A.D. Ellis has a new release today… His Reluctant Cowboy!
Out-and-proud volunteer dance instructor, Reid Alexander, is a California boy accustomed to living in flashy luxury. He is less than thrilled upon inheriting his late grandfather’s South Dakota horse ranch. Yet he must endure three months of cowboy hell before he can even consider selling the property.As the ranch foreman, Walker Corrigan’s entire life is Pine Ridge. When Reid arrives with cold-hearted plans to sell, Walker endeavors to endear the place to the younger man. Reid is unprepared for the sudden attachment to Walker, the land, and – unbelievably enough – the horses. Walker’s long-suffering heart takes an unexpected gallop straight toward Reid. Both men are on-board with exploring their relationship, and Reid discovers ranch ownership is more gratifying than he’d once imagined.But Reid is forced to reconsider his place on the ranch when threats put the property and employees in danger. Menacing events call Reid’s integrity into question, and he considers saving everyone the hassle and throwing in the reins. But how can he leave when his heart now feels at home on Pine Ridge Ranch and in Walker’s arms?
A.D. Ellis is an Indiana girl, born and raised. She spends much of her time in central Indiana teaching alternative education in the inner city of Indianapolis, being a mom to two amazing school-aged children, and wondering how she and her husband of nearly two decades haven’t driven each other insane yet. A lot of her time is also devoted to phone call avoidance and her hatred of cooking. She loves chocolate, wine, pizza, and naps along with reading and writing romance. These loves don’t leave much time for housework, much to the chagrin of her husband. Who would pick cleaning the house over a nap or a good book? She uses any extra time to increase her fluency in sarcasm.
FREE books– sign up at bit.ly/ADEllisNews for a FREE male/female romance.
We had 19 guests with their amazing Christmas stories this month. I wanted to thank them all for participating. A huge thanks to the readers for checking them out and entering the giveaway. Scroll through and see if you missed any!
We had an WHOPPING 397 entries in the giveaway. I’m drawing the winner now….
With his relationship on the rocks and a wicked winter storm keeping him from his destination, Shane wonders if his relationship with Vicky is in its final days. Can a holiday miracle save them?
Shane and Vicky had plans to meet their friends at a
secluded little cabin for some winter skiing fun. After months of stress and
fighting, Shane hopes a weekend away will do their relationship some good. He’d
hoped for hot cocoa near a roaring fireplace and maybe some hot make up sex.
But after getting a late start, losing the GPS signal,
and getting lost in a snow storm, all his hopes are dashed. Things between them
are tenser than they’ve ever been, and soon they find themselves at the mercy
of a hotel clerk with a very limited selection of available rooms.
Can Shane find a way to reach Vicky through the frustration and anger? Can he find a way to save their relationship?
Excerpt:
After
driving in circles for over an hour and fifty-five minutes of listening to his
fiancée bitch about how he had gotten them lost, Shane pulled into the nearest
hotel parking lot. He’d barely taken the car out of gear before she hopped out,
slamming the passenger side door in her wake. Hands flexing around the steering
wheel, Shane closed his eyes and counted to ten in an attempt to get a grip on
his anger. The last time he’d responded to her jabs about his bad sense of
direction, it had turned into a screaming match followed by the silent
treatment for ten minutes. If he hadn’t been so bothered by how he’d yelled at
her, he would have been thrilled by the quiet.
He’d barely gotten to the number
four before he heard a loud bang, as Vicky thumped the trunk in an aggressive
demand that he pop it open. Gritting his teeth, he pulled the tab for the trunk
and climbed out of the car. Vicky, with her luggage in hand, stomped across the
parking lot toward the hotel’s front doors.
Hurrying, Shane grabbed his
things from the trunk, and after locking up the vehicle he followed in her
path, his feet crunching snow with each step.
The snow had been coming down
steadily for hours. At one point during their trip they’d been stuck behind a
snow plough. Barely going thirty, they’d wasted a lot of time on one small
chunk of highway. They’d rented a lodge with a group of friends for a winter
ski trip, and they should have arrived more than two hours ago. Vicky had
gotten caught up at work, and already bickering, they’d been late leaving their
home. Between that, the wicked snow storm, and the lost GPS signal, they’d gone
from being late to being stranded.
Shane stopped in the doorway to
brush the snow from his hair and shoulders.
White Christmas lights decorated
the lobby. Garlands were wrapped around the railing of a nearby stairwell. In
the breakfast area, fat Santa Claus dolls decorated the tables, and a big
Christmas tree sat in the corner without any presents. Someone needed to tell
the staff that Christmas had ended three days ago.
