Wanderlust released today!

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The world is waiting for her…and he’s waited long enough.

Meg Snow is having hot and wild sex with Cory Traven…in her dreams.

Four years ago he had his chance for a relationship with her. Instead, he joined the military, leaving her to endure Milcott, South Dakota on her own. Now it’s her turn for adventure and a chance to banish those erotic Cory fantasies once and for all—on a singles cruise to Jamaica.

Cory has come home for what he’d denied himself four years before. Meg. But she’s made it clear she wants anyone except him. There’s only one way to show her that what she wants and what she needs are two different things. How? Storm the beaches of Jamaica. Infiltrate his way into her bed. Breach the walls of her heart.

And show her that paradise is not in the Caribbean, but in his arms.

Excerpt:

Cory realized two things—he wasn't in bed and he wasn't alone. Meg's butt bumped up against him. "Morning." He reached for her hip, but instead of the soft texture of her skirt or better, her smooth, bare thigh, he felt the roughness of denim.

"Good morning, baby," a deep, masculine voice said. A whiskered face placed a wet kiss on his cheek."Get off!" He kicked at Jake and pushed him off the couch.

"Get off me." Cory sat up. "Ow." He grabbed the top of his head and squeezed. "Tylenol." He fell back onto the couch while pointing to the kitchen.

Jake's chuckle pissed him off. Hangovers were a bitch, and he had the mother of all time hammering the inside of his head. Sharp pain stabbed into his temples and sunlight coming through the windows blinded him.

"When did Meg leave?" Cory asked.

"You, my brother, should know that better than I." Jake handed him two Tylenol and a glass of water. "So how did the date go last night?"

He raked his fingers through his hair and moaned. Even his hair hurt. He hadn't had that much to drink. Upon reflection, it had been a rather large bottle of wine.

"The date was a disaster."

"We told you Meg wanted more than mood music. The girl wants to feel special. Pizza and a movie are banal. You blew it, brother."

"Shut up." He popped the pills in his mouth and washed them down. "I really just wanted to spend time alone with her. It wasn't about sex."

"Then I take it you didn't get laid.

"It cost him, but he narrowed his eyes at Jake. "Meg's different and you know it." Cory leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. "I don't know what to do. Maybe I need a woman's perspective. Where's Sara?"

Jake nodded to the wall adjoining Cory's duplex and Meg's.

A low groan rolled from his chest as he stretched. "I'm not cooking and I'm not eating in Meg's kitchen. This morning Big Bird's Cafe is on the menu." Big Bird's served up delicious blueberry pancakes. But they were famous for their pheasant pot pie.

"I'm sure Meg will go so long as pizza isn't on the menu." Jake laughed.

Cory and Jake crossed the porch to Meg's side of the duplex.

Before the door was open, laughter could be heard from inside.

Sara squealed and launched herself into Jake's arms. "You'll never guess where I'm going." She turned her head and smiled at Meg. "Where we are going." She let go of Jake, but kept her hands on his chest. "Now, you might not like all the details." Her fingers walked over his pectorals. "But remember I'm doing this for my cousin. I need to support her and I also wouldn't want her to go on her own."

Jake smiled, but Cory had the distinct feeling he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear. Meg sat too quietly and appeared to be busy on her laptop. No, she was up to something."

So anyway, Meg found this absolutely fabulous deal on a cruise to the western Caribbean on eBay." Sara quickly kissed Jake to keep him from dissenting.

"Kiss him a bit longer," Meg said, and then chuckled. "He isn't going to like that it's a singles cruise."

"What?" Cory propped a shoulder against the doorjamb and crossed his arms over his chest. "No way." He tried to appear casual even though his internal body temperature spiked. He could just imagine the reception Meg would receive on a singles cruise. She wore those damn miniscule bikinis. Men would hover, waiting for her to show just a hint of interest. Then they would seize any opportunity to sample her.

"What?" This time it was Meg's turn to sound outraged. "It's none of your business. This is between Jake and Sara." She cocked an eyebrow. "I'm going regardless of what you think. I certainly am none of your business."

"Not the way I see it."

