Lauren Dane

She was so not the woman who usually caught his eye. Still, his fingers gripped the sill as he greedily took in the way she moved. Like she couldn’t care less if people watched. Or worse, got off on it.

Long and lean, her gait ate up the walk, her dredlocks swinging to her ass. A fine ass it was in those faded jeans. If he looked close enough, he saw the threadbare spots just beneath the pockets. Reflexively, he tightened his hands into fists as tension hummed through him. Anticipation and a sort of need filled his gut as he watched her.

He snorted at what an idiot he was being. Dredlocks. What woman wore dredlocks? Not his sort of woman, that was all there was to it.

Time stopped, along with his heart when she turned at her door and met his gaze with a smile. A smile that told him she’d known he watched. Surprised but rooted to the spot, he raised a hand in greeting. She paused a moment before tipping her chin at him. Briefly he relaxed as she turned back to her door but that slid away when she paused again, dropped her bag on the porch and turned back toward his place.

Shit.

She was already on his doorstep by the time he’d put his beer down and opened the door to face her.

“Officer Keenan, how are you today?”

Her voice did things to him. Unwilling things. Low and smoky. It went with her eyes, a sort of brownish green, full of promises. Damn it, she was not what he wanted. And still he couldn’t keep his eyes from dropping to take in her nipples straining against the front of her shirt.

“Erin, I’ve told you, it’s Todd.” Yanking his gaze back to her face, he stood in the doorway, fighting himself at the urge to invite her in. She put a hand on her hip and he caught the taut expanse of her belly exposed with the movement. And the glimmer of the ring she had there.

“I know, but I like calling you officer Keenan. It’s sort of sexy. Very in charge and authoritative.” She winked. “Anyway, I wanted to let you know we were having some people over later tonight. It shouldn’t be loud. You should come over if you’re going to be around.”

“Thanks for asking, but it’s really not my thing.” He shoved his hands in his front pockets before he did something stupid like reaching out to trace around the ring in her belly button or to test the texture of the dred hanging nearest to him.

She smelled of something unique, heady, smoldering and sweet all at once. Every time they came in close contact he had that scent in his nose for days.

“If it’s too noisy, come by and pound…on the front door.” She drew out the last bit and his cock jumped in his jeans.

He cleared his throat. He took scum down on the streets every fucking day and this woman had him on the ropes. What was up with that?

“I have a date. I won’t even be here. But thanks. Have a good time.” He stepped back and started to close the door and she actually smirked before moving away down the walk.

“Okay then, Todd. Have a good time.”

Damned if he didn’t watch the captivating sway of her ass as she went back to her own door and inside. And damned if she didn’t stop and wink at him before she disappeared from sight.
Erin Brown had been his neighbor for a year. She and her brother moved in next door and even through he tried hard not to judge on looks alone, he couldn’t help but wonder if they’d be trouble. Adrian, the brother, had hair nearly as long as hers and neck tattoos. He rode a motorcycle and the group of people in and out of the place looked like an episode of America’s Most Wanted.

Happily, they’d proven his initial wariness wrong. They’d been great neighbors. They kept their small front walk and yard up. They weren’t loud. Hell, the brother took the trash cans out for the elderly woman across the street on Friday mornings. Long hair, motorcycle and neck tattoos hadn’t stopped the Browns from being really nice folks.

He knew they played in a band. He’d seen Erin walking in and out of the apartment with a guitar case and her brother often had black equipment cases as well. And a woman couldn’t get away with looking the way she did without being in a band or something equally unconventional.

Still, it worked on her. The dreds, the tattoos and the piercings didn’t make her look hard. They made her look exotic and raw. She was a walk on the wild side and he’d always avoided that sort of thing.

He was a cop. He listened to country music and drove a big truck. She had belly tattoos and played guitar! He went out with nice, quiet women who wore pink dresses and let him open the door. Women who responded gently in bed. Todd bet Erin fucked like the rock star she embodied. He bet she was loud and demanding. Pushy probably.

Not that he thought about what she’d be like in bed. Much. It was the taboo, that had to be it.

