Monday, November 29, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Leap by Cindy Jacks
by Cindy Jacks
Blurb:
Just when Lila has resigned herself to the fact the most exciting chapters of her life are over, a blast from the past walks into her bakery. Six feet of gorgeousness named Gavin drops by as she’s closing up shop. They were once high-school sweethearts and it’s been more than twenty-five years since they’ve seen each other, but time hasn’t diminished the sweet heat between them. Soon enough the sparks—and the frosting—begin to fly.
As they rediscover each other’s bodies, it’s clear Gavin’s no longer a boy as he shows Lila the man and skillful lover he’s become. Though Lila knows this whirlwind romp could be an act of insanity, his touch unleashes the sensual woman she’s forgotten she could be. And she thinks—maybe—she has one more leap in her.
An Excerpt From: LEAP
Copyright © CINDY JACKS, 2010
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.
Gavin followed her through the swinging door to the back. With a low whistle, he looked around the kitchen and asked, “Is this place all yours?”
“All mine.”
She walked over to the Purposeless Cake and stared down at it. Pulling a box from beneath the worktable, she started to put it away, but then thought better of it.
“Are you hungry?” asked Lila.
“I could eat.”
“Good.” She pulled a knife from a drawer, cut slabs of cake and served them up on heavy-duty ceramic plates. Gavin grabbed two stainless-steel forks from a gray plastic silverware tub to his right.
She handed him his plate.
“This looks great,” he said.
“Taste it.”
He shoveled a bite into his mouth and moaned. “Oh my God. This is— Damn.”
Lila grinned. “Thanks.” She took a bite of cake. “Not bad, if I do say so myself.”
Pulling up two barstools, she sat and motioned for him to do the same. Lila studied him as he moved to take a seat. Taller, broader. Gavin had become fully a man. Though he was clean-shaven, she wondered what he’d look like with a beard. Could he grow one now? His dark hair led to about an inch or so of well-filled-out sideburns. Yeah, she was sure he could grow out his facial hair and he’d look pretty damn good if he did. Not that he didn’t look great as he was. The cropped, clean-cut look worked for him. A whisper of gray touched each of his temples and he wore that well too.
Her gaze wandered down his frame. No excess flesh or jutting bone. His tight musculature shifted his frame with ease. Clearly he took care of himself, worked out often. A picture of him shirtless in some imaginary gym, sweat dripping down a cut chest and abdomen, appeared in her mind’s eye. She blinked away the thought, trying to focus on his words and ignore the pounding of her heart. Her hand strayed to her matronly bun and the bobby pins holding it in place. She picked them out of her hair, one by one, and shook out her shoulder-length tresses.
“Mom said you’ve been at this location for the past ten years. I can see why,” said Gavin.
She cleared her throat. “Jack helped me set it up after we got divorced.”
“After?”
“It was a pretty amicable split…as divorces go.”
“My ex, Irene, and I went through a pretty rough one a couple years ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
He took another bite of cake. “It’s all good now.”
Lila worked on her piece for a few minutes in comfortable silence and then asked, “Why did you come here tonight, Gavin?”
He glanced around the room and gave a little shake of his head. “To see you.”
“I get that. I mean what were you expecting from me?”
He rubbed his hand on the front of his jeans. “No expectations. It’s—it’s just good to be back. You’re part of my memories of home. I guess. No, I mean you are. Definitely.” He grunted and rolled his eyes. “I’ll stop rambling now.”
She let out an amused huff under her breath. “You’re fine.”
She slid her fork over her plate and scraped up the last of the frosting and crumbs. Her tongue darted over the fork tines and licked them clean.
Gavin reached out his hand. “You got a little chocolate…”
He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. She let her tongue graze the tip of it. Shocked by her own audacity, she shied away from his touch but he cupped her face in one hand.
