| Thanks for your interest in my story. You can order Blinded By Passion at these online retailers: Barnes and Noble.com Amazon.com Books A Million iUniverse.com You can also buy a copy from your favorite bookstore--if it's not on the shelf--please ask the store to order a copy for you. |
| CHAPTER 1 Blinded By Passion by Shelley LeBlanc Darkness fell over downtown Los Angeles as Catherine Sheldon stood beside the window in her office, staring out at the fading horizon. Thoughts of the past few months churned through her mind, a sudden death, the loss of a friend. A tear streamed down her cheek and she wiped it away with her fingertips. Crossing her arms over her chest, she turned around. She walked to her desk and sat down. Her gaze shifted to the stack of contracts sitting in front of her. With a light touch, she pressed the palm of her hand down on the top page, then slowly traced her fingertips across the print, down to the bottom of the page, to the signature line. Below the line, she focused on her name which had been typed in capital letters, above it, her signature. “I hope I did the right thing,” she mumbled to herself. Overwhelmed by the days events, she buried her face in her hands. “I’m exhausted,” she sighed. She closed her eyes and took two deep breaths, then slowly opened them. Her focus shifted to a note written in bold red ink beside the date on the calendar. Squinting her tired eyes, she read the words “Engagement Party 7pm.” Her heart began to race. “Oh, no! I’m late,” she said aloud. “Antoinette’s going to kill me!” Leaping to her feet, she paced across the spacious office, grabbed her purse and briefcase then quickly rushed out the door. “I have to go,” she informed her secretary, running past her in the hall. Once inside, the elevator doors closed. “I can’t go like this,” she uttered, seeing her reflection in the shiny brass doors. She looked up. The elevator had already made its way down to the eleventh floor, now ten, now nine. She had to think fast. Dropping her belongings on the floor beside her feet, she pulled off her black silk business jacket, revealing a sleeveless sheath dress. The elevator dropped to five. She stooped down and pulled a hairpin out of her purse. Rising to her feet, she pinned up her curly golden brown locks. Two, one. The elevator doors opened, and she gracefully stepped out. Since the lobby was empty she picked up the pace. Dashing toward the exit, her high heels pattered against the slick marble floor with every step she took. Outside, her chauffeur waited patiently beside the long, shiny black limousine. As she moved closer, he pulled the back door open. “Good evening, Miss Sheldon,” he said with a smile. Catherine slid onto the smooth tan seat. “Good evening, Jackson. How are you this evening?” “I’m mighty fine. Thanks for asking,” Jackson replied with a warm smile. Catherine had hired Jackson ten years earlier. His given name was Herman L. Jackson, but he preferred to be called Jackson. During their first meeting, she discovered that he had just moved to Los Angeles from down south in Mississippi, and because she had grown up in Louisiana, they hit it off immediately. Jackson closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side. Sliding behind the steering wheel, he glanced into the rear view mirror. “It’s going to be a beautiful evening,” he said, attempting to start a conversation. Cupping her cheek in the palm of her hand, Catherine propped her elbow against the wooden door frame, and glared up at the sky. “Yes. The sky’s clear tonight,” she mumbled. Jackson peered into the mirror again. “And the moon’s full,” he said. “Strange things happen when the moon’s full.” Nodding in agreement, Catherine relaxed her shoulders, pressing them back against the cool leather seat, and closed her eyes. Ordinarily, she would have jumped into a conversation with him, but she wasn’t in the mood for small talk. Her day had been a long, grueling one and fatigue had set in. Sensing the distance in her demeanor, Jackson turned his attention to the road ahead and drove quietly. As the limousine raced through the city streets, Catherine’s thoughts wandered back in time. Back to when she had talked the owner of a small gift shop in New York into letting her rent a corner of his boutique to peddle her clothing designs to anyone who showed any interest. A lot had changed since then. At thirty-five, she was now one of the most successful fashion designers in the world. But fame had come at a high price. Over the years, the fun of designing had been replaced by long days and nights at the office, contracts and negotiations. Her life had become her work. Looking down at her diamond watch, her eyes fixated on the time. It was already nine o’clock. “Damn, I’m two hours late,” she muttered. “Antoinette’s going to be furious.” She couldn’t understand how she could have forgotten about the party. Antoinette had made a point of reminding her every day since she’d sent the invitation. She’d even left a message with Catherine’s secretary earlier in the day. It should have been embedded in her brain, but it wasn’t. Jackson made a turn off the highway through the iron gates of