A big thank you to Delilah for this guest spot! Today, to celebrate the release of Cowboy Overload, I’m chatting with the fabulous Lana Fox, editor at Go Deeper Press and author of erotic novel Cream, which releases on February 10. Look below for links to both books and a giveaway.

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Lana: The title of your book is such fun! How much can you reveal about the “overload” in Cowboy Overload?

Mia: I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced this, but when I’m overloaded—with information, stimulation, sights, sounds—there’s a moment when my brain switches from thinking to feeling. (Las Vegas and Black Friday shopping come to mind!) I wanted to recreate this experience for my main character Andie as she’s faced with the prospect of not one, but two sexy cowboys. There’s a moment in the story when she lets go of her anxieties and just feels. On a goofy side note, a friend of mine often sends me pictures of kittens and piglets from a site called Cute Overload. That inspired my title!

In the introduction, you say that Cowboy Overload contains “some of the most intense sex scenes I’ve written to date.” Can you fill us in a little on one of the sex scenes in the book? What makes it so sizzling? Was it exciting to write?

There’s a ton of steamy action in this story, but one of my favorite things to write was the scene where Andie watches Dean undress for the first time, right before he joins Andie and Decker in bed. He undresses slowly, like he knows she’s reading his body like a book. Dean is older and heavily built, with scars and a couple of mysterious old tattoos. It was exciting looking at him through her eyes. With erotic ménage romance, there’s quite a bit of choreography involved. What I want to avoid is writing a catalog of body parts and actions! At the heart of each scene are three people sharing not just pleasure but intimacy. Andie must trust both men, one of whom she’s just met, so it’s important to establish that Dean and Decker are experienced, trustworthy lovers who will take care of her every step of the way. That kind of trust leads to incredible chemistry in the bedroom.

Cowboy Overload takes place in Oleander, a “dusty little California cow town.” For a Brit like me, this is so exotic! What makes this setting perfect for sizzling erotic romance?

For a lot of people, California means Hollywood, San Francisco, the beach. But California also has an enormous interior. The Central Valley is about the size of Egypt. It’s farms and orchards and oil fields and ranchland…and cowboys! This is the far west, the California of Merle Haggard and Cesar Chavez. The people who work this land are tough, and for me, tough is hot. When I was envisioning Dean and Decker, I was thinking about descendents of the Joads, Steinbeck’s hardscrabble Okies who had to get through hell to make their home in California. These people are durable, body and soul. That’s sexy.

One of the many things I enjoy so much about your writing, Mia, is the way you immerse us in a character’s sense experiences, including the scents and textures that less talented writers often leave out. What are some of the scents from Cowboy Overload that stay with you, as the author? And what about textures as well?

Thanks, Lana! As a reader, I love sensual details. And let me just say that it was fun to imagine what two perfect, freshly-scrubbed cowboys would smell like! They’re on the road together, so they’d probably be staying in the same motel room. They’d probably use the motel soap—something cheap but serviceable…Ivory soap. It’s a distinct, sharp smell, not floral but clean. I thought of the worn leather on their boots and belts—that’s such a sexy scent. When you spend a lot of time physically with another person, you begin to smell like that person, so it made sense to me that they’d smell similar. But Andie can smell the difference. She’d know Decker blindfolded. Also, like a lot of writers, I’m really in love with the sound of certain words. There’s a line that stuck with me: “Tires hissed on the pitted asphalt.” This is near the beginning of the story. The parking lot of the steakhouse is run-down, and Andie’s run-down physically and emotionally. The sound of the cowboys’ big truck approaching is not a loud rumble, but a whisper, enticing her to make a choice: stay, or get in the truck?

Would you share an excerpt from Cowboy Overload to entice us yet further?

Absolutely! Meet Andie, Decker, and Dean.

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Excerpt from Cowboy Overload

The motel room was a picture postcard from 1963. Faux wood paneling, a flocked green bedspread, and two plaster lamps carved and painted to look like eagles. The oil painting above the headboard was a woodland scene: three trees on a lone island in the middle of a lake.

“Home sweet home,” said Andie.

Decker put a heavy gym bag on the table. Dean went into the bathroom, brought out a glass, and sat down at the table in the corner. He took off his hat and ran a hand through his wavy brown hair. Then he poured himself a couple fingers of whiskey from a flask and sat back with a sigh. He looked around.

“Why here?” he asked.

“They don’t hassle us.” Andie took off her coat. The men looked at her in appreciation. She was wearing her new black dress: tight and short and strapless, it made her feel fearless. She’d had to sneak off to Bakersfield to buy it.

