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* * * * Winter Wonderland Giveaway * * * *

December 13, 2012 by 19 Comments

Hello and a big welcome to the Winter Wonderland Giveaway here at the Whispers Publishing blog! This holiday season, we’d like to hear from you, the amazing readers. What’s up for grabs, you ask?

An e-book and a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky person who shares a holiday memory.

So grab a hot chocolate and break out those memories of sledding, hidden gifts, family singalongs, and too much eggnog! We want to hear from you!

Leave your post in our comments section and please don’t forget to leave your name so we can contact you in the event that you win.

Can’t wait to hear from you!

Filed Under: Author's Blog, Featured, Romance

Win a copy of “Heaven Sent”

July 31, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Photobucket

“So, what did Michael say?” Dorian asked in a worried tone. “Had he ever called you back from an assignment before?”

“No,” Ben replied, “but everything worked out okay. He knew it was all my doing; that’s why he didn’t call you back as well. I managed to convince him we had the right idea. Anyway, apparently there’s some sort of rule about once a guardian starts something in the way of helping, he has to continue. That’s mainly why we’re not being pulled off this case. Michael said to just disappear now would make everything worse. Timmy would lose faith, and Paul, if he didn’t connect his little incident with what he’d done to Timmy, would just continue. And, as his behavior had already been escalating, it would only get to a point that Timmy was doomed.”

“Is that kid really planning to kill his father?”

“Not quite yet, but given several more instances of his father’s brand of discipline, it would be just a matter of time. Anything interesting happen while I was gone?”

Dorian looked uncomfortable and moved to gaze out the kitchen window.

Ben narrowed his eyes at him. “You may as well tell me. I’ll have to know. Timmy is still in school, isn’t he?”

“Yes. He’s due home soon.”

“Where is Paul?”

“Locked in the garage.”

“What?” Ben looked toward the garage. There were windows there, but they’d all been boarded up, and he couldn’t see inside. He could hear nothing coming from within, and he looked back at Dorian. “Tell me.”

“Well, he has some pretty kinky ideas about what he wants from Marcia,” Dorian stammered. “I got the distinct impression that it’s not quite her cup of tea, but, of course, she doesn’t feel she can refuse him.” He looked at Ben, an eagerness in his eyes. “I’m starting to be able to interpret those ‘hunches’ you talked about. I knew, in my gut, that she was afraid. This was just more bullying. So…”

As Dorian hesitated, Ben drew him out. “So, what? You spied on them to see how bad it was, or what?”

“No, I told you, she was afraid. Terrified. Paul had gone to the closet and picked up a bag of ‘toys’, and a small, leather strap sort of thing dropped out to the floor. Before I could even think about it, I picked it up and began hitting him with it. All over his back, his shoulders, his legs.

“And don’t worry,” he added before Ben could interrupt. “Marcia was across the room, sitting on the bed. There’s no way he could think she’d done it. I chased him out of the room, down the stairs, and out the back door. All the way into the garage. Then I just locked him in.”

“How? Can’t he open the overhead door from the inside?”

“He’s pretty shaken, so I imagine he’s not thinking very clearly. There are vicious welts all over him…blood. He won’t need a hospital, unless he’s picking up an infection by lying on a dirty floor. I figured he’d come out any time now.”

“Maybe we should go out and see how bad it is.”

“I think it’s pretty significant that Marcia hasn’t come down yet to see what happened.”

“Can she see the garage from the bedroom?”

“Yeah, if she looks out the window. If she’s smart, she’ll pick Timmy up from school and take him away for the evening. Give Paul a chance to cool down.”

Ben walked through the wall to the yard, Dorian on his heels. They walked through the garage wall and looked at Paul, who was gingerly pulling his shirt away from the drying blood on his back.

“See, he’s still breathing,” Dorian whispered.

