Strip Tease

by Karen Erickson

  “Well, because she wanted to talk to you first about taking my old job. She just told me you said yes. Congratulations!”

  “Congratulations to you, too. This is all so exciting.” Janelle wrapped her friend in a quick embrace.

  “I think you’ll be even more excited when you see this.” Theresa gripped Janelle by the shoulders and turned her around.

  Nate stood before her, a nervous smile on his face, a bouquet of vibrant spring flowers clutched in his hand. He shifted from one foot to the other, looking so handsome and nervous. Hope rose within her, leaving her breathless.

  “Hi.”

  Just that one word spoken, his deep voice washing over her, had her knees weak, her heart tripping over itself.

  Everything bubbled up inside her at once. The need to tell him about her promotion, how much of a success the night’s event had turned out, how everything in her life was finally coming together.

  More than anything, she wanted to confess her love. How much she needed Nate in her life.

  “Hi,” she said instead, nodding toward the bouquet. “Pretty flowers.”

  He thrust them at her. “They’re for you. I wanted to congratulate you on your success tonight.”

  “How did you know I’d be a success?” She accepted the bouquet, burying her nose in the fragrant blossoms and breathing deep.

  Shrugging, he thrust his hands in his pockets, watching her with that familiar intense gaze. He was gorgeous, clad in a dark blue button up shirt and charcoal gray trousers, the color and fit of his clothes only emphasizing the sheer size of him. She longed to wrap her arms around him and never let go.

  But she held herself in check, admiring the flowers instead, fingering the pretty blooms.

  “You’re good at what you do. You’re focused and courageous and full of great ideas. You talked about it all the time. I knew you would do a great job,” he finally explained.

  Janelle pressed her lips together. “I did bore you with all the details, didn’t I?”

  “You never bore me, Janelle. I thought you knew that by now.”

  The serious expression on his face, the smoldering heat in his dark brown eyes left her breathless. “Why are you here Nate?”

  “I missed you,” he said simply.

  “And?” She wanted, needed to hear more.

  “I didn’t like the way things ended last time we were together.” His expression grew solemn. “I acted like an ass. I’m sorry I came over that night and pushed myself on you.”

  “I’m not,” she murmured and his eyes lit with renewed fire. “And you didn’t push yourself on me. I wanted it. I wanted you.”

  He took a step closer. “I never used you to get to Ginger. It may have started out like that, I’ll be honest. Coming around, trying to talk to you, needing your help in finding her. But once it shifted into more—intimate territory, it wasn’t about finding Ginger at all. It was about you and me. Together.”

  Her entire body ached with wanting to touch him and she took a step forward as well, his warm masculine scent washing over her, making her dizzy with need. “Really?”

  “Yes.” Another step and he was so close, she could reach out and touch him. “It’s only been about you. It always has. I’ve fallen in love with you, Janelle.”

  She threw herself at him so hard, she dropped the flowers, but she didn’t care. Slipping her arms around him, she held him close, reveling in his warmth, his strength. “I love you, too,” she murmured against his chest, squeezing his tight.

  How she thought those words would be so hard to say, but they tumbled out of her with ease. He embraced her with those strong arms, held her gently and she’d never felt so loved, so protected.

  “We can make this work, babe. I know we can.” He pressed his lips to her forehead in a gentle kiss, his mouth lingering, his hands smoothing up and down her back.

  She’d never felt so cherished.

  She’d never believed so strongly before.

  And when his mouth met hers, she knew there was no place she’d rather be.

  ****

  Please enjoy the following excerpts from Karen Erickson’s books.

  UNDER HIS PROTECTION (Protect and Defend, Book 1)

  Available NOW for your Kindle

  © 2012 by Karen Erickson

  He’ll protect her at any cost…

  Protecting the vice president’s daughter is Secret Service agent Mason Russell’s top priority. With the election looming and the party’s hold shaky, Mason’s been given an important assignment – rein the controversial party girl Blake Hewitt in.

  He’d like to rein Blake in all right. Keep her under his control and naked beneath him at all times. Blake is the sexiest thing he’s ever seen but she’s strictly off limits. Though she tempts him like no other.

  Banished from the capital and sent far away to the family’s vacation home, Blake seizes her chance. She’ll make Mason hers no matter what it takes. But the noble Mason doesn’t make it easy, and danger lurks where they least expect it…

  UNDER HIS PROTECTION Excerpt:

  Mason watched Blake Hewitt exit her father’s private office, her gorgeous face appearing ready to crumple. But in the blink of an eye, her mouth firmed, her eyes narrowed and he knew.

  His subject was angry. And most likely her father was even angrier.

  “He wants to see you,” she tossed over her shoulder as she walked by, leaving behind a delicate cloud of soft, feminine scent that always, always sent his nostrils twitching.

