I JUST received the cover for DELICIOUS a few minutes ago. I know I haven’t blogged in 2 weeks, so twice in the same day is a lot, but I couldn’t wait to share. Thoughts? For me, knowing the book, the mood is just perfect. I’m SUPER excited!

Yep, that’s the official announcement. Luc is in my editor’s inbox as we speak. I’m really pleased with the story and hope very much that you’ll feel DELICIOUS was worth the (admittedly) long wait. I should be receiving the final cover image any day. I’m so excited for March 2010 and hope you are as well.

In other news, Doomsday Brethren 2, SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW, is completely finished–revisions, copy edits, and page proofs all reviewed and back to my editor. I’ll be putting up an excerpt on the Doomsday Brethren site in the next week or two. I also received my ARCs last week and they look GORGEOUS!! I’m really pleased with them.

Doomsday  Brethren 3, POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT, is nearly finished. I have compelted revisions and am halfway through copy edits. Page proofs will likely be complete next month. Once that’s finished, I’ll be putting an excerpt up on the Doomsday Brethren site. This title is finally available for pre-order at B&N.

I am in the early stages of plotting Doomsday Brethren 4, as yet untitled, and SURRENDER TO ME, my next erotic romance all about Hunter Edgington. So LOTS on my plate–and I’m so excited about all of it.

WICKED TIES is now finally available as an e-book! For those of you who have asked (and asked and asked), Berkley finally created electronic versions of this book in Kindle, PDF, Microsoft Reader, and eReader.

Currently, I’m away with family on the Carolina coast, but will return next week to get back to work in earnest. I’m hoping this ends my silence for a while, and I can resume regular blogging. Thanks for understanding while I had to dive deep into work mode.

Hope you’re having a fabulous summer. And because it’s Monday, you need a little man candy… Enjoy!

On THE END.

I’m less than a week away from finishing DELICIOUS, and I’ve dropped off the face of the earth (so sorry!) to focus on the book. Immediately following, I have the first pass pages for SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW and the copyedits for POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT to complete. Life will be hectic for a bit longer, then I finally get to take a breath. Maybe one.

It occurs to me that you all have been waiting patiently for DELICIOUS and/or an excerpt from the book. It’s not available for pre-order yet, but I’m sharing the first scene of the book for you (with the disclaimer that my editor has not seen/put her editorial fingers to it, so…subject to be tweaked).

Enjoy!

Excerpt – DELICIOUS
copyright Shelley Bradley LLC

CHAPTER ONE

I’m going to sink inside you so deeply, you won’t ever forget I was here.

Alyssa Devereaux’s breath shuddered at the memory of that growled promise, as she’d been surrounded by taut muscles and male need.

Luc Traverson. Even his name caused heat to stab her belly with want. He’d kept every bit of that promise; she’d never forgotten him for a moment.

The night he’d spent in her bed had been amazing, magical. Considering she’d long ago given up on fairy tales, that was saying something. Being enveloped in Luc’s steely strength had been paradise. His stare that night had made her feel as if she wasn’t just a desirable woman, but the only woman. The intimacy…oh God. Sizzling, way beyond making her toes curl, he’d given her a whole new definition of pleasure. His endless dark eyes burned as he slammed in with powerful strokes, his long, midnight hair draped around their faces, cutting off all reality but his whispered demands and rough breathing as he rode her from one orgasm to the next.

He’d brought her body to a fever pitch—to places she’d never believed a man could take her. He had done it again and again. For six hours. Never tiring, never satisfied. Greedy, rapacious, and amazing.

She’d had enough sex in her life to know they’d shared something way more.

The next morning…gone. No note, no explanation. A few days later, he’d sent flowers with an apology for any discomfort or pain he might have caused. She’d been pissed off, a bit hurt…but not surprised.

Still, she wasn’t willing to give up. For the chance to see Luc again, Alyssa had broken her own rule and called him. Twice. He’d never returned her calls personally. Instead, his assistant had called merely to say that he would keep his terms of their arrangement. Nothing more.

She’d been nothing to him. Yes, she’d known before their night together that he didn’t respect her. They’d met when she’d stripped at his buddy’s bachelor party a few years back. Somehow, she’d hoped opening herself completely to Luc would change his mind.

Stupid.

Still, he was everything she’d ever wanted in a man: attractive, successful, capable of deep caring, sensitive, sexy… She wasn’t giving him up without a fight.

“Afternoon, boss lady.” Tyler Murphy sent her a long, low whistle, his stare taking a meandering path down her body as she emerged from the back of the club and stopped before the stage. “You’re looking very fine.”

“Tyler,” she greeted the sandy-haired giant. “Your job is to watch the patrons, not me.”

“Since we’re not open yet, there’s no one here to bounce. Besides, I’m not into ogling drunken frat boys or horny married men. What color are your garters under that little black skirt?”

Her bouncer was a former law enforcement of some variety—he’d never said which kind—college educated with a degree in engineering. Tyler had a lot going for him. Why he’d taken a job here as a bouncer was anyone’s guess. But in the few months he’d been with her, he’d proven himself indispensable. There were days her business needed him.
It was too bad, really, that her heart didn’t need Tyler as well.

