Emmie Dark - Just for Today...

She’s not that kind of girl!

Veterinarian Jess Alexander doesn’t have one-night stands with the best man at a coworker’s wedding. But thirtysomething divorcée Jess is definitely in a rut that a night of reckless passion with a younger man just might break. And what better candidate than criminally good-looking Sean Paterson?

Being with Sean is exhilarating. But where could this relationship possibly go? Expecting anything more than a good time from Sean is a one-way ticket to heartbreak. Against her better judgment, Jess can’t walk away from whatever this is…not yet.

“You want to go on a date?”

“Sure, why not?” Sean gave Jess a gentle shove on the arm. “I get company and you get a chance to remember what it’s like to be dating. Kind of a practice run. Courage, remember, Jess?”

“Oh, well, but…I couldn’t…” she stumbled. Her fingers went to her mouth and she bit a fingernail before seeming to realize what she was doing and clasping her hands firmly in her lap.

“Come on, what are you scared of?”

“I’m not scared.”

Suddenly, Sean saw his chance. “Bo-oo-ok, bok, bok.” He did his best chicken imitation, complete with flapping elbows.

Jess rolled her eyes in an expression he was now familiar with.

“I’m not scared,” she repeated.

Sean did a few more “boks” for good measure.

She shook her head and smiled. “You’re being stupid.”

“I’m not the only one.”

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoy reading this book half as much I enjoyed writing it! There was so much fun research involved.

To start with, a very friendly and helpful neighborhood vet kindly assisted me with some of the veterinary details to help me make Jess’s world feel real. As did many of my dog-loving friends, who took delight in sharing their pets’ tales of misadventure. I have to say researching the world of injured dogs and dog shelters was less fun (and occasionally tear-inducing), but there were many positive, wonderful happy endings there, too.

Building Sean’s world was a little like stepping into a parallel dimension—one I’m very glad to have discovered. It wasn’t exactly hard work, going to conventions and playing on Twitter to see how Sean might interact with his fans and build his following. And once again I met some lovely people, willing to share their passions and experiences. But I do have to admit, it wasn’t like I really needed to do much research: I’ve soaked up plenty of fan-style experience in my years as an eager fan girl of all sorts of things from pop music to TV shows. It’s great fun being a fan of something and part of the community it generates.

Jess and Sean are at very different stages in their lives when they meet, but they’re both in need of something only the other can give them. I hope you like the journey they go through that involves dogs, Twitter, comic books, cosplay and one very red vintage muscle car called Desdemona.

I’d love to hear from you. Visit me at www.emmiedark.com.

Cheers,

Emmie Dark

Just for Today…

Emmie Dark

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

After years of writing press releases, employee news-letters and speeches for CEOs and politicians—none of which included any kind of kissing—Emmie Dark finally took to her laptop to write what she wanted to write. She was both amazed and delighted to discover that what came out were sexy, noble heroes who found themselves crossing paths with strong, but perhaps slightly damaged, heroines. And plenty of kissing. Emmie lives in Melbourne, Australia, and she likes red lipstick, chardonnay, sunshine, driving fast, rose-scented soap and a really good cup of tea.

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To my wonderfully loving, encouraging and patient family: Mum, Dad, Chris and Georgina, and Neil, Kerryn, Steve, Gemma, Stephanie, Michelle, Nick and Oliver. Love you all.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Epilogue

Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

“YOU PROMISED ME SEX.”

Sean Paterson lounged against the wall, crossing his arms as he surveyed the room.

Despite the refinement of the five-star-hotel ballroom, the party was beginning to get out of hand. It was late, and the volume had risen in direct proportion to the consumption of alcohol. The dance floor was heaving. Women’s shoes had been abandoned, men’s coats left hanging limply on satin-covered chairs. On a nearby table, an overturned glass created a slowly spreading stain in the crisp, expensive linen cloth.

As weddings went, Sean figured this one would go down as a success.

“I did nossuch thing,” his brother slurred. Rob was looking flushed, but whether it was from champagne or the untold dizziness of his newlywed status, Sean wasn’t sure. Either way, he took big-brother pride in his little brother’s happiness, while also being simultaneously suspicious and—strangely—a tiny bit jealous of it.

He raised his eyebrows as he turned to Rob. “Yes, dear brother, you did. When you asked me to be your best man, I declined for all the sensible reasons we both understand all too well. But then you told me the ladies go gaga over a guy in a tux and the bridesmaids would be desperate to get in my pants, so I reluctantly capitulated. What you didn’t tell me was that, of said bridesmaids, one would be about-to-pop pregnant and the other would be jailbait.”

Rob swayed a little. “Yeah. Maybe I did. Sorry ’bout that.”

Sean straightened and slapped his brother on the arm. “Might want to take it easy on the grog, mate. Don’t want to disappoint your bride on her wedding night.”

Rob laughed. “Look at her. As if she isn’t going to pass out as soon as she hits the sheets.” There was an unmistakably fond warmth in his voice as he gestured to the dance floor, where Hailey was dancing with her friends. The flowers pinned in her hair were about to fall out and her frilly skirts were hitched up in her arms so she could show off all her steps to the ’80s retro hits the DJ had insisted on playing all night. If anything, she was drunker than Rob.

“Besides,” Rob said, awkwardly peeling off his black jacket, “when’ve I ever had to help you score? You do just fine on your own.”

Sean inclined his head in acknowledgment. Although he and Rob were close, they’d taken very different paths in life.

Rob and Hailey had met in their senior years of high school and there’d never been any question that they’d marry—it was just a matter of when. Sean knew that Rob had only slept with one other girl in his life—when he and Hailey had broken up for a few months during their university years—and Sean wasn’t sure if he approved of that. Surely it wasn’t right for a guy to commit himself to one girl—forever—without sampling more of what the world had to offer. But Rob insisted he knew what he wanted, and what he wanted was Hailey.