Desire by B L Wilde - Excerpt and Giveaway


Desire (The Seductors Series Vol. 1) 
By B.L. Wilde 



Cover Design by Jo Matthews
Genre: Erotica
Scheduled Release: December 6, 2013



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Summary:

Jade has worked as a Seductor in a secret organization for five years now. Her main job? To earn the trust of her targets and secure the object or information her company was hired to steal—by any means necessary. She’s damn good at it, too. With five years left on her contract, she is handed an assignment that turns her world upside down.

Oliver Kirkham is the attractive, young CEO of Kirkham Industries, a weapons manufacturing company, and is currently in possession of some very important blueprints—blueprints that could change the way war, as we know it, works. He’s extremely focused and doesn’t have time to date, at least until he comes to the rescue of a shy but very alluring Jade Gibbs.

What happens when one night of passion turns into more? Will Jade allow her feelings for Oliver to get in the way of her mission? Or will she do what she was hired to do and secure the steal?


Excerpt:

Oliver wined and dined me with style. The conversation followed effortlessly, and a few hours later we were back in the bar having a nightcap.

“I really can’t thank you enough for dinner, Oliver.”

“It was my pleasure, Jade. I’ve enjoyed your companionship immensely tonight.”

“Do you really own your own company?”

“Why do you ask that?” he chuckled into his coffee.

“You’re so young and…fun. I thought CEOs were supposed to be bald with beer bellies, and be too stressed out to even crack a smile.”

“Are those the kind of CEOs you have as your clients?”

“Yes,” I laughed.

“These interior art skills of yours—how much do they cost?”

“Are you interested in utilizing my skills, Oliver?”

“I’m very interested, Miss Gibbs.” Oliver’s look became almost predatory.

“Maybe we should take this conversation elsewhere, then?” I suggested, looking around the bar.

“Where did you have in mind?” he asked, moving a little closer, his hand lightly skimming my leg.

“I was thinking of retiring for the night. It’s getting quite late,” I breathed, stretching out to play with his tie.

“Alone?”

“Actually, I was kind of hoping for some company,” I whispered timidly, pushing off my stool and slowly walking toward the lobby area. Counting to five, I turned to see Oliver walking toward me, looking dark and dangerously handsome. I was actually looking forward to seeing if this guy was any good in bed.

I pushed the button for the elevator and leaned against the wall just as he caught up with me.

“I hope I’m reading these signs correctly,” he grinned just as the elevator doors opened. With a small grin, I stepped in and pulled him with me. Oliver crashed his lips against mine right as the doors closed behind us.

Kissing was second nature to me. I could fake desire, even if it felt like I was kissing a wet fish, but as Oliver lifted me by my ass and pinned me against the elevator wall, I groaned in actual pleasure. I didn’t have to fake it. Desire flooded through my veins as I ran my hands into his dark hair.

“Christ, you’re beautiful,” he groaned, his lips moving down my neck while his hands began to fumble for the hem of my dress. I was about to start dry humping the guy if he kept on like he was.

“Ugh…” I groaned as his hands worked their way under my dress and he gripped my ass cheeks roughly. “Oliver…ugh…which floor?” He leaned toward the elevator buttons with me still wrapped around him, and pressed a button before quickly returning to attacking my neck.

“I saw you the moment I walked into the bar tonight,” he purred, his hands running slowly down my chest. Both my legs were wrapped around his waist. “And I wanted you.”

“Ugh…I…I’m flattered,” I said, forcing a blush. The elevator opened and Oliver finally let me go. As I slid down his body, I could feel his muscles through his shirt. Mm…it really was going to be a fun few months.

“I want you to know I don’t usually do this sort of thing,” I muttered, playing with the zipper on my purse while he opened his bedroom door.

“Neither do I.” He shook his head as if to clear it from a random thought, and somehow, I didn’t believe him. He was too smooth and confident to have never picked a girl up in a bar before.

“Wow, your room is so much bigger than mine!” I acted awestruck, gazing around as I placed my bag on a table. “Is this just the living area?” I gasped, turning to see that he was suddenly right in front of me. He responded by crashing his lips against mine while backing me against the wall.

“I don’t want to make small talk anymore. I just want to fuck you, Jade,” he growled into my ear. Holy crap! I was so turned on; I could feel the wetness between my legs begin to flow. His hands came back up underneath my dress, but rather than grab my ass like he had in the elevator, he simply pulled my panties down. “Do you want me to fuck you?”

