Monday, September 30, 2013

Review: Drawn Together by Lauren Dane...4 out of 5 rating...


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Beauty is more than skin-deep…

Tattoo artist Raven Smith is blunt and hard, broken and jaded, dark and beautiful. While she doesn’t hide her painful past, she does keep a wall around her heart. She’s free sexually—but no one gets to the real Raven beneath the prickly exterior.

With a voice like smoke, Jonah Warner is a smooth-talking, highly successful attorney, with a body that should never be hidden by a suit. He’s the kind of man who never takes no for an answer and always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Raven. She’s a survivor, and he finds that incredibly alluring.

Jonah gets under her skin in a way Raven has never experienced. He makes her break all her rules—including her no-monogamy rule.

But when a figure from Raven’s past shows up at the tattoo parlor and drops a bomb into her life, their relationship will face the ultimate challenge…
I am a HUGE fan of Lauren Dane and especially of this series ~ it is one of my favorites.  That being said….I have HATED Raven from the very beginning of the series ~ I thought she was a total bitch and I definitely didn’t want to see her with Jonah ~ who I have LOVED since he first appeared. I was so hoping for him to get his own book and was disappointed that his heroine would be Raven. So when I was chosen for an ARC of Drawn Together from Lauren Dane, I hesitated to read it knowing my feelings about Raven’s character.  Well….I have to admit that Lauren achieved the impossible because I liked Raven so much and I especially liked her for Jonah and him for her. I just loved them as a couple and the relationship that developed between them. They were pretty straight forward with their feelings for each other and what they wanted and didn’t play games.

Jonah was a great character and I definitely fell more in love with him in this book, especially after the way he defended Raven both during and after the benefit. So good!! That was one of my favorite parts of the book. He was so damn sexy!!  

I loved that Raven was independent and totally capable of handling herself and didn’t need a man to define her but she accepted Jonah’s need to take care of her. I also loved how easily she took care of him. The sex was downright HOT and kinky!!! Definitely had my Kindle sparking!! lol ;)

I loved being able to read about all my favorite characters from the series and I especially loved the part with Levi and Daisy towards the end. Loved reading more Brody ~ just love him!!

My only complaint is that there wasn’t an epilogue wrapping everyone up. I thought that this was the last book in the series but since the story ended the way it did, I am hoping that there is still more to come. I would love for Mal, Toby and Eli to get their own books.

Reading Drawn Together just makes me want to go back and start the series over again from the beginning.

4 out of 5 rating.

***ARC provided by Lauren Dane. Thanks so much!! :)  

        

  

Friday, September 27, 2013

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Beyond Repair by Chelsea Camaron...


Tour-Wide Giveaway Information:
Prize:
(5) ecopies of Beyond Repair
( 1) ecopy full set of the Daddy’s Girls series

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Beyond Repair
Book 3 of the Daddy’s Girls Series
by Chelsea Camaron
Contemporary Romance
Released Aug 31, 2013
Rereleased with new cover and fully formatted September 27, 2013

 Harrison and Tiffany have a long history of hooking up.  Harrison decides he wants more.  Tiffany, a spoiled Southern Belle is embarrassed by a working class Harrison.  After over two years apart Tiffany is missing his touch.  She heads to Charlotte to claim her man. 
     Harrison is finally settled in Charlotte.  He has a job he loves, his sister close by, great friends, and an awesome agreement going with Sophia. 
     Can Sophia ever want more from Harrison than just sex?  Has Harrison fallen in love or just lust with Sophia?

      After all this time and hurt feelings, is he really meant to be with Tiffany?  Can Harrison manage to let his guard down and find his way back to Tiffany?  Will Tiffany be satisfied with a regular working class mechanic?  Or is their relationship in the past and beyond repair?

        


