Stephanie Bond - Seeking Single Male

“After all,” Lana continued, “you seem like a nice guy.”

Greg wasn’t a nice guy—everybody said so. But his neglected libido stirred. He could be a nice guy for an hour or so.

“That is, if you like me,” she added shyly.

Greg couldn’t believe it. While he was cooped up in his corner office, this kind of stuff was going on all over the city. Men and women were hooking up through singles ads for hot sex. Greg shook his head. No wonder life was passing him by. “What’s not to like?”

Her smile lit up the room. “Great. Give me a sec to grab my coat and purse.”

Greg’s stomach churned with indecision as she walked away. She removed her apron, revealing a stunning silhouette. Seeking single male for good time. He’d never done anything like this in his life.

But when Lana turned her smile in his direction, Greg discarded rational thought. Why the hell not? He was going for it!

“Are you ready?” she asked, hooking her arm through his.

He couldn’t believe his luck. “Oh, I’m ready all right. Ready and willing.”

Dear Reader,

Can true love be found in the singles ads—even if you don’t place one? When Lana Martina finds herself in dire need of a roommate, she advertises for a female or gay male to help her share the rent. So when Greg Healey shows up, she figures the gorgeous guy is off-limits to her gender. Only, Greg is responding to a singles ad for his brother…And when free-spirited Lana starts talking about going back to her apartment, he concludes she’s…well, adventurous. How can these two love-starved loners ever get together?

I hope you enjoy this lighthearted holiday romance in which several characters from my previous books make cameo appearances. (How many will you recognize?)

Watch for my next title in Midnight Fantasies, the 2001 BLAZE anthology, available in June. Then look for Two Sexy!, a sequel to that short story in the new, longer BLAZE line also scheduled to debut in 2001. For a complete list of my titles, please visit my Web site, www.stephaniebond.com.

And don’t forget to share the wonderful world of romance novels with a friend this festive season!

Happy Holidays,

Stephanie Bond

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This book is dedicated to all the wonderful readers

who have taken the time to write letters to me about

the characters and stories that run around in my head.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

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

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Epilogue

Lexington, KY: SF in mid-twenties seeking SM for good times. Horse lover a plus. I’m a good cook. Coffee Girl

LEXINGTON ATTORNEY Greg Healey looked up from the ad circled in Attitudes magazine, his stomach twisting at the sight of his younger brother’s wide smile. “You want to do what?”

“Meet Coffee Girl,” Will said. “‘SF’ means single female, and ‘SM’ means single male—that’s me.”

Closing his eyes, Greg murmured, “Seeking single male.”

“For good times,” Will added eagerly. “Will you help me, Gregory?”

After a long morning of correcting real estate contracts, this he did not need. He sighed, then looked up into innocent brown eyes. Will’s childlike expression seemed incongruous with his twenty-five-year-old body, which was broad and toned from grooming and riding horses at the farm that neighbored their home. Greg was tempted to dismiss his brother’s request, but lately Will had been showing an elevated interest in women and dating. And in truth, considering Will’s shyness and relative isolation, turning to the singles ads wasn’t so far-fetched. The fact that his brother had ventured downtown to Greg’s office to discuss the ad was proof that he was serious.

Still, intense protective feelings reared high. Greg gestured for his brother to sit in a plush visitor’s chair, while he himself leaned against his desk and crossed his arms. “I don’t think this is a good idea, buddy. You don’t even know this woman—”

“But she likes horses and she likes to cook and she must like coffee.” Will shrugged massive shoulders, as if he couldn’t imagine what else mattered. “I love coffee, Gregory. Can I call her? There’s a number at the bottom of the ad.”

Greg bit down on his tongue, unable to offer an alternative for the handsome man before him who was obviously craving female companionship. The physical need, he could relate to, but Greg feared Will wouldn’t be able to distinguish a physical attraction from an emotional one. And he was determined to shield Will from would-be opportunists with their sights set on his brother’s half of the Healey family business.

“Will, women are…complicated creatures.”

“Is that why you’re not married, Gregory?”

Greg squirmed. Subtlety was not in Will’s repertoire. “Er, yes.” One of many reasons, the main one being he’d never met a woman who warranted the trouble of his becoming involved. Besides, most women seemed embarrassed by Will’s presence, and his brother would always be his top priority.

Will scratched his temple. “But if women are complicated, then why do other men marry them?”

Greg gave him a wry grin. “Little brother, if you can answer that question, then you’re a lot smarter than I am.”

Will’s eyes widened. “How about for sex?”

Okay, he’d asked for that one. Even after all this time, he still flew by the seat of his pants where Will was concerned. “You don’t have to be married to have sex, Will.”

“How often do you have sex, Gregory?”

He blinked. “That’s a personal question.” And pride barred him from answering truthfully. “Besides, how often one man has sex has nothing to do with how often another man has sex. Everyone is different. Do you understand?”

Will nodded. “Like how often you brush your teeth?”

“Er, something like that, yes.”

Scooting to the edge of the chair, Will said, “I want to have sex, Gregory, but I want to be married first. Don’t you think that’s best?”

And how could he answer that question without being hypocritical? If he said yes and believed it, he would be sentencing himself to a life of celibacy, since marriage was nowhere in his plan. He inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. “Let’s take it one step at a time, okay? First you need to meet a nice girl.”

Excitement lit Will’s entire face. “So I can call Coffee Girl?”

Greg massaged the bridge of his nose. His brother was a late bloomer with raging hormones. When mixed with Will’s trusting nature, it was a recipe for trouble. The woman who placed the ad could be a hooker, for all they knew. On the other hand, a hooker would be preferable to a gold digger, or to a woman who would make fun of Will’s mental disability. None of the scenarios that played out in his head had a good ending.

“Please, Gregory?”

This had to be what parenting felt like, Greg decided as he looked at his brother’s hopeful expression. Being torn between good judgment and giving in. At last a compromise struck him. “How about if I check out this…Coffee Girl first?”