âI bet your hair and nails are always perfect,â Jared teased.
âIs there something wrong with a professional appearance?â
âNot when youâre being professional, I guess. But I thinkâand maybe this is just meâyouâd look great messed up.â
âMessed up?â
âMaybe mussed up.â Jared leaned close. âYou know, tousled, disheveled â¦â He stroked Victoriaâs cheek with the tip of his finger. âThoroughly pleasured.â
Heat raced through her body. âAre you always this forward with women youâve just met?â
He grinned. âNot always.â
âMost of the time, I bet you are.â
She wished she could find a reason to step away from him and not give in to the urge to touch him. Still, she laid her palm on his chest. âYou arenât my type.â
âYou arenât mine, either.â
But he wrapped his arm around her and kissed her anyway.
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the beach and more tales from the Robin Hood gang! My trio of friends, like the legendary characters, are ready to fight injustice again.
But while the concept seems simple, the solution isnât.
In this chapter, the ladies are escaping the stifling NYC heat and are off to the shore for balmy breezes, although Victoria isnât the toes-in-the-sand, beer-in-my-hand type. Sheâs in beautiful, peaceful Southampton to do what elseâwork!
Unfortunately, her hostâand a wily jewel thiefâhave other plans.
Victoria has the support of her best friends, of course, and the added perk of a gorgeous, adventurous cowboy, Jared McKenna, who canât keep his hands off her, but in between moonlit cruises, she discovers everything is changing. Her perception of right and wrong, her realization of what really matters in life, and the love she might find in a very unlikely place.
Donât miss the exciting conclusion of the FLIRTING WITH JUSTICE series: Calla and Devinâs story, Undone by Moonlight, is arriving in November.
Wendy Etherington
WENDY ETHERINGTON was born and raised in the deep Southâand she has the fried-chicken recipes and NASCAR ticket stubs to prove it. An author of nearly thirty books, she writes full-time from her home in South Carolina, where she lives with her husband, two daughters and an energetic shih tzu named Cody. She can be reached via her website, www.wendyetherington.com. Or follow her on Twitter @ wendyeth.
âIt is the spirit and not the form of law that keeps justice alive.â
âEarl Warren
New York Tattletale Labor Day Weekend Edition Those Who Have, Do! by Peeps Galloway, Gossipmonger (And proud of it!) Well, kids, with summer winding down, tradition dictates the posh and influential of NYC gather in Southampton for one last gasp of fun and sun.
I hear (from sources Iâd have to give away my priceless collection of original Versace gowns if I revealedânot gonna happen, BTW!) thereâs a new product coming from the prestigious firm of Rutherford Security thatâll change the way the rich and famous store their gems and secrets.
No doubt more will be heard by those lucky enough to have received a coveted invite to the longtime Southampton socialite Rose Rutherfordâs fabulous house party.
Mrs. Rutherfordâs husband, Raymond, made his money in Texas oil in the eighties, but though he met his fate nearly fifteen years ago in the arms of his stripper mistress, he had the decency to invest in lucrative beach-front property, providing Rose with the perfect locale for entertaining. Among the high-end guests will be her son, Richard (yes, everyone in the family has the R moniker), who chose the lovely and tasteful Ruthanne as a mate.
Also of interest on the guest list is the inclusion of two (yes, dos!) executives from Coleman Public Relations. Both Peter Standish and Victoria Holmes (of the Holmes Family Cardiac Wing at Midtown Memorial) are attending the weekend house party.
Is Mrs. Rutherford just that generous to PR execs or do we smell heated competition for something?
Hmm â¦
Certainly jealousy will rear its ugly (but column-worthy) head, which is much more fun than a leisurely cocktail hour by the pool, anyway. So stay tuned!
On the agenda are wild water excursions provided by Flaming Arrow Adventure Tours. Calls from this office by yours truly for details were unreturned (as if that would deter your loyal and tireless columnist!?!), but donât you worry, dear readers, Iâm on the case!
Iâm informed that Jet Ski riding, scuba diving, boating and other activities involving the potential for bodily harm have been scheduled. (Dear heaven, count me out!) But then I hear the adventure guide is none other than Jared McKenna, and trust me, rabid followers, he is hot, hot, smokinâ hot. So maybe extreme sports are a hobby to consider after all â¦
Kiss and tellâplease!
âPeeps
P.S. Catering to be provided by Shelby Dixon (recently highlighted in this column!)
TAKING HER FOCUS OFF THE clogged Manhattan traffic at a stoplight, Victoria Holmes shifted her hard, determined gaze between her two best friends. âIâm getting this contract or else.â