Saturday 31 December 2016

2016 Round-Up, and Happy New Year!

Although 2016 has been a pretty terrible one in many respects, I'm happy to say it's been a good one for me and my writing, and I'll be leaving 2016 in a great place. Only a week ago, the boxed set for my vampire Serenity series hit the top one hundred best seller list overall, and number thirty-three on the bestseller list over at Barnes and Noble. In the last week, the book has sold almost four thousand copies, which has been incredible. You can still grab it for $0.99/£0.99 if you haven't already!

As well as writing, I had a couple of fantastic events which I attended - the second birthday party for the facebook group THE Book Club (if you're not a member yet, give me a shout and I'll add you). This group has been so supportive over the last twelve months, and at the party I got to meet some fantastic readers, and authors who I've only ever met online (including the lovely Mel Comley who was one of my first author friends), and the queen of THE Book Club, Tracy Fenton, herself!

I also got to attend the Tiverton Literary Festival again this year, where I ran one of my self-publishing workshops to a small but very enthusiastic group. I moved the workshop to an online platform this year and hope to be running more workshops during the year. Self-publishing hasn't just been a way of getting my work out, it's also been a way of joining a supportive community, and I've made numerous friends during the six years I've been self-publishing for.

In total this year, I've managed to publish another six books. I started the year with Denied, and Delivered, the final two books in my dark romance 'Monster' trilogy, which takes inspiration from Beauty and the Beast. 

This was followed by one of my favourite books this year, a second chance romance, No Second Chances, and then I released Dirty Shots, which is a rewrite of an erotic serial which I had published in a pen name, and rewrote in novel form.

I was then thrilled to join the team of authors writing the Blood Courtesans books, and wrote my own novella, Stolen. I also released the boxed set Three which contains three of my contemporary novels.
Finally, I wrote and released the first book in my new Mercenary series, Skewed. I wrote book two, Warped as well, which will be out on the 26th of January.

On top of the novels, I also published a couple of audiobooks, plus had stories included in boxed sets and anthologies - Shifters and Spice boxed set (which is currently on kindle countdown sale), the horror anthology '13' from Limitless Publishing, and the anthology Sexy just got Kinky from the Brit Babes.

As you can see, it's been a busy year!

So, what are my plans for 2017?

Definitely more books coming your way!

I'll have a brand new pnr novella included in a boxed set in the spring, plus there is another '13' horror anthology which will be released in 2017. I'm also planning on writing another Blood Courtesans book, which will following a couple of the characters from Stolen.

For my own books, my main focus for the start of the year will be on my Mercenary series. Warped is out on the 26th of January and is already up for pre-order, and I plan to start writing book three (title as yet undecided) as soon as possible. I have a couple of sexy shifter novellas which are stand alone series books, which I would like to get out at some point in 2017, and then I plan on starting a brand new urban fantasy series, The Mind Movers. I actually have about 20,000 words of the first book already written, as I started writing it as a novella for a boxed set, but then it got bigger and bigger, and I realised the story was far too big to ever fit into a novella!

At some point this year, I would love to take the time to write something a little different for me. I have two works in progress - a post apocalyptic story, and a paranormal thriller - and so would love to work on one of these. I think it's good to work the writing brain by writing something completely different every now and then!

And that's about it from me! I hope you have a wonderful new year, and wish you much success and happiness for 2017!

Thanks for reading!

Marissa. XXX



Tuesday 6 December 2016

New Release! Brit Babes Just Got Kinky!

Out Now—Sexy Just Got Kinky: Kinks to Make you Think by The Brit Babes (@8britbabes)

Blurb:

Tantalise your dark side with kinks to make you think. From lovers behind bars to lone ladies behind the lens—fisticuffs and feathers, lilos and lube, scissors and sticks, whips, canes and bondage, there’s sure to be a kink within these pages to whet your appetite, tickle your fancies and heat up cold nights.
Featuring stories by Lexie Bay, Victoria Blisse, Marissa Farrar, Lucy Felthouse, K D Grace, Lily Harlem, Kay Jaybee and Tabitha Rayne.



