Re-release: Acts of Contrition by Peri Elizabeth Scott

I’ve got a contemporary romance twofer to tell you about today. Acts of Contrition, two stories on the sweeter side, bundles together Peri Elizabeth Scott’s Making It Up to Maggie & Begging Briana into one lovely read available for Kindle and in paperback. Check it out!

Acts of Contrition (Making It Up to Maggie & Begging Briana)
by Peri Elizabeth Scott
Available: November 27, 2018
Contemporary Romance, Collections
ASIN: B07KXLBC9S

Making it up to Maggie

Harrison’s insecurities catch up with him when finds another man, albeit alone, in his girlfriend’s bed. Refusing to hear her explanation, he leaves her. His secretary then meddles in his affairs, effectively driving Maggie away with a vengeance. Upon discovering that woman’s perfidy, Harrison tries to remedy the situation, and then finds out Maggie is pregnant! Determined to win her back, Harrison does his best to provide and care for her from a distance while trying to insinuate himself back into her life.

Hurt and bewildered, Maggie couldn’t believe Harrison would stoop so low, but the evidence seems irrefutable. And now she’s worried Harrison wants her only because she carries his child.

Harrison’s world again spins out of control, and he wonders if he is the best man for Maggie and their child after all…

It’s up to Maggie to teach Harrison his real worth.

Read an excerpt

Begging Briana

Caleb Younger is certain he will never actually love any woman, having been badly burned in the past because of so-called love. He believes he’s fond of Briana Jeffries, has intense sexual feelings for her, and wants her in his life, but doesn’t love her.

Humiliated, when he says as much while amongst their friends, Briana finally accepts she’s been fooling herself—Caleb will never love her. She leaves him to get on with her life.

His life now empty, Caleb faces the truth. He loves Briana more than anything, and resorts to everything to get her back. But Briana’s friend doesn’t want Briana hurt again and conspires to keep the two apart. A series of events and coincidences play out, giving Caleb the opportunity to beg Briana to take him back.

Read an excerpt

Where to Buy:

Amazon
Books2Read

Excerpts:

Making It Up to Maggie 

Harrison increased his grip on the steering wheel of his SUV to a stranglehold. It was the only thing keeping him from jumping out and grabbing Maggie, throwing her in the back seat, and driving off with her. Sanity prevailed, but it was a close call. He marveled again at how a slip of a woman had infiltrated his psyche and undermined his self-control, not to mention teaching him so much on the subject of himself. Before he’d gone and royally screwed things up.

She stood outside the doors of the office building with two of her friends. Even at a distance, he saw her energy and light while she conversed animatedly with Veronica and Joyce, although he’d noticed shadows beneath her eyes and a certain gauntness hollowing her cheeks whenever he’d been able to get closer to her.

Her blonde hair streamed around her shoulders in the gusty wind, and her dress was pulled tightly against her long, slender frame, molding her high breasts and the slight, swelling roundness of her belly. His baby was growing there.

Harrison was missing out on every wondrous day of that burgeoning life and the woman he desired and loved more than anything else in the world. Missing out because of his stupid masculine pride and ego.

He closed his eyes against the pain in his heart and the clenching of his gut. He didn’t know what else he might do to make amends for his atrocious behavior, to regain Maggie’s trust. Nothing. He had to accept that. He would do his best to care for her, provide for her and his child, but from a distance. He was his father’s son, after all, and she deserved better, as did their child. He’d proven he had nothing to offer outside of the basics and the superficial because blood would tell. As would nature over nurture.

Begging Briana 

Tossing several items of clothing into her suitcase, Briana Jeffries then found a plastic makeup bag to stick a few toiletries in. It had taken a long time to accept the obvious but she’d finally accepted the fact Caleb wasn’t going to miraculously profess his love for her. Tonight had been the kicker.

She ignored the ache in her chest and concentrated on packing the things she needed, not that there were a lot. No way was she going to think about what was true. Except she couldn’t turn a blind eye. She loved Caleb and he didn’t love her. There. She said it again and that made it true.

