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The Vampire Bracelet Excerpt!

Read the prologue and first two chapters of THE VAMPIRE BRACELET!


The Vampire Bracelet is the second story in the Blood Genies series, erotic romance novellas featuring vampire hybrids (genies/vampires) living inside antique jewelry and granting wishes for the exchange of blood. 

Purchase at Amazon for 1.49:  http://www.amazon.com/The-Vampire-Bracelet-Novella-ebook/dp/B008H3T42W/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341353940&sr=1-8&keywords=the+vampire+bracelet


Prologue


“Tell me more about them,” eight-year-old Marie North said.  She loved hearing about gen-vamps.  She’d been taught that all sorts of “mythical” beings were real, either existing in other realms or living undetected among humans.  But gen-vamps were her favorite because Uncle Darrin actually owned a handful of them.

“I have six in total,” he said.

“And all of them live inside of antique jewelry and grant wishes for the exchange of blood?”  She knew they were sometimes called blood genies because of their feeding habits.

“That’s right, Baby Girl,” he replied, using the nickname he’d given her.  “I have three who grant wishes to women and three who offer their magic to men.  But the wishes are only temporary.  They only last for two weeks.”

“How come?” 

“ Gen-vamps aren’t strong enough to grant lifelong wishes.”

“Because they’re hybrids?” she asked.  Uncle Darrin had mentioned it the last time he’d told her a gen-vamp story.  Not only that, but he trusted her to keep all of this a secret.  She’d vowed to never, ever tell anyone.  And she wasn’t going to, either.

“Yes,” he confirmed.  “Because they’re hybrids.  But they used to be human, like us.”

She spouted off her knowledge.  “Then they got turned into vampires.  And after that, they got made into gen-vamps and their hearts started beating again.  But they still don’t have a pulse.”  She considered them only sort of dead, whereas vamps were full-on corpses.  She angled her head.  “Who made them into gen-vamps, Uncle?”

“ A big bad genie king named Mathieu.  He’s the most powerful ruler in his realm.  He has thousands of gen-vamps under his control, and their energy is what makes him so powerful.”

She pictured Mathieu with a gnarled face, deep-sunken eyes, and pointy fingernails.  She also imagined him living in a dark and scary castle surrounded by ghostly trees and gray clouds.  She gave a little shiver.  “I don’t like him.”

“ Most of the gen-vamps in my care don’t like him, either.  Especially Simone.”

“What kind of jewelry does she live in?”

“A diamond ring.” 

“Does she grant wishes to men or women?” 

“Women.” 

“Is she nice?”

“Truthfully?  She’s rather fierce.  She liked being a vampire, so being turned into a gen-vamp made her angry.”

“Is she pretty?”

“She’s gorgeous.  But she has a temper.  Mostly it’s directed at Mathieu.  He’s the source of her contempt.” 

“Marie didn’t blame Simone for hating that horrible genie king.  “Who else grants wishes to women?”

“Anthony and Nicholas.  They’re brothers.  Anthony lives in a ruby pendant and Nicholas inhabits an emerald bracelet.  They weren’t vampires for very long.  In fact, it was Simone who made them into vampires.”

  “Really? When?”

  “In 1950. By then, Simone had been a vampire for centuries.  She’s much, much older than they are.  But none of that matters now.  A few months after she turned them into vampires, Mathieu made all three of them into gen-vamps.”

“What do Anthony and Nicholas look like?” 

“They’re dashing.  You’d think they were twins, but they’re not.  Anthony is older.”

She pictured them like fairy tale princes, only with fangs.  She also imagined them in ruffled shirts, velvet-trimmed trousers, and sashes tied around their waists.  Maybe around their heads, too.  “Are they angry like Simone?”

“No.  Anthony is strong and helpful.  And Nicholas is charming and clever.  He gives me the most trouble, even more than Simone.”

“How come?”

“Because he flirts with the women he grants wishes to.  He plays practical jokes on me, too, when he can get away with it.  He can be a regular pain in the butt.”  He smacked the side of his rump to make his point.  “But Nicholas makes me laugh, too.”  Even now, he was chuckling.

Marie laughed, as well.  “Which one do you think I’d like better?”  She leaned forward, eager to hear his response.  “Anthony or Nicholas?” 

“Either one.”

She decided that she liked Anthony better because he sounded more like a prince.  Fairy tale heroes, especially real ones, weren’t supposed to be pains in the butt, even if they drank people’s blood.  “They can’t kill anyone, can they?  Or turn someone into what they are?”  She already knew the answer was no, but she liked being reassured. 

“No, Baby Girl.  Hybrids can’t do those things.”

“Can they guzzle someone’s blood and make that person weak?”  Sometimes she guzzled grape juice.  She never pretended it was blood, though.  That would be gross.
“Yes, they can do that.  But they aren’t supposed to.”

She doubted that Simone or Nicholas would follow the rules.  Anthony was different.  She trusted him.  “Have you ever let any of the gen-vamps drink from you?”

“Only when they haven’t fed for a while.  I don’t make a habit of it.”

She touched the side of her neck, poking around to find her vein.  “Does it hurt?”
“A little.  But mostly it makes you woozy.  Like when adults get drunk or take more medication than they should.” 

She didn’t know anything about that stuff.  But she figured it was similar to when she spun herself around on the grass and toppled over.  That was one of her favorite games.  But one time she cut herself on a sprinkler and that wasn’t the least bit fun.  The sight of her own blood had made her feel sick.

When they stopped talking, Marie wondered what type of wish was important enough to let a gen-vamp make you bleed on purpose.  None, she decided.  She would never want anything that badly.

Not even when she was grown up.




Chapter One 


Marie entered the Chakra Circle, the magic shop Uncle Darrin owned.  She was so nervous she could barely think straight.  But she slapped a smile on her face.  Desperate times called for desperate measures.  She just hoped Darrin understood.

“Hey, Baby Girl.”  He came around the front counter, greeting her the way he always did.
She embraced him with a loving hug.  He was pushing seventy, but he was as striking as ever, with sharp-boned features, longish white hair, and bronzed skin. 

She stepped back and lifted the takeout bag she carried.  “As promised, I brought lunch.  Chicken enchiladas for you.  Vegetarian tacos for me.  Sides of rice and beans for both of us.”  She rattled the bag.  “Chips and salsa, too.”

“Great.  I’m starving.”  He closed the shop, putting a clock sign in the window that said it would reopen in an hour.

They went to the tiny break room and sat across from each other at a cramped table.  She set up the food, and he dived in with gusto.  She ate cautiously, so as not to give herself a belly ache.  When she got anxious, her stomach acted up. 

“Uncle?”

“Hmm?”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Sure.  What is it?”

A deep breath.  A quick burst of words.  “May I borrow a gen-vamp?”

