ŷ������

��

Hey y’all hey! Got a new holiday short coming to ya! On the 3rd I asked myself, “I wonder if I can get a short out by Valentine’s Day."

Everyone I mentioned it to said I could.

And I did!

So enjoy this sample and get ready to one-click on Valentine’s Day!

Venus

“How’s this one look?��

I turned to look at the lipstick my friend, Sabrina, was holding up and shook my head.

Sabrina looked at again and put it back on the display case. “Yeah, that ain’t the one.��

“Here,�� I said, passing her a lipstick that I’d picked up. “This one is better.��

“It is!�� Sabrina exclaimed. “And that’s why I love going shopping with you. You never steer me wrong. Thanks again, for coming with me, Venus.��

“No, thanks needed,�� I said. �Ԩ�dz� know I’m always done for a trip to the mall. That means I get a pretzel.��

“And a chance to play that piano,�� she added, with a grin.

“W�󲹳�?�� I laughed. �Ԩ�dz� know I’m obsessed with it.��

“Obsessed with the piano, or the cutie that you saw playing it?�� she teased.

“Both,�� I shamelessly admitted.

I’d gone shopping on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, with my sister and that was when I discovered the gorgeous baby grand piano at the mall. Unable to resist, I sat down and began to play.��

It was also the first time I saw him. He was coming out of the coffee shop not too far away from where the piano was set up. I was playing a classical piece when he’d stopped to watch. My pulse had raced at the sight of him and the way he’d been looking at me.

And he was quite the sight himself, with his chocolate brown skin, chiseled jaw, wide nose and full lips that sent shivers down my spine when he licked them.

He stayed until I finished playing and then joined in with the small audience that had gathered. A few people came up to me to compliment me on my playing and when I looked around to see if the handsome stranger was still there, I was disappointed to discover that he was gone.

In December, I saw him again at the mall, while I was doing some Christmas shopping for my family and friends. But this time, it was him on the piano.

And he was…spectacular.

I’d found myself amazed and aroused as I watched his talented fingers fly across the keys, playing a lively holiday classic. As if sensing my presence, he’d looked up and locked eyes with me. His lips tilted up in a sexy grin, and I swear my panties singed right the fuck off.

When he’d finished playing, he stood, grabbed his shopping bags and made his way through the crowd of people surrounding the piano.

“Happy Holidays, Gorgeous,�� he’d said to me as he walked by.

The sound of the piano playing brought me back to the present.

Sabrina and I paid for our purchases and left the cosmetic store, and I made a beeline for the piano.

“Is that him?�� Sabrina asked.

My lips curled into a grin and I nodded. “I love this song.��

�Ԩ�dz� should go and play with him.��

“W�󲹳�?�� I said, looking at Sabrina in disbelief. I shook my head. “No.��

“Come on,�� she goaded. “I dare ya!��

“W�󲹳� are we…eight?�� I giggled.

“I can see it in your eyes,�� Sabrina said. �Ԩ�dz� know you wanna go and play. Just do it!��

She gave me a little shove and I stumbled forward. At that moment, the man looked up at me.

And that’s when the conversation with our eyes began.

He gave me a nod and a wink and I nodded back.

And then he raised an eyebrow and tilted his head, silently inviting me to join him.

I bashfully shook my head, and he tilted his again coaxingly.

I blew out a breath, before relenting and took a step forward. I stopped when I felt a tug on my shopping bag and realized it was Sabrina taking it from me. I turned and made my way over to the piano where I stood next to the man who was still playing. I listened for a moment as my fingers hovered over the keys, waiting for the right moment to join him. And then I began to play along with him, first with one hand, and then both. In no time, I was lost in the music, playing the notes that complemented the ones he was playing.

He scooted over on the piano bench, silently offering up the space to sit beside him and I did.

As soon as the sides of our bodies touched, heat skittered through every nerve in my body. My gaze went to his forearms, the corded muscles covered in tattoo sleeves that flexed deliciously every time he passionately struck chord after chord.

I glanced over at him as we continued playing together and found him engrossed in the music, eyes shut as his head swayed from side to side. But then his eyes opened and he caught me staring. Our eyes stayed connected as we reached the climax of the song.

We finished the song, still staring at each other, but the thunderous applause reminded me of where I was. I blinked and looked around, shocked by the number of people around, with their phones out recording our little encounter.

I turned back to him and grinned sheepishly.

“I was so caught up in playing that I �徱���’t realize how big the crowd had gotten.��

“Yeah,�� he said, looking around before his gaze settled back on to me. He took my hand in his and kissed the back of it. “It was quite the honor to play alongside you, Gorgeous.��

And then he stood, grabbed a to-go cup from one of the coffee shops in the mall that had been sitting on top of the piano and sauntered off.

I sat there, watching him until he hopped on the glass elevator. He turned in the car and once again, our gazes connected for his entire ride up to the second story.

I finally managed to find my breath after that, but it was definitely off-kilter.

“That was…hot as fuck.��

I turned to find Sabrina standing over the piano, grinning at me widely.

“Yeah,�� I said, looking up to the second story, wondering where the mystery man had headed off to. “That definitely was.��

In the Key of Love: A Sexy Holiday Short by Té Russ...coming Valentine��s Day

��It’s been a while.

I’ve currently been working on my holiday release, Snowbound. The goal is to release it on or before Christmas...but we shall see.

In the meantime, enjoy this excerpt.

*It’s unedited, subject to change and certain parts have been left out to avoid spoilers I’m not ready for y’all to see quite yet, so this is a bit of a condensed version.*

I have no idea when I dozed off or for how long, but eventually the aroma of good smelling food was what finally roused me awake.

My eyes slid open slowly and I looked over to the kitchen area to find Zane in there at the stove, his back facing me.

I just sat there…staring as he moved around the kitchen.

Eventually he turned around and saw me.

“Hey,�� he said. �Ԩ�dz�’re awake.��

“I am.��

�Ԩ�dz� have to be hungry,�� he said, using a ladle to scoop some kind of soup from the pot into two bowels.

“Starving,�� I said. “All I had to eat was a bagel for breakfast and a granola bar during one of my breaks on the slopes.��

Zane nodded, picking up a tray. “Well dinner’s ready.��

He carried the tray over and sat it down on the coffee table and passed one of the bowls to me.

“Thank you,�� I said quietly. I inhaled deeply. “This smells amazing.��

“Thanks,�� he said. He sat down on the love seat that was perpendicular to the chair I was sitting in.

We tucked into eating and were quiet for a while before said, “So, Doctor �Ჹ�������ٴDz�.��

Zane looked up at me, a knowing smirk on his face. “Yes?��

“I’m guessing it’s safe to assume that it’s not just a coincidence that your last name is the same as the ski resort on the other side of the mountain.��

He sipped a spoonful of soup before he spoke. “Beautiful and has impeccable deduction skills.��

I shook my head, trying not to blush at his compliment.

“But, yeah,�� Zane confirmed. “My family owns the resort.��

“I know I’m extremely late with this but…thank you, for finding me and rescuing me.��

Zane nodded. �Ԩ�dz�’re welcome, beautiful. Now finish your soup.��

“Are you always this bossy with your patients?�� I asked, with a teasing grin. “Cause if so, your bedside manner leaves much to be desired.��

“I assure you my bedside manner is impeccable,�� Zane said with a wink, which for some reason had me suddenly wonder what his��in bed manner was like. His voice tugged me back from my lurid thoughts when he added, “I’m only this bossy with patients who are hard-headed and ��Dz�’t do what they’re supposed to. Like when they’re supposed to be resting but instead decide to go snooping around.��

“I thought we’d moved past that,�� I said.

“We did,�� Zane said.

“Well then why did you bring it up again?��

He looked me in the eyes, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “I just like watching you squirm.��

We kept our gazes locked for a moment before I had to finally look away, his stare just a little too intense.

He stood and gathered our bowls and took them to the kitchen where he rinsed them out and put them in the dishwasher.

“It’s getting late,�� he said, coming back into the living room with a box. “I’ve got another spare room down here you can sleep in.��

Once again, he lifted me up into his arms and carried me to the guest bedroom. He placed me on the plus queen sized bed, and then went over to the closet and pulled a box out.

