#5 Goal for 2012

Get the bottom of the tub treated with that gritty stuff so I can stop worrying about falling. Stop laughing! It's a very slippery tub!

3 QUICKIE EXCERPTS

HER HANDS-ON MAN

She didn’t like the way Jake leaned back and studied her. When he linked his hands behind his head, she couldn’t take her gaze off his muscular biceps and the width of his chest. Then he brought his booted feet up and crossed them on top of the desk. Ivy’s gaze followed the length of his legs and powerful thighs up to the front of his dusty jeans. There was no disguising the growing bulge behind his zipper.

Fire erupted through her. She’d never stopped loving him or wanting him. And she wanted him now. She’d been addicted to him since the moment they’d met four years ago. I wonder what he’d do if I walked around the desk and unzipped his pants. In the old days she would have had the nerve. “Well?”

His deep voice dragged Ivy back to the present and Wally. Her wayward brother was counting on her one last time. Because she’d made it clear this was it. The next time he screwed up he was on his own. Jake was right. He was a man now.

“Maybe we can work out some kind of a…ah, payment plan?” She chewed on the inside of her lip, realizing how weak and pitiful she sounded.

“I have a better idea, Ivy. Seeing you again has only reminded me of what I’ve been missing. With interest, a payment plan will take years. How about one weekend?”

One weekend? “I don’t understand. You know I can’t come up with that kind of money in one weekend.”

Laughing, Jake slammed his feet to the floor and leaned forward. “Come on, honey, you’re not stupid. But just in case you can’t read between the lines, let me clarify. I want one weekend.”

Her brows furrowed. “One weekend of what?”

There was a long pause. “Of you.”

He can’t be serious! “What?”

“One weekend of you, as many times as I want, wherever I want, in any position I want. One weekend of fucking you will erase the debt Wally owes our company.”

Ivy swallowed with difficulty, even while a little thrill shot through her at the picture his words conjured. Jake was an exceptional lover. “You expect me to sell myself!”

“You should be flattered that I think you’re worth twenty grand.”

She shook her head. “You’re crazy, Jake. I won’t do it.”

“Won’t you?”

Ivy swung around in anger, going for the door. Blood was pumping hotly through her veins. Part of her was excited, the other half angry that she couldn’t control that excitement. She reached for the doorknob with tears in her eyes, remembering too late that it was locked. She fumbled to open it.

“Damn you!” Jake pushed her against the door with his body, growling low against her ear. “I loved you!” His unexpected roughness and having his hard body against hers fueled her desire. “I’ve never stopped wanting you, Ivy. Even after I found you in bed with my brother.”

TALK DIRTY TO ME

“Hot and heavy date tonight?”
His voice sounded directly behind her—he’d followed her to the counter. Lilly wished she could tell him she did have a hot date. “Maybe.” Let him draw his own conclusions. She finished pouring the wine, picked up her plate and swung around. But that’s as far as she got. Two powerful arms imprisoned her when Blake slapped his palms against the counter on either side of her.

Lilly caught her breath and had to glance up a long way to meet the amusement swimming in his sensual eyes. “What do you think you’re doing, Blake?” The spicy scent of his body wash tantalized her, causing another flood of desire to pool between her legs. Damn…she had to get away from him before he caught the scent of her arousal.

“Remember the last time we were together?” Was he actually lowering his head?

Her eyes grew round, instinctively knowing he wasn’t talking about the airport parking lot. She’d never forget it. Panic began to set in. “Blake,” she warned, leaning against the unbending counter.

“Remember when we ran out of condoms and I had to fuck you in the ass?” He reached up and ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “You went off like fireworks on the Fourth of July.”

Lilly shook her head no, but couldn’t deny the sharp explosion of lust that shot through her at his words. Awareness throbbed through her body, straight to her clit. “Blake, please.” Her nipples peaked into hard little crowns and tingled, her breasts swelled. She was trapped, had nowhere to turn, and her hands were full.

He ignored her pitiful tone and buried his nose in her hair. His lips brushed against her ear. “I like how wild you get when we’re screwing, Lilly.” His teeth tugged at her lobe. “I like how hot it makes you when my tongue is inside your pussy. But you know what I like most?” Slowly melting against the counter, all Lilly could do was shake her head weakly. “How good it feels with your mouth on my cock and balls. You have the sweetest mouth, Lilly.”

Lilly shuddered. “This isn’t fair.”

Blake leaned back to meet her eyes. “It’s okay for you to tease me, but I can’t tease you?”