“What are you whispering for?” Ben shook his head, moving closer to the man still sitting on the floor. “I wish there were some way we could make him understand why this is happening to him. Who knows how long it will take him to get the message otherwise? He doesn’t seem all that intelligent.”

“Can’t we write it somewhere?”

“I don’t know. It’s something to think about, anyway.” Ben straightened quickly when Paul began to push himself to his feet. He noticed the flogger on the floor, about two feet away. Turning to Dorian, he asked, “Do you suppose any neighbors witnessed the chase? What might they think of a man running away from a flying flogger?”

“I think most people would just ignore anything that didn’t make sense to them. At least, I hope so.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Ben said, moving to the work bench against the wall. He held up a drill, making sure Paul noticed the power tool floating in midair, then slowly brought it closer and closer to the stunned man.

Dorian chuckled, getting into the spirit of things. “Do you think you could get it to turn on? Wait, let me plug it in.”

“Nope, don’t worry about that,” Ben said, even as the drill’s motor came to life, its electrical plug hanging uselessly in the air. He moved toward Paul, who had begun backing away, staring at the impossible sight before him.

As Ben made a sudden lunge toward his face with the drill, Paul turned and ran into the door, knocking himself down. He regained his feet and began frantically pawing at the button that would raise the overhead door. As he made his escape, Ben returned the now-silent drill to the bench and high-fived Dorian. The two followed calmly behind the terrified man, entering the house behind him and waiting for him to stop moving.

Ben almost felt sorry for him. It must be quite a shock, realizing you were being haunted. When he’d first made Dorian’s acquaintance, it had been under much less threatening circumstances. And—and this was a big and—Dorian could see Ben, and still, he’d been shocked. Paul had no idea what was happening.

But he would.

* * * *

“I suppose one of us should see how Marcia’s dealing with all this,” Dorian suggested.

Ben shrugged, still watching Paul, who’d settled down at the kitchen table, throwing the occasional nervous look out the window.

Dorian focused until he was once more in the couple’s bedroom, not really surprised to see Marcia still sitting where he’d left her more than an hour ago, on the bed, her eyes staring sightlessly before her. He looked at the bag Paul had taken from the closet. It was partially unzipped, and he peeked inside, then drew away, disgusted. He had no regrets about his earlier actions in chasing Paul from the room. But how to calm Marcia? It wasn’t fair that she should be afraid.

He looked at the nightstand and, seeing a pen and tablet on it, thought he’d try to communicate with her. It took him a couple of tries—manual dexterity obviously needed some practice—but he thought he might be able to write legibly enough for her to understand.

Marcia…

Nope, she was still staring straight ahead. He tapped the pen against the lamp. Startled, she looked over, her eyes widening on seeing the pen hovering above the tablet. As she moved closer, Dorian continued to write.

I’m Dorian. A ghost. Ben’s a ghost, too. We’re here to…

He dropped the pen quickly, trying in vain to shush her screams. Why hadn’t he foreseen this? Now she was scrambling away from the table, across the bed, falling off the other side. He heard footsteps, and knew Paul was on his way up. Ben appeared in the room just before Paul crashed the door open.

“What the hell is going on?” Paul shouted. “What are you screaming about?”

She immediately stopped screaming, but pointed a shaking hand toward the tablet.

Paul went over to it, bending to read it. He straightened up, looking over at Marcia and pulling his belt from his waist. “I want to know how you managed to chase me into the garage, you sneaky bitch.”

Ben shoved his fist into Paul’s flabby stomach while Dorian pulled the belt away from him. As Paul doubled up, fighting for breath, Dorian pushed him down and they struggled to wrap the belt around his arms and legs, buckling it and leaving Paul in a sort of hog-tied position. He and Ben pushed and pulled Paul until he was leaning against the wall.

Marcia was screaming again, and Dorian grabbed the tablet, hoping to finish his message before his hearing was destroyed.

“Wait!” called Ben. “Only our subject can know we’re here! I just remembered!”

