Meet Paul and Darrien (and Laura)

Hi, everyone! I'm Laura Bacchi, and I'll be guestblogging on occasion here at Slash & Burn. To get to know me (and my writing), I'd like to share an excerpt from my new release, Any Ordinary Day, and kick off my guestblogging with a contest.

This novella was a lot of fun to write, and it was my first tale with a shifter for a main character. I'd like to hear your thoughts on shapeshifter M/M. Do you like shifters? Only like a certain kind? Even if shapeshifters aren't your thing, feel free to leave a comment here before 10 pm EST tonight and I'll pick a winner soon after for a $10 Loose Id gift certificate.

On any ordinary day, a guy like Paul Murray expects more shit from his boss, a new car repair bill, and another lonely night at home. But when his car dies during rush hour, he's rescued by a man who might just make him experience something extraordinary…in more ways than one.

Darrien Avanti has an agenda, and it doesn't include the sexy guy he picks up by a smoking Yugo on his way to Manhattan . Renegade dragons from his homeland have breached the Earth's surface in search of their own territory—and human flesh. It's Darrien's job to take them out before more people die. This isn't the time to think about sex, let alone take a mate, but everything about the Top Lander tells Darrien that Paul's the one.

Paul's day—and life—is about to become anything but ordinary.

Here's a short excerpt:

Darrien's voice dropped to a husky whisper. "You don't strike me as the controlling type."

"I'm not," I whispered back. But he was. I could smell it all over him. Once he got me back to my place, he'd take what he wanted from me.

And I would love every second of it.

His hand touched my temple, then cheek, his fingertips petal soft yet determined as he traced the landscape of my face. I actually shivered. His finger trailed over my lips. I opened for him and lapped at the pad of it with my tongue. The finger went deeper.

"No, you're not the controlling type at all." He forced my head back and added another finger to my mouth. His lips brushed my hair, his words hot mist on my ear and neck.

"Show me how you're going to suck me, Paul."

I leaned toward the hand twisting in and out of my mouth. His other hand pressed into my forehead and held me tight. Another finger inside now, all three splaying wide and pushing against my tongue. My right hand snuck down to my dick. I had to unzip, had to relieve my erection from the confinement of my jeans before the zipper became permanently etched into the base of my cock.

His hands retreated. "Let's get you home. The Jag's a rental."

"Don't worry," I whispered. "I'd lick it off the upholstery. For you."

He seemed in control up to that point. Those last words? They got him. They got him good. His gaze burned into mine before he fired up the engine and peeled out of the parking garage. We made it back to my place in record time. Our clothes came off in record time too--hell, I didn't even stop to turn on a light--and my cat narrowly missed being hit by a flying jacket, Armani by the looks of it.

"Oh, shit," he said. He let go of me to check on Priscilla. "Sorry, little one."

Priscilla hopped up out of harm's way and settled on the kitchen counter to watch.

"Don't worry," I said. "She's got nine lives."

"Nine lives? Lucky fucker." Darrien chuckled. "We only get seven ..."

* * *

I hope you enjoyed a little taste of this novella. If you'd like more than a nibble, check out this chapter at Loose Id. Thanks, Mandi (and everyone) for allowing me to guestblog. And many thanks to Anne for the awesome cover!