Romantic Interludes

by TWCS Authors

  “It was very nice to meet you, Jada.”

  “It was nice to meet you, too.”

  I managed to hold back my laughter until the door closed behind them.

  “Eager, Mr. Reynolds?”

  “I’m so sorry about that,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “They should have been gone an hour ago, but she had a late meeting and—”

  I took a step closer to him. “It’s okay.”

  Sighing deeply, he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me softly.

  “Yes, I’m eager,” he whispered.

  I grinned. “Me, too.”

  “Would you like dinner? I could make something . . .”

  Always a gentleman, but the last thing I wanted was food.

  Slipping my hands beneath his shirt, I felt his stomach muscles tighten. He inhaled sharply, gripping my waist a little tighter as my fingers crept across his skin.

  “Jada, I have to be honest with you. It’s been . . . a long time.”

  I lifted his shirt over his head, letting it fall to the floor.

  “For me, too. Since my divorce.”

  He seemed relieved, and my admission gave him the courage to pull me by the hand and lead me to his bedroom.

  We took our time, slowly undressing and gliding our hands along each other’s heated skin. Every touch was gentle and soft as we caressed, discovering one another for the very first time.

  “I love you, Jada.” His voice was rough and low, filled with a mixture of anxiety and eagerness.

  “I love you, too.”

  Taking the lead, I tugged him toward the bed. It was all the motivation he needed, because suddenly, I was being pressed against the mattress as his body hovered above me. With my heart racing, I pulled his face to mine, kissing him deeply as our hands roamed. Touching. Exploring. Memorizing.

  Nathan dipped his head, burying his face against my throat as his hand stroked one breast, and then the other, making me groan. I writhed beneath him, desperate to have him closer, as he trailed his hand along my stomach. When he finally reached my heat, he kissed me deeply, swallowing my moans as he teased me with his fingers.

  “Please say you’re ready,” he whispered roughly.

  “I’m so ready . . .”

  Nathan raised himself and reached for something on his nightstand. I heard the rip of the foil, and I smiled.

  “I hope you have more than one of those.”

  “I bought a box,” Nathan said, grinning down at me. I giggled as he nestled himself between my legs, and I arched impatiently, desperate to have him.

  “This is going to be too quick, baby.”

  “We have all night,” I reminded him, smoothing the hair away from his face.

  His blue eyes were blazing with desire as he shifted his hips, groaning loudly as he buried himself inside me. I grabbed onto his shoulders as we began to move. Yes, it was going to be fast, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was the way he was looking at me—as if nothing mattered except that we were finally together like this. As if I was all that mattered in the world. As if I was his reason for taking his next breath.

  Nathan groaned my name as his thrusts became frantic, and that was all it took to make me shatter beneath him. I clutched his shoulders, and he shuddered in my arms, holding on tight as our bodies surrendered.

  It was quick, but that didn’t make it any less incredible.

  But what was most amazing?

  We still had all night.

  “I can’t believe it’s been a year,” Annalise said as we gazed at the decorations.

  The ballroom was once again decked out for our annual Valentine’s Day bash. This year’s theme was Roses are Red, but somehow, a certain winged cherub had still managed to make an appearance tonight—in the form of helium balloons hovering above our heads.

  Despite the most incredible twelve months of my life, my distaste for Valentine’s Day hadn’t really changed much. But even I had to admit that all the hoopla, and yes, even the Cupids, were a little easier to endure when you had a loving husband and a beautiful daughter showering you with love each and every day.

  “Have you told him?” Annalise whispered.

  Glancing across the dance floor, I smiled when I found Nathan and Arwen, dancing to a sappy love song. She was eight now, and a little taller, but she still allowed us to read to her before bed each night, and she still loved for her Daddy to sing her to sleep.

  We loved it, too.

  “No, I haven’t told him.” I placed my hand along my stomach and sighed happily. “I will tonight. It’ll be his Valentine’s Day present.”

