A Slight Change of Plans

And more Dissent news!

Mahalo,

I’m writing this edition of The Writer Gal Letter listening to U2’s Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own. It’s a fitting song for this letter and my mood today. Today’s edition is a glass half-full kind of situation so hold on.

My grandpa was hospitalized for the sixth time this year, on Tuesday, and he came back last night at two am. He’s okay now but still very weak with some infection. Mom did some of the heavy lifting this time around but my focus has been shattered and all over the place with the disturbed sleep schedule and hospital visits. The writing suffered, Postmate. And I’m still nowhere near finishing the book.

I am so incredibly disappointed to share the following update: Blaze won’t be coming out on July 19 :( I will do a special newsletter to share the fresh release date the SECOND I hit the end on the draft. Also, as an aside, this book is going to be thicker than the last one. Because there’s a lot to unpack in it!

I am so so so sorry, Postmate. But life has a way of upending our best-laid plans and changing our priorities in the blink of an eye. And I promise to give you the very, VERY best Nihaal-Mili story you’ll ever read.

To make up for the slight change in plans, I’m sharing a lengthy excerpt from the book just for you. Only here. I hope you love it and me because, today, Postmate, it’s taking me a minute to love myself :(

But before that, here’s some incredible news about Dissent, our charity anthology for women’s reproductive rights.

The official Goodreads page is up and my name is right there along with some of my most-favorite writers and friends. Aidy Award, AM Roark, Zoe York, Bri Blackwood, Amanda Richardson, Amelia Wilde, JH Croix, JL Beck, HD Carlton, Kennedy Fox, Brighton Walsh, Nicole French, and 140+ authors are writing never before seen short stories for Dissent. And the ebook will be available in two-three paperback volumes too!

It’s not every day I get to say that I’m actually appearing in one of my favorite books EVER!

Blaze - For Your Eyes Only

His hands weren’t magic. They were criminal. They were long-fingered, blunt-tipped, and rough on the inside with scars of a life lived. He moved over her back, the heat from the palms, his fingers spreading warmth and vitality to her spine, melting it vertebra by vertebra. Making her want his touch, sure and knowing, on other parts of her body.

His hands moved down her hip to her ass, where they hovered, a mere hairsbreadth over her sleep-slick skin. Then they descended and…squeezed.

His tongue darted right into the shell of her ear for a quick, erotic lick that made her core clench with insane desire. Desire that should have been slaked because she’d just had her fill of him a few hours before.

But her body had a mind of its own.

She turned toward him with an inarticulate murmur of pleasure.

He squeezed her hip again. A little bit tighter than before.

She was even more turned on, searching sleepily, blindly for his lips, desperate for contact to ease the ache inside her. Needing to fill herself with some part of him, not knowing how she’d become so empty without him…

He moved over her, kissing the side of her neck, a sleep-soft kiss designed to soothe and not arouse. She smiled in pleasure, in sheer enjoyment. Then, he moved down, further down, straight down the center of her body, dropping a hot wet trail of kisses, shoving his own tee-shirt off her body until he reached where he wanted to be.

She clenched his hair lazily as his tongue lapped the inside of her core. As lazy as her hands were. She didn’t feel any shame or discomfort with his head between her thighs, because the man’s mouth was even more talented than his fingers. He wasn’t sloppy, lapping too quickly or roughly. And he lingered.

It was a banquet of senses and emotions for her. Being pleasured from the inside out. His teeth came into play and bit the inside of her thigh and she clasped her thighs trying to keep from coming, at the pleasure-pain of the sensation.

But he wasn’t having any of it. His mouth went down, deep inside her, learning the things that made her sigh, the things that made her moan… and the things that made her clench his hair tighter because it was too much. He was too much.

He dropped a warm, wet kiss where he’d bitten her and she sobbed with the sweetness of the gesture.

“Please,” she whispered. “Please.” Her hands twisted on the rumpled sheets of the bed. Finding no purchase, no surcease from the delicious torment wracking her body endlessly.

