Archive for the ‘men in uniform’ Category

Unexpected Engagement is available now!

Oct 1, 2015 Filed under: contemporary, cops, m/m, men in uniform

Unexpected Engagement is Available now! Grab your copy at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Kobo, iTunes, or Smashwords. Barnes and Noble is coming soon.

Simon McLeod was a promising young naval captain before his ship was attacked and CIA agents forced him to fake his death and join their ranks. Since that horrible night, Simon has focused on finding the men responsible for ending his career. He’s close now, but he needs help from the man he loves. The problem is Edgar is straight, has no idea how Simon feels, and threatened to strangle him the last time they were together.

After years of using his medical expertise to patch Simon up after ill-advised missions, Edgar told Simon not to come running to him anymore. Watching Simon self-destruct was too painful. But when Simon shows up on Edgar’s doorstep covered in blood, Edgar can’t turn him away. He also can’t fight the feelings he has for Simon, feelings that go way beyond friendship.

Neither man thought he’d ever truly be happy again, but if they can survive a final dangerous mission, they might be able to prove themselves wrong.

Unexpected Engagement – First Draft Complete!

Jul 2, 2015 Filed under: contemporary, m/m, men in uniform, writing

Yessss! I’ve finally reached the end of Unexpected Engagement (Unexpected 3). Simon and Edgar are thrilled to have all their story down even if it still needs plenty of tweaking. If you haven’t read books 1 and 2 in this series, check them out here.

Coming Clean is available now!

May 20, 2015 Filed under: book release, contemporary, m/m, men in uniform

Release day is finally here! You can grab Coming Clean at Amazon, All Romance eBooks, iTunes and Smashwords. Barnes and Noble and Kobo are coming soon.

 

Blurb:

An unexpected inheritance lands Jeremy a large house and plenty of money to take a sabbatical from his job teaching poetry at a small college. He intends to sell the house and take off on a new path to discover what he wants out of life. Then he meets Connor. The attraction he feels to a man so different from himself is no less shocking than his change in financial circumstances, but Connor is in the closet and Jeremy wants a life lived out in the sun.

Connor is a former Force Recon Marine who runs a housecleaning business. When he’s hired to get Jeremy’s house market-ready, he’s startled by how attracted he is to his client despite their many differences. But his past, especially his final mission, weighs heavily on him. He’s not certain he can be the man Jeremy needs, but no man has ever made him want to take a risk like Jeremy does.

Excerpt:

Knock! Knock!

Shit! Someone was at the door. Jeremy had been certain he could finish breakfast before the cleaners came but here he was, covered in toast crumbs and only halfway through his eggs. He gulped down a last sip of coffee as he brushed himself with the other hand. Then he ran toward the front door, not wanting to keep the man with the alluring voice waiting. Unfortunately, he’d forgotten how slick the hardwood floors were. He tried to slow himself but it was too late: he went into a uncontrolled skid and landed against the door with a bone-jarring thud.

“I thought I was supposed to be the one knocking,” the man on the other side said, his voice just as low and rich as it had been on the phone.
Jeremy wished he hadn’t made an utter fool of himself in front of Mr. Sexy Voice. With a sigh, he opened the door. “Sorry. The floor’s slippery, especially if you’re…” He glanced down. Fuck. He was wearing his neon paisley socks, the ones David had given him last Christmas in an effort to brighten up his life. He’d really meant to change. Frayed khaki shorts and paisley socks. Yeah, that was a great first impression.

He looked up and for the first time, really saw the man on the other side of the door, Connor, he’d said his name was. Damn, Connor could wear paisley socks, or anything else, and still make a good impression. Better yet, he could wear nothing at all. His light brown hair was buzzed, emphasizing the firm line of his jaw, and his eyes looked like burnished gold. While he wasn’t significantly taller than Jeremy’s five foot eleven, he held himself in a way that made him seem much larger, and he exuded confidence. No doubt he’d be a good man to have on your side in a zombie apocalypse.

“You are Jeremy Parks, right?”

Please let me get through this interview without embarrassing myself. Again. “Yes, and you’re Spit Shine Clean. Not that that’s your name but—”

“I’m Connor.” The amazing specimen of maleness held out his hand. Jeremy hoped to God there wasn’t any egg or jam on his own as he reached out to shake.

