Alluring Tales ***March 2007*** (VA summary added)

Are you looking for salacious and thrilling action-adventure reads that will leave you breathless? The search is over. The award winning, bestselling Allure Authors offer you a scintillating blend of paranormal, contemporary, fantasy, futuristic, and science fiction tales all in one sure-to-please erotic collection. Lisa Renee Jones, Myla Jackson, Vivi Anna, Sasha White, Sylvia Day, Cathryn Fox and Delilah Devlin from the Allure Authors site have stories in this book. LOL guess the title should have tipped me off ;) Quick Silver by Viva Anna In the year 2080, Sangria Silver knows what it takes to be a good messenger, a good delivery person. Ask no questions, and do the job no matter what. With a reputation for being quick, efficient and discreet, she’s the most wanted Conveyor in the New States of America. Contracted by the one of the most powerful woman in the NSA, Sangria takes on her most intriguing and most lucrative job to date. Two million dollars to transport a large metal case from the sparkling, sanitized streets of Los Angeles Proper to the skids of East Las Vegas, no questions asked. Along the way, she thinks she has it made and will be able to retire from the job, when she’s involved in a traffic accident and her car flips over. To her chagrin, the metal case is tossed from the trunk and smashes open to reveal the cargo inside. Not cargo but a man. Alive and sexy as sin itself. Now she has to decide whether to deliver him to the address or keep him all to herself... Out of the Shadows by Myla Jackson Summary Cassidy Jones had high hopes for her and Houston Police Officer, TJ Evans, until she was attacked by a stranger late one night on the university campus. Now she’s destined to spend her life in the shadows, fighting to control raging lust for blood and sex. Afraid she can’t win against the inner beast, she hides in her house, without hope of ever living a normal life. Until TJ comes calling demanding that she give him the answers he deserves and that she leave the city before the hurricane arrives. TJ had it bad for, Cassidy, but he knows when he’s been given the brush off. He’d all but given up when he walked next door to deliver the edict that all residents were to evacuate Houston immediately. When Cassidy refuses to leave, they spend a turbulent night battling the storm ultimately surrendering to their passion. Will Cassidy restrain the inner monster? Or will TJ emerge from the storm a changed man? Excerpt Cassidy leaned into him and practically purred against his cheek. “Stop me now, TJ, before it’s too late.” While her words said one thing, her hands racing across his skin encouraged him to continue. With his mind caught in a cloud of desire, TJ couldn’t stop. Couldn’t pull free of her until he slaked his desire. Tension built, rising in surges, centering on the juncture of their joined bodies. Cassidy moaned, her breasts bobbing up and down in TJ’s face. He captured one of the pale round orbs in his mouth and sucked hard, drawing the rounded flesh into his mouth, laving the taught rosy nipple. She murmured her approval and nuzzled his neck, nipping at the skin with her teeth. The tender bites only fueled the fires and spurred him on. He spun around and pressed her back to the wall where he could leverage her while he plunged deeper inside. He pumped into her again and again, until his entire body tightened into an orgasmic knot. On his final thrust, he peaked teetering on the verge of shooting sperm deep inside her. At that exact moment, Cassidy clamped her legs tightly around his waist, licked his neck in a long, sexy swipe, and then she leaned in, her mouth opening to take his throat between her teeth. The pager buried deep in TJ’s trouser pocket beeped, cutting through their labored breathing and vibrating against his knee. The effect was to jerk him out of the sensual haze and remind him they’d used no protection. “Damn it!” Without pulling out of her, TJ fumbled to reach for the pants around his knees. With his cock still firmly entrenched in her channel, the task was impossible. The Hottest One Night Stand by Lisa Renee Jones Summary A road trip. A storm that forces her to a roadside hotel. One passionate night. One perfect stranger… Jessica Montgomery needs an escape and a new outlook of herself as a woman. Her ex-husband not only left her for another woman, he called her sexually suppressed. Since then, she’s avoided relationships, using her work as an excuse. But deep down, there is a sensual woman who wants to be discovered. If only Jessica can find the confidence to let her lose. When a one night stand delivers Jessica to her sexy side, she faces the new day a changed woman. But what happens when her stranger appears again? Will she dare to find what lies beyond morning? Tempting Grace by Sasha White Summary At 35 reformed Bad Girl Grace Walters is finally content with her life. She’s a homeowner working her dream job of helping troubled teens, and acceptance in her community. Grace has worked hard to be where she is and she isn’t willing to let anything threaten her stable future. But when she's in an emotional downswing, and Lucas Martin makes it clear that he’s willing to do anything for her . . . Well, she can only resist temptation for so long. Grace knows getting involved with the much younger preachers son will threaten her new found acceptance, but how can she resist when she knows that being bad will make them both feel so good? Excerpt For the first time in over a year Grace Walters didn’t want to go home. She didn’t want to