Dance or Die @Liza0Connor

At the end of book 2, Steel declares his love to Tess and pulls a family heirloom ring from his hand and gives it to her. The question is: Is this a sincere gift?

Here’s the moment:

“Tess Campbell, will you marry me sometime in the future when we get all this nonsense behind us?”

Her face lit up in pure joy. “Yes!”  She then tested it on all her fingers. The ring was too large for even her thumb.

“I’ll buy you a proper ring later,” he promised. “Just wear it as a necklace right now. We don’t want anyone else seeing it. Not even Dan.” Nor her father, nor his parents, nor the men who worked for him. “But you need to know I’m truly in love with you. That’s a family heirloom that has been passed down for countless generations. It’s important to me, but you are even more so. I love you, Tess, with all my heart.”

Sounds sweet doesn’t it? But does he actually mean it? Or is he creating a situation to use to his advantage in the future? At the end of Book 2, he truly seems to love Tess. But does Steel even know how to love? Yes, he’s very happy to have Tess working for him, but then she is doing the work he was hired to do, plus she is creating the work plans that are required by the state. That’s his responsibility as well, only Steel has no clue how to create the documents required. Nor does he have any wish to. He’s been greatly relieved that Tess took on the task.

Only matters have changed in book 3 and Steel, from his hospital bed, lobs an accusation that would land Tess in prison for twenty years if it were believed. Did he always plan to do this? Or has his recent misfortunes put him on this path? Read the excerpt below and you decide.

Dance or Die

By Liza O’Connor

Contemporary Suspense/Romance

 (Pic of cover)

Blurb

Tess Campbell, mafia princess has fallen in love with a British prince, who is protected by a Secret Service agent during his stay in America. Two weeks into their budding romance, Tess’s father, a psycho mafia don, kidnaps and nearly kills the prince and his Secret Service agent, believing she has taken both as her lovers. The brutal assault reveals the true character of each man and Tess must face some hard truths, even as she takes control of her destiny to build the finest state park in the country.

Excerpt for Dance or Die

“Steel is much the same as he was yesterday,” Sheriff Cobbs snapped. “He’s insisting you stole a valuable ring from his hand while he was being beaten by Benito.”

“Why would he say that?” Tess asked.

“Then you don’t possess a ring of his?”

“I do, but he gave it to me.” She reached in her shirt and pulled the chain holding his ring out so the sheriff could see it.” She focused on Sheriff Cobbs as he studied the ring. “When exactly did he give this to you?”

“Four or five days ago. I had begged him to make love to me, but when he discovered I was a virgin, he refused, saying we’d be safer if I remained untouched. I thought he was backing off, but to prove he wasn’t, he pulled this ring from his finger and gave it to me as he asked me to marry him sometime in the future. I threw my arms around him and said I would. He asked me not to show it to anyone. So I wore it on a chain beneath my clothes.”

“Unfortunately, he now claims you stole it. Any chance anyone else overheard any of this?”

“No. It was just the two of us.”

The old sheriff sighed heavily.

“I would never steal from him. I love him! Why would he accuse me of stealing from him?”

“He’s claiming it’s an heirloom worth half a million.”

Tess pulled the chain over her head and handed it to Sheriff Cobb. “I had no idea it was so valuable. Why would he give me something like that?”

“It might be because he loved you at the time, or he might have been setting you up from the first. I’ve no idea.” He removed the ring from the chain and handed it back to her. “The chain is yours, right?”

She nodded.

“I believe matters went down just as you claimed. However, that’s going to get you thrown into prison for grand larceny.”

Tess opened her mouth to protest, but the gravity of the situation left her mute.

He held up the ring. “So I’m going to return to the barn and find this ring near the post Steel was tied to. Then nobody can be falsely accused of anything. It’s just a lost and found priceless ring.”

“But Steel knows he gave it to me.”

The sheriff grinned. “I’m sure he does. But the only way he could prove you stole it was if I found you wearing it. Which I haven’t. I will find his ring at the barn, so to my perspective, it must have fallen off his finger while he was being battered.” He then eyed Tess. “But you can never talk about this to anyone. You understand?”

