Now In Print - Handcuffs and Lace Vol. 2

I've been waiting for this one :) Now in print - Handcuffs and Lace Vol. 2 from Resplendence Publishing.

Included in this book is my story Primed Suspect.

Here's a rundown on the stories you'll find inside Handcuffs and Lace Volume 2, available now:



Handcuffs and Lies by Bronwyn Green: Undercover cop, Michael Tanner, promised his dying partner that he’d take care of the man’s sister. Tori Spinelli wants nothing to do with Michael—or any other cop. Forced in protective custody, she falls in love with Michael, but how can she trust a man who lies for a living?

Photo Finish by Kris Norris: Photo journalist, Paige Sommers, is determined to get digital proof and put Jason Tate—longtime arms dealer and her fiancé’s murderer—away for good. But when her zoom lens reveals a familiar face, she’ll have to decide who to trust in a job that’s guaranteed to be a photo finish.

Cat and Mouse by Justine Elyot: For Layla, it’s a game. Scaling the highest buildings in her patch of East London so she can tag them with her signature takes her mind off the grim realities of her life. For police officer Adam, it’s an obsession. Ever since their first encounter ended in an unexpected kiss, he has burned to pursue and capture the light-footed Layla. But she knows her territory very well, and the chase proves both exhilarating and frustrating—until the game turns deadly serious, and Layla is forced to realize that she can’t rely on her own resources forever. Will Adam persuade her to step out of the shadows and take a chance on love with the man she has seen for so long as her nemesis.

And my story, Primed Suspect: Cassidy Valance is one part woman, one part Kitsune—a rare shape-shifting fox. She finds solace inside an estate, away from the hunters who have invaded her home in the forest. Officer Ian Valenti is assigned to investigate an abandoned estate after reports of unusual activity are called into the station. When he goes to inspect the house, he finds the suspect inside, naked and alluring. Ian’s instincts and years serving on the force tell him to cuff Cassidy and haul her in for breaking and entering. But she would rather he cuff her and treat her like the submissive she longs to be. With her restrained and primed, Ian brings Cassidy’s fantasies of a Master to life. And willingly lets down the guard around his heart.

Handcuffs and Lace Volume 2 is available at Amazon.

~Ann Cory

Pick Up Your Complimentary Copy of Midnight's Sweet Kiss on 3/27

Pick up your free copy of Midnight's Sweet Kiss on 3/27 from Amazon!

Sophie Kurtz finds herself stranded in New York after catching her fiancé kissing another woman.

But thanks to Noah Conley, a knight in shining armor, or rather, a kindhearted, attractive cab driver, her night turns around.

Excerpt

She gave a final look back toward the airport and then scrunched into the cab. Ready or not she was on her way. She hoped Kyle would be thrilled by her surprise. And she hoped he had a real good reason for not picking her up.

“Where to, miss?”

The seductive deep voice from inside the cab sent shivers along her spine. She looked up and met steel gray eyes in the rearview mirror. They were deep-set and hypnotic and trained on her.

“Uh, Miss? I'll need your destination.”

Sophie blinked to break her trance-like stare. “My fiancé's place,” she blurted and felt her cheeks blaze red.

The driver's dark brows arched. “I'm not familiar with that location. Maybe you could give me a street name?”

Heat spread from her neck on up. “Sorry, it's on the corner of 9 th and Davidson,” she replied with a shaky voice.

What was up with the knot of nerves forming in her belly? She might've been with Kyle for the last three years but it wasn't like she'd never looked at another man.

A charming grin tugged the driver's full lips. Even with his body half concealed by the front seat, her senses responded, and not with any subtlety. It was like he'd been chiseled out of a clay mold of perfection. His navy blue shirt fit him snug around the chest, and there was a slight vee in the collar area that made her want to hook her finger there, pull down, and check out the rest of him.

She returned her attention to the mirror and back to his eyes. They scanned the road, moving ever so slight from one side to the other and then for a brief moment at her. His gaze had her transfixed. With his take-me-I'm-yours looks, he could tell her to strip and she'd obey in a heartbeat.

You're taken , she reminded herself and glanced down at her ring. It was a princess cut, though the diamond was larger than she preferred. Kyle insisted on the size despite her preference for something modest. She wasn't naïve. He'd bought it big to impress people with how much he'd spent on it.

“So, I take it you just flew in?”

Again shivers flecked her skin. How did his voice have such a commanding effect over her? “Yeah, I mean, yes,” she said and wondered if he ever made his girlfriend wait hours for him to show up. She didn't think so. For right now, or at least while she stayed mad at Kyle, this dark-haired dream was the ultimate sex god and could do no wrong. Olivia would be jealous.