He made a worried expression.  “Are you in some sort of trouble?  You know I only loan them to people who are truly in need of their magic.”

“I’m not in trouble.  But my life isn’t going as planned.  I want to get married and start a family.”

“That’s what this is about?  You and your boyfriend?”

“I’m certain that Keith would make a great husband.  He just needs a push in the right direction.”

“The wishes only last for two weeks,” he reminded her.

“I know.”

“Then tell me, what exactly are you trying to accomplish?”

“My wish would be to have Keith propose within those two weeks and let the rest of it happen naturally.” 

“The rest of it?  You mean the wedding itself?”  He sat back in his chair.  “A legitimate marriage with a magic-induced engagement?  Something isn’t right with that picture.”

“Please, Uncle.  I’m almost forty.  My biological clock is ready to bust.”

“You’re thirty-five.  You’ve got plenty of time.”

“Not to have babies.  It gets tougher the older you get.”

He sighed.  “I’d be thrilled for you to have a family. But as much I hate to say this, I’m not convinced that Keith is the right man for you.”

She frowned.  “Why not?” 

“Because if he wanted to marry you, he would have proposed by now.”

“I told you, he just needs a nudge.  A lot of men do.”

“Yes, but are you sure he’s the one?  Love should be wild and consuming.  You and Keith seem more like friends than claw-each-other-to-death lovers.”

Claw?  Death?  Was he serious?  Her uncle wasn’t qualified to dole out romantic advice.  He’d never even gotten close to walking down the aisle.  “There’s plenty of spark in our relationship.  And there’s nothing wrong with marrying your best friend.”

“If he wants to marry you.” 

She didn’t reply and during the quiet, he continued to eat.  Still concerned about her nerves, she did little more than pick at her meal.  She hated being single.  Everyone in her social circle was married and had kids.  With each year that passed, she felt more and more like a spinster, especially when her friends went on family outings together.

Finally she said, “I love Keith, and he loves me.”  Their relationship wasn’t wild and consuming, but it was solid and true.  “We’re right for each other.”

Darrin didn’t look convinced. 

She tried a different approach.  “Give me a chance to prove you wrong.  Loan me a gen-vamp and let me make my wish.”  Cradling her arms, she made a rocking-baby motion.  “I’ll name my first-born son after you.”

He smiled, laughed a little.  “That’s quite a bargain.” 

She released the imaginary infant.  Funny how she’d changed.  How many times during her youth had she claimed that nothing would ever push her in the direction of a blood genie wish?  “I want to have a family more than I’ve ever wanted anything.” 

“I know you do.”  

Marie perked up.  She could tell that he was considering it.  She could see the concentration in his eyes, the melting resolve. 

“All right,” he said. 

She grinned.  This was like Christmas, only better.  She’d never received a holiday gift of this magnitude.  “Thank you, Uncle.” 

He finished his food.  “You can borrow Nicholas.” 

Nicholas?  “Why can’t I have Anthony?”  Her childhood favorite.  The one she trusted.
“Anthony isn’t a gen-vamp anymore.  He’s mortal now.”

“Oh, my goodness, how did he manage that?”

“There was a spell on the ruby pendant that freed him. It was enacted a long time ago, but none of us knew about it until it recently.  The spell was contingent on him finding true love, which he did.”

Well, then.  That explained why Darrin was being so opinionated about matters of the heart.  “I’m glad Anthony is free and that he found someone.”  It made him seem even more like the prince she’d imagined, only now he was living happily-ever-after with his princess.

Darrin said, “The same spell was placed on the ring and the bracelet, too.  Luckily there isn’t anything Mathieu can do about it.  He’s pissed, of course, but the spell is beyond his control. ”

“How does Nicholas feel about the spell?” 

“He’s eager to become mortal.  I think he would take whoever came along if it meant getting out of the emerald bracelet for good.  I warned him that true love can’t be rushed.  But he thinks he knows it all.” 

Marie frowned.  “He better not look my way.  I don’t need a supernatural creature trying to romance me.” 

“Nicholas isn’t a fool.  He isn’t going to pursue a woman who wants to marry another man.  He’ll flirt with you.  He’ll probably drive you nuts with it.  But it won’t mean anything.”

“I’d still rather not deal with him.”  She contemplated her options.  “What about Simone?”  The fierce female.  That wasn’t appealing, either.  But at least Simone wouldn’t make a pest of herself. 

“Simone is on loan to someone else.” 

“Then I guess I have no choice but to take Nicholas.  I want to make my wish.  Today, if possible.”  

“Are you sure?” 

“Yes.”

He stood up.  “Then wait here.”

He left the room, and she cleared the table, keeping busy.  She’d never met any of the gen-vamps.  She’d never even seen their jewelry.  This would be a first for her, all the way around.

A short while later, Darrin returned with the bracelet.  The elegant design shimmered with diamond-encrusted emeralds, and the center stone, the brightest of the emeralds, was adorned with a white-gold cross.

He said, “I explained the situation to Nicholas.  I told him that you were my niece and I relayed your wish about the proposal to him.  He’ll appear to you after you put the bracelet on.”

“You spoke to him through it?”  That was something she’d never considered.  “Can he hear us right now?  And see us?” 

Her uncle nodded, and she tried to keep from being self-conscious.  The sudden knowledge that a gen-vamp was watching and listening made her feel strange.

“Do you want me to go over the rules before he appears?” Darrin asked. 

Marie shook her head.  She was too anxious to keep chattering.  Besides, she knew the gist of it.  She would have to wear the bracelet for the next two weeks.  She couldn’t remove it, not even to bathe. She would also have to let Nicholas feed from her each night.  That was going to be the tough part.  The idea of allowing him to drink her blood roiled her already sensitive stomach.   But at least he couldn’t turn her into what he was.  Or attempt to kill her.

She fastened the bracelet to her wrist, and a sparkling green mist floated out of the center stone and manifested into a man.

Nicholas, in the flesh, staring straight at her. 



Chapter Two 


Marie’s heart punched her chest.  Although Nicholas was immortal, he looked about her age, with tousled dark hair, hazel eyes, a bad-boy smile, and a hot-as-sin body clothed in a black shirt and slim-fitting jeans.  No scarves, no headdress, no genie attire from her childhood imaginings.

A gap of sexy silence passed between them.  Or that was how it felt to her.  But maybe she was reading more into it because he was so gorgeous.  She’d expected handsome, but not the holy-fucking-hell kind. 

“Hello, Marie.”  His voice was as devilish as the rest of him.  “It’s nice to meet you.”
She could little more than reply, “You, too.”

He gave a slight bow.  “I’m at your service.”

