100 Shades of Sin...
Delicious and hot, the seductive Bayfront Billionaires need one thing, and one thing only: the woman made for them, the one woman on earth who can complete their trio of passion and desire.
Lily Hart has taken a temporary position as a live-in butler for billionaire musicians Jackson Sterling and Lexington Alexander. She expected to be on call day and night. But what she did not plan for was that these two billionaires would be as handsome as sin and hell-bent on having her in their bed. Entirely skilled at the art of seduction, they make Lily burn for pleasure in ways she never knew she could.
Jax and Lex have been waiting for a muse, and when breathtaking, sensuous Lily arrives on their doorstep, they know she’s the woman to join them in the seductive web the three of them weave. But passion between three can end in flames, and Lily, Jax, and Lex must decide—is opening their hearts worth the risk?
Delicious and hot, the seductive Bayfront Billionaires need one thing, and one thing only: the woman made for them, the one woman on earth who can complete their trio of passion and desire.
Lily Hart has taken a temporary position as a live-in butler for billionaire musicians Jackson Sterling and Lexington Alexander. She expected to be on call day and night. But what she did not plan for was that these two billionaires would be as handsome as sin and hell-bent on having her in their bed. Entirely skilled at the art of seduction, they make Lily burn for pleasure in ways she never knew she could.
Jax and Lex have been waiting for a muse, and when breathtaking, sensuous Lily arrives on their doorstep, they know she’s the woman to join them in the seductive web the three of them weave. But passion between three can end in flames, and Lily, Jax, and Lex must decide—is opening their hearts worth the risk?
EXCERPT
Lily dressed in her uniform every morning, hair in a tight bun, and then served Jax and Lex brunch at their location of choice, either on one of the many patios or on the terrace off the music room. She went about her duties while they worked on the sheet music. Then she changed, let her hair down, and slipped into an evening gown for their late-night practice sessions.
She did exactly as they requested, attending to them when needed, but also sitting quietly, getting lost in the compositions and their creative process.
Occasionally the two men went out for dinner and drinks with friends, but she could see with each passing day that they were determined to improve upon what they’d already built. And Lily admired and respected their dedication and commitment to perfecting each arrangement.
It wasn’t just that she was lusting after both men—which was incredibly difficult to contain when she was still trying to be professional—she also genuinely adored Lex and Jax. Liked them more and more as she got to know them better. She was privy to their confidential discussions and she found their international travels enthralling, their views worldly and intelligent, and their philanthropic efforts generous.
Which only served to intensify her desire for them to the boiling point.
Though both gave her lingering glances and neither abstained from suggestive comments, even in front of each other, neither Lex nor Jax had made a physical move on her.
Until one afternoon, toward the end of her first month at the estate.
Lily was hanging Lex’s dry cleaning in his dressing room and returning his polished shoes to the shelves above one of the many racks. Or, at least, trying to. She really couldn’t reach that far even on tiptoe, but all the other spaces were spoken for.
“Here, let me,” he said from behind her, catching her by surprise. And making her pulse jump.
He took the shoes from her raised hand and set them where they belonged. In doing so, his body brushed hers, his chest pressing lightly to her back, his pelvis to her butt. Setting every nerve ending ablaze.
“Have Greta get you a stepladder,” Lex told her in his casual, sexy tone.
“Good idea.”
He lowered his arm, resting his hand at the dip of her waist. He leaned close and drew in a long breath. “You smell so damn good.”
Liquid fire rushed through her veins.
Lily turned to face him. “You’re finally touching me.”
“Yes.” His gorgeous blue eyes shimmered warmly. “And you don’t mind.” It wasn’t even a question.
“No.” Otherwise she would have conveniently sidestepped him. And being a gentleman, he would have let her.
Jax, however . . . She sensed that with his more aggressive nature, he’d cajole her into owning up to what she’d said to him on the terrace the night of the party—about her limited engagement at the mansion and the invitation that presented.
Lex was more of the coaxing kind. And she found that equally stimulating. So she gave him a soft smile.
His gaze dropped to her mouth. His expression morphed into a more contemplative one.
“You had valid points that night we discussed you being our muse and how we feel about you. Does it turn you on that we both want you, Lily?”
