Sweet Saturday Sample

Today’s sample comes from Return Engagement which is available at http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=819

In this excerpt, Richard and Elizabeth have unexpected company on the morning after they spend their first night together.

Richard’s smile lit up his face as if she’d given him a coveted gift. “Let me snuggle you, honey,” he wheedled. “I need a good morning kiss in the worst way.”

Elizabeth laughed merrily. “No you don’t. If I let you get me into that bed, I know what will happen.”

“So, what’s the complication?”

“I’m too hungry to wait on breakfast. You wouldn’t want me fainting on you, would you? I have been known to do that if I get too hungry.”

“Not because you’re hungry I wouldn’t,” he replied, leering wickedly at her. “After I take a shower, we’ll finish our discussion over breakfast. We’ve got a lot of plans to make.”

“That’s true. Towels and stuff are in the bathroom closet.”

She blew him a kiss which promised more later on and went to prepare breakfast. She started the coffee maker first and was rummaging around in the refrigerator for some eggs when she heard her doorbell ring.  “What an awful time for interruptions,” she said and sighed. She tightened the sash of her robe and padded through the living room to see who would bother them so early in the morning.

On the way to the door she picked up Richard’s shirt, which had somehow ended up in the hallway, and tossed it on the back of the sofa. He’d want to put it on after he had his

shower, so she hoped it didn’t have sand in it.

Her jaw dropped the moment she flung open the door.  There, in the flesh, stood her mother and, ohmigosh, Alex Crawford! Oh no! Oh no! What were they doing here? What did they want?  “Mother, Alex! What are you doing here at this time of the morning? Why didn’t you call first?” she demanded.

Mrs. Lane, a larger, older version of her daughter, rolled her eyes at Elizabeth. “Since when does your mother and your fiancé need an invitation to visit you? You and Alex were supposed to have dinner with me last night, remember? I was worried about you. Why didn’t you call and tell us you couldn’t make it? Did your shoot last longer than you thought?”

Alex stepped around Mrs. Lane and entered the house. Elizabeth tensed when he caressed her shoulder through the thin fabric of her robe and placed a light kiss on her lips.  Thank God Richard didn’t see that. He’s jealous enough as it is. I don’t want to think what he might say or do if he saw Alex touch me.  She shivered. It wouldn’t be pretty, she knew that.

“Don’t scold her,” Alex sweetly admonished Mrs. Lane.  “She looks tired this morning. Did you have a bad day yesterday, sweetheart?” Elizabeth steeled herself not to jerk away from him when he fondled the sash on her robe. If Richard came in…  “Oh, I had a very tiring day,” she agreed. Well, I told the truth this time. All of yesterday’s emotional upheaval was exhausting to say the least.

Mrs. Lane sniffed. “Do I smell coffee?”

Elizabeth’s thoughts raced. Kind and generous to a fault, Alex deserved to hear her news in private. She had to make him and her mother leave until she got Richard out of here.  He probably wouldn’t want to go so…

She had waited too long. The bedroom door opened with a click that sounded abnormally loud in her ears. “Elizabeth?  Do you know where my shirt is? I can’t find it.”

If you'd like to know how this plays out, drop in next week.  For more samples go to http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/