“What did you feel, Jacqui?”
“Felt I wasn’t worth it. I questioned why me, and not in the why did I have to get this awful disease way, but in the why was I surviving when someone more worthy wasn’t way.” She then looked up at him, feeling the stupid tears pooling in her eyes. “Why not the mother of four whose husband was there for every treatment, only to have it not be good enough, and she left this world, leaving behind a family who needed her? No one needed me. My husband couldn’t even stay by my side.”
“Fuck him,” Grant said vehemently, startling Jacqui. “The little bit I knew about him from Julie made me want to hunt down the bastard and beat the shit out of him. He didn’t deserve you.”
Jacqui drew back, shocked at his statement. “You know nothing about me.”
“I knew enough to become intrigued and I wanted to know more. And when Julie told me you were finally joining her here today, I felt like a stalker waiting for you. Hoping I wasn’t going to make a fool of myself.”
Jacqui laughed. “You’re crazy. You’re a fit, handsome young guy who could have any woman you wanted, not someone like me who’s—”
“What? A cancer survivor? An older woman? You’re only forty-nine and I’m thirty-seven. So what? Age has nothing to do with it.”
Jacqui stood and paced nervously, wondering how in the world she’d gotten into this conversation in a closed room with this man who was practically a stranger. Never mind his stunning looks and seemingly caring nature. “Yes, it does. I’m not some eager cougar who’s ready for some hot young stud to be prowling after me.”
“Cougar, eh?” Grant grinned while he stood. “And you think I’m a hot young stud?”
She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Okay, forget I said that. This is ridiculous.”
He slowly made his way toward her, indeed prowling, as if she were frightened prey and any sudden movement would send her reeling. Well, he certainly had her reeling, saying he was interested in her. Her? When he stopped in front of her, she stilled, doing nothing as he reached out to slip her glasses off her face and remove the beanie from her head, tossing them on the couch. Her hands instinctively went to cover her head, as if she could hide her hair—or lack of—but her effort proved fruitless as Grant’s hands intercepted hers, bringing them back to her sides. He tenderly caressed her cheeks before framing her face, his fingers threading in her fluffy hair. Jacqui felt her eyes widen as his face drew closer, his lips a whisper away from hers as his warm breath tickled and his sexy voice sent a jolt of longing through her body.
“There’s nothing ridiculous about my attraction to you. Call it crazy if you want, but I don’t care about having any other woman except you.”
Available in Ebook:
To Love a Cougar by Laura M. Baird
Contemporary Romance
At the age of forty-nine, Jacqui’s been through divorce and cancer. Her only thoughts are to survive, never thinking she’ll ever find love again.
Grant, twelve years Jacqui’s junior, learned a lot about her through a mutual friend, and somehow knew he’d make her his. Age is the last thing on his mind. Can the young stud convince the beautiful cougar that love is worth another chance?
Available in Ebook:
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