Saturday Snippets - In Betweens

Yay! It's Saturday. That means "play day" for this weekday nine-to-fiver.
It also means it's "Saturday Snippet" time.

Today's theme is "In Betweens". I'm not exactly sure what that means - half man/half woman? half human/half animal? the undead? being sandwiched in between two men?

After thinking about it for awhile, I chose another excerpt from "Bon Appetit!" my just released m/f/m menage erotic romance at Total-E-Bound. Demi's caught between her love for her husband Alex and yearning for hotter sex which he hasn't been able to supply. Later she gets in between Alex and another hot man who has no such problems fulfilling her wildest sexual desires.

Blurb: Bon Appetit! By Ashley Ladd

Available at Total-E-Bound


Demi is a lexical gustatory synethesist. In other words, she tastes words. Penises taste like mint chocolate chip ice cream, one of her favourites. Sex toys taste more like dry toast.

Too bad as her husband, Alex, is impotent and she longs for a hot, hard, juicy penis, not that she’d ever crush him with that information.

But Alex isn’t stupid and he’ll do anything to make Demi happy. So he invites his cousin Matt into their bed and wishes them all a bon appétit.




Excerpt:

The next morning, Demi awoke curled up beside Alex, snuggled into his warmth. Her hand lay proprietarily on his bare chest and her head lay in the nook of his arm. She cuddled closer, wishing they didn’t have to get ready for work that they could cuddle all day.

She groaned. But today was her monthly luncheon with her friends from her prior job. Although most of them had left their prior employer for greener pastures, they had remained close. Still, most had gone onto much bigger, better jobs and they all had husbands who were hot studs in the bedroom. They loved to talk about their sex life and expounded on their lovers’ virtues. She had the lengths and girths of their cocks memorized she’d heard them so often.

Demi couldn’t be disloyal to Alex by telling the truth about their love life. As much as she needed a sympathetic ear the last thing she wanted to do was embarrass him. Yet she hated to lie. So she stayed mum and listened, completely jealous of her friends’ active, complete sex lives.

Veronica, whose name tasted like strawberries on her tongue, who flipped her long mane of white-blonde hair over her shoulder, gave a broad wink to the young waiter who looked to be no older than a college kid, when he slid her roasted vegetarian plate onto the table in front of her. “Simon can’t get enough of me. I had to beg him to untie me from the bed so I could meet with you.” She gazed pointedly at her watch. “I had to promise to rush back and fuck him the rest of the day.”

Indigestion rose in Demi’s chest and it was all she could do not to gag or twist her lips. Simon not only was a jerk of the first magnitude, but his name tasted like sour lemons on her tongue. Funny as he was handsome enough to be a romance novel cover model and was senior partner of a thriving accounting firm.

Cassandra spit the wine she was sipping into Lisa’s face. “I can’t believe you practically screamed that in a public place.”

Demi could. Veronica loved to shock people and it usually amused her. However, this time she felt sorry for the young waiter whose cheeks flamed cherry red. She mouthed to the young man, “I’m sorry.”

Veronica saw her and scowled. “Don’t apologize for me. I’ve got a hot stud and I’m not afraid to use him.”

Demi almost blurted out, “Get all you can while you can. It won’t last forever,” but she bit hard on her lip and dug her toes into her sandals.

Lisa dabbed at her face with the linen napkin and glared at Veronica.

Demi lifted her wine glass to her friends in toast, hoping to deflate some of the hostility. “Bon Appetit! May our lunch taste as good as it looks. And to us, friends forever.”

As if Demi had stayed silent, Lisa stabbed her fork into her Chef Salad and speared a forkful of lettuce, turkey and cheese as if she really wanted to stick it into Veronica’s heart. “You’re not the only one who has a hot hubby. Reid and I just booked a two-week vacation to a tropical island just off Jamaica and we’re not going to pack any clothes. You don’t have to be so crass in public.”