Whoa. Connor’s strength and the rough maleness of his hand paralyzed Jeremy as if Connor had hit him with a Taser. Jeremy didn’t usually go for the military type. He was more likely to be uneasy around them than turned on. Maybe his wires were crossed that morning or maybe he’d rattled something loose when he hit the door, because he wanted to drag Connor up to his bedroom and forget about showing him the rest of the house. When Connor let go, Jeremy steadied himself, sure he was going to slide down again.

“You okay?” Connor asked.

“Oh, yes. I’m fine. Just… I meant to change. These socks were a gift. A gag gift.”

“They’re cute.”

Jeremy glanced at Connor and the surprise in his eyes indicated he was as startled as Jeremy that those words had come out of his mouth. “Thanks. My friend has an interesting sense of humor.”

Connor grinned. “I can tell.”

Lists Make Me Happy: Sizzling Hot M/M Stories

May 4, 2015 Filed under: book recommendation, contemporary, cops, D/s, erotica, historical, m/m, men in uniform

This is the first in a series of list posts. These lists will include books I love and, where appropriate, titles from my own catalog. I enjoy many romance subgenres depending on my mood. This week’s list consists of books that are ultra hot, ones where the erotic content is integral to the character development.

A slight digression: You may have noticed I like writing this type of book as well as reading it. At GRL 2015, I will have the privilege of being on a panel with two authors who know all about writing hot, LA Witt and SE Jakes and we’ll be talking about this very topic. So join us if you’ll be attending.

Sizzling M/M Books and Series

Hell or High Water series by SE Jakes

Tristan and Jared (Market Garden series) by LA Witt and Aleksandr Voinov (sold in a bundle or as separate stories)

The Magpie Lord series by KJ Charles

Force of Law by Jez Morrow

Whitetail Rock by Anne Tenino (a free download at ARe)

Dirty Laundry by Heidi Cullinan

Shock and Awe by Abi Roux

More by Sloan Parker

A Simple Romance by JH Knight

My own Fitting In series

I’d love to hear some of your suggestions for more hot books!

Birthday Sale!

Sep 16, 2014 Filed under: cops, cowboy, D/s, m/m, men in uniform, menage, Sale

I’m entering a new decade in my life this week and to celebrate, I’m having a sale on some of my titles. Also tomorrow, Wednesday, I’ll be sharing lots of beautiful men on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.

Say Yes is free through 9/18 at All Romance eBooks.

Fitting In is 75% off through 9/18 at Amazon and All Romance ebooks.

If Wishes Were Horses is 40% off through 9/21 at Amazon and All Romance ebooks.

NSFW Excerpts From My Next Two Books

Apr 23, 2014 Filed under: contemporary, cowboy, excerpts, m/m, men in uniform Tags: cops, police/law enforcement

Here are a few hot and dirty excerpts from my upcoming books. To see character inspirations for these books, check out this post and this one on my tumblr and follow me there for more dirty excerpts.

The first excerpt is from If Wishes Were Horses which releases on May 16. Ken is a ranch owner and Andy is an undercover copy who’s investigating a drug-running operation while working at the ranch.

Ken grinned. “Control issues?

“You’re one to talk.”

Ken gave a hard thrust, and Andy groaned, tipping his head back and closing his eyes. Ken should have known it was an act, but he got lost in seeing Andy’s pleasure.

Andy used the moment to break free and shove at Ken’s shoulders, knocking him off balance. He stumbled and Andy lunged for him, grabbing him around the waist and dragging him to the floor.

He wrapped a leg around Andy’s and flipped them, spearing his hands into Andy’s hair and using the leverage to slam his head against the floor.

Andy roared and arched up, nearly bucking Ken off.

They tussled, rolling over until they hit the edge of Ken’s desk. Andy ended up on top, and he managed to get hold of Ken’s wrists and pin them over his head. Andy hung over him, looking like he was trying to decide if he was ready to stop fighting and fuck.

“Fighting is excellent foreplay, but maybe it’s time for more. What do you think?” Ken asked.

“Fuck you,” Andy said, shoving at him and standing up.

Ken watched Andy as he loomed over him. The man was pissed that he’d given up on self-control and come back for what he wanted.

Andy turned like he was going to walk away, but Ken wasn’t about to let that happen. “Andy.”

Andy froze and slowly turned. Ken pressed his palm against his cock and rubbed, back and forth along his length. Andy watched, mesmerized. Then Ken unzipped his jeans, pulled his cock out, and kept stroking. “I thought you were here to do something about this.”

“Hands off,” Andy ordered.

Ken grinned at him. “Make me.”

Andy took a step toward him. “I’m going to tear you up.”

Ken grinned. “You were right, you know?”

“About what?”

