Unforgiven by Sarah Ballance

Riley Beckett's past just came back to haunt her . . . and this time, he's got a gun.

When Gage Lawton finds his brother shot dead on his back porch, every shred of evidence points to one person: Gage's former lover, Riley. He and she didn't part ways on good terms, and he's not planning to rekindle anything now--not when he's got a revolver pointed at her head and a finger on the trigger.

A year after Riley swore she and Gage were over, he returns in a hail of gunfire. One look into those achingly familiar blue eyes and she knows how wrong she was to let him go, but now far more than their heated past stands in the way. A twist of fate puts them in the crosshairs of a killer, leaving Riley with two slim options:  trust her greatest betrayer or face a murderer on her own.

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EXCERPT:

Something was wrong. Was the dark playing tricks on her? Riley Beckett froze, arm outstretched, hand poised to toss her keys on the table just inside her front door. But she didn't let go. Instead of dropping them in their usual spot, instinct whispered for her to feather pieces of the makeshift weapon between her knuckles. Heart pounding, she pressed the keys in a silent, white-knuckle grip and prayed her concerns were her imagination, that the paranoia of coming home alone to a dark house was getting the better of her.

One, two steps in. Wood planks echoed underfoot. She fought to breathe in air that grew thinner with every tense second.

Three steps.

Then it hit her. The scent. His scent. And with it a flush of memories. The burn of hot grass on her bare skin. Rough hands, a tender touch. Love so sweet she ached for it, her dreams raging, and her body drenched with need.

Their first time.

Her last.

"Gage?" Her voice broke on the single syllable. Riley's grip on the keys tightened, her blood raging hot and cold all at once.

A creak sounded from the corner chair. Her eyes refused to adjust in the darkness, but not even the faint light kept the blond streaks in his russet hair from giving him away. Like rays of sunshine, she used to tease, and her words never failed to draw a scowl across his rugged face.

"Riley."

God help her, her name on his lips sounded as it always had. Coarse. Dangerous. Forbidden. Even before . . . The memory surged, hot and vivid, leaving a metallic taste in her mouth. White heat assaulted her from every corner of the room.

The keys fell to the floor with a clink.

"An eye for an eye, is it?" His voice sounded unpracticed, as if he hadn't spoken in a long while.

She couldn't see his face, but she knew his expression. Flat and humorless. Broken. She remembered the day he stopped smiling. Every part of her wanted to flee, but she stood frozen to the spot.

"What do you mean?" Riley wondered if the words, whispered and weak, had the strength to make it across the room. Hadn't she always known she'd shatter the next time she saw him? Hadn't she dreamed of it anyway?

"You have to ask?" Gage laughed, cold and hollow. "Billy's dead. Hell of a thing to come home to, Riley. My brother blown to bits on my back porch."

"Oh, God." Riley swayed, bile rising in her throat. The room filled with a distant buzzing. She took one unsteady step to the side and stumbled.

When she found his gaze, it was over the business end of a revolver.

He leveled the gun in her direction. Everything else in her world trembled, but his aim held rock steady. Unyielding.

His eyes burned blue and bright. "What I want to know, sweetheart, is why you did it."

He worked his finger over the trigger, and a veil of blackness threatened her last discerning thought.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah and her husband of over fourteen years live on the mid-Atlantic coast with their six young children, all of whom are perfectly adorable when they're asleep.  She often jokes that she writes to be around people who will listen to her, but her characters aren't much better than her kids.  Fortunately, her husband is quite supportive, having generously offered to help her research "the good parts."  She's never had to ask twice.

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Familiar Light with Sarah Ballance

1-Tell the readers a little about yourself.

I am a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of six kids, all 13 and under. I get to say I'm a full time author because I don't have a "real job" (HA!) but the truth is writing every day gives me that little break. All I have to do is close the bedroom door and I'm swept away to wherever my characters take me (currently a gritty urban setting in LAST CALL, but you can't win them all, LOL.)

2-As an author, do you take time to read? If so, what do you like to read and who is/are your favorite author/s?

I read Harlequin Intrigue romantic suspense every chance I get. I want to write for them when I grow up, so it counts as research . . . right? LOL.

3-How do you stay motivated when the Muse is uncooperative?

I've found when this happens it's usually because I have some other part of the story on my mind—either it's a scene I'm really excited about writing or a detail I'm worried I'll leave out down the line. I've learned if I skip ahead to whatever I'm obsessing over and write it, I can get back to the rest of the story. When I catch up to the part I wrote ahead, I can just breeze right through it. Double win!

4-If you could go anywhere in the world on a romantic getaway, what would you do and where would you go?