Already standing at the front
desk, Vicky bellowed back at him, “Are you coming?”
Deliberately taking his time,
Shane made a show of wiping his shoes on the mat. Even across the lobby he was
sure he heard Vicky’s aggravated sigh. When he approached the counter, the
clerk asked cheerfully, “How can I help you?”
“Someone,” Vicky said while glaring at Shane, “got us lost.”
Romance author Cameron Allie grew up in a small town north of Toronto. As a child she loved stories, and after reading her first romance novel at age fifteen, her dreams of writing became singularly focused on the love story. She is currently living in Ontario with her husband, their young daughter and with their cat, who is constantly trying to interrupt the writing process.
When presidential candidate Jamisen Powell meets volunteer Sarah Lee Pearson, he is shocked to discover her eyes mirror his own. But Sarah was raised by two loving parents and has no questions about her heritage. Instead, after their death, she merely longs to find an extended family. She becomes convinced that Powell could be a distant relative. Powell, on the other hand, has spent twenty-five long years haunted by the memory of a daughter kidnapped from her bed. He suspects Sarah could be his long-lost daughter. As both launch separate covert searches for the truth, Sarah is found by the estranged parents of the man who raised her. Suddenly, the truth will no longer set her free. It could destroy the happy memories of her childhood. Hang on to your seat, and more importantly, hang on to your heart, as one woman discovers the true meaning of family.
Excerpt:
“You think I’m
Sally Jane Powell?”
“I can’t confirm
that, not without a DNA test, but…” Lisa pulled out two driver’s licenses from
the envelope. “I found these in that shoebox you gave me, the one with your
parents’ personal effects and your photos and stuff. Your parents were first issued driver’s licenses in
Wisconsin in nineteen ninety-four, five
years after you were born, also the year Sally was kidnapped.”
Lisa tapped the
photos on the licenses. “Look at your parents, Slee. You look nothing like
them. Do you know the chances of two brown-eyed adults, both with dark hair,
having a blonde, blue-eyed child? It’s exceptionally rare. It’s possible one of
your grandparents had blue eyes, but I couldn’t find any photos to confirm.”
“Maybe I was
adopted. I always wondered…”
Lisa shook her head.
“I’m sorry, Slee. I couldn’t find a record of that either.” She pulled out two
more news clippings. “Slee, this is a photo of you when you were seven. When
you won a spelling bee? It was in your box.” She handed the other clipping to
Sarah. “Compare that photo to the one of Sally. The one the police distributed
when she was taken.”
Sarah studied both
photos. Then she shook her head. “There are some similarities, sure. Same eyes.
Same color hair. But there are also some differences. My face is thinner. My
hair is long and straight. Hers is curly. It could just be a coincidence.” She
looked up at Lisa and her eyes filled. “No way I was kidnapped. My parents
loved me too much. Besides, don’t people kidnap for money?”
Lisa shook her
head. “Not always. Sometimes, they just want a child.” She patted Sarah’s hand.
“Slee, I know this is disturbing, but let’s not put the cart before the horse.
And no matter what we find, that doesn’t make your parents any less your
parents. Sure, there’s a chance that you don’t share their blood, but they
loved you. Hold on to that.”
While Seelie was in the house, we decided to ask her a few questions…
Q. Why do you
write romance?
Because I am fascinated by the games people play to find and secure a lasting relationship, which is not always love. There’s the chase, the courtship, the falling, the surrender. That’s what I try to capture in my stories.
Q. Do you
prefer a certain type of romantic hero?
I adore smart,
dashing gentlemen who aren’t afraid to live on the edge. They can be a bad boy,
a billionaire, a prince, or a secret agent. That hint of danger just hooks me!
However, I also love strong, independent women who aren’t afraid to fight for
what they want, even love.
Q. Why did you
write “The President’s Daughter?”
Actually, the book
is dedicated to my editor, since he inspired the idea for the book. About a
year ago, he posted a photo on Facebook. It turns out he was adopted by an
American couple at eight years old from an orphanage in Italy. That started me
thinking about the adoption process and how families aren’t necessarily born of
blood, sometimes they are born of the heart. So as my overactive imagination
began to wander, I came across an article about someone who was kidnapped as a
baby and as a teenager, discovered her true origins. From there, I wondered
what happens when, after being raised by your kidnappers, you are suddenly
faced with the truth? How does that impact your concept of family? Do you love
your kidnappers any less? At the time I was looking for a holiday story and
family is so important during the holidays that my musings became “The
President’s Daughter.”
