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In Your EyesBallantine Books (July 2004) Read an excerpt |
One Look and His Heart Was Lost
A gifted artist, Genevieve Monaghan expresses the wonder and beauty of life on canvas. When millionaire philanthropist Alex Miller asks her to create a painting for the new children’s wing of a major Boston hospital, she finds his high-handed ways exasperating and his stunning good looks distracting—but she cannot resist his proposal. She embraces the project, willing to suffer Alex’s presence for the sake of her art. Yet soon Gen finds herself falling for Alex and his virile charm.
At the pinnacle of wealth and power, Alex Miller stands alone. Women flock to him, drawn by his standing and immense sex appeal. Nothing touches his heart—until he meets Gen. A natural beauty, she is a breath of fresh air in his life and has no interest in his riches or glamour. Although they couldn’t be more different, the growing attraction between them is palpable, sizzling with intensity. Even as they fight to deny their feelings, Alex and Gen are losing themselves to the one thing more awe-inspiring than beauty: love.
Read the Reviews
"This is a fun contemporary romance starring a wonderful lead couple and some zany support players. The fatal attraction seems weak and unnecessary as Alex and Gen have enough to keep them at arm's length in spite of the obvious magnetism. Still the audience will appreciate this fine tale of love between a patron and an artist with his aunt as the matchmaking grandmaster fostering the relationship."
Harriett Klausner
4 Stars
"...IN YOUR EYES thrives on emotions as Alex experiences true love for the first time in his life. Gen is equally thrilled with Alex and treasures every moment spent with him. Though it is a fast-paced and poignant story, there are plenty of humorous moments to balance out the strong emotions of Alex and Gen. The comical dog Murphy definitely keeps the laughter rolling off the pages. Laura Moore has written a thrilling story that any romance fan will enjoy. Alex and Gen are a great couple and the reader will be eagerly anticipating the many wonderful moments between them. I highly recommended IN YOUR EYES as the perfect summer time treat."
Sarah W.
Romance Junkies
"Building the children’s wing on the local hospital is a labor of love for Alex Miller. It's to be a memorial to his late brother and sister-in-law and every detail must be perfect, especially the painting to hang in the lobby. Searching for the right artist has been an exercise in futility until Genevieve Monaghan moves in with his elderly aunt.
Gen is staying with Aunt Grace while her live-in companion is away, in exchange for the use of her late husband’s art studio. Although suspicious of Gen’s motives at first, Alex soon realizes she's a refreshing change from the money-hungry social-climbers he has a history of dating. She pours her emotions and her soul into her art, and it speaks to Alex's heart. The two find themselves falling in love, but Alex's former girlfriend, Sydney, is determined to win him back, no matter what the cost.
This story opens with a scorching love scene and just gets better from there. A very enjoyable read."
Tish Glasson
The Best Reviews
Excerpt
Alex awoke at six in the morning and in the semi-darkness of his room rummaged through the dresser for his running shorts and T-shirt. This was the perfect hour to run in the Hamptons, when the roads that led past corn and potato fields and tall privet hedges, planted to screen the houses hidden behind them, were still empty and peaceful.
He walked silently down the hallway so as not to disturb his sleeping aunt and descended the stairs. At the kitchen sink he poured himself a glass of water. As he drank, his eyes strayed involuntarily across the backyard.
No lights shone in the studio. In his mind he pictured Gen's delicately boned face, the fan of her dark lashes against her cheeks as she lay sleeping on the futon his aunt Grace had told him the local handyman had moved into the studio. "I offered Genevieve the bedroom opposite yours, Alex, but she insisted she was quite happy sleeping out there. Such an independent-minded girl--not at all like those New York City lemmings," she'd added with a sniff of disdain for good measure, so Alex would know this was meant as a pointed reference to his previous girlfriends.
Aunt Grace was right, he thought, and took another sip of water, his gaze still riveted on the studio. Gen was different from those other women. He'd known her for less than a week and already she had a more profound hold on his thoughts than any other woman. And his fascination seemed to grow each time he saw her.
Out of habit, Alex left the house by the porch overlooking the beach, so he could have that incomparable first glimpse of dawn-lit ocean. He stood at the railing, taking in the wide sweep of sand, the roll of incoming waves--and froze as he spotted two dark forms bobbing in the surf. Everything inside him went still, except for the heavy thudding of his heart, which beat in sync with the waves pounding the shore. Only the bite of the porch's wooden railing against his palms kept him from thinking that this was but a continuation of the dreams and fantasies he'd had of her.
Gen and Murphy were emerging from the surf, the dog bounding through the water in great deerlike leaps, she timing her advance with the rhythm of the incoming waves. Alex was filled with an instinctive, immediate urge to rush to her aid that eased only when he saw how comfortable she was negotiating the opposing forces of waves and undertow.
When he tensed again it was for a different reason.
She walked out of the sea like Venus at her birth, sleek, long-limbed . . . perfect nascent femininity. Alex had never beheld such a glorious sight.
Then Murphy gave a loud bark and shook himself vigorously, his long fur sending water spraying. Alex heard Gen's shriek as the water hit her bare skin. With a laughing reprimand to the dog, who had begun racing over the sand in crazed zigzags and circles, she bent down and grabbed a beach towel, wrapping it about her before scooping up the small bundle of clothes by her feet.
***
Gen trudged through the deep sand that was still cool from the night air, and stepped onto the wooden stairway that led right to the front lawn. The grass was prickly wet with dew. The moisture plastered the sand to her feet. As she crossed the lawn in the direction of the outdoor shower, a flicker of movement on the porch caught her eye.
"Good morning."
Gen stopped in her tracks at the sound of Alex's voice. Luckily her arms were clamped tight about her towel. Though little good that did. Even from the distance of the porch, his gaze was a physical thing. Her skin tingled with awareness. And against the thick weave of the towel, her nipples grew taught and aching. She shivered.
"Cold?" he asked.
No, she wasn't cold. She felt like she was melting from a single fiery glance. With an effort, Gen pulled herself together. "Uh, have you been sitting here long?"
"Yes. It's beautiful here in the morning; the view's always striking. This morning especially so. I liked your suit."
She decided to brazen it out. After all, she had no hang-ups about her body--at least she hadn't until three seconds ago. "Ahh, yes," she managed lightly. "That would mean my birthday suit."
"And a more becoming one I've never seen. By the way, your mother's wrong. You're not too thin. You're beautiful," he said quietly. She felt his gaze slide over her and knew he was stripping her bare, seeing her as she'd been a few minutes before. Her heart pounded in her chest. "Still, be careful swimming alone. Much though I enjoyed it, I won't always be her to watch over you."
With that, Alex turned and headed back into the house, leaving Gen to stare after him. His words flowed through her like a warm, heady current. Had she acquired her very own guardian angel? she wondered bemusedly. One who, instead of wings, came equipped with a private plane? Certainly he had the fierce golden beauty of the Archangel Gabriel. And increasingly, when Alex looked at her as he had just now, Gen was sure she'd find heaven in the circle of his strong arms.
Alex strode through the house, leaving by the kitchen door. His hands still shook with the need to unknot that damnable beach towel and caress every inch of her damp, salty skin. To touch Gen until she writhed, needing him as much as he needed her.
He ran, pushing himself, making his heart pound and the muscles in his legs burn as sweat poured off his body. He ran as an act of will to control his unruly mind and body. He ran, but couldn't escape the memory of Gen's naked, glistening body rising from the sea.