“YES!” It was a plea, because in that moment, I’d never wanted anything more. I heard his belt buckle and the sound of foil before he was suddenly slamming me hard against the wall. Fuck, I’d dreamed of being taken this way, but never once had I thought it would happen. Who was this guy?

“I’m going to make you cum harder than you’ve ever cum before,” he smoldered into my ear. His fingers slowly teased my entrance and I arched my back, needing more. “I can feel how much you want this. I know your kind—shy and withdrawn. Let me free you. Let me release the desire I know is inside you.” Oh, this guy had no idea just how much desire was inside me. I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist, drawing him toward me before I bit down on his neck.

“Fuck, yes,” Oliver growled, and with one deep thrust he was inside me.

I’d never been fucked this hard before. I was wanton. I needed everything the guy could give me as he slammed into me over and over again while I was pinned against the wall. “You feel so good,” he panted between thrusts.

“Fuck me harder!” I was totally breaking character, but I’d never had a man bring me to orgasm without my help before, and right now, I needed that moment more than the air I breathed.

“Harder? You better brace yourself then.” Oliver gripped my legs and rotated his hips before pushing deeper and faster inside me.

Before I could make sense of what was happening, I felt myself begin to build—the feeling becoming warmer and more intense with each of his movements. This guy was going to make me cum. Jade Phillips—top Seductor—was finally going to cum by the power of a man!

“Give it to me, Jade. Don’t you fucking dare deny yourself!” Oliver could feel my orgasm begin to take control, so he slid his fingers between us, circling my clit to help ease my release out.

When I did explode, it was earth shattering.

“Ugh…fuck…fuck…fuck,” I groaned, my entire body trembling.

Oliver continued to pound into me until he found his own release. “Fuck, yes, Jade…ugh…ugh…I knew you’d make me cum this hard!” Oh my God! He looked so hot when he climaxed.

I was still pinned against the wall, held up by his arms as we regulated our breathing.

“You see?” Oliver finally spoke. “I knew there was a wild girl in there somewhere.”


Excerpt (PG-13):
“I have a priority mission I want you to take, Jade. The rewards for this one are huge,” she explained as she passed the paperwork over to me. “It’s going to take a few months of hard work to infiltrate the actual home of Mr. Kirkham. As you can see, he owns quite a few properties, but only one of the locations houses the main hard drive that our client needs. I’m sure you can use your talents as an advantage to find out which one, though.” I laughed, knowing exactly what Sonia meant. I was one of her top Seductors, after all. In the last five years, I had made over fifty million dollars for the company. My looks helped…a lot. I was your typical perfect blonde with clear blue eyes and legs that went on forever. Men fell for my innocent act, but I was no angel in real life. It never took a target long to find that out, either. Especially if I chose to take them to bed to gain access to what I’d been assigned to steal. I didn’t always need to go the whole way, though—I was just that good.

Sonia was the top dog at the Seductors, and she reported straight to the owner of the organization. I guess you could describe our headquarters in Florida a little like the playboy mansion, except we had guys here, too, and all of us were trained to defend ourselves if we needed to. Rule #6: Seductors must make sure they are always able to protect themselves from any sudden danger. A monthly refresher is mandatory to renew certification.

I could only speculate that our founder must have once been a secret agent or in the FBI in the past, because the contacts this organization had could rival that of the Secret Service. I was still trying to work out if that person was a male or female, but either way, our founder was a genius.

As I sat in front of Sonia, I began to look closely over the paperwork. My new target was a Mr. Oliver Kirkham of Kirkham Industries. He wasn’t a bad looking guy according to the picture in his file: tall, dark and handsome—just the way I liked them. His income stats weren’t too bad, either. Half a billion dollars in net profits last year. Damn, that was a lot of money. He had no partner at the moment, although he had been linked to quite a few women over the last few years. Nothing appeared too serious, however, which was interesting.

It seemed I’d need to travel a bit to track this Mr. Kirkham down. London and New York seemed to be popular places for him.

“When do I leave?” I asked Sonia while I was still reading Mr. Kirkham’s file.

“He’s due in London next weekend to head up an industrial conference.”

“Now, that sounds like fun,” I teased.

“I’m sure you’ll be able to liven up his visit, Jade,” Sonia winked. “Make sure you read that file carefully. We have a lot of money riding on this contract, so we can’t afford any mistakes.”

“Have I ever let you down?” I pointed out.

