       |  A woman in love. A ghost in need. A man possessed. Evelyn Sheridan is in love with Raritan Manor Ranch’s resident ghost, Quinn, but can only experience his embrace in her dreams. Quinn VanAlder, who doesn’t realize he’s a ghost, loves Eve and wishes she’d stop saying they can’t be together. While at the ranch, Alex VanAlder arrives for a visit, and Evelyn’s hopes rise. Perhaps she will be able to have a real relationship after all. Alex, though, has no interest in Evelyn. Yet, every time the house cat, Myrddin, comes around, Alex feels like a man possessed and wants Eve with a passion. Caught between loving a ghost and putting up with a man who can’t make up his mind, Evelyn is at a loss. Can the magic of the ranch help Evelyn to stop being caught between two worlds?  A deep, warm laugh rumbled from him. “You think it’s funny that I’m going nuts?” She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him over the horse’s back. Quinn moved around the horse. “You are not going insane.” As Quinn took another step toward her, she took a step back. “That’s what Julie says. I’m not convinced, though.” With every step she took, Quinn matched it. In a deep, sultry voice he uttered, “My beautiful, intelligent Evelyn, your mind is very sound.” Her butt hit the building. Standing in a pile of broken hay stalks, her gaze fixed on Quinn’s eyes, and her breaths came in short rasps. Her mind didn’t feel sound at all, neither did her body. Pulse racing, heart pounding against her chest, she seemed in the midst of losing control. All her senses heightened until colors were brighter. She looked past Quinn at the gentle slopes of the mountain range nearby and the deep blue sky. He stood an inch before her. She breathed in his musky, masculine scent. Her clothes tightened and scratched against her sensitive skin. Though under a warm sun, a shiver raked her body. How could a man rob her of control, of her senses? Quinn placed his hands on the building, trapping her between his arms. “Tell me,” his husky voice whispered in her ear. “What has gotten you so bothered you think you are going crazy?” The heat radiating between their close bodies sent ripples of desire through her. She shuddered. “Well?” “You,” she whispered in return, not meeting his gaze. “These dreams. They’re interrupting my life. I’m letting my relationship with you interfere with everything I do when I’m awake. Any good psychiatrist would have a field day with me.” Evelyn paused, took a deep breath to calm her excited body. Since he towered over her by at least a foot, she talked to his chest. The white shirt, pulled taut over his front, showed the outlines of his well-defined muscles. She wanted to touch them. Evelyn clenched her fists at her sides, taking in another deep breath, and looked up. “It’s gotten to the point where Julie thinks I’m in love—” “Are you?” Quinn interrupted, a hint of pleading tainted his voice. His question caught her off guard. She hadn’t thought about the possibility of love, of discussing their feelings for each other. She didn’t answer, and her lack of response brought an expression of sadness to Quinn’s features. She cared for him, but love? How could she love someone who wasn’t real, someone who existed before her birth? Someone who’s a ghost? Quinn turned his back to her. “I thought… never mind.” The misery in his voice pinged at her soul. “Quinn.” She put a hand on his shoulder to halt him from leaving. “I’m sorry. I can’t love you. You’re not real.” His body tensed beneath her fingers. Quinn turned back to her and her hand fell to his chest. He held it there. “Damn it, Evelyn. Stop talking nonsense. I am real.” She couldn’t deny that fact. His hands were warm. His heart beat strong and steady. Her eyes widened and she gazed up into his passion-filled gaze. She wished she wasn’t dreaming. “Let me show you how real I am.” His lips descended onto hers. All the blood rushed from her head and her knees weakened. She leaned into his body for support. His arms wrapped around her. Every nerve fired at his touch. His lips parted and his tongue coaxed her mouth open. Too dazed to resist, she copied his motions, and the gentle kiss blazed into a raging fire. Their mouths, hot and hungry, moved against each other’s in perfect harmony. Evelyn’s arousal gained momentum. She swirled her tongue against his in wild abandon, learning the sweet taste of him. Digging her fingers into his shoulders, she held on to the moment for dear life. |
