NEW YEAR'S WISH by Veronica Tower

 NEW YEAR'S WISH by Veronica Tower

As the year comes to a close, Mary has taken stock of her life—and she doesn’t like what she sees. She’s too shy, too complacent, and she’s done letting life pass her by. Ready to make a new start, Mary attends her friend’s New Year’s Eve party, determined to grab some fun, embrace her sexy and usher in the New Year properly.

Handsome and flirty, Reid seems like the perfect man to aid in Mary’s reinvention. Every touch, every kiss, encourages her to toss aside her shy reservations and embrace the woman she wants to be. As the heady mix of alcohol, Reid’s delicious mouth and the holiday spirit strip away Mary’s insecurities, she’s sure of just one thing—there’s no way she’s going to be satisfied with just a kiss to ring in the New Year.

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Chapter One

“So sorry,” the woman slurred as she stumbled into Mary, spilling her drink onto the front of Mary’s New Year’s Eve dress and causing Mary’s Long Island iced tea to slosh out of her cup and over her fingers. Mary jumped back to try to avoid the spill but the crowd was so thick in Lizzie’s living room that there was nowhere for her to go.

“Hey, watch it!” a woman hissed and shoved her back with a hand between her shoulder blades, causing more Long Island iced tea to slop out of her cup and onto her hand.

Mary turned apologetically. “Sorry, some drunk just dumped her drink on me.”

“And you almost made me spill mine,” the woman snarled before turning her back on Mary as if she weren’t worth the time it would take to argue. Not that Mary wanted to fight, but really, did the woman have to be so dismissive? Her natural instinct was to shrink away, but she hesitated. She’d come to this New Year’s Eve party determined to break with her past and become the new, bold, assertive, fun woman she’d always wanted to be. She wanted to be someone who was comfortable in crowds—the natural life of the party. Would that person let this woman dismiss her out of hand like this?

Mary reluctantly decided she would. The new her might be willing to get into fights, but she wasn’t looking for one. She decided to give the woman a pass even as she worried that it was a sign she wasn’t really blossoming into her new self. Oh, well, baby steps, right? There will be plenty of other opportunities tonight to practice coming out of my shell and shining.

She looked around for the woman who had started this mess but the drunk hadn’t stopped to help clean up. Heck, she hadn’t even really looked at Mary either, not even as she was spilling her drink on her. Nobody had. Was she invisible? Why was nobody talking to her? Maybe she should just give up and go home—put off her New Year’s resolution for another year. Despite her best intentions, this wasn’t looking like the night to let down her hair, make some new friends and maybe have fun with some guy without having to envision walking down the aisle with him.

She tried to assess the damage to her new dress. Fortunately, she’d bought the black, fairly conservative one and not the slinky silver party dress with all the glitter. The silver one fit the new image she wanted to craft for herself but she just hadn’t been able to picture herself actually wearing it. It left too little to the imagination about the curve of her ass and just how much cleavage she could sport. At the time she’d worried she was letting herself down by not buying it, but in hindsight with some drunk’s drink in her lap, it was clear she’d made the better decision after all. Black would hide a stain a lot better than silver.

She bent over to get a better look at the damage. It was hard to tell for certain with people jostling her on all sides, but honestly, the stain didn’t look too bad—just a bit of a splash over her right thigh. She tried to bolster her confidence. With the people pressed as close together as they were, it probably wasn’t even noticeable. Maybe if she got a little soda water from the bar it would come right out when it dried.

She sighed. Cleaning a stain off her dress was something she did too often. The old her got overlooked all the time. She was supposed to stand out in the crowd now, be the life of the party, maybe groove to the music and get people dancing, find a guy and have some fun with him instead of simply staring from the sidelines as she always did. So why wasn’t she doing any of that?

She looked around for an opportunity to assert the new her. The party was rocking with the Black Eyed Peas blasting from the speakers and people all around her smiling, drinking and having a good time. Why couldn’t she relax enough to join in? She pictured herself catching the beat, moving with the music until her rhythm caught the attention of the room. She lifted her arms and tried to find her stride. It wasn’t easy. Even though she’d just worried that she was invisible, she now feared that every eye in the room was watching her.

But wasn’t that what she wanted?

 

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ADDICTED by Marilyn Lee

 ADDICTED by Marilyn Lee

Sister's Keeper Series

Reeling from a breakup with the man she’d considered the love of her life, Lena Graham attends the December wedding of yet another friend who managed to land her dream man. At the reception, the proverbial, tall, dark, and handsome Marc Walker rescues her from the unwanted attention of a co-worker.

Immediately swept off her feet by Marc’s charm and sex appeal, Lena recklessly spends a long, passionate night with him. Later, when she learns of the other woman in Marc’s life, she’ll have to decide if she’s willing to let him have his cake and eat it too or if she’ll spend the holiday season lonely and dateless.

