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Archive for the 'About books…' Category
Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013
If the boat hasn’t sunk and the toilets continue to flush, we’ll be basking in the sun, heading down to Cozumel, Mexico for the last leg of our short cruise! Don’t hate me. I’m thinking about you! Today is the official release date for TEXAS SURRENDER. I hope the glimpses I’ve given you of the four novellas that make up this fat anthology have tempted you to head straight to Amazon. I’ll be back online sometime Friday. See you then!
Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free download from another Western series, the Triple Horn Brand books!
This snippet is from the last novella in the collection, Two Wild for Teacher…
“Ms. Devlin’s writing is so well done that the experience was seamless. I will definitely be looking for more of Ms. Devlin’s books for my ‘keeper shelf’… TWO WILD FOR TEACHER is highly recommended reading for a quick escape.”
5 Stars and Book of the Month, Long and Short Reviews
It’s double the trouble when two ornery cowboys come courtin’, Texas-style…
Sam Logan’s hell-raising twin sons have a bad rep in Two Mule, Texas. All of it earned. When it becomes clear those two troublemakers won’t settle down without another nudge—make that a boot to their butts—Sam reissues his challenge. Find a wife.
There’s only one woman who’s ever held Mace and Jason Logan’s attention for more than one night. Molly Pritchet, their former teacher. She’s been too worried about a pesky morals clause to let them close, but they’re older now and ready to prove to her that some rules are meant to be broken.
Molly thought her path was clear: always a teacher, never a mother or a wife. Until she finds those two Logan “boys” in her backyard, all grown up and digging around in her business. More accurately, starting her koi pond for her without asking. Well, it’s about time someone taught the Logan twins some manners.
A little mud, a lot of yearnings she thought she’d suppressed, and Molly realizes she’s the one being schooled in the art of indulging in forbidden desires.
Warnings: Two hot-as-sin twins romance their former high school teacher. Things are bound to get down and dirty quick as two bad boys tag team to sweep one curvy, sexy woman off her feet.
Sam Logan couldn’t sleep. He had one last chore to take care of. One he’d been putting off. No time like now to get ’er done.
He walked softly on bare feet down the long hallway, past the master bedroom he’d given up when Johnny married Ellie and moved both his new wife and his brother Killian into the large room to share it. He shook his head, a glimmer of a smile tugging at his mouth. Sounds that hadn’t been heard in this old house in over three long years echoed up and down the hallway.
Sexy sounds—happy sighs and laughter, slick slaps, an occasional yelp from Ellie. He could only imagine what his two oldest boys were doing to the girl. But they all seemed happy with the arrangement and both men were gaga for Mean Ellie Harker. Who would have thought one simple pronouncement would produce such lightning-fast results?
It’s time you boys found yerselves a wife.
That’s all it had taken. Sam had disappeared for a long weekend to attend a cattle auction and give them time to think about what he’d said, what was missing from all their lives, only to return and find all four men looking as though they’d been wrung through a wringer and put up wet.
His sons hadn’t told him everything, but he’d heard the rumors—from Ole Win at the diner who’d witnessed how the oldest two had swarmed Ellie like bees around a hive, and then from Wade Luckadoo whose daughter had witnessed Ellie’s kidnapping by the twins, but for some inexplicable reason hadn’t called the sheriff.
So they hadn’t wooed Ellie in a traditional way. Didn’t much matter to Sam. A pretty woman stood in the kitchen every morning, a happy smile on her face, and all the boys had perked up, falling over themselves to please her.
These days, meals were an event. Ellie had been running the town’s only diner and knew how to cook a mean chili, sear steaks to perfection and bake glorious pies.
The pies had become a bit of a joke in the house over the last month.
Ellie had figured out right off that Johnny loved apple pie. However, Killian wouldn’t commit, sampling the varieties she lined up on the counter every Sunday and sighing, but never telling her which one was his favorite.
Sam thought he knew why.
Killian wasn’t sure about his place in Ellie’s heart. She’d melted first for Johnny, but had accepted Killian in her bed too, and even told him often that she loved him. Killian only half believed her, and given his upbringing, living in a house with two people who’d hated each other’s guts and whose anger had spilled over onto him, Sam understood why Killian had doubts anyone could love him.
