First, I want to share a little fun about one of my newest releases. The title is Temptation Released, and it's part of Totally Bound's Jolly Rogered collection. Right now it's only available through TB, but they have something wonderful at their site: Instant Gratification. What is this? Simple. It's one-click shopping with PayPal. You see a book you like on the TB site, click the one-click to pay button, and that's it. You can choose the format you want and begin reading right away. No more messy shopping carts or long check-outs. Easy at it's best! And, you can instantly gratifiy yourself with Temptation Released right here.
A little bit of how this story came to be...
I've always loved historical romance. Still do. I wasn't one who read the contemporary stories. No, from the time I was a teenager, I could not get enough of romance from times past. I loved the Regency time period, the wild west with cowboys and Indians. and I especially loved a great pirate tale.
When TB announced they were putting together a pirate collection, I jumped at the chance. Now my story is not as long as the historicals I typically read, and the erotic content is much, much higher, but writing about a sexy pirate captain and a determined young woman was a highlight for me. Read on for more...
of the Jolly Rogered Collection
by Ayla Ruse
Publisher: Totally Bound
Novella
20K
Historical erotic romance, bondage. BDSM
"When is a
pirate not a pirate? When he refuses to ravish a perfectly willing captive.”
–
Lady Elise Clifton
Raphael de la
Torres, the pirate captain El Angel,
is notorious for kidnapping travelers to the colonies. He leads a rewarding
life, and one that cleverly covers his true purpose—getting close to the cousin
who betrayed him.
Raphael’s latest
capture, the beautiful Lady Elise Clifton, is the one person whose ransom will
give him an edge. Simple plans are rarely simple, however. He must deliver her
untouched in order to have his revenge, but Lady Elise is desire untapped, and
more than ready for the taking. His every effort to frighten and push her away only
excites her and tests his limits of control.
Lady Elise is
desperate to get out of an unwanted engagement. She will do anything to avoid
being under another man’s control, even seduce a pirate to ensure her ruin. To
her mind, once the Captain ravishes her—as all notorious pirates do—she will be
free. Her plans would be perfect if the Captain would cooperate, but no matter
how hard she tries, the sexy Spaniard refuses to take her to his bed.
With the currents stirring up between the two, will the sweet taste of revenge shift to a deeper passion, and will the control Elise is running away form be exactly what she needs?
With the currents stirring up between the two, will the sweet taste of revenge shift to a deeper passion, and will the control Elise is running away form be exactly what she needs?
Excerpt:
“It is so blasted hot,” Lady Elise
Clifton complained. She’d stripped down to her chemise and was pacing the
cramped cabin, praying for a cool wind to slip through the tiny porthole.
“You could go up on deck, you know,”
stated her companion, Brianna. “There’s wind there.”
“I know, but I have to make sure I’m
packed. You go on ahead if you want.”
“I might. I’ve watched you go through
this bag every day for the past week.” Brianna upended the cloth satchel and
repacked it, naming each item as she did so. “Look, you have a pair of slippers,
a day dress, a corset with your money sewn in, the breeches and shirt I stole
from my brother for you, a brush and ribbons. Same as yesterday. Same as the
day before. Nothing’s changed. Besides, if we are attacked, I’m sure the pirates
won’t be gentleman like and ask for your luggage.”
“You’re probably right, but if I’m to
go through with this—”
“If
we’re attacked, that is.”
“Yes, if we’re attacked, then I want to
be ready. I’ll not begin my new life empty handed and shy.”
“Like there ever was a shy bone in your
body,” Brianna mumbled.
Elise heard and chuckled. “You know me
well. And you do know what you’re to do if a pirate comes for us, right?”
“Do exactly what he says.”
“You sure you’ll be all right?”
“Elise, I’m here, aren’t I? I could
have stayed in London,
but I’m the one you’ve confided in all these past months. I couldn’t let you do
this alone.”
Brianna’s brother, Elise had discovered
several months ago, was a sailor in the British Navy, and he’d often write to Brianna
with tales of the pirates they’d captured or those who had run away. When Elise’s
father had determined she move to the colonies, Elise had paid closer attention
and latched onto the tales, yearning to live the life of a pirate, a life full
of independence.
“I’m this close,” she said, pinching her fingers nearly together, “to having
the freedom I want, Brianna.”
“Well, your idea of freedom and mine
are two different things. I still say we should have switched places. You
could’ve been me and I would’ve assumed your identity. No one on this ship knew
us when we boarded and surely no one will know us in the colonies. ”
“And you know I wanted to, but my uncle
would recognize the falseness in an instant. I told you that my father sent him
a portrait of me barely a year past.”
