Saturday, December 29, 2018

Out Now—False Hope (Book 2, The False Series) by Meli Raine (@meliraineauthor)



Release date: December 11, 2018
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Book Blurb:

She thinks she’s fooled me. But I’ve known all along.

Almost.

Lily is hiding something, a secret so big, she came out of a year-long coma and her first instinct was to lie.

Who does that? Someone who is afraid. No—not afraid.

Terrified. And it’s my job to take that fear away.

My partner and I have spent countless man-hours hunting down the cold-blooded killer who did this to her. Meanwhile, Lily’s spent her waking hours recovering. Getting stronger. Getting smarter.

Staying beautiful.

Never get involved emotionally. That’s my dictate. Never get attached.

When you realize you’re caught in a triangle, it turns out there is no exit.

Crossing a line is easy. Holding a line takes strength.

Lily’s shooter knows that she’s my weakness.

One I have to get back.

No matter what it takes.





FALSE MEMORY (Book 1)
Now Available

FALSE START (Book 3)
Release Date:  01/15/19


Excerpt

If unicorns had a flavor, it would taste like kissing Lily.
Her essence is still on the tip of my tongue as I watch the layered response Lily has mastered. Observe her as that beautiful mind works to line all the pieces up and execute the subterfuge, living in two selves, one ever vigilant, one struggling to stay quiet.
For months now, I’ve felt it. Sensed it.
Now I can taste it, too. Lies have a flavor.
And God help me, I want more of the deliciousness of Lily.
But those lies come with an aftertaste, a bitter acrimony that has an overriding power.
My own words ring in the air like a gong as I wait: When were you going to tell me you've been faking the amnesia, Lily? Before or after I sleep with you?
“Sleep with me?” she squeaks, the words catching me off guard. I assumed she’d deny the lying.
Not talk about my fantasies.
“You want to talk about that?” I choke out, amused and sickened. “You’ve been lying to me for close to a year and all you want to talk about is sleeping with me?”
“You brought it up!”
She’s got me there.
“How about this fake amnesia bullshit, Lily? How about we talk about that before we discuss getting sweet between the sheets?”
She blushes.
I get hard.
This—this is why I should have recused myself from this damned assignment long ago. I knew this day would come. I knew I’d have to call her on the lying.
Worse than that—I knew I wouldn’t be able to help myself.



Author Bio:

Meli Raine writes romantic suspense with hot bikers, intense undercover DEA agents, bad boys turned good, and Special Ops heroes — and the women who love them. Meli rode her first motorcycle when she was five years old, but she played in the ocean long before that. She lives in New England with her family.

Social Media Links:

Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/beV0gf

Release blitz organized by Writer Marketing Services.




Thursday, December 20, 2018

Heat up Thursday with a sizzling #teaser from @AuthorLynnBurke #newrelease #MCRomance @evernightpub

Capone

Fallen Gliders 4
Cover Art: Jay Aheer, Simply Defined Art
Release Date: December 20, 2018
#MCRomance #Erotic #Series #HEA

BLURB

Being called a pussy and pansy-ass his entire life led Jeremiah “Capone” Caldwell to join the Fallen Gliders, a motorcycle gang known for its rough ways, hard partying, and womanizing. Not that he needed help with the last. His charming smile and baby blues make it easy to get into the panties of whatever woman he sets his eyes on.

Except for Helina Bodnar.

The sexy siren is a lawyer, an independent spirit who refuses to bow to someone like the narcissistic assholes from her childhood. Jaded, she judges Capone’s character by the “67” inked on his neck, and although her body wants to let loose with the attraction sizzling between them, she knows he’s no good for her. Giving into lust proves easier than denying sexual gratification, however, leaving one bitter and the other brokenhearted.

When a rat spills Glider secrets to the police, Capone knows there is only one woman who might be able to get them off the hook. Will he be the real man Helina longs for, the one he truly is inside, or will the man he portrays to the world lose her forever?

PURCHASE LINKS:


ADULT EXCERPT:

She unlocked the door of an office, but I didn’t pay attention beyond anything but getting her alone, somewhere I could give her what I’d denied her before she’d passed out in my arms the weekend before. Through a reception area that smelled like new furniture, through an inner office door, and Helina tossed her purse aside. She turned, but I stepped close, spun her around again, pulling her back against my chest.

I bent enough to slide my hand up beneath her skirt, my face buried in her neck.

No fucking panties.

I groaned in her ear while her pussy coated my hand with wetness as I cupped her. “Christ…”

“You had better deliver,” she said, pulling away.

The dimness of the office barely allowed me to see two large windows with heavy wooden blinds—closed to outside foot traffic—and a very large desk, half-covered with papers and boxes.
Helina hopped onto the edge and leaned back.

I didn’t need a verbal invitation, but dropped to my knees and lifted hers, placing her high heels on the edge of the desk. Her scent swarmed over me, and I leaned in for a deep breath.

“So fucking sweet.”

The first slow lick from her ass to her clit had her cursing. The second, she grabbed at my hair, nails digging into my scalp. “Holy shit.” She gasped as I latched my teeth onto her clit and nibbled.

