A Little Harmless Lie

by Melissa Schroeder

  His heart melted at hearing the yearning beneath her tone. She might project the woman who doesn’t need all the hearts and flowers, but she needed them, deserved them. He’d done a good job at it before now.

  “What’s more romantic than a man who chases down his idiot woman when she runs away?”

  “First, I didn’t run away. Second, calling her an idiot really ruins it.”

  He smiled. “But I did it. You have to admit that no one else has done that.”

  Her eyes softened. “You still called me an idiot.”

  “If you don’t know how much I love you, you have to be an idiot.”

  Her eyes widened. “How am I supposed to know? How do I know?”

  He raised his hand to her jaw and cupped it, then rubbed his thumb over her cheek. “Because when I thought I might’ve lost you, I didn’t care about anything else. I could have died there on the spot and been happier than living without you. I might not be the most expressive man…and I am sure I’ll continue to piss you off by being the way I am. But know this, you are all that is good in my world. Until you were mine, I didn’t know what I was looking for, had no idea what I needed. The moment I touched you, it was as if I had come home. You are the first person I want to see in the morning, and the last touch I want at night. I love you.”

  Tears had welled in her eyes and were now pouring down her face. “Oh, Micah.”

  Without warning, she jumped toward him, clasping his face in her hands and planting her mouth on his. The kiss was sweet and hot. Need, pleasure and love entwined and sped through his blood. Her tongue slid in against his and he started to ease her back onto the seat of the pickup when there was a tap on the window. It took him a second to realize someone was there.

  He pulled back and turned to find a Las Vegas policeman standing by the window.

  “Is there a problem here, sir?”

  Dee giggled as Micah felt his face turn red.

  “No, sir. We just got engaged.”

  The older gentlemen smiled. “Congratulations. But it isn’t safe to be out here.”

  Micah nodded. “I understand.”

  “Good luck and buckle up.”

  He walked away and Dee collapsed into giggles. “Oh. My. God. That was too funny. We got caught making out on the side of the highway.”

  He looked at her, trying to be mad, but at seeing her joy he couldn’t drum up the frown. The woman had been so buttoned down for so long, it was good to see her happy.

  He grabbed her and planted a kiss on her mouth and then let her go. Buckle up.”

  The lights flashed in the mirror.

  “Sure thing.”

  He pulled back onto the highway. “We’re going to make record time to the chapel. I plan on getting you into the honeymoon suite and not letting you out for a week.”

  She slipped to the middle seat, put on her seatbelt and then snuggled up to him. “I like the sound of that.”

  Micah punched the gas and laughed as they sped down the street and onto the rest of their lives.

  About the Author

  Born to an Air Force family at an Army hospital, Melissa has always been a little bit screwy. She was further warped by her years of watching Monty Python and her strange family. Her love of romance novels developed after accidentally picking up a Linda Howard book. Since her first release in 2004, Melissa has had close to 30 short stories, novellas and novels released with seven different publishers in a variety of genres and time periods. Those releases included an Eppie nomination and two CAPA nominations, along with a multitude of best sellers and recommended reads. Her contemporary, A Little Harmless Sex became an international best seller in June of 2005.

  Since she was a military brat, she vowed never to marry military. Alas, Fate always has her way with mortals. Her husband is an Air Force major, and together they have their own military brats, and an adopted dog daughter. They live wherever the military sticks them. Which until recently always involved heat and bugs only seen on the Animal Discovery Channel. In her spare time, she reads, complains about bugs, travels, cooks, reads some more, and tries to convince her family that she truly is a delicate genius. She has yet to achieve her last goal.

  If you want to know more about Melissa, stop by the following websites: www.melissaschroeder.net, groups.yahoo.com/group/Melsbookchatters, twitter.com/melschroeder, www.facebook.com/pages/Melissa-Schroeder/17997114885. For all things Harmless, join the Facebook group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=160200550663144&ref=mf

  She loves to hear from her readers so be sure to drop Melissa a note:

  Melissa@melissaschroeder.net

  or

  Melissa Schroeder

  PO Box 2706

  Manassas, VA 20108

  Look for these titles by Melissa Schroeder

  Now Available:

  Grace Under Pressure

  The Seduction of Widow McEwan

  Harmless

  A Little Harmless Sex

  A Little Harmless Pleasure

  A Little Harmless Obsession

  A Little Harmless Lie

  Once Upon an Accident

  The Accidental Countess

  Lessons in Seduction

  Coming Soon:

  The Spy Who Loved Her

  A Little Harmless Addiction

  The Last Detail

  Purgatory: Devil’s Rise

  What begins as a quest for submission becomes an unrelenting need for love.

  A Little Harmless Obsession

  © 2010 Melissa Schroeder

  Harmless, Book 3

  May Aiona’s crush on sexy Evan Chambers is a bad habit that should be easy to break. It’s not like he’s ever noticed her. Looking for a safe place to release the reins of control and explore her curiosity about BDSM, May takes a friend up on an invitation to visit an exclusive bondage club—all she has to agree to is a public submission.

