While Boggs manned the gas grill on the deck, Toni gave several tours of their new home. Each of the guests was more enthusiastic than the last, and she felt so proud. And of course everyone raved about Mr. Rupert’s new cat. The weather was unusually cool for July, and people mingled on the deck, in the living room and the kitchen. At nine o’clock, everyone refilled their drinks and climbed to the third floor and out on the rooftop deck. Toni had taken up several pillows earlier in the day and placed them around the bench seats that encircled the railing. The group settled themselves in to wait for the city fireworks to begin. Fifteen minutes later they were rewarded with a spectacular view.
By ten o’clock, Toni and Boggs were saying good-bye to everyone at the front door. When the last person left, Toni closed the door and wrapped her arms around Boggs.
“That was the best party I’ve ever been to,” she whispered. “And it’s because it was our first party together in our brand new home.” She kissed Boggs tenderly. “Why don’t you make sure everything’s locked up, then come up to the bedroom. I’ve got something I want to show you.”
Boggs raised her eyebrows. “What?”
“Just go ahead and you’ll see. Give me five minutes, okay?”
Boggs nodded and Toni ran up to the second-floor master suite. She lit several candles and turned down the bed. She took off all her clothes and slipped on an old denim workshirt. She buttoned only a couple of the buttons and rolled up the sleeves partway. It covered just enough. She started the water in the tub and added lots of bubble bath. When she heard Boggs coming up the stairs, she leaned against the door to the bathroom. As Boggs entered the room, Toni thought she heard her gasp.
“Hi, hon. I thought I’d treat you to a bath and a massage.”
Boggs had stopped in midstep. “Holy shit.” Her mouth was open.
“Let me help you out of those things,” Toni said as she moved closer. She grabbed Boggs’s hand and led her into the bathroom. She turned off the water and sat Boggs down on the tub ledge. After removing her shoes, she pulled her T-shirt over her head, then leaned down to kiss her neck. Toni knew her breasts were now at eye level and she caught Boggs’s hand before it reached her. “Not yet.” She unhooked Boggs’s bra and pulled her to her feet. Boggs tried unsuccessfully several times to touch her, but Toni kept her at bay while removing her shorts.
“Now climb on in.”
Boggs did as she was told and sank into the fragrant bubbles. She stared up as Toni slowly unbuttoned her shirt and let it slip to the floor. She climbed in and positioned herself behind Boggs, her legs straddling her. She wrapped her arms around Boggs’s waist and pulled her close, kissing her neck. Using a giant sea sponge, she squeezed warm water on her shoulders and neck. Only a small scar remained in her shoulder from the flesh wound.
“This is heaven on earth,” Boggs whispered. “What’s the special occasion?”
“I just wanted to show you how much I love you and how grateful I am to have you in my life,” Toni said as she continued to use the sponge. “I want every day to be a celebration.”
Boggs turned around and took the sponge from Toni. “And I want us to share everything, even this.” She held up the soapy sponge, then began caressing Toni’s skin. After five minutes, Boggs set the sponge on the ledge. “Now, we can either sit in here until our skin wrinkles and the water gets cold, or we can dry off and continue this in our king-size bed. You choose.”
Toni pulled the drain and stood up, grabbing a fluffy bath sheet from the towel rack. She stepped on the bath mat and wrapped the towel around her. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not wasting any time drying off.”
Boggs grabbed another bath sheet and stepped out. She dabbed at the clinging bubbles then pulled Toni into the bedroom.
As Toni fell back into the huge bed, she felt as though she was living a dream. For the first time in her life she felt safe, happy and loved. And the feel of Boggs’s skin against her own made her entire body tingle with desire. What started off as a slow and lingering kiss ended up being a wild night of lovemaking. When they finally stopped two hours later, Toni was on cloud nine. Boggs ran downstairs for a couple bottles of water and when she returned her spot was taken by Mr. Rupert and Little Tuffy.
“I guess you’ll have to squeeze in on my side,” Toni said, chuckling. “Good thing we got a king-size.”
Boggs slid in next to Toni and put her arm around her. “Now this is what I call heaven. You, me and our boys.”
Toni fell asleep knowing that her life was complete. At least for now.
Publications from Bella Books, Inc.
