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Ménage |
Thriller, Gamers |
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by Kira Hillins |
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by Kira Hillins
Online gaming brought them together.
Small town Kansas girl Zoe Kearny never meant to befriend anyone in an online video game. But after a year of talking to Ben over the headset, he's traveled five hundred miles to meet her. Now she needs to prove to herself, and her two cynical friends, that a long distance relationship could work out, even if her violent ex-boyfriend works to ruin everything she's worked for.
Time can change a person, for better or worse.
He was proof of that. Guilt-laden Benjamin Solmer hit the bottle hard after his brother died in a motorcycle accident two years ago. If he hadn't met Zoe online when he did, alcohol would've driven him to the grave. Now he knows there’s more to life than video games and playing guitar in a rock band. He’s ready to pursue love. But with Zoe's fear that long distance relationships don't work, and deeply guarded secrets she won't reveal, he worries maybe Zoe's not the one.
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Content/Theme(s): Suspense, Thriller, Gamers
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: Loose Id
Excerpt, Grand Prize & More
Take You Away Purchase links: Loose Id Amazon ARe Google Kobo B&NTake You Away Excerpt:
Of all days to invade this sector of the world, they chose her birthday.
Darned aliens messed up Sonya’s plans to sit atop her brand-new lighthouse and flirt with Soljer. It took weeks to work up the courage to ask him to couple. Now with them descending from the sky, she wouldn’t get the chance.
Zoe Kearny tightened her grip on the Xbox controller. She breathed in deep through her nose, puckered her lips, and then exhaled slowly. No need to get angry. Couldn’t stop an inevitable war to celebrate a day they had no use for. Preventing aliens from taking over the world was, after all, part of the video game.
“Why now?” she whispered into her headset.
Ben chuckled. “Of all days to attack, huh?”
No doubt about it, great minds think alike. Or at least, similar minds wishing they weren’t spending their days five hundred miles apart.
Zoe glanced at the blurry picture on the bottom right corner of her TV screen. Yummy Benjamin Solmer. Soljer in games and the band he played guitar in on weekends. She liked to call him Ben.
Ben was her rock—a cool rock with deep green eyes and bangs sticking up in tufts. Enviable lashes matched short midnight hair perfectly groomed around the sexiest ears she’d ever seen.
The man was hot—melt-to-the-floor kind of hot. So hot she often wondered why he spent his spare time playing video games with her, a woman he’d never met before, when he could be with anyone he wanted.
“Want me to make quick work of this?” he asked.
“No, I got it.”
As tempting as it was to let him take over the fight, this was her moment to show off. She was so much better at this game than when they’d met outside the training grounds.
He’d invited her to his chat session two Christmases ago to scold her for carelessly, albeit accidentally, setting his virtual house on fire. She’d cried. He apologized for being a jerk and then invited her to be his acolyte.
“Just don’t burn down your lighthouse with a rogue fireball.”
She laughed. “You’ll never let me forget. Will you?”
“Never,” he said. “Wasn’t just my house you burned down. It was the entire village. I had to deal with a lot of pissed-off gamers that day.”
“Ah. Poor homeless gamers. You really are a hero, Ben.”
“Was that sarcasm?” He chortled. “Took two days to reconstruct twenty-five houses and move them to another town. Including my own house.”
She huffed. “Five more levels, then I can move there too. I think I’ll buy the house next door to you.”
He cleared his throat. “The town’s already banned you.”
“Are you serious?” she cried. “I have more chances of dying than setting anything on fire. Pfff…I’m going to die here anyway.”
Fireballs she could handle. Her problem was taking on too many aliens at a time. Too often she found herself staring up into a pixilated blue sky that turned gray as she died.
“I won’t let you die,” he said. “But it should be easy for you to take them out wearing the new robe I gave you.”
With +50 willpower, +35 endurance, and +15 fire magic, it was the best robe in the game at this level. The dark green garment went well with Sonya’s long blonde hair and huge green eyes. Golden streaks woven into the skirt and along the low-cut neckline sparkled in the sun.
If Sonya wore a tiara, she’d look like a princess instead of a fire sorceress. If the dress were pink and this were a fantasy game with dragons and castles and a handsome prince to kiss, then maybe. Defeating aliens, battling to save the world with a big-boobed cartoony character—this was sci-fi at its best.
“I hope you’re right,” she muttered.
“You’ll be fine. I’m right here if you need me.”
