The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance has it’s US release this week, and it is a Must Buy for any fan of hot romance. This anthology has stories from 25 of the romance genre’s best storytellers. Authors like Saskia Walker, Portia DeCosta, Charlene Teglia, Shiloh Walker, Cathy Clamp, Lilith St.Crow, Delilah Devlin, Bonnie Edwards, and yes…me.
ROGUE HEART is the sequel to GYPSY HEART. It’s Miranda and Jakes story, and when I started it I thought I knew what was going to happen, but as usual, the characters surprised me. What surprised me even more is that as Iw as writing the story, I knew there was way more to it than I could fit into the short story format needed for the anthology. This has only happened to me once before, WIth SHIFT CHANGE, my short story in the Sex in the Office: Wicked Words Black Lace.
Shift Change was the start of Katie and Joe, and Bound was their story. While I am thrilled to get Miranda and Jake’s story out there, I know it’s just the start. I hope that when you read it, you get as excited to read the rest of their story, as I am to write it.
Here’s a taste of ROGUE HEART to tempt you.
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Miranda Grey glanced at the lone body in the pub when she came out of the office after locking everything up. The Zodiac was closed for the night, and she was finally alone with the man who’d been driving her crazy for the past two months.
Ex-military man turned pub cook Jake Wolf was the sexiest guy she’d ever met. Blond hair, blue eyes and muscles that bulged even when he was at rest made heat curl low in her belly every time she looked at him. During the past couple of months the man had made her realize just how hot desire could burn.
More importantly, Jake was the man who made her want to toss aside all the nice girl rules she’d grown up with and become the bold bad girl it would take to tame him. The question was, was she brave enough to actually go for it now that she had him alone?
Damn right she was.
Straightening her spine and pushing out her breasts the way she’d seen so many other women do, she ran a trembling hand over her hair, licked her lips and sauntered toward him. He kept his eyes on the pool table as he lined up a shot then sent the last colored ball into a pocket.
“Alone at last,” she said in what she hoped was a sultry voice. Yes, it was cheesy line, but it was all she could think of. She wasn’t exactly used to making the first move.
Jake’s lips tilted up at one corner. “Finally decided to go for it, huh darlin’?”
Damn it! Was she that obvious?
He’d been using casual touches and seductive smiles to taunt her sensually since the first day they met two months earlier. It was time to turn the tables on him.
Heart pounding, Miranda cocked a hip and studied him, unsure of exactly how to move forward without looking like the inexperienced idiot she felt like. She’d only had three lovers in her life, and none had gotten her as turned on as she was just standing there with Jake. Lord, how she wanted to get him naked and lick him all over. The heat in his eyes, and the butterflies that swarmed in her stomach every time he looked at her promised that he would open up a whole new world for her.
As if he could read her mind he set the pool cue on top of the table and turned to face her completely. “Well,” he said, holding his hands out, palms up. “Are you going to stand there all night, or are you going to take a taste?”
His challenge sent a ripple of pure hunger through her. Stepping forward until there were mere inches between them Miranda stood on her tiptoes, braced her hands on his shoulders and kissed him.
He stood still, his lips surprisingly soft and supple…and unmoving beneath hers. Heat built within as she rubbed and nuzzled at closed mouth until with a final frustrated growl she slid her hands into his hair to hold him and thrust her tongue between his lips hungrily. The instant her tongue touched his Jake came alive.
Firm hands circled her waist and pulled her flush against him as he pressed back and took control of the kiss … and of her heart rate.
Fire coursed through her veins and only his touch could put it out. Her sighs turned to moans then to growls as she rubbed and pressed against him. Miranda reveled in the hardness of his cock against her belly as her pulse raced and her insides trembled with her need. She did that. She made him hard with desire.
Jake pulled back, panting and staring deep into her eyes. “Are you sure you want this, Darlin’? I can’t promise you anything.”
“Can you promise me an orgasm?”
His lips twitched. “Yeah, I can promise you that.”
She slid her hands across his shoulders and pulled him against her again. “Then I’m sure.”
With a soft groan and a small shake of his head he kissed her again. Jake’s hands splayed across her back then moved up to cup her face as he deepened the kiss. But it wasn’t enough; he was going too slow, being too gentle. The fire in her blood demanded more from him.
Tearing her mouth out from under his she spoke before she thought. “Touch me, Jake,” she ordered as she met his heated gaze. Covering his hand with hers she led it to her aching breast. “Stop treating me like a damn virgin, and touch me like a woman.”
His eyes widened for a split second then his lips curled into a devilish grin. “Yes, M’am,” he said before he gripped her hips in both hands and lifted her onto the pool table. Stepping between her spread thighs he proceeded to do exactly that.
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Trivia Bit: This is my second time published in a Mammoth Book of... The second short story I ever wrote, was published in the Mammoth Book of Women’s Erotic Fantasies in 2004. This was when I first began writing and knew nothing about the industry and the story was published under my given name, and not as Sasha White, the pen name I started using at the urging of my Black Lace editor later that year.
Interestingly, both of the Mammoth anthologies I have stories in were edited by the fabulous Sonia Florens. I’m a lucky gal.