by Mlissa | Feb 12, 2014 | Ellora's Cave, New Releases
Happy Wednesday and Happy Release Day, y’all! It took quite a while to get Slide Down On Me from submission to published, but it’s finally here and I couldn’t be more thrilled. I had a wonderful time working with a new-to-me editor but who is well known in the industry, Kelli Collins. She taught me so much and I can’t thank her enough.
Small-town mechanic and tattooed bad boy Travis keeps his profile low, his needs satisfied outside the city limits, and his business running smoothly. He doesn’t cause trouble and he certainly doesn’t want any.
Trouble finds him one scorching afternoon, however, in the form of the equally scorching Arabella Drake. The former heiress owes Travis for car repairs, money she can’t readily pay.
Their situation requires a creative solution, and while most of the town rejects Bella, Travis wants to ravish her. He offers a proposal, one that will soften the repair costs—and satisfy Travis’ longstanding wish to have Bella Drake naked, writhing and sliding down on every inch of him.
Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | All Romance eBooks | Ellora’s Cave
Excerpt:
“Twenty-five hundred dollars?” Bella’s lips barely moved over the words. Her throat closed and nausea rolled through her belly. If she said anything more, her breakfast of toast and coffee from several hours earlier were going to be all over the garage floor. They probably wouldn’t even notice, given the stains of oil, gasoline and what she could only hope were other car fluids dotting the concrete.
She supposed it could be the fumes making her lightheaded. She wasn’t used to such strong, bitter smells.
“Close,” he said, looking down at his clipboard. “Twenty-five hundred, sixty-seven dollars…” He looked up again, giving a benign smile. “And thirty-nine cents.”
Bella met his gaze. Travis. He was as gorgeous as ever. His cobalt eyes held no hint of emotion, no matter the sarcasm that dripped from his lips.
Tattoos covered his arms and disappeared under his short-sleeve shirt and drifted up the sides of his neck. Black hair brushed his collar and was so dark that in the right light, one could swear it shown blue. He was tall, broad yet lean-hipped, and she’d wondered for years what his rough mechanic’s hands would feel like on her skin.
She’d had a secret crush on him when she was growing up. She’d see him around town and out on the lake, but they were from two different worlds and though their paths rarely crossed, when he was near, she was always acutely aware of him.
“I…I don’t have access to that kind of money anymore, Travis,” she said quietly. No thanks to my brother. Humility seemed to be her new best friend, but in front of Travis? That was a new level she wasn’t exactly comfortable with.
Heat bloomed in her cheeks, but she was just stubborn enough not to look away. She wanted to get out of here, run as far as she could, but there was nowhere to go, no place for her to hide. And now, thanks to the transmission in her car, no way for her to get anywhere. She squared her shoulders and swallowed past the queasiness.
“That’s as low as I can go, Bella.”
Bella sighed. “That low or going lower or raising the number doesn’t matter. Not even the sixty-seven thirty-nine. At least not until payday.” Her voice didn’t shake and she was proud of that. He was sexier than a man ought to be, but she wouldn’t let that distract her. “Can you hold the car for a little while? At least a couple of days?”
“I take credit cards.”
“Really?” She didn’t roll her eyes, but the sarcasm in her tone couldn’t be mistaken. “Travis…” This wasn’t the first time she’d come up against this argument. “I don’t use credit cards anymore.”
“And I don’t generally hold cars for anyone other than friends. The lot is pretty small, you see,” he observed, looking over her shoulder out the bay door. “I don’t want legit customers thinking I can’t take care of them because there’s a fancy piece sittin’ out front.”
She ignored his emphasis on the word “piece” and fought the suddenly strong urge to kick him. She turned her head and followed his line of sight.
The front of the garage had a small parking area, but there was also room out back he used. “It’s a Cadillac. People drive them all the time. Please, Travis. Just a couple of days until I get paid on Friday.”
“Please” had become the most-used word in her vocabulary. She’d always used it, along with thank you, excuse me, yes ma’am and no sir among, other courteous terms, but they had all taken on whole new meanings since she was no longer the heiress who lived in a mansion.
Their gazes locked again and he didn’t seem moved by her plea.
“It was all I could do to get it here this morning. It kept dying anytime I got it over forty. I don’t have any way to get it back to the lake or anywhere else to keep it.”
He heaved a sigh. “Until Friday. Not a day later.”
Relief swamped her and she smiled. “Friday. Yes. Th-thank you, Travis. Thank you.” It was a small battle but she’d won. “I have to get back to the flower shop, but I’ll be in touch Friday when I get off work.” She spun on her heel, heart thumping wildly in her chest at the victory. Of course, her mind whirled with the fact that it would take longer than two days to get the money, but one step at a time.
His voice from behind abruptly stopped her forward progress. She was thankful that she didn’t stumble over herself.
“Do you need a ride?”
Lust flooded her, but Bella masked her surface reaction before facing him again. Oh yes, she’d love a ride. A long, hard, naked ride. On him. He hadn’t moved closer but heat flared between them. Maybe he wasn’t as indifferent as he’d have her believe. “N-no. I walked here. I can walk back. I don’t want to owe you any more than I already do.”
Travis shrugged. “Suit yourself. Have a good day then.”
I hope you will enjoy reading more about Travis and Bella… And please, whether or not you like and enjoy it, I would appreciate if you’d leave a review at the e-tailer of your purchase.
Now, as a little bit of a special treat, my friend Sabrina York also has an Ellora’s Cave release today. Dark Duke. What an intriguing and sexy title. I’m currently reading the first book in this series, Dark Fancy.