Available from:
All Romance eBooks: http://bit.ly/2gJnFBL

*****



It started with a photograph.
A single, crazy, adrenaline-filled moment of madness.
I’d had enough of being ignored, of being the maid, the chef, the chauffeur to my unappreciative family. I dreamed of the days when men used to drop to their knees before me in the streets. They’d beg to buy me drinks, just to get me to spend a little time in their company, and, if they were lucky, snatch a kiss and take me home to their bed. Now, I was invisible. A mother, a wife, a housekeeper. I longed to be seen as something sexual again, and so I took the photo.
I made sure not to include my face. I didn’t want to be identified. Instead, I held the camera on my phone with one hand and cupped my breasts with the other, squeezing them together so the tops lifted and rounded in globes. My nipples peeped between my fingers, crinkled and hard. The lighting wasn’t perfect, and I had no idea what filters to use, but that didn’t matter.
I posted it online.
It was on one of the popular social media sites, known more for its raunchy posts than some of the others. I’d used the site to watch porno GIFs often enough, but I’d never had the guts to comment or post something of my own.
Until now.
I gave myself an online name—theanonymouslife. All one word.
It was only a single picture, but already my emotions surged up inside me, making me feel alive—a mixture of excitement and guilt, and horniness.
Already, I was addicted.
I stayed on the computer, checking for comments and reblogs. People liked my tits, it seemed. More than my husband, who hadn’t laid a finger on me in forever. There were a couple of negative notes, but I brushed over them in favour of the positive ones. Damn trolls were everywhere.
I don’t know why I got such a thrill from posting my picture online, or why I’d even felt the need to do it at all. Maybe there was anger in me, a resentfulness I couldn’t shift, and posting the photo felt a little bit like revenge. Or rebellion. I resented my husband for plunging me into a life of celibacy that I’d never asked for. I’d always been a sexual person, and still was, but now sex was denied to me. My children stole my body away, though they never asked to do that, and I would never hold them responsible. I love my kids. They are the one thing that keeps me walking the straight and narrow when all I want to do is run, screaming, throwing off my clothes and frustrations as I do so. I dream of a future alone, where I can pick and choose men as I please, allow them in my life for a short while, only to continue alone once more. Sometimes now, I feel like I barely have enough time to have a thought to myself without being interrupted. I can feel the years slipping away, knowing I’ll never get them back. I’m only in my early thirties—too young to be this dried up person already—and the thought of the rest of my life as a sexless woman terrifies me. I love my husband, I do, but he doesn’t seem to have any interest in me anymore. He’s always too tired from a long day at work. I don’t know if he has no interest in sex in general or if it’s just me that no longer excites him. I can’t say I blame him. After seeing the births of two babies, I’m not sure I’d excite me either. But I can’t bring myself to break up our home, can’t stand the thought of the hurt in our children’s eyes if we separated. Plus, he’s a good guy. I like his company, most of the time. We’re just missing that important element.
So, instead of dealing with the real problem at hand, I took the photograph.
It was harmless. I wasn’t hurting anyone. But quickly I discovered one picture was not enough.
*****

About The Brit Babes:

So who are the Brit Babes? We are eight UK based authors who spend our days writing steamy tales of love and lust. Ranging from sweetly vanilla to so-hot-it-will-blow-your-mind, we aim to please in every literary fantasy department. Our heroes are strong, determined and soul-achingly divine and our heroines sassy, sexy and not afraid to grab what they want. Passion and pleasure are the name of the game, romance and raunch a top priority and it all comes with a delightful sprinkle of kink.
With a whole host of awards, bestsellers and accolades between us, we just know you’ll find something to keep you turning the pages and squirming on your seat. Visit the Brit Babes’ home on the web which acts as a library for the hundreds of books published by us and hosts special guests every Monday. You’ll find links there to our FREE anthology too. Tell your friends, spread the word, because one thing you can be sure of, is when the Brit Babes arrive, sexy has arrived!


Friday 18 November 2016

Win a Surprise Swag Pack, Including a Signed Book!


To celebrate the soon to be released 'Skewed', which is the first book in my brand new 'Mercenary Series', I'm running a givaway for you all! It'll be a surprise swag pack, with lots of goodies, and a signed paperback of one of my books. Just scroll down for the rafflecopter giveaway at the bottom of this post. I haven't asked for proof of the pre-order entry, I'm just trusting your honesty.






I'll also be having a facebook party on the day of release (22nd November), where I'll be doing lots more giveaways, too. And if you want to try the first few chapters of the book early, you can find them over on Wattpad, together with a number of my other books, all for free!


Good luck, and I hope you enjoy the book!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday 6 November 2016

Brand New Series! Skewed Only $0.99 Pre-order!

The most powerful mobster in New York wants me dead—trouble is, he’s also my father.



