Red Shoes and a Diary

by Mia Zachary

Overview

Meghan Foster had always wanted to have a wild, passionate affair, like the ones she fantasized about in her diary. But now she's tired of waiting. Her agenda--to go on a tropical vacation and turn those sensual dreams into reality. And Alex Worth seems to be just the man to help her. He's dark, dangerous and very, very sexy. If only he didn't have an agenda of his own....
DEA agent Alex Worth is at the resort on an undercover assignment. Only, he doesn't expect to end up "under the covers" so quickly. From the moment he discovers Meghan's sexy lingerie, red shoes and a diary full of naughty entries in his room, he can't get enough of her. But is Meghan really as innocent as she seems? Because her fantasies--fantasies Alex definitely intends to fulfill--are anything but....

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781426877735
Publisher:	Harlequin Blaze
Publication date:	02/11/2025
Series:	Harlequin Blaze Series , #83
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	523 KB

About the Author

When Mia was about 10 years old, her mother let her read a 'grown-up' book. It was a Harlequin Romance novel about a small-town veterinarian and the family practitioner he falls in love with. That story was pretty tame by today's standards--the hero and heroine didn't even kiss until the last page--but it opened up a whole new world to a romantic little girl who loved to write.

Over the years, Mia penned really bad poetry, even worse song lyrics, adolescent short stories and overly descriptive class papers. Then one day a scene for a medieval romance emerged fully detailed in her head and she rushed to get it on paper. That scene eventually turned into eight chapters and a synopsis, but she kept getting bogged down in historical research and set the story aside. Deep in a sea of self-doubt, she set writing aside as well.

Mia met her husband in Russian 101 at the beginning of the university semester. Their first date was November 17, 1989, and they eloped one year and 13 days later. She credits her husband with encouraging her to write again and for suggesting that a contemporary time frame might help her focus more on the story than the setting.

One of her contemporary romance manuscripts won the Harlequin Books 2000 Summer Blaze Contest for bold, brash love scenes, placing second in the published category. On July 10, 2002, after four years and nine rewrites, Red Shoes&a Diary finally sold to the Harlequin Blaze line! Mia figures it was fate.

Mia lives in Maryland with her wonderful husband and their beautiful little boy. In addition to being a fiction author, she's also a creativity coach and a paralegal hoping to quit the law firm to write full-time. You can contact Mia at [e-mail].

