A Penny For Your Thoughts

By Ann Corbett

From the All About the Girls collection:

The day you meet the love of your life is always a day to remember – isn’t it?

For Melinda and Ben the attraction is mutual and immediate; so why is Ben holding back? Why does he keep on kissing her senseless one moment and then treat her like the enemy the next?

It's all very confusing for Melinda who is a simple girl at heart, for her love means marriage and babies and happy ever after.

Of course there is nothing to stop them from 'practising' the making of babies, before they get married - is there?

Please note that all sexual activity is between adults over the age of 18 years.

A short but fun, romantic story with some sexual content - reader discretion is recommended.

All sexual activity is between adults over the age of 18 years.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AJC
• Release date: Sep 15, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301389353

Book preview

A Penny for your thoughts

By

Ann Corbett

Please note that the characters in this story are entirely fictional, any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.

A Penny for your thoughts Copyright© Ann Corbett 2011

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-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 Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

A Penny for your thoughts

Chapter One

(A walk in the park)

The skies were a clear blue and the flowers were in full bloom; and greenery and vivid colours were everywhere you looked. With bright sunshine and wonderfully, unusually warm weather; it was just impossible for Melinda to stay indoors.

She’d been working hard over the last few months, and now she was taking a forced vacation; forced because she knew that this time off work, meant mountains of chaos to go back to.

Forced because the flu bug had taken its toll on her, and now she desperately needed time to recharge.

This was the first day in a long time that Melinda felt even remotely well. And she was suddenly loath to stay indoors on such a glorious day.

I’ll be fine mum, she reassured her concerned parent. I’m just going to go for a stroll around the park. It’s not so far away and I can take it slow and easy and sit if I need to rest.

Well make sure you take your mobile with you so that you can ring if you start to feel unwell.

**

The park was not overly large, and it was only about ten minutes walk away, but Melinda was already feeling a little lightheaded by the time she reached it.

She had done two circuits of the park and was beginning to feel dizzy and fatigued. She sat down on the grass to rest for a moment and took a grateful sip of the lemonade she had purchased on route.

The sugary drink helped to revive her a little and she relaxed with a contented sigh.

*

The dog came out of nowhere. One moment she was sitting enjoying her lemonade; and the next she was being licked to death by an over exuberant ball of fur.

Stop that! she giggled trying to push the dog away.

Penny!

Penny!

Melinda looked up at the sound of that delicious voice. Oh my! she murmured softly as she held the dog and nuzzled at the fur to hide the blush that touched her cheeks.

I’m so sorry. The tall dark and handsome stranger crouched down next to her; his brown eyes crinkling at the corners in a heart melting way.

The bright pink leash dangled from his large calloused hands and he reached out to try and clip it to the dog’s collar.

The dog whimpered softly but he handled her with sure if gentle hands.

Let me see, Melinda murmured with amusement. Penny is a little Jack-Russell, with a bright pink leash and collar... She arched her brow over her twinkling blue eyes as she looked at Mr. Gorgeous teasingly. This is just a shot in the dark, but I’m guessing that Penny doesn’t actually belong to you?

He looked at her in surprise for a moment before tipping back his head and laughing.

Melinda hid her blushing face in the fur of the animal she was still hanging on to. That laugh should have a warning fixed to it. Come to think of it HE should have a warning fixed to him. Actually HE shouldn’t be allowed out in public!

She looked at him through lowered lashes not wanting to be caught staring. He must have been six foot plus and very broad across the shoulders. He was wearing baggy looking running trousers and an open necked tee-shirt. She could see the hint of dark curls on his chest and her heartbeat went off into orbit again.

He really was lethal, coming along as he had, and wreaking havoc with her poor unprepared heart.

No she’s not my dog, he finally managed to admit; once he’d finished pulverizing her equilibrium with his simple presence, and that humour. She actually belongs to my younger sister who’s away on vacation at the moment.

And you got roped in to take care of the dog? Melinda asked shyly.

He nodded his head with a sigh of resignation. Penny’s such a little thing, I thought to myself what trouble could she be? he laughed ruefully as he surreptitiously looked Melinda up and down.

She was wearing figure hugging faded blue jeans that had most definitely seen better days; along with an old tee shirt which clung to her slender curves.

Her pretty face beneath her blush was still a little pale, a result of her recent illness, as was the air of fragility that hung around her.

Her blond hair was scrunched up any old how and was a little dull - again due to the after affects of her illness.

He smiled at her as he held out his hand invitingly. My name is Ben by the way.

Melinda placed her much smaller hand into his and looked to him in shock as the static charge ran up her arm.

Melinda, she finally managed to whisper as he released her hand as though nothing unusual had occurred.

It’s very nice to meet you Melinda, he murmured warmly as he sat down next to her.

It’s very nice to meet you too Ben. God she sounded pathetic!

Ben gave a low chuckle as if he guessed the affect he was having on her, - which he probably did! Melinda thought he must be used to the female of the species, falling at his feet ready, waiting and most eager to worship him.

She glanced at his left hand; but of course the fact that he wasn’t wearing a ring didn’t mean a thing. Lots of men and even some women chose not to wear a wedding ring. And even if he wasn’t married, a man like him was sure to have a string of girlfriends, or that special beautiful, glamorous model like creature that someone like Melinda could never hope to compete with.

He was talking quietly to her and Melinda hadn’t heard a word. She’d been too busy drooling all over him!

I’m sorry, I was miles away, she apologised awkwardly.

Ben gave another soft laugh that did weird things to Melinda’s heartbeat.

It was nothing earth shattering, he told her with a little grin. I was just saying what a beautiful summer we’re having.

Oh yes! We are indeed, she agreed enthusiastically and then felt the colour come to her cheeks again.

She cuddled Penny again to hide her