Month: November 2016

Cover Reveal! Plus, An Introduction

Published on by Pandora Spocks2 Comments

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Just in time for the holidays…

Luke & Bella has a brand new look!  The brilliant Eeva Lancaster of The Book Khaleesi has designed a sexy new cover for my first novel.  It’s now the first book of my Dream Dominant Collection.

Like all of my books, Luke & Bella is literary erotic romance.  While some of my books, Rannigan’s Redemption for example, feature sexy vanilla couples, others like Luke & Bella have a light BDSM flavor.  I felt like I needed to let readers know what they’re getting when they read my books.

I love reading all kinds of erotic romance, and I love stories that feature BDSM.  Within that genre, there are many different shades, if you’ll pardon the pun.  There are tons of stories out there about billionaire Dominants who sweep submissive women off their feet in the most romantic, erotic ways.  Who doesn’t love that?

But I wanted to do something different.  The reality is that there are lots of couples who live the D/s lifestyle, and most of them aren’t billionaires.  I want to tell the stories of ordinary people who have embraced their D/s souls, living out their journeys without benefit of huge bank accounts and a household staff.

Introducing… The Dream Dominant Collection!  Books in the Dream Dominant Collection are stand-alone novels featuring hot, sexy Dominant regular men, and smart, sexy, strong red-haired (of course, #MoreGingersInErotica) submissive women who may or may not have realized their true natures at the start of the stories.

Here’s a sexy little excerpt from Luke & Bella:

Bella padded out into the sitting room in her pajamas, a thin black tank with pink bottoms.  Looking down, she realized she wouldn’t feel comfortable dressed this way if Luke came in, so she went back for a bathrobe.  Still hot from the bath, however, she draped the robe over a chair thinking she could grab it when she heard the door.  If, that is, I’m still up when he comes back, she considered.

She poured another glass of wine and wandered to the french doors, watching as lightning streaked across the sky, occasionally replacing the warm glow of the firelight that filled the suite with flashes of cold blue.  Large raindrops peppered the glass as the wind whipped the hotel, Edinburgh castle lit up and barely visible in the distance.  It’s such a lovely place, Bella thought.  Such a cozy night.  I could curl up now and fall asleep to the sound of the storm.

Instead, she sat on the floor in front of the fire, laptop before her.  Luke had dumped the raw video and created folders on the desktop.  She perused them one by one.  Airport, Ailsa, McTavish’s, Distillery…Hmmm…Let’s start at the end and go backwards, she decided.  Distillery it is.

She was completely engrossed in the video of their lunch with Nevin and Maw when Luke suddenly burst through the door.  Every molecule of her body went rigid and a strange gasping scream rolled up from her toes.

“Jesus H., McGillicutty!” she exclaimed, jumping up.  “You scared the shit out of me!”

He started to reply and couldn’t.  For a moment all he could do was stare.  She was dressed in a black tank top with pink pajama bottoms.  And, he noticed, she wasn’t wearing a bra, erect nipples pointing toward the ceiling.  Probably had something to do with being startled out of her skin, he realized.  She’d been working on the computer.  There was a glass of wine next to her.

“Are you ok?” she asked, more softly.  She flushed, understanding the focus of his gaze and belatedly she realized she’d left the robe on the other side of the room.

“Um, yeah,” he answered.  “I was just ready to come back.  Is there more wine?”

“Sure,” she answered gently, “but you’re absolutely drenched.  I’ll get you a towel.”  Her robe was on a chair next to the bedroom door, but the wine made her feel bold, so she ignored it.  Let him look, she thought, and she felt her nipples harden again at the idea.

Bella returned with a fluffy white towel from the bathroom.  “You’re dripping water everywhere,” she observed quietly as she handed him the towel.

“Sorry,” he whispered.

She shrugged.  “Not my floor,” she replied.  “I can hang your shirt over the shower,” she offered.