the estate down a long, winding lane leading to the main house. The lane glistened with white lights highlighting the shrubbery, and the evening sky looked incredible as the light of the moon illuminated down on the magnificent mansion. As the car veered closer, Catherine lowered the tinted window, taking pleasure in feeling the cool breeze against her skin. Drawing a deep breath, she listened to the sound of music echoing from the ballroom. Normally, the rhythm would have invigorated her, but it didn’t. Weary from the long day, she wasn’t feeling up to a party. But she’d made a promise to attend…and Catherine never breaks her promises. The car’s motion came to a halt. Before stepping out, Catherine pulled the lighted mirror down from the headliner. Her flawless olive skin and big brown eyes radiated in the dim light while she applied her favorite red lipstick and a couple of dabs of powder, giving her face a matte finish. Noticing that her eyes were swollen from all the crying she’d done earlier, she patted some extra powder around them. “That’s the best I can do,” she whispered to herself. When she finished, Jackson opened the door. Without hesitating, she emerged, stopping momentarily to stare up at the palatial white mansion. Taking a deep breath, she turned to her faithful driver. “Well, here I go,” she commented. “Wish me luck.” Smiling softly, she turned back toward the mansion and started to walk up the well-lit entryway. “Have a nice time,” she heard Jackson call from behind. “Yes. A nice time,” she repeated beneath her breath. “A nice time would be relaxing in a hot bath tub.” As Catherine walked up the steps, the front door opened and Antoinette came into view. “Where have you been?” Antoinette scolded. “I was worried about you.” Stepping over the threshold, Catherine hurried to explain. “I’m sorry. The party slipped my mind,” she admitted bravely, in a quick tone. Antoinette frowned. “It slipped your mind. How did it slip your mind? I just left a message for you this morning.” “I know…but I had a lot on my mind today.” Sensing that Catherine was upset, the pained expression on Antoinette’s face began to diminish, and she pulled her close for a hug. “Are you okay? Is there anything you want to talk about?” she asked in a soft tone. Catherine’s eyes filled with tears and she pulled away from her dear friend. “Yes. But not now,” she replied hesitantly. “We can talk about it later.” Although Catherine wanted to confide in Antoinette, she realized it was neither the time nor the place so she wiped away her tears, put on her best smile and changed the subject. “By the way, you look wonderful,” Catherine complimented. “That color is exquisite on you. The blue matches your eyes perfectly. Your designer did an excellent job,” she joked, referring to the elegant gown that she had designed. “She certainly did!” Antoinette giggled. A former beauty queen, Antoinette was always stylishly dressed, her shoulder length blonde hair well groomed, and her makeup carefully applied. Tonight was no exception. During their long friendship, Catherine and Antoinette had spent a lot of time together, sharing many happy moments. Over the years, Catherine had grown to become the daughter Antoinette never had. And like mother and daughter, they shared with one another many intimate details about their lives. As they walked down the long, elegant foyer, Antoinette began to ramble about a big surprise she had for Catherine. “What kind of surprise?” Catherine asked suspiciously while waving to the Senator and his wife. “Actually, I have a few surprises.” Catherine’s mind drifted. “Are you listening?” Antoinette questioned impatiently. “Yes. I’m listening.” Gazing into the ballroom, Catherine turned back to Antoinette with a suspicious look on her face. “Politicians, doctors, bankers...Isn’t this an odd group for your son’s engagement party?” Antoinette’s expression soured. “Yes. It is. Daniel put most of them on the guest list. If it would have been solely up to me, I would have only invited our family and close friends. But you know how he is?” “I sure do,” Catherine uttered sarcastically. Just as she started to say something more about Antoinette’s ex-husband, her eyes focused on another strange site. Across the room, a group of men were huddled in front of the bar, all gazing in her direction. “Who are they?” Catherine asked without pointing. She didn’t give Antoinette a chance to respond. “My goodness. They’re all pretty boys,” she poked. “And why are they all smiling at me?” “Well, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, dear. I’ve invited them for you.” Antoinette had finally managed to get her attention. Eager for an explanation, Catherine turned back to Antoinette. Her brown eyes widened. “For me, what do you mean, for me?” she asked abruptly. “They’re here to meet you,” Antoinette disclosed. “It’s not like you have to marry any of them. I just want you to have a little fun for a change.” Catherine frowned. “Please tell me you didn’t do this. Not tonight.” Antoinette didn’t respond. Catherine’s day was getting worse by the minute. This hadn’t been the first time that Antoinette had taken on the role of