Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Mickie Sherwood's Louisiana Ladies on Parade - AA & IR Sensual Romances


Variety is the spice of life.

 

 

 

Meet Louisiana Ladies unafraid of loving outside-of-the-box! They are smart, sassy, spunky and on the other side of thirty!
And—L-O-V-E doesn't disappear at forty. It flourishes!
 
 
Blaze the trails with Veronica and Mike.
Cruise the bayous with Sharlene and Drake.
 
 
 
 
 
Cutie and the Cowboy Trucker - AA/Sensual - #2 Bookstrand Mainstream Bestseller and a #1 Daily Bestseller
Released September 12, 2012
 
Cutie and the Cowboy Trucker (MF) 
 
Word count: 51,182
Heat: Sensual
Price: $3.50
 
Widow Veronica Torres needs something desperately—invisibility. A rash decision puts her on the road and right into the path of trucker Mike Masterson. Will he be just another speed bump in her life? Or will Mike's compassionate ways make all of Veronica's troubles disappear?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BayouBabe99er - IR/Sensual - Cougar-Cub - Released April 24, 2012
 
BayouBabe99er (MF)
 
Word count: 25,980
Heat: Sensual
Price: $2.99
 
 
How many things can go wrong at one time?
 
That question plagues feisty divorcĂ©e Sharlene Mouton. A lost job. An oil spill ecological disaster threatening her rural Louisiana community. What else can happen? How about repeated run-ins with suave Drake Cormier, the oil company’s liaison officer, and someone barely older than her daughters.
 
 
 
 
 


 


 


Mickie Sherwood

~~Sweet, spicy romance – a heartbeat away~~
www.mickiesherwood.com/blog

Wednesday's Words for September 26, 2012

Do you notice the passage of time? Do you have little signposts along the way that you look to, that mark the progression of the days of the calendar?

I never understood how thoroughly and in what particular fashion I marked the passing of time and the changing seasons, nor how ingrained that little system of mine had become until just this past week.

I rarely have to rise early to drive my husband to work anymore, and only have to be the one to pick him up at the end of his day one day a week, if that often.

No longer having that regular, daily long commute before dawn and then later again in the afternoon has deprived me of keeping touch with my guideposts for the progression of the seasons. When you travel the same route every day, at about the same time, you tend to notice the changes. Or at least, I do.

You become aware of the sunrise, and how that is a few seconds earlier or later each morning—well, until the clock gets changed, anyway. For example, I would measure the advance of daylight in the spring by where, exactly, I no longer needed to use my car’s high beams on my drive home.

You measure the progression of the changing leaves by noticing certain trees along the journey, and the slowly increasing ratio of red, gold and brown to green.

You also notice the temperature in the morning when you step out of the house before dawn, and mark the day in the fall when you had to wear that jacket for the first time.

This year, I’ve done none of the above and it’s more than a little disconcerting. Because suddenly here we are, in autumn, and I don’t remember getting here.

I had to pick my beloved up just yesterday, and rather than either focusing on the music playing on the radio, or my own thoughts, I paid attention to my rolling environment. I had this strange sense that I’d missed something, for a lot of the leaves have already turned and I don’t know when that started.

I’d already felt as if I’d missed a great deal of the summer, because we’ve been away a lot. We came back from Texas, and I was just settling in to enjoy—or at least pay attention to—our summer, only to realize it had begun to wane.

I always pride myself on being one who stops to smell the roses, or the coffee, and the fact that I haven’t this year gives me pause.

Life happens, sometimes at an astounding pace. Days can come and go and weeks turn to months in the blink of an eye. This is a familiar concept and one I’d had my own little system of besting.

Now I realize, I need to find a new way to stay connected to the world around me, and to pay attention to the days, and the passage of time.

Using deadlines and upcoming conferences doesn’t have the same pleasant side effect of lifting my attention outside of myself. I need to do that, to focus on the world around me, on nature, because that gives me a kind of grounding I haven’t found anywhere else.

Inevitably, when I focus on the trees and the fields, the skies and the clouds, the streams I pass and the forests along the way, I experience a sense of wonder.

I need that sense of wonder. I need that reminder that life is more than my little domain, and in fact consists of things that are both awesome, and awe inspiring.

Without the wonder, without the awe, the magic of life is so much harder to find.

Love,
Morgan
http://www.morganashbury.com
http://www.bookstrand.com/morgan-ashbury

Monday, September 24, 2012

It's release day for Dangerous Kisses


Dangerous Kisses (MF)


