TJ Michaels

This is actually more of a lost and found love ;D And though it’s almost Springtime here, I just can’t resist a hot winter romance where the hero is determined to create his own second chance, to do whatever it takes to make up for being an idiot in the past, and convince the woman of his heart that he will take good care of her…this time around.

Blurb: Melaniece is looking forward to spending a nice quiet holiday at her vacation home up in the mountains. Expecting to enjoy ripping open gifts with her family, she’s surprised when they spring the ultimate present on her: Michael Bannon. What the hell is he doing here? Could it have anything to do with the strange vampire dreams she’s been having lately? Nah, because there’s no such thing as vampires, right?

Michael is determined not to blow a second chance with the woman he should have loved years ago, even if it means revealing his true nature. Is a good guy willing to be very bad to get what he wants? Hell, yes…including drive Melaniece out of her mind. Over and over again.

EXCERPT from GIFT WRAP:OPTIONAL
By TJ Michaels
Copyright 2006 Ellora’s Cave All Right Reserved

Melaniece Matthews muttered to herself, carefully navigating the icy winding road leading up to the high country.

“Man, what a weird dream. Michael, a vampire?” The same strange dream plagued her at least twice a week for the past six months. They’d started immediately after she’d returned from a short trip home to California. It had been so good to see her friends and family after being away for eight years. And beyond lovely to see Michael Bannon again—the man she’d always loved. And, sigh, the man who’d seen her as just a great friend. Instead of marrying her, he’d hooked up with someone else, a woman named Janna. The end result? Six years of hell on earth for him. And now he haunted her in her sleep.

While Melaniece could admit she’d thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with him after so many years, she sure as hell wasn’t going to admit he’d been on her mind ever since. Her dream crept around the edges of her mind. “What if he is a vampire?” she smirked to herself, a sarcastically evil grin plastered across her lips. “That would explain why he ripped my heart out by marrying Janna. There’d certainly been plenty of blood to go around.”

Peering through the cold, clear windshield, Melaniece grimaced as her thoughts turned to her favorite holiday. Instead of the usual elation about Christmas, she was assailed with a mix of emotions she couldn’t quite nail down. There was the thrill of spending time with her children after a whole year of separation, chased by a longing for intimate companionship so acute she found herself on the verge of tears. Then, right there at the back of her mind was an elusive sense of naughty anticipation. But for what? A good lay? Not likely. She had no prospects and no interest in hunting for any. Michael’s handsome face popped into her head complete with fangs and a roguish grin, just like in her dream. Damn, she could practically feel the gorgeous, redheaded hunk making love with her as his incisors rasped over her skin. Yep, right there on the big sheepskin rug in front of the fireplace. Perfect spot.

“Hah, right!” she laughed with an unmistakable snort and waved the image away. But her breathing quickened in spite of a refusal to acknowledge the fine-assed man with fangs dancing around in her head. Give it a minute and her pulse would return to normal, right? Woo, she needed to turn off the heat. In spite of the freezing cold, the car was hot as hell. After a quick glance down at the console, she rolled her eyes up to the roof of the car. The damned heat wasn’t even turned on!

“Good grief, I’m hopeless,” she quietly grumbled. And it was all her dream man’s fault. Key word—dream. First off, she’d long given up hope in that quarter. Second, there was no such thing as vampires. So Michael was single again. Big deal. They’d had a great time reuniting in California six months ago. Who cared? None of it meant he wanted her now any more than he had eight years before.

With the car packed full of wrapped packages and luggage, Melaniece focused on the upcoming holiday. A glimpse at the pile of boxes in the backseat brought a small smile as she reminded herself this was a season to give generously to those you loved…and those who loved you back. And boy was she prepared to do just that.

Her children had spent the past year in an exchange program teaching English in Japan. It was amazingly expensive to live on the exotic little island. With most of their meager salaries going toward rent, groceries and train fare, the two had gone without some conveniences. When they returned to Minato-ku, a suburb of Tokyo, they’d sure as hell take lots of top-of-the-line goodies with them. Nothing but the best for her kids.

Christmas Day was fast approaching. She looked into the rearview mirror and spoke sharply to the woman reflected in the narrow glass.

“Okay you,” she said to herself. “No more goofy dreams, no more wasting time mooning over someone you can’t have and no more vampire nonsense. It’s Christmas and you’re gonna accept whatever Santa decides to give you. Got it?”

Got it. She popped a classic holiday CD into the player and hummed along with “Santa Baby”. With genuine laughter, Melaniece let Nat King Cole chase away her blues as she headed up the highway to her vacation home to meet her family. Up there among the snow-capped peaks, the long-toothed boogeyman was not allowed, no matter how yummy he looked in her sleep, damn it.

Enjoy all the other Snippet Saturday excerpts by clicking through to the links below. Happy Saturday!

Emma Petersen
Ashley Ladd
Lissa Matthews
McKenna Jeffries
Shelli Stevens
Mari Carr
Lauren Dane
Vivian Arend
Elisabeth Naughton
Juliana Stone
Shelley Munro
Leah Braemel

This week’s theme is near and dear to my heart in regard to something I don’t get to do nearly enough of – SHOP!

While they aren’t actually at a store or mall, here are two of my favorite characters talking about one of their favorite passtimes…and how much trouble they get into while doing it – shopping, that is ;D

Enjoy! And don’t forget to click through to the other Snippet Saturday authors listed at the bottom of this post.

EXCERPT from HATSEPT HEAT
Vampire Council of Ethics, Book 3
By TJ Michaels, Copyright 2008
Samhain Publishing, All Rights Reserved

“What the hell? Tam, you see that?”

Tameth’s head swiveled around and followed Carin’s line of sight. Exceptional vision revealed the slightest movement of a shadow along the tree-lined path near the fence across the way. That path led to a grotto that couldn’t quite be seen from here, and on the other side of the thick stand of trees was a locked gate that was supposed to be guarded twenty-four seven.

“What the hell is she doing? Kenoe’s gonna kill her.”

“Yeah? Well who does she remind you of, Tam?”

Tameth rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but answer honestly…sort of.

“She does not remind me of either of us.” Tameth replied blandly.

“Riiiight,” Carin drawled. “What about that little excursion to Sausalito after we got back from the London mission?”

“You can’t count that,” Tameth huffed. “We are both Serati females and can do as we please. I was not even on duty and had no need to report in. Besides, I was well prepared to look after both of us.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t have permission to take Stealth One. Which you, uh, sort of failed to mention at the time.”

“Oh shut up. You got a nice pair of designer pumps out of that shopping spree, didn’t you?”

“Sure did. And Bix on my ass. Hell, I was almost looking forward to him getting sent off on a mission somewhere just so I could go take a pee by myself!”

“Drama queen.”