walk up the brick path and look at the pretty flowerbed she’d planted just last week. She didn’t want to open the door to the small two-bedroom cottage style house that she’d bought thirteen months earlier. The one and only place she’d let herself call home since she was fourteen and decided that she was better off on the streets than in a house where no one cared. She didn’t want to go home, because she knew she’d see that small pile of clothes on the dryer that belonged to Chelsea, and then she’d have to accept that Chelsea hadn’t felt at home there. That no matter what Grace had done, Chelsea had still gone back to the street, and this time, it had killed her. Grace didn’t want to remember. She didn’t want to think. “Why don’t you get them both?” She started when a deep voice broke through the thick fog coating her mind. “What?” She turned and found Lukas Martin behind her, less than a foot away. How had he gotten so close without her even noticing? Her instincts for self-preservation had always served her well before. “You seem to be having a hard time deciding between ice cream flavors, why not treat yourself and get both?” Lukas said with a smile. A pale eyebrow arched and a playful gleam lit up his chocolate eyes as he leaned even closer. “But if you want a real treat you should let me cook you dinner.” Grace started to say no, like she had so many times in the past month when he’d asked her out. But this time, the refusal stuck in her throat. As if he sensed her weakness, he stepped forward, the playful gleam fading as his gaze took on a more intense heat. “Grace?” Need blossomed from deep within. One she’d thought was long buried. She swept her gaze over his leanly muscled six-foot frame, and the energizing tingle of sensual awareness she always felt whenever Luke entered a room zipped through her. Grace knew intuitively that he could satisfy that need. It was a bad idea. Her head knew that, but her heart, her aching heart needed to feel something other than the pain of failure, and there was one thing she’d always been good at. One thing she’d always succeeded at … and she was too tired to deny the pull that Lukas’ eager-to-please attentions awoke within her. “One night,” she whispered. “One night?” “One night. You and me. No dinner, and no promises.” She met his gaze and let him see the need she felt rising from deep within. “Tonight.” A Familiar Kind of Magic by Sylvia Day Summary Victoria St. John is a Familiar, and like most kittens, she likes to play. Unattached to a warlock, she's causing mischief. Too much trouble-making can cause suspicions in mortals, so the High Council assigns warlock and Hunter Max Westin to "collar" her, in the hopes that he can succeed where others have failed. From the moment Max meets the beautiful Familiar, he can't wait to get started. He loves hunting, relishes the taming, and isn't prone to hurrying matters. Reining in a wild kitten takes time, sometimes weeks, and he's more than willing to put in the effort with Victoria. A battle of wills and an erotic seduction. The result is a journey through the depths of desire to the heights of eternal love. Excerpt The Hunter had finally arrived. Victoria studied him carefully through the closed-circuit feed that monitored her office reception area. The urbane Armani suit he wore did nothing to hide the predator within. Tall and dark, the Hunter moved with a casual arrogance that made her purr. He didn't look around, completely focused on the moment when they would be together in the same room. Alone. As she rubbed her hands together, a throaty growl filled the air. The High Council was ready to tangle with her again. She smiled and preened, as was the nature of her kind. This Hunter was powerful, she could feel it even through the walls that separated them. It was a testament to her own prowess that they would send a warlock such as him after her. She couldn't help but be flattered. After all, she'd broken the laws on purpose, deliberately goading the very powers that had stolen Darius from her. And here was her "punishment", walking into her office with that luscious, long-legged stride. She couldn't be more thrilled with their choice. He flashed a devastating smile at the receptionist before she closed the door behind him. Then he turned his attention to Victoria and removed his sunglasses. Oh my. She crossed her silk stocking-clad legs to ease the sudden ache between them. Piercing gray eyes measured her from a face so austerely handsome she was almost inclined to leave her seat and rub up against him. That firm jaw. those sculpted lips. But, of course, she couldn't. She first had to see if he would reveal who he was or if he intended to pretend. The High Council still hadn't realized how much power Darius had bequeathed her. They didn't yet realize how deeply her awareness went. Her gaze moved to the crystal-framed miniature on her desk and the man with the rakish dimple who smiled lovingly from there. Captured beautifully in oil paints, glints of gold shining in his blond hair, the sight of Darius brought a familiar ache of loss and heartache that firmed her resolve. The waste of his life filled her with a need for retribution. Rising to her feet, Victoria held out her hand. The Hunter took it leisurely, the palpable force in his touch betraying him. "Mr. Westin," she breathed, fighting back a delicious shiver. She would have to thank the Council for this gift when she was done with him. He was so dark-his skin, his raven hair, his aura. Sex incarnate. She could smell it, feel it with his proximity. It was obvious why he was a successful Hunter. Already she was wet and eager. Max Westin held her hand a little too long, his thickly-lashed gaze clearly stating his intentions to have her, to tame her. Like all kittens, Victoria liked to play, so she brushed her fingertips across his palm as she pulled away. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly, a tiny sign that she could get to him if she really put the effort into it. Of course, she intended to do just that. The Council only sent their best, most prized Hunters after her, and she knew how it chaffed Them when their elite met with abject failure. It was the only thing she could do prevent feeling helpless-give Them a harsh reminder of how great Darius' had been, and what They'd lost with his needless sacrifice. "Ms. St. John." Westin's voice was a rough caress. Everything about him was a little rough, a little gritty. A primitive creature. Just like she was. Victoria waved toward the chair in front of her glass-topped desk. Freeing the button of his coat, Max sank into the seat, his dark blue trousers stretching over firm thighs and an impressive bulge between them. She licked her lips. Yum. Kili's Ice Man by Delilah Devlin Summary Upon overhearing Kili's conversation with a girlfriend, Gunnar "Ice Man" Rydeman's a little ticked Kili thinks all jocks are brainless throwbacks. When she dives into her mini-vacation, he pulls some strings to be the object of her virtual fantasy--only problem is, she's selected a primitive setting, and he suddenly finds himself in a fur loincloth, fighting prehistoric beasts with a single-syllable vocabulary. Now, how will he prove to Kili he's cleverer than the average caveman? Excerpt Kili sucked in a deep breath and blinked as her eyes adjusted to white, searing sunlight. Her first glance at her vacation setting sent her stomach plummeting. Where was the desert island with the horseshoe strip of pale sand and navy sea? Sure, heat radiated off the ground in suffocating waves, but where was the cabana boy in the Speedo? Instead, an endless savannah stretched in front of her with tall, golden grass waving in the hot breeze and gnarled, stunted trees dotting the horizon. "What the hell?" Stones skittered behind her and she spun to find a large, male figure standing on a rocky knoll. At least the program had gotten that much right. The Ice Man's incredible, burly physique was nude except for a furry loincloth that draped from a slender cord at his waist, leaving the sides of his tanned hips and his massive, sleek thighs bare. The breeze ruffled his pale hair as he strode toward her, his sharp gaze sweeping down her body, a predatory gleam in his eyes. Kili's heart thudded and her nipples tightened, the sensitive tips pressing into supple fabric. She glanced down and noted she too wore an animal's skin, tanned and buttery-soft. The miniscule top barely covered her breasts and was knotted between them. Another soft garment draped around her hips, and the breeze licking up her thighs revealed she was totally nude underneath the crude clothing. "Now, that's attention to detail," she murmured. But if this was her fantasy, why weren't her hips slimmer? When she brought up her head again, Ice Man's attention was directed behind her and his entire body tensed. He hefted a spear in one hand, holding it above his shoulder. She followed his gaze and saw an enormous creature crouched low in the grass staring back at them, cat-like with long fangs curving like tusks from its gaping mouth. Before she could gasp a warning, Ice Man let loose his spear and snagged her wrist, dragging her behind him as he ran back up the knoll. A hideous, snarling scream erupted, and Kili forgot that none of this was real-her heart accelerated and her breath rasped as she ran like the wind, flying up the rocks behind the gladiator, grateful for the fur-lined booties that shielded her feet from the harsh terrain. Just as they crested the knoll, the sound of heavy paws thundered behind them. She didn't dare look back, but Ice Man dropped her hand and drew another spear from the leather sheath strapped to his back. With a lithe twist, he turned and launched the spear straight into the large cat's chest. The animal dropped like a rock without a sound, dead before it hit the ground. Kili shivered and reminded herself--this isn't real. All that blood spurting in a gurgling stream from the creature's gaping wound was just part of the program hooked up to her brainwaves to deliver a virtual adventure. She'd never really been in danger, but her racing heart didn't seem to know the difference. The trembling that shook her body felt authentic, as did the excitement that thrummed through her veins. She drew a deep, steadying breath and lifted her head to find Ice Man's gaze leveled on her. His chest gleamed with sweat, his jaw was taut, and hunger glinted in his hard eyes. "I'm guessing this is where we're supposed to share celebratory sex, huh?" Lover's Locket by Cathryn Fox Summary Centuries ago On the eve of her arranged wedding to a man she doesn’t love, Princess Caira Montright flees her father’s castle and secretly meets her lover, Zarek. Their plans to elope are foiled when one of Lord Montright’s vassals captures them. The all-powerful Lord Montright places a curse on Zarek, banishing him to an eternity of hell inside a portrait—a portrait that finds its way back to Caira in every lifetime. Zarek is forced to watch Caira throughout the centuries yet never be able to claim her as his own. The only thing that can break the curse is for Caira to recite the incantation on the Lover’s Locket. Then