Welcome to the final Charity Sunday for 2019!
Lots
of us go home for the holidays in December. That got me thinking
about the whole idea of “home”. What would life be like without
safe, comfortable shelter? A roof over our heads, doors to keep out
intruders, windows to view the world?
There
are way too many people in today’s world who don’t have this kind
of home – people who live in shacks or tents, shanty town slums or
abandoned garbage bins. At this time of gathering together, I’ve
chosen to support Habitat for
Humanity, an organization dedicated to building homes for those
who need them.
You
may already be aware of Habitat’s work. They work through local
affiliates, volunteers who raise money, acquire materials, and work
with the intended residents to build new shelter. What makes Habitat
special, though, is that it doesn’t build homes for the
people who will occupy them. Habitat builds
with those people. A core concept in
Habitat’s approach is the idea of “sweat equity”. To receive
help from Habitat, you have to be willing to invest your own labor.
You must make a commitment, learn the necessary skills, put in the
time and the energy to help create the home of which you dream.
I
really love this notion. People value the fruits of their own
efforts. Furthermore, Habitat’s beneficiaries, by learning how to
build, can help others in their communities do the same.
Anyway,
for every comment I receive on this post, I’ll donate $2 to
Habitat.
Meanwhile, here’s an excerpt from my holiday erotic romance Almost Home, which takes place in a New England home very much like the one where I used to live.
Meanwhile, here’s an excerpt from my holiday erotic romance Almost Home, which takes place in a New England home very much like the one where I used to live.
The
mug of tea cupped in her hands chased the last bit of numbness from
Suzanne’s fingers. Propped up on a couch in Gino’s spacious
kitchen, swaddled in quilts, she watched him toss another log on the
roaring fire. He moved with easy grace, a man at home in his own
skin.
The
heat from the blaze matched the desire simmering in her belly. She
felt her body expanding, unfolding. Her tension and fear evaporated.
In their place came delicious comfort edged with arousal. Gino poked
at the glowing timbers piled on the hearth. She admired the line of
his broad back and the curve of his buttocks under the stretched
denim.
“Gino,”
she called softly. “Come here.”
He
gave her a smile that rivalled the blaze he tended. “Suzanne?” He
sauntered over to sit beside her half-prone form. “How are you
feeling?”
“Much
better, thanks to you. I don’t know what would have happened if you
hadn’t come along.” She grasped his hand, entwining their
fingers. He laid his other hand on top. It might have just been a
gesture of friendship, but it sent sparks swirling through her. Her
nipples tightened into hungry knots.
“You
know, Suzy, I had this strange feeling. Jack and I had just settled
down to our annual game of chess—one of our traditions—when
suddenly I knew I had to leave. I told them I had a headache, and
actually, it felt a bit that way—some kind of urgent need pounding
in my skull. When I saw the car burrowed into the snow bank, I knew
right away that it was you.”
“I’m
so grateful.” He was close enough now that she could smell him,
wood smoke with an undercurrent of wintergreen. “I was pretty
scared.”
“You
should have let me drive you,” Gino scolded. “But then you always
were stubborn.” He leaned back, away from her, and released her
hand. Suzanne wanted to pull him closer. Why did he hesitate? Didn’t
he know she wanted him?
“I’ve
got to be back in California by Monday morning,” she murmured.
“Important meeting. But I don’t suppose there’s any possibility
of getting to my hotel tonight, is there?”
“Not
a snowball’s chance in hell,” Gino replied triggering a laugh
that relieved some of the strain. “The governor’s called for a
state of emergency. The Mass Pike is closed to all but emergency
vehicles. Latest forecasts say we’re going to get two feet.” He
caught her eyes as though trying to read her thoughts. “Lady,
you’re stuck here for the foreseeable future.”
Suzanne
reached for him. “In that case, why don’t you kiss me?”
He
allowed her to bring his lips within inches of hers. Then he stopped
her. “Are you sure? I got the idea back at the party that I made
you nervous. That you still weren’t interested in being more than
friends.”
“You
do make me nervous—but in a good way. I feel like a teenager when
you’re around, hot and bothered, excited and embarrassed. You’ve
always made me feel that way.”
“And
that’s good?”
“I’m
beginning to think so. Why don’t you kiss me and we can find out?”
He
didn’t need a second invitation. Sliding his hands under the
blankets, he gathered her to his chest and planted his firm lips on
hers. Even though she was expecting this kiss, it still shocked her.
Sudden heat swept through her like a forest fire. Any last
reservations burned to a crisp. He took possession of her mouth,
scarcely allowing her to take a breath. Meanwhile his hands roved
over her curves, sending waves of electric pleasure shimmering down
to her sex.
The
velvet transmitted every brush of his fingertips. She might as well
have been naked. It hardly mattered that she was wearing a bra or
panties. He rolled one brazen nipple between his thumb and
forefinger, waking tremors in her clit. She gasped into his mouth. He
cupped her damp mound through her clothing, his lips still glued to
hers. She spread her legs, begging for more, and he obliged, rubbing
the velvet back and forth along the groove of her pussy.
His
groping made her increasingly desperate. As though he read her
thoughts, he broke the kiss. “I want to see you naked,” he
breathed. “I always have.”
She
flung the quilts away and pulled her dress over her head in one fluid
motion. He watched, clearly fascinated, eyes gleaming in the
firelight. Reaching behind her, she unhooked her crimson bra and set
her ample breasts free. She cupped them like an offering, her own
hands feeling almost as wonderful on her flesh as his. He fastened
his mouth on one taut nub, pinching the other. The sight of his dark
head suckling was almost enough to make her come. Gino, she
thought, buffeted by a confusing mix of emotions. After all this
time.
Don’t
forget to leave a comment; every one means another $2 for Habitat.
And I hope you will visit the other blogs participating today.
Happy
Holidays to you and yours!