She swallowed hard. She’d practically been on pins and needles since she’d arrived at the estate. Following the evening when they’d expressed their interest in her . . . she’d all but waited with bated breath for one—or both—of them to corner her like this.
Yes, she’d needed to process. They’d obviously grasped that. But Christ. The fantasies had run rampant night after night. And being in a suite between Lex’s and Jax’s—though additional suites separated them on either side of hers—had her brimming with excitement. She was in such close proximity to them on a floor that offered immense privacy. It’d taken all the willpower she possessed not to leave her bed and climb into one of theirs.
But now here was Lex, pushing the envelope.
So Lily brazenly confessed, “It does turn me on. Even more than when I met you individually. Which is certainly saying something.”
“Good.” His lips whisked over hers in a feathery kiss that instantly tightened her nipples and ignited her insides. He murmured, “Because taking it slow with you has been much more difficult than we’d anticipated.”
“I don’t just jump into things,” she told him.
“We figured as much.”
Lily’s breathing was shallow, her heart racing.
Lex seemed to carefully catalog every reaction she had to him—every reaction he incited.
His grin was a bit cocky now that she was all but swooning under his electric gaze, feeling a little light-headed at the nearness of him. At his mouth, still so close to hers that all she had to do was lean in for another kiss and fall easily under his spell of seduction.
And he knew that was exactly what she was thinking.
He nipped playfully at the corner of her mouth, making her toes curl.
“You’re teasing me,” she whispered, her pussy throbbing at the way he toyed with her and the blatant need burning in his eyes. To claim her mouth? To claim her?
Lily didn’t actually think he’d take her right here and now, in his dressing room in the middle of the day.
But what an amazing fantasy to weave! Lex being so captivated by her that he couldn’t stand another second of the flirtation without giving in.
She’d suspected Jax would be the one to get caught up in the moment and have his way with her if she gave him the right signal. Lex, however, seemed to enjoy the little cat-and-mouse thrill of the chase. Either approach would work with her when it came to these two men. The thought of how varied each would be in tempting her, drawing her in, excited her even more.
She had a feeling everything about their foreplay and eventual conquering of her—if that was what they were both intent on—would provide the sort of double whammy that would leave her limp and boneless.
And thoroughly satisfied.
Prompting Lily to say, “I like the proposition you made. What you and Jax want from me.” She pulled in a long stream of air, looking for a little boost of courage, and then she daringly told Lex, “I’m more than intrigued by the way you two look at me. Not just when you’re taking in the sight of me in a different dress or watching me bend over to grab something from the butler’s pantry.” She crooked a brow at him, wondering if he’d deny it.
Of course, he didn’t. Modern-day scoundrel that he was, Lex’s sexy grin returned.
She should be forewarned by all the zings ricocheting through her body. Yet she wasn’t able to focus on any red flags this time. Especially the way Lex was currently devouring her with his hungry gaze.
Copyright © 2017 by Calista Fox and reprinted by permission of Swerve.
Calista is a former PR professional, now writing fast-paced, steamy books to set your pulse racing! She has won many Reviewer’s and Reader’s Choice Awards, as well as Best Book Awards. Calista has crossed the country many times over by corporate jet and travels internationally, always with her laptop in tow to capture intriguing story elements and exotic locales! She is also a member of Romance Writers of America and a Past President/Advisor of the Phoenix chapter.
Social Links: Facebook Author Blog Author Website Twitter - @calistafoxbooks
Xavier De Santis: Charming. Disgraced. Playboy.
The headlines are always shouting about the excesses of the so-called Prince Charming of the De Santis family. Problem is, Xavier is everything they say he is.
But now he’s gone too far, and he has has been ordered to clean up his image. Volunteering at a homeless shelter, Xavier sees a bright light amidst all the bleakness. An angel whose luminous face and tragic beauty call to him in ways he can’t explain.
Mia: Homeless. Vulnerable. Virgin.
When the shelter Mia calls home closes, she is left with nowhere to go. Nowhere except the luxurious, glorious palace of a home where Xavier De Santis has invited her to stay. This too-handsome billionaire is dark, dangerous…and also too good to be true. Surely Mia can indulge in her fantasies and escape the hardness of her daily life for just one night?