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~Excerpt~

Chuck slipped an arm around her shoulders. His fingers against her bare skin sent an unwanted shiver through her. She hated the sexual hunger she found more difficult to control every day.

“Chuck, I mean it!” She glanced around the crowded ballroom, looking for someone to rescue her from his unwanted attentions. “I told you I’m not here alone.” She jerked away from him and collided with a hard, unmistakable male body.

She sucked in a quick breath, dismayed and excited at her unexpected reaction to physical contact with the stranger. “Oh sorry.”

The man replied in a sexy baritone for her ears alone. “I’m not.” His arms encircled her body, drawing her close. When he spoke again, he had raised his voice. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

She stared up into a pair of warm brown, sexy eyes as he rocked his hips against hers.

She saw a question in the warm gaze. Remaining silent, she inched her hips forward just a breath, allowing the wanton movement to speak for her.

A smile curved his firm, full lips upward. She had a brief moment to appreciate how handsome his smooth, dark features were before he bent his head. He nibbled slowly at her lips with an insistent hunger that coaxed her mouth open. With her lips parted and her body pressed close to his, he sucked on her tongue while grinding his hips against hers until her back arched, a rush of moisture filled her panties, and her toes curled.

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DANGEROUSLY SAFE by K.J. Wolf

DANGEROUSLY SAFE by K.J. Wolf

Hannah Monroe’s best friend, Chris Worth, is the one guy she can depend on- and sexy! He's an all-American good guy, and they've been through thick and thin together. But now he’s thinking about being with her—naked.

A Valentine’s Day pact and a few drinks too many find the friends spending a night together neither one can forget. Hannah wants to pretend it didn't happen. Chris doesn’t.

Chris is determined to break through the cracks he’s put in Hannah’s walls to give them a shot at romance. She’s resistant to all his efforts.

But when Hannah thinks Chris has betrayed her in the worst way, will she run or can she give their new passion for each other a chance?

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Excerpt:

 

“Hannah. What’s the matter? You’re never this … shy with me. What the hell’s wrong?” He didn’t really want to know the answer, but he couldn’t live without it.

She sniffed and buried her face in his neck. “I don’t know, Chris. It’s you, you know? I feel so … exposed. It shouldn’t be this way, right?”

The brick sank lower. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed with his hands up and down. What was he supposed to do?

Hannah pulled back and looked at the floor. “Maybe I should get going.”

The brick ignited into flames, and his stomach burned in fear. Now that he finally had Hannah in his bed, he didn’t want to lose her. He couldn’t let her walk out. There had to be a way past the wall she’d slammed up. He’d deal with why she’d slammed it up later.

“No. We’ve been drinking. You’re not driving. Come on.” He took her hand and blew out a breath when she didn’t resist following him into his bedroom.

He turned on the light and moaned. Hell, he wished he’d taken the time to clean up. He hadn’t known this was going to happen, but from now on, he would make sure his clothes made it into one pile instead of several scattered all over. And the empty beer bottles lining the nightstand and dresser just looked sad.

He cleared his throat. “So, obviously I wasn’t expecting company. Sorry ‘bout the mess in here.”

She snorted. “I’ve seen it much worse, Chris. Everyone knows you’re a freakin’ slob in your room.”

Heat rose to his neck, but he couldn’t feel too embarrassed. If she was teasing him, then she wasn’t completely freaked out over what they’d just done.

He strolled to the bed, grabbed handfuls of clothing and tossed them towards the farthest corner of the room. She still avoided making eye contact, and he put his hands on his hips.

“Hannah. Seriously? We’ve known each other forever. You don’t have to be self-conscious in front of me. You’re beautiful.”

Pink flushed to her cheeks. She shuffled to the bed and sat down on the edge still clutching the towel.

“When I’m with some guy I don’t know, it’s somehow easier. I don’t worry about how I look. I know we’re both there to get off and go our separate ways.” She bit the inside of her right cheek. “God, that sounds so bad. I’m pretty fucked up. But you knew that already.”

“Do you trust me?”

She glanced at him. “What?”

“I asked you if you trust me, Hannah.”

She didn’t answer right away and bit her cheek again. “You know I do, Chris.”

He went to his closet, slid the door aside, pulled out a tie and settled behind her on the bed. “I’m going to make you stop thinking about yourself and just feel. Are you okay with that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Are you sure you trust me?”

She nodded slowly and tried to turn to face him, but he grabbed her shoulders to hold her still. “I need you to just focus on what you feel. This is going to help you.”

Hannah let out a tiny yelp as he blindfolded her with his tie.

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MAROONED WITH THE MILLIONAIRE by Sandra Bunino

MAROONED WITH THE MILLIONAIRE by Sandra Bunino

A fierce Miami storm bring sexy strangers together at The Hotel Del Santos for a night of desire.

