Sensual Romances Newsletter December 2005

TAKE ME

"Can I have another? PLEASE!

Hot plus sized woman who's fragile from being ignored and dismissed by the man of her dreams. CHECK.

Sexy playboy about to get a reality check and his comeuppance. CHECK.

Tons of chemistry, a believable romance (!), and steamy sex. CHECK.

Sick of reading about perfect size zero fashionistas who live in NY and really have nothing more to worry about than which pair of $700 shoes to wear tonight? Me, too. This is not one of those books. I couldn't put it down, and I can't wait for next one"
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
(From Amazon.com)

Jennifer Dunne
http://www.jenniferdunne.com

SHADOW PRINCE

Five Hearts
"The sequel to Not Quite Camelot, Shadow Prince is an exciting continuation of the story of Reynart and Angie. Typical of high fantasy, there is a quest, a journey and a few extra characters of which not all make it. Jennifer Dunne has done a marvellous job in creating a magical world. Her description of the magic and how it works is very realistic and believable. Great, characterisation, we have our hero, Reynart, who is a tortured soul, believing himself to be unworthy. Angie, however, sees the good in him and helps to bring this side of him out, and helps him to believe in himself again. The secondary characters are well written and the reader will be drawn to each one. The villain is totally villainous, showing his weakness in his own puffed up ideas of himself and his powers. The reader will be drawn into the story from page one. Ms Dunne captivates her readers with wonderful prose, vivid imagery and good dialogue. This reviewer enjoyed this story very much and read it all in one sitting. Fans of fantasy, who like a few hot sex scenes with their romance, will devour this well penned tale with relish. A very satisfactory read. This reviewer wonders if we will be hearing more from this world."
-- Valerie at Love Romances.
http://loveromances.com/shadowprince_valerie.html

"South Beach Submissive" from the anthology R.S.V.P.

4 Hearts
" This is by far the best story in this anthology. Although there are lots of heavy BDSM elements, there is also a very highly sensitive, sensual romantic thread running through. Sassy is adorable in that she has never done anything like this before and Michael just totally dominates her in the most loving, sizzling way. There is plenty of conflict and angst as Sassy battles with the demands of her job and her growing affection for the gorgeous Master. Ms Dunne gives the readers a truly great story and even this reviewer wouldn�t mind meeting a Master like Michael."
-- by Valerie at Love Romances.
http://loveromances.com/rsvp_valerie.html

SHADOW PRINCE

"If you've never read a fantasy romance by Jennifer Dunne, you're really missing out! Jennifer draws readers into her stories with compelling characters, meticulous world-building and beautiful love scenes....Readers of medieval fantasy and sensual romance will not want to miss SHADOW PRINCE. Buy it along with its prequel, NOT QUITE CAMELOT which tells the story of Angie and Reynart's first meeting."
-- by Joy Nash
http://www.joynash.com/

NOT QUITE CAMELOT and SHADOW PRINCE

Four lighthouses.
"[Not Quite Camelot] is an interesting fantasy romance. [Angie and Reynart] make an improbable but believable couple and the author's descriptions of the kingdom; it's customs and inhabitants make the story come alive. ... The palace intrigues and plots make the story very exciting and the plot line moves very quickly." "Four and a half lighthouses. [Shadow Prince] is a fast action book, the characters moving from one perilous situation to the next very quickly. This makes the book a very easy read, and very hard to put down."
--by Moe811 at Lighthouse Literary Reviews
http://www.lighthouseliteraryreviews.com/October2005Reviews.html

Katherine Kingston
http://www.katherinekingston.com

"Checkmate"novella in the PLEASURE RAIDERS anthology

5 Stars!
"Checkmate is a highly entertaining, erotic, romantic, Gladiator and Survivor meets Temptation Island. Devonne and Reja [Raje] are both entrepreneurs with different causes. She is doing it for a better life for her people and for herself; while he is to fund his own rebellion. They develop a year long relationship until Devonne finds out that Reja [Raje] is really Prince Reginald of Gambria. Their relationship is put to the test when they both compete in The Challenge. The storyline is quite fascinating when Devonne and Reja [Raje] participate in this competition. I couldn't wait to read how their adventure unravels. I really enjoyed reading the sexual challenge of the competition. WOW! A tastefully and erotically written story that made this reader want to consider being an exhibitionist. Ms. Kingston has written a captivating, seductive, and highly enjoyable tale for fans who love Sci-fi and romance. A definite keeper!"
-- Tallyn Porter for Just Erotic Romance Reviews

