I absolutely LOVE The Stewart Realty series by Liz Crowe! The stories are HOT and riveting, they will suck you right in! I warn you, this is an addictive series!!!
Flirty and Dirty Book Blog is thrilled to spotlight the Stewart Realty series by the fab Ms. Liz Crowe today! Kick back and relax. Get acquainted with Jack Gordon and the rest of the cast of this amazing series. Take a look at the HOT excerpts from each book. *scortching HOT* 
BUT… a word of warning, Jack Gordon is all mine Make sure to enter the Rafflecopter for a chance to win one of two sets of the first three books in the series! Enjoy:-)
Floor Time
Jack Gordon is Ann Arbor’s most delectable bachelor. At age thirty-five, he’s made millions as a top-selling Ann Arbor real estate broker and has the right connections to close a deal by any means necessary. With his rugged good looks and compelling personality, he has a virtual black book most men would kill for and he uses it often, never settling for one woman for very long.
While his D/s past remains buried, exactly where he wants it, an undercurrent of boredom and dissatisfaction runs through his life now. A disastrous experience years earlier made him swear off the whole scene, but the more Jack suppresses his natural Dom, the more his frustration grows.
Sara Thornton, a rookie in the real estate game, has fast-tracked herself to the top of the Ann Arbor market. Her life reflects a disciplined and focused routine, exactly the way she wants it. However, as her career takes off, the fulfillment she seeks remains inexplicably out of reach. The one thing she knows for sure, she will not join the Jack Gordon groupies in her company, no matter how tempting that might seem.
A chance encounter, then a difficult transaction, throw Jack and Sara together and the sparks fly high and hot and often. Forced to confront the compulsions that gain momentum with each sizzling encounter, their relationship seems to spiral out of control until Jack finally admits what he needs, and shows Sara what she’s been missing.
Excerpt
She pep talked herself all the way to the front doors – a wide expanse of glass facing Ann Arbor’s main street. She heard the roar of his engine before she saw the car. Sara rolled her eyes. A Stingray. What else? Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself against the coming onslaught. She had work to do and would not be distracted by this – she couldn’t afford to be. But her body began to betray her; her panties already damp at the thought of him in her personal space. It was a familiar feeling. She’d been having wet dreams about him for the better part of a year. She sighed, determined that he’d likely never measure up to her fantasies but realized her hands shook as she reached for the door handle.
Yeah, OK, girl, settle down. This is Jack Gordon, every woman’s dream date. But he’s only here with paperwork.
She shook her head, looked up and there he was – all six foot, four inch, dark hair, blue eyes, sexy white smile, of him. Resisting the sudden compulsion to look away, to not meet his eyes, she smiled back.
“Hey gorgeous,” he began as he always did on the phone, his voice a low growl that matched his car engine’s rumble. “I’ve got something for ya.”
“Ha, I’ll just bet you do,” she threw back. Lame, she thought as she took in the sight of him in his dark blue suit trousers, striped dress shirt with French cuffs emphasizing what had to be an incredible torso, arms and chest. Jack boasted a classic male shape – wide shoulders tapering to a slim waist and long legs – and he wore a suit better than anyone Sara had ever seen. His red and yellow tie, which stopped just short of being loud, flung over his shoulder from the ride. He smelled great too, some combination of spice, cigar and leather.
Damn. I’m screwed.
“No, really. My asshole seller agrees to your asshole buyer’s requests post inspection; I’ve got it all signed up here. Now all we lack is a good appraisal, and we are golden my lovely!”
“You call all the girl agents that, I’m sure.” She sighed and reached for the paper he held out, grazing his hand in the process.
His skin was warm. No, not warm, hot, as if he’d been near a fire. She shivered unable to help it. The tingling in her scalp crawled down her spine and settled nicely between her legs.
She drew back. He moved forward to fill the empty space between them. Their silhouettes darkened the entry foyer. He remained shy of touching her – keeping just out of reach.
“You know, I was looking for an excuse to see you in person,” he began. “I’m really gonna miss our little evening chats once this deal is done.”
“Yeah, well, you know where I live.” Sara waved in the general direction of the office as her breath caught in her throat. “I, um, gotta do some, you know, busy work tonight so. . . “
Don’t go…don’t go… don’t go…. Sara tried not to let her face betray her inner begging.
“So do I really – but I just can’t help thinking that we could come up with something a bit, I don’t know. . . more fun to do together,” his voice tempted
“Um, yeah, I guess we could go out if you want, but I’m not really dressed for it.” Sara’s brain fogged over. Was he asking her out on date? Before she could respond, react or even move, his lips covered hers.
Her mind immediately grasped the fact that the entire downtown of Ann Arbor could see them sucking face in the vestibule of her office. Her manager would really not be pleased.
Oh dear Lord.
As he became more insistent, Sara responded, her psyche screaming with happy release. His lips were softer than she would have thought, but became increasingly more demanding that she share and open her mouth to him. She gave in, parted her lips, and placed her hands on his firm chest with her last bit of resistance swirling down the drain.
He licked her lips, nipped at her bottom one, and then swept inside, possessing her with his tongue. She gave way, fully aware that this guy, wanted by so many, held her, right there, and had reached under her hair to tug her closer. Sara had not fully acknowledged her level of own horniness until that moment – when the man who represented everything so wrong for her prepared to blow apart her world with the touch of his hands and mouth.
