Showing posts with label Lia Connor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lia Connor. Show all posts

Monday, November 26, 2012

DRB1stChp Changeling Press Mon/Sat (26 Nov)

Join Changeling Press every Monday for new release excerpts and Saturdays for excerpts from the books that started the company on D. Renee Bagby Presents First Chapters.

Posted on Monday (26 Nov):

** Wet 4: Overflow by Zenobia Renquist
(Erotic MFM Paranormal MC/IR Romance)
http://www.drb1stchp.com/2012/11/overflow-by-zenobia-renquist.html

** Warrior's Craft 4: Four GI's & a Witch by Cheryl Dragon
(Erotic MFMMM Paranormal Romance)
http://www.drb1stchp.com/2012/11/four-gis-witch-by-cheryl-dragon.html

** Tiger Fork by Saloni Quinby
(Erotic MM Shifter Romance)
http://www.drb1stchp.com/2012/11/tiger-fork-by-saloni-quinby.html

** Full Moon Heat Collection by Lia Connor
(Erotic MMF Shifter Romance)
http://www.drb1stchp.com/2012/11/the-pack-1-full-moon-heat-by-lia-connor.html

Posted on Saturday (24 Nov):

* Sating the Lust God by Kate Hill
(Erotic Vampire Romance)
http://www.drb1stchp.com/2012/11/sating-lust-god-by-kate-hill.html

* Cosmic Cops 2: Dark Ecstasy by B.J. McCall
(Erotic SciFi Adventure Romance)
http://www.drb1stchp.com/2012/11/dark-ecstasy-by-bj-mccall.html

* Beast 1: Taking Back Control by Renee George
(Erotic MM Vampire Romance)
http://www.drb1stchp.com/2012/11/taking-back-control-by-renee-george.html

* Dante's World 2: Morgan's Creed by Willa Okati
(Erotic Vampire Romance)
http://www.drb1stchp.com/2012/11/morgans-creed-by-willa-okati.html

Blast from the blog past:

** Vaaden Warriors 1: Rheul by Jessica Coulter Smith
(Erotic Futuristic SciFi Romance)
http://www.drb1stchp.com/2011/05/rheul-by-jessica-coulter-smith.html

** Inked 2: Cactus Juice by Kate Hill
(Erotic MMM Paranormal Romance)
http://www.drb1stchp.com/2011/05/cactus-juice-by-kate-hill.html

** All Wrapped Up: Branded by Ann Jacobs
(Erotic BDSM Futuristic Romance)
http://www.drb1stchp.com/2011/05/all-wrapped-up-vol-1-collection.html

** Moonlust 3: Claiming Moon by B.J. McCall
(Erotic Shifter Romance)
http://www.drb1stchp.com/2011/05/claiming-moon-by-bj-mccall.html


--
Zenobia Renquist
Discover Different and Unique Romance
http://about.me/zenobiarenquist
Caveat Emptor Series :: Three couples caught in a war have only one solution -- peace. Si vis pacem, para bellum. :: http://zenobiarenquist.com/bookshelf/caveat-emptor-series

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Black Friday Cyber-Sale and New Releases!

The Environmentally Friendly Black Friday Cyber-Sale at www.ChangelingPress.com !
Cyber Friday/Black Monday Because We're Changeling And We Can Sale.
10% off anything you can fit in your Changeling Cyber Shopping cart, all weekend long. Discount Code: CyberFriday2012.

New Releases
Wet: Overflow by Zenobia Renquist $4.49Between the devil and the deep...
Tiger Fork by Saloni Quinby $3.99Will Han and his gorgeous beast be forced to destroy each other?
Warrior's Craft: Four GI’s & A Witch by Cheryl Dragon $4.49To reverse a siren's curse will take trust, cunning, love, sex, spells, and a really big cage!
Full Moon Heat (Collection) by Lia Connor $8.99Feel the power of the Pack. Come on, come on, come and get some.
 
 
1¢ Sale
The Pridelands 1: Darren's Surprise by Jade Buchanan
Durai Steinsson has come to claim his mate. He won't let anything get in his way. Not even Darren.
Shopping for other Cyber-Shoppers? Get your favorite Changelings a Changeling Press Gift Certificate (See: How do I buy a gift Certificate?)
 
Are you on Changeling's Naughty list? Santa's Helpers are coming to Changeling -- it's almost time for our 9th Annual A Very Changeling Christmas Contest Win Free Books For A Year contest, coming in December.
 
Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Monday, November 12, 2012

Now Available at ARe, BN, and Amazon

Now Available at AllRomanceEbooks.com, BN.com, and Amazon.com
 
Spirits of Abaddon: Twilight of the Gods by Mychael Black $3.49
https://allromanceebooks.com/product-twilightofthegodsspiritsofabaddon-988691-140.html
 
 
 
 
Full Moon Heat by Lia Connor
BBW Dashika's enough woman for two good men, and tonight's her lucky night.
Aftermath 2012 -- When we see an emergency, we want to help.
We know many of our readers want to do something to help, as well.
 
For the month of November, any order placed at Changeling with the code Aftermath2012 will receive a 5% discount on your total order, and a matching 5% will go toward National Emergency Relief Efforts.
 
Thank you for making the choice to help us help others. 
 
 
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, November 08, 2012

New Releases: Nov 8th


New Releases
 
Coriolis 1: Distress Signal by Mychael Black $3.99
Sometimes the perfect soldier isn't what you expect...
Followed by Megan Slayer $3.99
Vampires are sensual, dangerous, and not to be trusted -- or are they?
Keeping Score: Two Down by Julia Talbot $3.99
Janus is supposed to keep Cillian safe, but who will save him from his ex?
Razor's Edge: Nobody Rides For Free by Sara Jay $2.49
Razor's Edge Winner: 2012 Spring Fling Contest
Fae law prevents Sinn from mating, but the bikers have rules of their own -- nobody rides for free.
 
Now Available at http://ChangelingPress.com
 
1¢ Sale -- Full Moon Heat by Lia ConnorBBW Dashika's enough woman for two good men, and tonight's her lucky night.
 
