Part 1: From London with Love
by Aviva Vaughn Publication Date: June 15, 2017 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
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He would do anything for a second chance… Fire and ice have nothing on Angela Holguín and fellow MBA student Soren Lund. When they first met at school in the exciting seaside city of Barcelona, Angela was intrigued by the aloof Dane; he was enthralled by the vivacious Californian. But their timing was off and they went their separate ways – until Fate and Destiny put them back in the same city: London. In the British capital, Angela and Soren not only reunite, their desire reignites. This time they are determined not to let love slip through their fingers—despite the many obstacles posed by others. They tumble into one another’s arms and embark upon a passionate journey in the chic, bustling streets of London. But when Angela’s ex shows up, will their new romance be strong enough to persevere? To whom will Angela’s heart beckon?
Excerpt from BECKONED, Part 1: From London with Love
August in Spanish cities was a hot, humid affair for the few souls who were there to experience it. No one who stayed in the cities did so by choice, as the oppressive weather made daily life unbearable. Everyone who could afford to locked up their homes and businesses tight and headed for the shore, where the heat of a Spanish summer was made bearable by the Mediterranean’s briny breezes.
Unfortunately, Soren was one of those few who had to be in town. The decadently picturesque city of Barcelona, situated in the Catalonia region of northeastern Spain, was home to an excellent graduate school of business called theBarcelona Instituto de Negocios—or BIN for short—which was the reason he found himself in hot, sunny, passionate Spain instead of his native cold, overcast, stalwart Denmark.
While part of him couldn’t wait to get back to Copenhagen, he also knew that at almost thirty it was time for him to leave the nest and establish himself outside of his illustrious family.
Soren was one of about 100 students who had come to BIN a month early to take advantage of the school’s complimentary Spanish-immersion classes. Although it wasn’t necessary to speak Spanish to attend BIN, learning the language would give him the opportunity to take more elective classes as well as help him navigate his daily life for the next two years since it was one of the official languages of the city along with Catalan.
The thick, hot air was especially horrible for one used to the cool climate of Denmark. Although it was only mid-morning, he could already feel the sweat beginning to pool under his arms and at the base of his neck, where his shirt collar felt as heavy as a scarf. Blasted Mediterranean sun! He wasn’t usually the type to be easily flustered, but the moist heat of the city seemed to get under his skin in a most frustrating way.
He tried to ignore his discomfort as he quickly crossed the small campus on his way to Spanish class, running his hand through his thick mop of straw-colored hair. It was then that he heard a guileless laugh peeling across the courtyard, beckoning for him to turn his head and follow the unrestrained sound to its source.
His searching eyes found the wellspring of laughter, coming from a dark-haired woman sitting about twenty feet away. She was wearing a flowing white sun-dress that looked as fresh as a winter breath and was seated across from another woman wearing long, dark braids and a forest green top whose back was to Soren. The laughing woman had smooth, honey-colored skin that was darker than his own, but seemed pale against her chestnut hair which grazed her shoulders in a gentle wave. The woman’s eyes blazed with intelligence and humor, and her dusty-rose-colored lips were full and shaped like a bow.
He could just make out her singsong American accent, drifting across the courtyard.
That must be her.
He had heard murmurs amongst the men about a vivacious and voluptuous Californian exchange student, but had not met her yet. But, since there were only about twenty women currently on campus, he knew this had to be the one that was causing a stir among the male students—who outnumbered the women four-to-one.
The two women looked cool sitting on the brick steps of a white-columned building—known as The Temple—that served as the heart of the small campus. They were enjoying the shade provided by a thick curtain of ivy hanging off the facade of the Greek revival building. If they had been holding lemonade it would have looked like a scene from the American south. The women were talking as though they had known each other their whole lives and were so focused on each other, that Soren was able to stare at them openly without drawing attention to himself.
He watched, mesmerized, as the Californian reached into her bag and pulled out a tube of lipstick. His breath quickened as she swiveled the silver tube revealing a deep, pomegranate red and applied it deftly to her own lips further accentuating their erotic shape. He pulled at his collar, which felt even more constraining than it had a few minutes ago. He found her utterly captivating to behold, the way her passionate expressions animated her face was entrancing.
She exchanged a few words with her friend, nodded her head and then leaned forward and began applying the lipstick to the other woman. Soren’s lips parted as he gasped lightly, watching as she slowly dragged the lipstick over the other woman’s lips. He was surprised at how his body reacted to the scene. There was something incredibly sensual about the gesture…as though the lipstick was an extension of her hand and she was gently caressing the other woman.
Soren allowed his mind to wander and imagine that it was his face she was caressing. His heart beat faster at the thought.
The Californian’s eyes twinkled as she squinted with concentration at her task and then—once finished—she leaned back and studied her work like a painter considering a canvas she has just touched up. She smiled contently and began nodding her head vigorously, clearly telling the other woman that the color suited her.
Soren would never again see a tube of lipstick without thinking about this moment.
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