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WITHOUT WARNING: Book one in the Shaken series by KG MacGregor. Without Warning is the story of their courageous journey through adversity, and their promise of steadfast love. 978-1-59493-120-8 $13.95
THE CANDIDATE by Tracey Richardson. Presidential candidate Jane Kincaid had always expected the road to the White House would exact a high personal toll. She just never knew how high until forced to choose between her heart and her political destiny. 978-1-59493-133-8 $13.95
TALL IN THE SADDLE by Karin Kallmaker, Barbara Johnson, Therese Szymanski and Julia Watts. The playful quartet that penned the acclaimed Once Upon A Dyke and Stake Through the Heart are back are now turning to the Wild (and Very Hot) West to bring you another collection of erotically charged, action-packed, tales. 978-1-59493-106-2 $15.95
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER by Gerri Hill. In this highly anticipated sequel to Hunter’s Way, Dallas homicide detectives Tori Hunter and Samantha Kennedy investigate the murder of a Catholic priest who is found naked and strangled to death. 978-1-59493-108-6 $13.95
IT’S ALL SMOKE AND MIRRORS: The First Chronicles of Shawn Donnelly by Therese Szymanski. Join Therese Szymanski as she takes a walk on the sillier side of the gritty crime scene detective novel and introduces readers to her newest alternate personality— Shawn Donnelly. 978-1-59493-117-8 $13.95
THE ROAD HOME by Frankie J. Jones. As Lynn finds herself in one adventure after another, she discovers that true wealth may have very little to do with money after all. 978-1-59493-110-9 $13.95
IN DEEP WATERS: CRUISING THE SEAS by Karin Kallmaker and Radclyffe. Book passage on a deliciously sensual Mediterranean cruise with tour guides Radclyffe and Karin Kallmaker. 978-1-59493-111-6 $15.95
ALL THAT GLITTERS by Peggy J. Herring. Life is good for retired Army Colonel Marcel Robicheaux. Marcel is unprepared for the turn her life will take. She soon finds herself in the pursuit of a lifetime—searching for her missing mother and lover. 978-1-59493-107-9 $13.95
OUT OF LOVE by KG MacGregor. For Carmen Delallo and Judith O’Shea, falling in love proves to be the easy part. 978-1-59493-105-5 $13.95
BORDERLINE by Terri Breneman. Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Toni Barston returns in the sequel to Anticipation. 978-1-59493-99-7 $13.95
PAST REMEMBERING by Lyn Denison. What would it take to melt Peri’s cool exterior? Any involvement on Asha’s part would be simply asking for trouble and heartache . . . wouldn’t it? 978-1-59493-103-1 $13.95
ASPEN’S EMBERS by Diane Tremain Braund. Will Aspen choose the woman she loves . . . or the forest she hopes to preserve . . . 978-1-59493-102-4 $14.95
THE COTTAGE by Gerri Hill. The Cottage is the heartbreaking story of two women who meet by chance . . . or did they? A love so destined it couldn’t be denied . . . stolen moments to be cherished forever. 978-1-59493-096-6 $13.95
FANTASY: Untrue Stories of Lesbian Passion edited by Barbara Johnson and Therese Szymanski. Lie back and let Bella’s bad girls take you on an erotic journey through the greatest bedtime stories never told. 978-1-59493-101-7 $15.95
SISTERS’ FLIGHT by Jeanne G’Fellers. Sisters’ Flight is the highly anticipated sequel to No Sister of Mine and Sister Lost, Sister Found. 978-1-59493-116-1 $13.95
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sp; BRAGGIN’ RIGHTS by Kenna White. Taylor Fleming is a thirty-six-year-old Texas rancher who covets her independence. She finds her cowgirl independence tested by neighboring rancher Jen Holland. 978-1-59493-095-9 $13.95
BRILLIANT by Ann Roberts. Respected sociology professor, Diane Cole finds her views on love challenged by her own heart, as she fights the attraction she feels for a woman half her age. 978-1-59493-115-4 $13.95
THE EDUCATION OF ELLIE by Jackie Calhoun. When Ellie sees her childhood friend for the first time in thirty years she is tempted to resume their long lost friendship. But with the years come a lot of baggage and the two women struggle with who they are now while fighting the painful memories of their first parting. Will they be able to move past their history to start again? 978-1-59493-092-8 $13.95
DATE NIGHT CLUB by Saxon Bennett. Date Night Club is a dark romantic comedy about the pitfalls of dating in your thirties . . . 978-1-59493-094-2 $13.95