“I love a man who’s got what it takes to hold me down and shove his cock up my ass. Do you have what it takes?”

 

This unedited excerpt is from Unexpected Trust, a sequel to Unexpected Rescue staring Jackson’s friend Sport. The projected release date is mid July. Sport is an FBI agent and Danny specializes in black ops for one or multiple lettered agencies. Danny has been following Sport trying to determine whether to bring him in on his current mission.

 

Sport settled at the bar and downed drink after drink. He was furious, probably more with himself than anyone else. Danny could tell by the way he carried himself even if the drinking hadn’t been a clue. Danny toyed with the idea of making a move on him but this wasn’t the time. Instead he chatted up a couple of young men who’d been eye-fucking him while they made out with each other. When he proposed that one of them seduce Sport while Danny fucked the other one against the wall out back, They looked like they’d won the lottery. The fact that they couldn’t let on to Sport that it had all been planned made it even sweeter for them. Danny was afraid they might come just from thinking about it before he ever got them outside.

If Sport had been anything approaching sober, Danny wouldn’t have gotten away with it. But he was drunk and angry and he’d let his guard down. By the time Sport stumbled outside with the twink Danny had sent to seduce him, Danny already had the young man’s friend pressed against the wall, hands spread, legs apart.

The man with Sport looked at him and winked. Danny scowled but the kid didn’t have time to react, because Sport grabbed his shoulders and pushed him to his knees. Danny rolled on a condom and slicked up as he watched, slapping his partner on the ass when he begged Danny to move faster.

Danny watched, mesmerized as Sport unfastened his suit pants and pulled out his cock. “Suck me,” he demanded, his low, rough voice just carrying over to Danny.

Danny took his cock in hand and pushed into the young man in front of him. He groaned as the man’s tight ass gripped his cock, thrusting in hard, not caring if it hurt. “You like it rough?” he asked.

The man nodded frantically. “Good, because that’s how I give it.” Especially when I’m so turned on I can’t see straight.

Danny pounded the young man, desperate to get off. He was moaning and grinding back, loving the rough treatment. His friend must like rough too because Sport braced himself on the wall and grabbed his hair dragging his head back, and the boy took it, relaxed and easy like he would do anything Sport asked.

Danny lost his rhythm and nearly swallowed his tongue when Sport turned to look at him, holding his gaze as he drove all the way down the boys throat, choking him, using him. Holy fuck. That was the best thing Danny had every seen. He was going to get off to that memory for a long time.

Sorting Out is available now!

Dec 29, 2013 Filed under: BDSM, book release, contemporary, excerpts, first chapter, m/m, men in uniform, menage

Sorting Out, the sequel to Fitting In is now available at Amazon, ARe, BN, and Smashwords. Here’s an excerpt from Chapter One….

Jack heard the door open as he pulled a pan of hot caramel popcorn from the oven. Perfect timing. Mason was home and hopefully Gray had been able to get most of his paperwork finished, so the three of them could curl up together and continue their third run through the fourteen brilliant episodes of Firefly. Why oh why had it been cancelled and how had he not known about its awesomeness until Mason came into his life?

Their schedules had kept them apart for the last few nights and Jack had been looking forward to this all day, the three of them snuggled on the couch, watching TV until they started to doze off like an old married threesome. Who would need to go out with two amazing men at home? He could happily hole up for weeks just cuddling, fucking, and cooking for them.

Mason dropped his bag on the table and came up behind him. He kissed Jack’s neck as he grabbed a handful of popcorn that he immediately threw back into the pan, yelling, “Hot!”

“Of course it’s hot. It just came out of the oven.” Laughing, Jack grabbed Mason’s hand and kissed his palm. “Is that better?”

“No, but this will fix it.” Mason kissed him, sliding his tongue along the seam of Jack’s lips until he opened for his lover, letting him get a taste. Desire rose swiftly, and he clutched at Mason’s hips, pulling him in tight, letting him feel his cock, which was now hard and needy. Maybe Captain Mal would have to wait after all.

The sound of Gray clearing his throat brought them up for air. Mason stepped back, grinning at Jack. “That was a delicious hello.” He turned toward Gray, but when Jack saw the expression on their lover’s face, he knew they weren’t getting the same kind of greeting from him. He looked serious and…scared? Jack’s stomach knotted.

“What is it?”

“I need to talk to you. I waited until Mason was home, but I… Maybe you should sit down.”

“Gray, what’s wrong?” Jack asked, the caramel he’d tasted as he coated the popcorn lying heavy in his stomach.