matchmaker. Over the last couple of years, Antoinette had tried on numerous occasions to set her up on blind dates, but Catherine had always flatly refused the offers. It had been over six months since Antoinette’s last attempt and Catherine assumed she’d given up. But now it was clear, she’d only moved on to more elaborate schemes. Despite the fact that Catherine was upset by Antoinette’s plan, in fear of hurting her feelings, she decided to go along. What would it hurt? All she had to do was smile graciously and meet a few of them. Then, at the end of the evening, she would break the news to Antoinette that none of the men were of interest to her. Better than that, she would eliminate all of Antoinette’s eligible bachelors in one night. It might be years before Antoinette could try again. Catherine thought about it for a moment, then turned toward the ballroom. “Well, what are we waiting for?” she announced. “Why don’t you introduce me to some of the men you invited?” Surprised, Antoinette smiled brightly. “You mean it?” Catherine smiled despite herself. “Yes. I mean it.” As Antoinette led Catherine through the crowded room, Catherine saw Antoinette’s ex-husband headed their way. “Speaking of a pretty boy,” she whispered. Daniel Drew stepped in front of them. His eyes red and glazed over, he looked at Catherine first. “I was wondering what had happened to my lovely ex-wife,” he blurted. “It’s time to make a toast to our son and his fiancée.” “All right,” Antoinette replied forcefully. “I’ll meet you on stage in few minutes.” The odor of whiskey rolled off his breath as he turned back to Catherine. “I thought this party was to celebrate our son’s engagement, but I think Antoinette would like for it to be your engagement party, too. What do you think about that?” The scent of the liquor made Catherine’s stomach churn. She could tell that he was trying to pick a fight, and she wasn’t in the mood for his games. With a look of distaste, she replied, “I don’t think I’m quite ready for marriage, but I don’t think it would hurt to do a little testing.” Arrogantly waving his glass in the air, Daniel nodded. “Well, good luck with your testing,” he snickered, and then walked away. Embarrassed by his bad manners, Antoinette apologized. “I’m sorry about that. I don’t know why he has to be so rude.” Catherine laughed. “You don’t have to apologize for him. We both know how much of an ass he is.” Trading laughs with her best friend, Catherine’s eyes softened. “Now, why don’t you go to make the toast,” she suggested. “We can talk later.” Agreeing, Antoinette turned and headed toward the stage. While Antoinette graced the crowd with a speech, Catherine began to think about how much she disliked Daniel. From the first time they’d met, she couldn’t stand him. He was always sneering at her, driving her crazy with rude comments. She figured that he had married Antoinette for her money, and it turned out she was right. After only two months of dating, Antoinette fell madly in love with him. He proposed soon after, and she accepted. Back then, he was an attorney with a bright future, but shortly after they wed, he decided to stop practicing law, and lived solely off her wealth. He spent most of his days on the tennis court with his pals, and his nights drinking and playing around with other women! Antoinette put up with his indiscretions for eighteen long years, and finally divorced him right after their son graduated from high school. Catherine never understood how Antoinette could have spent so many years with a man that she couldn’t trust. In today’s society, most women wouldn’t have been so tolerant, but then again, Antoinette had grown up in the fifties when people’s ideals about marriage were different, and staying together for the sake of the children was a common occurrence. Undeserving, Daniel walked away from the marriage with a very substantial settlement. But Antoinette was just happy to get rid of him. Catherine walked farther into the ballroom, stopping momentarily to accept a glass of champagne from one of the servers. Thanking him, she took a glass, and then walked to the right side of the room. The lights lowered and the orchestra began to play a Benny Goodman classic. Everyone seemed to be having a ball. During the evening, Catherine was approached by most of the men Antoinette had invited but none of them appealed to her. They were all self-proclaimed studs, all acting like God’s gift to women, and that was a big turnoff for her. Managing to escape the last of her suitors, Catherine grabbed another glass of champagne and quickly headed toward the door leading outside. On the way out, Antoinette grabbed Catherine’s arm. “Not so fast,” she said. “There’s still one more man you have to meet.” Not wanting Antoinette to see the look of dread on her face, Catherine turned around slowly. “One more, huh?” Antoinette smiled. “Yes. Follow me,” she directed. “He’s right over here.” Catherine followed Antoinette through the crowded ballroom. “Here we go again,” Catherine mumbled. “What dear?” Catherine hadn’t realized she’d spoken loud enough for Antoinette to hear. “Oh, nothing,” she replied. “I just said that I’m