“Oh…”

Smiling, I slid lower again, licking every crease, every indent of her body, lapping up the arousal slipping from her swollen pussy lips. Puffy and quivering, she was slickened enough two of my fingers slid into her tight sheath with ease. I curled my fingers and gently rubbed, finding the roughened spot that lifted her back off the desk.

“God, yes, right there.” She moaned and lifted her hips higher.

“You like my fingers in you, darlin’?”

“Fuck, yes.”

I pumped in and out a few times, soaking up the whimpers panting past her lips. She complained when I replaced my fingers with my mouth, but uttered another lust-laced curse as I shoved my tongue inside of her body.

“Oh, fuck. Don’t stop!”

Lazily, I meandered up through her folds again until my lips brushed over her clit.

“Fuck me with your fingers,” she said, holding my head tight to her.

Only too happy to oblige, I did as told, pressing in deep and rubbing that elusive spot.

“God.” A few curses spilled from her lips as I thrust and rubbed, my teeth nibbling away at the swollen nub, my nose buried in the trimmed hair atop her pubis. Tangy, soft, and sweet, her pussy was better than any candy or liquor.

“I’m going to come.” She moaned the words, her hips rocking up with every thrust of my fingers, her thighs tightening against my ears. Holding me still as if she could stop me from denying her again.

As fucking if.

Helina gasped once … twice, and her back arched off the desk. With a whining cry, she came, her pussy grasping at my fingers in pulsing waves, cum drenching my knuckles. “Don’t. Stop.” She swallowed between the words, a half-gasped, half-moaned intake of air on its heels as I pulled her clit taunt with my teeth. A flick of my tongue over the hardened flesh sent another spasm through her body. “Fuck!”


Cum gushed from her pussy, sliding down my fingers to coat my knuckles and drip to the floor.
I slid my tongue up atop her clit a few more times, coaxing every last whimper from her lips. Her body released my fingers with a wet, sucking sound, and I licked both clean, inhaling until my lungs hurt. A kiss on the inside of each thigh, and I stood, my straining dick pressed between her lax thighs.

Helina sighed, and I cursed the darkness of the office. I wanted to see her face, her eyes. See the satisfaction, the bliss of a sated woman.

I placed my hands on her knees and slid them along the insides of her thighs, pressing between her skin and my jeans to rub my thumbs along my hard length. “You taste even better than I remembered.”

“And that was better than I expected.”

Grinning, I moved back, but she grasped my wrist before I could step away.

“You’re not done yet.”

My brow shot up at her tone, but fuck if her bossiness didn’t twitch my already pain-hardened cock. “That a fact?”

“Mmm.” She sat and grabbed hold of me through my jeans, her grip bringing more pre-cum to my dick’s throbbing head. “There’s no way in hell you didn’t stash a few condoms in your jeans somewhere.”

“I might have one or two.”

Helina released me and sat back, propped up on her elbows. “Get one out. I want your cock in me.”

I bit back my brain’s “yes, ma’am” and offered a cocky grin even though she wouldn’t be able to see me clearly. “Ask nicely,” I said instead, fighting at the discomfort of the alpha male skin I’d been trying to live in for over five years.

I couldn’t see her glare, but sure as fuck could feel it singeing my face. “Sheathe that hard cock and fuck me.”


© Lynn Burke 2018



ABOUT LYNN BURKE:

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Lynn Burke is a full time mother, voracious gardener, and scribbler of spicy romance stories. A country bumpkin turned Bay Stater, she enjoys her chowdah and Dunkin Donuts when not trying to escape the reality of city life.
Website: https://www.authorlynnburke.com/
Blog: http://authorlynnburke.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author-Lynn-Burke-555282497937461/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorLynnBurke
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorlynnburke/
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/authorlynnburke
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lynn-burke

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Simi fell as the heel broke off from the shoe and the last stroke of midnight faded away. She didn’t reach the cold, hard pavers. Two strong male hands grasped her waist #midweektease #PNR #eroticromance



This week I'm celebrating the holiday season with a #midweekteaser from
Candle Magic



Simi finds an old candlestick in the props room of the PR company she works for. It's about to change her lonely life. On the stroke of midnight Christmas Eve, she falls into the arms of sexy, romantic, but mysterious Jason Chandler 
http://www.bookstrand.com/candle-magic
https://www.amazon.com/Candle-Magic-Siren-Publishing-Classic-ebook/dp/B00SGCDRN6
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Candle-Magic-Siren-Publishing-Classic-ebook/dp/B00SGCDRN6
http://mybook.to/CandleMagic

