Wednesday, June 30, 2010

A nibble of LORD STANHOPE'S IMPROPER PROPOSAL

Needing a taste of my newest cherry?
I have one for you, Bella.
Lord Adam Stanhope, you see, is in need of a wife. No surprise for a politician who wishes to become Prime Minister someday...soon. But when he chooses his childhood friend, now a charming and outspoken widow, he gets more than he bargained for. Too bad, he has no plans to make her truly his wife. Too bad, he has no idea the resources a woman in love will use to get the man she needs in her bed and in her life.
Excerpt:
It is a truth, universally accepted, that a politician in want of the premiership must also be in want of a wife.
Felice knew that was her new husband’s justification for marrying her so quickly.
“A reason as good as my own,” she told herself as she combed her hair back from her face and fluffed the ruffled bodice of her wedding dress. She pursed her lips, wondering how Adam really kissed a woman. How he kissed his mistresses. He had merely brushed her own mouth with his after the ceremony minutes ago. She’d always thought her lips worth more than a peck—and she was determined that this second husband of hers would do more than ignore her.
“I’ll insure that he does,” she resolved, with a check of her figure in the cheval mirror in the retiring room of her new brother–in–law’s mansion on Grosvenor Square. “After all, the fictitious Miss Proper has charms that Adam does not know about.” Nor should he!
That secret could ruin her marriage. “And I intend to keep both!”
So go to your wedding breakfast and be done with this mooning! You accepted his proposal! Now reap the rewards! London Society is open to you—the excitement of their lives, their intrigues ready fodder for your pen. For your romances and your poems.
She frowned at herself.
Be honest, Fee. You want more than inspiration for your stories. More than a means to repay that nefarious man your first husband’s debt. You want Adam Stanhope gracing your own bed, not just his look alike walking on the pages of your newest romance. You want him inside your body. Making you wet and warm. And kissing your—
A quick knock at the door had her whirling.
“Dear Felice,” cooed her husband’s Great Aunt Amaryllis from behind the portal. “Do come out now. We are quite eager to applaud you and Adam. The guests, too, are clamoring for the receiving line!”
Most likely, the men want more wine while they make wagers on how soon Adam will bed me. And the women? They want to assess how a country mouse like me managed to snare the renowned, rich and eloquent Adam Stanhope. Third son of the earl. Widower. Father. Some day soon, the head of his party, if the papers and broadsheets are to be believed. And thereafter certainly, Prime Minister.
“Adam Stanhope,” she murmured to herself. “A great catch, Fee. If you can intrigue him.”
And there was the rub.
Adam, now thirty, was notorious for outlandish behavior. When he’d turned seventeen, he’d run away from home and sailed to Hong Kong to work with his cousin in his Far Eastern trading company. Four years later, he’d come home to finish his education at Cambridge, marry the beauty of the Season and run for Parliament. He’d won twice now. But since his wife had died in childbirth, Adam had made a name for himself as a rake. He was just like his brothers in that regard. Still, he was the only one who had married and challenged the Stanhope family curse. For it was a legend that no matter whom a Stanhope married, no matter that person’s quality of character or breeding or good intentions, once wedded, a Stanhope lived in hell.
“I will be happy.” Felice repeated the phrase that had become her motto ever since Adam had appeared in Kent last month and proposed. “I’ll dispense with this hideous man plaguing me at once. Then I will devote myself to ensuring Adam is happy. I will be a social asset to him. And a good mother to his son.”
What more could a man ask for?"
(copyright 2010, Cerise DeLand, No reprint without written permission of the author.)

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

LORD STANHOPE debuts today at Resplendence!

