Illicit Attraction

Published by Phaze Books Also by Zena Wynn The Contract A Matter of Trust

This is an explicit and erotic novel intended for the enjoyment of adult readers. Please keep out of the hands of children.

www.Phaze.com

Illicit Attraction An erotic romance short by

ZENA WYNN

Illicit Attraction copyright 2008 by Zena Wynn All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

A Phaze Production Phaze Books 6470A Glenway Avenue, #109 Cincinnati, OH 45211-5222 Phaze is an imprint of Mundania Press, LLC. To order additional copies of this book, contact: [email protected] www.Phaze.com Cover art © 2008, Skyla Dawn Cameron Edited by Shell Dowdey eBook ISBN-13: 978-1-60659-077-5 First Edition – October, 2008 Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Dedication To my sister and brother-in-law, Wanda and Doyle, who are proof positive that if you work at it, you can have a happy, passionate marriage that lasts years.

Chapter One Catrina sat on the backless, oversized, and padded barstool at the hotel bar, sipping a wine spritzer. Behind her was a steady flow of traffic into the steak restaurant next door, even though it was about nine in the evening, a little late to be eating, no matter how delicious the food. Those not going into the restaurant, headed for the Registration desk, checking in for the night. She’d been in the bar for about an hour, enjoying the jazz trio playing in the lounge around the corner to the right, as they performed one jazz instrumental after another. They were one of the best jazz groups she’d heard in awhile. The hotel lounge was starting to fill, even though it was still early for a Friday night, and while the band was excellent, she doubted the crowd would grow much larger than it was now. The mellow music was working wonders, and she’d finally begun to relax. The mouthwatering New York Strip she’d consumed earlier followed by a slice of heavenly key lime pie didn’t hurt, either. While being stood up disappointed her, the shower, meal, wine, and music combined to alleviate the stress of the heavy weekend traffic she’d driven in to get here. Cat noticed the bar and the sign announcing tonight’s performers when she walked through the hotel lobby two hours earlier to check in. After eating her quiet, solitary meal, she decided it was too early to return to her room for the night. The bar come lounge seemed like the perfect solution. She’d have a drink or two and enjoy the music before returning to her room to settle down for a good night’s sleep. She was doing just that when she found her peace interrupted. A large male body, smelling of Brut—her favorite— crowded into her personal space as he squeezed into the narrow alley between her stool and the one next to it. A deep, commanding voice spoke. “A rum and coke on the rocks—light

ILLICIT ATTRACTION on the rum—and give the lady here another one of whatever she’s drinking.” Cat sighed and held up her left hand, displaying the twoand-a-half-carat diamond and gold wedding band set she was wearing. This was the fifth time this night, at least. Why did men assume a woman alone was easy prey? She’d come in here in hopes of some down time, not to be approached by every Tom, Dick, and Harry wanting to test their skills as a Player. After the second wanna-be, she’d discovered the hard way that looking at or talking to the men only seemed to encourage them, so she didn’t even bother glancing at this newest, unwelcome disturbance to her hard earned tranquility. She flinched when a masculine hand entered her field of vision, mere inches from her face, complete with its own wellaged, worn-looking wedding band. She trailed the arm back to its owner until her gaze connected with a tall, well-built man with black, wavy hair and a piercing set of dark blue eyes. This one was going to be harder to run off than the rest. She could feel it in her bones. “Does your wife know you’re here, in a bar, trying to pick up women?” The young, male bartender quickly smothered a grin at the evident scorn in her voice before walking off to fill the order. Cat wasn’t amused, annoyed and frustrated, but not amused. Was she going to have to retreat to her room just to get a little peace and quiet? He grinned, a dazzling slash of straight, white teeth in a well-tanned face, and held his hands out in front of him. “Whoa, you’ve got the wrong idea. I saw you shoot down those last four guys and figured we could help each other. Maybe if we act like we’re together, the men will stop hitting on you and the ladies will leave me alone.” Cat arched her brow in disbelief, looking around the bar. There were several hungry-looking women giving the ruggedly handsome man at her side the eye, but still… “Is this some sort of new pick up line?” He shook his head. “No ulterior motives, I swear. I really thought we could assist each other but if you’re not interested…” He picked up his drink and turned away from the bar with an obviously disappointed sigh.

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ZENA WYNN If she could believe him, it could be the answer to her problem. “Wait!” She laid a hand on his arm. Mmm, nice muscle tone. She resisted the urge to squeeze. “You can’t blame a woman for being cautious. If you’re really serious, that might be nice. The come-ons were starting to annoy me.” He turned back to her with an engaging grin and held out his hand, “Darius Cornelio, at your service.” She laid her hand in his and shook it firmly. “Catrina Jackson. My friends call me Cat.” “Is that an invitation?” He arched his left brow inquiringly, and his blue eyes seemed to sparkle. Is he flirting with me? Cat was suddenly aware that her hand still enfolded his, and she abruptly pulled free. “More a statement of fact, but you can call me Cat, if you like,” she said a bit brusquely. “Thank you. So Cat, why don’t we go into the lounge and snag one of the tables before they’re all gone? There’ll be a lot less traffic near the stage, and less chance of interruptions.” His manner was so genuinely nice that Cat was confused. Maybe he hadn’t been flirting earlier. Still, she hesitated. “Your drinks, sir.” Darius turned and handed the bartender the money. “Keep the change.” “Thanks.” The bartender flashed another grin and walked off to serve the three other customers that approached while she debated. The bar wasn’t that large but well lit. There was only seating for six, and two of the stools beside her own were already taken. With the addition of Darius and the newcomers, it was getting crowded fast. Also, with no wait staff serving the lounge, the foot traffic was extremely heavy as more and more people stopped by. “Shall we?” Darius took his drink in hand and motioned toward the darkened lounge, while sliding the other drink towards her. The woman behind her elbowed Cat in the shoulder as she turned to exit. “Sorry,” she muttered before joining the rest of her party, drink in hand.

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION That decided the matter. “Sounds good to me.” She drained her glass and picked up the fresh drink he’d purchased for her, no sense letting it go to waste. She hopped off the barstool and motioned with her free hand. “Lead on.” He placed his hand on the skin of her bare back and guided her through the increasingly congested walkway to the room the band was playing in. He paused in the entryway to let their eyes adjust to the darkened interior before leading her to a small, round table in the center of the room, near the stage. Cat looked around with interest. The center tables were barely large enough for two, the chairs close together for cozy conversations, and there were booths along the side with seating for four. Most of those were already full. The dim lighting increased the feeling of intimacy. The only real illumination came from the entrance where the bar was located, the raised, rounded platform that formed the stage, and the small wooden dance floor in front of the stage. Everywhere else in between was dark. As they settled, she told him, “I really appreciate your doing this. I thought I was going to have to go to my room.” Darius smiled. “My pleasure, besides, this helps me as much as it does you. With you by my side, I avoid temptation and stay out of trouble,” he finished with a laugh. Cat joined in and then sighed. “I don’t understand why I kept getting approached. Doesn’t a wedding ring mean anything these days? It’s not like I was hiding it or anything.” She played with her wedding ring, spinning it round and round on her finger. He paused with his drink inches from his mouth. “You’re kidding, right?” The look on his face said, you can’t be that stupid. “No, actually, I’m not. I realize I don’t get out much, but as far as I know, I wasn’t putting out any hey, look at me vibes. I wasn’t doing anything to indicate that I’d welcome their attention.” She sighed again. “I just don’t get it.” Not to mention that she was older than half the men who’d come on to her, but she kept that bit to herself. He looked her straight in the eye. “Cat, you’re a very attractive, sexy woman. The bare, smooth skin of your back, coupled with the luscious swell of your behind as you sat on that

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ZENA WYNN barstool, was enough to get any man’s attention. It certainly got mine, and I’m not hunting.” She felt her face flush with pleasure at the compliment, which was delivered in such a matter of fact way, she couldn’t mistake it as a come-on. Darius was simply calling it as he saw it. Slightly embarrassed, she muttered, “Thank you,” and took a sip of her drink. Around and behind, she could hear muted conversations and the occasional burst of muffled laughter from others. It didn’t detract from the music skillfully played by the trio on the stage. The group looked like college students. There was an AfricanAmerican male on sax, his male Caucasian counterpart on trumpet, and a young Asian-looking woman playing the keyboard. They neither sang nor spoke, just flowed from one instrumental straight into the next. Cat searched her mind for a topic of conversation. He’d been so nice; the least she could do was try to keep the conversation going. Besides, they were supposed to be creating the illusion they were a couple. Finally, she settled on, “This group’s really good.” He nodded in agreement. “You like jazz?” “Love it. What about you?” “Yeah, it is one of my favorite types of music. Name some of your favorite artist.” He settled back in his chair, cradling his drink. “Let me see.” She brought her index finger to her lip and nibbled on the tip. She began to tick names off on her fingers. “Najee, Grover Washington Jr., David Sanborn, Kirk Whalum, and Yanni. I know he’s not really a jazz artist, but I love his music.” “Ah, you’re a sax girl. You left out Kenny G.” “Well, duh! Who doesn’t like Kenny G?” She laughed at him. “What about Ravi Coltrane?” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. “Never heard of him,” she confessed, relieved to have found a subject of interest on which they could both converse. “You ought to give him a try sometime. Who’s your favorite Jazz group?”