  Evan can’t help but notice the exotically beautiful May. But despite his success, the dirty secrets of his past whisper that he’ll never be good enough for her. When Evan sees her standing in his club ready to submit to his best friend, he gives in to the thing he wants most—May as his sub. After their session, he knows one night will never be enough. But loving May isn’t easy for a man always ready to take charge. She might like to submit in the bedroom, but she doesn’t like anyone telling her what to do outside of it.

  When May insists she’s not in any danger from the person seemingly obsessed with her, she ends up in the sights of a deranged stalker—with Evan possibly too far away to help.

  Warning: This book contains sexy Hawaiian settings, crazy relatives, and a submission scene that leaves the heroine breathless and the hero frustrated. There are toys, bondage, and love scenes so hot, you’ll need ice water and a towel. Remember, it’s a Harmless story, so you know there’s nothing harmless about it.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for A Little Harmless Obsession:

  She glanced at Cynthia, who was fairly brimming with excitement. “Well?”

  Cynthia smiled at her. “Micah said he would allow you to pay only the application fee and you could get one whole year free.”

  That gave May pause. “What gives?”

  Cynthia widened her eyes innocently. “What do you mean?”

  “Micah wouldn’t agree to it without something in return.”

  Her friend shrugged. “You just have to submit.”

  “Well, isn’t that the plan? I mean, why else would I want to join?” May blew on her coffee before taking a sip.

  “There are conditions though. It has to be public and it has to be with an owner of the club.”

  May choked on her coffee. “What?”

  Cynthia waved it away. “It’s really no big deal. I mean, people definitely go for it.”

  “But…you said publicly. I’m not really sure I can do that. And besides, it seems to be a bit too much.”

  Still, she couldn’t stop the sharp tug of excitement at the idea. There was part of
her that was appalled, but deep down, the concept of being in front of people naked…it was sort of a turn on. She’d had dreams about it for years, and more than once she had fantasized about stealing away for sex on the beach. This would be like trying out two of her secret desires at once.

  “A single membership costs five thousand a year. I think it is actually not that big for what you are getting,” Cynthia remarked.

  May sighed. Even with her fantasies, she didn’t know if she could do it. There would be no club for her then. She could never afford a membership.

  “Well, that’s that.”

  Cynthia grabbed her arm to stop her. “No, it’s not. I want you to think this through.”

  Appalled, she stared at her friend. “There is no thinking needed. I can’t do a public submission. Seriously, there is just no way. It is out of the question.”

  “Think. Micah is a good Dom. He is someone you can trust, someone who won’t hurt you. And you know that everything would be handled carefully. You can’t guarantee that with someone you get involved with.”

  That was true. She had read all kinds of warnings online about being careful. In the world of BDSM, there were some people who used their knowledge to control beyond the bedroom. “Still…”

  Cynthia crossed her arms beneath her breasts and stared at May. “I was extremely lucky to find Chris. While I don’t think there is anything wrong with the lifestyle, just like any group, they are going to have their predators. And they could use this against you in some way. At least this way, you’re safe.”

  That was definitely true. “But in public?”

  “Micah said he wanted to be sure you were serious about it. A lot of people would work a deal out like this and then just show up to troll for dates. Plus, he doesn’t want people to come out of the woodwork asking for a free membership. If word got out, you can believe he would have more than one person trying.” Cynthia smiled at her again. “You have a problem with that? I have to say, I might be a little nervous about it, but…remember that story you told me?”

  “What story?” As soon as she asked, May remembered how one night over drinks she’d confessed her interest in exhibitionism. Her face flushed. “This is a little bit more than making out in public.”

  “First, your fantasy wasn’t about just making out. Granted, this is a little more than going somewhere secluded to have sex.” Cynthia shrugged. “If it’s too much, you can call a stop to it. You know the owner of the club would listen if you invoked the safe word. And think about all the people you could meet there. At least there they have gone through the application process.”

  That was true. But there was one glaring problem. The man she pined over, the one she had cried over and who treated her like a sister, might be there.

  “What is holding you back, sistah?” Cynthia was perceptive.

  May heaved a sigh. “Evan.”

  Cynthia nodded. “He doesn’t really come around that much anymore. I mean, he hangs out with Chris and Micah but it’s been several months since he’s been there looking for a sub.”

  May’s heart sank a little and she silently chastised herself for it. He wasn’t her concern anymore. Just because he wasn’t going to the club anymore, and that probably meant he had someone fulfilling that need, didn’t matter.

  “What have you got to lose, May?”

  “My dignity. I would probably die of embarrassment being naked in front of everyone.”

  Cynthia sighed. “Listen. I know this would be hard but think about what you could gain from it. You could really find your sexual identity. Believe me, I know what you’re feeling right now. I wondered why people were so bent on getting into bed with each other. Sex was horrible, more like a thing to endure. Then I met Chris.”

  A slight ping of jealousy hit May’s heart. Cynthia’s whole face softened, as did her voice.

  “It was the first time I could say I enjoyed sex. And it was like a whole new world opened for me. I definitely would not have moved here. I probably would have married some Neanderthal my father picked out and kept wondering why the hell everyone was so excited about having sex.”

