TANTALIZING TUESDAY

Last months interviews were so fun, they decided to let me come back in March! Call me Aine this time around…

Before we begin, I must remind everyone of the Moonlight Mistresses boring rule to please try and keep your responses to a PG13 atmosphere – *eye roll*. However, they haven’t seemed to care about double entendres, so let them fly!

My guests today are, Niko Davaris and Sasha Forde–please, have a seat on our lovely couch! – from Seattle, Washington. Their tale can be found in A Wicked Ride, a novel creation by Avril Ashton.

*Settling comfortably onto the sofa, *

You two make one fine pair! I did a wonderful job pairing you two up if I do say so myself! Then, I just love all of my matches!

Aine: Please, Niko, tell our readers how you two first met. Was it by your design, or hers?

Niko: definitely not by design. She’d been hired to steal something, but she witnessed me steal it first. She woke me with a Glock in my face. Her design.

Aine: Sasha, would you say it was love at first sight or did you find him repulsive?

Sasha: *baring her teeth* Oh, repulsive? Never that. Have you seen him? Pure chocolatey goodness. I wanted to jump his bones the first time we met. He was naked and I just knew he would be a good ride. Maybe I’d already fallen in love and didn’t recognize it till later.

Aine: Since chaotic happenstance tends to put characters like yourselves in situations where they must work together or live together for one reason or another, tell us what chaotic happenstance “forced” the two of you to work or live together. How did you both feel about this?

Sasha: Can you believe he stole from me and had the nerve to kidnap me when I stole my property back? He kept me in a cabin over a weekend doing naughty stuff *grin* I bitched and moaned, but only in the most pleasurable ways.

Niko: I had to kidnap her—she’s a complete menace. Plus she had secrets. I needed to learn why she wanted the information I stole.

Aine: Niko, would you say that your relationship developed easily or would you say there was some reluctance?

Niko: *chuckles* Definite reluctance. She refused to admit how much she cared for me, using all kinds of excuses and putting her former lover between us. She even went as far as to…well, you’ll see when you read our story. *wink*

Aine: How long did it take you to know your true feelings for the other? At what point did you know, “this is the one”?

Sasha: *looks around* your audience is over eighteen, right? There’s a scene in the book, a warehouse scene, right before Niko manhandles me—that’s before he had my permission—within the first three chapters. Looking back I didn’t realize it at the time, but in that moment I knew who he was to me. *her voice trembles*

Niko: (to Sasha)Aww, babe *he brushes his knuckles down her cheek* I knew the instant she pointed her gun at me that I felt something. When she stole from me and ran away all I cared about was getting to her, seeing her again, bantering with her.

Aine: Niko, what would you say was your biggest obstacle to overcome before you could settle into a relationship with Sasha?

Niko: *expels a breath* We had two major obstacles to overcome, and none could be resolved easily. Trust was a factor in both. Sasha didn’t trust me and I couldn’t tell her my secrets without putting her life in jeopardy.

Aine: This is for either of you. Would you like to thank anyone – other than me, of course – for getting you two together?

Sasha: The man who got this entire ball rolling. Even though he’s dead now, and I hated his guts, if he hadn’t blackmailed me into the procuring job I wouldn’t have met Niko. Our author, while she didn’t ‘get us together’, she told our story so well. I thank her.

Niko: Be advised procuring job means robbery. I second everything Sasha said. The villain in the story brought us together, and our author did a great job of putting our story out there.

Aine: I know our readers have enjoyed learning about you two so far, but I’m getting a little bored, so I’m going to heat things up. Sasha, how would you end this sentence, "I wish Niko would _____?" *leans forward to eagerly hear your response*

Sasha: stop telling me not to shoot people. Do you have any idea how long it’s been since I shot someone? I’m freaking overdue. *pouts* Plus he complains whenever I bring home new shoes.

Niko interrupts: Babe, you bring home new shoes every other day.

Sasha: That’s not the point. I always make sure I bring you a new gun when I do. Your gun collection is almost as big as my shoe collection *smiles*

Aine: Niko, would you prefer to give Sasha a bubble bath or a back massage? Why?

Niko: *chuckles* bubble bath, because it’s relaxes her, and we all love a relaxed Sasha

Aine: How many of you remember that old show, The Newlywed Game? Well, these next questions are going to help us play a similar game. Let’s see how well you two know each other. Niko, what would Sasha say is your aphrodisiac? *waggles eyebrows*

Niko: She’s my aphrodisiac

Aine: Sasha, did he correctly guess your answer? How would you have answered that question?

Sasha: Yep, I’m his aphrodisiac

Niko: As I’m hers
Sasha: *raises eyebrow* sure of yourself, aren’t you? *she blows him a kiss*

Aine: *sits back in her chair* Niko what would Sasha say is a spot guaranteed to drive you crazy with passion? Is she correct in that assumption?

