Royal Opposites (24 page)

He said solemn nod. “It’s my duty.”

Joan pulled her hands from his grasp and placed them on his stubble-‐-roughened cheeks. Joan smiled and brought their faces mere inches from one another. “You wouldn’t have to try very hard.” She watched her meaning dawn in his eyes. Joan kissed him.

It was everything she’d expected it to be and so much more. Her toes curled and her heart sang. It seemed like every inch of her woke up. She tingled all over when he tangled his fingers in her hair and took over the delicious assault on her mouth.

Breathless, they parted to suck in some air and he grinned at her. “So you do think I’m hot.”

Joan laughed. “Scorching.”

About the Author

Lori Crawford has two great passions. Television and writing. As a child, she was a walking TV guide. When not watching TV, she was devouring every book she could get her hands on. Nearly a decade later, her love for reading developed into a passion for writing. She graduated from short stories and imaginary friends to write her first manuscript when she turned sixteen. It went on to languish in the bottom of a drawer where it rightfully belongs. A firm believer in writing from foundation of what one knows, Lori’s first published novel features a synchronized swimmer while Royal Opposites was born from her coupon queenish tendencies.

Making Waves by Nell Dixon

Cassidy Jones needs a holiday and her friend'ʹs cottage in New
Bay sounds perfect. The beach could heal the bruises from losing
her job and her fiancé. Perfect for some time alone to gather her
thoughts and heal her broken heart.

Josh Parker is also looking forward to a much needed break after
eighteen months of non-‐-stop work. His out-‐-of-‐-town friend offers
her cottage, and Josh thinks it would be just right for some time
to let his hair down and revive his social life with his old surf
buddies.

One cottage, two unsuspecting occupants. A recipe for romance
or disaster?

Excerpt:

The male surfers were all wearing black or blue wetsuits, unzippered and rolled down to the waist. Pretty girls in tiny bikinis laughed and chatted as the group placed their orders.

One of the guys with his back toward her seemed strangely familiar. It was something about his stance and the untidy mop of dark brown hair. Cassidy sat up straight, willing him to turn around so she could see his face. Her heart thumped in a mix of fear and anticipation as she watched him chatting with the girls.

The waitress came toward her with a pad and pen in hand.

Cassidy ordered a fruit juice, her attention still focused on the man with his back to her. Then, just as the waitress left to take Cassidy’s drink order inside the café, he turned around.

“Cassidy? Cassidy Jones?”

Her heart sank. It looked as if she had been wrong about not meeting anyone who knew her here in New Bay. Of all the people she hadn’t wanted to bump into.

“Hello, Josh, what a surprise to see you.” Josh Parker was definitely one of them.

He crossed the paved area between the tables to come and stand at her table, a bewildered expression on his face. “What brings you here? I thought you and Ethan were supposed to be headed for the Seychelles.” He looked around as if he expected Ethan to suddenly materialize beside her.

Cassidy bit her lip. It looked as if her famously work-‐-

obsessed boss hadn’t heard the news.

“I didn’t get married.” She tried not to sound terse. In her head, she’d practised how she would tell people and explain to them what had happened. Now, confronted in the last place on earth she had expected to see someone she knew, all her carefully chosen phrases deserted her. “Ethan dumped me.”

Josh looked confused. “So, you’re not married?”

Cassidy clenched her teeth. “No.”

“Oh.”

She did a mental eye-‐-roll. For a supposedly intelligent man who’d built up a thriving dotcom marketing business, Josh could be mystifyingly dense. “Are you here on holiday?” She prayed he’d say no, that he was just a day-‐-tripper. He hadn’t taken a holiday to her knowledge for over a year.

“I’m here for three weeks. I’m staying in a friend’s cottage.”

He made a vague gesture in the direction of the cliffs.

Cassidy’s heart sank. Not only was he staying in New Bay, but her cottage was on the cliffs overlooking the sea, too.

“What about you?” he asked.

“Same situation. My friend loaned me her cottage when she heard what had happened. I guess I’ll probably bump into you again. My cottage is on the cliffs as well.”

“Crazy coincidence.” Josh shook his shaggy brown hair at the strangeness of it all. “There are only half a dozen houses up there. Which one are you staying at? I’m throwing a big barbecue party in a couple of days’ time. You should come along.” He pushed his fringe out of his eyes and blinked at her.

“That’s very kind of you, but I’m not really up for partying at the moment.” She couldn’t think of anything she’d like less.

What if there were other people from work there?

“Okay, but if you change your mind, I’m staying at the Seagull’s Nest. It’s the white cottage on the end of the row.”

He’d turned and started to walk away before Cassidy managed to transform her incredulous strangled yelp into a more sensible sound.

“But you can’t be!” she called after him.

He turned around and stared at her. “What do you mean?”

Cassidy felt giddy. She’d jumped up to attract his attention and now everything had gone a bit fuzzy around the edges. She gripped the edge of the table in a bid to stop the seafront from swaying around her. “You can’t be staying there—because that’s my cottage.”

Full story available at www.astraeapress.com!

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