New Release!

 

Yep, you read that right. I have written a new novella, full of hot, hot, hot romance and featuring two wonderful characters who are finding their true love -- even if it does come a little later in life.

I know, I know. I said a few years back that Diana was done writing erotic romance. While it's true, I've been focusing on my epic fantasy (which is finished and has a title now! Threads of Earth and Sky, The Companion series, Volume I), sometimes one needs a little spicy romance to keep one's blood flowing.

So let me introduce you to Mary Elizabeth Flynn and Scott Henderson. Here's the blurb:

At sixty years old, Mary Elizabeth Flynn (Maisy to her friends) isn’t looking for romance.  The deep blue of the Mediterranean Sea, the coastline of Italy slipping by...what a wonderful, carefree way to spend a cruise. Maisy is grateful her friends talked her into joining them, especially when she meets Scott Henderson, tall, graying, and definitely handsome. Who is she to say no to a little shipboard romance?

ROMANTIC SEAS is now available for pre-order at Amazon and Smashwords (which has every format available, no matter what your ereader).

You want more? Oh, okay. Read on for a short excerpt:

Excerpt from Romantic Seas
by Diana Hunter
All Rights Reserved

Maisy’s thoughts warred with her libido as the two made their way to the Promenade. Was it only this afternoon she’d walked around this deck ten times? Now she took a leisurely stroll, her arm linked with a tall, handsome…Dom.

He’d used the word “Top,” but she didn’t think there was much more than a semantic difference between a Dom and a Top. She knew “Master” wasn’t the same—that title implied ownership. She’d read enough erotic romances to know what was what in that regard.

But reading and fantasizing were two vastly different beasts. She’d not been entirely truthful when she said she had the “occasional fantasy”—more like it was her only fantasy. One she’d never confessed to anyone. Not Peg, not Trish, not even the rare date she’d had while taking care of her parents. And certainly not to Tom. It was her secret, and hers alone.

And then Scott calmly shows her a picture of his wife and treats bondage as if it’s normal.

Well, perhaps it is for him, she thought, her gaze on the lights of a faraway ship. Not normal for me. Exciting…alluring…enticing, yes. Normal? Not even a little bit.

“You’re awfully quiet.” His voice interrupted her reverie. “If being tied up isn’t your thing, it’s okay. I still like you and would like to have you as a friend.”

“Oh, no, that’s not it. I like you, too.” She gathered her thoughts and pushed her libido to the side for a moment. “I’m just…It’s that…well, I don’t have any experience in the matter and I have no idea if I’ll actually like it, or if I’ll freak out, or what.”

“Would you be open to an experiment?”

“What kind of experiment?”

He didn’t answer, but pulled her close. With no preamble, he bent down and kissed her.

Her libido rushed to the fore once more as her knees grew weak and her arms went around his neck of their own volition. A whimper formed in the back of her throat, sighing out despite her attempt to stop it.

He deepened the kiss as his hand cradled her head, his fist tightening in her hair as his tongue touched her lips, seeking entrance. She opened for him, giving him reign.

His tongue touched hers and she slammed her knees straight lest they buckle, as her mind filled with thoughts of being controlled by the power he exercised. Gently, he moved her head, using her own hair to guide her mouth so he could take full possession.

He didn’t stay nearly long enough, however, breaking the kiss, dropping her hair, and stepping back to give her space, only keeping a single arm around her waist. She wanted to protest the sudden cool air that rushed between them on what, previously, she’d thought of as a warm Mediterranean night. But after the heat he’d created in her? The night was positively chilly and she gave a little shiver.

“Are you cold?”

“After that? A volcano is icy.”

Her voice had dropped in pitch and she had to give herself a shake to keep her limbs from going all languid on her.

“So what do you think? I controlled only two parts of you—were you okay with that?”

“Oh, yeah,” she sighed, babbling. “I mean…yes. That was okay.”

The outdoor lighting cast a shadow on his face, but she thought he smiled.

“No freaking out?”

Her voice firmer this time, she stood up straight. His arm dropped from her waist and, while she missed the contact, part of her was glad of it. She might be able to do this in only small doses. “No freaking out.”

Remember: ROMANTIC SEAS is now available for pre-order at Amazon and Smashwords (which has every format available, no matter what your ereader). Order now and avoid the rush!

OH! And once you have it in your hands and have devoured it, please return to the site where you purchased it and leave a review. We self-pubbed authors need them to be seen by others.

Play safe,

Diana

New release!

HER MASTER'S VOICE (Book1) is now available at Smashwords and Amazon. This is a Mystic Shade title and please, be warned! It is not for the faint of heart. While there are elements of romance in it, it is primarily an erotica book, so there is lots and lots of sex. Lots of sex. Did I say it has sex in it? :)

HER MASTER'S VOICE introduces a new Dom into the world of slave traders. Malachi Montgomery works differently his best friend, Jake Kariola, but his goal is the same: to allow women the opportunity to shuck their worldly cares and enter a life of sexual slavery. His current slave-in-progress is Emma, a web designer who's looking for a way to serve her fellow man.

This was a fun story to write. I started writing this book on June 30th and completed it before the end of July. But these two characters had a lot (a LOT) more story to tell, so we kept going. Book 1 of this new series clocks in at 47,000 words and Book 2 currently stands at 49,000 before editing. FOr those of you following me on Facebook, the word counts I've been posting? Were for these two books.