“There’s some clothes in here that you can probably where,�� he said. I opened up the box and when I saw they were women’s clothes, I looked up at him, a curious look on my face.

“They’re my ex’s,�� he said, answering my unasked question. “Just some stuff she never bothered to come get and I honestly just forgot I even had them, until I got back to town.��

“W�󲹳� happened?�� I asked. Then shook my head. "I'm sorry, that is none of my business.��

“Nah it’s cool,�� Zane said, shrugging his shoulders. “It just �徱���’t work out. I got my first assignment with Doctors Without Borders–��

“Oh yeah I saw a picture of you in one of their coats in your office.��

“When you were ‘exploring, you mean?�� he teased, with air quotes.

I rolled my eyes at him as he continued. “Anyway…We both knew that that kind of distance and lack of communication wouldn’t be good for a relationship, so we parted ways. That’s it.��

“Right,�� I said. “So she �徱���’t find your secret sex dungeon, get scared and runaway in terror?��

Zane threw his head back and laughed. It was…a delightful sound to my ears.

“Yo!�� he said, still chuckling. “W�󲹳� the hell is it with you being so damned determined to stumble across some sex dungeon up in here?�� Zane laughed.

“So�� that’s a no on the sex dungeon?�� I asked, scrunching up my nose.

“Were you hoping to find a sex dungeon?��

“Wh-what? No, I…of course not. I mean, I–��

“Cause it seems like you really wanted to find one.��

“I �徱���’t–��

“I’m messing with you, Amani,�� Zane said, a grin on his face.

“Ha ha,�� I said, sarcastically even though I was smiling at him. “Such a fucking comedian.��

“Told you I like watching you squirm,�� he said, moving back towards the door. He stopped and turned back to face me. “And for the record, the answer is no. There is no secret sex dungeon anywhere here in my house.��

“Duly noted.��

��“But…�� he continued. “If the lady I’m with is into some kinky shit…well we can do that just about anywhere in the house. Don’t really need a special room for that, ya know?��

I felt my face grow hot as his words, his gaze sweeping the entire length of my body.

“Why do I get the feeling that had I said that I actually did have one, it wouldn’t scare you off?�� he challenged as his eyes darkened.

My pulse quickened and my mouth went dry as he stared at me heatedly.

I tried playing it cool with my reply.

I shrugged nonchalantly. “I mean given the current weather conditions it’s not like I could go anywhere either way,�� I said. “But…I guess we’ll never know.��

His tongue swiped along his bottom lip before his teeth sank into it. “Guess not.�� He took a step back, and the movement caused the front of his sweatpants to shift, showing off quite an impressive print. “I’mma let you rest,�� he said, hooking his thumb over his shoulder. “Be careful in here, and remember no hot showers tonight.��

“Right, ��Dz�’t wanna risk increasing the swelling.��

He nodded. “Good girl. Goodnight, Amani.��

“Goodnight, Zane.��

He closed the door behind me and blew out a long breath.

I sat on the bed for a moment and then finally �� after digging through the box of clothes and finding something to sleep in �� got up and slowly made my way to the bathroom, where I took a cool shower.

It was definitely needed after that encounter with Zane.

Hello newsletter subscribers!I hope you enjoy this excerpt from my upcoming release, A Scoop of Love, just for you.No release date yet, but hoping this month.**Unedited, subject to change**

Paxton

I ambled around Raegan’s living room, finally taking in the look of her space now that we weren’t…otherwise preoccupied.

�Ԩ�dz�r place is nice,�� I said as I moved towards her fireplace to look at a series of photos she had up there. Including one of her with a dude who had his arm slung around her shoulders, the two of them laughing.

“Thanks,�� she said. “That’s my brother.��

I turned to find her staring at me at the kitchen island, a knowing look in her eyes.

I couldn’t front like I’d been curious as to whether the man in the pic was a relative…or something else��

I nodded my understanding as I moved towards her to sit on the other side of the island.

“Older or younger?��

“Older,�� she replied as she filled a bowl with several large scoops of her vegan chocolate ice cream. She slid the bowl, that had two spoons, over to me and I grabbed the bottle of chocolate syrup and began to pour it on top.

“Pax!�� Raegan laughed and I looked up at her confused.

“W�󲹳�?��

“That is way too much chocolate syrup,�� she said.

“No such thing, baby,�� I said with a wink, as I continued drizzling it all over the ice cream.

Raegan shook her head, but her lip was still curled up in a grin as she put the top back on the ice cream and put it back in the freezer.

“Let’s go to the couch,�� she offered and I followed her back into the living room.

Once we were settled on the sofa, we both grabbed a spoon and dug in.

“Mmm,�� I hummed, with a nod of my head. “Yeah…this is delicious. But not as delicious as you.��

Raegan looked up at me, blushing at my words, but I meant that shit.

From the moment we’d met, I knew that we’d end up here at some point. But sex with Raegan had been better than anything I could have imagined.

“Flatterer,�� she mumbled before shoving a large spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.

“Just bein�� honest,�� I said with a shrug. Changing the subject �� or more accurately, circling back to a previous one �� I asked her, “So, do you have any more siblings?��

“Nope, it’s just me and Raheem. What about you? Any siblings?��

“Nah,�� I said. “Just me. What about your parents?��

“Divorced. My dad and I are close.��

“Yeah,�� I said with a smirk. “I could tell that night we met. And your mom?��

Rae rolled her eyes and stabbed the ice cream with her spoon with a bit of force. “We…it’s complicated,�� she finally settled on for an answer.

“Ahh, gotcha.�� I decided not to press for more information since that subject seemed a bit touchy.

�Ԩ�dz� close with your parents?�� she asked me.

I shrugged. “We’re cool. I love the hell out of em. But I think I’m much closer to my aunt Fiona.��

“The hippie aunt who got you into yoga?�� Raegan remembered with a smile.

“Yep.�� I scooped up some more ice cream. “She’d like you,�� I said before putting the spoon in my mouth.

�Ԩ�dz� think so?��

“I know so,�� I said with no doubt.

We were quiet for a few moments as we just sat enjoying the ice cream. Finally, I spoke up again, asking her, “W�󲹳� are your plans for the upcoming week?��

“Wedding shit,�� she replied before taking another bite of ice cream.

��辱�����.��

Londyn and Ramsey were getting married in a week.

“I wanted to see when I could take you out again, but I’m sure you’ll be busy all week, huh?��

“Yeah, being maid of honor and all,�� she said. “But you’re coming to the wedding, right?��

“I am,�� I said with a nod. Ramsey had made sure to invite me to the wedding, even though at the time that I’d received the invitation, I hadn’t even been sure if I’d be back in town by then.

Raegan smiled at me. “I’ll definitely make sure to save you a dance.��

I doubled down by saying, “Make it two. At least.��

“I can’t make any promises, since I’ll be at the bride’s beck and call,�� she admitted, as she spooned another scoop of ice cream, letting it hover in the air. “But once we get them sent off to their honeymoon, I’m all yours.��

The way she’d said she would be all mine, along with the thoughts of what I’d do to her, caused my dick to stir.

“I can live with that,�� I said, nodding my head.

��ٳ󾱳�!��

I looked up to find that Raegan had spilled some ice cream on her chest. She was wearing an oversized button-down shirt with the top few buttons undone.

“I need to grab a towel,�� she said as she sat the now empty bowl onto the coffee table and moved to stand up. But I �徱���’t give her the chance to get up, instead wrapping my hands around her waist and pulling her down onto my lap. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Pax?! What are you doin��?��

“I’m just tryna help.”��

She let out a squeal when I leaned her back slightly so I could lick the ice cream off her chest. I lifted my head for a brief moment to look her in the eyes. “No sense in letting some perfect good ice cream go to waste,�� I said mischievously before dipping my head back down in between her breasts.

Rae’s laughter filled her apartment, her body wriggling in my grasp as I used my tongue to continue to lave her skin clean. But once the ice cream was gone, I kept right on licking her body.