Mason laid a hand on his arm. “Are you okay? You’re really pale.”

Jack ignored the question. “Don’t make us wait.”

“Thornton, the lieutenant from Major Crimes that I told you about—”

He glanced at Mason. “He’s been encouraging me to take the detective exam. He wants me in his unit.”

“But—”

Gray held up a hand. “Yes, it would mean we wouldn’t be partners anymore, but it would also mean we could be out if we wanted to. We’ve been talking about making a change, and you’ve known I was thinking about going for a promotion.”

“Yeah, but, I…” Nausea tightened Jack’s throat.

Mason reached for Jack’s hand and squeezed. “This could be good for all of us. Let’s think about it.”

Jack looked at Mason. He had known this would happen sooner or later. Gray was right about it being for the best, but Jack had continually pushed it to the back of his mind.

“I just want us to—” he started, but Gray interrupted him.

“I told him I’d take the exam.” Gray looked at the floor as he spoke.

“What?” Jack roared, fear replaced by anger that threatened to scorch him. “How dare you do that without talking to us!”

“I shouldn’t have, but he’d already asked me before, and I’d put him off. He told me I had to let him know today, and you said you’d support whatever I wanted so—”

“I didn’t mean for you not to even tell me. Couldn’t you have mentioned this when he asked you the first time?”

“I—” Gray ran a hand over his ruthlessly short hair. “I should have. I’m sorry, but—”

“But what?” Mason asked after Gray was silent for several seconds. Jack was glad he’d spoken up, because he wasn’t capable of saying anything nice.

Gray sighed. “I knew Jack would react just like this.”

Fuck you. “When it was still something to actually discuss instead of something dictated to me, I would have talked to you. Now that you’ve kept it from me and decided to just walk away—”

“I’m not walking away.”

Jack snarled at him. “We’re partners, Gray, and now we won’t be.”

“We’ll still be partners in the way that really counts.”

Would they? “What about Mason? Didn’t you think maybe he wanted a say in this?”

Mason glanced at Gray, and suddenly, Jack knew. “You told him, didn’t you? When Thornton first asked you, you fucking told Mason and not me.”

Gray closed his eyes and took a long, slow breath. “He told me to tell you, told me I shouldn’t wait, but I wanted to think about it. I didn’t want to upset you if I was just going to turn it down.”

“Newsflash. I’m upset.”

“Jack—”

Mason started to interject, but Jack held up his hand. “There’s no point in talking anymore. Gray’s made his decision. Thank you for actually trying to bring me into it.”

“I made up my mind to take the exam. That doesn’t mean I’ll take the position. That’s why I wanted to talk.”

Jack shook his head. “You’ve made up your mind. I can tell. If you get the job, you’ll take it.”

“I want to stop hiding,” Gray said. “But I want this to be a decision we all three make.”

“No, you just want me and Mason to agree with you,” Jack said, venom in his tone.

“That’s not true. I…fuck, Jack. I love you.”

Jack’s anger deflated, leaving him feeling wrung out and hurt. “I can’t imagine being a cop without you.”

Gray took a step toward Jack. “I’ll still be here.”

“We’ll all be together.” Mason spoke at almost the same time. He sounded scared, desperate. Fuck Gray for putting Mason in the middle like this, for going to him when they’d sworn they’d keep everything out in the open.

Like the time you talked to Mason about Gray seeming depressed, and he encouraged you to talk to Gray, but you didn’t. Is that what you mean by out in the open?

God, Jack hated that sanctimonious voice in his head.

He held up his hand, knowing he’d cave if Gray touched him. He’d let Gray have his way and forget how angry and hurt he was until it simmered long enough to explode again. “If you really wanted to discuss it, you would have talked with me the minute you started seriously considering taking the exam.”

“Would you have listened? Really listened?”

Jack wanted to scream that he would always listen to Gray, always consider what was best for his lover without being selfish. He wanted to stop being scared he couldn’t hold it together as a cop if Gray weren’t by his side, but he couldn’t make the words come.

Instead, he grabbed the pan of caramel popcorn and flung it across the kitchen, enjoying the ear-splitting clatter as the pan bounced on the tile. Then he stomped to their bedroom and slammed the door.

Seconds later, he heard the front door bang shut.

New Release! Fitting In

Feb 24, 2013 Filed under: BDSM, bears, book release, contemporary, D/s, first chapter, m/m, men in uniform

Fitting In is now available at Amazon, ARe, BN, and Smashwords. Get your copy today!