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION “Spyro Gyro,” was her immediate answer. “I like Take 6 too but that’s vocals—another category altogether.” “They’re good,” he agreed. “Great harmony. I prefer the Yellow Jackets myself, but Spyro Gyro’s okay. What got you interested in Jazz?” “A course I took in college. It was about music that originated here in the States, specifically the blues and jazz. Because my professor was also a musician in the local symphony orchestra, she introduced us to some American classical compositions as well. It really broadened my horizons where music is concerned. Before then, I mostly listened to R & B and soft rock.” They got into an intense discussion over the different types of jazz, artists, and composers. Cat enjoyed every moment of it. Not only was it intellectually stimulating, it was nice to talk with someone as knowledgeable as he was. Time seemed to fly. Everything faded into the background as they laughed, argued, and debated their viewpoints. When the conversation finally lagged, Darius laid an arm on the back of her chair and leaned close. “So, does your husband know you’re here alone, dressed like that?” She drew back in surprise and looked down. “That” was a low-cut, halter-styled dress in electric blue that came to midthigh and left her back completely bare. The color complimented her golden brown skin tone. “Is there something wrong with the way I’m dressed?” He examined her from head-to-toe. “I like it. You look hot. It’s just a little too sexy for a woman claiming not to be on the prowl for her next lay.” Cat frowned at him. “I didn’t dress this way for any man. I did it for me. I spend so much time being a mom that it’s nice to get out occasionally and dress as a woman.” Her tone came out sharper than intended, and he drew back at her vehemence. “You don’t look like anyone’s mother, that’s for sure.” He took a sip of his drink, still studying her like a bug under a microscope. Despite the way he was looking at her, Cat felt a flush of genuine pleasure go through her body. “Six months ago you wouldn’t have said that. I was severely out of shape and ragged

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ZENA WYNN looking, a total wreck.” Now she looked good and knew it. She’d worked hard to achieve the shape she had today. While she’d never be a size six, the size fourteen she’d whittled her way down to from a size twenty was very pleasing, with curves in all the right places and muscle tone. “I’m sure you’re exaggerating.” He examined her from her hair down to where her body disappeared beneath the table, and the expression on his face said there was no way she could have ever looked as bad as she claimed. “Believe me, I’m not.” She shuddered when she remembered how much she’d let herself go. “What does your husband think about your new look?” Cat shrugged her shoulders. “He doesn’t know. He’s in the Navy, out to sea. I haven’t seen him for the last six months.” Darius whistled between his teeth. “Six months? Man, that must be rough. If what you say is true then he’s in for quite a shock.” She bit her bottom lip. “I just hope it’s a good one.” He looked puzzled. “Why wouldn’t it be?” “Navy men are a suspicious lot. They’re gone so much and the divorce rate among sailors is so high, he might think there’s another man in the picture.” “Is there?” Though his voice was bland, the look in his eye was intent. She shook her head. “I love my husband. I would never betray him.” “Do I hear a but…?” Cat turned to the stage, debating her next words. The dark somehow made the confession easier. “We’ve been married six years. Out of the six, he’s only been home three. Sometimes, it seems like he’s gone more than he’s home. There are times when I’m lonely, times when it would be so easy…” She cast a quick glance in his direction to see what he thought of her confession. “I see.” A disturbed expression on his face; Darius took another sip of his drink. “Does your husband know how you feel?” She toyed with her napkin. “No.” “Why not?” He seemed annoyed.

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION She shrugged, not sure how to explain. “It wouldn’t be fair to him. Our separations are hard on him too but what can we do, it’s his job. He was a sailor before I married him. I knew what I was getting into before I said ‘I do.’” Darius took the pieces of the ruined napkin from her hand and pushed them to the side. He took a finger and placed it under her chin, lifting her face until he had her full attention. “I think you should talk to him. Tell him how you feel. You never know, there might be something he can do. Maybe he can switch to shore duty.” Cat exhaled on a shaky breath and unable to turn away, her gaze darted about nervously. “I couldn’t ask him to do that. He loves his job and going out to sea is a part of that.” “You sound like my wife. She’s a trouper.” The awe in his voice caught her attention, and she looked at him. “She just jumps in and does whatever needs doing, even though, I’m on the road a lot. Talk to him. I love my job too, but I just put in for a change of position so that I can be home more.” Surprised, she sat straight up in her seat out of her slightly slouched position. “You did? I mean, your job causes you to be away from home as well?” He nodded. “More than I want to be. It’s hard. I miss my wife, my kids, and it seems like I’m always missing the important stuff.” “That’s how it is for my husband. We try to video events and send them to him, but it’s not the same as being there. As soon as we adjust to him being home, he has to ship out again. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.” A companionable silence fell between them. Cat, once more, focused on the music. Knowing they had things in common made him seem less a stranger and more like a friend. He started the conversational ball rolling again. “You come here a lot?” “This is my first time. I wish we had something like this back home.” She sighed as she looked around. A place like this would be really nice. “You’re not from around here? How’d you find this place?” “I’m staying at the hotel. I noticed the bar when I checked in.” She drained the rest of her wine. Should I get another? I’ve

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ZENA WYNN already had two. She glanced over her shoulder to where the bar was located. “Me too. So what brings you town?” “I was supposed to meet a friend I hadn’t seen in awhile, but things didn’t work out as planned.” Cat wasn’t surprised to discover Darius was also a guest at this hotel. Probably half the people in here were as well. This was an extremely large hotel and appeared to be relatively new. “Too bad. Drive far?” “About four hours.” He winced. “That’s a long way to come for nothing.” “Tell me about it. At least it got me out the house, so it wasn’t too bad. What’s your reason?” “Business trip.” “Oh.” He pushed back his chair. “Want another? I’m ready for another round myself.” What the hell? “I really shouldn’t, but yes, if you’re going to the bar anyway, get me one as well.” “Don’t worry. You’re not driving and if needed, I can carry you to your room. Keep you out of trouble.” He tapped the tip of her nose with his index finger and took the empties off the table. She chuckled. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind,” she called to his retreating back. Cat turned in her seat to watch as he made his way to the bar. He really was a fine specimen of manhood. The black, longsleeved t-shirt he wore hugged a chest that made it obvious he spent hours in the gym, working out. Those thigh-molding blue jeans displayed a butt that was drool-worthy. She sighed in appreciation and grinned. She may be married, but she wasn’t dead. There was no harm in just looking. Besides, he was too young for her. From his looks, she doubted he was a day over thirty-five, if that. She, on the other hand, was much older. She turned forty-four on her last birthday, earlier this year. As she turned to face the stage, she noticed quite a few of the attractive, younger women giving her evil looks. They were probably trying to figure out what someone like him was doing with her. Not only was the age difference between them evident,

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION but it wasn’t often that you saw a white man with a black woman. She laughed softly under her breath. Let them wonder. Darius set the drinks on the table. “I forgot to ask what you were drinking, so I had the bartender give me a wine cooler. If you don’t like it, I can get you something else.” “This is fine, thank you.” What was important was the low alcohol content. Cat wasn’t much of a drinker. Wine was about all she could handle and only in small quantities. He sat and his thigh settled against hers, sending a streak of fire straight to her core. She stifled a moan. Damn, her husband had been away too long if something this simple turned her on. Trying not to be obvious about it, she shifted in her seat until they were no longer touching. She picked up the bottle and drained a quarter of it in one gulp. “Thirsty?” He smirked at her as if he could see the lust surging through her system. “Something in my throat.” She cleared it loudly and brought her closed fist to her mouth, like there was something stuck in her throat. He didn’t look as though he believed her, but he let it go. He sipped on his drink—a beer this time—and settled back in his seat. He placed his arm on the back of her chair again and absently toyed with a lock of her hair while watching the musicians on stage. One of his knees bounced up and down as he kept rhythm with his foot. Cat tried to ignore the chills running up and down her spine and act as normal as possible. The last thing she wanted to do was draw attention to how his actions were affecting her. She resisted the urge to look down and see if her nipples were beaded. They felt tight. Good thing it was dark. Unless someone was staring directly at her chest, it wasn’t noticeable. He suddenly leaned to the side and murmured in her ear. “Can I ask you a question? It’s personal,” he warned. His voice was chocolate—deep, dark, rich, and decadent— and just as sinful. She imagined that voice speaking naughty things to her in bed while they both lay naked and shivered as her insides clenched. Cat bumped her knee against the underside of the table as she tried to cross her legs. The table jostled and they both

