Almost Paradise

Available HERE

By Jenna Jaxon

Over two and a half years ago, I wrote and published Almost Perfect, a 1Night Stand story set on a deserted beach in the Caribbean. I did my research and saw lots of pictures of beaches and islands in that region, but I never saw one until this week.

I’ve spent my spring break down here on St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, and I have to say, I have found the perfect setting if someone wanted to make a movie out of Almost Perfect: Magen’s Bay.

I’ve been walking the beach here almost every morning this week—two miles down and back with fellow author and friend Ella Quinn. Very much like Pam would have walked to get to Roger and that scrumptious dinner and the after dinner activities.

The water is clear, warm and feels like velvet. It’s not too rough, although there are some waves lapping against the shore. Unfortunately, this beach isn’t deserted, so no skinny dipping for us. Pam and Roger were more fortunate in that respect.

I’ve certainly enjoyed my little taste of paradise this week. It’s given me a new insight into tropical beaches and the pure enjoyment my couple must have shared on their 1Night Stand.

If you’d like to read their Caribbean romantic adventure, Almost Perfect is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Are, as well as other e-book retailers.

Here’s a little taste for you to enjoy:

Pamela Kimball’s birthday present, a 1Night Stand adventure, promises jump-start her life, put a new man in her bed, and help her forget her past. Unfortunately, movie-buff Pam’s Pirates of the Caribbean fantasy takes an alarming wrong turn when she’s abandoned on a not quite deserted island—with ex-husband Roger Ware.

Forced by hunger to accept Roger’s offer of dinner, Pam realizes the geek she married has transformed into one of the most charming, sexiest men she’s ever met. His newfound confidence—and hot body—re-kindles old fires. A simple kiss leads Roger to challenges her to discover how much his lovemaking skills have improved, leaving Pam torn between self-preservation and burning desire.

With time running out before they’re rescued, Pam must decide if her heart can survive the consequences of becoming Roger’s “almost” perfect 1Night Stand. 

#jennajaxon  #decadentpub  #almostperfect  #1nightstand

Labor of Love

Almost Perfect available HERE

By Jenna Jaxon

I’ve been writing for over four and a half years and I have to let you in on a little secret:  I love it!  It is literally a labor of love each time I sit down at the computer.  I have a day job and it was what my life was all about until I started to write romance.  I never thought theatre would take a back seat to anything, but I have to admit, writing is more exciting, creative, and fun than the stage right now.

Writing romance has given me a chance to re-invent myself. 

Before I defined myself as a theatre director, a scholar, and a teacher and that was wonderful.  I loved doing the research for a production or an academic paper.  I enjoyed making lesson plans and tried to make my classes interesting by being the most enthusiastic person in the classroom.  This was enough for many years.  But finally it began to pall.  There seemed to be no challenge any more.  I’d directed all the plays that excited me.  I taught all the same classes over and over.

When the writing bug bit me, however, everything old became new again.  The different challenges of writing romance forced me to learn a whole new set of skills.  I’d written academic papers and a dissertation and my major professor always complimented me on my writing skills.  But writing creative fiction--and especially romance--had a whole new set of parameters and unwritten rules that I had to discover and master.  And like many of my heroes, I love a challenge!

Sitting down to write romance fiction is an extremely freeing experience.  I am creating a story to play out in the heads of my readers.  For a change, it’s totally my work.  Academic writing uses a lot of corroboration in the form of research and footnotes and is often based on the work of others. Directing a play uses the playwright’s words and plot, leaving only interpretation up to the director.

With fiction I get to make it all up out of nothing, bound only by the parameters of the time period about which I’m writing.  The research component is the same--which I absolutely love.  In the end it’s almost like having the best of both worlds.  I start to write and the real world goes away, replaced by my own where I get to live for as long as my creative juices are flowing.

So when you see a post on Facebook saying I’m starting another chapter, know that I’ve got a huge grin on my face and am rubbing my hands together in glee.  Another labor of love.

 Blurb for Almost Perfect:    

 Pamela Kimball’s birthday present, a 1Night Stand adventure, promises to jump-start her life, put a new man in her bed, and help her forget her past.  Unfortunately, movie-buff Pam’s Pirates of the Caribbean fantasy takes an alarming wrong turn when she’s abandoned on a not quite deserted island—with ex-husband Roger Ware. 

