Her Promised Dom

 

Hi, everyone, and happy Friday! What’s going on in my world this week? Well, today, book three in Isabella Kole’s Dominant Men series released! The title is Her Promised Dom and I’m going to tell you a little about it. I hope you’ve read the first two, Her Blue Collar Dom and Her Convenient Dom already. In this series, the books can be read as standalones. Some of the same characters pop up from time to time, but each story is a separate one.

How about the blurb, for starters?

Can they possibly find their way back to each other, after all this time? Is there any amount of compromising that could make him keep that long-ago promise? And will Cora be able to accept life as a submissive if he does?

Cora Watson is headed back to her hometown in Texas for her grandmother’s funeral. Now a successful New York editor, she rarely makes it back to the small town she grew up in. She’s in for a big surprise, however, when she goes out for a night out with an old friend and discovers that her high school sweetheart happens to be in town at the same time.

Dale Barton broke her heart. Now, here he is, looking better than ever and wanting to spend time with her. So much has changed, though. She’s moved on, never looking back, and he is now a club Dom, a self-proclaimed confirmed bachelor. He lives in Texas, and she in the Big Apple. And then there’s that promise he made to her, all those years ago – one she has tried to put out of her mind.

Publisher’s Note: This steamy contemporary romance blends spicy with sweet as these two lovers are reunited. While it is part of the Dominant Men series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Excited yet?

How about an excerpt?

“I know you said you like being a swinging bachelor, but haven’t you ever found someone whom you really cared for?” she asked as she took a sip.

Looking at her for a long moment before answering, he finally answered, “I wasin love, once. But it didn’t work out, and I’ve just never seen any reason to get tied up with anyone since then.”

“Oh, I see. Did she break your heart? Is that why you’re so against settling down?”

“No, she didn’t break my heart. It broke my heart that we didn’t work out, but she didn’t do it. How about you, Cora Beth, is there a guy waiting for you back in the Big Apple?”

She shook her head. “No, there’s no one special. I date, but there’s never really been any one person in particular who has kept my attention past a few casual dates. I’m pretty busy with work, anyway, so a serious affair probably wouldn’t work out.”

They lingered for hours, talking and laughing. They found that even after all this time, they still shared a good many common interests. When they finally left the restaurant, he asked if she’d like to go dancing with him.

She readily agreed, and he drove to a club he’d heard about from Bruce. As they walked into the dimly lit room, they saw several couples on the dance floor. A slow song was playing, and he led her onto the floor. Taking her into his strong embrace, he slowly moved with her around the floor with ease, pulling her closer as he kissed the top of her blonde head. He leaned down and whispered, “I’d love to get you alone, baby, but I’m at my folk’s place and you’re at yours, so I guess it’s off-limits for us.”

“Damn the luck, Barton. There’s always your car, like the old days,” she teased as she looked up at him.

“Don’t tempt me, or I might just take you up on that, Cora Beth.” He grinned and winked, remembering the times that long-ago summer when they had parked in his car and made sweet love. “Or I could take you to my place in Austin one day this week. We could be alone there and rekindle the old flame for a while,” he whispered.

“Dale, I really don’t think that’s a very good idea. I’m not one of your one-night stands, and I’ll be going back to New York soon.”

“I never imagined for a moment that you were one of my one-night stands, Cora. I certainly didn’t mean to imply that.”

“We may never be together again, Dale, so why open all that back up?”

“Why indeed, Miss Watson?” he replied as he led her off the floor and to a table.

He ordered drinks for the two of them. When the server had gone, he said, “The offer still stands. If you’d like to spend a day with me in Austin before you go home, say the word. We don’t have to jump in the sack. I would just like the chance to spend some more time with a very dear old friend.”

“Let me see how things are going with Gram’s house, and I’ll get back to you,” she said as she fought the desire to throw caution to the wind and readily agree.

“Fair enough, Cora Beth,” he replied as their drinks arrived.

They talked for a while longer, finished their drinks, and then he announced that he was going to take her home.

She allowed him to take her hand again as they strolled slowly to his car. Once inside, he leaned across the seat and kissed her, gently, at first. When she responded willingly, he deepened the kiss, probing the softness of her mouth with his tongue. As he released her, he looked into the familiar amethyst gray eyes he’d once loved and smiled.

She shyly returned the smile, hoping that he couldn’t hear the pounding of her heart or notice that her limbs had turned to mush. The heat from his kiss spread through her body like wildfire. If he’d tried, he probably could have had her right there in the car in the parking lot of the club. But, instead of taking it further, he started the car and silently drove her home. When they arrived, he walked her to the door and once again kissed her passionately.

As he started to walk away, he reminded her, “Call me, Cora Beth, and let me know you’ll spend another day with me before you go back to the Big Apple.”

Knowing that after tasting his sweet lips again, she could never refuse him, she replied, “I will.”

She walked into the house and up the stairs. As she undressed for bed, her mind was already made up. She would go to Austin with him, and whatever happened would happen. After all, it was the year of their thirtieth birthdays.

Now, here are the buy links so you can find out what happens to Cora and Dale.

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QDBN82N

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07QDBN82N

Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07QDBN82N

Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07QDBN82N

Next week, I’ll be heading back to my home state of Indiana to speak about writing romance at a writer’s workshop and I also will be signing books at my hometown library. While there, I hope to see a lot of family and friends. So, until next time, happy reading. Book four in the Dominant Men series will be here in May! There are a lot of exciting things coming up, so stay tuned!

Hannah’s Horror…A Blessing or a Curse???

hannahs-horrorUSA Today Bestselling Author, Isabella Kole, brings you this romantic mystery just in time for Halloween! Let me tell you a little bit about it! The story is made up of three vacations over the course of a summer. The first one is in Iowa, along the banks of the Mississippi. Some of the supernatural things that take place in the story actually happened to the author… The second trip is in the mountains of Tennessee, and the third takes place in Myrtle Beach. Two college girls, one with a gift she isn’t sure she wants, and their boyfriends find themselves involved in some strange and dangerous situations. This is a spicy romantic mystery.

Blurb:

A blessing or a curse? That’s what Hannah Stone can’t decide about a special gift she’s been given.

When Hannah and her best friend, Cassie, joined by their boyfriends, set out on one last fun-filled summer of vacations before beginning their senior year of college, they have no idea just how adventurous the trips are going to be.

An old inn that sits along the banks of the Mississippi holds a secret or two, and Hannah finds herself in the thick of things, much to the disapproval of her protective boyfriend. When he reveals his dominant side to her, will it turn her off or endear him to her forever?

The Smoky Mountain trip, where unknown dangers are hiding, turns out to be a life-changing experience.

And the last vacation…a relaxing beach trip…may be the one that convinces her the ‘gift’ is a rare and treasured blessing.

Excerpt:

The man watched as the car backed out and headed down the mountain. Now was the time. He’d been watching the cabin for several days. He’d thought he had it made with two young women alone there, but then those two had shown up.

He was in need of a shower and food. Roughing it in the mountains was not his idea of a good time. He’d managed to fool those two men the night before, by cleaning up in a stream, but he wanted a real, honest to goodness, steaming hot shower.

He stepped onto the deck. The hot tub looked inviting, but he had other ideas. He checked the door. Damned bitches had locked it. He took a pocketknife out of his pants pocket and jimmied it until it gave for him. Opening it quietly, he stepped inside the door, which led to the kitchen. Where were they? He looked down at the rope in his hand. Stupid boyfriends or husbands, whatever they were, had even supplied him with the rope. He laughed to himself.

Ah, the redhead was sitting in the room with the fireplace, reading. Perfect! He crept up behind her and placed his hand over her mouth. Whispering in her ear, he said, “Stay quiet, little one, and no one gets hurt. I am going to borrow your shower, and then you and your little blonde friend are going to fix me a meal. Got it?” Cassie nodded her head. He removed his hand and waited while she fought the urge to scream.

“Atta girl, now point me in the direction of the shower and get me a towel, now!”

Cassie got up on shaky legs and led him into her room. She pointed in the direction of the private bath and told him the towels were on the shelf.

“Just to make sure you don’t get any ideas about running, I am going to have to tie you up, girlie.” He came toward her with the rope. Cassie took a step back, but he was quick, and he grabbed her wrist, flung her around and sat her down hard on a chair. He tied her wrists and ankles with the rope and sneered at her as he went into the bathroom. He picked up a scarf that was on the counter and returned to the bedroom, gagging her so she couldn’t scream.

Cassie looked around. Oh God, was he Sam? Where was Hannah? She had said she wasgoing to take a nap. Damn it, Hannah, wake the hell up and go get help while he is in the bathroom!

In the next room, Hannah was still sleeping soundly. She woke slightly and could vaguely hear the shower running in Cassie’s bathroom. Why was she taking a shower now?

Groggily, she sat up and looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was eleven o’clock. The boys should be back for lunch soon. They had gone to town for something.

And then she saw her. The girl was standing at the foot of her bed. “He is here, Hannah.”

She was gone.

What? He was here? Where? He couldn’t be in the cabin. She must have meant he was here on the mountain.

Hannah went into her own bathroom and splashed her face. She brushed her teeth, applied light make up and fluffed her curls with her fingers. Then she went into the kitchen to make a fresh pot of coffee.

She was just about to pour a cup when he appeared. The man walked out of Cassie’s bedroom and said, “Oh, good, I feel like a new man after that shower, and now, you have fresh coffee all ready for me.”

“Wh-who are you? Where is Cassie? How did you…”

“Inquisitive little thing, now, ain’t you? Name is Jim.”

