Last week, I promised a DECADENT interview with Deke and Luc. I finally had the chance to sit down with them for a little two-on-one time. (And no, none of that. Get your mind out of the gutter! ) They were willing to answer your questions…for the most part. Here are their interesting and enlightening answers.

SHAYLA: Boys, you seem to do almost EVERYTHING together. What made you two decide to start sharing women?

DEKE: “You’re kidding, right? Two men simultaneously pound a woman to orgasm and drive her so insane, she forgets her name and screams the roof down. Then, she’s willing to do anything for her lovers’ pleasure. And I get all the fringe benefits.”

LUC: “It is intense, which is part of the appeal, yes.”Sends a weighty stare to Deke. “But there is a bit more to it.”

DEKE: “Shut up. Now, dammit.”

SHAYLA: Luc, have you ever thought about doing a cookbook on sensual delights?

LUC: “Yes. It’s one of those projects on the backburner while my cable TV show gets underway, but I’d like to indulge soon.”

SHAYLA: Luc, when you see a beautiful woman on the street, what about her initially attracts you?

LUC: “Curves. All women are attractive in their own way, and I look for beauty and flavor in every woman. But on a street, curves catch my eyes. I confess to loving breasts and hips.”

SHAYLA: Gentlemen, you two are about as similar as night and day, not only in looks but also in temperament. How are you two able to get along so well?

LUC: “Balance. We accentuate one another’s good qualities and curb the bad, I think.”

DEKE: “Yeah. You charm and romance them. I make sure they scream.”

LUC: “And then I make them scream some more.” Naughty grin.

SHAYLA: Luc, what kind of woman would be your type and what would she look like?

DEKE: “He’s attracted to the white lace and virginal types. Kinda genteel and sweet.” Snort. “They can’t handle you and what you can dish out.”

LUC: “You spill my secrets, I’m spilling yours.”

DEKE: No longer laughing.

LUC: “That shut you up fast. I like something about most every woman. But as someone I could see waking up to every morning, I’d prefer a woman who’s a little more demure. Someone kind, sweet, patient…”

DEKE: “I keep telling you, man, that’s not going to rock your world.”

LUC: “There is more to life than your dick.”

DEKE: Snort. “Since when?”

SHAYLA: Luc, have you ever seduced a woman with your cooking?

LUC: “That’s half the fun of being a chef. Helping a woman get immersed in all her senses. Sight, smell and taste can be so heightened when I add a perfectly light caress and speak low, sexy words in a woman’s ear. I particularly enjoyed feeding Kimber from my fork and stroking her arm. Deke always gets riled up.”

DEKE: “Unless you want to see action on your kitchen table, don’t bait me.”

SHAYLA: Deke, what was the first thing that made you realize that Kimber is THE woman for you?

DEKE: “Gut instinct. I don’t question those much. I think I always knew, even when she was way too young for what I had in mind.”

SHAYLA: How do you know a woman is truly ready for your type of invitation?

DEKE: “A lot of times, if women know what you’re into, man, they come to you. If not…” Shrug. “Luc moves in with his smooth moves and charm, opens them up to the idea. I’m the closer.”

LUC: “Wipe that damn grin off your face.” Shakes head. “There’s a certain body language that seems to indicate when a woman is receptive to both of us. I watch that and her other non-verbal cues if she’s not openly volunteering her willingness.”

SHAYLA: Luc, would you ever stop sharing women if you fell in love and she wasn’t into it?

LUC: “I often make love to a woman one-on-one. I would want to introduce to the joy of ménage to any woman I fell for eventually. No rush, but in some ways, it’s very necessary to me.”

SHAYLA: So Deke, why will you only be with a woman if Luc is there?

DEKE: “Damn, why don’t you just get personal? Next.”

SHAYLA: Boxers or briefs? Or nothing. That works, too.

DEKE: “Women ask damn funny questions. Commando most of the time.”

LUC: Clears throat. “I prefer briefs.”

SHAYLA: What do you like about the ménage relationship besides the actual sex?

DEKE: “In many ways, it’s safer and saner. And that’s all I’m saying.”

LUC: “The intensity is sublime, but there are other benefits that are simply difficult to explain.”

SHAYLA: One of my readers said, “Sex? You? Me? Sound good? Alright!”

LUC: Laughs. “Challenging through a computer…”

DEKE: “The sex I like isn’t sweet or pretty or romantic. It’s raw, sometimes a little painful for a woman. It can require a spine of steel and a lot of stamina. Still wanna play?”

SHAYLA: Luc…Do you prefer blonds or brunettes? And do you think you will give up ménage when you fall in love?

LUC: “Hair color is not really important. What is, is a woman’s heart, her kindness, her willingness to share her spirit with me. I’m nearly thirty-five, well beyond the age of merely wanting a good lay. I truly am looking forward to the next step in life. As for giving up menages… Not altogether, no. It’s something I need.”

SHAYLA: Have you ever been truly jealous of the one another?

DEKE: “Once. We got past it. Next.”

SHAYLA: Could a woman ever be capable of coming between your friendship?

LUC: “In the long run, no. There have been moments…but they’re in the past. So the short answer is no.”

SHAYLA: Thank you two very yummy gentlemen for your time and answers. I was certainly thrilled to spend a little time with you!

