“You’re going to leave the car idling, then we loop around on Pico and take La Cienega straight down to the ten. No stopping,” I said.

    Quinn nodded, her eyes shinning as her hot pink bangs bobbed up and down in the seat beside me.

   “Here, Carrie.” Lynette reached her arm between the console and handed me a .22. I checked the chamber. Fully loaded.

   Lynnie handed another gun to Quinn, who twirled hers like a wild west sharpshooter, almost dropping it on the upholstered seat of Lynnie's mini van.

   “Ready, ladies?” Quinn asked.

   Lynnie and I nodded as one.

   Quinn pulled her Marilyn Monroe mask on. Lynette and I followed suit, becoming Mamie Van Doren and Jayne Mansfield. My vision instantly blurred as I tried to see out the tiny plastic eye holes.

   “Just like we rehearsed,” Quinn instructed. “They’ll be so distracted, they won’t even know what hit them.”

   “Right,” I said. Lynette nodded.

   Then we all stripped down to the matching black and pink polka dotted bikinis we’d purchased at Wal-Mart the day before. We tore open the mini van doors, streaking across the parking lot of the Los Angeles Mutual Bank on Fairfax and Pico, guns drawn.

   Quinn was the first to hit the front doors. She plowed in, her gun stuck out in front of her like an Al Pacino movie.

   “Everybody on the ground, hands behind you heads! Nobody moves, and nobody gets hurt. I’m f***ing serious!” She waved her gun in the direction of a guy in a Jerry Garcia tie and Dockers who was making a move for his cell phone. He froze, dropping to the floor along with the other people in line on their lunch break.

   Lynette came in a close second behind Quinn, aiming her gun at the security guard by the door who looked like he’d just started shaving yesterday. His wide eyed gaze bounced between Lynette's boobs, barely contained by the triangles of polka dotted fabric, and her gun, leveled at his chest, not sure if he should be scared or turned on.

   I came in behind Lynette, making my way across the floor of stunned people to the third teller window on the left. I set my plastic, flowered beach tote on the counter and pulled it open.

   The man behind the counter stared at me, his jaw stuck in the open position, eyes looking from the tote to my generous size C chest, the one thing I’d been happy to inherit from my mother.

   “Hi, there” I said. “Empty the drawer into my bag, don’t even think of pushing your panic button, and keep your hands where I can see them. And,” I added as an afterthought, “stop staring at my tits.”

   Score one for the Bombshell Bandits.

                     

"I highly recommend Dreams and Desires for those of you who cherish your romances, and for those of you who are looking for a great read. The talent displayed for this good cause is staggering, and the volume will be a treasured addition to every bookshelf it graces."

   - Romance at Heart


"Gemma Halliday has a talent for blending humor with a sense of drama. 'Confessions of a Bombshell Bandit' captures how far one will go when they are out of options. An unforgettable Anthology...you will savor every word."

   - Zoë Knighton,Sensual Reads and Reviews


"Dreams and Desires, the new anthology of short stories from Freya's Bower, features a rich assembly of authors working together to bring awareness and relief to abused women. Each story has its own voice and its own special place in the collection; each offers something different to the mix, and each short work can stand on its own. Added all together, this collection is even more than the sum of its parts. I'll be looking for many of these authors in the future. When you reach the end of Dreams and Desires, you'll be left craving more of these short reads."
"5 kisses!" (highest rating)

   - Deborah Barone, Romance Divas


"Gemma Halliday’s story will leave the reader howling with laughter! This delightful tale is exceptionally clever as the reader is lulled into accepting Carrie’s viewpoint. Well done! Dreams and Desires is sure to be a hit!"

   - Kwips and Kritiques


"Every story in this volume is excellent and well worth reading; and the cause which the purchase of Dreams and Desires is a definitely deserving choice of charity. There can be a life post-abuse and the stories in this book will encourage the reader to remember her own dreams and reawaken her own hope." "5 lips!" (highest rating)

   - Two Lips Reviews


"I also adore Gemma Halliday's 'Confessions Of A Bombshell Bandit' is another short story that has me putting the author's name on the top of the list the next time I go bookshopping because I love this author's voice. ! I love unrepetant Carrie in all her glory and I love this story."

   - Mrs. Giggles


"Dreams and Desires features terrific short stories ranging from sweet to sizzling and penned by some of the leading lights in today's romance and erotica genres. Buy it to help a great cause, read it for the great stories."

   - Lauren Baratz-Logsted, author of Vertigo and How Nancy Drew Saved My Life








© Gemma Halliday 2002-2008. All rights reserved.