Dare to Touch by Carly Phillips Sneak Peek

Dare to Touch
Carly Phillips

First Chapter Sneak Peek

About Dare to Touch:

Olivia Dare, executive director of the Miami Thunder, and team travel director, Dylan Rhodes share more than just a passion for football–their chemistry is explosive and their feelings for each other are intense. But Olivia is wary of any man getting too close. Given her background – a near-bigamist dad and an ex-boyfriend who merely enforced her lack of priority in his life – Olivia fears being hurt again but she can’t resist embarking upon a passionate affair with Dylan, even as she holds part of herself back.

Dylan isn’t a man who does anything half way. Once he decides to pursue Olivia, he goes all in. When the Pro-Bowl takes them to the desert oasis of Arizona, Dylan is determined to make sure their time together isn’t all business. What happens while at the luxury resort is life altering but when Olivia admits her deepest pain, will Dylan be able to prove he’s a man with staying power? Or will Olivia be disappointed  again, this time by the most important man in her life?

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The birthday party had wound down and only family and a few close friends remained in the private room where the celebration had been held. Olivia didn’t feel any older, only … more jaded. Was it any wonder? Her twenty-fifth birthday, surrounded by friends and family – if you excluded her wayward father. Of course he hadn’t been able to make the party. When had he shown up for anything important in her life?

She leaned against the bar on both elbows and closed her eyes for a few seconds to gather herself before packing up the presents and heading home.

“Happy birthday, Olivia.” A familiar masculine voice drawled in her ear. She shivered at the sound, all her senses prickling with awareness as Dylan Rhodes’ warm breath heated her skin.

She turned to find him close. Too close and her pulse picked up speed. Sexy chocolate brown eyes gazed at her. And his close cut goatee teased her with its nearness. In her dreams, that sexy goatee felt delicious against her bared flesh.

Jesus, Olivia, get a grip.

“Thanks for coming to the party.” Her voice came out too husky for her liking but Dylan always had this kind of effect on her. He was travel director with the Miami Thunder, her coworker, and the man she’d lusted after from the day they’d met.

“I’m glad your sister invited me.”

She wished Avery hadn’t insisted on throwing her a party, but now that it was nearly over, Olivia had had a wonderful time and was grateful her mom and her siblings, half and full, cared enough to attend the event. Friends and coworkers too.

Especially Dylan.

He studied her beneath his hooded gaze. “I wouldn’t miss your celebration.” He tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers trailing a path over her cheek in what was a deliberate, lingering touch.

She shivered, her traitorous nipples puckering at his light caress. This was more than the flirting dance they normally did. There was intent in his coffee colored stare.

She shouldn’t be surprised. Until recently, a sense of corporate responsibility kept them as coworkers only. And then Olivia’s brother Ian had fallen for his now wife, Riley, and given her a job with the Thunder. Next her half-brother Alex had hooked up with his now-wife, Madison, and they too worked with the team. Ever since, Dylan had stepped up his game. It was like her family’s willingness to mix business with pleasure had given him the green light to pursue her. She’d managed to hold out so far, but she knew it was only a matter of time before she gave in.

What are you fighting, Liv? She asked herself. Too many things, came the reply. But her quivering insides and the liquid desire pulsing through her veins told her she was going to take the dive and deal with the repercussions later.

“I asked if you wanted your present?” Dylan’s voice brought her out of her own head.

She managed a nod, trying not to betray the excitement fluttering inside her. “Sure. I love gifts.”

A grin edge the corners of his mouth and he treated her to those irresistible dimples. He was raw, intense and kept his emotions in check. On simmer, never boiling over.

Although she didn’t come from his rougher background, she could relate to the need to hold things close. A father who’d betrayed his entire family in a way only soap operas saw and a first love that walked away when she needed him most taught her hard-won lessons. Hell, she was still learning them. Hadn’t she believed her father would come? He hadn’t even called to say he wouldn’t be able to attend. He’d sent a message with her half-brother Alex. She swallowed hard. The confident, tough Olivia people saw on the outside was far different than the sensitive, hurt girl that lived inside her.

She searched and found that outer Olivia now. “So? What do you have for me, hot shot?”

He grasped her hand and pulled her away from the bar, giving her no choice but to follow him, rushing in her heels to keep up.

Her sister, Avery, stared open-mouthed as she passed. Olivia’s face burned as she realized her entire family was watching Dylan pull her through the lounge area they’d rented for the night and into a darkened hallway.

He came to a halt, turned and steadied her with strong hands on her waist. “Dylan, what are you –“

He cut her off with a kiss. His lips on hers, hard, demanding and oh so good. Just as her brain told her this was stupid, he slid his lips over her jawline, she felt that rough beard for the first time, and her mind shut down.

He nipped at her ear and a low moan reverberated from her throat. “Dylan – ”

His hand gripped her hair, tilting her neck back and his mouth returned to hers. The slight tug on her scalp had the odd effect of arousing her, the moisture dampening her panties a clear indication she liked this birthday gift and wanted more. Tongues tangled and she reveled in his taste, a malty flavor from the beer he’d been drinking. No refined scotch for Dylan, he was rough in ways she hadn’t been exposed to before him. And she loved it, meeting his demanding kisses with more of her own.

He turned and pushed her against the wall, his hard body aligning with hers. The thick swell of his erection pressed against her belly and her knees went weak at the thought of what could come next.

He grasped her jaw in one hand and brushed a finger over closed lids. “Open and look at me.”

Her eyes fluttered open. Up close he was even more devastating to look at, pure want and need in his expression. For her.