  It sent other parts of his body twitching as well.

  Not that she ever knew. It was his job to look at her—and look after her too. The ever present sunglasses helped conceal the hunger in his eyes, so she’d never catch him staring at her like a dog salivating over a bone.

  Like now, his gaze slid up her legs to the shift of her ass beneath the dark fabric of her jeans. Jeans that fit her sweet curves and those pretty long legs like a second skin, showcasing everything she had.

  Mason shook his head. Christ, he was staring at her ass and he’d just been summoned to her father’s office. What the hell was wrong with him?

  Lust for Blake Hewitt was what was wrong with him.

  Sweat beading his brow, he blinked, pushed the dirty thoughts aside. He took a deep breath and walked inside James Hewitt’s office. Standing just inside the doorway, he waited for the vice president to okay Mason’s entrance with a nod of his gray head.

  Hewitt finally gave it, his gaze never meeting his, the phone tucked between his cheek and shoulder. Mason strode inside, stopping in front of Hewitt’s impressive cherry wood desk.

  “We need to talk, Russell.” Hewitt hung up the phone with a quiet click, his gaze lifting to meet Mason’s. “Were you aware of what my daughter was doing when those photos were being taken?” He waved at the magazine sitting on top of his desk. “You did accompany her when she went to this—party, correct?”

  Hell yes, he’d been with her. It had been one of the most torturous days of his life. Catching glimpses of Blake having fun, smiling and laughing, it had filled him with acute longing. For her.

  The two of them together would never happen, no matter how much he wanted it to.

  The private gathering had been quiet. Nothing out of control, nothing unusual, and she’d assured him before they entered the residence, a close friend was the hostess. Blake had reassured him nothing was out of the ordinary that night.

  She’d been wrong. And he’d been wrong not to protect her better.

  Seeing her strip by the pool had nearly sent him reeling. The innocent yet sultry way she tugged off her T-shirt, how she slipped her shorts off those long, long legs. She’d pulled her long blonde hair into a sloppy ponytail, delicate strands framing her face. Seeing her like that, sexily mussed, casual and free, he’d imagined doing all sorts of wicked things to her. With her.

  Years of study, of rigid discipline all going to hell because of a constant raging hard-on. He’d worked hard to get where he
was at, but that bikini had nearly been his undoing.

  It had taken tremendous restraint to keep in firm control. All while she strutted around the pool in little scraps of fabric that barely covered her ample assets. He’d wanted to toss her over his shoulder and carry her out of there, find somewhere more private.

  Where he could salute her with his hard cock and tear that patriotic bikini off, one little scrap of fabric at a time. Kiss and lick her everywhere until he made her come, his name falling from her lips…

  Purchase UNDER HIS PROTECTION now

  ON BORROWED SERVICE (Protect and Defend, Book 2)

  COMING SUMMER 2012

  © 2012 by Karen Erickson

  A controversial town hall meeting has turned police officer Caitlin Hanson’s hometown into a national hub. The politicians have taken over, accompanied by the ever present media, but it’s too much for her local force to handle.

  Working security detail alongside the Secret Service, Caitlin realizes one of them is awfully familiar. A shame that summer relationship she had with gorgeous Joe Connor had to end so spectacularly bad or else she’d be tempted to give it another go.

  She doesn’t count on Agent Connor to be so persistent—or so incredibly sexy. Their passionate bickering soon leads into something else. But with threats being made against those he’s supposed to protect, Joe needs to be on top of his game more than ever…

  ON BORROWED SERVICE Excerpt:

  “There’s no way I can work with you.” Caitlin started past him but Joe reached out, his strong fingers encircling her arm in an attempt to stop her.

  “You don’t have a choice.” His touch was firm yet light enough to give her the false sense that she had the strength to pull away.

  She so didn’t. The son of a bitch had such a firm grip on her, no way could she escape. “Let me go.”

  “No.” His deep voice sent a ripple of…something down her spine and she fought like hell to ignore it with everything she had. “We need to talk.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about.” Lifting her chin, she glared at him.

  He glared back. “Are you going to treat me like shit the entire time we have to work together?” Joe drew her closer, so close she could see the golden flecks in his dark blue eyes, could feel the heat from his body radiating toward her. A shiver whispered down her spine at his nearness. “Are you still making me pay for something that happened a long ass time ago?”

  “Bastard.” She yanked out of his hold, rubbed her arm where he’d touched her, her skin still tingling from the press of his fingers. “Why would you bring that up?”

  “Because you did first.”

  “I never said anything about—” She couldn’t bring herself to say it. Hadn’t really thought about it—him—in years but one glimpse of Joseph Connor’s fine face brought all those old memories flooding back.

  Both the good ones and the bad ones.

  “—about our past,” she finished lamely.