This title is offered at a 10% discount. Offer ends midnight CST, October 1st.
[Siren Classic: Erotic Romantic Suspense, light consensual BDSM, whipping, sex toys, HEA]
Homicide Detective Megan Pontius hungers for a dark side of sex she’s never experienced, and she knows the man to give it to her, if only he didn’t scare her to her toes. She’s kept her distance from aquarist Drake Allen, knowing one kiss could be dangerous to her body and heart. But when a mutual friend is killed and Drake is the primary suspect, she finds herself wondering if she’s submitting to the domination of a murderer.
Drake wants Megan under his control, and he wants her forever. He’s bided his time, waiting for her to be willing to set her inner lustful demon free. That time has come, and he’s ready to deliver her pleasures more exotic than any she’s ever known. But when he finds himself accused of murder, he discovers he needs Megan more than just in his bed. She’s his only hope of proving his innocence, but does she believe him?
Excerpt:
“Time to stop punishing me, don’t you think?” she countered, her words quivering with her arousal.
“Almost.” Drake started walking again, his focus returning to the pier, to the spot he had already picked out beneath it. He led her there, the sound of the vibrator and her ragged breaths fueling his every step.
“Our cars are back that way.”
He had to hand it to her. She was a pro at keeping her composure, even with a sex toy lodged in her pussy, caressing her insides and keeping her right there on the edge. It had been his plan all night. He had watched her, turned on the bullet just long enough to put her within a hairsbreadth of coming before he wrenched the pleasure away.
“We won’t make it to the car, and we certainly won’t make it to your place or mine.” He stopped beneath the pier in a darkened spot that provided just enough moonlight for him to see her face. “Right here will do.”
He spun her around, released her hand, and unfastened his shorts. “Suck me off, Megan. I want to feel your lips wrapped around my cock.”
Wicked excitement danced in her eyes as she glanced around before meeting his gaze. “You know I could lose my badge for this? At the very least, I’d be in a world of shit if we get caught.”
Drake lifted a brow. “I thought you liked living on the edge of danger.”
Her lips unfolded in a grin of pure vixen intention and promised satisfaction. “I do.” She reached inside his shorts and briefs, curled her slender fingers around his shaft, and pulled his cock free as she sank to her knees.
Drake sucked a breath through clenched teeth as she started to stroke his cock, slow movements of her satiny hand up and down his shaft, working his length until he felt beads of pre-cum form on his cockhead. Her sinful lips closed around his foreskin, and she licked the pre-cum with a swipe of her tongue that had his knees threatening to buckle.
“Ah, God.” The words left him on a gasp as he closed his eyes, his head falling back to hit the stilt of the pier behind him. Her lips were like bands of silk tightening on the mushroomed head of his dick. She dipped her tongue through the slit in the tip, moaning low as she tasted his pre-cum treat, then tongued the head to the roof of her mouth as she explored the sensitized vein that ran along the underside of his cock.
Drake knew he had been blessed with a larger-than-average cock. Few sex partners had ever been able to take all of him. Megan did it, though. She swallowed his full length with such slow finesse that his hands buried in her hair, fisting the strands tightly as her lips met with the flesh of his body.
His balls quaked from the shock, his anus puckering as a riot of rapturous sensations sizzled through his body at the realization that she had swallowed him completely down her throat. She worked his cock with her lips, her throat, and her teeth until it was all he could do to hold back the begging pants that collected on his tongue.
“Fuck, baby, you have a wicked mouth.”
She moaned again, and the vibrations of the sound tormented him to the edge. Her hand slipped between his legs, found his sac, and rolled his nuts in her palm. His shaft tightened, release one more lick and suck away. He let go of her hair, gripped her upper arms, and pulled her back.
Her mouth made an audible pop as his cock slid free, and she looked up at him from beneath her long lashes, laughter twisting with the heat in her eyes. “I wasn’t done.”
He yanked her up, spun them both around to lean her against the stilt, and went to work on the button of her shorts. “Fuck yeah, you are. I’m not waiting another minute to be inside you.” He jerked her shorts and panties down, delved a hand between her legs, and sank two fingers into her pussy.
“Ah, God,” she moaned, her hips pumping against his questing fingers as he groped inside her for the still-vibrating bullet. “It would be easier if you turned it off first.”
“The remote is in my pocket.” And his shorts were around his ankles. No way was he taking the time to dig for it, especially when exploring her pussy felt this fantastic. Her inner muscles gripped his fingers, her juices drenching his hand as he found the bullet and pulled it free. He dropped it on the ground, straightened, and drew her against him as she kicked off her shorts and panties.
“Damn you,” he growled, fisting his hand in the back of her hair and tugging her head back to deliver a punishing kiss. She returned it with equal measure, her tongue thrashing with his as she wound her arms around his shoulders.
He dropped his arm from her waist to her ass and lifted her. Her legs locked around him, and he stopped with his cock poised to enter her dripping pussy. He wrenched his mouth from hers, using his hold on her hair to pull her head back, and gazed at her.
“Keep your eyes open when I push inside you. I want to watch you. I want to see that you know it’s me when I fuck you.”


Tonya Ramagos



Angelic Forecast ~ #212


"We are winning," he calls to me.

"How do I help?" I return across the starry misty distance between us.

"Love. Always love." I see his wide and grand smile. The divine compassion in his purple eyes beams toward me. "Love humankind. Love Mother Earth. You will know what to do."


"I will know what to do." I murmur the phrase several times before I realize I am actually speaking out loud.

Still, I awaken very slowly. Within my twilight dreaming state, I begin stroking thick lovely fur.

My semi-lucid dream continues, and I gaze at what I am petting. A lion! A real live lion.

Confused, I glide my hand over his gleaming, golden-hued coat. He is irresistible after all.

But, is it Dhuroth in lion form? Can he even shapeshift to animal?

I never thought to ask.

But, wait... if I'm still dreaming, what is really happening? Is there a lion, or not?

When my eyes open, it takes me several moments to understand my dream was real. My hand is resting on the lion's side, and I feel the rise and fall of the great beast's chest.

"Dhuroth?" I ask.