His hand never left her neck as he gazed into her eyes. “Happy birthday, sunshine.” He leaned in and kissed her hard once. Then he slid a box into her hand, curled her fingers around it tight and stepped away.

She glanced down at the gift, dumbfounded. Her body still tingled in all strategic areas and her heart was beating a mile a minute. If not for the wall at her back, she would have collapsed to the floor in a heap. But before she could gather her wits, he winked at her. Then he turned and walked away.

#

Dylan’s head spun from that kiss. He’d wanted Olivia for a long time and this party provided him the perfect opportunity to make it clear things between them were going to change. No more staring at those red glossed lips and wondering what she tasted like. Now he knew.

He ran his finger over his mouth, coming up with sticky gloss and he grinned. He’d rendered her speechless, not an easy feat. The sexy vixen now knew where he stood.

So no more using her job as an excuse, either. “It’s difficult being a female in a male dominated profession. Getting involved with you will make it look like I can’t handle things myself.”

He called bullshit on that one. Once his assistant, Olivia was now the team’s executive director. She was dedicated to her job in a man’s world and had to work twice as hard to prove herself as her predecessor had. But she never complained.  She was smart, intelligent, and everyone in the industry that met her came to both like and respect her. She’d more than proved herself in their world.

And given her family’s propensity to mix business with pleasure … yeah. He wasn’t buying her reason. She was scared of something. Fine, that he could deal with. He sure as hell didn’t do well at relationships either. Which didn’t mean he wasn’t about to try one with her. They could be good together, given the chance. They shared a mutual passion for football, something that was rare. Dylan ought to know. He’d had enough women try to distract him from his love of the sport.

Added to Olivia’s brains and wit, she had a killer body. She was slender with small curves in all the right places, breasts just made to be held in his palms. He’d had to hold himself back from taking things in that hallway even further. Her waist was made for him to grip hard and those legs starred in his most heated fantasies. He was a leg man and he couldn’t shake the thought of those long limbs wrapped around him as she slid inside her wet heat.

Now that he knew her sweet taste and her feminine scent, he craved so much more. He intended to have it, too.

Dylan headed for the door, only to be stopped by his boss, Olivia’s brother.

“I’d like a word,” Ian said.

He didn’t want to get into his personal choices with Ian but he respected the man. So he gave him the time. “What’s up?”

Ian glanced around. No one was around to overhear. “I realize I’m in no position to judge relationships in the work place.”

Dylan cocked his head. “And?”

“I saw you two in the hallway.” Ian shifted on his feet, clearly uncomfortable with the subject.

Dylan had made a scene by pulling Olivia away. He knew Ian was overprotective of his sisters and since Dylan felt the same way about Callie, his sister, he wouldn’t lose his temper now.

But that didn’t mean he was opening a vein for the man either. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”

“The hell you don’t. That’s my sister you’re playing with.”

Dylan blew out a long breath. “Who said I’m playing?”

Ian inclined his head, acknowledging Dylan’s words. He cleared his throat. “My sister is tough on the outside but she’s … more fragile inside,” he said, clearly considering his words carefully.

“Your point?” Dylan asked the other man, not wanting information about Olivia from anyone but her.

“Don’t play with her head or her heart.”

Dylan inclined his head. “I don’t intend to.”

Ian eyed him through his infamous narrowed gaze, assessing him, causing Dylan to straighten his shoulders and meet his stare head on.

“We good?” Ian finally asked.

“Sure thing.” He and Ian known one another a long time.

They’d both attended the University of Florida and Ian had given him a job when they’d run into each other again a few years after graduation. Dylan owed the man but that didn’t mean he had to put what he wanted on hold. Ian would deal with whatever happened. He had no choice because Dylan wasn’t backing down. He was going after Olivia.

#

The Monday after her party, Olivia grabbed her coffee from the break room and settled into her office at the stadium. She loved her job. Growing up, she’d always wanted to hang with her older brothers, Ian and Scott, both of whom loved football. Although Scott was now a police officer, he never missed a home Thunder game. And since their father’s brother, Paul, owned the team, Olivia been exposed to the sport early. And often.

When Uncle Paul had left the country to travel with his partner, he’d turned the presidency over to Ian, who he’d groomed for the position. Olivia had graduated college knowing she wanted a position in the front offices. She’d started in PR and moved to travel, learning all she could before being promoted to executive director last year. She loved her job, loved that she worked with some of her family members, and appreciated how hard the players worked and their dedication to the sport and the team. Coming into work was never a hardship. She considered herself lucky.

Her birthday party merely reinforced the fact that she was surrounded by people she loved. She’d spent yesterday going through presents and anally finishing her thank you notes for each gift. Her sister, Avery, also her apartment-mate, made fun of her but at least she didn’t have those still on her To Do list.

She settled into her chair and reached into her bag for her eyeglasses. She didn’t wear them often but she’d had a headache today and opted not use her contacts. But instead of the case she ended up with the gift box from Dylan in her hand.

She ran her fingers over the velvet covering. Knowing what was inside, her stomach flipped over. This wasn’t just a, walk into a store and pick out the easiest present, kind of gift. This was well thought out and chosen with her in mind. She couldn’t bring herself to wear it and she couldn’t stand to leave it home either.

She snapped open the box and looked down at the necklace. The delicate gold pendant of the sun with a sparkling diamond in the center twinkled up at her. Because he called hersunshine.