she must battle the forces of evil to free him forever. Excerpt “I see you have found the Lover’s Locket.” “What?” Startled by the woman’s sudden appearance, Caira jumped back. She hadn’t even heard her approaching footsteps. The woman gestured toward the beautiful silver necklace enclosed behind the protective walls of the glass case and motioned for her to take a better look. “The Lover’s Locket,” she repeated. Her aged voice cracked like brittle bones causing goose bumps to pebble Caira’s flesh. Palms open, Caira placed her hands on the glass. She was so mesmerized by the beauty of the exquisite piece of jewelry she almost found it impossible to speak. She fought to recover her voice. “It’s magnificent.” “You’re searching. Yes?” “Searching?” Caira didn’t understand the question. “For your true love.” She was surprised at how perceptive the old woman was. Uncomfortable talking about her personal life with a complete stranger, Caira turned the discussion back to the locket. “Is it antique?” The woman ignored her question and asked one of her own. “Should you wish to have it?” Caira gave a quick shake of her head. “I can’t afford-” The woman cut her off. “It is not for you to argue.” She opened the glass case, removed the locket, and placed it in Caira’s hand. The second the locket came into contact with her flesh an odd tingling began in her bloodstream. She was strangely fascinated by the piece. Strangely fascinated by the way her pulse kicked up a notch at first contact. Curious about its origins, she stared at the antique locket in awe. She’d never seen anything more beautiful. The woman touched her arm bringing Caira’s attention back to her. “You feel it don’t you?” she asked. Uneasiness closed in on her as she met the woman’s challenging gaze. She felt something, an unexplainable strange pull toward the locket, but she wasn’t about to admit it. She lowered her lashes, hiding her emotions from the woman’s probing gaze. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Caira responded quickly, turning the locket over in her hand. A ribbon of sunlight burst through the window and reflected off the unusual intricate design etched in the silver. Caira squinted and stared at the inscription until the words in front of her blurred together. The gypsy curled her weathered fingers around Caira’s and squeezed until the locket was tightly enclosed in the safety of her small hand. “With this locket comes great power, but with all great power there comes darkness.” “What do you mean?” Caira asked, indulging her for a moment. Her gravelly voice became as smooth as silk as she recounted the tale of the Lover’s Locket. “It is said that if one recites the incantation etched in the silver, their true love will be revealed.” Suddenly, an anxious expression crossed the gypsy-woman’s beguiling violet eyes. “The incantation also awakens the Keeper of Darkness from his eternal slumber.” Frowning intently, she looked deep into Caira’s eyes. “The person who recites the incantation is the only one who can defeat the Keeper of Darkness. It is said that death is the price of failure.” Caira blew out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She remembered the old legend well. It was only a few years ago while babysitting her niece that she’d recounted the story herself. She almost laughed out loud at the foolishness of it all. She took a moment to recall the legend. It was believed that centuries ago on the eve of her arranged wedding to a man she didn’t love, a rebellious princess had fled her father’s castle and secretly met her lover. Their plans to elope were foiled when one of the Lord’s vassals captured them. The all-powerful Lord had a curse placed on his daughter’s lover. In retaliation, the princess acquired the help of an old gypsy woman. She had an incantation etched on her most precious possession, a locket given to her by her lover. Should the locket find its way to her in another lifetime, the princess could read the incantation and break the curse. But unfortunately, as the old woman had already said, with great power comes great darkness. The princess must battle the forces of evil to free her lover forever. “You know the story. Yes?” The worry in the woman’s voice gained her full attention. Caira forced a smile and addressed the old woman’s concerns. “It’s just a legend. A story told at slumber parties. The legend also says that only the princess can unleash its power,” she pointed out. Rolling her shoulders she continued, “So if this ever fell into the hands of the original owner-” A frown formed on her forehead as the old woman sealed Caira’s protest with her fingers. Caira repressed a shiver as a chill rushed through her. “What makes you think you’re not the original owner, Bella?” the woman asked. Caira’s skin prickled. The air almost seemed to crackle with electricity. Bella? Obviously the old woman had her confused with someone else. “My name isn’t Bella, it’s Caira.” The woman gave a slow nod. “Yes, of course, Caira. Forgive my slip. Perhaps this belonged to you in the past, Caira.” She met the woman’s glance and tried to placate her. “It’s ridiculous to believe the legend.” Waving her hand over her worn jeans and t-shirt she said, “Besides, I hardly think I was a princess in another lifetime.” “Yes, well, you’ll never know unless you recite the incantation.” The look in the woman’s eyes caused her skin to grow cold. Caira gulped, her stomach plummeted. Good Lord what was going on with her? What was she getting all worked up about? She shook her head to clear it. It was just a silly legend. Wasn’t it?