Jack had kept his body slightly separate from hers during their initial contact, as if he might be gauging how she would respond before committing himself. Once she opened her lips and took his tongue into her mouth, he moved closer, grasped the back of her head with one hand, his fingers twisting and threading through her hair.
Any hesitation he’d shown disappeared completely as he moved his mouth off hers. His other hand traveled the length of her back and reached up again to cup her head. He flitted over her ass, teased, seemingly determined to draw it out until she asked for more. Her traitorous arms wrapped around his neck, as she rose up on her tiptoes.
Oh my God don’t do this Sara. Just. Don’t.
But the compulsion that had built over the past year commanded her, and she molded her body to his as if it were the most natural thing in the world. A loud knock on the glass made her jump away and run her hand through her hair as the college kid on the other side laughed and mimed a blowjob, until his buddies drew him away.
She glanced up at Jack, saw that his skin flush with anger or passion, she wasn’t sure. He smirked as he watched the guys’ retreat into the soft Michigan summer night then turned to face her. His face remained inscrutable, but when he turned that sapphire gaze back to her, she had to reach back and grab the wall or risk doing something truly alarming, like fling herself at him.
Where in the hell had that come from?
She shook her head, took a step back. Before she could speak, he was in her space again, running a finger down her face, Gentle, but without a doubt, in complete control.
“Sorry Sara, I just couldn’t help myself.” His rough voice made her skin pebble. “Let’s lock up here; you grab your stuff. We’ll go somewhere for a drink.”
He followed her inside the second set of doors, close enough so she could smell him – a new combination of soapy manliness, expensive cologne and lust. Her chest constricted. She had no business there with him reacting like that. Danger signals flashed in her vision. He reached up and flipped off the lights as she rounded the corner of the front desk on her way back to her office. She turned around to tell him not to bother with them; they kept that set on, and ran straight into his neck. He pulled her to him and muttered into her ear as she struggled to disentangle herself.
“Shh…wait. It’s okay. I’ve got you.” His hands moved from her head, to her neck, down her back and cupped her ass. She reached up to grasp his head and force his mouth back down to hers, making a near animal sound in her throat as their tongues collided. She twined her hands in his hair, felt her nipples harden, begging for his his touch. Primal need rose in her, nearly painful, making her squirm and clutch him tighter.
Paperback and EBook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/floor-time-liz-crowe/1109160575?ean=9780956966971
Flirty and Dirty Book Blog’s Review of Floor Time: http://www.flirtyanddirtybookblog.com/new-review-floor-time-stewart-realty-1-by-liz-crowe/
Sweat Equity
Jack Gordon thought he’d finally made it. He had a wildly successful career, money in the bank and even returned to his life as Dom, putting an end to a string of unfulfilling sexual encounters. Now that he’s made the ultimate commitment to Sara Thornton, he believes all is right in their world. However, a series of misunderstandings and a dose of self-fulfilling prophesy bring his perfectly crafted house of cards tumbling down around him, forcing him to confront lingering misgivings about marriage and trust. Could those be the only two things he can never achieve?
Sara struggles with her intense need for Jack and her desire for less volatility in her busy life, two goals which appear to be mutually exclusive. Although willing to put in the time and emotional effort to make their relationship work, she finds it futile and frustrating, littered with clashes thanks to near-identical personalities and temperaments. Given Sara’s history, easing back into the comfortable status quo becomes easier than fighting a war with the one person who should be her safe haven. But will the easier choice satisfy her the way only Jack can? Is her “war” one that comes from without or within?
Buffeted by circumstance, temptation and distraction, Jack and Sara’s tenuous relationship crumbles, sparking a continuous quest for the ever elusive: trust, love and acceptance. By the time they rebuild a foundation for renewal, fate has other plans. This leaves them both reeling, once again questioning their destiny.
Excerpt:
She winced, reliving the scene she had just made in front of people whose respect she craved. They already worshiped him as some sort of god of the boudoir and she had managed to confirm that, acting like a jealous teenager, or one of his deranged, jilted lovers–not the calm, cynical ex-fiancé persona she tried like hell to adopt. She took another scoop of the cool water, splashed it on her chest and neck, and closed her eyes. Forcing herself to calm her breathing, she wondered how in the hell she could sneak away from this debacle.
She looked up in the mirror and there was Jack, right over her shoulder. She yelped, and turned around, backed up into the edge of the vanity.
He stared at her hard and didn’t speak for a minute. Then he looked down and shook his head, hands on his hips. She waited for a split second, and then attempted to move past him.
“Excuse me,” she mumbled.
He grabbed her, and spun her around to face him, his lips just above hers. He took a deep breath. The agony of having him so near, again, made her want to weep with regret. When he leaned in close, she sucked in a breath.
“We were about to win, Sara,” he ground out between his clenched teeth. She stared into the dark sapphire depths of his eyes. They reflected something Sara knew she’d find in her own. Without another word, he covered her mouth with his, seeking her, seeming to need more of her than she had ever given him.
She pushed back on his chest. The slight damp of his t-shirt under her hands made Sara want to rip it from him. But she let her brain lead.
