I’m currently working on a new series. The Mercenary Heat series is a spin off from my Wylde Shore Trilogy. It’s a romantic suspense series based on Marcus Delaney (who featured in Wylde Shore Bk 2 and 3) and his band of mercenary misfits. They are hard-edged, alpha males, working as secret operatives for the government, taking on cases that no-one else has the stomach for. They’re all damaged in some way, much like Ash, in Switching Mercedes. The work has left them hardened, dangerous and jaded about life. I want Marcus and each of his men to find a tender heart to call their own, but the women will need to be tough enough to handle the demons each man battles.

Hopefully, Tempting Marcus will be out by the second half of this year, so stay tuned. Please remember this excerpt and is from my first draft, so errors may be present. 🙂

Unedited Excerpt from Tempting Marcus © 2017 Jan Graham 

“I need to apologize about tonight. You caught me off guard and I reacted badly. I know I hurt you and I’m sorry.” Marcus paused. “However, you need to give me a break, baby girl. This flirting and the sexual innuendo has to stop.”

Beth didn’t move as he came closer, remaining propped against the door jam, now edged in by Marcus’s much larger frame. He towered over her when she wasn’t in platforms and, for some reason, tonight she felt especially slight being this close to him. Bethany’s annoyance with him remained, even when he stroked the outer side of his fingers down the side of her face so tenderly she never wanted it to end.

“It doesn’t matter, I was wrong to say it, I know you think I’m too young.” Beth tried to remain composed as she replied, despite the urge to unfold her arms and run her hands down his tightly muscled chest. “I’m happy to do as you’ve asked. I’ll try to ignore my feelings for you, I’ll stop the flirting and just be the diligent operative you want me to be. No more bratty cheeky, Beth.”

“That’s not what I want, you’ve misunderstood.” Marcus stepped closer, bracing one arm on the door jam, forcing her move over, her back now pressed against the wall.

“Then what do you want, Marcus?” Bethany stared up at him, her irritation quickly dissipating. “I don’t think the situation is that difficult to figure out, either you want me or you don’t.”

“It’s just that.” Another pause from the man who usually articulated himself so well. “Jesus, Beth, I’m tired of attempting to conceal how hard you make me with all this teasing. I swear I lose concentration as the blood rushes from my brain to relocate itself in my cock.”

Suddenly confused, Beth tried to process what he’d just said. Had she heard him correctly? She made him what?

“I make you hard?” Beth tried not to sound surprised by his admission, her question more for clarification purposes than anything else.  In response, Marcus moved the final step closer, eliminating any space between them.

“You know you do.” Beth felt his warm breathe on the side of her throat as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I’m constantly hard around you.”

The raspy, guttural tone of his voice should have been all the proof needed to indicate he was telling the truth, Marcus reinforced the evidence by pressing his groin against her. Hard wasn’t an exaggeration.

“Don’t tease me with something I’ll never have, Marcus.” Beth placed her hands on his chest with every intention of pushing him away. “You don’t want me remember. Never going to happen, you said.”

Intent failed. Beth wanted to throw his words back at him, resume her anger, push against his hard chest and free herself from the cage of his frame. Instead her voice sounded as horny as his, her fingers massaged his pecs adoringly and not an ounce of ire toward him remained.

“I want you, Beth,” Marcus stated. “I just don’t know how to have you.”

“You can have me any way you want me, daddy.” Beth slipped her hand between them and stroked the erection beneath his jeans, eliciting a hiss from him which made her smile.

In all the time they’d known each other Beth had never seen him appear as vulnerable as he did now. His heart opening to her, his body visibly aching for hers.

When his lips brushed her cheek Beth pressed her body onto his as he feathered tiny kisses along her cheekbone growing closer to her mouth. His lips met hers, the softest of kisses at first before firming as his tongue began exploring her mouth. Beth moaned, looping her arms around his shoulders as he forced her against the wall, his knee slipping between her thighs forcing her legs to part. Marcus’s erection pressed into her hip, the movement of their bodies making the hardness more distinct.

Every cell in Beth’s body responded to his desire. Her cunt throbbed, moisture dampening the tiny g-sting she wore. Her breasts ached as hardened nipples rasped against her bra with the movement of their embrace. He broke their kiss, gazing down at her with lust filled eyes.

“Tell me to stop.” His gaze drifted down her face, her neck, stopping at her cleavage. “Please girl, tell me to stop.”

Bethany gave the only reply she was capable of articulating.

“Never.”