GENRE: Spicy Romance
LENGTH: 29,603 words
RATING:

In Hot For Teacher, wild and sassy Blythe Larson played the role of both best friend and scheming matchmaker. She encouraged her gal-pal Paige Gillette to attend their ten-year high school reunion in order to snag the man of her dreams. With Blythe’s manipulation and “never say die” attitude, the somewhat-shy Paige gained the strength and found herself in heaven.

Now, just over a year later, Blythe finds herself in an unacceptable situation. She can’t get a date! Never before has this happened to her, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time. She needs to attend an important charity event, knowing that her ex-husband will also be in attendance with his new wife and her former in-laws.

Despite his new marriage, Richard “Dickless” Quigley Whitaker still thinks of Blythe as his “possession,” trying to win her back at every turn. How can she convince the wealthy and snooty Whitaker clan that she has thrived since the divorce, that even if Richard was declared the last man on Earth, she would still demand a recount? Showing up “stag” at the event just won’t do. She needs Richard and his family to see her in the company of a “new lover,” to see that she has moved on with her life. But with all the eligible men in Savannah seemingly disappearing overnight, what’s a gal in a pickle to do?

Hire a Rent-A-Stud for the evening, that’s what! And with Paige’s encouragement, that’s exactly what Blythe does. But when the younger and sexy-as-sin Shiloh Birmingham Wolfe shows up on her doorstep at the appointed hour to escort her to the formal event, Blythe finds herself in a bigger and more delicious quandary ... go to the charity auction as planned, or rip off the man’s form-fitting tuxedo and jump his muscular bones?

EXCERPT:
Note: may contain sexually explicit scenes of an erotic nature.

Wolfe seemed to notice the change in her demeanor. He glanced across the banquet hall, then brought his mouth close to her ear. “What’s the matter?” he whispered covertly, his breath tickling her cheek. “Is your ex-husband’s family continuing to upset you? It’s still not too late for me to head over there and have a chat with them about their lack of manners.”

“No, please, it’s not them.”

“Then why do you look so nervous?”

“It’s just the thought of what’s coming next.”

He cocked his head. “You mean the charity auction?”

“Excellent deduction.”

“Why would that have you so unsettled? Do you have a piece on the auction block that’s important to you?”

“A piece?” She laughed without humor. “In a manner of speaking. And to me, it’s something quite precious indeed.”

“A family heirloom?”

“My parents, rest their souls, would have certainly thought so ...”

“You’re afraid Richard will do his best to get his hands on the item?”

Blythe shivered at the horrific notion. “You’ve read my thoughts exactly.”

Wolfe smiled. “Easy solution. Why not just remove the item before the auction begins?”

“It’s not that simple. I pledged the ‘item’ years ago, when the last event of this nature took place. Besides, the cause is way too important to me personally -- to the entire world, for that matter -- for me to back out now.”

“Raising money to help find a cure for breast cancer is indeed a meaningful and worthwhile cause, but at what cost to you?”

“Wolfe, when my mother succumbed to this hideous disease, I vowed to do everything in my power to support the fight.”

He settled one of his large, comforting hands on top of hers. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

“The problem is, I’m not an extremely wealthy woman.”

“You could have fooled me. You look like a million bucks.” The smile accompanying his sweet compliment did nothing to soothe her emotions, although she silently applauded him for trying.

“To confess, I have to thank Richard -- or the divorce settlement, if truth be told -- for my condo, and I’ve had my current job at the ad agency for only about a year. Actually, since college, it’s my first ‘real job’ that’s lasted more than a few weeks. But my lack of mega-millions never mattered when it came to this charity event, which is held every few years. Here, I can contribute, and I’ve done so ever since my mother died. And hopefully, should the bidding go in my favor again this year, my financial contribution to the cause will be substantial. It’s the least I can do to help the fight, and unfortunately, Richard knows that. And, he will bid, whether his new wife Pickles or Petunia or Prunella or whatever the hell her name is --”

“Prudence.”

“-- is here or not. That’s why I’m so worried. I know he’s just looking for an opportunity to weasel his way back into my life ... is seeking yet another method to try to control me.”

“I don’t understand, Blythe. What will be on the auction block that your ex-husband wants so desperately?”

She looked him straight in the eye. “Me.”