As one night turns into two, Mia knows that eventually, the magic will end. She can't keep the beautiful clothes. She can't keep the soft bed. And most of all, she can't keep the hard, handsome man who makes her crave his touch with every breath she takes.
Mia doesn't belong in his world. But as Xavier tempts his rags-to-riches heroine with exquisite pleasure and heady desire, Mia may have no choice but to surrender to him completely.
EXCERPT
“No.” The word was breathless, her gaze meeting his, wide and dark. She looked surprised, as if she hadn’t been expecting to say it either.
“No?” He found he was almost holding his breath. “No, what?”
“I don’t…I can’t….” She stopped, looking away yet again, her mouth firming.
His patience was hanging by a thread. He was either going to have to get up and leave himself or… Well, shit, he didn’t know what else. Maybe go and get some relief in the shower or something.
“I don’t want to do anything you don’t want,” he said roughly. “So you’d better tell me what it is you do want, sweet thing.”
“I don’t know.” She sounded desperately unsure of herself. “I’ve…never done this before.”
“Sex you mean?” Because he had to get this straight for both of them.
“Yes.” She ducked her head, her shoulders hunching. Which had the unfortunate - well, unfortunate in terms of his restraint - effect of widening the gap in her shirt, giving him a glimpse of the soft curves of her tits and a flash of small, pink nipples.
He dug the fingers of his other hand into the arm of the couch, not giving a shit about the leather. “So…you’re a virgin?”
“I guess.”
“But you know how it all works, don’t you?” A perfectly valid question when he didn’t know what her old bitch of a grandmother had told her. If she’d told her anything at all.
Her head came up at that, annoyance glittering in her eyes. “Of course I do, I’m not stupid.”
He held her gaze. “I didn’t say you were. But I need to know you understand what I want.”
“I know. Believe me, I know. I see it all the time on the streets.”
Xavier let out a breath, a cold ripple of understanding washing over him. Jesus, and he could imagine what she’d seen. Prostitutes probably, and sexual assault. Sex as a transaction, as a show of power. Nothing good. Nothing pleasurable.
“What I want from you,” he said carefully, “is not in any way what you’ve seen on the streets. Do you understand? It’s about pleasure. For both of us.”
Another flicker in her eyes. “Well, yeah. Of course.”
“So you know completely what I’m talking about.” It was obvious that she didn’t - at least it was obvious to him.
She looked abruptly down at her hands again. “I mean… the guys seem to like it.”
And the women didn’t, clearly.
Xavier shifted, turning fully to face her, because if she thought he was going to be one of those assholes on the street, who forced women, who wanted to show off their power by hurting them, or who were just after a fuck for their own selfish reasons, then she was mistaken.
Yes, he wanted her, and maybe by chasing her, it meant he was selfish too, but he didn’t want this only for himself. He wanted this for her as well. He wanted to make her feel good, wanted to cancel out whatever she’d seen on the streets of sex and show her what it was really like.
“Look at me, Mia.”
She shook her head.
He reached out again, gripping her chin firmly and lifting her head up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. There was confusion in her eyes, and fear, all the same emotions that had been there when he’d kissed her the day before. And desire too. But did she even recognize that? Had she ever felt it before with anyone? If not, then no damn wonder she was so confused.
“The kind of sex I want is about pleasure. For me, sure. But mainly, I want to show you how good it can be for you.” Her skin was so soft against his fingers and he wanted to stroke her, but this was important so he kept still. “Do you want that? Would you like me to show you how good I can make you feel?”
She stared back at him and he could feel the tension in her jaw. “I kind of do,” she said huskily after a moment. “But…I’m afraid.”
“What of? Me?” He had to ask.
“No. It’s more that…I’ve never felt like this.”
“Never felt like what?”
Her throat moved as she swallowed. “Like…I want something.”
This time he couldn’t stop himself, stroking along her jaw with his thumb. “And what you do want, sweet thing?”
Her eyes were very dark. “I think…I want you.”
A deep sense of satisfaction moved through him, along with a sharp triumph that made him want to push her down and give her what she wanted immediately.