So I’m going to have to face facts: the November 1 deadline is wreaking havoc on my blogging time/ability. The brain cells are, admittedly, a little fried. I’m going to play catch-up (again) today and hope that I stay on track a bit better next week.

Not a ton of news this week, but here are the good bits:

WRITING RELATED

DECADENThas been spotted in a few bookstores! I signed the copies in my local Borders this past Sunday. This week, I’ll post a picture of the book on shelves in the Borders in Columbia, MD, sent to me by Joy of Joyfully Reviewed. Woohoo!

If you’re looking for your own copy, I don’t know if they are out yet, but you might peek and get lucky.

With the much appreciated help of Sylvia Day and Naughty Nikki, I’ve created a webiste for what I hope will become the Doomsday Brethren series. The first book, TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS, will be released by Pocket books in September 2008. Before you leave, make sure you Meet the Doomsday Brethren. They’re yummy and fun!

I’ve received a few new reviews since last week:

Watch Me (Samhain ebook, July 2007): Romance Reviews Today Erotic

“WATCH ME is a tale that sizzles from the beginning… Well written, and with plenty of background on professional ballroom dance, readers will have a hard time putting this book down. Erotic encounters are vivid and intense. WATCH ME is a torrid story (make sure you have the fan on) that I highly recommend.”

The Lady and the Dragon (Samhain ebook, May 2008): The Romance Studio
“Shelley Bradley created wonderful characters in Christina and Drex; the other characters were believable and understandable. The plot presented was full of sensual situations, as well as tension in and around each person. The book offered a fresh plot with lots of action and conflict. Christina and Drex were each in more trouble and trauma than either expected. Ms. Bradley has exhibited her great writing skill and her wonderful story-telling ability. I heartily recommend this book!”

Decadent (Berkley HEAT print book by Shayla Black): CK2s Kwips and Kritiques – Recommended Read!
“No matter which pen name she is using, this author can always be relied on to spin a fascinating story with fully-fleshed characters that engage the reader from page one, and keep you turning the page until you finish the book!”

Additionally, for all you Rhapsody and Doubleday Book Club members, I’m told that Decadent is now available for pre-order. If you also tried to order a club hardbound of Wicked Ties and were told they were no longer available, apparently that’s changed. So if you want the two-fer, now’s the time!

Page count for the week: 25. Getting close to the 3/4 mark! I should be on schedule to finish around November 1.

What I’m reading: I JUST finished For Her Pleasure by Maya Banks. Some good stuff! I need to prowl my TBR shelf to see what’s next. I’d plow right into something new now, but deadlines call and I’ve been busy with Dancing with the Stars and the Heroes season premieres. So happy to have both back!

Last, but not least, here’s a Manly Monday entry. Yummy!! Hope you enjoy and have a great Tuesday!

I meant to get this up earlier today. Overslept, got behind, and haven’t caught up. BUT I’m hoping to make the wait worth your while.

First, there’s the matter of Nikki’s post last Wedensday. The winner of the Read with Shayla tote bag with the (signed) DECADENTsurprise is Renee B! I’ll be getting that to you in the mail by Monday.

Beyond putting up a new excerpt, I’m going to bribe you for…um, try something new. Post a comment here and tell me 3 things that, if you could interview them, you’d love to ask Deke and/or Luc. I’m going to use these questions to compile an interview that will soon appear here at at Gena Showalter’s site. If I select one of your questions, I’ll email you a PDF copy of the first chapter of DECADENT. I really want to know what you all want to know about these two gorgeous, testosterone-oozing guys.

Because I promised, I’ll also put up a new DECADENT excerpt, just for you:

DECADENT
© Shayla Black (Shelley Bradley LLC)
If you are under 18, please navigate elsewhere

Excerpt

Luc smiled at the thought and took her shoulders in his hand. “Sweetheart, last night was all about getting you accustomed to accepting the touch of two men.”

Despite dazed, slightly dilated eyes, she nodded. “I know.”

“You did well. Really well. Tonight is about seeing how much pleasure you can dish out. This will be more challenging since you want us to leave your virginity intact and you’re not yet ready to accept one of us in that sweet backside.”

Kimber paused, clearly puzzling his words out. “I don’t know anything about oral sex.”

He smoothed a hand over her shoulder, soothing her. “We’ll work through it together.”

Biting her lip, she sent him a shaky nod. Then she smoothed her tongue across her bruised lip, and the sight punched Luc with a fresh bout of pure lust.

Beside him, Deke appeared to lose all patience—and self-control. He put his hand on her shoulder and urged her to her knees before him. Kimber fell slowly, an uncertain inch at a time, her gaze never leaving Deke’s. It traveled up as she went down, and the sight kicked Luc with a jolt of lust.
Then he sighed. Guess that settled the question of who would partake of Kimber’s silken mouth first.

Kneeling behind her, Luc tore off his shirt, watching as Deke ripped off his own and tossed it across the room, then began to unbutton his old-school, button-fly jeans, one button at a time. Luc settled in behind Kimber, easing his hands on her shoulders, observing her as she watched Deke reveal a wedge of muscled abdomen, a strip of light brown pubic hair, then, as he shoved his jeans off, the entire length of his cock.

Deke stroked his erection, as if he couldn’t stand another minute without stimulation. Luc related to that. He grimaced as he adjusted himself, sat behind Kimber, and touched his hands to her bare hips, then roamed her soft flesh.

“Touch him,” Luc murmured.