My brand new novel, Skewed, is now available for pre-order for only $0.99! Grab it now as the price will rise to $3.99 after publication. If you loved 'Defaced' then you'll love 'Skewed' too. Take a hardened hit man, and the daughter of a mafia don, and throw them into a life or death situation, and you're sure to see sparks fly! 


Here's the blurb:

I'm a woman on the run from the most feared mobster in the country. Worse, he's my own father. I have my sister to keep safe, and a hot, deadly hit man on my trail. Only one thing to do … see who gets the first shot. But don't worry about me, I'm no sweet young thing. In fact, I may just be as deadly as the guy who's out to end me.

My name is Verity Guerra. I'm on the run from the most ruthless mafia Don in New York—my father. For the past few months, my sister and I have been in Witness Protection, and I’m determined to live long enough to testify against him. I knew he'd send someone after me. But I didn't bank on a hit man known only as X, with cheekbones sharp enough to grate Italian cheese, and muscles that won't quit. But what he doesn't know just may kill him. Behind my pretty façade, I’m a cold-blooded killer. Too bad X is determined to end me, or I might just fall for those piercing blue eyes.

Call me X. I’m a contract killer, hired to make sure Verity Guerra turns up dead. A beautiful face won’t stop me from doing my job. Killing isn’t just my work—it’s in my blood. But her dark eyes, silky hair, and tattoos mask a lethal killer. Finally, someone worthy to be called my mark. When her little sister goes missing, we have only one question—do we stop trying to kill each other long enough to get her back?

Turns out love and hate aren't so far apart. Can we fight our desire for each other … or will we both end up dead?

Don't miss this sexy thrill-ride through the Mafia underworld—get your copy of Skewed today!



Buy links:

Amazon: getBook.at/Skewed

Nook: http://ow.ly/70i3305LXtE 





I'm also posting the first few chapters over to Wattpad, so if you're not already following me over there, please do! You'll also find lots of my other novels there for you to read for free! 

Sunday 9 October 2016

Signed Paperback of Twisted Dreams Giveaway!


Stop by Apryl Baker's blog to read all about my favourite vampires and my new release, 'Stolen: A Blood Courtesan's Vampire Romance', which will be out on October 18th and is currently up for a 99 cent pre-order (price will rise to $2.99 after publication)!








a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday 21 September 2016

GIVEAWAY and get Defaced in Audiobook!




Read to the end of  the blog to enter! 

You can also get the ebook of 'Defaced' for only 99 cents for the next few days only!

Listen to the sample of 'Defaced' over on Audible 



Monster
Hidden away from society by his criminal father, there lives a man who has never entered the outside world. Now, having taken over his father’s business, he has all the money and power he could dream of, yet still he refuses to let himself be viewed by the rest of society.
Lily
Traumatised by an event in her past, Lily Drayton has a phobia of being touched. Though she helps people externally with her skills as a laser therapist, she refuses to let anyone in, emotionally or physically. When Lily is kidnapped on the way home from work one evening, she discovers she’s not the only person who keeps themselves cut off from the rest of the world.
Defaced
A man owns her now—a man both dangerous and enigmatic. Drawn by his dual beauty and hidden pain, he awakens something inside her, something she believed was long dead. Brought to a room without windows, she’s given an impossible task: to make her owner acceptable to the outside world.
Can altering his face change who he is as a man, or is he truly a monster, both inside and out?

Buy Links for ebook and paperback:
Barnes & Noble: http://ow.ly/VFeGL

GIVEAWAY FOR THE DEFACED PRIZE PACK!
Enter as many options as you want. 


Monday 19 September 2016

Ten Ways to Get the Most Out of Writing on Wattpad

I've had a few requests from other authors about how to get the most out of writing on Wattpad. I promised them a blog about it, so here it is!

First of all, here's a bit of background on my own Wattpad story. I started up an account over on Wattpad in August 2010. Now, I know that makes me sound like I've been really active over there for years now, but that isn't the truth. Back in 2010, I did what many people do. I hopped over there, started my account, posted a couple of chapters of a story, and then essentially forgot about it.

Things most likely would have stayed that way if it wasn't for a non-author friend of mine contacting me about an article she'd read about a writer getting snapped up on Wattpad and getting paid a crazy amount of money for her story. At the time, I was considering writing a story that was a bit different for me - a contemporary romantic suspense. So far in my career, I'd only published full length paranormal books, and I wondered if I would be able to pull off a full length contemporary novel.  I figured why not publish it, chapter by chapter, to Wattpad as I wrote it and literally get feedback from readers as the book was being written.

So that's what I did.

