Voices Carry
by Melissa Schroeder
Now Available at Loose Id
Voices Carry
He must have sensed her studying him. He turned to face her, his green eyes dark and serious. She shivered as a wave of hunger swept through her. How could a man who irritated the hell out of her, make her want to jump his bones with just a look? She cleared her throat. "How much do the department heads know?"
"They know there has been a small breach. No one, except the spy, knows how much knowledge has been gathered."
Her mind jumped from person to person and then skidded to a halt as a good-looking, blue-eyed blond came to mind. "You suspect Mr. Marrow?"
"No, I don't. He definitely has access, but John isn't a good liar. There's a reason he's been divorced three times. He can be, shall I say, indiscreet when involved with a woman."
A smiled tipped his lips, and the now familiar zing warmed her blood. She must have given her thoughts away, because his smile faded and his eyes heated.
He cleared his throat. "What I need from you is some overtime, working on some of the transmissions, analyzing data. If we can figure out who wants the information and has the credits to pay for it, we'll be able to catch the spy."
She nodded but said nothing. The air in the room turned warmer, the spicy scent of him filled the air.
"I want to apologize for what happened earlier," he said, his voice a shade warmer.
Flashes of his thoughts sparked through her mind, through her body. The image of his hands -- dark, tanned hands against her ivory skin, while he spread her legs and bent his head to lick her clit -- sent a wave of wet heat to just that spot. Oh, Lord.
"It's OK. David tends to be a little overprotective."
"He's older?"
He expected her to hold a conversation while he was thinking about doing those things to her? Jesus, she could barely breathe.
"No, I am, but there's less than a year between us."
Her voice was deeper than her usual tone. His eyes darkened and the images flickered. So many different ideas, she couldn't grasp onto one. Hot, wet skin. His voice and hers. Every nerve ending in her body shimmered and tightened. Her blood heated and pulsed between her legs. Her head spun from the barrage of images flashing through her mind.
Something in the way she looked at him must have alerted him to her arousal. A look of pure, unadulterated lust darkened his eyes, and without a word, he rose from his chair and walked around his desk. He stood in front of her, and her gaze was drawn to his raging erection. He took her hand, and pulled her out of the seat. They stood inches apart, his body heat warming her breasts. He placed a hand on the small of her back and eased her closer. His cock pressed into her waist, and she dampened in response.
"Do you know the main reason why I didn't want to hire you?" he whispered against her ear. She shivered. "I spent the whole interview fantasizing about you, thinking about what you would taste like here." He touched her mouth with his callused index finger. "And here." His finger glided over her erect nipple, past her belly button, and finally he pressed his palm against her clit. "And especially here."
Her muscles tightened in anticipation, but he kept his touch feather-light. Slowly, his finger brushed over her clit and then pressed slightly against it. She moaned in frustration. He chuckled. She shuddered as the deep, rich sound sank into her bones, warming her from the inside out.
"Marcus, this isn't a good idea." But even she heard the surrender in her voice. He pressed harder against her clit, and she moved to increase the pressure.
"I've never known you to be quite so impatient, Ms. Adams."
Dark and seductive, his voice was a heated whisper across her skin. He moved his hand from between her legs and cupped her face. The scent of her arousal rose from his fingers. Gaining courage, she willed herself to meet his eyes. They burned with fiery passion, so intense it jolted her senses and seized control of her thoughts.
Sizzling images and sounds bombarded her mind. The lushness of the visions -- their tangled bodies; hot, slippery, messy sex; silk sheets -- washed over her. He bent his head, keeping his eyes open as he pressed his lips against hers. Never in her life had her gift overpowered her like this. While he nipped at her lower lip, his gaze dared her to break contact, to refuse this intimacy. His hands slid down, brushed the sides of her breasts with the lightest touch, then moved to cup her rear end. Her sex throbbed with need so great she whimpered when he pressed her closer, allowing her to feel his long, thick cock.
While he continued the sensuous assault on her body, the images of his fantasies, of his wants and desires, flooded her mind, constantly keeping her off balance. His thoughts continued to overpower her own. Each one more intense than the last, increasing with his arousal.
His tongue darted out, licking at her lips. Without a thought, she opened her mouth to him. The pictures in her mind darkened, growing more vivid as his tongue swept past her lips and into her mouth. Her eyes slid closed in surrender as he took complete possession of her mouth and her mind.
