Just For the Night... A Party

with Tawny

I'm so excited and ready to celebrate the release of my latest Blaze, JUST FOR THE NIGHT. This story is in the 24 Hours: Blackout series, which means there's a whole lot of dark for the hero and heroine to be trapped in together.

When I was brainstorming this story, I asked myself what would make being trapped with a hot, sexy guy a challenge. My answer? If that hot sexy guy was your ex, the guy you'd never gotten over but were still harboring a lot of anger and blame toward. And with that, Larissa and Jason's relationship was born.

Larissa is a romance expert. She writes a column for a hot sexy magazine offering advice on how to bring more romance into your life. She reviews romance novels, and she has very strong opinions on what is romantic... And what isn't.

Then there's Jason. His expertise? Sex. Jason's all about the bottom line. So much so that he shows up at a business meeting toting a Koteka - a wooden penis cover that's reputed to offer special sexual power to whoever is nearby. Hubba hubba!

These were some fun characters to come up with!!!

My next pondering was this... Nobody expects to be trapped in a blackout, but I needed to make sure my couple had the necessities to make sure they had a good, sexy time while locked up in a lush mall with each other. So what did I arrange for Larissa to take with her? A jar of hot fudge, a warm fuzzy blanket, and condoms. Hey... she had her reasons!!! And, best of all, she put all of those to good use :-)

Hopefully, my brainstorming and ponderings paid off to result in a fun, sexy story that readers enjoy. So I think it's time to celebrate. We need hunks, of course. And a tequila bar with 24 varieties of margaritas. To keep with the 24 theme, perhaps Keiffer Sutherland will join us? Sven is sending the cabana boys around with 24 different kinds of dessert, and we'll be partying for... yes, you guessed it, 24 hours.

We should, of course, have cake. Now, personally this cake makes me think of Donna and her feathers, so I thought it'd be a lot of extra fun to enjoy! There is a different flavor of deliciousness on each layer, so there's something for everyone.

So if you were trapped without power for 24 hours, what three things would you want with you, where would you be and who would you enjoy the experience with most?

I'll give away three copies of JUST FOR THE NIGHT to three lovely commenters today!

It's Party Time!!!

by Tawny

Wooohooooooooooooooooooo!!! It's that time again - Par-Tay Time in the Lair. I'm sooo excited to celebrate the release this next week of my 8th Harlequin Blaze, RIDING THE WAVES. Here's the blurb, in case you are wondering what kind of waves are being ridden *g*:

What happens in Mexico... doesn’t always stay there!

All uptight workaholic Drucilla Robichoux wants is to experience incredible sex, at least once in her life. So she heads off to Mexico for some sun, sand and sin. And she finds the perfect playmate in sexy surf instructor Alex. Her temporary boy toy teaches Dru to ride the waves, all right...
...right into the most intense climaxes she’s ever had!
But all vacation flings must end. When Dru heads home, she buttons up tight again. Might as well keep this delicious fantasy right where it belongs... in her naughty memories.

So it sure is a shock when she walks into work Monday morning and finds her secret fling is her new boss! And he’s definitely still interested in catching the big one with Dru.

Yeeeehaw! Drinks all around! The margarita fountain is flowing, party-hat wearing hotties are coming around with appetizer trays and wine and I think the tequila shooters are over there (pointing to that corner over there, where Madame and Aunty Cindy are whistling for the cabana boys).

This was a fun book to write. I got to learn to surf (virtually), learn new things about the science of astrophysics (virtually) and spend a whole lot of time thinking about fantasies. RIDING THE WAVES is a Forbidden Fantasy story. Which means Drucilla thinks she's in this perfect place where she can give herself over to all KINDS of indulgences. And her first indulgence she sees? It went something like this:

Reveling in the feel of the tiny grains shifting around her feet, Drucilla headed straight for the water. It wasn’t until she was halfway there that she saw him.

Her heart, and her feet, stopped.

Her mouth went as dry as the sand clinging to her ankles. She didn’t blink when the soft breeze sent tendrils of her hair into her eyes, just batted it away so it didn’t interfere with her view.

