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Sunday Snippet—GIFT WRAPPED—Slippery
It’s time for another Sunday snippet from GIFT WRAPPED. You can catch up on previous snippets here. This week, I jumped ahead several pages. Davis has been attempting to teach Brinn how to make pudding from scratch in his kitchen, but I’m not so sure they’re ever going to get it finished…
He stopped her before she popped his button. “I want you. A hell of a lot. But you touch me now and I’m done with self-control. I’ll bend you over this counter and slide your sexy body through half-made pudding while I fuck you.” The scenario had come out of nowhere, but damn. Brinn blinked up at him—once, twice—then tugged his button open.
Things were about to get slippery.
Visit the Weekend Writing Warriors website for more participants in the eight-sentence snippet meme.
Get more of dirty-talking chef Davis here:
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Blurb
After catching her boyfriend cheating two weeks before Christmas, Brinn is seriously lacking in holiday spirit. So when she looks into the eyes of a last-minute shopper after closing on Christmas Eve, she’s sarcastic rather than sympathetic. But Brinn is ever the good girl and her conscience wins out. She offers the handsome stranger ten minutes to select a gift and ends up with a present of her own—a date. On Christmas Eve.
Davis hates Christmas. Especially this year, since a neighborhood heist liberated him of his hard-earned belongings and the few gifts he’d purchased. But the robbery led him to a cute store manager with a sense of humor, smokin’ body and no plans for the evening. Mistletoe might be in order after all.
Their Christmas Eve date is like gift-wrapped, sexy satisfaction. But the best gifts keep on giving, and one naughty night may not be enough—for either of them.
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Cover Reveal and a Giveaway—CHERRY ON TOP
It’s here! Cover reveal day for CHERRY ON TOP! I knew as soon as I saw this image, many months ago, that it was the one for this book. I love the romantic sexiness and the playful expressions on both their faces—it’s a perfect fit for Ben & Lindsay’s story.
Cherry on Top
Close to Home Series ~ Book 3
Lindsay could write the book on falling in love—with the wrong guy. From bad boys to a married man, she’s made one bad choice after another, gravitating toward men destined to hurt her. Except at her brother’s wedding. This time, she’s drawn to a good guy—the pastor. Ben is handsome, single, and definitely interested. But with her past mistakes, maybe Ben is too good…
After two tours in the Middle East, Ben returned home needing peace and purpose. He found it as pastor of a laid-back, small-town church. There’s just one thing missing from his life—love. In a community of a couple thousand, his options are limited. Until Lindsay comes to town for a wedding. Sparks fly between them, but she’s skittish. If Ben wants her to stay, he’ll have to convince her that he’s more than a man of God—he’s the right man for her.
I’m giving away 4 ebooks & a $10 Amazon gift card to celebrate! Just click over to Rafflecopter and enter the draw!
alternate link to the entry form: rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5c261ed532/
About CHERRY ON TOP…
CHERRY ON TOP is Book 3 in the Close to Home series, but it can be read as a standalone story. If you’d like to meet Ben and Lindsay before their book releases, you’ll find them both in Book 2, ICING ON THE CAKE.
CHERRY ON TOP is a hot contemporary romance. The release date is March 19, 2015.
Sign up here to participate in the release week events!
So, what do you think of the cover?
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Guest Post—TEMPTATION RETURNS by Lisa Carlisle
I’m happy to share the lovely Lisa Carlisle‘s newest release, TEMPTATION RETURNS, with you today. Isn’t that a hot cover?
Temptation Returns
Lisa Carlisle
Antonio returns from the Marine Corps to begin a new life as a civilian. While visiting Cape Cod, he meets a strange woman who reads his Tarot cards. He doesn’t believe in such nonsense; after all, he’s a Marine. When he returns to Boston, he receives a ticket to a rock club where he runs into the one woman he never forgot.