 Chapter 2
Harrison
Quickly realizing, this is not the time or the place for this encounter I respond.
“Tiffany now is not a good time.”
At the mere mention of her name, Sophia pulls away from me.  Tiffany looks distraught, eyes puffy, her blonde hair pulled into a messy bun on top of her head.  She’s in yoga pants and a tank top.  Clearly she didn’t know she was coming to a wedding.  My sister hasn’t gotten into the limo yet.  Seconds tick by feeling like hours.  Why is Tiffany here now?
Tiffany looks over to Maggie, the occasion dawning on her face.  “I’m so very sorry to intrude.  I just need a moment to speak with Harrison.  I didn’t realize what was going on when I was told I could find him here.  Congratulations Maggie, you look stunning.  Again, I’m sorry.  I’ll be leaving now.” 
Turning to face me, tears now evident in her eyes, she says, “Harrison, please call me tomorrow.  It’s important.  I’m leaving to go return to South Carolina late afternoon.”
Anger builds in me at the loss of Sophia at my side.  How dare Tiffany come back now!  Without thinking, I snap. 
“Now is not the time, Tiffany.  To be quite honest, never would be too soon.  I have nothing to say to you.”
Without a word or reaction, Tiffany turns and leaves.   The tension in the air quickly leaves as Brayden kisses my sister passionately. Reminding us all of the occasion for which we are here. 
The newlyweds get in their limo driving away to the clanging of cans hanging off the car and the cheers of family and friends.  Knowing some damage has already been done, I go in search of Sophia.  Things aren’t defined between us; this isn’t jealousy, I don’t think.  She knows how much Tiffany messed me up before.  

About the Author
     Chelsea Camaron was born and raised in Coastal North Carolina.She currently resides in Southern Louisiana with her husband and two children but her heart is always Carolina day dreaming. Chelsea always wanted to be a writer, but like most of us, let fear of the unknown grab a hold of her dream; she realized that if she was going to tell her daughter to go for her dreams, that it was time to follow her own advice. Chelsea grew up turning wrenches alongside her father, and from that grew her love for old muscle cars and Harley Davidson motorcycles, which just so happened to inspired her ‘Daddy’s Girls’ series. Her love for reading has sparked a new love for writing and she currently has a few more projects in the works. When she is not spending her days writing you can find her playing with her kids, attending car shows, going on motorcycle rides on the back of her husband’s Harley, snuggling down with her new favorite book or watching any movie that Vin Diesel might happen to be in. She hates being serious and is still a big kid at heart. She is a small town country girl enjoying life and, Chelsea hopes that her readers remember not to take life too seriously and to embrace your inner five year old, because five year olds know how to enjoy the simple things in life and how to always have fun.

Twitter @chelseacamaron


Thursday, September 26, 2013

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Salvaged by Chelsea Camaron...



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Salvaged
Book 2 of the Daddy’s Girls Series
by Chelsea Camaron
Released April 5, 2013
Rereleased edited version June 15, 2013
Rereleased new cover and fully formatted September 26, 2013
Contemporary Romance/New Adult Romance
Brayden and Maggie have been dating for four years. Maggie is ready and expecting an engagement ring. Brayden has a past full of weaknesses and mistakes he can’t seem to shake. As he slowly loses everything, he also loses Maggie.
     As his world unravels, can he find the strength to shake his inner demons? Does he have it in him to face the ghosts of his past? Can Maggie overcome his deceptions? Will they find a way to love and trust again?  Can their love and relationship be salvaged?



 
We arrive in Miami, check into our hotel, and immediately decide to check out the Miami night life.
Wearing a barely there silver, backless, halter dress and heels I was ready to dance the night away.  At five foot seven inches with my heels, my legs are going on for miles tonight.  I put my hair in a loose up do, frame my eyes with a smoky shadow, and add a clear lip gloss to finalize my look.
Brayden is dressed in his typical baggy jeans and t-shirt.  He is six foot tall, more of a lanky build with a slight beer belly forming, which is especially noticeable when he stands next to a very toned and muscular Ryder.  His dirty blonde hair and crystal blue eyes, which hold such depth they make me melt every time he looks at me.  We both love to go out.  We met four years ago at a bar in Charlotte while we were both celebrating another finished semester of college.
We arrive at Cameo nightclub in downtown Miami and immediately hit the dance floor.  There is something about the atmosphere of a club that just takes over my senses.  The bodies pressed together, each finding their own rhythm as the vibrations from the bass reverberates through the crowd.
 Having Brayden up against my back side running his hands all over my body as we move to the music is enough to bring my nipples to attention rubbing against the thin scrap of fabric, otherwise known as my dress.  His hands roam, as we dance, moving the back of my barely there dress over the hills of my ass, leaving me exposed.  My bare backside now grinding against the erection of his jeans is delightful friction.  He then places one hand upon my breast and begins to tease it, while he plunges two fingers, from the other, into my hot core.  I am so turned on I don’t care who sees me.  When I am almost ready to explode, he stops.
Grabbing me, he leads me to a back hallway, where he quickly pushes me up against the wall, freeing himself and pounding into me.  Raw, needing passion, transfers between us as I have an earth shattering orgasm.  Brayden follows right behind me.  As we straighten ourselves, he smiles and whispers, “I love that you never wear panties, baby.”

