Many of us are acquainted with that giddy feeling you experience when you wait all year for a seasonal item and then one day you walk into the store and it's there. Well, I'm feeling that thrill today. A SEDUCTIVE KISS, the 5th book in the Grayson Friends series, was released yesterday. The last book in the series was released over a year ago. Well, those wonderful heroes are back and they're taking on women who will challenge and inspire them in New York.

Previously the books were set in Atlanta (THE WAY YOU LOVE ME), North Carolina and the NASCAR racing circuit (NOBODY BUT YOU), Montana (ONE NIGHT WITH YOU), and Mexico/LA (IT HAD TO BE YOU). The next three book in the series - A SEDUCTIVE KISS, WITH JUST ONE KISS, and A DANGEROUS KISS - all take place mainly in New York with a couple of side trips to the Hamptons, Paris, and Dallas. Since "Kiss" is in the next each title, I lovingly refer to these new addition to these new additions as the Kiss Trilogy.

Alex Stewart, brother of Catherine Stewart Grayson, is a successful lawyer in New York. He has two best friends, C.J. Callahan and Payton "Sin" Sinclair. Alex might have known who the woman is for him since he was a kid. I thought you'd like an excerpt so here it is:

“Are you all right?”

The sound of the rich baritone voice made Dianne Harrington smile. She turned, aware she’d see Alex Stewart, the only other unattached male in the room. Catherine’s big brother had been the extra special bonus of having her for a best friend. “Of course,” she said, still smiling up at him. It had always been easy to talk with Alex. He had also been her first crush.

“Good,” he said, starting down at her.

He had thick lashes her friends would kill for, a straight nose, and a mobile, sensual mouth she had been wondering how it would feel against hers entirely too much about lately. “You’re here to have fun.”

Dragging her gaze away from his lips, Dianne thought of the issue at hand. Alex had always looked after her. Somehow he’d always known what to do to make her feel better. She wondered if he could give her what she needed this time as well.

She wanted a man to look at her as if she were his world, as if she made his life better. She realized she wanted that man to be Alex. The realization didn’t surprise her. Somehow she knew he’d be a gentle, considerate lover. He was steady and dependable. He was always there for her.

Growing up she’d been told too many times by her parents how utterly worthless she was. Alex didn’t think so she thought as she gazed up at him through a sweep of her lashes. But was he the man who could ease the ache in her heart and soul?

Alex stared down into the pensive, beautiful face of his one weakness, Dianne Harrington. He’d probably started falling in love with her the Christmas morning she was five years old and he was nine. He’d seen her crying on her porch steps because her parents had given away all of her toys and Santa hadn’t left any to replace them. He’d quickly climbed off his new bike and made up a story about Santa leaving the wrong bike and size at his house.

The wide-eyed happy smile on her tear-stained face had been worth the lie. He’d happily pushed her around on his bike most of the morning, then the next day with his own money that he’d saved for a telescope, he’d purchased her a pink bicycle. He couldn’t explain to his parents why it had been important to use his own money, it just had been. They hadn’t asked any more questions, just told him how proud of him they were.

He’d long since accepted that he could only have Dianne as a friend. If she leaned how he felt, it would be awkward for her and embarrassing for him. Dianne was like a star, to be gazed at and admired, but not touched.

*****

Things are about to take a dramatic turn for Alex and Dianne in a huge way. Both have lessons to learn about seduction, betrayal and a love that will last a lifetime.

Thank you,

Francis Ray

www.francisray.com