Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Parker Presents: Halloween with Robin Danner


Photo by Teresa Huggins

Happy Halloween! Let me start by saying thank you to Teresa Huggins for the fantastic halloween-themed photo for my blog. I get all kinds of story ideas looking at this picture, don't you?

On to the business of this wicked day. It's time to strap-on those...sexy costumes and over-indulge in all the pleasures this night has to offer. 





And speaking of costumes...Robin Danner is here to talk about the struggles of choosing just the right one! And then check our her latest release, The Princes Bound.

Happy Halloween, my little monkeys. I wish you all things sinfully wicked.

Take it away, Robin!

**************************************

It’s that time again. Ghost, ghouls, and goblins beware! Yes, I’m talking about Halloween, one of my favorite holidays of the year.

Every year I wrestle with my decision of what to dress up as. Last year (don’t laugh) I was a Kardashian. The original plan was for two of my friends to join me and I was going to be Khloe. Those plans fell through, so I ended up being Kim. At least I can say I have enough junk in the trunk, but sadly that’s where the similarity ends.

This year, I decided to be a witch. I said witch. (Some of the ladies at work gave me an odd look when I announced my costume as if to say “aren’t you always”? So I’m just stressing it’s witch, with a W. Not a B.) I bought a cute little hat with an attached veil, mostly an attempt to hide the fact that my pale face should never have black hair. My Kardashian wig (wince…black hair) is getting revamped and now I’m all set!

Costumes sure have changed a lot over the years. Did anyone else out there have the plastic Barbie costume? Yes, it was pretty much a garbage bag with a painted dress and then a plastic mask. Nowadays kids can get complete costumes consisting of a material other than plastic. Makes me a tad jealous.

So I want to know…what is everyone else going to be?



Robin's latest release, The Princes Bound, can be found at www.lsbooks.com.


Murder, abduction, and rebellion threaten the peace of the kingdom, and Nadia is caught in the middle of it all. Can she find a way to stop the events sure to destroy them all by surrendering her heart to a handsome prince, or will fate get in the way?




About Robin:

Robin Danner writes sweet and sexy historicals and lives in Alabama with her husband and three sons. When she is not writing, she enjoys watching reality television and singing karaoke … quite possibly off-key!

She is a graduate of Troy University and published her first novel not long after earning her degree in Biology. She currently works full-time and shuffles her time between writing, work, and her family. 


Find out more about Robin at http://robindanner.webs.com or join her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/robindannerauthor.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Parker Presents: Allie Ritch







Happy Thursday, my little monkeys! I am excited to turn my blog over to the lovely Allie Ritch today, and let me tell you...she's brought the goods! 


Free Your Mind

The 1999 movie The Matrix was about a virtual reality that everybody believed was real. Those freed from the Matrix could bend certain rules and break others within that artificial reality. Well, let me tell you, when it comes to writing sci-fi romance, “there is no spoon.”

That’s what I adore most about this genre. I get to let my imagination go nuts (Me? Crazy? Nah.). I get to have fun, and that’s exactly what I’ve done throughout my whole Alien Sex Ed series. I’ve got a woman with naturally purple hair, a fellow with a vibrating penis, and a four-armed man who turns red and sports bonus equipment. Now, with the release of the third book, Alien Sex 103, by Liquid Silver Books, I get to bend reality even more.

In Alien Sex 103, Varion belongs to a shape-shifting race and can change his superficial features (skin, hair, and eye color, as well as distribution of muscle and fat) at will. This guy literally encompasses all the races we think of here on planet Earth: black, white, olive-skinned, etc. Talk about someone whose looks don’t define him.

Then there’s Benni. She’s a Flexian, a race of natural contortionists. Benni can bend like a pretzel, and she puts on quite a show at the Trilanta Fairgrounds, where she does trick riding on a six-legged equinoid. Want to know the hardest part about writing Benni? Describing the knots she ties herself into without getting dizzy!

Zeo is Nimanian, so his relationship plan is broken down to the most primitive tactic: find his mate and take her for his own. 

That’s easier said than done when he discovers the female he wants is a shy, virgin New Earthling named Pixie, who is fresh out of college and hasn’t a clue how to handle him.

