“No, it’s fine,” she said hastily. “I’ll go barefoot.” She slid her hand free and offered him a dazzling smile. “Thank you for chatting with me. It was nice to meet you.”
“Don’t I get a goodbye kiss?”
“Sure. Why not?” At least she could tell her friends she’d scored a kiss from a sexy farmer. She lifted her head, expecting a quick, polite peck on the mouth.
Instead, he framed her face with his hands, holding her firmly. He grinned as he lowered his lips. Her heartbeat stalled on seeing his intent. Then he was kissing her, slowly. Thoroughly. Not exactly the kiss for a first meeting, but she guessed the circumstances warranted different. His scent wrapped through her senses, and her knees went weak, only his strength holding her upright.
“Ahem.”
The loud interruption came from behind Susan.
Nolan pulled back and grinned over her shoulder. “Yeah, I know. Time for the next prospective wife.” He glanced down at her, his expression softening and brushed his fingers over her cheek. “Beneath the quick mind and sass, you’re very sensual. I like it.”
He released her hand and stepped back, leaving her reeling. Only the chuckle of the cameraman—his face once again concealed by his camera—jerked back her composure.
“Goodbye, Susan,” Nolan said.
“Goodbye.” Susan paused to yank the spike heels from the ground and padded to the edge of the gravel before slipping them on her feet. She replayed their conversation and came up with the conclusion.
She’d blown her speed date.
A little white lie has the power to bring a reformed bad boy to his knees.
Served Cold
© 2014 Marie Harte
Best Revenge, Book 1
Back in high school, Ann Weaver told herself getting ditched by Jack Bloom was for the best. At twenty-nine, she’s way over him. He was her first, but definitely not her last.
On weekly wine night with her friends, the talk turns to regrets—and Ann finds herself pledging to fix her past, starting with confronting those who treated her like dirt. Her first target: Jack, who’s recently moved back to town to stay.
But something’s different. He’s funny, kind, and amazing in bed. He acts like he really likes her, might even love her. Soon Ann is having a hard time remembering she’s only in it for revenge. Especially when she learns the real reason he dumped her.
Jack is older, wiser, and has a hell of a lot of experience behind him. For a chance at a future with this grown-up, gorgeous Ann, he’s ready to do whatever it takes. Until her true motive for rekindling their romance comes to light, and Jack must decide if forgiveness is enough to let love push through the lie.
Warning: A woman who’s out for revenge and encouraging friends rooting her on. May include sex in the outdoors, fun with salad, kissing in class, and a school teacher swearing like a sailor—not necessarily in that order.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Served Cold:
A few hours later, she left for Riley’s with a bottle of wine, a plate of cheese and crackers and a solid attitude. She didn’t even have to knock before the door opened.
“What took you so long?” Riley frowned at her, then smiled seeing the wine. “Ah. The price of admission. Welcome.” She took the food and wine from Ann’s hands before Ann could offer them.
“I feel so used.” Ann brushed past the chef of the Terrible Trio—what friends and family had labeled them back in elementary school—and found Maya sitting on the couch, already drinking. “Am I late?”
The frown on Maya’s face didn’t detract from her beauty. With rich coppery skin, dark hair, and dark eyes courtesy of her mother’s Native American roots, she made Ann feel like a pale frump by comparison. The blah redhead with freckles and an odd penchant for tanning—her one saving grace considering most redheads burned.
“I had a hell of a day,” Maya complained. “I mean, bad with a capital B.”
“Don’t ask.” Riley closed and locked the front door before making a beeline to the kitchen. Already the smells of freshly-baked something made Ann’s whole world better.
“So what happened?” Ann smirked when she heard Riley’s muffled groan.
“I’ll tell you what happened,” said Maya. “Some creep decided he didn’t like my prices on Etsy so he started two-starring my stuff. I mean, you don’t like the work, fine. But to rate me low because I charge for shipping, like everyone else? Suck it, dickhead.”
“Nice mouth,” Riley yelled from the kitchen.
Ann turned. “Why are you yelling? You’re like four steps away.” In a house with an open floor-plan. Just as cute and tiny as Ann’s place, Riley’s had all the charm of a fairytale cottage. Wooden floors, creamy walls, comfy furniture. And that dream kitchen where good, sugary things came to life.
