#Friday'sFeaturedTitle #Taylor'sDestiny #Paranormal #HistoricalRomance

Title: Taylor’s Destiny

Author: Christine Young

Genre: Historical Romance

Book Heat Level: 4

Buy at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo, Google Play

Read first chapter

TAGLINE

Taylor Maxwell never expected she would wake up in another century. Reid Stewart never expected to find her, nearly naked, on the bow of a sailing ship.

BLURB: Taylor's Destiny

She traveled to another time and place to changing destiny...

Enjoying a day of sailing, Taylor Maxwell never expected after a suffering a concussion she would wake up in another century. A resilient independent woman in the twenty-first century, the blond beauty is ill prepared for life in the 1800s. Her first sight of the naval captain who rescues her makes her heart stop, giving her hope for her future.

His life is transformed by a woman who appears from nowhere...

Born to a life of ease, Reid Stewart defies the dictates of those born to aristocracy and chooses a life of adventure in the navy and as a spy for the crown. When he discovers a nearly naked woman on the bow of small sailing ship, his heart warms. His love for Taylor and his need to protect her from a man who pursues her might cost him his life as well as hers.

EXCERPT: Taylor's Destiny

“I don’t trust myself with you. I don’t fall into anyone’s bed the first day I meet them,” she told him and knew there was a greater chance these impulsive feelings could quickly change to sex. Before she let him make love to her, she needed to know more about him and where exactly she was.

He chuckled softly. “Again your honesty amazes and intrigues me. I don’t know any other woman who would be brazen enough to imply they wanted to make love or they were even thinking about it.”

“Is it shameless here for a woman to tell a man how she is feeling?” She knew it was in any other century but her own. Even then many women did not speak of their feelings and needs. Men still assumed control.

“Americans are different,” he told her. “But since you admitted feelings for me, could I plead my case for a kiss, a chaste kiss, well maybe not too chaste.” He pushed her hair behind her ears, his hands settling gently on her face.

Unable to help herself, she moistened her lips and leaned into him at the same time. His mouth settled softly against hers. She opened for him, accepting the tantalizing warmth of his breath before feeling his tongue touch hers. In the back of her throat she moaned, accepting all he gave. One hand now resting on the small of her back, he drew her closer to him.

Her breaths came in short intervals. When he looked at her, she knew she craved more but also told herself she didn’t want him to think she gave herself to anyone or everyone who kissed her.

In his arms, she turned in a slight effort to distance herself from him and regain a tiny measure of composure. This was happening too quickly. In a rush, she found she was falling in lust with him. She’d only felt this way once before and that was with Sean. It had been incredibly hard to remain chaste with her fiancéwhen she craved intimacy.

“That was enough for one night,” she told him, running her hands along his arms, wishing her life was more stable.

“Never enough but I’ll abide by your wishes.” His hands now rested on the bare skin at her waist and she realized with the slightest invitation from her, he would explore higher, perhaps slip his large, calloused hands beneath her top.

“You told me you were in the Navy. A captain perhaps?” She needed to discover more before sex kept her from thinking rationally.

“I was, but I didn’t fight in the War of 1812.” He moved his hands a bit higher until they rested just beneath the swell of her breasts, “I was too young for a commission.”

“Did your family buy you one?” she asked, curious about the workings of the British government and trying to find out more about the time. She told herself she had to keep her mind on the questions and not where he explored.

“No, a friend of my family bought the commission with the provision I work for him once my duty to my country was done.”

“What do you do for him, this man who helped you become a captain?” She laughed, understanding he wouldn’t appreciate her question.

“If I told you I’d have to kill you.” He trailed kisses down the back of her neck in what she assumed was an attempt to distract her.

“You’re a spy.”

“I can’t answer that,” he said as his teeth slowly seduced, leaving an impression as they investigated. She shivered, succumbing to his seduction of her.

“Doesn’t matter if you deny or confirm. I’ve no interest in anything secretive.” If he were on a mission on this tiny island...well, she couldn’t imagine unless he was after a person. Perhaps she was more interested than she let on.

“Earlier you spoke of an office and a boss. Seems strange. Women work in America?”

“Whatever I told you, you wouldn’t believe me and I don’t want you to think I’m lying to you.” Nothing she told him about her work would be believable to him. She was a graphic artist who specialized in advertisements, emphasis on the internet and social media. She could tell him she drew pictures.

“Try me.” He wrapped one arm around her and leaned against the railing with his other arm.