“Why do you think I’ve put you on this assignment? When do you think you’ll complete the job you’re on right now?”

“I’ll have the diamonds by tomorrow evening,” I smirked.

“That quickly?” Sonia looked impressed, but then I had only been on the job for two weeks.

“It’s an easy steal. I made first contact yesterday, and of course we hit it off. I’m meeting him at his house tomorrow,” I replied.

“You’re ruthless, Jade,” Sonia grinned before dismissing me.

As I continued to study my new file, it became clear that Mr. Kirkham was big in the weapons industry. Our client wanted the blueprints for a new machine—the S1030—that was being designed by his company. No wonder this was such a big payout for us.

I had no conscience when it came to stealing, nor did I know who wanted these blueprints. Clients had the choice of remaining anonymous to the chosen Seductor—as was the case with this job—but I never thought about the outcome anyway. This was business. It was all about the money, and this deal was worth five million dollars. It was the biggest mission I’d ever been assigned to, and I would succeed. There was no doubt in my mind.

It would be really nice to work on just one case for a few months without having to worry about other assignments; sometimes I felt like a prostitute when I was tasked with seducing more than one target at the same time. This Oliver was becoming more pleasing to the eye each time I gazed at him.

Oh, this could even be fun!


About the Author:
B.L. Wilde is a British author obsessed with many things, including heated love stories. Supported fully by her husband, she can often be found at her desk working on her next project.

Her journey into the world of erotica began when she started writing online stories over three years ago, and she hasn't looked back since.


Author Links:
Goodreads     |      Facebook     |      Twitter     |      Blog     |      Website




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The Northern Gate - Blog Tour


On December 6, 2013 the first of four volumes of The Edelyn Legacy  released on Amazon.

The Northern Gate
by J.C. Clarke


Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Add it on Goodreads HERE


Summary:

According to the Bible, God created the world in seven days, but what if the beginning happened before Humankind documented it for posterity?

Humans didn’t see everything clearly, because they didn’t understand. They turned away in fear, forgot the beings that had come to Earth and, over time, the Seraphim became nothing but a legend, a bedtime story. Corruption and greed, bred from hatred and evil, spread across the face of the earth as Humans evolved and developed. It was in this filth, and amongst the seven deadly sins, that Tabitha Morgan was born and kept alive, hidden in plain sight from the darkness.

For seventeen years, Tabitha thrived under her grandmother’s guardianship, living a normal life and not knowing the truth about her heritage or the roots from which she came.

That all changes the day a handsome stranger named Nathan walks into her life. Will the ancient secrets he holds be enough to earn her trust? Is it the Light, or does Darkness await them beyond The Northern Gate?

Excerpt:

The thick bonds ate into the prisoner’s pale, filthy skin, and it bled against the steel. He was numb to the pain now. Instead of letting the misery cripple him, he smiled with a dark grimace and channeled the biting sting into anger. Knowing they thought he was weakening, though he was far from it, he had bided his time. With each new moon, he had grown stronger; he was fighting back. The prisoner was going against what was in his blood by nature; he was resisting what his father had given him, the tainted blood.

For centuries, maybe even longer, he’d been held in that small cell, not being fed except when his captors saw fit, and he’d spoken to no one. His jailers refused to even breathe near him, let alone converse. All he’d had to occupy his time were his thoughts and the constant, slow trickle of water seeping down the damp walls of his underground prison to pool at his feet.

Soon, the time would come when he would be free of the tomb in which he’d been encased, and he would be a person of freewill once again; he would make sure of it. So very soon.

The prisoner planned to ensure he would hear, and remember, the sounds of his captors’ deaths: every bone crushed would be a manacle opening and the sound of tearing flesh, a choir of the Seraphim.

His freedom was paramount if he were to accomplish the job he’d been given so many millennia ago. He would end the vicious circle of chaos and fear his world had been turned into.

Every mark and scar on his body would serve as reminders of what he had been birthed to do, willing him to follow his destiny. A course had been set for him to walk the earth to complete his mission: to find her. His goal was to hunt her down and tell her everything that had been kept from her: who she was, who she belonged to, and where she came from.

He would become her protector.
Would fight for her.
Live for her.
And die—for her.


About the Author:



J.C. Clarke lives in the heart of the New Forest in England with her husband and four children. Never a dull moment, her full house provides no shortage of inspiration which fuels her writing. She loves reading and writing a variety of genres in addition to dabbling with graphic art to create book covers, swag and more.



