Title: First Encounter
Author: Candy O’Donnell
Genre: NA Romance
Blurb:
She didn't only touch his heart... she touched his soul.
Twenty-two year old Eric Holtzer didn't know what hit him when he first encountered Vivian DuCrane in the hotel lobby. Being a Prince from another country did have its benefits--awesome benefits, such as booze, fast cars, and women, but Vivian was something special--and she was about to turn his world upside down!
Twenty-two year old Eric Holtzer didn't know what hit him when he first encountered Vivian DuCrane in the hotel lobby. Being a Prince from another country did have its benefits--awesome benefits, such as booze, fast cars, and women, but Vivian was something special--and she was about to turn his world upside down!
Excerpt:
Chance Meeting
Twenty-two year old Eric Holtzer flipped his iphone in his hand a few times before glancing over at the blond-haired sleeping beauty lying next to him. Her perfect curves accentuated her thin frame as it encouraged him to reach out and touch her soft, pale skin. She was a thing to behold. He shook slightly when the rock and roll ring tone of his phone yelled out in his hand.
When he brought it to his ear another majestic sound pulled him back to the day before. A red-head soothed softly in his ear and he responded, “Monica, it is so good to hear from you so soon.” He listened to her tearful crying as it battered him for another five minutes before he promised to meet her at the bar near the hotel lobby. Reluctantly she agreed after arguing that she needed to see him now. Eric hung up the phone and listened to the heavy breathing of his mate the evening before.
Eric sauntered into the luxurious Italian marble bathroom where he examined himself in the mirror. A long, drawn facial expression slapped him instead of the usual gleeful grin. Deep blue eyes stared back as his dark auburn hair entangled around his neck as if something wicked was pulling on it all night. He watched as his taunt, muscular physique moved about as he reached for the toothpaste and a clean white towel.
“What am I going to do?” He uttered to himself.
Broad shoulders swiveled when he flexed down to pick up the towel as it slid to the immaculate white tiled floor. It was still pure as the driven show when he lifted it to see exhaustion racing through his face. He attempted to recapture the sensual moment with the two gorgeous women by his side. One he had last night, and the other, the night before. Both nights were filled with passion and ecstasy! They could not wait to be with a soon-to-be King.
He thought back to the tiny, lush island off the coast of France. It had been his home with his parents since the day he was born. Every royal family came to the special occasion—which was his birth. It was fanciful, or so they tell him. None-the-less, every eligible lady for miles around clamored to his side ever since.
He vigorously washed his body off with sweet-smelling soap and hotel shampoo. It cleansed him in a way that he could carry on with another day. No sin would halt this adult Prince.
After stepping from obscure shower, he slowly dressed and spied the empty bed. The lady had left his engorged room with its fine furnishings as he grinned at the prospect of not having to deal with another decline of friendship or further dealings.
He wanted to re-live this weekend all over again as he finalized his attire with a black tie. It fit perfectly with his monkey suit, compliments of his mother, of course. He laughed at that part. She always ensured he had the perfect outfit for every occasion during his stay in the U.S.
Sacramento, California was not his first choice of places to stay, but his mother’s. She offered to cling to him during the entire trip. He refused, knowing his time would be limited with so many single ladies. After grabbing his phone he glanced once again at the mirror then whistled.
“It’s time to go party! And I am the main attraction.” After inspecting the room for any remaining details such a lingerie or female belongings he tilted his head to the side and offered a final parting gift. “It has been one hell of a haul.”
He shut the hotel door behind him and Eric hurried down the long well-lit hall toward the silver toned elevator where an older gentleman with graying hair stood within. The elder male cleared his throat and asked, “Going out for the evening, sir? We have many fine dining establishments with a minute’s walk.”
“Yes, actually, I am heading to a cocktail party downstairs and I am meeting with another someone there too. Thanks for pushing the woman out of my room while I was showering. I could not listen to another rant on about what I owed her. It could have gotten a bit hairy.” Eric mumbled the last sentence as the mill doors opened and two young teenage girls stood whispering to themselves. He knew right away who they were discussing. “Good evening, ladies.” He soothed.
They snickered with small hands held over their light pink lips. Being in the presence of a Prince was almost too much for them when they turned and headed to the stairs. They were still giggling uncontrollably when they jogged from the elevator.