About The Author:
     Chelsea Camaron was born and raised in Coastal North Carolina.She currently resides in Southern Louisiana with her husband and two children but her heart is always Carolina day dreaming. Chelsea always wanted to be a writer, but like most of us, let fear of the unknown grab a hold of her dream; she realized that if she was going to tell her daughter to go for her dreams, that it was time to follow her own advice. Chelsea grew up turning wrenches alongside her father, and from that grew her love for old muscle cars and Harley Davidson motorcycles, which just so happened to inspired her ‘Daddy’s Girls’ series. Her love for reading has sparked a new love for writing and she currently has a few more projects in the works. When she is not spending her days writing you can find her playing with her kids, attending car shows, going on motorcycle rides on the back of her husband’s Harley, snuggling down with her new favorite book or watching any movie that Vin Diesel might happen to be in. She hates being serious and is still a big kid at heart. She is a small town country girl enjoying life and, Chelsea hopes that her readers remember not to take life too seriously and to embrace your inner five year old, because five year olds know how to enjoy the simple things in life and how to always have fun.

Email chelseacamaron@gmail.com / Twitter @chelseacamaron




Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Cover Reveal: Never Let Go by Scarlett Edwards...



Title:  Never Let Go
Author:  Scarlett Edwards
Genre:  New Adult Romance
Publication Date:  October 15, 2013
Event Organized by:  Literati Author Services, Inc.

The start of college heralds new beginnings and new friendships.  It gives every girl a chance to reinvent herself.
I go and screw mine up by meeting the most gorgeous guy I've laid eyes on in five years while talking to my cat outside my dorm.
But Andrew Crowner is far from judgmental.  After helping me move my things to my room, he has me smitten by his easy manners and kind smile.  And from the way his eyes linger on me before he leaves, I start to think that maybe I've caught his attention, too.
I let myself believe that luck might finally be on my side until I stumble upon my roommate... and her overnight guest.
Spencer Ashford.
Lean and tattooed, sexy as sin and dangerous, Spencer is exactly the type I want to avoid.  I would have no trouble with that... were it not for his swift and inexplicable interest in me.
In the span of a week, I go from a girl with next-to-no experience with boys to one caught in the cross hairs of two totally different men.  
Andrew's interest is wholesome and sweet.  Spencer's is edgy and raw.  The  choice should be easy.  But there are always complications, and sometimes, matters of the heart take the least expected turns.


About the Author: 
My Photo
I’m Scarlett Edwards.  I wrote my first book as a college sophomore.  After six months of edits, it made its debut as Yours to Savor.
That was at the start of 2013.  I've written more books since then.  You can find them all here.
It's funny how quickly life changes.  I used to think I'd need a degree to get a "Real Job."  Then I wrote a few books, they got somewhat popular, and now I'm living the life as a full-time romance author.
Thanks to all my readers for making my dream come true.





Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Restore My Heart by Chelsea Camaron...




Restore My Heart
Book  1 of the Daddy’s Girls series
by Chelsea Camaron
Released Feb 26, 2013
Rereleased with the edited version June 15, 2013
Rereleased with new cover and fully formatted September 24, 2013
Contemporary Romance/New Adult Romance
Bad Boy, Ryder Davenport comes into Dina Fowlers life in the middle of her own personal hell. Still coming to terms with the death of her parents, she pushes everyone away. When she trusts the wrong man, putting her in a bad relationship she felt she couldn’t escape, Ryder comes along. Enjoying his play boy ways, fast cars, motorcycles and a new woman in his bed nightly, Ryder had no thoughts of settling down. That is, until he sees the damage a man can do when he meets a very broken Dina. He changes in hopes of one day being enough for her.
       But, can she ever feel safe with a man again? Ryder has restored hundreds of classic cars can he restore Dina’s heart?


  

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 Chapter 2
Ryder

What is this girls name again?  Ah hell, she wants to feel special and I can’t even manage to remember her name.  Lauren, Lori, Laura, something like that, I think.  Brayden will find this entertaining once we arrive at the restaurant.  I text him to see if we can stop by for introductions, he said sure thin.  I am off to let some chick meet my roommate and best friend.  The things I do to get a new piece of ass. 