“Is this your first time in New York,” he prompted.

“Yes.” Sophie sighed, though not because of his question. She was homesick and starting to doubt her decision.

“I thought so.”

“It's pretty much stamped on my forehead, isn't it?” She drew her bangs back to give him a better look.

He chuckled. “Nah. You just don't seem like a New Yorker.”

“Not even close. I'm from Oregon. What gave me away, the scared shitless look on my face?”

“No, but there is that. It's just little things.” He glanced her way and shrugged. “I don't have much else to do from up here, so I try to get a read on people. I'm usually good at it too, but you've stumped me.”

She arched her brow. “How so?”

“You strike me as someone who likes things calm and easy going. You won't find those things here,” he replied.

Boy, wasn't that the truth. “I'm impressed,” she said and smoothed a wrinkle out of her skirt. “I do like things calm and simple, but not stagnant. I thought change would be good, a way to start over. New house, new job, new life.” Each time she listed them it made her more apprehensive.

“Sounds daring,” the driver responded.

“I guess.” She glanced out the window as a reminder of where she was. All the months that she'd readied herself for this move had been bearable because she'd still been home. Now she didn't have that comfort to fall back on.

“To be honest,” she started, “moving here wasn't my choice.” Her eyes widened at the frankness of her own comment and she tried to backtrack. “I mean, at first it wasn't. Now I'm cool with it. My fiancé's work is here and if I want to be with him then this is where I have to live.”

Wow, the way she explained it made her sound like she'd been held at gunpoint. Where was her enthusiasm? This wasn't a life sentence. Was it? The cab shrunk around her while her ring grew three times its already ostentatious size. Was she having her first official nervous breakdown?

“At least you'll have someone to help you through it. That makes a difference,” he offered.

“Sure does,” she agreed and rolled the window down for some much needed air. “I don't mind a challenge.” Since she couldn't even convince herself, she switched the conversation onto him. “So do you do anything else besides drive people around?”

“I drive them crazy,” he joked and started to laugh.

She snickered along with him. Handsome and charming, what were the odds? “I meant, is this a full time gig?”

“For now,” he said. “It keeps me away from desk jobs and starched uniforms. I'm allergic to both.”

“Same here.”A chill ran through her and she put the window back up. Head cocked to the side she asked, “Do you like driving a cab?”

He rolled his shoulders. “Most days. Driving relaxes me.”

“Even in this traffic?” She wouldn't last ten minutes behind the wheel here.

“Yep. It helps remind me to slow down. It's easy to miss things.”

Sophie liked his carefree philosophy. It differed from Kyle's nonstop rambling about how successful he was in his career, and how everyone admired him. He'd spend hours on the phone with her rattling on about business mergers and conferences until her hand tingled from holding the phone to her ear so long. It was nice to hear someone be casual about their job, and not make money the topic of every conversation. She didn't have the nerve to tell Kyle how much it bored her, and often worried she'd fall asleep with him still talking.

In the next breath she felt a tinge of guilt. Sure she was mad at Kyle for not calling to say he'd be late, but it wasn't fair to find fault with him. She'd feel even worse when he explained what kept him. He was going to be her husband soon, and she'd need to show interest in the things he did.

“We're coming up to your stop,” she heard the driver say. His interruption was more than welcome. “Is there somewhere in particular you want me to drop you off at, or right at the corner?”

She grabbed her purse and poised her hand over the seatbelt buckle. “Yeah, the corner will be…”

Sophie's words faded off at the sight of Kyle in a steamy lip lock with some redhead in a tight little skirt, his hands freely roaming.

Her chest tightened.

“I didn't catch that last part,” said the cabbie.

From the corner of her eye she saw him turn her direction, follow her gaze out the window, and then turn back to her.

“Oh.”

~Ann Cory

Angel With A Blade - Sweet Saturday Sample

Happy Saturday! Today I'm taking part in Sweet Saturday Samples.

This sample comes from my published sweet historical romance Angel With A Blade.

Hand on the hilt of her sword, she parried and lunged, narrowly missing the dark-haired man’s throat. Again she lunged and again she missed. Her lack of rest since the start of her journey didn’t help.

With a grunt, both men came at her, their swords aimed low to the ground. She leapt as their swords swiped air. Rebecca landed, rolled to her knees and dove to the side. They gave her little time to recover before they stalked forward, backing her into the corner. The points of their swords came too close for her comfort and the one called Barton managed to draw blood along her forearm. She refused to give up or show weakness.

