Welcome to the New Series - Tempting Marcus is out now.

I'm so excited about the new Mercenary Heat Series and in particular release day for Tempting Marcus.  I hope you enjoy the short snippet of the book found below and something on the page tempts you into grabbing a copy of the book for yourself.

Blurb

A mission is underway, and in the mercenary game, timing is everything.

Beth has spent the last four years trying to tempt Marcus into her bed so why decide now that it’s make or break with him? The excuses have faded. She’s no longer too young, too innocent, or too naïve about the job. She’s lead on their current assignment, success and failure rests with her. Maybe that’s why she’s decided it’s also time to make one last ditched attempt to secure the man she wants in her life. Marcus Delany, her boss and a mercenary who claims to have no heart.

Not wanting Bethany isn’t the problem. Marcus wants her with every fiber of his being, he just won’t allow himself to give into temptation and have her. For Marcus it’s not about her age or experience, it’s not even about his ability or desire to make Bethany his own. It’s about loss. If he refuses to have her then he can’t lose her. His first life lesson as a mercenary was a harsh one. Loving with all your heart makes you vulnerable. That’s not what he wants to be. He’s been there, done that, and the T-shirt wore out long ago.

Buy Links:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Amazon AU

Paperback 

Also Available through Kindle Unlimited

Excerpt

Beth didn’t move as he came closer, remaining propped against the door jamb, now hedged in by Marcus’ much larger frame. He towered over her when she wasn’t in platforms, and, for some reason, tonight she felt especially slight while standing this close to him. Bethany’s annoyance with him remained even as he stroked the outer side of his fingers down the side of her face so tenderly, she never wanted it to end.

“It doesn’t matter, I was wrong to say it. I know you think I’m too young.” Beth tried to remain composed as she replied, despite the urge to unfold her arms and run her hands down his tightly muscled chest. “I’m happy to do as you’ve asked. I’ll try to ignore my feelings for you. I’ll stop the flirting and just be the diligent operative you want me to be. No more bratty or cheeky Beth.”

“That’s not what I want, you’ve misunderstood.” Marcus stepped closer, bracing one arm on the door jamb, forcing her to move over, her back now pressed against the wall.

“Then what do you want, Marcus?” Bethany stared up at him, her irritation quickly dissipating. “I don’t think the situation is that difficult to figure out, either you want me, or you don’t.”

Four years of not knowing, of making all kinds of excuses for why Marcus didn’t take her up on any of the flirtatious advances she’d made. Beth knew her actions tempted him. It was evident in the rare times he let his guard slip. His face softened, his gaze became heated, roving over her body like a predator assessing his prey. Beth knew he wanted her. She simply hadn’t hit on the right formula to make him act.   

“It’s just that…” Another pause from the man who usually articulated himself so well. “Jesus, Beth, I’m tired of attempting to conceal how hard you make me with all this teasing. I swear, I lose concentration as the blood rushes from my brain to relocate itself in my cock.”

Suddenly confused, Beth tried to process what he’d just said. Was she hearing him correctly? Was that an admission that she turned him on? 

“I make you hard?” Beth tried not to sound surprised by his admission, her question more for clarification purposes than anything else.  In response, Marcus stepped forward, eliminating any space between them.

“You know you do.” Beth felt his warm breath on the side of her throat as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, “I’m constantly hard around you.” 

The raspy, guttural tone of his voice should have been all the proof needed to indicate he was telling the truth, Marcus reinforced the evidence by pressing his groin against her. Hard wasn’t an exaggeration.

“Don’t tease me with something I’ll never have, Marcus.” Beth placed her hands on his chest with every intention of pushing him away. “You don’t want me… remember? Never going to happen, you said.”

Intent failed. Beth wanted to throw his words back at him, resume her anger, push against his hard chest, and free herself from the cage of his frame. Instead, her voice sounded as horny as his, her fingers massaged his pecs adoringly, not an ounce of ire toward him remained.

“I want you, Beth,” Marcus stated. “I just don’t know how to have you.”

“You can have me any way you want me, all you have to do is say the word.” Beth slipped her hand between them and stroked the erection beneath his jeans, eliciting a hiss from him, which made her smile.

In all the time they’d known each other, Beth had never seen him appear as vulnerable as he did right now—his heart opening to her, his body visibly aching for hers.

