Welcome to my stop on the Sizzling Summer Blog Hop!
Summertime here in the south is hot and steamy. We have more than our fair share of humidity, but we also have more than our fair share of fun, and I love to include this in my books – especially my Backstage Pass series. After all, rock stars are not known for their predictable ways.
So here are my band Solar Uprising’s favorite ways to beat the sizzling heat:
BARBEQUES
If it’s one thing rockers love to do, it’s party. What better way in the summer then a barbecue and beer and a pool?
“Chicken fight!”
Becca wasted no time getting to her feet. “That would be my cue to exit. The annual chicken fight is definitely not my scene.” She strode toward the locker rooms, leaving Taylor to face the music.
She turned a wide-eyed gaze toward the rest of the party, which was rapidly dividing itself by groups of two. Even the teenagers. Her stomach started to churn, faster and faster, like a merry-go-round gaining speed.
She stayed put, sort of an “if I’m very still, no one will notice me” move. After all, no one had so far. But she should have known her luck would run out.
Not two minutes later Michael detached himself from the group and swam in her direction. Oh, that hot dog had been a mistake. She just might puke in the pool.
No. No no no. Please don’t make me do this. The last thing she wanted was for Michael Korvello to try to lift her. She could just imagine the stoic grunt as he realized just how much she weighed. Not to mention having to do it in front of a handful of women shaped like twigs. With boobs, of course.
His head lifted above the water with slick grace, the wetness somehow deepening the smoky blue of his eyes. “I need a partner, Taylor.”
She swallowed hard. “No, thanks.”
“Come on. You wouldn’t leave me hangin’, would ya?”
Her expression must have showcased some of her “you bet I would, mister” sentimentality, because the laughter in his ramped up. “Come on. Just a friendly game of chicken.” His emphasis on the word notated his challenge.
Just like he challenged her every day. Drawing her out, coaxing her to take the leap. But this time she had fear of taking her towel off in front of thirty-some-odd people on her side.
“Not happening.” She shook her head to drive her point home.
Above the slosh of people in the pool, a voice suddenly rang out. “I thought you said she was a cool nanny?”
A quick glance revealed the teens looking her way, and not a single soul left out of the pool, except one woman wrangling two toddlers.
And her.
So much for outgrowing peer pressure. Her “okay” got everyone back to their preparations and their eyes off her, thank God. But not Michael’s.
He watched with a raised brow as she stood next to her lounger. Her legs shook with the desire to run back to the locker rooms and hide. How could she possibly do this? But some teeny-tiny spark inside insisted she could ramp up that sexy glint in his eyes.
Fake it till you make it.
Sucking in her stomach, she let the towel drop to reveal her new swimsuit. His gaze traveled down the teal one-piece with interest, lingering where it dipped low over her cleavage. Turning, she draped her towel over her lounger. A totally unnecessary maneuver, but his quick intake of breath told her he’d seen the heart-shaped cutout right over the dimples at the small of her back.
Did he like them?
Remembering when those dimples had been the subject of ridicule rather than an intimate secret between lovers, she approached Michael with a touch of caution. When she was within a few steps of him, he breathed, “Damn, woman.”
Ah, victory.
A few deep breaths got her through the indignity of climbing onto Michael’s muscled shoulders. Thankfully he didn’t moan or stumble over her weight. The only thing that eased her self-consciousness was the feel of his wet skin against hers. His hands warming as they curled around her thighs. The flex of his arms as he balanced her securely.
Oh, she was so going to hell for her thoughts.
Luckily no one else seemed to be paying her any attention as one of the men yelled, “Ready. Set. Go!”
from Finding Her Rhythm, Book 1
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Summer nights provide many a chance to step off the beaten path and explore all the options. These bad boys will wonder off the straight and narrow every chance they get!
A slight breeze flirted with the ruffle of her skirt, playing around her bare legs. They came around a curve in the road, and Becca smiled. She had noticed the little park on their way over, but hadn’t taken the time for a thorough look. Swings and seesaws sat still in the darkness, with a pavilion and other equipment deeper in the shadows. An abundance of trees would keep the area shaded during hot summer days, but tonight they took on the magical qualities of an enchanted canopy.
“So pretty,” she murmured, pausing for a moment to take it in.
Daniel squeezed the hand he still held. “Come,” he said, sounding as if he had jumped into her little fantasy, “let’s go for a stroll in the park.”
She giggled as they stepped off the pavement, then walked slowly around, exploring the nooks and crannies. Becca soaked in the rustle of the leaves overhead and the occasional brush of Daniel’s body along her side. Finally he tugged her farther toward the shadows at the back. “I see a place perfect for a few adult games,” he said.
“Daniel, no.”
“Come on, cutie. Take a walk on the wild side with me.”
She wasn’t especially wild. At least, not without Daniel. But who could resist that gorgeous grin? A bit of necking never hurt, right?
