Spotlighting Kelsie Belle and Her Book: The White Witch’s Legacy 1: Raven

Yay!

Kelsie Belle has agreed to visit me here on my blog! 

She and I also have the greatest idea for a raffle!

Here's how you enter to win the raffle,

you have to read through her blurb and 2 excerpts.

At the end, you will be asked 2 questions.

You will then make comments on the blog.

If you answer correctly, you will be entered to win!

Yippee!

(Yes, I say Yay and Yippee a lot in my world.)

 Blurb:

When Xander Kane meets a delectable exotic dancer in a bar, he is instantly drawn to her striking beauty. He knows he has to have her, but when he finally convinces her to let him take her home, she disappears without a trace after they share an electrifying night together. He never thought he would see her again, but when fate takes her right back to his doorstep he is intent on making her pay for running out on him like she did. But Raven is not what she seems, and the secrets she hides, coupled with his own dark skeletons, threatens to destroy any hope that Xander harbored for them. Raven embarks on a perilous journey to protect her mother’s legacy and finds herself fighting for her life at every turn.

When she meets Xander Kane, he is everything she wants in a man and everything she cannot afford to let herself have right now. Will they be able to overcome the obstacles that confront them at every turn and find their way to love?

GENERAL EXCERPT:

“Myra, hurry up, girl. I need you up here before the nightfall,” she said, and Myra sighed again. It was already getting dark outside so, with slumped shoulders, she made her way up the flight of rickety stairs, fully expecting a dinner of liver and onions with boiled potatoes to be waiting on her upstairs along with a game of cards.
          The scene that met her as she pushed the door open and entered the apartment, however, made her freeze in the doorway, her jaw hitting the wooden floor in shock. Hazel had pushed away all the furniture to leave a wide space in the center or the living area.
           She had used chalk to draw an enormous star in the middle of the floor, on each point of which there was a lit candle, the flame flickering in the slight breeze that entered through the half-opened window. There were bottles of oils and essence placed on the ground beside the peculiar drawing on the floor, and a black book lay inside it.
            The salt-and-pepper-haired woman was busy walking around the shape and sprinkling some sort of liquid methodically onto the floor. When she noticed Myra standing dumbfounded in the doorway, she quickly put down the container she was holding and beckoned for the girl to join her where she stood.                       “Come girl, we don’t have time to waste! The time has come for you to meet your destiny.”
             “Aunt Hazel, what is all this?” Myra asked when her wits returned to her. She took several tentative steps forward, wondering if the old woman had finally lost it after all. “I thought we were going to watch The Sound of Music again and then play cards.”
               “It is your time, dear girl. Today is the day. This is what I have been preparing you for, for all these years. Come! Take your place now, it will soon begin.”
               “Take my place? Where exactly is my place, aunt?” she queried cautiously, her feet still firmly rooted to the spot where she had stopped.
              “You are the eldest, Myra, the first. It is you who must bear the Mark first. It will begin with you.” As much as Hazel’s words confused the heck out of her, Myra didn’t bother to question her any further. She knew her aunt would only keep speaking in riddles so the sooner she did as she was told, the better it would be for her. Hesitantly, she walked over to where the old woman stood, and upon her instructions, she stepped over the outline of the star and went to stand in its center.
                Immediately, there was a whiplash of lightning, followed by a horrific roar of thunder, causing Myra to jump in fright. Where the hell had that come from? It had been a bright, clear day, no sign of rainclouds anywhere. Suddenly, all coherent thought fled her mind as a searing pain gripped the back of her neck. It felt as if someone was carving her skin with an extremely sharp object, or branding her with a hot pole. A tortured cry tore from her lips and she fell to her knees, her arms flying to the point of the pain as if she could make it stop by wiping it away.
               “Yes, it has begun,” Hazel’s voice noted solemnly. She hobbled closer to where Myra knelt, clutching the back of her neck. “Let go, Myra. Accept your mark. Accept your true powers.”
              Then the wind began howling outside, rushing in through the open window with the strength of a mid-summer Castallantran hurricane, so powerful that it whipped Myra’s hair about her face and roared loudly in her ears. In the midst of all this, the candles didn’t only remain lit, but they seemed to be burning even brighter still.
                Staring at them in shock, Myra suddenly noticed that inside each flame, there was the face of a different woman staring back at her. She gasped and made to jump to her feet, but Hazel’s hand on her shoulder restrained her.
              “Do not fear, my child, no harm will come to you,” the woman reassured her, and reluctantly Myra remained kneeling as the faces in the candles’ flames began to chant together. The words were in a language Myra had never heard before. There was no way for her to understand what they meant, but somehow, she could tell exactly what they were saying.
               One of three, witches that be, we grant you this day, the power to see. Strength, wisdom, and courage be yours, to find the spell caster and the other that cures. Then, just as suddenly as it started, the howling wind stopped. The pain at the base of Myra’s neck subsided just as the flames from the candles went out simultaneously, bringing an end to the mysterious chanting, and the apartment was once again as quiet as it always was. Myra jumped to her feet, head reeling with consternation as she turned to face Hazel.                 The old woman just smiled and nodded before bending to retrieve the black book from the floor. When she straightened again, she handed it to Myra and then pulled her in for a tight hug. “Welcome to the sisterhood, Myra,” she whispered affectionately.
               “I know this is overwhelming, but I tried to prepare you the best way I could.” Myra pulled away to look suspiciously at her eccentric aunt, her eyes darting down to the book in her hand, then back to Hazel’s face. “Aunt Hazel,” she began, her voice quivering slightly.
                “What just happened?”
                 “You finally joined the family, my dear,” her aunt replied, smiling gleefully. “You now possess one third of the powers of the Great White Witch of Castallantra.”
                  Myra promptly fainted.