Oh. My. God.

He was incredible. Like some water god, he flew over the waves. The water glistened on his golden muscles like jewels in the fading light. Arms outstretched, biceps glinting as he balanced on the deep purple surfboard. Was he real? A figment of her lusty imagination? The manifestation of her every sexual fantasy? Dru’s breath came in long, labored bursts. Her eyes watered because she was afraid to blink, fearing he’d disappear.

Her hands itched to touch that bare chest, to run her fingers down the dusting of dark hair that perfectly highlighted his well-muscled chest. She stared as he got closer to shore, watching him shift his knees to a low crouch as he rode the wave all the way to the beach.

There was something so amazing about surfers. She’d always imagined them to be fearless. Able to embrace anything life handed them and ride it to success.

And talk about muscle control. That was the kind of guy who rock against-a-wall sex and not drop the woman as she melted in orgasmic glory all over him.

Was he real? Or had her sex-deprived imagination conjured up the perfect man to fulfill her every kinky fantasy?

About thirty feet away, she watched him walk across the sand. This close, she could see how young he was. Mid-twenties at the most. His dripping hair fell in inky black curls around his head, his beautiful face adding to the image of a Greek God come to life.

He stopped at the brightly decorated surf shop bungalow, and she watched him key in a code, then open the door and store his board. His familiarity made it obvious he wasn’t a guest. Did he work at the hotel?

Whatever he did, he was obviously out of her league. Not that it mattered. It wasn’t like a sweet young thing like him would have any interest in an almost thirty-year-old scientist with social anxieties and repressed sexual needs.

Needs she’d been perfectly fine ignoring until Nikki had gotten her all riled up over her crazy ideas. Insane ideas. Dru had no idea how to flirt, how to attract a man’s attention. Especially not a man like that. No matter what Nikki had suggested, Dru wasn’t here for a fling.

Except here he was. The most incredible man she’d ever seen. A man who would definitely not stop mid-thrust, but know how to bring a woman to a screaming orgasm, then make her writhe and beg for more.

And then he turned. Their eyes met. Dru’s breath lodged somewhere between her aching nipples and her suddenly dry mouth. His gaze holding her captive from twenty feet away, one corner of his mouth quirked in a charmingly adorable little boy grin.

And he walked toward her. Frozen in the sand, Drucilla didn’t know if she should pull back her shoulders, stick out her chest and smile beguilingly. Or turn on her bare heel and run like hell.


Whew! I think we need to have cake and ice cream, and celebrate now, don't you? Who has the cake knife? Trish? Nancy?

I loved writing a Forbidden Fantasy. Don't you love the sound of that? Both forbidden and fantasy make me just sigh and go into dream-mode.

In the story, Drucilla gives in and indulges in her ultimate forbidden fantasy - a vacation fling. She also indulges in wildly patterned dresses, kicky heels and decadent breakfasts. The dresses, the heels and the food are all lovely vacation memories when she gets back home. And the fling? Ooops, he's her new partner! And as hot as that vacation fling was... this is when things really heat up!

How about you? What's your favorite fantasy? Would you go for the all night party? The hot young thing? A weekend of margaritas and a chocolate covered Johnny Depp (oh wait -that's my fantasy!)

Come on in, grab a drink (what're you having?), grab a fantasy hunk (who're you having?) and share a little vacation fantasy indulgence. And what's a party without party favors? I'll offer a book (anything from my back list) to three random commenter's today!

SWEETEST LITTLE SIN RELEASE PARTY -- SPY VS BANDITA?

Scene: The deepest depths of the Romance Bandits' lair--a place unlovingly referred to by its inhabitants as the deadline cave.

Two furtive figures appear from nowhere. One distracts the two cabana boys guarding the cave entrance, allowing the other to steal up behind and knock the CBs' pretty heads together. Stunned, the cabana boys crumple to the floor. Clearly, the Bad Banditas were not in charge of security in the deadline cave tonight.

