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From Tidal Wave, coming July 21st to Samhain Publishing:

From her first kiss to her first sight of dolphins dancing on the waves, Alexia Colten has always held a special place in her heart for Jaffrey’s Cove. Now that she’s back to help her grandmother settle into a home, she discovers this place has lost none of its remembered magic. In fact, it seems more magical than before—and more erotic.

After she’s gifted with a beautiful, dolphin-etched medallion, she finds herself surrounded by the golden boys of summers past. Her body is filled with longings she can’t explain and dreams of blue lights that turn into lovers.

Joshua Marley and his cousin Anthony are merfolk, a people capable of living beneath the waves as either dolphin or human. Alexia holds the medallion that marks her as the next in line to lead their people—if she can prove she can transform. Working in tandem, they’re sure they can arouse her passion and protect her from those who would use her simply to gain power.

But their strength alone may not be enough to help her face the challenge of her new position…

Warning: This title contains a conniving granny, naked men in the surf and shifters who take fun in the water to new depths. Snorkels not required.

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The click as the door shut behind Michael echoed in the room, Anthony’s agitated breathing loud in the silence. Joshua swept a hand through his hair and took a calming breath himself. He’d never thought Michael would resort to violence to try and claim the Keeper.

Delicate fingers slipped into his hand and his heartbeat doubled. Alexia was here, he was here.

Anthony was still here.

His cousin’s expression held a mix of anger and awe, and Joshua empathized deeply. With Michael’s departure, the sexual tension returned, a heady sensation that tangled Joshua’s limbs and clouded his mind. In her every move and glance, Alexia sent a clear message of arousal and need, one he wished nothing more than to answer immediately.

Completely. Forcefully.

He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it lightly, tonguing the tender flesh between her knuckles.

“You have a good right hook, my lady,” Joshua said, soft and low, his voice gravelly as lust raced through his body.

Alexia’s eyes were huge in her pale face. She moistened her bottom lip with her tongue and a flush covered her skin.

“Now what, Joshua? Now what do we do?” He had to strain to hear her quiet voice, embarrassment coloring her prettily.

He raised a brow, his fingers stroking hers. “Anthony explained. You are the one who must decide what you need. We will do whatever you ask, whether it’s a walk on the beach or a game of cards. We could sit by the fire and tell you stories about what it’s like to travel underwater.”

As he spoke Alexia pulled away from him to stare out the window at the ocean. Her body sagged and she hugged her arms around her body tightly. Her head dropped to the cool glass for a moment and Joshua hesitated. Perhaps it was all too much too fast.

She knew what she needed to demand of them. It was a part of who she was, the heritage in belonging to the line of the matriarch. Now that the medallion had begun to awaken her body to the change, there was no turning back. Her longing for transformation would drive her need for sex higher and higher to the point of overwhelming lust.

Every inch of Joshua’s body urged him to step forward and take her into his arms, but he held back. He had to let her be the one to decide. “We could say good night, and let you sleep and think about things until the morning,” he said, attempting to keep the reluctance out of his voice.

Anthony cleared his throat. “We could…” His gaze flicked to Joshua as if asking permission. “We could…”

“Hold me?” Alexia whispered. She turned her back to the windows and squared her shoulders.

“Ummm, yes.”

“Kiss me?” she breathed as her head tilted to the side.

Anthony swallowed hard before nodding.

Alexia smiled, a mischievous expression crossing her face. She stepped closer to Anthony but looked at Joshua. “Make love to me?” she purred.

Groans tore from both their throats as she reached for them. Joshua stayed back, letting Anthony take Alexia into his arms first.

The anger he expected to flare at seeing anyone touch Alexia arrived, but far more tempered than he’d believed possible. Anthony’s tender adoration for her was so clear in his every movement Joshua felt a tentative peace as he watched their lips meet. He didn’t want it to happen. He’d give anything to be all she needed.

But he wasn’t. Not yet. Perhaps not ever.

Anthony kissed her again, a hesitant caress. Joshua watched a trickle of blue shoot from his cousin to brush Alexia’s skin. The magic of St. Elmo’s fire would make her strong. Along with the chemicals from both of them, she would able to transform and survive underwater and lead their people.

What Joshua could give alone wasn’t enough.

This night had to happen. He would share, for her sake, this one time.

Please let it be only this one time.

Joshua moved to stoke the fire higher, pull cushions to the floor and open the curtains to let the ocean witness their lovemaking.

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Links to other snippets:

Lauren Dane
Cynthia Eden
Vivi Anna
SJ Day
Moira Rogers
Leah Braemel
Mandy Roth
Anya Bast
Viv Arend
Juliana Stone
Savannah Foley
Beth Williamson
Elisabeth Naughton
Michelle Pillow
Jaci Burton
Taige Crenshaw
McKenna Jeffries
Sasha White