First Look: Chapter One of CAUGHT UP IN YOU!

I've had a few reader requests lately to give a sneak peek of Wyatt and Kelsey's story, CAUGHT UP IN YOU, which is releasing in August. I'm really excited about this story. It's probably my sweetest, most romantic story I've written so far. Not that it isn't sexy and erotic as well, but I felt these two needed over the top, 80s movie-style romance. : )

So without further rambling, here's the first part of chapter one. To read the whole thing click the link at the bottom...

Chapter 1 of Caught Up In You

Copyrighted Roni Loren 2013 - All Rights Reserved Berkley Publishing Group

*18 and over only*

“You know, picturing someone naked this early in the morning isn’t good for your health.”

Kelsey LeBreck leaned forward to get a better view through the kitchen’s pass-through, smirking at Nathan’s jab but not tearing her gaze away from her subject. “Hush and keep flipping his eggs.”

But of course her co-worker ignored that command. “I mean, think how long you’ll have to wait before you can get home to your vibrator and imagine Mr. Tall, Dark, and Loaded rocking your world. You’re going to be so pent up and distracted, you’ll screw up everyone’s order.”

“I do that anyway.” Except his. Never his. Though, that wasn’t really an accomplishment, considering he always ordered the same thing.

“Yet you still get better tips than Chandra.”

“I’m charming that way.” And desperate. When that tip meant the difference between being able to pay for a tank of gas instead of riding the bus, she could channel so much sunshine and sweetness, even the grumpiest customer couldn’t be mad at her for long.

“Are the muffins ready to go in yet? Darryl’s going to be here any minute and you know how he gets if shit is late.”

“Working on it.” Kelsey blindly stirred her muffin batter as she watched Wyatt Austin adjust his glasses, fold his newspaper just so, and then spread out a stack of documents on the table in front of him. He had a way of moving that was somehow graceful and efficient all at once. Like he’d figured out the most streamlined way to do each and every thing so that he could fit the maximum amount of work into every minute of the day.

And maybe he had. God knows his schedule was more predict- able than the sunrise. At six fifteen every weekday morning, he would walk in the cafe with his newspaper tucked under his arm and his own travel mug of coffee. He’d sit at the same table in the far corner, the one that provided him both a view of the television on the wall and the least amount of glare for his laptop screen. She knew that only because she’d finally asked him one day why he chose that booth all the time. When she’d joked that he sat there because it was her section, he’d just offered that enigmatic smile of his—one that had promptly made her forget the last order she’d taken from the table before him.

“You need to stop torturing yourself,” Nathan said from be- hind her, the sizzle of the griddle playing soundtrack in the back- ground. “From what I’ve heard, the suit doesn’t date. And he’s not gay either. Believe me, I’d be the one serving him eggs and sausage if he were.”

She snorted and finally looked back at Nathan. “Sausage? You’re going with that one, really?”

He held his arms out to his sides and gave her a come-on-how- could-I-pass-that-up look.

“How do you even know this stuff? And you, with the fetish for skater boys, would go after Wyatt Austin, CEO-in-training? Please.”

“I love the shit out of that strong, silent type. They’re usually crazy good in the sack. Like they’re saving up all that intensity just for you.” He shrugged and turned over a row of bacon with his spatula. “And money never hurt anybody. I’m not above being a kept man.”

“You’re a top.”

“And so are you, baby girl. But that hasn’t stopped you from your mad, passionate love affair with Mr. In Charge.”

She sighed and turned back to her batter, grabbing a ladle so she could scoop it into the muffin tins. It was a mad, passionate love affair. He was the absolute perfect boyfriend for her right now. Delicious to look at, panty-dampening to fantasize about, and completely and utterly unattainable.

Nathan set a plate next to her and slid the egg white omelet and two slices of turkey bacon onto it. “Order up. Now, if you’re not going to give up on this crush, why don’t you take this plate over there and ask the guy out?”

She spun to face him, muffin tray in her hand. “Did you forget to take your meds today? I’m a waitress and wannabe baker. His family owns an entire company.”

“So the fuck what? He has more money than you. Big deal. Doesn’t mean he’s better than you. In fact, he’d be a damn lucky bastard to get a date with you. Hell, I’d take you out just to get these secret muffin recipes of yours.”

She handed the pan to him, picked up Wyatt’s plate, and kissed Nathan’s cheek. “Thanks, hon. But if I’ve learned one lesson in life, it’s that fantasy is always better than reality.”

He gave her a sly smile. “But fantasy can’t have breakfast in bed with you the next morning.”

No. But it also couldn’t break your heart.

Or break her.

Kelsey turned on her heel and pushed through the kitchen’s swinging door. Time to serve breakfast to her imaginary boyfriend.

CLICK TO READ THE REST OF CHAPTER ONE (and to get a peek inside Wyatt's head)

If you want to be awesome, you can pre-order it now. :)  Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Me...On Deadline & an Exclusive Snippet from FALL INTO YOU

First, I want to apologize that blogs have been few and far between lately. But I have a good excuse.

