Novel Talk
JUST ONE NIGHT by Té Russ
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Author Té Russ is stopping by today to share an excerpt from her latest release in the McAllister Family Series – Just One Night… enjoy!
BOOK BLURB:
Just one night. That’s all it was supposed to be for Anthony McAllister and Denise Monroe. But then one night turned into one weekend. And one weekend turned into one test that would change both of their lives forever.
Now all Denise wants is for things to go back to the way they used to be, but Anthony soon discovers that he wants more and he’ll do whatever it takes to convince her that just one night can lead to just one beautiful lifetime…together…
EXCERPT:
They stayed until the place closed down for the night. Denise had no idea how many drinks they’d had, but she couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed herself so much. She didn’t think she’d ever laughed so much. Her cheeks were actually sore.
It was well after two in the morning by the time they made it back to the hotel.
“I need to get to sleep,” she said, giggling on the elevator. “I have to be up in a few hours if I’m going to catch my flight on time.”
“You do,” Anthony said, smiling widely at her, showing off a perfect set of teeth.
She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, letting out a content breath. “I had so much fun with you tonight, Tony.”
“Me too, Dee. You’re great to hang out with.”
The elevator dinged and Denise looked up.
“This is my floor,” she said quietly.
He nodded. “I’ll walk you to your door.”
No one could say he wasn’t a gentleman, she thought to herself.
As the doors slid open, Anthony placed his palm on the small of her back and guided her out of the elevator.
They walked in silence down the hall to her suite. When they were in front of her door, she pulled out her keycard and turned to him smiling.
“Thanks again for tonight, Tony,” she said, “I enjoyed myself.”
“So did I,” he said, leaning against the wall next to her. “Maybe we could find some time to do it again back home.”
“Maybe,” she said, turning to unlock the door. “If you could squeeze me in between saving lives.”
“I’d certainly make time for you, Dee,” he said in a low voice, as he reached out and skimmed a finger down her bare back.
She let out a heated breath and turned back toward him.
“Well… I guess this is goodnight.”
She moved toward him and placed her hand on his chest, then lifted her head to kiss his cheek.
He shifted his face ever so slightly and the corners of their lips met.
The connection was minuscule, but the spark that came from it was monumental.
Denise took a step back in shock, bumping up against the door that was still cracked open.
Anthony looked down at her, his eyes darkening with desire.
The look she saw in his eyes mirrored the feelings stirring inside of her.
They moved toward each other, almost through no control of their own.
Their mouths collided in a fusion of passion so strong, the kiss alone nearly felt orgasmic.
Denise took a step back, pulling Anthony by the lapels of his tuxedo coat into her room.
“This is crazy,” she breathed.
“I know,” he said, agreeing with her.
“We should stop…”
“Probably,” he said, moving from her lips to kiss her right underneath her ear.
“But it feels so right….”
“Definitely,” he growled, kissing her neck.
Once they were completely in her room, he kicked the door closed with the heel of his foot.
He tore his mouth away from her body and stared into her eyes for a long time.
Finally he spoke.
“There’s one thing I’ve been curious about all night.”
She took a deep breath, but it wasn’t nearly enough to steady herself.
“What’s that?” she managed to ask.
She felt his fingers dig into her thigh with the garter she was still wearing and with a grin, that always seem to make her weak in the knees, he asked, “Exactly how many years of happy marriage did we get for the newlyweds?”
ABOUT TÉ RUSS:
Growing up an introvert, Té Russ found solace in literary arts at an early age. She found reading to be a vehicle to broader horizons and writing a form of self-expression. She began writing love stories in her adolescent years as a way to expel her youthful thoughts of love into words. Since then she has gone from writing stories and thoughts of love in journals to attending college for journalism and falling in love, which has allowed those youthful words of love to blossom into a series of stories in her romance novels. Though she has an immense appreciation for the sheer smell that books collectively exert, she also has found balance to her introverted nature with adrenaline inducing activities. So if she does not have her nose pressed deeply into a book or her pen ticking through a pad, you may also find this mother of three jumping out of airplanes, cheering her husband on at the top of her lungs at MMA fights, buzzing down the interstate on the back of motorcycles, or kayaking.