My husband and I just bought a thirty foot cabin cruiser with two decks and full living quarters. (Y'all stop looking at me like that – it's an older boat and we got an UNBELIEVABLE deal, LOL). We keep it at a beautiful marina with an inlet to the ocean. Our "neighbors" are mostly fishermen (which I love because we are SO not yacht club types) and the atmosphere is incredible. If I could go anywhere right now, I'd take the thirty minute drive to the marina with my husband and hang out on the boat. (We've got a standing date there every week, in fact!)

5-What is the hardest thing for you to write?

Sex. I hate writing sex. Sex hates being written by me. 

6-If you could live the life of one of your characters who would you be?

Noah from HAWTHORNE. Not only was his experience an amazing one, I am so excited about what happens in the sequel (HAWTHORNE: UPRISING) I just want to crawl inside the book and BE THERE. Plus, out of all of my characters, he is most like me—kind of quiet, more of a thinker. 

7-The tag line on my blog is ‘Indulge Your Inner Romantic.’ What do you do to indulge?

My husband and I have been together almost 16 years and there's not a day goes by I'm not pinching myself to believe he's really mine. We have six children, but we make sure we spend time together on a daily basis. (Hence the six kids, LOL!) He makes me feel absolutely TREASURED, and no doubt that connection—that indulgence of time—is what keeps things brand new between us.

Seven years of longing comes down to just one night.

Laney Kent returns to Barrier Shoals hoping to reunite with her first love, Bridger. She anticipates his reception might be chilly, but what she doesn’t expect is to become the victim of a deadly obsession . . . or that this night with Bridger could be her last.

Bridger Jansen tangled a lot of sheets trying to forget about Laney, but his heart knew what the rest of him refused to admit: he could love no one else. He’s determined not to forgive her for leaving him without explanation, but when he fails to protect her from a viscous attack, the person he can’t forgive just might be himself.

Sarah lives a charmed life as the mother of six incredible homeschooled children, all of whom are completely adorable when they're asleep. Her husband of many years (long, long years, he calls them) is the kind of guy who could teach those heroes from the books a thing or two about romance, not that he'd readily admit it. Completely supportive of her love for writing fiction, he's generously offered to help with any necessary research for "the good parts." She's never had to ask twice. 

Although the idea of writing initially intimidated Sarah, it has morphed into a favorite pastime since her characters, unlike her kids, actually listen to her. (Er, sometimes.)

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The Lonely Dominant-Spotlight

The Lonely Dominant

Ella Jade

Blurb

Successful businessman Alec Carter realizes his life is less than fulfilled when he meets beautiful Princeton University senior Clara Whittaker at a local coffee shop. Alec experiments in the BDSM lifestyle but doesn't consider himself hardcore until he crosses paths with the obviously submissive Clara. The more time Alec spends with young Clara, the more his dominant tendencies push to the surface. She could be what has been missing.

After her grandmother's death, Clara ends up a guest in Alec's home until she can finish school. She quickly learns she's a natural submissive and decides she wants to explore this new side of herself with the man of house. Alec shows her a life she never knew existed as they enter into a world of role playing, fantasy, and desire. Alec may be the Master, but Clara holds the key to his heart.  

As the semester comes to an end, so does their arrangement. If Alec doesn't admit his true feelings for Clara, she could walk out of his life forever. But, Alec isn’t sure which she craves more . . . his dominance . . . or his love. 

Excerpt

I broke the kiss and gently stroked her hair. "Thank you for letting me be the first to bring you that pleasure. You don't know how it pleases me."

I continued to stare at her for a few moments, occasionally placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"I want to please you," she said. "I can't explain it, but I have these urges to make you happy."

"What do you mean?" I said, figuring we might as well put it all on the table.

"Ever since I met you, there's just been something about you. It's the way you act, and you always seem to have control over everything. It's really sexy."

I smirked, because she got me completely.

"When I hear you on the phone for work, you just say what needs to be done. You never ask, and you always get results. There are times when I think I want you to talk to me that way. Is there something wrong with me? I can't even believe I'm telling you this."

I laughed, because if there was something wrong with her, then I was certainly a head case.

"Clara," I picked up her shirt from the floor and handed it to her, "there's nothing wrong with you. I think there's a very specific reason we're drawn to one another."

"Why?"

"Do you know what a Dominant is?" Why waste time?

I was never the type to beat around the bush. When I wanted something, I put it out there. This was no different. She may not have realized it, but she was attracted to me because she was submissive. Exactly how submissive? I wasn't sure, but I hoped to find out.

She quickly put her blouse back on and buttoned it up. We'd have to work on her modesty, too. I planned to have her naked quite a bit.

