Mari Carr's Blog, page 112
November 22, 2010
Naughty November Party!
Over at the Heat Wave yahoo group, all day today, we're hosting a Naughty November party. Everyone's invited to come read some juicy excerpts of the latest International Heat releases. We'll be featuring snippets from Jayne Rylon, Rhian Cahill, Jambrea Jo Jones, me and others! There may even be a contest or two. Come hang out with us.
November 21, 2010
Public Service Announcement
This is as much for me as for y'all. I got a Kindle for my birthday. Love the thing more than words can say. I mean it is seriously one of the greatest inventions since beer, Reese's Cups, and iTunes. However, like with most new things, there are always questions that pop up.
The main one I hear is why are Ellora's Cave books SO expensive on Amazon. I'm not going to lie to you–they are WAY expensive. It has something to do with honoring contracts and giving Amazon their HUGE cut. However, did you know you don't have to buy EC books from Amazon in order to get them on your Kindle? Just pop over to the EC website, www.jasminejade.com and buy the .prc (Mobipocket) version. Plug in your USB and drag the thing on to your Kindle. If you buy the books directly from Ellora's Cave, you'll pay nearly a third less what you'd pay on the Amazon site. For example, Sugar and Spice will cost you $7.12 from Amazon, but only $4.45 at EC.
I'm always looking for the best deal and as far as EC books, buying directly from the site is the way to go. Ellora's Cave has a page on their website dedicated to telling readers which format to buy for each reader. I thought I'd share the link with you.
Okay…I'd like to act like I'm just naturally this smart, but Jayne Rylon explained this to me this morning and showed me the link. Got so excited, I wanted to share!
November 20, 2010
Saturday Snippet
When I think of this week's theme, birthdays–one book immediately comes to mind. Tequila Truth. The whole story starts with a birthday celebration that leads to much, much more!
Excerpt:
"What is your ultimate sex fantasy?" Heath filled the shot glasses with Jose Cuervo.
Colt grinned while Kylie groaned. "Christ. Surely we've answered that one before?" She knew they hadn't, but this particular question made her uncomfortable. Quite frankly, she didn't think her two testosterone-laden buddies were ready to hear about her fantasies. They believed her desires to be somewhat chaste. Silly men.
The trio had been following this same tradition since the early days of their friendship. Kylie initiated the celebration, calling it Tequila Truth, explaining that birthdays should be a time of reflection. The concept of the game was simple. The birthday boy—or girl in her case—posed a question and then each member drank a shot of tequila and answered. The only rule was the answer had to be completely honest.
Unfortunately, her attempt to bring deep introspection to her male roommates fell quite a bit short of the mark. They'd played the game since their freshman year of college and Heath's questions always revolved around sex.
"Nope." Heath began reciting past questions while ticking them off on his fingers. "Past questions have included your dream bed partner, strangest place you ever had sex and lost-virginity stories, but no sexual fantasies. I was saving this one up special." He gave her a naughty grin that let her know he wasn't fooled by her reluctance to share. By now, both men knew her well enough to know if she was holding back or wasn't being completely honest.
"For heaven's sake, Heath, why don't you try to play this game with some semblance of maturity? After all, you are twenty-five this year."
"That's an easy one." Colt licked the salt off his hand, downed the tequila and sucked the lime. Licking his lips, he settled in for a long story. He was nothing if not an imaginative storyteller. "I've got this busty blonde all to myself on a desert island. We're stranded and she's completely at my mercy. Begging me to save her and all that crap. She's wearing nothing but a bikini top and thong, as all of her clothes were ripped off during the shipwreck."
Kylie interrupted at this point. "Holy hell, Colt. Why do these imaginary women of yours always have to be blonde and stupid?"
Heath and Colt laughed, but she merely raised her eyebrow, waiting for his response.
Colt stopped laughing when she failed to join in. "Oh, that was a serious question? I thought it was one of those rhetorical ones."
She grinned despite herself. Colt was the ultimate male chauvinist pig and, for some inexplicable reason, she adored him anyway. He and Heath were the best friends she'd ever had and she didn't doubt both of them would lay down their lives for her. They'd mistaken her for a male—Kyle, not Kylie—when she wrote expressing a desire to share an apartment with them during their first year of college.