Luke pulled the buttoned chambray shirt over his head, the way men so often do.  Bella shook her head.  Why don’t they ever use the buttons? she wondered irritably.  He handed her the shirt, murmuring his thanks, and began to dry off using the towel.  She eyed his muscular shoulders and broad chest, appreciating the fact that the latter was dusted with salt and pepper hair, oddly enough white on the left side, black on the right, with a black line trailing down his toned abs toward…  Focus, girlfriend, she scolded herself.

When she returned from hanging his shirt, he’d finished toweling off and had draped the towel around the back of his neck.  Bella poured him a glass of wine and topped off her own as well.  Turning, she walked to him and handed him his glass of wine.  “What’s going on, Cowboy?” she asked.  He looked at her, startled.  “I’ve heard you call yourself that.  I like it,” she shrugged, replying to his unasked question.

“Like I said, I was ready to be back,” he explained.  “The pub was noisy and I was tired.  How’s the footage?” he asked, steeling himself for her reaction.

“Great!” she answered, smiling.  “Beyond great, actually.  I was already happy with the content, but Luke, the lighting, the angles, the composition…You have an amazing eye.”

Luke couldn’t believe his good luck; she hadn’t seen his video from the airport.  He sipped his wine and watched her looking at him, concern still showing on her face.  He gently touched her arm, lightly stroking from her shoulder to her elbow.  Bella felt electricity ripple through her body and she stopped breathing.

“I missed you,” he said simply.

After a beat, she recovered enough to try to make light of his words.  “Missed me?” she laughed lightly.  “You were gone for a couple of hours.”  Nervously, she turned and moved to the french doors again, the better to watch the storm and get a little space.

Towel still hanging around his neck, Luke followed her to the window and stood behind her, looking over her head and out at the storm.  He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and she stilled breathlessly.  Leaning down, he caressed her right shoulder with his lips.  “Bella,” he whispered, and he turned her to face him.

She looked up at him, breath ragged.  He moved his hand to lightly stroke her jaw line with his thumb.  “I missed you,” he said again, his eyes dark.  He traced her lips with his index finger and Bella struggled to catch her breath.  “I want to kiss you,” he said.  “Would that be okay?”  Bella, brown eyes wide, could only nod assent.

Luke leaned in to her slowly; it seemed like it took a week for him to reach her, and then his lips were on hers, gently at first and then more intense, more demanding.  She wrapped her arms around his neck, her kiss matching the fervor of his.  He held her waist, slowly moving his hands down to cup her ass, pulling her in to him.

Luke moved his right hand up until it cupped her left breast and she moaned into his kiss.  Then he brushed her nipple with his thumb, causing her to gasp.  “I want you,” he breathed into her ear.

Bella leaned back and looked at him, eyes shining with desire, her heart pounding.  She buried her hands in the hair on his chest, then looked back up at him again.  Luke tugged at the front of her tank top, pulling it down to expose her left breast with its hard pink nipple and he covered it with his mouth, licking and suckling hard.  She arched her back forcing her breast closer to him.

“Oh, God, Cowboy!” she breathed.  “Please…”

He looked up at her and grinned.  “Please what?” he teased.

“Oh, please…” she managed.

He gripped her shirt by the bottom and pulled it over her head, standing back to admire her.  “Jesus, Bella,” he breathed, taking in the sight of her before he wrapped her in his arms again.

He lay her gently on the floor in front of the fire.  “Put your arms over your head,” he whispered, and she complied.  Lightly, he brushed her body with his fingertips starting at her hands, then down her arms and across her breasts, down her stomach…He paused at the pajama pants, then slid his hand over the mound between her thighs, caressing through the fabric.  She bucked and brought her hands down to his shoulders, but he took them lightly and replaced them over her head.

“Shh, be still,” he whispered.  Gently, he tugged at the pajama pants and pulled them down and off, panties and all, so that she lay naked before him, firelight reflecting off her body.

“Seems to me you’re way overdressed, Cowboy,” Bella said, gazing up at him, her voice husky.

“We’ll fix that,” he grinned as he unbuckled his belt, undid his khakis, and stepped out of them, revealing black boxer briefs containing an impressive erection.  Bella chewed her lower lip in anticipation.  Luke knelt over her, leaning down to kiss her, and then stretched out beside her, head propped up on his left elbow, allowing his right hand explore her form.

