When It Rains...

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=80 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="06700500dvldtc.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Angie Daniels</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" "><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> back to  <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Books"><U><B>Books</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=400 BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#666633" FACE="Arial" ><B>  </B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" "><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>back to  </B><A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Books"><U><B>Books</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>       </B></div> <div> <I>When It Rains...</I></div> <div> <B> </B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B><U>Excerpt</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Spinning around, Honey found herself again face to face with Jay.  At the sight of him her nervousness soared.  He was gazing over at her, wearing a crooked smile as he leaned against an island that sat in the middle of the room.  She realized how much she'd missed him and found it almost impossible not to stare back at the man who'd haunted her dreams for months.  </B><B>Damn him for being so fine.  </B></div> <div> <B>“I've missed you,” he stated, almost as if he had read her thoughts.</B></div> <div> <B>“I've missed you, too.”  She couldn't have stopped the words from falling from her lips even if she'd wanted to.  Deep down it was how she felt.  But the surprised expression on Jay's face made her wish she could take them back.  </B></div> <div> <B>Jay felt an inkling of hope at this candid revelation.  He pushed way from the island and stepped forward.  “Then why didn't you return any of my calls?” </B></div> <div> <B>Honey observed the curious expression on his boyishly handsome face, then shyly looked at her hands.  She didn't want him to even suspect that she'd so much as given him a second thought.  She quickly turned her back to him, crossing the kitchen and proceeding to wipe down the stovetop before answering, “I thought it was best.” </B></div> <div> <B>Jay came behind her and his breath teased the hairs along the back of her neck.  He lightly grasped her shoulders, causing her to gasp.  Briefly closing her eyes, Honey tried to steady her heartbeat.  Jay turned her towards him, taking her chin and forcing her to look at him.  His eyes gleamed with curiosity, and she trembled at his touch.  </B></div> <div> <B>“For whom?  You or me?”  Jay countered, needing to fully understand why she had ended their friendship.</B></div> <div> <B>Her dark lashes fluttered and lowered, breaking eye contact.  Honey did not want him to see the fear in her eyes.  How could she tell him she cared too much for him?  That because she was aware of the extent of his feelings, she felt it was unfair to mislead him into believing there was a chance of anything permanent developing between them?</B></div> <div> <B>Trying to regain self-control, Honey straightened her shoulders and met his gaze.  “For both of us,” she mumbled shakily.  Her heart was thundering beneath her breast.  She wished she could feel nothing for him.</B></div> <div> <B>Jay concluded she was lying and snorted rudely, “I am not buying that this time.  I shouldn't have taken this long.  I should have confronted you months ago, but I let my pride stand in the way.”  Jay moved in closer.  Raising a hand to her cheek he felt her shudder. </B></div> <div> <B>His tone changed and he asked softly, “Why do you insist on running away from your feelings?”  When she didn't answer he continued, “I'm not going anywhere this time.”  No longer thinking about his pride, he gazed down at her lovely face and their eyes locked.  His tone was soft yet certain.  “I want to be with you, Honey.  And I know you want me, too.” </B></div> <div> <B>Her shuddering intensified as she stared numbly at the figure standing before her.  For the first time all afternoon their eyes met, all pretenses stripped away.  She continued to gape up at him, her mouth open and dry.  Finally she managed to swallow.  She could not stop the heat from stealing into her face as she remembered the night they'd shared on her living room couch.  Jay now surrounded her with his warmth and the scent of his skin, so close she felt suffocated.  </B></div> <div> <B>Because I'm scared</B><B>, she added silently to herself.  What would happen when he found out about her past?  And the secret that weighed heavily on her heart?</B></div> <div> <B>Quickly getting her feelings under control, she frowned and pretended not to be affected by his response.  Jay was the only man capable of making her feel things she did not want to feel.  How did he always manage to rattle the knob to the locked door that hid her heart?  </B></div> <div> <B>Tilting her head back to look at him, she forced a frown.  “You are wrong, and you're wasting your time.  It would never work between us.  We're too much alike.”</B></div> <div> <B>Jay was silent.  Noting her eyes gave him reason to doubt her response.  She was still running, but why?  Wearing a smile, he spoke in a low, seductive tone, “All the more reason for us to give it a try.”</B></div> <div> <B>Honey's eyes were now as gray as an overcast sky.  Inside her heart ached at the possibility of giving in to her feelings.  She wanted it with all her heart.  If only things were different!  With a great deal of effort she deliberately narrowed her eyes and said in a disapproving tone,  “I am not looking for a relationship, Jay.  Didn't we agree in the beginning we were only going to be friends, nothing more?”</B></div> <div> <B>Mere inches from her face, the familiar fragrance of Honey's skin tantalized Jay.  He wanted to take her into his arms and cover her lush mouth with his, reliving the kiss they once had shared.  Instead, he tightened his grasp and exhaled as waves of desire washed over him.  He moved in closer, dropping his hands to capture both of hers, and spoke in a low husky voice,  “Things change.  People change.  What happened between us surpassed friendship.  We have something special.”  He spoke his words very slowly, as though still considering their meaning as he uttered them.  The longing look he gave Honey told her he was thinking about the night she'd melted with desire beneath him.  He was so close his hot breath fanned her lips, sending a sensational heat down to her toes.  Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.  Were her emotions that easy to read?  </B></div> <div> <B>Honey suddenly panicked.  