Beverly Havlir
http://www.beverlyhavlir.com

Karn'al: Jed's Revenge

5 Stars!
"Jed's Revenge is that rare science fiction story that captures my attention. Ms. Havlir has put together a cast of characters that you will fall in love with. This is a really wonderful book and a definite keeper."
~ Oleta Blaylock Just Erotic Romance Reviews

"Not only is Karn'al: Jed's Revenge a great book in itself, but it is also a wonderful setup for a fascinating series."
~ Serena, Fallen Angel Reviews

"Jed's Revenge is a good story with strong characters that you hope will find a way to get together."
~ Julia The Romance Studio

Cassie Walder
http://www.cassiewalder.net

"The Bloodstone Cure" from TALES FROM THE TREASURE TROVE, Volume I, the Jewels of the Quill group anthology

Five Angels
"Cassie Walder rounds out the anthology with an exceptional story of love and acceptance. "The Bloodstone Cure" brings unknown worlds and two fated souls together... The emotional connection these two feel is evident from the beginning. I enjoyed Ms. Walder's use of imagery, shape-shifting and unique caste system within the plot. This is a standout tale wherever it is read. "
-- Reviewed by: Amanda for Fallen Angels Reviews
http://www.fallenangelreviews.com/August2005/Amanda-

Samantha Winston
http://www.samanthawinston.com

ANGELS ON CRUSADE
Historical Fantasy

"...Isabel is offered the option of going back into the past to correct a mistake made by a visitor from the future, and then remain in the past to live out her life...or stay in prison. There is no choice really, Isabel consents and goes into the past. She is sent to France to find a young man who has run away to the crusades. She must return him home because this crusade is ill-fated. ...ANGELS ON CRUSADE is an interesting 'what if' kind of story, well worth reading."
--Lisa Baca for Romance Reviews Today

HORSE PASSAGES

FIVE STARS!
"...And just in time for those young adults on your list comes YA favorite author Jennifer Macaire (The Secret of Shabaz) with her science fiction and fantasy tale, Horse Passages. It's a hit with children and adults alike and suitable for boys and girls. Readers will take immense delight in this creative fast-paced outer space tale."
-- Affaire de Coeur.

Lani Aames
http://www.laniaames.com

Excerpt from Santa's Lap
Available now from Ellora's Cave

Reed got on the bed on his knees, straddling Tasha's outstretched legs. She wrapped her hands around his hot length and massaged from the bulging tip to where it nestled in a bed of coarse curls. He placed his hands on her back and gathered the nightie, drawing it over her head. Tasha released him long enough to pull her arms through the straps then replaced one hand on his cock. She teased his balls with her other hand.

The nightie dropped into a puddle of silk on the bed. His back arched, and he groaned, a guttural sound that came from deep inside his chest. Tasha's fingers played over his sac, and his hips pushed his cock in and out of her other hand until he finally put his hands on her shoulders and pulled free of her touch.

He blew out a deep breath. "Better hold it, Tasha."

He was ready, and she had been ready for some time. She lay back and hooked her fingers in the straps of her panties. But, again, Reed stopped her.

"I want to do that," he said and bent over her.

Tasha stretched her arms over her head and closed her eyes. He grasped her panties by the straps and slid them over her hips. The triangle of silk peeled away from her wetness. He spread her bent legs as far as they would go and touched her gently around her labia. She gasped, her hips raising her pussy into his caress.

His fingers swirled over the folds and creases, dipping in and out again, teasing her. Her clit burned and tingled, and when he touched it, warmth spiraled out. Her body squirmed restlessly, ready for the burst of pleasure that was soon to come.

She heard the crinkle of plastic and her eyes barely opened to see Reed with a condom pack between his teeth. He ripped it open in one yank and pulled out the rolled-up rubber. She closed her eyes again. They hadn't discussed taking precautions. She was on the patch and disease free. But she was happy he had the forethought to grab condoms while setting up for their romantic interlude.

She expected him to crawl between her legs any second and drive into her with a force that would send her skyrocketing into orbit. Instead, she felt the bed shift and his fingers on her pussy again. He spread open her lips and something big and hard entered her.

She opened her eyes and raised her head. He grinned up at her. "It doesn't hurt, does it?"

She shook her head. "What are you doing?

She rose to a sitting position and saw he had put a condom on the stick of candy and was inserting it inside her.

"Oh, wow."

"Have you ever been fucked with a candy cane before?"

Bella Andre
http://www.bellaandre.com

TAKE ME
by Bella Andre
Excerpt

"Me? A model? You've got to be kidding."