She was glad he hadn’t offered to shake her hand.  She didn’t want him to touch her, not until it was absolutely necessary.  Already the main artery in her neck was pulsing, from fear, no doubt.  It certainly wasn’t from a latent fantasy to be fed upon.  Blood still grossed her out.
Didn’t it?  Yes, absolutely.  His hotness hadn’t changed that.

He said, “So you want your boyfriend to propose.  Keith, isn’t it?”

She nodded, and another stream of silence sizzled by.  She didn’t like the effect he had on her.  She wanted him to stop staring.  But no such luck.  His gaze remained riveted to hers.

He said, “You’re going to have to give me verbal permission to feed.”

She answered quickly, her tone jumpier than it should have been.  “You have my permission.”

“Then we’re all set, aren’t we?” 

“Yes, I suppose we are.”  She shuffled her feet.  He didn’t seem the slightest bit anxious. But why would he?  Taking blood in exchange for wishes was his job.  Besides, with his supposed pain-in-the-butt personality, he was probably enjoying her discomfort.

“I’ll come to your house later.”  He glanced at a clock on the wall.  “Let’s say, around nine?”

“That’s fine.”  She didn’t need to provide her address because he would be monitoring her from his connection to the bracelet, aware of where she was at all times.  And now that they were face to face, the notion of being tracked by him heightened her nerves.  Was this how criminals felt when they were under house arrest? 

He angled his head.  “You’re a pretty little thing.  Your boyfriend is a lucky guy.”

She barely managed a polite, “Thank you,” before he added, “I’ll bet you’re going to be a tasty treat, too.  Lip-smacking good.” 

Damn him.  She took a deliberate step back.  There went his “gotcha” side. 

Her uncle came to the rescue.  “Don’t act smart, Nicholas.  Especially with my niece.”

“Sorry.”  The smarty in question shrugged one shoulder at a time.  “I was just playing around.” 

“I know,” Darrin replied.  “Like you always do.”  He turned to Marie.  “Don’t let him intimidate you, Baby Girl.  He’s harmless.” 

The gen-vamp grinned and leaned against the wall.  “My wisecracks are worse than my bite.” 

She suspected that his bite was going to sting something awful.  Worse yet, he winked at her when Darrin wasn’t looking.  Harmless, her foot.  Already he was turning into a heap of trouble, and she’d only known him for a few minutes. 

She lifted her chin, attempting to put him in his place.  “I would have preferred Simone over you.  But she was already on loan.” 

Nicholas tapped a hand against his heart.  “You wound me, woman.”  

“Yes, I can see how broken up you are.” 

“I am.”  He flashed his lazy grin.  “I’m dying inside.  Oh, no, wait.  I’m already dead.  And for the record, you’re better off with me.  Simone has a raging temper.” 

“So I’ve heard.” 

“I’ve dealt with it for decades, sometimes in the most intimate of ways.  Did you know that Simone and I are lovers?” 

Marie started.  She had no idea that they were bedmates.  But it wasn’t the sort of thing Darrin would have been compelled to tell her when she was a child, and now that she was older, he probably hadn’t seen the point. 

She said to Nicholas, “Your sex life is none of my concern.” 

“I don’t mind telling you about it.  You can tell me about yours, too.”  

Good Lord.  “I’m not discussing something like that with you.”

“But I want to talk, like regular peeps.”

“Sorry to burst your bubble, but you’re not a regular peep.”

“I will be.”  The grin resurfaced.  “Once I find the love of my life.” 

“I can’t imagine anyone falling for your baloney.”

“Someone will.  I’m a great catch.” 

Marie rolled her eyes.  He was still slouched against the wall, like a vampy James Dean, a rebel bloodsucker without a cause.  She tossed his conceit back at him.  “Gee, and so modest.” 

“If you’ve got it, flaunt it.”  He stopped smiling.  “So what’s this Keith fellow like?”

She wasn’t going to provide information he could poke fun at.  Of course with his devious sense of humor, who knew what would strike him as fodder?  “He’s a musician.” 

“Really?  Well, what do you know?”  He tunneled his fingers through his already-messy hair.  “So am I.” 

As if she was going to believe a convenient story like that. “You are not.” 

“I am so” 

“You are not,” she argued again. 

“Am, too.”

Darrin jumped into the conversation.  “Knock it off, both of you.” 

Nicholas wouldn’t drop it.  “Tell her I’m a musician.” 

“Fine.  He’s a musician.” 

She turned to face her uncle.  “Is he really?” 

“Yes, he is.  And a damn good one.” 

She backed down, easing the bickering.  Only it didn’t work. 

Nicholas arrogantly said, “I could play your boyfriend under the table.  I could play anyone under the table.”

Bicker back on.  “You wish.” 

“No, you wish,” he mimicked, then laughed.  “You wish.  Get it?” 

Yes, she got it.  But her wish didn’t have anything to do with a play-off between the man she wanted to marry and the supernatural smartass who was going to turn the next two weeks into a game or a duel or whatever.  “You’re annoying.” 

“Likewise, Baby Cakes.”  Before anyone could reprimand him for mocking her nickname, he morphed into mist and circled the room.

Darrin shook his head.  “I hope he does find love someday.  I’ll be glad to be rid of him.”
Just then, Nicholas shaped himself into a heart. 

With a smiley face inside it.

Her uncle went ahead and chuckled.  Marie almost laughed, too, but she caught herself, refusing to give the bloodsucker more attention than he deserved.

She said goodbye to Darrin, promising to keep in touch, and with the bracelet secured to her wrist, she left the magic shop, dreading her next encounter with Nicholas.




 # # #   

Nicholas stood on Marie’s doorstep.  She lived in a suburban neighborhood in Buena Park, California, just a hop, skip, and jump from where the Movieland Wax Museum used to be.  He thought touristy-type places were cool, especially the Wax Museum, and he was disappointed that it no longer existed.  Old Hollywood was part of his youth.  He’d grown up around the film industry.  He had good and bad memories of it.  But at least he’d been human then.  Nicholas didn’t like being immortal.  It was tedious and boring.  He would rather be part of a fast paced, live-and-die world.

He’d been thrilled to discover that he could become a real person again.  So, by damn, he was on a quest to find “true” love, whatever the hell that meant. 

He frowned into the dark. Wasn’t it just his luck that he couldn’t court Marie and force a love connection between them?  That the first assignment he’d been given since learning about the spell was with a woman whose wish was to become engaged to someone else? 

This bites, he thought, no pun intended. 

He rang Marie’s doorbell, making it chime longer than necessary.  At least he could have a little fun, making a nuisance of himself, considering how easily she became riled. 

She flung open the door and the first thing out of her mouth was, “You’re late.  You said nine, and it’s nine fifteen.” 

“You need to chill, Baby Cakes.” 

“Stop calling me that.” 

“I considered bringing you a baloney sandwich.” 