Q. Romantic
suspense is a new genre for you. You’re most known for your Kinky Briefs series,
which are collections of stories about lawyers in love, with a dash of kink. “Snatching
Dianna,” your first attempt at suspense was released Oct. 19 and this book has
the same elements. Why the shift from erotic romance?
I have always had
a preference for mysteries and thrillers. I enjoy plots that challenge the
mind. My characters still enjoy erotic, loving relationships, but now the
action focuses on solving a dilemma or crime. And in “The President’s Daughter”
the lead character is faced with the discovery of two families. She must decide
whether blood takes precedence over the heart.
Q. How does
your former profession as a lawyer impact your writing?
After 30 years,
the law and the legal world are so firmly embedded in my brain that I can’t
flush them out. That has become the lens through which I view the world and
that naturally guides my characters and plots. Little peculiarities that I have
witnessed in lawyers and the law always work their way into my stories.
Q. Any plans
to write outside the romance genre completely?
Actually, I ghostwrite non-fiction for other professionals—doctors, lawyers, financial gurus—so I dip my toes into a lot of different genres. However, I have been itching to write a book about a relative who founded a religious cult. I researched it for years and found a lot of information that had been buried. I have a pile of paper a foot high. Someday, I need to go through it carefully and start writing. I have the interest, just not the time.
Seelie Kay is a nom de plume for a writer, editor, and author with more than 30 years of experience in law, journalism, marketing, and public relations. When she writes about love and lust in the legal world, something kinky is bound to happen! In possession of a wicked pen and an overly inquisitive mind, Ms. Kay is the author of multiple works of fiction, including the Kinky Briefs series, The Garage Dweller, A Touchdown to Remember, and The President’s Wife.
When not spinning her kinky tales, Ms. Kay ghostwrites nonfiction for lawyers and other professionals. She resides in a bucolic exurb outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she shares a home with her son and enjoys
opera, gourmet cooking, organic gardening, and an occasional bottle of red wine.
Ms. Kay is an MS warrior and ruthlessly battles the disease on a daily basis.
Her message to those diagnosed with MS: Never give up. You define MS, it does not define you!
Christmas isn’t all race tracks and dirt bikes for Davey and Tyler, especially when they don’t see things about each other in quite the same way.
Get ready for a dirty ride…
When I wrote Holeshot Christmas, I really wanted to take a peek at how Davey and Tyler were getting on. It’d been a minute since I’d checked in with them. They seem to pop up in Holeshot 2, but only as small cameo spots. So, if you have a need to get back on the bike, or crawl into bed with these two, then this is your chance with this holiday novella.
This story officially takes place after the events of Holeshot 2 – however, it can be read as a stand alone novella.
Merry Christmas.
Excerpt:
“No need to thank me. It was great.” He leaned
over and kissed Davey’s shoulder. He had enjoyed the day, mostly. He hadn’t
liked the conversation about him needing everyone to like him, though, and he
had half a mind to dive into it again. Instead, he sighed and leaned in closer
to Davey, savoring the ride home.
Davey reached over and shoved his Santa hat
off his head. “Hey. Want to go for a ride on the big Harley, later?” That was
one of their favorite things to do.
“No. Let’s just lay around and veg.”
“Are you still mad at me or something?”
“What? No.”
“You always want to ride the Harley. What’s
up?”
“I’m not mad. I just don’t feel like it.”
“I call bullshit, Tyler. You’re mad. Is it
that flirting with Rico thing?”
Tyler didn’t say anything at first. He hadn’t
wanted to fight again, but if Davey was going to keep bringing it up all over
again…
“I’m not mad
about it. But, I don’t understand it. I don’t think it’s true.”
“It is, Ty. I don’t care, I mean, I care, but I’m not like upset about it. It’s just the flirting, and then the whole thing with Cole got me thinking. Cole…”
“What about Cole?”
“He, uh, he…” Davey scratched his head and
scrunched up his nose in thought.
Tyler grimaced. Davey’s brain had latched on
to something. “Spit it out.”
“You’re not going to like what I’m thinking,
but, uh…I think he’s gay.”
“What?”
“Yeah. I think he’s gay and I think he does like you. Like-likes you. Like in a romantic
way.”
“What kind of mushrooms were in that
stuffing?” Tyler laughed.
“Not funny. I’m serious, Ty.”
“No way. He hates me. Truce or not. He
seriously does not. Like. Me.”