Stephanie, still reeling from a failed marriage, needs a break from the past. Shying away from the convention center crowds while on a business trip, she finds solace tucked away in a secluded hotel on South Beach.

Jason, a wealthy Seattle builder, has the worst luck with love. He swears he will never allow another woman to get under his skin, until the clicking of a pair of sexy stilettos across the hotel lobby floor attracts his attention.

Cut off from the outside world, the lives of these two strangers collide and burn with desire when a storm strands them together. Neither wants anything more than a glorious one-night stand.

Their chemistry is undeniable and propels them to a second meeting in Sin City. However, Stephanie soon learns she has more reason to be wary of her mysterious lover than a broken heart.

“The chemistry between Stephanie and Jason is electric, white hot, and sensual. This story definitely delivers on all counts of romance and erotica.” ~ Liz, Fictional Candy

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Excerpt:
 

Las Vegas. Sin City. A place known for glitz, glamour, excitement and fantasy. It was a premier adult playground where one could pretend to be anything or anyone because “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”

Jason held her hand and gestured toward the lobby with his other. People stared as he escorted her through the hotel to the waiting limousine. By herself, she was exposed and vulnerable, but at Jason’s side she was strong and empowered. Yes. She was in Sin City and Stephanie was going to play the part and enjoy every minute.

“Where are we going?” she asked, sliding into the limo.

“One of my favorite restaurants and I have a surprise for you after dinner.”

“I love surprises, and I have one for you too.” Stephanie leaned over and brushed her lips against his. Her fingertips grazed his thigh and traveled slowly up his leg. A strong hand encircled her wrist at the same time a low growl emanated from his mouth. Her eyes popped open and locked on his darkened stare. The intensity took her breath away.

He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “It’s taking all of my self-control not to take you right here in the back of the limo.”

“What’s stopping you?” she whispered back.

“Damn, we are going to have a fun five days together,” he said in a husky voice, raising his eyebrow.

Stephanie giggled and shifted in her seat as Jason loosened his grip on her wrist and interlaced his fingers with hers. They sat in silence for the rest of the short ride. The limousine turned at the François Hotel and Casino and came to a stop at the private entrance to Le Cote Noir.

The tinkling of piano keys, flickering candlelight and the deep shades of red took over Stephanie’s senses like a soft warm blanket as they walked into the restaurant. “Mr. Royce, it’s so good to see you this evening. Right this way.”

The maître d swiftly escorted them to a secluded table next to floor to ceiling windows overlooking the spectacular view of The Strip.

“I know I said it before, but I’m glad you took me up on my offer and arrived early. We have a lot of time to make up.”

“Speaking of offers, Jason. The clothes, the jewelry, you know I can’t accept any of it.”

Jason reached across table and took her hand in his. “You think too much. Just allow me to take care of you for a few days. Relax and let go, we’ll figure out everything else later.”

Stephanie opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it. She knew it was a losing battle to spar with Jason about his gifts. At that moment the only thing that mattered was that she was with him. It was enough for her. Yes, we will figure the rest out later.

“Are you ready for surprise number one?” Jason asked as the server removed their dinner plates.

He rose and walked to her side of the table. She closed her eyes as a finger grazed the nape of her neck before he pulled her chair out and took her arm in his. She trembled in response to his sizzling touch on her bare back as he lead her through the doorway to the outside terrace. The maître d handed Jason and Stephanie each a glass of port as they walked onto an outdoor patio that jutted over the edge of the building. A cool breeze blew through her hair but she was instantly warmed by a sip of the rich liquid.

“It’s beautiful. I’ve seen the fountains at street level before but never this high up,” Stephanie said, walking up to the railing. She couldn’t actually hear the activity on the busy boulevard from their location high above The Strip, but the intensity in the air was evident. She gazed down at the famous fountains of The Castillo Hotel & Casino.

Jason took the port from her hand and placed the glasses on a nearby table. Stephanie instinctively leaned into the warmth of his palm on the bare small of her back. A sigh escaped her lips as his hand slipped inside the fabric of her dress and ventured lower until his fingertips brushed the top of her ass. The lights on the terrace dimmed and music began to play. A flash of light from the water below signaled a single long spray from the middle of the lake. It multiplied and set off a continuous line of water in the air that moved forward and back with the music. As the water danced in the air, the music’s volume increased. Stephanie placed both hands on the railing. He moved behind her and ran his fingers up the planes of her back and down both of her arms. Continuing his assault of warm kisses down her neck and between her shoulder blades, the tip of his tongue followed the trail back up her neck and stopped at her ear. Stephanie gasped and leaned into his body for support. His arms provided the stability she needed to remain standing.

“My self-control is giving out,” Jason whispered in her ear as his hand inched upward taking her dress hem along with it. Stephanie felt the evidence of his arousal pressing firmly against her back. She tilted her head up to meet his gaze.