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ZENA WYNN reached out to catch their drinks before they could topple and make a mess. Embarrassment at her klutziness helped her get her thoughts—and body—under control. “Oops, my bad. Sure, go ahead. Ask away.” Darius took a long draw from his bottle as if seeking liquid courage, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before rubbing it on his jean-clad thigh. “You said your husband’s away a lot. Do you think he’s being faithful?” “What made you ask that?” She didn’t like the question, or where she thought this conversation gambit was heading. “Could you just answer the question, please?” Cat sighed and rolled her shoulders to loosen them. “I don’t think he’s cheated on me.” “So you trust him?” Darius slid the bottle back and forth on the table between his hands, his attention seemingly focused on it. “I trust him as much as I trust any man.” He caught the bottle in one hand and turned to look at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He looked pissed. Crap! She rushed to explain. “Any human, man or woman, will cheat if the circumstances are right. I don’t believe he’d go looking for trouble but stuff happens all the time.” Cat was nothing if not realistic. “Would you leave him if he had an affair?” A feeling of dread welled up inside. This time Cat seemed to find her wine bottle fascinating. She was quiet for a long while before slowly answering. “I can’t answer that. Women always say what they’ll do if their man cheated but until it actually happens, I don’t think any woman knows what she’ll do. I think a lot of it depends upon the circumstances involved, whether I’d forgive him or not. I know I’d be angry as hell and deeply hurt.” She took a deep breath, shrugged her shoulders, and aimed for a nonchalance she wasn’t quite feeling. “I gave you your answer. Now answer mine. What prompted the question?” “You remind me a lot of my wife. I just wondered if she trusts me and what she’d do if I disappointed her.”

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION “Are you thinking about cheating?” She hoped not. He seemed like a nice guy. She’d hate to have to change her opinion of him. Darius pinned her with a look that held so much heat, she felt seared. “The temptation is strong.” Oh, boy. Cat swallowed, hard. “Maybe I should call it a night.” She pushed back her seat. “Don’t go.” He laid a hand on her arm. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. It’s just that I find myself drawn to you. You’re very attractive.” “I’m married.” He shrugged. “So am I.” “I’m black.” “I’m white. What’s the big deal?” Cat pulled her arm loose and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m older than you. A lot older.” Let him top that. “Age is nothing but a number once you’re over the age of consent.” His smile was very male, very smug. Cat wanted to smack him. Why was he being so difficult? She let her hands drop to her sides, slumped in her seat, and told him the truth. “I’m tempted too. That’s why I need to leave.” Darius straightened and gave her his serious face. The sexual heat was gone from his eyes as if it had never been there to begin with. “Please don’t go. This time with you has been nice. I’m not ready for the evening to end. We’re both rational, mature adults. So we’re attracted to each other. That doesn’t mean we have to act on it.” Cat wasn’t ready to go back to her hotel room and the cold, empty bed waiting for her. It had been a long time since she’d just sat and had grown-up conversation with another adult that wasn’t work related. “You’re right. We’re both reasonable, responsible individuals who are in loving, committed relationships with other people. We can handle a friendly night out on the town without it leading to something illicit.” “Pull your chair back up to the table. I’m going for another drink. You want something?” “Under the circumstances, I think the three I’ve already had are enough.” She handed him her empty bottle.

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ZENA WYNN “I agree. That’s why I’m getting a soda. You want bottled water?” “That sounds good.” She reached for her wallet on the table. “I’ve got it.” He stood and took a step towards the bar. Cat caught his hand, bringing him to a stop. “You’ve already bought me two. I can’t keep letting you pay.” He crouched down beside her. “You’re here at my request. Let me do this much at least. A couple of drinks won’t break me. There are no hidden agendas, no expectations. Just one man trying to be the gentleman his momma trained him to be. You wouldn’t want me to piss my momma off, would you?” With a laugh, she gave in gracefully. “Now how can I argue against that?” He chucked her gently under the chin and smiled. “I thought you’d see it my way.” Cat’s laughter faded as her thoughts turned serious. She was playing with fire. They both were. The intelligent thing to do would be to remove herself from the lure of temptation. This illicit attraction was how affairs got started. For six years, she’d keep her nose clean and was faithful to her vows, despite her husband’s numerous absences. In another two weeks, he’d be home. Was she that desperate for masculine attention, that pathetic she couldn’t wait fourteen more days? Surely not. When Darius returned, she’d tell him she changed her mind. He’d understand, and if he didn’t, then oh well. Her husband was more important than some stranger she met in a bar. As soon as he sat their drinks on the table, she began. “Darius, I…” “Cat, I owe you an apology.” Huh? Her mouth snapped shut. Darius picked up his chair, moving it further away from hers until it was at an angle and sat down. “I told you I wasn’t on the make, then went and did just the opposite. My only excuse is that our situations are so similar, and we have so much in common that you got under my guard. I forgot myself for a moment. I love my wife. I would never hurt her by being unfaithful.”

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION Well, that was unexpected. What to do now? Cat reached across the small table and lightly touched the hand gripping his soda in a white-knuckled grip. “I understand. It’s unusual for me to connect with someone as quickly as I have with you. You’re a handsome man, but more than that, you have depth of character. Being willing to give up a position you love just to please your wife told me all I needed to know about you. Speaking of wives, tell me about yours. What kind of woman managed to snag a man like you?” His whole face lit up and he became animated. “My wife’s great. I don’t know what I’d do without her. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me. She’s so strong. I don’t know how she does it. She teaches elementary school children then comes home and deals with our two. She has a good head on her shoulders. She has to because I’m gone so often, she ends up handling the majority of the household bills. I do what I can when I’m home, but it’s such a relief knowing I don’t have to worry about her blowing the bit of money I do manage to earn.” “I imagine traveling like you do can get expensive.” “You have no idea. My job reimburses or pays for a lot of my expenses, but it doesn’t cover everything. It’s like trying to maintain two households. I need two of almost everything—one for the road, the other for at home.” “I know exactly what you’re talking about. It’s the same for my husband.” They spent the next half an hour comparing household expenses then the conversation turned to travel. Cat discovered they’d both been to a lot of the same places. Darius had a wonderful sense of humor, and a lot of his observations of the places and people he’d seen were hilarious. She laughed so much, she had a stitch in her side and tears were pouring from her eyes. “You’d better stop picking on people,” she scolded, wiping the tears from her eyes. “I’m not picking on them. I just call it like I see it,” he defended himself, grinning hugely. They’d been talking for about an hour when the lighting in the bar suddenly changed. The stage lights faded to blue, and a multitude of tiny blue and white lights flickered to life overhead,

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ZENA WYNN giving the appearance of a dark, starry night sky. The band packed up and left. To the right of the stage, in the corner against the wall, a spotlight shined down, highlighting an area Cat hadn’t noticed previously. It contained a boxed in section with turntables and things, and sported a huge banner, advertising a local radio station. She looked around, astonished to see how the crowd had grown while they’d been deep in conversation. People in the bar began to clap as the DJ took his place. Must be a popular guy, that explained the crowd. “Thank you. Thank you. For those of you who don’t know, this is the Love Doctor speaking. For the next couple of hours, come take a ride with me in my love machine.” He placed a large set of headphones on his ears and soon the sound of Usher’s Love in this Club drifted out of the large speakers and onto the stage. A few couples slowly walked onto the small dance floor and began to dance, swaying to the sexy music. Cat watched the dancers wistfully. It had been so long since she’d last danced. Maybe when her husband returned, she could talk him into a night on the town, though she doubted it. While he danced beautifully, it wasn’t something he enjoyed doing, except for in the privacy of their room. Darius stood and held out his hand. “Dance?”