Lina can’t believe Antonio is back in town, right before her wedding. Being around him again resurrects long-buried feelings. Will she be able to resist temptation in the form of a dark-haired Italian Marine, the same man who once broke her heart?
Available now from:
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Excerpt
“These guys are awesome,” Krystal shouted over the music. “Impossible not to have a good time at their shows.”
“Glad I brought you,” Lina replied. “I doubt this would be Brett’s scene.”
They danced and sang along for several songs until the singer announced, “We’re going to take a break. Get a drink, take a piss, and get ready for the second part of the show, which will blow away the first.”
Lina and Krystal were among the first to get to the women’s room. By the time they came out, a line was forming out the door.
“Drink?” Krystal suggested.
“Yeah, let me think. What do I want?” She glanced up at the bar. “Oh, my God.” She turned away and looked up to the ceiling, which had dozens of rubber bats hanging from the rafters. “Oh, God. Oh, God.”
Krystal turned to her, perplexed. “What?”
“My ex is here.”
Krystal scanned the room. “Who? Where?”
“The tall one at the bar. Black hair, black shirt. Tattooed arms.”
“The guy standing so straight like he has a rod up his back?”
“Yes. He can’t help it. He’s a Marine.”
Krystal’s mouth became a perfect O. “Holy shit. The one you were crazy about?”
Lina couldn’t respond so she nodded, unable to tear her eyes from him. Three years had passed, but he appeared as young and as vibrant as when he was a teenager. His black hair was shorter than when they’d first started dating, but not as close cut as while enlisted in the Marines.
His eyes still conveyed a sense of amusement and burned with an intensity that could render women speechless, including her when they’d first met at a club like this one. His body was leaner than when she’d last seen him; he’d lost some weight that further defined his muscles. He resembled a boxer more than a bodybuilder. The whole package was one she’d never been able to resist. A sucker for dark, brooding Italian boys, he captured it so well he should have been on tourist brochures. It would get her on the first flight to Italy.
Krystal brought her back to earth. “Are you going to say hi to him?”
Lina’s mind scrambled. “I don’t know what to do.”
He must have felt her eyes staring as he turned her way and caught her eye. She froze, unable to break the stare.
“Looks like he knows you’re here now.”
“Uh, ah, um…”
Krystal nudged her arm. “Snap out of it, Lina. No matter what happened between you, he’s still just a guy. It was a long time ago, and you’ve moved on. You’re a strong, confident woman. Don’t let that hot shit with a poker up his ass undermine that.”
Lina faced Krystal. “You’re right. It’s—unexpected. Last I heard he was over in Afghanistan.”
“And now he’s coming your way.”
About Lisa CarlisleLisa Carlisle is a USA Today Bestselling author of romance and suspense. She loves stories with dark, brooding heroes and independent, caring heroines. Her romances have been named Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews and All Romance Ebooks. When she was younger, she worked at a variety of jobs in various countries. She backpacked alone through Europe and lived in Paris before returning to the U.S. and draws on her travels for inspiration for settings. Lisa also owned a bookstore for a few years as she loves to read. She’s now married with two kids, has a cat and many fish.
Connect with Lisa:
Newsletter • Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon
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Sunday Snippet – GIFT WRAPPED – Cooking Lesson
Welcome back for another Sunday snippet from GIFT WRAPPED. This little morsel follows very close after last week’s bite. Brinn and Davis are on their spontaneous first date—they’re in his kitchen, where Davis is attempting to teach Brinn how to make homemade pudding. Enjoy!
(Then head over to the Weekend Writing Warriors site for the full list of this week’s participants.)“Measuring cups and spoons are in the drawer beside the fridge; so’s the big whisk, a wooden spoon and a rubber spatula.”“Is the wooden spoon for stirring, or for punishment when I screw up your fancy pudding?”
And he’d just mentally added another item to his do-to-Brinn list. He delivered a firm smack to her sexy ass as an interim measure. “Now I’m half tempted to lead you astray during your lesson.”