Zoe screamed inside. Darned aliens! Birthday confessions ruined, Soljer’s creator would remain oblivious to how she really felt. Today anyway. No cuddling or coupling. Only stopping the bad guys from taking over the world.
Clear bubble-shaped spaceships landed on white sands along the endless coastline. Some hovered over the azure sea. Others slowly descended to the car-lined parking lots. Fifteen ships and counting. Twenty by the time they stopped appearing in the blue sky. Red skulls with blinking eyes rotated around each ship, adding a nice touch to the battle theme.
Purple blobs with long, gangling limbs and sharp, pointy teeth emerged from the crafts. Zoe puckered her nose. Disgusting creatures. Oddly cute. She’d keep one as a virtual pet if they were nice, but they were evil, destructive monsters that left trails of purple goo in their wake.
The aliens demolished the lifeguard station on the beach, the kiddie pool near the bathrooms, and the bathrooms too. They’d leveled the ice-cream stand to the ground, which meant no more cotton-candy cones. When the little monsters headed for the lighthouse, the beloved place she’d bought last week with all her in-game money, Zoe moved Sonya in position.
“Here they come,” she sang.
She held down the B button. A giant orange fireball appeared between Sonya’s palms. Zoe released the button, sending the ball hurling across the sand. The first wave of aliens charred like purple marshmallows over a bonfire.
“Burn, baby, burn!” She released smaller but faster balls. Wicked laughter spilled from Zoe’s open mouth as the plum bodies blazed.
They were no match for her kick-ass sorceress. Two more big attacks and she’d rule the beach. Birthday saved! Maybe there was time for coupling after all.
Zoe shoved her thumb down on the B button again. Nothing happened. She tapped the button faster. The flames wouldn’t come. Her gaze slunk to the empty magic meter on the side of the screen.
“Darn it!”
“Use a potion,” Ben suggested calmly.
“I don’t have any more potions.”
“What happened to the vials I gave you last weekend?”
She cringed. Drinking a magic-renewal potion created a pretty blue aura around the user. She hadn’t the nerve to tell him she’d used them just to watch Sonya glow.
Soljer’s tall, muscular frame stepped forward, long black hair waving in the breeze. An arsenal of weapons hung on his back and at his side beneath a dark brown gunslinger’s jacket. He was so badass, all decked out in the highest-level epic gear. Way overpowered for this battle.
“I’ll take care of them,” Ben said.
Zoe moved Sonya between Soljer and the approaching aliens. “There’s only a few more, babe. I can still do this.”
“You don’t have any magic left.”
“Maybe I can beat them to death with my glowy-stick.”
Ben laughed. “You’re the only one I know who can make glowy-stick sound cute.”
If he were sitting beside her now, she was sure he’d see her cheeks turn the same color as her pink pajamas. “Just be quiet. I’m concentrating.”
Lips pursed, frazzled, Zoe backed Sonya up the sandy beach toward the lighthouse. Scary aliens followed, laughing, taunting, knowing she’d run out of the good stuff. Her tall, crooked wooden stick with a glowing green ball near the top wouldn’t be strong enough to beat them down. But dang it, she’d give it a try.
“Wait a minute,” Ben said, raising his voice. “Did you call me babe?”
Zoe brought her hand to her mouth and gasped. With her finger off the trigger, she couldn’t block the hopping purple globs. One leaped onto the hem of Sonya’s new robe. Another jumped on her arm. If she didn’t do something now, her character would lose her clothes and dignity at best. She’d die a horrific, blood-draining death, then have to run a million miles back to her naked body.
“Okay, help me.” She swallowed hard as Sonya’s life meter inched downward. “I’m dying here.” In more ways than one.
Lump in her throat, she watched her rock coolly unsheathe his gun and sword. Boom! Boom! The blobs on Sonya’s body fell dead to the ground. Slash! Purple blood splattered over the sand at her feet. Ten of them gone in seconds, and he hadn’t even suffered a scratch.
He was good—too good to be hanging with an epic failure such as her. Even with the pretty new half-eaten robe, she wasn’t worthy.
“Thanks, Ben,” Zoe muttered.
“Say it, Zoe.”
“Thanks, Ben…Soljer. Okay, I’ll say it. I suck at this game!”
“You called me babe.”
She slapped her forehead. Great. He’d never let her live this one down.
“You must have heard me wrong,” she said.
