MY BOOK WILL BE featured in bite me box

Y’all, I wrote a fan fiction of my Wooing the Alpha series and made it a cozy fantasy. Bite Me Box picked up a special, signed edition of it on sale until the end of the month at bitemebox.com, so order one now! To celebrate, here’s an excerpt from the full-length novel.

Read the Selected Spicy Chapters Below!

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE (WINTER)

I arrived in the south by the Cliffs, freshly washed and ready to head home for some peace and quiet. The last couple of days were filled with a lot of travel and redirection. Another few long days until I had access to a hot shower.

But now, I could move without the stiffness of dirt chafing my skin, and I could find a decent meal before I returned to the quiet torment of my life.

Funny how I’d never really seen it that way before.

Gingerbread wafted across my path, pausing me in the street. Then, I saw him across the road before a carriage trotted by. Basil, the soldier who’d kissed me and rolled around in my tent but refused to sleep with me. Part of me screamed to ignore him since he’d disappeared before I woke up.

He caught my gaze with his bright blue eyes, and I felt stuck in place, breath catching on nutmeg and molasses again as he crossed the street. That smile of his was infectious, pulling one at the corners of my mouth. I fought it back.

When he stood in front of me again, so close that the heat of him tried to draw me in, Basil looked at me with that emotion I struggled to define. “Hey, sweetheart.”

I frowned at him. “I am not your sweetheart.”

That spread his grin wider. “Let me make it up to you.”

I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. “Make what up to me?”

Basil tucked a loose strand of hair from my face. “For getting called away. I didn’t want to leave, but I had to.”

His touch left a spark in its wake, and my nostrils flared. 

“The clan is in the middle of their week-long fair. Let me take you.”

“That sounds an awful lot like a date.”

His slender shoulders shrugged, the button-up collared shirt accentuating them nicely. “What if it is?”

“I don’t go on dates.” I never have. Didn’t see the appeal of romance and everything that came with it. Sex was easy. Emotions were not.

Basil tugged my hand free, dropping my defensive posture. “There’s a first time for everything.”

Taking a deep breath only filled my lungs with his scent, so I stepped forward when he turned to lead me down the sidewalk, keeping my hand and linking those impossibly long fingers between mine.

Why did that simple gesture send such a spark through me? Why did the slow, drawn-out way he courted me make me want him so badly? Why couldn’t I just drag him to a hotel room, throw him down, and take what I wanted from him?

I want so much more than one night with you. The way he’d whispered those words against my skin before he crawled into my tent behind me sent a shiver down my spine.

Like he read my mind, Basil lifted my knuckles to his lips. And that look made my knees wobbly. Why do you look at me like that?

Mechanical noise and children squealing greeted us when we weaved our way to the edge of town. I squeezed his hand, not great around children. Not even as a child had I been great with others.

“Don’t run away on me.”

I hadn’t yet. As many opportunities as I’d had.

Basil leaned in, his breath brushing my ear. “I bet I can beat you at the water race.”

My frown deepened to a competitive glare. “And what do I get if I win?”

“Whatever you want.” The promise lingered against my skin; he pulled me over to a booth with water guns and a line of metal wolves set at the starting line. Basil placed a few dollars on the counter for the man running the game as he called more players to join.

Two others took up the handles at the other end, and Basil winked at me before the man in charge called for us to start.

Water sprayed hard and unruly before I aimed it at the narrow opening in the clown’s mouth. My metal wolf jutted forward, sprinting for the finish line alongside Basil’s.

Come on. Come on.

It didn’t matter how hard I squeezed the handle, the water only streamed out so fast, and in the end, Basil’s wolf reached the end with less than an inch between us.

I let out a hard breath when his smug smile turned to me. His fingers brushed the backs of my arms, and his smug transformed into genuine joy. Goddess, why did he have to look at me like that?

“Again.” This time, I paid because I could.

I enjoyed how he didn’t try to stop me.

When his wolf made it to the finish line with the same minuscule gap, I suppressed the fit swelling inside. I was not a poor sport, no matter what anyone else said. Still, the things were rigged.

