“Real Men Do It Better”
ISBN: 0-312-35979-9, St. Martin’s Press
Wanted: A Real Man. Must be irresistible, good with his hands, and know how to handle any situation ... in or out of the bedroom.
If you're going to be stuck in the middle of nowhere, it might as well be with an intelligent, insightful, romantic hunk of a man who spends a lot of time in pajama pants, don't you think? That's where uptight Los Angeles exec Kate Dreyfuss finds herself after her boss sends her on a mandatory retreat to the New Mexico mountains. But because of a scheduling mixup, lodge owner Jorey Matheny isn't expecting anyone, let alone a beautiful woman going through a life crisis and caffeine-withdrawal. When a desert downpour floods the only road out, Kate is forced to stay put and slow down for a few days. With Jorey's help, Kate learns to unwind and let go in a way she never thought possible.
Excerpt from “Bed and Breakfast,” novella by Susan Donovan
“Come on in, I guess.”
She saw the scuffed toe of his cowboy boot first, easing the door open enough that he could step through, one hand carrying a tray and the other a stack of magazines. She was about to tell him to set everything down and get lost, when she noticed his jeans. As he walked over to a table by the window and pulled it toward the bedside, Kate observed how the worn and pale denim pulled softly against his narrow hips, rounded butt, and lean thighs. There was a slight tear in the left knee and a few drops of dark paint on the right leg just above the ankle. And the way the jeans seemed to cradle what was hiding behind the zipper ... Kate swallowed hard, trying not to stare.
Suddenly, he was standing right beside the bed, looking down at her. My God, the man was extraordinary. The clean, white smile and that single deep dimple on his right cheek made him look like a kid. The salt-and-pepper stubble and the self-assured set of his broad shoulders made him seem much older.
But it was the peaceful awareness in those dark eyes that suggested Jorey was far more than he was letting on. And all Kate could wonder was what was a man this fine doing hiding in the middle of Southwestern Bum-Fuck?
“How old are you, Jorey?”
“Old enough to know better. How about you?”
She supposed she should be offended, but she’d started the conversation. “The same. At least most of the time.”
“Ah. Then we understand each other.” Jorey’s lips spread wide and his eyes lit up. He wasn’t shy about letting his gaze stray from her face to her uncovered shoulders, upper arms, and ...
Kate pulled the sheet up under her chin, suddenly aware that the combination of the cold air and the hot man was making a spectacle of her chest.
“Don’t bother, Princess. I noticed those happy little girls first thing this morning.” Jorey arranged the tray and magazines, smile still intact.
Kate remained calm, determined not to produce the shock he was clearly fishing for. In a pleasant voice, she said, “Not especially interested in the social niceties, are we?”
“I got expelled from charm school. That’s why they sent me up here.”
“Was this before or after you flunked out of the hospitality management program?”
“Eat your soup.”