Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. . .as told by Tess

When it comes to pure enjoyment the only thing I enjoy nearly as much as a grunting, growling, squealing, and toe-curling orgasm (with Josh, of course) is dancing. OMG, it’s like being weightless and flying, especially if the music’s just right. You know what I mean – you feel it pulsing in your head and your stomach and nothing else matters. You have to move.

I’ve been told that when I’m dancing it’s like I’m in a trance. Maybe it’s because of the dance gene I inherited from my mom. . .or maybe it’s the Latin heritage she gave to me. All I know is that what I feel and how I act is hard for me to describe. But not for Josh. He did an awesome job of putting into words what happens to me when I’m dancing. It was in our story in Close to Perfect. In this scene, we had just arrived at the dance club:

Its nondescript exterior hardly prepared him for what was inside. There were softly pulsing lights and a glass roof. Beneath countless stars, hundreds of young couples moved sinuously against each other, keeping time to the music.

It was outrageously erotic, the strains prolonged, provocative.

Tess was immediately seduced. Working her fingers through her hair, she lifted it off her shoulders, then swayed her hips. Soon, her eyes were closed, her body undulating as she raised her face to the sky becoming fully lost in this world.

Josh watched transfixed; there was nothing else he could do. Never had he seen a woman dance like that. Tess was as free as he was captive and somehow that felt so very right.

Whew. If you want more, go to Chapter Fourteen of our story. I swear, you will not be disappointed.

But for now let’s get to what Josh promised in the last blog. If you’ll recall, he said that the guy he hired to teach him to dance the salsa, merengue, and the tango knew me. . .or of me. My first thought was that I had ticketed or arrested him when I was a cop, because I sure as hell haven’t taken any dance lessons from the guy. After Josh stopped laughing, he said that this guy saw me when I was working as a cop, but not while I was on duty. Well that left only one thing; we were at a club at the same time. Now even though I like to think that I’m a pretty good dancer, I don’t think I stand out enough for guys to go into a trance and drool and then remember me years later. (Josh is currently rolling his eyes like I’m crazy or something. We’re by the pool and he should be skinny-dipping, not reading the computer screen over my shoulder. “Right, baby?” I just asked.)

There he goes rolling his eyes again, but he did just peck me on the cheek. (so sweet) Now, he’s moving to the edge of the – wait a sec – there he goes. He’s stripping down to – wow – did I ever say how beautiful he is?

Okay, now I’m grinning like a girl gone wild and just as soon as I finish telling my story, I’m joining my baby in all that water.

So here goes: The more I thought about the guy and what Josh said about hiring him because he did remember me, the more I thought about those days when I frequented the clubs. And then I had it – the one incident that would have stood out in that guy’s mind.

It happened when I had been on the police force for five years – the year before I quit to join my dad’s security company. I had been dating a fellow cop for a few months and one Friday night, instead of watching an excruciatingly boring game on TV like we always did, I wanted to go dancing. Talk about asking for the moon – you’d think I wanted his balls or the password to his debit card. But I kept at him until he agreed that we’d go dancing.

HUGE mistake. And not because he couldn’t dance (he couldn’t), but because he watched me dance and got all hot about it, telling me that I was acting inappropriately. Huh? I wasn’t stripping, mind you – I was dancing – just like all the others in the club.

And that’s where Josh’s dance teacher comes in. He was at the club that night to host and judge a dance contest with the first prize being a thousand dollars. I won’t lie – I wanted that money; hell, I needed it since my rent had just gone up by a hundred bucks a month, so I asked him if I could dance by myself or did I need a partner? He told me there would be a singles and couples category so no partner was necessary – just the upfront fee of twenty bucks. I whipped out the cash and entered.

That made my date even hotter. He told me no way was his girlfriend making a spectacle of herself and that we were leaving. I told him he could do whatever he freaking wanted because one: I wasn’t his girlfriend anymore and two: I wasn’t leaving. I was staying. I was dancing. I was going to enjoy myself. By God, I was going to win that contest.

Next thing I know he’s grabbing my arm to haul me out of there. HUMUNGOUS mistake. By then I had started to take those self-defense courses that Josh found so intriguing. After a few quick moves on my part my former boyfriend was spread-eagle on the dance floor staring up at me with a look of disbelief on his face since he outweighed me by quite a bit. Not that it mattered – I floored the bum.

Now let’s flash forward to when Josh’s soon-to-be dance instructor saw me in Josh’s outer office. He asked Josh if I knew martial arts. When Josh asked how the guy knew that, he told Josh about that night at the club. I didn’t win the contest, but I did get rid of the jerk I was dating and the dance guy thought that was really cool, which is why Josh hired him.

After that incident, I vowed I’d never date another bossy jerk. I guess bringing Josh to the club that night in Close to Perfect was my test for him. What would he do when he saw me in action? How would he react? Believe me, he passed with flying colors.

Not that my dad was convinced. It took no end of charm and a whole lot more on Josh’s part to win Freddy Franklin over before Josh asked me to marry him. But that’s another story that my dad would love to tell all of you the next time.

Until then, keep having fun until it feels like you’re dancing!

(Image: Getty Image) See it and more good stuff at: www.tinadonahue.com

Knives, Cuffs, and Other Matters That Are a Part of Loving Tess. . .as told by Josh

Welcome to my world – one filled with weapons of all kinds, even seemingly innocent ones you’d find in any kitchen. But what else can a guy expect when he’s in love with an ex-cop turned bodyguard?

Of course, Tess tries to downplay the danger.

Take that police commendation she received for bravery that we went back and forth about in Chapter Two of our story in Close to Perfect. When I asked her what happened to lead to a commendation, she said: “Nothing.” When I explained what she should have already known, that she was in freaking danger, she said: “Maybe.” When I asked how much danger (spell it out sister, pull-ease), she asked me why I was worried. Cops. Why do they never really answer a question? And if they do, why is it always with another question?

When I finally looked her up on the Net, and not because of the commendation but because of the cheesecake pictures I was afraid I’d find (but that’s a whole other matter that starts in Chapter Six and continues in Chapter Seven of our story), I learned a few details about what led to her commendation for bravery. It was in all the papers. But it wasn’t until months after we fell in love that she finally ‘fessed up to the details the news reports didn’t mention.

I’m still not certain whether I’m glad that she told me or not. But here goes:

Her commendation was for the way she handled a domestic dispute. As any cop and/or neighbor will tell you, they are the absolute worst. And in this case, it had all the ingredients for disaster. First problem: The husband was only eighteen at the time and just brimming with all that testosterone that eighteen-year-old guys have. Second problem: His wife was eighteen, too, and was pregnant with their second child. Thankfully, the couple’s toddler was with the woman’s parents, but that was the only thing to be grateful for. When Tess and her partner arrived the husband was threatening to do some serious harm to his wife with a butcher knife. Seems he got upset when she asked him to stop playing his video games and watch what was cooking on the stove so she could get ready for work. At the time, she was holding down two jobs while he was currently unemployed. But he had some really cool ideas for a video game of his own, and if she just got off his back, he’d be able to think about it and get rich. Uh-huh. He later lost it in court and complained that it pissed him off to have her ordering him around like he was nothing when he had these big ideas. Right. Anyway, Tess was not about to let that poor woman and her unborn baby get hurt. While her partner called for backup, Tess offered herself as a hostage; promised him the moon; and when the guy’s guard was finally down and he agreed to put the knife to her throat instead of his wife’s, Tess rushed him.

Adrenaline and pure rage gave Tess the strength to knock him down. You see, those were the days before she knew all that martial arts stuff that she uses now. Lucky for her that it worked. Besides outweighing her by more than a hundred pounds, the bum was also high. Once Tess had him on the floor she fought him for the knife. By then, the backup was starting to arrive and her partner was trying to get a clear shot of him with her pepper spray and/or gun. Lucky for him that Tess finally got the knife and cuffed him, and it only cost her a bruised kidney and two broken ribs. A week later he filed a civil suit against her and the police department for brutality. Sure. He had a few claw marks from Tess’s nails on his right hand, while she was black and blue.

And here she said it was nothing.

But that’s my Tess. She went to see the wife when her husband got sentenced for resisting arrest, attempted murder with a deadly weapon, and a whole slew of other charges. The last Tess heard, the young woman was trying to get her act together and leave that bum behind. Hope it worked out for her and her kids.

