NaNo Day 2:
SS-2—1574 words

You know that feeling when you finish a book and you loved the characters so much you want to immediately read it all over again? Or when you slow down toward the end (or try, anyway!) because you really, really don’t want it to end? When I love a book, I do all of the above.

So imagine how it is when you’re actually writing the book, and it’s part of a series, and you’ve come to know the characters over four books and three years. That’s what’s going on with me right now as the final book in the Receptionist series, UNLEASHING THE RECEPTIONIST, comes out. Talk about separation anxiety. I’m a basketcase! 

I still remember where I was when I wrote the first word in this series (the café at the Anchorage public library.) Of course I didn’t know it would be a series then. It was just a book written on a whim, a saucy, kinky nod to office power politics called TRAINING THE RECEPTIONIST, starring Dana Arthur and her two sexy bosses. But the characters weren’t done with me yet, and I felt called to write a sequel (RESTRAINING THE RECEPTIONIST.) And then, a wonderful reviewer wondered if I was ever going to write about the past of the two heroes, Ethan Cowell and Simon Dirk. Well, of course I was, now that she mentioned it! As soon as I read her review, I knew exactly how I wanted to reveal the secret incident that brought them together.

(If you ever wondered whether reviews influence authors, in this case it definitely happened.)

Dana, Ethan and Simon and I go way back, and saying goodbye is difficult. Those three sure know how to rock each other’s worlds, and they’ve certainly rocked mine. Here’s the blurb for the last installment in their story, as well as an R-rated excerpt. And this is me, blowing kisses to my dear departing characters.

You can tie a girl up, but you can’t keep her down…

…the Receptionist, Book 3

In the year since Dana joined Ethan and Simon’s firm, the three of them have found the perfect balance of power and pleasure in their three-way, work/play relationship. Not only that, but it’s been the firm’s most successful year financially.

Except something is missing. Her men won’t tell her anything about their past. How they met, or how they formed such an unconventional business and personal partnership. Until they start sharing their secrets, Dana fears she’ll always be the odd girl out.

Everything changes when a vengeful former partner resurfaces. Suddenly, both the business and their idyllic relationship are under siege. With a tax auditor watching their every move, the three must be on their best behavior.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Dana seizes the chance to prove herself—and finally win her sexy bosses’ full trust and confidence. Now the race is on to root the evil nemesis out of their lives once and for all—before her dream relationship cracks under the pressure. 

Product Warnings: Contains hot three-way M/F/M sex, highly inappropriate office behavior, a shocking secret, a kinky accountant and some really bad girl-on-girl porno reenactments.

 Excerpt:

On a typical workday, if I’m chained to my desk it’s with silk cords and for one purpose only—because it leads to screaming orgasms for me and my two delectable bosses, Simon and Ethan.

With one exception. Business plan time.

During business plan, I’m chained to the desk in the usual, strictly metaphorical way. You know, working. Needless to say, it’s not my favorite time of year. It’s tough to spend all day and half the night shut up inside an office with two sexy gods when neither has touched you once. But maybe that’s just me. Not every receptionist has been trained to receive pleasure as well as incoming calls.

“Dana,” said Ethan, jolting me from my sexually frustrated daze. “Can you put another pot of coffee on, luv? And then I’ll need the P&L’s again.”

I hid a sigh as I trudged to the kitchenette. “Coming up.”

At least the profit and loss statements were good. Cowell & Dirk had had a very satisfactory year. Especially if you asked the only actual employee—me. I had experienced a blissfully high level of job satisfaction since Simon had hired and trained me.

“Mu shu pork okay?” called Simon. “I’m ordering from Great Wok.”

Now that was more like it. My mood brightened as I put on the coffee and gathered up the files. I’d do anything for my bosses, we all knew that. But I certainly preferred some duties to others.

“Food’s on its way,” said Simon when I returned with the coffee pot. “If I could only tear Ethan away from that spreadsheet.” He shot me a green-eyed pirate wink. His hair was a tousled black mess, but I loved my Simon in all his moods.

I gave him a questioning glance, wanting to make sure I’d interpreted correctly. Simon and Ethan had a strange bond, one I couldn’t quite figure out even though I was closer to them than anyone. They seemed to read each other without words. Simon gave me a go-ahead tilt of his head. With his wrinkled white shirt open at the neck, he looked half-drunk, as if he’d been swilling expensive brandy all night instead of crunching numbers.

“Maybe we need to spread something else in front of him,” I suggested. I put down the files and the coffee and prowled toward Ethan, who barely looked up from his swivel chair. He wore his reading glasses, his grizzled blond head bent over the desk. I challenge you to find anyone hotter than a sexual beast like Ethan with a pair of wire rims perched on his much-broken nose.

I knew from the angle of his head that he was tracking my approach. Ethan was like a wild animal picking up scents, especially the scent of eager Dana. His nostrils flared as I came close to the desk.

“We wouldn’t want our Senior Partner to burn out. Occasional breaks are healthy. I’m sure that’s in the employee manual somewhere.” I circled behind him and trailed my finger across the back of his neck. He tensed. I felt the tendons go taut as elevator cables. “This poor man has been working far too hard. If we don’t get him to relax, his head might explode.” I ran my hand through his thick hair.

“Sounds dire,” Simon agreed. “Urgent, even.”

“Oh, yes, I’d say it’s an emergency.” I slid my other hand inside his shirt, under the T-shirt, where rough curls greeted my fingers. “There isn’t even time to call a doctor. We’ll have to do what we can all on our own.”

Ethan let out an amused growl. “Nice try, luv, but it won’t work. Can’t mix business plan with pleasure.”

I snorted. The three of us had been mixing business with pleasure for over a year now. “You’re so right, boss. I’m being bad, aren’t I?” I rubbed my nipples on the broad plain between his shoulder blades. Obedient little soldiers, they peaked right away from the heat of his body. Or maybe from the memory of all the things Ethan had done to them. “There’s probably something in the manual about this. In the punishment-and-correction section.”

“I’m warning you, Dana.” But I heard the heat in his voice. I knew the game was on.

I aimed a cat-who-ate-the-cream look at Simon, inviting him to join me. He rose to his feet and ambled toward me, taking off his belt. I shivered at the sight and instantly went wet. “Perhaps our lovely receptionist needs a refresher course in obedience,” he said with a frown. “Hands behind your back, Dana.”

“But, Simon, I’m just trying to relax him…”

“Hands behind your back.” His stern voice made heat shoot to my pussy. I straightened up and put my wrists together behind my back.

“It’s not her hands that are causing the trouble.” Ethan swiveled around so he faced me. “It’s her nipples.” He gave my chest a smoldering glare, which ignited little aching flames inside each breast. “They need to be taught a lesson.”

“Quite right,” said Simon.

Ethan flicked open the buttons of my blouse, pop pop pop, until it hung open. Underneath I wore their favorite kind of undergarment, a pushup teddy that barely covered my nipples. One quick move of Ethan’s hand and it didn’t cover them at all.

From behind me, Simon ran the leather belt through his hands. It made a rough, hissing sound like a snake sliding across gravel. “Keep your hands behind you, disobedient Dana. Nipples out.”

I swallowed hard. Arousal was already percolating through my body, hotter than the coffee I’d just brewed. I gripped my hands together and arched my breasts toward Ethan. He gazed at my chest for a long, considering moment. My poor nipples rose in response, as if he were a snake charmer working his voodoo on them. He put his thumb to his mouth, swirled his tongue across it, then circled my nipple with saliva. Instantly I felt every air current in the room on my sensitized flesh.

Ethan gave Simon a nod.