Solo
Author: Jill
Mansell
Pub Date: January
3, 2017
ISBN: 9781492632429
It all starts at a party, as
these things often do…
· A one-night stand with
far-reaching consequences
· Momentarily enamored guests
going home with all the wrong people
· An unfaithful wife struck by
jealousy and getting a dose of her own medicine
· A shocking family secret
revealed at the worst possible moment
One fling follows another, and
now the whole community is embroiled in a great big web of deceit, the
untangling of which will charm you, amuse you, make you laugh and make you cry.
Whatever’s going on in your
life, Solo by Jill Mansell is the perfect distraction right about now…
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EXCERPT:
I must be drunk,
thought Tessa, kicking off her shoes and sinking into a sitting position on the
edge of the vast, canopied bed. When a man like Ross Monahan urged you to spend
the night at his place and assured you that you were quite welcome to the
bed—he would be happy to sleep on the settee—you knew you were playing with
fire.
Either drunk or crazy, she told herself
as she pulled her dress over her head, threw it in the direction of a large,
red-velvet chair and wrapped herself in the dark-blue toweling robe he had left
for her.
But she knew she wasn’t that drunk. She
was enjoying the game which had begun so many hours earlier. The challenge had
been thrown down and she couldn’t resist it. She was going to seriously enjoy
being the only woman in the history of the world to have slept in Ross’s
bed…alone.
His suite of rooms on the top floor of
the hotel was as sumptuous as she had imagined, particularly since seeing the
rest of The Grange earlier. Like stowaways, they had remained closeted in the
conservatory until the early hours of the morning when the last guests had
departed, either roaring off into the night in their smart cars or retiring to
their rooms in the hotel.
Then, taking her hand, Ross had given
her the full guided tour, showing her the elegant sitting rooms, the
restaurant, the squash courts, the superb gym and the spectacular indoor
swimming-pool built inside a second, even larger, conservatory, illuminated by
underwater lighting and surrounded on three sides by more tropical vegetation.
Ross was as proud of the hotel as a new father. Tessa had been touched by his
enthusiasm. But if he was under the impression that she would be so overwhelmed
by this display of his success that she would leap into bed with him, he was going
to be disappointed.
Saying no was much, much more fun.
Firmly securing the belt of the
far-too-big robe around her waist, she threw back the bedcovers and slid
between cool white sheets, just as a cautious knock sounded at the door.
“It’s OK, I’m decent.”
“Pity,” said Ross lightly. He was still
dressed, and carrying a folded blanket over one arm.
Tessa gestured at the bed. “This is
awfully kind of you. You’ll probably have a terrible time trying to sleep on
that settee.”
“Probably.” He gave her a mournful look,
then grinned. “But I’ll survive.”
She watched him fling the blanket over
the narrow leather Chesterfield. “And it’s four thirty now. Nearly time to get
up again anyway.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“I’m very grateful.”
“Absolutely no problem.”
Tessa pulled the covers up to her chin
and smiled at him. “You’re a true gentleman.”
“I believe you,” said Ross. “Thousands
wouldn’t.”
She watched him hover for a few seconds
beside the sofa, wondering no doubt if she might change her mind. Then, giving
him one last big smile, she plumped up her pillows and turned over. “Mmm, well,
thanks again. Good night.”
Tessa didn’t know what time it was when
she shifted in her sleep and first realized that she was no longer alone in the
bed. Her bare leg was resting against another bare leg, definitely not her own.
Sleepily, almost subconsciously, she stretched out her hand and encountered a
smooth, warm back. She became aware of the very faint scent of aftershave and
toothpaste, and the quiet, regular breathing of someone deeply and peacefully
asleep.
To her great surprise, Tessa was neither
shocked nor annoyed by this invasion of her privacy. It was, after all, his bed
and a narrow, slippery leather Chesterfield was about as conducive to a good
night’s sleep as a tin bath.
In fact, she realized drowsily, she had
forgotten quite how nice it felt to lie next to another body, accidentally
brushing against an arm or a hip, sharing each other’s warmth and enjoying the
primal instincts of simply being together.
With a guilty start she came properly
awake. For the way her fingertips were trailing down Ross’s spine wasn’t in the
least bit accidental. And, without even realizing it, her own left leg had
managed to fit against the curve of his right one with all the snugness of a
missing piece in a jigsaw.
This was taking the enjoyment of sharing
each other’s warmth a little too far.
Regretfully easing her leg back to her
own side of the bed and removing her hand from his back, she closed her eyes
and attempted to distract her mind from its traitorous wanderings. She had
always believed that physical intimacy—not just sex—was something like a video
recorder or a Magimix: what you didn’t have, you didn’t miss, it just faded
from your mind and became unimportant.
It had been almost a year since her last
relationship had ended. At first, of course, she had missed the hugs and the kisses—and the sex—but certainly
not enough to go rampaging round Bath in search of males, any males, with whom
to satisfy the need for physical contact.
And pretty soon she had become used to
being and sleeping alone once more. The withdrawal symptoms had been mild.
Because hugging and kissing and sex weren’t physical addictions like heroin.
They were something that was nice but also quite possible to live without.
On the other hand, a year was a long
time.
************
With over 10 million copies
sold, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Mansell writes irresistible and funny,
poignant and romantic tales for women in the tradition of Marian Keyes, Sophie
Kinsella and Jojo Moyes. She lives with her partner and their children in
Bristol, England.
QUESTION FOR JILL MANSELL:
What’s your
favorite book? Movie?
Wonder by R J Palacio. When
Harry Met Sally.
************
GIVEAWAY:
5 Finished Copies of SOLO
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