“I want to touch you,” she breathed.  He nodded so she brought her hands down, first running her fingers through the hair on his chest before coming to rest on his hard sex.

He closed his eyes and moaned with pleasure.  “Oh, baby, you’ve got to stop or this will be over way too fast.”  Removing her hand, he reached to stroke between her legs, caressing and circling before sliding a finger inside.  Bella buck and gasped, almost coming right there.

“Well, well, m’lady, you seem to be ready for me,” he whispered.

“Please Cowboy, I want you,” she begged.

Luke pushed himself up over her, shimmying out of his boxer briefs.  “As m’lady wishes,” he breathed into her ear, and he began stroking her soft folds with himself before pushing inside.    Her center was warm and wet and the pleasure was intoxicating.

He felt Bella grip him and she began to rock her hips up and down, matching his rhythm and increasing with his intensity.

“It’s okay, baby girl, let it go,” Luke whispered.  And she did.

“Oh, Cowboy!” she cried as she shuddered, gasping.

He was close behind her, his own ecstasy tearing through him like a freight train. “Fuck!  Bella!” he gasped and then collapsed beside her.

You can get your copy of Luke & Bella here:

books2read.com/LukeAndBella

The next book in the Dream Dominant Collection will be Lost & Bound, due out in January.  Keep watching right here for the cover reveal, coming soon!

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Snuggle Up! It’s A #Thanksgiving #Romance Blog Hop!

Published on by Pandora Spocks2 Comments

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Happy Thanksgiving!  I’m so excited to extend a little holiday love with everyone, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share one of my favorite holiday recipes.  You’re shocked, I know.  Because if you know anything about me, you know that I don’t cook.  I’m lucky enough to be married to a man who loves to cook, and truthfully, he spoils me rotten.

But I digress.  At our house, we’re not fans of cranberry, so instead, we like a strawberry salad on our Thanksgiving table and it couldn’t be easier to make.  I mean, if I can do it…

Strawberry Salad

Mix: 1 1/2 C. crushed pretzels, 1/2 stick melted butter, 1/4 C. sugar.  Press mixture into a 13×9 pan and bake at 350 for 10 min.  Cool.

Mix and spread over cooled crust: 8 oz. cream cheese, 1 C. sugar, 1 lg. Cool Whip. Refrigerate  these two layers.

Mix: 1 3-oz. strawberry jello mix, 10 oz. frozen strawberries, 1 C. boiling water.  Pour over cream cheese layer.  Chill until it’s set.

Now for a little Thanksgiving excerpt to put you in the mood.  This one is from Rannigan’s Redemption: Resisting Risk.

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Thanksgiving at Casey’s new house was a busy, cheerful affair.  John and Casey had bought the three bedroom, two bath house a few months earlier and had finished furnishing it just in time for the holiday.  She and John had invited Maggie and Ben, Kevin, and Des and Jacob to stay for the weekend.

Sleeping arrangements had been studiously organized.  Obviously Des and Jacob were in the guest bedroom.  Ben and Kevin shared the living room, one on the sofa and one on the floor.  Maggie was given an air mattress on the floor of the home office, but she didn’t mind.  She was grateful that she had a private space; anyone seeing her neck would undoubtedly require information she didn’t feel like giving.

Both Casey’s and John’s parents were invited for Thanksgiving dinner.  Early that morning, Maggie heard Casey moving around in the kitchen and she smiled to herself.  She knew her friend well enough to know she’d want this day to go perfectly.  Maggie got up too, happy to pitch in with preparations.  She carefully dressed, making sure the scarf she wore completely covered the angry marks John had left on her neck.

The day before, when she’d left the office, Michael had insisted that she ride to the airport in the car from his service.  His flight to the Bahamas would be later in the evening so his car was available.

When Ben arrived at the airport, he’d had been too preoccupied with his own concerns to notice Maggie’s reticence.  He’d prattled about work and his new boyfriend, who he still refused to name, throughout the entire flight.

