Yet another exciting release this week

This one from fellow Intl Heat member, Bianca D’arc:

Tales of the Were: Grif
Redstone Clan #1

Griffon Redstone is the eldest of five brothers and the leader of one of the most influential shifter Clans in North America. He seeks solace in the mountains, away from the horrific events of the past months, for both himself and his young sister. The deaths of their older sister and mother have hit them both very hard.

Lindsey Tate is human, but very aware of the werewolf Pack that lives near her grandfather’s old cabin. She’s come to right a wrong her grandfather committed against the Pack and salvage what’s left of her family’s honor – if the wolves will let her. Mostly, they seem intent on running her out of town on a rail.

But the golden haired stranger, Grif, comes to her rescue more than once. He stands up for her against the wolf Pack and then helps her fix the old generator at the cabin, making it habitable for her while she completes her task. He’s friendly and all too attractive, but she has a job to do, regardless of the cost to herself or her budding relationship with the local handyman.

When she performs the ceremony she expects will end in her death, the shifter deity has other ideas and turns the tables on them all. Grif’s dual nature is revealed and Lindsey learns there is much more going on than she thought.

Thrown together by fate, neither of them can deny the deep and true attraction between them. They come together, but in the end will an old enemy rip them apart?

Warning: Cats are frisky and they get up to all sorts of naughtiness, including a frenzy-induced multi-partner situation that might be a little intense for some readers. You have been warned.

Buy Now from: Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Smashwords

Come over to The D’Arc Side… www.biancadarc.com

—————–

I know you’re gonna have a great weekend catching up on books.

Jess

Awesome new releases this week

It’s been a great week for International Heat authors.

Not only did More Than Friends release yesterday, but Mari Carr has a new release today, and Lila Dubois has a new book out too:

Screaming Orgasm By Mari Carr

Cocktales, Book Four

Jayne Kent has watched her best friends and business partners fall in love while romance continues to pass her by. When Books and Brew regular Elias Clark offers her a Screaming Orgasm, she wishes it was the sexual variety rather than a lousy drink. She’s been lusting after Elias forever and suspects he could bring all her naughty, kinky fantasies to life.
Elias has resisted his attraction to Jayne for years, assuming his dominance in the bedroom would send sweet, romantic Jayne running for the hills. Or would it? Alone in a snowstorm, Elias tests the waters and is blown away by Jayne’s innate submissiveness and eagerness to stretch her boundaries. Ice play? Bondage? Flogging? Bring it on.
Soon it’s no longer a question of whether or not Elias should pursue Jayne, even if she’s not sure she’s brave enough to submit to him forever. She’s made for him, and this determined alpha male will stop at nothing until he’s claimed her—completely.

A Romantica®  BDSM erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave
Excerpt:

