There is something wickedly tempting about the thought of a one night stand. Throw away your inhibitions, be somebody else for a night, go a little crazy. More often than not, the one night stand is between two people who already know each other—that forbidden friend moment when you ‘try’ them out to see if there might be a spark of something more. It either explodes into the beginnings of a full-blown relationship, or feels like you’re making out with your brother. Blech.

With nearly fifty percent of the adult population admitting to participating in a one night stand, what is it about these three seemingly innocuous words that turns the average, self-controlled human being to a lust-fuelled predator stalking their prey. While alcohol is often used as an excuse, it’s not the only reason we shake off the last of our restraint and get down and dirty without the emotional connection.

Perhaps that is part of the answer too, the lack of attachment which is the only real difference between a first date and a one night stand. There is no promise of on-going affection, no declaration of love. It is sex, pure and simple. And with less than twenty percent of one night standers admitting to having regrets, it is no wonder the one night stand is still a popular way for people to meet their happy ever after.

So, have you ever indulged in a naughty one night stand? In the deliciously erotic One Night Stand Series, our heroes and heroines explore the many of the reasons for an illicit night of pleasure. Who knows, it may even end in love.

HIS RULES 

One Night Stand Series

Who will break first… 

Abby Harkness believes sex is a full-contact sport to be played by the rules.

Rule #1? One night only.

That is, until she meets the one man who makes her body scream for more. Instinct tells her to run, but Abby is determined to exorcise the demons of her past and prove she can handle anything he has to give.

Marcus Brookhein is competitive to the core, and he will bend the rules to win Abby’s heart. Its all-out war . . . and it’s about to get dirty.

Get your copy here!

Author Bio

Toni J Strawn is the author of the super-spicy contemporary One Night Stand novels, which include His Rules, The Rebound and Her Release, with His Redemption coming soon. These can be read on their own, or as a trilogy.

Toni loves everything romance. Hot, bad, crazy, out-of-control romance. In the One Night Stand series the characters are set up for ultimate one night stand, before turning it into happily ever after—no matter how much they have been through. Because everyone deserves to find love. Right?

While not locked away in her Romansion—a tiny writing shed at the bottom of the garden—Toni can be found with super-hubby Chris and the kids, or feeding her addiction to reading…you guessed it…romance.

Today is my birthday. Yup, today I am 81 years young. And you now what keeps me young? Writing my books and “talking” to you, my readers. Now, I’m not giving away 81 books today (pause to giggle) but I will give away three titles which I’ll post at the end.

I’m really celebrating today, because June 27 was release day for Where Danger Hides. I love all my books but this one is extra special. I wrote it while still living in Texas (as I did with so many of my books). The hero is part Comanche. I lived near Fredericksburg, the center so long ago of Comanche settlement in that area. My husband and I drove to Fredericksburg to do some research at the museum there and (gasp!) you’ll never believe it but a man walked in to give something to the museum who look EXACTLY like my hero, Noah Cantrell. My husband had to promise I wasn’t crazy when I asked if we could take him for coffee. The soul of Noah was born out of that conversation.

I had lived in Tampa before moving to Texas, so I tried to give a flavor of the city by having my heroine live there. But when she goes to Texas, she is seduced by the nature and raw beauty of the state, just as I was.

Where Danger Hides is a revised and revitalized edition of the earlier release, and I am so much happier with this one. Not only that, my publisher, Totally Bound, liked it so much they asked me to develop a series from it, so this is Book One in Corporate Heat. Books 2-4 are currently in development.

Here is a taste of the book below. I hope you’ll all help me celebrate my birthday by taking home a copy. And if you leave a comment, you might win a choice of an ebook from my backlist.

Where Danger Hides

Corporate Heat Book One

Taylor Scott thought she had it all—a good life and a great job. No relationship? No problem. But her world is turned upside down when the father she never knew she had first refuses to acknowledge her, then makes her the sole heir to the major conglomerate he owned. It’s the last thing she wants, but circumstances leave her no choice. She steps into a world of corporate greed and treachery where no one is what they seem.

