Start your week with...MOLLY DANIELS / KENZIE MICHAELS

Steve and Angie:

“I’m just going to say this.” His voice was rough. “I love you. You’re the one thing that kept me going, that kept me from going to Prison Tech 101. After I got clean, I decided I was going to do whatever it took to serve my time, and get a respectable job, all so I could win you back.” He cleared his throat. “God, Ange…I swear to you…that one dose of speed fucked up my future, but I’m not going to let it fuck up the rest of my life. I’m staying with Josh; I’ve got my driver’s license; tomorrow I’m buying a car. And my parole officer’s trying to help me get a good job, so I can afford my own place.” His voice dropped to a whisper and one hand stole into Angie’s bright tresses. His head angled toward hers and softly touched his lips to hers. When his tongue nudged her lips open and touched hers, she recoiled and dropped her head on his chest.

“Don’t,” she whispered. “I can’t…”

He lifted her chin with a finger. “It’s okay. I’ve waited nearly two years; I can wait a little longer.” He kissed her eyelids, her nose, and then her lips again before releasing her.“Thanks for the water and for hearing me out.” He stepped around her and left the condo, carefully closing the door behind him.

Once outside, he leaned against the wall by the mailbox, eyes closed. He was surprised Angie hadn’t locked the door. And suddenly she was outside with him, her arms around his neck.

Steve couldn’t speak. He gathered her up and moved into the condo again, pulling the door closed behind them. He kissed her, their tongues exploring and rediscovering each other.

His pent-up desire flared; he tried to keep it in check by remembering he’d never seen her undressed. His lips traveled all over her face; his fingertips traced the contours of her delicate features and the lines of her slender neck. His lips found her earlobe and grazed it with his teeth; he heard her inhale and moan when his tongue touched a sensitive spot just below it.

“I remember how you used to love this.” He gathered her hair in one hand and increased the pressure with his mouth.

“No hickies,” she gasped, clutching at his shoulders.

Steve laughed. Nothing new there. He moved to her jaw and traced her throat with his tongue, moving her backwards toward the couch. One hand slipped under her shirt and slowly skimmed upwards, hesitating before brushing against the gentle swell of her breasts.He eased her down onto the cushions and when she didn’t protest, he tugged her bra aside and closed his hand around her firm, small flesh.

Angie sighed and shifted; it was all the encouragement he needed. Raising her shirt, he bent his head and drew the taunt nipple into his mouth, reaching behind her back to find the bra clasp, Getting it unsnapped, the fabric fell away, and he filled his hand with her other breast, getting to know her all over again.

Panting, Steve worked his own shirt over his head and pressed their torsos together, feeling her breasts burn against his chest. He tongued both nipples, hearing her soft moans and the rush of blood pounding in both his head and his groin. He unsnapped his jeans with the uncomfortable pressure building, and managed to free himself. Holding his swollen cock with one hand, he unfastened Angie’s slacks and tugged them down over her hips, nearly losing it when he saw the transparent underwear and the ginger triangle beneath. He inserted a finger in the waistband. Angie bucked her hips; he peeled the final barrier down and stroked her entrance. She cried out at the contact, and he tugged both slacks and underwear to her ankles.
He brushed his palms over her mound, feeling the tension in her muscles and listening to her increased breathing. He reached behind him for his wallet and withdrew the blue-foiled packet. He waved it in front of her.
“Do I need this?”

* * * * * *
Brad and Emma:

Her damp hair was caught up in a silver clip, and dark blonde ringlets cascaded down her back. Her cowboy boots sounded firmly on the wooden floor as she walked toward the men, her slight frame in black jeans and a loose red shirt. Brad felt his mouth go dry when he realized there was no bra under that shirt, and had to keep tearing his eyes away from the glimpse of cleavage when she greeted Gavin. She slid into the chair beside the older man, and Brad shifted uncomfortably every time she leaned forward.

Emma reached for the hot wings Gavin had ordered and told the waitress to bring her a Coors.

“Gavin likes that crap, but I prefer to stick with Busch,” she stated as Brad shifted in his seat again. “Something wrong, Mr. Morrison?”