Read the teaser


The biting wind penetrated Simi’s coat as she teetered along on her black spike heels. Their sharp click on the sidewalk was the only human-associated sound other than her occasional sigh in the dark night. She pulled her hands from her pockets and crossed her arms over her body to shield herself a little. Not far to go. There was rain in the wind now and it felt like ice as the splatter hit her face. The weather forecast had been for snow. The sky was leaden with something unshed, and Simi quickened her pace as not snow or rain, but sleet started to fall.
Her shoulder bag bumped against her hip as she walked and Simi wondered if she should have left the bulky item behind at work until after the holidays, but the gift it contained from Kris Kringle was the only one she’d get to open on Christmas morning. She could have left the candlestick, but then again, she’d so liked it. Her last red candle would fit and make her solitary Christmas lunch more festive.
Another sigh escaped her. Not for the first time that day, she wished she had a boyfriend, someone who loved her. He would have helped me clear up, poor Carl would have gone home earlier, and we would have made it to the last subway train that came out this far on Christmas Eve. I wish I had a gorgeous, kind, gentle, sexy man. I wish…the huge clock on the deserted town hall startled her with the first resonant chime of twelve. Midnight. So it’s Christmas day and I’m going to spend it alone, again.
Simi hurried on past the huge fir tree decorated with bright white fairy lights. The seventh chime of twelve echoed out. A car suddenly sped by, sending a spray of icy water up onto the sidewalk and drenching her calves. The shock made her falter. One of her spike heels caught between pavers that had cracked in the summer. Simi fell as the heel broke off from the shoe and the last stroke of midnight faded away.
She didn’t reach the cold, hard pavers.
Two strong male hands grasped her waist, lifted her, and set her on her feet. A deep, attractive voice asked, “Are you okay?—You’re not. You’re freezing and your shoe is broken. Let me help you. I’m here for you.” He held her shoulders, taking some of her weight as Simi limped to face her rescuer.
She looked up and into the eyes of a gorgeous man. Strands of his thick dark hair glistened in the light, thrown off by the strings of fairy lights threaded through the branches of the trees lining this part of the sidewalk. The sleet lent a sheen to these strands and lit him up as if he, too, was a Christmas decoration. Simi gazed at him. She drank in the perfect features of his face. Her eyes dipped to take in his obviously muscled body under his clothes. His overcoat hung open over a black suit. He wore a gleaming white shirt and a black bow tie. He’s perfect.
“I’m fine, thank you,” her voice scratched out.
He gave her a look just short of amused, but definitely disbelieving.
“I know otherwise. Please, it’s Christmas. Let me be here for you.”
The sincerity in his voice soothed her. Trepidation left her, replaced by hope. Bizarre, considering he could be a murderer. She hopped a step.
The gorgeous man stooped and pulled the heel from the paver crack. He grinned at her mischievously and put it in his pocket.
Simi let her shoulder bag dangle from her arm and tried to walk with one foot five-and-a-half inches higher than the other.
The delicious man held her arm gently. He took her bag and slung it over his shoulder.
“I’ll carry that. Put your arm around my waist and lean on me.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders.
She did as he asked. His hard body under her arm comforted her. Simi tried another step. It was still a limp, but suddenly amused, she laughed. She looked up into his handsome face.
“If I’m going to be hanging onto you, I should know your name.”
“Jason. My name’s Jason, and you’re…?”
Simi was lost in the sound of his voice and the flow of delicious tingles down her body as his arm tightened around her. She whispered, “Simi.”
He smiled, his eyes alight with emotion. “That’s a beautiful name. A lovely, soft name for a beautiful girl.”
A little alarm bell went off for Simi. Isn’t that a little too charming? Maybe he is a murderer trying to lull me into trusting him. “Look buddy, don’t bother trying flattery on me.”
His smile widened. Crinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. He laughed and then shook his head. “Don’t be afraid. I’m not here to hurt you, quite the opposite, and you are beautiful.”
The wind whipped strands of her hair across her face and she limped along. “I don’t have far to go now. I can manage. You must have somewhere to be.”
Jason sighed deeply.
The sound traveled over Simi in a wave. It brought a wash of regret that she’d suggested this gorgeous man stop helping her and leave. She looked up into his eyes and saw sadness.
“I have nowhere to be. It’s Christmas. I’m free to be with you if you want me. I’m no threat. I’d love to help you…at least to your door, Simi.”
Her longing to have a man like him with her for comfort, help, and maybe more seeded acceptance and trust in her heart. She gripped his overcoat as she leaned into him again, trying to excuse her outburst about flattery. “I’m not used to knights in shining armor.” 

Copyright Elodie Parkes, Siren Publishing

HOP to the next #MIDWEEKTEASER





Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Behind the scenes of #newrlease rock star #eroticromance Can't Get Enough from @HarleyW_Writer Read a #teaser





Publisher: JCS Books
Cover Artist: Jessica Smith
Genres/Themes: Rockstar, New Adult, Erotic
Release Date: December 18, 2018


JACE

When Sinful Seduction made it big, my life changed, and not always in awesome ways. The groupies were great at first, until one decided to fake a pregnancy and claim the kid was mine. My bandmates had my back, and while the woman backed down fast when I demanded a paternity test, it still shook me. I knew it was time for another change, one where I kept my pants zipped. And then I saw her across the bar… the goddess with golden waves, and her sexy little librarian outfit. I knew she was different, and I wanted to make her mine. Should have known better than to get drunk in Vegas. You know how they say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? Bullshit. Total and complete bullshit. But maybe this time my mistake will turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.

