Ready to be provoked?

I'm happy to announce I've recently sold my third book to Ellora's Cave, a novel entitled Provoke Me. * insert manic squealing* Along with being the longest book I've written to date - over 80K - it's also the one closest to my heart. To be honest, I'm having a bit of trouble letting the characters go! But the good thing is the series will wrap up with a Quickie about them so I'll get to visit them once more.

For those that have read Reveal Me, Provoke Me is the next story in the Baring It All series (tentative title) and involves Kelly, Alana from Reveal Me's best friend, and Spencer. I've just finished the series proposal for the stories revolving around Kink, the voyeurism club that connects all six books I have planned. Even though a sex club plays a role in each of the stories, these are still pretty emotional books - or at least I hope so. And of course, they're pretty fun too.

Right now I'm working on Need Me, the third book in the series. This one is about Spencer's sister Marcia and her lover Tony...and his best friend Kale.

Here's a little (unedited) snippet of Provoke Me to get you going... ;)

“I’d like you to get started on that redesign of the romance section we talked about yesterday. Marcia recommends you,” Spencer said when she didn’t speak.

“You said I could do it when I got time. With the two day sale, I’ve barely had time to pee never mind artfully reshelve books.”

His benign expression registered nothing. “You redesigned the café last year, did you not?”

The bright, cheery café that got raving comments from customers on a daily basis? Oh yeah, that was her work. She’d chosen everything from the glossy sepia photos for the pale green walls right down to the glass-topped tables bearing wicker baskets of Leigh’s lemon cookies.  “Well, yes, but—“

“Your eye for design is well known around this store. Are you saying you’re incapable of fitting the redesign into your schedule?”

Even as Kelly seethed at his impervious tone, she plastered on a smile. “Never said I was incapable, Spencer. Just that it will be difficult.”

“The sale’s over today. I expect you’ll be able to start the redesign tomorrow. If that’s a problem, come see me and we’ll find a way to make room in your daily duties.”

“What if I don’t want to do it?”

She knew she sounded pouty and didn’t care. She hated that he never seemed to see her as anything but another cog in the wheel. No matter how many department redesigns she executed or innovative ideas she voiced, he never saw her as anything but his goddamn day manager.

Yeah, he’d ogled her breasts for all of two seconds. He’d also given her a couple hot looks. But then he’d gone right back to business as usual.

“I think you know the answer to that question, Ms. Crossman. And I don’t appreciate being baited.” He slipped her folder into a drawer, a succinct dismissal.

Get out of my sight.

Before the guy she’d so stupidly lusted after for years banged any more nails into her coffin of shame, she got the hell out of his office.

And one more announcement before I go...the winner of a pdf ebook of Lynne Roberts' First Date is greenduckie13! Congratulations! I'll be sending your prize out to you ASAP.