She’d thought it was a lighthearted nickname, not something with more meaning. Even if every time she heard it her heart fluttered inside her chest. Olivia had no problem admitting she was attracted to Dylan. She was just wary of smooth talking guys. Oh hell, she was wary of most men and for what she thought was good reason. Hello, daddy, she thought with disgust. He’d called the next morning to apologize for missing her party, but too little too late. She’d murmured her easy acceptance because that’s what she did. Olivia accepted things as they were. She might be the peacemaker who’d convinced her siblings to at least outwardly forgive the father who’d betrayed them, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have her own issues and internal scars.

As for Dylan, he was a contradiction. From a rough part of Miami, he still managed to attend the University of Florida on scholarship. She didn’t know much about his past as he didn’t discuss it. She respected that. After all, they weren’t friends, they were colleagues. Even if he wanted to be more.

He possessed an edge, one that was apparent even when he wore a suit and juggled the schedules of dozens of players and team management. It was that edge that appealed to her. She liked the guy who took control and dragged her across the room, then kissed her senseless. She was drawn to the man who called her sunshine and gave her this gorgeous necklace. It showcased a softer side of him and that was the side that scared her. Because she could fall for a man like Dylan. So hard. Which meant she’d be open and vulnerable… and experience told her that kind of pain didn’t go away easily. She preferred dating men with whom she didn’t have a chance of getting in too deep.

She placed the delicate necklace into the box and snapped it closed just as a knock sounded at the door.

She dropped the box onto the desk. “Come in.”

The door swung open and Dylan strode in. Speak of the devil, she thought.

Today was casual, no meetings, meaning he wore a pair of black slacks and a white collared shirt open at the neck, revealing a sprinkling of dark – mouthwatering – hair. His sleeves were rolled up and she found that even his forearms were muscular and sexy.

“Morning, sunshine.” He treated her to a heart stopping smile.

 She swallowed hard. “Good morning.”

“Got a minute?” he asked.

She nodded.

He shut the door behind him. “You look sexy in those glasses.”

With shaking hands, she pulled them off, suddenly self-conscious.

“You’re sexy without them, too.” He started towards her desk, where his gift sat front and center.

It was too much to hope he wouldn’t notice.

The big grin on his face told her she was out of luck.

He sat on the corner of her desk and folded his arms across his chest. “So?” he asked, his knowing gaze on the incriminating box.

Better to face it head on, she decided. “Thank you, Dylan. It’s beautiful.”

“But you’re not wearing it.” His lips turned down and she suddenly felt awful and didn’t want to disappoint him or hurt his feelings.

“I was just about to put it on.”

His gaze held hers for more than a few seconds before he picked up the velvet box and took out the necklace. “Turn,” he said in a gruff voice.

She stood and pivoted around. He stepped up behind her, his body heat already testing her resolve.

“Hair.”

She tilted her head forward and raised her long hair off her neck, allowing him to slide the necklace in place and engage the small hook. Instead of moving away, she suddenly sensed him closer.

His breath fanned her neck, warm air causing a wave of arousal to nearly knock her off her feet.

“What are you–“ She couldn’t continue, not when his lips skimmed her neck and her words morphed into more of a moan. His mouth was warm and he lingered, inhaling her where she stood. Her nipples puckered beneath the silk of her tank and she grabbed onto the desk for support.

“Do you want to know why I gave this to you? Why I call you sunshine?” His words vibrated against her skin but he didn’t give her a chance to reply. “It’s because when I come in to work every morning, seeing you lights up my day.”

Oh God. “That’s –“

“Corny but true.” He grasped her shoulders to keep her steady and rimmed her outer ear with his tongue.

He lit a fuse that ran straight to her core. Suddenly that’s all she was aware of, the pulsing of her sex, her damp panties and her heavy breasts, all three achy and needing his touch more than her next breath.

She wanted to turn, throw herself into his arms and kiss him for all she was worth. Wrap her legs around his waist and –

A quick knock and her door opened wide. Riley, her sister in law, strode in, speaking as she walked. “I wanted to talk to you about – Oh!” She came to a halt. Took in Olivia and Dylan and a big smile crossed her face. “Looks like I’m interrupting,” she said, but made no move to leave.

Olivia tried to step away but Dylan’s hands on her arms held her tight.

“Dylan and I were just – umm… I mean Dylan came to discuss the trip to Arizona for the Pro Bowl, didn’t you?” she asked on a rush, grasping for a business related reason for him to be in her office. Not that anything would explain how close they stood or how his lips had been on her neck….

Dylan merely looked amused. “Apparently, yes. I’m here to talk about the trip.” He stepped away but his hand dropped, skimming Olivia’s lower back. “We can pick this discussion up at lunch,” he said.

“Lunch?” she asked, parroting his words because her entire body was still tingling unable to process what had just happened between them. What would have happened if Riley hadn’t barged in?

It wasn’t much. It was everything. Shit.

“Lunch,” he stated. “I’ll come get you at Noon.” He turned to her and winked.

She ignored that in favor of his overbearing push to make plans she hadn’t agreed to. “Don’t I get a say?” she asked. “What if I already have plans?”

Ignoring Riley’s amused grin, Dylan met her gaze. “I gave you a say for the last couple of months. I decided it’s my turn. See you at Noon.” His fingers glided over her hand as he walked out. “Nice to see you, Riley,” he said, disappearing out the door.

“What was that!? And while you’re at it, what was with the caveman routine, dragging you across the room and into the hallway at your party?” Riley, her brother Ian’s wife, the team’s assistant travel secretary and Olivia’s close friend, settled into the most comfortable extra seat in the office. Her brown curls hung down her back, her eyes glinting with amusement as she waited for an answer.