Buy Links:

#Kindle https://goo.gl/vNEc0j
#iBooks https://goo.gl/xiJQiC
#BlushingBooks https://goo.gl/fx1VrC

Author Bio:

  • USA Today and International bestselling author, Isabella Kole, lives in southern Indiana, where she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Always an avid romance reader, she began writing several years ago, and although she has had several sweet romances published under a different pen name, Accepting His Terms is the first erotic romance in her collection.
  • If you are a fan of Regency romance, you won’t want to miss her Loving the Nobleman series, book one, Remington’s Rules, book two, Emily’s Emergence and book three, Duchess’s Desire.
  • You can find Isabella on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Isabella-Kole-Author/580591041984962?ref=hl and on Twitter as @blushingizzy
  • isabellahannahbanner

 

HERO TO OBEY Military Romance Anthology

Hero picI am so excited to announce that Isabella Kole is one of twenty-two authors who have put together the summer’s hottest set of stories.

Title: Hero to Obey: Twenty-Two Naughty Military Romance Stories

Authors:  22 New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling authors

Genre:  Erotic Romance-BDSM

Preorder: June 9, 2016

Release date: June 28, 2016

 

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HeroToObey/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30461245-hero-to-obey?from_search=true&search_version=service

 

Amazon ASIN:  B01GSRNEZG

 

Amazon:  

US: https://www.amazon.com/Hero-Obey-Twenty-two-Naughty-Military-ebook/dp/B01GSRNEZG

UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hero-Obey-Twenty-two-Naughty-Military-ebook/dp/B01GSRNEZG

 

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hero-to-obey-selena-kitt/1123894824?ean=2940158221620

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/hero-to-obey

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hero-to-obey/id1121897308?mt=11

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30461245-hero-to-obey?ac=1&from_search=true

 

Short links:

Amazon: http://myBook.to/HERO

Kobo: https://goo.gl/Bm8640

Nook: http://goo.gl/bKnXzN

iBooks: https://goo.gl/5YebuL

 

BLURB:

 

**$0.99 for a limited time only ~ An over $40 value!**

Hero to Obey: Twenty-Two Naughty Military Romance Stories is packed with ALL-NEW sexy novellas, penned by New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling authors of BDSM romance.

Your hot, dominant military heroes are waiting—and they expect your complete submission.

Featured authors: Selena Kitt, Paige Tyler, Sierra Cartwright, Alta Hensley, Sue Lyndon, Renee Rose, Vanessa Vale, Desiree Holt, Abbie Adams, Tabitha Black, Zoe Blake, Bethany Burke, Alexa Day, Livia Grant, Yasmine Hyde, Isabella Kole, Cerise Noble, Kate Richards, Maggie Ryan, Lee Savino, Maren Smith, and Maddie Taylor.

 

Individual Blurbs:

 

SEAL of Her Dreams by Paige Tyler

When Navy SEAL Kurt Travers fills in for his buddy during career day at school, he doesn’t expect to fall for the teacher. But Melissa Drake lives by one hard and fast rule. She doesn’t date Navy guys—ever. Will saving her life change her mind? 

Enticement By Sierra Cartwright

Ella Gibson, his little sister’s best friend, is definitely off-limits. But when Special Forces Staff Sergeant Pierce Holden sees her about to make a big mistake with another Dom, honor, duty, and his physical attraction to her compels him to step in.

 

Wrecked by Selena Kitt

Spoiled heiress Darcy Haverford and ex-military beach bum Daniel Colvin find themselves shipwrecked on a desert island and they discover the key to survival is both discipline and surrender.

 

Stormy Weather by Desiree Holt

The storm outside whipping the surface of the bay into whitecaps wasn’t nearly as intense as the one raging inside Zane Colby. The isolation of the cottage on the little island was exactly what he needed, a place to hide and deal with the disasters threatening to destroy him. He was a warrior and used to destruction and devastation, but this time it threatened to push him over the edge. He’d hope in this sequestered environment to reach down and find his humanity again. The last thing he needed was Dara, a waif who nearly drowned in the turbulent water in her haste to run from a violent situation. How would he manage with the two of them locked up together in this situation, a woman with the needs of a sub who had been abused, and him with the needs of a Dom that had nearly destroyed him? Was it possible that in the turbulence of the situation they could heal each other?  

 

A Hero In Disguise by Alta Hensley

Kidnapped and brought to an isolated militia compound in the backwoods of West Virginia, Jessa Crowe realizes there is much more hidden in the dark depths of the hemlock trees.

She is surrounded by hate, sex, torture, and death. Only to be claimed by the devil himself—Decker Cassidy. But what Jessa soon discovers is that her captor may very well be her hero in disguise.

 

The SEAL’s Captive Bride by Sue Lyndon

In the aftermath of a horrendous war, former SEAL Rick Stanford catches a pretty little thief sneaking around the settlement he’s charged to protect. Rather than see Ally tried for her crimes, he protects her in the best way he knows how—by claiming the reluctant young virgin as his wife.

 

In His Hands By Maggie Ryan

Betsy Riddle considered it her patriotic duty to lift the spirits of soldiers fighting for their country. Little did she know that her newest pen-pal, Mr. Bossy, would be the one man who stole her heart. With every letter he received,  Major Jackson Sommersby  knew that the moment this horrid war ended, he’d be taking a certain little minx in hand and showing her that paradise was found in his arms.

 

Owned by the Marine by Renee Rose

He may live next door, but he sure as hell wasn’t the boy next door.

When Marine Sergeant Rob Gentry moves into his new apartment, the last girl he wants to date is his neighbor. Smoking hot and so cute it makes his teeth hurt, she’s not his type. Too sweet. Too innocent. Too vanilla. …or so he thinks.

 

Under His Command by Maddie Taylor

After twenty years in the field, Navy SEALs Commander Flynn Dalton is ready to put down roots.  Settled at Coronado island, he trains new recruits by day while searching for his perfect submissive by night.  Too bad the one woman he wants to claim as his own is too young, too shy, and too damn vanilla.  Relegated to the friend zone by the man of her dreams, computer analyst Cassie Hardwick tries to jumpstart her dormant social life by attending a masquerade mixer at an exclusive BDSM club.  Oblivious to what is right under their noses, both Flynn and Cassie are in for quite a surprise when the masks come off at Decadence LA.

 

Understanding the Enemy by Tabitha Black

She can resist anything. Except him.

When Lena is captured and interrogated by a handsome militia sergeant,she’s determined not to reveal anything; no matter what he intends to do to her.

But Blaze Fielding has big secrets of his own… and very special ways to get Lena to talk.

 

Devil Dog by Lee Savino

There he was, on the eve of my divorce, the yummiest thing in the coffee shop. Tall, tattooed, made of muscle. He was my hero. I just didn’t know it yet…

 

Her Captain’s Command by Isabella Kole

When a former love surprisingly arrives as the new XO on his ship, how will Captain Blaine Rogers handle her stubborn attempts to defy his authority? Will old feelings get in the way or will a spark be rekindled?

 

A Little Love by Maren Smith

From the moment he saw her tattoo, Sergeant Nolan Anderson knew Tricia was meant to be his. But they were neighbors and, worse, he was broken. She deserved so much better from the man who became her Dom and yet, now that he’d held her, how could he ever let her go…

 

Their Runaway Bride by Vanessa Vale

A surprise prequel to the USA Today bestselling Bridgewater Menage Series. Learn how the two military men save a runaway from her ruthless father. You’ve met Anne and her two husbands, Robert and Andrew before. It’s time for their story!

 

Worth Fighting For by Zoe Blake

He is determined to make her his…even if he has to fight her every step of the way. An arrogant, alpha Marine ordering her about is not Sage’s idea of boyfriend material.

Conner disagrees. For her first burglary, it was going very well…until a half-naked, hot-as-hell Marine burst in demanding to know what was going on!

 

A Soldier to Cry On by  Abbie Adams

Sergeant Anthony Jerard hunts down the wife of the soldier dying in the hospital bed next to him during the first days after he suffers a traumatic brain injury. He intends to pass on the deathbed apology of which he hasn’t a clue to the nature of. What he doesn’t intend to do, is fall ass over teakettle in love with the often captivating, but more often infuriating, little widow.

 

Call Sign: Thunder by Livia Grant

Zach wasn’t supposed to be there, but he was Allie’s only hope of getting out alive.  Even if she gets out with her life, could she survive the horrific memories of her time in the hands of her diabolical captors?

 

Passing Through by Alexa Day

The summer’s brought two surprises to bar owner Gigi Deane: the former Army Ranger she hired is the perfect barback, and he takes orders in bed as well as he does on the job. He’s told her that he’s just passing through, but as the seasons change, can she convince him to make their summer thing a little more permanent?

 

Bound By Her Captain by Kate Richards

The heat between a  US Coast Guard Captain and a beautiful, brilliant Soviet scientist might do a better job of melting the polar ice than the ship when they combine forces to hunt down a possible sea monster in Cold War Era Alaska.

 

With One Hand Behind My Back by Cerise Noble

Irene’s determined to follow her Marine, Drew –  the love of her life – everywhere. He leads, she follows; from duty station to duty station, from base to base. When he’s wounded, everything changes. Can she submit to a man who’s body was broken?

 

Exfil  by Bethany Burke

Archeologist Emily Becker’s “simple and quick” clandestine trip into Syria to recover a precious artifact turns out to be neither.   Stuck in a bombed out basement with some serious heat on her tail, she needs “exfil,” extraction from a dangerous situation by someone who knows what he’s doing.

 

Delta Force Mission Specialist Michael Duncan definitely knows what he’s doing. He would fit the bill except for one thing:  he also knows Emily, and their history is not a happy one.

Emily doesn’t know if she’s in more danger from Michael or from terrorists, but she’s about to find out.  

