Kilted Lover (13 page)
She released a breath. “Oh, Scott. It’s beautiful!” More tears slid down her face. “Did you have this specially made?”
“Yes. It matches your amulet.” When he took the ring from the box and slipped it onto her finger, he noticed the amulet pendant around her neck glowing brighter than ever. Through some sort of magic or destiny, it had brought them together. “Now you’re mine.” He smiled, knowing he had to be the happiest man on earth.
“And you’re mine.”
About The Author:
Nicole North lives with her husband in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, but wishes she lived in the Scottish Highlands at least half the year. Though she holds a degree in psychology, writing hot romance is her first love. Nicole’s first story for
Red Sage
,
Devil in a Kilt
, is available in
Secrets Volume 27 Untamed Pleasures
. Please visit her website at www.nicolenorth.com and drop her a line. She loves hearing from readers.
Special Bonus Section
Preview of “Hot for Teacher” by Liza James
Interview With Kristin Daniels
Dean’s Easy Potato Salad Recipe From Kristin Daniels
New in Print! “Object of Desire,” a Novel by Calista Fox
Preview of “Hot for Teacher”
by Liza James
If you enjoyed sizzling contemporary romances like “Kilted Lover,” you might also like a story about a teacher who has to learn a lesson the hard way!
HOT FOR TEACHER
By
LIZA JAMES
High school teacher Tessa Marshall is at a club with her sister celebrating her 40th birthday when the hunk of her dreams walks through the door. He's tall, dark, and oh-so handsome. He's also ten years her junior, which makes him the perfect candidate for a night of smokin' hot birthday sex. Only it quickly becomes apparent the man is special, which scares the hell out of her since nothing can ever come of it. With regret, she slips from the room while he's sleeping, intending never to see him again.
Scott Chapman is captivated by the beautiful Tessa, and though he swore off relationships several years ago, he finds himself instantly drawn to the blonde stunner. He takes her back to his hotel room for the birthday night of her life, and soon realizes their connection is deeper than he'd imagined. When he wakes up the following morning and discovers her gone, he's disappointed. They both find out, however, that fate has a mind of its own.
EXCERPT
Tessa was about to go get herself a refill when a familiar hot body stepped into her line of vision. He smiled, setting her pulse to racing yet again. “Hi. I was wondering if I could buy you a drink, maybe sit and chat for few minutes?”
“Um, sure. Okay.” Pffft. Smooth, Tessa. Real smooth.
“So what are you drinking?” He reached out for her glass.
She creamed in her panties as that deep masculine voice washed over. “Chardonnay.”
“Back in a flash.”
Good Lord, his mere voice was enough to send her pink parts into overdrive. Just imagine what would happen if his lips and tongue joined the party. Did she say if? Make that ‘when’, because Tessa knew exactly what she wanted for her birthday. To be sucked and fucked until she didn’t have enough energy left to lift her arms.
He returned and set her glass on the table before taking the seat Marla had vacated.
“Thank you.” Tessa met his gaze and smiled, growing wetter by the second. The urge to slip her hand beneath the table and plunge two fingers into her aching cunt was nearly overpowering. Squirming in her seat, she gave herself a mental shake, unable to remember the last time she’d been this turned on.
He propped his forearms on the table and leaned in to confess, “No thanks necessary, my motive is purely selfish. I want you, and I intend to have you, by any means necessary.”
Tessa stared at him for several beats before bursting into laughter.
He grinned. “Not exactly the response I was hoping for. Guess I’m not as smooth as I thought I was.”
Once she’d brought it down to a chuckle, Tessa admitted, “Sorry. It’s just...for a moment I felt like I’d stepped into the pages of a romance novel.”
He leaned back in his chair and picked up his beer. “That bad, huh?”
“Not bad, just...unexpected.” She took a sip of her wine and studied him through lusty eyes. “Be nice if you tossed me your name. You know, just in case I need to scream it out later tonight.”