Only she should know Daniel never did anything halfway. Guiding her into the stand of trees, he found a nice wide trunk to back her up against. She giggled as he nuzzled into her neck, then moaned as he sucked her skin. God, he felt so good.
“Becca, I don’t think I can wait until we get back to the hotel,” he murmured.
“You mean the one I can see from here?” she teased even while her hands pulled his hips closer. That didn’t help her case. She wanted to tease him again, but his words against her skin had her shivering with sensations. How could words turn her on so much?
“I want to open this demure little button-down of yours and expose those pretty pink nipples to the night air,” he said, his mouth traveling down as if to follow through. Her nipples reacted, tight and tingling, as the image filled her mind.
from Settling the Score, Book 2
BLESSED RAIN
One sure way to cool down is a steady summer shower. And who doesn’t want to play in the rain? This bad boy definitely does.
Now she needed to deal with the reality.
Which was why she was trailing Sean through the mist in the dark. The words of his note had floated through her mind throughout the meal. You can’t hide from me forever, girlie. The flush that rose over her chest and heated her cheeks had drawn his eye, but he hadn’t remarked on it—or anything else for that matter.
She’d expected him to hunt her down as soon as they were dismissed. Instead he’d disappeared into the depths of the house with his brother. She’d wanted to seek him out but hid behind a book in the library for long moments trying to prepare her explanations.
Then she’d heard footsteps passing by. She was still buttoning her coat as she caught a glimpse of him rounding the corner of the building. Quickening her steps, she saw just a dark shadow before he was swallowed up by the cloaking mist.
Boy, he was moving fast. Like he had a ton of energy and no way to expend it. She totally sympathized.
Luckily the path he disappeared down led to the old ruin by the lake. It was one of the few places she hadn’t explored yet, but Clarissa had pointed it out. The pebbled path was lined with small lights at regular intervals. They provided just enough illumination for her to keep on track, even if her surroundings were obscured by the gray blanket hanging in the air.
Navigating the darkness gave her an excuse to slow down and put off the inevitable. She could admit it, even if she wouldn’t let herself give in to it. Reaching the looming stone structure, she paused for a moment of awe. The stone walls were ancient and beautiful in the gloom, so tall she couldn’t make out the top floor. The beauty touched her heart, as if the old building welcomed her. A deep breath for courage, then she stepped through the gaping doorway.
The damp chill increased inside the walls, introducing a slightly creepy factor. “Sean?” Her voice echoing in the space didn’t help. Maybe she should return to the warm fuzzies outside? Then a light beam appeared in the far doorway, sweeping rapidly across the ground to find her eyes. Ouch.
“Meghan?”
Relief rushed over her as she heard Sean’s voice, but her mortification returned too. She swallowed it down. He deserved an explanation for leaving him without a word, naked and needy.
“Hey.”
Wow—dynamic opening.
His steps were quiet across the grass that had taken over the inner floor. “Sorry, girlie. I didn’t think you’d be looking for me.”
Oh, I wouldn’t if my conscience would let me avoid it. “Were you meeting someone?”
“No. Just revisiting old memories.”
Glancing around at the stone walls, strong despite their crumbling mortar, she could see how this would be the perfect place for reminiscing. She shifted, not sure where to start. Couldn’t they just return to the mindless need of the early morning? That she could handle. When she had to think about things, not so much. She always said the wrong thing. Or other people seemed to think so.
“This is a cool place,” she said, glancing around the gloom. She could just make out a narrow staircase and a doorway leading into more rooms.
“Yes,” Sean said, his voice way more relaxed than she felt. “It was a crackin’ stage for games when Kieran and I were kids. We played here a lot.” The flashlight beam swept the interior, revealing age against the classic beauty. “Great relief from the orders and arguments waiting for us at the big house. And later, lots of privacy for meeting girls.”
from Striking a Chord, Book 3
As you can tell, these bad boys love to heat things up and keep life cool. I hope you’ll consider joining them for an adventure! Speaking of, what’s your favorite way to enjoy some summer fun? One lucky commenter will win a copy of Backstage Pass Books 1 & 2, Finding Her Rhythm & Settling the Score, on Sunday.
If you’d like to keep up to date on my book releases and cool happenings, please join my newsletter group here!
And don’t forget to check out the other blogs in the hop at www.justromance.me!
No comment to “Sizzling Summer Blog Hop”
Vanessa N. - August 1, 2014
Going to the beach
mythic021@gmail.com
Miriam Smith - August 1, 2014
Ice cream sundaes for dinner 🙂
Trix - August 1, 2014
I love traveling, going to concerts, and making homemade ice cream!
