âAre you ready?â Cilla called, and walked through the archway
This time she was modeling a deep cobalt-blue lingerie set. It showed skin, a lot of it. The garter belt gave her the look of a wanton, the G-string under it an invitation to sin. The bustier she wore on top made her slight curves look bountiful. And stopped just above her nipples, which stood out against the smooth fabric.
Desire thudded through Rand. He couldnât stop staring at her. He wanted his mouth on hers; he wanted to be inside her.
âWhat do you think?â Cilla asked.
Rand wasnât sure coherent thought was on the program. She looked like a naughty schoolgirl, amused with her own daring. She looked like a temptress accustomed to making strong men weak. She looked like a woman of flesh and blood and unapologetic appetites. And all he could do was feast right along with her.
âCome here,â he ordered, because that was all he could handleâ¦.
Dear Reader,
Welcome back to the world of SEX & THE SUPPER CLUB. Nothing but the Best is Cillaâs book, and boy, was it a blast to write. Years ago I read an interview with Larry McMurtry in which he described his characters as though they were real people with minds of their own, people he just tracked and listened to as they went through their lives. I thought it was fanciful at the timeâthen I started writing novels and discovered that it was absolutely true. Cilla knows exactly who she is and what should happen to her. Itâs when she runs into a stubborn, sexy guy named Rand that she gets into trouble.
Cillaâs a feisty heroine whoâs great fun. Iâd love to hear what you think of her. Drop me a line at [email protected]. Look for more of SEX & THE SUPPER CLUB coming in the futureâwe still have to follow the stories of Paige, Thea and, best of all, Delaney. To keep track, sign up for my newsletter at www.kristinhardy.com for contests, recipes and updates on my recent and upcoming releases.
Have fun,
Kristin Hardy
Los Angeles, 1996
âOKAY, EVERYONE, you can stop unpacking, dinnerâs here.â
Cilla Danforth shut the front door with her elbow, balancing the stack of pizzas as she stared at the disordered living room of her new house. Despite the confusion that dotted the room, Cilla could still feel the warmth of her late grandmotherâs presence. No reading of the will changed that. But Gran had wanted her to have a home of her own. Cilla figured that sheâd have understood that at twenty, Cilla wasnât ready to live alone yet. She wanted friends around her, roommates to share her days in the rambling Depression Modern home in the affluent neighborhood of Brentwood.
Cilla shook her head briskly and carried the stack of pizza boxes into the kitchen. Like magic, the scent drew the rest of her new roommates, the same way it did when they got it delivered to the university drama department when they were all working on a production.
âTrish, whereâs all the kitchen stuff you got at the store?â Kelly Vandervere yelled.
Trish ran down the stairs, her long red hair clubbed back in a braid. âLook on the counter behind you. I grabbed paper plates and napkins. I thought we could figure out what to do about real plates once we got settled. I donât think Cilla should have to buy everything. Weâre living here, too.â
âWell, these will do for the time being,â said Delaney, a gleam in her eye as she opened the box holding the pepperoni pizza.
They settled in the living room, sitting on the sofa or against the wall.
âOne of the things weâre going to have to get is enough places for all of us to sit,â Cilla observed.
âI got a couple of upholstered chairs when they sold off the props from my dadâs last movie,â Sabrina Pantolini told them.
âThatâll help,â Cilla said. âPaige, you want to go to Danforth Home with me this week and help me pick out a couple of sofas?â
Paigeâs eyes lit up at the idea of a shopping spree at Danforth, Cillaâs familyâs business and the most luxurious department store on Rodeo Drive. âAny time.â
âNothing too gorgeous, Paige,â Thea begged. âI donât want nightmares from spilling wine when Iâm making out with Rob Frieden, or something. Not that Iâm planning to,â she added hastily.
Sabrina winked. âNot planning to do what, spill wine or make out with him?â
âSpill wine, of course. As to Robâ¦â She gave a saucy look and took a bite of pizza.
Delaney raised her Coke. âHereâs to escaping the dorms.â
Trish shook her head. âHereâs to Cilla, for inviting us to live in her new house.â