Excerpt:

The bad leg—acquired at the Battle of Toulouse—doesn’t stop Doug Marsh from coming to the aid of Esther Hopkins when her employer at the Bath Assembly Rooms imposes himself on her. He has been afraid to court a woman so far above his station, but the woman herself has other ideas.

_________________

She turned to Doug with wide eyes, her hand fluttering down to her side. He reached out and cupped her cheek to sooth her. “He’s gone,” he whispered.

She nodded, a swift bob of her head, and he worried for a moment she might fall to pieces.

He kissed her brow and the spot next to her eye, murmuring reassuring nothings. Her hands slipped up to his shoulders, and she clutched him as if she feared he would go away.

Never, he thought. Never.

***

Esther snuggled into Doug’s shoulder, unable to get close enough, wishing she could crawl inside him. One arm came around her waist to hold her in place; he moved the hand that held her cheek to the back of her head, his thumb caressing her neck. He paused for a moment as if asking for the permission he must surely know he had, lowered his mouth to hers, and covered her lips with his. He moaned when she opened for him with no encouragement and deepened their kiss, pulling her with him to lean against the wall for support. All thought of what had happened fled, and she kissed him in earnest, intoxicated with his scent and the feel of his hands.

Long moments later, Doug pulled his mouth from hers, leaned back in for one swift kiss and then another, and finally, tipped his head to lean, head and shoulders, against the wall facing her, his arm still pulling her close.

He sighed deeply. “Battle madness,” he said.

“What?” she jerked up. He soothed her back.

“Men go a bit mad wanting release after battle,” he explained, staring into her eyes. “Apparently women do, too. We could call this battle madness.”

Her lips curved upward. “We could, Sergeant Marsh, except I have wanted you to do that for a very long time.”

Candles in the Dark in
Valentines From Bath
Just $0.99!

Doug Marsh and his candles bring light to many, none more than Esther.  They may light the Assembly Rooms even as his love lights her life.

Doug Marsh knew what the army expected of him. Invalided out, he struggles to run his uncle’s candle-works and look after those dependent on it. A contract with the Bath Assembly Rooms would go a long way toward succeeding at both of those things. The plight of a young woman is a distraction he doesn’t need.

Esther Hopkins, formerly ‘the Honorable’, has no time to mourn the life denied her by a single mistake. A woman alone with a new-born son to raise needs work, and she is determined to make it on her own. If only she could stop yearning for the sturdy arms and kind blue eyes of the man who rescued her from starvation and enlisted the entire Marsh Candle Works to her support. But Sergeant Marsh shows nothing but benevolent interest in her welfare. Why should he care for a fallen woman?

In the normal course of things Esther is far above Doug’s touch. Can he find the courage to court her and still take care of business at the same time?

Valentines From Bath:
A Bluestocking Belles Collection

The Master of Ceremonies announces a great ball to be held on Valentine’s Day in the Upper Assembly Rooms of Bath. Ladies of the highest rank—and some who wish they were—scheme, prepare, and compete to make best use of the opportunity. Dukes, earls, tradesmen, and the occasional charlatan are alert to the possibilities as the event draws nigh.

But anything can happen in the magic of music and candlelight as couples dance, flirt, and open themselves to romantic possibilities. Problems and conflict may just fade away at a Valentine’s Day Ball.

25% of the proceeds benefit our mutual charity, the Malala Fund.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords
Amazon AU | BR | CA | DE | ES | FR | IN | JP | IT | MX | NL | UK

About the Author

Caroline Warfield has been many things. Now retired to the urban wilds of Eastern Pennsylvania, she divides her time between writing and seeking adventures with her grandbuddy and the prince among men she married. Her new series sends the children of the heroes of her earlier books to seek their own happiness in the far-flung corners of the British Empire.

 

First Kiss Friday with Jessica Cale

08 Friday Feb 2019

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday! Today I’m welcoming my friend and fellow Bluestocking Belle Jessica Cale to give us an excerpt from her novella Beauty and the Bounder. Jessica and I are thrilled our box set with the Belles, Valentines From Bath, releases tomorrow! Enjoy this excerpt and happy reading!

Excerpt

“I’m afraid there are some things rather more important than a fortune. To me,” Seb admitted.