“Me! And who complained after Alaan actually gave her a spanking then revoked her pilot’s license for three months?”

“Nobody I know,” Tameth lied boldly. Carin laughed out loud, then clamped her lips shut. She didn’t want to bring any unnecessary attention to them right now. Considering they’d gotten into plenty of trouble together by wiggling out from under Seeker radar, the last thing they needed was anyone running off to find their husbands.

The shadow eased closer to the grotto entrance then darted out of sight into the trees.

“Come on, we’d better save her ass before Kenoe turns it another color, like blazing red.” Carin wrapped her fingers around Tameth’s upper arm and tugged, almost surprised when Tameth didn’t put up a fuss.

Tameth shrugged. “What can I say? I like her. She’s good for Kenoe.”

“Yeah, but I have a feeling she won’t be good for his nerves.”

*****

Shinju knew she was being followed. At first she didn’t really care, actually eager to engage someone, anyone, just to work off some steam. But when her mind recalled exactly who, or rather what, was embroiled in her current life’s situation, she could have strangled herself. Max had been playing both sides of the fence with the vampires—friends with Clan Li on one hand, and doing deals with a human, rogue-associated, vamp drug dealer on the other. And the odds that the person tailing her was a little old Japanese lady in need of directions to the nearest fish market were slim to none.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Why in the world hadn’t she stayed at the hospital where it was at least assured that the vamps walking the halls were good guys? But nooooo, she just had to go walk it off, had to get away from everyone so she could think about things. When would she learn that getting away from everyone was exactly what she needed to stop doing? She had Kenoe now, along with all of his family and friends who’d already accepted her into the fold.

Oh well. Nothing to be done for it.

What she really needed right now was a weapon. Again, her mind shot back to the medical facility. Why? Because she happened to have a six-foot, muscle-packed, white-haired, katana-toting, deadly weapon that loved everything about her. A weapon who would give and do anything for her—Kenoe Hatsept. And where was he? Waiting for her to return to her brother’s hospital suite ready to give the doctors a decision about the blood transfusion. Not to mention the fact that she was supposed to be getting herself sated on hot coffee and perhaps a baker’s dozen of brownies.

Shinju held back the urge to slap herself in the head, then without looking back she took off at a dead run and ducked around the next corner into an alley. Chest heaving more from the burst of adrenaline than the short sprint, Shinju was faced with the possibility of her own mortality. If these were rogue vampires stalking her, without a full bond with Kenoe and the advantage of sharing his blood, she would be no match for them. Stronger and faster, they’d gut her in no time.

God, she didn’t want to die. All she’d needed was some time to get used to the whole vampire boyfriend thing. After spending a bit of that with Kenoe and company, Shinju wanted nothing more than to bond with him and get on with their no-doubt exciting lives. But here she was all alone in an alley about to face God-knows-what. Was she too far for him to hear her if she called? Only one way to find out.

Her right foot lashed out at the first pursuer to speed around the corner as she yelled for Kenoe with all her psychically non-talented might.

I just got home from a business trip and I’m too loopy to take a stab at a blurb, so let’s just get right into it, shall we? :D Oh, and don’t forget to visit the other Snippet authors! All their links are at the bottom of this post. Enjoy ;D

Note for Readers: You must be over eighteen to read this excerpt.

Snippet from Shards of Ecstasy
Book 2 in the Hearts of Fire series

Well, lookee here. A water elemental.

Asmodeus almost laughed out loud at his good fortune. So, did the human male who’d sucked De’alla Isaacs to a blistering orgasm on her balcony have any idea who or what she was? Doubted it. There’d been no indication of anything more than a single bout of passing sex. And what a perfectly delicious sight De’alla had made, all flushed and trembling from the tongue-lashing she’d received. Asmodeus had been hard-pressed to remain at a distance and watch the Chosen, his Chosen, throw her head back and hold in a scream that surely would have sent the local gulls scrambling for flight.

Good thing his sexy little water worker had shooed the human out of her house shortly after, because if the male proved to be an obstacle Asmodeus would plow through him in a heartbeat. In fact, to get to De’alla, he would singe the Chosen’s pet male to a crisp without breaking stride.

Any elemental was a rare prize, but a water elemental was especially coveted. And this one carried a piece of the Hearts of Fire on top of all that? Hell, Asmodeus had hit the mother lode. Yee-fuckin’-haw!

And now, tonight, on a deserted stretch of beach tucked into a small bit of a cove, the Chosen worked out with her ability. She practiced pulling water from the very air around her, forming small marbles of water with ease. Then she erected a thin wall of water a short distance away and used the water marbles to punch holes in it. The energy and concentration it took to work with the elements was considerable. It also spoke of someone directly descended from the Ancients.

Most he’d run across were distantly related, had little to no skill with manipulating nature and were selected because of their destiny even if they’d had no Atlantean blood whatsoever. But this elemental was more than Chosen. She was an Atlantean, no matter how far removed. That would explain the entity he’d sensed around her, all Atlanteans had a protector, a guide that carried the essence of nature itself, so to speak.

And she was strong, this one. But Asmodeus sensed an inherent weakness, a weakness that could only be shored up by her joining with her true mate—that was something he’d learned in his last encounter with a Chosen. He wondered if De’alla had met him yet. And if so had she sprung the news of her destiny on the poor sap? Did he believe her or think she was crazy? Crazy would definitely serve Asmodeus’ purposes better.

Hmmm, could that singer guy who’d feasted between her legs be De’alla Isaacs’ mate? She hadn’t acted like it. And there’d certainly been no output of blistering crystal power when the man had gone down on her like there’d been when Dee’s sister had made love to her mate.

Asmodeus’ temper spiked. “Shit, why don’t I know more about this Chosen business?” He’d been alive for as long as time was time yet those fucking Atlanteans had managed to keep these damn sisters a secret for thousands of years. The Hearts of Fire, oh he knew about that all right. That’s what had set him on this journey in the first place. It was the one thing that contained enough life energy to give him a flesh and blood body that held the power of a demon. Yet the details of getting his hands on that little jewel had eluded him until a mere three hundred years ago. Unfortunately for an immortal time had no relevance…and that three centuries had been spent looking for eight human females who hadn’t been born until barely forty years ago, goddammit.

And Asmodeus didn’t even want to think about the fact that the eight women he thought he needed turned out to be four women and their destined mates.

His encounter with Dee’s sister, Memory, hadn’t gone the way he’d planned. Actually he hadn’t truly planned anything, just figured the woman was a human he could walk in and simply overpower. It had been more than a surprise to encounter such raw power when he’d attempted to relieve Memory of her crystal. Then her fucking mate came to help her and the two of them together had been more than he expected. He still didn’t consider any Chosen to be more powerful than himself, but this time he would at least do a bit of surveillance.

