Aliyah Burke ~ Sensuality in Romance

We’ve almost made it through the first month of 2013! Hope it’s been a wonderful one for all. Today we’re heading back to the time when the Pony Express ran. Enjoy Cy and Rebecca!

Three weeks later, a severe storm overran them. The station was empty except for him and Robert since he’d just sent off the last rider two hours ago. Another few should be coming in within a few more hours, but he figured the storm would slow them a bit. He had a big pot of soup heating and some biscuits cooking in the oven. Cy got to his feet and went to the door. May as well call Robert to eat with him.
The young man had changed, not that he and Robert had ever been extremely close but since the incident with Bill, he’d become even more distant. Respectful and hardworking as always but he kept to himself. Never participated in card games with the guys. Slept and worked.
He pushed out the door and took a deep breath. The rainy onslaught filled the air with a fresh clean scent. It washed away the dry, hot air and replaced it with rebirth. He couldn’t hear the horses over the pounding rain. Nor could he see the bunkhouse.
Immediately soaked stepping onto the ground, he hurried to his destination. He saw one flickering light the closer he got and he pushed through the door shaking the excess water off his head. Running a hand down his face, he peered around. Movement in the back corner caught his eye so he headed there. Turning the corner of the final bunk he froze as if he’d run smack into a wall. His jaw dropped open and lust hit him again, a hundred times the intensity of his reaction to the feminine voice in the barn.
Robert was a girl. No, correction, not a girl. A woman. No man had a figure like that. Even with the bindings around her torso—which explained how she passed as Robert—he now wondered how he’d missed it. Although it explained some of the differences he’d noticed.
“Where’s Robert and who the hell are you?”
Anger began to leech into him as he realized how endangered she’d been by riding the route. She jumped and spun around, eyes wide. He watched her gaze flick between him and the gun hanging near. Tension exploded throughout the room. They lunged for the weapon at the same time.
Her fingers grasped the handle as his heavier weight bore her to the thin mattress. Preservation instincts honed dagger sharp in the Army took over and he rolled them from the narrow bed to the floor. The gun scattered across the wooden planks.
She didn’t cease her struggles, in fact, they increased. Her hands whirled like demons, landing several painful blows on him. Stars exploded behind his eyes when her knee landed a direct hit between his legs.
“Christ, would you just hold still!”
Capturing her wrists in his hands, he placed them above her head. He stared down at her. It was a punch to the gut. He had no clue how he’d mistaken her for a man. She had Robert’s features but here, now, this close there was no doubt she was all woman.
She bucked against him to no avail. All it did was reaffirm it was a woman beneath him. Because he’d walked in on her binding her breasts, the wrap was loose and he felt them.
“Hold still.” He barked the order while trying to convince his body he wasn’t attracted to her. It wasn’t easy. She had large brown eyes framed by thick lashes, full lips he wanted to kiss, and a haughty expression, which made him, want to morph into one of pure pleasure. All it would take would be to lower his head and…

Happy Wednesday! Today’s couple is Liam and Caden from Just A Dream. Enjoy!

Blurb for Just A Dream
Liam Quinn had just returned from a tour over in the Middle East. He may need a lot of things but a stranded possibly hysterical woman wasn’t one of them. Still, he hadn’t been raised to ignore a damsel in distress. What he got was nothing like he expected.
Caden Bradshaw has lost men in her life due to the ravages of war. As a widow she fights to get veterans and dependents the benefits owed to them. Determined not to become involved with another man who wears a military uniform, she is thrown by the tall Marine who rescues her alongside the road.
One determined to pursue the sparks between them and one unable to relinquish the past, their budding relationship is tested. When Liam is recalled back to the warzone, Caden realizes just how much he means to her. Will she get a chance to tell him, or will it all have been…
Just A Dream

Unedited Excerpt of Just A Dream
“Caden?” he asked even as his body responded to her nearness.
“I need you to do something for me,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion.
“What’s that?”
“Kiss me.”
“What?” he said on a shout even as he took a step closer to her.
“I’ve seen the way you look at me and I can feel you react. Kiss me so I know it isn’t my imagination.”
“It sure as hell isn’t your imagination.” Liam closed the remaining distance between them and cupped her face in his hands, the softness of her skin shot through him straight to his soul. “I’ve wanted to do this since I laid eyes on you.”
His mouth covered hers and he ate the whimper that slipped from between her full lips. Liam nibbled her lips before caressing them with his tongue, slipping it along the seam of her mouth; he asked for and was granted access. She tastes even better than she smells. A wave of possessiveness crashed over him and he growled low in his throat as one hand moved to press against her back. Liam coaxed her tongue out to engage in the age-old mating dance with his. There was no part of her mouth he left unexplored but when she sagged against him more, he reluctantly ended the powerful kiss.
Her eyes were foggy as they met his. “It wasn’t your imagination. Now go, before I take you to my bedroom and finish what was just started here.”
Caden’s hand shook as she opened the door and stepped through. He could see her chest heaving as she tried valiantly to ingest some air into her lungs. He understood for he felt the same.
“Goodbye, Liam,” she whispered.
“Oh no, baby. Not goodbye. We’re just getting started.”
Sadness filled her face as she said, “I’m sorry. I won’t get involved with any more military men.”
“You’re right. No more. I’m the last one.” Pointing at the truck, he reiterated, “Gregory is waiting. You’re welcome to stay, but you won’t be leaving if you do.” Liam had to physically stop himself from going after her when her gaze zeroed in on his crotch before she turned around and left without another word. Caden didn’t even look back as she climbed into the truck.
Liam shut the door and smacked the thick wood. “Damn it!” Running a hand over his face he berated himself up one side and down the other. I shouldn’t have done it, but damn she tasted so fucking good. He knew they weren’t done. Liam had every intention of seeing her again.