“What?”

Luc couldn’t keep his hands from wandering, across her hip, around to her belly, up to her breast. He flicked his thumbs across her pebbled nipples. Still hard. He’d love to know exactly how wet she was. Soon… Patience, damn it. Right now, he couldn’t distract her.

“Take Deke in your hand and stroke him, just like he’s doing to himself.”

So slowly Luc could feel his sweat drip, Kimber reached out and grabbed Deke’s hard flesh in her hand. Up, up…until she clasped the tip, ran her thumb across the head. Deke groaned so loud, his entire chest rumbled with sound.

“Good instincts,” Luc praised. “Down and up again.”

Kimber repeated the process once, twice, faster, coordinating her movements a bit more.

“I can hardly get my hand around him.”

She frowned in concentration and brought her other hand up to Deke’s cock to join the first, wrapping her slender fingers around his girth. Now she totally encompassed him, stroking him with more vigor, watching Deke’s face as those blue eyes women drooled over slid shut and he threw his head back in brilliant pleasure.

“Good,” Luc muttered. “Now lick your lips. Yes, like that.” He couldn’t resist kissing the side of her neck, nibbling on her earlobe. “Lean in, open wide, and take him in your mouth.”

The look she shot him over her shoulder, of hot curiosity, of naughty anticipation, just about unraveled Luc. Damn, simmering under that seemingly straightforward surface lurked a tease. A vixen. He’d bet if they gave her a little control in the bedroom, she’d come out and play.

“Now!” Deke demanded.

“Say please,” she taunted.

Luc couldn’t quite hold in a laugh. Apparently, she already got the idea that when she held a man in her palm, the promise of her mouth ripe in his fevered mind, she had all the power.

“Fuck!”

“Wrong word…” Kimber shot him a kittenish smile.

Deke swallowed. His fists tightened at his sides as he drew in a bracing breath. “Please.”

The word sounded gritty and unused. But it worked for Kimber.

Slanting one last challenging glance up at Deke, she put her hands on his hips and leaned in.

Tilting around her, Luc watched with both raging need and envy as Deke’s cock entered her mouth, cushioned by her slick tongue. He slid in, more and more of his length disappearing into the depths of her virgin mouth.

God, the sight alone was killing him. Deke’s long moan vibrated pleasure in his gut. His desire multiplied. He could only imagine how fabulous Kimber felt.

When she’d taken as much of Deke as she could, she drew back and repeated the process, taking another inch. Deke loosed another groan, clutching at her hands as they held him steady.

“Yes,” Luc breathed. “Now suck him. Hard. He likes it hard.”

Her cheeks hollowed on the next upward stroke. And the one after. Deke gritted his teeth.

“Fighting the urge already?” Luc asked him.

“Fuck off.”

Deke had barely managed to choke out the words. Kimber was getting to him—fast. Luc had never seen anything like it. Usually, his dear cuz could be bathed in a woman’s mouth for twenty minutes and look unmoved. Everything was so been there, done that with Deke.

Except when Kimber touched him. The telltale tightening of Deke’s abs and the flush crawling up his cheeks told Luc just how close his cousin was to losing control.

Happy Friday!!

Happy Wednesday! I usually put up the rant of the week today, but I wanted to introduce you instead to a really cool lady and debut author, Maya Reynolds. We first came to know each other when we served on the first board of officers of Passionate Ink, the erotic romance chapter of Romance Writers of America. After a lot of emails and working together, we discovered we live not too far from each other and have managed to chat face-to-face a few times. I’ve really been eager to get my hands on this debut title from Berkley HEAT, BAD GIRL.

Feeling a little naughty?

You should.

There’s only one thing hotter than doing something you shouldn’t.

Getting caught.

Shy social worker Sandy Davis gets caught spying on her neighbors having erotic encounters. She receives a phone call from an anonymous male calling himself Justice, who says, “You’ve been a bad girl, Alexandra Davis.” What will be Sandy’s “punishment” for being so naughty? Justice has some very hot ideas in mind.

Every since I read the proposal for this book months ago, I’ve been dying to see how these two come together. I have no doubt it’s hot, hot, hot.

Maya Reynolds lives in a small Texas town. She has worked as a teacher, stockbroker, psychiatric social worker, and crisis-team interventionist. She is the author of several short stories, and Bad Girl is her first novel. Maya also gave me an interview recently with some downright interesting answers…

1) Tell us about your latest release.

My first book, Bad Girl, was released earlier this month by NAL Heat. It’s an erotic suspense novel:

Sandy Davis didn’t start out intending to spy on her neighbors in the high-rise across the street. It began innocently. But then, she couldn’t bring herself to stop. Night after night, she hid in the shadows of her balcony and peeped through each different window, watching people going about their lives, never realizing they were being observed.

It was just a game. No one had to know. Then one night came a phone call…

“You’ve been a bad girl.”

He calls himself Justice. He has a pastime too. Watching Sandy watch others. He has the pictures to prove it. Now it’s his turn to play–by making Sandy pay the price in exchange for holding on to her naughty little secret.

As the sensual dance between two strangers begins, so does Sandy’s fear that she’s moving closer to the edge of extreme desire–and inescapable danger.

2) What was it about this book and these characters that made you want to write it?

I’m interested in non-traditional stories with quirky plotlines. I’d watched Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, and it started me wondering how the story might be different if it was a woman doing the peeping.