“Come here, Jayne.”
She obeyed without thought. There was something about the tone in his voice that left her weak at the knees. She claimed the comfortable chair next to his.
“I want to ask you a question.”
“Okay,” she said.
“You placed a bid on me at the bachelor auction last summer.”
She flushed. She’d hoped he hadn’t noticed that temporary moment of insanity on her part. She had raised her hand early in the bidding, knowing full well she’d never be able to win. The bids had gone high and raised a great deal of money for the community center Sophie had been hell-bent on saving from closure. She’d told herself she was driving up the price for a good cause, but that wasn’t true. She laughed uneasily. “Just trying to do my part to raise money for charity.”
“You didn’t bid on anyone else.”
She bit her lip. Why did he have to be so observant? And why was he bringing it up now? The auction had taken place last June. It was December. Six months of silence. “I guess I got carried away, caught up in the spirit of the event.”
Elias frowned but didn’t reply right away. Most of the time she found his quiet nature soothing, as it matched her own. Neither of them was overly chatty, and they found true peace and contentment in the still moments. How many nights had she joined him in this chair to discuss a new book they’d both enjoyed or to simply read next to him?
Unfortunately, this silence was unnerving. Anxiety provoked her to fill it. “I meant to ask you about your date with the winner, but it never came up. How did it go?” She hadn’t asked because her previously unrecognized jealous streak didn’t want to know.
“We went to dinner and a movie. Given the less than stimulating conversation over our meal, I’d say it was a good choice. We weren’t forced to make small talk during the movie. Afterward, I took her to her house, said good night at her front door and went home alone.”
She forced her face to remain impassive, tried to hide the smile his words provoked. The date had been a bust. She released a foolish sigh of relief. “Oh. I’m sorry it didn’t go well.”
Her grin gave her away. Laugh lines appeared around Elias’ eyes. “I can see you’re really upset by it.”
She didn’t reply. Instead she looked toward the quiet street. The snow was becoming heavier, muting the sounds from the street. It felt as if she and Elias were the only two people left in the city.
“The date would have been different if you had won the bid.”
Elias’ voice cut through the silence. Her gaze drifted back to his face. “It would have?”
He nodded.
“No dinner and movie for me?” She tried to make her question sound lighthearted, but her curiosity was too strong. She’d wondered for years what a date with Elias would entail. He had fascinated, enthralled and ensnared her since the first night he’d walked through the door of Books and Brew. For nearly three years, she’d waited for his arrival at the store with an impatience that grew stronger with each consecutive visit.
“Would you like to know how our night would have gone?”
Jayne nodded, swallowing heavily. The air around them suddenly seemed thicker, more humid. She found it difficult to capture a deep breath, her lungs seizing before oxygen could penetrate.
Elias leaned back in the chair, his legs crossed at the ankles. He was the picture of relaxation. As he began his description, Jayne felt the strange certainty that he’d considered this date as much as she had. The idea was heady, comforting.
“I would have cooked dinner for you at my home.”
She flipped her hair away from her face, the action a nervous habit she’d tried to break for years. “I’ve never seen your house.”
“I live on the outskirts of town, not far from here. It’s a two-story set in the middle of about an acre of land. It’s fairly private. I like that.”
She didn’t respond. Didn’t need to. Everything about Elias told her he enjoyed a solitary existence.
“You like Chinese food, so I would have made you my world famous stir-fry.”
“World famous?” she teased.
His eyes twinkled. “How are you with chopsticks?”
She shrugged. “I hold my own, I suppose.”
“Doesn’t matter. I would have fed you.”
She didn’t anticipate the response his simple proclamation would have on her. She squeezed her legs together when a tingle grew in her pussy. She tried to ignore it. “I’m perfectly capable of feeding myself.”
His eyes narrowed. “It’s not a question of ability, Jayne. Rather, it’s a matter of desires. I want to feed you.”
The word desire coming from Elias’ lips fired far too many lustful images in her mind. Jayne hoped the darkness of the room hid her blushing. “What about after dinner?”
Elias didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he studied her face intently. “Are you sure you want to know? The answer may disturb you a bit.”
Jayne struggled to respond. Disturb her? She doubted there was anything Elias could do or say that would bother her. “Tell me,” she whispered.
Elias sat up slowly. “Come here.”
She was confused. They were already sitting next to each other, no more than a few feet separating them. “I’m here.”
He patted his lap, his meaning becoming clear.
He wanted her to sit on his lap? She blinked rapidly. Had she understood that correctly?
“Come here, Jayne. I don’t like to repeat myself.”
His words, his tone, sealed her fate. Her resistance melted away. Standing, she took the two steps required then paused again, trying to determine how to proceed.
“Open your legs and straddle my thighs. I want to have this conversation face-to-face. The seat of the chair is wide enough to accommodate the position. It’s one of the reasons I always sit here. It fires the imagination.”
He’d chosen his usual spot because of this? This position? This fantasy? She straddled his lap, easing her knees down to rest outside his upper thighs. Her chest was nearly touching his, their faces so close she could smell the scent of Scotch on his breath.
Elias grasped her ass and pulled her closer, until her pussy touched the obvious erection beneath his dress slacks. She gasped for air, finding none.
“Breathe slower.” He imitated the concept, sucking in a deep breath. She mimicked the inhalations, matching her pace to his until it came easier.
He touched her cheek with one finger. “That’s better.”
“What’s going on?” she muttered, more to herself than to Elias.
His finger drifted to her lower lip, his gaze seemingly mesmerized by the spot. “You know.”
It was a simple assertion. And true. She did know. They’d circled around each other, this moment, for years. “Why now?”
His eyes lifted to capture hers. “It’s time. The excuses have run dry.”
Screaming Orgasm is available at Ellora’s Cave, Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

—————————

The Fire and The Earth by Lila Dubois

He can protect her from anything, living or dead. Except from himself.

Glenncailty Castle, Book 2

Sean Donovan knows all too well the horrors of Glenncailty Castle. Ten years ago, after a young woman’s death, he boarded the place up himself—and almost lost his own life doing it.

It would be easy to avoid Glenncailty, if it weren’t for the woman who now runs it as a hotel. Something about the angel-faced redhead calls to him—and calls him to protect her from the darkness seething in the castle walls.

Sorcha has gotten used to calming rattled guests who claim to have met a spirit from the castle’s tragic past. But two years after Sean’s attempt to convince her to leave melted down into an unforgettable kiss, she realizes she needs his help.

The ghosts of the castle are restless, and growing more so. When one of the staff is attacked, Sorcha turns to Sean, not knowing the kind of danger she’s put him in. Working together blows the lid off desire long denied, but laying the ghosts of Glenncailty to rest means facing her own past. If she doesn’t, the ghosts might tear Sean apart from the inside out, and that would mean never knowing what could have been…

Product Warnings: Unpronounceable Irish names, a hero who knows the power of love, a stubborn heroine and more than a few ghosts.

Purchase Links for The Fire And The Earth:

You can buy your copy at Amazon, Samhain, Barnes & Noble or Kobo

————–

Wishing you a week filled with happy reading,

Jess

More Than Friends is now available

I’m thrilled to announce that More Than Friends, the first book in a brand new series, More Than… is now available for download.

(Insert mad happy dancing here)

More Than Friends: The Blurb

He was her best friend…until he became her fantasy.

A More Than story.

Lucy Lawson’s got it bad. Bad as in stunned speechless by the situation she’s in, by the feelings sitting on her chest, ready to explode. She’s in love…with her best friend.

Problem is, telling Sebastian Blackford could destroy the best thing in her life, but the longer she keeps her feelings under wraps, the stronger the need to spill her secret.