“I’m yelling because she gets hard of hearing when she’s drunk.”
“I’m not there yet,” Maya protested. “Besides, I’m not drinking because I’m angry. I’m drinking because I’m hungry. Where the hell are my cookies?”
“Cookies and wine. Yum.” The combination clearly indicated the trio’s lack of sophistication. Just the way they liked it.
Ann settled beside Maya on the couch and watched Riley work. She looked more like a model than an actual baker, with cocoa skin, bright brown eyes, straight black hair pulled back into a ponytail, and a face that could have made millions in advertising.
Tonight, Ann felt uglier than usual around her friends. She sighed. “Geez, Riley. Do you ever sweat?”
“You want my bodily fluids in your food? Really?”
Maya grimaced. “Christ. I’m drinking here. Do you mind?”
Riley snorted. “Whatever. Just make sure you use a coaster.”
“Yes, Mein Fuhrer.”
Riley flipped her off with a dough-covered finger.
Apparently done riling the cook, Maya tugged Ann to face her. “So, my day might have been bad, but yours is gonna get a whole lot worse. Get some wine in you.”
Dreading the bad news Maya looked all too gleeful to share, Ann fetched herself a glass and sat back down. “Go ahead. Shoot.”
“Drink first,” Riley ordered from the kitchen. “You’ll thank me later.”
“So you know too?” Ann took a sip and eased into the couch. Better to be relaxed when getting hit by a mental two-by-four, in her opinion.
Maya blew out a heavy breath and announced, “Jack’s back.”
Ann faltered a moment, then took another sip. A big one. “Jack Bloom?” As if Ann cared about any other jack-off. She mentally high-fived herself for the pun.
Maya regarded her with concern. “You okay?”
“I teach his nephew. I expected to hear about him at some point from his family. I mean, Josh is in my class.” She shrugged, trying to appear casual. “So he’s back in town visiting?”
“Back in town to stay, or so the rumor mill is spinning.” Maya finished off her wine, then started on the cheese plate.
“How do you eat so much and stay skinny?”
Maya shrugged. “Bad genes.”
They chuckled. It was no secret Maya had issues with her long deceased mother. Old wounds took a long time to heal, a lot like Ann’s emotional quagmire anytime she thought about Jack Bloom. “He’s back.”
“That’s what I said.” Maya watched her. “So?”
“So what?”
“So vent a little. Remind us all again what a stupid, lousy creep he was for breaking your tender heart at sixteen.”
“Seventeen. And we’ve been through this too many times to count.”
“Come on. He’s a loser and a shithead for getting you pregnant and dumping you in the same breath. For choosing Selena Thorpe of all people, a girl with breasts bigger than a pair of Goodyear Blimps.” Maya was on a roll. “For taking back his ring when he
had the nerve to—”
Riley cut in from the kitchen, “Let’s be fair. Ann didn’t even know she was pregnant before suddenly she wasn’t. A blessing in disguise, I’m thinking. And it’s not like he dumped her because he found out. He never knew.”
Jack had never known about it, and she planned to keep it that way. A senior in high school planning to go to college, she hadn’t even thought about having a child. That nature had decided she wasn’t ready helped ease the grief she’d had over the incident. It still didn’t seem quite real, as if the experience had happened to someone else long ago. A faint memory, a bittersweet relief.
“But he ruined you.”
Ann frowned. “You know, Maya, you don’t have to be so dramatic about everything.”
“Yeah, right,” Riley added. “Drama’s her middle name.”
“Fine. ‘Ruined’ might be harsh. But the way he dumped you for that bitch Selena was just wrong, any way you look at it.” She held up her glass.
Ann clinked it with her own. “Well, that’s true. But my cousin told me that Selena’s on her third marriage, so karma’s on a roll.”
“I love karma.” Maya smiled. “Still, you need to get prepared to face that jerk. And let’s be honest. He might not have ruined you, but you sure don’t trust guys the way you used to. Not enough to date for more than a few weeks before you dump them. That all goes back to Jack.”
“Not true.”
