Peggy Jordan had long ago closed the door on her heart’s desires, accepting she would never have a loving husband and family of her own. Then a friend asks her to care for an orphaned little girl, and she meets the child’s last living relative. With him, her patience is tested, her desires are unleashed, and she gets the first taste of a life she’d always felt was out of reach. 

Years ago, Trevor Duncan left Savannah and vowed never to return. He traveled to remote corners of the globe, helping people, and helping himself to countless women in emotionally-empty relationships. A phone call in the middle of the night changes his entire life. He has a niece who needs him, and when he meets the woman caring for her, he’s consumed with having her all to himself. 

Their desire is strong. Their love is instant. But can they learn to trust each other and survive the road to happily-ever-after? 

​I’m passing the broom in my kitchen, attempting to clean up as much of the flour from my homemade pie crusts and pizza dough as I can. It’s another pizza and movie Saturday, and Trevor hasn’t come over with Adeline yet. I check the time again and it’s almost noon. 
Clarisse’s nanny will be here around two with the twins for the play date. Adeline has been so excited for this day all week. Before they took off last night, she promised to go to sleep fast so morning could come quicker. 
When Trevor wasn’t at my door bright and early with Adeline and a cup of Starbucks coffee, my first thought was to text him. Instead of, Are you still coming? I texted, Missing my morning cup of Joe. I have yet to receive a reply. 
After putting away the broom and dust pan, I walk over to the work desk in the corner of my kitchen and grab my cell from the charger. I pull up Trevor’s number, ready to call, when a hard knock to the front door startles me. I power walk to the front entry and open the heavy wood door. Adeline rushes in and hugs my legs so tight, as if she didn’t just leave me last night. Her hair is all over her head, and she’s wearing rubber boots with her night clothes. 
She looks a hot mess. I hold her face in my hands and lift it so I can see her expression. “Is everything okay?’
“No,” Trevor answers.
 “What happened?” I ask. 
“Water pipe broke sometime in the middle of the night.” He’s holding a cup of Starbucks coffee. I’m guessing he saw my text. I smile and take the cup. “We woke to water everywhere this morning. I’m thankful it only reached the top of the baseboards. Hate to think what could have happened if it touched the wall plugs in that old house.”
My blood runs cold and I feel lightheaded at the thought. I recall when I first laid eyes on that old house, I questioned Trevor’s logic. Here he is with enough money to purchase three of my houses with no discomfort, and he settles on renting a small, old house. 
“‘It’s my first home. We don’t need much, and it’s temporary,’” he had told me, and I realized Trevor was no typical rich asshole. 
I hold Adeline tight and move from in front the door. I’m squeezing her, repeatedly kissing her cheek, grateful to see her face. When I think I’ve composed myself, I pull back and ask her to head upstairs so she can cleanup and dress before her play date. She runs up the stairs to her room, and I rush into Trevor’s waiting arms. 
I’m holding him a little awkward because of my coffee cup, but Trevor has me completely engulfed in a strong embrace. “What are you going to do?”
He takes a breath before answering. “I reserved a room at a hotel in town.”
“Why?” I give him a confused look. “You know you can stay here. Adeline has gone through so many changes. Her room is familiar, and we have a routine.” I smile before adding, “The two of you are here over ninety percent of the day anyway.”
Trevor gives me a smile and I pray he agrees. I make one more attempt at getting my way, but this next statement is equally as true as the last. “I’m so happy you and Adeline are safe. To even give the smallest of my energy to the thoughts of what could have happened… I want to lock you both away so you’re safe forever. Right now I need you to say yes, Trevor.”
​

Do you like friends to lovers romance? Well, I have a treat for you! Reese Ryan and I have put our heads together to promote our friends to lovers romance novels with an awesome contest for readers.

​My book is Just Friends, currently part of the Johnson Family series 3-book box set. Hers is an interracial romance titled His Until Midnight. Before I tell you anymore about her book and give you the details about the contest, learn more about Reese in the interview below. 
​

​What was the first job you ever had? 
I had a paid summer writing internship during high school, which I completely forgot about until this question. LOL.
 
What are you currently reading and enjoying?  
I just finished RAFE: A Buff Male Nanny by Rebekah Weatherspoon, which I absolutely adored. And I’m currently reading Tikka Chance on Me by Suleikha Snyder.
 
Favorite romantic movie(s)? 
There are many. Pretty Woman, Brown Sugar, Hitch. The Wedding Planner, Wedding Date, My Best Friend’s Wedding, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Notice a theme? ;-)
 
If you could only eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would it be? 
Salmon is one of the few foods I love enough to eat every day.
 
Is there anything you want to do this year that you’ve never done before? 
Yes. The idea for a romantic thriller series has been brewing in my head for the past five years or so. In 2019, I hope to finally plot the entire series and complete Book One.
 
