Saturday, September 24, 2011

Snippet Saturday--Milestone

Today's Snippet Saturday theme is supposed to be 'milestone'. I've chosen a scene from Cherry on Top because this is the first story I sold to a New York Publishing house. It's still special to me. :-)

Also, don't forget about my 'follow' contest!


As he maneuvered the car into a space, he shut off the engine and turned to her. “We’re here.”

“I barely know you,” she blurted out.

Dante leaned forward and took her face in the palms of his hands. “I’ve watched you every day for the last three months. I’ve wanted you since the first moment I saw you. I can’t stop wanting you, believe me I tried.”

It’d been the same for her, but she wasn’t about to give him that sort of leverage. “But you want my shop. You want to close me down. You admitted that yourself.”

He shook his head. “It’s true I wanted the space. Hell, look at it from my viewpoint. I go away on a two-day business trip only to come back and find it already leased. I won’t lie to you, Cherry, I wasn’t real thrilled.”

“Yeah, I thought as much.”

“I had that place all planned out before you came along,” he murmured “And I had thought to coerce you into giving it up, but I still would’ve compensated you so you could open Serene Comfort elsewhere.”

“And now?”

 “Right now the only thing I can think of is you. What you look like underneath those conservative slacks and that silk blouse. I have a fair idea, but I’d really like to see for myself.”

“You’re much too bold and I’m way out of your league.”

“How so?”

“For three years I was married to a man who tried his best to destroy my sense of self-worth by cheating on me.”

Dante’s face hardened, as if angered on her behalf. “Why did you stay with him?”

She shrugged. “When you love someone you don’t give up at the first sign of trouble. I wanted to make it work, no matter what.”

“What changed?”

“I realized that some men are better off single.”

Dante’s grin lit her on fire. “He was an idiot. I never would have looked at other women if I had you in my bed.”

She leaned back, to preserve her sanity if nothing else, which forced him to drop his hands. “Don’t flatter me. I’m already here so obviously flattery isn’t necessary.”

His features changed, turned hard. “I do not lie. I say what I mean.”

She faltered at the seriousness in his tone. “I’m not perfect, Dante, I have just as many flaws as the next gal.”

“Maybe, but I like you just as you are. I wouldn’t expect you to be anything other than you.”

“You don’t even know me.”

Dante closed the gap she’d created. “You’re Cherry DuBois, the sexy massage therapist who managed to snap up the space I’d been eyeing for the last six months. You’re the woman I’ve craved so bad I go to bed smelling that damn cherry oil you use on your clients. You’re the woman in my car arguing over whether you deserve compliments or not. You’re the only thing I want.”   

Every bone in her body seemed to gel, her blood heated and her mind went quite literally blank. She couldn’t counter an attack like that. No woman would be capable of speech after such a statement.

Dante didn’t seem to require words from her though, he simply placed two fingers against her lips and murmured, “Just follow me and you’ll see.”

Hmm, I wonder if she follows him? ;-)

And for some other interesting milestones:
TJ Michaels
Mari Carr
McKenna Jeffries
Myla Jackson
Taige Crenshaw
Lauren Dane
HelenKay Dimon
Vivian Arend
Shelli Stevens
TJ Michaels
Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Denise A. Agnew
Beth-Ann Mason


A Little Bit Naughty--out now!
http://annerainey.com

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