“Damn, girl. You’re fuckin’ beautiful.” Decker took Andie’s coat and hung it in the closet. Then he took off his hat and put it next to Dean’s. Andie sat down on the bed and slipped off her shoes. Decker knelt down and took her feet in his big hands, running his thumbs slowly along her arches. “That better, sweetheart?”

She nodded. She reached forward and ran her fingers through his thick black hair, mussing it with a smile as Decker’s warm hands slid up her calves and rested on her knees.

“Did you miss me?” he asked.

She said nothing.

He took her hand and pushed her palm against the hard ridge behind his fly. “Did you miss this?” he asked.

She smiled. “I guess so.”

He raised his eyebrows and spanked the inside of her thigh—not hard, but hard enough to leave a little redness on her skin. “You guess so?”

He put his hand on the back of her neck and brought her mouth to his. “You guess so?” he whispered again, and the warmth of his breath washed over her lips. She shivered and closed her eyes just as he kissed her, hard and hungry, a textbook Decker Daniels kiss. He tasted like peppermint toothpaste with a hint of whiskey—he’d taken a hit off Dean’s flask.

Andie felt herself plummeting into the kiss, getting lost in the familiar sensation of his lips and tongue. She planted her hands against his solid chest and leaned forward, hungrily drinking him in, only mildly aware that Dean was watching them from the corner like a silent, predatory shadow.

Decker’s hands skimmed down the sides of her neck and over her bare arms. He raised goosebumps on her skin. When he ran his thumbs over her breasts, her nipples hardened behind the thin, tight fabric of her dress. Decker moaned into her mouth; Andie felt the rumble of his deep voice in some sad, empty place in her chest.

He hooked his thumbs behind the neckline of her strapless dress and dragged it down to her waist. She was wearing a pink satin strapless bra. Decker broke their kiss to look at her. As he fondled her, his big, scarred hands looked brutal against the smooth fabric.

“Magnificent,” he murmured, kissing the tops of her breasts where they spilled over her bra. He reached behind her and with the flick of his thumb, snapped the hook.

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COWBOY OVERLOAD
Mia Hopkins

The daughter of a ranch foreman with a violent temper, Andie Rich hungers for glitz, glamour, and a life of her own. One night, she sneaks out and runs into her former classmate, professional bull rider Decker Daniels. Taking a short break from the circuit, he’s in town with his good buddy, bullfighter Dean MacKinnon. Dean and Decker have big plans for the passionate homegrown hottie. But does Andie have the guts to take on two cocky cowboys at once?

Click here for more!

Please visit my website for more sexy stories.

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CREAM
Lana Fox

Sultry jazz singer Caroline Spence has a penchant for smokier numbers—and, as it turns out, men of a similar temperament. So when the darkly dominant Marcus takes her on as his submissive, she surprises him by sharing his love of double cream, both in a bowl and on her body, as well as a passion for kink that could lose him his job.

Still, it turns out Marcus isn’t the only one who wants Caroline. The young, rich, and audacious Kyle could listen to her sing forever. Caroline soon finds out, however, that Kyle’s obsession has a dangerous side. But with his charm and smoldering good looks, she finds it easy to let him push her a little too far.

Two men. One siren.

And a challenge that changes her life.

Click here for more!

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CONTEST

I’d like to send a free e-book of COWBOY OVERLOAD to three random commenters who answer this question below: I love sensual details. The heroes of Cowboy Overload smell like Ivory soap and leather. What is your favorite sexy scent?

When I tell people I’m a writer, they nod politely and ask what I write, and then go back to whatever conversation they were having before. I get that. Only other writers and avid readers get even remotely interested when they meet a writer.

Those that do get excited immediately think you’re a big star and must drive a Rolex, or is that a Rolls Royce? Whatever. Sadly that’s the farthest from the truth in my case. I’m a writer making a living at it, but not making a killing. I wear sweats or yoga pants to work each day (I know, be jealous) and leave my diamonds and stilettos packed away for important events (probably my funeral).

Yesterday, I learned that COWBOY 12 PACK, a boxed set I have a story in made the New York Times Best Seller at #11 and the USA Today Best Seller List at #33. Though I was excited and jumping up and down, my dogs were not impressed. Sigh.  I told my husband and he patted my head and told me, “That’s nice. What’s for supper?” I rarely see my neighbors because I’m on the keyboard all day cranking out page after page, trying to push the world up the hill of fame and fortune. That leaves my sister who is also a writer. I share my news with her when I can get her on the phone. She at least knows the importance of a list and can share my happiness.

