My guest author today is the fantastic Dena Garson. Dena and I shared an editor and also partnered for an upcoming paranormal book series that will be soon be released through Ellora's Cave Romanica line.
Excerpt:
“Mia Sanford,
where the hell have you been?” Robin’s voice rose over the noise of the crowded
ballroom.
Mia rolled her
eyes as she joined her two best friends, Robin and Mandy. Mandy elbowed Robin
in her ribs.
“Ow,” Robin
complained. “What was that for?”
Mandy whispered,
“You don’t have to call attention to the fact that Mia’s been missing. Mr.
Patterson could have been within earshot, you goof.”
Robin scanned the
people nearby. “Oh.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Mia
said, resigned to the fact that Robin was just that way.
“Where have you
been?” Robin asked quietly. “We were getting worried.”
“I had an, uh, an
equipment malfunction.”
“What’d you do?
Pop a bra strap or something?” Robin pressed.
“Worse,” Mia
grimaced, not wanting to admit what the real problem was.
Robin and Mandy
tried to suppress their giggles.
“Were you able
to—” Robin tried to stifle another fit of giggles but failed. “Did you fix the
problem?” she asked with a huge grin.
“No.” Mia looked
around to make sure that no one was listening nearby. “I finally gave up and
tossed them.”
Robin, in true
Robin fashion, blurted, “So you’re going commando?”
Mandy elbowed
Robin again. Mia prayed for a hole to open in the floor so she could disappear
into the abyss. Unfortunately such a rescue would not be forthcoming. She took
a deep breath and reminded herself that she really did love Robin like a sister
and she shouldn’t kill her. There was little to be done about what everyone
around them had heard so Mia shrugged and admitted quietly, “I’m afraid so.”
Both of the girls
broke into a fit of laughter.
“Oh my God, that’s
too funny. At the annual office party too.” Mandy added, “If Mr. Patterson only
knew.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Mia
mumbled. “You wouldn’t be laughing if it were you.”
“Well, there are
advantages to going without,” Robin admitted.
“Really?” Mia
asked with disbelief as she crossed her arms across her chest. “Do enlighten
us.”
“If you pick up a
guy in the bar, it saves a little time getting down to the deed.”
Mandy nodded her
agreement. “And you wouldn’t have to worry about losing them at someone else’s
place.”
Mia covered her eyes
with one hand. “That is more information than I needed to know about either of
you.”
“What?” Robin said
innocently. “I didn’t say it had happened to me.”
Mandy snorted,
“Yeah, right.”
“I need a drink,”
Mia groaned.
“You want
watered-down tea off the buffet or a real drink?” Robin asked.
“A real drink,”
Mia said, with emphasis on “real”.
“Me too.”
“Let’s go.” They
spoke in unison.
The three friends
headed to the cash bar, pausing only long enough to say hello to a couple of
coworkers as they passed. Mia was the last to get her drink and had just taken
a sip when Mandy mumbled out of the side of her mouth. “Jake Hudson at one
o’clock.”
Mia tried not to
choke or show any reaction to Mandy’s statement. Thankfully the lights were low
enough in that part of the room that the pink she was sure was staining her
cheeks wouldn’t be noticeable. Jake Hudson was Mia’s longtime secret crush.
They had always gotten along well when they had worked on the same project
team, but Mia thought Jake was a bit out of her league when it came to personal
relationships.
With his
dark-blond hair, blue eyes and athletic build, Mia guessed Jake tripped over
single women every time he stepped out of his apartment. She was far more
comfortable in well-worn jeans and t-shirts. No competition against the urban
chic-clad girls Jake normally dated. Not that she could wear her comfy-cozy
clothes at work.
Robin stepped
closer and added, “I think he has a thing for you, Mia.”
Mia’s eyes widened
in disbelief. “Why would you ever think that?”
Mandy nodded in
agreement. “I think so too. I’ve seen him watching you when you’re not
looking.”
“What are you two
talking about?” Mia couldn’t contain her disbelief.
“Seriously. I’ve
been in meetings where he’s stopped listening and watched you walk by,” Mandy
said matter-of-factly.
“That doesn’t mean
anything. He was probably just bored with the meeting,” Mia suggested, still
stunned that her friends would ever think that about Jake. She frowned as she
thought back to all the times she and Jake had caught each other looking. Was
it possible that her attraction wasn’t as one-sided as she first thought?
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