The clock read eight thirty p.m. It was time to fix something to eat, though she’d rather not disconnect her headset. Voicing with Ben was the highlight of her day, even when he gave her a hard time—especially when he gave her a hard time.
“I didn’t hear you wrong.”
“Heat of the moment?” Zoe said, sticking a low-fat frozen dinner in the microwave.
“Unlikely.”
“Okay, I said it. Did I offend you?”
“You can call me babe anytime you like…honey.”
Twenty-four years old and she laughed like a schoolgirl with a crush. Maybe her birthday wasn’t ruined after all.
“Honey is a bit old-fashioned, isn’t it?”
He hmm…’d . “I’ll call you pumpkin, then.”
“I’m flattered.” Hearing his sweet nickname for her warmed her face. “Pumpkins are edible in anything,” she continued nervously. “Muffins, breads, soups. Pumpkin pie is tasty.”
“Do you taste like pumpkin pie?” he asked softly.
Not knowing how to reply, she swallowed hard. Elbows on the counter, chin against her fists, she watched the numbers count down on the microwave.
“Zoe, did I lose you?”
“Sorry, did you say something? I was fixing dinner,” she replied, pretending she hadn’t heard his question. Such a golden opportunity to flirt with him, and yet she’d chickened out.
“You okay?”
Thunder growled in the distance. Rain pelted the side of the apartment. These were the woes of living on the end unit. Chills crawled over her skin at the thought of a tornado passing through, or worse, the electricity going out. She hated being alone in the dark.
“Yeah. We’re about to get a storm.”
The microwave beeped. The bamboo chimes hanging from the patio rafters out back chattered as if they’d blow away at any moment. Lightning flashed. Thunder shook the walls. The glassware in the kitchen cabinets rattled.
Zoe lifted her long golden strands off her shoulders, then tied them back with her favorite white tie. She pulled the plastic back from the tray of lasagna, then closed her eyes and breathed in sweet basil and tomato sauce.
She set her meal down on the coffee table in her tiny cream-colored living room. Her corduroy love seat wouldn’t win awards for the prettiest chair in the world, but it was comfy. Sinking down in the cushions was the best feeling in the world, besides eating a hot meal and talking to Ben.
The lights flickered. Another crack of thunder jangled knickknacks on the shelf beside the front window. She stuck a forkful of noodles in her mouth and watched Sonya on the TV screen. If the electricity went out, she was going to be livid.
“Hey, Zoe?”
Her skin tingled. The way he’d said her name, it sounded like he had something important to ask. She hoped this would be the big question, the one she’d waited a year for, the one where they’d meet for real in a coffee shop, fall desperately in love, and get married and live happily ever after.
Her heart beat a mile a second. “Yes, Ben?”
“I need to head out to the gig.”
Blah. Not what she wanted to hear.
It was Friday night. Bars hopped with hot women in skimpy dresses. Gorgeous guitar man Ben could have any woman he wanted. All he had to do was point, and they’d be on him like leeches in a Louisiana swamp. The image ruined the whole pumpkin-babe flirt.
Ben had a life in Denver, an exciting, busy life. He probably had a girlfriend or ten, ruining the happily-ever-after thought and making her feel like the dead alien lying in the sand at Sonya’s feet.
~~~~~~
Take You Away Purchase links: Loose Id Amazon ARe Google Kobo B&N
by Kira Hillins
Two hot men. Twice the danger.
Melanie Cranberry joined the dating service to meet a nice man, fall in love, and spend her nights cuddling in bed. Who knew that one five-dollar ticket for a raffle would win her two men instead of one? Now, per signed contract with Match Making For Happiness's Sake, she's required to go out on a date with each man to discover which will win her heart.
Prize number one, attorney Cage Niching, joined the dating service to find a woman to settle down with, or at least, to settle him down—after he finds out who murdered his friend. All he has to do is get admitted to the secret, invitation-only level of a certain sex club, and all he must do to get the invite is bring his Match Making date, Melanie Cranberry, prove they're in love, and have sex with her in front of as many witnesses as possible. Which doesn't look promising as long as her second date keeps hovering around her...
Prize number two, narcotics detective Victor Wine, wasn't looking for a date. Desperate to get the drug that killed his girlfriend off the streets, he's joined the dating service to get close to the woman who lives near the hangout of a major distributor. Only thing is, he actually likes the Cranberry woman, more than he wanted to. And now his investigation has put her right in the drug cartel's sights. Keeping her out of harm's way and playing the perfect date won't be easy. And there's something about her other date that raises his hackles...
