Book Title: Carnal Recovery
Author: Victoria Bright
Genre: Erotica
Release Date: March 9, 2016
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions
My life revolved around two things— sex and power. As a sex therapist, I helped couples with their intimacy issues while appearing to lead a typical single life. Although I lived a civilized life during the day, by nightfall I transformed into my sadistic, dominating persona.
When a session with my submissive left him severely injured, I found myself sitting in Xavier Bennett’s office for court-ordered therapy. It was one thing to reveal the skeletons in my closet, but it was a different ball game to confess these demons to my colleague. Little did I know, he harbored dark secrets of his own.
After receiving an invitation to assist Xavier with his marriage retreat, I soon learn his intentions weren't what they seemed. What I thought would be a relaxing work-related vacation turned into a mental bloodbath as we both fought for dominance. Walls will come tumbling down and someone’s bound to get hurt.
There can only be one Master.
Who will come out on top and who will surrender?
There’s a first time for everything
“So…” I started, looking at the couple sitting in front of me. We’d been in my office for almost twenty minutes and they hadn’t said a word to me or each other. Although they sat next to each other, they were facing the opposite direction, as if in a standoff.
Glancing down at their file, I tapped my pen against my chin and cleared my throat. “Mr. and Mrs. Patterson?” I called. They cut their eyes in my direction for a split moment before finally turning to face me.
Silence.
“Yeah, hi. I’m Gia Valencia, you know, a sex therapist. How can I help you?”
Still nothing.
I clicked my manicured nails against the polished surface of my desk, irritation filling me as I waited for them to speak. When it became apparent that they weren’t ready to say anything, I felt it was the right time to remind them of something that would make anyone talk.
“Let me catch you two up to speed. We’ve already wasted nearly half an hour because the both of you are being immature. Please remember that whether or not you say a word in here today, it’s still going to cost you $175 an hour. Now I’ll ask you again; how can I help you?”
The wife glared at her husband and folded her arms across her chest. “My husband is gay.”
Well then. That escalated quickly.
My gaze drifted over to her husband, who scowled without a word.
“Mr…” I glanced at the clipboard. “Justin, is it?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know where these accusations stem from?”
He gave a nonchalant shrug. “Because I watch porn instead of having sex with her.”
“Gay porn?” I inquired, scribbling notes on my legal pad.
“What the fuck?”
“This is a judgement-free zone, so don’t worry. So do you?”
He scoffed. “Fuck no! Do I look gay to you?”
“Yeah, right,” Mrs. Patterson muttered, shifting in her chair as she crossed her legs.
I blinked a few times without a word. Everyone who was gay didn’t have to “look” gay. I turned back to my notes and continued.
“So you only view straight porn then?”
“Well, yeah and maybe some girl-on-girl action occasionally.”
“I see,” I noted, focusing on my notepad.
Justin Patterson
-Possibly addicted to porn
-Detrimental to relationship
-Wife is obviously dick deprived (off the record)
I turned back to the couple with a nod. “How many times do you watch it, Justin?” I asked. He slouched down in his chair, his forehead crinkling in discomfort. “Once a week? Once a day?”
“Hell if I know. I’m not counting—“
“See? He’s either gay or cheating!” Mrs. Patterson shrieked.
“Maybe if you weren’t such a dead fish in bed, I wouldn’t have to resort to porn!” he bellowed, spittle flying from his mouth. The surprise on Mrs. Patterson’s face morphed into anger in an instant as she stared at her husband.
“A dead fish? You’re not that exciting yourself, buddy!”
“Enough,” I stated, tapping my pen on my desk. They both grunted in displeasure, going back to avoiding eye contact with each other. With a low whistle, I noted his outburst.
-Root of problem is probably boredom in the bedroom
“Justin, when you say ‘dead fish’, what are you referring to?” I drawled. I knew exactly what he meant and felt the question was just a roadblock to getting to the real issue. But since this was a couples session, everything had to be explained to prevent miscommunication between them if their significant other didn’t know what it meant.
“She just lays there and does nothing. There’s nothing exciting about our sex life anymore. We used to be spontaneous and ready to go at the drop of a hat. Now she doesn’t want to try anything new and she never wants to have sex when I’m ready. I was tired of being rejected by her, so I stopped asking and found another outlet. Now she’s upset and has it in her head that I’m gay, which is fucking absurd,” he spat, turning his gaze to the window.
-Rejection from wife pushes him to view porn instead of being with her
“Mrs. Patterson—“
“Call me Donna, please. I don’t even want to be associated with his last name—“
“Then divorce me!” he snapped.
“Whoa, tiger. We don’t discuss divorce in sex therapy, got it? Things are a bit heated right now, so let’s take a deep breath and regroup,” I suggested, inhaling deep and exhaling. They soon followed suit, breathing in and out a couple of times.
“Everyone good?” I asked. They responded with a solemn nod, looking at the floor in shame. “Okay then. The reason you guys are here is because you want to work through whatever issues you’re having. In order to do that, the hostility has to be out of the equation. Understood?” I asked, focusing on Donna. She eyed her husband for a brief moment before responding with a timid nod.
“Yes.”
“Yes what?” I corrected her. She raised an eyebrow and glanced at my desk plate.
“Yes, Dr. Valencia?” she answered.
