The Book Boyfriend Blog Hop is back and better than ever!

The authors of Evernight have a brand new team of swoon-worthy book boyfriend candidates. A sexy assortment of cowboys, Doms, detectives, millionaires, royalty, vampires, soldiers, and shifters are just a click away.

Get ready to find your next book boyfriend...

Whoo-hoo, lookie here! Thanks for stopping by, I always love the chance to connect with readers and bloggers alike, and there's a great prize to giveaway here with Evernight.  

I'll also be giving away an autographed copy of Feral Craving to one lucky responder.  All you have to do is respond below with which of your favorite love songs goes with the scene below (please include your email address, too) for your chance to win!

Leaning back against the counter, Bari took in Mackenzie’s kitchen. The white counters gleamed under the soft light, and reflections danced through the air as their shadows bounced off of the
stainless steel appliances. The kitchen cabinets wrapped around the western walls in an elbow shape, and marking the center stood a silver sink. Bari could actually picture Mackenzie, in his mind, standing at that sink and watching Byron playing outside through the large window lining that wall. If one were to turn while standing at that sink, one would immediately see the large kitchen island that stood as a focal point in the middle of the room.

Bari watched as she moved around with confidence and ease. As Mackenzie finished with the coffee, Bari took the mug from her hands and wrapped his palm around the smooth surface. Mackenzie turned to him, leaning against the counter, and took a sip, watching him over the rim
of her cup. There were so many things to say, so many things he wanted to explain; yet now, when he wanted to talk, Bari found he was at a loss for words. Nothing would come so instead he watched as she brought her mug down from her lips and swiped her tongue across the dark pink skin. Bari followed the motion of her tongue, entranced with the urge to taste her lips. It was strong, one he had to tamp down. As much as he wanted it, this wasn’t the time.

He promised himself he wouldn’t seduce her, made a silent promise to Mackenzie he wouldn’t hurt her again. He saw the hurt hovering in her eyes and accepted he had been the bastard who put it there. Goddammit. 

You’re such a good little Samaritan.

Fuck off.

“He’s beautiful, Mac.”

Mackenzie nodded. “Yes. He’s my world.”

“He has your hair.”

“But it’s your color.”

“Is it?” Bari paused, tilted his head in thought. “His eyes…”

“Yeah…”

“They’re my father’s.”

Mackenzie glanced up, her mouth gaped open in shock. “I thought your dad’s eyes were brown?”

Bari shook his head. “Not my adoptive father’s, Mac. My birth father. He had the same gun-metal gray eyes.”

“Oh.”

"I can’t begin to understand what’s going through your mind right now. What I can understand is that you probably have about a million and one questions, Mac. While I may not be one who is used to others asking so much of me, I’m willing to give you your chance to ask what you need to and will remain completely honest with you on what I can and cannot handle." That brought another thing to mind. "In fact, Mac, if there is anything I do that you can't handle, you just say the word. We clear?"


“What if I’d rather not talk about the past, Bari?”


He drew his brows down, a frown pulling at his mouth. “Then what do you want to discuss, Mac?”


Mackenzie studied him for a few moments, her mug sitting between her hands and the ticking of a clock the only sound. Hell, he had been through classes to evade interrogations with torture and yet a look, silence, and her eyes had him squirming. 


You’re bad ass, bro.


Very slowly, very deliberately Mackenzie set down her mug and turned toward him, stepping forward and right up against his body. His hand holding the mug was pushed aside by hers and guided to the counter before she leaned up on her toes and brushed her lips, feather soft, over his.


Mackenzie held his hand at the counter, curling her fingers around his as an electric current pulsed through them both.  


Shock and pure, unadulterated lust pooled deep in his gut. Bari sucked in a sharp breath at the first press of her lips and shook with the amount of force it was taking to hold him back as she paused and waited for his reaction. Fuck—this was all he dreamed of for years but now felt unsure of how much to push. His mind pinged off about a dozen warning bells. Watching her response carefully, he brushed his lips on Mackenzie’s, tempting, enticing her to part her lips, and she did. His tongue darted out, licking the seam of her lips slowly, tasting her. He heard Mackenzie’s breath catch, felt her lips part on a sigh and took advantage, plunging his tongue
deep inside her mouth. Her taste assailed him, gripped him, and entranced him to continue. He kept the kiss slow and cautious, not wanting to push her, and gave in to the temptation she offered: a sweet sip of Mackenzie Walters. 


