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Category: Erotica/Erotic Romance/Romance
Description: Shannon McCallister, an overworked and underappreciated business woman and mother of two gets an unexpected opportunity to advance in her career when her supervisor decides to send her to London to close an important business deal. While there she has a chance encounter with an attractive and much younger man, which opens the door to the most exciting week of her life. Each day brings Shannon a sexual fulfillment she has never known before, and at forty-one she never expected to have. Even more surprising are the feelings being stirred up, which linger long after they've left the bedroom. One week suddenly doesn't feel long enough....
eBook Publisher: MLR Press, LLC/Passion in Print Press,
eBookwise Release Date: March 2012

Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [47 KB]
Words: 8887
Reading time: 25-35 min.

Surrounded by piles of paper, contacts, and print specs, Shannon McCallister could not wait for the day to be over, but she wasn't entirely sure why she should be glad. The only things awaiting her at home were an army of teenagers and their mess. Her children, now fifteen and seventeen, never seemed to be at home unaccompanied. At last the clock hands crept up on five o'clock, the signal to that day's bit of freedom.

She was just fishing her keys out of her handbag when her boss, Mr. Jeremy, appeared at the side of her desk. His presence meant one of two things--something really good or something very bad. With her luck, it would be the latter.

"Glad I caught you. I need to speak with you in my office."

"Now?"

"Yes." He did not wait for an answer. Shannon had no choice but to follow him.

Once inside, he strode across the space to his massive desk, where he indicated that Shannon should take a seat opposite him. She did, unease like a ball of lead in her stomach.

"How long have you been with us now, Shannon?"

"Ten years, sir."

"You must be happy with your job then?"

"Of course." Was that a trick question?

"Well, in my book, hard work and loyalty need to be recognized and rewarded. So I have decided to send you to London to close the Legacy deal."

She could not have been more surprised if he'd said she was being sent to Mars. "Pardon me, sir? I've never been sent out on something like this before."

"There's a first time for everything, Shannon. I've checked your file. All of your accounts are in good order. You've been a part of many successful campaigns. Your supervisors all say you work harder than anyone else here. You never complain. You never take time off. This is your chance to step up. If this deal goes well, I'm prepared to offer you a raise and a more supervisory position."

"Wow! Thank you, sir. I appreciate your belief in my abilities. I won't let you down."

"Yes. I know you won't. Now make whatever arrangements you need to, because you leave on Sunday. I've booked a flight, which will get you in sometime in the evening. Your first meeting is Monday morning. Sandra will have a package with all of the background information and the outstanding issues for you first thing in the morning. I expect you to know this account like the back of your hand."

"Of course."

On the drive home, all Shannon could think about were the numerous ways she could screw up this opportunity. Her self doubt was a residual effect of the collapse of her marriage six years before. She had married young, had her two kids while finishing college, never having had a full-time job before. When her husband left her, everything had been turned upside down. She had had to find a way to support herself and the kids by turning her then part-time job into a career, as well as look after the house and make all the decisions on her own. That she had come through the ordeal more or less unscathed still surprised her.

The only piece not fully recovered was her love life. She had not had more than a date or two in all the years since the split. At forty-one, she wondered whether another relationship was even on the cards for her.

Screw it, she thought as she lay in bed later that night. I can do this.

The trip would offer a lot of firsts for her. Her first solo closing. Her first overseas trip. This was her time to shine, and she planned on making the most of it.