After a few moments of awkward silence, I realized my mistake. I was waiting for her to respond with, “Yes, Mistress,” completely forgetting that she wasn’t my slave. I was at work, not in my pleasure den. What in the hell was I thinking?
Deciding to push the weird exchange behind me, I leaned back in my chair and assessed them. They appeared to be in their early thirties. Justin was athletically built with sandy blonde hair and eyes so blue they appeared to hold the sky. His strong jaw was lightly covered in facial hair, giving him a tired, overworked look. Donna’s auburn hair was pulled into a tight bun and decorated with flower pins. I was convinced it was a cheesy idea she pulled from Pinterest. Despite her childish up-do, she was strikingly beautiful with her dazzling, soft brown eyes and a baby doll face. Her porcelain, ivory skin was smooth and achieved tightness and youth that only Botox could offer. She appeared to be the dainty, petite type until she opened her mouth. Some people were just more attractive when they didn’t talk.
“What do you guys do for a living? What’s your life like?” I asked as I leaned forward on my elbows.
“I own a construction company, so I spend many days working on contracts for the city,” Justin said.
“Nurse,” Donna answered.
“Were you two working these jobs when you first met?”
They nodded.
“So if you both had the energy back then to be, as Justin puts it, ‘ready to go at the drop of a hat’, what changed?” I asked. They were silent for a few seconds as Donna fiddled with her hands.
“Things haven’t been the same after I had a miscarriage last year,” she said in an octave above a whisper. Justin hung his head, trying to hide the sadness evident on his face.
“I’m really sorry to hear that,” I stated. She pursed her lips together.
“After it happened, it seemed like Justin threw himself into work, so much that I didn’t see him a lot. We wouldn’t say anything to each other for days unless it was a question about a bill that needed to be paid or when he wanted to have sex. It made me feel as if the only purpose he had for me was burying himself inside of me. I felt as if he blamed me for what happened,” she confessed, her voice cracking toward the end.
Justin looked at her with wide eyes and shook his head. “Donna, I…I never thought it was your fault. I would never think that,” he said, taking her hand into his. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she looked at him. “I guess I was caught up in my own grief and didn’t take the time to just talk to you about how I felt.” He caressed her cheek with his thumb.
I clasped my hands together. “It doesn’t seem like your problem is necessarily sex. You guys had a great miscommunication that eventually affected your whole life, not just your sex life,” I stated. He planted a soft kiss on her hand and turned back to me.
“Losing our child was hard, but I felt that I had to be strong for us—“
“But how can you be strong for me when you weren’t there? You never talked about it. Sex doesn’t fix everything. I’m not a mind reader, Justin. Your actions spoke when your words didn’t,” she said.
“And for that, I’m sorry. For the record, I do love you and I don’t blame you for what happened. Some things are out of our control and that was one of them. I want this to work with us, Donna. If I have to ditch the porn, I’ll do that if it’ll make you happy,” he bargained. She gave him a shy smile and wiped her eyes.
“How about this? For your homework assignment until your next appointment, how about you watch something together? Involve her in something you enjoy. Porn isn’t a bad thing, but it shouldn’t be your only option when you have a beautiful wife,” I suggested with a smile. Justin looked at Donna with hopeful eyes, causing her to giggle.
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” she admitted.
“Great. Now if things lead to sex while watching this, I want you to write how it felt to reconnect,” I said. When they raised their eyebrows, I added, “Spare the physical details. I just want to know the emotional part.”
They nodded, relief flashing in their eyes. I pulled out an appointment card and filled it out, handing it to Donna. “We’ll see where you two are in a week and go from there. Don’t forget your assignment,” I winked, sending them on their way.
I breathed a sigh of relief once they were out of sight. Just as I closed my eyes to relax, my phone vibrated in my desk. “What does a girl have to do to get a moment of peace around here?” I muttered to myself as I retrieved my phone. An amused grin pulled at my lips as I viewed the text message from one of my slaves.
Slave Martin: I hope this pleases you, Mistress.
Attached was a photo of him in a full length mirror wearing nothing but a mask and a black g-string. Since my slaves didn’t live with me, they were required to only wear what they thought would be pleasing to me and send photos to me every three hours until we met later on in the evening. There were to never show their faces in their photos; they weren’t allowed to be humanized before their master.
G: Although this pleases me, you’ve failed to report in two times today. You already know what that means.
After a brief moment, he sent a response.
Slave: I’m sorry, Mistress. I will take whatever punishment you give me.
A solid knock sounded on my doorframe. Thinking it was Zoe, my secretary, I didn’t bother looking up from my phone. “Yeah?”
“I was wondering if you had time for another session? I need some ideas to surprise my soon-to-be husband on our wedding night.”
My head snapped up at the sound of her voice. “Arianna!” I squealed, jumping up from my chair and rushing over to her. We shared a tight embrace before I held her out in front of me. “You look like you’re getting plenty of sun and probably just as much sex,” I teased. She blushed. You’d think that being engaged to an unconfirmed nymphomaniac would cause her to ditch the prude act.
“Things never change with you,” she giggled with a shake of her head. I motioned for her to sit and took a seat next to her.
“When did you get here? You should’ve told me you were coming so I could’ve taken a day off or something!” I said. I hadn’t seen her in the flesh in a year due to our hectic schedules, but it was great to see her. Miami was definitely treating her well. Her skin was a shade or two darker and she glowed with happiness. They always say when you found your soulmate, it showed. That was definitely the case with Arianna. She also seemed a lot slimmer than I remembered in her white lace romper paired with sexy gold glitter Steve Madden pumps. If I didn’t know any better, I would think a new woman was sitting next me.