For me, well, I know Tess is skilled at what she does and she really doesn’t take unnecessary risks. Of course, there are times when I find myself siding with her dad. He always hoped she’d become a dancer, like her late mother. Since that’s never gonna happen, I am glad that I learned a step or two so I can keep up with her.

Surprising thing, though, the guy I hired to teach me all the right moves already knew Tess. . .or of her, let’s say. That’s why I hired him. When I finally told her about that and who he was, she was genuinely surprised.

But that’s her story which she’ll share with you next time. . .

Josh’s Luscious Tattoo. . .as told by Tess

I’m the first to admit that those beefcake pictures of Josh on the front cover of Keys Confidential had almost everything to do with me wanting to be his bodyguard. Sure, the account was great for my dad’s biz, but hey, who’re we kidding here? Seeing Josh leaving his pool with his broad shoulders, tight ass, and awesome thighs revealed from one photo to the next, and the sun glittering off all that wet naked male flesh, still makes my toes curl. And what about his tattoo? That’s a picture of it to the left. Believe me, that baby sent me over the edge then and after we made love on Josh’s private beach, which just happened to be on his private island. Check out Chapter 15 of our story in Close to Perfect if you want the full details. Trust me, you won’t be sorry.

But now for what we promised you last week – The Story of How Josh Got His Tattoo. Okay, so maybe I’m being a little dramatic here, but for the life of me I couldn’t understand why he was so reluctant to tell me how and why he got it. It’s not like it screamed the name of an old girlfriend, right? Something like: Dawn Forever or Death! And even if an old girlfriend just so happened to be a tattoo artist who just so happened to tattoo his shoulders and back, what’s the big deal? It’s not like he’s still with her, you know?

Of course, it was a woman who gave him the tattoo and he did date her and it got pretty damned serious. . .well, as serious as everlasting romance can get for an eighteen-year-old. Did I mention that Josh didn’t get the tattoo during his construction days like I first thought? That’s right, he was in his last days of high school when he went for it, while Ms. Tattoo Artist was, shall we say, a bit past her prom expiration date – thirty-one to be exact. An April-August romance if ever there was one. Seriously though, Josh was looking for a lot more than a tattoo and some hot times when he hooked up with this lady.

Let me explain. If you’ll recall from our story in Close to Perfect, on that first night we spent together Josh told me about his mom and how she’d given him up for adoption. Now, if you haven’t read our story then shame on you (just kidding), but seriously I want you to know that Josh did not end up in an orphanage (he told me there’s no such thing anymore); his biological dad wanted him and was there every step of the way until he got killed in a construction accident when Josh was ten. Although Josh’s paternal grandparents took him in after that, Josh always wondered about his mom. I know, I know – in our story he brushed it off, but hey, we couldn’t get into every single thing about our pasts in the book – that’s what blogs are for! So anyway, when Josh was eighteen he did try to locate her.

Which brings us to Ms. Tattoo Artist. You see, her cousin, Mitch, and Josh’s mom had hooked up for awhile. Of course, that was a few years past, so even though she couldn’t tell him where his mom currently was, she did offer Josh a free tattoo – unless he was too shy to take off his tee and too chicken to have her touching his bare skin.

Yeah, right. What eighteen-year-old guy’s gonna turn down a proposal like that from a woman-of-the-world who’s wearing a tight leather vest and has a freaking heart tattooed above her left nipple?

To say Josh was happy during their brief affair is putting it mildly. I did catch him smiling once or twice while he was telling his story, and Ms. Tattoo Artist was one of the ladies who sent him a basket of flowers after his ‘exposure’ in Keys Confidential.Of course, she was just happy that her work got so much play in that tabloid.

As for me, I have a few wild tales in my past, no tattoos though since mine are cop stories, and in our next post Josh will share details about the one that had him all worried when we first met.

For more great images of Celtic tattoos, please visit: http://www.tattoojob.com/

Our Midnight Delight

Josh’s recipe for Tess’s favorite dish. . .as told by Tess.

Before we get to the food, you should know that the name of this recipe has nothing to do with romance. Well, okay, maybe it does after Josh and I are through eating. But he actually came up with the name because of our crazy schedules.

Take mine for instance. Believe me, being a bodyguard isn’t easy. There’s the insane hours, the inherent risks, and the demanding clients. Not that I’m complaining about my days of being a bodyguard and pretend girlfriend for Josh even though the man wanted me at his side around the clock. If he could have put another four hours into each of our days, he would have. And you better believe I would have allowed it. If you haven’t yet noticed, he is so hot. But what really sold me was the way Josh looked at me from the get-go; not only with interest, but with admiration and respect. Wow. And then there were his digs, which are our digs now. They’re like a setting in one of those steamy historical romances. You know what I mean; a Caribbean-style mansion flanked by moss-draped live oaks and cypress trees on an estate to die for. . .complete with a guy to die for. For the total picture, check out chapter four of our story in Close to Perfect – trust me, you won’t be sorry.

Anyway, since our respective jobs sometime delays dinner until midnight, Josh came up with this recipe that to me is true comfort food – Spanish style – just like my mom, Carlita, used to make. It’s good enough to make you moan. And if you and your partner enjoy this dish in bed and in the altogether like we do – well then, it’s truly moan-worthy.

Our Midnight Delight. . .as told by Josh

Ingredients

6 large eggs, whipped
Splash of cream
Handful of green onions, chopped
1 small can of green chiles
Chorizo sausage (imported from Spain is definitely the best; easy to find online) sliced, diced, or chopped, whichever you prefer; use as much or as little as you like
Seasonings: sea salt and cayenne
Cheese to top it off (Tess and I prefer Idiazábal sheep’s cheese. It has a lightly smoked flavor. But if you prefer another, go for it.)

Steps

After browning the onions and crisping the sausage in a skillet using olive oil, not butter, pour in your mixture of eggs, cream, and green chiles. As it cooks, season with cayenne and sea salt or whatever else you’d like. I use a medium heat so the eggs stay moist. Work the mixture gently as it cooks and when it’s the consistency you want, top it with cheese, cover the skillet, remove from the open flame and wait a minute to allow the cheese to melt.

Serve with garlic toast (if you’re in a committed and forgiving relationship)

In our house, this recipe makes two servings: We split it 60-40 since Tess can’t possibly match my appetite; at least, when it comes to food.

Enjoy!

(Photo by IMSI USA)

What Attracted Me Most to Tess? Well, for one - the way she wears her gun. . .

Yep, that’s right. My lady packs heat – literally and figuratively. Of course, it’s the way Tess does it that’s so damned arousing.
Now for those of you who are clueless as to what I mean, here’s an excerpt from page twenty-one of our story in "Close to Perfect":

“You carry a gun?”

“All the time.”

Josh struggled for a moment, then let his gaze trickle back down her. Where in the world could she have concealed a weapon in that outfit? The suit fit her nearly as well as skin. As far as Josh could tell, the only thing pushing against the fabric were curves that were supposed to be there.At last, he glanced at her thighs. Was it possible that she was sporting a gun in a frilly garter? Did bodyguards do that? Did ex-cops?

See what I mean? Now, it’s not everyday that I have a sultry ex-cop turned bodyguard visiting my office and offering to protect my ass from opportunistic females. Of course, those buck-naked pictures of me on the front of that tabloid were what started it all. But that’s the very beginning of Tess’s and my time together.

In this blog we want to take you deeper than that – to those parts that weren’t in the novel, to what’s been happening since the story you read ended, and even a bit of our pasts that ultimately brought us to each other.

But that’s next time and in the days to come when Tess and I will be putting up our new blogs and inviting you deeper into our romance. In between those days, we'll be posting fun facts and I'll even throw in a cool recipe or two - remember, I do like to cook and a guy's gotta eat! Right now though, she’s motioning to me from our bedroom window (I’m outside by the pool, the so-called scene of the crime in our story). I could be wrong, but given the look in her eyes I think Tess wants to play her favorite fantasy. I’ll give you a hint – it’s on page seventy-eight of the novel. And you better believe I’m all for it, as long as we get to use her handcuffs a bit later.

That’s it for now. Join us next time when we go over one of Tess’s favorite things: my tattoo. I finally told her the whole story of when I got it and why, and she’ll soon be sharing that - um - hot adventure with you.

Until then, I hope your action is as great as mine. . .

Check out these great sites for more info on me & Tess!

The Long And The Short Of It: Review: Close To Perfect
http://community.eharlequin.com/content/close-perfect
http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/880000288/post/820026882.html?q=Tina+Donahue