Ten Questions With Kristin Daniels
Kristin Daniels has exploded onto the e-book scene with her award-winning new story, Nameless Surrender!
After months of blindfolds and secrets, after countless encounters without a single word spoken, Dean Lucas knows what his mysterious partner at the adult-only club Entice wants and gives her everything she physically desires. But now, he hungers for more than just her body—he craves her heart, too.
Betrayed by her ex-husband, Zoe Grant has finally found a way to be herself, a way to sate her long-hidden desires—without the risk of another broken heart—and the fact that she doesn’t know the man’s name, has never seen his face, suits her just fine.
But, when the two are unknowingly brought together outside their mutual comfort zone, will Zoe be able to set aside her past and surrender her trust once again—and can Dean convince Zoe, nameless or not, that love knows no bounds?
Mmm, dark and dangerous, just the way we like them! Now let's meet the author Kristin Daniels!
1) Hi, Kristin! How old were you when you first started writing?
Most people who write say they've done so since they were little kids. Not so for me. I came about writing later, but the idea was planted when my kids were young. I've always been a voracious reader, and would take myself away from the everyday realities of being a stay-at-home mom in all the books I'd read. Contemporaries, mysteries, romances, sci-fi — the genre didn't matter. My husband would always know when I was into a great book because we'd end up having soup and sandwiches for dinner. Then one day he said to me, "Why don't you write a book of your own, since you love reading so much?" I laughed! No way, I couldn't do that, could I? Well, several years later circumstances changed and my kids didn't need me 24/7. I figured, what the hell, why not? So I dabbled a little, and learned a ton.
I've been writing for a couple years now, and I love every minute of it.
2) What got you interested in erotic romance?
You know, I'll read just about anything, but erotic romance is at the top of that list. A few years back, I was out camping with my family and I finished the only book I had with me. So off to the local country Wal-Mart I went, hoping they had something good. That's when I picked up my first Linda Howard book. Now please understand, Linda Howard does not write erotic romance — but the sex scenes in that book... Wow. I knew right then that I'd found something that had been missing in all those other "sweet" romances I'd read before. Within a couple of weeks I'd read everything Ms. Howard had ever written, and the search was on for authors just like her, and boy I found a bunch! When I decided to try my hand at writing, the choice really was an easy one. Erotic romance combines a well-thought-out plot with steamy moments between the hero and heroine. It's a perfect mixture for me.
3) What do you like to read?
Anything and everything, really. Except historical. No offense to any historical novel lover out there, but I just can't get into them. I have what I call my cell phone rule. If it's current enough to have a cell phone used by a character, then that's the story for me, LOL.
But let's see, if you're going to make me choose, my list will always be topped by Romantic Suspense. And, the hotter the better, of course! I have a couple paranormal series I follow (yeah, the vampire ones) and I've been known to pick up a category romance here or there as well.
Throughout my life, though, my reading patterns have been very cyclical. For years I read standard romance (the sweet variety), then I got on a huge sci-fi kick that lasted for a long while before I moved on to more straight single title literature. Oh, and I got hooked on mysteries for a bit, too. But I always end up going back to my first love — the Romantic Suspense novel. I just love the danger mixed with a good dose of fiery passion!
4) Of all the heroes you've created, which is your favorite and why?
This is an easy question to answer. My favorite hero, hands down, is Dean Lucas from
Nameless Surrender
. When I first heard Red Sage was hosting a contest, and that it was an Alpha Male contest, I jumped at the opportunity. All of my heroes are alpha males, but Dean, to me, is the epitome of them all. A former Marine turned SWAT commander, he really is a guy's guy. Not only is he tall, strong and to-die-for sexy, but he has that considerate and kind flipside, too. He may not always make the right choices at the right times, but alpha males aren't known for doing anything simple. I wanted him to own up to his mistakes and face them head on. He loves fiercely, passionately and with all his heart. That's what makes him a keeper in my book (no pun intended, LOL!)!
5) How did becoming a writer change your life?