When one door closes, another one opens. For the first time since Sean left, she felt protected and safe. More than anything she wanted to tell him what he asked but... She didn’t want to find herself committed to some insane asylum.

“You have no faith in me?”

“It’s not that...” she paused.

“What is it then?”

Website URL: http://christineyoungromancewriter.com/

Blog URL:  http://christineyoung-romancewriter.blogspot.com/

Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/Christine-Young-350132315013316/

Twitter handle: https://twitter.com/achristay

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/christine-young-5a991c21-1f11-47a0-ada5-6c2e6b689cbe

LINKS

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081HZ34CN

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taylors-destiny-christine-young/1134926489?ean=2940163160518

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/taylors-destiny/id1488130401?mt=11&app=itunes

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/taylor-s-destiny

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Christine_Young_Taylor_s_Destiny?id=0jG-DwAAQBAJ

#TheGift #HistoricalRomance

The Gift

Christine Young

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 1

Buy at Amazon:  

REVIEW: The Gift

This story is straight from the heart. Told in a passive voice and as a first person account through Elice and Micha's eyes. Their thoughts tug your heartstings. Their memory of their past life, the war and of course the present. They never fell out of love but exhuming those feelings hurt. They also had to face the consequences of their actions when an unexpected visitor arrived in their plantation home. Elice and Micha found out that in war, there is something worst than death and it is cowardice.

BLURB: The Gift

A man and a woman on opposite sides of the Civil War get a second chance at love after one final battle returns soldiers to their war-torn homes to rebuild their lives.

EXCERPT: The Gift

He listened to the soft sound of slippered feet at the door. Then a hesitant knock before he heard her enter the tiny room. He let his head rest on the back of the tub, planning the next steps to winning over Elice Weld.

"I have bath sheets for you." Her voice was unsure and Micha didn't like the vulnerability he heard. 

"Come in," he said. If you have the courage to confront the man you love.

The silence that followed unnerved him. He'd wanted so badly to pick up the pieces from where they'd left off five long years ago. He'd been a fool to think picking up the pieces would be remotely possible. A long campaign would only wear her down. The skirmishes would not make her love him, nor would it regain her trust in him.

The door creaked open. The creak was one of a long list of things to do to help Elice with the upkeep of her home. He'd already set his men repairing fences as well as the land for spring planting. He'd talked to them for a long time about the work, and the men he'd brought with him were all willing to help out before they traveled home. Some said it was a hell of a lot better than fighting.

"I'll put them on the shelves here. Don't let me bother you." She stared openly at him for a half-second before flushing crimson and turning her back on him. But she didn't leave the room.

Do you like what you see?he wanted to ask. "You would never bother me. You can stay," he told her. "Wash my back."

"When pigs fly." 

He grinned. That held shades of the woman he loved. "You don't have any," he said. "So that's hardly fair." 

Her shoulders stiffened and the steel rod in her spine couldn't get any straighter. He needed to find a way to bring back the woman he once knew without changing the indomitable courage that seemed to have become her calling card.

Buck naked he rose from the bath, water sluicing from his skin. He heard her slight gasp, and he wondered if he had just made a huge mistake. She'd seen him naked before. Inwardly, he sighed. One step backward and two steps forwards sometimes worked. He stepped from the tub. He wondered if the wounds on his body upset her. She didn't look upset just curious.

"Could you hand me a bath sheet," he asked nonchalantly.

Her beautiful azure eyes were huge. He watched her swallow then lift her chin a notch. She unfolded a sheet and walked to him, holding it out. He didn't mean to make this too easy for her. But he also didn't want to scare her away. He let her get within a few inches before taking the sheet from her. He wrapped it around his waist and grabbed another sheet from the counter where she'd set the rest of them. He towel dried his hair and chest then sat down on a chair near the tub.

"I'm ready anytime you are. Do you want to change your mind?"

"I'm not afraid of a Yankee soldier, if that's what you're asking," she said as she put the scissors and the razor on a table near the chair where he sat.

"Maybe you should be."

She ignored him. "Scoot the chair out so I can get around the back," she said, the tone in her voice told him her courage returned full force.

He obliged with a smile and a nod. At the moment, teasing her didn't seem like a great idea so he rested his hands in his lap and let her work her magic. When she ran her fingers through his hair, he closed his eyes and clenched his fists, wishing for things that couldn't be right now. Beneath his ribs his heart thundered as loud as stampeding horses. When she smoothed the soap across his jaw and upper lip, he hardened. When she moved in front of him, his legs spread wide to let her stand between them. He understood a need so great he'd do everything in his power to convince Elice Weld he deserved another chance.