TO BE CONTINUED...
~~~~~~

ANGELIC FORECAST ~

For the following week, the force and fury of the 2012 Dragon Wars -- Good against evil -- accelerates dramatically.

Also, as the golden light of ascension pours like thick honey over the people, the dark-side globalists battle back, and pour forth their evil black brew, meant to zombify and enslave humanity with another Dark Ages.

Now, at this point in 2012, every diabolical move made by the soulless ones is meant to abuse our souls -- to confuse the very soul of humanity. Thus, to cause a mindless compliance that allows for their complete reign over Earth.

Know this, any act of individualism, or becoming the renegade, counteracts this brutal psychic abuse of the soul. As well, any loving act from the heart strengthens our soul for the coming times.

On the paranormal front, living beneath the oceans, and elsewhere on the planet Earth, are 'relic populations', so named by the shadow-government types. These are surviving populations from any number of catastrophic events on Earth, the sinking of Atlantis being 'one' example.

At this time, a major war has developed between one or more of these relic populations, and the military industrial complex. With the horrific pollution of the oceans, and the continued release of radiation from Fukishima, these people/beings from antediluvian times, are battling back to save themselves, and their environment.

This is also a war over advanced technology that still exists, from what was called the 'times of star-trading', or galactic and inter-dimensional trade upon Earth. This includes the flying craft called the Vimana.

On the personal front, this week is perfect for seizing opportunities that are key to your future, especially this winter. Anything that improves your living conditions, and makes the homefront cozier, now is the time to take advantage.

As well, keep yourself open for unusual economic opportunities. As times change, there will be new ways of doing things that will be to your benefit.

This week is also about noticing the children in your life, and easing their concerns with your loving compassion.

On the AWAKENING front, now within the AWARENESS universe, and growing, is this general realization: "It's over. Going along to get along". Or, going along with the system to get along. For, this is the age of the renegade hero, as has been stated previously.

On the economic front, the worldwide financial chaos and crises spreads. Many of the corrupt who are responsible, now take cover from its affects, and arm themselves to the teeth. This is because the bankster gangsters done-on-purpose 'depression' only deepens this week. Now, many who haven't before, begin to wise up, and take action.

Out of this, major clashes start between the 'haves and the have nots'. Some of these battles will be visible to the public, erupting in high profile ways. Meanwhile, the lower level bankster gangsters are being setup to take the brunt of the blame.

Also, there will be, at least, one surprise this week in the financial world of the global elites -- one that Wall Street hasn't planned for.

On the truth front, this is the week to speak 'truth to power', as the activist saying goes. Truth is a powerful weapon against tyranny, and, in the coming weeks, there will be a huge uprising of people SPEAKING their truths from the proverbial rooftops.

Now, the 'assault ' becomes a shock and awe campaign ~ from a prior forecast ~ "direct from the corp-gov, the latest barrage of media propaganda will be a daily assault on the reason and logic of 'the people'. Seek answers from within yourself. Use your discernment, and listen to those experts who do speak truth. Also know, the TRUTH LIVES inside each one of us."

On the war front, this week and next, confusion is the name of the game on the dark-sider's war chessboard. This is being done, in part, to convince the public to trust in the corp-gov, since they are the 'supposed' experts and authorities.

However, as the violence in the Mideast, and worldwide, is spurred on by the new world order crowd, and goes viral... the tug of war between two of their factions continues. This dogfight for final supremacy is likely to become real ugly, real fast, and will show up as mass slaughter events.

Currently, an army of good angels is preparing to come against THOSE who push for World War III. There has been a divine decision to stop 'some' of the most heinous false flag events. This, for the sake of those of us who truly care for, and fight for humanity.

On the home front, the corp-gov continues to heavily arm itself against the people. As well, the technocrat rises in the newly formed cyber-surveillance state. This, while the global Controllers attempt to turn homeland security into the state religion.

In direct opposition, the spirit of 1776 soars. 'NO WAY' and 'DON'T TREAD ON ME' becomes the mantra of freedom for 'the people'.

On the food front, NEWS HEADLINE: Monsanto, pesticide companies have now spent more than $19 million to kill Prop. [This is the law that would label GM/GMO foods for consumers in California]

With the multitude of harmful chemicals and substances now found in the food and water, humanity's health and DNA is being intentionally destroyed. One of the nefarious goals of this, is to halt the ascension process. For, we 'the people' are resonating to the new cosmic frequencies of the Aquarian Age, and our genetic structure is being activated, enhanced. We are becoming new beings.  


On the land changes front, every natural force explosively intensifies at this time -- the superstorm weather, volcanic and earthquake activity, flooding and terrible fires. This week, certain changes on the sun will cause a huge disturbance in the Earth force. For the future, this blast of solar frequency will cause some positive genetic alterations in the animal population.

On the energy front, as the petrol dollar dies, and the coal power plants are killed off by the corp-gov... plus, with decaying nuclear plants going offline... at this time, more and more of us will realize that we must plan for a way to stay warm this winter -- just in case. To state again: "Consider setting up a backup energy system -- any kind you can manage."

On the really bad news front, there are likely to be more disease outbreaks on the near horizon. These are actually bio-warfare attacks from several different global factions, including bio-experimentation by the military industrial complex on the people. Take care of your health with extra super nutrition, and more rest.

On the good news front, during these times that 'try men's and women's souls' a new exuberant mood for life and living will develop, and a new normal will emerge. Connections of the heart between family and friends will be the driving force.

As well, to quote from a previous forecast: "The vibrational patterns on Mother Earth are gradually transitioning toward a time where each one of us will be able to fully express who we are as magickal human beings. For an idea of humanity's possibilities think: the legend of Camelot meets the inventive arts explosion of the Renaissance." 

On the freedom front, now the battle for freedom from tyranny takes center stage, but will not be reported by the brain-drain media. This demand for freedom spreads worldwide, a fire that cannot be quenched.

From this point forward, renegades will rise from every corner of the Earth, and be from all walks of life. Now, the angels awaken these brave fierce ones to their true destiny. For, the time has come to claim liberty for ALL.

Trendwise, this week initiates several new trends in dance. This will be across the board, from the younger generation to the oldest generation. Part of this trend is the old saw: what is old becomes new again. However, with the quantum rise in human creativity, dancing styles are re-imagined. There will be less focus on dancing celebrities now. A heart-to-heart celebration between couples, and social groups who enjoy each other's company, will become the preference. This means, of course, there will be changes in music.

Of continuing important: Once again, to quote from a prior forecast: "Thus, there will be renewed Machiavellian efforts and false-flag events to 'divide and conquer' humanity. Religion against religion, racism, class warfare, family-against-family, infighting caused by infiltrators and the cyber trolls -- also false accusations of one group against another -- it's all being rolled out, along with the tanks and troops on the streets of America, and across the world."

This is the week to get carried away with romance. A romance of the heart with that special someone. Perhaps, a romantic book or movie. Or simply focus on a more romantic way of living, one that has always appealed to you. 


Angelic blessings from Volcano & Sedona
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Warning!!! The global elite [New World Order] does not want *you* to read this book. See ~ Powerful Dreams at my Kougar Kisses blog.

WHEN A GOOD ANGEL FALLS

