Paranormal Romance, First Responders
Date Published: June 24, 2022
Publisher: Changeling Press
Firestorm: A collection of short Paranormal Erotic Adventures from the
Changeling Press family of authors. Royalties donated to Changeling’s Save
the Quiet Kitty Fund in memory of Camille Anthony.
If You Can’t Stand the Heat — Camille Anthony: In human shape or his
natural prairie dog form, Edison was normally the most laid-back of males,
except when his mate, Reba, crossed the line…
Catan’s Fire — Jade Buchanan: Asad needs to teach his mate what
happens to submissive Felidae who disobey orders…
Brimstone by Mistake — Alice Gaines: Heaven’s made a mistake. What
will Lucifer do when the Man Upstairs wants Sally back?
Shifting Priorities — Anne Kane: When the sexy hunk Jexx picks up in the
station bar turns out to be more than human, she has more to worry about
than her profit margin.
Burning Down the House — Isabella Jordan: Will Katurah use her powers now
to end it all — or will she give in to a fiery lover?
Stockings — Jade Buchanan: A gorgeous female cat shifter, an enticing pair
of stockings, and a very interested lady wolf produce enough heat to burn
down the house…
Britta’s Beast — Kate Hill: When Max and Britta met at a convention
for members of magical law enforcement, they seemed like a perfect
fit…
EXCERPT
Copyright ©2022 Changeling Authors
If You Can’t Stand the Heat by Camille Anthony
He stood in the doorway of the Bakery’s kitchen, belt dangling from
his hand, watching his mate of forty years bustle about preparing
refreshments for the library shindig about later that evening. As always,
the sight of her had his heart doing that funny leap in his chest, his cock
echoing the movement behind the zipper of his jeans. After all this time, it
still only took a look, a whiff of his female’s scent to have him hard
as a cactus spike.
Along with his surging lust came a powerful burst of love and he knew if
prairie dogs didn’t mate for life, he’d still never let this
woman go. He’d die without her. However, that didn’t mean he was
blind to her faults.
His Reba was an incorrigible busybody, continually putting her finger in
other folk’s pies. He understood her interfering tendencies were part
of her caring nature and that would have been fine as long as she contained
her meddling within the family.
She didn’t.
He wasn’t mad at her. Edison’s smile was full of masculine
anticipation. The punishment of her infraction was going to be intensely
pleasurable for both of them.
* * *
Heat from the tray of kitchen-sink cookies radiated through her oven mitts
as Reba pushed the door of the oven closed with a bump of her plump behind.
Humming, she carried her burden to the cooling racks and began sliding this
last batch off the pan onto the wire trays. Inhaling deeply, loving the
smells of fresh baking that meant home to her, the buxom baker
couldn’t help smiling. She loved the holidays. All of them, but this
season, Reba had plenty to celebrate.
For the first time in years, all her children would be coming home to
Barkus. Even better, Puppy — the younger brother who was like another son
since she’d raised him from the time their parents died in a car
accident — would be introducing his new mate to the family. Reba sighed
happily, making a mental note to look up information on the Kwanzaa rituals
as Carly was Afro-American. She didn’t want the newest member of the
pack to feel slighted.
“Reba!”
Startled, Reba jumped, the last cookie flying off her spatula to explode
into warm gooey crumbs on the stainless steel counter. She turned toward the
door and her mate, ready to blast him for sneaking up on her, only to jerk
to a halt, heart skidding around inside her chest until it came to rest in
the pit of her belly at the sight of her broad shouldered mate — brown eyes
alight with mayhem — brandishing his wide leather belt.
Hot damn, I’m about to get spanked.
“Edison, what are you doing here in the middle of the afternoon? I
thought you were at the bar, hanging with all your old coots.” She was
proud her voice didn’t shake.
“I was. Spoke to Bucky. He was a mite upset.”
She knew exactly what that old dawg was upset about and she wasn’t a
bit ashamed of what she’d done. Huffing, she folded her arms over her
full chest. Her tone was belligerent. “Served him right. He had no
business trying to back out of his promise to Carly.”
Edison sighed. “And you had no business sharing something I told you
in confidence.”
“He asked for it.”
The glint in his eyes belied the sorrowful expression on his face and Reba
shivered, knowing what was coming before Edison got the words out his mouth.
“Well, you’ve asked for this.” He gestured toward the door
leading to the next room. “March yourself into the pantry while I go
flip the open sign and lock the door.” He headed out the kitchen but
paused to turn and spear her with a warning glare. “If you’re
not ready when I get back, I’ll be adding to your
punishment.”
Yippee!
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