Book Spotlight~ Desert Heat by Lucy Felthouse

Out Now – Desert Heat by Lucy Felthouse (@cw1985) #erotica #romance #gay #mm #military

Blurb:

Their love is forbidden by rules, religion and risk. Yet still they can’t resist.

Captain Hugh Wilkes is on his last tour of duty in Afghanistan. The British Army is withdrawing, and Wilkes expects his posting to be event-free. That is, until he meets his Afghan interpreter, Rustam Balkhi, who awakens desires in Wilkes that he’d almost forgotten about, and that won’t be ignored.

Please note: this book was previously published as part of the Unconditional Surrender bundle.

Buy links:

Amazon UK
Amazon US
Amazon AU
Amazon CA
All Romance eBooks
Barnes & Noble
iBooks UK
iBooks US
Kobo
Smashwords

Excerpt:

Captain Hugh Wilkes sucked in a deep breath, steeling himself for the heat he was about to be subjected to, though he already knew all the deep breaths in the world wouldn’t help. Darkness had fallen on Camp Bastion, in the notorious Helmand Province of Afghanistan, but there would still be residual warmth left to seep away throughout the small hours. Then the sun would rise, and it would start all over again. It was a damn desert, after all. But, all being well, it would be his last ever tour of the godforsaken place. The British Army was already preparing to pull out. The manpower had been reduced drastically over the previous months. It was time to leave the Afghans to get on with it. They weren’t being abandoned—far from it—they would still receive aid, training and money for years to come. But the British Army was no longer needed, apparently. It was still a volatile place, which would no doubt be monitored very closely, in case strategies needed to be reconsidered.

None of that was down to Wilkes, though. He was here with his platoon for six months, doing whatever they were ordered to do by their Company Commander, Major Hunter. It was unlikely they’d be doing any fighting—they weren’t here for offensive operations. More probably they’d be accompanying their vehicles, weapons and ammunition across the country as it was transported to the air base to be sent back home, or patrolling towns and villages as a show of presence, to reassure and protect the inhabitants.

There was only one way to find out. Grabbing his kit, he headed toward the ramp of the huge C17 aircraft with his colleagues, and followed them out onto the airstrip. Immediately, he was hit by the overwhelming smell of aviation fuel. As he moved away from the airplane this was replaced by the dry atmosphere.

Wilkes imagined he could feel the grains of sand coating his throat and tongue. He’d soon get used to it—he always did. Plus, on the bright side, he’d end up with a nice tan at the end of his deployment. Mentally, he crossed his fingers for a nice, event-free tour of duty. Letting his guard down wasn’t going to happen, naturally, he just hoped it wasn’t necessary. Hoped the insurgents would play nicely. The country was completely different to how it had been when Allied forces had gone in after 9/11. Some fantastic progress had been made, but it still wasn’t completely safe. But then, where was? People died in picturesque villages in the English countryside—though generally not courtesy of IEDs, AK-47s or suicide bombers.

Author Bio:

Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over 100 publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include several editions of Best Bondage Erotica, Best Women's Erotica 2013 and Best Erotic Romance 2014. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies, and also edits for a small publishing house. She owns Erotica For All, is book editor for Cliterati, and is one eighth of The Brit Babes. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

Welcome Shelli Rosewarne

Welcome to the Reading Nook, Shelli. Please take a seat and let's get started. :-)

Can you please tell us about your latest/upcoming book(s)?

My new release is called Scarlett Legacy. It's a paranormal romance, with a bit of a Red Riding Hood inspiration behind it. When Natalia rents a holiday cottage in Europe she's looking for peace and quiet to recover from a failed relationship. Instead she finds herself thrown into a world where fairy tales are real and her life might be in danger.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

I've always loved fairytales and Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf was an old favourite. I find it fascinating to think about alternative ideas and retakes on old stories, and that's how this story was initially formed. I also tend to have a soft spot for the bad guys, so the idea of giving the 'Big Bad Wolf' a bit of redemption was a very appealing one. Though, trust me, he ended up being big and bad in a whole different way! J

Who is your ultimate "book boy/girlfriend"? You know, that hottie you read about and drool over.

