treats!

alright, i only have a couple of minutes before i'm off to the day job (and have yet to shower!!!) but i'm really excited to share a couple of things with you...

first, my cover for TOUCH!

i loves it. simple, sexy, and leaves no doubt what the story's about, right?

AND, i thought i'd post a short excerpt since i haven't let anyone have a peek at this except my beta readers and editor.

this is the beginning of chapter four, and i'll leave it to your imagination what just happened between Finn and Kass...

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Kass blinked against the darkness, wondering why her blinds were closed before remembering there would be no sunlight to penetrate the black-hole of a room she was in.

In fact, she hadn’t been outside this square-shaped universe for hours now, but couldn’t care less if she ever saw daylight again—not when the pair of them could create their own world right here.

Just a short while ago, she was sure there had been stars, the roar of the ocean, and possibly an earthquake. Definitely an earthquake. And thunder. Positive about the thunder because she could still hear it, a steady booming in her ears.

No, not thunder, she dimly realized, but Finn’s heart beneath her face where it was mashed against his chest, one arm draped across his torso. 

“Did you feel the earthquake?” she mumbled, and was answered with a wheezy laugh.

Slowly, she lifted her head, resting her chin against his sternum. 

“Good God, Finn.” She licked her lips, trying to get her senses working properly again.

“Hmm…” was the only response, the sound vibrating under her jaw. 

With effort, she dragged her arm upward, until she could lay her palm against the strong curve of his cheek. She brushed her thumb over his mouth—the same mouth that had just shot her straight into the sky with pleasure.

“Thank-you,” she murmured, wishing fervently she could see him.

His face turned down toward her, and muscles flexed under her hand as he smiled. “For what?” He sounded amused, but completely baffled.

“For what just happened. For giving me what I needed. It was amazing, Finn.”

Wickedly, she reached down to cup his sac and cock. “And for this,” she said, dropping her voice to a husky whisper as she gave a firm rub. He was still half-hard, waiting for the next go-round, maybe. The object under discussion jerked, a quick pulse which lifted Finn’s hips slightly.

“Oh, woman,” he groaned. “Have mercy. Let’s just lie back for a bit, while I gather my wits. Talk to me about something. What was that you had said earlier? Secrets?”

 “Yeah. Tell me something you’ve never told anyone else. A secret. Or, a personal fear of yours. Not like, ‘I’m scared of spiders’ or whatever. Something private. But no names.”

“I thought you were supposed to talk, and let me recuperate here,” he grumbled.

Her fingers tapped a soft, deliberate pattern over his ribs, laying her money on the bet that he’d do anything to avoid getting tickled. “Talk, big guy.”

****

“Alright, alright. No need to be cruel.” Finn flinched away from her feather-light torture. Damn her for figuring out how he hated being tickled.

He took a deep breath. Sure. He had a secret alright. Something that had been burning in him since the split, morphing into an almost obsessive fear which had, up to this point, prevented him from getting involved with another woman. This was probably the best opportunity he’d ever have to air it and maybe get an honest answer, considering what they’d just done together. 

But Christ, it was harder to say than he’d imagined.

“Okay. Well, I mentioned I’d been involved with a woman earlier. It was pretty serious, at least on my end, but there was always a part of me that knew she wasn’t into… uh… things as much as me. There was always a certain something missing, especially in the bedroom.”

Finn felt his face flush, and he shifted, uncomfortable. Her hand stroked his chest, avoiding his susceptible ribs, thank God.  

She’s a stranger. You’ll never see or talk to her again.

“Now, looking back, I can’t help wondering if she faked even that little bit of passion we had together. I mean, I tried my damndest to make her happy, but I’m pretty sure…” He trailed off, incapable of saying the words.

“Pretty sure what, Finn?” The question was drowsy, but he had the sense she was listening intently. Somehow, he believed she wouldn’t judge him. Acceptance was a balm to his soul, just as the almost hypnotic sweep of her palm calmed his still-racing heart. 

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oh! gonna leave you hangin' cause that's how i roll.

ha!  don't worry, though. it's only a week and a half now ;)