Olivia eased back into her chair behind her desk, her awareness of everything around her heightened. Hell, she was trembling.

“I don’t know. We’ve always flirted but I thought I made it clear I wasn’t going to mix business with… anything else.” She didn’t want to use the word pleasure right now. She didn’t think her over stimulated hormones could take it.

“Didn’t seem like he was listening.”

She reached for pendant around her neck. “He gave me this for my birthday.”

Riley rose and leaned in for a good look. “That’s gorgeous. Obviously he’s not taking no for an answer. Are you still planning on resisting? And I have to ask, why? He’s a great guy and not hard on the eyes either… but don’t tell your brother I said that.” She grinned because they both knew how proprietary Ian could be.

Olivia groaned. “I can’t resist him. I don’t want to. But he’s so intense. Like all or nothing and I honestly don’t know if I’m ready for that.”

“You could keep spending nights home with your TV or you could go out with a guy who obviously worships you. Really difficult choice.”

“Oh that’s rich coming from how hard you fought Ian when he went after you.”

Riley rubbed her hands together. “Ian scared me because he’s so… dominant. And you know about my father.”

Riley’s father had been an abusive, controlling bastard. She’d had good reason to be wary of Ian and his dominating personality. Not that he’d ever hurt her. Worship her was more like it.  He’d won her over but not before she’d almost lost him first. 

“I know, but –“

“Just hear me out, okay?” Riley asked.

Because Olivia knew her friend was coming from a good place, she nodded. 

“I mistakenly thought trusting Ian would cost me my self-esteem and independence. But you don’t have those issues.”

“No, but I do have serious trust issues of my own and you know why.”

“Yeah. Your father and his other family. You know I’m well aware of both sides of that issue.” Riley was best friends with her half-brother Alex. 

“So I get why you’re wary, but you ought to give Dylan a chance to prove he’s one of the good guys.”

Olivia forced a smile. There was more to it than just her father. Although she had to admit, he’d been the first man to shatter her faith and continued to do so. She’d thought the sun rose and set on Robert Dare and believed she was his princess, just like he’d always claimed. Problem was, he’d said it when he came home from his varied and extended business trips, arms loaded with gifts. And she’d been too young and naïve to know that those presents let him assuage his guilt because he had a mistress and other kids on the side. Kids he gave more time and more of himself to than he ever had to Olivia and her siblings.

Then came Olivia’s huge college mistake that merely reinforced the fact that she found it difficult to believe what any man she was involved with claimed.

“Look, I’m sure Dylan is a good guy.” A sexy man with dark hair she wanted to run her fingers through and lips she wanted to taste again.

Riley shrugged. “So go into it with your eyes open. Hot sweaty sex can be very fulfilling. You don’t need to worry about things like relationships and being hurt if you don’t invest your heart.” Riley met her gaze. “Right?”

A slow smile curled Olivia’s mouth. Maybe she should stop over thinking things. Dylan wasn’t asking for her hand in marriage, God forbid. Then she’d have to dig into her deepest fears and darkest pain. He was just asking for lunch. And probably more but that kind of more she could handle.

Olivia nodded, finally getting her head in the correct frame of mind to deal with Dylan Rhodes.

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About Carly Phillips:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips has written over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels that today's readers identify with and enjoy. After a successful 15 year career with various New York publishing houses, Carly is making the leap to Indie author, with the goal of giving her readers more books at a faster pace at a better price. Her Serendipity books will still finish up in January/February 2014 via Berkley as planned. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She's a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she's a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers. You can find all information about Carly at her website and other social media sites ...

Follow Carly on the web:

Website: www.carlyphillips.com

Blog: http://www.carlyphillips.com/category/blog/

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10000.Carly_Phillips

Sneak Peek into Ocean's Submerged by MA DeOlmos

Book Title:Ocean Submerged Author: M.A. DeOlmos Genre: New Adult Release Date:4/16/2014 Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

Twenty-seven year old Ocean Hawthorne thought he’d known loss and pain when his twin sister Stormie died. It was his fault the world would no longer see her beautiful smile or hear her captivating laughter. The former world champion in the vicious world of MMA fighting thought he’d been through the worst and has now carried that guilt and pain with him since. Then he met Livie Acosta. The moment he laid his eyes on the exotic beauty, he was hooked. In that split second of looking into her wild and hurt eyes, his heart began to beat again. He knew then that he would never be able to let her go… but was that the right thing for him to do? Because yet again, Ocean found himself surrounded by a familiar darkness, a pain so strong that even breathing hurt, and living felt impossible. He’d pushed too far in the effort to love and help her, and now… now he didn’t know if he’d ever see her again. Lawrence Hawthorne has been through the ringer when it came to hurt and disappointment, but nothing could have prepared him for the possibility of losing Livie. He’d just found her and now—well, now he didn’t know what to think. To him, Livie was more than just a girl, more than just a friend. To Law, Livie was someone he needed to help and protect, even from herself, and he’d failed that simple task. Will the Hawthorne cousins who have sworn to protect Livie survive her selfish act, or will they crumble, yet again?

My name is Melissa DeOlmos, a newbie to the world of indie writing. I live in sunny side Palm Bay, Florida with my two lovely crazies ages five and two, along with my Law Enforcement champ of a husband. I could say that writing novels has been a passion that I've always pursued, but I can't. Writing for me has always been my own secret escape into a land of wonders, opportunities, loves and so much trouble that I sometimes wonder if I need medication for the stories that pop into my head. I am now deciding to share my mystical mind and stories with the world, so that hopefully others may also find that little something extra they've been looking for. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy my books.