 

Aim for Pleasure by Yasmine Hyde

Kerrigan’s military career is coming to an end. At last she will be able to dedicate her time to the business she started years ago with her sister. She just has one more function to put on for the General she works for, then she’ll be bound for civilian life. The night before the event she lets her friends take her out to a bar to celebrate. When a moment of peace turns into a chance at passion, she is drawn in and taken on a ride of ecstasy. She never expects to see the mystery man from her one night of recklessness again, but when he turns up in the place she least expects him, she can’t keep him at arm’s length.

 

Jaxon returns from a mission just in time to celebrate his brother’s promotion. Hitting the road, he decides to catch up with an old buddy. A detour at a bar winds up being a night to remember. The next day the curvaceous beauty practically falls into his lap again, and seeing it as an opportunity to get to know her better, he pursues.

 

Can two warriors from two different branches of services, two different paths of life, really find the one in a wanton moment – and can it last for a lifetime?

 

EXCERPTS

 

Her Captain’s Command by Isabella Kole

The time had come. She took her bags from the driver, paid him and made her way up the plank to meet her destiny. She asked one of the seaman where she could find the captain, and he offered to escort her to him. And there he was. His back was turned to her. He was issuing orders to some of the crew already on board, and she could feel the heat beginning to grow in her limbs as she watched him, capable, still as hot as ever, taking charge. There was no doubt to his authority, he was in complete control.
He turned, and she presented herself to him. “Lt. Commander Vandecamp reporting for duty, sir,” she said as she saluted her superior officer.
The look of shock that crossed Blaine’s face was fleeting. Professionalism took over as he said, “Welcome aboard, Lt. Commander Vandecamp. I must say this is a surprise. Charlie, is it?” he asked.
Did he really not recognize her? How could that be? Had their four years together meant so little to him?
“Yes, I go by Charlie these days,” she replied warily.
“Let’s go into the office and get acquainted. I would like to go over some things with you. I trust you have all the necessary paperwork with you?” he asked.
“Of course, sir,” she responded.
He led her into the space that served as his office on the ship and waved his hand for her to sit. “Coffee?” he asked.
“Yes, please,” she answered, watching as he prepared two cups, adding cream to both. He had not asked her how she took hers, so maybe he did remember, after all.
He handed her a cup of the hot brew and sat down, facing her across the desk. “So, Charlie, tell me, how long have you been in the Navy? And where is your husband?” He took a sip of his coffee and held out his hand for her papers.
With slightly shaking hands, she handed the paperwork to him. She watched as he scanned over them and looked up, waiting for her reply.
“I-I enlisted four years after I graduated from college. I was recommended, after recruit training, to enter the OCS, so that is what I did. That was ten years ago,” she replied.
“I see. You moved up fairly quickly. Although, I enrolled in OCS fourteen years ago, so I guess I’m not that far ahead of you,” he said. “And your husband? A Navy man?”
Charlie took a sip of her drink before answering. “I met my husband in Officer Candidate School. We have since divorced, and he is no longer in the Navy. He chose to resign his commission.”
“Ah, I see,” he said without emotion. An uncomfortable silence followed until Blaine finally spoke again, “Charlotte Rose, I have to say I was quite surprised to see that you are my newly assigned XO. I can assure you that our past history will in no way reflect our working together on this ship. Is that understood?”
So he did recognize her! Her heart skipped several beats. Her mouth went dry, and she quickly took another sip of coffee before replying, “I understand, sir.”
“The United States Navy expects us to do a job. Any personal problems we have with each other are to remain just that—personal.”
“Of course, sir,” she said quietly.
“You are to follow my orders to the letter. If you can prove you can do that, we’ll have no problems. I seem to recall a bit of a rebellious nature in your personality. I trust your time with the Navy has cured you of that.”
She nearly laughed out loud. “Of course, sir,” was all she said in reply.
“Now, I’ll show you to your quarters, and after you’ve settled in, you’ll join me on deck. There is much to be done today.”
She stood and saluted him as her superior officer, although it rankled her to do so. “Yes, sir.”
She thought she could see a half smile escape his lips before he walked around to her side of the desk to escort her to her cabin.
“Shall we?” he asked.
“Of course, sir, lead the way.”
“I could get used to you calling me sir,” he said, half-teasingly, as he escorted her to her door.
She looked up at him in surprise.

 

Stormy Weather by Desiree Holt

 

Someone was out there in the bay in a little skiff, trying to get to shore. In point of fact, whoever it was appeared to have lost one of the oars, and was struggling against the elements to make headway. He couldn’t tell that much about the person except the figure was small and wet. Who in hell was crazy enough to let their kid out in this weather? Wherever they were, if Zane got hold of them he’d wring their necks. While he’d love to leave the person out there, he didn’t want to be responsible for anyone else’s death. But, fuck. There went his precious solitude.

Still swearing a steady stream, he pulled on boots, a rain slicker and head gear, and headed down to the little dock. It took him a while to get the bowrider uncovered and power it up. He hated exposing the beautiful interior of the boat to the elements but the skiff would be useless in this storm. He couldn’t in good conscience let some kid drown out there because his or her family was brainless enough to let them out alone in this kind of weather.

As soon as he was away from the dock, Zane cranked up the throttle and headed for the floundering rowboat. The rain pounded on him, dripping off his rain cap into his face, but he kept himself focused on his target. When he was close enough he throttled back and steered close to the rowboat. The person wrestling with the boat sat on one of the seats, waving at him and yelling something, impossible to hear over the storm. As he maneuvered alongside and got a good look at the person, shock raced through his system. This wasn’t a kid, it was a girl. No, a woman. Very definitely a woman, a fact made obvious by the way her thin T-shirt and white shorts were plastered against her body. Her breasts wouldn’t have been any more obvious if she’d been standing there stark naked.

What the fuck was she doing out here, alone, in this weather?

Maneuvering the boat on the choppy waters while fighting the wind and rain was not the easiest thing Zane had ever done. He also had to be careful he didn’t knock the rowboat and cause it to capsize. He managed to finesse it so he could idle next to the floundering boat, and pulled up on the side closest to where she was sitting.

“Come on,” he shouted. “Get in.”

For a moment she just stared at him, and he was afraid she was too nervous to move. Then she eased herself as close to him as she could, pushed herself up and reached out to him. Ignoring any niceties he yanked and tumbled her into the bowrider, pushing the throttle forward as soon as she was all in.

Heading back to the island he was driving right into the rain, and it felt like a thousand wet knives on his skin. He looked at his passenger, huddled low in the boat, hugging herself and shivering, and kicked himself for not bringing something to wrap around her. He’d just have to get her into a hot shower the minute they were back in the cottage.

No, Zane. Send her into the shower, not get her in. Or take her in. Pay attention.

The ride was choppy and chilling but at last he pulled up to the dock, cut the motor, and jumped out to tie off the boat. He reached a hand down to help his passenger out.

“Go on inside,” he told her. “It’s open.” When she didn’t move he scowled. “Don’t worry, you’ll be safe. I’m off women for the duration.”

She just continued to stand there, hugging herself, her eyes wide, staring at the scar on his face.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” he told her. “A war souvenir. I might look frightening but I promise I won’t hurt you.”

“A-all right.” But still she didn’t move. Her eyes were filled with fear and he had the distinct feeling it wasn’t all caused by him.

 

SEAL of Her Dreams by Paige Tyler

“You’re seriously going out with a Navy guy?” From where she was leaning back on her hands on the flower-print comforter covering the bed, Melissa’s neighbor-slash-best-friend Veronica Cartwright eyed her dubiously. “I thought you had a strict no-sailor policy when it came to potential boyfriend material?”

“I do.” Melissa turned this way and that in front of the mirror mounted on the back of the door to the closet, checking out her reflection. She wanted to look nice for Kurt, but not so nice that he’d think she was interested in him. So while the little black dress hugged her curves, it didn’t show too much leg or too much cleavage, and the platform sandals didn’t scream, come and get me. “Though, to be honest, there’s absolutely no boyfriend potential here. I’m only going out with Kurt because he helped me out with my career day fiasco at school. I had twelve parents lined up for today and ten of them canceled at the last minute. If Kurt hadn’t stepped in and spent an hour playing with the kids, the entire event would have been a train wreck.”

Veronica shrugged her slim shoulders. “He sounds like a pretty good guy to me. Is there anything wrong with him other than the Navy thing? I mean, is he hideously ugly or something?”

Hideously ugly? Melissa’s lips curved. That would be a definite no. In fact, Kurt Travers was extremely attractive. Heck, she might go so far as to say he was gorgeous. There was even a part of her that was kind of psyched a guy this hot wanted to go out with her. But it was a small part, and she was smart enough to push those silly thoughts aside and forget about them. She came from a Navy family, and had seen firsthand what a woman had to deal with if she wanted to be involved with a man whose job required him to be away from home more than he was there. It had taken a toll on her mom and the family. Melissa had no desire to walk down that road again.

This date was a one-time thing. A thank-you for a man who’d helped her out of a tight spot. That was it—period, end of sentence.

Still, Kurt was freaking hot. There was no denying that. And when she’d stood close to him while they’d watched the kids run around the playground at recess, she couldn’t help but notice he smelled yummy, too. Then there was the obvious fact that the guy had a totally awesome body. Even the blue camouflage uniform he’d been wearing couldn’t hide that.

“Should I assume from the dreamy look on your face that Kurt isn’t ugly?” Veronica asked.

 

Their Runaway Bride by Vanessa Vale

 

“You will marry him.”

“I will not,” I replied.

My father stood, looming over me as I sat in one of the room’s very uncomfortable chairs. I looked at the floor, the carpet’s dark colors swirling as my eyes filled with tears. Taking a deep breath, I willed them away. My father had ruled my life, squeezed every bit of enjoyment from it until there was barely any left.

“I will not have Mr. Atherton thinking you are common. We are anything but.”