Forced by hunger to accept Roger’s offer of dinner,  Pam realizes the geek she married has transformed into one of the most charming, sexiest men she’s ever met. His newfound confidence—and hot body—re-kindle old fires.  A simple kiss leads Roger to challenge her to discover how much his lovemaking skills have improved, leaving Pam torn between self-preservation and burning desire. 

With time running out before they’re rescued, Pam must decide if her heart can survive the consequences of becoming Roger’s “almost” perfect 1Night Stand.

Excerpt:

She inched into the lapping surf, searching for movement. Reflection off the water made this task harder than expected. Wasn’t the Caribbean supposed to be teeming with fish?  Now that’s something she’d had a lot of instruction in. Almost every marooned-on-an-island movie had a scene where the heroine learned to catch fish. Six Days, Father Goose, Blue Lagoon. All you needed was your hands and patience. She could do this.

Pam waded out further then stopped just before the water hit her now dry shorts. “Not gonna to have a damp crotch all night.” The words reminded her of exactly what she had hoped for tonight. “But not from wet shorts!” She headed back to shore to remove and drape them next to her shirt. The bandeau was a different story. Still damp, even after several hours, and uncomfortable. Might dry better if not next to her skin anyway. “Screw it!  Live dangerously.”

Standing as good as naked on the deserted beach, Pam smiled as the warm breeze caressed her bare body. The sense of being slightly naughty added to her delight in the sensual feel of the air as it dried her breasts. Her nipples peaked as the wind cooled them. She strutted down to the water’s edge to sink her toes in the sand, the salty tang in the air adding to the perfect moment.

“If you’re skinny dipping, you forgot to remove one very important piece of clothing.”

Pam whirled around. Roger stood on the beach behind her, a green bottle of Perrier in one hand. His gaze played up and down her naked torso and his salacious grin widened. “Mind if I join you?”

Bio:

Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical  and contemporary romance who has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager.  A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise.  She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own writing.

Jenna lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets.  When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director.  She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage. 

She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.

Meet Roger Ware

Buy Almost Perfect HERE

By Jenna Jaxon

Jenna:  It’s been a while since my 1Night Stand Almost Perfect released, almost eighteen months, in fact.  So I thought maybe I should re-introduce you to the somewhat quiet hero of Almost Perfect, Roger Ware.  Roger’s going to have to do some talking today, because Pam’s not here.  Hello, Roger.  Please come in and introduce yourself to everyone.

Roger: Thank you, Jenna.  I think.

*He smiles a little hesitantly* Well, like Jenna said, I’m Roger Ware.  Owner and CEO of softWares, a computer software development company based in California.  I started working on developing apps for several different devices, struggled for a couple of years, but last year something clicked and the company took off.  I’ve been working with computers since forever--Pam calls me a techno geek. *chuckles*  She’s right.  I’d rather sit in front of a computer than do just about anything else.

Which lead to major problems between me and Pam.  I stayed late at the office, she stayed home alone.  * eyes narrow* At least she said she was alone.  I was never quite convinced of that, especially just before…before the break-up.  Too much of what she said didn’t make sense…but that’s all in the past.

And you don’t want to hear about that business, anyway. 

What else?  Oh, I do have some other hobbies.  I like going to movies.  Which is how Pam and I met.  I like art films, myself.  Like Memento and The World’s Fastest Indian.  Blue Valentine. *His eyes flicker and sadden* That one hit close to home.  But generally things off the beaten path.  Pam liked the romantic comedies, which are okay if there’ve got some action-adventure to them.

*Sighs* Everything seems to lead back to Pam.  Like I didn’t have a life without her.  I did have a life before Ms. Kimball. It was just, well…quiet.  She was the one who turned it upside down with her crazy antics.  I guess opposites do attract. 

*Smiles broadly* But now I’m ready to make a fresh start and hopefully have a little action-adventure of my own.  I found this great dating service, called 1Night Stand that promises to fulfill my every fantasy--a romantic dinner on a deserted island in the Caribbean, soft breezes, waves lapping on the sand, and hot sex on the beach with my perfect woman.  *grins devilishly*  I’ve been planning this for a while.  Been working out at the gym.  Working at other things too. *winks*  A hot night filled with passion.  Guaranteed.

Well, thanks for letting me share some things about me with you.  I’ve got to get back to the computer.  I’m working on a new app that I think you will absolutely enjoy!  It’s called Fantasy Island and I want to give you that feeling of sand between your toes when you play.  I’ll probably finish it up after my 1Night Stand. *grins*  An X-rated app, maybe?

