Fueled By Instinct:

The tension inside the tent was palpable.

            You could cut it with a knife, Devin thought, realizing she could smell Lane’s masculine scent even stronger now, lying on her back. His cologne filled her nostrils, assailing her senses.

            She wanted to feel him, taste him. But she held back, knowing nothing good could come of a summer romance, a fling, a one-night stand, or anything else that might develop with Lane.

But, oh, how she wanted to reach out to him. Her body had a mind of its own, it seemed, and her willpower was losing out.

Her breathing became erratic, shallow, as her traitorous, needy body ached for the man beside her.

She thought of how hard and safe his muscled chest had felt as he’d lifted her and carried her into the motel room after she’d been hit by the car, as if she were lighter than a feather.

Then she flushed, remembering his gentle touch as his lips had brushed hers, oh so tenderly, almost as if he’d been treasuring her, and holding himself back.

Then she remembered how he’d taken control, and she’d let him, and liked it. 

Her body throbbed and pulsated now, moistness pooling between her legs as she thought of the passionate interlude in the bar when she’d kissed him. It was the first time, other than in photos, that she’d looked into those magnificent eyes.

Lord, it was going to be a long, sleepless, hot night.

Cloaked In Assassination:

She looked him right in the eye. “Are you up to the task?”

He grinned that arrogant lopsided grin at her and asked, “What? Do you mean to tell me you don't know I'm up for the job? You came to me, remember?”

She wanted to smack the grin off his gorgeous face. Or kiss him senseless. How confusing. The obnoxious, toxic clown .

“Yes. I remember,” she confirmed. “From what I know of you, I think you're capable of carrying out this mission, but you've been out of the Navy for a while now, so you might be a little rusty. Are you? Rusty, that is?” She sneered her dare at him.

He leered right back at her, completely unfazed, if his answer was any indication. “Don't worry. I'll show you just how rusty I'm not .”

His eyes dug into Rene and got under her goose-pimpled skin. His gruff voice sent a warm shiver down her stiff spine. She was so tense and prickly, she might break down, if she weren't so stubborn and experienced in dealing with people like him. Not that she'd ever met any just like him, but still, no way could she relax, not around this guy. As if she could. She figured being around Hunter would keep her jittery and on edge until this mission was over.

Destination Ever After:

“You're looking as if you're feeling better and…more flexible.”

He shifted from his back onto his side, turning towards her, propping himself up on an elbow, facing her. She heard the smile on his lips. “Flexible? Is that what you really wanted to say?”

She held her ground, immobilized. She said stiffly, “Yes. Flexible.”

“Not…ruggedly handsome, manly, gorgeous? Breathtaking? All of the above?” He teased her.

Was the miserable lout actually laughing at her?

Maybe, maybe not. He was definitely fishing for a compliment, feeling her out, or testing her. Something. He unwittingly played with fire.

She scoffed, “You might be a little bit…cute, but you don't need me massaging your ego. I'm sure you have plenty of women back in the grand state of Texas doing that for you on a daily basis.”

He placed his large, warm hand on her hip, and she stiffened and shivered. “You sound a little jealous.”

She reached up and brushed his hand from her hip. It singed her.

Ridiculous , she thought again, that such a slight touch should do such devastating things to her traitorous body.

Coincidence: #3 Bestseller for Feb. 2009

“I’m sorry, Sal. I know I’ve been rough on you. It’s not you. It’s me.”

She lowered her arms and stepped toward him. She stopped before they touched, only inches away. They might as well have been touching though, for all the heat coming from her body and pouring into his now-traumatized one. The electricity humming between them nearly knocked Sal to his now-wobbly knees.

Her body called to his, and he sensed her essence floating in the air, her sensuous aroma attacking every nerve ending. His breathing became even more radical, his arousal more intense, more painful. He needed release, or at the very least distance, and a cold shower, again.

He wore boxers. There was no way for him to hide his reaction.

Lori continued her torture, caressing him like a fresh, warm breeze with her sultry voice. “But I don’t want to talk about our past, or my past either. I don’t even want to think about the future. I want to live…tonight…and share it…with you. Will you, Sal? Share the night with me, that is?”

She raked her eyes up and down his body. He wanted her to skim her wonderful hands over his skin. Tiny sensations prickled throughout his whole body, sending shooting pulses spiraling outward from the pit of his stomach to the depths of his soul, crushing his air-filled lungs with the breath he couldn’t drag in and out quickly enough. His heart wasn’t just beating. It was about to explode inside his chest. He had to get his body under control.

Focus, Sal. Mind over matter.

Problem was, his mind was mush right now, and his body was hard and tense as a rock, everywhere. He was having an out of body experience. He trembled. A first for him. No woman ever made him tremble. He was dumbfounded, amazed that Lori…

No, she couldn’t really be here. Maybe he slept in his chair and this was a dream or a figment of his overactive imagination haunting his slumber. Maybe he should try to reach out, touch her, and see if she was real. In a daze, he extended a hand to touch her cheek. An electric jolt rippled through his fingers, shot up his arm, ripped through his system in delicious layers of desire, shocked him to his senses, and made him face reality. She was here all right, and she just asked him if he wanted her.

Hell, yes.

Combustion: #1 Bestseller for June 2009

John opened the door, and it was her. All the feelings he’d been having for the past few days rushed at him, enveloped him, and punched him right square in the gut, and then delved lower. The heat dipped and his blood pumped, faster, hotter. All he could do was stare at her like a love-sick puppy. She stood there, looking uncertain, and vulnerable. Her beautiful long, red hair waved slightly with the breeze, the gusts of wind blowing through it, swirling it around her upper body, making her look angelic, or devilish maybe. She stared back at him, bit her lip, and then spoke, quietly, anxiously, “I hate to bother you, but…I…I…oh, never mind. I’m sorry I bothered you.”

