First, the Mora Early page on Facebook reached 100 likes today! That is awesome!
Second, the Giveaway for Twisted Arrangement 2 ended. We got a lot of entries and I appreciate all the comments, tweets, and other support from all the entrants. You're all amazing!
Congratulations go out to Trena, Heather, and Heidi! Your copies of Twisted Arrangement 2 are on their way! I hope you enjoy them!
So, I promised when the page hit 100 likes I'd offer a sneak peak at Twisted Arrangement 3... which I'm going to post below (after the jump). If you haven't read Twisted Arrangement 2, there are some spoilers... You've been warned!
Please note that the book hasn't gone through the final round of edits... so things may change slightly in the finished version.
Now, if you're ready to read the excerpt from Twisted Arrangement 3, scroll down!
Twisted Arrangement 3 excerpt:
It took him a few minutes to locate her. She wasn’t in the living room, the library, or the den. He checked the ballroom and the billiard room before thinking to look in his office. She was curled up in his chair. The sight arrested Josh in his tracks.
Emma had kicked off her shoes and pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face against them. Her bare toes, nails painted a soft plum, he noticed, curled against the leather chair. Her shoulders were quivering almost imperceptibly. She looked very small, folded in on herself like that. It gave him an odd feeling of unease, like bubbles popping in his chest.
It was just that crying women made him uncomfortable. That was all. He cleared his throat, trying to think of something to say. She didn’t jump at the sound. She knew he was there. But she didn’t lift her head.
Chewie scrambled over to her and prowled around the chair, whimpering when he realized he couldn’t jump into her lap. With a sigh, Josh rounded the desk, perching on the edge and touching her shoulder.
“Emma...”
She spoke without lifting her head, her voice muffled against her knees. “I can’t believe I said that! What a horrible...” She sniffled.
“Siblings fight, Emma. I’m pretty sure that’s a universal truth. He’ll forgive you.”
“He shouldn’t. God, I’m the worst sister ever.” She actually thunked her forehead against her knees then, with a dull thud. Josh snorted. He crouched down beside her, reaching out to lift her chin and make her look at him.
Her green eyes were bright, the whites bloodshot, her dark lashes spiky and sparkling with unshed tears. Her nose and cheeks were pink and her lips trembled. Hell, even while crying she looked amazing. He brushed a thumb along her cheek, wiping away a tear.
“You’re an amazing sister. Forget the fact that you practically raised him. I’ve seen the file, remember? You’re always bailing him out of scrapes. Most people would have given him up as a lost cause by now. But not you.”
She tugged at the hem of her skirt, dropping her eyes. “Of course not. We’re all we’ve got.” Emma looked up at him, lashes fluttering. “I know everyone thinks Todd is this total screw-up. But he’s really not. He’s got a good heart and he’s really smart. He just... He’s searching for something. And he gets in over his head because he’s a people pleaser.”
Josh thought back to the poker game. Todd had been a lot of fun at first, before the game started, cracking jokes and telling stories. He’d put people at ease. Even once play had begun, for the first few hands he’d kept a steady round of chatter going.
Making everyone laugh. Making everyone like him. And then when he’d started to lose, his bonhomie had become a tad frantic. As if he could turn the tides of his luck with the force of his personality. The round he’d lost the watch, Todd had taken a long time to consider his cards, his face becoming serious for the first time that night.
One of the other players, Phil, the guy who’d brought Ness in, had egged him on, urged him to bet big. Phil’s cajoling had seemed like light-hearted ribbing at the time. But if what Emma said was true, he almost felt bad for Todd. Had he been trying so hard to get in with the poker crowd that he’d bet more than he could afford? Ultimately, Todd had made the decision himself, but he was still practically a kid.
“I know he’s not a bad person, Emma. But he does seem to have a knack for getting himself, and you, into trouble. I’d be willing to bet that the incident my father mentioned, when you were in college, had something to do with him too. Didn’t it?”
Emma blushed, but the corner of her mouth quirked the tiniest bit. “You’d lose. That one was all me. And Todd’s never forced me to help him.”
Josh touched the tip of his thumb absently to that ticked up corner of her mouth. He’d be interested to hear what kind of trouble Emma got up to on her own, but that would have to wait.
“No, but he takes advantage of your devotion to him.” Josh tilted her chin up further. “Which he can do because you’re such a good sister. Which is why he’ll forgive you. Brothers and sisters do that kind of thing. You should hear about some of the fights Ben and his sister had. I thought they were going to kill each other.”
“She told me.” Emma’s lips curved into a smile, but it faded again quickly. “It’s not like Todd and I have never fought before. But... Oh, I now I’m being over-emotional. I blame the champagne.”
