A lonely young woman signs up for dance lessons. Two gorgeous guys find her as fascinating as she finds them. On the country road where she lives, she hears horses in the night, and opens her bedroom window to watch them gallop. They’re beautiful, a silver white horse and tall black horse...they turn to stare at her. Had they heard and understood when she sighed over them?
Read an excerpt
Rosie
hesitated in the shop doorway. The door opened with the tinkling of the bell
and a man stood before her. Taller than her by a head and some, Rosie found herself
staring at his chest. She noticed his muscles even through his loose denim
shirt. She looked up into his beautiful face. His eyes were such a dark blue
they were almost black in the shade of the doorway. His eyelashes were long,
thick, and definitely black. He had almost black hair, glossy and long, but tied back. She
stared up at him.
He
looked down at her and smiled.
“Are
you coming into the shop?” His friendly tone made Rosie smile, too.
As
he blocked the way, she nodded. “I’m about to inquire about the dance lessons. I
saw the poster.”
The
man watched her closely, as if taking a mental picture of her.
“I’d
love to see you there. Come in and sign up.” He turned and pushed the door open
again, holding it so she had to pass close to his body. Rosie enjoyed the
proximity, letting herself dream for a moment that she could be held in his
arms, pressed against his muscular chest.
“Thank
you.” She expected him to leave the shop then, but he followed her to the
counter and passed around to the other side. Another young man came out of a
small office situated towards the back of the shop and jogged down to the
counter. He was very attractive, his short, spiked hair almost white it was so
blond. His eyes were a lovely chocolate brown. His smile lit up his face as he
moved around the dark-haired man to talk to Rosie.
“How
can I help you?” he asked. A flicker of amusement passed over the dark-haired
man’s face. She looked past him to the blond one.
“Well
… I’m thinking of enrolling for the dance classes.” Nervous around the two
gorgeous men, her heartbeat sped up.
“You
must. She should. Don’t you think, Jude?” The blond guy stood alongside the
other man and addressed him.
“I
do.” Jude accompanied his answer with a sultry look directed at Rosie.
She
felt confused for a moment. It had been so long since a man gazed at her with
any interest, and now, as she looked from one man to the other, she saw they
were both interested in her. A wave of elation mixed with fear welled up in her.
She wanted to run out of the shop.
“I’m
Justin and this is Jude.” The blond man introduced them both and waited for
Rosie to provide her name.
“Rosie
Cartwright.” Rosie’s voice came out in a whisper.
“Cartwright.
Mmm.” Justin glanced at Jude.
“We’re
starting classes this evening, Rosie, so please sign up.” Jude’s voice and
stare was dreamy. Rosie felt so drawn to him, and yet when Justin handed her a
small form and a pen, his fingers touched hers and a jolt ran up her arm into
her heart. She looked into his chocolate brown eyes, and then at his enticing
lips, wanting to kiss him.
“Is
it okay to come alone? Will there be other people there to partner with?” Rosie
felt foolish and needy as she asked this. She scribbled her name, address, and
cell phone number onto the form, and ticked the box to pay by credit card.
Jude
leaned onto the counter top and turned the form around to read it. He looked
across into Rosie’s eyes, his sapphire-blue gaze broadcasting sexual heat.
“I’ll
partner you. I do that. Justin teaches, but he partners too if necessary. We
have lots of people coming, almost twenty. You can start this evening, can’t
you, Rosie?”
She
nodded. “I can. I will. Do I need to pay now?”
Justin
took the form out of Jude’s hand. “No, Rosie. See how you like it tonight, and
then decide on the six-week course. If you go for that then you will need to
commit to both Saturday and Wednesday sessions. Here’s the brochure.”
Rosie
watched as he took a colored bi-fold from a stack and offered it to her. His
fingertips brushed against hers. She opened the bi-fold to note the lessons
were held in the village hall, and glanced back at both men. “Do I need special
shoes or anything?”
Both
of them smiled at her, their gaze soft and kind. Jude answered. “No. Just shoes
that will stay on and not trip you when you’re dancing.”
Rosie
didn’t want to leave the shop, but she knew she must. She backed away from the
counter waving the colored brochure gently. “I’ll see you this evening. Thank
you, for this.” The words she didn’t say hung in the air as she left the shop.
She
walked up the main street feeling incredibly happy. They both like me. I’ll get to dance with Jude. I’ll feel his arms
around me. How completely yummy. What a surprise. This is so great. Justin is
incredibly sexy. Wow.
Copyright Elodie Parkes 2013
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