 ADULT EXCERPT: 

                  “Don’t come.” Xander’s voice was like a battering ram slamming into her head, interrupting the intoxicating sexual high she had been experiencing.
                  “No!” she screamed when his lips left her sex, his head moving from between her legs. He chuckled softly, gently easing her legs off his shoulders and rising to his feet.
                 “I say when, beautiful, never forget that. You come when I tell you to, only when I tell you to.”                       She had to bite her tongue to quell the annoyance that welled in her stomach at his words. Who the fuck did he think he was? She wanted to tell him to go fuck himself. She wanted to knee him in the groin and get the hell out of there. But when he took her hand and pulled her off the sofa, she couldn’t find the will to even resist for a moment. She was desperate for him, desperate for the pleasure she knew he could give her.
                  Moisture seeped between her thighs when she noticed the lustful animal ferocity in his sea-blue eyes and her anticipation returned with full force. Oh God, maybe she was a whore after all! He spun her around so that the fronts of her thighs were touching the arm of the sofa. He ran his hand over her shoulders and down her arms, reaching around to cup her breasts, as he used his body to push her forward. She was now fully bent over the sofa arm, ass held high, head lying on the soft cushions. She whimpered when one of his hands trailed a heated path along her spine to finally splay at her waist and hold her in place. His other hand delved between her thighs, easing the thong fully to the side as he sank two long, thick fingers into her body with exquisite gentleness.
                 “So eager, so fucking wet,” he whispered as he withdrew his fingers to fondle her clit before sinking them into her heat again. Myra couldn’t stop herself from gyrating on his hand. Her pussy clenched and gushed reflexively, loving the feel of his fingers inside her sex, wanting even more still.
                 “Please…please, I-I’m so...God, don’t make me beg.” Hot tears stung the back of her eyes when she heard the desperate, pathetic words that had just been uttered from her lips. How did he do this to her? How did he reduce her to nothing more than want and need without even trying?
                  “You don’t need to beg, beautiful, at least not tonight. Tonight I’ll freely give you what you desire, all that you desire.” He pulled back then, leaving her momentarily to quickly sheath himself with a condom. Then he was plunging into her, his powerful cock forcing its way into her tight channel, stretching her almost painful.
                   A loud gasp escaped Myra when she felt him sinking into her. God, she’d forgotten how big he was. Jesus, he was so damn huge! She gripped the sofa for support as he filled her to capacity, inch by glorious inch.
                 “Christ, you feel good. So fucking good around my cock,” he rasped, his voice shaking with unleashed lust. He pulled back, sliding his cock completely out of her. She glanced over her shoulder wildly, afraid he would stop. Did he plan to just leave her hungry and desperate like this, to punish her? God, she wouldn’t survive it.
                  “Don’t go! Xander, please, I—” “Shhh,” he said, and she watched as he held his magnificent cock in one hand and slowly rubbed it against her moist slit, teasing her until she was wiggling against him, pressing back to try and force him to enter her again. Then suddenly, he was at her entrance again, his thick member sliding into her like it was made to be there. She cried out as he began to fuck her steadily, pulling back and pushing in, finding a delicious rhythm that made her pussy clench and flutter.
                  “Yes…Jesus, yes!” she cried, curling her fingers into the cushion. Xander grabbed her hips and continued to fuck her at an almost leisurely pace, pumping into her with slow, torturous thrusts. Myra worked her hips, pushing back on him to try and get him deeper into her body.
                 “That’s it, beautiful, fuck me back.”

