Friday, July 27, 2012

TGI Friday



Hey everyone! Today I have Amylea Lyn visiting with me.  So, pull up a chair and join us lol!


~ What was your favorite character to write, and why?

 Think out of all the many characters I’ve written about, my very favorite would have to be Cael from my book Dream a Little Dream. He was my first little, damaged hero and I’ve loved him from the very beginning. J



~ You’re marooned on a small island with one person and one item of your choice—who is that person and what item do you have? 

Hmm, If I were marooned on an island I’d have to take at least sunscreen (SPF 80) because my fair skin always burns and a sunburn would suck. LOL.

As for my person, I’d have to take Bear Grylls, from that Man Vs Wild show. Not only is he cute, but he would be able to take care of us both while we were stranded. *winks*






~ Take one of your stories and tell us what you would change about it if you would do it over again.

I don’t think I’d necessarily change anything about my books, but if I could go back and change something, I think I’d add a lot more detail to Nature of the Beast. I feel I could have described things a bit better and more in depth, but other than that I wouldn’t change a thing about what I’d written.



~ When do you do your best writing… morning, afternoon, evening, night?
Whenever I can squeeze writing time in? LOL.






I write mostly in the evenings and early afternoons, either before I go to work or after I get off. Most of my best writing is done on my days off from the dreaded “day job” when I can just lock myself away and focus completely on the world of my own making. J






~ Who’s your favorite horror villain and why?

Oh, wow…. I actually don’t think I have one, in all honesty. I don’t really watch horror movies. But If I had to pick my favorite villain, it would have to be Maleficent from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. She was just so cool and remember being wide-eyes and terrified of her when I was a kid and watched the movie for the first time.

Plus, I’d love to get a hat just like hers!



~ What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I think when someone reads my books and there’s only one thing they dislike, like too much romance or “mushy scenes” so they decide to give the book a bad review and then proceed to write off the rest of the series, or even all of my books as a whole. I get upset because sometimes if feels like they are attacking you as an author personally, but them I remind myself that everyone has an opinion and for every one that doesn’t like my books, there are dozens more who do.

I think the best compliment I’ve received was when someone reads one of my books, then proceeds to go out and buy my entire back-list. They then wrote me an email and gushed over my books, and knowing that I was able to help them escape for just a little while from the real world was the best compliment I’d ever received.  J



Latest release: Solid as Stone (The Brotherhood 1) 


Blurb:

The Brotherhood is seeking their freedom, and one man holds the key. When the father's sins come to light, can one shy doctor and a tough assassin work together or will past scars be too much for them to overcome?

Stone's life is one of ordered control. As a child he was experimented on and turned into something more than human. Now the leader of The Brotherhood, an elite group of soldier assassins, he is given the task of eradicating the man who possibly holds the key to his freedom.

When Dr Wesley Folcomb finds himself targeted by the government group that killed his father, he is forced to seek safety from the very assassin sent to eliminate him.

On the run for their lives, Wesley and Stone grow close but with such different pasts, can they find love? Or will the danger hunting them cause their relationship to crumble before it has a chance to become as solid as stone?
 

Excerpt:

Slamming the large metal door shut behind him, he flipped the locks and leaned back against the cool steel. Bending over, he gasped for breath, wiping the cold sweat from his brow. His heart raced, feeling like it would beat right out of his chest given half a chance. Fear and adrenaline fueled him, keeping him from crumbling to the floor in a shaking heap after what he'd just witnessed.

That one had been too close, much too close; he'd almost been caught this time.

Dr Steven Folcomb straightened, pushing a shaking hand through his dark brown hair. He ignored the fact his white lab coat was askew, and gazed about the lab; the place where everything had all began, and ironically enough, about to end.

Odd though, the simple lab didn't look like somewhere the very basis of the human structure had been altered; what with its glass beakers, stainless steel worktops and sterile air filtration system. No, it really just looked like any ordinary laboratory found in just about any university in the country.

Except this one held a dark secret; something so horrifying that it would only be a matter of time before it lead to the death and destruction of all he held dear. He hadn't meant to be the cause of so much turmoil; oh no, all his intentions had been for the best, truly.

He'd only wanted to end the pain his beloved wife, Tonya, suffered from every day, due to the debilitating disease ravaging her body. He'd only wanted his son to have a life where both his parents were whole and healthy, to be able to watch him at ball games and graduate from college, even to marry some day. He'd only wanted to give his loved ones the life they deserved; instead, he'd destroyed every chance of that ever happening.

