Talking About Sex...

Talking About Sex...
Vicki Lewis Thompson

She's a woman scorned –Back in high school, Katie Peterson asked Jess Harkins to be her first lover, and he turned her down. She grew up to be a mouthy local DJ and he grew up to be a builder of high-rises. Problem is, Jess is building a sixty-story office building right next to the historic adobe structure that houses Katie's radio station. Katie would hate the building on general principles – who needs another office building? – but she especially hates having her sunshine and view blocked, especially by the guy who sabotaged her self-confidence in high school.As the construction rattles her studio windows and she has to drive around street blockades to get to work, her anger builds. On the air, she starts joking about the monstrosity going up next to her station. Then she escalates the campaign, inviting psychological experts to discuss why men feel the need to build skyscrapers and what it says about their sexuality.He's a man ready to explode – Jess used to like listening to Katie on the radio, and had even considered asking her out for old time's sake. He turned her down on the sex because he didn't want a back-seat experience to be the first one for either of them, and he didn't have the money for a hotel. She didn't stay around long enough to hear that explanation, but now he thinks they might be able to rekindle the fire they once had.Instead she's dissing his beloved project. He knows he should just switch off the station, but he's a glutton for punishment. If she were anybody else, he'd laugh. In fact, he's enjoyed her irreverent comments on other occasions. But now she's making fun of his work and that has to stop.The showdown – Jess goes to the station to demand that Katie shut up about his project. She implies that any man driven to build a structure this high is obviously compensating for something. She leaves no doubt what she thinks he's compensating for. And Jess can think of only one way to change her tune . . .

Look what people are saying about

Vicki Lewis Thompson…

“Ms. Thompson does a wonderful job of blending the erotic with romance that is sometimes tender, sometimes funny, and always exciting.”

—Diana Risso, Romance Reviews Today

“Vicki Lewis Thompson has reached a whole new dimension in laughter. A big…bravo! ”

—A Romance Review

“When you pick up a book that bears the name of Vicki Lewis Thompson on the cover, you can expect a great read. She…will make you laugh, cry, need a cold shower and most important fall in love.”

—Fallen Angel Reviews

“Vicki Lewis Thompson never fails to deliver a book filled with intense chemistry, sexy heroes, and just a little bit of naughtiness.”

—Missy Andrews, Fallen Angel Reviews

“Ms. Thompson continues to set the romance world on fire and keep it burning.”

Diana Tidlund, WritersUnlimited.com

Blaze

Dear Reader,

When I was a little kid in Tucson the local paper published rhymes as part of the weather report. One of mine got accepted. Sky is blue. I am not. I love the sun. I love the hot.

A few (ahem) years have passed since then, but some things never change. I still love the hot, whether we’re talking about the heat rising from the desert floor or the heat rising from a Harlequin Blaze novel. To set a Blaze—pun intended—in my hometown of Tucson was a no-brainer.

For one thing, it’s so toasty in southern Arizona that we don’t have to bother with layers upon layers of clothes. I’m sure you can see the obvious advantages to that! Plus there’s something about the starkly beautiful landscape that inspires lusty, primitive emotions. At least, that’s my excuse, and it seems to work for my characters, Jess and Katie.

So come spend some time in my favorite city in the world and let me tell you a story. Oh, and you might want to bring one of those little electric fans. It gets hot down here.

Warmly,

Vicki Lewis Thompson

VICKI LEWIS

THOMPSON

Talking About Sex…

TORONTO • NEW YORK • LONDON

AMSTERDAM • PARIS • SYDNEY • HAMBURG

STOCKHOLM • ATHENS • TOKYO • MILAN • MADRID

PRAGUE • WARSAW • BUDAPEST • AUCKLAND

To my parents, Doc and Randy.

Thanks for bringing me to Arizona.

ISBN: 978-1-408-93209-4

Talking About Sex…

© Thompson Vicki Lewis 2005

First Published in Great Britain in 2008

Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited

Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

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All characters in this work have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

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About the Author

Arizona author Vicki Lewis Thompson’s natural element is heat. Her first publishing success while still in pigtails was a weather rhyme for the local newspaper: “The sky is blue/but I am not/I love the sun,/I love the hot.”

Small wonder that some years later Vicki sold her first romance to Harlequin’s steamy Temptation line. After writing nearly eighty books for Harlequin and other publishers, the best-selling author still gravitates toward the heat, including Harlequin Blaze titles.

A finalist numerous times for Romance Writers of America’s RITA award, Vicki has won the Desert Rose’s Golden Quill Award and has been honored by Romantic Times and Affaire de Coeur. Vicki also became a New York Times best seller when her book Nerd in Shining Armor from St. Martins caught the fancy of Kelly Ripa, who promoted it through her Reading with Ripa Book Club in 2003, with many successful Nerds following.

Prior to selling her first book to Harlequin and finding her bliss, Vicki tried on other careers for size. Teaching English proved too restrictive when she discovered she didn’t like being trapped in a classroom any more than the students did. Journalism seemed like a better idea, except that she kept getting assigned to scary stories like rattlesnake milking or parachute jumping.

Finally, her husband suggested she write a romance, which she took as a fine testimonial to their life together. Even better, the career was a perfect fit. Writing romances provides freedom from a schedule without fear of imminent death!

Besides writing, which she’s quite passionate about, Vicki’s favorite activities are traveling and laughing. Marriage to her indomitable husband, He Who Journeys Without a Map, has provided ample doses of both. Now that the kids are grown and Vicki has a laptop, she’s finally positioned to combine all three of her passions. The trip has just begun!