Ellie’s unending search for the perfect pie to please Killian was her way of proving she loved him. From the way his second adopted son beamed each time Ellie introduced a new set to sample, Sam didn’t think Killian would ever tell her which pie he loved most.
Pie was taking on mystical properties, a true elixir of love in every bite. And pie was what the twins, the youngest of his brood, huddled over now. Read the rest of this entry »
Tagged: Lone Star Lovers Posted in About books..., Contests! | 7 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Michelle Gallegos - Ginger Robertson - Jamie L - Vanessa N. - Delilah -
Monday, December 2nd, 2013
If the boat didn’t break down in the Gulf, today we’re in Key West! Woot! In the meantime, here’s another snippet from Tuesday’s release, TEXAS SURRENDER!
Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free download from another Western series, the Triple Horn Brand books!
This is from A Four-Gone Conclusion…
“A FOUR-GONE CONCLUSION is a prime example on how a novella should be written; fast and fun, touching characters that pull you in and a story that is completely fulfilling.”
4.5 Cherries, Long and Short Reviews
One devilish night…or a chance at heaven?
Sam Logan’s foster sons have a bad rep in Two Mule, Texas. Most of it earned. When it becomes clear they don’t plan on giving up scootin’ after ever pretty pair of boots in town anytime soon, he issues the one thing he knows they can’t resist: a challenge. Find a wife.
The oldest, Johnny, is actually grateful. He’s had his eye on Mean Ellie Harker for a long time, and Sam’s challenge is the kick in the pants he needed to ask her out. Except before he can make his move, his brothers kidnap her right out from under his nose. Now, instead of being one question away from victory, he has to compete for the woman of his dreams.
Ellie thought she’d be a dried up old spinster before Johnny finally untangled his tongue long enough to ask for a date. But instead of teaching him better uses for that tongue, his brothers have whisked her away to the ranch. At first she’s furious…then intrigued when she starts to wonder what it might be like…
Warning: Four handsome cowboys. Four choices. Would it be a single sordid night or a chance at heaven as she savors every luscious inch of the Logan brothers?
“It’s time you boys found yerselves a wife.” Sam Logan made his pronouncement then waited, watching the four younger men seated at the table from the corners of his eyes. He didn’t have to wait long for his words to sink in. They exploded in the room with the force of a silent grenade.
Johnny’s jaw closed with a snap, and he laid his spoon down on the scarred, oak table. His black, winged brows drew together, nearly meeting over his dark eyes as he raised his head.
Sam suppressed a smile. That look could make the toughest hombre gulp, but Sam wasn’t the least bit concerned. Johnny tended to look mean when things changed. His oldest boy hated any kind of change.
If any other man had said what he had, Johnny would have cussed under his breath and aimed a piercing, silencing glare. However, he respected Sam, trusted him as much as he could anyone. That trust and respect were the only things that kept his butt on the bench beside his brother Killian.
For his part, Killian’s eyes narrowed. The corners of his lips twitched. Likely, he was amused by Johnny’s reaction and didn’t want to let him off the hook too quickly, but was already lining up all the reasons why Sam’s idea was ludicrous. He was quick that way.
Sam calmly ladled the hearty stew he’d made into his mouth and let his gaze roam to the twins. Jason was coughing into his napkin while Mace gave him “helpful” taps between his shoulder blades.
Mace caught his stare and grinned. “A wife, did you say?”
Sam grunted, ignoring the one word that had caught his son’s attention. “This is the third time this week we’ve had stew,” he murmured. Not to change the subject, but to point a out a glaring fact.
“I like stew just fine,” Johnny muttered.
“This house misses a woman’s touch.” There, he’d said it. Sat the big gorilla in the room right at the dinner table. Impossible to ignore.
“Gracie can’t be replaced,” Killian said softly.
The permanent ache next to his heart echoed that truth. Sam nodded. “She’s gone. Three years. I miss her every day. Know you do too. But life goes on. You’re men now. You have an obligation. Ranchin’s a family business. Y’all need families.”
Johnny cleared his throat. “No disrespect intended, Sam, but you didn’t get sons the old-fashioned way.”