“You may ride down with me. We are on the sixtieth floor, after all. I will not bite.” He stood aside as the two females stepped into the small compartment and continued smiling under his stare. “It would take a long time if you took the stairs, and by the time you got there, you will have to reapply your lip gloss.”
“Yeah, we don’t want to do that.” One girl interjected. “That would be dreadful.”
“No, way, we look great already. Sweating is not what I want to be doing.” The other said to her friend. They both shook their heads in agreement.
When they arrived on the bottom floor of the hotel the girls skipped out as soon as the doors opened and never looked back. Eric on the other hand, complimented their attire and told them to have a nice evening.
“You are such a gentleman.” The older man commented. “How do you get these females to fall all over themselves?” He then closed the elevator doors behind Eric.
“Thanks, I think.” Eric glanced around at other frantic humans milling about the lower floor where the reception was located. He surmised his drink date would stand him up because she was nowhere to be found.
Eric spotted a 3-tier circular stone fountain near the entrance of the hotel and walked toward it with his hands dug deep into his pockets. The cement structure was about eight feet wide from brim to brim with an eight foot tall rearing horse in the middle. Water spouted from its gaping mouth. Upon its back was a rider wearing a military uniform. Eric’s eyes quickly dropped into the pool of water—it was crystal clear and had a few glittering rocks that sat on the bottom. Every time water toppled down, the heart-shaped stones shimmered.
“Nice, isn’t it?” A voice startled him from behind. When he turned the most incredible creature stood in black pumps and a form-fitting black dress with a white belt. It hugged her figure quite snugly. Her perfect dirty-blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail and Eric could not take his eyes off her.
“Yes-s it is very nice.” His blue eyes lightened in her presence as she stared into the pool of clean water. All he could think of was touching her.
“I find it relaxing whenever I come here.” She muttered softly. His eyes roved over her impeccable pink cheeks and her small flawless nose. He did not seem to notice anything else on her body, but that face—it was the face of an angel.
“Do… you come here… often?” Eric stumbled over his words. At least he thought he twisted them inside out. Within, his heart did cartwheels and he could not stop from perspiring under her stare.
“Yes, I have visited this fountain each day before and after work. It has a sense of calm about it.” She turned toward him with one side of her mouth raised. Her radiant smile brought him to his knees as his gut reacted to her highlighted face. Something invisible had smacked him in the solar plexus and he did not know if his breath would ever return.
The sun’s rays revealed her most adorable bodily features. Her skin seemed to glisten as if smeared with precious stones and her eyes drew him in until he thought nothing would ever come between them. The setting sun’s rays raced toward her almond-shaped eyes where she stared into his.
“That is nice.” The words dropped out of his mouth like he was a schoolboy in love. He began to feel his body temperature rise as he felt his need for her arising.
“Yes, thanks. Enjoy your evening, sir.” She began to step from him. Everything within him wanted to encircle this beautiful creature with money, jewelry, and his eternal desire to be close to her. Please stay, he said to himself.
“How do you know I’m going out?” He called. His eyes meandered over her when she turned to stare back at him. He then fell in deeper. Those baby blues could not be turned away from. She must be a gift from heaven and here she was, dropped in his lap.
“You are dressed in a black and white suit and your dress tie.” She came toward him and lifted a hand to it and straightened it. “There you go.” He felt a strange surge of energy rush through him when she did so. She must have felt it too. He thought as her face blushed under his gaze.
“I suppose so.” Eric answered. She pegged him for a suit-wearing man, but that was not all she was. He so wanted to sit and talk with this lady.
“You enjoy whatever it is you are heading to.” She swiveled on one foot and hurried from him. The elevator doors were wide open and she hopped inside.
“What is your name?” He shouted, but it was too late. She was already in the elevator and the doors closed behind her. Eric’s heart could not stop thumping in his chest. This was something he had never experienced before. She was something special.
About the Author:
Candy O’Donnell was born in Carmichael, California.
At the age of twelve, she wrote her first mini book. Filled mostly with what took place with her mother and her long tedious bout with leukemia. It was a short story told as extra credit when she suffered a sprained ankle and had to be out of school for over two months. School officials refused to believe a word of what she had written until her grandmother, her guardian back then, entered the school with the truth. Everything she had written down was exactly what took place. Unfortunately her mother succumbed to the disease.
She earned a Bachelor’s degree in History and Culture. After living with her aunt and uncle for over five years she wished to explore her uncle’s Native heritage and did so with vigor. She also has 6 Grad units in Criminal Justice.
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