He groaned.

She paused, the razor hovering near his upper lip. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"Just dandy," he said, wondering why he'd wanted to torture himself. One of his men could have done this.

Ah, but not as well as Elice and not with her breasts an inch away from his mouth, not with the scent of vanilla lingering and swirling around him, enticing every sense he possessed.

"Do you want me to take off the mustache?"

"Yes," he choked out. When he made love to her, he wanted to feel every soft and gentle touch of her finger tips.

Thinking about making love brought an unconscious reaction from him. Without giving it a second thought, he brought his hands to her hips. His fingers tightened, his thumbs and hands exploring while he still had the chance. 

Startled, the razor nicked his cheek. "That's probably not such a good idea," she whispered.

"What?" he asked, knowing full well of what she spoke.

"Touch me," she whispered raggedly.

"I thought you would never ask," he said smoothly but let his hands drop to lap once again.

#Taylor'sDestiny #HistoricalRomance #Paranormal

Title: Taylor’s Destiny

Author: Christine Young

Genre: Historical Romance

Book Heat Level: 4

Buy at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, Kobo, Google Play

Read first chapter

TAGLINE

Taylor Maxwell never expected she would wake up in another century. Reid Stewart never expected to find her, nearly naked, on the bow of a sailing ship.

BLURB: Taylor's Destiny

She traveled to another time and place to changing destiny...

Enjoying a day of sailing, Taylor Maxwell never expected after a suffering a concussion she would wake up in another century. A resilient independent woman in the twenty-first century, the blond beauty is ill prepared for life in the 1800s. Her first sight of the naval captain who rescues her makes her heart stop, giving her hope for her future.

His life is transformed by a woman who appears from nowhere...

Born to a life of ease, Reid Stewart defies the dictates of those born to aristocracy and chooses a life of adventure in the navy and as a spy for the crown. When he discovers a nearly naked woman on the bow of small sailing ship, his heart warms. His love for Taylor and his need to protect her from a man who pursues her might cost him his life as well as hers.

EXCERPT: Taylor's Destiny

“I don’t trust myself with you. I don’t fall into anyone’s bed the first day I meet them,” she told him and knew there was a greater chance these impulsive feelings could quickly change to sex. Before she let him make love to her, she needed to know more about him and where exactly she was.

He chuckled softly. “Again your honesty amazes and intrigues me. I don’t know any other woman who would be brazen enough to imply they wanted to make love or they were even thinking about it.”

“Is it shameless here for a woman to tell a man how she is feeling?” She knew it was in any other century but her own. Even then many women did not speak of their feelings and needs. Men still assumed control.

“Americans are different,” he told her. “But since you admitted feelings for me, could I plead my case for a kiss, a chaste kiss, well maybe not too chaste.” He pushed her hair behind her ears, his hands settling gently on her face.

Unable to help herself, she moistened her lips and leaned into him at the same time. His mouth settled softly against hers. She opened for him, accepting the tantalizing warmth of his breath before feeling his tongue touch hers. In the back of her throat she moaned, accepting all he gave. One hand now resting on the small of her back, he drew her closer to him.

Her breaths came in short intervals. When he looked at her, she knew she craved more but also told herself she didn’t want him to think she gave herself to anyone or everyone who kissed her.

In his arms, she turned in a slight effort to distance herself from him and regain a tiny measure of composure. This was happening too quickly. In a rush, she found she was falling in lust with him. She’d only felt this way once before and that was with Sean. It had been incredibly hard to remain chaste with her fiancéwhen she craved intimacy.

“That was enough for one night,” she told him, running her hands along his arms, wishing her life was more stable.

“Never enough but I’ll abide by your wishes.” His hands now rested on the bare skin at her waist and she realized with the slightest invitation from her, he would explore higher, perhaps slip his large, calloused hands beneath her top.

“You told me you were in the Navy. A captain perhaps?” She needed to discover more before sex kept her from thinking rationally.

“I was, but I didn’t fight in the War of 1812.” He moved his hands a bit higher until they rested just beneath the swell of her breasts, “I was too young for a commission.”

“Did your family buy you one?” she asked, curious about the workings of the British government and trying to find out more about the time. She told herself she had to keep her mind on the questions and not where he explored.