“Only half?”
He groaned when she snuck her hand down the front of his jeans and curled her fingers around his cock. “Sixty percent—and rapidly rising.”
Want more of the sexy chef?
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After catching her boyfriend cheating two weeks before Christmas, Brinn is seriously lacking in holiday spirit. So when she looks into the eyes of a last-minute shopper after closing on Christmas Eve, she’s sarcastic rather than sympathetic. But Brinn is ever the good girl and her conscience wins out. She offers the handsome stranger ten minutes to select a gift and ends up with a present of her own—a date. On Christmas Eve.
Davis hates Christmas. Especially this year, since a neighborhood heist liberated him of his hard-earned belongings and the few gifts he’d purchased. But the robbery led him to a cute store manager with a sense of humor, smokin’ body and no plans for the evening. Mistletoe might be in order after all.
Their Christmas Eve date is like gift-wrapped, sexy satisfaction. But the best gifts keep on giving, and one naughty night may not be enough—for either of them.
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Sunday Snippet – GIFT WRAPPED – Timing and Execution
Welcome, it’s Sunday snippet time, part of the Weekend Writing Warriors meme. We’re still with Davis and Brinn on their spontaneous date, following their initial meeting after hours at the mall where Brinn works. They’ve just finished the delicious meal Davis (a professional chef) cooked, after which Brinn admits to a chronic lack of luck in the food-preparation department.
“Ah,” he winked, “you burn stuff.”“I don’t burn anything, I just haven’t met the oven of my dreams yet.”
Dimples, he had them. Not a feature she usually cared for on a man—too boyish. On Davis, they didn’t look the least bit juvenile—in fact, they were panty-melting hot.
He leaned forward and curled his hand over her leg, very high on her thigh. “Cooking is like sex. You don’t have to have the best equipment to get great results—it’s all about timing and execution.”
GIFT WRAPPED
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Blurb
After catching her boyfriend cheating two weeks before Christmas, Brinn is seriously lacking in holiday spirit. So when she looks into the eyes of a last-minute shopper after closing on Christmas Eve, she’s sarcastic rather than sympathetic. But Brinn is ever the good girl and her conscience wins out. She offers the handsome stranger ten minutes to select a gift and ends up with a present of her own—a date. On Christmas Eve.
Davis hates Christmas. Especially this year, since a neighborhood heist liberated him of his hard-earned belongings and the few gifts he’d purchased. But the robbery led him to a cute store manager with a sense of humor, smokin’ body and no plans for the evening. Mistletoe might be in order after all.
Their Christmas Eve date is like gift-wrapped, sexy satisfaction. But the best gifts keep on giving, and one naughty night may not be enough—for either of them.
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Sunday Snippet – GIFT WRAPPED – Go Big
Thanks for popping by for another Sunday snippet from GIFT WRAPPED. Catch up on previous weeks’ entries from Brinn & Davis’s story here. Find more Weekend Writing Warriors’ offerings here.
In today’s little bite, we’re with Brinn at Davis’s house. They’re in his kitchen, waiting for the dinner he prepared to finish cooking…
“Want a full tour of the house while we wait for the chicken to finish up?”“How much time do we have?” More fluttering in her belly — this time, from straight-up anticipation about getting naked in one of those rooms down the hall. Might as well go big since she wasn’t going home. She joined him by the stove, slid her palms over the hard wall of abs covered by a snug black t-shirt, then around his waist to his very squeezable butt.
Hint taken. He copied her move—the last part, anyway—and pulled her tight against his body. Either he had a flashlight in his front pocket or he was equally eager to move things down the hall.
Amazon • All Romance • iTunes • B&N • more retailers
Blurb
After catching her boyfriend cheating two weeks before Christmas, Brinn is seriously lacking in holiday spirit. So when she looks into the eyes of a last-minute shopper after closing on Christmas Eve, she’s sarcastic rather than sympathetic. But Brinn is ever the good girl and her conscience wins out. She offers the handsome stranger ten minutes to select a gift and ends up with a present of her own—a date. On Christmas Eve.
