Friday, December 21, 2007

Seasons of Seduction IV!


Seasons of Seduction IV is now available from Ellora's Cave. There's a great selection of sexy stories to satisfy your every desire. My story Taste of Honey, about a rough cowboy and a polished lady, is included in this anthology.

Taste of Honey started as a project for a workshop for my local RWA chapter, Western New York Romance Writers. We only had to write one page, but my cowboy, Jake, got under my skin and I had to tell his story.

Here's a little excerpt to tempt you:

“How about a dance, cowboy?”
The come-on in that silky voice would tempt a saint, and God knew Jake Manning wasn’t hittin’ the Pearly Gates anytime soon. When the scent of expensive perfume drifted over the stink of beer, whiskey and stale smoke, his body stirred against his will. He’d ducked in here to nurse a draft and a heart that had been stomped into a million pieces. The last thing he needed was a sweet-smellin’ woman.
But he couldn’t stop from lifting his gaze off the condensation on his mug, and glancing over his shoulder. Sleek blonde hair. An even sleeker body molded by a tight fitting tank top and painted-on jeans. The damn high-heeled boots she wore probably cost more than he made in a month. He turned away and chugged his beer, hoping to rinse away the bitter taste of lessons learned the hard way.
The band slid from an upbeat twang to a slow drawl, bringing a few couples out onto the dance floor. Jake pushed away the image of that high-class body pressed up against his. He sure as hell didn’t need that.
She placed her hand on his shoulder and it sizzled like a branding iron. “Dance with me.” Her breath brushed his neck as she tempted him again.
He shifted on the barstool to glare at her. “Lady, why are you pickin’ on me?”
Her smoky gray eyes raked over him, starting with his beat up cowboy hat and heating him all the way down his faded Wranglers to his scuffed-up boots. Her slick red lips slowly spread into a smile. “You look like you’d be a good dancer.”
Dancer? Did she think he was some wet-behind-the-ears cowpoke? Jake shook his head. “Find some other sucker.”
“Come on,” she said in a voice as slow and sweet as the honey his mama liked to put in her tea. Her hand slid off his shoulder and stroked its way down his arm until she laced her fingers with his. “It’s just one dance.”
Aw hell. Jake pushed back his Stetson as he stepped off the barstool and then followed her onto the dance floor. He’d never been able to resist a taste of honey.

If you'd like to check out Taste of Honey and the other stories in Seasons of Seduction IV, come over here.
Natasha

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great excerpt, Natasha!

And Happy New Year!