“It was a last minute thing. Zane had to check on some things at the restaurant. I hope you’ve been behaving at least,” she smirked. I dismissed her comment with a wave of my hand.
“Did your move to Miami cause you to forget who you’re talking to? What is this ‘behave’ nonsense you speak of?” I asked.
She giggled and gave me a knowing look. “You’re definitely right. Giavanna Valencia—“
“You know I hate when you call me that,” I gritted.
“Sorry, Gia, but I should’ve remembered anything dealing with behaving is unknown to you,” she smirked.
I rolled my eyes Anyway, how long are you here?”
“Just a couple of days. While I’m here, can you come with me to get measured for my dress?”
“Of course! First things first, I need to see that ring of yours!” I squealed, reaching out for her hand. She giggled and placed her hand in mind, showing her diamond engagement ring in all its glory.
“The picture you sent did this thing no justice at all. It’s gorgeous!” I gushed. She smiled and pulled back with a nod.
“It still doesn’t feel real,” she murmured, admiring it.
Seeing my best friend basking in genuine happiness was refreshing. She seemed to be doing so much better since she ditched that dickhole Julius and her annoying, controlling parents. Not only was she a successful author, she was now preparing to marry the man of her dreams. Despite all of the shit she had to go through to get to this point, it all appeared to pay off.
Arianna looked at her watch. “Do you feel like meeting with the seamstress right now?” she asked.
“Hell, I’m not doing anything else,” I said, standing and retrieving my purse from behind my desk. As we walked down the hall toward the elevator, my colleague, Xavier stepped out of his office, nearly running into us.
“Whoa, sorry there, ladies,” he apologized before steadying his gaze on me. “Ms. Valencia,” he said, a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. I rolled my eyes.
“Xavier,” I clipped, trying to move around him. After a brief, awkward stare down, I finally said, “Well, can we pass? This hallway is narrow and my hips won’t allow the both of us to pass.” He grinned and stepped aside, allowing Arianna and I to move around him. Arianna glanced over her shoulder as we walked away and shook her head at me.
“I think he likes you,” she said.
“Who, Xavier?”
“Uh yeah.”
“Why in the world would you think that? Actually, it doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t be interested anyhow.”
“Whatever, G. You can’t block yourself from love forever. Someone is going to tame you one of these days,” she said. I laughed and gave her shoulder a playful shake.
“You’ve obtained a sense a humor since you’ve moved away, my dear. It’ll be a cold day in hell before someone tames this beast.”
***
“Oh wow, it looks very…full in here,” I noticed, looking around the filled dining area. Arianna nodded.
“He’s doing well in Miami, so he wanted to add a buffet here in New York. Foreman’s Catering is now Foreman’s Buffet and Catering. Things seem to be going very well,” she said, pulling me toward the kitchen. Although the kitchen wasn’t very big, it seemed to take forever to get through it. We were constantly weaving in between bodies, stopping and backing up to avoid people carrying trays of food to the dining room. I was relieved when we finally reached the hallway leading to his office.
“Do you need me to wait out here?” I asked. She scoffed and grabbed my hand.
“Of course not. He’s been asking about you anyway,” she said, pulling me inside.
Zane was on the phone when we entered, but when he saw us, he grinned. “I’ll call you back in a sec,” he said and ended the call. “Hello, hello, ladies. What do I owe this visit?” he asked, standing and coming around his desk.
I let out a low whistle. Arianna chose a good one. Zane sported a Polo shirt that seemed to practically be painted to his body, molding every muscle in his chest, shoulders, and back. He filled out his khaki pants so perfectly that it should be illegal. How in the actual fuck could someone be semi-casual and sexy at the same time?
“Gia?” Arianna called. I blinked and forced a smiled that probably looked uncomfortable.
“Sorry. Nice to see you again,” I said, holding out my hand. He grabbed my arm and pulled me in for a hug.
“You’re basically family now. No need for the awkward friendly handshakes,” he said with a smile. Arianna shifted through a few papers on his desk until she found what she was looking for.
“We’re heading to the seamstress, babe. I’ll call you when we’re done,” she said, moving past him. He reached out and caught her elbow, pulling her into his arms.
“Are you sure you’re ready to do this?” he asked, concern filling his handsome features. Hearing him say that confused the hell out of me. Why wouldn’t she be ready for this? I hoped they weren’t already having problem. They were the perfect couple and if something else happened to tear them apart, I don’t think my heart would be able to take it.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’m optimistic about it,” she said. He cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her lips.
“No matter what happens, you know I’ll always be here, right?” She nodded, holding his gaze for a split second before their lips locked again. The passion they shared through a single kiss was uncomfortable to look at for some reason. I cleared my throat after a few moments.
“I’m definitely still here, guys,” I noted, breaking them out of their trance. Zane whispered something to her in which she responded with a nod as they let go of each other.
“It was nice seeing you again, Gia. Be sure to look out for her at your little…meeting with the seamstress,” he said to me while keeping his gaze on Arianna, who looked a bit nervous about something.
“Why are you guys speaking in codes? Is there something I should know?” I asked. Arianna glared at Zane, who only responded by lifting his hands in defense.