Regencies have remained popular over the decades that romances have shot to the top of many women's reading lists.
The reasons?
Some say it the era that begins the modern sensibilities. Where women acquired more freedoms, fewer petticoats, no wigs and were entitled to an education...albeit one in the more sedate classics. Others say it is a terribly romantic period in which men (at least the upper crust) courted women with deference and humor.
Others argue these things are not true, never were. For the majority of women, I would estimate they are correct.
Women were still subject to rigidities of dress, manner, education and social mobility that today, we still break through with more zeal than rapid success. As an example, in corporations, women still earn less than their male counterparts.
But sigh, in Regency romances, we get to forget all that and enjoy the delicate mannerisms and ponderings of women so similar to Elizabeth Bennett and her sisters.
Lord Stanhope, his brothers and one sister, Clarice, will attest to the challenges of falling in love and marrying. Indeed, the entire Stanhope family has long been cursed from ever enjoying marital bliss. They unfortunately had an ancestor whose wife was enticed by Charles II to become his mistress...and thus ended the happiest of unions. Presaging as it did the rest of the clan's terrible attempts at happiness, the curse is so powerful that none of the Stanhopes ever expect to love or be loved in return.
I do hope you will join me as we peek in on them, one by one, and see if they can resolve this damnable issue.
Lord Stanhope debuts today at http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/ LORD STANHOPE'S IMPROPER PROPOSAL.

His sister, Clarice, finds a totally new way to satisfy her longing for a few good men in a FREE READ, date tba in July, in LADY RAMSEY's RIBALD CHOICES.

Their brother, Wes, poor man is currently off in Spain about to fight with Wellington in the Battle of Talavera. Do return to learn the nature of his extraordinary encounter with a young lady who has as much courage as this dashing cavalry officer. (LADY FEATHERSTONE'S FERVENT AFFAIR, August 8.)

Their oldest brother, Jack, leads a devilish fine life and has no idea he will encounter his finest challenge in November in MISS DARLING'S INDECENT OFFER.


And the surprise to all of them will be one more man who appears in February, 2011, THE BASTARD'S PRECIOUS PRIZE.

Monday, June 28, 2010

AUDIO of Her three-Way Merger from EC out today!

Just color me tickled that HER THREE-WAY MERGER is out today in Audio! This is my first audio book and let me tell you what a delight it was to listen to the story. Shivering, here.
Hope you enjoy.
Then tomorrow, an entirely different treat. I debut a Regency at Resplendence! More on LORD STANHOPE'S IMPROPER PROPOSAL tomorrow...and the next few days.
This has been a great month for me with 3 books out! CARRIED AWAY, HER THREE-WAY in Audio and now LORD STANHOPE.
My first Free Read debuts in July (date, TBA) at Resplendence, LADY RAMSEY'S RIBALD CHOICES. Hmmm. And they are, too!
August is my Historical Month with my 2nd Regency out at Resplendence--and my second medieval out over at Total-e-bound.com !
September rocks and rolls for me! I have 3 books out: 2 with Texas men and then, drum roll, please--the first of a romantic thriller series with Desiree Holt, UNTIL THE DAWN!
I do have--yes, 2 more--in the works and should be announcing their debuts soon!
Ciao, Bella!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Tempestuous debuts tomorrow at EC!