Girls are raised with a misconception of prince charming coming to take away all of their problems.  Thing is, prince charming doesn’t exist in real life, that is why they are in fairy tales.  Like Cinderella’s step sisters trying to make the shoe fit, women can’t form men into a certain fit, the way they want.  When it’s right, the slipper will slide right on.  Always remember it’s made of glass so it must be handled with care.  That is the reality of love right there, when its right you still have to be gentle and take care of it in all of its fragile states.

Add to that the balance of Daddy/daughter relationships and men don’t stand a chance.  You will either find the Daddy’s girl who’s first love is her Dad.  These girls are confident.  They are in no rush to accept anything less than real emotion, real love because their Dad gave them that security.  The flip side to that are the ones with Daddy issues.  The woman whose dead beat Dad walked away without teaching them real love; only abandonment.  These girls are usually easy and are just looking for a connection in any way they can feel it.  Even if it’s just a fleeting moment, a rush, they want to feel love.  After a few heartbreaks, they become real man haters.

Either way, from childhood, most little girl’s dream of the day they find their forever in a man.  This makes it easy for them to fall for the many lines a hormone driven dude, such as myself, will give them.  They strive so much for that connection, that security, they will believe just about anything you say.  What they know to be a lie, they convince themselves that they can change in you.  Overcome the bad boy, change the player into a one woman man, surely they can love you enough to change you.  Love conquers all, after all, that’s what they are told from the time they are hosting pretend tea parties.

 I am young still, not ready to be tied down or deal with the delicate nature of love and a serious relationship.  I do believe in love, commitment, and forever.  I just know that now is not the time in my life for such seriousness.  Until that day comes I want to taste the variety of women that exist in my world.

I have spent a week texting this chick, making her feel special.  It’s not enough though and she says she wants to meet my friends.  Really feel like she knows me.  I love a challenge so fine you can meet my friends.

We walk into the restaurant where Brayden is having dinner with Maggie, his girlfriend, and Dina her roommate.  As soon as we enter I feel a charge in the room.  I see her sitting with them and I am immediately consumed.  She is a magnet drawing me over to her.  Never have I felt an instant pull to someone, like this. 

Dina is a downhome, gorgeous girl.  Her makeup is subtle, with natural looking hair, perhaps just some high lights she just carries a casual comfortable look.  To be honest, I would find her sexy in a paper bag.  She has on a black shirt that dips down just enough to hint at her cleavage.  She has curves, gorgeous curves in all the right places.  She is by no means a big girl, she is skinny, but with boobs and ass that are definitely enough for a man to enjoy.  Her flat stomach is calling out for me to run my hand up it to cup her very full breasts or down to her hips to slide around and scoop her luscious ass.  When she looks at me, I feel like she is looking directly into my soul.  The world seems to stop around us as I am pulled into Dina and everything that is her.

After we get beyond the hello’s some prick is manhandling my Dina out of her seat.  Whoa!  My Dina, where did that come from?  I don’t know why, but my adrenaline and instinct are now in overdrive.   I am burning with fire coursing through my veins.

Before any of us could react, they were gone.  Maggie is crying as Brayden is trying to quickly settle their check.  The blonde with me is grabbing at my arm.  I shake her off, leaving her there as I climb in Braydens car behind Maggie.

When we arrive at the apartment, Brayden escorts Maggie inside.  I stay out front searching for the prick so I can shove him around a bit.  Adrenaline, anger, disgust, rage, and an emotion I can’t manage to describe, all well up inside me.

Brayden comes out almost immediately.  The look on his face is horror and pure hatred.  My boy is a firecracker with a lit fuse about to blow.  The look on his face, his demeanor, it all sends me into overdrive.

Through gritted teeth, Brayden says, “His name is Michael and he’s roughed her up in the face.  Maggie swears this is the first time.  I don’t give a shit.  He needs to be taught a lesson.”

About the Author
     Chelsea Camaron was born and raised in Coastal North Carolina.She currently resides in Southern Louisiana with her husband and two children but her heart is always Carolina day dreaming. Chelsea always wanted to be a writer, but like most of us, let fear of the unknown grab a hold of her dream; she realized that if she was going to tell her daughter to go for her dreams, that it was time to follow her own advice. Chelsea grew up turning wrenches alongside her father, and from that grew her love for old muscle cars and Harley Davidson motorcycles, which just so happened to inspired her ‘Daddy’s Girls’ series. Her love for reading has sparked a new love for writing and she currently has a few more projects in the works. When she is not spending her days writing you can find her playing with her kids, attending car shows, going on motorcycle rides on the back of her husband’s Harley, snuggling down with her new favorite book or watching any movie that Vin Diesel might happen to be in. She hates being serious and is still a big kid at heart. She is a small town country girl enjoying life and, Chelsea hopes that her readers remember not to take life too seriously and to embrace your inner five year old, because five year olds know how to enjoy the simple things in life and how to always have fun.