His Until Midnight is a friends-to-lovers story. What makes Tessa and Ryan’s friendship so special? 
What I enjoy about writing friends-to-lovers stories is that the couple already has an established relationship and shared history to pull from. Tessa and Ryan have been best friends since they were very young children, plus they’re next door neighbors. So they’re incredibly close. That warmth, familiarity and history is evident in their teasing banter. As is the subconscious flirtation that’s constantly going on between these two.
 
What was your favorite scene in His Until Midnight? 
In this book, I don’t have a favorite single scene. I love the entire fantasy weekend that Tessa and Ryan spend together in Dallas. It’s sweet and romantic but also smoking hot. They know each other so well. Yet, in exploring this new aspect of their relationship, they’re both feeling vulnerable and unsure. Confession: I’ve read that section of the book five or six times and counting. 
 
What are your writing goals for 2019? 
The last few years, I’ve had a pretty ambitious writing schedule and 2019 is shaping up to be the same. I’ll be writing four books and at least one novella. I’m most excited about the April release of the next book in my Bourbon Brother series, writing the next books in my Bourbon Brothers series and an anthology with Brenda Jackson this summer. 
​

​Excerpt of His Until Midnight
 
“It’s time for the surprise you gents have been waiting for this evening. Fellas, please welcome our lone bachelorette, Miss Tessa Noble.”
 
Ryan pulled out his phone. He’d promised Tripp that he’d record his sister’s big debut.
 
There was a collective gasp in the room as Tessa stepped out onto the stage. Ryan moved away from the bar, so he could get a better view of his friend.
 
His jaw dropped, and his phone nearly clattered to the ground.
 
“Tess?” Ryan choked out the word, then silently cursed himself, realizing his stunned reaction would end up on the video. He snapped his gaping mouth shut as he watched her strut across the stage in a glamorous red pantsuit that seemed to be designed for the express purpose of highlighting her killer curves.
 
Damn, she’s fine.
 
He wasn’t an idiot. Nor was he blind. So he wasn’t oblivious to the fact that his best friend also happened to be an extremely beautiful woman. And despite her tomboy wardrobe, he was fully aware of the hot body buried beneath relaxed fit clothing. But today...those curves had come out to play.
 
As if she was a professional runway model, Tess pranced to the end of the stage in strappy, glittery heels, put one hand on her hip and cocked it to the side. She seemed buoyed by the crowd’s raucous reaction.
 
First there was the collective gasp, followed by a chorus of Oh my Gods. Now the crowd was whooping and shouting.
 
A slow grin spread across her lips, painted a deep, flirtatious shade of red that made him desperate to taste them. She turned and walked back toward where Rachel stood, revealing a large, heart-shaped cutout that exposed the warm brown skin of her open back. A large bow was tied behind her graceful neck.
Tessa Noble was one gift he’d give just about anything to unwrap.
She was incredibly sexy with a fiercely confident demeanor that only made him hunger for her more.
 
Ryan surveyed the crowd. He obviously wasn’t the only man in the room drooling over Tessa 2.0. He stared at the large group of men who were wide-eyed, slack-jawed and obviously titillated by the woman on stage.
 
Tessa’s concerns that no one would bid on her were obviously misplaced. There were even a couple of women who seemed to be drooling over her.
 
Ryan’s heart thudded. Suddenly, there wasn’t enough air in the tented, outdoor space. He grabbed his auction paddle and crept closer to the stage.
 
Rachel read Tessa’s bio aloud, as Alexis had done with the bachelors who’d gone before her. Tessa stood tall with her back arched and one hand on her hip. She held her head high as she scanned the room.
 
Was she looking for him?
 
Ryan’s cheeks flushed with heat. A dozen emotions percolated in his chest, like some strange, volatile mixture, as he studied his friend on stage. Initially, he wanted to rush the stage and drape his jacket over her shoulders. Block the other men’s lurid stares. Then there was his own guttural reaction to seeing Tess this way. He wanted to devour her. Kiss every inch of the warm, brown skin on her back. Glide his hands over her luscious bottom. Taste those pouty lips.
 
He swallowed hard, conscious of his rapid breathing. He hoped the video wasn’t picking that up, too.

Get your copy here:​

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Google
Add to Goodreads  

Visit Reese's book page (www.reeseryan.com/books) and my book page (www.delaneydiamond.com/books) and enter the name of one of our series and a title from that series in the form below for a chance to win! Or click here to open the form in your browser. 

• 1st place: $25 winner's choice gift card (Amazon, B&N, iTunes, or Starbucks) and reader’s choice of an ebook from each of our backlists.
• 2nd place: Reader's choice of an ebook from each of our backlists.
• Eligibility: Open to U.S. and international readers.
• Deadline to enter: January 13, 2019 at 11:59 PM EST

Author Bio 
Reese Ryan, a panelist at the 2017 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books and the 2018 Donna Hill Breakout Author award winner, writes sexy, deeply emotional romances with family drama, surprising secrets, and a posse of deliciously-flawed characters.
 
Reese resides in semi-small town North Carolina where she’s an avid reader with a serious 1-click addiction and a music junkie with a thing for brilliant singer/songwriters and quirky musicals.
 