If you’re new to the series, download Sabrina’s free teaser book at http://sabrinayork.com/home-2/sabrina-yorks-teaser-book/ to read blurbs and excerpts for this popular series. Each book in the series is a stand-alone story.
Noble Passions, Book Three
Edward Wyeth, the Dark Duke of Moncrieff’s life has been turned on its end. His well-ordered home has been invaded. By destitute relatives. From Scotland. How on earth can he write Lord Hedon’s salacious novels with hellions battling in the garden and starting fires in the library? But with the onslaught has come a delicious diversion. His cousin’s companion, the surprisingly intriguing Kaitlin MacAllister. He is determined to seduce her. Using her desperate need for funds and her talents as an artist, he convinces her to draw naughty pictures for his naughtier books…and he draws her into his decadent web.
But Kaitlin has a secret. She’s fled Scotland—and a very determined betrothed. When Edward’s cousin is kidnapped and held in her stead, Kaitlin is honor-bound to return to her homeland and rescue her—much to Edward’s chagrin.
Because suddenly he can’t bear the thought of Kaitlin marrying another man. He can’t bear the thought of losing her at all.
A Romantica® Regency historical erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave
Buy Links: Amazon | Ellora’s Cave
Excerpt:
Edward skirted the mêlée in the garden and made his way to the far end of the estate, where there was nothing but flowers and trees and a placid little pond. Nothing to attract diminutive fiends bent on mischief. He would sit in the folly until his temperature returned to normal.
Perhaps until spring.
Dear God. He’d had no idea having the Wyeths of Perth take over his house would be such a nightmare. If he had suspected as much, he would have turned them away at the start. They would probably have crawled in under the door. Through the cracks in the flue. Vermin had a way of finding entrance.
But now. Now they were here.
Entrenched.
He had to get rid of them.
Perhaps he could send them back to Scotland.
Scotland would revile him for it, but he had little use for rocky tors, lochs and sheep.
Then he thought of Violet and his heart lurched. It would crush her to be trundled back to what she referred to as “the bleak wilderness.” She was looking forward to a glittering season in London. She was seventeen. She needed a husband. A husband of quality. That might be difficult to find in the wilds of Scotland.
And Ned. Ned was twenty. He was just starting to find his way with the ton. He’d made some friends—decent fellows. He’d even been receiving invitations to game at White’s.
The two of them—the normal two—deserved better than being lumped in with the rest.
He whacked at a rosebud as he passed. It exploded into a flutter of petals. He refused to feel any sympathy.
He couldn’t send them packing.
Then what?
Hell. He was a duke of the realm. He had six houses spread throughout the empire. Why hadn’t he thought to purchase a spare in London?
Aha!
That was brilliant.
He would. He’d buy them their own house. Move them all, lock stock and—well, maybe not the barrels, as the older boys did like to drink. He’d move them all into their own domicile.
With Aunt Hortense. Let her manage them.
His life would once again be orderly. He would be the master of his own abode. Free to pursue the life of a wealthy dilettante.
Perfect.
He rounded the bend with a satisfied smile on his face. The trickle of the fountain in the pond was a balm to his tormented soul. Birds sang in the trees. The sun—well, it almost shone. It was a beautiful day.
Soon, the world would be right again.
Soon, they would all be gone.
He skipped up the steps of the folly with a lightness of heart he hadn’t felt in ages. A book on the bench snagged his attention and his mood dipped, but only a bit. Someone had been here. But they were gone.
He picked it up and flipped through it and stilled.
Good God.
It was a sketch book.
The first page was an attempt at this scene. The flowers and trees, the pond and the little fountain. Not very good. But the second arrested his attention. It was a simple line drawing of Violet. And it was stunning. The artist had managed to depict her beauty, but also captured that glint in her eye, the particular quirk of her lips. Her soul.
The next sketch was one of Ned, showing a brash young man, standing insouciantly with his hands shoved into his pockets, whistling a silent tune. The next was of the twins—whatever their names were—dark heads together plotting some manner of mayhem.
It was so realistic Edward expected them to leap from the page and whack him with a cricket bat.
But it was the last sketch in the book that stole his breath. It was a portrait, in profile. His own face. But not an Edward he would ever recognize. This man was heroic, tragic, a solitary soldier. It was only a few lines drawn in charcoal, but it revealed so much about him. Things he didn’t want anyone to ever know.
It was horrifying. And remarkable.
“Your Grace.”
He snapped the book shut and spun around.
Of course. What’s her name. The girl. The owl. From last night.
“Oh, you found it.” She stepped into the folly and took the book from his hands. He did not know why he let it go.
“You left it here.” An accusation. Really? He hadn’t intended for it to come out like that.
She chuckled. “I had to go rescue Hamish. I was coming back.”
“What…why did you have to rescue Hamish?” This was her work? She saw him like that? And hell, she was a damn fine hand. How he would love to turn such talent to…darker purposes. What a pity she was such a prude. The kind of work he could offer her would make her rich—rich enough to quit serving as Violet’s companion.
But she would never do it. No decent woman would.
He must be crazed, truly crazed, to even think on it.
The gripping sketch of his wounded countenance lingered in his brain. If she could do that, if she could see through to his soul and bring it to life on paper—
“And then he got stuck. In the tree. So I had to rescue him.”
Lord. She’d been talking. He’d missed the entire explanation. No matter. The question had been purely rhetorical.
“How long have you been drawing?”
She winced, clutched the book to her breast. He recalled what fine breasts they were. “I… What?”
“How long have you been drawing? You’re quite good.”
“You looked at my book?” She squawked as though he’d just admitted to peering up her skirts. The lemony face returned. A beetled brow and pursed lips. It was, upon reflection, rather adorable.