Yes, common. My father did not lower himself to be like everyone else. God forbid I stopped and petted a dog. A pedigree dog in first class. Thomas Geary did not stop to pet a dog. He did not stop to deign anyone with his miserable presence unless it was of value to him. Including me. I was just his daughter. I wasn’t a son—just a daughter who enjoyed petting dogs and helping the elderly woman on the stairs going to dinner. A daughter who refused to conform to his every wish.

“I am not common, Father. You’ve ensured that,” I countered. “But Mr. Atherton holds no appeal to me. I’ve told you that time and again.”

He walked over to me and I had to tilt my chin back to look at him. “He holds appeal to me and, more importantly, you hold appeal for him. Merging his railroad with my land holdings is crucial, Anne, and I will not have you ruining our arrangements.”

“So marriage to the man is part of the arrangement? What about love?”

Father laughed. “Love? This isn’t about love. This business venture, even this trip, it’s all about money.

Shame made my cheeks heat, for I believed in love wholeheartedly, while he did not. He’d married my mother because of an arrangement, and there had been no love between them. I didn’t remember her, but I could not imagine any woman loving my father. She was just someone to produce an heir for him, and she hadn’t even done that right. She’d made me, a female, then died giving birth to Father’s true heir. The baby boy had died as well.

He’d been stuck with me ever since. Why he hadn’t remarried and found another woman to breed, I had no idea.

I stood up and lifted my chin, met the same blue eyes as mine. I hoped that was the only thing we had in common. “I refuse.”

 

Owned by the Marine by Renee Rose

She was looking through his bedside drawer—the one where he kept the kinky shit. Like lube and butt plugs and…yeah. She picked up a hand paddle and spun it around. He ought to be ashamed of himself. Instead, seeing her curiosity sent a fresh surge of lust kicking through him.

“Shouldn’t you be in bed? Getting some rest?”

She jerked and looked up with guilty surprise on her face. “Uh…is this yours?” She spun the paddle around like she admired the feel of it—not like someone who was revolted.

“Yep.” He raised an eyebrow, doing his best to look stern. “Do you need a demonstration?” He toed the door open and folded his arms across his chest.

Her full berry lips parted, tongue darted out to moisten them. Her nipples tented the thin fabric of her shirt. “Yeah.”

Yeah?

He hadn’t expected that answer.

A flush had crept over her cheeks and her eyes looked dilated.

Oh God. He’d been thinking about spanking her ripe little ass since the day he first met her. But no…it was a terrible idea. She had no clue what she’d be getting herself into. He shook his head. “Sorry Dimples. I don’t think you have any idea what you’re saying.”

Her chin kicked up a notch. “Don’t be so sure, Marine.”

Was that a challenge? His cock liked her sass. Too much. He should definitely not be getting spanky with this girl right now. “Nope. You need to get your rest.” He raised his eyebrows and jerked his head toward the bed, doing his best attempt at daddy-dom, which he didn’t even know was in his repertoire.

She held the paddle out to him. Her hand shook. “I need a demonstration.” Her voice cracked.

“Kaitlyn.” He made his voice sympathetic. “The last thing you need is to get mixed up with this sort of thing after what happened to you tonight.”

She swallowed. “I want to forget. I need to feel something different. I mean…I think I might like it. Please?”

He’d like to say it was just out of sympathy that he responded to her pleading, but his cock surged and strained against his pants because the idea of dominating his sweet little neighbor heated his blood.

This was such a bad idea.

 

Under HIs Command (A Decadence LA novella) by Maddie Taylor

 

Her steps lagged and she came to a halt as she stared at Flynn leaning against her driver’s side door, tall and handsome with his arms crossed over his chest. Like Colt, he was obviously pissed—correction, fucking angry—if the clenched jaw and the twitching muscle were an accurate measure of his fury.

Cassie didn’t budge from her spot, not moving forward or back, even when he raised his hand and crooked a finger at her. She swallowed, hard.

“Don’t make me come and get you,” he warned in a steely voice.

Her heart leaped into her throat nearly choking her. She wanted to run away and hide, except she wasn’t twelve and couldn’t do that again. She took a tentative step forward. As she did, he stood up, waiting. She stopped again.

“Come here, Cassie. I won’t bite.” When she started moving again, he added, “A trip over my knee isn’t out of the question, however.”

Her eyes shot to his, but his expression was unreadable, a lethal calmness in his eyes. She’d almost prefer his anger. As she came to a stop in front of him, she launched into her practiced speech.

“I’m sorry for running out without an explanation. I was taken by surprise when unmasked. I hadn’t intended to stay. Regardless, I hope we can be professionals and put this incident behind us and go on as we were before.”

He stared at her silently for a moment. “Rehearsed that all weekend, I bet.”

She gasped, which made his lips twitch ever so slightly. “How did you know?”

“I’ve been a dominant for nearly twenty years, and have learned a few things about submissives along the way.” His fingers curled firmly around her upper arm as he walked her forward, away from her car.

“Where are we going?”

Her question went unanswered as he stopped in front of a black SUV and opened the door. “Get in.”

She tipped up her chin, biting her lip as she met his still indecipherable eyes. Curiously, she noticed they looked more steel blue, than gray today. “What are you thinking?”

“That we need to go someplace quiet and talk. When we’re done, you’ll have a decision to make. Either way, you are definitely going home with a red hot backside.”

 

About the Authors

Abbie Adams is an international bestselling author. She has always lived in a make-believe world, penning her fantasies for others to enjoy. Come live inside Abbie’s head if you dare.

 

Tabitha Black is an award-winning author of predominantly historical and BDSM erotica.

Having travelled extensively, she currently lives in Europe with her very own romantic hero inspiration – her sadistic Daddy-Dom – and a gorgeous, albeit indifferent, cat.

 

Bethany Burke is the Publisher and CEO of Blushing Books. She has been writing professionally since the mid 1980s.  In the early 1990s, bothered by the what she perceived as an increasing trend towards “politically correct romance,” Bethany began self-publishing her spicy romances and sending her xeroxed books out through snail mail.   With the dawn of the Internet in the late ’90s, Bethany was freed (at last!) from all those tiresome late night trips to the 24-hour Kinkos and from standing in line at the post office.  She launched her first website on a September day in 1998, went out for dinner, and came home to find that sixteen people had bought one of her books.  She never knew how they found her, but she’s never looked back.

 

Alexa Day writes erotica and erotic romance with heroines who are anything but innocent and fictional worlds where strong, smart women discover excitement, adventure, and exceptional sex. A former bartender, one-time newspaper reporter, and recovering attorney, she likes her stories with just a touch of the inappropriate, and her literary mission is to stimulate the intellect and libido of her readers.

 

Sierra Cartwright is a USA Today and #1 international best-selling author. Novels that the UK Daily Mail Online calls, “Even racier than Fifty Shades!” are available on a bookshelf near you.

 

Livia Grant lives in Chicago with her husband and two sons… one a teenager, the other a furry rescue dog named Max. Livia started writing when she felt like she finally had the life experience to write a riveting story that she hopes her readers won’t be able to put down. Livia’s fans appreciate her deep character driven plots, often rooted in an ensemble cast where the friendships are as important as the romance… well, almost.

 

Alta Hensley is a USA TODAY bestselling erotic romance author who has had #1 top-selling books in BDSM, erotic science fiction, humor, and historical. She writes the naughty… and then the cure for it.

 

Desiree Holt – Known the world over as the oldest living author of erotic romance, and referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, Desiree Holt

is three times a finalist for an EPIC E-Book Award (and a winner in 2014), a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, winner of the first 5 Heart Sweetheart of the Year Award at The Romance Studio as well as twice a CAPA Award winner for best BDSM book of the year, and winner of the Holt Medallion for Excellence in Romance Literature.

 

Yasmine Hyde is the alter ego of Yvette Hines. Since I was sixteen and started reading romance, I found myself pulling out a tablet at the end of a book and writing an additional sex scene. Now, years later, Yasmine allows me and my muse SHE to step out of the box again in another direction. As a USA Today Bestseller I’m ready for the next road my writing will take me. So, naughty ones, take the journey with me…I dare you. If you enjoy Yvette Hines give Yasmine a try.

 

Selena Kitt is a NEW YORK TIMES bestselling and award-winning author of erotic and romance fiction. She is one of the highest selling erotic writers in the business with over a million books sold! Her books EcoErotica (2009), The Real Mother Goose (2010) and Heidi and the Kaiser (2011) were all Epic Award Finalists. Her only gay male romance, Second Chance, won the Epic Award in Erotica in 2011. Her story, Connections, was one of the runners-up for the 2006 Rauxa Prize, given annually to an erotic short story of “exceptional literary quality.”

 

Isabella Kole is an international bestselling author who writes soft erotic romance with a dash of discipline.

 

Sue Lyndon is a USA Today bestselling author of naughty romance. Her books have hit #1 in multiple categories on Amazon, including BDSM erotica and Sci-Fi Erotica.

 

Cerise Noble is the author of the top selling Brackish Bay series, the Women of Markin series, and several standalone books, including Bianka’s Baby, a Golden Flogger Award Nominee in the Menage category. **

 

Kate Richards is the author of over forty well-reviewed books and loves traveling the US and Canada to meet readers.She is known for her sexy, entertaining stories in all genres of romance.

 

Renee Rose is a USA Today Bestselling Author who writes BDSM and spanking romance novels. Named Eroticon USA’s Next Top Erotic Author in 2013, she has also won reader’s pick awards from The Romance Reviews and Spanking Romance Reviews and hit #1 on Amazon in numerous categories.

 

Maggie Ryan is a #1 international bestselling and award winning author.

 

Lee Savino is a bestselling author who lives in a world of her own imagination, full of cowboys, werewolves and hot military men. She plans on spending the rest of her life with them, writing sexy, sexy romance.