Oh, don't get him wrong, the formula he'd spent most of his career working on and the resulting serum had worked, very well in fact. The formula just hadn't worked for what it had originally been intended.

He'd thought he had found the cure for Tonya's multiple sclerosis, to rebuild the muscle strength the MS had stolen from the once bright and vibrant woman he loved. Instead he'd created a drug that did nothing to combat the disease, but instead enhanced the physical attributes in the most average of people. Better hearing, eyesight, strength, speed, agility, and healing. It mutated their DNA, making the receivers of the drug more than human.

The formula was science in its finest form.

He'd created a way to better all of humanity and possibly change the world; except he couldn't change anything for the one person he'd really wanted too. He didn't know why the formula had no effect on the test rats that he'd infected with many other disorders to create something akin to MS, no actual explanation could be found. The effects of the formula on the physically healthy and fit subjects had been astounding. The younger the subject, the easier the formula altered the subject's DNA, thus creating the ultimate creature.

The next step in the evolutionary ladder had been born.

What a fool he'd been, to believe the government agency funding his work had the best interest for all involved. When they'd first approached him, wanting to use his formula on soldiers stationed at the front lines, he'd warned them the drug was still in the first stages of testing, and that he'd only had a small batch of serum available. He would create more after additional testing had been completed.

Dr Folcomb hung his head in shame. What a fool he'd been to believe they'd wait for him to be sure the formula was ready. He'd been blinded by his own ambition, and now it was much too late.

But he knew better now, didn't he? He'd seen the small faces of the orphaned children injected with his drug; stomachs gaunt, eyes hollow and empty, working together to become the best, most mindless killers the world had ever seen. He'd counted six, but there could have been more that he didn't know about. Horrified didn't even begin to cover his reaction. Those were children, not soldiers volunteering for assignment! These children had no choice. Good God, they couldn't have been much older than his own son, Wesley!

Those poor babies; and he'd helped in destroying their lives.

Well, no more, the doctor decided, moving away from the door and to the refrigerator filled with hundreds of perfected formula doses. Every small vial waiting patiently for delivery to the very government that could no longer be trusted. Punching in the passcode and opening the door, he shuddered, but not at the cold draft wafting out of the steel box. No, the vials upon vials of milky green substance stacked on ever shelf caused his unease.

He knew he didn't have much time. The ones sent to kill him would no doubt be showing up soon; he'd only gotten maybe an hour head start.

But it was enough time to do what must be done.

Quickly, in what could only be described as a frenzy born of desperation, he began knocking the vials off the shelf; the shattering sound of glass echoing in the empty room satisfying to hear. He had to destroy all trace of the drug from existence, so it could never be broken down and created anew.

So his work could never again be used to harm the innocent.

Closing his eyes, he swayed with weariness at the knowledge of what was to come. But he must. Thank goodness he'd already sent his wife all she would need to know. Information no one but he had, things he knew she would take to her grave. He hoped she hid everything well; no doubt there would be an investigation when this was all said and done.

Reaching over to each of the four separate worktables, he started cranking different knobs; the low hiss of fumes being released hardly noticeable over his harsh breathing. So caught up in the moment, the doctor almost missed the sounds proclaiming he was no longer alone in the building.

What was that? It only took a moment to identify the sound. The rhythm of slow, stealthy footsteps softly thumping down the hall outside the lab, headed his way.

So, the end had begun.

A sense of calm descended over him as he walked to the door and pushed the large red emergency button, the one that was to be used when there was chemical contamination and instantly sealed the lab door to outside forces. He could hear them better now, pounding on the door loud enough to be heard over the emergency sirens, but he hardly noticed. The room was heavy with vapors, and the time had come.

He gave a grim, humorless smile. He hoped he took as many of the bastards with him as he could.

Sparing a quick thought for the wife he would never see again, and the son he would never get to watch grow up, he reached over and lit a Bunsen burner.

Dr Steven Folcomb and his formula went up in flames.