"I think so," she said. "It's when a person takes on the dominant role in a sexual relationship."

I smiled. "Yes, that's part of it, but it's also the Dom's responsibility to teach and help his submissive reach pleasure beyond her wildest dreams. It's a mutually beneficial relationship between two consenting adults."

"Alec, are you dominant?"

"In almost every aspect of my life, especially in the bedroom."

"Oh," she said, as she adjusted her skirt.

"Does that bother you?" I'd give her the opportunity to run screaming from the house. 

"Actually," she said, and the blush took over her face again. "It kind of intrigues me."

"Really?"

She nodded.

"Do you know anything about that type of relationship?" I pulled her closer to me. She was so soft and warm, and I couldn't keep my hands off her. I'd touch her all day if I could.

"Not firsthand, obviously." She traced my lips with her fingertip. I liked when she touched me unprovoked. "I had a human sexuality course last semester and we discussed dominant and submissive behaviors, and I realized I could be a submissive. Not extremely submissive. I mean, I don't think I could be someone's slave, or do it twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, but I found it a turn-on."

Is this really happening?

"The more I learned about the subject, the more I realized I wanted to be dominated," she said. "But, it wasn't something I thought I could explore. I wouldn't even know how to go about it."

Surreal was the only way to describe what was happening here. Anytime I'd engaged in this behavior, I'd had to seek out my subs as discreetly as possible. I would go through friends I knew in the community to find a woman who was into the same things I was. I'd always had difficulty finding someone who was only interested in light play. Most subs were looking for long-term, hard play, and as secure as I was, I just wasn't into beating or humiliating anyone. I also liked having the power of being able to play when I wanted to.

"I'm not a hard-core Dom. I've dabbled, but I've never collared a sub, and I've never been in a relationship with one before. I enjoy the lifestyle, but I did it only with a willing partner, and only for brief periods of time. We both took what we needed from the experience, and then we mutually parted ways."

She looked disappointed by my response. Maybe she thought I was more involved in the lifestyle?

"It's a very satisfying experience when both participants are open and honest about their wants and desires. The pleasures I've gained through my past experiences were like none I'd ever experienced before."

"I'd like to try it," she said. "I want to submit to you."

"You're so young." Her age didn't bother me. Rather, I knew she was so inexperienced when it came to sex and relationships. I wasn't certain she could make this kind of decision. "I'd need you to be absolutely sure."

"You said it was consensual. I wouldn't have to do anything I didn't want to, and if I remember correctly, there are safe words we could use."

"I think you know more than you're letting on." I arched a brow at her, but I was impressed by her openness. I was surprised she had the courage to press the matter.

"I may have researched the subject a couple of times."

"You're right about safe words. They are set up to protect not only your physical boundaries, but your emotional limits as well. I would push your limits, but only to show you how much pleasure you could gain. I couldn't do this 24/7 either. We'd have to come up with some sort of agreement, since we live under the same roof." Are we really entertaining this?

"Weekends?" She shrugged. "Maybe we could try it out?"

I smiled and gently kissed her lips. "Yes, I think weekends would work perfectly."

Ella Jade has been writing for as long as she can remember. As a child, she often had a notebook and pen with her and now as an adult, the laptop is never far. The plots and dialogue have always played out in her head, but she never knew what to do with them. That all changed when she discovered the EBooks industry. She started penning novels at a rapid pace and now she can't be stopped.

Ella resides in New Jersey with her husband and two young boys. When she's not chasing after her kids, she's busy writing, kickboxing and scrapbooking. She hope's you'll get lost in her words.

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Meet Billi Jean

1-Tell the readers a little about yourself.  

Well, I've been a published author now for over a year and it feels incredible. It's still hard to believe, but being an author has been a dream of mine or I should say, writing. I was never clear on what I would do with my work once I wrote it, but after writing several novel length books, I joined some author groups and thought, well, you need to take the next step. So, off I went to subbing my work. I think I had around 15 full manuscripts finished within two years and really hadn't had anyone read them. I was lucky enough to get some great advice and survive some horrible critique groups prior to finding my now Critique Partner (CP). We hit it off, encouraged each other in writing and in life and are now both published. 

2-As an author, do you take time to read?

 If so, what do you like to read and who is/are your favorite author/s?  I do read. I treat myself to several authors. I vary my reading based on what I'm in the mood for. If I want hot and historical, Samantha Kane since she is hands down my favorite, so far. I tend to stick to a few authors and stay with them….I read all their work and so on. Aussies, my favorites are Rhain Cahill, and Lexie Couper. I've read Lora Leigh, Maya Banks, and I just love Larissa Ione – both as a person and as an author. I like Gena Showalter, and Sabrina Jeffries, Kresley Cole and Anne Gracie. My reading simply depends on what I'm craving, I suppose. 