Emilia arched a dark brow, intrigued. “Are there?”

He bit his lip to keep himself from biting hers. She was a lady and likely a maiden; he couldn’t have his way with her in a public pool. He glanced down as he felt her other hand span his ribs. If anyone happened by, this would look very, very bad.

Seb stepped closer. “Wit,” he offered. “Intelligence, beauty, passion.”

“I see,” she murmured, quite breathless. “And have you met such a paragon, Mr. Virtue?”

Though every bit of good sense he had left urged him not to, he leaned in, grasping the tiles on either side of her curvaceous thighs. If he took her in his arms, he wouldn’t let go. “I’m looking at her,” he whispered.

Emilia’s eyes widened, every shade of amber shining in the candlelight. He felt her toes brush his thighs under the water. “And . . .” Her gaze dropped to his mouth before returning to his eyes. “If she had no fortune or name?”

“I’d give her mine,” he swore.

Emilia shuddered. Misreading it as a reaction to the cold, he folded her in his arms to warm her. Her hands spanned his back to pull him closer, and before he could think better of it, he was kissing her. He couldn’t say if he’d initiated it or if she had, but the entire French army couldn’t make him stop. Her lips were even lusher than they looked, her mouth hot and hungry. She kissed him like it was the last time as well as the first, and maybe it was. Maybe his years of planning, saving, and practicing had all led to this one fleeting moment, this one illicit kiss.

It was worth it.

 

Valentines From Bath:
A Bluestocking Belles Collection
Release Date: February 9, 2019
Just $0.99!

Blurb for Beauty and the Bounder:

The moment Lady Emilia sets eyes on the Chevalier d’Aubusson, she knows their fates are tied together. For good or ill, she cannot say. A mysterious aristocrat with a tragic past, the chevalier makes waves with his considerable charm.

But the chevalier is not as he seems. There are cracks in his story, and Emilia never could resist a mystery. Whether he’s a gentleman or a bounder, he might just be the man for her.

About Valentines From Bath:

The Master of Ceremonies announces a great ball to be held on Valentine’s Day in the Upper Assembly Rooms of Bath. Ladies of the highest rank—and some who wish they were—scheme, prepare, and compete to make best use of the opportunity. Dukes, earls, tradesmen, and the occasional charlatan are alert to the possibilities as the event draws nigh.

But anything can happen in the magic of music and candlelight as couples dance, flirt, and open themselves to romantic possibilities. Problems and conflict may just fade away at a Valentine’s Day Ball.

25% of the proceeds benefit our mutual charity the Malala Fund

Buy Links:
Amazon US | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords
Amazon AU | BR | CA | DE | ES | FR | IN | JP | IT | MX | NL | UK

 

Jessica Cale is a romance author, editor, and historian based in North Carolina. Originally from Minnesota, she lived in Wales for several years where she earned a BA in History and an MFA in Creative Writing while climbing castles and photographing mines for history magazines. She kidnapped (“married”) her very own British prince (close enough) and is enjoying her happily ever after with him in a place where no one understands his accent. She is the editor of Dirty, Sexy History and you can visit her at www.dirtysexyhistory.com.

Website: http://www.dirtysexyhistory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorjessicacale

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/jessicacale

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First Kiss Friday with Jude Knight

01 Friday Feb 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday

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Welcome to another First Kiss Friday. Please help me welcome my dear friend Jude Knight who will give you an excerpt from her novella The Beast Next Door from the Bluestocking Belles’ box set, Valentines From Bath! Happy reading and enjoy.

Excerpt:

“Are you cross with me for not kissing you, Charis?” Eric’s voice had dropped to a husky purr, and again, his thumb touched her, this time tracing her lips. “I was afraid.”

Without her volition, Charis turned her head to follow his hand as he went to draw it away. “A—afraid?” she stammered.

“You and I have been alone, dolcezza mia; no chaperone to protect your honor—and mine, for I feared that once I started I would be unable to stop. I long for you so. I imagine how soft your lips will be, how you will melt in my arms, how you would look…” he stopped, catching his lower lip in his teeth.

Charis blushed. “Did we need a chaperone, Eric?”

