Tina Donahue Has Hijacked My Blog Today!!!! Have a look!

Tina Donahue has officially hijacked my blog today.

Getting to Know You…


One of the things I most enjoy in a good romance are the moments following the hero and heroine’s first meeting, a time charged with expectation that makes my heart skip a beat or brings a smile. I also love the characters’ thoughts during these scenes whether they’re downright lusty, tentative or a mixture of both. I find it makes them human, vulnerable, likeable.

In my newest erotic romance, Sensual Stranger, I wanted to portray the intense attraction between Toni and Zach, while having both of them hold back due to their respective circumstances.

Here’s the blurb and an excerpt to show what I mean.

BLURB:

Into his life she came—wanting…willing…wanton

It’s no ordinary morning when Toni Starr arrives at Zach’s garage. Flat broke, with a past she won’t share, Toni’s instantly taken by such a potently virile man. Direct and unashamed, she tells him she’s a motorcycle performance artist who needs work and knows motors.

Zach knows women, and Toni’s unlike any he’s met. Lushly sensuous, exceedingly assured, she’d easily be his match in business and bed. A provocative challenge that stirs him as nothing has since losing his wife. A chance he’s reluctant to take, offering no more than a month’s employment, then she’ll have to be on her way.

The hours tick by. Each word and glance intensifies their denied yet escalating desire, forcing them to surrender to passion and Toni’s need for Zach’s dominance. Driven by carnal hunger, conquered by yearning, they face the unforeseen truth of Toni’s past and a future neither of them expected.

EXCERPT:

(In this scene, Zach has initially refused to hire Toni, a job she needs desperately. To ease the blow and because he senses how hungry she is, he’s offered to buy her breakfast.)

As he studied her, his expression changed. He seemed uncertain suddenly, as though he’d lost his train of thought. Clearing his throat, apparently remembering what he’d meant to say, he asked, “What do you like to eat? There’s a diner to the right with the usual breakfast fare or a pancake house to the left.”

With each choice he’d offered, the tips of his fingers tightened gently on her elbow.

All too conscious of his touch, Toni tried to distract herself. She glanced up and down the street at the wooden buildings painted in bright primary colors…firecracker reds, vivid blues, buttercup yellows made the area cheery and welcoming. Most of the architecture sported an old West look with flat fronts and fancy gold lettering on the windows.

Her lids finally slid down at the warmth of Zach’s hand and the wind’s brief caress. On the heated, dry air, Toni caught something she hadn’t before…the exquisite aroma of bacon and cinnamon. Inhaling deeply, she just about purred, “Do you smell that? Where’s it coming from?”

“The diner.”

“Oh, there. Please.”

Zach’s voice rumbled with pleasure. “Good choice.”

Forcing her eyes to open, Toni saw his smile. Not wanting to stare too obviously, she glanced past him at the hard blue sky. There wasn’t a cloud in sight to mar its perfection, only a group of black birds winging their way toward the mountains.

Hand on her arm, Zach led her up the street to the diner, his stride slow.

Because of his leg? Toni glanced at it.

He asked, “How long have you been here?”

“I don’t know.” She looked up. “Where’s here?”

He chuckled.

Her heart made a funny leap at having made him laugh and the sexy crinkles at the corners of his eyes.

He explained, “You’re in Arizona.”

“Yeah, I know that. I meant, where’s here?” With her free hand, she pointed down. “This town, city, whatever. I didn’t see any signs coming in.” She’d been too busy searching for a garage and stopped when she found his. “What’s it called?”

“Indulgence.”

“Get out.”

Grinning, he inclined his head toward the other side of the street.

Toni looked, reading the storefront windows she hadn’t noticed. There was Indulgence Gifts, Indulgence Ice Cream Parlor, Indulgence Western Wear.

“There has to be a story behind that name,” she said.

He pulled his gaze from her and regarded the sidewalk ahead. “A few years back the city council consulted with a marketing firm about ways to bring in more tourist dollars. The firm concluded that a good start would be changing the name from Keanyville.” His smile returned as he shook his head. “They said Indulgence sounded like a town in an old Clint Eastwood movie and people would flock here.”

Toni’s gaze swept the cars on the streets. It wasn’t exactly rush hour in New York, but she noticed the parking spaces filling up and what seemed to be tourists glancing in the shop windows. “Sounds like a plan.” She looked over. “So nothing wild goes on here?”

Zach paused at a street corner. A dark blue Chrysler Sebring moved past the stop sign slower than a sloth. The elderly driver had a face mapped with wrinkles that deepened as she squinted at Toni. Clearly not liking what she saw, she settled her displeased frown on Zach.

With an easy smile, he dipped his head in greeting.

The woman kept glancing over her shoulder at them as her vehicle rolled across the street.

Zach led Toni to the other side. Curiosity rang in his voice. “Define wild.”

Toni swung her head to him. He kept his gaze straight ahead, leading her up the block.

Define wild, he’d said.

Her thoughts turned inward to the men she’d known, all of them out for a good time—gambling, boozing, fucking—each unconcerned with the future. As far as Toni was concerned, that made them more stupid than anything, afraid to grow up.

Wild was a man risking his heart, falling so hard there’d be no chance of him recovering, holding her close every night, loving her to distraction…standing at her side, giving her a family and home.

Struggling to keep yearning from her voice, she said, “You tell me.”








Sensual Stranger will be available December 15th



Buy Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/ps-8932-50-sensual-stranger.aspx



Email: tina@tinadonahue.com

Website/blog: www.tinadonahue.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/tinadonahue

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000458023097

To celebrate the upcoming release of Sensual Stranger, I’m offering a contest today. One lucky commenter will have her choice of one of my following books**:

1. Lush Velvet Nights – ebook

2. Adored – ebook

3. Deep, Dark, Delicious – ebook

4. Close to Perfect – mass market paperback

5. Bad Boys with Red Roses – trade paperback

6. Take My Breath Away – trade paperback



** Winner chosen at random. Winner in continental US has her choice of one of the six. Winner outside continental US has her choice of one of the ebooks