 About Kelsie Belle 

Kelsie Belle wears many hats – wife, mother and teacher are just a few but the erotic romance writer hat is by far her favorite. Kelsie is wildly gregarious by nature. She considers herself ‘forever 21’ and enjoys reading contemporary romance, Science fiction and fantasy, listening to music and dancing like there’s no tomorrow. A caffeine addict that lives life from one coffee mug to the next, she’s always on the go, ready and waiting for the next adventure. She has been a storyteller for as long as she can remember, her characters live inside her overactive mind and a thousand stories come to life in her head every day. This novel is the first in her three book paranormal series The White Witch’s Legacy. It promises to be an exciting trip into her wild imagination and she hopes her readers will enjoy the experience of taking a ride outside the ordinary with her.

 Contact Kelsie here: 

Twitter: @mskelsiebelle

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelsiebelleplaying 

Website: http://kelsiebelle.wordpress.com 

Email: kelsie.belle@yahoo.com 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Introducing "Claiming Kara"

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE RAFFLE ARE AT THE END.  YOU WILL NEED TO READ THROUGH THE BLURB AND EXCERPTS TO GET THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS TO ENTER THE RAFFLE.  (YES, AS ALWAYS, THERE IS A QUIZ.  LOL)

BLURB:

[Ménage Amour: Erotic Ménage a Trois Romance, M/F/M, spanking, HEA]

Five years ago, Kara Johansen met and fell in love with brothers Ben and Quinn Shotbrook while on vacation with her fire fighter brothers in Sitka, Alaska.  They planned to marry, when tragedy struck the Shotbrook family, leaving the brothers to care for their mother and younger brothers again.  They sent Kara back home to Fate Harbor, Washington, promising that one day they would reunite.

Years later, Kara has made the decision that she wants to marry and start a family of her own.  She has put away her dreams of ever being with Ben and Quinn and instead focuses on men who are available to her here and now.  Her meddling brothers inform Ben and Quinn of her plans.  The brothers Shotbrook rush to Fate Harbor to do whatever it takes to reclaim the woman they never stopped loving.  Has too much changed between them to save their love?

GENERAL EXCERPT:

Both Kara and Ben ate their biscuits in silence, looking at one another, enjoying the buildup of realizing that their relationship would be taking a big step further that day. Neither of them noticed when the door to the restaurant opened and that many of the conversations stopped. It wasn’t until a shadow loomed over their table that they both looked up. Kara was stunned to see an almost replica image of Ben standing over her. This man was a little older, with short hair and a harsh expression on his face—an expression she had never seen on Ben’s face.