My attention darted across the other tents and booths as Basil coaxed my hand back into his.

I let him lead. This was not a scenario I maintained great comfort in.

Kids screamed and cried and laughed and made all of the noise in the world. It was disconcerting just how loud they could be en masse like this. 

He stopped us in front of another game, and I grinned at the fluffy clown faces and bean bags. Basil paid for our first round, and we were evenly matched at knocking over those faces. Ching. Ching, ching, ching. 

They fell in quick succession, and the man in the booth howled at our competitive speed. We knocked into each other once we threw the last bean bag, and his arm came around my shoulders. Tension drew us tighter together.

“You are a beast.” Basil pointed to the stuffed alligator hanging from the top of the booth. “How many wins for that one?”

“Five.”

“Guess we have a few more rounds to play then.” His wide grin was even brighter up close; it smoothed away the panic of being against him, especially in public. Touch sliding down my back, he took my hand again as if he could read my mind. “After this one, we’ll find you a treat.”

“You don’t presume it’s you?” So many men did.

“No.” His words dropped in my ear. “You are. Watching you eat is.”

I snorted. Why would my eating be a treat? Although he did seem to feed me often. My eyes narrowed at him in suspicion.

“You always seem happy when you’re eating. I figured with your appetite, I can offer you an afternoon of happiness. Or at the very least, contentment.”

I didn’t have much time to think through that with the beanbags stacked for me to throw. The round went quickly, and I knocked down one more clown face than Basil. My pride had me hopping in place. Basil’s arms circled me, having me bounce into his chest.

As slender as he was, he was still wider and taller than me. Hard male to my softer female. 

I leaned into him, hands running up his back. I didn’t do this, touch men in public, show any special attention to, well, pretty much anyone. But his molasses and nutmeg scent drew me in. I wanted his mouth on me again nearly as badly as I wanted food.

“You like to win.”

A nod had me peering up at him. “So do you.”

“Yes. Although I much more prefer not to lose.”

I laughed. “To most, there isn’t a difference.”

“But you know better.”

Touching his lip had him suck in a sharp breath, that look of his deepening with other wants and desires. What was that extra thing? It didn’t make sense.

“Come on, one more, and we get the alligator.”

“Why do you want the alligator?”

“Because it’s a swamp creature.”

His thumb stroked the pulse in my neck, and my lungs seized. I turned toward the game again, and the male manning it smiled knowingly. It sent heat into my cheeks as I took a bean bag in my hand. 

Basil stepped in beside me, looking thrilled. Like a kid with a pile of presents on their birthday.

We made an even go of it again, which sent us both into laughter.

The game attendant handed Basil the stuffed alligator, and Basil tucked it between us as his long arm returned around my shoulder.

“So what do you think first? Tacos, funnel cake, a blooming onion, pie…”

“Corn dog. The giant ones. Two, please.”

His laughter made me so warm.

I bought the dogs without argument. He didn’t challenge my dominance in those ways. Didn’t seem to mind my independence. Didn’t tell me not to behave like me because women weren’t meant to be brash and angry and strong-willed.

The first dog went down quickly. Before I realized it. Like normal.

That’s why I got two. I could slow down on the second and enjoy the taste a bit more. The all-beef dog carried a lot of flavor. They’d fried it so that the breading was perfectly crisp and fluffy and not bogged down with grease. Instead, it held its own to the dog. 

It took Basil as long to eat one as it did for me to eat two, but when we were done, he towed me back to the games. The next one was darts, and I saw a theme. We passed ones that invited luck. Basil focused on skill instead. Skills we both possessed.

Winning prizes was easy since we tied so often, and we gave them all away to kids except for the alligator. I’d keep that one.

He escorted me to several booths with fried foods, taking a bite of my oversized plate most of the time, except for the funnel cake. He got strawberries and chocolate on top.

A sweet tooth.

I was partial to cheeses and meats, but I devoured my own cake dusted with powdered sugar. When he pointed out fried butter on one of the menus, I couldn’t contain my curiosity and excitement. I loved butter. Sometimes eating it in stick form.