Swiping impatiently at the tears suddenly streaking her face, she zipped the bag closed, taking a final look around the bedroom she shared with the love of her life for nearly three years. Too bad she hadn’t been the love of his. It was time to move on. Christina would be outside by now.

Hurrying down the stairs of the place she’d hoped would be her forever home, she steadfastly ignored all the little things she’d done to make it so, especially the plethora of pictures. The reflection of beautiful places and events, smiling, happy faces, pictures of her and Caleb, mocked her despite her best efforts not to look. Caleb must be blind not to see what they had between them, captured for the world to see, but apparently, it was her love that was blind. After throwing open the front door she hauled her case outside, barely avoiding the rebound of the heavy wooden panel as it slammed shut behind her, her keys now locked within. Final. No going back.

About the Author:

Peri Elizabeth Scott aka Allyson Young lives in cottage country, Manitoba, Canada where she and her husband pretend to work well together in their seasonal business.

She has always enjoyed the written word, and after reading an erotic romance, quite by mistake, decided to try her hand at penning one. That was followed by a mix of spicy (Ally) and sweet (Peribeth) romances in various genres as well as a post-apocalyptic adventure without a lick of romance by Peribeth.

A bestselling Amazon author, a hybrid, and a coauthor, as of November 2018 she has published seven series and several standalones, with others in the works.

Find her online: Website | Facebook

Spotlight: Denying the Alpha (AVAILABLE NOW)

Evernight Publishing has a hot new set of anthologies out (Denying the Alpha & Denying the Alpha: Manlove Edition) and today I’m featuring Sarah Marsh’s contribution to the collection, Bearly Caught.

DENYING THE ALPHA
Available: November 14, 2018
Paranormal Romance, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-77339-825-9

Some happily-ever-afters take more effort than others…

The strong alpha heroes in our anthology are determined to claim their mates—but their women are anything but submissive. They’ll have to work twice as hard to get what they want. It’ll be a power struggle as the alphas and their women learn that the volatile energy between them is the beginning of something wonderful.

These nine hand-picked stories are hot enough to curl your toes. Get ready to fall in love with an alpha.

Where to Buy:

Amazon
Apple iTunes
Barnes & Noble
Evernight Publishing
Kobo

 

BEARLY CAUGHT by Sarah Marsh

Daniella Holt needed to get away from a controlling ex that wouldn’t take no for an answer, she thought that a few weeks in Hillion Falls renovating her Aunt’s house before she could sell it would be just the ticket. But there’s something odd about the small community that she can’t quite put her finger on and the handsome town mayor she runs into is definitely a distraction that she doesn’t need.

Emmett Greyson is the pack Alpha of Hillion Falls and things usually come fairly easy for him. Until he meets the niece of one of his former pack members and she has his bear all tied up in knots. Unfortunately, Dani doesn’t seem to be like any other woman he’s met before, and if he thinks it’s going to be easy to get her attention or her trust—he’d better think again.

When Dani ends up hurt they’re all in for a surprise no one could have anticipated, but will the crazy changes happening in her life drive her back to the man she didn’t want, or will Emmett find a way to catch Dani’s skittish heart once and for all?

It’s Release Day ‒ Welcome to SHADOWY PINES!

A few years ago I went sightseeing in my own backyard and fell in love with a beautiful area just a few hours outside of Toronto called the Kawarthas. It’s the kind of place where I could imagine buying a cottage, or even picture moving to on a more permanent basis one day. You see, it has a vibe. I know – how very woo. But it does. It’s magical, almost otherworldly. And I knew in an instant I was going to create a fictional universe based on this bewitching region in Ontario, Canada.

Today, I give you…

SHADOWY PINES by L.D. Blakeley
Available: November 28, 2018
Paranormal Romance, MM Romance, Magical Realism
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-77339-846-4
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer | Editor: CA Clauson

When an over-educated, underemployed millennial is called home to help with the family business, he jumps at the chance to leave his crap job, crappier love life, and the city behind.