Janica Ellis's lower lip trembled. "Please, Lily. Sonia has the stomach flu. She was my only plus-sized model. You're my last hope." Gesturing to the skimpy, colorful dresses hanging from the rack beside her, she added, "This is my big break. My first big fashion show with major buyers in the audience. You just need to model one dress for me."

Under most circumstances, Lily Ellis would do anything to help out her little sister. But not when "anything" included showcasing her un-model-perfect size-sixteen body under glaring lights while tottering down a runway in stiletto heels. Already she could hear the baffled whispers from the audience of, "What is that cow doing up on the stage?" She would pass out from humiliation.

She already felt painfully uncool among this cutting-edge crowd of designers and artists. Just walking the two busy city blocks from the parking garage to the Moscone Center in the very hip San Francisco, South of Market area, was enough to make Lily feel like she had the word "boring" stamped across her chest.

Shaking her head forcefully, Lily raised her voice over the din of the models, makeup artists, and designers backstage. "I came to sit in the audience and applaud your incredible clothes, not to put on a skintight, see-through dress and parade around like a lumbering elephant."

So then why, Lily wondered moments later, am I being poked with pins and made up by an androgynous makeup artist?

* * * * * * *

Lily's feet were killing her in the four-inch spike heels, and she wished she could sit down, but she was afraid she'd wrinkle the dress. And then Janica would definitely kill her. She leaned against the wall, her heart pounding a mile a minute.

Lily, who never, ever drank -- she was sure she'd say or do something she couldn't take back in the morning if she let her guard down for even one night -- knew that she shouldn't drink any of the plentiful alcohol backstage. But she was so nervous that when the makeup artist thrust a glass of champagne into her hands, and ordered, "Drink this or you'll look like a ghost out there with such a white face," all Lily could do was gulp it down. The empty glass was instantly replaced with a full one.

She still couldn't tell if the makeup artist was a he or a she, but as the fizzy liquid made its way down her throat into her flip-flopping belly, Lily hardly cared anymore. She took another large swallow of the sweet, tart champagne and felt infinitely better.

"Luke's here," Janica said after popping her head from between the curtains. "He's on the right side of the stage, four rows back."

Lily smiled and tried to give her sister a thumbs-up, forgetting that she was holding on to the champagne glass. Her head buzzed and she looked at the upside-down empty glass in surprise.

Janica rushed over. "What are you doing? You're not getting drunk are you?"

"No," Lily said, her cheeks flushing. "I didn't even want to drink it," she insisted as she handed the empty glass over, her every move overly precise.

"That's funny, 'cause your glass is empty," Janica said, sarcasm dripping off every word. "You know you can't hold your liquor."

"Oh," was all Lily could say.

Janica looked like she was going to scream with irritation, but instead she threw her arms around Lily, opting for a pep talk instead. "Thanks so much for doing this for me. I know how much you hate being in front of crowds, but you are going to do so great out there tonight. Have I mentioned lately how you're the best big sister in the whole world?"

Lily sobered up a little and put on a brave face. "Don't worry about me, honey. I'm going to do you proud. I promise." She shooed Janica off. "Go on. Your line is up next. Get back to work."

Janica dropped a light kiss on Lily's cheek and scurried off to make sure her lead models were ready to walk. Lily started to rub her eyes wearily, but remembered at the last minute all the makeup she was wearing. A waiter rounded the corner with a tray of champagne and her hand shot out, seemingly of its own accord.

"One more couldn't hurt," she said as she brought the rim of the glass to her lips. Besides, all of a sudden being a runway model for a night didn't seem so bad. She only had to make it down to the end of the plank to pose for pictures. It would take sixty seconds, tops, then she'd go find Luke and they would have a good laugh about it all.

Just so long as he didn't bring his twin brother with him. When Travis gave her one of his disdainful looks, or worse yet, ignored her completely, it made her feel like dirt. Less important than dirt, even.

Lily didn't know how two people could be less alike. It was especially strange considering Luke and Travis were identical twins. Luke was warmhearted, fun, and nonjudgmental. On the other end of the spectrum, there was Travis, with his piercing verdicts. Lily had been watching him from afar for long enough to know that all he cared about was pleasing himself and looking at pretty things. And that, Lily knew, was the crux of the problem between her and Travis.

She wasn't pretty enough for him. Or thin enough. Or perky enough. And none of those things were ever going to change.

