Author
Excerpts from her new novel ~ Bright Star Safari ~
To be released by Wings ePress in March 2008
Holding her breath she backed away, reached the wall, pressed hard against it. Slowly, she began to move, one step at a time, sliding softly, softly toward the door. She took one step, two... another... Then, from nowhere, a hand shot out and gripped her around the neck.
Hard steel pressed against her forehead. A voice... Greg's voice... grated in her ear. "Got you, you bastard. Don't move or I'll shoot."
Shock came in icy waves, buckling her knees. The breath caught in her throat and, for a long moment, she found it difficult to breathe. Then she began to tremble as relief flooded over her.
"Greg," she whispered. "Let go. It's me, Amanda. Let go, you're hurting me."
"Amanda! What the hell are you doing here?" He moved the gun from her forehead, placed it on the cabinet, and waited for her answer.
"It's a long story..." she began but she hadn't time for more because Greg's head came down and his lips found hers. She moaned softly as her senses swam. A floodgate opened and all her pent up longing surfaced in one tumultuous rush. There wasn't time for explaining, or telling, or reasoning, all she knew was a hot, urgent need.
Amanda sat quite still, trying to absorb the news. It did not seem possible that she owned one third of Kwezi Ranch. And yet she did. Mr. Birch had made it quite plain. She had come to Elandsdorp expecting to receive a small bequest. Instead she'd been told that Aunt Emily had left her one third of a very valuable asset. It was almost too much to take in.
Greg Anderson�s voice broke into her thoughts. �A three-way partnership is difficult to run at the best of times, and if the shareholders are strangers, well... it'll be just about impossible." He paused, gave Basil a questioning glance, then turned to Amanda. She could feel his eyes on her, feel them moving up and down over her body. A small smile played around his lips, then in an instant it disappeared and he became businesslike again. "So, if anyone would like to sell their shares I'd like it known I'm in the market to buy. I would appreciate first option."
In the silence that followed Mr. Birch looked from Amanda to Basil then back again. When no one made a move to speak he raised an eyebrow. "Would either of you like to take up Mr. Anderson's offer?"
Basil shook his head. "No thank you. I'm hanging on to what I've got."
"Miss Baker?"
She looked around uncertainly. "I'm not sure. This is all so unexpected. I'd like time to think it over."
Greg' regarded her steadily for a few moments then leaned forward to ask, "Have you ever lived in the bushveld, Miss Baker? Do you have any idea what it's like?"
She shook her head. "No, not really. I spent holidays on the ranch when I was a child, but that was a long time ago. I haven't been back since."
He nodded and smiled, as though he'd expected no other answer. "Well, let me tell you that holidays... even as an adult... hardly prepare one for life in the bush. Not for what it's really like. It's a very hard life if you're not used to it.