“It was lying here.”
“You shouldn’t look at someone’s sketchbook.”
“You shouldn’t leave it where it can be found.” He crossed his arms over his chest and grinned at her. Damn, he loved her accent.
She sputtered. “I told you. Hamish and Tay—”
“Tay?”
“Taylor. Hamish and Taylor were building a fort in a tree—”
“Yes. Yes. I know. You had to rescue him. Tell me, have they always been this much trouble?”
She blew out a breath. “You have no idea.”
They both laughed. It was a nice moment, because it seemed, for that brief flash of time, they were friends, bound in mutual misery.
And then he went and ruined it by letting his lust intrude. “So tell me, what did you think of that book?”
She tipped her head. “What book?”
“The one I gave you last night.”
She blinked several times, as though she had to try very hard to remember. “Oh. That book. I didn’t read it.”
He stepped closer. “Ah. You like to look at the pictures, then?” He knew the sort.
“Look at the… What? No, your Grace—”
“Edward.” He infused his voice with a low thrum.
“Your Grace. I didn’t have a chance to open it.”
Why petulance curled within him, he had no clue. “What do you mean you didn’t have a chance to open it?” She was supposed to have read it. Or at least looked at the pictures. She was supposed to be gazing at him, right now, with a dewy look.
She brushed an invisible speck from her skirt. “There was…a distraction.”
Well hell. “What kind of distraction?”
Her lips pursed. The look she shot him was not dewy in the slightest.
Still, he wanted to kiss her.
He wasn’t sure why. She was certainly not the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. But her face had character and charm—especially when she smiled. Her figure was full—the way he liked them—but she didn’t show it off to its best effect. In fact, if he hadn’t known what lay beneath the thick layers of crinoline and bombazine, he would have been fooled. She was prickly as a hedgehog and smacked him down at every turn.
So why did he want to pull her into his arms and smother her mouth with his?
Perhaps because of all those things.
Then again, perhaps just because.
So he did.
He took the girl—whose name he could not remember, whose face he could not forget—into his arms and kissed her. It was a gentle buss, as kisses went, but extremely sublime. Because he’d surprised her.
Her lips were open, as though poised to speak. He took full advantage, sweeping in his tongue to dab at hers, nibbling and licking and tasting her sweet breath.
The prick at his side was not a surprise. He’d expected it.
He lifted his head and stared down into her eyes. Her expression was dazed and determined and perhaps a little dewy. “Not this time, darling,” he murmured. He took the knife from her hand and tossed it aside and then pulled her more fully against him.
And ah. She was soft. Sweet. Her breasts pressed against his chest. Her hips molded the cradle of his groin. Of course, he was the one doing the molding, but she didn’t fight him.
No. She sighed and tipped her head to the side so he could deepen the kiss. She tasted like ambrosia. A tantalizing flavor of cinnamon and woman and surrender. His ardor rose, and with it, his cock. He rubbed it against her belly.
She stiffened and tried to push away, muttering something into his mouth that sounded like “No.”
He changed his tack, running his lips down her cheek and along the line of her jaw to nestle in the crook of her neck. She shuddered. Some groan-like sound emanated from her throat. She clutched at his hair.
Thusly encouraged, he sucked at the tender skin of her neck. Nipped.
“Oh! Saints preserve us,” she whispered.
“The saints don’t care,” he responded, switching to the other side of her neck. He found a spot that delighted her even more and feasted there. In her distraction, she didn’t stop the palm skimming over her ribs to cup a breast.
He encased her. Ah. Exquisite. Full and round and pliable. He thumbed a nipple, testing its rigidity. She dipped as her knees gave way. He caught her. Swung her up in his arms and carried her to the bench.
From long experience, he knew better than to give a woman a moment to think. So as soon as he had her settled across his lap and firmly braced against the wall of the folly, he kissed her again. With one hand, he stroked her nipples while with the other, he slowly drew up her skirts.
About Sabrina York
Her Royal Hotness, Sabrina York is the award winning author of over 20 hot, humorous stories for smart and sexy readers. Her titles range from sweet & sexy erotic romance to scorching BDSM. Connect with her on twitter @sabrina_york, on Facebook or on Pintrest. Check out Sabrina’s books and read an excerpt on Amazon or wherever e-books are sold. Visit her webpage at www.sabrinayork.com to check out her books, excerpts and contests. Free Teaser Book: http://sabrinayork.com/home-2/sabrina-yorks-teaser-book/ And don’t forget to enter to win the royal tiara!
For one commentor, I’m going to be giving away a copy of Slide Down On Me, and Sabrina’s Dark Duke… Mine is contemporary, her’s is historical, both are scorching hot!
What was the first romance you can remember reading?
by Mlissa | Mar 27, 2013 | Guest blogs
Hi all! Lissa, thanks for having me! I always have so much fun when I visit you!
Today I am celebrating the release for my sexy funny short story, Man Hungry, the tale of what happens when two practical jokers are matched up on a blind date. This book was so much fun to write, I just had to share. It’s a really quick, fun read. I’ve attached the blurb and excerpt below so you get a taste!
I also wanted to urge you to enter my contest, which is closing on the 31st of March…there’s still time to enter to win my Tiara and a copy of Man Hungry! To enter, just sign up for the Royal Hotsheet (Sabrina’s Newsletter). Newsletter subscribers are eligible to win all coming contests as well as random giveaways. Because, have I mentioned, I am addicted to buying bling but my tiara closet is getting full?
Send an email with “Enter Me” in the subject line (this is erotica, after all) to sabrina@sabrinayork.com. If you want to win a copy of Man Hungry, mention that in the body of the email!
The drawing will be March 31, 2013.