Sandy’s boyfriend left her for her own sister. She’s feeling vulnerable, and haven’t we all been there at one time or another?

When that call from Justice first comes, all she wants is to find a way out. Then their phone calls turn into something else.

The structure of the story allowed me to really explore the relationship. Sandy spied on others; Justice spied on Sandy. The two of them are forced out of their comfort zones into something neither could have predicted.

3) Was it difficult to make Sandy a sympathetic character?

It was a worry for me. After all, she starts out doing something that is not only illegal, but immoral. I worked hard trying to help my readers understand her. It’s been very rewarding to receive emails saying how much readers like her. The book has a five-star rating on Barnes & Noble and a 4 ½ rating on Amazon right now.

4) What do you know now about publishing that you didn’t know before you published your first book?

How unbelievably long everything takes in print publishing. It was fourteen months from signing the contract to the book release.

5) Talk about your writing process. Are you a plotter or a pantser, and what is the advantage of your style?

Absolutely a pantser. I like “what if” questions. What if a woman got caught peeping on her neighbors? What if a hit man fell in love with the woman he was hired to kill (one of my current manuscripts)? Jumping right in allows me to explore the possibilities and to do so with all the immediate energy that the question offered.

The problem comes three chapters in when I don’t have an outline to guide me. That’s when being a gardener helps. I pull weeds and fertilize and talk through the plot points with my characters. I admire Chris Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey and consider it my roadmap in deciding on the plotting arc. When I first read his manual, I realized I’d been instinctively following his steps without ever having read the book before.

6) Did you do anything on the way to becoming published that you would change today?

I would have joined RWA sooner, and I would have sought critique partners earlier. Both are invaluable resources for a beginning writer.

You and the other published writers in our local chapter were enormously generous and helpful to me. I hope to pay it forward.

7) What are you working on now?

I like to work on a couple of stories at once so I can switch back and forth according to my mood. In addition to the hitman story, I’m exploring the older woman/younger man theme between a cop and her new partner.

8) How do you maintain balance between your writing life and the rest of your life?

Sometimes it can be tough. Right now I’m writing the new book while trying to publicize the last one. I work full-time, and am leaving Sunday for Bethesda where the National Institutes of Health are for four days as part of my job. Of course, I’ll bring a laptop along.

In addition to living my life, I maintain a daily blog at http://www.mayareynoldswriter.blogspot.com

It’s a challenge to fit everything in. Fortunately, I’m high energy, and my writing is important to me. It helps when you’re doing something you love.

Here’s an excerpt from BAD GIRL:

Sandy swiveled her telescope to scan the front of the building across the street.

Beyond her balcony, Uptown was coming alive for the night. If she leaned over, she could look down and see people drifting in and out of boutiques, eating at outdoor cafes or standing in line for tickets at the art house movie down the block.

Her sixth-floor condo, north of downtown Dallas, was in the shadow of the skyscrapers that dominated the north Texas sky.

Sandy focused on the apartments directly across from hers, checking to see if any of her regulars were home yet.

Yes, there were Mr. and Mrs. Kinky, the young couple on the fifth floor. They were in their kitchen preparing dinner. Knowing them, dinner would be part of the evening’s foreplay.

Her spying on neighbors had begun accidentally a few months earlier but, during that time, she’d become attached to many of the people who lived across the street. In a curious sort of way, she felt like their guardian, keeping an eye on them. She’d even intervened once by calling the police when she’d thought someone was in danger. Of course, she’d called in the report from a pay phone down the street.

More tenants returned home and switched on their lamps. The flat face of the building across the street resembled a checkerboard with alternating squares of light and dark. She slowly rotated the body of the telescope, trying to find activity. Mrs. Blue Hair, the elderly woman on the fourth floor had been sick lately. Sandy was glad to see she was feeling well enough to host her Friday night bridge group.

The ringing of her telephone distracted Sandy from the scene across the street. For the space of another ring, she debated whether to answer it. If it were her mother, a non-response would start a cycle of calls every twenty minutes until Sandy picked up. Better get it over with now.

She rushed toward the living room, brushing past the closed drapes, and picked up the phone on the fourth ring–right before the answering machine kicked in.

“Hello,” she said breathlessly.

“You’ve been a bad girl, Alexandra Davis,” a male voice greeted her.

“Who’s this?” she demanded. It had to be one of her brothers or a friend.

“This is Justice.” He paused, and Sandy tried to decide if the caller was her older brother, Matt.

“You’ve been spying on your neighbors. How do you think they’d feel if they knew?”

Sandy’s heart stuttered. No! This couldn’t be happening. No one could have seen her. She’d been too careful.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied in her coldest voice. “I’m going to hang up. If you call me again, I’ll report you to the police.” She slammed the receiver down.

OhgodOhgodOhgod! She bit her lip and stared at the phone. What if someone had seen her? Maybe someone knew. Reality came crashing down. If this came out, she could be arrested. She’d lose her job. No agency could have a sex offender employed as a social worker, going into homes with families. And her mother! Oh, dear heaven, what would her mother say?

Sandy forced her mind to function through the mounting panic. First, she needed to get the telescope off the balcony. She needed to sit down and think this through . . .

The phone started to ring again. Sandy stared at it like a field mouse cowering before a snake. She made no move to pick it up. It rang a second . . . a third . . . and, finally . . . a fourth time.