Basil’s laugh held no taunt. “You must try it.”

Biting into it left a hollow center with a half-melted ball of butter. I slurped the liquid out to Basil’s cringe. My tongue dipped in to scoop out a little of the solid mass left over.

I might have simply shoved them in my mouth if not for this alpha’s attention.

Once I finished the four in my basket, his gaze heated me up, and I pulled him around the back of the food truck and pressed myself against him, taking his mouth in a hot kiss flavored in butter. He moaned softly and leaned into me hard.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR (BASIL)

The salty flavor of fried butter on Winter’s tongue sent me into a tailspin, leaning her against the back of the truck like I might hump her right there. She grabbed me and held on, and I wanted nothing less than to drag her away.

Our kiss didn’t last. Common decency must be at least remotely maintained.

When her mouth fell from mine, I couldn’t help my smile.

“Come try the strong man test.”

Her grin and the way she sized me up dealt a sucker punch.

I was enamored with her. Beyond the sex appeal and compatibility, I didn’t want to let her go again. Not unless someone ripped her from my grip.

I escorted her to the game, and she let me go first. Whatever she wanted.

The hammer had weight to it, but it wasn’t heavier than the weapons we handled daily. My swing rocketed the metal into the bell.

Winter took the hammer from my hands, her own slipping along my bare forearms below where I’d rolled up my shirt sleeves.

My hands tucked into my pockets as I stood back to watch. She looked so dainty in her black tee and tight jeans, hair curling around her waist and shoulders, across her throat. Her muscles appeared when she readied the hammer, swinging it with a fluid grace that spoke of her strength. 

That small piece of metal zinged up into the bell as fast as mine had.

Winter smiled at me, then she peered around at the kids gawking at her. Her happiness dimmed.

I tugged her forward to block them out and said, “Breathtaking.”

I hoped she saw how much I meant it. If she knew everyone else saw her that way, too, I’d be screwed, but I still wanted her to know.

Her touch crept around my waist, spreading warmth through my shirt as she closed around me. Winter lay her head on my shoulder, taking a deep breath. Pink splayed across the part of her cheek exposed to me, attracting my thumb along that delicate swoop before my fingers sank into her hair.

I tipped her face up toward mine. “They’re all simply in awe of you, sweetheart. Can’t blame them for being struck.”

Her snort was adorable, and the wilderness of her eyes sent me tumbling.

She let me kiss her, chaste, amongst the children and families milling around.

“We should collect our prize. We have many more to win yet.” I dropped the words softly in her ear, and her grip tightened on me before she let go, taking the stuffed alligator squashed between us with her.

She hadn’t given it to a kid yet like she did all of the others. It sent hope soaring in my chest. 

I took Winter Jarl to a fair, and it was a real date. Her first.

We played more games, venturing to the lucky ones when we ran out of challenges, but she schooled me on the rope ladder, speeding up that thing like a monkey to win the big prize. I managed to crawl up it after I flipped over, but her agility knew no bounds.

My thoughts turned to her crawling on top of me instead. Or under me. Gods, it really didn’t matter.

Once every game had been played and most of the treats consumed, Winter curled against me again. This time, she didn’t hide, and it caught my breath in my lungs with a hard pang to have her looking at me that way.

“Do you have a hotel room?”

I did. Next to Fang, who had ordered room service and would probably spend the entire night to himself.

Now, he might get more entertainment than he’d planned on.

My nod had her stumbling me backward, out of the fair and toward town, the only place I could be staying. “Show me.”

I would. I walked faster than normal, and Winter kept pace right beside me, hand in mine as we marched through town to the small hotel. On the second floor, we both breathed heavily when I pulled the key from my pocket.

She grabbed me and pulled my mouth down to hers before I got the key in the lock. I growled into her kiss, wanting her more than life.

Fingers in my hair, Winter pressed her body against mine, and I slid the key into place, abandoning it to keep her close for a few extra heartbeats, then I unlocked the door and pitched us both inside.

