Not This Time

Not This Time By: Erosa Knowles

Veronique had gone the monogamous relationship route before and got her heart stomped in the process. She no longer allowed her emotions to romp and play with her liaisons and kept her heart firmly locked away. While taking a break from her sorority’s festivities, she meets Frank O’Connor in a bar. She’s definitely attracted. The man is seriously fine and does the one thing guaranteed to gain her attention. He threw down a bedroom challenge. Claimed he knew a thing or two. Well, so did she. With two days left in town, could she match his challenge and leave town unscathed? This book is a part of the Men of 3X CONStruction series. Although it can be read as a standalone book, the reading is more enjoyable when the other books in the series are read first.

Other Books by Erosa Knowles: Secrets Special Forces Nikki’s Challenge The Ultimate Breed Have I Told You Lately?* Ready for Love* Where There’s Smoke* Not This Time* Run to You (coming soon)* * denotes Men of 3X CONStruction series

Not This Time Copyright October 2011, Knowles, Erosa Smashwords Edition All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in form without prior written permission from Erosa Knowles or Sitting Bull Publishing. ISBN 9781937334116 Printed in the United States of America Published by Sitting Bull Publishing This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Chapter One There was nothing special about the small hotel lounge other than it smelled clean. Not a pine scent or anything commercial like that, in reality it was more what it didn't smell like that grabbed her attention and appreciation. The absence of stale cigarette smoke and unwashed bodies overrode the lack of décor, the limited liquor selections and insufficient seating. Three large flat-screened TVs droned on in the background with various news and sports programming. It was the sort of place where you could chill in peace at the end of a long day if you weren't a smoker. “Another rum and coke.” Veronique motioned to the bartender as she set her empty glass on the bar. Without looking, she scooped up a handful of peanuts from the half-full basket on her left. It had been a long day. She needed a quick drink to unwind before she reclaimed her hotel room. Her married sorority sister, Pam, had borrowed her suite earlier to engage in illicit relations with a man she'd met at their sorority's ball last night. In other words, her girl was humping like a rabbit and didn't want her husband or any of the other women to know of her loose morals. Obviously, she didn't care that Veronique knew. What the hell should she think of that? She tried to muster interest at the question and realized she didn't care. Why waste time thinking about her friend's immorality when she'd be on her back as well, if she'd met someone interesting enough to place her there. Glancing at her watch, she grunted. Hell, it'd been two hours. If they were still at it, her girl would be on stage and she'd be the audience. She was tired and her well of benevolence was bone dry. Glancing around at the half-filled tables, she spotted an empty one by the door. “Here you are.” She took the drink, left a five on the bar and headed for the table. After a few excuse me's, she reached her goal, and placed her purse on the table. Once seated, an unheard sigh echoed in every quadrant of her weary body. Her feet hurt, her stomach growled, and her head sent signals of its unhappiness. Shit, she was getting too old for these events. Next year, she'd pass on her sorority's annual gala and after-party. This afternoon's step competition had showcased the best and the brightest from every fraternity and sorority. What made her think she and her contemporaries could still get down with those young, boneless newbies? Her cute red and white pumps had screamed stop-thisshit right now, the entire time. Payback was a mutha, and her feet had taken her prisoner. One foot toed off her shoe. “Ummm...” She sighed in exquisite bliss. Then that foot did

the honors for the other foot. Wiggling her toes, she'd swear they tingled in joy, expanded in the open air, and wept merrily for their new freedom. Sipping on her drink, she looked around the bar. The room was filling up. Lots of men dressed in suits, with precision haircuts and buffed nails. There had been a time when those men drew her like ink to paper. But it didn't take long to realize she didn't like soft, wellmanicured hands. Or someone who read the labels on their shampoo and conditioner. And a man who took longer than her to match his attire, worried her last nerve. Nope, she'd moved most of her colleagues to the 'admire from a distance column,' it made for better friendships. Who'd that leave? A woman had to be realistic, if she wanted a man. Since becoming an attorney, and then going through her divorce, she'd never paid much attention to blue-collar workers. But then her daughter, Cherise, had met a man in construction. Tall, rock solid, good head on his shoulders, with a don't-mess-with-me persona. It seemed those kind of men ran in packs. The men who worked for Three X Construction were mouth-watering in so many ways. Not to mention their women, the few she'd met, all seemed to have silly smiles on their faces. Her daughter glowed with so much happiness and contentment; she'd thought they had a baby on the way. Although Cherise denied being pregnant, it wouldn't be long, not with the way Ross stayed on her. Hedrick, her ex, was military. He missed both the professional and the blue collar columns. Military men had a column all their own, a definite breed apart. For the past two months, they'd been playing tag. Him tagging her ass and her allowing him to. His frustration that she wouldn't allow them to move past the casual sex phase irritated her. Casual was all she wanted right now, especially with him. Sex between them had always been good, but trusting him in another relationship, that was off the table as far as she was concerned. Not only had he cheated on her, but he'd married the bitch just a few months after their divorce. Cheaters who lied, and then married the Cheatees, didn't get second chances with her heart; too bad her body wasn't as discriminating. Thoughts of him and their past sent her spirits into a downward spiral. “Hell, I can be depressed in my own room. Time to go.” Placing her glass on the table, she leaned over to pick up her shoes and bumped into a pair of jean-covered, rock solid long legs. Pushing back quickly, she bumped her head on the table. “Ow.” She rubbed the bruised spot. “I'm sorry, didn't see you... down there.” The deep cadence of his voice reignited her long-held crush of Barry White. She'd bought every record that dark chocolate god had

released. His music had been her panty-wetting-let's-screw anthem. Eyes closed, she basked in the memories of days and nights of fast and hard loving with Barry crooning “can't get enough of your love,” in the background. “Are you okay?” The deep sexy-as-sin voice shot straight to her core. Damn. Now visions of tangled sheets and long nights ran through her mind with the voice. And she hadn't even seen the body it came from. Sitting back up in her chair, she eyed him while she rubbed the side of her face. Damn, he's fine. “I'll live.” “Can I get you another drink?” The dark eyes pinned her to her chair. A flutter of interest rose in her breast. She nodded, her pussy tingled at his look of interest. “What're you drinking?” He smiled. And Veronique, defense attorney extraordinaire, swore the sun had just come from behind a dark cloud, making her world seem brighter. Sappy, but true. “Oh, a glass of zinfandel will be fine.” Any buzz she'd had earlier evaporated under the heavy dose of lust that'd swamped her. Although he wore jeans, his shirt was professional grade. Could he be in the gray area? A professional with blue-collar tendencies. Hmmm, watching him weave through the crowd, she marveled at his size. Tall, broad shoulders, dark hair and eyes. All-around nice package. Her lips puckered and smacked, wanting a taste. God, please let him be capable of a halfway decent conversation. No matter how hot and horny he made her, she'd long passed the stage where she screwed dumb men. Even brief flings had to bring more than solid meat to the table. Placing her shoes into her large Coach bag, she watched him maneuver the crowd while holding her wine and a beer. He handed her the glass as he sat next to her. “Thanks, I appreciate it. I'm Veronique by the way.” She looked at him from beneath her lids as she took a sip of the cool liquid. “I'm Frank. Your name's different. Are you from Philly?” He took a pull from his bottle. The weight of his gaze warmed her. “No, I'm here for a conference. Two more days to go.” She gazed at his dark eyes, and the heat singed her core. His eyes blazed as he watched her lips on the glass. Yep, he was he interested. “Is this home for you?” “I live an hour away, but I had some business in town, and came in here to unwind before

heading out.” He looked at her and winked. “Glad I did.” Me, too. “How about that? I was on my way out when you bumped into me. Must be kismet, huh?” She smiled as he placed his bottle on the table, and leaned toward her. “Yeah, kismet works for me. Let me buy you dinner before you leave. You seem like an interesting person, Veronique. I'd like to know you better.” Tingles shot down her spine when he said her name. “I am.” She stood, and picked up her purse. He followed. “Is there anything you prefer?” “Lean meats.” She smirked as her eyes roved slowly over his muscular frame. Did she say he was fine? Regardless, his body demanded another bravo for finess. He placed his hands in his pocket and walked behind her. “Lean meats? Hmmm, lean and juicy, I hope.” “Juicy works. Nobody likes dry meat.” She stopped and looked around the hotel lobby for the entrance to the in-house restaurant. Spotting it, she headed in that direction. “We can eat here.” “Sounds good. I like lean and juicy myself.” He grinned. They entered the restaurant, and the hostess sat them in the back after Veronique explained the problem with her shoes. After they'd been seated, she glanced at Frank over her menu. Damn. The man was handsome. Thick, dark shiny hair touched his collar, a small close-cropped beard, and a nice smile. He reminded her of Russell Crowe and Mel Gibson combined into a delicious package. A package she planned to unwrap before the night was over. Frank O'Connor slid the bulge in his pants, in search of a comfortable spot. The woman sitting next to him had his mouth watering, an unusual occurrence for him. Her smooth chocolate complexion reminded him of his favorite candy, Milky Way. He couldn't wait to taste every delectable inch of her. She wore her hair pulled up in the back, showing off her long neck, while curls framed her face. It seemed like a lot of work to accent to an already beautiful countenance. Large eyes stared at him with a teasing challenge that ripped into his calm facade. This woman seemed secure enough to take him on for the short time she'd be in town. That rocked for him. Without her shoes, the top of her head reached his nipples. The red dress accentuated her curves, especially her ass. Nice, high, round and firm-looking. His cock twitched in excitement. Black women's ages were always harder to gauge. He placed her in her

mid-thirties, much younger than his forty-one. Sharp, intelligent eyes peered from her heartshaped face. A full lower lip, slightly larger than the upper, teased his imagination, he wanted to taste all of her right now. Patience. What was it about her that drew him like an infant to a nipple? Sitting across from her, he pretended to read his menu. He'd have the steak dinner, he'd had it before. Only this time, she'd be dessert. He just had to convince her to be on the menu. “Have you eaten here before?” She asked in a husky tone. No, I've never been between your legs, but I hope to be real soon. “Yes, the steaks and chicken dishes are pretty good. Can't go wrong with those.” He shifted to get comfortable. “Thanks. I think I'll have the chicken picata with a salad.” She nodded and placed the menu to her right. He nodded as the waiter placed two glasses of water and a basket of warm rolls on the table. “We're ready to order.” The waiter nodded and took out his pad. Frank waved at her, signaling she should go first. He wanted to hear the huskiness of her voice again. It called to something in him. It'd made him sit his big ass down in a bar, when he knew he needed to leave before nightfall. He'd been in too many late night driving accidents to leave this late, it wasn't his favorite thing. Yet, something dark and primitive unfurled when he gazed down at her. His mind drew all sorts of erotic images. Seeing her so close to his cock in the bar had sealed her fate for the night, he liked the visual and decided her lips around his rod was the right thing to do. He hadn't counted on her being so damn sexy and hungry. Her full lips tilted at the corners at his stare, letting him know that having her in his bed tonight wouldn't be automatic. She was no submissive. So, he’d revised his strategy. Now they sat at dinner, but all he could see was his cock between her breast, in her mouth, and then the tight sheath below. Conversation, although a necessity, bored him. Action, the need for it, prompted him toward civility and the niceties. He didn’t consider himself a Dominant, like his twin brothers who lived an alternative lifestyle. A slave or submissive didn’t interest him, especially 24/7, but he admitted, to himself at least, that all of the O'Connor men were dominant to a point. There was a baseness in them, almost primitive, that pushed them to conquer. As the oldest, he'd like to think he was more level-headed, more polished, more flexible. Then there were times like this, when all he wanted was to pick this woman up, sling her over his shoulder and take her to a quiet spot, and screw the challenge out of her. The need burned in

