Paige Tyler - Author of Sexy, Romantic Fiction: Thursday Thirteen

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Thursday Thirteen - Excerpts from THE WAGER!

Thirteen Sexy Excerpts from THE WAGER!

1.

For once Skye Covington was glad she worked in a cubicle. That way no one could see her jaw drop. As an advice columnist for one of San Francisco’s top newspapers, she’d gotten letters that made her laugh, made her cry, made her mad, even made her go, huh? This one wanted to make her do all of the above. In addition to screaming in frustration. Unfortunately, the cubicles at the

Bay Gazette didn’t come with soundproofing, so she’d have to keep that to a minimum.

Skye was at the Starbucks downstairs checking her messages on her iPhone when someone tossed a folded copy of the San Francisco Bay Gazette on the table and sat down

across from her. She looked up to see Carter Madison regarding her with those incredible amber colored eyes of his. Tall with dark hair, broad shoulders and the perfect amount of scruff on his chiseled jaw, she had to admit he was gorgeous. Just because she came from a long line of feminists didn’t mean she didn’t like men. And Carter was about as hot a guy as a woman could find. It was too bad he was the stereotypical jock.

“I read your column in today’s paper.” He set his cup of coffee down on the table. “The one with your advice to Curious About Spanking.”

Great. Everyone seemed to have an opinion on that. She couldn’t wait to hear to hear his.

Skye put her phone down on the table. “I thought the only part of the newspaper you read were the box scores.”

He chuckled. “Oh, I read those, too. But I always make time for Ask Skye Anything.”

“I’m flattered.” She picked up her nonfat latte, looking at him over the rim as she took a sip. “I don’t read yours.”

Carter was one of the sports beat writers for the newspaper. He covered the 49ers. Or was it the Giants? She could never remember. He was a former college quarterback, so it must be the 49ers.

“I’m crushed.” Mouth quirking, he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. He had his shirtsleeves rolled up, showing off some very nice—if distracting muscles. “But back to your column. I think you were way off the mark with the advice you gave Curious About Spanking.”

He regarded her thoughtfully. “Tell me, Skye, have you ever even been spanked?”

Her color deepened. “That’s none of your damn business.”

His mouth twitched. “I’ll take that as a no. Or maybe you have been spanked, and you didn’t like it.” He considered that for a moment, then shook his head. “Nope, you’ve never been spanked. I can tell.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. How could he possibly tell something like that? What, did she have a scarlet “P” on her chest for prude? She was very kinky. She just didn’t want to be spanked.

“If you’ve never gotten spanked, do you really think you’re qualified to give advice on the subject?”

Why was she still sitting here talking to him? “You didn’t play every position in football, but you still give your opinion on it, don’t you?”

“Not the same thing.”

God, he was annoying. “I don’t have to experience something to give advice about it. That’s what intelligence can do for you. And if I don’t have knowledge about something, I consult with someone who does.”

Carter nodded. “That makes a lot of sense. So, whom did you consult about spanking?”

Oh, damn. She’d walked right into that one, hadn’t she? So what if she hadn’t consulted with anyone about spanking? She didn’t answer to him.

She frowned. “Spankings? As in more than one?"

The corners of his mouth edged up. “You have complete say in who wins and loses this wager, which means we need a little something to balance the scales. Instead of one spanking, I’m going to give you three of them, at a time and place of my choosing. That will give you plenty of opportunity to reflect on them, and give me an honest opinion.”

Skye’s mouth tightened. Dammit. She was trapped and he knew it. If she didn’t agree to go through with it, Carter would think it was because she was the one who was too chicken.

“How do you know that I won’t just say I hated them, no matter what?"

“You could do that, but I’m depending on your journalistic integrity to keep you honest. I’m willing to take the chance. Are you?”

She glanced at him as she dug her keys out of her purse. “Would you like to come in?”

Carter flashed her a grin. “Unless you want me to give you that spanking out here in the hallway.”

Spanking? Crap, she’d almost forgotten about that. Her nerves kicked in to high gear again, and her hands trembled a little as she unlocked the door.

Carter went back and forth, alternating from one cheek to the other until she was squirming around wildly on his lap. Her thin skirt offered little protection from the barrage of sharp smacks. Underneath it, her bottom as if it was on fire. What woman would enjoy this? It stung like hell!

He was one of the few guys she could see herself falling for and he was into the one kink she hated. And yet, she was still attracted to him despite that. It completely defied logic.

Oh, crap. She’d met her readers before at various promotional functions the newspaper held, but they usually didn’t come up to her in Starbucks. After the harsh advice she’d given Curious About Spanking, she wasn’t sure she was thrilled the woman had.

10.

“Guess what I heard from Barb in payroll.”

Kevin sat back and stretched out his legs, clearly waiting for an answer. Carter’d bite.

“That we’re all getting raises?”

“Unfortunately, no.” Kevin grinned. “She told me she saw you and Her Royal Iceness at Antonio’s on Friday.”

Carter ground his jaw at the juvenile nickname Kevin had given Skye. Then again, what did he expect? Kevin might be his friend, but sometimes he had the maturity of a rutabaga.

11.

“I’ve been wanting to kiss you all night,” he said huskily.

Even if she could have thought of something suitably quippy to say, she couldn’t have gotten the words out because he bent his head and covered her mouth with his.

The kiss was surprisingly gentle, his mouth moving over hers almost experimentally, as if he wasn’t quite sure whether he’d get slapped for his efforts. Shoving Carter away was the furthest thing from Skye’s mind, though. She slid her hands up the front of his shirt to grab his shoulders, pulling him closer.

Carter deepened the kiss, his tongue invading her mouth to take possession of hers even as his hand found its way into her hair. Skye let out a moan as the other slid down her back to cup her ass and mold her to hard-on straining against the front of his jeans. Any doubt she had that they might be sexually compatible disappeared right then and there. Something told her they were going to be amazing in bed.

12.

“I bet you’re getting excited just thinking about me spanking you, aren’t you?” he whispered in her ear.

Her pussy spasmed. Skye opened her mouth to answer, but Carter didn’t give her a chance. Putting his hands on her waist, he spun her around so she was facing the mirrored wall of the elevator. Their eyes met in the glass, and she caught her breath at the desire she saw in his.

Gaze still locked with hers, Carter bent her over at the waist and flipped up her skirt. Placing one hand on the small of her back, he traced light circles on her panty-covered ass with the other.

13.

Skye was so spent, she would have stayed the rest of the day in that position if Carter hadn’t taken her hand and gently turned her around in his arms. For a moment, they just stood like that, neither of them saying anything. Sometimes, no words were needed, were they? Something special had happened here in this elevator, and they both knew it.

Carter gazed down at her for one more long moment, then cupped her face and kissed her tenderly on the mouth. When he lifted his head again, she was breathless.

“Now, you can’t tell me you don’t enjoy spanking after that.”