Flashback Friday Part Two: Contemporary Books
Thanks for joining me
for week two of my January Blog Posts Flashback Friday. This week I would like
to reintroduce you to some of my first releases in the contemporary genre. Yes,
there was a time when I write books that had no paranormal element in them.
Shocking I know!
First let me introduce you to Seduced by the Neighbour
Seduced by the Neighbour was my second book release with
Totally Bound. This is also one of my favorites. Out of any of the contemporary
books that I wrote this is the one I recommend the most. I actually submitted
Seduced by the Neighbour before my first release Savage Love. Due to timing
Savage Love was released in 2008 and Seduced by the Neighbour was pushed back
until March 2009.
Seduced by the
Neighbour Blurb:
Sometimes a world
of unimaginable pleasure can be found right next door.
Cara Livley and Matt Adams are neighbours and friends. Each of them fights the
attraction that pulls them closer to crossing a line that could end their
friendship. Matt is a dominant male who believes he would scare Cara away with
his needs in the bedroom. However, Cara has a secret of her own.
When Matt finds Cara's stash of erotica books, he knows this is his one chance
to teach Cara about his lifestyle. Cara is eager to learn all she can from her
neighbour even if it means giving him her complete trust.
The first time Matt touches Cara, he fears that this petite, shy woman could
bring him to his knees. As he takes her through a morning of erotic pleasure,
he fights himself, knowing he cannot keep her. No matter how good she feels in
his arms. Cara is fighting her own demons. She wants more than just one time
with this talented man.
After one day together, everything will change. For better or for worse.
Reader Advisory: This book contains light bondage.
Seduced by the Neighbour Excerpt:
Cara Livley cursed
under her breath. She was trying to unlock her front door without dropping the
two bags of groceries she held. She balanced a knee against the doorframe and
shifted to insert the key.
“Need some help?”
The familiar muscular voice that came from behind surprised her, making her
yelp and jerk. She lost her balance.
Matt Adams, her neighbour across the hall, placed a hand against her back to
steady her as he secured the grocery bags with his other arm.
“You’re back,” Cara said, straightening herself from leaning against him. Her
heart speed up and her hands shook from the brief contact.
“Got in last night,” he told her as he studied her face.
Cara was sure he could see the blush across her checks and the sweat starting
to bead on her forehead. She quickly dropped her gaze in embarrassment and
reached over to place the key in the lock.
Matt always affected her this way. With his deep penetrating stare, it was
almost like he could see to her soul. When she was around him, she became a
nervous giddy teenager again. She hated her reaction to him. Her hands shook so
badly it took her three tries to get the key into the lock. She sighed with
relief when she heard the click.
Matt followed her into the apartment carrying the two bags of groceries. He’d
been in her apartment before, but this time, he looked around as if thinking.
Cara was relieved it was clean. No dirty clothes on the floor or dishes in the
sink. His gaze drifted towards the stairs to her bedroom, the one place she’d
never let him see.
All the apartments on this floor had the same floor plan. So her loft apartment
was very much like his. But hers was much more homey and comfortable. Instead
of being overly female, Cara kept her apartment in neutral colours without a
lot of fuss. Her tan leather couch had a matching chair. The coffee table was
the same maple as the end tables and entertainment stand. She had an up-to-date
expensive flat screen TV and stereo system.
Like him, she didn’t have a dining table. Instead barstools sat under the
counter that separated the living room from the kitchen. That was the only
thing the two apartments had in common. When she’d seen his, she hadn’t been
surprised. It was the typical bachelor apartment. One couch, a coffee table,
and an old worn chair were the only things he had in his living room. His
kitchen cabinets were often empty.
He set the groceries down on the counter and leaned back and, crossing his
ankles, made it clear he was in no hurry to leave. She kept her gaze from
meeting his as she went about putting the groceries away. She had a specific
place for each item in her kitchen. Hoping he didn’t notice and think it was
weird, she hurriedly put the groceries away. Matt stared at her as she folded
the bags neatly before placing them in a drawer.
“Did you have a good trip?” Without anything else to do with her hands, she
placed them, palms down, against the island.
He shrugged a shoulder. “Glad to be home.”
It was his standard answer, and Cara smiled. She was never going to get
anything out of him. She knew he worked for the government, although he didn’t
go into work every day and didn’t wear a suit. He kept what he did a mystery.
It was one more aspect of him that made her pulse speed up and kept her up at
night thinking about.
