Friday Update: An Excerpt from Beth's Acceptance

Because I got a mere thirteen day’s notice that Beth’s Acceptance was being released, I didn’t get much of a chance to book any sort of a tour for it.  Two dates is pretty pathetic.  Because of that, the only real excerpt out there is the official one on the Ellora’s Cave site.  Normally, on a longer book tour, you tend to be able to trot out two or more different excerpts, and mix things up a bit.  That gives everyone a chance to see a bit more of the book than the official excerpt– just like if you were thumbing through a paperback at a store.

So I thought I’d pluck an excerpt from elsewhere in the book today, just for the hell of it.

But there’s not too many places that come close to even PG13, so if you’re not over 18, you’ve been warned.

———-

An Excerpt From: BETH’S ACCEPTANCE

Copyright © TEAL CEAGH, 2009

All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.

 

Jenny had clocked off at midnight, which meant Beth had to cover the back acre—the row of booths lining the corridor to the fire exit. They were usually where trouble began because they were tucked away from the main bar section, but Jerry didn’t like the idea of ripping out the tables and losing sales, so the booths remained.

She checked each empty booth in turn and came to a standstill at the second to last one. A single customer sat in the dark corner at the back, his arm spread along the back of the bench, the other along the table, his dark eyes watching her.

Her heart thudded hard. “Zachariah,” Beth breathed. Her whole body seemed to ripple and go on high alert. Her nipples crinkled sharply. The next breath she drew seemed to burn on the way down to her lungs. “I…I thought you said you were leaving town for some time.”

“I got called back suddenly,” he said, his deep voice low. He sat very still, watching her like a cat watches a mouse. His black hair was thick, pushed back casually, shining in the low light that filtered through to the back booths, and his eyes gleaming with feral light. “So how are you, Beth?”

She could feel her heart beating in her throat and temple. Hear it in her head. “G…good.” Her pussy was throbbing, preparing itself, the juices running, all for this man. She almost resented it. Why, why, why? He just rocks up after weeks away, and she just crumples for him?

He still hadn’t moved, she realized.

“Drink, Zack?” she asked. Her voice was shaky, giving away way too much about her state of mind, but it was the best she could manage.

His teeth gleamed as he gave a smile. “I need to consider,” he said. “You’ll have to run through the options for me.”

She gripped her tray. “You’re stalling.”

“I’m asking for good customer service.”

She took a breath. “We have all the usual beers and most popular wines. Jerry can make the usual cocktails. If you ask for something unusual, we can provide it, if you help us with the recipe. We aim to please.”

“Yes, you do, don’t you?” Zack said softly.

She shifted her grip on the tray. “Why are you here, Zack?” she said at last, leaping. She had to ask because the timing of his return was too hard to ignore, so hard on the heels of what had happened that afternoon.

Zack’s eyes narrowed, and he looked at her more closely.

Beth realized she had given away more than she had intended. She turned and walked away, but before she could take more than half a step, Zack’s hand gripped her elbow and she halted, shocked.

How had he moved so fast?

She looked over her shoulder at him. He was kneeling on the edge of the banquet, one hand flat on the tabletop, the other gripping her elbow. Steadily, he drew her back to the table until her knees were against the end of the banquet.

Then he did the strangest thing. He leaned in close to her. For the length of a heartbeat Beth thought he was about to kiss her, and her already frantic heart palpitated. But his face hovered over the nape of her neck…and he sniffed. A long, appreciative inhale.

He leaned back, his eyes closed, and when he opened them, his black eyes seemed to have come suddenly alive, focused on her. “I can smell your need,” he rumbled.

Beth thought she would melt into a puddle of mortification right there. Her cheeks were glowing with it.

But Zack gripped her knee and lifted it onto the banquet, and began to stroke the flesh on the inside of her thigh, just above the knee. She quivered at his touch. His gaze drilled into her.

“Tell me to stop,” he said.

“Zack…” It was all she could manage. His hand on her thigh was making her weak, making her tremble. She could barely concentrate on anything else but his hot fingers. They were sliding higher, almost as if they were tasting her flesh through the fine fibers of her stockings. Then they touched the lace tops and he paused. His eyes closed and the corners of his mouth lifted. “Stockings,” he rumbled. “You’re killing me.” His thumb arched high enough to stroke her flesh above the lace. One stroke.

She gasped and shuddered at his touch, so close to her vulva. Her pussy ached for him.

Zack looked into her eyes. “Tell me to stop,” he repeated, his voice low.

“Like last time?” Her voice was hoarse.

“Yes.”

“I can’t, Zack. Not again.” She gripped his wrist and pushed his hand up between her thighs, until it was hard up against her pussy where only black lace was a barrier between him and her. “You’re just going to have to take me.” Her cunt was exploding with sensations at the touch of his hand, and she knew her panties were sodden with moisture. He couldn’t fail to notice.

