Romancing the Erotic ~ Nude Dancer at Elazion

Yes, it’s yours truly, again, with more Flash Fiction.
Ever fantasize about being free to dance artistically, yet not be labeled as ‘less than’, but to be revered, instead?

Nude Dancer at Elazion

Drakur unfolded his large frame from his sleek black flyer and strode toward the intimate nightspot, the Elazion. She was supposed to dance tonight, the woman who occupied his thoughts so ferociously he’d turned into a bad-tempered bear. Private Detective to the wealthy and anyone who sought justice, he now spent his precious energy thinking of ways to entice her into his bed, instead of concentrating on his cases, and handling them with his usual competence and ease. Held in the highest esteem, the nude dancers were off limits, untouchable, unless they consented to being taken, or taken care of.

Shandryss watched herself in the crystalline mirror of her vanity. Languorously she swept the comb through her waist-length hair pleased with the sheen and silky heaviness. Physically and mentally, she prepared herself to dance as she most desired her performance. She danced only when inspired, only at her artistic pleasure, as did every nude dancer in the metropolis of Ovocha. Freeing her mind of thought, she gazed at her face. The indigo-tinted lighting luminesced her features, sharpening them, causing her to appear more exotic. She warmed inside to seductive, a woman who wished to please men with her carnal sensuality.

Drakur smoothed his hand downward, adjusting his double-breasted evening jacket. After a glance at the small empty stage, he lowered himself to the chair at his private table, centrally placed, yet not too close. He wanted a certain view of her as she revealed her naked body. He also wanted her know he was available, as his table indicated. Only so many men were allowed inside for each woman’s performance. Having no idea when ‘she’ would dance, he’d arrived early and paid a premium for this spot. She’d danced directly in front of him before, slinking atop his table once.

Shandryss allowed her thoughts to center on the ruggedly handsome Private Detective who’d attended all of her performances for the past half year. Rarely was she tempted by a man or how he could sexually please her in his bed. The art of the dance, the creative act of seduction, itself, is what lived inside her as a fierce and ever-driving passion. Yet, something about his strong presence, his dedicated persistence, the deep admiration and the bold desire glinting in his gaze... certainly, he’d spent a small fortune by now. Though, many men had devoted themselves to watching her dance.

Drakur tasted the drink he’d ordered. The potent anise flavor burned down his throat in the way he favored. For an instant, the smolder diverted his attention away from the pole his cock had become, already making a tent of his loose trousers. Other women had become his past, except for one, who demanded nothing more than a roll and a fuck from him. Lately, he’d cast her aside, having no desire to keep using her as a way to relieve his unrelenting appetite for Shandryss. Even her performance name taunted him, excited him and scorched the length of shaft.

Shandryss rose and propped her bare foot on the satin-covered stool. She caressed the gleaming lotion onto each of her legs, then gradually covered her entire body. Beneath the luminosity of the Elazion’s lights her flesh would glow provocatively with each movement of her unrehearsed dance. The dance would arrive from her innermost self, inspired by the music, by her mood, by the men who watched her. She practiced her art nearly everyday for the sheer love of it, for the euphoria of discovering what her body could do athletically and artistically. To learn how she wished to express herself.

Drakur endured the performances of the three dancers, sexually beautiful presentations of the Goddess. Yet, they weren’t the woman who’d staked a permanent claim on his loins. Yeah, permanent. He didn’t fool himself. Only the fact that he would be banned forever from the Elazion stopped him from possessing Shandryss with his touch. Stopped him from dragging her close and kissing her lush lips until she willingly clung to him, and wanted him enough to let him bed her. Knowing she was about to perform, he gulped down the last swallow of his drink, then surreptitiously observed the other men.

Shandryss glided to the center of the stage, merely a half-circle extension of the Elazion’s slick shimmering floor. Keeping her gaze lowered, she listened to the opening strains of the music she’d chosen. To the languishing soft-sweltering tempo she allowed her white satin robe to fall from her body and pool around her. Utter silence prevailed, except for the sultry rise of the music around her. Shandryss moved, her arms twining above her head. Sensually arranging her body in the demure invitation of a rain goddess, she danced, presenting a series of sinuous poses, then fluidly whirling among the tables.

