DON'T TEMPT ME
Harlequin Blaze
ISBN 0373792573
May 2006

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Boudoir photographer Samantha Sawyer is seeking the perfect guy to help her with a little project—one that involves willing captives. Or experimenting with edible goodies. Or… The tricky part is that the fuzzy face of her dream-man has morphed into that of her new assistant, Rick West—whose gaze tends to make Samantha spontaneously combust.

But Rick forces himself to walk away, just as Samantha’s about to draw him in. She’s actually part of an undercover assignment, and partaking in her erotic world—enticing as it is—only makes his deception worse. Because once he’s tempted, there’s no going back…

"Samantha Sawyer takes boudoir photos. It's more than just a job for her, because she feels the images help couples rekindle passion as they remember the way things used to be. She bases the settings on her sexual fantasies, which she hopes to someday act out. When Rick West comes looking for a job as her assistant, he becomes her fantasy man. But the truth about who Rick really is might break Samantha's heart--or get her killed. Don't Tempt Me, by Dawn Atkins, has a heroine who's easy to love and a hero who's easy to lust after. The story twists with mystery and fun."
--4 ½ STARS, Romantic Times Book Club

“Haven’t you ever been swept away?”

Samantha asked Rick the question as they walked through the mall. She asked about something the massage therapist had said, but then realized too late how provocative it sounded.

“Not on a massage table,” he said in a tone that made her heart pound.

“I know what you mean,” she said, though she really didn’t. She’d never been that lost in a physical moment. She wanted to be. With Rick. Forgetting everything but him and what he was doing to her.

She sighed as they stopped outside a lingerie shop, its display windows holding naked mannequins. For a moment they stood staring at the naked women with their plaster hips thrust provocatively forward, fingers extended, inviting, teasing. In her mind, she saw Rick staring at her instead of them, sliding his hot, green gaze over every inch of her naked body.

“I’d ask what you’re thinking, but I bet I’m better off not knowing,” he said, his voice low.

She turned to him. I’m thinking, You…me…naked…now.

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TEASE ME
Harlequin Blaze
ISBN 0373792182
November 2005

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Because Jackson would swear his new roommate is trying to seduce him. Her teasing is so good, he's struggling to remember that he's supposed to help her. But when she dangles a no-strings fling in front of him, she pushes him over the edge. Tangling under the covers with Heidi is too hot to stop. Can he persuade her to stay a little longer?

"TEASE ME by Dawn Atkins has a wonderful heroine who grows throughout the story. Heidi makes mistakes but comes back to improve not only her life, but also those of the people around her. The eccentric and heartwarming secondary characters add to the enjoyment."
Romantic Times Book Club, 4 Stars

“Dawn Atkins has gifted us with a novel about two people who are lost and need direction. With laughter, tears and sensual, hot loving, Tease Me will tug at your heart and your emotions…. Heidi and Jackson are really loveable. Heidi’s innocence combined with Jackson’s laid back attitude made this book a really fantastic read. Thinking of hair dressing will never be the same for me after reading some of these scenes. From laugh out loud scenes to tender and poignant scenes with some really hot loving thrown in makes Tease Me a true keeper for me. Kudos to Dawn Atkins on a fantastic job.”
CataRomance

"I like you, too, Heidi."

Heidi's gaze shifted at Jackson's words, became deeper, sharper, hotter. "But you don't like me that way?"

He felt his jaw go slack. How could she not know how he felt? The evidence was clear. He could fix her doubt with one kiss, right now. Just a taste. A feeling swept over him, an eager hunger that made him feel surprisingly alive. He pulled her close and kissed her. She moaned and wrapped herself around him, kissing back eagerly.

Slow down, keep it short, just enough to reassure her, he kept telling himself, while he let the kiss go on and on and on and on. His hands itched to touch her in secret places.

She made a needy sound that threatened to push him over the edge. If they kept this up, he'd start ripping off her clothes--and they were sitting in the convertible in the driveway, the traffic a white-noise roar that made this seem like a hot dream.

Catching the tail end of his sense before it slipped away, he pushed back, holding her by the upper arms. "I think that's enough." His voice felt shaky and he knew he was holding on by a thread.

"Oh, no. That's not even close to enough."

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With these two, sex is anything but simple

When Kylie Falls agrees to a last-minute date with one of her sister’s clients, she’d never have guessed that a man in need of matchmaking services would be as deliciously hot as Cole Sullivan. Too bad she’s soon on her way out of town for a bigger and better career. Of course, she does have a few weeks and he seems more than open to a brief fling.