"No fighting you two." Sara disengaged herself from Jake. "Calm down. It's not a big deal. These ships plan events and everything is on the up and up. I can't very well let my best friend go alone."

"Exactly." Meg smiled. "Besides the tickets are already paid for. No refunds and we're looking for airfare now." She clicked a few more keys.

"We sail in three days." Sara squealed again. "I am so excited. I haven't had a vacation in years." She turned her lips into a pout. "And remember Meg couldn't come when we all went to Colorado."

"Are you nuts?" Jake asked with his brows furrowed tightly. "Don't bring that up. The girl carried a grudge for two years against Cory and me. We were only acting as chaperones."

"We're old enough not to need chaperones now." Meg bristled.

"Meg's right," Sara said. "And we don't need you to buy the booze anymore."

Jake's shoulders slumped and Cory knew the battle was over. Meg would never let them forget how they'd left her. It wasn't their fault she'd contracted chicken pox. She had to be quarantined anyway. Rather than cancel everyone's good time, they'd loaded into Steve Baxter's van and drove ten hours straight to Denver for a Matchbox Twenty concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater. He knew Meg had dreamt of Rob Thomas for months. She dreamt about all the men she found attractive. Whereas she'd been the only woman who'd ever made it into his fantasies. Of course he'd never tell her she'd been the object of every one of his teenage wet dreams. Especially since he was still having them.

"I found airfare for less than three hundred a ticket." Meg held her hand out to Sara. "Give me your credit card."

Sara tossed Meg her wallet.

"I'm paying for the airfare?" Jake asked."We're paying for it. Meg paid for the cruise ticket. It comes out even." Sara nuzzled her nose into Jake's neck.

Cory rolled his eyes. "That's what you get when you commingle money." He stuffed his fists into his front pockets. "Are we going to eat?"

"I told you Cory would be crotchety this morning." Meg handed Sara back her wallet. "Okay, we're set."

"Men aren't crotchety," Cory said. "Women are. Men are short-tempered, and you are testing mine."

Meg made her lips an O. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

Waking on the wrong side of the bed would have been an improvement so long as she had still been there. Instead, she'd just booked herself on a singles cruise. It didn't matter that he had a hangover, didn't matter that Meg and Sara didn't want to go to Big Bird's—his stomach wouldn't let him eat anyway.

For the rest of the morning Sara and Meg planned and plotted their cruise. Lucky Cory, he would have the pleasure of driving them to the airport. After last night, he had to convince her that what she wanted wasn't on a singles cruise, but standing in front of her.

It's Here!!

With or Without You by KyAnn Waters

available today from Samhain Publishing!

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Blurb:

The best mistake she ever made…
Tessa Brooks is dated. Not dated as in going out with men—having dinner and light conversation in poorly lit restaurants in hopes of finding someone with whom she can get naked. No, Tessa is dated. And the year she seems stuck in is 1988. The year her life changed.
With her twenty-year high school reunion coming up, Tessa’s daughter has surprised her with a makeover on the Jade Star television talk show. However, that’s not the only surprise. Enter Matt Toler, the best mistake she ever made. Tessa might not feel a ribbon of panic tightening around her neck if Matt had spoken to her again after their one-night sexual encounter…and if knew he had a daughter.

Excerpt:

The audience applauded. Colored strobes and flashing lights pulsed over the stage. With or Without You by U2 piped through the sound system. Tessa was transported back to prom night, 1988, and her heart skipped a beat. Brianna didn’t…wouldn’t…couldn’t… Oh God, if she did…

“Are you ready for your second clue?” Jade crooned.

Tessa didn’t need another clue. Only two men had been with her the night that song played. Please, please, please, she privately prayed. Be bachelor number one. Stan Yarrow owned and operated the local pharmacy back home. She and Stan had been friends and he’d taken her to the prom, but the real dance hadn’t taken place until much later…with bachelor number two…Matt Toler.

She swiveled around, eyes darting about searching for a face she’d prayed she’d never see again but also lingered in her thoughts more than she cared to admit. How could he not? They’d shared an incredible night…one stupid, irresponsible, romantic encounter that had changed her life.

Bright lights flashed above the audience.

Jade stood next to Tessa. “Here is your second clue.”