Drakur sat like a statue, completely transfixed as the robe slipped from Shandryss. Her exquisitely formed body undulated, each curve beckoning him again and again. Enhanced to blue radiance by the lighting, she lissomely spun as if she truly danced on the glistening blue surface of a lake. His perfect goddess, she drowned him with her beauty, tormented his loins with her inspired dance, and made a tidal wave out of his most ruthless passions. Only for her. The gorgeous writhing of her body moved closer to every man until the crescendo of the music. She fled, a chased nymph.

Shandryss breathed rapidly from the exertion of her dance. And, she admitted for the man who had powerfully chased her every move with his gaze. Why not discover if he could please her passionate appetite? With the performances ended for the evening, she swayed toward his table before reason could stop her. The attack of his gaze, the hope blazing in his eyes, had her hips exaggerating their natural swing. Like a feline she launched on top of his table, then leaned forward on her elbows. Watching his hunger devour her, she touched her fingertip to his offered his fingertip.
~~~~~~

HAVE A LOVELY WEEKEND...

~ MAY YOUR BRIGHTEST READING DREAMS COME TRUE ~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~ http://savannakougar.com ~
http://bookstrand.com/authors/savannakougar ~
~~~

Western Erotic Romance ~ A STAGED AFFAIR by Gem Sivad

Romance lovers, this is Gem Sivad’s first book with publisher, Siren-BookStrand. Her other western erotic romance titles are with Liquid Silver Books.

In the mood for one hot-as-fire, give-me-more read, then this is book for you.

A STAGED AFFAIR

by Gem Sivad

Blurb ~

Anna Fuller is a Shakespearean actress touring Texas when rancher, King Colton spots the red-haired vixen playing Lady Macbeth. One look and King’s in love.

King isn’t much for romance and doesn’t know what it will take to make Anna content, but if it takes money, he’s willing to spend a fortune trying.

Anna only wants King’s love, but he’s so busy fighting land-grabbers and taking care of ranch business, he doesn’t see what his lover offers. When Anna leaves him, King moves heaven, hell, and half of Texas too, trying to reclaim Anna before he loses her for good. Sex is the weapon of choice when these two face off in a sheet-scorching showdown.
~~~

SEXCERPT ~

She’d been without King too long. She missed him terribly at first. But then there were other things, important business, to distract her from the want. By the end of her lonely seclusion, she almost convinced herself the madness of desire she remembered had never been that strong.

Now here he was, proving her self-delusion wrong. Once again, her body was liquid heat reaching for satisfaction only he could provide. He was crazy hot for her, too, but at the same time determined to take charge of her life.

I will never let that happen again.

“You have no right.” She got that far with her declaration when he lifted his head and glared at her. She admired the rough planes of his face and adored his gruff assertion at the same time she bristled against his claim.

“The hell you say. I have every right. You’re mine.”

He was furious. She knew he would be. She told Tommy she would just sneak back into town and leave again the back way so King would never know she’d come and gone.

Of course, she planned every possible scenario that might happen if and when they did meet. She had a lot of friends in town, but he had a lot of money, power, and when he needed it, charm. He was still spouting his I am God nonsense, and she listened with half interest.

“Where have you been? Don’t feed me a line of bullshit. I already know where you haven’t been—here, with me, where you’re supposed to be.”

He was merciless in his torture, bringing her to the quivering pinnacle of orgasm before he paused to ask each question. Anna’s belly, womb, pussy, ass, and lungs coiled tighter each time he promised, teased, withdrew, until her body threatened to burst into flames.

Then he pushed her thighs wide open and buried his face again in her folds. She needed it.She needed him now. Every nerve ending in her body screamed. She panted an explanation. “The show closed, we followed the drum and went to Fort Laramie. I was there.”

“Lie number two.” He looked up and intoned righteously as though he was God Almighty. “I sent the same man to Laramie when the trail pointed that way.”

He stopped to nip her thigh. His tongue teased a trail of sensation across the sensitive crease of her leg, almost close enough to touch her pearl.

“It was a slow season…” She couldn’t keep the desperation from her voice. “We lost the props, the show wagon broke an axle, we were stranded…”

“Lies, lies, lies.”

As usual he was so busy pointing out her sins she outwitted him. She swiveled her hips and swiped her clit against his moving lips, and it was enough. Prickles of ecstasy fired her body.

“Yesss,” she screamed triumphantly and started an orgasm that rolled from the tips of her well manicured toes to her lustrous red hair. Even her earlobes seemed to pulse and vibrate.

“This isn’t over,” King Colton promised, raising to his knees to slam his cock so deep in her clenching pussy he fulfilled her request. She could taste him, and he was the most exotically delicious dish she would ever have. She reminded herself of that as she savored deep, partaking of her last meal.

She adored him and she’d never get over him, and that was the right way to feel about the love of her life. Just like Desdemona, Cleopatra, and Juliet, she was destined to have a tragic love, but she’d be damned if she’d end up an old woman living out of a stage suitcase.

So, this was it. He pulled her head against his shoulder to stifle her ecstatic shriek even as his chest rumbled with the laughter she loved to call out of him. “Christ, girl, they’ll think I’m killing you.”

Purchase at ~ http://sirenpublishing.com/gemsivad ~
~~~~~~

