Rugby Hotties

I’ve never been a big sports fan. I can bear watching a bit of soccer, if it happens to be on and nothing else looks good, and I quite like the Olympics but that’s about it. Certainly I must be the only Kiwi in NZ who doesn’t like rugby (okay, possibly I’m not but during the World Cup it certainly felt like it!). And as for reading books about sports or with athlete characters? Nope, not interested.

Which makes it really weird that I am now writing a hero who is a rugby player.  This is the second book in my series that’s due out next year and I really didn’t envisage that this hero would end up playing rugby. Or any kind of sport to be honest. I thought he might be a PR guy. Or a smooth-talking lawyer. Someone charming and sophisticated. But a rugby player? Definitely not. This isn’t to say that rugby players can’t be charming and sophisticated (hello Dan Carter!) but when I think of rugby players I’m thinking big shoulders, torn shirts, cauliflower ears and ‘rugby was the winner on the day’ type of soundbites.

Anyway, I bit the bullet and made him a rugby player, despite the fact that I know absolutely nothing about rugby (thank you husband for at least being conversant with terminology). And whaddya know, it turns out that actually, I’m rather interested in the fact that he’s a player.  That he likes his status as a hugely successful All Black. And that he’s also rather afraid of what might happen when his rugby playing days are at an end because in rugby, you don’t tend to last too long once you hit your thirties. This boy has issues and I’m rather enjoying exploring them.

I’m also rather interested in exploring a bit of rugby playing hero inspiration. I was going to post some photos of some rugby hotties for you but I’m being good about copyright and not doing so. But Google Sonny Bill Williams and Dan Carter and you’ll get my drift about where I’m going with my guy.  Especially Google Mr Williams’ ripped shirt episode during the last world cup. In fact, I’m going to share that moment with you now. No, don’t thank me. I’m doing it for the good of romance writers and readers everywhere.


And naturally enough, no post about rugby would be complete without a haka video. But before I leave you with Tana Umaga scaring the pants off the French, I just want to know – what do you think of a sporting hero?  Love ’em? Hate ’em? Smother them in chocolate and devour ’em? 😉

Jackie

Sunday Snippet – Jackie Ashenden

Another from the current WIP,  Talking Dirty with the Player (working title)…

“Hi there, babycakes,” Caleb drawled, that maddening, teasing smile playing around his sensual mouth. “Back in black, I see. I think I preferred you in green.”

With an effort, Judith pulled herself together. “Isn’t it lucky I don’t dress to please you in that case?”

A frown creased his forehead. “Your shirt’s uneven.”

“It’s called asymmetric. A little thing called fashion. You wouldn’t know anything about it.”

“Asymmetric huh? I suppose you paid good money for an uneven shirt?”

“It’s a tunic. And it’s Zambesi.”

“Zambesi, the Nile, some river, whatever. It’s still uneven and I still preferred you in green.”

Judith ignored the casual dismissal of one of New Zealand’s premier design houses and a tunic that had cost at least five hundred dollars. Instead she looked pointedly at her watch. “Well, as much fun as talking about clothes with you is, shall we talk about the reason you’re actually here? I have clients this afternoon and don’t have all day.”

His smile became lazy. “Ah, babycakes, I love it when you get all bossy and professional. It’s quite sexy.”

Sunday Snippet – Jackie Ashenden

This one is from the current WIP – Book 2 in my Indulgence series due to be published 2013…

“Oh don’t be like that,” he said. “You missed me. Admit it.”
“Yeah. Like I miss gonorrhoea.”
One dark brow rose. “You’ve had gonorrhoea?”
Judith sighed. He was all about the witty comeback. Not. “Oh, shut up, Caleb.”
“See, this is what I’ve missed while I’ve been away. I say something then you say something, then I say something back and you end with ‘shut up, Caleb’. We always have such great, in-depth conversation.”

Snippet Sunday

So it’s Snippet Sunday and as it’s raining here I figured I’d go for something hot and sunny from my brand new Indulgence title The Boss and Her Billionaire. I hope you enjoy…there’s plenty more where this came from. You can read the first chapter and get the book here.

And there’s plenty more from all of us on our very first Snippet Sunday. Is this great or what? Let us know if you’d like any special snippets for next Sunday.

xMichele de Winton

Fun? Teasing her might have been fun for him,
but it was torturous from where she was lying. She
squirmed on the bed, trying to guide his body to where
she wanted it as the two of them touched, tantalized,
and tasted each other. Dear lord, was he going to make
her beg for it?
He kissed her long and deep. “Better?” he asked,
pulling back on his heels and looking down at her.
“No. Slow doesn’t mean you need to stop.”
“Oh, are you sure about that?” He stood.
“Get back here,” Michaela said. Her own boldness
made her blush.
“Well, well,” he whispered as he crawled back up
her body. “Don’t think this hurts me any less than it
hurts you. But I’m only following my cruise director’s
orders. You wouldn’t want me disobeying my superior,
now would you?” He ran his tongue up the side of her
neck and smirked when she moaned.
“Please.”
“Please?”
“Not so slow.”
“Is that an order?”

***

And here’s a snippet of mine from Taming The Tycoon that comes out next month! Hope you enjoy, love Amy!

They both looked at the bed. Big and large and white.

“They don’t make them like that anymore,” Addie mused.

Nathaniel nodded. “Nope,” he agreed staring some more. It was the same bed he always slept in. He’d just never noticed how decadent it was before.

“The pillows down the middle idea doesn’t seem so crazy now, does it?” she asked.