In case it’s not obvious, I pack a lot of diversity into this series, not only in the alien races, but in the characters’ personalities. The ages of the characters in these books range from twenty-one to forty-one, and they come in all different shapes and sizes. They include people who are innocent, jaded, easygoing, uptight, and every other description you can think of.

And the mixing and matching is so much fun! Just like I paired a superficial frat-boy type with a mature, spiritual woman in Alien Sex 102, I throw together Zeo with Pixie in Alien Sex 103. Here Zeo has all this intensity and fearlessness, while Pixie is a nervous wreck, but determined not to be such a wimp. I like to see how the characters work out their differences.

There is no spoon, so to speak, in my Alien Sex Ed series. Or maybe I should mention that there are no zippers :-).

***


Blurb for Alien Sex 103:

Corporate spy by day and party boy by night, Varion thinks he has it all when he hooks up with fellow Sex Ed student, Benni. As a Flexian, Benni is a natural contortionist, able to get into sexual positions he has always fantasized about. She loves the way his race can shift their features and skin tone to look like other people. It’s all passion and good times until Varion starts to wonder if Benni only wants him because he can look like different men. And when Benni discovers Varion’s corporate espionage may destroy her job, she questions his motives in pursuing her. Is their relationship real or just a game that’s turned all too serious?

Used to being the shy young virgin, Pixie is shocked when Zeo, the fierce Nimanian student in her Sex Ed class, takes an interest in her. Step by step, Zeo awakens her sexuality and teaches her the joys of being a woman. He wants to mate with her in the tradition of his people, but Nimanian sex can be rough. Can Zeo be gentle enough for the woman he loves? Does Pixie have enough strength to match him?

Excerpt from Alien Sex 103 (for mature audiences only):

Drawing on the patience of the hunter, Zeo remained quiet and still while Pixie closed the distance. Her fear smelled like freshly chipped ice, but the spicy aroma of her arousal lay just beneath it. The first was unnatural as far as he was concerned—a result of insecurity and whatever wariness her New Earthling culture must have instilled in her. The latter scent, however, was all her.

Her animal, her most basic self, called to him with the imperative to mate. Whether she acknowledged that pull or not, he knew they were meant to join together. He’d known it from the first moment he’d seen her.

But first he needed to help her claim her sexuality. Once she did, her confidence would grow, and she’d be able to stand up to the females of his community. He hoped.

She slipped her soft hand into his, and Zeo once again marveled at the smoothness of her feminine skin. It made him want to rub his body all over it until his scent filled her every pore. Pulling her closer, he buried his nose in her hair before setting his hands on her slim hips. He turned her to face the mirror he’d discovered on her closet door.

“Undress for me.”

Beneath his hands, her body went stiff. “What?”

“Undress,” he repeated. “I would know your body.”

Her gaze rose to meet his in the mirror, and he could see the debate raging in her mind. Hoping his calmness would ease her, Zeo remained utterly still while she made her decision. His heart leapt for joy, as did his eager cock, when she unsealed the front of her blouse. When her shaking hands reached the hem, though, she refused to let the fabric part. He could see her knuckles had turned white.

Undeterred, he grunted. “Open.”

“I can’t.”

He tilted his head at her, trying to understand her difficulty. “Are you ashamed?”

Many of the other races seemed to enforce modesty with shame. He didn’t want Pixie to feel that way. Ever.

“A little,” she answered, and he was pleased that she was honest with him. “I’ve never been naked in front of anyone before.”

Zeo kissed her nape in encouragement. “Clothes are for warmth and to protect soft skin. Do not hide behind them. I will keep you warm and safe.” Deliberately, he pressed his hips closer so she could feel his rampant erection against her backside. “Feel how much I want this.”

With her spooned so closely, he caught the sensual shiver that ran through her. Drawing an audible breath, she finally loosened her grip and let her blouse fall open. Zeo didn’t break eye contact as he stepped back enough to slip the material off her shoulders and onto the floor.

He was unsurprised when she kicked off her sandals and undid her pants next instead of fully baring her breasts. It didn’t matter. He could wait. She would show him everything before they were through.