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION

Chapter Two Cat stared at the hand held out to her while in the background Usher crooned about making love in this club. There was a devil on one shoulder, beguiling her. “Take his hand. Dance with him. What could it hurt?” She wanted held close and to dance. She craved it bad, and that very need, scared her away. “I would love nothing more than to dance with you, but I can’t. It’s not safe.” He dropped his hand back to his side and frowned. “It’s just dance. I promise I won’t try anything. I’ll keep myself at a respectable distance and my hands on your waist, no roaming.” Cat shook her head. “It’s not you I don’t trust.” Darius’s nostrils flared and lust filled his eyes. When he reached down and casually adjusted his fly, Cat jumped to her feet, bumping the table and making it rock. “Bathroom! I need to…” She rushed away from the table. Dear Lord, she’d almost asked if she could touch it. The man had an erection and a huge one from the looks of it. She was losing her ever-lovin’ mind. Had to be. When she reached the restroom, she realized she felt woozy and really did need to pee. She took care of business and went to the sink to wash her hands. The reflection in the mirror captured her attention. Her cheeks flushed, and a fine sheen of sweat dotted her forehead. Her dark brown eyes dilated, and she appeared to be in a feverish daze. She groaned and bent down to splash cold water on her face. This was not good. Although she was definitely feeling the affects of the alcohol she’d consumed, she couldn’t blame her current condition on it. Come on, girl. Hold it together, just a little bit longer. You can do it. She patted her face dry with a paper towel and stared at her image. She looked good for her age. Her complexion was a clear,

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ZENA WYNN caramel brown and her oval face had very few, if any, lines on it. Her hair hung around her shoulders in curls, loosely pinned in the back. A few stray curls escaped, thanks to Darius’ playing. She could pass for middle-to-late 30s rather than the mid-40s she was approaching. Still, it was hard to believe she’d attracted the attention of a sexy hunk like Darius. When she exited the bathroom, the sounds of Crazy Love by Brian McKnight reverberated through the club. Darius was standing at the entrance to the hallway leading to the restrooms, and he was not alone. A young, blonde bombshell stood directly in front of him, her hand tracing circles on his chest. Cat doubted she was a day over twenty-one. Darius was shaking his head at whatever she was saying. As Cat approached, the woman’s fingers began walking towards his crotch. Darius backed up a step until his back was against the wall and caught her hand, but she just closed the gap, raised the other one, and continued the journey. Obviously, the bitch couldn’t take a hint. Cat felt her blood pressure shoot off the charts. If she was a cartoon, steam would have been spilling out the top of her head and her face would be fire engine red. She stalked up to them. Stay calm. Don’t make a scene. She took a deep breath and said as calmly as possible, “Sorry it took me so long.” Darius pushed the blonde’s hand away from his belt, reached out, and caught Cat by the waist, pulling her to his side. “There you are. I was beginning to worry.” The relief on his face and in his voice reminded Cat that they were supposed to be protecting each other from unwanted advances. She relaxed against him and turned an inquiring gaze on the blonde who hadn’t done the sensible thing and walked off. The blonde cast a look full of disdain at Cat. “You’re with her? She’s old.” Cat abruptly straightened, slapped her wallet against Darius’s chest, and took a threatening step towards the blonde, a feral look on her face. “Old enough and bold enough to give you the ass whippin’ yo’ momma should’ve. Maybe then you’d have some manners.” Darius caught the wallet before it fell to the floor.

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION “You certainly look old enough to be my grandmother,” the woman said snidely. “Why you little…” Cat lunged for the other woman. “Whoa!” Darius grabbed Cat around the waist and snatched her back. Cat surged forward again, arm raised and fist clenched, ready to deliver the mega punch in her big, fat mouth that the snooty blonde deserved. After Cat finished stumping her into the ground, maybe she’d think twice before spouting off at the mouth. “Oh, no you don’t.” This time Darius swung her around, locking her arms by her sides to prevent her from hitting the other woman. He lifted her off her feet and carried her to the dance floor. “Time for that dance you promised.” He set her down and turned her into his arms. “No wonder your husband doesn’t cheat. That’s one hellacious temper you have there,” he commented with a chuckle. Cat stood stiffly in his arms. With every fiber of her being, she wanted to go back and teach that little skank a lesson. She may be an old married lady now, but she used to be in the military. She could still pound that heifer into the floor and not even break a sweat. Cat rose on her toes, peering over Darius’s shoulder to see if she could spot the woman. Bitch! “Let it go.” Darius yanked hard, causing Cat to fall against his chest. He rocked with her, forcing Cat to either danced or stumbled and fall. Cat grasped him by his biceps to keep her balance and slowly moved her feet to the beat. She leaned to the side, still trying to peak around Darius’s body to see where the bitch was. Cat was primed and ready for action. She didn’t get angry often, but when she did, the results were explosive. “Uh, uh, uh. I don’t think so.” He spun her around until she faced the stage where the DJ was located and stroked her back. “Cool your jets. She’s not worth it.” “Aaaah, ya’ll like that. How about a little old school?” the DJ asked and the soulful sounds of Freddie Jackson’s Rock Me Tonight flowed from the speakers. “Listen to the music and relax,” Darius whispered in her ear.

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ZENA WYNN The tension slowly left her body as the jazzy rhythm soothed her ragged nerves. She took deep, calming breaths and leaned forward until her head rested on Darius’s chest. It took until the end of the song but finally, she was once more in control of her temper and able to think straight. She lifted her head and glared at him. “I thought I said I didn’t want to dance?” He shook his head. “That’s not what you said, it was, ‘I would love nothing more than to dance with you,’” he parroted in a high falsetto. The DJ smoothly segued into Patti Austin and James Ingram’s Baby Come to Me. Cat replayed the entire conversation in her mind. She gave Darius a ferocious frown. “I know I told you I couldn’t dance with you.” “And yet, here we are… dancing, and just like I promised, my hands are on your waist, and I’m a respectful distance away. I’m still holding your wallet so only one of my hands is actually touching you.” The smile he flashed her was innocent, but the expression in his eyes was devilish. “This is a bad idea and you know why.” She was complaining, but continued to dance. “Take a walk on the wild side. A little temptation never hurt anybody.” “Says you.” “Look, we’re already out here. You might as well enjoy it,” he reasoned. “That’s what I’m afraid of,” she muttered. “What was that?” She shook her head. “Never mind.” Mentally, she berated herself. Have you no control—no selfrespect? You’re a grown woman. Act like one. Of course, you can handle dancing with an attractive man. You are not a nymphomaniac. So what if it feels like it’s been years since you made love? What are you going to do, jump him on the dance floor in front of all of these people? Just don’t think about sex and you’ll be fine. She bit back a groan when she recognized the opening bars of the next song. How was she supposed to keep her mind off sex now?

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION With a smooth sound and a mellow voice, Marvin Gaye seduced his mystery, would-be lover and Cat with the idea that there was nothing wrong with giving herself over to love, so Let’s Get It On. How many times had she made out in the back seat of cars with old boyfriends while listening to this very song? In the old days, how many sex tapes had she made that weren’t considered complete unless this song was included in the play list? More couples drifted onto the dance floor, and Cat was able to distract herself by watching them. She wondered which ones arrived together and which ones were hooking up, just for one night. The established lovers were easy to identify. They came together on the dance floor and instantly melded into one being. The mind game she was playing with herself carried her through Let’s Get It On and Keith Sweat’s Make it Last Forever. That’s when the trouble really began. “We’re going to slow it down and give all you love birds a chance to snuggle real close,” the DJ said with a croon, his voice deep and mellow. Cat didn’t care how popular he was, that DJ was evil. Couldn’t he see she was struggling? She shot a nasty look in his direction. Not that he could see it or would care if he did. “I don’t see nothing wrong, with a little bump-n-grind,” the provocative R. Kelly sang. Darius’s grip on her waist tightened, and he drew her closer to his body. Her wallet dug into her waist, reminding her that he was still holding it. The wallet kept the warmth of his right hand from scorching the sensitive skin at her waist like his left hand was doing. Cat stiffened her arms and just barely managed to keep their bodies from touching. Leave now, her conscious screamed. It’s only going to get worse. I can handle it, she argued back. It’s only a song. A song by R. Kelly, an artist whose lyrics are synonymous with sex, her conscious reminded her. Cat ignored the warning and silently began reciting the alphabet under her breath, in English and Spanish. She was making progress when the DJ played Whip Appeal by Babyface. Even then, she would have been all right if Darius hadn’t started

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ZENA WYNN singing the chorus. “Whatever you want. It’s all right with me. ‘Cause you got that whip appeal. So work it on me.” His voice was smoky and deep, the kind that made a woman melt with desire. She thought of all the ways she could “whip” Darius and literally went weak in the knees. Only sheer luck kept her elbows locked. The rest of her body sank until it was a breath away from his. Some sudden sense of self-preservation must have kicked in at the last minute, or else she’d have been plastered against him from chest to thigh, and that wouldn’t have been good at all. She rested her forehead on his chest and concentrated on controlling her breathing. In and out. In, out. God, he smells so good. She loved the way Brute smelled on certain men, and on Darius, it smelt G-O-O-D, good. No, ignore that. It will only get you in trouble. “Get up, get up, get up, get up. Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up.” At the familiar lyrics, even more couples swarmed onto the quickly crowding the dance floor. Apparently, a lot of people liked the song Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye. Another couple backed hard into Cat. She fell against Darius, quickly stepping back until she was a safe distance from temptation. “Sorry,” the other man apologized. “No problem,” Darius responded. Darius reached an arm behind his back and did something. When it returned to her waist, his hand was empty. He slid them down to her outer thighs, inserting one of his hard muscled legs between her own and pulled her so close, her breasts brushed against his chest with each swaying movement. Cat tried to insert her elbows between them to increase the distance between them. “You’re too close,” she told him through gritted teeth. He nuzzled her ear with his nose, speaking softly into it. “No choice. Too many people and not enough floor space. Besides, I’m barely touching you.” She suppressed the shiver trying to work its way out. “Maybe we should just sit down and leave the floor to them.” She pushed on his arms and tried to step away.