“Let’s go,” she said with a coy smile.

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WHIRLDWIND AFFAIR by Francesca Hawley

WHIRLWIND AFFAIR by Francesca Hawley

Red Stilettos, Book Two.

Erika Bergstrom is shopping in an upscale adult boutique when handsome Rodrigo Torbellino asks for help finding a gift. Just her luck! As he flirts with her, she discovers he’s shopping for a bridal shower gift for a friend, not a lover. So when he asks her to model a beautiful negligee then seduces her in the dressing room, Erika gives in to her urge for a wild new experience…a one-night stand.

The next morning, Erika’s body is sated from pleasure. Rigo obtains a promise she’ll call him and tells her that if she doesn’t, he’ll find her. She’s intrigued and thrilled with his obvious interest until she discovers Rigo is the head of the company her brother wants the family to partner with, so she doesn’t contact him. A month passes. When they meet again, the fire between them burns just as bright as ever, but does Rigo want the business deal or her?

Can the red stilettos live up to their legend to provide the wearer with her heart’s desire?

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By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age. If you are under the age of 18, it is necessary to exit this site.
An Excerpt From: WHIRLWIND AFFAIR
Copyright © FRANCESCA HAWLEY, 2010
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.
Chapter One

His dark eyes caressed the curves of her buttocks like a warm hand. Erika Larson-Bergstrom shivered as she glanced at him out the corner of her eye. She licked her lips as his gaze captured hers and he smiled, unnerving her while at the same time arousing her until she ached with need.

A part of her wondered if her mischievous twenty-two-year-old twin daughters had set this up. After all, they were the ones who´d given her the $100 gift certificate for Erotically Bound, the upscale Minneapolis adult store she shopped in right now. But the man eyeing her was no twenty-two-year-old kid. He was all man and she wanted to explore every inch of him...intimately.

Erika looked down at the lingerie she fingered, trying to clear her lust-filled mind. Her biggest problem was that she´d spent the last twelve years rearing her daughters as a single mom. She could count on one hand the number of men she´d dated during that time. The number she´d slept with was even less. She was just horny and needed to get laid, and he was the answer to a horny woman´s prayer.

"Miss, could you assist me?" His voice was warm and deep with the hint of an Antonio Banderas-style Spanish accent. She looked up into the warmest brown eyes she´d ever seen. At least he´d called her "miss" and not "ma´am".

"Assist you?"

"Yes, I must buy a gift for a lady and I have no idea what she might want."

"Oh." Erika forced a smile to her tight lips. "Sure."

Well, that certainly burst her bubble. He had a woman he was shopping for. It figured. Of course it should have been a relief he wasn´t buying undies for himself since he was shopping in the women´s lingerie section, but she´d been dreaming he might possibly be as attracted to her as she was to him.
No such luck.

He wanted a buddy to help him shop for another woman. Shit. Buddy seemed to be the only way men viewed her-especially lately-and it was almost always because she was a plus-size woman. Women with big butts liked sex too. Damn men, anyway.

"So what´s the gift for? Your anniversary? Her birthday?"

"Anniversary? No." He laughed. She liked his laugh...a lot. He threw himself into it. His head back and his hands running through his hair. Thick, black hair. Yum.

Focus, Erika. Do not notice the full, wide lips and straight, white teeth. The high cheekbones. She swallowed, her gaze skimming over him. The broad shoulders, narrow hips and tight ass. Forget how hot he is. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn´t ignore his appeal. Her pussy was damp and swollen...as if she had a chance in hell of taking him inside her.

"I´m shopping for my administrative assistant."

"Your...?" Oh geez. Sleeping with an employee. Could it get worse?

He waved his hand as he read her expression. "No, she is getting married and this place has a bridal registry."

"A bridal registry? You´ve got to be kidding." Erika raised her brows.

"I know. It sounds insane, and so I told her. But she assured me it was so." He pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to her. "Here is a list of things the clerk printed for me that have not yet been purchased for her. My assistant is very organized and wants no duplicates."

Erika looked at the list he held and realized he was telling the truth. It consisted of lingerie, loungewear, dresses, shoes and, good grief, sex toys and movies.

"It´s...um...comprehensive."

"Yes. I refuse to buy her some of these items. I am her friend, yes, but her employer first. Can you imagine if I showed up at the office bridal shower with," he took the list back, glaring at it while shaking his head in disbelief, "a Rotating G-Spot Rabbit Vibrator?"

"It would certainly be the talk of the party," Erika agreed dryly.

"Yes, laugh at me. Sofia certainly has done so."

"Your wife?"

"No, my assistant. I am not married."

"Oh. Well, there are some clothes on here."

"Crotchless panties? I ask you-in what universe should a boss give his assistant crotchless panties?"