Jaw clenched, she struck forward. Her sword circled and connected against one sword and then the other, the steels clanging together so loudly it became almost deafening. She took a step back out of range of their blades and then parried. Sword tight in her grip, she moved like the wind to strike.

Angel with a Blade is available from Amazon

Thank you for stopping by!

Ann Cory.

Secrets in the Annex excerpt

Secrets in the Annex available on Kindle

Can the luck and love of a chimney sweep, be enough to rescue a woman, trapped in an annex that holds many dark secrets?

Kaelyn is a former maid who used to clean the annex for the Ruthferd's. Ever since a terrifying fire broke out in the annex, she has been trapped within the chimney, desperate to get out. She waits for a man to rescue her in more ways than one, and breathe new life into her somber soul.

Rand enjoys his job as a chimney sweep and especially likes to work for the Ruthferd's, a rich and prominent family in central London. He is asked to clean the fireplace and chimney inside the newly remodeled annex, though what he finds inside is more than ash and soot. A smoldering woman emerges from inside the fiery tomb and fuels him with passion.

Through his gentle touch, and her seductive moves, they are swept away in the heat of the moment, and forge a bond that goes beyond a lifetime.

REVIEWS

"...twists and turns and spine-tingling moments.a spellbinding journey of riveting events."
~ TRS, 5 Hearts

"If readers are looking for a short sexy story with a few very enticing twists in the story, than Secrets in the Annex is a book for them."
~ Reviewed by Kelley A. Hartsell

".weaves elements of the paranormal and of historical social issues into the mix, tantalizing readers with glimpses beyond consensus reality."
~ TwoLips Reviews

"...plot pulled me in and held me tightly until the very end.paranormal twists and a bit of history cleverly thrown making it all the more appealing."
- Just Erotic Romance Reviews, 4.5 Stars

"...a mixture of suspense, romance and tenderness...with that bit of something extra to make it stand apart from the rest."
~ Romance Junkies, 4.5 Ribbons

"...an amazing story! I could hear the accents of these characters and feel
the passion between them."
~ FAR, 5 Angels


EXCERPT

Kaelyn had noticed the moment a sense of change had enveloped the house. Was it possible he had returned, and she would be rescued? The smidgeon of hope she'd been holding onto suddenly grew stronger. When she closed her eyes, she saw his hands, and the blinding, white-hot light. The glare had been overbearing, burning deep within her amber orbs. Why had he not come back to save her? Had he not heard her cries and pleas for help? She would take it all back if she could, and lay with him, letting his fingers play across her naked body. She'd allow his lips to wander between her thighs, his hair tickle across her taut belly.

She carried a heavy load of guilt and shame. There were moments he had made her feel special and cared about, treating her in ways she'd never experienced. His tender words about how much she'd meant to him still rang in her ears. They could not have been lies; wouldn't she have seen the falseness in his eyes? In many ways, she'd let their relationship go too far, and yet they hadn't gone far enough.

Kaelyn didn't know whether to draw attention to herself or wait and let him make the first move. It didn't matter one way or the other. What mattered was that her dreams were about to come true; love would be given a second chance.

Fantasies filled her mind of what he would say. No doubt he'd be full of apologies for making her wait so long, and maybe she'd torture him a little. Then she'd make him see she was true to her words. She had waited and still wanted him. Time had little meaning where love was concerned. When she'd expressed her feelings to him, or what she'd believed were her feelings, the wrong person had discovered them. What had become of her self-respect and dignity? In retrospect, it had all become a vicious game; one that ended with permanent scars.

From her black perch, she watched. His physique and the way he carried himself were different. If anything, he was more stunning than she'd let herself admit before, younger even. She couldn't keep her eyes off him as he roamed about the house, his moves stirring up a gamut of emotions. She knew better than to watch him when the missus was around, but she stole looks when she could, just as he had of her.

Now he'd returned and was close enough that she could smell a subtle peppermint scent, a refreshing aroma compared to the stale smell of burnt wood. Impatience set in, and she fidgeted. Why wouldn't he look up? He knew she was there. Did he think it a game? Had she done something wrong, and he wished to punish her more? It didn't seem right; she'd suffered more than anyone should have to, but now wasn't the time to pity herself or her situation. When he promised to come back for her, she'd taken his word as pure gold. He had to return, he just had to. Surely he would have decided by now, and he must have chosen her. Kaelyn's heart was not something to be given out to just anyone.