One entry per person.
Refer Your Friends Bonus Entries
Tell your friends about Sabrina York, Her Royal Hotness. If they sign up for Sabrina’s Hotsheet you earn another entry, plus a chance at a Referrals Only drawing for more bling. (NOTE: They must tell me that you referred them in the message box so I can give you credit).
Good luck!!!
***SECRET INFORMATION JUST FOR LISSA’S READERS***
I’m not telling everyone this, but I may also be giving away a tiara in April in honor of the one year anniversary of the release of my first book, Adam’s Obsession.
***AND AREN’T YOU GLAD YOU STOPPED BY TODAY?***
Now that we have that out of the way, here’s the taste of Man Hungry I promised!
MAN HUNGRY by Sabrina York
Blind dates are hell. At least that’s what Justin thinks before he’s set up with Jessica, a sizzling-hot schoolteacher who captures his heart—or at least his lust—at first sight. He can’t let their date fail so he does what any sane, rational prankster would do—he pretends he’s there to meet someone else. A man-hungry schoolmarm.
Jessica knows full well that Justin is her date, so she decides to have a little fun and show him exactly how man hungry a “schoolmarm” can be. And Jessica’s hunger is all for Justin. On the dance floor, atop a table, up against a door…she just can’t get enough.
This is an Ellora’s Cave Quickie, so be ready for a wild ride with lots of action—and ultimate satisfaction—packed into a sizzling short story.
An Excerpt from Man Hungry
Copyright © 2013 by Sabrina York, 2013
All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing , Inc.
By reading any further you are stating you are at least 18 years of age. If you are under the age of 18, it is necessary for you to exit this site.
“You’ve got to save me.”
Jessica blinked as the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen slipped into her booth and grabbed her hand. She barely registered the intrusion. His grasp was that warm.
“I beg your pardon?” She lifted her voice above the blare of the band. It was a country band and a country bar—not her preference but a girl had to do what a girl had to do to meet a decent guy.
“Please. You look like a compassionate soul.” His crooked grin, ringed as it was by a scruffy beard, made rivulets of excitement trickle down her spine, as did the tantalizing dent in his chin. His eyes, large and brown and fringed with long, thick lashes, glinted with humor. A deep dimple sliced through one cheek. His Stetson, from which dark curls erupted, was tipped at a jaunty angle. He batted his lashes—a move that frankly should be against the law. “Can’t you find it in your heart to save me?”
His Dallas drawl made her mouth water—she’d always had a thing for cowboys with dented chins—but she stiffened her spine against his appeal.
She did not need another puppy dog lover. She’d had enough of those in her life. That’s why she was here. To meet her friend Penny’s staid, stick-in-the-mud lawyer cousin. A guy she could have a future with. Who liked country music. And country bars.
He was probably a Republican.
Good. She hoped he was.
She hoped he was a grown-up as well.
Nope. No more puppy dogs for her. She’d made an oath. And she was bone-tired of cleaning up their messes on the carpet. Against her will, her lips twitched. She did love those puppy dogs. And this one was damn cute.
She cleared her throat. It was clogged with arousal. “Save you from what?”
Her cute cowboy slash puppy dog shot a look around the crowded bar and hunkered lower like an outlaw hiding from the sheriff. “The dreaded man-hungry spinster.”
A laugh bubbled through her. As pickup lines went, at least his was original. And entertaining. She lifted her beer to disguise her amusement.
“Oh. Sorry.” His gaze danced back to hers. “I meant to say the dreaded man-hungry spinster schoolmarm.” He offered a charming, self-effacing grin.
Jessica stilled, bottle halfway to her mouth. She was a spinster schoolmarm. Well, an unmarried teacher at least. Close enough.
The cowboy leaned in. His warm breath skated across her cheek. It was all she could do not to nestle right up against him. Melt, maybe. “Just dance with me. Please? One dance before I have to resign myself to the misery of a blind date?”
Jessica’s belly lurched. “You’re meeting a blind date?”
Oh. Crap. So was she. She was a spinster schoolmarm here to meet a blind date.
Oh. He couldn’t be Justin. Could he? She narrowed her focus on his face, nearly distracted by the lazy droop of his lids, the full lips, his scent as it wafted toward her every time he moved. He didn’t look like the guy in the tux down the line from Penny in her wedding photo, the guy with the short-cropped hair and formal posture.
The stodgy lawyer.
Her attention snagged on his jawline and a shiver raced through her. She had a thing for a hard, square, dented chin. Yeah, his hair was longer, he was definitely scruffy and he was dressed in a very unlawyerlike long-sleeved t-shirt, jeans and cowboy boots. But she’d recognize that chin anywhere.
“Ho yeah.” He nodded and an unruly curl escaped onto his forehead. “My cousin’s friend.” He sent her a pleading look. “Did I mention she’s a schoolteacher?”
Certainty stirred in her gut—along with the little demon of mischief that lived there. He was Justin, her date.
He just didn’t know it.
Oh, this was going to be fun.
About Sabrina York
Sabrina is an award winning author of erotic romance with nearly a dozen titles available, ranging from sweet & sexy erotic romance to BDSM to erotic horror. Connect with her on twitter 
@sabrina_york or Facebook.
Check out Sabrina’s books and read an excerpt on her webpage (www.sabrinayork.com) or explore on Amazon or at Ellora’s Cave.
- Adam’s Obsession: Contemporary Erotic Romance
- Extreme Couponing: Contemporary BDSM
- Folly: Erotic Regency
- Man Hungry: Erotic Contemporary
- Pushing Her Buttons: Contemporary BDSM
- Rising Green: Steamy Erotic horror
- Training Tess: Contemporary BDSM
- Trickery: Magical Domination
- Tristan’s Temptation: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Coming Soon from Sabrina York: Rebound, Book One of the Tryst Island Series.