She started to turn away, but John stepped the rest of the way out of his door and stopped her with his hand on her arm. “No, please, wait. What can I help you with?”

A bolt of lightening shot straight through him and his system spiraled nearly out of control. He saw her shiver, and he touched her, bare skin to bare skin, at her wrist, wrapping his fingers around her pounding pulse point. Electric shock vibrated between their bodies. The power surged through him and jolted him. The smart thing to do would be to remove his hand and break the all-encompassing contact, immediately if not sooner. Right then, he didn’t feel very smart. He wasn’t even thinking. He just wanted to touch her. He’d been wanting to for days.

Consequences

COMING IN SEPTEMBER 2009

            "Dio. Do you know what you're doing to me?" Nick couldn't catch his breath.

            “No. Not really. All I know is I want you to kiss me. I want you to show me what I’m doing to you. I know what you’re doing to me, and I want you to touch me.” Jeni’s voice shook and reverberated through him. The low, seductive sound of it soothed his soul.

            Nick lost his last bit of resistance and gave in to the need to kiss her. With a groan, he pulled her to him, taking her mouth with his, softly, at first. His body hardened against hers, and he deepened the kiss, tasting her, trying not to devour her. She moaned in response, and the needy, guttural sound tore at him. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, and she opened to him in silent invitation.

            Satisfying his hunger by attempting to consume her sweet mouth, he pushed her back against the wall and mimicked the act of lovemaking he’d rather be engaged in. His chest heaved, and his pulse raced. He drove his tongue between her lips then sucked on her tongue when she responded in kind. She tasted good, she felt better, and this dance created a swirling fire within him like no other he’d ever experienced.

            Nick’s world tilted beyond thinking and reasoning. His body wanted to get closer to her, become part of her, and melt into her.

            “I want you, Nick. Please. Perfavore.”

            He couldn’t believe his pounding ears, but it was all the encouragement he needed. Lifting her and carrying her to her bed, he laid her down as gentle as he could. He’d take this as slow as possible, so he wouldn’t frighten her, but he was close to losing control.

            She reached for his hand as he stood over her, looking at her, admiring her curves and beauty. How had he gotten so lucky?

Erotica:) Beware...unless you like it;)

Guard My Baby:

Lainie smiled. “We’ll call her Eli, for short, if that’s all right with you.”

All right? All right? Lainie waned to name their baby after his mother and deceased sister and niece, and she wondered if it was all right? God help him, the woman was a saint.

“Eli,” Cade whispered and surged forward. He grabbed Lainie’s hand, and she sucked in a surprised breath. He kissed her full on the lips, long enough to rock them both to the depths of their souls, and then he stood by the bed and released her hand. She stared at him, unblinking and blushing, changing the pale complexion she wore after her torturous birthing ordeal to crimson. He winced at her reaction, but he wasn’t sorry for kissing her. He’d been wanting to do so, from the moment he’d opened her front door and recognized her.

Cade stepped back and drew in a deep breath. He needed to get himself back under control. He ran a trembling hand through his hair and sighed. He shouldn’t let all this affect him so much. He should keep his distance. He should…

Guard My Body: 2nd in series of six of "Guard My" Series.

Who the hell sends a librarian to do the job of an undercover CIA agent?

Covert Operation Expert Nash Kincaid - at least that's what his latest passport said - sat in a seedy biker bar, sipping on his tap beer, waiting impatiently for a librarian - of all people - to show up and make a Top Secret information drop.

He scowled and scoffed silently into his foamy brew at the very balls of his friend and fellow comrade in arms, the man who'd set up this preposterous rendezvous. How the hell had Ace ever gotten it in his head that some stuffy old bookworm would be suitable for a transfer of classified information? So what if this Ayden person happened to be Ace's partner Leigh's sister? That didn't mean she could pull off something like this.

And who the hell is the amazing-looking chick that just walked in the door?

Nash's eyes widened, and his blood simmered beneath the surface. He let his eyes wander down, and then roam back up, the woman's sexy form. Her slim but amply curved silhouette stood out against the shadows of the barroom. Bright neon lights poured over her sexy outline, illuminating her body in vibrant red and yellow hues, cascading over and around her like waterfalls of color for her to bask in. She wore a skin-tight muscle shirt and a short leather skirt. The shiny, sequined material clung to curvy hips, stopped inches above shapely knees, and topped off endless, toned legs. Her fiery hair hung loose, reaching her narrow waistline, flowing like a billowing sea of red. Nash wanted to grip her waist with one hand, run his other through all that mass of organized tangles, hold on tight, and plow into her beckoning body like a madman.

Okay, so maybe her body didn't beckon him, but he sure as hell wanted it to.

Think Tank: 

Some dangerous questions to ponder...and remember, I'm just asking and playing the Devil's advocate. I'm a teacher. I do it all the time:)

1. Do you believe in the death penalty?

2. Do you think all the people in prisons are guilty?

3. How can we stop spouse and child abuse? Why do you think it happens?

4. Are people born good or evil? Are they products of genetics or environment?

5. Does the government keep too many secrets, or do we need secrets to keep our country safe? How should spies be treated-that we catch-that are our and are caught by other countries?

6. What sub genre of romance do you prefer?

7. Why do people kill people? Why do serial killlers exist? What turns people into monsters? Environment? Genetics?

NOTE: I've always written contemporary romantic suspense, but I'm branching out into paranormal: hence, the dragon below:)