Tess nodded. “He really hates me…”

“He’s full of rage and you should stay far away from him. Had he succeeded with this trick, you’d be in prison for twenty years. And God only knows what would become of your forest by the time you got out.”

God! Steel truly hated her.

“Just put this all in your past and move on.”

“Can I hug you?”

“No, you can’t, but only because I was never here.”

He tipped his hat and hurried outside, rather like a reverse Santa who carries away gifts that would ruin her life.

She sat down in her Grams’ chair, shaking at how close she had come to losing everything dear to her over a ring that had been given to her in a moment of love.

Had Steel ever loved her or was this just a clever way of securing control of her forest? She had no doubt that the Governor could and would remove her permanently if she had a criminal record.

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Dance or Die

About the Author

Liza O’Connor lives in Denville, NJ with her dog Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small Cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, sky dive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet through her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT

LIZA O'CONNOR

LIZA O'CONNOR’S MANY BOOKS

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Fall for You @ValerieUllmer

Fall for You (A M/M Romance)

Valerie Ullmer

Genre:  New Adult M/M Romance

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BLURB

Ethan Sutton had come to the stunning revelation that he’d fallen in love with his best friend, Sebastian Young.  Although friends since childhood, Ethan vowed to keep his feelings for Sebastian under wraps and live the rest of his life with this one secret between them rather than risk a lifelong connection and never see him again.  But when they move into their own apartment at the start of their third year of college, can Ethan keep his feelings from showing when they live so close together?

Sebastian Young had an epiphany about Ethan at the end of last year and arranged for the shared apartment he’d found over the summer to be closer to Ethan and see if a relationship could develop between them.  But as they settle into their lives in a new place with such close quarters, ex-girlfriends, nosy downstairs neighbors, and Sebastian’s own doubts, their relationship could be in jeopardy before it even begins.


Can two best friends admit their feelings and fall in love?

EXCERPT

Ethan kept his eyes on his phone during the entire trip.  It wasn’t as though he didn’t want to speak to Sebastian, who sang under his breath at the song coming through the speakers of his older SUV.  But whenever he’d been in an enclosed space with Sebastian, he caught his scent of pine and cedar mixed with a hint of mint, and each time he moved, it drifted over to him and drove Ethan crazy.  Even from the other side, Sebastian’s body heat surrounded him and he wriggled in his seat to adjust himself before his desire for his best friend became clear.

For years, the closeness he shared with Sebastian had been enough.  It was he and Sebastian against the world throughout high school, and Ethan understood it would be the same in college.

But when they started their freshman year, Sebastian decided he would make up for lost time by dating his way through the female student body at the University of Oregon.  Sebastian still made time for him, but it was rare during their first two years of college for Sebastian not to have at least one date on the weekend.

Ethan hadn’t understood what the churning emotions were each time Sebastian talked about a new woman.  Later, he recognized the feeling was jealousy.

There had been a time during his sophomore year, driven by those feelings of jealousy and his newfound awareness he was gay, he’d gone out.  Most of the time, with a frequency that matched Sebastian’s frenzied dating life.  Ethan resolved to find someone and forget about the man he most wanted, his best friend, so he headed to a well-known bar off-campus.

Although he’d gone home with guys, nothing progressed past blowjobs.  For one, it solidified the fact he was gay.  Despite knowing, Ethan had no clue what held him back from going further with the willing men he’d met, but something stopped him.

After his break-up with his long-time girlfriend, Sebastian became a constant in Ethan’s life again.  Their friendship had never strained during their first years of college, and they grew closer when Sebastian found himself single.

During the summer, they decided they wanted to rent an off-campus apartment and live together.  Ethan believed they would request a room together in the dorms, but Sebastian wanted to ditch the dorms and find their own place.  Their parents had agreed to it although it would be more expensive.

More than once, Ethan had wanted to look for a place before they were all rented, but Sebastian said he would handle everything.

“Don’t worry.  I’ve got it covered.”

And now they were moving in together, Ethan found himself nervous about having his feelings show at the most inopportune moments.

Their freshman year, they were assigned separate rooms in different buildings.  And being so far apart from each other became a pain in the ass.  More often than not, Ethan would stay at Sebastian’s place, or Sebastian’s at Ethan’s.  Unless Sebastian had a date.

