Dear Garland & Gould

Dear GG-

I’ve survived a horrible ordeal seven years ago. After much soul-searching and therapy, I decided it’s time to take control of my life again. My first date was a disaster, but that’s not what I’m here to talk about. I’ve met a man, GG. He’s a detective in the local Red River Police Department. We’ve kissed, and I’m very attracted to him…but since we’ve been seeing each other, horrible murders have taken place. And while my dashing detective is on the case, I feel like he’s keeping secrets from me. I want to trust him, but I’m just not sure. My heart says yes, but my mind is screaming for caution. What should I do?

Thanks for your help!

Unsure Abby

Dear Unsure:

You need to give it time, but also trust in your dashing detective to keep you safe, both your heart and body. If you feel he’s keeping secrets, he might be. But he might also have good reasons for it. Detectives are often burdened with all types of information and are not always at liberty to share—not that he doesn’t trust you, but he must abide by the integrity of the case. Give him time, and if the secret you sense involves you, I’m sure he’ll come clean. For now, go with your gut. Just make sure you’re ready when and if you take that final leap.

Good luck!

GG

Dear GG:

I’ve met THE most incredible woman. I think she could be the ONE—if there is such a thing. Problem is, men keep dropping like flies around her, and I happen to be the detective assigned to the case. There’s another problem, too. I’m keeping a secret—not a small white lie but a huge, devastating secret. This girl has been hurt in the past, and I don’t want to add to her pain. GG, this could cost me her love. Tell me, how am I supposed to risk THAT? I don’t want to lose her.

Any suggestions?

Anxious Ethan

Dear Anxious:

It’s clear that you care for this woman deeply. The men dropping like flies around her is worrisome. Don’t want you ending up in the morgue next to the other poor souls. So please, stay alert! 

As far as the devastating secret, it would be best to tell her the truth as soon as possible. Do it now! If you continue to wait, you risk disaster…because secrets have a way of coming out one way or another, and the results aren’t often pretty. If you truly love her, be honest with her. She might be upset, so plead your case but then give her time to come to terms with what you’ve said. 

Best of luck!

GG 

Will Abby follow her heart and trust her dashing detective? What about Ethan, will he end up on the killer’s list or will he solve the case? But more importantly, will he take GG’s suggestion and come clean about the secret he’s hiding? For answers, grab a copy of Sins of the Mind by L.J. Garland & Debbie Gould.

Sins of the Mind

BLURB:

Seven years ago, Abby Montgomery survived a brutal attack. Now she is ready to put her pain in the past and move on with her life. The problem is, one by one the men in her life are being viciously murdered.

The detective assigned to the case, Ethan Parker, has demons of his own to hide. As the danger gets closer to Abby, so does Ethan. But can they get past his secrets before the killer gets to them? Sometimes the sins of the mind are more depraved than the sins of the heart.

Genre: Contemporary, erotic romance, suspense, thriller, romantic suspense

Word count – 87k

BUY LINK

EXCERPT: 

“Moment?” He raised his eyebrows, tried for a surprised expression. “We were having a moment? Where was I?”

A husky laugh escaped Abby’s lips. She gave him a playful shove, but he caught her hand, his fingers encircling her delicate wrist. With great care, he bowed his head and pressed his lips to the center of her palm. Her sharp intake of air told him she liked it.

“Is this the moment you were referring to?” He kissed her wrist. “Or this?” His mouth grazed along her skin, up the side of her neck to the tender point below her ear.

“Mmm.” She shivered.

He inhaled, reveled in her unique scent. A mixture of spicy vanilla and exotic flowers invaded his senses and sent the room slowly spinning. Primal lust roared through him, demanded he possess her in a rush of carnal passion.

But Ethan resisted.

Intent on enticing Abby into a wild, heated frenzy, he trailed the tip of his tongue along her throat. Her pulse hammered beneath his ardent attention, and he reveled in her response. His fingers slid over her supple skin. One hand sought the silky tresses adorning her head while the other coaxed her legs across his lap and then slipped around her waist.

He pulled back, stared into her lovely face. Eyelids fluttering, she sighed in his arms. When she looked at him, desire burned bright in her eyes. His heart stuttered at the sight, and hot need rushed to his groin.

“Abby.” Her name rolled from his tongue in a mix of desperation and lust. A voracious hunger to taste every inch of her body washed over him. The urge to kiss the small of her back, to run his tongue along her skin, delving and dipping into her secret, sensitive places, all but overwhelmed him. “Tell me to stop. If you’re not ready, honey, tell me to stop right now and by all that’s holy, I will. But you need to know how much I want you right now.”

