Copyright © 2011, Pepper St. Claire
Published by Whiskey Creek Press LLC

Reviews For SEARCHERS by Pepper St. Claire

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Katie Franklin sat at her kitchen table, shredding a damp paper napkin in her hands. She stared down at the cup of cold coffee in front of her, and shook her head at her reflection. You’re a married woman! You have to end this affair! The words replayed in her mind until she wanted to tear her hair out.

Her shoulders sagged. How did she get herself into such a predicament? Falling in love with one man while still married to another. Honestly. Her body’s sensual needs had possessed her subconscious mind and made her commit this sinful deed. Male attention was the magnet that drew her to Joey, and now she couldn’t imagine life without him.

At twenty-eight, attracting a twenty-five-year-old flattered her. His smile, his broad shoulders…everything about him stirred passion she hadn’t felt in ages. She’d never intended to fall into bed with him; it just happened. Being near him blurred her reasoning.

Joey made her feel sensuous and alive. With him, she had discovered her lost confidence and found desire again. But was it real? Seven years ago, Rick had looked at her the same way. Where had their marriage gone so wrong?

She flashed back to their earlier wedded days. His touches ignited a fire within her soul. She recalled how she waited for him to come home…wanting to taste his kisses and feel his touch. But that passion dwindled away with the birth of their son, Brandon. Having a child was supposed to bring people closer together, make them a family. It wasn’t that way in their home. Katie lowered her head into her palms and heaved a sigh.

Maybe if she’d lost the baby weight right away she never would have ventured into Searchers. What if… It didn’t matter what scenario she applied to her predicament, she still struggled with the biggest question. Should a few extra pounds matter if you truly love someone?

Why couldn’t Rick see she was the same person the whole time…with the same heart, feelings, and needs? She didn’t really change, but he did. The looks of disgust and his endless cruel puns turned their marriage sour and made her doubt any feelings she had for him.

Now, several months later, Katie was back to her pre-pregnancy figure, and Rick was suddenly regaining interest. She fisted her hands and pounded on the table, sloshing her decaf over the cup’s side. How could she possibly forget all the terrible things he’d said or forgive how degraded he made her feel? Was it wrong to hold on to the hurt?

The hours he spent away from the house gave her time to fantasize about Joey. But did she have the right? Tension pounded in her temples. She never expected things to become so confusing. Was it fate or luck that drew her to her lover? Was he just a passing fancy or was he the reason to end her marriage?

Katie rose from the table and poured her remaining coffee down the sink. She used what was left of the napkin to mop up her spill then threw the wadded paper into the garbage. Katie sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and stared out the window over the sink. The gray clouds scudding by defined her mood. Rick’s touch left her cold, and his sexual innuendos did nothing to entice her. She dreaded his return from work, and especially, bedtime. He wouldn’t take no for an answer much longer.

Tears she’d successfully restrained all morning trickled down her cheeks like the rain pinging against the windowpane. One way or another, she needed to make a decision, and soon.

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