“No, Jack, not this time.” She made her way towards the closed bathroom door. He allowed her to reach it and take a single step into the hall before he pulled her back, and carried her unceremoniously into the adjoining bedroom. She started to protest, but his lips covered hers, cutting off noise and logic. The proximity and familiarity of his body so perfect she almost cried with the effort of not begging him to come back, to ruin her life all over again.
She gave in, her hands buried in his hair as she pulled his lips harder onto hers. He slammed the door shut with his foot behind them more or less in the faces of Val and Jennifer who had just made it to the top of the steps.
Without ceremony, he flung her onto the bed, climbed up between her legs, shoving her tank top up and snapping the front of her casual bra easily between his fingers, never missing a beat. He took one nipple in his mouth, then the other, tugging, sucking, pulling at them until she arched up, barely able to contain her need to have him near her, inside her, all over her.
His lips moved up to her neck and he bit down. She gasped, surprised, at her body’s reaction. She wrapped both legs around his waist, begging for more of him. Of their own accord, her hands reached for him–his hair, his neck, his shoulders, his back, his ass, unable to get enough.
His lips reached hers again, and he resumed his urgent kiss, seeming to want to possess her completely. She sighed with pleasure at the familiar feel of his lips. He grabbed her wrists and held them down on the bed beside her head.
“Sara,” he asked quietly, “tell me what you want from me.”
She stared at him a minute, unable to translate the look he was giving her. His eyes were dark with desire, his teeth clenched as though trying to hold something back, wanting her to say something, something that would satisfy him.
“I want you Jack,” she hissed at him. “All of you,” she said as she wrenched her arms free to pull him closer. “Now,” she demanded, meeting his deep blue gaze.
“Then why the fuck did you throw that ring back at me,” he demanded.
She turned her face away.
“Because, we just, we can’t. We’ll kill each other. It won’t work,” she insisted. “This is all we know how to do. Neither of us can handle anything more.” The tear that leaked from one eye belied her brave words. She would give anything to take back that moment, to let him explain the condoms, but she couldn’t. He would hurt her eventually. She knew it.
Don’t live our mother’s life. He will only hurt you. He’ll never change. She tried to close her mind to the words, but they spilled through her like water over a cliff, uncontrollable and wild.
Paperback and EBook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweat-equity-liz-crowe/1109252978?ean=9780956966995
Flirty and Dirty Book Blog’s review of Sweat Equity: http://www.flirtyanddirtybookblog.com/new-review-sweat-equity-stewart-realty-2-by-liz-crowe/
Closing Costs
Love conquers all? Not likely, according to Sara Thornton. She’s spent eight years coming to terms with the new parameters of her life while resigning herself to the idea that “happily ever afters” are best left to fairytales. Sales manager for her successful real estate office and juggling an added element of responsibility she never thought she’d face, Sara continues to struggle with the men in her life. Love, for her, has only meant hurt, broken trust and anger; all of which she’s completely banished from her life, so she claims.
Jack Gordon has come a long way since his early days of obsession with Sara. As the general manager of Stewart Realty, his own level of responsibility for the well-being of others has ramped up. He’s even honed his caretaking skills, now that he has someone who loves him unconditionally.
Continuing to invest effort and rebuild their relationship, he and Sara grow close as friends. Despite this, his ultimate question remains unanswered; the one he keeps asking, no matter how many times she says no. Sara isn’t prepared for the keen focus of his need–to have her back, once and for all. Her stubborn resistance nearly rips both lives apart
The epic conclusion to The Realtors series, Closing Costs brings Jack and Sara truly full circle. Proving that the heat of lust and obsession; the need for control and to be mastered in many areas of life can lead to love —surprising you when you least expect it – if you will only allow it.
Excerpt:
By midnight, the crowd had dispersed but for Jack, Blake and Rob. Sara sat, feet tucked up under her as Blake held the sleeping toddler. Jack sat next to her. When he’d put a hand on her leg at one point for emphasis, a quick thrill of desire shot through her. How the hell did he do that?
She leaned away, catching Blake’s eye. He winked. She frowned.
“Okay, I’m done.” Rob stood and stretched. “Gordon, behave yourself.” Jack stood and shook his hand. Sara watched them, a sudden compelling need to make them stay rushed through her, but she sat, accepted Blake’s and Rob’s kisses, and watched Jack show them to the door. He returned, a fresh glass of wine in hand.
“So,” Sara refused to look at him as he spoke. Finally alone with him, the last two years of sleep-deprived chaos, and a distinct lack of male company, was making her a little dizzy. “I have a proposal for you.”
She kept silent but the “yes” was on her lips, if he would only ask.
“Sara,” he began, sitting in one of the large leather chairs opposite her, contemplating his wine glass. “Would you do me the honor of…”
She looked at him, but his gaze remained flat, non-committal. “What? Spit it out already.”
“…Of taking on the management role at the downtown Stewart Realty Office.”
“Uh, what?”
“You know I haven’t been able to replace whatshername. The place has been in total chaos for nearly a year now.”
Sara sipped and watched him, willing herself to stay seated.
“Not what I was expecting.”