“Not because Gracie and I didn’t try. And in the end, we had no regrets. We both loved you all like you was our own.”
“So, you’d rather saddle us with—”
Sam aimed a quelling stare. “Think I felt like Gracie was a noose around my neck?”
“No sir, but…” Johnny’s hands fisted on the tabletop. “Hell, how’re we to find someone like her?”
Sam understood what he meant. Gracie’s passing had left a hole in all their hearts. The boys had loved her. Took to her the very first day he’d brought each of them home. Gracie had been born to be a mother, and she’d showered them all with the things they needed most—acceptance and unconditional love.
“Boys, Gracie wasn’t born a rancher’s wife. Truth is, she didn’t know a bull from a cow and damn near poisoned me with the first meals she cooked. But she learned. Find a woman willin’ to learn, one you kin love and who’ll love you back.”
“You said, ‘a wife’.” Mace wasn’t gonna let that slip of the tongue go.
Sam shook his head and gave the twins a faint glimmer of a smile. Those two could always see the humor in any predicament. “Thought I’d give you two options. I know one can’t piss without the other goin’ too. And there are damn few single women to go around these parts. ‘Nough said?” When all of them nodded, he cleared his throat. “I’ll be out of town for the next four days. Auction in Abilene. The house is yours.”
Johnny glanced around the dinner table at his brothers whose attention had been snared from the first moment Sam had made his firmly spoken pronouncement. They were accustomed to eating quietly, filling their hollow bellies at the end of a long, hard day’s work. Sam’s words echoed in the silence that followed and hung in the air like a sour-smelling cloud. At least to Johnny’s imagination. The thought of taking a wife, keeping a woman around on a permanent basis, made him itch.
The suggestion that they find “a wife” had come out of the blue. But the look on Sam’s face said he’d thought long and hard about it and would brook no arguments. His sly mention that the twins might share one should have been shocking but wasn’t given their recent escapades, as well as the unconventional relationships springing up like chokeweeds all around Two Mule, Texas.
The glint of humor in Killian’s eyes forewarned he was about to say something sly. Johnny grunted and shook his head. Now was not the time to make a joke.
Killian snorted. His lips twisted, but he gave a shrug to indicate he’d behave.
Johnny didn’t like the turn of the conversation, but it was Sam Logan giving the advice. When Sam spoke, which was seldom, they all listened.
After all, they owed Sam everything. Read the rest of this entry »
Tagged: Lone Star Lovers Posted in About books..., Contests! | 10 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Anne - Enikö - Michelle Gallegos - Elena Moreno - Delilah -
Sunday, December 1st, 2013
BEFORE O-dark-thirty this morning, I boarded a plane for Miami. Mom and I will be staying in hotel there tonight, and then board a boat heading toward Key West! While I’m traveling, don’t forget to check in every day this week. I’ve pre-posted blogs to keep you entertained. And there are giveaways involved…
On Tuesday, TEXAS SURRENDER releases. I’m giving you tidbits from the stories that make up that anthology, hoping to tempt you into buying it!
Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free download from another Western series, the Triple Horn Brand books!
Today’s offering is from Breaking Leather…
“…Put into the mix three sexy brothers who happen to be cowboys and who are hot for one lucky female? You have a sexual, erotic masterpiece!”
5 Stars and Top Pick!, The Romance Reviews
“…Delilah Devlin just makes this type of story such an adventure as well as a hot ride… You will never go wrong with a Delilah Devlin story and you will never be disappointed.”
5 Cherries, Whipped Cream Reviews
“Cleverly written, Breaking Leather breaks the mold when it comes to ménage stories… Highly recommend.”
Sizzling, 4 1/2 Stars, Sensual Reads
“…The characters themselves are fantastic. All three men are alike and yet very unique. Chrissi is a strong woman and her character is flawless. Add in some wonderful support characters and you’ve got one robust set of characters and one outstanding story that shouldn’t be missed.”
5 Hearts, The Romance Studio
One for remembrance…one for healing…and one to seal her heart forever.
Chrissi Page has tried to find one man who heats her bed the way the Kinzie brothers did one shameful night years ago. She’s failed miserably, leaving her with no choice but to bank that inner fire—and keep a lid on her inner bad girl.