The last thing Seb suspects is that his best mate is madly, wildly in love with him, or that he’s the star of her seriously dirty fantasies. Worse, he’s just started seeing someone he’d like to see again–and Lucy knows it.

So why does her confession hit him like a runaway train? And why can’t he get her explicit description of her fantasies out of his mind? They’ve never been more than friends, but now that he knows how Lucy feels, everything is out of whack.

Seb figures it’s up to him to get their relationship back on track. He’ll do it too, just as soon as he establishes which track is the right one.

Warning: After reading this, you may just be tempted to jump your best friend. It’s recommended you keep your partner on speed dial or a toy with fresh batteries on standby.

————–

More Than Friends: An Excerpt

He pulled away and looked upward, beyond the ripped shirt, beyond the shredded lace bra and up to her face. The stream of tears trickling down her cheeks hit him like a blow to the gut.

His Loo, still trembling from the violence of her orgasm, stood slumped against the wall, crying. Her free hand—the one that wasn’t linked through his—covered her eyes, and her head drooped forward, brown curls cascading over her shoulders.

Seb bolted to his feet. Disentangling his hand from hers, he cupped her chin and cheeks between his palms and urged her to face him.

She refused.

“Look at me.” He was pressed close to her lower body, his clothed erection now nestled against her bare belly, and the knowledge nearly sent him over the edge.

As it was, he burned for release, burned with the impulse to come. He needed only to free his junk, pump himself once or twice and he’d blow like a crazed man.

But he fought back that primal drive. His orgasm was irrelevant compared to the woman sobbing against him.

Seb placed a thumb under her chin and forced her face up. Brown irises shimmered behind her tears, and as another drop escaped, he brushed it away. Her sobs wrenched his gut.

“Tears?” The word was a question. Just one word, because Seb’s heart had stuck in his throat, making speech difficult. Watching her cry tore him clean apart.

Her response was just as verbose as his, only a lot shakier. “Why?”

“Why?”

“W-why did you do that?”

“That?” Jesus, his head wasn’t working properly. His brain was still absorbed by the taste of her pussy, the feel of her cunt, the throbbing in his cock.

“This,” she corrected, her voice thready, her chest heaving. “Me. Naked. My clothes ripped. My… You…” She shook her head and closed her eyes, squeezing out more tears.

“You, my what, Loo?”

“You made me come.” She gulped in air. “Tore my shirt, my bra. Got me naked, and made me come. W-why?”

Seb blinked, the fog finally beginning to clear from his head. Why indeed?

“Why?” she asked again.

“I couldn’t not.” That was the best answer he had. The most honest one. “I followed you in here because I was scared you’d refuse to see me again if I didn’t. I wanted to be here, to talk to you, be with you, get us back on track. But then you showed me the bath, and you said you’d fucked yourself in it, and suddenly it was the only thing I could think of, the only thing I could see. You, naked and masturbating. Fuck, I needed to see it again, for real. Wanted to see it so bad it wiped rational thought from my mind.”

He’d acted on instinct. Experienced an impulse and followed through on it, without stopping to consider what he was doing or why. He’d wanted and he’d taken. Had Lucy not begun to cry, he’d have continued taking, continued licking her until he’d wrenched another orgasm from her tasty cunt. Maybe another two. Or three. The way he’d felt as he’d knelt before her, lost in his feeding frenzy, he wasn’t sure two or three more would have been enough.

He wasn’t sure a hundred orgasms would have satisfied him. He’d have been content to keep going until the only thing stopping him was sheer exhaustion—on Lucy’s part.

“The thought of you touching yourself was the sexiest thing I’d ever imagined. Made me hard as a fucking pole. But watching you do it? Seeing you with your hand on your pussy? Geez, imagination has nothing on you. Nothing.”

She swallowed, the muscles in her neck working against his forearm. “H-how did it make you feel?”

He grinned then and rocked against her, rubbing his erection against her bare belly. “You can’t tell?”

A shudder passed through her, but she shook her head and pressed her hand to his chest, right above his heart. “No, I mean, how did it make you feel in here?”

At that question, he faltered.

How did it make him feel emotionally? Hell, he didn’t have a clue. Hadn’t stopped to think about it. He hadn’t stopped to think about anything apart from how much he wanted her and how determined he was to have her. Physically, he felt fan-fucking-tastic.

Emotionally?

_______________

Purchase Links for More Than Friends:

You can buy your copy at Amazon, Samhain, Barnes & Noble or Kobo.

More Than Lovers, book 2 in the series releases on the 17th of September

&

More Than Words, book 3, releases on the 12th of November.

Happy reading,

Jess

A brand new “Misplaced” book releases

This just in from Mari Carr:

It’s here! It’s here! The third book in the Foreign Affairs series with Lexxie Couper, Misplaced Lessons is out today!!! Lexxie and I have had a blast working on these stories. Don’t tell the other books, but…I think Misplaced Lessons might be my favorite of the bunch. It’s fun and sexy and romantic and silly. Amy, the heroine, made me smile. I’m not sure I’ve enjoyed writing a heroine quite this much since Riley in Saturday Night Special. I hope you’ll give the book a read and, if you’re just hopping into the game, Misplaced Princess and Misplaced Cowboy are available now. Buy links can be found here.