“I’ll explain on the way there,” she said, pulling me out the door.
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Book Title: Love In B Minor
Author: Elodie Nowodazkij
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 15, 2016
No fake tomorrows.
That was the plan.
New city. New life. At least, that’s what nineteen-year-old Jen Harrison believes. On the surface, she’s living her dream: dancing in a prestigious dance company in Paris. But her sister’s death and the mistakes she’s tried to bury haunt her. She’s become a pro at hiding who she truly is, and she definitely doesn’t want a guy to derail her, but a one night-stand she can do. Nothing more. She definitely doesn’t plan to see the sexy stranger who made her laugh for the first time in years ever again.
Girls don’t walk away from Lucas Wills. Bad boy turned rock star, he’s got his share of groupies. Always upfront, he doesn’t promise fake tomorrows because love can destroy everything. Been there, done that. His ex not only lied to him, she stomped on his heart, used him to become famous, and almost ruined him. So, waking up alone after a night beyond his wildest imagination with a girl he just met shouldn’t upset him, shouldn’t inspire one of the saddest songs he’s ever written, shouldn’t make him want to chase after her.
When Jen, the one-night stand who got away, auditions to be a dancer in Lucas' next music video, they can’t stop their growing attraction. But Jen’s secrets and his ex could shatter the careers they tried so hard to build and their hearts…they will have to decide what’s more important and if love is worth the fight.
She's also a serial smiley user.
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Title: Rock
Author: JA Huss
Genre: Rock Star Romantic Suspense
Release Date: March 7, 2016
Blurb
He had it all. He lost it all. And all he wants now is a second chance.
RK Saber ran from tragedy five years ago when his car went over the side of a mountain in a prom-night crash. Consumed by guilt, he walked away from Juilliard and morphed into Rock, front man for the global rock-band sensation, Son of a Jack. Five members. Five best friends. Five rising stars burning so bright, they had to know it couldn’t last.
When tragedy strikes again and the band goes from five to two, RK is sentenced to… home. Back to the place where all his nightmares started. Back to the memory of all the things he lost. Back to the reality he refused to face before he left.
The Vetti twins were identical in all ways but two. Melanie was insane and Melissa was not. One twin was killed on prom night five years ago and one twin was not. And now that RK has returned home, the twin left standing has quite a story to tell. Could she really be the girl he thought he’d lost forever? Or is Melanie just up to her same old tricks?
ROCK is a rock-star romantic suspense by the New York Times bestselling master of twist, JA Huss.
RK Saber ran from tragedy five years ago when his car went over the side of a mountain in a prom-night crash. Consumed by guilt, he walked away from Juilliard and morphed into Rock, front man for the global rock-band sensation, Son of a Jack. Five members. Five best friends. Five rising stars burning so bright, they had to know it couldn’t last.
When tragedy strikes again and the band goes from five to two, RK is sentenced to… home. Back to the place where all his nightmares started. Back to the memory of all the things he lost. Back to the reality he refused to face before he left.
The Vetti twins were identical in all ways but two. Melanie was insane and Melissa was not. One twin was killed on prom night five years ago and one twin was not. And now that RK has returned home, the twin left standing has quite a story to tell. Could she really be the girl he thought he’d lost forever? Or is Melanie just up to her same old tricks?
ROCK is a rock-star romantic suspense by the New York Times bestselling master of twist, JA Huss.
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B&N / KOBO
Trailer
Excerpt
I take my shirt off as I walk across the hallway, throwing it down on the floor. Missy is standing with her back to me, testing the temperature of the shower. She peeks over her shoulder and smiles. “I know you probably hear this all this time, but damn, Rowan Kyle. You should never take that shirt off in public again.”
I go for my pants, unbuttoning them, unzipping them. She watches every move. And then I kick off my boots and fling them into the hallway with the shirt. She turns all the way around now and I feel myself getting hard as she presses her palm against my cock, squeezing it through my pants.
“If I knew you were coming back I’d have waited for you.”
God, that hurts.
“I just…” She stops, her sad eyes lingering on mine. “I just didn’t think you would. Come back, I mean.”
“I’m sorry,” I say. And I mean it. I’m so fucking sorry I wasn’t her first.
“It’s OK. We get to skip all that awkward fumbling, right?” She swallows hard and I know she’s sorry too. She was the only girl I dreamed about. The only girl I ever wanted. Even after all my rock-star nights, Melissa Vetti is still the only girl I want.
I place both my hands on her cheeks and lean down to kiss her mouth. Her lips part, her tongue seeking out mine. It’s soft, and slow, and short. Way, way too short.
She pulls away, taking her hand off my cock, and turns, stepping into the shower. I let my pants fall to the floor and toss them in the hallway. The shower has a clear glass surround and I watch her as she stands under the water, her fingers massaging it into her hair.
I step in with her and place my hands on her shoulders so I can turn her towards me. “Melissa—”
“Shh,” she says. “I don’t want to talk about it right now. I just want to enjoy this.” She picks up the soap and starts to lather me up, massaging the bubbles along my arms. Over my chest. Up and down my back.
I grab the bottle of shampoo and squeeze some into my palm, then rub my hands together and begin working it through her long, dark, hair as I study her face. The makeup is smearing as I watch. It makes her look like she’s crying.