So why do we do it? Obviously not for the fame and fortune, because it doesn’t always come our way unless we strike gold and make it big like 50 Shades of Grey. We do it because we love it and want readers to love our stories. And if it pays the bills, we consider ourselves successful!

So thank you to all the readers who buy our books and keep us in the business of doing what we love to do. We love each and every one of you.

Oh, and by the way…WE MADE THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER LIST!!!

****For a chance to win a $5 Gift card***

Leave a comment about your successes and the reactions of those around you.
I’ll choose a winner tomorrow.

Don’t forget to get your free copy of SEAL’S HONOR before it goes off sale!
Amazon | Nook | ARe Kobo| Ibooks | Audio

Kink from A to Z…

A – Amazing in Every way
B – Beautiful
C – Cum…see what I have to offer *snicker*
D – Delightful
E – Everything I thought it would be and more
F – Fierce
G – Gentle and rough and everything in between
H – Happy. Kink simply makes me happy
I – I…highly recommend it!
J – Just what YOU want it to be
K – Kicks that sweet romance stuff in the back door
L – Love on steroids
M – Magical
N – Never boring
O –“O” face inspiring
P – Pussytastic (Please imagine jazz hands)
Q – Quitting only happens on the color RED
R – Risky but worth it
S – Simply Perfect
T – Touches everyone in a different way
U – Utterly satisfying
V – Vanilla it is not
W – Welcoming
X – Xtremely special
Y – You can have a little or a lot – I recommend a lot
Z – Zinc rhymes with Kink which makes it AWESOME!!!

That was so much fun!!!

In celebration of kink I’m giving away an e-book copy of any of my Members ONLY books!!!

Just comment below. Pick any letter of the alphabet and tell me what kink means to you! That could be reading it or living it or being curious about it!

You never know! Something you say…just might show up in a book!!!

Thanks for reading peeps – stay kinky!!! 

Members Only, Book Six

Every night Jenna spends hours preparing submissives for their Doms at The Library. She encourages them, reassures them as they take a step into the forbidden and urges them never to settle. But when it comes to her own journey, she’s spent years hiding, trapped within the steel cage of her corsets. She can’t hide any longer.

Nick has wanted her since the moment he laid eyes on her but she’s always told him no. Until now. She agrees to be his submissive for a night but he wants more…much more. He unwittingly brings in the one man Jenna never stopped loving and, on the cusp of everything’s he’s ever wanted, he’s not the only one fighting for her heart.

Ian can’t forget her…his Jenna. He walked away years ago, but not this time. This time he’ll settle for nothing but her complete submission.

Three people unable to let go of the past must learn that love—above all else—is worth fighting for.

A Romantica® BDSM erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

Buy Links
Amazon Kindle
Barnes & Noble
Ellora’s Cave

Need a bit more on the kinky? I’ve gotcha covered!!

The books in the Members Only Series can be found here…

Together In Cyn
Haleigh’s Ink
A Very Ménage Christmas
Duke’s Valentine
Orgasm University
Accidental Voyeur
Roman’s To-Do List
Laila’s Lies
Jenna’s Consent

Stand Alone

Buried Permission
Beneath the Pages
Nico’s Curse

Jennifer Kacey is a writer, mother, and business owner living with her family in Texas. She sings in the shower, plays piano in her dreams, and has to have a different color of nail polish every week. The best advice she’s ever been given? Find the real you and never settle for anything less.

Website – http://www.jenniferkacey.com/
Blog – The Decadent Divas – http://www.thedecadentdivas.blogspot.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.kacey.7
Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/jenniferkaceyauthor
Twitter – https://twitter.com/JenniferKacey
Amazon Page – http://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Kacey/e/B00GXHUB30/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d9_al1?_encoding=UTF8&refinementId=618073011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0G8ZPDQJVKJPKXNBRY10&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6941549.Jennifer_Kacey
Pinterest – http://pinterest.com/jenniferkacey/

UPDATE: The winner is ButtonsMom!

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The original spark of an idea for my His Girl Next Door series was inspired by many summers spent at the shore in Lavallette, New Jersey. My brother met his wife there, his own “girl next door.” I adore writing friends-to-lover stories and I thought it would be fun to write a romance series where my heroes discover love is just around the corner, literally. I set the stories in four New Jersey shore towns and four different seasons and I’ve had a wonderful time exploring some favorite and sentimental memories while writing these romances.

Friendships have been an integral part of my writing, both the friends around me here at home and on-line—and the roles friendships play in my stories.