To soften the blow of their mistake, she'd pulled out a bottle of tequila her first night in residence. Her older brother had given it to her as a going-away present, unbeknownst to their parents. As it was her eighteenth birthday, she started the Tequila Truth game thinking it would be a great way for them to get to know one another. Several drunken hours later, the three of them were as thick as thieves and had never lived apart since.
"So what are you doing to this blonde with questionable intellect?" Heath, as always, was relishing Colt's detailed descriptions.
"Well, I don't know if you know this about me or not, but I'm a man who likes to be in control."
She gasped, as if amazed, and laid her hand on her heart. "No, absolutely not. I will never believe that of you."
He grinned at her sarcasm and continued. "There's some rope that's washed up from the shipwreck and this chick is hot for me. I mean way hot. She starts begging me to take her."
At this point in his story Kylie faked a bored yawn, but he continued anyway. "I grab the rope and take her over to a coconut tree. I throw the rope over one of the low-lying branches and tie her hands above her head."
"Have you ever seen a coconut tree?" she asked. "The branches are miles off the ground."
"Shit, it doesn't matter what kind of tree. Kylie, will you let me finish?"
"Fine," she answered shortly, pressing her thighs together. The problem with his fantasy was she knew exactly where it was going and she would be hard-pressed to hide her reaction. The idea of being tied up and left completely at a man's mercy was certainly pretty high on her list of fantasies as well. Definitely in the top five.
"So I tie her to the tree with her hands above her head. She's helpless that way and her whole body is mine to explore and possess. I pull the thong down her legs and throw it into the sea. I tell her on this island, she'll always be naked, that she will never hide her body from me. I can tell she likes the way I'm talking to her, all stern and powerful and shit, because she starts squirming and whimpering."
Kylie struggled to stop reacting in completely the same way.
"I tell her to open her legs and she does. When I touch her, the woman is dripping wet and hotter than hell. I nearly come in my pants right there because I want her so bad. I reach into the back pocket of my ripped-up shorts and pull out a knife."
He paused briefly and looked at her. No doubt he expected her to make some smartass comment about the convenience of having a knife, but she was struggling to catch her breath, overwhelmed by her own arousal.
Colt, satisfied with her silence, continued talking. "I use the knife to cut off her bikini top and I have to step away because I'm telling you this girl is stacked, with a capital S. She's got these enormous big brown nipples and they are pointing straight at me."
He continued describing the woman's body in detail until finally she cried, "Enough. I think we get the picture."
"I'm not sure I do," Heath joked and she sent him a nasty look. "Maybe visuals would help. I've got some dirty magazines in my closet leftover from high school days. We could find a model who fits your description."
"Can I help it if I'm a breast man?" Colt asked the question with a look of injured innocence that fooled her not one bit.
"That's a rhetorical question, right?" she asked and then lifted her hand in a gesture that said continue.
"Well, I was going to go in to detail about how I suck the life out of those babies, but I can skip ahead. You get the picture."
"Hell yeah, I do. This fantasy is a thing of beauty." Heath sighed with appreciation apparently enjoying Colt's answer to his question.
"So once we're both good and hot, I take off my shorts and tell her to wrap her legs around my waist. She's holding on to the rope around her wrists and this woman is strong. She uses her toned legs and arms to fuck the hell out of my cock while she's hanging there naked from the tree. She's driving her cunt down on me hard and it's all I can do to hold on to her hips."
She swallowed hard as she imagined the woman riding him. Problem was the blonde wasn't a blonde, but a redhead who looked suspiciously like her.
Heath adjusted his pants under the table without bothering to hide his arousal. If there was one thing she had gotten used to in seven years of living with these men, it was that they were always functioning at half-mast. Shit, a strong breeze could arouse her roommates—she never ceased to be amazed by their intense sexuality. Over the years, she'd watched the revolving door of women who passed in and out of their lives and she'd heard enough moaning and banging headboards through the walls to last her a lifetime.
She consoled herself with the thought that through it all, she was the one constant woman in Colt and Heath's lives. Through college graduation and first jobs, broken hearts and promotions, she was the steady one, the reliable one, their buddy with boobs.
