A Little Romance...

by J. D. Faver

Welcome to August, National Romance Awareness Month.  

While I'm pleased that this very hot month has been dedicated to Romance Awareness, I'm also shaking my head. Do you know how HOT it is?

Romance equates to warm embraces, skin contact and so much more that involves heat-producing activities.

Whoever decided that August was the month to be aware of romance was obviously not living in southeast Texas where it's hot and sticky...and did I mention, HOT?  The census bureau confirms that more babies are born in August. (Ahem, both of mine were) That being said, I would think that November, and cooler temperatures, would be more likely to spark a little romance than this muggy, sultry summer heat.

If a hopeful Lothario brings chocolate, you better stow it in the fridge because, even as he walks from his air-conditioned car to your air-conditioned door, the chocolate will become a little ooky. Same goes for flowers. Better get those long-stemmed beauties in a vase quick before they faint.

Just went outside with my dog. We were both ready to come inside in a matter of minutes...maybe it was seconds. Gah! C'mon September.

Sending you a cool excerpt from my romantic thriller, ON ICE. Hope you enjoy it.

~J.D.

                                  ~*~

It snowed again that night. Rene stared out the window at the powdery flakes falling to earth. The full moon cast a silvery glow over the whiteness, contrasting against the dark of the trees. She shivered, contemplating her aloneness. She thought about Brett’s home, so snug and secure. What was he doing now? Was he staring out the window, thinking of her? The lonely howl of a wolf broke the stillness of the night.

She pulled on her jacket and boots and stepped quietly onto the porch. The crisp, cold night air tingled against her cheeks. The wolf howled again. Rene crunched out into the snow, taking in great lungfuls of the chilled air. It only hurt a little now. Throwing her head back, Rene answered the wolf, howling mournfully. The sound resonated, creating a hollowness when it died away. The eerie silence was broken when the wolf howled its reply.

“Mom?” Seth held Sara’s mittened hand as they watched her from the porch. They wore warm down-filled jackets, their breath sending cartoon-like balloon shapes from their mouths. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I was just keeping the wolf company.”

“The wolf?” he asked.

As if on cue, the wolf’s howl cut into the icy night.

“The wolf.” Rene held her arms out to the children. They ran to her, still holding hands. She embraced them, and then holding their hands, danced them around in circles. As she danced, Rene howled to the wolf. Sara threw back her head and let out a shrill, wolf-like howl. Seth and the wolf joined in.

“Let’s go in,” Rene said. “It’s cold and we have to get up early tomorrow.”

Rene slept well, but dreamed a strange jumble of dreams. She was dancing in the moonlight. First, she danced with the children, then with Brett. Then it was Mark. She ran as Mark changed into the wolf and chased her. She stopped and turned on her pursuer. Rene became the bear. Rearing up on her haunches, she growled and slashed her powerful claws at him. Waking suddenly, she lay in the dark listening to her heart thudding against her ribs. She smiled in the darkness, feeling powerful and secure.

~*~

ON ICE is currently available on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Ice-Contemporary-Romantic-Thriller-ebook/dp/B00758KQ22/ref=la_B0050KEWMM_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344013888&sr=1-1