In August’s RT Magazine, Laid Bare gets 4 1/2 stars and a Top Pick!: In a word, this book is amazing. All three characters are magnetic and thoroughly realistic. They’re expertly woven into a roller-coaster story that will have you crying one moment, aroused the next and laughing with glee at each triumphant step along the way. With menage and some mild M/M scenes, this is Dane’s best story yet!

Monkey Bear Reviews: (…) Laid Bare is proof that it’s sometimes worth reading outside your comfort zone. This book is a gem and I can highly recommend it.

Geeky Bookworm says: This book was just Wow! Yeah, I know I should have known after reading so many great reviews but seriously I never imagined it to be so good.

The Book Girl: This book is amazing! I was so engrossed in the book I couldn’t do anything but read. (…)This is the best book I have read this year.

Recommended Read, Joyfully Reviewed: The emotional intensity of Laid Bare is enough to make you bite your nails off. Each and every love scene pushes the boundaries of power exchange and author Lauren Dane has written the characters of Erin and Todd in such a way that the reader feels their every emotion. I was anxious, I cried, I yelled, and I blushed to high heaven. Laid Bare affected me so totally that I went back and reread it again, just to be sure. Consider Laid Bare joyfully recommended – it is just an amazing and satisfying read!

Leontine’s Book Realm says: Since Undercover I knew Lauren Dane could deliver a smoking hot erotica novel fraught with emotional depth and she has delivered it all over again with Laid Bare. Nothing could prepare me for the in-depth characterization of three people whose thoughts, feelings and experiences punched me in the gut and left a mark on me. From the get-go three elements worked as one; vibrant, drawn from life characters, profound emotions and an erotic passion that often set the pages ablaze.

Pearl at Pearl’s World of Books says in part: It’s difficult to capture in words what this book did to me as a reader. I think it should be read to be experienced. I started out admiring how good Lauren Dane was in describing the attraction and sexual tension between Erin and Todd and before long I was completely swept away by the way she combined emotionally complex feelings and situations with erotic scenes that melted the pages. What kept coming to mind while reading was that this was an exceptionally hot and emotionally intense read. On one page I would be moved to tears by situations and dialogues that just broke my heart and on the next I would be fanning myself at the sizzling eroticism. And all in a pace that kept me glued to the pages. Lauren Dane took me from one emotional and erotic high to another, with deliciously witty dialogues and banter in between the highs.

Brraddicts says: Laid Bare is a stripped back emotionally charged story of second chances between three characters that have each suffered disappointment, heartache and loss.

Romance Junkies gives LAID BARE a Five Blue Ribbon review: Lauren Dane’s LAID BARE is a uniquely satisfying read that touches the reader’s heart through the characters plights. Erin’s appearance is outlandish but that’s definitely part of her charm. Todd is your typical clean cut man who’s trying to fit into what’s expected of him, but he enjoys being dominant with his sexual partner and isn’t comfortable with this side of himself at first. Erin’s tragedy broke my heart and left me with tears in my eyes but at the same time you can see the strength and determination that she possesses. What I especially love about LAID BARE is how Ms. Dane brings each character to life with distinctive personalities and problems yet she’s able to mesh them so that you can care about them as individuals. LAID BARE is a fantastic read on many different levels but it’s the way the story speaks to your heart that cements it as a ‘must read’ title.

The Book Binge says: Erin is really a memorable heroine. The things she overcame just proved what a strong woman she was. Also, Dane didn’t gloss over how their relationship would affect their respective families. I appreciated how that was addressed and what I would consider a very real reaction.

Vivian Arend says: The story is emotional, rich with imagery and passion. It’s not a cookie cutter book, yet she doesn’t throw things at you to simply to shock or surprise. There are reasons for everything, layers with layers. And they all make sense.

Manic Readers: Lauren Dane is always a sure bet for an entertaining story, but this one plays the heartstrings like a violin. Laid Bare puts the emotions of the characters right out in the open, nothing hidden, and makes you want to cry even as you go back to read it again. The characters are strong and funny, which makes the book even better, even as the subject matter breaks your heart. I always look forward to Ms Dane’s books, and this one is definitely hitting the keeper shelf.

The Best Reviews: LAID BARE lives up to its title as the ménage a trois stars lay open their bodies and their souls so that fans of erotic romance obtain a strong balance between several vivid sex scenes including the men going at it and a deep look at what motivates each.