 

Maren Smith – Fortunate enough to have married my Dominant, I am a wife, administrator at two local BDSM dungeons, and submissive to the love of my life. I have penned more than 120 novels, novellas and short stories, and am the author of the Masters of the Castle series, of which Kaylee’s Keeper reached #1 on all Amazon.

 

Maddie Taylor is a #1 Bestselling Western and Erotic Romance author. In this story, she  takes us back to LA as she continues her bestselling and very popular Club Decadence series with Under His Command.  

 

Paige Tyler is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, romantic suspense and paranormal romance. Paige graduated with a degree in education, but decided to pursue her passion and write books about hunky alpha males and the kickbutt heroines who fall in love with them.

Vanessa Vale savors the insanity of raising two boys, is figuring out how many meals she can make with a pressure cooker, and teaches a pretty mean karate class when she’s not writing, .She considers herself to be remarkably normal, exceedingly introverted and fairly vanilla, which does not explain her steamy stories and her fascination with cowboys, preferably more than one at a time.

 

Loving the Nobleman…New Series

Remington's RulesIsabella Kole has a new series out with Blushing Books, her first Regency, Loving the Nobleman. Book One released in April and in the first week ranked #2 in Erotic Historicals and #1 in Hot New Releases on Amazon. Remington’s Rules is a great introduction into the love story of Charles, the future Duke of Remington, and Emily, the red-haired, spitfire chambermaid he has known since the day she was born. Emily’s Emergence follows in June and Duchess’s Desire in August. 

Available at Blushing Books, Amazon and Barnes and Noble, here are the buy links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Remingtons-Rules-Loving-Nobleman-Book-ebook/dp/B01E64ONTE

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/remingtons-rules-isabella-kole/1123656873?ean=2940157837891

Blushing Books: http://www.blushingbooks.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=3799

Now, let me share the blurb and an excerpt from Remington’s Rules with you.

BLURB

Emily Crawley has lived in Remington House her entire life. Her parents have been in service to the Duke of Remington and his family for years, and now that Emily is of age, she has joined the staff, as well.

When the Marquess of Remington, the duke’s eldest son, Charles, returns after his years at school, Emily realizes her heart has always belonged to the handsome Lord. But, alas, he is to be wed to the rude and condescending Lady Caroline, a marriage that was arranged years ago.

Charles seems to enjoy bantering with Emily, though, and even turns her over his knees a few times for minor infractions. But when he refuses to go through with the arranged marriage and his younger brother steps in as the groom, will Emily have her chance? Or will the fact that she is a commoner keep them apart? A passion exists between the two that cannot be denied, but will it be enough if Charles is forced to relinquish his title to his brother in order to marry his Emily.

If that wasn’t enough to whet your appetite, how about an excerpt?

Emily Crawley hurriedly swiped the cloth over the wardrobe. She was behind in her duties, due to the fact she’d spent the past ten minutes literally swooning over the pictures of Charles, Lord of Remington, that were displayed around his bedchamber. Pictures of the young marquess at Oxford, playing sports and accepting awards, adorned the walls of the chamber proudly. Lord Remington, next in line to be the Duke of Remington was a handsome lad, indeed. Of course, he could no longer be referred to as a lad, by any means, but having grown up in the house with him, Emily still remembered him as the rambunctious boy who had spent many a day teasing her and her sister when they were children.

Ah, the days when she was a carefree child with no duties to speak of. Emily’s parents had been in service at Remington House for as long as Emily could remember. She and her older sister, Amelia, had lived there with their parents all their lives, in the quarters provided for them behind the kitchen. Their mum was the cook and their dear father provided services to the Duke himself, as his valet. In an era when most of the more affluent families employed a male chef from France in their homes, the Remington family was quite happy with Mrs. Crawley and the meals she prepared for them and their guests. Amelia and Emily were free to enjoy their childhood until they reached the age of sixteen, at which time they joined their parents in service to the Remingtons. Mrs. Crawley also supervised the housekeeping staff, which consisted of her own two daughters and several other young women.

Charles, on the other hand, had gone away, first to Eton and later to Oxford, in order to receive an education befitting his title. His younger brother, Henry, followed suit just a few years later. But now, Charles had come home. His father, the duke, was ailing, and since Charles was the heir, his place was by his father’s side. Emily had caught a glimpse of him a few times since his return and was pleased to see what a handsome man he’d become. She was sure there were young ladies of stature just waiting for their chance to become his duchess, one in particular, if the rumors she had heard were true.

Emily had turned eighteen on her last birthday. Her sister, Amelia, was twenty and was very much in love with one of the young men who worked in the stables. The two of them planned to marry and remain in service with the Remington family. Emily, however, had always dreamed of something more. She knew the chances of her ever leaving Remington House were remote, at best, but she still had hope that she would meet the perfect young man, and he would take her away from a life of service.

“Ye are still here,” the booming voice brought Emily out of her thoughts and made her jump.

She turned and smiled shyly at Charles. “I must apologize, milord. I shall return to finish my duties.”

Charles Remington brushed a wayward lock of his dark brown hair from his forehead with his hand. “Stay, Emily. I shall only be but a moment. I forgot important papers for my appointment.”

“Yes, milord,” she replied, unused to addressing her childhood friend as such.

Charles turned to her and grinned. “Come now, Ems, it’s me, Charles. Must ye be so formal?”

“I believe so, milord.”

“If I wasn’t in shortage of time, I should turn you across my knee. First, for pretending we did not grow up in this very house together and secondly, for dawdling in your duties. But, alas, duty calls, and I must go. Carry on, Miss Crawley.” And he was gone, ending the conversation on an equally formal note.

Emily sighed. What it would be like to be turned over Lord Remington’s knee? And such fine knees, at that. Charles had grown into a robust, well-muscled man. From his unruly dark hair to his broad shoulders and muscular thighs and calves, all quite visible beneath his tight breeches, he was a sight that took the breath away. She remembered a time when they were teens, and she had picked flowers from the garden. Charles had unceremoniously turned her over his knee and administered a few slaps to her young bottom. She had been stunned, yet not entirely appalled by the action. He had been home on summer break. That was the last summer before she began her housekeeping duties. Although he was older than her, Charles had always made time for his young friend, Emily, whenever he came home.

Shaking her head to rid her mind of such dangerous thoughts, Emily returned to her work. If her duties were not completed by the time he returned, he might very well follow through with his threat.

By mid-afternoon, she was finished with her duties and went into the kitchen, where her mum was working.

“My dear, ye must be famished. I have some soup on the stove. Sit, child.”

“I worked through lunchtime,” Emily explained. “I was running behind and lost track of the time. I’m sorry, Mama.”

“No harm done, child. Her Grace would not be happy to know ye went without yer lunch. A fine lady, she is.”

Emily sat at the table in the massive kitchen and enjoyed the hot soup. “Where is Amelia?” she asked.

“Your sister has gone to the market. Her Grace asked that she accompany her to the shops, and while she is there, Amelia will pick up some things for the kitchen.”

“The duke’s wife asked Amelia to accompany her?” Emily asked in surprise.

Her mum smiled. “Yes, my dear. I’m sure she will invite ye one day. I’ve always admired the way the lady of the house treats her staff. She was asking me just this morning about Amelia’s marriage plans.”

“How is the duke today? Is he feeling any better?” she asked.

“The doctor stopped in and I saw His Grace in the library earlier. I delivered a tray with tea and cakes.”

“He is such a kindly man. I hope he feels better.”

“Kindly, yes, but not the type of man you should wish to cross. I believe Lord Charles will fill his father’s shoes nicely, when the time comes.”

Emily finished her soup in silence. When Charles became the Duke of Remington, he would require a duchess. Why did that thought suggest a void in the pit of her stomach?

When she finished her late lunch, Emily washed her bowl and spoon and asked her mum if she needed assistance with the supper preparations.

“No, child, ye have done your day’s work. Go and enjoy the sunshine while ye can. Winter is nearly upon us.”

She grabbed her cloak from her room and went out the staff entrance to walk in the beautiful gardens. Smiling at one of the other members of the staff as she hurried down the walk, she looked up to the sky. It was sunny, but the air was chilly. Her mum was right. Winter would be upon them soon. She walked briskly to the gardens and found her favorite bench. She sat down and took a rest, enjoying the beauty that surrounded her.

“Ah, I have caught ye dawdling again,” a deep voice said with a chuckle.

“I shall have ye know, milord, that my work for the day is done.” She turned and smiled sweetly at Charles, who was standing close by.

“A cheeky attitude to add to the list of offences, I see,” he replied as he sat down next to her on the bench.

Ignoring his remark, she said, “I presume your appointment went well.”

“It did at that.”

“Mama said yer father was up, in the library, today. That’s good news.”

“Ah, yes, he is beginning to get his strength back. I fear winter shall be hard for him.”

“He is lucky he has his eldest son to fill in for him.”

Charles sighed. “That may well be, but I am not ready to fill his shoes, I am afraid. I sincerely hope this illness to be short-lived.”

“The duke is still a young man. I am certain it shall not deter him.”

“If I could but share in yer faith that be true,” he replied. “My mother, the duchess, assures me my father will be around for quite some time to come. I sincerely hope both of ye are right.”

“My sister accompanied your mother into town this afternoon. I should go see if she has returned.”

“I have heard rumblings about a marriage between yer sister, the beautiful Amelia, and Thomas, one of our grooms. Is there truth to the rumor?” he asked.

“Ah, yes, ’tis true,” she answered as she stood up and prepared to leave.

“And what about the fair Emily, do ye have a beau?” he asked as he stood. He towered a full foot above her in height.

She craned her neck to look up at him. “Not as yet,” she replied simply. “I simply must be getting back. It’s been a pleasure visiting with you, milord.”