  “But you did that without an audience.”

  Cynthia fixed her with a stare. “I know this is scary. It’s going to be hard enough if this is truly what you need. Not everyone understands the life. At least at the club you will never worry about being unacceptable.” She leaned closer. “This could really change your life…and for the better.”

  It could. She felt it to her bones. There had always been something missing in sex, from the first time up until the last time a few months ago. She could feel the excitement, be ready to really get down to it, then she would get in bed. The embarrassment of those times, of never being fulfilled and having some of the guys, especially Rick, blame her was humiliating. Was that any worse than this? That had been in private at least. The public humiliation of Rick’s accusations of her cheating on him still hurt. And worse, she had been in a way.

  “What does Chris think?”

  “Didn’t ask him. He thinks of you as his little sister. While he has no trouble with me at the club, he might have a problem with his little sister going there, especially for this.”

  Did she really want to do this? While Cynthia thought there was a way out, that there would be a way for her to quit, there wouldn’t. For May, if she was going to do this, she would go into it with full gusto.

  “Okay. What do I need to do?”

  “I’ll call Micah. He wants a contract, and you have to have a physical.”

  May nodded, her body still tingling from the rush of heat.

  Cynthia practically hopped up the stairs to Micah’s office. She knew just what buttons to push, and while she felt a little guilty, she knew without a doubt that May needed this. She hurt each time she thought of her friend’s embarrassed face and tortured voice whenever she talked of sex. Oh, when they were in the company of others, she would joke. But Cynthia knew she had suffered from not finding fulfillment.

  She opened the door and smiled at Micah then turned her attention to her fiancé. He stood and she strode over to him and gave him an enthusiastic kiss.

  “Well?” he asked.

  “She’ll do it.”

  “You’re both crazy.”

  They turned and faced Micah.

  “I think it will work out,” Chris said. “Cynthia is sure she’s a submissive, and Jesus, if anything, it will get Evan off his ass. He haunts my place anymore and it will get embarrassing.” He looked at Cynthia. “Do you think there will be a problem?”

  “No, and we had help from Evan.”

  Chris laughed. “What happened?”

  “He came in giving her orders, telling her that he’d talked to that ex of hers about her car. Lord, that was the last thing he should have done.”

  “He’s just trying to find out what happened.”

  Cynthia sighed. “Yeah, well, he’s acting like a bull in a china shop. Either way, he told her she should make better choices in who she dates. It sent her over the edge.”

  “I bet.”

  “Chambers finds out about this, he isn’t going to be happy,” Micah said.

  Micah hadn’t been keen on the idea, but Cynthia knew it was the right thing to do.

  “I’ll take care of Evan,” Chris said. “Just get the contract written up.”

  Micah nodded.

  “I gotta get back to Dupree’s.”

  They walked through the darkened club and Cynthia winced when Chris opened the door. She pulled out her sunglasses and slipped them on.

  “You’re sure about this?”Chris asked.

  Without hesitating, she nodded. “Yes. One way or another, they have to move on. And even if Evan doesn’t step in, May is a sub. She needs this.”

  Five days. Close quarters. It’s enough to drive any woman crazy—or into submission…

  Reaction Time

  © 2008 Alannah Lynne

  Nikki Kincaid carries her smart mouth and i
n-your-face attitude like other women carry mace. But the sharpest parts of her razor tongue are reserved for Adam Guthrie, a man who sparks her body’s reaction time quicker than a green light. That out-of-control response terrifies her, because control is her middle name.

  When someone starts sending Nikki threatening letters, Adam jumps at her brother’s request to help protect her—whether she likes it or not. For the past year and a half he’s been watching her, analyzing her body language and cutting remarks, and has come to one definitive conclusion. She’s a sexual submissive in hiding.

  Five days in close quarters is exactly what Adam’s been waiting for—and Nikki’s idea of hell. Bringing her deepest desires to the surface will be the greatest challenge of his life. And, if he succeeds, his greatest reward.

  Warning: This title contains some dominance and submission, some light bondage and some sexy scenes that’ll make you want to lose control.

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Reaction Time:

  Nikki Kincaid shook her head, almost feeling sorry for the kid in the piece-of-shit Honda next to her, revving his engine and signaling he wanted to race. She knew she shouldn’t accept his challenge. Street racing was dangerous, plus the pesky little detail that it was illegal. But dammit, it was fun.

  And she wanted to have a little fun for a change.

  Did the kid honestly think his one-hundred-and-fifteen-horsepower Civic could compete with her Shelby GT500? The power of her Mustang alone would leave him sitting at the light wondering what happened. Considering she had one of the fastest reactions times in the NHRA Pro Stock Drag Racing Series, when the light turned green she’d be a quarter mile down the highway before he could blink.

  She sighed. Three years. That’s how long it had been since she’d had any fun. That’s how long it had been since racing stopped being a choice and instead had become a job that carried an overwhelming responsibility. That’s how long it had been since racing ceased to be her true love and passion.