Ann Lory
Romance That Bites...

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Bait & Switch

Excerpt from Bait & Switch: 

Anna didn’t know what to do. Was she supposed to pay? Was he supposed to pay? She grabbed the bill, but his hand came down over hers. “I have this, Anna.”

She lowered her voice. “I don’t know the-” she was struggled to find the word, “etiquette in situations like this.” Good God, there had to be a better word, but that was all she could think of.

He grinned and winked at her. “Don’t worry, all of this is covered.”

The reality of this meal came crashing in on her. Not that she’d forgotten what he was exactly, but it just seemed so unreal. Her friends had apparently taken care of all the details and that included meals and any extracurricular activities.

Groaning, she grabbed her purse, jumping when he took her hand in his and placed it on his arm. She frowned at him. She didn’t want him to act like a gentleman. She didn’t want to like him. She wanted to be disgusted with him, but for some reason, she found that she really wasn’t.

Something about him was extremely appealing to her. Not to mention the fact that he was drop-dead gorgeous. But there was also a kindness about him, a patience that most men didn’t have. She wondered if he’d been in the business so long that he’d perfected how to portray exactly what a woman wanted.

They took the elevator up to her floor and he walked her to her room. She knew he was chuckling at her as she hurriedly dove into her purse for the room key. With the card clutched in her hand, she cleared her throat nervously, and looked at him.

“Well, thank you for an…interesting evening, Devon. I’ll be busy all day tomorrow, but maybe we can get together the next day.”

He laughed and leaned in close, his hands coming up on either side of her head, trapping her against the wall.

She swallowed with great difficulty as his face came closer to hers, his breath fanning her cheek. Her mouth went dry, and she had to fight not to lick her lips.

“No, Anna. Janie supplied me with, as she put it, your…” his lips brushed her jaw, “…outlined,” her earlobe, “detailed,” his tongue swirled and he sucked the lobe between his lips. She felt herself quiver, her eyes closing briefly before he pulled away, gazing down at her, “Five times thought-out and approved schedule for this whole week.” His body moved in closer, brushing against hers. “I know that you have a meeting in the morning, one after lunch, and that you’ll be free for the rest of the day.”

His lips were so close. She stared wide-eyed at him, hoping he would kiss her, yet at the same time knowing that she shouldn’t want him to.

She licked her lips. Damn.

Finally he touched his mouth to hers. She had to fight not to moan as he deepened the kiss, his tongue probing for entrance. She obliged.

His delicious caress scorched her mouth, and she returned every sweep of his tongue with her own. His hands came down to grasp her arms, his body pushing into hers.

Nothing about him was soft. Every inch, every angle was hard, wreaking havoc on her senses. His hands still gripped her arms, running up and down their bare lengths until she finally caved in and wound them around his neck. Her hands went into his hair.

His knee moved between her legs, pressing into her, and she felt instant heat pool in her belly to settle in slick need at her juncture. He felt so delicious, all man, all male strength as he held her against the wall. She pushed her body against his and moaned.

He released her, slowly pulling away, but not before he placed another lingering kiss to her lips. She stared up at him through a haze, seeing his grin of smug male satisfaction, realizing he’d gotten what he wanted.


Her surrender to his kiss. Damn.

He tugged her close again, hugging her tightly around the waist, placing a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Sweet dreams, Anna. I’ll see you tomorrow, here in your room, at five.”

He left her then and she watched, leaning against the wall, her legs still wobbly, as he walked back up the hall and disappeared around the corner. With trembling hands she unlocked her door, made her way shakily across the room and fell on the bed. Grabbing one of the pillows, she buried her face in it and groaned.

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Read the Reviews   

 

 Book Wenches:
Ann Lory’s novella Bait and Switch is the first story in her Frisky Business series. This is a quick and entertaining read based on the “whore with a heart of gold” theme. The author’s effortless writing style makes for pleasant reading, and she has included enough additional conflict to catch and maintain the reader’s attention.

Although one might be tempted to classify the two main characters as “types,” Ms. Lory does an excellent job breathing life into them and making them multidimensional individuals that we can care about. Devon might be sophisticated and the ultimate ladies’ man, but he’s human enough to feel embarrassed when he encounters another client while in Anna’s company. In addition, through his willingness to pursue Anna gently and to share part of his private life with her, we see that although he may be a prostitute, he has a caring and sympathetic side. Anna is more than she appears as well. She is determined to appear a corporate shark, but this is more in reaction to her being hurt than her true nature. In her soul, she is a philanthropist, and all she really wants to do is help people. I found her devotion to ice cream to be particularly endearing and Devon’s willingness to indulge her in this is even more so.