She’d been weak, unable to choose between three men who appealed to her in different ways. And when they’d confronted her as a tease, anger had boiled over into a passion so wild, she’s still trying to live it down.
Since that night, Ezra, Cade and Joshua have individually sown their wild oats with pretty much the entire available female population of Two Mule, Texas. Yet nothing erases the attraction they still feel for Chrissi. And when she ends up stranded on the road near their ranch, it’s their last chance to turn their mutual obsession into an unusual proposition.
One weekend, three on one. If she can’t stand the heat, they’ll let her go on with her life. And try to find a way to live with the hole she’ll leave behind in theirs.
Warning: A girl who thinks she can’t have it all, and three brothers who set out to prove otherwise. One on one, two on one, and three on one; bondage in the wild; a bit of riding crop action. And a pickup truck load of emotion.
Chrissi Page raised her cell phone in the air, staring at the screen. No bars. Not even a hint of one skinny, green nub. “Oh, come on,” she moaned as her radiator hissed behind her. “Damn, damn, damn.”
She’d been tempted to ignore the CHECK ENGINE light when it first appeared, wanting to take the chance she could limp back into Two Mule. However, the steam seeping from under the hood had pretty much killed that hope.
Today was not the day for her car to break down. Not so far from town. Not so close to their ranch. Any minute now one of the Kinzie brothers might happen by.
They’d stop because they’d never leave a woman stranded.
They might not let her go because of their shared past.
And she didn’t know if she had the strength anymore to fight fate or her own inexplicable needs.
Macy Pettigrew, her best friend and boss, had sent her to the Dunstan house to make sure the owners had followed her suggestions to increase the house’s curb appeal. Never mind that there wasn’t a curb. Not really even a road—more of a caliche-covered goat trail that meandered up a steep hillside, rutted from runoff during recent summer storms.
Something must have happened to her car on the run up that hill. She’d heard the rocks pinging against her undercarriage but had been too busy thinking about Ms. Dunstan’s handsome neighbors. She’d been afraid she’d pass them or that they might stop in to see old Lettie Dunstan, the widow selling off her roughhewn, century-old home.
Chrissi had forced a smile on her face, looked at the potted plants the old woman had placed in pretty window boxes and admired the paint she’d used to spruce up the weathered door and window frames. The junk the old woman’s husband had accumulated, and that she hadn’t had the heart to part with after his passing, was gone from the front lawn. And lo and behold, grass was beginning to grow to fill in the brown patches where engines and tires had lain.
Macy would be pleased. They had a potential buyer. One who’d relayed an offer via email, which had checked out with the mortgage lender. Details Macy had been eager to handle herself, leaving the showings to Chrissi.
Chrissi heard a powerful engine rev. She slowly lowered her arm and glanced nervously over her shoulder. A metallic sage pickup truck pulled off the road behind her, and her stomach dropped to her toes. She’d known the moment her CHECK ENGINE light had shone that this was going to happen.
And good Lord, it had to be Ezra Kinzie. His dark gaze narrowed on her through the windshield, the intensity of it feeling like the hissing heat of a brand against her skin. Read the rest of this entry »
Tagged: Lone Star Lovers Posted in About books..., Contests! | 12 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: chris - Megan Mitcham - Enikö - Michelle Gallegos - Delilah -
Saturday, November 30th, 2013
Today, I’m doing my last bit of packing for my cruise. I’ll be mostly offline for the next week, but blogs are pre-posted so you’ll have something new to read here every day. I’m also providing multiple chances for you to win things! So, be sure to check in daily. Details about today’s giveaway can be found below. But first, we have some exciting administrivia to take care of…
November’s Winner
My November contest winner, chosen by random number generator, is…Cyndi Faria (Nov. 7)!
Congrats, Cyndi! You’ve won an Amazon gift card worth $20! Be sure to send me an email to let me know you have seen this announcement. I’ll send you your gift when I return next weekend.
December’s Contest
Let’s make this super easy because I’m a little distracted with all my packing and lists. I’ll give away another Amazon gift card worth $20!
What do you have to do to win? Simple. Comment on my blog—on any posting—from now through December 31st! I’ll choose a winner at random from among all the comments. Good luck!