This was back at the start of 2015, and I wrote and published 'Cut Too Deep', chapter by chapter, to Wattpad. When I started, I only had a handful of followers. It took a few chapters before things started getting rolling, and I was bringing in more readers. At the end of every chapter, I tweeted and facebooked, etc, to let all my regular readers know they could read a brand new book over there as well.

I really enjoyed the process and loved reading everyone's comments as I went along. I even made serious editorial changes to the book due to certain observations the readers had made. It was like having several hundred beta readers in one spot, and you know what, most of them were really encouraging.

That was almost two years ago now, and to date Cut Too Deep has had over 700,000 reads on Wattpad. It's also published as an ebook, paperback, and audio, and is one of my best ever sellers.



But you guys are here for tips on how to make Wattpad work for you, so I'll shut up and write some down.


1.) Enjoy it! This is going to seem a bit obvious perhaps, but Wattpad is just like any other social media. You have to get involved. Comment on other people's works, add them to your library. If someone leaves you a comment or a message, reply to it. Wattpad is social media for readers and writers. If you don't put yourself into it, you won't get anything out.

 2.) Post a new chapter every couple of days. This will keep your readers interested and excited about your story, and won't give then the chance to forget you.

3.) Tweet/facebook/pin your new chapter. As soon as you hit publish, Wattpad brings up all the little icons that allow you to do this just by the click of a button. You want people to know about your story, so use the tools they give you.

4.) At the bottom of your chapter, ask people to vote for your story or leave you a comment. Sometimes people just forget to do so, and there's no harm in asking.

5.) If you're posting an already published book, make sure you link to it on Amazon. You can do this by clicking on the three dots on the right hand upper corner of the chapter you are editing, under 'external link'. You can also add in images of your characters, or dedicate your book to another Wattpad user.


6.) If your book has sexual content, you can mark it as 'Mature' to stop younger people accessing it. If you don't mark it as mature, but then a Wattpad reader notices you have adult content in your book, they will mark it as mature for you, and you can't change this. It's easier to do it yourself. Most of my books have adult content, but not straight erotica. Wattpad doesn't like erotica.

7.) Once you have a completed story, apply for a feature. You have to commit to leave your book on Wattpad for six months, but it's definitely worth it. Cut Too Deep was featured, and this is what's built the vast majority of my followers.

8.) How to decide what to post? I tend to post my first in series books, in the hope that people will go on to buy the next books in the series (I've been contacted by Wattpad users to say this is what they've done, so it does work, though you'll also have people complaining that they want to read it all on Wattpad for free!). I also post the first few chapters of new books, and then link them to amazon, together with teasers, to get people interested. More recently, I've been posting my newer, full length, standalone books because I've wanted to position myself ready for the Wattpad Futures program (where writers will be paid in return for ads being shown in their stories).

9.) Use your profile! Make sure you have a good bio, and link to all the places readers can find you!



10.) The 'conversations' tab is like your very own mailing list to your Wattpad readers. You can post info about new releases, or any other news here, and if you click 'notify my followers' that message will end up the email inbox of all your followers, as well as on Wattpad!


Okay, I think that's it, though I'm sure I've missed something vitally important out! If  you've got any other questions, just ask away in the comments. Also, come and check me out on Wattpad. https://www.wattpad.com/user/Marissafarrar If you shoot me a message, and ask me to follow you back (mention you've come from my blog), then I will do!

Thanks for reading!

Thursday 8 September 2016

Cover Reveal of 'Dirty Shots' and a Swag Giveaway!


Today, I'm excited to reveal the cover for my new novel, 'Dirty Shots'! This book started off as a serial written in a pen name, but I decided I wanted to rewrite it as a full length novel instead.

Here's a bit about the book:

Eric Rutherford is a photographer at the top of his game.
Young, handsome, and rich, he burst onto the art scene like a rock star. His black and white portraits sell for massive sums, but Eric wants to take a new direction in his work. He longs to create erotic art. He wants to photograph the imprints of rope across a woman’s skin, and the red stripes left by a flogger on a pale bottom.
And so his search for the perfect model begins, and when blonde Anya walks into his apartment, his only fear is she’ll say no.

Art student Anya Rhinne knows all about Eric Rutherford.
She knows how he’d had every spotlight turned on him, only to fall from grace spectacularly with some kind of breakdown he only described in interviews as his ‘dark days.’
When he offers her the job as his model, and their sessions together grow more intimate, she struggles to divide what is professional from personal.
As his work takes a turn toward obsession, a desire to create perfection at all costs, she has to wonder if she’ll ever mean more to him than just a beautiful image on a photograph.
Will she sacrifice everything for his art?