Visit Reese at ReeseRyan.com and join her VIP Readers email list for free reads, cover reveals, sneak peeks, reader giveaways, and more.  

Connect with Reese online 
Website: http://ReeseRyan.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReeseRyanWrites
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReeseRyanWrites/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reeseryanwrites/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7048347.Reese_Ryan
Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Reese-Ryan/e/B00CD31WJ0/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/reese-ryan

​This week, I'm having an audiobook tour to promote my interracial romance series, Love Unexpected!

The audiobooks are available wherever you get audiobooks: Audible, Downpour, Audiobooks.com, Nook, Kobo, Overdrive (ask your librarian if you can't find them here), and many more places. 

To celebrate, there are prizes (of course!). Just enter below using the Rafflecopter widget. And I've cut prices on the ebooks anywhere from $1 to $2. So now is a good time to snag copies if you haven't already. 

The Blind Date (Love Unexpected #1)

One night changes everything . . . again.
Years ago, when Ryan Stewart saw Shawna Ferguson, it was love at first sight. Unfortunately, he wasn’t a free man, and his deception caused him to lose her after a weekend that changed his life.

When Shawna’s sister and brother-in-law set her up on a blind date, she has no idea it’s with Ryan, with whom she’d spent a weekend she wishes she could forget. She reluctantly agrees to finish the date with him, but doing so leaves her vulnerable to his charms and the heat he ignited in her that very first night. 

The Wrong Man (Love Unexpected #2)

They have nothing in common. So why can’t they stay away from each other?
Construction foreman Tomas Molina has no desire to settle down. He enjoys the single life too much, with all the choices of women available to him. But when ad executive Talia Jackson becomes single again, they start an affair that has him questioning his beliefs about relationships. And the next thing he knows, he’s the one demanding exclusivity.

Talia Jackson has always done what’s right. Gone to the right schools, worn the right clothes, and married the right man. Seeking a boost when her marriage ends in divorce, she finds comfort in the arms of Tomas Molina, a man who makes her feel alive in a way she never has before. Then an unexpected result of their affair forces her to make a tough decision—stay in the world she’s known all her life, or make a future with the man she’s grown to love. 

An Unexpected Attraction (Love Unexpected #3)

They didn’t mean to fall in love…
Brenda Morrison has known Jay Santorini for years, but he’s off limits. He’s her friend’s ex-husband, and except for one slip-up, they’ve always had a platonic relationship. But now that she’s back in Atlanta, the smoldering attraction between them is much harder to resist.

Jay has always kept a hands-off approach to Brenda, and the time they spend together starts out innocently enough, or so he pretends. Because the truth is, Jay has feelings for her, and those feelings are anything but innocent.

The Right Time (Love Unexpected #4)

She’s just what he needs… 
What happens in the Bahamas should stay in the Bahamas. That was the plan, until the woman Ransom Stewart hooked up with made an appearance at his law firm. He knows he should stay from her. He knows he should leave her alone. But for some reason, he can’t.

Revenge sex. That’s what Sophie Bradshaw told herself the night with Ransom was all about. One night, to punish her boyfriend for years of neglect that culminated in a painful betrayal. She knows she should stay away from Ransom. She knows she should leave him alone. But for some reason…she can’t.

One of the Guys (Love Unexpected #5)

He makes her feel like a woman…
Mechanic Ronnie Taylor spends most of her time with men. As such, she’s always been tough, but Diego Molina makes her feel the opposite of tough. The big Cuban is brash, bold, and gets under her skin. She finally has to admit the reason he annoys her isn’t because she dislikes him. It’s because she likes him a little too much.

When Diego turns the tables on Ronnie, he uncovers the sensual woman hiding underneath. But past regrets threaten to derail their new relationship. Before they can get to forever, they must trust that they’ve found what they’ve been looking for all along.

That Time in Venice (Love Unexpected #6)

She has never forgotten Venice. Neither has he. 
Reed Stewart is busy with his daughter. Anika Taylor is busy with her career. Then they run into each other years after a trip that turned their lives upside down. When Reed hires Anika’s interior design firm to redecorate his home, the attraction between them burns just as strong as ever. But Anika has a painful secret. If she shares it, she runs the risk of losing Reed for good.

Available wherever audiobooks are sold
audible | audiobooks | itunes | nook audiobooks | downpour | kobo audiobooks

​

Thank you to following bloggers for helping me spread the word. ❤️

Monday, Dec. 3
Shay Books Reviews & Recommendations: Spotlight & Review

Rosanna Leo: Spotlight

Tuesday, Dec. 4
Harper’s Court: Spotlight & Review

Wednesday, Dec. 5
Nesie’s Place: Spotlight

Thursday, Dec. 6
love notes by tia… the blog: Spotlight ​

Friday, Dec. 7
Empi Baryeh: Spotlight

Delaney Diamond is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sweet, sensual, passionate romance novels, born and raised in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She reads romance novels, mysteries, thrillers, and a fair amount of nonfiction. When she’s not busy reading or writing, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. To get sneak peeks, notices of sale prices, and find out about new releases, visit her website and join her mailing list. Enjoy free reads and the first chapter of all her novels at www.delaneydiamond.com.

