Thirteen Sexy Excerpts from THE REAL THING!
1.
Despite four-wheel drive, the Denali went into a slide,
sending him into a complete three-sixty before he came to a stop. He glanced in
the rearview mirror, checking to see if the person was okay, but all he saw was
falling snow. He hoped to God he hadn’t hit whoever it was.
Swearing under his breath, Logan pushed open the door and stepped
out onto the snowy road.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” a female voice demanded
from behind him. “You could’ve hit me, you moron.”
Logan turned to see a woman
skidding to a stop in front of him. She caught herself, arms windmilling as she
got her balance. He took in the short dress, light jacket and long, blonde hair
with a sweep of his gaze. He’d be damned. The fool woman was actually wearing freaking high heels in a blizzard. She might look sexy as hell in them, but she
didn’t have a lick of sense when it came to clothes.
2.
Raine blinked. Spend the night with a guy she didn’t know in
some cabin in the middle of nowhere? She’d done that in an embarrassingly
crappy low-budget horror flick back when she was first trying to make it in
Hollywood. She’d played an unsuspecting hitchhiker who got a ride with a guy
who turned out to be a serial killer. The ending for her character hadn’t been
good.
3.
She lifted her chin to look down her nose at him. Which was hard
to do since he was much taller than she was. “Don’t you know who I am?”
He lifted a brow. “Should I?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m Raine Montgomery.”
“And that should mean something to me?”
“I’m Raine Montgomery, the movie star.”
He regarded her for a moment. “Sorry. Never heard of you.”
He had to be joking. But the blank look on his face told her
he wasn’t. He really didn’t know who she was. Considering the source, that
shouldn’t have been a blow to her ego, but it was. “Everyone’s heard of me.
Unless they’ve been living under a rock somewhere.”
He clenched his jaw. “I don’t watch a lot of TV. Apparently,
you don’t, either.” He looked pointedly at her shoes. “At least not the Weather
Channel, anyway.”
She lifted her chin. “The weather was beautiful in LA when I
left.”
His mouth quirked. “Yeah, well, this isn’t LA. I’m going to
get some wood. Are you going to help, or not?”
“Not.”
His only answer was a snort as he walked out.
Raine hugged her jacket
closer and sat down on the couch. It was his cabin. Let him get his own damn
wood.
4.
Picking up his empty bowl, Logan pushed back his chair and
got to his feet. She watched in silence as he washed out the bowl and placed it
in the dish rack. If she knew what she’d done to offend him, she would have
apologized to him. But what would she say? I’m
sorry for insulting your man-cave?
5.
Raine rolled onto her side. She thought she’d be tired
enough to fall asleep right away, but the couch wasn’t nearly as soft as a bed,
and no matter which way she laid, she couldn’t get comfortable. She punched her
pillow and turned onto her back again.
Logan swore. “Just go to sleep, would you?”
“I can’t. This couch is as hard as a rock.” She threw back
the blanket and got to her feet. “If you’d just taken me into a hotel like I
asked, we’d both be sleeping right now.”
She tried to straighten the blankets, but all she did was
make more of a mess out of them.
“You can leave any time you want, you know,” Logan said
tersely.
Raine whirled around to face him. He was lying on his back,
his arms behind his head. She glared down at him. “You’ve got to be the most
annoying man I’ve ever met. First, you almost run me down. And instead of
apologizing, you tell me I’m an idiot for standing in the road trying to get
your attention. Then you don’t even try to dig out my car. Nor do you take me
where I want to go because you don’t want to drive a few hours out of your way,
even though I offered to pay you. Instead, you drag me off to this cabin where
there’s no heat, barely any hot water, and no bed. I—”
“Dammit, that’s it,” Logan growled.
Raine took a nervous step back as he got to his feet and
came toward her, dark eyes glinting in the firelight. “What are you—?”
The words turned into a startled gasp as Logan grabbed her
arm, then sat down on the couch and yanked her over his knee. For a moment, she
was too stunned to do anything but lay there. When she finally pushed herself
up, he pushed her back down.
“What the hell do you think you’re—?”
A sharp smack landed on her ass. Oh. My. God. The bastard
was actually spanking her!
6.
Raine had left the door ajar, and through the opening he could see
her curled up on the couch, reading. She hadn’t pulled the blanket around her,
and from where he was standing, he had a perfect view of her long, shapely legs
left bare by the skimpy shorts. He could just make out the slight curve of her
ass, too. The sight of all that satin skin was almost hypnotizing. He swore
under his breath as he felt his groin tighten.
For a self-centered brat who irritated the hell out of him,
she was damn hot. And her ass was just about as perfect as you could get.
Something he’d noticed while he’d been spanking her. He’d just been too pissed
off to appreciate it. That was one derriere he wouldn’t mind spanking for
fun—which, up until last night, was the only reason he’d ever spanked a woman.
Raine didn’t seem like the type who’d go for it, though. Too bad.
7.
“I thought you learned something from that spanking I gave
you the other night, but I guess not.”