Imagine doing NaNoWriMo two months back to back.

Yeah. That.

Me the last two months...

I've got two weeks until deadline. If I'm still alive at the end of it, I promise to return here with bells on and new posts. : ) Thanks for being patient and sticking around.

In the meantime, here's a sneak peek from FALL INTO YOU (my January release):

His expression remained placid, but the flare in his eyes said he was anything but. “Finish your sentence.”

She cringed but forced her vocal cords to work. “The thought made me mad. And jealous.”

He seemed to consider that for a moment, his head tilting ever so slightly. “Interesting. Kneel down.”

She responded in an instant and attempted to rock down gracefully. Her knees hit the polished wood floors with barely a sound. Yeah, buddy. She fought back a proud smile.

He nodded in approval as he walked a slow circle around her, like an animal sizing up its prey. He stopped in front of her again. “Very nice. Get used to holding that kneel.”

“Yes, sir.”

He stepped back a few feet but continued to watch her as he slipped his suit coat off his shoulders—a slow, fluid motion of a man in no hurry. He folded the jacket and laid it neatly over the arm of the couch, smoothing out an errant wrinkle. Next, he pulled at the knot on his tie, the soft silk-against-silk sound the only noise in the room. His movements stayed methodical, deliberate—his stare unyielding. With each removed item, Charli found her heartbeat ticking up a notch. She moistened her lips. Was he going to take off everything? Was she finally going to get to see all of him, touch him?

He ran the silk tie over his palm with an oh-the-things-I-could- do look on his face, and she could almost feel its smoothness against her own skin. What would it feel like against her wrists, her ankles? But he laid it across his suit coat, leaving it unused. His long fingers went to his cuff links and he unfastened the buttons at his wrists. Clink. Clink. The cuff links hit the glass side table, startling Charli.

Grant gave her a wicked smile as he rolled the sleeves of his white dress shirt up his forearms. “Am I making you nervous, Charlotte?”

“Yes.”

“Smart girl. Your instincts are better than your brother gives you credit for.”  

Read the first chapter or  Pre-Order the Book

*Excerpt Copyright 2012 Roni Loren - All Rights Reserved Berkley Publishing Group

Read the First Chapter of FALL INTO YOU

Hi everyone, just wanted to let y'all know that FALL INTO YOU's first chapter is now posted. : ) For those who read this in the back of MELT INTO YOU, you'll notice a few slight changes from that version.

Click here to read Chapter One

He’ll do anything for you. But you’d better say please.

When tomboy sports reporter Charli Beaumonde loses a dream TV job because she’s not girly enough for primetime, she’s determined to land a big scoop and prove her boss made a mistake. But when she gets too close to a football scandal and finds her life threatened, Charli accepts an offer from family friend Grant Waters to hide out at his place—even if Grant predicts nothing but trouble from his buddy’s hard-headed, uncompromising, irrepressible, younger sister. There’s one more problem…

Grant’s “place” is The Ranch, a BDSM resort in Texas, and he’s used to being in charge —even if that means trying to keep Charli in line. But much to Grant’s surprise, she’s intrigued—even envious—of his trainees. They’re the epitome of what she’s never been: sexy, beguiling, and totally irresistible to a man. Still, Grant doesn’t believe for a minute that the sharp-tongued Charli has it in her to be anyone’s submissive. But Charli’s already on her knees vying for the chance to prove that even the Master can be wrong sometimes.

Releases January 2013

Available for pre-order from Amazon  and Barnes and Noble!

Spice It Up Thursday: Sexy Role-Playing

18+ post

Photo by _rockinfree (Click Photo for link)It's time for another installment of my blog series focused on finding fun ways to spice up your relationship. This is all in honor of my new release (out next Tuesday, yay!) STILL INTO YOU about a married couple trying to rekindle the spark they lost.

And on today's agenda: role-playing.

Role-playing can be a great way to bring something fresh into the bedroom when you've been with someone a long time. It's a safe way to change things up, get that thrill of newness again. And beyond something sexy, it can be fun.

So everyone knows the possible role plays you can bring into the bedroom...

• Nurse or doctor
• Pirate and captive
• Professor and student
• Escort and client
• Stripper and customer
• Cop and criminal (I use this one in MELT INTO YOU if you want to see that one played out.)
• Master and slave (may want to look into BDSM if this one really appeals to you)
• Delivery guy/girl and customer
• Stranger picking you up in a bar/one-night stand

Of course, you can come up with your own. If you want to play Star Wars roles, more power to you. It's whatever you and your partner find sexy (and fun!)

Then once you talk to your partner and decide you may want to try one of these, make sure you set some ground rules.

1. Laughing together is okay. Laughing AT your partner is not.

Role-playing requires some lowering of inhibitions, which also means making yourself more vulnerable. Acting in a role doesn't come naturally to most of us and can feel awkward at first because you're afraid of looking ridiculous or not doing it "right." Agree with your partner that you're not going to poke fun at each other and that it's a safe environment to relax in. Otherwise, if one partner is meant to feel silly or ashamed, this will never happen again.