Cassandra bobbed her head as she cut the broiled fish on her plate into small pieces then pushed it around aimlessly. “Henry and I have been going to a BDSM club. Who would have thought I’d be a dom and a pro with a whip?”

Demi’s jaw dropped. Sweet Cassandra? Cassandra whose name tasted like blueberry pie? Cassandra who’d been a virgin when she’d married Henry? Cassandra who was a Kindergarten teacher?

Not that it surprised her that Henry would be a submissive. Not only did he look like a pretty boy with his slight build and effeminate gestures, but his name tasted like limp lettuce spoiling in the fridge. She could never kiss a Henry much less let one fuck her any more than she’d let a Simon get close to her. She didn’t even like being around them, no matter how handsome, how intriguing. Their taste made her sick to her stomach.

Even Veronica gasped and her eyes bulged. “You’re putting us on. You with a whip?”

Deviltry flashed in Cassandra’s eyes. “Oh, I’m very good with a whip. And chains. And I’m so hot in leather.”

Lisa leaned forward and wiggled her brows. “Reid and I are taking our lover with us to our love nest. His name is Logan.”

Lisa’s name tasted like cotton candy on Demi’s tongue but she surely didn’t remind her of the childlike sweet anymore. Although Demi knew Lisa had drooled over every man at their last job including their very married, very average boss and was a walking hormone, she was still shocked. She couldn’t bite her tongue fast enough to stop her words, “So Reid is gay! I knew it.”

Lisa’s lashes fluttered and she shook her head. “He’s “bi”, not gay. And I get to be fucked by two men so I get the best end of the deal. Plus it’s so hot watching Henry and Logan get it on. I get so horny I just have to take both of them into me at once. You should try it. Once you’ve been fucked by two big, hot, juicy cocks at once, you’ll never want to go back to ordinary vanilla sex again. Trust me.”

At the sound of “cocks” the flavour of milk chocolate and caramel burst into her mouth and her pussy grew hot. It clenched and she so badly wanted to squirm on her chair and rub her pussy to ease the ache. Jealousy flooded her. Not only were her friends getting wild, hot sex, now Lisa was getting fucked by two men with huge, hot dicks. She couldn’t even get one.

Her thoughts caught fire imagining two virile men fucking her and Demi took a long swig of cool, dousing water. She had to get these visions out of her mind before she said or did something she regretted. But it was becoming a huge burden keeping her feelings from Alex, hiding something this important from her best friends, and she didn’t know how much longer she could live like this. Dry toast toys weren’t doing it for her. Not even Alex’s wonderful tongue and magical fingers.


Bon Appetit! is available at Total-E-Bound.

Don't miss the other great "in between" excerpts today by my fellow authors. Enjoy!

Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Taige Crenshaw
Vivian Arend
HelenKay Dimon
Lauren Dane
Lissa Matthews
Shelley Munro
Ashley Ladd

Snippet Saturday: Weaponry

Today's Snippet Saturday excerpts are about weaponry. I haven't seen 

the other authors' excerpts for today as I post this, but I imagine

most of their "weaponry" are classic like swords and guns.

My weaponry is a bit...different. Read on, you'll see.

This is an excerpt from my romantica comedy "Purrfect Justice" 

available at Ellora's Cave. 

“Officers in trouble at
Commercial and 44th!” Cole’s voice barked from the scanner.
Gunshots ricocheted in the background. “Need immediate assistance! Send
backup! Sniper on roof!”



Haley almost fell off her chair. Oh,
God. Her stomach flip-flopped as she stared at the little black box
crackling with static. Why did Cole have to keep getting into these dangerous
situations? Did he have a death wish? Or maybe she just worried about him more
than the others, and so it seemed that way?



She could help him again. A thrill
shot through her as she recalled the previous evening’s escapades. She’d
enjoyed thwarting the bad guy and saving a handsome man.



