|
…a three-part lighthearted romp through the intertwining lives of six people who learn that in spite of everything you have to remember to live, love and laugh to be happy.
TAKING A LEAP: Bradley Morgan is the quintessential computer geek and nice guy, through and through. The only problem is that in his opinion, nice guys almost always finish last when it comes to hot women like his sexy co-worker Alyssa Jones. But things change after Alyssa finds her boyfriend cheating. Suddenly, nice guys like Brad don’t look so bad. So when Brad agrees to ghostwrite the sex scenes for a romance novel as a favor for desperate client Maria White and asks for Alyssa’s help after hours, she agrees wholeheartedly and things really start to heat up. Brad and Alyssa learn you should never judge a book by its cover, and that sometimes love requires a leap of faith.
LIGHT MY FIRE: Amy Gerald’s life is filled with whirlwind romance. Unfortunately, it’s all on the pages of the romance novels she publishes. That is until she volunteers to cat-sit for her author friend Maria and meets Troy O’Donnell, the hunky fireman who lives next door. The problem is, this commitment-phobic consummate bachelor is far more willing to run into a burning building than allow love into his life. Troy will grasp at any excuse, even the ridiculous assumption that Amy is a lesbian, just to avoid his growing feelings for her. Amid a comedy of errors and misunderstandings, which includes Troy’s first hilarious visit to a gay bar, Amy manages to light Troy’s fire, but can she also conquer his fears?
SECOND TIME AROUND: Antonio Sanchez thought that at 32 his life was all mapped out--wife, kids, career…until some major bumps in the road radically alter his course and send him careening right into the path of newly divorced Maddie Morgan. Suddenly thrust back into single life, Antonio moves back in with his old-fashioned parents and has to learn to juggle his kids, his job at the firehouse, and his role as Best Man for his newly engaged best friend Troy, all in addition to facing his unquenchable desire for Maddie. Throw in a slew of matchmaking friends and relatives, led by Maria whose apartment appears to be the Bermuda Triangle for lost lovers, and Antonio and Maddie discover just how complicated things can get. Can the pair prove that love really is better the second time around? Editorial Reviews:
From Christine Dionne, Romance Junkies
"...delightfully enchanting with unexpected occurrences, fun characters, and real emotions."
Excerpt:
Taking A Leap
Alyssa stood at Brad’s door and rang the bell hesitantly. This had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now she felt weird about it. It would be extremely strange writing a sex scene with a guy she hardly knew, in spite of the fact that secretly she had always wanted to write a romance novel. She even started one back in college. It was still just scribbles on a yellow legal pad that currently sat gathering dust in a manila folder in the bottom of her desk drawer, but the dream was still strong. That was something she had never even told Janet.
But at least being here at Brad’s kept her away from her own apartment and Jake the Shit. No way she could be tempted to let Jake in again if she wasn’t even there.
The door suddenly flung open and Brad stood there looking flustered. “Good, you’re here! I have no idea if I’m doing this right.” He left the door open for her and walked back to the laptop across the room.
When she didn’t follow him immediately, he turned back toward her. “What’s the matter? Come on in, we have a lot to do.”
In total shock, she just stood there and ogled Brad. She even found that her mouth was hanging open. She closed it firmly at that appalling discovery. Somehow she got herself pulled together enough to at least walk into the apartment and push the door closed behind her. She was staring at Brad the Geek because right now, he was not such a geek anymore.
He stood next to a table where the laptop was set up and stared back at her. He seemed to be expecting her to say something, so she finally said, “Your hair, it’s different.”
He groaned and raised his hands to his still damp, blondish-brown hair. “I didn’t have time to dry it. I’ve been working on this stupid novel you convinced me to write since I got out of the shower.”
He was about to run his fingers through the loose sexy curls that currently framed his face in place of the usual frizz when she sprang forward and cried out, “No! Don’t touch it. You have beautiful curly hair when you let it air dry. Never brush it or touch it too much or god forbid use the hair dryer unless you have a diffuser. You’ll ruin the curl and just get frizz.” She walked closer now. “Do you use any product? You need a leave-in conditioner and maybe a curl enhancing gel.” She had to stand on her toes and reach way up to touch his hair. He was tall. Really tall. She liked tall men.
