Happy Hour: From the Black & White Collection (14 page)

He shrugged. “No idea. Probably in the cradle. My mom used to sing it to me when I was little. It was

her favorite song for a while. My dad still teases her about it.”

“That’s nice.”

He bent down and nuzzled his face against hers. They danced in silence for a few moments. The song

was nearly over when he shocked her by pulling away and dropping to one knee.

“Jamie?” The conversation at the surrounding tables slowly died when he took her hand.

“I love you, Grace Wright.”

Her heart sped up at his formal tone. Holy shit, he was proposing to her. Right in the middle of

Tully’s at happy hour. In front of God and everybody. She was stunned and thrilled.

“You’re beautiful, kind, generous and funny. But I don’t want to spend any more happy hours with

you. From now on, I only want happy years. A happy lifetime. Will you marry me, Grace?”

She blinked rapidly, fighting to stop the tears suddenly flowing down her cheeks. She nodded,

swallowing hard, trying to find her voice. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring, placing it on her finger. A loud cheer went up from

their table of friends and as he rose, they were surrounded by The Cougar Club slapping Jamie on the back while Cheryl hugged her, the two of them laughing through tears.

“Gotta warn you, Gracie,” Trey said, coming over to kiss her on the cheek, “this sort of means a

bachelor party in Vegas.”

She laughed, offering Trey a friendly hug. “I’ve heard all about your twisted stag party plans, so I’m

warning you now—don’t lose my fiancé in Nevada or I’ll hurt you.”

Jamie came over, grinning widely as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Even if he did

lose me,” he said, his lips brushing her ear, “I’d always find my way back to you. I love you, Grace.”

www.samhainpublishing.com

About the Author

Writing a book was number one on Mari Carr’s bucket list and on her thirty-fourth birthday, she

set out to see that goal achieved. Now her computer is jammed full of stories—novels, novellas, short

stories and dead-ends and many of her books have been published. A winner of the Passionate Plume, Mari found time for writing by squeezing it into the hours between 3 a.m. and daybreak when her family is

asleep and the house is quiet.

To learn more about Mari Carr, please vis
it www.maricarr.com
or join her Yahoo! group to join in the fun with other readers as well as Mari Carr:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Heat_Wave_Readers/join

Look for these titles by Mari Carr

Now Available:

Erotic Research

Tequila Truth

Because of You

Rough Cut

Learning Curves

Coming Soon:

Power Play

When the screen fades to black, all that remains is love.

Rough Cut

© 2010 Mari Carr

A
Black & White Collection
Story

Ty Ransome. Reigning king of Hollywood, producer, actor, Look Magazine’s Hottest Man Alive. He

has it all—until he reads a book of short stories that touches him in places kept carefully hidden from the tabloid gossip mill. There’s only one way to meet the introverted writer—invite her to Tinseltown to work on a script. The moment he sees her, he realizes why her work haunts him. There’s something missing in

his life, and it’s her.

Gwen steps off the plane with reservations. For one thing, her darkly sexual stories are hardly movie

material. Then there’s Ty’s reputation as a ladies’ man. Yet she’s won over by his charm and agrees to stay on for a week to get to know him before making her decision. And as the days go by, she discovers there’s far more to Ty than a handsome face.

They eat, drink and breathe the characters in their screenplay, re-enacting scenes that delve into the

BDSM realm, setting Ty free to unleash his powerful cravings and exposing Gwen’s deepest needs. Needs

she set free on paper…but is not sure she’s ready to make a reality.

Warning: This title contains all the following Tinseltown essentials: explicit sex on a movie set, anal
play in a mansion, BDSM with a hot movie star, capture fantasies while writing a screenplay, bondage in a
limo, and, oh yeah, some graphic language—sorry about that.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Rough Cut

“Now this is the way I like to wake up,” a deep voice said beside her.

Gwen opened her eyes, briefly surprised to find her face only inches away from Ty’s. She blinked a

few times to make sure she wasn’t dreaming, then their nighttime conversation drifted back through her

consciousness.