~~~ Where angels fear to tread, 2012 Earth ~~~

World weary and worn out, the incarnated angel, Sedona, who believes she is merely human, has three choices after her old van breaks down.

Let the Nazerazzi squad of the North American Union capture her and force her into a FEMA concentration camp.

Walk out into the Arizona night desert, let the wildlife have a good meal with the hope her death will be quick.

Or does she dare trust the mysterious stranger suddenly before her?

Handsome as sin and all in black, he emerges out of the darkness.

Sedona wonders if the stranger on a superspeed motorcycle is her savior from the brutal endtimes.

Or, is he a roving cult member of the New World Order, hunting his next blood sacrifice?

***

It’s only a few days before Winter Solstice, December 21, 2012 ~ The end of the Mayan Calendar.

Sent from heaven to help Sedona save humanity, Zerr Dann knows the Divine is playing its last card on Earth.

He also knows Sedona is about to find out Christmas miracles still exist.

[Angelic Fantasy Erotic Romance]
~~~~~~

~~~ EBOOK & IN PRINT ~~~ a former #1 on Siren-BookStrand’s bestseller list

Author Discovery by BookStrand author, Lindsay Townsend.
~~~

~ HAVE A MAGICKAL WEEK ~

Kisses from Savanna Kougar...

~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~

Siren-BookStrand Author of ~

All Shades of Blue Paradise
[World of the Blue Pearl Moon, Book 1]

When a Good Angel Falls ~ In Print
[Winter Solstice 2012, Book 1]

Murder by Hair Spray in Gardenia, New Atlantis ~ In Print
[New Atlantis Trilogy, Book 1]

Her Insatiable Dark Heroes ~ In Print
[Chrontropolis, Book 1]

Stallion of Ash and Flame ~ In Print

Branded by the Texans ~ IN PRINT ~ A Siren-BookStrand Bestseller!
[Three Star Republic]

Kandy Apple and Her Hellhounds ~  What happens when two of Hades’ most mission-accomplished Hellhounds find just the right witch for Halloween? ~ Ebook and In Print.

Friday, September 21, 2012

New G-Spot!



I’ve just issued the latest edition of my newsletter, The G-Spot.

Highlights this issue:

·         What I’m Reading/Recommended Reads
·         This Issue’s Novel Excerpt:  Alice's Sexual Discovery in a Wonderful Land (Fairy Tale Erotica) by Liz Adams
·         This Issue’s Spotlight Author: Erotic Author LIZ ADAMS
·         This Issue's Newsletter Contest—SUBSCRIBERS ONLY!

And more!

To check out past issues or to subscribe, visit:


To download, print and read the current issue click:


For some instant gratification and to just read the most recent spotlight interview, click here:  http://gracie-g-spot.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

 

Entice Me is #9 on the Siren Bookstrand's best seller list. Find out why...

BUY HERE
Excerpt 

He could still feel the tingle of her lips on his. The remnants of her dinner on her tongue mixed with the honeyed taste that her kiss provided was like the sweetest form of agony. He wanted to keep kissing her forever, knowing full well that a second longer and she would have had quite the surprise poking at her stomach.

She may have allowed him to kiss her twice, but there was no telling how she would react if he surprised her with a hard-on for their first date. In fact he was fairly certain there was a good chance that would buy him a one way ticket to Good-byeville.
A few minutes later they pulled into the lot of the ice cream shop. Being the gentleman that he was and trying to impress the shit out of her, he walked around to the other side and opened her door for her just like he had at the restaurant.
Once inside, they both looked over all the flavors and concoctions they could put together and fill into a cone. He decided on a double scoop of Rocky Road while she had opted for a single scoop vanilla. It was a simple, yet delicious cone, and it reminded him of her. She didn’t need any fancy frills to be sexy and alluring, it was just a part of who she was. He knew she didn’t know it yet, but soon she would. He would show her just how bewitching she truly was.
Minutes later they were walking down a quiet street en route to a small park just a few dozen yards from where he’d parked. He watched her intently as she licked at her cone. It was obvious she had no clue what she was doing to him. As she talked casually and walked beside him, she smiled and seemed at complete ease.
It made him glad she was so comfortable, but a part of him felt a little jealous. He was barely holding onto his sanity. With every swipe of her tongue it made it that much harder to rein in his lust. He had been semihard all night long. Only boring statistics and trivia that he kept playing in his mind prevented him from sporting a full hard-on.
They reached the park and sat on a bench which was adjacent to a small pond. There was a single duck wading around and coasting along the water. The night was quiet. Only the sound of crickets chirped in the backdrop while a light wind rustled the leaves in the surrounding trees. The temperature annoyed him with its perfect sixty-five degrees. He wished it was a little cooler so she would shiver and he could offer his arm or perhaps an embrace to warm her.
So many thoughts filled his mind of heating her up that he wanted to drop his cone and make his dreams a reality. He fought the animalistic urges, knowing pushing her wouldn’t be his best game plan. His patience was going to be tested, but she was worth it. Alexis Foster was an angel, and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.
 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Wednesday's Words for September 19, 2012

I don’t believe that the basic rules of civilized society have really changed. In fact, I know they haven’t.

Having said that, I must acknowledge that there seems to be a growing number of people who act as if they have. Which particular basics, you may ask, am I referring to?

I’m talking about one of the most fundamental principles of “right”, as opposed to “wrong” behavior.

I realize that I am about to step in it again, and I offer an apology—not for what I am about to say, but for anyone who might be offended by the following words. Okay, here goes.

The line between right and wrong has not wavered. Honesty still matters. The truth is still the truth no matter what kind of spin you try to put on things. The Golden Rule is still an important guideline for how to behave outside of your own bathroom.