The answering machine kicked in, and Sandy heard the male voice from before. “It’s no good, Alexandra. You can’t hide from Justice. If you don’t believe me, go check outside your door. I’ll wait.”

I’m woefully behind with blogging, I admit it. Between being in Kentucky for RAW and working toward the end of this deadline, I am really out of whack. My apologies for those waiting last week for a new excerpt on Feature Friday. I also neglected to put up a Sunday Newsday and a Manly Monday. Shame on me, I know.

So, we’re going to get it all done now. Ready? Here we go…

Here’s a new excerpt forDECADENT. And just so y’all know, this is Naughty Nikki’s favorite.

DECADENT
© Shayla Black (Shelley Bradley LLC)
If you are under 18, please navigate elsewhere

Excerpt

Dinner passed in silence, despite the fact Luc had grilled damn fine pork chops and brushed them with a delectable maple-cranberry glaze. Luc shrugged off the chilled silence. The army had taught Deke to eat anything—mess hall grease, MREs, the side of a raw goat—as long as it kept him alive. Luc’s palette was a bit fussier. And Kimber… The way she darted venomous glares at Deke through the meal told Luc that she and his cousin had exchanged unpleasant words earlier that day.

And the way Deke watched her told Luc that his cousin’s hunger wasn’t going to be sated by scrumptious pork or the blackberry-peach crisp he’d baked earlier.

Behind his napkin, Luc smiled. Cross words aside, everything was falling into place perfectly. Time to add a little fuel to the fire…

Luc reached across the space separating him from Kimber and caressed his way up her arm, which was bared by a small spaghetti-strapped tank top. Then he brushed the back of his knuckles over her cheek. Hmm, soft. So sweet. And so pissing Deke off, a slanted glance in that direction told him.

“More salad, sweetheart?” Luc asked.

“No.” She relaxed enough to smile at him. “I’m stuffed. With all your wonderful cooking, I won’t fit into my pants soon.”

He leaned in to steal a slow, gentle kiss right on her lips, still tasting faintly of the tangy glaze he’d prepared with the meal. Across the table, Deke tensed. His fork clattered to his plate. Luc ignored him.

“With the two of us around, you really don’t need pants. Isn’t that right, Deke?”

Luc curled his hand around Kimber’s naked shoulder and softly stroked her, all the while watching her nipples peak under the little white shirt and his cousin’s gaze heat dangerously.

“Is everyone done eating?” Deke barked, standing, hovering over the table.

Kimber pushed back and shot Luc an uncertain glance. Worry; he saw that in her gaze. Uh oh, what the hell had Deke said or done to put her on edge?
“That’s up to Kimber. We can sit for a bit longer, if you’d like, sweetheart.”

Deke tossed down his napkin. “If you want your tutoring tonight, kitten, it’s now or never. I’ve got better things to do than sit here and chat.”

Luc registered Kimber tensing under his hand. Oh, the fireworks are about to begin.

“You’ve made that clear. I don’t want to be a bother to you. Maybe I should just follow Luc down the hall to his room. You can…run along.”

Chin held high, Kimber stood and, despite wearing a fatigue-print mini skirt and a tank top sans bra, breezed past him as regally as a queen.
The stunned look on Deke’s face was priceless.

His cousin spun around and followed Kimber down the hall. Luc scrambled to follow them. He wanted them riled, but not so furious they’d fight, rather than fuck.

Kimber nearly made it to Luc’s bedroom door before Deke grabbed her, shoved her back to the wall, and covered her body with his. “I promised we’d teach you all about ménage, kitten. That means three. I’m not going anywhere except to bed with you.”

She opened her mouth to protest—no, more likely to issue a scathing retort—but Deke preempted her with a scorching kiss, covering her mouth with his, invading and devouring. Hell, just the sight of them turned Luc on, especially since he could see Kimber’s tense rejection changing and softening with every lash of Deke’s tongue against hers. She moaned when one of his cousin’s hands sailed down her back, curled around her ass, and lifted her hips right up to his.

No doubt, Deke wanted inside her—bad. Perfect.

He tore his mouth away, but his body still covered hers, drilling her into the wall. And he stared, panting as if he’d run twenty miles. He didn’t look away.

Luc forced his way between them and put an arm around each, filing them through his bedroom door. “Let’s go inside and get comfortable and naked so we can enjoy ourselves, shall we?”

Around him, Deke shot Kimber a tense stare. What the hell was going on?

“Sweetheart, is that okay?” Luc asked.

Her gaze skittered to him before going to back to his cousin. At that point, her skin was flushed, her nipples like enticing hard candies. Luc did his best to focus on the long-term goal, rather than rushing Kimber out of her clothes now.

She visually clung to Deke, eyeing him with reluctant hunger. With every moment that passed in thick silence, Deke grew more tense. Very interesting…

“Okay,” Kimber finally whispered.

That one word was all it took to send Deke into action. He snaked a hand across Luc’s body and reached for Kimber. One arm he wrapped around her waist and brought her against him. The other he used to push the spaghetti straps off her shoulders and shove the garment down her torso.

Leaving her breasts and rosy, swollen nipples bare to their gazes.

Luc had been hard before, almost uncomfortably so. This pushed him firmly into unbearable territory.

Deke looked back at him with eyes so burning with sexual need and frustration, they were damn near glowing. “Now.”