Blurb:
Two cops walk into a bar. Mason, the bartender, waits for the punch line, because no way in hell are these ridiculously hot men real cops. They’re straight out of a cop-fetish fantasy. But he quickly learns that Jack and Gray are the real deal, and they want him in the worst way.

What starts as a night of hot, three-way sex becomes a lot more. The two cops fulfill Mason’s submissive fantasies, but they also meet a more basic need, comfort. They want to take care of Mason, to offer him unconditional friendship, but their concern for him unnerves Mason more than even the kinkiest sex.

To find happiness with his new partners, Mason must change his belief that love is as much a fantasy as a pair of gorgeous, handcuff-wielding cops landing in his bed.

Excerpt:

Two cops walked into a bar. Mason, the bartender, waited for the punch line, because no way in hell were these ridiculously hot men real cops. They were one hundred percent fantasy material. He hoped to hell they were strippers, and they’d be willing to do a private performance for him.
Their dark blue uniforms were snug, hugging their bodies in all the right places. The taller of the two men was big enough to bench-press Mason. His shirt looked like it might burst at the seams, and Mason hoped it would. Dark, wavy hair fell over his forehead and softened the hard lines of his face. His eyes were dark without being warm, just right for a cop.

His partner was shorter, about Mason’s own five foot eleven or so. He had buzz-cut dirty blond hair and blue eyes. He looked younger than his partner, like he hadn’t been out of the academy for long, but he was just as ridiculously hot as the bigger man. His looks were the all-American-boy type. He’d probably played baseball in school and won the heart of every girl he smiled at. He was a perfect counter to his partner’s rough, domineering appeal. They could play a scintillating game of good cop, bad cop, and Mason would love for them to play it with him.

If Mason were in a porno, the cops would cuff him and drag him to a back room where they would proceed to plow his ass until he couldn’t stand up. Sadly, this was real life. They were probably relentlessly straight and only here for a beer.

They headed toward the end of the bar by the register where there weren’t any customers during the midafternoon lull.

“What can I get for you, officers?” Mason asked.

The big one smiled. “Anything cold.”

The shorter man punched his partner’s arm. “Nothing. Thank you. We’re here on official business.”

The big man rolled his eyes. “Can’t I at least get a soda?”

“Fine. Two Cokes please.”

Mason was glad to have the simple task of scooping ice and pouring fountain drinks to distract himself for a few minutes. What official business would they have here? While the occasional fistfight broke out, most typically during the NCAA basketball tournament, Nathan’s Public House was hardly a hotbed of crime.

He picked up the drinks and faced them again, willing his hands to stop shaking. It wasn’t like he hadn’t served plenty of attractive men in the past. What was it about these two that had him so stirred up?

He set the drinks on the bar in front of them and watched as they both took a sip. His cheeks heated when he realized he was staring, openmouthed, at the flex of muscles in the bigger man’s throat as he swallowed.

Focus, Mason, focus. “So…um…what kind of business brings you here?”

The shorter man smiled and held out his hand. “I’m Officer Jack Abney, and this is my partner, Gray Sadler. We want to talk to the staff who were working last night when Gino’s was robbed in case anyone might have seen or heard something that will help with the investigation.”

Mason took Jack’s hand. His skin was softer than Mason expected, and he held Mason’s hand a few seconds longer than he needed to. “Um…I’m Mason Shields.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Shields,” Jack said, grinning.

Mason thought he might melt, but this wasn’t a time to become a puddle of lustful intentions. The robberies had shaken up most of the business owners in the part of downtown Durham where Nathan’s was located. The break-in at Gino’s was the third one in the area, and all the robberies were believed to have been inside jobs pulled off by well-organized professionals. The occasional group of kids breaking a window and trying to get into the till or taking valuables customers foolishly left lying on the seats of their cars wasn’t uncommon, but this type of systematic criminal activity was something new.

“I was here last night, but until I heard sirens, I had no idea anything was going on. It was really crowded, and I had a long line at the bar so I was focused on making drinks and keeping customers happy.”

Jack stood up and looked toward the windows. “Not much of a view of the place either.”
Mason shook his head. “Once the lights go out over there, I can’t see a thing, especially with people blocking my view out front.”

His partner, Officer Sadler, looked at Mason then, his dark eyes calculating. “We understand one of your servers worked at Gino’s until a month or so ago.”

“Yes, Gwen did.” The idea of Gwen working for a band of criminal masterminds was ludicrous. She could barely manage to serve a couple of tables without fucking up their orders.

