Monica is a school teacher who longs to experience the joy and thrill of passion. She has battled a past filled with trauma, and depression. Finally free of her fears and guilt, she begins to explore. That is when she meets Victor, a man who has his own demons to battle and secrets to keep. When he meets innocent Monica, he wants to experience all he can with her. She is innocent, yet willing; barely touched, but incredibly passionate. Victor's past has scarred him, and despite his feelings he keeps Monica at a distance. Why? Because he fears those secrets will destroy them.
But, Monica and Victor are soul mates. They have the same hot passions. Will they find their happiness with each other? You must read to find that out. But, they most assuredly do find pleasure.
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My Review
This is a fabulous fast paced novel about love, rising above
fears and insecurities, and accepting your loved ones – warts and all. I enjoyed this book. The main character, Monica, is a rape
survivor who has put her life together.
Monica is an avid runner and teacher who has broken up with her one and
only boyfriend (who really was more a friend with benefits than anything
else). Her sister insists she get ‘back
on the horse’ and get out of her self-imposed, celibate, rut. While out at a local club she meets a man who
gets her motor running. Victor is
retired military, sexy as hell, and emotionally unavailable.
“So, what is your name? I want to know what to moan in my sleep when
I dream about you tonight.”
As their relationship develops, Victor warns Monica:
“My life is complicated. I have a lot going on with switching careers,
seeing what direction my life is going to take.
I am still in the reserves, so one weekend a month it is all about
that. Two weekends a month I have family
obligations, and it’s all about them. I
don’t have time for a full time relationship.
There are things going on that I don’t want to talk about with you. I am busy right now with trying to start up
this new business. I can tell already,
you are a good girl, who deserves someone who will put you first, but I just
can’t do that right now, if ever. I can
give you one weekend a month maybe, and one or two nights a week”
Um, all my spidey senses went haywire (can anyone else spot
a married man?), and I wanted to warn Miss Monica to stay away from her hot
man! But, alas, that is impossible. Monica falls head over heels with Victor, but
knows that her man is very complicated and secretive.
Excerpt:
“Hello, gorgeous!” Blue eyes said and inched
closer to me.
“Hi,” I replied nervously taking another sip of
my drink, not realizing I had finished it.
He turned and called to the bartender, “Another
one, please,” he indicated to the bartender that the drink was for me, and the
bartender nodded.
Blue eyes, then turned to me and smiled. His teeth were perfect. “My name is Victor Ciccone. And you have to be the most beautiful girl I
have seen in long time.”
“Thank-you,” I said shyly.
“You’re welcome!” He laughed. “You didn’t seem this shy on the
dance floor. You can move! I was
imagining you moving like that under me in my bed.”
“Y-you did?”
God, that was a stupid thing to say.
I wasn’t used to this flirting business.
I had no experience. I wasn’t Ana.
“Yes, I did.
And, it was good. I pleased you
very much.” He gazed down the length of my body and that look was a caress. I
could see from his face he liked what he saw. It was a compliment without
words. I was surprised I wasn’t more
nervous, but Ana was right there watching us.
He was incredibly attractive. Oh my, if my heart beat any faster I was
afraid it was going to burst right out of my chest. “So, what is your name? I want to know what to moan in my sleep when
I dream about you tonight.” Was this for real? Did guys really talk like that to pick up a
girl? I didn’t know. But, it was definitely working on me. This guy was turning me on, and he hadn’t
even touched me. Yet!
“My name is Monica Michaud,” I said as I
reached out my hand to shake his. It was
like electricity. A shock went through my entire body. I felt warm all over, and I knew it wasn’t
from the drink. I only had one. The guy was pure animal magnetism, pure sex
appeal.
He did not let go of my hand, or break eye
contact. He held it and used his thumb
to caress the top of my hand. He pulled
me closer, and we were mere inches apart.
He tilted his head to the side and put his face into my hair behind my
ear, and inhaled. “You smell
delicious. I bet you taste good, too,”
he whispered in my ear. He softly kissed
my cheek and trailed light feathery kisses from my temple to my lips. I gasped at the sensations he evoked in me. “Dance with me?” he asked and began to draw
me out of my chair.
Wordlessly, I followed him. It wasn’t a fast song, but it wasn’t a slow
song either. He drew me into his arms
and we swayed rhythmically in time to the music. His body and mine melded
together on the dance floor. The
electricity between us sizzled. After
one song ended and another began his hands began to roam across my back, my
sides, and I just held on enjoying the feelings he evoked in me, He turned me
slightly and our eyes met, and, that is when his lips claimed mine. They were soft and cool, probably from the
beer. His tongue darted out, and slid
along my lips and I opened for him wanting more. My nipples hardened at the sensations he was
creating. This man knew what he was
doing and I wanted more. He explored my
mouth with his, he tasted of lemon and beer, and I tentatively began to
respond. He moaned my name into my mouth.
The hand that caressed my back now slid along my arm then grasped my
face, and his other hand, the one that had been stroking me along the side
along my ribcage did the same. I was lost in the pleasure, completely oblivious
to my sister sitting not eight feet away.
The kiss went on and on. He slowly began to ease back, and end the
kiss. “You do,” he said and sighed
sadly.
“I do what?” I asked, a little shaken by, what
seemed to me, the abrupt end of the kiss.
“Taste great,” he answered and then laughed,
his blue eyes glittering. “But that is
not the only part of you I want to taste.”
I stared at him shocked. My eyes widened into saucers at his
suggestion, but yet, I yearned for whatever this man was willing to offer.
“You have beautiful eyes. Lonely, big and brown eyes. I want to see them full of passion for me.
But another time. Let me bring you back to
your friend.”
He began to lead me back to my sister, and I
muttered just that. “She is my sister.”
He turned to look at me, surprised. “You look so different. Both of you are beautiful, though in your own
way.”
I couldn’t help but smile at his sincere
compliment. We didn’t look much
alike. Once back at the bar, he helped
me back onto my stool, and again sat beside me, his smile dazzling.
I was speechless and terrified and excited at
the same time. Nervous, too. But, a part of me knew that this man would be
worth it. Instinctively, I also felt he wouldn’t hurt me physically, and
although his words were evocative, I saw glimpses of tenderness, and restraint
in him. He was as sexy as hell, and when he smiled his crooked smile he had a
dimple. Whatever inhibitions I still
had, I knew he would break those down, he would teach me and please me to no
end. This man was wild and dangerous,
untamed. But I saw kindness there, too.
He broke the silence first. “I want to see you again.”
“I would like that,” I said immediately and
licked my lips not realizing I had done it. I don’t know where those confident
words came from, but I was glad they came.
He nodded his approval, and then sadly shook his head and I felt a
sudden sense of loss. He could see it in
my eyes.
“Don’t worry, Mi Cara, I am not done with you
yet, just for tonight, though. I have to
work early tomorrow, and I do not want to rush what I wish to do to you. Give me your phone number,” he demanded as he
slid his phone towards me.
With shaking hands I picked up his cell phone
and typed in my phone number, and then handed it back to him. “Just one second, Monica,” he stated as he
scrutinized his phone and hit a few buttons.
At that moment, my phone began to ring; I looked at my clutch and began
to retrieve it automatically, when his hand stilled mine. “No, don’t worry, Monica. That was me calling. I wanted to be sure you had given me the right
phone number and not a phony one. I
can’t let you get away, now that I’ve found you. And, now you have my phone number, as well.”
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fire-in-his-eyes-mj-nightingale/1117803300?ean=9781494742898 (Paperback only – Nookbook by request)
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