What people are saying about
Voices Carry
Melissa Schroeder's Voices Carry is her first book published by Loose Id. I found myself literally glued to every page of this futuristic romance, enthralled by the very engaging characters and an interesting and quick paced plot. Shana is quite a believable character, her reactions are what you would expect from any intelligent woman under her circumstances. Marcus is pure male…so deliciously Alpha that I found myself lusting after him…and for once, we have a hero who has his priorities straight, and he does what he needs to do to win and protect Shana. Despite the fact that this is a shorter length book, the story is satisfying and the sex scenes are HOT. Voices Carry is a wonderful addition to my library and Ms. Schroeder's name now belongs in my author autobuy list.
-- Mireya Orsini, Just Erotic Romance Reviews
Voices Carry is one hot, steamy romance. It's a classic alpha male, alpha female struggle with passionate results. Although a short story, the author gives just enough characterization to Marcus and Shana to make their attraction believable. The identity of the traitor is not too difficult to figure out, but the mystery adds the right amount of tension to the plot to make the romance that much sweeter.
Fans of erotica should not miss Voices Carry. It gives new meaning to the phrase: "Can you hear me now?"
-- Kathy Samuels, Romance Reviews Today
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And we think you’ll love
68 & Climbing
By Kate Douglas
Now Available at Loose Id
68 & Climbing
“Think what you like.” She ground her teeth with the effort to remain calm. “I’m only asking for a little neighborly decency until you complete your renovation and get out of my neighborhood.”
“I thought I already showed you neighborly.” Nick’s voice dropped in husky familiarity and he grinned again, a seductive smile promising pleasures Annmarie could only imagine.
Unfortunately, since this morning her imagination had suddenly become quite graphic.
Her mouth went dry with the sensual images flooding through her mind. Once more she felt his long fingers stroking her intimately, shuddered with the pressure of his lips against her straining nipple.
Blinking herself rapidly back to reality, she attempted to swallow. Her throat tightened.
“I told you,” she said, suddenly aware of how difficult it was to speak calmly through clenched teeth, “I do not want to discuss your concept of neighborly. I want -- ”
“Look, sweetheart.” Hands on his hips, Nick leaned over, invading her space and intimidating her with his size. “Enough is enough.”
Annmarie fought an elemental urge to turn and run.
“We both know you’re no Mother Superior protecting her novices’ virtue. This morning’s little escapade is proof of that. Face it, the work we do is hot,” he paused for an effect not lost on Annmarie, “and physical. When
the temperature goes up, the shirts are gonna come off. It’s the way we work. My boys will continue to take their shirts off when they damn well feel like it, just as I will. They will enjoy the company of your young ladies, who are all past the age of consent from what I understand, as long as both parties are in agreement and the girls are on their own time.
“If you can’t control your employees’ libidos, or your own for that matter, that’s your problem, not mine. As far as getting out of your neighborhood, forget it. After I put in my bid on the job, I decided I liked the neighborhood, so I bought the building. As soon as the job is completed, I’m moving my business and myself into it. As far as what you want… I think we both know. You want the same thing I do. You’re just not woman enough to admit it.”
Oh God, I do… I… dammit! Just thinking about some of those things turned her legs to rubber. “Mr. Marone…”
Now was not a time to show him any weakness whatsoever.
Annmarie took a deep breath and stepped back, carefully placed her matching pocketbook on the desk and nonchalantly settled her hip against the solid ebony corner, revealing a sleek length of silk-clad thigh in her subtle search for support. She fought the urge to tug her hem lower.
Instead, in a show of defiance, she lifted herself up to sit on the corner of the desk. Then she let her gaze travel slowly from his Italian leather shoes, up the long line of his legs, across his broad chest, to a point just below his very Italian chin.
If she actually saw his mouth, or looked into his cobalt-blue eyes, she knew she’d be lost.
She decided to address his chin. “Mr. Marone,” she repeated, sighing with all the patience of a third-grade teacher. “I believe your massive ego must act as a counterbalance to your shameless audacity. It’s the only logical explanation.”
Despite her best intentions, Annmarie realized her gaze had drifted higher and she was looking at his mouth, at the soft curve of his full lower lip. She swallowed and blinked rapidly when he spoke.
“Some things defy logic, Ms. Weston. The attraction between us is one of them.” He crossed his massive arms over his broad chest and gifted her with a most condescending smile.
She thought once more of a wolf. A very hungry wolf.