“To prove that I’m going to have to put up with your baloney during the duration of my wish?  Just so you know, I’m a vegetarian.” 

“Lucky for me, I always liked my meat rare.  Bloody,” he added, reminding her of his purpose.  He flashed his fangs, too, for the hell of it. 

“Oh, my God.  Don’t do that out here.  Somebody might see you.”  She grabbed his arm and pulled him into her house.  But she released him just as quickly.  

Not that it made a difference.  Her touch had gone straight to his cock, shocking him senseless.  Nicholas flirted with mortals for the fun of it, not because they stirred his desire.    Gen-vamps weren’t prone to sexual yearnings toward humans.  Of course, his brother had had a raging affair with the woman whose love had made him mortal.  Was that a sign that Nicholas was supposed to have an affair with Marie?  That she was the one?  Given the circumstances, he didn’t see how that was possible. 

“Can we hurry, please?” she asked.

“Hurry?”

“Get the feeding over with.” 

“I want to talk first.”  Besides, he didn’t want to be quick about it.  He suspected that drinking from her was going to be damned fine, and he would rather savor her blood than gulp it down. 

He glanced around and noticed that she’d decorated with a western flair.  She collected American Indian artifacts, too, bows and arrows and the like.  Strong, powerful stuff.  Nicholas was secretly impressed.  But it fit her, he supposed, since she was part Cherokee, like her uncle. 

Of course she was a heck of a lot prettier.  He made a deliberate show of checking her out: long dark hair, almond-shaped eyes, and pinup girl curves.  He’d always been a sucker for shapely brunettes.  In his day, Jane Russell had been his ideal.

“Stop doing that,” she said. 

“Doing what?  Looking at you as if you’re my next meal?  Relax, we’ll get there.” 

“The waiting is making me phobic.  I have a right to be impatient.” 

“What about trying to rush your boyfriend into marriage?  Do you have a right to be impatient about that, too?” 

“Rush him?  We’ve been together for five years.”

“Then he’s a wuss.”

“Excuse me?”


“A wuss.  It’s slang for—” 

“I know what it means.  But you shouldn’t be calling him that.”

“It’s not my fault if that’s what he is.”  Curious to see the rest of her house, he wandered down the hallway, peering into rooms. 

She followed him.  “Were you ever married when you were mortal?” 

“No.  But I didn’t string anyone along for five years, either.  Besides, I’m willing to get married now.”

“Only so you can become mortal again.  Your sudden interest in love is unethical.” 

“If you were spending most of your time inside of a bracelet, you’d be anxious, too.”
“Darrin would release you if he could.” 

“I know.  But he can’t.”  Jewelry owners didn’t have that kind of power.  “If I don’t find love, I’ll never get out of that damned thing.” 

She glanced at the bracelet, but she didn’t say anything. 

He continued down the hall and entered her bedroom.  She’d combined woodsy furniture with feminine accents: mosquito netting draped around the bed and a delicate array of perfume bottles displayed on the dresser. 

With further interest, he opened her walk-in closet and went inside.  Mostly what he saw were jeans, but she had some pretty dresses, too.  And cowboy boots galore, lined up on a shelf. 
“Do you ride?” he asked.  “Or are these just a fashion statement?” 

“I have a horse that I keep in boarding.” 

“I ride, too.  English and western.” 

“Have you ridden recently?  Or are you talking about when you were mortal?” 

“Fairly recently.  Whenever I’m on a wish assignment and am free from the bracelet, I try to use my time wisely and get my hobbies in.”  Curious to touch her belongings, he picked up a boot and pretended to sniff the leather.  “Lucky for you I don’t have a foot fetish.” 

She shooed him out of her closet.  “Knock it off.”

“Spoilsport.”  Keeping the momentum going, he strode over to her bed.  Then he took the liberty of sliding the netting out of the way and turning down the quilt. 

Her voice leaped out of her throat.  “What are you doing?” 

“Seeing what type of sheets you have.  Oh, yeah, these are nice.”  He smoothed his hand across the fabric.  “Silk.”

“They’re satin.”

“Whatever.  Let’s feed here.” 

“In bed?”  She gave him an incredulous look. 

“When I drink your blood, you’re going to feel as if you’re stoned or drunk or both.” 

“I know what to expect.” 

“Then wouldn’t you rather be stretched out in bed when that happens?” 

“I guess.”  She clutched her blouse, as if the buttons were threatening to pop, even though they were tightly fastened.  “But you better behave.” 

“I’m not going to try to seduce you.”  In spite of how deeply she aroused him, he added, “I’m not interested in a woman who has her heart set on another man.” 

“Darrin said that you wouldn’t waste your time on me.” 

“And Darrin was right.”  He lowered the top sheet. “Go on.  Get comfy.” 

She climbed in bed and lay there as stiff as a scared-shitless board.  If he wasn’t so attracted to her, he would have laughed.  But at the moment, he was all out of jokes.  Heaven help him, but he wanted to seduce her.  He imagined fucking her lovely little brains out. 

As hard as he could. 

Free Kindle app for your computer!

I've been receiving emails from readers who who would like to read/purchase THE VAMPIRE PENDANT, but they don't have a kindle or a nook.  My suggestion is to download the free kindle app for your computer, then download THE VAMPIRE PENDANT from Amazon and read it on your computer!  You can download other books, too.  I know some readers who tried the app and said  it works great!

Here's a link to the free kindle app:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000426311&tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=7442400567&ref=pd_sl_6g97entshf_b

Hope this helps!

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Vampire Happy Dance!

I just discovered that THE VAMPIRE PENDANT is # 67 of the top 100 bestselling Vampire Romances on Amazon!  Yea!  Bite me silly!  I love this kind of news!  It was # 83, but now it's # 67!  Amazon updates this hourly, so I won't post the ranking again unless it gets way low on the list, like in the top 10, maybe? Wishing, here!  But hey, this book has a wish theme!

THE VAMPIRE PENDANT is available!

Yep!  It's here!  And it's only $1.49.  Download at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  Here are the links:

The Vampire Pendant at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Vampire-Pendant-Novella-ebook/dp/B007XIFQZG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335467265&sr=1-1
The Vampire Pendant at Barnes and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-vampire-pendant-sheri-whitefeather/1110419632?ean=2940014568630

THE VAMPIRE PENDANT: chapters 1 and 2!

The Vampire Pendant is the first story in the Blood Genies series,  erotic romance novellas featuring vampire hybrids (genies/vampires) living inside antique jewelry and taking blood in exchange for granting wishes.


BEWARE: The second chapter contains some explicit words!

Chapter One  

Tessa Clarins hated going out in public.  She hated the way other people looked at her.  The rude stares.  The pity glances.  But today she was braving her way into the magic shop.

Again.