“Too late,” said Dorian calmly. “I’m sure Michael would have stopped us if we violated any sanctified rules.” He continued to write.

…help you and Timmy. We’re not going to hurt you or Timmy, we promise. Now stop screaming, please. Timmy will be home soon.

While Dorian was writing, Marcia’s screams had softened somewhat into pitiful whimpers, her eyes going from the floating tablet and pen to her husband, who was once again breathing and was now swearing and fighting against his restraints.

Dorian tossed the tablet onto the bed where she could see it, and waited while she read what he’d written. She looked up at Paul, her eyebrows lifted almost to her hairline.

“Well, what does the goddamned thing say?” Paul asked bitterly, and probably against his better judgment.

“We’re being…haunted,” she said in wonder.

Paul began to bluster out a protest, but then he must have thought about the drill that had chased him from the garage. Shaking his head, he muttered at her, “Get me out of this damned thing.”

Automatically rising to answer her husband’s demand, she cautiously approached him. As she began to fumble with the buckle, Dorian asked Ben, “Should we stop her from doing that?”

“No,” Ben decided aloud. “Let’s see how he handles things. But be ready. He might decide that somehow she’s responsible for it all.”

As Dorian had expected, as soon as he was free, Paul grabbed Marcia by her hair, pulling her down to him on the floor and knocking her head against his knee. She cried out in pain and fear. Dorian reached down to grab a handful of Paul’s hair, pulling as if to stand him up. He could feel many of the strands breaking, and wondered what would give in first, Paul’s scalp or his grip on Marcia’s hair.

Paul, yelling, finally let go of Marcia, who scuttled back out of his way. Dorian let go, but stayed close. Ben moved in, bracing himself for Paul’s next move.

“I want to know how you’re doing this, you sniveling cow,” Paul began. Marcia pushed herself farther away, her chest hitching as she fought to control her sobs. Before Paul could gain his feet, Dorian reached out and grabbed the first thing his hands touched.

He ripped the lamp away from the table, feeling the cord give way, and sent it in a circling arc toward Paul’s face. He felt the satisfying force of the impact, and knew Paul’s face would never be the same again. Ben reached over and opened the closet door so Marcia could scoot into it.

Paul, roaring with pain and fear, spat out a few teeth and tried to speak. “I get it! Stop, I get it! No more!”

He rolled to his side, wanting to put his hand to his face, but obviously unwilling to cause himself even more pain. He began to crawl toward the door, and Ben and Dorian allowed him to leave the room. They waited until they heard his slow progress down the stairs. Ben looked into the closet, where Marcia was cowering.

Dorian again picked up the tablet, writing once more.

Take Timmy and go somewhere else for the night. We’ll let you know in the morning if it’s safe for you to return.

“Yes, I will. I’ll go.” She glanced at the clock on the dresser. “Oh, no! Timmy could be walking in the door at any moment! Paul’s down there!” She quickly moved to put herself in order, combing her hair and straightening her clothing, showing a determination the ghosts hadn’t seen before.

“I’ll go see that Timmy gets in safely,” Ben said. “It’ll be much easier to relay messages to Marcia once Timmy gets home.”

“And find out exactly what Paul is doing,” Dorian reminded him. “I’m still not sure he’s learned his lessons.”

“I doubt it, as we’re still here,” Ben said cynically. “Paul is probably thinking more of revenge than remorse right now.”

* * * *

Answer the following questions. Best answers win a free copy of this book!

1. Michael had called Ben away from this assignment for a talk, but allowed him to return afterwards. Why might he have called Ben away?
2. Why would Ben and Dorian be assigned to help Timmy in the first place?
3. What events tell you Ben and Dorian hadn’t been at this occupation very long?
4. What do you feel Michael might think about Ben’s and Dorian’s handling of the situation?