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I make no secret of the fact that I’m a foodie, and food often plays a prominent role in my stories because, well, I love to eat. LOL. I often seek out local restaurants that serve cuisine from other countries to experience the authenticity of international dishes, and living in Atlanta makes that easy to do. Then those same dishes end up in my books.
 
In PRINCESS OF ZAMIBIA, Dahlia was introduced to the cuisine of South Africa (though she moved to a fictional west African country), through peri-peri chicken. There’s a South African restaurant in Atlanta named 10 Degrees South, and their food is delicious! That’s where I first learned about peri-peri chicken and other dishes from that part of the continent.
 
In the book I also mention biltong, a dried cured meat, also from South Africa. I haven’t had the pleasure of trying it yet, but it’s on my list. Lucky me, there’s a place called Biltong Bar in Atlanta where I can try out different varieties. My understanding is that it’s like beef jerky. That’s not something I usually eat, but I’d still like to experience the South African version.  
 
Lindsay in WILD THOUGHTS loved Mexican food, and Malik introduced her to his taqueria spot on Buford Highway in Atlanta. Buford Highway really is called International Corridor and if you’re ever in Atlanta, drive through and you’ll see why. Aside from the signs in foreign languages, there are plenty of restaurants and bakeries on either side of the highway that offer all sorts of international cuisines. You could spend years going through all the options, if you were so inclined.
 
Taquerias are all over Atlanta, and when I’m in the mood for cheap and authentic Mexican, I visit any of the ones near my home. The tortas are filling, and you can get two to three tacos stuffed with meat and fixings for five or six bucks. You can’t beat that.  
​

A POWERFUL ATTRACTION is only available on Amazon but will be available everywhere else on February 1, 2019.

I can count on one hand how many live interviews I've done over the years. So, when Kimberly Kaye of WFKX 96Kix in Tennessee invited me on the air as the Author of the Week to discuss Wild Thoughts and my other work, my initial thought was to decline. But I learned it's only a five-minute segment. I agreed to do it because I figured I could handle five minutes.

You know what, I didn't die. LOL. And five minutes goes by very quickly! The interview turned out to be seven minutes total, and it's below.  ​Hope you enjoy it! 
​

I'm so excited! Wild Thoughts (Brooks Family, #3) is doing really well, and I'm happy for all the love Malik and Lindsay are getting from readers. To help spread the word about the novel, I worked with Honey Magnolia PR to set up a one-day book blitz and a giveaway. 

Enter using the Rafflecopter link below. Then visit the blogs and social media sites of the hosts helping me spread the word. Good luck! ?
​

It started with a little white lie...
Lindsay Winthrop’s weekly podcast on sex and dating has garnered thousands of listeners across the country, thanks to experience with a loving fiancé she’s been with for years. Except, her husband-to-be doesn’t exist, and now she’s in a bind. With a book deal on the line, she has to find a man fast, and Malik Brooks might be just the man she’s looking for. 

If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay away from her... 
A few years ago, Malik gave up sex and now works hard as a metal sculptor. In doing so, he’s created enough pieces to fill a gallery, and his vow of celibacy has kept him focused. When a major deal falls through, Lindsay makes him an offer he can’t refuse, and all he has to do is pretend to be her fiancé. Sounds easy at first, but after one kiss, he wants more. Then things really get interesting.​

Amazon | BN | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo | Add to Goodreads

GIVEAWAY
Prize: $10 gift card and signed copy of Do Over (Brooks Family #2) by Delaney Diamond
End Date: September 17, 2018 at 12:00 AM
Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba335dad2/?
​

TOUR HOSTS
​Books by DL White
Love Read Listen
Shay_Books Reviews and a Recommendations
Nesie's Place
Sharon C. Cooper, Just thinking...
Harper's Court
Small Queer, Big Opinions

Trope: older woman, younger man
Subgenre: interracial romance
Heat level: sensual
​
Sadie Jackson’s trip takes an interesting turn the night before she leaves Chicago. A chance encounter with a handsome stranger awakens her desires and just might change the entire course of her life.​

Episode 1     Episode 2 ​     Episode 3      Episode 4

​Sadie sipped coffee looking out the kitchen window of her little ranch house in a suburb of Atlanta. Outside, her son, Bradley, Jr., was washing her car. He’d become protective ever since his father passed away, taking over the tasks Senior used to do when he was alive.

Her daughter lived in New York, but she suspected Bradley remained in the Atlanta area because he wanted to stay close and worried about her being alone. Not just being alone in the house, but being alone in general. In fact, a year ago he suggested she start dating again, something that had seemed out of the question before. Over thirty years with the same person could do that to you. It seemed as if no one else could compare, but six weeks after her one-night stand in Chicago, she knew that wasn’t true. 