“Charles,” he reminded her.

“I do not think that to be proper, given the circumstances, milord. We are no longer children. I am in service to the House of Remington, and ye are the heir apparent. Things have changed.”

He reached out and touched her cheek lightly. “Ye will always be my little Emily, the carefree little girl I spent my summers with, climbing trees and running around the grounds.”

“Ah, but good memories, ’tis all, milord,” she said. She turned and ran quickly back to the house, away from the man who had set her heart to racing with one simple touch to her cheek. Her face flamed as she thought of his hand upon her face.

She walked into the kitchen and saw that her sister had returned. As she walked to her quarters to hang her cloak, Amelia said, “Where have ye been, sister? Ye look flushed. Are ye coming down with something?”

“I am fine, ’tis a bit chilly. I had a brisk walk in the cool air, ’tis all.”

“Well, I am glad of that. Come; see what Her Grace purchased for my wedding.”

“Her Grace bought something for yer wedding?” Emily asked in surprise.

“Why, yes, silly,” her sister said. “She always helps the staff when there is a wedding afoot. I have heard the lady of the house loves weddings and anything romantic.”

Emily joined her mum and her sister at the table to admire the lovely lace fabric. “‘Tis for my wedding gown,” Amelia explained.

“Mama, are you going to make the gown?” Emily asked.

“Yes, child, I shall make the gown, as I shall make yers when the time comes.”

Emily ran her slender fingers over the delicate fabric. “‘Tis truly beautiful,” she remarked wistfully.

“There is white satin for under the lace,” Amelia explained. “Her Grace was most insistent upon the fabric she chose.”

“We are most fortunate to be in the employ of the Remington family,” her mum said. “The duke and duchess are truly appreciative of their staff.”

Her two young daughters shook their head in agreement.

“Now, ’tis time for supper to be served. Put this away, Amelia. After I have served the family, we shall meet with the rest of the staff for our evening meal.”

Amelia carefully wrapped the fine fabric and retreated to the room she shared with Emily. Emily stayed behind to assist her mum in serving supper to the family. She carried steaming bowls of vegetables to the great dining room while her mum followed with a platter of succulent meat.

As she placed a bowl of food on the table, she caught the eye of Lord Remington. He winked at her, which she promptly ignored. Why did he insist on teasing her so?

When the family had been served, the Crawley women joined the rest of the staff in their own dining room and enjoyed a pleasant supper. The evening meal was a time of reflection upon the day’s work among the staff, along with discussion about the goings on in their private lives. Tonight’s discussion centered upon the upcoming nuptials of Amelia and Thomas, much to Amelia’s obvious delight.

“Have ye set a date for the ceremony?” one of the maids asked.

“We shall do that very soon,” Thomas replied as he cast a smile in the direction of his blushing bride-to-be.

“With the holidays fast approaching, a Christmas wedding would be so romantic,” one of the other maids added.

“Oh, that is too soon. I don’t think we can be ready,” Amelia said.

“‘Tis true, that would be soon. Perhaps a spring wedding?” Emily asked.

“Will ye be getting married here, at Remington House?” another asked.

The conversation continued throughout the meal. Emily excused herself to clear the table in the family dining room and to deliver their dessert. “Sit, Mama, I’ll take care of it. I’m sure you want to take part in the wedding planning.”

Glad to be away from the constant talk of her sister’s upcoming marriage, Emily set about with her task. It wasn’t that she wasn’t happy for Amelia, she was. It was just that she, too, dreamed of becoming a bride. The problem with that was that she hadn’t yet found anyone worthy to be her groom. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. There was one man who had been invading her dreams for years, but he was the man she would never be allowed to share her life with. The man who was sitting in the dining room winking at her at that very moment, the same man who had threatened to turn her over his knee, the one who had joined her in the garden earlier, yes, Charles, Lord of Remington, the next Duke of Remington, was the only man who had ever excited young Emily Crawley.

But, alas, it was not to be. They may have spent their childhood frolicking about the grounds of his family home, but now they were adults, with adult responsibilities. Men like Charles didn’t marry girls like Emily. It was unheard of. The future duke would be expected to marry a lady of nobility. The daughter of the cook and the duke’s valet would certainly not fit in that category. The sooner she forgot her childhood dreams, the better off she would be.

After serving dessert to the family, she carried the remainder to the staff dining room for the others to enjoy. She excused herself and began the task of cleaning up. One of the other maids joined her, and soon, the kitchen was again spotless, ready for her mum to begin another day of cooking the next morning. Emily said goodnight and retired to her room, where Amelia soon joined her.

“No evening walk with Thomas tonight?” she asked when her sister entered the room.

“No, he had to return to the stables. One of the mares is about to give birth.”

“So, how are the plans coming along? Did ye come up with anything tonight?”

“I know that the Remingtons open their home for staff weddings, but Thomas will have to ask the duke for permission. I guess we shan’t make official plans until that task is done.”

“Are ye scared?” Emily asked.

“Scared to ask the duke?” her sister asked in reply.

“No, silly, scared to get married.”

“I am a bit nervous about the wedding night, if truth be told. But not scared about becoming a wife to Thomas. I love him, and I think he will be a fine husband.”

“Have ye not ever wanted something more? Something outside of Remington House?” Emily asked.

“Ah, ye are such a dreamer, little sister. I suppose, at times, I have wondered about a life away from here. But, the Remington family is one of the finest in the nobility to be employed by. They are fair and kind. I have found my love here, so I believe it is my destiny to remain here.”

“Yes, we are fortunate. I just cannot help but think of a life different from this, though.”

“I doubt ye will have a prince or a duke to rescue ye from a life of service. ‘Tis not the way of the land. ‘Twould be a scandal for sure.”

“But…what if…”

“Only in yer dreams, little sister, only in yer dreams. Now, I suggest we get some sleep. Good night, Emily.”

“Good night, Amelia.”

That night, Emily’s dreams took her to a place far away. She was a lady of nobility, dressed in the finest gown, dancing with a handsome man. His face was not clear to her in the dream, but when his hand gently caressed her face, she knew. She knew the touch of his hand as well as the touch of her own. Her heart was beating rapidly when, in the dream, the man leaned his head down to touch her lips with his.

She awoke, soaked with sweat, flushed from the thoughts her dream had planted in her head. Someday…her dream would come true. She just knew it. There was no other acceptable outcome for her life. Nothing else would do, nothing else at all.

And there you have it! Watch soon for the blurb and an excerpt from Emily’s Emergence, Book Two in Isabella Kole’s hot, new regency series, Loving the Nobleman.

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Bethany Leigh…Brand Spanking New Author to Watch Out For

Bethany Leigh has just released her first two works with Blushing Books! Betrothed, a novella prequel and the follow-up, Freedom. I’m going to tell you a little about both of these  today. Great stories, both set in a compelling alternate Edwardian universe. You’ll giggle, gasp and smile as you read them, just like I did!

Betrothed

 

 Betrothed

Lady Cassandra has been warned that ‘the betrothal is the hardest thing a woman goes through’ – but it’s not until she’s caught attending a forbidden rally that she discovers the painful truth behind those words.

Blurb:

Lady Cassandra is betrothed to the man she loves – but she doesn’t think it right that he will inherit her family’s estate one day. So, with two friends, she attends a Freedom for Women League rally. Lady Margia and the Freedom for Women League are fighting for the right of women to vote, own property, and not be subject to the discipline of their menfolk.

The campaign could change Lady Cassandra’s future – but when she gets caught attending the rally, it makes her present life a lot less comfortable…

Set in the same alternate Edwardian universe as Freedom.

Purchase Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Betrothed-Bethany-Leigh-ebook/dp/B018Z0TRYQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449447017&sr=8-1&keywords=bethany+leigh

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Betrothed-Bethany-Leigh-ebook/dp/B018Z0TRYQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1449447119&sr=8-2&keywords=bethany+leigh

Excerpt:

Now that we were betrothed, Edmund too had the right to punish me physically; though he still needed to obtain permission from Father, who would punish me, too. That was why Mama had warned me about the betrothal. “Even though once you’re married, your husband can bare your bottom to spank you, at least you’ll know while he’s disciplining you that there isn’t a second punishment to come,” she’d told me. “Instead, what usually comes after a marital spanking is infinitely more delicious. As you’ll find out at the Bedding Ceremony.”

I’d had a horror of the Bedding Ceremony since I was a child and attended a wedding on the other side of town. After the Wedding Ceremony, everyone had gathered at the married couple’s new home for the Wedding Feast. Before the feast was served, the groom had carried the bride over the threshold and up to their bed chamber. There had been silence in the great hall while everyone listened to the thwacks and squeals coming from upstairs. Presently, the groom had appeared on the gallery, brandishing the paddle he’d been given by the bride’s father in one hand, and a blood-stained sheet in the other. All the adults had clapped and cheered and stomped. Horrified, I’d asked Mama if the bride had been spanked until she bled; Mama had laughed, hushed me and whispered no, of course not; a good, loving husband would spank his wife hard if she displeased him, but he would never really hurt her. Later, in my bed chamber, she explained about the blood.

It still mystified me how Mama could say a husband would “never really hurt” his wife. The spankings and canings I received from Father always hurt, and they were over skirts – and I’d often heard Mama yelling and crying when Father paddled her. Yet, at every Bedding Ceremony I’d attended, the bride always looked radiant when she came down to the Feast, even if she did have to sit on a cushion.

Freedom

Freedom

 

Politics and passion collide in Edwardian England when women’s rights activist Lady Margia encounters the handsome and traditional Sir Cormac Adair.

Blurb:

Lady Margia and her Freedom for Women League are scandalising the country – demanding the right to vote, own property, and not to be spanked by their menfolk. Lady Margia is determined that her campaign will succeed – whatever the cost. But how can she reconcile her beliefs with the attraction she feels towards the traditional Sir Cormac Adair?

