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CHAT BOUT is bringing the spotlight on romance/erotic authors! Join us in welcoming REGAN TAYLOR!
From earliest childhood Regan was an
avid reader and upon discovering Alexander Dumas and Charles Dickens she was
hooked on books that carried the reader away to a different time and place.
Preferring the quiet of her room and a good book to spending time with people she
traveled far beyond those four walls.
EXCERPT
“I have arrived! Oh yeah, I
have totally arrived!” Courtney Miller sang to herself. “This is it, it,
itttttttttttttttttttt!”
The contract from publisher
Bubbly Bordeaux for her first book in hand, her dreams of being a
multi-published author were finally coming true.
Oh sure, for now she had to
keep working her day job at Card, Jayson & King. That however was a
non-issue because the firm provided a wealth of juicy stories to keep her in
writer heaven for years to come. With its political connections and never
ending high end insurance defense and fraud cases, just about every day gave
her a new story line.
And that was only considering
her co-workers. Add in the clients and their tales of how they would never
commit the crimes alluded to in some of the cases or lobbying screw-ups, she
was looking at books into the next millennium. She’d debated a book about the
firm’s latest crime solving excitement with the arrest of a top lobbyist
accused of bribing the Supreme Court on behalf of a well-known government
official and decided she’d take a wait and see approach on that one. Still, it
had everything—sex, money, multiple crimes against the state, enough to make it
a series.
Courtney smiled to herself.
Oh yes, after Rainy Day Lover was
released, her job would keep her in story lines for years to come. And she
definitely had the time to write since her company worked ten hour days four
days a week. While not the norm, it did allow the firm to be open seven days a
week, including holidays. That’s what the clients wanted so that’s what they
got.
Now, on the first of her
three days off this weekend and committed to her goal, here she sat in her
local coffee shop, quadruple non-fat latte in hand, ready to download that
first set of edits.
As she waited for her lap top
to boot up she glanced around the quaint shop. Even though it was part of one
of the big chains the local shop catered to the old-fashioned atmosphere of
their city in its design. Booths with high-backed, plushly cushioned seats
afforded a semblance of privacy. The tables were sturdy, dark wood, their grain
left on the rough side but no risk of splinters. Faux candles lit each table in
rustic looking hurricane holders.
Not wanting any one to know
about her attempt to write a book, she’d written it in the quiet privacy of her
apartment. Now that she was a real author, after all she did have a contract from a fairly well known publisher, it was time
to be out there like the big names and writing in public.
A stirring movement near the
register caught her attention. From over the top of her computer she spotted a
gaggle of women, young, middle aged and even a grandmother, whispering about
someone or something. When the crowd parted she got quite the eyeful.
And what an eyeful he was.
About six foot five inches of
dark brown haired, blue eyed hunk stood at the register, scanning the room. His
chest easily out-distanced those on the male cover models that graced her
favorite romance novels. Even Morgan Knight, the model now appearing on the
Love Cups books had nothing on this hunk-o-licious guy.
This guy—well—there wasn’t a
one who had anything on him. The boy was a major panty splat and lip smacker
all rolled into one. Damn, wouldn’t she like to take him home and engage in
some major skin to skin research for her next book.
And oh my god, was he staring
at her?
Of course he was. She was
staring at him. Her gaze probably bore so deep into him he felt under fire. No
wonder he looked back at her.
And not just looking back. Oh
no, he looked like he intended to eat her for dinner.
Actually, make that
breakfast, lunch, dinner and a creamy dessert to boot. Oh he was hot and then
some and the look on his face let her know he was looking for a main dish.
Suits
me just fine.
He took a step in her
direction.
Oh
no. He’s just heading for an empty booth or seat or something like that in this
direction. Couldn’t possibly be me.
She crossed her legs and the
newly born writer part of her mind said she needed to remember the feelings
surging through her special girl parts so she could capture those sensations in
her next book.
And wouldn’t he make a great
hero?
There’s
no time like the present. She brought up a clean page and began to type when only a
moment later a shadow passed over her screen.
“Would you mind if I sat
here?”
Courtney looked up into the
most amazing shade of blue-green eyes she’d ever seen. They were an interesting
mix of turquoise and azure blue and the honey brown of his hair, long and
thick, caressed his oh so broad shoulders, stopping below the blades. His
t-shirt in pretty much the same shade as his eyes caressed his chest in a way
Courtney wouldn’t mind spreading herself against him.
Unable to help herself she
glanced at his waist, taking note of the button down fly on his snug fitting
jeans. Her pussy clenched. My oh my.
