Blog-hoppity, Take a Little Byte

My offering my mini bloghop is from Just a Little Byte--a print anthology authored by myself, Nara Malone and M.A. Ellis. My contribution--Phantom Touch--is a modernized version of Phantom of the Opera. Hope you enjoy.

Blurb:
Erika leads a quiet life—at least in the real world. But her alter-ego, Little Lottie, is a singer at a local club and engages in a wild online romance. For months she’s been communicating with a mysterious man, known only to her as the Phantom.

Her lover contacts her via texts, emails and instant messages. When he offers to fulfill her desires in real life, she can’t refuse. The only condition to meeting for their sizzling assignations—he wears a mask to hide his true identity. Despite his reluctance to reveal himself to Erika, he tears down her inhibitions and unleashes her suppressed passions, taking possession of her body and soul.

Erika may have finally found the one man who can sate her every longing…if only he would show her the man behind the mask.


Excerpt:

Arranging the webcam so that it focused on the wingback chair in her living room, Erika settled her laptop on the ottoman. Her Sunday night date with the Phantom. She looked down at her outfit—a loose-fitting blazer, tight camisole, high heels, G-string and fedora. Not that she planned to perform a full-out striptease to music, but she was going for something like the You Can Leave Your Hat On scene in 9 ½ Weeks. She gave her hair one more tousle and settled into the chair.
When she connected with the video chat service, she smiled to herself—the Phantom was already logged in, waiting for her. She clicked the option to allow him to see her. His image appeared on-screen—black shirt, black pants and of course the mask. The room was dimly lit by a few lamps.
He pursed his lips and let out a low catcall. “Wow—that’s a hell of an outfit.”
“Thanks.” Rubbing her thighs, she grinned self-consciously. “Where are you? Looks like a hotel room.”
“Told you I don’t live in the sewers.” He chuckled.
“You live in a hotel room?”
“I didn’t say that either.”
Never a straight answer—not that she expected one. Spreading her legs, she opened the button on the blazer to expose the skimpy lingerie beneath.
“My god.” He licked his lips. “I was going to play a little guitar for you, sing to you—but now I don’t think I can.”
His hand strayed to the bulge in his pants, rubbing himself.
“I can change if you don’t like the outfit,” she teased.
“Don’t you dare.”
Emboldened by the way he was staring at her from behind the mask, she licked her fingertips and skimmed them over her thighs.
“Take off your panties,” he said.
At first she was going to comply, but then she decided not to. “Play for me first.”
A sly smile parted his lips. “How about I play and you play at the same time.”
“Deal.”
He slid his guitar onto his lap, gave it a few strums and then plucked out a few sweet sexy notes, his deep baritone crooning a song she’d never heard. The lyrics spoke of beauty, sensuality, a woman’s touch making the ordinary extraordinary. The rhythm was unusual, making unexpected switches, more typical of electronica but somehow worked with the acoustic guitar.
“Did you write this?” she asked, rubbing between her thighs.
“For you.” He continued to strum the guitar.
“It makes me feel sexy.”
“Show me, then.”
Running her palm over her torso, she worked her way up to her breasts, brushing her nipples through the silky fabric. The throbbing between her legs seemed to keep time with the music.
He started to sing again, the same low, gravelly voice he always used. Slowly shedding the blazer, she let it slide off each shoulder, dropping it onto the floor. Scooping one breast from the camisole, she ran her tongue over it.
“Oh god,” he moaned, interrupting the song.
“Keep playing.
“Take off your panties. I want to see your pussy.”
Shaking her head, she said, “Not yet.”
A playful grimace on his lips, he started playing again—this time no lyrics, only a slow, sensual loop of notes.
One strap at a time, she worked the camisole down around her waist. Her nipples drew into tight buds. His gaze focused on them but he continued to play.
“Panties.” The word came out as a growl.
Hooking her thumb in the waist of the undies, she stretched the elastic strings, twisting them around her fingers, but didn’t shed them just yet.
“You’re a tease.” He chuckled.
“Oh yeah?” She edged the panties down, exposing a bit of pubic hair. Watching his breathing pick up speed, she inched the thong down a little lower, then she slid it down her legs but clamped her thighs shut.
“What do I have to do to get a peek?” he asked, still playing but his gaze fixed on her.
“Take off something you’re wearing,” she replied.
“No deal.”
“I want to see you.”
He stopped strumming the guitar and set it aside, his fingertips to his chin. “One second.”
Erika watched as he stood and turned off the lights around the room except the floor lamp behind his chair. Now backlit, he took a seat, his silhouette all that was visible.
“You’re the tease,” she said, shaking her head and smiling.
His fingers strayed to the buttons on his shirt. “You want me to undress or not?”
“I do.”
One by one, he popped the buttons then slipped out of the shirt, discarding it on the floor. Though she couldn’t make out any details, she drank in the outline of his broad shoulders and muscular arms.
She let her legs open a little, sliding a hand between her thighs. “Now the pants.”
“You said I only had to take off one thing.”
“I lied.”
He let out a throaty laugh as he stood, the light behind him accenting his trim waist. “If I take off my pants, then do I get to see?”
“Yes.”
“How do I know you aren’t lying again?”
“You don’t.” She rubbed her hand over one thigh. “Only one way to find out.”

Get your copy today! http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10388-just-a-little-byte.aspx

Be sure to return the blog hop main page and comment on Lily and Denyse's blogs too!
http://cindyjacks.blogspot.com/2012/11/take-little-byte-blog-hop.html