But moving to Shadowy Pines isn’t quite the idyllic life change Finn Parks imagined.

How the hell do you cope when you find out magic – actual magic – is real? Or that you also happen to come from a long line of powerful witches? And that handsome man with all the sizzle? Yeah, he might be trying to kill you.

FML.

Read an excerpt

 

Where To Buy:

Evernight Publishing → $3.99 $2.99 until Dec. 12

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookstrand | | Kobo | Smashwords

 

Excerpt:

“You’d be surprised how easily swayed I can be by a handsome face.”

Not for nothing, but Finn was fairly certain that was a come on. It had been a while, but he did remember what one sounded like. This one was … nicer, somehow. It still had the promising lilt of innuendo, but it didn’t sound like it had been rehearsed or lifted from bad porn dialogue.

“My aunt says you’re new in town, too. What’re you here for?”

“Business. Boring family business.”

“How vague,” Finn teased.

“Seriously. My father sent me back here to check out a vineyard. He’s interested in adding it to the wine brewing facility we already run, the Sharpe Wine Butler on the outskirts of town. You know it?”

“Can’t say I do, but it sounds more interesting than why I moved here.”

“Why are you in Shadowy Pines?”

“Jude and Poppy needed my help, I had nothing worth holding on to in the city, so—here I am.” Finn shrugged. “Now that’s boring,” he added with what he hoped was a charming smile.

“You don’t give yourself enough credit, Finn.” Owen pulled his chair closer and placed his hand on Finn’s knee. “Feel that?”

Of course he did. It felt as though a live wire had been placed against his bare skin.

“Yes.” Finn cursed the breathy, needy tone his voice had taken on. “What…” He wasn’t sure how to phrase his question so it wouldn’t offend. “What is that? I mean, I get the concept of electrical attraction, but this? This isn’t normal.”

When Owen didn’t reply right away, Finn prodded, “Right?”

“No, not really.”  Owen’s fingers were slowly caressing Finn’s leg and inching their way up his thigh “Not for most people.” Owen leaned forward and took Finn’s face in both hands and brought their lips so close Finn swore he could taste him. Owen’s eyes visibly blazed in a way that barely seemed human. Finn froze, his breath catching in his throat.

When Owen finally pressed their lips together, Finn felt another jolt of electricity arc through his entire body and he gasped at the sensation. Owen’s fingers at his nape trailed delicious sparks across Finn’s skin as he licked at the seam of Finn’s mouth. Finn opened eagerly and nipped at Owen’s bottom lip. Never had a kiss made him so crazy with want. He needed to touch, wanted to crawl inside of Owen and feel him from the inside, out. But as Finn reached out a hand, Owen pulled away, his breathing every bit as labored as Finn’s.

“We’re different, Finn.” Owen licked at his lips and watched Finn’s eyes follow the tip of his tongue. “You’re different. You know that, right?”

Finn had no response. None that made any sense. Right now all he wanted was to tear at Owen’s clothes and taste every last inch of the man. But for some reason, Owen had put on the brakes and wanted to discuss—what, exactly? Finn was at a loss. And his dick could have cut glass.

“The woman in the grocery store. You mentioned that wasn’t the first time you’d seen her, right?”

“Right.” Finn’s voiced faltered slightly. Not sure where Owen was going with this, he gestured for him to continue.

“I think she saw you for what you are.”

“And what exactly is that?” Finn asked, not sure he wanted an answer.

“You’re a witch, Finn.”

Owen’s face was so serious, so earnest, Finn almost believed him for a split second.

Almost.

He threw his head back and laughed uproariously. He laughed so hard, he could feel tears well up in his eyes. Well that’s an effective way to kill an erection.

But Owen’s expression hadn’t changed an iota. He simply sat and stared at Finn.

“Are you—oh, god, you’re serious aren’t you?”

Dammit! He knew there was a reason he’d established his dating embargo. He certainly could attract the crazies.