It will be out on September 29th, and is now up for pre-order!
I'm running a giveaway of a surprise swag pack, which will include a signed novel from myself! To enter, just go to the rafflecopter giveaway below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday 11 August 2016

Finding Myself as a Writer.

I have twenty-three published novels now.
Yup.
Twenty-three... I think... if I counted them right.
I also have several unpublished novels, and numerous novellas and short stories on top of that.
You'd think I'd know who I was as a writer by now, but I'm still asking myself that question.
When I first started writing, I'd believed I would be a horror author. It was what I'd grown up reading, and so I wanted to emulate what I loved. My first couple of novels were horror/dark fantasy (The Dark Road and Underlife), but then I decided I wanted to write a vampire romance (I'd always loved Anne Rice) and so I wrote Alone. From Alone spawned a five book series which ended up being The Serenity Series.
But in the sidelines, I was also writing erotica, and over the past twelve months in particular, I've found myself publishing more sexy contemporary romance than paranormal. It's not that I don't love my paranormal, because I do, but honestly,  the contemporary sells, and at the end of the day I have a family to feed.
But even as I'm writing the contemporary, I'm finding I don't want to stop at romance. I have ideas for a couple of suspense novels, and also some paranormal thrillers I'd love to write.
The problem is that as young writers we're told that to be successful we need to discover what our readers want and give them more of it.
But what if we're not happy as a writer to write the same genre over and over again?
As a reader, I read multiple different genres - horror, thrillers, suspense, romance, women's fiction. Short of westerns, I think I read pretty much anything, so why wouldn't I want to be the same when I'm writing? I have tons of stories and characters floating around in my head, demanding to be written, but at the same time I have the whispers of doubt taunting me.
Your readers won't want to read a suspense novel from you.
Your readers will move onto someone else.
They'll be disappointed.
No one will buy your book.
I feel like I've got my publishing schedule finely tuned now, and honestly, I'm scared of doing anything to upset the apple cart. I'm not a massive seller, but I'm doing better than I ever dreamed of, and I'm terrified it's all just going to slip away from me one day.
So do I take the time to write books I'm not sure anyone will read? Or should I stay focused on the romance, either paranormal or contemporary?

If you want to check out my latest boxed set, Three: An Alpha Male Boxed Set, you can get it now!

getBook.at/ThreeAlpha



In the testosterone fueled world of the alpha male, these men know what they want and how to get it. Meet the women who come up against them, and experience the heart-racing suspense and toe-curling sex for yourself!
Includes three of Marissa Farrar’s full length romantic suspense and dark romance novels:

Survivor: Sparks fly when a spoilt princess and the ultimate alpha male are thrown into a survival situation.

Cut Too Deep: Curvy Jenna is on the run, but can tattooed mechanic Ryker make her stay?

And finally, Defaced: Kidnapped by a man both dangerous and enigmatic, can Lily resist?


Save $5.99 – that’s half price! – on buying these books individually!


Saturday 23 July 2016

Cold Nights, Hot Bodies! New Release from Lily Harlem!

New from bestselling author Lily Harlem, Cold Nights, Hot Bodies, a steamy first-time romance set in beautiful Cotswolds and a must for anyone who loves their fictional heroes. 



Back Cover Information. 

All my life I’ve been the quiet bookworm, the office mouse. It hasn’t bothered me. Immersing myself in erotic novels has kept me wriggling on the edge of my seat at work and firmly entrenched in my own fantasy world at night.  

Though one thing is bothering me—my damn virginity. If only I could find a sexy bedroom expert to introduce me to the delights of having a lover. Someone handsome and charming, who can rival the hunky alpha males in my books. I have a very vivid, very well-fed imagination—he’ll have to keep up.  

Then, one bitterly cold night, thanks to a devious, conniving, so-called friend, the perfect opportunity to rid myself of this pesky virginity problem comes along. Before I know it, the heroes in my novels have come alive in the person of Shane Galloway, who’s pleasuring me with every trick in the book and wheedling into my heart in the hottest ways possible.  