Misplaced Lessons

Foreign Affairs, Book Three

A forced-sex fantasy is one thing—waking to find a scruffy man binding you to a bed is quite another. Amy fights him, until she realizes her friend must have set up the sexy scenario. They’ve swapped lives, with Harper flying to Australia and lending her Chicago home to Amy. While she’s surprised Harper would go to such lengths to help her fulfill a fantasy, Amy figures…why not?

After days of nonstop travel, Andrew arrives at the home he shares with his sister, Harper, with sleep on his mind—until he finds a naked intruder in his bed. Subduing the beauty, he assumes she’s the blind date his pal had tried to set him up with. But would Mike actually sneak the woman into Andrew’s house? Seems so. And he’s not one to turn down such a gift.

By the time each has learned the other’s identity, Amy and Andrew have shared the most intense sexual experience of their lives. And they certainly don’t want to stop now.

Inside Scoop: This sexy life-swapping tale includes BDSM with a side of ménage.

Excerpt:
“I’m not going to hurt you.” His words sounded ridiculous even to himself. He’d gagged her and was now straddling her naked body, holding her legs to the mattress with his own after tying her to the bed. Regardless of who she was or why she was there, she’d be insane not to be afraid of his intentions.
She twisted her head, trying to dislodge the shirt from her mouth.
“If I take it out, do you promise not to scream?”
She blinked rapidly then nodded her assent.
He pulled the material away, ready to replace it if she broke her vow.
“Untie me.”
“No.” Andrew reached up to touch his tender cheek, his fingers finding the raised welts she’d put there with her long nails. “Who are you?”
Her breathing was labored, coming in hard pants after their fight. Even so, her gaze hardened and he knew she wouldn’t talk.
Something inside him cracked. He’d been traveling for days, stealing only a couple hours sleep here and there. This woman had broken into his house. She had some nerve acting like he was the villain. By God, he’d make her talk.
“I’ll give you one more chance to answer my question. Tell me who you are or you won’t like the consequences.”
She stilled beneath him, her intelligent gaze sizing him up. He should climb off the bed and call the cops. If he was in his right mind, that’s exactly what he’d do. Having her arrested would certainly be the kinder response. As it was, he wasn’t in the mood to be merciful.
Instead of answering, she threw his question back at him. “Who are you?”
“None of your business. Give me your name. Now.”
She bit her lip nervously. “I’m Amy.”
Amy? Mike’s Amy?
Andrew leaned back on his haunches, his mind whirling. Had Mike set this up? Past experience had obviously convinced his friend he’d never consent to a blind date. But would Mike actually go so far as to throw this woman into his bed?
Andrew knew the answer. It was more than possible. It was actually quite probable. Mike had the extra key to the house. He knew Harper was away and Andrew was back in town.
Andrew recalled a lifetime of little surprises his best friend had tossed his way. The high-class call girl who’d shown up at his door on his twenty-fifth birthday. The so-called conference that had really turned out to be an impromptu weekend trip to Vegas, complete with nonstop gambling and a private show with five of the hottest strippers Andrew had ever seen. Or this past year when Mike had managed to score tickets to the Super Bowl, but told Andrew they were headed to Indianapolis for his cousin’s bachelor party. He’d let Andrew bitch for three hours in the car about missing the big game, only letting him in on the surprise when they’d reached the entrance to the stadium.
Mike was the master of the unexpected, so it wasn’t farfetched that his friend would go to this extreme in a hookup. It would also explain his friend’s easy capitulation when he refused to go on a date with the woman earlier. Mike didn’t push the issue because he knew Amy was already here.
He grinned as his annoyance lifted. Amy was beautiful and feisty, with a hot accent. Australian, if he wasn’t mistaken, though he’d need to hear her say more before he could be sure. His best friend knew he was a sucker for a girl with an accent. For the second time in one night, it looked like Mike was going to be able to say, “I told you so.”
And since Mike had gone to so much trouble, far be it from Andrew to look a gift horse in the mouth.

———————

Misplaced Lessons is available at Ellora’s Cave, Amazon and is coming soon from Barnes and Noble.

Mari Carr
www.maricarr.com
New York Times Bestselling Author

Mari Carr’s Fix You releases today

Fix You is OUT TODAY! This is the first book in Mari Carr’s new Second Chances series.

What if love can’t heal all wounds?

Second Chances, Book 1

After too many years of secretly loving her best friend, Zoey realizes she’s been shortchanging herself. It’s time to take action. This New Year’s Eve heralds the year she’s going to tell Rob the truth. Even if he is on the road, reaching for musical stardom with his band.

Her plan is derailed when she discovers a lump in her breast—and it’s not “nothing to worry about”. How can she ask Rob to take a chance on love when her future is so uncertain?

Rob has spent his entire life chasing his dream, but the moment he hears Zoey’s voice on the phone, he realizes he’s been running the wrong race. Zoey never sounds like she’s been crying. Ever. Without a second thought, he books a flight for home, determined to give her everything she needs. A shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold…and nights of intensely emotional, passionate sex.

His biggest challenge, though, is convincing his best friend that he’s in it for the long haul. Because he finally knows what he wants, and it’s not fame and fortune. It’s her—and her love.