Gem’s western-sensual fabulous cover art is from cover artist is Amanda Kelsey ~ http://razzdazzdesign.com ~

Gem Sivad has received outstanding reviews for INTIMATE STRANGERS and WOLF’S TENDER. She’s fast becoming a leading author in Western Erotic Romance for good reasons. Her stories are gritty, realistic about those historical times. However, that feeling of sweep-you-away romance prevails.
Gem also realistically portrays the relationship between a man and a woman. Yet, love always wins out, the hearts of her hero and heroine exposed to each other, in that Happily Ever After we all want and crave.
Oh, and talk about scorching passion... yeehaw! Saddle up for the long hot ride.

You can find Gem Sivad at ~ http://gemsivad.wordpress.com/blog ~

The Ugly Truth

The Ugly Truth

By Pat Cunningham

I really meant to write a funny story. C’mon, look at the plot: a werewolf enters herself in a dog show as a joke, and wins. How can you take that seriously?

But a funny thing happened, and it wasn’t the story. I started exploring my werewolf’s motives. In order to enter a dog show, she’d have to look more dog than wolf. And if she didn’t look that much like a wolf, what did the other wolves think of her? We all know how the reindeer felt about Rudolph, and all he had was the nose.

That’s when I realized: far from being the mischievous, let’s-stick-it-to-the-monkeys shifter I’d been planning to write about, Adele Chase was an insecure young woman with low self-esteem and serious body-image issues, so desperate for others’ approval she was willing to trot around a show ring on the end of a leash for the sake of human applause. If her own kind wouldn’t give her what she craved, she’d go find it elsewhere. Even, as the plot turned out, risk her life to get it.

It must be hell, growing up as a girl these days. Not that it was ever easy, but geez. All that advertising, TV and magazines and now on the Net, bombarding girls with images of unattainable physical perfection. I know Tyra Banks is out there telling viewers her looks are the result of make-up, lighting, professional stylists and a healthy dose of the airbrush, but is anybody listening to her? Or do they just look at the pictures? Their attitudes are shaped by what they see all around them, and what those images tell them. I thought the women’s movement was supposed to free us from the idea that a girl’s worth depends on her appearance. The statistics on teenage eating disorders, depression and even suicide tend to say otherwise. Don’t even get me started on beauty pageants for 5-year-olds. Ye godz.

A lot of ugliness of different varieties crept into this story. The hero despises his own ethnic background and it’s twisted him up inside. The villain is into racial purity and has taken his sick beliefs to a violent extreme. Fortunately, there are bright spots. Adele has the emotional support of her brother, and wins the hero’s heart with her courage as well as her appearance. She, in turn, helps him accept his heritage. The bad guy gets what’s coming to him. Of course, this is fiction. Real life doesn’t always get the happy ending. Ask the 95-pound woman who thinks she’s fat.

The dogs have it right. They’re not the ones obsessing over their looks. They leave that to us. As long as the food dish is full and they can sleep on the couch, they’re happy. There’s a lesson in there somewhere.

