Musa Publishing
Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 2013
Available at Amazon / Smashwords / B&N / ARe / Bookstrand
James Winchester
is content with his predictable small town life. He lives alone, helps out at
his family farm, and doesn’t miss an ice cream social. His life is so neat and
ordered he could use one of his accounting spreadsheets
to chart his upcoming years.
Evelyn
Prentiss’s world is in chaos. She’s returned to her home town twenty years
after leaving and the transition isn’t as smooth as she’d anticipated. Her home
needs renovated, her parents are once again too hands-on, and she only has the
summer months to settle in before she starts her new teaching job.
In an effort to
be a good neighbor, James finds himself stopping by Evelyn’s house more and
more to help with her endless to-do list. When a mystery from their past
resurfaces and opens old wounds, the two find comfort in each other. And so
much more.
Teaser:
Evelyn was not sure
what she was doing other than enjoying the music and proximity to James’s body,
mainly his chest and arms and hands. She knew she was lonely and missing male
companionship, so she hoped he didn’t take it too personally when she leaned in
closer and sighed. His arms tightened a bit and she almost let her head fall to
his shoulder, but that would be too much. All she was hoping was that another slow
song would come up on the playlist and that the canny woman looking over the
pictures in the booth would leave them alone for a while.
“I’m sorry about this.” James rumbled.
“What? Dancing with me?”
“Lucy putting you on the spot, that’s what I’m
apologizing for.”
“What spot?”
“Having to dance with me, that spot.” To his
credit, he actually did sound apologetic.
“It’s not a spot.” Actually, Evelyn felt like
it was a good spot but to say so would be pathetic. His thighs brushed against
hers and if she breathed really deeply her breasts would be touching his chest.
Which would also be a good spot.
He was silent a moment. “Lucy likes telling
people what to do.”
“Oh. But this is nice.” She hoped that he
would agree with her or at least not comment negatively. Her ego couldn’t take
that. Not when she was enjoying this so much.
“Well, yes, it is nice.” He made this
agreement grudgingly.
“And I like this song.”
“It is a good song.” He concurred while
maintaining a polite distance.
Evelyn started to smile, he was being so
careful not to touch her more than the bare minimum. If it was anyone other
than James she would be insulted or grateful, depending on the attractiveness
of her dance partner. But he was different. He was a friend, an unexpectedly
sexy friend, but this was entirely comfortable no matter how close or how far
apart they were. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d danced with a
man. Walter never went anywhere dancing was an option. His favorite places were
sports bars, school fundraisers, and chili parlors. And now her thoughts were
rattling aimlessly around in order to divert herself from how her body was
feeling. Intellect over instinct, that must become her new mantra.
“Are you as miserable as you sound?”
“I’m not miserable,” he protested. “I just
don’t like being coerced into dancing with you.”
“Is it the coercion that bothers you, or is it
me?”
“Evelyn.” He sounded exasperated now.
“Just curious.” She leaned her head back and
caught his eye. “So?”
With a suffering sigh he looked over at the
wall as their bodies swayed. But he kept hold of her hand, and his arm was firm
around her waist. She kept her eyes on him and pressed a little on his
shoulder.
“Coercion bothers me.”
“So dancing with me
is okay?”
“Yes.” He sounded strained as he admitted it
and she felt happier.
“So would we be dancing without Ms.
Overberger’s prompting?” Evelyn just couldn’t help
herself, he was so much fun to put on the spot.
James tried to look fearsome but she just
snorted out a laugh and finally let her head fall against his shoulder, like
she’d wanted to do for interminable minutes. Then her nose was close to him and
she sniffed guiltily, like sneaking a chocolate from the box, and his clean
skin scent floated up her nose directly to her brain and her body said yes.
Everything went
hotter and tighter and it was hard to breath for a moment. Oh dear, she was
locked and loaded now. Seven years out of the dating pool and she was
interested in this quiet considerate man who would likely be flummoxed by the
idea of her opening her shirt by one more button. He didn’t want to dance with
her or even touch her.
Maybe she should try
to divert herself with Will Painter after all. He could help her get over
Walter, he could help her ignore James and his intoxicating pheromones and big
hands and strong arms and…
Lynn Rae is a romance writer residing in Columbus,
Ohio. With professional experience in
fields ranging from contract archaeology to librarianship along with making
donuts and teaching museum studies, Lynn Rae enjoys incorporating her real-life
adventures into her writing (except the naughty parts).
Lynn Rae personal links
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