Halloween Character Costume Party with Laura Kaye of One Night with a Hero! (Character Post/Giveaway)

Welcome back to our Character Costume Party guys and ghouls! Would you like your glass of witches brew topped off? How about one of these mini spider cupcakes? Be sure to leave some room though because now we have an extra 'magical' treat for you from the stunning and sensational, Laura Kaye, who has brought along some guests from her new release, One Night with a Hero!

I’m thrilled to be back at Reading Between the Wines Book Club to celebrate Halloween and the release of my brand new contemporary romance, One Night with a Hero. There’s actually a quite prominent (and hilarious!) Halloween scene in this new book, but I thought I’d create an exclusive *brand new scene* that might just have happened during Brady and Joss’s second Halloween together! Enjoy:

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“Good run?” Joss asked as Brady came in the front door from his nightly exercise routine. Butterflies tore through her stomach. She had a plan for the evening, and she really hoped it worked.

He smiled at her. He did that a lot more freely now, and it melted Joss’s heart every time. “Yeah. Cold out though. Nicky still asleep?”

Joss loved how much he doted over their almost six-month-old son. “Yep. He’s conked out.”

Brady leaned down to where she was sitting on the couch. “That’s good.” He kissed her long and deep. She could taste the cold on his lips, along with a hint of salt from his sweat. He smelled like an autumn night, all spice and strong male. He pulled back from the kiss, dark eyes filled with heat. “I’m gonna take a quick shower.”

“Okay,” Joss whispered, forcing herself not to follow him upstairs. Her eyes followed him, though, across the room and up the steps. That boy had a damn fine ass. And thighs… Don’t even get me started on his thighs…

But it was the night before Halloween, which meant it was the last opportunity she would have to convince Brady to dress up with her. So far, he’d refused.

Halloween had long been one of Joss’s favorite holidays. Given the way she’d grown up, she’d always loved the idea of getting to put on a costume and become someone else, even if just for a few hours.

But no matter how much she’d pleaded and cajoled and negotiated the last few weeks, she couldn’t get her new husband to agree to wear a costume to pass out candy tomorrow night. Well, to be fair, he did say he’d keep his Army uniform on after he got home from work. Damn him. He knew how much she enjoyed that freaking uniform. But that didn’t count.

He wasn’t budging. So Joss had come up with a last-ditch plan.

As soon as the water came on upstairs, she dashed off the couch, opened the cabinet below the TV, and grabbed the DVD she’d bought. Grinning, she loaded the disc and returned to the couch. The movie started and Joss was nearly vibrating with anticipation. One way or the other, this was going to be entertaining…

Fifteen minutes later, Brady padded down the steps in bare feet wearing a pair of beat-up jeans she loved. Damp spots dotted the white T-shirt he wore. Joss fought back her grin.

“Whatcha watching?” Brady asked before he got to the bottom of the stairs.

“Oh, a Halloween movie,” she said, forcing nonchalance into her voice.

Brady stopped short in the middle of the living room. Joss’s heart thundered in her chest. “What in the hell kind of Halloween movie is this?”

On screen, a group of five dancing men threw their umbrellas into an audience of cheering women and ripped off their raincoats to the upbeat strains of “It’s Raining Men.” Joss held back her laughter so hard her teeth hurt from trying to keep a straight face.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Brady plant his hands on his hips. “How is this a Halloween movie?”

“They’re wearing costumes,” Joss managed.

“They’re wear— Fuckin’ A, is this that damn stripper movie?”

Joss pulled a fluffy couch pillow against her chest and hid her smile behind the edge of it. Finally, she looked at Brady.

His expression was priceless. Part jealousy, part annoyance, part incredulity.

She took a deep breath. Released it. “Well, what I really wanted was to see you in a costume. But, you know, since you prefer not to wear one, I thought…”

Brady arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms, causing his biceps to bunch under the arms of his shirt. Damn, he was one gorgeous man, even wearing his mad face. “Fine.” He turned and marched up the steps.

Joss blinked. Oh, shit. That did not go the way I hoped.

She sat on the couch for a few minutes debating. Finally, she turned the DVD off and turned for the staircase. She had some groveling to do to soothe the beast she’d poked with her failed attempt at humor.

Brady came flying down the steps.

Joss couldn’t breathe. He was wearing those same beat-up jeans, only this time he also wore a black sport coat, a black tie that hung a little loose around his neck, and a pair of Aviator sunglasses.

“Sit,” he ordered.

Like she was in a trance, Joss lowered her butt to the coffee table behind her.