Then she dragged her gaze away from his mouth and concentrated once more on the firm line of his jaw.
“There is… ” She cleared her throat and lowered her voice. “There is no attraction.” Yeah, right. Liar, liar, pants on fire… dammit, Jean. Get out of my head!
This was neither the time nor the place for Jean’s childish taunts. For some reason, Annmarie couldn’t get the stupid rhyme out of her head. “I told you once. I will tell you again. I did not come to your office this morning because, as you so crudely put it, I wanted you. Nor did I come here for that reason tonight.”
“I don’t agree, Ms. Weston.” He dropped his hands to his sides and stepped closer. “You might think you had another reason, but… ”
“Whether you agree or not, Mr. Marone, is not the problem.” The problem was the fact that even his chin was sexy. Annmarie licked her lips and concentrated on the crisp white collar of his shirt where it met his darkly tanned throat. Oh, how she wanted to taste that smooth stretch of skin!
Control, Annmarie. Control.
“But it is, Ms. Weston. The signs are perfectly clear; your body language is quite… revealing.” He paused again, as if giving her time to disagree. All she could do was bite her lips against the husky invitation in his voice. “One, you choose to sit where you can tantalize me with your unbelievably long legs… ”
Annmarie struggled not to tuck her legs up under her.
“Two, you’ve seriously avoided looking me in the eye.”
Defiantly, she raised her chin and glared directly into his hooded eyes. Once again, the naked desire in their deep blue depths stunned her.
Stunned her and took her breath away.
She didn’t even protest when Nick gently captured her arms in his powerful hands and lifted her from the desk. She parted her lips to say something, anything, and breathed in the taste of him.
“Three… ” he whispered. His mouth settled over hers, molding lip to lip, tongue to teeth in a searing kiss that shut down the circuits and ran her entire nervous system into overload.
He tasted different tonight, of brandy and toothpaste combined with his own unique, subtly familiar flavor. His tongue stroked the tender inner flesh between her teeth and lips, then dove deeper, teasing the sensitive ridges across the roof of her mouth.
She spread her hands across his broad chest to push him away, but her contrary fingers curled into kitten claws, kneading the cool starched surface of his shirt in time with the soft mewling he drew from her.
The sound, emanating from deep in her throat, finally dragged Annmarie to her senses. That and her gradual awareness of strong fingers gripping the tender flesh of her buttocks, stroking her tingling skin through her panty hose.
“No-o-o-o… ” She gasped for air and pushed against his chest. Her overloaded synapses protested the separation. What they really wanted was for her to plaster her body against his and give into the desire raging through her.
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What people are saying about
68 & Climbing
This book had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what kind of chaos these two characters could create. I was engrossed with how Nick managed to get Annmarie’s attention and how much time Annmarie spent fantasying about him. These two were a perfect compliment to each other from start to finish. I utterly enjoyed this book. This will be a definite keeper for me.
-- Sheryl, reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books and Coffee Time Romance
68 & Climbing is a sensual romantic story that will pull at your heartstrings. The dialogue between Annmarie and Nick is to die for, there are sexual sparks flying everywhere making this story truly exciting. The chemistry between the two main characters makes for a very entertaining ride as they try to find out how they feel for one another. The romantic suspense keeps you glued to your chair. Ms. Douglas has done a superb job creating this tender, touching, and fiery couple. Her reader’s will be truly satisfied when they read this amazing story. The sexy love scenes are some of the hottest scenes that I’ve read and it will captivate you and keep you with the story every step of the way. Pick up this steamy book you won’t be disappointed.
-- Susan Holly, reviewer for Just Erotic Romance Reviews
68 & Climbing is an awesome read, full of humor and blood-sizzling erotic love scenes. Ms. Douglas pens a truly delightful romantic read. 68 & Climbing is a fast-paced story that I read in one sitting, and it made me sigh with enjoyment until the very last page.
-- Joy, reviewer for Sizzling Romances
Kate Douglas creates an absolutely delightful and sinfully sexy story in 68 and Climbing. Humor, blazing sexual tension and some very lust-worthy characters, make this an engaging and thoroughly entertaining read.
This romantic and sizzling tale is definitely the perfect way to make your hot summer nights even hotter. With magnetic characters, ever-escalating sexual pyrotechnics, and laugh-out-loud funny situations, 68 and Climbing is the book I recommend as this summer's red-hot read.
-- Enya Adrian, reviewer for Romance Reviews Today
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