“I feel like this is a dream,” she says, her soapy hands moving to my front. “I feel like I’ve been granted some wish but it’s all fake and you’re just going to disappear again. Leave me here alone. Lonely. You want to know why I stay home, RK?”
No. No, I really don’t.
“Because I’m lonely. Because you were my life. And I know I was having doubts back when we were about to graduate, but they were small doubts. Growing-up doubts. Not-knowing-what-I-wanted doubts. But I was never going to break up with you, RK. Never. And I was certainly never going to walk away from us.”
Fuck. I guess I haven’t looked at it from her point of view very much. “I walked away.”
“You walked away.” Her frown is so deep it hurts my heart.
“I’m sorry. I don’t even know why—”
“Shh,” she says again. “Later.”
Her hand slides up and down my cock as she looks me in the eyes. It’s a very intimate moment. Probably the most intimate moment I’ve had in years.
“Rinse,” I say.
Missy turns away, and I swear, I know what she’s feeling. Every time she does that I think she will never turn back to me again. I hate when she turns away. I watch as she rinses the shampoo out of her hair. The water streams down her face like that waterfall where we had our first kiss.
She’s not Melanie. How could I ever think she was Melanie?
“Can I make you dinner tonight? Before the show?” she asks when she turns back. The relief that she’s still here is real, as irrational as it is.
“Dinner?” I say, trying to wrap my head around the change of subject. I was about to attack her, lift her up, press her back against the wall, and fuck the shit out of her and now she’s talking about dinner.
“Yeah. Do you still like lemon pasta? Like your mom used to make?”
“Jesus,” I say. “The angel hair with the white wine sauce? I haven’t thought about that in years.”
“Yeah. Remember when I made that for you on your seventeenth birthday?” She laughs. It was a fun night. A really fun night. The kind of fun you only have with the girl of your dreams before you turn to drugs and need alcohol and sex to force the fun. “I fucked it all up,” she says through a giggle.
I grin as I picture her attempt to cook me something. “I’m not sure how anyone can fuck that recipe up, but yeah. You did.” She bites her lip and I almost die. “It was perfect though. Because you made it. And you made it special for me.”
“You ate every bite.”
“There was no chance in hell I wouldn’t, Missy. Not after you went to all that trouble. So sure. I’m not gonna complain about a trip down memory lane with you tonight.”
“Good,” Missy sighs. “Good.” And then she grabs the conditioner and the possibility of sex fades away.
I’m actually glad it fades. I’m glad she changed the subject. Turned us in a different direction. I know I hate-fucked her when I first got back into town, and I’m sorry about that. I’d like to take it back and get a do-over. I’d rather wait. Like we did when we were kids. I’d rather wait until we know for sure this is real, and special, and maybe even permanent.
I’d like to take my time with Melissa Vetti.
I go for my pants, unbuttoning them, unzipping them. She watches every move. And then I kick off my boots and fling them into the hallway with the shirt. She turns all the way around now and I feel myself getting hard as she presses her palm against my cock, squeezing it through my pants.
“If I knew you were coming back I’d have waited for you.”
God, that hurts.
“I just…” She stops, her sad eyes lingering on mine. “I just didn’t think you would. Come back, I mean.”
“I’m sorry,” I say. And I mean it. I’m so fucking sorry I wasn’t her first.
“It’s OK. We get to skip all that awkward fumbling, right?” She swallows hard and I know she’s sorry too. She was the only girl I dreamed about. The only girl I ever wanted. Even after all my rock-star nights, Melissa Vetti is still the only girl I want.
I place both my hands on her cheeks and lean down to kiss her mouth. Her lips part, her tongue seeking out mine. It’s soft, and slow, and short. Way, way too short.
She pulls away, taking her hand off my cock, and turns, stepping into the shower. I let my pants fall to the floor and toss them in the hallway. The shower has a clear glass surround and I watch her as she stands under the water, her fingers massaging it into her hair.
I step in with her and place my hands on her shoulders so I can turn her towards me. “Melissa—”
“Shh,” she says. “I don’t want to talk about it right now. I just want to enjoy this.” She picks up the soap and starts to lather me up, massaging the bubbles along my arms. Over my chest. Up and down my back.
I grab the bottle of shampoo and squeeze some into my palm, then rub my hands together and begin working it through her long, dark, hair as I study her face. The makeup is smearing as I watch. It makes her look like she’s crying.
“I feel like this is a dream,” she says, her soapy hands moving to my front. “I feel like I’ve been granted some wish but it’s all fake and you’re just going to disappear again. Leave me here alone. Lonely. You want to know why I stay home, RK?”
No. No, I really don’t.
“Because I’m lonely. Because you were my life. And I know I was having doubts back when we were about to graduate, but they were small doubts. Growing-up doubts. Not-knowing-what-I-wanted doubts. But I was never going to break up with you, RK. Never. And I was certainly never going to walk away from us.”
Fuck. I guess I haven’t looked at it from her point of view very much. “I walked away.”
“You walked away.” Her frown is so deep it hurts my heart.
“I’m sorry. I don’t even know why—”
“Shh,” she says again. “Later.”
Her hand slides up and down my cock as she looks me in the eyes. It’s a very intimate moment. Probably the most intimate moment I’ve had in years.
“Rinse,” I say.