And the only person to guide her through the treacherous waters? The man with whom she had the hottest one-night stand ever, Noah Cantrell. Noah isn’t what he seemed at first, either, but now he’s the only one Taylor can trust.

As danger stalks her at every turn, she must rely on him for everything. The man who makes her scream with pleasure is the only one who can tell her where the danger hides.

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/where-danger-hides-4
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Where-Danger-Hides-Corporate-Heat-ebook/dp/B0716YXRD5/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1495833969&sr=1-1&keywords=Where+Danger+Hides
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hide-and-seek-desiree-holt/1125531148?ean=9781516103676#productInfoTabsTotally Bound: https://www.totallybound.com/index.php?route=search%2Fget%2Fresults&q=Where+Danger+Hides

Excerpt

Leaning back in her chair she closed her eyes and as always these days, unbidden, the image of The Man danced across her brain. She rubbed her eyes, trying to erase the images that were always there no matter how she wished them away. That night had been at once the most erotic and embarrassing night of her life. At least she’d broken out of her shell with a stranger, someone she didn’t have to see again. You want to see him again, though. Quit kidding yourself. You want all those things he did to you, made you do. Maybe even more. That’s why you can’t stop thinking about them. About him.

A commotion in the reception area broke her train of thought and drew her attention. She heard the voice of Sheila, the receptionist, raised in protest over something and the angrier male voice overriding her.

“You can’t go in there,” Sheila was saying as the door to Taylor’s office flew open.

“I’m in. Miss Scott can throw me out if she wants to.”

There he was, standing in front of her.

Him, The Man.

She blinked hard, thinking for a moment she’d conjured up his image. But when she opened her eyes again he was still there. Alive. In her office. In full alpha mode. The man she’d never expected to see again. The man who’d taken her far beyond the boundaries set by her inhibitions and beckoned to her in her dreams each night.

He was even more impressive than she remembered, his presence filling her office and surrounding her. His custom suit and silk dress shirt—were they his uniform?—were window dressing for the barely leashed panther beneath the fabric of civilized clothing. Expensive hand tooled leather boots on his feet. His hair tied back with a leather thong as before. His face still an unreadable mask. The sense of controlled power still there. A man larger than life. The panther was caged today but just barely. This might be her office but he was definitely the person in charge.

Even as embarrassment and anger warred within her, her nipples hardened, her breasts tingled and her panties dampened with moisture. She felt every bit of blood drain from her face and drop to her feet. Waves of hot and cold rolled through her and she was sure all the air had been sucked from her lungs. Gripping the arms of her desk chair for support she licked her lips, trying to moisten them.

Quick, lithe movements brought him to the front of her desk where he stood facing her, his face set, dark eyes probing hers. Eyes that for a brief second held a knowing look.

“Miss Scott?” Sheila’s worried voice cut through her fog. “Shall I call one of the partners?”

Taylor managed to find a functioning part of her brain. “No, thanks, Sheila. It’s all right.”

“Would you like me to send someone in to carry your boxes for you? Walk you down to the garage?” Sheila wasn’t quite ready to let go.

Taylor forced a smile. “No, I can manage. Thanks for your concern. And for all your good wishes today.”

Sheila gave her a last worried look before she closed the door.

His eyes burned into Taylor’s, mesmerizing her as they’d done that night in San Antonio.

What is he doing here?

As if he’d heard her, he reached into his inside jacket pocket, extracted a card from a small leather case and dropped it on top of the folder. She picked it up with fingers that trembled and stared at it.

Noah Cantrell, Vice President of Security, Arroyo Corporation

Her father’s company.

Oh, hell!

*~*~*

Check me out at:
www.desireeholt.comwww.facebook.com/authordesireeholt
@desireeholt

What is it about weddings?

Since June is the traditional month for weddings and because I have two daughters’ weddings within six, yes six! months of each other, I’ve got weddings, if not marriage on the brain.

Besides one of the perks of being a romance author is spending quality time challenging my characters on their ride to happily ever after and a wedding is usually a high point on that journey. Weddings feature heavily in my 3 book City of Dreams series, in fact all 3 standalone stories flow from the wedding that takes place in the first book.

