Cougars

Z
ANE
PRESENTS

Cougars

Dear Reader:

It is my pleasure to present
Cougars
by Bestselling Author Earl Sewell. For the past few years, there has been a fascination with the new aspects of what used to be referred to as “May-December Romances.” In the past, a shroud of negativity and gossip surrounded relationships involving an older woman and a younger man. It has always been practically expected that, as men age, they will trade-in their aging women for younger models; so-called upgrades. Some men are on their third or fourth marriage by the time they turn fifty, as their wives decrease in age. However, people used to look down on women who acted similarly and they were accused of “robbing the cradle.”

Well, times have changed. In
Succulent: Chocolate Flava 2
(February 2008), I wrote a short story entitled “Cougar” about a woman in her 40's who was obsessed with bedding younger men. Since then, there have been at least two television series (that I know of) and it has now become trendy. Many people still do not realize that Cougars are women over 40 who like younger men and Bobcats are women in their 30's who enjoy the company of much younger men. Forty is definitely the new twenty in today's society. I am in my forties and I am certainly not over anyone's perception of a hill!

Earl Sewell has done a fabulous job of exploring this topic in the following pages. I hope that you will enjoy the book and I appreciate your support of Earl and all of the Strebor authors I publish. If you are looking for a great place to hang out online, please join the Zaniacs on www.planetzane.org. Also, visit me on the web at eroticanoir.com. If you would like to purchase other titles, please visit
www.zanestore.com.

Blessings,

Zane

Publisher

Strebor Books International

www.simonandschuster.com/streborbooks

Also by Earl Sewell
Have Mercy

Z
ANE
PRESENTS

EARL SEWELL

Strebor Books
P.O. Box 6505
Largo, MD 20792
www.SimonandSchuster.com
http://www.streborbooks.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are
products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance
to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

© 2010 by Earl Sewell

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by
any means whatsoever. For information address Strebor Books, P.O. Box 6505,
Largo, MD 20792.

ISBN 978-1-59309-268-9
LCCN 2009942985
eISBN 978-1-43914-129-8

First Strebor Books trade paperback edition March 2010

Cover design: www.mariondesigns.com
Cover photograph: © Keith Saunders/Marion Designs

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Manufactured in the United States of America

For information regarding special discounts for bulk purchases,
please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949
or [email protected]
The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event.
For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers
Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.

Dedication
To all of the Cougars and the men who adore them.

“Sometimes we just fall in love with lies.”
—Dr. Cornel West

Cougars
is my twelfth novel and I'm amazed that I still have my sanity. Like with most of my novels, when I began writing this one, all I had was a title. I first heard the term “cougar” while having dinner with some friends. The subject of mature women dating younger men arose and the phrase was tossed around. I thought to myself,
wow, that would be a catchy book title and subject matter
. I began this novel by chatting it up with a number of forty-something women about dating men in their twenties. As soon as I mentioned the idiom “Cougar,” a funny little smile would form on their faces and their eyes would twinkle. The first thing that came to their minds was the exhilaration and pleasure of having sex with a younger man. I found this interesting because many of the women were only interested in the sexual aspects of the relationship and not the commitment piece. This is the mindset of men in their twenties and I found it intriguing that a woman in her forties could be just as informal about sex as guys. They didn't mind having intimacy without intricacies. In fact, many of the women preferred it that way. Once I was armed with enough information, I sat down and plotted out this novel, which I hope you'll enjoy.

There are many people I need to thank but first and foremost, I have to give praise and glory to God for giving me such a wonderful gift.

To dear friend Kris Brown whom I've known for twenty-four years, thank you for taking the time to answer all of my questions about the pharmaceutical industry. Your insight into the profession was invaluable and made the process of writing this book easier for me.

To the Honorable Sheila Janine Harrell, thank you so much for taking time to speak openly with me about your profession as well as your thoughts about career women dating younger men.

To the Sweet Soul Sisters Book Club, Diva Divine Book Club and Circle of Sisters Book Club, thank you all for your continued support and encouragement.

To Linda Wilson, for being my right arm while writing this book. Thank you for giving me a great pep talk just when I needed it as well as your editorial guidance.

To Gloria Studway, Regina McNeal, Patti Lichtenhagen, Mia Grant, Joyce Grant, Susan Boler, Sonya Zeno, Monique Holsey and Shawn Stuckey for inspiring me to keep on pushing and for listening to me constantly talk about my characters and this book. I also want to thank all of you for providing me with excellent feedback and comments. Without your help, this book may have never gotten finished.

To Mary Griffin for keeping me on track during the production of this book. Friends like you are very precious and rare.

To Lisa Renee Johnson who is the president of the coolest book club on the West Coast (Sistahs on the Reading Edge) for all of your invaluable help, support and insight.

To my family, Annette and Candice thanks for putting up with all of my madness as I wrote this book.

To my agent, Sara Camilli, thank you for all of your work with helping me move this book forward. I truly appreciate all of your time and efforts.

In case I forgot anyone, which I often do, here's your opportunity to be recognized.

I would like to thank ___________ for _____________ because without your help I'd be ____________. You're the biggest reason for my success because ________________________.

Please feel free to drop me a line at earlsewell.com. Please put the title of my book in the subject line so that I know your message to me is not spam. Make sure you check out www.earlsewell.com,
www.myspace.com/earlsewell
, and
www.aabookclubs.ning.com
.

Jasmine situated her carry-on luggage in the overhead compartment at the front of the airplane, and then sat down in her first-class seat. Once she was comfortable, she removed a book of erotic short stories from a smaller bag. It also contained a notebook for writing, her iPod and some fruit she'd purchased from a newsstand inside the airport. Jasmine momentarily glanced at the young, handsome airline pilot standing outside the doorway of the cockpit. He was partially dressed in uniform, waiting patiently to greet coach passengers who had yet to come aboard. He looked to be about twenty-eight years of age, stocky build, with full delectable lips, a mighty chest and muscular arms. He had on a short-sleeved shirt and she could see part of a tattoo, which read
Bad Boy
on the bicep muscle of his right arm.

“A cocky young man with a tattoo,” she whispered to herself. The young pilot had an immaculately groomed head full of black curly hair. As she continued scrutinizing him, she was delighted when her eyes landed between his legs, and discovered a print pushing out against the fabric of his slacks.

“Young men. Always ready for action,” Jasmine whispered before sweeping her tongue between her lips at the thought of what his young body would look like nude. She exhaled and closed her eyes to enjoy the intimate vision more fully in private. She imagined ripping off his shirt and pushing him down in the pilot's seat. In
her mind's eye, she saw herself riding his dick as she fed him one of her breasts. The thought of the young pilot eagerly sucking her breasts and worshipping her like a mythical sex goddess caused her to feel a delightful tingle between her legs.

“Are you comfortable?” Jasmine immediately opened her eyes and tilted her head upward. The young pilot held her gaze for a moment, then smiled at her displaying a pretty set of white teeth. She paused for a second to refocus her thoughts.