him. The more she acted as though it didn't matter, as if tonight might not happen between them, the harder his need pressed to prove her wrong. Damn. He was in trouble. In the few minutes of their acquaintance, he knew they'd butt heads. “Sir?” Frank heard the waiter over the rushing wind of his growing need. “I'll have the steak, medium rare – juicy.” He winked at her. “Veggies, no potato.” He handed the menu to the waiter, then took a sip of water to cool his raging hard on. The pain in his groin increased. There was no more room in his pants. A quick glance around the near empty room eased his tension. Fewer eyes to see his condition. It'd been years since anyone had evoked such a strong reaction from him. For that alone, he owed her a good, solid fuck. They sat staring at each other as if they were in a poker game. Neither moved nor spoke. A loud crash from the kitchen area broke the stare-fest. “What are your plans for the evening?” he asked, although anything other than being with him was the wrong answer. “I'm going to get some rest; it's been a long day.” The huskiness of her voice soothed and aroused him. Although her mouth spoke, his eyes fastened on the twin pointed peaks on her chest. “Tired?” “Not really.” “Good. I'd hate for you to be worn out so soon.” He smiled as her brow rose. “So soon? It's been a long day.” Her lips tilted at the corners letting him know she was game, but he'd have to work for it. “Perhaps, but the day wouldn't be complete without seeing some of Philadelphia's better sights.” She leaned forward slowly, licking her lips. His eyes followed the trail of moisture glistening in the dim light. “Better sights, is that what they're calling it these days?” The teasing glint in her eye set off a spark in him. He liked this one. “Yeah, you should see Liberty Hall at night,” he said straight-faced. “There's nothing quite like it.” “I have. And you're right, it's ridiculously beautiful. Oh well, since I've already seen it, my night will be less eventful.” She glanced up as the waiter placed their drinks on the table. “Part of the beauty is buried in the guide, the one that unleashes the untapped depths of

our relics. You haven't seen anything in Philly, if you haven't seen it with me.” He trapped her with his gaze. Tonight belonged to them, his eyes dared her to refuse. Veronique enjoyed the cat and mouse banter with the hunky stranger. For a moment, she felt young and carefree. It'd been a while since she'd been so ardently pursued; it did wonders for her ego. Most of the men of her acquaintance lacked the hard-core alpha appeal that rolled off her dinner date in waves. No one she knew would throw out such a challenge. “You're probably right,” she agreed. He nodded and visibly relaxed. “I'd like to spend more time with you tonight.” Really? I hadn't guessed. “Are you married?” He frowned and held up his hand. “No.” She waited a beat. “Aren't you going to ask me?” He shook his head. “You're not the type to cheat. I think you'd say fuck it and walk away.” Since he was right, she didn't comment. “Children?” “Not yet.” “I'm here for two more days. What do you think you can show me that I haven't already seen?” His eyes darkened as they stripped her naked. Exposed, she battled the panic rising inside her. It wasn't fear that he'd hurt her physically, she wouldn't have accepted his dinner invite if she'd picked up those vibes. It was his uncanny ability to pinpoint her needs that rattled her. Her week had been hellacious and for numerous reasons, many she’d blocked from her mind, she didn’t want to be in charge. Tonight, she needed a strong, assertive man. Someone confident in himself to chart their course and give her what she desired. So far he'd hit the ball, the only thing left was to reach the bases. “Veronique.” His voice deepened. Her thighs clenched. “I'm not sure if two days between your legs, tasting and pounding your pussy, will satisfy your hunger for this cock I plan to give you tonight, but it'll be a start.”

Chapter 2 Veronique beamed, loving his confidence. Her wet panties applauded his balls and waited to be tossed aside for the main event. Although many bragged, few had conquered or accomplished what he’d claimed. He got ten points for being bold enough to tell her his plans within the first hour of their meeting. For the first time in a long while, she was interested in the man behind the big dick. Normally, faces and pedigrees blended into a bland pool of vanilla, leaving her disinterested afterwards. Frank seemed different. Confident and cocky, her favorite combinations, if he delivered. She wanted to know more before she allowed him to prove himself between the sheets. First off, his age. She couldn’t tell. Stabbing her chicken, she glanced at him. “Which Luther Vandross song is your favorite?” Frowning, he answered right away, “Never Too Much.” His features relaxed. “Yours?” “House Is Not A Home.” The man was quick. “What about Al Greene?” “Still In Love With You. You like Al Greene?” Her brow rose. She didn’t really care for the man’s music, Barry was her icon, but Frank shouldn’t question her taste, not yet anyway. “Yeah, I like Al Greene. What’s wrong with him?” He shook his head and bit into the steak. Her eyes tracked the movement. Who knew watching a man chew a piece of meat could be so sexy? He grinned and took a sip of water. “Sometimes women take it personally when celebrities do things they feel are immoral. I understand his woman caught him cheating and clocked his ass.” Cheating was a taboo subject for her. It never came up, especially with a potential fling. After her husband’s fiasco, she refused to allow anyone close enough to her heart, so infidelity was a non-issue. “Was she wrong?” Damn what was the matter with her? She needed to stop this line of questioning. Why give him a path to lie. Most men cheated, although they had all types of excuses and names for it. As an attorney, she’d heard them all. He shrugged. “I don’t know the circumstances so I can’t say. You can’t believe what you read in the papers these days.” “True, but what if she’d caught him cheating? Would she have been wrong?” Since he didn’t offer his opinion, like so many others had, she simply had to know where he stood. Odd, but true.

He took a moment, searching her face as though he could read more into her question. Her face burned at the inappropriate dinner discussion, but she refused to look away. “If they were in a monogamous relationship, I mean if both of them agreed to that, then she had every right to be mad enough to kick his ass. However, I don’t think she had the right to hit or burn him. Just as I don’t think he had the right to hit her or do anything to cause her physical discomfort.” “Obviously, you’ve never caught anyone you love, cheating or messing you over. Rational thought flies out the window on a long round-trip ticket. In the meantime, emotions take over, they kick in, and before you know it, something stupid’s happened. Professional shrinks call these episodes, crimes of passion.” Veronique’s face warmed at his stare. Their journey to the bedroom left little room for embarrassment, so she’d speak her mind. After this week, she’d never see or talk to him again. “Do you like Fifty-cents?” He asked. “What?” “Not what. Who. He’s a rapper?” He leaned back in his chair, watching her face. She shrugged and continued eating. “Never heard of him. You like his music?” “No. Just wondered.” He paused. “You’re wrong.” “I am?” Her brow rose. Somewhere along the line, he’d flunked first date class. Rule number one, never tell a woman you plan to screw, she’s wrong. It doesn’t matter at this point, red could be blue, until after you scored. Hell, even women knew that rule. “Yeah. Someone I cared about deeply, cheated on me. I was much younger, but still, I knew how I felt. Thought I knew how she felt. Back then, I worked hard building my company.” “What do you do?” Damn, she’d broken another rule applying to her flings; never get to know much about them. “I own a landscaping company.” She nodded, impressed that he was self-employed. That took a lot of work and courage. “I’m sorry, go on.” “Like I said, I worked hard trying to build something for my future. I thought she was onboard. One day, she walks in, claims she’s pregnant and wants to get married.” He gazed at her. “I’m not against doing the right thing, but she seemed desperate and demanded we tie the knot immediately. I wasn’t ready, so I told her to wait until after the baby was born. I knew neither of our families would care when we did the deed. You know what I mean?”

She nodded. Her parents had thrown her out the house when they discovered she got knocked-up in her teens. Her baby daddy disappeared faster than the morning dew. She wound up staying in homeless or unwed mother centers, and later miscarried. Right now, she wasn’t feeling very sympathetic toward him. Hopefully, he’d clear this up or she’d be heading to her room alone. “Well, she freaked and left town without telling anyone, not even her family knew where she’d gone. A month later, my brothers and I tracked her down. She was staying with some dude in a house near the mountains. The guy was shocked and scared when I showed up. I planned to kick his ass for touching what I’d considered mine. I didn’t. He claimed they’d been dating for over a year, she wasn’t pregnant, and they were making plans to get married. She’d given him an ultimatum and fool that he was, he caved. After he explained the deal, I looked at her and cut her off. She was dead to me.” “Ouch.” He considered her, his? What the hell? He shrugged. “The guy’s parents didn’t care for her, thought she was a scheming whore.” He smiled. “She decided to hedge her bets with me, I guess.” “Did he marry her?” He planned to kick the guy’s ass? So the fight with Hedrick wasn’t a fluke. “I don’t know. A year later, she contacted me, wanting to talk. My business had taken off; her brother worked part-time for me and must’ve told her she’d made a mistake. At least that’s what she said over the phone.” Veronique’s ex had done the same thing. Pity, the grass always looked greener somewhere else, it’s only when you smell the fertilizer you realize it’s all bullshit. “I wasn’t interested in her, talking or otherwise, and never called back. I’ve seen her from time to time. I speak, or wave, but I’m not interested.” “I hear you.” She picked up her glass and sipped the cold beverage while she glanced at him. Big guy. Good-looking, didn’t mind fighting if he thought it was worth it, but would cut you off without a second thought. He sounded like her. Indifference hurt more than rage. Veronique lived at that point with Hedrick. Not getting a reaction out of her pissed her ex off, big time. He still didn’t understand he’d used up his get-her-to-care pass, years ago. When she’d been younger, with their small daughter to take care of, he’d wrecked her world when he blithely informed her of his mistress’s pregnancy. He knew she’d kick his ass to the curb, and a month after the divorce, he married the heifer. The emotional upheaval she’d suffered had been brutal; the man had been her world. Striving to

survive the excruciating sense of loss, she’d lost weight, her hair fell out, she drank heavily, and if it weren’t for her baby girl, she never would have made it. During that time, Cherise started having panic attacks. Dealing with her child’s burgeoning problems left less time to focus on her own. After a while, she barely gave the asshole a thought, especially when he tried to come back. “Smart man.” She continued sipping her water, watching him watch her. “I bet no one has ever gotten close to you since then.” What was she doing asking such personal questions? Helloooo, this is not that serious. Get up and get down with his ass. Better yet, let him fuck you senseless and move on. Head tilted, he offered a crooked smile tinged with sadness. “No. No one else has had the chance to get close. I use the excuse of not enough time, but that’s not true. We make time for things we want or think are important. Maybe I need to meet someone who’ll make me want to set aside some time.” He sat forward, arms resting on the table. His short beard framed a cute smile. “But I will admit this,” he lowered his voice as though sharing a secret. “I shoulda left town hours ago. Then I met you. Now, I’m sitting in a restaurant, talking about things I haven’t thought of in years. Conversation isn’t what I’m normally interested in when I meet a sexy woman. Yet here I am, making time for you to get comfortable with me. I find that almost as fascinating as I find you.” Her arched brow conveyed he’d scored. Once again, the man left her speechless. They’d played the last serve in a game of verbal volleys and she admitted he’d won. No, she'd won. Rarely, did she meet a man who interested her on all fronts. Physically, he had a body like Adonis. Mentally, he was intelligent, thought before he spoke, and only spoke when he had something to say. That alone catapulted him to the forefront. Sexually, the man sizzled, leaving scorch marks on her libido. Her panties were soaked and her need for sexual release had reached the red zone. Fire. “I’m glad you find me fascinating.” She pushed away from the table; pinpricks of need thrummed through her, sending additional heat to her core. In a minute, he’d see steam rising from between her thighs. He watched her stand, his eyes unreadable. She bent forward, his eyes dipped to her breast before returning to her face. “But, I’ve run out of things to talk about and I’m comfortably ready to leave.” She stood, and slipped on her shoes as he threw some money on the table. Walking to her side, he gently placed his large palm against her back and left the restaurant. Waiting for him to ask where she was staying, he surprised her when he guided her toward the bank of elevators.