BREATHLESS SURRENDER

He felt her slight resistance when his mouth covered hers but he steeled himself to ignore it. Her lips were soft and the taste of mint caught Reid off guard. His moved his hands over her, from her hair down to her waist, taking hold of her hips and bringing her close to him. He kissed his way to her bellybutton, wrapped his arms around her knees and lifted her to give her arms some relief. But it placed her thong-covered pussy right in his face.

Her arousing scent prompted Reid to bury his nose into her and inhale deeply. At the same time, he drew her legs over his shoulders so that he was supporting her weight. He groaned, realizing she was wet. Before he could stop himself his tongue came out and brushed over the silk covering her mound. Alexis gasped and stiffened, her sweet thighs clamping his head. Reid turned his face to catch his breath, biting Alexis gently on the thigh.

Damn, he’d forgotten where he was. His cock was pounding behind his zipper with the urgent need to fuck her. It would be easy to take her hard and fast, without regard for her feelings, yet he loathed what he was being made to do. At that moment, he wanted to kill Juan and forget about the mission. Since he’d been working undercover, Reid had been forced to do a lot of things he didn’t like. Forcing himself on a helpless Alexis wasn’t the way he wanted to make love to her for the first time, or ever for that matter.

Fucking Alexis wouldn’t exactly be a hardship. He’d been attracted to her from the moment he met her outside her apartment door. And he knew she was interested in him too. Reid was trained to notice and interpret minor physical responses, and her pupils had dilated almost instantly when their eyes had met for the first time. Her unwillingness to meet his eyes after that told him she was aware of her reaction to him.

How many times in the last few months had he fantasized about being with her but let his job stop him? Moving hadn’t been an option. Living in that building gave him a discreet view of the harbor and Juan Rodriguez’s warehouse. Something he would have needed if he wasn’t brought into Rodriguez’s confidence, and had to maintain once he was.
Maybe he’d wake up and find out this had all been a bad dream, but right now Reid was going to let the scene play out. He couldn’t help one more sweep of his tongue over her silk-covered mound before gently lowering her legs again. There would be time for eating pussy later.


Buy all 3 @ $2.49 ea here: Ellora's Cave

I signed up for this Goddess Fish tour because the book cover is, ah, smokin! LOL From the blurb and excerpt it sounds pretty hot, too.

Finding Inspiration aka Things that Turn Me On


Writers are commonly asked where we find our inspiration. I think this is doubly so for writers of erotic romance. A lot of people tend to think we have outrageous sex lives—I can assure you that in my case, I certainly haven't done everything I've written about.

Last weekend, my future sister-in-law had her bachelorette party. We kicked the evening off with a "life-drawing" session, where, you guessed it, we all settled in at easels and sketched the nude man at the front of the room. I'm going to interrupt myself here to note that the model, whose name was Adam, was an excellent specimen of male. Truly excellent. That's the beginning of a story right there.

So, what happens next? And for anyone who's wondering, yes, this is going on my list of inspiration for a future story. Does my heroine approach the model at the party? Does she run into him later on? Does he approach her? Maybe she organized the party and he has her phone number...the possibilities are endless. Why is he modeling? Is he an artist himself? A college student who needs the cash? While I might not have the nerve to jump him myself, it's certainly something I'd daydream about 

Later that same evening, we went out dancing at a jazz club where there was live music. The guitarist was H-O-T, hot, absolutely, positively smoking hot. Part of that was his complete absorption in his music, which added a degree of sexiness and depth to him. Would he show that same absolute intensity when he was with a woman? Hey presto, I have another hero and the beginning of a plot.

At the same club, I noticed a girl dancing by herself. I watched her for a while—being a writer requires a certain degree of voyeurism—and she didn't seem to be there with any friends. She didn't stop to get a drink, didn't pause to flirt. If a guy approached and started dancing with her, she just took it in stride. To my thinking, she was there for the love of dancing.

Um, can anyone else see her hooking up with the guitarist and maybe sneaking off to make music of their own? Two intensely passionate personalities, a love for rhythm...mmm...

How do I find my inspiration? I look for concepts that I find sexy. The extremely male model, the passionate guitarist. A woman so caught up in dance she's unaware of her surroundings. What fantasies do these characters and settings inspire for you?


Bio-

A born reader, Louisa discovered her love of romance at an early age and began sneaking her mother's romance novels by age twelve. A sucker for a happy ending, she was often disappointed by the lead up–not enough sexy stuff. Where was the anticipation, the flirting, the tension? Her solution? Write it herself.


Living in Melbourne, Australia, she is renowned for complaining about the weather and the calories associated with eating ice cream, but has learned to ignore both and enjoy life anyway. Visit Louisa at http://www.louisamasters.com/

Blurb-
With her resignation submitted, Jeannie Price has one last task she’s itching to perform before leaving her job. After months of sitting next to hot, sexy colleague Tim Harding, it’s time to turn fantasy into reality with a scorching invitation to collaborate on matters of the flesh in Conference Room B. Then she can walk away without regrets.