She still relived those moments with Mark. The conversation, the sex. Mind-blowing sex that still made her body pulse with heat at the memory of it. She hadn’t told a soul. Not even her best friend, Gail, who would probably yell at her for keeping such a juicy secret. She might tell her one day, but not yet.

Sadie poured the rest of her coffee down the drain and stepped away from the window. One of Bradley’s friends was coming over in a little bit. Someone from his college days. They hadn’t been particularly close, but they’d lived in the same dorm and run in the same circles. Apparently the young man had recently moved to the area. They ran into each other at one of the hardware stores.

She puttered around the kitchen, doing a little cleanup for the company that was to arrive, and then went into her office with a fresh cup of coffee. Donning glasses, she sat behind the desk and started to read essays written by her summer students. As the chair of the African-American Studies department at Emory University, she taught one summer course, not out of obligation but out of a desire to share the history and culture of African peoples with her students. So many students, of all races, had a limited knowledge of the roles blacks played in the building of this country. She took great pleasure in sharing stories about the statesmen, entrepreneurs, laborers, extended families, and brave soldiers that lay hidden in the annals of U.S. history.

Thirty minutes after she began to work, she heard her son’s voice. “Mom! My friend's here. Where are you?"

“In my office. I’ll be right there.”

Sadie removed her glasses and stood, grabbing the now lukewarm leftover coffee before walking down the hall into the small kitchen. When she saw the man standing behind her son, she froze. Heat flushed her skin and her lips parted in surprise. The cup dropped and splintered into pieces on the tile.

“Mom!” Bradley rushed over. “Don’t move.”

Sadie stared at the man in the doorway, who also stared back at her, surprise in his powder blue eyes. Mark, looking just as impressive as the day she’d left him on the steps of the hotel. His blonde hair was cut a little short, his beard trimmed neater, but it was him. Tall, handsome, and very fine looking in a chest-hugging T-shirt and worn jeans.

She edged out of the way as her son quickly mopped up the spilled drink with a towel and swept up the chards of glass with a dustpan and broom. By the time he was finished, Sadie had managed to fix her face into an expression that no longer registered surprise, and so did Mark.

Her son took a deep breath. “Okay, now that’s out of the way.” Grinning, he looped an arm around her shoulders. “Mom, this is Mark Sullivan--Doctor Mark Sullivan. We went to school together. You probably don’t remember him, but when you and dad dropped me off at college, Mark was one of the people hanging out in the main sitting area. You know, where students were huddled together eating pizza and playing cards and all that? Anyway, after you and Dad left, I hung out with him and a few other guys. That’s how we met.”

“Y-you were there when I dropped off my son?” Sadie asked.

“Yes,” Mark answered.

That explained why she looked vaguely familiar to him. But she hadn’t seen him or she would have remembered his face, his body. Or maybe she did see him, but he’d been much younger then, probably without a beard, maybe leaner. She barely remembered that day, it was so long ago, but she did have a distinct memory of the heartache and worry she experienced leaving her eighteen-year-old behind. She’d even cried a little on the way home.

“Mark, this is my mother, Dr. Sadie Jackson, chair of the African-American Studies department at Emory University.”

Would he out her? Would he disclose to her son that not only had she lied about her name, but that they’d spent the night together?

“Nice to meet you. Your son has said so many good things about you, I feel as if I already know you.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too.”

They shook hands like strangers, but there was nothing strange about the pulse of electricity on her skin when they touched. She stifled a moan at the way her body came alive. Her palms heated and a gentle throb emerged between her thighs as if he’d touched her there.

Overwhelmed, Sadie pulled back and curled her fingers into a fist at her hip.

“Mark, let me take a run to the bathroom real quick, then we can head out,” Bradley said.

“Where are you going?” Sadie faced her son in an effort to beat back the uncontrollable way she’d reacted to Mark.

“He just moved here, so I’m going to show him some of the sights. Oh, Mom, you could probably help him get acclimated to his new job. That’s why I wanted you to meet. He just accepted a position in the English department at Emory. You guys are going to be co-workers.” Bradley grinned. “Be back in a second.”

Sadie waited until she heard the door close before she ventured a look at Mark.

“So we meet again, Sadie,” he said, a soft smile coming over his face. 

She didn’t miss the emphasis on her name. Meeting him again was incredible. What were the chances?

"I was right. I did recognize you. I knew I could never forget a face like yours," Mark whispered. 

Sadie put a hand to her throat, unable to digest that he was really standing there, in her kitchen, looking as if he wanted to sweep her up in his arms. “It seems you were right. So, you’ll be working at Emory?"

“Yes.”

“And you’re friends with my son.”

He nodded.

She didn’t know what to think about any of this. She certainly couldn’t tell her son about the night she spent with Mark. That would be too awkward. What would the conversation be like? Oh honey, by the way, I had a one-night stand with your friend, Mark.

But at the same time, she knew her life was about to change drastically. In the weeks since she’d slept with him, she’d been on a grand total of two dates and neither had been as fulfilling or interesting as the night she spent with Mark.