Pleasure Exchange, Fall 07, Avon Red

When journalist Cat Nichols writes an article highlighting scientist Sam York's sexual experiments, animal rights activists mistakenly assumes he is testing the experimental female libido enhancer on his pet chimpanzee. With the media breathing down his neck he is unable to complete his project, and Cat proposes a solution...her, in exchange for the chimpanzee. No cover yet but.... EXCERPT! Pleasure Exchange, Fall 07, Avon Red “I’ve figured out a way I can help you finish the experiment.” He transferred his thoughts back to the situation. “Help?” He poured a generous amount of cream into his coffee and met her at the table. She cleared her throat before speaking. Her voice thinned to a whisper as she proceeded. “Yeah, me in exchange for the chimp.” With a quick nod, she motioned to Rio. Had she read his mind? Blood racing, he came up short. His knees nearly went right out from under him, causing him to spill his coffee. Suddenly it took effort to stand. He pulled out a chair and lowered himself into it. He met her gaze from across the table. She had to be kidding. He paused and cocked his head, assessing her. They stared at each other for a long, quiet moment. He furrowed his brow, unable to believe her offer. “Are you serious?” Her sensuous mouth twisted into a frown, clearly indicating her silent apology. She wrapped her slender hands around her mug and blew out a slow breath. “I got you into this mess, it’s the least I could do to get you out.” He got quiet for a moment as he mulled over her offer. Did she have any idea what she was getting herself into? Any idea of how they’d have to test the serum. Provocative images of how he’d like to test her responses to the libido enhancer made his pulse rate kick up a notch. He bit back a low growl of longing as his desire mounted. He threaded his fingers through his hair and kept his voice controlled. “Do you have any idea what this entails?” She nodded, dark lashes opening wide over come-hither eyes. “Testing a female libido enhancer,” she rushed out, leaning toward him. He caught another whiff of her delectable orange scent. Sam had to admit, right now there were two things he wanted. One, to complete his assignment on time, and two, Cat Nichols. Not necessarily in that order. Damned if she wasn’t offering him a way to have both. He’d never mixed work and pleasure before. The two had never gone hand in hand. Until now. “Cat, do you understand what you’d have to do to help me?” “Not exactly,” she confessed. Sam leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs. Warmth coiled through him as his calf brushed hers. She didn’t flinch, nor did she pull away. What she did do was shift in her chair, allowing more of her leg to brush his. It took all his effort to force his arousal-fogged brain back to their conversation. “First we have to test and record your sexual responses to stimuli without the enhancer. Then we wait twenty-four hours, give you the serum, and test your responses again.” Her eyes darkened. “Sam?” she asked, her voice a little uneven, a little raspy. “What stimuli?” He angled closer, gauging her reactions. He spent a long moment just looking at her before he answered in a soft tone, “Me.” “I see.” The seductive lilt to her voice made his body tighten. Twirling a damp lock through her fingers, she stared into the depths of her coffee mug, her expression a mixture of apprehension and intrigue. “Second thoughts?” He watched her throat work as she swallowed. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get the media off your back, and help you complete your experiment, even if that means taking Rio’s place.” She gestured toward Rio and signed the words I love you. Sam smiled as he watched the exchange. The way she’d taken to his chimp, and vice versa, surprised and pleased him. Probably a hell of a lot more than it should have. “The thing is, Cat. I wasn’t testing the enhancer on Rio.” Her head came up with a start. “No?” “No. It’s not Rio you’re replacing, it’s her.” Jerking his thumb in the air, he pointed to Bonnie, his lab rat. “I was going to test the serum on Bonnie, but the Board of Directors halted all animal experiments until the protest died down.” Cat’s eyes opened wide. “Oh?” He leaned into her and grinned. “You’ll be taking the place of my lab rat. Does that change things for you?” he said, giving her a way out, hoping like hell she didn’t take it. She drew a shaky breath, slid her tongue over her bottom lip and swiped away a raindrop that slipped from her bangs. She closed her hand over his, a combination of heat and desire flickering in her eyes. “Of course not, Sam. Why would you think that?” she asked, her voice darkly seductive. Suddenly, the air around them changed as sexual energy arced between them. Heat pooled in his thighs as her warm breath wafted across his face. A slow grin curled his lips. The look in her eyes spoke volumes. Her needs and desires matched his. Hot damn! His mind began racing, plotting and tweaking the finite details of his experiment. “One question, Sam.” “Yeah?” She grinned. “Were you the stimuli for the rat too?” A low chuckle rumbled in his throat. “No.” Her eyes darkened. Her voice turned low, breathy. “Must be my lucky day.” He smiled. Damned if he didn’t like a woman who made no bones about what she wanted. He was quickly learning that Cat Nichols wasn’t the kind of woman to play coy, or hard to get, like most other women he knew. With her, there were no cat and mouse games. And he found that damn refreshing. He squeezed her hand, bringing passion to her green eyes. All teasing disappeared from his voice. “Not yet it isn’t.” He watched the way her body trembled, despite the warm, dry clothes. “So what do you say?” Her voice sounded edgy. “Do you accept my apology and my proposition?” He opened his mouth to reply when reality hit him full force. It went completely against protocol to test the serum on humans before written approval. If his Director got wind of it, he’d kick Sam’s ass to the curb. But if he wanted to prove his findings to the Grant Governing Board and secure future grants, he’d have to break protocol. Who knew how much time it’d take for protestors to settle down and testing to begin again, and since time was something he didn’t have…. He scrubbed his hand over his chin and considered his options. There really was only one solution. To make sure what happened in the research room, stayed in the research room. Could he trust Cat to abide by those rules? If he wanted to complete this assignment, and get the little wildcat out of his system, he had no choice. He narrowed his gaze. “This won’t make it into your paper?” he asked. “Never.” There was nothing in her voice to suggest otherwise. He glanced into her seductive bedroom eyes. Heat curled a lazy path to his loins. Blonde curls had begun to dry and spring upward to frame her honey tanned skin. Beautiful. “Well…?” she inquired. Oh yeah, he planned on taking her up on her offer alright. He had many reasons to accept, but right now most of them had nothing to do with the experiment.