CONTACT INFO:
www.facebook.com/TeRussNovels (Page)
#SampleSunday | An Excerpt From Dawn of Aris
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Shifting to rest on his back, Luke pulled Aris to him and they lay quietly with her head against his chest. Minutes passed as he stared at nothing, hesitant to say anything as he fingered a strand of her hair.
A part of Luke had expected that being inside of Aris once would be enough to get over his infatuation, to finally lose that ever-present edge he had been feeling since they’d met. In his mind, their unexpected connection was something he’d given too much thought to, something he simply needed to resolve so he could move on, get her out of his system and continue the life he was living with Jessica before Aris invited him into hers. Tonight, his only goal had been to douse the flames but, with her body pressed against him now, all he’d done was expose the answer to a question he’d had no business posing.
And now that he knew, he couldn’t un-know it.
What the fuck was he supposed to do now?
Aris stirred against him and snuggled closer. Even in that moment, he couldn’t stop himself from needing her again. He wanted to touch her, to replace what had just happened between them with something less dicey and perverse, something that would be a truer reflection of what he wasn’t quite ready to put into words but still needed her to understand. Instead, he continued playing with her hair knowing that anything he attempted in this moment would come off wrong, inadequate…selfish.
So he did nothing.
More time passed as Luke kept thinking, the pressure in his chest building so strong that he suddenly felt like he was suffocating…until Aris lifted a hand and placed it over his heart. Though his mind continued to race, her touch immediately calmed him…as it always did.
“Sorry I was so rough,” she blurted, breaking their silence. “Did I hurt you?”
Before he could stop it, a laugh bubbled up and tumbled from his lips in response. His mind immediately flashed through every moment of passion they had just experienced, how she’d matched him with equal fervor, how they’d been consumed with each other. Dropping his hand to brush his palm over the curve of her ass, he was more than happy to know that the intensity was mutual. “In the best way.”
He could feel her smile as she began trailing soft kisses down his torso, lightly grazing his skin with her teeth along the way.
Suddenly, she lifted her head and caught his eyes. “Can I hurt you again?”
AVAILABLE NOW ON KINDLE, NOOK & KOBO!
Download Your Copy Today: www.amzn.com/B00TC1K3J6
Aris Collier is chasing her dreams…at a snail’s pace. With little money and big talent, she works tirelessly to perfect her craft…even at the expense of her relationships. When Aris walks away from yet another dead-end entanglement with the hopes of finally getting her life on track, the last thing she expects is a fast friendship with her neighbor, Luke. They couldn’t be more different but soon the two become an inseparable pair, leaving Aris both surprised and disturbed that Luke understands her better than anyone else ever has…
Luke Donovan has it all—looks, career, money and status. Most importantly, he has the bold, brave and beautiful Jessica Knox, a woman he’s been building his impeccable life with since college. But as Luke continues his corporate climb, he soon realizes that the view from the top isn’t so great and the future laid out in front of him is very far from his true definition of happiness. For the first time in his life, Luke is unsure…until he meets his quirky neighbor, Aris, who just may help him discover what love and life are really all about…
BEJEWELED: What a Tangled Web We Weave by Chelle Ramsey
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Author Chelle Ramsey is stopping by today on her blog tour to welcome us to The House of Bejeweled and share an excerpt from Book 2 in the series — Bejeweled: What a Tangled Web We Weave. Enjoy!
BOOK BLURB:
Olivia’s dreams have finally begun to come true, as she marries the man who’s held her heart for twenty years. Her beauty salon is prospering, and she has begun rebuilding her team, after seeds of discord were sowed and bonds were broken. Everything is beginning to look up, or so she thinks. When a scandal is leaked to the media, Olivia’s dream of expanding is in jeopardy. She must step up and play hard ball in a game with which she’s unfamiliar.
Nikki had dreams of building a beautiful family with a loving husband. But after looking at the shattered pieces of her broken life, she is losing hope and desires more. She wants more than the shame of barrenness, and more than physical abuse from his drinking binges. One phone call gives her courage to escape the deadly clutches of her husband. Yet, when she finds strength in another’s arms she finds herself spinning more lies. Nikki’s web of deceit is going to cost all those who are close and it could just cost her, her life.