The Thanksgiving meal was a huge success.  The turkey was perfectly done, and the stuffing made from an old family recipe was delicious, as were the yams, green beans, and cranberry sauce.  Casey had made certain that the dining room had been tastefully furnished and decorated for the holiday and dinner was enjoyable, everyone talking about their experiences now that they were out in the real world.

Snow began falling in late afternoon and by dark the ground was covered with a beautiful white blanket.  After dinner, the men adjourned to John’s man cave.  The women discussed Casey’s wedding plans as she showed them fabric swatches and photos of cakes, flowers, and wedding dresses.  After John’s and Casey’s parents left, the women joined the men downstairs for a pool tournament.

Maggie, however, begged off.  “I have a little headache.  I think I’ll just go to bed,” she said.  Alone in the office, she unwrapped her neck and checked it using a mirror from her purse.  It really was ghastly.

She put away the mirror and checked her phone.  A notification indicated that she had a Snapchat message from Michael.

“Hey, Mags,” he smiled ruefully into the camera.  “I don’t want to interrupt your holiday.  I was just thinking about you and hoping you’re okay.”

Maggie smiled in spite of herself.  He was thinking about me.  She held her phone in front of her.  “Hey back, Michael.  You aren’t interrupting.  I’m doing alright.  You must be having fun in the Bahamas.  Is it warm?  We have snow here.”

Moments later Michael replied.  “It’s in the 80s in the Bahamas.  Are you having fun?  How’s your neck?”

In the 80s.  Maggie rolled her eyes.  I’ve got to get my passport.  She pressed record again.  “Temps in the 80s sounds amazing.  Send pictures of the water.  My neck is okay, I guess.”  She held the camera so that her neck showed in all its bruised glory.  “I’ve been keeping it covered with scarves.”

Michael grimaced.  Maggie’s neck looked bad, all black and blue and purple.  “Scarves and turtlenecks seem the way to go,” he said into the camera.  “Take an extra day, Mags.  We don’t have to be in court until Wednesday.  Come back on Tuesday, you’ll have plenty of time to get up to speed.”

She considered this.  “I don’t know, Michael.  There’s so much to do,” she said.  “You know, again, it would be easier to have this conversation over the phone.”  She arched one eyebrow.

On video, Michael laughed.  “But I like doing it this way.  You’re the only account I follow.”  He smiled and nodded.  “Take an extra day on Monday.  Rest up and feel better.  We’ll manage without you for a day.”  Maggie reluctantly agreed and they said their goodnights.

You can get your copy of Resisting Risk, the first book in the Rannigan’s Redemption trilogy here.

books2read.com/ResistingRisk

And use this link check out the other great romance authors on this Blog Hop!

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Weekend Excerpt–Lost & Bound

Published on by Pandora SpocksLeave a comment

Lost & Bound, my new contemporary erotic romance novel, is launching in January.  The manuscript is currently with the proofreader and the cover design is being finalized as we speak.  You’ll be able to see the cover reveal right here very soon.

But to tide you over, here’s a sexy little teaser to whet your appetite.

Young Couple In Love On Black Background

When the power went out, Blake wasn’t surprised in the least.  If anything, he was surprised it had lasted as long as it had.  This was undoubtedly the worst storm so far in what had been a very dry summer.  Angry lightning streaked across the dark sky, with thunder booming almost instantaneously.  For microseconds, the flashes illuminated the entire lake like mid-day.

He slid open the sheer drapes that shrouded the glass doors overlooking the lake and settled in, book in one hand, a second bottle of Lebatt Blue in the other.  Leaning back, he rested his feet on the battered leather ottoman, content for the moment to watch the storm’s fury.

His eyes moved to the dark shape in the middle of the lake.  He knew from experience that a wild storm like this one was a dicey proposition in the tiny island cabin.  For one thing, because it was situated on the crest of the island, the wind howled mercilessly around the structure.  And being on the highest point, with thirty-foot pines towering over it, the cabin was a natural lightning rod.  The thunder would be deafening.