The two intruders separate and move in different directions through the dark corridors, systematically riffling through desks and filing cabinets in each room.

Most of the cells are unoccupied--there seems to be some sort of party going on above--but in one room sits a little dark haired Bandita tapping away at her laptop, chugging instant coffee and muttering to herself.

In one swift motion, a tall, dark (and handsome!) figure steps up behind and puts a blade to the Bandita's throat. The muttering becomes a strangled shriek, but the intruder clamps his hand over the Bandita's mouth to smother the sound.

A voice, which the Bandita knows only too well, murmurs in her ear...

The Marquis of Jardine: Mrs. Wells, I presume? Stand up, now, slowly. In a moment, I'm going to take my hand away from your mouth. You know me well enough to guess what I'll do if you make the slightest sound. Do you understand?

Obediently, the hapless author rises and turns around

Christine Wells: [Thinks] Wow. He really is as devastatingly gorgeous as I imagined when I wrote him. And scary. Mustn't forget the scary part. Careful of the knife blade, she nods.

Jardine slowly removes hand from her mouth but keeps the knife too close for comfort.

Jardine: It has come to my attention that you mean to publish a book. One that contains top secret information about a recent mission of mine.

Christine: [Thinks] I didn't write this part, but I'm willing to go with it. Forget Lady Louisa! Take ME as your prisoner, Jardine!

[Says] Well... it's mainly a romance, really. I mean there are some suspense elements but they're, um, you know... larger than life. Highly improbable. She shrugs and looks apologetic. I made it all up.

Jardine: Romance?Jardine's eyes narrow dangerously. Mrs. Wells, are you mocking me?

Christine: Me? Mock? You? No! Mocking is not at all what I had in mind, actually...

A tall, slim blonde woman enters the room, reading a blue covered book.

Christine: [Mutters] Oh, nuts.

Lady Louisa Brooke: Jardine, do stop terrorizing the poor woman. It is a romance, after all. See? [Reads aloud] "Damn you, Louisa.” The soft growl was all she heard before a savage, beautiful mouth found hers." Louisa tilts her head and stares at Jardine's savage, beautiful mouth. I think that's rather good.

Jardine: Good? Have you taken leave of your senses, my lady?

Louisa flips the page

Louisa: [laughs] Oh! Were we really that naughty?

Christine: Most of it was unprintable.

Jardine: Hand it over, Louisa! I'll be the judge of... Good God!

Christine: [whispers to Louisa] Don't worry, everyone knows that's just a body double on the cover.

Ahem! Anyway, it's too late to stop publication, I'm afraid. In fact, SWEETEST LITTLE SIN will hit bookstores this very day. Christine looks at watch Oh, no, is that the time? I'm supposed to be at the release party by now! Sven! WHERE'S MY COCKTAIL? Demetrius, where's your shield? For that matter, where's your tunic, you naughty Roman!

Christine hurries away, leaving Jardine and Louisa engrossed in the story of how they lied, spied, schemed and fought their way to their happily ever after.

Louisa: Looks around. It appears we're alone, darling. Shall we join the party upstairs?

Jardine: I've never been one for parties. But, having read this book, something rather more interesting does rather leap to mind. Grins evilly. Come here, my love...

At this point, the CCTV footage goes blank. Even in the 21st century, the Marquis of Jardine knows a thing or two about maintaining the utmost secrecy regarding his affairs.

Much later...

Upstairs, the party is in full swing. Sven the Swedish masseur has the baby oil in one hand and a cocktail shaker in the other. The Romans are organizing shield sledding teams and the hockey hunks are relaxing with some of the Bandita Buddies by the pool. Sundry Banditas are giving fencing, shooting and chandelier-swinging lessons and drinking raspberry mojitos out of bucket boots.

Two figures emerge, a little dishevelled, from the deadline cave.

Louisa: Gracious! What a party!

Jardine: That's not a party, that's a ...................!!!

For the chance to win one of three signed copies of SWEETEST LITTLE SIN, fill in the blank at the end of Jardine's sentence!