Those lively giggles morphed into lascivious gasps as she murmured, “I…I think you got it all.”��

“Mmhmm,�� I hungrily replied, my licks turning into kisses. I slid my hand underneath her shirt and palmed one of her titties, pinching and rolling her nipple between my fingertips, causing her to let out the sexiest moan.

I gripped her one of her legs and slid it to the other side of my waist so that she was now straddling my lap, and I pushed her shirt over her head to give me full access to her delicious body.

She hadn’t bothered to put on any bottoms when we got up, so I could feel how wet my actions were making her against my boxers as she sensually ground her center against my burgeoning dick.

“Didn’t you get enough earlier?�� she taunted.

“Obviously not,�� I mumbled, as my lips moved from the valley of her breasts, up to her collarbone, before ending up on her neck.

To be honest, I’d become instantly addicted to her fine ass with the first swipe of my tongue against her pussy earlier that night.

From that moment, I’d known that I’d probably never get enough of her.

I felt her nails gently drag down my chest and over my abs before one of her soft hands reached into my boxers and wrapped around my dick.

My head lolled back to the back of the couch as she slowly stroked me, applying the perfect amount of pressure.

“We…need…protection…�� I groaned, definitely not wanting her to stop, but also wanting to make sure we stayed safe.

Raegan tugged my earlobe between her teeth. “I’m on the Pill. And my last test came back clean,�� she huskily replied in my ear, still jacking me off. “But I’ll understand if you still want to go and get��ohhh.”��

That had been all I needed to her to lift her up and onto my dick, causing her to let out a lustful gasp.��

It felt way too fuckin�� good, being inside of her with no barrier.

“I’m clean too,�� I assured her. “Now ride this dick.��

Raegan wasted no time doing as she was told. She planted her hands on my shoulders and went to work rolling her body on top of mine. The feel of me slipping in and out of her had me gripping her both of her ass cheeks as I gritted out. “Shit, Rae.”��

I slid one of my hands up to wrap around my neck and I gave it a gentle squeeze. It was just enough to feel her grow even wetter as she continued to ride me.

Her slow grinding began to speed up and I could feel the walls of her pussy start to milk my dick. No longer able to control myself, I began thrusting my hips upward, harder and faster.

��Paxxx,�� Raegan mewled. I fuckin�� loved when she moaned my name like that. “I’m…about…to…��

“Cum for me, baby,�� I ordered, opening my eyes to watch her.

Her head fell back and her spine bowed, pushing her breasts against my chest as she screamed my name as she came.

I was right there with her, my seed spilling inside of her as I exploded.

Raegan collapsed against my chest and I sat there for a moment, my fingers dancing along her skin as we came back down.

Eventually, I stood with Raegan in my arms and carried her to her bathroom, where we got cleaned up before getting back into bed where we finally managed to get some sleep.

That is until she woke my ass up early the next morning for another round.

I’ve started working on my next project, A Scoop of Love. If you’ve read the books in the Wild Knights series, Claimed by a Knight and Seduced by a Knight then you’ve already met Raegan. And if you’ve ever wondered who own the yoga studio that has been mentioned all throughout both the Knight and Noble series, you’ll finally get to meet him.

Coming...some time this spring (hopefully, Lordt willing)

*Unedited, subject to change*

I turned and went to the bar to order a drink.��

“I’ll be right there in a minute, Rae,�� Crissy, one of the beertenders, said to me as I sat down on the last empty barstool.

I nodded and shrugged out of my jacket. When my elbow brushed against a hard mass of muscle, I turned to apologize.

“Oh, I’m so sorry…��

My words trailed off, my mouth hanging open as the man I’d bumped into turned and looked at me.

“It’s all good,�� he said, looking down at me with a smile that had twin dimples on full display.

My eyes widened at the man staring at me.

�Ԩ�dz�…you’re…�� I stammered, in shock.

��貹��!��

I turned to find Londyn coming towards me. She looked from me to the man.

“I see you two have met.��

“Not exactly,�� he said, squinting at me.

“Oh,�� Londyn said. “Well, Pax, this is Raegan Wilson.��

He held his hand out to me.

“Nice to meet you, Raegan,�� he said as his large hand wrapped around mine.

“Rae, this is my boss at the yoga studio–��

“Paxton…Humphries…�� I whispered, my throat dry and I did my best and failed miserably not to completely fangirl out. �Ԩ�dz�’re Paxton Humphries!��

“So you do know him?�� Londyn said.

“Who the fuck doesn’t?!�� I screeched. I blinked and turned and looked at her. “Wait�����’s your boss?��

“Yeah,�� Londyn said with a shrug.

“Way to bury the fucking lead, Londyn,�� I said with a shake of my head. “‘Oh, my boss Pax is coming back to town.�� You failed to mention that yoga studio owner ‘Pax�� was�� two-time NFL Super Bowl champ as well as MVP Paxton Humphries.��

“Sounds like you’re a fan,�� Ramsey teased from behind Londyn.

“I’m a huge fan,�� I said, turning to look back up at Paxton, who was still staring at me with an amused look on his face.

“It’s always nice to meet of fan,�� Paxton said humbly.

It was then that I realized�� “I’m…still shaking your hand.��

I’d just been standing there, rambling while still furiously shaking his hand like a loon.

“Yes, you are,�� he chuckled.

�Ԩ�dz�’re probably gonna want that back,�� I mumbled trying to reign in my little freak out.

His grip tightened around my hand ever so slightly. �Ԩ�dz� �徱���’t hear me complaining,�� Paxton murmured in a low, gravely tone that made the made goosebumps break out along my arm.

I finally released my hand from his and turned my attention to Londyn.

“I saw you come in at the end of my set, everything all good?�� she asked.

“No,�� I said. “But I ��Dz�’t want to talk about it right now. I just want a drink.��

Thankfully, Crissy chose that moment to come over to where we were sitting. I gave her my order and Crissy asked Paxton if he wanted a refill.

“Yeah, and put Miss Wilson’s drink on my tab, please,�� he said to Crissy.

I was already shaking my head.

“Oh, that’s not necessary. And please, just call me Raegan.��

“Are you kidding?�� Paxton said. “There’s no way I’m gonna pass up the opportunity to buy a drink for someone who is a fan of mine.��

Deciding there was no point in arguing, I smiled politely. “Thank you.��

“My break is almost up,�� Londyn said, reminding me that she was even there. “But we’ll catch up after?��

����ھ��Ծ��ٱ����.��

“Here you guys go,�� Crissy said, sliding two beers in front of Paxton and me. “Let me know if you need anything else.��

We both said thank you and I took a long sip of my beer, letting my eyes drift close. When I finally stopped to take a breath, I cracked one eye then the other and looked over to find Paxton staring at me curiously.

“Damn,�� he chuckled. “It was that bad, huh?��

“Worse,�� I sighed.

“I’m sorry to hear that.��

“It’s okay. My day got significantly better when I got the chance to meet Paxton fuckin�� Humphries.��

�Ԩ�dz� can just call me Paxton,�� he chuckled. “Calling me Paxton Humphries over and over might give me a complex.��

I smiled and shook my head.

“I’m sure you get this all the time but…my dad is a huge fan as well and…he would absolutely lose his shit if I sent him a pic. Would it be too much to ask…��

“Not at all,�� he said with a smile.

I snatched up my phone, opened up the camera and leaned in his direction for a selfie. I couldn’t stop the shiver that raced up my spine when he wrapped an arm around me, and pressed his cheek next to mine so we’d both be in frame.

“Here,�� he said taking my phone from my hand, his fingers brushing against mine in the process. “Let me do it.��

“Okay,�� I said, hoping I �徱���’t sound too breathless since his cologne was sending my senses into overdrive. I tamped down the urge to bury my face into his neck. He probably already thought I was a tad crazy, and I �徱���’t need to add to that.��

“On three…�� Paxton said, extending his long arm up over our heads to take the pic. I put on my best smile and Paxton captured our picture.

He handed my phone back to me and I immediately opened my messages and shot a text to my dad.

Guess who I just met!

I grinned when he texted me back immediately.

Daddy: who

I shook my head at my father’s lack of capitalization or punctuation in his text as I added the picture of me and Paxton and then sent it.