She had lain awake many nights thinking about his strong body and what he could
do to her. She’d woken up many mornings sweating and her body on fire as she
remembered the dreams of him taking her in every imaginable position. She
lusted after her neighbour but that was all there was. She knew a man like him
wouldn’t be interested in a quiet, squeaky-clean, boring woman like herself.
“How’s the new book coming?” he asked as she quietly studied her hands.
“What?”
He laughed. “How's your new book coming along?”
Cara bit her lip and pressed her fingers into the granite that covered the
island. Why would he ask about her book? He couldn’t know that she… She quickly
shook her head to stop her train of thought. He was just making idle
conversation. He didn’t know anything about her book or the main characters.
She forced herself to laugh. “Well, the hero is a stubborn, hard-headed,
opinionated man who keeps taking advantage of the heroine’s inexperience in a
crisis.”
“Sounds like I’d like him.”
Cara shifted nervously from foot to foot.
Amusement was evident in his voice when he asked. “So what’s not going right?”
She jerked her head back up. “How do you know it’s not going smoothly?”
Matt pushed off the counter and leaned toward “Because I know you, Cara.”
Cara stared at him for several seconds and tried to digest what he said. She
was pretty sure he was just messing with her. Relaxing her shoulders, she
smiled up at him. “Oh yeah?”
My thoughts on
Seduced by the Neighbour:
As I said, if you
were to pick up any of my contemporary books this is the one I would start
with. Cara was the first female that I gave a story too. She is attracted to
her sexy neighbor but is scared to make a pass at him and lose Matt’s friendship.
Matt likes to dominate his partners in bed. He has longed for Cara to be one of
them but is unsure how she would take his need to dominate.
This was a blast to
write. There is a little bondage as Matt discovers Cara’s books and finally
realizes they may be on the same page. This is a short story, only 10,000
words, but is good for some sexy fun.
Seduced by the Neigbour through Totally
Bound: https://www.totallybound.com/seduced-by-the-neighbour?search=seduced
by the neighbor
The second book I
would like to share with you is Summers’
Girl. This is a quick read about Hannah and Jake. Hannah goes back to her
childhood home and meets Jake who is doing repairs on the house. I love the
skinny dippy scene and really enjoyed writing it!
Summers’ Girl Blurb:
The summer heat
isn't the only thing causing Hannah Wagner's temperature to soar - half-naked
carpenter Jake Summers is doing more than his part.
Hannah Wagner needs a place to relax and escape everyday life - and the summer
home of her childhood fits the bill. She's shocked and a little uneasy by the
instant sexual attraction she finds with the carpenter who is renovating the
house. Hannah fights her attraction to Jake Summers, but when she finds him
skinny dipping in the lake behind her house, it only adds fuel to the fire
inside her.
But Hannah is not only looking for a break from her life, she is running from a
troubled past and a dangerous ex-husband. When Hannah's ex shows up and
threatens her, Jake calls in his old Special Forces team to help. He is
determined to bring the man down...and cement the fact that Hannah is Jake
Summers' girl.
Summers’ Excerpt:
Hannah Wagner drove
up the winding road that led to the old vacation house where she had spent her
childhood summers. She’d been so relieved when she called the realtor’s office
and found it vacant for the summer.
The realtor had explained to her that renovations were nearly done, but it
wasn’t ready to rent yet. Since the inside was mostly complete, Hannah had
convinced her that she wouldn’t mind the construction being done on the
outside. The realtor had rented it to her for a steal.
Hannah could barely contain her excitement as she prepared herself for the
house coming into view. As she turned the corner, her foot automatically
slammed on the brakes and she sat in the middle of the road with her mouth
open.
The house looked terrible. The shutters sat crooked on the windows, the front
lawn was overgrown with weeds, and the front porch looked like it was ready to
cave in.
After several minutes, she was able to regain her composure and slowly pull the
car to the driveway. Luckily, it was cleared enough to give her room to park the
vehicle up in front of the house.
“My goodness,” she whispered from inside the comfortable interior of her car.
Hannah turned off the engine and opened the door. The stifling summer heat
surrounded her, and she could feel the sweat start to bead on her forehead in
only seconds. It was going to be terribly hot this summer.
She made her way around the house, following a small path of mowed grass to the
back yard. A man was bent over a large green lawnmower, shaking his head.
Hannah could tell he was trying to tame the overgrown wreck that had once been
her favourite place to sit and read. She hoped he would get it done soon. She
had stocked up on books for her getaway.