having a great time.” Antoinette peered around. “I don’t know where he went. He was right here a minute ago,” she pointed. “Maybe he left,” Catherine mentioned, hoping that he had. Antoinette spotted him in the other direction. “Ah, there he is,” she said, relieved that she’d found him. “Oh, great,” Catherine sighed. Turning around, she found herself face to face with one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen. Flustered by his appearance, she tried to listen while Antoinette introduced him, but the only words she heard were, “Justin Scott-an architect.” Catherine took an involuntary step backward. “Hi, It’s nice to meet you,” she said reaching out to shake his hand. The palm of his hand was smooth with a few calluses lingering around the base of his fingers, a sign that he was certainly not a business executive. Smiling proudly, Antoinette discreetly walked away, leaving the two alone. Catherine gulped her last sip of champagne and asked the first question that came to her mind. “So, how do you know Antoinette?” Justin’s eyes brightened. “I’ve known Antoinette all of my life. She and my parents were friends for many years.” He stopped talking and pointed to her glass. “Would you like another glass of champagne?” She smiled. “Yes. I’d love one.” She watched carefully while he signaled one of the servers. A young man walked over with a tray filled with champagne glasses and Justin took two. “Thanks, chief,” Justin said with a smile. Catherine giggled beneath her breath. Chief, she thought, where’s this guy from? After the young man walked away, Justin turned his attention back to Catherine. Smiling softly, he gave her one of the glasses. Catherine smiled nervously. It had been a year since she had been attracted to anyone, and the normally confident Catherine suddenly became bashful. She glanced around the room in search of Antoinette, but she didn’t see her. Shifting her eyes back to Justin, she gulped another sip of champagne. “So. You’re an architect?” she asked in a half question, half statement sort of way. “Yes. I’ve been an architect for about ten years,” he said, then paused. She hoped he wouldn’t stop there, and her wish came true as Justin began to tell her about his work, speaking about it with great pride, and enthusiasm. While he spoke, she found herself studying every inch of his body; his lean tall figure, strong shoulders, beautiful smile and perfectly shaped lips. And his eyes. He had the most striking blue eyes, set against short sandy blonde hair. Unlike the other men she had met, there was something rugged about him. She liked that. The band began to play a slow song and Justin invited her to dance. Accepting the offer, they set their champagne glasses on a nearby table, and Catherine followed him to the center of the dance floor. An awkward silence filled the air, and they smiled nervously at one another. Gently gripping her hands, Justin pulled her close. Catherine placed her hand firmly against the back of his black tuxedo jacket. It was soft. While they danced, Catherine took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Instinctively, her hand glided to the tanned skin on the back of his neck, cupping it softly in her palm. His skin was warm. His cheek brushed lightly against hers, it was smooth. She smiled. Enticed by the scent of her perfume, Justin pulled her closer and glided her around the room. Her hand felt soft, her fingers long. Shifting his gaze downward, he wanted to see if her hand matched the way that it felt. It did. It was the most beautiful hand he’d ever seen, her fingernails well manicured with clear polish, her ring finger adorned by a pretty sapphire and diamond ring. He shifted his gaze back up, over her shoulder. She moved her head slightly, and his nose touched one of her golden brown curls, it was soft. Her hair smelled good. Being close to her stirred emotions that he never knew existed. Holding her in his arms felt perfectly natural. Out of the corner of her eye, Antoinette spotted the couple from across the room. “My plan worked perfectly,” she muttered. “I knew she would choose him.” Happy with her selection, she smiled, and then went back to what she was doing. What Catherine didn’t know or would never find out, was that Antoinette had orchestrated the entire evening, knowing that out of all the men in attendance, Catherine would be drawn to Justin. Near the end of the song, Justin shifted his head to look at Catherine. “I’m going to have to leave soon,” he said. I’m going fishing with one of my buddies tomorrow morning and we have to get an early start.” It wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but she understood. “I think I’m going to head out in a little while myself,” she replied softly. The song ended and the band broke into a pulsating Latino rhythm. The crowd around them went insane, each performing their own version of the mambo. Gazing around, Justin laughed. “I think that’s my cue to leave,” he said, “before I’m inclined to make a fool of myself.” Without warning, arms and legs of the dancers began to swing near their bodies. The dance floor was becoming dangerous. Protecting Catherine from being hit, Justin