What??? You're not following me on Facebook? Click the link in the top right corner and join the fun!

So, a whole new series of books that are very naughty, very sexy, very erotic. Just remember that Mystic likes to push the envelope and her stories contain BDSM activities taken about as far as they can go. You've been warned!

(NOTE: Jake Kariola, Malachi's best friend, has his own series. Over My Enslaved Body, Traitor Slave, Fully Owned and Training Two are all his.)

Excerpt? You want an excerpt? Oh, okay...What follows is a tame one, since Blogger would blow up if I posted a truly hot part of the book.

HER MASTER'S VOICE (Book 1 excerpt from Chapter 1)
by Mystic Shade
All Rights Reserved

Wearing nothing under her long coat but a latex bra and panties accompanied by a set of garters with stockings, and having remembered to put the panties outside the garters this time, Emma knocked on the door to the hotel room, desperately hoping she’d written the number right. She checked the paper in her palm once more. Room 311. Yes. Still, when Master Malachi opened the door, she gave a huge sigh of relief. She’d made it.

Her relief was short-lived, however, as he slid a blindfold over her eyes as she stood in the doorway, but not before she caught a glimpse of movement in the room. He pulled her inside, her high heels making her totter a bit, but she was sure she’d seen another person here with him. That couldn’t be right…he hadn’t said anything about bringing in other partners, although she’d confessed to a guilty fantasy involving multiple partners a few weeks ago…many partners and all of them men who wanted to use her for their own sexual gratification. He’d promised he’d make that dream come true. Someday.

Before Emma could get her bearings, he tugged the coat from her shoulders, effectively trapping her arms. The slip of paper floated to the floor as he spoke softly into her ear and she strained to listen.

“It is eleven o’clock, Saturday morning. Per our agreement, you are mine for the next twenty-four hours. Mine to play with, mine to command, mine to use and abuse.”

She nodded her assent, though nothing he said was phrased as a question. His hand groped her pussy, rubbing the latex into her slit. She moaned, her lips parting…and a ball gag pushed against her lips. Without thinking, she opened her mouth for it before realizing his hands were busy…who was gagging her so tightly? She tried to speak, but only garbled sounds came out around the rubber ball.

“Mine to use, mine to abuse.”

The mind-fuck already worked on her. “Abuse” – she loved that word. It implied so many naughty things he could do to her. They’d negotiated this, talked about it at length. Was it abuse if the action was consensual? She wanted her boundaries pushed—and pushed hard. At his hands she already knew she liked sensory play; a good flogging started her descent into subspace like nothing else. And being bound and helpless. Vulnerable. Open and unable to prevent him from doing whatever he wanted.

She leaned against his strong chest and a soft moan came from the back of her throat as he palmed her covered mound. Two weeks ago he’d asked if she’d ever thought about shaving her pussy and she had admitted to a higher than needed bikini cut, but hadn’t had the courage to go further. As a result, short brown hairs curled under the red latex. He pressed his hand against her mound, the pressure establishing his possession of her body as her mind wheeled. He assailed her senses before she was even four feet into the room. Her breath quickened around the gag when she realized again that another set of hands other than his touched her. She tried counting as fingers caressed her skin, ran over her breasts, her neck, then gathered her hair off her shoulders to twist into a rough ponytail. With her arms still tangled in the coat, she couldn’t stop them. But then again, with such wonderful twinges going off in her pussy, why would she want them to?

Her nipple rose to meet the finger that slipped under the latex to fondle the nub. Another moan, one she couldn’t suppress, filled her throat and her head tipped back. But her mouth was full of saliva she couldn’t swallow—the gag effectively trapped her tongue—and she tipped her head forward again, widening her lips in an effort to release the liquid.

“My slave.” Her Master’s palm on her cheek. She’d recognize that touch anywhere. His thumb ran over her cheekbone, claiming her face as his own. Pressing against his palm, she tried to let him know every part of her belonged to him. He pinched her lip, pulling it away from the gag and letting her drool.

“I own your mouth. You swallow—or don’t—at my whim.”

Emma’s knees felt weak and she gave him her mouth. It no longer belonged to her. It was his to play with, to use in any way he wanted.

Letting go of the self wasn’t something she could easily do. It took practice. A discipline of both mind and body. But over the past six months, she’d gotten better at it, more able to allow that letting go and, therefore, faster at letting it happen. And Master Malachi helped. She loved going into trance as he hypnotized her so he could speak to her subconscious. His words helped her strip away her inhibitions, her shyness, and society’s strictures regarding sexuality.

Still, losing the sense of self and moving into a state where she was no longer the center of her own being, took some time. His words, his actions, everything he did to her and for her, were steps to help her go deep inside, find the self, and release it.

Her face, her mouth—they were gone to her already today. They belonged to her Master and he would use them as he wanted. Two bodies shifted around her. Hands that were not his pressed against her breasts and she felt the rock-hard chest of someone behind her. Someone tall and muscular, similar to her Master, yet not him. Someone who smelled of soap and leather with strong, powerful hands that now slid down along her arms, holding them as her coat fell away and revealed her body to their eyes.

HER MASTER'S VOICE, now available at Amazon and Smashwords!

The Stone Mountains

The Stone Mountains have existed in my imagination for decades. They are a central location of The Companion, an as-yet-unpublished fantasy story and, the moment I first saw this painting of Steven’s, it was as if he’d gone inside my head and pulled the picture from my imagination.