Author info:

Amylea Lyn is a little odd, a lot weird, and just plain strange. At least that's what everyone tells her. She lives in the middle of a desert, filling her laptop with too many stories to count. Most days, Amylea can be found sitting in her favorite chair after work, bugging those around her for fun tidbits to make her stories more interesting. When she's not writing, Amylea spends her time daydreaming her fantasies while talking to herself without realizing it, experimenting with different baked dishes that she force feeds her family, and plotting ways to get back at her psychotic cat. All in all, she likes to think of herself as pretty normal... even if it's only by her own standards.


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Priceless

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Priceless has been released!



Here are some of the buy links:


ARe

Amazon

Dreamspinner


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

WINNER

And the winner is... Rae! YAY! Congrats!

I'll be emailing you shortly. :)


Friday, July 20, 2012

Priceless Contest

Money may be able to buy a lot of thingsexcept true love. And true love is…



Priceless

Hey y’all! Priceless will be released by Dreamspinner on July 25th and I’m running a contest! The rules for the contest are simple:

~Join my blog. If you’re already a member please let me know.

~Leave a comment.
~Leave me an email address. I must have this so I can send you the ebook! I’ll announce the winner late Tuesday evening and send the book as soon as I get my copies! :)




Blurb:
Sparks ignite when Cupid takes aim at two mortals in Las Vegas: Randy Jones, an average guy on a company vacation, looks into Garrett’s eyes at a craps table and time stands still. Throwing aside everything he believes, Randy engages in a torrid two-night affair with Garrett—only to panic when he realizes he’s fallen in love.

Cynical billionaire Garrett Shiffler has everything money can buy, and most of his dates can’t see past the dollar signs. Life has taught him that innocence and love are figments of the imagination. But when Randy disappears, taking with him feelings Garrett thought he’d never know, Garrett wages the most important battle of his life to win Randy's love—but this time he fights with his heart, not his bank account.

Meanwhile, Cupid wonders what happened. His golden arrows never fail unless the Fates interfere. If Garrett wants to win Randy back, he’s going to have to do it on his own, because the Fates have other plans for Cupid.

Excerpt:
They stepped closer and Randy’s body was as tense as a drawn bow. What would a suave, sophisticated guy do in this situation? Suave, right. Randy just hoped he didn’t make an idiot out of himself.

Randy’s breathing increased as he chewed his lip. His heart sped up as Garrett leaned into him. Would the kiss be hard and brutal, his mouth claimed by an onslaught of passion that would leave him breathless and bruised? He moaned in surprise as Garrett’s mouth sweetly moved on his.

From one heartbeat to the next, pleasure exploded in Randy’s mind. He hadn’t expected such gentleness. Throwing caution to the wind, he grasped Garrett’s hips and pulled him closer. Garrett’s tongue explored his mouth, that sinful goatee tickling his chin. When Garrett nudged his head to the side and nibbled a path down Randy’s neck, he willingly bared his throat. And moaned again when Garrett sucked hard on the tender skin near his collarbone.

Randy, squirming from the sensations, rubbed his leg up and down Garrett’s thigh. One of Garrett’s hands drifted down and lifted Randy’s leg higher, palming his ass as he kneaded the firm flesh. The electricity that jumped between them had Randy shaking.

“Garrett,” Randy gasped as Garrett found a particularly good spot, “there’s gotta be cameras in here.”

Garrett held Randy tightly for a moment, their bodies crushed together, before he released him and moved away. He mumbled under his breath about how could Randy think, much less clearly, at that moment. Randy leaned against the elevator wall, eyes closed, and tried to bring his rampaging body under control. The elevator dinged and lurched to a stop, causing Randy to stumble into Garrett.

He slid his arm around Randy to steady him and didn’t let go when the doors parted. Garrett pulled Randy toward his suite, throwing the door open. Once inside he slammed the door shut, spun Randy around, and trapped him against the back of the door. He slammed his mouth over Randy’s, picking up where he left off in the elevator until Randy was gasping for air.

“Let me be very clear,” Garrett panted into his mouth. “I want you in my bed. I want you desperate, wild, and begging.”

“I’m to the desperate phase now.” Randy trembled, trapped between him and the door. “Wild is right around the corner, and begging isn’t far behind.”

Garrett’s thumb traced over Randy’s swollen bottom lip. “That’s what I like about you, Randy, you speak your mind and don’t play games. I can’t tell you what a turn on that is for me.”

“I don’t have the first clue how to play games like you’re talking about, nor do I want to.”