She nimbly unbuttoned my shirt as I kicked the door closed.

I smoothed her tee up her back. Her touch spread across my chest and stomach. My groan dropped her mouth from mine, and I pulled her shirt over her head. Another needy kiss erupted between us.

It felt like she might climb me, so I swung her up into my grip and carried her to the bed. Lying down with her under me spiraled my dreams around us. She’d haunted me at night, wishing she was with me. Like this.

Wrapped up in each other until we both woke up. The one time was not enough.

It didn’t seem like anything would be enough with her.

I ground my hips into hers as her legs wrapped tighter.

Winter raked her nails up my back, scratching along my shoulders so that I shuddered above her. Our noses bumped. I retreated a few inches, wanting to memorize her this way.

Her hands crept between us, tugging my fly open. “You have too many clothes on.”

My laugh punched me hard in the gut. Yes, I did, but I didn’t mind taking it a bit slower.

Winter was all rush, like how she tended to march ahead of the army, devour food at double speed, use short sentences and looks as answers. I traced her nose, bumping my thumb down her lips. She bit the pad, eyes blazing with being denied before.

No, I won’t deny you again, but I will take my time.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE (WINTER)

The way Basil’s eyes darkened when I bit him sent a jolt of pleasure down my center. I wanted this man, and he’d better not reject me this time.

My grip breached his tight boxers and grabbed a hold of his silky cock. There was no denying how much he wanted me, too, but he moved so slowly. It drove me crazy.

“We have all night,” he said into my ear, mouth delivering small nips and kisses. “I want to enjoy having you under me like this.”

Basil stroked my ribs, making my muscles tight and tingly. As his touch crept up to my bra, my nipples hardened. Everything in me begged him for more, and he teased.

I grunted in frustration and stroked him before he peeled my bra free of my chest, a simple black sporty one from work that offered real support rather than simply looking pretty. My breasts spilled out and into his waiting hand.

Gods, he set me on fire, and I was going to burn up before he got to stoke it. Jerking my hips up, I caught the head of his shaft as he lowered out of reach.

His moan surrounded my nipple when he pulled one breast into his mouth, sucking hard enough to bow my back. Basil switched, tonguing my other hard pebble as those impossibly long fingers bumped over the wet one he’d just released.

I whimpered, writhing under him with far too much need.

His mouth worked its way down the center of my stomach as he popped the button on my jeans and gathered the material in his hands to tug it free of my hips.

Okay, I liked where this was going, but seriously, fuck me already.

Splaying his fingers over my panties spread my thighs for him, and he smirked up at me, feeling how soaked they were. 

Yes, I want you. Now, get your ass up here and do something about it.

He didn’t. Instead, he bent to maw at me over the fabric, electric blue eyes caught on mine.

My breath huffed in my chest, watching him eat at me through my undies. His moan vibrated against me; hands curling around my hips, he closed his eyes and doubled his effort, using lips, teeth, chin… All of it sent pleasure spiraling up my body.

If only he would remove the barrier between us.

My moan made him double down, and I fought the impending climax with a growl.

Basil peered up at me again, sucking and lifting his brow.

Pleasure quaked in my core. Fuck him and his talented mouth.

“I want you, all of you, inside of me.” 

His soft laughter made me shiver. “Oh, me, too, sweetheart, but I’m aiming for way more than that.”

My huff seemed to make him smile.

“Why don’t you want me to give you as much pleasure as possible? Why are you so intent on rushing through it?” Those nimble hands massaged and squeezed my curves.

“Because you can do all of that after I get what I want and shower. We have all night.”

“I believe that was my argument.”

“I know.”

Basil grinned and added a little more pressure along the center of my panties before he retreated, yanking them down my legs with him. The bastard paused again.

My growl brought his gaze up to mine.

“I just want to commit this to memory.” The way he roamed over my body without touching me tightened my skin and made me ache.

A low groan escaped his parted lips, and he was in motion again, dropping his slacks so that his cock bobbed between us.

Yes. Finally.