grabbed her hand and led her off the dance floor. “It’s like a war zone out there,” he shouted. Sharing a laugh, Justin’s expression turned serious. Catherine could tell that he wanted to say something but the music was so loud he couldn’t. Leaning forward, he spoke softly against her ear. “Would you like to have dinner with me sometime?” The warmth of his breath caused her ear to tingle. She smiled. “That would be great. I’d love to.” She couldn’t believe she’d said yes. So much had happened in her life lately, she didn’t feel ready to date anyone. Reaching for her handbag, Catherine pulled out a business card and an ink pen. Holding the card firmly against her handbag, she wrote her home telephone number on the back and handed the card to Justin. Grinning, he accepted it happily. Although he was apprehensive about leaving, he knew that he had to go. He looked down at his watch. It was close to midnight and he planned to leave for his fishing trip at four in the morning. He wouldn’t get much sleep. He smiled and pointed to the door. “Well, I’d better get going.” Catherine smiled again and nodded. Out of the blue, Justin leaned forward, kissing her softly on the cheek. “I had a really nice time tonight,” he whispered. “I wasn’t going to come, but I’m glad I did.” She smiled, and then watched as he walked away. After Justin left, Catherine decided to take a walk through the beautiful gardens of the estate. Stepping onto the large flagstone balcony, she asked the bartender for a bottle of wine and a glass. Of course, he obliged. Although it was the middle of August, there was a cool breeze. It was the perfect night for a stroll. While walking, she looked up at the darkened sky. The full moon was gleaming, and the sky was filled with thousands of stars shining down from the heavens. For a moment, she thought about lying in the grass to relish the view but decided she’d better not. She giggled at the thought of falling asleep, only to be awakened by a group of gardeners looking down upon her, wondering what she might be doing lying all alone in the grass with a glass and an empty bottle of wine nestled beside her. That wouldn’t have been a pretty sight, so instead, she decided take a walk down to the swimming pool. As she approached the pool, she found herself alone with only echoes of laughter in the distance. She turned around to see if any guests were on the balcony of the mansion, but it was too far to see clearly. She removed her shoes and stockings, and then sat on the edge of the pool, putting her tired feet in the water. The water felt so warm, so soothing and so inviting. It’s the perfect night for a swim, she thought. Looking around one last time, she made a quick decision to take a dip. Not wasting any time, she slipped out of her dress, then out of her panties and bra, and hurried down the steps into the water. She swam with a gliding motion, being careful not to wet her hair. As she moved around the pool, the warmth from the water began to loosen the tension that had built up in her neck and shoulders from her grueling day. Closing her eyes, she moved her shoulders in circular motions, relaxing the tight muscles. She opened her eyes and looked up at the sky. Taking a deep breath, she shifted her gaze. Her eyes focused on a man standing beside the pool. Neither said a word. He stood motionless, sipping a drink, glaring down at her. Quickly, she crossed her arms to hide her breasts. He didn’t speak. “Excuse me. Would you please turn around while I step out?” she asked kindly. She thought he would do as she asked, but he didn’t. “Oh, don’t mind me,” he remarked sarcastically. “I’m enjoying the view. In fact, I was thinking about joining you,” he replied slyly, with an untrustworthy grin. Catherine didn’t share his amusement. With tension in her voice, she lifted her brows. “How long have you been leering at me?” she inquired sternly. “Leering at you?” he repeated arrogantly. “Yes, you heard me. Leering at me.” He thought for a second, and then rubbed his chin. “I guess I would have to say I began leering just about the same time you decided to go for your little romp.” He laughed and snickered, “I was getting ready to introduce myself, but you slipped out of your clothes before I had the chance. I didn’t come forward because I didn’t want to startle you.” “If you didn’t want to startle me, then why didn’t you just leave the pool area like any gentleman would have done, without letting me know you were here in the first place?” “I guess I could have done that. But I’m not feeling too much like a gentleman right now,” he said boisterously, waving his glass in the air. “You’re right. And you’re not acting like one either!” She waited a moment, but he didn’t leave. Ignoring her request completely, he continued to stare. She thought for a moment, and then had an idea. With a look of defiance she stared into his eyes and released her arms. Like a cat eyeing its prey, she rose up the steps. Water dripped down her body as she walked past him, lightly brushing her arm against his tuxedo jacket. “Do you like what you see?” she asked in a sexy voice. His eyes followed her motion, but he didn’t respond. She