Just then, De’alla sat down in the sand and lifted her head to the sky. Suddenly all was entirely too quiet. It was already still due to the fact that it was three in the morning and nobody was around, but this was an uncommon still. Suddenly the sky opened directly over De’alla and her body was covered completely by a singular deluge. The roar of the water was as loud as crashing waves in the midst of a storm.

Her body should have been smashed, torn to pieces by the force of the water. Instead, De’alla opened a small “door” in the middle of her personal waterfall and walked out of it, leaving it to rip up the sand in her wake. Then she just left. Walked away.

With a twinkle in her eye that even Asmodeus could see in this light with this failing human body, De’alla gave a flick of her wrist and the waterfall plummeted to the sand and rolled back out into the Sound with the next retreating wave.

“Impressive.”

After that, all that was left was the faint crunch, crunch, crunch of her tennis shoes as she left the beach and headed toward home across the street.

Yes, he would have to move soon. Even with this display of power he’d be strong enough to take her in another night or two. Then the Piece of Eight would be his, along with De’alla Isaacs. After all, what kind of demon would he be if he didn’t have a bit of sport with her before he took her essence into himself?

A razor-sharp maw blinked into view then disappeared again beneath the illusion of sparkling white perfectly straight teeth as Asmodeus considered all the ways he would make this little water baby beg. Beg to be fucked. Beg to come. Then beg to die.

Oh yes.

Ashley Ladd
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Vivian Arend
Mari Carr
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro

I think this subject is one we’ve all dealt with at one time or another – whether we were the dumper or the dumpee. Well, in this snippet nobody is sure who dumped who…

Enjoy this snippet from Primed to Pounce by…well, me ;D

Delaine took the long way to the restaurant then drove on
by. She just couldn’t face Justin today. She’d left a message asking him to
meet her here, but after that conversation with Pam there really wasn’t
anything else to say. He’d obviously moved on. If Justin wanted Pam, fine, he
could have her. But what started raggedy would end up raggedy. And those two
raggedy mogillas deserved each other.

Her heart was in a million pieces, but she refused to feel
the hurt anymore. Instead, she focused on her anger and let it consume her
until she shook with rage. Bastard! And Pam? She couldn’t believe Pam would
steal her man like that. She’d sat up in that girl’s chair at the salon and
told her all of her and Justin’s business, so it’s not like the woman didn’t
know Delaine was serious about him. For someone she’d known since their
children were in preschool to stab her in the back like this was beyond
painful. Oh lord, what was she going to do?

*Suta, you are not using wisdom. This man is not like the
puny Gary person.*

‘But he slept with my best friend, Sapa! Hell, at least Gary
slept with someone I didn’t know.’ She slammed her hand down on the steering
wheel then looked down, expecting to see blood on her shirt from her breaking
heart.

*Your reasoning abilities are unsurpassed. Use them now.
All is not as it appears, Suta. Trust me.*

‘I do trust you, Sapa. I just don’t trust anyone else,’ she
replied sadly as a lone tear made its way down her cheek.

Fifteen minutes after she was supposed to meet him, his cell
phone number popped up on the caller id. She pressed the ignore button, turned
the phone off and threw it in the passenger seat. Heartsick but determined not
to cry over a man ever again, she dashed the tears away and instead did
something she hadn’t done in all the years she’d worked with Aegis. She called
in sick.

She flew home, stuffed a weekend bag with clothes, books and
nothing related to work, jumped back in her Jag and headed for Nantahala Gorge.
A nice quiet cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains was just what she needed.

* * * * *

Justin hadn’t called Delaine since she’d gone mental on him
at finding out he was D.E.A. But it was only to give her time to cool off. He’d
been totally surprised to get her message asking him to meet her for breakfast.

He’d dialed her cell several times, but it just rang and
rang. Now it was going straight to voice mail. This didn’t make any sense. The
woman had called him and left a message saying she wanted to see him then
didn’t show up? He drove over to her house and rang the bell. At first he
thought she just wasn’t answering the door, but after walking all the way
around the house, noting the closed blinds on every window, he peeked through
the small glass on the door that led into the garage from the side of the
house. Her car was gone. Damn, she wasn’t home.

His shoulders tensed and he felt the beginnings of a nasty
headache creep up the back of his neck. Flipping open his cell, he dialed her
again. Where the hell was his damned woman? Had something happened that made it
impossible for her to meet him? What if she’d run into trouble related to her
case? What if she was casing Astin and got caught? And why the hell wasn’t she
answering her phone?!

He drove toward home, his chest tight with one part anger
for the way she’d arbitrarily dismissed him and one part worry at not knowing
if she was all right. It wasn’t unheard of for someone to die in their
particular line of work. Tired of leaving the stubborn woman messages, he
finally called Derrick.

“Hey, Derrick. What’s up?”

“The usual. Chasing bad guys and doing favors for you.”

“Then everything is normal, isn’t it?” Justin said glibly.

“What the hell’s wrong with you, Jus?” Derrick asked with a
bit of a grin in his voice.

“I need to know where Delaine is. She’s not answering her
cell phone, she’s not at home and I haven’t seen her since we fell out a few
days ago. She called me in the middle of the night and asked me to meet her for
breakfast then she didn’t show up. She’s got the goods on Baker. I need to know
she’s safe.”

“And what if she’s safe but avoiding you?”

Justin took a deep breath and his head conjured an image of
Derrick, his mouth drawn tight with disapproval. The man had a way of making
him feel like the little brother right after the big brother said, “I’m gonna
tell dad on you”. He steeled himself and got ready for the I-told-you-so.
“Delaine found out I was D.E.A. And not from me.”

“Man, didn’t I tell you to talk to her? I told you sistahs
don’t play that junk,” Derrick said, managing to sound stern and sorry for
Justin at the same time.

But there wasn’t anything he could do about it now, except
try to patch things up with the woman he knew he had to be with at all costs.
Whatever it took. He wasn’t even shocked anymore at how strong his feelings
were for Delaine. He knew he had to find her.

“Look, Derrick, you were right, okay. But right now, I need
to know my woman is all right.”

“Let me work on it. I’ll call you back in half an hour.”

“Thanks, man.”

“No problem. By the way, Spencer spoke to her boss, which is
probably why she called last night. You two are supposed to close this case out
together. If you can get her to speak to you ever again, that is.”

Be sure and click through to the rest of our Snippet Saturday authors. It’ll be worth your while, I’m sure ;D

Lissa Matthews
Ashley Ladd
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Shelli Stevens
Eliza Gayle
Vivian Arend
Mari Carr
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro

I’m excited to announce that on February 5, 2010, SHARDS OF ECSTASY, Book 2 in the Hearts of Fire series, is HERE! Woohoo! Hop on over to the Shards page for an excerpt.