A Taste of TEXAS SURRENDER
Although the official release date is December 3rd, Amazon is already shipping this book. Over the next few days, I’ll post snippets from the four stories inside Texas Surrender.
Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free download from another Western series, the Triple Horn Brand books!
A Romance Reviews “Best Book of 2010 Nominee”!
“…what you get is explosive, emotional and endearing, something Delilah Devlin does better than anyone…” 4 Cherries, Whipped Cream
There’s a wild child trapped inside her, and they’re hell-bent on unleashing it…
As the pretty daughter of the town whore, Shanna Davies has always tried hard to toe the line. But she just can’t help it. Her boyfriend, Bo Crenshaw, has lured her untamed spirit out to play once too often. It’s time to get the hell out of Dodge and make a new start where no one knows her past. After she fulfills one last, wicked fantasy.
Shanna is Bo’s first everything. First kiss, first sexual playmate, first love. Yet he’s never managed to convince her that he accepts her—good girl and bad—just as she is. So, she wants a memorable send off? No problem. He’ll give her one that’ll make her think twice about leaving.
On the appointed night, Shanna expects nerves. Yet once she crosses the threshold, the prospect of surrendering to a night of unrestrained passion with Bo and the three Kinzie brothers makes her mouth water—and her courage dry up.
But she asked for it, and now she’s not about to blink first in this game of sexual chicken…
Warning: Four lusty cowboys prove a little domination goes a long way in breaking a stubborn woman to saddle. Lots of spanking, binding, flogging, and double-dipping can keep a girl on her toes, her back, her belly, her knees…
“Dance with me, cowboy.”
Bo Crenshaw didn’t know what surprised him more. Her wanting to dance—or her asking him. She always cringed over her inability to master a simple two-step, and she usually avoided him like the plague in public.
But he wasn’t arguing. It was Friday night after a long week of wrangling cattle. He wanted to replace the musky smell in his nostrils with something a whole lot sweeter. Giving his drinking buddy a shrug, he let Shanna Davies tug his hand and lead him onto the dance floor, pretending a reluctance he didn’t feel.
Not that dancing with Shanna wasn’t pleasurable—if a little painful. She danced the same way she lived—a little too fast and completely out of synch with everyone around her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, but her head was tilted as she peeked around his shoulder. “Let’s go this way.” She bumped his knees, and they scooted backward toward her destination.
He pulled in her hips to slide a knee between her lethal knobs and circled so he had a view of what had caught her attention. Eyeing one particular trio of dancers at the far edge of the parquet floor, he thought he knew what had Shanna so intensely curious.
“Get me closer,” she hissed.
“What’re you doin’?” he asked, his tone dry.
“Tryin’ to see.”
“See what?”
“Them. Oops.” She ducked her head and stared at his chest. “He knows I’m watchin’.”
“Who?” he asked, pretending confusion.
“Justin Cruz.”
Bo leaned closer to whisper in her ear and bury his nose in her fragrant hair, feeling sure she’d allow it—seeing as how she was trying to pretend she wasn’t there to spy. “How do you know he knows?”
“He winked at me.” She lifted her head and gave him a glare.
Bo suppressed a grin. “You’re really curious about them.”
She slid her hand down to twist his nipple through his shirt, and he winced.
“Don’t make fun of me.” She blew out a deep breath, frustration turning down the corners of her mouth. “Most exciting thing to happen around these parts, a real ménage à trois, and I can’t get close enough to see.”
“See what?”
She shrugged. “I’d like to see how they all dance together like that. For starters.”
Bo chuckled, and then hissed when she twisted his nipple again. He’d be bruised. Worth it, though. He’d missed holding her close.
“Oh hell, they’re leaving. You wanna get outta here?” she whispered.
Bo grunted and pulled her tall, slender body closer, rubbing his belly against hers. “You want to see if they do it in the parking lot, or are you horny? Thought you said we weren’t gonna do that anymore—use each other.” He ground out the last because the way she’d described their last sexual rendezvous still stuck in his craw.
