Hot Off the Presses
by Trixie Stilletto
ISBN: 1-59426-506-2 (Electronic)
Cover by Stacey L. King
Copyright ©2005
Short Contemporary Erotica
Rating: NC-17
(Graphic Sexual Content/Language)

Available From Phaze Books

Sports Editor Samantha Cruise has always had a strict rule. Work is work, play is play. Right up to her birthday when she has sex with a stranger at a company party, Samantha sticks to her rule through thick and thin. Like Murphy's law, Samantha's ride on the wild side comes back to haunt her when she learns her stranger is the new publisher of her newspaper. Can she keep separate two demanding lovers, her career she loves and a man who makes her feel things she's only dreamed about, without sacrificing her integrity?

Publisher Kurt Boscoe has always chosen the easy path in his life. "If it feels good, do it" is his motto. Now, he's out to prove to his father that he can control his libido and make a success in their family business. But when he succumbs to temptation on his first night in town, Kurt decides he can have his cake and eat it too. Except his dream lover is his employee and has this annoying problem with integrity. Can he convince her that playing at work is a win-win situation?

Prologue

Enough was enough. The party roared around her.

Samantha's duty was done. It was time to blow this pop stand and get rid of this ridiculous costume. Athena, warrior princess.

Right. She felt more like Olive Oyl, melting wimp.

She stepped off the ridiculously high bar stool where she'd been holed up for the last hour and wobbled dangerously on the four-inch spiked high-heeled boots that were part of her costume.

Great, she was tipsy. Just what she needed when she had what could be a career-breaking meeting with her new boss bright and early tomorrow morning.

Samantha giggled, then slapped her palm over her mouth. Maybe he was sitting all alone in some fancy apartment the paper had rented for him, getting tipsy over the thought of meeting her as well.

Hah, that was likely. Not!

She should call him up and get the firing over with immediately. She started to walk away, then whirled.

"Mustn't forget my purse," she muttered.

There was only one thing that would have her sitting mostly alone at a bar on a late summer Sunday night: friendship. Two of her favorite people in the world, Lani and Henry Thompson, were celebrating their wedding anniversary with this party. Lani was the best sports writer at The Buffalo Planet; Samantha was the sports editor, and Henry worked on the copy desk.

She looked over her shoulder and focused on the wildly spinning mirrorball. The bar was decorated like a 1970s disco in honor of the year Lani and Henry married. It only took a few moments staring at the thing before Samantha began to feel a little dizzy. Instead, she picked out the two people who were responsible for her being here tonight.

The happy couple was rocking down the house as the band spun out a dizzying beat, while friends and family were laughing and having a great time. Samantha was starting to feel completely out of place. It was bad enough she was dressed in this ridiculous Athena costume, but it was worse to be the only single in a crowd of couples. She took one last sip of the glass of G and T she'd ordered, then decided she'd been here long enough.

She then turned and ran into a solid wall of male flesh wearing a green and black kilt and black Scottish jacket with a black and green sash tied from his right shoulder to his waist. A white Phantom of the Opera type mask covered most of his face so she had no idea if he was someone she knew.

"Hello there." His voice was like cream over fruit.

Samantha felt the excitement bead on her skin. "Oh, hello. Sorry for nearly knocking you flat." In the dim lights of the club, she had an impression of bold strength and overwhelming heat as her hand rested against his wide chest. She started to pull away her hands, which were enjoying the feel of the tight muscles underneath the fabric, when he pulled her closer and swirled her onto the dance floor.

"You can make it up to me by giving me this dance," he said, pulling her into his embrace. She felt the heat of him as their bodies melded and moved into the slow dance the band started playing. The kilt provided little barrier and she could feel the strength of him as their hips brushed, then separated. It was an incredible turn on and she could feel an answering excitement building deep inside her.

"I was just getting ready to leave," she began. She sounded breathless, as if she'd just ran a marathon.

"I don't think so," he said, his lips and eyes so close to her face they blotted out everything in the background. His voice was meant for long, dark, sultry, passionate nights. Samantha shivered.

"Too cold?" he asked. His lips then took hers in a kiss that stunned and aroused her in one heartbeat. He tasted of dark chocolate and hot rum. Was it possible to get drunk on one kiss?

Before she could do more than blink, he had maneuvered them from the dance floor, out the club's back door, and onto the starlit deck. Samantha shivered a little more, not from the cold, but from the shaft of desire that shot through her.

"Are you Lani's friend or Henry's?" The question was an attempt to regain control, as she still couldn't figure out who he was. Her only points of reference were his voice and his deep, blue eyes, and she knew she'd never before heard the voice. How could a woman forget a sound that nearly made her melt and her pussy cream like she was in perpetual heat? Maybe he's in radio or television, she thought.

"Not hardly," he answered her question.

"Oh. This is a private party," she said.

His grin caused a slash of white to flash across his face. "I know. I thought we could make it a little more private. Unless, of course, you really want to return."

Samantha was torn. She had never been a gambler. There was no question staying on this secluded deck with this man, who exuded danger like other men did aftershave, could be the biggest gamble of her life.

Tomorrow was a big day for her. Her new publisher was coming to town, and she had a meeting scheduled with him first thing. But tonight was not tomorrow, and yesterday had been her thirtieth birthday.

She looked in his eyes, opened her mouth to tell him no, but asked instead, "How private can you make it?"

Phaze Books

"In Hot Off The Presses, Trixie Stilletto has combined the best of erotica and romance and created a book just begging to be read." 4 stars, Alice Klein, Sime-Gen Reviews

"Their relationship is intense, sexy, explosive, fun, very sensual and moves much faster than either of them expects which makes for some very enjoyable reading. The sex scenes are constant, juicy, very sensual, sensitive and tender." Rating: 5 stars. Ellen Bunch, Just Erotic Romance

"Ms. Stilletto has wowed this reader with this tender and exciting love story. She has truly outdone herself." 4 ½ hearts, Sarah W., - The Romance Studio

Ms. Stilletto writes a book that keeps you reading page after page. The love is strong between Samantha and Kurt, but they are too stubborn to admit it. You will keep reading into the night to see if they will finally admit the strong feelings they have for each other. The sex is explicit at times; but the emotion you know that Samantha and Kurt have for one another keeps you reading until the end, to see if love conquers all." 5 Cups, Sherry, Coffee Time Romance

"This if the first book I've read by Phaze and hopefully this is a great indication of what readers can expect to see." 4 unicorns from Enchanted In Romance

"...the love scenes were pretty hot and plentiful and the secondary characters were entertaining without overshadowing the love story." 3 Kisses from C.C. Ellis, Romance Divas