Email  / Twitter / Facebook / Website  / Goodreads  / Amazon 


Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Bet On Ecstasy by Stacey Kennedy...

  


BET ON ECSTASY
Pact of Seduction, Book 3
Stacey Kennedy
Publisher: Loose Id
ISBN: 978-62300-462-0
Release Date: September 24, 2013
                                                             
                                        
BUY LINKS:

Book Description:
Business partners, Smith and Brock share their fortune, success, and they share their women. A healthy competitive streak built MDR Software into a multi-million-dollar enterprise, and their on-going bets continuously raise the stakes. The current proposition: an arranged ménage encounter through the sex club, Castle Dolce Vita. The prize: a sexy kitten, Kyra.
While the two wealthy, powerful men are enough to pique Kyra’s interests to fulfill the Pact of Seduction and live out her ultimate fantasy, a bet forged between the men comes with an intriguing promise. Her pleasure is now part of their wager.
Soon, Kyra fights against her desire for the men as she struggles through the complications of a ménage relationship. Of course, the men take their bets seriously and are determined to show Kyra that in this game of seduction no one loses.
About the Author:
Stacey Kennedy is an urban fantasy lover at heart, but she also enjoys losing herself in dark and sensual worlds. She lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, who gave her a happily-ever-after. Together, they have two small children who can always make her smile, and who will never be allowed to read Mommy’s books. If she’s not plugging away at a new story, you’ll find her camping, curling up with the latest flick, or obsessing over Supernatural, True Blood, Lost Girl, and Sons of Anarchy.

CHECK OUT THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE PACT OF SEDUCTION SERIES:

  




