Free Husband Hunting 101 by Rita Herron Page A

bridal registry.
    Their heads touched as they leaned over the sketchpad, and when she spotted the couple shadowed by moonlight, their hands extended, fingers barely touching over a candlelit dinner with a wedding ring floating in a glass of champagne, she gasped in delight. "Yes, this is nice, romantic, sensual, just the look I'm aiming for."
    He'd drawn a series depicting the progression of a budding romance, starting with a couple in satin lounging attire cuddled around a fireplace. With each scene, the mood escalated and the lingerie became more provocative. The last picture showcased a bride wearing a long train as she marched down the aisle. Although the couple's faces were mere outlines, he realized how closely the woman's profile resembled Jenna.
    "These are lovely," Jenna said a little breathlessly.
    The sultry music in the background made Zack's libido kick up, heightening his awareness of the erotic atmosphere in the boutique.
    "You really are talented, Zack," Jenna said as her gaze lingered on the second picture in the series. The man looked rugged and tough, dressed in jeans and a denim shirt with the top button open, his female companion in a long, white gauzy dress that swirled around her ankles in the breeze as they danced in the moonlight. Only the hint of a sheer camisole peeked from her blouse and the man held her in a clinched pose. It reminded her of a seductive pose on the cover of a romance novel.
    Jenna's breath whispered out in a soft sigh of appreciation, and Jack's chest puffed with pride.
    Then she turned and paused again at the rough sketch of a man on bended knee proposing to a woman wearing one of the black bodystockings she had in the store. The woman was brushing her lover's cheek with a rose. "This is beautiful, absolutely beautiful," she said in a whisper.
    He jammed his hands into his pockets. "I haven't finalized the slogan yet, but I have a couple of ideas."
    Her gaze locked with his. "Do you want to run them by me now?"
    "I'd rather wait until I've narrowed them down," he said, suddenly drawn to the way the dimming light filtering in from the outside shadowed her face. The sun had set and the haze of early evening had started to turn into night.
    As an artist he appreciated the nuances of oranges and yellows and reds fading into a smoky gray. A smoky gray that simmered with heat and the hint of romance.
    As a man, he simply wanted her.
    The air around them crackled with awareness, with the silent hunger he tried so hard to ignore. But it was burning a hole in his belly, and it was all he could do to keep his hands from reaching for her.
    "I'm confident the slogan will be a winner," she said, her voice husky.
    "You make it easy." He paused when she arched an eyebrow. "With all this sexy merchandise, how could I go wrong?"
    "Thanks," she said softly. "I enjoy choosing the items in the store personally and try to be selective."
    "Are you as selective with your husband hunt?" Damn it, the comment just slipped out.
    Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "Absolutely."
    In the background, the feminine scents of perfume filled the air, and the music rose to a crescendo of sultry tones. In spite of his brain's warning, Zack suddenly couldn't keep his hands still.
    He gently touched a strand of silky red hair that had swept down into her face. They were standing so close her breath caressed his cheek, and he could almost hear the faint rhythm of her heart fluttering as he gently pushed the strand behind her ear.
    The movement revealed her hearing aid and she bit her lip, then started to turn away, but he caught her chin and gently pulled her face back to his. A hint of vulnerability shadowed her face, deepening his desire.
    Then her breathing became erratic, and hunger flooded him as he realized that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
    He inhaled her sultry scent and something sweeter, softer mingled with desire, some emotion he refused to acknowledge or admit. It had to be hunger, an extension of