 | There is magic on the ranch... A woman examining life. A man on a quest. Time restores his spirit and her love. Trent, a man in the past on a mission to discover where he belongs, embarks on a spiritual journey. His spirit guide, to his dismay, is a frisky feline named Myrddin. During a ritual, the cat brings the soul searcher forward into Julie VanAlder’s world. Julie is attracted to the newcomer on the ranch, but his strange mannerisms and speech dictate she use caution, especially when she learns where he’s from. A botched relationship, supposed time travel, spiritual mumbo jumbo…it’s almost too much for Julie to take. Can Trent make her believe in destiny and win her love before it’s too late? But now Trent doesn’t even look like he was ever affected by the car ride. Amazed at how much energy he had, she sat up and crossed her legs. Boy, what a sight he is. Trent, shirtless and showing off his built body, strolled from the water, moving with precision. The women around her tittered, whispering fast and lewd phrases about “the hunk.” Her gaze swung to one group of females whose attentions and words confirmed their obvious appraisals of the man. She looked back at Trent. His quadriceps rippled with each stride, fighting against the sand’s resistance. He stopped and wiped his forehead. Beads of water trailed down his light brown skin, glistening on him like pixie dust. He bent over, then quickly straightened. His long black hair made an arc in the air, casting off the seawater. Trent ran his fingers through his slick and shiny locks. Poseidon come to life. Beautiful Greek god incarnate. Julie sighed. No wonder he's making the women flap their lips. If one of her girlfriends were nearby, she’d be chatting up a storm with them about him too. Her pussy warmed, as did her breasts. He seemed to be a heady dose of sizzling hormones just by looking at him, making her body flush with desire that rolled into a burning need. She shook her head. Stop thinking about how handsome he is! Just friends. That's all it can be. With him or any man since I don’t want my heart broken again. He sauntered over and retrieved a bottle of water from a cooler. After taking a long draught, he proceeded to dump the water over his head. He ran his fingers through his wet hair again. A mischievous glint twinkled in his eyes. His gaze traveled over her, then to the other sunbathers around them. A smile lit his face and faint lines creased around his deep brown eyes, slanted provocatively. She lifted an eyebrow. “What’s that look for?” He chuckled. “I am astounded by all the scantily clad women…showing much more than just an ankle.” He watched a tall, thin blonde dressed in a bikini walk by, his head turning as she passed. “How decadent and scandalous...arousing, actually. I may not be able to contain myself.” His gaze whipped back to Julie and he winked. Drawn to him by his charm, Julie rolled her eyes and smiled back. She couldn’t help it. Talk about arousing. His six-pack abs were right there, two feet from her face. All she’d have to do was lean forward, extend her hand, trail a finger along the dark divots of the muscles. Maybe friends with benefits? |
 | A woman once shunned. A man now changed. There’s a thin line between love and hate. When Wiccan practitioner Cassandra VanAlder encounters a man from her past who’d broken her heart, she casts some spells to help herself while wishing karma would deal out some payback. The spells turn against her, and before she knows it, she finds herself falling for him again. Ryan Keene finds Cassandra enchanting and feels he’s met her somewhere before. She and her best friend, Debi, won’t give him any clues as to her identity. He loves challenges and doesn’t plan to back off from her until he finds the answers he seeks. He's told he has three dates to win her over. Will she close off her heart or will she allow herself to feel again? Her gaze darted from the paper to the people at the altar. Rings. Her heart sank in anguish. Sorrow sat heavy on her stomach. She fingered the black cat pin she wore on the lapel of her navy blue jacket. The handmade accessory was an artist’s rendition of her cat, Myrddin. That night, long ago, when Ryan had dumped her, a kitten had wandered out of the tree line surrounding the mountain home of her childhood and into her life. The cat seemed to have known she needed consoling. It only took an instant for the two of them to become attached to each other. Myrddin grew to be a great companion and familiar. Cassandra had the pin created and cast a spell on it to always stay connected and comforted by her feline friend. Sometimes she wondered if Myrddin would have trotted