The next story will be funny. I promise.
~~~

BEST OF BREED

BLURB ~

It started out as a joke: a werewolf entering a dog show. Adele Chase has always believed herself ugly, with her doggish wolf form and non-shifter blue eyes. But in the show ring she’s discovered a place where she can be beautiful.

Now, poised on the brink of her biggest win, nothing can deter her-–not even the presence of Bowie, the notorious werewolf hunter. He’s stalking the show in search of a werewolf and found what he thinks is a woman. Adele realizes he could be her destined mate–-or, if he uncovers her secret, her death.

With Best in Show within her reach, she plays a dangerous game with a man who might either love her or kill her…with neither aware of the enemy who’s out to destroy them both.
~~~
Now available from BookStrand ~ http://bookstrand.com/best-of-breed ~

Plus, take a look at COYOTE MOON by Pat Cunningham ~ Can a half-werewolf woman, unaware of her wolf nature, come to love the WereCoyote determined to free her wild side and make her his mate? ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-coyotemoon-14959-330.html ~

Oh, the Memories

On Facebook the other day, the sister of a friend of mine posted a little dilly for everyone to repost. She finds these little fun things for all to do and they are a hit. This particular one was to post an older photo of you with your SO/spouse and date your relationship.

Another, a guy, posted wanting everyone to name their favorite Led Zepplin song and why.

Oh, the memories these two posts brought up.

My husband and I met when I was sophomore in high school, he a junior. We had gym class at the same time - not yet co-ed, but neither of us enjoyed the crowded locker room at the end of class. So, we'd stay out on the floor and play basketball. He doesn't recall this, but it's one of my favorite memories. You see, I've always been a Tom Boy and grew up playing Cowboys & Indians; army, built tree houses, baseball, did anything and everything the boys in the neighborhood could do. This was my first experience playing basketball with a boy. The one-on-one play with him showed we were an even match - we had a competitive chemistry. He gave me a work-out the girls didn't, which was why I turned down a spot on the girl's school team. Girls weren't supposed to be all that competitive and this quiet-shy girl was ruthless when it came to sports.

This photo I ended up posting was taken two years later, my senior prom. Oh, we were so young and thin then. See that lack of chemistry -- didn't last long. lol

While we had occasion to see one another many times before, nothing was ever said. He was dating a friend, engaged to her for a short while, in fact. Till this day, we call her his other wife and our sons call her mom. We'd double-dated on occasion, but it never once entered my mind that he was cute, likeable in the girl-boy way; I never gave him a thought other than the basketball games we had.

When prom came around and I'd not accepted any invitations to attend, my friend insisted I must go. Since my two-year relationship with a guy had ended months earlier, I wasn't the least bit interested in seeing anyone else. Well, she decided her ex would be the perfect remedy for me. I resisted and he was the one who talked me into going.

I could say the rest is history, but why leave the fun out. The chemistry we had playing basketball returned on the dance floor, but differently. Most would say it was the occasion, rebound issues for both of us; seeing my ex with someone else and a host of other reasons. But I honestly do not remember who attended, who the DJ was, the theme of the dance - who was crowned King and Queen - much to a friends displeasure since she was Queen. It was like a cloud formed around us and no one, nothing else mattered. Something happened during Led Zepplin's Stairway To Heaven - two hearts litterally collided and being 17 & 19, clear headedness isn't there. I think back on it and I should really feel remorse, shame and embarrassment for the public display of what was happening to us, but I don't. It didn't matter then that we were nearly kicked out of my prom, and now I look back on it with a smile. ;) Back then, it was frowned on to have no light between bodies on the dance floor, kissing was a major offense -- hand-holding was barely tollerated, so it wasn't like we were really going at it like your minds might interpret. lol

We did not attend the after prom party, nor the class the party the following day. Instead, we spent the night together, ok - now I should clarify. While we did go back to his place and things did get hairy for me, we stopped it before it got out of hand and returned my friends house where we spent the night playing games and watching television. The day after, we spent the day at the zoo, enjoyed a nice picnic on the cloudy day - it was perfect. It was the best twenty-four hours I'd had in so long.