Meanwhile, Lady Isobelle sees Lady Margia’s campaign as her chance to inherit her family estate, and, along with her maid Edie, breaks household rules and attends a local rally.

Join Lady Margia, Lady Isobelle and Edie in an alternate Edwardian universe as they hit the campaign trail, encountering intrigue, romance, spankings and surprises along the way.

Purchase Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Bethany-Leigh-ebook/dp/B018ZGS250/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1449447017&sr=8-4&keywords=bethany+leigh

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Freedom-Bethany-Leigh-ebook/dp/B018ZGS250/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1449447119&sr=8-4&keywords=bethany+leigh

Excerpt:

He joined them by the fire when Lady Drusilla had poured tea. “I understand your rally was broken up, Lady Margia,” he said.

Lady Margia nodded. “Yes, but I’d almost finished my speech, so it didn’t matter. As long as the message went out.”

Sir Cormac reached for a scone. “That’s all right for you to say, surely?”

Lady Margia sighed. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re one of the few women at that rally who’ll be sitting comfortably right now. I find your campaign very irresponsible, Lady Margia. You spare no thought for those women currently regretting their defiance, or for the men who really have better things to do than have to constantly police their womenfolk’s behaviour and administer punishment.”

“Then they should stick to those better things to do,” said Lady Margia, “and let women make their own decisions about their own lives.”

About the Author:

Bethany Leigh is a newbie erotic romance writer published by Blushing Books. Her first novella, Freedom, is set in a kinky alternate Edwardian era, and her second, At Dead at Night, is a murder mystery set in present-day England. Her short story anthology, A Cure for All Ills and Other Stories, will also be published by Blushing Books, and includes contemporary, historical and time-travel stories set in Australia, England and the Czech Republic.

She enjoys writing (and reading!) about strong-willed heroines crossing swords with alpha heroes.

Author links:

http://bethanyleighromance.blogspot.com.au/

Twitter: @writerbethany1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bethany-Leigh-108399886191157/

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Bethany-Leigh/e/B018Z9NLSK/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1449447482&sr=8-1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Marshal and the Heiress

The Marshal and the Heiress_500x755Welcome back! Today I’ve got a new release from my spicy side, Isabella Kole, to tell you about. A little back story about this one is that a few months ago, my daughter suggested I write about a murder set in the 1800’s and add a little of Isabella’s spice to it. My reaction, of course, was “Are you nuts?” Yeah, well, she can be very persuasive and long story short, the story was written, submitted, accepted and released. So far, it’s done very well, ranking in the top ten for Erotic Westerns on Amazon in both the US and the UK. It’s also currently in the top fifteen on the publisher’s website, Blushing Books. I guess I should listen to her more often. In case you haven’t one-clicked on this hot new release yet, here’s the blurb to let you know what it’s about.

BLURB Marshal Luke Prescott has searched for his young bride’s murderer for five long years, to no avail. When feisty heiress, Clarissa Birmingham, breezes into his town, he finds himself drawn to her, exasperating as she may be. Headstrong and impetuous, the young beauty quickly learns her she will heed Luke’s warnings or she will pay the price. But when Clarissa’s long-lost older brother is arrested after a drunken brawl, it is revealed he knows who murdered Luke’s wife. Clarissa finds out that her impetuous ways lead her into a danger she may never recover from. Will Luke be able to save her before he loses another love?

Piqued your interest? How about a little excerpt to go with that? Luke and Clarissa’s first dinner together after just meeting: EXCERPT:

“So tell me, Marshall Prescott, what does one do for entertainment around here?” Clarissa asked as she placed two sugar cubes into her hot tea and began to stir. “I’m sure you’ll find the local church to be of some assistance there. The ladies get together to make quilts, have socials and dinners.” “I see. Are there dances?” she asked as she took a sip of the hot, sweet liquid. “I reckon there are the occasional barn dances.” “You don’t seem to know much about what goes on in the social circles here.” “I’ve only been here a few months myself, ma’am. I’ve been busy working. I’m sure once you begin your teaching assignment you’ll be busy, as well.” “I won’t be teaching all the time. I’ll have my evenings and my weekends free. I don’t intend to sit in my room.” “No, I don’t imagine you will. You’ll not find the theatre or any of the social events you’re likely accustomed to in these parts.” “I’ll have to make do, now won’t I, Marshall?” After their supper arrived, he advised her again to seek out the local church for her social activities. “Sounds a bit dull to me,” she said as she cut her steak into tiny pieces. “You chose this life. I reckon if it’s not to your liking, we can look for another teacher for the town’s children.” “I’m not a quitter, Marshall Prescott. I’ve said I’ll do it and I’ll see it through. I’ll just have to find my own fun.” “Now, you listen to me, young lady. I assured your father that you would be protected here. If you start going to unsavory establishments looking for a good time, you and I are going to have to have a meeting of the minds.” “Now, that’s the best offer I’ve had since I arrived,” she said with a coy smile as she turned her attention to the food on her plate.

Now, I’ll bet you’d like to know where to buy this book, don’t you? Well, I’ll help you out and list the buy links for you. It’s currently available in ebook form and paperback.

BLUSHING BOOKS: http://www.blushingbooks.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=3293

BARNES & NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-marshal-and-the-heiress-isabella-kole/1121655134?ean=2940151290609

AMAZON EBOOK: http://www.amazon.com/Marshal-Heiress-Isabella-Kole-ebook/dp/B00VH4TNJ2/ref=sr_1_3_twi_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1429479039&sr=8-3&keywords=ISABELLA+KOLE

AMAZON PAPERBACK: http://www.amazon.com/The-Marshal-Heiress-Isabella-Kole/dp/1627507728/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1429479039&sr=8-3

I hope you’ll enjoy Isabella’s latest endeavor. Soon there will be another coming out…  

The Seduction Of E.J.

The-Seduction-of-EJ-Final-1950Hi and welcome back! I’ve been busy the past few weeks. I was in Houston for the Mashup a few weeks ago and had a great time meeting some other authors and a lot of awesome readers!

Since returning home, I’ve been hard at work writing the long-awaited second book in The Promises Trilogy, A  Cowboy’s Promise. I’ll tell you a little more about that as it progresses but right now I’m going to fill you in on Isabella’s  newest book, coming from Blushing Books on September 30!                                               

This will be Isabella’s third book. As many of you know, Isabella Kole is my spicier side. She was created on a dare and I thought there would only be one book. Well, I was wrong. After Accepting His Terms was so well received, there was a second, a sequel called Submitting To Bryan. After that one, the readers still wanted more from the same characters but I’d already begun writing The Seduction Of E.J. There will be a conclusion to the Lincoln sisters’ stories, however. I’m thinking of titling it The Dangerous Dom…

I’ve also been asked to write a paranormal…hmm…set in a Scottish castle…my readers are not shy. That may develop too at some point in time, you never know.

But for now, let me fill you in on the soon-to-be-released, The Seduction Of E.J.

Blurb:

E.J. Haney is running from a promiscuous past. Involved with the wrong guy, when she makes the decision to make a new life for herself, she goes to the extreme. Hiding behind the facade of a prim and proper small town schoolmarm image, she vows never to love again.

Jacob Ransing is hot, sexy and divorced. He’s also the new guy in town, moving to E.J.’s town as the new principal. Despite all her reservations, E.J.can’t help but fall for his looks, charm and personality. But there is one problem, her belief she’ll never be good enough for the sexy man with the reddish-brown hair.

Jacob decides a firm hand is the only way to turn her around and it’s working until the past rears its ugly head. Can the new lovers move on to find the love that was meant to be or will the past come between them?

Interested yet? How about a little sneak preview?????

Excerpt:

Erica Jo Haney sat behind the desk in her classroom grading the day’s papers handed in by her fourth grade students at Lincoln Elementary. She pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ears, finally giving up and removing the clip holding her long brunette locks into a tight coil at the base of her neck. As she pulled the loose strands back to place them into the clip, there was a knock on her door.

“Come on in,” she said as she hurriedly finished her hair and looked up to see who had entered the room.

“Honestly, E.J., when are you going to drop the spinster schoolmarm look? Your hair is beautiful and you should wear it down,” fellow teacher and friend, Michelle Marks said as she sat down at one of the desks.

“I am not out to impress anyone with my looks. If I want to make my way as an elementary teacher, I need to look the part,” Erica retorted.

“This is not the sixties, get with it,” Michelle replied wearily.

“So did you stop by to harass me or is there a reason for this visit?” she asked as she looked at the stack of papers waiting to be graded.

“I won’t keep you; I just wanted to remind you of the game Friday night. You and I are working the ticket booth. All teachers have to take a turn,” Michelle said with a grin.

“I’ll be glad to have my turn over with early in the year. The pre-season warm up game is as good a time as any. Friday night ballgames aren’t my idea of relaxation after a long week of school and fourth graders.”

“When are you going to get a life?” her friend asked in an exasperated tone.

“I had a life, not a great one, but a life before I decided to change my ways and do something constructive with my life. You know that. You’re the only person in this town I’ve confided to about my past.”

“But you gave it up, got your degree and moved here to start a new life. That doesn’t mean you have to become an old maid. You should be getting out, dating, and meeting nice men.”

“Do nice men really exist?”

“Sweetie, you got a raw deal. But that’s in the past. Don’t you think it’s finally time to move on? What happened in Chicago with Dane shouldn’t define the rest of your life.”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to move on, to be honest with you. Dane hurt me. The fact that he was never going to change, made me realize I’m not worthy of a good man’s love. If I wasn’t enough for him, how could I be enough for a decent guy? I’ll always be the girl who just isn’t quite up to par.”