It had been easy to hide his feelings then.  He wasn’t so sure his desire wouldn't show in such close quarters.  But when Sebastian brought up living together, there wasn't a reason not to, and he agreed.  Hundreds of excuses became plain as they drove closer to their destination but Ethan didn't voice them aloud.

But his eyes kept being drawn back to Sebastian, his heart kicking in his chest as he took in Sebastian’s tanned arm draped over the steering wheel.  Each time Sebastian caught Ethan looking at him, he would give him that easy smile.  The smile made every man want to be his friend and every woman fall in love with him.

Although their friendship was an easy one, Ethan sometimes wondered how they grew so close when they were so different.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Why do you write romance?

I love a happily ever after.  I love to think that these two people I’ve gotten to know throughout a book; their feelings, their insecurities, and the reason why the two of them fell in love are all laid out on the page.  The best part, I can go back to their world any time I want and they are still together in the end.

What’s the best advice you have ever given?

Advice is what you ask for when you already know the answer, but wish you didn’t.

What is your favorite day of the year and why?

That first fall day where the leaves have just started their change from green to oranges and reds and yellows.  There is a crisp scent to the air that promises cooler weather and the clouds are scattered about in the sky.  It’s not cold enough to call it winter and not warm enough to be the end of summer, but it’s the perfect fall day.

How do you define romance?

Well, I have two definitions of romance.  In real life, like with my husband, it’s the small things we share with each other I consider romantic.  I love it when I make my husband laugh and when he makes me, but it’s the moments where you spend together talking about nothing and everything that make your relationship and romance special.  I don’t need flowers, candy, or a night out, I’m most happy when he and I are together with our dog and we’re laughing or talking.

When I read romances, I look for that moment where the book brings out so much emotion, I can’t put it down.  Although the book is guaranteed a HEA, during these moments there is a tightness in my chest and my eyes start to water because you are rooting for these two people to finally admit their feelings but one or both unintentionally get hurt and there is a sense of desperation.  But the end, knowing the two characters will fight for one another to be happy in the end, I consider that truly romantic.

Do you believe you only fall in love once?  Why?

No, I don’t think you do only fall in love once.  I think love takes different forms.  Some people are in abusive relationships and they’ve sworn up and down they love that person who’s harming them, but once they leave, they stop.  Some live their entire lives married to one person and love that one person.  Other’s find themselves falling in love easily before realizing that although they might have thought it was love at the time, they are different from who they used to be and aren’t in love now.  I believe trying to answer this question is like trying to define love, and no matter how hard you try, I don’t think there is one definitive answer.  And I believe love comes in all forms.

ABOUT AUTHOR

Valerie writes paranormal and contemporary M/F and M/M erotic romances. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her wonderfully supportive husband and their funny and wise black lab. She's addicted to coffee, crime shows, and reading and writing character-driven romances.

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Sara & Kaos by CeeRee Fields

Blurb ~

Their torture could not break her, but his kiss shattered her.

Sara Dover never met a stranger who didn't become a friend, until Kaos. With him, she never gets it right, no matter how hard she tries. In him, she sees her perfect partner. If she could breakdown his rigid control; Sara knows an untapped passion lurks beneath it. Just as she knows she's the perfect woman to show him how to tap into it.

MeleViolent L'Kaos likes everything, and everyone, to fall in line with his orders. Designed in the Northern Scavenger Installation to bring chaos to the human race, Kaos himself hates disorder. Until he crosses paths with Sara, an impish villager who loves pranks and thrives on bringing mayhem. If he could force her to lose her spontaneity, she would be the perfect partner for him.

At least, that was Kaos's thought until the Western Scavenger installation kidnaps Sara. The longer she's gone, the more he sees what he's lost. Will they be in time to save her? And will she give him another chance to prove he's willing to dance with her on the edge of chaos?

Kaos stood at Ketewah's massive gate as Maerya and others from the Slaneowa village made their way into the village.

Maerya's dark brown hair whipped around her face, and she tucked it behind her ear. Typically, the feminine gesture warmed him; instead, he pictured Sara aggressively yanking her hair into one of her many brightly colored bands. Catching sight of him, Maerya's face broke into a grin, and she moved closer. Her long tapered fingers clasped in front of her, and her steps measured. Sedate.