To me, a wedding day is the top of the rollercoaster. After the tick, tick, tick to the top of the coaster, after the anticipation of a life together during the engagement, the getting to know you and the planning, comes that moment.

Now that couple, the bride and the groom are at the pinnacle of the coaster and right then they see the world of possibility before them. The whole exciting, messy, wondrous, scary, exhilarating ride of married life is right there to behold.

And then boom you’re married and the ride has begun. As long married woman I can say the rollercoaster ride is fast. The bumps are unexpected and the lulls can be sweet.

So here it is. On your wedding day, get in the front seat of life with your love, don’t stop holding hands, keep your eyes open and enjoy the ride.

Do you believe in happily ever after? I do.

Do I believe in love at first sight? Not so much. Lust at first sight? Yep.

That instant of connection or spark of something special that leads to love? Absolutely.

How about you? Are you a hopeless romantic? What’s your favorite movie about love?

Are you a Love Actually person? When Harry met Sally? What about Beauty and the Beast? The Terminator? (Don’t laugh, that’s mine.) Or does the whole topic make you queasy?

Let me know in the comments and I will gift a random commenter (US only) with a paperback of my debut spicy contemporary The Marriage Ultimatum published by the Wild Rose Press.

The Marriage Ultimatum

Dead-end job? Dreary apartment? Disastrous love life? Check, check, and check. Toddler who makes it all worthwhile? Absolutely. Juggling work, college, and the care of young Alex was never Sabrina’s plan.
But Sabrina’s dreams are bigger than any curve ball life can throw at her. Her top priority is keeping her small family together, no matter what the cost.

Vladimir Grigory doesn’t believe in dreams. He earned his position at the top of New York’s corporate ladder with his own sweat. His empire is his baby, and he’ll destroy anyone who threatens it. Even the sexy employee who challenges him on every level. When the New York tabloids and the world call him the baby daddy of Sabrina’s son, Vlad believes Sabrina is part of a plot to expose the secrets of his past. He threatens to destroy her future. But since Sabrina has secrets of her own, she has no choice but to agree to Vlad’s marriage ultimatum.

Buy Links: AMAZON | THE WILD ROSE PRESS | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO BOOKS

Website: Charlotte O’Shay on the web
Facebook: Charlotte O’Shay Facebook
@charlotte_oshay Twitter
Instagram: InstagramPinterest: Pinterest

Romances might be the best-selling fiction in the world, but what makes a sheikh romance such a popular trope? Cathleen Ross, Mel Teshco and Christina Phillips wrote the Amazon bestselling box set, Taken by the Sheikh and have gotten together once again to write another sheikh romance box set, Taken by the Desert Sheikh.

Mel: Readers love sheikhs, and we love writing them. It’s a win-win.

Cathleen: I love the darkness I can reach into. My sheikhs look sexy on the outside but there is also a lethal side. These made up countries are wild, where it’s survival of the fittest. It’s that element I like to tap in to. I also enjoy writing about a man who rules and has to make hard decisions, like marrying the right woman for the good of his country, then watch them falling in love.

Christina: I love writing the fantasy of the arrogant alpha prince falling hard for his sassy virginal heroine 🙂

So why do readers love sheikhs? Let’s explore the reasons!

Readers can’t get enough of alpha males, and a sheikh has more latitude than most heroes to get away with his inner alpha.

I think for readers, they have favorite Sheikh authors and they like to see the different takes of these writers. The stories are purely escapist, which everyone needs to get away from the monotony of real life.

There is something enthralling about being transported to a foreign country with its diverse culture and people. Not to mention the stark landscape of rolling sand dunes and relentless heat, versus the sheer opulence of a sheikh palace with its fountains and pools and priceless furnishings. In these environments, there is also the element of surprise. Anything can and does happen. One moment there is peace and the next danger. In real life this would be terrible, but from the safe confines of a novel, it’s exciting to read.

Imagine being in the heroine’s shoes, taking in the unfamiliar sights, hearing all those new sounds, and coping with the fierceness of a world that is so unlike our own. It’s escapism at its finest. Reading it from the comfort of our armchairs can only be a bonus.