 The story’s two protagonists, Martin and Kiera, both have heard fables about the dangers of going up into the mountains. These two excerpts from the novel describe their concerns about this mysterious mountain range.

From Kiera’s story:

A small fence separated the garden from the rest of the farmyard, the gate currently open and inviting. Kiera couldn’t resist stepping onto the garden’s teeming earth, feeling the tendrils of power curl around her bare feet. She lifted the hem of her robe and dug her toes in deep.

“How do you keep your feet warm when you go into the snows?”

Kiera turned to see Ham the younger hanging over the top of the fence, the pail of water he’d been sent to get sitting beside him, only half full. The path to the well showed where the rest of the water had gone to…a trail of wet splotches led right to Ham’s feet.

“Earth Mothers don’t go up into the mountains, Ham. ‘An Earth Mother who crosses the Mountain’s Foot is lost forever,’” Kiera quoted. How she’d hated those lessons with Mother Abbess. Until being accepted by the One and sent to study at Earthhome, Kiera really hadn’t given geography much thought. All right, so she sometimes had wondered what lay beyond her own town’s flat fields and small woods, but really, curiosity had never been her curse.

But at school, learning more about the land they called Splithome gave her a desire to see the places drilled into them as forbidden. Repeating the lesson now as much as for Ham as for herself, she told him, “The Stone Mountains support no life, sapping the power of the Earth Mother until even our Companions cannot save us.”

“I won’t let the mountains hurt you, Earth Mother. I’m gonna go there when I’m bigger. I’m gonna climb the tallest one and stand up on top of it and look at the whoooole world!”

His mother had other plans for him. “Yes, well, you can do that after you’ve delivered the water to the Companion. He’ll need it to rinse. Get going.”

 From Martin’s story:   

 Martin had heard the legends about the Stone Mountains, of course. Every first year Candidate knew the warnings by heart, though Martin discounted the stories of ghosts and haunting screams, knowing those were just tales to frighten children. He was more concerned with the tales that spoke of Sky Fathers who had made the attempt to cross and who had gone mad. Upon their return, they gibbered of a “great emptiness” and “wasteland like no other.” Their insanity, however, made it difficult to understand. The few who came back died not long after their return.

Martin, however, was fully Renewed and determined to discover what lay on the other side. The tales had been full of stories on that account, too, filled with wild savages and unholy beasts who roamed the far side of the mountains.

Taking his horse by the reins, Martin turned toward the road leading upwards. Path, really. The old Stone Road that started at the western shore and wound its way through Renthom theoretically continued up and over the Stone Mountains and down into the land on the other side. Years of neglect, however, had narrowed it considerably after it left Anre’s farm. What lay before him now would permit two men walking side-by-side in comfort, three at a squeeze. Too steep to ride a horse, however.

Squaring his shoulders for what might lay ahead, he stepped up the path -- and stopped dead.

His powers were gone.

Paintings by Steven Duprey (www.dupreyart.com)

Mark your calendar!

So on Sunday, I got to the Romanticon bookfair to set up my signing area and ten copies of this book are sitting at my spot. Talk about a wonderful surprise! Print copies were done up just for the convention so attendees got sneak peeks at what's coming.

Isn't this a great cover? I love the starkness...the arrangement of positive and negative space with the title (and my name!) so clearly defined.

Slated to be released on November 14th, this print book contains four, count 'em...FOUR of my shorter works:
Love in the Afternoon, Promise for Now, Hooked and Stitches in Time.

Two of these stories were in print in the past. Stitches in Time contains one of my favorite characters, Seamus O'Brien, a leprechaun of love-making nature. Originally written for the Irish Enchantment anthology, this novella is still one of my favorites (don't tell my other books that!).

Hooked was first a novella released in ebook only, but then was bought by Penguin when they were thinking of getting into the erotic romance market. As one of the books they bought, it was included in the Getting What She Wants anthology, along with stories by Scott Carpenter and Chris Tanglen. I always liked being sandwiched between two men! Hooked is the story of Tania and Jim. One likes it fast and hot, the other prefers slow and sexy. I think you might be surprised which one likes which.

Love in the Afternoon and Promise for Now are both Quickies that pack a lot of heat into a shorter read. The unnamed characters in the first story enjoy a full afternoon of sensuous activity whereas Carol, in the second story, realizes that her recent divorce now gives her permission to explore her options with her sexy neighbor. ;)

Get out your calendars and mark it down...November 14th, this compilation of four stories goes on sale!

Sidenote: the books at Sunday's sale had a misprint on the back cover of the book. Only three of the four stories was listed (Stitches in Time was inadvertently left off). So those of you who bought the book then, hang onto it! There are only ten of the misprinted covers in existence - and who knows? They might be worth something someday! :)

Play safe...and go mark those calendars!

Diana

New Release!

Yes, yes, and YES! Diamond Submission is now for sale at Ellora's Cave!

I got the idea for this longish short story back in August when I realized Sarah and Phillip Townshend's tenth-year anniversary was coming up. They're the stars of Secret Submission, my very first published book. Their story continues in Submission Revealed, although that book takes place only a few weeks after the first. The couple make a cameo appearance in Services Rendered, but I wanted to know how they were doing ten years into a Master/slave relationship. I asked them...and they answered!

Turns out, like many marriages after such a length of time, the two of them were finding that their lives had become...comfortable...predictable...You know...boring. They'd explored all their limits, played nearly every sex game there was and, while still very much in love, sex didn't hold the special sparkle it once did.

