All Tied Up: Pleasure Inn, Book 1 (9 page)

Their fiery love could overpower the enemy…or destroy them both.

Prince of Fire

© 2009 Tawny Taylor

Black Phoenix, Book 1

Once the self-indulgent, hedonistic heir to the Phoenician throne, Prince Talen Jacek has lived a cursed existence for over two thousand years, sacrificing his life so that strangers may live. Suffering one violent death after another, though, is nothing compared to the soul-eating agony of the emotional isolation he endures. Until he sets his eyes on the enemy’s next victim.

Every morning, computer programmer Keri Maddox gets up, goes through her daily grind, and returns home to a frozen meal and a book before bed. Her life may not be filled with glamour or excitement, but predictability is her mantra. Then she discovers Talen in her apartment wearing only a towel—and suddenly her safe and tidy world is yanked from under her feet.

An inferno of carnal need erupts between them, hotter than the phoenix’s fire. Yet the power of their igniting love may not be enough to save Keri from a killer who’s determined to deliver the inevitable death stroke.

Warning: Contains a sexy, dominant man with a fierce body, a hot tattoo and an unconventional use for scarves…and many scrumptious scenes displaying his finer assets (and skills). Sex. Explicit sex. More sex. Hot sex with light bondage. And did I mention the tattoo?

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Prince of Fire:

It took several minutes for Keri to fully wake up and remember what had happened.

Oh my God, it had been like a scene straight out of a Lifetime movie! She’d just gone to bed when she’d heard a noise. The next thing she knew, a strange man was standing next to her bed, saying things she didn’t understand.

She’d run. Made it as far as the living room. He’d caught her. Talen came bursting into her apartment. Right about then, she’d started seeing stars, thanks to the terror. And her head felt like it had exploded. The rest was hazy. But not forgotten.

A nightmare had woken her up.

Bathed in sweat and gasping, she threw off the covers and lurched forward. “Where am I?”

“It’s okay. You’re safe. I brought you back to my place.” Talen appeared out of the thick darkness and immediately pulled her into his arms. She stiffened for a split second, unable to help herself. But the edge of her terror softened by his steady strength and warmth, she relaxed against him.

She wanted to thank him, but her throat was closed up too tightly and her teeth chattered. All that escaped was an occasional stifled sob. She tried to control the quaking but couldn’t. She felt like she couldn’t breathe, that the air wasn’t getting into her lungs fast enough. Her head started spinning again as the horrifying scene in her apartment played over and over in her mind.

He held her tenderly, smoothing a hand up and down her back. A simple gesture but so appreciated. He said nothing, just held her. Finally, after who knew how long, the spinning slowed. The air moved in and out of her lungs easier. The shuddering eased.

She tipped her head to look at his face.

His lips were pulled into a thin line, his eyes dark.

“It wasn’t who I thought,” she whispered.

“Who?”

She shivered. “The man who attacked me. I didn’t know him. What’s going on?”

Talen’s mouth thinned even more. “I’ll find out.”

“We should call the police.”

“I’ll take care of it, while you rest.”

She wanted to call now, get it over with, while the memories of the man’s face were still fresh, but she had a feeling it wouldn’t be a short conversation. Quite the opposite.

She glanced around, found a clock. It was just after three. She’d only been sleeping for a couple of hours.

Her head hurt.

She was tired. And still shaking.

She rubbed at her temples. “You’ll call the police?”

“Yes, in a few minutes.” Talen eased beneath the covers beside her and, taking her with him, lay on his back, cradling her head. He tucked her against him, until she lay flush to his side. Despite the pounding in her head, a current of sensual awareness rippled through her body.

So big. And brave. And strong.

She’d been an absolute idiot for leaving his apartment earlier. Granted, she’d had absolutely no clue how much danger she was in. But to think her stung pride had almost cost her life…and worse, Talen his. She’d never be able to live with the guilt if he’d been hurt, let alone killed.

Tears burned her eyes. “Dammit, if I wasn’t so freaked out and exhausted, I might handle this better.” Mad at herself for crying, she dragged the back of her hand across her eyes. She sniffled. “I’m sorry I left.”