Jack raised an eyebrow, which sent a chill down Sara’s spine. Had she truly lost him? Whose fault is that Sara? You pushed him away. Insisted on your independence. Get a grip. She unfolded her legs from underneath her and propped them on the glass-topped coffee table.
He kept his gaze trained on her as he spoke. “I got your message finally. You should be proud.”
“I’m not.” She tried not to pout too obviously.
“So, about that proposal…”
Sara patted the couch next to her. “Come back over here. I think better when you’re closer.”
He sank onto the couch, draping an arm around her. She snuggled in close, forcing out all the guilt over how her need to do this thing as a mom “on her own” had affected so many lives. “Okay, I’m here. Well?” She closed her eyes when she felt his lips touch her hair.
She put a hand on his thigh, relishing the familiar musculature beneath his jeans. He shifted a little. “Listen, Sara, I don’t know where your head is right now but…whoa…” Sara heaved herself up onto his lap, straddling him, her face inches from his. She bit back tears. Jack clutched her hips but didn’t speak. “Okay if you insist.” He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her in for kiss that started slow, easy, intimate, before turning into something much more as she pressed down against his hardening zipper. The room dimmed around her. A bright nugget of need blossomed in her core, making her gasp as Jack started getting serious with his kiss.
She threaded her hands in his hair, sucked in huge breaths of him, ran her tongue across the rough rasp of his jaw, down his neck. “God, Jack, I miss you.”
“Don’t ruin this by talking,” he growled in her ear, yanking up her t-shirt and flipping open her bra in one motion. He cupped a breast, holding it reverently almost, before lowering his lips to her nipple. The second he touched her, started lapping around the stiffened peak, she groaned and felt moisture flood her panties.
“Oh my God, I think I just came.” He laughed into her flesh and gripped her ass with his other hand. The sensation of his erection against her brought fresh moans to her lips. “Do it again,” she whispered.
“Sure you want to go here, Sara?” His eyes were like a midnight sky just as she remembered. “Because I’m not inclined to fuck and run,” he groaned as she reached down to unzip him, fisting his hard flesh. “A fuck would be nice…Jesus!” He flipped them around so fast Sara squealed, putting a hand over her mouth as he dove back down to her nipples, caressing,cking, licking, making her back arch, her entire body throb with need. She sensed his cock, near her, the pulse of their years’ long connection swirling around them, making her head spin as he kissed her and kissed her.
“I need this. So much,” she muttered into his lips. He started to pull away but she gripped his face. “I need you, Jack. Please. I…”
“Say it,” he growled, jaw clenching. She shifted her hips, tilted them so she could feel his flesh against hers. Tears stung the back of her eyes as he lifted up and away from her, his hand on the amazing shaft that she wanted inside her. She reached up and yanked him back down, her lips near his ear.
“I’m sorry. I miss you. I need you.” He groaned and pressed into her, penetrating her in one long, smooth stroke. “God!” she cried out, wrapped her legs around him, met his every thrust, needing to feel every inch of his body against her, inside her.
“Sara,” he whispered; his exhalations against her lips. “Look at me.” She stared at him, the hard reality of their inevitable physical connection ramping up, making them both breathless. “I love you.” He closed his eyes, thrust hard, shuddered, and came just as the world exploded behind her eyes. Her body clenched and pulsed with orgasmic energy. They continued moving together a few more minutes. When guilt rushed in to fill the void in her chest she shoved it back, sighed and kissed him, slow and easy. He slipped from her body, and sat, gasping. “Damn. I’ve lost my touch. What was that, five seconds?”
“No, you haven’t.” She stretched and put her feet on his thigh.
“Mommy?” Jack stood, yanking up his jeans and tossing a blanket over Sara’s nude form. She jumped up, keeping it wrapped around her. The girl stood, ratty stuffed animal clutched in one hand, tears in her eyes, “Bad dweam.” Then she started wailing in earnest. Sara scooped her up, making soothing noises, got her a glass of water and tucked her back in, ignoring the girl’s cries for “Bwake,” reminding her that Uncle Blake had gone home to his house. She sighed and tugged on a pair of old jeans and a t-shirt. Regret heavy in her. She should not have done that. She and Jack had no business rekindling anything.
“Hey,” He stood in the door, redressed, looking so devastatingly perfect she nearly cried. “Everything okay?” He eyed the sleeping girl as if staring at circus sideshow. Anger zinged through her. It was almost a relief – gave her an excuse.
“Yeah. Let’s go back out.” He followed her. A strange new awkwardness between them made her gut roll. “Look, Jack, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…” She ran a hand through her hair, grabbed some water.
Paperback and EBook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/closing-costs-liz-crowe/1109862962?ean=9780956966919
Flirty and Dirty Book Blog’s review of Closing Costs: http://www.flirtyanddirtybookblog.com/new-reviewclosing-costs-stewart-realty-3-by-liz-crow/
Essence of Time
For years, Rob Frietag has resisted anything resembling a true emotional connection, preferring instead to explore life, and his own desires, without committing to anyone for very long. The reason remains known only to a few, among them Jack Gordon, his college cohort in female conquests, and life-long friend. At thirty-seven, while he is close to achieving his career goal, head chef at a five-star restaurant in Chicago, he is still very much alone.