The Northern Gate Blog Tour Schedule:

December 1
Promo & Excerpt: http://www.fsmeurinne.com/

December 2

December 3

December 4

December 5

December 6

December 7

December 8

December 9

December 10
Promo & Excerpt: http://itlnbrt.com/

December 11
Promo & Excerpt: http://lifebecomesme.wordpress.com/ (possibly Review)

December 12

December 13

December 14

December 15

December 16
Review/ Promo & excerpt: www.lilylovesindie.co.uk






M B Feeney FB Page 1k 'likes' Mega Giveaway & Free Download!!!



To celebrate M B Feeney reaching the huge milestone of 1000 'likes' on her Facebook page, for the next 7 days, a wonderful group of authors, graphic artists and promoters are running a Mega Giveaway to mark the occasion.

For the next 2 days, (30th November-1st December 2013), M B's latest release, Honour, will also be available to download for free!!

Summary:

The world is filled with people destined to help and to serve. Doctors, nurses, police, and firefighters—each and every day, these special people work to help others in times of need. Often, this means putting their own lives at risk in order to do their jobs. They give of themselves to benefit society, and they do it without any expectation of thanks.

And then there is the military…

These are the men and women who don’t head home to their families and safe homes to relax at the end of a shift. They are on the front lines, far from home and often fighting someone else’s battles because it is the right thing to do.  Military families struggle to cope with the constant worry and the long periods of separation, staying strong to support those who serve in everything they do, and often are left to pick up the pieces when the highest price is paid.

Servicemen and women are heroes in the purest sense of the word. Even when the world’s gone mad and their hearts are breaking, one thing remains unchanged. 

They have honour.


Run and get your free copy at:  Amazon UK  Amazon US

Enter the Giveaway Here:

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Cover Reveal & Giveaway - Sunrise by Morgan Emerson

Announcing the cover reveal for Morgan Emerson's upcoming free read, 'Sunrise'.

Summary:

A woman who is scared to trust, and a man who thought he’d never love again. A weekend in Cabo brings them together, but Miles wakes to an empty bed when Kat starts to feel things she shouldn’t.  When they meet again at a charity fundraiser six months later, how can Miles convince Kat that she can trust him with her heart?


 Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of Sunrise, a prize of a $10 voucher to spend in Bottom Drawer's digital shop starts now and will be drawn December 9, 2013.

Bottom Drawer Facebook Page

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal - The Northern Gate by J C Clarke

Today we have a cover reveal for J.C. Clarke's debut release:
 The Northern Gate 
This is book one of The Edelyn Legacy.



Title: The Northern Gate
Author: J.C. Clarke
Genre: Fantasy/Romance
Release Date: December 06, 2013

Summary:
According to the Bible, God created the world in seven days, but what if the beginning happened before Humankind documented it for posterity?

Humans didn’t see everything clearly, because they didn’t understand. They turned away in fear, forgot the beings that had come to Earth and, over time, the Seraphim became nothing but a legend, a bedtime story. Corruption and greed, bred from hatred and evil, spread across the face of the earth as Humans evolved and developed. It was in this filth, and amongst the seven deadly sins, that Tabitha Morgan was born and kept alive, hidden in plain sight from the darkness.

For seventeen years, Tabitha thrived under her grandmother’s guardianship, living a normal life and not knowing the truth about her heritage or the roots from which she came.

That all changes the day a handsome stranger named Nathan walks into her life. Will the ancient secrets he holds be enough to earn her trust? Is it the Light, or does Darkness await them beyond The Northern Gate?



Add it to Goodreads HERE.

And now for the cover reveal . . . 


designed by: J.C. Clarke

About the Author:

J.C. Clarke lives in the heart of the New Forest in England with her husband and four children. Never a dull moment, her full house provides no shortage of inspiration which fuels her writing. She loves reading and writing a variety of genres in addition to dabbling with graphic art to create book covers, swag and more.

Author Blog I Legacy Blog 
Twitter I Facebook
Goodreads I Wattpad



Coming December 06, 2013 to Amazon

******
If you are a blogger, and are interested in participating in The Northern Gate blog tour Dec 1-16th, 
please follow the link below to sign up: 


Cover Reveal and Guest Interview with M. B. Feeney


Welcome! Another (awesome) writer in our midst!

*blush*

Tell us about you! When did you start writing?

