Romance Plagiarism Project #1

http://mmallinson.blogspot.com/2006/09/romance-plagiarism-project.html


Anita spun around at the sound of a powerful motor pulling into her driveway. The air left her lungs in a rush when she saw it was Bryce's pick-up truck. She nearly dropped the trowel in her hand. Determinedly, she turned her back and focused again on the flower bed she'd been working on. She heard the truck door slam, and could picture perfectly in her mind Bryce's athletic body, nerve-taut, climbing out of the truck and striding across the lawn. From the glimpse she'd caught of him earlier that day, she knew he was looking handsome in chino pants and a short-sleeved shirt with a muted pattern of seashells. She dug fervently at the moist earth in front of her.
"You shouldn't believe everything you hear in this town," a husky voice said from behind her. She whirled around and fixed him with her frostiest glare. "I only believe things I've got proof of!" She declared, raising her chin in defiance.
Her eyes ran over his rugged countenance, taking in every familiar feature. She had stared at Bryce so many times before. It hurt her to confront him about this.
"I know that you're in love with Tammy," she choked out. He stepped back suddenly, heavily, realization hitting him like a gale-force wind. Could this really be the source of her ill-temper over the past few days? He ran a rough hand over his stubbled chin, and through his dark, unruly locks. His nose crinkled in dismay.
Staring down at the upturned earth all around Anita's feet, he finally managed to say, "Tammy was my dog. If you overheard my conversation at the post office the other day, you must have missed the beginning... I loved that dog like no other companion. I'd never even felt that depth of emotion before. That is...until I met you. You opened up a whole new world to me." He looked up. His gaze met hers and time stilled.
Anita's mouth hung open in shock. She was overwhelmed, amazed, uncomprehending. Her anger vanished immediately as she realized how mistaken she'd been about Bryce's true nature. All this time, she'd thought he was holding back because he was involved with some other woman. Now she understood, as relief washed over her, that the emotionally-wounded man needed to be taught how to love again.
She stepped closer to him. Her internal temperature had skyrocketed.
"I'm sorry, Bryce," she said softly. "I never would have been so cruel to you if I'd known that." Her voice was like a spring breeze, fresh and warm, and the first truly comforting balm to his wounded ego. "But still," she continued, "who were those flowers for? The ones I saw you carrying down Main Street?"
He narrowed his eyes and peered at her. "You," he said simply. "The flowers were for you. But I'm a coward and I never brought them over."
With that he came right up to her, took the gardening tool she was still holding out of her hand, and gently held her delicate hand in his coarse one. She tilted her head to gaze up at him.
"I'm through being afraid," he murmured, his lips almost brushing hers. A low moan escaped her throat as their lips met. He probed the line of her mouth with his tongue until she opened to him. She felt so much hope and promise in his kiss, mirroring her own desires. As they slowly collapsed onto the lawn, his mouth devoured hers, releasing their pent-up emotions in a blinding, mind-numbing blending of mouths, hearts and passions.
This was madness! She'd been furious with him only a few moments ago, and now here they were locked together, rolling around in her front garden. She was brought out of the moment for a second as she thought with regret that her award-winning peonies would be crushed. Madness! But with him, now, tonight, madness was what she wanted. Her senses were finally alive, botany be damned!
The soft earth beneath her was cool and damp. She could feel the slightly gritty texture of the dirt rubbing the backs of her arms and legs. Then, as he caressed her, gently at first but then with growing ardor, she could feel only him and his touches. The outside world ceased to exist and there was only the two of them, touching. She anticipated no less from him than this total annihilation of her senses.