“Was she working last night?” Gray asked.

Mason thought through the evening. Gwen had been there, but he didn’t remember seeing her after the dinner crowd left, and he’d wondered why they were understaffed when the rowdy game watchers filled the place up. “She was, but her shift must have ended by nine.”

“Is that unusual?” Jack studied him as carefully as his partner had. Having the two gorgeous men staring at him was doing unsettling things to his insides, and his expanding dick was making his pants uncomfortable.

“I guess so. Kinda. Usually most of the waitstaff works until eleven on weekends, but I really don’t think—”

Jack held up his hand. “Just routine questions.”

“Okay. Maybe it would be better if you talked to my manager.”

“We will,” Gray assured him. “But right now, we want to talk to you.”

His voice was low and sexy. If Mason didn’t know better, he’d have thought Gray was flirting with him, but he had to be imagining it. Jack was staring at his partner like he’d lost his mind.

Mason looked back at Gray and was caught by his cool gaze. He bit into his lip, needing the sharp pain to break the spell and allow him to look away. Gray exuded dominance. Mason had no doubt he was a man who expected to get his way, and Mason would be happy to give him just that. The thought of being pinned under him and told exactly how to please him made Mason shudder.

Needing to break the tension vibrating among the three of them, Mason said, “The bartender knows all, is that the theory?”

“Something like that.” Jack’s sly grin made Mason’s knees weak. These two were going to be the death of him.

The officers asked a few more questions, but Mason truly didn’t have anything useful to tell them so they moved on to questioning the servers.

He was glad there weren’t many customers in the bar because both cops had asses worthy of his devoted attention. He sighed as he watched them while pretending to wipe down the bar. What he wouldn’t give to peel them out of their tight blue pants and get a closer look.

The intensity of his attraction puzzled Mason. Gray’s size and dominating presence pushed all his buttons, setting off submissive fantasies that had him reeling. And Jack, Mason could imagine him reveling in a hard, rough fuck or giving the orders himself with the confident air he used for interrogation. If the two men had told him to drop his pants and bend over the bar, he truly might have done it, which unnerved him. While he’d had his share of hook-up sex with no names exchanged, he wasn’t usually quite so slutty.

Maybe the fact that it had been months since he’d bothered to find a partner at all was part of the problem. He’d never really enjoyed the anonymous club sex, but he’d learned the hard way that depending on someone to be there for you was pointless, so he wasn’t much for relationships either. Hitting the clubs was the easiest way to take care of his sexual urges. He’d stepped out of his comfort zone often enough to keep from dying of unfulfilled lust, but the last few times he’d hooked up with someone in a grungy bathroom, he’d felt more sick than satisfied after it was over. For the last few months, he’d reveled in his nerdy side, the side of him that still hoped to go back to college, get his degree in chemistry, and then move on to grad school. Instead of going out he’d been spending his time off reading scientific journals and watching his favorite Star Trek episodes over and over. Perhaps he was experiencing temporary insanity from lack of sex.

Thanksgiving Recipe Blog Swap

Nov 20, 2012 Filed under: bears, holiday, m/m, men in uniform, paranormal, shapeshifter, web event

I love pie. Really I do – fruit pies, pecan pie, savory pies. I don’t think I’ve ever been confronted with a type of pie I wouldn’t eat – even mincemeat. When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, I enjoy the turkey and stuffing and cranberry sauce but to me, Thanksgiving is a holiday for pie.

Growing up my family always went to my Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, and the desserts had their own buffet. Grandma’s specialty was lemon merigue pie but there were also sweet potato pies, pumpkin pies, and chocolate pie made from a recipe passed down from her grandmother. My dad was the oldest of five children, and it had been decided either before I was born or when I was very small that no one got to take leftovers home. You had to be the first one back to Grandma’s house the next day to get your pick of whatever was left after we’d all filled our bellies. I remember many a day after Thanksgiving waking up a 4am not to get in line in front of Wal-mart but to get to Grandma’s for the leftover lemon pie.

 

Silvia’s Grandma’s Lemon Pie

Vanilla Wafer crust

1.5 cups of crushed vanilla wafers

1/2 cup melted butter

Combine and press into a 9in pie pan. Grandma only pressed the crumbs into the bottom and put whole vanilla wafers around the edge but you can press the crumbs up the sides if you like.

Filling

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

3 egg yolks (save whites for meringue)

1 tsp vanilla

Combine and pour into pie shell.

Meringue

Beat 3 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add 1/3 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat to combine.

