Merise Merrick, the heroine of my first romance, The Reluctant Wag, is a journalism student and part-time model, and she isn’t remotely interested in football players. As far as she’s concerned, they’re all overpaid jocks with limited intelligence. But then she meets Aussie Rules star, Cal McCoy, and gradually discovers that he’s no meat-head, and he’s also the most desireable man she’s ever set eyes on. But Cal doesn’t have time for romance…

Merise arrived at 7:00 on the dot. She paused at the entrance to the great, glittering room and composed herself. She wasn’t going to walk across that floor, she was going to float with consummate grace, and every eye was going to be on her. She was going to glow with a soft yet dazzling radiance that came partly from the glorious gown, partly from the make-up and partly from her own heart reaching out to him. She was going to pass underneath the rows of chandeliers, and will their light to reflect incandescently off her smiling face.
She stepped into the room and it felt like stepping off a cliff. She was suddenly aware of the music playing ““ Meditation from Thais – an impossibly romantic air that was gradually building to a heart-tearing crescendo. She could feel her breath rise with the sweet notes, could sense the soft silk of the gown mold more closely to her womanly form. And as she moved she could feel her feminine power rising within her ““ that power to arrest the attention, to charm and delight the eye of the male of the species. She was thinking of that poem he’d recited, but she was going to use those words against him, now ““ Today I put on a terrible strength, and tonight her strength would be manifest as beauty.
It was working. She could feel the eyes on her, the heat from the intense glances that turned to hungry stares and tracked her across the ball-room. From the corner of her eye she could see heads turn, mouths drop open, just a little. She could almost hear the little gasps caught in the throat, and she didn’t give a damn for any of it. There was only one man whose breath she wanted to trap in his chest, and she sensed, she knew that his eye was upon her.
Cal had been there for less than half an hour, and was chatting with a group of Ladco executives when he noticed a stir pass through the room. He looked up, saw her, and his heart turned over. She was gliding down the room in a long gown that floated out on all sides, shimmering like a water nymph in blues and greens and aquas. A bolt of desire shot through him. He’d never wanted any woman the way he wanted her at that moment.
He’d heard she might be here tonight and he’d resolved not to be fazed by her presence. He’d meant to give her no more than a polite nod. She’d hurt him so much he still couldn’t think about it without the bile rising. But the minute he saw her, all the bitterness melted away and he only saw her face ““ a face he could look at forever .
He moved distractedly from conversation to conversation, and all the time he was supremely aware of her. Finally he could no longer help his eyes tracking her around the room as she was approached by one person after another, all drawn to her like moths to a red-hot flame. He couldn’t follow what was being said to him. He couldn’t even pretend to listen any more.
He finally excused himself, “Sorry, I’ve just seen someone I must speak to.”
She felt him before she had the courage to glance up and meet his eye. She saw an expression on his face that made her heart beat harder. He was coming towards her ““ she could feel his presence looming. How would he greet her after all this time, after all that had happened? Their eyes met and instantly the powerful pull between them was there again.
The next second he was at her side. He looked down at her, a constrained smile on his handsome face. Oh! It struck her that she’d never fully realized how handsome he was, until this moment. He’d never looked more gorgeous. He was wearing a white tuxedo and black tie, but he was standing, towering over her, his hands in his pockets as usual, despite the glamour and formality of the occasion. And it wasn’t just that he was handsome ““ there was something in his face that made her want to keep looking at it ““ an appeal that spoke of strength, warmth, kindness as well as something intense, darkly exciting. He was the most attractive man she’d ever seen, or ever would see, and she’d never get over him. No one else would ever do. She knew that, even as she stood looking coolly up at him, and all the time it felt like her heart was swelling in her chest.
“Hello Merise,’ his voice was unusually low, almost hoarse. “How have you been?’
“Fine. You?” She heard the catch in her own throat, prayed he wouldn’t notice.
“Good.” He was looking grave now.
“I heard you father wasn’t very well?” she’d said it gently, but his face has closed down at once.
“Yeah, he’s not real good,” was all he said.
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “He must be so proud of you.”
He looked at her, and shrugged, “Yeah, I suppose.”
She felt that she’d been holding her breath forever. She had to do something to break the tension. She forced a broad smile, trying to appear jolly, to keep her voice steady. “I see the Wolves are going really well – still unbeaten. Even you’ve got to be happy with that.”
The smile barely creased his face, “Yeah the footy’s going well,” was all he said. “I wasn’t sure you’d be here tonight. I thought you’d finished with the modelling business.’
“Yes, I have, but Bev was stuck. One of the girls got sick at the last minute and she asked me to help her out. She’s been so good to me.”
He nodded, kept looking at her. He obviously wasn’t going to help her out of this awkward moment. Was he still so angry at her? Probably, and she couldn’t bear his unspoken hostility. There was no point prolonging the agony.
“Well, I’m starving,” she chirped, “must go grab some nibbles before they’re all gone. Great to see you. Bye!” and she was half-way across the room before he could reply.