Ooh, you can't make me pick just one! If we're taking top ten though, I'm definitely in love with Acheron from Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series. I'm a sucker for goth guys anyway, but through in some attitude, a tortured past and a bit of a Greek mythology and I'm a puddle on the floor!

Who is your Celebrity crush? And what would you do if you ever meet them?

You're trying to make me give up all my secrets today, huh? I'm a big fan of the slightly 'quirky' look so people like Benedict Cumberbatch or Johnny Depp, oooh and Tom Hiddleston is just fabulous. What would I do if I actually met them? Probably get completely tongue-tied and mumble incoherently in a corner. Ah well!

If you could collaborate with another author on a secret project, who would you pick to work with and why?

There's a huge amount of authors that I admire, so it would be very hard to pick just one. I adore Neil Gaiman, J.R.Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Jayne Ann Krentz. I love writer's who can perfectly blend a good secondary story with a strong romance, and I'm sure I would learn a huge amount from being able to work with people of that calibre. 

Scarlett Legacy 

A Naughty Nursery Rhyme

Paranormal Romance

Breathless Press

What if the fairy tales were not only real, but had it all wrong? Come meet a Big Bad Wolf like you've never seen before.

Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? 

When Natalia rents a holiday cottage she is looking for peace and quiet. A place to reassess her life and recover from her failed relationship. Instead, she finds a man who turns her world upside down. 

However, people and things are not as they seem, and Natalia begins to discover that legends are real and fairy tales have a basis in reality. As she grows closer to the enigmatic Damian, she finds herself tested as danger and passion go in hand in hand, and everything she thought she knew about the world will be questioned.

After years of waiting Damian had given up hope that he would ever meet his destined mate, and he certainly never expected her to be a sassy American who had no idea that his world even existed. Can he convince Natalia to believe in the impossible, and more importantly, can he protect her from those who seek to destroy his people?

Teaser from Scarlet Legacy:

Natalia eyed the shining water with fresh appreciation. She had to admit it would be nice to do something to take her mind away from all the crap.

"I didn't bring a suit," she murmured, a bit regretfully.

His grin turned wicked. "You don't need one. There's no one around."

She glared at him. "You're around!"

"I won't look." His eyes were teasing.

Yeah, right! She snorted. "I don't believe you!"

"Okay, how about this. I may look, but I promise I won't touch. Unless you ask me to, of course."

Natalia burst out laughing, surprising herself. Ten minutes ago, she'd been sobbing her eyes out.

His gaze softened. "Come on, you could do with it."

The water did look calm, she thought as she eyed it up. "You're sure it's safe for swimming?"

"Sure, I used to come here as a kid."

She shot him a quick glance at that. It was hard to imagine him as an innocent child. He grinned back at her as though he knew exactly what she thinking—which, quite frankly, shouldn't surprise her after today, but she wasn't going to go there right now.

"Look, if you're that bothered leave your underwear on. It's such a warm day you'll dry out afterward."

Really, it wasn't much different than a bikini, was it? She found herself nodding before she thought better of it and he reached a hand down to tug her to her feet. A half smile tugged at her lips. It might be a bit old-fashioned, but she liked the little gestures he made like that. Then he pulled his shirt over his head and she stopped breathing.

His body was like something out of a magazine, or like the Greek statues at the museums she'd been to for tedious fundraisers. Bronzed skin covered sculpted muscles with a dusting of hair leading down into his pants—which, oh Christ, were coming off as well! She closed her eyes a moment, and then couldn't help herself and had to peek. So much for wondering whether he was going to keep on his underwear as he wasn't wearing any. He seemed completely comfortable in his nakedness, and when he bent over to neatly place his clothes on the rock she had to clench her hands to restrain from reaching out to that tight ass. Jeez, you could market that! He turned back to meet her gaze and her cheeks flamed at the knowing amusement in his eyes. Before her fuddled brain could even start to think of something to say, he leaned forward and brushed a quick, hard kiss across her lips.