From beneath her lashes, she sent him a chiding stare. “I’ll never tell.”

“Aw, c’mon. Throw a guy a bone.”

Alyssa glanced down at his crotch. “Looks like you’ve got your own.”

Tyler winked and sent her a flirty grin. “All for you.”

He was good looking, built like something on the front of a bodybuilding magazine, smart, funny, dependable. But after long days of running Sexy Sirens, Lafayette, Louisiana’s most notorious strip club, and trying to start up a new restaurant, by the time she fell into her solitary bed at night, it wasn’t thoughts of Tyler that made her ache. That honor was reserved solely for Luc Traverson.

And after nearly four months apart, he would be here today.

Feel me. Yessss. You’re so tight, so good. That’s it, sugar. Come for me. Again.

Luc’s voice, sin wrapped in velvet, dipped in honey, wouldn’t leave her head. Even the memory made heat rise inside her. Thoughts of that night always had the power to daze and stun her. She wanted it again. Him again.

“Hello? Earth to Alyssa.”

Tyler. Oops. “Sorry. The restaurant is weighing so heavily on my mind these days.”

He stared at her from green eyes that saw too much. “So clean plates and menus give you that flushed, wanna-get-fucked look?”

“Why aren’t you finding some drunken slobs to rough up?”

“I’d rather be with you.”

Tyler crossed his arms over his wide chest. His biceps bulged under his body-hugging black t-shirt. He really was gorgeous. And he wanted her; he’d made no secret about that. She could do worse.

“What’s his name?” Tyler sighed.

“Who?”

“The man who put that needy look on your face. I don’t know whether I want to bust him up or shake his hand.”

“There’s no one in my life.” Which, technically, was true. Other than her hook up with Luc, she hadn’t had sex in years.

“Liar.”

At this point in the conversation, Tyler usually teased that he’d be more than happy to be that someone. This afternoon, he seemed to sense something was different.

“You’re too good to be alone. The girls all worship you. You treat everyone fairly and work damn hard. You’re sweeter than you give yourself credit for. You haven’t resorted to murder when that asshole Councilman Primpton comes around, making trouble.” He sent her a considering stare. “You’ve had it tough lately. You deserve a break.”

If she wasn’t careful, his caring would make her cry. A pity party would be marvelously easy to indulge in—and an utter waste of time.

Alyssa anchored her hands on her hips. “Not in the cards.”

“Maybe you should postpone the restaurant opening for a few weeks.”

“Why?”

Restraint left Tyler, and he reached out a solid hand, and with it, smoothed her arm in a soothing gesture. “Your mama has only been gone two weeks.”

She tensed. “I hadn’t seen her in fourteen years.”

“Doesn’t matter. You’re still dealing with her loss.”

She’d done so with mixed feelings. Anger, grief, sadness, rage, a need to rail at the woman who had done nothing to help or understand her. Pity that she’d been so self-absorbed.

And beside her grave had stood the black-hearted reason for the rift between them: Joshua. Even after a dozen years, beyond a hundred feet, and through a pair of two-hundred dollar sunglasses, there was no mistaking the boyish-faced bastard. At least he hadn’t seen her. If he had, Lord knows what he would have done.

She shook off the thought.

“Tyler, thanks for your concern, but I’ve put too much time and energy into this opening to put it off. I need to get it off the ground for cash flow purposes. Besides, what good would wallowing about my mom do?”

He cupped her shoulders in a tender gesture. “You left here at three this morning, and Jessica told me you were back by eight. Baby, you’ve got to sleep and give yourself time to grieve.”

She’d rather not.

Leaning forward, she placed a soft kiss on his cheek. “You’re going to make some woman a great husband someday.”

“You asking me?”

Alyssa snorted. “Do I look like the white picket fence type? Get your ass back to work.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted her and turned away, only to turn back again. “Oh, I forgot to tell you, some guy is here to see you. Some chef.”

“Luc Traverson?” she breathed.

“Yeah. He said you two had an appointment. He didn’t look too happy. Is he the dude doing the guest chef gig this week?”

Tyler’s question registered, but she didn’t answer. Instead, she glanced around Tyler, to the club’s front door.

Boom! There he stood, all six feet plus of him, his elegant, rangy body tense. The sight of him was like a visceral blow. She swallowed…and let her hungry gaze eat him up. Inky hair hanging around his wide shoulders, jeans hugging him in all the right places. Those dark, burning eyes. A hot flush swept up her body. Her heart didn’t just start racing faster; it careened out of control. Far more than her palms went damp. She swayed in dizzy excitement.

Tyler caught her, his beefy hands slid around her waist to steady her, then glanced back toward the door. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Him?”

Oh, yeah. Definitely him.

“Shut up, Tyler.” She pulled away and took a decisive step forward.

Luc Traverson was here. Finally. She did her best to hide a sly smile. There was no way he was going to ignore her anymore; she’d make certain of that.

Happy Weekend!!