Daddy: no shit! get ya pops an autograph

I smiled and put my phone down.

“He’s freaking out and wants an autograph,�� I giggled.

“I think that can be arranged,�� Paxton said.

“Check Father’s Day gift off,�� I said and Paxton threw his head back and laughed, causing his bound locs to sway around.

“We used to watch your games every week, without fail,�� I said. “Even went to a few games. I actually still have your jersey.��

“Really? That’s pretty dope, Paxton said.

“Dad was so bummed after your injury…�� I squeezed my eyes shut. “Shit. I’m so sorry. That’s probably the last thing you want to talk about.��

“It’s all good,�� Paxton replied.

“No, it’s not,�� I said shaking my head. “I’ve been just going on and on and I �徱���’t even consider the fact that because of what happened, that might not be something you care to talk about anymore.��

“Raegan,�� Paxton said, placing a hand on my arm. “It’s fine. I’m in a good enough place now that I can comfortably talk about those days and not feel some kind of way about it. You ��Dz�’t have to apologize.��

“I’m sure you’re used to it anyway, people losing their shit over you.��

“It’s died down quite a bit over the years, but every once is a while I’ll still run into the occasional fan from my football glory days.�� He took a sip of his beer and then added. “But I’ve definitely never met a fan as pretty as you.��

I felt my cheeks flush at his compliment and I turned to take another sip of my drink.

“So what do you, Raegan?�� Paxton asked.

“I own scoops,�� I said.

“The ice cream shop?��

It was a few doors down from his yoga studio.

“Yep,�� I said. “Started with an ice cream truck in Atlanta and moved back home after…an unfortunate situation.��

I was quiet for a moment, trying to get the memory of Kelvin calling me earlier out of my head.

�Ԩ�dz� okay?��

I looked up at Paxton and smiled.

�Ԩ�𲹳�.��

The sound of applause stole our attention away from one another and I turned to see Raegan back on stage. The room came alive as Londyn began to rock out on her Fender H.E.R. Stratocaster electric guitar, a gift that Ramsey have given her this past Christmas.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Paxton bobbing along to the music and I took the opportunity to secretly take him in from head to toe. His skin was a mouthwateringly dark chocolate, his nose was wide and his lips were full. But it was his eyes…they were a mesmerizing brown.

He was a bit leaner than he’d been during his NFL days, but the black tee he was wearing showed off just how fit and muscular he still was.

I could admit that more than once I’d found myself salivating over this man while watching him on television. Or his pictures in magazines �� specifically a certain sports magazine that annually featured athletes wearing nothing at all.

Paxton chose that moment to turn his gaze back on in my direction. I quickly looked away, trying to focus on Londyn’s set again. But now I had imagines of a nude Paxton Humphries dancing in my head. And I couldn’t help but wonder what the part that had been tastefully covered in the magazine spread looked like.

**unedited, subject to change*

“We packed a lot of apples,�� I said, looking over my shoulder through the back window at the apples in the bed of the truck. “Do you guys sell out?��

“Most of the time,�� Fallon said.

The drive to the farmer’s market wasn’t long and soon we were pulling up to a booth.

We hopped out of the truck and Fallon grabbed the banner for the booth out of the backseat while I began unloading the apples.

I was surprised to see a line already forming before we’d even finished setting up the booth.

It was longer than most of the lines in the farmer’s market.

“Good morning, Fallon,�� the first customer in line said.

“Good morning, Paula,�� Fallon said. “How are you?��

“I’m okay.��

�Ԩ�dz� want your usual amount?��

“Yes, please.��

Fallon nodded and got to work fill bags with several different types of apples.

“Fallon,�� Paula said. “I just wanted to let you know that we’re all just…devastated by Mitchell’s passing. If there’s anything you need…��

“I appreciate that, Paula,�� Fallon said. She looked up at me. “This is Mitchell’s grandson, Harrison.��

I took a step forward and held out my hand. “Nice to meet you.��

“Nice to meet you as well,�� she said. “I ��Dz�’t know why I �徱���’t figure it out sooner. The resemblance…��

I smiled at her. “I hear that a lot.��

I tried to remove my hand from hers, but she clutched it tighter and leaned forward.

My eyes widened slightly when she licked her lips. “If there is anything you need,�� she whispered as she over-exaggeratedly poked her chest out in my direction. “Don’t hesitate to call.��

“Here’s your order, Paula,�� Fallon said, shoving two bags in Paula’s direction.

Paula finally released my hand and slipped a card in the front pocket of my shirt and then passed Fallon cash for the apples.

“Thanks,�� she said. “I guess I’ll see you at the festival?��

“Yep,�� Fallon said.

Paula looked at me again. �Ԩ�dz�’re coming to the fall festival, aren’t you, Harrison?��

“U����–���

�Ԩ�dz� have to! And there’s a fall ball on the last night, so I’ll be sure to save a dance for you,�� she said with a wink, as she backed away. “Thanks, Fallon. Bye Harrison.��

I gave her a polite smile and waved, and then turned to find Fallon staring at me.

“W�󲹳�?�� I asked.

“Nothing,�� she said, smirking at me. “Just be prepared for more of that.�� She tilted her chin, pointing at the long line that was growing longer by the second, with quite a few more women.

“W�󲹳�?�� I guffawed. “Nah. They’re here for the apples, not me.”��

“Okay,�� she laughed, “It’s cute how oblivious you are about what is going on.”��

“W�󲹳� is going on?��

Fallon stopped filling up a bag of apples and looked up at me. “The only reason all those women are suddenly interested in our apples is because they want to get an up close look at Mitchell’s hot grandson.��

�Ԩ�dz� think I’m hot?�� I said, leaning a bit closer to her.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. �Ԩ�dz�’re missing the whole point, Briggs.��

My lips lifted up into a grin. “Not from where I’m standing.��

She exhaled slowly and then pushed me away. “We’ve got work to do. Stop being a distraction,�� she ordered before turning to greet the next customer. I stared at her for a moment and then I got to work, helping with the orders.

��Hey all!

I’m currently workin on tryna get y’all one final summer story. It’s coming along decently so I figured I’d share a lil sample with y’all.

If you follow me on IG or FB you’ve probably seen the teaser I shared on Tuesday. Well here’s a lil extended peek of that.

Enjoy and remember this is unedited and subject to change.

My fingers flew across my keyboard as I worked on some code for my latest RuTech project. My head bobbed along to the beat of the music that was blasting through my headphones which were drowning out the howling winds from the random freak storm the sky decided to open up and pour down on California.

Thunder shook the house and suddenly the entire house went dark, besides the light from my laptop.

“Fuck,�� I grumbled, as I quickly saved my work and then got up. I was suddenly regretting not purchasing that back up generator that Luke had been badgering me about for a couple of years now.

I made my way through the house to one of the closets where I knew I’d find a bunch of flameless candles. Ciara, Luke’s sister, was an interior designer and had decorated my house when I’d purchased it.

She done an amazing job and had made sure that I’d been well-stocked on seemingly irrelevant items.

Ciara had also decorated the guesthouse.

The guesthouse��

I immediately thought of Jade.

I hadn’t seen her since the night at the club a couple of days ago. A part of me had a feeling that she was actively avoiding me for some reason. Another part of me felt like I was buggin�� and giving way too much thought to it and that I should just leave it alone…that I should leave her alone. She was renting my guesthouse, I really had no business thinking about her in any other way besides that.

But I couldn’t get her off of my mind.��

Which is how I ended up running through my backyard at damn near one in the morning with an armful of candles in the pouring rain.

I clumsily shifted the candles around and loudly rapped on her door. I stood there for a few moments and figured she must have been asleep �� one of the reasons I’d originally hesitated in coming over to begin with �� so I turned to head back to the house. I looked over my shoulder when I heard the locks disengage and turned to fully face the door again when it slid open.

Jade looked up at me, confusion on her face.

She looked cute as hell with those giant ass glasses framing her pretty face.