Boom!
Brianna screamed. “What was that?”
Elise turned to the sound and rushed to
the window. “Damn, I can’t see from here. It sounded like a cannon.”
Another shot rang out and Elise spun
around. “I bet we’re being attacked,” she said excitedly. “It’s time.”
Elise caught Brianna’s wide-eyed stare
and laughed. “Don’t look so aghast. You know this has been my dream for months.
With any luck, by nightfall I’ll be onboard the pirate’s ship and, if things
continue my way, I’ll be debauched, lying in the captain’s bed and free from
marriage.”
“You’re crazy, you know that,” Brianna
said, a tremor in her voice. “Remember my brother writing about how violent
pirates can be? And smelly? And ugly? You could wind up dead in the pirate’s bed.”
“Enough,” Elise stated with finality. “I’ll
take my chances. Besides, I don’t care what he looks like, I can close my eyes.
I can breathe through my mouth if he smells, and as for violence,” she turned
to the cot she’d slept on for weeks and picked up the red velvet dress she’d
secretly ordered and held it up to her chest, “I believe your brother also said
pirates like women. A lot. Why would he want to hurt her if she’s willing?”
“But you will get hurt,” Brianna said earnestly.
Shouts could be heard now from the upper deck. “Don’t do this, please. I went
along with this foolishness because you’re my friend. I prayed we’d make the
crossing without issue. I never imagined we’d really be attacked.”
“Brianna, settle down. Everything will
be fine. Now help me into this dress. I must look scandalous.”
Elise felt for Brianna. She didn’t want
to put her friend into an uncomfortable position, but she was sure everything
would work out. She’d read all about what men liked from women in that naughty book
she’d discovered on the top shelf of her father’s library a year ago. At first
horrified, she’d taken to studying the strange words and even stranger pictures,
and after hearing sordid whispers that being captured by pirates could mean the
ruin of a woman, Elise had become obsessed. Now that she knew about sex, and
what ruination involved, and that pirates were so handy to do the deed, all it
would take would be one kidnapping and she’d be free from the fiancé her father
and uncle had betrothed her to.
“There,” Brianna announced, helping
Elise tug the sleeve over her shoulder.
“How does it look?” Elise turned in a
slow circle.
“Like you’re a courtesan.”
“Perfect. But…oh, damn. The chemise
shows.”
“What? You don’t have time to worry
about that now.”
Elise glanced up. Brianna was visibly
shaking. Putting aside her concerns, she took a moment to pull Brianna into a
hug. “I promise it’ll be okay. I don’t know how, but I do. Trust me?”
Brianna squeezed back, snuffled into a
dainty handkerchief and nodded. “I know there’s nothing we can do now, but I’m
so scared.”
“Honestly, me too. But we can’t let
them know that. I believe if we can stand our ground, we’ll make it through
whatever comes our way.”
Brianna inhaled deeply and pulled away.
“You’re right, of course. I’ll be fine. The attack simply took me by surprise.”
“Good.”
The friends stared at each other for precious
moments, then a loud thud from above stirred them into action.
“Now, let’s get me out of this dress so
I can take off my chemise. This shouldn’t take but a minute.”
“We don’t have time.”
“Pshaw. There’s fighting going on. We
both have heard that men love to fight. It’ll be ages before anyone comes to
find us. Besides, doing this will keep your mind off of what’s going on up
there.”
Elise had requested the dress be made
so she could put it on without assistance, but she wanted to keep Brianna
occupied. As well as herself. If she sat down and wrung her hands in wait of
what would happen over the next several minutes, she’d scream.
Brianna helped remove the gown and had
just finished helping Elise pull off the chemise when the cabin door burst
open. Brianna screamed and Elise gulped, standing frozen in place, naked, with
her arms above her head.
****************
Pick up your copy of Temptation Released while it's hot!
Okay, now to the *contests*! (I say as I rub my hands together gleefully)
One is mine--comment on any of my posts that run during the hop (Fri-Mon), once per day, and you'll be entered for a chance to win an ebook from my backlist. Your choice! Winner will be contacted and announced on my blog on Tuesday the 24th. Oh, and don't forget to leave an email so I can contact you should you win. :)
The second contest is sponsored by the Summer Lovin' Blog Hop. Massive (IMO) gift certificates are up for grabs. To enter this contest, simply enter through the Rafflecopter below. One entry period for this contest. Visit here for more details...and to visit all the other great blogs that are a part of this hop. There's chances to win at many stops!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for visiting me and I'll see you back here, bright and early tomorrow!
Ayla
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