Waking Beauty

By D.L. Jackson

Once upon a time, a beautiful combat helicopter pilot crashed to the earth. For weeks she lies sleeping, waiting for her princess to wake her from her slumber.
Chris Carlson, her heroine and a shy school teacher, comes to her rescue, by contacting Madame Eve to make all her dreams come true. Little does she know, the one magical kiss that wakes beauty will also start a snowball reaction, one which will change her life forever.

Sometimes, life’s greatest challenges also bring the biggest blessings, and when you walk through fire, it makes you appreciate what you fought for so much more.
Chris is about to step into an inferno.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Decadent Publishing
• Release date: Sep 25, 2015
• ISBN: 9781613338971

Book preview

Chapter One

Chris pulled up in front of the hospital and reached into the center console of her Jeep to pull out the invitation.

Congratulations,

Your date has been arranged. You can meet her at 325 Parkside Drive, Colorado Springs, CO, room 202A. I understand this is rather unconventional, and most dates don’t meet until the 1Night Stand, but this preliminary meeting is necessary. When you are ready to proceed, I will forward more details.

Sincerely,

Madame Eve

No name. No picture. Nothing else to tell her what Madame Eve had planned. Did her date have the details of where they were going and what they were doing? And what did she mean by when you are ready to proceed?

This had to be some kind of mistake. The building didn’t look like any kind of residence she’d seen. Well, not in the traditional sense.

Maybe her date worked here? She read the cream-colored card again and flicked her thumb back and forth across the edge. With a sigh, she tossed it onto the passenger seat. Okay…right address. So, what are you waiting for? This is what you’ve wanted your entire life.

She opened the door and slid out. A nurse, pushing a wheelchair with a double amputee who wore dog tags, approached, stopping her cold. Attractive. Ice seemed to grip Chris, gluing her soles to the parking lot. She wanted to jump back in the Jeep and run, but, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t move, let alone breathe.

Good morning, the nurse said and continued on by.

Morning. The tension leaked from her shoulders, flowing away. Chris blinked and then twisted to watch them go. The woman in bright-pink scrubs wheeled her patient toward a mini-park off to the side, without looking back. No. The nurse didn’t look like what she’d described as her ideal woman. Too…girly. Silly to assume her date would come out to meet her with a witness. Oh hell. She hadn’t even made it to the front door, and she’d already freaked. This didn’t bode well at all.

She ran her sweaty palms down the front of her denim shorts and took a deep breath, replenishing her courage. Time to stop pretending—hiding. I can do this. Chris fisted her hands at her sides. A public location. She surveyed the area, taking it all in. Everywhere around her—people. Seriously? She’d wanted to take baby steps into the same-sex dating world, come out of the closet slowly. Had to. Her career depended on it, and she’d told Madame Eve she needed to be discreet.

So why here? There couldn’t be a more public place. Her stomach churning, she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. Why am I doing this?

No matter what people said, the support gays and lesbians received from the stars and media didn’t mean anything in small town America. In her world, kindergarten teachers weren’t lesbians. She’d struggled with this tug-of-war between her professional and personal life for four years, until her sister came right out and told her she knew. Carrie encouraged her to take a chance on having both a relationship and career, convinced her of the possibility to live the way she wanted, on her terms.

She’d denied she was a lesbian at first, terrified of what family and friends would think. Carrie laughed and said she’d known all along, and she needed to stop feeling ashamed and embrace who she’d been born to be. The only way to change things you don’t like is to get out there and do it, Chrissy. She’d helped her fill out the application and promised to keep her secret. When you’re ready, you’ll tell them. Just know I’ll always be here for you.

Her sister’s support had meant a lot, and that’s how she’d gotten herself into this mess. But, damn, Carey made a valid point. She didn’t want to be alone anymore, and the situation would only change if she made it happen.

This is nuts. She took a step, and then another, only to freeze in the middle of the lot like a deer caught in high beams. She eyed the front entrance of the rehabilitation hospital. No refunds. You can do this. Time to change your life to what you want it to be. She thought about the wounded soldier in the wheelchair. Could her date be here for physical therapy or recovery?

No.

Maybe she worked at this place as a doctor or nurse? Certainly Madame Eve wouldn’t set her up on a date with a patient. Her one-night stand had to be part of the hospital staff, and there should be no reason to panic or be afraid—and lots of reasons to keep going. She’d spent thousands of dollars for this night, to be free to experience love with an intelligent, compelling, and strong woman.

So, why did it terrify her?

Of course, Madame Eve hadn’t supplied her with the name of her date. Only told her where she could find her and that her date would start when they were ready to proceed. Whatever that meant.

It had taken all her courage to drive here—even though she only lived thirty minutes away in Florence. She’d made this trip half a dozen times today already,