Fall in Love on Tryst Island…
When a group of friends share a vacation house, wild hijinks, unexpected hook-ups and steamy sex ensue. And true love. Did I mention they all find true love?
Rebound by Sabrina York
A Tryst Island Erotic Romance
Kristi Cross has had the hots for her friend, Cameron Jackson as long as she could remember, but she knows she’s not his type. She’s nothing like the women he dates. So when he suggests they play for a kiss over a game of Hearts, Kristi can’t resist. Even if she loses, she wins. Because she’s finally going to taste him.
Of course, one kiss can quickly become something altogether steamier, especially when both parties are on the rebound…
by Mlissa | Feb 20, 2013 | Guest blogs
Bloomers and the Tantalus—What I never knew about the Regency Period
Let us be honest with each other. I have read billions of Regency romances. Billions.
I thought I knew everything there was to know about the period, including the voice, the feel, the tone of it.
I was flabbergasted to discover how little I actually knew.
For one thing, a lot of the authors I had so voraciously read, got some things wrong. Just minor details really, like their dates. And fashions. And things that might be lying around the house.
For example, the Tantalus, that lovely invention where our heroes keep their ubiquitous brandy…was not invented until much later.
You know. Little things.
But when you’re an erotic author little things, like bloomers, become suddenly significant.
Specifically, the fact that they didn’t wear them in the Regency period. Underwear didn’t really become a common convention until the much more rigid Victorian era. There are those who will disagree with this tidbit—I prefer to err on the side of caution.
When my first erotic Regency, Folly, went to final line edits, I got the word. No Bloomers. I had to re-write several key scenes—scenes I loved, which caused me to GNAW off my fingernails.
I’ll share it here, just because I cannot bear for it to be forever consigned to oblivion. This scene appears in the book, but is severely truncated. And no one’s wearing drawers.
He nodded curtly in her direction. “There. You’re unbuttoned. Finish the job yourself.” Because, God, he wanted to watch her undress. For him.
She swallowed and nodded and let the dress fall to the floor.
He ground his teeth, bit his tongue, curled his hand in to a fist around the arm of the chair. Anything to keep him from flying across the room, taking her in his arms and planting himself inside her.
No. He sat there in the plush chair and watched as she revealed herself to him. For once her dress fell, she lifted her chemise. His heart thudded in his chest as her creamy belly, her abdomen and finally, her breasts were bared.
God. She was beautiful.
She pulled the chemise all the way off and let it fall to the floor. Let her gaze fall as well. She peeped up at him, standing there in nothing but her drawers.
“Finish it.”
Yeah. It nearly killed me to cut that “Finish it.”
When I started on my second erotic Regency, Dark Fancy, it was a little easier. I had my cheat sheets to make sure bloomers and the dreaded Tantalus did not appear. But I still made some interesting faux pas. Anachronisms. Terms or words that were not in use during that period.
I have to say, I enjoyed reading the FLE’’s notes tremendously. Now that I am working on the next two books in the series, I am having a blast checking the etymology of words and phrases I like. If you write historical romance, please allow me to recommend Online Etymology Dictionary: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=entomology. If you’re a history nerd like me, you’ll love it.
In the meantime, please enjoy this blurb and excerpt attached.
Dark Fancy
By Sabrina York
When Lady Helena Eloise Simpson flees an unwanted marriage to a revolting lord, she finds refuge with James, a charming, handsome man unlike any she’s ever known. Helena concocts the perfect solution to her problem. She asks—begs—James to ruin her. Surely her betrothed will repudiate her if she is no longer pure. And if all her efforts fail and she still ends up married to a horrid man until the end of her days, she will—at least once—have known true passion.
But James is not all he seems. He is, in fact, a wicked lord with a dark fancy. When Helena awakens his desire, he becomes determined to take everything she has to offer and more. No matter the cost.
Dark Fancy by Sabrina York
An excerpt from: DARK FANCY
Copyright © 2013 by Sabrina York, 2013
All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing , Inc.
By reading any further you are stating you are at least 18 years of age. If you are under the age of 18, it is necessary for you to exit this site.
James stared at Eloise, brave, proud, innocent Eloise. He could relate to the passion in her plea. He had a sudden desire to be released from a betrothal himself. He fiddled with the corner of his napkin. “There is always the chance your betrothed won’t care if you’re ruined.” Some men did not.
Her lashes fluttered. When they rose again, there was a look in her eye that sent lust coursing down his spine. It settled in his cock. “If I’m to be married to a bilious flounder of a man for the rest of my life, I should like to know passion just once. Just once, James.”
“J-just once?” His voice cracked.
Her smile blossomed. “Perhaps more than once.”
He had to laugh, although this was clearly no laughing matter. “My dear. I would be happy to oblige.”
“Excellent!” She clapped her hands with glee.
Unfortunate, that, because it made her look, once again, like a little girl. But then she picked up her cup and ran her pink tongue around the rim, lapping at the wayward drops. He reached for the second bottle.
She held out her cup for a refill. “You will need to show me what to do.”
He almost forgot to stop pouring. Hell yes. He’d love to show her what to do. He’d love to instruct her—in elaborate detail—what, precisely, to do. Something snarled in his belly. His palm itched.
He forced down that decadent desire. Chained the beast.
For God’s sake. She was an innocent, a virgin. If he opened with that card, not only would she truly be ruined, she would probably hie off to the nearest nunnery and spend the remainder of her life in seclusion.