“I don’t know how to make this work,” he groaned, making no attempt to sever their intimate connection.

When his face brushed her cheek, he feathered tiny kisses along her collarbone, up the column of her neck and toward her mouth. Beth pressed her body against his in response as he closed in on her mouth. Could this really be happening? His lips met hers, the softest of kisses at first, firming as his tongue entered her mouth. Beth moaned, looping her arms around his shoulders as he forced her against the wall, his knee slipping between her thighs, driving her legs apart. Marcus’ erection pressed into her hip, the movement of their bodies making the hardness more distinct. 

Every cell in Beth’s body responded to his desire. Her cunt throbbed, moisture dampening the tiny G-string she wore. Her breasts ached as hardened nipples rasped against her bra with the movement of their embrace. He broke their kiss, gazing down at her with lust filled eyes.

“Tell me to stop.” His gaze drifted down her face, her neck, stopping at her cleavage. “Please girl, tell me to stop.”

He looked torn. Need warring with some inner agony clearly expressed on his face. What was keeping him from her? Why the hell would he ask her to push him away when this was exactly what she wanted from the moment she’d laid eyes on him? Bethany gave the only reply she was capable of articulating.

“Never.”

Release Day - Switching Mercedes

It's release day for Switching Mercedes and what a journey it's been. I've been in a rewrite frenzy since receiving the rights back to this series at the end of 2017. Rewriting each book, redoing covers, new edits and getting each book back out there has been a frustration and a joy. Finally all three are done, and hopefully the stories are better than ever. If you're a new fan to the series, welcome aboard. If you've been with me since the beginning,  thank you.

Today's release is monumental for me as it means that my new series, a spin off of this one, is now able to go ahead. The Mercenary Heat series launches on May 1st with Tempting Marcus. But more on that later.

It's time to highlight Mercedes and her two alluring men. I hope you enjoy perusing the blurb, tempting teasers and two excerpts.

Blurb

Three dominant wills clash in this latest romantic suspense novel by Jan Graham.

Mercedes Harris-Shore is a woman who knows her own mind, she’s built a thriving business, never asked anyone for help and has no intention of doing so. That is, until life takes a dangerous turn and she lands firmly in the sights of a serial killer.

Zane Reynolds has pursued the headstrong Mercedes for years with little to show for it. If he could forget about her then life would be a lot easier, but his heart wants what it wants. The fact he hasn’t told her the complete truth about his family and past shouldn’t make a difference, especially now that she needs his help to remain alive.

In times of crisis like this, the last thing either of them needs is the complication of Zane’s identical twin stepping into the picture, or do they?

Ash Reynolds is a mercenary living on the fringe of society. His twin left the shadowy world Ash inhabits years ago to forge a normal life, and it’s going well, until the woman he loves is endangered. Ash knows he’s the man to protect Mercedes, it’s what he does —save the innocent and punish the wicked. He isn’t the sort of man a woman should fall in love with though, and he knows it.

Buy links:

Amazon US     Amazon UK     Amazon AU

This book is also available through Kindle Unlimited

Paperback link available soon

Excerpt 1

A commotion taking place on the far side of the taped-off area of the house interrupted her thoughts. The yellow tape began to flap in the breeze, and officers tried to block access to the scene as a Hercules of Scandinavian appearance barreled his way through their defenses. Mercedes smiled when she heard her name.

“Where is she? Mercedes Harris-Shore, I demand to see her now.” His command boomed out for all to hear in a deep baritone that sent an erotic chill down her spine.

“Do you know him? Should I lock the ambulance doors or tell him you’re over here? He seems really…terrifying. Is he your boyfriend or something?” She nearly lost track of the young ambulance officer’s rapidly fired questions, too intrigued by the circus unfolding before them.

“Yes, he’s something.” Mercedes nearly laughed at the terrified look on the medic’s face. “Oh, and don’t worry, we’re not in any danger.”

Zane reminded her of a Viking. Tall with the broadest shoulders of any man she knew. She watched as muscles rippled beneath the tight black T-shirt he wore, as he swatted uniformed officers away like they were flies. His shoulder-length blond hair, usually neatly combed, swung freely around his face, his strong, square jaw set firm with dogged determination as he worked his way to the front steps of the house, attempting to get inside.