“Oh yeah, he does. It’s like this… So. You know he’s like me
in a lot of ways.” Tyler started to protest, but Davey shushed him. “No.
Listen. He lives motocross. He was homeschooled like me to get more track time.
He was singled out to be a champion at like twelve years old. His parents
sacrificed everything for him. He won like every motocross division
championship there is…except 450 Supercross.”
“Okay. What’s that have to do with him being gay or liking
me?”
“We don’t know how to relate to others. We
never had friends. I’d bet my bike he’s never had one romantic relationship. He
doesn’t know how. We’ve both only known racing. Our friends? Our family? Huh.
They’re all from growing up on the track. He doesn’t really know other people.
He knows his crew. Mechanics. Other racers. His manager. Sponsors and
reporters. See what I mean?”
“No. I mean, I get that. I know that about you, and I guess Cole and
a lot of other guys…but I don’t get where I fit in.”
“You were his crew, and he liked you. Like-liked you. He didn’t know how to show it, so it came out like, you know, elementary school. Pulling pigtails and all that… Then, when you and I got together…that was a betrayal. The worst betrayal. Not only did you not choose him, but you went with the competition.”
Tyler’s eyes grew wide. It did kind of make
sense when you looked at it that way, but he wasn’t going to just believe it
because Davey said so. “That’s crazy.”
“It’s not.” Davey shook his head.
Maybe there was something to it and maybe not. “So what? I
can’t help any of that.”
“No, but maybe you kind of knew it. Like
instinctually?”
“Instinctively?”
Davey bumped against Tyler’s shoulder with a
little snort. “Yeah, that.”
They pulled up to the gate, and Davey typed in his code—2727. The gate slowly opened, letting them in. As Davey pulled up the driveway to the front of the house, Tyler wondered how he’d missed this thing with Cole and why it mattered, particularly to Davey.
Lynn Michaels lives and writes in Tampa, Florida where the sun is hot and the Sangria is cold. When she’s not writing she’s kayaking, hanging with her husband, or reading by the pool. Lynn writes Male/Male romance because she believes everyone deserves a happy ending and the dynamics of male characters can be intriguing, vulnerable, and exciting. She has both contemporary and paranormal titles and has been writing since 2014. Her stories don’t follow any set guidelines or ideas, but come from her heart and contain love in many forms.
Don’t forget the giveaway…. For a signed paperback of Cupid’s Christmas Arrow, a $10 Amazon giftcard, & an eBook of Frostbite Christmas to one winner!
The holiday season is a magical time of year. Hopefully, during this time period, we laugh a little easier, forgive a little faster, and love a little harder.
I
think that’s the reason that I started my Ice & Snow Christmas series. The
novellas are quick snapshots of people meeting and falling in love during that
most magical time of year. These stories also give me a chance to play with
some of my favorite tropes. For the first novella, Walking on Thin Ice, I played with the fake boyfriend trope. For Ice, Snow, & Mistletoe, I got the
chance to write a second chance romance.
And
for Snowball’s
Chance, it’s a little bit of an enemies
to lovers and a little bit of a workplace romance.
Because I think we’re all had that one coworker who managed
to get under our skin. It’s just in this instance, things get a little steamy
when the two work out their differences.
If you’ve not checked it out yet, here’s a quick description
of the book:
Christmas is a time of love, second chances…and getting
stuck on a project with the one coworker who drives you insane.
Adam Reynolds loves working as a graphic designer for
Roland-Wainwright, but he could do without being tied to so-called marketing
genius Jason Edmond. The man might know his way around a campaign, but he’s
boring and far too demanding. Though, Adam has to admit that the man is
incredibly sexy and maybe there is a little mystery about what he does when
he’s not wrapped in his form-hugging suit all day.
Jason is ecstatic to be selected to work on this unique
marketing campaign for Roland-Wainwright, but he’s not looking forward to
dealing with Adam’s know-it-all attitude. Okay, so maybe the guy creates
visually stunning graphics that are so far ahead of his peers…and maybe he is
occasionally distracted by Adam’s sinful mouth.
Jason and Adam must find a way to work together to complete
the campaign without killing each other. And if they succeed, the prize at the
end stands to change both their lives in ways they never imagined.
The novella is currently available in ebook and print.
About Jocelynn Drake
By day, Jocelynn Drake is a clean-cut financial editor, picking apart stories about Wall Street and the global markets. But in her free time, she writes about explosions, car chases, men in search of love, and underworlds where vampires and warlocks rule.
