House of Payne: Tag by Stacy Gail

Title: House of Payne: Tag

Series: House of Payne

Author: Stacy Gail

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 4, 2018

Mysterious. Anonymous. Genius.

No one knows the identity of the famous urban artist known only as Tag, and that’s just the way Tag likes it. He got his start in one of the most gang-ridden neighborhoods in Chicago by anonymously tagging his world with beautiful graffiti, and that anonymity kept him alive. Sure, Tag’s work is now so hot it’s being turned into tattoos at the greatest tattoo studio in the world, House of Payne, but he’s still not going to reveal himself. To anyone.

Volatile. Passionate. Brilliant.

Artist Ivy Gemelli is the last of her family. Mother—dead. Father—shot in his cab for fifty bucks. Uncle and brother—murdered in the family’s auto paint shop, which was then burned down to the ground. She’s the last one standing in a never-ending struggle to just freaking survive, and it’s made her tougher than nails. That’s why, when she sees her own art show up in Tag’s designs, she’s more than ready to go to war.

Hot. Powerful. Irresistible.

Tag wasn’t looking for a sexy complication like Ivy, but that’s exactly what he’s got. Her murdered brother’s long-ago lie brought them together, but now that Tag’s got Ivy in his sights, he’s not about to let her go. Ivy is all fire and fury, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep this sex-on-stilettos woman with him, even if he has to keep her in the dark about his past.

***This standalone, hot contemporary romance contains a strong alpha male, mention of the sexual practice of edging, and a spank or two (or three). There are multiple, explicit sex scenes (you have been warned). No cheating, no love triangles, no cliffhangers. HEA guaranteed. This book is not intended for readers under the age of 18***

99,000 words

“Listen up, daddy long legs, I’m not a frickin’ pull toy.” Ivy barely managed to keep up with Tag as he practically ran her up the stairs and into Scout’s office. “And I’m not exactly wearing track shoes, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“I noticed.” He closed the door behind them, and it was like turning the world’s sound off. In the silence of the office, she was suddenly, blazingly aware of every last thing about him, from how he leaned casually against the door, to how his eyes watched her like seeing her was his only mission in life. “I notice everything about you. Especially those shoes.”
She blinked before she looked down at her sandals. They gave her an added four inches, something she needed in the face of the masculine tower that was Tag, but even more than that she’d thought they made her legs look dead sexy. But considering his tone, maybe not. “I love these shoes. What’s wrong with them?”
“Nothing. I love them too. That’s why I want you to wear them when I fuck you.”
Her gaze jerked up from her feet to crash into his. Holy cow, he was serious. “Uh…”
“Yeah? You wanna say something?”
Valiantly she tried to laugh it off, even as a lick of desire began to raise her temperature. “You don’t mean now, do you? You couldn’t possibly mean now.”
Slowly he started toward her. “We’ve got privacy and a sofa. Or, barring that, we’ve got a nice, big desk right behind you. Then again, a wall or even that rug you’re standing on would work. Come to think of it, we could have a damn orgy in here with all these possibilities.”
Stalking her. Heaven above, the man was stalking her like she was his prey. There had to be something wrong with her to find that exhilarating. “Am I the only one left in this whole wide world who thinks sex should happen in the bedroom?”
“Oh, I’m sure we’ll get to that. Eventually.”

A competitive figure skater from the age of eight, Stacy Gail wrote stories between events to pass the time. By fourteen, she told her parents she was either going to be a skating coach who was also a romance writer, or a romance writer who was also a skating pro. Now with a day job of playing on the ice with her students, and writing everything from PNR and cyberpunk to contemporary romance at night, both dreams have come true.

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Ruffles & Beaus by Carina Adams

Title: Ruffles & Beaus

Author: Carina Adams

Genre: NA Romance/Love Triangle

Published: August 23, 2018

"One of my top reads for 2018." - Lauren, Goodreads reviewer

"I loved the storyline. I was caught hook line and sinker unable to escape. When the triangle formed I was enthralled, mesmerized and fascinated with the different personalities clashing over the same thing." - Claire, Goodreads reviewer

"This book is more of a slow burn, romance... I think it has a good lesson about finding your inner strength and courage..." - AlwaysBooking

"This book had me completely hooked from beginning to end. I don't think I even blinked while reading it, that's how good it was." - Brittany's Book Blog

Every girl who dances on a pole has a story to tell, one that led her to the stage.

My last year of college was set to be the best yet. Only a few months stood between me and the life of my dreams. Until my manager was arrested for embezzlement, our department was wiped out, and everything fell apart. I needed a job. I was willing to do anything to pay for school, hoping to simply survive. Desperate, I joined Soirée, the private party company that offered something no other did.