Tempestuous has been a wild ride, no?
It debuts tomorrow at www.jasminejade.com so do go over and enjoy the full delights of this great book!
Here is more from Nicole Austin: (copyright 2010, Nicole Austin)
"The warmth of his body engulfed her as Niko removed the restraints. He set her left wrist free, rubbed it to get the circulation moving and in an unexpected tender move, placed a kiss on her inner wrist before moving to the other one.
She was thankful he held her close—uncertain her rubbery legs would support her. Then Niko removed the blindfold. She blinked, adjusting to the dim lighting again, her gaze focusing on his handsome face. A girl could get used to the wonderful sight, easily losing herself in him.
“Niko.” There was no holding back the weighty whisper full of emotion.
“Shh, moy kotik.” He held her face in his hands, dark eyes piercing straight into her soul making her head swim. Niko brought his mouth down on hers, taking her. Sharp teeth nipped at her lower lip and the moment she opened, his tongue thrust inside.
He controlled the kiss, took complete ownership, demanded she respond. And respond she did. Evie melted faster than chocolate on a hot summer day. While she found the kiss stunning, the way he held her, tilted her head where he wanted, turned her blood to molten lava. She was shocked by how much the dominant kiss made her yearn for more. Everything narrowed down to his soft yet firm lips moving over hers and the slide of their tongues. Niko kissed her thoroughly, erasing memories of any other.
“Oh my God. Master Niko’s here,” a feminine voice squealed.
Evie pulled back, gasping for air, and glanced toward the group of women rushing toward them. The giggly women dropped at his feet—ignoring the fact he still held Evie in his arms—and fawned all over Niko, each talking over top of the other to be heard.
“It’s been so long, Sir.”
“We’ve missed you so much, Master Niko.”
“No one else can master us like you can, Sir.”
Oh, barf! Give me a break! Evie’s stomach rolled.
Didn’t it figure he’d have an adoring throng of gorgeous subs convinced the arrogant jerk was every bit as wonderful as he seemed to believe himself. Women anxious to be his love slaves and kneel at his feet. The miserable bitches.
She tried to pull free of his hold only to have Niko’s grasp tighten. He didn’t even glance down at his adoring harem when he spoke. Instead his intense focus remained on her. “I am busy tonight, ladies. Go to Tina and she will find a Dom to punish you for interrupting me.”
Their faces fell as the women apologized. They moved away looking sullen and dejected. If she were a bigger person, Evie would feel sympathy for them, but she didn’t. She had lost the ability to think and process emotion with the full power of his attention directed at her.
God, the way he looked at her. Niko didn’t see the others moving around the room and shedding their clothes or hear the moans and screams as scenes played out. Every ounce of his focus held her immobile and made her head spin drunkenly.
The thought of having his extreme concentration solely on her while tied up in his bed turned her bones and muscle to putty, ready to be shaped by his skillful hands.
“Come, Evie. Let’s get a drink and mingle.”
Jealousy over the bevy of beauties turned into anger with his imperious attitude and the ridiculous emotions. Why the hell should she feel envious over him? Why did her knees tremble from the weight of his stare? She would not be his little pet or act the brainless bimbo as the harem did. Not gonna happen.
Evie patted his shoulder, making a valiant effort to ignore the ripple of corded muscle beneath her fingers. “You go on, Sir.” The title came out on an exaggerated hiss. “Catch up with the harem. I’m going to check out the toys Master S and Sir Cain are showing the others.”
“No.” He held firm. “I won’t let you run scared.”
Scared? Uh-uh.
“Excuse me?”
“Excuse me…what? You know by now the respectful address I require. And questioning your Dom in this way is unwise.”
Why, of all the egotistical, overbearing—
“Kiss my ass!”
Oh shit. That just slipped out. Not good. Damn her temper.
Someone gasped. Evie’s head snapped around to see several people close by. Great, she’d cussed at a Dom before an audience. He would be forced to do…something. Hell, by showing such blatant disrespect she was asking for a spanking.
Crap, crap, crap!
Sure she’d fantasized about spankings, imagined how it would feel, if the heated sting would turn her on. Still, intentionally provoking a Dom. That was way out of character. She hadn’t done that on purpose, had she?
One look at Niko’s hard expression told her she’d more than crossed a line but he’d have to get over it. Her backbone stiffened. “I am not a sub. I won’t fall down, kiss your feet and beg forgiveness from the great and mighty Niko. I am only observing tonight.”
Maybe Cain would save her? She searched the growing crowd but she didn’t see him. “I’m under Sir Cain’s protection,” she tossed out for good measure.
Evie made another futile attempt to escape his grasp as her mind frantically cast about for a way out of the mess she’d gotten herself into.
Damn mouth always gets the better of me! Why the hell had she provoked him, poked a stick at the rattlesnake?
“Master Niko.” Tina spoke, drawing everyone’s attention. “Shall I prepare a spanking bench in the other room or would you prefer something here in the dungeon?”
Spanking? Or one of the very scary devices right out of a medieval torture chamber?
Oh holy crap!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Nicole Austin's WOW WEEK with TEMPESTUOUS!