She would allot him a little more time. Being a lady meant biting her tongue about things. She longed for him to be like the heroes she read about in books, slipping strong, muscular arms around her petite form to carry her to safety. A thick cock to plunge between her legs while her cries echoed into the night. Waiting was something she'd grown accustomed to, and wait she would. Kaelyn turned to her companion perched beside her. Quietly, she whispered to it, telling it to be her eyes and not let him leave without finding her.

Kaelyn watched the man work, admiring his strength and determination. She couldn't wait to give herself to him, straddle his body and ride him in a selfish fit of pleasure. Moisture between her thighs thickened at the thought. Yes, she would have him, and everything would go back to the way it was supposed to be.

She reached down her body and slipped her fingers up into the moisture. A gasp escaped her throat. It was his fault she would have to get herself off. The cravings of a fierce climax were heightened, and her thighs trembled. Kaelyn stretched her legs and propped them on either side of the chimney wall, the heels of her feet resting on the wrought iron ladder rungs. With thoughts on his cock thrusting where her fingers stroked, she manipulated her clit.

Her breath increased, and she struggled against the need to cough. The soot was thick in her lungs, but she refused to let it distract her. A swirl of heat drove from her abdomen, and she quickened her motions. Kaelyn bit her cheeks as a fierce climax spread through her body. The heady scent of her sex mingled with the ashen smell and made her giddy. Through glazed eyes, she watched the man below, her body continuing its spasms. Soon she would experience his thick length.

Smolder Springs - Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday!

The following six sentences are from my book Smolder Springs now available from Resplendence Publishing and on Kindle. Enjoy!

Her eyes drank in every visible part from the firm muscles that hugged his arms and legs, to his thick waist and gently angled face. Her favorite feature was the stunning jade color of his eyes—clear and sharp and mesmerizing. She appreciated the dark tumbling mass of hair that fell around his neck but grieved over his choice of attire and how little it revealed his sculpted, sun-kissed body.

All six-foot-two inches of him gravitated toward her, his broad shoulders even more impressive up close. She tilted her chin to look up at him. Talk about a towering inferno.

Ann Cory

Penny Serenade Won't Cost You a Penny Today at Amazon

Penny Serenade: Tokens of the Heart Book One won't even cost you a penny today at Amazon

Blurb -

When Audrey Kessler opened her new age shop, Tokens of the Heart, she never expected it to be such a success. While her life is all about being neat and orderly, she hasn’t found much success in the other areas of her life. Mainly love.

Enter Dominic Blume, a jack-of-all-trades, who in one day manages to capture her attention and draw her ire. Preferring to play things safe, Audrey does her best to focus on her business and ignore the way her body ignites whenever Dominic is near.

But when she needs a strong, warm body to comfort her after a traumatic event, Audrey worries that she has succeeded too well at keeping Dominic away.

Excerpt –

Her mind whirred. The man was bad for her nerves. On one hand he had an incredible face, voice, and body. He smelled damn good, and his seductive smile made her entire being shudder. On the other hand he didn’t know the first thing about communication. His words spilled out, without any filters. She speed walked around the store, finding herself too wound up for the peaceful ambiance she’d created. The music was all wrong. Heavy metal rather than Celtic harp would be more her pace at the moment.

A string of obscenities lay at the tip of her tongue and she was starting to sweat from walking so fast. She needed to find a way to catch her breath and be calm. If she threw herself into her work, thoughts of Dominic, wanting to touch Dominic, and wanting to kiss Dominic, would disappear.

She grabbed a notepad off the counter along with a pen, and wrote down the amount and colors of Betsy’s bracelets that needed to be restocked, especially in lapis blue. Audrey groaned. Great, the lapis blue bracelet, another thing that reminded her of the day the tactless wonder walked in.

No sooner had she jotted down numbers, a streak of light shone into the store, followed by Dominic himself. She groaned again, this time to herself. Wouldn’t he ever leave her alone? She’d never seen him before and now she couldn’t escape him.

Through gritted teeth she asked, “Can I help you?”

“I feel the need to apologize, again,” he said. “Err, repeatedly.”

“It’s not necessary,” she grumbled. “If we stay out of each other’s way then there won’t be a problem.” She’d have to find a new place to go for lunch, which sucked on many levels, or she’d always be looking for him.

“Listen.” He reached out to touch her arm and stopped before his fingers made contact. Curling them into a fist, he put his arm back down to his side. “I’m not in the habit of saying sorry, to anyone, but I can tell you don’t think much of me, and I’m to blame for that. I have a feeling you’re going to hold a grudge against me because of what I said about the pennies.”

Audrey shrugged. She was feeling very out of her comfort zone around him. Words escaped her.