She swallowed when she realized she was still touching him and lowered her hand. “Do you need me to write the products you should buy down for you?”
He was looking at her like she had two heads. “No, I think I can remember it. Can we work on the book now, if I promise not to touch my hair?” he added the last with a smirk.
“Make fun of me if you want, but you look much cuter with curly hair.” She shrugged, walked over to the computer and sat down. She focused her attention on what he had been writing. She tried not to think about how cute his ass looked in those tight gray sweats or how he actually appeared to have nice pecs and biceps in that tight white t-shirt. Even his glasses didn’t look so bad at the moment. They actually made him look smart and sexy at the same time, like the male version of a hot librarian.
She looked up to find him staring at her. “What?” she asked self-consciously, afraid her naughty thoughts were written all over her face.
“You think I look cute?” he asked sheepishly.
Oh, boy. She had said that, hadn’t she? “Oh, get over yourself and come show me where you started,” she said with pretend sternness. She didn’t miss his smile, though.
Light My Fire
When she arrived home, or rather at Maria’s apartment at about nine from the party, she was still on a high on top of being a little tipsy from the two glasses of champagne in which she had indulged. She fumbled the keys in the lock, dropped them and her briefcase loudly on the floor, and then let loose a string of obscenities worthy of any sailor. She was in too good a mood to want to have to fight with this door again!
“Problem?” She spun around and was embarrassed to see Troy leaning against his open doorframe smiling at her and looking extremely hot in navy sweats and a white T-shirt.
She felt the blush creep up into her cheeks. “What are you doing home?” Her heart was pounding. She hadn’t expected to see him until the next day and she was totally unprepared.
He shrugged. “Chief let me go early since I came in early this shift.”
“Oh, good for you.”
Troy stepped into the hall and picked up the keys and briefcase. He glanced up and down the length of her. She self-consciously smoothed the black wrap dress she had changed into for the party. His eyes stayed glued to her black leather knee-high stiletto boots.
“Where are you coming from?” he asked, still holding her stuff.
“Book party. A work thing.”
“I hope you didn’t drive.” He eyed her closely. She could only imagine how she appeared, glassy eyes, flushed cheeks. How could she tell him it was the effect he had on her, not the alcohol making her appear this way?
She frowned. “I only had two glasses of champagne and no, I didn’t drive. Henri drove and dropped me off right outside the front door so I didn’t even walk alone from my car. OK, Daddy?”
He looked a little embarrassed. “Sorry, I worry too much.”
She took one step forward, Maria’s words in the back of her mind. The nicest guy you will ever meet. No girlfriend. “Don’t apologize.” With the boldness that alcohol provides she reached up, touched his face and said, “Thank you for worrying about me. I like it.”
She raised herself up on her toes and brushed a soft kiss across his mouth.
She watched him swallow hard. “Amy. I don’t think you realize what you are doing.”
“I know exactly what I’m doing. I told you I only had two glasses…”
“No.” He closed his eyes for a second and breathed in deep. “I mean to me.”
She let her hand drop from his cheek to his chest. “Troy, what are you trying to say?”
“That when you stand so close, when you touch me like that, it makes me want… to do more with you. And I know that’s not what you want, so please stop.” He spoke quietly as if the words pained him.
She furrowed her brow, “But I do want more.” She licked her suddenly dry lips. “I was afraid you didn’t.”
He laughed wryly, “Amy. I’ve wanted you from the first moment I saw you. It’s just, how can this work?”
With both hands splayed on his chest, she pushed him slowly backwards into his apartment and shut the door behind them. “Let me show you.”
Her keys and briefcase crashed to floor for the second time that night then Troy pressed her back against the door. She gasped for breath as his mouth took hers.
She almost cried out in protest when he broke the kiss. “Are you sure about this? Because if you want me to stop, you better tell me now.” He was breathless and nearly pleading.
“Don’t you dare stop,” she said as she pulled his head back down to hers. “I want you. Here. Now. Please.”
Second Time Around
“I know exactly how you feel.”
Maddie’s eyes flew open at the sound of a man’s voice in the room she assumed was vacant. She saw the owner of that voice now sitting on the end of the bed, eating a bowl of something and watching the countdown to midnight on television with the sound muted.