Tim’s dreams of wild, sweaty sex with Jeannie come true when he accepts her offer, but he’s stunned to learn she doesn’t want to see him again after their steamy tryst. She may be trying to brush him off as just one more item on her To-Do List, but he’s determined to convince her there’s nothing taboo about inter-office relations.

Excerpt-
“Do you want to have sex in Conference Room B?”


Tim Harding jerked his head up from the cost analysis on his computer screen. Jeannie Price was leaning on the partition between their desks, her dark eyes fixed on his face. He took a moment to admire them as he pondered her words.

“Is this a hypothetical question?” he asked finally. “Because—”

“It’s not a hypothetical question. It’s an invitation.”

Her words slammed straight to his cock. Was she joking? Had she guessed that she was the star of his late-night fantasies? He’d even pictured taking her in the office—okay, he’d imagined the boardroom, but he was flexible.

He swallowed, hard, his cock twitching. She’d been very flexible when he imagined her on his balcony. And in his shower. And...

“I’ll tell you what,” she said. “I’m going to be working in Conference Room B for the next half hour. You think about it, and if you decide to join me...” She shrugged, and her long brown hair slid forward, drawing his eyes to her breasts. In his dreams, her hair flowed over her naked breasts, her nipples peeking through the locks, and when he drew her down over him, it would swing forward, surrounding them like a silken tent...

She straightened, gathered up her laptop and notepad, and handed him an inter-office envelope.

“This may help you make up your mind.”

He watched her walk away, the sway of her hips and the way her dress slid across her ass making him shift uncomfortably.

What will Louisa be giving away?

Louisa will be giving away three $10 Amazon GCs to randomly drawn commenters during the tour and to the host with the most comments (excluding Louisa's and the host's).

10 Excuses Being Late to Work

What's the best excuse you gave your boss for being late to work? Below are ten examples a new career builder's survey came up with.

 

Employee:
thought she had won the lottery (she didn't).
got distracted watching the Today show
angry roommate cut the cord to his phone charger, so it didn't charge and his alarm didn't go off
believed his commute time should count toward his work hours
claimed a fox stole her car keys
leg was trapped between the subway car and the platform (turned out to be true)
said he wasn't late, because he had no intention of getting to work before 9:00 a.m. (his start time was 8:00 a.m.)
was late because of a job interview with another company
had to take a personal call from the state governor (turned out to be true)

#4 GOAL for 2012

Start putting some serious money away! I won't be able to live on my looks when I retire. LOL

Blog Hops

Morning all! I wanted to talk to you about blog hops. Anyone know what they are? You've probably noticed during the holidays that I participated in a few. And recently I've joined one in particular called Just Romance Me Blog Hops. We have yet to set our first blog hop up but it's coming.

I've discovered that blog hops are fun! Not only do they bring people together but the hosts also give a lot of cool prizes away to the readers. You might want to play the next time you visit a website where one is going on. During one of the holiday blog hops I joined there were over 400 participating authors. Know what that means? There were over 400 prizes up for grabs! And blog hops run for more than one day so you have time to visit all the participating blogs.

Here's how it works:

The author signs up at the website hosting it. On the day the hop begins the author puts up a post explaining what it's about, what he/she is giving away and what you have to do for a chance to win it. They usually keep it simple. The author will also list the link list of the other blogs participating, or the link to the main page where the list is located. All you have to do for a chance to win the prize is visit each blog and do what they request.

The more blogs participating the more chances you can win something. Of course, you have to visit each blog, too. And you always have the chance of winning more than one giveaway! This is an easy way to find new blogs and make new friends.

Try it the next time you see one posted.

Roni Loren

Good morning folks! Please take time to say hi to my guest today, Author Roni Loren. She's giving away some awesome prizes, too!

Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son. If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rock stars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that's it. Her debut novel, CRASH INTO YOU, will be published by Berkley Heat January 3, 2012.

Website/Blogs: http://www.roniloren.com/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/roniloren
Tumblr (where I post mancandy photos): http://roniloren.tumblr.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/roniloren
Buy links for book: www.roniloren.com/books

Getting to know Roni Loren

1. Did you choose writing or did writing choose you?

I would say it was a little of both. I’ve been an avid reader since as long as I can remember. In 5th grade, I remember reading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle and thinking--yes, I want to do THIS for my job. So the urge to write has been there since then. But as with most of our dreams, if we want to make it happen, we need to consciously choose it at some point. When I quit my day job and started staying at home with me son, I made that decision to transition from writing as a hobby to writing with the intent to make it my career.