Josh tilted his head. “Wait. What? When did you talk to Suzanne?” Ben hadn’t said anything about his sister coming to visit. A tiny tingle of worry curled through him at the thought of what the brash brunette might have said to Emma. Emma frowned at him.
“She met me at the fitting today. She’s the one who brought the champagne.”
He shook his head. He could deal with Suzanne, and whatever she might have said, later. “Listen, people say things they don’t mean when they fight. And you are under a lot of stress.” One of her brows kicked up at that and Josh smiled at the sight, squeezing her chin. “Maybe you were harboring a little resentment toward him for the part he played in putting you in your current situation?”
She pulled out of his grip, sliding her feet to the floor. “Maybe. Probably. But that’s not an excuse. If I take out my frustration on anyone, it should be you. You’re the one blackmailing me.” And then her shoulders slumped. “No wonder Todd is so screwed up with me for a sister. I shouldn’t be throwing stones.”
“Neither of you are screwed up.” Emma raised her eyebrows at his words, and Josh’s lips twitched. “Okay, but not any more screwed up than most people. Come downstairs, apologize, smack him upside the head if need be, and move on.” And then they could deal with William Ransler and figure out why he was poking around Emma’s house. “Okay?”
She sniffled a little, wiping at her nose. “You’re right. I’m always telling Todd he has to take responsibility for his mistakes. Maybe it’ll help if I lead by example.”
Josh pushed to his feet, grasped her shoulders, and drew her up to hers. He cupped her face, wiping away the tear tracks, and smiled. “There’s my girl,” he murmured.
The words were out before he realized what he was saying. He’d meant it as a comforting gesture, but the minute they fell from his tongue they seemed to charge the air around them.
Emma’s green eyes widened. Her lips parted in surprise. His gaze honed in on their soft curve. He heard her sharp intake of breath. Her lashes fluttered down over her eyes and her hands came up to grip his wrists. But she didn’t try and pull him away.
“Josh...”
He didn’t wait to hear what she was going to say. He bent swiftly, with a soft groan, and covered her mouth with his. Her lips were as soft and plump as he remembered, the smooth satin skin on the inner curve of her lower lip just as sweet tasting as he swept his tongue along it.
Josh had kissed Emma before. As Madame Butterfly, at the ball, they’d shared some of the most brain meltingly passionate kisses he’d ever experienced. And when he’d confronted her at the luncheon, he’d kissed her then too. A challenge. But this kiss... this was something else.
Beneath his hands, her cheeks were still warm and slightly damp with her tears. He could taste salt on her lips. Her slender body leaned lightly against his, trembling and soft. Her eyes were wide and green and startled before they slipped closed. Her tongue met his tentatively, curling like a velvet frond around his own.
He kept the pressure of his mouth gentle as he pulled back and then slanted his lips over hers again and again, changing the angle, brushing kisses from one corner of her mouth to the other. His tongue was coaxing as it played with hers, exploring the silken cavern of her mouth with delicate strokes.
Josh’s heart played big band music on his ribcage as the kiss went on and on. His hands slid from her jaw back into her hair, pulling her against his chest and tilting her head back to deepen the languorous lip lock. Emma’s hands trailed up his arms to clutch at his shoulders.
She didn’t pull him closer, but she kissed him back. She kissed him back. She did want him. The glide of her tongue, the fine trembling of her body, the pressure of her soft breasts against his stomach, nipples pebbled and hard. They all said so.
The desk dug against the back of his thighs as he tugged her closer, into the V of his legs, shifting to align their bodies until they were touching from shoulder to hip. He dropped one hand to the small of her back, fingers stroking the dip at the base of her spine.
Emma shuddered, a small whimper pouring into his mouth, at the touch. Her hips curved into him. Josh groaned. He’d been half hard from the moment their lips touched. Another minute or so of this slow, heated kissing with Emma’s slim, soft body snuggled against him and he’d be ready to spread her out on the desk.
Her fingers slid up into his hair, her short nails scratching lightly against his nape. She’d done that the night of the ball too. Just like then, it sent an electric curl of desire shooting straight down Josh’s spine. She scraped her teeth lightly over his lower lip, sucking it gently into her mouth and smoothing the small nip with her tongue.
Josh caressed the curve of her ass, curling his fingers around one small, soft buttock and lifting her onto her tiptoes, bringing her pelvis in line with his. They both gasped as the soft mound of her sex pressed into the hard ridge of his erection.
“Josh!”