Need more Tempestuous? Of course you do!
To spike your appetite, read how Nicole decided to write this one!
"Imagine this if you will. Its early morning and you are a night person who hasn’t had your first cup of coffee yet. You’re standing in the breakfast buffet line of a hotel when an acquaintance you know is a Dominant comes up behind you and whispers in your ear, “We have an open spot tonight. You want in?”
The “oh holy crap” chorus echoing in your head comes along with a vivid slideshow of what a Dom could possibly mean when offering you a spot. Sometimes having an imaginative mind is a curse. Needless to say, a caffeine jolt is not longer needed because you are now wide awake.
This actually happened to me a couple of years ago. So what was he offering? Two friends and I were invited to visit a private BDSM club with the Dom and his sub. We even got to check the place out before it opened for the night. Score!
The inspiration for Tempestuous came from that club visit. In fact, much of Evie’s trip to the club was my own walk on the wild side. Fire flogging, whips, canes, violet wands, wax play, knives…oh yeah! All that and more. Unfortunately for me there was no Niko, I didn’t get spanked and it was just the one night. One of the most amazing, thrilling, exciting nights of my life."
And today's excerpt from this finger-licking novel?
(copyright 2010 Nicole Austin)
Her vow of silence took a flying leap out the window. “You wouldn’t!”
He didn’t have to respond. She looked in his eyes and saw the truth. He would. Evie strained against the bonds in earnest. That paddle was going to hurt.
“Cain. Oh God. Please, Cain. Stop him before this goes too—”
Air whistled through the holes in the paddle a split second before it collided with her bared bottom. She yelped, more out of insult than anything else, and dropped her head. Her hair covered her face, allowing Evie to relax her expression and take stock.
Hmm…not horrible. There had been the jarring impact, the embarrassing jiggling of her fleshy ass, but none of the sharp pain she’d anticipated. Maybe this whole spanking thing wouldn’t be so bad after all.
The sting came a moment later. Wicked burning tendrils spread from her offended ass cheek and shot to every nerve ending. Evie had no time or breath to scream and curse the evil bastard as the next three blows landed in rapid succession.
Again, she felt the initial thud and had those few seconds of gritting her teeth and waiting for the heated blast to hit. When it did, whoo-damn!
Her ass was on fire.
She briefly entertained the idea that he had lit the paddle on fire as they had the flogger in Master S and Sir Cain’s earlier demonstration. She dismissed the idea as heat spread flash-fire quick and pooled in her pussy. Moisture gushed from her slit. Before she became conscious of the movement, she flexed her thighs, lifting her ass for each swat as much as the restraints allowed.
She needed something, anything, inside her to relieve the empty ache. To hell with the witnesses or what they thought of her. Screw worrying about useless feelings of shame.
Evie had the insane impulse to scream out, “Thank you, Sir. May I have another?” Thank goodness she somehow managed to bite back the challenge. The last thing she wanted was to egg him on any further and prolong the torture of being restricted. She had to get free to get off. Even if only by her own fingers with them all watching. She didn’t care how. When—that’s what mattered.
Something was happening to her, a shifting deep within. The extreme sexual desire Niko pulled out of her with seemingly little effort blurred any pain. By itself, each profound sensation had a concentrated effect. As arousal and pain intermingled they changed into something else. Some inexplicable new phenomenon her body desperately craved.
In her current predicament such complex thought went beyond her ability to absorb. Evie filed the information away for later, when time and distance would allow her to scrutinize the concept and understand.
She lost count of how many times Niko swatted her bottom. When he set aside the paddle, calloused palms rubbed over sensitive flesh and Evie’s entire body clenched. Her swollen clit pulsed and the walls of her pussy spasmed. All the signs of impending orgasm were there, which was insane.
Getting off from being spanked?
I’m a perverted freak!
Freak or not, holding back the immense orgasm headed straight for her took every ounce of self-control she could muster.
Breathe slow, think of other things. Mundane things. She thought of boring chores such as doing laundry. Or her most dreaded task, going to the dentist. She was convinced all dentists were sadomasochists. Evil bastards!
She prayed Niko didn’t notice how close to the edge he’d driven her. Not until they could get somewhere private. Evie forced her muscles to go limp and waited to be released, sighing in relief when he stopped rubbing her offended bottom. Okay, without him touching her, a slim chance existed that she’d get out of this without losing all control and dignity.
Two thick fingers slid beneath the edge of her panties to tease sodden flesh and the battle was all but over.
“So hot and wet, moy kotik.”
Leave it to the arrogant jerk to not only notice but to broadcast the information to everyone else. Evie wished a hole would open up in the floor and swallow her.
“You took your punishment very well and deserve a reward.”
NO! Nonononono! Don’t do it. Don’t even think it.
Oblivious to her internal pleas, Niko’s fingers thrust into her pussy, stretching her, providing the fullness she longed for. His fingertips hit an amazing spot her previous lovers had not managed to find and she teetered on the edge, hanging on by her fingernails.
“I-I can’t.” She lacked the strength to explain. She would never be able to meet the gaze of anyone in the room if he made her come in front of them. Orgasms were too private and intimate to be shared with strangers. Evie fought against the building pleasure tooth and nail.
“No. S-Sir, please.”
Her begging fell on deaf ears. Niko’s thumb pushed down on her clit. He didn’t move it—didn’t have to. The pressure was more than enough to shove her over the precipice.
His command sealed her fate.
“Come for me, Evie. Come now."
Do return tomorrow for more....