Jay was more determined than ever to find out the truth.  Her excuse about wanting to remain friends didn't sit well with him.  Was it because he refused to believe it was true or because he knew it wasn't so?</B></div> <div> <B>Stunned by his words, mesmerized by his smile, Honey could not move as she watched him slowly move forward.  Her nipples hardened and her lips parted as she yearned to relive their kiss.  How she wished things could be different!  But fate had dealt her a bad hand.</B></div> <div> <B>“Jay, it's over.”</B></div> <div> <B>Jay wanted to shake her senseless, then pull her into his arms and kiss her breathless, but he had seen the pain behind those gray eyes.  Although he wanted her to feel what he felt, he decided he would have to give her time.  If he didn't want her to clam up again he would have to be more careful and not rush her.  </B></div> <div> <B>Jay leaned towards her, and in parting he tenderly kissed the slender bridge of her nose.  “It will never be over.”  Moving away, he shot her a lopsided grin that caused her knees to wobble.  Jay then bid her good-bye, walking away with the parting words, “We'll talk soon.” </B></div> <div> <B>Honey stood for the longest time, completely immobilized, as a warm feeling flowed through her.</B></div> <div> <B>*  *  *</B></div> <div> <B>With moonlight pouring into her room, Honey stared out at the dark sky and sighed for the hundredth time since she'd arrived home.  Feeling a sudden draft, she pulled the pink velour blanket over her shoulders and curled into a ball.  </B></div> <div> <B>After today she was more confused than ever before.  Her mind had managed to travel back into the past, and unwanted feelings had returned.  Despite the intervening months, it had taken one glimpse of Jay to realize she still desperately wanted him.</B></div> <div> <B>Honey shifted her head on the pillow and stared up at the ceiling.  She had hoped that the next time she saw Jay her feelings would have been different.  Instead, they had been the same, maybe even stronger.  Seeing Jay today had forced her to admit the reality that her attraction had not diminished and neither had his.  She had seen his heart through his eyes and she knew he still cared for her.  It had all been too much.  </B></div> <div> <B>Closing her eyes, she pictured his handsome face.  She hadn't fully realized how much she'd truly missed him until today.  Ending their relationship had created a sense of loss she never would have expected.  </B><B>How lonely my life has become.  </B><B>She took a deep breath as emotions choked her.  The desire that had lain dormant in her heart for several months had resurfaced.  Now it was alive and burning between them.  How was it Jay was able to make her feel that way?  Her head told her to stay away but her heart was saying something else.  Desire mingled with fear.  Honey realized her feelings were in turmoil.  She swallowed hard, trying to stay calm as she savored their latest encounter. </B></div> <div> <B>Standing so close to Jay, she had ached to reach up and stroke his face.  She had wanted to relive the feel of his body against hers, the taste of his succulent lips, and the soft caress of his fingertips across her breasts.  She shook her head and tried to escape the memories, but a shiver raced through her and made it unbearable to lie still.  Moving to a sitting position on the bed, Honey leaned against her headboard.  Her bed felt so cold and alone.  How wonderful it would be to have Jay's warm body lying next to her, holding her tight.  Honey drew her knees up to her chest and dropped her head on them.  Tears swelled in her eyes.  It bothered her that she was so distracted by him.  She hated that Jay had the power to destroy the tranquility of her life.  She tried to be angry with him but couldn't.  She tried to dismiss the memory of how he had made her feel that afternoon, but she failed at that, too.</B></div> <div> <B>Jay's voice came again, echoing through the silence of her room.</B><B>  “Why do you insist on running?”</B><B>  </B></div> <div> <B>Although Jay had revealed her fear, she couldn't answer.  What would happen when he found out the truth?  She was so afraid he would.  Then what would he think of her?</B></div> <div> <B>Jay was back in her life and the look in his eyes meant he was more determined than ever to find out why she had ended their relationship.  Panic squeezed at her chest.  She couldn't let that happen!  But Jay had a strange power over her that was difficult to control.  Fighting to calm her mounting fear, Honey took a deep cleansing breath.  No.  She was doing the right thing.  As much as it hurt, there was no way things were going to change.  As much as her body wanted otherwise, she had to continue to keep him at bay.  </B></div> <div> <B>She and Jay could never be together.</B></div> <div> <B>Honey removed the pillow from behind her head and held it to her breast.  She groaned and closed her eyes.  What a poor substitute for the real thing!</B></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>*  *  *</B></div> <div> <B>Jay stepped out of the bathroom and quickly realized the cold shower had been unsuccessful in taming his aroused loins.  He groaned with frustration.  He had not been intimate with another woman since that night with Kendra.  Because of Honey, he had lost the desire to be with anyone else.  It had taken all his strength tonight not to pull Honey into his arms and devour her lips, sampling their sweetness once again.  Torn between wanting her but afraid of frightening her off, he intended to spend a lot of time plotting schemes to win her heart.  </B></div> <div> <B>Jay strolled into his room and reached for his underwear drawer.  Honey was more gorgeous than he'd remembered, with large eyes that seemed to swallow him whole.  Her petite frame gave her an image of fragile vulnerability.  Yet she was the same strong-willed, stubborn little fireball who initially attracted him.  Tonight he'd watched her struggle with emotions as she tried to deny her feelings for him.  But Jay knew better.  Honey had forgotten that she had allowed him an opportunity to see inside her head.  He knew her defensive wall acted as a shield against something that had happened to her in her past, something that had preventing her from allowing anyone to get too close.  In all the time they'd bared their souls, she never once shared that piece of information.  Now Jay was determined to find out what it was.  Once he obtained that information he'd have the piece of her he desired most.  </B></div> <div> <B>  Her heart.</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><B>  </B></FONT></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>