I wasn’t prepared for Roman, the boss who thought I was helpless and hated me as much as I detested him. Or, his best friend Reid, who assumed I was tougher than I was and pursued me in a way no one else ever had.

I never used a pole, yet I took my clothes off as men cheered. My past didn’t lead me there, though.

My story began with the secrets I told as I fell in love with two very different men.

And continued with the lies I weaved to keep us all from breaking.

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I stood there, a helpless bystander, as he gave her the same grin he’d always used on the adults to get himself out of trouble when we were kids. The one that said he was sweet and innocent and could be trusted. Lying asshole. Cady responded with a slow, lazy smile of her own, one filled with promises I couldn’t even comprehend.

Not happening. My fingers locked around her upper arm and I hauled her to her feet before I knew what I was doing. “I’ve got it,” I snarled in his direction before I half dragged her up the stairs and down the hall to my room.

With every step we took she sputtered like an angry wet cat and tried to shake me off. My grip only tightened. As soon as we were in my room, with the lights on and the heavy door locked safely behind us, I let her push me away.

“What in the hell are you doing?”

“You said you were exhausted.” I lifted my chin toward the bed in the middle of the room as I dropped my suit jacket on the floor and pulled off my tie. “Get some rest.”

“There’s no couch. Where are you going to sleep?”

I had my shirt unbuttoned and on the pile before I answered. “You’re a smart girl. You figure it out.”

As I reached for the button on my pants, she nodded once. “Okay. So, I’ll be in Andy’s room.”

I lunged for her as she was twisting the handle, squishing her body between the door and me, my hands on top of hers, halting her. I hadn’t been prepared for how she’d feel. She wasn’t built like my other dancers, shorter and curvier, but I hadn’t stopped to think about how soft that would make her body. It was oddly comforting, and I wanted to sink into it and let her surround me.

Fighting whatever craziness my mind had started to manifest, I put my mouth to her ear, needing her to hear me. “If you leave this room, I will spank your ass. I’m too fucking wasted to take on every man here, but don’t think I’m too far gone to haul you back to this room, tie you to the bed, and punish you.”

Glimpses of that scenario ran through my mind, making me instantly hard. I had no idea where the thought had come from. I’d never tied any woman to my bed, or any where else, and I sure as shit had never spanked anyone in more than a playful manner. It should have disgusted me.

We must have gotten a bad bottle of booze. It hadn’t been stored right or something. Maybe one of Alistair’s loser friends laced it.

Instead of throwing her head back into my face and breaking my nose, or reacting the way any sensible woman would, Cady’s breath caught and she shivered underneath me. Not from fear or cold, but because my words had gotten to her.

She moved her head back slightly, fitting it into the spot between my neck and shoulder. Neither of us said a word. Her scent, one I didn’t recognize, invaded my nostrils. I fought the urge to turn her around and kiss her, to beg her to let me fuck her against the door for the entire house to hear.

Her breathing grew more ragged by the second and I knew that she was feeling it, this undeniable attraction. She spun, her back to the door, perfect fat tits shoving into my chest, and I couldn’t think anymore. My fist wound itself into her hair, holding her in place, as I leaned down in slow motion, almost daring her to push me away, and captured her lips with mine.

She tasted like strawberries and whiskey, her mouth warm and captivating as she gave me exactly what I wanted. It wasn’t enough. I bit her bottom lip lightly, tugging it open, so my tongue could find hers.

Fingernails traced down my bare chest, exploring. When they ran over my abs, Cady groaned as if it was the most delightful thing she’d ever touched. The sound made my dick jump. I worked hard for the body I had, pushed myself to stay in shape, so I could accomplish all the things I wanted. It was a bonus to know she appreciated the effort.

Jealousy, that she got to touch me while I was acting like a saint and keeping my hands in PG zones, hit me. I broke the kiss and stepped back, ready to strip her out of the ugly baggy clothes she’d put on and worship her body. She wasn’t fooling me. I’d seen enough during practices and the performance to know exactly what she was hiding.

In spectacular fuckface timing, Andrew chose that moment to pound on the door. “Yo, asshole. You forgot your phone. Reid’s blowing it up.”

Cady ducked and spun away from the wood, backing toward the bed, eyes wide as they darted around the room. Before I could offer an explanation, or beg her to give me five minutes to get rid of the pest problem outside our door and get back to business, the brat smirked at me. Then she began to laugh.

“Well,” she dragged her teeth over her lip making me groan inwardly, “that was a surprise. No more alcohol for us.”

Andy knocked again.

“You get that. I’m going to go to bed. To sleep.” She clarified. “And then you’re going to come to bed. For sleep. So we can get up in a few hours and pretend this never happened.”