“So, it’s true,” the older man bit out. “You haven’t been getting our fucking taxes done. You’ve been traipsing around town with this bit of fluff, while we’ve been out busting our asses.” Kara snatched another biscuit and buttered it as she watched Ben, knowing he’d been up all night completing the taxes so he could spend the day with her. Older brothers were such a pain in the ass, she thought as she enjoyed the honey butter. She wondered how Ben was going to play this out. But then she was stunned as Ben’s face contorted into an equally hard look.

Ben stood up, and she realized that despite the fact that the man standing over her appeared huge, Ben was actually taller by a small margin. The other man, who must be Quinn, was actually much more muscular and wide. Right now though, they looked well matched in their rage.

“Brother, this is Kara, not to ever be referred to as ‘a bit of fluff’ again. Are we clear?” Ben said in a low tone that had the hair on the back of her neck tingling. The biscuit turned to sawdust in her mouth. She grabbed her orange juice to wash it down.

“I don’t care what her name is, if we miss the deadline because—” Ben yanked his brother’s arm and jerked him away from the table. They both marched out the restaurant door and disappeared around the side of the building.

Kara knew what this meant. She had seen it play out far too fucking often in her house between Dane and Eric, and Eric and Leif, not to know that one or both of them was going to end up bloody, for no good reason. She’d be damned if she was going to be the cause of this. She threw down the rest of her biscuit and pushed back her chair as Florence came to take their orders.

“I wouldn’t get in the middle of that, Kara,” Florence advised.

“I’ve got three dumbass brothers of my own. This is nothing new,” Kara explained.

“Well, between those two hotheads, this is nothing new either. I already told their aunt they’re out back. She’ll be out there pretty soon to throw some water on them,” Florence said with a wink.

“Ah, but I have plans for one of them, and I don’t need him out of commission.” Kara winked back and headed out the door. She liked the sound her heels made on the cement as she rounded the corner toward the two big men who currently were taking swings at one another. So far not much damage had been done, but based on this mutual power display, it wouldn’t be long before they were both really bloody and hurting.

She put her fingers to her lips and gave a shrill whistle that would have dogs barking for miles. The men immediately parted and looked at her, stunned. She took the opportunity to walk over to Quinn with an outstretched hand.

“Hello, Quinn, it’s very nice to meet you. My name is Kara Johansen.” Totally taken aback, she watched with amusement as he obviously fell back on his mother’s training and shook her hand.

“It’s very nice to meet you,” he said politely.

“I don’t know if Ben got a chance to tell you, what with the fighting and all, but he finished the taxes last night. Or it might have been early this morning.” She walked over to Ben, and linked her arm through his. “Isn’t that right, Ben?” she asked, smiling up at him.

Ben wasn’t taken aback, he was grinning down at her. He bent down and gave her a leisurely kiss in front of his brother, and then pulled back. “It was this morning,” he answered. Then he turned to his brother. “See, not a piece of fluff at all.” He turned back to Kara and smiled. “That whistle is kind of hot!”

“It has its uses.”

Kara watched, fascinated, as Quinn threw his head back and laughed. “You’re right, little brother. Not a piece of fluff at all.”

ADULT EXCERPT:

“No, she needs to listen to me. You both do.” Quinn’s voice was implacable. He pushed Kara’s thighs up so that her knees were almost on either side of her breasts. “Hold her,” he commanded his brother. Ben reached down and grasped her legs behind the knees, keeping her open for Quinn’s perusal. She gasped as she looked down, seeing the top of her sex splayed wide with Quinn so big and imposing leaning over her, looking directly into her eyes. “You will listen to me, little one.  I refuse to hurt you.” He set the condom to the side and swiped his fingers through her wet sex, pulsing with need even more than when Ben’s cock was deep in her mouth. Then she felt him enter her, and it was much more than before. Where before he had used maybe two of his sizeable fingers to stroke inside her, he now had to be using three, and she arched up in welcome. Then he pulled them out, taking more of her silky essence with him. Then he pushed more fingers in again, and she winced at the burn.