“You doubt it?” He lowered his face towards hers, slowly. Perhaps he was trying not to startle her. Perhaps he wanted to give her time to turn her head or to pull away. Charis waited, lifting her face to make her lips more accessible.

He was right to call himself a scoundrel, for he stopped just a couple of inches away. When he made no further move, she lifted onto her toes and closed the distance.

Eric greeted her initiative with an approving murmur, his mouth cruising in small kisses along hers. Was that his tongue sliding along the seam of her mouth? She opened her mouth to ask, and it darted inside, sending a bolt of sensation all the way to her female places. Dimly, she was aware of one large hand lifting her derrière, holding her up. Just as well. Without that support, she would have fallen from his lap, although how she had arrived in such a scandalous position she could not have said.

She essayed a foray with her own tongue and was rewarded by Eric’s groan as his hand pulled her even closer to his body, and something hard dug into her hip. She wriggled, and he groaned again, pulling away a fraction of an inch to say. “Amore mio,” in a strangled moan.

Charis wanted to moan herself. Her breasts felt hot and heavy, and the lower part of her torso was uncomfortable, as if each kiss pierced through to that forbidden place. She wanted. She gripped Eric’s nape and pulled him back to her mouth, and that both eased the ache and made it worse.

When Eric’s free hand first brushed and then cupped one of her breasts, she leaned into the new sensation eagerly, her own hands roaming down from Eric’s neck to the bare skin under his banyan. The hand behind her tugged her closer. “Bellisima,” Eric murmured.

Perhaps Eric could move whatever he had in the pocket of the silk trousers he wore under his banyan. “Something is digging into me,” she whispered, shifting uneasily.

It was the wrong thing to say. Eric stilled, and then lifted his head. With both hands on her hips, he shifted back onto the seat beside him, then tucked her head against his shoulder and wrapped his arms around her. “Thank you, dearest Charis,” he said.

“For the kiss?”

“Yes, definitely for the kiss. And for reminding me that you are an innocent and I am a gentleman who greatly esteems you and wishes to cherish you for all our days.” He was breathing hard, as if he had run a considerable distance, and Charis, too, felt short of breath.

The Beast Next Door in
Valentines From Bath
Just $0.99!

 

In all the assemblies and parties of Bath, no-one Charis met could ever match the beast next door.

Charis Fishingham has always felt more at home at Eastwood—Beastwood, as the neighbours called it, after the flawed child who once lived there. In the Eastwood gardens, Charis can escape her mother’s expectations, her sisters’ chatter, and her own worries about her future. There, she reads and remembers her secret friend, long gone into exile to have his birthmarks removed at his family’s command.

Now the Beast has returned. Eric Lord Wayford would rather face the surgeons of Naples and Napoleon’s armies than the tongues of the ton. He joyfully greets Charis, and their future looks to be full of hope.

But someone does not wish Charis to wed the Beast of Beastwood, and will stop at nothing to keep them apart.

25% of the proceeds benefit our mutual charity, the Malala Fund.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords
Amazon AU | BR | CA | DE | ES | FR | IN | JP | IT | MX | NL | UK

About Jude Knight

Jude Knight’s writing goal is to transport readers to another time, another place, where they can enjoy adventure and romance, thrill to trials and challenges, uncover secrets and solve mysteries, delight in a happy ending, and return from their virtual holiday refreshed and ready for anything.

Website and blog: http://judeknightauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudeKnightAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudeKnightBooks

Pinterest: https://nz.pinterest.com/jknight1033/

Email: jude@judeknightauthor.com

 

First Kiss Friday with Sherry Ewing & a giveaway~

25 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday

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Today on First Kiss Friday, I’m giving you the first kiss scene from my upcoming novella The Earl Takes A Wife that is in the Bluestocking Belles’ box set Valentines From Bath. In this scene, Adrian de Courtenay has just given Lady Celia Lacey a necklace for her birthday while they are outside on her uncle’s balcony. Be sure to read all the way to the end to learn about my giveaway and happy reading!

Excerpt:

Her impulse to bend forward to kiss Adrian’s cheek may have been an innocent enough gesture in her mind, yet her heart apparently thought differently, given its rapid rhythm. Could he hear the staccato sound that betrayed her feelings for him whether she voiced them aloud or not? Surely he could, since he was standing so close. Was she the only one who felt as though the world was tipping, as if his mere presence made her head spin?

