I don’t think it’s a coincidence that three of my five published contemporary romances take place primarily in the fall.

There’s something about this time of year, when the air gets a chill, the leaves turn, and swap sandals and swimwear for boots, sweaters and jeans. I love the smells, the foods, and fun— whether it’s lazy drive on sun-drenched backroads taking in the fall colors, or dressing up for Halloween.

As a kid, I dressed as a witch one year, a 1950s girl, another. In college, my costumes got a lot raunchier. One year several of my friends and I went as “Killer Bimbos from Outer Space.” We carried plastic ray-guns, wore mini-skirts, stilettos, Vulcan ears and inflatable boobs that transformed our modest B and C bustlines to epic proportions.

My only picture of the Killer Bimbo squad seems to have vanished, but I still remember the feeling of slipping into a sexy and outrageous disguise.

Recapturing that thrill was part of the fun of writing a sexy scene in my new release Shining Through.

Good girl heroine Tabitha, a well-known champion figure skater, goes to a dive bar in search of smokin’ hot Russian bad boy Daniil Andreev. Tabitha’s desperate to break out of her straight-laced public image and is (rightly!) convinced Daniil is the perfect guy to help her do it.

But as America’s wholesome blond ice princess, she can’t just march in and steam it up with sexy tattooed Daniil.

Her solution? A disguise, that transforms her into a blue-haired wild child, eager for a good time, and a man ready to show her one.

Enjoy this excerpt!

Heart pounding, she spun around, brushing his face with her synthetic hair. He stepped back, grinning a little as their gazes locked.

He wasn’t tall, which wasn’t unusual for a skater. But his well-defined upper body, tattooed arms and rock-star eyes made him look tough, cool and confident. She hadn’t a doubt he was good in a fight, and definitely not afraid of one.

She threw what she hoped was a sexy look. “Want to be on my team?”

“Sure.” He smiled and moved closer. “Which are we, stripes or solids?”

“Either. We made up our own game.” She leaned against the table and ran her tongue over her white frosted lips. “Whoever gets the most balls wins.”

He gave a low chuckle as he gazed into her eyes. “I’ll bet you play very well.”

“Actually, I’m quite new at it. But eager to learn.” She angled herself to show off her body, accented by a fitted black tank, and a red mini-skirt. His admiring gaze took in all her hard work in the gym. Even as he bent to take his turn at the pool table, his gaze lingered on her until the very last minute.

Pool balls collided with a sharp crack, and the solid-color green one rolled into a pocket at the opposite end. Tabitha licked her lips. “I like your technique. Maybe you could show me a few things.”

“Happy to.” A smile played at the corner of his mouth. “I’m Daniil. And you are?”

“Hildegard,” she answered. “Hildegard Snarski.”

“And people think Russian names are strange.” Peering at Tabitha, he followed her around to the other side of the table. “It’s funny. You don’t look like a Hildegard,” he said. “I think you look more like a Tabitha.”

Crap! He was onto her. She could either retreat in shame… or she could play the game. She looked up through her fringe of blue bangs. “Nope. Definitely not Tabitha.”

“I see.” His alluring sideways grin suggested he not only liked the game, he wanted to dial it up a notch. He gave a low chuckle and moved closer, so that his shoulder brushed against her bare arm. His nearness and the aroma of Polo Black filled her senses. “So tell me….Hildegard Snarski… is it true what I’ve heard about American women?”

She felt the familiar adrenaline rush that accompanied a daring leap. Usually it was a leap off the ice, but not this time. She twirled the square of blue chalk around the tip of the cue stick and blew away the excess. “Tell me what you’ve heard, and I’ll tell you if it’s true.”

He trailed his fingertip over her arm, whisper soft against her skin. “That they’re after a good time. No expectations, no strings. Just one night, and then goodbye.”

She blinked and her cheeks felt hot. Though she couldn’t possibly  date Daniil Andreev, the way he’d put the question front and center was disconcerting. “Is that what you’re after?”

He brushed the pad of his thumb over the swell of her bottom lip. And then his mouth was on hers, hungry and demanding, taking what he wanted.

She gripped the edge of the table, as his arm snaked around her, pressing against the small of her back. His tongue probed her mouth, triggering wild spirals of desire that blocked out the sounds of the bar, and awareness of people around them.

Blood pounded through her veins, and her core felt like liquid, soaking her panties, driving her wild. His warm breath against her ear sent shivers through her body.

“Want to get out of here?”

When the sweetheart of American figure skating falls for the bad boy of Russian figure skating, it puts her quest for Olympic gold on thin ice. Dirty Dancing meets Olympic figure skating in this sweet and sexy sports romance!

The Biggest Season of Her Career…

America’s sweetheart Tabitha Turner is on track to win figure skating gold in the Winter Games. Her family has sacrificed everything for her career, but the pressure is taking its toll. Burned out and living a lie, can Tabitha let off a little steam without melting the ice?

The Last Chance of His…

Russia’s bad boy of skating Daniil Andreev is determined to prove the toughest thing about him is his competitive fight. When Tabitha tempts him to help her take a secret walk on the wild side, he gives her a taste of the freedom she craves, never expecting that one unforgettable night could turn into something more.

Two Hearts on Thin Ice…

Chicago, Vancouver, Paris… the international figure skating season unfolds. Tabitha and Daniil compete and fall in love, but as the pressure mounts in a make-or-break season, can they set aside their painful pasts and spiral into a shining future together… or will their dreams shatter like thin ice?

At the Winter Games, the torch isn’t the only thing burning..

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