“You’re staying here?” “I keep a room here in case I stay overnight.” Looking at her, he smiled. “I’m flexible if you prefer to go somewhere else.” They’d stopped in the middle of the lobby while she made up her mind. Her teeth worried her lower lip while she processed her options. No matter how she catalogued things, he was a stranger. She’d be with a stranger in her room, around her things, but she’d have the home court advantage. Or be with a stranger in his room, no worry about interruptions from her sorority sisters. Besides, it gave the whole affair a more risqué flavor. “I want to go to my hotel, I need a few things.” She turned toward the door. “Maybe we can come here tomorrow.” Once again, his palm heated her back. “I’m staying at the Hilton, it’s not far. We can walk.” “Sounds good.” He took hold of her hand, his large one dwarfing her smaller one. All around them, people moved at fast clips, headed to various nightspots. The cocktail party and subsequent jazz gala her sorority sponsored every year had been under way for the past hour. Tomorrow, if she showed up to any events, she’d hear all about what she’d missed. Tonight, she planned to make her own music and something told her she’d need an encore. The vibrations and chimes from her purse signaled a call. Grabbing her phone and glancing at the screen, she smiled. “Hi, Baby Girl. What’s happening?” “Hi, Mama. You tell me what’s happening. I just got off the phone with daddy. He said you were supposed to meet him in Philly, but when he went to your hotel room, some other man and woman were in your room. He’s been searching for you for hours.” Shock ricocheted through Veronique. Her feet refused to move. She felt Frank’s stare, but at that moment was too surprised to care. “What!” “I knew that didn’t sound right, you planning to meet him at your Sorority Conference, not a chance. Too much sand already at the beach kind of thing. But he’s there in Philly somewhere looking for you. I don’t think he believed me when I told him I hadn’t talked to you today.” She was still too surprised by her ex-husband’s boldness to respond. Steam gathered in her belly and rose in a gush of anger. Heat suffused her face. Damn Hedrick, she ground her teeth, barely noticing the foot traffic on the busy sidewalk. “He’s full of shit.” Give a man a little bit of between the sheets action and they go batshit. She’d planned to cut him off anyway, he kept pushing for more and she had nothing else to give him. But why would he show up now? He had to know she’d be pissed and wouldn’t want to see him on general principle, plus sex between them was always at her discretion.

Cherise chimed in. “Especially if he thought I’d tell him where you were and what you’re doing. By the way, are you having fun? Busy getting busy?” The teasing lilt in her daughter’s voice made it plain she didn’t mean at the conference. Glancing up at Frank, who met her stare with a raised brow, she sighed her frustration. Her hopes weren't dashed, but they weren’t as high as before. She could kick Hedrick’s ass for that alone. “I’m trying. I thought I’d hit the mother lode.” She smiled at Frank’s inquisitive look. Lordy, she wanted to spend some private time with this hunk tonight, maybe they could return to his room. He’d strip her slowly with his hands, the way he’d been doing all night with his eyes. The man looked like he could eat some pussy, he’d probably have her screaming his name— “Ma…Ma?” The shrill sound of her daughter’s voice broke through her reverie. “What?” she snapped, annoyed at the interruption of her fantasy. “How’d daddy know you let somebody use your room? Is he in stalker mode or something? Waiting in the hall to see what’s up? Oh snap, Ma. I bet that’s what he did. He’s watching your hotel.” Her daughter’s excitement was misplaced for the situation, and as soon as she was in the right frame of mind, they’d discuss the inappropriateness of her response. Right now, she needed to get air down her tight chest. Breathe, Bitch. A vise attached itself to her head and squeezed, somehow that cut off her oxygen, because her head and throat were in a competition to see which could cause her the most pain. A large palm rubbed her back, offering support as small dots danced in front of her. Placing her hand on her chest, moments later she caught her breath. Gathering energy, she needed to disconnect before Cherise realized how badly her announcement affected her. “Sweetie, I’m on my way from dinner. I’ll give you a call later. Tell your fiancé hello and kiss Nora for me.” Hedrick had lost his mind, and her hotel room had lost its appeal. On her best day, she detested public confrontations. The hotel she resided in also hosted her sorority’s conference. Too many eyes and ears. If her ex-husband popped up, she knew she’d read his ass like an encyclopedia. Time to change plans. “Wait!” Cherise sounded frantic. “Are you okay? Is someone bothering you in Philly? I know some people who live out that way who can help you. They’re family for one of Ross’s partners, but they’re down for whatever.” Cherise had a taste for drama, and Veronique

refused to feed it. “Calm down, I’m fine. I’m not sure about your fiancé’s influence on you, you’ve gained a violent streak. First thing you wanna do is call out some kind of mafia.” She chuckled at her daughter’s scream of denial. “Listen, there’s this fine man who’s been waiting patiently while I talk to you. I need to take him somewhere private and ravish him before he changes his mind.” Frank straightened and smiled at her. She winked at him, certain he heard Cherise's squeal. Speaking quickly, she cut off further questioning. “I appreciated the heads-up and will deal with it. Night sweetie.” She clicked off and stared at Frank, tugging his hand, she turned around to head back to the hotel they’d just left. “Problem?” “That was my daughter. Her father, my ex, is here in Philly looking for me.” No need to bring him into all her business. They didn’t know each other well enough to tell dark secrets. “What does he want?” She arched her brow, and sent her best get-serious look at him. His face reddened as the realization hit. “He wants you back.” Chuckling, she squeezed his hand. “Correction, he wants me back in his bed. But I’ve made other plans.” He smiled. “I don’t blame him, but he fucked up when he let you go. I won’t make that mistake.” Curious, she glanced at him. The streetlights cast his face in a warm glow, making him appear larger, harder. The word primitive sprang to mind. “What makes you think he fucked up? Could’ve been me.” “Doesn’t matter, he still let you go. That means he fucked up.” He squeezed her hand as the hotel came into view. She laughed. He was refreshing and wonderful for her ego. Tomorrow or the next day, she’d deal with Hedrick, but tonight she planned to be thoroughly screwed. They entered the foyer and headed for the bank of elevators. They’d almost made it. She planned to ignore the sound of someone calling of her name, but her gallant escort stopped and looked back. To keep from looking silly, she stopped as well. Slapping on a smile, she waited for Rose, one of her sorority sisters, to reach them. The woman’s eyes roved over Frank’s muscular form, no doubt calculating everything about him from his net worth to shoe size, before facing her. Veronique itched to slap her. “You ran out on the jazz concert, too?” Rose asked in a conspirator’s whisper. “No. I had a prior engagement.” She held Frank’s hand up for the woman to see in case

she didn’t understand she was intruding. Veronique tugged Frank’s hand and headed to the elevator. Rose followed like a hooker hoping for a ménage à trois. Obviously, she didn’t get the memo. Veronique didn’t swing or share. “Oh, it’s just, well they swapped things, moved the cocktail reception here after the jazz thing, later on, after the music portion. I figured you’d…okay, I’m going to walk over there and mind my own business. Have fun. See you later, or another time. Nice meeting you—” Her words were cut off as the elevator doors closed. Frank pulled her tight in his arms, stroking her back, and finally tilting her head up for a smoldering kiss. He unleashed his need to be inside her with no interruptions. The wait had been interminable, finally he’d taste the sweet honey between her legs that he’d inhaled in the restaurant earlier. Once the elevator stopped, he peeled her off him and walked gap-legged down the hall toward his suite; damn, his boner hurt. As major stockholders with the hotel’s franchise licensee, Frank and his twin brothers kept four suites on this floor available at all times for family and close friends. Focused as he was on his date, he paid little notice when the elevator pinged. His luscious date was rubbing his erection, smiling wickedly. The imp knew he was hard enough to smash nails and wouldn’t give him a break. He’d return the favor as soon as they got in the room. No need to start something he couldn’t finish, in the hall. Placing his card in the door slot, the sound of footfalls garnered his attention. A tall African American male, a little shorter than him, was headed his way at a fast clip. A grimace of distaste or anger slashed across the man’s face. Without thinking, Frank opened the door, shoved Veronique into the suite and moved forward to meet what might be a threat. His blood raced as he summed the potential victim up in a glance. Cracking his knuckles, arms at his side, legs braced, he prepared himself for the first swing. He was unprepared for the words spewing out of the man’s mouth. The stranger stepped closer, snarling, “What the fuck are you doing with my wife?”

Chapter 3 Veronique stumbled into the room with arms outstretched, she fell into the corner of the wall, allowing it to break her fall. “What the hell?” she mumbled, kneeling to snatch up her purse and the scattered contents. Loud voices from the hall, followed by a heavy thumping vibration through the floor, sent her rushing back out the door. The sight of Hedrick and Frank rolling on the floor stopped her in her tracks. Her hand flew to her mouth, muffling the scream that tore at her throat at the sight of her ex-husband trying, without much success, to overpower Frank. Shaking her head to dispel what must be a vision, she watched as Frank rolled Hedrick over, cocked his arm back and prepared to punch him in the face. “No!” Without thinking, she tried to intervene. Moving quickly, she tried to grab Frank’s arm, and was thrown forward when his arm flew downward and made contact with Hedrick’s jaw. Landing on her hips a few feet away, she winced as loud smacks and grunts resounded in the hallway. “Stop. Stop this!” Standing slowly, she tried to get the two men to listen. She searched the hallway for something, anything to get them to stop. She pulled her hair when she realized there was nothing. Running back to the Frank’s room, she filled a coffee cup full of water. Heck, it worked on TV. Returning to the hall, she froze. Frank stood, and offered his hand to Hedrick, who was on the ground wiping the blood from his mouth. What the hell happened, I was only gone for a minute. Hedrick looked at him for all of three seconds before accepting the assistance. Both men were panting, staring at the other. Hedrick wiped the blood from his face. Frank took deep breaths, but not as fast as Hedrick. They were too old for this crap. Neanderthals. She couldn’t imagine what would prompt her ex to start a fight, especially against someone he didn’t know. They stood as two pit bulls, watching, weighing the odds and waiting for something to happen. The more she thought about it, the madder she became. Somehow, she was in the mix of this wrestling match and that wasn’t cool. She’d had enough of the testosterone standstill. Striding to her ex-husband with water splashing over the brim of the foam cup, she asked a simple question. “Hedrick, what are you doing here?” Heat scorched her face and throat with the brunt of her anger. Was he following her? What was going on with him? He knew this bullshit act would piss her off. He wiped the blood from his upper lip, looked down at her, and then back at Frank. For a

moment, he simply stared. “I wanted to see you. I thought…” He wiped his face and looked at the blood on his hand. She steeled herself from feeling sorry for him. Although she’d missed the beginning of the fallout, Hedrick definitely would remember this night for a long time. It wasn’t often she’d seen him so…well, whipped. “I’m sorry.” He sighed and ran his hand over his head, breaking the tension. “I had the week off and thought we could…you know, spend some time together. I’ve been looking for you all day. One of your sorority sisters told me you came upstairs.” He shrugged and looked at the carpeted floor. “But why? Why the hell would you do that without talking to me? What would make you think this shit would be okay?” Too pissed for words, she squeezed the cup. Water flowed over her fist onto the floor. “Can we talk without an audience?” He gestured toward Frank. She’d forgotten he was in the hallway and turned to look up at him. Frank’s eyes were darker than before, and he sported a new red bruise on his clenched left cheek. After a moment, his eyes swung to meet hers and she saw the banked fury. Oh, hell. He was still pissed and ready to continue. Men. “Can you give me a minute please?” She didn’t know everything, but she knew it wouldn’t take much to push this man to more violence. That polished veneer had all sorts of lines and cracks. She needed to get Hedrick out of here fast. What did he say earlier about kicking someone’s ass over someone that he considered his? If the man he was fighting was anyone other than her ex, and if they knew each other better, she’d be flattered. But it was her ex and she’d just met this dude. Anger management had his name written all over it. Frank stared at her a second longer and then glared at Hedrick. That one look sent chills down her spine and it wasn’t even directed at her. No wonder Hedrick wanted him out of the corridor. He’d been the recipient of that deadly stare all along and she didn’t blame him. “Yeah.” Frank moved to the door, stepped inside, but left it cracked open. She heard Hedrick’s sigh, and chuckled inwardly. Normally, at six-two, a tight muscular frame and serious attitude, her ex was the baddest man in the room. Most men backed down when he stepped up. Today, his ego had taken a serious blow and it would be wrong to kick a man when he was down, right? Hell no! That’s the only time to get in some serious licks, after all, it’s hard to kick a man while he’s standing. And she planned to put something on her ex, to make it crystal clear how she felt about his misguided actions today. Veronique threw the ravaged cup at him and stepped into his face. “What the hell do you