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Nibble on TEMPESTUOUS! Out June 25 at EC!

A sample of this luscious novel should help you rejoice in your day!
Here's the big tease:

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

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


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

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

Evie is no man’s submissive pet. Niko stripped her bare, shed light on all her secret desires and weaknesses, but it’s still not enough for him. To win her man she’ll have to confront her fears and find a way to bridge the distance between them.
And here's the teensy sample:
(copyright 2010 Nicole Austin, All rights reserved.)

“I’ll give you a tour later.” Niko took a step toward her and she involuntarily took one back. He stalked her across the foyer until she’d backed into one of the columns. “I think we’ll save the playroom for later too. You’ve been driving me crazy all night in that sexy red dress and I have to get my cock in you now.”
“I-uh—” Evie put her palm against his chest.
She couldn’t think with him crowding her and tried to push him back. Niko was unaffected and moved closer. His fingers wove through her hair and cupped the back of her head, which he titled to the side. For the space several long heartbeats he stared into her eyes. Then he said something primitive sounding in a foreign language and slowly descended.
Nothing in the world—at least not to her knowledge—compared with his amazing kiss. Her body softened and her hands fisted his shirt in an attempt to ground herself as his sensual mouth devoured her. His kiss was possessive, demanding. A complete claiming—body, heart and soul.
His free hand slid down her back and grabbed hold of her ass, pulling her even tighter against his hard frame. The length of his cock pressed against her hip. She wanted that. Inside her.
“Wrap your legs around my waist,” Niko ordered. He lifted her with ease, as if she weighed no more than a feather.
The firm ridge of his cock slid along her slit. She felt the heat of him right through the layers of cloth.
Evie held on tight as he moved across the room, heading for the stairs. Her fingers went on a sensual quest. She removed the band that held his dark hair back and relished the silky strands sliding through her fingers. Using her nails, she massaged his scalp and Niko drew in a sharp breath between clenched teeth.
She had an advantage over him. Niko had to hold on to her while her hands were free to roam. And roam they did. She brushed over the corded muscles of his shoulders through the silk shirt then moved her hands beneath the material at the open front.
His bronzed skin was smooth beneath her fingers, which traced the delineated groves between his pecs. “So much muscle. I bet you’re strong enough to take me standing up.”
Niko muttered under his breath as he stumbled on the steps. “Damn, Evie. I want to do this right—on a comfortable bed not the hard floor or against the wall.”
She didn’t want to wait. Didn’t need foreplay or a bed. Her panties were soaked and the throbbing of her clit loosened her tongue. “But I’m so wet.” She flexed her thighs and her pussy slid over his erection. “I want you so bad it hurts, Niko.” She slid back down with a moan. “I need you to make it better.”
This time when he stumbled, Niko set her down on the stairs. Her bottom hit the cold marble and Evie squeaked. Pulling off his jacket, Niko positioned the material just so. He moved too fast for her to anticipate, grabbed her hips and flipped her over. The jacket cushioned her knees, helping to protect her from the hard stone.
“Hold on to the rail, Evie, and don’t let go.”
She followed the gruff command without thought, holding on tight as his hands closed on her ankles and spread her legs before continuing upward. He teased the sensitive hollow behind her knee, caught the hem of her dress and dragged it over her legs.
More curses followed as he bared her ass to find the racy black thong she bought on her shopping trip. “Damn, Evie. You trying to give me a heart attack?”
His calloused palms teased over her bottom, across her back and down her hips before covering her cheeks and squeezing. He kneaded her ass, pulling the cheeks apart, opening her in a way she had never been before.
She gasped as a finger circled her anus. “Niko!”
“Has anyone ever fucked you here, Evie?”
He was doing the growling thing again, which made it hard for her to speak much less come up with a coherent answer. And the way his fingers clenched on her ass drove her crazy.
“I need you.”
“Answer the question,” he demanded. “Have you let anyone fuck this gorgeous ass?”
“N-no.” The taboo idea should disgust her. She should be embarrassed to be so exposed, to be discussing anal sex on their first real date. To her complete surprise, the idea excited her. Her pussy clenched, a rush of hot cream coated her thighs. She didn’t care how or where he fucked her as long as he hurried up.
“Damn it, Niko. Fuck me already.”