2. If you could only have one food to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Hmm, that’s a tough one since there aren’t many foods I don’t like, lol. But I’m a New Orleans girl so I could probably happily live on seafood for the rest of my life--especially crab. Yum.

3. What's your favorite movie?
I’m probably not breaking any romance author stereotypes but Dirty Dancing is still my favorite movie. I think that was the movie that turned me into a hopeless romantic. It never gets old for me.

4. Who is your hero?
My mom. She’s the most fabulous, kind-hearted woman I know. I strive to one day be as cool as she is.

5. Where would you like to travel to that you've never been before?
I’ve never been to Europe, so there are SO many places I’d love to visit over there. But I’d have to get over my fear of that loooong flight first, lol. Within the U.S., I’d love to go to the Pacific Northwest. I’ve heard it’s beautiful out there and I love the rain. :)

6. Do you believe in luck?
Yes. I think there is always some element of luck in things. For instance, I met my husband online. I sometimes think--what if on that day, one of us took a few extra minutes to do something and ended up not being on at the same time? But I also think for most things, we make a lot of our own luck. Where preparation meets opportunity, or whatever that cliche is, has a lot of truth to it.

7. Beauty and perfection, or flaws and character? And why?
I tend to write good-looking characters with very deep internal flaws. I like the contrast of having this hero who is physically beautiful, but on the inside, there are all these things preventing him from living a happy life. Of course, the heroine is there to help him with those (and him with her flaws.) For CRASH INTO YOU, my theme song was “Outside” by Staind. And there’s a line in there: “Inside you’re ugly, ugly like me. I can see through you. See to the real you.” And I think that best describes the kinds of characters I write. What they think is ugly on the inside about themselves turns out to be what brings them happiness with the other person.

8. If you could repeat an age, what would it be?
I’m happy where I am now, but if I had to relive an age, it’d probably be a few of those college years. I spent way too much time studying and not enough time having fun. :)

9. Do you believe in happily ever after?
Yes, absolutely. My mom and step dad are still like newlyweds after 21 years. And my husband and I have been together 12 years and couldn’t be happier. He’s definitely my very own romance hero. I’m not sure I could write happily ever after books if I didn’t believe in happy endings in real life. :)

10. Tell us one thing that no one knows about you.
I’m so afraid of bugs that I once took off my shirt in the middle of the street because a friend told me there was a caterpillar on it. So my fear of bugs is apparently stronger than my fear of public nudity.

11. What makes Roni Loren mad?
Judgmental people. I’m a live-and-let-live kind of girl, and I get really annoyed when people want everyone to think and act exactly as they do.


BLURB
Brynn LeBreck has dedicated herself to helping women in crisis, but she never imagined how personal her work would get, or where it would take her. Her younger sister is missing, suspected to be hiding from cops and criminals alike at a highly secretive BDSM retreat—a place where the elite escape to play out their most extreme sexual fantasies. To find her Brynn must go undercover as a sexual submissive. Unfortunately, The Ranch is invitation only. And the one Master who can get her in is from the darkest corner of Brynn’s past.


Brynn knows what attorney Reid Jamison is like once stripped of his conservative suit and tie. Years ago she left herself vulnerable only to have him crush her heart. Now she needs him again. Back on top. And he’s all too willing to engage. But as their primal desires and old wounds are exposed, the sexual games escalate—and so does the danger. Their hearts aren’t the only things at risk. Someone else is watching, playing by his own rules. And his game could be murder.

EXCERPT-

Brynn emerged from the bathroom with a handful of Band-Aids and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. She pointed to the dining room table. “Sit.”

He dried his hands with a paper towel and fought a smile. She always had been a bossy little thing. But he knew the truth. Underneath all that tight control was a woman who, at least when he’d known her, loved handing over the reins. He swallowed hard, tamping down memories he didn’t need to rehash at the moment.

He dropped into one of the chairs, and Brynn sat across from him, her knees bumping against his. He widened his legs, and after the briefest of hesitations, she scooted forward, allowing his thighs to frame the outsides of hers as she reached for his injured hand. She circled her fingers around his right wrist, his pulse jumping at her touch, and brought his hand up to her face to examine it. His fingers itched to reach out and trace the bow of her lips.

Dammit. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his desire to touch her in check, but the citrus scent of her shampoo drifted to his nose and sent a bolt of carnal need straight to his groin.

He stared down at her. One quick grasp of her waist and he could lift her to straddle his lap, bunch up that dress, and slide right into her sweet heat—kiss away all the tension furrowing her brow, drive her to that place of wild abandon he knew she could reach.

