At the age of
forty-four, Blaise Blankenship believes her own opportunity for romance
has long since passed until she accidentally lands in the lap of a sexy
stranger. She and the handsome Latino connect over an afternoon at a
local bookstore, sharing their love of erotica. Blaise is swept away by
an impetuous, hot, “no last names” night together. But the morning after
reveals a truth she can’t ignore—or avoid.
I’m not normally a fan of short stories. However, if every short story were like this
one, I might be a convert!
Blaise is in her 40’s and is adjusting to life since her daughter has
left home. She’s on the bus one day when
she notices a hot stranger who is not a normal passenger. It’s an uneventful ride however, as she gets
off at her stop to peruse her local bookstore.
There, she comes face to face with the hot, young stranger. As they bond over a love of erotic novels,
Blaise and Guy (the guy) discover passion and attraction that they didn’t
expect. But, as events progress and
secrets are revealed, we find that these two strangers are more intimately
connected than we know.
For a short story, this packs quite the punch! I mean, it really takes you through not only
a lot of plot (which is rare for a story this short) but also an entire range
of emotions while reading. I mean it did
a spectacular job at building lust and want between Blaise and Guy. It was incredibly erotic and loved the
buildup, which again surprised me for a story of this length.
I found this book to be engrossing and when I got to the end, though I
was satisfied that this story was told well and pretty completely, I was sad
for it to end. It was definitely written
by an author who I, for one, will be keeping an eye on. Great story. 4.5 stars.
A waitress appeared at their table. "What can I get
you?"
"Do you have any Krupnik?" Blaise asked.
The young server's brow crinkled. "I don't…"
"It's a honey flavored drink," Guy told her.
She shook her head. "I don't think we have that."
Then a smile stole across her face. "But maybe I can come up with
something."
She left, and the two of them sat without speaking. The
silence was a comfortable cocoon enveloping them, connecting them. There was no
need for speech.
A bit later, the waitress returned with two rocks glasses
half-filled with an amber liquid. "Honey flavored Kentucky bourbon,"
she explained as she served them.
Guy paid the woman then lifted his glass in a toast.
Blaise followed suit. "What shall we toast?"
"To happy accidents," he proposed.
"That works for me." They clinked their glasses,
and Blaise took a sip. Though unusually sweet, the drink had the familiar burn
of whiskey. Heat spread down her throat to her belly and below.
He touched the book. "Shall we continue?"
She nodded, and Guy opened to the page and began to read.
People around them chatted and laughed, going about their business, but she and
Guy were in a bubble. No one looked their way. No one paid them any mind. They
were in a tiny universe all their own.
Blaise sipped her drink, sliding closer to him in the
circular booth. He was so big, so warm. Just being near him made her body heat
rise. Perspiration bloomed, and her blouse clung to her skin. Her nipples, hard
and achy, poked against her bra. A few words penetrated the haze—something
about the Hummingbird's Kiss—but it wasn't the story line or the whiskey making
her woozy. She was getting drunk on the low, sensual timbre of Guy's voice.
Soon the words blurred into an incomprehensible buzz in her
ears. Her breath slowed as she watched his lips move. She pictured herself
kissing them, licking the sweetness from them. Lowering her gaze to his hands,
she imagined them touching her. He'd skim the pads of his fingers along her
torso, fasten those succulent lips of his on her nipple and pull…
Her pussy responded to the fantasy with an answering pull.
She shifted slightly to ease the throb between her thighs. Her movement must
have distracted him. His gaze flickered from the page to light on her face and
his voice trailed off.
Guy nodded to her empty glass. "Another?"
She'd finished it? When had that happened? "No."
Her tongue felt thick.
"Would you like something else, then?" he asked.
Yes. She knew what
exactly she wanted. The question was, did she have the guts to ask?
It's your last chance.
Your last adventure before you become the boring old mother of the bride. Take
it. Take it!
Gathering her courage, she took the leap. "Yes."
She placed her hand on his thigh. Underneath her fingers, his muscles tensed.
His eyebrows lowered and his gaze sharpened.
"Yes." She squeezed his thigh. "I want to get
a room. Let's go upstairs."
Nona Raines became hooked on romances when she first picked up "The
Flame and the Flower" by Kathleen Woodiwiss (and she's not telling how
long ago that was). Romances may have changed since then, but her love for a
good love story has not. She's been writing off and on for years, but it was
only when she joined the Central New York Romance Writers Association that she
finally gained the support and confidence she needed to complete a manuscript.
Nona lives in upstate New York with her many pets and is currently working
on her next novel. A former librarian, she enjoys reading books of all genres
and discussing them with others. Her books include The Man Series (One Good Man,
Take This Man and Her Perfect Man) from The Wild Rose
Press and Uncollared from Loose Id.
Her transgender romance His Kind of
Woman was a GLBT finalist in the 2014 DABWAHA competition sponsored by the Dear Author and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books review blogs.
Hi Sara, thank you so much for taking the time to read and review my story. I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
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