Strolling into the Four Seasons, Karen glanced around.  Stiletto heels clicking on the marble floor, she headed towards the cozy lounge. 

 

Sliding onto a barstool, she crossed her legs.  Her black skirt rode high on slim thighs.  Two businessmen watched with interest as she shrugged off the suit jacket and relaxed in her silk tank top.

 

     “Cosmopolitan, please,” she ordered.  

 

     “Sure thing, gorgeous.”

 

     Karen smiled.  This cutie of a bartender made her day. 

 

     “Here you go.  From the gentleman in the corner.”

 

     Turning, her heart quickened when she saw who relaxed in the darkened booth.  Damn, he looked good.  Raising her eyebrows and her glass at him, she mouthed thank you across the room. 

 

     A half smile showed on his strong face.  He threaded his hands through his sandy-brown hair, unfolded his six-foot-two frame and sauntered towards her. 

 

     “Nice jacket,” said Karen as he leaned against the bar.  She smoothed her hand down his arm, caressing the fine leather.

 

     “Thanks.  Glad you like it.”  His deep voice gave her shivers.

 

     “How are you?”  She tipped her head to gaze into his eyes.  Deep brown.  Sexy. 

 

     “Getting better by the minute.  Are you enjoying your drink?”

 

     “It’s delicious, thanks.  What are you doing here tonight?”

 

“I have plans.”

 

     “Intriguing.  Care to share?”

 

     “I’d love to share.”  He leaned close to her ear, one hand sliding along the back of her stool, the other one sliding up her thigh to her hemline.  “Come up to my suite, darlin’, and I’ll show you exactly what I have in mind.”

 

     In the mirror behind the bar, the businessmen eyed them.  A neighborhood bar would better suit this man’s black t-shirt, worn jeans and work boots.  He exuded an aura of masculinity the men in their slick Hugh Boss suits could never possess.

 

     “Is everything okay here?”

 

     Karen nodded at the bartender reassuringly.  “Fine, thanks.  Shall we?”  She addressed the question to the provocative man making her insides hum just by his proximity. 

 

“Wait,” she said, putting her hand on his chest.  “What’s your name?”

 

     “Brian.  Yours?”

 

     “Karen.”

 

     “Let’s go, Karen.”  Grabbing her hand, he pulled her from the stool.  She gathered her things and he steered her out of the bar, his hand on her lower back.  The businessmen watched them leave, disbelief in their eyes.  She couldn’t resist tossing a smile in their direction as she walked through the doors.  Let ‘em wonder.

 

     When the elevator bell dinged their floor, he captured her hand and nearly dragged her down the hall.  His haste made her giddy.  Keying open the door, he strode inside and snatched her against him, taking her mouth in a searing kiss. 

     “Hey.”  Her voice was husky with emotion.

 

     “Hey, yourself.  You OK?”

 

     She grinned.  “Much better than OK.”

 

      They broke apart and stared into each other's eyes.  Finally alone.  In a hotel room.  No interruptions.  Neither of the twins crawling into their bed at 3:00a.m. 

     “We have a lot of catching up to do tonight,” Brian said hoarsely.

 

 

AUTHOR'S BIO:

Samantha Byrne is a romance writer.  Her two short stories written for Freya's Bower (www.freyasbower.com), HEALING TOUCH and RENEWAL will be available in June, 2006.  Her current work-in-progress is a single-title contemporary romance set in a vineyard in East Sussex, England.