I frequently write while in an online chat with my critique and goals group and other writing friends. I can’t thank them enough for the advice and support they’ve given me over the years. Their friendship and support has been invaluable in my journey to publication. Our members hail from different states and countries, different romance genres, and different stages of our writing careers. They are a critical editing eye, encouraging sounding board for ideas, mentors, cheering squad, shoulder to whine and cry on, and very great friends.

I also belong to New Jersey Romance Writers, and without the support and friendship (and not a little nagging and genial pushing) of my friends at NJRW, I might never have made those first terrifying attempts to pitch and submit.

As for my romances, it seems no matter the couple, my stories revolve strongly upon all kinds of friendships and the support that you get from them, from friends turning to lovers, and old friends that are closer than family, to discovering new friends, and discovering new facets to familiar friends.

In the very early stages of writing Kissing Katie, I hadn’t planned on a series, but characters don’t live in a vacuum, and as one friendship can lead to another in real life, my characters’ friends immediately opened up ideas for more stories. It’s been fun writing the connections and interactions, silliness and seriousness, as one couple leads to the next and getting to share little glimpses into their lives as the series moves along. I particularly loved writing my heroes and heroines discovering just how much deeper their friendships would become and all the emotions of anticipation, hope, fear, worry, rejection and enthusiasm that an unexpected tumble into love and commitment brings.

What’s your favorite memory of a friendship? Have you ever had a friendship shift into romance? I’ll give one commenter an e-book copy of Kissing Katie (His Girl Next Door – Book 1)

CONVINCING CAMI (His Girl Next Door – Book 2)

Sometimes love is just around the corner.

When Cami Alexander moves next door, it’s time for Jack O’Malley to concede the sweet and sexy fellow teacher is more than a long-time friend—she’s the one he’s been looking for in all the wrong places. He’s ready to put his footloose bachelor days behind him, but between his past, Cami’s doubts, her overprotective family, and well-meaning blind date offers from friends, convincing Cami they’re meant to be together is going to get complicated. Good thing Jack likes a challenge.

Cami’s always had a little crush on the dashing, blue-eyed Jack, but when the heat in a spontaneous kiss surprises them both, she’s afraid to risk their friendship over mere desire. Passion proves irresistible, and one explosive night ups the ante on their dilemmas. Jack vows his love and to stand by her through every trouble, but she’s been burned by promises before, and this time more than her heart’s at stake.

Excerpt :

The old wooden ladder creaked and rocked with loose joints as Cami climbed. The thing must be as old as the house. She stretched, screwing in the first bulb. The step under her feet creaked, cracked—

And gave way. She shrieked, dropping the light bulb, but grabbed only air. Oh, this was going to hurt—

“Cami!” Jack shouted. Strong arms clamped around her. “I got you.”

Shaken from the close call, she melted into him. “Thanks. That was too close.”

“I knew I should’ve brought my ladders over. You okay?”

“Yes. Just a scare.”

He let her slide to the floor, but held her snug against his body. He would release her, any second now. She should step away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist. She shivered, this time less from the scare and more from realizing just how close he held her. How he’d never actually touched her before beyond a social hug or handshake.

Her quiet little crush speared into a hot rush of want. How warm and sturdy he was. How perfectly they fit together.

She caught her breath and looked up to find Jack studying her with a puzzled, serious expression that she’d never seen on his face before. The twilight added a deceptive privacy to the dim room and made Jack’s eyes appear dark and deep with—

Desire?

“This is a really bad idea,” Jack muttered. Tightening his arms, he crushed his mouth down on hers.

She gasped, and he seized full advantage of her mouth opening under his in the hungry, demanding kiss.

Oh, Jack was right, this was a really bad idea, but the surprising kiss was far too amazing to rally any effort to break away. With the curiosity of six years pressing her, Cami recklessly surrendered to the pleasure, not caring he had a girlfriend, not caring they’d just careened over the friendship line . . . and his warm body was hard against hers.

What a kiss! Far from a perfect kiss—too hot and rushed—but wonderful, wonderful, fierce, and toe-curling.

Curiosity killed the cat, remember.

Well, she wasn’t a cat, and this was just a kiss.

Right?