But no. He wasn’t going to do that. He needed to be slow, be careful.
Being with someone who was afraid of their own desires was new to him, and he had no experience to guide him. Normally he just made stuff up as he went along using trial and error, but with Mia… Jesus, he couldn’t afford an error.
Already this thing with her was far more complicated than anything else he’d had with other women, and that alone should have made him pull back. Complicated was definitely not what he was after.
Yet… She wanted him. And he was desperate to give her what she wanted.
He stared at her, keeping his grip on her chin firm. “Then you can have me.
Her eyes widened a little. “I… I don’t know w-what to do.”
“You don’t have to do anything. Just keep looking at me and let me do the work.” God, he couldn’t wait. He would show her everything.
Reading out, he flicked open the second button on her shirt.
She tensed, but didn’t pull away, so he kept going, tugging open the fabric. The two halves of the cotton gaped and she shivered.
“Are you okay?” He watched her face carefully.
She gave a little nod, trembling as he reached for the third button and undid it, the fabric gaping even further, revealing those pretty, perfectly round tits. He let himself look as he pulled open the rest of the buttons, measuring the tension in her by the taut feel of her chin in his hand.
Christ. A flush had spread down over her chest, her nipples tight and hard. His cock ached, impatient as always, but somehow knowing that he was in charge of what happened here, that he was responsible for her pleasure made everything easier to deal with.
He was not going to fuck this one up.
He refused.
Sweeping his gaze back to her face, he made sure she was looking at him, as he reached out once more, resting his fingers once again on her throat, letting her get used to his touch. Before easing them down, sliding lightly over her chest, tracing little patterns on her skin.
Her breathing had changed, becoming faster, ragged sounding in the silence of the room. There was a darkness in her eyes, the same kind of darkness he’d seen in them when he’d kissed her, her pupils dilated, an almost glazed look in them.
“Does this feel good, Mia?” He followed the curve of one breast with his fingertip. “It’s okay if it does. You’re allowed to have it. This is yours, it can’t be taken away.” His fingertip reached her nipple then circled around it a couple of times before gently brushing over it. “You know that, right?”
She shuddered, a sound escaping her throat, something small and glistening running down the side of her nose.
A tear.
“No,” she whispered hoarsely.
Copyright © 2017 by Jackie Ashenden and reprinted by permission of Swerve.
“I don’t…I can’t….” She stopped, looking away yet again, her mouth firming.
His patience was hanging by a thread. He was either going to have to get up and leave himself or… Well, shit, he didn’t know what else. Maybe go and get some relief in the shower or something.
“I don’t want to do anything you don’t want,” he said roughly. “So you’d better tell me what it is you do want, sweet thing.”
“I don’t know.” She sounded desperately unsure of herself. “I’ve…never done this before.”
“Sex you mean?” Because he had to get this straight for both of them.
“Yes.” She ducked her head, her shoulders hunching. Which had the unfortunate - well, unfortunate in terms of his restraint - effect of widening the gap in her shirt, giving him a glimpse of the soft curves of her tits and a flash of small, pink nipples.
He dug the fingers of his other hand into the arm of the couch, not giving a shit about the leather. “So…you’re a virgin?”
“I guess.”
“But you know how it all works, don’t you?” A perfectly valid question when he didn’t know what her old bitch of a grandmother had told her. If she’d told her anything at all.
Her head came up at that, annoyance glittering in her eyes. “Of course I do, I’m not stupid.”
He held her gaze. “I didn’t say you were. But I need to know you understand what I want.”
“I know. Believe me, I know. I see it all the time on the streets.”
Xavier let out a breath, a cold ripple of understanding washing over him. Jesus, and he could imagine what she’d seen. Prostitutes probably, and sexual assault. Sex as a transaction, as a show of power. Nothing good. Nothing pleasurable.
“What I want from you,” he said carefully, “is not in any way what you’ve seen on the streets. Do you understand? It’s about pleasure. For both of us.”
Another flicker in her eyes. “Well, yeah. Of course.”
“So you know completely what I’m talking about.” It was obvious that she didn’t - at least it was obvious to him.
She looked abruptly down at her hands again. “I mean… the guys seem to like it.”