Warning: This book runs the emotional gamut between scorching-hot passion and the pain and fear associated with cancer. Keep a box of tissues next to your glass of ice water.

Excerpt:

Rob stared down at Zoey’s face as she slept. Her eyes were still puffy from last night’s tears. Neither of them had moved from the couch. Instead, he’d lain down next to her and held her as she silently wept. Pinpricks attacked the arm he’d wrapped around her, his hand numb from lying in the same position for so long. He didn’t bother to move. It felt too good holding her like this.

Some truths were crashing down on him. He’d been an ass, living his life like he had all the time in the world. Their time on this planet was far from infinite, and yet he’d squandered years of it, working on his career, focusing solely on making it big.

For what? Fame? Money? Why the hell did he need that shit?

He’d always taken it for granted that Zoey would be here for him. How the fuck was he supposed to go on without her? The moment she’d told him about the cancer, the light had gone on.

I’m in love with her. Christ. I’ve been in love with her since the first day I laid eyes on her.

Zoey stirred. Rob’s heart began to race as her eyes opened slowly. He wasn’t wasting a second more. He couldn’t. He just couldn’t.

She was disoriented for a moment before she lifted her gaze and smiled.

With his free hand, he stroked her face softly. “Zoey.” Her name fell from his lips on a hushed whisper, his chest constricting under the weight of every emotion under the sun—love, fear, happiness, panic, a raging case of nervousness.

What if she didn’t feel the same way?

“Yeah?”

He took a deep breath. Fear wasn’t going to hold him back another second longer. “I’m going to break my promise.”

“What promise?”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he bent his head and kissed her. Time froze as their lips met. Rob was transported back to that day in the park, to the truth that should have been obvious all those years ago. He’d been a blind, inexperienced boy back then, but now…his eyes were wide open.

It was her. Zoey. For him, it had always been her.

The kiss was a gentle touch at first, but when Zoey’s lips softened and accepted his, he deepened it. Her small hand cupped his cheek, exploring his face hesitantly before growing bolder, stroking it.

The smell of cinnamon enveloped them, her candle still burning from the night before. He knew in his heart that from now on, that scent would always make him think of her. Of this moment.

His heart lodged in his throat when he realized the magnitude of what was happening, of what he wanted to happen next. He was kissing his best friend. And she was kissing him back.

Encouraged, he opened his mouth, stroking his tongue against hers. The kiss grew harder, hungrier. For several minutes—hell, it could have been hours for all Rob knew—they simply kissed, learning each other’s taste, texture. Her skin was soft beneath his fingers as he caressed her delicate cheek. Her breathing grew heavier, the heat of it warm against his skin.

When he finally moved away, she was there, looking at him, studying his face. Hers was the picture of confusion, wariness…and desire. He latched onto the last like a dying man clinging to life. She wanted him.

“Still weird?” He needed the joke, needed to get his bearings. His emotions were too raw, too new, too close to the surface.

She shook her head slowly. “No. Not even close.”

“Good. I’ve been practicing.”

She laughed uneasily. “You’re insane. What the hell prompted that?”

He knew her. Knew she’d try to twist this into something innocent, funny. He wouldn’t let her. He ran his hand through her dark hair, overwhelmed by the need to touch her. “Just figured it was past time. You mind if we talk about this after?”

“After what?”

He let his body answer the question. Turning so they lay face to face on the couch, he placed his lips back on hers. He didn’t want to push her. After all, she’d just received life-altering, horrible news. He’d keep things easy, let her set the pace.

She didn’t resist his kisses. Her hand traveled along his shoulders and down his arm before landing on his chest. Her lips pressed against his harder. Then she moved away, an infinitesimal distance.

“Touch me,” she whispered, her hand fisting in the cotton of his shirt.

He didn’t need to be told twice. His hands roamed along her sides, drifted beneath her T-shirt.

She shivered when he caressed the bare skin of her waist. He stoked her arousal, kissing her harder as he explored every bit of bare flesh he could reach beneath her shirt. He forced air into his lungs, fought to keep his hands steady as he touched her.

The slight tremor in his hands seemed to distract her. She was the first to pull back. “Robbie, are you sure—?”

“After,” he repeated. He gripped her hip, dragging her closer. There was no way she could misconstrue how far he’d go if she was willing. His cock was hard, ready.

She bit her lip and he could sense she was struggling to make a decision. He wouldn’t force her into anything she wasn’t ready for. Hell, he’d be perfectly content to spend the next dozen years or so simply kissing her. Making up for so many wasted years. “Zoey—”

She shook her head and closed her eyes, but not before he read the hungry need there. Then she lifted one leg and wrapped it around his thigh. She thrust closer. It was an outright invitation. “After,” she whispered, her voice steadier than he expected.

———————–

Fix You is available at:

Samhain,

Amazon &

Barnes & Noble

Happy reading.

Jess

Red Hot Weekend Releases In Print

Yep,  it’s here. The print version of the ebook anthology, Red Hot Weekend, featuring novellas by Lexxie Couper, Delilah Devlin and myself:

Three stories. One weekend. Hundreds of fantasies to fulfill.

Dare Me by Lexxie Couper
Nothing prepared Emily for the Aussie who strode into her alternative cancer clinic and dared her to cure him. Eight months later, Rob is out of danger…and Emily’s in too deep.
Rob never thought he’d survive, much less fall for his oncologist. The problem? Her Hippocratic Oath hangs between them.

Hidden Fire by Jess Dee
Jenna is all set to spend the weekend wallowing in misery. Instead she’s tied to a chair, knee to knee with the man who broke her heart.
With one chance to show his partner in captivity that his love is real, Garreth methodically, wickedly, sets out to dismantle her defenses. One dirty word at a time.

Lone Heart by Delilah Devlin
Lone Wyatt is in no rush to find his one-and-only, until he spots Charli Kudrow. One look into her haunted eyes, and he’s ready to tear through every objection she can think up.
One killer smile from the cowboy, and Charli feels something she hasn’t felt in a long time—a spark of attraction. Thinking she’ll never see him again, she succumbs to temptation, only to discover that spark is a raging wildfire.

Product Warnings: Contains scorching passion, shattering desire, heartbreaking angst, Aussie sarcasm, no-holds-barred demands, and enough sexin’ up to knock you heart over bootheels.

Red Hot Weekend is available now from Samhain Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Happy reading.

Jess

Now Available: “The One That Got Away”

It’s here.

My short, sweet (okay, maybe not so sweet) story from Musa Publishing: The One That Got Away.

This little book releases as part of Musa’s Finally Ever After line.

The One That Got Away: The Blurb

Sometimes its impossible to know whether he was the one who got away or the one you’re definitely better off without…until he comes back into your life.

Lily Kember never dreamed a causal introduction to a friend’s friend would change her life, but three days after meeting Kai Jettison, she’s fallen deeply and irrevocably in love.

Kai falls just as hard, yet minutes after telling her as much he has no choice but to rip her heart to shreds, leaving whatever has blossomed between them lying in tatters on the ground.

It’s been five months since that fateful day. Five months of no contact. Now Kai is attending the same end of year bash as Lily, and bumping into him seems unavoidable. Lily’s choices are limited: either steel her emotions against Kai or risk losing her heart to him all over again.

The One That Got Away: A (short) Excerpt:

Lily was on her feet before she realized she’d moved. “Keep hoping, Kai. You smooth-talked your way into my heart and my life once before, then ripped them both to pieces when you finally found the guts to be honest. Do not think, even for a second, that I might give you a chance to do it again.”

She turned and walked away with as much dignity as she could muster, taking one cautious step after another, ensuring she didn’t trip over her own heels. She smoothed her dress down as she walked, aware of its less-than-chaste length. One sharp gust of wind and Kai and everyone else at the party would be treated to a view of her lace underwear.

Before Lily made it to the door leading back inside, Kai grabbed her hand and tugged it hard enough that Lily stumbled. Kai caught her against him, pulling her close, holding her upright. Without giving her a choice, he took several steps backward, leading them into a darkened spot in the garden. From there Lily could hear the music, but the only part of the house she could see was solid wall.

His arms wrapped around her, clasping her against his muscled abdomen, trapping her. Her nose was buried in the groove between his shoulder and neck, so when she breathed, his unique, spicy scent inundated her senses.

Claustrophobia and desire slammed into her in equal measures. A desperate need to escape, to free herself from his steely embrace and breathe fresh air warred with the ache to rub herself against him, press her breasts firmly into the wall of his chest and nip at the salty skin beneath her lips.

He surrounded her. She could see nothing but his shoulder, smell nothing but his spicy scent and feel nothing but his strength.

Awareness didn’t just slither through her veins. It hit her with the force of a hurricane, blowing away her rationality, vanquishing her logic. All she knew was Kai, his aroma, his body and her devastating need to get closer.

She struggled against him, using her fists to pound his arms and squirming her hips to break free, but all he did was tighten his hold and pull her nearer.

“Let me go.” She tried to yell, but her voice came out muffled. “Damn it, Kai, take your hands off me.” He had no right to touch her. No right to trap her like this. He’d had his chance five months ago, and he’d blown it.

“No. Not yet.”

____________________

You can get your copy of The One That Got Away for the bargain price of $0.99.

It’s available now at Musa Publishing and at Amazon.

The book will soon be available from Barnes and Noble, but if you can’t wait til then, you can buy it in .ePub format direct from Musa.

Jess

A Touch Of Confidence releases today

Several long months ago, I opened my emails to find a jolly exciting post from Jayne Rylon and Lorelei James. They were keen to write a follow-up series to the Three’s Company/Menage and More Anthology. This time though, instead of focusing on a menage relationship, they thought it would be good to focus on a M/F romance. And just like that, Two To Tango was born.

But once we’d agreed to write the anthology, I was faced with a question: What do I write about?

I would have loved to create a sequel to A Question Of Trust (my story from the Three’s Company antho), but that would have been difficult…seeing as I’d already done that – and called the book A Question Of Love. So I explored other avenues, seeking another way to connect the books. I revisited the characters from A Question Of Trust, with a particular interest in the heroine, Maddie Jones.

Why Maddie? Two reasons:

1) She owns a children’s bookstore.
2) She runs that bookstore with her two sisters, Claire and Julia.