His tongue guided over hers, caressed and curled around it. He leaned in to her, pulling his hand from the mug, and palmed her face, deepening the kiss, unable to get enough of her. Something primitive took over. Something deep inside craved her more than should be possible. He was a drowning man in a sea full of water. So damn thirsty.


Mackenzie moaned, and Bari swallowed it with his mouth, answered with a low growl. His hands left her face, guided down the length of her neck before rolling across her shoulders and down her back. He wanted to mold her, wanted to trace and learn every curve, every dip of her
body with his hands before retracing it all with his mouth. He wanted so much, yet not enough, to give and take, to conquer and plunge. 


Dropping his hands to her slender waist, he curved them over her enticing rear and squeezed her body tight to his as he rose from the stool he was sitting on at the center island. His cock strained in his pants, begging to be set free. 


Down, boy. is hips rolled, the action intentionally slow, and as another groan escaped her, he caught it with his mouth. Lifting up, he palmed her rear and turned, setting her on the counter as he stepped between her legs. She tasted of heaven and home, of apple and spices, of the
sea and sky; so many different flavors, all identified to that of his Mackenzie. His muscles coiled tight, his need hammering nails in the coffin of his restraint.


Mackenzie broke her mouth from his with a gasp, and she groaned as his mouth trailed down her neck, nipping and suckling. The sound was as sweet as sugar would be on his tongue.


“Bari, don’t hold back.”


An answering growl, a labored groan. Bari’s hands hooked under her thighs and pulled her closer as he bent her body back on the counter. She wrapped her legs around his waist and curled her body to his like someone hanging on for their life. His mouth came back up to hers,
and as he captured her lips, he heard a tortured sigh. 


“Mackenzie.” The sigh came from him.


Dishes clattered as he swiped them across the counter. Bari hovered above Mackenzie, his hands roaming with frantic movements before he dipped his hand beneath her shirt to seek skin. Under his palm she was so damn soft, like velvet, so warm to his touch. Warmth he yearned for on a cold night. He wanted to brand and possess her. The surge of it shocked him. Bari pulled back and stared down at her. Heavy-lidded eyes stared up at him, unblinking and heavy with anticipation. His hand paused just under the swell of her breast, and his fingers moved back and forth in a teasing caress, just barely brushing the sensitive skin.


 “Mackenzie, I’m not going to be able to stop until you tell me to. You understand?” His voice sounded thick, guttural.


She answered by raising her head and pulling him down to her seeking lips. Heat pooled low in his stomach as his hips rolled against hers, eliciting a gasp as he rubbed right against her sex.
His hand brushed under her bra, wrapped around her breast. She felt like heaven, silk, sweet temptation. Mackenzie moaned into his mouth and pressed her hips up to meet his in a primal movement as old as time, mimicking the movements of his tongue in her mouth with her body. 


“Mommy!”


Mackenzie’s entire body went rigid at the sound of Byron’s voice.

So today's a very special day around these parts.  There are two folds here, one being that it's Evernight's third birthday! *Cue the music and fireworks*  Second, I've officially passed the one year mark for being published!  WHOOT!

Celebrate like a ROCK STAR because Evernight Publishing is THREE!

In three short years, Evernight has grown by leaps and bounds thanks to readers like you! Evernight is pulling out all the stops and throwing an extreme BIRTHDAY BASH BLOG HOP in your honor!

That’s right! It’s Evernight’s birthday but YOU get the presents…

Prizes include:

Samsung Galaxy Tab

Kindle Paperwhite

Kobo Touch

$100 Evernight and Amazon Gift Certificates

Mega Evernight Swag Pack

Plus, each author on the hop will offer his/her own special prize!

As an author, I’m thrilled to share my stories with you and Evernight helps make my books shine! Here’s one reason why I love Evernight Publishing:

Book Boyfriends...

They can be strong and sexy, dark and dangerous, rebellious and reckless or cute and quirky. We love to fall in love with these irresistible heroes and Evernight Publishing has them all!

The authors of Evernight invite you to a Speed Date challenge. Their cowboys, Doms, detectives, millionaires, royalty, vampires, soldiers, shifters, even steam-powered heroes are waiting to meet you on each author website. 50 heroes in 7 days! Are you up for the challenge?

Pull up a chair and get to know every single one. I’d love to introduce you to my hero...


I’m staring at the screen; trying to possibly think of all the reasons Bari Daxter deserves his spotlight. You see, he is a hard man to explain and more so, there’s no possible way to elucidate who the man is. For one, he’s completely different from who he used to be. And two, Bari is not your average, everyday human. He’s much more and he’s the reason the world continues to spin.

