Book of the Month
Twenty Authors, Twenty Days
Welcome to Sinclair Books. Today we are being joined by Author Elaine Cantrell. Elaine is introducing us to the romance story, Return Engagement. You can find information and an excerpt of, Return Engagement, below but that is not all. Elaine is giving away a free copy of, Return Engagement. To enter the book giveaway please leave a comment on this blog. Please remember to vote for, Return Engagement by Elaine Cantrell, on the poll to the right of this blog.
Title of the Book - Return Engagement
Author Name - Elaine Cantrell
Genre - contemporary romance
Price - $16.95 print ebook $6.99
Buy Link - Whiskeycreek Press - Amazon
Elizabeth Lane has it all, but an actress isn’t the kind of woman Senator Henry Lovinggood wants for his son, Richard. Ten years ago he broke Richard and Elizabeth up, but this time Elizabeth’s fighting back, a decision that leads to kidnapping and attempted murder and alienates her from the man of her dreams.
Thanks,Elaine Cantrell
Excerpt
This excerpt takes place when my hero Richard and my heroine Elizabeth accidentally meet each other on the beach ten years after Richard’s father broke them up. Richard works for the FBI now, and Elizabeth is a top actress in Hollywood.
A tall, blond man standing near the back of the crowd caught her eye. She faltered and stumbled, catching hold of Cathy’s arm to stay upright in the sand. No, it couldn’t be! Richard! They hadn’t seen each other in ten years, but yes, it was Richard. She’d know him anywhere. His blue eyes still mesmerized her as he watched her progress across the beach. Irrelevantly, she remembered that when he was aroused his eyes always darkened.
Her heart took off in a wild gallop. He had matured since she last saw him. His shoulders had broadened, and the well-defined muscles in his chest rippled under his tee shirt. His stomach appeared flat and hard, and his legs looked shapely and well formed. The expression on his face spoke of a fiery, passionate nature. Her face flushed as it occurred to her that if she faced him across a bed today as she had done ten years ago, the outcome might be very different. He didn’t look like a man she’d want to turn down.
Uh oh. She had started to shake. Would she be able to do her scene or not? She hoped so, but seeing Richard had brought the past vividly to life. A dull ache, long familiar, reminded her how much it hurt to break up with him. He really was too young for me, but somehow it didn’t matter at all. We were compatible in every way. No wonder I fell head over heels in love with him. Her lips tightened. She had never told him what happened right before their final date, but she remembered it as well as if it had happened only yesterday.
“Hello, Miss Lane. May I come in?”
“Of course, Senator Lovinggood. It’s nice to see you. Please, come in and have a seat.”
“That’s all right. I won’t be staying long. I stopped by to tell you that I don’t want you to see my son anymore.”
“Senator…”
“Please, hear me out, Miss Lane.”
“Go on.”
The senator’s cold eyes bored into hers. “Richard is only seventeen, but you are twenty-two. Presumably, you are more experienced than he is. Truthfully, I blame his infatuation for you on his inexperience. Don’t take advantage of an impressionable boy, Miss Lane. Richard isn’t a toy to be used for your pleasure and then discarded. He’s being groomed for important work in the future, but if he keeps seeing you he has very little chance of winning any political office. If you care about him let him go.”
Even now she swallowed against the anger that still burned her. I was so angry I thought I might have a stroke, she thought. How dare he come to my home and try to intimidate me! Her eyes took on a faraway expression. I decided on the spot I’d never agree to the senator’s demands. I thought that seeing me wouldn’t ruin Richard’s future career. The senator only wanted to frighten me away.
She and Cathy had reached the set now. Elizabeth pasted a brilliant smile on her face, but inside where it counted she was bleeding. I changed my mind when Richard and I ended up in my bedroom kissing, touching, and undressing. I knew then that Senator Lovinggood was right. If Richard and I continued our relationship, the press would crucify both of us. While it would probably help my career, it would only hurt him. Scandal titillates the public and enhances a star’s reputation, but it’s the kiss of death for a politician.
“Psst, Elizabeth! Aren’t you listening to me?” Cathy sounded cross.
“Sorry,” Elizabeth apologized. “What did you say?”
Cathy shrugged. “It wasn’t important. What were you thinking so hard about?”
“I…ah…I was..thinking about someone I used to know.”
“Who?” Kathy asked.
Elizabeth sighed. “An old boyfriend if you really want to know. I let him go, but it almost killed me. I…don’t know if I…ever really got over it.”
“Oh, I guess everyone remembers the one who got away,” Cathy lightly answered. “You’ve got Alex now, and you guys are happy, right?”
“Yes, very happy.” And they were, but come hell or high water she intended to talk to Richard the minute this scene ended. She’d like to know what he’d done with his life. Hmm. Wonder if Senator Lovinggood still tried to control him? He didn’t look like a man who’d take kindly to his father interfering in his business.
She squared her shoulders, a look of determination on her face. After ten years she deserved a sense of closure, and she intended to get it. Then maybe she could finally close the door on the past and Richard Lovinggood.