“I learned that you’re a Neanderthal who likes to put a
woman over your knee whenever she does something you don’t like.”
“Not all women. Just the ones who act like spoiled brats.”
“I am not a
spoiled brat!”
His brow rose. “So, you’re saying you weren’t about to throw
yourself on the floor and start kicking and screaming? Could have fooled me.”
She almost stamped her foot, but caught herself just in time
when she realized what a field day he’d have with that. She settled on a growl
of frustration instead. “Just go into your studio and paint something, dammit.”
“I’ll do that. Right after I spank you.”
Raine backpedaled, almost tripping over her weekender bag.
“You are not spanking me again.”
Logan advanced on her, sidestepping the bag without even
looking down. “Oh yes, I am.”
She backed up some more, but he grabbed her arm before she
could take more than two steps. She dug in her heels, but her bare feet hand
couldn’t get enough of a grip.
“Let me go, you Cro-Magnon!”
He spun around so abruptly she had to take a step back. “I
thought you said I was a Neanderthal.”
“Same thing,” she ground out.
“Not really.” Did he just smirk? “Cro-Magnons are much more
advanced.”
She clenched her teeth. “Then that’s definitely not you.”
This time he most certainly smirked. She probably would have
slapped it off his face if he hadn’t sat down on the couch and yanked her
tumbling over his knee.
8.
When he finally let her up, her face was as red as her ass
had to be. She struggled to pull up her shorts as she glared up at him.
“You bastard,” she spat. “You’re not going to get away with
this. As soon as I’m out of here, I’m going to the cops and telling them
everything. I—”
“You’re even more beautiful when you’re angry, did you know
that?”
Logan’s words made her do a double take. “What?”
His dark eyes smoldered with heat. “It’s true. You’re sexy
as hell when you’re mad. Almost as sexy
as you are when you’re getting your ass tanned—you obviously can’t see it, but
you have the most amazing wiggle when you’re getting spanked. Seriously sexy.”
She stared at him for a long time, speechless. What the hell
was he saying—and how the hell should she respond? When she finally did think of something to
say, Logan’s mouth came down on hers before she could get the words out.
Raine was so startled at first that she automatically kissed
Logan back. It was what a woman did when a man this hot put his lips on
you. His mouth was gentle on hers, his
tongue teasing, and she ran her hands halfway up his chest, seeking the button
on his shirt, before she remembered where she was and who was kissing her. She
pushed against his chest with a sound of indignation. Logan lifted his head,
but didn’t release his hold on her shoulders.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she demanded. “You
can’t kiss me like that.”
His mouth twitched. “Well, if not like that, how about like
this?”
Logan buried his hands in
her hair and tipped her head back. Raine parted her lips under his, a low moan of
pleasure slipping out as his tongue entwined with hers. The anger she’d felt disappeared
to be replaced with a suddenly knee-weakening desire to be completely and
totally possessed by this man. She didn’t care that he’d just held her down
over his knee and spanked her. Hell, maybe that was why she wanted him so much.
Or maybe it was because she hadn’t had sex with a guy in a long time—unless she
counted that hot and steamy shower scene in her upcoming movie, which she
didn’t. Whatever it was, she’d never been so consumed by a mere kiss before.
She swore the heat of his touch would burn right through her, that his kiss
would make her explode. She slid her
hands up his chest to grip his shoulders, partly to keep from collapsing, and
partly because she needed to feel those hard muscles she knew were under there.
9.
As Chloe gave her a synopsis of the scripts she mentioned,
Raine went into the master bathroom to fill the Jacuzzi. If she’d really spent
the weekend at the spa instead of a cabin in the middle of nowhere, she
wouldn’t need a soak in the hot tub to ease the tension tightening her
shoulders. But if she’d spent the weekend at a spa instead of a cabin in the
middle of nowhere, she wouldn’t have met Logan and had the most amazing sex of
her life.
Her eyes suddenly filled with tears at the memory. She
quickly wiped them away. What the heck was going on with her? She’d known Logan
for two whole days, during most of which he’d been a jerk. How could she
possibly be missing him?
Because when he wasn’t being a jerk, he was the kind of guy
she could see herself falling for.
She shook her head. What was she saying, that she and Logan
should date? That was insane. What they’d shared up in those mountains wasn’t
real. A relationship like theirs couldn’t survive outside that cabin. She and
Logan were from two completely different worlds—ones that would never cross
paths again.
Even if they did, it wouldn’t matter because she was getting
married in two weeks.
10.
Logan ran his hands back up her long legs to the curve of her
hips. It wasn’t fair that he should be so overdressed when she wasn’t wearing
anything but a barely-there pair of panties. She reached for the buttons of his
shirt, but he caught her wrists and fixed her with a stern look.
“Uh-uh. I’m in charge here.”
She lifted her chin. “You can still be in charge if you’re
naked.”
“Later,” he told her.
