Hello Friends,
2009's first Saturday Spotlight is fellow author, Judith Gilbert and her book A Perfect Affair
double click on Judith Gilbert or J Gilbert button to access the websites and don't forget to enter the two website contests I run each month.
BLURB After losing her father, divorcee Katherine Cahill goes back home to Houston and fights to return the joy of Christmas to her mother and young son. At the same time she secretly battles two men, her two-timing ex-husband who blackmails her, and a Texas attorney hell-bent on sharing his bed, but not his heart.
Jared Randall swore he would never get involved with another divorced woman after the fiasco when his fiancée returned to her ex. Then, he made two colossal mistakes—rescuing ice princess Katherine Cahill from her mother’s roof and playing Santa. His cobwebby Santa brows get him in trouble, thanks to his promise to Katherine’s son.
READ AN EXCERPT
SET-UP: Katherine, a divorcee, and Jared are at a Christmas party her mother is having. Paul is Katherine’s ex-husband, who she hopes will mend his relationship with their five-year-old son, Matt. At the same time, Katherine doesn’t want to give Paul any ideas about the two of them ever getting back together again.
EXCERPT
They sat on oversized cushions around the fireplace and ate from plates balanced on their legs. Katherine peered at Jared over a glass. “You feel better about the arrangement my mother and I worked out?” She took a sip of tea and set the glass down.
He finished a large bite of chocolate pie. “Most of it. One part makes me mad as hell though.”
Katherine rolled her eyes and stared up at the crown molding along the ceiling. “Am I suppose to guess what part you hate?”
His fork waved enticingly below her nose. “It’s the last bite. You want it?”
Without hesitation, her mouth opened and closed around the pie. His lips curved upward as he withdrew the plastic fork and set it on his paper plate. The dimple in his cheek seduced her into staring at his mouth. Such a strong, inviting mouth.
“Tell me why you’re escorting me and Grace is escorting Paul and not the other way around.”
She forced her shoulders back and sat up straight. “You don’t want to be with me?”
He gave her an arched glance. “You know better than that. Stop avoiding answering me.”
“I wanted to discourage Paul,” she whispered. The words sounded worse when she said them aloud.
He crossed his arms. “That’s the part I hate.”
She jerked to her feet. “What have you got to be mad about? You aren’t the one jumping through hoops.” Swinging away, she snatched dirty plates and wads of napkins from tables, from mantles, from people’s hands, and stalked into the empty kitchen. He followed close behind her.
Jared threw a stack of used cups into a garbage bag, then held it open for Katherine. She glared at him as she shoved the pile of trash in. He took a twist tie from the counter and sealed the bag.
“I’ll tell you why I’m mad.” He moved toward her. She backed up flush against the refrigerator.
With his hands on either side of her, he leaned into her. His breath fanned her cheeks. “Men don’t like to hear a woman’s with them because of another man. Makes the man she’s with feel used.”
“I found her!” Matt yelled as he burst into the kitchen.
They jumped apart, but not before Katherine saw the hurt in Jared’s eyes. Hurt she’d put there. A lump swelled in her throat.
Matt ran to her and handed her a box. “Grandma says it’s time for you to come put the angel on the tree before anything else goes on.”
Katherine mouthed the words, “I’m sorry,” as she laced her fingers into Jared’s. “We’ll talk later.” She wanted to try and make it up to him in some way. He didn’t resist her urging him forward. She gazed up into his deep blue eyes. “Mother asked me to put the angel on the tree. Will you help?”
Jared shrugged, reached and took the box from her. “Of course.”
Matt grabbed her other hand and they walked together from the kitchen into the living room.
Jared stood in front of the ladder. “That thing won’t do us any good. It’s too small for this big tree.”
With “O Come All Ye Faithful” playing softly in the background, Jared carefully removed the angel from the box. His gaze moved from the porcelain figurine to Katherine. “I don’t want my big hands to break anything. You hold onto her, and I’ll lift you up so you can put her on the tree.”
She reached out and took the angel. “You’re going to lift me way up there?” Her gaze moved the full length of the tree and she chewed on her bottom lip.