**Please note Cold Nights, Hot Bodies was previously published with different cover art.** 



Excerpt 

I stood, arms hanging at my sides, knees buckled, as he lowered his head and pressed his mouth to mine.  
It was a gentle kiss, not wet and not dry, the perfect combination of smoothness and maleness. I parted my mouth and held my breath as he delicately traced my bottom lip with his tongue, then I captured his taste—wine and water, man and musk. Pulling in air, I was treated to his gorgeous light scent again.  
“You’re so sweet,” he murmured, pulling back a fraction. “Like a little sugary doll.”  
Pushing to my toes, I pressed my lips to his, wanting more of his taste and his desire.  
This time the kiss quickly turned hotter and harder. Still he kept my face cradled in his hands, holding me just where he wanted me as he probed his tongue deeper, searching for mine with the hot, insistent tip.  
I lifted my tongue from the base of my mouth and tentatively touched it to his. He gave a small groan and slanted his head. Our tongues tangled and I reached up and curled my hands into the material of his shirt. Hung on as our breaths quickened and our mouths fed off each other. I became lost in his kiss, he was all I could think of. His taste, his smell, the way he was holding me was my entire universe. Bubbles of pleasure erupted deep within me. A crazy new need flowed like lava through my veins, settled in my breasts, seeped between my legs and spread over my skin.  
He pulled back and dropped his hands from my face.  
I opened my eyes.  
His mouth was shiny from our kiss and his eyelids heavy. “Lose this,” he whispered, sliding his fingers beneath the thin shoulder straps of my dress.  
I prayed my heart wouldn’t give out, it was beating so hard and fast. He wanted me to take off my dress. Of course he wanted me to take off my dress. We were going to have sex for heaven’s sake. The dress had to come off.  
I slid down the zip and the material loosened around my ribs. He stooped, gripped the hem and began to lift. It smoothed up over my thighs and waist and air breezed over my buttocks, which were exposed by my thong.  
He straightened, his expression heavy with concentration as he carried on peeling the dress upward. I stretched my arms above my head and was blinded momentarily as the dress brushed over my face.  
Shane didn’t drop the dress on the floor. Instead he shook it straight and laid it on the back of the sofa. Instinct made me want to cross my arms over my breasts, flatten a palm over the shockingly tiny piece of lace that made up the front of the thong Dawn had provided. But I forced my arms to remain still, hanging at my sides as he turned to me.  
“Phew,” he said, blowing out a breath and scanning my legs. “I must have been a really good boy this year to get stockings filled so sweetly.”  
I couldn’t help but notice there was a long, hard bulge straining against his fly. My stomach flipped and I quickly averted my eyes and glanced down at my legs, which were encased in black fishnet. The scalloped tops looked fine and dainty against my pale thighs. The flickering shadows from the fire caressed their outline and even I had to admit, they looked damn good.  
“You think so?” I asked nervously, trying not to dwell on the size of the bulge I’d just seen.  
“Hell, yeah.” He stepped back over. “I must have accidently found a cure for cancer or secured world peace to get such a great present.”  
A small, apprehensive giggle escaped my lips. “You like the stockings then?”  
“I’ve never liked stockings more than at this moment in time,” he whispered onto my mouth. “Promise me you’ll keep them on, even when you take everything else off. I want to feel them rubbing against my skin when you’re wrapped around me.”  
I shivered in a breath at the wonderfully erotic image he’d just created. “I promise.”  
He glanced down at my jutting breasts. “You’re beautiful, you know that.” He traced his finger over the soft curve at the top of my right breast and into my newly deepened cleavage.  
A dart of pleasure shot to my nipples, as though the weight of my breasts had doubled under his touch. They were suddenly tingly and tight.  
“You do know that, don’t you?” he said again as he traced over my left breast. “Of course you do, I’m sure you’ve been told by plenty of guys.”  
Er, no,” I said, pressing my palm over his shirt and feeling his hard pectoral muscle shifting slightly beneath.  
“No, you don’t know it or no, you haven’t been told?”  
“I…well…I…”  
His gaze captured mine and he tipped his head to the side. “Are you okay?” He stilled his finger.  
“Yes, it’s just…” I slid my hand up to his shoulder and held on for support. I had to tell him. I didn’t think I could go through with “wrapping myself around him” if he thought I was experienced and confident. I’d be sure to disappoint or let him down somehow. He deserved to know. Besides, Saffron had told Tobias, so had Felicity in Lord Morton’s Maid and Skye had left a note for Ralph in Optimum Pleasure. All my heroines told their men it was their first time. It was the right thing to do.  
“What is it?” Shane asked again, his eyes searching mine. 
“I-I haven’t, you know, done it before.”  
“Done what?” He creased his forehead into a frown.  
“You know, it, had sex.” I stared down at my dark, stockinged feet. They contrasted sharply with the golden carpet. “I’m a virgin.”  
His whole body snapped backward. It was as if he’d been electrocuted. “Jesus,” he said, shoving his fingers through the hair on the crown of his head and stretching his elbows out to the side. “What the hell?” He stared at me with wide eyes.  
I crossed my hands over my chest. “I’m sorry.” A shard of fear sliced into my heart. He didn’t want me anymore. Now he knew I was a virgin he no longer desired me. He’d wanted an experienced lover for the night, not some naïve little girl.  
“And you let it get this far before you told me?”  
“What do you mean? We haven’t done anything other than kiss.”  
He huffed. “Yeah, one hot kiss with you looking like the best damn Christmas present of my life.” He shoved his hands down his waistband and appeared to re- arrange the bulge behind his fly.  
“I’m sorry. Partly for letting it get so far and…” I paused. “And partly because you appear to be in physical discomfort.”  
“There’s no need to be sorry,” he said, glancing at the door and pulling his hand from his pants.  
“Well, clearly there is.” I was getting frustrated now. “If I wasn’t a virgin we’d be heading into the bedroom by now. Clearly my inexperience has put you off.”  
