Thursday, March 17, 2011

Release of Anything You Want-- and a Giveaway!

That might be the most boring blog post title ever but... it's descriptive :)

Anything You Want was released on Tuesday (March 15th). This is my fifth book and I've come to the conclusion that release days are never boring! It's like your birthday-- people saying nice things about you, having little parties for you, giving you "gifts" (trust me-- compliments and nice reviews about my work are considered gifts!). There's virtual confetti all over my keyboard and I'm smiling all day!

I'm glad to have this book out for another reason-- it's a relief! This book gave me some fits, I'll tell you. In fact, for awhile I referred to it as "this f*&%-ing book". The main reason was that it's got a love triangle in it. But it wasn't supposed to. It didn't start out that way. But... well... it happened anyway. And now in retrospect it makes sense. This is the way the story was supposed to go. And, okay, it was kind of fun getting there once I realized why it was giving me trouble!

So, here's a little peek for you... and a giveaway!




Suppose the solution to all your problems is the one thing you never wanted…


It figures the one time Sabrina Cassidy is determined to do the responsible thing, karma kicks in. After four years on the road chasing her musical dream, she’s stranded six hours from home with no money, a ruined credit history—and morning sickness.

Out of options, she swallows her legendary independent streak and calls the only person who won’t hang up on her. Luke, the man she left behind.

Marc Sterling’s first instinct is to protect his business partner and best friend from another broken heart. That means letting her think she’s talking to Luke, then finding a way to send her in the opposite direction.

When he shows up at her hotel room, there’s something in the air beside their customary insults. Sure, her rebellious attitude, smart mouth—and purple panties—still drive him crazy, but now it’s a different kind of crazy. The kind that has him driving her home instead of to the nearest airport.

And when Luke offers to solve all her problems if she’ll only say “I do”, Marc realizes he’s just crazy enough—about her—to forget whose heart he wanted to protect.

Warning: Contains two people who don’t like each other very much, a Toyota that can’t quite handle the road trip home, and a spontaneous proposal. Or two. Or three. And foreplay with—what else—pie filling.

Excerpt:

“How about a Long Slow One?”

Sabrina snapped out of her thoughts as someone ordered a final drink before they closed. It was one of her own concoctions. She was having fun with that at least. She shoved the letter under the edge of the blender and reached for a glass.

“A Long Slow One?” The deep voice tumbled down her spine like a staircase, goose bumps rippling out and down her limbs. Marc had come behind the bar when she wasn’t looking.

“Want one?” she asked, turning to face him.

She loved—loved, loved, loved—the sexual innuendos and teasing between them. It seemed constant. There was a current between them whenever they were in close proximity and neither of them shied away from it.

Which was stupid, but apparently unavoidable.

“I’d be crazy to say no to that wouldn’t I?”

He gave her the grin that always made her think Take me now.

“Definitely,” she said with a smile. “But you should know that the Hard and Fast is another option.”

“Now we’re talking’.” He moved in as if to simply pass behind her but his chest brushed her upper back and his hand slid across her hip and right butt cheek as he did. “What’s in it?”

“The most important ingredient is cinnamon schnapps.”

The next millisecond she realized what she’d admitted. Marc chewed cinnamon gum. All the time. His kisses were always cinnamon flavored and yes, that had come to mind as she invented the drink. And its name.

“I love cinnamon,” he said gruffly. “The Hard and Fast sounds good to me.”

She turned to face him, wanting to see his eyes as she said, “I personally like it better than the Long Slow One.”

“Should I say that doesn’t surprise me or act like I haven’t thought about how you like…your drinks?”

Breathing. That was what she was forgetting.

She sucked in a long breath. “I’m not sure what you should say.”

“Doesn’t matter what I say,” he said, his voice low. “I still wonder about it.”

“Now you know.”

“I won’t forget, either.”

God, what was she doing? She wasn’t even flirting with the man who’d proposed, but she was basically telling his best friend exactly how she’d like him to take her.

The urge to kiss him was nearly overpowering. “You have to stop.”

“Stop what?”

“Being so…all of this.”

“Sexy?” he suggested with a grin. “Hot? Hard to resist?”

She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t stop her smile. “Yes. All of it.”

“You think I’m hard to resist?” He sounded surprised.