And doing the thing that is right is still the same right thing to do as ever it was.

There seems to be an attitude lately that I have to tell you baffles the hell out of me. That attitude, stated simply is, “everyone lies, so what does it matter if I lie, too?”

Really? Everyone lies? I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with that assertion.

This attitude I have heard expressed in those exact words by more people I’d never think would say such a thing than you could possibly imagine.

Or maybe you can imagine it because you’ve noticed the same thing, too.

It’s not just kids in defense of bad behavior spouting this maxim. It’s those you would consider to be pillars of the community. Those you used to be able to count on to be an example for others to follow.

And it’s not just that everyone lies, they will tell you. They will tell you that everyone lies all the time.

When someone says that to me, my response is automatic: I don’t. I don’t lie as a matter of course, and I don’t lie all the time. In fact, I don’t lie, period. And by lying, I’m not talking about being diplomatic to save the tender feelings of others. I’m talking about all-out, bald-faced lies. I’m talking about saying that which is not the truth—saying things as fact which actually are not facts at all.

Looking back on the way I was raised, this attitude is enough to make my parents roll over in their graves.

Lying is the one trend in our society that worries me more than any other. When we let go of the truth, it’s as if we cut the bindings that hold us together as a society. When we let go of the truth, we open ourselves up to that which is untrue, that which is said or espoused for a purpose that is unclear, in the shadows—dark.

“You’re being naĂŻve again,” I’ve been told. “People lie to prove their points, to win friends, debates, and elections. People lie because otherwise, they wouldn’t win.”

Really? Imagine that! Guess what, cupcake? Not only can you not always win, sometimes you don’t deserve to.

The one thing about accomplished liars is that they`re not particularly wedded to any one specific lie; they can change their lies to suit the needs of the moment, and because they can and because they do, those needs are often and can be found to be complete reversals of previous lies.

I don’t know where this trend is going to take us, in the end. The greatest accomplishments of our history have been predicated on the truth, not on lies. Despite the fact that I am Canadian, the one line that comes to mind when I think of that is, “We hold these truths to be self-evident.”

Wow! There are not only “truths” but there are “self-evident” truths.

Let me state that again, in case you missed it: The greatest accomplishments of our history have been predicated on the truth, not on lies. As long as we cling to the latter, we abandon the forward momentum humanity has enjoyed since it first came upon this earth.

And let me say just one more thing, if I may. When you tell a lie, you are not just “telling a lie”, or “fibbing”, or “bending the truth” or putting “spin” on something.

When you tell a lie, you are bearing false witness against your neighbor.

Love,
Morgan
http://www.morganashbury.com
http://www.bookstrand.com/morgan-ashbury

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Read the 1st Chapter of Entice Me...



 This title is offered at a 10% discount. Offer ends midnight CST, September 25th.


    


ENTICE ME (MF)
      by Nicole Morgan

 
Years pass after two strangers' lives intersect. They find one another again. Their attraction for one another is stronger than either of them anticipated. Will Jace entice Alexis into letting down her walls of insecurity? Or will she entice him into finding a true and unrelenting love?



Chapter One

Alexis breathed in deeply, trying to calm her nerves. She wrung her hands together to prevent them from shaking. Her daughter, Ariel, was curling the last stray piece of hair amidst the mess on top of her head in what was looking to be a feeble attempt at making it look somewhat normal.
She had always hated her hair. Too many permanents and dye jobs when she was younger made it dry and sometimes too frizzy to be manageable. She had to admit the antifrizz lotion that Ariel had applied did tame her tangled locks somewhat. Still even with the extra care her daughter was putting into the snarly tresses, she couldn’t help but feel she was making a huge mistake.
“Get that look off of your face, Mom,” Ariel said.
She sighed. “Is it that obvious?”
“Duh, Mom. You look like you’re going on a date with an axe murderer and not some handsome man. Chillax!”
Ariel released the clump of hair from the hot curling iron, causing it to bounce down into a spiral wave which actually looked pretty. Setting the iron down on the counter in front of them, Ariel grabbed a hair pick and a can of hair spray.
“You don’t understand how nervous I am. I haven’t been on a first date in over twenty years.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t go then.”
Andrew, her son and the eldest of her two children by mere minutes, stood in the doorway to her bathroom giving her the look of disapproval that she had seen so many times in the past week.
“Andrew, don’t start!” Ariel snapped at her brother.
“I’m just saying that if she’s nervous, maybe that’s her gut’s way of telling her this is a bad idea.”
“Maybe she’s nervous because she can’t figure out why her son is such a huge asshole.”
“Ariel!” Alexis chided her daughter. “Do not talk to your brother like that.”
Andrew gave his sister a smug look before directing his attention back to his mother. “Mom, are you sure about this? I mean you don’t really know this guy. At all. He could be an axe murderer.”
Or he could be a fantastic guy who treats Mom like a princess.”
Andrew shrugged. “My bet’s on axe murderer.”
“Well, you always were the stupidest of the bunch. Mom tried to give you up for adoption when you were younger, but no one would take you. She was stuck with you. It sucks, but she’s persevered. So stop trying to discourage her from being happy. This guy could be great for her.”
“Maybe you should just shut up!” Andrew argued.