out of the tree line had she and Ryan stayed together. Ryan rubbed the back of his neck again and glanced into gathered throng of guests. His haunting gaze caught hers. “Ryan…psst…Ryan,” the groom uttered. Ryan shook his head and looked at the man in front of him. Subdued snickers tittered through the sanctuary. “The rings, please?” The minister held out his hand. “Oh, geez, sorry,” Ryan stammered, shoved his hand into his pocket, and fumbled to remove the rings. He held the bands out in the palm of his hand. The minister blessed them and handed one to Lara and the other to the groom. Jeffrey placed the band on Lara’s finger, repeating the words per the minister’s prompts, “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day, and as a reminder of my undying love for you.” Cassandra drew in a shuddering breath. Way back when, on an autumn evening, Ryan had almost said the same to her during a romantic moment. Remembering his words, tears clouded her eyes. You’re my love. My heart and soul I promise to you with this ring. He had then slipped a silver ring with a solid, milky white opal heart shape onto her right finger, the humps facing her nail, and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Her heart had been captured. What a fool I was then. Ryan glanced her way again. She traced the edge of her pin and nibbled her lip. Was he trying to place her? Figure out who she was? A shiver ran through her body. “Cass? Are you all right? You’ve gone pale,” Julie murmured near her ear. Cassandra nodded, keeping her gaze glued to the wedding ceremony while toying with the cat pin. Calm yourself. You’re not that young girl anymore. Lara took the other ring. She placed the band on Jeffrey’s finger and repeated the vows, “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day, and as a reminder of my undying love for you.” “By the power vested in me by the State of Nevada,” the reverend stated, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss each other.” Jeffrey and Lara sealed their vows. Ryan took one more look in her direction. One of his eyebrows rose in tandem with the corner of his lips. Her gaze widened. No. He can’t remember. I can’t deal with him. I don’t want to deal with any man, not after what he did—and after the fiasco with Charlie. She touched her pin and chanted under her breath, begging the universe to make him forget any memories he had of her. |
💕 To be released May 22 💕
I’m Professor Arianna Perez, and I’ve been asked if I’ll ever trust, let alone love, another man again. After dumping an abusive boyfriend, I doubted I would. At least, that’s how I felt until fate had sexy wrangler, Kian Bishop, reappearing in my life in a way I never expected.
* Against my better judgement, I fell hard for the cowboy, believing everything he said, including how he wanted to treat me like a queen and keep me safe. Little did I know, though, that the circumstances that’d brought us together could also tear us apart…and possibly claim my life.
Please note: This story is SPICY, meaning it is for a MATURE AUDIENCE. The story contains Adult Situations and Language and is not suitable for those under 18 or who dislike mature subject matter. In other words with my SPICY stories, the bedroom door is wide open and the scenes are explicit and hot. If you’re not 18 and over and/or are disturbed by erotic content, please do not stay on this book page.
* Kian sat back and rubbed his chin. “He’s still bothering you?”
* Nodding, I continued to breathe deep to allay my anxiety. “Kind of.”
* “He sounds like a jerk. If you were mine, I’d treat you like a queen. I’d do anything I could to keep you safe and free from harm.”
* “If I were yours?” God, how I wanted to believe that a man would do that. Be a true gentleman, someone who would treat me right, someone I could trust not turn into a pig. Even if Kian spoke the truth, there were other factors to consider. “You do remember there’s an age gap between us, right? That I’m older than you?”
* He lifted a shoulder again. “So? We’re both adults. Consenting adults. I hated that my family moved, and I couldn’t see you anymore. That I only had you in my fantasies.”
* “Wait. What?” This time I couldn’t hide the surprise on my face. “You fantasized about me?”
* “All the time.” He chuckled, and pink tinged his cheeks. “I thought you were the prettiest woman I’d ever seen, and I was a hormonal teen. I wasn’t joking before when I said you’re beautiful.”
* Compliments. Wants. Desires. The claims coming from him made my breath catch on such an intense wave of yearning it almost hurt.