Missy turns away, and I swear, I know what she’s feeling. Every time she does that I think she will never turn back to me again. I hate when she turns away. I watch as she rinses the shampoo out of her hair. The water streams down her face like that waterfall where we had our first kiss.
She’s not Melanie. How could I ever think she was Melanie?
“Can I make you dinner tonight? Before the show?” she asks when she turns back. The relief that she’s still here is real, as irrational as it is.
“Dinner?” I say, trying to wrap my head around the change of subject. I was about to attack her, lift her up, press her back against the wall, and fuck the shit out of her and now she’s talking about dinner.
“Yeah. Do you still like lemon pasta? Like your mom used to make?”
“Jesus,” I say. “The angel hair with the white wine sauce? I haven’t thought about that in years.”
“Yeah. Remember when I made that for you on your seventeenth birthday?” She laughs. It was a fun night. A really fun night. The kind of fun you only have with the girl of your dreams before you turn to drugs and need alcohol and sex to force the fun. “I fucked it all up,” she says through a giggle.
I grin as I picture her attempt to cook me something. “I’m not sure how anyone can fuck that recipe up, but yeah. You did.” She bites her lip and I almost die. “It was perfect though. Because you made it. And you made it special for me.”
“You ate every bite.”
“There was no chance in hell I wouldn’t, Missy. Not after you went to all that trouble. So sure. I’m not gonna complain about a trip down memory lane with you tonight.”
“Good,” Missy sighs. “Good.” And then she grabs the conditioner and the possibility of sex fades away.
I’m actually glad it fades. I’m glad she changed the subject. Turned us in a different direction. I know I hate-fucked her when I first got back into town, and I’m sorry about that. I’d like to take it back and get a do-over. I’d rather wait. Like we did when we were kids. I’d rather wait until we know for sure this is real, and special, and maybe even permanent.
I’d like to take my time with Melissa Vetti.
Author Bio
JA Huss is the USA Today bestselling author of more than twenty romances. She likes stories about family, loyalty, and extraordinary characters who struggle with basic human emotions while dealing with bigger than life problems. JA loves writing heroes who make you swoon, heroines who make you jealous, and the perfect Happily Ever After ending.
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Title: Kincaid
Series: Cerberus MC #1
Author: Marie James
Genre: Romance/Contemporary/MC
Release Date: March 10, 2016
Blurb
I am Emmalyn Mikaelson.
My husband, in a rage, hit me in front of the wrong person. Diego, or Kincaid to most, beat the hell out of him for it. I left with Diego anyway. Even though he could turn on me just like my husband did, I knew I had a better chance of survival with Diego. That was until I realized Kincaid could hurt me so much worse than my husband ever could. Physical pain pales in comparison to troubles of the heart.
I am Diego “Kincaid” Anderson.
She was a waitress at a bar in a bad situation. I brought her to my clubhouse because I knew her husband would kill her if I didn’t. Now she has my protection and that of the Cerberus MC. I never expected her to become something more to me. I was in more trouble than I’ve ever been in before, and that’s saying a lot considering I served eight years in the Marine Corp with Special Forces.
PURCHASE LINKS
EXCERPT
“Since you kissed and made up does that mean I get to stay at the clubhouse tonight?” I turn my attention from Em as she flits around the bar like she’s worked here her entire life, and look at Kid, who has a hopeful look on his face.
“I hate to burst your bubble, but so long as she’s at Doc’s, that’s where you will be.” He sighs, loudly. “What?”
“I just figured since you guys,” he does this weird side pump with his hand at his waist, “you know… I figured you’d be staying there with her.”
“I told you we took a nap.” I tilt my already warm beer to my lips and take a sip.
“Really? I thought that was code for getting laid or something.” Shadow laughs boisterously beside him.
Slapping Kid on the back, “Sorry Kid, if the Prez isn’t getting pussy, it looks like you’re not getting pussy either.”
I grin when Kid’s face falls and realizes that what Shadow just said is a pretty accurate analysis of the situation.
“If you’re having trouble sealing the deal, Prez, I can give you a few pointers.” The scrape of Shadow’s chair as he moves away from Kid makes my lip twitch in an almost smile.
Shadow’s reaction would be fitting almost any time one of the guys made some dumb ass remark about me not being able to handle any type of situation. Kid is lucky I was able to wrap my arms around Emmalyn for a few hours this afternoon, or his ass would be laid out on the nasty bar floor by now.
“First off,” I say putting my beer down on the table, “I don’t need any pointers from you.” I tap his chest with my finger. “Second, if Em was just some other piece of pussy to me, I’d have already had my one and done.” I lean in closer, so he knows how serious I am. “You don’t need to worry about my dick and what it’s doing or not doing with Emmalyn.”
He reaches up and rubs his chest where my finger hit it. “I’m not worried about your dick, Prez. I’m worried about mine.”
Shadow laughs again, and I can’t help but join in at the wimpy sound of Kid’s admission.
I hit the side button on my phone to check the time. “You have three hours until I take her home. If you need to get your dick wet, you better do it in a hurry. I expect you back at Doc’s no later than one-thirty.”
He jumps with an ear to ear grin, slaps me on the back, and whistles loudly to a blonde across the room. I watch as she downs her drink, grabs her purse, and heads to the front door.
“Thanks, Dad,” Kid whispers in my ear as he heads in the direction of his all-too-willing conquest of the night.
