Tuesday 10 September 2013

WIP

This is a short excerpt from my Work-In-Progress.  It's still in the editing process.
Tell me what you love or hate about it and be in the draw to win an Heart of the Ocean Pendant.  See below.



“And it seems we will be in for another scorcher tomorrow,” said the woman on the TV screen.
Unexpectedly, the small room closed in on Susan, and she struggled to breathe.  To distract herself, she walked quickly out to the balcony. 
 As the full force of the heat hit her again, she gripped the balcony wall and tried to concentrate on the view.  From this angle, all she could see was the hotel’s swimming pool.  It was flanked by a couple of palm trees and was oddly comforting.  She let herself be lulled by the calm blue water and wished she had a swimsuit to change into.
 The warm gusty breeze brushed over her skin and she thought of what she had overcome.  Soon, her breathing returned to normal. 
She re-entered the room and moved to the bathroom where the reflection in the mirror showed her tousled blonde tresses. She shrugged at her unruly appearance, undressed, and wrapped herself in a fluffy towel.  Turning on the tap, she washed her underwear in the basin and wrung it out before moving to the balcony.  With this heat, her clothing should be dry in no time. 
 There was no clothes-line so she placed the damp garments over a plastic chair in the corner and went back inside.
She sat on the edge of the bed and pondered the days’ events.  It had been a long journey and the airport terminal had been chaotic.  There had been so many people and so many different nationalities.  She hadn’t expected that.  She’d always thought of Australia as some sparsely populated, distant land. 
And here she was without any luggage.  ‘Twenty-four to forty-eight hours’, the woman behind the airport desk had told her.  What would she do until then?  Thank God, she still had her handbag.
Everything suddenly seemed surreal.  Had she really done it?  Was she really, finally, on Australian soil? 
“Join us tomorrow at Myers and grab a bargain,” said a voice on the TV.  The distinct Australian twang hit home, and she knew no dream could be this vivid. 
She longed to sleep but she was so wound up she knew it would be pointless to even attempt it.  Instead, she channel-trekked and marvelled at the difference of the Australian culture to her own. 
An hour passed quickly and her gaze moved to the balcony.  She remembered her underwear and pulled the towel tight around her as she made her way outside.
She gathered her dry lingerie and turned to go back inside when she heard masculine voices.  Intrigued, she walked to the edge of the balcony wall and peeked over but she couldn’t quite see.  As she leaned over, her towel began to slip and she grabbed it but the quick movement loosened her grip on her underwear.
A strong gust of wind took hold of her panties and she grasped at the air to no avail.  “Oh, no!” she cried as her panties floated gracefully below.  When they landed at the feet of a passer-by, she recoiled in horror.  
The man reached for them, looked up, and she was rooted to the spot, her face aflame, as their eyes met.  The pull of his gaze made Susan gasp.  She stared wordlessly as she took in his darkly arresting appearance.  Every muscle was defined under his close-fitting white shirt, and his blue jeans revealed the strength of his limbs.  Everything about him screamed masculinity.  Susan closed her mouth.
A smile spread across the man’s face as he held up the renegade panties and she wanted to…she struggled for breath…she wanted to die!  She did the next best thing and ran into her room, slamming the door shut.  Her heart beat wildly.  She wanted to cry but began to laugh instead.
As she thought of her predicament, she was instantly quiet, and hugged herself with trembling arms.  She was alone in a strange country with no friends, no luggage, and now, no panties, what had she done? 
Rubbing her temples where a dormant migraine was stirring, Susan moved slowly back to the door of the balcony and peeked out.  She couldn’t see anyone which was probably just as well because what would she say?  ‘Excuse me, Sir, may I have my panties?’  She shook her head.  It could only happen to her.  What now? 
She collapsed onto the bed and the image of a tall, dark-haired, extremely masculine man, clutching her silky, hot-pink panties sprung to mind.  That image would forever be burned in her memory.  Great!  Just what she needed.
Sleep! she ordered.  She closed her eyes tight and let exhaustion overcome her.


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Jeanette's 4-stars-plus book montage

An Offer He Can't Refuse
Emily's Affair
Taste
Rough Harbor
The Chosen One
Runaway Heart
Bared to You
Melodies of the Heart
Fifty Shades Freed
Fifty Shades Darker
Fifty Shades of Grey
Anon
Somewhere in Time
House Guest
A Cop, His Wife and Her Best Friend
Hero Of Her Heart
All In Time
Asking for Andre
Almost a Bride
The Fence My Father Built


Jeanette Hornby's favorite books »

Jeanette's bookshelf: diversity

In Love With Death
3 of 5 stars true
I liked the authors take on the Angel of Death and enjoyed learning about the individual characters. The story was interesting and I liked the way the author simplified the subject matter. With a little more editing and polishing, this ...
tagged: from-dec-2011-to-now and diversity
An Offer He Can't Refuse
4 of 5 stars true
A thoroughly enjoyable tale. I liked the characters and the situation they were in. A good read for romance lovers.
tagged: from-dec-2011-to-now, 4-stars, diversity, and favourites
All In Time
4 of 5 stars true
An interesting and enjoyable story. I would have liked the unique events to unravel slower and continue longer, but overall, the tale was quite engrossing. A good read.
tagged: from-dec-2011-to-now, 4-stars, and diversity
Bloodtrail
4 of 5 stars true
An intricately woven vampire tale that keeps you wanting more. The historical and scientific content was unique and engrossing. I particularly liked the way the author separated each character's story in the beginning and then tied the...
tagged: diversity, 4-stars, and from-dec-2011-to-now
House Guest
4 of 5 stars true
A short, creepy and enthralling story. The development of the main character and situation was strangely enjoyable. A good read.
tagged: from-dec-2011-to-now, 4-stars, and diversity

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