"That was hot, Colt, but not as hot as mine." Heath poured another round of shots.
"So hit us with your best shot." Colt picked up his tequila, clearly enjoying his pun and ready to continue with the drinking part of the celebration.
Heath drank his tequila shot and leaned forward. "In my fantasy, I've got this smokin' hot babe spread across my lap and I'm spanking her full, firm ass. It's flushed red with my handprint and she's moving into my smacks while her arousal is dripping down her legs. She's begging me for more and I'm giving it to her. Then she starts pleading for my hard cock. When I think she's been punished enough, I push her down to the floor and tell her get on her hands and knees. Then I fuck her from behind, hard and fast. She's so hot she's burning the flesh off me, but I don't care. I keep pounding into her tight cunt, while she's crying and screaming for more."
She sat motionless after his fantasy for several moments before she realized her mouth was gaping and she closed it.
Colt shook his head in obvious disgust. "That's the problem with you, Heath. No foreplay. That was the worst description of a fantasy I've ever heard. You don't build the scene or give good descriptions. You just go straight to the climax, so to speak." When he finished chuckling about his second pun, he pushed her shot glass closer to her. "So what about you, little darlin'?"
Taking a deep breath, she licked the salt, swallowed the burning alcohol and skipped the lime. Before she could think about it, she heard her unspoken dream falling out of her mouth.
"In my ultimate sex fantasy, two guys are taking me the way you both described…at the same time."
Tequila Truth is available at Samhain, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, All Romance Ebooks, and Fictionwise.
November 18, 2010
Reviews – Friday I'm in Love
This week I'm featuring reviews of Friday I'm in Love, book five in the Wild Irish series. I think this story may be one of my personal faves from the series and it was my first EC book to get a romantic comedy icon! Woot!
From Night Owl Reviews.
"I can't express how much I recommend this book and this series. From sweet love to sly humor to playful interaction to just plan enjoyable reading, this book has it all. I'm going to hate when all the Collins get their happily ever after but I also can't wait until the next book!" Night Owl Reviews Top Pick! – Terri
From Dark Divas Reviews.
"As a reader/reviewer I have read many books by many authors, but never have I had a book touch me so much as Mari Carr's, Friday I'm In Love.The emotion between Natalie and Ewan is touching, but there are scenes with just Natalie, that broke my heart. I mean truly real tissue moments." – Deb
From Happily Ever After Reviews.
"I loved the main characters, Ewan and Natalie because they were well rounded and easily believable. The fact that Ewan loves Natalie enough to try and win her heart is brilliant. There were times when I was laughing, giggling, crying, and/or all three at the same time. This novel really touched my heart!" – Drew
From The Romance Readers Connection.
"This is a delightful and delicious continuation of the various stories about these siblings. This novel is filled with passion and exploration as Ewan takes the seven days of her visit to convince Natalie to experiment and try some new life experiences." – Jeri
From The Book Binge.
"Carr has continued to exhibit such inventive ways so the characters literally "jump" off the page, and her creativity in developing the plot and story line are obvious. This is truly, truly a love story." – Judith
From The Blackraven's Reviews.
"Friday I'm in Love is as much fun as the other books in the Wild Irish series, but Ms. Carr kicks it up a notch by delving into deeper emotional waters. Natalie is a complex character battling dark emotions, and Ewan's outgoing and laid back personality perfectly complements Natalie's more serious nature. Friday I'm in Love is highly erotic, and Ms. Carr ratchets up the sexual tension between Ewan and Natalie." – Kathy
From Siren Book Reviews.
"This is the most perfect love story. I have read every one of these stories in Mari Carr's Irish Series and she has not let us down yet. You will be cheering for Ewan in his pursuit to win Nat's heart, and you will admire the courage that Natalie faces with her own inner demons." - Yvette
From JERR.
"Friday I'm in Love had everything I am looking for in a romance. Ewan is this wonderful man who takes Natalie by storm and just won't give up no matter how much she throws at him. He was full of patience and kindness not only to Natalie but to everyone he comes into contact with in Friday I'm in Love. Natalie was a character that I related to on so many levels. The fear, the anxiety and the depression. Mari Carr kept the story light but she did not take the subject of depression and try to turn it into a joke." – Marc
November 16, 2010
Thank you!