~*~

- L.J. Garland & Debbie Gould can be tracked down at http://www.garland-and-gould.blogspot.com/ where they blog, chat about stuff, and interview other authors.
- L.J. can be caught at www.lj-garland.com and emailed at mail@lj-garland.com You can also tweet her at @LJ_Garland1
- Debbie can be found at http://www.authordebbiegould.com/ and emailed at mountecho2006@yahoo.com.
- They love hearing from people who have enjoyed our stories!

And you can find Sins of the Mind here!

Book Spotlight-Drowning Mermaids and Fathoms of Forgiveness

Drowning Mermaids

Deep under Arctic waters lies an ice kingdom carved into a glacier. Those who dwell within it possess magnificent biological secrets. Due to the dangers of impending war, the Princess of Adlivun is forced to flee her undersea utopia and regroup with her sisters in Alaska.

Captain Trevain Murphy is a successful king crab fisherman who has spent his life building his empire above the sea, and knows nothing of the empire beneath it. When he meets a mysterious dancer whose father has recently died, he extends kindness towards her, unaware of her unique genetics and royal lineage.

Trevain's attraction to the enigmatic Aazuria Vellamo will involve him in dangerous designs that will forever change his life, and his perspective on himself and his world. He embarks on perilous journeys in which he will need to release all of his insecurities and inhibitions in order to survive. 

Fathoms of Forgiveness

There is no divorce in the undersea kingdom of Adlivun. Marriage is a bond that lasts until death—even if death comes in several centuries, and in that time your spouse happens to become your sworn enemy. This is the conflict that General Visola Ramaris faces when she learns that the mighty Vachlan is behind the attacks on her kingdom. She has sworn to protect Adlivun with her life, but long ago, she also swore to love and honor her husband...

Visola must choose whether she will destroy Vachlan once and for all, or attempt the hardest thing conceivable: communication. After two hundred years of desertion, she has no faith in their feeble bond and knows she can never forgive him. When he threatens the person dearest to her, she must take action. Confronting Vachlan on enemy territory would be nothing short of suicide. She knows that if she falls into his custody, the deranged man would relish breaking her down and making her lose her sanity.

Princess Aazuria forbids Visola from taking matters into her own hands; she will do anything it takes to protect her friend from the man who wants to crush her. Alas, Visola is a crazy, uncontrollable warrior woman with the blood of Vikings in her veins. Why would she ever consider doing the safe and predictable thing? 

Nadia Scrieva was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, where she grew very strong from carrying heavy bags filled with books back and forth from the library. She attended the University of Toronto, graduating with a B.A. in English and Anthropology. She likes knives. Her writing always features powerful females and (mostly) honorable male characters.

Writing has been the most meaningful part of her life since she was a child. Nadia has an addiction to receiving feedback from readers, so do not hesitate to contact her with any of your comments or even just to say hello. 

Website / Twitter / Facebook

Hump Day Inspiration-Stars and Stripes Forever

Happy Hump Day and 4th of July.

I've got some sexy hunks that are sure to light the sky with a dazzling array of colors. So here we go.

Happy 4th of July. And if you see any of our service men and women out there. Thank them for the sacrifice they've made.

For all the service men and women, past and present. Thank you for what you've done. You are continually in my prayers.

Until next time. Indulge Your Inner Romantic.

Another Sneak Peek at Lust & Bound

I know it's too early to countdown to the release of Lust & Bound, but there's 25 more days until the release of Lust & Bound. Wanna sneak peek? The first chapter is available to read on my App.

Zach fumbled the plastic card in the metal slot. When the mechanism whirred and clicked, he twisted the knob, but paused. “I have one rule.” His gaze never left her face.

Trisha met his hungry stare, her lips parting. “What’s that?”

“I don’t share.”

A thrill rippled through her body at the possessive note in his deep, rasping voice.

“Me either.”

“You can still walk away.”

 Walk away? Was he nuts? She’d waited months for this moment, for freedom. Still, as his eyes raked over her body, waiting for her decision, a tiny seed of doubt wiggled in the back of her mind. She squared her shoulders. Nope. She wasn’t going home until she knew what made her eyes roll to the back of her head and she wanted him to show her.

“I’m not...”

He shouldered open the door and dragged her to him. The cool kiss of the textured wall greeted her bare shoulders as his mouth, hot and demanding, found hers. She sighed against his lips, jerking his shirt free from his waistband. He cupped her breast, his thumb stroking her nipple. Fire danced through her veins, pooled low. Her heart skipped a beat when he yanked the chiffon from her shoulders, ripping the sheer fabric.

Lifting his head, he flashed a quick smile, his mist-gray eyes shining with heat and mischief. “I hope you weren’t too attached to this dress.” 