Hearts of Fire

Eight individuals, Chosen by birth, gifted with unique abilities and united by fate.

They were told incredible tales of an ancient race, predestined mates and shards of a crystal octagon—the Heart of Fire. Innocuous apart, the crystals gain strength in pairs. Join all eight and unleash infinite power. Enough to defeat an immortal enemy, Asmodeus, a prince of hell. A tricky demon capable of twisting sexual desires into dark perversions.

Ridiculous…until it all started to come true.

The books in the series are:
Book One – Memory’s Eye by Ciana Stone
Book Two – Shards of Ecstasy by TJ Michaels
Book Three – Seeking Charlotte by NJ Walters
Book Four – Kenna’s Cowboy by Nicole Austin
Book Five – Entwined Hearts by all of us!

Today’s theme is humor. I sat down with my daughter and asked her which scenes in any of my books seemed humorous to her. She started spouting them so fast I was taken aback by the fact that she’d truly read them ALL! Cool beans! So, we picked this scene where our heroine meets the hero for the first time…or at least she thought it was the first time.

Blurb: Workaholic Sydni should have known better than to step away from work. Going out for a single evening of fun has ended up as a night spent in damn jail!

Drew is aware that the sexy, sultry and brilliant Sydni couldn’t care less about getting involved with him. But he needs her. And the perfect opportunity to prove that she needs him just as much comes along. All he has to do is get her out of jail…and keep himself free in the bargain.

Their desire scorches them, the connection so real and immediate.

But what will they do about the bad guy determined to set them both up? Solve the mystery, of course…and a little misplaced, hot-as-hell sex wouldn’t hurt either…

EXCERPT from CARAMEL KISSES
By TJ Michaels, Copyright 2009
Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

She must be nuts. What the hell was she doing here waiting for a total stranger? Sydni hated to admit she’d been so engrossed in her work, she’d completely forgotten about the weird phone call from the DJ at KWQQ until one of their admins had called with a reminder of her “appointment with destiny”. God, could you get any more corny? And when the radio chick rattled off what her mystery man would be wearing, at her request of course, all Sydni could do was shake her head knowing she’d been cruel.

She checked her watch with a huff and felt the muscles in her stomach tighten. It was almost time. And though she wanted to have an attitude about the whole set up, Sydni couldn’t manage to get mad at her sister. Sure, Charli had signed her up for the stupid radio station’s blind-date contest, but the woman hadn’t tied her hands and feet to make her come here to meet the man. Well too late now. If there was one thing she wouldn’t do, it was stand someone up. It was simply too rude. But she could get rid of the guy tactfully. And quickly.

So here she sat at a stupid Starbucks instead of sleeping in, waiting for a man dressed in one of those stretchy workout shirts done in ghastly neon green, and a pair of black and white checkered golf pants. She shuddered at the ghastly image in her mind. Well, one thing was certain—any man with enough balls to walk into a busy Starbucks at a major intersection dressed like that must be as hard-up as she was.

Sydni laughed at herself, then ratcheted back to a semi-hilarious giggle when two women at the table next to hers flashed sharp looks. She should have been embarrassed to burst out laughing in the middle of a coffee shop while she sat alone, but after the week she was having, who gave a good goddamn? The only thing on her mind was getting this over with so she could go home, curl up on the couch with her favorite faux fur blankie and get some work done. Perhaps while listening to a rerun of the season opener of her favorite vampire soap opera.

“And pretend not to be lonely. Damn it.” Oops. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

Syndi snuck a peek at the two ladies who’d given her the stink eye seconds before. They were no longer eyeing her. Their attention was on someone across the room. When one of the ladies mouths edged open as if she were on the verge of drooling, Sydni had to see what the hell she was looking at. Was there a life sized piece of sculpted chocolate on display or something?

Sydni turned to look and her own lips eased apart. Oh god, this was so not happening.

There across the room, walking confidently in her direction was a man. Correction, a freakin’ hot studly construction worker mountain-type man…in a neon green stretchy workout shirt, hideous checkered golf pants. And a familiar face.

Sydni looked up at the ceiling and prayed. “God, just come and take me now, please. No? Well, how ‘bout opening the floor up and letting me drop through it? No on that one too? Damn.”

“Hi Syd.”

She was going to wake up anytime now, right? Right, damn it!

Then he spoke again. Sigh. Guess her prayers weren’t working today.

“I said, hello Syd.”

“Uh, hi, and it’s Sydni. Sid-nee. Fancy seeing you here, Mr. Caruth.”

“It’s Drew, and yep, definitely fancy.”

Now what were the odds that her recently acquainted lawyer would be the guy the radio station—correction, Charli, damn it—had set her up with? Why the hell hadn’t she figured it out sooner? Duh! And who would have thought the designer suits he wore in court hid such a fantabulous physique? Sydni’d thought he was only broad shouldered, but boy had she missed the mark by at least a football field.

The ugly shirt he wore left very little to the imagination, for goodness sake. Short sleeved, it showed off perfectly tanned, ropey muscled forearms and biceps sparingly dusted with black down. The shirt was stretched so tightly across his chest every can in the six pack was visible and his pecs were deliberately formed mounds of muscle. The whole lot tapered down to a trim waist and…

Nope. No way. I will not look down any further.

Okay, that declaration lasted all of half a second.

And down her gaze strayed right to a…hey, what was up with that? No overly impressive bulge? No huge package? Maybe he’d shrunk up his dick from lifting all those weights? Gazing a bit lower, disappointment was certainly wiped out of her mind at the man’s legs. His trousers fit perfectly, not too tight in the hips and thighs, but were cinched in at the waist. Since her sister was a lawyer-turned-tailor, Sydni could tell a living-room-alteration job on a pair of off-the-shelf pants at first glance. But Drew’s black hideous checkered duds looked tailored, as if the only way to get a good fit was if he bought a size or two larger just to get his thighs into them, then have the waist adjusted. Athletes whose sports required a lot of leg strength usually had this issue because they’re thighs were so large. And Drew looked like he fit that bill to the tee.

Amazing. Mr. GQ Lawyer stood there looking as deliciously sinful as her mama’s rum poundcake. And he’d seen her rougher than rough after a night locked in the hooskow? Oh god, how embarrassing.

Sheer horror snaked through each limb and it must have made its way to her face.

“What’s wrong. You look like you’ve just seen Hannibal Lecter.”

Enjoy!

Vivian Arend
McKenna Jeffries
Ashley Ladd
Kelly Maher
Shelley Munro
Taige Crenshaw
Lauren Dane
Shelli Stevens

Enjoy this snippet from HATSEPT HEAT, Vampire Council of Ethics Book 3
Copyright 2009, TJ Michaels
Available in Print and eBook
(don’t forget to visit the other Snippet Saturday authors. You’ll find links to their snippets at the bottom of this excerpt. Merry Christmas!)