“And thank God for it.” That jaded little devil on Garrett’s shoulder rolled his eyes. This guy either was very good, or very innocent. “Now, let me show you my bedroom. I can’t wait much longer to have you in my bed.”

Garrett ushered him through the living area, not giving him time to admire the softly lit main area. He opened a door to a large room that held a beautifully made bed with a sinfully black silk bedspread. The room was done in dark woods and masculine tones with paintings and photography from some extremely well-known artists. It shrieked authority, money, and power. The curtains were open, letting in the light from the city.

Garrett stepped behind Randy and turned him toward the mirrored closet. Garrett unbuttoned his shirt, parted the fabric, and placed his hands on Randy’s stomach. Taking his time, he ran his hands up Randy’s chest, dragging the pleasure out until he reached those perky nipples that begged for attention. Garrett flicked both hard peaks, making Randy arch in his arms. Then he rolled them between his thumb and forefinger as they both watched their reflection.

“So very hot,” Garrett whispered in Randy’s ear as his fingers teased the nubs until Randy moaned.

Randy reached behind him and wrapped his arm around Garrett’s neck, dragging him closer. That bulge that pressed against Randy’s ass was huge and had his imagination sitting up, tail thumping. It had been a long time since a lover affected him this way. Randy leaned his head back against Garrett’s shoulder and watched, heavy-eyed, as Garrett’s hands drifted down and undid his belt.
Visit me at:
Twitter @nomoretears00

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Interview with Kaytlyn Williams


Hey y'all! Today I have Kaytlyn Williams visiting with me. She's answering some question and telling us about her latest release! So come on in, grab a pretty drink-the blue one is mine lol-and kick back!

Okay, all the drinks are pretty cool looking lol! Now on to the good stuff...



~ What was your favorite character to write, and why?
In Hero, Oliver was my favorite character to write because I feel like he evolves the most. He sort of comes to his own and that was a lot of fun for me to write.



~ You’re marooned on a small island with one person and one item of your choice—who is that person and what item do you have? 
I kind of have to pick my husband. I’m pretty sure it’s in the fine print of the marriage license. And as for the item, satellite phone. Duh. So we can call to be rescued!



~ Take one of your stories and tell us what you would change about it if you would do it over again.
Easy, I’ve already done it. The first story I ever posted on Literotica. I wish it would die. I had it deleted from the site, but my worst nightmare is it popping up again somewhere. I want to kill it with fire.



~ When do you do your best writing… morning, afternoon, evening, night?
Definitely at night because the house is quiet and the puppy is asleep in my lap. I don’t function in the morning.







~ Who’s your favorite horror villain and why?
I am a horrible person who doesn’t really watch horror movies so I can’t answer that.





~Is there anything you’d like to tell? Maybe something in the works, or already out, you would like to promote?  Feel free!
I’d like to encourage everyone to check out my Naughty Fairy Tale through Evernight. It’s not my usual M/M, but I feel like it’s a lot of fun. Seven drag queens. What could possibly beat that?


~ What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
I got called a bitch once on Literotica because I posted a chapter without sex in it. I had to just laugh it off, but I have to say I was shocked because that’s the first time I’ve ever been called a name like that over writing.
(Had to chime in here lol. I met Kaytlyn at Lit a while back. I know where she's coming from... I got told I had 'balls down to my knees' for something I posted there LOL. That's still my fav comment!)
But I have to say the best compliment came anonymously. Someone told me that every LGBT youth should read one of my stories. I just about cried at that one. That’s how I know I’m doing well. It’s not about money or how many books I can churn out or who knows my name. It’s really about making people feel something.


And now on to the hot cover she has lol!!

Blurb:

Aaron is a soldier preparing to deploy for the first time. During the process, he meets Oliver. There is an instant connection. The entire time that Aaron is overseas, the two continue to think of each other and wonder what could have been.
Upon Aaron’s return, fate brings the two together again. Lust ignites a beautiful love.  However, in the Army change is bound to happen and relationships are put to the test. Hero follows the story of a brave couple facing the challenges of a military relationship.

Excerpt:

“Do I get a chance for a second date?” Aaron asked.