Riley joined them with a plate of cookies. “I have to agree with Maya on this one. Not all guys are selfish idiots with the compassion of radishes.”
“Radishes?” Maya cocked her head.
“I’m in cooking mode. Gimme a break. Look, Ann, your parents are happy. And your dad is obviously a guy.”
“No, really?”Ann deadpanned, but Riley talked over her.
“He can’t be a total loser or your mom would have dumped him years ago, right?”
Maya agreed. “I love your dad. My dad’s awesome, and Riley’s was great too. I mean, he didn’t kill her at birth and throw her back to the wolves, even though she was a scrawny, ugly thing. A lot like she is today.”
Riley rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’m so thankful he didn’t murder his own child because I’m so hideous.” She’d lost him to cancer at a young age, but by all accounts Darius Hewitt had been an amazing man. “The point, Ann, is that you’ve let what Jack did mess you up when it comes to dating.”
“Oh, and you’re any better? How’s your love life?”
Maya snickered. “Try nonexistent. Say what you want about me, but when I want sex, I get it.”
“Sure you do, Miss Ass,” Riley mocked.
“Jealous?”
“Please. This baby got back.” Riley smiled and bit off the head of a sugar cookie man.
“You guys are terrible for my ego, you know that? After a week of dealing with hyperactive children, I’m told that I’m scared of men and made super-aware that I’m the only one of us that has no ass.” Ann drank more wine.
“Ann, get real. You’re petite and hot. All the guys are after you.” Maya helped herself to a cookie and bit the man’s legs off. “I love these.”
“You’re welcome.” Riley turned back to Ann. “She’s right. You could date, you just choose not to.”
“I’m selective. That’s not a bad trait.” She pointedly glanced at Maya—the polar opposite of selective—who ignored her.
“So what’s the plan?” Riley asked. “How are you going to handle Jack?”
“I’ll handle him just fine. Don’t worry about me. But you? I saw Anson yesterday.” A blunt effort to change the subject, and it worked.
Riley’s eyes burned. “That hack? I thought he lived in Portland.”
“Apparently he’s back. Dexter’s in town too.” Dexter Black, Anson’s cousin.
Maya choked on her cookie, then downed some more wine to clear her throat. “What’s going on? Did hell freeze over?”
Ann smiled at the happy coincidence, no longer the only one under the gun. “It seems that fate has given us back our worst enemies. Time for some do-overs, ladies. I tell you what. I’ll deal with Jack, and I won’t be pleasant. Aren’t you guys always telling me that I’m too nice?”
They nodded.
“Not this time. How about some payback on the golden boy for treating me like crap? If he has the audacity to even try talking to me, I’ll make him wish he’d never come back.”
“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Maya said.
“Oh, you’ll see it. But you two have to stand up for yourselves too. Maya, you need to deal with the one boy who got the better of you. And, Riley, maybe you can finally put your rival in his place. What do you say?”
Talking about vengeance out loud had empowered Ann. Finally, she’d get Jack out of her mind and her dreams. Confront him head on, say what she’d been dreaming about saying for years, then leave him with his proverbial tail between his legs. Oh yeah, that totally had appeal.
Maya just stared at her.
“What?”
“Color me impressed. You sound a little mean, Ms. Wea-ver,” she ended in a singsong voice, imitating any one of Ann’s students.
“Hey, you try to deal with twenty six- and seven-year-olds all day. It turns you nasty.”
“If she can do it, I can for sure.” Riley rubbed her hands together and gave an evil laugh. “Anson Black, you are so going down.”
“No reneging,” Maya warned. “We see this through. It’ll make us all stronger in the end. Confronting fears, handling the past—”
“Eating more cookies,” Ann recommended, and bit right into her cookie’s nether region.
“Ouch.” Riley laughed and held up her own headless sugar man. “A toast to us. And may revenge be as sweet as the icing on my cakes.”
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
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Part-Time Lovers
Copyright © 2014 by Shelley Munro
ISBN: 978-1-61922-355-4
Edited by Holly Atkinson
Cover by Erin Dameron-Hill
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First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: November 2014
www.samhainpublishing.com
Part-Time Lovers: Clare Chronicles, Book 1 Page 12