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Excerpt for Ain't Your Mama's Bedtime Stories - "R. A. Punzel Lets Down Her Hair"

"Excuse me, but what're you doing in my office?"

I'd just sauntered in through the back entrance to see a lanky boy leaning over my desk using the tip of a pencil to pick up the edges of papers stacked there.

Startled, he turned, blushing with embarrassment. As well he should.

"Uh ... uh, waiting for you, sir."

"That's nice, kid, but usually people wait in the outer office. What are you doing in here?" Casually, I hung my coat on the rack and moved behind the desk. Business was slow and I knew the only thing of any interest on this desk was yesterday's racing form.

"I wanted to talk to you. To find out about being a detective. You are the famous detective, Sam Slade, aren't you?" His face brightened and I hated to quash his enthusiasm.

"Sam's not here, kid. I'm Richard Hammer, his nephew. But I'm a detective, too."

"Oh?" he studied me with a guarded look. His eyes narrowed. "If Mr. Slade is your uncle, why is your last name Hammer?"

Now here was a kid who needed a lesson on family. "Mother's brother."

"Oh." The suspicion didn't leave his face. "I wanted to see your uncle, but if you're a detective, too... What's the main difference between you and your uncle?"

I rubbed a hand across my chin as I thought of the best way to describe how I differed from my uncle. "He's dead."

"Dead? When?"

"About a year ago."

"Oh." With a look of dejection, the kid slumped into the chair that fronted my desk.

"Don't take it so hard, kid. He lived a good life."

His long face brightened again. "Did he get killed on a job?"

"Nah. Just fell asleep one night and didn't wake up." No need disillusioning the boy by explaining that Uncle Sam had suffered a heart attack after he'd boinked a longshoreman's wife, and heard the guy's truck pull in the drive. "Death is usually not very adventurous." I sat forward. "What'd you want to see him about, anyway."

"Oh, nothing." He looked so unhappy I just had to press.

"Come on, kid," I said in my most avuncular tone. "What's the trouble?"

"Well, I wrote Mr. Slade years ago when I was just a kid, you see. I'd read about him in the papers and always wanted to be just like him. I told him that I planned to go to school and learn all kinds of PI techniques and then I wanted to come out and join him. Be his apprentice, like. He said to come on. And, well, here I am."

I hardly knew what to say. He couldn't be over twenty one, fresh-faced and enthusiastic as only someone who hasn't spent hundreds of nights sitting in a car watching for something that never happens. He'd learn. If he stayed in this business, he'd learn. "Kid... Say, what's your name, anyway?"

"Phil. That's what my friends call me back in Ohio."

"Well, Phil, why do you want to be a detective, anyway? It's boring work most of the time. Sure you get to meet hot babes once in a while, but a lot of the time you don't even get paid because the assholes skip out. I do all right now, since the Golden Steps Spa case, but it's not so good when you're just starting out. You should consider that."

He sighed with resignation. "But Mr. Hammer, it's all I've ever wanted to do. Tell me about it, won't you? I mean tell me about this ... what did you call it? The Golden Stairs..."

"Golden Steps Spa. You mean you never heard of it?" I could see my incredulity showed, by his surprised expression. He shook his head. "Let me get us some coffee."

"You'd think they'd have newspapers in Ohio," I muttered as I headed for the outer office.

When I got settled again, I tried to decide how to tell the story. The Golden Steps Spa was unquestionably the biggest case of my career, but I didn't want it to be too romantically framed for his impressionable mind. Most of the work in this business is tedious.

My secretary, Bunny, brought in the coffee. I could see Phil's eyes light up with interest. Bunny was a real looker, with legs that went from the floor all the way up to her ass, and it was a long trip. Plus, she didn't mind showing them off. Today she wore sandals with three inch heels, and a leather mini-skirt that barely reached milky white thighs. The white cotton blouse she wore had short sleeves and dipped in front, showing off deep cleavage.

She leaned over the desk to set my cup down, giving me a view of a pair of great tits and Phil a view of an even greater ass. She winked at me, making me smile. I glanced at the kid and his tongue practically hung out of his mouth. After years of working with Bunny and her flirtatious ways, I was immune to those feminine charms. But it was always interesting to see their effects on clients. And when Bunny went into the field, she got more information out of people than I ever could--as long as they were of the male persuasion.

She gave Phil a casual smile and a wink as she glided back to the desk in the outer office. He squirmed in the chair before he was able to pick up his cup and take a sip.

"Oh! She's hot. I ... I mean it's hot, the coffee."

"That's okay, kid. I know what you mean. Well, put up your feet and sip your coffee and I'll tell you about the Golden Steps Spa case." He did just that, holding his coffee cup gingerly as he propped his long legs on the edge of my desk and leaned back.

"You find out something in this business, one thing usually leads to another. You never know where a clue will take you or what will come of a case. That was a fact with one big case I closed a few years ago. A big job. Pigs."

I sat forward, leaning across the desk, drawing his eyes to me. When I was sure I had his attention, I enlightened him.

