âIt was just a kiss.â
âIt wasnât âjustâ anything, sweetheart.â Justin turned his head toward Olivia, his eyes erotically intense. âAnd try looking at it from the other side, if you donât believe me,â he continued. âAre you honestly saying you couldnât make a few educated guesses about my performance now?â
Flames licked through her blood. On the job, her vibrant visualization skills served her well, but all they were helping with now was raising the temperature inside the car. Justin sliding the straps of her bra down her shoulders, kissing her exposed skinâ¦lowering her to a mattress, covering her body with his weightâ¦kissing her as she straddled himâ¦
Olivia wanted to tell him that his performance was none of her concern. But if she opened her mouth to speak, the words take me would spill out of their own volition.
Dear Reader,
I canât tell you how many times Iâve decided on a clear plan, only to have it goâ¦well, kablooey is the word that springs to mind. Cartoonlike, but accurate. Has this ever happened to you? Itâs about to happen to Olivia Lockhart and Justin Hawthorne.
With a recent breakup behind her, Olivia has vowed not to repeat her past romantic mistakes. Sheâs going to find someone more stable than sexy and more interested in committing than flirtingâdespite her attraction to irresistible photographer Justin Hawthorne. Justin, who finished raising his sisters after his parentsâ deaths, has just seen his youngest sister off to college and has resolved to reclaim his bachelor freedomâwhich does not include settling down with one woman. But the best-laid plans are no match for love!
I hope you enjoy Justin and Oliviaâs story. I love entertaining readers, and I also love hearing from them. You can write me at [email protected] or visit my Web site at www.tanyamichaels.com for information on giveaways and upcoming releases.
Wishing you plans that go smoothly, or at least plenty of laughter when they donât!
Tanya Michaels
âBUT DID I tell you what he said after I found him in bed with my roommate?â Olivia Lockhart sat behind her oak desk, scowling at the three-week-old memory of Seanâs parting words. âHe said âBabe, when a manâs as in demand as I am, it wouldnât be fair to the women of the world to limit myself to just one.â I am finished with smooth-talking, good-looking men.â
Was early March way too late to add a New Yearâs resolution?
Jeanie, the office receptionist who stood leaning against Oliviaâs file cabinet, wrinkled her pixie features into an uncharacteristic grimace. âSo youâre going out with ugly men now?â
They were probably more faithful. âI donât plan on seeing anyone for a while.â
Olivia had spent her dateless high-school years with homemade brownies and her momâs old Cary Grant movies. Now, she had plenty of dates, but sheâd been better off with Cary and the brownies. In fact, if she could find a decent brownie that didnât go straight to her hips, maybe she could give up men all together.
âIf you donât date, what will you do?â Jeanieâs distressed tone made such an existence sound unthinkable. For her, it probably was.
With her heart-shaped face and ultrashort platinum hair, adorably petite Jeanie looked like head cheerleader for Santaâs elves and had the bubbly personality to match. Men flocked to her, but sheâd been pretty serious about the same guy, Albert, for the last few months. Olivia had high hopes for them. She had to have hope for someone.
âI have plenty to keep me busy,â Olivia said. âFriends, work. You know I want to be named Design Supervisor.â
Jeanie narrowed her brown eyes. âAre you sure youâre not just saying that because youâre gun-shy?â
âIâm sure.â Getting promoted had been Oliviaâs real New Yearâs resolution. When sheâd been younger, sheâd made up for romantic failures by excelling in school. Now, sheâd apply the extra energy to her job until she could figure out how to improve her luck with men.
âBecause Iâd hate to see you cheat yourself out of The One just because of Sean,â Jeanie continued. âAlbert has an older brother, and Iâd be happy to set you up. He really likes exotic-looking women.â
Suppressing startled laughter, Olivia leaned back in her chair. âExotic?â
âWell, youâre so tall, and you have all that long black hair. Gives you a mysterious aura.â
âAh.â As far as she could tell, the only mystery in her life was her track record of bad relationship decisions. She was an otherwise competent woman. âThanks anyway, Jeanie. If heâs Albertâs brother, Iâm sure heâs wonderful, but Iâm putting romance on the back burner for a while.â