Two weeks later, he dumped me to go to a concert with a friend of his and two other girls. I was stunned, hurt and moved out of town right after graduation.

He was in my soul and I couldn't forget him. My girlfriend, his ex, listened, consoled and did what any friend would do. She called him names and we male-bashed though we both knew neither of us meant a word of it.

Finally, I called him - it seemed like ages, but in fact was only two weeks. He confessed to being terrified of me, what he was feeling, what I made him feel. He apologised profusely, begged me to forgive him. What girl could resist?

Now, I can say the rest is history.

We married less than two months later on August 12, 1977, my eighteenth birthday. Which has it's own story as to why we married that day. Love you, daddy.

We're best friends, we like each other, we love each other and that is so much more than many other couples could hope for.

We do so many neat things for each other all throughout the year that it's really hard to top it for Valentine's Day. We've had many traditions, rendezvous, special dinners, secret get aways, daily giving of cards; surprising everyone with a Valentine box full of goodies.

This year, I'm happy to just be with him, have here with me. Dinner, cards, even the bottle of his favorite wine I have hidden until tonight is icing.

And being the sentimental creature -- it fills my heart to overflowing to see my sons carrying on what they've learned from living with their parents. No one could ask for more. Today, our baby, our sixteen year old is cooking his first Valentine dinner. I still can't believe he came to me the other day and told me his intention. Wow!

May your day be filled with love, kisses and a future of heart-filled memories.

Bekki

http://bekkilynn.net

A Real Life Valentine--In the Summer

My husband, Jim, and I met in college. We attended a school that had turned co-ed only a few years earlier. As such, the place was still set up for males, and restricted women's access to some buildings, such as the gym.

The summer after we met, I got a job at the college and lived on campus. Jim, who was my boyfriend at the time, worked at the gym. The school had recently opened the gym to women, and gave us a locker room with scheduled times when we could use the facilities.

The first time I went into the women's locker room was a bit of culture shock--all those urinals and a big communal shower still in place. But lockers were lockers. I spun the combination and swung the door open. And jumped. On the topmost shelf sat a little paper cup containing a pink rose. I hadn’t told anyone the combination. How had someone gotten inside?

As I stared at the rose, I realized what had happened. Jim could access everything in the building and had found out my locker number and its combination. Later, he told me he had picked the rose from one of the bushes on campus. He even found a pink rose, though he didn't then know pink was my favorite color.

We've been together now for more than half our lifetimes--more years with Jim than without him. And, God willing, we'll be together for a good long time to come.

Happy Valentine's Day,
Linda
http://www.lindabanche.com

A Hero for Regan

Valentine’s day has always been one of my favorite holidays, Hallmark or not. Years later I still remember the little valentine cards we’d pass out in my grammar school class and the tiny heart candies with sweet little writings on them. My dream proposal was for one on Valentine’s day. Last year on Valentine’s day, or actually the week before, one of my local TV stations hosted Allison Brennan, Brenda Novak, Karin Tabke and I for a week of romance. It was total fun. We brought copies of our most romantic books and talked with a couple of the hosts about them and out of that came The Thrill is Gone, The Four of Cups, my entry into the eXtasy tarot series, due out March 15, 2010. I knew I’d struck a cord when my editor told me she cried at a certain part of the book. I know I got teary when I wrote that scene. But my very best Valentine’s day ever was in 1992.

I was engaged to a Marine Corps Cobra pilot who was having issues after Desert Storm. It really changed his emotional paradigm and we were going to talk out our relationship on Valentine’s day in 1992. He never showed. I was devastated and then, another Marine showed up. This one flew CH-53’s – the helo that the Marine’s used in commercials, the ones with the knight fighting with his sword morphs into a modern day Marine in dress blues with his sword and says “knights still ride stallions”. He took that knight in shining armor part to heart and HE was the one who showed up at the door. I opened it and all he said was “I couldn’t let you be alone on Valentine’s day.” He was my best friend before that, trying to help my fiancé and I get things together. Although they hadn’t spoken about Valentine’s day, my knight knew my fiancé was not going to show.

A year later, on Valentine’s day my knight told me for the first time he loved me. Seventeen years later he is still my best friend and every once in awhile I turn around and realize I’ve fallen in love with him all over again.