Without thinking, he lifted his other hand and twined her broken dress strap between his fingers, brushing the backs of his sore knuckles across her collarbone in the process. The small catch of breath in the back of her throat made his balls tighten. Such a feminine sound, so close to the noise she would make as he entered her.

But she didn’t raise her eyes to him and beg him to take her like he secretly hoped she would. She simply took the slip of material from him and tucked it under her bra strap to hold it in place, sending her message loud and clear. Not yours.

Not anymore.

THE PRIZE RONI WILL BE GIVING AWAY:
* One signed set of Romance Trading Cards for "Crash Into You" to a random commenter at every stop.
* A $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.
* A signed set of Romance Trading Cards for "Crash Into You" AND a basket of romance novels (approx. $50 value) to the host with the most comments (excluding the author's and their own) including: Switch by Megan Hart, Big Jack by J.D. Robb, Enemy Lover by Karin Harlow, Beyond the Night by Joss Ware, and The Fallen: Raziel by Kristina Douglas.

Looks who's back with us again!

Wendi Zwaduk! She's here promoting her new release. I asked Wendi if she could do a character interview and below are the results. I think you'll find it very interesting. Wendi will be giving away a $10 GC to Liquid Silver Books to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Character Interview with Sully Tanner

Hello Tory. So glad I could be here today. I don’t get to be on the hot seat very often. Let me introduce myself. I’m Sully Tanner. I love rock and roll and taking care of those who matter to me. But let’s get this interview going. You didn’t come to the blog just to look at me. (Did you? Sorry. Had to ask.) So the name of the game is five questions. I can handle that. Fire away.

Q: Question one - You were in rock and roll. Why leave the scene?

A: Ah. Right to the meat of the interview from the start. I got out of the music business to the degree I was in because I got tired of it. There’s only so much fakeness one man can take. I could play. Sure. But I couldn’t take the crap. Groupies who wanted to sleep with someone famous to make them famous. Fellow musicians who want to play, but want to do illegal things more often. I never saw the point in trashing my hotel room. I guess I never really fit the mold. Plus there was this girl I never quite got out of my head.

Q: Question two - There was a girl, eh? Dish. Yes, that’s not a question, but answer it. Grin.

A: I knew you’d go there. (Folds arms and leans back in chair) When I was living at home, before I decided to go out on my own, I fell in love with a little girl next door. Okay, I wasn’t much older than her, but yeah, I liked my best friend’s sister. I had an inkling she liked me, but I’m a doofus sometimes and don’t see the obvious. I never forgot how I felt about her, but I didn’t know how to deal with it. Taking off to New York seemed like the thing to do. It wasn’t, but it felt like it.

Q: We all make mistakes. The point is to learn from it.

A: I learned from it alright. I learned that running only makes the problem worse.

Q: You know that wasn’t a question before, right? Okay, question three - you’ve spent time in the music business, obviously. What are your favorite bands and genres?

A: I’ll give you a bye on the earlier line. Conversation will do that. My favorite bands? It’s an evolving taste. I like a lot of the harder bands that are up and coming. You never know what’s on the horizon in music and it’s fun to find new blood. Then again there’s nothing wrong with the old classics, Kiss, AC/DC, Boston...lots to name. But I like a little country sometimes, too. I’m with a new band, well, it’s my old band and it’s not really mine. I play the bars and honky tonks. I don’t want fame or fortune, just to make people happy with my music.

Q: Question four – What does Marley think of your music? Does she like that you’re in the R&R life?

A: That’s a toughy. I’m not in her head, so I can’t say for sure. I can tell you what it seemed like from my point of view. Will that work? When we were younger, it was like a puppy love thing. She mooned over me, I didn’t know what to think but I did like the idol worship. Then I realized she actually liked me and I wasn’t ready to be tied down. How stupid, yanno? She’s a very mature, responsible kind of person. I’m sure she hated my crazy life when I took off. Probably chafed with frustration. And she was right to. I acted irresponsible. I know she still doesn’t trust me. I deserve it and I’m working like hell to make her see I’m not that dumb kid who took off. I’m a little more world weary and ready to settle down—with her. I didn’t really answer your question, but like I said I’m not her, so that’s how I see it.

Q: Awww. That’s sweet. Okay, last question. What do you see for your future? What do you want to accomplish? What are your goals for the rest of your life?

A: Well, gee. Make the last question the hardest. (leans forward and rests elbows on knees.) My goals are to make something of my life. Being in NY in the scene didn’t get me anywhere. Yeah, I played music, but I wasted my chance. I’m not going to do that any longer. If it means breaking my back working the farms with my brothers-in-law, then I’ll do it. I’d love for Marley to realize I’m a changed man and fall in love with me, but for now that’s just a dream. If I had my druthers and could chose my destiny, I’d like to live in the house my parents built, marry the girl of my dreams, work the land of my grandparents and grow old knowing I’d done something with my life.