After an intensely emotional relationship with Suzanne Baxter in Ann Arbor, Blake’s heart is left shattered. Completely broken by what he believes was his one true love, he arrives at a Chicago food and beer festival, prepared to drink his sorrow away. When the two men meet, their lives change forever. But time is of the essence. When Rob acknowledges his true feelings, he will stop at nothing to keep them together, including finding a surrogate mother for the child Blake so desperately wants.
Lila Warren is recovering from a nasty divorce, needs cash and believes carrying their baby will fulfill her in ways marriage never did. None of them could suspect that the connection they share would provide the final emotional key to their life-long puzzle.
When Rob’s secret is revealed, time becomes the one luxury they don’t have, setting in motion a chain of events that destroys the fragile illusion of happiness for them, and everyone who loves them.
Excerpt:
Sara had made it clear that the two men loved each other and had no need for a third, but they wanted something she could provide. Now that she’d gotten a look at them she wanted it even more, but her heart sped up a little too fast when considering a simple business deal. Lila sensed how first Blake, then Rob, had reacted to her. It could be something more, something complicated. And complication was the one thing she could do without. She parked, climbed out of her car, determined to walk away from this whole thing. But, one quick glance at the gleaming black truck and the two extraordinarily good-looking – okay, she admitted to herself—smoking-hot men emerging from it, and Lila knew for the first time in her life how it felt to have truly wobbly knees.
They walked toward her, little girls between them, all hand-in-hand and cozy. Could this be the answer? Or would it only lead to more questions? She sucked in a breath as Sara put an arm around her shoulders, startling her. “Okay sister. You sure you want to go this route with these boys?”
Lila was still dumbstruck by the sight of the men, together. Her brain spun with erotic visions, so vivid she had to look away from them to dispel the tangle of arms, legs, lips and hands that tumbled through her brain. “I’m, um, not sure.” She managed to croak out to her friend.
“Well, don’t jump into it because they want it. Be sure about it first.”
Lila nodded, face flushed with anticipation and embarrassment as she followed behind the foursome of the two men and little girls. Wondering, not for the last time, which one of them was better looking.
Rob did his best during their lunch to put everyone at ease, but Lila kept stealing glances at Blake, wondering why he seemed so damn tense. They all had beer with their lunch, and the little girls sat at their own table nearby, acting grown up. The longer they sat and chatted about everything but the reason they were here together, the more tension Lila got from Sara’s brother.
At one point Blake shoved back from the table, startling everyone. Rob looked up into his lover’s eyes, placing a hand on his arm. “You okay?” Lila watched a brief give and take between them in a glance as a thrill went down her spine. Rob’s natural, soothing presence complemented the other man’s intensity well. She had to pick up her glass and take a sip to cover the blush that crept up her face. This was like a weird fantasy somehow. When Sara had first mentioned the whole scenario, Lila had surprised herself by jumping with eager questions, and it wasn’t just about the money they would pay.
She yearned to be needed. Madison was an independent soul, loved her no doubt, but Lila ached to carry and hold a baby. Of course, the attorney Sara had found to represent her interests in the whole thing kept reminding her she would have nothing really, once the child was born, other than an extra thirty thousand dollars in her bank account. Money she sorely needed.
Blake nodded, but walked away presumably to the restrooms. Lila patted her lips with the napkin and stood. The urge to comfort the man overwhelmed her somehow. Rob smiled his approval as she walked by but she kept her eyes on the retreating back of the shorter, more boyish-looking man. Her heart pounded as she narrowed the distance between them. He turned at the last minute, his hand on the men’s room door, as if he knew she’d been following him. His jaw clenched; his deep green eyes ablaze with frustration. She stepped back, suddenly unsure.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered, starting to shoulder his way in to the bathroom. With a bravery she never knew she possessed, she grabbed his arm and entered ahead of him, pulling him behind her. Bewilderment replaced the tension across his brow. She flipped on the light, shut the door, and pressed him against it, keeping her hands on the amazing swell of his strong biceps.
“I’m not here to take him from you.” Her lips were close to his and the urge to kiss him nearly made her faint. She kept talking. “I want to help you guys. That’s all. Okay?” Blake looked up at the ceiling. She let him a minute, then tugged his chin down so he faced her again. Her whole body zinged with an erotic energy she had not felt in years.
“What makes you want to do something like this?” His deep, raspy voice asked a simple question, but she didn’t know where to start.
“I was married. To a guy who I let fuck me in the parking lot of the bar where I worked, thinking he would somehow rescue me.” She sucked in a breath, held onto his arms and continued, needing him to know the truth about her. “And he did, for a time. We were happy for about a year. Until he figured out I wasn’t suitable enough to parade around with his wealthy friends. I loved being pregnant. I love my child. But he was an ass.”
She stepped away from him, her breathing harsh in her ears. “I’m one step up from trailer park trash, I suppose. So I don’t blame you if you….”
Blake frowned, swallowed hard, cupped the back of her neck and covered her lips with his. A small noise escaped her throat as he flipped them around so she leaned against the door, shoving his tongue into her mouth as she met him more than halfway.