And it was in Claire that I found the answer to my question. I could write her story and use the bookstore as the setting.  A Touch Of Confidence was born.

Yep, Maddie makes an appearance in A Touch Of Confidence, but it’s a brief appearance, as the book revolves around Claire and her developing relationship with her gorgeous giant of a hero, Jack Wilson.

A Touch Of Confidence: The Blurb

He kissed the girl and he liked it. Now to convince her it could be love…

A Two to Tango story

When a coveted retail space opens up in Rose Bay, Claire Jones and her sisters waste no time grabbing the perfect spot to relocate their expanding children’s bookshop. But when Claire arrives to sign on the dotted line, she discovers someone else got there first.

Worse, the new tenant is shaking hands with a man who is definitely not the elderly Jack Wilson with whom she made a verbal agreement three days ago. This Jack Wilson is a tall, hunky giant—and no amount of righteous indignation can mask her body’s bone-deep sexual response.

Jack never planned to take over the family company; he’s a teacher, not a businessman. But with his grandfather in the hospital, he’s taken up the reins—and steered straight into trouble. Now he’s faced with a serious mistake, and a beautiful, Amazon warrior of a woman who’s demanding satisfaction.

He’d love to give it to her, but his idea of satisfaction has nothing to do with business, and everything to do with getting the curvy goddess naked. The sooner the better…

Product Warnings: If you’ve never made love to a man who quotes Shakespeare during sex…be warned. You’re gonna want to after reading this book.

A Touch Of Confidence is available now at Samhain Publishing and Amazon.

It’ll also be available at Barnes And Noble any time now. (Please be patient. A glitch in the system has resulted in the entire antholgoy vanishing from the store. But I promise to let you know the second they’re back up again.)

The book releases alongside Lorelei’s Ballroom Blitz and Jayne’s Where There’s Smoke.

Hope you enjoy all three books.

Jess

Afternoon Rhapsody – Chapter One (part two)

Bandicoot Cove: The Wedding released on Tuesday, and to celebrate, Lexxie Couper, Sami Lee and I have posted the first chapters of our stories on the Down Under Diva blog, and on our own blogs.

We’ve each shared the first half of our first chapters on the Diva blog, and placed the rest of our chapters on our own blog. So, for your reading pleasure, please find below the conclusion of Afternoon Rhapsody’s Chapter One:

Brody hadn’t released her hand. Instead he stared at it as though he’d never seen a hand before. Or maybe he was staring at the white band of flesh around her ring finger. She knew she stared at it a lot. Perhaps to the point of obsession. Not long ago a simple gold ring had covered it, but she’d removed that when the divorce papers arrived. No point wearing it anymore, now was there?

“I am,” he answered eventually. “Well, kind of. I came for a wedding. So I guess you could say I’m here with lots of people.”

“Well, isn’t that a coincidence? I’m here for a wedding too.”

“Bianca…Rogers? Would I be right in assuming you’re here for Mack and Aidan’s wedding?”

She grinned at him. “You would indeed. Savvy mind you have there. Aidan’s my brother. You here for the same wedding?”

He grinned back, and the sheer warmth in his smile heated her blood. It had been a long time since a smile had affected her like that. “I am.”

“On the bride or groom’s side?”

“The groom. Although I know the bride too. We all go back a long time.”

It was her turn to look at him speculatively. “So you know the bride and groom, and you have for a while. It’s interesting that we’ve…uh…never met before. I thought I knew all of Danny’s mates.”

Brody took a long time to answer. Once again, Bee fancied she might be able to read his thoughts in those beautiful eyes but immediately decided she had to be wrong.

“Are you sure we’ve never met?” he asked finally. “You look…familiar.”

Bee shook her head. “Nope. I’d have remembered if we had. You’re not the type of person one would forget in a hurry.” He wasn’t the type of person she’d forget ever.

He tilted his head to the side, regarding her thoughtfully. He opened his mouth to say something, must have thought better of it, closed it again, then said, “Would you like to have a drink with me, Bianca?”

And just like that, Bianca’s mouth was drier that it had ever been. Her throat was parched too, as though she hadn’t had liquid in a year, at least. A drink with him was exactly what she wanted. Needed. “I’d love to.”

His smile was blinding. “Excellent.”

He gave her a swift once-over, making Bee instantly self-conscious. Wearing nothing but a bikini had seemed like a good idea in this heat, but having Brody’s gaze—brief as it was—take in every inch of her lily-white skin was a little inhibiting.

“Looks like you’re all ready for a swim,” he said. “Tell you what, I need to change, put on a pair of boardies. How about I meet you at the poolside bar in…ten minutes?”

Ten minutes? That felt like a veritable lifetime. “Ten minutes would be perf— No, shoot!” Bianca slapped her forehead. “Sorry, sorry. It won’t be perfect. I already have a meeting in ten minutes. Actually, more like one minute now, and if I’m late, Mack is gonna let me have it.” More like Kylie was gonna let her have it. The woman ran a tight ship. Her only instruction to Bee had been not to be late.

Uh, yeah. About that…

“Look,” she hastened to say, “I can’t do drinks. How about lunch instead? They serve a killer salad nicoise at the Seaspray Bistro.”

Brody wrinkled his nose at the very suggestion. “Tuna salad?”