 

NEW RELEASE: String of Pearls by E.D. Parr

I have another fabulous guest on the blog today – the talented E.D. Parr, with a brand new title from Evernight Publishing: String of Pearls.

 

Thank you for inviting me to your blog today with new release MM romance, String of Pearls.

The story is set in the same SciFi fantasy city as last year’s release, The Dreamboat.

Indigo Vaughn, the warlock head of security, features in the story along with a new cast of characters. When I wrote The Dreamboat, I already had the new characters in my head along with their story. Tobias Mars and Dante Pepper, the elite space pilots for the royal court, very nearly made an appearance in The Dreamboat, but because that story is about Indigo at last finding love, I decided they needed their own story.

Once upon a time Dante and Tobias were close to becoming lovers, but Dante met Viridian and fell in love. Tobias has yet to meet his love when String of Pearls, opens. He’s a man of high integrity, handsome, caring, but also longing for love and sex. String of Pearls is his love story.

String of Pearls by E.D. Parr
Available: November 11, 2018
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-77339-839-6

Handsome, elite space pilot, Tobias Mars is completing a special mission, when on a water planet, recently ravaged by space pirates, he discovers Dreft Hann hiding and injured in the sand dunes.

There’s instant attraction between the two men, but honorable Tobias believes the fact Dreft is in his care precludes him from showing his growing love for the young man. What’s worse is his shocking discovery of Dreft’s real identity. Even so, Tobias can’t deny his feelings for Dreft.

When head of royal security, powerful warlock, Indigo Vaughn discovers Dreft’s secret, he anticipates trouble.

As beautiful Dreft falls in love with Tobias and dreams of joining the elite pilot squad, trouble is brewing from someone in Dreft’s past.

Will love finally win with so many obstacles in Tobias and Dreft’s path?

Warning: the book contains MM sex, MMM sex, gay anal sex, MM oral sex

Read an excerpt

Where to Buy:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Bookstrand
Evernight Publishing
Smashwords

 Excerpt:

Tobias Mars gazed at Dreft lying on top of the bed in room ten of the infirmary. Hari’s treatment had worked wonders and not only on Dreft’s wounds. Hari had cleaned Dreft up. His hair, now a dirt-free glossy hazelnut brown was brushed back to show off the handsome planes of his face. Hari had replaced Dreft’s strange boy-like clothes with the infirmary’s grey cotton pants and t-shirt. The man was, as his colleague, Dante, put it, deliciously pretty. For a fleeting moment, Tobias wondered what it would be like to kiss those perfect lips and hold that muscular body to his own. He shook the thought away.

Dreft opened his eyes and a shy smile spread on his mouth. As Tobias neared him, he shuffled up the bed to sit. “Thank you so much for helping me, sir.”

Tobias pulled a chair beside the bed and sat. “My name’s Tobias, Tobias Mars—no need to call me sir. How are you feeling?”

The handsome man’s eyes held gratitude. “I’m so much better. Thank you. I noticed the insignia on your jacket, sir.”

Tobias grinned as his fingers went to trace the gold and blue embroidered crest. “I’m one of the queen’s pilot explorers. I guess you could call us the elite unit. All the same, call me Tobias. I’d like that.”

“I’ve heard that you have to be aristocracy to be chosen for the unit. Is that true?”

A little frown creased between Tobias’s eyes. “Have you? Where’d you hear that?” A spike of worry prevented him from answering with the truth. His intense security training from the warlock, Indigo Vaughn, threw a question into his mind. Could Dreft be a rival court’s spy or even assassin?

“Sorry. I mean no harm. I heard a lot of things during my years as a slave.” Dreft’s voice held anxiety. His blue eyes clouded.

Witnessing Dreft’s unease, a wave of kindness softened Tobias’s look and tone. “How long were you a slave?” He remembered Hari’s description of the scars on Dreft’s back.