Prologue

Ocean

The tires of my Range Rover screeched outside as Liv took off, making my skin crawl. It was a given something wasn’tright with Liv, but this wasn’t her typical nervous breakdown behavior. No, this was much worse. I could feel it deep inside of me; the familiar feeling of my life spiraling out of control was beginning to take hold of me. When she asked me to let her go, there was so much more meaning behind those words. She wasn’t just having a panicattack; Liv was acting out of desperation, and I know exactly what people are capable of when they act out of desperation. Fuck this shit! If I was going to let her say goodbye to me, we were going down together!

“Law! Law, we need to go now! Where the hell are you?”

Walking around the maze of a studio,my nerves were unraveling with each passing second. Turning the corner, I punched the wall, my fist going straight through the dry wall.

“What the fuck asshole! I was taking a fucking piss. What the hell was that for?”

“We need to go. Something’s not right with Liv, and I’m not staying here. Socome with me or stay I don’t give a shit, but I’m leaving.”

He looked me up and down, then back to the hole I just put through the wall.

“Yeah, I’m coming with you. Head out, I’ll lock up the back and be right out.”

I turned around, walking away before he even finished his sentence. I needed Liv in my arms; I needed to see she was okay. The drive to our condo was the longest fucking drive ever. I jumped in my seat when my cell phone went off with Liv’s ringtone. I pulled it out quickly, answering it on the first ring.

“Baby, you okay? I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to get pissed. Baby?”

All I could make out were the haunting screams and cries coming out of Liv. Her voice was hoarse and strained as ifshe had been screaming for hours. I heard her say goodbye in between her screams and then a loud crash on the other end. My heart wanted to bust out of my chest and I wanted to fucking beat the shit out of Law for driving so fucking slow!

“FUCK LAW, DRIVE FASTER, GO GO GO!”

I said kicking the shit out of his dashboard.

The next turn Law took, the truck nearly tipped over. I punched the gate opener busting the gadget to shreds. As the gate started to open slow as fuck, I jumped out of the truck and took off running. The adrenaline, pain, fear, and hate shredding my veins open was afeeling I experienced not too long ago.They were the same feelings I had after my bike accident as I held my sisters dying body in my arms on the side of the road. I flew up the stairs, not seeing or feeling anything except for my need to get to Liv before I was too late. I couldn’t let her die too; I wouldn’t survive it.

Tears started pouring from my eyes on their own. When I reached our door, I kicked it open without a secondthought. The smell and the sight of blood knocked the little wind I had left in my lungs out of me. My body burned in its entirety as I took in in the site of Liv up against the wall on the floor cutting herself with a big ass piece of glass. When she pulled her wrist out in front of her, I snapped out of my shock, but was too slow. She dug the shard of glass deep into her wrist slicing upwards. When she got to her elbow,she turned white and fell over.

“No, baby no! Livie… Livie open your eyes. LAW CALL THE FUCKING AMBULANCE! Don’t leave me baby;please, I can’t fucking lose you too. LAW! I won’t make it Livie. Fuck you for doing this! I love you Livie, don’t leave me, please!”

Welcome Leona Bushman today

Get a sneak peek into Leona Bushman's story in the anthology, Down on the Farm Vol. 1.....Coming to Breathless Press September 27th, 2013.

Passion ensues at a magical Scottish farm. With magic comes danger; with passion comes love.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Faeries by Leona Bushman

No one can outrun a curse.

Pre-order at Breathless Press

Teaser Excerpt:

Lionel froze for a second when their lips touched. What in the name of Scotland was she up to? Then the fire in his blood burned away the questions and he swept his arms around her and dragged her firmly up against his erection.

Thomasina charged him in an unfamiliar way, appealing to both man and lion. Something about this woman got underneath the shell he'd erected around himself. He placed his hands on her ass, massaging and rubbing it, the rhythm as old as time. Each push into her with his rod increased his lust.

If she were to stop now, he didn't know what he'd do. But she showed no signs of stopping. Rather, she lifted her legs around his waist, pushing her cunt right up to his cock. He gasped in pleasure. "I could get used to a woman in breeches."

She undulated against him and his knees threatened to buckle. He carried her to a small clearing and laid her down, dropping to his knees as he untied her cloak from her chin and spread it out to use as a blanket. Her delightful eyes peered at him, the blue darkening slightly as she gazed at him.

That feeling of being just beyond reality hit him again, like a dream he didn't want to wake up from. The grasses looked greener, the trees looked more alive, as if a druid were about to walk out of them. The very air teemed with life. Yet, it all looked fuzzy out of the corner of his eyes.

Closing them against the distractions, he leaned forward and kissed her again. With one hand trailing up her legs, he started the exploration of her body. Little sounds came out of her that shot harsh lust careening through his groin.

He cupped her mound and rubbed her through the breeches, forcing himself to go slower when all he wanted was to rip all their clothing off. He trailed kisses down her neck and chest to her luscious breasts and bit one nipple poking up through her shirt. She arched her back and grabbed a handful of his hair, holding him to her.

It snapped the last of his intentions to go slow. A small whimper escaped her when he quit sucking and he smiled down at her. "No need to be sad, lass. I'll hae ye calling out in a moment." His words were meant to tease, to ease the harshness of the hunger, but his voice cracked with lust and eagerness.