HONEY

I dumped my cheating fiancée, hopped a plane to Vegas, and hit the latest writer’s convention. On what should have been my wedding day, I was throwing back drinks like they were fruit punch. To be fair, they probably had fruit punch in them. When I woke up the next morning with a hard body pressed to mine, and a silver band on a very important finger, I thought I’d screwed up more than ever before. Imagine my surprise when the wannabe rocker I married turned out to be even more famous than me --- and wait for it --- he wanted to stay married! Even with a battered heart, I still believed in happily-ever-after, but what could a rock star and a romance author have in common?

Chemistry… Intense, curl your toes, melt your panties chemistry. Relationships have been based on worse, right?

*WARNING: If you don’t like foul-mouthed bad boys, lots of hot sex, and an accidental marriage, then you should probably skip this book.


Available at Bookstrand, AmazonB&N Kobo, and iTunes

Releasing December 18th

 

Behind the Scenes

I started writing Can't Get Enough about two years ago. It was my original plan to make it into a series, a story for each of the Sinful Seduction band members, but I struggled so much to finish Jace's story that I decided to make it a standalone.

There wasn't any one thing that sparked the idea for Can't Get Enough. I love listening to music, especially when I'm cleaning or writing. I've toyed with the idea of writing about a rock star in the past, but I just never got around to it. One afternoon I started wondering just what type of woman would be perfect for a man like Jace. With women throwing themselves at him everywhere he goes, he needed someone who looked polished, even prim and proper. At first, I'd thought to make Honey a librarian, but as I started thinking about her, she just didn't feel like a librarian. Instead, I made her a romance author. Two creative souls made perfectly good sense to me. He writes lyrics, and she writes naughty books. It seemed perfect. You always hear "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" and it made me think... what if the things that happened in Vegas didn't stay in Vegas? So I threw together a rock god and an author and decided to see what would happen. They didn't disappoint me :) Jace and Honey guided their own story and let me know when I was on the right path, or needed to take a step back.

Getting them from point A to their happily-ever-after was a struggle though. One that took me a really long time to finish. The first few chapters flew by, then I stalled a bit. It picked up again, but it wasn't until recently that the last 12,000 words came to me, and I wrote them in one day! Once I wrote the ending, I knew that it couldn't have ended any other way.




Excerpt

(c) 2018, Harley Wylde
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

JACE

I stared into the crowd, their faces and writhing bodies a blur under the multi-hued lights. Sweat rolled down my temples and my spine as the lyrics poured out of me, more out of habit than passion. Fierce Seduction had been at the top of the charts for the past year as we’d toured the country. My fingers flew over the strings of my guitar, the riffs to the songs coming as easy as the women screaming my name. I couldn’t look at them without seeing her face, the stupid cunt who thought she was going to catch herself a one-way ticket to stardom.

It had been the week from hell. A groupie I’d fucked nearly a damn year ago contacted my manager, threatening to go public if I didn’t pay her a million dollars to keep quiet. She claimed the baby she’d had two weeks before was my son, but I knew better. I was super fucking cautious when it came to fucking the whores who threw themselves at me. I not only wore a condom, but I usually pulled out too. No way in hell I was getting trapped by some gold-digging bitch.

Fuck. Would this concert never end? We were playing Vegas, and the venue was sold out. It was our last show before heading home on Monday. The band had agreed we’d play Friday night, then fuck around for two days on the strip before flying back to L.A. Best fucking idea ever. I wasn’t big into gambling, but the bar at the Bellagio was calling my name. I was certain they had several bottles of vodka with my name on them. I just hadn’t decided if I was celebrating the fact that the kid wasn’t mine or trying to drown myself over the fuckery that was my life. When you’d fucked enough women that they all blurred together, and your reputation was so tattered those same women thought they could blackmail you, then maybe it was time to get off the merry-go-round.

The last few bars of the song played out, our final for this show, and I couldn’t wait to get the hell off the stage. The fans screamed and catcalled, all of them wanting a piece of us. It had been a thrill a minute when the stardom had first hit. I couldn’t believe how lucky we’d been, or that we were finally riding the top of the charts. There was this huge rush when we took the stage, or when some hot college girl tossed her panties at me, or better yet, informed me she wasn’t wearing any. I’d definitely earned my reputation as a panty dropper. I’d been proud as hell of the way women fawned all over me, until that wake-up call last week. Nothing can kill your buzz quicker than some chick claiming she got knocked up with your kid, some faceless stranger you fucked and forgot. Hell, I wasn’t even sure I’d ever learned her name before bending her over.

Backstage, I snagged a bottle of water and guzzled the entire damn thing. Tossing it into the trash, I braced myself for what came next. The adoring fans who had backstage passes. A VIP room had been set up for the occasion, and I knew those women only wanted one thing. To lay claim to one of us for the night, hell, even for an hour.

“You in a hurry to get your dick wet?” Simon asked with a leer. “A room full of free pussy, and it’s all ours for the taking.”

“I’m signing some autographs then I’m getting the fuck out of here,” I said as I stormed down the hallways toward a fate worse than death.