The two of them looked to me to solve their problem...and I happily helped them out. Here's the blurb:

Sarah knows her marriage is in trouble. She hasn’t called her husband “Master” in ages and he hasn’t corrected her at all. As their ten-year anniversary approaches, she has to decide if her life would be better off with him – or without him.

Phillip wants to mark their ten-year anniversary with something special and figures he can spice up their marriage at the same time. Sex with his wife has gotten formulaic and stale.

And when he finds his answer, these two will never look at a diamond ring quite the same way again!

And here's an excerpt:

She looked beautiful hanging there. Her straight brown hair still curled at her shoulders, although gray had started to show at her temples. He’d forbidden her to color it, liking the way it looked.

Truth be told, however, there was some vanity in his preference for her hair’s natural colors. With his own going gray much faster than hers, he didn’t want her looking too much younger than he.

She still held the same trim figure she’d had when they met. Eating right and having good genes helped them both. So did their membership to the Y. She was a strong swimmer, his Sarah.

His slave, he corrected as he leaned against the doorframe and watched her. Her eyes were closed, although he doubted she slept. When she shifted position, balancing her weight on one foot, he knew she was awake.

Still, his intent wasn’t to startle her, so he backed up and made some noise coming down the hall. As expected, her eyes were open this time. She didn’t speak, but her gaze seemed troubled.

He reached through the bars and snagged her nipple, keeping his eyes on her to gauge her reactions as he fingered it. She remained silent, only giving a little sigh. When he pinched, hard, the look was annoyance quickly masked.

Double damn. He was out of touch with what she wanted and needed. How had they let this happen?

And, more importantly, could they salvage it?

Diamond Submission is Book #4 in the Journey to Submission series and is on sale now at Ellora's Cave. Happy reading!

And play safe :)

Diana

New Release!

A night of romance and seduction. A night of passion and lust. A night to remember...

Yes, I've been busy! Announcing today the release of A Night to Remember, a quick short story that's full of spice and steam.

I originally wrote this story as a present for two very special people who share an incredible love. Set in Houston, Texas, it centers around an anniversary dinner - and the special evening that follows. Below is a little taste from the story to whet your own appetites...

And the excerpt:

They ate several moments in silence, each thinking ahead to what the night held. The first few notes of another slow song drifted across the room. “Eros” –a piece he’d put together for a much different purpose many years earlier. Very appropriate for this evening.

He felt Maria’s foot slide next to his under the table as the piano’s music lulled the diners. His face gave no clue that her foot was there, not even when she kicked off her shoe and the tops of her bare toes caressed his calf. Deliberately putting another bite into his mouth, he remained determined to show no reaction to her advances, yet when her foot moved to slip along the inside of his knee to his thigh, his eyes widened. Quickly swallowing his bite of dinner, he sat upright when her toes came in contact with his semi-rigid cock.

Her head was tilted downward and she looked up at him with false concern. “Something the matter, honey?”

“Nothing.” He tried to reply but his voice came out sounding strangled. After clearing his throat, he tried again. “Nothing, my dear one.”

But then her toes closed over his cock and he coughed to cover the yelp that sprang unbidden from the depths of his surprise. With a chuckle, she removed her foot as the song ended.

“Perhaps we’d best change the subject. Otherwise it seems my husband might have a physical impairment that would keep him from our walk in the park.”

Not trusting his voice, Edward only nodded and gave this round to his wife. He might have started the game, but she was certainly a worthy opponent.

Whew! A Night to Remember is available in all ebook formats. Get your copy today and remember,

Play safe!

Diana

Day three of the exciting announcements this week. This one, however, doesn't really pertain to Diana as much as it does my alter-ego, CF Duprey. Yesterday Diana had a release (have you seen it? Bought it? Get your copy now!), today CF Duprey has a release. Told you, it's been a busy summer and I've been working hard!

HARDSHIP AND HARDTACK is historical fiction (NOT erotic romance!) and is truly a work of my heart. This man's story affected me the very first time I heard it and I knew it was a story I had to tell. It is based on the letters the real Richard Bassett sent home to his wife during the Civil War. The monotony, the drilling, the fear and excitement of battle, the shame of being captured by the Confederates, he tells her all of it. Much of the action of the book is taken directly from what he wrote home.

Here's an excerpt to whet your appetite:

HARDSHIP AND HARDTACK
by CF Duprey
All Rights Reserved

 “Dresden!”

At the sound of the steamer’s captain’s call, most of the men of Company B crowded the decks to get one last look at home. Each of the companies had done the same thing at various points along the way as the steamer passed one hometown after another. He watched as eagerly as the rest to see the families left behind.

It seemed as if all of PennYan had traveled the five miles to the dock at Dresden. A band played and ladies waved their handkerchiefs, all to send them on their way with fond memories of home. Even Richard found himself caught up in the gaiety and waved back almost as vehemently as the others, though he knew Mary wouldn’t be there. Their farm lay further south, closer to Dundee. He would look for his wife there.

Dresden faded into the distance, the sound of the band lingering long after the town slipped out of sight. Now they approached Lakemont, where he suspected his wife would be.

As they came into sight of the tiny hamlet, Richard strained his eyes, his heart beating hard. This would be the last glimpse of his family he’d get for a very long time. His eyes misted as he thought of it, but a surreptitious wipe of his sleeve got rid of them. He didn’t want his last look at his wife blurred by tears.