Oliver gripped the handle of the driver’s side door of his silver Prius. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

Oliver became suddenly aware of how close Aaron was to him. The tall soldier put his hand on Oliver’s hip. “I’m glad,” he said. His voice, eyes, his whole demeanor was seductive.
Oliver didn’t feel like he could breathe. He could feel the heat coming from the man. He wanted Aaron to kiss him. “You…you could kiss me,” he whispered, surprising himself.
Aaron smiled and gently caressed Oliver’s cheek. Oliver felt himself getting lightheaded as those full lips approached his. When they kissed, Oliver’s knees went weak. His lips parted and Aaron’s tongue gently probed into his mouth. Being in Aaron’s arms was everything Oliver had imagined it would be. He was sure that if Aaron asked, he would do anything the soldier wanted right there in the parking lot.
Aaron pulled away from the kiss and Oliver followed, stumbling forward into Aaron’s arms. Oliver could feel himself blushing. He finally regained the ability to stand on his own and stumbled back against his car door.
“You’re damn cute,” Aaron said. He kissed Oliver’s forehead. “Can I get your number?”
Oliver rattled off the digits, still feeling a bit lightheaded.
Aaron smiled. “You have a good night, sweetheart.”
****
Aaron kept the mental image of Oliver after their first kiss in his mind as he settled down to sleep. For the first time since returning home, he slept with no nightmares.
He felt invigorated the next morning and got in an excellent work out. He was feeling so good that he called his mother. He knew she’d been worrying about him after the week he’d spent visiting on leave. He hoped that she felt better after their conversation. Aaron didn’t want his mother to worry. He didn’t mention Oliver to her yet, feeling it was too soon for that. When he hung up the phone, he was confident that his mom would be reassured.

Aaron took advantage of his good mood and started to run errands. He got his hair cut and went grocery shopping for the first time since getting back. He watched the clock. He didn’t want to call Oliver while the young man was at work and he also didn’t want to appear desperate. He decided that sometime in the evening would be best. It was hard not to stare at his watch as the minutes ticked by. Aaron was anxious to set up another date. His mind was glued on the little moments from the night before, like how his skin tingled when their fingers brushed over the chips and salsa and how Oliver had blushed at that every time, even when it became clear Aaron was doing it on purpose. There was something in Oliver’s eyes and the way he smiled that made Aaron feel like a human being again, instead of just some pawn in a war that was bigger than him.

****

Oliver spent the entire day wondering if Aaron would actually call. After getting off work, he turned the ringer on his cell phone all the way up, just so he wouldn’t miss the call. Around six, he got a little nervous. He felt a bit foolish, waiting for the call like he was. Aaron hadn’t specified that he would be calling today. Oliver knew he shouldn’t get all worked up.

He couldn’t figure out what it was Aaron saw in him. The man was undeniably gorgeous and yet had ignored the advances of the man at the next table to the point that Oliver wondered if Aaron had noticed it at all. Aaron had a way of making Oliver feel comfortable, which was no easy task. Then, there was that wonderful kiss that had absolutely swept Oliver away. He had to admit, he’d had his head in the clouds ever since, but it was time to come down. Oliver didn’t think the call would be coming.

Just when he was about to give up, his phone rang.




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Sunday, July 15, 2012

Signed Copies of My Ebooks


In the last interview I did on Priceless I was asked if there was a way for me to sign my ebook. After some checking around and talking to DSP, I found Kindlegraph.

Now, all this does is lets me sign the cover of the ebook and put a message if you want. I can't sign the actual ebook you have. You'll get a PDF of the cover and a note/signature from me. You don't have to have the ebook either!

With Kindlegraph, I can sign my covers basically. You have to sign in through Twitter then go to my Author Page to make the request.

For Kindle: The steps are pretty easy I'm told. I don't have a Kindle, but a friend does. She followed the steps for Kindle and got her PDF.

If you don't have a Kindle: You still make the request like normal. There is a little box in the request form... you put your email addy in that box. It does NOT have to be the Kindle address! Just any old email you use.

After you make the request-and I get the request and sign the cover-it's sent. You'll get an email that shows:
AZW version (viewable in Kindle apps)
or
For the PDF version

Click on the one you need.

Right now only Nighttime Wishes is shown on my author page. When Priceless is released I'll add that. I'll be honest, if you run into problems I'm not sure how much help I can be. All I can see requests. *laugh* This is new to me lol!