2. Establish a safe word that stops the role play.

This is something used in BDSM play but it helpful for regular roleplays as well. If something is uncomfortable or you feel like things are going off course, you can say a word that signals each of you to break character. "Stop" or something simple can work, but if you're doing something where you may be play-acting "stop!" - cop and criminal for instance, then it gets confusing. So make sure the word is something that stands out.

3. Don't phone it in.

You don't have to go buy elaborate costumes (though you can) but make an effort to make it feel real. If you're supposed to be the escort, don't be dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt.

4. Talk about boundaries

Make sure you know what is off-limits for your partner so that you don't cross some line they don't want you to.

5. Have fun.

If you're totally stressed out about being perfect or how your thighs look in the too tight skirt he asked you to wear, this will just be an exercise in misery. Your partner loves you, you love them. This is just a little fun. Treat it as such.

And if you want to see what a stranger pick-up could look like, here's an excerpt from STILL INTO YOU. Seth and Leila have been married eight years and have gone to The Ranch to try to find their way back to each other. Seth has told Leila she can have whoever she wants at The Ranch. She's been at the dance club when this scene starts...

STILL INTO YOU Excerpt

All rights reserved. Copyright Roni Loren 2012.

When she’d found out Seth was going to go do his own thing tonight, her belly had gone inside out. Not only because of the fact that he was willingly giving her the opportunity to cheat but that he might do the same. Maybe he’d set up this whole thing to satisfy his own eight-year itch.

After that revelation, she’d vowed to jump into this whole thing with both feet. If her husband could so easily turn his vows off and not care if some other guy touched his wife, then he’d earned the consequence. Apparently, she wasn’t even worth jealousy anymore.

But so far she hadn’t been inspired to use that get-out-of-jail-free card. All of the men she’d danced with had been handsome enough, but none had sparked that thing inside her that would push her to take the leap. She’d turned the offers down, and each of the men had handled it without protest or malice, which was another beautiful thing about this place—consent was like religion.

She took the last gulp of her drink and set it down on the bar.

“Still have one dance left in you?” a voice said, low and heavy against her ear.

Leila startled, nearly knocking over her glass. She whirled around to find a familiar face with an unfamiliar smirk staring down at her. “What?”

Seth planted a hand on the bar, half-caging her on her stool with his arm. Her gaze traced down him as she inhaled the scent of a cologne she’d never smelled on him before—a darker, more earthy scent than his usual. He’d changed into a pair of jeans and a snug gray T-shirt that molded over his hard, lean chest. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

She blinked, confused for a moment, then realized what he was doing. Oh. Her pulse ticked up a notch. “I’m Leila.”

His smile was downright wicked. Who the hell was this person? “Well, Leila, I’m Seth and I think you should dance with me.”

“Oh, and why is that?” she asked, leaning back against the bar and sending him a challenging look.

His other hand landed on the bar, officially trapping her in the scant space between his arms. He bent his head close to her ear. “Because there are at least three dudes in this place who are hoping you’ll go back to their room with them, and I want to show everyone who’s really going to be shoving that dress up your thighs tonight.”

A soft gasp passed her lips, the dirty talk a vast—but effective—departure from the Seth she was used to. She met his eyes and saw the promise backing up his words. A subtle warmth crept over her skin. “My, my, aren’t you confident.”

***

STILL INTO YOU can be pre-ordered on Kindle  or Nook for only $2.99!

Alright, that's all I've got today. Thoughts on this feature? Do you want me to continue with this series over the next few weeks or do something different? And what are some role play scenarios I missed listing?

A #777 Excerpt From FALL INTO YOU

I didn't plan on blogging today, but both Tiffany Reisz and Candace Havens tagged me with the #777 Challenge, so here I go.

Here are the rules:

Go to page 77 of your current MS. Go to line 7. Copy down the next 7 lines/sentences, and post them as they’re written. No cheating. Tag 7 other authors

And here's the 777 excerpt from my current WIP - FALL INTO YOU (Grant's Story):

She shook her head. “Please. Don’t. If you say some pitying comment, I’m going to punch you in the face.”

His shoulders rose and fell with his heavy sigh. “That’s not what I was going to do.”

She stepped around him, walking to the window on the far side of the room and putting her back to him. “Right.”

She heard his boots against the floor as he turned around, but he didn’t come any closer. “Believe what you want, but let me say my piece. Since the night I found you out on the road, I haven’t stopped imagining what it would be like to get you in my bed. Every time you talk back  to me, I want hush you up in all kinds of creative ways. And that night you stripped in the bathroom, it took every letter of my moral code to walk out.”

That's it. Hope you enjoyed it (and the cowboy). Now since I need to get back to said WIP, I'm going to tag everyone who wants to take on the challenge. : ) Let me know in the comments if you decide to participate.