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION Darius’s hands fell to her hips and hauled her back. “Don’t be silly. The night’s still young. How often do you get the opportunity to do something like this?” Make a fool of myself lusting after another woman’s husband in public? Not often, thank God. “Wait until this song ends,” Darius continued. “It’s one of my favorites. Whenever my wife or I have a bad day, we play this song as our own personal code to let the other one know what to expect once we turn in for the night.” This intriguing insight into Darius’s marriage helped put things back into proper perspective. “Alright. I’ll wait. Just don’t start singing again.” He grinned and arched a brow. “Something wrong with my singing?” “You sound like a frog on crack,” she lied. He laughed and shook his head, obviously not taking her seriously. And move your hands, she wanted to say. They felt hot as a brand through the thin material of her dress. She was too aware of his hands on her butt and the muscled thigh inches from her pulsing clit. Screw it! It was either one or the other. She couldn’t handle both. “You’re hands are on my butt.” She tried to sound firm, but was aware that it came out sounding a bit breathless. Hopefully, he wouldn’t notice. “Sorry. Is this better?” Now they were on the bare skin of her back. Suddenly, she knew exactly what they meant by ‘out of the pan and into the fire.’ This was ten times worse. Cat decided to stop fighting and just go with the flow. What’s the worse that could happen? She was safe as long as all of these people surrounded them. She glided her hands up his arms and laid them on his shoulders. “That’s it. Just relax and enjoy the moment.” Darius started singing of his need for sexual healing, the kind only she could give him as the pads of his calloused fingers stroked up and down her spine. He might not be singing to her, but a woman could dream, couldn’t she? The sporadic brushing of her breasts against his chest caused her nipples to draw tight. She could feel the crotch of her panties dampening. She wanted to bend her knees and ride his

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ZENA WYNN thigh. Her fingers tingled with the need to tunnel under his shirt and stroke the hard muscles encased by smooth, bare skin. She wanted to stand on her toes and lick the skin in the hollow of his neck, and nibble on his ear. Being the devoted wife that she was, she didn’t do any of those things, but she thought about it. Oh, how she thought about it… It was so crowded and so dark, surely no one would notice or even care if she eased the zipper down on Darius’s jeans. She could slide her hands into his briefs and pull out his cock. As close as they were, no one would see her stroking it. She would start at the base and work her way up his shaft, tightening her grip as she went. When she reached the head, she would press the pad of her thumb into the drop of pre-cum dampening the tip and spread it around, lubricating the sensitive ridge encircling the base of the head. In retaliation, Darius would push his hands between them and edge up the front of her dress. When it was at the right height, he would rub the front of her panties, right over her throbbing nub. Soon, that wouldn’t be enough. He’d tunnel his way inside her panties, past her clit, and into her waiting sheath. He’d stroke her with one finger, then two, going deep while massaging her pleasure point with the heel of his hand. Cat would open her legs to give him better access. Forgetting about the people around them, she’d ride his hand, fighting the urge to fall to her knees and take him into her mouth. As her hips arched, she’d keep pace with the hand on his cock, making sure he was with her every step of the way. “Slow down,” he’d whisper. “We don’t want anyone to guess what we’re doing,” he’d remind her. Then he’d clamp an arm around her hips, restricting her range of movements. Frustrated, she’d angle his penis until it brushed against the back of his hand still stroking her pussy. She’d pull his head down and murmur in his ear. “Bend your knees. I want to ride your cock instead. It’s dark. No one will see.” Though Cat was shorter than he was, she had long legs. The three-inch heels she wore would allow their groins to align perfectly. The thought of finally having a hard shaft right where she needed it most made the saliva in her mouth pool and for a minute, she was scared she might drool.

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION Darius would withdraw his hand from her dripping pussy and slowly, teasingly drag it the length of her slit until it was free of her panties. He would bring his fingers to his mouth and lick each one, sucking to make sure he got every drop of her cream. “Mmm, good.” He would nudge her hand out of the way and grab his penis, pumping it a few times for good measure. If he didn’t stop playing around and fuck her soon, she was going to scream. “Hold the front of your dress up.” Cat would hurry to comply. Then he would dip his knees and the tip of his penis would brush her nether lips, making her arch hips forward and came up on her toes. He would line his cock with the opening of her vagina and… “You want to take a break and sit down? I didn’t think about it earlier, but you’re feet must be killing you in those heels. We’ve been dancing for quite awhile.” Cat returned to reality with a thump. She jerked out of his arms and collided with the couple behind her. Nervously looking everywhere but at Darius, she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and fanned herself. “It’s warm in here. Are you hot? I am. I need a drink.” She escaped the dance floor, shoving her way through the dancing bodies without apology or concern. Behind her, she could hear Darius apologizing to people on her behalf as he followed slowly in her wake. She cleared the dance floor only to discover that someone took their table. Scanning the room, she spotted another table that appeared to be empty, closer to the exit. Heading in that direction, she ran headlong into an immovable object. “Hey there, sweet thang. What’s your rush? Come here, sugar, and let me holla’ at you.” A masculine arm swept out and caught her by the waist, pulling her into a soft body. Large hands gripped her by the butt and held her close. Before Cat could assimilate what the hell just happened, an arm that felt like steel wrapped around her from behind, snatched her off her feet and back into an equally hard body. “Back off, Home Boy. This one’s taken.” Darius’s tone was firm, borderline angry.

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ZENA WYNN Cat decided that the wanna-be player must have pudding for brains, for he ignored the inherent threat Darius presented. “So that’s how you roll,” he said to Cat. “When you get tired of milk and want a piece of this rich, dark chocolate, I’ll be waiting.” He leered at her, and the gold encasing one of his front teeth gleamed. The man, with his shiny black clothes and dark skin, appeared to be nothing more than a dark shadow with startling white teeth, shining like something out of a low-budget horror movie. Darius’s body stiffened until it felt like a brick wall at her back. Cat let her body sink into his, hoping her softness would ease some of the tension in his body. She laid her arms on top of his, hugging them to her to show who she was allied with in this battle of testosterone. “Thanks, but no thanks.” “Well, if you change your mind, just ask for Willie T.” A woman walking by with a low neckline, large breasts, and short dress caught his eye. “Hey, baby! Where you been all my life?” And just like that, he was gone. Cat let out a sigh of relief, then realized in whose arms she was snuggled. “Time for me to get out of here,” she announced as she untangled herself. “I’ve had enough ‘fun’ for one night.” She headed for the exit. “I’ll escort you to your room and make sure you aren’t followed. There could be more Willie T’s lurking around.” Darius’s large palm landed in the middle of her back as he moved to her side. Cat took a couple of running steps, trying to shake him loose. “That’s not necessary. I’ll be fine. Stay here and enjoy yourself. Don’t leave on my account.” Her control was razor thin as it was. The last thing she needed was Darius within walking distance of a soft, comfortable bed. “You’re my protection, remember? If I stay, these manhungry women will be all over me in seconds. Besides, I still have your wallet. How are you going to get into your room?” Crap! She’d forgotten about that. He didn’t sound like he was willing to just hand it over. She sighed and resigned herself to having an escort. “Fine.” She tensed when his hand returned to her back but didn’t try to escape. She knew the evil man was doing it on purpose. She’d

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION felt the boner he was sporting when she leaned against him. Took all she had within her not to rub against it too. Tempted though she might be, she wasn’t stupid. Rubbing against a man’s erection was tantamount to issuing an invitation to have sex. Just a few more minutes and she’d be home free. Luck was with her. The elevator was waiting when they arrived. Since she was the one closest to the buttons, she asked, “Which floor?” Her finger hovered over the panel. “Just press yours. I’ll go to mine after I see you to your room.” Darius leaned against the elevator wall, arms crossed over his chest and feet crossed at the ankles, the picture of relaxation. Cat, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. “That’s really not necessary.” She tried again to dissuade him. “I say it is.” His tone was firm and commanding. She knew there was no sense arguing with him. She knew she’d lose, so might as well not waste time or breath. She jabbed the button for the third floor and watched silently as the doors closed, trying not to bounce in place or do anything to betray how she was feeling. At least he was considerate enough to stay on his side of the elevator. Thank God for small mercies. She was having a hard enough time ignoring her needy body without him crowding her. When they arrived at the door to her room, she held out her hand. Darius obligingly reached into his back pocket and withdrew her wallet, placing it in her outstretched hand. Cat silently retrieved her room key and placed it in the lock. Once the door was open, she used her foot to prop it open and turned to the waiting man beside her. “You can leave now. As you can see, there’s no one following. I’m here and I’m safe.” “I’ll leave in a moment, but in the meantime…” Cat turned toward him expectantly. “I was wondering…” Don’t ask. Don’t ask. “Wondering what?” Darn it, you asked! “If I could kiss you?” Cat’s eyes closed as she inwardly screamed at the injustice of it all and sank against the door jab. God was up there laughing at her. Was this punishment for not leaving when she had the