He quickly pulled her dress over her head, and yanked her pants down, then stared at her, the moment frozen for him. Her nipples poked up proudly in the cool Scotland air and her blonde curls at her apex were damp with her dew. The aroma permeated the air and aroused his animal instincts. Lionel quickly stripped off his shirt and kilt and settled between her legs. He intended to slow himself down again, but she raked her fingernails down his arms. It didn't draw blood and felt damn good.

"Ach, ye know nae what ye do tae me."

He moved to his knees, put her legs on his shoulders, and looked down at her. The moistness between her legs was obvious, but he stuck his finger in her anyway. His control slipped a little more. Even though he'd decided he couldn't go slow, he'd still intended to give her pleasure first.

Keeping that in mind, he inserted a second finger and started stroking her. Her whimpers were coming out louder now and her face flushed rosily. In and out, he went with one hand, and stroked himself with the other. Her eyes tracked his movements on his cock and her mouth opened.

Other stories in the anthology include...

Callum's Fate by Dianne Hartsock

Will the help of the faery people be enough to save Callum from his fate or will he succumb to the mystical allure of the moors?

Give a Ghost a Chance by SJ Thomas

Leah has a sexy Scotsman all to herself, the only trouble is, he's a ghost...

Cat's Cradle by Raven McAllan

Being stranded can have it's perks.

About the Author

Leona Bushman goes by many names but the most common one is superhero. She earned this name from saving a kangaroo from a tree—and yes that is as hard as it sounds. The dragons taught their queen how to write, and Queen Leona hasn't looked back. Even when her muse tries to muck things up.

She can be found goofing off and loving dragons and other creatures of the supernatural at these places:

Twitter: @L_Bushman

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

Queen Leona writes mainly for Breathless Press, and the bulk of her books are found here:

http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=Leona+Bushman&x=0&y=0

This includes:

The Ulfric's Mate*

Ravaged, Vol 1 ~ Barely There*

Rick Sexed Up the Doc ~ Naughty Nursery Rhyme

The Captain's Christmas ~ Cyber

Crimson, Vol 1 ~ Daryn's Slayer **my story is an historical vamp/wolf story

Serviced, Vol 1 ~ Over A Dead Body

The Midwife's Moon*

*Denotes The War of the Weres series

Down on the Farm, Vol 1 ~ The Lion, the Witch, and the Faeries

Slow Burn ~Dead Man Walking special

Coming Soon from Breathless Press:

The Twelve Delights of Christmas

Ravaged, Vol 2

Coming soon from Just Ink Press:

Mayhem in Mexico ~ Urban Sci-fi, please note this is not a romance.

A Christmas Treat from Andrew Grey

Take a Cruise for Christmas by Andrew Grey

A number of years ago, I was looking forward to going on my first cruise vacation with my partner.  I also had to write a Christmas story and the two things melded into A Cruise for Christmas.  Writing this story was a great deal of fun.  Granted the actual cruise was even more fun, but writing this story was like taking a vacation without leaving my computer.  I hope you enjoy the excerpt and decide to read the entire story and take a warm December vacation with Kyle and Tim.

Blurb:  When Henry Gilmore is given a private stateroom on a gay cruise for a Christmas present, he has visions of cute party boys, hunky muscle gods, and breaking his run of bad luck when it comes to love. Things don't turn out quite as he planned, but sometimes Santa knows best and two out of three ain't bad.

Buy link:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=1425

Excerpt:

“It’s a cruise!!”  Jim and Paul squealed together as I opened the envelope they’d handed me as my Christmas gift.  “We know we agreed that we wouldn’t go overboard, but we just couldn’t help it.”  Jim gushed with excitement as he pulled me into a hug.

Paul held back, he was always the more reserved of the two, but even he was excited, “You’ve helped us so much this year, we just wanted to say thank you.”

I looked down at the ticket in my hand, unable to believe my eyes, “Thank you, but…”  I had so many questions.

Jim started gushing again, “We already called your boss and arranged for the time off from work.  So you’re all set, you leave in 5 days.”  I was hugged to within an inch of my life… and it felt good.  These two men were as close to a family as I had, hell they were the understanding parents I never had.  I met Jim and Paul years ago when I got my first job and my first apartment.  They still lived in the same apartment while I had moved to another part of the city, but I could never leave them behind.  I spent holidays, birthdays, both theirs and mine, with them.  We laughed together, joked together, and we loved each other.  “If you check the ticket, you’ll see that we got you your own cabin so you can have some fun.”

Their apartment was decorated to the max with a huge tree and lights galore.  “Thank you so much.”  I hugged both of them, unable to believe their generosity.  “I haven’t gotten your gifts yet.”  It was only the first week of December and I had just stopped over to see if they wanted to go shopping.  Both Jim and Paul were approaching 70 and neither of them drove, so I stopped by regularly to take them shopping and to help with things they couldn’t do anymore.

“Just bring us something from the cruise.”  Paul hugged him again before sitting back on the sofa.

Jim quipped as he headed into the kitchen, “Yeah, preferably someone tall, handsome, and just your size.”  They both laughed and I joined in as well.  We all knew my dating history, unlucky at best.  Jim returned with a tray of his famous cocktails and treats, setting the tray on the coffee table.  But instead of passing out the drinks, he went to the huge Christmas tree and started pulling out packages, before handing them to me.  “Before you say anything, we know we sprang the cruise on you and with your work, you won’t have time to shop, so we got you a few things.”  Jim plopped half a dozen wrapped boxes on my lap.  “Open, open, open!”  Jim was like a kid on Christmas morning as I did as he asked. 