Shanna grimaced in dismay but her brown eyes glittered with humor. “Did I make it sound that way? I’m sorry,” she said, her tone anything but apologetic. “It’s not that the sex isn’t great, but…”
He couldn’t help his impatient snort. “I know. You’re blowin’ this town as soon as you have the cash.” Bo turned around on the floor again, fighting her for the lead and winning. He danced them into the darkest corner of the dance floor. “Hell, see what you did now?” he grumbled, pushing her hand down to the front of his blue jeans.
She cupped his erection, running her palm up and down his length, and then tossed back her dark honey-colored curls. Her laughter was low and dirty. “Guess since it’s my fault, I should do something about it, shouldn’t I?” Read the rest of this entry »
Tagged: Lone Star Lovers Posted in About books..., Contests! | 22 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Charlene Michael - Tai - Pansy Petal - Enikö - Delilah -
Saturday, November 16th, 2013
Saturday’s here! And I’m letting myself slack off a bit today. Sure, I’ll write my NaNo words, but I’m not going to do much more. I’m definitely not going to sit in front of the computer all day. A certain 9-year-old wants a special day, which to her mind includes popcorn, a movie, and me spending the night. Should be fun!
I’m featuring Tarzan & Janine today. It’s a very funny story, co-written by my sister, Elle James, and myself. We’d written the first draft eons ago, but real life intruded and we let it languish. Our mother insisted we resurrect it. She’d been waiting years for us to finish the darn thing. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the excerpt!
I’ll post the winner of today’s contest Monday morning!
Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free download of this book!
See what happens when a secret billionaire and an aspiring actress get a little wild in Texas!
A man with a soft spot for women…
Closet Texas millionaire, Tanner Peschke has three months to prove he can make a profit at the family used car dealership or he will lose his job, disappoint his father and break his promise to his dying mother. The root of his problem is women. He can’t resist them—any of them. All it takes is the scent of delicate perfume or a misty-eyed gaze from an elderly woman with a sob story, and he becomes silly putty in the hands of his feminine customers. Until, with a stroke of luck and a buck of a mechanical bull, he hires Janine Davis to star with him in the dealership’s live TV ads.
A woman who won’t let a handsome cowboy get in the way of her dream…
Determined to make a name for herself, Janine needs to pay the bills between acting jobs. The offer to do a series of commercials for Peschke Motors is a chance to get her face “out there”. Recognizing a player when she sees one, Janine agrees to co-star with her handsome employer fully intending to keep their relationship strictly professional. First break she gets, she’s heading to Hollywood.
Their jungle-themed commercials take a crazy twist, and Tanner finds himself falling…from a sales banner while chasing a monkey. But more importantly, he’s falling for Janine. She’s just the one woman to tame this cowboy’s wild heart. Convincing her to stay with him might be harder than catching a mischievous monkey.
After the first commercial Tanner and Janine shoot, they’re local a sensation. Customers and news crews crowd the car showroom, and Barbara Stockton, a cougar who reneged on a deal with Tanner and fired Janine shows up just when Tanner thinks he’s got things under control…
Barbara let go of Tanner’s arm, a smile curling her blood-red lips. “I want to offer her a job.”
Tanner’s stomach completed a full gainer and he blurted out, “I’m sorry, but she’s working for me through the summer.”
The beauty maven’s professionally arched brows rose. “Do you have a contract?”
“Well, it’s under revision…” Revision, hell. Tanner hadn’t even considered a contract. He’d never hired an actress before Janine. What kind of contract did actresses need?
Barbara’s fingernail scraped across Tanner’s shoulder in a long, slow slide. Her lips puffed out all sultry-like, reminding Tanner of when he’d been inside her hotel suite being sized up as the next meat course on her table. “I feel badly about firing her last weekend, and I want to make it up to her.”
Tanner stepped away from the woman, his eyes narrowing. “She’s not interested.”
“Why don’t we let her decide?” Barbara insisted.
“I promise you, Janine is not interested.” Tanner held back his anger and panic. Janine was turning out to be a gold mine, and he didn’t want anyone else staking a claim on her…talents. Read the rest of this entry »
Tagged: Flashback, Kindle Posted in About books..., Contests! | 12 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Toni Whitmire - Becky H - Jamie L - Kim Freeman - Reba Newman -
Saturday, November 9th, 2013
UPDATE: Congrats to CJ! You’ve won the free download. I’ll be in touch shortly! DD
* * * * *
Monday’s the day… Veteran’s day and the release date for Uniform Desires! I hope you’ve already pre-ordered your copy and that you’ve entered the huge rafflecopter contest! Tons of prizes will be awarded, so take an extra moment to head on over there to enter! Okay, that’s the end of my commercial.
