One of My Favs

One of my favorite stories is my novella, Tender Return. The story was inspired by the romance my mother and father shared in the early 40s when Dad was stationed at a naval base in Banning, CA and my mother lived nearby.

They met at a USO dance, and although there probably is a distinct difference in the facts between reality and my somewhat spicy novel, I pictured them when I described the characters. I have a photo of my Dad in his uniform and one of my mom in a floral dress and thick soled heels. Her hair was perfectly styled like the movie starlettes of the time, and she was every bit as beautiful.I don't know about you, but some of those old movies set in the 40s were so romantic even without the steamy love scenes we see in movies today. If you enjoy romance set during the World War II Era, then, I hope you'll purchase a download of Tender Returnby clicking here.

Here's an excerpt for your enjoyment:

Meagan bolted upright. She strained to hear what woke her, but the room remained silent. "Maybe I imagined it," she muttered.

She squinted until her eyes adjusted to the muted rays from the streetlight below her window. Shadowed movement of tree limbs danced across the wall. Everything took on an eerie form. Her heart seized at the appearance of someone sitting at her desk, but she recalled draping her sweater over the back of the chair and released a pent up breath. "God, you're such a coward." She sagged back onto her pillow, her heart thudding.

She closed her eyes and waited for her pulse to slow. Just as she was about to doze, a tinkling against the window brought her straight up in bed again. Her gaze locked on the glass in time to see the pane shiver from contact with a pebble. Meagan threw off her blanket and leapt to her feet. Embracing herself against the chill, she tiptoed across the room. The clock on her nightstand showed a few minutes after midnight.

Ryan stood on the front lawn, looking entirely delicious in his uniform. With his garrison cap tucked beneath his arm, his cropped dark hair glistened beneath the street lamp. The army cut he shared with his peers made him look years younger than his actual twenty-three.

She eased the window up and leaned out. Goosebumps peppered her skin, and she shivered. "What are you doing out there at this hour?"

She kept her voice low, hoping her parents wouldn't hear. As long as she lived under their roof, there were rules to follow. Having a young man throw rocks at her window in the middle of the night certainly fit the "don't do" list for a proper young lady.

Ryan cupped his hand alongside his mouth. "I had to see you."

She peered over her shoulder and chewed her bottom lip. Her door remained closed. The last thing she wanted to see was her father's face. His burning stare singed her more often than she cared to recall. As the oldest child, she served as his chance to prove to the world what a great parent he was. She loved him, but at times he could be overbearing.

She gazed back down at her boyfriend. "Couldn't you wait until morning?"

Although mid-March, the Texas air still held a stinging chill. She rubbed her arms, certain she'd hear footsteps in the hallway at any minute. Reaching for the sweater on the chair, she pulled the cashmere warmth around her shoulders.

"We got our orders tonight. The 36th is shipping out at long last." His shoulders widened, and he stood straighter.

"When?" Her breath hitched. "Where?" She dreaded this moment ever since they started dating. "Wait right there, I'm coming down."