He wondered how Shasta was faring.  As he watched, another jagged bolt etched a path across the sky.  He chuckled lightly, picturing her, eyes wide, with the covers pulled up over her head.

               I should check on her first thing in the morning.

Eventually, he lit the oil lamp beside him and began to read.  Bear paced anxiously back and forth in front of the huge window.  He’d never been a fan of storms, not since he’d been a pup.  Suddenly the dog stopped pacing and whimpered softly.

“What’s wrong, boy?  You’re okay, it’s just a summer storm.”

Bear whimpered again and woofed softly.  Frowning, Blake set down the book and stood beside the dog, looking out into the stormy night.  “What is it?  Is something out there?”

Then he saw it.  A tiny point of light between him and the island.  It bounced and tossed as it…

Blake shook his head.  “No way.  No way is she in a boat in the middle of this storm.”

In the next instant, lightning flashed and he saw her clearly, Shasta, huddled against the wind and rain, steering the tiny skiff toward the lodge’s dock.  She was battling against the ferocious gusts of wind and white-capped waves on the lake that threatened to capsize the boat.

“Son of a bitch!” Blake growled.  “No more sense than a…”  He threw on his boots and shrugged into his rain slicker, pausing to don his headlamp before pulling up the hood.  “Son of a bitch!”

He kept his eyes on Shasta as he stalked out to the dock, crossing to the end to wait for her.  When she was close enough, he held out an old wooden oar and she grasped the end of it, allowing him to pull her the rest of the way to the side of the dock.  Blake reached down to cut the motor and grasped her by the upper arms, pulling her out of the boat.

She stood in front of him, eyes wide with terror and she was soaked to the skin, not having bothered with a rain coat.  He shouted above the storm.  “God-dammit, Shasta, what the hell were you thinking?”

She just blinked up at him, shaking either from fear or cold, or both.  “Come on, let’s get you inside.”  He easily scooped her up in his arms and she buried herself against his chest.

Blake was shaking too, but it was from anger.  She’d recklessly endangered herself.  If he hadn’t seen her, if the boat had swamped…  It was beyond his comprehension.  He carried her straight into his cabin, kicking the door closed behind them.  He set her down in the kitchen and stepped back.

“Explain yourself.”  He crossed his arms and watched her expectantly.

Shasta stood shaking, her red hair plastered to her head, her soaked white camisole completely sheer, her pink pajamas clinging to her legs.  She crossed her arms, too, but the gesture was self-protective rather than angry.  It only served to push up her breasts, punctuated by hard-tipped nipples, made harder by being cold and wet.  He worked to ignore them, trying to understand what she’d been thinking.

“Well?”

“I…” she stammered, “I was so scared.”  She was shivering constantly now, and a trickle of blood ran down the side of her face.

Blake lifted her chin gently.  “What happened?  Why are you bleeding?”

Her head shook slightly.  “I don’t…” her teeth chattered, “I don’t know.”

Peering closely, he saw a cut at the hairline above her right temple.  Swiping the hair back, he spied a sliver of glass and carefully removed it.  “Come with me,” he commanded.

She followed him through the living room as he picked up the oil lamp and carried it into the bathroom, where he lifted her up and sat her on the counter.  The cut on her head had begun bleeding in earnest when the glass had been removed.  Blake used a gauze pad to apply direct pressure on the cut.  Shasta sniffled softly as tears ran down her face.

“What’s wrong?” he growled.

“You called me Shasta,” she sobbed.

He snorted.  “What you did was a very ‘Shasta’ thing to do.  That’s the least of your worries right now.  Hold this.”  He moved her hand to hold the gauze in place and he reached around to turn on faucet in the bathtub.

She sat shivering, watching the tub fill with hot water.  Clouds of steam filled the room.  He left for a moment, returning with a flannel shirt of dark red plaid, which he hung on a hook on the back of the door.  Next he turned off the water.

“Let me see how it’s doing,” he murmured, carefully peering under the gauze.  The bleeding had slowed.  He took a bandage from the medicine cabinet and applied it over the cut.  Shasta was still shaking like a leaf.