But she didn’t have the authority
to interfere. She didn’t have a badge, and she never would. Neither Superman
nor Batman had ever had a badge, nor any of a host of other superheroes. Not
that she was a superhero—just a concerned citizen. When she got right down to
it, Superman and Batman were just glorified concerned citizens, right? No one
had ever denied their help. Why should they deny hers? Cole had seemed grateful
the night before. Surely he’d be grateful again.



She studied herself critically in
her bedroom mirror, turning this way and that, pulling faces. She stuck her
tongue out at herself. Would he recognize her in this get-up? Could she get
away with it again? Should she change back into her Catwoman suit? 



“Car 85 is on the way. Estimated
arrival is ten minutes.” Sheila’s voice vibrated over the radio. Haley
would recognize her nasal voice anywhere.



Cole swore. She knew that he knew he couldn’t swear over
the police airwaves, but his voice was distant as if he’d covered the radio. “We’ll
be mincemeat in ten minutes! Get someone here sooner!”



“Will try.” An edge sliced
through Sheila’s professional tones.



Haley lived right around the corner. She could make it
sooner if she went as she was. She’d pray he wouldn’t recognize her wearing the
wig in the dark. She’d stick to the shadows. Stopping only to grab her keys,
not even her purse or identification, she ran to her car. But the stupid thing
coughed and spluttered. “Don’t you dare throw a hissy-fit now, Missy,” she
ordered, slamming the flat of her hand on the steering wheel. She cranked the
engine again, encouraging it to work. “Cole’s depending on us! You can do it.” 



But Missy either wasn’t listening
or didn’t care. Or maybe she was afraid of doing a little police work. Missy
backfired and died. A plume of smoke curled up from the grill that smelled
oily, gagging Haley.



“What now?” Cole needed her.



She spied Sher’s motorcycle. Did
she dare borrow it? Would her friend let her use it? Haley had learned how to
ride one in her academy training. She ran back to Sher’s apartment and banged
on the door.



Haley cut Sher off when she opened
her mouth. “”Keys now! I need your wheels. It’s life and death.” She held her
hand out, palm up under her friend’s nose. “I know how to ride a cycle. I
promise I won’t put a scratch on her.” She crossed her toes, hoping neither she
nor the bike got caught in crossfire. “I’ll owe you big time.”



Sher cleared her throat. “You
already owe me big time. So who’s dying?” 



“No time. I’ll fill you in later. Thanks!” She snatched
the keys and raced away, praying her impulsive friend wouldn’t follow her.
That’s all she needed was for her to get in the way or stop her. She jumped on
the cycle, and it purred to life as soon as she turned the key in the ignition,
thank God.



A few revs of the engine later, and she closed in on Cole
and Brad. It was another moonless night, so she could barely make out their
shapes huddled behind their unmarked brown sedan. At least she presumed it was
the cops and not the robbers. She stopped and hid the bike in a grove of palm
trees, and then slunk along the sides of the buildings so as not to be seen, so
she could scope out the situation. 



Someone had barbecued in one of the
nearby apartments and the scent lingered on the muggy air. It mingled with the
odor of several fast food restaurants dotting Commercial Boulevard, almost
nauseating her. The oil from the burger joints almost clogged her pores it was
so thick. She covered her nose and breathed through her mouth. 



Gunfire rang out, and she stopped
dead, not daring to breathe. The flash of flame had burst forth from the roof
of the mall. It was only a one-story structure, and she had a good view of the
man from her position. His focus was on the cops, and he hadn’t glanced her way
even once. She could sneak up on his rear and startle him long enough for Cole
and his partner to get the drop on him. Then she could sneak away, and Cole
wouldn’t even know she’d been there. 



Crouching low, she wound her way
through the maze of buildings until she came up on the sniper’s rear in the
alley sandwiched between the strip mall and a dark, eerie canal. Moonlight
glinted off a hubcap, beckoning to her. Even though it lay in a circle of
light, she chanced retrieving it. It could serve many useful purposes—a shield,
a weapon, or a noisemaker to distract the gunman. 