“Since when do you turn away free pussy?”

“Since Rochelle.” I’d tried not to utter that cunt’s name, but it was ingrained in my memory ever since I’d gotten the letter from her attorney.

Simon winced. “That was some rotten luck, but it all worked out. You demanded that paternity test and proved her to be the fucking liar that she is. You’re not going to let one woman fuck with your head like that, are you?”

I shrugged and pushed through the doors to the VIP room. The squeals and shrieks assaulted my ears as about six pairs of hands reached for me. Revulsion rolled through me as I looked at their too-heavy makeup and skin tight clothes. Why had I ever been attracted to women like these? They were desperate and didn’t care who they hurt, as long as they got what they wanted. Me.

Signing whatever they thrust my way—paper, water bottles, boobs—I finally made my way through the crowd and out the doors on the opposite side. When I rushed outside of the venue, I ignored the screaming fans, trusting that security would keep them off my back while I disappeared into the night. I took several detours, making sure I wasn’t followed, and finally arrived at the Bellagio. I’d stayed here before when I wasn’t touring with the band, and as I stepped inside, it felt like the building was welcoming me back. The place was packed, but I managed to find a spot at the end of the bar. Hopefully out of sight of everyone but the bartender.

I motioned for him to come over and ordered six shots of vodka. They burned on the way down as I slammed one after another. It would take a hell of a lot more to get me shitfaced, but it was a decent start. The next hour blurred as I downed everything from vodka to whiskey to Jagermeister.  I felt warm, and loose, and completely blissed out by the time I noticed her.

My eyes took in the neat updo and the prim glasses perched on her nose. The way she sipped at the fruity drink in front of her made me think this wasn’t her usual scene. The dress she had on was sexy yet sedate. Fuck if she didn’t make me burn hotter than the god damn sun. Her lips, a succulent berry color, fit around the straw of her red drink, and I watched as her gaze flitted around the room. The jackass next to her was so fucking drunk he nearly knocked her off the barstool twice, earning the creep a glare that would have made a cross nun proud. I half expected her to whip out a ruler and rap his knuckles with it.

Whoever this angel was, I knew I wanted to find out more about her, and I sure as fuck wasn’t going to do that sitting way over here. I shouldered my way through the crowd and shoved the drunk off his stool before claiming it for myself. She blinked up at me in surprise, the blue depths of her eyes pulling me in. The angel licked her lips as she leaned a little closer.

Holy Hell.

“Thank you,” she murmured, a slight slur to her words. Just how many of those drinks had she had?
“I won’t knock you off your stool, but I can’t promise I won’t sweep you off your feet.”

What. The. Fuck. Did that shit really just come out of my mouth?

She giggled, and her cheeks flushed pink. It was the most adorable thing I’d ever seen. She had this sexy librarian vibe going and my fingers itched to get her out of that dress. Was she wearing plain cotton underneath or something lacy and hot as fuck? I’d never chased a woman before, but this little beauty was enough to knock me to my knees. Yeah, I’d gladly worship at the altar of…

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Honey.”

My eyebrows rose. “Seriously?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “Honeysuckle. My mother was a hippy.”

Oh yeah, I’d gladly worship at the altar of Honey.

“Jace,” I said, holding out my hand.




About Harley

International Bestselling Author.

When Harley is writing, her motto is the hotter the better. Off the charts sex, commanding men, and the women who can't deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy as hell, and take what they want, then you've come to the right place.

Visit Harley on her website, or you can follow her on BookBub or Amazon!


Sunday, December 16, 2018

Good With His Hands by Lucy Felthouse (@cw1985) #romance #steamy #shortstory




Blurb
Layla is enjoying a beautiful moorland walk in the English countryside when suddenly, clouds start to roll in. The weather was forecast to be fine all day, so Layla is woefully unprepared when the heavens open and her visibility is reduced to next to nothing. Trying hard not to panic, she carefully makes her way towards a remote hut she spotted before the fog descended. When she arrives, though, she discovers park ranger Stuart already there, and luckily for her, he’s much more prepared than she is, and they soon find a way to pass the time until the storm blows over.
Note: Good With His Hands was previously published in the Down and Dirty boxed set.