The author of Dark Days, Asylum Tales, and Unbreakable Bonds series, she lives in Florida with her husband, dog, and cat. When she’s not working on her next book, she’s usually hiding from the sun by playing video games.
Today’s feature is Kris Jacen & Sugar Cookies And Computer Code
Happy Holidays! The holidays are all about family for me. Whether it’s my biological one or my one of choice, having them come visit makes me smile. Throughout the years as a military spouse I’ve had single soldiers in my guest room, on my couch or in a sleeping bag on my floor. No matter where they landed, they were treated as family. Now that my husband has retired, we still have friends and family camped out around our house throughout the year.
This year I tried my hand at a holiday story. SUGAR COOKIES
AND COMPUTER CODE has a misfit elf with a huge loving family and a lost teddy
bear that doesn’t think that he’ll ever want to be loved again. Finding their
way together isn’t completely smooth for them but in the end, of course, a
Christmas miracle becomes theirs.
At the beginning of each chapter, I’ve got a cookie recipe
since El the teddy bear is a baker. Here’s one of the recipes, it was my
grandmother’s that we made each year together that I know bake with my
daughters. Enjoy!
Spritz (Kris’ grammie’s recipe)
1 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup of sugar
2 1/4 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract
Preheat the over to 400°.
Cream together butter and sugar then slowly add
in other ingredients.
Add mixture into a cookie press and press into
the shape of a wreath.
Bake for 6-9 minutes or until golden.
SUGAR COOKIES AND COMPUTER CODE
Tandy has never fit in with the others at the North Pole, whether it’s his size
or love for computers. But he wants to contribute to the mission of making the world’s children happy. Every elf does. Taking time away from his baby — a new process for the Nice and Naughty lists — to do the yearly census on the Isle of Misfit Toys just doesn’t fit into his schedule.
It seemed like every time El turned around, there was
another elf getting under foot for a census. Did the elves think that toys just
disappeared from the Isle? And those that arrived were accounted for before
they arrived. All El wanted at this point in his life was to become a baker at
the North Pole. He’d had the love of a child already and Jack Frost did it hurt
when he was no longer in his heart. Maybe if he avoided the elf this year,
they’d just leave him to his cookies.
Can the magic of the holidays bring these two together? El
and Tandy both need help healing and isn’t Christmas the season of miracles?
Okay, when El had said that Tandy could ask
just about anything, he never thought Tandy would ask him to shift. Jack Frost,
he couldn’t remember the last time he shifted.
“Why would you want to see a flat, old teddy
bear?” El asked quickly.
“I’d just like to see. If you don’t want to, I
understand. I just thought I’d ask.” Tandy paused before continuing,
“sweatpants?”
El hesitated, then without saying anything
else, he moved over and sat on the bed. It was more comfortable than his floor
to shift. He couldn’t count how many hours he’d laid on Ethan’s bed. Sugar boo-boos, he hadn’t thought about
Ethan in years, but now he couldn’t stop. He shook his head and shifted,
flopping over onto the bed.
He watched Tandy for his reaction, but it was
hard laying on the bed. He could barely see him out of the corner of his eye.
Tandy didn’t make El wait long before he moved over to the bed and picked him
up. He held El in his hands and looked him all over then pulled him close to
his chest and cuddled him.
After a minute, Tandy whispered, “Thank you
for trusting me. Can you shift back to sleep and cuddle with me? Or do you want
to cuddle with me in this form?”
El didn’t hesitate and shifted back, ending up
sitting on Tandy’s lap…naked.
Kris Jacen grew up just north of Boston, Massachusetts, met her soldier in high school but didn’t married him almost ten years later. She moved around with him and their daughters (born in two different states thanks to the Army) for the first 19 years of their marriage (they celebrated their silver anniversary in 2018) before settling in western New York.
She has been the Editor in Chief and Formatting Director for
ManLoveRomance Press and its imprints since January of 2008 and has never
looked back. Working with the amazing authors at MLR has allowed her to both
hone her editorial skills and indulge her inner fangirl. She also acts as
editor, mentor and sounding-board for newcomers which lets her “pay-it-forward”
and help authors realize their dreams.
Sasha Williams is an African-American public relations powerhouse who’s come a long way from the tough streets of Chicago to glamorous Los Angeles. While she loves her LA life, she hasn’t forgotten her roots and always goes back home to celebrate Christmas with her tight-knit family. This year, however, Sasha’s holiday plans are nixed when she’s forced to accompany her sexy, notoriously naughty new client Drake Lancaster on the press tour for his upcoming Christmas movie.