"What do you want to give her?" She fought her laughter. He looked truly distressed. His dark brows were drawn together and his mouth tight.

"A toaster." He nodded decisively, once.

Erika lost her fight, laughing in delight. "No wonder she sent you here instead. No woman wants a toaster for a wedding gift."

"There is nothing wrong with a toaster. I would get her an expensive one that does everything but grocery shops for her. Does she want this? No. Instead she wants sexy clothes. X-rated films. Bah..." He shook his head, slashing his hand in front of him in disgust.

She liked his attitude. It was kind of old-fashioned, but then she was pretty traditional too. Most of the time. But not right now. Right now she wanted to throw him up against a wall and kiss the shopping frustration off his face. She wanted to peel his black suit jacket off his muscled body and rip his white shirt open so she could get to his broad chest to taste it. Oh geez. Down, Erika.

"Can I see the list? Maybe we can find something palatable to you."

"By all means." He handed it back to her, his fingers brushing hers. She inhaled, fighting a moan as the touch went right to her pussy.

Erika shook her head slightly. What the heck was wrong with her? She couldn´t remember any man affecting her like this in...years. Had it really been that long since she´d had sex with something other than her long-suffering vibrator? Yes, unfortunately it had. Erika dragged her eyes off him with effort and forced herself to read the list.

"There´s a pair of shoes here that might be okay."

"I don´t think so."

"Why? Shoes are okay-even if they are stilettos."

 She glanced down at her feet, surprised they didn´t hurt in the fancy heels she´d just received in the mail from Bella. They were gorgeous. She´d forgotten how much she liked them during the three months they´d belonged to her childhood friend. But now they were hers. She just hoped they lived up to the auctioneer´s spiel about them. Ruby slippers to make your heart´s desire come true. We´ll see.

"Did you notice the manufacturer of them?" he asked.

"My shoes?" Yeah, he was damn close to her heart´s desire.

"Although your shoes are quite attractive, I meant the shoes on the list."

"Oh right." A little too self-absorbed there, Miss Erika, she chided herself. Erika ducked her head to read the listing, but she sure didn´t recognize the company name. "Fukkeme? Are they Japanese?"

"Um...I don´t believe so. Think about the company name for a moment and it will become clear. Or perhaps my mind is-how do you say?-in the gutter inappropriately-however, this is an adult store."
He waved around them.

Fukkeme? What was the problem? Oh hell no. And she´d said it out loud. To him. Her face went hot and she knew without a doubt she was blushing from her head to her feet.

"Sorry. I didn´t get it at first," Erika muttered.

"I understand. No worries, miss. I actually grabbed up the shoes, intending to purchase them until I looked at the box. When I saw the company logo, I finally understood."

"What´s so terrible about the company logo?"

"Two shoes having sex. I must admit to being envious of the stiletto on top. He has quite an impressive...heel."

Her gaze flew to his and she saw his lips twitching. Erika giggled, and when he chuckled, they both bent double with laughter.

"Oh my goodness. The mind boggles. Truly," she gasped around her laughter, wiping away tears.
"And well it should."

"Hmmm. Perhaps some lingerie then."

"Not..."

"No, not crotchless panties. Let´s see. There´s a negligee on the list. That might work." Erika looked for the right gown and blinked, blushing as she stared at a revealing red lace negligee. It was beautiful and one she might buy for herself with the $100 gift certificate her daughters gave her.
He lifted the delicate fabric in his large hands and eyed her as if he was imagining her wearing it. "This might work. Sofia is curvy and sexy like you."

"Sexy? Like me?"

"Yes. She has beautiful, dangerous curves like yours." He smiled at her.

"You aren´t her fiancée, are you?"

"Heavens no. She´s much too fierce for me."

"Oh." Did he really call her sexy?

"Perhaps you would try the gown on so I might know if this will truly suit her."

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BEAUTIFUL SCARS by Shiloh Walker

BEAUTIFUL SCARS by Shiloh Walker

Some scars cut right to the heart.

Three years after her divorce, Chaili Bennett is over her ex. Her only problem now? Of the few men she’s dated since, no one “gets” her. Not like Marc Archer—a man who’s never seen her as more than a friend.

Marc Archer needs a date for a last-minute charity event, and he needs it fast. Not that women aren’t throwing themselves at his world-famous face and body, but sometimes it’s less messy—as in less personal—to use his sister Shera’s escort service.

The last woman on earth Marc expects to see in his sister’s office is Chaili. There’s something different about her, but nothing pleases him more when Shera sets them up. That simple date quickly evolves into much more as they both discover the other fills a deep, secret need they’ve shared with no one else.

Though Chaili insists one night is all she wants, Marc isn’t walking away now. Not until he discovers what put the shadows in her eyes. And the scars on her soul.