He ripped his hand away with a hiss and the movement unbalanced her. The tray she was carrying tumbled to the table. She saw it happening as if it was in slow motion. It was a curious sensation—not quite slow motion as it was in the movies, for everything happened at normal speed. But she saw everything and was able to react in time anyway. She reached out to grab as many glasses as possible and save them. It was a stacked tray of empties so there were quite a few.

But Zack was faster.

Despite their combined speed, at least one glass smashed on the tiled table top and the heavy base of the glass landed base-upwards, the jagged shards pointing up. Beth could see Zack’s hand coming down on the high side of the base, as he was bringing it under the last glass to catch it. She brought her own hand under his to protect him, and felt the smaller points of the glass puncture the back of her hand as the impact of the falling glass smacked into Zack’s. His hand must have been severely injured.

Time dropped back into its normal pace.

“Jesus christ,” Zack whispered, looking at her. “I’ve never seen a—“ He shook his head. “I’ve never seen anyone with such fast reactions as yours.”

In the main bar section, people were reacting to the sound of breaking glass, whistling and clapping.

“Yours are faster,” Beth murmured. She pulled her cloth from the back of her apron. “Let me wrap your hand up, then we’ll get it seen to.”

“I’m fine,” he said, pulling his hand out of hers, and using his other hand to pick up her injured one. “What about you?”

Annoyed, Beth whipped the towel around the minor puncture on the back of her hand. “Done. Let me see your hand, Zack. You were skewered on the big point of that glass. Look, there’s blood all over it. Let me see.”

He glanced at the jagged base of the shattered glass and swallowed. Then he bought out his hand and showed her. “See, not a scratch,” he said lightly. “Must be your blood on the glass, so let’s look at your hand.”

She grabbed his hand, really pissed now, and turned it over and back, examining it closely. There wasn’t a mark on it. She glanced at the glass, and recalled the moment she’d taken the impact of his hand and the glass on top it again. It had been his hand on the taller spike of glass, she was sure of it.

She looked up at him, probing his face. He stared back at her calmly.

“Let’s see your hand, Beth,” he said, and lifted her hand, unwrapping the towel.

She let him, mutely trying to put it together. There was something here…just out of her grasp.

“Ah, there’s a piece of glass in there,” he murmured. She felt the micro-tug as he removed it. There was a little gush of blood that ran down her wrist, and he mopped it up with the towel, working carefully. He checked the edges. “Clean,” he declared, and kissed it. “To make it better.”

His eyes were dancing with devilment.

“Liar,” she said.

His thumb was rubbing over her wrist, and she felt it pause over the pulse, measuring it, making it leap.

He licked his lips. “What would you have me do?” he murmured.

“Fuck me,” she said. “Is it so hard?”

His chest rose and fell. “You have no idea,” he said at last, and it was like every word was forced out of him.

Tears pricked her eyes. “Why? I don’t get it. That’s twice today. Am I ugly? A pain to talk to? Do I have bad breath? Whine too much? God, I don’t even charge money! Talk about a dream come true…I’m not even asking for a commitment, Zack. Just sex. Why is that so hard?”

He put his fingers over her lips, and shook his head. “Stop,” he said softly.

“That’s why you went away last time, isn’t it?” Her tears fell now. She couldn’t stop them.

He stepped out of the booth, away from all the glass, and she stepped back from him, sensing what he was going to do. He was a tall man, but her mind couldn’t help the comparison…she thought Luke would be a fraction taller.

“Don’t you dare give me a pity hug,” she said, lifting a finger in warning.

His expression didn’t change. “A goodbye hug.”

She nodded dumbly. She had brought this on herself. If she had played it smarter, been prettier or something, maybe it might have had a different ending. She let Zack wrap his arms around her and tuck her against his shoulder. He brushed her ponytail back over her shoulder so he could see her face. “I have to go,” he said softly and she could feel his voice against her chest.

She could feel his cock against her stomach, too. Hard, thick and hot. Pulsing with life that enveloped her with the same energy. He wanted her. Luke wanted her, too. But not enough to take. No matter what she did.

So Beth gave in to an impulse she’d had since the moment she’d first met Zachariah. She ran her fingers through his thick hair and kissed him, thrusting her tongue far into his mouth.

He moaned helplessly, his arms locking around her in either shock or protest. But that frozen state lasted for less than a heartbeat. Then Zack was kissing her back and it was no chaste kiss goodbye. His tongue drove into her like a battering ram, promising wicked delights to come. His hand was on the back of her head, holding her steady as he plundered her mouth.

A shudder of primeval, greedy delight ran through her. She had the feeling she had reaped a whirlwind and didn’t care.