“You’re almost hypothermic.  I want you in the tub.  Strip.”

Shasta blinked up at him.

“Don’t make me tell you twice.”  His voice was quietly intense as he lifted her off the counter and stood her in the middle of the floor.

Shakily, she pulled the camisole over her head, dropping it to the floor.  Blake watched unblinkingly, a hard expression on his face.  She hooked her thumbs into the top of her pants and slid them, panties and all, down her legs.  She nearly tripped stepping out of them, and Blake reached to steady her.

Naked, she stood trembling as he devoured her with his eyes, starting with her perfect round tits and their tight pink points, her narrow waist and the flair of her hips, the bare cleft at the junction where her legs met.  After all, she’d been on display on the dock, surely she wasn’t shy now.  He knew he was being an ass and he didn’t care.  Anger still thrummed through his veins.

“Get in the tub.  I’ll set a timer for fifteen minutes.  After that, the water will cool off too much to help.”  He disappeared, returning moments later with a kitchen timer which he set on the bathroom counter.

“Why aren’t you in the tub?  Was I unclear in some way?” he snapped.

Shasta touched the wall for stability as she dipped one foot into the tub.  “It’s hot.”

“It’s supposed to be hot.  We have to warm you up.”  He watched her step in with the other foot and ease herself down.  She looked like a drowned rat, peering up at him all wide-eyed.

“When the timer goes off, get out and dry yourself.  You can put this on,” he indicated the flannel shirt he’d hung on the door.  “You will go into the bedroom and sit on the edge of my bed.  You will wait until I come back.  Is that clear?”

Shasta nodded silently.

“I said sit.  You will not lie down, you will not get into the bed.  You will sit.  If you’re cold, there’s a blanket you can use to wrap around yourself.  Do you understand?”

Again, she nodded.  A look of annoyance crossed his face, and then passed.  He nodded sharply.  “I’ll be back.”  He closed the bathroom door behind him and she heard him speak to Bear.  “Stay here, boy, keep an eye on her.  I need to think.”

Lost & Bound is part of my Dream Dominant Collection.  It features a light BDSM theme with a DD/lg relationship, and it’s intended for mature audiences.  Keep watching here for the latest on the cover reveal and release day.

In the meantime, check out my other books on my Amazon Author page.

Get Resisting Risk FREE? What? It’s Simply Scandalous!

Published on by Pandora SpocksLeave a comment

Scandalous Stocking Stuffers
are going to help you STUFF YOUR eREADER! 

That’s right, we’re hosting a bumper FREE books and $0.99 BARGAIN
STUFF YOUR eREADER campaign on the 7th December!

To celebrate we’re offering you the chance to WIN a $450 Amazon Gift Card. 
All you need to do is answer one simple question when you enter the giveaway.

By sharing this competition with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Linked In –
you’ll stand a much better chance at winning 🙂

Enter the giveaway here.

No purchase necessary to win. Void where prohibited.
Contest ends December 7, 2016. Winner will be notified on December 8, 2016.
*** By entering this competition contestants agree to subscribe to receive news from
Scandalous Reads, CPM Books, and the following sponsoring authors:
Allyson Lindt, Angela Kay Austin, Anita Philmar, Ashe Barker, Carmen Fox, Caitlyn Lynch, Cherime MacFarlane,
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On December 7,

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will be FREE on iTunes, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo!

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Plus: WIN a $450 Gift Card!

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Weekend Excerpt–Ransoming Redemption

Published on by Pandora SpocksLeave a comment

ipadmini_707x1018 (2)I’m such a hopeless romantic.  I just love a ‘happily ever’ after ending.  Sometimes, happily ever after isn’t exactly what you expect, though.  Such is the case with my three-part contemporary erotic romance, Rannigan’s Redemption.  It’s one epic story told in three novels.  Here’s an excerpt from the finale, Ransoming Redemption.