“No, no. It’s just I’ve had too much good food the past two days,” he lied.

“Don’t they feed you back home?” Emma patted Gavin on the back. Brad swallowed at the sight of her nipples through the fabric and looked away. Keep breathing; remember Angie.…

“Actually, my girlfriend is quite a cook,” Brad managed to get his tongue working. He reached for a wing at the same time she did, and as their fingers brushed, Brad felt an electric jolt all the way to his groin.

“Maybe she doesn’t feed you enough,” Gavin laughed.

Brad was spared by the appearance of the waitress, ready to take their orders. Brad and Gavin ordered the Prime Rib; Emma opted for the shrimp scampi. Brad ordered another beer, and then excused himself, hoping to get his raging hormones under control.
* * *
Emma, for her part, was enjoying Brad’s obvious discomfort. She’d left her bedroom in a cheerful mood and her confidence up, thanks to Bob’s worshipful and masterful handling of her body. Bob liked her without underwear, so she’d dressed for his benefit, not this stranger who thought he knew his way around an invoice.

“Emma, darlin’, what are you doing?” Gavin smiled once Brad was out of earshot.

“Doing what?” She ate the last hot wing and took another sip of her beer.

“You look like you just fell out of bed. And sweetie, I can tell there’s nothing under that shirt.” Gavin coughed. “I can’t believe I’m even having this conversation with you, but I need Brad’s company. And if you cause him to withdraw the deal, I’ll spank you, no matter if you are nearly thirty.
”
“I did. Are you shocked?” Emma had always been straightforward with her old friend.“And don’t worry; I’ll behave myself. I’m not a child anymore, Gavin.”

“Who’s the lucky man?” he frowned. “Do I need to have a talk with him?”

Emma laughed. “Oh Gavin, I love you. I had the same conversation with Nora yesterday, and she approves. Can’t you trust her judgment?”


********************BLURB********************
You just read an excerpt from:
WILD AT HEART
by
Kenzie Michaels

Buy Link: XOXO Publishing
*********************************************


Linda Kage: Please welcome author, MOLLY DANIELS also known as KENZIE MICHAELS! Hey, Molly/Kenzie. Why don't you tell us a little about you and what you write please.

Molly/Kenzie: Thanks for having me today, Linda! As Kenzie Michaels I write Adult Contemporary Romance and as Molly Daniels, Women’s Fiction. I live in Indiana with my husband, three children, and two honorary grandchildren who are visiting for the summer. And to the neighborhood kids, I’m ‘Aunt Molly’. I answer to just about anything, lol!

Kage: What happened to the first book you ever wrote?

Molly/Kenzie: LOL! It is still in my filing cabinet, and I’ve cannibalized a few characters. I never did finish that book, so I guess the first one I actually finished was Love Finds A Way. And I think the fifth version is the one I finally published.

Kage:What’s your backlist and coming soon bookshelf look like?

Molly/Kenzie: Both Kenzie and Molly have two books out and one arriving in the fall. Kenzie has All She Ever Wanted (published with Freya’s Bower) and Wild At Heart (with XOXO Publishing). I’ve recently signed a contract with Freya’s Bower for the sequel to ASEW, called Class Reunion, which should arrive sometime in 2012. The third book in that series has also been submitted and waiting for approval. Another stand-alone, Teacher’s Pet, is awaiting edits, while Appetite For Desire will be arriving in September from Secret Cravings Publishing. So Kenzie should have two books arriving soon this year (I hope!)

Molly’s first two books, Love Is Sober and Love Finds A Way were self-published through iUniverse and AuthorHouse, and are available in print through amazon.com. The third book in this series, Forbidden Love, is hopefully arriving in October, also from Secret Cravings.

Kage: Which story are we going to talk about today?

Molly/Kenzie: Wild At Heart is the first Kenzie story I ever wrote. I literally wrote it in four weeks; I’d written the first chapter during a Boy Scout Campout, and began typing it on September 11, 2007. The characters grabbed me and wouldn’t let go until I finished it on October 11th. After many rejections and trying to ‘tone down’ one of my heroes, XOXO offered me a contract for it, and the cover is my favorite (so far). The book was released Nov 29, 2010.