She plunged her hands into his thick hair, molded her body against his as he kissed her with an intensity she felt all the way to her bones. He broke from her lips, kissed his way down her neck, yanked up her shirt to get at her breasts. She squirmed, feeling a little sweaty but when she realized he didn’t care she let him suck her nipple in to his mouth. “Dear god,” he groaned around her flesh. “You are … perfect.” She smiled up at the ceiling, and then pulled his face up to hers again.
“How soon can we start?” Blake grinned and her heart nearly sailed out of her chest at the sight of his perfect, boyish face, those amazing emerald eyes. He slid his hand down, and she shifted so he had access down her shorts. He caressed her long-neglected flesh with fingers and lips, rubbing the hard nub of her clit then sliding a finger inside her body quickly, capturing her moans of pleasure in his mouth and adding his own even though she had yet to touch more than his face, hair and shoulders. The unmistakable bulge of his desire heated her thigh. “Better stop,” she gasped, still whirling from the orgasm. “Or I’m gonna jump you in here. I thought this was a collaborative thing.”
They emerged a few minutes later, and she ducked into the ladies’ room to splash some water on her face. They’d been gone long enough to make it a bit awkward. She observed herself
a few minutes as water dripped from the ends of her hair that had escaped the ponytail. Get a hold of yourself Lila. This is not love. This is sex. Sex with a goal and a purpose. And a price. But, she sensed a slow slide into an emotional pit, one she’d spend the next few months scrabbling out of, but willing to go there, if it meant quality time with those two men.
Paperback and EBook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/essence-of-time-liz-crowe/1111593343?ean=9780956966933&itm=1&usri=essence+of+time
Flirty and Dirty Book Blog’s review of Essence of Time: http://www.flirtyanddirtybookblog.com/new-reviewessence-of-time-stewart-realty-4/
Conditional Offer
Craig Robinson and Suzanne Baxter had no reason to meet, no real excuse to be friends. But when heart calls to heart…blood to blood…should two people who seem destined to be together heed the spin of Fate’s wheel?
Craig spent years floating through life on cruise control, using directionless jobs, his rock band, swimming, and a string of older women in his bed to smother feelings of loneliness and loss. He finally thought he had found his true love in one Sara Thornton — A sexy, beautiful, fellow real estate agent and mentor. But his self-doubt and innate sense of failure is only reinforced when he realizes her heart belongs to another man.
When Sara introduces him to Suzanne, a woman fighting her own demons from an abusive marriage and subsequent feelings of inadequacy and deep unhappiness, that simple, chance moment snaps Craig’s hazy existence into crystal-clear focus. A bond of instant physical attraction, nurtured by time and shared experience, and plenty of erotic energy, is born.
As Suzanne’s past continues to haunt her, making her push Craig away just as he thinks he’s getting closer, each of them must come to terms with their true selves and face their ultimate realities.
Excerpt:
“No one warned me this job was so fucking hard.” Craig ran a hand through his hair and stared at the database he had built for himself, trying to rally everyone he knew to announce his new status as seller of homes. Although he hadn’t really managed that either, yet. He’d taken calls, responded to emails and shadowed Sara for one day as she drove buyers around. But he’d been too mesmerized by her, too distracted to really pay close attention to techniques with clients. He’d sat in the back with the male half of the buying couple and stared at her, watched the way the tendrils of her hair curled around her jaw, how her lips moved when she spoke and laughed. By the end of that day he’d been a horny mess. When Lindsay had shown up at his place late, he’d availed himself of the opportunity, passing out right after from exertion, not even hearing or caring when she left.
“Craig, there’s a walk-in.” The receptionist said through the phone intercom. He straightened his tie and wandered out to the storefront area of the downtown Stewart Realty office. Sunlight gleamed off the light wood surfaces. Flat screen televisions were tuned to news and sports and the very hot chick at the front desk winked while pointing to a thin woman sitting on the couch, perusing the listings they had scrolling on a tablet computer.
Within ten minutes of talking to her he knew he had a live one, but her smile kept getting wider as she shifted closer to him with every breath. Finally, her carefully manicured hand landed right on his thigh, making him jump. He looked at her – she was fifty if she was a day, nicely preserved, but he had more than he needed on his sexual plate between being infatuated with a woman at work and getting off most every night with the freak show that was Lindsay. He looked up and caught the receptionist’s eye, and gave her a “help me” look. She smiled and picked up the phone.
When Sara appeared at the door, glaring at him a little, he stood, holding out his hand and spouted bullshit about “life and business partner,” and they pretended to be a happily engaged couple for another hour until the prospective buyer left. They laughed their way to the back office where he sorted out her database problem, loving the excuse to be near her for any length of time. She was amazing, and it took all he had not to lean over and kiss her.
Then he saw her tense, and he heard the voices of a few agents talking about an event they’d attended last night. An event where one Mr. Jack Gordon had been, and not with Sara, obviously. She shut her eyes. He listened to the guys go on about Gordon, and his hot date from some fundraiser the night before, then watched Sara’s face fall. He stood. This was one mess he didn’t want to be part of, although something in him figured he likely would be, no matter what. He knew himself well. He wanted Sara Thornton – that fucking uber-alpha male Gordon be damned. But, he backed out of her cubicle without a word. This Jack guy seemed like a class-A prick on so many levels, at least based on the plethora of office gossip that surrounded him and his womanizing ways. Surely she’d figure it out on her own.