My body arched into his when he crawled back between my thighs, and he caught the good bits in his hands. I pushed myself against the hard length of him as his mouth lowered over mine.

Fingers in his hair, I held on hard enough to make him grunt.

“Fuck, sweetheart. I can’t help but enjoy how badly you want this.” He thrust against me, layering me with another kiss that threatened to end me in too many ways.

Shifting his weight, he reached between us and ran his head through my folds, splaying them nicely, so close to what I nearly begged him for more. I’d repay him for that later. With one last hesitation, Basil cradled the back of my neck and pushed himself inside of me.

Gasping, I rolled my hips up to feel the length of him stretch my core. Wet and ready or not, it had still been a while since I’d been with someone, and gods did it feel good.

Basil moved slowly, elongating his thrusts to drive me crazy.

I squeezed him with my knees and core to prod him into action.

“Fuck, Winter. You keep doing that, and I won’t last very long.” The pinch of his brows showcased his restraint.

Drawing my hands up his sides, over his pale chest and throat, I tugged him down for a kiss. It simmered with such heat and need that my insides pulsed with it.

His moan tasted sweet.

Finally, he moved, a slow build until he established a steady pace. This wasn’t the ferocious fervor I was used to, but when he tilted himself in just a way, I lost all access to my breath.

Basil’s smile returned, sweet and gloating as he listened to my body.

Once I breached my threshold for restraint, I wrapped my arms around him, fingers spreading between his shoulder blades, and I moved with him.

Breath seethed through his gritted teeth, so I sank my nails into his back. A strangled moan dropped along my throat until he planted delicate nips along my flesh and matched the power of my hips.

Pleasure rocketed up and up and up until my head flew back. It seized me with a molten wash of ecstasy.

He pumped harder, burying his face against my neck as I held on. Contentment and desire tumbled together. The force of his hips jarred me to a new height, so close to another orgasm.

I knew he would handle my body properly, that he could read my silences well enough to satisfy me.

Basil lifted himself a few inches, hovering with this dreamy kind of pain etched over his features. As his brows bunched and his mouth parted, I knew we were both goners. I met his thrusts with my own intent.

I wanted to end him, to take that kind of control away after he’d exerted so much over me.

The soft strangled noise low in his throat had his gaze glaze over before it snapped onto mine, and that look sent my heart into a frenzy. Holding onto him as he lost control, we ground together, his pelvis pressing my clit and sending me over the edge.

Basil sank me into the mattress, kissing along my sweaty skin as our bodies relaxed.

Somehow, I didn’t want to push him off me now that we were done. I trailed his spine, tracing every bump of his vertebrae. 

He stroked my thighs with his palms as they shook.

“I knew I wouldn’t last with you like this. It’s been too long.” His words were confident, but his voice confessed his fears.

I brushed my fingers through his hair, wet from the sweat we’d built up. “When I can move again, you’ll come shower with me.”

The bunch of his cheeks meant he must be grinning.

“You can show me again how talented you are at reaching difficult places but with soap this time.”

His laughter made me wish we could stay this way for a long time. “Anything you want, sweetheart. I am at your disposal.”

A legendary warrior and a lethal lieutenant’s battle for control.

Winter

I am nobody’s sweetheart.

Being the daughter of the chief has a few perks—people know my name, and they leave me alone. Better yet, they fear me.

But no one seems to have told Alpha Lieutenant Bathilde this. He looks at me like I’m more than what I am.

And what I am is angry, cold, and deadly. 

Basil

I am a sucker for punishment.

It took decades for me to earn my own command, even if my squad of warriors are a bunch of delinquents.

But when the most notorious—and most beautiful—warrior holds me at sword point after a battle, it complicates my priorities.

I rethink how we protect our country, and I need her help to change it.

This low-stakes cozy fantasy romance is packed with sass, charm, and sex. Be swept away into a magical world filled with tropes you’ll obsess over.

*He falls first.

*Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine.

*She threatens to kill anyone who touches her.

*Nice guy.

*Forced Proximity.

*HEA guaranteed.