Jenna:  Thank you, Roger for leaving that image with us.  *smiles*

Thank you all for stopping by the blog today. Hope you enjoyed the little meet and greet with Roger.  To find out how his 1Night Stand went, why not check out Almost Perfect?

  Blurb for Almost Perfect:    

 Pamela Kimball’s birthday present, a 1Night Stand adventure, promises to jump-start her life, put a new man in her bed, and help her forget her past.  Unfortunately, movie-buff Pam’s Pirates of the Caribbean fantasy takes an alarming wrong turn when she’s abandoned on a not quite deserted island—with ex-husband Roger Ware. 

Forced by hunger to accept Roger’s offer of dinner,  Pam realizes the geek she married has transformed into one of the most charming, sexiest men she’s ever met. His newfound confidence—and hot body—re-kindle old fires.  A simple kiss leads Roger to challenge her to discover how much his lovemaking skills have improved, leaving Pam torn between self-preservation and burning desire. 

With time running out before they’re rescued, Pam must decide if her heart can survive the consequences of becoming Roger’s “almost” perfect 1Night Stand.

Excerpt for Almost Perfect:

“I’ll have to tell Sue her birthday gift didn’t work out so well either.”

“Birthday gift?” His eyes widened and he smacked his open palm to his forehead. “Damn! That’s why this date sounded so familiar. Sorry, Pam. Happy Birthday.”

She smiled at the perfunctory words, though the smile dissolved as he leaned forward, grasped her cheeks and kissed her.

Pam tensed, sucked in air, and her arms rose as though to push him away. But the silky feel of his lips on hers, firm as they pressed again and again, his tongue brushing against the seam, beguiled her. The Roger she remembered never kissed like this. She opened her mouth to tell him so, which allowed his tongue to slip through. The taste of champagne and a little salty tang from the seafood created an unexpectedly erotic flavor. So when her hands made contact with his shoulders, they didn’t push away, but urged him closer. His exploration stopped, he released her face and drew back.

“Well.” He sounded breathy, as though he’d just run a race. “Happy Birthday.”

“Wha…what the hell was that?” Her voice was low like his, her breathing as erratic.

“Just a kiss.” He grabbed his champagne and downed it.

“You never kissed me like that when we were married.” If he had, would they even be there?

“I guess I’ve learned a few things in the time we’ve been apart. And how much could you have expected anyway? We were both virgins when we met.”

She winced. “Don’t remind me! The techno-geek and the movie queen. Positively the worst case of dual deflowering in history. Talk about the blind leading the blind.”

“Well, I’m not blind anymore.” He set his glass on the table. “In fact, I’ve seen some extraordinary things….” His hand cupped her head again and she sat mesmerized as he drew her near. This time his tongue licked the outer rim of her ear, sending strings of chills along her arms. “You used to like this, I remember.”

“Roger.…” She needed to get out of there—because she wanted to stay so badly.

His tongue continued around her lobe, his breath tickling her neck as his head descended to the collar of her shirt. She gasped as the cloth fell open. When had he learned to unbutton buttons so fast? He followed an exquisitely torturous trail down to her nipple, peaked and ready for him. As he latched onto the sensitive tip and tugged with his teeth, the crotch of her shorts flooded with her desire.

She moaned and shook her head. “We shouldn’t do this. You want your perfect fantasy date.” He continued to tease and torment the crest, until her breath came in gasps.

“Tonight I’ll take almost perfect, Pam.” His finger traced a line down her stomach, making the muscles tremble. “Besides, don’t you want to see what I’ve learned?” The deep voice held a challenge she wanted to accept. Even if this was punishment for past sins, she didn’t care. It had been more than two years since she’d made love to a man, made love to this man. If his lovemaking had improved as much as the rest of him, she didn’t want to miss it.

Bio:

Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical  and contemporary romance who has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager.  A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise.  She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own writing.

Jenna lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets.  When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director.  She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage. 

She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.

Book Info:

Title:  Almost Perfect (1Night Stand Series)

Genre:  Erotic Contemporary Novella

Publisher:  Decadent Publishing

What’s Your 1Night Stand Fantasy?

Buy Almost Perfect HERE

By Jenna Jaxon

A knight in shining armor? A famous ball player?  Mr. Tall, Dark and Kinky? Someone to spank your bottom? Or just someone who will understand your craving for sushi?