And now, here he was before her again, their lives somehow intertwined. Could it be Fate, bringing them back together again?

This time she couldn’t escape. This time, she didn’t want to.
​
Sadie allowed herself a smile. “I'm...very happy to see you again. Welcome to Atlanta.”

Trope: older woman, younger man
Subgenre: interracial romance
Heat level: sensual
​
Sadie Jackson’s trip takes an interesting turn the night before she leaves Chicago. A chance encounter with a handsome stranger awakens her desires and just might change the entire course of her life.

Episode 1     Episode 2 ​     Episode 3     ​Episode 4     Episode 5

Mark insisted on breakfast, and Sadie agreed. She buttered toast across from him in the suite, having ordered breakfast for two up to the room instead of going downstairs. That was a selfish act on her part. She’d wanted to spend more time with him and not get distracted by servers and other diners.

Even though she knew she’d never see him again, she didn’t want the interlude to end. She wished she had met him when she first arrived in Chicago so they could have those few extra nights to enjoy each other’s company. To talk. To have sex.

Mark had reawakened her sexuality, and she’d never be the same moving forward. She’d always enjoyed the act with her husband. He was, however, the only man she’d ever had intercourse with. But Mark was good. Gentle and considerate, but giving her intensity and roughness when she needed it.

They made love twice last night. She’d initiated the second time. Waking up to his warm body next to hers, she’d immediately become aroused and woke him up with kisses and her hands stroking over his firm body. In the dark, their bodies had joined together again, hard rubbing soft, hairy against smooth. Until another orgasm had soared within them both, leaving them once again gasping and laughing at the pleasure they’d experienced.

 “Why were you in the bar last night?” Sadie asked.

“Trying to get away from my crazy family for a little bit.” Mark laughed softly. “I come from a big family, and I needed time alone from them. I love coming to visit, but they can be a bit much.”

“I understand. I don’t have a very big family, but they can be a bit much, too.”

They both laughed.

They ate in silence for a few minutes before he broke it.

“When can I see you again?”

Sadie sipped her coffee and then set the cup carefully in the saucer. “You can’t.”

“Olivia—”

“This was a one-time thing.”

“Did you not enjoy yourself?”

“Yes. Absolutely. I enjoyed myself much more than I expected.” Fortunately, her dark complexion hid the heat that rose in her cheeks. “But realistically, we both know there’s nothing that’s going to come from this. You go back to California and your job search, and I’ll go back to my very sedate life as a mother and administrator.”

He rested his forearms on the table, angling his body toward her. “It doesn’t have to be that way.”

“It does. You’re young, you have your whole life ahead of you. I’ve lived my life.”

“You talk as if you’re dying. You can’t be much older than fifty, and I’m only saying that because you told me you have a son my age.”

“I’m much older than fifty.” Sadie clasped her hands on the table. “Listen, I don’t do casual. At my age, I want something more, something more meaningful. A relationship. Companionship.”

“And you think you can’t have a meaningful relationship with a man my age. Period.” His eyebrows arrowed down over his nose and he sounded offended.

“Like I said, you have your whole life ahead of you. You should marry someone your own age, have your own kids.”

“I didn’t say anything about marriage. I just want to get to know you better.”

“Isn’t that part of the problem? At my age, I’m thinking about marriage. I’m thinking long term.”

Mark let out a harsh breath. “I enjoyed myself with you and our conversation, and I want to see you again. I want to make love to you again. I want to be inside you again. If you enjoyed yourself, why wouldn’t you want to do the same?”

“I do want to do the same.”

“Then…” Exasperation laced his voice.

What was the hesitation? They couldn’t work.

“You live in California. I live in Georgia. We live on opposite sides of the country. If that’s not enough, the age difference is a factor. I know it doesn’t mean much to you,” she said, holding up a hand as he opened his mouth to object, “but it is a problem for me. I have to be realistic, and I know myself. I don’t want to get my emotions tangled up in a man I don’t have a future with. What happened last night was special to me, yes, because I’ve never experienced anything like that before. You have no idea what you’ve done for me, and I appreciate it. You’ve lit a spark that makes me realize I can go back out there and start dating again.”

“I suppose I should be happy I made such a difference in your life. But in all honesty, I’m jealous of the man who gets to be with you after me. I feel as if I’ve paved the way, not for myself, but for someone else to slip in. That doesn’t make me very happy.” He tossed a crumpled napkin onto the table.

Goodness, he was charming. She was almost tempted to give in. But she knew she couldn’t. It didn’t make sense. They didn’t make sense.

“Can we at least exchange numbers?” he asked.

“No,” she said softly. She stretched her hand across the table and held his. He squeezed her fingers.

“I have to admit that I’m extremely disappointed, but I understand,” he said.

“Thank you.”

They finished breakfast. When they went downstairs, he helped her put her luggage into the taxi. They then held hands for long seconds, staring into each other’s eyes.

“Thank you,” he said.

“For what?”

“You were just what I needed, too. Now I know what to look for in the next woman I date. I need the same spark. I believe it can happen again, but the next woman has a tough job making me feel the same way I did with you.”

