Love's Masquerade
Page 32
Hays’s eyes grew wide, and then she gasped, a small choked sound. “Oh God. Auden.” She reached for Auden’s hand and held on tightly. “Oh God, I love you.”
And then they were both crying and laughing and daring to dream once more.
Epilogue
-----Original Message-----
From: Rune@HeartLand.com
Sent: Friday November 26, 2:40PM
To: AFrost@PalmPub.net
Subject: Dark Passions-Frontmatter
Attachment: DP-ded.doc 26KB
Ms. Frost:
I’ve attached the information you requested for Dark Passions. I am delighted to hear that it is on schedule for the planned release in two weeks. Thank you for all you have done to make that a reality. Need I say that I could never have done it without you?
I look forward to seeing you at the convention in Washington next month. I do hope that you save an evening there for me.
Yours most truly,
Rune Dyre
Auden smiled and hit Reply.
----Reply----
From: AFrost@PalmPub.net
Sent: Friday November 26, 2:48PM
To: Rune@HeartLand.com
Subject: Re: DarkPassions-Frontmatter
Ms. Dyre:
It was my great pleasure to assist you in completing this work. You may be sure that we will meet in DC. My calendar is always free for you—name the time.
Yours most sincerely,
Auden Frost
Then she opened the attachment.
Acknowledgment
Thane Cutlass said write it, and she never stopped believing. She was there in the uncertain hours of its inception, weathering all my doubts and misgivings — reading, critiquing, and encouraging. This is as much hers as mine.
Most importantly, Thane and her lover, Gayle, remained steadfast friends to me during my own dark hours, lending strength not only to me but also to the woman I love. For that, I am more grateful than I can say.
This book embodies my darkest dreams, my brightest hopes, and my greatest passions. To my everlasting joy, it has all come true.
RD
Dedication
To Auden
My Passion, My Love
With trembling hands, Auden picked up the phone and dialed an extension.
“Hello?”
“Have I ever told you how much I love you?” Auden asked.
“Every day for the last eight months.”
“Some things bear repeating.”
“Good,” Hays whispered. “Because I’ll never tire of hearing it.”
“That’s very good, then,” Auden said softly. “Because forever is a long, long time.”
The End
About the Author
Radclyffe is a retired surgeon and full-time award-winning author-publisher with over thirty lesbian and anthologies in print. Seven of her works have been Lambda Literary finalists, including the Lambda Literary winners Erotic Interludes 2: Stolen Moments edited with Stacia Seaman; In Deep Waters 2; Distant Shores, Silent Thunder. She is the editor of Best Lesbian Romance 2009 and 2010 (Cleis Press), Erotic Interludes 2 through 5 and Romantic Interludes 1 and 2 with Stacia Seaman (BSB), and has selections in multiple anthologies including Best Lesbian Erotica 2006-2010; After Midnight; Caught Looking: Erotic Tales of Voyeurs and Exhibitionists; First-Timers; Ultimate Undies: Erotic Stories About Lingerie and Underwear; Hide and Seek; A is for Amour; H is for Hardcore; L is for Leather; Rubber Sex, Tasting Him, and Cowboy Erotica. She is the recipient of the 2003 and 2004 Alice B. Readers’ awards for her body of work and is also the president of Bold Strokes Books, one of the world’s largest independent LGBTQ publishing companies.
Her latest release is an all-Radclyffe erotica anthology, Radical Encounters (Feb 2009) and the romantic intrigue novel Justice for All (April 2009), and the romance Secrets in the Stone (July 2009). Her forthcoming works include The Midnight Hunt (writing as L.L. Raand, March 2010) and the first in the First Responder Series, Trauma Alert (July 2010).