He saw his father first, standing straight and tall on the shoreline, saluting. Rass joined Richard at the side of the steamer and the two brothers stood at attention, returning the salute. And there was Mary, waving a blue handkerchief. He chuckled and remembered that she had told him it wouldn’t be a white one because she wasn’t going to surrender her husband to the army, only loan him. And so she waved a blue handkerchief that matched the blue of the uniform he would soon wear. By her side were his two little boys, Eddie and Georgie. At four years old, Eddie was old enough to understand a little of where his father was going.

He stood between his grandfather and his mother, shyly waving at the big boat. Georgie had just taken his first steps last week, and clung unsteadily to Mary’s skirts. As he watched, Mary scooped up the baby and held him for Richard to see.

The shoreline passed all too fast. Richard hardly noticed that Lill, their sister, also waved, as did Kate, Rass’ current love interest. No, his eyes were for Mary and the boys. The two brothers traveled back along the rail to the rear of the boat, keeping their family in their eyes as long as they could.

A moment later and the trees hid the sight of the small knot of people on the shore. The two stood in silence as the boat continued south, finally turning as one to pick their way back to their belongings.

No bands played now and the mood turned somber as each man thought of the ones he left

behind. It would be a long time before they would be back here again. Some would never come back.

The silent shore drifted past in an unbroken line of woodland. Not too many people lived right on the shore. The farms that bordered the lake tended to be up on the hills where the breezes cooled the houses and the sun warmed the earth. Richard thought of the haying they had just finished and tried not to worry about his father getting in the corn with only the help of a few old men and young boys. In spite of the conversation he’d had with Mary before he left, he knew she’d help harvest as well, a task he really didn’t want her doing. Her place was with the children, providing them a safe home he intended to come home to.

HARDSHIP AND HARDTACK is available in all ebook formats (print is coming soon). I hope you enjoy my foray into a different genre! Click here for the official website and purchasing info.

Play safe,

Diana

SERVICES RENDERED is now available from Ellora's Cave!

Told you it's going to be a week of announcements. Yesterday I told you about the new goodies on my website, today I get to announce a new release. And yes, there's more to come, so stay tuned to the blog (or my newsletter) for more tomorrow.

You can read an excerpt here, a different one here, and yet another (short) one below. I've also included a picture of the cover...John Fish is SOOOO sexy! And he perfectly fits the image of the hero inside. Yum :)

Excerpt from SERVICES RENDERED by Diana Hunter
All Rights Reserved

Lauren nodded, conflicting emotions running rampant inside her. Reading people was second nature to her. One didn’t have a lot of time to make a call when the medics brought in their buddies. And there was more than one way to bleed.

But this John McAllen, so far, was an enigma. Obviously used to being in charge, yet out on this imaginary battlefield as a private. Smooth, definitely sexy—she’d seen the way the young woman reacted to him when he posed with his arm around her. Lauren had to admit she felt a little of the same herself. The way he looked right at her, as if she were the most important person on the planet right now? The way he steered her with small touches on her arm or back, not as if she were incapable, but as if he were protecting her.

That was it, right there. In his presence, she felt safe. As if he had the strength of body and will to fight off all her demons, both real and imagined. For a brief moment she thought of the two of them standing on a hill in a time period even longer ago and knew he’d be wearing armor and riding a white charger. Or maybe chaps and spurs and a white hat.

The vendor came with their cones and Lauren took a good, long lick, letting the mint settle deep inside her. A slow smile spread across her face. “Is there anything better for the soul than mint chocolate chip?” she commented.

“I can think of a few things,” John answered her, taking a lick of ice cream, twisting the cone around in his fingers. Yet his eyes never left hers, reading her body language far more easily than she read his. He had to. Lauren knew she was no good at hiding her emotions after the crisis had passed. Right now she felt safe, secure…and sexy in his eyes. She lifted her chin and took him up on his offer.

“Oh, really? Name one.”

“Tying a woman down and making love to her all night long.”

***** 

That's it! Now go buy the book!

Play safe,

Diana :)

Excerpt from TABLE FOR FOUR

TABLE FOR FOUR is now available for the Kindle! And the Nook. And every other ebook platform you could possibly want.

This novel, my second ever published, has recently come back to me. You can still order print copies from Ellora's Cave while they have them in stock, but once they're gone, I'll put it up at Createspace (as soon as I figure out their formatting rules!) for those who prefer a hard copy.

The re-release of TABLE FOR FOUR has a different cover (for those of you reading in a reader, click through to see the new cover in the sidebar) I designed myself. I'd love feedback on it, as I'm really a writer, not a visual artist. Drop me a line or put your critique in the comments section below.

Need a reminder of this book? An excerpt to jog your memory or whet your appetite? Read on!

David and Lissa Patterson have the perfect marriage, as long as one isn’t talking about their sex life. David prefers to snuggle, enjoying the slow and sensuous approach to intimacy; Lissa longs for a dominant alpha male when it comes to sex. She wants to be tied, taken, and left breathless. The two settle on a compromise that leaves neither of them totally satisfied.

Until one night, when a tall Gypsy King and his Beautiful Lady walk into their lives…

from Chapter One

  

A small diner just down the street and around the corner from their modest house tended to be one of their habitual eating spots. Their usual booth by the front picture window was available and Lissa and David slid in along the maroon vinyl seats facing each other across the matching maroon table.

