Available March 1, 2011
74k words. Price: $2.99
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She’s used to doing all the rescuing. But love has a way of changing everything.
Hailey Jensen is in the rescue business–animal rescue–and more than willing to risk life and limb for fowl or fauna. Just when life couldn’t get better, her world crumbles. Her identical twin has cancer, and her marine rescue is failing before it even gets started. Lacking coping skills, she takes refuge behind sarcasm and solitude.
But, thanks to Dr. Rainer Hartmann, her sister’s friend and a man who mistakes overbearing control for helping, she finds herself on the opposite end of the control stick. A wildly independent woman, Hailey fights with the determination of a bulldog as Rainer struggles to drag her out of despair…and into his arms.
(Contemporary Romance)
Excerpt:
A deep voice sounded in Hailey’s ear, easing its way into her dreams. It called her name, and only then did she realize she was sleeping and opened her eyes.
Rainer’s worried gaze greeted her. Not liking his expression, she glanced around the room. It was dark. Ebony stripes cut between the slats of the window blinds. When Rainer leaned back, she sat up.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“Late. Almost eleven. You’ve been sleeping for hours. I got a little worried. Sorry for waking you up. Do you want to go back to sleep?”
“I’m fine. Jetlag, I guess.”
“I’m about to turn in. I have a full day at the office tomorrow. Before I go, do you want me to get you anything? Some tea?”
“Maybe. Do you have anything stronger?”
“Stronger, like how much stronger?”
“Something fermented, maybe?”
He smiled, but his eyes still reflected the concern she’d seen earlier. “I have some wine.”
“Perfect.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“No. But, after I have some of that wine I will be.”
“I’ll be right back.”
After he left, she stood, went to her suitcase, which sat on top of the dresser, and rummaged for some sweatpants, a tank top and a sweatshirt. With clothes in hand, she went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, dressed, and let her hair out of her lopsided ponytail.
She shook her head, studying her reflection in the mirror. Sleeping for hours hadn’t done a bit of good. She looked as bad as she had before. Maybe worse. Nearly as dead as she felt.
Rainer called her, and she went out to meet him, not surprised to see he held two glasses in one hand. He raised a dark bottle. “Burgundy?”
“At this point, I’d settle for cooking wine.”
He sat on the bed, and she sat next to him, taking the glasses. The bottle was already uncorked. He poured the deep red liquid into the glasses, then set the bottle on the nightstand.
“Shall we toast?” he asked as she handed him a glass.
“Toast? I’m not in the mood for a toast.”
“Okay. I propose a toast, then. How about to healing?”
“To healing.” She raised her glass, then brought it to her mouth, purposefully avoiding inhaling it’s spicy fragrance. She wasn’t a drinker. Didn’t even like wine. But, she desperately wanted to feel alive, warm, something…anything. Wine did that. Didn’t it?
The first mouthful burned her throat, and she almost spit it out as she struggled not to cough. “Potent stuff,” she sputtered.
“It’s not cooking wine,” Rainer said with a smile. “Not much of a drinker?”
“Nope.”
“Well, let me take that from you, then.” He leaned toward her.
“Nope.” She jerked the glass away before he took it, then drank fast, forcing the liquid down her throat.
Nearly an instant flush heated her face. She thrust the empty glass toward him. “More, please.”
He shook his head. “I don’t think you need more.”
“Look. I’m an adult. I can handle myself, thank you. Now, give me more wine, or I’ll go out and buy my own.”
“Okay.” He swallowed the last gulps of his, then handed his empty glass to her before filling them both again. “What should we toast to this time?” he asked, setting the bottle down and taking his glass from her.
“How about to rescues?”
“Rescues?”
“Don’t ask. Just drink.”
He shrugged and sipped his wine. She swallowed hers as fast as her throat would allow. It tasted better this time, she realized, licking a droplet clinging to the rim. Exactly the right combination of sweet and dry.
Yes, very tasty.
Within minutes, the room grew stifling. She nudged Rainer in the shoulder. “Take this will ya?” She handed him her glass.
“Had enough?”