Seeing the man's attention was otherwise occupied, she took a good look. From
what she could tell, he was around her age. The strong muscles of his back
rippled as he struggled to get the machine working. She sighed and decided look
at the inside of the house. It had to be better than the outside. She couldn’t
go back home. She had to stay. She walked up the back stairs saying a silent
prayer. If it was liveable, or nearly so, she would make do.
A wave of relief washed over her when she opened the back door to the kitchen
and saw it was completely intact. The cabinets had been sanded and stained, the
tiles replaced, and the walls had a new layer of paint, but it still felt like
a piece of home from her past.
Every night her mother would spend hours cooking, baking, cleaning, and Hannah
could remember sitting at the table watching.
Hannah ran her hand over the old oak table. Yes, this was exactly what she
needed. Her spirits higher, she moved quickly through the living room, dining
room, family room, before making her way up the stairs.
The banister to the staircase had also been sanded and repaired, but it didn’t
take away the memories of her sliding down it with her brother chasing her.
Tears pricked her eyes even as she laughed at the memories. She went directly
to the room that had always been hers.
The walls that once held old peeling wallpaper where now painted a soft blue.
The room still had a soft touch to it, and Hannah took a deep breath,
remembering the time she had spent inside. This was the room she would stay in.
She went to the master bedroom next.
The memory of her parents asleep in the large bed had the tears that had stayed
pooled in her eyes falling. They had been gone a long time now. Nearly ten
years. But the car crash that took not only her parents but her brother as well
was still fresh in her mind.
She rubbed the back of her hand over her eyes and went to check the last
bedroom. The room that had been her brother David’s. Its door was the only one
closed. Hannah opened it slowly and her heart sank and the sight of the empty
room. There were still paint cans on the floor, brushes and rollers piled, and
the window was covered. Unlike the others, this room held no furniture.
Doesn’t matter, she told herself, walking further into the room. The picture of
her younger brother splayed over the bedspread came clearly. The floor would be
covered with cars and trucks. Her father was always yelling about stepping on
them.
Hannah turned in a circle, her eyes closed, trying to picture more of the room.
“Watch out!”
Hannah heard the order too late to avoid tripping over a paint can. Strong arms
circled around her and kept her from falling to the ground.
As she looked up, her breath whooshed out as she saw the most handsome face
she’d ever seen. The clear green eyes were full of amusement as the man helped
her stand straight.
“Oh my,” she whispered, her gaze locked with his.
My thoughts on Summers’ Girl:
This book is sort
of connected to Seduced by the Neighbour as Jake and Matt were in the military
together. You do not need to read one to enjoy the other. It was just a way for
me to connect my writing.
Thirdly, I would
like to talk about Lacey’s Seduction
Lacey’s Seduction
is a book about a woman who had a one night stand with a man. And wanted more.
So she sets out to get who she wants!
Lacey’s Seduction Blurb:
One seduction leads
to another as two people fight to come together.
Lacey seduces Brent Wilson after careful planning. Everything seems to go
according to plan...until he gets up and leaves, breaking her heart in the
process.
Brent knows he messed things up with Lacey. He has to make things up to her.
Using her feelings for him, he sets out to return the seduction.
Will they find their way to each other or end up destroying each other's
hearts?
Lacey’s Seduction Excerpt:
Five years, she'd
waited.
Five years, she'd wanted him.
Tonight, after months of planning, she would have him.
Lacey Palmer stood in front of Brent Wilson baring her soul. The black lace
camisole parted seductively, giving a full view of her soft, round breasts. The
matching thong would come off with just the slightest tug. The black stockings
hugged her legs, stopping at her tanned thighs, and the stiletto heels that
finished the outfit would put her mouth at just the right height.
She motioned him into the plush hotel room with a crook of her finger and toss
of her hair.
He stepped inside, looking like every woman's fantasy man. Dark hair and eyes
matched his tanned face. As he approached she watched the muscles of his thighs
strain against the material of his slacks. She could tell he was already hard.
But she wanted more from him.
His face showed his surprise when he’d seen her open the door half dressed.
She’d sent him an email that said she would be coming to town to attend a
conference. It was just a small lie. But one she hoped would result in spending
the entire weekend wrapped around him. She hoped she could turn their
friendship into something much more intimate.
Lacey closed the remaining distance and ran the tip of her tongue over his jaw
and across his lips. When he opened his mouth to allow her access, she moved
down.
She didn’t kiss him yet. If she did, she might lose control and her seduction
would go to waste. Brent was an alpha male, and she wanted to give him a night
of pleasure. Give herself to him so he might feel more for her.
She was encouraged that he hadn’t questioned her yet. He hadn’t backed away and
told her to stop. She swallowed the fear of rejection and continued to try to
entice him to her bed.