Sadness passed in Dreft’s eyes. “Five years—I’ve been a slave since I was stolen from my home when I was eighteen. I, I’d become desperate, hence the leap from the ship when we cruised reasonably low to take water from the lake on the planet where you rescued me.” His voice cracked a little.

Tobias watched fear replace the sadness in the young man’s eyes. He wanted to lighten the mood. “Hey, are you hungry? I bet Hari hasn’t given you breakfast and I’ve not eaten yet. Do you feel up to a little walk? My home isn’t far. I have loads of food—fruit, pancakes, savory pastries, and coffee. What do you say?”

Dreft gave him the most endearing look. “I’m very hungry.”

Tobias stood and pushed the chair away from the bed. He held out his arm for Dreft to take and helped him stand. “Hang on. You have no shoes.” Tobias left Dreft perched on the side of the bed. He went to the closet inset at the end of the wall and brought back a pair of felt slip-ons for Dreft.

Dreft pushed his feet into them. “Thank you. I think the medicA threw away what I was wearing.”

“Hari is the best medicA available. I trust him implicitly, but he’s a hygiene fanatic. He probably burned what you were dressed in.” Tobias laughed. “Can you manage or will you take my arm. It’s a gesture of support.”

Dreft’s gaze raked Tobias’s face and he smiled softly. “I know the clothes you found me in probably gave you the impression I’m a pirate’s plaything. I’d like to explain—”

“You don’t need to—” Tobias hurried to assure Dreft.

“I want to.” He held Tobias’s arm.

“After you’ve eaten, then.” Tobias led the way from the room, along the corridor and out of the infirmary door. His villa was two doors down from Dante’s and he walked slowly favoring Dreft’s halting steps.

“I’m limping but Hari said my legs were only bruised under the abrasions. Sorry. I didn’t expect them to hurt so much. My ribs don’t and they were broken.”

“Hari fixed your ribs and administered slow release pain reliever at the site. He fixed your abrasions somewhat, but it’s good to heal naturally where possible. He wants you to rest.” A smile sprang to Tobias’s lips. “If he sees us, he’ll probably say to me, ‘Sir, you got Dreft Hann up too soon.’”

©E.D. Parr, Evernight Publishing, 2018

About the Author:

Find E.D. Parr online  Evernight Publishing | Twitter | Amazon page | Blog | G+ | Facebook @parrbooks

NEW: Behind the Iron Cross by Nicola Cameron

Gather ’round, lovelies, because I have a treat for you today!

The charming and prolific Nicola Cameron is here to tell us about her latest release: Behind the Iron Cross. I’m here to tell you I’ve been lucky enough to read it already, and you need to treat yourself to a copy. Immediately. Seriously, slide down to one of those buy links and grab it. I’ll wait.

Behind the Iron Cross is dark, erotic, sweet, and sinful – it’s a love story that will curl your toes and give you all the feels.

But why don’t I let the lady, herself, tell you about it…

  

Hello, and thanks so much for having me on today! While Behind the Iron Cross is my tenth romance novel to be published, it was actually the first one I ever wrote. I started it in 2012, picking at it in fits and starts while working on my other books, and finally finished it in 2018. In hindsight this is a good thing because I needed some serious novel writing chops, far more than I had in 2012, to pull this story off properly. The experience I’ve gained in the last six years is what made this book possible, and I’m very happy that it’s now available to readers.

Also, it means that my editor will stop nagging me to finish it. (Love you, Theresa!)

Behind The Iron Cross by Nicola Cameron
Available: October 21, 2018
Publisher: Belaurient Press
ISBN: 978-0-46311-821-4
ASIN: B07JKL7BF5

In the hedonistic wonderland of Cabaret-era Berlin…

…where money can buy you anything you desire…

…and love comes with a pink rose and a practiced smile…

The year is 1923, the Great War is over, and Berlin has become the manic playground of Europe’s elite. Against a glittering background of nightclubs and hot jazz, a sensual American heiress, a wounded playboy, and a desperate German army officer forge a decadent pact of pleasure. But their nights of uninhibited passion soon lead to a forbidden emotional connection, one that will threaten their future … and their lives.