“Isn’t that obvious?”

His smile changed from cocky to something much warmer. Her entire body felt it.

“It’s really, really fun, isn’t it?” he asked.

It really, really was. But she couldn’t shake the weirdness of it. This was Marc after all. Marc who had come to Wyoming to keep her away from Luke…

And that was what was bugging her.

“You’re very attentive for a guy who doesn’t like me much.”

“Until a couple of weeks ago, I didn’t like you at all.”

“Thanks for clarifying. And for making my point.”

“You’re wondering why I’m suddenly so…”

“Attentive is the word I’m most comfortable with.”

He chuckled. “Okay, you’re wondering why I’m suddenly so attentive.”

She wasn’t sure she wanted the answer to her next question. “Because you don’t want me with Luke?”

He crossed his arms and leaned his hip against the back counter. “I don’t want you with Luke.”

“Are you trying to make him look bad?” She regretted it as soon as she’d said it.

He looked very interested in that. “What does that mean?”

She shook her head. “Never mind. Forget it.”

She started to move past him, but he caught her arm and pulled her around to face him.

“I’m making him look bad?”

“You’re not trying?”

“Dammit, Sabrina.” He hadn’t let go of her yet and he pulled her closer. He sounded intent rather than annoyed. “Tell me how I’m making him look bad.”

“You’re making me want you more than I want him.”

He looked pleased and turned-on in equal parts. Then he frowned. “You want him?”

“I’d be stupid not to.”

Something flared in Marc’s eyes. Jealousy? Possessiveness? That was wishful thinking. She shook it off.

He stroked his hand up and down her arm, watching the movement. Then he looked into her eyes.
“Has he asked you again?”

“To marry him?”

Marc clenched his jaw before saying tightly, “Yeah.”

“No. He’s just been sweet. And attentive. He’s always bringing me stuff—flowers and muffins and
tea—and asking how I am. He bought me a rocking chair.”

Marc rolled his eyes. “Of course he did.”

“What do you mean?”

“He doesn’t get it.”

“Get what?”

“What he should be doing to win you over.”

“What should he be doing?” She was very interested in Marc’s opinion on this.

He moved in a little closer. “He should be telling you that you are the sexiest thing he’s ever seen. That he passes by as close to you as possible whenever he can just to smell your hair. That when you laugh it makes him want to French kiss you up against the wall. He should buy you something you’d really appreciate—like cinnamon massage lotion. That he could lick off, slowly and thoroughly, after rubbing it all over your body.”

She swallowed hard. “I don’t think you’re supposed to eat lotion.”

“Edible massage lotion is made to be eaten.”

At the word eaten she had to press her inner thighs together. Damn.

He gave her a lazy, sexy smile and continued to hold her arm, but his eyes went to something over her shoulder.

She glanced back and saw Luke heading for them from across the room.

Luke. The guy who’d given her the rocking chair. The rocking chair she was going to use for the baby. Should pregnant women really be getting edible massages anyway?

“Maybe the best way to keep you away from him is to marry you myself,” Marc muttered.

She swung to face him, shock vibrating through her bones. Uh, oh. That shouldn’t be so scary. Or tempting. It should be funny. Because the idea of Marc proposing to her was ridiculous.

“Yeah, right.” She tried, really tried, to sound flippant.

“Why not?” He was studying her. “What does he have that I don’t? I have my own business—the same one, incidentally. I live in a great little town—the same one, incidentally. I have a wonderful family who loves you—the same one, incidentally.” He shrugged. “Seems like the only thing that makes me different from Luke is that you want me.”

She closed her eyes and shook her head. This was beyond ridiculous. This was…torture.

“People have affairs all the time,” she said.

“You’d rather have an affair with me after you marry Luke?”

Her eyes flew open. She couldn’t believe how wound up she felt. Like she’d taken a shot of caffeine straight to her heart. “I meant marrying you doesn’t ensure I’ll leave Luke alone.”

Marc moved in, filling the space around her completely. She couldn’t look away from his dark green eyes, hot and swirling with emotion. “I promise you that if you were in my bed every night, there’s absolutely no way you would want to—or have the energy to—mess around with anyone else.”

Oh, God, she believed him.

She swallowed, closed her eyes to tear her from his gaze, took a deep breath. “It would kill Luke if we were together.”