Paperback and EBook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/conditional-offer-liz-crowe/1112519042?ean=9780985991135
Escalation Clause
Young love burns hot and bright. Soul mates are found, then lost in the blink of an eye. When young widow Maureen Gordon Taylor meets her daughter’s sexy soccer coach, her body and heart slowly thaw. But will holding tight to the past cost her a future?
A devastating blow shatters a family’s fragile happiness. Rob Freitag and Lila Warren now confront life without the emotional glue that once bound them, but a shared goal brings them back together. Is it enough to make them whole again and become the family they were meant to be?
Mutual trust is hard won for the Gordons. Then tragedy strikes, sending Jack and Sara’s lives into a tailspin. To keep her family from falling apart, she must force Jack to admit his deepest fears. After everything they’ve been through, can they revive the spark and move to the next stage of marital fulfillment?”
The sweeping saga of the Stewart Realty series continues as long-time friends learn to rely on each other, and to grab hold of happiness before it’s too late.
Excerpt:
Jack strolled in, still dressed in dark suit pants and a thoroughly travel-wrinkled white shirt. Her heart did its usual roll at the sight of him. But he didn’t look at her. More than once she’d demanded time to talk, requested his undivided attention for some serious conversation about his distance. He kept coming up with excuses to avoid her and given how chaotic their lives were with two kids, a dog and busy careers, excuses were easy to come by. So she had held back the one thing she knew he required, telling him flat out that she would not be sleeping with him until they cleared the air with a long talk. As a result, they had not had sex, or actually exchanged words beyond the necessary logistics of work and children for seven months.
Jack smiled down at Katie who’d latched onto him, kissed her and was staring down at the two little boys. Brandis was standing up holding onto the couch, a recent trick and one Sara had dreaded since it meant mobility for a kid who was never still anyway. He made his slow way to the edge of the leather ottoman glaring at Gabriel whose bright blond hair was back lit from the sun coming through the large window. They were in a mortal battle over a single dump truck and warfare was escalating fast. Brandis had already pushed Gabe down on his butt once, but the other boy quickly recovered. In a funny toddler attempt at diversion, he’d handed Brandis a matchbox car giving Gabe enough time to grab the obnoxiously orange truck and drop to his knees to make a swift crawling getaway. Since Brandis seemed stuck hanging onto the furniture, he wailed and threw the car, hitting his sister in the temple, then dropped to all fours and chased Gabe to the kitchen. Katie followed them. “Mom!” She yelled. “They’re feeding the dog Cheerios. That okay?”
When he heard Jack’s voice, the boy made a crawling beeline from the kitchen towards his father, and Gabe followed. He was already pretty steady on his feet, and kept the cheap plastic toy gripped to his chest as if it were the Hope diamond. The dog brought up the rear, lapping up the little round circles of processed sugar dropped in their wake.
“Hey sport,” Jack plucked his son from the floor, kissed him then did a double take when he saw the other boy. “Well hello there. Little Rob. Wow.”
Sara watched the scene unfold, silent. Since Brandis had such a raging temper he was usually screaming about something or throwing things or in his crib for a time out, which meant Jack could ignore him, leaving the discipline to her. Gabe stared up at Jack, thumb in his mouth, the truck still clutched tight.
“Pa!” Brandis glared at his father. “Mine.” He pointed down at Gabe. Brandis had developed clear speech patterns early and was on the verge of walking at a year as well. The kid was an eerie mirror image of the man holding him, Sara observed for the thousandth time. Jack bent down and put Brandis on the floor. The boy lunged for the truck but his father held him back.
“No. Share,” he said, reaching over and snagging one of the toys scattered around the room. “Yours.” He pressed an identical cheap blue dump truck to Brandis’ small chest. The boy’s face lit up with joy and he dropped to all fours and rolled the thing back to the kitchen with Gabe tottering along behind, so they could resume kitchen demolition by cereal. The eager dog scampered after them.
“Lila,” Jack gave her a hug, kissed her hair. “Welcome. To what do we owe the honor?”
Sara flinched when he walked by her without a word or a touch before dropping into his large leather chair. Boy, you have really dug yourself a hole this time haven’t you? Just the sight of him makes you want to drag him to the bedroom and jump him, if for no other reason than to maintain some kind of connection. But she steeled herself. While he claimed she was “projecting” she knew he was full of shit. She was right. She loved him but she would not put up with being ignored.
“Lila, Maddie and Gabe need a place to stay,” she said, flatly, staring at him. Rob was his friend. Let him do the math.
He raised an eyebrow and shot her a look full of…nothing. She stood. “I’m late for a meeting. I’ll have something sorted out for you by the end of the day,” She said as she hugged Lila, Maddie and Katie, then walked by her husband. He grabbed her hand, sending a spark of lust from their point of contact up her spine.
“We need to talk,” he said, looking up at her with their son’s deep blue eyes. The eyes that had seen her, pinned her, held her, left her and returned. For a split second she saw him—the man she married. Heard his words when they had stood apart from the wedding party, forehead-to-forehead, arms around each other’s waists and she had told him she was pregnant with Brandis. “I love you so much, it still scares me, Sara. But I can’t live without you, I won’t. I’ll do everything I know how to make you happy.”