Sasha’s
furious, yet finds herself overcome with lust when Drake strolls into her
office. She’s surprised considering she’s never dated a white man. Drake’s
attraction toward her is just as intense, the pair partake in a hot, steamy sex
session right there in her office!
Despite
Sasha’s promise to keep things all business during the press tour, their
sensual trysts heat up even further while out on the road. In the end, Sasha
must decide whether their cultural differences, along with her secret painful
past and Drake’s playboy reputation, are worth her risking her heart and
career—especially without knowing whether this is the real thing or a racy
fling.
Drake
appeared in Sasha’s office doorway, up close and personal, in all his sexy
glory. He slowly eyed her from head to toe. Judging by the look of admiration
in his penetrating gaze, he liked what he saw.
“So,” Drake began, his titillating tone
filled with flirtation, “you’re the notorious Sasha Williams who’s been hired
to clean up my image and take me to the next level…”
Drake’s
smooth, deep voice sent shivers through her eardrums straight down to her panties.
And just like that, her self-control slipped away.
Sasha
struggled to compose herself. She managed to force a smile and extend her
trembling hand. “Hello, Drake. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
He
gently took her hand in his and bowed slightly, kissing it softly. “The
pleasure is all mine.”
Drake
straightened up but didn’t let go of her hand. His firm grip and rugged skin
sent delicate tremors straight up her arm. He slowly studied her face. Then he
shamelessly became transfixed on her breasts, licking his lips hungrily.
Sasha froze. She felt lost underneath the spell of his intoxicating stare and stimulating touch.
Drake
sauntered over to the door and locked it.
Sasha
swallowed hard. “Can I, uh, can I get you something to drink?”
“Nope.
I’m good. I’ve got everything I need right in front of me.”
Sasha’s
heart thumped erratically. She watched Drake head over to the other side of her
office.
“Should
we take a seat on the couch so you can tell me everything you’re going to do
for me now that I’m officially your client?”
Drake
didn’t wait for her to respond. He wrapped his arm around her waist and led her
over to the couch. When she bent forward to sit down, his hand slid past her
hip and cupped her ass.
Sasha
gasped as Drake sat dangerously close to her. She moved over a few inches to
put some space in between them, but he promptly moved in even closer.
“You’ve got such a beautiful complexion, Sasha. And I love your hair,” he murmured, lightly running his finger over her cheek.
She
leaned back and eyed Drake suspiciously. “Do I really? Wait, let me guess
what’s coming next. You’re going to tell me how exotic I look, then ask if you can touch my hair, right?”
“Actually
no, I was—”
“Because, newsflash,” Sasha interrupted, now in full rant mode, “I’m just your typical, standard-looking African-American woman. My complexion, my hair…my entire look is the norm where I’m from.”
Sasha
was so worked up she was beginning to perspire. She hadn’t meant to go off the
deep end, but she was tired of that same old narrative of being viewed as some
sort of foreign object—as if her form of beauty was somehow atypical. But Drake
actually appeared somewhat amused.
“You
made mention of where you’re from,” he said. “Where’s that?”
“Chicago. South side.”
“Please
don’t call it that.” Sasha giggled. “It sounds so basic.”
“All right then, the Windy City. Great town. I shot a movie there last year. Fantastic food and even better people. Oh, and I hate to break this to you, Sasha Williams, but here’s my newsflash. There’s nothing about you, and you don’t resemble any other woman, period. You’re absolutely stunning.”
The compliment flipped Sasha’s feelings from offended to flattered within seconds. She looked into Drake’s eyes and saw nothing but sincerity, then felt herself falling under his spell once again. “Thank you,” she replied quietly.
“And
no, I’m not going to ask to touch your beautiful hair, unless you want me to,
of course. But your hair is not some sort of peculiar phenomenon to me. You’re
not the first woman of color I’ve encountered. My guess is that you’ve never
been with a white guy, though, have you?”
Sasha shifted in her seat. She wasn’t comfortable having such a personal,
race-related conversation with this man she’d just met. “I’m sorry, Drake. But we’ve really gotten off track here. Why don’t we get back to business?”
“Sure.
Whatever you want…”
Drake’s
jeans rubbed against Sasha’s bare leg. He placed his arm behind her along the
back of the couch, then let it slip forward over her shoulder, his fingertips
practically brushing across her hardened nipples. If she moved an inch, her
breast would fall right into his hand. Her entire body stiffened up.