Standing in the empty parlor three steps down from the entry, Maggie’s gaze traveled from the intricately designed hardwood floors to the crisp white crown molding, halting in amazement on the ornate stone federalist fireplace.  Winnie was giving a running narrative though Maggie only half heard her.  “Now you’ll notice lots of original details throughout this property.”

“When was this house built?” Michael asked.

“Got to be late 1800s,” Maggie murmured thoughtfully.

“1890 to be precise,” said Winnie sounding pleased.  “You know your architecture.  It’s believed that it was originally built to be the home of a gentleman’s mistress.  He set her up in grand style.”

Maggie giggled.  “Ooh, how scandalous!  What an interesting history.”  She walked the perimeter of the room.  “Michael, do you see the wood inlay in the floor all around the edge?” she asked, stooping to lightly caress the design.  “This is just exquisite.”

She turned to Michael suddenly.  “You’re not seriously considering moving?”

He shook his head.  “Nah, this would be an investment.  I wanted your opinion on the place, though.”  Crossing to a bay window that overlooked the sidewalk and street, he sank onto the seat and put his oxygen back in.  “How about you look it over for me and see what you think.”

Winnie nodded.  “If you go on back, you’ll see they’ve upgraded the kitchen while keeping the original style of the place intact.”

Maggie continued down the hallway past a formal dining room and into the kitchen.  As Winnie had said, it was spacious and open, boasting high end stainless steel appliances and stone counter tops but nothing overpowered the original stone floor and fireplace.  At the end of the room was a space for a breakfast table and beyond that, tall vintage French doors.

“Oh, Michael, there’s a yard back here,” she called, letting herself out into a small gravel courtyard dominated by a huge old oak tree and edged by landscaping beds.  There are probably tulip and daffodil bulbs that pop up in the spring, Maggie mused.  The brick walls of the garden were covered with ivy.

She returned to the parlor.  “Michael, this is absolutely amazing.”

“You like it, then?” he asked, seeming pleased.

“It’s beautiful.  Maybe you should think about moving,” she said.

“You haven’t seen the upstairs yet,” Winnie reminded her.  “This house has four bedrooms and four and a half baths.  The master suite takes up the entire second floor.  Two bedrooms are on the third floor, and there’s a smaller attic bedroom at the top.  Oh, and the basement is finished.  It’s perfect for a home office or a gym.”

Maggie had just started up the stairs when Michael called from the window seat.  “Hey, Mags?  Do you have a couple of dollars?”

“A couple of dollars?”

“Yeah.  I want to buy a newspaper.”

“Michael, I’ll buy you a paper on the way home.”

“There’s a little store on the corner,” he hooked his thumb toward the window, “I just forgot my wallet.  Can you loan me some money?”

Maggie returned to the living room.  “Oh, for fu-,” she glanced at Winnie, “I mean, for Pete’s sake,” she muttered as she dug though her purse.  “Here’s five bucks.  Honestly, I would be happy to get your paper when we’re finished here.”

Michael flashed his best grin.  “Thanks, Mags.  By the way, can you sign as a witness?  I’ve decided to buy the house.”

Maggie frowned at the document in his hand.  “We haven’t even looked at the rest of it yet.”

“I’ve seen the pictures.  And judging by the way you like this floor, I’m thinking this is a good deal.”

She took the document from him, her brow furrowed in thought.

“Maggie, wait until you see the claw foot tubs in the bathrooms,” Winnie said.  “And they’ve maintained the vintage tile on the floors and walls.”  Maggie looked up from the contract.

“Just sign below me, Mags,” Michael said, pointing to the line.  Distractedly, she took the pen from him and quickly signed her name as Winnie continued talking.

“And the master suite has its own original fireplace similar to the one down here.  Let me show you.”

Taking one last look at Michael, Maggie dutifully followed the realtor up the stairs.  Michael smiled smugly to himself.

Rannigan’s Redemption is available as three separate novels, or as one complete boxed set.

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Weekend Excerpt–Running Rogue

Published on by Pandora SpocksLeave a comment

Happy November, everyone!  We’re in the middle of Fall and before long, we’ll be talking about the holidays.