Lately I've been receiving some really lovely emails from readers through the comments section on this site. I don't think there are words to express how much I appreciate receiving them. The fact that a reader would take the time to email about a story or inquire about future book plans touches me more than you know. I always try to respond in a timely manner to your emails. (I will say that lately I've been falling behind on that–killer case of bronchitis is kicking me around right now. I'm on day three of antibiotics and still coughing non-stop, but I digress…).
Sadly, because of deadlines on other stories and an EDJ workload that's killing me, I wasn't able to write a holiday freebie this year. I thought I would remind you in case you missed the previous two holiday freebies, they can be found at www.samhellion.com. The easiest way to find my two stories, In the Running (a companion to Erotic Research) and Nice is Naughty (a companion to Tequila Truth) is to type my name in the search bar.
Also a reminder that I have a free read at Ellora's Cave titled Scoring, that goes along with Retreat and Covert Lessons. You can download it from EC, Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
And once again, thank you for the kind messages. This year, I'm thankful for you!
November 13, 2010
Saturday Snippet
This week's theme is much better than last week's weep-fest. LOL. Today our plan is to make you laugh! As soon as I saw the theme, I knew I would share a snippet from my latest Ellora's Cave release, Saturday Night Special. I like to joke that my hope is to grow up to be the dirty Evanovich. Saturday Night Special was my first attempt at that goal! I like to call it a cross between I Love Lucy and The Hangover. This excerpt shows the hero and heroine (Aaron and Riley) meeting a hooker in Vegas whom they hope will be able to give them some information in regards to their missing friend.
Excerpt:
After a very late lunch, Riley and Aaron headed back to the spot where the clerk at Sal's said they would find Bubbles. They'd nearly reached the corner when Riley stopped mid-stride.
"Holy shit," she muttered, her gaze falling on Bubbles.
Aaron had gone two steps farther when he spotted the woman as well and halted.
"Jesus," he said.
Riley stood rooted to the spot, blinking several times. The clerk hadn't been lying about Bubbles' love of animal prints, but she hadn't really fully appreciated his joke about them not loving her until this moment.
Aaron walked back toward her. "Wow." His grin proved he was enjoying Riley's reaction.
Riley looked at him and shook her head in disbelief. "Tit Mecca."
"Oh yeah," he agreed. "Not sure I've ever seen…" His words faded away unfinished as he turned to look at the hooker again.
"That woman has managed to squeeze her 34DDD boobs into an extra-small shirt. It's like…"
"Like she's defying gravity," Aaron finished for her. "The animal print certainly accentuates her…"
"Her everything."
Riley studied Bubbles, prying her eyes away from the woman's chest to take in the rest of her. She was tall, close to six feet—not including her hair, which added at least another three or four inches to her towering frame. Her hair was long, teased to within an inch of its life and—as they'd been warned—pink. Hot pink. Her dark skin and eyes betrayed her Hispanic heritage and she was wearing a wildly patterned spandex shirt that barely contained her girls.
Riley could now understand the woman's nickname. Her "bubbles" were very impressive, given the fact the woman possessed such a lanky frame. She wasn't sure how Bubbles was remaining upright with all that weight in front. She had on super-tight pants that outlined her shapely ass and legs, and strangely, despite her crazy outfit and hair, Riley considered Bubbles one of the most beautiful women she'd ever seen.
Aaron turned to face her again and from the corner of her eye, she saw his smile grow.
"You doing okay, Riley?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Think I just got my first serious girl crush."
He laughed. "On Bubbles? Jesus, I'm gonna have to get you out of Vegas soon. You're starting to fit in here."
"Didn't know this place was Titty City. Don't you think she looks sort of hot?"
"I'm trying to look at her face, Riley, I swear to God. It's just—those boobs. It's like a train wreck. I can't make myself look away."
She laughed. "Men. So typical. Come on. Let's see if she knows where Bella is."
Saturday Night Special is available at Ellora's Cave, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Sony.
November 11, 2010
Reviews – Rekindled
This week I thought I'd share reviews from my second cowboy quickie at Ellora's Cave. I do have plans in place for a third quickie. Hope to begin writing it soon. Thinking of calling it Ignite. What do y'all think?