The boxes contained a nearly complete cruise wardrobe with shorts, fashionable t-shirts, tank tops, and even light dress pants and shirt.  They had great taste and while I’d never spring for such fashionable clothes myself, my wardrobe consists mainly of work clothes and jeans, I knew what they’d bought would look good on me.  “I don’t know what to say, this too much.”

It was Paul’s turn at the tree, “Nonsense, you do so much for us,”  he handed me a small package, “This is just our way of saying thank you, besides you know we love you, you’re the son neither of us ever had.”  Paul started laughing, “besides we got to spend an evening with the International Male catalog.”  I opened this last small box to find two bathing suits, small bathing suits.  One was a blue square cut with anchor buttons and the other was a very brief bikini.  “We couldn’t send you on a cruise and let you wear those huge board shorts that go down to your knees.  Yuk!!”  They both laughed.  “Okay, go try one on, we want to see you.”  I looked at both men, giving them my best, “You’ve got to be kidding look,”  but they wouldn’t be put off, so I found myself in the bathroom, changing into a the blue square-cut suit.

I came out of the bathroom, feeling a little shy, but as soon as they saw me, they started gushing again, “You’ll be beating them off with sticks.”

“Honey, they’re gonna love you.”  I twirled around for their enjoyment and then went back into the bathroom to get dressed again.  When I came out, they passed out drinks, and Jim made a toast, “Here’s hoping you get harpooned on the high seas.”  All three of us cracked up, particularly since that wouldn’t be surprising.

Up to this point, my love life had been one disaster after another.  There was Julio, who was very sensual and a lot of fun both in and out of bed, but he refused to move away from home.  Stavros was gorgeous… tall, dark, handsome… and married.  A fact he neglected to mention for two months.  Irving was delightful, a shy, quiet, intellectual man that I dated for almost six months.  We had a great time, until he told me his ultimate fantasy involved me naked on all fours with me calling him master and him calling me puppy.   Everyone has to draw the line somewhere, and mine is eating with my fingers out of a doggy dish.  I’m sorry but utensils are absolutely necessary.

“Henry, you’re a wonderful man who deserves to be happy and maybe, just maybe… you’ll find him on the cruise.”  It was Paul, the eternal romantic, who’d said he never gave up on finding true love.  He and Jim hadn’t met until both of them were in their 50s.  They’ve been happy together for 20 years.

We spent the rest of the evening laughing together like we always did in their warm, homey, and utterly charming apartment.  When I got up to leave, they both hugged the stuffing out of me and wished me bon voyage.  “I’ll call you before I leave,” They both hugged me again, told me they loved me, and got me a bag for the gifts before seeing me to the door.

For the next week, I worked during the day and get things ready for the cruise at night.  My boss, an institution at my company, and one of the sweetest people I’d ever met, though if she heard me say that, she’s probably hit me, was almost as excited as I was about the upcoming cruise.  She made sure that everything was done before I left and spent the week running interference.  I added her to the list of people I needed to shop for.  On Friday at about three, she stopped by my desk and told me to get out here before somebody decided they needed something else.

“Thanks Judy.”

“You’re welcome, Hun… have a good time.”  She smiled and tootled her way back to her office as I shut down my PC and high tailed it to the exit. 

As soon as I got home, I completed the last of my packing and called Jim and Paul.  They were both so excited for me I thought they’d bust a gut.  “Have a good time and take plenty of pictures.” 

I heard Jim pick up the other phone, “Yeah, take plenty of pictures of the scenery… preferable in Speedos.”  Jim laughed as they both said goodbye still as excited as if they were going on the cruise with me.  Before bed, my suitcase was packed, the alarm set for a god awful hour, and I climbed in bed with visions of palm trees and pretty boys dancing in my head.

I got up before the alarm and caught the first morning shuttle to O’Hare.  The bus took almost two hours, but it saved a fortune in parking fees.  The flight to San Juan was on time and we landed just after noon.  I retrieved my luggage and a porter from the cruise line was on hand telling me that it would all be taken care of and not to worry.  A shuttle bus picked me up and drove me to the dock where a huge, gleaming white ship awaited.  As I stepped out of the bus, another cruise line employee asked to see my boarding information.  I handed it over and he motioned to someone else.

“Please show Mr. Gilmore to the forward gangway.”  My ticket was viewed again and then I was led away from the crowd of people to the front of the ship, where two people waited behind a table.  My ticket was passed to someone else.  I provided a credit card for my onboard expenses, my passport was checked, and I filled out a few forms, signing where they indicated.  “Thank you, Mr. Gilmore, Jose will show you to your stateroom.”

A little confused, I followed Jose as he took the carry-on bag I was carrying and led me up the gangway, “Is this your first cruise, sir?”  His English was impeccable and his tone very welcoming as he led me onto the ship.  I was lead up a few decks and down a hallway to a door, “This is your room and here are your key cards.”  He opened and held the door for me as I entered the room.”

“Jesus…”  I was expecting a small room on the inside of the ship.  What I was in was a huge suite with what looked like a balcony and a separate bedroom.  “Is this right?”   Jesus, Jim and Paul must have broken the bank.

“Yes sir.  As I said before, I’m Jose and I’ll be your cabin steward for your voyage.  If you need anything, please press the steward’s button on the phone.”  He showed me through the suite and then quietly left the room.  The table had a large basket filled with chocolates and even a bottle of Champagne.  I plucked out the card, “Have a great trip and find someone to share the champagne with.  It was signed, Jim and Paul.”  I smiled as I set down the card.  A brief knock, the door opened, and then a porter entered, with my luggage.  He quickly placed it in the bedroom, bid me a wonderful trip and quietly exited the cabin.  I unpacked quickly, picked up my key and the map of the ship on the table, and ventured out to explore the ship.