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Come fall in love at the shore

CONVINCING CAMI is available in ebook and print at:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00QFP9HFS/
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/convincing-cami-babette-james/1121027833?ean=2940150265530
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id955173335
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/convincing-cami
Google Books https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Babette_James_Convincing_Cami?id=Nk0JBgAAQBAJ
Createspace Print: https://www.createspace.com/5217804

About the Author:

Babette James writes sweetly scorching contemporary romance and loves reading nail-biting tales with a satisfying happily ever after. When not dreaming up stories, she enjoys playing with new bread recipes and dabbling with paints. As a teacher, she loves encouraging new readers and writers as they discover their growing abilities. Her class cheers when it’s time for their spelling test! Babette lives in New Jersey with her wonderfully patient husband and extremely spoiled cats.

You can find Babette at:
Website: http://babettejames.com/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ltvyP
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BabetteJames
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/babette.james
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.com/e/B007KDJWV8
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/118275338266952747490
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/babettejames
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/babettejames/
Tsu: https://www.tsu.co/BabetteJames

The winner of the Amazon gift card (chosen by random number generator) is…Angel Shaw!

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I wanted to bring 2015 in with a fierce roar. That’s this year’s word: Fierce. I decided to put intense, fierce focus on my writing and publishing. So, I needed a fierce little book to start January with a punch. Watch Over Me is the first of the Uncharted SEAL series. I decided I’d do an all SEAL collection of unconnected stories, using my favorite SEAL tropes: The bodyguard, the captive rescue, the pirate rescue, etc. You get the picture. Something fun and sexy with a dash of action.

I hope you’ll read Watch Over Me, and if you do, that you’ll leave a review on your favorite bookseller’s website or tell a friend.

Buy at: Amazon | Kobo | iBooks

Comment today and you’ll be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card!

Watch Over Me

Deke Warrick’s unsanctioned detail is to keep tabs on a congressman’s daughter while she vacations in the Caribbean. He’s determined to keep his distance from the beautiful Nicky Martir, but finds his limits tested when Nicky sets out to seduce him.

What seemed like a simple mission becomes deliciously complicated—and then dangerous, when she’s snatched from their hotel room.

Amazon | Kobo | iBooks

Deke Warrick pushed his sunglasses down his nose to peer at the woman stretched on a chaise not five feet away. She laid face down, her head turned away, thick brown hair held in place by a clip. From the slowness of her breaths, he knew she was dozing. And since he figured she wouldn’t be leaving the beach anytime soon, he relaxed, forcing his fingers to stretch around the teak wood arms of his lounge chair.

After two connecting flights and a short leg in a specially chartered puddle-jumper, at last he had eyes on Nicky Martir. He knew the woman was her because a hotel staff member he’d bribed had pointed her out. Assistance he’d needed because at the moment she didn’t look anything like the air-brushed Facebook photo he’d been given. After finding her, he’d checked out the hotel’s parking and lounge area, all entrances and exits, the stairwells, and then greased the palms of the concierge and wait staff. His initial recon over, he now had time to focus on his target.

From his vantage point, he’d already determined his former commander’s “little girl” was all grown up. In fact, she was a very well-proportioned woman with lush curves above and below a narrow waist. Must have taken after her mother, he mused, because her father’s frame didn’t sport an ounce of excess flesh. At the moment, her bottom was most prominent—rounded, firm, and displayed all too well by the narrow thong bisecting her cheeks. Not that he wanted to notice, but hell, it was right there, and with more than enough curve that a healthy, hetero man could well imagine his hands gripping each mound as he…

“Señor, would you like another drink?”

Deke jerked. No one had managed to sneak up on him in a long time, which said a lot about Nicky’s attractiveness.

The cabana girl’s voice held a note of irritation. Her dark brows were drawn into a frown, her lips pursed in disapproval. But not because he’d been ogling a sleeping girl. He’d claimed a spot beneath a thatched umbrella at the edge of the small tiki bar’s outdoor seating area, and he had yet to deliver on the promise he’d made with his smile when he’d asked for this prime piece of real estate. The seat with its attached table provided a perfect view of the beach, as well as the private gated entrance of the hotel parking lot. More importantly, the chair was situated near Nicky. Not close enough to touch, but from here, he could watch over her, amidst the other sunbathers.

Giving the waitress an equally irritated glance, he reached into his pocket and took out several bills, more than enough for five drinks and a generous tip. “Bring me a virgin mojito,” he murmured quietly. A ruse to disguise the fact he hadn’t had a sip of alcohol, because he was on the job—even if this mission was strictly off the books and a favor to a man he admired.

His gaze swung back to the dozing woman. She’d turned her head while he’d been talking to the waitress and was facing him now, a dark fringe of long lashes resting against her cheeks. Yeah, her photo hadn’t done her justice. Sure, he’d known she was pretty, but this close, he could see a smattering of freckles across her nose—a feature she must hide beneath makeup, but which he thought was cute. Made her seem more approachable. Her mouth was full, the bottom lip a little puffier than the top and wide. A mouth made for kissing.