She didn’t care how he got her clothes off, just as long as he got them off. Her pulse raced and her breath quickened when the thin silk of her slip followed the fate of her dress. Trisha slid her hands beneath his shirt, his skin warm and smooth beneath her palms.

“Now what am I supposed to wear home?”

Zach grabbed her wrists, shackling them in one large hand and raising her arms above her head. She gasped as her breasts thrust upwards, straining for attention. “We’ll worry about that later.” He dipped his head, capturing one taut peak in his mouth.

She arched against him as desire further hardened her nipples and set her blood to simmering. His fingers brushed the curve of her hip, before drifting lower, tracing the sensitive skin below her garter belt.

“You’re a bit naughty, Trish,” he whispered against her mouth.

Her answering chuckle melted into a moan when his fingers stroked her damp pussy. His eyes widened when his hand met no barrier.

“Very naughty indeed,” he murmured. He leaned away, cool air skittering across her heated flesh. “I’ve waited so long for this.”

“Too long,” she agreed.

Pivoting, he grabbed her hand and led her into the bedroom. The king-size bed dominated the room and sat in front of the mirrored doors to the closet. Artificial candlelight flickered around the room, casting muted shadows against the wallpaper while the soft scent of jasmine wafted through the air.

 Warm fuzzies squeezed her heart. Despite being a day early he had surprised her. She stepped forward, her nylon-clad feet skimming against something cool and satiny. Rose petals trailed from the door to the bed. She perched on the edge of the bed, too overwhelmed to speak.

When she focused on him, he watched her with a hooded expression.

“It seems like you’ve thought about this, haven’t you?”

He tucked a curl behind her ear. “I get one chance to make a lasting impression.”

“Thank you.”

His eyes widened when she shoved him back on the bed and straddled his legs. The bulge grew and hardened beneath her thigh. She worked at loosening his tie. Once unknotted, she tossed it aside and focused on the buttons. With each button released from its mooring she revealed more of his amazing body. She pushed the shirt aside to trace the large, colorful dragon/koi tattoo that began on his left pec and wrapped around his bicep to disappear onto his back. Anticipation coiled in her belly. Oh how she wanted to find out how far his tattoo went.

“You’ve tortured me enough tonight and I think it’s time you paid up,” she murmured against his lips. She skimmed light, teasing kisses from his mouth to his jaw. 

A startled gasp escaped her lips when he shifted and blanketed her body with his. He captured her wrists in one large hand and held them above her head.

“One day, very soon, I’m going have you tied and helpless beneath me.”

She sucked in a breath, holding his gaze, unwilling to admit how much she wanted the same thing.

He traced the swell of her breasts just above the neckline of her corset. “But there is one image of you I can’t seem to get out of my head.” He touched his lips to hers in a long, drugging kiss that left her craving more. “Are you game?”

“I’m yours for the weekend.”

He chuckled, a smoldering look scorching her body. She responded to that look. “Oh, I like how that sounds.”

Heat crept into her cheeks as she realized what she’d said. “I—uh, yeah.”

He nipped at her neck, even as he settled deeper into the vee of her thighs. The heavy bulge of his erection rubbed against her core. Instinctively she raised her hips in greeting.

“I want to watch you, beautiful,” he murmured against her lips.

She stiffened. “Watch me what?”

He rolled off her and helped her to sitting. “I want to watch you climax, before I send you over the edge again.”

Keep an eye on this blog for more info. There will be a release party and a tour with prizes. Yay! Until next time, Indulge Your Inner Romantic!

Sunday Afternoon Catch-Up

Greetings and Salutations! We've finally reached our destination, not that any of you missed me or realized I was gone and if you did, GREAT!

So for the next 28 days we will be in the South. I've seen several states and I think the highlight of our little road trip was Tupelo. I'm so glad I don't have to ride in the car again for a bit.

Checking the calendar and I see nothing major this week. There are some lovely authors scheduled to visit and another guest blogger for Hump Day Inspiration.

Did you enjoy the pic by Kassanna? I'm still sighing over that one. :-)

Here's a little something to make your summer a little hotter.

I'll give you a few minutes to assimilate him.

Have you downloaded my free Author App? What are you waiting for? It's Free!

  iOS: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scan/id411206394?mt=8

  Android: http://bit.ly/N2QG8q

Also I'd like to say thank you. A HUGE thank you to all the fans and readers who've purchased The Pick-Up Wife. You've totally rocked my world and keep me grinning. Keep reading and keep buying my books. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I hope you enjoy Lust & Bound coming July 27 from Evernight Publishing.

Until next time, Indulge Your Inner Romantic