Stepping free of her clothes, she stood before him in white cotton panties and bra—a virginal color for New Earthlings, if he wasn’t mistaken. The lily-white undergarments contrasted nicely with her pink skin.

“All of it.” He was startled to hear his voice had lowered another octave.

Somehow, this skittish young female spoke to his most primitive needs. She spurred his desire more than anyone before her. He kept himself in check, but he didn’t try to hide his hunger. She needed to learn how to match his passion.

Still watching her in the mirror, Zeo saw her close her eyes as she popped open her bra and shrugged it off. He only got the briefest glimpse of her pert nipples before she covered them with one arm and used her free hand to shuck her panties. His nostrils flared as her intimate scent intensified. Although he willed her to look at him, her eyelids remained firmly shut after she straightened.

Gripping her wrists, he watched Pixie’s throat convulse when he forced her arms to her sides. For a second, he froze, unable to believe the beauty of her.

Her creamy breasts were firm handfuls studded with pretty pink buds, and her hips and tummy were gently rounded in all the right places. The furry thatch between her legs was a full two shades darker than the halo of blonde tresses on her head, but her curls glimmered with gold where her juices coated them. All that was missing was the pale blue of her eyes.

“Still hiding?” he asked.

With obvious effort, she pried her lids open to look at him. He hadn’t thought it possible, but her body flushed an even rosier hue.

“Perfect.” It was the only compliment worthy of her.

***

You can learn more about me and my books at my Website/Blog: http://allieritch.wordpress.com

All the Alien Sex Ed books are available at Liquid Silver Books, where you’ll find formats for your Kindle, Nook, or other reader:





































Thanks so much for inviting me to your site, Parker. And thank you for letting this crazy writer ramble about her naughty aliens :-)

Thank you Allie! You, and your naughty aliens, are welcome here anytime! :-)

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Wicked After Dark

Something Wicked This Way…well, you get the idea.




It’s my first blog hop. I’ll admit, I’m a little nervous. My heart is pounding and my palms are sweaty. I shiver a little in anticipation. *takes deep breath* Here goes…

Halloween is approaching, bringing with it all those delightfully naughty costumes and wicked treats – those of the male variety, as well as the sugary kind. 

Me? I prefer the male variety. Which got me to thinking…

Who are my top five, deliciously wicked, sinfully naughty heroes from paranormal romance novels? There are so many men/vampires/shifters/demons to choose from! 

Are you ready to play?




I love all of these warriors, but when trying to decide which Lord of the Underworld would make my top five, there was no doubt who I would pick. Strider gets the official number five slot on my countdown. As the Keeper of Defeat, Strider can’t lose a challenge without suffering unimaginable pain. Hmm. I can think of a thousand ways I’d like to challenge him. (I’ll bet you can’t get me naked. I’ll bet you can’t make me…well, you get the idea).
           

Smart-mouthed, self-indulged and a powerhouse in the sack, Wraith is the quintessential bad-boy. The fact that he’s a Seminus demon who needs sex to survive? Added bonus. (He’s also part vampire so there’s the neck-sucking thing too).
           

There are so many things to love about Vane. Sex-on-a-stick? Check. Rides a motorcycle? Check. Badass werewolf? Check. Genetically incapable of ever having sex with anyone but his mate? Check. What more could a girl want?


Larissa Ione gets a second nod on my top five with Thanatos – also known as “the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse.” I mean, come on, who wouldn’t love a fierce warrior who thought sex would turn him evil? Thousands of years of sexual frustration wrapped up in one, muscle-bound, badass immortal? Sign. Me. Up.  


I just want to say ‘thank you’ to Lora Leigh for giving us this man. Or lion. Or man-lion. Or man that shares lion DNA. Whatever. He’s a badass (see a trend in my countdown) that you don’t know whether to love or to hate. He gets what he wants by any means necessary. He lies, manipulates and even kills. So why did I pick him as my number one? Because he’s the shit, that’s why. No really. He’s brutal and hard (heh), but his capacity for love will take your breath away.

So, congratulations Jonas, you win top spot on my sexy-as-fuck countdown! I’ll give you your prize later.

SIDE NOTE: If you want to read more about my thoughts on the Director of Bureau of Breed Affairs, see Romantic Imperative.