"I don't mean pigs like you see in the barnyard. I mean pigs like fat, greedy businessmen. These pigs happened to be bankers who were being harassed and threatened.They called me in to find out who was causing the trouble and to help put a stop to it."

Phil nodded and his eyes sparkled, obviously appreciating the importance of the job. I couldn't help it, my chest puffed out a little.

"Before I could do much, the junior guy on the totem pole had his double-wide pulled off the pilings one night. It was a total loss and no one saw a thing of course, although it had to be one big mother of a truck to do the job. Goes to show you, no one likes a banker."

"Then I got information that pointed to a guy who had been turned down for a loan. These damn bankers. They'll only loan you money if you've got enough other money for collateral. I mean, if you've got other money, whaddaya need with theirs? If they hadn't been paying me so well, I probably woulda helped the guy, just on..."

"Mr. Hammer? I think you're off the subject, sir."

"Yeah, sorry." I grinned, shrugging.

"Anyway, the first guy runs to the second guy's house to tell him to watch out, when BAM! the whole back side of the house gets blown up. It was a nice-looking cedar job and there were little toothpick-sized sticks everywhere after that bomb. But the two guys? Not a scratch. But now they're scared shitless and they run to the bank president's house. Nice brick job up in the Heights, know where I mean?"

He nodded.

"Luckily, I got there ahead of the poor slob and the cops arrived on time. Saved those pigs' bacon, I can tell you. They paid me nicely, and gave me a bonus, too. More than that though, was the publicity I got. TV interviews, newspaper stories. Magazines from the south side way up into the valley had articles about me, and a few covers, too."

I could see admiration in his eyes. Uh-oh. I was laying it on a little thick. Time to back off.

I cleared my throat. "And that's how the Punzels came to see me." I sat up. "Want some more coffee, kid?"

He looked down into his cup then back up. "No sir, I'm fine."

"Okay, because I'm about to let you in on the scoop behind the biggest kidnapping story of the century. Settle back, and learn how a pro works." Matching his position, I settled my feet on the desk and began my tale.

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Reviews for Ain't Your Mama's Bedtime Stories - "R. A. Punzel Lets Down Her Hair"

4 stars from Romantic Times BOOKclub

"I just finished reading "R. A. Punzel Let's Down Her Hair" in "Ain't Your Mama's Bedtime Stories" and I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it." - Christy H., A reader

"I loved this book, I just can't express it enough! The title is well chosen because all of the stories are based on traditional fairy tales but with new twists and a definite erotic theme. All of the authors have a true gift for taking the fairy tales we heard as children and turning them into the adult fairy tales we can enjoy today. We find out (the adult version of course) what really happens to our favorite characters that the children's stories can't tell you about. If you enjoyed fairy tales as a child then get Ain't Your Mama's Bedtime Stories and enjoy them again as the erotic adult versions you'll come to love." The Romance Studio
Overall rating: 5 hearts
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Title: R. A. Punzel Lets Down Her Hair
Author: Dee S. Knight
Rating: 4 Stars
Heat Level: H

Lock a savvy street-wise gumshoe with a bad case of lust-at-first-sight in with a mega-intelligent luscious babe with give-it-to-me-now needs and desires and you have a recipe for a hot and sexy exchange of ideas. Detective Richard "Dick" Hammer has been hired by the frantic parents of one missing Ramona A. Punzel, a brilliant accountant, and this is one case he is determined to solve by any means necessary. Will Ramona find her release with Detective Hammer and will they live happily ever after?

The Book: 5 Stars (4 Stars for each story)

These seven talented authors have written tales that will enchant you. Dee. S. Knight gives a different look at a usually submissive Rapunzel, Jasmine Haynes makes you care about the Beauty/Beast, Dakota Cassidy shows you a version of a modern day Snow White and Seven Dwarves, Leigh Wyndfield gives a new meaning to Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Rae Morgan has you feeling the pain of a Princess's isolation, Sydney Morgann gives you a female version of Peter and the Wolf, and Vanessa Hart shows you a more mature Peter Pan.

I highly recommend you reading these versions of time-old fairy tales with a definite new and updated slant in AIN'T YOUR MAMA'S BEDTIME STORIES …….just be sure you have plenty of ice around to cool you off.
Jill Diamond
Just Erotic Romance Reviews

"These aren't your mother's fairy tales. Hot and sexy, they are modern day stories with women who can take care of themselves. The men are gorgeous, of course. The seven tales in this anthology are loosely based on our favorite bedtime stories. Take a fan and some cold water to bed with you if you want to read them. The sheets will start to smolder after only a few pages into the book.

Funny, emotional, suspenseful, there is a story here for everyone. Wonderful characters and hot sex make for a great time reading." - Jenni, A Romance Review

"I can't say enough about this anthology. It delighted me from the first story to the end. The authors were able to take traditional fairy tales and made them their own. They are now definitely adult fairytales. They are hot and sexy and filled with women who can take care of themselves and men who loved them for it. ... This is definitely a keeper. Don't pass this anthology up. Buy it now!" - Patricia McGrew, Sensual Romance

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