"Don't worry. You have the exact same effect on me," he whispered to her and then stepped back. "See you in there," he told her with a grin, before turning and jumping off the rock straight into the shining water.

About the Author

Shelli Rosewarne had always had a dream in the back of her head about wanting to be a writer. However, like with so many things, life and paying the bills got in the way and she worked in various jobs from call centers, to shops, to offices. She eventually realized that life is too short not to try and follow your dreams, and has since had two stand alone novellas published with Breathless Press, along with several submissions in anthologies, and various works in progress in the pipeline. Yup, she's having to pinch herself as well! She's currently lucky enough to live in Edinburgh, where she can be constantly inspired by Scottish folklore and see castles every day. When not writing she loves reading, music and photography.

You can follow her at:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shelli-Rosewarne/364962230246715

Twitter - @shellirosewarne

Blog – http://shellirosewarne.wordpress.com

Welcome Claire Thompson & Win an E-book!

Check out Claire's new book and leave a comment to be entered to win an e-book of your choice from her.

The Inner Room

Genre: M/f BDSM romance

Buy Link: RomanceUnbound

The Inner Room – where submissive dreams become reality

Dr. Marissa Roberts takes charge and saves lives by day, but spends lonely nights embracing fantasies of erotic submission. When a friend encourages her to explore her submissive longings, Marissa agrees to an evaluation to become a member of an exclusive local BDSM club. With that act, a door is opened to Marissa, and her long-standing fantasies may just become reality.   

Cam Wilder, a nurse at the same hospital as Marissa and an experienced Dominant in his private life, has no idea the prospective slave girl he will assess in The Inner Room of The Power Exchange will be his reserved co-worker. Sparks of desire ignite into flames of passion as Cam recognizes in Marissa the heart of a true submissive yearning for freedom, and she sees in him a Master who speaks directly to her soul.

Their potential BDSM paradise is threatened by the unwanted attention of an arrogant bastard who refuses to take no for an answer. His secret surveillance and devious plans lead to terrifying results that threaten to destroy not only Marissa and Cam’s careers, but the bonds of trust and love they’ve forged together as Master and sub girl.

Excerpt:

The shock of seeing Marissa Roberts standing there naked as a baby, save for those fuck-me high heels, caused something to short circuit in Cam’s brain, and he found himself momentarily speechless. He realized now Jack hadn’t even told him the subject’s name, but only that she was a novice with almost no experience in the scene.

Despite the fact she was trying to cover herself, Marissa’s body was even lovelier in real life than the images he’d conjured of her when stroking himself to a quick morning orgasm in the shower. She was blushing sweetly. Her shiny, dark hair cascaded to her shoulders, a deep cleavage created between those luscious breasts by her arms hugging her body.

Cam felt like one of those cartoon characters whose jaw had come unhinged from shock, but his brain sternly ordered him to regain control of the situation. He was the Master; she was the novice trainee. To cede control would be to undermine the entire process. The thing to do was to push on with the assessment. He owed it to Jack, to himself, and to Marissa.

“I could ask you the same thing, sub girl, but we both know the answer. I am a master trainer, and you are here as my subject. You are in the inner room, which means Jack apparently saw something in you worthy of exploration. My job tonight is to assess your submissive potential. As of right now, I see none.”

He glared at her. “Look at you, out of position, hiding your body from me. The first rule of submission is never hide from your Master—not your feelings, not your fears and most definitely not your body. Back in position, arms behind your head. Now!”

Marissa didn’t move. If possible, her face became even redder and she stared at him with flashing eyes, her chin lifting in defiance. If she didn’t obey even this most basic command, Cam would end things then and there. He would let Jack know he was not compatible with the subject and hadn’t been able to properly assess her as a result. Jack wasn’t a forgiving sort of man, Cam knew, and that would be the end of Marissa’s chances to join the club. 

He would count to three in his head. If she hadn’t obeyed by then, he’d walk out. There was no other way.

