Delilah's Downfall
Texas Temptations 2

Professional Reviews

5 CHERRIES: "Oh, Delilah, Delilah, what is a girl to do? Being a professionally trained chef, but wanting to go back home to the simple life and being with family, what do you decide to do? Take a cooking job at a ranch with four very hot and spicy brothers who, lucky for you, like to share…everything!!!!! Delilah Gonzales is the new cook at the Bartlett Ranch. She gave up her very successful and lucrative career in an uptown restaurant for the change of scenery and reuniting with her three competitive brothers. The ranch is owned by four very hard working, hard playing cowboys, two of whom happen to be twins. From her first run in with the respectful and gentlemanly Mason, the Dom, Shane, and finally her intro to the lusty twins Justin and Jesse, her life is turned upside down. Is it possible to be physically and emotionally attracted to four men all at once, all in the same house, all in the same family? Oh boy, what a way to find out! Needless to say that her introduction to ranch life is not what she thought it would be. Delilah is a complicated woman. She has grown up under the black cloud of a reckless mother and very overprotective brothers. Although all the Bartlett brothers have a similar desire, they are all so different in personality and manner that it makes this exciting to read. They are opposite in many way but complement each other in their dedication to their ranch and their desire for one woman to love all of them. They are the ultimate cowboys, physically and the ultimate men emotionally. The story carries their mutual attraction so smoothly and resists what could be cliché. Once again, I love, love, love when the knight in shining armor is wearing a Stetson and chaps. I love even more when there is a happily ever after, again and again and again." -- Canterbury Bell, Whipped Cream Reviews

4 RAVENS: "Delilah’s Downfall is an easy reading and enjoyable story about an amazing woman named Delilah who battles her way out of the strangle-hold of the area where she grew up by leaving to pursue a career, then later finds her way to future happiness by returning to the very same area. In Delilah’s Downfall, Melissa Schroeder has written strong and formidable characters, both males and females, who have been smacked down by situations in life but have consciously chosen to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and carry on. Various characters have had to deal with situations that include racial profiling, the death of parents, taunting about being part of a polyamorous family, day to day life with self-righteous and overbearing relatives as well as public ridicule. After working in a big city, Delilah accepts a six month position as a chef and housekeeper on a ranch near where she grew up. She thinks she has been hired to work for one man named Bartlett but when she arrives she learns there are four brothers who live and work on their ranch together, each brother as hot and handsome as the next. All four brothers feel an immediate connection with Delilah and would like for that connection to grow stronger, both individually and as a group. Adding tension to the mix is that Delilah’s brothers are happy she has returned to the area but don’t want her working for the Bartlett’s and certainly don’t want her falling for any, or all, of them. Wonderful friends from Delilah’s days in the city add a spark of fun and clarity to the unfolding situation. Delilah’s Downfall is written in an easy to read and entertaining manner. Delilah is refreshingly honest with herself and with the men in her life. When she is pleased, the men in her life know it and when she is displeased, it is crystal clear to everyone. With their individual differences highlighted, the relationships and leadership dynamics among the Bartlett brothers is both interesting and fun. Melissa Schroeder has written the sexual scenes of ménage and light BDSM in a pleasing and satisfying manner. She has also added some wonderful surprises about the men in Delilah’s life that will have you smiling, if not laughing out loud. If you enjoy stories with strong characters willing to work hard and love much, Delilah’s Downfall is sure to be a great read for you." -- Lea, Blackraven's Reviews

4 CUPS: "The sense of homecoming comes as a bit of a surprise for Delilah Gonzales, considering how much she has enjoyed city life. She loved working in fast paced high-end restaurants, but the thought of good old home cooking is a change of pace she is more than ready for. Seeing the new cook step out of her SUV has Mason Bartlett’s blood pressure soaring, and not only in a good way. His brothers Shane, Justin, and Jessie will never be able to keep their hands off of her long enough to get any work done, and he is not too sure he can either. Delilah is nearly incoherent with lust when she lays eyes on not one but four of the most delectable men she has ever come across, and that is so not a good thing. She gave up pretty much everything to come and work on the Bartlett ranch, and the last thing she needs is to screw that up, literally. The Bartlett men have shared women before, but no one has come close to capturing their hearts like Delilah. They are fairly certain with their reputation that they do not deserve someone as sweet and caring as Delilah, but losing her is a pain they cannot even bear to imagine. If you think cowboys are hot, why not try them times four? These guys are pure eye candy, and have hearts just as sweet, unless you get between them and Delilah. She matches them word for word, and touch for touch, but always with honesty and feeling. Taking on these four men seems like an unbelievable feat, but it is guaranteed to heat you up faster than any West Texas summer." -- Lototy, Coffee Time Romance & More

Excerpt

STORY EXCERPT

“Can I help you?”