I have to say you ask hard questions. I had a great time and am glad I participated. Thanks for having me!

BIO:

I always dreamed of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in line. I tend to write books with titles taken from songs because music is one of my many muses.

I earned a BA in education at Kent State university and as well as a Masters in Education from Nova Southeastern University. I've tried my hand at teaching, waitressing, and retail sales, but writing holds my heart.

I love NASCAR, romance, books in general, Ohio farmland, dirt racing, and my menagerie of animals. I have more stories than my brain can handle percolating. I can't wait to share them with you!

http://www.wendizwaduk.com/
http://www.wendizwaduk.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/wendi.zwaduk
http://twitter.com/#!/WendiZwaduk
http://www.manicreaders.com/WendiZwaduk/

BLURB:
He never knew what he was missing until he came home to find his place to belong—with her.

Sullavan Tanner walked away from Jarvis, Ohio, afraid to give his heart to the woman he loved. He lived the rock and roll lifestyle, but never quite made it to the big time. Fifteen years later, he’s back and ready to claim what’s his—if she’ll accept his help.

Marley Lockwood’s done asking for help. The family farm is more than she can handle, but if she can survive a cancer scare, the loss of her parents, the abandonment by her first love, and a messy divorce, she can handle anything.

Until Sully shows up.

Although she’s not interested in rekindling the love affair, she’s not above accepting Sully’s hands on the farm. What’s the worst that could happen? They get the farm out of the red and into the black? That’s her plan. They actually fall in love? The past says it won’t work, so she’s not hedging her bets.

Too bad Sully’s not giving up this time.


EXCERPT: “I know you don’t want a thing from me, and I guarantee you’ll never accept my help, so I’m insisting. I’ll beg if I have to.”

“Sully.” If she stayed in is embrace much longer, she’d cave and admit she needed him—but not for romance. She needed the extra hands on the farm.

“I don’t have anywhere else to be, and I don’t back down.”

“No kidding. Look, it won’t work a second time around.” She wriggled from him and closed her eyes. “You’ll hate it here.” If he’d just take the out...just walk away. She fortified the barricades around her heart and insulated her soul from letting him get too close. Close meant she’d get hurt again when he took off.

“Aren’t you a sparkling ray of sunshine?” He tugged her ponytail, not causing harm. Just playful, like a sibling. Always like a sibling.

“We can’t get along when something other than friendship is involved. When we added sex, things imploded. But I guess that doesn’t matter because you don’t have anywhere to stay.” She groaned and opened her eyes. “Kellie won’t take you. Not with three kids already under foot and another one on the way.”

“And here I thought you’d say you’d take me in because then you’d have 24-7 access to my slave labor and hot body.” He tipped his head and winked. “Please?”

Marley weighed her options. She needed the help. Desperately. Having Sully nearby meant a stable set of hands. It also meant she’d have to keep an eye on him. Sure, Kellie claimed he’d quit the drugs and the booze, but people relapsed all the time. If he hadn’t changed his ways, he’d be just as much of a liability as an asset. Worry flowed through her mind as she palmed her phone in her pocket. The most recent text message from her ex-husband, Taylor, outright demanded she sell him the farm and cut her losses. If it took her last breath, her last dollar, she wasn’t about to sell anything to Taylor. Having Sully around would provide safety. God knew she needed all the help she could get to keep her good-for-nothing ex away from the farm. Could she trust herself to keep her hands off Sully a second time?

When she’d needed him in the past—her mother’s death, the endless hours in the hospital—Sully had run. Why did she have to need him? Need led to heartbreak.

Hell.

Good morning friends!

With Earl being cared for today I'm taking today for myself. Yep! Gonna be selfish and wrap myself up in my own little world for some needed peace and calm. It's a cold morning here in Florida but it feels so refreshing, and I have a nice fire going. Well, does a three wick candle count? LOL I always have a candle going. Love the smell it puts out through the room. I told my daughter that I'm not home today. Translation, no kids:)

Just me, my cats, and syfy!

My soul mate and I had to make a heart wrenching decision and that is to put him into a nursing home. Hospice convinced us it's time and he needs round the clock care now. His doctor called me today and said there is nothing more she can do for him. I know in my heart that Earl isn't going to get better but I think I've been in just a little bit of denial because he's always come through whatever God handed him. Cancer more than once, a blood infection, open heart surgery, numerous other ailments. Deep down I have to believe he will come through this, too.