Deke winced and glanced away, feeling guilty over lusting after Commander Martir’s daughter. He was here to do a job. Although Martir had retired from the navy and now held a seat in congress with special oversight of the administration’s war on drugs, he had maintained close ties with the SEAL community, working with his contacts inside the Drug Enforcement Agency to find positions for several of Deke’s friends when they’d started the next phases of their lives. Their special skill set had been a perfect fit for the spec ops work the agency did, and Martir wanted men he could trust working there—disciplined, honorable men. Martir had promised Deke he’d keep a spot open for whenever he was ready to leave DEVGRU/SEAL Team 6, something Deke had automatically refused a year ago. But after his last deployment in the sandbox, he was having second thoughts. Martir’s timing, approaching him the day after Deke set boots back on the tarmac at Oceana, VA, had seemed like a sign.

Deke had answered a summons to his present commander’s office, and instead found Martir standing with his back to the door as he stared out across the green, hands clasped behind his back. Other than the gray at his temples, Fred Martir looked exactly as he had when he’d been the one in charge here.

Deke entered the room and shut the door behind him. “Sir,” he said, coming to attention—out of respect for a former officer who had been a SEAL himself.

When the congressman turned, he raked his gaze over Deke, dressed in a fresh uniform, but still looking scruffy due to the beard he kept while deployed and the non-reg hair he’d let grow well past his collar. “At ease, Deke. Callahan,” he said, referring to the team’s present commander, “tells me you’ve accumulated leave which you refuse to take.”

As he narrowed his gaze, Deke slid his hands behind his back and braced his feet apart, wondering where that statement was leading. “I didn’t exactly refuse, sir. I prefer sticking close to base.” That he didn’t have family to visit or a girlfriend to spend time with was no one’s business but his own. And no one needed to know how uncomfortable he’d come to feel wandering outside his close-knit community.

The older man’s gaze locked on Deke. “This last rotation—I hear things got pretty rough.”

Deke straightened his shoulders. Not a secret, but definitely not something he wanted to discuss. “We lost two good men. Happens.” And while his words were spare, maybe even a little too nonchalant, he couldn’t keep the gravel from his voice at the thought of Sting’s death, or the fact he’d been the one to gather what was left of Mark’s body before he’d humped it back to the helo.

“Callahan says your OIC would prefer you take a break. But since I know you’re a stubborn son of a bitch, I have a proposition for you. Something that’ll get your commander off your back. A job. Strictly off the books. Something personal.” He cleared his throat. “For me.”

Deke met Martir’s gaze, steady as always, but noted there was a hint of worry there, a tension reflected in the deepened lines of his face. Whatever his reason for being here had to be pretty important because he’d never seen that expression on the older man’s face. “I’m listening.”

Deke learned that Martir had received death threats from a drug cartel unhappy with recent crackdowns he’d helped orchestrate. And while his ex-wife and daughter lived well-away from DC and out of the public eye, he was worried about their safety.

“I have eyes on my wife, but my daughter…” He shook his head. “She has vacation plans she’s refused to postpone. And she wouldn’t accept my offer of a bodyguard.” Martir winced. “If you haven’t guessed already, we’re not on the best of terms. She tends to do the exact opposite of anything I suggest.”

A situation that almost made Deke smile—the thought that anyone would stand up to the tough old bird. And just as quickly, he decided this “job,” even if it was a boondoggle, was an assignment he needed. A purpose to focus on beside the sorrow and guilt that weighed him down. “Sir, what exactly do you want me to do?”

Just a day later, he’d managed to track down his former commander’s daughter on this little speck of an island in the Caribbean. Despite Commander Martir’s fears his family might be targeted due to recent media leaks, Deke doubted Nicky was in any serious danger of retaliation. Not here. The island was too small—both in size and in population—for any group to infiltrate undetected among the small tourist population. But Martir was picking up the tab for this working vacation, so Deke would keep frosty.

Not that doing so required effort. Deke had forgotten how to relax. The attitude was one he had to force himself to try because he knew his constant edginess wasn’t healthy. Might even be a sure sign of some nasty issues he’d never admit to, but that could wind up biting him in the butt if he didn’t handle them on his own. A vacation in the Caribbean should have fit the bill. Not that an island getaway would have been on his short list of places he’d want to chill after a long deployment. He was sick to death of heat, even if a light sea breeze made the hot sunlight bearable. Still, the view wasn’t bad.