“It hurts, doesn’t it, Kara?” He demanded an answer. All she could do was nod her head yes.

Finally she gasped out, “It hurts good, Quinn.” She saw his relieved smile. He continued to pump in and out, until finally she was pushing upward to meet the rhythm of his entry, glorying in the sense of fullness, in the connection with this man. She saw his amber eyes glitter as they watched her intently, assessing her body’s reaction. He took his fingers out to suck them in his mouth, and she shuddered, watching him relish her flavor as his face flushed.

They’d been right to blindfold her. She was now experiencing every sense, and it was amazing. She watched as he picked up the condom, and ripped it open with his intensely white teeth. As he sheathed his cock, she tried to reach forward to touch him, but Ben’s grip kept her in place.

“Next time, Kara,” Ben soothed. “We want to make you feel good. Let Quinn do this.” She watched and felt as the broad head of his cock, so much more than his fingers, snuggled at her needy entrance.

“Oh, my God, can you see this, Ben?” Quinn looked up with a stunned expression, including his brother in this most intimate moment. Ben bent forward over her head, getting a better view. She gave a huff of dissatisfaction that she couldn’t see what they were seeing.

“She’s incredible, brother,” Ben said in a strained voice. Then Kara felt the liquid push just trying to breach the tight muscle of her opening, and she couldn’t help but flinch at the discomfort. Quinn looked deep into her eyes. He felt the resistance of her body, and knew that his girth had to be causing some pain.

“Help her, Ben,” Quinn instructed, while he held still. Ben kept hold of her left leg but gently lowered her right leg, and then his fingers were hovering over her engorged clit, and just one touch had her gasping in reaction. As if he understood that anything more than a featherlike touch would be too much for her swollen bud, he softly caressed her, causing sparks to emanate from that one spot to her entrance, relaxing her and allowing Quinn to slide deeper, until the head was buried inside her, filling her. It was wonderful. She felt the heat and power of the man, and she thrust up, needing him deeper. Again, he looked carefully into her eyes, gauging her ability to accept more. When he determined that with Ben’s ministrations, and her own longing, he could continue, he sank further, until she felt him nestle against her womb.

“Yes, Quinn,” she wailed. “Nothing has ever felt this good.” Ben took his fingers away and she grabbed his wrist, trying to hold him, but he easily moved his fingers to his mouth and sucked them clean, savoring her essence and wetting the digits even further. Then he put them back to where she so desperately needed them and pressed and circled even harder, and that’s when Quinn started a slow pull out, followed by a faster thrust in, once again tapping softly against the mouth of her womb, causing her to spasm in delight. He continued, faster and faster.

“Harder and faster, both of you, harder and faster.” She was thrashing her head. She felt the slight flicker of childhood firework sparklers, and they were building to firecrackers popping off as she whimpered with excitement.  Then she felt a roman candle going off, and finally she screamed as the deafening grand finale came and the night sky exploded into showers of color.

Okay, some of you HATE rafflecopter.  So here are the ways you can enter, without having to open the rafflecopter icon.   Here are the way to score the 20 possible points:

10. points:  Comment on Blog, Answer 2 Questions, 1.)  How did Kara get Quinn and Ben's attention when they were fighting?  2.)  Did you think the adult excerpt was steamy?

5 points:  Tweet @CaitlynOlearyNA with the title of the book you're currently reading

5 points:  Like Caitlyn O'Leary - Author Page

5 points:  Go to http://www.caitlynoleary.com/caitlyn/Home/Contact, and sign up for newsletter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlighting The Lovely Tina, The Woman Who Operates Redz World

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE RAFFLE ARE AT THE END.  YOU WILL NEED TO READ THROUGH THIS INTERVIEW TO SUCCESSFULLY ENTER THE RAFFLE.  (YES, AS ALWAYS, THERE IS A QUIZ.  LMAO)

Hi Caitlyn thank you for letting me blog with you!