“Christ, Emma,” he murmured against her damp, swollen lips. He wrapped his arms tight around her waist and slanted his mouth back over hers with mounting passion.
“Honey, is everything – Oh. Well. I see it is.” Kara Owens leaned against the office doorjamb, a small smile on her wide mouth.
Emma pulled back, shaking her head as if to clear it. Josh gritted his teeth and reluctantly released her. He blew out a long breath and shoved a hand through his hair before shooting a glare at his mother over his shoulder. “Yes, mother. Everything is fine here.
Emma had kicked off her shoes and pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face against them. Her bare toes, nails painted a soft plum, he noticed, curled against the leather chair. Her shoulders were quivering almost imperceptibly. She looked very small, folded in on herself like that. It gave him an odd feeling of unease, like bubbles popping in his chest.
It was just that crying women made him uncomfortable. That was all. He cleared his throat, trying to think of something to say. She didn’t jump at the sound. She knew he was there. But she didn’t lift her head.
Chewie scrambled over to her and prowled around the chair, whimpering when he realized he couldn’t jump into her lap. With a sigh, Josh rounded the desk, perching on the edge and touching her shoulder.
“Emma...”
She spoke without lifting her head, her voice muffled against her knees. “I can’t believe I said that! What a horrible...” She sniffled.
“Siblings fight, Emma. I’m pretty sure that’s a universal truth. He’ll forgive you.”
“He shouldn’t. God, I’m the worst sister ever.” She actually thunked her forehead against her knees then, with a dull thud. Josh snorted. He crouched down beside her, reaching out to lift her chin and make her look at him.
Her green eyes were bright, the whites bloodshot, her dark lashes spiky and sparkling with unshed tears. Her nose and cheeks were pink and her lips trembled. Hell, even while crying she looked amazing. He brushed a thumb along her cheek, wiping away a tear.
“You’re an amazing sister. Forget the fact that you practically raised him. I’ve seen the file, remember? You’re always bailing him out of scrapes. Most people would have given him up as a lost cause by now. But not you.”
She tugged at the hem of her skirt, dropping her eyes. “Of course not. We’re all we’ve got.” Emma looked up at him, lashes fluttering. “I know everyone thinks Todd is this total screw-up. But he’s really not. He’s got a good heart and he’s really smart. He just... He’s searching for something. And he gets in over his head because he’s a people pleaser.”
Josh thought back to the poker game. Todd had been a lot of fun at first, before the game started, cracking jokes and telling stories. He’d put people at ease. Even once play had begun, for the first few hands he’d kept a steady round of chatter going.
Making everyone laugh. Making everyone like him. And then when he’d started to lose, his bonhomie had become a tad frantic. As if he could turn the tides of his luck with the force of his personality. The round he’d lost the watch, Todd had taken a long time to consider his cards, his face becoming serious for the first time that night.
One of the other players, Phil, the guy who’d brought Ness in, had egged him on, urged him to bet big. Phil’s cajoling had seemed like light-hearted ribbing at the time. But if what Emma said was true, he almost felt bad for Todd. Had he been trying so hard to get in with the poker crowd that he’d bet more than he could afford? Ultimately, Todd had made the decision himself, but he was still practically a kid.
“I know he’s not a bad person, Emma. But he does seem to have a knack for getting himself, and you, into trouble. I’d be willing to bet that the incident my father mentioned, when you were in college, had something to do with him too. Didn’t it?”
Emma blushed, but the corner of her mouth quirked the tiniest bit. “You’d lose. That one was all me. And Todd’s never forced me to help him.”
Josh touched the tip of his thumb absently to that ticked up corner of her mouth. He’d be interested to hear what kind of trouble Emma got up to on her own, but that would have to wait.
“No, but he takes advantage of your devotion to him.” Josh tilted her chin up further. “Which he can do because you’re such a good sister. Which is why he’ll forgive you. Brothers and sisters do that kind of thing. You should hear about some of the fights Ben and his sister had. I thought they were going to kill each other.”
“She told me.” Emma’s lips curved into a smile, but it faded again quickly. “It’s not like Todd and I have never fought before. But... Oh, I now I’m being over-emotional. I blame the champagne.”
Josh tilted his head. “Wait. What? When did you talk to Suzanne?” Ben hadn’t said anything about his sister coming to visit. A tiny tingle of worry curled through him at the thought of what the brash brunette might have said to Emma. Emma frowned at him.
“She met me at the fitting today. She’s the one who brought the champagne.”
He shook his head. He could deal with Suzanne, and whatever she might have said, later. “Listen, people say things they don’t mean when they fight. And you are under a lot of stress.” One of her brows kicked up at that and Josh smiled at the sight, squeezing her chin. “Maybe you were harboring a little resentment toward him for the part he played in putting you in your current situation?”