When deception is the name of the game, who all will have to share the pain?
EXCERPT:
The pain was easing up somewhat as Nikki and Wesley entered the breezeway at his apartments. Unlocking the door, his eyes softened when he looked at her face once again.
She saw a mixture of anger and compassion nestled there.
“What?” she asked when he continued to stare at her longer than what she deemed comfortable.
“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head. Wesley led her into a galley kitchen and pulled a sandwich bag from one of the cabinets, filled it with ice, and then wrapped it in a paper towel before applying it to her face.
She was in awe at the tenderness with which this man handled her. Every time he touched or said a word to her, it was with such protection, like she had never known. This was a side of Wesley that she had not seen in the five years of knowing him.
“Come on,” he said, grabbing her by her free hand and leading her to the back of the apartment. She looked around at his bedroom; not at all what she would have expected for a single man. Decorated in oranges, greens, browns, and yellows, it had a Caribbean look and feel to it. The room was small, but neat and exhibited a nice décor. The full-sized bed sat directly opposite the black-framed, chestnut-colored dresser. To the right of his bed was a small nightstand in the same black framing and chestnut top as the bed and the dresser. To the left of his bed was a double-paned window, with orange, brown, and green curtains blocking out the midday sun. He walked over to the window and opened the curtains halfway and then opened the blinds to allow the sun to stream through.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?” she asked with a look of apprehension in her eyes.
His eyebrows lifted slightly. “Just to the bathroom, Nikki. I’ll be back.”
Exhaling a deep breath, she realized that a new fear had come over her. In all the altercations she had endured with Carlos, he had never left her for dead. Why did he leave like that? What if the neighbors didn’t come? I could’ve died in that bathroom, she thought.
She tried to fight back the tears, but they betrayed her. Sucking in her sobs, she stood and walked to his dresser and began looking at his pictures, anything that would take her mind off her problems. There were a couple of him and his father at various stages of his life, a few of some children, and one of a lady she assumed to be his mother. She stood up and walked to the bed, staring at the amazing likeness he had to this woman.
“That’s my mom.”
She jumped at the sound of his voice; she hadn’t heard him return to the bedroom.
“Oh, I didn’t hear you come up. Are you always so quiet?” she asked as he came and stood beside her. She still had not looked at him, wishing she could make the tears disappear from her eyes and face.
“No. Are you always so scary?” he teased. He regretted the words almost the moment he said them. Her body tensed up, and she looked down. Her fear had come as a result of the relationship she was in. She was always tense and on edge, because she never knew what fuse Carlos was about to blow.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m sorry. Here, look at me,” he said, turning her face up towards him. “Why are you crying?” he asked as he wiped her tears away with his fingers.
“I’m sorry. I just…I don’t know.” She couldn’t explain if she wanted to. No one would understand her confusion or pain. She could forgive Carlos if he just had not left her. Didn’t he love her? Didn’t he want to work things out? Maybe he didn’t love her, after all. If he did, he would not have left her there like that.
“Don’t be sorry. You haven’t done anything wrong. I have the feeling you have spent many years apologizing,” Wesley stated.
He lovingly caressed the bruise that had formed on the right side of her face.
“Too beautiful,” Wesley said, being drawn into the power of her presence in his bedroom.
“Huh?”
“You. You’re too beautiful for this. I don’t want you to be scared every time people come near you. Relax, okay? Just be…I promise I won’t ever do nothing to hurt you,” he said as he drew her nearer to him. Looking down into her big, dark brown eyes, he felt himself getting lost.
Nikki didn’t know what she was feeling or what was happening between the two of them. And she couldn’t contain herself as he pressed his full firm lips against her soft, lush ones. As their foreheads touched, he continued to gently apply pressure to her lips, asking for permission to enter in.