There are five things that you cannot recover in life:

(1) The Stone...........after it's thrown,
(2) The Word...............after it's said,
(3) The Occasion......after it's missed, and
(4) The Time.............after it's gone.
(5) A person...............after they die  

#3 GOAL for 2012

Unscribe from all the junk that clogs my inbox every single day! I've already done about 20 and what a difference it's made.

5 and RECOMMENDED READ!

Just in! This fantastic review for All the Right Moves by Blackraven's Reviews! Below is a snippet of the well written review my book received. I hope you'll check out the whole thing.

If you’re looking for a sensual story where the chemistry between the hero and heroine is hot, the emotions are raw, the suspense is gripping, the banter is intense, yet at times humorous, and the love is endearing, then All the Right Moves by Tory Richards is definitely the book to read. Check it out! You won’t be sorry!



Rated 5 Ravens and a Recommended Read by AJ!



Whoohoo!!!

Excerpt from THE MERCENARY WAY...coming soon!

“Is Stan─”
“Sshh!” he warned briskly, his gaze returning to hers. “Now isn’t the time for conversation, angel.”

Sarah pressed her lips. She didn’t like being told to be quiet. She dropped her eyes before his steady gaze, beginning to feel self-conscious of their intimate situation. Clint was too sexy and in spite of his gruff ways, she was attracted to him. Sarah recalled the eagerness of her response when he’d had his fingers inside her. She was hungry for that particular feeling again but now was hardly the place or the time.

“You can get off me now,” she spoke quietly, pushing against his shoulders. “They’re going away.”

Clint didn’t budge. “They may have lowered someone to the ground to continue the search,” he reasoned. “Be quiet.”

Sarah listened to the sound of the chopper diminish as it moved further away and raised her eyes to the top of the trees above them where the sky was visible. And where Clint’s gaze was focused. She couldn’t help noticing how thick and muscular his arched neck was. The veins were evident beneath his whiskered jaw.

“You can still get off me,” she insisted, wincing at the weakness in her tone. He glanced down at her. Their gazes met and held. Sarah tried to gauge what he was thinking. After an awkward moment of silence, Sarah looked away, but not before she acknowledged the flame of awareness in Clint’s pupils. His body grew taut.

She caught her breath when his cock turned hard and demanding against her. With little between them, it was easy to determine Clint wasn’t lacking there. And the knowledge turned Sarah hotter. It seemed the danger of being captured was over but another more primal danger threatened her.

She knew she was playing with fire but couldn’t stop herself from acknowledging Clint’s hard-on in the most obvious way. Parting her legs, she arched into the hard shaft, being rewarded when he sucked in his breath.

“You know if I was a smart man I’d roll off, start walking and not look back.”

Sarah stiffened. Then why didn’t he? When Clint didn’t move right away, Sarah closed her eyes so she wouldn’t have to look at him. His closeness was unnerving, catching her off guard when she realized how much she liked his weight against her. However, closing her eyes turned out to be a bigger mistake when all it did was enhance the charged atmosphere between them.

Her ears picked up the low drone of the helicopter as it was all but out of ear shot, but her senses were acutely aware of Clint. His breath was against her face, hot and intimate, his heart beating against her chest keeping rhythm with another more vital part of his body. When he began to grind his aroused cock against her, she began to respond to the situation against her will.

Suddenly, she felt alive. Her breasts became ultra-sensitive, swelling against his chest as her nipples hardened into tight little nubs. In her mind’s eye, Sarah could see his mouth on her, licking and tugging on them until she was breathless and on fire. As her breathing became shallow, she closed her legs to the liquid heat pooling there, denying its existence along with the hard shaft she’d unknowingly trapped there.

Oh God! What is happening to me? An explosive rush swept through her blood. She kept her eyes closed, desperate to ignore the changes in her body, trying to ignore that it was a man like Clint— callous, raw, and totally unlovable—who was turning her on to such a feverish pitch. She struggled to bring her breathing under control, embarrassed when a soft whimper broke the silence.

“Open your eyes,” he demanded in a voice hoarse with desire.

“No.” The way Sarah figured it, if she didn’t look at him, nothing would happen. He couldn’t possible know she was so turned on she was burning up with it.

“I’m going to kiss you.”

It sounded like a threat. Her eyes flew open. “No!” The firmness she tried to inject into her tone came out weak and throaty, revealing her condition. The savage expression on his face frightened her but not nearly as much as the untamed wildfire racing through her body. His body began to move against her, his hardness fitting perfectly in the damp crevice between her legs. The ache in the lower half of her body became a tangible, almost painful, reminder that she hadn’t had a cock in there in a long time. Too long.

“No? Are you sure about that, angel?”

