Saving All My Lovin'

Saving All My Lovin'
Donna Hill

With a new job at Pause for Men spa and wealthy Sterling Powers in her bed, Ann Marie Dennis is about to realize her goal–the perfect life. Then fate intervenes and her grown daughter moves in, crowding her once-empty nest. Next Ann Marie's ex shows up claiming he wants her back.And just like that Ann Marie's picture-perfect life falls apart.Now she hopes a trip home to Jamaica will help her reconnect with her only child and put her ex-husband out of her life for good. But can she count on the support of her girlfriends and her new beau to make things work out?

For all of her tough exterior, there was a softness in this woman that longed to come out; Sterling wanted to be the man to release it.

What kind of man had her husband been? Sterling wondered for the umpteenth time. It was clear that her ex-husband still had some kind of hold on Ann Marie. Was her reaction to the man simply one of old memories and bad vibes, or did she still care about him?

Sterling walked into the living room and saw Ann Marie standing in front of the windows. She looked so tiny and vulnerable. He decided there and then that he would make it his business to wipe her ex-husband out of her mind and, if need be, out of her heart for good.

“Dinner is served, madam,” he said in a very bad British accent.

Ann Marie turned a gentle smile on her face. Sterling’s insides shook just a little. Yes, he was going to make her forget.

DONNA HILL

began her novel-writing career in 1990. Since that time she’s had more than forty titles in print, including full-length novels and novellas. Two of her novels and one novella were adapted for television. She has won numerous awards for her work. She is also the editor of five novels, two of which were nominated for awards. She easily moves from romance to erotica, horror, comedy and women’s fiction. She was the first recipient of the Trailblazer Award and currently teaches writing at the Frederick Douglass Creative Arts Center. Donna lives in Brooklyn with her family. Visit her Web site at www.donnahill.com.

Saving all My Lovin’

Donna Hill

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Dear Reader,

Thanks for joining the ladies once again as they prove that the “forties are fabulous!”

Having the opportunity to write the PAUSE FOR MEN series allows me to explore all the aspects of my characters—Barbara, Ann Marie, Stephanie and Elizabeth—and to find new and exciting romantic adventures for them to embark upon. The real treat is to be able to showcase mature women and kick to the curb the notion that young women have all the fun.

Although my ladies do have “drama” to deal with, they find a way to make it all work out.

Stay tuned for If I Were Your Woman (Kimani Romance, February 2007), which will feature Stephanie and Tony, the decisions they must make and the obstacles that they must overcome. The other ladies will definitely be there to support Stephanie as all four women share an ever-changing future filled with adventure!

Until next time,

Donna

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 1

Ann Marie’s feet were killing her. She’d been hoofing it around on those three-inch stilettos for what felt like an eternity. What she wouldn’t give to add a couple of natural inches to her barely-beyond-five-foot height. But the agony was worth every wincing moment. The grand opening of Pause for Men was a phenomenal success.

She smiled to herself as she looked around while the last of the support staff finished cleaning up. She’d decided to stay behind until the cleanup was completed while her friends and business partners called it a night. Barbara, newly engaged and sporting a blinding diamond ring had gone on home with her young buck Michael. Steph left with her shoes in one hand and her other held by her new beau Tony. She’d caught a glimpse of Ellie tiptoeing away with her man Ron to her new apartment on the top floor of the brownstone.

She plopped down at the makeshift bar, nursing the watery remnants of her cosmopolitan. They’d done good. And it seemed as though all the unlikely folks had someone to go home to except for her. She couldn’t ever remember going home alone. Funny, how life does a three-sixty and catches you unawares. Less than six months ago, she had her own man Phil. Then her grown, married daughter Raquel pops back into her life, moves in and everything that she’d taken for granted came undone.