Hot sex. We’re reading about an alpha male here, so the imagined sex is always good. It’s in the love scenes we see the vulnerability of both hero and heroine. The story can’t be all savagery and excitement. There has to be still moments.

And did we mention the hot sex?

Thanks so much Delilah for having us on your blog, it’s been a lot of fun 🙂

You can find us here:

Mel Teshco:
Website
Facebook
Newsletter

Cathleen Ross:
Website
Facebook

Christina Phillips
Website
Facebook
Newsletter

We’ve also written a naughty stepbrother romance in our Taken series, Taken by the Billionaire.

Three Sheikh brothers, three virgin brides…

The Grand Vizier has a plan to save Qutum…

To prevent a war…three royal brothers must wed

Get your copy here!

First Chapter of Stolen by the Sheikh, by Cathleen Ross…

Sheikh Jamal El-Amin of Qutum welcomed his Grand Vizier, Ahmet Khan. After the man prostrated himself, his forehead touching the cool patterned tiles as was fitting, Jamal rose from his throne, climbed down from the steps, bent and helped the man to rise.

Several gasps echoed around the palace’s waiting chamber.

Jamal narrowed his eyes and glared. “Do not let it be said I treat my people with disdain.” His servants and awaiting dignitaries dropped their gazes. No one dared offend the new ruling prince of Qutum.

“You are too old to continue using such formality, Grand Vizier. A simple bow will suffice.” He took the man under the arm, noting how frail he had become. With the recent death of his father, Sheikh Rafir El-Amin, the services of the Grand Vizier were essential to him and his two brothers if the country was to survive. The Grand Vizier had a network that spread across the country, so complex it resembled a spider’s web. Not even he, Jamal, would attempt to unravel it.

“It was fitting for my ancestors to greet yours in such a manner,” the Grand Vizier replied with dignity. “While I have limbs in my body that continue to bend, I will greet you so, Your Highness.”

Jamal ushered the man to a seat in an adjacent chamber where he could have privacy. “Come, we have much to discuss. What news of the border?”

His Grand Vizier sat and both men were silent as a servant served them spiced tea. With his province bordering Zimbia, which was in upheaval, Jamal could not afford to take the chance of being overheard. Not even by a servant who had worked for his family for many years.

The Grand Vizier leaned forward, concern drawing his ragged eyebrows together, his black eyes glinting. “The insurgents are threatening your province of Nazaar on the border. If we supply arms and money, they will not invade.”

“We will not betray the Sheikh of Zimbia and the rebels would be foolish to bring their fight into the hills of Nazaar.” Still the threat was not lost on him. “And the mood of my people?”

His Grand Vizier averted his gaze for a moment, but gradually he returned to stare at Jamal. “Please excuse my words, Your Highness, for it pains me to utter them.”

“What is it?”

“The border hilltribes are unhappy. They complain of the modern ways enforced by you and your brothers. The tribesmen are resisting your order that their women attend school until sixteen. They want their women married by fourteen.”

“No! Remember what happened to my mother.”

“They think you are too influenced by western ways, especially as…”

Jamal’s hand clenched around the ornate gold-patterned glass because he knew what was to come. “I am not married.” Read the rest of this entry »

You always see these posts about cowboys and what they want. Lemme tell you, I’ve been in Texas for years and cowgirls have their needs, too. Cowgirls aren’t just those girls and women who ride horses day in and day out. They live in big cities. They live in suburbia. They live in small towns. They live around big animals—cows and horses. They have cats or dogs, or both. They’re single. They’re married. They have families. They drive a mini or a big truck, they can change their tires or use an Uber. They’re independent, their strong, and they know who they are and what they want.

Cowgirls have always been, and always will be—pioneers. They didn’t need anyone to tell them they were the equal of a man, because they did their share of the work. They can load the shotgun, take out the feed, and bring home the bacon. They do it all with the same deliberate drive they handle everything else: needs must.

That’s right, if it needs doing, she gets it done whether it’s hiring the right person or learning how to do it herself.

So what do these remarkable women want?