One…

Two…

For more excerpts, click here: Inner Room Excerpts

As a token of my appreciation to your readers, I would like to give away a free ebook download (winner’s choice from my catalog) to someone who leaves a comment on this blog entry. Winner to be chosen by Dawn.

Thanks for having me as a guest. I love to connect with readers, and will answer all emails personally and promptly.

About the Author



I’ve been writing for nearly two decades, and have published over 60 novels. I write BDSM romance and non-con abduction tales, spanning both m/f and m/m genres. My love affair is with all things D/s (Dominance/submission). My work began as a romantic exploration of the BDSM life style, and then veered somewhat to the darker side of fantasy. I love delving into the dark psyche of a twisted mind, and gaining insight into what might motivate such a person to do what they do. I don’t create all black and white villains and heroes, but rather strive to develop real, complex and flawed human beings. I don't want to simply provide an erotic thrill or evocative description. I seek not only to tell a story, but to come to grips with, and ultimately exalt in the true beauty and spirituality of a loving exchange of power. My darker works press the envelope of what is erotic and what can be a sometimes dangerous slide into the world of sadomasochism. Ultimately my work deals with the human condition, and our constant search for love and intensity of experience.

Social Media and publishing links:

http://romanceunbound.com

http://clairethompson.net

http://twitter.com/CThompsonAuthor

http://www.facebook.com/ClaireThompsonauthor

http://clairethompsonauthor.blogspot.com

Welcome back author Sean MIchael

The Merry Month of May

Thanks, Dawn, for hosting me at the Reading Nook this month.

In keeping with all “m”s I’m going to share my first book published directly by All Romance Ebooks – The Millionaire’s Mistake.

I was asked to participate in ARE’s Bad Boys series, which were all featured this past month. I jumped at the chance. I mean, bad boys, right?

My pair are former lovers and it ended badly. AW, bad boy millionaire, who is really a spoiled brat, and even more so five years ago, dumped Reid because Reid had the audacity to say no to something AW had asked him to do. Yeah, AW was that spoiled!

Of course, Now AW is older and not quite as spoiled and most definitely alone. Oh, he can pick up twinks for one night stands any time he wants. Problems is, he doesn’t really want that anymore. He wants someone he can love, be partners with. It’s just too bad he threw away the guy he had that with!

This one was a lot of fun to write, and because they were former lovers, I was able to jump right in with the kink. And you know me, I kind of like my kink.

 

Is it too late to win back the heart of the man he loves?
When Reid Allen said no to spoiled millionaire Ambrose Walter Simpson five years ago, AW kicked him out on his ass. Now AW is ready to admit he’s thrown away the only man he ever truly loved.
The rich bad boy has learned the value of sticking around when the going gets tough. But is it too late to make amends and win Reid back?

You can pick it up at All Romance Ebooks, where it’s currently #1 on their bestseller list!

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-themillionaire039smistake-1485471-147.html

Excerpt:

“Two cappuccinos, an Americano, and two drips, Reid!”


“You got it, honey.” Reid pulled coffee, humming under his breath as they worked through the morning rush. There’d be another one at lunch and a tiny one around four. It was perfect.

“Reid, I’m going to grab the cranberry muffins. We’re down to only blueberry and one lemon.” Barb, his other employee rushed by from where she’d been bussing tables.

“Run a load of cups, huh?” He needed to pick up more; they were starting to run low. It never failed to amaze him how he had to buy another couple dozen every few months, like clockwork.


David nodded from the register. “Cups good. Muffins good. Customers like wild, slavering beasts.”

“Are you allowed to say that where we can hear?” asked the next customer, the man’s voice like liquid fucking velvet.

“Oh, yeah. You guys are sharks. What can I get you, man?” The grin in David’s voice was audible.


Reid didn’t look, even though his cock jerked at the husky tone—the customer’s, not David’s.

“I’ll have a double espresso.” God, that voice was beginning to settle in his balls.

“You got it. Muffin?”


Reid went still, halfway through pulling the Americano. He knew that voice. He did.

“No, I want something…sweeter.” The customer was looking at Reid; he could feel it. Especially now that he knew who it was.

