Unraveled (Unwrapped and Unraveled 2)

Lord. His sexy voice was as dangerous as his sexy smirk. She managed, "Do you have a specific wish in mind?"

His burning gaze raked her from the tips of her pointed ears to the tips of her pointed nipples. "I've got a very explicit wish. Would you like to hear it?"

Her body vibrated as if he'd whispered very explicit across every inch of her passion-soaked skin. "Maybe you should tell me your name before we start sharing wishes and dreams."

"Nick."

"Hmm. Are you anything like your namesake, Saint Nick?"

"Not even close, darlin'. I'll offer no apologies that I've always been more sinner than saint material."

"You do have that devilish look about you, Not-So-Saint Nick."

Nick stared at her mouth, virtually growling, "I like the way my name sounds tumbling from your sweet lips."

Playing with fire, Holly.

But she wasn't brainy Holly North, shy accountant. She was bold Mistress Christmas, embodiment of sexual fantasies. And she'd milk that persona, live the dream of being the object of men's physical desire, if only for a single night.

Holly lifted the glass to her mouth and ran her tongue around the rim, licking at the thick liquid clinging to the edge. The man's gaze darkened; another thrill zipped through her. "Where'd you learn to talk so sweet?"

"Wyoming."

"Does that make you a real cowboy?"

"Yep. Born and bred, dust on my boots, sage in my blood, dyed-in-the-wool gen-u-wine, native Wyoming hell-raiser." He raised his glass to hers. "You impressed?"

"Very."

"So let's toast to overcoming first impressions."

Weird toast, but she smiled. "I'll drink to that."

They chinked their glasses and knocked back the schnapps.

Holly welcomed the sweet fire flowing down her throat and slammed the empty glass on the bar with a heartfelt, "Ah."

"Another?"

She automatically started to decline, but her inner vixen cooed, "Why not?"

"Coming right up." Nick signaled the bartender.

The next shot boosted Holly's confidence. "Tell me, Nick, if you're really a cowboy, where's your hat?"

"Same place as my horse--at home in Wyoming."

"Do you live there?"

"Nope. I'm riding a steel horse in Denver these days. What about you?"

"No hat or horse," she hedged playfully. "Not that it matters because I don't know the first thing about riding."

A twinkle brightened his eyes. "Really?"

She cautioned, "Before you ask, no, I don't want to save a horse and ride a cowboy."

"Pity."

Nick's you-caught-me-with-naughty-thoughts grin made her stomach cartwheel as fast as Wyoming tumbleweeds.

"I'd be more than willing to show you a few secret cowboy tricks once you mounted up."

"I'll just bet you could," she murmured.

"I'll just bet you were born to ride. You'd look amazing on top. Your thighs clamped tight, your back arched just so, your head held high as you find the natural rhythm of moving on a powerful body. This gorgeous mane"--he twirled a section around his index finger--"trailing between your shoulder blades as you buck bareback. Every part of you bouncing as you're pushing faster and harder, until you explode from the sheer joy of the ultimate ride."

Holly didn't dare look away from the sexual challenge in Nick's eyes, but she couldn't keep the heat from rising in her cheeks, nor from hearing her mother's warning: If you keep playing with matches, child, you're gonna get burned.

A mischievous grin tilted his mouth as he leaned forward. "You're awful quiet all of a sudden, darlin'. You okay?"

Smug man. If she were going up in flames, she'd drag Nick right along with her. "Oh, I was just thinking."

"About?"

"Something you oughta remember, cowboy. Not all women mount up the same or crave that type of wild ride. See, you're all about fast, furious, pulse-pounding action. I imagined a slower, sweeter pace for the first go-round. Taking time to learn the subtle signals before handing over the reins. Not rushing headlong to the glorious end, all hot and sweaty and tired." Holly bit her lip, as if deep in thought. A little buzz fizzed in her blood when Nick's gaze zoomed to her mouth.

"I'd prefer drawing out the excitement. Gliding along with abandon. Building the pace one step at a time until that moment you dig your heels in and break free, reveling in the rush of an unbridled, unbound, rigorous ride."

Nick just blinked at her and then he swallowed hard.

Hah. "You're awful quiet all of a sudden, darlin'," she teased. "You okay?"

"You're good at that."

Holly cocked her head saucily. "Good at what, cowboy?"

"Reminding me you're a professional."

He's going to give her the Christmas gift of her dreams...in triplicate.

Unwrapped

(c) 2007 Jaci Burton

When Justin Garrett accidentally views Amy Parker's private online journal, he sees the cold corporate exec in a brand new light. It seems the icy, unapproachable Amy has fantasies. Fantasies that both appall and intrigue her.

No one knows the real Amy Parker, and she's satisfied to keep it that way. A woman with kinky tastes wouldn't cut it in the straight-laced law firm where she's fought her way to partnership. And she certainly refuses to let an underling use her to advance in the firm. Justin Garrett might be brilliant, gorgeous, and sexy as hell, but he's firmly restricted to her fantasies and that's where he'll stay.

While working together on a corporate acquisition in Hawaii over the Christmas holidays, Justin sets out to make Amy's secret fantasy come true--a night of passion with two men who adore her. And he knows the ideal other man to help Am

y unwrap the perfect Christmas gift.

But first he has to melt her heart and convince her he sees her as a woman, not a rung to climb on the career ladder. In fact, by giving Amy exactly what she's always wished for, Justin hopes to climb right into her heart.

This title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, menage a trois, a trip to Hawaii and maybe a glimpse of Santa on a surfboard.

Enjoy the following excerpt for Unwrapped:

The sand was hot. She hurried to the water's edge, relieved when the waves lapped at her feet and ankles. It was cold. She needed the cool water to knock some sense into her. As soon as she was in waist high, she dove in, letting the waves crash over her.

It was heaven. She swam out a few yards, loving the feel of the waves undulating under her. It was incredibly freeing, and oh so relaxing. She finally stopped, treading water and feeling for footing, landing on a sandbar. She stood in the water up to her breasts. Mitch swam up next to her and grinned as he stood up, shaking his head.

"Now that was refreshing," he said with a wide grin.

"Yes it was. I needed that."

She screamed when arms encircled her waist and swept her off her feet. Flailing about, she turned, realizing she was being held in Justin's arms.

"You scared the hell out of me," she said, splashing water in his face.

He shook his head and laughed. "Thought I was a shark, didn't you?"

"Maybe." All too aware of how good it felt to be nestled against his chest, she said, "You can put me down now."

One raven brow arched. "Oh, I don't think so." Instead, he bent a bit, then lifted her, clear out of the water, and she went sailing in the air, screaming at the top of her lungs. Instead of landing somewhere in the water, she was caught by another set of strong arms. This time, it was Mitch.

She glared at both of them. "You guys are not funny."

"We think we are," Mitch said, cradling her close, turning her toward him so her breasts were mashed against his chest. "You're safe with us, Amy. Don't worry."

She wasn't worried at all. Justin swam up and linked hands with Mitch underneath her, dropping her into the middle between them. She lay in their arms in the water, cradled against their chests while the two of them carried on a conversation about sports, seemingly ignoring her. It was a man hammock. She was comfortable, safe, and absolutely petrified. She was a sandwich in the middle of two amazingly desirable men.