The scene Kenoe rushed in on would have been somewhat satisfying if Shinju hadn’t been covered in blood, both hers and her attackers’. The air was full of the scent of rogue, rotten to the core and unmistakably rancid. The smell mixed with Slade’s and all three women’s.

Slade was injured and crawling with the last of his strength to get to and cover Shinju’s body with his own. Bowie knife still drawn, Carin was trying to push Slade back enough to examine Shinju. Tameth stood guard at the alley entrance.

With an aggravated tap on his earpiece Kenoe called in the cavalry.

“Hatsept here. Clean up, fast. Sending GPS coordinates. One Seeker injured. Four rogues down.” Not just the two Slade originally reported as tailing her. Squashing his rage, he spoke through gritted teeth and reported, “And one human also down. Dr. Carin is already on the scene.”

Thank God.

Shinju lay flat on her back twitching weirdly. A strange yellow foam bubbled up out of her mouth and dribbled down her chin.

Two steps had him at her side.

“Is it okay to move her? Anything broken, severed? How can I help? What can I do?”

“Kenoe,” Carin snapped. “Get hold of yourself. Her vital signs are weakening, but none of her injuries are life threatening. Something else is going on here.”

Easing Shinju off the cold, hard pavement and carefully into his arms, Kenoe saw Carin was right, as usual. A quick inventory revealed no serious wounds at all. A few cuts and scrapes along her arms and legs, a cut under her eye and a goose egg over her brow. One injury, a deep sluggishly bleeding slash from her left ear down to her collarbone made it appear the dogs had aimed to kill but simply missed by sheer luck.

None of it explained the woman’s deep level of unconsciousness or the frothing liquid pouring past her lips. What the hell had they done to her?

Slade filled in some of the blanks. “They were waiting for her.”

Kenoe looked up and briefly met the gaze of his fellow Seeker. Slade had managed to push himself up against the wall to sit up. His eyes were bright, unclouded. And pissed off.

“I followed them around the corner expecting two bad guys. Instead there were five. One got away. Outnumbered, the women were already kicking ass and holding their own pretty good. Even without a weapon, Shinju was in the thick of it. Next thing I know she screams like you wouldn’t believe. I turned in time to see one of them stick her in the neck with something. She fell to the ground and started flopping around. I was running to her. That’s when one of the bastards got me in the back.”

“So how are they down if you were already out of the fight?” Kenoe wondered aloud. But he never took his eyes off the now convulsing body of his woman, her skin so unusually pale, clammy and blood slick. Where the hell was the clean-up crew, damn it?

“I said one of ’em got me in the back. Never said I was down,” Slade grunted with a wry, tight smile as he sat up a bit straighter, one hand holding his ribs. “I sliced ’em, then I hit the pavement.” Slade’s chuckle became a hack, then he spat a wad of mucous-laden blood off to the side.

Tameth strode over, reached down to help Slade up then turned to a sulking Kenoe. God, he never sulked. This was new. Couldn’t look past the fact that his best friend thankfully had been there for Shin when he hadn’t.

“Come on, Key. The ambulance is here.”

Tameth paused and cocked her head sideways. The fat braid down her back was mussed as it flopped from side to side.

“Kenoe, I know that look. This is not your fault.”

Easing to his feet, he moved to one of the unmarked ambulances that had just backed into the alley. Trying not to jostle Shinju’s battered little body, he kept his eyes front and his gait smooth.

“Thanks for being in the right place at the right time, Tam. I should have been with her.”

“But it would have been worse if you hadn’t put Slade on her. You knew she was going to sneak off. I’d fault you if you knew it, but did nothing about it.”

“I knew she would pull something. It’s in her nature to work things out on her own. But I should have been the one tailing her. It’s my responsibility.”

“Yes, but it was her choice.” Tameth said gently, firmly.

Carin had already climbed into the ambulance and was busily, and rather loudly, batting away the hands of the attendants.

“Damn it, I’m not the one who’s hurt. Stop groping me already!”

But her hair was plastered against the side of her face with a clotting bloody gash, and more of the red stuff was sprayed down the front of her shirt.

The hands kept reaching for her.

“Shinju is the one who needs your attention. Now quit it or I’ll put something in your food to give you a flaming poo!” Then she looked up and locked eyes with Kenoe. Confusion, concern, it was all there in her expressive eyes as she motioned for him to move faster.

Before he handed his lovely mate over to the ambulance techs, he cut Tameth a glance and said, “What a fucking mess, Tam. First Max and Sasuke, and now Shinju. I mean, what are the odds that my woman and her only family in all of Japan would be laid up in the hospital at the same time because of the same shit?”

A low, miserable groan from behind them caught Tameth’s attention. But Slade was there first. The vamps they’d knocked out all had been cut in one place or another. They were now semi-conscious and barfing like dogs. Good. All hail Dr. Carin’s barfinator serum smeared on the edge of their blades. A nondescript van pulled into the alley just as the ambulances pulled away.

Bix and Alaan jumped out, followed by Alex and several more Clan Li Iudex Judges. Yep, interrogation was going to be fun.

Moira Rogers
Ashley Ladd
Anya Bast
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Shelli Stevens
Shelley Munro
Eliza Gayle
Victoria Janssen
Juliana Stone

I was in the airport yesterday on my home from a business trip and I saw this very elderly woman sitting in a wheelchair. She was having a friendly conversation with the security agents as they worked with her to prepare to go through the security screening. That woman wore the most stunning red jacket I have seen in a quite awhile. I turned to her and said, “Ma’am, that is the most snazzy red jacket. I love it. It makes me think of Christmas.” And with a lovely smile she proceeded to tell me that her late husband had purchased it for her at about this time of year.

I love Christmas. And with that fabulous holiday coming up I got to thinking and came to this conclusion: Nothing says ‘holidays’ like a good party, whether it’s just family and friends or out on the town. And nothing says ‘good party’ like fabulous food and even more awesome music. In this snippet our hero and heroine in Carinian’s Seeker get up close and personal on the dance floor at a celebration at the Western headquarters of the Vampire Council of Ethics.

Enjoy! And don’t forget to visit all the other Snippet Saturday authors listed at the end of this post!

Carinian’s Seeker
Vampire Council of Ethics Book 1
by TJ Michaels
Copyright 2007, CAPA Award Nominee

Note for Readers: You must be over eighteen to read this excerpt.