Having written a 1Night Stand story (Almost Perfect), and read countless others, I’ve been wondering what I would do if Madame Eve actually existed and I could call on her 1Night Stand service to fulfill a one night fantasy.

Of course, since Madame Eve is something of a matchmaker, I’d have to not have my husband in tow, but if I had no husband, what scenario would I ask for?

Here are my top five 1Night Stand scenarios:

1. A time-travel adventure, back to Regency London for a ton ball and a night with a duke that leads to more than just a dance.  Hmmm, that doesn’t sound half bad. 

2.  A cougar wish, with a sexy young (maybe 25?) year old to teach me a new trick or two.

3.  One night of being pampered by a billionaire in his luxury mansion. (I could get used to being taken care of.)

4.  A cowboy to teach me to ride under the big skies of Montana, then a night under the stars out on the trail by the firelight.  As long as no rustlers come by, I’ll be just fine.

5.  And a night with a pirate--preferably Johnny Depp’s pirate twin--to shiver me timbers, just like Pam’s 1 Night Stand in Almost Perfect before Roger shanghaied it. 

It’s fun to figure out just what you would ask for in a 1Night Stand.  And if you can’t make up your mind, check out all the titles in the 1NS line.  They just might give you some ideas. 

So what’s your 1NS request?  Madame Eve is standing by. J

ALMOST PERFECT:

Pamela Kimball’s birthday present, a 1Night Stand adventure, promises to jump-start her life, put a new man in her bed, and help her forget her past.  Unfortunately, movie-buff Pam’s Pirates of the Caribbean fantasy takes an alarming wrong turn when she’s abandoned on a not quite deserted island—with ex-husband Roger Ware. 

Forced by hunger to accept Roger’s offer of dinner,  Pam realizes the geek she married has transformed into one of the most charming, sexiest men she’s ever met. His newfound confidence—and hot body—re-kindle old fires.  A simple kiss leads Roger to challenge her to discover how much his lovemaking skills have improved, leaving Pam torn between self-preservation and burning desire. 

With time running out before they’re rescued, Pam must decide if her heart can survive the consequences of becoming Roger’s “almost” perfect 1Night Stand.

                                                ***

“I worked night and day at softWares, since before our divorce, until the business took off in January. Then I started to cut back, to have a life again. And I found I was lonely. I’d cut myself off from all my friends, and I won’t date employees, so there weren’t a lot of choices left—the bar scene or online dating. Neither option seemed attractive. Until a friend persuaded me 1Night Stand was different, the perfect way to ‘jump start’ my return to life.” He chuckled. “I can’t wait to tell Dave how his suggestion turned out.”

“Yeah, I’ll have to tell Sue her birthday gift didn’t work out so well either.”

“Birthday gift?” His eyes widened and he smacked his open palm to his forehead. “Damn! That’s why this date sounded so familiar. Sorry, Pam. Happy Birthday.”

She smiled at the perfunctory words, though the smile dissolved as he leaned forward, grasped her cheeks and kissed her.

She tensed, sucked in air, and her arms rose as though to push him away. But the silky feel of his lips on hers, firm as they pressed again and again, his tongue brushing against the seam, beguiled her. The Roger she remembered never kissed like this. She opened her mouth to tell him so, which allowed his tongue to slip through. The taste of champagne and a little salty tang from the seafood created an unexpectedly erotic flavor. So when her hands made contact with his shoulders, they didn’t push away, but urged him closer. His exploration stopped, he released her face and drew back.

“Well.” He sounded breathy, as though he’d just run a race. “Happy Birthday.”

“Wha…what the hell was that?” Her voice was low like his, her breathing as erratic.

“Just a kiss.” He grabbed his champagne and downed it.

“You never kissed me like that when we were married.” If he had, would they even be there?

“I guess I’ve learned a few things in the time we’ve been apart. And how much could you have expected anyway? We were both virgins when we met.”

She winced. “Don’t remind me! The techno-geek and the movie queen. Positively the worst case of dual deflowering in history. Talk about the blind leading the blind.”

“Well, I’m not blind anymore.” He set his glass on the table. “In fact, I’ve seen some extraordinary things….” His hand cupped her head again and she sat mesmerized as he drew her near. This time his tongue licked the outer rim of her ear, sending strings of chills along her arms. “You used to like this, I remember.”

“Roger.…” She needed to get out of there—because she wanted to stay so badly.