From Ebook Addict Reviews:
"I definitely feel that Ms. Carr put a unique spin on the reunited lover's story. She has become a favorite author of mine, and I highly recommend this tale." – Nixie
From HEA Reviews
"Mari Carr sizzles once again showing her ability as a master of the quickie." – Kris
From Night Owl Reviews:
"The smoldering sensuality the two generate is hot to read and make this quick read go even faster. The little surprise at the end was the bow on the package. Recommended." – Chris
From Dark Divas:
"Ms. Carr gives you a powerful story that will have you begging for more with the turn of every page." -Deb
From The Book Binge:
"This is a beautifully told short story, with a simple plot that is well developed, characters that are rife with flaws but to whom a reader can relate, and a well-described context set in the modern world. Ms Carr has always done well in outlining and filling in the blanks in writing romance, and she has done well here, in spite of the fact that a short story format is often more challenging than a full sized novel. She has proven the ability to work with an economy of words, and that is one of the major characteristics of a very good writer." -Judith
From Seriously Reviewed:
"Great hook, great characters, great sex, and an ending that not only sizzled but satisfied. The story has a nice pace to make the development of Jeb and Claire's rekindled relationship believable."
From Siren Book Reviews:
"Mari Carr's story may be short and sweet, and leave the reader wanting so much more, but with stories like this, Mari Carr will be a hit for a long time. It's my first read by this author, and I was not disappointed." – Nikki
November 9, 2010
What's New?
I have a page on my website called In Progress. See that lovely link up there to the right. My original goal was to update that page every week. Snort. That lasted about a week. Right now, I'm batting just about monthly. SO…I thought when I updated it, I'd follow it up with a blog post so y'all will see what's what in my writing world. As I've said before, I have a day job, so my writing time is limited to evenings and weekends. As a result, my in progress doesn't really change much more than once a month!
Anyhoo–here's where I am now.
Submissions still awaiting word from editors:
Book one of the Compass Brothers series, Northern Exposure, is in the hands of a Samhain editor. Jayne Rylon and I are sharing the nerve-wracking experience of waiting for a "yay" or a "nay" together as we're co-writing the series.
The last book of the Wild Irish series, Any Given Sunday is now sitting on my EC editor's desk. I'm a nervous wreck. Writing this book KILLED me. Hated to leave the Collins family.
Edits!
So…I'll admit it. I love working on edits. Must make me a glutton for punishment or something, but I prefer editing to writing from scratch. Weird, but true. I'm spending this week working on edits for Power Play, the next book in the Black & White Collection. It's coming to Samhain on Jan. 18. If you haven't had a chance to check out the coming soon page–take a peek. My very dear friend, Valerie Tibbs designed the cover. LOVE IT.
What am I writing next?
Three Reasons Why – This is my next book. I actually have the document open on my computer as we speak. It's the long-overdue sequel to Kiss Me Kate and will showcase the romance of Wes and Jill. Think this one is going to turn in to a bit of a battle of wills! It's currently at about the 30K mark and I'm thinking it'll top out just over 40K. Sort of told my editor I thought I might be able to get it to her by Thanksgiving. :)
Southern Comfort – Book two in the Compass Brothers series. Jayne and I are about a third of the way through the story and having a ball writing together. Damn, that gal is talented!
Ignite – This is no more than just an inkling of an idea for my third Ellora's Cave cowboy quickie. It'll be written to complement Spitfire and Rekindled and it's definitely gonna be a menage sex-fest. Yee Haw!
Because You Love Me - This sequel to Because of You will be another romantic suspense story involving Caleb's brothers, the twins, Matt and Mark and the woman they fall in love with, Bridget. Oh yeah, let the red hot menage writing commence!
Love Story – the sequel to Do Over, my debut novella at Carina. Love Story will tell the story of Jackson, the son of Do Over's hero and heroine, Troy and Faith. Got the whole story mapped out and Jackson may be my favorite alpha hero yet!
November 7, 2010
Tease the Cougar
It's here! A year and a half ago, Ciana Stone asked me to participate in an anthology she was organizing for Ellora's Cave. Last November, my contribution to that series, Assume the Positions, was released in ebook format. Friday, the story was released in print format along with stories by Desiree Holt, Mari Freeman, and Ciana Stone.
