A Sweet for Valentine's Day

Laura Breck

If you live anywhere near Napa Valley, California, stop into my niece Wendy's chocolate shop, La Foret.

 Here are a few very sweet photos to make your Valentine's Day richer.

If you're like me, and trying to lighten your load this year, here's a sweet sample of my latest release, Scandalous L.A. Desires. Fewer calories, but just as satisfying!

Dante worked through the night to finish the mural. The formal opening was the next evening and the paint needed time to dry.

Morning sun streaked through the windows as he yawned and made a few final brush strokes. Yesterday, he'd questioned the museum curator about the Beauden Foundation requesting his dismissal, but he'd assured Dante there would be no changes to the summer curriculum. Had Lindsey's family backed off their ultimatum? “I hope so,” he mumbled. His greatest satisfaction came from working with children. It nearly sidelined him when Lindsey had warned him he might lose his position with the outreach program.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone at the playroom door. Strangely, he sensed it was Lindsey, but what would she be doing here? He turned to her. “Hi.”

She smiled. “Hi.”

He chuckled. “This is a different side of you.” She wore a black Minnie Mouse warm-up suit and bright red running shoes, her hair in a braid with a red polka-dot ribbon tied at the end.

“The hospital board asked me to remind you that you're welcome to take part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony tomorrow night.”

“I wouldn't miss it.” He set the paintbrush down and wiped his hands on his white painter's coveralls. “Are you on the board?” he asked as he walked toward her.

“I'm a new member, but I've volunteered since high school. One morning a week I play with the children. That's where I'm headed now.” She backed up half a step.

“That explains the outfit. You like children?” He stepped over paint cans and tarps.

“Yes, very much. They add so much to my life, and if I help these little ones and their families…” When he reached her and held out his hand, her sentence trailed off.

“Let me show you the mural. It's almost finished.” He stood with his hand out waiting for her to decide. He could see the hesitancy in her eyes as she looked around the room.

He smiled. “Will you come in and see it?” The bigger question was, did she trust him?

She tentatively put her hand in his, their eyes met, and he noticed that hazy look again. He fought the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her breathless, and instead led her into the room, steadying her as she stepped over obstacles.

Still holding her hand, he stopped in the middle of the room and they turned to get the full effect of the painting. He heard her sharp intake of breath. 

“Dante, it is beautiful. I'm absolutely awestruck. It's like being under the sea—whales, fish.” She eased her hand from his and moved closer to the mural. “The coral is so lifelike, and how you captured the filtered sunshine. It's perfect. The children will love it.”

He heard a catch in her voice and when she turned to him, a ray of sunlight hit her face. The tears in her eyes sparkled. He took a step toward her, overwhelmed by the need to touch her.

“Lindsey.”

 

“Forgive me for being emotional. Just knowing how the children will appreciate it makes me happy.”

“Art is worthless if it doesn't evoke emotion.” He put his hand on her shoulder, then slowly moved his fingers down her arm. “I am humbled by your response.” He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. He wanted to kiss her sexy, pink lips, hear her sigh, and see her eyes misty and unsure. He'd kiss away all her doubts…

Please stop by my blog to read the first chapter.

Hope your Valentine's Day is wonderful!
Laura

LauraBreck.com
Secret Vegas Lives
Scandalous L.A. Desires
both available from Red Rose Publishing
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Don't forget to check out Romance Biggest Winner 2 – a fun, social way to make 2012 a healthier, happier year! http://romancebiggestwinner.blogspot.com/

Two Pounds a Week, the Organized Way!



Laura Breck

 My main goal for 2012 is to lose weight. I'm guessing right about this time of the year, it's about half the population's goal, too. I've tried a lot of different diets, programs, regimens, hypnosises. But this year, I'm organizing a five-pronged attack.

Exercise, diet, motivation, reward, and support.

Exercise - self explanatory, but here's what I figured out. I have an exercise DVD that I just don't like. I'm going to sell it on E-bay and buy one I do like. Something like belly dancing, or hip hop, or maybe...would hubby let me put in a pole??? I'm much more likely to exercise if I enjoy it.

Diet - I have a sweet tooth. I've purchased mass quantities of gum, hard candy, and dried fruit. I'll use them in that order to curb the sugar monster. Fresh fruit works, too, but for some reason, it never cures the crave for me.

Motivation - have you heard of The Secret? If not, check out the book from your library. I'm using a positive mantra which I repeat constantly during the day. "I am losing two pounds a week." Keeping that reinforcement running through my head reminds me to eat only what I need and in appropriate portions. It also reminds me to be active. Walk up the stairs a couple extra times each day, walk to the neighbors instead of driving. Do leg lifts while I'm watching television. Turn on the radio and dance around the kitchen.

The positive reinforcement of this type of mantra solidifies my willpower and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

And now to my favorite - reward. There's nothing I like more than to surf the web for a good deal, buy it, and enjoy the anticipation of a package heading my way via UPS. Every week that I achieve my goal of two pounds lost, I will buy something inexpensive. A new bead for my bracelet, a new face cream, and when the pounds are really dropping - along with my dress size - new clothes. I'm truly lookng forward to shopping as an instant reward for reaching the tiny goal of two pounds.

I've never tried the reward approach before, and I have a good feeling that celebrating tiny goals, instead of waiting to reward myself once I reach that final, huge goal, will bring me more success.

The other side of the reward prong is consolation. If I don't reach my goal of two pounds that week, I will not be shopping, and instead will choose a slip of paper from the To Do jar. On these slips, I've written chores that need to be done around the house. Big, ugly chores, like Clean Out Credenza, and Straighten Pantry. Clean Refrigerator, and Reorganize File Cabinet.

This will not only give me an extra dose of exercise toward reaching my goal that week, it will set up good habits for me as I feel the pride of a clean closet, or organized drawer... (I just rolled my eyes at that pride hoo-haw. Gosh, I hate cleaning!)

Support - I've just joined the Facebook page Romance Biggest Winner. Starting in February, this group of romance lovers will organize to support one another under the leadership of Helen Seely, a really great person who has more dedication and energy than anyone I know. Published authors and readers will be competing. Participation is not free, but spending a little money makes it motivational, as well.

To find out more, Like the FB page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Romance-Biggest-winners-part-2/128300167287718, then check out the rules (these are last year's rules, and I'm told they're changing a bit this time - more to come soon!) http://romancebiggestwinner.blogspot.com/2011/06/romance-biggest-winner-competition-is.html

While this site is very supportive and motivational, it's also rewarding. The author and reader who lose the most weight will each receive $1,000 at the end of the event. And each week, the winning team gets free books!

I hope you'll join me on the Biggest Winner challenge, and if you're one of those lucky people who are hoping to lose weight this year, tell me how you're doing it. What is working for you?

Have a great day,
Laura
LauraBreck.com