Oh, he would bed her. He would despoil and beguile her, but only in the very gentlest of fashions.
But his fantasies, the darkling imagery of what he would truly like to do, simmered.
“Are you…” He cleared his throat. “Are you ready for your bath?”
“Heavens, yes.” Once again, she clapped her hands.
The childlike gesture was off-putting since, at the moment, he was thinking of sinking his cock into her body and swallowing her moans with his mouth. But he liked her enthusiasm. It also made him desire—very deeply—to tie those hands to the bedposts. So she couldn’t clap them.
Why that thought made him salivate, he didn’t know.
Ah hell. Of course he knew.
Despite the lust snarling through him, he managed a modicum of chivalry, although it was perfunctory at best. “I’ll fashion a curtain.”
Her next words nearly unmanned him. “You don’t need to.”
“I b-beg your pardon?”
“You don’t need to bother with a curtain.” For a shy and demure innocent, she had something of a brazen streak. “I mean, if we’re going to…you know…”
“Make love?”
“Yes. If we’re going to make love, you will see me naked anyway.” A frown crossed her brow. “Won’t you?”
He chuckled. “Most certainly.”
“I thought so. But people are not very forthcoming when one asks about such things.”
“Really?” That had not been his experience in the slightest. Then again, she was a girl. The world sought to save and protect innocence. Until it ravaged it.
He did not know why he trembled as he poured the heavy buckets into the tub. He was a man of the world. Jaded and used to much more decadent fare than initiating virgins to the delights of the flesh. He should hardly be nervous about the prospect of having her.
Then again, maybe it wasn’t nerves. Maybe it was just pure, seething desire.
Dark Fancy is now available for preorder on Amazon
About Sabrina York
Sabrina is an award winning author of erotic romance with over a dozen titles available, ranging from sweet & sexy erotic romance to BDSM to erotic horror. Connect with her on twitter @sabrina_york or Facebook.
Check out Sabrina’s books and read an excerpt on her webpage (www.sabrinayork.com) or explore on Amazon or at Ellora’s Cave.
- Adam’s Obsession: Contemporary Erotic Romance
- Extreme Couponing: Contemporary BDSM
- Folly: Erotic Regency
- Pushing Her Buttons: Contemporary BDSM
- Rising Green: Steamy Erotic horror
- Training Tess: Contemporary BDSM
- Trickery: Magical Domination
- Tristan’s Temptation: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Coming Releases
Win a Tiara From Her Royal Hotness!
Enter to win a gorgeous tiara by signing up for Sabrina York’s Royal Hotsheet (new book and contest info only–no spam! Your e-mail address will not be shared). If you’re already getting the newsletter, don’t fret. You’re already in the drawing. Send an email with “Enter Me” in the subject line (this is erotica, after all) to sabrina@sabrinayork.com. The drawing will be March 31, 2013.
One entry per person.
Refer Your Friends Bonus Entries
Tell your friends about Sabrina York, Her Royal Hotness. If they sign up for Sabrina’s Hotsheet you earn another entry, plus a chance at a Referrals Only drawing for more bling. (NOTE: They must tell me that you referred them in the message box so I can give you credit).
Good luck!!!
by Mlissa | Jan 21, 2013 | Guest blogs, Uncategorized
When Extreme Couponing and Erotic Fantasies Collide!
Hi all, and thanks Lissa for having me!
I am very excited to share my latest release, Extreme Couponing with you. This scorching novella is about a sexy hubby who discovers his strong, independent wife secretly yearns to be dominated. Tae designs a coupon book for Bella—and the first coupon he redeems is for One Hour of Complete Submission.
This adventure launches a whole new chapter in their marriage—including very inventive explorations of ordinary household items. Please read on for an excerpt.
One of the things I enjoyed most about writing this book is the way Tae uses everyday household items in his sexy play. I don’t want to give anything away, but in the pages of this story, you will see duct tape and rope (of course, this is BDSM after all), hammers, wrenches, carrots and electric toothbrushes.
Oh my.
So. I thought it would be kind of fun to ask:
What is the most ordinary household item you have used in a kinky way? You don’t have to admit what you did with it…just mention what it was in the comments section below.
I cannot wait to see what you have to say! After all, erotic authors are always looking for inspiration!
About Sabrina York
Sabrina is an award winning author of erotic romance with over a dozen titles available, ranging from sweet & sexy erotic romance to BDSM to erotic horror. Connect with her on twitter @sabrina_york or Facebook.
Check out Sabrina’s books and read an excerpt on her webpage (www.sabrinayork.com) or explore on Amazon or at Ellora’s Cave.
- Adam’s Obsession: Contemporary Erotic Romance
- Extreme Couponing: Contemporary BDSM (Preorder on Amazon)
- Folly: Erotic Regency
- Pushing Her Buttons: Contemporary BDSM
- Rising Green: Steamy Erotic horror
- Training Tess: Contemporary BDSM
- Trickery: Magical Domination
- Tristan’s Temptation: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Coming Releases
Win a Tiara From Her Royal Hotness!
Enter to win a gorgeous tiara by signing up for Sabrina York’s Royal Hotsheet (new book and contest info only–no spam! Your e-mail address will not be shared). If you’re already getting the newsletter, don’t fret. You’re already in the drawing. Send an email with “Enter Me” in the subject line (this is erotica, after all) to sabrina@sabrinayork.com. The drawing will be March 31, 2013.
One entry per person.
Refer Your Friends Bonus Entries
Tell your friends about Sabrina York, Her Royal Hotness. If they sign up for Sabrina’s Hotsheet you earn another entry, plus a chance at a Referrals Only drawing for more bling. (NOTE: They must tell me that you referred them in the message box so I can give you credit).
