Just the Man She Needs (Arabesque),Used

Product Description Felicia Parker is a successful newspaper columnist with a Rolodex full of celebrity connectionsand zero social contacts. When a glitzy society event requires bringing a date, she hires an escort, and the tall, stunningly handsome man who arrives makes even romanceshy Felicia want to get up close and very personal. John AshtonUnderwood is a highpowered CEO looking for a stable, traditional partner, not a jet setting reporter known to half of New York. Their worlds, not a jetclash, but the scorching attraction between them couldburn up the pages. Review "Like fine wine, Gwynne Forster's storytelling skills get better over time. Drama, family struggles, passion and truetolife characters make Forster's latest her best yet." Donna Hill, author of Getting Hers About the Author Gwynne Forster is an Essence bestselling author and has won numerous awards for fiction, including the Gold Pen Award, the RT Book Reviews Lifetime Achievement Award. She holds a bachelors and masters degrees in sociology and a masters degree in economics/demography and has traveled and/or worked in sixtythree countries. She lives in New York with her husband. Excerpt. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Felicia Parker stared at herself in the fulllength mirror of her bathroom, dazzlingly seductive in the redsilk ball gown that she'd bought that morning at Saks Fifth Avenue. "Damned if I'm going by myself to the most fashionable event of the season, and in the Willard Hotel, no less." Felicia lived and worked in New York City where she had more friends than she needed, but she didn't want to ask any of her men friends to go to Washington, D.C., to escort her to a gala. She had learned the hard way not to obligate herself to a man. Men had a way of collecting debts. Too bad she couldn't put a label on herself that read "reporter on duty" and go to the gala unescorted. She laughed at the thought. As one of the most popular society columnists, she could get away with it.She twirled around before the mirror. "This dress deserves to go out in style," she said, pulled it off, hung it up and put her mind to work. Minutes later, she sat in front of her computer, surfing the Internet. After an hour, she found what she wanted: Capitol Gentlemen, a male escort service on Connecticut Avenue in Washington, a service that promised gentlemen. She telephoned the service, spoke with a man whose voice and manners she liked, and placed her order."I want a tall, handsome, neat, intelligent and elegant man to escort me to the Sterling gala at the Willard Hotel." In response to his questionwhich she thought a bit sarcasticshe told him, "I'm Felicia Parker.""The columnist?""Yes.""Give me an hour, Ms. Parker, and I'll see if I have someone for you. I assume that's the only service you need."She knew he had a right to ask that question, but she was miffed nonetheless. "You assume correctly." She told him that she lived in New York, but would be staying at the Willard.As he'd promised, the man called her back within the hour. "Ms. Parker, at eight fortyfive, Friday night, Ashton Underwood will call for you at the Willard. Mr. Underwood's references are impeccable. The service is five hundred dollars, and you should give the check to him."She thought that strange, but since she'd had no previous experience at hiring a man for personal service, she didn't let her mind dwell on the matter.Felicia arrived in the nation's capital around noon that Friday in late March and went directly to the Willard Hotel. After hanging up her dress, she showered and took a nap. At seven o'clock, she ordered a light supper in her Get yourself with me," of the money asked him.She didn't miss his quick shrug. "Not at all. Make it to Habitat for Humanity."She stared at him. "Are you sure? I mean"He interrupted her. "Very sure. It's my favorite charity." She didn't bother to hide her bemusement, which he ignored the way a