“There’s muffins and raspberry scones. Those are your options, Walt.” He didn’t meet his ex’s eyes. Fucker.

“So you do remember me.” That husky voice went even deeper over the words. “And I’ll have the raspberry scone.”


Reid plated up the scone, pulled the espressos, put them on the counter. “Double espresso, scone.”

“Thank you. Will you join me?”

“Will I what?” He did look that time, right into Walt’s eyes. The dark blue was as intense as ever and Walt didn’t flinch for a second.

“I said, ‘Will you join me?’”

“I’m working. Rush. Sorry.” No. No, he wouldn’t. He couldn’t.

“When the rush is over then. Excellent.” Walt walked away like it hadn’t been five fucking years.

Reid stood there staring. No. No. Working, then he’d go to the back. No way he was fucking talking to Mr. Playboy Everybody Loves Me.


Walt glanced back and gave him a smug little smile.


Christ.


They’d been together for three years, right after university. Three years of wild kinky sex and one night Walt had said “get out.”


One fight about time and work and the club and shit and Walt threw him out with his wallet, his backpack, and his laptop. Fuck him. The man had been painting the town red with some baby twink the next Friday night too. Asshole. Waltzing back in like he owned the place. God damn spoiled millionaire bastard.


Reid made the next order, reminding himself that he’d done fine. He had a life, a good life. He’d built a strong business. He had friends, lovers. A cat.


All the while he worked, he could feel Walt’s eyes on him. It was like a fucking touch. How could that still be possible after five fucking years?

Sean Michael

Smut fixes everything

www.seanmichaelwrites.com

Book Blast~One Night With Molly by Renee Trofe

 

Book Title: One Night with Molly Author: Renee Trofé Genre: New Adult Release Date: March 29, 2014 Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

Meet Shayla Jones, your typical mid-western girl who just moved to Palm Beach and is taken in by socialite McKenzie Carmichael for a night on the town that will forever change her life. Shay knows her new friend McKenzie is bad news, but she has to play nice if she wants to learn her way around Palm Beach and meet all the right people. Besides, she set out to move to a new town and let go of the good girl image she has been hanging onto for so long, and that is exactly what she intends to do. When McKenzie ultimately strands Shay at an after-hours party, she knows she needs to cut ties with her new friend, but if she does, will she ever see Jared again? Follow the adventure as Shay is faced with decisions that will question her morals as she is slipped into a night of drugs and passion; from blowing up in the club to coming down on the beach, One night with Molly will leave you breathless and begging for more!

***Contains adult content including drug use and explicit sex. Recommended for adults 18+***

 
Renee Trofé spent most of her life as a 'Jane of all trades' before finally settling on her first true love ... writing. From phone sex operator to bartender, Renee has seen and heard it ALL. As an up and coming new adult author, her style is a bit more edgy, touching on a variety of real life topics ranging from drug use to irresponsible sex. Her guilty pleasure is devouring new adult and erotica books, and her favorite pastime is spending her days on the beach with her kindle, downloading the latest sizzling best-seller, and daydreaming about the hot sex scenes which she will play out in the bedroom later. She shares a home at the beach with her fiance which ultimately belongs to their weiner dog, Lola. Yep, it's Lola's world -- they are just living in it. Reneé adores her life and wouldn't have it any other way.



 I opened my eyes again, and we locked in a hypnotic gaze. I didn’t look away like I normally would when a hot guy caught me staring. I held the gaze and just keep dancing. I felt seductive for the first time in my life. The hottest guy I had ever seen was watching me with a hunger in his eyes. And I was dancing for him.

The song changed, breaking my concentration from Jared and back to the DJ. A feeling of euphoria filled my entire body as I looked out at the scene before me, taking it all in. I love it here. I want to dance all night. Suddenly I felt a hand on my hip. It startled me, but I didn’t mind. A body moved up against me and started to move in harmony with mine. I shot a look over my shoulder and caught a glimpse of Jared. My face now only inches from his. I turned my body around so we were face to face. Still moving with the beat of the music, our bodies melded. Now I was hot. Why is it so hot in here? Up close I could see he had a small silver piercing just below his bottom lip and it protruded forward as he bit his lower lip and stared deep into my eyes.