Ever since I learnt to read and write, I’ve had a love for stories. I used to read all the time. It soon got to the point, when I was about 8, that I wanted to tell my own. The first story I ever wrote was called The Birthday Invitation. It was about a girl called Sally who’d received an invitation to a birthday party, and couldn’t decide what to buy for a present. There was even a crayon illustration to go with it. I’ve been writing, on and off, ever since.

Aside from reading, what do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I listen to a lot of music. I literally have either the radio, or my iTunes, on and it’s just there, in the background. I play with my kids as much as I can as now they’re both at school, I don’t get to spend as much quality time with them, so we make the most of the weekends and the evenings. Even if it’s reading a book together. I also dabble in photography as another creative outlet and am aiming to mix this in with my writing by using my own shots as cover photos (which I did for Just Like in the Movies).

Tell us three random facts about you that your readers don’t know.

I’m addicted to chewing gum. I have to have it in my pocket or my bag all the time. I’m a terrible procrastinator. If I can find something else to do instead of what I’m supposed to be, then I’ll do it. Even cleaning. Uhm, I also dance around my kitchen like an idiot, just to make my kids laugh. – Yes, I have no shame in admitting that!

What inspired you to write Honour?

I’ve answered this question in various guises quite a lot over the last couple of months, yet my answer will always be the same. I have the utmost respect for anyone who will put themselves on the frontline of a war for their own, or more often than not, another country’s wellbeing. My family has a long and complex history linked to the armed forces her in the UK, and I wanted to ‘honour’ that. I just hope I have done them justice.

What are you planning to do next?

I have a novel (or 2) in the works, which I can’t wait to get back to writing. I hope to have it finished, and ready for publication, by next summer. I just hope that when I actually have the time to write, I can.


Thanks so much for joining us! Now for all the details:


 
M. B. Feeney is excited to present the cover for her upcoming release, Honour, a collection of 6 short stories with a military theme. 

Released on 1st November in remembrance of those who have given their lives as part of their job to protect others in times of unrest.
Summary:

The world is filled with people destined to help and to serve. Doctors, nurses, police, and firefighters—each and every day, these special people work to help others in times of need. Often, this means putting their own lives at risk in order to do their jobs. They give of themselves to benefit society, and they do it without any expectation of thanks.

And then there is the military…

These are the men and women who don’t head home to their families and safe homes to relax at the end of a shift. They are on the front lines, far from home and often fighting someone else’s battles because it is the right thing to do.  Military families struggle to cope with the constant worry and the long periods of separation, staying strong to support those who serve in everything they do, and often are left to pick up the pieces when the highest price is paid.

Servicemen and women are heroes in the purest sense of the word. Even when the world’s gone mad and their hearts are breaking, one thing remains unchanged. 

They have honour.

Don't forget to add Honour to your 'To read' shelf over on Goodreads

About the Author:

M. B. Feeney is an army brat who finally settled down in Birmingham, UK with her other half, two kids and a dog.  Currently at university studying for her BA (Hons) in primary teaching, she procrastinates on her assignments by listening to music of all genres and trying to get ‘just one more paragraph’ written on whichever WIP is open. She is also a serious doodler and chocoholic.  Writing has been her one true love ever since she could spell, and publishing is the final culmination of her hard work and ambition.

Her publishing career began with two novellas, and she currently has a novel underway whilst Honour, a compilation of her own military based shorts, is available from 1st November 2013. Always having something on the go can often lead to block which eventually gets dissolved by good music and an even better book.

Author Links:

Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Amazon UK * Amazon US * Tumblr        
      

Cover Reveal - Into the Storm by Melanie Moreland


It's my pleasure to be part of the cover reveal for Melanie Moreland's upcoming release:
'Into the Storm' 

Publication date: Late 2013
Genre: Adult, Romance.

Synopsis

She is a woman on the run. Pain, loneliness and terror are what she is leaving. Where she is headed doesn’t matter as long as it’s away from the hell her life has become.

Joshua Bennett is trapped in a prison of his own making by the memories of his past. Traumatized and isolated, he is a reclusive writer, living a quiet, lonely life, his only companion his dog, Bear. It is what he knows, what he has accepted to be his life.

One dark night, one huge storm, and one ice patch brings them together. He finds himself with an unexpected houseguest with no memory. She wakes up a stranger to herself and the man watching her. Even more mysterious is the lack of any sort of identification with her or in her car. She is an enigma to both of them.