1. She wants the job done, she appreciates hard work and respects those around her who are just as willing as she is to roll up their sleeves and get to it.
2. She uses big words, little words, real words, and slang. She doesn’t need you to play dictionary or tell her that what she just said didn’t include a real word—if you got the gist, then you understood her.
3. She wants to eat in peace. She likes her food spicy, with lots of flavor. Burning the roof off her mouth may not be the goal so don’t scoff if she goes for the mild or the medium salsa.
4. She wants respect. She’s usually skilled at her job, and doesn’t need you to tell her how to do it unless you’re actually training her for a brand new position. In which case, talk to her like she’s an adult and not your sweetie.
5. She knows her own value, and if she says bless your heart, she knows yours too.
6. She likes fried foods, she likes salads, she likes fancy coffees, and a good old fashioned glass of lemonade. Don’t mess with her BBQ though, because like jerky—BBQ is its own food group.
7. She wants a guy who knows all of this, and encourages her to be her while welcoming her as a partner and acts as a partner in return.
8. She wants you to know, she has her own opinions. When she wants yours, she’ll ask for it.

Julia Heller, my heroine in Semper Fi Cowboy, is a cowgirl through and through. She knows what she wants, and she knows how to get the job done. When Tanner Wilks returns to Durango Point, he’s going to have his hands full and he’s just the guy to appreciate what Jules has to offer…if he can prove that to her.

Grab your copy on June 26^th! Don’t miss the Goodreads giveaway going on right now!

Goodreads giveaway link: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/241344-semper-fi-cowboy

Lone Star Leathernecks
 Semper Fi Cowboy

A Leatherneck by any other name can still kick ass, which is just what retired United States Marine Corps Captain Tanner Wilks plans to do when he returns to his Texas family ranch to care for his ailing father. And nothing will stop him from achieving his mission—not even a lithe, brown-eyed town veterinarian who seems hell-bent on driving him wild.

Captain Tanner Wilks, honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps, returns home to find his father struggling after his latest heart attack. Worse yet, Julia Heller—the sexy new girl in town that he once spent a hot night with—is the resident veterinarian who’s made a home for herself at Round Top ranch, and doesn’t seem to be in a rush to repeat their time together.

It falls on Tanner’s shoulders to take on the ranch and keep an eye on his father before he falls victim to another heart attack. But Julia doesn’t appreciate Tanner coming in or pursuing her. Even if he’s hot as hell and can make her quiver with just a look. Ousting her may give Tanner the leverage he needs to corral his father, but first he has to wrestle with his own heart.

https://books2read.com/Semper-Fi-Cowboy

About Heather Long

USA Today bestselling author, Heather Long, likes long walks in the park, science fiction, superheroes, Marines, and men who aren’t douche bags. Her books are filled with heroes and heroines tangled in romance as hot as Texas summertime.

From paranormal historical westerns to contemporary military romance, Heather might switch genres, but one thing is true in all of her stories—her characters drive the books. When she’s not wrangling her menagerie of animals, she devotes her time to family and friends she considers family.

She believes if you like your heroes so real you could lick the grit off their chest, and your heroines so likable, you’re sure you’ve been friends with women just like them, you’ll enjoy her worlds as much as she does.

Heather is best known for her 18-book paranormal romance series Wolves of Willow Bend, which begins:
Prequel: Wolf at Law
1: Wolf Bite
2: Caged Wolf
3: Wolf Claim
3.5: Wolf Next Door
4: Rogue Wolf
5: Bayou Wolf
6: Untamed Wolf

Heather’s other fantasy romance series include the paranormal westerns Fevered Hearts starting with Marshal of Hel Dorado, Black Hill Wolves, which starts with What a Wolf Wants, Witches of Mane Street, Mongrels, and the upcoming Bravo Team WOLF series.

Her contemporary romance series include: Always a Marine, Going Royal, Elite Warriors, The Love Thieves, beginning with Catch Me and Lone Star Leathernecks, beginning with Semper Fi Cowboy.

Heather is well-represented in fantasy with her her superhero series Boomers, a sci-fi western called Space Cowboy Survival Guide, an urban fantasy series called the Chance Monroe Adventures, and a stand-alone ghost novel titled Haunt Me.