think you’re doing following me? Do I need to put a restraining order on you?” She hissed. “No, no…I got things confused and wanted—” “I don’t give a damn about what you wanted. You don’t run my life. I do.” Her fingernail pushed into his chest. “If I want to talk to you, that’s when we talk. Dammit, I’m not your wife. We are divorced. You left me for another woman. I was trying to be your friend, but as usual, you fucked that up.” “No, Ronnie…” “Stop that Ronnie shit. You know I hate that name. But you don’t care, do you. It’s all about what you want, isn’t it?” “No, that’s not true. I—” “Why are you here? What made you do something this stupid?” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back, searching the eyes of the man who’d once been her world. She’d planned to spend the rest of her life with him, had loved him more than herself. Perhaps that’d been their problem. She had loved him and he knew it, took it for granted that she’d always be around, and had fucked her over royally. If he’d hooked up with a woman with some common sense, it might not have hurt as bad. Bullshit. When the man you love tells you straight up he wants someone else, that shits burns worse than acid. It’d taken her years to pull herself together, and she’d never deconstruct like that again, for anyone. Shoulders slumped, he turned away and stared at the wall. “I made a lot of mistakes. Not just today, but in my life overall. I broke up my family over some mid-life foolishness.” He shrugged and looked at her again. “Started another one, it fell apart. Kids don’t want to be bothered, everybody’s moving on, and I’m by myself.” His voice lowered to a whisper at the end. “I needed to talk to somebody that understood me. Retirement’s a bitch, I’m at loose ends, don’t know what to do with myself. Thought I’d spend this time with you, we seemed to be doing better than before.” His tone begged her to understand. “No,” she snapped. “You misunderstood. Here’s the reality. I’m over you, so I don’t lash out like I did before. Tell me, is that what I have to do? Cuss you out all the time to keep you in check. Because this bullshit with you coming up on me and claiming I’m your wife cannot ever happen again.” She stood, arms akimbo, glaring at him. “No. You don’t have to do that. I guess I should be happy you stopped being so mean and talked nice to me. It went to my head, made me think there was a shot of us—” “Hell no! That’s not on the menu of events for my life. I know I’ve told you that before.

Obviously, us getting together for sex last month was a mistake.” “No! That’s not true. It was all good.” His eyes widened and his voice took on a pleading quality. She waved away his comments and continued. “Yeah, it was a mistake. It made you think there was something when there’s nothing here. That was just physical.” “Like with that guy?” he pointed to the room, his tone sarcastic. “Physical? Scratching an itch?” His lips turned up at the corners. Asshole. She smiled, all her teeth on display. His widening eyes told her it wasn’t pretty. “Whether I decide to scratch my itches with him or the Philadelphia Eagles football team isn’t your business. You gave up that right a long time ago. Rest assured you won’t scratch any itches for me ever again.” He released a long sigh. “Ron…Veronique,” he corrected when she glared at him. “I admitted I was wrong. I didn’t treat you or Cherise right. I know I’ll pay for what I did the rest of my life. But I want you to know this. I loved you. You don’t think I did, but you were my heart. I think in the back of my mind, I always thought we’d be together no matter what. I took a chance with your heart and lost. But don’t go around settling for just anything. You are and always were a special woman.” She swallowed hard as her words choked her. “Thanks. But you need to step.” Her voice firm, yet soft with unspoken emotion. Once, those words would’ve elevated her to the highest mountaintop. She’d been so needy for his affirmation and approval. For years, she’d lived in an emotional wasteland, trying to find herself. It’d been hard and painful, but she’d discovered a strong woman inside. A woman she felt comfortable with, and embraced her inner strengths, faults, and all. He nodded, his teeth worried his upper lip as he slowly swung his right foot in front of his left. “Okay. I’m sorry about all of this.” He waved his hand around the hall. “I was angry and said some things I shouldn’t have. He had every right to attack me.” That made more sense and elevated Frank in her book. Chivalry hadn’t died in the modern world. Men still called you out for disrespecting women. One day Hedrick would learn not to speak out in anger, tonight his loose lips cost him an ass whooping. Tired of him, tired of the mess, she turned toward the suite and then glanced at him. “Words are powerful and need to be used with wisdom. It’s an old song with you. When you get mad, you never know when to stop your mouth from running. You need to watch that.” Lord knows she’d been his victim on so many occasions. She watched him turn and move in

the direction of the elevators. With each step, they both knew those steps would never be retraced. The closing of the elevator door signaled a closure on their tumultuous relationship. At that thought, a curious sadness filled her. She looked at the doorway Frank left open. What did he think about all this? He probably thought she was high maintenance or a drama queen. She was neither. Hedrick said Frank kicked his ass for saying something inappropriate about her. A smile worked its way to her lips. He fought over her? Wow. Now that she had a moment to think, he had pushed her inside and closed the door. Protection? The more she thought about what happened, the more she liked her new friend. She opened and closed the door. The room’s illumination was a single wall sconce. “Frank?” Moving further inside, she noticed her purse on the small coffee table in front of the sofa. Clearing her throat, she called again. “Frank, where are— ” her words trailed off as he walked bare chested and barefoot into the room from the bedroom area. Water beaded on his chest, a light sprinkling of dark hairs trapped tiny droplets of moisture. His unsnapped jeans allowed her a peek at his dark colored boxers beneath. His chest and arm muscles flexed as he dried his face and hair. Synapses misfired in her mind. She couldn’t process the visual in front of her. Frozen, her throat tried to speak past the lump of surprise. A squeak emitted from her tight throat. Blinking rapidly, she assured her temporarily dysfunctional mind that there was indeed a fine male specimen standing in front of her and she needed release from her comatose condition to speak, less he think she was retarded. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in.” His eyes never left her as he moved slowly in her direction. Heart pulsing at his panty-wetting deep voice, she barely grasped he’d moved until he stood in front of her. How was it possible to feel such a strong connection with a stranger? Why couldn’t she do more than stare? I need to say something. Her mind blanked. “Is everything okay?” He tipped her face upward. Their eyes met. She read his concern in the dark orbs. Mute, she couldn’t form a reply as he stared waiting for her response. His scent cocooned her like an intoxicating liqueur. Dizzy with want, she trembled under his regard. Inhaling, his eyes flashed, then darkened and pierced her to the core. Heat throbbed between her legs, a quivering need pounded throughout her body. His nipples pebbled and she’d never wanted to taste anything so bad. Balling her fist, she tried to rein in her out-of-control hormones.

His firm, warm lips touched hers. Like a match to kerosene, her need skyrocketed. Her fingers latched onto his arms, he became her anchor in a storm of feelings too intense to define. His tongue penetrated her mouth, dueled with hers until he conquered. That was the beginning of her capitulation. Strong arms lifted and carried her without releasing her mouth. This was the making of a wonderful fantasy. “No fantasy,” he muttered, moving smoothly and with purpose. Shit, had she said that aloud? He didn’t give her time to think as he laid her on the bed and stripped her before she realized she was talking to her-damn-self. Strong hands grabbed her ankles and pulled her legs apart. Gasping at the cool air on her heated flesh, she tried to move. A flat palm on her stomach held her in place as the first swipe of his tongue scorched her clit. Oh shit. She tried to rise up and see, but lacked the strength, and then the will, as he plundered her dripping wet core with his tongue and fingers. Writhing, she moaned and screamed through her orgasm. He played her like a master musician bringing her to a crescendo, and then delved into an encore. Weak from pleasure, she pulled him upward to her mouth and kissed him for all she was worth. Tasting herself on his lips and tongue, she admitted he’d been right. This was the best way to see Philly. His hardness rubbed against her thigh. Good Lord, how thick was he? The man sho’ nuff had pipe. Her hand went to the waistband of his jeans; he helped her pull the zipper down before he shrugged out of his pants and satin boxers. He took her hands, yes, it took both of them like a whopper, and placed them around his hard cock. They both sighed, but for different reasons. Veronique always felt a man’s length was both hard and soft, a wonderful contradiction. Her mouth watered as she played with the pre-cum on the head. Pulling back from the kiss, she tried to bend down for a quick tasty treat. “No, I’m too close.” He sighed as he pulled her close again. “Are you on birth control?” She looked at him askance. “Yeah, but you still need to sleeve up.” “I know, I want us covered from both ends.” He squeezed her, and pulled a condom from beneath the pillow. “You come here often?” she asked. She hadn’t meant to sound terse, but the thought of him having his own personal bordello in the city irked her. He smiled. “This is a private floor. The rooms here are never reserved or rented out. So, yeah, I come here whenever I’m in town and don’t feel like driving home.” She nodded as she thrust the green monster back in his cage.

When Frank picked her up to straddle his waist, she asked in a sweet tone, “Would you like to drive or would you prefer I did?” His grin was positively wicked as he held her over his large erection. “This time, you drive.” She was still in the post-coital glow and not at her best. After a nap or two, she’d be ready to get in the saddle. Without further ado, he flipped her over and settled between her legs. A woman could get used to a man who knew how to bring it on and had no problem handling his business. The thought hadn’t settled in her mind when he pushed into her. An un-lady-like grunt escaped her lips at the serious intrusion. The man stretched her pussy wide and panted as though he’d run a marathon as he waited for her to adjust to his girth. She appreciated the courtesy, although her body sang happy sounds at the delicious filling. “You okay?” The question was definitely rhetorical since he had pulled out and surged forward again. “Answer me.” He ground into her and she wondered how he still had the capacity to speak, she certainly didn’t, so she just nodded. Apparently satisfied with her nonverbal cues, he slid in and out in an excruciatingly slow manner. Slapping his ass didn’t get him to speed up, rolling her hips beneath him didn’t do it either. Her mouth unstuck and she screamed. “Faster, harder.” Like a switch, he grabbed her legs, wrapped them around his waist, and pistoned into her snatch. Grunting, he hit her spot, and she screamed as her body quivered in preparation. Breathe girl, her mind screamed, since she’d forgotten. Each successive hit sent her closer, closer, to her release. “Oh shit, oh shit,” she babbled as her breasts danced happily under the impact of his hard thrusts. Then he pinched her clit and she exploded. Her back arched, her toes curled and her body shook as waves of pleasure washed over her. Frank roared and released his seed. His large body shuddered, shaking the bed against the wall before he collapsed onto his arms and gently pulled out of her. Pulling off the condom, he tied it off and threw it into the trashcan. He rolled over, wrapped her in his arms and held her tight. She listened to the solid thumps of his heart, and enjoyed the warmth of his embrace. The fragrance from their robust coupling filled the air and she knew the night was far from over. Tingles of pleasure ran through her at knowing how well he handled her body. She couldn’t remember ever hitting a nutt so hard. “That was good,” she whispered, more to break the silence than anything else. He was invading her thoughts too much and that would never do. In a few days, she’d be back in Colorado. Besides, she didn’t believe in long-distance flings or relationships, not that this was

anything close to either of those things, she argued. Damn. She recognized her mental ramblings as a sign of nerves and tried to shake it off. This was a meeting of needs. Two adult people, attracted to one another, cleaning out their clocks. No biggie. Her heart stuttered at her mind’s rejoinder and rebelled. Oh, hell. She knew he would be trouble when he threw down the challenge in the restaurant. “Better than good.” His deep voice stroked and tightened her pussy. It throbbed in recognition, giving him a pass to return whenever he wanted. His fingers teased her drenched tunnel and tapped her clit. Moments later, his finger pushed upward, testing, teasing and then took control of her pleasure, again. Her breath hitched as he stroked her sheath. Normally, she couldn’t reignite this fast, but her body lost that memo; she moaned and gyrated faster on his finger. He inserted another; through lowered lids she watched him watch her. Another contest of wills? No matter, she'd conceded to his mastery sometime during the first round. Her hot core felt full but accepted another finger as he pumped faster, hitting her spot, watching her roll her hips while he controlled the pace. He bent and whispered into her ear. “Come.” Her hips bucked as her orgasm rolled over her. For a second, air eluded her, dots flashed before her eyes while tremors of pleasure shot through her body. Seconds or minutes later, she re-took ownership of her airways and breathed. A slurping sound grabbed her attention. The man was licking his fingers clean. There was something devilishly erotic about a man enjoying the fruits of his labor. “You taste good.” He managed to get out between licks. His sweat-licked skin glowed in the darkened room, his dark hair stood in various places over his head. The mark on his face looked out of place on his otherwise white, unblemished skin. Without thinking, she touched it. This man, a stranger, had taken exception to some stupid, jealous remark about her and was now marked on her behalf. “I’m sorry about this.” Gently she brushed the bruise, expecting him to wince or say something. He shrugged, and stood in all his naked glory. Realizing he wasn’t going to make a comment, her eyes feasted on his male perfection. As his erection lengthened under her stare, she gave herself all kinds of mental praise for being able to take all of him. The man had to be over eight or nine inches long and was golf ball wide. “How big are you?”