“Would you like me to tell him you’re over here?” the medic asked, an edge of concern in his tone as they watched Zane grab an officer from the front line of defense, lifting him off his feet with ease.

“Where. Is. She?” The larger-than-average uniformed officer hung in the air like a rag doll at the mercy of a petulant toddler.

“No, he’ll find me soon enough. He always does.” Mercedes watched the action with delight. Not only was he divine to look at, but he knew how to make her laugh. Even when he was being an infuriating jerk she found him amusing. If he’d just stop being so dominantly determined that she be his submissive then he’d be the perfect man for her. After all, what woman wouldn’t want a sexy bad-boy-Viking to come to her rescue? It was certainly better than any puny Prince Charming or a clunky knight in shining armor.

“Put that officer down, Zane Reynolds, before one of my guys shoots you.” Christian’s voice matched Zane’s for volume as he stepped through the doorway and onto the veranda.

“Excellent, Christian Shore, just the man to give me the answers I need.” Zane dropped the young policeman before walking toward her brother. “Where is Mercedes?”

“Once you’ve assured yourself my sister is fine I want you back over here explaining exactly how you found out she was here.” Christian spoke in his don’t-fuck-with-me tone as he pointed toward the ambulance.

It didn’t appear Zane even heard what her brother said because the moment their gazes met Zane stalked toward her, a deep frown creasing his normally relaxed brow.

“Why are you in an ambulance—are you injured?” The ambulance dipped under his weight as he climbed in beside her, meticulously eyeing her for injuries.

“I’m fine. I got upset when I found out what happened to Samantha, so Christian suggested I sit with the medic.” She glared over at the young medic hoping he read the tell-this-guy-nothing look she flashed him. The last thing she needed was for Zane to discover she’d fainted. She maintained a case of show no weakness in relation to him, and Mercedes wanted to keep it that way.

In less time than it took to blink, Mercedes found herself perched on Zane’s lap, pressed firmly against his hard chest, his strong arms wrapped around her like a protective shield. Her body warmed instantly, unaware she’d been cold. Frazzled nerves calmed as she rested her head against his chest listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. She wanted to wrap her arms around him in return, resting in the cocoon of safety he’d covered her in, but that wasn’t how they rolled.

“Of course, you were upset. Anyone would be under these circumstances.” His rich, smooth voice and understanding words soothed her weary nerves.

How did he know she needed him, that she wanted someone to hug and comfort her after all she’d witnessed today? How did he always know when to show up, cheering her day, offering support, or annoying the shit out of her then making her laugh? More importantly, why did she always push him away? Her fingers rested on the leather belt at his waist. All she had to do was wrap her arms around him, accepting the embrace.

Then he opened that big mouth of his and blew it—like he always did.

“You don’t have to worry about a thing, sweetheart, I’m here now. I’ll take care of everything.”

Like hell. As if she needed anyone to look after her. Why couldn’t he say tell me what you need me to do or we’ll work this out together.

“Let me go, you damned arrogant Neanderthal.” Hands which only moments ago she’d considered reaching around his waist to hold him, now pushed against him, as she tried to free herself from his arms. “When will you get it around your pea-sized brain that I don’t need you to take care of anything? Men! Just because you could overpower me in a minute doesn’t mean I’m a weakling needing your assistance. Oh, and just so we’re clear, I am not your sweetheart.”

Zane let her go, depositing her back on the gurney and staring at her with wry amusement as she berated him. He always did that, and it made her even more annoyed.

“I was just giving you a hug because you looked like you could use one.” He climbed out of the back of the ambulance, offering her his hand to help her down.

“If I wanted something to hug I’d buy a teddy bear.” Mercedes stared at his hand then reached out accepting the offering.

“You really are the most stubborn woman I know, Mercedes.” He raised her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “It would destroy me if anything happened to you, so I’ll always protect you…sweetheart.”

“I told you, I am not your sweetheart.” Mercedes poked her finger into Zane’s chest, emphasizing each word as she did. The idiot just laughed at her, which infuriated her more than the fact he hadn’t listened the first time she’d said the words.

