Meet RB4U's Newest Member

Hey there! I’m RB4U’s newest member, Michele Zurlo. I’ve followed the blog for years, and I’m geeked to be part f the RB4U family. I’ll be here every month on the 26^th to share my thoughts and opinions about issues related to being a romance novelist. This month, I thought I’d introduce myself because if you’re like me, you’re probably thinking, “I know you from somewhere. You kind of look like my aunt.” Chances are I’m not your aunt, so here are a few things about me that may set me apart.

1.   Daytime: I’m a middle school English teacher (or, as my wife says, crazy) and a mom to very active twin teens. Around the edges of all that, I’m a writer. My goal for 2016 was to become more involved in the writing world. To that end, I’ve taken part in the Dominant Persuasions anthology, signed up to appear at my first conference (Midwestern Book Lovers Unite) in October, and I became an author member of RB4U. I’d say I achieved my goal, and it’s only April.

2.   Personality: You can tell from “Daytime” that I’m methodical and goal-oriented. I’m also an introvert, and I used to be a rule-follower. Turning 40 cured me of that need. People call me quirky when they’re trying to be nice. Like many writers, I’m a bit OCD, but I’m flexible. For example: The blinds in my classroom need to be hanging at the exact same height, but I don’t care what level that is. Also, I’m all about grrl power. I insist that my heroines be intelligent, and then I get frustrated when they don’t behave the way I expect. In my current WIP, my heroine insisted on having two heroes as her love interest instead of the one I had originally chosen. But I guess I’m the person who often wants a choice that’s not on the list too.

3.   Writing: I love to write. When I was young, I used to do it all the time, but somewhere around the time I was forced to adult, I stopped. I started again when my kids were little (for sanity breaks) and I haven’t stopped. I found success in the BDSM genre, and lately I’ve encountered a positive reception for my Doms of the FBI series. Re/Leased (DFBI 5--with the heroine who insists on two heroes) comes out this summer, and I have plans to launch a spinoff series tentatively called SAFE Security, in early 2017.

That’s me, Michele Zurlo. Here’s a little kiss from Re/Bound (DFBI 1) to send you off:

She paused at a door three-quarters of the way down the hall. Her gaze fell to the floor. After the awkwardness had passed, the rest of the night had gone well. He had kept the conversation on innocuous topics and had learned a lot about her relationship with Victor Snyder. The prick had her thoroughly and completely snowed. She considered him a friend and a benefactor.

He hooked his finger under her chin and encouraged her to meet his gaze. When she complied, he rewarded her with a smile. Without a doubt, she was one responsive submissive. Yataines had trained her well.

He cupped the side of her face and traced his thumb over her eyebrow. Adjusting the position of his hand, he repeated the caress along her lower lip. She trembled a bit, but she clearly awaited his command. His earlier intention had been an impulsive act of  affection. It had taken all his willpower to keep his cock from saluting her submissiveness.

“I had a nice time tonight, Darcy. Thank you for making this trip worthwhile.”

Her eyes widened a bit, and he knew she wanted to ask if he’d decided against seeing her again now that he’d found out about some of her baggage.

He replayed his caress of her lip. Suddenly he needed to taste her lips more than anything in the world. “Can I kiss you?”
​

She began to nod, but she caught herself in time. She swallowed and licked her lips. “Yes, I’d like that.”

Malcolm had never once taken the trust of a submissive lightly. Part of him wanted to play the gentleman and leave her alone. A larger part of him needed to know the flavor and texture of her kiss. He recognized the blurring of the line between his cover identity and his real self, and he couldn’t keep from crossing it.

He feathered his lips over hers, a reverent caress that teased a small sigh from her. That tiny sound proved to be his undoing. He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue, and she  opened for him. He cradled her head with one hand to hold her close, and he snaked the other around her waist to press her body closer.

She moaned and leaned into him as he directed with the pressure of his hand on her back. He tasted her lips and teeth. He sampled the roof of her mouth and tangled his tongue with hers. A piece of his heart he’d never before used came to life. It beat a furious staccato rhythm he felt echoed in her chest. Blood rushed to his cock. He thrust a knee between her legs and ground against her.

She mewled, and her fingers dug into his shoulders. Inflamed with her flavor, he moved his lips to sample her neck. She moaned and threw her head back.

The sharp crack of it hitting the door brought Malcolm back to his senses. He had shoved her against the door, and he had ravaged her with everything in his arsenal. He released her abruptly, keeping one hand close in case she needed more than the door to hold her up.

She gazed up at him, her eyes heavy-lidded with desire and blurred by shock. She took a deep, ragged breath and pushed away from the door.

Malcolm ran a shaky hand through his hair. “I’m sorry. You consented to a kiss, not a public mauling.”
​

A little laugh escaped before she could bite her lip to keep it inside. “Now I’m wondering what will happen if I consent to a public mauling.”

The visions she evoked meant he would need an icy shower before going to sleep. Wisely he changed the topic. “I’d like to see you again. Can we have breakfast together? I could swing by around eight, and we could walk down together.”

​

Malcolm didn’t know whether he asked her for the mission or because the pounding heart

in his chest wanted to shrivel up and die at the thought of not seeing her.

She nodded. “I’d like that.”

Links of Importance:

Dominant Persuasions: https://dominantpersuasions.com/

Midwestern Book Lovers Unite: http://midwesternbookloversunite.com/

Doms of the FBI page: http://www.michelezurloauthor.com/doms-of-the-fbi.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormichelezurlo/

Twitter: @MZurloAuthor