Top filling with meringue.

Bake at 350F until meringue browns just a bit. It doesn’t take long. Then refrigerate for at least three hours.

 

I like to include pie in my stories. My free Thanksgiving short, Heat in the Kitchen, involves the demise of a pumpkin pie and  in Paws on Me, Brandon and Seth get creative with apple pie.

 

Protect and Serve: Paws on Me by Silvia Violet

Blurb:

Lieutenant Seth Morrison loves being a cop, but with budget cuts and crime both on the rise, he’s stopped making time for anything but his job.

On the outside, Brandon Lord is an easy-going, flirtatious club owner. On the inside he’s a man trying to overcome a difficult past.

When a murder investigation brings the two men together, passion roars to life. They’re both willing to break the rules to be together. Because as mismatched as they might seem, each man is exactly what the other needs.

Excerpt:

I’m Seth Morrison. I’m a cop, a police lieutenant to be precise. I’ve been on the force more years than I want to think about. I’ve seen good men get killed, turn dirty, lose themselves in the bottle, lose their fucking minds, but I’m still here doing what I do. I don’t know any other life. People tell me I need a break, a vacation, to relax. I don’t want to fucking relax. I just want to do my job and keep this city from falling apart.

I park my car, grab my coffee from the cup holder, and charge up the front steps of the station. I could take the side door, it’s closer to my office, but I love the chaos of the bullpen. When I open the door, I breathe deeply, enjoying the variety of smells: coffee that’s been on the warmer far too long, the sickeningly sweet smell of candy and doughnuts, pine-scented cleaner from the scrubbing the janitors gave the floors last night, and something unnamable that simply smells like cops and hard work. I shake my head as I try to imagine not being here nearly 24/7. This is where I belong.

My stomach rumbles. I should’ve had dinner, but after pretending an afternoon nap was a night’s sleep, I’m running late. I’ll grab something from the vending machine while I dream about a juicy burger and thick home fries. It sure would be nice to have someone cook for me. I don’t seem to get along with stoves. Years ago, I tried being married. That worked for about 30 seconds. My wife wanted me to work shorter hours. I wanted her to talk less, or maybe never.

Friends tell me I should make an effort to date, but I’m more comfortable at a gruesome homicide scene than making small talk at dinner with a woman or a man. Yeah, I like both. I stopped going out with men when I entered the academy. I just couldn’t deal with the shit the guys would give me. Now, I don’t advertise what I like, but I pick up a guy now and then. I’m discreet, but if somebody finds out, I’ll deal.

One-night stands I can handle, but relationships are beyond me. People think police work is draining, but I’d rather spend all day in the field and all night at my desk filling out fucking paperwork — and often I do — than try to decode relationship signals. I inevitably screw things up and never understand why.

Sex I need. Romance I don’t.

My phone rings. I pull it out of my pocket hoping the call will save me from the mountain of paperwork on my desk. It’s Drew Danvers, detective and vampire. That’s right, a vampire who works for the good guys. We’ve got a werewolf in homicide too. And he’s a damn fine cop.

I remember when the shifters came out of the closet, scaring the hell out of us humans. One by one other monsters made themselves known. Most people assumed they were all assholes who wanted to eat us, but I quickly learned not to judge a man because he sucked blood or turned into a wolf. I judge men based on how they treat others.

I answer the call. “What’s up, Detective?”

“Two dead werewolves found in a closet at Shift. Hacked up pretty bad. The scene’s a circus. Jenkins called in sick. I’m on my own, and –”

“I’ll be there in ten.”

“Thanks, sir.”

“No problem. Murder scene or paperwork, which would you choose?”

* * *

I step inside the club. A crime lab team is there and several uniformed officers are talking with employees. I spot Drew in the entryway of an office. He’s frowning as he questions a tall hairy hunk of a man. I’ve seen this man around the area several times, and just like every other time, he makes my cock sit up and take notice.

Our most recent encounter was a week ago. When I want to grab a beer and be left the fuck alone, I go to Mitch’s, a dive just down the street from Shift. Last time I spent the evening there, he sat next to me at the bar and came on strong. I was in a shitty mood. I wanted him, and it pissed me off. He’s not my type. He’s young, hip, and outrageously flirtatious. I walked away, but I regretted it later that night when I couldn’t stop fantasizing about him.

The man looks my way and catches me staring. His grin says he knows the direction my thoughts are going. Fucking bastard winks at me. Drew scowls.

