Sultry Summer Nights ~ Day Three

Today's the final day of our Sultry Summer Nights celebration. We hope you've been enjoying these glimpses into Nine Nights in New Orleans--nine short stories inspired by New Orleans--and the pictures we've each chosen to go with them.

Our winners from yesterday are Connie Caputo-Thomas and Shawn Herpy Metzler. Congratulations to you both! 

Just a reminder, there's still time to win! Comment below or comment on like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/the9NN for a chance to win! Or why not all three?

But even if you don't win, don't worry! You can still read these nine steamy stories by picking up a copy at either Amazon or All Romance ebooks

No Last Calls by Kinsey Holley

Eric Balfour is one of those guys who can look hot in some pictures, awful in others. He has an adorable personality, however, and I love him on Haven, and I had him in my head when I wrote NLC.

 “Hang on. I gotta go see what those dumbasses are doing now. Fuck hell!” he called down the bar as he walked away. “Are y’all new here or what?”

She smiled as Ethan yelled at his two employees. He didn’t sound completely serious, and he was seriously cute. She liked tall guys. He was long and lean, with muscles, but not too many.

Naturally she’d just spent the past three years of her life with a guy who expended many of his scant off-hours at the gym. Ryan was proud and fond of his pecs and biceps; he was in good shape because he worked out all the time and ate very carefully, but he didn’t exactly have an active lifestyle. Office, gym, a bar a couple times a month. That was it.

Ethan looked like he probably did a lot of physical labor.

The first two buttons of his white button-down shirt were open. As he moved, she glimpsed the edges of a tattoo.

Ryan had a tattoo on his butt. Which totally which didn’t count.

Ethan picked that moment to change out a CO2 tank beneath the beer taps. She enjoyed watching his biceps as they flexed and contracted. They weren’t bulky, not muscle-magazine-cover size. Just firm and smooth and fun to look at. He was fun to look at.

Hello, libido. Where the hell have you been?

 okssi68 / 123RF Stock Photo

No One Drinks Alone by Kelly Jamieson

Bourbon Street in New Orleans – the perfect place for a fun little flirtation with a sexy stranger. When Kady gets separated from her girlfriends in the crowd, Cam is there to help out. Together they explore magick, exotic dancing and bourbon, eventually ending up in an elegant hotel room. Sex with a stranger...forbidden, risky and oh so hot...does Kady really want to do this?

  
 “This is a cool place,” he said, picking up a small red pouch. He read the label. “‘A powerful magickal talisman for drawing love to you.’”
     Kady smirked. “Looking for love, are you?”
     He met her eyes. “Maybe.”
     She shivered.
     The young man behind the counter spoke up. “That’s a very potent combination of ingredients,” he said seriously. “Excellent for seduction.”
     More heat centered low in Kady’s body and she pressed her lips together and glanced at the thin, sandy-haired kid.
     “Gris Gris bags must always have an odd number of items,” he continued. “The bag comes with an even number and you add your own personal item. You also get a bottle of love potion to dress the charm.”
     “What kind of personal item?” Cam asked.
     The guy shrugged a narrow shoulder. “A hair, nail clipping, a photo.”
     Cam nodded and although his mouth was set in a solemn line, Kady hid a smile at the laughter lurking in his eyes. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bunch of bills, peeling off a couple to pay for the Gris Gris.
     “Give me one of your hairs,” Cam said, once they were standing outside the shop.
     “No way!”
     Smiling, he moved closer to her, close enough that she could smell his aftershave, something clean and faintly citrusy. “Do you believe in magick?” he murmured.
     She licked her bottom lip. Maybe. “No.”

 Sax On a Stick by Kate Davies 

Breaux ran a few scales on his alto, tossing in some arpeggios and a triplet or two. Starting soft and growing loud, then heading the other direction, he made that baby growl and moan as he worked through his warm up. Out of the corner of his eye he saw The Businessman shift in his chair, angling his body so he had a better view.

Yeah, he was watching.

Breaux smiled around his mouthpiece. If the man wanted to watch, he was damn well going to put on a show.