Evan Jacobs is the founder and this is his Twitter.  I signed a copy for Tali and she had a bit of a problem on her end. She tweeted the founder and got a response quickly... and got the problem worked out. It was a simple typo. I also did one for Julie Lyn Hayes and she had no problem. I sent one to myself, used an old email addy and got it too.

This is free also! For right now, this is the best way I can find to sign anything not in print. :)

~M

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Guest Blogging with Julie Lynn Hayes


Hello guys! Today I have Julie Lynn Hayes with me talking about the Bigger Brief Reluctant Romance anthologies! So ya come on in, grab a spot to sit, and enjoy! ;) Oh! And I'm over at her place talking too! LOL. It's a twofer... hehe.

Um, just scoot Kitty-Kitty out of the way lol.


Sometimes true love is reluctant to blossom and needs a little bit of coaxing in order to come out. But a strong will and a heart filled with determination will triumph every time! That is the definition of Reluctant Romance as put forth by the authors of Bigger Briefs, who are also the same authors who bring you free flash fiction every week, as the Wednesday Briefers.

How did this come about, you ask?

Good question. 

The answer begins over a year ago when a group of Silver authors got together and decided to write flash fiction on a weekly basis and post it on their blogs, along with links to all the other participating authors. Silver not only thought it was a good idea, they got their resident cover artist to design a badge for the use of the Silver Flashers, as the group became known. One author was in charge; she sent out the prompts on a weekly basis, and kept track of who was participating, and life was good. But eventually, the first author couldn’t continue, so she turned the task of keeping the group together over to a second author. And life went on.

It was shortly after that Silver took back the badge and forbid the use of the Silver Flash name (or anything with Silver’s name in it). The intrepid authors held a quick powwow and decided to continue under another name, and thus the Wednesday Briefs were born, which continue to this day. We were fortunate to have Victoria Blisse’s talented husband design a badge for our use.

And another wonderful thing happened—we threw the group open to anyone, published or not, from any publisher, not just Silver. By doing so, we’ve met some wonderful people and forged some new friendships.

The Wednesday Briefs delivers free flash fiction to this day, and has never missed a beat.

But then one day, Victoria Blisse suggested we write slightly bigger stories and put them together into anthologies to be published by House of Erotica – and thus the Bigger Briefs was born. We determined that for each theme there would be two anthologies—one m/m and one m/f. The first theme we used was Voyeurism, and the latest anthologies are based on the theme of Reluctant Romance.

And now here we are, having just released our second set of anthologies, and hard at work on the next one, our Halloween offerings. We hope you enjoy them!

I wrote a story for each Reluctant Romance anthology.
 

Lanb to the Slaughter -  Julie Lynn Hayes

Elliot Lamb has crushed on Roy Slaughter ever since they started working together, but he's never had the nerve to make the first move. Now, with the help of his best friend, Tony Fox, he's gonna take a chance, even if it means going back to nature to do it!

 Excerpt:

I’ve had a major crush on Roy ever since I started at VMT. From the moment I first laid eyes on him, I was hooked. I’d never met anyone quite like him before. That was five years ago. At the time, I was drifting from job to job, trying to find a place where I felt at home. And then I met Roy and something told me I’d found that place. And that special man I’d been looking for. But I didn’t dare tell him. I mean, he’s just so… above me, you know? Big and strong and handsome. Like a weight lifter, but not overly muscled. I’ve seen him in the company gym; I know what he looks like when he’s all hot and sweaty, dressed in little shorts that only serve to emphasize his beautiful butt…

And here I am—the proverbial ninety-eight pound weakling.

I’ve known Tony since high school. He’s the one who told me about the opening at VMT. Tony’s about my height, maybe an inch or two taller.  Dark hair, blue eyes, and a dimple in his chin.

Tony’s my best friend and closest confidant.

It started while we’re sitting at work one day, having lunch. Or rather Tony’s eating and I’m staring at my favorite obsession. He’s sitting across the room, having lunch with Dirk, who’s also in marketing—a bigger brownnoser I’ve never seen.

Something bounces off my chest. I turn my head to see Tony’s tossed something at me. I think it’s a snack cake or something. It looks chocolate.

“What?”

“You gotta eat,” he says. “This isn’t doing you any good.”

“What isn’t?”

“You know what.”

“If I knew what, I wouldn’t ask you what.”

Stalemate.

We stare at one another for a whole minute, and then he says, “Look, I’m not blind. I see how you’re looking at him.”