Let’s talk about today’s flashback…
I love writing short stories—whether it’s for someone else’s anthology or my own, and sometimes, as with “Two Hot,” I like to publish them alone. Not everyone loves a shorter story, but I like writing them and reading them. They are a little slice of life, and the challenge is always to get to the point quickly, serve a satisfying little vignette, and close with a flourish. It’s not easy. I have friends who’d rather write a full-length novel than tackle a short story. Every word counts. There’s no room for a meandering tale. I use every story as an exercise in honing my precision so that when I write the longer stories, I bring that same focus to ensure I make every word and scene count.
But what does one do when they have a bunch of short stories that have appeared in various publications? I like to group them into volumes to give my readers a chance to see them. Not everyone can buy up every collection I appear in, so my Strokes volumes are my way to share them. The excerpt I’m sharing below first appeared in Cleis Press’s Suite Encounters. Then it was featured in the November 2012 issue of Penthouse! But you can read it in its entirety, along with seven other naughty bedtime tales, in Strokes, Vol. 2. Enjoy the excerpt!
I’ll post the winner of today’s contest Monday morning!
Post a comment and you’ll be entered to win a free download of this book!
From National Bestselling Author, Delilah Devlin, comes another naughty collection of seven bedtime stories—a week’s worth of nighttime reading pleasure.
Ride along with two soldiers, just returned from war, who find sweet release in “The Long Ride Home.” In “Tailgating at the Cedar Inn,” a woman has one last fling with two sexy construction workers. A cowboy kidnaps his “Runaway Bride” to get some sweet satisfaction. A woman travelling alone in Europe enjoys a hot steamy sauna in the “Textile Free” zone. In “Love in Bloom,” a florist tempts her high school crush. A naughty nooner with an office colleague ends in a “Quick Draw.” A dispatcher kicks inhibitions to the door when she seduces a younger truck driver in “Drive Me Crazy.”
Four of the stories have appeared in separate Cleis Press anthologies. Two of the stories were featured in Penthouse magazine! All the stories are featured in one sinfully hot collection…
From “Tailgating at the Cedar Inn”
I stepped out of the shower onto chipped and cracked aqua blue tiles with grout so dingy I couldn’t tell what color it had been. Not that the bathroom was dirty, thank god. Just old. Like the rest of the 60’s-built motel I’d found on the little back country road.
Standing before the sink, I toweled my hair then shook my head like a dog, not caring where the droplets landed. The mess wasn’t one I’d have to clean. For one last night, I could be irresponsible, messy, even if only in a small way.
I draped the towel over the edge of the old white tub and sauntered naked into the small room with the double bed. The air smelled of tobacco and industrial cleansers. The bedding looked clean if a little nappy from wear, but I peeled back the quilt-top and tossed it on the floor anyway. Pristine white sheets beckoned.
Just as I lay back, sighing with relief, sounds from outside the room jarred me from my happy haze. Tires squealed, masculine laughter bellowed through the thin walls, and car doors slammed.
A sigh escaped and I stared at the bared rafters above. The laughter faded. I reached across to flip off the switch to the nightstand lamp with its yellowed shade. Lying in the darkness, I willed my body to relax, one limb at a time. That day, I’d driven three hundred miles. I’d have gone another fifty for a decent hotel, but the shorter route my Garmin dictated led me through narrow two-lane roads deep in the Ozark Mountains. I doubted I’d have found anything nicer.
Maybe I should have stuck to the Interstate, but I’d wanted to shave some miles. Little did I know the route would keep my foot busy pushing on the gas pedal then the brake the whole way. Exhausted with nerves shattered, I’d seen the crooked Vacancy sign outside the Cedar Inn and made my decision on the spot, swerving into the empty gravel parking lot. Not until I’d opened the door to my tiny, musty room did I have second thoughts about my decision. But how bad could the room really be? I’d turned on the swamp cooler set into a window frame and felt my hair frizz instantly.