“Oh yes you are, you’re just not ready to admit it…yet.” He turned, walking over to Christian, leaving her standing by the ambulance, the chill of being alone settling into her bones once more. She hated when Zane was right. As her mother constantly told her, Zane Reynolds was a good catch, and Mercedes shouldn’t let him get away. She watched him talking to her brother, answering the question once again swirling through her mind. What sort of woman wouldn’t want a bad-boy Viking like Zane Reynolds in her life?

A woman like me, I guess.

Excerpt 2

Mercedes walked to the door ready to receive yet another bunch of flowers. Why death and floral arrangements went hand in hand she couldn’t fathom. Nor could she comprehend people’s need to send the flowers to her, although since Samantha had no family Mercedes probably constituted the closest thing to a parent the young woman had. She blinked her surprise as her mind tried to compute the vision before her.

A large furry teddy bear with the most arrogant looking face of any stuffed creature she’d seen stared at her. A white card hung from the bright purple ribbon around its neck. The envelope read ‘For my Sweetheart’. Mercedes frowned and glared at the grumpy-faced creature, deciding whether to slam the door in its face. The bear initially appeared to be shaking, however, on further inspection, she noticed a smallish man with a terrified look on his face standing behind it. Either the guy had a serious case of Parkinson’s disease or he was still recovering from meeting Zane Reynolds.

“I have a delivery for M…Miss H…Harris S…Shore?” Parkinson’s and a stutter, this guy really had his back to the wall.

“I don’t want it.” Mercedes kept her voice firm. The courier lowered the bear and looked pleadingly over its head.

“He said you’d say that and informed me to tell you that you have to accept his gift or else. He also said he’d know if I didn’t give it to you.” The man looked around the open space of her front yard, apparently checking to see if someone were spying on them.

“Really?” What was Zane playing at? “Here’s an idea. Take the bear with you, drop it in a charity bin, and when he calls to see if the delivery went okay, tell him I said thanks.” The courier started shaking his head before she finished speaking.

“No, he said you’d suggest something like that and I’m to tell you…oh god…” The man winced slightly. “He said… ‘Deception is unbecoming in a lady.’ Please take the bear, Miss.” The little man held the bear out toward her, a pained expression still on his face. What had that big oaf done to make this guy so afraid?

“I’m sorry if he scared you but take it back to him, I really don’t—”

“He said if you didn’t take the bear from me then he’d come around here and deliver it himself.” The words rushed out as he reaffirmed his desire to be rid of the animal by thrusting it closer toward her.

Even when he was absent Zane was still persistently annoying. She snatched the bear from the courier. “Okay, I have the bear, now go and find somewhere to have a stiff drink and calm down.”

“Oh wait, there’s one more thing.” Mercedes leaned against the doorjamb, hugging the bear to her side, and glared at the annoying servant of the devil. She didn’t notice the man’s cell phone until it was too late. The clicking noise her only indication he’d taken a picture. The little man turned on his heels and bolted for the street yelling his parting remark. “He wanted a photo as proof I gave it to you. Thank you.”

Son of a bitch.

Switching Mercedes is a contemporary, romantic suspense novel with BDSM elements, and a M/F/M romantic pairing. Note: There is no sexual relationship between siblings. 

Release Blitz - Smitten by Juliet Braddock

IT'S LIVE!

January Gallimore has arrived at a crossroad in life.

A short-lived scandal that had made her the darling of the BDSM community did little to damage her status as America's sweetheart. However, her career starring in romantic comedies hasn't given her any insights into figuring out her own love life. 

For five years, January shared a long-distance love affair with French rock legend, Etienne Marceaux. Their relationship is passionate but comfortable. Caught in the whirlwind between New York and Paris, they indulge in stolen moments in between their chaotic celebrity lives.

Although Etienne certainly knows how to entertain her with his Dominance, January realizes that something is missing. Now a thirty-something actress, she wonders how long her career will endure, and she questions some of the decisions she’s made.

On a spontaneous trip with her best friend to Provence, January encounters a chance meeting with a younger Englishman, Nigel Hereford-Smyth. With his naivete and somewhat awkward aristocratic ways, Nigel, nevertheless, sweeps January off her Louboutin pumps.

As they romp about the French countryside, January tutors her young suitor on the finer points of BDSM, and Nigel unwittingly leads January on a deep exploration of what really matters in her life. While she allows herself to revel in the bliss of a possible new man in her life, she also realizes that Nigel carries his own set of baggage.