The deep, rich male voice sent a wave of heat down her spine. She couldn’t clearly see the person who had spoken. He was just a dark figure on the porch. Her city-girl instincts kicked in, and she slipped her hand back to the car door handle—just in case.

“My name is Delilah Gonzales. I’m the new cook for the Bartlett Ranch.”

A beat of silence, then a sigh. “It figures.”

Hard boots slammed against the steps as he came into view. In the orange glow of the lamp above, she could make out the features of the man. Oh, Lordy. Short golden brown hair, a hard jaw, and the most amazing mouth she had ever seen on a man. Full and sensuous…it was hard not to stare. But she forced her gaze to travel down his body, and it was a long trip. A white T-shirt was tucked neatly into worn jeans that hugged his lean hips. By the time she met his deep blue-green eyes, little bursts of heat flowed through her blood.

“Are you Shane Bartlett?”

He shook his head, and she felt a twinge of disappointment. Even when she had interviewed over the phone, she had felt some kind of connection to her new employer. With her reaction to this man, she hoped they were one and the same.

“I’m his brother, Mason.”

“Brother?” Then she remembered her conversation with Shane. “Oh, he mentioned it was a family-run ranch.”

“If you stick around, you’ll find out that Shane is usually light on details when it suits him.”

A sinking feeling enveloped her. “There is a job, isn’t there? I have a contract.”

There had to be a job. She had given up a very lucrative position in San Antonio to move closer to her family. And she had needed a change of scenery. This seemed like the perfect option.

“Yes, there is. But I have a feeling ranch life is something you aren’t looking for.”

She straightened her spine. “I can assure you, Mr. Bartlett, I can handle life out in the wilds of West Texas.”

His lips twitched, and some of his stiffness drained. “I bet you can. But putting up with my brother is a full-time job.”

She opened her mouth to ask what he meant when another deep, resonate voice interrupted her. “Are you already spreading lies about me, big brother?”

She turned her head in the direction of the voice and just about swallowed her tongue for the second time that day. Of the same build, broad in the shoulders, lean in the waist, and with the same blue-green eyes, Shane’s resemblance to his brother stopped there. Long, straight, light blond hair cascaded over his shoulders and ended somewhere in the vicinity of what she was sure was a very fine ass.

“No. I was telling her what a pain in the ass you are.”

Shane tossed his brother an amused look, then smiled at her. Holy moley! The flash of white in the darkness, and a chin dimple to boot. Delilah curled her toes inside her shoes.

“I assume you are Delilah Gonzales.”

Her brain scrambled the moment she heard him speak her name. She cleared her throat. “Yes. From what I gather, you’re Shane Bartlett.”

He jogged down the steps and stepped neatly in front of his brother. With long-practiced ease, he took her hand, then pressed the palm of his other on top of it. The rough calluses on his palms told her this was not a vanity ranch: these men ran their own ranch.

“I am. I was getting a bit worried about you since I expected you earlier today.”

“I took a wrong turn a ways back.”

She would have explained that her GPS system had taken her the wrong way, but her legendary concentration dissolved at his touch, at the way his fingers slipped over her sensitive flesh.

“I thought you were from around here.”

She didn’t respond right away. He cocked his head to the side and watched her. It was then she realized that she would never be able to think straight with him touching her.

She pulled her hand away, and she could tell by the twinkle in his eye he knew exactly why she had done it.

ADULT EXCERPT

Delilah spread her lips wider, trying to take more of Shane into her mouth, but like his brothers, it was a hard task. All of their cocks were wide and long, and with each thrust she could feel him bump against the back of her throat.

God, he tasted good. Nothing had ever felt as good as having four men loving her. She could feel two tongues moving over her nipples. Justin slipped his tongue up and over her clit again and again, getting her so close to her orgasm she closed her eyes against the pressing of tears. The moment he pulled her clit between his lips, an orgasm slammed through her, bursting over her flesh, causing her to buck and shiver with pleasure.

“Damn,” Mason said, his voice filled with awe. “She is fucking beautiful.”