“That’s how we’re playing this?”

“Partners don’t have sex, remember? It’s against the rules.”

Fuck the goddamned stupid rules. I hated them. I was going to rewrite the employee manual first thing on Monday.

Cady chuckled, as if she could hear my thoughts. “No, you’re not. They’re good rules. You don’t want to sleep with me. You’re just drunk.”

“I said that out loud?”

She giggled again and I couldn’t stop my own answering smile. “You did.” She moved forward, pushing me out of the way slightly, and opened the door. “Give it to me,” she held out her hand.

“Come next door and I will,” Andy’s husky voice replied as he handed her my iPhone. “I’ll give it to you so dirty you’ll be begging me for more.”

Without a reply, she backed up quickly and slammed the door in his face.  He obviously didn’t like his head attached to his body because I was going to remove it if he didn’t cut the shit.

“Here,” she didn’t wait for me to take it, but shoved the phone into my chest instead. “Call Reid. Tell him you’re too drunk to drive, that I’m not any better, and that we’re staying here. It’s been an,” her gaze settled on my stomach and her teeth scraped across her lips, “interesting first day at my new job and I’m exhausted.”

With a quick tug, her sweatshirt was over her head and on the floor, taunting me, before she face-planted herself onto the bed. “Good night.” It was no more than a mumble. The brat was out cold in seconds.

I didn’t dial Reid’s number. Or anyone else. He hadn’t been the only one who had called repeatedly. I especially didn’t want to deal with the force that was Livie tonight. Not when I was drunk and I had a hot as fuck woman in my bed.

No. Cady wasn’t hot. Cady was Ruffles, my employee. The bitter, snarky, clueless one. I wasn’t attracted to her.

She definitely wasn’t Brooke. I wanted my fiancé back. And only my fiancé.

Which is why it was perfectly safe for me to climb up onto the bed next to Cady. Friends could sleep in the same bed. The small width of the full size mattress wasn’t something I was used to, which was the only reason I threw an arm around her and hauled her back into my chest. She was soft and warm, which was why I dropped kisses onto her neck, inhaling her body spray, telling myself I loved the scent and needed to find out what it was.

It was all fine. Completely innocent. Nothing more.

An avid reader who loves epic and unconventional romance, Carina has an unhealthy obsession with Jason Statham, loves the sounds of Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, is the crazy friend your mom warned you about, and believes one day she will go through the stones to meet Jamie Fraser. 

Carina has been writing and creating characters for as long as she can remember, allowing her to fall in love with the next man of her dreams with every new story. None of which are anything like boring Prince Charming. Thankfully, fate stepped in and granted her the ultimate wish - a life full of men. Carina lives in a picturesque New England town with her husband, the man who ruined the thought of all others, and two amazing sons who always keep her on her toes.

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Until We Break by Edyn Michaels

Title: Until We Break

Series: Trust Duet Book 1

Author: Edyn Michaels

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 4, 2018

Mari was fast tracking to forever with her boyfriend of two years, until a former friend turned skank sent her some incriminating evidence that included her body bouncing on his dick. 

All trust was lost in the male species, and she decided it was time to use men as they had been using women for years. The plan served her well for a while, with a lot of free drinks and evenings that ended up with her face down on a couch with a nameless guy pounding her from behind.

Her BFF, Kaylie, staged an intervention for her whorish ways… but then in the course of a week she met two men who challenged her heart and her lady parts in ways they’d never been tempted before. Suddenly she felt like a game piece, and she had to choose what team she was playing on.

#TeamJamison

Tall, dark and tattooed, Jamison loves one thing in life and that’s his Harley. He makes no promises other than a good time. There will be no promises of forever, and to hell with monogamy. But, if she spends a single night with him, she’ll be feeling it for at least three days.

#TeamDane

With a smile that could light up the darkest night, and dazzling blue eyes, Dane friend-zones her from the start. He’s been through his share of meaningless relationships, but the former star quarterback wants a chance at falling in love with his best friend, rather than chase the next piece of fine ass.

With an epic battle of heart vs. heat; whose team will she be on?

Edyn Michaels lives in Massachusetts with her husband and eight pets. She believes in unicorns, thinks that calories don’t exist on her birthday, your birthday, his birthday, everyone’s birthday. Holidays either. Calories definitely don’t exist on holidays.

When she’s not writing, she works a handful of jobs, and is learning to play the bagpipes. Because, well, why not?

Her favorite type of books to read are the ones that require a large stock of batteries in the nightstand drawer, but at the same time, she likes complex characters that she can relate to. But mostly, batteries.

Side hobbies include photography and so much baking. And bitching about whatever diet she is on at the time.

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