Previously published as Goldie’s BearNight after night, Lucy yearns for her fabled fairy prince to rescue her. Thom Hill arrives, acting more like an ugly frog than the princely character in Lucy’s dreams. But who knows the magic in a simple kiss? If you knew a handsome hunk of a man was only a kiss away, would you do it? Would you kiss a frog?
Lucy did and Driven to Love tells you what she got for her effort. In a classic case of the irresistible force meeting an immovable object, Lucy Fox zeroes in on her hero and lets nothing deter her. Thom Hill is drawn into a sizzling romantic battle with the blonde dynamo, resulting in an affair that’s not too hot and not too cool, but just right.
Excerpt:
Chapter One
After the argument with her dad, Lucy sulked on the porch until the driving school sedan pulled up. The man her father had arranged to be her driving instructor climbed out of the car as she approached the vehicle—and stopped in her tracks.
The most gorgeous man she’d ever seen stared at her, causing her breath to catch in her throat. Whatever she’d expected him to be, it wasn’t this. Young. Tall. Drop-dead handsome. Seriously under-challenged hormones kicked her insides with a bang.
He looked athletic but not football hefty. More likely a runner, lanky and lean, though not skinny, arms well tanned and nicely muscled. Dark brown hair, neatly cut, framed an oval face equally tanned. With character lines hinting at maturity, his face was highlighted by a straight nose matching a strong chin.
And those eyes! Huge. Jade green. Smiling. Wake up Lucy. This is not a dream, just your dream man. His wonderfully expressive lips were moving....
“Hello,” Dream Man’s voice rumbled. “Is this the Fox residence?”
Dream Man can talk. Nice voice. Lucy pried her tongue loose and stuttered, “Yes, we’re the Foxes.”
“I’m Mr. Hill. I believe your sister is supposed to learn to drive today.”
“My sister?” All feelings of lust stalled. “No, she already knows how to drive.”
“She does? There must be some mistake.”
The reality of the situation hit Lucy like a dash of cold water. “No, Mr. Hill, there’s no mistake. I’m the one who needs her license.”
“Oh. Then you must be Lucy.” His face colored as he said, “I’m sorry.”
“So am I.”
“I meant....” he mumbled haltingly, “…I’d assumed you’d be younger.”
Lucy broke the tension by laughing softly. “Mr. Hill, really, I understand. You no doubt expected another giggly teenager.”
“Yeah.” A gorgeous smile broke through the clouds of his facial muscles. Her lusty inklings resumed as he closed the clipboard he’d been carrying and said, “Well, then, we’d best get started. Come on and buckle in.”
She forced her attention away from his kissable lips. Why am I thinking about his lips? “You want me to drive? Now?”
“Sure. Why?”
“I thought you’d drive first, you know, to demonstrate what you want me to do.”
“No need for that, Miss Fox. It is Miss, isn’t it?”
“Yes, I’m single. Well, if you say so.”
“I do.” His smile sent her heart fluttering again.
She got in, adjusted the driver’s seat, and fastened her seat belt. When he was buckled in, she keyed the ignition, dropped the transmission lever into drive, and tapped the accelerator. The car moved smartly forward a short distance until a little dog ran out in front of them. She yanked the steering wheel to the right. The auto, obedient and responsive, went right—right over the curb into the flowers and the mailbox.
“See why I need help?” She turned to face the startled man beside her.
“Help?” he muttered. “You need an overhaul. Why didn’t you hit the brake?”
“The brake? Oh! I didn’t think....”
He unbuckled and climbed out of the no longer pristine sedan. After surveying the damage he stared in at her. “Well, it doesn’t look quite so bad from out here. Would you like to get out and see what you’ve done, Miss Fox?”
“I don’t need to get out. I can see it from in here.”
“The mailbox, yes. But if you’re going to extricate the car from the flowerbed, you’ll want to take a look at where the wheels are sitting at the moment.” He added, “Unless you’d rather I do it.”
“Oh, no. If I’m going to have to drive one of these things, I’ll need the experience, I’m sure.”
“I hope this isn’t the kind of experience you’re likely to repeat. Destroying mailboxes is a federal offense.”
“I didn’t destroy the mailbox, Mr. Hill. I can see it perfectly well, sitting right there on the hood. Besides, you grabbed the wheel and tried to turn it.” He bristled.
It had happened so quickly—first the dog running in front of the car and the way she’d spun the wheel to miss it. Then they were aiming at her neighbor’s streetside flowerbed. When she froze despite his barked order to brake, he’d tried a desperate move, one that had almost worked. She couldn’t fault him for that, could she?
“Whoever heard of putting a mailbox in a flowerbed, anyway?” she asked.
“The more appropriate question, Miss Fox, is whoever heard of putting a car in a flowerbed?”
Copyright (C) 2012 Pat Dale
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/254418
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