Welcome to the sixth stop in Kallypso Master’s “How it Began” two-day blog tour. Thanks for having me, Stories and Swag.
I like to take readers along on a rollercoaster ride to experience a variety of emotions. In this scene from Nobody’s Angel, it’s just plain fun and sexy. Angelina’s met two men at her neighborhood bar who are going to watch over her now that her abusive ex has re-entered the scene. She doesn’t recognize the man who rescued her at the club—but he knows who she is.
This book introduces a new main character, Luke Denton, a former college football quarterback for the Texas Longhorns who is now an artisan and craftsman of fine furniture—and BDSM equipment.
I’ll take you inside his head first, since he plays an important role in Angelina’s life in this book. Oh, and for reasons clear in the book, he calls her Angel. Angelina’s insecurities about her body and men will come out in her point of view. Enjoy this non-spoiler excerpt in the “How it Began” blog tour.
With a burst of nervous energy, Luke leaned forward. “Let’s give that asshole something to look at, Angel. Play a game of pool with me.”
He stood up to play it through. She deserved better than the deal she’d gotten from that scumbag across the room, whatever he’d done to hurt her. Not only was she sexy as hell, but sweet and beautiful. He loved the way she just plain seemed to enjoy life.
Luke reached for her arm to help her up out of the booth. He called the game. “Eight Ball.” Ignoring her ex, even though they had to walk right past him to get to the pool table, he watched her go over to the wall and choose her pool stick while he racked up the balls and handed her the cue ball. “Lady first.”
“Stripes,” she called and proceeded to drop three striped balls in rapid succession into the table’s pockets.
Hot damn. The woman was competitive. Game on.
“Luke, I think you’ve met your match,” Marc teased as he rejoined them.
As she lined up a shot with the thirteen ball, Luke found himself riveted by the view of her curvaceous hips. “No problem. I’m enjoying the view.”
She glanced behind her and met his gaze, blushing.
“Can’t match my view,” Marc countered.
Luke watched Angel look up at Marc, who zeroed in on her chest as she bent over the table to line up the shot. Marc had always loved women’s tits. Her dress didn’t show much, but the material fit her like a second skin.
Apparently they’d flustered her with their attention, because she made her move too soon and dropped one of the solid balls into the side pocket instead.
“Play fair, boys.” Then a giggle burst forth and he saw a sparkle in her big brown eyes.
Luke studied the table and saw she sure hadn’t left him any easy shots. “All’s fair in love and Eight Ball, darlin’,” he said, brushing her cheek with a kiss before he stepped up to the table. Damn.
Shaking off the feel of her soft cheek on his lips, he somehow managed to sink four solids in a row, two with one stroke and two singles. She must have realized the game was getting away from her, because Angel sidled up to him and let her fingernails dance lightly down his back.
Luke scratched his next shot. He stood and turned toward her. “Careful there, Angel. You’re playing with fire now. I play to win.”
He couldn’t resist pulling her into his arms. Her pool stick lodged between them, but still he felt her heart beating against his chest. She looked up at him, expecting him to kiss her.
But he couldn’t. He didn’t know if it was because of Marc…or Maggie. Instead, he bent down to nuzzle her neck and whispered, “He’s fuming, darlin’. He hasn’t taken his eyes off you this entire game.”
* * *
Angelina had difficulty figuring out who Luke was talking about at first, so distracted was she by his warm lips burning against the pulse near the column of her neck. Electrical pulses ricocheted throughout her body.
Then she came back to reality. She did not have two sexy men making advances at her. This was just a show for Allen. She’d do well to remember that. She’d almost expected him to kiss her a moment ago. Angelina pulled away reluctantly, took a deep breath, and got back into character. She chalked her stick and sashayed to the opposite side of the table, leaned forward to give Allen the full rear view Luke had enjoyed moments ago, and lined up a nearly impossible bank shot.
Marc kicked their performance up another notch by following her around the table. Just as she prepared to strike the cue ball, she felt the heat of his body behind her seconds before he pressed his pelvis against her hips and leaned his entire chest over her back.
“Would you like me to show you how to make that shot, bella?” he whispered, his whiskers tickling her ear.
Mustering every ounce of strength she could to keep from melting into a puddle under him, Angelina wiggled her hips, feeling a definite bulge against her butt. Mio Dio, it was heating up in here! A bead of sweat trickled between her breasts.
