melting moments

I forgot to tell y'all that this month sees the release of my second Modern Extra as STEAMY SURRENDER hits bookshelves in the UK! But though the cover makes the book seem all warm and beachy this is most definitely a story all about melting. Melting gelati, melting snow, melting limbs, melting hearts.

Here's a taste test to see if it' has the romantic flavour you prefer...

‘We’re actually closed.’

‘I saw the sign.’ Morgan motioned towards the front door with a hand that held a cup of coffee from a nearby competitor. Cheeky little so and so.

Saxon ignored it for the moment and leant against the wall. ‘But still you just had to have a shot of Lime gelato. I get that. When the craving takes you...’

Her eyes flickered to glimpses of shiny glass at the far end of the room as though she had forgotten they were even there. ‘Ah, no. I came to see you.’

‘Well that’s flattering to be sure, especially when compared with the standard of my gelato. Maybe you should try some. Make the comparison honest. That way I can be sure you’re really into me for me.’

‘I’m not into you, Saxon,’ she said, though her eyes shifted away from his right at the last moment, ‘I just need to talk.’

‘We’ll see.’ He took her by the hand, tucking it beneath his arm as he shepherded her through the crowd to the counter where Trisha was manning the scoop, handing out mounds of chilled heaven to the kids.

He snagged the coffee cup from Morgan’s hand and threw it into a bin behind the counter.

‘Hey. I wasn’t done with that,’ she said, bending over the counter so far he thought she might follow it in. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to safety, which happened to bring her flush against him, her hands flat against his chest.

She blinked up at him, and he stared down at her.

‘Oh yeah you were,’ he said.

Again she smelt of black cherries; tart and sweet all at once. And again, just like that, he was spellbound. It seemed eating dinner alone, followed by a cold shower and a lonely night in his big bed hadn’t cooled his attraction to the woman one bit.

When she began to unconsciously melt against him he felt things stirring down below that he didn’t think entirely appropriate for the venue. He gently set her aside and spun her to face the gelato, but he kept his hand resting lightly against her back, marking his place.

‘Now which one takes your fancy?’ he asked. ‘Chocolate? No, that’s far too common. Strawberry? Nah, too sweet for the kind of person who purposely brings another man’s coffee into my house. Hazelnut?’

She screwed up her nose.

‘No? A woman who doesn’t like hazelnut. Aren’t you just one in a million?’

‘Aren’t I just. Now Saxon, can we please just – ‘

‘No. Choose. Taste. Then we talk.’

‘Fine! If that’s what it will take.’ She turned back to peruse the colourful array without any discernible interest. It really was the dandiest thing. He supplied something women the world over would kill to get their hands on, but this woman didn’t give a hoot. Conversely it only made him want her more.

"STEAMY SURRENDER"

Modern Extra ~ out now in the UK!

Sexy Sensation ~ Australia & New Zealand November 07

Check out more behind the scenes stuff on my website