I don't know if becoming a writer really changed my life, but it did answer some questions I'd always had.
Growing up, my mother was very creative. She painted (landscapes in oils mostly), sewed and did every kind of artistic crafty-type thing imaginable. Early on, my sister showed those same traits. She was always drawing something, whether it be an intricate design of a Pegasus in pencil or a spot-on portrait of Debbie Harry (from Blondie, remember them?) in charcoal. Then later, she took up painting as well (abstract watercolors was her preference) before moving on to become a graphic artist. She's since passed away, but the talent she had? Amazing.
6) Any plans to step out of your usual genre?
I'm a contemporary girl, through and through. That being said, I do like to dabble in contemporary sub-genres. My favorite at the moment is Contemporary Romantic Suspense. I find myself gearing most of my current works in that direction. But even as I dip my writing toes in unfamiliar waters, all of my stories will still have erotic elements. That's something I won't change!
7) Do you remember the first romance you read?
I do! It was 1978, and I was... You know, never mind how old I was. Let's just say I was young, LOL. Somehow I got a copy of Danielle Steel's The Promise. For me, it was a heartbreaking book. I remember crying at the end! I have to say, other than a couple horror books I'd read before this, The Promise was my first "grown up" book. After that, romance novels were always at the top of my TBR list.
8) You write wonderful sex scenes. What makes a sex scene really sizzle?
For me, it's the emotion between the characters. Anyone can write an insert tab A into slot B sex scene. What turns a good sex scene into a great one is when I can connect with the character (whether it's the hero or the heroine), when I'm able to not only get inside their bodies, but inside their heads as well. I want to know exactly what they're thinking, how every touch and reaction effects both their mind and heart. I want to feel what they feel, taste what they taste. Throw smells and sounds into the mix, and you've got yourself a sizzler of a sex scene. Of course some really hot dialogue helps too!
9) Are there common themes that show up in all your stories? If so, what are they?
I'm big on honesty. I think in real life, that's something a lot of people have a problem with. We're all flawed, no one is perfect. Everyone has lied at some point in their lives. Holding back the truth can create problems, and those problems, in romance novels, will in turn create heartache. I like to dig deeper into those problems with my heroes and heroines, show them as they work through all those heartaches until they reach a resolution. By the end of the book, they've each grown as individuals and learned to deal with whatever issue caused the lies in the first place.
10) Which comes to you first, the plot or the characters?
Plot. I have to know what's going to happen before I can figure out who it's going to happen to. Once I have the basics of the plot down, then I get to do my favorite part — create my characters. I love the entire process. From choosing names, to deciding hair and eye color, the character's build, their personality and individual quirks. But eventually, it all comes back full circle. As I get to know my characters, they in turn will help me expand on the basic plot I decided on earlier.
Kristin Daniels has always been a reader of romance, but it wasn't until several years ago, when she discovered the erotic romance genre, that she finally figured out what had been missing from all those other books she'd read before. She currently lives outside Chicago with her wonderful husband and three children. Find her on the web at www.kristindaniels.com.
Dean’s Easy Potato Salad
In
Nameless Surrender
, our hero Dean has whipped up a lovely, intimate dinner for our heroine. This potato salad was part of that meal. Enjoy!
3 lbs unpeeled red potatoes
4 eggs, hardboiled and diced
1 ½ cup mayo
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
½ cup sliced green onions
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 cup sliced celery
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and chop into 1 inch cubes. Place in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, milk, vinegar, green onions, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the potatoes and mix together with the eggs and celery. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator approximately 2 hours before serving.
New in Print!
“Object of Desire,”
a Novel by Calista Fox
Red Sage fans love Calista Fox! Her novellas have appeared in five Secrets volumes, and her Red Sage Presents e-books are among our best sellers. Now she has her very first novel, “Object of Desire,” available in print in bookstores everywhere. As long as we’re talking about firsts, let’s hear about Calista’s first time reading Secrets. You never forget your first!