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Want to listen? HER THREE-WAY MERGER releases 6.28 from EC

I am tickled to tell you that the audio of my menage, HER THREE-WAY MERGER debuts next Monday June 28 over at EC!
This is such a delight to know that actors will speak my dialogue, my words, my actions. I can barely contain myself.
As a tidbit, I thought I would post an excerpt for you.
Doncha just love being teased?
Summary:
Sexy exec Sienna Galvan never mixes business with pleasure until she calls a meeting with the two hunky football stars who used to be her next door neighbors and her teenage fantasies. But Cord and Tate Ryder take one look at how sweet little Sienna has grown in to an irresistibly luscious lady and they make her an offer she can’t refuse--three-way negotiations on their sofa, their yacht--and their bed. Thrilling to their risqué explorations of her body, she revels in having them both at her command, together and separately. But when they drive a harder bargain than she imagined, she must find a way to do what’s right for her business and what’s best for her heart.
Excerpt: (copyright 2009, Cerise DeLand. All rights reserved.)

Sienna Galvan pulled into the circular drive of Cord and Tate Ryders’ sprawling Texas Gulf Coast hacienda and promised herself for the hundredth time she would cement this deal fast. Then she’d get the hell out of the brothers’ infamous lair with her contract signed. “No matter what,” she vowed and flicked off the ignition to her new little red BMW.
Dropping the keys in her briefcase, she snatched up her suit coat from the passenger seat and stretched up to check herself out in her rearview mirror.
Golden eyes twinkled back at her in gleeful anticipation of meeting the two men whom she’d last seen twelve years ago. She pressed her full lips together, loving the satin feel of the new cherry lipstick that added zing to her little white blouse and body-hugging black suit. She glanced at her bright red fingernails and wiggled her toes peaking out of the pricey stiletto black pumps. Going for the classy look, she’d even pulled up her cinnamon hair in a French twist.
No detail spared for the boys who used to live next door.
She swung her long legs out of the car and stood to don her coat. Eyes on the Ryders’ umber wooden front door, she ran her palms down the lightweight cotton skirt that fitted her curves to a tailored-T and grabbed her briefcase.
The rambling ochre-and-emerald-trimmed house hugged the sandy Gulf shore of the Ryder brothers’ one hundred acre private beach. For two men who had grown up in a blue-collar neighborhood and made themselves into two of the richest bachelors in Texas, Cord and Tate had done well. They had done it with their bodies as linemen for two national football teams.
I did it with my body too.
But not by blocking passes from boys. Oh, no. That hadn’t happened to her until she lost her baby fat at eighteen doing hot yoga and earning her way and saving every penny she could to buy her own salon and spa in Houston. That success, built on her instinctive abilities to read men’s intentions, now led her to the doorstep of the thrill-me-with-one-look Ryder brothers.
She pulled herself up to her full five-foot-ten, then walked toward the beautifully carved door. Yes, she definitely felt confident with her plans to play up the CEO image on a toned body the Ryder brothers couldn’t remember.
“But after we negotiate this, you boys will never forget me.” She lifted the brass knocker and let it fall once with a resounding thud. Inhaling the fragrance of the purple bougainvilleas climbing the porch, she let their aroma infuse her with serenity about this carefully planned meeting.
For more than a month, she’d prepared her logic and her paperwork for this encounter with the brothers who had been her childhood friends and her adolescent fantasy lovers.
But that’s changed now.
Now they were men she was going to buy land from. Period.
Impatient to make that happen, she knocked again. This time, she heard a bass voice say a few words to another and she held her breath.
But she lost it when the door swung wide and the man standing there was so much better than her memories or her wet dreams.
Cord Ryder blocked out all else. He was the pale blond older giant of the duo, big, buff and golden tan. But she had forgotten how even at her height he dwarfed her, towering over her with his sharp winged brows and his wide lush mouth. The Viking, everyone called him for his ability to overpower his quarry. With muscles so massive, he looked like he wore armor beneath his clothes.
His crystal blue eyes blinked in surprise. “Sienna? Is that you?”
She nodded, grinning at how luscious he looked. Damn, I’ve gotta stop eating him up with my eyes. Where is that cool exec I vowed to be?
She put out her hand to shake his. “Cord, wonderful to see you.” May I see you without the navy polo and khakis?
He grasped her hand and drew her forward. “Not as much as I am delighted to see you, honey.” He grinned, flashing his white teeth and the darling dimple in his left cheek. She wanted to kiss him there, just like she had when she’d been sixteen and horny to have him feel her up. “What a sight,” he crooned as he lifted her arm in the air and had her turn in a three-sixty. “Your real estate agent told us you were a beauty but he didn’t do you justice. I need a hug.” He dragged her into his demanding embrace.
Overwhelmed, she dropped her briefcase to the floor as she opened her arms to the undeniable attraction this man held for her. He pressed his six-foot-six honed wall of muscle against her, his warm hands spanning her back and molding her flesh to his. This close she felt the steely ridge of his cock and her pussy dampened in creamy delight.
“Let me see those eyes, honey. I always loved the gold.” Cord lifted her chin. His gaze, the translucent blue of the Caribbean, flowed into hers with hot intent. “Wait ’til Tate sees you.” Cord winked. “We’ll wish we’d invited you sooner to come visit.”
(Copyright 2009, Cerise DeLand)
I have listened to many other Audio books, especially when I go for my daily walk! Enjoy!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Need to be TEMPTESTUOUS? (See how with my buddy, Nicole Austin!)