Davis hates Christmas. Especially this year, since a neighborhood heist liberated him of his hard-earned belongings and the few gifts he’d purchased. But the robbery led him to a cute store manager with a sense of humor, smokin’ body and no plans for the evening. Mistletoe might be in order after all.
Their Christmas Eve date is like gift-wrapped, sexy satisfaction. But the best gifts keep on giving, and one naughty night may not be enough—for either of them.
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New Year, New Book Coming Soon!
Happy New Year! I’m excited for 2015, are you? I have lots planned to keep me busy in the writing department this year. First up, finishing CHERRY ON TOP for its release March 5th.
CHERRY ON TOP is Book 3 in the Close to Home series. The books are linked and characters overlap, but each story can be read as a standalone.
And here’s a snippet from page one, when Lindsay meets Ben for the first time, at a rehearsal for her brother’s wedding — in the church where Ben is pastor…
Want to participate in the cover reveal January 21st, or the release week events in March?
Book Blurb
Lindsay could write the book on falling in love—with the wrong guy. From bad boys to a married man, she’s made one bad choice after another, gravitating toward men destined to hurt her. Except at her brother’s wedding. This time, she’s drawn to a good guy—the pastor. Ben is handsome, single, and definitely interested. But with her past mistakes, maybe Ben is too good…
After two tours in the Middle East, Ben returned home needing peace and purpose. He found it as pastor of a laid-back, small-town church. There’s just one thing missing from his life—love. In a community of a couple thousand, his options are limited. Until Lindsay comes to town for a wedding. Sparks fly between them, but she’s skittish. If Ben wants her to stay, he’ll have to convince her that he’s more than a man of God—he’s the right man for her.
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Sunday Snippet – GIFT WRAPPED – Not Everything’s Soft
Happy holidays, all! This Sunday snippet is from GIFT WRAPPED, my newest release. Brinn is a recently jilted mall-store manager, on a spontaneous dinner date with the last-minute shopper she allowed into her store after closing on Christmas Eve. They’re in Davis’s kitchen, where dinner prep has been interrupted by their close contact…
Catch up on previous snippets from the story here. Check out the other Weekend Writing Warriors’ offerings here.
“Never stop doing that,” he said as her fingers smoothed along his eyebrows, then moved higher to the top of his head, featherlight and so damn good he had to give in and close his eyes.“Okay.” Minty breath tickled his nose. She caressed every inch of his head, leaning into him until her tits mashed against his chest. “I didn’t expect it to be this soft.”
“Not what a guy wants to hear when a beautiful woman has her hands on him.” The vibrations from her giggle shot straight to his groin. “Believe me, babe, not everything’s soft.”
Available now for just $2.99
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Blurb
After catching her boyfriend cheating two weeks before Christmas, Brinn is seriously lacking in holiday spirit. So when she looks into the eyes of a last-minute shopper after closing on Christmas Eve, she’s sarcastic rather than sympathetic. But Brinn is ever the good girl and her conscience wins out. She offers the handsome stranger ten minutes to select a gift and ends up with a present of her own—a date. On Christmas Eve.
Davis hates Christmas. Especially this year, since a neighborhood heist liberated him of his hard-earned belongings and the few gifts he’d purchased. But the robbery led him to a cute store manager with a sense of humor, smokin’ body and no plans for the evening. Mistletoe might be in order after all.
Their Christmas Eve date is like gift-wrapped, sexy satisfaction. But the best gifts keep on giving, and one naughty night may not be enough—for either of them.
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Sunday Snippet – GIFT WRAPPED – Stamina
It’s Sunday snippet time, part of the Weekend Writing Warriors meme. I’m posting from my new Christmas romance, GIFT WRAPPED. If you haven’t been following along, you can catch up here.