She should step away. She should distance herself from the man who caused such reckless behavior. She should mumble an apology and flee into the ballroom as fast as her slippered feet could carry her.

Yet here she stood, even daring to step closer when she felt the slightest pull from Adrian’s hand on her elbow. It was so subtle that Celia could easily mistake such a harmless touch as nothing. Instead, she hoped he desired her closer. Her reaction to the gift may have been her undoing. She was unsure her heart could stand much more.

He took several steps backward, plunging himself into the shadows of the night, but not releasing her hand. Fool that she was, Celia willingly followed his lead. Not caring she was no longer in sight of those who may be watching, her spirits soared knowing Adrian… yes, Adrian… wanted to steal a few moments alone together.

Had she not dreamed of this moment for months since they were first introduced at Hollystone Hall? His sister Miranda’s words that Celia should make Adrian jealous in order to win him were but a small memory. She had told Miranda months ago that she could not resort to such a ploy and such unladylike behavior, that it was not becoming of a genteel lady. Miranda had laughed, telling Celia sometimes harsh measures were needed in order to obtain what the heart desired.

Clearly such foolery had not been necessary, because here she was with Adrian. He led her into the dark of his own accord and not because she made him jealous with another. A brief glimpse of the marquis flashed in her mind, but she brushed away the image of his face, knowing she had made no commitment to the man despite her father’s wishes. Phillip did not own her heart, and he never would. It belonged to Adrian from the first moment she had seen him.

Lost in her thoughts, Celia realized they had not gone far, and for that, she was grateful. She could still easily make a hasty escape if necessary, especially if they heard someone approaching.

Adrian gently maneuvered her against the brick of the manor in the shelter of a trellis filled with ivy vines. He placed his body as a protective shield so she was efficiently hidden. Her mind worked furiously. Had he done this before with some other willing lady? Was she just another conquest?

His long fingers reached out and took her chin, tilting her face upward so she could do nothing more than stare into those mesmerizing blue eyes. The corners of his mouth lifted into a sensual grin, and Celia was lost to everything but him.

“Adrian…”

She blurted his name as though they were already lovers and felt a blush color her face crimson, hoping he could not see it in the dim light. Her hands moved of their own accord to tentatively touch his waist. At her apparent encouragement, he stepped even closer until she could feel the very heat of him against her young trembling body. His hand slid to her cheek; the thumb rubbed a gentle pattern as if to calm her, but she was anything but calm. The anticipation of his kiss was going to kill her.

A heavy sigh escaped him. “You should leave.” His voice was strained as though he was struggling within himself.

“Yes… I probably should.” Her hands crept upward to finger the buttons of his waistcoat, the floral pattern in deep contrast to the rest of his dark attire. A mental image from her dreams of undressing Adrian on their wedding night startled her, and she quickly shifted her hands to the edge of his jacket as if holding onto him might give her strength and the support she needed to remain level headed.

His breath was warm against her temple when he placed a soft kiss at her hairline before he touched his forehead to her own.

“You are not leaving,” he murmured, his hands moving down her arms as if she needed warming. His voice was low and husky, causing her flesh to shiver in anticipation of the unknown.

“I cannot,” she managed to croak out, while she tried to find a way to breathe. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind she knew she must flee but she ignored the warning, especially when her stomach flipped as his arm swooped around her waist.

“Why not?” he asked, pulling her closer so there was no doubt left in her mind that he wanted her. She may be young, but she certainly understood the fundamentals of what might happen when she took the hand of a rake and plunged into the coolness of the night.

Celia wound her arms around his neck, touching the curling edges of his brown hair. God only knew how much she had been dying to do that since Hollystone Hall. She swallowed hard and rushed onward, her fate sealed to this man whether he knew it or not. “Because I have dreamed of your kisses from the day we first met,” she confessed, her words louder than she intended, as though such an admission should be shouted for all the world to hear.

Adrian muttered something beneath his breath before he gave her a little shake. “I made you a promise I would behave as a gentleman,” he growled. But he did not let her go, and his face showed an internal struggle.