Good luck!!!
Extreme Couponing
Sabrina York
Bella adores Tae. He is sweet and patient and gentle. She would do anything to keep her handsome hubby happy—even pretend to be something she’s not. She ignores that niggling dissatisfaction with their very vanilla marriage. But secretly, she yearns for something darker.
When Tae discovers—quite by accident—about Bella’s secret desires, he is determined to fulfill her every fantasy—and his. He devises a wicked coupon book full of naughty commands and fiendish challenges. From spankings to bondage to erotic play with household implements, he tests her limits.
With each coupon Tae redeems, Bella sinks deeper and deeper into the lifestyle she has always craved but never had the courage to demand. Can they find a place that allows her to be the strong independent woman he fell in love with and the quivering sub she is at her core?
A Romantica® contemporary erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave
Ball & Chain Line
An Excerpt From: Extreme Couponing
Copyright © SABRINA YORK, 2013
All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.
If you’re under 18, it is necessary for you to stop reading now.
With a simmering glance at her, he slid a finger beneath the tape. A small booklet fell out onto his lap.
“What is it?” She scooted closer.
“Oh look. You gave me coupons.” He sounded excited. Thrilled even.
“Coupons?” She shook her head and took a sip of her coffee. What on earth was he up to? She was hardly a “coupon queen”. She was the kind of woman who used coupons as bookmarks.
In fact, he did all the grocery shopping. Well, if he wanted food in the house.
She wasn’t very domesticated. Never had been.
He flipped through the booklet, oohing and aahing. The sideways looks he sent her set a fire in her gut.
“Oh Bella,” he purred, pausing on one coupon in particular. “You shouldn’t have.”
She frowned. “Let me see that book.”
Before he could protest, she snatched it from him and flipped through the pages. And she began to laugh. Clearly he’d printed out this booklet on his computer. “Good for one backrub. Hmm.” She flipped to the next. “Good for breakfast in bed.” Okay. There was the usual stuff. One foot rub, one blowjob, one comment-free football game…
And then she came to one that made the breath catch in her throat. She swallowed. Her pussy twitched.
It said, One hour of complete submission.
She froze. Every muscle in her body locked in place. Her heart pounded, her blood thrummed, her body liquefied.
He watched her intently, taking in every nuance of her reaction, his jaw tight, eyes glittering. His tongue snaked out to wet his lips. “I was thinking about redeeming that one now.”
She didn’t even know how to respond, so she just stared at him. They’d been married for nearly a year but he’d never once suggested anything kinky. Never once tried to push the boundaries.
Never once suggested anything even remotely risqué.
Damn it all, anyway.
Bella had never been a wimpy woman. She usually just took what she wanted from life. But in this, especially with Tae, she was tentative, cautious. Nervous.
Usually she was never nervous. But this…
This was something so personal. So intimate. So secret. She’d never had the courage to admit it to him. She’d been scared to death of how he would react if he knew the truth. If he knew what she really craved.
That he was asking for this, now, made her woozy.
She cleared her throat, lowered her lashes. “W-what did you have in mind?”
He waited until she looked at him before he spoke. “I think the coupon speaks for itself.”
“All it says is complete submission.”
“I know. Are you game?”
An unfamiliar tension rose between them. Bella nibbled her lower lip as she contemplated the sudden urge to test his resolve. Or at least the depth of it. “For all I know, you’ll have me cleaning your man cave. Scrubbing the toilets. Doing your laundry.” Their marriage had become that, somehow. An endless list of projects and chores.
“I didn’t have cleaning in mind.” He tipped up her chin. “Sexual submission, Bella. Total. Sexual. Submission. Are you game?”
She swallowed, swamped by the apprehension skirling in her gut, the lust dancing in her pussy. It was all she could do to hold his gaze. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.”
He was right. She did. She bobbed her head, a tiny nod.
Oh yeah. She knew.
She wanted it.
Bad.
She’d always wanted it like that. Craved it. Hungered for it. But then she’d met Tae, a guy who adored her for being a strong woman, for taking the lead, for managing everything. She hadn’t wanted to tell him the truth of it. She hadn’t dared.
“Say it.”
She swallowed. “Say what?”
“Say, yes Tae. I want to be your slave for one hour.”
Her heart stuttered. She forced a laugh. “I can’t say that.”
“You can.”
Bella tried to sort through her conflicting feelings. She wanted this. Needed this. Had fantasized about this. And now he was offering it to her.
And damn it all anyway, it was only for an hour.
Shyness overcame her. She dropped her chin and whispered, “Yes Tae. I want to be your slave for one hour.”
“Sweetheart. Look at me when you answer.”
She did. “Yes Tae. I want to be your slave for one hour.”
His nostrils flared. A certain light glinted in his eyes and a raft of dimples exploded on his cheek. The stark beauty of his face snared her. It always did, but tonight, backlit by a crackling fire and the lights of the tree, he seemed even more intense. From the dark, dominant brow, to the high cheekbones, to those full lips…
He ripped the coupon from the book and gave her a look that sent a tremor through her body. Maybe it was the heavy-lidded heat he invested in the glance or maybe it was the way his body tightened, every muscle, as he gauged her reaction. She knew instinctively that something very different was about to…arise between them.
It was as though it was their first time all over again. Trying to make light of the electricity, the lust lashing through her, she accepted the coupon with what she hoped was credible aplomb. She cleared her throat. “Okay, Tae. What do you want me to do?”
He didn’t hesitate. Not for a second.
“I want you naked.”
by Mlissa | Nov 27, 2012 | Guest blogs
Lissa, thank you so much for letting me share the sizzling cover and excerpt for my newest release, Training Tess on your blog. I love your tag line: Where the Men are Naughty. Because, really, who doesn’t crave a naughty man?