Forced to leave Nigel by her filming schedule, January returns to the hustle of Hollywood, only to find her confusion mounting.

Will she choose Etienne, who makes her body sizzle…or Nigel, whose charm and manners leave her SMITTEN?

(PLEASE DELETE IF NOT REVIEWING)

Amazon bestselling author Juliet Braddock’s first efforts in creative writing came long before she learned to put crayon to paper.  In fact, she began spinning stories in her head nearly as soon as she could form complete sentences.  As long as she can remember, she’d always created sagas about imaginary friends, family members and pop culture icons, and kept everyone around her entertained with her witty—but often very tall—tales.

For her sixth Christmas, Juliet’s mother got her a child’s typewriter to preserve all of those creative thoughts filling her head, but she quickly switched to ball point pens and notebooks when the ribbon ran dry. 

Most of Juliet’s early attempts at writing romance focused on members of Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet or young leading men on Broadway.  However, as she matured as a writer, she decided that it was just as much fun to create her own romantic heroes and heroines.

At an early age, she also developed a love for big cities, and the tallest of skyscrapers were never high enough for her.  Juliet’s wanderlust would eventually lure her to New York, a city she often visited during her formative years, and her love affair with Manhattan began.  She’d promised herself that one day she would return for good. 

Juliet’s passion for writing and for big cities converged, and after graduating with a degree in Journalism, she decided to set out on a journey to find her heart…just where she’d left it. 

A week after her college graduation, Juliet made the big move from a small town to New York City, where she has made her home ever since.

In between building a career in communications and writing on the side, she’s indulged in international travel, theater and art.  A wine and food buff, she’s by no means a connoisseur, but she can give a few good restaurant recommendations if you’re in the city. 

“There’s something so inspiring about living in a city like New York that’s so rich in culture and so very vibrant. Every neighborhood has its own story to tell,” Juliet says.  “I often do my best plotting on the subway, just observing the lives unfolding around me.  New York truly has a billion stories nestled between the skyscrapers.”

Since she initially started writing, Juliet developed a condition called Pseudotumor, and while she is legally blind, she continues to turn out her steamy, romantic stories with the help of magnifying software for the vision-impaired.

“Throughout my lifetime, I’ve been through a lot, but I never let anything stop me from doing what I love to do,” Juliet says. “Writing has been my passion since I was a child, and as long as I have stories to share with my readers, I will continue.”

A proud New Yorker, Juliet couldn’t live anywhere else—except for Paris, perhaps—and is a gushing cat-mom to a Russian Blue mix who was rescued as a kitten from the streets of Brooklyn, where they make their home.

Juliet is legally blind, and spins her sexy romances with the assistance of software for the vision-impaired.

Find Juliet on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and www.julietbraddock.com

Hosted By:

Playing Jax - Release Day

IT'S LIVE!

I'm so excited about this release that I'm happy dancing around the room to some AC/DC songs. Steve loves AC/DC :)

Blurb

Rhia McCabe hid under a religious veil for years. One determined choice changed all that. Disheartened with the world, and having lost it all—her faith, her friends, her home—she must rebuild her life from the ground up. That’s easier said than done. Life isn’t the peaceful journey she imagined it would be, and her heart has led her into some very dangerous territory. Will Rhia survive long enough to enjoy her newfound freedoms, or will falling for a strong, dominant man see her losing more than either of them imagined?

Steve Jax hates games, especially when they involve friends trying to interfere in his life. He’d built a decent existence for himself since his wife Kathy died, and saw no reason to change anything. Until now. He thought the danger his job imposed on those he loved was all in the past, giving him the option to move on and love again. How wrong had he been? Ghosts from four years ago have resurfaced, along with a new adversary that’s threatening the only woman he’s risked letting into his heart in years. He may have sworn he’d never endanger another lover – but life isn’t perfect, and neither is he. 

Playing Jax is a contemporary, romantic suspense novel with a M/F romantic pairing. This book contains erotic sex scenes with BDSM elements.

 

Buy Links

Amazon US     Amazon UK     Amazon AU

Also available on Kindle Unlimited

Excerpt 1

Steve groaned and resisted the urge to open his eyes. He shivered, the chill in his bones becoming more evident with each second of wakefulness. He peeked out between crusty lashes. The sky exposed a hint of the coming day, the sunrise a glimmer of pink tinting the shoreline.