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ZENA WYNN opportunity? When she opened her eyes, Darius had one arm braced on the wood above her head and the other on the door handle. His face was less than a foot away. Cat tried to jerk back, but there was nowhere to go. “I didn’t say yes,” she sputtered. “But you didn’t say no.” He closed the distance between them. At the last second, Cat turned her head to the side. “Your wife.” She spat out the desperate reminder. “Will understand.” Cat ducked under his arm and into the room. “You’re out of your mind if you think she’d understand you kissing another woman.” He followed her into the room and let the door swing shut behind him. Cat backed up until there was at least three feet of empty space between them. He held his hand out beseechingly. “Just hear me out. Once I explain, you’ll see what I mean.” She rolled her eyes. “This ought to be good.” She tossed her wallet onto the dresser and placed her hands on her hips. “Go ahead.” “If we kiss, I can go ahead and get it out of my system, but if we don’t, I’ll always wonder. I’ll blow it up in my mind until it becomes bigger and better than any real kiss could ever possibly be. Even if your kiss is better than I expect, it still can’t compete with a fantasy. If you were my wife, which would you rather deal with, the fantasy woman that got away or a real woman with failings, just like you?” He smiled appealingly at her when he finished. Damn if that didn’t make a perverted sort of sense. She shook her head in disbelief. “You’re good. I’ll give you that. I can’t even argue with your reasoning.” She waited a moment as she pretended to think, knowing in her heart that she wanted this just as much as he did. She wondered briefly if Darius’ argument would work on her husband when she told him about this, and tell him she would. She wasn’t in the habit of hiding things from her spouse. “Fine, you can have your kiss, but no hands and no tongue.”

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION He walked right up to her and hovered over her until his mouth was inches away. The grin he gave her was so devilish and held so much heat that she knew she was in big trouble. It was at that moment she realized she’d made two tactical errors. One, she’d let him come to where she stood, almost on top of the big, yawning bed behind her instead of going to where he was near the door. Two, she hadn’t demanded he agree to her no touching, no tongue rule. Then it was too late.

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ZENA WYNN

Chapter Three The minute Darius’s mouth touched hers, Cat’s brain turned to mush. He immediately broke both rules. He reached down and grabbed her by the butt, pulling her against his straining erection. He proceeded to rub his groin against hers as his tongue invaded her mouth. Greedy hussy that she was, it wasn’t much of a conquest. Her mouth was already open and waiting for it the minute his member appeared. The sound of a door slamming shut in the hallway brought her back to her senses. She yanked her mouth away, gulping for air. “Wait! You only asked for one kiss.” “I lied.” He captured her mouth again. Several long minutes later, Cat broke free again. By that time, her top was undone and hanging around her waist. “We’re not supposed to be doing this. It’s wrong.” Darius groaned. “Cat, please. Don’t play. Not now.” “Darius…” His mouth latched on to her breast, and she forgot what she was saying. “Damn, baby, you feel good.” He spoke into her breasts as he switched from right-to-left. “As good as your wife?” “No comparison.” He suckled the nipple deep into his mouth. She let out a keening cry and clutched his head to her breast. “Shhh! You have to be quiet. You don’t want our neighbors calling the manager, do you?” “You’re joking, right?” He had to be kidding. How was she supposed to keep silent when he was doing that? Didn’t he remember how long it’d been since she’d had sex? Not that she was going to sleep with him. No, she assured her conscious. She’d stop him before things went too far.

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION “You’re so wet.” He rubbed the crotch of her panties and used his finger to push the elastic aside. A heartbeat later, he’d thrust a finger, deep inside, just like in her fantasy on the dance floor. “Aahhh!” Reality blurred as she immediately arched into his hand. When had he worked her skirt up to her waist? The sensations were so intense, her knees threatened to give out. She grabbed hold of his shoulders to steady herself. He was moving too fast. She had to… had to… Oh God! That feels so good. He was caressing her clit with his thumb. Now what was she…? Oh boy! He added another finger. She tried to widen her legs to give him more room but something was hindering her. Why couldn’t she…? Something tight was around her knees. She whimpered. “Shhh! I got you, baby. Let me help.” Darius bent and tugged, and she was free—well, sort of. She looked down when he dropped to the floor. “Lift your foot. Let me help you off with these heels and untangle your panties from around your feet before you fall.” Cat automatically raised her right foot in response to the tug on her leg. Darius braced her foot with one hand and pulled her shoe off with the other. He repeated the process on the left foot. In the meantime, those few seconds of interruption gave Cat’s mind time to clear. As soon as he was through, she jumped back until her legs bumped the side of the bed. Falling backwards, she quickly rolled to the other side of the bed. As soon as she stood, her dress fell to the floor, leaving her in naked. She gasped and stooped down to grab the dress by its halter, holding it over her chest. When she looked again, Darius was giving her a look that asked ‘What the hell?’ He put his hands on his hips and his eyes narrowed. “Cat, what are you doing?” “Trying to keep both of us from making a big mistake.” She nervously pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes that had fallen into her face. Darius rolled his eyes. “Oh hell, not that again.” He yanked his shirt over his head, revealing a very tanned, very muscular

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ZENA WYNN chest with a light sprinkling of black hair and let it drop to the floor. “Um, Darius, what are you doing?” She took a step backwards, unconsciously putting more space between them. “Taking my clothes off. What does it look like?” His hands went to his belt, undoing the buckle. “Why? Didn’t you hear what I said?” She nibbled on her bottom lip with her teeth. “I heard you. You wanna play games. Fine, we’ll play, but I’m changing the rules. You have until the time that I’m done undressing to be naked and stretched out on this bed or…” He paused with his hand on the zipper of his pants. “Or what?” Her gaze glued to his hands as she mentally urged him to continue what he was doing. “I’ll hogtie you naked to the bed.” He undid the zipper and pushed his pants and underwear down together. “You’d have to catch me first,” she murmured absently. Cat slowly sank onto the other bed at the picture of masculine perfection in front of her. His erection was long and thick. When he turned and sat on the bed to remove his shoes, the rear view was just as appealing. He stood and placed his hands on his waist. His hips jutted forward, emphasizing his rigid cock. “Now, where were we? Oh yeah, right about… here!” Darius leapt onto the bed. Cat squealed and lunged across the bed she was sitting on, trying to get to the other side. He was right behind her. As she gained her footing, Darius hooked an arm around her waist and tossed her back onto the bed. “Oomph!” Cat rolled to her stomach and tried to dive off. He caught her by one foot and reeled her squirming, kicking body back. When she was within range, he grabbed the hem of her dress and snatched it right off of her body. While his hands were on her dress, Cat wiggled forward on her elbows until she reached the edge of the bed and let gravity take her. “Oh, no, you don’t.” He lunged for her. “Damn, you’re slipperier than an eel,” he complained when his attempt to capture her failed. She felt a giggle bubbling up inside as she glanced over her shoulder and saw Darius face down on the bed. Knowing he

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION wouldn’t stay that way for long, she scrambled to her feet and darted around the edge of the first bed. Once she cleared it, there was nothing but open space. Her goal was the bathroom. She heard a thud as Darius’s feet hit the floor and picked up the pace. She measured the distance. Two more steps then a short, all out sprint to the bathroom. She was a runner. She could do this. Long as she kept her eye on the prize, she could make it. “Aaahhh!” She let out a short scream as Darius seemingly came from out of nowhere. He bum-rushed her and caught her with a sideways tackle. They both went flying onto the bed then bounced a few times before sliding to the top of the bed. Darius flipped Cat onto her back and pinned her to the bed with his body. She wriggled beneath him but was laughing too hard to put up any real resistance. He braced her head between his hands. “You… are such… a tease,” he panted. His mouth smothered any response she might have made. Finally, he was right where she wanted him. Cat wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist and kissed Darius with all of the passion burning in her soul. She arched her hips, rubbing her dripping slit against his arousal, trying to take him inside. Darius dragged his mouth away. “Hold that thought.” He leaned on the edge of the bed and reached over the side. “Darius! What are you doing? Come back here.” She tugged urgently on his shoulders. “Condom.” “Birth control.” His head popped up. “Pill?” “Shot.” “Thank God.” He bounced back on top of her. “Now!” she demanded. “Yes, now.” He leaned on an elbow, took a hold of his penis with his other hand and lined it up with her entrance. Without further ado, he thrust inside. They both groaned at the exquisite feel of it.