I write them all the time!
In fact, the hero of Training Tess, an erotic romance with BDSM elements, is a very naughty man. Jared is a dark, dreamy Dom who likes his sex right on the edge.
When he spots his sister’s very vanilla assistant in a BDSM club, he can hardly believe it. He’s lusted after Tess for years but didn’t think she could handle his darker needs. Like his predilection for cuffs. And whips. And spanking. Hell, for domination of every kind. But as soon as he sees her wearing a collar, he’s lost to his desire. He vows to claim her for his own.
For Tess, dressing up as a sub while researching an article she’s writing is a lark—until she sees Jared in the club. She may be new to the Dom/sub scene, but she knows what she wants. With Jared—and only Jared—can her deep, primal desires come to light and be fulfilled. Let the lessons begin.
Training Tess is available for preorder on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and releases tomorrow at Ellora’s Cave (and everywhere).
Want a little more? Here’s an excerpt. If you dare!
An Excerpt From: TRAINING TESS
Copyright © SABRINA YORK, 2012
All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.
Edging past him—careful not to touch—she sat at her desk. She tried to ignore the ominous sensation that she was a butterfly pinned to a board by a vaguely curious entomologist.
“Two years.” He set the paperweight on the desk in front of her. She put it back where it belonged. It was warm from his touch. “Two years.” He leaned back and grinned. She didn’t see it—couldn’t look at him—but she felt it. A trickling warmth. “Two years and I never had a clue.”
She froze. Driven by the dark thread thrumming in his tone, she snapped her gaze to his. His eyes were beautiful. Mesmerizing. Ice blue ringed in black, feathered by girlishly long lashes. But he wasn’t girlish. Not in the least. Those eyes burned with a predatory light—one any woman with a pulse would recognize.
“N-never had a clue about what?” But, God help her, she already knew.
A muscle bunched in his hard, dusky cheek. A responding wash of wetness burbled between her legs. There would probably be a damp spot on her task chair.
This man was definitely not workplace appropriate.
“So we’re going to play games, Tess?” Her name slithered from his lips. “Do you…like playing games?”
She shivered. She could only imagine what kinds of games he had in mind. Oh, dear God. At the thought, more cream oozed out. Yep. Definitely a damp spot. His nostrils flared as though he could smell her arousal.
He probably could. That made her shiver again.
He straightened and stepped behind her. The heat of his body rolled toward her in waves. The cloud of his scent surrounded her as he bent lower. “You looked…very nice last night, Tess.” His voice was a low, sibilant whisper warming her ear.
Ah, God. He had seen her.
He’d seen her and it had awakened something in him. Tess knew it was stupid to play with fire, especially a fire burning this hot. But she couldn’t help herself. She couldn’t pretend his interest, his posture, his presence, didn’t launch her mating instincts into overdrive.
She wanted him. In every way a woman wanted a man. And then some.
Mostly she wanted him in. Deep inside her, massaging her, filling her, swamping her with sweet, sticky cum. She wanted to belong to him.
And, damn it all anyway, she wanted him to want it too.
The thought scared her to death. The worst thing in the world would be to offer Jared everything—even her secret soul—and have him laugh and walk away.
He laughed and walked away a lot. Tess had cleaned up more shattered hearts than she could remember in the past two years. It was why Marla forbade him from dating her employees.
Still, when he edged around to her side to perch on her desk once again—way too close—so he could stare down at her with a small smile playing on his lips, she couldn’t resist.
Play with fire? Hell, she’d light the match.
She met his gaze with a nonchalance that doubled as a lie. “You looked…very nice too.” She turned back to her computer and began typing determinedly. Oh, they weren’t words. Just typing. She hoped to God he wouldn’t look at her screen.
After a bit, she glanced up at his face and her heart seized. No. He wasn’t looking at her screen. He was looking at her.
Once he had her attention, he licked his lips. A shudder scudded down her spine and lapped at her weeping cunt. God, he was gorgeous. She tried not to fixate on his wide, lush lips, on the scruff on his cheeks or the dark rings around his irises. She failed miserably.
But then, he was fomenting that failure. It was there in his intent as he leaned closer, in his heat, his energy. He wanted to draw her in. Wanted her.
She tried not to come at the thought. She’d wanted him since the moment she set eyes on his handsome, too-playful face. But he’d never showed her a flicker of interest. Until now.
“I had no idea you were into that kind of scene, Tess.”
She sniffed and pretended to reach for a pen but it was more to tease him than to flaunt her disinterest. Hell. There wasn’t a disinterested bone in her body. Besides, instinctively she knew. She knew he liked the chase.
“It’s hardly something one puts on a résumé.” She faced him then, solemnity weighing her tone. “My private life is just that. Private.”
He swallowed heavily, studied her in silence as though sifting through the visions of just what form her private life took. His response sent wildfire along every nerve ending. “None of those men were Dom enough for you, pretty thing.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You heard me.” He pulled a card out of his pocket and drew the edge of it very slowly across her nipple. She gasped as sensation scorched her through the silk of her blouse. “If you want to find out how good it can really be, show up at this address tonight at seven.” He leaned closer, so close she tasted the lust on his breath. “Wear this suit but nothing underneath.”
And then with a sultry glance in her direction, he stood and headed for the small boardroom. It gave her some comfort to see his gait was a bit crooked. But not much.
Because her body was on fire.
Check out all Sabrina’s books, her contests and blog posts at SabrinaYork.com or friend Sabrina on Facebook or follow her on Twitter @sabrina_york.