“I’m sure you already heard about the altercation I had at the Hollywood Hills Resort last weekend. Do you think you could spin the story to somehow make me look like the victim? Because I’ve been slaughtered in the press, and when we go out on this press tour for Deck the Halls with Love, I need to have the fans’ sympathy and support.” Sasha cleared her throat and allowed herself to slowly exhale, somehow managing to avoid having her hardened nipple graze Drake’s lingering fingertips.
“Well…”
she began, struggling to steady her trembling voice. “The so-called fans who
mobbed you at the resort were obviously trying to pick a fight. Their goal was
to record the incident and upload it onto social media for likes and followers.
I’ll counter the negative press by saying your actions were simply a matter of
self-preservation. You were being attacked and had no security with you, so you
had no choice but to protect yourself.”
Sasha
was pleased with her impromptu response. And apparently Drake was, too, because
she glanced down at his crotch and noticed he was fully erect.
“Wow, Ms. Williams. That was a very impressive answer.”
Sasha
gazed into his eyes and saw a glimmer of insatiability. She became so memorized
that when he slid his hand onto her thigh and gripped it firmly, she didn’t
stop him. He boldly took her chin in his hand, pressed his soft, moist lips
against hers, and slipped his tongue inside her mouth.
Her
rigid body slowly relaxed. She couldn’t believe this was happening and was even
more shocked by the fact that she was actually kissing Drake back.
When his hand glided up her leg, underneath her dress, and he slid her panties to the side, Sasha’s first instinct was to close her legs and deny him. But desire overtook her, and she instead opened her legs wider to give him easier access…
A Naughty Jolly Christmas is the first novella of my series, The Holiday Chronicles. Tis the season with this steamy 15,560 word novella, and be on the lookout for the follow-up, My Unconditional Valentine, coming February 2019!
Hello everyone! My name is Denise, and I am a lover of romance, happy endings, and the art of storytelling. I used to cry as a three-year old child when my mother read to me because I so badly wanted to read the books myself! Once I learned, I constantly had my nose in a novel (especially the ones I’d sneak from my mom’s bookshelf). I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember and draw inspiration from Chicago, the city where I was born and raised, as well as Los Angeles, which is one of my favorite places in the world. I’ve published several books and short stories, and I’m an avid ghostwriter and editor. When I’m not sitting behind my computer, you can find me in a movie theater, on a tennis court, watching true crime television or chatting on social media.
Speaking
of social media, I’d love to connect with you! Here’s where you can find me:
Christmas: the most wonderful time of the year, isn’t it? Or so it’s said.
For me, Christmas was and is The Nutcracker. You can keep your Rudolph
and his shiny nose. So what if there is a year without a Santa Claus? Give me Clara and her Nutcracker, a battle with a giant mouse, a Land of Sweets, and snow—lots and lots of swirly snowflake ballerinas.
When Extasy put out the call for Christmas stories around the theme of rescue, my mind immediately went to one of my favorite ballets and the pivotal battle scene where Clara distracts the Mouse King, but with a strong female protagonist and a hot guy.
And there had to be ballet—the ballet—of course, and snow.
In “Saving the Prince,” you’ll enter the backstage world of ballet, with its backstabbing and competition, constant fear of injury, and even more constant fear of not being good enough. But there’s magic there, too, as Clare discovers when she saves the Nutcracker Prince from being mugged and takes a chance on him as they share one joyous pas de deuxon stage…and another in private.
“Saving the Prince” is for every little girl who stood at the barre and envied the big girls on pointe, for those who stood in the wings and wished they could be the Sugar Plum Fairy, or even better, the Snow Queen.
D(awn) S(She’s not telling you) Dehel began writing in crayon in the front of books at the age of three, and kept on scribbling, even though her mom took away her favorite dessert. Mom can no longer take away her desserts, and now she makes her mother buy her books. Though her days in sweaty pointe shoes are far behind her, she once danced with the Wilmington Ballet Company and later became its Stage Manager, so she’s no stranger to the world she describes in “Saving the Prince.” She’s also written two novels, a novella, and a summer short, “Real Magic.” All are available from Extasy Books.
Don’t forget the giveaway…. For a signed paperback of Cupid’s Christmas Arrow, a $10 Amazon giftcard, & an eBook of Frostbite Christmas to one winner!