Lickilicious cover.


Swoon-worthy writing!


TEMPESTUOUS, you must read by fab author, Nicole Austin.


She has graciously consented to give me and YOU a whole week of excerpts to...that's right...tempt you to read TEMPESTUOUS.


We're calling this Nicole Austin's WOW WEEK.


Today, the cover.


Monday? Excerpt ONE.


Ciao, bella!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

AFTERNOON DELIGHTS! I'm workin' it, baby!

Seattle is for rain, damn good scotch (Macallen 18 year old) for the chill, hot food and luscious ways to dine amid the gentle rain.
I bring you a bit of Rain City, where I recently spent 12 50-degree-ish days (brrr to this Texan) with this delightful recipe.
Served as an appetizer, this with a salad and a bottle of prosecco, became lunch for two!
What do you need?
2 bosc pears (yes, those brownish ones)
gorgonzola, dolce (if you can get it, if not use the regular)
great crusty bread that you can slice easily on the bias
wonderful olive oil
honey
rosemary or thyme (fresh, do pull the tiny leaves off)
What to do?
Ah, bella! Easy.
Drizzle about 8 slices of your bread with good olive oil. Place in 425 degree oven for 2 minutes.
Remove and coat with gorgonzola. Yes, it will begin to melt.
Slice your pears very, very thinly. Drizzle honey on top. Sprinkle rosemary or thyme. And pop back in the oven until your pears look soft and delicious. 10 minutes, perhaps?
Remove. Add a tad more honey if it appears dry.
Serve with a crisp prosecco, or perhaps a pinot grigio. Even Cava will add delight!
Your fingers will be sticky. Hmm, what to do? Lick them clean?
Enjoy!
Ciao, Bella!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Desiree Holt Does IT AGAIN!

A BIG TEXAS WELCOME to my buddy and mentor in this e-pub biz, Desiree Holt!
She's got a new one out, EAGLE's RUN, the first of the TEXAS PASSIONS trilogy over at EC with Regina Carlysle and Cindy Spencer Pape. I KNOW you are going to love them all.
And here is a taste of talented D(ear) H(eart's) newest:
Her father was murdered by an unknown killer. Now Leah Morgan, the half-Comanche daughter of the owner of White Eagle Ranch, is faced with his unsolved murder, as well as two illegitimate half brothers who have each been left a share of the ranch. If not for Shane Duffy, the hot-looking, hot-blooded veterinarian, she’d be falling apart completely.
As she fights to retain control of the ranch and considers her heritage, Leah finds comfort in long nights of sweaty sex with Shane. And then there’s Grant Fallon, the geologist who wants to show Leah he can bring her more screaming orgasms than the hunky vet if she’ll just give him a chance.
But someone has an ulterior motive. Is it Shane? Grant? One of her half brothers? Leah might find the answer…if she’s not too busy chasing away the shadows in the arms of her lover.
SOUND GOOD? You bet. Now have a big sample:
(Copyright 2010, Desiree Holt. All rights reserved.)

