Samantha Hunter - Virtually Perfect

Raine smiled. “Flannel pajama shorts and a top. Cushy socks. Not exactly Victoria’s Secret, but soft and warm.”

“Very nice… But I want to know what secrets you’re hiding under that flannel.”

Raine felt rather than saw the heated flush on her body. Her breathing was erratic. “Maybe we should just talk….”

She could almost see his naughty grin as he spoke. “Just relax and have fun. I want you to slip out of your clothing. And pretend I’m there with you…watching.”

Talking online had been so much easier. Now he was asking her to do something wildly new and incredibly daring.

“Raine, you make me so hot. I want to touch you.”

She pictured Jack on the other end of the phone, desiring her. Fear and feminine power warred in her mind, and in her heart.

She took a deep breath. “I’m naked now, and I’m under the covers thinking about you. I want to wrap my hands around you. Slide my mouth over you. I want to taste you….”

A strong groan of masculine appreciation came over the line.

Dear Reader,

The thrill of publishing my first romance novel is almost beyond words! I’m so happy to be able to share Jack and Raine’s story with you. Writing for Blaze is a dream come true. I hope to write many more books in the future, but this first one—like a first love, first child or first house—will always be extra special.

Jack and Raine’s story is also very dear to me because it springs from my own experience meeting my husband on the Internet. That happened more than ten years ago, and while our story was very different from Jack and Raine’s, the magic of meeting someone in this particular way always stayed with me and was a source of inspiration for this book.

I hope you enjoy reading Virtually Perfect as much as I enjoyed writing it! And don’t forget to visit my Web site, www.samanthahunter.com.

Best wishes,

Samantha Hunter

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Many thanks to Cara Summers,

from whom I’ve learned so much. Your insight and good humor added so much joy to the writing of this book!

For my husband, Mike:

technical consultant, brainstorming partner and the love of my life. You’re everything to me.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

NORMALLY, RAINE COVINGTON would’ve enjoyed a stroll on a snowy evening. Though Salem was renown to tourists as “Witch City” for its gruesome persecution of women and men accused of witchcraft, the town had more than the history of its witch trials and occult legends to offer. It was a quaint New England coastal town, but in many ways it was also a developing metropolis.

She’d always felt comforted by the homey, narrow streets and historic Federal-style homes huddled up against each other. Right now, however, she couldn’t enjoy any of it. She was too preoccupied figuring out some way to escape Jerry Donnelly who was by her side, nudging into her suggestively from time to time. She clenched her jaw, didn’t say a word and walked a little faster.

Jerry was a freelance graphic artist she’d met at an office lunch given in appreciation of freelance workers. He’d seemed nice enough then. Yeah, nice—they were all “nice” until they were trying to slide their hand up your leg under the dinner table. He had beachboy-blond hair and soft, brown eyes that gave him an innocent look that she’d found attractive. It hadn’t taken much time alone with him to discover that he was anything but.

When he’d suggested dessert-to-go so they could enjoy it in more interesting ways, she officially called time and asked to go home. Who the heck suggested something like that two hours after meeting someone on a first date? Well, apparently Jerry did. And she had the feeling he didn’t take rejection easily.

They were finally here. On the sidewalk in front of her house. The porch light warmed the step, and she gazed at the brick-red door wistfully—escape was so close at hand. Jerry moved closer, going for the kill, and Raine, trying to avoid a confrontation, did the only thing she could think of.

“Oh, God!” She doubled at the waist and held her stomach hard, contorting her face in what she hoped looked like a very painful expression. Startled, Jerry stepped back.

“Um…uh…what? What’s the matter?”

She threw a little heavy breathing into the mix, and winced up at him, backing away slowly. He started to follow, but she held a hand out, motioning him to stay away as she inched toward the porch.

“Oh, Jerry, I’m so sorry, but I have to get inside quick. Something bad…stomach cramps…night!”

“But you seemed fine a moment ago….”

His voice trailed off behind her. Without a glance back, Raine closed the door behind her with a blustery sigh of relief, leaning back against it as if the devil himself were on the other side. It wasn’t her most elegant escape, but at least it had worked.

Resting her head against the door, she let the emotions roll over her. Annoyance, relief—and ah, there it was—disappointment. Her familiar friend. All she wanted was some good company, a little romance, and, if she was lucky, halfway decent sex. When it came to men, those things were getting increasingly hard to find.

There was only one man whom she missed when she didn’t get to see him after so much as a single day. Only one who popped up in her thoughts and made her smile, and who didn’t disappoint.

Rider.

Not even bothering to change, she grabbed her laptop and plopped down on the sofa, a soft shiver of anticipation taking the edge off an otherwise miserable night. The screen glowed, and she tapped at the keyboard, hoping she hadn’t missed him.

She hadn’t! He was there! He saw her logon immediately. She smiled wider, watching his words appear across the screen. He had been waiting. For her.

“Hey, beautiful, I thought you might not be by tonight. Working late?”

“No, was just out for a while.”

“Hot date?”

“No. Boring, boring night.”

She lied, not knowing exactly why she didn’t want to tell him she had been out with someone.

“Nilla, maybe it’s time to spice it up a little.”

“I think we have been quite spicy enough lately.”

Nilla—her pseudonym. She hadn’t been able to think of anything else when she had registered on the site, and had been eating vanilla cookies at the time. So much for her creativity.

“Oh, I don’t know. Depends on your taste. I like things a little on the hot side.”

She grinned, her fingers racing over the keyboard.