She swallowed, resisted the knee-jerk urge to yank her hand out of his. But the simple touch was making her weepy and weak kneed. “Yes, we do. But I have to go.” She leaned down, pressed her lips to his cheek. He closed his eyes and she saw him shift in his chair. A spark so bright she was surprised Lila didn’t see and comment on it passed from her lips to his skin. But she stood, straightened her skirt. He didn’t let go of her hand. “Jack,” she said, loving the feel of his name on her lips not in anger for a change.
This time his face showed her one thing as clear as day—and she was certain hers matched it. Raw need was etched in every plane and angle. She gulped, embarrassed that he could dampen her panties with just a look. He pulled her close, put his other hand to her face and whispered, tickling her ear and making her shiver. “I need your opinion on something. Can you meet me today? Around four? I have to see the money guys in Detroit for lunch. Then I’m free.” He brushed his lips along the curve of her jaw.
“Cut it out,” she said, eyes closed, loving it. But her knees no longer held her so she perched on the edge of the chair arm.
“Four p.m. The spec house in Barton Hills.”
She rose, staring at him. Every nerve ending was on alert. She’d not gone this long without sex in…well since she’d been pregnant with Katie and just after, while they were still dancing around their relationship. The flame he always managed to ignite in her, be it one of lust, happiness or fury burned bright on all fronts. “Why?” She croaked out. “It’s almost done isn’t it? Mo’s done a great job bringing it in on time and budget. I thought you had it sold.”
“Not yet,” he ran his fingers up her arm. “Buyer walked. But I have a couple of others interested. I want you to look at the kitchen stuff, help me choose since I can’t get either of the decision-making disabled couples to make an offer.”
“Uh…sure.” She stood, wobbly, and on the verge of jumping him in front of the kids and her friend. She looked over her shoulder. Lila had guided everybody into the kitchen, and it sounded like they were making pancakes. She looked down at her husband. “What is this about Jack? Talk? Or Fucking? Because you know what I—”
He grabbed her hand and put it on his zipper. She bit her lip at the familiar hard girth of his sex. “Both.” He said, cupping her neck and tugging her close. The kiss was just a ghost of one, nothing like he normally gave. However, having gone without any of it for so long, it felt like the most intimate connection they’d ever made. He ran his thumb over her lips.
“I have a meeting.” She exhaled. It was the truth.
“Cancel it,” his voice was low.
She stood, shook her hair back. “As long as you are prepared to really talk to me.” She crossed her arms, mainly so he would not see how shaky she was.
“I am.” He got to his feet, stood within centimeters of her, but didn’t touch her. The chemistry of their long-running relationship filled the air, making her breathless. She reached out first, put a hand to his rough cheek. His eyes stayed flat, but then he smiled. “I promise, I will.” He kissed her for real then, holding her close, cupping her breast under the silk blouse, shoving a thigh between her legs. It was amazing, erotic, and then, it was over. He let her go, and walked to the bedroom. She clutched the back of the couch to keep from falling straight to the hardwood floor. When she heard the shower start, she grabbed her purse and phone.
Lila stuck her head around the corner of the large galley-style kitchen. “You okay?” she asked.
Sara ran a shaky hand down her hair. “Uh, no. But you know…men.” She shrugged, unwilling to let on how conflicted she was. Even as close as she had become with Lila since the woman had joined Sara’s family, she still kept most of her personal frustrations private. In another life, with other circumstances she would be talking to Blake about this. But of course, she couldn’t. She stood a few more seconds, listening to the sounds of her household—the shower running, the kids laughing, the dog barking at nothing. A thrill of fear lit her brain. She had to make Jack talk. They’d been through too much to give up now.
She took a deep breath. There were untold crises she had facing her at work and she needed to get to them. “Call me if anyone bleeds too profusely.” Katie ran up and gave her a hug. Brandis hollered “Ma!” So, she picked him up and kissed his already dirty face. “Down!” He demanded, and he was off like a shot, first trying to walk then giving up when crawling proved more efficient.
Paperback and EBook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/escalation-clause-liz-crowe/1112519043?ean=9780985991159&itm=1&usri=escalation+clause
Flirty and Dirty Book Blog’s review of Escalation Clause: http://www.flirtyanddirtybookblog.com/new-review-escalation-clause-by-liz-crowe/
Mutual Release
Disclaimer: 18+ – Content contains mature situations, explicit language and erotic sexual scenes.
Can two dark souls ever make a light?
As president of her own distribution company, Julie Dawson has all she ever wanted — money, power, and respect. But her carefully crafted façade conceals a torment of abuse and helplessness. After years remaining emotionally aloof, she is finally independent, but alone. Because she refuses to rely on anyone but herself ever again.
Evan Adams is no stranger to success, or personal demons. The horrific trauma that destroyed his twin sister, and tore his family apart, forced him to craft a new life from the ashes of the old. He’s content enough, focusing ahead and not dwelling on his murky past. But something important is missing. He knows what that thing is but refuses to acknowledge it.
When a chance encounter brings these two strong-willed but damaged people together, what seems like a long, erotic journey through hell could lead them to a