When he released her lips, she gasped, afraid he might stop, but his mouth merely slid down her throat, nipping and licking, then along her collarbone, making her shudder.

His hand roamed over her body, making her writhe, making her hot. He seemed to know every sensitive patch and point of her anatomy, even those she wasn’t aware of, but he never once touched her breasts or the usual erogenous points. She remained on her feet only because of his arm around her back. Until finally he slid his hand between her thighs and began to stroke once more the flesh above the lace of her stockings. His fingers moved higher, pushed aside the sodden lace barrier and as he stared into her eyes, he impaled her with his fingers.

She gave a shuddering, whimpering gasp that he smothered with another kiss.

The invasion of the irregular shape of his fingers felt wonderful. Beth’s cunt contracted around him, and she could already feel the deep, subterranean beginnings of a climax start to build. As he fucked her with his fingers, sliding the rough digits in and out of her cunt, his lips and tongue and teeth explored her face.

She was falling apart. Floating.

“Zack…”

“Come for me,” he whispered against her throat, as he licked it. She could feel his saliva coat her flesh. “I can feel your pulse.” His teeth brushed the nape of her neck.

“Zack?” The power of the building climax was hard to ignore, but there was something…odd about what he said.

Suddenly, Zack’s fingers were withdrawn from her vagina. His hands lifted her to her feet and she was left, swaying unsteadily, on her own facing the main room bar, and the light there that seemed much too bright.

“What…?”

He was behind her. She could feel him. But he was not touching her.

“Stop calling me, Beth,” he whispered in her ear.

What? her startled mind asked. But before she could think to ask the question aloud and this time demand an answer, he was gone. She spun around in time to see the exit door swinging shut on him.

Tweet This Post

Related Posts

• Katie Allen to Guest here on November 4 -- Win a Copy of Chasing Her Tail Katie Allen is another Ellora's Cave author who, like Tielle St. Clare, writes about the two-natured hero, so I thought I'd invite her along to talk about her latest title, Chasing her Tail.  Besides, I couldn't resist the cover.  As my books have multicultural elements, too, I find it difficult......
• Guest Post: Brigit Zahara and Her Edible Delights. Please help me welcome Brigit Zahara, fellow Ellora's Cave author.  Brigit is guesting today, to help celebrate the launch of her latest EC title.  And yesterday she learned that the Aquamarine Allure anthology is now out in print, which features her story "Catch of the Day", which you'll hear more......
• When Alex Was Bad - Revisited. *Spoiler alert* So I finally picked up Jo Davis's novel, When Alex Was Bad, again, and finished it.  Mostly, I finished it because Saul, of all people, started reading it and finished it before me.  He knows my tastes better than I do, and when he had finished the book......
• I'm at Love Romance Passion Today - Last Stop On the Tour. Today I'm at Love Romance Passion -- again.  This time I'm discussing fantasy in real terms.  I was there first and now I'm there last.  This is the last stop on the double book tour for Mia's Return and Sera's Gift, and we're kicking our heels back and the chat......
• Please welcome Teal Ceagh, Guest Blogger & Author of Destiny’s Trinities I – Beth’s Acceptance Today we have two guest bloggers, so it's going to be a busy day. In a few hours, Julia Templeton will be swinging by, but for now, please help me welcome Teal Ceagh, an erotic urban fantasy author who is new to Ellora's Cave, and is launching her first......

Related Websites

• What kind of cousin steals your Ex-Girlfriend when u finally want to go back out with her? It all started when me and my cousin were working in a town far from where my ex lived. I was texting her on my cell phone and everything was cool, then my cousin showed up. He is skinnier than me, has colored eyes, and has no acne. What girl......
• Respect vs. Fear R eally E xpressing S o P eople E ngage C ommunication T ies ~ DonJuan Writer Respect is an emotionally charged topic, and who hasn’t experienced some negativity in the name of "respect"? If it’s an inherent good as we conventionally know it, then why would we experience any......
• Review: Sinjin by Julia Templeton Looking to add some spice to your Regency romances? Try Sinjin by Julia Templeton! This erotica novel focuses on the main romance but you’ll also get to experience some other sexy scenes featuring the hero’s brothers and their current paramours. There’s a lot of sex some of which features......
• ( Joke ) Next morning after the Christmas office party John wakes up with a serious Hangover.? He sits at the kitchen table with his head in his hands unable to recall much about the events of the night. He did have a terrible feeling that he messed up somewhere. His wife put some strong coffee in front of him. "Louise," he moaned, "tell me what happened......
• One of the Most Romantic Things a Guy Can Do. . . by Tina Donahue, guest blogger and author of Deep Dark Delicious. Ever wonder what draws you to a man or to a hero in a book? Is it the intensity with which he regards the heroine? His struggles to have her for his own? Heroic moments when he saves......