  As if he could hear our conversation, Nathan chose that moment to look my way, and he smiled that heartbreaking smile that still took my breath away.

  “So, what do you think of Cupid now?” she asked, pointing at one of the little winged guys which had deflated right at our feet. “Is he still stupid?”

  Smiling, I reached down and picked it up, twirling the balloon in my hand.

  “Nah, he’s not so bad,” I said with a grin.

  Lessons Learned by Sydney Logan

  Category: Romance

  Publication date: Sep 6, 2012

  ISBN (paper): 978-161213-115-3

  ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-116-0

  Summary: Sarah Bray never planned to return to teach in Sycamore Falls, but a traumatic event leaves her desperate for the sanctuary of home. She discovers a kindred spirit in Lucas Miller, a teacher from New York with demons of his own. Their love is put to the test when a student’s secret sends shockwaves through the community, and Sarah and Lucas—along with the town—are schooled in the lessons of acceptance, tolerance, and love.

  http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/65

  Coming September 2013

  Mountain Charm by Sydney Logan

  Category: Romance

  Summary: At the age of thirteen, Angelina cast a love spell, but her father’s death and her mother’s failing health have shaken her faith in magic. Sparks fly when Dylan Thomas arrives in Maple Ridge to write a story about Appalachian witchcraft. When Angelina needs him the most, can Dylan prove his love isn’t being manipulated by the spell?

  A love story filled with just a hint of Appalachian magic, Mountain Charm will leave you spellbound.

  “DON’T FORGET IT’S YOUR TURN to take Luke to school this morning.”

  Kennedy Adams slid a plate of french toast in front of her husband and quickly kissed his cheek before moving back to the stove. Memphis Adams frowned as he reached for the syrup.

  “He doesn’t like that place. I think the teacher is mean to him.”

  Kennedy laughed and shook her head.

  “She is not mean to him.”

  “She picks on him.”

  “No she doesn’t.” Kennedy stacked the remainder of the toast on a plate and turned off the burner.

  “He always cries when I take him,” Memphis continued, drowning his food in the golden gooey topping.

  “Because he knows he can get away with it with you.” Kennedy sat opposite of him and gave him a stern look. “He gives you those sad puppy dog eyes and you immediately feel guilty and let him skip classes.”

  “Maybe we need to find him a new school.”

  “This is a new school. He has to learn, Memphis! I’m sick to death of having chewed furniture.”

  “He doesn’t chew the furniture—that much.” Memphis looked down at the floor by his feet were the six month old blue heeler slept and reached down to stroke behind his ears. “Do you? No. You’re a good boy.”

  Kennedy tried to hide her smile and failed miserably. It was impossible to do so as she watched bad boy Memphis Adams coo to a puppy. Who would have thought? But, then again, if someone had told her three years ago that she would be completely in love and married to her best friend, she would have given them directions to the nut house because clearly they were crazy.

  Funny how things changed. Back then Memphis had been a playboy and
she had been in an unfulfilling relationship. Friends for twelve years and nothing more until something as simple as a kiss one night three years ago had turned her entire world upside-down and made her see her best friend since college days in a whole new light. It was on a trip to Alaska with Memphis where she had fallen fast and hard for him.

  Not that everything had magically fallen into place—far from it. Many mistakes had been made, most of which had been Kennedy’s fault. But they had made it through the pain they had caused each other and came out better because of it.

  Memphis had moved in with her, and a few months later on the thirteenth “anniversary” of them meeting had proposed. They were married exactly a year later.

  Of course finally getting their shit together and saying “I do” wasn’t enough for their friends and family. Well, her family, and really only her mother since her father still disapproved that she had broken things off with a successful doctor to shack up with the “camera toting-motorcycle riding-globetrotting-ex-man whore.” Oh yeah. Kennedy definitely felt David Monroe’s feelings towards Memphis and it wasn’t feelings of love. He didn’t even refer to Memphis by name. It was always “that photographer” said with as much disdain as possible. She had been more surprised than anyone when he actually agreed to give her away.

