Best Laid Plans (32 page)

His insistent mouth found its
way home to plunder her eager lips. His hungry kiss absorbed her very breath
and made her gasp and shudder against his virile frame. Her soft breasts were
crushed against his hair-roughened chest and the friction of hard flesh against
silken skin gave her instant gratification.

From inside the house came the
deafening sound of Big Ben striking the witching hour: a sound that
reverberated and invaded their private world of pleasure. At the twelfth chime
Virginia found herself released. Suddenly shy, she turned away and hastily
restored her twisted bodice.

The Bandit's hands slid around
her waist and pulled her back against him. "Now we can get rid of these
damn masks." His voice was ragged as his lips nuzzled her ear. "I
want to see what you look like, my passionate Rabbit."

Her body temperature dropped
ten degrees, and her pulse rate and blood pressure plummeted below
life-sustaining levels.

Remove her mask!

Virginia froze. Her mouth went
dry. Her muscles tensed.

Why, she'd sooner take off her
costume and stand before him completely naked!

It may be irrational. It may be
insane. But the mask was her shield, her protection. Without it - without it
this fantasy would end, this passionate woman would cease to exist. Names would
be applied to faces. The magic would end. She didn't want that. She wanted to
sustain the illusion. She wanted…no need to postpone reality.

She was suddenly cold sober and
completely sensible.
All right, mental wizard
, Virginia challenged
herself.
Think of something. Think of a way out of this mess. Think of a way
to be safe and free.

Virginia turned in the Bandit's
arms, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "Why don't we make a little game
of it." Her voice caressed him with coy persuasion while her fingers
walked a titillating path across his bare chest to the base of his throat. At
his arched brow Virginia gave a light flirtatious laugh and pulled him toward
the balcony railing. "Untie your mask, but don't turn around until you count
to five."

"All things considered,
don't you think this is a little silly," came his dry quip.

"Oh, darling Bandit, it is
a party." She fluttered her lashes and pouted prettily. "Humor me,
please."

He sighed and gave a resigned
shrug. "All right, honey, but I'm a fast counter."

Virginia gave him a warm smile
and pressed a quick kiss at the corner of his handsome mouth. Her last smile
was the brightest. Her last kiss the sweetest.

Moving to stand behind him, she
carefully edged back toward the marble staircase that led to the grounds. She
watched his fingers work to unknot the scarf mask, and then she slipped off her
high heels, turned, and silently fled down the steps.

Her feet were swift, sure
vehicles carrying her down the twisting incline. Bramble bushes reached out and
snagged her body as if to block her escape.

Virginia heard his shout and
quickly increased her speed. The queue of cars loomed before her like a massive
metal serpent. She ran in the direction of Diane's yellow VW, crouching low
when she heard the ringing of the Bandit's shoes on the pavement and the
increasing anger in his voice. Bumpers and fenders shielded her from his view;
her stockings were tattered silken threads that were welded to her
perspiration-soaked legs.

Virginia sneaked a look and
relaxed when she spied the Bandit's tall figure turn and run in the opposite
direction. Quickly she pulled open the car door and slithered into the cramped
backseat. She yanked the bunny ears from her hair and pulled an old blanket
over her trembling body. Here she lay, uncomfortably curled on the tiny seat,
gnawing her lip till it bled, and praying the Bandit would give up his search.

One Way or Another
(original
title:
Tender Yearnings 1981
) was written because I was told not to
write it! That romance readers didn't want books where the heroine had a
family, especially when they appeared in the same novel. How silly! So Abigail
Wetherby was born, along with her mother and sister. Not only that, but my
hero, Nick Maxwell came equipped with a father who fell in love with Abby's
mom. I hope you will fall in love with this 'contemporary classic' and enjoy a
time-capsule of the way we were.

Meet Abby, computer killer and
prickly proprietress of the Cove Bookshop in Camden Cove, Virginia. She's a
woman with many secrets, a mother and sister she fiercely protects, and a
secluded, quiet life that has become a bit boring.

Enter Nick Maxwell, a man
determined to bring Abby to her knees and into his arms – but he had more than
a few secrets of his own.

But Nick could certainly pack
one sexy picnic basket for two, shared not under a blue moon but in a turret
room!

One Way or Another –
romantic classic – by Elaine Raco Chase

Wednesday, her first day back
at work, Abby had been delighted when Nick arrived to share her lunch hour. He
had packed the rattan picnic hamper with fresh shrimp salad, warm rolls from
the bakery, grapes, and iced tea. Abby had taken him up the twisting wrought
iron staircase to the third floor turret room that housed a small collection of
old books and journals that her aunt had acquired.

Nick had become particularly fascinated with a set of
ten journals that belonged to a sea captain living in Camden during the early eighteenth
century. His detailed account of colonial life and his sea voyages undertaken
to carry his precious cargoes of tobacco back to England provided Nick with a
fascinating journey back into time.

They had continued the habit of returning to their quiet
haven each midday, Abby leaving behind the growing summer crowd of customers
and the ringing telephone; Nick gratefully enjoying a respite from his typing
and a chance to recharge his mind.

"Rapunzel would have unwound her golden hair for
me to climb," he had teased earlier that day as they made their way up the
circular staircase.

Abby turned and laughed, wrinkling her nose at him.
"If you had wanted a girl with long tresses, you should have arrived a
couple of weeks sooner," she retorted with mock annoyance, ruffling her
short, sun kissed crop of brown curls.

The air-conditioned room with its amber-tinted windows
cast a cool, golden glow of welcome on the couple. Nick once again had settled
himself on a thick, plaid floor pillow and resumed his laborious readings of
the journals that told of the Tidewater area over two centuries ago. Abby opted
to wedge herself on the padded seat of the curved bay window and tried to
choose what style of calendar she should order from an assortment of pre-season
brochures that had arrived at the shop.

"Well," she gave a resigned sigh, one of
seemingly a hundred she had emitted during the last hour. "I've finally
decided to order recipes, ocean scenes, and cartoons with witty sayings,"
she announced, letting her spoon clank against the sides of the empty plastic
yogurt container that she set on the floor. "That would just about cover
women, men, and anything in between. What do you think, Nick?" She held up
the three sample calendars she had selected for his opinion and was
disconcerted by the odd expression on his rugged features.

"Oh, dear," she mused, her forehead
puckering as she sifted through the folder on her lap, "do you think
animals, antiques, and household hints would be better?" She held up three
other choices.

Nick shook his head, his lips twisting into a lopsided
smile.

"Don't you like any of them? Nick? Nick, why are
you looking at me like that?" She stopped, watching in mesmerized
fascination his catlike fluidity of movement as he joined her on the window seat.

The devilish glint in his brown eyes made her feel
quite breathless. Her heart beat a frenzied tattoo when his fingers teasingly
traced the sensitive blue vein on the inside of her bare arm before settling on
the collar of her pink cotton blouse. "I just never thought watching
anyone eat could be such an erotic experience."

"Nick." Abby's eyes widened perceptively,
her cheeks suffusing with color under his disturbing, sensuous gaze and his
outrageous statement. She heard rather than saw the brochures flutter to the
floor, unable to concentrate on anything but the nearness of his face and the
intoxicating aroma of his spice aftershave.

His tongue lightly traced the outline of her trembling
half-parted lips, tasting their sweetness before his mouth possessed hers in a
long, sensuous kiss that made her feel dizzy and weightless. Her hands slid
caressingly up his arms to his shoulders before linking around his neck,
drawing him infinitely closet "I'll have to make sure strawberry yogurt is
put on the aphrodisiac list," she teased breathlessly before his mouth
moved roughly back to claim hers with hungry urgency.

Flames of passion seared into her body wherever his
skilled hands touched her, arousing her to equal his own savage desire. His
hands moved slowly across her back, pulling her soft, pliant body close to his
own. He leaned back, taking her weight against his chest, until they were both
reclining.

His mouth left hers to explore the soft curve of her jaw.
She arched her throat, silently encouraging him to explore it with his lips.
His teeth lightly nipped the swelling flesh of her rounded breasts revealed by
the low neckline of her blouse, his tongue exploring the scented valley he
found there. Her hands tangled in the vibrant depths of his dark hair, reveling
in its thick, springy vitality. His mouth again sought hers, their breath
becoming one in a unique dialogue. Her own passion was as heightened as his;
only the thin material of their clothing separated them from complete
fulfillment. Her body arched sensuously and pressed closer against him, unconsciously
pleading for complete possession.

"Necking in the turret room?" Dee's amused
voice sliced through the emotionally charged atmosphere like a cold shower.
"Here I am starving to death, ready to faint, customers coming out of my
ears, the phone hasn't stopped ringing...which reminds me, Nick, your father
called. He wants you to stop at the market and pick up some groceries. I've got
the list, he's making something French for dinner and…"

"One of these days I am going to get you totally
and completely alone," Nick growled, his voice low and strained in her
ear.

Released from his captive embrace, Abby gave her
sister a rather pained smile, stood up, and straightened her bright floral wrap
skirt. With supreme effort, she and Nick dutifully listened to Dee's tirade.

Ever think a birthday cake and
sunshine(rather than moonshine) could cause such a sexual reaction? Well it
does in
Double Occupancy
.
All Casey Reynolds wanted was a
nice relaxing vacation. Instead, she ended up with one alpha-male who refused
to leave her borrowed villa! Double Occupancy has been on FB's Top 50 books to
read after
50 Shades of Grey
list for 12 weeks (9/14/2012). It's
an erotic romance with no BDSM – just a romantic comedy that has garnered great
reviews. Hope you'll try it!

Double Occupancy by
Elaine Raco Chase

Casey had been taking advantage
of the condo's private sundeck when Travis had come marching onto the penthouse
roof carrying a birthday cake decorated with lit candles.  "Happy
birthday to – good heavens!"  His song sputtered to a halt. 
"What on earth are you doing?"

"I am celebrating my
birthday."

"By lying naked in the
sun?"

"This is my birthday
suit."  She opened her eyes and grinned at him.  "It has
taken me thirty years to actually feel comfortable enough to sunbathe in the
nude.  And what more perfect a place than right up here."  Casey
waved her hand gracefully at her surroundings.  "The only person
watching is that lecherous pelican sitting on the wood pilings."

"And me." 
Travis corrected her.  He placed the cake on the umbrella-shaded patio
table, then seated himself on the edge of the wide red-wood lounge chair. 
"You should really wear something."  He reached into the breast
pocket of his tan knit shirt and pulled out a gold-foil-wrapped box. 
"Happy birthday."

"Travis!"  Casey
eagerly ripped open the package and lifted the top.  Twisted serpentine
links of gold winked brilliantly in the sun.  "Oh…it's beautiful." 
She breathed, then looked at him anxiously.  "But it must have cost a
fortune and –"

"No if's, ands, or buts
allowed."  He argued cheerfully.  Travis picked up the necklace,
locked it around her throat, and let his fingers press the rich gold chain
against her tanned skin.

"I love it." 
Casey slid her arms around his neck.  "And I love you." 
She placed a feather light kiss on the corner of his mouth.  Travis had
stopped smiling, the intensity of his amber gaze made her shiver despite the
sun.

"You taste and smell like
buttered coconut."  His tongue meandering leisurely down the side of
her neck to the valley between her breasts.