Yeah, no shit.

In order to sum up my meaning as easy as I possibly can, the best description I can give you is Bari is a six-foot, four, two hundred and sixty-five pound, man—a black hair and ice blue eyes, cool as the ice caps of Antarctica, Justice Demon.

(Hands brush aside my fingers)

Bari is a mutherfucking God is what he is.

“Bari! In case you’ve missed it, I’m the one writing here.” For the love of …

“And doing a piss poor job at it, if I might add, D.C.”

Heat creeps over my face.  Really, the gall of this man. “Excuse me,” I begin.

“Did you fart?” he asks.

Sputtering, I stare at him in disbelief. This man truly has no shame. If I did not know any better, I’d think the ass of the past has returned.  However, the twinkle in his cobalt eyes, the slight laughter-lines surrounding his eyes, and the twitching of his lips has understanding dawning as I figure out his plan.

You see, long gone is the tortured man of the past, one who was lost in a world so big. A man who led a team of Special Forces through the dry deserts of Iraq, who ran away from home, tearing out his heart in the process. One who had vivid, painful memories—more so nightmares, if you ask me—of his mother being killed before his eyes. If all of that wasn’t bad enough, he had to watch as his mother was slain by the only hero he had known, one meant to protect and cherish their child—his father.

But things always have a way of growing complicated just when you thought they couldn’t get any worse, right?

Sensing a presence inside his body, something he’d suspected for so long, this inner company rose to the surface—the demon—after he was shot trying to protect his best friend, Mike.

(The chair spins away from the desk.)

I’m a fucking hero. Yeah, people, you’re reading right. Bari Daxter is not only one good-looking hunk of a man. But, he’s also a hero, a God, and he has a really big co--

I hold up the plug for the keyboard, scowling at him. For real now, he has absolutely no shame. 

He frowns at the screen, and then glances over at me.  Dark indigo eyes widen, then narrow on the cord I dangle in my hand.  Bari straightens, rising to his full height.  He turns toward me.

“D.C …” he croons.

Okay, the guy is intimidating as hell.  I step back and force down the lump of fear in my throat. It’s not just Bari’s power, which I feel sliding along my skin like little sparks of electricity, the kind of shock you get when you drag your feet across the carpet during dry, winter months.  But, it’s because even without saying a word, he emits a raw kind of sensuality, one that calls to the submissive in any one, regardless of their gender.

“Don’t D.C. me,” I stammer, attempting, but failing to mimic his voice.  Clearing my parched throat, I try again. “Where’s Mackenzie? Don’t you have somewhere else to be?”

He smiles and it spreads across his face like a slow sunrise. Just because the expression is on the features of a harden male, it makes it no less beautiful. Bari’s a gorgeous man.

“Come on,” he says. “They all want to hear about it.”

“They?” I ask. “It?”  Really, I should know better by now, but yeah, I really did ask.

He crosses his arms across his chest, the smile turning too smug for my liking.  Oh hell …

“Yeah, the guys want something to compare themselves to, and the ladies all love my coc—”

“Bari!” I shout over the last word, my face on fire now.  Laughter dances in his eyes. The sigh that escapes my mouth cannot be contained. This man has done a complete one-eighty in such a short amount of time. Whereas before I was scared he’d bury himself under the hate and despair sitting on his shoulders, he now stands tall, eyes stress-free, laughter open and unrestrained. 

I know the reason for this change, too. It includes a green eyed, petite, yet curvy woman. 

But really, Mackenzie could bring out the best in anyone.  Trust me on this.

Sitting back at the desk, keyboard once again connected, I try to ignore the menacing presence behind me. It’s pretty hard to concentrate though. The weight of him watching me is almost too much.

Unease skitters across my skin like a million spiders picking their way across a field. Sweat pops along my temples, and the screen in front of me goes blurry. Words slide together until it’s a jumble of figures vying for attention.

“Breathe, D.C!”

His words snap my mind and body. I inhale a long gulp of air noisily.  It takes me several moments to get my body under control, but once the oxygen is flowing smooth again, I turn in the chair and face him, crossing one leg over the other.  His gaze dropping to the action does not escape my notice and I raise a brow, and fold my arms across my chest.  I’m not concerned about his wandering eyes though, I know this guy is head-over-heels.

“I need you to leave. Scamper, take off,” I say.

He matches my brow. “Why? You love me.”