Filed Under: Author's Blog, Fantasy, Featured, General Fiction

Wishes and Dreams

July 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I’m excited to be on the Whispers Publishing blog because TODAY is the release date for my latest book, Wishes and Dreams.

Can a grumpy old ghost stand in the way of a woman’s wishes and dreams?

“What do you mean I’m a grumpy old ghost?”
“Who’s this?”
“This is Captain Charles Frazier. I believe I am your great grandfather, young lady.”

“Captain Frazier. I’m delighted you came to visit.”
“Hmmph.”
“I was going to visit with some friends on the web. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”
“I guess not. But you need to bear down. The tide’s rising.
“So, Captain, what happened to keep you here?”
“This is my house. When I lay dying, I wanted to see my beloved Ruth one last time to say good-bye. When I saw her beautiful face, I was distracted from passing over.”
“What do you like about being here? ”
“I feel close to my family. I can watch over them. Steer them in the right direction when the drift off course.”
“Like you helped Dakota and Will?”
“Aye, lassie.”
“What don’t you like about being a ghost?”
“It’s hard not being able to talk to those I love–my family. And I miss my sweet Ruth.”
“That must be sad. Do you ever think of leaving us and joining her?”
“Avast, Lassie. I’m needed here.”
“Okay. So, what did you like best about being a sea captain?”
“Lots of things. Riding out a storm. Putting in to port in Shanghai.”
“And what did you like least?”
“Being away from home for such a long time. I might be gone six months more or less. It was hard.”
“I can imagine. I know you have business to attend to, but thanks for taking the time to chat with me.”
“It’s always a pleasure visiting with family. I wish you a fair wind in your sails, lassie.”

I hope you’ve enjoyed this short visit with my great-grandfather, Captain Charles Frazier.

Here’s a bit about my book:

When things start to go wrong the opening day of Dakota Bucklin’s new cafe in her bed and breakfast, she accepts help from her best friend, a man she has started to see in a light that is anything but just friendly.

Will Graham books a room at the bed and breakfast to get closer to the woman he loves. When unexplained cooking disasters leaves Dakota in a heap, Will is there to pick her up and reveal his true feelings.

Remember, all commenters will be entered in a drawing for one of my books.

Filed Under: Author's Blog, Contemporary, Featured, Paranormal, Romance, Sweet Tagged With: , , , ,

Wishes & Dreams coming soon

June 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Today, my mother, Charlotte Bucklin Peabody, would be 95.

One summer, many years ago, when I was bored and had read all my books for the umpteenth time, she introduced me to romance novels. I was hooked and have read them since then and eventually began writing them.

So, when I got the idea for Wishes and Dreams, my book releasing July 26 (which, coincidentally is my father’s birthday and he would be 97), Culinarians Day. I decided it would be fitting to use some of my ancesters on Mum’s side. She was a great cook and should have been a food critic.

I had lots of fun writing it, remembering my mother and stories she told about my great-grandfather.

Can a grumpy old ghost stand in the way of a woman’s wishes and dreams?

What can go wrong for Dakota Bucklin in one morning? Everything, when her great-great-great grandfather is meddling and her long-time friend, Will Graham, is distractingly attractive.

And here’s a taste:

Dakota stood to one side holding a flat pan in her hand, her sherry-colored eyes wide open as she surveyed the mess. A few wisps of her dark brown hair peeked from under a crooked red bandana.

Will stepped into the room, the door swinging shut behind him. “You doing some heavy-duty redecorating?” He regretted his teasing in case she’d been hit by one of the falling pans. “Seriously, are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

Dakota shifted her gaze to his chest. Her eyes widened even further.

At that moment, Will realized he wore only his pajama bottoms. In his haste to discover what had happened, he had neglected to slip into his jeans and pull on a T-shirt.

“No, I’m fine. It’s just… I don’t know what happened.”

Her voice sounded dazed, worrying Will that she had indeed been injured in spite of her assurance she wasn’t. He didn’t see any blood or bruising, so he had to assume she was okay.