Aftermath 2012 -- When we see an emergency, we want to help.
We know many of our readers want to do something to help, as well.
 For the month of November, any order placed at Changeling with the code Aftermath2012 will receive a 5% discount on your total order, and a matching 5% will go toward National Emergency Relief Efforts.

Thank you for making the choice to help us help others.
 
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,

Monday, November 21, 2011

Paranormal Mates Society Vol II by Isabella Jordan, Kyla Logan, Michelle Hoppe, and Lia Connor


 Paranormal Mates Society Vol. II (Collection)
by Isabella Jordan, Kyla Logan, Michelle Hoppe and Lia Connor

Cover art: Bryan Keller
ISBN: 978-1-60521-684-3
Genre(s): Paranormal
Theme(s): Shapeshifters
Series: Paranormal Mates Society Multi-Author
Length: Collection
Page Count: 275
http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1718

Blurb:

Paranormal Mates Society, where finding the love of your life is supernatural, super easy. Long to soar to the heavens with the match of your dreams? Log on to ParanormalMatesSociety.com!
A snowleopard finds her werewolf and hopes he's not a killer, a mer finds love with a selkie seeking a mate, a daughter rebels and sparks fly when the man of her dreams steps off the screen and swims into her life, a sailor, lured in by the song of a siren, finds himself ensnared in a life and a love that never ends -- it's Satan's own online dating service, and chaos has never been quite this hot!
Excerpt:
Paranormal Mates Society Vol. II
All rights reserved.
Excerpt from Sea of Love by Kyla Logan
Copyright ©2011 Kyla Logan
This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.
Even though she was expecting the ring on her phone, she still jumped when it rang. Answering, she closed her eyes, waiting for the first sound of his voice.
"Danara? It's Taine."
Neptune, he did talk like Sean Connery, but oh so much more sexy. She felt a wave of sensation run through her body and the flush of moisture in her pussy on hearing his voice.
"Danara, are you there?"
Opening her eyes, she met his and answered his question with a shaky smile.
"Yes, I am here I was just..." She broke off unable to say anything more. She reached up with her hand and gently touched his face on the screen and heard his indrawn breath. This was an amazing experience, seeing him and talking to him at the same time. Thousands of miles apart.
"I know, love. I know. I can't believe that I have finally found my mate," Taine whispered in her ear. "You do feel the same, don't you? I'm not the only one who is sure that..."
"Of course I feel the same. I've never reacted this way before with any man," Danara cut in, pleased that he felt as she did. "It's just that this was so unexpected. And to hear your voice, well, it sent flutters down my body." Blushing, she stopped before she completely embarrassed herself.
"I'm sitting here very uncomfortable, so knowing you feel the same doesn't make me feel so bad." Taine laughed in her ear.
"Oh! Oh, I'm sorry." Danara wasn't sure what to say to him after he admitted to having a hard-on at the sound of her voice. Well, she could ask him to keep talking while she masturbated, but she was too shy to suggest that to him!
"It's not your fault, little one. Just the way my body is reacting to yours. There's nothing we can do about it. Unless..."
Danara waited for Taine to continue, but she already knew what he was loath to put into words for fear she would be insulted. After all, he didn't know her, not really. He just recognized her as his mate. She decided she would be the one to make the first move.
"Watch me, Taine. If this is not what you meant, let me know immediately," Danara whispered huskily, then stood up and started to unbutton her dress.
Hearing the groan in her ear told her she hadn't misunderstood what he wanted. Slipping the sleeveless dress off her shoulders, Danara let it slide down and off her body, then sat back down and waited for his reaction.
http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1718
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Gatos (Cat o' Nines Collection ) by Lia Connor


Gatos (Cat O'Nines Collection) by Lia Connor

Read an excerpt

Gatos (Cat O'Nines Collection)

by Lia ConnorCover art: Reneé George
ISBN: 978-1-60521-461-0
Genre(s): Paranormal
Theme(s): Shapeshifters
Length: Collection
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1517

Blurb:

Catkind -- they're rough, they're tough and they don't take no for an answer. But who'd want to say no? Not Gabriella, a barmaid in a tiny roadhouse named Gatos near the Mexican border. Nor her sister Marnie. With his sisters carried off by the Catkind, Tony's left to run Gatos, but he won't be alone -- a couple of misfit "alley cats" have joined forces with Tony.
Lucia's a party girl with two hot, hunky Catkind on her trail. Orion, a white Tiger, and Jomei, a Bengal, are royalty among the Catkind. They're about to learn Lucia's much more than a pretty face. When the four Gatos siblings return with their Catkind mates for a final showdown against their nemesis, Anuetta thinks she's got these tigers by their tails, but she doesn't count on the mighty strength of the Gatos family. The line's been drawn in the ashes, and the claws are out!
This collection contains the previously release novellas in the Cat O'Nines collection: Cat's Claws, Cat's Eye, Cat's Cradle, Cat's Meow, and Cat's Paw.
Excerpt:
Cat O' Nines: Cat's Claws


Lia Connor

All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2010 Lia Connor

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.



"So there I am, standing in the middle of the street, screaming at him en Espanol. I'm calling him things our abuela would turn over in her grave to hear me say. And then she'd wash my mouth out with soap."



"Lucia, when are you going to learn?" Gabriella unlocked the door to Gatos' cold storage unit. "You stay away from men like him. They're trouble."



Lucia, her sister, had the fire of a Roman candle and a temper to match. She jammed her hands on her hips in indignation. "Like you have room to talk," she shot back.



"I do. Do you see me getting tangled up with any troublemakers like him?" She yanked open the door, and cold air escaped with a whoosh. "Uh-uh. Oh, that's good." Gabriella closed her eyes and swayed in bliss. It was a gorgeous day outside in the shabby outskirts of San Miguel, the sky pure blue and the horizon clear for miles. Which meant it was hot enough to suit the devil himself, especially back in the warehouse. She let herself enjoy the cool air coming from the cold storage unit for a moment, then got back to business. She nudged the handcart. "Come on, you take one crate and I'll take the other."



"We shouldn't roll out a keg?"



"If you think you can manhandle a keg in heat like this, dolly or no dolly, you're welcome to try. Grab a case for now. Tony can get the rest later." Gabriella sized up the hefty crate stamped with the Moctezuma Brewery logo. Nothing tasted as good or as rich as their cervesa. Moctezuma was why locals bothered traveling to her tiny, out-of-the-way bar. If the brew master hadn't been a friend of her brother Tony, no way she'd have gotten her mitts on any of their goods. "Come on, Lucia, put your back into it."



