AAD Author Spotlight: Katie Reus -- Guest Post & Giveaway!

Thank you so much to Damaris and the ladies at Good Choice Reading for having me as a guest here today! Primal Possession, the second book in my Moon Shifter Series, is releasing in September, which is right before AAD!! (I’m still waiting to find out whether I can get early copies for the signing yet or not). A conference in New Orleans just promises to be exciting and I’m very much looking forward to meeting so many people I interact with online.

I hope you enjoy the sneak peek excerpt from Primal Possession. I haven’t posted this anywhere else yet!

Through her slat blinds December could see light starting to peek in. Without looking at her digital clock, she knew it was just barely sunrise. Normally she liked to sleep in on Saturdays, because she opened her shop up an hour later than usual. That so wasn’t happening today.

Not with Liam sleeping in her guest room. She should probably be more concerned or scared that some maniac had tried to inject her with God knew what last night, but Liam’s dark, dominating presence in her house was much more frightening. Okay, maybe not frightening. But it made her much more aware of . . . everything. Namely, herself and all the sexual feelings he stirred inside her.

She wasn’t scared of him. Just scared of her feelings for him. Instead of staring at the ceiling for another hour, she threw off her comforter and headed to the bathroom. After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she stared at herself in the mirror. Her curls stuck out wildly thanks to a rough night of tossing and turning. For a moment she contemplated putting on makeup or taming her hair, then scoffed at herself. Let Liam see her this way. Maybe it would help him get over her.

She opened the bedroom door and jerked to a halt.

Stretched out on the rug covering the hardwood hallway, Liam lay on his back—shirtless—directly outside her bedroom.

His dark eyes popped open when she gasped. Something told her he’d already been awake, though. In one quick swoop, he assessed her from head to foot and smiled. Despite her pajamas she felt practically naked under his not-so-subtle evaluation.

As he stared at her, she couldn’t help the way her own gaze strayed to his bare chest. His shoulders were impossibly broad and his chest was pure male perfection. All that strength. He wasn’t bulky or overmuscled, like those awful-looking bodybuilders. Just firm, but too broad to be called lean. Her gaze helplessly dipped lower and his stomach muscles tightened in response.

The slight action jerked her gaze back to his face.

“Like what you see?” The question was low and sensual and his dark eyes were knowing.

Her mouth dried up and it took a moment before she could speak. She ignored his question and asked one of her own. “What are you doing on the floor?”

“I wanted to be close in case anything happened.” Liam moved to his feet with the agility and speed of a jungle animal. Instinctively she stepped back. He didn’t advance on her or make a move, but his mere presence invaded all her personal space.

Why did he have to make it so hard for her to keep her distance from him? He might be aggravating with his dominant attitude, but he still wanted to protect her. That made it difficult to get mad at him. Even though she wanted him gone—if only to get back some of her sanity—she also wanted to thank him for staying the night.

“Are you hungry?”

His dark eyes flashed and she knew what he was thinking before he said a word, so she preemptively cut him off.

“For food,” she continued.

Grinning, he shrugged. “If that’s all you’re offering, I’ll take it.”

When he didn’t move, she had to turn sideways to shimmy past him. She ignored his soft chuckle. The frustrating man enjoyed making her uncomfortable. As she headed down the stairs, she could feel his eyes burning into her. Mentally stripping her. “Stop doing that,” she muttered.

“Doing what?” he asked, his deep voice far too close for comfort.

She resisted the urge to turn around. If she did, she was afraid of what she’d see on his face and afraid she’d like it too much. “You know exactly what. Quit looking at my butt.”

“I can’t help it, Red.”

To protect her, he will unleash the beast within…

As his pack’s second-in-command, lupine shifter Liam Armstrong gives orders and takes what he wants—until he meets red-headed, blue-eyed December McIntyre. Liam knows the human beauty is his intended mate the moment he sees her, but December is far too strong-willed to accept his protection.

December, whose brother is the town sheriff, has every reason to mistrust shifters after one killed her youngest sibling. But the forceful and handsome Liam has gotten under her skin in a way she hadn’t thought possible, and the desire she feels for him is almost too much to bear.

When a radical hate group targets all humans known to sympathize with paranormal beings, December is attacked in her bookstore. Reluctantly, she turns to the only one who can help her: Liam. And he is going to take her to places within herself she never knew existed.

Thanks for stopping by today! Just leave a comment telling me what you like about paranormal romance and be entered to win a copy of Alpha Instinct (Book 1, Moon Shifter series). Or, if you’re going to AAD 2012, tell me what things other than the conference you’re planning to visit or do. Me? I plan on going to Café du Monde at least once for coffee (I don’t care how hot it is) and hopefully picking up some artwork in Jackson Square.

A little about me: I’ve been reading romance since a young age—ever since I discovered my mom’s hidden stash. Luckily the addiction stayed with me into adulthood. I write paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense for Carina Press, Harlequin Nocturne, and NAL/Signet Eclipse. To learn more about me please visit my website, my blog, facebook or find me on twitter @katiereus.