“You were supposed to stay on your own side.” Her voice was gruff with sleep. As she came fully

awake, she became aware of his hand lightly rubbing a bare bit of skin at her waist, beneath her T-shirt.

“So sue me.” He leaned so close to her the only air she could feel was that of his soft breath on her

cheek. His hand stopped caressing her waist and instead gripped it, pulling her even closer to him.

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” she whispered, despite the fact her hands were resting, unresisting, on his chest. She’d placed them there to push him away, but instead the traitorous things were exploring the rock-hard definitions of his pecs.

“I think a kiss in the morning is always a good idea.”

“Just a kiss?” She cursed her sudden breathlessness.

“Just a kiss, Gwen.” She was shocked by her disappointment until he added, “for now.”

His lips brushed hers and her body shuddered at the impact. His mouth wasn’t gentle, it wasn’t easy.

He took her lips with a roughness that proclaimed his possession. He took everything she offered with her lips and tongue and demanded more. His hands drifted up to her face, engulfing her cheeks in his firm grip, turning her head exactly the way he wanted it. His teeth nipped at her lower lip and she thought for a

moment she heard him growl before his tongue plunged into her mouth, tangling with hers. She’d never

been kissed like this in her life and the feeling was heady. It made her dizzy, giddy, reckless and she suddenly realized she wanted more. Hell, she wanted all.

She reached up and held his face to hers, twisting her fingers in his hair. He mimicked the action with her own long tresses and she was amazed by her reaction to his rough touch. Each time he pulled her hair, the sensation of pain flowed pleasurably down her body, causing her hips to flex, searching for relief. Her body felt as if he’d set it aflame and she found her reactions shockingly animalistic.

“Harder. Pull harder,” she begged and he responded in turn. His lips trailed along her face, his rough

beard scratching her sensitive skin until he reached her ear. He bit her earlobe, pulling her hair at the same time and she cried out, her hips gyrating wildly.

His hard body came over hers as he took control of her wrists, dragging them above her head and

holding them firmly in place with one of his hands. She sensed he knew what his actions were doing to her as he pressed his covered cock firmly between her legs, letting her feel the proof of the desire they shared.

She wanted to scream at him to take off his pants and give her what she needed, but instinctively she knew he would refuse her.

“Shhh.” He tightened his grip on her wrists while planting soft, sweet kisses on her face. “Calm down,

gorgeous.”

She was panting, frustrated, and she foolishly felt as if she were on the verge of tears.

He leaned back at the sound of her soft cry, the look on his face a perfect mixture of shock, awe and

naked, red-hot desire.

He smiled as she struggled to regain composure, her body screaming for relief.

“I can see there will be no such thing as innocent kisses with you,” he said.

She blinked rapidly, determined he shouldn’t see the tears threatening to fall. Christ, she was a fool.

“I-I, shit.” She struggled to free her hands. He released her and she pushed him away. He moved over

easily and she realized she wouldn’t have been able to budge him if he hadn’t permitted it. She walked

away from the bed, pressing her back against the wall for support.

“This is not, I mean, I don’t—” She was gasping for air and her voice and her body betrayed her,

shaking uncontrollably.

He sat up slowly and she knew he was deliberately keeping his movements unhurried lest he frighten

her. “Gwen, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

She wanted to laugh at the understatement of his words. He’d pulled her hair, held her down and

she’d responded like a bitch in heat. He didn’t think that was wrong, weird?

“I told you before, Ty. I want us to keep our relationship professional. Sex muddies the water. You

know that.”

“No, I don’t think I do. Gwen, there’s nothing wrong with admitting that we’re attracted to each other

sexually. Shit, I can’t think of anything I want more than to tie your lovely body to that bed and bury myself between those hot thighs of yours.”

“Stop it! Stop saying stuff like that. It isn’t going to happen. Ever.”

He scowled at her words and rose from the bed, crossing to where she stood, trembling. “Well, I think

you and I are about to have our first disagreement.”