His cousin couldn’t wait to touch her and wouldn’t waste his time stating the obvious. And as much as Luc enjoyed savoring a woman, something about Kimber and the way Deke responded to her simply didn’t allow for the sort of cool distance that made patience possible.

Instead, Luc sent his cousin a terse nod.

As he approached, Kimber gasped, her eyes wide and dilated. Hesitation stamped her face, but need followed, as if sensing it was too late to stop the hungry seduction her body was about to endure. Tonight, they’d take her further, push her harder.

Eagerness sang through his bloodstream like good wine.

When he reached Kimber’s side, Deke had positioned himself at her right. He settled on her left.

“Luc?” she whispered, looking for reassurance.

Did she feel the barely leashed violence of their need hovering in the air? He bet she did. And that it frightened and thrilled her at once. She had good reason for her fear. In the decade plus that he and Deke had been sharing women, Luc had never seen his cousin more intense, more driven. He would take everything she was willing to give. Right now. And push for more.

Deke’s need fed his own, until Luc felt primal and deliciously aroused.

“Buckle up, sweetheart,” Luc whispered. “This is going to be one amazing ride.”

Two weeks to go, y’all!!

Not a ton of news this week, but here’s what I’ve got:

WRITING RELATED
Last Thursday – Sunday, I was in Kentucky at the Reader Appreciation Weekend. FABULOUS time!! Here’s proof!

From left to right:
Naughty Nikki, JR Ward, Sylvia Day, me!

The whole weekend was full of cool moments, and I can’t wait to do it again next year. I’m told the dates are September 19-21, 2008. Space will again be limited. Mark your calendars and get ready!

A new European review site, Realms on Your Bookshelves, said this about Decadent:

“With Decadent Shayla Black really got my attention from the moment I start reading and held that attention all the way through until I closed the book. From the beginning you can feel the vibration and sexual attraction between the main characters… What really got to me was Deke’s struggle with his pain and shame of the past and his secret, to keep his secret from Kimber he pushed her away… I could really feel Deke’s pain, my heart just cried and wanted to comfort him just like Kimber wanted to. Knowing he must put the past behind him and give Kimber the chance to heal his heart and when she finally hits the right spot in Deke’s soul….. Well, you have to read the book for yourself.

Well to me Shayla Black is one of the best erotica authors at the moment. Decadent was the first book I read by her and it won’t be the last one, I can tell you that. This novel was one that kept me enthralled.”

Page count for the week: 16. Not fabulous, but since 6 of those pages were written while at RAW, I’m happy to have gotten anything done.

What I’m reading: Already finished Lover Unbound by JR Ward. I’ve been a Vishous fan from day 1 and this was totally fitting. Wow! The end will, I’m sure, spark some controversy, but overall, it’s one of my favorite entries in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

I’m currently reading Into His Keeping by Gail Faulkner. Good so far. After that…who knows?

Last, but not least, here’s a Manly Monday entry. Yummy!! Hope you enjoy and have a great Tuesday!

Hi, it’s Naughty Nikki Duncan here. While Shelley is getting ready to go away to Lora Leigh’s Reader Appreciation Weekend, I’m manning her blog!

Most of you have figured out by now that when Shelley asks me to guest blog for her, anything goes. Maybe that’s why it’s been so long since I’ve been asked. Nah. She’s taken pity on me while I’ve been in the midst of my own writing project, which I’m finally seeing the end of!!

Before I kick off my planned naughtiness, I want to let you all know that the weekend of September 28th through September 30th, Shelley’s Shayla Black book WICKED TIES will be discussed on The Romantic Realm of Shadows. Prizes will be given away during that chat. We’re also giving away two autographed copies of WICKED TIES on The Realm. That contest is going now!

Now it’s time for a naughty little challenge that ends Friday, September 21st. I promise, the naughty reward will be worth it.

Your Prize: A “Read with Shayla” tote bag filled with a decadent surprise (or surprises).

The Rules:
1. Each person who comments to this post gets their name entered one time in the drawing.
2. Each person who sends a new person to this post gets their name entered one time. Now, the new person must tell us who sent them. With their comment, you each get your name entered in the drawing.
3. Each person who can answer the following questions correctly gets their name entered one time for each correct answer.
o How many days until the release of DECADENT?
o What is Shelley currently writing?
o What is your favorite Shelley/Shayla book and why?
o What are you looking forward to most from Shelley/Shayla in the coming year?
o How did Shelley come up with the nickname Naughty Nikki for me?

The winner will be announced on Shelley’s blog on the 21st!

Okay… Ready, Set, COMMENT!!!

WRITING RELATED
I’m counting down the days to DECADENT–23 to go!

The book received a new review from The Romance Studio. They gave it 4.5 and said if you love alpha heroes, you’ll enjoy the book. I hope so!

I also found out that my first Doomsday Brethren book will be titled TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS. I’m loving this title! It doesn’t come out for a year, but I am working on the last 1/3 of the book now, and my advance readers are giving me thumbs up, so I’m feeling good. I’m hoping to finish in the next 5-6 weeks. I’ll definitely post when I type THE END.

Page count for this week: 28. I did much better this week than last, so I’m patting myself on the back. I wanted to get even more done, but I had to work through a sudden snag. The good news is, I’m starting chapter 13 today!