********************BLURB********************
WILD AT HEART
by
Kenzie Michaels

Angela Clayborn has just discovered Steve Blumenthal, the man she sent to prison nearly two years before, has been granted an early release. Torn between wanting to see him and fearful if she does, sparks fly when Steve Blumenthal appears in her gift shop and later at her condo. Will Angie free her heart from its icy prison? Has Steve really turned his life around, or is it a hoax?

Meanwhile, in Colorado on business, Angie’s current boyfriend, Brad Morrison, is wrestling with his own call of the wild. He’s met unconventional, sexy Emma Nichols, who runs not only her own riding stable, but helps out with her family’s woodworking store in EstesPark. Emma resents Brad’s offer to help during a family crisis, but eventually discovers that Fate sometimes sends people down unexpected paths to love. Can Brad tame a wildcat? Or will Emma settle for the safe path?
*********************************************
Kage: What would the story be rated if it were a movie?

Molly/Kenzie: Definitely R, with two scenes ending up on the cutting room floor, and one scene rewritten..

Kage: If you HAD to fit this story into a cliché, which one would it be?

Molly/Kenzie: Angie and Steve’s storyline would be the good girl/bad boy, while Brad and Emma would be a combination of Rebel-Forbidden Love and White Knight (saves the damsel in distress, or in this case, the family business).

Kage:Okay, now that we have a general idea which class to fit WILD AT HEART under, what makes this book so unique from every other book out there?

Molly/Kenzie: It’s not your typical romance. The story shows how the lives of four people are changed forever in the course of six days. Each chapter follows each character through a certain part of each day. There’s also a blatant plug for author Anny Cook. I was relieved when my editor allowed it to stay in, since Anny writes for Ellora’s Cave!

Kage:What was the easiest part to write?

Molly/Kenzie: Dialogue is always easy for me, and honestly, this book practically wrote itself. Character names; the setting; action….it all flowed. The only thing I was remotely ‘stuck’ on was when I wrote the scene at Nicky’s Resort and Restaurant. I’ve only eaten there twice, and could not remember what was on the menu, or my father’s favorite beer. I called the restaurant and fortunately talked to the hostess, who was thrilled when I told her I was showcasing the town of Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. I also had to call my mother, since she had been to Denver recently, so I could stay true to the downtown area. I remember eating at the Spaghetti Factory when I was twelve, and thrilled we ate in a ‘bed’. I wanted to incorporate that humor, since Brad and Emma are trying to stay out of bed at that point!

Kage:What do you like most about the main character(s) and what do you like least? Did you learn anything from them?

Molly/Kenzie: Angie was a little uptight at first; I originally had Steve sent away for fifteen years, not months, and it took me a while to finally get into her head, to understand her initial fear. Steve is the one who jumped into my head and demanded I write his story. I loved writing his cocky and angry attitude! Brad and Emma were a complete surprise; I didn’t know half my story would take place in Colorado. I would love to write a sequel someday about Gavin and Nora, or even Bob the cowboy and his new lady friend Natalie! I think Emma came off a little juvenile at times; I patterned her spats with her brother Ethan after other siblings I’ve observed, admittedly in their late teens.

Kage:Molly, Thank you so much for stopping by today and gracing us with your presence. Before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to wrap things up?

Molly/Kenzie: As always, I love hearing from readers! If you like my books, please let me know. If you hate something in a story, let me know. If you have a suggestion, please let me know. And start a ‘whispering campaign’ to Freya’s Bower, asking for Teacher’s Pet? I’ve now been waiting an entire year for my edits, and would like to see that book out soon!

If you're still curious about Molly/Kenzie, here are other places to find her on the web:

Molly's Blog: http://www.mjdaniels.blogspot.com/

Kenzie's Blog: http://kenziemichaels.blogspot.com/

Romance Books R Us: Molly/Kenzie posts every 19th of the month

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/KenzieMichaels

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/891253

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/mollyjdaniels