He caught her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. Gently, he wiped a tear from her cheek. “You don’t have to apologize. I’m the one who should be saying I’m sorry.”

“Why? What do you mean? If I hadn’t gone back to my place, the attacker wouldn’t have found me, and you wouldn’t have practically gotten stabbed to death.”

“And if I hadn’t kissed you…” He pulled her tighter to his side.

The tiny ripples inside her started getting bigger.

Great, now she was horny, on top of mad…and scared…and confused. God help her, she wanted him to make her forget. For a while. “I liked the kiss. I wanted more.”

He nuzzled her hair. “So did I.”

“Then why stop?” She smoothed a hand over his chest, mapping the line of the scar beneath his T-shirt. “I wasn’t complaining.”

He caught her hand just as a fingertip found a hard nipple. His fingers clamped around her wrist like a vise. Rolling, he dragged her arm over her head and pinned her body beneath his.

Ooooh, yes. She’d just pushed a button, a pretty lethal one, at that. For some crazy reason, the terror of the earlier attack made the physical contact with Talen that much more powerful. No,
essential
.

She needed his touch, desperately. She needed to know she was alive. To be certain someone realized she existed. To feel another human being’s hands on her body, arms locked around her waist.

Staring up into eyes that had gone dark and wild, she dragged in a deep breath. Above her was a man on the verge of losing control.

She was in heaven.

His heartbeat pounded so hard and fast she could feel it thumping against her breasts. And his breaths were so quick and shallow they puffed like soft gusts over her face. Her heart started racing too.

“I don’t know what it is about you,” he whispered, his gaze jumping from her eyes to her mouth and then back to her eyes again.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” The heat swelling in her body was making her feel squirmy.

Pulsing. Thrumming. Liquid heat.

“It’s been so long since I’ve touched a woman like this, since I’ve dared. Or since anyone has touched me.”

His words shocked her, and the hollow tone of his voice left her feeling empty. Yet the throbbing need swelling inside her didn’t ease. In fact, it increased until her face flamed.

This man had more than a few secrets. He had lots of them, and God help her, she wanted to know every one.

“Touch me, Talen. Please. I’m begging.”

A long stretch of silence dragged between them, only somewhat softened by the sounds of their shallow breathing. It was agony and ecstasy both. To be so close and yet have him refuse to lay his hands on her.

“Talen?”

“Oh, may the gods forgive me.”

Talen’s kiss was nothing like earlier. It was a hard, hungry possession. Tongue, teeth, lips. He tasted and took, conquered and seduced.

Suddenly finding both arms pinned over her head, she returned every stroke and stab, every sigh and moan.

The pounding ache between her legs intensified once again as flames of desire danced and twisted in her chest. She dragged her feet apart, allowing Talen’s hips to nestle between her thighs. More sweet torture.

God yes, this was so good, so right. Talen was everything she’d ever wanted in a lover. Strong and powerful, sensual and attentive, a little mysterious. And also, in a strange and unexpected way, vulnerable.

She had no idea what it would take to keep him around after all this craziness was over, but somehow she’d do it. This man, she wanted for more than a night or two. By revealing his weakness, by allowing her to see how desperately he wanted her, he had done what so many others had failed to do.

He had already left a tiny mark on her heart.

Burning up. So hot.

Too much material between them, a torturous barrier.

A whimper bubbled up from deep inside, slipped between her lips, to be swallowed up by Talen.

How much longer would he torment her like this? Cruel bastard!

Only one way to trust her—teach her the true meaning of
tamed
.

Terms of Surrender

© 2009 Becky Barker

Years ago, Cassie Pallard let her wild and headstrong nature cost her the best thing in her life: Brody Chambers. Older and wiser, she’s back to try to heal the hurt and win her way back into his heart—and his bed.

Not so fast, says Brody. He loved Cassie most of his life, but her temper-driven desertion destroyed his faith in her and their future. If she wants his trust, she’ll have to earn it. Before he opens his heart again, he plans to make it clear his love comes with strings.