What’s Not to Like?

Buy Almost Perfect HERE

By Jenna Jaxon

In romance, we always want to like the heroes and heroines we read about. We want to fall in love with the hero and we want to identify with the heroine. We especially want to empathize with them. And, for me, most of the time, this happens. I love the heroine and I want to “be” her vicariously.

But what happens when you don’t? When you dislike the heroine?

I’ve been fortunate to only dislike a couple of the heroines in books I’ve read. But they were memorable. One, unfortunately, came from one of my favorite authors. The heroine was plucky, headstrong, moral, decisive, and determined. Strong character traits that work 99% of the time. But she railed against the hero for 3/4s of the book, because he gambled and she disapproved of gambling, even after he’d rescued her from ruin several times. Halfway through the book I was thinking that she didn’t deserve the hero--and he certainly didn’t deserve her. Reading this particular book turned out to be a disappointment (I still can’t figure out what he sees in her, LOL).

I’ve been concerned, however, that one of my heroines, Pam in Almost Perfect, might not be so likable in the beginning of the story. I saw her all along as a headstrong woman, very focused on trivial things--like movies--to the detriment of her marriage. Her character arc has her going from being sarcastic, brash, rude, and hurtful to understanding that she’s lost a true gem of a hero solely due to her abrasive ways. Sort of “you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til its gone.”

Some reviews of Almost Perfect have said that they didn’t like Pam in the beginning, but did like the way she repented and tried to make amends. We all like someone who grows enough to be able to say, “I was wrong.” And I made Pam funny, almost as if she’s the screwball in one of the screwball comedies she loves to watch. You have to love someone who makes you laugh. Just ask Roger. J

Have you run across many unlikable heroines?

Blurb for Almost Perfect: 

Pamela Kimball’s birthday present, a 1Night Stand adventure, promises to jump-start her life, put a new man in her bed, and help her forget her past. Unfortunately, movie-buff Pam’s Pirates of the Caribbean fantasy takes an alarming wrong turn when she’s abandoned on a not quite deserted island—with ex-husband Roger Ware.

Forced by hunger to accept Roger’s offer of dinner, Pam realizes the geek she married has transformed into one of the most charming, sexiest men she’s ever met. His newfound confidence—and hot body—re-kindle old fires. A simple kiss leads Roger to challenge her to discover how much his lovemaking skills have improved, leaving Pam torn between self-preservation and burning desire.

With time running out before they’re rescued, Pam must decide if her heart can survive the consequences of becoming Roger’s “almost” perfect 1Night Stand.

Excerpt from Almost Perfect: 

She snared the bottle, shot him a look of triumph, only to realize it remained capped. To open it she’d have to use her other hand.

Furious, she shifted her gaze from the tantalizing object to his gleeful eyes. “Would you open this for me, please?”

“Suddenly lost all your strength, have you, hon?” His eyes took on a hunger she remembered. “It’s not as if I’ve never seen your breasts before.”

“Then you don’t need to see them again, do you?” Heat rose in her cheeks. “Come on, open it. You said it was a peace offering.”

“And these are part of the peace negotiations.” He stood, arms crossed over his muscled chest, better looking than she remembered. Not fair.

“I’m bored. My date still hasn’t turned up, so I thought I’d come harass you a while. I’ll tell you what.” He reached for the Perrier and unscrewed the cap, but didn’t offer it to her. “You show me yours, I’ll show you mine.”

“And why would I want to see yours again?” Her eyes remained on the bottle resting at his hips and watched the carbonated bubbles rising to the top.

“For old time’s sake?” His eyes flashed with mischief as he tipped the sparkling water up and started to drink. She stared, her parched lips opened in outrage. Glug, glug. He made that sound on purpose. Was he going to drink the whole damned thing?

After swallowing at least a third of the contents, he came up for air. “Ah! Hits the spot every time.” He grinned. “Still can’t take a joke? Too bad. Here.” He thrust it toward her. Grabbing with both hands, she shoved the end into her mouth so quick the glass clicked against her teeth. Greedily, she sucked in and almost choked. The exquisite, light lime-flavored water rushed into her body to hydrate the parched cells. Three more guzzles and she breathed deeply, satisfied for the moment.

She pulled the lip away and wiped her hand across her chin where she had dribbled some. Holding it out to him, she noticed his slack-jawed attention riveted straight on her chest. Which meant….