Sadie stroked his jaw and raised up on her toes. They kissed gently before pulling apart.

“Until we meet again,” Mark said, his gaze holding hers.

How sweet. He believed they would see each other again. Maybe. As far she was concerned, if it was meant to be, then they would.

“Until we meet again,” she repeated.

Sadie climbed into the taxi and waved goodbye as they pulled away. The visit had turned into a much better trip than she’d ever expected, but as she settled into the seat, a smile of regret touched her lips and an ache settled in her chest.
​
Should she have at least exchanged numbers with Mark? Had she made a mistake? 

Trope: older woman, younger man
Subgenre: interracial romance
Heat level: sensual
​
Sadie Jackson’s trip takes an interesting turn the night before she leaves Chicago. A chance encounter with a handsome stranger awakens her desires and just might change the entire course of her life.

​Episode 1     Episode 2 ​     Episode 3      Episode 4     Episode 5

Sadie’s heart tripped over itself when the door closed behind them and she was ensconced in the dark hotel room with Mark—a sexy stranger she no longer considered a stranger.

She’s never done anything like this before in her life. Inviting a man up to her room after meeting him in a bar and knowing him for less than two hours, was completely unheard of. But Sadie realized this was exactly what had been missing from her life. Spontaneity. A sense of excitement. Something that made her want to breathe again. Because the truth was, for the past five years, she been going through the motions. Stopped breathing. Stopped living.

For so long she’d been worried that maybe she wasn’t ready to start dating again. Worried she didn’t even understand the rules of dating. Yet here she was, standing in her hotel suite, body humming with desire, and a virile, younger man, looking at her as if he would tear her ass up in that bed. This was exactly what she wanted, needed. To be tossed around, to be made to feel beautiful, even if only for one night.

They removed their clothes and fell onto the bed, limbs entangled around each other in sudden urgency. His mouth plied her with a sensuous kiss as he cupped the back of her head, fingers curled into a gentle cradle against her thick hair. His skin was amazingly soft over the hard muscle. She grated her nails along the curve of his tight bottom and smoothed her palms over the hard deltoids of his back.

His mouth moved with delicious intensity over her skin, and she arched her neck into the kiss of his lips, letting out a soft moan when his hands filled with her aching breasts. Sadie twisted and turned, nipples hard, skin on fire.

Mark rolled over so that she lay on top of him, and she kissed his hairy cheek and nipped at his neck. She loved how a man smelled and missed how they tasted. Mark smelled indescribably good—a mixture of cologne and the natural scent of a man, and the taste on the tip of her tongue was salty yet sweet. The differences in textures aroused her even further, and she smoothed her hand down over his hair-sprinkled chest and over his abdomen to the tuft of hair surrounding his enlarged shaft. He gasped when she grasped him and groaned, rolling her suddenly onto her back.

His mouth and tongue moved roughly against hers. Devouring. Consuming. He traced a moist circle around a nipple before sucking it into his mouth and squeezing the other with his fingers.

“Yes,” Sadie purred, arching into him. Her hands climbed into his soft hair and cupped the back of his head to keep him in place. She could scarcely breathe. Her entire body ached so much she became one tightened mass of hunger in his arms.

The urgency in his hands increased as he grabbed her bottom and squeezed, tugging her hard against his stiffened length. Their grinding hips created a friction that made her tremble to her core, eyes shut tight as she buried her face in his neck and moaned his name like an incantation.

She watched with relief as Mark slipped on a condom. When he entered her body, the swift movement made her gasp and sink her nails into his shoulders.

“You feel incredible, Olivia,” he gasped.

Regret, for a moment, that she hadn’t heard him say her real name when the softly spoken words fell from his lips.

“So do you,” Sadie whispered, her voice trembling.

She shoved her fingers into his short, silky hair, gripping his head, and undulating her hips as a frenzy of sensation buffeted her body from head to toe. His kisses didn’t stop just because he was inside her. His rough beard feathered over her skin as he drizzled affection on her lips, her eyes, her mouth, her jaw, her throat—everywhere. Even her shoulders. Increasing the impression of absolute possession. She drowned in his touch. She drowned in him.

Like riding a bicycle, her body remembered everything she needed to do. She bound his waist with her legs and held him close. She bit his ear and licked his neck. She let her hands coast down over his shoulder blades to the middle of his back, over the firm, muscular flesh like someone reading braille.

She closed her eyes and memorized every contour as she rode out the powerful strokes delivered by his thrusting hips. His hard length plowed into her, sliding through her wetness. Without ceasing, their bodies moved continuously against each other, their movements becoming frenzied as her groans shifted into high-pitched whimpers.

When at last the orgasm came, it rippled with unexpected force through her hips and exploded in a cacophony of sensation that dragged a hoarse cry from the depths of her throat.

