Orange Blossom

 Sienna

Life had found a balance. For the first time in a long time she had a home, she was safe, and when she looked into her future, she saw happiness with a mate that she was obsessed with and who crazily, was just as obsessed with her.

She’d found her place in the shifter part of the town, and now she wanted to mix with the rest of the village. She wanted to open her chocolate shop again.

She’d had to close it when she’d run from an over-eager hunter, and by over-eager, she meant one who kidnapped her and stalked her. Now, though, it was time to get back to her dream career, and her hand-made chocolates.

A shop was her goal, but that would take time, and so for now she had a website, and she took online orders.

Customers built their own boxes of chocolates by choosing from the selection or they could order premade boxes.

The collection she was building now was twelve white chocolates with floral and citrus flavors.

The house she shared with Adam was currently filled with the aroma of orange blossom.

When the kitchen door swung open, she glanced up from where she was piping the orange blossom syrup into truffles, expecting to see Adam. Instead, it was his cousin Calum.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “What are you doing here?”

“Nothing.” He perched on the chair at the kitchen counter. “What are you making?”

“You know what I’m making,” she said. “I told you I had an order to fill today.”

“Oh, was that today?” He gazed down at her array of chocolates. “Which ones are the overspill.”

She didn’t answer, but he knew and he helped himself, popping a violet crème into his mouth.

“None of it is overspill. I still make them up into boxes of chocolates.”

“And now I’m saving you a job.” His next choice was a limoncello truffle. “You’re welcome.”

“You’re costing me money, is what you’re doing.”

“It’s the price for me keeping you company.”

“Even though I was fine on my own and didn’t ask you to.”

Calum grinned. “Exactly.”

Sienna rolled her eyes. Since moving in with Adam, somehow Calum had become her bestie. He came around every day, whether it was just to hang out with her or for dinner, he was as comfortable in the home she and Adam shared as he was in his own.

And she liked having him around. Between Adam, Calum, and their brothers, the four men had ensured she found her place in their pack.

Calum stayed with her, drinking coffee and eating chocolate until he got called into work at the hotel.

 

Adam

 How did I get so lucky?

Adam leaned in the doorway and watched his female sealing up a box. He was proud of what she was doing, building up her business, even though she wasn’t taking him up on his offer to help, which infuriated him.

He could sell her chocolates in his hotel, but every time he suggested it, she always replied with, “Not yet.”

What was she waiting for?

He was especially happy watching her when she wore those shorts. She had the most perfect butt he’d ever seen, and her shorts showcased the pert ass that he loved to get his hands on.

Sienna coming into his life had blown his world wide open and in the best possible way. Everything was better with her. Everything was fun.

He stalked up behind her but judging by the way she leaned back slightly, she knew he was there.

“Hey there, Angel,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Hi, mate.” She smiled and then turned around in his embrace so that she faced him. “You look especially sexy this afternoon.”

Only she would say that when he was tired, and dressed in a crumpled shirt with his tie loosened around his neck. It had been a long, boring day of meetings with financiers and accountants, talking numbers.

He was relieved to be home.

Sienna gripped the end of his tie and tugged him down for a kiss which was exactly what he wanted. Her lips on his and her flavor in his mouth.

She tasted like fragrant orange and chocolate.

He couldn’t resist her, and he couldn’t stop kissing her.

She was the one who stopped, but she didn’t move away, mumbling against his lips, “If we keep this up, we’ll be having kitchen sex.”

“We’re good at kitchen sex,” he rumbled his reply. They were damn good at it.

“We are.” She grinned. “But I have to finish packing up these chocolates. So, hold that thought.” She whispered a last flirty kiss over his lips. “Unless you want to start removing your clothes while I do this and then we’ll be good to go.”

Adam laughed. “Firebird, I love it when you talk dirty.”

Flattening her hands on his chest, she said, “Go sit at the table before you cause me all kinds of food hygiene problems.”

He did as she commanded but not before getting a good squeeze of her butt, and she ramped up the temptation when, once she’d packaged the chocolates, she brought her laptop to the kitchen table and bent over right next to him to print a label.

