A Rhythm Divine Excerpt
From the shadows, Maggie watched Sean. Earlier that evening, when he’d kissed the palm of her hand, feelings and urges she thought were dead stirred sluggishly. Then when she caught him watching her, they roused even more. Why? She’d met hundreds of men in the years since Jim’s death and not one of them had appealed to her. But now, for the first time in fourteen years, after only one lingering kiss on the palm of her hand, she felt--desire. And the man who had awakened these feelings was years younger than she. She shuddered. Honestly, a woman of her age! What was she, a cradle robber?
But I’m only forty-three, she mused as Sean threw back his head and stared at the sky. Maybe Ginny and everybody else were right. Maybe she should start dating again. But not this boy. No. He was entirely too young for her.
Her eyes slid from his profile and glided down his body. Her lips quivered involuntarily into an appreciative smile. Sean Wallace was a pleasure to look at. His swarthy complexion, a day’s growth of black whiskers, the long, ebony hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, which emphasized his firm chin and chiseled cheekbones, and the large emerald stud in his ear had all elicited more than one comment that evening. Black brows rode above his stormy gray eyes, eyes that had sparkled with amusement on more than one occasion this night. In his black tuxedo, which did little to mask his muscular build, exuding sex appeal and unshakeable self-confidence, he had drawn both overt and covert glances from almost every woman in the room and more than a few snide remarks from some of the men. Her gaze traveled back up his body. He looked like a well-dressed pirate, a sexy well-dressed pirate.
Her sigh drifted on the night breeze, not much of a sound, but Sean heard it. Turning swiftly, his senses honed in on the feminine figure in the shadows. A slight breeze brought a whiff of musk to his nostrils. Only one woman here was wearing that particular scent. His eyes glowed silver, and all thoughts of Charlotte fled his mind.
"Hello, Maggie," he murmured softly, easing his hips back against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest.
She stepped from the shadows and strolled towards him. "Sean--I’m surprised to see you out here," she answered pleasantly. "Did you need some fresh air?"
Bending his head towards hers, he pushed himself away the wall. Cupping his hand under her elbow, he maneuvered her to a bench on the other side of the patio, a bench deep in the shadows. "I could ask the same of you."
As she settled onto the bench, her husky laugh swirled around his body, teasing, tempting. "Most definitely. I don’t enjoy large crowds. I felt like I was smothering."
Nodding agreeably, he joined her on the bench, stretching his long legs out before him, laying his arm along the back of the bench, but he didn’t comment. No more than fifty or sixty people mingled in the private room Dan Fowler had rented. What would she do if she attended the kind of party he was used to, where the guest lists often swelled to several hundred or more?
"Dan said you have a ranch."
Maggie smiled at the young man stretched out so negligently beside her. He was too handsome for his own good--and he knew it. Probably had women hanging all over him back east. "The Double G, just west of Canon City, approximately an hour southwest of here. It’s heaven on earth."
"You’ve lived in Colorado all your life then?"
"Born and raised here. What about you?"
"Philadelphia mostly, although I have an apartment in New York and a country house in Scotland." Her eyebrows rose and he chuckled. "What can I say, I like to travel." Leaning closer, he caressed her bare shoulder with a single finger.
Gently shrugging his hand away from her shoulder, she rose and meandered back to the patio wall, well away from the shadows. His gaze was locked on the gentle sway of her hips as she strolled away. Every nerve in his body demanded he follow her. He did.
Amused, Maggie watched him stalk towards her. Sorry, my boy. I won’t stay in the shadows with you. I’m not that naïve. Positioning herself in a circle of light shining from one of the dozen gaily colored lanterns hung about the patio, she tilted her head back slightly and met his intent gaze as he halted just inches from her. At six feet, he didn’t seem that tall to her. She was five feet five, but Jim had towered over her at six foot four. Besides, she was wearing three-inch heels.
"You’re a very lovely woman, Maggie Garrison," he murmured in a husky voice as he halted beside her.
Maggie smiled slightly. He was persistent if nothing else. "And you are an impudent young man, Sean Wallace," she bantered back, rolling her shoulders slightly. "Shouldn’t you be flirting with the young women back inside?"
Sean’s eyes dropped to her breasts as they rose and then fell. Maggie shivered and rubbed her arms to remove the goose bumps his low chuckle raised, but she couldn’t hide the taut nipples that pushed against the bodice of her dress. What was it about this boy!
"That’s an interesting pendant you’re wearing."
Grasping the neutral topic gratefully, she looked down at her pendant. Her eyes widened as his hand rose. She grabbed the necklace forestalling his attempt to raise it himself. Put your hands back in your pockets, Partner. I am one woman who won’t be falling into your arms like a ripe piece of fruit. "A gold nugget from great-grandfather’s mine."
A black eyebrow rose. "You own a gold mine?"
"Great-grandfather Garrison had a gold mine, so to speak. Really, he found one vein of very high quality ore that played out rather quickly. This was the first nugget he found, and he had it made into a pendant for his wife. I guess you might call it the family jewel."
Sean threaded his fingers through hers, he took the nugget from her hand and tugged gently. She had to follow or have the chain break. One kiss, just one kiss. "You’re wrong about that, Maggie," he murmured in a low, voice as he bent his face towards hers. "You’re the jewel of your family."
Simultaneously, she turned her face away, and his lips brushed her ear rather than her mouth. Her hand slid into his to disengage her pendant from his fingers. Then she stepped back, away from the tender intimacy he promised, out of the circle of light that she thought would offer protection from his advances.
He stepped after her.
"No, Sean. Stay where you are."
"Maggie, you’re…"
"…old enough to be your mother."
Sean remained where he was, struggling to control the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless. So the age difference bothers her, too. "You’d have been a very young mother. I’ll be thirty in a few months."
"And I’ll be forty-four in the spring, young man," she admonished using her best ‘mother’s’ voice. "What you are thinking is simply impossible. I’ve enjoyed talking with you, but I really must be going. Good night."
Dismissing him with a pleasant nod and an elegant shrug, she turned away. Taking a step forward, Sean satisfied the urge he’d felt all night and slid his hand down her bare back to her waist where he slid his fingers beneath the material of her dress and stroked the velvety skin beneath her ribs. Her skin was as soft as it looked. Would it taste as sweet? "No bra, Mrs. Garrison? And you a staid matron of forty-three," he teased while his fingers inched higher and caressed her ribs. His knuckles brushed the bottom of her breast. "What would your friends say?"
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With erotic imagery and realistic characters, A RHYTHM DIVINE is an evocative story about trust, confidence, and love. Ms. MAYS does a wonderful job of showing character growth as the story develops. Initially with doubts about her own sexuality and appeal, Maggie truly blossoms throughout the book as she learns she can be attractive to the opposite sex without losing her maturity and respectability. At first, Sean's distrust causes problems with his feelings for Maggie, but eventually he learns that not all women are the same and he can be happy with one like Maggie. Ms. MAYS creates a charming love story, blended with sharp secondary characters and witty dialogue. If you like books that praise younger men while showing that older women can be just as tantalizing as their younger counterparts, don't miss A RHYTHM DIVINE by JUDYMAYS. Romance Reviews Today |
A Rhythm Divine by Judy Mays captivates your interest from the very start. The chemistry between the two characters is electric and comes alive for the readers to experience for themselves. You will cheer for Sean and Maggie from the very start and rejoice when they find their way back to each other’ s hearts forever! A RHYTHM Divine left me with a happy feeling that stayed for a long time after the last page was turned. I would gladly read any other book by this author and recommend this book to any reader! -- Carol Wilson © Copyright April 2002, For eBOOKISLE.com
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The sparks resulting from that first meeting, and the story line that Ms. Mays creates, hooked me from Chapter One. This author knows a thing or two about male-female relationships and how to write them believably. Along the way she introduces us to realistic, fascinating characters and well-written dialogue, but her focus never strays far from the lovers or the age old "rhythm divine" they share. I found this story to be both volatile and endearing. I give it an enthusiastic five stars. Reviewed By Laurel Johnson, Amazing Authors Showcase Reviews, Author of The Grass Dance
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Maggie is a feisty character who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. Judy Mays has written a marvelous book with strong characters and, of course, the requisite happy ending! Romantic Times Magazine, 4 stars
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“Judy Mays’ writing is a shear delight as it is so fresh and sends you to the stars with ecstasy and into gales of laughter with her spontaneous and effortless sense of humor. I’m so glad I didn’t miss A RHYTHM DIVINE, which to me was a “divine” romance, and I don't want readers to miss it either. I’m ready for more from this talented author.” -- Suzanne Coleburn, www.romanceatitsbest.com, www.readertoreader.com |
This was an emotional passionate love story; one that will tug at the reader’s heartstrings, and wring every bit of emotional out of you. You finish reading it with that “wonderful-feel-good-happily-ever-after” feeling. The five Roses are well deserved for Ms. May’s creative, wonderful story that proves love is not prejudice and age doesn’t matter, and reinforcing the belief that love conquers all. Love Romances |
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"Judy Mays has done it again. A Rhythm Divine is a wonderful story with a twist on the May/December romance. -- Barbara Woodward, author of The Heart Remembers and Follow Your Heart, Wings ePress, Inc. |
A Rhythm Divine is as satisfying a read as you can find! I picked it up and didn't put it down until it was finished.-- Lynda S. Burch EDGE OF PARADISE |
Ms. Mays has written a beautiful love story, interweaving it into the very realistic “older woman--younger man” plot ...put it away on your ‘keeper’ shelf! -- Kari Thomas of Loves Romances |
There were times reading
the story that you thought these two were never going to survive. Judy Mays
writes a very funny story of two people who overcome every obstacle to find that
where love is concerned...your heart not the calendar should make your decision.
This
book is definitely a keeper and I recommend it for a tale of love told in a
humorous, touching and enduring style.
Sensual Romance Reviews