“I reached for this,” she waved the flat pan she held, “and everything came tumbling down.”

Enjoy!
Judi Phillips

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: ,

Celebrate BEVERAGE DAY with Scottish Ale

May 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

As a writer, I create more than characters who meet. I need an interesting plot. What about the setting, the time-line, their clothing, food? Even their beverage of choice can give my readers a ‘taste’ of the adventure. In Dragon’s Curse, my Whispers Publishing release, I used Scottish ale as an ingredient to help describe my heroine Brianna’s thoughts about the strange man who just saved her from drowning in this excerpt:

“What treasures are in those caves? I assume ye have explored each dark tunnel since ye seem to know your way around.” He sat quiet for a moment, and then gulped his ale.
No cider for such a man, she thought as he licked foam from his lips.

I wanted to explain my use of a historically accurate beverage to give my readers a sense of 1592 Scotland. The ancients Scots have been home-brewing beer and ale for over 2,000 years. How do I know? Research. I interviewed a local brewer, toured a micro brewery, and thumbed through several books. The internet has a vast array of information and I discovered that carting barrels of ale along on a hunting trip via a boat was not out of the ordinary. That my hero, Draco, lived in a cave filled with barrels of cider and ale was believable. The use of the sense of taste can heighten attraction between characters, like in this excerpt:

He tasted her. Sweet apple cider and honey. Her flavor nourished him unlike his forgotten dinner or his half-drunk ale. He sucked her tongue into his mouth. She whimpered with the feminine angst of a long-denied innocent.

Having my heroine serve the men who spend the day hunting on a small island gave me the need to decide what she would serve them. Ale was the natural choice. What is ale? Ale is a type of beer that can be broken down into two broad categories called ales and lagers. Ale is created by using top-fermenting yeasts and lagers use bottom-fermenting yeasts. The Scots made use of what they could find growing wild in a harsh climate. They used bittering herbs, bushes, and flowers. The heather plant is a common Scottish plant so its tips were widely used to add an aromatic flavor to home brew. A deciduous shrub called sweet gale can be found growing amid Scottish moors and bogs and was used to flavor beer before the use of hops. As sweet as these flavors sound, some people are repulsed by the scent of ale, as was my heroine when one of the hunters got too close in this excerpt:

Ranald’s low, gravelly voice filled her mouth with a bitter taste. The stench of strong ale flooded his breath and assaulted her nose while his dirty fingernails dug into her uncovered flesh.

Ale and beer has long been advertised as a manly beverage. Right or wrong, the creation of light beers, low-calorie ales, and non-alcoholic beer has risen to fill the needs of younger generations of both men and women. May 6th is National Beverage Day. So grab up a glass of whatever makes your taste buds dance, and drink up! Don’t forget to enter my contest (below)

DRAGON’S CURSE
BOOK BLURB

Sometimes a special gift and an unwanted curse cannot keep destined lovers apart.
Brianna Macleod has accompanied a shipload of her guardian’s friends to a remote island off the coast of Scotland. She eludes these Highland hunters to keep her innocence…and her gift of sight. Her attitude against falling for womanly desires changes when she nearly drowns. Saved by the talons of a terrifying winged beast, she awakens—naked—in a cave, beside an unusual man.

Cursed by a vengeful witch to transform into a dragon at inopportune times, Draco MacDonald hides on this deserted island to live alone: until he plucks a servant girl from certain death. Fueled by jealousy, and tempered by fear for her safety, he succumbs to an unfamiliar desire to mate. Her kisses propel him to dare to make her his own.

Set in 1592 Scotland on the Scottish island of Staffa, the cursed hero battles a ghostly witch, a hunter set on rape, and his own growing desire for a young woman with premonitions of his death.

Dragon’s Curse Buy Link: http://whispershome.com/romance/dragons-curse/

WIN a pdf copy of Dragon’s Curse by answering this question in the comment box: What is your favorite beverage? One comment will be chosen as the winner, so please include your e-mail.