He stared at her and burst out laughing. She smiled, enjoying the sound of his laughter. “I don’t know. You tell me.” He walked toward the bathroom, the water ran and he returned with a wet cloth. Pushing her legs apart, he placed the warm cloth on her battered vee-jay. It felt heavenly. Closing her eyes, she sighed as he cleaned between her folds and her stomach. “Most men— “ “I’m not most men.” Her head snapped up at the chill in his voice. “I didn’t mean to offend you or anything.” Touchy about some things, aren’t we. He shrugged, stood, and walked to the bathroom. Damn this was awkward. She nibbled her bottom lip as she watched him return to the bed. Maybe he didn’t want her to stay. Hell, she had a room already paid for, with a bed to sleep in. She didn’t have to stay where she wasn’t wanted or appreciated. Flinging the covers off, she rolled to the side and stood. “Where are you going?” He looked at her, brow raised. Veronique glanced at him lying casually on the bed, arm behind his head, and his halfmast erection lying on his stomach. Unable to stop the tremor that shot through her, she shrugged without speaking as she walked around the side of the bed. A quick glance showed him leaning on his elbows holding her panties with one finger and a grin. She picked up her dress, the panties were too wet to put on anyway. He could keep it as a memento from this night. Damn if he hadn’t earned it. Her bra was across the room and her shoes must be out front. “It’s been a long day,” she said into the quiet. “I agree. Why don’t you sleep here? We can have breakfast in the morning, and I’ll show you some more sights.” Uncertain of his sincerity, she stared at him. His rising cock certainly looked interested in her staying. They didn’t know each other well enough for her to filter his responses. “You sounded impatient just now, so I thought I’d leave.” His brow rose. Her eyes tracked the movement of his penis as it moved haltingly to the side. “I don’t know what kind of men you’re accustomed to being with, but no man wants to be compared to another, especially in bed.” “Oh.” She glanced at the clothes in her hand as she realized for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t in control of the night’s itinerary. Somehow, over the course of two, three hours tops, Frank had taken the reins. For the rest of the evening, she could relax and let him

pleasure her. Damn, was he right? Would three days be enough to satisfy her? She dropped her clothes and walked toward him. Frank watched her come. A giddy feeling of pride swamped him. She’d chosen him. Earlier, when her ex-husband had showed up, he'd thought the two of them might’ve been playing some sort of game. All sorts of scams went on these days. But when the man started spewing insults about him and Veronique, he'd decked the bastard on general principle. No man should say things like that about a woman. Period. At that time he wasn’t even sure he’d get the girl. When she'd asked him to leave the hall, anger had risen in his chest, and he didn’t care if she stayed with him or not. He didn’t have to bloody his fists to get laid. He’d showered and made plans to leave first thing in the morning. When she'd called out for him, he assumed she wanted to say goodnight. Maybe she’d planned that initially, but her body had asked him for a tune-up and he'd agreed. In his mind, they’d fuck and he’d send her on her way. He’d been unprepared for hurricane Veronique. Passionate and sexy, she’d ripped through his barrier reefs with forceful winds that blew away his initial plans. Those tiny moans and nasty words flying from her mouth had carried him higher in her storm. Her tight, warm walls had gripped him, devastating his control. He was stuck in the eye of the squall and needed her to anchor him in the midst of waves of pleasure. His cock hardened further with each step she took. He reached out his hand toward her, amazed at how such a small woman could receive all of him. There was so much more to her than he first imagined. “I want you.” His voice deepened as his need spiraled. It didn’t matter that he knew little about her, or that she’d be leaving soon. His erection directed the right now action and demanded to be re-sheathed inside her tight pussy. “Again?” Her lips lifted at the corners, her eyes dark with passion and lips lightly swollen from his kisses. If ever a woman looked as though she’d been screwed, she did. But he’d just gotten started, moisture pooled in his mouth as he took in the vee between her legs. “Yeah. I’m hungry. Bring that sweet-thang right here.” He pointed to his face. She winked and moved onto the bed. He inhaled. Hell, yeah. Hurricane Veronique, he thought as she climbed him. Heart pounding, he glanced at the hungry gleam in her eyes as she settled over him. This was one storm he didn't want to get out of. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Sunlight streamed through the slit in the curtains, warming her outstretched arms. Moaning at the pleasant feeling, she rolled over and hit a hard chest. Her heartbeat jumped, her eyes widened and for a moment, she panicked. The room was familiar and not. Warm wisps of air grazed her forehead immediately reminding her of the night before. Frank had not been kidding when he said she’d want more of him. Last night’s marathon was unlike anything she’d ever done. Not even in her teens or her marriage. The man was like a robot stuck on “run.” She couldn’t be positive, but she may have passed out once or twice, not that she’d admit it. But the man had turned her on and out. Even now, moisture pooled between her legs just thinking about how good he’d laid it on her last night and this morning. How did you tell someone you just met, you wanted to extend the one-night stand into three days? She bit her lip as she went over her itinerary for the next few days. She had a presentation to make tomorrow night at the awards banquet and there were a couple of business networking sessions she’d planned to hit, but that was before Frank. None of them held a candle to spending as much time as possible with him. After she made a few calls, she’d be free to see where this could go. “What are you thinking about?” His gruff voice sent tingles down her spine. She felt like a teenager in the midst of her first crush. “How I can spend more time with you.” She kissed his chest, reveling in the steady beat of his heart. “Oh, yeah? Come up with anything?” He pulled her closer. She took advantage and nibbled on his nipple, enjoying the small shudders that went through him. “Well…other than a presentation I have to make tomorrow night, I can clear the rest of today and most of tomorrow.” Pausing, she rolled the stiff peak between her lips and flicked it with her tongue. He groaned and pulled her closer. “That’s if you want to spend time with me,” she cooed, enjoying his response to her. He grabbed her hand and placed it on his hard cock. “I want to spend as much time with you as you’ll allow and then some.” He pulled her on top and pressed her hips against his thick rod. “You keep me hard. I like that.” “I know.” She smiled and rolled to the other side. “I have to brush my teeth and shower.” She wrinkled her nose. “After you feed me, we need to go to my hotel and change.” Frank grabbed at her. She sidestepped him. “You need to brush your teeth, too.”

He laughed and stood up. His cock was long and stiff. She couldn’t look away; the man was impressive and had earned his bragging rights. “You like?” he teased. Licking her lips, she stared at his hard arousal a second longer. “Most definitely. I can’t wait for you to feed me. I’m hungry for more.” Her fingertips traced the veins on his erection. His breath hitched as she palmed the masterpiece in her hands. “You’re beautiful,” she whispered, enjoying the feel of the velvet steel. Strong hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her close against his chest, causing her to release her treat. “You’re beautiful. In your passion, you’re so real, no games. It’s addicting being with a woman who enjoys sex. I love watching you come, your face makes these cute expressions.” He lifted her in his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist, her arms around his neck. The flexing of his hips below her clamped feet sent heat to her core. Within minutes they were in the shower. She pushed away and grabbed her shower cap from the bathroom hook, ignoring his sigh. “That’s not sexy,” he complained as she slid down his torso. “Maybe not, but it’s necessary.” She squinted up at him. “I thought you’d dated black women before?” “I have. What does that have to…yeah right. The hair thing, I forgot.” He pulled her close and kissed the tip of her nose. “Sorry bout that. You ready now?” “For…?” She grabbed the washcloth and soap. No matter how much she wanted to play, she needed to clean up. Smelling herself was not her favorite past time. “To play.” He took the soapy towel from her and starting at her neck, washed every nook and cranny on her body. By the time he placed her foot on the floor she was a shivering mass of goo. In her mind, she returned the favor, but reality was another bitch. Hot, antsy, and needy, she leaned against the tile, watching through lowered lids as he zipped through his shower. Minutes later, he turned off the water and carried her from the bathroom into the much cooler bedroom. Goosebumps exploded over her flesh, her heated skin, already sensitive, tingled in anticipation. Her fingertips ran down his shoulder, needing to touch him. He flinched and grabbed her hand, placing her digits in the warm cavern of his mouth. She shivered as he sucked. His eyes blazed as they scorched her face. Damn, he was good. Frank lay on top of the chocolate beauty and thanked whoever was looking out for him. She was a rare find. Sexy, articulate, fun and smart. Most importantly, she didn’t play games. He’d been wondering how to spend more time with her when she admitted she’d been

thinking the same thing. After getting over the shock of her forthright confession, he'd wanted to shout hallelujah. Perhaps, he’d finally met someone he could be open and honest with. They hadn’t known each other a full day, but he knew he wanted to spend more time with her. They just had to work through a few things. “Have I told you how glad I am that you chose to spend time with me?” He asked as he placed kisses up her leg. “You may not have said those exact words, but you definitely let me feel your joy.” He chuckled at her quick wit. “You up to more joy?” He allowed her to roll him over. She took his dick in her hand, and stroked it from the root. He was amazed at the level of concentration she gave her task. “You promised to feed me first.” Her tongue lapped against his mushroomed head. Grinding his teeth, he fought the exquisite pleasure that shot through him. He wanted to see her this time. Her cocoa complexion lay against his thigh as she feasted on him. He slapped the bed as his hips rose and fell, giving her more of his meat. Her purring shot through him. His legs trembled as his sacs drew up. His breath caught in his throat. He couldn’t talk as she sucked harder, taking him to the back of her throat. With a roar, his body arched. Toes curled as he erupted in her mouth. Shaking, he watched her kiss the head of his cock, adoringly. “Thanks.” She grinned at him. “Now, would you like room service or shall we grab a bite to eat on the way?” He growled and reached for her. She was too perfect. “Call room service, I’ll need my strength to keep up with you.” She laughed and went into the living room. He heard snippets of her conversation, but was too whipped to move. She planned to give him two more days, somehow he didn’t think that’d be enough. **** Veronique and Frank walked across the lobby of her hotel; they’d decided to stay in his suite last night, instead of her returning to her room. Not that she was afraid of another confrontation with her ex; she’d just gotten too comfortable to leave. She planned to head home with him today, so he could clear up a few things, and come back tomorrow night for the awards banquet. A giddy feeling erupted every time she thought of how well they clicked. Her abruptness didn’t faze him, and his reticence didn’t bother her. Pretty much, they accepted one another at face value and moved forward. Spending time together would let

them peel back layers and see if they still liked what they found beneath. Her thoughts were so centered on moving out of her hotel room that she missed her sorority sisters calling out to her from the hotel’s restaurant. Frank’s gentle pressure on her arm, and then the escalating voices, made her stop. Turning, she waited for two of her line sisters to approach. Offering them a warning smile, she introduced them to Frank. “Hi Pam, Linda. Meet Frank.” She pointed to him and pulled on her wrinkled dress selfconsciously. “Frank, this is Pam and Linda, some friends of mine.” He nodded. Both ladies waved before speaking. “Excuse us a minute.” They pulled her forward. “Girl, you are not going to believe this,” Pam said whispering. “That heifer, Rose, came down here for breakfast a little while ago with Hedrick. You could tell he was embarrassed. He barely spoke when we saw him.” The name didn’t register. “Hedrick?” “Damn, Frank must be the bomb if he made you forget your ex,” Linda said in awe. Her eyes slid to where Frank stood, hands in pocket, waiting. “Oh, yeah, right.” Veronique’s face heated at their gibes, for a moment she didn’t remember. “Rose was at the hotel last night and probably offered him some southern hospitality.” She shrugged, a little pissed, since they were sisters and all, but times were tough, especially when you reached a certain age. Besides, she’d told him there was no chance they’d get back together. If Rose rocked his boat, more power to them. She had a date with a hot fella and time was wasting. “I’ve got to go, I’ll see you tomorrow night at the banquet.” She waved goodbye. Linda grabbed her hand. “Does he have a brother?” She pointed at Frank, who was looking around the lobby. Veronique laughed. “I don’t know, it’s not that kind of party.” A ping hit her heart at her trademark comment. For the first time in a long time, she wished things were different. She wished she had the time to invest in seeing if a relationship with Frank was possible. He hit the bullseye on so many levels with her. Sighing at the horrible timing, she put a smile on her face and walked over to him. “Ready?” He looked at her, his eyes searching for something. “Yeah. I’ll go pack, and then check out. Where’s your truck?” He grinned. “At the hotel we just left.” She groaned. “Want me to go get it?” he offered. “Yeah. By the time you get back, just come up to room 1517. I’ll be ready.”