Lucia pouted briefly before bending and lifting the crate. Tendons stood out in her neck from the effort as she wrestled a heavy crate onto the dolly. "We need some strong young stud for this."



"And there you go again, thinking about men," Gabriella chided. "I'm not saying I wouldn't like to have a strong young thing around, especially if he's hot, eh? I'm saying we can get by fine without one. You seem to think that's a mortal sin, which is why I'm listening to you pitch a fit in the street." She tempered the sting of her words with the fondness of her tone.



Gabriella shut the door to the cold storage unit and clicked the padlock back in place before taking the handle of the dolly. Oof. She had to admit, the crates were terribly heavy. Together they headed back to the main room of Gatos, the tiny tumbledown bar that had been their sole legacy from their mother.



Not exactly a rich and abundant inheritance. Ah, well, Mama had tried.



Lucia was still stuck back on Gabriella's opinions. "You're telling me if a man like Roger came on to you, you'd say no? He looked so pretty." She swung around to walk backwards. "Those cornflower blue eyes and his soft golden hair. Like a prince out of a fairytale." Her pleading turned wicked. "And good in bed? He was a devil when it came to loving me."



"And how many other women at the same time?" Gabriella bumped open the swinging kitchen door. "Would I say no to a man like Roger? Hell, no, I wouldn't. But..."



Lucia rolled her eyes.



"But," Gabriella went on, not letting Lucia's scorn stop her, "I'd say yes long enough to enjoy his body. If he's as good as you say, I'd have fun with him for a few days then send him packing. No harm, no foul, and no broken heart that needs someone to sweep up the pieces."



Lucia scoffed. "You wouldn't know how to let your hair down if someone gave you a hands-on demonstration."



Gabriella's pride was stung. "Says you!"



"You're right, says I. You want to make a bet on this? Friday night's tip jar says you don't have the guts to take the next handsome guy who walks into Gatos for a test run."



Ay, Lucia had her there. Gabriella could never back down from a challenge. "I'm listening. What are the terms?"



Lucia stretched her muscles out before unlocking the cooler. "So we have a deal?"



"Not yet." Gabriella pulled the dolly close enough to the cooler to unload it. "Let me hear the details before I say yes or no."



"Like you would," Lucia smirked. "All right, here's the deal. When we open tonight, you and I man the bar. When the first hot guy walks in, one I decide is enough of a handful for even you, I point him out and that's when the game begins. You come on to him, you do whatever you have to do, and if he's safe you get him into bed."



"I'm not a slut," Gabriella objected, all the while hoisting crates and holding them for Lucia to unpack and stow in the cooler. "And how am I supposed to know if he's 'safe'?" She dusted off her hands after the last bottle was stashed away. "You have to give me more than that to go on. I'm supposed to proposition a customer? That'll give me a great reputation."



Lucia shrugged smugly. "So you're saying no? You're backing down already?"


http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1517
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Full Moon Rising by Lia Connor

Full Moon Rising by Lia Connor

Read an excerpt

Full Moon Rising

by Lia ConnorCover art: Bryan Keller
ISBN: 978-1-59596-255-3
Genre(s): Paranormal
Theme(s): Interracial, Ménage, Werewolves, BBW
Series: The Pack
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=346

Blurb:
Dashika McMartin never expected running a Pack would be an easy proposition. Even with her two mates, Adam and Jake, by her side, she was aware there would be problems. She'd just never counted on a difficulty like Amber.

Amber, who's grown strong enough in her power to walk as a human underneath the full moon. Amber, with a lust medicine that drives men wild. Dashika has no choice but to cast her out of the Pack before they all lose their minds.

Thing is, that's just fine with Amber. She's headed to Las Vegas where she can ply her magic for good, not evil. She'll be a Lone Wolf, but she can handle that. She's a big girl.

Once again, though, life hands our heroine what she least expects. Two werewolf men of her own, who are bent on mating with Amber. Can Amber face up to the challenge of two dominants, one of whom possesses the same magic she does?

Come on, come on, come and get some…
Excerpt:
Full Moon Rising
Lia Connor
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2006 Lia Connor

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Out in the desert, a wolf galloped underneath a bright full moon.

Sand shifted beneath his massive paws. It would have sent a lesser creature skittering down like a clumsy puppy, but not Rashaun Proud Foot. Half as tall as a human male, but far more powerful, he ran as if he had been born to race over the rise and fall of the Nevada ground. He yipped a laugh. Native to this barren plain? Not him! But it was where he belonged. He felt right there.

Rashaun lifted his muzzle and howled. The night was a gloriously bold one, and it all belonged to him. Yipping in delight, he took off across a rolling set of shallow hillocks, chasing Brother Snake. He was too clever to be caught, Rashaun was, and he didn’t fear the venom. The slithering thing would make a great entertainment!

God, he loved danger. The way it felt when he dipped his paws into waters he shouldn’t dampen his fur with. Every forbidden fruit was sweeter just because someone had, once upon a time, said “no”. If that person offered the fragrant apple to Rashaun? Rashaun said “yes!” and bit deep with his sharp white teeth.

The pack that had cast him out? Screw them. He was too much Alpha for them to handle. Let them send him away to a place where no wolves should exist, to chase after the lizards and basking sun-creatures for his food during the Moon Times.

Rashaun casually stopped in his chase, letting Snake slither away. It seemed glad to go, disappearing behind a scraggly cactus. Even the angry rattler had known what chased him wasn’t worth putting up a fight over. No one stood up to Rashaun!

Stretching out every strong, bulky muscle in his wolf’s body, Rashaun lifted his legs one after another, then planted them in the sand. He raised his muzzle to the moon and howled again just for the pleasure of hearing the noise echo across the low dunes.

Then, easily as breathing, he shifted back into the form of a mortal man. Dark as espresso chocolate, and he looked twice as sweet, he knew. His hair had been carefully braided into dozens of tiny plaits, each one tipped with a bead of bone. He was naked, just like always after the Change, but who cared? Not him. He could always shower off the sand when he got back to his small apartment. Rolling his head in the sand, he grinned sharply. Life had dealt him a great hand, and he played each card to the fullest.