And there you have it! My official, as of this second because it will change tomorrow, top five, deliciously wicked, sinfully naughty heroes from paranormal romance novels.

Now, my little monkeys, I showed you mine…it’s your turn to show me yours!

Let’s talk! I want to hear about your top picks for wicked paranormal hero. One lucky commenter will receive a copy of my current release, One Night Stand and a $10 gift card from Amazon! Just fill out the rafflecopter and leave a comment!

There are lots of other giveaways going on, so visit the links below. Enjoy the hop and all of its wicked delights!

I am a blog hop virgin no more. Wow, and it didn’t even hurt.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, October 12, 2012

Parker Presents: Rhonda L. Print






Happy Friday, my little monkeys! Today, I'm talking with Rhonda L. Print about her new release, Justified.

Welcome, Rhonda! Please tell us about your latest book.

JUSTIFIED is the third book in the Leah Wolfe SINS Novel Series. It's available now!

Here's the blurb:

Leah Wolfe, federal agent for the Supernatural Investigations of Non-Human Species - SINS - is determined to put the pieces of her personal life back together. Her relationship with Ian Nightwalker, her vampire lover and a Marquis in the vampire ruling council, has heated up and is going further than she'd ever thought possible.

When her ex-fiancé, Joaquin Wildhorse calls Leah in the middle of the night and asks her to come to the home of Louis Deveraux, Alpha of the largest wolf pack in the country, her first instinct is to hang up. Until he asks her to bring Ian. Lewis has been gruesomely murdered, leaving behind a daughter and a decree that Joaquin is to the the new pack Alpha.

Now, as the slain bodies of more shape-shifters start turning up closer to home, Leah's personal and professional lives collide. She knows who the killer is, but legally can't touch him. She'll need the help of Ian and Joaquin to step outside of the law and stop a killer to protect the lives of those she loves the most. If she can manage that, things just might get interesting.

How much research do you do while preparing for a story?

Tons. There is always something to look up and research. It’s fun, yet time consuming.

Do you find love scenes challenging to write?

It’s like choreographing a dance between your characters. How they move together, react together. Fun and challenging! 

How much influence do your characters have over the story?

A lot! They always seem to have something to add or a direction to go that isn’t exactly where I was planning on going. It’s great when I’m at the keyboard, not so great when I’m trying to sleep. LOL

Do you have anything new you’re working on that you’d like to tell us about?

I’m working on the next book in the Leah Wolfe SINS Novel series called PHOENIX. 

Of the books you have written, do you have a favorite?

NIGHTWALKER, A LEAH WOLFE SINS NOVEL was my first published and is my baby. But, of course, I love them all!

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Read and spend time with my family and friends.

What is the one thing you couldn’t do without?

My family and friends, of course!

Do you have a favorite book/author?

I love Erma Bombeck, Nora Roberts, Kelley Armstrong and Laurell K. Hamilton, just to name a few.

Favorite TV Show?

I don’t watch a lot of TV but I do like Vampire Diaries, Home Improvement and most anything on HGTV.

Favorite food?

Coffee, Ice Cream, Chocolate and I need regular veggie fixes! :)

Do you have anything else you’d like to add?

I love to hear from my readers and can be found most everywhere. The best place to start is at my website and blog, www.RhondaLPrint.com.

Now, read on for more of Justified! 

Excerpt:

“Mmm.” I moaned against his stomach. “I think we should initiate this house properly.” I unbuttoned his pants a slid his zipper down, freeing his erection.

Ian lost patience and ripped my shirt open, buttons flying. I laughed and then closed my mouth over his, still teasing him as I rocked over his erection. Ian’s hands grasped both of my breasts, kneading deliciously as his thumbs caressed my nipples. He took one in his mouth and sucked, causing warmth to pool in the lower part of my body and raising goose bumps of pleasure along my skin. I scissored his hair in my fingers as my body arched back to give him more access. The other nipple got the same treatment before I scooted down and took him into my mouth, my tongue playing along the hard ridge of the head, swirling and suckling until I pulled a groan of pleasure from Ian.