FAMILY
RAH (Romance Author Husband) and I had our 16th wedding anniversary on Friday. We had a lovely weekend, a little couple time Saturday, then hibachi dinner (which was yummy). His ankle continues to get stronger every day. He’d been trying to dissuade me from our morning walks, but I’ve assured him we’ll be starting them again tomorrow. Right now, he’s very excited that the NFL season offically started this weekend. I’ll be one of those pigskin widows every Sunday this fall. I’d love to join him on the couch…but magickind calls.

Still haven’t managed to finish Munchkin’s room. I need RAH’s help with the wall art. Maybe later today? The sanding and repainting of the shelves will have to wait until after RAW. Just too much to do right now.

MISCELLANEOUS
I bought the first season of Heroes on DVD today. I’m hoping to sneak a little time to watch it. And it contains the 73 minute pilot we never got to see. So… I think I’ll wrap up writing early today and dig in.

Let’s see… I’ve been reading a little this week:

Kiss of Midnight – Lara Adrian – Dell.
Kiss of Crimson – Lara Adrian – Dell.

Currently reading: Nicholas – Elizabeth Amber – Aphrodesia

Okay, so I’m a day late with your weekly fix of DECADENT. A thousand apologies, but my wedding anniversary was yesterday, and RAH wanted a little attention. I got GORGEOUS pink roses and stargazer lillies, too. We’re going for hibachi here in a bit. All in all, it’s been a nice weekend.

That aside, I won’t keep you hanging anymore. The excerpt below was posted in my monthly newsletter first, so don’t forget that if you want scoops and to be automatically entered in my monthly contest for goodies, subscribe! Just fill out the field on either of my homepages.

DECADENT
© Shayla Black (Shelley Bradley LLC)
If you are under 18, please navigate elsewhere

Excerpt

One of Deke’s thumbs slid closer to her weeping opening, and Kimber felt her emptiness acutely. She ached for him to fill her with the stiff length of his cock–badly. Dangerous, yes. And wrong. But with every touch, her body fell under his spell until it was his to control, not hers. Of its own accord, her body raised its hips to him in silent pleading.

“Don’t,” he warned her. “Do not tempt me to fuck you.”

Denied but more feverish because of it, her thoughts whirled. Was he annoyed by her attempts to experience more of what he could give her? Or that his unraveling self-control was already hanging by a thread?

Lovely thought that she, inexperienced Kimber, a girl whose pigtails and karate classes he used to ridicule, could test him so thoroughly. A glance at Luc proved he was in no better shape.

Eyelids half closed, she sent the men a slumberous stare, then focused on Deke’s penis. It tented his slacks. Hard, thick-and growing, even as she looked at him.

Kimber sent them a kittenish smile, and before she thought better of it, she lifted her hips to Deke again.

He snarled at her and reached for his zipper. “You’re begging for what you don’t want me to give you. Stop now.”

“Just make her come,” Luc whispered, the voice of sanity. “She’s needy and doesn’t know what she’s asking for.”

She frowned. She did know what she was asking for – relief! Deke wanted her; his unflagging erection made that clear. But he was saying no, just like he’d said no to vaginal intercourse during their conversations. Why? He liked women, she knew.

Jesse. She couldn’t forget Jesse. She needed to experience sex his way, but still come to him a virgin, as she’d said she would. Deke had vowed that he wouldn’t take a virgin. He didn’t want to claim anyone. Now she recalled… Somehow, his stance disturbed her.

Deke’s fingers curled into fists. He swallowed. The effort to resist her was costing him dearly.

“Right,” he said finally, his voice like gravel in a blender. “I’ll make her come.”

“We talked about this earlier,” Luc assured her, leaning closer to lay a soft kiss across her mouth, then the side of her breast. “For tonight, you’ll just take pleasure from us, get used to the sensations of two men pleasuring you at once. When you’re ready, we’ll teach you about pleasing us in return. No rush. No pressure. Okay?”

She sent him a shaky nod, barely able to focus her thoughts away from Deke and his promise. He was going to make her come. Kimber had no doubt he could. In about thirty seconds. Or less.

Would it erase the aching emptiness inside her?

Swinging her gaze back over to Deke, she took in his flushed cheeks, the harsh rise and fall of his heavily muscled chest, the sinew and veins roping his thick forearms. Sleek, powerful, all male. Fresh want pulsed in her belly, in her sex.

No. Think about Jesse. Whatever pleasure Deke gave her was for instructional purposes. It would have to be enough. No big, pulsing, more-than-ready-to-do-the-job cocks inside her. “Just touch me.” The words fell from her lips, soft, imploring.

“I will, in any way I can. I’m going to find out every way to make you come and get you off until you beg me to stop.”

I’ll be back tomorrow with the weekly news. Monday…I’ll surprise you. Wednesday, I have a guest blogger who will tell you about her Decadent reading experience, a cool new site, and a prize I think you all might be interested in! Enjoy the wait!

Here’s the scoop: RAH (Romance Author Husband) is starting to get better. He’s out of the walking boot, off of his crutches and walk…uh, make that hobbling around all on his own. He’s still going to physical therapy to regain the strength in those muscles, and it’s a slow but sure process.

Anyway, the night he broke it, I remember he was lying on the gurney at the hospital admitting that if he’d been exercising regularly and strengthening the ankle he’d already sprained 3 times this might not have happened. I completely agree.