“You still look fine, Pam. Mighty fine.” Her ex-husband licked his lips, his grin reaching almost ear to ear. If there weren’t still some water left in the bottle, she’d brain him with it.

He reached down and slipped off his sandals, then untied his drawstring, all the while gawking at her breasts. With one swift movement, he shucked his pants to reveal a hard, tanned body, complete with a serious erection.

She hadn’t seen that coming. Her mouth dropped open as the Perrier hit the sand. She stared at his fully aroused cock, a shiver of pure desire sparking through her before she dragged her gaze back up to his face. A low chuckle rumbled deep in his chest. “A promise is a promise. You showed me yours.” He threw her one more impish grin before taking off for the water. “You coming?”

She stared as he splashed in and dove under. His pale, rounded butt flashed her before sliding under the waves. Her heart pounded and blood sang through her veins as it had not done in years. A deep ache bloomed between her thighs, pitifully familiar; it too had lain dormant until now. The problem was it had been so long since she’d had sex. She’d be twice as horny if that were her pirate out there. At least she fought to believe it.

Roger’s head broke the surface and he flipped his hair out of his face. “Come on in. The water’s great!” She didn’t move. “I promise not to bite.”

“But I might,” she muttered, starting for the water, afraid they had the makings of a real live Blue Lagoon.

Almost Perfect is available at:

DecadentPublishing 

Amazon

Barnes& Noble

AllRomance E-Books

FREE READ! An Almost Perfect Christmas

Buy Almost Perfect HERE!

My present to all you wonderful readers this month is a short free read, a Christmas story starring my hero and heroine from Almost Perfect.  This is the tale of their first Christmas together.  Please enjoy.

An Almost Perfect Christmas

Christmas Eve 2004

“Come on, Roger.  Christmas Eve is almost over.”  Pam sat in front of their small but full Christmas tree, digging through the pile of presents wrapped in festive paper.

“Be there in a second, babe.”  The hushed, absent-minded tone carried from the dining room where her husband sat at his computer, eyes glued to the screen as they had been all night.

“That’s what you said an hour ago,” she mumbled then seized the big square package she had been looking for.  “Now, Roger.  Or you’re going to be sorry!”  She added a playful lilt to the last word.  This was their first Christmas as a married couple.  It had to be perfect.

“I’m here.  I’m here.  Where’s the fire?”  Roger plopped his tall frame down next to her.

“Right here.”  She grabbed his face, pulling his lips onto hers.  Tingles shot down her arms—always did every time he kissed her.  He settled his arms around her, drew her closer.  His tongue thrust into her mouth, probing her with bold sweeps.  Pam moaned and clutched him, pressing against his chest until he toppled backward onto the carpet with her on top.

He disengaged long enough to say, “We should have started this in the bedroom.”

“Oh, we’re heading there.”  She ground her hips against his and was rewarded with a groan from above and hardness below.  “But you need to open a present first.”

“But it’s not Christmas yet.”  He ran his hands down her sides, under her jeans to cup her butt.  When he squeezed her cheeks, she squealed.  “You get to open one present on Christmas Eve and I’m telling you which one.”

“Okay, but you’d better hurry.”  He stole another kiss.  “You’ve got Little Roger standing at full staff already.”

“Don’t worry.  He’s going to get all the attention he deserves tonight.”  She sat up and grabbed the present she’d pushed to the side.  “Here.”  Shoving it into his hand, she glanced toward the television.  “Oh, look!  This is my favorite part.” 

Pam motioned to the screen where Bing Crosby in White Christmas crooned to Rosemary Clooney.  “…fall asleep, counting your blessings.”

“That’s just so sweet and romantic.”

Roger grasped her chin and turned her head back toward him.  “I’m counting my blessings this Christmas for sure.”  His lips brushed hers, feather light, teasing her.  Promising more.

“Just open the damned present!”  Her voice came out husky with her growing desire.

He grabbed the gift, ripping off the red and white paper with one swipe.  “It’s awfully light.  What did you get me?”  He shook the container, listening for a sound.  “One of those new USB 2.0 High Speed Flash drives?  But in a big box to throw me off?”  His gray eyes shone with hope.

“Uhhh, no.  That’s not what this one is.”  She forced a smile.  He’d never said anything about a flash drive before.  Damn.  After Christmas sales here I come.

Roger snapped the tape on the lid and opened it.  His brows furrowed and little lines around his eyes tightened with strain.  “It’s empty.”

