Yup. You can still get your copy of Book I of my Nobody series, Nobody's Darling, for seven bucks at Amazon. That's a $16.00 savings! So why haven't you ordered one? For yourself, for your friend, for that lady at work who's always reading, for your mom (it's sweet with no sex, violence, or harsh language!). It's a great stocking stuffer for any reality television fan, for any romance fan, or for anyone who might need a little warmth in the coming winter months. Need a sneak peak to whet your appetite? Okay. I'll oblige, but first, the blurb:April Raine was married and pregnant at eighteen, divorced ten years later, and has struggled to provide for her children. Now a successful businesswoman, she accepts a challenge from a daytime talk show to compete in a thirty-day battle of the sexes. April is up against a television psychologist who claims her organization hurts the very people she alleges to help.Dr. Jefferson Prentiss, television's Dr. Jeff, is haunted by the loss of his wife and newborn son, and by his role in their deaths. To atone, he's dedicated his professional life to the ideals of family. The talk show challenge presents him with the opportunity to prove not only the sagacity of his self-help book, but the inherent danger of paying strangers to perform those family tasks that should be done out of love and nurture.Once inside an isolated cabin filled with videotaping equipment, April and Jeff learn from each other, tackle their demons, and discover a new awareness between them: love.
Now, the excerpt:
The rich, nutty smell of coffee tickled April’s nostrils, rousing her in a way a buzzing alarm clock never had--subtly, sensually, one heavenly sniff at a time. She couldn’t decide whether to get up and follow the hypnotic odor or snuggle deeper into the blankets for more sleep. Her eyelids fluttered once, twice, but she didn’t have the energy to fully open them, no matter how intoxicating the scent around her.
The coffee’s aroma mingled with spicy cologne. Cloves, one of her favorites. Content to allow her other senses to revel in the stimulants they experienced, she refused to open her eyes.
“Wake up, darling,” a male voice whispered low in her ear.
“Mmmm,” she sighed and rolled over. “Five more minutes…”
Hold it. A male voice? In her bedroom? And calling her, “darling?”
She sat bolt upright in the bed, eyes round and wide, heart pounding. Her hands clawed at the blankets until she clutched them to her chin. When her vision finally focused, Jeff’s solid frame and easy smile registered on her frantic brain cells.
She let out a deep sigh of relief. “You scared me to death!”
“Sorry.”
Jeff was already dressed in a sweater and jeans ensemble. The sweater had a charcoal gray shadow-stripe pattern. The hue brought silver glints to his eyes, like dew sparkling on freshly mowed grass.
Wake up, sweetie! It’s a little too early in the morning to wax poetic.
“I brought you a cup of coffee,” he said, indicating the white mug he held. “David will be here in an hour. You’ll probably want to shower and dress before he arrives, and it’s important we discuss how we’re going to handle today’s interview. Privately.”
Only one sentence in his little speech registered in her sleep-filled mind. “You…brought me…coffee?”
God, she sounded like the heroine in a bad comic book movie--ready to swoon because the hero brought her the magic elixir of life. But no one had ever brought her coffee in bed before. Not even on Mother’s Day or her birthday.
Squelching ripples of delight, she reached to take the mug from him. It really was coffee, and it was still hot. She sipped the brew, and the spicy tang tickled her tongue.
“Thanks, Jeff. This was just what I needed before today’s torture begins.”
“No charge,” he said as he took the cup from her and headed toward the door. “There’s a full pot downstairs when you’re ready. For now, I’ll give you some time to get up, shower, and dress. But don’t take too long. We want to rehearse what we’re going to say to Grant and Jocelyn before David shows up and starts screeching about spontaneity.”
Once she was certain he’d returned to the kitchen, she tossed off the blankets and rose from her bed. Stretching the kinks out of her back, she heaved a deep sigh. The last two people she wanted to face today were Satan’s sidekicks--Grant and Jocelyn. At least having Jeff on her side, rather than against her, would ease today’s interview. The man exuded confidence. Not to mention sex appeal.
She shook her head to dislodge her bizarre thoughts.
April, honey, you really have to get a hold of yourself. Remember that song from South Pacific.
With a broad smile stretching across her cheeks, she broke into a chorus of, “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair.”
Yes, indeed. A nice hot shower is what I need to clear the idiocy from my brains.
She strolled into the bathroom humming her new mantra and stopped short before the sink. Ah, and so it begins, she thought with disgust. Globs of green shaving gel and black stubble coated the basin. He couldn’t take a minute to rinse this filth out? So much for being thankful Jeff was with her.
For tips on writing and fun articles, visit Gina's Articles For Writers page: http://www.ginaardito.com/ArticlesforWriters.html
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