I let out a deep breath and pull my eyes from his intense gaze. “I do love you. I love each one of you so much. But right now, I’m trying to make you shine. This is your spotlight and because I adore you so much, I want to make sure I can give you justice. Make sure I show just how bad ass and delectable you are to those who’ll be reading your story.”

“Really, D.C. You don’t have to do much to make me shine. Two minutes into my book, they’ll see it for themselves.”

The arrogant ass.  “Ego, Bari!  Careful, you might not fit your head through the door.”

“Confidence, D.C. But my coc …”

He stops speaking and gives another heart-wrenching smile. “You sure I can’t stick around and help?”

Oh hell, when he asks like that, it kills me to turn him away.

“You’re distracting, Bari.  I can’t concentrate with you here. Intensity is something you’re definitely not lacking in.”

He crosses the floor, takes my chair, and spins me back toward the computer screen. His breath washes over the side of my face as he leans down.

“Then get writing, D.C. And one more thing …”

I’m losing the ability to think with him so close, but I manage a, “What?”

It may have come out all airy, and he laughs in his knowing way, but leans in to give a chaste kiss on my cheek.

“Thank you, and we love you, too.”

With those parting words, I don’t have to look to know he’s done that flashy thing and gone off to terrorize someone else—Tyler most likely. Bari’s words give me pause as my heart turns into melted dark chocolate, all warm and smooth. When he shows affection, really, that’s why I think he would make the best boyfriend. Because when he gives you his full attention, he makes you feel like you are his world.

Settling back at the desk, I take a deep breath and start typing: “All the reasons why Bari would and does make the best boyfriend …”


What’s up for grabs?

•              One lucky hopper will win a KINDLE PAPERWHITE eREADER sponsored by Evernight Publishing.

•              Every book blogger/reviewer site is giving away one free eBook from Evernight (winner’s choice of any eBook from Evernight Publishing’s website).

•              Plus, each author offers their own unique prize! So visit each blog hop stop for a host of fabulous prizes to win.

How to enter?

Who's life did Bari save in Iraq? Be sure you leave the answer and your email address in the comments below to be eligible to win a prize.

Keep hopping to the next author or blogger. After you’ve met each hero click here to vote for your favorite book boyfriend. You’ll earn an extra grand prize entry!

You’re one step closer to meeting your next Book Boyfriend...

(Alright folks, if you want to vote for Bari, then let me help you out toward winning that grand prize, which is listed through Evernight.  You must not only comment, but you must leave your email address below.  

For my main prize I'm giving away, I've created a basket full of items, to include Bari's book, Feral Craving, a bag of dark chocolate, and a $5 gift card to Evernight Publishing's website.  In order to win this, all you gotta do is follow me on Twitter, if you have it, or Facebook, or share the giveaway. Links are below for easy access!  When you comment with your answer to the question above, be sure to remember to leave your email so I can get in contact with the winner! 

Best of luck!)

I’m a few hours behind (gotta love getting buried under snow) but today kicks off Evernight’s Valentine Snippets Blog Hop.  Here is what you need to know:

Step One: Make sure you stop by here and click like

Step Two: Click here and read the blurb for Feral Craving, then below this post read the question and give your answer at the bottom of this entry.

That is it!  Simple right?  Do both those things and a random winner will not only get a free copy of Feral Craving, but will also get a $15 gift card to Evernight or Amazon, your choice.

There are lots of prizes to be won all around, so be sure to follow through the other links below to increase your chances of winning.

Still not convinced yet?  Well here is the kicker.  Evernight will also be giving prizes away so make sure you click on their link below to see about the MAIN prize. 

The hop runs between today until the 14th so you have lots of chances to win and in honor of this event,.

For your chance to win! 

Question:  Where was Bari first injured?

Welcome to the Evernight Holiday Blog Hop!

We love the holidays, we love making our readers happy and we love giving away swag. What better way to do that than to hold a blog hop?
 
Here's how it works... the more blogs you hop to (shown below) the more chance you have of winning prizes. Each site on the hop is offering a prize and Evernight is offering an iPad 2 as the grand prize! To be in with a chance of winning the site prize simply follow the blog you're visiting and leave a comment which includes your email address. Each entry on each blog is then counted towards the grand prize draw. The more entries you have, the better your chance of winning that iPad 2! You also get extra points for liking the Evernight Facebook pagehttp://www.facebook.com/#!/evernightpublishing. Just make sure you let us know in the comments that you've done so. 
  
Happy hopping!