Sex Dipped in Sugar by Stephanie Beck

“Steph, your books are always so sweet.”
Hearing that from my friends and readers is something I take a special pride in. I do like sweet romances. I like romance to be sexy and steamy, but I admit to thinking romance, like waffles, is better when covered in sugar.
Panties Optional made me stretch outside my chocolates and flowers comfort zone. Setting up strangers to indulge in a hot night on the premise of a dating service had never occurred to me, but it was definitely intriguing. It takes the right personality and circumstances for a person to follow through on something like that, so I was thrilled when Maggie Chase came to mind. Tough, sassy and horny-a trifecta of boldness. Sam Peterson with his quieter personality, yet inner strength and desire complimented Maggie perfectly.
With the sexy world of 1NightStand already set up, the rest of the story fell into play. The two were jumping into bed before I’d even decided what color eyes they had. The wild night of passion and sexy dares exploded under my finger tips and before I realized it, a genuinely sexy story had emerged. It took me a while to realize that it didn’t have much of my humor or sweetness in it. The characters didn’t possess the endearing faults I always try to find for them. Panties Optional was, and still is, sex on a stick—in eBook form.
I read and reread the story a few times and though I liked it I was startled at how not-me it was. I usually add plenty of hearts and flowers to my stories. This one was edgy and cosmopolitan. So, after much thought I took that erotic novella and I dipped it in sugar to make it more my taste. Panties Optional –sexy and sweet and just how I like my romance.


Excerpt:
“Maggie Chase?”
“That’s me,” she said, adjusting her purse higher on her shoulder. The big tote didn’t quite match her outfit, but the sexy clutch she preferred wouldn’t have held a change of clothes and her toothbrush.
“Follow me, please. Madame Evangeline has arranged for your caller to meet you in the lounge.”
Lounge. Which meant they were going to the super-fancy part of the Castillo. She loved how decadent she felt within the expensive, gorgeous walls of the hotel. Rare art and beautiful fabrics surrounded her at every corner. As an interior decorator, she recognized them for the treasures they were. Could they have held back on the gold plating? Sure, but it suited the hotel and Vegas lifestyle.
As they meandered through the crowd, Maggie wondered why she wasn’t more nervous. One-night stands and paid escorts never entered her normal strategies for getting laid. Not that she expected the guy waiting for her to be some gigolo, but still, hooking up with a stranger to get string-free sex should have felt at least a little wrong. And maybe it did. Maybe that little bit of naughty provided the catalyst making her so hot.
Her escort stopped short, and Maggie nearly tripped. She grabbed the booth end before she fell on her ass and embarrassed herself, while forcing her heels to stop before she impaled the poor man. The stilettos were tall and wickedly sharp. They were plain wicked, but that didn’t mean she wanted to draw blood with them.
“Mr. Peterson, allow me to introduce Ms. Chase. If either of you have a need, wave from here. I’ll be watching.”
With those instructions, the liaison walked away. Despite the dim light, Maggie could see the man across from her. A stranger. A hot stranger wearing a gray shirt too nice to be called casual but far from fussy. He stood and offered a hand, showing a slim-to-the-point-of-scrawny frame, but when he leaned forward, his face, lean like the rest of him, made her breath catch.
Stephanie Beck
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