  Kennedy knew Memphis couldn’t care less what her father thought of him. She actually thought a part of him got off on making his father-in-law’s life miserable. If she was being honest, a part of her liked it as well. It wasn’t like David approved of his daughter either ever since she dropped the career path he wanted for her and became an artist. They would never gain her father’s approval or blessings and both of them were more than fine with that.

  Others around them were getting antsy, however. Every time friends saw her, their eyes would immediately drop down to her stomach and they’d give a little pout of disappointment before quickly pulling themselves together when they saw no visible baby bump. Any time her mother called, she’d ask if anything was new in their lives only to have her hops quickly dashed when Kennedy told her, “Nope, nothing at all.”

  So what does a couple do when they’re hounded by friends, and the one family member, to start making babies?

  They get a puppy.

  Kennedy glanced at the floor and lost her smile.

  A puppy that was currently chewing her new heels.

  “Luke!” She shot up from the chair and tried to snatch the shoe away from him, only to end up in a game of tug-of-war. “Luke! Goddamn it!”

  Memphis quickly came to her aid and pried the puppy’s jaw open just enough so he lost his grip and the shoe was free. Kennedy shook it in Memphis’s direction.

  “Do you see now why he needs obedience training? These are $300 dollar shoes!”

  “Pretty expensive chew toys if you ask me.” Memphis’s wink and dimpled grin did nothing to cool her anger.

  “Memphis,” she growled through clenched teeth and glared at him. “This is serious.”

  “Come here, beautiful.” He reached for her hips and pulled her down on his lap. He buried his face in her neck, nuzzling her skin until she relaxed and closed her eyes. “I’ll buy you a new pair of shoes,” he whispered in her ear before closing his mouth over her lobe and doing things only he knew how to do to drive her completely insane.

  “I don’t want a new pair.” Her breathing hitched as she angled her neck and he kissed his way over her throat and up to her lips.

  “Then what do you want?” She felt his smile against her mouth as his lips teased hers.

  “I want the dog to listen.”

  “Hmm.” Memphis’s hand slid up her ribs and his fingers brushed over her nipple. “But he’s just a puppy, beautiful.”

  “Memphis?”

  “Hmm?”

  Kennedy shifted so she was straddling his lap, practically rocking on his arousal. The T-shirt she wore to sleep in rode up as Memphis slid his hands along her thighs, revealing nothing but bare skin. She placed her mouth to his ear and said, “You know that little red garter number that you love me to wear so much?”

  Memphis groaned. “Oh yeah.”

  “If you don’t take that dog to obedience training, I’m going to give it to him as his next chew toy.”

  Memphis’s grip on her hips tightened as he stood making Kennedy cry out in surprise and tighten her legs around his waist to keep from falling.

  “You heard the woman, Luke. We’re going to school—after I teach her a few things.”

  Kennedy laughed and looked down at his grinning face, shaking her head.

  “You don’t have time for that. The class starts in an hour and—”

  “I have plenty of time.”

  “And there’s traffic.”

  “I have time.”

  Memphis was halfway to the bedroom when the doorbell rang, stopping him in his tracks with a groan.

  “How much do you want to bet that’s Vanessa?” he grumbled, leaning Kennedy against the wall as he pressed his hips between her legs.

  Kennedy dropped her head back and cursed the plans she had made with her friend yesterday.

  “We’re . . . going shopping.”

  “Shopping can wait.” Memphis palmed her ass and she half laughed-half moaned.

  “Shopping can wait, yes. Vanessa waiting, though? Not a chance.”

  The doorbell rang again.

  “Ignore her,” Memphis said, distracting her with his hands.

  Sounded like a very good idea only . . .

  “Fuck, Memphis, she has a key. Remember?”

  He groaned again just as the pounding on the door started and the muffled warning yelled, “I’m giving you two minutes to get decent and then I’m coming in! We have important things to do today.”