I mirrored his gesture and bit my lower lip, looked up at him with my large doe eyes as he started to grind closer to me. With his hand on the small of my back he pulled me into him, pressing his body hard into mine. The smell of his cologne was intoxicating. I had an overwhelming urge to kiss him, our lips now only an inch apart, at best. I wondered if he felt the same. Is he going to kiss me? God, how I want him to kiss me! His took his finger and gently ran it from the base of my neck down my décolleté and stopped right above my cleavage. My skin moistened from sweat, my panties moistened in arousal. Why was he teasing me? I wanted him so badly I considered pulling him off to the bathroom. Have some class, Shay. My conscience reared its ugly head for the first time all night. Glad to know I still had it, but unwilling to listen, I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, exposing my vulnerable neck. I saw flashes of light pulsating through my closed eyelids, and I felt Jared’s hand move from the small of my back down to my ass as he gripped it in his palm. Finally, soft lips met my neck. He gently kissed his way up until our mouths were in perfect alignment. He paused, and I could feel his breath on my face. We were so close. Why won’t he kiss me? Unable to take it any longer, I latched my fingers around his neck and pulled his mouth into mine.

His lips soft on mine, kissed me slowly at first, and then the whole world around us seemed to fade away, and I was lost in his embrace. I teased him a bit, circling his piercing with the tip of my tongue, and then put it in my mouth and tugged gently with my teeth. I had never been so forward with a guy before, but I couldn’t stop myself. My attraction for him was animalistic and the way he looked at me, with a craving in his eyes, told me he felt the same. His hands made their way up my back, my hair tangled in his fingers as he pulled me deeper into him—just forcefully enough to be sexy, yet still rough enough to drive me crazy. His touch did something to my body I had never experienced before, but I liked it, and I wanted more.

I moaned through muffled lips as he started to kiss me hard and deep. It was like our mouths were made for each other. We were full-on making out in the middle of the VIP section, and I just didn’t give a shit who was watching. My eyes still closed, we sucked and licked on each other’s lips in time to the music. I could feel his erection pushed up against my pelvic bone as he grinded himself into me. I was ready to give myself to him when my conscience came back. Don’t give it all at once, Shay. That bitch had the worst timing. But I knew better than to give it all at once. At least I hadn’t lost all of my senses—just my hormones.

I pulled away slowly, lingering on his bottom lip for a moment before letting it go as I looked deep into his eyes. They had a yearning in them now, a look of lust. I knew I had turned him on, I could feel the confirmation still pushed up against me. He leaned in for one last kiss as the song changed, and suddenly it was like he had been awakened from a trance. For me it was more like waking up from a wet dream—still hot and bothered, yet bummed it was over. He flashed me his sexiest grin that let me know he enjoyed our encounter, then turned and walked over to Pope and grabbed a beer from the ice. Our dance was over.

I wondered if he danced with all the girls like that.

I wondered if we’d ever dance again.

I knew one thing for certain … I didn’t want the night to end.

-->

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Book Blitz for Hugged by an Angel by Roberta Capizzi

Book Title: Hugged by an Angel

Author: Roberta Capizzi

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: July 22, 2013

Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

How can you ever love again when tragedy has crushed your heart?

Kathleen used to love life. She had plans, dreams, and faith in life; but that was before the accident that took it all away from her in an instant. Now that her beloved brother is dead and she’s confined to a wheelchair, her future is but a dark cloud hovering above her head. How can she ever find the will to move on and keep living without him? Even the cares of the happy-go-lucky American physiotherapist who’s helping her with her rehab therapies are all in vain. Life seems to have lost its meaning, until one night she receives an unexpected celestial visit…

Colin has been working as a physiotherapist in Dublin for almost five years, but he’s never bonded so much with a patient like he is bonding with Kathleen; there’s something about those sad blue eyes that makes him want to help her, to take away the pain that reminds him so much of his own. Having lost both his parents in a plane crash when he was only sixteen, Colin knows how it feels to have someone you love taken so abruptly away from you, and he makes it his mission to help Kathleen find her faith in life again. But something changes along the way…

Sometimes love can work miracles. If you believe.