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For this weekend’s excerpt, I wanted to spotlight Running Rogue, the second book in the Rannigan’s Redemption trilogy.  Rannigan’s Redemption is a contemporary erotic romance set in the legal world of Manhattan.

Michael Rannigan is one of the founding partners of the law firm of Murphy, Rannigan, & Metheny.  He’s handsome and arrogant, an inveterate player and a cut-throat high-profile defense attorney.

Maggie Flynn, recent law school grad, was hired by Michael to join his prestigious firm.  She had decided to work for the DA’s office, but her attraction to Michael made her put her plans on hold.

One night of passion tore them apart, and now they’re both spinning out of control as they go their separate ways.

One word of warning: Sometimes characters use profanity.  It’s just the way some characters are.

On Friday afternoon, Michael took the elevator to the 50th floor.  He’d ended his vacation a couple of days early.  Two weeks is really too long to be gone, he reflected.  He figured he’d check up on what had happened in his absence then join the gang at Doc’s.  He had Maggie’s bracelet in his pocket, figuring on returning it to her.

The first person he saw when he stepped off the elevator was Stan.  “Hey, good, you made it for Maggie’s party,” Stan said, smiling.

Michael frowned.  “Maggie’s party?  It’s not her birthday already, is it?”  How did that sneak up on me?

Stan tilted his head.  “Her going-away party.  You came back for her last day, right?  She’s going to the DA’s office?”

Michael’s mouth fell open.  “Her last…”  He glanced around.  “What the fuck?!”

He strode purposefully toward Maggie’s open office door.  She was behind her desk, her back to the door.  “What the fuck, Mags?!”

Maggie whirled around, her eyes wide.  “Michael!”

“Explain to me what’s going on here,” he demanded.

She opened and closed her mouth, her face flushed.  “I, well I, uh…  I gave Brian my two week notice.  I took a job working for Rance.”

“You gave Brian your notice?!”

“You weren’t here,” she said reasonably.

Michael began to stalk back and forth in front of her desk.  “What the fuck possessed you to take a new job?  And you couldn’t wait for me to get back?  I would have offered you a raise.”

Maggie shook her head.  “It’s not about the money.  I hated what I did to win the LeRoi case.  You know that really ate away at me.  I can’t do that anymore.  I feel…dirty, like I need redemption.  I have to do something different, something good.”

Michael stopped pacing and placed his hands on her desk, leaning closer and speaking in a low tone.  “Is this about us?  About the fact that we slept together?”

She crossed her arms and leaned against the credenza.  “News flash, Michael.  Not everything in the world is about you.”

He stood straight and nodded his head angrily.  “So it’s like this, is it?  You’re just going to leave the firm.”

“I’ve been here five years.  It’s time to move on.”  She hung her bag over her shoulder and picked up her box, walking around the desk.

“Let me call security,” Michael told her coolly.  “They can escort you out and see that you don’t take any property belonging to the firm.”

Maggie’s eyes bulged.  “Are you serious?  You want to make sure I don’t steal anything?!”  She walked back to the desk and put down the box.  “Fuck it.  I don’t need any of this shit.”

She glared at Michael.  “You worried about my purse?”  She unzipped the bag and upended it, dumping a wallet, three pens, loose change, hand lotion, a lipstick, and two tampons all over the floor before dropping the bag.

She snatched up the wallet.  “If you don’t mind, I’ll need my ID and my Metro card.”  She turned on her heel and stalked out into the hallway.

Michael interlaced his fingers on top of his head and sighed.  “Wait, Mags, I was out of line,” he said, following her.

“Out of line?  You were out of line?” she shrieked.  “Fuck you, Michael!”  She jabbed the elevator button and entered it as soon as the doors parted, pressing the close door button even before the car was all the way open.

Action on the 50th floor had ground to a halt at the sound of raised voices and as Maggie disappeared, people remained frozen, staring at Michael.

“Fuck!” he growled, and retreated to his office, slamming the door behind him.

Pick up your copy of

Rannigan’s Redemption: Running Rogue

here.

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