They ordered and David told her what he’d accomplished while she was ‘busy’ elsewhere. He was very careful not to refer to her private fetish in public—to do so would violate another taboo. Lissa, however, was grateful for his discretion, it had taken her a long time to tell the person she most loved in all the world; there was no way she wanted anyone else to know.

Indeed, part of the arousal of the afternoon was listening to the life teeming around her; life that had no idea what little secret lay behind the open balcony door just above their heads.

The diner filled quickly and when the little bell over the door rang again, David looked up as something or someone caught his eye—and stared. Lissa frowned and nudged his foot under the table, but it seemed to have no effect. Turning her head slightly, she saw what held his fascination.

A man and a woman had entered and were making their way down the aisle toward them. With her straight, long blonde hair and svelte figure, the woman was a walking goddess. Her dark heels were at least six inches high – which just about matched the length of her navy blue skirt.

But while Lissa acknowledged the beauty of the woman, it was the man who followed that held her eye. Even though the woman’s heels made her tall, the male behind her still towered a full head above her, his broad chest and commanding bearing daring Lissa to look away. His neatly trimmed wavy black hair fell in small curls just long enough to give a girl something to run her fingers through. His round face sported a small goatee and neatly trimmed mustache. The very image of a Gypsy king come to life.

The diner was full and every eye watched the couple as they made their way along the narrow aisle. No seats were left and when the waitress apologized and told them they’d have to wait, the gentleman, without turning his gaze from Lissa, told the server in a smooth voice, “That won’t be necessary. I’m sure this nice couple will share their booth with us, will you not?”  

There was a faint accent in his quiet, baritone voice, but Lissa could not place it. She tore her eyes away to signal ‘no!’ to David, but he was already moving over and letting the woman slide in next to him. The blonde made an odd little movement, then settled next to Lissa’s husband and smiled across the table at her. Lissa smiled weakly in return, while glaring at her husband. What was he doing?

“Please, by all means … we are happy to share the table.” David tore his eyes away from the blonde beauty just long enough to dismiss the waitress. But anything further was cut off as he watched the goddess flip up her short skirt and place her naked rear end on the vinyl seat cover. He knew was ogling, but he just couldn’t stop. It wasn’t every day that a beautiful woman just walked into your life and showed you her ass.

David’s entranced absorption of the blonde goddess’ actions made her male companion smile. He watched his partner and when her soft blue eyes met his and she nodded, he knew she wanted to play. While he spoke English extremely well, he let his rich baritone affect more of an accent than usual as he made his apologies to the couple whose booth they had invaded.

“Thank you, sir, you have saved my lovely Adora from having to stand so long in her shoes. They make her sexy, do they not?” He put out his left hand and Lissa caught sight of a large gold signet ring on his forefinger—but no wedding band a little further along. The woman he called Adora smiled at him and placed her hand in his. The image of her slender and delicate hand in his larger and rougher one made Lissa’s heart skip a beat as she recognized their poetic contrast: he was night; she was day.

David’s mouth was dry and he hurriedly sipped from his water glass to cover the fact that this man’s girlfriend had given him a hard on—an amazing accomplishment, considering he just had sex with his wife not an hour before. “Yes,” he finally managed. “Yes, her shoes, I mean, your shoes are very sexy.” He tried not to look down, but the woman’s tight shirt barely covered her bosom and her cleavage just cried out to for a quick glance.

“Oh, David, really!” scolded Lissa, totally embarrassed by her husband’s obvious fascination with the blonde, but more embarrassed by her own internal reactions to the man beside her. Her panties were soaked and her pussy was open and aching, right there in the restaurant. For crying out loud, she was a married woman!

“Methinks my Adora likes your husband’s attentions, even as you are not sure you appreciate mine, my dear woman. Permit me to introduce myself. I am Master Richard.”

If the man were not sitting so close to her and so obviously exuding sex appeal all over the place, Lissa might have laughed at the Hollywood movie tone the man affected. And what was up with the ‘Master’ title? All the man needed was an opera cape with red satin lining and the picture would be complete. He already was dressed in the suit. All right, so he wasn’t wearing a white tie and tails, but a nice three-piece, well-cut, black, very sexy suit.

His left hand occupied with Adora, Richard now held out his right to Lissa, palm up in a gesture of peace. He noted how the woman beside him shrank away, careful to not touch him with any part of her body, and waited until she extended her own hand, noting she was unable, or unwilling, to meet his eyes. Master Richard gently took her hand in his, turning it and bringing it to his lips. The kiss on the back of her hand intentionally put her off balance.

Lissa knew she should not sit here and hold hands with a perfect stranger, no matter how sexy he was. Even knowing she should pull her hand away, she remained still, letting him touch her.

“Pleased to meet you,” she murmured, more out of habit than real pleasure.

Richard decided to let the pretty dark-haired woman off the hook, turning to the gentleman across from her. “Sir, you have met Adora, my beloved. And I have introduced myself. Is it not the custom for you to now introduce your wife and yourself?” There was a hint of amusement in his voice, since the man was still entranced with his companion.

“Oh! Erm, yes, of course.” David cleared his throat and shook his head, trying desperately to bring his mind back under control and focus on something other than the extremely sexy woman beside him. “I’m David Patterson – this is my wife, Lissa.”