  “We can always lock the bedroom door.”

  “Luke busted the knob the other night when he kept jumping up on it.”

  Memphis laughed and shook his head. “We need to get that dog some obedience training.” Reluctantly, he set her on her feet, brushing one of her stray black curls away from her eyes. “Tonight.”

  Kennedy nodded and stood on her toes to place a quick kiss on his lips before disappearing into their bedroom to dress. By the time she emerged, Memphis had started the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen.

  Vanessa was standing next to the counter, pulling apart pieces of French toast and stuffing them into her mouth. “ ’Bout time,” she mumbled around the food. She swallowed and looked at Memphis where he was squatted on the floor trying to get Luke’s leash on.

  “You have as much trouble tying down that dog as you did tying down my girl,” she teased.

  Memphis stood, finally having won the leash game, and flashed Vanessa a sexy grin, his mischievous eyes gleaming.

  “That’s what you think. Kennedy actually likes being tied down. Or up.”

  “No, no, not hearing this!” Vanessa cried, covering her ears with her hands and closing her eyes as if she were afraid they were going to give her a demonstration.

  “You two are ridiculous.” Kennedy shook her head but her smile gave away just how amusing she found them.

  Memphis wrapped his arms around her and whispered promises of picking up where they were interrupted later that night before giving her one last kiss and heading out the door, Luke happily trotting along behind him.

  “I knew you two were kinky,” Vanessa said as soon as the door closed and they were alone.

  Kennedy arched an eyebrow in her friend’s direction and smirked. “Are you telling me you and Joe aren’t adventurous?”

  Vanessa pursed her lips but remained silent.

  Kennedy laughed. “That’s what I thought. You don’t make four babies by having a stale love life.”

  Vanessa and her husband Joseph had gotten on the baby train and forgotten to get off. Blessed with a daughter three years ago, they also had eighteen month old twin boys and Vanessa was currently three months into her third pregnancy.

  “Speaking o
f babies, let’s go!” Vanessa cried, clapping her hands together and beaming. “I have to pick up the kids from daycare by noon, so I’m on borrowed time.”

  Kennedy hesitated just long enough for Vanessa to lose some of her enthusiasm.

  “What?”

  “We can go another day if you have other things to do. Or I can go by myself. It’s not a big deal. I shouldn’t need you there to hold my hand.”

  Vanessa gave her a knowing look.

  “It’s okay to be scared, Kennedy. I don’t have any plans today so don’t worry about that. But if you want to do this alone then you should.” Vanessa reached out and squeezed her hand. “I’m here for moral support in whatever way you need me to be.”

  “Ugh!” Kennedy dragged her hands through her hair, pulling on the roots. “Who would have thought this would be the hard part?” She shook her head and dropped her hands. “Forget it. I’m just being silly. Let’s go.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “No, but let’s go anyway.”

  Twenty minutes later, Kennedy was trying to fight off an anxiety attack of mixed emotions as they stood in an aisle at their local shopping center.

  “Oh, look.” Vanessa said, picking up one of the little boxes. “This one gives you smiley face.” She turned the box around to read the back and then frowned. “Never mind. It’s for ovulation testing only.”

  Kennedy watched her put the test back as the fear turned her stomach and started to expand into her chest making it hard to breathe. Fear and panic chased away any excitement she should feel right then. All she could think about was the last time she was standing in the spot she was at that moment and how it had ended.

  “Maybe I should wait,” she whispered, taking a step back. “Maybe it’s too soon.”

  Vanessa shifted, blocking her view of the pregnancy tests and placed her hands on her shoulders.

  “Kennedy, look at me.” More panic until Vanessa cupped her chin and made her focus. “It’s going to be okay, Kennedy.”

  The reassurance did nothing to stop the fear that filled her.

  “You don’t know that,” she whispered, tears suddenly stinging her eyes as she thought of everything she could possibly have with Memphis.