Eyelids lowered, Gavin leaned in. Dark lashes rested against his cheek. Warm lips skimmed across hers. The hand under her jaw slipped beneath her hair and cradled her neck. Lila’s body relaxed into the kiss, sliding her tongue over his. For a moment she lost herself in the scent and the taste of him—chocolate richness and the citrus undertones of his cologne, but all too soon, she remembered the shards of glass lodged in her heart. Pain at the memory of Alan’s departure stabbed at her.
“Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this,” she murmured.
“Maybe not.” He gave her a quick, soft kiss and then a longer, more urgent one.
Shouldn’t be doing this, Lila thought. A list of reasons she should rebuff his advances scrolled through her mind. She was still getting over Alan. She hadn’t seen Gavin in over twenty-five years. Jesus Christ, a quarter century. Nothing good ever came from rushing into sex. But who said they had to go that far? Well, she did want to fuck him. No denying that. But the last thing she needed was…was…?
The feel of his heated mouth against hers overrode her common sense. Oh, to hell with it. Why not?
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sold Bucking Hard to Ellora's Cave!
Woohoo! I'm shouting out!
My wonderful EC editor (waving at Jilly) wants Bucking Hard!!!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Keeping Claire by KB Alan
by KB Alan
Ellora's Cave
Claire’s been fantasizing about the owner of her company since she first saw him. Ryan is gorgeous, confident and sexy as hell. In other words, so not her type. With the crazy life she leads, it’s best to stick to men who are happy to do what she tells them to, then disappear. Since Ryan would never abide by those terms, it’s best to keep him right where she’s got him—in her dreams.
Ryan gets up close and personal with Claire while investigating a threat to his company. Once he’s convinced she’s not out to hurt what he’s helped build, he refocuses his more-than-human energies on his intriguing employee. When she quits, insisting it’s best if she leaves town, he’s determined to convince her otherwise. At least long enough to get a taste of her. And the more he tastes, the more he touches, the more he wants. Now he just has to convince Claire that what they have is worth fighting for, and he’s more than up to the task.
An Excerpt From: KEEPING CLAIRE
Copyright © KB ALAN, 2010
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.
It took two trips before they had everything transferred to the lovely nook off Jacob’s kitchen. Instead of blocking her into the middle of the bench seat, Jacob pulled a chair from against the wall and sat opposite her. She wasn’t sure she could suppress her relief so she picked up her wineglass and hid behind it.Jacob’s sigh suggested he wasn’t unaware of her hiding.
“I think it’s time you told us what’s going on,” he said.
She put down her glass and nudged the basket of garlic bread closer to Ryan so she didn’t have to look at it.
“Fine. I grew up with bad people. Monsters. I chose to leave and they’re not happy about that, so I need to stay hidden. Simple. It’s best to stay ahead of them, trust me, so I’ll just leave here and you don’t have to worry about me, or them, anymore.”
“Monsters?” Ryan glanced at Jacob in surprise before returning his attention to her. “Demons?”
She blinked at him. “Uh. No. Murderers. Rapists. Thieves.”
“Ah.” He sat back with a smile. “We can help you with that.” He resumed eating.
Fear for them tried to intrude but she pulled on her anger instead. “No, you can’t. And you won’t. You’ll stay out of it. Stay safe. Stay away from me.”
Ryan just waved his fork at her, his mouth too full to answer.
Crossing her arms over her chest she leaned back and glared at him.
His confidence should piss her off. Did piss her off. Too bad it was also sexy as hell. A man shouldn’t look sexy eating spaghetti, damn it.
“Let me be very clear. I’m not asking for your help. I don’t want it. The only thing I need from you is to let me walk away. And if you don’t, you won’t just have the monsters to deal with, you’ll have me. If I wouldn’t put up with being ordered around and kept in place by the people who made me, you can sure as hell bet I won’t put up with it from you.”
“Of course you can leave, if you want to,” Jacob said.
Ryan opened his mouth as if to object, but remained silent.
“I would appreciate it, though, if you would tell us your family’s name, so that we might be prepared,” Jacob added.
She looked back and forth between them but neither seemed concerned. Her well-developed sense of the truth told her that Jacob meant what he’d said. So, okay, they were just going to let her go. That was good. Right.