“Enchanted.” Richard released Adora’s hand, but still held Lissa’s; he turned it over to place a tender kiss on her palm. His eyes held hers, never leaving her face; Lissa felt her soul was open to the man’s inspection. An absurd thought ran through her head that perhaps the man really was the King of the Gypsies and she smiled at the absurdity.

“Ah! Your lady smiles and the world is lighted with happiness."


That's it! The ebook is available here from the Kindle, here from the Nook, and here for all ebook formats (including the Kindle and the Nook!).


Diana

Good news! SERVICES RENDERED has been accepted by my editor (the wonderful Pamela Campbell. We've worked together for the past eight years and she is wonderful!). I was a little worried since this is a hero with a huge sense of right and wrong. John McAllen would like nothing more than to tie Lauren Carr to his bed and make love to her all night long. But he won't until she's ready. Let's just say that, when he finally achieves his goal...the wait is worth it!

What? You want a taste of this novel I've been working on for over a year? A snippet? An excerpt to whet your appetite? Oh, well...you talked me into it. Read on!

The vendor came with their ice cream cones and Lauren took a good, long lick, letting the mint settle deep inside her. A slow smile spread across her face. “Is there anything better for the soul than mint chocolate chip?” she commented.

“I can think of a few things,” John answered her, taking a long lick of ice cream, twisting the cone around in his fingers. Yet his eyes never left hers, reading her body language far more easily than she read his. He had to. Lauren knew she was no good at hiding her emotions after the crisis had passed. Right now she felt safe, secure…and sexy in his eyes. She lifted her chin and took him up on his offer.

“Oh, really? Name one.”

“Tying a woman down and making love to her all night long.”

Lauren choked on her ice cream. Of all the answers she’d been expecting from years of bad pickup lines, John’s answer came out of the blue and smacked her right in the pussy. She felt herself grow warm all over despite the ice cream she tried desperately to swallow.

And it didn’t help to have him stand there, looking nonchalant, gallantly offering her a paper napkin as if they were discussing the weather. Her eyes watering from swallowing too much ice cream too quickly, she tried to look up at him, but the sun was behind him.

“No fair. Can’t see you,” she muttered and pushed him to her other side so she could give him the glare he deserved.

Except he took one look at her and laughed out loud. A good, hearty, infectious chuckle. When her glare turned to puzzlement, he reached over with his own napkin and wiped the green ice cream off the tip of her nose. She rolled her eyes and relented.

“Okay, so your answer wasn’t quite what I expected…” she started.

“But you’re intrigued enough that you’ll go out to dinner with me tomorrow night,” he finished.

Lauren opened her mouth to demure, but Beth’s voice superimposed itself over hers. “Of course she is, and she’d love to. What time?”

“Beth, I can arrange my own calendar…”

“Seven o’clock.” John spoke directly to Beth. The conversation continued as if she wasn’t there.

“Here’s her address. I took the liberty of writing it down for you.”

“That was kind of you, ma’am. I appreciate it.”

“Casual dress? Or something a little fancier?”

John paused and gave Lauren a once-over. She took the opportunity to interject her own thoughts on the matter. “I’m right here you know. You can talk to me and…”

“A little fancier.”

“Perfect. I know just the outfit she should wear. It was nice meeting you, John.”

“Nice to meet you too, Beth.” He shook the hand Beth offered and once again tousled Ian’s hair. “And you too, young man. You make sure these ladies get home safe now, you hear?”

“Yes, sir!” Ian snapped a salute and Lauren couldn’t help smiling. His arm was all akimbo and his fingers at the wrong angle, but his posture was straight and his grin infectious.

“Dismissed, soldier!”

“Come on, Aunt Lauren. Beth says its time to go home.” He took her hand and pulled her toward the exit.

“Just a minute, Ian…” She turned to talk to John, but he’d already moved away. Instead, she took her frustration out on her best friend. “Beth, how could you? We don’t know anything about him.”

“And if we did things your way, it would stay that way.” Beth pushed the stroller over the uneven ground, making her way toward the sidewalk that led to the parking lot.

Lauren shook her head. “I know, Beth. I know. I just need more time, that’s all.”

“Time and a date with Big John.”

“Beth!” Lauren pretended shock and playfully hit her friend on the arm.

“Well, you do.” Beth dropped her voice. “And if you’re smart, you’ll let him get lucky on the first date and ride him all the way to mindless fucking!”

There you go...your first glimpse into SERVICES RENDERED. I don't yet have a release date (heck, I'm still in edits with this puppy!) but faithful readers know to watch this blog. You'll be the first I'll tell!

Play safe!

Diana

TWO RELEASES TODAY!!!
That's right, why get one when you can get TWO Diana Hunter titles on the same day?

Title one is a re-release of Diamonds in the Snow; it was first published in the Diamond Studs anthology. Now all three novellas from that anthology are available separately for the first time. Haven't gotten yours yet? What are you waiting for?

The second one is even better because Remembered Love is free! Yep, you read that right. This little story is a Naughty Nooner to add to your Diana Hunter collection.

Blurbs? You want blurbs? AND excerpts??? Ohhh...okay. :) Read on!

Diamonds in the Snow
Diana Hunter

Blurb:
When a sudden snowstorm unexpectedly gives her the afternoon off from school, all Carolyn Brooks intends is a night at home grading papers. But when her car slides off the road and Paul Anderson, the disliked head of the English department takes her to his home, Carolyn finds herself drawn to the rescuing knight.

But Paul Anderson has a secret…and determines the petite elementary teacher is too delicate a flower for his dark tastes. He knows what she does not. That he is not the White Knight, but the Black.