His voice made her shiver yet again, but she kept her place within his embrace. “I would expect nothing less.”

He took her face into the palms of his hands in order to study her reaction to his touch. She covered one of his hands with her own. “If we stay out here, I have no doubt I will break my vow,” he replied.

“Then, before I lose my nerve to ask you…” Celia hesitated only an instant before she rushed on in an urgent plea, “…kiss me, Adrian. Kiss me like—”

…you love me, she finished inside her head when he cut off her words; for she could not speak when Adrian did just that. Kissed her. Right there. In the moonlight. With half of Society but a breath away.

His kiss was demanding at first. She had no idea what to do with her mouth, since this was her very first kiss. He must have realized that fact because everything changed between them. He softened his lips on hers as he possessed her mouth, but still, their situation was charged with an unseen energy that Celia never wanted to end.

Unsure what to do, she at first stood as still as one of the marble statues in her uncle’s garden. A gentle urging from Adrian encouraged her to open her mouth and follow his lead. A willing pupil, she allowed the master to teach her what he enjoyed, and she discovered that she enjoyed it, too.

He easily slipped his tongue inside. Warm fire erupted in her veins, while her tongue tangled with his. A low moan escaped her, unbidden but easily detected in the silence of the night. A tell-tale sign of the true depth of her feelings for the man who kissed her senseless.

Nothing had ever prepared her for the heady rush of sensations that enveloped her whole being. His arms tightened around her. She clutched at him like she was starving, and only Adrian could satisfy her cravings. Nothing mattered. Not the ball. Not her sisters. Not Phillip. Not even her father. If Adrian could kiss her like this, then surely he, too, must care for her. Did he love…?

“Celia!”

They tore their lips apart as the sound of her name continued to echo off into the night. Her breathing heavy, she melted into Adrian’s arms, placing her head upon his chest while she heard his own heartbeat running wild. He was just as affected as she was.

Valentines From Bath:
A Bluestocking Belles Collection
Release Date February 9, 2019
Just $0.99

My contribution to Valentines From Bath is The Earl Takes A Wife.

It began with a memory, etched in the heart.

Lady Celia Lacey is too young for a husband, especially man-about-town Lord Adrian de Courtenay. But when she meets him at a house party, she falls in love and cannot get him out of her mind. Will he ever think she is old enough to become his wife?

Adrian finds the appealing innocent impossible to forget, though she is barely out of the schoolroom and a relative by marriage. If they are constantly in each other’s company, then how can he move on without her?

His sister’s deceptions bring them together, but destroys their happiness. Can they reach past the hurt to the love that still burns?

Valentines From Bath

The Master of Ceremonies announces a great ball to be held on Valentine’s Day in the Upper Assembly Rooms of Bath. Ladies of the highest rank—and some who wish they were—scheme, prepare, and compete to make best use of the opportunity. Dukes, earls, tradesmen, and the occasional charlatan are alert to the possibilities as the event draws nigh.

But anything can happen in the magic of music and candlelight as couples dance, flirt, and open themselves to romantic possibilities. Problems and conflict may just fade away at a Valentine’s Day Ball.

In five original stories, Jessica Cale, Sherry Ewing, Jude Knight, Amy Quinton, and Caroline Warfield bring you Valentines From Bath.  25% of proceeds benefit the Malala Fund.

Buy Links:
Amazon US | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords

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How about a giveaway? To win an eCopy of A Kiss For Charity that is Grace de Courtenay’s story, leave me a comment and tell me what you’d like to receive this Valentines Day. I’ll generate a random comment on Monday as the winner. Good luck, my lovelies!

First Kiss Friday with guest Amy Quinton

18 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday

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It’s First Kiss Friday and it’s always a great day when I can introduce one of my fellow Bluestocking Belles. Please help me welcome Amy Quinton who will be sharing the first kiss scene from her novella The Umbrella Chronicles: John and Emma’s Story in our upcoming box set Valentines From Bath. Happy reading and enjoy!

Excerpt:

 In this scene, our hero, Dr. John Edward Hartwell, has caught a flash of light from outside as he meanders through the first-floor drawing room. He strolls over to the window and watches with disbelieving eyes as a person dances beneath the stars around the open flames of a fire, with what appears to be an umbrella in her hand. Alone. Then, suddenly his mystery woman reaches over and throws something on the fire.

