Stranded by Jasmine Aherne

Contemporary sweet/sensual romance

Cover art by Valerie Tibbs

Release Date: 05/07/09

Price $4.95

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BLURB:

When Rachel Coles flew to New York to surprise the man she thought was her fiancé, coming face to face with his wife broke her heart. She needed a shoulder. So, she turned to a man she met by chance--handsome carpenter Will Norton. Together they turn her disaster into a short but magical holiday.

Will was attracted to the pretty brunette he met on the plane, and the fun sightseeing day they share only deepens his feelings for her. He's just starting to regret never seeing her again when he learns Rachel's had all her suitcase and purse stolen.

Now, as he offers her his guest room while she waits for a new passport, Will and Rachel find themselves struggling against a deep-rooted attraction that shows every sign of making itself permanent. The only trouble is, Rachel's stay in New York will be anything but…

EXCERPT:

Rachel poked about in Will's kitchen shortly after six. She had insisted that he sit on the couch and relax with a beer while she cooked. He'd offered to help, but this was her treat and she wanted him to feel spoiled.

On the counter sat two paper grocery bags filled with a stick of French bread, garlic butter, tinned lentils, spaghetti, red and white wine, mincemeat, rosemary, tinned tomatoes, onions and carrots, along with daily staples of wholegrain bread, jam, eggs, apples and oranges. As she emptied the bags, she saw that he really hadn't had much in the way of supplies.

The kitchen was what she, and most other women, probably thought of as “man clean.” The shiny black counter, damp from a recent scrubbing, held a coffee maker and a chrome-effect toaster. Two plates sat in the sink, along with a few recently cleaned mugs dried on the draining board.

She washed her hands, then set out onions to chop.

As she went about the task, she found herself slowly relaxing. I really feel I can be myself with Will.

Thoughts like that weren't wise. Letting her guard down around a man she hardly knew would be stupid and Rachel had done quite enough stupid things for now.

Not for the first time, her mind wandered to his job. She'd be interested in seeing his workshop, except it was in a different part of town. She would love to see him at work, watch each piece as it went from an idea to a sketch to something that would be used and loved for years. Something that Will had made with love and care and patience.

Will rose from his position on the couch and selected a book from the crammed shelf. He sat and flicked through a few pages. “What sort of stuff do you like to read?”

“When I was little, I'd read anything that had writing on it.” Rachel dumped the chopped onions into a pan already simmering with oil. She began to chop carrots. “I used to eat up kids' adventure books, you know the ones, six siblings who solve mysteries with the help of their Labrador.”

“I know the ones,” he agreed, a smile in his voice. “And do you still eat them up?”

She moved on to a new carrot, slicing quickly and competently. “I still like mysteries. Big fan of historical fiction, and I love to read a fluffy chick lit novel now and again. You?”

He gestured with the paperback he held. “Science fiction. Anything where the world ends and we have to start over. It fascinates me. But again, I'd read pretty much anything when I was a kid. My parents were big on reading and stuff. Sometimes I'd go to turn on the TV, and get handed a book instead.”

Rachel felt her lips curve. “I always preferred books. You can see the pictures in your head, and they're whatever you want them to be. You know?”

She lifted her gaze to look at him. He sat on the couch, his caramel gold hair tousled. The soft overhead light picked out strands of light and dark in his hair.

“I know,” he replied softly. “How's dinner? You sure you don't need a hand?”

“I'm fine.” Her gaze drank him in, trying to imprint each and every line and curve to her memory. Because I'm never going to see him again after tonight. “And I'm not sure we'd both fit in this kitchen at once,” she joked.

He saluted her with his beer. “You make a valid point.”

For a long moment, silence wound around them in the room. Rachel let herself spend a happy moment gazing at Will and his golden hair, strong jaw, mist-grey eyes, and long legs. He'd changed into dark jeans and a sky-blue T-shirt. The casual clothes clung to him, outlining a body that looked long, lean and muscular in a lithe way.

She swallowed, her mind wandering underneath his casual clothes instead of focusing on the food. “What's that book about?” she asked.

He smiled over at her. “Same end of the world deal, but with vampires thrown in. The odd explosion is thrown in too, which only serves to cement my enjoyment.”

“Sounds like a film.” As they spoke, she became aware of an odd sense of domestic intimacy settling around them, and it bothered her that she rather liked it.

“Maybe it'll be a film one day,” he said wistfully. “Any films out at the moment that you like?”

She told him about a couple of period dramas due to be released at the end of the summer and confessed that she liked her fair share of explosions and fast-paced action. “I love the whole movie experience. You know, you sit down, you're entertained and you get to worry about someone else's problems for a few hours. And you forget your own.”

“Maybe we could watch a movie or something after dinner,” he suggested

A smile touched her lips. Maybe he's trying to prolong the evening. Like I am.

Their eyes met then, and she felt something leap between them, a sort of quick little jolt of heat.

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