I opened my eyes and looked up at him. His head lay back against the chaise, his hair tousled and sexy as hell. His eyes were closed, mouth slightly open and I could see just the tips of his fangs as his breath came from him in short, quick rasps.

Holy wow! Is it hot in here or is it just this book?!? Whew. Thank you so much for talking with us today, Rhonda. Please come back and visit anytime!

Here are the buy links for Justified. Go forth and buy, monkeys!

Liquid Silver Books
Amazon
ARe

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Muse Wednesday

Happy hump day my little monkeys!

I am excited to be a part of Muse Wednesday on the Romantic Imperative blog. Many thanks to Monette Michaels for the invite!

Stop by and read about the book that inspires me. Who knows? Maybe it will inspire you too! Leave me a comment...I'm lonely! :)

Happy reading!

~Parker

Friday, October 5, 2012

Parker Presents: Elizabeth Finn!






Good morning my little monkeys! I'm excited to have one of my pub sisters, Elizabeth Finn, here with me today. We have a ton to talk about so let's get to it, shall we?

First of all, let me congratulate you on your first release. I’m so excited for you! And you have TWO more releases coming before the end of the year! How are you feeling right now?
Busy! But, I’m thrilled. It has been so much fun sharing The Devil’s Pawn with my readers, and I can’t wait for my other two releases as well!

That makes two of us! LOL! How did you spend your release day?
Well, sadly, working most of the day – in fact, I spent nearly five hours in my car, travelling between my office and one of my company’s branch sites in the rain and fog! But I made it home safely in time to spend the evening with a small group of girlfriends. Lots of margaritas and laughs. It was a great day in all.


Margaritas are a good way to celebrate such an occasion! So, I have to say, the cover for The Devil’s Pawn is smokin’ hot. Tell us a little about what we’ll find inside.
More smokin’ hotness! I love this story. It’s gritty, real, and emotional—I think that’s what I love best. You get caught up in these characters’ lives so easily, and to top it off, it’s jam packed with smoldering sex scenes!

Just like we like it! ("we" being me, of course). Derek is fabulously tasty. What was your inspiration for him?
I truly can’t say. Inspiration is one of the hardest things for me to nail down. I needed him to be gritty and harsh. He’s not a character you’ll start out liking right away. He may be fabulously tasty, but he’s a hard pill to swallow for a good portion of the book. But that makes his rise to righteousness all the sweeter in my opinion.

Is there any part of you that is reflected in Ashton’s personality?
I think there are definitely some elements of myself in all my female characters. You have to write what you know first and foremost, but fortunately, we all have sooo many facets to our personalities that while Ashton is one character that embodies some of me, she isn’t all of me by a long shot, and I can share plenty more of myself in the other female characters I write as well.

Tell us about your “ultimate” hero. Feel free to be specific! :)
You mean aside from gorgeous? Okay – here goes! I’m a tall-dark-handsome sorta gal. Beyond the physical, I love strong and sure men who are intelligent, commanding, but fair and passionately protective. They don’t have to be perfect – in fact, they better not be, but they have to know how to grow and evolve. I’m not attracted to immaturity or irresponsibility. I love a calm and reserved personality that is comfortable in his own skin but willing to lash out when he needs to. And, oh yeah – tall-dark-handsome!

Do you have any writing quirks? Specific place, music, etc?
I really don’t. I write anywhere I can. I jot notes in my trusty notebook when I can’t get to my laptop, I’ve cranked out some great stuff sitting in an airport restaurant during a long layover—twice! I’m busy, so I have to grab my writing time when I can get it. Sometimes that means when there are cartoons blaring in the background on Saturday morning, other times it’s late at night. I’d love to try to write to music someday, but there is usually too much going on around me to make that possible – fortunately, I’ve learned to concentrate through the chaos!

What does an average day look like for you?
Well, I’m a mom, a full time Human Resources Specialist, a half-time college student in her junior year of business management, and a writer. So – I juggle! A LOT! There are days when I get up at six, get my son and I out the door by seven, drop him off at preschool, get to work by seven-thirty, run home mid-day and crank out five hundred words, return to work until about four-thirty, head to class until nine-thirty, and then finally settle in at home at ten to write for an hour or two. It can be exhausting, but it is more rewarding than I ever imagined being overly-inundated could be.