Not that I’d really cared. No one was around to impress. Other than the clerk at the front desk, a skinny, twenty-something redneck with puppy dog eyes, the place was deserted. At the thought, I’d shivered a little bit, double-bolted my room door and checked the lock on the window. Visions of the shower scene from Psycho didn’t put me off taking a long, lukewarm soak to wash away the road grime and sweat.
The cooler purred, spilling muggy air into the room. The sheets felt clammy. Still, I grew calm as my body warmed the sheets beneath me, then a little horny when I wondered if the room might have little peepholes for the clerk to watch me. He’d been cute, if a little skinny. I wouldn’t mind if he watched—at least not in my fantasies. Who knew how long before I felt comfortable enough, private enough to indulge in a little one-handed play when my grandmother slept in the room next to mine.
I slipped a hand between my thighs and lazily trailed my fingers through my cleft until my breath caught and heat pooled. I raised my knees and let them fall open, tilted my hips and thrust two fingers inside my pussy. I wasn’t in a hurry. I wasn’t even that eager to come. The motion soothed and excited, allowing my mind to let go of my troubles—the firing, the break-up, the move to my grandmother’s house—and focus only on the pleasure curling deep inside my core.
When the blare of a TV sounded from outside, I had third and fourth thoughts about my decision to stop here for the night. What the hell? Why had someone moved their television set outside rather than watch in the seclusion of their room where the sound would be somewhat muffled.
I gritted my teeth, swung my legs over the side of the bed and reached for shorts and a tee, slipping them over my nude body and jammed the keys in my pocket before I stomped to the door and flung it open.
Not that the two men sitting on the truck noticed me—at first. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tuesday, November 5th, 2013
November 11th is creeping up fast! The release of Uniform Desires is less than a week away! The boxed set will go on sale for only $.99 initially, so you might want to go ahead and pre-order it at that price. Just sayin’. This is an exciting collection, filled with military and ex-military heroes. Scroll down if you’d like a sample of the sexiness heading your way. 🙂
I’d love to hear your thoughts and whether you’ve already ordered it. I’d also like to know whether men in uniform are one of your favorite fantasies! As well, we’ve started a Facebook page. Hit the link and go like the page to make sure you don’t miss the exciting things we have in store for you!
UNIFORM Desires
Six Military Romances
Infatuation by USA Today bestselling author Melissa Schroeder
To prove her love and save her man, she has to go above and beyond the call of duty
SEAL’s Honor by award-winning author Elle James
Two Navy SEALs jeopardize their lives and hearts in a battle-torn land when they vie for the love of one sexy Night Stalker helicopter pilot
SEAL the Deal by national bestselling author Sharon Hamilton
A SEAL’s nightmare of a promise given at his sister’s deathbed gives him the woman of his dreams
Dangerous Liaison by national bestselling author Delilah Devlin
A pampered travel agent escapes through the jungle with an undercover DEA agent when a drug lord mistakes her for a rival’s daughter
Her Forever Hero by bestselling author JM Madden
When the boss’s pregnant, unwed daughter needs rescuing, disabled Marine Grafton Parks proves he’s still a hero
Cinderella Liberty by NY Times & USA Today bestselling author Cat Johnson
A weekend liberty leads to unexpected passion between a Marine and his best friend’s sister, but he must survive seven months in Afghanistan to get back to her
The drone of the generator led her toward the dining hall, and she stood in the shadows outside, peering through the dusty windows for a glimpse of Angel.
She didn’t find him at any of the long tables and turned, determined to track down her quarry. Perhaps he’d opted for that beer. She backtracked to the barracks where the trainers slept and caught a glimpse of a familiar set of broad shoulders heading toward the isolated shower hut.
A smile stretched her lips at the naughty thoughts running through her mind. Keeping to the deepening shadows next to the cabins, she followed stealthily behind him.
Wearing only slacks with a towel hooked around his neck, a T-shirt wadded in his hand, his back was bare for her to ogle. The deep indention down the center was bordered by thick muscles. God, what might a man do with all that strength and power when focused on a woman’s pleasure?
She couldn’t wait to find out. Read the rest of this entry »
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