“No, a friend of my family bought the commission with the provision I work for him once my duty to my country was done.”

“What do you do for him, this man who helped you become a captain?” She laughed, understanding he wouldn’t appreciate her question.

“If I told you I’d have to kill you.” He trailed kisses down the back of her neck in what she assumed was an attempt to distract her.

“You’re a spy.”

“I can’t answer that,” he said as his teeth slowly seduced, leaving an impression as they investigated. She shivered, succumbing to his seduction of her.

“Doesn’t matter if you deny or confirm. I’ve no interest in anything secretive.” If he were on a mission on this tiny island...well, she couldn’t imagine unless he was after a person. Perhaps she was more interested than she let on.

“Earlier you spoke of an office and a boss. Seems strange. Women work in America?”

“Whatever I told you, you wouldn’t believe me and I don’t want you to think I’m lying to you.” Nothing she told him about her work would be believable to him. She was a graphic artist who specialized in advertisements, emphasis on the internet and social media. She could tell him she drew pictures.

“Try me.” He wrapped one arm around her and leaned against the railing with his other arm.

When one door closes, another one opens. For the first time since Sean left, she felt protected and safe. More than anything she wanted to tell him what he asked but... She didn’t want to find herself committed to some insane asylum.

“You have no faith in me?”

“It’s not that...” she paused.

“What is it then?”

Website URL: http://christineyoungromancewriter.com/

Blog URL:  http://christineyoung-romancewriter.blogspot.com/

Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/Christine-Young-350132315013316/

Twitter handle: https://twitter.com/achristay

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/christine-young-5a991c21-1f11-47a0-ada5-6c2e6b689cbe

LINKS

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081HZ34CN

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/taylors-destiny-christine-young/1134926489?ean=2940163160518

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/taylors-destiny/id1488130401?mt=11&app=itunes

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/taylor-s-destiny

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Christine_Young_Taylor_s_Destiny?id=0jG-DwAAQBAJ

#TellTaleTuesday #TheRockStar

The Rock Star

Genie Gabriel

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 3

Buy at Amazon

The Rock Star by Genie Gabriel

The Long and The Short of It Reviews called this sensual romance "an excellent tale of love and the power of healing."

BLURB: The Rock Star

Fifteen years and many heart-wrenching experiences after their disastrous first meeting, a reformed rock star and the woman who idolized him as a teenager get a second chance to prove songs of the heart are the sweetest music of all.

EXCERPT: The Rock Star

Spotlights flashed in rainbows across the stage. Red. Green. Blue. Crisscrossing until they merged into one white-hot light on Geoff Chastain’s face, evoking memories of other times. The screams of thousands of teenaged girls washed through his memory as he pulled the microphone from its stand. 

The first notes of his daughter's favorite song filled the auditorium and his breath caught, jagged, in his chest. Pain pulsed through Geoff's heart with each beat of the drum. He nearly dropped to his knees, longing to crawl back into the self-imposed exile where he had existed since his daughter died. 

The faces of the kids in wheelchairs looked up at him with bright expectation. The whispers of the singers waiting in the stage wings curled around him in concern. 

Daddy, promise you won’t let the music die.His daughter’s last request haunted Geoff. He never suspected life would become so desolate he would forget to eat and sleep, let alone lose touch with the music that had always flowed so easily from his soul.

A singer moved from the wings to stand beside him. Her presence drifted around him in silent encouragement. Her sweet contralto coaxed him to sing with her. 

Focus,he ordered his brain, staring at the woman. Waves of auburn hair framed her face, then tumbled halfway down a lush body barely covered in spandex and sequins. A woman designed to stir a man to action. 

Geoff's voice rasped with disuse on the first verse; the woman's harmony covered it. As he started the second verse, an image of his daughter swam before his eyes and Geoff's throat closed. The woman picked up the melody without missing a beat, as if they had planned this duet.

He grasped at her hand and drew a deep breath. Her soft scent filled his nostrils, drawing his attention away from the pain. Giving him the strength to dig deep inside where the music had lain in silent mourning. 

Geoff's voice mingled with hers on the chorus, then soared as he soloed the third verse. Their voices chased each other through the final refrain, then their eyes met and held on the last triumphant note. Awed silence hung for a moment before applause erupted and the crowd was in motion.

A sea of well-wishers swarmed onto the stage. Not the frenzied near-riots of years ago, but the exuberant cheer of celebration. Smiles and congratulations wrapped warmly around Geoff as men pumped his hand and women kissed his cheek. 