“I know.”  She smiled encouragingly at him.  “Because what was inside is now in the other room.”

“Then why—“

“’Cause it’s your present, and you had to unwrap something, but I wanted it…all ready for you.”  The worry lines eased.  “Come on.”  Pam stood then pulled him to his feet.  Had he thought she’d played a cruel joke on him?  “I would never do that.”

“Do what, babe?”

“Play a joke on you like that.”  She put her arms around him, holding tight.  “I love you, Roger.”

“I love you to, Pam.”  He leaned against her and she felt his tension ease.  “So where’s this mystery present?”

“This way.”  She grabbed his hand and led him into the bedroom where candlelight flickered.  “There.”  Motioning to the bed, with the covers turned back, she glanced into his face to gauge his reaction.

He cut his eyes to her.  “The bed is new?”

“No!  The sheets, Roger, look at the sheets!  Feel the sheets!”  She dragged him over to the double bed, positioned in the center of the room, headboard against the outside wall.  He ran his hands over the glistening material.

“You got satin sheets?”

“Red satin sheets. Very old-style Hollywood.  And sexy.  Merry Christmas, Roger!  Wanna try them out?”  Pam had her top and bra off and jeans and panties around her ankles while he still fumbled with his buttons.  “Here, let me help, baby.”  She made short work of the shirt then shucked his pants off him in nothing flat.  After running her hand over his firm chest and down to grasp his still erect member, Pam gently pulled him to her.  “I want this to be a Christmas we’ll always remember.”  She released him and flung herself, spread-eagle, into the center of the bed.

And ended up on the far edge of the bed, her head hanging over the side.  She raised it to see a stunned Roger trying not to laugh.

“Can you do that again?”  His lips trembled, but he kept his composure.  “I want to savor that memory.”  He grabbed her ankles and slid her back toward him.

“That was not funny.”  She glared at him, but he simply chuckled and climbed up on the bed, on all fours over top of her.

“Let’s see if we can make the night memorable for something else too.”  His tongue traced the shell of her ear and she shivered in anticipation.  When his lips found her neck, nothing else mattered.  She giggled as he found the right spot halfway down that gave her goose bumps.

“Damn,” he growled, shifting his weight.

“What’s wrong?”

“I keep sliding.”

“Oh.  Well, maybe if you—“

“No, I’ve got it handled.”

He swept her legs open wide with his knees and gave one hard thrust.

There was a sensation of flight then her shoulder crashed into the wall.  She shook her head, staring up at the ceiling from an odd angle on the floor.  Roger’s face appeared over the edge of the bed, eyes wide, mouth a perfect ‘O.’  “Are you okay?” he whispered.

Pam took a breath, glad to find she could breathe, and nodded.

“I’m so sorry.  I never thought it would do that.  I mean, we never had a problem before…” His face disappeared and Pam heard choking sobs that quickly turned into outright laughter.

“If it wasn’t Christmas Day, Roger, you would pay for this.”  Obviously chivalry was not her husband’s strong suit.  Where was Arthur from Camelot when you needed him?

“I’m s…s…sorry.”  He could barely get the words out between sniggers.

“No, you’re not.  Come help me up.”  He slid off the bed and picked her up, cradling her against his chest. 

“Are you okay?  Really?”  His voice had sobered.

“Yes.”  She snuggled against his warmth.  “Maybe bruised, but intact.  And still horny.”

His arms tightened and his lips brushed the top of her head.  “I think we can take care of that.”  He headed back into the living room where Bing Crosby now sang White Christmas.  Roger lay them down in front of the tree, the blinking lights casting twinkles of blue, red and green over their naked bodies.  His gaze raked her with a hunger she had never glimpsed in him before. “Do you think under the Christmas tree will be memorable enough?”

Pam pulled him down to her, close enough to whisper, “Perfect.” He sealed her mouth with his as Bing warbled,  “And may all your Christmases be ….” 

Ahhhhh.

Blurb for Almost Perfect:

    

 Pamela Kimball’s birthday present, a 1Night Stand adventure, promises to jump-start her life, put a new man in her bed, and help her forget her past.  Unfortunately, movie-buff Pam’s Pirates of the Caribbean fantasy takes an alarming wrong turn when she’s abandoned on a not quite deserted island—with ex-husband Roger Ware. 