As soon as he said it, Justin pressed down on her clit with his thumb, sending her up and over again, her orgasm slamming into her with as much force as the last one. She was dizzy with delight, her body still shivering from her release. All of them moved away from her, except for Shane. She took him fully in her mouth, sliding her tongue over his cock. Raising her hand, she stroked his balls, teasing them as she doubled her efforts. She could feel the gazes of the other three men on her as she took Shane into her mouth again and again. His fingers clenched her hair as he began to move in rhythm with her. With a long, drawn-out groan, he thrust into her mouth and came. The warm liquid shot down her throat.

Moments later she pulled back and licked her lips. When she opened her eyes, she found Shane staring at her with warmth in his expression and in his eyes. He bent down and kissed her. Not a hard, demanding kiss, but one filled with tenderness and affection. With her body warm from her orgasms, and ready for more, the action had her head spinning and her heart quivering. Before she was ready, he was pulling away and positioning her on the bed with her head at the foot of it. She was confused at first, until she saw Jessie moving in front of her.

Justin settled next to her, smiling as he pulled her up and over his body. She shivered when his condom-encased dick pulsed against her pussy. The bed dipped behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw Mason with a bottle of lube in his hands.

“Can you take us?” he asked, his gaze direct.

She threaded her bottom lip through her teeth. The sane side of her brain screamed in denial. She had done this before, but not with men so big. But something else snuck into her mind. The thought of being completely taken by all four of them, the pleasure of having three of them in her body at once had her libido out of control

“Delilah?”

She knew from Justin’s expression he would stop if she asked. But she didn’t want him to. She wanted this. She needed this more than she thought possible.

“Yes.”

She turned back to Justin and leaned down to kiss him. Their mouths met slowly, tenderly. His tongue glided over her lips and then past her teeth. Instead of the frenzied smooch she had expected, this was sensual, passionate, loving.

She pulled away and looked at Jessie. He stood in front of her at the foot of the bed, stroking his penis.

“Take him.” The order came from Shane. She knew from their time together, and tonight, that while not the oldest, he was the one in charge when they were in the bedroom. She glanced at him. The hard look he gave her should have scared her. At the very least it should have made her think twice. Instead, it pushed her arousal even higher. She knew from earlier that day that, for some odd reason, she responded to his dominant demands. A part of her wanted to please him. It went against every independent bone in her body, but she didn’t think to question it at the moment.

She slipped her hand over Jessie’s cock as he moved closer to her. She looked up at him as she took him into her mouth, swiping her tongue over the head of his cock. His head dropped back, and he groaned. She took him fully into her mouth, allowing the head to bump the back of her throat.

“Fuck,” he said.

“She is lethal with her mouth,” Shane said, his voice no longer as strong as it had been before.

Just as she was getting completely into sucking Jessie, Mason slipped a lube-coated finger into her anus. The shock of cold lube and the pinch of pain made her moan. As he continued to work into her backside, Justin started to enter her pussy. She pulled away from Jessie and watched Justin’s face as he slipped into her. His eyes slid closed as she contracted her muscles around his cock.

“Damn, woman,” he barely choked out. “You’re going to kill me.”

She smiled down at him, but the smile faded the moment she felt Mason’s cock at her back entrance. Justin slipped his hands to her rear, holding her cheeks apart to help.

“Delilah.” Jessie tapped her lips with the tip of his cock, the pearly essence of him smearing her lips. She took him into her mouth again. As she did, Mason entered her, moving slowly. The shock of pain was stronger this time, but it did not take him long before he worked his way past the tight ring of muscles. The moment he sank completely into her, he groaned.

“Fucking hell,” Jessie said.

She lifted herself up to work her mouth on Jessie more easily as the brothers started to move within her. With each thrust, they pushed her closer, inching her to the edge. Justin took a nipple into his mouth, pulling it between his teeth and swiping a tongue over it. The caress shot heat straight to her pussy, her body shivering as she neared her orgasm.

“That’s it, take him all in.”

She barely registered Shane’s voice, but he was standing next to his brother, watching as she took him in and out of her mouth. Mason smacked her ass as he continued to thrust into her. Their movements became more frenzied as she pulled Jessie into her mouth one last time. He came, and the heated cum hit the back of her throat.

“That’s it, Delilah, suck it all down,” Jessie ordered as his shaft pulsed inside of her mouth. He pulled back and then bent down to kiss her, his fingers gliding over her face. “You’re the best.”

He moved away as his brothers doubled their efforts. Every instinct had her inching closer, pushing her. Need filled her as they thrust in and out of her, and it didn’t take long before Justin thrust into her one last time as he shouted her name. Mason followed a moment later, groaning out her name as he filled her completely.

As they moved away from her, she moaned. Her body was still shivering. It was still in need.