Giveaway & Guest Author Tina Donahue

Today I am thrilled to have Tina Donahue on Book Junkie! I able to get my hands on Adored by Tina and it was FANTASTIC! You can read my review HERE. Tina is here today to talk about ............

Call me Old-Fashioned, but I Like the Guy to Do the Pursuing. . .

Don’t get me wrong. I love the strides women have made since the Women’s Lib movement started in the sixties. There’s few occupations denied us – in this economy, many women are now earning more than their significant others.

However, when it comes to romance – being swept off your feet, feeling your heart pounding and palms sweating – I want the guy to be in charge. And no, I don’t mean that the woman is goading him into it by being seductive or playing mind games. I mean he likes her so much and wants her so badly, he initiates the action, he pursues, he conquers.

Yum. Since middle school, I’ve seen the opposite happen. Girls making the first moves, young women taking the initiative, females fighting over the same guy all while the guy sits back and grins.

Not for me. I want an old-fashioned romance where you feel the guy looking at you and when your eyes meet his, his gaze smolders with passion. His touch is deliciously possessive. His kiss says there’s no other woman like you – you’re so unique to him that you’re not only desired, you’re adored.

That’s what I’ve always wanted and had before losing my husband to an unexpected illness. God rest his soul, he made me feel special. That’s the theme I tried to convey in my novel Adored. Danni, my heroine is tired of lying, cheating, unfaithful men and the BS that comes with too many relationships. She wants a man who craves her, who sees no other woman – just her.
It’s not too much to ask for. I think women have become so strong and independent that many of them have convinced themselves they can do without the magic of a truly special relationship, the toe-curling, pulse pounding kind.

I wish they wouldn’t sell themselves short, and that men would start to take the initiative again. I’m not talking about stalking or the scary if-I-can’t-have-you, no-one-can kind of sick behavior. That’s not romance or love. I’m speaking of a man who knows what he wants, who goes after it, and when he understands that the woman desires him as much as he wants her, it doesn’t scare him in the least. He celebrates it.

Don’t settle for anything less. Go for the gold. In Adored, Danni did. Here’s the blurb and an excerpt: Adored – A shameless fantasy come true… When tall, dark and delicious Adam Farrell crosses Danni’s radar at a trade show in Vegas, it’s not lust at first sight. He’s been the star of her wicked fantasies for a while, pleasuring her in acts of domination and submission that leave her breathless. Aching for his masterful touch, believing she’ll never have it, Danni indulges in a public sex act Adam alone witnesses. What follows is a night of wild and unrestrained passion in his powerful arms. It’s only the beginning. An undisclosed business deal has turned Adam from competitor to Danni’s new boss. His hunger for her is absolute and he’ll make her fantasies seem tame as he takes her in ways she never imagined – whenever he wants, wherever he desires.Seduced by Adam’s plan to mix exquisite control with adoration, Danni’s swept into a sensual adventure she can’t resist. Until corporate politics intrude and she learns what Adam’s been hiding to protect her. . .a secret he’s long feared will tear them apart.

EXCERPT:

“Danni,” he said again, more softly this time.

With no place to run, she looked at him. His eyes searched hers as if he wanted to make certain she wouldn’t cry. She didn’t want pity so she feigned confusion. “What?”

“What else?” he murmured and moved into her gently, cupping her face in his large hands. His knees touched hers, their hips joined. Hard male flesh blocked any escape.

Her silver purse slipped through her fingers and fell against the carpeting with a faint slap.“I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said.

She swallowed. “You didn’t. I’ll wait for the next ride.”

“I’m not talking about that.” His clean breath whispered against her. “I didn’t mean to run you away a few minutes ago or in the showroom. I followed you to the elevator because I had to be with you. The look I saw on your face during the show was one I’ve wanted to put there for so damn long. But if that’s not what you really want, tell me to stop and I will.” His voice, hungry and thick, betrayed his struggle for control.

Stunned, Danni ached to go with the moment, to indulge herself, just as she had in her fantasies or those early days with Bryan and Matt. Without warning, painful memories jolted her, and the words spilled out. “You’re not involved with anyone, are you, Adam? I won’t help a guy cheat and hurt another woman. I know what it’s like to be betrayed, and it will never happen to me again.”

“Oh, Danni.” He sighed and brought back his hands.

Her stomach sank so fast it made her queasy. She moved away.

Adam pulled her right back, slipping his hand beneath her hair to cradle the side of her neck. His thumb rubbed the edge of her scalp, sending a tremor down her spine. “No,” he said, his voice soft. “I’m not married, engaged, promised or even going steady and I’m glad you’re not either. To be honest, I haven’t had a date in months. I’ve been too busy with—” He paused and sighed again. “Work’s been taking every minute I have. When I do get a moment alone, I crash. Do you think I prowl hotel showrooms so I can pounce on unsuspecting women?”

She leaned her head into his stroking, amazed it was happening, and spoke on a sigh. “Of course not. I thought one of the models invited you backstage.”

“Tonight?”

“You weren’t in your seat.”

His eyes widened in understanding. “Like I said before, I had to take a call.” Again, he paused and added, “About work. This thing that’s coming—”

“No.” She rested her fingertips on his lips, awed by their silkiness. “Don’t explain. Please. You don’t have to. I don’t want you to.” Good god, she didn’t want to be the kind of woman who policed a man. “Adam, I believe you.” Maybe she’d end up hating herself, she had in the past with other men, but she couldn’t deny herself this moment with him. “Can we just start over?” She lowered her hand and molded her length to him. He inhaled deeply. So did she, catching a whiff of his shirt. It smelled of sunshine, as if he’d dried it in a warm breeze. Beneath it, she detected the faintest scent of male musk and trembled involuntarily. “I don’t want you to stop.”

His lips brushed her throat, making her moan. “Believe me, I won’t. You’re not getting away from me for the rest of the night.” He eased back so he could see her face. “Agreed?”Her heart raced at his touch and what lay ahead. “Agreed.”

“Good.” His smile faded. “Now about your fantasy.”

She hadn’t expected him to mention it and wasn’t certain whether to be embarrassed or intrigued. “You want to act out your part?”

“I want a woman who’s with me all the way, not one who’s letting me do all the work while she’s daydreaming about other guys. Fuck that. I damn well don’t share what’s mine.”His territorial manner excited her, the same as his commanding tone. Still, she wasn’t averse to yanking his chain a bit more to see what might happen. “What man does?”

“I’m different, Danni.” He pulled her close, his arm tightening around her waist, his strength barely contained. Angling his mouth over hers, his kiss went straight to possession. She could barely whimper as his tongue filled her mouth. No fantasy ever matched this. He held her so tightly they had to take turns breathing. His tongue probed hers and swept over her teeth. He tasted of peppermint and the faintest hint of champagne offered at the show. His hot, bristly cheeks rasped her skin. A gentle punishment. Visions of cinchers and leather bindings and uncivilized male lust rose unbidden, in defiance of what he’d said. Danni entertained them all, because he starred in each to the exclusion of any other man.

To buy Adored, click here.

Want your chance to win a paperback copy of Tina's book Close to Perfect, a sensual contemporary romance from Kensington. You can find more details about Close to Perfect here

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