“Trust me, Katherine.”
She hesitated, then stepped forward with her arms lifted. Katherine held their special angel aloft with both hands. Jared stood behind her and placed his hands on her waist. He hoisted her above him and moved her within easy reach of her goal.
His warm hands splayed around her waist. She shuddered as his large palms rested on the top of her hips and inched her upward. Maybe this man could support her.
She carefully placed the figurine on the top branch and stopped to adjust the angel’s beautiful gown. She paused a moment to savor the warm sensation of Jared holding her.
“Okay, you can let me down,” Katherine whispered.
Ever so gently, Jared lowered her to the floor. They backed away from the tree, Katherine’s body humming with a strange, new feeling. She stayed at his side. Her mother moved forward, bent and plugged the cord into the socket. The angel glowed with a warm light of Christmas hope.
“Look up!” her mother suggested.
Directly above their heads, a large clump of mistletoe dangled from the ceiling.
The room filled with hoots of laughter, and catcalls, except for Paul. He glared disapproving daggers at both of them.
Her gaze flew to her mother, who wore a satisfied expression. Katherine’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“Go for it,” someone from the crowd called out.
“It’s a tradition,” Reverend Whittaker murmured. “Can’t break from tradition.”
Her still-narrowed gaze scanned the throng. Her matchmaking mother had put that mistletoe up here and asked her to put the angel on the tree. They’re all in on getting me and Jared to kiss.
She glanced at Jared, who didn’t seem to mind the situation at all. In fact, from the glint in his eyes, he thoroughly enjoyed it. A hint of his tantalizing cologne fogged her thinking. His eyes said, ‘I’m going to kiss you.’ Her mind warned, ‘Don’t kiss him back. Not here.’
Her body shuddered when Jared bent slightly and claimed her mouth. His lips moved over hers tentatively, then his tongue entreated her to open, refusing any answer but yes. When she opened to him, he slanted his mouth and deepened the kiss. Her tongue darted to find his and she tasted chocolate delight. She dipped her tongue to taste him again. Her legs weakened and she slipped her arms around his waist for support. He held her secure, lifted his mouth, delivered a light parting kiss on her lower lip and drew back. She gazed into eyes dark with desire and stepped out of his embrace.
“Way to go. Now, that’s how you kiss a woman,” someone yelled.
Paul muttered a curse word and stormed out the front door.
“That should discourage your ex,” Jared whispered.
They sat on oversized cushions around the fireplace and ate from plates balanced on their legs. Katherine peered at Jared over a glass. “You feel better about the arrangement my mother and I worked out?” She took a sip of tea and set the glass down.
He finished a large bite of chocolate pie. “Most of it. One part makes me mad as hell though.”
Katherine rolled her eyes and stared up at the crown molding along the ceiling. “Am I suppose to guess what part you hate?”
His fork waved enticingly below her nose. “It’s the last bite. You want it?”
Without hesitation, her mouth opened and closed around the pie. His lips curved upward as he withdrew the plastic fork and set it on his paper plate. The dimple in his cheek seduced her into staring at his mouth. Such a strong, inviting mouth.
“Tell me why you’re escorting me and Grace is escorting Paul and not the other way around.”
She forced her shoulders back and sat up straight. “You don’t want to be with me?”
He gave her an arched glance. “You know better than that. Stop avoiding answering me.”
“I wanted to discourage Paul,” she whispered. The words sounded worse when she said them aloud.
He crossed his arms. “That’s the part I hate.”
She jerked to her feet. “What have you got to be mad about? You aren’t the one jumping through hoops.” Swinging away, she snatched dirty plates and wads of napkins from tables, from mantles, from people’s hands, and stalked into the empty kitchen. He followed close behind her.
Jared threw a stack of used cups into a garbage bag, then held it open for Katherine. She glared at him as she shoved the pile of trash in. He took a twist tie from the counter and sealed the bag.
“I’ll tell you why I’m mad.” He moved toward her. She backed up flush against the refrigerator.
With his hands on either side of her, he leaned into her. His breath fanned her cheeks. “Men don’t like to hear a woman’s with them because of another man. Makes the man she’s with feel used.”