“I had that in mind actually,” he said, pointing at the deeply cushioned sofa next to us. “It’s wide and soft and by the fire. It would have done just fine.”  
I tightened my arms around myself. He’d wanted to make love to me on the sofa. Just the thought of it sent a tremble up my spine. It would have been so perfect. So sensual and sweet.  
He rubbed his hand around the nape of his neck. His dark, tousled hair fell over his ears and he cast his eyes downward.  
“I had to tell you,” I whispered, shivering despite the blasting heat of the fire.  
“Thank goodness you did. Imagine if I’d just gone for it, not knowing. It would have been catastrophic.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“I haven’t been with a woman for a while,” he said, frowning. “And you in those damn stockings and with your sexy little body.” He pulled in a deep breath. “I was just about to lose control. It wouldn’t have been the gentle initiation to sex that you deserve, Ashley, it would have left you dazed and confused and wondering what kind of beast you’d invited to your room.”  
He didn’t look like a beast, and he certainly hadn’t touched me like one. His fingertip on my flesh had been gentle and reverent. Although now he mentioned it, when he’d looked at my stockings there’d been a glint in his eye that had made me wonder how much control he had.  
“Does it change things between us so much?” I asked quietly.  
He sighed. “Of course it does.”  
“But why?”  
“Because your first time should be special, with someone you care deeply about…love.”  
“I care about you.”  
“But we’ve only just met.”  
“But I still care about you more than any other guy I’ve ever met.” I swept my hands down the exposed skin on my body. “No one else has seen me like this before.”  
His eyebrows twitched as his gaze roamed my underwear. “Lucky me.”  
I frowned. “Shane, I want to do this, with you. Tonight.”  
“But surely you want more than…” He shrugged and clamped his lips into a tight line.  
“Than what? Go onsay it. We’re both adults. We both know what we’re doing.”  
“Okay, surely you want more than a one-night stand to give away your virginity to?”  
My jaw clenched. Of course I knew that’s what this was. But having it said aloud hurt. Quickly I shoved that stupid bit of hurt way down deep. I had a more pressing matter to concentrate on and I wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip through my fingers. “I’m twenty-three, Shane, I’m still a virgin and I don’t want to be.” I pulled in a deep, determined breath. “I’ve chosen you over a bunch of losers who’ve chatted me up and asked me out over the years. It’s taken me a long time to find someone I want to have sex with. One-night stand or not, I want you to make sure I’m not a virgin when I wake up in the morning.” I put my hands on my hips and narrowed my eyes. “Do you think you’re man enough to do that?”  
“Oh, I’m man enough all right. I’m also man enough to walk away and stop you making a mistake you’ll never be able to undo.”  
“But how can it be a mistake if it’s what I want?”  
“Because you don’t know what you want. Why can’t you see that?”  
“How dare you.” I stepped up to him, poked out my index finger and pressed it against his chest. “You have no idea what I want or need.”  
He looked surprised by my sudden rise in voice and stern tone.  
“I’m a virgin not an idiot. I know about love and lust and I know there’s a difference. I also know I want to be initiated into the world of sex by someone handsome, intelligent, experienced and…and…”  
“Expert?” He raised his eyebrows.  
tutted and lowered my finger. “Yes, that will do quite nicely, expert. I want someone who isn’t going to fumble and falter. I want someone who knows which buttons to press.”  
“Buttons?” He gave a hesitant smile and a lock of hair fell over his right eye.  
“This is not funny, you know.”  
“Oh, believe me, there’s nothing funny about the ache in my pants I can’t do anything about.” He pushed his hair from his face.  
“Of course you can.” I lowered my voice, gentled my tone. “I’ve been reading up and I know what you need too, I know what you’d like, Shane. It doesn’t have to be boring because it’s my first time.”  
“What have you been reading?”  
I shrugged. “Stuff.”  
“Elaborate.”  
“Stories about sex, men and women, things they do other than just the missionary position.”  
A flicker of interest crossed his face. “Like what?”  
“Things like oral sex,” I said quietly. “A woman taking a man into her mouth, sucking and licking until he comes down her throat.” I paused, sensing his heightened attention at my words. “I want to try that.”  
“Anything else you been reading about?” he asked, shifting from one foot to the other.  
“Yes, tying up a lover and doing whatever you want to their bodies, making them squirm with pleasure and cry out for more.” I could hardly believe I was saying all this stuff.  
“You want me to tie you up?” His eyes widened.  
“Not my first time.” I silently congratulated myself on not blushing.  
“Your second?”  
“Maybe, perhaps I’ll wait ’til third though.” I reached for the first, fastened white button on his shirt.  
Opportunity. Grab it like a terrier.  
“There’s something else I want to try before that,” I whispered.  
“And what’s that?” he asked, watching me undo the button. His voice had calmedhis body was still. He was no longer stealing glances at the door.  
“I want to try it from behind.” 
“What, in your—?” His eyes snapped up to mine. 
“No, no, just from behind so I can find my G-spot.” 
“Jesus, you have been reading up.”  
I undid the next button and the next and reached for the cuffs. “Yes, I like to do my research.” I tugged his now-undone shirt from the waistband of his smart black pants. “If I’m going to do something, I like to do it properly.”  
“Me too,” he said in a quiet, calm voice.  
Shoving the shirt over his shoulders, I stepped in real close and let my breasts press into the tightly coiled hair sprinkled over his chest. “Which is what makes you so perfect for my needs,” I said, sliding the shirt down his arms and letting it fall on the floor.  
“Damn, you’ve nearly got me persuaded,” he said, lowering his head. His lips rested against my temple and I heard him swallow tightly.  
I pulled back and looked up at his dark eyes, they were thick and velvety. I parted my lips and held them a whisper from his. “Will this persuade you?” I cupped my palm against the taut material of his pants and gave his cock a firm, confident squeeze.  