The shopping arcade and atrium were decorated with huge Christmas trees and waterfalls of twinkling lights.  As I wandered through, I heard the ship’s whistle indicating that we were leaving port.  Walking briskly, I joined the other passengers at the rails to wave and celebrate our departure.  It was there that I got the shock of my life.

As I looked around at the other passengers, I realized that everyone I could see was of retirement age.  I’d checked the brochure so I knew that was a gay cruise, but this was not what I was expecting.  As we pulled away from the dock, I heard an announcement, “Welcome to the Caribbean Star for our annual Gay Maturity Cruise.”  I was floored, but that explained what was going on, I’d been booked on a gay retiree cruise.  Gone were my visions of cute party boys, strapping boys next door, and hunky muscle gods.  Instead I was looking at a week of canes, wheelchairs, and canasta.  Then I noticed the number of people looking at me and whispering to one another.  God, they thought I was some sort of toy boy with a grandpa complex.  Taking a deep breath, I stepped away from the rail and followed the crew instructions as they conducted the required lifeboat drill.

Sneak peek into DJ Juris's Orion's Way

Orion's Way by DC Juris
Vampire/MM
Breathless Press
Buy HERE

Orion is a vampire with a tragic past. After running away from abusive parents at the tender age of sixteen, he was turned by a ruthless elder vampire and forced to torture and sexually abuse human feeders and submissive vampires. Though that's all behind him now, he still lives in the shadow of what he was, and it has cost him the loyalty of Xavier, the human feeder he loves. Malagan is Orion's closest friend--the vampire who saved him from brutality all those years ago. Malagan knows the dominant side of Orion--the side Xavier needs--is still there, lurking below the surface. But if Orion's going to find his way back to who he ought to be, he'll need help. And Malagan is just the man for the job. 
 

Excerpt:

Despite the desire raging inside him, and his painfully hard cock, Orion shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“I think you do.” Malagan stood. He went to the other side of the room and pulled a rope, unveiling a floor to ceiling mirror mounted on the wall. He turned and opened the door to a small closet Orion hadn’t noticed before, reached in and hefted out a large piece of sheet-covered furniture. Malagan set the item in front of the mirror and yanked the sheet off to reveal a leather-padded bench with built-in wrist and ankle restraints, and a large looping strap Orion assumed must be for a person’s neck. Malagan climbed onto the bench, stuck his hands and feet in the restraints, and lowered his head, waiting.

Orion sat there, dry-mouthed, barely able to think. The sight of Malagan waiting for him—open for him—drew him to his feet and had his hands on his belt buckle in an instinctual response. He undressed quickly, never taking his eyes off the beautiful display in front of him. This was primal—the simple urges of a dominant man—and Orion closed his eyes and breathed in deep before he crossed the room. He fastened the restraints around Malagan’s wrists and ankles, left the neck strap undone, and returned to the table for a bottle of lube. “Tell me your safe word.”

Malagan raised his head and looked into the mirror in front of him, at Orion’s image. His eyes went wide as his gaze dipped to Orion’s cock. He raised an eyebrow and swallowed hard before closing his eyes again. “My safe word is ‘potato’, Master.”

Orion stepped up behind Malagan, again taking deep breaths, trying desperately to calm the excitement pounding through him. He fisted his right hand tight around the bottle of lube to stop its shaking and squirted some of the slick substance onto the curve of Malagan’s cheeks, smiling as it trickled down and Malagan squirmed. He teased Malagan’s hole with only the tip of his index finger at first, then slipped just a fraction of his finger inside. He couldn’t recall the last time Malagan had mentioned having bottomed for anyone, and while he surely wanted to give Malagan pain, he didn’t want to actually damage the man. “Open your eyes,” Orion commanded. “See who owns your body.”

Malagan let out a soft sigh and opened his eyes.

Their gazes locked and for a moment, Orion simply looked at Malagan, reading the unspoken statements on Malagan’s face. Malagan would never fully submit to him, not on a base level, not on a mental level, but he might very well gain Malagan’s physical and emotional submission, if only he could prove himself worthy. If only he could prove himself powerful enough—dominant enough—to control him. He nodded, holding Malagan’s gaze as he slid two more fingers in, stretching them apart, letting Malagan know in no uncertain terms that he needed to be prepared for what he was about to experience.

Orion worked and teased Malagan’s body, sliding his fingers in and out, twisting them, curling them, stroking Malagan’s sweet spot again and again. Malagan shivered and moaned, pressing back against him, all the while never breaking eye contact. “Are you ready for me?”

Malagan nodded.

“No, say the words. I want to hear them.”

Malagan licked his lips, gave Orion a dashing smile. “I’m ready for you, Master Orion.”

**~~**

DC Juris is....

A Southern transplant who has retained none of his accent but all of his charm, DC Juris is an out and proud bisexual transgender man who moved to New York State in 2001 for a real-life romance.  By day he is a mild-mannered office manager, by night a passionate writer of all types of romance.  He lives in Upstate New York with his husband, four dogs, two cats, and a menagerie of Halloween props just creepy enough to keep people guessing about his sanity. Hopelessly single when it comes to the woman in his life, DC will gladly entertain offers. 

 www.dcjuris.com
www.facebook.com/dcjuris
www.twitter.com/dcjuris
http://dcjuris.blogspot.com/