“Nope. Just hot. Need to get outta this sweatshirt. She tugged the heavy garment over her head. The world tipped, and she lost her balance, bumping into Rainer. A smirk on his face made her bristle. “What?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s some strong ass wine,” she explained.
“That’s some strong language.”
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“I’m not in grade school anymore, ya know.”
His gaze heated. “Believe me. I know that.”
She drew back, realizing she had been leaning against him. “Can I have my glass now?”
“No. I think you’ve had enough.”
“Who are you? My damn mother?”
“No. I’m your friend.”
“Oh, God, not that. I know all about you and your friends.”
“You know all about it, eh?” he asked with a laugh. He was enjoying this conversation way too much.
“What the hell is so funny?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re laughing.”
“Okay, okay.” He threw up his arms in surrender. “I’m laughing. You’re funny, you little spitfire.”
“You’re not. You big…you…” She couldn’t think of a word that summed him up. He was the epitome of contradictions. Gorgeous, a pain in the ass, funny, a pain in the ass, smart, sexy…her body heated even more as her gaze settled on his mouth, surrounded by a day’s worth of stubble. Yup, she was feeling alive, all right. Alive and hot.
He moved closer, and her heart shuddered.
“I’m what?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
He shook his head. “If two glasses of wine can’t even loosen you up, what will?”
“What are you talking about? I’m as loose as a goose.” She lobbed her head, rolled it from side to side, then shrugged her shoulders up and down several times. “See? I couldn’t get any looser.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“What’d you mean, then?”
“I thought you might be more honest with a couple glasses of wine warming your belly. More honest with yourself and with me.”
“I am. Hell, I was just noticing how sexy your mouth is.” She smiled. Had she just said that? “See? Honest.”
“Hmmm. Honest, all right. My mouth? Sexy?”
“Hell, yes. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that before?”
“Nope.”
“Damn shame.”
“What else are you thinking?” He asked, his smoldering gaze making her temperature spike.
“I’m thinking…” she paused. What was she thinking? She had been thinking about business, her mother, her sister. Her mood started to sour, the cold air seeping into her pores again.
“I’m thinking it’s not fair my sister’s lying in that bed and not me. I’m thinking I’ve lost my business because the jerk I trusted to donate the majority of the capital I needed is being arrested for tax evasion. And I’m thinking my partner’s in love with me. I’m thinking I’ll never get the opportunity to make things right with Heidi, not that I deserve it. And I’m thinking I’m the only one who sees how much my mother hates me.” She looked at Rainer, expecting his expression to be smug, and silently challenged him to give her some cocky comeback.
“I’m sorry,” he said drawing her into his arms.
His heart thumped in her ear as she snuggled against him. This honesty thing had its benefits. “I’m liking this.” She felt his hand run down her hair, enjoying how safe and loved the simple touch made her feel. She hadn’t felt like this in such a long time. For once, she thought if she died tomorrow, someone might care. Rainer.
What a strange turn of events.
She tipped her head to look at his face. It was such a strong face. Strong jaw line, strong cheekbones, if cheeks could be called strong. Strong eyes. Strong body. Strong will. Strong soul.
His gaze met hers, and she sucked in a deep breath. He looked so…tortured.
She sat up. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
She saw his body stiffen, even though her eyes swam around in her head. “Now who’s lying?” She didn’t want him to back away. Her body screamed to be safe in his arms again. Warm and loved.
“I’m not lying.” He scowled. “Damn it! How am I supposed to act? You’re practically sprawled overtop me. I’m a man.”
“I noticed.”
“Stop that.”
“You said you wanted honesty. What’s wrong? Isn’t this what you expected?”
“I do want honesty.”
“Then I’ll give it to you. You want to know what I’m thinking, I’ll tell you. I feel dead. Cold. Inside and out. Like there’s this arctic bubble around me I can’t shatter. But when I’m with you… tonight, I don’t feel that way. You shatter my bubble.”
He didn’t speak, and she feared she’d scared him away for good. She scrambled to find something to say, some way to salvage what they had. When no words came to mind, she threw caution to the wind and did the only thing she could.
She kissed him.
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