Pleasure Prolonged (second in Pleasure Games) **January, 07**

All talk and no action scientist Erin Shay decides it's time to take a stab at being the bad girl she pretends to be. What better way to give her libidinous body the action it is craving then by testing Pleasure Prolonged, a serum designed to give men multiple orgasms and prolonged erections, with her sexy new lab Partner Kale Alexander. Kale is nobody's fool. He knows that Erin's bad girl act is just that. An act. A facade. Despite her claim that she's into casual, uncomplicated sex, Kale discovers otherwise. Erin doesn't take sex lightly. Neither does he. He sets out to show her that when they slip between the sheets, or behind the closed doors of an elevator, there is nothing casual about it. Excerpt Meet me in an elevator sometime. Her footsteps stilled as a fine tingle stirred her most erogenous zone. Good Lord, she needed to pull herself together. She diligently tried to shrug off his sexual invitation as she resumed her pace. Not only was it frowned upon to intimately consort with a colleague, as Deanne had so graciously pointed out, but she would never be able to get any work done as long as she continued to imagine the kinds of private, intimate things he would do behind the closed doors of an elevator. Private, intimate things he would do to her. She blew out a shuddery breath and surveyed the lobby. Deanne hurried past her and made her way to the stairwell. God forbid the woman took the elevator and stored a calorie. Of course, the fact that the antique elevator wheezed like a pneumonia patient and made unscheduled stops between floors, leaving its occupants trapped while it recaptured steam, made for another good reason to take the stairs. Erin glanced around again. No sign of Kale. She released a sigh and ignored the odd wave of disappointment that stirred her blood. Cripes, she wasn’t really considering having sex in an elevator with Kale, was she? When the steel doors opened, she rushed ahead and stepped inside. Catching sight of her reflection in the floor-to-ceiling mirror, she smoothed her hands over her windblown hair. Okay, okay, so she couldn’t deny that she’d taken extra care with in her appearance that morning as she carefully knotted her hair in a ponytail at the nape of her neck. The way Kale liked it. She touched her finger to her lips, and for the umpteenth time since the wedding reception, she relived Kale’s sensuous kiss. Here it was days later and that kiss were still messing with her mind. No man had ever kissed her like that before. The truth was, the two men she’d been intimate with had spent more time worrying about their pleasures, than hers. Her trips between the sheets were over long before they had even begun, leaving Erin having to take matters into her own hands. Of course, there was that one time that she thought she’d had an orgasm with her ex-fiancé, but then she quickly realized the flutters in her body were from a bout of indigestion. That’s what she got for eating pepperoni pizza before bed. Something told her Kale would never leave her unsatisfied and frustrated. Her body fairly vibrated just thinking about how he’d undoubtedly take matters into his hands. She drew her lip between her teeth and allowed herself another moment to reminisce about Kale’s warm mouth over hers. To think he’d barely gotten started. She could only imagine how wonderful it would have been if he’d had the time to thoroughly explore her mouth…her body. Damn, she could feel herself coming unglued just thinking about it. She’d spent all of last night agonizing over how to proceed where Kale was involved. There was no denying the physical attraction between them. It was an attraction unlike anything she’d ever felt before. It set her loins on fire and muddled her usually clear thoughts. Kale had certainly made his intentions clear at the reception. All she had to do was gather her courage and play the part of the bad girl. The woman in her told her to go for it. Have casual sex, enjoy it, and move on. Thanks to her ex-fiancé she no longer believed in happily-ever-after and wasn’t looking for a relationship. Kale would be returning to Los Angeles in a little over a month’s time and had made it clear he wanted her only sexually. They had no future. Nor did she want one. On the other hand, the emotional part of her advised her to be careful, warning her that having sex with him would be a bad idea. Since her breakup with Dwayne she’d taken control of her life, her work, and her emotions. But when she was with Kale, that control seemed to pack up and leave town. The man threatened all her barriers. She wasn’t so certain she could satisfy her sexual desires without the risk of feeling some deeper emotional connection with him. Erin pressed floor fourteen on the glowing orange number panel and leaned against the wall. Her thoughts drifted. Fourteen floors of wild, hot, untamed sex. Whew. Time to shed her winter coat. Moments before the doors pinged shut a pair of well-worn sneakers jammed between them, shaking the old elevator and bouncing the doors back open. Those sneakers led to a pair of faded jeans slung low on the hips. The jeans led to a very familiar tight waist, thick chest, and broad shoulders. Erin gulped. Oh God, it couldn’t be. Her eyes locked with his. Kale! Oh God, it was. Awareness flared through her as he stepped inside. His presence swallowed up the small space. Desire flickered across his face as his gaze fixed on her with intent. His bad-boy grin curled her toes. “Going down?” She didn’t miss the double entendre. His words sent a tingle along her nerve endings, sparking a pool of moisture to dampen the silky curls at the apex between her legs. She took a moment to consider her situation. Here she was alone in an elevator with a gorgeous guy who oozed sexuality and sent waves of passion ripping through her. A guy who’d made it perfectly clear that he liked getting intimate in public places. A guy who wasn’t looking for more than she could give. Her pulse kicked up a notch. A guy who didn’t know she was all talk and no action. She had two choices, really. One, she could slip from the elevator and bolt, or two, she could slip out of her panties and put her money where her mouth was. Her gaze drifted downward to examine the massive bulge in his jeans. Or rather, his cock where her mouth was. When she looked at it that way, it really narrowed down her choices. He ran his fingers through his hair, his jaw flexed. He edged toward her. “Well?” he asked in a gentle yet commanding voice. She felt the rush of his warm breath over her cheeks and shivered in delight. Perhaps she should have casual sex with him. That might help get him out of her system and put her focus back on her career where it belonged, especially if she wanted a shot at advancement. Surely if she tried hard enough she could engage in a frivolous affair and keep her heart out of the arrangement. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Oh yeah, she was going down all right. Faster than a hockey player without his protective cup.