“Not to worry, Marc. I can’t miss.” Where had that bravado come from? She took a deep breath and gave it her best shot, despite being pressed under the steel-hard muscles of one of the two sexiest men she’d ever met.
Mio Dio, yes! She stood and faced them. “And that, boys, is how it’s done.”
“Hot damn, Angel. That took skill, given the distraction you had to deal with.”
Marc closed the space between her and him, and an expression of envy crossed Luke’s face before he smiled to mask it. The man had missed his calling. He should have been a theatre major. Extricating herself from Marc, she set up her next shot. This should be the last. She wished the game didn’t have to end so soon.
When she checked the trajectory of the ball, Luke placed his hands around her waist and turned her to face him. Her heart thudded to a halt, then jackhammered. She looked up at him, a mixture of uncertainty and excitement quivering in her belly.
Angelina reminded herself to breathe as he bent down and brushed his lips across hers. She sucked in a shallow breath and Luke teased his tongue between her lips. Not deep, bold strokes. Just playful forays. Her lips tingled deliciously.
No one had ever kissed her in such a playful way before. She felt her insides clench, followed by a throbbing in her clit. Too soon, he pulled away, but the wink he gave her reminded her that this was all an act for Allen. She forced a smile to her lips and tamped down her disappointment. This roller coaster ride of emotional highs and lows was exhausting her.
“Your shot, cara,” Marc reminded her.
She turned to him and detected another hint of jealousy. They both were very good at playing up the rivalry bit. But tonight was only make-believe. A fairy tale. She didn’t really have two men vying for her affections.
Not really feeling as interested in the game as before, she returned her attention to the table, took what should have been an easy shot, and missed.
Angelina stepped back to let Luke have access to the table and to put some distance between both of them so she could catch her breath. Even though it was just for show, having two men strumming her like a mandolina felt good for her ego. If Allen had been half as attentive toward her, maybe she’d have let him do whatever he wanted sexually—her four overprotective brothers be damned.
No, she had to admit Allen had never turned her on like this. He’d just been…safe. Or so she and her brothers had thought. Wondering what it was she’d seen in him, she glanced toward his table and found him watching her. The expression on his face scared her. Lust, sure. But a seething anger simmered just below the surface. She shuddered.
Stunned at the vehemence in his expression, she turned away, only half watching as Luke cleared the table of every remaining solid, including the eight ball.
Feeling sad that the game was over, in more ways than one, she went to the wall and hung up her stick. “Well played, Luke,” she said.
Having Marc’s body pressed against her and Luke’s tongue playing with her lips had shaken her to the core. If she’d been alone with either man, she wouldn’t have told him to stop. But two men at once? That was a forbidden fantasy best left to her ménage novels. Those kinds of relationships didn’t happen in quiet little Aspen Corners. Did they? Before she embarrassed herself by asking for something they probably weren’t interested in, she’d best remember the script for tonight.
Free and Almost Free Books Available in the Rescue Me Series
For those wanting a free glimpse into the Rescue Me world, you can get started with the FREE introduction, Masters at Arms. This book introduces six characters who will go on to have happily ever after Romances shared about them. (Adam & Karla, Damián & Savannah, Marc, and in a small part here but with more to come later, Grant.)
Better yet, because I don’t want you to stop there, I’ve just released a new combination e-book download of the first TWO books in the series—Masters at Arms & Nobody’s Angel—for only 99 cents! You save $3 off the cost of purchasing Nobody’s Angel as a single. Nobody’s Angel introduces you to Angelina and shows her exploration into the world of BDSM, but Marc remained so closed off still in this book, it won’t be until the December release, Somebody’s Angel, that readers will come full circle with this couple. The paperback version of Masters at Arms & Nobody’s Angel is 467 pages long, so this is a bargain at 99 cents! You’ll find buy links to all of my books, which currently are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance eBooks, Kobo, Apple, and Smashwords, at my Ahh, Kallypso…the stories you tell blog page.
Giveaway Time! Free eBook in the Rescue Me Series!
At each of the 15 stops, I’ll be gifting one randomly chosen reader a copy of a book in the Rescue Me Series (a $4.99 value), chosen from Nobody’s Hero, Nobody’s Perfect, or the soon-to-be-released Somebody’s Angel. Fill out the Rafflecopter for your chance(s) to win! As with all of my giveaways, this is open internationally. And we’ll also send through the mail some cool swag items, including this red Ka-thunk! pen, hand fan, a Masters Brat button, and other cool stuff!
Next Stop!