No bounce nor any skipping and no bubbling words came from her as she reached his side.

Gah! She's not Sara, and you need to quit comparing the two. She fits you better than Sara.

Only he couldn't stop searching for some fire or energy. Some kind of spark.

"Hello, Kaos." Even her tone was placid, no tripping over her words as she raced to get an idea out. Or to tell him she was happy to be here. Did she even want to be in Ketewah? With him?

"Maerya." He meant to lead her to the Defenders' house, but something kept him from taking that step. It felt wrong to put her there. And the why of it, he refused to examine too closely. "We've got you all set up at the Lodge."

They hadn’t as Kaos had planned for her to be near him. However, he didn’t question his instinct; instead, he turned in the opposite direction. Dor caught his eye and raced ahead of him to alert the Lodge workers of the change of plans. At least Kaos hoped that’s what the boy was doing.

The Lodge was where Ketewah placed visitors. Five stories, with twenty-five bedrooms, three dens, two libraries, a fully staffed kitchen, and several other gathering rooms scattered throughout. It housed groups while also allowing Ketewah's Council and Defenders larger venues to meet altogether when needed.

"And how have you been doing?" Maerya asked.

"Good." The conversation felt stilted and dry.

Uncomfortable, when he'd rarely been that way with this woman. Everything about her was wrong. Shaking off his trepidation, Kaos fell into step with her.

Maybe she was nervous, and he was reading into it. He was sure they would click again after she had settled into Ketewah. They exchanged a few words, but it was mostly silent as they meandered through the village to the Lodge with Kaos pointing out various structures and their purposes. Like the Bathhouse, the Cook House and so on. Every time Maerya commented in her quiet, even tone Kaos expected Sara to interrupt with a joke, a prank, or one of her inappropriate sayings to lighten the mood.

It began to hit home to him that Sara wasn't there. But even more earth-shattering for him was … he missed her.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0763KLYTG/

Author Bio:

I'm a geek, a gamer, a music lover, and a voracious reader. I love Star Trek and B-grade movies like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and Sharknado. I enjoy figuring out software and learning new things and applying them to whatever book I'm currently working on.

I write romantic adventures. Mostly, I live vicariously through my characters. I can be a knife-wielding forager who saves her family from deadly kidnappers or a slinky thief who must outmaneuver her sadistic cousin. My male characters aren't cookie cutter either. There's so much diversity in the world that one size does not fit all. It's the same for love. My male characters are diverse. I have several he-men, alpha types, but I also have nerds in glasses who can kickass when needed, whether in a board room or in a parking garage. I have characters who are blind and some who have lost a limb putting their lives on the line to save others.

The one thing they all have in common is they are people who learn to move past their hurdles and find love.

I can be found at:

Website: https://ceereefields.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/ceereefields

Facebook: facebook.com/ceereefields

Daryl Devore – Love My Fate

Daryl Devore – Love My Fate

What's a woman to do when a voice follows her home

 and makes mad, passionate love to her?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

6 Things You Need to Know about Capri Gray

Liza, the interrogator - So, Capri, nice to have you join us. Have seat. Coffee?

Capri (C) – Yes, please. Cream. No Sugar.

L – Tell a little about yourself.

C – I was a senior corporate executive of a global corporation whom I refuse to even speak their name.

L – Was?

C – You have to read the story, but it involves 2 very annoying FBI agents and corporate espionage.

L – Since this is a romance - tell us about the love of your life.

C – Thall isn’t really a man. He is male. And can become a man, but he’s the son of a Fate. So he isn’t human, but he can become one.  Have I totally confused you? Because I spent a lot of time trying to understand who and or what Thall is. The one thing I did figure out is I am madly in love with him.

L – How did you meet this Thall?

C – At a sex toy convention. My best friend, Kat – who is the wild child of our friendship – ordered tickets to the event. I had to pay for them. Then she dragged me inside and…uh…well, there were a lot of things that I didn’t know existed.

Anyway, I’m walking around the place and a voice whispers in my ear. I thought I had walked through someone else’s conversation. But no, he was talking to me. Then he followed me home. And what happens after that is hot and super sexy.

