In this scene from At the Mercy of Her Pleasure, NarrAy Jorlan has just met Senth Antonello for the first time. She’s taking it slow, sizing him up for the job at hand. Usually, men are distracted by her pheromones, but on this occasion, she finds herself on the distracted side.
Do Opposites Attract?
NarrAy crossed her legs, exposing a good portion of her skin under the short dress. If she’d been sitting opposite Senth, the length might have been welcome. But his father lounged in that chair and Senth sat beside her on the couch. Her position put her a little closer to him.
“Empress Destoiya murdered my parents,” NarrAy continued her story, “as surely as if she’d been the one who shot them in the back. They were scientists working on secret technology. When rumors got out that they were planning to give their findings to the rebellion, the Conqueror had them killed and then confiscated everything, including their personal belongings. There was a locket my mother inherited from my grandmother, which my grandmother inherited from her grandmother. It’s mine and I want it back.”
She met Senth’s penetrating gaze and held it. She heard rather than saw Encie enter the room and take up a place near the door. Broxus moved to stand beside her. NarrAy couldn’t take her gaze off Senth. How did I ever see him as a boy?
He had a man’s hands, well-groomed nails and sinewy forearms that revealed power and strength. His biceps bulged. Angular jaw, a firm mouth with lips made for kissing. A hot flutter rose within her and she tamped it down at once, refusing to let her pheromones get the upper hand.
Senth watched her, gaze narrowed, head tilted. He gave a sniff and then eased into a smile. His proximity heightened her desire. He smelled clean, fresh and ruggedly male. A tingle signaled the imminent letdown of her pheromones and she clenched her hands into fists, fighting to calm the spike of lust flickering through her like a torch about to combust.
Senth’s faint smile revealed nothing, but he lifted his head, sniffing the air. Kin could smell emotion and desire. Could HalfKin?
He asked me something. Pay attention to business and not your body. She sat up straighter. “I’m sorry. Would you repeat that, please?”
“What I said was no one hires a level-nineteen thief, transports him to another world to break into a government building and then wants him to steal back a locket with sentimental value. Especially one in the custody of the Conqueror. What’s it really worth?”
“It’s a priceless heirloom.” She set a hand against her bosom.
Senth didn’t follow her hand movement. Instead he tilted his head as he leaned back against the couch. “I’m more skilled at this job than you are beautiful, NarrAy and that’s saying something. Tell me the truth.”
Her cheeks warmed. When had she ever blushed over an offhand compliment?
At the Mercy of Her Pleasure
Antonello Brothers 1: a Scifi Romance
At the Mercy of Her Pleasure is a military science fiction romance set in a dystopian world. The standalone story has a heat level of PG13 and a happy ending.
Hired to steal back a prototype taken by the imperial armada, Senth Antonello retrieves it, but his brother is kidnapped to force Senth to surrender the device.
Now he has to rescue his brother, outsmart the armada, and keep the item out of imperial hands. All doable, except for one small problem. He must do it in the company of NarrAy Jorlan, a genetically altered woman whose pheromones could enhance the mission or crumble it into dust with a single siren kiss.
He’s a thief. She’s a soldier. Do opposites attract? Oh, mercy!
—
Genre: Sweet Romance, Science Fiction Romance, Sci Fi
Heat level: PG13 – sweet romance with kick
Publisher: Romance Lives Forever Books
Series: Antonello Brothers (standalone books)
Universal book link https://books2read.com/ab-at-mercy
The sequel for this book is For Women Only.
Giveaway
Download the free printable Antonello Brothers Coloring Book
https://kayelleallen.com/media/coloring-book-antonello.pdf
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Intriguing excerpt. Sweet sci fi romance with a kick. Curious about the kick!! JQ Rose
Thank you! The book has adult themes but no explicit content or profanity, so a kick. 🙂
Have you reworked this, Kayelle? I remember reading this years ago, and I have strong recollection that it wasn’t sweet romance.
Oh goodness yes. LOL I only write sweet romance now. I deleted any graphic content but added other scenes to enhance the story.
Great excerpt. Sexual tension is present and handled skillfully
Thank you, Janet!
Goodness, it’s feeling a little warm in here all of a sudden!
LOL Yes, isn’t it? 🙂
Nice work in building the tension of sexual attraction.
Thank you. Glad it came across.
intriguing excerpt.
Thank you Helen!
Her interior thoughts and his responses are delightful, Kayelle. I’m intrigued by the comment about Kin being able to smell desire.
I had fun coming up with what the various emotions smelled like and how much a Kin could smell compared to a HalfKin. Kept a very detailed story bible for that!
Loved the excerpt and the sexual tension between them.
Thanks so much. 🙂
I have to say, that’s a lot of sexual tension for a sweet romance! Oh, mercy, indeed!
True! Hence the “sweet romance with a kick” 🙂
As I scrolled down to find the comment box – everyone has already said what I was going to say – great scene. Lots of sexual tension.
Tweeted.
Thank you for sharing the post!