What are you reading right now?
My Statistics text book, and no, in case you’re wondering, it’s not sexy at all! Not even one sex scene if you can believe it…

Can you share anything with us about your next two releases: Brother’s Keeper, coming October 22, 2012 and Restoring Jordan, coming December 17, 2012?

Of course! Here are blurbs for both!



Brother’s Keeper:
Rowan is ready to embark on a new life as the recipient of a scholarship in ballet to Michigan State University. Having lost her mother at an early age and being subjected to the abuse of a destitute drunken father, she has known unimaginable loss and heartache and been left wanting for a better life—a life that is finally within her grasp. But with one ill-fated phone call, her life is turned upside down. Logan is her best friend’s much older brother, his own career taking off as he prepares to graduate law school and move cross country to the prestigious law firm that has offered him a very lucrative contract. When Rowan finds herself at Logan’s mercy after he inadvertently learns of the abuse she has suffered at the hands of her father, their lives become intertwined in a way neither ever imagined nor wanted.

In an effort to protect her but with his own hands tied by her unwillingness to report the abuse, Logan strikes a deal requiring Rowan to stay at his apartment whenever there is a chance her father might be on a drunken binge—which is often. For her agreement, he will keep her secret. But soon, their time together weighs on them both, and they find themselves constantly tempted to step outside the bounds of their supposed platonic relationship.

When Rowan once again finds herself in the clutches of her father’s drunken rage, Logan’s long held resolve to keep their relationship innocent crumbles, and he’s left fighting his own desires in order to protect her virtue while craving his own indulgence in her as well. But though the boundaries of their relationship become foggier by the day, his passion and love for her does not. But there is no point, because the devastating fact of the matter is that their lives are moving in opposite directions—a relationship destined to die.
The ever present clock plagues them both as it ticks off the days until they are parted. But is being apart from one another truly possible? Is life beyond their time together livable? How can you survive when your other half is taken from you? And the most important question of all, how will he protect her from a father intent on hating her until the day he dies … or the day he kills her?

Restoring Jordan:

When Adeline Parker decides to celebrate landing a coveted internship at one of Chicago’s most prestigious architectural firms by indulging in a brutally dark and handsome man, she gets more than she bargained for.

Lost in a maze of hallways on the first day of her new position, she stumbles headlong in to a boardroom of suits, very expensive suits. They are the somebodies of this prestigious firm, and she is, by all accounts, the very definition of a nobody. And sitting at the table with the rest of the principals from the firm is a man—the very man who unwittingly de-flowered her only days before.

From the look of it, Jordan Ellinwood is none too happy to see her again; by his own admission, he’s a one night stand man, and the fact that she conned him in to taking her virginity isn’t sitting well with him either. But as her path is inextricably attached to his, their closeness will no longer be a choice.

Adeline is talented—far more so than the other interns that have made their way through the firm, and as they embark on a restoration project together, their physical proximity becomes an unexpected emotional and intimate attachment.

Jordan was raised by servants and nannies while his parents lived overseas. Emotion, compassion, and intimacy were not a part of his life, and frankly, he liked it that way. Adeline, on the other hand, was raised in a close knit Midwestern family that taught her everything she knows about being warm, caring and compassionate.

When her reputation and internship are threatened by co-workers bent on jealousy and resentment, the long dormant emotion that Jordan has so effectively stifled fights to break free. The realization that he cares for his one night stand is as foreign to him as his own parents’ love for him is. And as he struggles to get out of his own way long enough to let her see his compassion, her career is jeopardized and leaves him fighting with every last ounce of himself to save her.

Will it be enough? Will his help come in time to protect her career that is being threatened before it even begins?

Bonus question: Beer, wine or hard liquor? 

Wine: Chianti to be exact.

Thank you so much for hanging out with me today Elizabeth! Please stop back by anytime!

Now, for my greedy little monkeys, you know I wouldn't leave you hangin'. Here's a taste of Derek and Ashton in The Devil's Pawn. Enjoy!