He waited until he heard the whirring of the printer in the other room before he dragged her into his lap.

“Hey,” She scolded, but she wrapped her arms around him at the same time.

“Angel, why don’t you let me sell some boxes of your chocolates in the hotel.”

“Not yet,” She replied, and his frustrated growl was more panther than man. She leaned back, her luscious lips parted in surprise. "What?”

“Why do you always say that. ‘Not yet.’ What are you waiting for?”

“I don’t want to rush things. I don’t want to take on more than I can handle. That’s why I’m starting slowly.”

“That makes no sense. If you find a supplier for your product then use it.”

“When I did this job before, none of the risks were mine, but I’m on my own this time. I need to move at a pace I can control.”

“You’re not on your own. You have me. Let me help you.”

Her voice was small when she said, “But what if they don’t sell.” Her doubts slayed him.

“Luxury handmade chocolates... They’ll sell. But even if they didn’t the financial loss wouldn’t be yours. We’d buy the product from you.”

“Great.” She rolled her eyes. “So, I would just cost your business money. Sign me up.”

“Is that sarcasm, Firebird?”

She gripped his tie and held on as she kissed him. “I’m not ready for that step yet. I need more time.”

He gave a short, sharp growl. “How about we make a deal? A compromise?”

Sienna narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “What kind of compromise?”

“The summer fete in the village. We have a booth there for the hotel and Krista plans to test new cocktails. You join her with chocolate samples and if they go down well, we supply them in the hotel.”

She played the end op his tie between her fingers and peered up from beneath her lashes. “Isn’t this cheating? Nepotism, or something like that?”

“Angel, this is business. Trust me.”

“You know I always do.”

He smirked. “Smart girl.” Brushing her braid off her shoulder, he said, “Now tell me you agree so we can get back to the subject of kitchen sex.”

She laughed in a way that his cat pricking its ears up. Both man and animal were entranced by her happiness.

“You’re going to get my business shut down before it gets started,” she said, but at the same time she shifted to straddle his thighs.

“You could probably convince me to move this to the living room for sofa sex.” He rose to his full height still holding onto her.

The sofa was his goal, but with the way Sienna nuzzled in at his throat, he knew it was too far away. In the end, they settled on hallway sex where he loved Sienna so well, she offered him anything he wanted. The only thing he wanted though was for her to be happy and vice versa. Which was how he got her to agree to sample her chocolates at the upcoming summer fete.  

The End

For more book extras visit my website or you can go to the Evernight Publishing website to read about Wings of Passion. 

 

 

What's Next? Setbacks and Perseverance

Wings of Passion has been on sale since May, published by Evernight Publishing, and I immediately started to work on a short shifter paranormal romance story while I plot the next book in the Pack Untamed series. I was motivated and had my goals all set out in front of me. But things don't always go as planned and some setbacks are of the best kind. 

Writing Interrupted 

My romance book was released in May, in June I happily found out I was pregnant, and it's been a battle with pregnancy nausea ever since. Even today, six months into the pregnancy I'm lying on the sofa, my computer propped up and I'm trying to get back into the writing routine, but the morning sickness that lasts all day might disappear for days on end before it swings back around. 

My pregnancy was planned and I'm absolutely thrilled so a delay in writing is a small price to pay for something so wonderful, but when it was at its worst writing, updating my website, and posting on social media wasn't even a thought. 

Now it's easing, I'm getting back on track, but I've got a lot of catching up to do, and I'm doing it in the midst of working the day job and organising the house for my little new addition. 

Plots and Schemes

I'm re-establishing goals that passed me by while I had my head in the toilet. I'm getting my notebooks out again. I'm learning about my characters. I'm structuring plots. I'm scheduling time. I'm prioritising. I'm writing again. 

What's Next?

Currently, I'm plotting the second book in the Pack Untamed series, but while I build Calum's story, I'm also writing a short shifter romance story to fill the gap between Wings of Passion and its next book. The short story is in the writing stage, whereas my Pack Untamed book is still in the planning stages. 

I'm just glad to be back to writing and finding my way through my stories. Stay tuned for more updates. 

If you liked this blog then take a look around and read some of my other posts. 