So, now that he is hobbling around, I suggested (read: demanded, insisted, got downright evil about it) that we go for a walk every morning. To accommodate our schedules, this means we have to be up and out the front door early in the morning. I mean REALLY early. About 5:30 a.m. Are all you night owls shuddering?

I’m a morning person, so this doesn’t bother me. But RAH? Let’s just say that, 2 days into this, he’s already looking for creative ways to get out of it. This morning it sprinkled. By this, I mean 3 drops of rain. Oh, we might get struck by lightning. Better turn back. So not happening, pal. Better keep walking. Yesterday? He suggested I go on without him because he would be too slow for me. He was just going to walk on our street. Um, no. I marched in place until he got the idea that I wasn’t leaving. Then he finally relented and walked the next few streets.

He knows he needs this; he really does. But knowing it and wanting to do it…2 different things.

Because news is light this week and it’s a holiday weekend, I’m going to combine Sunday and Monday’s blog. Enjoy!

WRITING RELATED
Earlier in the week, my Berkley editor’s assistant sent me a package. Imagine my surprise and thrill when it contained 1 copy of DECADENT! I’d never seen the cover in person before, never even seen a picture of the back cover or spine. So I enjoyed looking at that for a nice long while. The back is black with fuscia lettering and the spine jumps out with that Decadent in multi-colors. Having the book in hand certainly finishes the long process of seeing a book from idea to print and gives me a squee! The rest of the copies I receive as an author won’t be ordered until 10 days prior to release, dang it.

On Friday, I received a letter from my Berkley editor’s assistant that I didn’t really understand. Something about a subsidiary rights sale to Bookspan. I did a little research online, trying to decipher exactly what they meant. Long story short? Not only will DECADENT be featured in Rhapsody in a big way, including a personal note about the book from me…

But it will also be a selection in the DoubleDay main bookclub! This is a first for me, so I’m truly excited!!

I’ll be working on the draft of September’s newsletter today, so if you’re waiting for it, you’ll be seeing it in the next few days. I try to get it out around the 5th of each month.

I bought a new camera to take to the Reader Appreciate Weekend I’ll be attending in Kentucky in a couple of weeks. I’ve also vigorously been making bags and t-shirts for friends and giveaways.

Page count for this week: 17. I lagged behind being lazier at times than I should have been. I’ll be working to catch up this week. Bad me.

FAMILY
Not a lot going on here. RAH (Romance Author Husband) continues to get stronger with his walking every day. I love the way he and a buddy yesterday were contemplating a “man trip” to Vegas and gambling all night (read: walking and standing for hours on end…), but when I mentioned the grocery story yesterday, being on his ankle was just too painful. Hmm… I smell BS. Anyone disagree? But his desire to go to Vegas is good news, really. He’s been a little worried about rolling it again or doing damage to all that surgery he had. Hopefully, the ankle reconstruction did the trick and it’s all good stuff from here.

Thanks to a complete closet clean-out yesterday, all of Munchkin’s school clothes are finally hanging. Those things that were 2 sizes too small needed to go, and I just hadn’t had the time to cull through all the old stuff. So it’s done. Yeah! I bought Munchkin some new shoes Friday. Bad Mommy bought them too big. Back they go today. The room remodel is nearly complete. I’ll be hanging wall art today and trying to find a few new things to bring in. Shelves need to be sanded and repainted, but I got pages to write today, so I’m thinking that won’t happen.

Currently, Missy Meow is earning her name by meowing her fool head off for no apparent reason. She wants her belly scratched. I swear, this is the most dog-like cat I’ve ever known.

MISCELLANEOUS
RAH and I attended a Goo Goo Dolls and Lifehouse concert on Friday night. I like both bands, and the Goo Goos were quite good. Lifehouse, I must confess, rocked the house! The live version of “Disarray” and “Broken” gave me huge chills. Just incredible. Even “The Joke”, which was a song I didn’t love from the new album, was a lot more fun in person.

Let’s see… I’ve been reading a lot this week (or at least more than my schedule actually allows). I’ve read:
Earth Girls Aren’t Easy – Charlene Teglia – Ellora’s Cave – A quick, sexy read. Well worth the time!

Strength of Three – Annmarie McKenna – Samhain Publishing – She writes great ménage books, and this one was no exception. Yum!

Unmasqued: An Erotic Novel of the Phantom of the Opera – Wow, this book seems to arouse either love or hate in people. I, personally, didn’t love or hate it. I would have liked more focus on Erik and Christine’s relationship and less on watching Madame Giry and the opera house owners get it on…but I’m one of those people who, every time I watch the movie or see the play, I wonder why the hell Christine chooses Raoul. (He’s a pansy.) So for me, the ending of this book was a welcome relief. Purists of this story are still railing, so it just depends on your point of view. It’s more erotica than erotic romance, so if you’re looking for a straight romance, this probably isn’t for you. If you love the Phantom’s story and wanted a different ending, read on!

Currently reading: Kiss of Midnight – Lara Adrian – Dell. I had a lovely chat with her at the RWA convention back in July and picked up the book then, but had not had the chance to read it. I’m just a few pages in, but enjoying it so far.

Up next: Rereading all the JR Ward Brotherhood books in preparation for Lover Unbound‘s release on September 25! I want Vishous!!

Lastly, I’ll leave you with the man pic of the week. Or should I say men? This pic is the sort to inspire a girl to be in the middle of a manwich, don’t you agree?

Have a great week!