Buy links


Excerpt:
Anticipation seeped into Layla’s body, increasing with every second that ticked by. Each handhold she groped for, each push off with her feet brought her that bit closer to the moorland plateau she’d been wanting to explore ever since she’d seen photos of it in a Facebook group a few weeks ago. She was a keen hiker—or walker, she’d never really understood what the difference was between the two—but she’d always stuck to places she knew well, or had at least visited a couple of times before, mainly because she always walked alone, and getting lost was bad enough without doing it by yourself.
But one Sunday evening, after a flurry of yet more stunning photographs of the area had been uploaded to the group, Layla made up her mind. The following Sunday, she would join the seemingly scores of people that headed up to the dramatic-looking gritstone edge in Derbyshire’s Peak District every weekend, no matter the weather. Hikers, climbers, fell runners… they all raved about the place, despite the crowds. And if she did get lost, well, she’d just ask one of them for directions. No problem. Then, providing it was indeed as amazing as the photo-uploaders proclaimed it to be, she’d add it to her list of regular haunts. It’d make a refreshing change from her usual low-level trail walks.
Now she was beginning to understand what all the fuss was about, and she wasn’t even at the top yet. After leaving the relative familiarity of the car park, she’d trekked up a slight incline through some dense woods—surprised to pass only one or two small groups of people on the way. She’d expected it to look like London’s Oxford Street but with outdoorsy types in hefty boots and backpacks instead of shoppers with umbrellas and carrier bags. The moment she’d stepped from the shadow of the woods, the landscape had opened up in front of her and she’d got a real sense of how special it was. Then she’d glanced up and to her right and, taking in the height of the edge she had yet to climb, realised she hadn’t seen the half of it yet.
With one last push to get her onto a particularly large boulder, then a small step, she was there. On the gritstone edge, the moorland plateau—whatever you wanted to call it. As she took a couple of tentative steps forward and looked around, she decided she wanted to call it heaven. It was like nowhere she’d ever been before—so removed from everyday life that she was half convinced she’d stepped onto the moon, except it was unmistakably England. Wild, untamed, rugged, but England nonetheless. How had she never been up here before? And were there more places like it? She suddenly felt like the worst kind of ignorant city dweller—her walks up until now had made a mockery of wearing walking boots. She may as well have done it in flip flops.
She turned at the sound of voices behind her, and moved aside to let a group of three men in their early twenties pass. They had enormous, weirdly-shaped bags strapped to their backs, and yet strode along—exchanging smiles and nods with her when they drew level—as though their burdens weighed nothing.
Layla shook her head incredulously and started to follow in their footsteps. She didn’t need to consult her walk instructions yet—there was only one path, deliberately keeping footfall to a dedicated area for conservation purposes, according to a snippet of text she remembered reading on her printout. The trail stayed close to the edge—not so close as to be dangerous, but close enough to afford the most amazing views. The ground beneath her feet was made up of mud, rough grasses, rocks and boulders in shades of grey, brown, and black, scrubby bushes, and what she suspected was heather. To her left, the stunning countryside went on for as far as the eye could see, with delightfully twisted trees in the foreground, followed by brown and green fields, woodlands, moorlands, and more fields, broken up only very occasionally by a road—often only identifiable by the moving glint of light that passed along them—vehicles highlighted by the reflection of the sun off their metalwork. It’d be incredibly easy to forget civilisation even existed while she was up here.


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Saturday, December 15, 2018

Christmas is the time for miracles, and Blossom needs one now more than ever. She just doesn’t expect her miracle to arrive in such a sexy, purple package. #romance #scifi new release @kitcatjms @changelingpress

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Blossom and the Alien Actor (Intergalactic Brides 19)

Publisher: Changeling Press 
Cover Artist: Karen Fox 
Genres/Themes: Christmas, Scifi, Futuristic, Alien Encounters 
Length: 139 pages


Blossom has struggled all her life, never able to claw her way out of the worst neighborhood in Los Angeles. Her loser ex-boyfriend isn’t who she thought he was, and now she’s in deep trouble -- but Christmas is the time for miracles, and Blossom needs one now more than ever. She just doesn’t expect her miracle to arrive in such a sexy, purple package. When the notorious alien actor Brexton knocks on her door, she does what any rational woman would do -- she slams it in his face. Wishing for a miracle is one thing, but having the heartthrob of Hollywood on her doorstep isn’t what she had in mind.

Brexton has always wanted a mate and family, though he’s never been blessed with either. When he hears about a single mom who’s in trouble, he knows he can’t leave her to face her fate. Having a door slammed in his face hadn’t factored into his plans, but that one glimpse is enough for Brexton. He’d do anything to get another look at the sexy female with blue hair, and a body that would feature in all his future dreams.

Despite danger lurking around every corner, Brexton is determined to give Blossom and her children a Christmas they’ll always remember. Now that he has the family he’s always wanted, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep them safe, and hopefully share the first of many holidays with his new mate and kids.



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The alien actor, Brexton, has graced us with his presence today and he's agreed to answer a few questions. Most of you are probably familiar with the sexy alien, who took Hollywood by storm when he arrived on Earth.

Brexton, thank you for joining us today. I'm sure being an actor on an alien world has its ups and downs. Can you tell us a little about it?

Brexton:  I came to Earth because I wanted the opportunity to do something different with my life. On my home world, we don't have things like music and movies, or we didn't before human brides started arriving. I made a passable warrior, but I was just one of many. Acting lets me explore a side of myself that I couldn't express on my world. There are challenges, of course, but I've found it be a very rewarding and fulfilling experience.

What was your first impression of Blossom?

Brexton: I only caught a brief glimpse at first because she was quick to slam the door in my face, but that one look was enough. It was like I'd been punched in the gut. I meet starstruck females all the time, but this time I was the one left reeling. I knew that I wanted to make her mine.

There's some speculation as to whether or not her children are really your biological kids. Anything you want to say about that?