The voice that had haunted her dreams for the last twenty years blended with the music. Just as he sounded in 1988, Matt Toler said hello. Oh crap, it was him! He was here…somewhere. She glanced around the stage, over the audience, to the ceiling where the detached voice echoed.

Suddenly her skin grew clammy. Her attention shifted to Brianna. What in the hell had they told him to get him to come on the show? Did he remember her too? She might not feel this ribbon of panic tightening around her neck if Matt Toler had known her before April 23, 1988…or had ever spoken to her one single time after Sunday, April 24.

~.~

Matt stood on the other side of a silk screen. He couldn’t believe he actually agreed to come on a daytime television show to rekindle a romance with a high school sweetheart. The muted melody from the theme song of his senior prom blended with ohs and ahs from the studio audience.

He’d received the call a week ago. The producer from the Jade Star daytime talk show told him someone from his high school days wanted to reconnect. They hadn’t been specific, but the message had been clear. The show was reuniting lost lovers.

Matt had dated girls, but there had only been one who would call a daytime talk show for a second chance hook-up.

Heather Krump. Cheerleader, class vice president, she’d dated him off and on for most of their senior year. They’d had some crazy times. Then he’d left for college right after high school and she’d become a cheerleader for a professional basketball team back East.

The stage tech snapped his fingers and pointed to the side entrance leading to the studio set.
More applause sounded. His stomach tightened. Lately he’d lacked excitement in his life. This wasn’t exactly what he had in mind when seeking adventure, but who was he to balk at opportunity knocking? He and Heather had history…mostly good history.

He couldn’t wait to see what she looked like now. In high school she’d been lean muscle, long dark hair, and had an enticing ass that molded to his palms. He took a deep breath and settled the flash of sexual awareness heating his blood. The last thing he needed was to walk across the stage with a blatant erection.

His hands formed fists at his sides. Tension pulled at his forehead. He relaxed his face into a smile, unclenched his hands and walked into the bright lights.
Confusion crept into his mind. He vaguely recognized the woman on the stage and there was something familiar in the younger woman with her. The younger woman smiled wide with straight white teeth glinting under the bright stage lights. He couldn’t say the same thing for the older woman. Her mouth narrowed into a thin-lipped line. Her eyes widened when she looked at him.

Oh hell, she was clearly not Heather. This woman had blonde hair that moved softly around her shoulders when she looked from him to the woman at her side. Subtle makeup, incredible figure, he supposed it could be Heather. He didn’t remember Heather being so petite, but hell, twenty years could dull anyone’s memory.

Finally the hum of voices around him drilled through the confusion. He turned to Jade Star.

“Matt, are you surprised?” Jade put her arm around the older woman.

Uneasiness squirmed around in his gut. How could he pluck the name out of Jade and not look like he’d forgotten the woman? Not the woman, he was sure he knew her from high school. But what was her name? Perhaps if he wasn’t a bit jetlagged and hadn’t just completed a heavy week at the hospital, he could remember. Doctors tended to have great memories. Two years could pass and he remembered a patient’s name, but come on, twenty years? He wished Jade would put him out of his misery rather than continuing to stand there and stare at him as if he’d grown a third eye and uni-brow.

Hell. He’d done it often enough, he’d bullshit his way through. Opening his arms, he smiled big and bright for the host, the television audience, millions of viewers at home and the almost-stranger in front of him. Then he pulled the blonde woman into his arms and gave her a hug.

Interesting, he felt her breath catch. Beneath the silk of her dress she trembled. Not intending a lustful embrace, but with his hands sliding against the smooth feminine contours of her back, detailing her ribs, he pulled her a bit tighter.

She responded. The audience erupted in cheers and applause.

“I’m sorry.” Her lips brushed the shell of his ear when she whispered.

Chills broke across his skin at the seductive tone to her voice. She could make millions as a phone sex provider. Two little words had his cock hardening and images of this hug taking place with less clothing. Male lust, sure, but he didn’t consider himself a letch. He worked with nurses, had female patients. Imagining a woman naked thirty seconds after he met her was definitely off-par for him. In fact, he could really only remember one other time when lust had sucker-punched him in the gut.

Tessa Brooks.