She grinned at him. “Not a fan, huh? Me neither. But Mack’s friend recommended it to me, so I thought I’d recommend it to you.”

“How about a simple grilled cheese sandwich and a bottle of red wine instead?”

Bee’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t help it.

She and Rick had shared that exact meal on the night of their wedding. In the cheap hotel they’d chosen for their honeymoon. Gourmet food it hadn’t been, but Bee had never eaten anything more delicious.

She swallowed at the memory. “G-grilled cheese sounds really good.”

“To me too.” His smile was warm, but his eyes…

“Shall we say twelve thirty? At a table outside?” Aidan was arriving on the island then, so Mack would ensure they’d be done by that time.

“I’ll be waiting for you.”

As Bee waved goodbye and headed off to her meeting, she couldn’t help but think how incredibly appealing the idea of Brody Evans waiting for her sounded.

————-

Don’t forget, you can read the beginning of the chapter over at the Down Under Divas. And…you can purchase all three books at Samhain, or at your favorite ebookstore.

I do! (Or Bandicoot Cove: The Wedding releases today)

It’s been a long time coming, but Mack and Aidan’s big day is here.

If you’re not sure who Mack and Aidan are, well, they are the bride and groom of the biggest wedding of the year. The wedding taking place at the stunning, tropical Bilby Island, at the gorgeous, luxurious Bandicoot Cove resort.

And to celebrate, we have written three sexy, romantic love stories to make you go ‘Aaaaaaaah.”

And “Oooooh.”

And maybe “Ooooooh, yeah!”

So without further ado (because we really want you to get to the Ooooooh, yeah! parts) here they are. The three books that make up Bandicoot Cove: The Wedding:

A second chance at love is worth fighting for.

Bandicoot Cove: The Wedding, Book 1

Bianca Rogers is one signature away from finalizing her divorce. And she will finalize it just as soon as she gets home. But for this weekend, she’s putting her troubles aside and enjoying the gorgeous, sunlit luxury of Bandicoot Cove, the resort where her brother is getting married. The last thing she expects is to be knocked off her feet—literally—by gorgeous Brody Evans.

The fireworks are instantaneous. Brody is just her type: sexy, warm, friendly, and in the same boat as her: in the process of getting a divorce.

Spending time together is a mutual no-brainer. Attraction quickly grows to full-blown lust. But flying sparks come with increasingly personal conversations, and soon neither of them can ignore their past mistakes or the circumstances that have led them to the island.

Now it’s time to determine whether old hurts and sudden doubts will prevent love from leading them to a whole new happily ever after.

Warning: If you don’t believe in second chances, never thought it was possible to fall in love again and aren’t interested in scrumptious, hot love scenes, then this story probably isn’t for you. You’d be missing out – big time – but yeah…it’s probably not for you.

A photographer, a firefighter, a rake. Let the debauchery begin!

Bandicoot Cove: The Wedding, Book 2

When Kennedy bolted after a mind-blowing one-night stand with a sexy Australian firefighter, she never expected to be standing in front of him four months later on a tropical island resort. Naked, thanks to her phobia of butterflies.

Trouble is, she’s equally turned on by Luke and his hunky British cousin. Not exactly how she’d intended to spend her first day as Bandicoot Cove’s official photographer.

Luke never planned on falling for the feisty, flirty American he met at a New York bar. Now that he’s face to face with her again, he has two questions. Why did she run? And why can’t he stop thinking about sharing the woman of his dreams with his cousin?

Addison invited himself along on his cousin’s trip for a weekend of no-strings-attached sex. But he wants to get to know Kennedy on all levels. Seriously, this is no way for a rake to behave. And how the hell is he going to tell his cousin he’s interested in the very woman Luke can’t get out of his mind?

Warning: The setting sun isn’t the only thing heating up Bandicoot Cove, because when the word “threesome” gets thrown into the mix, it’s seduction on a global scale. (Note: No butterflies were scorched during scenes of burning passion.)

A new lover, an old flame, sultry moonlit nights. Why let inhibitions stand in the way?

Bandicoot Cove: The Wedding, Book 3

Two years ago, Hayley Bryant left Australia on a round-the-world odyssey that changed her life, and her attitude. After that, coming face to face with the man whose rejection sent her packing shouldn’t affect her at all, right?

Except there’s one thing that hasn’t changed—her former boss Mitchell Wood makes her burn as hot as ever. The difference is, Hayley’s now a grown woman who knows how to get what she wants, and she wants Mitch. Trouble is, she hasn’t come to her friend’s wedding alone. Her very sexy friend with benefits, Ty Butler, might pose a problem.

Business was always Mitch’s first love…at least until he hired his little sister’s friend as an intern. Pushing her away was the right thing to do, but now his sister’s wedding has Hayley re-entering his life—and the empty place in his heart. Soon he’s acting less like the consummate workaholic and more like a man crazy in love. But Hayley’s “plus one” is an unexpected obstacle.

Fortunately, Mitch has never been one to shy away from a little competition…

Warning: Bilby Island’s sensual spell strikes again. Book contains hot lovin’ made in beautiful tropical surrounds, some exhibitionism, voyeurism and bondage. Best read with a margarita in hand and the fan switched to high.