Excerpt:

“Hey.”

I turned when I heard her voice and saw her in the wheelchair, her braided hair over her shoulder. She looked so beautiful I wanted to reach out my hand and stroke her sleepy face. I wanted it so much I had to break eye contact for a minute before I lost control and made a fool of myself.

“Oh, hi. I’m sorry, did I wake you?” I asked as nonchalantly as I could, although my heart was beating fast in my chest.

She smiled and shook her head, staring at my hand.

“I didn’t know you smoked.”

“I don’t,” I replied instinctively. Her eyes lit up with amusement and I realized how stupid I must have sounded.

“That looks pretty much like a cigarette to me,” she said, pointing. I bent my head and smiled.

“No, what I meant to say was I’m not a smoker.” I looked at the cigarette in my hand, and suddenly the words were released without asking for permission. “I used to smoke when I was in one of my dark moments, but I don’t anymore.”

What the hell was wrong with me? Why did I always end up opening myself up with her as if she could understand what I’d been through? Why couldn’t I simply lie my way out of her question, the way I’d always done with everyone?

“Are you now? In a dark moment, I mean?” She looked up at me and her huge blue eyes widened in concern. Why did she have to be so sweet and so damn beautiful? It made lying so much harder and I couldn’t afford to let her get close to me, to break through the wall around my heart any more than she already had.

“Well, you almost—we almost died in a fire. I have every right to be a little shaken, don’t you think?”

She chuckled, and as I looked at her I realized I didn’t need that cigarette anymore. I stubbed it out in the plastic ashtray on the small iron table in the corner of the balcony.

All I really needed was to see that beautiful smile of hers. The rest didn’t matter.

“Good boy,” she said, nodding approvingly. “You’ll feel much better now.”

I couldn’t help but smile. She was tearing down the wall brick by brick, and I felt a fire in my heart just looking into her eyes. I needed to break the spell, before it was too late.

“Let’s get back inside,” I said, approaching her and instinctively pushing her wheelchair. “I promised to take care of you, and I won’t be keeping my word if you get sick.”

“I’m a big girl,” she said in a mocking tone. “I can take care of myself.”

“Of course,” I replied, mimicking her tone and playing her game. “I tend to forget that, Your Majesty!”

“Colin! Don’t start again!” she screamed, without hiding her exasperation, and I laughed.

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E2VPW4C

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00E2VPW4C

http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00E2VPW4C

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/339444

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/hugged-by-an-angel

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hugged-by-an-angel-roberta-capizzi/1116264157?ean=2940045162319

https://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/roberta-capizzi/hugged-by-an-angel/_/R-400000000000001098566

https://www.createspace.com/4360770

 Meet the Author

 An avid reader since her childhood years and being an only 

child, Roberta always enjoyed the company of her fictional friends from the children’s books she loved reading, while she dreamed of writing her own stories one day.

It was when she discovered novels by authors Rosamunde Pilcher and Maeve Binchy in her teenage years that she realized it was time she put down in words the stories she had kept well hidden in her mind until then.

What started as a hobby, soon turned into a real passion and a way of life, until she could no longer keep the stories to herself, and decided to get over her fears and share them with the world.

Roberta lives in Italy, but her dream is to move out of her country and live either in a thatched cottage in the Irish countryside or in a country house with a swing on the back porch, somewhere in the United States, where she would love to spend her days writing novels as a full-time job, and maybe one day even get as far as writing a screenplay for a movie.

Social Links:

Facebook URL: http://www.facebook.com/RobertasDreamworld

Twitter URL: http://www.twitter.com/SligoRoo

Website: http://robertasdreamworld.wordpress.com

Goodreads Author URL: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6869696.Roberta_Capizzi

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Capizzi/e/B00DVL5QE0

Smashwords author page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/RobertaCapizzi