PLEASE FORGIVE ME by Megan Carter. Laurel Becker is on the verge of losing the two most important things in her life—her current lover, Elaine Alexander, and the Lavender Page bookstore. Will Elaine and Laurel manage to work through their misunderstandings and rebuild their life together? 978-1-59493-091-1 $13.95
WHISKEY AND OAK LEAVES by Jaime Clevenger. Meg meets June, a single woman running a horse ranch in the California Sierra foothills. The two become quick friends and it isn’t long before Meg is looking for more than just a friendship. But June has no interest in developing a deeper relationship with Meg. She is, after all, not the least bit interested in women . . . or is she? Neither of these two women is prepared for what lies ahead . . . 978-1-59493-093-5 $13.95
SUMTER POINT by KG MacGregor. As Audie surrenders her heart to Beth, she begins to distance herself from the reckless habits of her youth. Just as they’re ready to meet in the middle, their future is thrown into doubt by a duty Beth can’t ignore. It all comes to a head on the river at Sumter Point. 978-1-59493-089-8 $13.95
THE TARGET by Gerri Hill. Sara Michaels is the daughter of a prominent senator who has been receiving death threats against his family. In an effort to protect Sara, the FBI recruits homicide detective Jaime Hutchinson to secretly provide the protection they are so certain Sara will need. Will Sara finally figure out who is behind the death threats? And will Jaime realize the truth—and be able to save Sara before it's too late? 978-1-59493-082-9 $13.95
REALITY BYTES by Jane Frances. In this sequel to Reunion, follow the lives of four friends in a romantic tale that spans the globe and proves that you can cross the whole of cyberspace only to find love a few suburbs away . . . 978-1-59493-079-9 $13.95
MURDER CAME SECOND by Jessica Thomas. Broadway’s bad-boy genius, Paul Carlucci, has chosen Hamlet for his latest production and, to the delight of some and despair of others, he has selected Provincetown’s amphitheatre for his opening gala. But Alex Peres realizes the wrong people are falling down, and the moaning is all too realistic. Someone must not be shooting blanks . . . 978-1-59493-081-2 $13.95
SKIN DEEP by Kenna White. Jordan Griffin has been given a new assignment: Track down and interview one-time nationally renowned broadcast journalist Reece McAllister. Much to her surprise, Jordan comes away with far more than just a story . . . 978-1-59493-78-2 $13.95
FINDERS KEEPERS by Karin Kallmaker. Finders Keepers, the quest for the perfect mate in the 21st century, joins Karin Kallmaker’s Just Like That and her other incomparable novels about lesbian love, lust and laughter. 1-59493-072-4 $13.95
OUT OF THE FIRE by Beth Moore. Author Ann Covington feels at the top of the world when told her book is being made into a movie. Then in walks Casey Duncan the actress who is playing the lead in her movie. Will Casey turn Ann’s world upside down? 1-59493-088-0 $13.95
STAKE THROUGH THE HEART: NEW EXPLOITS OF TWILIGHT LESBIANS by Karin Kallmaker, Julia Watts, Barbara Johnson and Therese Szymanski. The playful quartet that penned the acclaimed Once Upon A Dyke are dimming the lights for journeys into worlds of breathless seduction. 1-59493-071-6 $15.95
THE HOUSE ON SANDSTONE by KG MacGregor. Carly Griffin returns home to Leland and finds that her old high school friend Justine is awakening more than just old memories. 1-59493-076-7 $13.95
WILD NIGHTS: MOSTLY TRUE STORIES OF WOMEN LOVING WOMEN edited by Therese Szymanski. 264 pp. 23 new stories from today’s hottest erotic writers are sure to give you your wildest night ever! 1-59493-069-4 $15.95
COYOTE SKY by Gerri Hill. 248 pp. Sheriff Lee Foxx is trying to cope with the realization that she has fallen in love for the first time. And fallen for author Kate Winters, who is technically unavailable. Will Lee fight to keep Kate in Coyote? 1-59493-065-1 $13.95
VOICES OF THE HEART by Frankie J. Jones. 264 pp. A series of events force Erin to swear off love as she tries to break away from the woman of her dreams. Will Erin ever find the key to her future happiness? 1-59493-068-6 $13.95
SHELTER FROM THE STORM by Peggy J. Herring. 296 pp. A story about family and getting reacquainted with one’s past that shows that sometimes you don’t appreciate what you have until you almost lose it. 1-59493-064-3 $13.95
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Publications from Bella Books, Inc.
Compulsion Page 23