He looked at her, all big grey eyes and lovely mouth and that damn silly stretchy t-shirt with the provocative catchphrase.

She was nothing – nothing – like the women who usually shared his bed. Not sophisticated or refined or knowing. Certainly not willing or eager either if her look of impending doom was any indication.

Yet somehow, he still wanted her.

It had to be the pain meds.

How on earth was he going to lie next to her all night and not wind up reaching for her when his body was telling him that’s exactly what he should do?

He couldn’t control his subconscious. His five am wake-up call was a classic example of that.

He looked at her across acres of mattress. They were going to need a bigger bed.

***

Hey Friends – just a little something from my current release, “A Night of Southern Comfort”. Enjoy! Robin

Jack paused, deciding to stop and let her guide this back to easier conversation. If she spooked, he wouldn’t be able to stay close. He’d have Lucky install the bugs at her house and office sooner rather than later. He dialed back “cop mode” and settled back to enjoy the one perk of this job—spending time with this beautiful woman.

“A cop is never really off duty. It’s in my blood to serve and protect.” Jack smiled in response to her more relaxed chuckle. “I help everyone even if I haven’t seen them naked.”

“So, that doesn’t get me special treatment?”

“No. But it will get you a longer strip search.”

The moment the words left his mouth, their night together and the memory of all the ways they’d explored each other’s bodies walked up and slid into the booth with them. Rattled, Jack was spared the effort to reply by his mom depositing their food on the table.
You can find the buy links and the first chapter here.

***

Jackie Ashenden

This snippet is from my Indulgence scheduled for release sometime in Fall 2013.  Working title Talking Dirty with the CEO. Hope you enjoy it!

“Please don’t touch that.”

Christie frowned. Her hand dropped and she turned round.

Joseph stood just behind her, his hands thrust in the pockets of his jeans, dark brows pulled down. “It’s a very expensive stereo,” he said by way of explanation. “I don’t like people touching it.”

“Hey, I get it.”  She straightened. “A Karlsson Series 6. Voted HiFi system of the decade by Pure Tone magazine last year. Currently delivers one of the lowest levels of distortion ever recorded. It has sixteen separate transformers, high speed rectifiers, also ultra-low filtering impedance capacitors. Essentially its excess noise cancellation abilities are the best in the world. Only twenty were ever made and it’s now a collector’s item.”

Joseph stared at her as if she’d just grown another head. “I guess you’ve seen one before then.”

 

Annie Seaton

For those of you who loved Tom in Holiday Affair and wondered what happened to him here is a little teaser from Italian Affair which is almost finished!

He closed his eyes as Nick continued questioning him and remembered the feel of Brianna’s open lips beneath his. Her lips had felt so right against his and had clung to his for a few seconds longer than he’d intended.

“Five minutes you’ve been away from home. Your first trip overseas and look what happened. Tom…you are such a soft touch…haven’t you learned anything yet? You really think you are going to get bloody married just to help out some stranger on the make? Mate, she saw you coming.”

Hot anger burned up from his stomach. He was well and truly sick of being the responsible brother and being found wanting for it.

“I am thirty-three years old. I may not be as well travelled as the rest of you but don’t treat me like a fool.” His voice was cold and it seemed to get through to Nick immediately.

“Oh for God’s sake. Just be careful. Don’t go getting yourself into anything messy.”

Tom smiled to himself.

“Don’t worry mate. It’s not messy,” he replied calmly. “I’ll call you in a couple of days…but first can you please tell Mama what’s happening in case Aunt Carmen decides to ring her. She ‘s beside herself and is going to witness the ceremony for us.”

He ended the call before Nick could continue and leaned back against the wall before glancing at his watch. It was almost time to meet his future wife at the small internet café. He grinned to himself and shook his head. She’d lost her cell phone charger and was going to email the news of her inheritance to her family in Scotland, from the small café they’d spotted when they got off the old bus in the Lipari town square .

Friday Indulgence – Dr Jax’s Special Chocolate Martini

It’s Friday and you’ve had a long week. Work has been hard. Your colleagues difficult. When you get home, the kids want attention and the husband wants to chat.  All you want to do is sit down and relax in peace and quiet, and have some you time…

Okay, so I can’t help you with the work/kids/husband thing.  But I have perscription that may help with the relaxation courtesy of Dr Jax, AKA my husband and purveyor of fine alocoholic beverages.  The good doctor’s perscription is as follows:

1 Comfy chair.

1 pair of fluffy slippers

1 pair of really sloppy trackpants (though these are not essential)

1 fabulous romance novel of your choice (Entangled Indulgence is a fine start)

1 Dr Jax’s Special Chocolate martini (warning, do not exceed the recommended dose if you want to get up out of the chair afterwards!)*

Okay, just so you know, these are VERY alcoholic and very strong. But it’s amazing how much brighter the world looks after you’ve had one…

*Dr Jax’s Special Chocolate Martini

1 shot extremely good chocolate  liqueur

1 shot dry vermouth/martini

3 shots of good vodka

Put in a cocktail shaker full of ice and shake like you’re making it for James Bond. Pour into a martini glass and garnish with a Hershey’s kiss instead of an olive.

Oh and if you’re wondering why there’s a picture of a glass with a blue octopus sitting at the bottom, it’s because I made a martini so I could photo it for the blog and guess who drank it? Naughty octopus.

Anyway, hope you enjoy it and remember the old saying as you imbibe – beware sneaky blue cephalopods bent on stealing your drink.

xx Jackie