For everybody who doesn't know me, my name is Tina, and I run Redz World, it is a place for both blogging and reviews we are located at redzworld.blogspot.com.   I wanted to run a place with a positive vibe, and honest, fair, positive reviewing.  We have been up close to a year and I love every minute of the experience.

What draws you to initially purchase a book? 

For me, it is the blurb. If you have grabbed my attention there I will get the book and see what it is about, even if you’re a name I have never heard of before.

What would make you recommend it to a friend?

I would recommend a book that I couldn’t stop thinking about. One I wanted to re read over and over again.  A book like that is like gold.

Is there a favorite book or series you’re hooked on?

Christine Feehan I love her Carpathians.  I cannot get enough of the world she creates.  On the ebook front so hard to choose just one so many I love.  There are some authors I buy just because I know I will love the book no matter what. Cardeno C is one of my absolute favorite authors, Joey W. Hill is another….soo many I would need a blog just to cover them all.  Gabrielle Evans, Jana Downs,  Kali Argent… see so many!!

What book do you re-read the most? 

This one would be A Little bit of Rough by Laura Baumbach. Truly amazing characters.

When did you start reading romances? 

Ahh… now this takes me back to my teens and all the Hariquin romances I used to read. I wanted to marry a Greek man so badly when I was teen because of them lol…  Then when I was about 16 I graduated to the Desire books ahhh those were my steamy reads. I also worked a library so I got boxes of them from there… they kept me very  supplied with reading material.

As a reviewer, do you ever have authors get mad at you?

Umm.. hate to say this but yah. It is part of the territory.  As much as the author hates to hear anything bad about their book me as a reviewer hates to give that mark.  I have a huge love of reading. That is why I do what I do.  I have emailed authors to tell them how to improve something rather than just give a low mark.  Then again you can give a five star review, and have an author openly bash your review. Yes this happened to me. Was not fun. So I just have this attitude, I give books the mark I feel they deserve after I have read it. It’s only my opinion.  Five other people can read the same book and love it.  I am not the be all end all.

What made you decide to start your own blog?

I wanted a positive author friendly place to do what I love to do. I believe it should be about helping authors, reading what you love, and just having fun.  Why I became a reviewer to begin with I love it. I want my site to be a place that is honest and positive all at the same time.

How many hours a week do you dedicate to your blog?

I usually spend a couple of hours a day at it.  There is always something to do, or promote.  But I consider it my fun time.

Caitlyn, Thank you SO MUCH for having me on your blog today. I LOVED answering your questions. 

Folks, you HAVE to check out redzworld.blogspot.com I have found some fantastic books to read.  - Caitlyn 

Okay, some of you HATE rafflecopter.  So here are the ways you can enter, without having to open the rafflecopter icon.   Here are the way to score the 20 possible points:

5 points:  Comment on Blog, Answer Question, What makes Tina want to read a book?

5 points:  Tweet @CaitlynOlearyNA with the title of the book you're currently reading

5 points:  Like Caitlyn O'Leary - Author Page

5 points:  Go to http://www.caitlynoleary.com/caitlyn/Home/Contact, and sign up for newsletter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlighting Michelle Roth and Her Book Unexpectedly Yours

I'm so excited to be hosting Michelle Roth.  She and I live in Southern California. Let me tell you a bit about her.  When she’s not disappearing into foreign lands, or making two perfect strangers that she invented fall in love, she’s probably curled up somewhere with a glass of wine and a good book.

In her spare time she is typically hanging out with her awesome boyfriend and their two equally awesome cats.  She likes taking road trips to nowhere in particular, cooking elaborate meals, then making other people do the dishes and being nerdy on the internet.  Visit her blog at www.michelleroth.net for information on her latest releases, exclusive excerpts, and more.

This is the Synopsis for Unexpectedly Yours:

Elle Thomas has had a crush on Jim Conroy for months now. Among their small circle of friends, they're the only two single people left. It makes sense that he might gravitate toward her at social events, and maybe even flirt a little bit, right? Elle can't help but want more, though.