ABOUT CHELLE RAMSEY:
An original Georgia Peach, Chelle Ramsey is the author of five published and several waiting-on-the-shelf contemporary fiction books, with a focus on women’s fiction. Many of her stories are based in her birthplace of Atlanta or her husband’s hometown of Cincinnati, where readers can relate to local hot spots and events. Chelle wants people to become empowered to rise above life’s adversities, with faith in God, and belief in themselves. She sprinkles words of encouragement and inspiration throughout all of her real life fiction novels.
Chelle holds an MBA in Human Resource Management, which she puts to use in her property management role by day, while she writes her fiction novels by night. Her most important roles are those of a wife and mother of three. During her “me time,” she loves listening to music, and becomes enraptured with the enthralling stories of Terry McMillan, and Nora Roberts. She especially enjoys trying to solve the engaging mysteries of James Patterson and Stuart Woods, while eating a bowl of butter pecan ice cream. Chelle resides in a rural community of Atlanta, GA and enjoys writing, family time, ministering through dance at church, and watching NBA games with her husband.
CONTACT INFO:
BLOG: www.writingmydreams.com
WEBSITE: www.chelleramsey.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChelleRamsey?ref=hl
FACEBOOK_NOVEL:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-House-of-BeJeweled-Novels/385049478363422?ref=hl
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ChellesBooks
EMAIL: cmichelleramsey@gmail.com
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/chelleramseybooks/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscom_Chelle
PURCHASE BOOKS:
AMAZON: Chelle Ramsey Books
PAPERBACK: Book 1 – Bejeweled: The Flight of an Angel
Fun Times With BRAB…
So, I spent yesterday hanging out with the Ladies of BRAB Online Book Club sharing excerpts, thoughts, quotes, music, images and much more — good times! Many thanks to Sharon Blount and all the Reading Warriors for their questions and interest in Dawn of Aris. I appreciate you all. ❤
And congrats to the winners of the Dawn of Aris e-Book Giveaway! We had a blast taking a trip back to the 80s for #TBT… fun, fun, fun! 🙂
#SampleSunday | An Excerpt From Dawn of Aris
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When I say my last several days have been cray…woo! My IG post last week says it all: I am presently experiencing life at a rate of several WTF’s per hour. Seriously. lol
Anyway, I meant to post this yesterday. Oops. Ah well, better late than never. 🙂 Enjoy!
Moving back to the bed, Aris held both dresses up by the hanger and faced him. “Black or green?”
Raising an eyebrow, he crossed his arms. “Neither.”
“Seriously, Luke…which one is best?”
“Why?”
“Because Marcel is on his way over.”
Luke twisted his mouth, still staring at her.
“Which one?” she asked impatiently as she turned her head side-to-side to look at each one.
“Put them both on, so I can see.”
She finally looked at him, her eyes wide. “What?”
“Put them on.”
She didn’t move right away, observing him to see if he was serious or not. When he didn’t say more, she tossed her head back and let out an exasperated sigh before rushing into her bathroom with both dresses.
Removing his phone from its case, Luke checked messages while he waited. He hadn’t expected her to change so quickly, so when she opened the door and stepped out he was still busy replying to an urgent email from Devin. After he pressed SEND, he finally focused on Aris.
She’d chosen to put on the black one first, and he didn’t bother to disguise his desire…or ignore the stirrings of jealousy in his gut that she was getting all dolled up for Marcel. She looked as amazing as he expected she would, and he knew it was childish but he wanted to see her in it first.
“So?” she asked, twirling around.
“So,” he replied, his eyes everywhere the dress didn’t cover. “Wear the green.”
“Seriously?” She glanced down at her body to inspect the dress before she looked up. “What’s wrong with this one?”
Closing the distance between them, Luke’s eyes revealed everything that was right with it and she took a step back in understanding.
“Fine,” Aris said in a low voice. “Thanks.”
AVAILABLE NOW ON KINDLE, NOOK & KOBO!