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Reader Reviews 

I have read a good number of Lily Harlem books, but this might be my favorite. 

This was a great book that really showed two characters that had amazing chemistry and how the author was able to tweak them in just a way as to make the story different from all the others on the market today. 

I love this couple and the HEA was brilliant. This is the perfect story to keep you warm at night. 

Well all I am going to say is DAMN it is one steamy hot read…Loved it! 




About Lily Harlem 

Lily Harlem lives in the UK and is an award-winning author of erotic romance. She writes for publishers on both sides of the Atlantic including HarperCollins, Totally Bound, Pride Publishing, Evernight Publishing, All Romance eBooks, Stormy Nights Publishing, Tirgearr and Sweetmeats Press. Her work regularly receives high praise and industry nominations.  
Before turning her hand to writing Lily Harlem worked as a trauma nurse and her latest HarperCollins release, Confessions of a Naughty Night Nurse draws on her many experiences while nursing in London. Lily also self-publishes and The Silk TieThe Glass Knot and Scored have been blessed with many 5* reviews since their release.  
Lily writes MF, MM and ménage a trois, her books regularly hit the #1 spot on Amazon Best Seller lists and Breathe You In was named a USA Today Reviewer’s Recommended Read of 2014. Her latest MM novel is Dark Warrior 
Lily also co-authors with Natalie Dae and publishes under the name Harlem Dae - check out the Sexy as Hell Trilogy - The Novice, The Player, and The Vixen - and That Filthy Book which has been hailed as a novel 'every woman should read' and is available in book stores nationwide.  
One thing you can be sure of, whatever book you pick up by Ms Harlem, is it will be wildly romantic and down-and-dirty sexy. Enjoy!  
Check out Lily’s website for details of her other books and her Amazon Author Page. Subscribe to her newsletter to get a FREE ebook and be the first to hear of new releases and free reads, and if you enjoy Facebook, hop on over there and say hi!