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Intrigue: The Romance Bookstore
The Tangled Web


      Release date
       June 2010
Tess Fuller's plan was simple -- take out a loan to buy the Mercedes convertible and find a boarder to cover the repayments. Tess's problem is, no boarder. That is, until handsome David Montgomery arrives to take up his position as Concert Master of the City Symphony, of which Tess is a member.  If she can convince David to rent the spare room in the house she inherited from her millionaire father, her problem is solved.

The trouble is, serious minded David hates sharing, doesn't like dogs-- of which Tess has two-- and remembers her as an attractive but wild party girl from their Music School days. Tess remembers David as the frustratingly unsociable heartthrob she adored from afar.

When Tess tries to prove to David she has changed, her efforts create even more problems.


Tess went for her walk with Fid trotting happily beside her, and came home in plenty
of  time to watch The Philadelphia Story on TV. David was practicing. The music
studio had been made soundproof and any playing was inaudible in the house but
Tess fed the dogs and sat on the back step for fifteen minutes, listening. The sound
was muted but the talent wasn't in any way diminished by jet-lag or unfamiliar surroundings. He sounded marvelous.
       Eventually she roused herself. The movie was due to start. She checked Hannibal's kennel tucked around the rear of the studio near the washing line. He was curled up snoring. "Time for bed," she told Fid. He sat obediently in front of his own kennel. "Good boy."    

          The back door opened and closed when Cary Grant was finally reclaiming Katherine Hepburn on the very brink of her marriage to the upper class loser. Tess tore her attention but not her eyes reluctantly from the scene when David said, "Do the dogs stay outside at night?"
             "Yes."
             "That's a surprise. I thought they'd sleep in your bed."
        "No." Now Cary was telling Katherine to marry him again instead. What a fabulous movie.
        "Or at the very least have a place in the laundry."
            She glanced at him and said abruptly, "My father hated dogs in the house. He said their job was to guard the property. Now shush."
            "What's the movie?"
            "The Philadelphia Story. Ssh."
            He sat down. "It's in black and white."
            "Mmm. Ssssssh."
            He picked up the folded TV guide and rustled the pages as he flipped through. "Not much on." He tossed it aside.
            The credits rolled. Tess flicked the off button. She turned to the intruder. "I love that movie, it's a classic, and you spoiled the ending."
           "But you've seen it before so you know the ending."
           "That's not the point."
           "Are you going to murder me?" He grinned at her. He was uncommonly cheerful.
           She wasn't going to acknowledge that crack. Murder wasn't what sprang to mind when he smiled at her like that.        "Practice go well?"
           The grin widened and he leaned forward enthusiastically. "Excellent. The acoustics in that room are perfect. It's an amazing room."
           "I know. It was specifically engineered and soundproofed."
           He shook his head in disbelief. "And you prefer to practice in the study?" He eyed her speculatively and folded his arms behind his head, then stretched them up with fingers interlocked.
           Tess stood up. "Yep. I'm going to bed. I have a Tai Chi class in the morning so I'll be out early. Back around nine."
           "Tai Chi?" His arms dropped to his lap. He couldn't hide the surprise.
            "Yes, why not? It's good for musicians. I have a problem with my shoulder sometimes." She glared at him daring him to say what she suspected he'd been thinking. Tess do something as esoteric and philosophical as Tai Chi? The Party Girl? He made a good recovery.
           "I've thought of taking that up. You'll have to show me some."
            Her defiance drained away and suddenly she was self-conscious under his scrutiny. "I don't know enough yet and I'm not very good at it."
           His brown eyes softened and his lips curved slightly. "Bringing breakfast home with you?" Her knees wobbled under the onslaught of charm. How would she stand a week of this proximity without behaving wantonly and embarrassing them both? It'd confirm his erroneous idea of her as a free wheeling party girl, that's for sure if she attempted to seduce him. 
           "I could call in at the bakery."
           "Please do. I normally have cereal and fruit but those croissants are very good. As a treat."
           "Good night." She turned to go.
           He said in a much different tone, serious, no hint of teasing. "Thanks for taking me in at such short notice, Tess. I appreciate it."
       "No worries. Don't stay up too late or you'll be messed up tomorrow."
            "No, I'm pretty tired. Good night."
            It was all she could do not to throw herself into his lap and press her mouth onto those smiling lips. Instead she walked unsteadily along the hallway and closed  herself in her bedroom where she sat on her bed, breathing hard. Maybe having him in the house was not such a good plan after all. It may turn out to be some exquisite kind of torture. Self denial wasn't her strong suit.