“Oh my…Keenan!�� she said, pulling the door open. “Come in.��

“Hey,�� I said, stepping into the the guesthouse.��

�Ԩ�dz�’re soaked,�� she said, staring at me. “Let me go and grab you a towel.��

“Thanks,�� I said, as I put the candles down on the island. Jade rushed back with a large towel and did the best I could to dry myself off.�� “I’m sorry if I woke you.��

�Ԩ�dz� �徱���’t,�� she said. “I was up studying.��

“Yeah. I had a feeling. So when the power went out I figured I should bring over a few candles.��

“That…is more than a few,�� she said with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah,�� I said. “There’s no telling when the power is going to cut back on, and I �徱���’t want you to be stuck over here in the dark.��

“Thanks,�� she said quietly, as she avoided making eye contact with me.

We stood there for an awkward moment before I spoke up.

“Let me help you with these and then I’ll get out of your hair.��

“Okay,�� she said, and then we got to work placing the candle around the guesthouse and turning them all on.

By the time we were finished the whole place was illuminated with the candles.

It was kind of a mood to be honest.

“Thanks again,�� Jade said, and I could feel her trying to get rid of me.

“No problem,�� I replied and turned to leave. My hand went to the doorknob and I twisted it, but paused.

Leave it alone, man, something in my head told me. And I tried to, I opened the door, but my feet wouldn’t move. So I shut the door and turned to face her again. I damn near collided with her, since she was obviously right behind me, probably with plans to lock up as soon as I left

Surprise lit her face when I asked, “Did I do something to upset you?��

“W�󲹳�?�� Jade asked. “W�󲹳�…why would you ask that?��

I shrugged. “I haven’t seen you since that night at the club.�� There was a flash of something in her eyes when I said that.

She shook her head and took a step back. “It’s nothing.��

I knew those words all too well, I thought with a chuckle.

“W�󲹳� so funny?�� Jade asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

“If there’s one thing I learned growing up with my mother, aunts and sisters,�� I said. “It’s when a woman says ‘it’s nothing�� no matter how adamant she is about it being ‘nothing�� it’s always ���dz���ٳ󾱲Բ�.��

Jade rolled her eyes at my words. �Ԩ�dz� know what? It doesn’t matter anymore,�� she muttered.

That caused me to press on a little more. �Ԩ�dz� can be real with me, Jade, about whatever is going on.��

She stared at me for a moment before speaking. “I really thought we had a vibe,�� she said. “Between the dancing and…the kiss.��

My lip tilted up. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about that kiss. “Oh there was definitely a vibe,�� I admitted.

“But then we get back here, and I invite you in and you turn me down.��

“Oh,�� I said as it all started to make sense. I opened my mouth to explain, but Jade had started to ramble.

“It’s fine though,�� she said. �Ԩ�dz�r rejection was just the reminder that I needed. Like I said at the club after we kissed, this…isn’t appropriate. I’m here to study, so I can pass the bar exam, not…have a summer fling with some hot ass AirBnBae.��

“AirBn what?�� I laughed. I sobered quickly when she tried to turn and walk away, but I reached out and grabbed her wrist.

“Jade,�� I said, the demand for her to look at me laced in my tone. When she finally did, I took a step closer to her, so that my rain drenched body was damn near pressed against hers. “The only reason I �徱���’t accept your invitation to come in that night, was because you’d had way too much to drink. And there was no way I was going to fuck you without your mind being totally clear.��

Understanding lit Jade’s face as a bright streak of lightning flashed in the room and a loud, booming crack of thunder followed causing her to flinch. I could feel her pulse racing beneath my thumb and I had a feeling that it wasn’t because of the storm.

�Ԩ�dz� are…a distraction I ��Dz�’t need right now,�� she said, shaking her head as her gaze roaming my body. Her mouth was saying one thing, but her lust-filled eyes were saying something totally different.

I closed the distance between us, releasing her wrist and let my hand slide up her arm, over her shoulder and up her neck before gently cupping her chin.

�Ԩ�dz� sure about that?�� I asked.

She let out a long sigh. “Keenan, I…”��

I could see the contention dancing in her eyes as she pulled her lip between her teeth. All I wanted to do was pull that pretty ass lip into my own mouth and suck on it. But there were a few more things I needed to say first.

“I’m attracted to you, Jade,�� I said. “I have been since the moment I walked into my backyard and found you swimming on your back in my pool. I’ve wanted you since that day. There’s something here, and I can tell I’m not alone in this. However, I totally understand that you’re not here for…this sorta thing. And I understand your reasonings for being here, I really do. So if you’ve decided that you ��Dz�’t want to explore whatever this is between us, I’ll respect that decision, turn around, walk out that door and I’ll leave you alone for the rest of your stay here.��

The only sound in the house was the rain beating down on the roof as Jade continued to stare up at me. She lowered her forehead, pressing it against my chest. Her silence felt like her answer, so I resigned myself to having to walk away.

But before I did that, there was no way I could leave without kissing her one last time.

I moved my hand from her chin to the back of her neck, tilting her head up slightly as I slowly lowered my head down towards hers, giving her more than enough time to stop me if she wanted to.

She �徱���’t stop me.

In fact, she lifted her head even more and our lips connected just as another clap of thunder shook the house.

-Summer Fling, coming...before summer’s over (hopefully

Hey all! Happy Sunday! And Happy Father’s Day to all the dads in your lives!

Let’s just dive into the Sample Sunday, shall we!

I arrived at the bookstore, got off my bike and after locking it to a rail, I went into Freedman’s.

I sensed his presence the moment I crossed the threshold. It �徱���’t take long for me to find Ramsey, his back facing me as he perused one of the book aisles.

“Stalking me online wasn’t enough?�� I teased as I leaned against one of the bookshelves.

Ramsey chuckled as he turned to face me.

Why does he have to look so damn good?

“Considering I was here first, I could ask you the same thing,�� he replied. “How you doin��, Red?��

I smiled at the nickname he’d given me. Plenty of others �� including Dennis �� had attempted to refer to me by one epithet or another that represented the color of my hair, but I’d never let it fly with anyone else, despite my Instagram handle also referencing it. It just never felt right.

But whenever Ramsey called me ‘Red’…it made me feel all warm inside.

“I’m doing good,�� I said, watching as he slowly walked towards me.

�Ԩ�dz�r ankle must be feeling better, if you’re out doing yoga,�� he said, stopping in front of me, as he looked at my yoga mat carrier.

“It was yin, so everything was on the floor,�� I explained. “But yeah, it’s feeling a lot better.��

�Ԩ�dz� think it’s well enough for a dance or two at the dance tonight?�� Ramsey asked.

A dance was being held to close out the festival at the Sweet Rapids Rec Center. It was also where the silent auction was being held.

“It might be,�� I said. “For the right partner.��

Ramsey nodded, but �徱���’t say anything. My eyes drifted to a large book in his hands.

“W�󲹳� ya got there?�� I asked, and then I watched as he held it up and began flipping through the pages of what I realized was a sketchbook.

“It’s the reason why I originally stopped by,�� he said. “I finally met up with your uncle to show him the ideas I had for the mural.��

He stopped at the page he was searching for and held it open so I could see.

A gasp fell from my lips and I covered my mouth as I gazed at the beautiful work of art.

“Ramsey…�� I whispered, my eyes watering up. “This is…��

I looked up at him to find a reticent smile on his face.

“The history of this place…your family’s history in general is fascinating,�� Ramsey started. “But you know all this already.��

I nodded, but still listened to him talk as if I’d never heard the stories before. “From being slaves who learned how to read and then taught others to read and write in secret when it was illegal for them to do so, to the Freedman’s being some of the first settlers in Carson Valley after slavery was abolished.��

“Where they opened their own bookstore,�� I finished full of pride.��

“I wanted the mural to encompass it all,�� Ramsey said, closing his sketchbook.

�Ԩ�dz� did…amazingly so. Did my uncle like it?�� I hoped he did.

“Yeah,�� Ramsey said, much to my delight. “I’ll be starting on it next week.

“I can’t wait to see it.��

I exhaled sharply when he reached up and swiped away a stray tear. His hand lingered on my face for a moment, before he pulled it away.

�Ԩ�dz� left the other night before we got a chance to finish talking,�� he said, staring into my eyes.

I swallowed hard. “Finish talking about what?�� I asked.

“I think you know what, Red,�� Ramsey murmured.