I turn to face him. He grins down at me, that same cocky-as-fuck little smile he’d given me earlier, making me even more aware of how close we are and how big he is. At 6’2″, I’m hardly small, but he’s got several inches on me. And while I’ve got a rather thick pelt, the fur visible above the vee of his t-shirt is astounding.

He smiles mischievously. “You gonna cuff me if you take me in?”

“Impeding a murder investigation will get you thrown in jail.”

He rolls his eyes. “I found two dead guys in my closet when I came to work tonight. My business is shut down, and I’ll be losing money every minute that you’re here. But at least I have a sense of humor.”

“Well, I don’t.”

He shakes his head. “Are you taken too?”

I take another step back. “You’re making a lot of assumptions.”

I look over at Drew and realize he and Jason are grinning like loons. Fuck. All I need is the two of them ragging me.

I glare at Drew. “Detective, do you think you can question this man without killing him?”

“Probably.”

“Fine. Fleetfoot, head back to the lab. Take my car. I’ll get a ride with Danvers.” I throw him my keys, and he snatches them out of the air as he gives Drew’s hand a final squeeze. Jason is better in the lab than any tech we have. We only send him into the field when we’re desperately short-handed. I run a hand through my hair, wishing I knew how I’m going to hold the homicide division together if we don’t get more funds.

He holds out his hand. “I’m Brandon Lord. I own Shift.”

“Lieutenant Morrison.” I shake his hand. His skin is surprisingly smooth, his grip tight and warm. I want to feel those big hands running over me. I want to rub his furry body with my own. Fuck! I should assign someone else to this case right now and get the hell away from him. But some crazy restlessness he’s dredged up in me makes me fight my instincts.

“Nice to meet you, Lieutenant.” His voice is low and rich. And his grin lets me know he’s well aware of my body’s reaction to him.

I need to get away. His smell alone is making me hard. “I’m not here to play games. Drop the act and treat this case seriously, or I’ll find an excuse to throw your ass in jail.”

He grins. Fuck, he knows he’s got me rattled. “I’d never kill anyone, Lieutenant. I’m just a cuddly teddy bear.”

The bear shifter and the bear. Ridiculous. I need to leave now. This man is no cuddly toy. I don’t think he’s our murderer, but he’s far smarter than he wants me to believe and likely far more dangerous. “I know what cuddling leads to.”

Brandon laughs, a deep, infectious sound. I can’t help but respond. Now I want him more than ever. Taking this case was a supremely stupid idea, staying on it now is unprofessional.

But I won’t walk away.

Buy it at Changeling Press, Amazon, ARe

Now go visit other posts and find more great books and delicious recipes

Angel Martinez – http://www.freewebs.com/angelwrites/apps/blog/show/20193870-the-thanksgiving-recipe-blog-swap–

Havan Fellows – http://havanshawthaven.blogspot.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-recipe-blog-swapleftover.html

 

 

 

Hoofin’ it to the Altar now at Amazon, ARe, and BN.

Nov 16, 2012 Filed under: book release, erotica, m/m, men in uniform, paranormal, shapeshifter, vampire

Hoofin’ it to the Altar, my most recent contribution to the multi-author Protect and Serve series, is now at Amazon and ARe and Barnes and Noble.

Blurb

Deer shifter Jason Fleetfoot and vampire detective Drew Danvers have been together for a year. When Drew proposes, Jason is thrilled but shocked. Vampires aren’t usually the marrying kind, even the few who side with the good guys. Drew wants to elope, but Jason’s sister, Natalie, insists on planning an elaborate ceremony.

As Jason and Drew fend off well-meaning friends and family, a far more serious problem threatens their union. A vampire killer is on the loose. He subdues his undead victims without a struggle and finishes them off by literally curdling their blood. Drew has no idea what could kill a vampire so easily, and everyone suspects he’s next on the killer’s list. Can he stop the killer in time for “Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today…” to start his wedding instead of his funeral?

Reviews for Hoofin’ It to the Altar

“Ms. Violet has the knack for infusing lots of witty humor into the dialogue between the characters. They click as friends and even better as lovers. The storyline was interesting and very sexy. This author knows how to write some hot sex scenes.”
— 4 Hearts from Beverly, The Romance Studio

“I absolutely adore Silvia Violet’s Protect and Serve stories in this multi-author series. She infuses her stories with some humor, lots of lovin’ and amazing characters. The writing is tight, story moves along at a nice pace and there were a few twists that had me flipping the pages quickly to see what would happen next.”
— 4 Hearts from Dawn, Love Romances & More