Genre: Romance Suspense
Content/Theme(s): Attorney, Detective, Dating service, Ménage
Release Date: June 3, 2015
Publisher: Etopia Press
Grand Prize Purchase links: Etopia Amazon ARe Google Kobo B&NGrand Prize Excerpt:
Melanie’s eyes shifted to prize number two.
There was strikingly handsome Victor Wine.
Victor stood, dressed to kill in a black, long-sleeve shirt and slacks. His fabulous six-foot three body towered above everyone else. Short, jet-black hair. Bangs stuck up in tufts. Hazel eyes shimmered under the hanging lights over the stage. Fair skin and a shadowed jaw gave him a sophisticated look—a “don’t mess with me, I’m a badass” look no woman in her right mind could resist. A sense of safety and danger was all wrapped up into one gorgeous package.
Victor spoke in a deep, soft tone. Gooseflesh had spread over her body during their chat sessions. Parts of her ached for his touch. Rather than meet his striking, stern eyes, she’d kept her attention on the dark-brown panels of the walls in the room. Or she’d watch his long fingers tap against the top of the bistro table. When she found the courage to meet his gaze, she’d calmed the urge to wrestle him to the floor as if he were one of the bad guys he chased down on his job.
Their second session was worse. Thoughts of Victor ripping her dress from her body had invaded her mind. Fantasizing about his mouth over hers, and those strong, warm hands fondling her flesh had made their conversation about his career as a detective non-existent. Handcuffs had worked into her daydream before his remarkable voice brought her back to the bistro table—back to her senses. That’s when she’d realized drool had pooled at the corners of her mouth.
His dark brows had furrowed. An incredible grin had spread across his face as he cupped her burning cheek with his soft, cool hand. He’d dabbed her wet lips with the white cloth napkin from their table, setting her entire body ablaze.
Victor was toned, not overly muscled like Cage’s colossal physique. Victor had no flaws. None she could see anyway. He was perfect. Sweet. Intelligent. Courteous. Drop-dead gorgeous.
Each man had their pros. Both were beautiful. Both had remarkable careers. But Melanie’s desires swayed toward Victor. It seemed too good to be true that she’d met someone like him at a dating service. He didn’t belong here like the others.
As Melanie neared the men, Cage ran his palm over his shiny hair. His large muscles flexed as he placed a bouquet of red roses in her arms.
“Congratulations, Melanie,” he said in her ear. “I’m glad you won me. You’re conservative, but easily the best-looking gal in the room.”
She sighed when Cage pressed his warm lips against her cheek. Great. Plain Jane played in her mind again. Maybe she should’ve taken Samone’s advice and worn the short, blue V-neck dress that showed the inner curves of her breasts.
Victor palmed her back. Her body shuddered as he handed her a bouquet of pink roses. He’d told her he loved to see a woman in pink and obviously meant what he’d said.
“Cage is an idiot.” Victor flashed a beautiful white smile. “You could be barefoot in pajamas, and I’d still think you were the most stunning woman in the room.”
Melanie breathed in Victor’s heavenly woodsy scent. The man smelled divine and had a way with words. He was indubitably perfect.
“Thanks, Victor,” she said with a dreamy sigh.
“I didn’t mean to be rude.” Cage shrugged his heavy shoulders, grin on his smooth tanned face. “I only meant it’s refreshing to see a woman dress with class and dignity.”
Victor’s brows lowered against his eyes. “She knew what you meant.”
Cage’s eyes slanted. “We know which guy she’ll pick when it’s all said and done.”
Victor chuckled. “Yeah. Me.”
“In your dreams, Wine.”
Melanie couldn’t stop the smile creeping across her face. Wow. Two guys were fighting over her. No. Two gorgeous men squabbled to win her affection. This was intense. Flattering.
Before Samone forced her to join this silly matchmaking service, Melanie had spent her nights in her little apartment with Fred. Not that she didn’t appreciate her fuzzy feline keeping her feet warm at night, but it’d be nice to have a man’s strong arms around her for a change. How lovely it’d be to have warm fingers stroking her skin, fondling her flesh in places that hadn’t been touched in…
~~~~~~
Grand Prize Purchase links: Etopia Amazon ARe Google Kobo B&N
Find Kira Hillins at:
www.KiraHillins.com
Twitter: @kirahillins
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