Contact Details:

Website: https://www.heatherlong.net
Email: heather@heatherlong.net
Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/heather-long
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Heather-Long/e/B002BMBCUC/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherLongAuthor
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/HVLong
Newsletter: https://eepurl.com/iKxQ5

Excerpt of Semper Fi Cowboy by Heather Long…

Whoever the group was they had talent, and as Tanner studied the newcomers, he focused on a woman who slid over to the bar and drained a glass of water while the musicians found their rhythm. A minute later, she glided back onto the dance floor.

For the next three songs, she traded partners. The woman could move. Tall, long-legged, and beautifully curved, she also had a gorgeous face, from her generous mouth—which pulled into an easy smile—to her sweet, dark eyes. Dark hair clung to her cheeks, and her sleeveless white top gave Tanner a good look at her toned arms.

He didn’t know her. She didn’t even ring a familiar bell, but she sure as hell looked fun. When she waved off a fourth man swooping in for a dance and headed to the bar, Tanner enjoyed the light, strutting cadence to her walk. Someone had taken her spot, so she sidled up to the bar next to him.

Fanning her face with one hand, she gave him a cool, quick grin, then waved at Sully. The bartender slid a glass of water over to her. “You ready for a glass of wine yet, darlin’?”

“In a bit.” She took a long drink of the water. The slender column of her throat convulsed with each swallow, and a fresh wave of lust crashed through Tanner. Damn, what he wouldn’t give to trade places with the glass.

“Put her wine on my tab, Sully,” Tanner called. The number of dance partners and lack of a ring gave him hope she was free. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

“No, thank you,” the country goddess declined in a smooth, polite tone. “I’ll take care of my own drinks.”

Sully hid a smirk, but he had other customers.

“No need to be testy, ma’am.” He lifted his beer. “Just offering to buy you a drink.”

“Not being testy at all.” She turned sideways and gave him a once-over. “And you didn’t offer—you just decided to do it, sir.” The cool dismissal didn’t possess an ounce of malice or disrespect. “I simply like to pay my own way, and I never accept offers from strangers.”

“Hard to make an acquaintance if you don’t.” Though he couldn’t fault her. Even the women in his unit or those he’d met on assignment at various bases around the world maintained a sense of control over their environment, both in what they would tolerate from others and what they would accept. “My apologies for overstepping. I’m Tanner, by the way.”

Offering his hand, he waited as she took a beat before wiping her palm against her jeans and then accepting the handshake. “My friends call me Jules.”

“Jules.” Was it short for Julianna? Or Julie? Something else entirely? He liked the sound of it. Maybe it was the beer mellowing him out. Maybe it was being home. Or maybe it was simply watching her, but he wanted to spend some time with Miss Jules.

“Is it all right if I call you Jules?”

“I said my friends call me Jules, you can call me ma’am.” She chuckled, then drained her glass of water and started watching the band. They’d switched to a slow song. Shaking her head, she lifted the hair from the back of her neck. From her flushed cheeks to the gleam in her dark eyes, she was stunning.

“I’d be happy to call you ma’am.” The sentence worked, and Jules returned her attention to him and her eyebrows raised.

“Tell me, ma’am, may I have the next dance?”

With the demise of Samhain Publishing, I got all my rights back to my stories based around the Ugly Stick Saloon! Yay! That means, new covers and rereleasing them. I love the Ugly Stick Saloon because it gives my readers a chance to revisit some of their favorite characters, like Audrey and Jackson, Libby and more.  If you’ve never read the Ugly Stick Saloon series, start with Boots & Chaps. I’m releasing all 15 books one month at a time and hope to write a new story in the series next year.  This month’s release is Boots & Bareback, a ménage I think you’re going to love. Stop in and visit with the folks at the Ugly Stick and get to know them!

Boots & Bareback

Amazon | Nook | Kobo | IBooks | GooglePlay

She wants her horse back and will do practically anything to get it, even stripping at a bachelor party…sometimes a girl has to do what she has to do…for the right price….