“Stop it, both of you!” Alexis shouted. “Now, first of all I am sick and tired of hearing you both go at each other like a couple of spoiled brats. I raised you better than that. Secondly, yes, Andrew, I am nervous. But that is because I haven’t dated in years. The divorce from your father only became final a year ago. I don’t meet men. I don’t talk to men. I don’t even know how to act around them. I spent the last twenty years of my life trying to be a good wife and mother. All so he could leave me for a twentysomething nurse with fake boobs and collagen-filled lips.”
She held up her hand when they both opened their mouths. “No, let me finish. I don’t hate your father, but there is still a lot of hurt there. He left me for a newer model, like I was the old, run-down car in the garage. So, I’m insecure, and I have issues, okay? That does not mean that I should never give another man a chance. I may not be as young as I once was. I may have to dye my hair to keep the gray from showing, and I may use creams to hide the creases working their way around my eyes. But I am not so old and decrepit that I can’t give love a chance.”
“Love? Geez, Mom, you haven’t even met the guy in person yet,” Andrew interrupted.
“No, I haven’t. And I know that it could be a disaster. That we could have no chemistry and the night could be a waste of my time. What if it isn’t though? What if things go well? You two go out every Friday and Saturday night. You go out with your friends, go on dates, and always come home laughing and in a good mood. Meanwhile, I spent another night at home alone and watching old movies on cable while eating ice cream. I want more, damn it!”
Ariel set down the pick and can of hair spray and began to clap. Applauding her mother for the speech which had just left her breathless, she added, “Bravo, Mom. I’m with you. I want you to get out there and meet people. You have done so much for us. I want you to be happy, too.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.”
“Mom, I love you. It’s not that I don’t want you to be happy. I just worry about you. I saw how what Dad did hurt you. I don’t think I could handle seeing you hurt again.”
Andrew gave his mother a kiss on the top of her head. He had always towered over her at six feet four inches. It was a trait that he got from his father. Her side of the family barely surpassed the five foot ten inches mark. She was only five foot three, and if she believed her doctor at her last checkup, turning forty had granted her with the surprise of losing an inch.
“I know, honey. And I thank you for that. I just need to do this, if for no other reason than to prove it to myself that I’ve not become some sort of hermit who has no life.”
“All right.” Andrew held up his hands in surrender. “I’ll stop being a pain in the ass. I’m telling you though. If he does hurt you, I’m going to kick his ass.”
“Why must you two cuss? You know it drives me crazy.”
“Sorry, Mom. Finish getting ready. I’ll just wait downstairs for the doorbell to ring. We wouldn’t want to keep Mr. Walker waiting, would we? Maybe I’ll fix him a drink, something nice to make him good and sleepy.”
“Andrew Jonathon Foster, don’t you dare!” she shouted to him, but he had already left.
“Relax, Mom. He’s just teasing you. I hate to admit this, and if you tell him this, I will deny it, but I understand where he’s coming from. We both worry about you and love you so much. You’re the best mom in the world and deserve so much happiness.”
Alexis reached for her daughter’s hand and squeezed it. “Thank you, sweetheart. I love you both, too. You guys are my whole world. Could you do me a favor, though?”
“Sure, anything.”
“Fix this!” Alexis waved her hands around her head.
Smiling, Ariel answered, “You bet. Just wait and see. You’re going to knock his socks off.”
For twenty minutes Ariel gently combed through curls, spraying small amounts of hairspray as she went and allowing her mane of hair to fall freely before giving it more spray to keep the look from failing.
Surprisingly when she stood and held a mirror up to get a full view of all angles of her hair, even the back, she was stunned. Her hair actually looked good. Not that much different than those women in the shampoo commercials who swing their heads around in slow motion and look like they’ve just spent hours in the salon.
“How did you do this?”
Ariel was standing behind her and rested her chin on Alexis’s shoulder. “All I did was style your hair, Mom. You’ve always been this beautiful. Now get dressed, but be careful when you slip the dress over your head. I’ll go downstairs and make sure Andrew doesn’t put Mr. Walker in a headlock when he gets here.”
She kissed her daughter on the cheek and thanked her for all her help before Ariel left her alone. Ariel was most like her, while Andrew had his father’s headstrong mentality and overbearing personality. She loved them both equally, but when it came to twins, they were as different as night and day. Ariel was the affectionate and compassionate one, while Andrew was more closed off emotionally. They somehow found a way to complement one another with their differences. Not always seeing eye to eye, they always had each other’s backs and were the best children she ever could have wished for.
Taking a look in the mirror, she stared at her reflection for a moment. She looked like a new woman. Volunteering at the local Veterans Administration Hospital, she rarely wore makeup. She found it to be too time consuming to deal with. The truth of the matter was she never wore makeup much anyway. Even when she was younger.
For years she had always taken good care of her skin, stayed out of the sun for excessive lengths of time, and when necessary, always used sunscreen. Moisturizers and daily cleansing had kept her skin fresh and radiant until her midthirties when age started to catch up to her.
That was when Jonathon, her ex-husband, had started to work extra hours at the hospital. Having always being a devoted wife, she didn’t see the warning signs. The late nights grew longer until some nights he didn’t come home at all. He would always have an excuse of some emergency and him being the only surgeon available.
She didn’t think anything of it until she saw an article in their local newspaper that said the hospital he worked at was considering laying off one of the seven new surgeons they had hired that year due to decreased need. The gut-wrenching realization that had hit her in that moment was still very fresh in her mind. Even thought it was nearly two years ago, she could still remember sitting there thinking, Oh my God. He’s having an affair.
That entire day she had spent in a haze. Never being much of a drinker, she had actually poured herself a glass of wine to calm her nerves which by midday had been beyond frazzled. She had waited for his call to come, telling her there was some sort of an emergency and he wouldn’t be home for dinner.
Minutes ticked by as though she was caught in a time warp that moved at a snail’s pace. She had felt so nauseated she hadn’t been able to eat anything all day. Her emotions bordered on hope and despair.
A part of her wished that she would confront him and he would offer up this huge explanation and make sense of it all. She would feel foolish, and he would tell her how crazy she was for even thinking for a second that he could have an affair because he was so in love with her.
Her logic kept reminding her that wouldn’t happen though. There was no explanation. He had been lying all these months. She was sure of it. They hadn’t made love in nearly six months. It was something she wrote off to his busy schedule and gave him a pass on.
Giving him a pass was something she had perfected over the years. Jonathon could do no wrong. He was the perfect husband, handsome, charming, provided well for his family. What was not to love about the charismatic man who had swept her off her feet when she was nineteen years old?
The kids had already come home from school and eaten a small snack before heading off to various practices and activities they had. They rarely stayed home much during that time, since they were brand-new owners of driver’s licenses and were the proud recipients of cars their father had bought them. Ariel had gotten a silver Volkswagen Jetta, while Andrew got his dream car, a Dodge truck.
She hadn’t even bothered to cook dinner this evening. The two weeks before her epiphany she had it ready every night, ready to dish up and serve on the table, only to receive a last-minute call telling her he wouldn’t be able to make it for dinner and to not wait up, it would probably be a long time.
After the minutes ticked by so slowly she thought she might go crazy from the impending dread of the inevitable confrontation, she grabbed her keys and got in her car. Driving to the hospital, her hands shook so fiercely that she gripped the steering wheel to keep them steady. When she was only a few blocks away from the hospital, she texted Jonathon with an urgent message, asking him to call.
Her phone had rung just as she pulled into a parking space in the vast lot. She was several rows away from her husband’s BMW but not so far that she didn’t have an excellent view of him ushering a young blonde in the passenger seat of his car.
“Hello,” she had answered calmly.
“What’s wrong? I got your message. Is it the kids? Are they okay?” he replied with concern in his voice.
“The kids are fine. I was just wondering if I should set an extra seat at the table tonight. Will your girlfriend be joining us?”
Silence loomed on the other end for only a moment, but there was a long enough pause to tell her that he was damn nervous about how to respond.
“Alexis, what are you talking about? My girlfriend?”
“Blonde hair, blue strapless dress, black stilettos, and boobs so big I can only assume they are fake.”
In that moment she watched as he scanned the parking lot for her. She felt a sense of glee knowing that after all the months that he had been lying to her, cheating on her, and making her look a fool, she now was in the driver’s seat. No longer would she be the blind wife sitting at home while he was off doing God knows what with another woman.
“Be at the house in thirty minutes. We have some things to discuss, Jonathon.”
With that final demand, she hung up the phone and drove home, her hands shaking even more and tears flooding her eyes. Until she had actually seen him with another woman, a part of her hadn’t really believed it. On that day, in that moment, her whole world crashed down around her.
The sound of the doorbell interrupted her from the memories of nearly two years ago. Her eyes widened when she looked and saw the red numbers on her alarm clock telling her it was seven o’clock. How long had she been standing there in her bathroom, completely lost in the painful memories of the past?
She ran from her bathroom and quickly slipped off her robe. Her panties, stockings, and bra were already on. All she needed to do was manage to slip her new dress on without messing up the masterpiece her daughter had created atop her head.
Carefully she slipped her arms through the sleeves and opened the neck wide to avoid a single hair being touched. The plunging look of the dress helped her, and she managed to get it on with ease. She tugged at the shoulders and smoothed down the front, twisting and turning as the fabric fell into place.
Running back into the bathroom, she dug in her makeup drawer for her lipstick. Her eyes, face, and everything else was done. Just one quick swipe across the lips and some heels and she would be ready to…she stopped dead in her tracks when she looked at her reflection.
Had she looked this fat in the dressing room when she tried this on? She turned to her side and sighed when she saw her belly pooch. Her nerves had kept her from barely eating these past few days, so she was certain she hadn’t put on any excess pounds. Panicked that the date would end before it even started, she decided to turn to old faithful. Her body-slimming, tummy-tucking girdle which she used to wear whenever Jonathon’s hospital had a black-tie event.
She was slipping it on underneath her dress just as Ariel knocked on the door and came in. “Oh my God, Mom. He is gorgeous!”
“He is? Oh, what am I saying? I know he is. I saw his photo before. I just didn’t think that in real life he would look…How gorgeous is he?”
“Umm…so gorgeous I’m thinking about locking you in your room and telling him I’m really you.”
“Very funny, Ariel. Give me those shoes.”
Ariel tossed her the shoes, and Alexis slipped into them. Her height increased by another four inches which probably made her look more confident than she felt. She felt her ears to make sure she hadn’t lost an earring during all her rushing around and went into the bathroom for one final once-over.
“You look beautiful, Mom.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. Come on, introduce me to my date.”