As kids, she and Luke and Travis had been inseparable. The three musketeers. But then the boys' mom died when they were ten, and everything changed. No, she thought with a sigh, not everything. She and Luke had remained incredibly close, best friends to this day. But Travis had never been the same after that. And no matter how much she wanted her old relationship with Travis back, no matter how much she tried to let him know she was there for him, Travis kept rejecting her. Turning his back on her. Lily told herself she had given up on him, but in her heart of hearts, she knew it wasn't true.

Could you ever completely give up on someone that you loved? From her painful experience with Travis, Lily didn't think so.

Janica ran back to Lily, breathless, and stuck something in her free hand. "I almost forgot to give you this."

"What is it?" Lily said as she grasped the edge of a purple feather.

"It's your mask. Actually, I should probably put it on for you so that you don't mess up your hair or makeup." Janica slid the mask down over Lily's riot of red curls, gently laying it against her face and tying the ribbon behind her head.

"Wow," Janica breathed. "I thought you looked amazing before, but now you look..."

Her words fell away, and Lily's heart raced with renewed panic.

"Like an old lady on Halloween?" Lily said, mocking herself.

Janica shook her head. "God no. Not at all. You look like royalty. Like a queen!"

The words were no sooner out of Janica's mouth than the stage manager grabbed her by the shoulder. "You're on in sixty seconds," he said, and Janica turned and ran to get her first model ready to walk.

I look like royalty? Like a queen? The words swam around in Lily's already muddled-by-bubbly brain. A part of her wanted to turn around and look in a mirror to see if her little sister was telling the truth, but the other bigger part of her that never ever shut up was scornful, like always.

More like queen-size, that part of her said.

On any other night, Lily would have believed the voice. Being beautiful was laughable. She had spent a lifetime with her shoulders hunched to hide her too-big breasts and her hair hanging over her face to hide blue eyes too bright and red lips too big. But suddenly, an unfamiliar feeling of boldness swept through her from the tips of her toes to the feathered mask on her made-up face.

Grabbing another glass of champagne off the tray of a passing waiter, she swallowed it in one gulp, letting the now-familiar warmth and easiness flow through her. Without giving herself another moment to doubt, she turned around to the full-length mirror behind her.

Lily gasped. The woman staring back at her was a stranger.

A beautiful, stunning, sexy stranger.

Her hands flew to her hair, which had been brushed and lacquered until her curls looked better than those in any hair commercial ever did, shiny and glowing as they cascaded past her shoulders. Behind the mask, her eyes shone like the blue of the Caribbean, and her lips looked full and kissable.

She looked just right. Not too big. Not too small. Curvy in all the right places, her large breasts and round hips nicely offset by her waist.

But even as she surveyed herself in the mirror, Lily knew that Janica's dress was responsible for the amazing change. She had always known that her sister was incredibly talented, but to see how Janica's dress had turned Lily from supersize to just right shocked her to the core.

One of the models in Janica's show stepped up behind Lily in the mirror, the model's long, ultrathin limbs showcased by the short, strapless dress she was wearing.

"Wow, you look amazing," she said to Lily.

The words "thank you" popped out of Lily's mouth, and she bit her lip in surprise. When was the last time she had actually accepted a compliment?

More to the point, when was the last time she had actually believed a compliment?

The model walked away, and Janica called to Lily from several feet away. "You need to get in line behind Ellen."

Lily took a deep breath and a crazy thought popped into her head. What if she acted like a model while she was out on the runway? What if she decided to be supersexy for a few minutes in her life? Who would it hurt?

Maybe with some help from The Dress she could be invincible.

She had seen the rehearsals and knew that the original plus-sized model had planned on shimmying and swaying to the music as she made her way down the runway. Janica hadn't asked her to try it, knowing that Lily would have definitely said no.

The Dress would really shine if the audience saw how well it moved over the curves and valleys of a real woman's figure.

With only seconds to go before she walked out onto the runway, Lily made up her mind. She would do it.

For as long as she had The Dress on she would behave like a queen.

A sexy, take-no-prisoners queen.

And then when the night was over, she would go back to being the same old Lily she had always been, having had a taste of something dangerous and wild to savor for the rest of her life.

Copyright � 2005 by Bella Andre

Rachel Bo
http://webpages.charter.net/rachelbo

From TWICE BLESSED by Rachel Bo, in the Loose Id Anthology RATED: X-MAS
Available now at http://www.loose-id.com/detail.aspx?ID=117
Copyright 2004 - all rights reserved.