Download Your Copy Today: www.amzn.com/B00TC1K3J6
Aris Collier is chasing her dreams…at a snail’s pace. With little money and big talent, she works tirelessly to perfect her craft…even at the expense of her relationships. When Aris walks away from yet another dead-end entanglement with the hopes of finally getting her life on track, the last thing she expects is a fast friendship with her neighbor, Luke. They couldn’t be more different but soon the two become an inseparable pair, leaving Aris both surprised and disturbed that Luke understands her better than anyone else ever has…
Luke Donovan has it all—looks, career, money and status. Most importantly, he has the bold, brave and beautiful Jessica Knox, a woman he’s been building his impeccable life with since college. But as Luke continues his corporate climb, he soon realizes that the view from the top isn’t so great and the future laid out in front of him is very far from his true definition of happiness. For the first time in his life, Luke is unsure…until he meets his quirky neighbor, Aris, who just may help him discover what love and life are really all about…
ALL My Novels Are Now NOOK Books!
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YES! All 5 Rae Lamar novels are now available on BN.com…about time, right? 😀
Get your copies today @ http://ow.ly/MNtzU, NOOK owners…Happy Reading!
A Little Sneak Peek . . .
In addition to my weekend book events in April, I spent some time toying around with ideas and trying to find my rhythm for what I’m hoping could be (*fingers crossed*) the third and final book in the Temptation Series.
I’ve made some progress, so I thought I’d share a little bit of it with you today — a brief scene between Tashi and Quincy where Tashi is being…Tashi. lol
Enjoy!
“Thank you, baby.” I scanned the dinner plate that Tashi set on the table in front of me. “Looks great.”
After a brief prayer of thanks, silence settled over us. Tashi began eating right away while I lazily twisted the angel hair pasta around my fork…wondering if maybe she’d laced the noodles with some shit to kill me.
I looked up and caught her staring at me with an expression so sweet that I instantly became mesmerized.
Something was definitely up.
Dropping my fork, I leaned back against the chair just as her laughter filled the air.
“Is it so hard to believe that I just wanted to call a truce and do something nice for my man?”
“No…it’s not.” I searched her eyes for signs of duplicity. Finding none, I relaxed and brought her hand to my lips, kissing each finger. “I appreciate that…and you.”
“Then, why aren’t you eating?”
Before I could respond, she tilted her head and observed me until her eyes brightened with awareness. Releasing her hand, I picked up my fork to continue toying with the pasta on my plate.
“Seriously, Quincy?”
I shrugged. “Can’t say it didn’t cross my mind.”
She raised a brow, clearly amused. “You really think I’m that crazy?”
“If I really believed that,” I replied, looking up to catch her eyes. “We wouldn’t be together.”
Holding her gaze, I finally lifted the forkful of tightly-wound pasta to my mouth and took my first bite. I couldn’t disguise my pleasure…it was delicious.
Reaching over to my plate, Tashi stabbed a succulent shrimp with her butter knife, stuck it in her mouth…and smiled.
RECAP | DST Mad Hatters Fashion Show!
Another Saturday has come and gone…
And, this happened:
Connected with some amazing people…
Doubled my sales & gained even more new readers…
Shared experiences and compared notes with other writers…
Built relationships and exchanged info with other vendors…
AND HAD A BLAST DOING IT! 🙂
Kudos to the Atlanta Suburban Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated for organizing and sponsoring such an amazing fundraiser to help award college scholarships to deserving female high school seniors in Atlanta, Clayton County and Fayette County!
I truly enjoyed being a part of it all. Thanks so much for having me!
Rae Lamar Book Signing @ DST Mad Hatters Fashion Show!
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YAY! I’m super excited to be a part of this wonderful day of fashion, food and fellowship!
This Saturday, I’ll be joining other awesome vendors and exhibitors to showcase our merchandise, services and works of art to a fierce and fabulous crowd.
That’s right! I will be selling and signing copies of my latest release, Dawn of Aris. Copies of 22, Open, Unlike Me and Somewhere In Between will be available for purchase as well.
Many thanks to the Atlanta Suburban Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated for having me… this is going to be so much fun! 😀
RECAP | DST Marketplace @ Atlanta Tech!
So, this happened Saturday:
Connected with some amazing people…
Made lots of sales & gained new readers…
AND HAD A BLAST DOING IT! 🙂
Kudos to the East Point/College Park Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and the Economic Development Committee for sponsoring such a fabulous event. It was great to be a part of it again this year. Thank you so much for having me!
Rae Lamar 