Perhaps it was the sound of her own release, or perhaps he was already very close, but Mark immediately let out a low growl, a guttural sound that filled her ears. His body tightened above hers as he let loose, gasping like a man whose breath had been snatched from his lungs.
​
Afterward, as they lay together, her body touching his from chest to toes, he kissed her closed lids.

Brushing back the hair from her face, he whispered, “Wow.”
​
Overwhelmed but satisfied, Sadie snuggled closer. She smiled. “Yeah. Wow.” ​

Trope: older woman, younger man
Subgenre: interracial romance
Heat level: sensual
​
Sadie Jackson’s trip takes an interesting turn the night before she leaves Chicago. A chance encounter with a handsome stranger awakens her desires and just might change the entire course of her life.

​Episode 1     Episode 2 ​     Episode 3      Episode 4     Episode 5

“You said you’re here for work. What type of work do you do?” Mark asked.

They strolled down the sidewalk, abuzz with activity, as usual. Pedestrians passed back and forth from late night dinners or exploring the city on foot from one of the many hotels along the side streets. Chicago contained everything anyone could want—all sorts of entertainment, sporting events, diverse shopping options, and plenty of places to dine. To top it off, you got the big city feel but with a mid-western flavor. It was one of her favorite places to visit.

“I work in administration, at a university.”

“We have a little something in common, then.” He glanced at her.

“We do? Are you in administration, too?”

“No, but I’m an English professor at a small liberal arts college in California. I’m visiting my parents for the summer as I try to figure out where I want to teach next.”

“A man who knows his way with words. I better be careful around you. You’re not correcting my grammar as we speak, are you?”

“You don’t have a problem with grammar at all,” he said, giving her a sideways glance.

“How long have you been teaching?”

“Not very long. Only a couple of years since I earned my PhD.”

“In that case, you’re Dr. Mark.”

He chuckled. “Yes, and my mother is very proud, and after I earned my letters, she made sure to tell all her friends, everyone at church, even the people at the supermarket know I have a doctorate.”

They were both walking very slowly, as if neither of them wanted the conversation to end. As they neared the hotel where she stayed, Sadie experienced a sense of loss, as if they’d already parted ways. She already missed him, even though they’d only been chatting for a little while.

She stopped in front of the building, bright lights spilling from the doorway. “This is my hotel.”

He looked up at the brightly lit entrance, his face transforming into a thoughtful frown. “Would it be too much to ask you to continue walking with me, for just a few more minutes. I’ve been enjoying our conversation.”

The sincerity in his eyes moved her, but she also experienced another sensation. Doubt.

“Mark, let’s lay our cards on the table. What’s going on with you? Do you have some kind of older woman fetish?”

“Older woman fetish? Is that a thing?” Once again he looked amused.

“You’d be surprised what kind of fetishes there are. Look, this is all very flattering. And you’ve made me feel as if I’m quite the catch this evening, but this is where the game ends.”

“I don’t consider spending time with you a game, Olivia. I would like to get to know you better. I would even like for us to stay in touch, after you leave, if you’re willing.”

“You don’t even know where I live.”

He stepped closer. “Then why don’t you tell me.”

It was hard to ignore the chemistry between them, like a force of some kind, making her skin prickly and alive. “You could be a very dangerous man,” she whispered.

“What I feel is very dangerous,” he said, following her lead and speaking in a low tone. There was an earnestness in his voice and determination in the set of his square jaw. “There are charges going through me, and I can’t say that’s happened very often, can you? Do you feel any of what I feel, at all?”

Sadie swallowed, unsure how much to admit. After all, she barely knew Mark. She’d lied about her name, but didn’t see any point in lying about her attraction to him. “I know what you feel. I feel it too, and it hasn’t happened to me in a very long time.”

“When was the last time you were drawn to another person in the same way?”

“A long time ago when my husband was alive. He passed away five years ago.”

His brow wrinkled. “I’m sorry.”

Sadie looked down at her fingers. She continued to wear her wedding and engagement rings for two years after her husband passed away, but they were ringless now. “The time we had together were the best years of my life. Because of him I have two beautiful children, a boy and a girl. And he took very good care of me. I can’t complain.”

“He was a lucky man. I can already tell.”

Sadie laughed softly. “You must be quite the charmer at your college.”

“Like I said, when I see something I want, I tend to go after it.”

“And you want me.”

“ From the minute I saw you at the bar, although…I feel like I’ve known you before. Maybe that’s part of why the attraction is so deep. Maybe we met in another life…?”

“Then why didn’t you approach me sooner at the bar?”

“Because I knew when I approached, I couldn’t give you any old line. And to be honest, I didn’t expect you to leave so soon.”

“So I messed up your plans.” She laughed. “Okay, Dr. Mark. You want to keep talking for a bit, let’s walk down to the waterfront.”

“I like that idea.”

He extended his arm and without hesitation, she took it. They strolled on past the hotel to continue their walk.
​
The power and strength of his muscles beneath the dress shirt sparked a thrill of excitement. Sadie smiled to herself. She sensed that before the night was over, she’d do something wicked and out-of-character, but anticipated the bad behavior nonetheless.