Life was so much better now that he was his own master.

They had thought they could get rid of him, those of the Texas pack? A lot they knew! He’d been the one to say goodbye to them, turning up his tail. He was beta to no one. Better to be Lone than to bow his head to another. For one who possessed the power of the Heat, there was no scraping in obedience. Rashaun was Master of the Lust Spirits, and an Alpha among the wolves. No one was his equal -- that he had yet to meet, anyway. And so, he led a solitary existence. Mostly.

Rashaun rubbed his cheeks thoughtfully, feeling the slight bristle that told him he’d need to shave. Has to look his best. He had company on the way.

See, he told himself, Lone or not, a man can’t go the rest of his life without a little company. He got bored. There were times when even a solitary Alpha wanted a Lupa. Even Rashaun. And if what the winds were telling him was right…

He chuckled, amused at the luck of his draw. Fortunately for him, the lady he’d been looking for all his life was coming right his way. A woman of fire and passion. Someone who held many of the same powers as he did, and bested him in dozens of others. Oh, but they’d have a grand fight out on the barren sands. He licked his lips, eagerly anticipating the battle of tooth and paw, and then the sweeter taste of her pussy when she understood him better.

Did he fear the woman? Yes. Did he need her? Against his better wishes, he did. Did he want her? With all his might!

Lucky, lucky him. He’d thought he would be Lone all his life, and he’d looked forward to it until the magics had told him she’d be on her way. Soon.

Now, all he had to do was make himself ready…
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=346
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Sealed Fate Collection by Lia Connor

Sealed Fate (Collection) by Lia Connor



Read an excerpt

Sealed Fate (Collection)
by Lia Connor
cover art by Bryan Keller
ISBN: 978-1-60521-462-7
Genre(s): Action/Adventure, Urban Fantasy, Collections
Theme(s): Interracial, Ménage, Shapeshifters, BBW
Length: Collection
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1442

Blurb:
Erin's got a problem. Two problems, really. Selkie twins Devon and Damon, who are convinced she's their destined mate. She's crazy about both of them, but in the space of one short Ireland vacation her life has turned upside down! She's entered a world she never believed existed -- one that involves tracking the thief who stole the Selkies' skins to sell on the black market.
Even though they're as different as night and day, dark and light, Erin's falling hopelessly in lust -- and maybe in love -- with her mystical twins. Will she lose her lovers once they can return to the sea?
"[Erin] was so funny and sassy that I loved her from the very first paragraph.... It was a very fun read."
-- Tara Black, The Romance Studio

"Erin is a heroine that rocks. She isn't intimidated by anything or anyone, and she doesn't lose her cool, when approached by these two men. Grab a copy of Sealed Fate and have a splashing good time."
-- Dee, Joyfully Reviewed

Excerpt:
Sealed Fate
Lia Connor
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2010 Lia Connor

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Breathe. Just... breathe. In... out. One... two. And relax.

How the hell was she supposed to relax? Erin wished she could take her palms off her thighs and sink her chin into them. Now that she'd managed to twist herself into the lotus position, how was she ever supposed to get out of it?

"God did not make women to be pretzels!" she muttered, her voice barely audible over the rush and swell of ocean waves. "Or pretzel sticks, either, for that matter. Or sticks of any kind. So I need to lose a few pounds. That's my business. I know, I'm supposed to relax. Ha. Relax, my heinie. Actually, I wish I could relax my heinie."

She shifted uncomfortably. The cool ocean breeze tickled her bare skin. Dark blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, dressed in a tank top, with loose shorts on, she should be comfortable. Erin didn't do things by half-measures. Every effort had gone into making this vacation a success. She'd picked her spot with care -- close to the ocean, on her own private beach, with a nice thick blanket to sit on. She had bottled water, her pepper spray, and a cell phone close at hand. Snug and reasonably safe, she had no reason not to relax.

Trouble was, Erin just didn't think she knew how.

As Supervisor of Paramedics, she'd seen enough trauma that after five years with no time off, her psych review counselor had ordered her to take a vacation. Now she was attempting to make use of the investment she'd made in Relaxation Techniques and Personal Well-being. Trouble was Erin had as much trouble taking the book seriously as she did twisting her thighs into The Lotus.

She sighed again, trying to breathe correctly. In... out. In... out.

Relax. Relax. Relax.

No good. She never had been able to shut her mind off. Relax -- hah. She could have done this from the comfort of her own home and had as much luck, what with the cable news shows, the phone, neighbors stopping by, shopping lists she needed to make...

Desperation had led her to her dream vacation -- and a small rental cottage on the coast of Ireland. No TV. No phone. Solitude. A place to relax. Letting her breath out again, she opened her eyes and gazed at the white-capped waves as they rolled into shore. So she wasn't meditating the way the book said. She'd dragged her ass halfway around the world to relax, and she could do that just fine with a little ocean-watching. Then she'd just lie to her counselor and say that yep, those techniques worked like a charm, so I'll be heading back to work now.

Not that she'd stay all that long. It gave her a mild case of the creeps to be out there by herself. Only one person had passed by so far. He shouldn't have been there at all. This was all private property. Middle-aged and craggy-faced, dressed in worn jeans and a ratty T-shirt, his arms covered in thick Celtic tattoos -- Dogs of War, she thought -- he'd been creepy enough she'd reached for her pepper spray. Something about him set her senses on red alert. Luckily, he'd passed by before she could decide whether or not to lecture him for being on private property. She was just as glad. A man like that -- she'd seen his type enough to know he could be a pretty nasty character.

Enough. Think about something else. She stared at the waves breaking against the rocky coast. This was nice enough, she guessed. But what would make it even better? A decent man. Yep, definitely a decent, not to mention hot, man. She'd been single for a long time, even in high school and college. A classic overachiever, she'd never had much time for guys. The odd date every now and again was all she could fit in. But when she came down to a moment of peace and quiet like she was finding here, she realized she was wishing for warm arms to wrap around her and cuddle her close -- not to mention a good strong pair of hands to untangle her legs from this damned lotus!