“Prick.” Smith slammed the pool cue down on the table, cursing the game that had cost him a thousand dollars. The muscles in his neck ached, as did the throb in his head from concentrating on winning for the last twenty minutes.
His business partner, Brock, laughed. The black ball spun in the corner pocket, and the white ball swept up the table to hit one of Smith’s two remaining striped balls. “Pay up,” Brock stated.
Smith scowled at the glow in Brock’s blue-gray eyes. He mentally flipped Brock off for his satisfied smirk. With a snort, Smith grabbed his wallet from his back pocket, then tossed the money onto the pool table. “You got lucky.”
“Lucky!” Brock gave a booming laugh. “It’s all skill, buddy.”
He cursed again under his breath, dropping down into the leather seat in the corner of his office. Perhaps he shouldn’t have purchased the new pool table. Then he wouldn’t have had his ass handed to him.
His secretary had thought he’d lost his mind when he asked her to place the order. Smith figured it made total sense. A game in between the long hours he worked kept him sane, which made a thought rise. “Did you go through the last stack of résumés?”
Brock nodded. “Sure did, but no one stood out.”
Smith pointed. “You’re too damn picky.” He’d seen at least four résumés that fit exactly what they were looking for to hire new employees to ease up their workload.
Brock grinned. “Perhaps.” He hesitated, then gave a halfhearted shrug. “Why change something that works.”
Even if the month-long search grated on Smith’s last nerve, he also couldn’t deny the truth behind Brock’s statement.
MDR Software had been built upon years of hard work and sweat, not only from Smith, but from Brock too. When the company had celebrated its five-year anniversary, it had grown into a million-dollar venture in Chicago. After the takeover a year later of fellow software company HighDot, located in the heart of Baltimore, MDR’s worth tripled.
Brock leaned against the pool table, his gaze glowing. “New bet?”
“You emptied my wallet, who says I want another bet?”
While Smith did have money in the bank, he didn't have any other cash on him. It had taken a good year to stop the memories of living paycheck to paycheck and pinching every penny. Though he’d grown more comfortable with money, he’d never forget when they first opened the company, he ate hotdogs for an entire month.
“Not interested in winning your cash back?” Brock asked, stretching his arms.
The sardonic look Brock delivered usually raised the stakes in their bets. A competitive streak had remained healthy between them, and not only in business. For the most part, Smith enjoyed betting on things, except when he lost. “Possibly.”
Smith laced his fingers behind his head, catching a glimpse of the Baltimore skyline out the large panoramic window. The dark night was typical. There wasn’t a day he, or Brock, didn’t put in a ten-hour shift.
Hard work made for a solid company. Yet the long hours had also been the reason why Smith had been pushing for new employees. He wanted a life, not more time in his damned office.
The telephone next to Smith rang once, and Brock’s grin became sinful. Smith’s irritation at the loss of the game morphed into a new type of heat, pooling low in his groin. He reached for the phone on the side table, then held it to his ear. “Smith.”
“Kyra Garner is here to see you,” the security man, Antonio, said. “I realize it’s late, but she said you were expecting her.”
“Send her up.” Smith placed the phone back on the base, spotting Brock’s expression shift in intensity. Smith also sensed the growing impulse to control and conquer. It’d been a long day waiting for Kyra to arrive, and now Brock’s question held a stronger appeal. “I take it she’s the bet?” At Brock’s nod, he added, “What’s the wager?”
Brock smirked. “Ecstasy.”
Smith had always understood why women flocked to Brock; his charisma, handsome features, matched with a lighthearted personality impressed the ladies. Smith witnessed the toughest businesswomen crack under the assault of that smile. “Bet on ecstasy, hmm?” He rubbed his jaw, considering the proposition. “I’m intrigued, but why that one?”
Brock lifted a lazy shoulder. “Any other bet would make us assholes.”
Smith nearly offered a bet on who Kyra would take an interest in, perhaps who she might want to date when the night concluded. It had happened before. Smith had attempted to date two of the women he’d met through ménage adventures with Brock. The last woman had become near obsessive, causing Smith to shut her down when she showed up at his office. The only thing that resulted from any relationship lately was money-hungry women who wanted a certain lifestyle he wouldn’t give them.
Even the women he dated who weren’t into ménage relationships ended up more interested in where he took them for dinner. The social circuit in Baltimore had been disappointing and hadn’t given him anything other than one-night stands.
After consideration, he dismissed the thought of his idea for the bet. Anything too emotional crossed a line neither him, nor Brock, would cross. He preferred no-strings-attached sex, but he wasn’t a coldhearted bastard. “Interesting bet. Indeed.”
Brock ran a hand through his sandy-colored messily styled hair, which amused Smith. No matter if they were surrounded by millionaires, at work, or watching Sunday-night football, his hair always remained disheveled. “Christ, she’ll reap the rewards anyway.”
From what Smith heard out in the hallway, Kyra was nearly at his office, her high heels clicking along the marble floor. “No one loses,” Smith agreed. “Well, except one of us, which will be you.”
“Dream on.” Brock jumped off the pool table as the sound of her heels against the floor drew closer. “You in?”
Smith nodded. “Double it up.”