When Ashton is left orphaned after her parents are murdered, her life becomes a hell she could never have imagined. Left to fend for herself, and responsible for a debt she doesn’t owe, she is swept into a life as a gentleman’s escort at a private men’s gaming hall. Her new manager makes it abundantly clear he doesn’t appreciate her inexperience, innocence, and shyness. On the contrary, he despises everything about her.

Derek can be “difficult,” she’s been told. And however dark and handsome he may be, he terrifies her in a way that chills her to the bone, but leaves her begging to understand him. As they are pulled along together, more secrets and threats than either one could ever conceive are revealed, and a common enemy emerges. This enemy will stop at nothing to bring Derek to his knees while using Ashton as the greatest pawn in his torturous game. 

Will Derek be able to let down his shield of cold, harsh emotion before it’s too late? Will he be able to sacrifice himself to save Ashton, or will they both be destroyed by the secrets of their pasts?

Excerpt:

Once in the fitting room, Derek takes the chair again while I start to remove my clothes. I intentionally wore ugly, stretched-out, white cotton underwear that is entirely too big on me in the event he should be here. My mouth isn’t the only thing that can get me into trouble—my sarcasm knows no bounds when I’m unhappy.

As he sees the appalling excuse for an undergarment, his eyes move up to mine, narrowing darkly at my obvious defiance. I look coolly back at him before looking away dismissively. My anger and resentment of him from the humiliation he subjected me to the previous morning, not to mention his treatment of me over the past two weeks, have charged me into a bold, fiery bitch that no longer cares what retribution I might face. While my tongue usually gets me in trouble, today I decided to let my underwear do the talking.

Jacob enters with an armful of dresses for me to try on, and he cringes as he takes in my defiant granny panties, hated the world over by men, including, apparently, gay men.
He turns to Derek, and with a scrunched-up face, he worries out loud. “The dresses aren’t going to lay right over those…” He tosses a nod in my general direction.

Derek wastes no time at all reassuring Jacob and striking back at me. “No worries. Ashton was just taking them off. She won’t be wearing underwear anymore.”

I glare defiantly back at him as I drop the loose fabric to the floor. He returns the glare for a moment before letting his gaze travel down my body to my sex, and as it lands there, smoldering with heat, I turn abruptly from him, intentionally showing him my backside instead. I look to the mirror in front of me, and I catch his eyes flit away from me in annoyance. He worries his lip with his thumb and index finger as he contemplates, and the slightest of smirks crosses over his mouth. Jacob is standing by looking from one to the other of us, obviously wondering just exactly what he’s gotten himself in the middle of.

Derek finally looks back to Jacob. “Get on with it.”

I try on one after the other of the dresses. Some are perfect; Jacob pins in additional alterations in others. Derek sits by bored, only glancing up from his cell phone occasionally. One such occasion is when Jacob remarks that I’m “just not curvy enough for this one.”

Derek looks up to Jacob, but he shifts his eyes to mine before commenting, “Yes, well, if you can figure out some way of making her look female, you let me know.”

Jacob again lets his eyes pass between us, seeming to wonder all the while what he’s missing. As I hold Derek’s eyes with my own, my anger falters, and the pain that is behind my fury pushes through. I try to wrangle my tears into submission, but it’s no use. In defeat, first one, and then another spills from my eyes and slides down my cheeks. Jacob regards my state and excuses himself from the room.

I stand on the hemming block in the center of the room, refusing to look at Derek. But he’s looking at me, and as my hurt continues to work through my entire body, I let my tongue do what it does best. “Why do you hate me so much?”

He says nothing, but stands and moves to me. Reaching around behind me, he pulls the zipper of the dress down, and then, returning his hands to my shoulders, he pulls the straps down, exposing first my small breasts, and then the rest of my naked body as it falls to the floor.

He leans in to my ear and speaks. “You don’t know anything about me.” He then takes me by the hand and pulls me to stand in front of the mirror, and leaning to my ear once more as I watch him in the mirror, he speaks gently. “Lean forward and put your palms on the mirror.”


BUY LINKS:


About Elizabeth:


Elizabeth Finn is an Iowa native, where she lives with her husband and son. By day, Elizabeth is a Human Resources Specialist, but by night, she checks her professionalism at the door and immerses herself in the world of writing contemporary erotic romance. Look for more to come from Elizabeth Finn.