Regan Taylor

(Posted by Celia Yeary)

http://www.regantaylor.com/

Now available: His Eyes and The Spell www.siren-bookstrand.com

The Tiger Romances Valentine's Day

Yes, the Golden Tiger arrives on Valentine’s Day. The Chinese New Year begins on Valentine’s Day this year and the Metal or Golden Tiger represents the coming year in this Astrological tradition.

What does that mean, forecast-wise? I’m no expert. However, I’ll give this interpretation. In this year of 2010 ~ Love possesses the strength, the nobility and the fierce endurance of the Tiger.

Wherever we give of our love, to our lover, that one we adore with our whole heart... to friends, to our family, and to our communities...that splendid frequency ‘of love’ resonates and expands with the strength and nobility of the Tiger, and spreads throughout our world, making it a much more splendid place.

Rumbly purrs and Roars! Love and passion is definitely in the Eye of the Tiger or Tigress.

If my fantasies came true on Valentine’s Day, the gorgeous red-golden and black-striped beast would arrive for me on this special day for lovers, a bouquet of sumptuous red roses held in his powerful jaws. Sans the thorns, of course.
Being a shapeshifter, he would let me stroke and kiss and revel in his ‘oh so’ beautifully furred body, before transitioning into his human shape... then, roar and roll! Let the passion begin... yes, I’d grab a ‘tiger by the tail’! And, once I gaze into the passion-ferocious ‘eye of the tiger’, it’s ‘ride that tiger’... oh, baby!
~~~

For romance-reading fun check out ~
Siren Seven Days of Valentine ~ at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SirenBookstrand ~
~~~

Also! For lots of Eye Candy ~
Valentine's Weekend Blog Tour

This time, it will be stretching across a weekend, beginning on Friday February 12th at 00:01 (midnight) and ending on Sunday February 14th at 12:01 (noon) EST. We'll chat on Sunday, and announce the winners in chat at 5pm EST!

Begin the tour here ~ http://booknibbles.com/blogtour ~
~~~~~~

HAPPY GOLDEN TIGER VALENTINE’S DAY!

~ MAY YOUR BRIGHTEST READING DREAMS COME TRUE ~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance ~
~~~

Proofreading

I am in the process of proofreading my latest completed WIP. It is not my favorite thing to do. I wish I could get it so perfect the first time that I wouldn't have to do any kind of proofreading or editing at all, if only. But that's not the way it works for anyone and so I am forced to give it a run through before sending it off for my publisher to see.

It is hard for me to be motivated to proofread especially because my mind is always on to the next project when I finish my WIP. So I find my mind wandering on to that next story and not getting much done on the one I am staring at. I am more easily distracted by what is going on around me as well. The television, and the family all seem to be more captivating than the work I am supposed to be getting done.

So I am setting a goal of the end of the weekend to have my story proofread and ready to send out. I may have to get in my office and out of the living room to accomplish this, and plug my ears with music, but I will do what I have to do. As always I will get it done and move on to the next exciting WIP.

I do love writing and creating. It is the polishing I find a nuisance. So writers out there, what is the part of the process you most despise?

Werewolf Romance ~ BEST OF BREED by Pat Cunningham

OPENING NOTE: Okay, this is pure synchronicity. First, Gem Sivad’s BREED TRUE, now available from Liquid Silver Books.

NOW!!!

Are you ready for BEST OF BREED by Pat Cunningham?
The Kougar just read the excerpt and her answer is a big kitty-yowling YES!

BLURB ~

It started out as a joke: a werewolf entering a dog show. Adele Chase has always believed herself ugly, with her doggish wolf form and non-shifter blue eyes. But in the show ring she’s discovered a place where she can be beautiful.

Now, poised on the brink of her biggest win, nothing can deter her-–not even the presence of Bowie, the notorious werewolf hunter. He’s stalking the show in search of a werewolf and found what he thinks is a woman. Adele realizes he could be her destined mate–-or, if he uncovers her secret, her death.