Tease the Cougar is available at Ellora's Cave, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.
One weekend convention, one daring challenge, several stories that prove age and experience are one hot combination.
Hot to Trot by Desiree Holt
Buying a ranch on eBay was the wildest thing Autumn Kelley had ever done. Past forty, she'd pretty much written excitement out of her life. Then she discovers the ranch comes with a foreman who could give her an orgasm just by looking at her—and he has an equally hot friend. The two of them take Autumn on the erotic ride of her life.
Assume the Positions by Mari Carr
How will Rachel beat the challenge and convince a younger man to have sex with her? To control her angst, she makes a list of eligible men. To her surprise,Ethan, one of her physical therapy patients, is pissed when he learns he's not on it! The luscious police officer gives her a copy of the Kama Sutra and asks her to make a new list.And assume the positions…
Sin on Skin by Mari Freeman
For Stevie Jones, finding a younger man isn't the problem; she needs a younger alpha man. Tattoo artist Errol knows instantly what Stevie needs. He's hot, young—and he's invited Stevie to his private BDSM club. Soon she's experiencing things she'd only read in her favorite erotic novels. Sinful toys, spanking benches and voyeurism are just some of the erotic escapades on the evening's agenda.
Cam's Holiday by Ciana Stone
Cam doesn't consider the challenge a husband hunt. It isn't about love. It's about a night of hot, steamy sex.And Lee Holiday seems like the right man for the job. A personal trainer, he makes it clear he'd love to ring Cam's bell. And ring it he does. Repeatedly. Cam's found sexual nirvana. But Lee's not willing to settle for a short-term, sex-only relationship…
November 6, 2010
Saturday Snippet
Oh my…make sure you have some tissues on hand for this weekend's snippets because we've got some tearjerkers for you today. My snippet comes from Do Over. The story was based on the real life experience of my best friend. Her husband decided to surprise her for their 25th wedding anniversary. The reviews for the story have sort of taken me by surprise. I thought I'd share a few with you and then an excerpt from the book which is available at Carina Press.
From Everybody Needs a Little Romance:
This story touched me more than any other book I've read this year. It hit home because it reminded me so much of my relationship with my husband. We've been together so long that we have become "comfortable" with each other and are the best of friends, just like Faith and Troy.
From Dr. J's Book Place:
Oh my, oh my, get out your hankies on this one! This is a very emotional novel that will warm your heart, stroke your libido, and keep you enthralled.
From Romance Novel News:
This is an incredibly sweet story. Troy's gift to his wife of a "Do Over" is just what Faith needs to help herself move forward. It is also highly emotional – the story brought tears to my eyes on several occasions. But, it is also highly erotic.
Excerpt:
When the parking lot was almost completely clear, he turned to her. "Happy anniversary, Faith."
Her brows lowered. "Our wedding anniversary isn't until next Tuesday."
He shrugged. "It's close enough. I wanted to celebrate it with you here."
"At the high school?"
He chuckled. "No, here. In Carlylse. Home."
She smiled at his words. "This place hasn't been home in nearly thirteen years."
"It'll always be home. Too much of our lives happened here for it to be anything else."
She nodded, knowing he was right. Then, he picked up the present and she blushed. "I feel terrible. I didn't get you anything yet."
Truth be told, she hadn't planned on buying him much more than a card. After twenty-five years of marriage, a simple card exchange and dinner out had sort of become their standard routine. There wasn't too much that either of them really wanted and with two kids in college, spending money on anything frivolous seemed like too much of a waste.
"You give me plenty, Faith," he said, tapping her nose playfully, and she had to take a quick breath to fight back the tears at his unexpected, sweet comment. She loved her husband and she knew for a fact that he loved her, but neither of them spoke in flowery phrases. Every night of their lives together, they'd kissed good-night and said the words, "love you," but after awhile, the meaning behind the words was lost in the rote pattern.
Looking down, she carefully opened the beautifully wrapped package. Pulling off the lid and digging into the tissue paper, she was surprised to find a photo album. She started to open the cover, but Troy's hand covered hers.
"You can only look at the first page," he said.