The clicks of Kyra’s heels sounded right outside the door. One second passed of silence—far longer than he expected. He wondered if she searched for bravery. When she finally entered through the opened door, the sight of her stunned him, and his entire body came to life.
His cock hardened to steel, causing him to groan as raw primal need tensed his muscles. He experienced a pull to her that shocked the wind right out of his lungs—it was more than lust; it was raw chemistry. Kyra was beautiful.
Standing at the doorway, she offered a sweet smile that held a mysterious edge. Her green eyes were a stunning light color he’d never seen before. Her long black hair would drape beautifully over his thighs when her puffy lips pleasured him.
“Hello, Kyra,” he murmured.
She strode into the office with a confidence he favored in women, chin high, gaze fixated directly on him. Once in the center of the office, she licked those lovely glossy pink lips. “Smith.” Her gaze cut to the right. “Brock.”
“Pleasure to meet you.” Brock winked, a playful smile teasing the corners of his mouth. “I mean to say, in person, and not through e-mails and texts.”
Her laughter was as lovely as the women who owned it. “Yes, exactly.”
Smith stood from the chair in the corner, gesturing to the leather couch. “Please take a seat.”
Kyra approached the couch, and her scent carried to him. Smith inhaled the mix of flowers and spice that suited her. Sweet with a slice of fire. He reveled in that combination. “Would you like a glass of wine?”
Her smile was polite. “Yes, thank you.”
Smith chuckled under his breath, unable to stop himself. An outsider would think she arrived tonight for business. Kyra looked all too proper in her rose-colored blouse and black pencil skirt, but her killer legs were anything but appropriate.
The meeting tonight had nothing to do with discussing software.
Brock closed the office door and locked it before he dropped down into the couch across from her, while Smith retrieved her wine from the small bar in the corner.
“Do tell us, Kyra, about this pact of seduction you made with your friends,” Brock said. “I must admit, I found your ad at the Castle Dolce Vita…appealing.”
A personal ad Smith and Brock had stumbled upon late one night on the Web site’s forum. Castle Dolce Vita was located out of Bowleys Quarters, a half-hour drive from Baltimore. The castle catered to everything from ménage encounters to BDSM to just about anything the mind could conjure.
Smith poured her wine and corked the bottle. He turned to hear her reply in a strong voice, “It’s a silly pact between friends to live out our ultimate fantasies. Call it boredom, or maybe insanity, but that’s the gist of it. Two of my friends have already completed the pact, and so, here I am.”
Smith enjoyed the strength Kyra portrayed. Most women wouldn’t voice such thoughts so freely without a stumble in speech or mere hesitation. Impressed by her, he approached, eyeing her silky calf crossed over her knee, envisioning exactly where and how he planned to touch her.
Smith reached her, raised his attention to her face, and she bewitched him with her elegance. He offered her the wineglass. “You all joined the Castle Dolce Vita to fulfill this pact?”
She accepted the glass and as she did, he brushed his fingers over hers. Kyra’s eyes widened, breath hitched. “Yes, we all joined. It seemed like the best place to find others looking for similar ventures.”
The perfect place, Smith thought.
Though that interested him, he couldn’t take his eyes off her, more than pleased he wasn’t the only one affected by the clear heat between them. Tonight would be enjoyable for all, if her reactions were anything like she’d shown from the simple touch.
He and Brock had both been members of Castle Dolce Vita since they relocated to Baltimore. Of course, they also had visited many sex clubs around the country who catered to sexual exploration. He’d reveled in the freedom. No emotions. No needy women. He could have fun, then walk away.
While both of them had numerous relationships throughout the years, some lasting longer than others, all failed miserably. Their tastes included an active sexual appetite. Smith had never met a woman who fulfilled him enough, and none of their ménage relationships had ever worked out. The women they’d been with had thought they could handle two men, but it always turned out two was just a little too much.
“Why are you members?” Kyra asked.
Simple question. Simple answer.
Together, they weren’t only solid partners in business and excelled at their work, but with a woman between them, they shone. They’d shared their fortune, success, and enjoyed sharing their women.
Smith watched as Kyra took a sip of her wine and her eyes fluttered closed, indicating she enjoyed the taste of the wine. At six hundred dollars a bottle, Smith wasn’t surprised. He sat down in the leather chair to her left, gazing over the long lines of her shapely, silky legs.
Images of them wrapped around his waist while he drove into her could be his undoing. He forced his gaze onto her face again, which was currently turning a lovely rose color under his examination.
Smith liked the effect he had on her.
He fought to remember her question and cleared his throat. “Our business is our top priority. This tends to mean our time is limited. The castle has provided a means for us to enjoy sex without involving relationships. Also, it has the highest form of privacy.” Even he heard the cold distance in his voice and saw her eyebrows rise.
Every person who joined the castle signed a waiver swearing to keep things private and not share identities to nonmembers, and everyone went through STD and AIDS testing. Smith preferred knowing his sexual partners were clean rather than having casual sex with strangers from a nightclub, and the privacy of the castle offered a sense of freedom.