Happy Wednesday!

Today we’re visiting Ashia/Reid. This is from book 6 in the Kemet Uncovered series, releasing Monday from Total E-Bound. Enjoy!

“Devi. Good to see you.”
Rhodes walked in behind Devi. She liked him, he was good for her friend.
“Hey, Ashia.” Rhodes nodded in greeting.
“What’s up? You get a puppy, kitten, or something I don’t know about?”
“No, nothing like that. I came to tell you we’re leaving for about a month.” Devi caressed her lover’s arm.
She frowned before she could catch herself. “Everything okay?” She sent them the question mentally.
“Everything is fine. We’re just going to take a vacation. I’m going to go visit an old friend.”
Old friend. To them ‘old friend’ meant a fellow god or goddess. “So you’re taking off a month?”
Devi smiled. “Yes. While you’ve been at this for a shorter time, I’ve been working in this mortal place for a long time. And Rhodes as well. We need a break. Getting away from it all.”
Ashia understood but she didn’t want her to go, especially right now. Things had been so hot with Reid and she needed Devi so she didn’t make some other assumption as she had done about the human take on dating. “Who are you going to see?” she asked, all nosy and not giving a damn.
“Saffron.”
The name didn’t sound familiar to her. “Don’t think I know her.”
“Dr. Eshe.”
Eshe. That was a name she knew. One which was linked to the goddess Qetesh. She nodded her understanding. “And where is she?”
“Right now she’s over in Egypt with her husband. Since becoming immortal, Rhodes wanted to visit Kemet and experience it how I always have, so I thought it would be the perfect time to take him. Then after that we’re going to head to Montana and visit Kenric and Saffron’s ranch for a while. Then we’ll head back here.”
A month. Part of her was jealous about that, being able to go away for that time with the one who meant so much to you. She licked her lips and smiled. “Sounds like fun.”
Devi’s grin was like a brilliant star. “I think it will be. I haven’t seen Saffron in a long time. Too long. It will be great to spend some time with her.” She walked around and took a seat behind the reception desk. “Now, tell me about Reid. How are things going with the two of you?”
Ashia’s skin heated at the mere thought of how things were between them. Hot. Heavy. Passionate.
“Great. Some days I wonder if I will get enough of him. He’s moving in—”
“What!” Devi jumped from the chair she’d just occupied and slammed her hands on the counter. “You two are moving in together?”
Ashia hesitated a bit. “Why? Is that not done either?”
“No, nothing like that. Look, Ashia, there are no ‘proper’ rules for dating. Really. You have to let that go. I was just shocked you would be moving in together.” She waved a hand. “Sorry, continue.”
She blew out a breath. “Okay. He is going to fix my computers here and replace the one at the house. It just made more sense for him to stay with me.”
Devi’s grin made her frown. “More sense, huh? If that’s what you two need to tell yourselves.” She leant back and propped her feet up on the desk. “Okay, I’m glad he’s fixing those for you. You have a really outdated bunch of computers here. And your house one……well, let’s just say I’m surprised you can even get online with it.”
Ashia flipped her off before sitting near the heeled boots her friend wore. “How do I know if I’m doing something wrong with him?”
“There’s no right or wrong method with this either, Ashia. I could tell you everything I did wrong. Hell, you know some of it. But you and Reid are your own couple. What’s right and wrong will be different for you. The only thing I can say is underneath it all, never forget he’s human.”
She sighed and swung her feet back and forth as she tried to figure out a way to ask the question that was bothering her. The words didn’t come. She could always ask her later.
“Anyway,” Devi said nudging her with the toe of her boot. “I wanted to ask you and Reid to dinner tonight. Or tomorrow if that would work better.”
“I think tonight would work.” She leant over and picked up the phone to dial his number. Reid answered and his deep voice made a tingle spread throughout her body and pool in her belly. Sticking her tongue out at Devi, who made little cooing noises, she asked Reid about dinner. Getting his approval, she hung up and knocked Devi’s feet off the desk with a mock growl. “You are such a bitch,” she said.
“I do try. I take it lover boy said tonight was fine.”
Ashia nodded. “Yes. We’ll be over whenever you say.”
“Any time after seven would  be fine.” She got to her feet. “I will see you then.” Devi walked off and slipped out of the door.
Ashia finished up and soon everyone had left the clinic and she was heading home to take care of her animals, shower and change, then head off to Devi’s for some food. Upon entry of her house she said hello to her dogs and went to dish up their meal.
As she scooped it up a pair of arms slid around her waist . “Hello, beautiful.”
“Reid,” she purred as she turned her head and met his seeking mouth with her own. She almost dropped the dishes as waves of desire coursed through her.
“I took the small room in the back to set up my equipment. Hope that’s all right.”
“Not a problem. You working on the one here first?”
“No. Your work system really needs to be upgraded and I want to get on that as soon as possible. I just have a few other projects that I also have to continue to work on so I don’t fall behind on them.” He popped her on the ass and took two of the dishes from her.
She watched him walk off, mesmerised by the firm ass encased by denim. Moisture flowed  and for a moment she debated forgoing dinner and just having her way with him. The answering pulse her body gave her informed her it was more than fine with that decision. Let’s face it, she really didn’t need to eat, she was immortal after all. But Reid wasn’t and therefore needed to have sustenance.