This was Tessa’s fourth trip to The Chakra Circle.  Luckily the shop was located close to home.  Tessa lived in Old Town Orange, a quaint neighborhood in Southern California.  Of course she rarely enjoyed its historic charm, as she rarely poked her nose out the door. 

But there was something about The Chakra Circle that drew her to it in person and kept her coming back.  Otherwise, she would have bought what she needed on the Internet.  Tessa did most of her shopping online.  She also worked at home as a freelance book editor.  In this day and age, it was easy to be a recluse. 

But she was tired of it.  Tessa desperately wanted to be normal, to look normal, to have a normal life.

She entered the magic shop and the little bell above the door chimed.  The old man who owned the store glanced up and greeted her with a smile.  He was behind the counter, rearranging things in the front display case.

Tessa returned his smile.  Hers was much weaker than his, but it was the best she could do.  She hadn’t smiled for real since her face had caught fire.

She was glad the old man never got in her business.  Apparently he sensed that she wanted to be left alone.  But it was obvious, she supposed, by the way she behaved.

Eager to shop, she headed for the books section, hoping to uncover something she’d missed on her previous visits.  Or maybe there was a new book in stock. 

Tessa loved books and she was certain that she would find the key to her survival in a book, and she was certain that she would find it here.

Why else would she be drawn to this store?  Why else would she feel compelled to keep coming back?

So far none of the other books she’d purchased from this store had helped, and neither had the supplies, but she was determined to keep trying.

She searched and searched, but there wasn’t anything she hadn’t seen before.  Nothing new, either.  Disappointed, she headed for the door.

Then the old man approached her, stopping her before she could leave.  “I apologize for intruding, but are you working on a glamour spell?”

Damn.  So much for him not getting into her business.  He could obviously tell from her previous purchases what she was after.  “Yes, but I’m not a witch or anything.”

“Have you considered hiring a magic practitioner to help you?”  

“I don’t want anyone else to cast the spell.”  She wasn’t comfortable letting a stranger control her destiny.  Tessa wanted to be in charge of her own life.

“Why don’t you let me read your cards and see what they say?”

A Tarot Card reading?  “How is that going to help?”

“You can ask the cards if there is a spell that’s meant to work for you and how to go about finding it.”  
She was intrigued, but nervous, too.  The spell she sought was extremely powerful.  The idea was to “glamour” those around her and make them “see” her as normal.  Basically, the spell would hide her scars, metaphysically speaking, and if it worked, she would see herself as healed, too.

“I’ve never had a reading before,” she said.

“It’ll be painless, I promise.”

“How much will it cost?”

“Fifty-dollars.”

That wasn’t cheap, not by her standards, but maybe it was the reason she’d been drawn to this store.  “Okay.  I’ll give it a try.”

He closed the shop, putting one of those old-fashioned clock signs on the door that showed what time it would reopen.

He brought her into the back room, where she sat across from him at a tidy desk.

Before they got started, he said, “My name is Darrin.”

“I’m Tessa.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“You, too.”  She studied his attractively aged face.  She figured him for around seventy.  With his longish white hair and naturally tanned skin, he looked as if he had some Native American blood in him.  She hadn’t seen any Native goods in the store, though.  He obviously wasn’t touting himself as a New Age shaman or trying to sell his heritage.  Somehow that made him seem more trustworthy.

He told her to shuffle the cards and soon the reading was underway.

He explained the cards that came up and what they meant.  But unfortunately, they didn’t direct her to a spell.  In fact, the result in that regard was negative.  A glamour spell wasn’t in Tessa’s future.

Her eyes turned misty.  “But I want people to see me the way I used to look.  I want to see myself that way, too.”

She could tell that he felt badly for her.  That made it worse.  Now she really wanted to cry.

“Don’t be sad,” he said.  “There are other types of magic you can use.”

She sat more upright.  “Like what?”

“Hold on and I’ll show you.” 

He left and returned with three pieces of jewelry:  a necklace, a bracelet, and a ring. “Each of these holds the power to grant wishes.”

Tessa frowned.  He was trying to sell her a talisman?  Maybe he wasn’t as trustworthy as she thought.  Fifty dollars for a useless reading and now this?

“They’re antique pieces,” he said. 

She squinted at him.  “How much are they?”

”They’re not for sale.  But I can loan you one of them.”  He leaned toward her.  “I only loan them to people who are worthy of their magic, and I think you are.”

Still suspicious, she asked, “What’s the catch?”

“Your wish will only last for two weeks.  But I guarantee that it will come true.  All you have to do is choose the one you want and wear it for the next two weeks, around the clock, day and night.  Then return it to me when your wish ends.”

She thought the necklace was eye catching.  The pendant hanging from the chain boasted a gothic-style cross with a ruby in the center.  All of the pieces had crosses worked into the designs.

“Are the wishes only granted to women?” she asked since it was women’s jewelry.

“I have other pieces that are for men.  So, are you interested, Tessa?”

Her heart pounded in her throat.  “Yes.”

“It’s only for two weeks,” he reminded her.

“I know.”  But if the magic was genuine, she would take whatever she could get for however long she could get it.  She desperately longed to be normal, to be pretty, like she was before, even if it was only temporary.  She even went as far as to confide in him, making certain that he understood how important it was to her.  “I’ve been this way since my sixteenth birthday.  While I was blowing out the candles on my cake, I got too close and my hat caught fire.  It was this silly thing I’d made myself, with all sorts of fancy things streaming from it.  I didn’t know it was flammable and when it caught fire, the side of my face ignited, as well.  No one ever looked at me the same way again.”

“Go ahead,” he said softly.  “Make your selection.”

Anxious, she pointed to the necklace. 

As Darrin lifted the pendant and put it around her neck, a reddish mist came out of the ruby and drifted to the corner of the room, where it remained.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“Just part of the magic.”  He brought her a mirror, proving how quickly her wish had come true.

She gazed into the glass and saw the reflection of a lovely young woman.  Herself, without the scars!



Chapter Two

Tessa knew instantly when she left the shop that she was normal, not just to herself, but to others.  People passed her on the street without casting curious, pitiful, or rude glances.  She blended in.  She was just like everyone else.

She wasn’t going to waste time.  If she had only two weeks, she was going to make the best of it. 
  
She rearranged her work schedule so she could take a vacation and enjoy her newfound normalcy.  Since she loved anything connected to Old Hollywood, she decided to reserve a room at the Beverly Hills Hotel, spending the next fourteen days living like an old-time movie star.  She even booked limousine service so she could arrive in style.  She shopped, too, buying clothes that complemented the pendant.  Her credit card bill would be astronomical when this was over, but it was worth it.

She rode to Beverly Hills in a long black Lincoln Continental, with the windows rolled down and the wind rushing through her pale blonde hair.  She couldn’t believe how pretty she felt.  Every moment was an awakening, an adventure, a short-lived dream come true.  A wish, she thought, as the pendant shone in the sun.