“Okay.” He bent forward and gave her a quick peck on the lips before leaving. She watched him stride through the glass doors. “Damn, that’s all I can say.” Linda walked over and offered her a high-five. “You pulled a big one.” If only they knew. But she’d never tell. Years ago, Veronique had learned, at a high cost to her sanity, to keep her sexual exploits private. She’d learned the hard way, even good friends wanted what they couldn’t have. Offering Linda a small smile, she turned and headed to the elevator. All the way up she thought about last night and this morning. The way Frank smiled. His woodsy scent, his full lips and power-train stamina. The man had mad skills. She was looking in her purse for her room key when the elevator doors opened, and didn’t see the broad set of shoulders she bumped into. Without looking, she apologized and then gazed into the startled eyes of her ex and Rose. At least Rose had the grace to turn her head and walk into the elevator. Hedrick froze, staring at her. His mouth opened and closed, no words escaped. She was so over him and his bullshit. Pivoting, she walked to her room. “Have a good day.” She waved and unlocked her door. **** The drive to Frank’s home took about an hour. He played tour guide and pointed out landmarks. They passed a sign and she waited for him to say something. He didn’t. “That sign back there, it’s your company.” Surprised, he looked at her and then smiled. His face pinkened. “Yeah. How’d you know?” He took her hand. “I researched you. Well, not your personal stuff, your business. You don’t think I’d come spend the night with you without knowing if you’d told the truth about who you were, did you?” “I should’ve thought about it. But I was just glad you agreed. I really can’t put this meeting off today. After that, I’m free for as long as you want me.” She glanced at him, her heart beating fast at his words. “Don’t throw promises like that around; you never know, I might just take you up on it.” He kissed the back of her hand. “I’m hoping you do.” That warm feeling filled her up again and she wanted to laugh for no other reason than she felt free. Instead, she leaned back against the armrest and squeezed his hand. The area was beautiful in a quiet way. Frank turned down a long driveway and she caught a glimpse of

what looked like an old plantation house she‘d seen in a book as a child. It boasted large white columns, a wrap-around porch, large windows, and a two-paneled door. She’d always loved homes from this era. The charm of the place touched her in ways she hadn’t expected. This was a baby-making house, built for children, family reunions and get-togethers. What the hell am I doing here? “This is lovely,” she murmured, shell-shocked. It was beyond lovely, the grounds were magazine worthy. The two-story brick house screamed home and family. Her eyes slid to his, he watched her. Offering him a tight smile, she turned to open her door. His hand stopped her. He pulled her face close and kissed her gently, at first. Then he deepened the kiss, curling her toes. When he pulled back, she would have sworn the sun was a tad brighter. She couldn’t focus as he assisted her from the truck. He tucked her arm around his waist and walked her inside. Home. The word brushed against her consciousness. No way, this was too fast. They’d just met. But they clicked, her mind argued. Inhaling deeply, she forced herself to calm down. Take the time to smell the roses. Enjoy the journey. No need to rush, tomorrow’s a new day. She quoted all the little quips she’d told her daughter over the years. Her heart rejected each one. It demanded she grab hold of this man and not let him go. “I’ll put your things in the bedroom, it’s through there. Want me to show you around?” Although he couched it as a question, she heard the pride for his home in his voice and knew it would hurt him if she refused. “I’d love to see everything. Did you renovate this by yourself?” Her fingertips trailed the exquisite woodwork on the wall panels. He laughed. “I’m good, but not that good. One of my brothers is in construction, he and some other friends helped. Let me show you around.” He winked. For the next twenty minutes, he took her through every room, including five large bedrooms with accompanying baths, the finished basement with media and recreational rooms, and the additional outside dining area which included an enclosed pool. She fell in love with the old house and could see herself writing briefs out on the lanai. Squeezing his waist, she pulled herself from those murky thoughts. This was a weekend fling. There were certain rules about these types of things, she reminded herself. “Everything is so beautiful. You did a great job.” Her compliment was as sincere as her longing for a place like this.

“I’m glad you like it. I want you to spend more time here.” He paused and looked down at her. Her heart tripped at the sincerity she read in those dark eyes. “With me.” He clarified. She grinned. “Whew, I’m glad you cleared that up, for a moment I thought you were offering me your home.” She pulled back, but he held her tighter. “I am…in a way. I want to spend time with you after this weekend. Do you think you can take a little more time off from your job so we can get to know each other better? I’m not ready for whatever we've started to end.” Veronique’s eyes misted. She was sure he heard the loud thumping of her heart against her chest. Could she give him what he wanted? Hell, a few minutes ago it was the same thing she wanted, but didn’t dare dream it could become a reality. “I’ll check, but you’ll need to be willing to come spend time with me as well.” He tapped her nose and kissed her. “Whatever it takes.” He took her hand and led her to the kitchen. “Hungry?” The nerves in her stomach clenched at the idea of food. Obviously, he didn’t have that problem. She watched him pull meat and vegetables from the refrigerator, and wondered if he expected her to cook. “I could eat a little something.” Deliberately she offered a vague answer, feeling her way in unfamiliar waters. When they met yesterday, visiting his home had never entered her radar, yet she sat on his kitchen stool in her dream home in the middle of the country somewhere. Hell, the way he'd captured her attention last night and this morning, they could’ve stayed in Philly and she’d have been just as content. That meant she liked him. Liked him more than anyone else she’d been seeing lately. “Are you dating anyone?” He turned and looked at her. “No one serious. You?” His eyes captured hers. “Not seriously. Just dinner dates and stuff like that.” He straightened without releasing her eyes. “Are you sleeping with someone else?” “I didn’t ask you about your sex life.” “No matter, I still want to know about yours. Are you having sex with someone else back home or anywhere?” He planted his large palms on the countertop, waiting for her reply. “What if I said it was none of your business?” “You’d be wrong.” His fast response threw her. “Why?” “You are my business. Answer me.” His voice roughened. There must be something seriously wrong with her, but his claiming thrilled her core. As a

modern independent woman, she felt she should make a token remark over his manners. “No. I’m not sleeping with anyone else. Right now,” she added as her token stand. It was weak and they both smiled. Lord, she was in trouble. “Good. Neither am I.”

Chapter 5 The next week flew by on the wings of hot, steamy, impossible-to-count-orgasm nights and days of heart-to-heart conversations. She'd extended her trip for a week, but time wasn’t something Veronique had in escrow, she needed to get back to her office, deal with her clients, and take care of personal matters. Macy, her assistant, had worked a miracle and shuffled things around so she could spend this time with Frank. Thinking of him sent a warm tingling down her spine. Like a teenybopper in the flush of a new crush, she suppressed a giggle of delight that threatened to erupt. Damn, the man made her happy. She’d changed. Not only her schedule, but other small things she’d previously thought a waste of time. “It’s no big deal,” she murmured, looking out the bay window at the backyard. “I’m not losing myself. I’m discovering a new part of me. A part that likes cuddling, gentle touches and soft words. I’m still me,” she argued against her stubborn conscience. Without a doubt, she really did like who she was with Frank. He'd touched something inside that made her want to be more feminine, less confrontational and more laid back. Maybe it was because no one had ever totally focused on her before. No one had listened as intently or been so interested in what she’d previously thought were mundane issues in her life. Frank treated her as if she were the most important person in his world and treated the words from her lips like manna in the desert. What woman didn’t want that? He blew away her defenses, disarming her. Her frontline resistance had crashed the first night in his home. She'd opened up to him, body and mind. Things she’d held bottled inside for years, burst forth under his gentle prodding. If anyone had told her that getting to know someone, in more than the biblical sense, was this intense and equally liberating, Veronique would’ve laughed. But there was something about a methodical man that clicked, and Frank was as thorough in his desire to know everything about her as he was in learning what made her scream every night. He refused to stop until he was satisfied he had adequate knowledge of her in every way. Her breath hitched. He was coming. A telephone call had interrupted their earlier conversation. His large hands stroked her shoulder as he pulled her in for a kiss. Heart pounding, she wondered if she’d get a reprieve from their deep discussion and play for a while. “Sorry about that. Now, where were we?” Disappointment swamped her. Talking wasn’t on her mind. She grabbed his hand and led

him into the family room, thinking to derail this particular discussion. Her rebellious teen years and dealing with her parents wasn’t a time in her life she cared to examine too closely. Lots of problems back then. Lots of mistakes were made by everyone. That’s why she never talked about her past. But they’d agreed to open up, get to know each other, and nothing was supposed to be off limits. What were you thinking to agree to this? Damn, if her agreeing to open the door on her darkest shame didn’t attest to how much she liked this man, nothing did. “Yeah, you were telling me about your relationship with your parents. Something about it being shady?” He pulled her down onto the sofa, and draped his arm around her shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze. “My parents threw me out when I was sixteen because I was pregnant.” Her tone was indifferent after making the statement so many times in the past; she rarely gave it much thought. It was an event in her past, nothing more, she refused to stop and think of what it meant to her. “Where did you go?” Frank asked, as he took her hand. Thinking back, she couldn’t remember at first. “I think I went to my boyfriend’s house. But his mama said I couldn’t stay there. Then I went to a girlfriend’s house and her parents told me I had to leave.” She stopped and looked at him, confused. “I’d forgotten about that.” “Forgotten what?” He held her hand tighter. “That I was homeless for a short while. No one would take me in. My boyfriend disappeared and I was alone. So I went to some type of shelter.” Her mind rushed to fill in the blanks as he waited for her to continue. The hurt and pain of abandonment, of feeling unwanted, unworthy, and unloved raced across her mind. “Amazing.” She stared at him. “I was just a kid and had no place to stay. Things could’ve been a hell of a lot different.” “No.” He tilted her face up with his fingertip and stared into her eyes. “You’re amazing. You’re a hellava woman and I’m glad you’re mine.” Tears filled her eyes as memories, locked away for years, rose and evaporated under the sincerity she saw in his eyes. God, how’d she get so lucky? He bent forward and brushed against her lips, ever so gently, as if she were precious and fragile. Few thought to look beneath her tough façade to see the vulnerable woman beneath. The woman who'd fought and scraped for everything she had. The woman who'd put up with so many indignities to survive. She allowed a tear to roll down her cheek and closed her eyes. “The baby died,” she whispered. “I was at the shelter. Somehow, I slipped in the bathroom