They both agree their insatiable appetite for each other is temporary—the result of too much work and not enough fun. Except that the more time they steal from their schedules to meet between the sheets, the tighter the sexual tension gets. And with Kylie’s departure looming, Cole makes her an offer she knows she should refuse…even though she’s tempted to accept.

“Dawn Atkins gives us two romances for the price of one…Atkins skillfully weaves together the two stories. All four characters are well developed and grow as the story evolves.”
Romantic Times Book Club, 4 Stars

“What do you get when you mix two sisters, hot men and a dating service? A highly sexual - fun and entertaining book called Simply Sex!...Author Dawn Atkins' style is sharp-tongued, sexually arousing and is written with a very skilled pen! There was not a moment that this reader lost contact with the characters or their provocative world. This story was touching, fast-paced, with a fresh premise that took this reader by storm! This has to be one of the hottest Blaze stories this reader has ever read, and she has read quite a few! Well done, Ms. Atkins, you nailed this one!”
A Romance Review, 5 Roses

“SIMPLY SEX is a fast-paced, fun and thought provoking book that will be enjoyed by all believers in the importance and place of love in our lives.”
Romance Reviews Today

Kylie reassured herself as she knocked on Cole’s door. They had business to conduct, so their lust would take a backseat. Work first, play later.

Then Cole opened the door and she melted like chocolate in a warm fist. “Hi,” she whispered, ready to drop her briefcase and dive into him.

His face lit with joy, but he stepped back to let her in instead of grabbing her into his arms.

“Maybe we should rethink what we’re doing,” Cole said.

Oh no. If he got sensible, she was sunk. She so needed another night with him, making love, feeling that release, not to mention discussing her projects. She had to reason with him.

“We’re getting carried away, right? I know. But I have the solution. We work first.” Kylie threw her briefcase on the table, struggling to get it open. She’d crammed so much into it, the clasp was stuck.

Suddenly, it sprang open, spewing items: a file, a notepad, her toothbrush, her sexy lingerie and two packets of honey, similar to the ones they’d made sexy use of the other night.

Cole picked up one packet and a slow smile spread across his face. “You had something in mind?”

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GOING TO EXTREMES
Harlequin Blaze
ISBN 0373791801
March 2005

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Read An Excerpt

They have a steamy secret to keep.

Kathleen Valentine and Dan McAlister are on a promotional tour for their very different viewpoints—she’s a sensualist and he’s a moderate. Everyone thinks they’re strangers, but the hot chemistry between them is the lingering effect of their long-ago affair…the one they’re tempted to rekindle. And when these two extremes meet, the result is explosive!

"GOING TO EXTREMES by Dawn Atkins is a funny, sexy book with wonderful characters. Kathleen and Daniel are both engaging and prove that opposites do attract."
Romantic Times, 4 ½ STARS, TOP PICK!

"This novel sizzles with the sexual tension between these two characters. Their heated conversations, spiced with the influence of their past unresolved relationship, heats up the reader’s expectations of sexual intimacy in a delightful way. This all comes together to make this story one of the best, well-written category romances that I have ever read….Dawn Atkins ought to be very pleased with this terrific, clever novel. Dan and Kathleen are believable and unforgettable characters. You don’t want to miss this book!"
Romance Readers Connection, 4 1/2 plugs!

He was a professional therapist, he could handle this.

As Dan waited for Kathleen to finish her shower, he tried to ignore how much this seemed like old times. Waiting heightens the intensity, she used to say about sex. She would slow down, pull away, make him wait until he was nothing but pounding lust, his focus narrowed to her breasts, her mouth, her moans, her softness, being inside her…all the way.

Relax. Settle down, he coached himself, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. This tour wasn’t about their secret past. It was about promoting his book, showing the world that moderation and balance worked.

“Dan!”

He jerked open his eyes and saw Kathleen. Naked. Dripping wet.

Heat and ice washed over him at the sight of her body, just as she had appeared in so many guilty dreams. He turned away quickly, but he’d caught it all...every sexy inch of her. Desire spiked in him and the only thought running through his head was how much he wanted her.

There was no way he could handle this!