Prologue

Jenny tossed her hair, loving the way the wind whipped its eager fingers through her silken strands. Flying down I-80 from New York to California, toward a new city, a new job, a new way of life, Jenny felt genuinely alive for the first time in her life.

The radio began to buzz, and she fiddled with the dial, searching for a good hard rock station. That was one of the problems with these lonely stretches of highway -- no decent stations within range. Jenny's mind wandered as she made her way slowly through the frequencies. After working for six years as a nurse, she had finally chucked it all. She'd never wanted to go into nursing in the first place, but her parents had refused to pay for her to get a degree in an art-related field, which was where she felt she really shined. So Jenny, ever the dutiful daughter, went to nursing school, graduated with honors, and lived the life her parents wanted her to live.

She smiled as she heard the opening guitar riffs of one of her favorite songs. Turning up the volume, she belted out the lyrics along with the band. That was another thing her parents hadn't been able to understand -- her taste in music. For years, she'd only listened to the music she loved when out of the house. That's the way much of her life had been -- trying to conform to the vision her parents had for her, instead of being herself.

Once she entered the workforce, however, she discovered that she liked herself much better when she listened to her own desires. As the band on the radio sang about starting over, Jenny grinned. Being herself felt so good, she had started planning for something different barely two months out of college.

The song ended and Jenny tuned out the commercial chatter as she reflected on the past few years. It had been an exhausting time, but she had no regrets. She had picked up as much overtime as she could, and had taken night classes at the art institute. When she had her second degree in hand, she applied for an eclectic mix of jobs on both the east and west coasts.

In the end, it had all paid off with an exciting offer from a company in the entertainment industry -- a position that would capitalize on her lifelong interest in costuming and her excellent design and sewing skills. Her sample designs had landed her a job as a costume designer and seamstress with a fledgling company out in California.

Giving in to the overwhelming bubble of joy rising up inside, she let out a faint "Whoop!" It felt so good, she whooped again, laughing at herself as the wind snatched her voice, carrying it away.

The top was down on the red Mustang convertible she'd purchased as a reward for herself when she got the news, but the bright sun baked this stretch of road in Arizona, and the warm breeze did nothing to alleviate heat like an oven. Of course, they just had to want me in August. She caught a glimpse of her sun-pinkened cheeks in the rearview mirror. There's nothing worse than driving across the country in the hottest month of the year. Determined to prove her wrong, a trickle of sweat meandered between Jenny's shoulder blades, collecting at her bra strap, which clung damply to her skin. She squirmed and immediately amended her previous thought. Unless it's a sticky bra.

Jenny glanced in the rearview mirror. Her convertible and a blue truck several car-lengths distant were the only vehicles in sight on this deserted bit of highway. Jenny hesitated, then shrugged. The truck was too far back for anyone inside to see what she was doing, so she reached up under her shirt, deftly unclasping her bra.

Jenny held on to the wheel with her right hand. The sleeves of her oversized blouse were loose enough for her to slip her fingers inside. Switching hands back and forth on the wheel, she managed to slip off her bra and tug it out from beneath her blouse.

"Oh!" Jenny gasped and watched in disbelief as an errant gust of wind yanked the silk from between her fingers. Mortified, she followed the garment's progress as it floated away, dancing in the air, to land snugly up against the window of the blue truck. "Damn." Heat rushed to her cheeks.

To her dismay, a lean, brown, unmistakably masculine arm reached out the truck's passenger-side window and plucked her bra from the windshield.

Jennifer Dunne
http://www.jenniferdunne.com

An Excerpt From: SANTA'S HELPERS
By Jennifer Dunne
Release Date: December 15, 2005
Published by: Ellora's Cave

By late afternoon, Marissa regretted giving away her fries. She was starving. The worst part was she was surrounded by candy, mocking her hunger. Elves were not supposed to touch the decorations. They especially weren't supposed to eat the decorations. But this was the final day of Santa's Wonderland. There would be no more surprise inspections by Carol, the elf-manager.

The next time there was a lull in photo customers, she grabbed one of the decorative peppermint sticks planted around Santa's Wonderland, pulled off its rainbow-gummi flower, and stripped away the plastic wrap keeping it safely non-sticky. No wimpy little candy cane, the peppermint sticks were at least an inch thick, and eight inches long. The sugar rush from this should keep her going until the dinner break. Although sucking on it made her think of Dean, and what his cock would taste like, filling her with an entirely different kind of hunger.

Dean dragged a young girl through the snowflake-patterned curtain, and dropped the matching memory stick on the counter. Then his eyes widened, his gaze locking on the peppermint stick.