Pleasure Control **November 2006**

PUTTING OUT THE FIRE A dedicated scientist, Laura Manning has an I.Q. that's off the charts. But beneath her pristine white lab coat is a curvaceous body that craves satisfaction. She finds it hard keeping her mind on the experiment and off what's under the lab coat of her bad boy research partner, Jay Cutler, whom she's working with to develop a libido suppressant, an "antidote" for a society gone sex-mad, pumped up and over-stimulated by the miracle of Viagra. With time running out, Jay offers to act as a human guinea pig, injecting himself with the libido suppressant. Laura's role requires lingerie, soft music and candlelight. Her job is to entice him, to determine if the suppressant tamps down his desires. Rather than cooling the flames of lust engulfing them, their "antidote" only heats them up and there's only one scandalous way to deal with it! Suddenly long days of laboratory work are giving way to sizzling nights of sensual experimentation--and a different kind of "chemistry" that leaves Jay and Laura breathless and gasping for more! Their professional careers may depend upon a successful climax--and there are dangerous competitors determined to steal their research. And maybe their pleasure games have gotten a bit out of control. But who in her right mind would want to pull the plug on her man's libido when the loving is this deliciously hot? Excerpt She stopped to consider what she’d gotten herself into. In no time at all the man she was secretly infatuated with would be walking through her front door, expecting to see her in her slinkiest lingerie. And what were the chances she’d ever experience the feel of his lips caressing hers, or his artful fingers stroking her heated, naked flesh? None, considering the fact that she’d given him a libido suppressant hours earlier. She resisted the urge to slap her forehead. Way to go, Laura. You’re brilliant. That move had Nobel Prize written all over it. But what if he did get aroused? The possibilities are endless. Those four simple words had echoed in her head all day. She allowed herself a brief luxurious moment to envision what it would be like to have his naked body moving over hers. His mouth kissing a path down her quivering flesh until he reached the moist fissure between her thighs. The soft blade of his tongue opening her dewy folds so he could taste her liquid arousal. His lips closing over her hooded flesh, branding her with their heat, claiming her as his own. Her skin came alive as a wave of desire traveled onward and upward through her body. Laura shook her passion-fogged mind from its delicious wanderings and retraced her steps back to the window. Actually, if she really thought about it, she was in a win/win situation. If Jay didn’t get aroused, they’d secure their funding and make their mark in the scientific world. If he did get aroused, well…a slow tremor made her body quake…well, maybe he could douse the fire raging between her legs. Which one did she want more? She reached for the curtain. Her fingers froze mid-air when a soft knock on her door drew her attention. She spun around and sucked in a quick, sharp breath. Her pulse leapt in her throat. God, she was a bundle of nerves. It wasn’t everyday her job required her to entice the guy she’d been fantasizing about for months. A guy who was completely out of her league. She tightened her robe around her waist and slowly padded across the floor. Slipping her hand around the knob, she twisted it open, and eyed the man casually lounging against her doorjamb. She took a moment to peruse the length of him. Sculpted muscles stretched the cotton fabric of his T-shirt while broad shoulders tapered to meet a tight waist and firm stomach. With symmetry and a lethally honed body, he was designed to satisfy the most insatiable. Dressed in a pair of jeans that hugged his physique in all the wrong places, this bad boy had trouble written all over him. He presented her with a sexy, lopsided smile. “Hey,” he said, handing her a bottle of wine. “Hey yourself.” Taking a small step back, she placed the bottle on a side table, waved her hand, and gestured for him to enter. “Come in.” Without taking his eyes off her, he stepped inside. A shiver skipped down her spine at the sound of the deadbolt clicking in place. Damn. He was so handsome. So perfect. Some deeper emotion stirred within. She moistened her lips and shrugged it off. It wasn’t like she was going to fall for him if he kissed her, touched her, or made sweet love to her all night long. She knew better than to fill her head with fancy notions of love. JC Penny’s weekend white sales were known to last longer than his relationships. The predatory gleam in his eyes made her pulse rate kick up a notch. She began to warm in the most interesting places. She fanned her face and loosened the lapels of her robe, exposing the lace on her teddy. Was it getting hotter in here? Schooling her expression, she banked her desires and asked, “How are you feeling? Any side effects yet?” He shrugged, his eyes shifting downward to examine the rise and fall of her chest. A feminine thrill ran