Thursday, March 29, 2012

Let's get to know Lorenzo... Crossfire of Love

Today I thought we'd get acquainted with Lorenzo Martinez, the sexy hero from my contemporary romance Crossfire of Love.

In the first few chapters of Crossfire of Love, the reader learns  Lorenzo and Gabriella were married in a quick ceremony in the chambers of John Cartwright. Their union is anything but romantic. Gabriella agreed to marry Lorenzo in an attempt to save Ace, her father, who is in over a million dollars to Lorenzo's crime lord father Carlo.

Carlo offers Ace a way out... if Gabby marries Lorenzo he'll forgive the debt.

Right out of the gate we see why Gabby would go through with it, but what's Lorenzo's motivation? He's rich, educated and can have any woman he wants. Why would he agree to an arranged marriage?

Here's a peek at Lo and Gabby's conversation just after the ceremony...

***



Gabby couldn't take her eyes away from those lips. She'd never had the pleasure of having them on her own. Judge Cartwright hadn't asked him to kiss his bride. She hated herself for thinking about him that way

As they stood in front of the judge, she kept hoping he'd put an end to the charade and stop the wedding. It didn't make sense to her why he had agreed to marry her. She didn't have a choice. Her father's gambling debts made sure of that. But she didn't understand why he'd allowed things to get as far as they had.

"You could've stopped this. Why didn't you?" Gabby asked.

"I was just as trapped as you were." He downed the rest of his scotch.

She didn't believe that. She knew he respected his dad, but she didn't get why he wouldn't have put his foot down and said no to such a life-altering decision.

"You could've told your father no from the beginning. Why would you agree to marry someone if you didn't have to?"

"Look." He shook his head. "It's done now. We're going to have to make the best of it."

"Make the best of it?" She plopped down on the leather sofa. "I'm twenty-two years old. I just graduated from college, and you want me to make the best of it?"

"I know this isn't what you might have wanted, but it is what it is. You agreed, and now it's done. You can't go back on it now. My father won't forgive that."

***
Hmm... I wonder what Lorenzo wants? Whatever it is, you can bet Gabby isn't going to make it easy on him.

Here's a glimpse into their wedding night. Lorenzo has invited Gabriella to share his bed. The sexual tension between these two is off the charts...



"I’m not sharing a bed with you." Gabriella placed her hands on her hips. "I may have been forced to marry you, but I won’t be forced into doing anything else with you."

"No one is forcing you to do anything."

"Really?" She glanced down at her wedding band and her meaning wasn’t lost on him. "I can sleep on the couch." She quickly grabbed some clothes from the dresser.

Lorenzo got off the bed and walked over to her. He had to suppress a smile when he noticed she was checking out his bare chest. She backed away, but he advanced toward her and
cornered her against the dresser. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and heard her suck in a sharp breath. She looked exquisite. More perfect than he ever could’ve dreamed she would’ve looked on their wedding day.

"Did I tell you how lovely you look today? You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen."

She looked over his shoulder. He noticed she did that often. Why was it so hard for her to make eye contact with him?

"You don’t have to sleep on the couch." He twirled a strand of her hair around his finger. "What kind of man would I be if I made you sleep on a couch?"

"It’s not a problem." Her chest was rising and falling at a rapid pace and that did something to Lorenzo. He liked being close to her, touching her and taking in her scent. His cock was practically twitching in his pants. He had to create some distance, but he couldn’t find the strength to move.

"The guest room," he said as he tilted her chin and stared into her dark brown eyes. "You can sleep in there. I had it prepared for you."

***
Damn! I wanted them to do it! (winks)

I'll leave you with my favorite sexually charged exchange between the two.




"You’re not attracted to me?" Lorenzo pulled her against him, and she could feel how much he wanted her.
"I, well—" She didn’t know how to answer. All he’d have to do is slip his hand inside her jeans. She was soaked through her panties and throbbing for him.
"If you tell me you’re not attracted to me, I won’t pursue this." He pressed his lips against her cheek. "Tell me to leave you alone."
He trailed his lips along her jaw line. The closer he got to her mouth the faster her heart beat. She closed her eyes and indulged in the way he made her feel, but once she felt his breath on her lips she jerked away.
He closed his eyes for a second before releasing her. "I’m sorry."
Gabby couldn’t be certain but he looked disappointed.
"It’s okay," she said. "I know you probably have needs. I’d understand if, well, you, I mean if you knew someone."
"What?" he said in a low voice. His jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed into an intense squint.

"I’m just saying I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to be with someone else." Anyone but Madison, but it wasn’t her place to choose.
"Gabriella." He advanced her again and placed his hand on her shoulder. "This isn’t an open marriage. I don’t care how much of a sham you think this is. I will not be having sex with anyone else."
She nodded and swallowed hard. She felt his warm breath on her lips and the ache between her legs increased. In all the years she’d known him, she’d never seen him so serious. It scared her a little, but at the same time it excited her. What was he doing to her?
"And neither will you."
She looked down at her feet because she hated to stare into his beautiful green eyes. When she looked directly into them she felt she’d surrender everything to him. He was too easy to get lost in, and she couldn’t lose any more of herself than she already had.
"Are we clear?"

***

Have I left you wanting more of these two? Once Gabriella gives into her husband the heat level becomes EXPLOSIVE!



Interested? Want to know what motivates a man like Lorenzo? I have a feeling Gabriella has been the object of his desire for quite sometime. What do you think?




Can an arranged marriage lead to love?
Recent college graduate Gabriella has finally married the man of her dreams, the older, charismatic attorney Lorenzo Martinez. She's had a crush on him for as long as she can remember and always imagined they'd one day find their happily ever after. Unfortunately, they enter into a union arranged by their fathers.
Lorenzo is charming, protective, and loyal to his crime lord father Carlo. When Carlo asks Lorenzo to marry Gabriella he jumps at the opportunity. He's been drawn to her for many years and knows by marrying her he's helping to protect her father.
Gabby is resentful and won't be Lorenzo's charity case. But sparks fly and the couple soon gives into their desire, realizing they were meant to be together.
What happens when Carlo's enemies threaten their future? Will someone get caught in the crossfire?
Content Warning: graphic sex, some violence

Ella
xoxo














8 comments:

  1. Wow, Ella! I love these characters already. And the premise is intriguing. It's in my TBR pile-

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    1. Thanks, Kaylie. I had a great time writing this one:)I miss them.

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  2. He sounds so yummy. I agree with Kaylie this is def on the tbr pile.

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    1. Thanks, Elizabeth. You'll have to let me know if Lorenzo measures up to Alec from The Lonely Dominant. lol

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  3. Wow. That's a yummy intro, Ella! I do like those arranged-marriage kind of scenarios! This one sounds fab!

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    1. Thanks:) Glad you liked it. I had fun writing this one and coming up with a plot to work around the arranged marriage.

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  4. Sounds like a great read.

    Congratulations on the release.

    Janice~

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