Jim may be going insane. He's been chasing Elle for months. He's flirted with her, asked her out, and done everything else he could think of to get her attention short of skywriting his feelings. When Elle finally agrees to go out with him, things quickly heat up between them.

What starts out as a single spark of attraction between them quickly burns out of control. As they settle into the beginnings of a relationship, one moment will change their lives forever. Is their relationship strong enough to survive when reality sets in?

You can purchase it here:

http://www.bookstrand.com/unexpectedly-yours

                                                             GENERAL EXCERPT

The next hour flew by as she worked on the clam chowder. Setting down the spoon, she moved back to the tomato soup. Judging it cool enough to put into the refrigerator, she grabbed the handles of the stock pot and started to pour it into a storage container.

Jim breezed through the door as she was finishing. Like always, she totally lost her concentration when he walked into the room. Soup sloshed over the side of the container. She cursed roundly, as the soup scalded her hand.

Turning to the sink, she turned the water on and rinsed the soup off of her hand. Jim hurried over and said, “Shit. I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she said, “I’m just a klutz. It’s not your fault.”

Jim looked at her and said, “That looks really red.”

Elle waved her hand and said, “Not too bad. The soup wasn’t that hot.”

He reached out and put his hand on her wrist, gently steering her hand back to the sink. Turning the water on cool, he moved it back under the stream. They stood there for a few moments, his hand circling her wrist as she let the water run over it.

Reaching out with her other hand she turned the water off and said, “It’s fine now. I promise.”

“You’re sure?” he asked, concerned.

Rolling her eyes now, she said, “Yes. I’m sure. I’m totally fine. I burn myself quite frequently. It’s part of the job.”

He eyed the red blotch on her hand and frowned again, unconvinced.

“Would it make you feel better if I put something cold on it?” she asked.

“If it’s not a lot less red after we eat, then yes,” he said.

“We?” she asked.

“Yeah, we. I’ve tried to get you to go out with me a couple of times now. I figure this is the only way you’ll let me buy you dinner,” he said with a grin.

She smiled now. He was such a flirt.

“You know. If you keep asking, one of these days I’m going to think you’re serious, Jim,” she said, moving toward the food he’d set on the counter. Then she asked, “Which one of these is mine?” as she rifled through the brown paper bag.

When she looked up, he was staring at her like he was trying to solve a puzzle. He finally asked, “What makes you think I’m not serious? I’ve been flirting with you for months.”

Elle blinked, confused for a minute, and said, “Honestly, I thought it was a proximity thing. When everyone gets together, we’re the only two single people. I didn’t realize you were serious.”

“I see that,” he said. “Proximity? You don’t give yourself a lot of credit, Elle.”

Reaching for one of the containers, he opened it then passed it over to her.

Picking up her fork, she shrugged at him and said, “I’m just a realist.”

He gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head, then said, “Elle,” and sighed.

They moved into the office and sat on the couch. Digging into their food, they were both silent for a few minutes.

Finally, Jim asked, “What did you mean, you’re a realist?”

Elle snorted and said, “Come on. You know you’re ridiculously hot. I just didn’t think you’d be interested.”

Jim grinned and said, “Thanks, but why wouldn’t I be interested in you?”

“You could be dating willowy models. I’m not saying I’m ugly, but I’m pretty average. Not willowy in the slightest,” Elle said, shrugging.

“The willowy model types you think I should be dating don’t have much substance in my experience. They’re usually looking for a leg up in the entertainment industry or they’re after my money. I prefer my women…real. You’re very much my type,” he said, looking her directly in the eye now.

Flushing, Elle smiled and said, “Good to know.”

They ate in silence for a few minutes as Elle thought over everything he said. Popping open the can of Diet Coke he’d brought with him, she took a swig and said, “This has certainly been an enlightening meal but I have to get back to work now.”

“So you’re going to put me out of my misery and let me take you on an actual date, right?” he asked.

Nodding slowly, she said, “That would be nice.”