Brexton: I don't understand why it matters if they share my blood. Even if they were fathered by someone else, they would still be my kids. When I accepted Blossom and the children into my life, they became mine. Anyone who thinks it matters what blood flows through their veins is obviously not a parent. Those kids hold my heart just as much as their mother does.

That wasn't really an answer.

Brexton: <grins> It's the only one you'll get.

Fair enough. We look forward to seeing your latest movie. Will you continue acting now that you're a family man?

Brexton: Of course! Acting is still my passion, and something I seem to excel at, but the types of movies may change. I can't bring myself to kiss another woman, not even when it's just pretend. It's painful for me, and I can only imagine how it would make my mate feel. I'd like to do more action films in the future.

Well, thank you for your time, Brexton.

Brexton: Thank you for having me!



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Copyright ©2018 Jessica Coulter Smith


Brexton left the studio and climbed into the SUV he’d bought after his first movie contract. He’d been assured it was a good quality vehicle, but truthfully, humans had too many brands and names for things. Other than price, he didn’t understand the difference in a BMW and a Ford. They all had four wheels and could take you where you needed to be. Yes, some seemed nicer inside than others, and he’d learned that some had more buttons and options inside, but it seemed the name on the car often made them cost more, which made little sense to him. His manager had helped him select this vehicle with the blue and white emblem on the front. It was roomy enough for his large frame and the seats were comfortable. Nothing else mattered to Brexton.

He drove straight to the Terran station, hoping to find someone to help them. He might have been a warrior, once, but those days were behind him. Others would be better qualified to protect a woman and her children. There would be guards at the station with current warrior status, those who still practiced hand-to-hand combat, and had learned about the weapons on this world. Brexton had decided to focus his attention elsewhere, but he hadn’t taken into account the way humans were always hurting one another. He might need to schedule some training time, re-hone the kills he’d probably lost over the last ten years, in case he ever needed to defend a female or children.

He’d never been one of the elite, and he’d often wonder if it had to do with his DNA. While both his parents were Zelthranites, there was a faint trace of something else in his blood. It wouldn’t have been noticeable except Zelthranite males didn’t grow facial hair other than eyebrows, and Brexton had a full beard. He’d asked the doctors on his world about it, and they’d assured him that he had Zelthranite blood, but it seemed he was a throwback to hundreds of years ago. It had made him different, and on his world, different wasn’t always a good thing. Here he was accepted, which was why he’d left his home world at the age of nineteen. By that time, he’d been a warrior for three years and known he wasn’t right for that life.

As he entered the station, the human female at the front desk got a dreamy expression on her face. He’d seen that look before and braced himself for whatever she might say or do. He knew without the human fans, he wouldn’t have a lucrative career as an actor, but this was the part of his job he hated. Since his people were already celebrities of a sort on Earth, he hadn’t seen the harm in following this particular path. He hadn’t counted on being ten times more famous than he’d already been, and there were times it was a right pain.

“Brexton!” the human said, smiling and giving him a wave, like they were old friends. “How can I help you today? Is the new movie going well?”

He forced himself to smile. “It’s going well. Everything is on schedule.”

“I can’t wait to see it,” she said, her eyes lighting up. “Maybe you could give me a tour of the studio sometime?”

“The studio does offer tours. I would be happy to put your name on the list.”

Her enthusiasm died a little when she realized he wasn’t going to personally take her around. Money and fame mattered entirely too much to the human species. It seemed to be how they determined who was worth their time and who wasn’t. He had yet to meet a genuine person, but he’d been told it had a lot to do with being part of the Hollywood elite. Apparently, he attracted the wrong type of person.

“I need to speak to the guards,” he said. “Who is on duty right now?”

She tapped at her computer a moment, then gave him a list of names and where to find them. Out of the names mentioned, he knew that Ranvik had the highest warrior ranking, and would be his best bet for saving that little family. He made his way through the station until he found the warrior surveying the departure area for the latest shuttle sending potential brides to his home world.

“Ranvik,” he said as he approached.

“If it isn’t Mr. Famous,” Ranvik said. His expression didn’t change. “To what do we owe the honor? It’s not often you grace us with your presence.”

“I see you’ve picked up human sarcasm rather well.”

Ranvik shrugged. “Have to do something to pass the time. Policing human females gets boring.”

“I need your help, or rather a human family does.”

Now he had the warrior’s attention. “What type of help?”

“I was informed there is a human female and her children who are in danger.” Brexton told the warrior what little he knew of the situation and showed him the address the human had put into his phone.

Ranvik rubbed a hand against his jaw. “I don’t have anyone to spare right now. Things are always dull at the station, but we still have to make sure all points are covered in case there’s ever trouble.”

“But this woman…”

“You were a warrior once, Brexton. I know you were young when you were training, and it’s been a long time, but those skills will still be there when you need them. You have to trust in yourself, in your abilities. You may be an actor here on Earth, but never forget who you truly are.”