Again, he shifted in his chair, trying not to stare too long at Nicky’s lovely ass. Dressed in Hawaiian-themed swimming trunks, the only style he’d found in the hotel gift shop other than skin-tight bikini Speedos, he worried he couldn’t hide his growing interest in the pretty brunette’s many assets. She was off-limits. Any woman would be, because he wouldn’t allow any distractions. Even if this mission was a cake-walk, he’d give the work a hundred-ten percent of his attention. He was a SEAL; after twelve years on the DEVGRU team, mission focus was part of his DNA.

A movement caught his eye. Small hands slid up the side of the chaise, going for the bow securing her bikini top at the back.

Deke gritted his teeth. As the ribbons loosened and the bra fell away, he had a glimpse of pretty white breast, just the side, but the swell was generous. Now he was imagining a full frontal view. Would her nipples be pink or brown? Once he’d dated a girl with pale beige nipples that had turned a lovely rose when…

“Dammit,” he said under his breath and looked away again, breathing deeply as he willed his body not to tighten. He scanned the other chaises and then looked out to the ocean, counting through the approach of three sets of waves.

When he glanced back at the chaise, he spotted those pink-tipped fingers reaching to the ground and scooting a bottle of sunscreen across the sand. Toward him.

His gaze shot to her pretty cognac brown eyes, and he caught her small, one-sided smile.

“Do you mind?” she asked, her voice a little raspy, like a woman might sound when she first woke in the morning. Like maybe he was the first person she’d spoken to that day.

What the hell? Some covert operator he was—he hadn’t managed to hide his attraction. If he didn’t act on her question, she might come to the conclusion he was a perv or a stalker. Better to make a move, but he’d keep it light.

Slipping off his chair, he strode toward her, bending to snag the bottle. “Just the back?” he asked, keeping his tone amused.

“And anywhere you think needs it,” she said, her voice breathier this time.

Deke blew out a long stream of air then turned back to where he’d been seated, carefully placing the rolled-up towel he’d brought that hid the compact Beretta Nano the pilot on the puddle jumper had provided beside him. Then kneeling, he dribbled creamy liquid that smelled of coconut and Shea butter across her shoulders and gently laid his hands on her hot, golden skin. Under his fingers were firm muscles cloaking her slender frame. And tension knotting her shoulders. “Relax. I can’t get too fresh. Too many people around, anyway.” He smoothed the thick liquid over her shoulders, fingers wrapping around the tops to give her a light massage. “How’d you know I spoke English?”

“I heard you talking to the waitress.”

“Oh.” He’d tried to keep his voice lowered so he wouldn’t attract her attention. Either he was slipping, or she had super-power hearing.

“You here on vacation?” she asked.

Why would she think otherwise? He pressed his thumbs against the knots at the back of her neck. “I am.”

“Alone?”

“Yeah.”

“My dad send you?”

Here in the U.S. it’s winter time. Time to cuddle under blankets. Time to drink hot chocolates and lattes. Time to wear fluffy sweaters and my Ugg boots. I love all this. I do. But truth be told, on most days, I’d like to kick Ms. Winter where the sun don’t shine. 😉 So today I thought I’d go summer in Janaury and talk about my favorite place: the beach!

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net forever.” ~Jacques Cousteau

This is so true for me! Being a Southern California girl—I know what you’re thinking. She doesn’t like winter? She has NO IDEA what winter is like. And you’re right. But being born and raised here, well, um, I get cold very easily. Soooo, being a Southern Caliofornia girl, I’ve been lucky to spend a lot of time at the beach. Growing up, I wanted to be a marine biologist. I couldn’t get enough of the ocean and its sea life. I collected seashells like crazy! And the idea of studying all the things that made the ocean so fascinating filled my head with wonderful dreams… Until I got to college and discovered how much math and science I’d need to take to follow through with my childhood ambition. So I minored in biology (the fun part!) and since I was in San Diego, visited Sea World often.

Nowadays, if I could have the sand between my toes every day, I would. Plop me down on the beach with the waves at my feet, and I’m a happy camper. I love to breathe in the salty air, feel the sunshine on my back, catch sight of a dolphin, and people watch. I especially enjoy watching the surfers. 😉 So don’t tell my other heroes, but when I decided to write a book with a pro surfer hero, I maybe, sort of, had the best time ever writing him.

I feel like the beach is the kind of place where you can do absolutely nothing and be totally content. Or you can get busy – surf, swim, boogie board, snorkel, scuba dive, paddleboard, kayak – the list goes on for creating memorable adventures. Not many places can boast something magical from two different extremes like that.