Welcome back to the Ugly Stick Saloon. Pull up a saddle. Isabella’s gonna take you for a ride, you won’t wanna miss.

To Isabella Severs, men are trouble. Not only was she dumped by her fiancé, the bastard kept the horse she’d raced from a colt. She wants him back. The horse, not the man. Penniless, she lucks into a job working at the Ugly Stick Saloon for tips and a place to stay, determined to put every dollar she makes into buying back her horse. Only her prospects aren’t good, until Old Man O’Brien makes her an offer that could solve all of her problems.

Old Man O’Brien wants grandchildren. To get his grandkids, his sons must marry and have children. Jesse is engaged, but the other three aren’t making any moves toward matrimony. The old man gives them a little push by contracting Isabella to strip at Jesse’s bachelor party. Little did he expect all three of his unhitched sons to fall for the one girl. Sean, Gabe and Tanner weren’t interested in any one girl, until they witnessed Isabella riding the mechanical horse. Temperatures rise with desire and each of the men want to make her his.

I have two passions besides writing—yoga and Raks Sharqi (belly dancing). I’ve talked about yoga on numerous blogs, so today I am going to let my other passion, shimmy.

First off, the Hollywood legend is that belly dancers were harem slaves, and they danced to seduce the Sultan. While part of that may be true—wives in the harem may have danced to seduce the Sultan (who didn’t need much seducing)—that is not the origin of Raks Sharqi. Sometimes, it is called Egyptian Belly Dancing, but that is also based on the Hollywood legend.

I’ll keep this brief—belly dancing is thousands of years old, and it originated all over the Middle East. At parties—yes, the women were segregated from the men, but they were not demeaned. Instead, they talked, ate, sang and danced together, expressing their joy of life and sisterhood. Some women moved from dancing at parties into the professional world, and this is the origins of Raks Sharqi.

Oh, and can I add right now? Belly dancers are not strippers. Clothes are not removed during the performance. Sometimes, a veil is used as a prop, and it may be discarded, but the “costume” remains on. Well, except for the time the hooks on the back of my dance bra popped during a group routine. If you really want the details, ask me.

Every year in May, belly dancers from all over the world participate in Shimmy Mob, dancing in support of women’s shelters or crisis centers. I believe over 170 cities were registered for this year and some cities have more than one team.

What happens is really cool, and you can join in too. Dancers submit videos of dance routines, and one routine is selected. Everyone learns that routine, and then on the appointed day, they flashmob the routine. Dancers from cities all over the world participate, and the routine is danced on city streets, in farmers’ markets, in malls, and even on beaches.

How can you help? Well, first you have to discover if there is a Shimmy Mob chapter in your area, and then sign up. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never danced in your life. The routine is kept simple for beginners or can be mildly adapted if the group is more experienced.

While you are probably going to be nervous going to your first rehearsal, belly dancers are wonderful, accepting women who will greet you with a smile and help you learn the routine. And after your first performance the joy that fills you will be amazing. You will have learned and performed, been accepted into the sisterhood of belly dancers and have supported an incredibly important cause.

Here’s ShimmyMob’s link if you want to check it out. https://www.shimmymob.com/

*~*~*

 Sadly, there’s no belly dancing in my latest hot romance, Darien’s Desire. 🙂

It’s complicated is not only her relationship status, but the definition of Erika Bailey’s life. She loves managing her drag queen club in Bangkok, Thailand, but her rock star boyfriend resides in North Carolina. And to top it off, her father threatens she must stay away from Darien or lose the Pink Flamingo. Does she protect her club or her love?

Darien Scott, Grammy award-winning international superstar, wants nothing more than to wake up in the arms of Erika, the woman he loves, but contractual obligations force him to exotic video shoots and an isolated movie set with one of Hollywood’s sexiest stars.

With the feeding frenzy of social media trending every aspect of Darien’s life—real or not—it’s hard for Erika to know the truth. Will she be able to see through the lies and trust Darien? Or will evidence from damaging Internet rumors condemn their relationship?

Pre-order: https://www.extasybooks.com/dariens-desire/

Follow me: @daryldevore