He looked elegant in his dark pleated pants and white button down shirt. He was
tall, over six feet of pure American beef.
With shaky fingers, she undid each button of his shirt. Once she reached the
waistband of his pants, she pulled the shirt out and let it fall to the floor.
Running her hands first over his shoulders then his chest, she bent her head to
place feather light kisses. He lifted a hand and buried it in her hair, and as
she moved lower, it tightened. When she reached the clasp of his pants, he
grabbed her hand.
"Be sure," is all he said, his voice soft and quiet.
She shivered in anticipation.
Oh, she was sure. She was absolutely positive that this night with him would be
even more spectacular than her fantasies. She brushed his hand away and slowly
undid the clasp and zipper. Letting them fall to the ground, she moaned in
approval as his erection sprang out. He didn’t wear any underwear, and for some
reason, that turned her on even more.
She gently wrapped her hand around him and ran her thumb over the tip,
collecting the small drop of pre-cum. Her mouth watered at the thought of
tasting him.
My Thoughts on Lacey’ s Seduction:
Lacey is a spit
fire. She knows what she wants and she wants Brent. Brent panicks and ends up
messing things up. Now with some help from a few friends Brent tries to win
Lacey back. Brent is another member of the elite special force along with Matt
and Jake. Again you do not have to read any of the other books or can read in
any order.
The final book I would like to bring attention to is Bid High
Bid High is a MFM or ménage book.
Bid High Blurb:
A bachelor auction,
a plan, and a night that will change everything.
Amber Wilson is tired of her boring life. She craves something more than just
the average day ho-hum. When her best friend gets tickets to the hottest event
in town, Amber sees her chance to live wild for one night.
Thomas Baldwin and Jake Grant have watched Amber from a far. They know she is
the one woman who can complete the life they've made for themselves. The woman
who will accept their love for each other while filling the hole that remains.
The plan - get the auction tickets to Amber's friend, get her to bid and win
Thomas, then use every trick in the book to seduce her into becoming theirs.
Forever.
Bid High Excerpt:
“You
didn’t!” Amber Wilson was shocked. In disbelief, she stared at her two best
friends.
Trish nodded. “I did!”
Jessica laughed with Trish. “It wasn’t easy either. The auction has been sold
out for months.”
“I’m not going!” Amber argued. They really expected her to go to an auction,
bid on a stranger and have sex with him? Her best friends should know her
better than that.
“You’re going,” Trish told her sternly. Then Amber watched with horror as Trish
took the tickets from her purse.
Amber tried a different angle. “You can’t afford those!” She was not going.
“Actually I didn’t. They were…a gift. And you two are my dates.”
Jessica stirred her coffee. “We don’t need dates. We buy them there.” She
giggled.
Taking a drink of her coffee, Amber tried to come up with another excuse. “I
can’t afford the men there.”
Her two friends exchanged amused smiles. “It’s for charity. A very good
charity. And we all know you’re loaded anyway.”
Amber sighed, knowing no excuse would be good enough. “I’d be so embarrassed.”
Reaching out a hand, Jessica patted her arm. “We’ll be there for support. I’m
sorry we had to do it this way but you need to get out there again.”
“It’s been three years, honey,” Trish added.
“I know how long it’s been,” she snapped, not wanting to dwell too much on why
it had been three years. “And it’s not that I’m not ready, I just haven’t met
anyone I find…interesting.”
“Maybe Friday night you will,” Trish pointed out gently.
My thoughts on Bid
High:
I love this book! I
wrote this for fun and ended submitted it later. Amber is Brent’s sister from
lacey’s Seduction. Amber’s friends work with the two main male characters
Thomas and Jake and she totally gets set up.
She ends up winning
one of the men in an auction but it is both men that want her in their bed.
Together.
The men already
have a relationship and want Amber to complete their circle.
Bid High through All Romance EBooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-bidhigh-454735-146.html
I want to Thank you
for spending time with me as we look back to 2009 and 2010. I hope you enjoyed
the excerpts and if you haven’t read one of the books you just might have found
something to read this weekend.
I hope you’ll join
me next week as we look back at the two books in the Corporate Wolves series:
The Favour and Losing Control.
Don’t Forget! By
commenting on this blog post or any social media posts about the flashback
Friday you will be entered into the drawing for a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card. Also
you can sign the Were Chronicles guest book: http://www.werechronicles.com and
mention the Flashback Friday posts to be entered into the drawing. So Good
Luck!
Crissy Smith
