Taylor Manning
Romance to Warm Your Heart!
Cover art (c) 2009 by Jude Glad
Review of The Groom Wore Leather
"Taylor Manning's THE GROOM WORE LEATHER is a spirited read full of high jinks, loveable characters, plenty of sexual tension and a wondrous acceptance of everything that makes life worth living." Five Blue Ribbons, Romance Junkies
Copyright 2009, Taylor Manning
The Groom
Wore Leather
The Ladies Prayer Circle of Ophelia, Texas, has undertaken the task of seeing that Hannah Murphy gets married. But when a bad-boy biker in leather and skin-tight jeans rolls into town, will stubborn Hannah be the first to ruin the Prayer Circle's long string of successes?
Hannah knew the invitation she was giving him. She told herself she couldn't stop, even as she admitted the truth. She didn't want to stop. She didn't want him to stop. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her tight against his body. God, he was hard, all warm skin and solid muscle.
His mouth closed on hers, his tongue teasing. The fit of their lips together, the taste of him in her mouth, the heat of his body as it seeped into hers, was better than perfect.
Oh, it had been so long. Her arms rose to encircle his neck, holding on as his hands swept along her sides, mapping the contour of her hips and waist and back. In another instant, his fingers slipped under her blouse, finding her breasts.
"Hannah, you feel so good," he whispered.
Somehow she got her voice to respond. "So do you."
A groan vibrated between them as he took her mouth again, stealing her breath. The world rolled beneath her. She leaned against him, let him hold her, balance her.
A voice deep inside told her she had to stop this now or it would be too late. As he swept her across his lap, she thought it might already be too late. Her whole body sang with long-forgotten sensations, her brain blocked any thought of pushing him away.
Just one more kiss, then I'll make him stop. Just one more.
He leaned over her, his fingers tracing her body with feathery touches, raising goose bumps all over her. His lips had moved to her neck. She couldn't stop the moan escaping her parted lips.
"Hannah, if you want me to stop, you need to say something now."
Had she imagined his words? Had he stopped kissing her while he spoke them? Or had she heard what she needed to hear?
Did she want him to stop?
"Just one more please." Framing his face with her hands, she pulled his mouth to hers again, seeking more of the flaming passion that seeped into her bones, making her feel alive and desirable.
He shifted, laying her on the cool grass and lying down next to her. She felt the hard length of his arousal pressing against her thigh. Her whole body jolted with shock.
Then a different kind of jolt shook her. Hannah sat up with horror. She shuddered.
"I'm sorry, Logan--"
"Don't be sorry. I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have--"
"No, no. Not that. I'm sorry, I'm going to--"
How many beers had she drunk? They were all boiling in her stomach. Her head spun. Everything went dark for a second and she had the fleeting thought that she might faint instead, which would be highly preferable to--
"Hannah?" His voice was tense with concern.
"I have to--" Her hand flew to her mouth. She made a move to get up and get away from him before--
Gentle hands helped her to her knees where she could more easily ruff up the contents of her stomach. The gentle hands pulled her hair behind her shoulders, rubbed her back, spoke softly to her as she puked.
When she was through, those same gentle hands helped her sit down and pulled her into a warm embrace.
"You okay, now?"
She nodded.
"Never had that effect on a woman before."
"I'm so sorry, Logan."
"It's okay."
Her gaze happened upon his feet. She wanted to die from mortification. "Oh, look what I did," she wailed, burying her head in her hands.
"Don't worry about it, Hannah. They'll clean up."
"But they look so expensive."
"They were. Full-quill ostrich."
"Oh, Logan, I'm so sorry. I'll replace them."
"I'd rather you give me a rain check on sitting here by the river with you in the moonlight. For now, I think I'd better take you home. Just let me clean these off first."
She managed a wan smile, then watched as he rose and walked to the edge of the river. He sat on a root and pulled off his boots.
His full-quill ostrich boots.
"Oh, nuts," she moaned.
Logan sloshed the boots in the water...
Her eyes grew heavy. She tried to keep them open, but it was impossible. She'd just close them for a moment while he was gone...
"They'll be good as new once they dry," Logan said, climbing up the bank to where Hannah waited. "Hannah?"
She lay on the grass, one arm over her now-empty tummy, the other arched behind her head.
"Well, damn. First she pukes, now she passes out. What a first date, huh, doll face?" He settled his fists on his hips and considered the situation. "Now how do I get you home? Especially since I don't know where you live?"
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