 Excerpts |
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Another Day in Paradise
is set on a lush, exotic, Caribbean island. Our couple win an all-expenses paid trip to a lavish, new resort where they are pampered as honored guests. A limo ride, a moonlight swim, a wild rafting trip, warm water, sunny beaches and balmy breezes all add to the excitement. As they explore their paradise, they stumble onto unsavory characters and a danger that threatens to keep them apart. Robin Leach even pays a visit.
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WILD excerpt
All excerpts in this column are done in the "WILD" version.
Examples of personalization are in pink, such as man's and woman's names,
cologne, eye color, etc.
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MILD excerpt
All excerpts in this column are done in the "MILD" version.
Examples of personalization are in pink, such as man's and woman's names,
cologne, eye color, etc.
|
When
Ann appeared at the doorway to the living area, John
was hanging up the phone. He nearly raced for her. She had that half-awake,
tousled look that he found arousing. He loved how she looked in the morning. He
suddenly wondered if he'd ever mentioned that.
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. Or should I say
Sleeping Mermaid after last night?" She smiled and ducked her head like a shy
girl. He hugged her and kissed her cheek lightly, then just before releasing
her, slid his hand up her silky thigh and under the edge of her
red silk nightshirt. He then reached around, cupped one buttock and
squeezed it. "My Little Mermaid."
"Umm. 'Morning, dah-ling." She delivered the words in
movie-star fashion and hugged him in return, repeating his gesture on him.
"Wait," he said, "and I'll just slip this robe off so
you can get a better handful."
"Before breakfast?"
"Actually, Honey," he
said, stepping aside and waving his arm to make the presentation, "how about
during breakfast?"
"John!" she playfully
chided him.
"This way, madam." He made a grand gesture of placing
her arm through his and led her to the balcony.
"Wow." Ann was amazed at
the spread before her. "What is this?"
"This is pampering, my dear. That's what they do here
at Paradise Lagoon, I'm told. That is, for their very special guests. And you,
Honey, are the most special of them all."
"Did Mr. Magnuson send this?"
"Actually it was my idea."
"For me? How absolutely wonderful." She eyed the
waiting coffee pot, but first circled the table to pick up a chunk of fresh
pineapple. She bit into it and juice lingered at the edge of her pink lips. As
she reached for a napkin, John stepped toward her.
"Allow me."
He leaned into her and licked the juice from her lip,
backed away far enough to look into her blue eyes
before closing back in on her still-raised hand and biting the remaining
pineapple chunk. This time, he purposely let the juice dribble just a bit down
the side of his mouth. Then, in a slow upward motion, he wiped the juice with
the tip of his index finger and delivered the nectar to Ann's
half-opened lips. She closed her eyes and savored the yellow liquid, which
mingled with a hint of his personal fragrance, Old Spice.
He leaned to her ear and spoke softly: "Would you prefer your nourishment
before, during or after?"
She opened her eyes. "What happened to 'all of the
above'?"
He laughed.
"Actually," she said, "I'm a little curious as to
what's gotten into you. The morning greeting, and now this. Perhaps I should have seduced you with moonlight and
skinny-dipping long before now."
"My thoughts exactly," he teased back. "Coffee? Or,
perhaps champagne with orange juice."
"Oh, dah-ling. Let's do try a mimosa first."
"You sit here." He pulled out the white wicker chair
and fluffed the tropical print seat cushion for her. He then expertly uncorked
the fat green champagne bottle. "You'll notice," he said, pouring, "I haven't
lost all my senses. I wasn't foolish enough to order Dom Perignon to mix with
orange juice."
"Well, that's good. You're still somewhat rational.
Although I've got to admit, I wouldn't have a bit of trouble getting used to
all this attention."
His morning resolve was working just as he'd intended.
She was enjoying the romance stuff. "Have I been ignoring you?" he asked.
Ann was surprised at the seriousness in his tone. But he was mixing
the mimosas instead of looking at her.
She hesitated, trying to word her reply. He was being
so sweet. Still... "Well, you could be a little more romantic. Not today. I
mean not now. This is wonderful, but you know, I mean back in
Yorkville. I guess any woman likes to be told certain things. And in
that respect, I'm just like any other woman. I know you care about me, but I
have to admit I'd like to hear you say it more, say why." She stopped,
wondering if she'd said too much. After all, he'd gone to the trouble of
arranging this gorgeous breakfast and here she was talking about the negatives.
"I know, " he said quietly.
"I don't want to hurt your feelings. You know,
John, I adore your sense of humor and it is truly wonderful being
with you, and I know you care about me. I really do know that, but I guess
sometimes, I just think it gets too routine for us, you know, the day-to-day
hassles. We end up tired, not taking the time we should with each other.
Sometimes I feel like I'm not your priority, like work, friends, family,
everything else gets your attention and sometimes mine, for that matter. And
you just assume I'll take care of things and I guess, I'm guilty too, because I
do. Just, you know, take charge." Lightening her tone now, hoping the mood
would follow suit, "Sweep me off my feet, dah-lin', just like last night."
He poured her mimosa, then took one of the china
serving plates and began filling it with samples of the various fresh fruits.
He let the activity fill the quiet and then looked at her squarely and
announced, "You were incredible last night. Truly incredible."
Now, in the harshness of full daylight, she blushed a
little at the memory. Had she gone too far? "Well, uh, thanks. Now, I'm
starved."
But he didn't let it drop. "Sort of like what you were
starved for last night."
She blushed fully.
"Don't be shy," he said, surprised at her reaction to
what he thought was a compliment. "I like the Little Mermaid number."
Her brows closed together in concern. Was he making
fun? "Well, let's just eat."
"Definitely. You need to renew your strength, in case
you're up for a replay later." |
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When
Ann appeared at the doorway to the living area, John
was hanging up the phone. He nearly raced for her. She had that half-awake,
tousled look that he found arousing. He loved how she looked in the morning. He
suddenly wondered if he'd ever mentioned that.
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. Or should I say
Sleeping Mermaid after last night?" She smiled and ducked her head like a shy
girl. He hugged her and kissed her cheek lightly, then just before releasing
her, slid his hand up her back where he paused to gently rub her shoulders
through her red silk nightshirt. The memory of the
moonlit swim danced in his mind. "My Little Mermaid."
"Umm. 'Morning, dah-ling." She delivered the words in
movie-star fashion and hugged him in return. For a second she gazed into his
brown eyes, said nothing, and rested her head on his shoulder, her
blonde hair brushing against his neck. "You make me so happy," she
whispered into his ear as she ran her fingers through his black
hair.
"Then, Honey," he said, stepping aside and waving his
arm to make the presentation, "wait till you see this." She stepped back.
"This way, madam." He made a grand gesture of placing
her arm through his and led her to the balcony.
"Wow." Ann was amazed at
the spread before her. "What is this?"
"This is pampering, my dear. That's what they do here
at Paradise Lagoon, I'm told. That is, for their very special guests. And you,
Honey, are the most special of them all."
"Did Mr. Magnuson send this?"
"Actually it was my idea."
"For me? How absolutely wonderful." She eyed the
waiting coffee pot, but first circled the table to pick up a chunk of fresh
pineapple. She bit into it and juice lingered at the edge of her pink lips. As
she reached for a napkin, John stepped toward her.
"Allow me." He leaned into her and licked the juice from her lip, backed away
far enough to look into her blue eyes before
closing back in on her still-raised hand and biting the remaining pineapple
chunk. This time, he purposely let the juice dribble just a bit down the side
of his mouth. Then, in a slow upward motion, he wiped the juice with the tip of
his index finger and delivered the nectar to Ann's
half-opened lips. She closed her eyes and savored the yellow liquid, which
mingled with a hint of his personal fragrance, Old Spice.
He leaned to her ear and spoke softly: "Would you
prefer your nourishment before, during or after?"
She opened her eyes. "What happened to 'all of the
above'?"
He laughed.
"Actually," she said, "I'm a little curious as to
what's gotten into you. The morning greeting, and now this. Perhaps I should have seduced you with moonlight and
skinny-dipping long before now."
"My thoughts exactly," he teased back. "Coffee? Or
perhaps champagne with orange juice."
"Oh, dah-ling. Let's do try a mimosa first."
"You sit here." He pulled out the white wicker chair
and fluffed the tropical print seat cushion for her. He then expertly uncorked
the fat green champagne bottle. "You'll notice," he said, pouring, "I haven't
lost all my senses. I wasn't foolish enough to order Dom Perignon to mix with
orange juice."
"Well, that's good. You're still somewhat rational.
Although I've got to admit, I wouldn't have a bit of trouble getting used to
all this attention."
His morning resolve was working just as he'd intended.
She was enjoying the romance stuff. "Have I been ignoring you?" he asked.
Ann was surprised at the seriousness in his tone. But he was mixing
the mimosas instead of looking at her.
She hesitated, trying to word her reply. He was being
so sweet. Still... "Well, you could be a little more romantic. Not today. I
mean not now. This is wonderful, but you know, I mean back in
Yorkville. I guess any woman likes to be told certain things. And in
that respect, I'm just like any other woman. I know you care about me, but I
have to admit I'd like to hear you say it more, say why." She stopped,
wondering if she'd said too much. After all, he'd gone to the trouble of
arranging this gorgeous breakfast and here she was talking about the negatives.
"I know, " he said quietly.
"I don't want to hurt your feelings. You know,
John, I adore your sense of humor and it is truly wonderful being
with you, and I know you care about me. I really do know that, but I guess
sometimes, I just think it gets too routine for us, you know, the day-to-day
hassles. We end up tired, not taking the time we should with each other.
Sometimes I feel like I'm not your priority, like work, friends, family,
everything else gets your attention and sometimes mine, for that matter. And
you just assume I'll take care of things and I guess, I'm guilty too, because I
do. Just, you know, take charge." Lightening her tone now, hoping the mood
would follow suit, "Sweep me off my feet, dah-lin', just like last night."
He poured her mimosa, then took one of the china
serving plates and began filling it with samples of the various fresh fruits.
He let the activity fill the quiet and then looked at her squarely and
announced, "You were incredible last night. Truly incredible."
Now, in the harshness of full daylight, she blushed a
little at the memory. Had she gone too far? "Well, uh, thanks. Now, I'm
starved."
But he didn't let it drop. "Sort of like what you were
starved for last night."
She blushed fully.
"Don't be shy," he said, surprised at her reaction to
what he thought was a compliment. "I like the Little Mermaid number." Her brows
closed together in concern. Was he making fun? "Well, let's just eat."
"Definitely. You need to renew your strength, in case
you're up for a replay later." |
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