Carin was amused at her current conversation. These boys were fine as hell with some serious pick-up lines. All of them looked related to the vamp who’d pissed Bix off when the Council had come to see her. Every one of their heads was stark white, some straight, some curly, some loc’d. The thick burgundy drapes were pulled back to allow the moonlight to glow through the crystal floor-to-ceiling windows along one whole wall of the ballroom. The lunar beams cast a bluish sheen on their gorgeous heads, surrounding them with the illusion of faerie dust. Too self-assured by half, their athletic, muscular bodies and devilish good looks ran the gamut from ruggedly handsome to male model chic. All were dressed to the nines in classic black. None of them bothered to sheathe their fangs. Of course she wasn’t interested, but any woman worth her salt would flirt at least a little bit under such yummy circumstances.

“You are a beautiful woman with a body made for hot, sweaty sex. If you’re good, perhaps I’ll take you to mate,” said one Armani-clad Hatsept.

“Or perhaps you will partner me. My cock is much more decadent than my cousin here. Besides, he already has three mates.” This from a vamp with such a thick head of hair she was almost jealous. Damn, a woman would kill for hair like that.

“Yes, but my tongue is more talented,” said yet another gorgeous white-loc’d vamp, “so may I have this dance?”

Before Carin could open her mouth to turn them down tactfully, her arm was wrapped around a tense, bulging forearm. She didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. She’d recognize that soul-stirring growl anywhere.

“This woman is taken, Hatsept.”

“Says who?” challenged all three b-e-a-utiful vamps.

“Says me. Keep fucking with my woman and I’ll stomp a mud hole in your pasty-faced ass.”

“Bix, don’t you dare start a fight,” Carin demanded with an exasperated, there’s-too-much-testosterone-in-the-room sigh. But Bix didn’t seem to be listening. When his and the bad boys’ fangs extended to movie-like proportions, she pinched him hard on the inside of his biceps and scowled for all she was worth.

“Damn it, Bix, I mean it. You start a fight and I’m outta here. Now let’s dance.” In the end, she had to grab a good chunk of his ass to get his attention. He turned on her with a snarl. Did she care? Not bloody
likely.

“You snarling at me? Don’t make me kick your ass up in here, Jon Bixler.” She was royally bluffing and inwardly relieved when a thoroughly amused smile spread across his face.

“Damn, boys, my woman has more balls than all three of you.” He laughed, took her by the waist and led her onto the dance floor.

The music was hip and loud, just the way she liked it. And tonight was for getting her groove on. Carin hadn’t had this much fun in ages, but she was a new woman—energized, sexy, full of passion. A new zest for life, rather than fear of death, expressed itself in her movements to the funky beat of the music. She placed her hand on Bix’s chest and traced a line about his body as she danced around him. Finally, she settled with her back to his and bent her knees to the beat, sliding her body up and down and back and forth against his. She danced with Bix until a light sheen of sweat covered her arms and put a shine on the skin underneath her sapphire jewels at the vee of her breasts, tempting her lover’s eyes to stray to the tease of cleavage.

Oh, this was soooo much fun. Then the lights dimmed and a slow song began. The words were sensual, the beat sultry. Bix moved in close. She looked up into his beautiful gray eyes and gulped. A heady combination of
love and lust stared back at her. The pit of her belly danced wildly. Oh goodness. She was in trouble.

It started tame enough when Bix pulled her close and placed a chaste kiss on the side of her temple, which barely reached his shoulder. But then he dipped his head again, this time blatantly inhaling the scent of her hair. His arms tightened around her body and one strong hand dipped low to graze the globe of her left cheek, sending a sizzle down her ass. The other hand discreetly played with the side of her breast. She couldn’t keep her breathing even.

“Kiss me, Bix,” she whispered fiercely, tilting her head up with eyes closed. She knew he’d give her what she asked for. No need to look. Just feel. Bix would take care of her. She felt his mouth move towards her, but he didn’t meet her lips. Instead he tipped her chin up more and licked the side of her neck, from her pulse point up to her ear.

The intense answering ripple in her womb almost made her forget to erect a psychic shield.

“Oh damn, that was nasty. Do it again.”

Bix gave her another hot swipe of his wet tongue along her sensitive skin. She shivered as her head fell back. Her skin felt much too tight and her body grew hotter by the second. She barely registered the crooning of the music in the background as she reached into his tailored jacket, grabbed two fists full of his shirt and held on under a sensual assault that almost bent her over backward. Moisture gathered at the entrance of her channel and even she could smell her arousal waft up from between her thighs. Finally, he captured her lips. Bix started growling again, but for a whole new set of reasons, all of which she agreed with wholeheartedly.

“I can smell you, baby. Makes me want to go down on my knees and bury my head under your dress right here in the middle of this dance floor.”

Lord knows she wanted nothing more than to find a dark corner, flip up her skirt and let him have at it. A primal need rose up in her, a need for him to take her. To make her his in every way. Forever. Her kneecaps quivered and she spoke to them. Don’t you dare dump me on my ass. Stand firm, girl, stand firm.

“Firm? I’ve got something firm for you, baby,” Bix whispered into her head and pressed his long, swollen ridge of flesh firmly against her belly.

Her shield dropped like a stone. Bix, along with a horde of other horny vamps, heard her telepathic scream. “Oh, Bix, I’m yours, baby. Please… Oh God, bite me.”

He looked directly into her eyes, fangs clearly visible. “Are you sure, Carin? There’s no going back if we do this.”

She rubbed feverishly against him, trying to do her best to look like she was still dancing rather than humping against his leg. “Yes, I’m sure, Bix. I’m yours, and you’re mine. I can’t imagine being with anyone else or sharing you with anyone else. Ever.”

“The mating is to bind you to me, not the other way around,” Bix said firmly, all smug Seeker confidence.

Alpha to the bone, arrogant and self-assured. And right now, she didn’t give a rat’s ass. “So you say, damn it. You’re mine.”

She knew she could be a stubborn bitch on wheels, but this man was going to be wholly and completely hers and love it. Even if she had to kill him. Her breathing hitched with anticipation as he lowered his head to the sweet pulse on her neck. She could feel his fangs aching fiercely, his need to bite so strong, her gums tingled. So powerful it burned from where his mouth touched her down to the little hairs on her toes. He rubbed his incisors against her tender skin.

A sharp voice cut through the fog of lust and need.

“Bix and Carin, please join me on the dais.” Alaana Serati stood there, calling to them. “And no necking on the dance floor for you two. We will do this according to tradition.” Then she smiled at Bix’s grimace at having his love play interrupted.

“Damn, her timing sucks,” Carin growled into his chest.

Vivian Arend
Moira Rogers
Ashley Ladd
Jaci Burton
Kelly Maher
Leah Braemel
McKenna Jeffries
Sasha White
Taige Crenshaw
Shelli Stevens
Shelley Munro
Eliza Gayle
Jody Wallace
Juliana Stone

No story would be complete without good company for our heroes and heroines. Yes, today’s topic is secondary characters. In Egyptian Voyage the secondary characters are a pair of African lions, spirit guides to Rahn and Chrys as they pursue a killer across the high seas.

