Nearly a year!

It's been nearly a year since my first EC release. Cairo By Moonlight came out last October. I love this story, love Caleb and Layla and the whole Egyptian amulet concept. To celebrate, I'm going to run a month-long contest to celebrate. I haven't figured out all the particulars yet, but I will. In the meantime, here's the blurb from Cairo By Moonlight. Then, an excerpt.

When Layla books a trip to Cairo she hopes that she and Caleb can rekindle the fires of romance that ten years of marriage have dampened. Excitement, passion, soul-shaking sex — she wants it all.

An ancient blue amulet is the catalyst that pushes them toward an endless stream of erotic adventures. The pyramids aren't the only large, hard structures in the city and the scorching sand is cool in comparison to the heat in Layla's body.

All is going well until sinister things begin to happen. Layla and Caleb work together to solve something that is older — and more deadly — than anything else the city has to offer. Can the pair find love among the ruins — and live to tell the tale?

I’ve had enough…ten years is long enough to know when things aren’t going to work out. Things with Caleb are just not going to get any better, no matter what we do…where we go…how hard we try. No, it’s better to just end it—what’s the sense in torturing each other any longer?

She grabbed her suitcase from the closet, tossed it on the bed and flung it open. It gaped on the bed and she felt as if it was accusing her of running away with its wide, empty stare. Turning to the chest of drawers she yanked the top one open and pulled out a lacy red nightgown, staring at it for a long moment.

What was I thinking? Caleb and I are so far apart at this point—how could I have thought it would only take a romantic vacation and some sexy clothes to fix our problems? There is no fix for this mess—not without a lawyer.

She dropped the filmy creation in the leather wastebasket.

The sound of a key in the door startled her. When she lifted her eyes toward the sound and was even more surprised by what she saw.

“Hey…I tried to catch you. You move pretty fast,” Caleb said. His chiseled features looked weary. His brow furrowed at the sight of the open case. He held out the enormous bouquet of orchids he held. “These are for you. Listen Layla. I’m…I’m sorry I was such an idiot back there. I don’t know what happened…what came over me. I don’t know what I was thinking—”

“You weren’t thinking—that’s the problem!” she snapped.

Instantly she regretted her words. They had become adept at hurting each other with sarcastic remarks. They had done it for so long that it had become a standard part of their conversation.

What the hell is wrong with me? He’s trying to apologize and I’m being a shrew. Why can’t I just learn to let it go? How can we ever move forward when all we seem to do is hurt each other?

“You’re right,” Caleb admitted. His expression reinforced his words. The college football hero still had the rugged good looks that had first caught Layla’s eye, but the cockiness was long gone.

“I didn’t think. Look we’re not going to just change everything overnight. Bear with me, okay? I’m trying—really, I am.”

She reached for the flowers. “I know. Me, too,” Layla buried her face in the blooms. “They’re beautiful flowers, Caleb. Thank you.”

Knocking at the door saved them from the need for further conversation. She headed to the bathroom in search of something to hold the flowers and from the modern, marbled room she heard voices. The owners of the voices were gone when she returned to the living area.
What she saw made her heart jump.

“By the time I paid for it, you were gone,” he said, standing beside the seen-better-days wooden cupboard. She hadn’t thought she’d ever see it again. “I think it’s going to look good in the house, don’t you? And I was thinking that we should be able to crate it and take it in the cargo hold on the plane, rather than shipping it. Would be a little more expensive, but at least you’ll know it’s going to get there in one piece.”

Layla crossed the large room in an instant, set the flowers on the cupboard and threw herself at him. Instinct took over and he caught her firmly in his arms.

Hell, if I knew she was going to be this excited about a broken-down old chest of drawers, I would’ve agreed to it before she stormed off. Maybe we can figure this out. Maybe there’s hope for us yet. God, she feels good…

She buried her face in his thick neck, inhaling deeply the heady masculine scent of him, feeling the solid strength of his body against hers, realizing that their hearts were beating in unison. It had been so long since she had let herself feel a moment of unguarded spontaneity with him—she had forgotten how liberating it was.

Why couldn’t he have cared for my feelings in the first place? Why did I have to get so upset for him to care? Oh, what’s the difference…he might just be getting a point or two, after all. Maybe there’s hope for us. Maybe we can work things out. I forgot how great he feels, how big and safe…

Caleb felt himself responding physically to her nearness. It had been a long time since they’d been this close and he was shocked at the sudden snugness of his jeans. His cock was stiffening and he was powerless to stop it.

Hell, no—she’s just happy with me again. If I put the moves on her I’m liable to be shot down. No, better to just bask in the happiness for a while. Not pushing my luck here.

Her feet gently landed on the carpet. Caleb brushed his lips with hers and was surprised at the pressure he felt from her lips in return.

She saw that he was red in the face and breathing rapidly.

I wonder…would she let me get close to her again? She looks ready for something…could it be me? Hell, it’s worth a try…

He probed her warm mouth gently with his tongue and when she opened herself to him he became bolder. Their tongues danced in the age-old dance of exploration and passion that was known to lovers since time immemorial. Their kisses grew deeper, more passionate, as their bodies heated and their inhibitions left them.

“Layla?” he asked against her neck, his voice hoarse and ragged as he bit gently on the warm, soft skin near the vein that pulsed beneath the surface of her long, graceful neck. “Babe?”

Nodding silently against his chest, she pressed herself to his hard body. Desire welled within her as she felt Caleb’s hard, thick cock beating against her hip.

Oh Caleb, I had forgotten how wonderful it feels to be near you like this. I want you--I want you more than I’ve wanted you for years.

He tugged her gently toward the butter-soft leather sofa that faced the balcony. The pyramids were outside the window, but neither of them noticed them as he reached to pull her shirt over her head. Raising her arms for him, she let him slip her shirt over her head, remove her bra and brush his fingers across her taut nipples. With a swift movement, he pushed her pants and panties down and she stepped out of them.

Naked, she stood before him without moving while his eyes danced across the contours of her body. Caleb hadn’t seen her undressed for far too long and he took his time examining her.

Good God, she’s beautiful. How had I forgotten how perfect she is? And she’s mine—all mine…if I can manage to hold on to her. I’ll show her how much I love her, how much I’ve missed her. I’ll show her how much I care for her.

His clothes joined hers on the floor in a New York minute.