3-How do you stay motivated when the Muse is uncooperative?  

Mmm, well, my muse is usually on, but for my soon to be released, Spartan's Kiss, I had a tough character to write and I just couldn’t seem to write her story. So, I joined the Nanowrite and in a month forced myself to write her story. It was a great experience and I think diving into a word count each day helped me force that story onto paper. Now, when I'm editing and working on the same story, I have to do the same thing. I force myself to write 1,000 words, which for me is no big deal. When I do that, I take a breather and then do more. It's like I knocked the icing off and just diving into the cake. 

4-If you could go anywhere in the world on a romantic getaway, what would you do and where would you go? 

Wow…well, I'd like to go somewhere secluded, or somewhere in a big city. I think you can be all alone in either setting. I would love to go to a secluded getaway, order room service, stay indoors and discover every position ever created with my guy, then go out on the town and hurry back to do the same thing all over again. Like kids in a candy store. And like kids, no worry over meals, laundry, pick-ups, drop offs, life outside of our own cocoon. 

5-What is the hardest thing for you to write? 

Hurtful scenes. Scenes where one person is emotionally hurting another. Or where one person is emotionally hurt unintentionally or intentionally. Those are tough and take time to write. I get involved because I want to be true to the experience of the character. I think all my books have at least one scene that is hard to write. A Spartan's Kiss had several. Tabithia is a scarred individual. She has quite a few demons to fight off and the saddest thing about her is she tries, she takes these baby steps to be what she thinks is 'normal' and those scenes, and her dark moments, were hard as heck to write. 

6-If you could live the life of one of your characters who would you be? 

Ohhh….I think even with Star's hardships, I would be one happy camper to have Ranger as my mate. He's my hottie Lykae in Midnight Star and I have to say one of the funniest guys to write so far. He is one of those guys that once he realized what he had – Star – he'd do anything and everything to ensure his life with her, and her happiness. She was number one and even without their 'bonding' he never would have looked to another woman. Truly a one woman kinda guy. Star is an great character, too. She's a great friend and a tough enemy. She's one of those truly deep, and passionate individuals who is there for you, and who will slap you on the back of the head if need be.  

7-The tag line on my blog is ‘Indulge Your Inner Romantic.’ What do you do to indulge? 

Ohhh….hot tubs. I love to go to the hot tub. It's such an all over caressed feeing.  Can't get enough, and when I make it big? Have to get one. A nice, big, deep one with enough room for two! 

Ranger is a werewolf, a Lykae with a problem. He's found his one true mate, the only female who can complete him. Only trouble is, he's denied his instinct to claim her. Now his mate hates him as much as she believes he hates her. He will have to risk both their lives to finally prove to his stubborn vampire he loves her?

Star is a half-breed vampire with a past of not being accepted because of her mixed blood. Ranger is just one more example of how much she doesn't fit into the immortal world no matter how much she tries to fool herself into believing otherwise. She's a strong female, a fighter, but when it comes to the opinions of others, she has no defenses. Why fight what she knows is true? She is a half breed, less than those around her. She has a home, friends and females she loves like family. Only trouble is, her family is now related to the mangy wolf man who hates her.

When life throws Samantha a curve ball in the form of an ancient Lykae warlord bent on marking her as his—what's she going to do? Run like hell? Oh, yeah, that so worked the first time around. With Derrick hot after her tail, Samantha discovers being the hunted just might not be as bad as she thought.

Derrick is a warlord hardened by centuries of battle. Now that he's free from years of torment, he discovers his mate. Only his beautiful little half wolf is as determined to deny him, as he is to claim her.

As the battle to keep her safe intensifies, Derrick faces the biggest fight of his life: winning Samantha's heart and keeping alive long enough to claim her.

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Billi Jean has been writing since high school when she couldn't wait for Robert Jordon to write his Wheel of Time series faster. She writes from home in a little two hundred year old farm house in Western Massachusetts where she shares her space with her active children, an old dog, and two lazy cats.

 Her first book, Midnight Star, has won numerous awards and was voted Best Book by Long and Short Reviews. Her next installment in the Sisters of the Moon series, Silver's Chance, hit the shelves in August 2011. The next, A Spartan's Kiss will arrive right on Valentine's Day, 2012.

Stop by her blog http://readingwritingromance.blogspot.com/and leave a message! She can also be found on twitter and Facebook. For more information on what's coming up in her series, friend her on Goodreads, or follow her blog for snippets of her upcoming stories in the Sisters of the Moon series.