Amber - August 1, 2014
going to the park and the beach with my kids
tdhassett - August 1, 2014
cocktails on the deck
Bethanne - August 1, 2014
A baseball game with the family 🙂
Nicola W - August 1, 2014
Walking on the beach
michellewillms2013 - August 1, 2014
I love going to the beach or to the lake. At home, I enjoy swimming in our pool.
jmesparza821 - August 2, 2014
I stay indoors as much as possible and drink a lot of cold water and lemonade.
jmesparza821 at gmail dot com
bn100 - August 2, 2014
Go to the beach
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
Stacey - August 2, 2014
I love travelling, going to the beach, and having lots of ice cream!
Dani Wade - August 2, 2014
Wow! So many wonderful visitors have dropped by! Thank you for joining me on this blog hop. Looks like we have a lot of beach-lovers here. That’s a very popular choice where I live in the southern US. Most people vacation at the beach on the Gulf Coast in the summer. Loads of fun…and lots of sizzling summer nights there!
Tewanda - August 2, 2014
Traveling
Shelly Hammond - August 2, 2014
Oh, your books sound terrific! I think they would be absolutely perfect summer reading! I’m definitely heading over to Amazon to check them out a lot closer. Thanks for putting so much information up about them. They drew me right in and now I need to read them before the summer is over! To my must read pile!
This summer is consisting of hanging around the house doing pretty much nothing but if the perfect way to spend a summer would be heading to the beach and get a ton of suntan lotion (ten minutes in the sun and one might try to throw me in a pot and boil me up thinking I’m a lobster!), a few books and my Kindle, something good and cold to drink, and doing pretty much nothing there instead of here!
Thanks so much, again, for the book information above and giving me some good new summer reading ideas. I hope everyone enjoys the summer right up to the very last second!
Shelly H
booski24@hotmail.com
ML - August 2, 2014
My favorite summer things are the lovely, warm summer nights and going out to get ice cream.
Cheryl Lynne - August 2, 2014
Reading hot romance stories, eating banana splits and going to the beach.
Colleen C. - August 2, 2014
Oh ice cream and hot hot romance reads!
laurellasky - August 2, 2014
Reading erotic books under the AC with a tall iced drink to cool down.
Cindy Hazelwood - August 2, 2014
Heading to the beach and reading a great romance
Alisha Sienkiel - August 2, 2014
Going to the lake and ice cream!
sienkiel1821 at yahoo dot com
jennifer mathis - August 2, 2014
air conditioning 😉
meandi09@yahoo.com
Samantha Hodges - August 2, 2014
For me just reading a good book.
Brandi Dagwan - August 2, 2014
Thanks for sharing those excerpts Dani! I loved reading them! <3
Last week I spent the week at my friends families house(They are like my 2nd family) & there were 19 of us in the house(22 if you count the 3 dogs lol). They had a birthday party & invited more family over, so there were about 40 ppl at the house. They rented a bouncy waterslide for the 2 littles one birthday,…. after the kids were on it for quite awhile, some of us adults decided it was our turn to play LOL! So we went on the waterslide, we set up a volleyball game, we had a few other lawn games out, the old teen boys took out the gokart & gave the little ones a ride around the yard. Good food, great friends, lots of fun! Those are the memories I will cherish! <3
Thank you for the giveaway!
Take care, & I hope you have a great weekend! =)
Brandi
BLeigh1130 at yahoo dot com
Lee - August 2, 2014
freshly picked strawberries
Megs - August 3, 2014
Swimming and staying up extra late! And margaritas! Lots of margaritas 🙂
Tara Quan - August 3, 2014
Reading a good book with the AC cranked up … with some wine 🙂
Mel Bourn - August 3, 2014
I am a very low key kinda girl. I love sitting outside by the fire pit with cool glass of pear cider. Heaven!
Mel
bournmelissa at hotmail dot com
Charlotte Copper - August 3, 2014
My daughter plays volleyball, so I spend a lot of weekends at the beach watching her play….it takes a lot of effort to cheer from those comfy chairs.
joderjo - August 3, 2014
I spend a lot of time outdoors gardening and reading lots of books in the shade by the pool! Thanks for the great giveaway!
Jody Faltys
gogi1_2 AT yahoo DOT com
JoAnna B - August 3, 2014
Hanging by a pool or staying cool in the air conditioning.
frllarsson - August 3, 2014
My kind of summer fun – is me and my Kindle in my garden =D A big mug of coffee and I´m all set.
Thanks for the giveaway & Happy Sunday!
//Linda
titania - August 3, 2014
Family picnics
Gayle O - August 3, 2014
When I lived in Maine, my favorite summer fun was sitting outside (in the shade) reading with a cool glass of iced tea. Now, in Florida, my favorite summer fun is sitting inside (in the air conditioning) reading with a cool glass of water.
Your books look fabulous – I’m a sucker for rock stars and lovin’ – I’ve added your name to my list of authors ‘to be investigated’ – thanks for being part of this hop so I could find out about you!!!
Dani Wade - August 8, 2014
I didn’t get a chance to post my winner!! Too much going on. 🙂 Random.org chose laurellasky! I’ll be contacting you with your prizes! Thanks for hanging out with me, everyone!