“What?” She’s licked her
lower lip before realizing she was about to mentally devour this man who only wanted
to…what did he say?
“A seat. All the others are
taken. Do you mind if I sit here? I promise not to bother you.”
Bother her? She was already
well beyond hot and bothered. Well, not exactly bothered but he had her hot and
all he’d done was walk into the coffee shop and say maybe ten words to her.
She’d roast in hell for the lascivious thoughts she was having about this poor
man who probably had women undressing him, at least in their minds, on a
regular basis.
And what was she
thinking? She was a legal secretary. A
professional! They defended people who’d been arrested. Misguided bozos who
behaved in some of the naughty ways she’d like to be doing with this gorgeous
male specimen. For starters, chaining him to a wall in her bedroom with just
enough room to move into the next sexual position.
Oh yeah, he was definitely
material for her next book, which wasn’t going to be anything near the sweet
romance Bubbling Bordeaux contracted with her. Oh no, that one was going to be
a major erotica where the guy looked exactly like Mr. Tall-dark-and-Delicious
and the heroine looked like her. Well why not star in her own romance novel? It
wasn’t like some of those luscious things would happen in real life. So why not
in—
“Sorry.” His voice made her
tingle from her ears right down to that sweet damp spot…
“Didn’t mean to take you away
from your…”
“Oh sorry, no. Please. Feel
free to tie me up…I mean, you aren’t tying…that is, please sit.” If she turned
half as red as the flames in her face felt, Mr. Come-into-my pants and stay
awhile probably thought she was either a total idiot, hadn’t had any in awhile,
or he’d just met up with his worst nightmare.
“And here I thought if there
was any woman who would want to tie me up, it would be you.” His voice was pure
honey and sent delicious tremors down her spine and into that suddenly needy
sweet spot between her legs.
Mr. Hunk-o-licious asked
again, “Are you sure I’m not bothering you? I just want to sit and enjoy my
coffee and all the other seats are taken. I promise not to disturb you.”
Oh man, his voice was
definitely the stuff of dreams—wet and wild dreams. The kind where a girl
needed her battery buddy when she woke up alone type dreams. “Please, disturb
away, I mean. Why don’t I just shut up?”
“Because what you have to say
sounds so delightful.”
“Delightful? I just made a
royal ass of myself.”
He shook his head, his long
auburn hair flowing around his shoulders like liquid chocolate.
Man did she want to run her
fingers through it, take a hold and bring his lips in for a kiss…what on earth
was she thinking? Courtney Miller, legal secretary extraordinaire, did not have
thoughts like this. She shrugged, maybe Desiree Desire, her alter ego and soon
to be hot erotic romance writer did. That would make sense.
Of course, that made total
sense! These were her alter ego’s thoughts. Some of the authors in the local
romance writing group talked about that. How their alter egos, their pen names,
could take on lives of their own. So there was good girl Courtney who worked
for Card, Jayson & King and then there was naughty Des who engaged is some
amazing sex with hunky guys who just wanted to drink their coffee.
“No, you aren’t making an ass
of yourself. I think more like I disturbed you from whatever you’re working on.
For that I apologize. I didn’t think before I approached you. Well, I did
think,” he purred, “from your friendly smile while I was at the register that
you wouldn’t mind if I joined you. Just to drink my coffee and for you to
continue with whatever you were doing.”
“Wow, a guy who knows how to
fill in a pair or jeans and say just the right thing and I so didn’t say
anything about how you fill in your jeans.” She put her head in her hand and
wished there was a way she could slide under the table and after a quick stop
between Mr. Amazing Jeans’ legs for a snack—oh gees, she didn’t just think that
either.
“If it makes you feel better,
I’ll not only pretend I didn’t hear you say that as well as pretend I didn’t
think you fill out your sweater just as nicely.”
Anyone in their right mind
would have taken offense, or tried to, or thought about it. The way he said it
though, it sounded like the greatest compliment a man could give a women.
“Water under the bridge.
Please, have a seat and enjoy your coffee before it gets cold. They’ll give you
a refill, in case you’re new in here, I mean. I mean that if you’re new in town
and you haven’t been in here before you wouldn’t know that they’ll give you a
refill. Not that they only do it when you’re new.”
“That’s good to know.” In one
fluid motion he slid into the seat and took a long swallow of his coffee.
Courtney swallowed the same
moment he did. For someone who didn’t believe in love at first site, she was
falling awful fast for this guy.
Okay, lust at first site.
