Book Boyfriends and More!

There's been a lot of buzz about book boyfriends this year. Who's dangerously hot, who's swoon-worthy sexy, who can make your heart pitter patter with just a simple touch.

In all of my time as a reader, writer, I fell in love with many, many heroes over the years. The one who stands out in my mind today is Ranulf from Johanna Lindsey's "Reina and Ranulf story" -- whose book title I ALWAYS mess up and think of the Georgina and James book. So I just stick with "Reina and Ranulf story". (As you can see the characters stuck in my head.)

I also have a soft spot in my heart for Grey from Maya Banks' Sweet series, and in a completely different vein, I'm still in love with Gandalf from LOTR.

But... I also happen to think Alexei Nikanova from LIE TO ME, my forthcoming Black Opal book is the man of my dreams.

Here's a little peek:

Fury radiated off Alexei’s body in hot waves as he forcibly ushered Sasha through a white painted door, into a spacious suite at the Palazzo Vecchietti. He kept going through the living area, past the rich plum-colored furniture, and into the bedroom. His heel connected with the door, sending it slamming shut so forcefully a painting on the wall rattled. Sasha didn’t know whether Grigoriy followed or not, her head spun with a chaotic mixture of defiance, rage, and a smidgeon of fear.

He spun on her, startling her back a step. She braced for the inevitable storm that came next. She didn’t fear he would actually hurt her. But she knew his words would wound.

For several seconds he merely stared, his angry eyes searching hers, seeking answers to questions he had yet to ask. She swallowed. Waiting. Anticipating.

Creating answers faster than she’d ever thought possible.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” He flung a thick arm sideways, indicating the wide window. “Kadir’s still out there. If I hadn’t seen you, hadn’t caught up to you, he could damn well have you stuffed in the back of some car, heading to God knows where! Dead maybe!”

She bit down on her tongue, biting back her own angry retort. Alexei took another step forward, forcing her backward in order to maintain eye contact. Quietly, logically, she answered, “Kadir doesn’t want to kill me.”

“No?” Alexei invaded her personal space again, standing so close his chest brushed against her breasts. “Just why has he been shooting at us then?”

Meeting his challenging stare, she gave into the defiance working through her bloodstream. “He’s been trying to buy me. If he wants me, he’ll take me, but he won’t kill me.”

Alexei’s eyes darkened with a deeper emotion, turning his light green gaze the color of rich jade. His jaw worked furiously, his temper barely restrained. At his thigh, one hand curled into a tight fist. “Is that what you want? To go back to silk sheets and the lustful desires of power? Did you like it there, Sasha, a slave to whatever Saeed wanted to do to you?”

She would have struck him if she’d had room to gain enough power to make an impact on his poisonous mouth. Instead, she flattened both hands against his chest and pushed. Hard. “Go to hell!”

Alexei threw off her hands by wedging his forearms between them. With lightning fast reflexes, he grabbed her wrists and thrust her backward, imprisoning her against the wall. The air sped from her lungs in a wild rush. His body pinned her in place from chest to toes. “You almost compromised my assignment, Sasha. I don’t take that fucking lightly.”

Writhing to escape his viselike hold, Sasha glared at him. “Is that what I am, Alexei? A mission? Is that what I was in Moscow? Something to be completed. Forgotten the minute you kicked me off that truck.”

The pain that flashed through his expression almost made her regret the accusation she knew was off the mark. But the need to unravel the layers he hid behind and expose the feeling he sought to keep disguised drove her onward. She held his stare, unwilling, unable to back down. “When you handed me to Amir, your job was done. Just one more girl in a chain of nameless, faceless others.”

He heaved in a deep breath and his lips pursed so tight they turned white. For a moment, she doubted her sanity in pushing him so far. He looked ready to kill.

Then, his fury cracked, giving her a full glimpse of the anguish she had suspected he suffered, but never truly witnessed. The same torment filled his hoarse whisper. “No.”

Before she could absorb his confession, his mouth crashed into hers. Nothing about his kiss was gentle. His teeth nipped hard, his tongue tangled desperately. Where his chest pressed into her breasts, she felt the shudder that rocked his body.

Alexei tore his mouth away, his lips moving toward the base of her ear as his hips sank into hers, his cock nestling in the tight space between her legs. A shock of pleasure hit her like a semi truck, and she speared her fingers into his long hair, holding on, grounding herself against the flick of his tongue, the scrape of his whiskers, the sharp edge of his teeth.

“I sent someone back.” His hand smoothed over the curve of her hip, down her thigh, drawing her leg up to his waist. He held it there as he ground his erection against her clit. “Back for Irina.” Another tremor rolled through his body and vibrated into her. “Because I fucking need this."

Mmmm. Gotta love a tormented soul.

But in any case, to celebrate all these book boyfriends, for the upcoming Valentine's holiday, I'm giving away a 15.00 Amazon Gift Certificate, which would cover your cost for the first Black Opal book, STRIPPED -- released January 3rd!

This prize will be awarded on Feb 5th!

All you have to do is:

1. Comment below. Either on the excerpt or share your favorite book boyfriend of all time. Or shoot, even your current book boyfriend!

2. Then check out these amazing men on the fantastic Book Boyfriend Blog hop, sponsored by AS THE PAGES TURN and READING BETWEEN THE WINES for more amazing prizes!

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Enjoy, and happy early Valentines Day to all of you!

~Tori
www.toristclaire.com

Posted in: Black Opals,Book Boyfriend Hop,Giveaway,Lie to Me