Chasing Phoenix by Christine d'Abo

"Christine d'Abo leaves readers salivating for more."

Cathryn Fox --Award winning author

Chasing Phoenix, December 2007
Ellora's Cave
ISBN: 9781419913556
Genre: Contemporary

Abbey has a secret. Not only is she the mysterious Lady Phoenix, sensual storyteller, but she’s in lust with her co-worker and friend Michael Quinn.

The night he shows up unexpectedly at one of her performances she decided to take advantage of his blindfolded state and have a little fun.

But when Michael becomes determined to uncover the truth about Phoenix, will they cast their friendship aside for a chance at something more?

"Christine d'Abo, don't miss this hot new author!"
~ Julianne MacLean,
USA Today bestselling author

Chasing Phoenix won special reviewer recognition from Just Erotic Romance Review, and it was granted the coveted Silver Star rating.

Her footsteps halted a few feet away and he could have sworn he heard her gasp. Without leaning forward, his ears were straining to pick up a sound, any hint that he knew the true identity of Lady Phoenix.

“Hello?” his voice sounded ten times louder than normal in the sparsely furnished warehouse loading bay.

From behind him the bouncer coughed loudly. Right, one of the damned rules. No talking.

Whatever hesitation she had, she’d gotten over it. She began to move again. He felt her body heat even in the sweltering night air as she approached him and walked a lazy circle around where he sat. Was she hot or an ugly duckling? He figured the latter if she didn’t want people to see her.

She stopped directly behind him and leaned forward. Her cinnamon tinted breath tickled his ear and neck sending a shiver across his body. Here we go big Mike. He squeezed the armrests even tighter than before and held on for the ride.

“I love to swim naked in the moonlight.”

Her words instantly shot to his cock, the blood pooling as his shaft pulsed to life. Michael swallowed hard, but managed to keep quiet this time. She must be psychic because he’d been having a reoccurring dream on that very topic all week. He’d even mentioned it to Andrew the other day.

She took a deep breath in and sighed, a soft sound that made her sound vulnerable.

“Large quiet lakes, where the moonlight bounces off the water. That’s where I like to go. My skin looks pale. It almost glows under the moon’s rays.”

He felt her move close, but wasn’t ready when her tongue darted out and traced a path along the ridge of his ear. Mentally, he started ticking the seconds off the clock. He only had to survive for nine minutes and thirty seconds longer without making an idiot of himself by coming in his pants.

Good luck with that Mike.

“The only thing better than swimming naked in the moonlight is fucking under the stars.”

A groan escaped him. She was killing him and probably didn’t care. She’d turn around and do it to the next person in line.

Phoenix stood and walked slowly around to the front of where he sat. Touch me the raving sex fiend inside him screamed. She didn’t listen this time. Instead, he felt her place her hands on the high back of the chair just above his shoulders. A cascading wave of cinnamon and a floral shampoo washed over him.

“Swimming naked makes me feel dangerous. Wild. It’s the secret part of me I never let anyone see.”

Michael felt her lean forward. He knew without seeing that her lips were close to his. If he moved his head forward an inch, maybe two, he’d be able to kiss her.

“Do you like wild women? Nod if you do.”

Michael nodded his head by somehow only moving it a fraction of an inch. He would have much preferred to scream it loudly, but Bozo the bouncer would have tied him into a knot if he did.

“I’m so happy to hear that,” she said in a deep sultry voice, and followed it up with a purr.

His cock strained so hard against his pants he was scared there would be a bruise in the morning. He really needed to get laid if a blindfold and a few words were enough to push him over the edge. With great effort, he refocused his mind and brought his concentration back to the task at hand. Trying to figure out if this little sex kitten worked for Barbers Accounting.

Reality check. He would be limited in what he knew about her from what she said, how she said it, and how she smelled.

Oh shit, he was screwed.

Christine d'Abo © 2007
Ellora's Cave