Historical Romance, Erotic Romance, MMF Ménage Romance | Word Count: 105,000 | Heat Level: 4 | Formats: ebook, print
Be warned: M/M sex, M/M/F sex, bondage, spanking, multiple partners
Price: $3.99 (sale price until 12/1: $0.99)

Read an excerpt

Where to Buy:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iTunes
Kobo
Smashwords

 Excerpt:

Katherine Tracy took a deep drag of her cigarette, letting the smoke trickle out slowly through her nostrils. It had been a long day of business meetings with a German manufacturing company eager to repair its war-damaged finances by partnering with her Uncle William’s company, Tracy Electric. She’d done her job as the company’s duly designated representative, and now she wanted some entertainment.

Although she was starting to doubt they’d find it at the Cupid Club. “Darling, I’m bored,” she said to the handsome man sitting at her side. “I thought we were going somewhere amusing.”

Sam Harrison gave her a lazy smile. “We’ve only been here for a few minutes, sweetheart. Give the talent a chance to circulate.”

She glanced around the room, wondering if he was right. The club was dark and smoky, the dim light hiding the cherub-heavy decor and prompting the customers to focus on the stage where a redheaded singer in a long silver gown was crooning, “Just a Girl That Men Forget.” The fact that the singer was a husky contralto and her Adam’s apple could be seen under the diamanté choker she wore was part of the club’s louche charm, Kat assumed.

It was a reminder that Berlin was a world away from Bridgeport, Connecticut, in more ways than one. The aftermath of the Great War had wreaked economic havoc on Europe, and a conquered Germany was the hardest hit of the countries on the losing side. With the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II and an economy in ruins due to catastrophic war reparations, Germany had struggled to put together its first democratically elected government, the Weimar Republic, under the leadership of Friedrich Ebert.

By 1922, the new parliament had their hands full trying to rein in a galloping hyperinflation, all while dealing with political and military uprisings throughout the country. Staid Prussian social mores were abandoned as quaint holdovers of a bygone age, and the urban centers of the country developed a more freewheeling mindset. Berlin in particular had given up any attempts at censorship under the Republic. It was the cuckoo’s egg in the nest of the German Reich, and musicians, artists, and writers flocked there, eager to enjoy this mad new freedom. They weren’t alone; philosophers and scientists also rushed to study the fascinating social experiment that was Berlin.

That was the bright aspect of the city. On its darker side, Berlin had become a hunting ground for those with money and a taste for more sordid pleasures. Here, avid partiers could listen to the hottest jazz, indulge in their drug of choice, and have any kind of sex they craved.

Especially if it was the kind of sex that was illegal at home. As Kat finished her champagne, a handsome young waiter dressed in a brief drape of white fabric and nothing else appeared at the table. Plucking the waiting bottle from its stand, he poured more of the sparkling wine into her glass, leaning over to show off a muscled back and a firm, rounded ass. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Sam’s admiration of the fit male flesh on display.

The waiter also noticed this and made sure to brush against Sam’s arm as he sashayed away from the table. Amused, she saluted her fiancé with her glass. “He’s certainly pretty.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “And probably carrying every social disease known to mankind. Besides, I know the type. He’d run screaming the moment you pulled out the ropes.”

“Not if I gagged him first.”

“Now, sweetheart, behave.” He peered over his shoulder at the waiter, then shook his head. “Besides, I’d rather find someone like that redhead from last night. He was delicious.”

The previous night’s pet had been an impoverished aristocrat with curling auburn hair and the most charming sprinkle of freckles across his shoulder blades. After she’d trussed him up and played with him mercilessly for two hours, Sam had taken over and fucked him into exhaustion. Afterwards, the man had dropped bonelessly to his knees, begging to see both of them again.