"Are you going to eat that whole thing?" he asked, in an awed whisper.

She closed her mouth around the top third of the stick then slid it out in a showy lick, dropping her gaze meaningfully to his knickers before looking up again. "I just might."

He shook his head, then his whole body, as if he was loosening his muscles before a track competition. He grabbed the empty memory stick and plunged through the curtain, back to the waiting crowd of children.

Marissa smiled at the little girl and her mother as she fed the memory stick into the computer and brought the images onto the screen. "You look so adorable on Santa's lap. Which picture do you want?"

She set the peppermint stick on the counter so that she could enter the mother's selections in the computer, and ran her credit card while the pictures printed. She tucked the 8x10 images in the special Santa's Wonderland die cut folders, then put the folders and the sheet of wallet-sized photos into the bag made of treated paper, so the freshly printed images wouldn't stick or smear.

"Here you go, ma'am. Merry Christmas."

Her last task was to clear the memory stick then put it on the counter where Dean could grab it the next time he came back.

A child's terrified wails pierced the air. Another kid too young to understand about the Santa-toy connection, only seeing him as a big, loud, brightly colored, bearded stranger.

A woman rushed through the curtain, an infant wearing a white-and-gold star costume clutched in her arms. Dean followed, shaking his head.

"Too bad. The kid looked really cute until Santa reached for him."

Marissa shrugged. "Happens."

She popped the peppermint stick back into her mouth, running it in and out.

Dean groaned. "Are you doing that on purpose?"

"What do you think?"

Pursing her lips around the peppermint stick, she dragged it slowly across her lower lip, then pushed it into her mouth, pumping it in and out without licking it off so that it glistened wetly. It was actually kind of a turn-on. She pictured her fist wrapped tightly around the base of Dean's cock, his hot length sliding in and out of her mouth, velvety soft skin whispering back and forth over her lips while her tongue caressed him. Her nipples tightened, and heat started building between her legs, until her pussy was as wet as the candy.

Dean closed his eyes. "I can't watch. Not and still go out in front of all those kids."

She dropped her gaze to the front of his knickers, where a distinctive bulge poked at the green velvet. Her pussy throbbed, eager to feel the teasing contrast of soft, supple velvet over hard, hot cock. She wanted to stroke him, crushing the velvet against her palm as she wrapped her fist around his cock and squeezed, pumping up and down his length until he came in his tights. But that would definitely get her fired for behavior unbecoming to an elf.

She tore her gaze away from his bulging knickers.

"Maybe you'd better be photo elf for a while. I'll go escort the kids."

He opened his eyes. "Thanks. But leave the candy here."

She gave the peppermint one last slobbery lick, and smiled at the corresponding surge in his knickers. "Whatever you say."

He groaned, and buried his face in his hands. "I'm a dead elf."

Treva Harte
http://www.trevaharte.com

THE TWELVE NIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS

On the 1st night

Rome Tyler wasn't thinking about much of anything but sex and snow. He was thinking about sex because when you didn't get much, you thought about it a lot. He was thinking about snow because he was getting too much of it all around him.

In fact, he'd cut short his visit with Cindy and Ira so that he could get home before the storm really hit. They'd protested that he hadn't had a chance to really visit, but Rome figured they were just being polite. He wasn't really the social type. He could talk if there was some reason to, but chatting just to chat had never been something he'd been good at. Besides, they had plenty of family there. Christmas was really meant for family.

That was fine with him. Christmas wasn't really something he was good at either. He didn't need to celebrate that holiday any more today. He figured when he got home he'd start tinkering with some of the graphics he wanted on his next computer game. Maybe he could add the really kick-ass heroine he was mentally toying with at the moment. If he added some of the features he was thinking about, this could become a very adult computer game really fast. Damn. Too bad there wasn't as much money in X-rated games.

Rome might have passed by without looking at the usually deserted house located close by the fork in the road he took to his own place. He usually did. But something very strange was going on. Rome squinted though the snowflakes and made sure he was seeing what he thought. Between the storm and early nightfall, he had to check more than once.

A ladder rested halfway down the tree trunk. And it looked like someone in a turquoise snowsuit was dangling on a branch about three feet above the ladder. Someone with - he thought, though he couldn't be sure as he braked and fought to keep the truck steady while it slid to a halt - a very nice butt.

With the truck safely stopped, he climbed out and made his way over to the tree. Yeah. A very nice butt indeed.