Kyra took another mouthful of her wine, then with a twinkle in her eyes, tipped the glass at him. “Understandable. Privacy is something I can appreciate too.”
Woman, you are to be appreciated, and then some.
Brock chuckled at Smith, clearly reading his thoughts. He turned to Kyra. “Tell us a little something of yourself. More than the basic details in the profile we saw when we discovered you, kitten.”
The side of her mouth arched at the nickname indicating she didn’t mind, and why would she? Smith had no doubt Brock lowered his voice to inflict a straight attack on her hormones.
“I’d prefer if we kept the small talk to minimum,” she said.
Smith leaned back in his seat. He’d never met a woman who didn’t want some type of intimate connection before they had sex. Not in any of the encounters that had been arranged through the castle, or relationships out of the castle for that matter.
He lifted his chin. “All business, then?”
She drank a larger sip of her wine before she lowered the glass. “We’re not here to get to know one another, are we? We’re here to fulfill my ménage fantasy.” Her eyebrows rose higher. “That is what we agreed to, yes?”
“All action. No talking.” Brock’s grin widened as he rubbed his jawline. “Damn, kitten, you’re my type of woman.”
While Brock seemed eager and accepting of her response, Smith wasn’t so easily swayed. Women, even if they came in different colors and shapes, were still women rich with emotions. Right now, Kyra acted more like a man, void of any emotional connection. “Are you comfortable with that arrangement, Kyra?”
Her deep swallow displayed her nerves, but she sipped her wine in haste controlling the reaction. “I prefer it.”
Smith grinned at her while she shifted uneasily in her seat. He enjoyed that he unnerved her, since her presence gave him a hefty erection. Plus, she made him far more interested than he’d ever been in any woman.
While he believed she had, in fact, lied to him with her answer, he wouldn’t speculate as to why. He also wouldn’t argue it out with her either. Her emotions belonged to her. “Fair enough.”
He paused while she drank her wine again. Once he had her fixated on him, he leaned forward, resting his arms on his elbows. “It’s important you’re aware of what’s ahead of you tonight. Before you arrived, Brock and I decided to make a bet on you, if you’re agreeable.”
Suspicion darkened her eyes as she lowered her glass onto her lap. “What sort of bet?”
“Your orgasms,” Brock declared.
A blush crept over her face, yet her expression didn’t hold any wrath at such a bet, which Smith would’ve expected. She blinked. “E-excuse me?”
Brock added, “The wager is simple: orgasms for points. Whoever gains the most points from your pleasure by the end of the night wins the money.”
Her pupils dilated, and her lips arched up into a sexy smile. “Might I ask what the value of this bet is?”
“Two thousand dollars,” Smith stated.
All the heated reaction vanished in a millisecond replaced by wide eyes, and her mouth fell open. She glanced around the office as she must’ve realized their wealth. Maybe only now she realized they didn’t just work at MDR Software, but they owned the company.
Smith had seen the reaction many times—fancy things impressed women, sparkly things even more. What he hadn’t ever seen before, once the surprise faded from her eyes, she didn’t seem at all interested in that. “Seriously, a two-thousand-dollar bet on my orgasms?”
“Yes, kitten, we’re quite serious.” Brock grinned. “Are you willing?”
Christ, Smith could only grip the armrests to stop himself from going to her, tossing her legs over his shoulders, and having himself a snack. No woman had ever made him this damn hard.
In a slow, seductive slide of her finger she traced the rim of her glass as she regarded them. “I’m agreeable to join the bet.” Her cheeks flushed a color that wreaked havoc on Smith’s cock, making it ache in need. “But I’m afraid there’s a problem.”
Smith forced his attention away from her slender finger that he hoped would make a similar move on his dick. He also ignored her pinkish cheeks that he prayed burned deeper while she writhed beneath him. “Which is?”
She hesitated, then said on a quick breath, “I don’t orgasm easily.”
Smith smiled. As if that would be a problem. But it was glaringly obvious she pretended to be a sex kitten who was, in fact, more or less, in way over her beautiful head.
He could see himself respecting a woman like Kyra.
He exchanged a look with Brock, who gave him a firm nod, indicating their thoughts ran on the same line. Smith turned to Kyra again, and he noticed how she squirmed in her seat.
Exactly how he wanted her.
Smith appreciated a confident woman who fought to be brave, and he respected the trait, yet without a certain vulnerability to her, the appeal would fade. He loved pink cheeks and a stunned speechless woman under his touch. More to the point, enjoyed when a woman unraveled in his presence. To hold such heady power fed a greedy part in his soul.
In the minutes Kyra had been in his office, she’d given him all these things.
He tilted his head, regarding the treat awaiting him on the couch. “Quite the dilemma, isn’t it?” He stood from his seat and approached her. It delighted him how she sucked in a deep breath, and how ragged it sounded from her parted lips.
Once in front of her, he took the wineglass from her hands. The stunning clarity in her eyes mesmerized him. “Sit on the desk. Do not cross your legs.”
Her eyes blazed with reservations, even as she licked her lips. “Why?”

Smith scanned over her long, beautiful neck, her silky skin stretching over her hammering pulse. “We take our bets seriously and need to know what we’re up against. It’s a lot of money to wager if it’s bound to fail.” He leaned down into her face, his cock pressed against the zipper in his slacks. “Get on the desk, Kyra.”