With Best in Show within her reach, she plays a dangerous game with a man who might either love her or kill her…with neither aware of the enemy who’s out to destroy them both.
~~~~~~

EXCERPT ~

Blue. Her eyes were blue, just as he’d imagined. As he’d been hoping, he realized. Pallid as an arctic sky, just like her dog’s. He sucked in a temporizing breath and discovered she smelled of lavender. It couldn’t be coincidence. More like fate. He’d had that smell in his nose all morning, ever since he confronted the Chase boy and the dog. He couldn’t seem to shake it. Encountering it now on Adele, he decided he no longer wanted to.

Those remarkable eyes lifted to meet his. Fear darted through them, swiftly suppressed. Her smile was courteous, but guarded. “Yes?” she prompted.

She couldn’t be were. Not in those shoes that no shifter female would ever subject her feet to, or that dress that clung so tightly to every delightful dip and curve of her body. Not with those blue eyes.

He’d felt those eyes on him up in the stands, dragging at his awareness, demanding response. One look at her and he’d become obsessed, even before he heard Dartmouth identify her. He wanted suddenly to draw her to him and learn the texture of that midnight hair. Learn how she would respond to his most intimate touch. Test the strength of those athletic-looking limbs, discover how the skin between her breasts would taste.

Not at all his normal reaction upon meeting a woman, not even the most attractive ones. That scent of lavender had scrambled his thoughts. He’d been on the trail too long, he decided. Too long hunting weres and nothing else.

He’d slit his throat with his own silver knife before he’d do with a were what he wanted to do with this woman. She must be human. She had to be.

She fidgeted at his continued silence. Her smile had disappeared. She wrenched her gaze from his and darted it at the nearest exit. She tried to slip by him. “If you’ll excuse me—”

He reached for her arm. She shied away, with a quick, instinctive lift of her lip. A were’s reaction. Her eyes thinned to ice-blue slits. “What do you want from me?”

To kill her, if she weren’t the human he desperately wanted her to be. He doubted she’d appreciate hearing that. He found himself groping after an answer. That had never happened to him before.

It was the lavender, of course. And the way she stood before him, head raised and eyes direct, every line of her body proud and sure. Just like the dog in the ring. “You’re very beautiful,” he blurted.

Her jaw dropped. Not the reaction he expected when he complimented a woman. Her voice shot up the scale to a squeak. “What did you say?”

“I said you’re very beautiful, and I meant it. I’m also incredibly rude. My name is Jeff Bauer.” He held out his hand.

“You’re…who?”

“My name is Jeff Bauer,” he repeated. “You are Adele Chase? Owner of Hide in Plain Sight?”

She stared at his hand as if it held poison. Then at his eyes, as if she expected the same. She seemed confused when she found none. He hoped his smile looked reassuring. Smiles did not come to him easily. He let his hand drop. “You’re not thinking I’m somebody else?”

“I’m not sure who you are, Mr.…Bauer. Or what your interest is in me.”

“To be honest, my interest is more in your dog. You bred her yourself?”

She smiled tentatively, as if at a private joke. Even that faint expression transformed her from beautiful into a woman who could shake a man’s soul in her teeth. “My parents bred her, actually, but she belongs to me.”

“And her handler? Your…?”

“Brother. Trevor is my brother, and Heidi’s co-owner.” She eyed him cautiously. “Are you a Husky fancier, Mr. Bauer?”

“I’m becoming one.”
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"I meant to write a funny story–-werewolf undercover at a dog show–-but low self-esteem and bad body image aren't laughing matters for too many young women. Adele proves strong enough to find her own beauty, and triumphs over the ugliness around her. Confidence breeds beauty, no airbrushing required." ~Pat~
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AVAILABLE: Tuesday, February 2nd ~ http://bookstrand.com/authors/patcunningham ~

Plus, take a look at COYOTE MOON by Pat Cunningham ~ Can a half-werewolf woman, unaware of her wolf nature, come to love the WereCoyote determined to free her wild side and make her his mate? ~ http://bookstrand.com/product-coyotemoon-14959-330.html ~
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HAPPY SHAPESHIFTING VALENTINE’S DAY!

~ MAY YOUR BRIGHTEST READING DREAMS COME TRUE ~

Savanna

Savanna Kougar ~ Run on the Wild Side of Romance