Today we have Grant C. Holland and Love for Christmas
Sometimes love needs a little extra nudge from the holidays.Both Les and and Sly are still hurting from recent breakups and they vow to avoid romantic entanglements for the foreseeable future, Unknown to each other, they set out from Phoenix, Arizona on parallel holiday road trips to reach Chicago by Christmas Eve.Good-natured happy-go-lucky Les is great at friendships and a failure at love relationships. He relocated to Phoenix to stick by his best friends and immediately jumped into another painful dating situation that ended in a parking lot Christmas tree market. Sly is eager to leave one of the worst years of his life behind. The end of a two-year romance and the death of his stepfather cast a cloud of gloom over his December. He’s determined to have a better Christmas with his grieving mom in Chicago.By the time Les and Sly unexpectedly cross paths for the third time in their journey, they suspect it just might be more than coincidence. With the help of Christmas carols, Cadillac Ranch, burgers on the road, lots of cookies, and Santa Claus himself, Les and Sly find their happily ever after just in time for Christmas morning.Les is the best friend of Jensen, one of the main characters in the novel Love Next Door, but this Christmas tale can be easily read as a standalone story.
How the Book Came About
This is my first holiday novella. I knew that I wanted to write one, but I wasn’t sure where I wanted to start. When so many of my readers asked for a story about Les, I knew that was where I needed to start.
At the end of Love Next Door, the key characters in the novel all relocate
from the Midwest to Phoenix, Arizona. I originally planned to write a story about the holiday in the desert southwest, but I knew that Les needed to find a way to return to the Midwest for his Christmas. At least, that’s how I would feel. He also needed to fall in love because he failed so miserably in earlier relationships.
I love road trips, and from childhood, I remembered how if you traveled a common route, you might run into the same people more than once along the way. That’s what happens between Les and Sly. You’ll also recognize that I love Christmas. There’s a lot of the holiday in this book, Christmas carols, cookies, and even Santa himself. I also think if you’re going to be in the city, Chicago is one of the most beautiful cities in the world at Christmas.
Excerpt:
Les stood at one corner of the check-in desk snacking on a chocolate chip cookie and bending the hotel clerk’s ear about some situation in the past. I tried to think of something to say that could appropriately address the coincidence. The word, “Hi,” felt so inadequate.
Before I could speak, Les recognized me. He nearly choked on his cookie and coughed while pounding the desk with his right hand. I said, “I’d like a room for the night.”
While Les struggled to regain his composure, the woman at the desk smiled and shook her head. “I’m so sorry, Sir. I checked a customer into our last room only fifteen minutes ago. I know that one of our properties on the east side of the city still has rooms available. Can I call ahead for you?”
Les listened and then tried to speak. He couldn’t stop himself from coughing. I looked at him with some alarm, but then I heard a low wheeze and a long intake of breath. He choked out, “Don’t go!”
I turned to the desk clerk for help. “Could you get this man some water?”
I knew from past first aid training that the Heimlich wasn’t called for since Les could choke out words. He was breathing, and he wasn’t turning blue. The clerk acted quickly and filled a paper cup from a water cooler in the back corner of the reception area.
Les gulped it down and blurted out, “Oh, holy shit!” Two seconds later his face turned a bright shade of pink, and he uttered, “Oops.”
“It’s quite alright. I didn’t mean to make you choke, and I don’t want to intrude. The east end of the city isn’t far. I’ll have a head start on the drive in the morning.”
Les waved a hand, coughed, and said, “No, I insist. I’ll give you a warning, though. I watch any cheesy Christmas stuff on the TV that I can find.”
“The Grinch?”
“Check.”
“Rudolph?”
“Check.”
“That awful version of The Little Drummer Boy?”
“Well…”The clerk chimed in, “We all have our limits. Can I toss in a comment here?”
I said, “Please do.”
She stretched across the desk and cupped her right hand gesturing for us to come closer. I leaned in, and Les joined me. He was close enough that I wanted to reach out and touch the whiskers on his cheek. The clerk said, “I know I shouldn’t say it because it would mean one less reservation for the company, but I think the two of you are a perfect match. It’s the holidays. Take a chance. We’ve got couches in the lobby if something goes horribly wrong.”
Les grinned from ear to ear. “See, she’s on my side. Listen to her.”
Grant C. Holland lives in the upper Midwest, and he’s devoted to small-town stories and men who have their hearts firmly rooted in the country’s heartland. He grew up in a small Midwestern town much like those in his stories, and he has a special love for the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. You can most often find Grant settled in a coffee shop with tea in hand letting his muse lend a guiding hand to developing his stories of gay romance.
![Holeshot Christmas by [Michaels, Lynn]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51lsdOBJoaL.jpg)
Lynn Michaels Writes 