  The skepticism in his narrowed eyes was clear. He didn’t believe her whatsoever. “You didn’t have to say anything. Your body language spoke volumes.”

  “We were kids. I’m not about to let our teenage-romance-gone-bad effect me.” She shrugged. “I can be civil.”

  “Can you, Red?” His voice lowered to a dangerous level, as in dangerously sexy.

  “Can you really?”

  Caitlin clamped her lips together, silently fuming. No one had called her that in years. No doubt he said it on purpose to provoke, that was his usual style. She refused to let him get to her. “I’m not the same stupid girl you dumped all those years ago.”

  “No.” He chuckled. “You are most definitely not.” He let his gaze do a slow perusal of her, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Her skin warmed, as if he’d physically touched her and she knew she should be furious.

  But that appreciative glow in his eyes banished the anger clean out of her.

  ON BORROWED SERVICE, Book 2 in the Protect and Defend series, coming this summer!

  ****

  INDULGENT PLEASURES

  Available now

  © 2011 by Karen Erickson

  What’s your fantasy?

  Stephanie Shaw’s ready to experience a fantasy or two all for the sake of her job. Research for the magazine she works for could result in her own column and she wants it. Bad.

  Almost as bad as the gorgeous man she runs into–literally. Justin Hawkins is sinfully hot and ready to indulge in her every whim. A few stolen hours in the backseat of a car turns into the most passionate sexual encounter of her life.

  But Stephanie’s keeping a secret. When she finds out Justin is a former pro baseball player, no way can she tell him about her job. The media-shy Justin hates being in the public eye and Stephanie’s documenting their sexual encounters for the entire city to read–anonymously.

  A betrayal of trust hurts them both and sends them reeling. And also renders them apart. Stephanie’s devastated, Justin’s angry. Can this relationship be fixed?

  INDULGENT PLEASURES Excerpt:

  She didn’t say a word and Justin wondered if he’d moved too fast or spoken too soon.

  Too late for regrets now. Most women would’ve jumped all over him at his invitation. Hell, they probably would’ve already started peeling off their clothes, they were always so eager to get with him.

  Of course, not this woman, not that he was really surprised. She studied him with caution clouding those pretty sea blue eyes, her lush lips twisted with doubt. She’d leaned forward, a tantalizing hint of cleavage showing with her position and her hands still clutched the hem of her dress tight.

  She was going to tell him no. He could sense the words forming on her lips and he breathed deep, preparing himself for the blow.

  He was such an ass but hell, he rarely heard the word no. It didn’t play a big part in his vocabulary. It hadn’t for years.

  In another life, he’d always been denied—of pretty much everything. But that was so long ago, it should’ve been a faded memory.

  It wasn’t.

  “All right,” Stephanie finally said. Her voice was so soft he had to strain to hear her.

  Shock coursed through him and he sat up straighter, staring at her in surprise. She said yes. He couldn’t believe it. Before she changed her mind, he reached for her, his hand wrapping around one of hers and tugging gently.

  “Come here.”

  She came forward, glancing about the limited space of the backseat. “Where do you want me?”

  “Where do you want to be?”

  Delicate brows shot up so far they were nearly in her hairline but she didn’t say a word. She seemed to be waiting for his direction.

  Gently he pushed her feet from his thigh and then pulled her closer. She slid slowly across the seat until her body collided with his, her warmth and curves molding to him as if she belonged at his side.

  He studied her face, utterly fascinated with her. The pretty blue eyes, her plump red lips and all the freckles. So many freckles. Reaching out, he touched her, his finger sweeping over first one cheek, then the other, down the gentle slope of her nose, across her sexier than hell mouth.

  “You don’t see too many women with freckles.” He was whispering, afraid to break the spell that had woven all around them.

  “I have too many,” she whispered back, a little gasp escaping her when he dragged his thumb slowly across her lower lip. He smudged her lipstick and turning his thumb over, saw the deep red line there. He felt as if he’d been marked.

  “I should count them.” Justin liked the sound of that. Lingering over her body and stroking her, counting each and every little freckle that was on her skin.

  She laughed shakily. “That’ll take at least two days.”

  He leaned in closer, his face aligned with hers and he felt her breath fan across his face, sweet and chocolaty. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”

  ****

  About the Author:

  A
fter leaving the working world to become a stay at home mom, Karen Erickson realized she needed to get crackin’ and pursue her lifelong dream of being a published writer. A busy mother of three, she fits her precious writing time in between chasing her children, taking care of her husband and pretending she has a maid. She lives in California.

  For a complete listing of her books and to connect with Karen:

  Visit Karen’s website at: www.karenerickson.com

  Email Karen: karen.e.erickson@gmail.com

  Karen’s blog: www.karenerickson.blogspot.com

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  About the Author: