Sequel to TEACHING MOLLY
Amber McCloud is taking a two-week timeout with her friend Molly to heal the wounds from a bitter divorce. The last thing she expects is to meet a sexy man like Cesario “Rio” Negron. But the attraction is instant and hot. Not only does he teach her how good sex can really be, he also introduces her to the world of BDSM, a world she takes to like a kid with candy. It helps when she learns Molly and her husband are also advocates of the lifestyle.
But when the two weeks are up Amber has to decide if what’s developed between her and Rio is real or if she will turn her back on it, afraid to risk her heart again.
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An Excerpt From: TRAINING
AMBER
Copyright © DESIREE
HOLT, 2012
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave
Publishing, Inc.
Chapter One
“Man, is it always this hot in
Texas?”
Amber McCloud stowed her suitcase in the trunk of Molly
Trajan’s candy-apple-red Mustang and slid into the front seat, positioning the
air-conditioning vents so they blew directly on her damp skin.
Molly laughed as she pulled out into the flow of exiting
traffic. “Honey, you’re spoiled by all that chilled air up north. If you’re
going to be here for a couple of weeks you need to toughen up.”
Amber fanned herself. “Maybe I should have planned this visit
for the winter.” She glanced sideways at her friend. “Molly, I want to be very
clear about something. I really, really appreciate you letting me dump myself on
you while I try to put myself back together. I need the distance from New York
and…and…everything else.”
Molly reached over and squeezed her arm. “What are friends
for? Sweetie, we’ve known each other for twenty-seven years, ever since freshman
year in college. I would be highly offended if you chose someone else.” She
paused. “Besides, been there, done that. So it’s all good.”
“Does Nick… Did you tell him what’s going on?”
Amber was totally aware of how ecstatic Molly was in her
second marriage, with the man of her dreams. A younger man who adored her. All the
things that were missing in her first marriage, she’d found with Nick, and
more.
“Only the basics,” Molly said.
Amber bit her lip. “I just don’t want him to look at me with
the awful, pitying look I was getting from our so-called friends in New
York.”
Molly snorted. “Let me tell you, pity is the last thing
you’ll see. If I let him off the leash he’d be on the next plane east to beat
the shit out of Dennis McCloud. Believe me, he thinks men like that are
scum.”
Amber wouldn’t have minded getting in a few licks herself.
After fifteen years of marriage Dennis had somehow woken up one day and decided
she was too flawed, too shopworn, too—whatever. He needed a re-engineered model
to present the right image to his high-profile clients and the moneyed crowd
they ran with.
Oh, he didn’t want much. A boob job. A butt lift. A facelift.
Her teeth capped. Something that would take twenty years off her age.
“Nearly all your friends have done it,” he pointed out in a
reasonable voice. “They understand what’s important.”
At first she’d been so shocked she hadn’t known what to say.
She hadn’t even pointed out to him that the women in their crowd were hardly her
friends. In fact, if she was truthful, she couldn’t think of one real friend
she’d made since moving to the city. Most of her girl talk was via telephone
with Molly.
Eventually she sank into a fit of depression until anger
finally took over.
“Maybe you should get yourself someone already young enough
for your specifications,” she spat at him.
Which was exactly what he did after a thoroughly nasty
divorce.
Now Amber was trying to pick up the pieces of her life and
stitch back together her shattered self-esteem. Not only was Molly her oldest
and closest friend but she’d been through the same thing herself. And come out
of it a real winner. She needed Molly’s humor and common sense and cheerleading.
And the isolation of her home to hide from the world while she got her act
together.
“I don’t want to make any kind of plans,” she said now. “Just
take it day by day. All right?”
“Sure, honey. But you know Nick and I both work from home,
right?”
Nick was a highly sought-after architect and Molly had found
a new career in interior design. They often worked together on projects.
“Yes, but you meet clients in the office space you share in
downtown San Antonio. Right?” She didn’t think she could handle strangers being
around all the time.
“Yes, of course. It’s all good. Except…” She paused.
Amber’s stomach tightened. “Except what? What’s going on,
Molly?”
“I know I told you about the cocktail party we’re having,
right? Tomorrow night?”
Damn! She’d forgotten all about that.
“No problem. I’ll just take myself off to the movies. Or
something.” The very last thing she needed was a bunch of people staring at her
with curiosity and asking questions she didn’t want to answer.
“Up to you,” Molly said, “but I’ll stick my two cents in
here. It might do you some good to mingle with people who don’t know your
history. People you can just be yourself with. You can’t hide from the world
forever.”
“I know, I know.” Amber sighed. She leaned her head back
against the seat and closed her eyes behind the big sunglasses. “I just don’t
think I’m ready to face anyone yet. You can’t imagine what it was like in the
city, running into people who knew the story. Or worse, those who didn’t know
and asked rude questions.”
“Oh,” Molly scoffed, “I do know. Believe me.” Then her voice
turned sly. “But you know, Amber, I forced myself to go to a Fourth of July
picnic when I didn’t even want to leave the house. If I hadn’t I would never
have met Nick.”
Amber shook her head. “I’m not interested and not looking.
Can we just leave it at that?”
“Sure, sweetie.” Then she chuckled. “For now, anyway.”
Before long they exited the Interstate Highway and rode in
comfortable silence along the two-lane country road. They passed through the
tiny commercial section of Limerock, an exclusive Hill
Country community, then they were navigating the long driveway that led to the
Trajans’ magnificent glass and limestone house.
“Wow!” Amber stared, drinking in the gorgeous structure
before Molly hit a button and they pulled into the wide garage.
“Exactly the way I felt the first time I saw it.” She laughed
softly. “But here’s the best part of it.” She pointed through the
windshield.
Standing in an open doorway that led to the house was a man
Amber could only call sex on a stick. Nick Trajan was well over six feet, lean
and dark with thick, wavy black hair. His soft linen shirt and jeans outlined a
graceful, athletic body. He opened Amber’s door, helped her out of the car and
greeted her with a warm smile.
“Welcome to Casa Trajan,” he said, giving her a light kiss on
the cheek.
Amber couldn’t help but smile back at him. “Thank you. And
thanks for letting me intrude on you this way.”
“Not a problem. I’m happy to have one of Molly’s friends here
for a visit. She’s been really looking forward to this.”
“Well, I appreciate it. I just want you to know.”
Molly had exited the car and come to stand next to her
husband. “Only the guest gets a kiss?” she teased.
Nick’s voice deepened. “You know better than that.”
He pulled his wife close to him. Watching the kiss he gave
her made heat surge through Amber’s body. An unfamiliar pulse throbbed deep in
her cunt and her nipples tingled. Holy cow! And she wasn’t even the one being
kissed!
Nick laughed softly when he finally broke the kiss. “You’ll
have to forgive us, Amber. I have a feeling when I’m ninety my wife will still
have this incendiary effect on me.”
A sharp bolt of jealousy speared through Amber, one she
immediately tried to suppress. She was happy for her friend, delighted that her
life was so on track. But somehow it only underscored the disaster that was her
own life at the moment.
She turned away and went to retrieve her suitcase, but Nick
was there before she could press the trunk release.
“I’ll get that. You go on inside with Molly. I’ll bet you
could use a nice chilled glass of wine about now.”
Amber forced a polite smile. “That sounds nice.”
“Come on.” Molly linked her arm through Amber’s. “It’s a good
thing I have my husband to remind me of my manners. Let me show you to your
room. You can take a quick shower while I get the wine and some cheese and
crackers. Don’t worry. All is good.”
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