He asked, “What are you doing Friday?”

Elle winced and said, “I’m working late. Evening event.”

“Saturday?”

Considering, she said, “I should be free after 5:00 p.m. What did you have in mind?”

“Let me think about that,” he said, pulling out his cell phone. “What’s your number? I’ll call you once I figure it out.”

Elle rattled off her cell phone number. He dialed. A moment later, her phone rang in her apron pocket.

“Now you’ve got mine,” he said. “Lemme see your hand.”

He reached out and took her wrist, inspecting the part of her hand that she’d burnt. Sighing, he said, “It looks better. Sorry about that.”

“Again,” she said, “totally not your fault. It will be perfectly fine tomorrow. What do I owe you for dinner?”

He shook his head and said, “I’ve got dinner. It was well worth the cost of your lemon chicken to finally clear the air between us.”

“Thank you for dinner then,” she said, smiling.

“Don’t work too late, Elle. Be careful please,” he said, gesturing to her hand.

Elle grinned and said, “Only an hour or so left. I’ll be careful.”

“Night,” he said as he walked toward the kitchen door.

She gave him a little wave and said, “Night.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Standing up now, he moved toward her. He’d been watching her mess with the hem of her dress since she’d arrived. He’d been getting small, tantalizing glimpses of her smooth thighs for the better part of an hour now. She was driving him crazy and seemed to have no idea.

She got off the couch now, smiling, and said, “I had almost given up on dinner.”

He pulled her into his arms and asked, “Would you mind putting off dinner a few minutes? I’ve got something I need to take care of.”

Looking at him curiously now, she said, “Oh?”

He nodded and the leaned down to take her mouth with his. Nibbling her bottom lip gently, he mumbled, “Super important.”

When she sighed against his lips, he deepened the kiss. As tongue swept into her mouth to tangle with hers, he stroked his hand down her back to press her even closer to him. His hands moved down to settle on the curves of her ass. He immediately heard a low moan in the back of her throat and felt himself harden.

Breaking his mouth away from hers, he trailed his lips down the side of her throat, pressing soft, biting kisses against her neck. When he gently sucked on the patch of flesh where her neck and shoulder met, he felt her shudder slightly against him. She pressed closer and rolled her hips against him.

Groaning, he pulled his mouth away from her shoulder and said, “Every time you messed with the hem of your dress, it gave me this overwhelming desire to bury my face between your thighs. Would you mind?”

He felt her sharp intake of breath, then a moment later she laughed and said, “Literally anytime you want to, I can make myself available for that.”

With a groan, he captured her mouth with his again. The kiss grew wild, quickly. Her hands slid around his waist and up his back. She pulled him until he was flush against her. The only thing that separated them was clothing and he had every intention of correcting that particular issue very soon.

He moved them slowly back toward his desk and sat her on the edge, pushing the skirt of her dress up. Standing between her thighs now, he pulled back from the kiss. Pressing his lips to her throat again, he began swirling his tongue against her skin.

He cupped one breast in his palm and felt her nipple pebble under his touch as he moved his fingers against it. He continued to massage her breast gently with his palm until he heard her breathing increase slightly. He moved his hand lower to the damp heat between her thighs and discovered that the filmy lace was soaked.

On a groan, he sank to his knees. Helping her shift, he pulled the panties down her legs and slid them over the heels she wore. He stared at her now and felt another wave of lust hit him. He could see the evidence of her arousal against the now bare lips of her pussy.

He used his thumb and forefinger to spread her open and leaned forward. Running his tongue in a circular motion around her swollen clitoris, he heard her sharp intake of breath. When he slid two fingers into her tight channel, she gave a moan.

Pumping them into her with a steady rhythm, he shifted his mouth slightly, making direct contact with her clit for the first time. He felt her flutter around his fingers as she cried out. Working his fingers against her, he rubbed the flat of his tongue in time with the press of his hand.

She was whimpering with each stroke of his tongue and he could feel her tightening and fluttering around his fingers.