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Copyright © 2012 Shiloh Walker
 All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication

The office was tucked away not far from his home in Lake Forest. Marc knew most of the people in the area had an idea just what Escortè did, and he suspected a few of them also thought there was more to the companionship service that his sister offered. He also knew she had her hands full chasing away the idiots who weren’t convinced by the office policy. He’d seen their mother dealing with it before she retired, had watched Shera handling it off and on, had listened to some of her stories, ranging from the funny to the messed-up.

Personally, he was glad he had an in to the place.

It made his life easier.

He could play the dating game okay, but he got tired of trying to do it. It was easier for him to keep it impersonal, professional. After Lily, he’d tried a few casual relationships, the just friends sort of thing, but those hadn’t ended up any better than any other messed-up relationship in his life. So he’d quit trying for a while and used Escortè.

There were similar services in other cities where he did the same thing. Kept it all nice and simple.

Then he hadn’t had to worry about it for a while.

He’d met Selene. They clicked. They were compatible—in bed and out, and he hadn’t had to mess with this crap.

Now? Starting all over again.

He tried not to feel aggravated. It was just a business thing. He paid for a date, had a woman with him for a few hours, spared himself the headache of dealing with some of the nightmares that came from being single at some of these parties. He also spared himself the nightmare that came from trying to have a friendly relationship that would just end in a disaster.

Really, this was for the best, right? All he had going with Selene was friendship anyway—granted, it was the friends with benefits sort of thing, but that could be found elsewhere.

Impersonal as hell. Yeah, that bothered him, and right now it was bothering him more than normal, but he’d finally found a way to balance his life and he didn’t need anything rocking that boat.

You need to stop being so negative, he told himself. But it was damned hard considering every relationship he’d been in since high school had gone from hell to hella-bad in a blink.

“No.” He threw the Porsche into park and climbed out, leaning against the side. “Not thinking about that.” Part of the reason he hated coming back here. And that pissed him off. Chicago was home. It was home, and he avoided it like the plague except for rare visits home to see his sister, all because coming back here made him think of…

“And you’re doing it again.” Shoving away from the car, he pocketed the keys and headed toward his sister’s office. It was quiet around here at night. During the day it was busy, but at night it was mostly vacant. Just a few random cars scattered in front of the other businesses. He recognized his sister’s car, parked in front of the office, but he didn’t see another one close to hers.

He didn’t want to have to drive her home…that made it seem even more like a date.

A taxi, then. He’d get her into a damn taxi, or hell, Caleb would probably have cars there.

Yeah. He could get her into a car once the night was over with.

Then he’d head out to Blue’s. Blue usually preferred that people wanting the…more private services contact her in advance, but she’d work something out. Distracted, thinking about that, he pushed through the door, thinking about maybe trying to put in a call to her before he even left Shera’s. He needed to do something, right? He was edgy as hell and the only way to burn this kind of energy off was—

His brain just stopped.

He caught sight of the woman standing with her back to him and his mind came to screeching, crashing halt. All the blood in his head slowly started to sizzle and burn. A long, sleek back, displayed in a backless, pale dress, leaving lots and lots of sexy, smooth skin… His heart bumped once, hard, against his ribs, as his gaze dipped, lingering on the narrow curve of her waist, the round swell of her ass, and then onto long, sleek, sleek legs…

Ah, maybe he wouldn’t be calling a car for her, after all.

Dragging his gaze up, he studied the back of her head and something started to click in the back of his mind. Dark hair, not quite black, shot through with lighter threads… His heart started to race. He knew this woman.

She turned around and he found himself staring into Chaili’s blue eyes.

Marc had a fondness for her eyes. He didn’t know why, exactly. Maybe it was because they were blue, and such a vivid blue they almost looked purple to his screwy eyesight. He didn’t know why. Didn’t care. He just knew she had amazing eyes.

It was a punch. A hard, brutal punch straight to his gut and he closed one hand into a fist as he continued to stare at her. Okay. She wasn’t here for him. Chaili wasn’t one of his sister’s girls. She had something else going on… Then it occurred to him—Shera had absently mentioned setting up a line of male companions. Was Chaili…?

No.

Just. No. Even thinking about her paying some guy to take her out pissed him off.

What the heck—

Shera appeared from the back office. “Hey, Marc.” She had a smile on her face. An overly bright one. The kind of smile she’d always given him when she’d done something she shouldn’t have and she wanted him to help keep her out of trouble with Mom. Except she was a grown woman.

Oh, crap.

Swinging his gaze back and forth between the two women, he lifted a brow and waited.

“Awesome news.” Shera still had that wide, too-bright smile plastered across her face. “Chaili is going to keep you company tonight.”
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LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW by Caitlyn Willows

LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW by Caitlyn Willows

Hot, hungry and horny, Jim’s looking for a night of scorching no-name sex.

Desperate to feel alive, Julia’s on the prowl for a hot, hard body before the Marine Corps sends her back to war.