She felt Marc’s hand fall away from her. She opened her eyes and saw the pained look on his face.

“Yeah, I know,” he said quietly.

Buy it here!

Giveaway! Just leave a comment: how you feel about love triangles, a question for me or about the book, your favorite kind of pie... whatever! All comments will be entered into a drawing for a copy of the book! I'll draw on Saturday morning!

Erin


16 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow! This book sounds great! I'm not a huge fan of love triangles, but when well written, they kind of work for me. My favorite love triangle was the Robin/Jules/Adam triangle in Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters books.

elaing8 said...

I am really looking forward to reading this.Especially can't wait to read the entire food fight scene.
My favorite pie is strawberry/rhubarb.

Jane said...

Congrats on the new release, Erin. I love key lime pie. I'm not normally a fan of love triangles, but I did enjoy a few books with this trope like Jennifer Haymore's "A Hint of Wicked."

Erin Nicholas said...

Thanks for saying hi everyone! It's funny-- I don't usually like love triangles either because I feel bad for the one who doesn't get the girl/guy-- probably one reason I love Kelly Jamieson and Juniper Bell's stories because they *both* get her! *G* But like I said, this was kind of by accident and it worked... well, I hope so (But I've already had a reader write and ask if the "other guy" gets a book and the answer is yes)
Erin

Sherry said...

I'm usually not a fan of love triangles but I have read a few books that were really good. Chess pie is my favorite.

sstrode@scrtc.com

annalisa said...

Anything You Want sounds awesome! Loved the excerpt. I'm usually not a big fan of love triangles unless everyone involved gets their happy ending. :) Peach pie is my favorite pie.

Erin Nicholas said...

Sherry, hope you'll give the book a try (and let me know if I pulled the triangle off :)). What is Chess pie?? (I must know!)
Annalisa, thanks! If it's any consolation, Luke, the "other guy" gets a book too!
Erin

Di said...

not too fond of love triangles, too much angst & someone is probably going to be left out at the end.
Favorite Pie: Apple (with cinnamon), warm, with a good vanilla ice cream

sallans d at yahoo dot com

PG Forte said...

You know...weird as this sounds, I just don't think of this book as being a love triangle. Hunh. I guess that's cause I guessed all along that Ms. Erin would be giving the "other guy" his own story--which I can't wait to read, btw.

Loved this book! Favorite line from this excerpt: "Should pregnant women really be getting edible massages anyway"

Obviously, the answer is YES!

books4me said...

First off, I am not a pie fan BUT I could suffer through a piece of chocolate pecan pie (YUMMY!!)! Love triangles are sad and I always hope for all three to find love so no one gets hurt. Your writing makes me want to read more!

*yadkny* said...

Congrats on the release, Erin! You had my attention with that Warning alone:) Got it on my wishlist!

I actually really like reading books with love triangles. There are quite a few really good ones out there and a ton more I have yet to discover. I just don't like leaving anyone out, so in my head we all live happily-ever-after together and no one gets hurt:) The tension in the story is great build-up for the explosive erotic scenes that are sure to happen.

Favorite Pie: Apple Crisp with lots of whipped cream:)

BTW - Love the cover!

yadkny@hotmail.com

booklover0226 said...

This is a must have for me, Erin.

About love triangles... If all 3 are happy at the end, then I'm happy, too! LOL

Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 at gmail dot com

Daun Ann said...

Oh my, I need to read this to see how it ends. I don't have a problem with triangles, if it is written right. I can't wait to win this book. ;-)

Anonymous said...

I love all of the excerpts I have read so far. I enjoy stories where the couple starts out as adversaries and slowly develop feelings for each other. I like the bickering and snarky back and forth between them. I do enjoy a good love triangle too. It adds suspense to the story. As for my favorite pie: I like blueberry and coconut cream pies.

user1123 AT comcast DOT net

Harlie Williams said...

I actually like love triangles. Brings a different kind of tension to the story. Great excerpt and my favorite pie is apple.

maw1725@gmail.com

Fedora said...

Triangles are tricky, Erin! I always feel like someone loses out, so that can be hard. On the other hand, I like them when it's kind of clear that one person's a better fit than the other, and I LOVE it when the "loser" gets his/her own story next :D