“You please me,” he murmured.

Or maybe he didn’t. Because how could he talk and wreck her inside out at the same time.

Why did it feel so good, losing control like this? Losing her very self.

Disjointed, chaotic thoughts ran through her head while colors began to shimmer in front of her tightly closed lids.

Oral sex before had been fun. But actual intercourse had been better. Having someone control your orgasm felt like the ultimate form of surrender. And she was never sure if any of her partners were really worth it. Because, let’s face it, she didn’t have the best choice when it came to men.

But, fuck, this was so good.

She gasped, as he did something with his tongue that rubbed her clit and her insides at the same time, pulling a response so deep and true it felt like a lightning rod had been placed in her body. She tingled everywhere. Every. Fucking. Everywhere.

She cupped at her own breasts, heavy with arousal, pinched her nipples because they were so sensitive and needing ease.

And then, it happened. The orgasm came. Starting as a single rush of sensation and insane pleasure all rolled into one painful moment, from her extremities to the very center of her. Living under her breath.

At that exact moment, he added one finger to his tongue, swiping into her like he was starved.

She broke. The orgasm tore through her, turning from a rush to a tidal wave that drowned her in what could only be described as glory. Every part of her bathed in golden warmth that felt perfect. Beautiful.

Loved.

At the last moment, she opened her dazed eyes and saw him staring at her. His face was criminally handsome too, even with her wet pleasure all over it. But it was his eyes that woke her heart. Actually shattered the ice encasing it. They were golden-brown, brutal in their desire, and focused on her breaking apart.

She knew why she’d never wanted to give control to anyone else like this.

Because then, they’d know all the things about you, you couldn’t face yourself. They’d taste your secret loneliness on their tongue.

She came until her body felt wrung out, looking at him, moving against him till the aftershocks depleted her body. And she was certain, he would never be the one for her. Because that wasn’t something she wanted for herself.

But his eyes, oh, his ichor-glow eyes made her wish for it all the same…

Mili’s eyes flew open as she was jerked forward hard. A scream bloomed in her throat as metal twisted and gears ground, spinning her out into space plunging her into a ravine and her own sure death and she could just sit and endure it.

A hard, comforting, known hand came down on her shoulders. Shook her slightly. Brought her back to the moment.

Mili looked up, to the owner of the hand. Her gaze sharpening, till the world came into focus and her inner chaos subsided.

Ichor-glow eyes surveyed her quietly, grimly. The handsome face from her dreams was wiped clean of all expression. Cool and remote as a glacier. With a brown-black bruise on his cheek, right near his eye, not marring his beauty. Somehow, enhancing it with an air of slick danger.

“Hello, wife,” Nihaal said calmly. “Welcome to my world.”

Writer Gal’s Reader Pals Present

This week brings a slew of new releases and sale events by my reader friends!

First up is an anthology that features a story by my Dissent, Stand for Ukraine, AND Shades of Love buddy - AM Roark - Flames, Flirts & Festivals is a collection of amazing shorts set during different festivals all year round! I am also reading this as as a Review Copy and in love with the way the different festivals are presented!

Andie Bale’s Wrecked Series is the MC gangster, secret baby, good girl meets bad boy and changes him forever you didn’t know you wanted but need! The series is now complete so binge all four books while you wait for Blaze to come, okay?

J.L. Campbell’s King of Evanston is on a special summer sale. My favorite thing about JL’s stories is that they are set in beach paradises of the Caribbean (usually) and provide the perfect escape for when I want to go live somewhere else for a bit. Also, THAT cover. Oh. My. God.

Next up is Selena’s dark romance duet starting with Darling Doll. If stalker romance is your thing then this book is exactly right for you. Do check the trigger warnings before you dive into this crazy, rollercoaster romance okay?

That is it from me for this edition of TWGL, Postmate. I’ll write soon about all the bookish things and release updates soon!

Till then, stay safe and awesome.

xx

Aarti