EXCERPT
FROM Love in the Shadows by Barbara Wallace:
“Would you like my driver to take you home so you wouldn’t
have to travel alone?”
She told herself it was relief, not disappointment, falling
heavy in her stomach. “I wouldn’t want to put you to any trouble.”
“You’re not putting me to any trouble, and my driver does
what he’s told. Besides, it’s the least I can do. It was nice to be able…to
have the company.”
“I enjoyed it, too.” She wondered what he was originally
going to say before changing his words. “Plus you got a dog out of the
bargain.”
“So I did.” Again,
she caught the flash of a smile in the dark.
“Thank you for bringing Charlie back.”
“Thank you for not pressing charges.”
“I wouldn’t have anyway. You made some valid points this
afternoon. I’ll see to it Charlie gets more attention.”
“He’d like that,” she replied with a smile.
A thick silence settled between them. Jenny wished she could
see Nick’s face. She swore she could feel his gaze searching hers. His eyes
zeroing in on her lips. Why else would her mouth run dry?
“Jenny…”
“You really should install some outside lighting,” she said,
swallowing hard. “I can barely see my hand in front of my face.”
She didn’t need to see to feel his body come closer. The air
around her hummed with his presence. “That so? I can see just fine.” His voice
was rough, intimate.
“That’s because you like the dark,” she told him.
“Who says I like it?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe the fact you’re out here without a
flashlight or the fact you insisted on meeting in a dark room this afternoon.’
She tipped her face upward. “Why did you act all mysterious today? Were you
trying to frighten me?”
She figured he might dodge the question; she didn’t count on
his hand reaching out to caress her jaw. “You have such pale skin,” he
murmured. “I bet in the moonlight, it would glow silver.”
“I—I—I wouldn’t know.” Jenny suddenly couldn’t think. The
seductive growl in Nick’s voice should frighten her. She was alone in the woods
with a man whose wealth and power allowed him to take and do whatever he
wanted. The realization should not send a thrill shooting through her body. But
it did, and that scared her. His feathery touch left her trembling. Had her
wanting more. Dear God, if he were to close the gap between them, she would…
She would…
She gasped as his arm reached out and yanked her close. Her
flashlight and leash tumbled to the ground. Knocked off balance, she had little
choice but to grip the front of his jacket with her free hand, fingers twisting
in the worsted wool. She felt his erection against her hip. Instead of setting
off warning bells, the knowledge he was aroused fueled her own arousal. The
hunger unfolded from a place deep in her soul, as though the lessons from five
years ago never happened. She was once again wanton, needy.
“So long,” she heard him whisper. He might as well have been
reading her mind. When his lips brushed hers, she sighed and allowed him
access. His tongue swept into her mouth without warning. Jenny moaned. He
tasted of mint and coffee. She clutched his jacket tighter, pulling close, her
hips seeking friction. In the back of her mind, she knew this was a mistake,
but the voice of reason couldn’t be heard above the rush of blood in her ears.
Unable to stop herself, she mewled and clung to him as his hands slid down her
back, cupped her bottom.
From far off, she heard a dog barking. Lulu. Charlie. Their
baying reached where common sense couldn’t and she came back to earth. What was
she thinking? She broke free of Nick’s grasp.
“I—I—”
Unable to form words, she turned her attention to fumbling
for Lulu’s leash. If it was any consolation, Nick appeared to be as dazed as
she was. The minute she pushed away, he’d stepped to the edge of the path. He
stood there now, silently watching her while Charlie weaved around his legs.
Jenny could hear his ragged breath mixing with hers.
What had she been thinking? For years she’d managed to
behave herself, to keep the needy, desperate side of her personality in check,
and now here she was, practically climbing up a stranger in the woods. She
couldn’t get off the property fast enough. Finally, she located the end of
Lulu’s leash. Forget getting a ride from his driver. Calling him would take too
long.
Grabbing the leash as well as her flashlight, she stood up.
Her legs were still shaking, and she had to hold her arm out to steady herself.
This caused the light’s arc to swing wide. The beam shone straight at Nick.
For the first time, Jenny saw the face of the man she’d so
wantonly kissed.
Excerpt
from Love Unleashed by Jackie Braun in The Billionaire’s Matchmaker anthology
Marney leaned down and patted Charlie’s head. “Bye, boy.
Don’t let her do anything I wouldn’t do.” He let out a soft yip, almost as if
he understood.
Mia, however, wasn’t sure she did. “What’s that supposed to
mean?”
“Nothing. Be good.” Marney pointed a finger at the dog.
“Charlie’s going to be on his best behavior for me. Aren’t you?” Mia said.
Was it her imagination or did the little dog wink?
“You just keep telling yourself that. Well, I’d love to stay
and chat, but I have to run.” Marney was halfway out the open front door when
she called over her shoulder, “Oh, by the way, Charlie has a checkup with the
vet at five-thirty today. Don’t be late.”
The door closed on Mia’s shocked expression. By the time she
made it to the porch, Marney was already in her car driving away. Tires
actually squealed. Mia scowled. The only veterinarian in Chandler’s Cove was Gideon Roth, hence Marney’s speedy
getaway.
Gideon was a prime specimen of a man with a muscular build,
thick sandy hair, rich brown eyes that could undress a woman with a glance, and
a mouth that could turn her most wanton fantasies
into reality. Mia knew all of this firsthand.
Gideon Roth was her ex-boyfriend.
She’d broken up with him six months earlier. Marney and
Gabby, as well as Jenny Travolini—the other woman who formed their close quartet
of friends—had been surprised. And no wonder. Gideon was a prize. Not only
gorgeous and gainfully employed, but smart, funny, and abundantly decent.
Mia’s reason for dumping him? He’d said, “I love you.”
Three little words that most women longed to hear. Not Mia.
Especially when Gid had gotten down on one knee on Christmas Day and backed
them up with a diamond engagement ring large enough to have its own ZIP code.
Panic had bubbled up, burning her like lava. God help her,
for one foolish moment, hope had as well—a geyser’s worth of it had shot up and
then rained down on the old, painful memories. But nothing could wash away the past, which was why Mia had come
to her senses.
Why did Gid have to go and ruin a really good thing with a
declaration of love and a proposal of marriage?
Mia trusted neither.
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