After that, the man would lie down with her on the blanket and kiss her, soft and gentle. Sweet little kisses dotting her face, moving to her lips, growing eager for more. Hands that moved across her body, seeking out generous, sensitive breasts, running over the ample curves of her hips, then down between her thighs, sure and smooth as the tide, with the same stroking rhythm.

Erin groaned. Great. Now she was stuck in a sailor's knot of ankles and knees, and she'd gotten herself all hot and horny. What next?
http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1442
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Friday, February 13, 2009

Ruff and Tumble: Fox Hounds by Lia Connor








Ruff & Tumble: Fox Hounds
by Lia Connor


Cover art by Reneé George
ISBN (13): 978-1-60521-197-8
Genre(s): Paranormal
Theme(s): Shapeshifters
Series: Ruff & Tumble




Blurb:


Foxy Lady… Reyna’s a skilled thief and the lightest-fingered pickpocket around. Several professionals would love to have her on their side, if only to be able to keep an eye on her. What they don’t know is that Reyna’s nickname isn’t just fantasy -- she’s a shapeshifting fox and as clever and wily as they come. No one can catch her if she doesn’t want to be caught, and so far no one’s come close to winning her over.
Not, that is, until the Fox Hounds pick up her trail. Jonas, Si and Boone, lovers as well as skilled tricksters, have the Fox’s scent and they intend to woo her, outsmart her and win her to their team. As Fox Hounds in name as well as in shapeshifting nature, they know they’re just as good at getting the job done as Reyna is. All they have to do is catch this thief and get her not only on their side, but in their shared bed.
And they won’t give up until the get the job done.


Excerpt:
This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

Three dogs climbing from an alley to the third-floor balcony of a nightclub would, Jonas knew, have raised a few eyebrows. If anyone had been around to see what happened next, they’d probably have fainted.
Three dogs clustered together on the roof, nosing one another in approval. One morphic flash later -- a sight that’d make any human’s eyes water and their head ache -- and three men crouched above the club -- and more importantly, beneath a window.
Jonas tested the surface of the glass. “Bulletproof and cutter-proof. Gotta hand it to the owners. They think they know their security.”
“Want to try the lock picks?” Si patted his pocket. He’d concealed his tools so well that unless someone stripped him bare they wouldn’t have known he had anything more dangerous on him than his charming smile.
“No.” Jonas studied the window. He rolled his sleeves up to mid-forearm. “I think this might just work better.” He lifted and the window rose smoothly as silk. The ripe scent of perfume, gin and sex from the club rolled out in powerful waves. “It’s like they bathe in it. Eau de Horny.”
Si wasn’t listening. “Wait, the window’s unlocked? No alarms, no sirens, no pepper gas booby traps? Someone knew we were coming.”
“I’d say it’s likely. I’d even say it was the Fox.”
Si swore softly and with great respect.
“Sounds like she’s throwing a party to welcome us, too. Listen to that racket, would you? No better place to hide than in a crowd,” Jonas said. “Nothing beats a classy lady except a crafty classy dame.”
“There’s got to be at least a hundred people in there,” Boone said in awe. He bumped shoulders with Si and head-butted Jonas in the arm. “Do you think they know what she is?”
“Doubtful. The Fox likes playing human.” Jonas scratched idly behind Boone’s ear. “Besides, doesn’t matter. She’s led us on a wild chase, but the end game is going to be one hundred percent worth it. Two forms and they both have their uses, boys. We found the Fox’s current den on all fours, and now we sweep her off her feet as men.”
“So you say. I don’t think it’s going to be that easy,” Si objected. “Fox is the best thief on the West Coast, acknowledged by all, so God only knows how many offers --”
“And threats,” Boone butted in soberly.
“-- and threats,” Si agreed, “she must have turned down before us. I’d bet dozens have tried and failed to get her on their low-down teams.”
“Probably, but they’re not us.” Jonas lifted the window fully open. Sufficiently tall and wide enough to admit three full-grown conmen, even if one of them was Boone, who’d played fullback before his teammates became aware of his half-canine nature and drop-kicked him off the team. “Here’s where the hunt really gets fun. Trust me. Have I ever led you wrong?”
Si grumbled under his breath, then said, louder, “You know, someday you’re going to be wrong. I just hope I’m fast enough to stay ahead of the shock wave of shit when that day comes along.”
“You know how I know you love the biz?” Jonas ruminated. “The happier you get, the louder you complain. Right now, you’re almost ecstatic. You’d shrivel up and die without this to keep you feeling lively. That, and you think the sun rises and sets on me.”
“Don’t push your luck.”
“I never stop. Life without risk isn’t life at all.” Jonas nuzzled the corner of Si’s mouth. “Don’t try to con a conman.”
Si rolled his eyes, but despite that he bit and licked at Jonas’s lips, teasing him around for a proper kiss, dirty, wet, tongues sliding together.
“Careful you two don’t get carried away and fall,” Boone rumbled, ever protective even when amused. “It’s a long way down and even shapeshifters go splat.”
“Yep, that’ll kill the mood.” Si nudged Boone’s chest. Lightly.
“Settle down, boys.” Jonas poked his head through the window to assess the room beyond. “Empty. I’m betting it’s for storage. Sounds like the party’s directly below, too.”
“A room full of L.A.’s brightest and most beautiful pretending to be bad boys and girls,” Si said. “I like it.”
“I like the chase.” Jonas breathed in, searching for a trace of the Fox’s unique, tantalizing scent. “Once we’re inside, you follow my every signal. This is a three-pronged attack and I need you both sharp if we want the Fox to take our bait.”
“You honestly think we have a shot at getting her on our team?” Boone asked dubiously.
Jonas turned, his balance perfect, to take Boone by the nape and kiss him quiet. “That was for luck, but if you ask me, I think we have as good a chance as any. Maybe better. We have something she wants. You lose all the battles you don’t even try to win.”
Boone grinned big and bright. “That’s good enough for me.”
“I knew I could count on you.” Jonas held out his fist for his hounds to bump knuckles on. “One for all, and all for one. Let’s catch ourselves a Fox.”