Shaking her head, Michelle added, “I heard the new principal from the junior high will be working with us at the game. I’ve also heard he’s pretty hot.”

“I still haven’t figured out why someone like him would leave a city like Chicago to settle in a small town like this.”

“You should talk! Isn’t that exactly what you did?”

“I doubt his reasons are the same as mine,” E.J. answered with a grimace.

“You’d be surprised how many people have skeletons in their closets, my friend. I’ll let you get back to your papers. Don’t stay here all night. You can grade papers at home, you know.”

“Yes, I know, and I’ll be leaving soon. See you tomorrow.”

When Michelle had gone, Erica turned back to her work. Finally giving up, she stuffed the stacks of papers into her brief case and locked her classroom. On the half hour drive home to her small apartment, thoughts of the life she’d left behind came flooding back. A life in a city far away, with a man she had thought she loved, who hadn’t loved her in return. The lifestyle they’d led would have shocked her friends and family. The parties, the cheating, and the job she had held as a dancer in a club would have made many of her new acquaintances blush. How had it happened? She had met Dane in school. She was floundering with her classes, trying to decide on a major when the best looking thing she’d ever seen had entered her life. They’d met at a party, of course. He was fun and full of energy and ideas. He knew all the right people, had all the right connections for the fun life. She had quit school and moved in with him within a month. It soon became apparent it wasn’t in the cards for it to be a monogamous relationship. The first time she’d caught him cheating, she’d been devastated. But as time went on, she learned that if you can’t beat them, join them. And that’s exactly what she did. They continued to live together, continued to be lovers, but it was an open relationship. She took a job dancing in a club to make ends meet. Dane was an artist, a free spirit. He was talented but they needed income to carry them through his lean times. So he painted, she danced, they lived together and partied often. She took numerous lovers in an attempt to make Dane feel the hurt she felt each time he had cheated on her. But he didn’t care. He was okay with an open relationship. He may have loved her in his own way, but it would never be the type of relationship Erica craved. One day he had come home and announced to her that he had been offered an art show in New York by a big name gallery. It was the opportunity of a lifetime and one he couldn’t afford to pass up. He asked her to accompany him. When she had asked him point blank if he was asking her to go with him as his wife or as his roommate, she got the answer she expected. He saw no reason to change things. The relationship worked for him and there was no reason to change what wasn’t broken. It was in that moment she had made a life-altering decision. She didn’t want to continue the lifestyle she had been living with Dane. She knew he would never change, but she could if she set her mind to it. So she had said goodbye to Dane, and watched silently as he packed his belongings and moved to New York. He was out of her life for good, and it was time for her to make a new life as well. The pain in knowing she didn’t mean as much to him as he had meant to her would remain with her for a very long time. The things she’d done in an attempt to win his love now made her feel ashamed. She was the classic good girl gone bad for the love of a man who didn’t deserve her. Picking herself up and dusting herself off, Erica returned to school, earned her teaching degree and sought a job in a small town close to home. She wanted a fresh start in a place where no one knew about her partying days with Dane. The fourth grade position had opened up unexpectedly in the small town of Lincoln, and she applied for and got the job. She was now in her third year there and during those three years she had not dated, had not partied, nor had she mingled with anyone but Michelle. She and Michelle had become good friends almost immediately. The other girl was always trying to get her to go out, but Erica, or E.J. as she was known around school, was adamant about keeping a low profile. She wanted nothing to do with the kind of life she had fallen into in her youth. She was now a responsible adult and she had to maintain a reputation. So she wore her glasses instead of her contact lenses, kept her long, thick hair rolled into a clip at the nape of her neck and she dressed very conservatively. Anyone who met her would think she had always been a mousy type and that was just the way she wanted it. As for Dane, she never heard from him, but knew from the news that he had made it big in the art world and was now married, living in New York City. Had he changed? She doubted it, but if he had, she was happy for him.

When she arrived at the tiny apartment she had rented when she’d moved to town, she wearily made her way to the door, unlocked it and went inside. Kicking off her shoes as she walked down the hallway to the bedroom she threw her purse and briefcase on the bed. Changing into a pair of flannel pajama pants and a t-shirt, she went to the kitchen to warm up the leftover meat loaf from the night before, threw a baked potato in the microwave and tossed a small salad. After dinner, she did the dishes and went back to her papers. Working until midnight to finish grading them, she finally fell into bed, exhausted, and fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

The next morning the alarm clock next to her bed blared in her ear much too soon. Thank goodness the week was almost over. It was Thursday. She opened the blinds, pulled back the frilly, feminine Priscilla curtains at her window and looked outside. The sun was shining but being late fall she knew it was deceiving, so she pulled a crisp, white blouse, blue sweater and black skirt out of her closet before hopping into a hot shower. She stepped out of the stall a few minutes later, briskly toweled herself dry and threw on her clothes hastily. Applying minimal makeup and pulling her hair into the usual clip, she grabbed her coat, purse and briefcase and ran out to the car. She would eat donuts and drink coffee in the teacher’s lounge when she got to school. The teachers at Lincoln Elementary took turns bringing in donuts and the first one to arrive always made a fresh pot of coffee to start their day. She loved all of her co-workers. They had made her feel very welcome and her three years at the school had been extremely rewarding. Her fellow teachers thought she was a bit odd in the fact she kept to herself outside of school but they respected that. She was well-liked and would be welcome at any gathering should she change her mind and decide to attend at any time.

She was greeted with smiles as she entered the lounge.

“Hi, E.J.,” the fifth grade teacher said as she sat sipping her coffee.

“Good morning,” E.J. replied. She sat down after pouring her own coffee and added, “Ready to start the day?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be. We’re testing today, so it should be fairly quiet, how about you?”

“I’ll be handing back the tests my kids took yesterday. I got them all graded last night.”

“That’ll be my night tonight, I’m afraid. Oh well, at least I’ll have it done before the weekend and I can play. Are you going to the big game tomorrow night?”

“I have to work the ticket booth, so I’ll be there,” she replied.

“The pre-season game is a big deal around here so you’ll be busy.”

“Great,” she groaned as she looked at the clock on the wall. Standing up, she said, “I’d better get going. Have a good day.”

“You too, maybe I’ll see you at lunch.”

As she walked down the hall to her office, she saw an unfamiliar face talking to the principal. The man was tall, with reddish-brown hair and he was dressed impeccably. He smiled at her as she walked by and spoke to her in greeting. Putting her head down, she mumbled a response and hurried to her classroom. When she was seated behind her desk, she let out a long, deep breath. That man was the hottest looking guy she’d seen in the whole three years she’d been at Lincoln. Who was he? What was he doing here? And more importantly, why did she care? Get a grip, Erica Jo, she told herself sternly. Her new life didn’t include looking at strange men and thinking they were hot. That was all in the past and that was where it had to stay. Didn’t it?

She made it through the morning, forcing thoughts of the strange man out of her head. Visions of him popped up occasionally but she made them disappear almost as soon as they appeared. She had to stay strong. No falling back into the old lifestyle now. She’d worked too hard to mess things up now. She was no longer a promiscuous twenty-something. She was nearly thirty and a respected member of the community and that’s how it had to be.

She went to the teacher’s lounge at lunchtime and ate the ham and cheese sandwich she’d packed while chatting with some of the other teachers. No one mentioned the man who’d been in the hallway that morning so she didn’t either. Either they hadn’t seen him or they knew who he was and thought nothing of it. She could have asked about him, but that would be out of character for her so she remained quiet and listened to the others talk about their weekend plans.

When the day was over, she hurried home. She planned to have an early evening since she’d been up late the night before and she’d be at the game the next night. It sounded like she would be putting in a full night’s work selling tickets. She relaxed in bed with her kindle, finished the book she’d started the weekend before and turned out the light. As she slept, the man with the reddish-brown hair invaded her dreams. They were together, strolling in the moonlight. When they stopped, he’d turned to her and kissed her gently. A feeling washed over her she’d never experienced before. It was a feeling of contentment and wonder. It was as if it were the most natural thing in the world for the man she’d seen earlier in the day to lean over and kiss her lips ever so gently. No one had ever kissed her gently before. It was a new and enlightening experience, and it seemed so real that when she awoke in the middle of the night, she had to look around to make sure she wasn’t outside in the moonlight. But she was alone, in her bed, in the dark. Yes, alone, in her bed, in the dark, just as she was every night these days. The reality of that hit home for the first time. She’d thought that was what she wanted after sharing a bed with so many different men during the dark time she was with Dane in the city. She thought she wanted to be forever alone. But now, after the dream, she wasn’t so sure that was what she wanted after all.

On Friday, she was more quiet than usual. She told her class to take some time to study and do their assignment with the promise of no homework for the weekend if they behaved. While they were doing that, she let her mind wander again since she couldn’t concentrate on any work. Did she really want to spend the rest of her life alone? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if she could find the one man who was her soul mate? Did he even exist or was he a figment of her imagination? Surely not all men were like Dane? Shaking her head, she chastised herself for even letting her thoughts go there. Never again, she had told herself. Never would she ever let a man drag her down the way Dane had. She had loved him in the beginning, or thought she had. But his kind of life was not what true love was supposed to be about. It worked for some couples, she knew that, but not for her. She had fallen for the wrong guy and now she was too afraid to try again. Her interest in the strange man was a fluke. She really could care less who he was. So he was good-looking. Looks weren’t everything. Dane had been hot and handsome too and he had known it. She really had no desire to get mixed up with another hot guy who thought he was God’s gift to women. By the time she went home to get ready for the game, all thoughts of the hot guy with the reddish-brown hair were banished from her mind. Or so she thought.

I hope that’s piqued your interest somewhat. Look for The Seduction Of E.J. on September 30 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the Blushing Books website.