Sunday, April 7, 2013

Anyone Remember Their Class Reunion? Or Want To Win A Free Book?


Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to attend two 25th class reunions.  And when my old friends discovered I was published, well....let's just say  alcohol loosened a few tongues and soon I was hearing plot ideas and secrets.  I took the best (or the worst, lol!) and with the consent of two friends, wrote this novella.

I wonder if anyone will speak to me at the 30th?  ROFL!

Enjoy this snippet:)  If you'd like to win a free copy, leave me a comment along with your email info.

Blurb:

After being burned pretty badly by two different women in his past, Brian Vellinger has sworn off romance. Commitment-shy for the past fifteen years, he is stunned by his sudden attraction to a woman he's not seen since the last day of their senior year.

Natalie Collier thinks she's successfully put Brian Vellinger out of her mind. After harboring a secret crush all through high school and into college, she is both alarmed and thrilled when Brian makes his intentions known at their 25th class reunion. But will she succeed in softening his casual, 'sex only' policy, or will she end up just another notch on his belt?

Buy link

Excerpt:

“Here’s the thing:  We’re both single, in our forties, and established in our jobs.  Just because we’re attracted to each other doesn’t mean there has to be a romantic connection, does there?”

“Gee, Brian, if you put it like that why not just hire an escort for the evening?”  Pushing her hurt feelings aside, she stared at him.  “We’re both caught up in the moment. Let’s just fuck each other and see you again in five years?  Sorry; I don’t operate like that.”

“Look, you live five thousand miles away in Boise, right?  My job is here.  What’s the problem with a mutually satisfying night; we both let off some steam and have great sex? On Monday our lives will return to normal and no one gets hurt.  Unless you’ve got a boyfriend or something and feel guilty.”

“No, no boyfriend.”  Natalie set down her glass and cocked her head to one side.  “What the hell happened to you? Are you afraid of commitment now, just because Tracy left you, and some bitch screwed you over?  When was the last time you actually lived with someone, Brian?”  Natalie kept her voice low, but leaned closer.  “Do you know that when I heard the news of your marriage, I went out and rip roaring drunk?  For years, I waited for you to notice me, and you getting married finally woke me up to the fact you weren’t mine.  Where’s the man who stood on that podium and proclaimed ‘sex without love is a dead-end street’?”

“Yeah, well, I was naïve back then.”

“We all were.”  Find your courage, Natalie.  It’s now or never.  “Yes, I’d like to sleep with you, to spend the rest of the weekend with you.  But only on my terms, Brian.  If this happens tonight, I expect you to be considerate, not just cast me aside when the sun comes up in the morning.”

“God.  You want fucking roses in the morning?  We are so past that.”  He shook his head and reached for his beer.

“I don’t expect flowers. I want to get to know you out of bed too,” she tried to explain and looked him in the eye.  “I don’t want us to have to pretend we’re strangers tomorrow morning.  I know you’ve got a golf match. I’ll do something with the girls while you’re golfing, and meet you at the picnic afterwards.  We can have a quiet dinner and you can take me to the airport Monday morning.  That’s what I expect.  We take it from there.”  She smiled inwardly as she observed his gaze drop from her face to her breasts again.  “Unless you have a girlfriend who couldn’t make it tonight, and I’m just a substitute?”  Natalie took another drink of her wine and tried to check her emotions.  Good Lord; was this the way weekend sex was discussed?  It sounded so…cold.

Brian leaned in again and brushed his lips against hers.  “Where are you staying?  I’ll follow you.”

Available at Freya's Bower, Amazon, and Nook

10 comments:

Holly Bush said...

Class reunion secrets! Great premise for a book and who doesn't have a few memories of crushes and first loves from their high school years?

Debby said...

I do remember my class reunion and I will not return again.
debby236 at gmail dot com

Melissa Keir said...

I have my 30th class reunion this year. I haven't been to one yet. I wonder what will happen!

All the best!
Melissa
daringzoey@yahoo.com

Kenzie Michaels said...

@Holly: My HS sweetheart and I only see each other every 5-10 years now, but when reunion time rolls around, you would never guess we hadn't spoken since the last time. Guess it's true; True friends can pick up right where they left off, even if it HAS been ten years!

Kenzie Michaels said...

@Debby: I had a lousy time at my 10th, but I'm thankful I went to the 20th. And my hubby refuses to attend any of his. They aren't for everyone; I guess it all boils down to whether or not you have any desire to go down that road again.

Kenzie Michaels said...

@Melissa: My 1st book had been pubbed by the 20th, so I was the 'instant celebrity', along with another classmate who'd been awarded 'Dietitian of the Year'.

And now I get emails from old boyfriends 'did you pattern (character XYZ) after me?' Hmmm....maybe I did, and maybe I didn't!

Lynda Bailey said...

Great premise and excerpt!

I've never been to a reunion and don't plan on any in the future. They say you can't go back, which is good as my HS days weren't the best...;)

Catherine Lee said...

Enjoyed the excerpt. I've not been to a class reunion...but since I went to an all-girl's high school, I know probably wouldn't meet any dates there! My hubby did attend his 30th HS reunion recently...alone, back in his home town. I wasn't too worried. He thought they all looked old! LOL.
catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

Kenzie Michaels said...

@Lynda: I attend in order to catch up with my BFF from HS, and to see friends who've reconnected with me through Facebook. But I understand anyone not willing to go down that road:)

Kenzie Michaels said...

@Catherine: I laughed at my 20th, since all the women were blonde; we all hid our graying hair under highlights:)