But the mysterious auburn-haired woman who saved his musical butt had disappeared.

#MysteryMonday #AWifeForJayPrescott

Title: A Wife for Jay Prescott

Author: Rosemary Indra

Email: indrascloset@msn.com

Genre: contemporary romance

Excerpt Heat Level: 

Book Heat Level: 1

Buy at: Buy at Amazon: Buy at Barnes & Noble:  

BLURB: A Wife For Jay Prescott

From the moment Jay Prescott meets his new employee Lillian Ross, she turns his orderly life upside down. He’s captivated by her take charge attitude and shapely legs. To improve his grandmother’s morale after breaking her hip, he asks Lilli to pretend to be his girlfriend for two weeks. Their friendship grows and he realizes he wants a life long relationship with Lilli.

Lillian is attracted to her handsome boss despite his unsettled lifestyle. Remembering her own loving grandmother, she agrees to portray his girlfriend. Her attraction turns to love and she longs for Jay to see their relationship in a new light. When Lilli tells his grandmother the truth she has her own plans for Jay and Lilli.

EXCERPT: A Wife For Jay Prescott

The moment Jay Prescott opened the executive rest room door he encountered a delicate wild rose fragrance. The men’s room at the architectural firm of Prescott and Wilkes had on occasion smelled of his partner’s favorite green cigars or expensive aftershave, but never roses. Jay stepped back, double-checking the sign on the partially opened door. Written in white letters was the word "Men."

He breathed in the faint aroma which reminded him of a walk in a rose garden. Jay shook his head and walked farther into the carpeted lounge.

Obviously, he still suffered from jet lag if he allowed something this trivial to distract him. After a grueling three-week schedule in New York, where he’d battled record snowfall and frigid temperatures, Jay wasn’t sure which he’d looked forward to more -- returning to his regular schedule or to Oregon’s misty sunshine.

He looked around the corner expecting to see someone by the row of sinks. At first, the rest room appeared vacant; then the rustling sound of a paper bag caught his attention.

"Steve, is that you?" Jay called out to his partner.

"I thought I locked the door."

The voice from the last stall was muffled, but it was definitely a woman’s voice.  He moved closer and noticed the nylon-covered ankles, well-turned ankles, the best-looking ankles he’d seen in some time. Mesmerized, he watched her kick off one black pump. Before he could ask her why she was in the men’s room, he heard the sound of a zipper. Jay froze. Proper etiquette would call for him to leave, but he couldn’t tear his gaze off her wiggling toes as they celebrated their freedom.

"I’m sorry. No one was in here and I thought I’d be finished before anyone noticed. I’ll be out in just a minute."

Jay tried to recognize her voice, but she sounded as if she held something between her teeth. "Why are you changing in the men’s room?"

"I went jogging this morning."

"That doesn’t explain why you’re here." Jay crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Oh. The door to the women’s was locked with two "Out of Order" signs on it, and I have a meeting in less than ten minutes."

Ten minutes. With a glance at his watch, Jay swore under his breath--he also had a meeting.

Could the mysterious woman be the one Steve Wilkes hired while Jay was in New York? His partner had been evasive on the phone--something about a fresh new face and how she’d be good for the company.

Unable to curtail his curiosity any longer, Jay asked, "Are you the new personnel director?"

"Umm-hmm. I’ve only been here two weeks, and already I’m giving a presentation--Steve insisted."

Jay watched as she slipped her foot back into her shoe. He wondered how old she was. Judging from her light, breathless voice, she sounded rather young.

What an unusual way to meet an employee for the first time, behind a closed door in the men’s room no less! Although he hadn’t interviewed her, Jay didn’t doubt her qualifications. Steve had an uncanny feel for people. He had a reputation for hiring the right person for the right job.

Apparently she didn’t allow small obstacles to stand in her way, or she wouldn’t be changing in the men’s room. Instead she found solutions to her problems--he liked that trait. "I’m sure you’ll do fine."

"Sorry to keep you waiting." 

The stall door opened, startling Jay. He stepped back so fast his feet started to slip out from under him. To prevent himself from falling he jerked back hitting his head on the wall. Tilting his head down, he rubbed the painful spot.

"That must hurt. Are you all right?" She moved closer. 