Niko: *laughs* Sasha can say a lot of things drive me crazy with passion. One spot is hard to pin down, but I’d say…my shoulder. When she bites my shoulder—either one—things are bound to escalate.

Sasha,: oh, yeah. The shoulder. *she shudders and whispers* things happen when I bite his shoulder. All good *giggles*

Aine: *readjusts his position in the chair* It’s time to cool things off just a tad. Sasha, as far as you know, what is Niko’s idea of a perfect date?

Sasha: *straight-faced* one where we don’t go shoe-shopping after

Aine: Niko, is she correct? If not, what is your idea of a perfect date?

Niko: I’d love for us to go to dinner without me having to ban her from the shoe stores, but…my idea of a perfect date is us curled up in a chair at night next to our swimming pool, a bottle of wine beside us, some music flowing, watching the downtown Seattle skyline. With Sasha in my arms, it’s quiet perfection.

Aine: Niko, your turn in the hot seat. What is Sasha’s idea of a perfect date?

Niko: reverse her answer above. She likes bacon and ice cream, so if we can go to dinner and have those two things on the menu, she’s golden.


Aine: Sasha, is he correct? If not, what is your idea of a perfect date?

Sasha: I do like to go out to eat. Bacon and ice cream are always a plus, but…I like when we drive to our cabin—yes, that cabin—and just turn off all electronics for the weekend. It’s just Sasha and Niko, a stove, a bathroom, and a bed. Heaven.

Aine: In your adventures, journeys or travels, have the two of you had the chance to have the “perfect date,” or the closest you could get to one? Where did you go and what did you do?

Niko: Sasha insisted we had to go to Italy last summer, so we did. We planned to stay for a week, to do a whole lotta sight-seeing, but we never left the hotel room except on the last day to buy…you guessed it. Shoes.

Sasha: I may or may not have blackmailed him into going to Italy. It’s one of my favorite places and those six days we spent in the hotel room were uhmazing. But of course y’know a girl gotta get her some shoes.

Aine: I want to switch gears just a bit. March has close connections to Ireland, and as many of us acknowledge, Ireland is steeped in myths and mysticism, as are many Native American tribal beliefs. Sasha, Niko Do you believe in this type of mysticism? Have you had any experiences that helped you develop these beliefs?

Sasha: I have to say I haven’t given it much thought one way or the other. I do respect anyone who does believe in it.

Niko: yeah, haven’t thought about it, but much respect to those who believe, and have experienced it.

Aine: Sasha, Niko Do you believe in fate and destiny or are most things just a happenstance of coincidence? Why do you feel the way you do?

Sasha: I’m a big believer in fate and destiny. I think nothing is left simply to chance—nothing is as random as it seems.

Niko: I never thought about that kind of stuff until Sasha came into my life. Now, I definitely believe in fate and destiny.

Aine: Sasha, Niko, Where do you see yourselves in 5 years?

Sasha: let’s see…in five years I’d have definitely shot somebody. Niko would’ve stopped bugging me about the so-called shoe addiction, and he’d still be by my side. Loving me as I’d be loving him.

Niko: next to Sasha

Aine: I’m sorry folks, but that’s all the time we have for today. Thanks to Niko and Sasha for joining us today and giving us some great answers. We hope you’ll check out their story, A Wicked Ride.

To learn more about their author, Avril Ashton, visit: www.avrilashton.weebly.com


Blurb: Sasha Forde has hung up her thieving stilettos, but a visit from a mobster sends her back to her old life. In order to save her family—and herself—from jail, she must steal evidence hidden in a lawyer’s office. She sets out to do what she considers a simple B and E, but someone else has arrived first. And he holds her life in his tattooed hands. Not for long.

Niko Davaris is all about revenge on the man who tried to kill him. The evidence he stole is the first step in that direction. He’s not thrilled to wake up with a gun to his head. The woman on the other end is cocky, smug and too damn hot for her own good. He wants her, she wants the evidence. When she takes it and disappears, he gives chase. Battle lines are blurred as they give in to temptation, but on a ride like this, someone has to come out on top. Who will it be?

Excerpt is a 18 and OVER content only:

“Who sent you?” Niko’s voice hardened as he grew tired of all the questions and no answers.

His visitor raised a perfectly arched brow. “Oh, honey. Do I look like I take orders?”

“What do you want then?”

All trace of softness vanished from her face. Her eyes became glacial. If Niko didn’t know before, now he did. This wasn’t someone to be messed with. Unfortunately for her, neither was he.

“The flash drive.”

Not the answer he expected. He shook his head. “Sorry, no clue what you’re talking about.” That flash drive was his leverage against the man who tried to kill him, and put him in a coma instead. Niko waited three years for his shot at Vicente, there was no way he’d let the woman in front of him take it away.

The stranger nodded once as if she’d come to some kind of decision, and walked backward to the chair with the burner still trained on him. “Shall I tell you a story, Niko?”