In case you missed the 6 things.

Coffee – cream, no sugar

No longer works for an unnamed global corporation.

Was investigated by the FBI.

Was accused of corporate espionage.

Loves a Fate named Thall

Has a best friend name Kat.

I could have extended the list to easily 6 more items – one being a Komono Dragon. But instead, I’ll leave with the opening scene.

Excerpt

My erotic adventure began the moment he whispered, "Do you happen to own a pair of red, fuzzy handcuffs?"

~ * * ~

Well okay, it didn't exactly start there. If I'm going to be perfectly honest, I think it started with Kat's text: "Meet me at - insert name of five-star restaurant here."

Kat’s always getting me to take her out for expensive dinners. I don't mind, I'm a highly-paid executive, in a large global corporation, while she's a receptionist in a small dental office. Besides, I like good food and her company.

Kat and I have been BFFs since third grade. We were in each other's wedding parties and cried on each other's shoulders at our subsequent divorces. Now, we're each other's go-to person whenever the mood strikes. Obviously, the mood struck and it involved my credit card. I texted back a reply –"Xavier's. 6 pm."

~ * * ~

Kat waited outside the restaurant when my cab pulled up to the curb. "Timing or what? I just got here."

After the requisite cheek kiss, we stepped up to the Maitre D'. He smiled his I-must-be-friendly-because-they're-guests smile and escorted us to our table. We ordered drinks and chatted. We talked about the weather, her new dress, my job—you know, just old—no, scratch old, put long-time—girlfriend stuff.

After a diet conscious meal, followed by a calorie-loaded dessert, we waited outside for a taxi.

"Do you trust me?" With a goofy grin on her face, Kat's dark chocolate mellowed-from-too-much-wine, eyes gazed at me.

Having seen that innocent demeanour before; it meant nothing but trouble. I was a bit wary. Okay, a lot wary! The last time she'd gawked at me like that and asked the same brainless question, we ended up at a frat house beer slosh during Homecoming and I wasn't in college anymore.

A cab pulled up and stopped. She grabbed my arm and dragged me into it. "Convention Centre."

I slid next to her and shut the car door. "What's at the convention centre?"

"That's the trust me bit." She raised her hands and flicked two fingers up and down at the words trust me.

You have to love air quotes.

I checked my cell for messages then glanced at her. "Is this going to get me arrested? Again?"

She shook her head.

"Is it going to get me hit on—again—by horny, beer-soaked, college drunks?"

Kat giggled.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Nope. Not going to tell you. You need to trust me."

Air quotes.

Again.

Blurb

What's a woman to do when a voice follows her home and makes mad, passionate love to her?

 Daryl Devoré’s latest is a quirky paranormal urban fantasy – Love My Fate.

Corporate businesswoman, Capricious Gray, is dragged to a sex toy convention by her best friend. After a mysterious disembodied voice helps her with her purchases, it follows her home. Passion ensues, leaving Capri torn between lust for her fantasy lover and the desperate need for reality in her life.

 Thall, son of one of the Fates, harbours the irrepressible need to be with the woman he's desired from afar for years. In order to make her his, once and for all, he must help Capri get past her fears, including the fear of what he represents - a fantasy.

Can fantasy become a reality for these two lovers?

Note: This book was previously published by New Dawning Bookfair under the title Capri’s Fate. The edition has a new title, new cover and has restored previously deleted scenes.

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Bio and Social Media Links

Two writers in one. Daryl Devoré writes hot romances with sexy heroes and strong heroines. Victoria Adams is Daryl's alter ego when she's inspired to write sweet romances with little to no heat.

Daryl (@daryldevore) lives in an old farmhouse in Ontario, Canada, with her husband, two black cats - Licorice and Ginny-Furr Purrkins - and some house ghosts. Her daughter is grown and has flown the nest. Daryl loves to take long walks on her quiet country road or snowshoe across the back acres, and in the summer, kayak along the St. Lawrence River. She has touched a moon rock, a mammoth, and a meteorite. She’s been deep in the ocean in a submarine, flown high over Niagara Falls in a helicopter, and used the ladies room in a royal palace. Life’s an adventure and Daryl’s having fun living it.

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