His gaze traveled up the ankles he had secretly admired moments ago to her beige linen skirt and a white silk blouse. Not even her loose fitting blouse could hide her trim figure.  Her hand fiddling with her pearl necklace drew his attention. She had a good overall professional appearance--another plus for her. He watched her push back the thick spectacles that started to slide halfway down her nose. Her gray hair was stylishly short.

Gray hair? Heavy wrinkles flanked her mouth and creased her forehead. Stunned, Jay simply stared at her. He’d been admiring the legs of a woman who appeared to be as old as his grandmother.

"There’s a small button on the top of my blouse that I can’t reach. Would you fasten it for me?" She turned her back to him. "These old hands don’t cooperate like they used to," she explained.

He considered her request unusual, yet it didn’t surprise him. Nothing about their first meeting had been ordinary. Jay shrugged his shoulders and moved closer. He fumbled with the tiny button before it slipped through the loop. When his knuckles brushed against the soft skin at the nape of her neck, Jay jerked his hands back. He’d admired not only the older woman’s legs but also her silky skin.

"See that wasn’t so bad, now was it." She slipped on her suit jacket then retrieved a shopping bag and burgundy briefcase from the stall. A mischievous smile played across her lips. "You’re a good-looking young man. I bet you’ve helped a few women get dressed." She elbowed him in the side.

Amazed at her outspokenness, he continued to stare. So much for secretly admiring her. Jay’s mouth felt dry. He muttered something he hoped sounded acceptable.

He’d become so engrossed in their conversation he hadn’t given her lack of privacy a second thought. Or how she’d feel about it. Feeling guilty, Jay was at a loss for words to explain his inconsiderate behavior.

"Have a nice day," she said.

#RomanceSunday #ContemporaryRomance

Title: The Leader of the Band

Author: Genie Gabriel

Email: genene@genenevalleau.com

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Excerpt Heat Level: 1

Book Heat Level: 2

Buy at: Amazon, 

BLURB: The Leader of the Band

On stage, band leader Zach Zacata controls the emotions of thousands of fans, but he can't control his middle-aged body. When he has a heart attack, best friend and sometime lover Lauren Westover provides a place where Zach can heal. And Zach realizes he has one more chance to win Lauren's love--if a killer doesn't get to them first.

EXCERPT: The Leader of the Band

Staring at the woman in the mirror, Lauren slowly pushed the gray wig off her head. Her naturally blonde hair lay matted forlornly against one side of her head. As she turned her head, a white bandage became obvious, framed by a semi-circle of close-cropped stubble around her ear where waves of golden hair used to flow.

I could have lost my life instead of my hair,she reassured herself. Still, a spiral of panic threaded through Lauren’s belly. 

Sometimes Lauren disparaged her beauty, especially when lechers with insulting hands expected free access to her body. However, she also knew her physical appearance garnered many opportunities a plain woman never enjoyed. 

Now, hidden out in a retirement center and disguised as an old woman, no one had spared a second glance at her. Hadn't she wanted to be respected for something that didn't depend on good looks? 

A commotion at the door startled Lauren away from her own musings. Zach slipped inside and slammed the door shut behind him. Then he leaned against it, gulping deep breaths of air. His silver-streaked wig hung precariously over one ear; his satin smoking jacket was missing the belt that knotted it jauntily around his middle when she left him less than fifteen minutes ago.

He slid the lock into place and limped toward Lauren. “Whoever said women lose their libido in old age never visited this place.”

He flung the wig on the bed for the cat to play with and sat beside Lauren on the vanity bench. “How are you doing?”

Lauren shrugged. “Have the police found any sign of Matt [my son]?”

Zach’s fingers tiptoed across the bare skin at the back of Lauren’s neck. “Nothing yet. Johnny is spending most of his off-duty time shaking up the homeless hangouts. But they’re a tight-lipped bunch. Don’t talk to cops much.”

Zach’s lips touched the cool skin of Lauren’s nape. “He'll be alright.”

Her shiver this time wasn’t from fear for Matt but the trail of Zach's kisses across the base of her neck. Funny how being in a place with older people had eased Zach’s mind about aging. These men and women hadn’t given up on life when their youth faded. They still indulged their passions and their dreams. They spoke their minds and pursued what they wanted without regard to what others thought.

They were free in so many ways from the restraints and criticisms of the world. Free from their own unrealistic expectations, yet at peace with taking risks and trying new experiences.

Why had Zach feared growing old? "Will you make love with me?”

Lauren turned and stared at Zach. Disbelief, humor, interest, and eagerness flickered in her eyes before she placed her hand in Zach’s.