“I found her!” Matt yelled as he burst into the kitchen.
They jumped apart, but not before Katherine saw the hurt in Jared’s eyes. Hurt she’d put there. A lump swelled in her throat.
Matt ran to her and handed her a box. “Grandma says it’s time for you to come put the angel on the tree before anything else goes on.”
Katherine mouthed the words, “I’m sorry,” as she laced her fingers into Jared’s. “We’ll talk later.” She wanted to try and make it up to him in some way. He didn’t resist her urging him forward. She gazed up into his deep blue eyes. “Mother asked me to put the angel on the tree. Will you help?”
Jared shrugged, reached and took the box from her. “Of course.”
Matt grabbed her other hand and they walked together from the kitchen into the living room.
Jared stood in front of the ladder. “That thing won’t do us any good. It’s too small for this big tree.”
With “O Come All Ye Faithful” playing softly in the background, Jared carefully removed the angel from the box. His gaze moved from the porcelain figurine to Katherine. “I don’t want my big hands to break anything. You hold onto her, and I’ll lift you up so you can put her on the tree.”
She reached out and took the angel. “You’re going to lift me way up there?” Her gaze moved the full length of the tree and she chewed on her bottom lip.
“Trust me, Katherine.”
She hesitated, then stepped forward with her arms lifted. Katherine held their special angel aloft with both hands. Jared stood behind her and placed his hands on her waist. He hoisted her above him and moved her within easy reach of her goal.
His warm hands splayed around her waist. She shuddered as his large palms rested on the top of her hips and inched her upward. Maybe this man could support her.
She carefully placed the figurine on the top branch and stopped to adjust the angel’s beautiful gown. She paused a moment to savor the warm sensation of Jared holding her.
“Okay, you can let me down,” Katherine whispered.
Ever so gently, Jared lowered her to the floor. They backed away from the tree, Katherine’s body humming with a strange, new feeling. She stayed at his side. Her mother moved forward, bent and plugged the cord into the socket. The angel glowed with a warm light of Christmas hope.
“Look up!” her mother suggested.
Directly above their heads, a large clump of mistletoe dangled from the ceiling.
The room filled with hoots of laughter, and catcalls, except for Paul. He glared disapproving daggers at both of them.
Her gaze flew to her mother, who wore a satisfied expression. Katherine’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“Go for it,” someone from the crowd called out.
“It’s a tradition,” Reverend Whittaker murmured. “Can’t break from tradition.”
Her still-narrowed gaze scanned the throng. Her matchmaking mother had put that mistletoe up here and asked her to put the angel on the tree. They’re all in on getting me and Jared to kiss.
She glanced at Jared, who didn’t seem to mind the situation at all. In fact, from the glint in his eyes, he thoroughly enjoyed it. A hint of his tantalizing cologne fogged her thinking. His eyes said, ‘I’m going to kiss you.’ Her mind warned, ‘Don’t kiss him back. Not here.’
Her body shuddered when Jared bent slightly and claimed her mouth. His lips moved over hers tentatively, then his tongue entreated her to open, refusing any answer but yes. When she opened to him, he slanted his mouth and deepened the kiss. Her tongue darted to find his and she tasted chocolate delight. She dipped her tongue to taste him again. Her legs weakened and she slipped her arms around his waist for support. He held her secure, lifted his mouth, delivered a light parting kiss on her lower lip and drew back. She gazed into eyes dark with desire and stepped out of his embrace.
“Way to go. Now, that’s how you kiss a woman,” someone yelled.
Paul muttered a curse word and stormed out the front door.
“That should discourage your ex,” Jared whispered.
A Perfect Affair is available in Ebook and Print!
Hope you enjoyed this week's Saturday Spotlight. Be sure and drop by often, you'll never know what'll happen or who'll show up next time.
Until later....take care, God Bless and remember....a New Year is the perfect opportunity to start a New Life - so give your's to Christ.
Pamela S Thibodeaux
"Inspirational with an Edge!" (TM)
1 comment:
Looks like an interesting book. Thanks for the review.
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