Monday, January 10, 2011

MOONLIGHT TEMPTATION

Releases January 21


Book Four in the Lucani Lovers series.

Evie Simmons has magical powers she can’t control, she’s living in a house that isn’t hers, and her best friend is a seventeen-year-old werewolf. It’d be hilarious if it weren’t just so damn depressing. Add in the sexy shifter she can’t keep out of her mind and his hot-as-hell friend and it’s a recipe for disaster.

Dr. Dane Dimitriou knows Evie has had a hard time adjusting to her new life as part of the Etruscan magical community—almost as difficult as his denial of his feelings for her have been. And he’s got the perfect cure—his best friend, Ryan Maguire. Easygoing Ryan is the complete opposite of stick-up-his-ass Dane. He can act as a buffer. Dane can get close, but not too close. Yeah, good luck with that.

Together, these sexy men may be just what the doctor ordered for Evie. And the doctor himself may discover the cure for what ails him has been waiting all along.


EXCERPT:
“Why did you bring another man here to sleep with me?”

Brave Evie.

And smart too. She was getting to Dane. Ryan could see his composure begin to slip, his frustration and his lust combining to bring down all those nice walls he used to keep everyone at a distance.

“Because I knew you’d connect with him.” Dane practically spit out the words. “I knew he’d be good for you in a way I can’t be. Make no mistake. I want you, Evie. So does Ryan. But if you don’t want to get involved with both of us, if that’s not what you want, then say so now and I’ll walk out the door.”

“You could do that? Just leave like there’s nothing between us?”

Dane’s lips twisted into a frown. “No. Vaffanculo, Evie, you don’t know me as well as you think you do. I can’t be what you need. Yes, I want you. But this is the only way this will work.”

“With Ryan as a buffer?”

“Yes.”

She shook her head, hands on her hips, her mouth a stubborn line that made Ryan’s smile widen. “Why?”

Dane shot out of his chair with a speed that defied logic. Evie barely had time to be frightened, much less cringe.

And Ryan wasn’t sure she would have. Her chin tilted up so she could look Dane in the eyes, her feet planted.

“Because I don’t trust myself not to scare you!”

Well, shit. She’d pushed Dane to the edge of his limit because that was the secret Dane held closest. The one he’d confided to Ryan one night after a few too many beers and just as many shots.

Ryan watched Evie process that, think it through then come to her conclusion.

“Then I guess you better be glad I’m not afraid of you.”

Without waiting for him to respond, she fisted his shirt and pulled him down, close enough that she could reach his mouth if she stood on her toes.

Dane closed his eyes and let her kiss him. Ryan saw the control he tried to exert over himself, the way his hands fisted at his sides for a brief second before grabbing her hips and lifting her against him.

Her feet left the floor as Dane pulled her up his body, his mouth slanting over hers with a growl Ryan heard loud and clear.

He’d surrendered.

Ryan’s own desire spiked like a fever as he watched Dane kiss Evie, watched Dane cup the back of her head and move her so he could get deeper into her mouth.

He watched Evie succumb, her body melting into Dane’s.

His cock throbbed and filled, anticipation building.

Ryan liked to watch before joining in. And this promised to be a hell of a show.

Evie opened her mouth to Dane and let the desire she tasted in his kiss blow through her.

It felt like a bomb blast, a concussion of sensation. It should terrify her. Only, she felt no fear.

Heat boiled through her body, spreading from between her legs to her breasts, where her nipples tightened into diamond-hard tips, aching to be touched.

She arched, rubbing them against Dane’s hard chest, and felt as well as heard his low groan rumble through him.

If she were standing, her knees would have buckled at the hungry, almost desperate sound he made.

His mouth ate at hers, hard and demanding. He held nothing back and, if she let him, he’d completely consume her. He’d kiss her and bend her to his will. He’d demand she give everything to him.

Not that he wouldn’t give to her in return. She had no doubt he’d make her come.

But he wanted her complete acquiescence so he could control his reaction.

And behind her, Ryan watched.

She swore she felt his gaze on them, hot, hungry. Stoking the desire.

The anticipation made her skin tingle, waiting…

Drowning beneath Dane’s kiss, she couldn’t catch her breath. Tearing her lips away from Dane’s, she sucked in a deep breath, only to have it catch in her throat when his lips moved to her neck.

He bit her with his lips, stinging little nips that made her sex spasm and her hands slide around his shoulders to hold on. Her head fell back, giving his lips more space to roam.

Heat poured from his body, seeping into her skin, making her long for skin-to-skin contact and one hand slipped into the collar of his crisp white button-down in search of it.

As her fingers began a tentative exploration, it was his turn to shudder. He stilled, his breath a harsh rasp against the sensitive skin of her collarbone.

She stroked her fingers into the indentation at the base of his throat, felt the motion beneath her fingers as he swallowed.

His hands tightened on her hips until she swore she felt every single finger like a brand on her body.

She smiled, knowing he responded to her every action.
As his head lifted, she let hers tilt to the side, allowing her the angle to lick at his skin, dipping into that indentation.

Salty, warm. She wanted to bite him.

So she did. Opened her mouth over his throbbing artery and bit him. Not hard enough to hurt, or even to mark.

Just enough for him to growl out her name.

She was so intent on drawing a response from Dane that she missed Ryan’s approach.

His hand on her shoulder caused her to gasp and draw in a deep breath. Possessive, Ryan threaded his other hand into her hair, lifting it away from her nape and putting his mouth on her skin.

The heat coming off Dane’s body doubled as she shivered against him, her thoughts splintering, unable to process all the sensory information.

Dane’s hands on her hips. Ryan’s hand in her hair, tugging her head back so she looked up at Dane.

Dane’s eyes darkened as he watched her respond to Ryan’s mouth sliding along her neck.

3 comments:

Sheena said...

Holy Crap!

Ok, ok January 21st.

I can last that long.

Who am I kidding? I'll never last! Gimme oh gimme!

*Cough*

I meant to say - Very nice work Mrs Julian. I'll be patiently waiting for more.

Unknown said...

Could you move this up a few days? It would make a perfect birthday gift... Sigh, OK, I'll just have to wait.

Sound wonderful!

Stephanie Julian said...

Ladies you made my day! I'm so glad you enjoyed the excerpt. Smooches!