* Oh, Lord, what kind of spell is this man weaving over me?
* “I appreciate the sentiment, but like I’d said, you could have your pick. Why would you want an older lady with ten to twenty extra pounds on her frame?” Under my breath, I couldn’t stop myself from adding, “Chad used to say no man wanted a chubby-wubby.”
* Kian pursed his lips. “We’ve already established that Chad’s a tool. Me? I think you’re perfect the way you are. You don’t need to lose a pound.” He smiled. His gaze softened. “God, I really want to kiss you.”
* “Really?”
* “Yeah.”
* Before I knew it, he leaned across the table, gently palmed my cheek and placed his lips on mine. Hungry desire flooded me. I couldn’t deny my body’s response or the fact that I was seriously attracted to Kian. I wanted the kiss to deepen, but luckily, I had enough wits about me to not go crazy with the public display of affection.
* Then, as quick as it started, it ended. He sat back, taking any decisions I might have had to make out of my hands.
* “Thank you,” he said. “I’ve wanted to do that for ages.”
* More heat blossomed in my face. I couldn’t believe how much I’d been blushing. His attentions and presence made me feel like a silly, teenager in the throes of my first crush.
* Nodding, I continued to breathe deep to allay my anxiety. “Kind of.”
* “He sounds like a jerk. If you were mine, I’d treat you like a queen. I’d do anything I could to keep you safe and free from harm.”
* “If I were yours?” God, how I wanted to believe that a man would do that. Be a true gentleman, someone who would treat me right, someone I could trust not turn into a pig. Even if Kian spoke the truth, there were other factors to consider. “You do remember there’s an age gap between us, right? That I’m older than you?”
* He lifted a shoulder again. “So? We’re both adults. Consenting adults. I hated that my family moved, and I couldn’t see you anymore. That I only had you in my fantasies.”
* “Wait. What?” This time I couldn’t hide the surprise on my face. “You fantasized about me?”
* “All the time.” He chuckled, and pink tinged his cheeks. “I thought you were the prettiest woman I’d ever seen, and I was a hormonal teen. I wasn’t joking before when I said you’re beautiful.”
* Compliments. Wants. Desires. The claims coming from him made my breath catch on such an intense wave of yearning it almost hurt.
* Oh, Lord, what kind of spell is this man weaving over me?
* “I appreciate the sentiment, but like I’d said, you could have your pick. Why would you want an older lady with ten to twenty extra pounds on her frame?” Under my breath, I couldn’t stop myself from adding, “Chad used to say no man wanted a chubby-wubby.”
* Kian pursed his lips. “We’ve already established that Chad’s a tool. Me? I think you’re perfect the way you are. You don’t need to lose a pound.” He smiled. His gaze softened. “God, I really want to kiss you.”
* “Really?”
* “Yeah.”
* Before I knew it, he leaned across the table, gently palmed my cheek and placed his lips on mine. Hungry desire flooded me. I couldn’t deny my body’s response or the fact that I was seriously attracted to Kian. I wanted the kiss to deepen, but luckily, I had enough wits about me to not go crazy with the public display of affection.
* Then, as quick as it started, it ended. He sat back, taking any decisions I might have had to make out of my hands.
* “Thank you,” he said. “I’ve wanted to do that for ages.”
* More heat blossomed in my face. I couldn’t believe how much I’d been blushing. His attentions and presence made me feel like a silly, teenager in the throes of my first crush.
Win a $15 Amazon gift card and a $5 Evernight Publishing gift card!
I enjoyed getting to know your book; congrats on the tour, I hope it is a fun one for you, and thanks for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the tour and I appreciate the excerpt and the great giveaway as well. Love the tours, I get to find books and share with my sisters the ones I know they would enjoy reading and they both love to read. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAll of the books look amazing.
ReplyDeleteI just added what sounds to be a really good series.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a steamy series. I look forward to starting this.
ReplyDeleteI would like to give thanks for all your really great writings, including the Raritan Manor Ranch Series. I wish the best in keeping up the good work in the future.
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