Read an Excerpt

He put one foot up on the brass rail along the bottom of the bar, shifting his weight to the opposite hip. Her gaze dropped to the front of his jeans. Omigod. She stared out at the night sky in order to get her pulse back under control.
“Whenever I’m near you, Alex, I feel like I’m in a racing car with no brakes.”
His warm fingers gently brushed her cheek, tilting her chin up until she looked at him. There was an odd tenderness in his face. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.”
Meghan took a quick breath, delighted by the intensity of his gaze... and that swelling in his jeans. He really did want her. She saw it in his eyes, felt it in his touch.
“Who’s going to keep me safe from you?”
“You’re looking for trouble and we both know it. But we’ll take things slow and easy. That’s more my speed.”
She swallowed hard. Fast or slow, she’d take him any way she could get him. “I didn’t think you had a speed. I haven’t seen you do anything except lounge around and drink beer.”
Every move he made was economical and easy, but he had to do something to stay in such great shape. His broad shoulders and muscular chest tapered to a lean torso and flat stomach. She watched the muscles bunch under his skin of his forearm as he caught her fingers and helped her to her feet.
“If you want to see me in action, let’s go and dance. It’s not a country song, but it’s got the heartbroken sentiment.”
He settled her into his arms for the slow, romantic ballad about candlelight and special nights. She’d assumed such a big man would be clumsy or hesitant until he led her confidently around the floor, guiding her into some fancy dips and turns.
Her body fit his perfectly. Or his fit hers perfectly. Whatever. Either way, it felt right to be in his arms, hips swaying and thighs brushing. She’d read somewhere that men who danced well made love even better.
Alex was an excellent dancer.
The way his pelvis rubbed against her belly had her heart pounding. A current of excitement arced between them. Could he possibly be as incredible in bed as he was on the dance floor? She was more than anxious to find out.
Meghan sneaked a glance at his profile just as he looked down and winked. He seemed to smile with his whole being, his face alight with pleasure. It was a beautiful sight to behold and impossible not to return with a smile of her own.
The band played another slow song, so they stayed where they were. She let the soft wail of the saxophone wash over and through her. Alex’s hold was confident and somehow intimate as he pressed her against his large body. She melted into his embrace, enjoying the warmth of his arms.
Then she tripped over his foot. Uh oh. About those Vices.
“Are you okay?” Alex looked down in concern.
She took a moment to analyze her condition. Hot, light headed, disoriented and turned on. “I think I’m drunk.”
“Definitely not my type.” He laughed, a rumble of sound that started deep in his chest. He tightened his arms around her to better support her weight. “I like a woman who can hold her liquor.”
When the song ended, he guided her back to the bar. “I’m not dancing to any of that disco crap. Hey, Alfonso. Can we get some coffee?”
She leaned against his shoulder, angling her head to look up at him. “I don’ t want coffee. I want another Miami Vice.”
“You’ve had enough Vice, I think.”
“Nope. I’m the good girl in the family.”
He smirked and that was all the encouragement she needed. Tonight, she intended to unleash the Wanton Wench within. If she could stop slurring her words and seeing double.
“It’s too bad I’m not your type. I don’t like beer, I detest country music and I refuse to get breast implants.”
Alex lowered his eyes. He leaned one elbow on the bar, his gaze drifting over her body. Her nipples beaded in response. What would Elise do? Let him look. She shifted on the stool, sitting a little straighter to give him a better view.
His tone was intimate and approving when he spoke. “Your breasts are just fine.”
His smooth hands would rub and stroke her sensitive flesh. He’d cup the weight of them in his palms and brush the pad of his thumb over her nipples...
“I’m glad you like them.” Anxiety built inside her as she attempted to focus. She poked herself in the nose before remembering she didn’t have on her glasses. Okay. Here goes.
“What’s on your mind, Trouble? You’ve got a dangerous gleam in your eyes.”
She was taking an incredible chance, one that might leave her vulnerable and embarrassed. However, drunken impulse won over sober caution. She wrapped her palm over his hand and guided it onto her thigh.
Alex’s fingers gripped her leg involuntarily and his pupils dilated with interest. When he didn’t remove his hand, she took a gulp of breath and blurted out her proposition.
“I want hot, sweaty, mindless sex. And I want it with you.” u/

Editorial Reviews

FOUR ROSES! Mia Zachary quickly hooks her readers into RED SHOES AND DIARY and leaves them begging for more. She combines suspense, passion, trust and sexual fantasies into an all-around great story. Meghan's inner conflict is deftly handled, as she comes to terms with the dual sides of her personality. Alex's character faces a similar problem, trying to separate the 'real' Alex from the personas he has adapted over his eight years of undercover work.
With this strong debut, Ms. Zachary will become the author of choice for readers in search of strong characters and spicy romance. Her writing is beautiful, her characters honest and her book a keeper. RED SHOES AND A DIARY is a wonderful first book, and I can't wait for more from this gifted author!
— Escape to Romance Reviews

Julie Shininger

FOUR STARS! Be warned in advance that Harlequin put this story in its "Blaze" series for a reason! This story is H - O - T ! Consider yourself well warned! A sassy leading lady who is out to paint the town a deep shade of red! The story focuses on the main couple, but the author inserted danger as well. Keep your husband/boyfriend nearby while you read this novel. RECOMMENDED!
— Huntress Book Reviews

Detra Fitch

"4 ½ Stars! Ms. Zachary did an excellent job of bringing Rei and Chris to life. You want to cry with Rei as she struggles with being a survivor of cancer and you feel Chris' emotions as he struggles with his feelings about his father leaving the family when he was younger and his mother dating again. Being a part of their lives through the pages of Afternoon Delight is wonderful as they try to work out the chemistry between them that is so explosive. It can only end with happiness for these two when they realize that love is the basis for that explosion. A beautiful realistic story, Afternoon Delight is pleasing to the senses and the heart. Kudos to Mia Zachary on a job well done."
—Cata-Romance Reviews

Debby Guyer