"It is awesome," Kira softly a.s.sured her, staring hard into her eyes. Nicole wanted to look away but she couldn't. Their hands were still clasped tightly together. She was appalled to feel the tingling awareness between her legs pulse and surge to life. Now was definitely not the time to be thinking about s.e.x, yet it was as if her body was operating separately from her head. She gazed longingly at Kira's mouth, remembering the taste and feel of her lips, the light pressure of her hands, the coaxing encouragements.

Kira suddenly closed the distance between them, pulling Nicole across the couch and into her arms. "If you look at me like that while we're working together, Bogie and Shevchenko are going to get quite an eyeful." She cradled Nicole's face in her hands and slowly kissed her. After a few minutes, she raised her mouth, her breathing ragged, face flushed with want. "Are you sure you want to work with me, Nicole?"

Kira was watching her, appraising her, her blue eyes filled with emotion. There was another meaning entirely in her softly spoken words.

Shock deprived Nicole of the ability to speak. When she did finally find her voice, her words emerged as little more than a whisper. "I've never been more sure of anything in my entire life."

About the Author.

Terri Richards lives in Tampa, Florida, and loves the outdoors, international travel, eating organic, and keeping fit.

Books Available From Bold Strokes Books.

Dark Wings Descending by Lesley Davis. What if the demons you face in life are real? Chicago detective Rafe Douglas is about to find out. (978-1-60282-660-1).

sunfall by Nell Stark and Trinity Tam. The final installment of the everafter series. Valentine Darrow and Alexa Newland work to rebuild their relationship even as they find themselves at the heart of the struggle that will determine a new world order for vampires and wereshifters. (978-1-60282-661-8).

Mission of Desire by Terri Richards. Nicole Kennedy finds herself in Africa at the center of an international conspiracy and being rescued by beautiful but arrogant government agent Kira Anthony, but is Kira someone Nicole can trust or is she blinded by desire? (978-1-60282-662-5) Boys of Summer edited by Steve Berman. Stories of young love and adventure, when the sky's ceiling is a bright blue marvel, when another boy's laughter at the beach can distract from dull summer jobs. (978-1-60282-663-2) The Locket and the Flintlock by Rebecca S. Buck. When Regency gentlewoman Lucia Foxe is robbed on the highway, will the masked outlaw who stole Lucia's precious locket also claim her heart? (978-1-60282-664-9) Calendar Boys by Zachary Logan. A man a month will keep you excited year round. (978-1-60282-665-6) Burgundy Betrayal by Sheri Lewis Wohl. Park Ranger Kara Lynch has no idea she's a witch until dead bodies begin to pile up in her park, forcing her to turn to beautiful and s.e.xy shape-shifter Camille Black Wolf for help in stopping a rogue werewolf. (978-1-60282-654-0) LoveLife by Rachel Spangler. When Joey Lang unintentionally becomes a client of life coach Elaine Raitt, the relationship becomes complicated as they develop feelings that make them question their purpose in love and life. (978-1-60282-655-7) The Fling by Rebekah Weatherspoon. When the ultimate fantasy of a one-night stand with her trainer, Oksana Gorinkov, suddenly turns into more, reality show producer Annie Collins opens her life to a new type of love she's never imagined. (978-1-60282-656-4) Ill Will by J.M. Redmann. New Orleans PI Micky Knight must untangle a twisted web of healthcare fraud that leads to murder-and puts those closest to her most at risk. (978-1-60282-657-1) Buccaneer Island by J.P. Beausejour. In the rough world of Caribbean piracy, a man is what he makes of himself-or what a stronger man makes of him. (978-1-60282-658-8) Twelve O'Clock Tales by Felice Picano. The fourth collection of short fiction by legendary novelist and memoirist Felice Picano. Thirteen dark tales that will thrill and disturb, discomfort and t.i.tillate, enthrall and leave you wondering. (978-1-60282-659-5) Words to Die By by William Holden. Sixteen answers to the question: What causes a mind to curdle? (978-1-60282-653-3) Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright by Justine Saracen. Love does not conquer all, but when all of Europe is on fire, it's better than going to h.e.l.l alone. (978-1-60282-652-6) Night Hunt by L.L. Raand. When dormant powers ignite, the wolf Were pack is thrown into violent upheaval, and Sylvan's pregnant mate is at the center of the turmoil. A Midnight Hunters novel. (978-1-60282-647-2) Demons are Forever by Kim Baldwin and Xenia Alexiou. Elite Operative Landis "Chase" Coolidge enlists the help of high-cla.s.s call girl Heather Snyder to track down a kidnapped colleague embroiled in a global black market organ-harvesting ring. (978-1-60282-648-9) Runaway by Anne Laughlin. When Jan Roberts is hired to find a teenager who has run away to live with a group of antigovernment survivalists, she's forced to return to the life she escaped when she was a teenager herself. (978-1-60282-649-6) Street Dreams by Tama Wise. Tyson Rua has more than his fair share of problems growing up in New Zealand-he's gay, he's falling in love, and he's run afoul of the local hip-hop crew leader just as he's trying to make it as a graffiti artist. (978-1-60282-650-2) Women of the Dark Streets: Lesbian Paranormal by Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman, eds. Erotic tales of the supernatural-a world of vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, and demons-by the authors of Bold Strokes Books. (978-1-60282-651-9) Derrick Steele: Private d.i.c.k-The Case of the Hollywood Hustlers by Zavo. Derrick Steele, a hard-drinking, l.u.s.ty private detective, is being framed for the murder of a hustler in downtown Los Angeles. When his brother's friend Daniel McAllister joins the investigation, their growing attraction might prove to be more explosive than the case. (978-1-60282-596-3) Nice b.u.t.t: Gay a.n.a.l Eroticism edited by Shane Allison. From toys to teasing, spanking to sporting, some of the best gay erotic scribes celebrate the hottest and most creative in new erotica. (978-1-60282- 635-9) Murder in the Irish Channel by Greg Herren. Chanse MacLeod investigates the disappearance of a female activist fighting the Archdiocese of New Orleans and a powerful real estate syndicate. (978-1-60282-584-0) Initiation by Desire by MJ Williamz. Jaded Sue and innocent Tulley find forbidden love and pa.s.sion within the inhibiting confines of a sorority house filled with nosy sisters. (978-1-60282-590-1) Toughskins by William Ma.s.swa. John and Bret are two twentysomething athletes who find that love can begin in the most unlikely of places, including a "mom-and-pop shop" wrestling league. (978-1- 60282-591-8) by KE Payne. Is it possible to fall in love with someone you've never met? Imogen Summers thinks so because it's happened to her. (978-1-60282-592-5).

b.l.o.o.d.y Claws by Winter Pennington. In the midst of aiding the police, Preternatural Private Investigator Ka.s.sandra Lyall finally finds herself at serious odds with Sheila Morris, the local werewolf pack's Alpha female, when Sheila abuses someone Ka.s.sandra has sworn to protect. (978-1-60282-588-8).

Awake Unto Me by Kathleen Knowles. In turn of the century San Francisco, two young women fight for love in a world where women are often invisible and pa.s.sion is the privilege of the powerful. (978-1- 60282-589-5).

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