He sat up. Waves pounded in unison with the throb of his head, as surfers danced on the crest of waves before him. Unlike the pictures inside his head, the scene contained a peacefulness that he envied. Kathy had died a month ago. Treatment failed. They said he’d have her for a maximum of two years—she’d lasted less than one. He’d dealt with death before—at work, and when his parents had died—this was different. Kathy took a large piece of him with her, she’d left with his heart.

Steve stood on shaky legs, gathered the empty bottle of Jack Daniels nestled into the sand and began the long walk up the hill to the house he’d shared with his beautiful wife, the home he now hated because she wasn’t in it.

He made it to the stairs leading up to the place he’d once called home but couldn’t go any further, so he sat down and contemplated his options. Go inside to the constant reminder of what he’d lost, or sit with the step cooling his butt. Option two it was.

Steve toyed with the empty bottle knowing he’d sent the companies’ profits into overdrive over the last four weeks. He had to stop, get back to the man he’d once been, but didn’t know how.

“Why haven’t you been answering your phone? I’ve been worried.” Steve glanced up to see his sister, Angel, staring back at him with a worried annoyance filling her expression.

She took the bottle from him and delivered it to the trash.

“Where’s your phone, Steve?” She asked.

“No idea.” He replied, wondering why she’d even bothered to come.

He wanted to appreciate the concern but couldn’t summon the energy to do so. Angel retrieved her mobile phone from her bag and called a number, staring at him with one raised brow, as his phone betrayingly responded from inside his pocket.

Busted.

“Get up and get inside the house.” Angel said, moving toward him and looking less than impressed. “I need coffee and from the look of you, well, you get the drift.”

If he didn’t want her to man handle him to get him inside—and she would—then he had to move. Standing slowly, he turned and led the way, fumbling through his pockets to retrieve his key. Movement hurt, his body aching from spending yet another night sleeping anywhere but the bed he’d shared with his wife. Although, last night, passed out drunk in the sand at his local beach, had set a new low for him. He saw no end in sight to the depths of his despair. Lost. That’s what he was without Kathy, and he had no incentive to find himself. What was the point?

Angel hustled him into the shower, threatening to wash him herself if he didn’t comply. He suddenly discovered that there were limits to the depths of humiliation he’d allow, and his little sister showering him was one of them. As he watched the traces of sand he’d washed from his hair and other crevasses disappear down the drain, he wondered where he’d end up. He dried himself and dressed in the clothes Angel had found and placed on the bathroom sink. Surprisingly they were clean. He didn’t think he had any of those left.

He wandered out into the living room to the smell of breakfast and saw the pot of strong coffee Angel had made waiting for him on the dining table. She walked in just as he sat down and placed the feast of bacon, sausage, eggs, and toast in front of him. He wasn’t hungry but ate it anyway.

“You’re coming back to the Highlands with me. I can’t stand the thought of you all alone up here slowly killing yourself.” Angel stated.

He wouldn’t argue, because there was no point. For someone a good foot shorter than him, his sister was a formidable woman. Once she set her mind to something then changing it took some effort. That was something Steve didn’t have, and at least if he was in a different location, the reminders of Kathy wouldn’t plague him every minute of the day.

“So, you’d rather me have an audience while I slowly kill myself?” He raised his gaze to look at her, Angel met him with a steely glare. Clearly, his dry attempt at wit didn’t amuse her.

As he finished eating, Angel emerged from the back of the house carrying a duffel bag and suitcase. She plopped them near the door.

“Christian and Daniel will collect your Harley this afternoon and bring it back to the house. You have a meeting with Trevor next week, who, in case you’re wondering, is also worried about you. That gives you seven days to try and get your head together and make some decisions about what you’re going to do.”

He already knew what he was going to do. Sulk, drink and continue to feel sorry for himself.

“Is this where you give me the talk about we all lost Kathy, and that I’m not the only one to miss her, that everyone is grieving, but I’m the only one letting it destroy me?” He asked.

Angel crouched down next to him. The compassion and sadness in her eyes boring into his empty soul.