After she checked into her room, she flopped onto the canopy-draped bed and sighed.  She was in the main building, and her accommodations featured classic wood furnishings and a luxurious marble bathroom.

Tessa smiled to herself.  She was going to order room service for lunch and dine at the famed Polo Lounge for dinner.  Then she would strut into Bar Nineteen 12, named in honor of when the hotel first opened, and sip cocktails until she got wonderfully tipsy.

Heavens, this was exciting.  So exciting, she had plans to get her cherry popped.  Yes, sir.  She was going to find a man at this hotel and have a glamorous affair.

At twenty-five, Tessa was still a virgin.  But that was about to change.  This was her moment, and she was going to live it as if there was no tomorrow, enjoying every illicit turn it took.


###

At dinnertime Tessa dressed to the nines, putting on a sleek black dress that plunged deliciously low in front, showcasing the antique pendant.  She slipped on a pair of classic black pumps and gazed at herself in a full-length mirror.  She’d styled her hair in a deliberately sensual way and done her makeup with a touch of naughty flair, making her eyes smoky and her lips glossy.

Tessa was downright hot.  She twirled around, then lifted her dress and looked at her pussy.  She wasn’t wearing panties and she’d shaved herself smooth for the occasion.

Imagining the affair she was going to have, she rubbed her clit.  She actually stood there, getting off in front of the mirror.

She used to shun mirrors and now she was masturbating like a little tart.  She kept her eyes open and watched herself come.  She even licked her fingers afterward.

Needing to cool off, she went into the bathroom and splashed a bit of water on her face.  She washed her hands, too, but the naughty feeling remained.  Wouldn’t it be wild if she got fucked tonight, if it happened right away?  Giddy with the thought, she relished the creaminess between her thighs.

Ready to greet the Polo Lounge, she headed for the restaurant.  It was everything she imagined it would be.  She ordered a glorious meal and savored every bite, including a decadent dessert.

By the time she entered Bar Nineteen 12, she was all aglow.  The bar offered indoor and outdoor settings.  She chose to sit on the patio because it presented a view of the garden.  Scattered amongst its lush beauty were the bungalows, the most luxurious and costly accommodations at the hotel.  Clark Cable and Carole Lombard used to frolic in the bungalows.  Liz Taylor frequented them, as well, with six out of her eight husbands.  The celebrities who stayed in the bungalows were endless.  Tessa couldn’t afford to rent one, but she was fascinated by their golden-age history.  She loved everything about this hotel.  She especially loved that Greta Garbo used to live here. 

Feeling cheeky, she ordered a cocktail named after Garbo.  The sinfully rich concoction consisted of Crème de Menthe, orange juice, grenadine, French vermouth, and brandy.  Tessa used to liken herself to Garbo because the actress had uttered the famous phrase, “I want to be left alone,” in an Oscar-winning movie, and later became a reclusive woman.  All Tessa had wanted up to this point was to be left alone, too.

But now, during these two magical weeks . . .

She glanced around the patio, wanting people to notice her.  And sure enough, someone did.  A man seated at a corner table watched her with an intrigued and interested expression.

He looked to be in his mid-to-late thirties, and with his sleek brown hair and a square-cut jaw, he was stunningly handsome and powerfully debonair.  Trim, stately, and attired in a black suit, he had an Old Hollywood vibe.

Goodness, she thought, could he be any more perfect for the part?  She raised her glass to him, flirting shamelessly.  He smiled slightly and raised his, too.  Flushed with excitement, she moistened her lips. 

What would he think if he knew what she’d done in front of the mirror?  Would it turn him on?  Would it make him eager to fuck her?  He already looked as if he intended to sweep her off her feet.

Tessa squeezed her thighs together.  She wanted to come for this man and come hard.

He stood up, and her pulse zoomed straight to her pussy.  He was walking toward her, with his drink in his hand. 

He approached her and asked, “May I join you?”

She nodded, and he sat across from her.  He placed his glass on the table, and she noticed that it was full, almost as if it were a prop, as if he wasn’t going to actually drink from it.  That struck her as odd.

“My name is Anthony Dumont,” he said.  “And you’re Tessa.”

She widened her eyes.  Odd indeed.  “How do you know my name?  Do you work for the hotel?”

“No.  But I was born the year it opened.”

Eyes still wide, she gaped at him.  “It opened in 1912.”

“I know.”  His smile turned feral.  “I’m a vampire, Tessa.”

She clutched her Greta Garbo.  He was crazy.  “That’s impossible.”

“No more impossible than the magic pendant you’re wearing.”

She moved her hand to her necklace and wondered what the shopkeeper had gotten her into.  “Did Darrin send you here?  Did he tell you to approach me?”

Anthony shook his head.  “I’m connected to the pendant.  In fact, its magic comes from me.  I’m the one who granted your wish.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I’m not a regular vampire.  I was, but then a genie saved me from being staked and turned me into gen-vamp, a hybrid of the two species.”

She couldn’t imagine his story being true.  Magic or not, it was much too strange.  “If you’re actually who you say you are, why didn’t Darrin tell me about you?”

“Because it wasn’t his place to tell you.  In order for the wish to continue, you have to allow me to feed from you for the next two weeks, and you have to give me your permission, face to face, like we are now.”

“Feed from me?”  She touched the side of her neck.  “You mean drink my blood?”

“Yes.”  As if to prove his identity, he blinked and changed the color of his eyes.  They went from being a soft shade of brown to a vibrant shade of red, possessing the same shimmering qualities as the ruby in the necklace.

She felt faint.  This was starting to seem much too real.  “I need to go to my room and lie down.”

“No, Tessa.  You need to give me permission to feed.”

Her mind was twirling like an out-of-control top.  She didn’t care if it wasn’t Darrin’s place to tell her, he still should have warned her about this blood-hungry hybrid.  At least she would have been prepared for the demands he was making.

Fighting another bout of dizziness, she ran the outside of her glass across her forehead, trying to cool her skin. “If I refuse, will I go back to looking the way I did before?  Right here and now?”

“Not right this second.  I’ll give you a few hours so you can check out of the hotel and no one sees that you look different from the way you did when you arrived.”

Her heart dropped to her stomach.  She didn’t want to go back to being scarred, not this soon.  “Do you know what I look like?  Did you see me before I made the wish?”

“No.  I was inside the pendant, and I could hear you talking to Darrin and making your wish, but I couldn’t see you.”

This was getting weirder by the minute.  “What do you mean?  You were inside the pendant?”

“That’s my genie bottle, so to speak.  I left the pendant as soon as your wish was granted.”

Oh, Lord.  The mist from the ruby was him?  Overwhelmed, she asked, “Are there gen-vamps inside of the bracelet and ring, too?”