A few moments later, John finds himself beneath the stars, standing just outside the circle of light, no more able to reckon her reasoning there than from inside the drawing room.

Emma, it seems, is burning some ferns and dancing and swaying and darting clockwise around a small fire, a black umbrella in her hand.

Our scene begins here with John asking our heroine, Emma:

“What are you doing?”

She didn’t stop her twirling as she replied, “Don’t say it.”

He held his hands in surrender, though she couldn’t very well see him and asked, “Say what?”

“That I’m crazy.”

He chuckled. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

She spun again. “If you must know, King Charles I believed this worked.” She gestured at the fire as she rocked back and forth before spinning once again. “That burning ferns would invite rain.” She stopped as she drew before him, breathless from her dancing. “In fact, he believed in it so strongly that when he travelled, he often banned the use of burning ferns in any town he visited for the duration of his stay.”

He crossed her arms. “Fascinating.” He wasn’t sure if he should believe her, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t infinitely captivated.

She grinned and grabbed hold of his hands, attempting to twirl him into a dance. “Honestly.”

And oddly enough, he allowed her. They spun as they circled the fire; he stiff, his muscles unused to dancing; she fluid in her movements as if she danced every day. The warmth of her hands cast a spell over him, and he was helpless to resist her command.

He nodded at the umbrella, clasped between their joined hands. “But why do you wish it to rain?”

She shrugged and almost seemed to shy away. “The better to keep you here?”

He nearly stumbled. Instead, he risked a peek at the stars, twinkling down on them from the clear skies above. “It’s been clear for days and not likely to rain any time soon.”

When he looked at her again, she shrugged. “We shall see.”

“Emma.” They slowed to a stop. “Why?” He reached out and looped that persistently loose curl behind her ear. As he’d been wanting to do for days. Had he been able to see, he would have repinned it and dared it to defy him.

It was as silky as he’d imagined it would be.

Softly, he continued. “Why do you wish me to stay? Why me?”

She reached up and ran her hand down his cheek. “Because you’re perfect. For me.”

He shook his head and laughed, remembering their morning walk of several days ago. “But we are nothing alike.”

Now, it was her turn to shake her head. “Haven’t you heard? When two people making up a couple are exactly alike, one of them is redundant.”

Before he could reply, he felt a drop of water splash down on his cheek, and he glanced around to note that a light drizzle had begun to fall around them. Eyes wide with disbelief, he glanced at the fire, the sky, the umbrella, and then Emma herself as another drop landed squarely on her lips, the water sparkling in the light of the sputtering fire. She withdrew the Umbrella from their clasped hands and opened it, carefully, almost reverently. Then, he being taller, he took it from her, holding it over the both of them, protecting them from the damp. They were cocooned now, alone, as the rest of the world was washed away with the rain. Or perhaps it was the umbrella, keeping the safe. Drawing them together.

They each stepped closer to the other. The fire died. Darkness enveloped them, which was a fine thing, for water dotted his lenses, and he no longer had a flannel with which to clean them.

Rather than worry over it, he dipped his head and drew near her, unerringly finding her lips in the dark. Ah, God. Finally.

It was pure heaven. Shewas pure heaven. Just as he’d been imagining. For days.

With his free hand, he wrapped his arm around her and clasped her to him, and she allowed it, willingly pressed against him. She ran her hands through his hair, and for the first time ever, he was disorderly, mussed. In a public place, no less. And he relished every single minute of it.

Her lips tasted like sunshine and warmth. Comfort. And home. He could die in her arms and be content that this was the best possible way to leave this earthly plane.

He didn’t know what sort of magic she possessed, but it was truly potent.

And he didn’t mind.

He dove into a deeper kiss, tossing time and Oxford and appearances to the wind.

Tomorrow… tomorrow he would remember why they could never be.

Valentines From Bath releases February 9th
Preorder now for $0.99

 The Umbrella Chronicles Blurb:

 England, 1815…

Dr. John Edward Hartwell is pathologically tidy and set in his ways—a more serious-minded man never existed.

But in his ways, lies misery.