The women who make up Anna’s circle of friends are definitely worth a little attention as well. Ms. Lory has developed them into real characters and not just hazy side-kicks, and this makes me wonder if perhaps future stories in this series will revolve around them. I hope so, because they certainly are an entertaining lot and have wonderfully devious minds.

The love scenes in Bait and Switch are very sensual. This makes sense, since Devon is a professional who is supposedly an expert at giving women pleasure. What makes them especially appealing is the fact that he does not treat Anna like “just another client” and that the love-making means something to him.

All told, I found Bait and Switch to be well worth my reading time. So now I wonder: which of Anna’s four friends will star in the next book in the Frisky Business series? I look forward to finding out.

 

Romance Junkies
Ms. Lory writes with an effortless prose that catches the reader from the get-go. Her plot is well-sketched and her characters almost leap off the page. Simple while at the same time complex, FRISKY BUSINESS, BOOK 1: BAIT AND SWITCH  inscribes itself in the line of rich contemporary romance that captures the hearts and souls of millions of readers the world over.
 
Anna is a woman you cannot help but root for, especially when you grasp that she is a vulnerable creature hiding behind a tough shell. Devon is the man who brings this shell to crack and ultimately break, releasing the inner woman. Of course, he’s a gigolo, but there is also a real man beneath the cloak of the fun-seeking escort, and Ms. Lory puts this across really well. Her grasp of the characters’ psyche is remarkable and draws the reader in almost without one realizing that they are getting sucked into the plot.
 
Not to mention that delightful cast surrounding the main couple. Anna’s friends are every woman’s idea of reliable best friends, and they spice the story even more with their outrageous lawyers-gone-wild-in-Sin-City personas. After all, like they say, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas", right?
 
Catch FRISKY BUSINESS, BOOK 1: BAIT AND SWITCH if you want to know whether this saying applies to Anna and Devon. I promise you will have a nice, very wicked, time.

The Romance Studio:
What a captivating fast-paced story. Anna’s go-getter personality and her past hurts add complexity to her relationship with Devon. Devon’s broken family and his partial loss of his self makes their relationship very personal. Devon is so used to just putting on a sexy smile and making his dates happy. Anna wants nothing to do with that side of him, but wants to know the real Devon. Unable to hide his true self from her, Devon and Anna find themselves sharing their likes, dislikes, problems and dreams with each other and turning their relationship from professional to personal.

I found myself enthralled with the characters. Anna has some of the best friends/co-workers in the world. I hope that Mindy and all of her friends one day get to tell their stories. Devon’s family life has been broken into pieces for years. Getting insight into his family and seeing them in a different light than Devon originally portrayed them in was a huge turning point in this story. In addition to the emotional connection between Devon and Anna, a very sensual spark also formed. When Devon and Anna allowed that spark to turn into a full-blown fire, the reader will find herself greatly enjoying the sensual heat radiating from the pages. If you are looking for a fun, fast-paced read full of real characters, real life experiences and loads of sensual heat, you need to go get a copy of this book today.

 





Samhain Publishing: Order

One workaholic. One gigolo. One week in Sin City. You do the math…

Anna Jackson’s ex-boyfriend may have stolen her promotion, but she’s not mad. Not anymore. She’s getting even—by beating him at his own game. So what if she has to give up all her free time and any semblance of a personal life? With a partnership in a law firm as prestigious as Beckam, Beckam and Leland on the line, she’s willing to pay the price.

Las Vegas escort Devon McGuire is charming, sexy, and damn good at pleasing women. He’d better be, it’s what he gets paid for. Always up for a challenge, he’s looking forward to his newest job. Who wouldn’t enjoy a week as the companion of a smart, sultry, high-powered attorney—no strings attached?

Devon’s used to pushing boundaries, but there’s something about Anna that makes him want to turn up the steam. And when she learns to let go and unexpectedly opens to him, he finds himself falling right in.

Whoa, hold it. Love was never part of the plan…

Warning: This book contains a sizzling, drop-dead gorgeous, sex-on-a-stick gigolo who wants to make women’s fantasies come true, and a woman who won’t cooperate and let him do his job.