She looked up, the question in her eyes, but he didn't give her time to voice it.
"This is only the first stop in our celebration. One page for each place. I'll tell you when you can turn the page."
She looked at him for several moments, trying to assimilate this man and this incredibly romantic gesture with the easygoing guy who'd been leaving wet towels on her bathroom floor year after year.
Opening the photo album to the first page, she saw a picture of her and Troy the night of their senior prom. They hadn't come to the dance together, but they'd certainly left the gym hand in hand. His original date had come down with the flu, canceling the morning of. She'd come with Travis Scottsdale, her first semi-serious boyfriend and asshole of the century. Ten minutes after arriving at the dance, he told her he wanted to break up with her, leaving her sitting alone while he proceeded to make out in the corner with Amber Cooper.
"Oh my gosh. Look at us. We're so young."
"And sweaty," Troy joked. "We danced our asses off that night."
"It didn't help that the AC in the gym didn't work." Faith grinned at the memory.
"Must've been at least a hundred degrees in there."
Faith looked back at the photograph. "Where did you get this picture? I've never seen it."
"It was in the pocket of that letter jacket. I can't remember exactly where I got it. I think Judy Hayes gave it to me a couple weeks after the dance. I'm pretty sure I was supposed to pass it along to you."
"And obviously you forgot." Forgetting little things was a special talent of Troy's. She always had to remind him it was garbage day or to stop on the way home from work to pick up the dry cleaning.
Troy shrugged. "I was a teenage boy falling in love for the first time. Believe me, I was not about to give up that picture. I looked at it all the time."
This time, she couldn't hold back the tears his kind words provoked.
"Troy," she whispered.
He bent forward. "Kiss me," he murmured. Their lips touched. They'd kissed a million and twelve times in their lives, but this kiss, gentle and sweet and innocent, reminded her of their first. It was in this parking lot after the dance and she could still remember the excitement she felt when Troy Wainwright offered her a ride home. They'd gotten into his car and before he started the engine, he'd turned to her and said the exact same words.
Kiss me.
The request and the action had taken her breath away that night and she was feeling the same lightheadedness now as she had then. As soon as the memory entered her mind, she pulled away with a gasp and looked around. If she wasn't mistaken, this was very nearly the same parking spot.
"Our first kiss."
He grinned, pleased she'd remembered. "Yep. Right here. In front of the school." He turned on the radio and slid in a CD. Pushing Play, he pointed back down to the photo album as the sounds of Fleetwood Mac drifted through the speakers.
For the first time, her gaze traveled from the picture on the left page to a letter protected under the plastic film on the right page. It was written to her in Troy's handwriting.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Read it."
Faith,
You and I have known each other nearly our entire lives, traveling the same path through elementary, middle and high school. While we were acquaintances through those early years, I feel like I never really knew you, never saw you until the night of our senior prom.
Betsy Jordan coming down with the flu was probably the best thing that ever happened to me, even though I didn't realize it at the time. I remember how pissed off I was after her mother called and said she couldn't go to the dance with me. I almost stayed home that night, but my mom insisted I put the rented tux to use. You know my mom— waste not, want not.
I came late and by the time I got there, that dickhead, Travis had left you sitting all alone. I knew you all had been dating, so I was surprised when I saw him with Amber. I can still remember the look on your face as you watched him dancing with that other girl. You were so pale and yet, so strong. I could see how hard you were fighting not to cry, to hold on to your dignity. It was like a light went on inside me. I'd passed you in the hallways for years and never really looked at you, but that night, you were the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen and I wondered why in the hell I'd never noticed it before.
I was nervous as shit when I walked over to you and asked to sit down. You smiled at me and I felt like somebody had punched me in the gut. Talk about an instant attraction. We talked and laughed and after awhile, we started dancing. The last song of the night was "Landslide" and I took you in my arms and we slow danced while Stevie Nicks sang. After the dance, you said I could drive you home and we had our first kiss in the parking lot. I fell in love with you that night even though I was too stupid at the time to know it. When I dropped you off at your house, I asked if I could call you again and you said yes. I smiled the whole way home, thinking about you.
Even after all this time, I only have to think about you and I smile.
Love, Troy
Do Over is available at Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony and All Romance Ebooks.
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