He snorted. He knew who he was, and it wasn’t a proud warrior. That had never been a title he could claim. Even when he’d trained daily, he’d been average at best. Not like the warrior standing in front of him. Ranvik had a reputation back home, and the nearly forty-year-old warrior would be much better suited to rescuing the woman and her kids. What if Brexton fucked it all up? Being in the spotlight meant his every move was criticized. If the female’s boyfriend attacked and Brexton had to defend himself, someone was bound to make it sound like Brexton was at fault. He’d learned that humans tended to blame those in a position of power, whether they were responsible or not.

“I’m sorry, truly. I just can’t spare anyone right now,” Ranvik said. “And it doesn’t sound like this female and her children can afford to wait until I have time to look into it.”

Brexton ran a hand through his hair. “If I get shot, I’m going to come back and kick your ass.”

Ranvik smirked. “You could try.”

“Fine. I’ll go check on the female. But what the hell am I supposed to do with her? I figured the station would have the resources necessary to get her somewhere safely, or give her a temporary place to stay.”

“Don’t you have some massive house with like fifteen bedrooms?” Ranvik asked.

“It’s eight, not fifteen, asshole.”

Ranvik raised a brow. “Right. One male and eight bedrooms. I can’t imagine where you could possibly put one small human and her kids.”

“Take them home with me?” It was true that he had a lot of security at his home, and it would be difficult for the male to attack the small family, or kidnap them. He just hadn’t considered keeping them after he removed them from the situation.

“You’ll figure it out, superstar,” Ranvik said. “Now get the hell out of here. All the potential brides are eyeing you like a piece of candy and seem hesitant to get onto the shuttle.”

He glanced at the women and realized Ranvik spoke the truth. They were all giving him that look he’d come to think of as the be my sugar daddy simper. It never worked on him, and irritated the hell out of him, but it didn’t stop them from trying. He really did need a mate, if for no other reason than to keep the vultures away, but Zelthranites mated for life and he had yet to find a sweet, kind, genuine female he could spend his days with, and not worry that she was after his money.

Brexton left the Terran station and went back out to his car. He sighed when he saw two women lurking next to the vehicle. With some luck, they’d just want an autograph, but he was seldom that fortunate. At least, not with single females. He’d even had a few married ones hit on him, right in front of their spouses. It was shocking, and disgusting. Where he came from, mates were faithful to one another and completely devoted to each other. The lack of integrity he’d witnessed in the humans he dealt with didn’t inspire great confidence that he would ever find a mate. Not here anyway. There were other worlds that had compatible females for his kind, but the small humans had always been appealing to Brexton.

Compared to a human male, he was rather large. He’d met a few human males who were his size, but most were quite a bit shorter and not as broad. More than one human female had told him that he was intimidating, especially with his beard and longer hair. Brexton wasn’t going to try to change his appearance though. He hadn’t conformed when he’d been on his world, and he wasn’t about to start now. Besides, his size and overall looks were a sort of trademark at this point in his career.

As he neared the address on his phone, he realized the neighborhood was worse than he’d thought. Most buildings and homes had their windows boarded, and graffiti covered their walls. The fences he saw had barbed wire topping them, and every single male seemed to be armed. What he didn’t see were any law enforcement vehicles. No wonder this part of town was so out of control. No one seemed to care what happened to the people who lived here.

Brexton pulled to a stop outside of an apartment building that looked like it might fall down in a stiff breeze. He got out of his SUV and set the alarm before approaching the five-story brick structure. Movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye, but it was just a pack of rats scurrying into the drain. The vermin didn’t bother him like they did some people, but he knew he had to get the little family out of this place.

The door swung open easily enough, which made him frown. There was absolutely no security for a female and her children. He doubted that she would live here if she had other options, although not many humans he’d met acted in a way that made sense to him. He didn’t know what to expect when he met her. He’d seen some females on corners as he’d gotten near the address, and they’d looked hard and far too thin. The makeup caked on their faces had made them seem harsh, and he hated they’d fallen so far. Assuming they’d ever known anything other than this poverty.

Brexton found the apartment number the female at the studio had entered into his phone and he knocked, the door shaking under the force of his fist. One hard blow, and he could probably break the damn thing. He heard whispers on the other side of the door, then it opened a crack. A chain ran across the inside not quite six feet up, but even that looked incredibly weak. The small female who peered through the opening didn’t stand a chance if someone was determined to break into her home.
“I was told you need assistance,” he said, and watched as her eyes went wide.

The door slammed shut and he wondered if maybe he should have gone about this a different way. After a moment, it slowly opened, this time without the chain in place, and the dainty female looking up at him nearly took his breath away. The way his heart was racing, he started to think maybe he was the one who needed help. His body had an instant reaction to the petite blue-haired pixie, and he hoped she didn’t notice. In all his years on Earth, he’d never once had a female affect him so strongly. Something inside of him was screaming mine.

Things had definitely taken an unexpected turn.


ABOUT JESSICA


Award-winning author Jessica Coulter Smith has been in love with the written word since she was a child writing her first stories in crayon. Today she's a multi-published author of over seventy-five novellas and novels. Romance is an integral part of her world and she firmly believes that love will find you at the right time, even if Mr. Right is literally out of this world.

Find Jessica on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / jessicacoultersmith.com.