New Release: Wings of Passion - A Shifter Romance

 

How does a romance writer celebrate a book release? Well, I guess that depends on the writer. 

The Real Work Begins

You write your first draft. You complete second. Then however many more you need. Then you revise the book yourself, editing it until it's ready to be submitted to a publisher or agent. It gets accepted and you get more editing to do, this time with help and advice. 

You might think that you've done all you need to do, but unfortunately, you would be mistaken. The writing is the fun part, where it's just you and your characters.

After that, though, you have to face what comes next, because once your work is about to be published, and release day is coming, that means you're onto the marketing part of being a writer, and if you're an introvert like me, that's not the easiest part. Wings of Passion is officially a new release, and I need to share that with the world.

Social Media

When your book is coming out, social media becomes your new best friend. I find my spare time taken up with promotional posts, engagement, chatting to writers and readers. I'm sharing teasers and snippets, bouncing between the social networks. 

I'm trying to let as many people as I possibly can know that Wings of Passion is out now. That my new release is available. I'm trying to find the right hashtags to make lovers of paranormal romance and shifter romance aware that my romance book exists. 

Before I was a romance writer, I underestimated just how much it takes to release a book. 

Blog Posts

I write blog posts because I like sharing my process. I like sharing what's happening, what's going on in my writing life, and what I put into writing. 

Through blog writing, I can also share what I'm working on and when it's available. I can publish book extras and deleted scenes, and behind-the-writing information. 

Celebrate the New Release

So, yeah, just because Wings of Passion is available, and it's a brand-spanking new release, doesn't mean the work is done. 

But more importantly, you wrote a book... People can buy it... You created something special! That needs to be celebrated. 

Me, I like doughnuts, I like prosecco, I like to do a dorky dance worthy of Amy Santiago in Brooklyn 99. (If you don't know, take a look. She's got the moves.) I like a little treat, because before I know it, I'm back in front of a blank screen, working on the second book in the Pack Untamed series. I'm doing it all over again. And I never plan to stop. 

If you enjoyed my blog about Wings of Passion then look around my site for more articles about writing. 

Wings of Passion Release

An exciting day is coming...

The release day for Wings of Passion is happening on May 4th. My shifter romance novel has made it through edits and is available for preorder now. I'm very excited about its release. 

Published by Evernight Publishing, it's the first instalment of my new shifter series Pack Untamed. 

A Paranormal Romance

Sienna falls out of the sky and into Adam’s life...

She’s a shifter with the ability to turn into a golden eagle and she’s fleeing danger, but with an injured wing, she crashes onto the balcony of Adam, a man who likes to be in control.

Adam’s orderly world is turned upside down with the arrival of the golden eagle, and now that he has her, it’s clear that control is overrated. If it means keeping Sienna, then he’ll embrace the wildness.

Once they commit, Sienna and Adam will do whatever it takes to keep each other safe, and with the hunters determined to capture Sienna, that might not be easy. To stay together, they’ll have to learn to rely on each other and embrace the bond growing between them.

Romance Novel Settings

I've loved writing Wings of Passion. It's the first romance book I've written that is obviously set in Britain. The first half takes place in London, the second half in the Peak District. Both are parts of the UK that are important to me. 

London is an amazing city, and I've set the story in my favourite area Tower Hill. If I'm in London I have to go there and I have to visit St Katherine's Dock, and I have to have dinner at Butler's Wharf. Otherwise, I feel like I've missed out. 

Derbyshire is where I live. With the beautiful countryside of the Peak District national park. With wild peaks and moorland, there are picturesque villages nestled among them. There are walks and bike rides, and perfect surroundings for my dog and me.

Future Characters

There are plenty of characters in this series whose stories are waiting to be told. They're demanding their own romance books be written and released, and as a romance writer, I'm just here to do their bidding. The plotting is already happening. 

Wings of Passion Release Day

Mark your calendars for May 4th, and not just for Star Wars day, but for Wings of Passion release day. Or you can preorder the shifter romance now to read Sienna and Adam's love story. 

For updates and information on my other books, you can visit me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or go directly to my website, and reach out to me there.