Enjoy a conversation between our heroine, Chrys, and our two spirit guides, Adonei and Mahpiya, who also happen to be mates in EGYPTIAN VOYAGE. Don’t forget to visit the other Snippet Saturday authors by following the links below the excerpt.

Egyptian Voyage
by TJ Michaels
Copyright 2007 (in print and eBook)

With a smile at the light banter going on in her head, Chrys followed an immaculately clean waiter through the restaurant. Rice paper lanterns sent a gentle glow from the center of each large circular table. Japanese kanji symbols strategically placed along the walls and the rich red cinnabar ornaments here and there, gave a feeling of “rightness” to the atmosphere. She wasn’t really into Feng Shui, and doubted the decorators of this Japanese restaurant were either, considering the art was of Chinese origins. Either way, her spirit guides seemed to love the energy of the place.

Chrys settled down in her chair, sat back and allowed a sense of peace and relaxation to envelop her—something she hadn’t felt since she learned of the case Rahn was working.

The Mastersens were seated and already sipping on frozen, delicious-looking green cocktails. Several couples Chrys didn’t recognize were in the middle of ordering the same thing when Mrs. Mastersen spoke to her.

“Chrysalyn, dear,” Mrs. Matersen beamed. “I’m so glad you could join us for dinner. You must try one of these. It’s a Midori Sunrise and tastes like tropical paradise.”

Mrs. Mastersen was an all-out chatterbox. On the way back aboard ship on Ibiza, the woman had amused Chrys when she’d spotted the bag of specialty cigars she’d purchased. She’d introduced herself and her husband, then asked to try one without an ounce of shame. Gray-haired, feisty and carefree, the two were enjoying their retired years sailing around the world. Chrys had loved them on sight.

“Your dress is downright sexy, young lady. Now where is that delightfully handsome beau of yours? And he let you out looking like that? He’d better be careful or Harold here might put the moves on you. Mr. Mastersen was quite the rake in his day. Still has great skill…”

Chrys wondered if the woman had taken a single breath.

“And even after all these years, he still makes sure I come before he does.”

Chrys coughed on the iced water she’d been sipping. Way more information than she needed to know. Clearing her throat, a quiet giggle escaped between words.

“Thank you for the compliment on my dress, ma’am. As for Rahn, an earlier outing took a bit longer than he thought.”

Captain Laurens sat down at the head of the table and said, “That would be my fault, I’m afraid. Hope we didn’t put too much of a dent in your plans.”

Chrys smiled and said, “When I left, Rahn was getting ready. He sends his apologies and should be walking in the door any minute now. So, I think I’ll order his drink for him. Waiter?” Chrys called, and another smartly dressed young man headed her way. “I’d like a glass of your best chilled rice wine for my, er, friend. And I’ll have one of those green things, please.”

“Friend, eh?” Mrs. Mastersen gawked excitedly. “How fabulous for you, my dear. You’ve dated a while, have you?”

“We’ve worked together for more than six years and know each other well.” The rest of it was none of anyone’s business. Out of nowhere, the image of Rahn in the shower burst into her thoughts.

*I am sure my charge would blush if he knew what you were thinking just now. Can you think of nothing but his cock?* Mahpiya whispered to Chrys, her tongue lolling to the side.

‘Oh, hush up, you. You’re not supposed to tell all my secrets, and I can tell from the way the bond feels that Adonei is listening in.’

*Of course I am listening in. It is my job, is it not?* Adonei sniffed indignantly, then turned to Mah, fussing. *And do you have to speak so boldly regarding your charge’s private parts?*

Chrys almost laughed out loud. Didn’t the big cat know by now not to set himself up like that? Before she could form a single smart-assed response, Mah was all over him.

*My dear Adonei, I believe you are in need of schooling, and given your old age,* Mah paused for dramatic effect, *you know I certainly do not have to use the word cock. I have been a spirit guide for eons. There are many other ways to express myself, mate.*

Chrys clamped her lips together, picked up her water and sipped, trying to hide the smile at the corner of her lips. Oh, boy, here it comes.

*I could have called it by some of the other words I have heard over the years, like bacon bazooka…*

*Bacon what?* Adonei queried, his brow pulled down in a confused frown.

*Do you not like that word? ‘Tis much better than cock, don’t you think? No? Perhaps pork sword?*

*What is it with you and pig meat?* Adonei groaned, clearly wishing he hadn’t said anything.

*Fine. No more pork. So what about tally whacker? Tickle-gizzard? Wanker? Tube steak?*

Chrys’ own eyebrows flew up at that last one. Tube steak? Eww. Adonei swiped a huge paw at Mah, but the lioness dodged it with a laugh and simply kept right on.

*Maypole? Meat whistle? Milk bone? Mr. Happy?*

Adonei rolled his eyes and grumbled something about the Great Spirit’s sense of humor and boneheaded mates.

Suddenly, the muscled body of the tawny-haired lioness stiffened. Alarm and no small amount of fear streaked down the bond and settled in the pit of Chrys’ stomach.

‘What? What is it?’ Chrys demanded, thinking the lions were upset because Eden was headed their way. The man walked right up to the captain, bowed low and managed, yet again, to insinuate himself into their plans. But it wasn’t Eden. It was something else.

Mahpiya’s head swung from side to side as if she were looking for something. After a moment or two of soft, seeking roars, her shaken gaze turned inward to Chrys and Adonei. The lioness’s answer was laced with undisguised panic. Something Chrys never imagined to see or hear from the great huntress.

*My charge! He is gone! I cannot feel or hear him,* Mahpiya wailed even as Adonei tried to sooth his distraught mate with broad strokes of his tongue just behind her ear.

Chrys squirmed in her chair in a subdued version of the pee-pee dance. “Excuse me, you all. I need to take a trip to the powder room.” Glad no one questioned her, she grabbed her little clutch purse and scooted back from the table, keeping her movements slow and deliberate.

Out in the hallway, Chrys ducked past the entrance to the ladies’ room and hurried down the hall, speaking to her spirit guides. She tried to ease Mahpiya, who paced nervously at the forefront of her mind,

*It’ll be all right. Nothing short of death could take a charge from his spirit guide,* Adonei reminded them both.

*That’s what I am afraid of,* Mahpiya screeched.

Adonei nipped the skin just above her shoulder with a muted growl, steel grit behind every word. Mahpiya stilled, startled into a quiet contemplation.

*You will cease this negative talk of your charge. Speeding negative thoughts or energy his way will gain you nothing. Come with me, now,* he demanded with the quiet authority only an alpha could pull with one so great as Mahpiya.

Before Chrysalyn’s eyes, the air in front of her shimmered and blurred as the two big cats took on their corporeal forms. It was the first time Adonei had ever come to her in this form without being summoned. She didn’t hesitate.