He nodded.  “My brother is inside the bracelet, and our maker, the vampire who turned us into vampires, lives in the ring.  Like me, they feed on the women for whom they grant wishes.  Then we go back into our homes and wait until Darrin puts us on loan again.”

“How exactly does Darrin fit into this?  Why is he in charge of you and who receives the wishes?”

“He’s in charge because he owns the jewelry.  Technically, we belong to him.”

“How did Darrin acquire you?”

“While researching genie magic, he discovered the existence of gen-vamps.  Then he spent years searching for gen-vamp jewelry, with the purpose of using our magic to help people.  Darrin is a decent man.”

Tessa wasn’t sure if anyone related to this was decent.  “How many gen-vamps does he own?”

“Six.  It’s a small number, considering that there are thousands of us out there.”

“If Darrin is so wonderful, why doesn’t he just release you?”

He can’t.  Jewelry owners don’t have that kind of power.”

“Why are the wishes you grant so short?”

“Hybrids aren’t strong enough to fulfill lifelong wishes.  Being a mixed-breed lessens the magic.”

She glanced at his untouched cocktail.  She’d been right about it being a prop.  He apparently didn’t drink anything but blood.

“May I go to your room with you?” he asked, prodding her for permission. 

She winced.  Earlier she’d been fantasizing about sleeping with him, not becoming his meal.  It wasn’t fair that she’d been thrown a curveball.

He persisted.  “Tessa, my darling, it’s time to pay the piper or give up the wish.”

“Stop rushing me.  And I’m not your darling.”

He smiled.  “You have a cute temper.”

She frowned and swigged her Garbo.  She wasn’t feeling the slightest bit cute.  But she wasn’t ready to return to her ugly self, either. 

Another patron walked by, and Anthony quickly switched his eyes back to brown, looking mortal again.  Tessa drained the rest of her drink. 

“I can’t kill you or turn you into what I am,” he said.  “I could have when I was a regular vampire, but I’m not capable of those things anymore.”

She stalled for time.  “How long were you a regular vampire?”

“Only a few months.  I barely got my fangs wet.”

Did that mean that he’d never turned or killed anyone?  “Can you drink too much and make me weak?”

“Yes, but I won’t.”

“Will being bit by you hurt?”

“A little.  But I’ve been told that it can be pleasurable, too.”

Her skin went warm.  “You mean sexually?”

He lifted his brows.  “Do you want it to be sexual?”
She shifted in her seat.  “No.”

“That’s good.  Because it isn’t.”

A wave of disappointment came over her, but she willed it away.  She wasn’t going to start fantasizing about him again.  It was bad enough that she found him so damned attractive.
“What kind of pleasure is it?” she asked.

“It creates a euphoric sensation, like being happily drunk or drugged.”

“How many times will you have to feed?”

“Once a night.”
“And how long will the feedings themselves last?”

“Just a few minutes.”

She continued to question him.  “Are you going to go back into the pendant in-between feedings?”

“Actually, I’m free to roam while your wish is in progress.  I plan on renting a bungalow.”

Surprised, she glanced at the garden view.  “You have money for that?  The bungalows are terribly expensive.”

“I can conjure necessities for myself.  Besides, I have a fondness for this hotel.  I remember it in its heyday.” 

“That must have been thrilling.”


“It was.”  But clearly he wasn’t in the mood to keep talking about it.  “Come now, Tessa.  No more dragging your feet.  Let me drink from you.  Let me taste your human warmth.”
God help her.

Unable to give up her wish, she invited him to her room, praying for the strength to endure his bloodsucking bite.

New Release: THE VAMPIRE PENDANT

THE VAMPIRE PENDANT: A BLOOD GENIES NOVELLA will be available for download on Amazon and Barnes and Noble soon! I'll post the links as soon the story goes live. I'll post an excerpt soon, too! Very excited about this series!

Here's a blurb about the series/story:

The Vampire Pendant is the first story in the Blood Genies series, erotic romance novellas featuring vampire hybrids (genies/vampires) living inside antique jewelry and taking blood in exchange for granting wishes.

Her wish was his command. . .

As a teenager, Tessa Clarins was damaged by a fire, and now the scarred twenty-five-year-old virgin has been made beautiful by a wish. But there’s a catch. Tessa’s wish is only temporary, and so is her affair with Anthony Dumont, the wildly romantic “gen-vamp” feasting on her veins and stealing her innocence. Night after night Tessa puts her heart on the line. But so does Anthony, leaving sex, love, and secrets in his blood-hungry wake.

Manuscript Complete!

Whoop-whoop! Just sent my current manuscript to my editor! It’s for the Harlequin Special Edition line and will be released sometime in 2013. My story is book two in a three-book miniseries I wrote with my amazing critique partners, Judy Duarte and Crystal Green (aka Chris Marie Green and Christine Cody).

Boy Candy

I was at a club in in Palm Springs last night with a fun group of lesbian ladies, with me being the only straight girl. And lo and behold, I look up and see this yummy guy dancing on the counter. I couldn't resist giving him a tip. He let me peek into his trunks. Squeee! I know, bad romance writer.

ONCE A REBEL excerpt

Susan Fortune approached the barn, the weathered wood calling to her like an old friend, stirring scattered memories, making them swirl in her mind.

In the past seventeen years she hadn't been home much. She'd returned now and then, but always in a rush, a day or two at Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter. But being back in Red Rock, Texas, back on the Double Crown Ranch, felt different this time.

Because this wasn't a harried holiday weekend, a fast-paced trip she'd crammed into her busy schedule. This was the real thing. A homecoming that turned her heart inside out.

Her cousin Ryan, the Fortune family patriarch, was dying.

Susan moved closer to the barn, the slightly chilled, early February air stinging her skin. She'd spent the most important time of her life, her senior year in high school, on the Double Crown. Ryan had taken her in after her alcoholenraged father had kicked her out. He'd offered her a place to stay, a place to feel loved, a home away from home, from the turbulence that had nearly destroyed her.

And now here she was, wishing she could save Ryan, but knowing she couldn't.

Reflective, she looked around, watching the ranch hands do their jobs. And then a tall, tanned man in rugged denims, with a straw cowboy hat dipped low on his forehead, exited the barn. He strode toward a white dually, and suddenly she couldn't breathe, every ounce of oxygen in her lungs refusing to cooperate.

Was that Ethan Eldridge?

Yes, she told herself. It had to be. He'd grown bigger, broader, more masculine, but she recognized him just the same. Even the way he wore his clothes bred familiarity. A hand-tooled belt that he'd probably made himself was threaded through his jeans, and the hem of each pant leg frayed around a pair of weather-beaten boots. When he adjusted his hat in a memorable manner, her girlhood dreams went up in a cloud of pheromone-scented smoke.