Forced by hunger to accept Roger’s offer of dinner,  Pam realizes the geek she married has transformed into one of the most charming, sexiest men she’s ever met. His newfound confidence—and hot body—re-kindle old fires.  A simple kiss leads Roger to challenge her to discover how much his lovemaking skills have improved, leaving Pam torn between self-preservation and burning desire. 

With time running out before they’re rescued, Pam must decide if her heart can survive the consequences of becoming Roger’s “almost” perfect 1Night Stand.

Almost Perfect is available at Amazon, B & N, and Decadent Publishing.

50 Ways to Say “I Love You”

Buy Almost Perfect HERE!

By Jenna Jaxon

Well, I probably don’t have 50 ways.  But I was inspired by the current Train song “50 Ways to Say Goodbye,” which is fun but not very romantic!  So how can you say “I love you” without the words?

Not to start out with the petty, but gifts of chocolate leap instantly to mind. LOL Why else would candy be linked to Valentine’s Day?

Do something unexpected for your significant other.  Even better, do something you’re supposed to do without being asked.

Leave little notes for your lover.  Tell them how special they are to you.

Create a treasure hunt with clues in notes that lead to some treat or goodie. (It might even be you!)

Write a poem or song for them.

Hold a candlelight dinner that you prepared specially for them.

Cover their pillow in real flower petals.

Spontaneously hug your significant other.

Serve them breakfast in bed on a day other than their birthday, Mother’s or Father’s Day.

Listen to them.  Nothing is more flattering or says “I love you” more than your undivided attention.

Now that’s the first ten.  Can you guys come up with the other 40?  What says “I love you” to you? (In Almost Perfect, Roger says it with several different sexual positions from the Kama Sutra!  I like the way he talks. LOL)

 Blurb for Almost Perfect:    

 Pamela Kimball’s birthday present, a 1Night Stand adventure, promises to jump-start her life, put a new man in her bed, and help her forget her past.  Unfortunately, movie-buff Pam’s Pirates of the Caribbean fantasy takes an alarming wrong turn when she’s abandoned on a not quite deserted island—with ex-husband Roger Ware. 

Forced by hunger to accept Roger’s offer of dinner,  Pam realizes the geek she married has transformed into one of the most charming, sexiest men she’s ever met. His newfound confidence—and hot body—re-kindle old fires.  A simple kiss leads Roger to challenge her to discover how much his lovemaking skills have improved, leaving Pam torn between self-preservation and burning desire. 

With time running out before they’re rescued, Pam must decide if her heart can survive the consequences of becoming Roger’s “almost” perfect 1Night Stand.

Excerpt for Almost Perfect: 

She inched into the lapping surf, searching for movement. Reflection off the water made this task harder than expected. Wasn’t the Caribbean supposed to be teeming with fish?  Now that’s something she’d had a lot of instruction in. Almost every marooned-on-an-island movie had a scene where the heroine learned to catch fish. Six Days, Father Goose, Blue Lagoon. All you needed was your hands and patience. She could do this.

Pam waded out further then stopped just before the water hit her now dry shorts. “Not gonna to have a damp crotch all night.” The words reminded her of exactly what she had hoped for tonight. “But not from wet shorts!” She headed back to shore to remove and drape them next to her shirt. The bandeau was a different story. Still damp, even after several hours, and uncomfortable. Might dry better if not next to her skin anyway. “Screw it!  Live dangerously.”

Standing as good as naked on the deserted beach, Pam smiled as the warm breeze caressed her bare body. The sense of being slightly naughty added to her delight in the sensual feel of the air as it dried her breasts. Her nipples peaked as the wind cooled them. She strutted down to the water’s edge to sink her toes in the sand, the salty tang in the air adding to the perfect moment.

“If you’re skinny dipping, you forgot to remove one very important piece of clothing.”

Pam whirled around. Roger stood on the beach behind her, a green bottle of Perrier in one hand. His gaze played up and down her naked torso and his salacious grin widened. “Mind if I join you?”

Bio:

Jenna Jaxon is a multi-published author of historical  and contemporary romance who has been reading and writing historical romance since she was a teenager.  A romantic herself, Jenna has always loved a dark side to the genre, a twist, suspense, a surprise.  She tries to incorporate all of these elements into her own writing.

Jenna lives in Virginia with her family and a small menagerie of pets.  When not reading or writing, she indulges her passion for the theatre, working with local theatres as a director.  She often feels she is directing her characters on their own private stage. 

She has equated her writing to an addiction to chocolate because once she starts she just can’t stop.