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ZENA WYNN He dropped his forehead until it rested against hers. “I don’t know if I can go slowly.” He sounded like the very idea of it was torture. She rubbed her groin against his and tightened her inner muscles. “Next time. Now move.” He actually shuddered. “If you only knew how close I am to loosing control. Don’t do that, baby.” He drew a deep breath. “I can’t think when you do.” “Yeah?” She did it again. He clenched his eyes shut. “Cat, hold up a minute. Slow down.” “Now, he wants to go slow,” she muttered to no one in particular. She clenched her PC muscle again, just to be difficult. “You asked for it,” he warned. He rose up on his arms in an abbreviated push up until their only point of contact was their groins. He withdrew until he was almost out, and slowly slid back in. In and out he glided, his head bent to watch as his penis disappeared and reappeared from her body. Cat planted her feet on the mattress and matched him stroke for stroke. While he watched their bodies, she watched him. It didn’t take long before it wasn’t enough. She wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged. “Come here. You’re too far away.” Darius lowered until he lay on top of her, braced on his forearms. He kept the same steady pace as he kissed her again, the stroke of his tongue matching that of his lower body. Wanting him deeper, Cat lifted her knees until her legs were parallel with his body. She reached down and grabbed his butt, digging her nails into the cheeks, silently urging him to give her what she needed. Darius slowly disengaged their mouths. “More?” “God, yes.” He locked gazes with her and anchored himself by sliding his arms under her body and gripping her by the shoulders. Once he was in position, using his powerful quads and glutei, he lifted straight up and dropped back down. Cat tightened her abdominal muscles and met each thrust. This is what she’d missed; the heavy weight of a male body pressing her into the mattress, the meaty sounds of flesh slapping

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION flesh. Pleasure so intense it bordered on pain. Being stretched in her innermost parts until the thought of anymore made her think she might burst. Darius dropped his head on the mattress and panted in her ear. When he wasn’t sucking in air, he was talking dirty sex talk that shot her desire even higher. “Such a sweet little pussy.” “You’re so hot and wet. I could fuck you all night.” “I’m going to fuck you so long and so hard, you won’t walk straight for days.” “You feel how big and hard I am? It’s all for you, baby. Only for you.” “When I finish pounding your pussy, I’m going to eat you until you scream. Then I’m going to start all over again at the beginning.” She wrapped her legs around his waist and locked her ankles in the small of his back, reveling in the knowledge that she was flexible enough now to do so. She was getting close. She could feel it building at the base of her spine. Her muscles began to tighten. She was tired, her abdominal muscles sore, but she couldn’t stop moving., couldn’t stop thrusting. Oh God, here it comes! She lunged up and bit Darius hard on the shoulder to keep from screaming. At the same time, she dragged her nails up his back. He arched his back sharply and cursed. He began to jackhammer into her vagina, propelling her from one orgasm straight into another. It was too much. Cat’s neck and back bowed and she threw her head back in a scream, except, there was no air in her lungs to give it sound. Her heart pounded in her chest and for a second, everything went black. She came back to herself in time to hear Darius mutter, “Shit!” Right before his body went rigid above her. He collapsed onto his side, dragging Cat with him, their bodies still intimately connected. He was lying on her arm, but that was fine. She’d move it once she got her breath and strength back. Any moment now, she’d… Sleep claimed her before she could finish the thought.

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ZENA WYNN **** She rolled over, and the sliver of light emanating from the bathroom’s slightly cracked door landed on her eyes, disturbing her sleep. She shifted irritably, trying to find the state of unconsciousness that she’d roused from, but it was no use. Not only was her mind functional, but her bladder was screaming. She rolled out of bed, disoriented and stumbling slightly from the hotel room’s unfamiliar layout. At least she knew where she was. The light was good for something, no matter how much she mentally bitched to herself about it being on. She needed total darkness to sleep. That fact she’d passed out was a testament to Darius’s skill as a lover. Darius! Her heart rate increased and lower things clenched at the thought of him. The man was a stallion. He rode her long and hard, rested a bit, then rode her again. No wonder she’d passed out. Cat knew she’d pay for her actions in the morning, but right now, she had no regrets. She used the restroom and washed the sticky mess from between her thighs. Her hair was a mess. Cat reached up and removed the few remaining hairpins that managed to survive their antics and ran a brush through her shoulder-length locks. She washed what was left of her makeup from her face and, feeling refreshed and totally awake, left the bathroom. In the semi-darkness of the room, Darius was sprawled across the bed like a Greek god. Her gaze traveled the path of his body, beginning with his large feet, up massive calves and thighs, to a hard-bodied chest any body-builder would envy. He was a large man—all over, she thought with a satisfied grin. Her gaze fell back to the part of him that interested her most. He was erect. She flicked a quick glance at his face, but the steady rise and fall of his chest assured her he was still sleep. Still, her body hummed at the sight of that hard piece of meat, sitting there going to waste. What a shame. Her pussy spasmed, reminding her of its emptiness. Down girl. Haven’t you had enough? It clenched again. Hmm, obviously not. She could feel the moisture gathering, preparing her body for entry.

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION Well, she was wide-awake, she reasoned and it was just sitting there, begging to be used. She didn’t think Darius would mind if she took a little joy ride. After all, earlier he’d ridden the hell out of her. It was only fair. Cat walked to the end of the bed and gingerly crawled her way up his body. A long, slow ride is what she was after. She didn’t need foreplay. Right here, soon to be between her legs, was what she needed—had missed most. While it was available, she planned to gorge herself. Consequences be damned. Using her thumb and pointer finger to position him for mounting, she used her other hand to spread her nether lips as she slowly slid down until he embedded her to the hilt. Darius stirred briefly then settled. Cat sat there, in no rush to move, simply enjoying the feel of him. She raised her hands to her breasts, cupping them, stroking them, and playing with the nipples. She moistened her thumbs with her saliva and rubbed lightly around the areolas until they tightened into hard nubs. Oh, that feels good. Finally, she felt the need to move, but was in a quandary. She didn’t want to give up even an inch of all this raw hardness, not for a second, but her body compelled her to do more than sit there. She thought about it before hitting on what she believed would be the perfect compromise. Cat tensed her thighs and rotated her hips in micro-circles. Oh, yeah. This is nice. The movement caused his shaft to rub against all of her walls. She went back to playing with her breasts and closed her eyes to capture the sensations better. Her knees began to slip, and she tilted her hips forward, dropping her hands to the mattress to catch herself. She froze as the most intense sensation shot through her pussy, causing her insides to tighten in response. What was that? She tried to reconstruct the movement. After two or three attempts, she did it again, and the resulting reaction caused her eyes to cross. Oh, shit! It was almost too much, but she couldn’t help herself from doing it again, and again, and again. Before she knew it, she was moving faster and faster, her hands gripping the sheet, head thrown back, and teeth gritting as she felt the most intense orgasm of her life building.

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ZENA WYNN Hard hands came up and grabbed her by the hips, but she barely noticed. “Shit, shit, shit, shit.” She couldn’t stop. Her body was in control, driving her steadily towards completion. Her eyes shot open in a blank stare and her body seized up, locking into position as the orgasm crashed over her. “Uuuuuuhhhh!” A small portion of her mind recognized that Darius was pumping furiously up into her as he held her in place. The rest of her was blind, deaf, and dumb to everything going on around her. She slumped over onto his chest right as he bellowed her name and thrust up so hard, if she’d was still sitting upright, she’d have been thrown off. Cat lay there dazed, waiting for her heart to settle. Her only thought being: So that’s a g-spot. I hope I remember later. I definitely want to do this again.

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Chapter Four Cat languidly stretched. Her body felt deliciously sore and used with the kind of tenderness that only comes from an intense night of continuous sex. Darius had been insatiable. They both had. Between the two of them, she doubted they’d gotten more than two hours of sleep total. The bathroom door opened and Darius stepped out with a towel wrapped around his waist and another in his hand, drying his hair. He tossed the hand towel onto a nearby table and flicked the towel on his body off, allowing it to drop to the floor. Cat’s gaze roamed over his body, admiring his masculine build while he approached the bed. He planted a knee on the mattress, leaned over, and gave her kiss that was deep and long. When she was hot, bothered, and ready to pick up where they left off earlier this morning, he ended it. “Good morning, sleepyhead. Or should I say afternoon? Somebody finally decided to open her eyes.” He dropped down on the bed beside her, stretched out on his side, and propped his head on his hand. “Mmm, I would have been up sooner if someone—not calling any names—had let me sleep last night.” She smiled serenely at him. “Hey, don’t blame me for your lack of sleep. I’m the one that was awakened at three o’clock in the morning by a wildhaired vixen bouncing up and down on top of my penis.” He didn’t appear too bothered by the notion. She smiled wickedly in remembrance. “Yeah, well, it was just laying there and it looked lonely. I was awake and horny. It was available and fully functional. You know what happened next. ” It wasn’t as if he complained when he did awaken. He snorted in amused disbelief, one eyebrow raised as he shook his head at her.

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ZENA WYNN “Besides, if I remember correctly, I was the one who woke to find a madman kneeling behind me, holding my hips in the air while he did it ‘doggie-style.’” She still couldn’t believe she slept through his positioning of her body, not that she was complaining. She’d thought it a dream. In it, her husband had returned home earlier than expected and happened upon her while she slept. He’d spent what felt like hours, reacquainting himself with the taste of her pussy. Then, when her body was a limp as an overcooked noodle and with almost the same consistency, he’d flipped her over onto her belly and made sure she realized how happy he was to be home. Waking up in the midst of a mindblowing orgasm was worth the lack of rest. “Ruff, ruff! Rrrrrrr!” Cat laughed, grabbed her pillow, and hit him with it. The next few minutes they spent engaged in a no-holds barred pillow-fight. “Uncle! Uncle! I give!” She crumpled onto the mattress, laughing so hard she could hardly catch her breath. Darius jumped off the bed and danced around, hands in the air like Sylvester Stallone, humming the theme from Rocky. “Yargh!” He punched the air with his fists. “What time is it?” she gasped between breaths. “I need to check on the kids.” He ceased with the dancing and came back to the side of the bed. “I already did. They’re having fun with ‘gampy and gammaw’ and want to know if they can stay the whole week.” He tossed the remaining pillows onto the floor and climbed back onto the bed with her. “Arghh!! You’re mom’s spoiling them rotten. They’ll be little monsters by the time they come home.” She covered her face with her hand, trying not to think about it too hard. “In another two weeks, I’ll be home. We can get them straightened out then.” He rolled over on top of her. “Did I tell you, Mrs. Cornelio, how happy I am to see you?” She looped her arms around his neck. “No, Mr. Cornelio, I don’t believe you did.”

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION “I am. These last six months have been hell without you and the kids. I missed you so much.” He kissed her lingeringly on the mouth. She gave a happy sigh when they broke for air. “Not as much as I missed you. I was so upset when I thought you weren’t going to make it last night. What happened? I thought you had duty?” He nibbled on her neck. “You think I was going to let a little something like work stop me from seeing my wife when you’d driven all this way to meet the ship? I got someone to cover me.” “I… couldn’t… believe… it… when… you… walked… up… to… the bar,” she said between the kisses she was planting all over his face. Darius nudged her legs apart and settled in between them. “It amazes me how convincing you were. You looked me dead in the eye and, if I hadn’t known better, I’d swear you didn’t know me. How do you do that?” She shrugged and smiled. “I just became the woman I was pretending to be. I try to think like I believe she would and it automatically affected my behavior.” It also helped that when she first flashed her ring at him, she didn’t know it was her husband, Darius, standing beside her. She’d thought he was just another loser coming to make a play for her. “You’d make a hell of an actress. You didn’t miss a beat. Just jumped right into the game,” he said against her neck where he was nibbling. “Me? Do you realize how scared I got when you asked what I’d do if you ever cheated?” She shook just thinking about it. “I thought you were about to confess to something I really didn’t want to hear.” He drew back and looked at her in puzzled surprise. “What need would I have to cheat? You’re more than enough woman for me. You keep me on my toes. Last night was proof enough of that. Most women would have called everything off after getting my note about having to work, too pissed to want to play.” Cat pulled his mouth back to her neck and tilted her head to give him better access. She rubbed her mound against his rapidly hardening penis. “We spent months planning this. I couldn’t let

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ZENA WYNN the opportunity get away.” Her voice was husky with rising arousal. He trailed kisses down to her breasts. “I thought you’d lose it when I said I’d put in for a new position,” he muttered distractedly. She grabbed him by the head and lifted it to get his attention. “Was that for real? You really put in for shore duty?” He dropped a kiss on her lips. “Yes, I did. I’m tired of leaving you and the kids for months at a time.” Tears immediately welled in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. “Baby, don’t cry.” He licked the tears off her face and kissed each eyelid. “I’m sorry. It’s just… I’ve wanted this for so long,” she sniffed. “You should have said something. You come first. After all I went through to get you, I’d think you’d know that by now,” he finished sternly. They’d met while serving on the same ship in the Navy. Because Cat was older than he was, in addition to having a higher rank, Darius had his work cut out for him. Although a relationship between them wasn’t exactly against regulations because they worked in different fields, they could still have their dating frowned upon. Darius hadn’t cared. He’d pursued Cat with such vengeance until finally, even her Commanding Officer noticed and told her to have a heart, give the man a chance, and put him out of his misery. “I need to warn you. We may have to relocate if I get the position.” His words pulled her out of the past and into the here and now. “I don’t care,” she assured him. “As long as I have you, that’s all that really matters.” He slid home and both of them groaned in appreciation. “This is where I belong.” “Amen.” He rocked them both to a gentle climax. After their night of marathon sex, neither one of them had the energy for a more energetic loving. This was about reconnecting at the most basic level and reaffirming their love for one another.

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION Later, they lay quietly, wrapped in each other’s arms. Suddenly, he started laughing. “I almost swallowed my tongue at the look on your face when that woman called you old.” Cat huffed in disgust. “You mean that child pretending to be a woman that had her fingers all over you?” “Baby, now don’t go getting all huffy. You know I only have eyes for you.” He chuckled again as though he was replaying the incident in his mind and found it highly amusing. “I’ve never seen you be so possessive.” “You’re talking? Remember Willie T?” His laughter cut off abruptly. “He’s lucky I didn’t knock his teeth down his throat for putting his hands on you,” he growled. “Umm, hmm. Now who’s being possessive?” “It’s not the same thing at all,” he grumbled. “He had his hands all over your butt. This is my ass.” His hands reached down and cupped her butt cheeks possessively. “Nobody touches it but me,” he growled. “Whatever you say, baby.” She patted his chest and bit back the laughter that wanted to escape. She thought about it for a moment then asked, “I just remembered you mentioned men hitting on me. How long did you sit there before approaching me?” Darius rolled onto his back and threw his arm over his head. He wrapped his other arm around Cat, pulling her with him until she lay on his chest. “For a little over a half an hour. I came to the room when I arrived but you weren’t here. I figured you went out to get something to eat and decided to sit in the bar to wait. I was here for almost fifteen minutes before I realized the sexy woman sitting at the bar being hit on by all the guys was you.” “Why didn’t you come over as soon as you knew who I was?” She propped her chin on the back of her hand and watched him intently. “First, I was shocked at the difference in your appearance from when I left. It was entertaining watching those guys get up the nerve to approach you, only to have you shoot them down. One guy actually bet money that he’d get you to talk to him.” “You lie.” “No, seriously. I saw the money change hands after he got the brush off as well.”

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ZENA WYNN Darius stroked his hand from her shoulder to her hip. “Babe, if I didn’t say it before, you look amazing. I can’t believe no one told me what you were doing. I got emails from every one in the family, mine and yours, and no one said a word.” Cat grinned smugly. “I swore them all to secrecy.” He cupped her chin and tilted her head back so he could look her in the eye. “I hope you didn’t do this for me. You know I love you, no matter what size you are.” She pushed up and kissed him on the mouth before dropping back down to lay her head back on his chest. While she spoke, she drew circles on his chest with her finger. “I did it for me. You know I had such a hard time carrying Mandy. I hated all of the weight that I gained during my pregnancy and not being able to exercise afterwards…” Before her last pregnancy, Cat had been a runner. She’d developed a blood clot in her leg after giving birth and had to retrain her mind to think differently when it came to exercise. By the time her doctor released her for normal activity, she’d gotten into a lazy rut. “Does this mean you can come running with me?” Cat groaned and buried her face in his chest, ignoring the way her head bounced around due to his laughing. “Yes, I’ll run with you, but I’m not getting up at the crack of dawn to do it.” “I’ll let you sleep until five, at least.” Cat shook her head. “Five thirty?” “No.” “Six-thirty.” She thought about it. She had to be to work at eight. Six wasn’t that bad. “Deal.” They lay there for a few more minutes, content just to be together again after so long an absence. Finally, Darius stirred. “We should probably get something to eat.” “Yeah.” Neither of them moved. Another ten minutes went by. “I’ll be home in another thirteen days.” “And?” “We should plan our next game.”

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ILLICIT ATTRACTION “Really?” She crossed her arms on top of his chest and propped her chin on top of them. “What did you have in mind?” “Since my ‘illicit affair with a married woman’ went so well, I was wondering…” She arched an eyebrow and waited. “What it would be like to be serviced by a hooker for the night.” “Call girl or street side?” “Call girl. What I have in mind might get you arrested.” He grinned naughtily at her. “Oooo! Tell me more.” “Well, for starters, you’ll need a trench coat, a blonde wig, and not much else…”

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ZENA WYNN

About the Author Zena Wynn is a multi-published author of erotic romance, and the author of The Contract, also with Phaze Books.

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