And The Good Times Continue by Margo Hoornstra

As I mentioned last time I wrote in this space, I’m fortunate to be part of a box set of stories, All In For Love, a Lucky 7 Anthology that will arrive soon. Romance, of course, with a heat level of 3 out of 5, that centers around LaBonne Chance Casino in Victory, New York located a stone’s throw from Niagara Falls.

For Money Or Love is my contribution

Release Date:  June 1, 2017

Pre-Order Date:  May 15, 2017

Here’s some background as a reminder…

She’s one woman he can’t afford to lose

Mega-millionaire Daniel Winston Montgomery lives to work at his prosperous software company. Scrimping to survive as a child, money means everything to Dan. He’ll do whatever it takes to preserve his wealth and the security it provides his mother and younger siblings. His brilliant top assistant, Lindsey Carr, is essential to his firm’s continued success. He has no problem sharing the fruits of their combined labors with her. Though, truth be told, he needs Lindsey far more than he she needs him…

Computer brainiac Lindsey Carr wants more out of life than her prestigious, well-paying job. She’s tired of being no more than boring tech support in a well-run software enterprise and craves a little excitement. Convinced Dan and his company will survive—and thrive—just fine without her, she tenders her resignation. After all, Dan has never required more from her than her superior analytical skills. Well, except for that one time she won’t let herself think about…

Unwilling to let Lindsey go, Dan must fight to keep her in his life. In a clash of priorities, will he choose money…or love?

Here’s more of what’s in store…

Lindsey decided to take a stab at changing the topic of conversation again. “Care to share why you’re still playing the field?”

Raising her head, Rita’s gaze clouded for a split second and her perfectly shaped mouth fell open a teensy bit. “Someone has to do it. Truth is I have yet to find a man who’s special enough to settle down with.” Shooting Lindsey a quickly manufactured smile, she turned her full attention to the eye candy. “No doubt about it. Those are bedroom eyes.” She trailed her fingertips over Daniel’s forehead, down his cheek and onto the outline of his lips.

Lindsey brought both hands to her lap under the table, locked her fingers together and squeezed. The picture of Daniel’s forehead, cheek and lips.

An important distinction to remember. If that had been her boss in the flesh he’d be blushing beet red from all the fluttery female attention. Daniel Montgomery was different than most other powerful millionaires. Those she’d heard about anyway. Certainly drop dead gorgeous as had been established. With a mile wide shy streak not many people knew about or even suspected. Hands still clasped, Lindsey leaned away from the display.

Anne slid her glass aside and moved up to fill the void, her critical gaze focused on Daniel’s picture. “I’m never sure what the term ‘bedroom eyes’ means.”

“Not droopy or sleepy.” Rita didn’t bother to look up. “Sexy. There’s no other word for it. Well, maybe erotic would fit. I have to say, Lindsey. It amazes me you can work side by side with this man day in and day out and manage to keep your hands to yourself.”

“It’s easy.” She murmured the blatant lie. Very easy. He does the same and then some.

“You and this marvelous specimen.” Rita waited until Lindsey glanced up then met her eye to eye. “As a couple, are old news, right? That’s what you’ve said.”

“Absolutely.” Purposely lowering her voice, she mentally counted to five before she spoke again. “We did the dating thing for a while.” She shrugged one shoulder for effect. “It didn’t work for us.”

Lindsey took a small gulp of wine to avoid having to share more, and was relieved when Rita and Anne went back to hunk browsing. Trying her best to ignore the fact it was Daniel’s hunk they browsed, she concentrated on her own thoughts about the man.  Bowing to a mutual attraction that became evident soon after they met, Lindsey and Daniel dated for a time. A very short time, consisting of a few casual dinners, a couple of movies.  That one night in….

“Why didn’t it work for you exactly?”

Unsure who asked the question, Lindsey looked up then blinked. “It just didn’t.” She slowly let out a breath. “I don’t think of Daniel Montgomery in that way.” Much anymore.

“Then why are you blushing?” Her sharp gaze unrelenting, Rita considered her from across the table. “Care to share?”

I’ll have no peace around here until I do. Taking her time to indulge in another sip, she completed a long, slow swallow then licked her lips.

“Okay. Maybe I had a bit of a crush when I first came to work for him.” She studied the colorful patterns in the mosaic tiled table top. “He’d just released his latest, and as it turned out, greatest software. Something every major corporation and government agency had to have. You couldn’t turn on the news or open a paper, get on the internet without some report about how much money he and his new company were making. The best kind of millionaire they all said. Self-made. I was dazzled by the hype.”

Then I met the man himself.

She had to swallow again before she went on. “He was close to thirty. I was nineteen. Fresh out of college.”

“That’s right.” Sitting forward, Anne broke in. “You were—are gifted. A high school graduate at fifteen.”

Rita nodded. “A real child prodigy. Only one of the many reasons we love her so much.  The intellectual pride of the group.”

Lindsey smiled in response. “I love you guys too.”

Some minor teasing aside, she appreciated how these women accepted her for her. Unlike most of the rest of the world, who focused solely on her brain. These days, Daniel Montgomery included.

When Lindsey failed to go further with her explanation, Rita pressed. “As you said, Daniel was the darling of his field when you first met him. Your attraction was more hero worship at the time. We get that.” Eyes narrowed, Rita leaned in for more. “And now?”

“And now.” She was determined to not lean an equal distance back. Another sip was essential before she finished her confession. It took all she had to refrain from knocking the entire contents of her glass back in one gulp.

“And now you’re simply compatible co-workers?” Rita spoke up when she didn’t.

“You could say that.” She managed to keep her tone free of an ever present gnawing disappointment.

“From the sound of your voice, you aren’t so happy in that role.”

Crap! There goes Rita, reading my mind again.

****

And, as they say, that's just the beginning....

My days to blog here are the 11th and 23rd. For more about me and my stories, please visit my website