Katherine Kingston
http://www.katherinekingston.com

GARGOYLE'S CHRISTMAS
Novella
December 21, 2005
Ellora's Cave Publishing

Blurb:

For one month of the year, around the winter solstice, Gargoyles can assume human shape, though it entails a steep price. Averic has become entranced by a woman he sees pass by each day and decides to take human form during the Christmas season to get to know her better. To ensure he knows how to please her, he eavesdrops on her dreams and learns that she longs for exactly what he'd like to give her.

Tricia McKinnon is just about to give up on her long-held fantasy of finding the right man, a sexual dominant, but one who is also strong, honest and caring. When a fall at a street corner literally dumps her into the arms of Eric Stone, blazing sexual attraction erupts. She cleans his scrapes, feeds him, and lets him kiss her until her senses reel. When she learns what he wants from her, Tricia hopes she's been granted a Christmas miracle. But that miracle is more complicated than she knows and claiming it will challenge her in astonishing ways.

Excerpt:

As Tricia returned to the sofa, he said, "Stop. Stand there a moment." Her heart lurched and began to beat faster but she paused and waited as he requested. He studied her with a lazy, sultry gaze. "Take off your sweater," he ordered.

She drew a deep breath. Tingles ran all over her skin without him even touching her. She lifted the hem of the sweater and drew it over her head, dropping it on the nearest chair. Her breasts weren't huge but they were well-shaped and didn't sag. Wisps of moving air from the heating duct brushed over bare skin. Her already tight nipples became hard pebbles.

When he came to her and put a palm below each breast, lifting them and feeling their softness, she groaned. Hot streaks ran from the site to spread into her womb and cunt. His index fingers brushed across each breast, flicking softly over the nipples. Shards of sheer, raw pleasure ripped through her. He grinned at her squeals.

"Stay still," he ordered when she started to wriggle and tried to lean in closer to him. He put surprisingly definite authority into the words.

"Yes, Sir." She looked up into his eyes. The expression on his face showed the depth of his need to dominate, but it also displayed his appreciation for her acceptance of it. It took an effort but she remained still as he explored her breasts, fingering every square inch, circling the areola numerous times and swiping her nipples until she felt hot and heavy and ready to explode.

He stepped back. "Take off your shoes, socks and jeans."

She leaned down to obey. The simmering excitement that tightened her pussy and womb made it hard to move, but she slowly removed all her remaining clothing other than the thong. Tremors shook her as she straightened, letting him gaze his fill at her.

"Turn around. Slowly. Let me see all of you." Her bottom was a bit larger than it should be, her hips a little too broad. But she obeyed and swirled. When her back was turned, she heard him suck in a sharp, hard breath.

"You're the most beautiful creature I've ever seen," he said. The reverence in his voice curled into her heart and settled there.

He stepped forward again and put his hands on her sides, just under her armpits, then brushed down beside her breasts, along her waist, over the curve of her hips and down her thighs to her knees. "Perfect," he said. He twirled her around to face him and met her eyes. His blazed with passion. "You're perfect."

"Not exactly perfect," she said. "My butt's too big."

Sudden anger fired in his expression. "I'm your Master. You don't argue with me. If I say you're perfect, you're perfect. Understood?"

A squeezing sensation deep in her gut went straight to her pussy with a force that shook her. Elation fizzed through her veins. "Yes, Sir," she answered.

"Good. Lead the way to your bedroom."

The lightheadedness of unexpected joy combined with the swelling and pressure in her cunt to make it hard to walk, but she did as he told her. She turned to watch his reaction to her room and enjoyed his grin as he studied her queen-sized, four-poster bed and considered the possibilities it offered.

"Lay down on it," he said.

She hadn't seen him pick up the silk scarves he'd given her earlier and didn't realize he had them until he wrapped one around her wrist and then fastened it to a bedpost. A sudden rush of panic speared through her.

"They'll come loose with a good, hard tug," he said, seeing her expression. "You needn't be frightened. You can get free if you need to. You won't need to, though. If you don't like something I do or want me to stop, just ask and I will. Please? Trust me to do that?"

"Yes."

His smile then was the most erotic thing she'd ever seen. It showed his pride and love and need and respect for her and even freed his rampant desire for her to view. Then he shifted to stand at her ankles and fastened them to the bed in the same way, leaving her lying, spread-eagled, face-up, completely nude. She'd never felt more exposed, more vulnerable and helpless. She'd never felt so hot and heavy and desperate for a man's touch either.

Titania Ladley
http://www.titanialadleyromance.com

BAT SCRATCH FEVER
Excerpt
Copyright by Titania Ladley
A vampire m�nage a trois now available at Ellora's Cave!