Ariel opened the door, and Alexis followed her out of the room. She rounded the corner of the hallway and started to descend the stairs. She could hear the familiar voice of the man who she had shared several conversations with since meeting one another by accident on Facebook. One minute she was wishing an old high school friend happy birthday and the next minute she was receiving a friend request and private messages from a man who worked with the birthday boy. Days later he asked for her phone number, and weeks later he had asked for a date.
She got to the living room just in time to hear Andrew ask him the ridiculously embarrassing question of what the man’s intentions were with his mother. Mortified, she shot her son a look of disbelief and extended her hand out to her date.
“Jace, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Alexis, you’re even more stunning than I imagined. Your picture does not do you justice.”
Instead of shaking her hand, he delicately took her fingertips in his and lifted them to his mouth for a small kiss. The gesture damn near melted her. Who did that type of thing anymore? It was so elegant and dapper.
One of the first things she noticed was his nails. They were kept trim and neat, but his hands still didn’t look manicured like Jonathon always kept his.
Jace’s features were much darker in person than in his photo online. His skin wasn’t tan as much as it was his tone. It only accentuated his dark hair, which had a faint hint of salt and pepper in it. He kept it short, almost to the scalp.
The angles of his face were chiseled, and while he didn’t have a typically GQ handsome face, she sensed a ruggedness to him which made him probably the most handsome man in any room he entered.
The dark-blue suit he wore with a simple matching tie brought out the blue of his eyes. They were a deep color. Looking at them, she was reminded of the ocean on a moonlit night. She had never looked at a man’s eyes and thought of the word beautiful before, but his truly were.
“You’re very kind. I take it you’ve met my children, manners and no-manners.” She pointed to Ariel and Andrew in the appropriate order to indicate just which one she was calling out for his rude behavior.
Jace chuckled. “Indeed I have. You have quite a pair here.”
“Yes, well, some of their good upbringing eludes them.”
“No worries. I would be equally as protective with my mother if she were still with me.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s no worries. She’s in a better place now. So, shall we? Our reservation is in twenty minutes.” Jace held his hand out in a gesture toward the front door.
“Of course. You two try not to burn down the house while I’m gone, and killing one another is also off limits.”
“I’ll wait up for you,” Andrew said.
“Really, Andrew, I think I’ll be fine.” She shot him a look which was meant to be a final warning of his behavior.
Jace opened the front door and waited for her to step outside. They both quietly walked to his SUV. He drove a white Ford Explorer, and it was polished as though he’d just picked it up from the detailer earlier that day.
When they reached the vehicle, he opened it with the click of his remote and opened her door. He gently held his hand on the small of her back for a moment while she turned to get inside. Once she was nestled comfortably on the seat, she tugged at the hem of her dress to avoid it from being caught in the door. He smiled at her politely and closed the door before walking around to the other side to get in.
Sliding in behind the wheel, he turned to her. “You really do look beautiful, Alexis.”
“Thank you, Jace. You look very handsome yourself.”
He smiled at her and put the key in the ignition before putting the SUV in drive and pulling away from the curb. The quietness that surrounded them did nothing to diminish her nerves, and she was starting to feel the familiar panic she had for the past several days. Her heart was racing, and she wondered what on earth she was doing. She was forty years old, a divorcée with two kids, and she was wearing a girdle.
“I hope you like Italian food. I booked us a table at Molinelli’s.”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful. I love Italian food.”
Please God don’t let me balloon up from pasta, she silently prayed to herself. Carbohydrates were never her friend. She prayed they would be good to her tonight. She would order a salad and fill up on that. Then she would have an excuse for being too full to finish dinner. She didn’t want to be one of those women who ordered water while picking at her food and saying something nonsensical like “Sometimes I just don’t eat” while laughing like a ditzy blonde.
They had just turned onto a side street which she knew was on the way to Molinelli’s when he pulled the car over to the side and put it in park. He didn’t cut the engine, but he sat there for a moment before turning to her.
“I’m sorry, Alexis. Don’t be scared. It’s just that I’ve been thinking about our date all week long. I really like you, and I want this night to go well. Not to mention all day I couldn’t stop thinking about doing this.”
Before she even knew what was happening, her face was held gently in his hands while his lips fused against hers. She was so shocked by the sudden intimate gesture that she sat there frozen. He didn’t push her, didn’t try to demand more than she was willing to give. Instead he just softly kissed her lips and pulled away. With his face a few inches from hers, he brushed his thumb along her lower lip and grinned.
“Better than I imagined.”
She wished she had a way to control the blush which she was certain flooded her cheeks. His kiss had felt wonderful. His lips were just the right combination of soft, yet firm. The tender way he held her and spoke to her was just as hypnotizing as his charm.
He put the car back in drive and pulled back out into traffic. She had no idea what this tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome man saw in her. One thing she was sure of, if he kissed her like that again, she would be putty in his hands. It had been over two years since a man touched her, and having that innocent form of intimacy they just shared awoke parts of her body that she was certain were long since dormant and had cobwebs lurking in them.
Oh, you are so screwed, Alexis. The thought echoed in her head as he drove them to the restaurant. What on earth had she gotten herself into?