“I hate to burst your bubble, but so long as she’s at Doc’s, that’s where you will be.” He sighs, loudly. “What?”
“I just figured since you guys,” he does this weird side pump with his hand at his waist, “you know… I figured you’d be staying there with her.”
“I told you we took a nap.” I tilt my already warm beer to my lips and take a sip.
“Really? I thought that was code for getting laid or something.” Shadow laughs boisterously beside him.
Slapping Kid on the back, “Sorry Kid, if the Prez isn’t getting pussy, it looks like you’re not getting pussy either.”
I grin when Kid’s face falls and realizes that what Shadow just said is a pretty accurate analysis of the situation.
“If you’re having trouble sealing the deal, Prez, I can give you a few pointers.” The scrape of Shadow’s chair as he moves away from Kid makes my lip twitch in an almost smile.
Shadow’s reaction would be fitting almost any time one of the guys made some dumb ass remark about me not being able to handle any type of situation. Kid is lucky I was able to wrap my arms around Emmalyn for a few hours this afternoon, or his ass would be laid out on the nasty bar floor by now.
“First off,” I say putting my beer down on the table, “I don’t need any pointers from you.” I tap his chest with my finger. “Second, if Em was just some other piece of pussy to me, I’d have already had my one and done.” I lean in closer, so he knows how serious I am. “You don’t need to worry about my dick and what it’s doing or not doing with Emmalyn.”
He reaches up and rubs his chest where my finger hit it. “I’m not worried about your dick, Prez. I’m worried about mine.”
Shadow laughs again, and I can’t help but join in at the wimpy sound of Kid’s admission.
I hit the side button on my phone to check the time. “You have three hours until I take her home. If you need to get your dick wet, you better do it in a hurry. I expect you back at Doc’s no later than one-thirty.”
He jumps with an ear to ear grin, slaps me on the back, and whistles loudly to a blonde across the room. I watch as she downs her drink, grabs her purse, and heads to the front door.
“Thanks, Dad,” Kid whispers in my ear as he heads in the direction of his all-too-willing conquest of the night.
AUTHOR BIO
Marie James: I’m a full-time, working mother of two boys and wife of 11 years. I've spent almost my entire lifetime living in central Texas, with only short stays in South Carolina, Alabama, and Florida. I've always wanted to write novels and just recently had the gumption to sit down and start one. My passions include reading everything under the sun and plotting out new books to write in the future.
Kincaid is my 7th book. I’ve also written the Hale Series, Love ME Like That, and a FanFiction named Psychosis, featuring up and coming cover model, Matthew Hosea, as the main character. This book was done for fun and all of the proceeds are going to charity. All of my books are currently available on Amazon.
My current work-in-progress is a TOP SECRET FanFiction.
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Title: Snared
Author: L.L. Collins
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 10, 2016
Blurb
BEAU has never known a good life, only the torment that lives inside his head every day. The only way to block out the darkness that shrouds him is through the rhythmic beat of his drums. Knowing what happens when he opens up to anyone, Beau buries his pain deep inside, keeping it all to himself. APRIL has lived a life of wealth and privilege, full of love and support. Her only insight into what it's like to have a rough life is through her work with foster children. When she meets Beau, it starts as a challenge to get through to him but quickly turns into much more than either of them bargained for.
TOGETHER, they are mismatched, ill-fated, and COMBUSTIBLE. But when their connection is challenged by the collision of past, present, and future, will they be snared by love...or circumstances?
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Excerpt
Tanner started his riff, Johnny and Bex coming in as Bex began to sing, effectively silencing the crowd. In between her notes I could hear shouts from exuberant fans. My head cleared and it was just me on this stage with the most amazing band I could have ever asked for.
It was my turn to come in and come in I did. I took it over, allowing the screams and shouts of my name to fuel me to drum harder, faster, longer. When my solo was over and Bex began singing again, the screams were still reverberating in my head.
Before I knew it, April and her dad were walking onto the stage as we finished up our tenth song. Sweat dripped off of my face and into my shirt, which looked like I’d taken a shower in it. Before I could stop myself, I stood up and met her halfway across the stage. I held up my drum sticks, which started a frenzy in the crowd. They knew what I was doing. They were seasoned groupies.
April’s eyes met mine as she realized I was walking up to her. That same charge traveled through my body. I handed her the drumsticks without saying a word. The crowd went insane. I could see many flashes as people took pictures, but it didn’t bother me. She beamed as she took the sticks from my hands, her fingers brushing mine. I almost jumped back at her touch but forced myself to take one step back instead.
“Did you see this?” April boomed into the microphone. “Beau just gave me his drumsticks! Who is jealous right now?” The crowd screamed, jumping up and down. She looked back over at me and beamed.
I was frozen behind her. I felt Bex, Johnny, and Tanner come up and stand behind us and I immediately relaxed.
“We wanted to take a moment to thank you for coming to this Jaded Regret concert to benefit Young Angels Children's Hospital, which you can see behind us. Because of all of your generosity, not only will we get to complete the next phase, but we will also get to help many foster kids that have aged out of the system but still need assistance. Thanks to Bexley Bryant-Gibbons, we’ll be assisting her in funding an assisted living facility here in Orlando for kids who have aged out of the system. It will help them with finding jobs, giving them life skills, and help them have a safe and low cost place to live.”
