This
one is dedicated to all the women out there who dream of
having a man like Jack in their lives—and to those who are blessed by having one.
For too long Tessa has seen
herself as plain and dowdy, just an ordinary suburban housewife. With her
confidence eroded after being married to a bully who humiliated her at every
opportunity, why wouldn’t she presume she was unattractive, and someone no man
would find the least bit worth bothering with?
But now Tessa is a widow, and relishing her
new state of independence. Her world is turned upside down by Jack Delaney, a
man she spent hours fantasizing over when he worked for her husband. A man who
gave her a deliciously secret outlet from her miserable marriage. When Jack
enters her life again, professing he finds her attractive, why would she
believe him? Especially as he is now wealthy, successful, still extremely
handsome, and to add to that, years younger than her.
Excerpt:
This
thought sent Tessa hurtling back to days in midsummer. Thirty-five that year,
and already highly disillusioned with her marriage, the entry of a good-looking
young man into her boring existence added some much-needed spice to the dreary
days. Jack gave her something to dream about. Heaven knows she’d needed dreams
to replace the awful emptiness an unhappy marriage enveloped her in.
She was
wearing an ordinary pale pink sundress of washed-out cotton on the day he turned
up, looking like an Adonis, rugged and overwhelming. Her hair probably looked a
sight too—pulled back in a ponytail, if she remembered correctly. He was so
handsome, fit, and full of youthful vitality, that she felt flustered,
self-conscious and downright awkward in his presence.
Forgotten
him?
It was
likely he was forever imprinted on her brain. His brown eyes haunted many of
her night time dreams, and daytime fantasies. Jack Delaney, of the black curly
hair, muscular body, and easy charm, with the strength and power to make her
weak with wanting.
If he
was good-looking ten years ago, he was superb now. His hair had been tamed—the
curls not quite so unruly, although he still wore it fairly long. It reached
his shoulders, whereas it used to be halfway down his back. He seemed larger,
broader. Not many men towered over Tessa, but he did. Her height was the bane
of her life. Des was always scathing about it, probably because he couldn’t
look down his nose at her. Des liked people to feel beneath him. Had loved to
talk down to people.
Eyes as
dark as chocolate assessed her, and Tessa’s skin quivered beneath their warm
scrutiny. He’d always possessed the power to make every nerve ending come
alive, and hadn’t lost that power. It was unnerving to know he could still have
this effect on her. Tessa wasn’t sure how to deal with this handsome fantasy
from her past.
He held
out a hand and she stared down at it, in the brief moment aware of his
square-tipped fingers and clean nails. There was a dusting of black hairs on
the back of his hand, and his white shirt cuff with its gold links contrasted
vividly with skin darkened by long hours spent outside.
Tessa
put her hand in his, every pulse going into overdrive as he gripped her
fingers. It took an effort to drag her hand from his warm clasp. She was
achingly aware that her skin was glowing, which had nothing to do with the heat
in her house. A strange feeling she couldn’t put a name to was taking her over.
No other man ever aroused such a feeling. Not since this one, ten years ago.
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