He walked over to the penny display and turned it slow. “These really are something. It’s a clever idea.”

She folded her arms. “Don’t be condescending.”

“I’m not trying to be, I swear,” he said, leaning his god-like body against the counter. “Yesterday I only had one thing on my mind and that was getting the best gift I could for my niece. You can’t fault me for not knowing you made them. Hell, I didn’t even know your name.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but he made a good point. His comment about the pennies wasn’t even the issue anymore, and she knew it. She was angry for having made him out to be perfect at first glance and then felt betrayed by her own high expectations. It was easier to blame him than her lousy quick judgment.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said, looking past him.

“I can tell it matters.”

“I’ll get over it. I’m good at that.” Audrey could write a how-to book on the subject if she wanted.

Dominic straightened and took a step closer. “Can we consider starting over? I’d like another chance.”

If he knew how much he aroused her in that split-second with the way he moved and his words, he’d use that to his advantage.

She clicked her tongue. “I’m not interested.”

His jaw slackened. “Then you’ve already made your mind up about me.”

“I didn’t say that,” she said in a rush. “I just know myself,” she explained, feeling like an idiot. “Anything you say will of course sound better now, but it won’t erase what you said before. You could’ve knocked anything else in the entire store, but you ridiculed something dear to my heart. I said I’ll get over it, but it will take time. The hurt can’t be removed with smooth talk or a charming smile.”

His lips curled in a tantalizing way. “Do I have a charming smile?”

She paused. How had that slipped out? Blurting wasn’t her style. Flustered she looked around the store, trying to focus on something that would guide her. Nothing did. She’d been very close to having everything together in her life before Dominic. It made sense that things would be better if she stayed clear of him. Not knowing what else to say, she glanced at the clock. “Look, I have a ton of work to do. If you aren’t going to buy anything, then you should leave.”

“I’ll leave,” he said, his tone serious again. “I promise.”

The sooner the better, she thought.

“How about that drink later?”

Along with learning some tact, the guy needed to learn to take a hint. She shook her head. “I don’t drink.”

“Do you do dinner?” A twitch of something, smugness? crossed his lips.

“I don’t close until seven,” she answered with a bitchier-than-planned tone. “I usually heat up something in the back around six and munch on it. Thanks anyway.” She wondered when he was going to leave.

“Dessert? I’m a big fan of cake.”

Audrey thought back to the cheesecake at the café and her resolve weakened. “Oh yeah? What kind of cake?”

“Any kind, though I’m partial to white cake with butter cream frosting.”

She nodded. “Sounds good, but I’m a sucker for cheesecake.”

“Noted,” he said and pretended to take out a pad of paper and write it down.

Dessert conversation over, she returned to her frown. He’d almost made her forget to be irritated.

(copyright 2012)



~Ann Cory

Motivated Monday

It's Monday and Write Motivation check-in day! I've stayed busy and productive and am very proud of all that I've accomplished.

My March goals are as follows:

1) Edit minimum 6 pages, 4 days per week
2) Write for minimum 30 minutes 6 days per week
3) Update blog minimum 4 days per week
4) Social Network/blog comments minimum 3 days per week
5) Read minimum 30 minutes per day
6) Study craft minimum 30 minutes per day
7) Eat well, drink water, move body every day

I accomplished:
1)15 pages deep edited and 15 pages edited. I'll need to go back through the more recent 15 pages and do a deep edit on them. But that's for next week :)
2)Between two WIP's I've written 15k
Hmmm, what's with all the 15's? Weird trend
3)I generally blog 5x's a week, but give myself some room if I'm unable to do that. I've blogged everyday except Sunday this week. I try and stay unplugged more on Sundays.
4)I pop up somewhere each day, generally I keep it to small intervals of time. Too easy to lose myself in it, so I use a timer.
5)Lots of reading :) I finished Shameless, Tithe, Poison Study, and am halfway finished with Changes by Jim Butcher. Can't read enough - wish I had more time!
6)I've been in a workshop all week - so that gets counted toward my craft study. A new one starts today! Very excited :)
7)I've eaten well, had plenty of water, the exercise thing is not quite going well, but I'm working on this.

So - goals were met. Add to this that the Sapphic Planet Anthology released in print - so I've been busy promoting it. Stay tuned for a blog hop with the contributing authors :)

Write Motivation is a wonderful group of lads and ladies who are super supportive, inspiring, creative, talented, and highly motivating. They are keeping me on my toes. And if I'm having a low point or what-not, they help boost my spirits :) You can hang with us at #writemotivation on Twitter or stop by the above link to learn more. We'd love for you to join us!