“Sorry, I didn’t know anyone was in here. I’ll leave you alone,” she turned to open the door when he stood.
“No, please stay. You look like you could use a minute away from the crowd. I’ll go if you want to be alone.”
She looked closer at him now and took note that even though she stood nearly six feet tall in her high heels, she was still level with his golden brown eyes. Besides being tall, she could tell his shirt and trousers covered a really solid body. She had a feeling he didn’t spend his day behind a desk.
This guy was definitely what her sister-in-law would call a hottie. He wasn’t what Maddie had ever considered her type, but he was pretty much the exact opposite of her ex-husband Alan, and right now that was ‘type’ enough for her.
Then he ran his left hand through his dark, wavy hair and she caught the glimpse of gold on his ring finger. He was married. She felt strangely relieved and a bit disappointed at the same time, but relaxed immediately now that the pressure was off. She had been married for far too long to be comfortable being back in the dating world again. But since he was married, she could safely be friendly.
She smiled and extended her hand. “No, please stay. I’m Maddie Morgan. My brother and sister-in-law are friends of Maria’s.”
He shook her hand warmly. “Antonio Sanchez. I work at the firehouse with Troy, Maria’s neighbor, the guy whose bedroom we’re currently hiding in.” He unleashed a brilliant smile on her and indicated the empty bowl he had just put on the dresser “You should try some of the chili. Troy is famous for it down at the firehouse.”
She nodded. “I’ll do that, as soon as I can face the crowd again.” She leaned back against the doorframe and half watched on the television the chaos that was Times Square on New Year’s Eve. “So, which one out there is your wife?”
His eyes dropped briefly to the ring on his hand, then raised to hers again. “Actually I’m here alone. My wife and I are separated at the moment.”
Her brow furrowed. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pried. I got divorced this past year, so I know how much it sucks when people ask questions like that. That’s actually why I’m hiding. You can only handle so much of people trying to cheer you up, you know?”
He nodded and smiled sadly. “Yeah, I know.” He scuffed the toe of one black cowboy boot against the bedroom carpet, then asked, “So are you into computers like your brother?”
She laughed at that. “No, I’m a lawyer and pretty helpless with computers. Thank goodness for Brad, he saves me a fortune in tech support calls.”
“You have to be better with computers than I am. We didn’t even own one until this Christmas when my wife told me we had to buy one for our six year old because she needed it for schoolwork. Can you believe it? Six and using a computer.”
“Yeah, I do. One day this younger generation is just going to lock all of us old fogies away in a rest home and rule the world with their computers.”
He laughed. “I’m afraid you’re right.”
She hesitated, silently reprimanded herself for being a nosy-body then asked, “So do you only have the one child?” She thought briefly how lucky it was that the five years of trying to get pregnant during her marriage to her bastard ex-husband Alan had amounted to nothing, heartbreaking though it was at the time.
He shook his head. “Two, actually. A boy and a girl. Six and four. They haven’t quite figured out what’s going on yet, but then again neither have I. How long do trial separations usually last, if you don’t mind me asking?”
She laughed bitterly at that. “I wouldn’t know. I’m sure my husband’s girlfriend wouldn’t have approved of one, so we skipped right over that step and went straight to the divorce.”
He looked horrified. “I shouldn’t have asked, I’m sorry.”
She dismissed it with a wave of her hand. “Don’t worry about it. I’m over it.”
Was she? That thought gave her pause. She was still pissed as hell at the cheating bastard, but really, would she be checking out Antonio’s hot body and prying into his personal life if she wasn’t over Alan? But until this very moment she hadn’t even wanted to look at a man since the divorce, forget about doing anything else with one.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the countdown begun from the partygoers outside. She glanced at the television screen and watched the clock tick toward midnight.
“Three, two, one. Happy New Year!” The crowd on the other side of the door yelled and she heard the shrill sound of noisemakers.
Antonio picked up his beer bottle from the dresser and held it out toward her. “Here’s to another new year.”
She raised her own glass of champagne and clinked it with his bottle. “May it be better than the last one.”
“Amen to that,” he agreed and they both drank deeply.
|