Nancy Lee Badger, author
Twitter me @NLBadger
website: www.nancyleebadger.com
Blog: www.RescuingRomance.nancyleebadger.com

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Easter Giveaway $5 and ebook

April 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Hi everyone. Welcome to my little part of this great big old blog hop. I want to give away an ebook copy of Sex on the Beach and a $5 gift certificate to Starbucks. Fun stuff right? I hope so.

 

If you haven’t heard about it, this is the main site where you can find all kinds of great authors and prizes they are offering up. http://thebloghopspot.com/event-page/

 

 

So here’s the deal, I am going to ask a question and have you email me the answer. My email will be removed after the contest is over so that I don’t get a lot of late entries. One winner will be chosen from the continental United States. Sorry, but I just don’t want to pay shipping or figure out customs for a gift card. If you enter and have an international postal address you will only be entered for the ebook.

 

Questions:

1. Who did Harry go on the dating gameshow with?

2. What do you think his answer should be?

3. What are the names of the main characters?

Email your answer to lyons_missy2@yahoo.com. Your last day to enter is April 8, 2012 and the contest closes at 11:59 PM EST. This contest is limited to the United States, and Canada. Sorry but I don’t want to worry about postage.

 

A winner will be picked as soon as it is over. Thank you for your entry and good luck!

 

Available now at all major ebook retailors and at the publisher’s website here:Whispers Publishing

Price $4.95

Length 41,000 words

Genre: Erotic Romance (m/f)

Authors: Cherie Denis and Missy Lyons

 

Blurb:

 

Sally lives a dream life on the Garden Isle of Kauai, but living in a huge empty house has made her achingly lonely. She can’t even remember the last time a man was in her bed. So when a sinfully sexy cowboy wanders onto a deserted strip of beach she was ready for some casual sexy fun.

 

Harry had been widowed for two years, but despite his guarded heart he fell hard for the smoking hot beautiful creature on the beach. As Harry and Sally explore the island together, it’s near impossible to keep her insatiable appetite for sexy adventures filled. The more time they spend together, the more his heart wants her as much as his cock.

 

Yet when her employers return unexpectedly, her job is at risk. Everything goes wrong in Harry’s desperate attempt to keep her safe and protected, but he is determined that nothing can keep them apart. Even if his life is on the line.

 

 

Excerpt:

 

“Welcome to the Romance Connection! Where love stories come true every day and dirty little secrets love to come out and play!” The beautiful blonde game show hostess walked down the stairs pulling up the hem of her sequined dress so as not to trip on the flashy material. The camera loved her, but it didn’t do her justice. She was much more seductive in person with that low-cut neckline and engaging smile.

 

“So, tonight we have Harrison Ford and his match Madeline Newton after their first date last night.” The hostess tipped her microphone towards Harrison’s date sitting on the couch next to him. “So, Madeline, how’d it go?”

 

“Oh, well you know how these things are. It takes time to really get to know a guy.”

Harrison did his best to not grind his teeth. Last night had sucked as far as a first dates go. The woman had been ice cold to him all evening. She’d even ducked when he tried to kiss her goodnight. If this was the way things were going to be in the future, he was not looking forward to a trip with her to Hawaii. A whole week with her in the same hotel room would be torture. Personally, he’d rather get all his teeth pulled without pain killers.

 

“I guess it went okay, but I’m looking forward to learning more about Harrison on the islands.”

 

Madeline turned and played along the row of his shirt buttons. Her deft fingers traced the line of buttons before lingering near his neck. Harrison wanted to push her hands away, but refrained. He knew she was just doing it for the cameras. This was the most she had touched him. Ever.

 

“Well that will be up to our bachelor as to whether you win the $50,000 and take the trip to Hawaii together or not. He could always go alone and meet his dream woman there. Did you have fun last night Harry?”