‘Both of you go ahead of me. Find Rahn.’

Adonei turned to Mahpiya and said, *We hunt, my love.*

With a nod of her large regal head, Mahpiya agreed and let out a ground rumbling roar that would have frightened the stoutest heart. They turned and took off in opposite directions.

Walking as quickly as her high-heeled sandals would allow, Chrys moved quietly down the hallways and toward their apartment.

Moments later, Adonei pushed into Chrys’ mind. What he reported made her strip off her shoes and tuck them under her arm. Her slender fingers dipped down into the front of her dress to retrieve her apartment key as she ran like the wind.

Vivian Arend
Moira Rogers
Ashley Ladd
Anya Bast
Jaci Burton
Kelly Maher
Lauren Dane
Leah Braemel
Mandy Roth
McKenna Jeffries
Sasha White
Taige Crenshaw
Shelli Stevens
Shelley Munro
Eliza Gayle
Victoria Janssen
Jody Wallace
Juliana Stone

This morning my inbox greeted me with coverly goodness – what a way to start the weekend, eh? The cover for my book in the Hearts of Fire series is here! I’ll put the art and all the details on the Sneak Peek page – you get there from the home page. Simply hover over the Bookshelf link then click on Sneak Peek.

Now, on to Saturday Snippets! This weekends theme is arrivals. With the coming of the new book I thought I’d put an excerpt (unedited, of course) up. This is Faison’s arrival at Dee’s office. After the excerpt don’t forget to visit the links to all the other Saturday Snippet authors. Enjoy!

Unedited Excerpt from Shards of Ecstasy
Book 2 – Hearts of Fire series
by TJ Michaels, copyright 2009
All rights reserved

Note for Readers: You must be over eighteen to read this excerpt.

“Miss Isaacs, Mr. Dow is here to see you, ma’am.”

“Thanks Kare. Have him wait in the reception area for five minutes, then send him in.”

De’alla Isaacs didn’t typically leave a client waiting, but for some reason her nerves seemed to be on a one way trip to the stratosphere. She couldn’t remember ever feeling quite so jittery about meeting with a new client. Or at least that’s the excuse she was going to stick to.

In truth, the crystal attached to the fine silver link chain around her neck sat on a low hum. Mere moments ago out of the blue the thing started zinging a stream of unfamiliar energy from its resting place at the vee of her breasts clear down through her stomach.

God, the muscles of her diaphragm were getting such a workout she wouldn’t have to do crunches for the next two weeks.

Well, no time for puzzling it out now. This was the launch of her new company and she simply couldn’t mess it up. The old man waiting on the other side of that door could make or break her. Mr. Dow had graciously agreed with her old firm, Daikuji Corporation of Japan, to work locally through De’alla’s firm here in Seattle. In turn she would fulfill the original contract obligations between Mr. Dow and Daikuji Corporation at a discounted rate and split the profit with her former employer.

It was a win/win situation. Dee’s company would be off the ground, Mr. Dow would save a little bit of money, and Daikuji Corporation would still maintain a connection with one of their oldest customers here in the States.

So, time to get to work. Dee took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Damn. Stupid zing was still there, only now it gently moved through her chest, radiated to her nipples, down her belly and settled at the juncture of her thighs. What the hell was going on?

“Why’d my damn Nature buddy have to take off now?” Dee grumbled, wishing she could talk to the companion that constantly occupied a small corner of her mind. Only that corner was uncharacteristically still while the energy that pulsed at the center of her bra grew bolder.

Dee left her desk, slipped into the bathroom adjacent to her new swanky office and splashed some cold water on her face. A quick glance in the mirror made her wince. Good thing she hardly ever wore make-up ‘cause any eye shadow would have her looking like a certified raccoon right about now. Turning away from the vanity with sure steps she strode toward her destiny.

“Okay, Dee. Go get ‘em girl.” Smoothing her hands down the navy blue pencil skirt, another deep breath saw De’alla at her desk just as the door opened.

She remained standing next to her chair as a short, wrinkled and decidedly grumpy old man walked in.

“Mr. Dow, I’m so pleased to make your acquaintance.”

The man tilted his head to the side, scrunched up his face more—as if that were possible—and in a surprisingly kind voice answered…in Japanese.

De’alla could have kicked herself. She hadn’t thought to ask her contact at her client’s company about any lingual needs. Major blunder. Luckily she was fluent in the language and had been for years.

She opened her mouth to greet him properly while closing the door. It snapped back at her with a bounce.
Dee looked down at a foot poking through the small space between door and jamb. Somebody else’s foot.

A muted ‘ouch’ came from the other side before a body gently pushed through.

“Aw hell. No way,” she grumbled not quite low enough.

The raised eyebrow aimed her way was accompanied by a confused yet arrogant smirk. Her honey brown eyes met a pair of unexpected chocolate-brown ones…and her fucking crystal went haywire. And the strangely absent entity She barged into the forefront of Dee’s mind as if she wanted to do nothing more than hop into Dee’s body and jump the uninvited man’s bones.

In fact Dee wanted to jump his bones right along with She. A real threesome. And the invisible lightening that zinged from her stone down through her body was…hell, she just couldn’t take it.

Zing! Zap! Kung!

Holy shit! Knees trembled as her head filled with raunchy thoughts too ridiculous to even contemplate. And they all surrounded getting laid. Hard. Fast. And right damn now. And the star of her fantasy stood right in front of her. And she couldn’t stand him.

“Uh, e-excuse me. I’ll be right back. Please make yourselves comfortable,” Dee said, motioning to no one in particular.

With each step the crotch of her now damp panties bunched and rubbed against the flesh swelling between her legs. Now when was the last time she got aroused just being in the presence of two strange men? One she’d never met and was surely old enough to be her father, if she’d had one, and the other man she’d seen and heard plenty of but didn’t want anything to do with.

The smile pasted onto her mouth was as stiff as three day old royal icing, but she had to keep it there just long enough to escape.

In three steps she was out of her office and headed to her assistant’s desk. Gods, why couldn’t she move faster? Her feet felt mired in hardening cement as if they needed to stay in that room. Not good. Sooo not good.

When Dee stormed around the corner the surprise in her assistant’s eyes was palpable. Good. That made two of ‘em.

“Kare, what the hell is Faison Dow doing…?” Dee paused and mentally kicked herself as the pieces clicked into place. “Oh, duh. Dow, as in related to my client? Aw, fuck-a-duck.”

“Say again, Miss Isaacs?”

Vivian Arend
Ashley Ladd
Leah Braemel
Taige Crenshaw
Shelley Munro
Juliana Stone
Eliza Gayle
McKenna Jeffries
Jody Wallace
Lauren Dane
Juliana Stone
Kelly Maher
Shelli Stevens
Victoria Janssen
Moira Rogers