Trapped by the storm and isolated from the outside world, they slowly open up, learning to trust and love, until the world once again shows up, threatening the fragile peace of their newly discovered world, and tearing them apart.

There are many twists and turns as they struggle to find each other, overcoming both the mental and physical elements that keep them apart.

A story about overcoming our fears, finding love and learning to live again.



Author Bio

Melanie Moreland lives a happy and content life in a quiet area of Ontario with her husband and fur children. Nothing means more to her than her friends and family, and she cherishes every moment spent with them.

Known as the quiet one with the big laugh, Melanie works at a local university and for its football team.  Her (box) office job, while demanding, is rewarding as she cheers on her team to victory.

While seriously addicted to coffee, and somewhat challenged with all things computer-related and technical, she relishes baking, cooking, and trying new recipes for people to sample. She loves to throw dinner parties and socialize, and also enjoys travelling, here and abroad, but finds coming home is always the best part of any trip.

Melanie delights in a good romance story with some bumps along the way, but is a true believer in happily ever after.  When her head isn’t buried in a book, it is bent over a keyboard, furiously typing away as her characters dictate their creative storylines, to let her share them with her readers.

Author Links

The Groom by Elise Marion - Release & Giveaway


I'm happy to be a part of the release of Elise's Marion's newest contemporary romance novel, The Groom

Summary:

When Lyle Cummings is left standing at the altar on his wedding day, all of his carefully composed plans for the future come crashing down around him. The pragmatic doctor is left questioning his well-ordered existence and wondering if there isn't more to life than the achievements of wealth and career.

When he meets Katrina Giordano, a fiery lounge singer with more passion in her pinky finger than he possesses in his entire body, his mundane life is turned upside down. In Katrina, he finds everything his life has been lacking. With her, he will learn that what he thought was love really wasn't at all.

But will Katrina's dark past threaten the happiness that Lyle has found after so much heartache? With her life, and now his, hanging in the balance, Lyle will find himself tested when it comes to how far he will go for love. 


Excerpt:


“ROUGH DAY?”
Lyle Cummings glanced up from the surface of the gleaming bar top and into the eyes of the petite woman moving around behind it. She was holding a frosted beer mug in one hand and controlling the Miller Lite tap with the other. Sympathy flashed in her stare, causing Lyle to jerk his own gaze away as if stung. He didn’t want her sympathy. All he wanted was peace, and . . .
“Single malt scotch on the rocks with a twist.”
He knew that his request had come out more like a raspy, barked command but Lyle didn’t care. Today of all days, he had the right to act like a jackass.
An understanding nod followed, and the bartender quickly moved to fill his order. She sat the scotch in front of him and accepted his debit card.
“Would you like me to start a tab?” she asked as she swiped his card.
“Yes.”
Hell yes. Today was also a day for getting drunk.
Plastered.
Shit-faced.
Wasted.
He wrapped his fingers around the perspiring glass and inspected the bruised knuckles of his free hand. Mottled splotches of blue, purple, and green marred his sun-bronzed skin, and swelling edged the bruise with a ring of deep red. Lyle’s fingers curled into his palm as he downed the scotch in a few long gulps, the fire racing through his gut elevating the adrenaline rush he felt at the thought of smashing Jack Thompson’s face in. A few drops of blood stained the cuff of his white dress shirt and the sight of it sent primal satisfaction through Lyle’s gut. It was the only pleasure to be salvaged from the disaster that should have been the happiest day of his life. Well that and . . .
“Another,” he rasped, sliding the empty glass back toward the bartender.
She arched an eyebrow at him while reaching for a clean glass. “Who’s the unlucky guy?” she asked, nodding toward his bruised knuckles.
Lyle grasped his newly filled glass. “Nobody.”
She laughed. “Looks like Nobody took quite a beating.”
That’s not all he took, Lyle thought. The reminder of the earlier events caused his rage to flash back to boiling point; Jack Thompson may have been on the business end of his fist, but ultimately the other man had won. Even now, Jack was riding off into the sunset with his Holly and probably felt not an ounce of guilt over what he’d done. And why should he? Holly was everything a man could want in a woman. Jack had lost her once to divorce. It was unlikely that he was going to be stupid enough to repeat the mistake after winning her back again.
A frown pulled at the corners of Lyle’s mouth as he stared down into the contents of his glass. The bartender reached across the wooden top and clasped his injured hand. Lyle flinched and snatched it away, glaring at her with narrowed eyes.
“I was just going to offer you some ice,” she said gently. Lyle felt like an ass when he saw the bundle of paper towels clenched in her small fist. He tried to offer her a smile as she pressed the ice-filled towels against his knuckles, but it turned into a grimace as the ice came in contact with his flaming skin.
“You should stick around,” she said warmly after he’d taken over with the ice. “We have live music on Saturdays.”
She placed another filled glass in front of him and Lyle took it, nodding his thanks and looking away, freeing the bartender to wait on her other customers. He took his time with this drink, the tentacles of the first two already reaching out through his body with warm intent. He hadn’t noticed much about his surroundings since arriving, but he took stock of them now as he drank.
The lighting was dim, which was good because if someone in the room knew him, Lyle didn’t want to have to deal with that. The pitying eyes of the bartender were one thing; the probing stares of people who were expecting to see him with a ring on his finger and a bride on his arm would be enough to make him want to go somewhere and splatter his brains across the wall. The bar was long, wrapping in a serpentine pattern around half of the room. At least three other bartenders worked the gathered patrons, who sipped beer and munched on peanuts while waiting for the music to start. Conversation filled the room in a dull buzz.
The other half of the room was filled with round, cloth-covered tables and wooden chairs. Waitresses bustled in and out of the crowd in short skirts and white tops, pens in their hair and comfortable shoes on their feet. Lyle’s stomach rolled and clenched with nausea at the smell of nachos and greasy hamburgers. He took another sip of scotch and sighed in relief at the feel of fire burning the nausea away. Just then, he didn’t care if he ever had another bite of food again in his life. If he could just crawl into the bottom of the liquor bottle and curl up in the fetal position, he could die somewhat happy . . . or, at least, numb.
Jutting out from the back wall was a stage hosting a microphone stand and a couple of speakers. A red velvet curtain separated the stage from whatever was going on backstage. Lyle tipped his glass back and stood, deciding that listening to some bartender’s sister’s band sing the blues was the last thing he wanted right now. Another drink, preferably in a quieter location, was just what he needed.
“Closing out the tab?” the bartender asked as he stood and dropped a few dollars in the tip glass. He nodded.
“Yes, thank you,” he said, holding up the makeshift ice pack. “Have a nice—”
Lyle’s sentence was cut off by a man’s voice. A burly bouncer in a tight black T-shirt was on stage, announcing the act for the night. He could barely hear him because of the catcalls and whistles coming from the audience. Every man in the room seemed to lean forward in anticipation as the curtains parted to reveal the figure of a woman holding a guitar. She walked forward with a bright smile, her skin bathed in the glow of the spotlight as she took a seat on the stool.
Lyle felt frozen in place as she strummed on her guitar and opened her mouth to sing. Her voice was like velvet, a purr that wrapped itself around him tightly and squeezed, flooding his insides with warmth and . . . something else—he wasn’t quite sure what. He felt himself moving, and somewhere in the back of his mind realized that he’d backed toward the stool he’d left seconds ago and was sitting down again.



Title: The Groom
Author: Elise Marion
Genre: Interracial Contemporary
Size: Novel
ISBN: 978-0-9923696-0-6
Price $5.99
Publisher: Bottom Drawer Publications



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elise Marion is a lover of books and has a special place in her heart for sweet and
sensual romance. Writing about love across all walks of life is her passion, as is
reaching people through the written word. The Army wife and stay-at-home mother
of two spends most of her time taking care of her children. Her second job includes
writing stories about characters that people can fall in love with. When the Texas
native isn’t caring for her family or writing, you can usually find her with her nose
in a book, singing loudly, or cooking up something new in the kitchen.

You can find Elise at

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A little about Bottom Drawer Publications

Read whatever you want, wherever you want, whenever you want.
Our motto above says it all. Publishing both e-books plus print-on-demand for our novel-length books means that if you feel like something to read at any time of the day or night, you can download a reasonably-priced, quality book within minutes from your choice of booksellers, including our own digital shop. If you prefer to hold a paperback in your hands, our print-on-demand printer has presses in the US, UK, Europe and Australia, meaning shorter delivery times and lower postage costs to you.
We are an inclusive publisher, believing love is love, which is why you won't see a separate LGBT genre—we publish hetero and gay fiction in all of our romance sub-genres:
Contemporary - Historical - Literary Drama - New Adult - Alternative Lifestyle
Paranormal - Sci-fi - Fantasy - Mystery -Thriller - Steampunk

Links to Purchase:


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