Oh I knew��

Before Mrs. Knight had shown up, we’d been having…a moment. It was tense and heated and had left my entire body humming with desire.

Ramsey took another step towards me, his body damn near pressed against mine.

“I know you felt it too,�� he said, looking down at me. “I know you feel it right now…��

“Ramsey,�� I breathed, my eyes drifting closed. “W�󲹳� are you doing?��

“I told you…I always come with the truth. So I’m laying it out there, so there’s no misunderstanding between us. I like you, Londyn. I’m attracted to you. And I can tell you’re attracted to me too. There’s a chemistry between us that is undeniable. And I think it would be a damn shame if we �徱���’t explore it. But I can also sense that you’re not quite ready for me.��

My eyes flew open at his words.��

“W-what?�� I sputtered.

I could see understanding laced in his eyes, and it somehow turned me on even more. “Like I said the other day at the 5k, I get it,�� he continued. “W�󲹳� you recently went through…was super fucked up. So I ��Dz�’t wanna rush you into anything you ain’t ready for. The ball is in your court, Red. When you’re ready, let me know.��

He took a step back and I immediately felt the disconnect, even though our bodies had never actually come in contact with one another.

He turned and began to walk away. But he stopped and looked over his shoulder at me one last time as he said, “I do hope you at least save a dance for me tonight.��

And then he disappeared, leaving me standing in the middle of the bookstore, my mind �� and body �� totally reeling.

Hear my thoughts on Seduced by a Knight, and a few other things, in my latest YouTube Video!

Seduce by a Knight is live!

Hey all.

I hope this post finds you...as well as can be expected at the moment.

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the release of !


Falling for a Knight is one!
And I’ve started working on book, Seduced by a Knight, the finale of The Wild Knights Series.

I’ve got a long way to go, but I hope you will enjoy Ramsey’s story.
For know here’s a sneak peek at a portion of chapter 1.
Enjoy!

“The last Knight standing…”I swallowed the urge to let out an exasperated groan and plastered my best fake ass smile on my face before turning to see who was calling me out by Sweet Rapids�� latest moniker for me.Ever since the two men whom I’d shared a womb with had found the loves of their lives �� two exceptionally amazing women, by the way �� everyone in my hometown was now looking at me as ‘The Last Knight Standing��.It was annoying as fuck.I could no longer paint my murals around town in peace without someone saddling up to me with the words “The last Knight standing��, which were followed up with a grin, a wink and a finger point gun shoot.It was as if they were trying to telepathically shoot some kind of relationship juju on me.And I would mentally dodge that shit every single time.It wasn’t that I was against being in a committed relationship.I was just too busy enjoying my life as it was at the moment.Well…not at this exact moment.At this exact moment, all I wanted was to just receive my damn order from Everetts�� Bakery. Instead I was staring at Mrs. Vandergriff, who was staring me down, a salacious grin covering her face.Mrs. Vandergriff was a rich widow who was known around town to be…quite cougar-ish. And the way she was staring at me at the moment honestly had me ready to get the hell out of the bakery, donuts be damned.“W�󲹳� was that, Mrs. Vandergriff?�� I asked, feigning like I �徱���’t hear her the first time.I tried not to cringe as I watched Mrs. Vandergriff slide her tongue across her top teeth.“I said...how does it feel to be the last…Knight…standing,�� she repeated before taking a step towards me. In turn I took a step back, bumping into the pick-up counter behind me.��I peeked over to my left and noticed Tessa Noble, my cousin-in-law and co-owner of the bakery, biting her lip obviously holding in a laugh as she refilled the display case full of pastries. Behind me, Tessa’s sister, Dana, wasn’t as successful as I heard her let out a snicker.“Uh…�� I croaked, my voice several octaves higher than normal. I nervously reached up and rubbed my neck with the back of my hand. “It feels fine, I guess.”Mrs. Vandergriff’s gaze traveled the length of my body at an uncomfortably slow pace, lingering way too long at the crouch area of my sweatpants.“Hmmm, well if you ever need to see what it’s like with a woman of more…seasoned taste–”“Aunt Irene!�� I shouted, my eyes growing wide with relief when I saw my aunt walk into the bakery. I quickly sidestepped to get around Mrs. Vandergriff and met my aunt, who was looking quite amused, in two long strides. I wrapped her in a tight bear hug and I could feel her chuckling against my chest.Mrs. Vandergriff turned to face me again, and just when she was getting ready to open her mouth and say who-knows-what, Dana called out to her, “Here’s your order, Mrs. Vandergriff.”I glanced over my shoulder, watching as Mrs. Vandergriff turned and went to get her order. She turned and headed for the door, and I stepped behind my aunt, not ashamed one bit to say that I used her as a buffer between that horny old lady and myself.And thankfully, Aunt Irene came to my rescue, snapping at Mrs. Vandergriff’s thirsty ass, “Keep it movin��, Pearl!”Mrs. Vandergriff stood glaring at Aunt Irene, who looked like she was ready to end whatever shit Pearl might be ready to start, and then after a moment, let out a huff, pivoted on her heels and stomped out of the bakery.As soon as the door closed, Aunt Irene, Tessa, Dana and several other women who’d been an audience to my encounter with Mrs. Vandergriff all burst out laughing.My eyes cut back and forth between Tessa and Dana, who both had tears of mirth in their eyes.“Y’all ain’t shit,�� I said pointing from one sister to the other. “Imma remember this day when y’all need some graphics and Izzy is too busy to help.”“We’re sorry,�� Tessa said contritely, although she was still smiling. “But what could we have done?”“That woman was one step away from grabbing your face and whispering in your ear that she �徱���’t have any panties on,�� Dana mercilessly teased, causing the women to fall into a fit of giggles.I shook my head, fighting to keep the grin off of my face as I snatched my to-go bag and coffee off of the pick-up counter.“Swear it be yo own people,�� I murmured as I turned and looked at my aunt.She looked good and I was glad to see it. Especially after the passing of my uncle several years ago.Uncle Isaac had been like a second father to me and my brothers; especially after our own dad had died and we moved to Sweet Rapids. His passing had been hard on us all.The pain never went away, it just became tolerable I suppose.But I was happy that Aunt Irene was still managing to live her life to the fullest. She was always on one adventure or another with my mother, Ruth, her twin sister.Ruth and Irene both deserved after raising a set of triplets and quadruplets, respectively.“Thank you,�� I said to Aunt Irene. “For saving me just now.”�Ԩ�dz� know I got your back, Nephew,�� she said, lifting her hand to give my cheek a loving pat.“I’ve got a fresh batch of bear claws for you, Mama,�� Tessa said, heading to the kitchen of the bakery.“Thank you, sweetheart,�� Aunt Irene replied to Tessa before turning her gaze back up to me. “W�󲹳� is on your agenda today?”I held up my bag. “Fuel before I get back to work on finishing up the mural on the chamber of commerce building.”“It’s looking so good,�� Aunt Irene gushed. “W�󲹳�’s next after that?”“The Music and Arts Festival,�� I said.“Oh that’s right! You’re doing the sidewalk chalk art displays all around town.”“And the live paintings over at Remi’s brewpub,�� I said referring to one of my brothers.“Right, right. You’ll be painting while someone is singing, right?”“Yes ma’am.”“Who’s singing?”“I actually ��Dz�’t know yet,�� I said. “Remi told me a couple of months ago that he had someone chosen already, but I’ve been rippin�� and runnin�� so much between the murals here in town and the ones I’ve had to travel for that I haven’t had time to slow down and get all that hashed out.”“I’m sure it’ll still be an amazing event,�� Aunt Irene assured me.“Well, I gotta go, Auntie,�� I said. “I’ve also got a meeting with Mr. Freedman.”Mr. Freedman was the owner of Freedman’s Bookstore for as long as I could remember. He’d reached out to me about doing a mural on the side of his building a few months ago, but I’d been so busy with other projects, most of which kept me out of town, that I hadn’t had chance to sit down and hash things out with him. But since I was back home for my latest commission with the chamber of commerce and the festival, I was finally making the time.Mr. Freedman was one of the few people who, when I was growing up, was able to look past what everyone else just saw as a vandalizing kid and saw the potential of a budding artist.When most adults were turning their noses up at me while chastising me and calling me a trouble-maker, Mr. Freedman would invite me into his bookstore and gather up books that helped me learn more about art.Truth be told, if it wasn’t for him, I might not have become an artist.��I owed him a lot.So now that I was slowing down on my traveling, I was going to finally get around to meeting up with him.I chatted it up with my aunt a few minutes more before heading out.I’d just stepped out of the bakery onto the sidewalk, when I heard a bicycle bell frantic ringing. I quickly hopped back, just in time to avoid getting mode down by a bike whizzing by.“W�󲹳� the��fuck…�� I whispered, watching as a woman on the bike, zoomed along.“Sorry!�� she called out of her shoulder as she kept pedaling.I �徱���’t get a good look at her face, only the profile. But between that and the mass of fiery red curls on her head I knew one thing for certain.I was determined to find out who the hell she was.

