Excerpt Day: A Woman For Zachary by Adriana Kraft

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Meghan’s Playhouse Book 2: A Woman For Zachary by Adriana Kraft
Release Date: July 2, 2009
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
ISBN: 978-1-60313-434-7
Publisher Link: https://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/torrid/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=431

Blurb: Zachary Cullen has ignored Josette Patrice’s overtures for years, but she agrees to take on his latest protégé-slash-arm-candy, Meghan Keenan, in her off-Broadway workshop theater. The girl has incredible talent, but Josie would stake her reputation on that little thing being a switch-hitter, like herself, and she doesn’t want Zach to be duped. Josie sets out to seduce Meg and expose her for what she is, but all bets are off when Meg turns the tables on Josie to hook her up with Zach.

Excerpt:

"So does Zach know you're bi?" Josie said, lightly tapping Meg's inner thigh as if she were playing a piano.

"Of course he does." Meg covered Josie's fingers to still them. "I'm not ashamed of who I am."

"I should hope not," Josie responded. "It's how you were created. Thank God."

Meg brushed a cracker crumb from the corner of Josie's mouth. "So are you into men, too?"

Josie gave her a demure smile. "I've had my share of men."

"Zach?"

Meg's breath caught as she watched Josie's neck flush and her mouth work trying to respond to the one word question. Josie shook her head vigorously. "Zach doesn't know I exist as a woman."

"Oh." Did Josie hear her own bitterness?

"It's okay," Josie added quickly. Her rosy cheeks belied her words. "He's a good man. A busy man. And he prefers young women. That's the way it is."

"I see." Meg tucked away in a corner of her brain the notion that Josie might have more than a sexual interest in Zachary Cullen. How else could she explain the woman´s efforts to hide her embarrassment?

"So does he know that you play around while he's away?"

Meg stared hard at Josie. Her inquisitor looked innocent enough. There seemed to be no accusation or judgment in her question. Meg shrugged. "He doesn't tell me how many women he's with while he's gone. We've never talked about a committed relationship. I'm not ready for that." She squeezed Josie's thigh. "If I ever am, it'll probably be with a man or woman closer to my age."

"I understand," Josie said, evidently rediscovering her perkiness. "I'm forty-three. Too old for the long term."

Meg nodded. "Exactly, but I'm sure looking forward to the short term. You seem so sure of yourself."

"Well, looks can be deceiving."

"So when did you decide you wanted me? When you first met me, or later?"

"Later." Josie reached for her wine glass and sipped before continuing. "You're a difficult girl to ignore. Your exuberance matches my own, yet there's something mysterious about your smile, about your eyes. I expect you were seducing me and perhaps didn't even know it."

"Perhaps," Meg admitted. "But I would never have taken the first step."

"I know," Josie grinned, running the back of her hand across Meg's cheek. "You do have patience."

"So did my being with Zach have anything to do with your interest in me?"

Josie's brow knitted and then she gave her a half smile. "Why don't we leave Zach out of this?" She leaned over and pressed her lips against Meg's cheek. "He's not here. We are."

"For now," Meg murmured, covering Josie's soft lips with her own. Josie had closed her eyes, so any reaction, even if she'd heard her words, was hidden. She couldn't help doubting the notion that Zach hadn't seen Josie as a woman. That seemed impossible. So what was Zach's hang up about Josette Patrice?

They played slowly with tongues and lips until Meg leaned away. She arched an eyebrow at her hostess. "You did speak of dessert earlier. I believe the dessert I have for you that you checked out a bit ago has heated up quite nicely." She stuck her tongue between her lips and waggled it. "How is mine doing? Do you suppose we risk over-cooking dessert?"

Josie laughed easily and intertwined their fingers drawing them under her caftan until they rested against her mound. "You tell me," she whispered.

"Goodness, heat is pouring out of you. And you are already quite wet."

"As I expected." Josie pushed back her chair. "We don't want to risk over cooking. Maybe we should take our wine into the living room and do a little dessert testing. I've often found my tongue is a better gauge of readiness than any thermometer."

Giggling, Meg rose to her feet and followed Josie toward the spacious living room. Patience was about to bear fruit. She doubted she'd ever been seduced more thoroughly, and she'd picked up a nuance or two to add to her own repertoire for the future.