Title: Opening Up by Lauren Dane
Ink & Chrome Series Book One
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 325 pages
Summary:
The men of Twisted Steel are great with their hands. And they’re not afraid to get dirty.
Asa Barrons is never lonely for long. Co-owner of the Twisted Steel custom motorcycle shop, he works hard and plays harder. But he never allows his after-hours affairs to interfere with business-until he meets racing royalty PJ Colman. While the blue-eyed blonde is all princess on the outside, on the inside Asa can see that this woman is ready to take a walk on the wild side.
PJ knows trouble when she sees it, and Asa is the complete package: fast bike, killer ink, and a sinfully sexy smile that has her imagining things nice girls never do. She talks her way onto the Twisted Steel team to prove her painting skill, and soon learns that Asa is eager to show off some skills of his own.
With the help of Asa’s expert touch, PJ is initiated into a world of wicked desire. No limits. No inhibitions. No turning back. But as perfect as their passion seems, a new challenge awaits, forcing them to ask just how far they are willing to go . . .
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Excerpt
Twisted Steel was magnificent.
PJ turned in a slow circle as she stood in the middle of their showroom. Just to her left, a 1970 Chevelle. Candy-apple red.
Big windows fronted the space, but they managed to still give it a sort of intentionally gritty feel inside with black leather couches placed in a way to look at the cars and bikes on display like art.
She loved it so very much. Bold and clever. It took itself very seriously when it came to the product but also had a little bit of tongue-in-cheek self-deprecation. Delicious design choices all over the place, including a custom Harley Softail in black matte that gave her a little shiver.
She’d thought it impossible for Asa to be any hotter, until she saw this place.
“If you’re done getting all wet over cars can we get your makeup done?” Audra called out.
“Do you see this?” PJ pointed at the Softail’s back tire. “It’s so fat and delicious. I might actually be maybe a little wet, yes. But I’m just telling you that because we’re so close.”
PJ plopped down in front of a makeshift makeup station mirror.
“Go look at your outfits with Stella so she can get you styled for each.” Audra had taken on the task of organizing the shoot. She pointed at a rolling rack of clothes that had PJ’s name on it.
“I see a theme here.” Stella, who was acting as their makeup person for the day, took in each outfit.
Tom bounded into their space, amped up on coffee. “What? She’s like a ridiculously sexed-up girl next door. Guys love that. We all know it. So work it and sell my decks!”
“You can’t be here now. I have it handled.” Audra shoved him out and closed the door to the small conference room where they’d set up.
“He’s like a hamster on crack,” PJ muttered.
“The cutest hamster ever, though. Here.” Audra shoved an outfit PJ’s way.
The first dress turned out to be a pale blue-and-white gingham.
She wore it with red glitter pumps, and Stella teased PJ’s hair up in the back and curled her bangs before dividing at the nape of her neck into two braids.
Thick liner, red lips, and a beauty mark and she found herself shoved back out.
“PJ, come over and meet Frank, he’s the photographer.” Tom introduced them. “We’re set up in the shop so come on with me.”
She tried not to trip and fall as she kept stopping to gape at things. Where the showroom had been all about the art of the completed project—a perfect experience for a potential client—the shop, with its bays and workstations, was clearly the heart of the operation.
High windows sent shafts of light down onto the shop floor and to the offices that ringed it. It was orderly and tidy without being compulsively so.
She skidded to a halt when she saw the car she’d be posing with.
“Sweet mother of Bob Dylan,” she breathed out at the sight of the deep blue 1950 Cadillac roadster convertible before her.
“I take it that means you approve?” Frank asked her.
“I might need some alone time with this car later.”
“I know the owner. He might allow it.”
She turned to catch sight of Asa walking over. Walking! Ha. Prowling was a far better word. The air seemed to hum around him, and she found it a little harder to breathe. Especially when he came to a halt just inches from where she stood.
“This is yours?” She might have an orgasm just looking at the car. And now she knew it was his.
He nodded, the corner of his mouth hitching up slightly.
“Morning, PJ.”
“Morning, Asa. I’m going to have a moment with your car, but I won’t do anything she doesn’t want.”
He stepped closer. “What if she does? What if she wants it all?”
Man, was she in over her head. Just flirting with him was taking all her effort. What would he be like in bed? What would he kiss like?
“I’d want to take it slow. Just the tip. At first. If she didn’t like it we’d stop.”
The smile on his mouth made her tingly.
“I might try that one. Just the tip has mixed results.”
Oh, well. That one made her a little dizzy. And by the look he wore, he knew the effect he was having.
“I doubt that.”
“What?”
“Mixed results. You strike me as an overachiever.” PJ lowered her lashes a little as she took in the heft of all that steel. Of course he had a Caddy. Big, strong, bold. Totally in charge. Just like him.
“So if I’d given you the ‘just the tip’ line?”
She smiled then. “I don’t know. Why don’t you try it now?”
PJ rather felt as if she was having an out-of-body experience. There was no other explanation for the words she’d just spoken. Out loud.
Asa opened his mouth and everything inside her seemed to still, just waiting to hear what he’d say.
And then Tom called out to get to work and they reluctantly parted.
Author Bio
The story goes like this: While on pregnancy bed rest, Lauren Dane had plenty of down time, so her husband took her comments about “giving that writing thing a serious go” to heart and brought home a secondhand laptop. She wrote her first book on it. Today, Lauren is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 60 novels and novellas across several genres.
Author Links: Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads
Giveaway #1
I have one PRINT copy of Opening Up to give away to one lucky winner! Please Note: Contest is open to US/Canadian addresses only. To enter today’s contest, fill out the following form by 5 PM mountain time Monday June 22.
CONTEST OVER
Giveaway #2
And don’t miss FALLING UNDER, book #2 in the Ink & Chrome series, on sale August 4, 2015!
Title: Falling Under by Lauren Dane
Ink and Chrome Series Book Two
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Summary:
The men of Twisted Steel are great with their hands.
And they’re not afraid to get dirty.
Duke Bradshaw, co-owner of the Twisted Steel custom motorcycle and hot rod shop, may devote his days to chrome and leather, but his nights belong to Carmella. His sultry redheaded neighbor has a smile like an angel and a body built for sin, and for the past year both have dominated Duke’s dreams. When a problem at Twisted Steel requires a fast fix, Duke sees his chance to finally make his fantasy a reality.
Ever since she first heard the low rumble of his engine, Carmella Rossi has wondered if Duke Bradshaw handles his women as expertly as he handles his bike. When he shows up at her door offering her a much-needed job at his shop, she gets her chance to find out. Beneath Duke’s masterful touch, Carmella soon submits to a world of unimaginable pleasure.
But history has taught Carmella how bad a boy boy can be. If she doesn’t put on the brakes fast, her hard-bodied heartbreaker could drive her right over the edge . . .
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Pre-Order Links (Available August 4): Amazon * B&N * iTunes * Google Play * Kobo * BAM!
Thanks for sharing
Both of these books sound great. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Loved the excerpt, this sounds great. Thanks for the giveaway.