Long ago Ken had taught her the secret art of horse whispering—a special way of talking to horses that no one else could handle. Leah had always planned to start a business and make the ranch a place where people from all over the world could send their horses for her to work with. How could she do that with two so-called partners who would probably second-guess her every move.
She should have paid more attention to the dream. Should have told her grandfather about it. The fear of its meaning still hadn’t left her and maybe it was time to let her grandfather interpret it. She opened her mouth to say something when she heard a deep male voice behind her.
“What’s not your problem, sweetheart? Or should I keep my mouth shut?”
Leah hadn’t heard the back door open or close, or the thump of booted feet on the tile that announced Shane Duffy’s arrival. She hauled in a deep breath and let it out slowly, then turned to look at him. Despite the anger roiling inside her, one sight of him and the heat that always blossomed around them filled the air. Just his presence seemed to center her.
Sunlight shafting in through the kitchen window lit arrows of gold in his thick brown hair and chicory eyes, the sight of him making her heart race as it always did. She wanted to throw herself into his arms, beat her fists against his chest, rail against the situation and have him tell her everything would be fine. Haul his rangy body upstairs to the still unmade bed, tear their clothes off, and beg him to fuck her until all of this just faded away.
But she was acutely aware, as she knew Shane was, of Ken Nightwalker watching them with his hawk’s eyes. Although he commented little about it, Leah knew her grandfather was fully aware of her relationship with Shane and had given it his resultant yet tacit approval. Shane, for his part, always went out of his way to show his respect for the old man.
Now he enfolded her in his arms in a natural gesture and kissed her forehead, stroking her back. In a flashback of vivid clarity she suddenly remembered the day he’d walked into her barn, wearing that crooked grin.
“Hi,” he’d said. “I’m Shane. The new vet. I expect to be spending a lot of time here.”
The electricity that had sizzled and snapped between them there in the midst of whickering horses had rocked her. She was by nature a passionate woman, a fervor that she kept ruthlessly under control. Maybe it was her grandfather’s teachings of personal discipline and self respect but indiscriminate sex wasn’t something she indulged in. Whatever the reason, she held herself aloof from most men who came into her life, choosing her lovers very carefully. But the thing between her and Shane had only built in its intensity whenever they were in the same room. Leah couldn’t ever remember a man affecting her that way.
At first she’d been determined to ignore the tug at her hormones, and she felt Shane throwing up all his defenses at the same time. But their restraint and good intentions had lasted barely a week, until the late afternoon he’d caught her coming out of the Appaloosa’s stall, bumping against him until a piece of straw wouldn’t fit between them. An explosion of heat had consumed them like an unstoppable fireball."
Need to know more about Desiree?
Well then.
Desiree Holt has lived a life of excitement that brings the color to her writing. She was a summer fishing guide, a summer field hand where she was one of only three women working, a member of a beginning ski team that skied in competition (and no, no broken bones!). She spent several years in the music business representing every kind of artist from country singer to heavy metal rock bands. For several years she also ran her own public relations agency handling any client that interested her. She is twice a finalist for an EPIC E-Book Award, a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, winner of the first 5 Heart Sweetheart of the Year Award at The Romance Studio, and is published by four different houses. Romance Junkies said of her work: “Desiree Holt is the most amazing erotica author of our time and each story is more fulfilling then the last.”

You can find her at http://www.desireeholt.com/ and http://www.desireeholttellsall.com/
AND NEWS FLASH! Do watch for the first of a romantic thriller series by Desiree and me, soon to debut at EC! The first one comes perhaps in August, UNTIL THE DAWN! The second is in progress, UNTIL MIDNIGHT!
Ciao, Bella!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Escape with Cerise DeLand


Hoping you will celebrate with me the release of my newest romantic suspense from Ellora's Cave, CARRIED AWAY!
Love this guy, Grant Warwick.
Think you will, too.
Come with me to Venice, Paris, Jerusalem and dangerous, dark Naples with Grant and the woman he cannot escape!