Archive for the ‘Dave & Melinda’ Category
Long time no blog, eh?
I’m on vacation from the day job this week, so I have nothing but time to do all the things I want to do more often—and that includes jumping into this week’s My Sexy Saturday blog hop.
This week’s theme is “My Sexy Reunion”—and I can think of no more appropriate reunion than that of Dave and Melinda in Diva in the Dugout. Here, they renew their carnal acquaintance five years after a one-night stand made them parents—a fact of which Dave remains unaware for nearly five years.
Enjoy!
***
“Mom knew me better than I knew myself, because I was already on my way to life in the slow lane. Another woman changed me, Mel.” His voice dropped. The gentle stroke of his thumb against her cheek fluttered her already-faltering heartbeat. “I never forgot the blonde bombshell who left me in the middle of the night.”
The husky declaration melted her last shreds of resistance. If he truly had never forgotten her, maybe they could have a happily-ever-after like her parents. Mel wanted so much to believe that. She needed to believe. She leaned into his caress, then closed the gap between them and brushed her lips to his.
Strong fingers threaded through her hair, and he deepened the kiss. Memories rushed back, memories of how strong she’d been all those years ago. How fearless. How easily they fit together, like two halves of one whole. So hot—and so right.
She wanted that again.
A whimper escaped from deep within her. From a place only one man—this man—had ever touched. Dave’s tongue stilled.
“Don’t stop now,” she murmured.
Mischief danced in his eyes. “I wasn’t planning to.” In one smooth motion, he slid one hand under her blouse and undid her bra.
Diva in theDugout is available at all major e-retailers. This handy universal link will take you to your choice of the Big Four, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iBooks.
Welcome to this week’s My Sexy Saturday blog hop. The theme, “A Long, Sexy Time,” is designed to spotlight love that has been around for a while:
“… It’s all about those who have loved another for a long time. This love could have started when they were kids, when they were dating or even from afar.”
That pretty much leaves my couples out. They tend to meet and experience love — or hate — at first sight, and then overcome whatever obstacles are in their path to happily ever after. Dave and Melinda from DIVA IN THE DUGOUT are the closest I have to a couple who’s known each other for a while … and that’s only if you count a one-night stand, nearly five years ago, as knowing one another.
In this scene, Dave and Mel are trying to get along for their daughter’s sake. He’s just landed in Amarillo so he can meet Mel’s parents — something she’d denied him years earlier by not telling him she was pregnant. Keeping Tara a secret was a decision she had what she thought were good reasons for, but is now starting to regret.
Enjoy!
***
Mel bounced from foot to foot in the arrivals area of the Amarillo airport Wednesday afternoon. The steady flow of travelers slowed to a trickle before Dave strolled through the gate.
Damn, he looked fine. He walked tall and proud, his shoulders impossibly broad in a burgundy suit jacket. He carried a duffel the same color as his coat—his team colors.
When, for once, her smile didn’t feel forced, Mel realized she was glad to see him. “Welcome back, Muscles.”
He studied her for a moment before dropping his bag at his feet. Then he stepped up and folded her into a hug. His arms circled her waist, pressing her tightly against his flat stomach and broad chest. Her nerve endings started to sing, especially the bits of her rubbing all that hard muscle. Mmm.
“You feel even better than you look.” The thought popped out of Mel’s mouth before she could stop it. Her cheeks burned, and she could only hope the words were too muffled by his jacket for him to hear.
No such luck. His chest shook with laughter. “If I’d expected such a friendly greeting, I’d have come back sooner.”
Mel flattened her palms against his shoulders and he let her go. What the hell had she been thinking, falling into his arms like that? Just because he was trying to build a relationship with Tara didn’t mean he wanted one with her. After what she’d done, she was probably the last person he’d consider getting romantic with.
DIVA IN THE DUGOUT, the first book in my All Is Fair in Love & Baseball series, can be found at Turquoise Morning Press, Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iTunes.
P.S If you liked this snippet, my friend Lizzie Shane is giving away a copy of DIVA on her Facebook page this weekend. She’ll draw a winner Monday morning. Click here to enter.
This week’s My Sexy Saturday theme, “I’m too sexy,” necessitates a trip back through time…way, way back to October 2013, when my first book came out.
Okay, so it was only a little more than a year ago. Not long at all in the big picture.
DIVA IN THE DUGOUT’s hero, Dave, is arguably the sexiest of all my heroes. Whether he’s on the field or on the playground with the 4-year-old daughter he just met for the first time, the Arizona Condors’ bad-boy shortstop is smokin’ hot.
Because, really, what’s sexier than a man who obviously loves his child?
Need proof? Google “Chris Hemsworth with baby.” An ovary explosion is guaranteed.
***
When they got to the park, Melinda hung back with her camera phone, documenting daddy-daughter time. She wanted Tara to have a reminder of this day in case Dave hightailed it out of here, never to be seen again.
It amazed Mel how easily Tara had accepted Dave. The sheer joy on Tara’s face every time she looked at her father made Mel wonder if she’d done her baby wrong by not looking for him.
But she wasn’t ready to concede the point. He could be a jerk…he could be a pervert….
He waved away a fly that landed on Tara’s head and then ruffled her hair as she chortled at something he’d said.
He could be a fantastic father if you give him half a chance.
Melinda swallowed hard. She owed Dave that much, just as she owed him more than a couple of hours with Tara…if he wanted it.
She crossed the playground to the curly slide Tara was clambering up. Dave shadowed her, ready to catch Tara if she started to fall. Regret squeezed her heart again. Maybe keeping him in the dark hadn’t been her wisest choice.
Find DIVA IN THE DUGOUT at Turquoise Morning Press, Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iTunes.
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