Hey everyone!

Happy Mother’s Day, I hope you are all getting to spend the day exactly the way you want to.

I wanted to hop on and share a little something I wrote a couple of years ago. If you’ve been in my group, Té’s Place, for awhile, then you may have already read this little short that I originally and exclusively shared over there (so you should really be in the group if you’re not already).

If you haven’t read in yet...please enjoy.

*This was just something super short that I threw together and hasn’t really been edit, so please forgive any errors *



Veronica & Troy
"Shop, Dada! Shop!"Troy Hartford looked at his son, TJ, from the rear view mirror with mild exasperation. While he was excited that his toddler was full on new words, the little guy had just spilled the beans on the location that he was trying to keep secret from his wife, Veronica."Shop?" Veronica, who was blindfolded, asked. "Are we at the shop?"Troy sighed and put the car in park before undoing his seatbelt."Yes. Don't touch that blindfold though," he ordered as he saw her hands move up to her face."Troy!""Ronnie, I'm serious.""Fine," she said, with a pout that made Troy lean over and kiss her lips before getting out of the car.He went to get TJ out of the back seat before going to the passenger side to help Veronica out of the car."Take Mommy's hand, TJ," he said, placing their son's hand into Veronica's. Troy took her other hand and they led her to her auto shop.Once they were inside, he asked Veronica, "Are you ready?""Ready!" TJ shouted, eliciting a laugh from both Troy and Veronica."Me too," Veronica said, with a grin on her lips."TJ, let's count to three. One...""Two..." TJ chimed in."Three!" they both said as Troy removed the blindfold from Veronica's eyes.He watched his wife tentatively, eager for her reaction.Veronica stood speechless for several minutes before she started walking towards the old, beat up car."I know it needs a lot of work, but��""The 1964 VW Karmann Ghia," Veronica whispered as her grazed the vintage vehicle. She turned and looked at him. "You remembered.""Of course I remembered," Troy replied.Several months ago, he seen her admiring the car on an auction show and she'd told him how it was a car she would have loved to have. Troy had been on the hunt to find her one ever since. He hadn't been lucky finding one in mint condition, but he figured Ronnie wouldn't mind the work it would take to restore the car to a pristine nature.He watched her as she reverently gazed at the car, and he could tell her mind was already churning with how she would once again make it a thing of beauty."Car!" TJ shouted."Yes, baby. It's a great car," Veronica said as TJ toddled over to his mother.Troy had never imagined that his homecoming to Coalton, Texas would be permanent; but now, looking at his wife and son, he couldn't imagine being anywhere else.When she was done studying the car, Veronica moved towards Troy and wrapped her arms around his neck, lifting up on her toes to press her lips to his."I love it. And I love you.""I love you too. Happy Mother's Day, Veronica."
Sienna & Kevin
Sienna smiled as she walked out onto her back porch holding her first cup of coffee in her hands. She watched as her husband Kevin worked out in her garden, sowing marigold seeds. It was something that had been on her list of things to do and when she'd mentioned getting up to do it that morning, Kevin insisted that since it was Mother's Day, she wasn't to lift a finger.Sienna didn't argue with him as he placed her coffee in her hands and kissed her forehead before going to get their daughter, Claire who'd just woken up.She'd barely been in the bed for five minutes before she tossed the covers aside and made her way downstairs.The sight of her husband sinking his fingers into the soil, while their daughter sat on a blanket next to him with her cute little sunhat on warmed her heart. So much had changed in her life in such a few short years, she barely remembered the cowering woman she'd once been before she arrived in Coalton, Texas.Like her, her home on Sanctuary Road had transformed spectacularly as well. With the love both she and Kevin had put into it, it was no longer the run down, condemned house it had once been. Now it was one of the best houses on the block and had spurred a revitalization movement on the street by the city."You just couldn't help yourself, could you?"Sienna looked up to see Kevin sitting back on his haunches staring at her from the garden.She shrugged and headed for the stairs."I couldn't resist the opportunity to see my husband, sweaty and covered in dirt. You know that turns me on.""What I know, wife, is that you are quite full of it?" Kevin chuckled as he stood. He walked towards her, careful not to disturb the area where he'd already planted seeds. "You came out here to monitor my work.""What?" Sienna asked, feigning innocence as he wrapped his arms around her waist."You do remember that you were the one who taught me how to do this, right?""I know, but��"He cut off any argument with a sweet kiss on her lips.As she pulled away, her eyes slid open and she glanced over at Claire and gasped."Kevin, look!"Kevin turned to look at what had Sienna so excited and they both smiled brightly as Claire put one tiny foot in front of the other, her little arms out at her sides.Kevin quickly pulled out his phone and turned the camera on as Sienna squatted down and held her hands out."Come on, sweet girl! Walk to Mommy."Claire took a few more wobbly steps before falling down onto her bottom. Sienna swept the baby up in her arms and turned to Kevin her eyes filled with tears."She just took her first steps!""Yes, she did," Kevin said, leaning in to kiss Clair on her chubby cheek before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "And she did amazing."Sienna squeezed Claire a little tighter as she leaned her head onto Kevin's shoulder.It was the best Mother's Day she could have asked for.
Stacy & Brad
Stacy Foster picked up her ringing phone and smiled when she saw her oldest daughter's face on her screen. She accepted the video chat and her smiled widened and morphed into laugher when she saw all five of her kids faces squished into the screen."Happy Mother's Day!" they all shouted."Thank you guys. Mommy misses you all so much. Callie, are you taking your allergy meds?""Yes, Mom..." Callie replied."And Charlie, have you studied for you final?""Of course, Mom," he said.Stacy couldn't believe her oldest son was about to graduate from high school."And also don't forget about��""Mom," Lana giggled. "Don't worry. I've got everything take care of. Just relax and enjoy the rest of your day."Stacy smiled at her firstborn, who'd just finished another semester at Florida State and was home for a few weeks.She'd been more than a little surprised when she'd come home after school on Friday and found Brad waiting for her with a bag packed."This weekend I'm taking you away," he'd said.She'd been a bit apprehensive at first about leaving the kids on Mother's Day weekend, but all it had taken was a few whispered words of what he had in store for her, along with some strategically placed kissed and she'd practically dragged him out of the house.He'd kept her well distracted, and thoroughly sexed all weekend.But seeing her kids' faces now had brought her back to reality."Oh, she's definitely gonna enjoy the rest of her day."Stacy looked up to find Brad had returned to the bedroom of their suite he'd rented.The man was still sinfully sexy and Stacy desire for her husband suddenly returned with full force."We'll see you guys this evening, love you," Stacy said, quickly before hanging up."Good morning, Mrs. Foster," Brad said, as he walked further into the room with a rolling table filled with breakfast foods."Good morning to you too," she said, eyeing him in his robe."Did you sleep well?""I did."He sat down on the bed next to her and wrapped an arm around her. He leaned his head down so his lips could meet hers and plied her with a kiss that left her breathless."Come on," he said, once they caught their breath. "Let's eat these omelets before they get cold."He removed the domed covers from their plates and they fell into a comfortable silence as they enjoyed their breakfast."Have you enjoyed yourself this weekend?" Brad asked after a while.Stacy rolled her eyes heavenward."It was even better than the last time we came.""And we actually made it out of the hotel room this time," Brad teased."Yes, we did," Stacy said, blushing, as she remembered the last time they'd visited San Antonio. Their marriage had been in a fragile state at the time and that weekend away had helped reawaken something that had been dormant for a long time.This time around they'd actually gone out and taken in the sights and even went on a gondola ride down the Riverwalk."I so needed this weekend away, honey," Stacy said, as Brad pushed the food cart away and returned to the bed. "You know how stressful the end of the year can be at school.""Yeah, you looked like you were in desperate need for some time to unwind.""And unwind I did.""Is there anything else you wanted to do before we head back home?" Brad asked.She gave him a naughty grin as she reached for the belt of his robe and tugged."Ohh, I can think of a few things I'd like to do..." Trevor & Brooke