“Throw down your guns and come out
with your hands up,” a strange voice commanded, followed by an evil laugh that
cut straight through Haley. It wasn’t a voice she recognized, so it had to
belong to the shooter. “Do it now, or I’ll shoot! I have you in my sights.”



Heavy metal clanged on the asphalt.
Then the sound repeated. 



Oh, no. Both Cole and Brad
must have followed orders and were now at the criminal’s mercy. She didn’t trust
the man not to shoot now that he had the men at his mercy. Time was up. She had
to do something.



An idea popped into her head. She
banged the hubcap on the ground so that it sounded like a cymbal, and then
shouted, “Drop your weapon! We have you surrounded!” When she got him in her
sights, she flung the hubcap like a Frisbee with all her might. It knocked the
gun out of his hand as the bullet exploded in her direction.



She ducked and felt the bullet whiz
by her temple. Seconds later, she heard the gun clatter to the pavement,
followed by pounding footsteps and men’s urgent voices. 



“Get him!” Cole shouted as
footsteps hammered the ground closer and closer to her. He rounded the corner,
and she knew how a deer trapped in headlights felt. She froze for a split
second before panic propelled her to run. 



“Hey, you! Stop!” 



She’d sooner be kidnapped by aliens
than have him capture her. Adrenaline burst through her, catapulting her
forward. 



“Halt! By order of the police!” 



 Haley’s heart was about to burst, but she kept
going. She dragged the bike out of the bushes, hopped on, kick started it, and
sped off, kicking dust and rocks behind her. 



"Purrfect Justice" is available at Ellora's Cave.

Anya Bast
Vivian Arend
Ashley Ladd
Leah Braemel
Jaci Burton
Taige Crenshaw
Shelley Munro
Sasha White
Jody Wallace 
TJ Michaels
Victoria Janssen
Elisabeth Naughton

What is taboo in romance?

2008 society is a lot more accepting of things than we were in 1978 or 1950. When I was a kid, it was taboo for an unmarried couple to have sex and in particular to live together. Erotica and erotic romances were something I only found hidden in my dad's closet after my parents divorced. Homosexual relationships were even more taboo than they are now. Orgies were the thing of ribald jokes, but I'd never seen a book about them. MM and MMF romances are quite popular today. Still, a lot of people don't like them. I've been turned away from guest blogger spots because the host doesn't approve of or like MM romance. There was a time I thought MM and MMF was taboo. I thought I was being extremely naughty to read erotic MF sex scenes. When I began to write them, I felt even naughtier. For a long time, I felt traumatized by gay men and relationships. When I was 17, I was head over heels in love. We got engaged. And then my fiance confessed he was gay. Well, not gay, but "bi". And he had no intention of giving up his boyfriend just because he was marrying me. I was in utter shock. He messed with my mind and heart big time. What changed my mind? A couple years ago I became friends with a gay man who's been in a devoted, loving MM relationship for twenty years. He's one of the nicest, sweetest, and kindest men I've ever met. When he talks about his lover, it's always with a lot of love and respect. Their relationship is stronger, more loving than the vast majority of MF relationships I know. Now I know that my ex-fiance was a jerk. It wasn't because he was gay or bi. It had nothing to do with his sexual orientation. Once I finally let go my bias, I felt like a jerk. Who does it hurt if two consenting adults fall in love? If they commit to one another? I also realized that if one or more of my children turned out to be gay, I'd love them just as much. They'd be the same person they'd always been. Getting back to my original topic, I still have taboos: Incest. Rape. Torture. Sex with animals. But many SF romances involve shape-shifters: werewolves, dragons, and humanoids. I don't consider this bestiality and many writers and readers don't either. But some are questioning now if that's coming under attack and where the line is. What are your taboos?

You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)