She hadn't seen him since they were teenagers, since she'd pined for him like the emotionally torn, desperate-for-affection female she'd been.

Should she call his name? Get his attention before he climbed into his truck and drove away?

Or would that make her look foolish? Susan Fortune, the reformed bad girl, flaunting herself in front of Ethan Eldridge all over again.

Unsure of what to do, she simply stood where she was, the wind whipping her hair across her cheek. But before she could come to a decision, Ethan reacted to her presence. Like a solitary animal, a cougar sensing an intruder, he slowed his pace and turned around.

Leaving Susan exposed to his gaze.

Chiding herself, she smoothed her hair, batting it away from her face. She wasn't reverting to promiscuity. If anything, she was able to diagnose her teenage self, the rebellious girl who'd paraded other boys in front of Ethan. Susan understood the wild child that had festered inside her. She'd graduated from Stanford and earned a Ph.D. in psychology.

She decided to greet him with a friendly yet noncommittal hello, so she started off in his direction, cutting across the dirt path that separated them. But as she analyzed his catlike posture, she realized that he hadn't identified her.

He had no idea who she was.

Beneath the brim of his hat, his eyebrows furrowed. A frown of curiosity, she thought. A country boy wondering why a citified blonde, dressed in designer jeans and a form-fitting blazer, was determined to talk to him.

Finally when they were face-to-face, with sights, sounds and smells of the ranch spinning around them, recognition dawned in his eyes.

Those stunning blue eyes.

"Susan?" He beat her to the punch, saying her name first.

"Ethan." She extended her hand, preparing to touch him. "It's good to see you."

"You, too." He accepted her hand, enveloping it with callused fingers.

They gazed at each other, silence sizzling between them. She could feel the soundless energy zapping the air, conjuring invisible fireflies.

So much for her Ph.D.

Suddenly she was a smitten seventeen-year-old, reliving the day they'd met. He had been a ranch hand's hardworking, properly reared son, and she had been as untamed as the Texas terrain, a lost girl aching for attention. So much so, she'd parked her butt on a fence rail, as close to him as possible. Then she'd unbuttoned the top of her blouse, complaining about the heat, trying to get him to look at her.

He did, but only for a second. Just long enough to stop working and offer her a bottle of water. His water. A plastic container he'd yet to open, to drink from.

An elusive boy. A gallant gesture.

In her young, needy soul, Susan had fallen like a ton of shattered bricks, wanting Ethan even more. But she'd never gotten him. Nothing. Not even a kiss.

"I'm sorry about what's happening to Ryan," he said, bringing her back to the present. "You know how much I care about him."

She nodded. Ethan had practically grown up on the Double Crown. He knew Ryan well. "He's such a good man. Everyone loves him."

"I'm sure he's glad to have you home."

Home. The word never failed to strike her heart. She'd lived with her parents in Katy, Texas, a suburb of Houston, until Ryan took her in. Sixteen years in Katy and one year in Red Rock. Yet Red Rock would always seem like home, even though she'd moved away from Texas altogether.

Ethan shifted his stance, drawing her attention to his tall, muscular form. He'd been lean and wiry as a teenager, a boy who'd spent all of his free time with the animals on the ranch.

"Ryan told me you became a large-animal vet," she said.

"And he told me you became a child psychologist." A smile ghosted across his lips. "I guess we both grew up, didn't we?"

"Yes, we did." As a girl, she used to dream about that uneven smile. Slow and sexy, she thought. One corner of his mouth tilting in a lazy sort of way.

Caught up in the moment, she stole a glance at his left hand. The last she'd heard, he was single, but that was a few years ago. She hadn't made a habit of grilling Ryan about him.

When she noticed the absence of a ring, she sighed. Ethan was thirty-five, the same age as she was, and she'd never married, either. But her work was her priority, the heartbeat of her existence.

Did Ethan feel that way, too? Or was she jumping to conclusions? Just because he didn't wear a ring didn't mean he wasn't involved in a committed relationship. Or that he wasn't looking for a partner, someone to share the ups and downs in his life.

"Did you just get here today?" he asked.

"Yes." She told herself to quit psychoanalyzing him, to leave her textbook curiosity at the curb. "I arrived this morning." She flipped her wrist and checked her watch. "A few hours ago. Ryan is taking a nap, so I decided to go for a walk."

"How's Lily holding up?"

"She's doing the best she can. When I left the house, she was fussing in the kitchen, giving herself something to do." Lily was Ryan's third wife, a woman he'd loved since his youth but hadn't married until many years later.

The wind rustled Ethan's shirt. "How long are you going to stay?"

"I'm not sure. But I'm hoping to help everyone get through this." She noticed the expressive lines around his mouth, the aging process that had altered his features, cutting masculine grooves into his skin.

He reminded her of a model in a cowboy ad. The stereotyped Texan, with his hard-angled cheekbones, slightly crooked nose and lightly peppered jaw. But she knew he was real.

Tangible. Touchable. Flesh and blood.

Even after all these years she still wondered what it would feel like to kiss him.

When she lifted her gaze to his, he dipped his hat even lower, shielding his eyes.

Just like old times, she thought. She'd never been able to break through Ethan's defenses. Even though he'd been attracted to her, he'd kept his distance, making her long for him even more.

Not that she would let herself long for him now. Kissing him, or even fantasizing about it, would be a mistake.

"You must be working today," she said, trying to resume a casual conversation.

"Yes, I am. But I live here, too.''

She started. "On the Double Crown?"

"It's only temporary. I'm in between homes right now, so I'm renting the hunting cabin from Ryan." He gestured to the barn. "Of course I'm boarding my horses here, too."

From what she recalled, Ethan had been living on the rough-and-tumble property his father owned. Although she wondered why he was moving, she decided not to ask, not to delve too deeply into his affairs, even if she wanted to, even if everything about him still intrigued her. "I've never been inside the hunting cabin."

"Really?" He shifted his feet, scattering dirt beneath his heels. "There isn't much to see, but you can come by later if you want to."

Surprised by the invitation, Susan didn't know what to say. He'd never asked her to visit him before. He'd never encouraged her advances. Of course, this time she wasn't falling all over him. At least not outwardly. Inside, her heart was skipping girlish beats.

"Thanks," she finally managed.

"Sure."

While silence stretched between them, the wind kicked up, the scent of hay and horses triggering her senses. In the distance cattle grazed, like colored dots on the horizon.

"I better go," he said. "I have an appointment on another ranch."

She told herself to relax, to not make a big deal out of his offer. "It was nice talking to you, Ethan."

"You, too," he told her.

He climbed behind the wheel of his white dually, and she watched him start the engine. Within no time, he was gone.

The boy with the slow, sexy smile.