and lost the baby. I called my mama from the hospital, told her what had happened, and asked her to pick me up. But she said my daddy said no. I had nowhere to go but the shelter. I dropped out of school, started hanging out with a different crowd, and started dancing at a strip club.” Her breath hitched as the dingy night scenes rolled through her mind. She’d never prostituted herself, but she’d come real close. Coughing, she straightened and looked at Frank. He watched her. Waiting until she was ready. Her shoulders relaxed. “It didn’t take long for me to recognize I didn’t like that lifestyle and I wanted out. I’d been dancing at this club for a week when Hedrick, my ex, walked in. I could tell he was interested in me, and I made an effort to keep his attention. After my shift, we got to talking. He’d just joined the military and wasn’t much older than me. One thing led to another. I quit dancing, he wanted me to wait for him to complete basic, and he paid the rent for a small apartment. After he finished basic and got his first assignment, he sent for me. We lived together a while. I got my GED. When I discovered I was pregnant, we decided to get married.” “What happened with your parents?” She shrugged. That relationship was complicated. “They were two unhappy people stuck in a deadend relationship. Nothing was ever good enough for my dad. He knew everything, had an inflated opinion about everything, was extremely biased and of course, was always right.” Her brow rose. “Unfortunately, he thought he knew more than the doctors, and refused to change his diet to accommodate his diabetes. He died ten years ago. Mama and I still work on our relationship, but it’s hard. She was a victim, I get that; but I have a kid now and no one could pay me enough to turn my back on her.” He nodded. “Your brothers. How many?” she asked, attempting to change the subject and mood in the room. It had been years since she’d given her teenage years serious thought. Now she remembered why. It hurt like hell and still pissed her off. She’d never allowed her parents to get too close to Cherise, her only child. In her opinion, their parenting skills sucked. Frank squeezed her shoulder. “I’m the oldest. Then comes the twins, Donald and Blaine, they live a couple hours north of here. Then Benjamin.” He laughed. “He’d try and kick my ass if I called him that, we call him Red. He owns a construction company with some friends of his in Michigan—” “Red’s your brother? From three X construction?” Veronique’s head shot up from his chest. He tried to pull her back, but she was too busy trying to find a resemblance. They looked nothing alike. His hair and beard was dark brown, whereas, Red’s hair was a deep

mahogany. How they hell had she missed that connection? “Yeah. He’s younger, after the twins. Then Roark.” She stood and stared at him. “Did you know about the attack on their business?” He nodded. “My brothers and I flew out there when he got shot. My dad was a mess, wanted to hire a hit or something.” He nodded at her gasp. “So we stayed a few extra days, tracked down some info, and helped where we could. That kept him here in Pennsylvania.” Her mind raced. Cherise and Ross, Red and Denise, even Smoke had bit the bullet and had a steady woman. What were the odds? “I represented a part of that case. There was some criminal activity, the FBI got involved, the sheriff.” She shook her head. “I knew he had family out here, Cherise mentioned it, but I never guessed…” Her arms wrapped around her waist as she struggled with why his being Red’s brother bothered her. There was no reason for her to feel embarrassed, yet she did, and that aggravated her. “Is something wrong?” The words, quietly asked, sounded simple, courteous even on the surface. But she’d been getting to know this man on a deeper level this past week and heard the undercurrents. Pulling her hand through her hair, she turned to face him. His dark eyes latched onto hers and she forgot everything that had seemed so important a moment before. He stretched out his hand and she took it, strengthened by the warmth of his palm, so vibrant, so strong, so determined that nothing would come between them. “Talk to me.” His deep voice skittered along her spinal cord and settled in her core. Calloused palms stroked her arm from shoulder to elbow. Leaning back, she rested her head on his granite chest, the beat of his heart was steady. “I can’t explain it. For a moment, I felt embarrassed.” He stiffened beneath her, but remained silent. “It doesn’t make sense. I mean we’re adults, we’re getting to know each other, trying to see if there is something to build a relationship on—” “Correction. We’re in a relationship, and building on it each day. That embarrasses you?” “Not that.” It was hard to gather her thoughts sitting so close to him. She huffed and tried to sit forward. He held her tighter. Glaring up at him, she pinched his forearm. He kissed her forehead. “I like you where you are. You can still talk.” He grinned and bent forward, lips puckered. Despite her intentions to remain peeved, she laughed. He looked adorable. “I have a hard time gathering my thoughts when you’re so close,” she murmured as his lips brushed against her temple.

“Good.” He kissed her lips. “I’ll have to remember that.” He kissed her deeply and she forgot it was eleven in the morning, forgot she needed to work on a legal brief, forgot she needed to ask him more questions about his family. For that space in time, her world revolved around the heat searing through her core as he stroked between her thighs. The man was talented beyond anything she’d ever experienced. He had her seeing stars and hearing bells. “Shit.” His hands loosened from her waist. With her anchor missing, she rose against the tide of euphoric bliss that had held her captive and sat forward. Blinking, she realized his cell had been ringing. Bells. Her face heated at the far-fetched thoughts she’d had a few moments ago. Thankfully, no one knew she’d ventured into the realm of fancy. Snorting, she stood. No one would believe keeping-it-real Veronique even had those types of fanciful words in her repertoire. Lord knows, she was learning new things about herself each day. “Give me a minute,” Frank said, covering the mouthpiece as he looked at her. Nodding, she moved toward the kitchen to deal with her thoughts privately. The beauty of the day beckoned and she stepped through the side door, and entered the lanai. The day was clean, crisp and cold. She put on one of Frank's jackets from the hook near the door and stared out the window. Frank and Red were brothers. Of all the men in the world, it figures she’d fall for one of her daughter’s friends. Wait. He'd never mentioned Cherise or Ross for that matter. Did he know them? God, she was obsessing over something small and probably stupid. Cherise hadn’t made the connection, although, all she’d told her daughter was his first name. Besides, it’s not like she’d been on blind date with someone her daughter had set up. She cringed at that image. Cherise would definitely tease her about this. That girl was always trying to get into her business. She smiled. “I hope I’m the reason you’re smiling.” Frank’s arms wrapped around her waist from behind. She snorted. “Okay. I can take a hint. And I don’t mind, I just like to see you smile.” He kissed the top of her head and held her close. They stood together for a few moments, gazing outside, watching the leaves chase one another. “Do you know Ross?” Veronique asked without turning. “Red’s partner?” She nodded. “Yeah.”

“What do you think about him?” She felt his shrug through the coat. “He seems capable. Their business is making a lot of money and he works as hard as the rest of them.” Not exactly what she wanted to know. “Okay. As a man, do you think he’s good?” “I said he’s capable.” He paused. “What do you mean do I think he’s a good man? Like for a woman?” She nodded. “I don’t know. He has a woman.” His voice deepened and his embrace tightened slightly. “Have you met his woman?” “Yeah. Why?” “Why, she’s my daughter.” Frank turned her slowly. His vague recollections of Ross’s woman notwithstanding, he couldn’t believe she had a child that age. “You told me you had one child, but you never mentioned anything else.” His eyes tracked over her face. He’d originally placed her in her thirties, but from what Denise said, Ross’ girlfriend had a Master’s degree. That’d put Veronique in her early forties. “Let’s face it, our bodies got to know each other first. Then we decided to discover if we meshed in other areas.” She laughed. “I can’t let Cherise find out I broke every rule I taught her.” Cherise. That’s the name of Ross’s girl. Frank had forgotten. Their introduction had been brief before Ross had sent her home from the hospital with Denise. He didn’t remember much about her. “She’s the one with all the pencils,” he blurted, pleased he remembered. She and Denise had held a video-conference with him and his brothers after Red was shot. The women had researched some ex-cons for them. He’d wondered about the pencils, but never said anything. “Yes.” Veronique’s cool tone caught his attention. “She has this thing about using sharp pencils.” Her tone dared him to make an odd comment. He nodded and made a note. No jokes about Cherise. “She was very pretty. Ross was very protective of her.” Hopefully this was safe ground. “He is. I think they’ll be the next ones getting married. Are you in Red’s wedding?” They walked toward the door, heading toward the warmth of the house. “Yeah. Denise insisted she needed all four of us as groomsmen. Mama agreed. I think she’s happy one of her boys is getting married, and would agree to a wedding on the moon if

that’d make sure it happened.” “No sisters?” “One. She’s married, but it’s not enough.” He paused. “You see yourself getting married again?” They’d just entered the kitchen ,and she stopped and looked at him. His heart sped up as she searched his face. For a second he thought she’d peeped inside his heart and knew how much her answer mattered. Everything about this woman drew him like lint to cotton. She didn’t come across embittered from her past, which was a miracle in his opinion, but he was interested in her future. His role in her future to be exact. “Maybe.” She sent him her signature sexy grin. His cock twitched in salute as she sauntered to the refrigerator. He watched her swaying hips. A sigh of disappointment escaped his lips when they stopped. “What about you?” He looked up, guilty. They both knew he’d been staring at her ass. Hell, she’d added a little extra for him to see. It took a moment for her question to penetrate. “Maybe.” She smiled at his parroted response. “That’s good to know. What about kids? You plan on making some little Frankies?” He paused. What man didn’t want someone to carry on his name? Sure, he’d like a kid or two, but she had a grown kid. “Maybe.” He laughed at her pout. “You can’t use that all the time.” Veronique sat on the stool, plucked a banana from the wooden bowl and peeled it. He swallowed hard as his penis jumped. She was going to torture him eating that banana. He knew it but couldn’t move, wouldn’t stop or change a damn thing. This woman had him in knots. The banana was poised at the entrance of her mouth. She glanced at him. He’d swear wicked things danced in the depths of her eyes as she spoke. “It’s a simple question. Do you want kids? Or don’t you?” Moisture fled his mouth. He couldn’t speak. Instead, he stood mute as the banana made a slow descent into the warm cavern of her mouth. Jealous, he moved forward and then stopped as she sucked the fruit before biting the white flesh. He let out a hiss of frustration at the tightening in his pants. How in the world was she able to chew and look as though she was sucking the life out of that banana at the same time? “I’ve got something better for you to eat.” In a blind move, he’d stepped close enough to touch her elbow, his eyes locked on her mouth. “I’m hungry.” Her cute pout returned as she took another bite.

“I’ll feed you.” He ignored the desperate sound in his voice as he watched her throat work, swallowing. “What’cha gonna feed me?” she asked around the food in her mouth. “Whatever you want, and then some.” He leaned forward, elbow on the island, prepared to taste her sweet lips. “You want kids?” “Yeah.” He spoke without thinking. It took a moment to register the shocked expression on her face. What? What happened? Damn. His little head had him saying shit he would’ve said, but not now. Never now. Her face blanked. But he’d seen the shock and disappointment. “I don’t want to have any more children.” She slid off the stool and went to walk around him. “Okay.” Taking her hand, she stopped and looked up at him. She shrugged, he could see the pain in her eyes. “I guess we want different things.” “No. We want the same things. Love with someone we trust, a place of peace and rest, interesting and satisfying occupations or hobbies. Serious and satisfying intimacy with someone without fear of rejection. Did I leave something out?” She pulled her hand from his and walked to the end of the counter. “Children. You left out children.” “You can’t have a kid?” Swirling to face him, he winced at the glare she threw him. “I have no idea. It’s not something I try out every once in a while.” Oops, another touchy area. “We have time to think about that.” “No. It’s one of those foundational issues, like Republican or Democrat. Christian or Atheist. Children or no children. I don’t want any more. You do.” She inhaled. He watched as she worked herself up over what he considered a non-issue. “It’s a good thing we discovered it now, right?” She finally looked at him. “Why?” He crossed his arms over his chest. Inhaling deeply, she straightened. “Because… because this way we know how far we can go in this relationship.” “Really?” His brow rose as he deliberately deepened his voice. “One of the things I like most about you is your straight-up, almost brutal honesty. Up until now, you’ve been upfront. I believe I got to see the real you and I like your kick-ass personality. Pretty much, you call them as you see them. And that’s a good thing.”