Enter Miss Annie Merryweather—a woman as lovely as she is chaotic. She is the perfect compliment to our man of numbers and logic, bringing sunshine and superstition to thwart his future of certain wretchedness.

And now that she is convinced they are destined to be together—the signs, you see—no one can stand in her way, for she is as tenacious and optimistic as she is beautiful.

Will their hearts find common ground this Valentine’s Day? 

Buy Links:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MP7WV4T/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/915442
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/valentines-from-bath-bluestocking-belles/1130058838?ean=2940155926702
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/valentines-from-bath
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/valentines-from-bath/id1448246986?mt=11 

 

Biography

Historical Romance Author, Mother of Boys, American Wife of an Englishman, Crafter, Reader, Camper, Bluestocking Belle

Amy Quinton is an author and full time mom living in Summerville, SC. She enjoys writing (and reading!) sexy, historical romances. She lives with her husband, two boys, and three cats. In her spare time, she likes to go camping, hiking, and canoeing/kayaking… And did she mention reading? When she’s not reading or traveling, she likes to make jewelry, sew, knit, and crochet (Yay for Ravelry!).

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Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00RUHIXZ0

Goodreads Author Page: https:/www.goodreads.com/author/show/10912294

Book Page: https://amyquinton.net/published-works/valentines-from-bath/

 

First Kiss Friday with Keta Diablo & a Giveaway!

11 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by in 2019, First Kiss Friday

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Welcome, my lovelies, to another First Kiss Friday! Today’s guest is Keta Diablo who heating things up with her novel Decadent Deceptions. Be sure to read to the end to learn about Keta’s giveaway opportunity and happy reading.

Setup: 

In all honesty, this is Olivia and Morgan’s second kiss. The first one occurred ten years prior and was more like a peck on the lips. In this scene, Morgan has made arrangements for Olivia to visit an elegant brothel in Savannah so she may choose a husband with experience in the bedchamber. Since he’s in love with Olivia, he could kick himself for agreeing to help her in this regard. Morgan finds Olivia in the garden and informs her he’s made arrangements for this coming Friday. She offers to pay him for his trouble.

Excerpt: 

“Oh no you don’t, dear friend. I can’t allow you to pay for my shameless inquisitiveness.”

Dear friend? Wielding a dull knife to cut out his heart and serve it à la friteuse would have sufficed. “Is that what you call it? Your inquisitiveness? I thought it fell more along the lines of depravity, Olivia.”

Green eyes narrowed. “You don’t approve after all?”

With another wave of his hand, he forged ahead. “Forget it, doesn’t matter whether I approve or not. I gave my word to your brother I’d see it through to the end whether or not you’re shocked out of your pristine bloomers.”

Her delicate chin tilted up. “I assure you, I’ve seen it all.”

“Is that so? Where?”

“Books. You do remember my father has an extensive library, including a vast collection of nude pictorials…French and Italian.”

With a sick knot in his stomach, he met her gaze. “One hundred dollars.”

“What?”

“It costs one hundred dollars to observe.”

“That’s exorbitant! What does it cost to—?”

“Less than it costs to engage in voyeurism and that should be of little significance since you don’t plan to offer yourself up as a fille de joie.” He paused and raked her over head-to-toe. “Or do you?”

“Of course not!” She stomped an indignant foot and in the next breath asked, “What did you call them?”

“A prostitute.”

“Yes, I know, but did you use a French term?”

He could have kicked himself for overlooking her uncanny perception, and why did he get the feeling pistons and pulleys were working overtime in that pretty little head as she scrutinized him? “About the money….”

“I’ll have it with me on Friday, Morgan.”

Her curious eyes warned him another question from that kissable mouth struggled for release. “What? You’ll burst if you don’t spit out whatever cockamamiethought occupies your meddlesome—”

Another gasp elicited a half-snort from him.

“Very well, perhaps meddlesome was unfair. How about analytical?”

“Oh, you’re impossible. I merely wanted to know if they, that is, the people in the room will know I’m watching them.”

“Do you want them to?”

She clutched her throat. “Of course not, but I can’t help but wonder if that is an option for some.”

“It is, but that will cost another fifty dollars.” He studied her. “Should I arrange that too?”