Setup: In this scene, Drake must sit on the sidelines and allow his brother Damon to have Mikalya to even the score. Though watching is absolute torture, reluctant desire emerges, along with vampiric yearnings�.

Drake stepped back, despite the painful throbbing of his erection, and allowed Damon to carry her to toward the rumpled bed. Every muscle in Drake's body tensed as taut as a strung bow. At first, watching her being taken from his arms, and seeing the look of both yearning and confusion in her beautiful expression made him long to rip her from Damon's embrace. His next urge was to leave, to race back to Mockingbird Manor and stew in his own resentment. But he couldn't seem to take his eyes from her as she gave herself up to his brother.

Dropping into a cushioned wicker seat in front of the sun-bathed window, Drake tortured himself with envy while intrigue fast turned to lust. Damon's hands were all over the woman Drake loved, rolling her plump breasts in his palms, kneading her tight, round rear. She let out gasps of tormented pleasure, moans and whimpers when he hitched her up and wrapped her long legs around his lean body. Her pussy slammed into Damon's stiff cock, her pebbled nipples abraded against his.

Damon groaned when she let out a long, deep "mmm" sound and closed her mouth over his. Still standing at the bedside, it didn't take long for their activities to escalate into a frenzy. They fell onto the bed in a tangled mass of limbs and slick skin that glistened in the morning sunlight.

Drake's Domphir blood roared through his system and flooded into his penis. He held the thick bulk in his palm, stroking, making his sac tighten and engorge between his thighs. A fragrant spring breeze blew in through the open window and ruffled the lace curtains. Now positioned above Damon, the winds tossed Mikayla's glorious cinnamon mane. She spread her legs wide and took his large, veiny tool into her damp cavern. From where he sat tense and revved, Drake could gaze upon her left side and the elegant length of her back simultaneously. Below the nicely rounded globes of her ass, he caught a glimpse of pearly juices coating one lip when she bent forward and threw herself onto Damon's wide chest. Drake licked his lips recalling the sweet and faintly salty flavor of her honey. He watched, unable to tear his stare away when Damon gripped her hips and drove her down onto his shaft.

"Oh!" She tore her mouth from Damon's and gazed down into his perspiring, blissful face. "Damon�how could I have forgotten how good you felt inside me?"

Drake growled. "Prince Rafe, I can't take this anymore." His heart raced, his cock throbbed yet he couldn't stop clamping his fangs together with rage�and he couldn't stop the pleasure that racked his system and made him rub himself harder.

Mikayla snared him with a look of both ecstasy and regret. "Drake, are you okay? "

"Of course he's okay," Damon grumbled, and he shifted, tossing her onto her back with his cock still buried inside her. Damon looked down into her stunned face and drilled his blazing gaze into her. "Whether he wants to admit it or not, this is turning him on." He drew back and rammed his rod into her, tilting her hips and driving harder. "And he can't wait to share you with me."

Her legs wrapped around Damon's hips almost by reflex. Damon's brutal movements and bold words elicited a cry of bliss from her, which served to further fuel Drake's growing passion. His mind warred with his body, making him perspire and pant uncontrollably. He could almost taste her flavor on his tongue, could imagine vividly what it would be like to drive his cock into that swollen pussy at the very same moment his teeth sank into the slim column of her warm, vital neck.

Ah, yes, he'd waited decades for this moment�only his plans had not included his brother until now. To share her meant to not have her complete love, but to refuse meant the death of all three of them. He shook his head attempting to scatter the fear that thought had brought forth. Drake couldn't shake the horror of losing her forever this time. There wouldn't be another incarnate, never another chance to find and connect with her again. But then he heard her voice, really looked at her expression. Strong and loving, her husky tone and tender concern pushed through the morbid thoughts and lessoned the dread.

"Drake� Are you sure you're all right?" Her eyes drifted to his, twin orbs of gleaming excitement. But he saw the worry there, too. It made any traces of antipathy melt away so that the love deep inside him grew and burst through a barrier he hadn't realized he'd erected. He'd said he'd wanted nothing but her happiness and clearly, joy radiated from her soul at being here with them both, at being able to freely love them both.

"My brother is right, Mikayla. I didn't think it would be possible, but this whole scenario is turning me on. I�I can't wait to share you�"

BAT SCRATCH FEVER
by Titania Ladley
A vampire m�nage a trois now available at Ellora's Cave!
http://www.TitaniaLadleyRomance.com