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CANDY’S
MAN
    A
Short Prelude
    By
    Jeanette Hornby

 
 
    Copyright
© 2012 by Jeanette Hornby

 
    Thank you for
downloading this ebook .   This remains the copyrighted property of the
author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial and
non-commercial purposes.   Thank you for
your support.

 
    This book is a
work of fiction.   With the exception of
recognized historical figures, the characters in this novel are fictional.   Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

 
 
 
    CHAPTER
ONE

 
 
    Candy
inhaled the fresh salty air and watched the throng of people on the deck of the
cruise ship.   In a few minutes the ship
would leave the Port of Miami and tour the Caribbean.
    The
ship’s horn sounded loudly and Candy put her hands over her ears.   A sudden breeze whipped the hat off her
head.   “My hat!” she yelled above the
din, as the hat swirled in the air.   She
saw several hands reach out but the hat soared upwards and over the crowd.   “No!”
    She
pushed her way through the mass of people.   “Please!”  
    The
hat looked to be going overboard but a hand suddenly grasped it and her heart
skipped a beat.  
    For
several moments she lost sight of her precious hat.   But then, there it was.   She watched as the hat moved through the
horde.   Closer.   And then it stopped right before her.
    It
was in large hands.
    Candy
looked up over a muscular chest that was covered by a tight black t-shirt.   Her gaze moved to a strong, square, jawline
and an arresting masculine face.   Dark sunglasses
covered the man’s eyes but didn’t detract from his handsomeness.   He was all muscle and she felt a shiver
course down her spine.   “My hat,” she
stated, nervously.   
    A
small smile crossed the man’s mouth and he held it out to her.   “Thank you so much,” she gushed as she took
hold of her prized possession.   The man
merely nodded and stood there watching her.
    The
strong spicy scent of his cologne filled the air despite the choppy
breeze.   She looked down and fumbled with
the hat in her hands.   She was so out of
practice.   What did one say to a
man?   Was he even single?
    As far as she could tell, no ring.   Now what?   When his boot-covered foot began to tap, she knew she should say
something.   “Thank you,” she squeaked and
then cleared her throat .  
    Pathetic.  
    He
raked a hand through his thick, dark hair and nodded again before he began to
walk away.
    She
stared at him.   She couldn’t let him leave
like that but what else was there to say?   And then the moment was lost as his hulking figure became lost in the
crowd.  
    Damn!
    “What
a hunk,” a voice said, and Candy turned to face the blonde woman beside
her.   “Did you catch his name?” she
asked.
    “No,”
Candy replied.   “I...I was lost for
words.”
    The
woman nodded in understanding.   “Yes, I
guess he could take your breath away.   I’ve never seen a man like that.”
    Candy
chuckled.   “I know what you mean.”
    “I’m
Susan,” the woman said, smiling.
    “Candace,”
she replied.
    “Are
you here alone?”
    “Yes.”
    “Divorced?”
    “Is
it that obvious?”
    “You
look like a little lost sheep,” Susan told her with a laugh and Candy
cringed.   “You’ll get over it,” Susan
assured her.
    “Hopefully.”
    “Look
over there,” Susan whispered, and Candy’s gaze moved to a group of men who were
watching them.
    She
felt a flutter in her stomach and looked down.   Was she ever going to get used to being single again?  
    “They
seem okay,” Susan said quietly.   “The
blonde one is cute.”
    Candy
briefly looked them over and felt the panic in her veins.   “I think I might go for a swim,” she
remarked, and noted the surprised look on Susan’s face.   “I need to relax.”
    Susan
smiled.   “I could go with you.”
    “Really?   I’d
like that.”
    “Let’s
go and fetch our swimming