Who knew a one-night stand could be more than either of them ever hoped for? Or that they’d have such little time to enjoy it?

Sometimes a person has to take a chance. Do something a little crazy. Live like there’s no tomorrow.

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~Excerpt~

“I need a name.” He had to have one. It drove him crazier by the second that she wouldn’t share it with him.

“For a drive-by, one-night stand? That was your intent, right?”

“Well…yeah. But I…” He couldn’t explain why it mattered. Hell, he didn’t know why it mattered. It just did. And what if she was a Marine? What about her rank? The whole fraternization thing? Fuck, he was going down for one rule-breaker after the other. But then, if she suspected he was a gunnery sergeant, she’d be on the watch for fraternization too. Maybe they were the same rank, or close, or…

“What are you calling me in your head?” Another naughty grin jerked his rambling thoughts to a halt. “Be nice now.”

“Little Red. Red.”

“Cute. Not very original, but it’ll do.” She took another bite.

And calling him Gunny was original? Subject closed. He let her win this round. The night was young and he was still horny. Getting hornier by the second.

Jim played out intelligent conversations in his head while they finished his burger then divvied up hers. Nothing scholarly came to mind. He was left with the basics.

Jim leaned back, one arm on the bench seat behind her, the other clutching the beer, ready to play twenty questions. One sip of his drink stopped him cold. He just couldn’t do it. He pushed the brew away, signaled the waitress, and ordered what he really wanted—wine.

“Make it two, please.”Red pushed her drink away too. “This lemonade isn’t working for me. And these drinks will be on me.” She scooted into the curve of his body. “That’s one pretense out of the way.”

“Speaking of which…”

She pressed her index finger against his lips. “No names, Gunny.”

It bugged the hell out of him. “All right.” For now.“Occupation?”

“Employed.”

“Come on, Red. Gimme something.”

She tickled her fingers down to his navel. “I’d hoped to give you a lot tonight.”

“You know me? Been here before? Have we met?”

Her laughter felt like spring, all bright and warm after a long, hard winter. “No…to all of the above.
This in my first time in here. And no, I’m not new in town.”

“So why tonight, here, me?”

“Goodness, so many questions.” She thanked the waitress for their wine, grabbed both glasses, and handed him one. “I came in here to meet a heartbroken girlfriend. She bailed. I was getting ready to leave and saw you looking all…needful. How could I possibly resist? Plus, I didn’t think a decent-looking guy like you deserved to get tangled up with any of this.” She waved her hand toward the other females in the bar.

“You do this often?” Now that was a nasty question, and Jim regretted it the second the words left his mouth.

Judging from the startled look in her eyes, the question had hurt. Red should have kneed him in the balls and taken off. Instead, those green eyes softened, settled on him…in him. “No. Never.
Sometimes a person has to take a chance. Do something a little crazy. I needed. You needed. Good?”

Jim had thought so at first. “Yeah…good.”

Red rested her hot palm on his thigh and cuddled in close. “I like dogs, gardening and hiking. I’m a nerd and proud of it. Your turn.”

“Friends call me Rod.”

That brought snickers and a Spock-like lift of her eyebrow.

“Short for Roderick, my last name. First name’s Jim.”

“Preferences?” She sipped her wine. His eyes locked on to how her lips glistened afterward.

Jim honestly didn’t give a damn what friends called him. The nickname had also morphed into his work life, making him Gunny Rod. But from a woman he wanted more. He needed intimacy, especially from this woman.

He laughed to himself at the irony of it all. He’d come for a hook-up and here he was assigning more to it, needing more from it.

“Jim. As long as you don’t add any Star Trek reference to it.” Though he wouldn’t mind if she did.
“Jim.” She kissed him, soft and sweet. No tongue, just lips pulling at his. Tempting, not teasing. A nibble, a pull. As if he were somebody more than a desert-dried Marine who hadn’t been laid in six months.


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DARE by Kacey Hammell

DARE by Kacey Hammell

Legal secretary, Olivia Warner enjoys being single and, aside from her closest gal pals, usually keeps to herself. But the night of her thirty-fourth birthday, she and her friends spend a fun-filled evening at a local bar where her friends dare her to approach a man, and spend the night with him. Olivia's not one to turn down a dare, especially from her old college pals. She only hopes the man in question is in for some good conversation, because that's all she'll give him.
 

Darren "Dare" Shalvis has given up on women. He's tired of being chased for his money, good looks, and prowess in bed. He prefers to meet a woman who, for once, wants nothing more from him than mere conversation. If only the woman asking him to spend the night with her wasn't his favorite legal secretary.

Accepting a dare has never been so tempting...
 

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Excerpt:

She gave a small laugh and lifted the glass for a drink.

Dare watched her lips as she drank. He wondered what they’d taste like. It was something he’d considered many times lately.