“At who?” I feel dumb even playing at being dumb; my cheeks suddenly get hot. Am I that obvious?

He doesn’t reply. When I meet Tony’s eyes finally, he’s frowning. But just for a minute. Then his face clears and all’s well again.

“Look. I know how you feel.”

“You do?” I’m surprised. Tony doesn’t strike me as the kind to moon over anyone. More like the kind that goes after what he wants. Unlike me.

“Yeah, I do.” He reaches for his soda, takes a good long drink through the plastic straw before he speaks again. “I have an idea.”

“What’s that?”

“Maybe I could… you know… help you, or something?” He shrugs lightly.

“Help me? Help me what?”

Without answering, he turns his head and I follow suit so that we’re both looking at Roy. He must’ve made a joke. Dirk’s laughing fit to be tied, and he’s punching Roy’s shoulder like he has a right to. Makes my blood boil just to watch him.

“Why don’t I come over to your place and help you strategize?” Tony suggests.



Of Soup and Love- Julie Lynne Hayes 

 Annie Suarez is a busy romance novelist who needs help keeping her house in order while she writes. Her best friend Toni sends her Vincent Jakoubek, who is a veritable Greek god! The trouble is, she's ten years older than he is, and she shouldn't feel attracted to him, but she does, and when he tells her he loves her, she just knows that trouble lies ahead! How can she let him down gently, when her heart is saying don't let go?





Excerpt:
“Toni, didn’t you hear what I said? He told me he loves me!” Annie fairly hissed the last words into her cell phone. It was difficult to speak quietly and shout at the same time; circumstances demanded discretion, while her upended emotions demanded satisfaction—she suspected she was failing in both respects.

A low throaty chuckle came from the other end of the line. “I heard you, loud and clear. So, what’s the problem?”

“The problem is he’s young enough… I mean, I’m old enough…” Annie darted a glance through the barely cracked door of her office. From this angle, she had a clear view of the hall, and part of the living room. There he was. Vincent Jakoubek. She could see his sexy back end, clad only in a pair of tight-looking black shorts, bob in and out of view as he hoovered the carpet. She was fairly sure he couldn’t hear her above the roar of the vacuum, but she wasn’t taking any chances.

“Don’t you like Vincent?” Toni had an infuriating way of throwing what she considered to be the truth out there. Annie thought her best friend/agent had an even more romantic view of the world than she did, and that was saying a lot since Annie Suarez was a romance novelist. She had a number of published novels to her credit, all written under her pseudonym of Grace L’Amour. “I do, but that’s not the point!” Annie protested. Closing her door, she leaned against it, sliding down to the floor until her butt hit the carpet, her heart fluttering. “That’s not the point at all.”

“Oh pooh, Annie, you’re being silly.”

A sharp rap on the door startled Annie. She gave a little yelp and dropped the phone. Fumbling between her legs, she recovered it, scooting away from the door as she felt it attempt to open, only realizing belatedly that the noise from the vacuum cleaner had stilled.

“Annie, are you okay?” came a gentle, sexy voice. Annie shivered. When he spoke, Vincent’s silken timbre had a way of going straight to her crotch, setting it on fire.

“I have to go.” Annie slid her phone closed without another word, fumbling it into her pants pocket. She scrambled to her feet, clutching at the knob for support, her weight pulling the door open.

Vincent stood in the doorway; her heart leapt at the sight. Twenty-five years young, he stood close to six foot, with tight black curls that framed a heart-shaped face, grey eyes alight with humor, terra cotta lips, and a dimpled chin. A face worthy of gracing any romance novel.

Or the pillow on her bed.

She pushed the inappropriate thought aside, clearing her throat. “I’m fine, Vincent, just fine.” She smiled to emphasize her words, but he didn’t seem convinced.

“I was about to start dinner and I was just wondering if I could get you something first?”

His eyes moved across the room and she turned her head to follow his line of sight, feeling suddenly guilty. Her computer sat on the desk; that’s where she should have been, working on edits for the novel that her publisher was eagerly awaiting. Third in the series. But she’d been doing other things, such as Facebooking, and talking to Toni, when she should have been writing. At the moment, the screen was frozen on the image of an Angry Bird. No relevance to her book whatsoever. Just a stress reliever that she used whenever her desire for Vincent grew too strong.

She’d been playing a lot of Angry Birds lately.



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