He leaned toward her as she pressed her body flat against the wall. He caged her in, grasping her

hands by the wrists once again and pressing them against the flat surface, just above her head. “You and I are most certainly going to have sex, Gwen. Hard, hot, incredibly intense sex and you’re going to love

every minute of it.”

“You smug, conceited—”

“Pull your pants down,” he said as he loosened his grip.

She wanted to deny him, wanted to drive her fists against his chest and tell him to get the hell away

from her, but his deep voice, his demanding words spoke to the loneliest part of her soul and she felt as if she’d been sunk neck-deep in quicksand.

“Pull them down now,” he repeated, his voice commanding. Clearly he expected her to comply. This

was so wrong. God dammit, it was wrong. And yet her body felt alive for the first time ever.

She reached for the waistband of her pajama bottoms and she slowly shimmied the soft cotton over

her hips. The material fell to her ankles and she stepped out of it, never taking her gaze off his determined face.

“Good girl,” he murmured and she raised her hand to slap him for his condescending comment. He

caught her wrist and pressed it against the wall. “You don’t want to do that.”

She closed her eyes in surrender and he released her hand.

His dominant actions, his powerful words, were truly soothing her weary soul, despite the fact her

head was demanding she run away from him. Ty Ransome was the one man who could be her complete

and utter downfall, yet rather than escape, she found herself relishing every touch, every word he offered.

The higher the stakes, the hotter the game.

Never Have I Ever

© 2010 Alisha Rai

Reynolds Pack, Book 1

Ana Hudson enjoys her picture-perfect marriage to the love of her life. Everything is pleasant, easy—

and satisfying. Then an anonymous e-mail arrives filled with lurid pictures of Taylor’s youthful exploits, leaving her wondering if she really knows him at all. More importantly…does she know herself?

Driven to uncover the truth and push the limits of their sexual boundaries, she convinces Taylor to

arrange a weekend getaway to a friend’s luxury cottage in the mountains. It’s the perfect place to get her husband to spill his secrets—and show him there’s a wealth of kinky fantasies hiding inside his good girl.

Taylor’s spent years suppressing his animalistic side, hiding the not-completely-human DNA that

once drove him wild. Except now his once quiet, reserved Ana has launched a campaign to destroy every

inch of his hard-won control.

With the snowy wilderness containing his darkest memories surrounding them, and his old pack-mate

dropping in to give them a few pointers, the sexual battle of wills gets fierce.

Let the games begin.

Warning: Contains a brooding, dirty-minded, not-quite-human hero, a sweet not-quite-good-girl

heroine, a howling-hawt car ride up a mountain, a chase through the snow followed by an erotic adventure
with sports equipment, oral sex, anal sex, and a M/F/M ménage scene that will leave you panting.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Never Have I Ever:

Taylor studied the shape of Ana’s ass in the bright pink snowsuit she wore. It was a sad, sad day when

the sight of the woman in a shapeless outfit drove him a little mad.

For the umpteenth time he cursed Eli’s presence. His best friend had the absolute worst timing. Forget

the fact that he’d been put outside like a naughty pup, when he could be snuggling with his wife on a wide leather sofa. With the other man here, he couldn’t even try to communicate with her about their recent

escapades…not that he had the slightest inkling of how to broach that subject.

You know that mind-blowing sex we had last night? Please don’t let me fuck you like an animal

anymore. We need to leave here, because I think this place is making me want to do things to you that
aren’t even entirely legal in some states. Oh, yeah, and I never told you, but I’m a—

Abort, abort. Don’t think it. If you don’t think it, it’s not real.

That’s right. The test wasn’t over yet. He still had all day tomorrow to get his body and rioting

hormones under control. Perhaps by then he’d also be able to figure out what was going on in his newly

enabling wife’s tricky brain.

“This fresh air is so bracing, isn’t it?”

Ana had to shout, and even then her voice was muffled by the ski mask on her face. His outfit wasn’t