Brooke Sinclair moaned sensuously as she felt Trevor's hand caress her thighs."Good morning...mother of my unborn child..." Trevor whispered before his tongue slowly swiped across the shell of her ear."Mmm good morning," Brooke purred as she felt his hand move upward to her large belly. "How much time do you think we have?""Enough," Trevor growled as he rolled onto his back and brought Brooke on top of him, straddling his lap. This was the only comfortable position for Brooke to make love in now, but Trevor seemed to have no problems with it, as his hands roamed her body, palming both of her breasts and giving him a gentle squeeze, causing her to throw her head back in pleasure.She grew even wetter when she felt his morning wood pressing against her center and she rolled her hips, loving the way her husband let out an arousing groan. She rose up as he grabbed his dick and held in place for her to sink down onto him."Fuck you feel so damn good, baby," Trevor swore as Brooke slowly rode him.He told her time and time again over the last nine month how she'd never been sexier than when she was carrying his child. And he also showed her just how irresistible she was every chance he got."Trev..." Brooke rasped.Lately, her orgasms came hard and fast."I know..." Trevor said, gripping her hips. "Come for me, sweetheart."Brooke bit down on her lip to quell the scream that was rising in her throat and Trevor's hips thrust upwards to meet her downward strokes.Trevor slowly lifted her off of his lap and gently rolled her onto her back and then stood to go to the bathroom. He returned with a damp towel and took his time cleaning her.He went to the bathroom again to dispose of the towel and then came back to the bed, leaning down to kiss her lips."That was a great way to kick off Mother's Day," she sighed.
****They'd just finished getting dressed when there was a rowdy knock on the door."What?" Trevor shouted."When are you guys coming downstairs?" Simone asked from the other side of the door.Trevor rolled his eyes and Brooke quietly laughed."Soon," she called out."Hurry, Aunt Brooke," Kenya shouted. "We've got presents," CJ added."We'll be right down," Trevor told the kids.They listened as three sets of feet went rushing down the stairs.Brooke shook her head and stood from the bed and went to the bathroom. Having to pee every few minutes wasn't one of the things she'd missed about being pregnant.Trevor was just getting ready to head for their bedroom door and get downstairs before Brooke when she called out to him."Trevor?""Yeah baby?""I...uh...think we're gonna have to do the whole Mother's Day breakfast and gift opening later.""Why?" Trevor asked, turning to towards Brooke.His eyes grew wide when he saw his wife in the doorway of their bathroom.She gave him a nervous grin as she informed him, "My water just broke..."
Camille & Nathan
"One more push, Brooke! You've got this sweetie," Camille Garrett encouraged.Trevor had called Camille that morning, in a mild panic, when Brooke's water broke. Camille had assured Trevor that everything would be fine and had rushed over to their house.Brooke had decided that she wanted to do an at-home birth."You're doing so great, sweetheart," Trevor said, as he wiped the sweat off of her brow."Okay, Brooke this is it. Come on and push, honey, so you can meet your son."Brooke's face pinched tightly as she leaned forward and gave one final push."He's here!" Camille said, as she caught the baby in a fresh blanket and immediately placed him on Brooke's chest."He's beautiful," Brooke cried, as she looked down at the baby."Trevor, do you want to cut the umbilical cord?""Yeah."Camille showed him where to cut the cord and then took the baby so she could clean him and check him out."He seems perfect," she said, as she placed the baby in Trevor's arms.Camille watch with pride as one of her best friends held his son."We need to call my parents, let them and the kids know...""Just rest," Camille ordered. "Trevor will take care of it. I'm gonna get out of here. I'll come back by in a few hours to check on you."Trevor placed the baby back in Brooke's arms and place a kissed on her forehead."I'm going to walk Cam out. Are you okay?" he asked Brooke who nodded.Trevor made a quick call to Brooke's parents as he and Camille made their way down the stairs.She smiled when she saw Nathan on their couch. When it started getting later in the evening, he'd come over to spend time with Camille during the hours of Brooke's labor when there'd been no progress."Hey," he asked, looking up. "I heard a baby crying up there."Camille smiled and nodded.Once he was off the phone, Camille turned to Trevor and smiled."Congrats, Dad," she said, and was caught off guard when he pulled her into a tight hug."Thanks, Cam," he said, his voice thick with emotion."Just doing my job," she replied, over the lump in her own throat.She turned back to Nathan who'd stood."I'll drive home," he said. "We can come back for your car later on. You look exhausted.""Are you kidding?" Camille said, waving Nathan off. "I'm in my element. I could��"A wave of dizziness hit Camille and Nathan quickly moved towards her and caught her to his body."Cam, you okay, baby?" Nathan asked, concern on his face."Yeah. I'm just...hungry, I think."Nathan shook his head."You've been out of sorts over the last few days.""Nathan, I'm fine. I had that stomach bug that was going around last week, but I'm better."You're not, Cam. Come on. We're going to the clinic so I can run some tests.""Really, you're gonna go all doctor on me right now.""Hell, yes. Whether you walk out that door with me, or I have to carry you out, we're going to the clinic," Nathan said.Camille turned to look at Trevor.He simply shook his head, put his hands up and said, "Your husband's right. I've got to get back up to Brooke."Camille stubbornly headed for the door."Let's get this over with, but we're going to Stella's for dinner," she said."Yes ma'am," Nathan replied, stifling a chuckle at his wife. She seemed to make the old adage that doctors made the worst patients true, he though with a shake of his head.
****
"Can I get you two anything else?" Stella asked.Camille and Nathan were the only two left in the diner and it was closing time."No ma'am," Camille said."I'm good. Thanks Miss Stella," Nathan added."Well you two have a good evening," Stella said.Nathan and Camille stood and left the diner and walked across the street back to the clinic, where they'd stopped by earlier so Nathan could run a blood test on Camille, much to Camille's chagrin.Once they were inside, Nathan went to see the results of Camille's test.When Camille noticed the look of shock on Nathan's face, she stood from the exam table and moved towards him."What's wrong?" she asked.His lips tilted up into a smiled and he handed her the paper. She grabbed it from his hands and her eyes quickly scanned it."Oh...I'm..." she looked up from the paper to Nathan in awe. "We're...gonna have a baby...""Yep. We're gonna have a baby."Camille had always felt she was destined to have a baby, and now it was finally happening."I guess I can officially say Happy Mother's Day to you," Nathan said, pulling her into his arms and looking at the clock on the wall. "It's still Sunday.""I guess so..." she whispered, before he closed his mouth over hers.Right as the clock struck midnight....
Happy Mother's Day from Té Russ Novels

I did my first pre-release thoughts video!If you’re in my reader group, you know that I did a poll on whether or not you were interested in hearing pre-release thoughts from me!

So, I took a shower, threw on some lip gloss, and rambled for about ten minutes or so. Check out my pre-release thoughts on Resilient Love, book four and the series finale of the McAllister Security Series.
Speaking of Resilient Love...It’s Live!

“Romantic entanglements are a liability.��
This has been a creed Silas Stone has lived by for years.��
He’s never considered wavering from it, until he crosses paths once again with Karyn Barnes, the woman he was assigned to protect a year ago. The woman who also saved his life.��
When Karyn stumbles across a shocking revelation at work, putting her in danger, Silas makes it his mission to protect her at all costs. And he quickly learns that resisting the beautiful, tempting doctor is futile.��