walked over to her clothes. “You better look now, because you’ll never have the opportunity to see it again!” she said loudly. He watched intently as she used her fingertips to remove the water from her body, then she began to dress. She could tell her movements had caught him off guard and she was pleased with what she had done. Grinning, he shook his head in disbelief. “I guess I deserved that.” He started to walk away, then turned back. “But if you didn’t want an audience, then why would you even think about going for a skinny dip in the first place?” He pointed to the house. “There’s a party going on less than 500 feet from here. Anyone could have seen you. It just happened to be me.” He walked closer. “And for your information, I wasn’t leering at you.” He pointed to the table at the other end of the pool. “I was just sitting over there minding my own business. Then, there you were taking your clothes off.” For the first time, she was speechless. He waited a moment for a response, and then strolled away. As she dressed, she thought about what he’d said. She hated to admit it, but he was right. Anyone could have seen her. Where was her head? For the first time in her life, she had done something without thinking about the consequences of her action. For the life of her, she couldn’t understand what had gotten into her. Maybe it was the full moon, or maybe somewhere deep inside, she was tired of doing what was always expected of her. For the first time, she’d acted on a whim. It was exciting. After dressing, Catherine walked back to the main house. The party had ended and the ballroom was empty, except for the cleaning staff. Catherine approached an older gentleman who was sweeping the floor. “Excuse me. Do you know where I can find Mrs. Drew?” she asked graciously. “Yes, ma’am,” he replied. “She’s in the kitchen.” Thanking him, Catherine walked toward the kitchen. Just as she entered, Antoinette bolted around the corner. “Catherine, where have you been?” she questioned, flinging her arms in the air. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” “I’m sorry. I took a walk down to the pool, and I went for a swim.” “Were you able to find my extra swimsuits in the pool house?” “Actually, I swam in my birthday suit…and got caught by one of your guests.” “How embarrassing,” Antoinette remarked, covering her mouth with her hand. “Yes, quite embarrassing. And to make matters worse, he refused to turn around to let me dress.” “Well, what did you do?” Catherine giggled. “What do you think? I gave him a close look of what he was trying so hard to see.” Antoinette was shocked. “Oh no. You didn’t?” Do you know who he was?” Catherine smiled sarcastically. “I don’t think asking his name was high on my list of priorities at the time.” Then Catherine yawned. “Well, I think I’ve had enough surprises for one evening. I’m going to go home.” Antoinette escorted Catherine outside. “By the way. What about Justin?” “Ah, yes—Justin,” she replied. “I had a nice time with him.” “Well? Are you going to see him again?” “I think so. He asked me to have dinner with him.” “I hope you accepted?” “Yes, and I gave him my telephone number.” “That’s terrific. “I think the two of you would make a delightful couple.” Catherine laughed. “We’ll see about that,” she said, then turned to leave. When Catherine arrived home, she locked the door, then walked around the house, turning off lights that had been left on. Walking around the lower level, she thought about the time she’d spent with Justin. She smiled thinking about how pleasurable it had been to dance with him. He was such a wonderful dancer. Smiling softly, she took off her earrings. His scent began to come back to her. His cologne wasn’t musky, like most. It had a smooth, fresh, clean scent. She thought about it for a minute, then realized that it probably wasn’t his cologne at all. It was probably an after-shave lotion that he’d smoothed over his closely shaven beard. And his eyes. He had the most incredible eyes, a mixture of turquoise and sky blue. She could get lost in those eyes. Shaking her head, she removed her watch. “What am I doing?” she whispered to herself, feeling silly. “It’s been much too long since you’ve been with a man,” she mumbled. And it had been a long time. Over the years, her hectic schedule had allowed little time for dating. Most of her time had been spent building her multi-million dollar corporation. She did manage to date a few men, but the relationships never lasted for more than a couple of months. Clinching her jewelry in her hand, she slowly made her way up the winding staircase to the bedroom. Worn out from the events of the day, she couldn’t wait to climb into the solitude of her warm, cozy bed. |
| Copyright 2006 Shelley LeBlanc |
| If you'd like to read the first five chapters of Blinded By Passion, you must join my Yahoo Group...but don't worry, it's free... These Chapters Will Be Available For A Limited Time, So Don't Wait, Join Today. See For Yourself Why Readers All Over The World Are Falling In Love With Blinded By Passion. |
Shelley LeBlanc
| Author of Sexy Contemporary Romance |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |