Phantoms & Fantasies

By Annie Rayburn

After a devastating trauma, Zeenie attended a college mixer and experienced powerful Crainesian pheromones between herself and Turk. Unprepared for the life-mate call, she panicked and fled. Turk has waited and yearned for Zeenie for years while staying dialed in to her recovery. Finally, rumor says she’s ready to date again, and he’s determined to make her short list, even if it means resorting to a little trickery.

Zeenie’s plan is to ease back into the world of dating, not dive in heart first. Especially not with the hunk who’s supposedly bedded half the women in Dallas since she rejected him. On a blind date, he surprises her with patience and maturity when she fights against their pheromone bond, then shows tenderness and consideration when phantoms of her past arise.

As she learns more about Turk, Zeenie entertains heated fantasies of what could be and makes tentative forays into his sensual world. But her initial rejection broke with Crainesian custom and continues to cast a dark shadow on their future. Can she embrace her sexuality and summon enough courage to claim her man in true Crainesian style, or will their growing love be tainted forever?

• Language: English
• Publisher: B&R Bookery
• Release date: May 26, 2011
• ISBN: 9781452472201

Annie Rayburn

Annie Rayburn is a pseudonym for Carol Burnside, who is an award-winning author. Five of her novel length, contemporary romance manuscripts have placed in numerous RWA chapter contests and won five, including the prestigious Maggie Award for Excellence. Her personal second-chance-at-love story resulted in a marriage to her high school sweetheart. They reside in the Texas hill country where Carol/Annie drinks sweet iced tea year round.Writing as Annie Rayburn, she produces mashup fiction, erotic romances. Imagine our world today with a humanoid race very much like us (Crainesians) living peacefully among us here on Earth and searching for their life-mate. They have the ability to communicate telepathically, can project visions and share dreams. Can you imagine? Not just phone sex, but dream sex? They have soft sci-fi and lite paranormal elements in a contemporary setting. Talk about cross-genre sizzle!While Carol/Annie enjoys the adoration she receives from her furbabies, she also loves is hearing from her readers. Browse around her website for blog posts, excerpts, review snippits, and more about her sexy characters. Subscribe to her (free!) newsletter for all the lastest news at http://eepurl.com/smDmf.

Book preview

Phantoms & Fantasies

by Annie Rayburn

Published by:

Annie Rayburn on Smashwords

Phantoms & Fantasies

Copyright © 2011 by Annie Rayburn

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Cover Artist: Book Graphics

Discover more about Annie Rayburn and her books at http://AnnieRayburn.com

What others are saying about Phantoms & Fantasies:

Phantoms and Fantasies is a magical story of love, passion, and healing that will have readers hanging on to every word. – Tammy, Fallen Angels Reviews. 5 Angels, Recommended Read

Annie Rayburn has penned a wonderful book and interesting characters, which will have readers looking for more of her books. –Angel Brewer, Romance Junkies. 4 Ribbons

Phantoms and Fantasies is a touching tale of healing and love mixed with passion. Kudos to Ms. Rayburn for broaching such a sensitive topic and hitting the perfect balance between Sci-fi and Romance. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a story about survival and love after tragedy. —Shyla The TBR Pile. 5 STARS, Highly Recommended

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Disclaimer:

This is a work of fiction. People and locations, even those with real names, have been fictionalized for the purposes of this story.

Acknowledgements

I’m grateful to my fabulous critique partners who labored with me

to make this book what it is today:

Linda Winfree, Elizabeth Naughton

and the Rebels: (Terry, Vonda, Tammy, Mel, and Pam).

Thank you!

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter One

"Come on, Zee. Go with us. It'll be fun. Lots of people around Dallas would like an invite to Turk's parties. They're always a blast," Diantha Holley pleaded with her from inside their walk-in closet.

You know Halloween isn't my thing. I'm sure no one will expect me to be there. Besides, it's a silly Human holiday. Zeenie LaShey leaned over the double vanity sink of their shared bathroom, applying the finishing touches to her mascara. Why, she didn't know. She certainly wasn't going to Turk's little shindig.

No doubt there'd be other Crainesians present. Being humanoid, their race had co-existed peacefully on earth for decades. Long enough for some to have relaxed their attitudes about 'sharing', the term given Crainesians ability to link telepathically. Humans couldn't tell when their thoughts were being harvested, but Crainesians could feel it. She didn't feel like maintaining an iron curtain in her mind while pretending to enjoy herself.

Zeenie wanted this year to be different. She wanted to be different, wanted to forget that awful Halloween the year she'd entered college and avoid any memories of haunted houses and masks.

That's why she'd let Di talk her into this little black dress, with the emphasis on little, and the new high-heeled strappy sandals. Exposed. That's how it made her feel. Like the world would be staring at flesh she didn't normally let show.

Human holiday or not, Crainesians have celebrated it for years. It's fun and you promised. Di peered at her from behind a curtain of silvery blonde hair before tucking it behind an ear.

I promised I'd go out with you. You didn't say anything about a party at Turk's.

Oh, don't be that way. Bumps and grunts accompanied Di's search for a missing shoe. Her rump wiggled and her dress inched up high on her ass, revealing a red lace thong.

Zeenie smiled. It seemed Di decided to match more than her shoes.

Cooper says Turk is attracted to you. Maybe he's your mate.

Zeenie rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. He doesn't do it for me. Sorry. Actually, he did too much for her. That was the problem. She didn't want to desire any man, least of all Turk Fontaine.

Not tonight. Not on Halloween of all nights.

She shuddered. I thought you swore off Halloween parties five years ago, when we graduated from college.

I did, but this party is different. It's just a few friends. Di smoothed down her red spandex mini-dress and leaned over the sink to inspect for makeup damage. She wiped a smudge from underneath one powder-blue eye, stared at her reflection for a moment and lifted her chin slightly. I'm sorry, sweetie, but a promise is a promise.

Zeenie stared at her, mouth parted.

I know. I always let you off the hook, but not this time. As much as I'd like to, I can't continue to be your crutch. It's not what either one of us deserves. The corners of Di's mouth quirked upward. Coop is growing impatient, wanting us to start a family, and I won't do that until we're officially married.

Oh, Di, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you from living your life too. Zeenie meant the words, even if they were accompanied by a sinking feeling. Di was her best friend. Maybe Zeenie hadn't meant to do so, but it didn't change the fact that Di and Coop were waiting for her to get on with her life so they could live theirs. How mortifying. She should have seen it. Hell, maybe she had and just hadn't wanted to admit it.

Di interrupted her thoughts with a fierce hug. You didn't ask me to wait, Zee. I did it because I wanted to. You needed a safety net after the rape, and I was glad to catch you whenever you faltered. But you're stronger now. Much more than you give yourself credit for. You don't need me anymore. Not really.

I don't know about that. Zeenie withdrew from Di's embrace. The mere mention of the rape always made her want to pull into a shell. Sometimes I want to go forward and have a normal life so bad I ache. But wanting it and actually being normal are two very different things.

You're ready. You don't have to jump in at the deep end. Just dip your toes in the water. Go wading tonight.

With Turk? Zeenie grimaced. No thanks.

Sweetie, do you realize how he looks at you? Di turned Zeenie toward the mirror. How could he not be interested?

She looked, as directed. Oh, yeah. Like dark hair, average height, average weight is a knock 'em dead combo. She shrugged. Even at mid-thigh, the length of her dress still seemed too brief. Thank goodness the neckline covered all but the very tops of her smallish breasts. She'd never be comfortable showing as much cleavage as Di's deeply Vee'd neckline did.

It is. You've got a killer body, great hair, big brown eyes, and...come to think of it, I think I hate you. Di propped her hands on her hips. What was I thinking, getting you to buy this dress? I'll be fighting for Coop's attention all night.

Her gaze, full

Reviews for Phantoms & Fantasies

[annierayburn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved writing Zeenie and Turk's story. It has a special place in my heart. I hope you'll give their love story a try!