Excerpt:
“How did you get so wet?” The outside magic disappeared from her voice, replaced now by concern as she saw him shiver in his wet clothes.

“One of these days I’ll think ahead and put the shovel closer to the door where it might be useful. I had to wade through the snow to the shed in the back to get it out. Got pretty wet in the process, I guess.” He was soaked right through and didn’t want to tell her he’d tripped into the snowbank when wrestling with the door to the old, badly built lean-to that served as a shelter for his outside tools.

“Take them off. No, take them off right there. No sense in making a path of wet snow from here to wherever.” She deliberately turned her back on him and busied herself with the cups, spooning in several tablespoons of the cocoa mix as he undressed.

There was a note in her voice that brooked no-nonsense and Paul realized it was her school tone. Deciding to call her bluff, he stripped off his shirt and pants and then his briefs as well. But the air hitting his damp skin was cold and he shivered again.

“Throw me one of those hand towels, will you?”

Two kitchen towels hung neatly on a rack to her left. Pulling one down, she held it out behind her.

“I don’t bite, you know.”

His voice was almost in her ear. She jumped as he took the towel from her outstretched hand to dry his thighs…and his very cold cock. Grinning, he chose not to move from behind her, instead baiting her by remaining where he was.

She knew he was there…and that he must be naked. A smile playing on her face, Carolyn considered. It had been a long time since she’d seen a naked man. And the memory of him in the snow, standing like a knight in armor, stirred her deeply and in places that had not been moved in quite a long time. Her head dipped as the smile deepened into a grin and she slowly turned around.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her movement. The golden light of the candles deepened the dimples in her cheeks as her eyes sought his. Briefly tempted to cover himself with the small scrap of cloth, he decided two could bluff. Throwing the towel to the corner, he straightened, completely naked in the center of his kitchen.

Carolyn’s breath caught as she stared at the knight without his armor, still strong and invincible before her. Strength emanated from his broad chest, the powerful muscles at rest, yet still striking in their potency. No hair marred the perfection of smooth skin that glimmered in the candlelight, the line of his chest leading her eyes down past his narrow waist to his cock that nestled in a tuft of dark hair.


Remembered Love
Diana Hunter

Blurb:
Val knew all her husband’s moves — and that was the problem. After five years of marriage they’d fallen into a rut. Sex with Gary had become…mundane.

…Until Gary suggested adding a little kink to their sex life and Valerie discovered a whole new side of her husband. In the middle of the ropes and playing, they both…Remembered Love.

Excerpt:“They were in love. Just like us.”

“Are we?”

He pulled back at the wistful tone in her voice. “What?”

“I know you love me but are you still in love with me?”

For a moment, he didn’t understand the difference. But then he remembered Alex that morning and the way he had nearly glowed when talking about picking out living room curtains. Alex and Amy not only loved each other, but after seven years of marriage, they were still in love. Gary grinned down at his wife.

“Yes, Valerie Marie Woodard, I am still in love with you. Will you marry me?”

She laughed and thought of the old couple in the parking lot. “Yes, Gary Michael Woodard, I will marry you. Again, and again, and again.”

“You know what our problem is?” He cocked his head and narrowed his eyes as he thought. Val knew that look, although she hadn’t seen it in a very long time. It meant mischief and she slowly smiled.

"What is our problem?”

“We’ve gotten stale. Not only in our daily routine but…” he paused and his look turned from mischievous to devious.

“But…” Thrilled as she was to realize he’d come to understand what she’d been struggling to put into words these past few months, she knew him well enough to know the thoughts going on behind that beautiful face with his wide brown eyes and boyish look meant she might have awakened a sleeping tiger.

“I think it’s high time that you, young lady, were tied up and ravished.”

She laughed aloud at the outlandishness, but when he only raised an eyebrow, she realized he meant it. Her pussy creamed at the thought and she had to swallow hard to keep her knees from buckling at the very idea.

“You’re joking.”

He shook his head. “We’re in a rut, Valerie Marie. And there’s nothing like a little kink to get us out of it.”
*****

That's it! Go out and get your copy of Diamonds in the Snow and Remembered Love today :)!
Play safe,

Diana

Need a short little pick-me-up...or perhaps a little love story to set the mood? Love in the Afternoon, my newest Quick Quickie from Ellora's Cave releases today and is perfect for those of you who are looking for a hot, sexy, inexpensive read.

She meditates, finding the quiet within. Quiet she knows he will disturb in his own seductive manner. When he calls her into the bedroom, she follows, trusting him to lead her to a place where all things are possible.

Read the blurb here and an excerpt here -- and then purchase this short piece, sit back, and enjoy Love in the Afternoon.

Play safe!
Diana

With this story I'm officially out of stories for a while. Tales from the Ramayana: Homecoming follows Ram and Laksman back home to Ayodhya with their brides-to-be, only for them to find their father is none too pleased at their extended absence!

Okay, readers...what's next? Should I get back to work on a full-length novel for you? Write a few more adventures of Ram, Sita and Laksman? Stop writing altogether? I will tell you EC just accepting a Quick Quickie I wrote called "Love in the Afternoon." It's currently in edits, but you know I'll post here as soon as I have a release date.

In the meantime, enjoy Homecoming!

(removed. Now in Tales from the Ramayana, a collection of four short stories from The Ramayana as told by Diana Hunter)