“I can’t even imagine the pain you feel right now. All I can see is the result of it and feel the fear that I might lose you because of it. I want to help you, but I don’t know how, none of your friends do. That’s why I’m taking you home with me. I want you to know that, despite losing Kathy, there is still hope. You are loved, Steve Jax, and I will not lose you. I will not let you fall any further down this rabbit hole. So, pick up those bags and let’s go home.”

As he drudged out of the house—for what he knew was the last time—walking behind the sister he’d not long known, he told himself he was lucky not to be going through this alone. He had an Angel to help him pick up the pieces. The sun made his eyes water as he headed to the car, at least that’s what he told himself. He wished he knew where his shades were, so he could cover the evidence of his grief, as they drove away, heading toward a different life.

 

Excerpt 2

“Evening, you naughty little hell raiser.” He wanted to take the words back the moment the woman turned around to face him. God, if the look of horror on her face wasn’t enough, the scream she let out induced him to take a step back. Steve usually meant what he said, but currently he was feeling a little regretful at his inappropriate choice of words.

How wrong had he been? The stunning black-haired beauty before him had the most gorgeous eyes. Crystal clear and distinctly gray in color, they revealed just a tiny hint of blue, as they sparkled in the moonlight. When he’d approached, she’d been standing with her back to him, and from the outfit the woman wore and the long dark hair, he had no reason to believe it wasn’t young Beth.

Even though the woman looking at him in terror reminded Steve of a bunny caught in the headlights, she was still stunning. One thing concerned him though. If she kept backing away from him, she’d end up falling into the garden bed at the side of the house.

“Sorry, I thought you were someone else,” Steve quickly apologized relieved that his words stopped her reversing action. “It was a totally inappropriate greeting, and I didn’t mean to scare you.”

He had no idea who she was, but damn she was a fine specimen of a woman. Maybe he should have let her fall in the garden. Then he could have lifted her up, angled her across his lap and assisted to dust the dirt off that perfectly shaped butt of hers.

“Who did you think I was?” For a woman who looked as startled as she did, there was only a slight waiver to her voice when she spoke.

Even though she was clearly attempting to give the impression of a confidant woman, her body told a different story. Her breasts heaved from accelerated breathing, and when she made eye contact, she blushed.

“I thought you were Bethany Reid, a friend’s daughter, but obviously not…no belly ring.” Steve smiled and indicated toward her stomach. “By the way, I’m Steve Jax.” Steve watched the blush in her cheeks deepen as he motioned to her belly button, and then held out his hand in greeting. She took his hand cautiously and gave a nervous smile in return.

“Rhiannon McCabe…everyone calls me Rhia.”

Touching her hand sent a surge through Steve’s body. What was that? It obviously wasn’t just something he experienced because Rhia quickly pulled her hand free, an expression of confusion on her face.

“How do you know my niece has a belly piercing?” She asked.

“Everyone in town knows she has a belly ring. She rarely covers it up. In case you’re wondering, Barry and Meg know I call her a hell raiser. They agree with my assessment.”

Steve watched Rhia thoughtfully. This was the nun? Surely not. She was too shapely, too young, and too pretty. Hell, she was too damn sexy to have ever been a nun. He couldn’t decide if the fact he was growing hard under his jeans would confirm his place in hell or not. A smile edged at his lips as Rhia adjusted her top, so he couldn’t see her stomach, the downward pull of the shirt revealing tightly budded nipples underneath. Maybe he wasn’t the only one in this conversation having impure thoughts. His cock pulsed harder as he thought of a befitting punishment for a nun with naughty thoughts racing through her mind.

His black, heavy weighted leather flogger sprang to mind. He imagined her cuffed to the St. Andrew’s cross he kept stored in his garage, him behind her, wielding the first lash of leather tails against her skin.

His cock stiffened and pressed uncomfortably against his denims. Steve needed to get his thoughts under control. If he didn’t, Rhia would be in all sorts of trouble. Besides, he got the distinct impression she was a little uncomfortable being this close to him. She fidgeted with her clothing some more. Maybe she simply felt exposed in that snug little PJ set…that damn-fine, hug-her-body-like-a-glove, little PJ set.

Stop it, you Neanderthal, she used to be a nun.

Steve cleared his throat and addressed the issue at hand. Well, one of them. There was nothing he could do about his erection at this moment in time.

Should you decide to purchase, Playing Jax, I hope you enjoy it enough

to leave a positive review. Thank you.