through her. He cleared his throat and raked his bangs off his forehead. “So far so good. I still have all my hair and I’m not drooling.” His gaze roamed her body. “At least not yet,” he said playfully. She glanced at his crotch. Purely for research purposes, she told herself. “Anything going on, down there?” He grinned. “A few twitches. Nothing out of the ordinary.” His eyes sparkled with mischief and something else. If she had to guess, she’d say promise. “We’ll know more when we put him to the test.” She shivered with a mix of excitement and nervousness as she toyed with the belt on her housecoat. She didn’t want to seem too eager, too anxious to start putting Little Jay to the test, but the promising look in his eyes prompted her into action. With renewed concentration, she plastered on an air of professionalism and fought to ignore the fine tremor of heat rippling through her. She lowered her voice. “Perhaps we should get started. We have no idea how long this will take.” Powerful muscles shifted as he took a step closer and angled his head. His heady male scent intoxicated her and fired her senses. “Yes, perhaps we should.” Drawing a fueling breath, she inched open her housecoat, revealing a silky white chemise, lace panties and matching garter. A rich, decadent rumble of pleasure sounded low in his throat. Her body trembled in response. She watched his eyes darken with lust as his gaze caressed her. Lust! In his eyes! When he looked at her! Hot damn! Her nipples swelled under his devouring eyes. She felt her cheeks flush from heat and desire. His fingers bit into her hips as he pulled her hard against him. A fever rose in her when her breasts crushed into a wall of thick muscle. His voice was husky, sensual. “How did you know?” His eyes reflected his every emotion, his every desire. “Know what?” she rasped. With excruciating gentleness, he skimmed her curves with his palms. “That white lace is my favorite.” The deep timbre of his voice covered her like warm butter. She cleared her throat and drew in a steadying breath. “I once read that white lace will raise any man’s eyebrows.” The turbulence in his eyes made her skin grow moist and tighten. He tangled his hands through her hair and urged her mouth closer. “Yes, well, what we’re looking to raise is nowhere near my eyebrows.” She resisted the urge to scream hallelujah!

Webs of Pleasure

[click the question to see answer] What do you think Avon Red has to offer readers that is different from the other erotic romance prints? I think Avon Red is offering the most sophisticated erotic fiction on the market. Speaking of erotic romance, how do you define the difference between 'erotic romance' and 'erotica'? There have been many debates on the differences between erotic romance and erotica and I believe everyone has a differing opinion. To me, the main focus in erotic romance is the growing emotional relationship between the hero and the heroine and the story ends with a Happily Ever After. Erotica focuses on the physical only, and doesn't necessarily end up with a Happily Ever After. Do people know you write erotic romance? If your friends and family do know, how has their reaction been? Yes, everyone knows I write erotic romance. I'm proud of what I write and I think women should embrace their sexuality and not hide the fact that sex is a big part of our life. I always describe my stories as romance at heart with an open door policy. I have never, ever had a negative reaction, which actually surprises me. I did have one friend say, I can't believe you write erotic romance, you seem so sweet. I thought that was funny! Even sweet girls like sex! My mother-in-law who is an avid reader is extremely religious and knows what I write. I also know that she wouldn't like my stories so I tell her not to read them. As a writer do you have any 'do not cross' lines or do you go where ever the story takes you? I wrote a Quickie for Ellora's Cave, Web of Desire, and I let the characters take me where they wanted to go. Boy, was I was surprised at the end results. It is a very sexy scene where my heroine is captured in a spider's web (yes, paranormal/witchcraft) and the hero has his wicked way with her. Whew, I still heat up thinking about that scene! What is up next? We are book whores, give us names dates and summaries! Upcoming release is Pleasure Control, November 06, the first story in my Pleasure Game Trilogy.

Guest Author: Cathryn Fox

Cathryn Fox is apart of the Allure Authors website/blog. (along with other avon red guests Delilah Devlin and Sylvia Day and one of my personal fave authors Sasha White) If you take a look at their NEWS page, you can see it is a happening place. Cathryn can also be found on her blog and at Lust for Life. And she currently has three Ebooks out from Ellora's Cave and now has three more books in the works. Only this time for Avon Red Pleasure Control (November 2006) Pleasure Prolonged (January 2007) Pleasure Exchange (winter 2007) [note: beta blogger is being goofy if you have issues posting use the option 'other' and type in your name... if you use anon, make sure you type your name in the post]