Raine gave him a pout, but didn’t protest when he urged her
back on the bed. While she liked where this was heading, she hadn’t forgotten
about the spanking he’d promised her. Had he?
She opened her mouth to ask when he dropped to his knees in
front of her. Maybe that spanking could wait.
She held her breath as she
waited for him to slide off her panties, but instead, he bent to kiss her
through the thin material. She caught her lower lip between her teeth, stifling
a moan. He was determined to drive her crazy, wasn’t he?
And drive her crazy, he did. Raine hadn’t even realized it
was possible for a guy to lick her through her panties, but Logan had a very
talented tongue. He glided along her satin-covered folds so many times she lost
count—not that she was counting. Then, he found her clit and made little
circles through the material. She clutched the blanket in her fists, sure she
was going to scream in frustration if he didn’t take off her panties and bury
his face in her pussy.
When he lifted his head, she thought that’s exactly what he
was going to do. But he only eyed her hotly.
“I think it’s time for that spanking, don’t you?”
11.
Raine might not have modeled for an artist before, but as he
sketched her in various poses over the next few hours, she was pretty sure it
wasn’t supposed to be an arousing experience. She couldn’t help herself. Not
only was Logan sitting there naked with a hard-on the whole time, but he was eyeing
her like he could just eat her up. Another minute and she was going to slide
her hand between her legs and touch herself.
“Done,” Logan finally announced. “For now.”
She hopped up and ran over to him. “Let me see.”
He pulled her down onto his lap and gave her a soul-searing
kiss that had her forgetting all about the drawings. Until he pulled away and
showed them to her. Raine’s eyes went wide.
“Logan, these are gorgeous.”
“You’re the one who’s gorgeous. I just drew what I saw.”
She blushed. No camera had ever captured her like this. It
was like seeing herself through his eyes. And for the first time in a long
time, she liked what she saw. She didn’t look like a movie star. She looked
like a woman who was truly happy, not an actress being paid to seem that way.
Tears welled in her eyes before she could stop them. She
looked away before Logan could see, but he cupped her cheek and lifted her
chin.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
She gave him a tremulous smile. “Nothing. It’s just that
these are so beautiful.”
He gently wiped a tear away with his thumb. “Well, I
wouldn’t have drawn them if I knew it was going to make you cry.”
Raine shook her head. “They didn’t. I love them. I love…”
You.
The word stuck in her throat, refusing to come out. How
could she be in love with Logan when she couldn’t stand the sight of him a week
ago? Was it possible to fall in love that fast? Were the things she was feeling
even love at all or just the side-effect of really incredible sex? Or a really
screwed up life in general?
Logan regarded her expectantly, as if he was waiting for her
to say something. She tried to think of some other way to finish the sentence
she’d started, but everything she came up with sounded trite. Or just plain
ridiculous. So, she did the only other thing she could do—she kissed him.
12.
Raine closed her eyes and snuggled up against Logan, trying
to imprint the moment—make that the entire weekend—into her memory. “I wish I
didn’t have to go.
Logan’s arm tightened around her. “Then stay.”
She sighed. “I have to finish shooting those scenes.”
He tilted her face up with gentle fingers. “Then come back
when you’re done.”
“I can’t. At least not right away. Maybe after the wedding.”
God, just saying the word made her feel ill.
He pushed her hair back from her face. “Who’s getting
married?”
“I am.”
Logan stared at her so for long Raine thought maybe she only
thought she’d said it out loud.
“Wait a minute.” He laughed. Like the way someone laughs
when they don’t think something’s funny. “I must be confused. I thought you
just said you were getting married.”
Oh, God. He didn’t know. She thought everyone knew. But how
could he know? He didn’t watch a lot of television. Which meant he probably
didn’t read a lot of entertainment news on the internet.
“I did,” she said softly.
13.
Tears started in her eyes. If she told him she loved him,
would it make a difference? Something told her it wouldn’t. Logan didn’t live
in her make-believe world where people got married because it was a good career
move. He lived in a world where people got married for love. She desperately
wished she could live there, too.
A lone tear trickled down her cheek and Logan lifted his
hand to gently wipe it away. “The ferry leaves soon. If you miss it, you’ll be
late getting back to Vancouver. Come on. I’ll walk you out.”
Raine sniffed. She didn’t want to go, not until she’d
changed his mind. Or at least got his promise that he’d think about it. But he
was right. She had to be in Vancouver that afternoon. Wiping her nose with the
back of her hand, she picked up her purse. She would have grabbed her weekender
bag, too, but he picked it up before she could.
When they got to her car, she turned back to him. “I wish
things could be different.”
He gave her a small smile. “I do, too.”
They stood for a moment gazing at each other before Logan
bent his head to kiss her. Raine clung to him, her kiss trying to tell him
everything she hadn’t been able to say with words.
Logan pulled away first, his dark eyes sad. “Goodbye,
Raine.”
Raine couldn’t make herself
say the same. Because saying the word out loud would make their parting too
final. Stifling a sob, she got in her car and drove away.
*hugs*
Paige