Posted by at No comments:
Labels: ,

Monday, February 02, 2009

SPOTLIGHT: Full Moon Heat by Lia Connor




SPOTLIGHT: Full Moon Heat
by Lia Connor

Cover art by Angela Knight
ISBN (13): 978-1-59596-190-7
Genre(s): Paranormal
Theme(s): Interracial, Ménage, Werewolves, BBW
Series: The Pack
Length: Novella



Blurb:
"...scorching hot -- I would not have been surprised if the pages had combusted in my hands. Full Moon Heat is a keeper!"
-- Susan White, Just Erotic Romance Reviews
"This was an excellent tale of werewolves, it was so creatively written, and it kept your attention. The characters were lovable and funny, the story was fast paced and well described. The sex was spicy hot, and talk about animal magnetism. This is a dynamite read that will have you howling at the moon."
-- Wateena, Coffee Time Romance
BBW. Big, Beautiful, and definitely all Woman. Woman enough for any two men -- and she can’t find even one who won’t disappoint her. Park Ranger Dashika McMartin is tough as nails, and proud of her heritage as both a Black woman and a Native American. She’s looking for a man who can satisfy her, both in bed and out. But so far the men she’s dated have been a big disappointment. How’s she going to find a man when she’s been transferred to the ends of the Earth? For now she’ll have to satisfy herself with dreams -- and her battery operated toys.
Dashika’s dreams are about to crash headlong into a reality she could never have imagined. Her new job takes her on a trek through the wilds of Vermont’s National Forest, where she finds herself stalked -- by wolves? As if the heavens have opened up to drop her secret fantasies in her tent, not one, but two men appear out of nowhere. Before she can make up her mind which one she wants to keep, they transform into wolves and run off again! This reality is beyond belief -- but then so is the sex. There’s no way Dashika going to let her man -- men -- get away. Now it’s her turn to do the stalking!
Publisher’s note: This title was originally released in 2005 and has been reformatted and spotlighted as part of the celebrations for Changeling Press's 5th Birthday.


Excerpt:
This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.
Ring.
Ring. Ring.
Some folk loved to load their pocket phones down with music and games. None of that fancy shit for Dashika McMartin, thank you. When Dashika’s cell went off, she wanted to hear a ring. Not the Moonlight Symphony or some such nonsense.
She slapped at the hip pocket of her custom-made ranger’s shorts, fumbling for a tiny piece of plastic that passed for the latest in portable phones. Damn thing was supposed to have coast-to-coast coverage, even though it was about the size of a credit card.
Sliding one nail underneath the flap, she flipped the thing open and snapped it to her ear. “This had better be important. I’m hiking my ass off in the middle of Fucking Nowhere, Vermont. I’m tired, I’m cranky, and if this is Jamal, you better hang up now.”
“Easy, girl,” a whiskey-toned voice said in her ear, surprisingly clear. “It’s Shanda.”
Pulling up short, Dashika relaxed. “About time, too.” Dashika looked around, spotting a boulder broad enough for her rounded ass cheeks. She sat down, sighing with relief. There were bronze undertones where the bright Vermont sun played over her mocha-colored skin, and her features had a proud cast to them. Dashika backed down from nobody and no one; she got that from both sides of her family.“If I’d known you were gonna fuss at me, I wouldn’t have bothered.”
“Knock it off. You found the keys?”
“Behind the fake brick, yeah. I’m in your apartment now. I just want to be sure. Anything looks like it belongs to Jamal goes in the trash, right?”
“Anything and everything.” She wiped the sweat from her forehead with one rounded arm. “Make sure you get all his damn toys.”
“Yeah.” Shanda cleared her throat. “You told me stories and all, but I didn’t realize he was that kinky. You know?”
“You shoulda seen him in action.”Dashika heard a muted clanking of metal on the other end. “Sheeka? I don’t think I want to.”
“Damn straight. Big ol’ man like him, wantin’ to play the ninety-pound weakling. First time I saw him in that club, I thought I’d found me a winner. You did too, remember?”
“Don’t blame this one on me. Professional football player, with a body like his? How was I supposed to know?” Shanda clucked her tongue. “Good God, girlfriend. Is this a harness?”
“You haven’t found the leashes yet?”
“Holy shit.”
Dashika laughed. “First date, we had dinner, had fun. Went back to his place, had some more fun. Then he pulled out the handcuffs. I thought what the hell? Then before I know it, we’re playin’ games with cages on his cock, and I’m spankin’ his ass, askin’ ‘Who’s your Momma?’” She rolled her eyes. “He wasn’t even hung. Built like a brick house, but all he had was a teensy little doorknocker.”
“Sheeka?”
“Yeah?”
“Is this a butt plug?”
“Does it have a whip tail?”
“I think so.”
“It’s a butt plug.”
“Oh, shit! I touched it!”
Dashika burst into laughter. “Calm down. I always washed everything in alcohol.”
“I’m still goin’ to go boil my hands. Then I’m findin’ some rubber gloves to do the rest of this room. Call you back in a few, OK?”
“Sure thing, Shanda.” Dashika clicked the phone off and slid it back into her hiking shorts. Got to be careful of the battery. Even an extended life battery wouldn’t last forever. Then she hauled out a good, sturdy hankie. “Who’da thought the weather could be this hot in Vermont? Ain’t the air supposed to be cool up here?” She wiped her forehead. They’d promised a high in the sixties, the liars.
Arooo-ooo-ooo-oooo-ooo!
Dashika twisted around, staring. Was that a wolf? Here? There weren’t supposed to be any wolves left in Vermont! “Hello?” she called suspiciously. “Is someone playing jokes?”
Yip. Yip yip yip, came the response.
She heard a rustling in the underbrush.There was some kind of wild animal out there. Wasn’t that all she needed? She’d better make tracks, get herself to some safe ground. She re-shouldered her pack and headed back up the trail.
She still had a way to go if she was going to reach the rendezvous point before sunset. A national forest service ranger for over ten years, she wasn’t dumb enough to go tramping around alone after dark in unfamiliar territory, even on a trail.
They hadn’t exactly made her feel welcome when she reached the ranger station. Oh, no. Bad enough she was Black, and part Native. Worse, she was a woman -- and a BBW to boot. She’d stood there, temper rising, as the park superintendent called to make sure they’d sent the right ranger.
Asshole, she thought sourly. Him and the rest of the ranger station full of blond, apple-cheeked boys with pretty muscles and tanned legs who looked at her with a mix of everything from Oh my God to Hello, baby. She’d taken one glance at each one’s crotch in their tight-fitting shorts. None of them deserved a second look.
Thing was, only a real man could satisfy Dashika. Damned if she’d ever found one. She wasn’t loose, but she’d tried her share. She’d never found a man she could respect in and out of bed. In all honesty, she’d found toys were a damn sight more reliable. She’d packed Big Bubba in her knapsack. If she ended up camping alone, he was coming out to play.
That is, if there wasn’t some damned wolf on her heels. Or worse. She shivered. This was the kind of thing Rangers warned tourists about. People’s illegal pets got loose, hit the woods, and bam!
This was one of the times she could do with a man around, in bed or not.
She shook her head. By now she’d probably left whatever it was far behind. BBW or not, she could keep up a pretty good pace. Calm down, Sheeka. Don’t freak yourself out. Haven’t heard any more noises anyway. Think about something more pleasant. Like men.
Maybe she’d find the right guy up here in Vermont. Maybe. Black, white, red, purple, she didn’t care. Just so long as he was well equipped, knew how to make a woman feel special, and didn’t cheat on her. A cute face was a bonus. Hands, she liked big strong hands, too. No beer guts, no comb-overs. Otherwise, she wasn’t picky. She just wanted someone who’d treat her with love and respect and fuck her half-blind. Was that too much to ask?
Rustle-rustle. Rustle-rustle-rustle.
Damned if there wasn’t something tracking her in the bushes! Dashika stopped, staring at the brush, but she couldn’t make out a thing. Close enough to be heard, but still out of sight. Smart, too. Wily. Knew what it wanted for lunch -- a big, beautiful black woman. She shivered. OK, even if the thing wasn’t gonna attack, and odds were good it wouldn’t, she didn’t like this. Not one bit.


Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Friday, December 19, 2008

Fortune's Flight by Lia Connor





Fortune's Flight
by Lia Connor

Cover art by Kassie Thrace
ISBN (13): 978-1-60521-166-4
Genre(s): Paranormal
Theme(s): Interracial, Ménage, Bisexual and More, Magic and Mayhem
Series: Fortune
Length: Novella




Blurb:


She’s no Mary but she’s quite contrary, and strange magics are how her garden grows.


Rosetta, too proud and too prickly to let anyone get close enough to win her heart, finds herself faced with mystery upon mystery when Mama Elise sends her to deliver the seed for a charmed tree to the Beast in the old manufactory. Her persistent suitor Bryan follows in her tracks and is caught up in the magical game when a Firebird -- who can take on the shape of a man -- arrives to entice hearts, minds, souls and bodies with his song.


Together with a worthy opponent and fiery lover in the roguish Bryan, Rosetta works to win the heart of the Firebird. But can she bring herself to sacrifice her pride for a chance at the passion of a lifetime with not one man, but two?



Excerpt:

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

A trick of the rose-hued rays of the late afternoon sun, and to Rosetta’s eyes the branches of the fallen tree outside the aged, nearly opaque window looked like the arms of a lover reaching out for someone’s hands they couldn’t quite grasp. The very tips, twigs barren of leaves, scratched and tapped at the glass, begging to be let in.
She had to draw that.
Focus trained on the window and the tree, Rosetta searched beneath the counter of the customer service desk where she’d drawn afternoon duty as Mama Elise’s clerk-of-the-day, hunting for her cheap spiral-bound notebook and one of her sharpened pencils. Someday she’d have the money saved for oil pencils in a hundred different rich, saturated colors and shades, and smooth, inviting linen paper to draw on. Someday.
She drew the first lines boldly. If you were going to sketch, you had to do it right. No dicking around with a hesitant stroke here and a tentative squiggle there. The bare tree limbs took shape almost without her looking at the paper, letting the feel of the moment guide her hands instead. Then, she didn’t want to look down. She almost had the mood captured, she knew it. If she let herself look at her work, the moment would be lost and the spell broken. A few more lines and --
A solid male body moved between Rosetta and the window, blocking her view with a sleek leather jacket, and a chest as solid as the Great Wall of China. “Pardon me, miss. You the one tending the register or are you just here to attract customers?”
Rosetta snapped her notebook shut, not wanting this joker to get a look at her work. “Say that last part again?” she asked, cross. She put her elbows on the counter before her. “Hey! My eyes are up here.” She snapped her fingers.
The man didn’t seem ashamed at having been caught checking out her rack. He laughed, raising his eyes to tell her she’d won the point, and mirrored her pose. The stance brought him closer to her than she’d have liked, barely a foot between their faces. He had green eyes, the deep green of new leaves, dark curling hair, and the kind of creamy-fair complexion that made her think of Ireland. She could smell the cold sharpness of the winter wind clinging to him.
Heat pulsed between her legs and Rosetta drew back, uncomfortable. “What do you want?”
“Aren’t you supposed to say ‘can I help you’ instead?” He didn’t try to touch her, but the open admiration in his gaze told Rosetta he certainly wanted to. “Word on the grapevine is that this apothecary, Mama Elise, can cure whatever ails you. That true?”
“Maybe,” Rosetta allowed, wary. “No uppers, no downers, no in-betweeners, no Viagra.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled when he was tickled. “I don’t need Viagra, thanks. I’m Bryan. And you are?”
“Not interested,” Rosetta lied, clipping the words short. She refused to squirm, not even to ease the slow pulse of arousal low and deep within. Guys like him, charming and roguish, weren’t worth the effort. All they were interested in was getting off, and if she had an urge she also had a small box devoted to toys she kept under her bed. “I’ll give you one more shot. What do you want?”
“Comfrey root.”
Rosetta raised an eyebrow. “Uh-huh.”
“You sound surprised.”
She was. “Not too many people know what comfrey’s good for. Why do you want it?”
He winked at her. “Nothing’s better than comfrey for mending cuts and breaks, right?”
“Right,” Rosetta agreed, dubiously waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I figure it’d be good for a broken heart, and I’ll be crushed if I can’t convince you to take a break and come for a walk with me.”
The pencil Rosetta still held loosely between her fingers snapped under a sudden spasm of pressure. “If you think I’m dumb enough to go off with a guy I don’t know, you’re as simple-minded as you are pretty.” Damn.
“Pretty, huh?” He leaned closer, his breath smelling of sweet peppermint. “Why so many prickles, beautiful?”
Rosetta made herself drop the pieces of pencil rather than stab at him. “Don’t call me beautiful. Ever. Piss off.”
“Why shouldn’t I?” he asked, a puzzled line forming between his eyebrows. “You’re gorgeous.”
“Because the only guys who ever say it are ones who want to get in my pants.”
“Who can blame them?” Bryan reached toward her, and though the movement wasn’t abrupt and he probably had something impossibly romantic like stroking her cheek or brushing a curl of her hair in mind, it was the last straw. Rosetta whipped her notebook at Bryan, thwacking him hard on top of the head.
“Ros-set-a!”
Rosetta glared at him. “Now I’m in trouble. Thanks.”
Bryan rubbed the back of his head. “God, you’re a hellcat.”