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Being out of circulation is not the end of the world—it is, however, the kiss of death when you’re an aspiring sex columnist. For Beth Phillips, who’s not used to letting down her hair, turning the heat up is going to take lot of hands-on experience.

She’s off to a sizzling start her first attempt when she meets AJ, a mouth-watering guy who leaves her with a tell-tale glow and no doubt that her dry spell is done. After their steamy night together, she knows what it is to be very truly sexy. Too bad distance separates them and there will be no repeat performances. Until he shows up at her door, that is!

Another sensual, engaging read from reader favorite Dawn Atkins

“From the real-life heartthrob on the cover to the smokin’ hot romance inside, Very Truly Sexy is all that readers expect in a Blaze, and more… Author Dawn Atkins knows just how to set the mood between these two unlikely lovers. Very Truly Sexy is not all about the passion, although there is plenty to go around. There are other important issues and they are addressed with a memorable storyline….Even the more typical elements of the plot are treated with interesting angles that make this book a pleasure to read and recommend.”
A Romance Review (4 roses)

“This latest book by Dawn Atkins, a charming romance, is very much enhanced by the Blaze Cover Model Winner… This is an absolutely charming book, one of the best that Dawn Atkins has ever written (and I’ve read almost all of her previous offerings!). I felt like I really knew these characters and understood them, their motivations, and their hang-ups. The sexual tension in the book was terrific and it was fun to read about the sensual explorations of these two characters.”
Romance Readers Connection (4 ½ plugs)

“Try this.” AJ handed his scotch to Beth.

She took a swallow, but it was too strong and she choked.

He patted her back. “You okay? I didn’t mean to shock you.”

She nodded, gasping for air. “F-fine.”

“You like people to be direct, right? To say what they mean?”

“Yes…”

“Okay. I want to take you to bed, Beth.”

Her entire body went electric. She couldn’t believe her luck. She’d not only met a hot man in a bar, but not fifteen minutes into the conversation, he’d asked her to sleep with him. She’d stepped into some magic wish-fulfillment time warp. The Em Zone. Maybe the universe wanted her to keep her column.

“Beth?” AJ said. “You okay?”

“Yes, oh yes. Very.”

“So, are you interested?” His eyes flared with heat.

Even though she hadn’t even dreamed she’d get this far, she’d come prepared. At Sara’s suggestion, she had a pre-pasted travel toothbrush and a selection of condoms--ribbed, flavored and ultra-thin--in her handbag.

Even more amazing, she did want this man with his intense eyes and easy smile, square jaw and warm hands. Her whole body lifted with the pleasurable possibility of being with him. It wasn’t because of her sex column or Sara’s challenge, either. She just wanted him. From somewhere deep inside, where she wasn’t nervous or embarrassed or clumsy. Where she knew what she wanted and why and exactly how to get it.

But could she do it? It could be a disaster. Awkward and awful. Or it could be heaven.

“If this isn’t a good time, don’t feel pressured,” AJ said, seeming to pick up her doubts. “I’m just telling you that I’m available.

“That’s kind of you.”

“It’s all true.”

How could she pass up a man like this? A chance like this? She wasn’t a coward or a quitter. She was going for it, dammit.

“Actually, AJ, I think I am interested. I would like to, um, go to, uh, bed with you. I think.” Her face flamed.

“You sound like you just accepted a dangerous assignment.” His eyes twinkled at her, inviting her to loosen up.

“Like I said, I haven’t dated in a while…and meeting a man like this and…pursuing something so fast…well…it’s just…. So I guess now we should go up to your room?”

AJ covered both her hands with his, his hot palms suffusing her with warmth, and met her gaze. “Let’s finish our drinks, talk a little more, then see what we feel like.”

“But you think we’ll feel like going upstairs?” She liked to have a plan.

He considered her question in mock seriousness. “Maybe we’d better be certain.” He came to sit beside her on the banquette, took her face in his palms and kissed her, pressing his lips to hers gently, taking his time. He touched the seam of her lips with the tip of his tongue. Just a friendly coax. I’m here with more if you want.

She moved her tongue to barely touch his, relishing the taste and softness. Her sex began a steady pulse that made her want to squirm. A shudder passed through her body and she closed her eyes. This man understood the pleasures of a good kiss. After a delicious minute, he released her. “Well? Think we’re going to want to go upstairs later?”

She slowly opened her eyes. Was he kidding? She was melting like a frozen margarita on a tongue. “Uh-hm,” she managed. “How about now?”

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