He picked up the remote and turned on the stereo. With a few clicks he had Dr. Dre rapping about giving eargasms. Nailing her with an intense stare she could feel through the sunglasses, Brady started to dance to the grinding rhythm of “No Diggity.”

Holy freaking crap.

What he could do with his hips should be illegal. But thank God for her it wasn’t.

He danced and gyrated in front of her, the heat of his stare pinning her in place. Joss’s mouth went dry in direct proportion to other parts of her getting wet.

The sport coat slid back off of one big shoulder, then dropped to the ground.

His body was a work of masculine art. Broad shoulders, taut chest, ridged abdomen. And boy did he know how to work it. Joss was mesmerized.

He reached for the fly of his jeans, unbuttoned it, drew down the zipper. He let the jeans hang there, the looseness baring the cut of his hips and making it clear he wore no underwear.

Joss reached out a hand. Brady jumped back. “No touching.”

Still dancing, he brought his legs around either side of her knees. His clean scent surrounded her. She wanted nothing more than to lean forward and take whatever part of him into her mouth she could. She flicked at her tongue piercing. For a split second, he lost control of his expression and his mouth dropped open.

Joss grinned. He liked her tongue piercing. A lot. She flicked at it again.

She could’ve sworn she heard him growl.

He worked slowly at the tie, slid it from around his neck, and straddled her lap. He pushed her back until she had to brace her hands behind her. “What do you want me to dress up as?”

Joss gaped. “Really?” she asked, her voice embarrassingly breathy.

He took off the sunglasses and chucked them over to the sofa. His brown eyes blazed at her, but there was a hint of humor there, too. The crinkles at the corners of his eyes gave it away.

“A Highlander.”

“A what?”

“Medieval Scottish warrior. Plaid kilt. Big sword,” she said.

One eyebrow went up. “You want me to wear a skirt?”

“Not a skirt. A kilt. They’re really hot. And they provide easy access.” She glanced at the bulge filling out the front of his jeans. One little tug would expose his length to her. “I’ll be your lass.”

“Always.” Brady’s eyes narrowed. He settled some of his weight onto her. His heat slipped through her clothes. “I’m the only man that strips for you.”

Joss nodded and her belly clenched down low.

“I want to take a hammer to that movie.”

She tried to fight the grin, failed. “Can that wait until after I’ve had my fill of you? Because you dancing was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”

The next thing Joss knew, Brady was off her lap and had hauled her over his shoulder. “Highlander tomorrow. Tonight, I’m all caveman.”

Laughter rolled out of her as the words sank in. She slid her hands into the back of his loose jeans and grabbed his damn fine ass. His grip tightened in response to hers, and her final lucid thought was, Thank you, Magic Mike.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So, did you enjoy their Halloween antics? Did you have a favorite line? I loved writing Brady and Joss because they were always so playful! I’m giving away a little set of swag – a spiral notebook from the Hero Series, a Courage temporary tattoo (read the book to know why! *grins*) and a SMUT word magnet set. Open to international!

Thanks for reading! And Happy Halloween!

Laura Kaye

Don’t miss my huge Players & Heroes Giveaway with fellow Brazen author Jennifer L. Armentrout! (through 11/1!)

“Laura Kaye is synonymous with great, sexy romance.”

~NYT Bestselling Author Jennifer Probst

About One Night with a Hero:

He wants just one night…After growing up with an abusive, alcoholic father, Army Special Forces Sgt. Brady Scott vowed never to marry or have kids. Sent stateside to get his head on straight—and his anger in check—Brady’s looking for a distraction. He finds it in his beautiful new neighbor’s one-night-only offer for hot sex, but her ability to make him forget is addictive. Suddenly, Brady’s not so sure he can stay away.…what they need is each other.Orphaned as a child, community center director Joss Daniels swore she’d never put herself in a position to be left behind again, but she can’t deny herself one sizzling night with the sexy soldier who makes her laugh and kisses her senseless. When Joss discovers she’s pregnant, Brady’s rejection leaves her feeling abandoned. Now, they must overcome their fears before they lose the love and security they’ve found in each other, but can they let go of the past to create a future together?

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About Laura Kaye:

Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards, Laura is the bestselling and award-winning author of over a half-dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. A published non-fiction author, Laura’s work as an historian and training as an archaeologist help her create vivid and accurate portrayals of other times and places. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

~*GIVEAWAY*~
As Laura mentioned above, she is giving away a Swag Set to one reader! (Open Internationally.) To enter, just leave a comment on this post answering her question and then fill out the Rafflecopter below. Additional entries are available but not required. Good luck!

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