And the women didn’t, clearly.
Xavier shifted, turning fully to face her, because if she thought he was going to be one of those assholes on the street, who forced women, who wanted to show off their power by hurting them, or who were just after a fuck for their own selfish reasons, then she was mistaken.
Yes, he wanted her, and maybe by chasing her, it meant he was selfish too, but he didn’t want this only for himself. He wanted this for her as well. He wanted to make her feel good, wanted to cancel out whatever she’d seen on the streets of sex and show her what it was really like.
“Look at me, Mia.”
She shook her head.
He reached out again, gripping her chin firmly and lifting her head up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. There was confusion in her eyes, and fear, all the same emotions that had been there when he’d kissed her the day before. And desire too. But did she even recognize that? Had she ever felt it before with anyone? If not, then no damn wonder she was so confused.
“The kind of sex I want is about pleasure. For me, sure. But mainly, I want to show you how good it can be for you.” Her skin was so soft against his fingers and he wanted to stroke her, but this was important so he kept still. “Do you want that? Would you like me to show you how good I can make you feel?”
She stared back at him and he could feel the tension in her jaw. “I kind of do,” she said huskily after a moment. “But…I’m afraid.”
“What of? Me?” He had to ask.
“No. It’s more that…I’ve never felt like this.”
“Never felt like what?”
Her throat moved as she swallowed. “Like…I want something.”
This time he couldn’t stop himself, stroking along her jaw with his thumb. “And what you do want, sweet thing?”
Her eyes were very dark. “I think…I want you.”
A deep sense of satisfaction moved through him, along with a sharp triumph that made him want to push her down and give her what she wanted immediately.
But no. He wasn’t going to do that. He needed to be slow, be careful.
Being with someone who was afraid of their own desires was new to him, and he had no experience to guide him. Normally he just made stuff up as he went along using trial and error, but with Mia… Jesus, he couldn’t afford an error.
Already this thing with her was far more complicated than anything else he’d had with other women, and that alone should have made him pull back. Complicated was definitely not what he was after.
Yet… She wanted him. And he was desperate to give her what she wanted.
He stared at her, keeping his grip on her chin firm. “Then you can have me.
Her eyes widened a little. “I… I don’t know w-what to do.”
“You don’t have to do anything. Just keep looking at me and let me do the work.” God, he couldn’t wait. He would show her everything.
Reading out, he flicked open the second button on her shirt.
She tensed, but didn’t pull away, so he kept going, tugging open the fabric. The two halves of the cotton gaped and she shivered.
“Are you okay?” He watched her face carefully.
She gave a little nod, trembling as he reached for the third button and undid it, the fabric gaping even further, revealing those pretty, perfectly round tits. He let himself look as he pulled open the rest of the buttons, measuring the tension in her by the taut feel of her chin in his hand.
Christ. A flush had spread down over her chest, her nipples tight and hard. His cock ached, impatient as always, but somehow knowing that he was in charge of what happened here, that he was responsible for her pleasure made everything easier to deal with.
He was not going to fuck this one up.
He refused.
Sweeping his gaze back to her face, he made sure she was looking at him, as he reached out once more, resting his fingers once again on her throat, letting her get used to his touch. Before easing them down, sliding lightly over her chest, tracing little patterns on her skin.
Her breathing had changed, becoming faster, ragged sounding in the silence of the room. There was a darkness in her eyes, the same kind of darkness he’d seen in them when he’d kissed her, her pupils dilated, an almost glazed look in them.
“Does this feel good, Mia?” He followed the curve of one breast with his fingertip. “It’s okay if it does. You’re allowed to have it. This is yours, it can’t be taken away.” His fingertip reached her nipple then circled around it a couple of times before gently brushing over it. “You know that, right?”
She shuddered, a sound escaping her throat, something small and glistening running down the side of her nose.
A tear.
“No,” she whispered hoarsely.
Copyright © 2017 by Jackie Ashenden and reprinted by permission of Swerve.
Jackie Ashenden lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr. Jax, and their two kids and two cats. When she’s not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband. Jackie writes dark, sexy contemporary romance for St Martin’s Press, the titles Mine To Take, Make You Mine, and You Are Mine.
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