“Yes,” she gasped, mesmerized by the smoldering look in his eyes. “I don’t think it’s wise to complicate things.” Not to mention she was scared out of her wits that she’d enjoy it. And she wasn’t forgetting the fact he’d already fingered her. She’d never hear the end of it.

“One little kiss doesn’t have to complicate anything,” he returned with a wolfish grin.

He was actually teasing her—or was he testing her? “We both know that’s not all you have on your mind,” she pointed out.

“No, but maybe a good fuck will tame that mean mouth of yours. Right now, though, a kiss is all we have time for.”

Right now? That insinuated they might have time for a good fuck, later.

#2 Goal for 2012

Cut back on the sugar. I'm a big sweet tea fan but I've started the New Year out by ordering unsweet tea wherever I go somewhere. And since drinks are free here at work I've forced myself to reach for the unsweet tea. Will I eventually cave? Of course I will! I'm not going to be dishonest and say I'll never drink another sweet tea again. There will be times when nothing else will quench my thirst. Remember, I said cut back.

Poor Little Bear Cat

He's the little black cat Earl and I share at our Winter Haven home. An indoor cat that somehow got out (Earl has a habit of leaving the door open) the other day and spent the whole night out. The next morning Earl said he heard a faint crying outside and when he opened the door Bear Cat came out from beneath the car. The poor little guy was all chewed up! He had blood on him and some kind of injury to his back. We rushed him to the vet.

They had to sedate him in order to look at his wounds. Then shaved him wherever they located them. Not only did he have a lot of puncture wounds he was scratched deeply in places. I would say by the location of the wounds on his back that he was running away from whatever it was attacking him. The bite marks on his stomach revealed he must have been pinned to the ground at some time during the fight. I felt so bad for him, and so mad at Earl. I can't tell you how many times I warned him about leaving the door open!

Bear Cat has never been out, so therefore he couldn't have been prepared for what could happen to him in the outside world. I hope he got in some good scratches, too, and I'm thankful he still has his claws. Otherwise, it could have been a very different outcome. Unfortunately, we have to look out for any sign of rabies now. His shots were outdated and the vet couldn't give him one because his system was stressed.

After we brought him home from the vet I overheard Earl say to Bear Cat, "did you learn your lesson about wanting to go out?"  And I snapped right back, "did you?" You see, Earl had actually thought he'd trained Bear Cat not to go near the door. I was constantly telling him that cats are curious and will do what they want.

Last night as Bear Cat sat at the foot of Earl's chair looking up at him, looking so pitiful with all his bare spots that reveal so much, I glanced at Earl to see he was crying. Then he said, "I did this to him." No words were necessary. I hope they both learned their lesson.

COOL FACTS ABOUT THE HUMAN BODY

Scientists say the higher your I.Q.

The more you dream.

The average human dream lasts 2-3 seconds

The average woman is 5 inches shorter than the average man

 

 

Your big toes have two bones each while the rest have three

 

 

A pair of human feet contains 250,000 sweat glands

There are about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet

 

 

The acid in your stomach is strong enough

 

to dissolve razor blades

 

 

Your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes

to bring half a gallon of water to a boil

 

 

The enamel in your teeth is the

hardest substance in your body

 

 

 

Your teeth start growing 6 months

before you are born

 

 

 

When you are looking at someone you love, your pupils dilate,

And they do the same when you are looking at someone you hate

IT'S BEGUN!

My goals for 2012. I just joined the ASPCA! I love animals and those darn tear jerking commercials finally wore me down. What's next? You'll have to come back for #2:)

While I'm talking about animals, here's the Christmas gift I treated my 3 furry felines to. And they love it! Gin Gin has actually claimed the house as her own,  even though she's on one of the shelf's. Jezzie and Woofy have claimed the top. Of course Alivia had to get into the picture.

Here's wishing all of you have a safe, healthy and prosperous New Year. Make resolutions you can keep. And not the same old one you make every year, that eventually goes by the way side. I'm guilty of that. I can recall the only New Year's resolution I've managed to reach. Back when I was fifty, I decided I needed to slow down. Stop and smell the roses so to speak. And I haven't looked back. Have I had relapses? A few here and there. But then my inner voice reminds me to slow down.

For those of us who need to lose weight, try something different. Don't say, this year I want to lose weight. Say instead, I'm going to eat healthier this year. This New Year I've decided to set goals for myself. Take baby steps so my body doesn't go into shock. I'm going to do my best to give up a few things that aren't good for me. No, I don't have any bad habits like doing drugs and drinking. I'm talking about certain foods, and life choices. Find less stress in my life. I'm always telling my staff, don't fret over things outside your circle of influence. If you can change it, do, if you can't, let it go and move on.

I think I'll take a page out of my own book.

So...what are some of your New Year's Resolutions?