“No, no, thank you. I’d prefer to—”

“Spy on people while they’re rutting.”

A strange sound spewed from her throat, but like the Olivia he knew, she recovered quickly. With a bold step forward, she threw her arms about his neck and kissed him, without warning, without pretense. His head swam. Christ, those sweet, sensual lips melded into his as if they had done so a thousand times in the past. In reality, it had only been once—ten years ago, a lifetime ago. She clung to him and pressed her firm, ripe body against his. His fingers splayed and tangled in her wild mane of hair as he drew her deeper into the kiss.

On and on it went, her sweet breath mingling with his, their tongues entwined. Amid the little soft moans from the back of her throat, his resolve disintegrated and the kiss reached a demanding plateau. Still she did nothing to stop him. Overcome by an irresistible urge to feel her beneath him, he backed her toward the bench, intent on taking her here, now, on that hard, cold surface or on the ground, he didn’t care which. The rigid length of his cock pulsated between them. More than anything in the world, he wanted to shove it into her…into every orifice imaginable.

The soft echo of a woman’s voice filtered through the labyrinth of trellises and twisted vines. “Liv, darling, where are you?”

Olivia jerked from his arms and staggered back, her voice hoarse. “Oh, forgive me, I shouldn’t have—”

“Olivia!”

“Here, Lark, near the roses.” She buffed her lips with her fingers and then straightened her dress. “You must leave.” She pointed toward a narrow path. “Please, Morgan, Lark will suspect something if she sees you.”

Caught up in the moment, he took her chin in his hand with a vague awareness of a robin’s twill overhead, the rustle of nearby branches, and the scattered gravel crunching beneath someone’s feet. “The next time you start something with me, Olivia Breedlove, be prepared to have it finished.”

Decadent Deceptions by Keta Diablo

Historical Erotic Romance/Suspense
* 35 ‘Five’ Star Reviews
* RWA Molly Contest Finalist (Erotica category)
* Red Carpet Review Top Award Nominee

About the novel:

Determined to win Morgan Gatewood’s love, Olivia Breedlove lures the decadent man into a game of cat and mouse. What began as a ploy to force him to commit, tumbles into a world rife with voyeurism, sin and murder. Morgan must not only beat Olivia at her own game but stay one step ahead of the scheming vixen once the serial killer has her in his sights.

Enter L’ Amour Immortelles, an affluent brothel, where no one is who they claim to be, and no one is safe. Enter the world of Decadent Deceptions where the hunted becomes the hunter to save the woman he loves.

This novel is scorchingly hot and includes scenes of bondage.

There is a HEA and no cliffhangers.

Available On All Venues

About the Author:

Keta Diablo lives in the Midwest part of the United States on six acres of gorgeous woodland. When she isn’t writing or gardening she loves to commune with nature. A pair of barn owls returns to the property every year to birth their young and show them off in the high branches of the oak trees. Nothing more adorable than these white fluffy babies with heart-shaped faces. A lifelong animal lover, Keta devotes her time and support to the local animal shelter. Emma LaPounce, a rescued feline, has been her furry companion for the last ten years.

Keta is an award-winning and best-selling author who writes in several genres: Western Romance, Historical Romance, Paranormal Romance and Contemporary Romance. In a past life, she wrote Gay Romance. Her books have received numerous accolades, including RWA contest finalist, Authors After Dark finalist, Top Pick of the Month and Recommended Review from top review sites, and Best Romance Finalist from The Independent Author Network.

Ps: For some strange reason, ghosts often show up in her stories.

Thank you so much for following me on the Net:

★Author Home: http://authorketadiablo.com

★Newsletter signup: http://authorketadiablo.com/contact

★Author Blog: http://ketaskeep.blogspot.com

★Twitter http://www.twitter.com/ketadiablo

★Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/KetaDiablo.Author/

★Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Keta-Diablo/e/B002BODURI/

★Goodreads Page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2620426.Keta_Diablo

★Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/ketadiablo/

★Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/112104019710863190872

★Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/keta-diablo?list=about

Leave Keta a comment to be in the running for a $10 Amazon gift card. We’ll leave this giveaway open through the weekend when a random comment will be generated as the winner. Good luck!