He refrained from rolling his eyes, but it wasn’t easy. “I guess.”

 

He hadn’t had any fun, but he knew how this game worked. If he stayed with the girl chosen for him, together they could split the money and get to go on a vacation with each other, or he would get a consolation prize and go on the trip by himself.

 

“Let’s play a clip back for our audience and see if he’s telling the whole story.” The hostess smiled widely as if she knew a secret neither of them shared. The lights dimmed and a huge screen behind them began playing a clip of them having ice cream. Harry shuddered. That was a particularly dreadful moment of their date he wished he could forget.

 

Yeah, he had tried to be smooth and put his arm around her shoulders in the ice cream parlor. He was only being a typical man, testing the waters.

 

She threw his arm off and snarled, “What do you think you’re doing?”

 

Damn.

 

The six foot tall television screen made every emotion on Harrison’s face evident. It was embarrassing to see the shock and hurt on his face when she rejected him. That was the moment he realized he was face to face with a true ice maiden.

 

His past experiences had taught him ice maidens were all the same. They were almost always drop-dead gorgeous. But, like a poisonous plant they were pretty to look at, and deadly to the touch. He tried not to date women who were too gorgeous. The one time he had in college, she’d tried to use sex to get him to do what she wanted. It sucked to be used strictly for sex with no love attached. He wanted more in a woman than a sexy package.

 

“Just trying to keep you warm.” Harry watched himself shrug off the rejection on the big screen. He had tried not to show any emotion, but it stung then and it still did.

 

“Yeah well, keep your hands to yourself next time, buster.” Madeline then turned her head away and looked out the window, avoiding eye contact. She wasn’t interested in him.

 

Harry watched when her pretty pink tongue slipped between her lips to lick her cone. A sexy move that had left Harry feeling cold and lonely. The rest of the night, he’d kept his hands to himself.

 

The screen blacked out and the lights suddenly became brighter.

 

Harry’s tummy did a flip-flop and he wanted to empty the contents of his stomach.

 

“Looks to me like a fun time was had by all.” The hostess remarked sarcastically. Turning toward the audience she remarked, “Audience, get ready to make your vote but before you do, you need to know all the dirty little details. One of our contestants is not telling the whole story.”

 

Harry had told everything to the producing execs. So it had to be Madeline who was hiding something. He crossed his arms and looked expectantly at her across the couch.

 

The hostess grinned and looked straight at Madeline. “Come on, sweetheart. Is there something you want to share with us?”

 

“No. I like Harry. It just takes me a while to warm up. That’s all.” She smiled brightly and shifted in her seat.

 

The move raised Madeline’s mini skirt an inch higher giving the camera, and audience, a nice view of her smooth right thigh. “I can’t wait to go for walks along the beach in the moonlight with my new honeybunch. He’s so sweet. How could I resist him?” Madeline gave the audience a huge smile, flashing her straight, bright white teeth.

 

“You might want to tell him about your other sweetheart? Or, did you plan on taking him along too?”

 

Madeline’s face turned ghost white. “What?”

 

 

“You know? The other guy. The one you were making out with just after your date with Harry?”

 

“Oh, no.”

 

“Oh, yes!” The hostess’s face lit up with the secret finally revealed. “Let’s roll the tape for our audience.”

 

The lights dimmed again. Harry was relieved, because no one could see his reaction to the news. His belly clenched in pain as if he’d been hit in the gut by a baseball bat. No man wanted to be made a fool of—especially on national TV.

 

Yet, the huge screen showed him giving her an innocent kiss on the cheek at the end of the evening. Words rolled across the bottom of the screen telling the time and it wasn’t ten minutes later when another guy rolled up on a motorcycle. He flipped his long legs over the bike and met Madeline in the middle of the lawn where he picked her up.

 

His kiss wasn’t anywhere close to innocent. He deep throated her with his tongue and his hands went up her skirt. His mouth never left hers as he swung her up in his arms and strode into the house as if he owned it.

