Torrid Teasers Volume 53: Torrid Teasers Volume 53

By Susan K. Droney

Christmas Dreams Morgan and Davis have been best friends since they were children and even Davis' move to Maine didn't affect their deep friendship. When Morgan's relationship with her fiancée falls apart, at Davis' urging, she moves to Maine to make a fresh start. She soon realizes that her feelings for Davis run much deeper than friendship. The Fix-It Man When Madison meets the new maintenance man, she uncharacteristically tries to seduce him. When her efforts backfire, she thinks she doesn't stand a chance until he comes knocking on her door.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Torrid Books
• Release date: Dec 1, 2008
• ISBN: 9781603132961

Susan K. Droney

Writing is Susan's number one passion. When she isn't writing, she enjoys reading, spending time in her garden, and visiting family and friends. She has many novels, short stories, and magazine articles to her credit. Raised in western New York, she now resides in New Jersey. For information about Susan's current and upcoming titles, please visit http://www.susandroney.com or http://susandroney.blogspot.com

Book preview

Christmas Dreams

by

Caroline Aubrey

Morgan turned up the thermostat the minute she entered her small, but functional apartment. It was freezing outside; the temperature had dropped twenty degrees from the time she had left her office an hour ago and had taken the two buses to her apartment building. She set down her briefcase and purse and walked to the window. The snow was steadily coming down and a brisk wind swirled it around those brave enough to challenge the elements.

She abruptly pulled the blinds, then flicked on the TV, but after twenty minutes of channel surfing and finding nothing but Christmas specials, she turned it off. She’d be glad when the season to be jolly was over. The last two weeks had been agony at the office with everyone full of Christmas cheer. All she had to do was get through the week between Christmas and New Year’s. That one wouldn’t be as bad. Once the new year came everyone would settle back into the familiar routine.

Morgan looked around the apartment making a mental note of the tasks she would complete this weekend. I suppose the cupboards could use a good cleaning, she said to her cat Scruffy who had sidled up to her leg purring for his dinner.

Morgan fed Scruffy, then fixed herself some soup and a sandwich. As she ate her solitary dinner, she heard the blaring music from the apartment below and the muffled voices of the inhabitants. Oh damn. I’m supposed to go to Davis’ party, she said to Scruffy. She set her dishes in the sink.

Davis Michaels was her best friend. They’d been born and raised in the same neighborhood in Boston. They’d gone from the sandbox, through puberty, high school and college together and had been there for one another when their hearts had been broken. Morgan always felt safe and protected in his arms. She would lean her head against his chest while he gently patted her back and patiently listened as she sobbed over one boy or another. When a girl he’d been dating for two years abruptly broke off the relationship the night before he’d been about to propose, she’d held him all night as he cried like a baby. She knew he’d never shown that side of himself to another human being. What they had was special. Their friendship was as solid as the first day they’d met as toddlers.

Morgan was twenty-eight now and Davis was a year older. Two years ago Davis had gotten fed up with the corporate three-piece suit life and announced to her one night, as they sat together in her apartment drinking wine, that he was going to chuck it all. Even though this abrupt change would be a culture shock on his wallet, he’d found a position as a maintenance man in a large apartment building in Connor’s Cove, Maine. He’d be provided a nice apartment and small paycheck. As he animatedly told her his plans for a more tranquil life, she had sat devastated not wanting to believe that he would be that far away from her. She masked her own sorrow and enthusiastically applauded his decision. Even though she had several close women friends and, of course, her fiancé Thornton Wilder, she still missed seeing Davis several times a week, in the flesh. Talking to him through emails or on the phone wasn’t the same. She’d made a few trips to visit him and had enjoyed the tranquility of Connor’s Cove. All tension seemed to have left his body and she knew he was at peace. She’d chided him a few times about his new reputation as a playboy, and he’d just sheepishly look at her like a little boy who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

When Thornton called off their engagement, Davis was the first person Morgan called. She was inconsolable. After a few months had passed and she still couldn’t come to terms with the breakup, Davis had persuaded her to move to Connor’s Cove. He found her a job with Linden Textile Company as a computer technician and an apartment in the same building in which he resided.

Davis was truly happy and it showed. Still for Morgan, something was missing from her life. She loved the serenity of Connor’s Cove and her job, but none of the men she met could ignite even a tiny spark in her heart. She’d built her life around Thornton and she couldn’t let go of the plans they’d made for their future. Now he’d be spending that future with someone else.

Minutes later she pushed the buzzer to Davis’ apartment. He smiled broadly when he saw her. "I was