“At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun.” ~ Unknown

How about you? Where’s your favorite place? Leave me a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of any book from my backlist.

Hope wherever you are, you’re warm and cozy! And if you want to keep in touch, I’d love that! You can sign up for my newsletter and find all of my social media links here: http://robinbielman.com

About Keeping Mr. Right Now…

A temporary agreement neither could keep…

Brainy, organized Sophie Birch is no beach bunny. In fact, she’s totally out of her element among the sun-bronzed crowd at a film festival in beautiful White Strand Cove. When a surf lesson introduces her to Zane Hollander, suddenly she’s up close and personal with the world’s sexiest surf star. But what can a great-looking, experienced athlete possibly see in a klutzy out-of-towner who’s never set foot in the ocean?

Zane Hollander’s playboy reputation has never been a problem…until recently. Now his management team wants him on his best behavior to entice a meaningful new sponsor. Sophie Birch is the perfect girl to help reform his image. She’s genuine and respected—and their relationship is purely fictional. But the more Sophie blooms under the beachy sun, the more Zane knows he’ll just break her heart. Because nothing’s more important to Zane than following the tide. 

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1qiqU09
B&N: http://bit.ly/1rhqFJ8
iTunes: http://bit.ly/YmKmST

UPDATE: The winner of the free download is…Kim Smith!

* * * * *

DD, here! Just poking my head in the door to remind you that yesterday’s posted contest is still ongoing, and to tell you that you have a second chance to win the prize by commenting HERE today!  Check out Em Petrova’s sexy new cowboy story!

Reining Men

There’s no escaping ranch policy—anything to please a lady…
The Boot Knockers Ranch, Book 3

The Boot Knockers Ranch caters to women in all ways. And now rookie Paul is officially part of the team. He’s had six months to hone his skills with the ladies and prides himself on being a prime catch.

Jack would agree. He can’t get the rugged cowboy out of his system. He wants Paul in his bed more than anything, but his best friend has always been resistant to relations with other men. Jack’s instinct says different, but he values Paul’s friendship too highly to push it.

Then Jack takes on beautiful new client Lissy Lofton and finds himself falling hard for the confident show jumper. He’s not the only one. Lissy has caught Paul’s attention, and the attraction is mutual.

But now Jack has a problem. Lissy’s sexual appetite is so ravenous, he doubts he can last the week without backup. Which presents an irresistible opportunity to invite Paul into their bed—where the incandescent heat brings all their walls tumbling down.

Warning: Contains two smoking-hot cowboys whose drive to please the same woman spurs a desire to please each other.

Excerpt

“This lower lip is as ripe as a juicy peach. And this upper one”—he dragged his thumb over the rounded edges—“is a man’s wet dream.”

His dirty words spiked her desire. She wrapped her fingers around his strong wrist. Wide, sprinkled with light hairs, warm from the sun. Damn, she wanted to touch his every inch. For a week, Jack was hers to worship.

And she planned to take total advantage and make the big fee worth it.

His lashes lowered over smoldering eyes the color of sea glass. As a child she’d gathered the remnants from the beach and kept them in a little wooden box her parents had given her. What had happened to that collection?

Who cared? Now she had a new kind of sea glass to admire.

Jack tipped closer until the brim of his hat bumped her forehead. With a warm chuckle, he nudged it up. “Hat on or off, Lissy?”

Her mind bounced around the question. What did she want her first kiss to be like? He was allowing her to choose her path. Her heart swelled with the knowledge of her own power.

“On,” she whispered, her voice a stranger’s.

He angled his head, nose brushing hers. She filled her lungs with his scent—leather, man, hay. All the things she adored clinging to one perfect cowboy.

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Reining-Men-Boot-Knockers-Ranch-ebook/dp/B00NOM4IOK
B&N:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reining-men-em-petrova/1120375387?ean=9781619223813
Samhain:
https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5286/reining-men

Em Petrova lives in Backwoods, Pennsylvania, where she raises four kids and a Labradoodle named Daisy Hasselhoff. Her dream is to buy an old pickup and travel small-town USA meeting people and hearing their stories. Her heroes are hardworking—in bed and out—and she is known for panty-scorching erotic romance.

WEBSITE http://empetrova.com
GOODREADS https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4342760.Em_Petrova
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE http://www.amazon.com/Em-Petrova/e/B005D0EXCI
BLOG http://hardworkingheroes.wordpress.com
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