There was no question what was going to happen after the door slammed shut.

 

The lights returned to normal and beat down on Harry. This time their heat made him perspire. Madeline had been caught in the act. Her face was beet red, and Harry was sure it wasn’t from the lights.

 

“I can explain, Harry.” Madeline leaned forward to put a hand on his knee, but he pushed it away.

 

“We certainly hope so.” The hostess sneered. “I’m dying to hear your explanation. It has to be interesting.”

 

“Aren’t you supposed to be single when you go on this show?” Harry just couldn’t believe what he’d just witnessed.

 

“Technically I am. He’s married to another woman.” She looked at him with wide blue eyes. Harry almost felt sorry for her, but damn, how stupid did she think he was, not to mention the audience? He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

 

Why the fuck had he agreed to go on this stupid show in the first place? It should be easier to meet a good woman. Wasn’t it true women outnumbered men? His odds had to be good. Why couldn’t he find someone? He’d been looking for the woman of his dreams since high school. Where was she? One thing for sure, it wasn’t going to be Madeline.

 

“Oh, this just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it?” The hostess turned to the audience.

 

“Now it’s your turn to tell us what you think. Audience press one if you think Harry should take Madeline, the swinger, to Hawaii and split the $50,000 with her. Press two if you think he should take his chances and go alone. Or, press three if you think he should send her to Hawaii with lover boy.”

 

“Harry, let me explain.” Madeline pleaded in a soft voice.

 

“Yeah, you had your chance.” Harry snapped. “When were you going to tell me about this other guy? Were you going to wait until I put a ring around your finger?”

 

“It’s not that simple. We have been off and on again for a long time.

 

He was fighting with his wife. Chad just wanted to be around someone who understood him. Nothing happened.”

 

“Nothing happened? You have got to be freaking kidding. That kiss was not a nothing happened kiss. How stupid do you think I am?”

 

She didn’t have time to answer.

 

“Okay. The votes are in! Harry, are you ready to make your decision?” The hostess’s perky sing song voice grated on his nerves.

 

“Yes, ma’am.” He muttered. Harry was more than ready for this to be over with.

 

“You’re not going to wait to hear what the audience wants you to do?” The hostess lifted one delicate eyebrow.

 

“Well, since you went to the trouble to take a vote, you might as well go ahead. But I don’t think it will change my mind.” He crossed his arms defensively. He hated being told what to do and no one was going to tell him who he had to date.

 

The hostess turned to the big screen and numbers lit up. “Ah, this is great! Thirteen percent think you should let the other guy tag along. Although I am not sure what his wife will think about that…”

 

“Maybe good ol’ Chad should take his wife on the trip with him and work on getting their marriage back on track.” Harry’s sarcasm wasn’t lost on the hostess.

 

“That wasn’t an option, Harry. Sorry. Thirty-three percent think you should take the trip by yourself and fifty four percent think you should take the money and the trip together. Maybe you can work out your little lover’s quarrel in Hawaii.”

 

“Harry, please! I need that money.” Madeline whispered and nudged his arm.

 

Harry ignored her. The decision was up to him. He could give a rat’s ass about her stupid love triangle. He didn’t want to be in the middle of her lies and deception. It was one thing if you agreed to see other people, but they had no such agreement.

 

“Well, it’s time to make your decision, Harry. What would do you want to do?” The hostess held the microphone to his mouth expectantly. Harry hesitated for a moment.

 

****

 

Thank you for reading the excerpt and I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, you can find out more about this story here at the publisher’s website:

 

http://whispershome.com/whispersstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=223&zenid=8d6c960261056c84e41ab88f96afe95b

 

Wishing you all lots of love and a whole lot of blog hopping fun! I look forward to hearing from you soon and remember someone has to win. Maybe it can be you?!

 

Missy Lyons www.missylyons.com

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March 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

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