The millennium arrived with such promise—
will it deliver for recently widowed Merry Delaney?
Welcome to MFRW Hooks, where the authors of Marketing for Romance Writers share snippets from their stories to entice you into wanting more. Be sure to click on the links at the end to travel!
Since The Merry Widow opens on a New Year’s Eve, I’ll post its opening for the Sunday Snippet hop this coming Sunday, but meanwhile, here’s the moment Merry meets Detective Jim Delaney:
EXCERPT
Merry parked the car in her Glencoe driveway. She got out and breathed deeply. She loved the richly fragrant springtime air. One of the best decisions she and Dan had ever made was purchasing this acre of land with its large old two-story house. Mature oaks and maples added to the sense of purpose and security of the place. This was home. Her home. And if she did kick up her heels and fall on her face in the process, she’d always have this place to return to.
She stopped by a lilac bush and sniffed, then closed her eyes and let the scent waft into her nostrils. This would do. Life would be just fine…
The crushed rock driveway crunched under the tires of a car entering. Merry cranked her head around as if she’d been caught doing something naughty.
She compressed her lips. She didn’t recognize the modest gray sedan or the brawny dark-haired man prying himself out of the driver’s seat. He gave her a crooked smile and a nod and walked toward her. Sauntered, she corrected herself.
“Mrs. Delaney? Mrs. Merry Delaney?” the man asked, reaching into his inner coat pocket and pulling out a badge.
“Yes, I’m Merry Delaney.” Her breath caught. “What’s wrong? Is it Tiffany? Has something happened to my daughter?”
The man shook his large head. He could pass for a Chicago Bears linebacker. His dark eyes penetrated.
Was he staring into her soul? Was he stripping her naked? Where did that thought come from? So maybe he was just the first man to show up since she’d decided it was time move on.
“I’m Detective Jim Barnes of the Chicago Police Department, Mrs. Delaney. I’m investigating a case that you may be able to shed some light on.” He looked around the front yard. “If it’s not too much trouble, could we step inside? This conversation might draw less curiosity if we conduct it indoors.”
“Of course, Detective Barnes. Forgive me.” She reached for her keys and unlocked the front door. “Come on in. I’ll make some coffee.”
“Don’t bother on my account.”
“No problem. It’s already made—I just have to push a button. I almost always have some ready to go.”
Now why was she rattling on so? Was it because she was unsure what questions he was going to ask? Or was it his physical presence? He was a solid male specimen—no question about that. And she couldn’t quite get away from him long enough to collect her thoughts. He’d followed her into the kitchen. That was okay. She was more comfortable in her kitchen than most anywhere else in the house.
BLURB
So much for all the anticipation about the new millennium. Merry Delaney’s life is still in a rut and shows no signs of changing. Sex? A fading memory, gone long before her husband actually died. Excitement? Hardly the hallmark of an accountant’s life. At forty-two, what can she look forward to?
Until her best friend takes Merry’s predicament into her practiced hands. One passionate kiss unleashes possibilities Merry never dreamed of—and she wants to sample them all. Men? Women? Young? Old? Ménage? Toys? Yes, to all, to pleasure, to making up for lost time.
Enter Chicago Detective Jim Barnes, who solicits Merry’s help with a mob funds-skimming case. Can the scorching passion that soon smolders between Merry and Jim survive the escalating mob threats of exposure? Having discovered a zest for sex, will Merry ever again be satisfied with one man?
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