And handcuffs. And a blindfold…

Warning: This one’s short and hot with some BDSM, so not for the faint of heart. ☺

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Terms of Surrender:

Emotions in total chaos, Cassie nodded and climbed from the truck. He hadn’t allowed her to collect anything from her car and he hadn’t relaxed one bit during the ten-minute ride. His rigid hostility sent a tingle of apprehension over her body.

She watched as Brody strode ahead, up the steps to the porch and then to the door. The faded jeans molded his flat stomach, narrow hips and long legs. The form-hugging green T-shirt emphasized the broadness of his chest and his muscled arms. She’d always thought him a hunk, but he seemed to have grown bigger, stronger and harder, in more ways than the physical.

He turned and looked at her, pure male arrogance and pride. His expression said this was her last chance to back out of the deal. If she followed him inside, she’d be completely at his mercy, and he didn’t seem to be in a very merciful mood. He had two years full of anger and frustration to vent. The risk to her body might be minimal, but she didn’t know how much torture her battered heart could survive.

She didn’t believe he’d do her any physical harm. The man she’d known and trusted had been a gentle lover with a generous heart. What she didn’t know is how her desertion might have changed that man. He certainly didn’t seem too approachable right now.

Still, she loved him with all her heart. She never would have left if he’d loved her as deeply. She’d thought her threat to join the rodeo would elicit a marriage proposal, but her plan had backfired. He’d let her go without a fight, without a call or letter or speck of protest. Now she had to do whatever it took to make things right between them. Even if that meant submitting to his every whim until he’d been pacified.

“Are you coming?”

Cassie didn’t hesitate any longer, but followed him into the coolness of the house. He tossed his hat aside and ran his fingers through overlong hair that always threatened to curl. His eyes glittered and thick brows furrowed as he studied her. She noted new frown lines around his eyes. The grooves in his cheeks seemed deeper, his overall appearance more grim. He’d never be considered handsome in a pretty-boy fashion, yet his face portrayed the strength and character of a man who could be trusted to keep his word.

After slamming the door, he spoke to her in a voice more harsh than she’d ever heard from him. “Take off your clothes. Right here, right now. No arguments or this arrangement is finished before it starts.”

Her eyes widened in shock and she stared at him to see if he was joking. He wasn’t. His jaw was locked in determination. His eyes were so cold that a shiver raced over her. Was he trying to scare her into leaving? Was this a test?

She’d never been a particularly modest person and he’d seen her naked before, yet she stood frozen.

“Now.”

His command made her wary, but he wouldn’t send her running again. In fact, now that she was back in his home, he’d have a hell of a time chasing her away. She’d yearned for him too long to let him scare her off so easily.

Cassie started to turn her back to him.

He grasped her arm. “Don’t try to hide from me!”

Eyes sparkling with annoyance, she stood directly in front of him and whipped her top over her head and off her arms.

 She hadn’t thought his expression could get any tighter, but it did. Somehow, it made her feel more exposed than the shedding of clothes. She’d known she’d have to swallow a lot of pride if she wanted to put the past behind them. But baring herself, even physically, wasn’t as easy as she’d hoped.

Quivering and unsure, she gave herself a mental pep talk. This is what she wanted more than life. She wanted Brody looking at her with that tight, needy expression, so she unzipped her skirt and let it fall to the floor.

His eyes flared with a sexual hunger so stark it dampened her defiance a bit and sent another hot tremor over body. He quickly lowered his lashes to hide his reaction. She dropped her arms to her sides.

“All of it, the bra and panties, too,” he insisted gruffly.

She understood. She didn’t like it, but she understood his need for control. Slowly, Cassie reached behind her back and unclipped her bra. It fell away from her breasts and dropped to the floor. Her nipples puckered as cool air wafted over them. The heat of Brody’s gaze had them tightening into hard nubs.

Without another word, he reached out and cupped both breasts, molding them and fondling them with his big, calloused hands. When she closed her eyes on a sigh, he brushed her nipples with his thumbs until a tremor shot through her. If this was his idea of torture, she could deal with it twenty-four hours a day. Heat speared her low in her belly and moisture collected between her legs. She stifled a moan. It had been so long. So damned long.