Total Abandon - Softcover

Carew, Opal

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0312674597 ISBN 13: 9780312674595

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin, 2011

Synopsis

After her divorce Sandra swore off any involvement with men for a year. On the anniversary of Sandra's divorce, her friend, Aimee, suggests she make a list of sexy things she's never done, but would like to. After Sandra makes a few safe suggestions, Aimee cajoles her until Sandra opens up and pulls out her deeper, darker fantasies. Thus, The List is born.

Devlin is in love with Sandra, but knows she's not ready for a committed relationship yet, so he and Aimee hatch a plan to get Sandra to go away to a secluded hideaway for a weekend, complete with two gorgeous hunks, to make The List come true.

But Sandra experiences something more intoxicating that's not on The List...falling in love.

About this title

About the Author:

I am an author who writes romance and erotic romance. I've been published in eBooks since 2004. I made my first major sale in May 2006 to St. Martin's Press when they signed me for a three book contract.

I have recently started writing 3 books a year for them (previously it was 2 books per year.)  In addition to the contemporary erotic romance I publish with St. Martin's, I also publish fantasy and futuristic romance (both erotic and steamy) with other publishers such as Samhain Publishing, Red Sage, and Sinful Moments Press.

I love to hear from readers, so please feel free to drop by my website (OpalCarew.com) and send me an email through the "Contact Me" link.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

One
 
“I can’t believe you’ve gone an entire year without sex. And by choice.”
Sandra grimaced at her friend’s comment. She tightened her fingers around her champagne flute. Many times she’d regretted telling Aimee about her resolution, but in fact, her confession to Aimee had forged a closer friendship between them. A friendship that had helped her through some tough times over the past year. Especially the loneliness.
Aimee held up her glass. “Happy anniversary.” She grinned. “A year well behind you.”
Sandra clinked her champagne glass against Aimee’s, then sipped the bubbly wine. Not that a failed marriage was something to celebrate.
She glanced around Maelstrom’s Bar, wondering when Devlin would arrive to join them. He’d called to say he’d be a little late because he’d had to attend an afternoon meeting on the outskirts of the city. That meant he had to brave the rush-hour traffic driving back downtown to meet them. Once he got here, he’d have some trouble finding parking, too, since the bar was in a busy area.
Sandra pushed her long hair behind her ear as she shifted on the upholstered seat. It was Friday evening and the bar was filling up fast, but she and Aimee had walked over right after work and grabbed one of the cozy curved booths near the window.
“So, you’re sticking with your story that your ex wasn’t a complete loser? Because I’m all ears if you want to dis him. It’ll help get it out of your system.”
“No, Eric was just the wrong guy for me.”
Not that it hadn’t hurt to find he no longer loved her. Or really, that he had never loved her. They’d dated since high school, and for many years, they’d mistaken being comfortable with being in love. But neither of them had wanted the marriage to fail—to admit they had failed—so it had taken ten years for them to finally realize that divorce was the only answer. They simply weren’t happy together. They were great roommates, but their connection had broken down years ago—if it had ever been there in the first place.
Aimee pursed her lips. “Okay then. Moving on. Tell me what you’re looking for in a man.”
She leaned toward Sandra and her lips turned up in a crooked smile. Sandra could tell Aimee had had a little too much to drink. And Sandra probably had, too. Champagne tended to have that effect on her.
Sandra attempted to answer her friend’s question, but when she tried to picture the man of her dreams, all she came up with was a blank.
Aimee seemed to understand her dilemma. She sipped from her glass, then giggled. “I have an idea. Let’s make a list.”
She opened her purse and pulled out a pen, then grabbed one of the small square cocktail napkins the waitress had left on the table with the appetizer platter. Aimee wrote down the numeral one followed by a dot.
“Okay, I want you to think about”—she giggled—“you know ... men ... and what you’d really like.”
“What I’d like? I guess I’d like a guy who’s really sensitive, with a good sense of humor and ... well, a sense of adventure.”
Aimee pointed at her and winked. “That’s what I’m talking about. Adventure.” She sipped her drink again, then set down her glass. “Forget that Mr. Sensitive stuff. Think about Mr. Muscle-Bound-Hunk meets Mr. Sexy-Bad-Boy and how he”—she winked—“or, better yet, they could make your dreams come true.”
Sandra knew exactly what Aimee was talking about. Sandra had made the mistake of telling Aimee about one of her ultra sexy dreams, dreams that had been a frequent occurrence over the past few months. Fantasies brought to life in steamy erotic detail in the middle of the night, leaving her hot and frustrated in the morning.
“Before you settle down with Mr. Right, you need to get your mojo back. You know, enjoy the single life and see what’s out there. Now”—she pointed at Sandra with her pen—“tell me what kinds of adventures you want to have. Your wildest, craziest fantasies. Let’s write them down.”
“I don’t see the point in making a list.” Sandra really didn’t want her fantasies written out in black and white. That seemed too ... sordid.
“Ah, come on. If you can dream about them, you can talk about them.”
Sandra’s cheeks flushed. “I don’t think so.”
Aimee patted Sandra’s hand. “Honey, there’s nothing wrong with having fantasies. And it’s good to examine them. It’ll help you know what really turns you on. Which is good since you’re going to start dating again. Look, I’ll get us started. You told me about that one where you were captured by pirates and carried off to their ship, so...”
Sandra watched as Aimee wrote Be held captive beside the numeral one.
“Now you,” Aimee said, pen poised.
Sandra shrugged. “I don’t know. I can’t think of anything.”
“What about that book you were reading a couple of weeks ago? It had bondage, didn’t it?”
“Um ... dominance and submission, actually.”
Aimee smiled. “You’d like to try that?”
Sandra shrugged again. Aimee nudged her shoulder.
“Come on. Get into the spirit of it. I’m just trying to help.”
Sandra took a sip of her champagne and gazed at Aimee’s deep blue eyes. She did want to help. Sandra sighed.
“Okay. Well, I’m not sure about the bondage and domination stuff. I’d have to know the guy pretty well.”
“Well, yeah.” Aimee nibbled on one of the chicken wings, then picked up the pen again. “Okay, let’s leave that one a little open.”
She wrote down item number two as Experiment with bondage.
“What else? Think about some fantasy that has really intrigued you that you know you’ll never try but wish you could.” She grinned. “And don’t be shy.”
One fantasy immediately popped into Sandra’s head. She’d caught part of a show on sexual fantasies and she’d been intrigued by one woman’s fantasy about being with a stranger. To her surprise, that had turned on Sandra immensely. Which was just crazy, especially since the only man she’d ever been with was her ex-husband, Eric.
“You’ve got one. I can see it in your eyes. Spill it.”
Sandra pursed her lips. “Well...”
“If you go, I’ll go.”
Sandra nodded. “It’s ... well, being with a stranger.”
“You mean a one-night stand?”
“No, more like making love with someone and not knowing who it is.”
“So, like, some sexy guy is making out with you and you can’t see who it is? That’s pretty intense.”
Aimee wrote down item number three as Make love to a sexy stranger while blindfolded.
“Now yours,” Sandra said.
Aimee wrote item four on the napkin, then turned it toward Sandra so she could see.
Have sex with two men at the same time (maybe more).
Sandra felt her cheeks heat. “That’s some list we have there.”
Aimee laughed. “It’s only four items. We’re not done yet.”
“I think I am.”
“Okay, then. I’ll just put some down for your consideration.”
Aimee jotted several more items on the napkin as Sandra watched. Finally, she turned it so Sandra could read it.
1. Be held captive.
2. Experiment with bondage.
3. Make love to a sexy stranger while blindfolded.
4. Have sex with two men at the same time (maybe more).
5. Be a love slave.
6. Have a love slave.
7. Be a voyeur.
8. Try exhibitionism.
“Want anything else?”
Sandra nearly jumped at the waitress’s voice. She wanted to snatch the list from Aimee and stuff it in her purse, but the young woman didn’t even glance at it.
“Yes. How about a couple of piña coladas?” Aimee said.
Sandra smiled and nodded. She loved piña coladas.
The waitress picked up the empty champagne bottle from the table and placed it on her round tray, then grabbed the two empty flutes. She disappeared into the crowd.
Sandra picked up a piece of zucchini from the appetizer tray and dipped it in the dressing, then took a bite. The waitress returned a few moments later with their drinks. Sandra took a sip.
“It’s about time.” Aimee glanced over Sandra’s shoulder.
Sandra glanced around to see Devlin approaching their table. His glittering gaze locked on her as he walked toward them with his usual relaxed gait, a charming half smile curling his lips.
Although she couldn’t see the color of his eyes in this light, she knew they were as blue as the sky at dusk, dusted with golden specks, and surrounded by a midnight blue ring. The raspy shadow across his jaw gave him a definite masculine allure, and he’d tied back his medium brown shoulder-length hair, which was typical on a workday. His relaxed casual-Friday outfit consisted of well-worn jeans and a brown tweed blazer over a brown striped shirt.
Sandra slid farther into the booth to make room for him, and he sat down beside her.
His gaze fell to the table. “What’s this?”
Oh, damn. Sandra tried to grab the cocktail napkin as he plucked it from the table—the napkin with the list scribbled on it—but he snatched it out of reach and began to read.
His grin broadened, revealing his strong white teeth. “Well, this is quite the menu. Are there pictures to go along with it?”
“You are so bad.” Sandra’s hand brushed...

About this edition

• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0312674597
• ISBN 13: 9780312674595
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 288