Bex stepped up next to April. “Thank you, Orlando,” she said, her voice gruff through her headset. “Most of you know that I have a special place in my heart for kids in the foster care system, especially those who never got to have families and aged out of the system. It’s my goal to help those that need it and get more kids families.” The crowd screamed and jumped up and down. Bex looked back at me for just a second, but I knew what the look meant. For kids like us who had no one. “Now who’s ready to rock?”
Bex nodded at us and we turned to go back to our respective places.
April put her hand on my arm before I could get too far from her. “Thank you,” she whispered into my ear. “I’ll keep them forever.” I allowed a small smile to play on my lips before turning away from her. I grabbed a new pair of drumsticks and watched as she exited the stage. She turned back and stood, watching me the entire time again.
I wasn’t sure what I was doing, but I could still feel where she’d touched me on my arm.
It was my turn to come in and come in I did. I took it over, allowing the screams and shouts of my name to fuel me to drum harder, faster, longer. When my solo was over and Bex began singing again, the screams were still reverberating in my head.
Before I knew it, April and her dad were walking onto the stage as we finished up our tenth song. Sweat dripped off of my face and into my shirt, which looked like I’d taken a shower in it. Before I could stop myself, I stood up and met her halfway across the stage. I held up my drum sticks, which started a frenzy in the crowd. They knew what I was doing. They were seasoned groupies.
April’s eyes met mine as she realized I was walking up to her. That same charge traveled through my body. I handed her the drumsticks without saying a word. The crowd went insane. I could see many flashes as people took pictures, but it didn’t bother me. She beamed as she took the sticks from my hands, her fingers brushing mine. I almost jumped back at her touch but forced myself to take one step back instead.
“Did you see this?” April boomed into the microphone. “Beau just gave me his drumsticks! Who is jealous right now?” The crowd screamed, jumping up and down. She looked back over at me and beamed.
I was frozen behind her. I felt Bex, Johnny, and Tanner come up and stand behind us and I immediately relaxed.
“We wanted to take a moment to thank you for coming to this Jaded Regret concert to benefit Young Angels Children's Hospital, which you can see behind us. Because of all of your generosity, not only will we get to complete the next phase, but we will also get to help many foster kids that have aged out of the system but still need assistance. Thanks to Bexley Bryant-Gibbons, we’ll be assisting her in funding an assisted living facility here in Orlando for kids who have aged out of the system. It will help them with finding jobs, giving them life skills, and help them have a safe and low cost place to live.”
Bex stepped up next to April. “Thank you, Orlando,” she said, her voice gruff through her headset. “Most of you know that I have a special place in my heart for kids in the foster care system, especially those who never got to have families and aged out of the system. It’s my goal to help those that need it and get more kids families.” The crowd screamed and jumped up and down. Bex looked back at me for just a second, but I knew what the look meant. For kids like us who had no one. “Now who’s ready to rock?”
Bex nodded at us and we turned to go back to our respective places.
April put her hand on my arm before I could get too far from her. “Thank you,” she whispered into my ear. “I’ll keep them forever.” I allowed a small smile to play on my lips before turning away from her. I grabbed a new pair of drumsticks and watched as she exited the stage. She turned back and stood, watching me the entire time again.
I wasn’t sure what I was doing, but I could still feel where she’d touched me on my arm.
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Giveaway
Title: Don't Lie To Me
Series: Don't Lie To Me
Author: Stacey Lynn
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Cover Design: Shanoff Formats
Sale Date: March 10, 2016
Blurb
When Emma’s first love walked away after learning she was pregnant, her life was altered forever. Determined to make a decent life for her son, she picked up the pieces of her shattered heart, re-evaluated her priorities, and changed the course of her dreams.
Those new dreams led her to taking a job with Jack McMillan, CEO of McMillan Holdings. He emanated powerful confidence with a piercing glare and was wrapped in a sexier package.
He was also the only man she’d wanted since her ex left, but was the one man she couldn’t have.
Until one night, one encounter, changed everything.
As Emma and Jack are forced to confront their pasts, unraveling the lies that have been told, will they finally be able to drop their protective walls and trust in someone else? Or will it destroy them both?
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99c
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When Marcus Whitmore finally realizes he isn’t going to get the only girl he’s ever loved and his family isn’t going to be together, he decides it is time to move on. After all, the best way to get over a woman - is to get another woman under you. Which is exactly what he does, thinking that a night of passion will ease Emma from his mind. What Marcus doesn’t plan on is waking up to an empty bed and the memory of a woman he can’t forget.
Weeks later, when Marcus runs into Tabby again, he is determined to have her back in his bed. The problem? Tabby is his son’s teacher. And if anyone finds out that Tabby is involved with Logan’s dad, she could lose her job.
Is Marcus worth the risk? Are the best things in life really worth fighting for?
Weeks later, when Marcus runs into Tabby again, he is determined to have her back in his bed. The problem? Tabby is his son’s teacher. And if anyone finds out that Tabby is involved with Logan’s dad, she could lose her job.
Is Marcus worth the risk? Are the best things in life really worth fighting for?
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99c
Author Bio
Stacey Lynn is the #1 Erotic Bestseller of Don't Lie To Me. She lives in the midwest with her husband and four young children. She can usually be found lost inside her own head, trying to bring her characters to life. When she's engaged in the real world, she's spending time with her family, drinking large amounts of coffee, and eating Skittles by the handful.
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