She continued on without waiting for his reply. “I believe I shall.” She sat. “So there I am, crawling through the godforsaken air ducts of Harper Royce’s office, when three men enter the room dressed in black.”

Mother. Fuck. She knew.

“Shall I go on, Niko?” She pursed her lips and waited for his reply.

Mute, he shook his head.

“I thought not. Now, why don’t we start over? And you can forget about the SIG, it’s mine now.” Eyes and gun on him, she reached down with her free hand. Sure enough, when she held her hand up, there was the SIG.

Damn, she’s good.

She put his gun back on the floor next to her feet and sprawled back in the chair. “You got a girlfriend?”

Okay, what? “What does that have to do with anything?”

She leaned forward, flashing gaze on his face and the gun hand steady. “Don’t for one second think I won’t shoot you between those pretty eyes. Answer the fucking question.”

Obviously, she was nuts. Niko humored her while he thought of a way to get his gun back. “No, I don’t have a girlfriend.”

The gold doorknockers in her ears swung when she shook her head. “Now that’s a shame. That body of yours was meant to be ridden hard. And often.”

She was killing him, with nothing but her voice and her words. Niko swallowed, throat dry. He tore his gaze away from her eyes and shot a quick glance down her body. Bad idea. All the blood in his body pooled in his cock. He shifted slightly to ease the ache.

“I‘ve been watching you sleep.”

Niko blinked to hide his shocked expression. She surprised him at every turn. Three years he hid from Vicente without his former employer knowing he was alive, or so close, yet here he sat. He never figured a doll-like woman would be the one to find him.

“You really should get a sturdier lock for your door. You’re damned lucky it’s you I found and not—ah, what were their names again? Maysin and J.” She stood, strutted over to him. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Niko Davaris.” She leaned over and put her lips to his right ear.

Sparks raced up and down his spine but Niko ignored them. He grabbed her by the throat. Her gun clattered to the floor as he yanked her down until they were face to face. “Now, why would you leave yourself open like this?”

Her eyes were wide, the pupils dilated. “Maybe it’s all a part of my plan. Maybe I wanted your hands on me.”

“You’re a cocky little thing, aren’t you? What’s your name?”

“Now why would I make it so easy for you?” Her lips curved up.

“This isn’t a game.” He squeezed the smooth flesh of her neck. “You’ve no idea the shit you’re fucking with.”

Her body stayed relaxed, her breathing didn’t falter once. “So you’ve got me.” Mint-scented breath caressed his face. “I wonder what you’re going to do next?” She moved slowly until one of her legs draped over his on the bed.

Niko’s pulsing cock sat up straighter at the brush of her leg. He cursed his traitorous body. He should’ve taken his friends’ advice and gotten laid. If he had, he wouldn’t be contemplating what it’d be like to make this woman orgasm.

He glared down at his naked crotch and back at her, but her attention centered on his mouth. “Don’t fuck with things you know nothing about, Pink Lady.”

“Why don’t you bring me up to speed, hmm?” She met his eyes. “I’m all ears, Niko.”

She wasn’t afraid. The fingers around her neck flexed. He’d vowed to never hurt another person when he awoke from the coma, but he needed the drive to lure John Vicente to him. The smoldering woman in his grasp couldn’t have it. Vicente had a debt to repay and Niko wouldn’t allow anyone to fuck up his plans. Three years he’d waited, and within the next few days shit would hit the proverbial fan. The flash drive was the centerpiece.

“Hey,” she murmured. Something sharp and cool pricked his side. “Don’t take our current position as a statement that I don’t like your hands on me, ‘cause I do.”

His gaze traveled down his torso, stopped at the straight razor she held to his side. Christ. Who is she?
“Since I last saw you I’ve been trying to picture you naked,” she in that husky voice. “Nothing comes close to the real thing.”

He gritted his teeth. Desire warred with his long-suffering need for revenge. Nothing could come before him getting back at the man who’d taken his child and left Niko to die.

“Cat got your tongue?” she asked. “Pity. I suggest you let me go before I carve my initials into your beautiful skin.”

Niko swallowed a humorless chuckle. He’d survived worst things. Cuts from a straight razor didn’t faze him. The woman staring at him with desire in her eyes did. Her heated nearness scalded him. His hold on her neck loosened. He couldn’t let her have the drive, but she could walk out of there before he did the things his three-years-celibate body demanded he do.

“Leave,” he growled. “Now.” His hand fell away from her neck. He curled it against the urge to touch her again.

“Aww, so soon?” The razor disappeared. She scrambled off him with a pout. “When we meet again—and we will meet again, Niko—your ass is mine.” Eyes on him, she grabbed her gun and backed toward the door.

He couldn’t breathe, she’d taken all his air. His limbs felt heavy and uncooperative.
She groped behind her for the door, pulled it open. “By the way, thanks for the flash drive.” The razor fell to the floor as she threw up two fingers. “Deuces.” Then she disappeared.