Posted by at No comments:
Labels: ,

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Excerpt: Fortune's Favor





Fortune's Favor
by Lia Connor
Cover art by Kassie Thrace
ISBN (13): 978-1-60521-095-7
Genre(s): Paranormal
Theme(s): Interracial, Ménage, Bisexual and More, Magic and Mayhem
Series: Fortune
Length: Novella




http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1017



Blurb:

Fortune favors the brave…

Nicky thinks she made the biggest mistake of her life four years ago -- falling into bed with her best friends. Not that it would have been a problem if she hadn't heard them regretting what they shared the next day. Since that night, Nicky's been eating her heart out.
Something's got to give. Anyone with eyes can see Nicky and her men belong together. A couple of helping hands from unlikely, magical sources give Nicky what she needs -- a second chance to claim her men -- if only she’s got the courage to take what she wants…

Excerpt:

This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

“Boo!”
Nicky jumped, yelped, and nearly knocked over her soda. “Taylor!” She swung around to mock-glare at the man who’d popped up behind her. “You scared me half to death.”
“Gotta be tougher than that, Nicky.” Taylor tousled her hair with the palm of his hand and dropped lightly onto the trestle bench beside her, straddling it easily. A sleek, compact guy, tough with a working man’s hard muscle, he wore a leather vest and nothing else over black jeans sculpted to his body through long wear. He had freckles almost everywhere.
Nicky’s lips parted. “Wow.”
“What? Do I have something on my face?” Taylor turned to and fro, pretending to preen for her with a wicked twinkle in his eye.
“Nothing except this scruffy thing you’re calling a beard.” Nicky tweaked one of the neatly trimmed chestnut whiskers.
“Who’s calling who scruffy?” Ross appeared, sitting on Nicky’s other side. She’d been expecting him and wasn’t startled, though she pretended for the sake of playing the game that made these two rascals happy.
“I’m calling your friend scruffy,” Nicky informed him. “And I’m calling both of you jerks for being mean to me.”
Ross tugged one of Nicky’s loose braids, coming unraveled as always by the end of a long day. Once upon a time, on a steamy-hot summer night that tasted of sweet red wine, he’d said the arrangement of loose strands and tousled curls was kinda hot. Made her look all disheveled, were the words he’d used.
Nicky knew better than to dwell on the memories, and she’d trained herself not to worry about her do when her boys were around.
“Her” boys. She wished. But they’d never know that. Not from her.
Across the table, Rosetta gave Nicky a significant look over her half-drunk pint of hard cider. Rosetta, pretty as a picture of a Renaissance angel, the pale platinum of her curls tumbling artlessly over her cheeks, contrasting beautifully with her skin tone. She had gorgeous skin, damn her, a smooth coffee-with-cream shade. Not afraid of a thing in the world, either. Too bold sometimes. Right now, Nicky could almost hear what Rosetta was thinking. Make a move already, would you?
Nicky blushed, looking down. Rosetta didn’t understand. She’d almost come between them once. She couldn’t let that happen again.
She was now and forever stuck as the gal-pal.
No matter how much it sucked.
Ross, cool and collected as ever, looked at her through ice-blue eyes over his mirrored shades and grinned, the tip-tilted, roguish quirk of lips that set every heart he ever came across to beating faster, female or male. And that was the problem. He was already in love -- with Taylor. “I heard some pretty lady around here was having a birthday today.”
Taylor pretended over-the-top surprise, pressing his hand to his bare chest. “No. Now who in the world could that be? Nobody I know.”
“Guys,” Nicky protested. “Quit playing the fool. You do this every year.”
“Yeah, and you love it.”
Nicky bit her lip. Did he honestly not know the memory of her twenty-first birthday still haunted her? Or was he just being a typical out-of-sight out-of-mind man?
“It’s the anniversary of when we found you, and that counts as a birthday to me,” Taylor pointed out.
True enough. Eight years ago, they’d saved her. He and Ross, joined at the hip even back then, had yanked her off the street corner where she, a scrawny runaway, had been trying to work up the nerve to turn tricks for food. Found her a job with Mama Elise, a place to sleep, and a new life.
She owed them everything, which meant the least she could do was honor their wishes, and not remind them of their one mistake, that one delicious night, four years ago. Their one mistake. No matter what she would have liked from them -- and she could spend hours thinking about the details in luscious, X-rated fantasies -- she’d never allow herself to come between them again.
Rosetta thought she was being an idiot and not stepping up to fight for what should have been hers a long time ago, but she knew better.
“Happy birthday, baby girl.” Ross kissed her cheek, noisily and sloppily, and laughed when she wrinkled her nose at him and wiped her face with a napkin Taylor handed her.
“She’s not exactly a baby,” Rosetta observed, as dry as dust.
“Bah,” Taylor scoffed. “She’ll always be our baby.”
I only wish.
“Can’t anything change that if we don’t let it, right?” Taylor kissed her temple, a quick, friends-only smooch, and tweaked her ear. “Tell me, birthday girl,” he said, digging for his wallet. “What do you want from the bar tonight? My treat. Our treat. Ross and I both want to show you a good time.”
“If only,” Rosetta murmured.

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1017
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: ,
Subscribe to: Comments (Atom)