She pulled out of his grip, sliding her feet to the floor. “Maybe. Probably. But that’s not an excuse. If I take out my frustration on anyone, it should be you. You’re the one blackmailing me.” And then her shoulders slumped. “No wonder Todd is so screwed up with me for a sister. I shouldn’t be throwing stones.”
“Neither of you are screwed up.” Emma raised her eyebrows at his words, and Josh’s lips twitched. “Okay, but not any more screwed up than most people. Come downstairs, apologize, smack him upside the head if need be, and move on.” And then they could deal with William Ransler and figure out why he was poking around Emma’s house. “Okay?”
She sniffled a little, wiping at her nose. “You’re right. I’m always telling Todd he has to take responsibility for his mistakes. Maybe it’ll help if I lead by example.”
Josh pushed to his feet, grasped her shoulders, and drew her up to hers. He cupped her face, wiping away the tear tracks, and smiled. “There’s my girl,” he murmured.
The words were out before he realized what he was saying. He’d meant it as a comforting gesture, but the minute they fell from his tongue they seemed to charge the air around them.
Emma’s green eyes widened. Her lips parted in surprise. His gaze honed in on their soft curve. He heard her sharp intake of breath. Her lashes fluttered down over her eyes and her hands came up to grip his wrists. But she didn’t try and pull him away.
“Josh...”
He didn’t wait to hear what she was going to say. He bent swiftly, with a soft groan, and covered her mouth with his. Her lips were as soft and plump as he remembered, the smooth satin skin on the inner curve of her lower lip just as sweet tasting as he swept his tongue along it.
Josh had kissed Emma before. As Madame Butterfly, at the ball, they’d shared some of the most brain meltingly passionate kisses he’d ever experienced. And when he’d confronted her at the luncheon, he’d kissed her then too. A challenge. But this kiss... this was something else.
Beneath his hands, her cheeks were still warm and slightly damp with her tears. He could taste salt on her lips. Her slender body leaned lightly against his, trembling and soft. Her eyes were wide and green and startled before they slipped closed. Her tongue met his tentatively, curling like a velvet frond around his own.
He kept the pressure of his mouth gentle as he pulled back and then slanted his lips over hers again and again, changing the angle, brushing kisses from one corner of her mouth to the other. His tongue was coaxing as it played with hers, exploring the silken cavern of her mouth with delicate strokes.
Josh’s heart played big band music on his ribcage as the kiss went on and on. His hands slid from her jaw back into her hair, pulling her against his chest and tilting her head back to deepen the languorous lip lock. Emma’s hands trailed up his arms to clutch at his shoulders.
She didn’t pull him closer, but she kissed him back. She kissed him back. She did want him. The glide of her tongue, the fine trembling of her body, the pressure of her soft breasts against his stomach, nipples pebbled and hard. They all said so.
The desk dug against the back of his thighs as he tugged her closer, into the V of his legs, shifting to align their bodies until they were touching from shoulder to hip. He dropped one hand to the small of her back, fingers stroking the dip at the base of her spine.
Emma shuddered, a small whimper pouring into his mouth, at the touch. Her hips curved into him. Josh groaned. He’d been half hard from the moment their lips touched. Another minute or so of this slow, heated kissing with Emma’s slim, soft body snuggled against him and he’d be ready to spread her out on the desk.
Her fingers slid up into his hair, her short nails scratching lightly against his nape. She’d done that the night of the ball too. Just like then, it sent an electric curl of desire shooting straight down Josh’s spine. She scraped her teeth lightly over his lower lip, sucking it gently into her mouth and smoothing the small nip with her tongue.
Josh caressed the curve of her ass, curling his fingers around one small, soft buttock and lifting her onto her tiptoes, bringing her pelvis in line with his. They both gasped as the soft mound of her sex pressed into the hard ridge of his erection.
“Josh!”
“Christ, Emma,” he murmured against her damp, swollen lips. He wrapped his arms tight around her waist and slanted his mouth back over hers with mounting passion.
“Honey, is everything – Oh. Well. I see it is.” Kara Owens leaned against the office doorjamb, a small smile on her wide mouth.
Emma pulled back, shaking her head as if to clear it. Josh gritted his teeth and reluctantly released her. He blew out a long breath and shoved a hand through his hair before shooting a glare at his mother over his shoulder. “Yes, mother. Everything is fine here.
Well, there you have it, Morlings! What do you think? Are you excited? I know Josh is! ;)
~xxxM
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