He was drawn to her, but unsure he’d ever act on it.

Her whole demeanor said ‘hands off.’ And he wasn’t sure he was ready for the challenge.
“Tell me about it.”

“I’ll cut right to the chase.” As he turned on the stool, their knees brushed. Neither moved.
He thought he saw her eyes lit up. Perhaps Ms. Warner wasn’t as immune as he thought.
“My friends brought me here tonight for my birthday.”

“Happy birthday.”

She smiled. “Thank you. The jury’s still out whether it’s happy or not. My friends decided that as a present they’d get me a man.” She blushed and reached for her drink.

“Go on.” Intriguing.

She set down her glass and continued, “They dared me. Dared me to find myself a man and spend the night with him.”

Women…who understood them? He’d only ever participated in dares when he was younger. He didn’t think anyone took them seriously anymore.

“And you need my help, how?” Dare’s heart rate accelerated. She wasn’t asking him to…
She stared up at him, her gaze steady. “I need you to spend the night with me.”

If he hadn’t heard it with his own ears, he wouldn’t have believed it. This night was the strangest he’d had in a long time. It was as if he’d been offered a million dollars on a silver platter.

Of course, he wanted to spend the night with her. He’d fantasized about it many times. He just wasn’t clear on what exactly she was asking. He didn’t want any misunderstandings. “Are you asking me to spend the night with you to…” Dare cleared his throat. “…be with you?”

“Oh! No, yes, I mean no. Dammit, I’ve screwed this up.”

“Relax.” He put a hand on her knee. “It’s okay. Let’s try this—do you want me to have sex with you?”

Olivia groaned. Dare love that sound, and heat filled his groin.

“No. Not to have sex. God, this is mortifying.” Olivia placed her hand over his where it still rested on her knee. “Just to spend the night together—a movie, hang out, whatever—until eight a.m., when the dare is over.”

Dare laughed. She talked so fast he could hardly keep up. He’d never seen her so animated before. He liked her flustered and breathless…a lot. He wondered if she looked and sounded like that during sex.

He couldn’t go that route. Not now.

“Okay, so let me get this straight. You want us to spend the night together—with no sex—until morning? All because of a dare? Why didn’t you just say no?”

“I can’t. In college, the five of us made a pact—in blood, for God’s sake—that we’d always be friends and never back down from a dare. Trust me, right now, I wish I’d never made it.”
He chuckled. “Yes, I can imagine how you feel.”

“I’m so tired after the day we had. This was the last thing I needed tonight.”

“Yeah, when I stopped by the office today you seemed a bit irritated.”

She sighed and ran her fingers over his hand. Dare was surprised how comfortable it felt to have their knees and hands touch. He didn’t think Olivia was even aware she caressed his hands…or wreaked havoc on his libido. If her innocent touches could send him into overdrive, he wondered what would happen if she put all she had into it.

“It was the day from hell. I just wanted to meet the girls for a few drinks, then head home to soak the day away.”

Dare grit his teeth and tried not to think of Olivia in a bathtub—water floating around her body, relaxed, languid. The image could send him over the edge.

“Well, you’re in luck. I’m your man for the night.”

Olivia smiled and her eyes danced. “Thank you. I really appreciate it. The last thing I wanted to do was have to pick up some random guy. I’m so glad you were here.”

Pleased he could help her, Dare grinned. He realized he wanted to anything to put that carefree smile on her face.

“So.” He took a sip of his beer. “What do you want to do?”

She scowled. “Well, we could go back to my place. I have a spare room that you can crash in if you want.”

Surprised, Dare took in her flushed face. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “Yeah. We don’t exactly have to stay up all night. It’s still spending the night together, right?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, in a manner of speaking. Your friends weren’t specific.”

A smug smile crossed Olivia’s face. “No they weren’t. Which is a testament to how much they thought this through. I would have made a list of do’s and don’ts.”

They both laughed. Olivia had a naughty streak and he liked it. Liked it—and her—very much. A night with Olivia Warner wasn’t what he’d expected.

Sure, he’d thought of her in his bed often, writhing and moaning with passion, but he never thought fantasy would become a reality. He couldn’t let the opportunity go.

His buddies didn’t call him Dare for no reason. He could never resist a challenge.

He placed both hands on her shoulders, drew her gaze from her glass, and put his cards on the table.

“What if we have an agreement?”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“For us to spend the night together, we should have some ground rules.”

“Ground rules?”

“I will spend the night with you. More than eager to do so, except one thing.”

“What’s that?” she whispered. He barely heard her but saw her lips move.

He wanted to taste them, desperately.

“I don’t want to sleep in any spare room.”

“You don’t?” She gawked at him.

Her expression was comical but Dare didn’t feel like laughing.

“No. I want to spend the night in your room.” Dare had her full attention. She stared at him, eyes wide. “In your bed.”

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