Delicious, yes, but far too easy. She returned to her study of the club crowd, in the mood for a challenge. The bars and nightclubs they’d sampled so far offered their clientele a dizzying variety of delicacies. At the Cupid Club, for instance, there was nonstop music and singing acts on stage, lovely servitors of both sexes wearing cherub costumes, bottomless glasses of blessedly legal alcohol (and discreet silver dishes filled with crystalline white powder that could be purchased for just a bit more), and a variety of prostitutes who worked the main floor. She was particularly intrigued by the boot girls, the specialist dominatrices whose boot and lace color identified which services they offered. A customer could buy everything from collaring and asphyxiation to cropping and cross-dressing humiliation from a boot girl, if he knew the code.

Kat knew the code. Money could buy you anything in Berlin, and she had bags and bags of it. She smiled into her champagne, thinking of the cheerful young prostitute she’d paid for information. Lotte had told her about the shops that catered to her and her colleagues, and Kat’s hotel suite now housed an array of the most wonderful erotic toys. Of course, she had no idea how she would get them back to Connecticut, but she’d worry about that later.

The thought of home caused her to glance at Sam. A memory flickered through her mind of him laughing, young and carefree. And her brother Bart at his side, equally happy and young, and so in love—

Oh, stop it. Bart wouldn’t want you to be so damn maudlin.

That was true enough. And the wedding was still weeks in the future, which was some consolation. Before she walked down the aisle towards a man who was both her dearest friend and a confirmed homosexual, she had all of Berlin to enjoy. And she fully intended to do just that.

The club had grown more crowded with hectic partygoers, many of them dancing to the music played by the jazz combo that had just taken the stage. The area in front of the bar was a bit calmer; a collection of white-coated waiters, men in tailored suits, and even the occasional woman stood there, chatting or trading orders over the polished surface.

One man caught her attention. Tall and handsome, he wore the uniform of a German army officer, an Iron Cross gleaming dully at his throat. He gazed at the other customers with a blank expression that didn’t hide a sense of trepidation.

And he held a pink rose clutched to his chest. Sam had explained the flower’s meaning; at the Cupid Club, you could spot the prostitutes by the pink buds they carried. If they were holding a rose, they were for sale.

For a moment she forgot to breathe as memory and desire collided. Reinhard, kneeling at her feet in penitence. Begging for more, harder, please Maîtresse. The sweet rush of power in marking his exposed skin, making him plead for what he craved. Making him hers.

She had heard the rumors about decommissioned German army officers with no other employment skills working the clubs, selling themselves to support their families. Being the good little soldiers that they were, they would do anything they were told to do, no matter how humiliating. She had assumed the stories were mere titillation, something to amuse the victorious American tourists.

But now there was a genuine Wehrmacht army officer at the bar with a pink rose in his hand. A soldier/whore, waiting to be bought and enjoyed. And this time there was no one to march her away like a disobedient child from her heart’s craving. She could have him, this beautiful, wary veteran. All she had to do was reach out and take him.

“Darling,” she murmured, nodding at the officer.

Sam turned, eyes widening in appreciation. “Oh, well done, sweetheart. Want me to go fetch him?”

“Yes, please.”

“Be right back.” He got up and grabbed the bentwood cane hooked on the back of his seat, limping off towards the bar. Alone, Kat took another sip of champagne, lost in happy anticipation of the evening ahead.

About the Author:

Nicola Cameron is an expatriate Chicagoan who has lived in England, Canada, Holland, and Sweden, and keeps a confusing amalgamation of languages in her head as a result. Currently located in the clavicle of Texas, she has finally mastered the proper use of “y’all,” much to her Chicago family’s dismay.

Despite a healthy interest in romance since puberty, it wasn’t until 2012 that Nicola decided to try writing about it. As it turned out, the skills she picked up during her SF writing career transferred rather nicely to romance. When not writing, she wrangles cats, smooches her husband, makes dolls of dubious and questionable identity, and thanks almighty Cthulhu that she doesn’t have to work for a major telecommunications company any more (because there’s BDSM, and then there’s just plain torture…).

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