Sexy Saturday: Desire by Blood

Good morning, everyone! It has been a long week of work for me. We ran around and did all the necessary preparations, and well, Isaac never showed here. Seeing the problems he caused elsewhere we were really lucky. I did a lot of work though. Desire is ALMOST done. We are in the editing stage for the most part. I had found some problems with it when we went through edits, and my editor had some concerns. The one thing I guess readers will be happy with is that it is longer than any book I have written in recent years. I always get requests for longer books, and well, now you are going to be stuck with it.

While we iron those things out, I thought I would share a tidbit from the book itself. Please understand that this is not completely edited so it might have a few typos, repeated words, etc.

This is actually Cordelia and Nico’s first kiss. And well…Nico is a bad boy.

Desire By Blood

Book 1 in the By Blood Series

(c) Melissa Schroeder, 2012

Everything in Cordelia stilled; every thought flew out of her head. It was as if time stopped. Then in a rush, reality blazed back to life. Nicodemus Blackburn was kissing her. Her. Bluestocking Cordelia Collingsworth. Why?

Before she could puzzle that out or contemplate the oddity of Blackburn’s actions, he slid his hands up her arms, cupped her face and deepened the kiss. His tongue skimmed over her lips. She gasped, and he used the moment to dip inside of her mouth.

Cordelia knew she should be shocked to her toes. This was everything she had avoided. She did not want to be saddled with her mother’s reputation. But at the moment, her heart was beating so fast she couldn’t think. The masculine scent of him surrounded her, intoxicated her. Blackburn pulled back just a bit, cool air replacing the heat of him. When she slowly opened her eyes, she found him watching her, his gaze brilliant.

“It works better if you kiss me back.”

His voice was deep, resonant, filled with something she could not discern. It did not matter if she did not understand, her body responded. Heat shot through her veins causing her to shiver. Without another word, he swooped down to capture her mouth again.

Every worry she had dissolved as he slanted his mouth over hers. This time she responded the best she could. It was her first true kiss, for she did not count the few stolen kisses early suitors had subjected her to. If they had been as skilled as Blackburn, Cordelia might have been tempted to break the rules.

Cordelia willingly opened her mouth, allowing Blackburn to slide his tongue in. Little bursts of heat crackled over her nerve endings. Slowly, she skimmed her hands up his chest, over his shoulders, and behind his neck. He took the opportunity to pull her closer, into his warmth. His hands slid down to cup her bottom, pull her tightly against him. Even through the layers of clothing she could feel the beat of his heart.

Her head spun, her body rejoiced. Tentatively, she slipped her tongue into his mouth, sliding it along his as he had to her. The taste of him burst through her, tart lemonade, a touch of brandy, and Nicodemus Blackburn…that was the most intoxicating part. Every reservation she had dissolved into the glorious passion he was building.

He growled, it vibrated deep in his throat. She shivered at the primal sound. Easily, he walked her backward. Before she could even discern what he was about, she found herself beneath him on the couch. Blackburn tore his mouth from hers only to set about attacking her throat. His tongue slid over her flesh, the scrape of teeth followed. She heard a moan filled with lustful longing. It took her a moment to realize the wanton sound had come from her.

Her lungs seized the moment she felt his hand move over her breast. For a moment sanity tried to take hold. She opened her mouth to tell him to stop. This was insane, and again, it could ruin her. Somewhere in the back of her mind a voice told her to resist, to push him away. In the next instant, his thumb moved over her nipple. It responded, tightening immediately, aching for more attention. Again, he growled, a sound that should have shocked her, but it did not. Something in her reacted immediately. An ache tightened her belly then feathered out over her body. A demand for completion battered her, urging her to ignore everything else. She could do nothing else but fall into the morass of lust he was creating.

Nico gave her bodice a quick, hard tug, causing her full breasts to spill out. He pulled back, and she had a moment of trepidation. Cool air replaced the heat of him. She opened her eyes to find him looking at her. Not at her face, but at her chest. Heat spread from her breasts up into her face as he continued to stare. His eyes were brilliant, his breath coming out in short, choppy bursts. It was the only sound in the room.

Embarrassed, she moved to cover her bosom, but the rumble from his chest stopped her. Once more, it brought to mind a feral animal. Without moving his attention from her bosom, he captured her hands and pulled them back.

“Sweet Jesus.” Lust deepened his voice as his hungry gaze moved over her.

Her mortification melted as she realized there was admiration in his tone. He swooped down and took a turgid tip into his mouth as he caressed the other. This was beyond anything she ever imagined, almost as if she could not control her reactions. Delirious with the heat he was creating within her, she speared her fingers through his hair, allowing the dark tresses to slip through her fingers. Closing her eyes, she moaned as he moved to give her other nipple the same treatment as the first. His breath was hot against her flesh. Her heart galloped.

Nico pulled back slightly. Cordelia allowed her hands to drop from his head and opened her eyes. He was gazing at her again, his face of stone, his nostrils flaring with each breath he took. Without breaking eye contact, he blew on her wet nipple. A tidal wave of need crashed through her. Moist warmth slipped down further as the craving grew within her. She wanted—needed—him in a way she could not understand. Everything in her being called out to him just as it had the first time she had met him.

She couldn’t comprehend why this man…when so many before him had tried and failed. Before she could contemplate why or how, he was moving down her body. When he pulled her skirts up, she protested.

“Mr. Blackburn.”

He stilled and looked up at her. The harsh lines of his face were more prominent, his appetite easy to see there. It should scare her, should send her running from that room. Instead, want surged through her, thundering through her blood. She did not even know what she craved, but she knew she wanted it from him.

“Nico.”

“W-what?” she asked.

His jaw moved, telling her he was grinding his teeth. “Call me Nico.”

“Nico.” Was that her voice? All breathy with desire? What had the man done to her?

He smiled in response. “I like the sound of my name on your lips.”

Desire by Blood, coming very, very soon.