Brinn is a recently jilted retail store manager who allowed a handsome shopper into her store at closing time on Christmas Eve to buy “one more gift, it’s kind of an emergency”. After some spark-filled banter, they’ve wrapped up the transaction, and Davis has left the store, but he stopped before he got six feet into the empty mall corridor…
“Did you forget something?” she asked, doing her best to sound like a store manager, not president of the local lonely-hearts club.“I know it’s Christmas Eve, but do you want to do something tonight?”
“What about Alicia, don’t you have plans with her?”
“Yeah, but that’ll only take five minutes.”
“Ouch—is improving your stamina on your list of New Year’s resolutions?”
His gut-deep laugh echoed through the empty mall corridor. Then, alpha as hell, he stalked back to the door. “I don’t do resolutions, but if I did, improving my stamina wouldn’t need to be one of them.”
Available now in ebook & print
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Get GIFT WRAPPED for half price! $1.50 at All Romance, December 21st only!
Blurb
After catching her boyfriend cheating two weeks before Christmas, Brinn is seriously lacking in holiday spirit. So when she looks into the eyes of a last-minute shopper after closing on Christmas Eve, she’s sarcastic rather than sympathetic. But Brinn is ever the good girl and her conscience wins out. She offers the handsome stranger ten minutes to select a gift and ends up with a present of her own—a date. On Christmas Eve.
Davis hates Christmas. Especially this year, since a neighborhood heist liberated him of his hard-earned belongings and the few gifts he’d purchased. But the robbery led him to a cute store manager with a sense of humor, smokin’ body and no plans for the evening. Mistletoe might be in order after all.
Their Christmas Eve date is like gift-wrapped, sexy satisfaction. But the best gifts keep on giving, and one naughty night may not be enough—for either of them.
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Sunday Snippet – GIFT WRAPPED – Curvy
Time for another Sunday snippet from GIFT WRAPPED, my holiday romance, part of the Weekend Writing Warriors meme. This little bite follows immediately after last week’s excerpt. Store manager Brinn has let a handsome shopper into her store after closing on Christmas Eve, to find “one more gift…it’s kind of an emergency”.
“So, give me the specs on this not-a-wife, not-a-girlfriend, who doesn’t wear perfume.”His hands disappeared into the front pockets of his jeans, taking her mind along with them. “I’d say Alicia’s about your height and build, but younger, and less…curvy.”
“And on that note, guess I’ll start my New Year’s diet a week early and pray that Santa brings me some anti-aging cream.” When he dared to chuckle, Brinn pulled a pair of black, size-small pants and a soft, white hoodie from the rack and stabbed them at him. “How about this set—it looks fantastic on trim, younger women.”
“Do you like it?” he asked, not even bothering to look at the stuff, just keeping his gaze on her.
“I do—I have the same ones at home…slightly stretched out from my curviness.”
Want more holiday fun? GIFT WRAPPED is available now for just $2.99
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Check it out on Goodreads — 4+ stars with over 100 ratings & 40 reviews!
Blurb
After catching her boyfriend cheating two weeks before Christmas, Brinn is seriously lacking in holiday spirit. So when she looks into the eyes of a last-minute shopper after closing on Christmas Eve, she’s sarcastic rather than sympathetic. But Brinn is ever the good girl and her conscience wins out. She offers the handsome stranger ten minutes to select a gift and ends up with a present of her own—a date. On Christmas Eve.
Davis hates Christmas. Especially this year, since a neighborhood heist liberated him of his hard-earned belongings and the few gifts he’d purchased. But the robbery led him to a cute store manager with a sense of humor, smokin’ body and no plans for the evening. Mistletoe might be in order after all.
Their Christmas Eve date is like gift-wrapped, sexy satisfaction. But the best gifts keep on giving, and one naughty night may not be enough—for either of them.