“I’ll think about it.” She tucked back into her dinner. She’d need all the good fuel she could get as she started on the next phase of her life. And the wine didn’t hurt, either.
Jacob managed to get them chatting casually while they finished the meal, then brought out ice cream and all the fixings for sundaes. She was too tired to be more than mildly amused that the elegant man kept such items on hand. Pouring heated caramel sauce over the French vanilla ice cream, she caught Ryan’s intent gaze as he added chocolate to his own. A sudden vision of him licking the sauce from her breasts rose in her mind. Her breath caught at the vivid image and she forced her attention back to her hands, righting the jar and placing it back on the table. Ryan picked up the can of whipped cream and slowly leaned over to dispense a long layer of creamy goodness into her bowl.
She refused to meet his eyes as she picked up the maraschino cherries and spooned a couple from the jar. What the hell, she would only have this one night with him, maybe she should give in to the heat that was building between them. Though he wasn’t her usual type, there was no denying that he made her body ache. A sprinkle of nuts finished off the sundae and she picked up the bowl and moved to the living room.
A fire crackled and she headed for that, taking a seat on the raised hearth. Jacob followed her in, sitting on the large leather sofa. When Ryan joined them he moved straight toward her, sitting close enough that the heat from his thigh rivaled that of the fire. She considered giving him a good death glare before changing seats but decided she would be spiting herself more than him. The truth was she liked the feel of him next to her. She relaxed her body, letting her leg fall slightly closer to his.
The first bite of the sundae was perfect, just the right combination of ice cream and toppings. She closed her eyes and savored the treat. Her mind wandered back to the vision of Ryan licking sauce from her breasts and she moaned around the delicious coldness.
Ryan shifted restlessly next to her and she suppressed a smile. Oh yeah. One night with him would carry her through years of the dishrags she usually limited herself to. Her nipples tightened at the idea. Another cold spoonful did little to counteract the heat that was consuming her body. Next to her, Ryan was shoveling in his sundae at an alarming rate. Hiding a smile, she slowed her own pace even more, letting the spoon slide out ever so slowly between her lips, eyes closing again to fully appreciate the deliciousness.
The clatter of bowl hitting hearth made her heart beat faster but she maintained her pace, bringing another spoonful to her lips. Her eyes opened slightly when Ryan leaned into her, bracing a hand against her back. She angled the spoon toward him and he parted his lips. She made sure to get cream on his lip before allowing him to draw the spoon inside. His eyes were hot on her, full of intent and promise. A shiver raced up her spine and he pressed his hand harder into her back, his thumb taking up a circular caress.
She pulled the spoon back and he swallowed before darting his tongue out to clean the mess she’d made. Was it intentional that he left the bit at the slightly pointed bow? She hoped so. Leaning forward, she darted her own tongue out to catch the speck of whipped cream. A tiny growl came from him as she pulled back. He tightened his arm, holding her close.
“Are we going to do this?” His breath whispered against her lips. “If you want me to leave, tell me now.”
She put her hand on his thigh and slowly inched it up, eyes steady on his, lips a breath apart. Angling her hand in, she found her prize. He caught his breath as she palmed his length, hard and growing harder.
“You won’t stop me from leaving in the morning?”
“I won’t stop you.”
“You would walk away, right now?” she asked, dismayed to sound so breathless. Damn it, she was going for saucy and in control. To compensate, she squeezed, hard.
“Only if you asked me to.” He brought a hand up to her cheek, a gentle caress that had her heart clenching.
But it wasn’t her heart that she wanted clenching so she closed the tiny distance between them and captured his mouth with hers. She wanted hot, hard, fast. Now. He tasted of chocolate sauce and vanilla and met her demanding kiss thrust for thrust. Her hands scrabbled at his shirt, desperate to find a way inside and feel bare skin. He stood, pulling her up with him, then lifted her so her legs came naturally around his waist. His obvious strength should have frightened her, but she could only be thankful as he stalked out of the room, never backing away from the kiss that threatened to consume her.
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