She nodded slowly, with a measure of uncertainty. He liked that. “But, we’re still getting to know each other. And before you decide to bail out of our relationship, answer this. Do you go and stay with men you just met, often?” Inwardly he smiled as she stiffened. “No. I explained—” He waved off her explanation and budding anger. “Do you open up and share the real you with people you intend to see temporarily?” He covered his smile as she moved from foot to foot. “No, but that’s—” “Do you hand over control in the bedroom to someone you don’t trust?” Her head snapped up. She stared at him. Without them ever discussing that part of her past, he knew she’d dictated the shots in the bedroom with her past lovers; but after that first night, she'd allowed him control. “No.” “I’ve never begged a woman to stay with me. Especially in my house.” She scoffed. “Begging is a bit extreme.” “I asked more than once, is that right?” “Well, yeah. But that’s not begging—” “It is to me. I've never wanted anyone to stay past a day. Never wanted to learn everything about another woman, or share myself with her or loved to hear her talk. Usually, I prefer women silent.” She snorted, but continued to watch him. “I’ve never put my business aside for anyone other than family. I don’t have to. Maybe I need to say this so you can understand me better.” Releasing his arms, he stepped closer to her. “I want you. Badly. Whatever it takes to make that happen, I intend to do. This relationship doesn’t stop because we disagree on issues. We work through those. Nothing’s too big for us to deal with.” He boxed her in with his hands on the countertop. Leaning backward she looked up, capturing him with her dark eyes. “I need you to agree with me on this.” His heart thundered in his chest as he waited for her response. “Don’t you think it’s too soon?” Her voice and question sounded weak. He shook his head. “I didn’t think it was too soon to bring you to my house. It wasn’t too soon to open up and share our past scrapes and celebrations. It’s not too soon for me to know

I want us to be exclusive.” He shrugged. “Whatever else, we take a day at a time.” “A day at a time.” She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Yeah, that’ll give you time to prepare Cherise that she’ll have a brother or sister.”

Chapter 6 Ain't no sunshine when she’s gone. The old tune reverberated in Frank’s mind, correctly depicting his feelings as he headed down the highway on his way to a job. Veronique had left four days ago, ripping a hole in Frank’s heart. At forty-one, he’d been with a lot of women. Some he’d liked more than others. If asked, he hoped they’d all say he’d been fair and honest. That had been his goal at any rate. Monogamy hadn’t been on his list of priorities. Settling down was something his plants did, not him. There were always women around to meet any need he had at the moment, so he'd never felt the need to have one in particular. Until now. Somehow, the contrary woman had marked him. The past few nights he’d been restless, sleep eluded him. It didn’t make sense that his bed felt too big now that she’d left. During the day, his crankiness sent his crew scampering when he rolled up on a job. For some reason, he had a tough time focusing on work, which was ridiculous. Most of his adult life, the joy of working with the soil had been borderline orgasmic for him. Creating masterpieces out of the earth was his gift and he’d gloried in it. This week, everything seemed hum-drum, boring. The plants lacked color. The trees seemed limp and lackluster. The stones and brick didn’t stack-up. His mind was in Colorado. There was a kernel of insecurity embedded in his psyche, which took on a life of its own, and spread like wild flowers. He’d been the insistent one that they had a relationship. What if her feelings died under the test of distance? What if she met someone who lived closer? The thought of Veronique with another man, ex-husband included, sent a shaft of pain through him, followed closely by a burst of anger. That unique experience alone convinced him, more than the fight he’d had with Hedrick over a few words the man uttered which he’d taken exception to, that she was the one for him. When he and his brothers were still in their teens, his father had told them that’s how it’d been for him with their mother. Sudden and distinct. Supposedly, there was no way to miss the connection. Red claimed he knew Denise was the one for him right away, and in a few weeks they’d be tying the knot after dating for years and having two kids. Who knew what the twins, Donald and Blaine, would do with their lifestyle. They were definite wildcards. Last he’d talked to Roark, Brenda, the young lady from Michigan, was still staying with him. She’d been threatened by some of the men responsible for attacking Red at

some dingy bar and Roark had been part of her rescue. Note to self - check on Roark later and make sure everything was okay. Normally, he kept in touch with all his siblings, but this past week and a half, he’d been busy with other things. Shaking off the mental gymnastics of family and lover, he grasped the steering wheel tight, as if it would enable him to focus on work. He pulled into the driveway of a large colonial home. Flowers and small shrubs flanked the walkway. The grounds of the estate were reminiscent of a fall postcard. Leaves bursting with an autumn palette of color created a heady background for the tall columned two-story home. His company had a small contract to complete some landscaping work in the rear, but had fallen behind schedule because of outside interference. That was about to change. Outfitted in a company shirt, jeans, and heavy jacket, Frank strode toward the back of the large estate, barely glancing at the towering white columns or the customized limestone steps. Annoyance rode him hard as he searched for Thomas, the owner’s son and all around pain in the ass. Catching site of the irascible young man talking to his supervisor, he changed directions to meet them head on. “Here’s Mr. O’Connor, you can tell him how you want this changed.” Robert, the red-faced foreman, stepped backward as he gave Frank an I’m-a second-from-kicking-his-ass look. Thomas swiveled and frowned at him. “Frank? Frank O’Connor?” “Yes.” Frank turned to Robert. “Pack up everything, and take the crew to the First Avenue job.” He handed Robert the paperwork. “I’ll be there as soon as I clear things up with Mr. Johansen.” Robert nodded a tad bit too enthusiastically as he took the papers and all but ran in the opposite direction. A smidgeon of guilt flared in Frank’s chest. While Veronique was in town, he’d dumped a lot of work on his crew, they were well-trained and could work without his direct supervision, but none of them had the authority to tell overbearing, rude clientele to fuck-off. That was his job. “Now just a min— “ “No. You wait a minute.” Frank turned and faced the puffed up jack-ass who'd stalled this job. “I have a solid contract to complete some work for your father. He asked for specific things, which my crew tried to provide. Your constant interference has cost me in terms of man-hours, materials, and employee morale.” “That’s not true. I only want the—” “Are you paying me for this job? For every change you’ve made to the original contract, there is a fee involved. I need a check right now for the changes, and your father’s signature on

the modified contract. At that time, my crew will return and complete the job. Otherwise, I’ll see your father in court for breach of contract.” “What the…” Thomas looked baffled and tried to reassert himself. “You’ve lost your mind. Your men were doing inferior work and I simply tried to show them what I noticed was wrong. I have a right to protect my father’s interest.” He ended his diatribe on a smug note. “Maybe. But since you have no idea what your father ordered, you have no right to instruct my crew what to do or how to do it.” Frank walked up closer to the younger man. “Don’t fuck with me, Thomas. You don’t have a legal ground to stand on. By attempting to satisfy a family member of my client, we lost considerable time. This job should’ve been done, and would’ve been, if you hadn’t interfered. I’m shutting the job down until I talk to your father.” Frank turned to leave. “Wait!” Thomas ran after him. Frank heard the man huffing in the few steps he’d taken. “Wait!” Thomas bent over and leaned his pale hands on his jean clad knees. Frank shook his head. The guy was too young to be so winded from a few steps. “I’ve said all I have to say.” Frank kept walking toward the front of the estate where he’d parked his truck. “Maybe, but my father has a big barbecue scheduled for this Saturday.” Frank shrugged. “I’ll talk to him then.” “You don’t understand. Everything has to be completed before that. The caterers and everything is supposed to be set up before he gets here.” “Have him call me.” Frank smiled at the frustration on the younger man’s face. It reminded him of Roark when things didn’t go his way. Life was all about learning how to compromise. Hadn’t he promised Veronique he’d fly down next Wednesday and stay through the week-end with her. He hoped he could wait that long. “Frank.” Thomas pulled his hand through his hair. “Listen, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have interfered with whatever my dad set-up. I’ll pay the extra expenses for my mistake.” Frank nodded, impressed by the sincerity he saw in Thomas’s eyes. Another trademark of his youngest brother. Roark didn’t stew long. Although he was a professional financial analyst, he analyzed everything and had no problems cutting his losses early. “Will it be possible to have the landscaping completed before Friday?” “Your father has no clue the job isn’t finished yet, has he?” The kid obviously had been playing king of the manor while the old man was out of town. “No. He took care of everything before he left. All I’m supposed to do is be here to let

everyone in and sign off. There’s no reason to involve him. I promise to stay out of the way and pay whatever damages I’ve caused.” Frank stared at the younger man for a second longer, surprised at the comparison he made to his younger brother again. Physically, the two men had nothing in common. Thomas was slender and under six feet, whereas, Roark had the trademark O’Connor brawn. He was tall, around six-three, wide muscular chest and legs. Thomas’s actions meant he cared for his parent, or at least his father’s opinion, and was willing to eat crow if necessary. That snippet of Thomas’s personality was the tie that kept him thinking of Roark. “Okay. We’ll have it finished in plenty of time.” He stretched his hand toward Thomas, as a new level of respect welled up inside him for the young man. A surprised, and then pleased look, raced across the young face, before settling into a small smile. Thomas took Frank’s hand and gave him one pump. “Thanks. I really appreciate this,” Thomas said, stepping back. “Have my money here in the morning and stay out of the way.” Frank turned and left through the back gate. His thoughts turned to Roark, and then Veronique. She was never far from his mind. He grinned as he sat in his truck and pulled out his cell. She answered on the second ring. “Hey.” He loved the purring quality of her voice. “Hey sexy lady.” “I hear your truck, so you must be heading to work.” “I hear you rolling around in bed. Why is that?” He loved teasing her. “It’s what?” He listened to her movements. “Six o’clock in the morning.” “And?” “Where else would I be at this time of day?” “I could think of quite a few things.” He deepened his voice. “I know you can. You kept me up last night until you worked through some of those, what’d you call’em? Yeah, things.” He chuckled in remembrance of their hot phone sex session last night. It took the edge off, but damn if he didn’t need more. “You enjoyed it.” “I did. But you wore me out. I’m still tired.” He imagined the tiny pout on her lips and hardened instantly. “Behave. You start talking in your fuck-me please voice and I’mma have to do something about it.” He moved his crotch to the side.

She laughed. “You are such a man, thinking with that little head. I’m all the way in Colorado, in pajamas, in bed, the sun hasn’t even come out, and you’re accusing me of trying to stir you up.” “You have on pajamas? What kind?” His mind filled in the blanks, showcasing her womanly curves in a black, no red, satin pants and tank top. Maybe a red short top. She’d be smoking hot. “All that I said, and all you got was the pajamas? Thinking with that lil' head will get you in trouble, Babe.” He snorted, disappointed she wouldn’t play and feed his imagination. “Can I help it if thoughts of you invade both heads? I was on the job, chewing up a client, and I found myself thinking about you.” “Really?” Her tone was so dry, it sounded gritty. “Actually, you’re never too far from front and center, but I almost busted a kid down for interfering with a job. I pulled my crew and sent them to another job. I’m headed there now.” “I hope you didn’t get too far behind by staying at home with me last week.” “No. My most of my crew’s been with me a while. This was a small thing, we worked it out.” “Good. Because I can’t wait to see you in a few days. I’m trying to clear my schedule so I can stay here with you. We may need to go to a few events at night, so bring a few suits. Otherwise, we’ll chill and get to know each other better.” His heart throbbed in his chest at the promise her voice made. “Whatever you want is fine with me.” His comment was interrupted by a loud chirping sound coming through the phone. “That’s my alarm, time for me to get up.” “All right, Babe. Have a good day. I’ll check in with you later.” “I’ll be taking depositions and finishing some briefs until three. But after that, things should’ve settled some.” “That works for me. I’ll call after I get home.” He paused. “Miss me today, okay?” “I already miss you. Waiting till Wednesday night is stretching my patience. But I’m a grown-up, and I can’t always have my way.” He chuckled. Soon they’d have to work this distance thing out. “Me too. I miss rolling over and finding you. But, I’m a grown-up too.” She laughed at the growl in his voice. “Behave. I’ll talk to you later.” They disconnected as he pulled up to a stop light.

For the first time in his life, he found himself in the role of an ardent pursuer. It stunned him at first, until he realized she wasn’t pursuing him, and that made him stop and think. The connection his old man talked to them about obviously wasn’t mutual. Yes, she was attracted to him, but it wasn’t the same hammer-hitting-the-nailhead situation for her. Without his subtle pressure, she would’ve left after the weekend. Working quickly, he'd taken advantage of her small interest and had fanned the flame to give her time to know him better. After spending a week with him, he’d be flying to spend five days with her in Colorado. Veronique wasn’t the type of woman you could push, or one who’d be swayed by money or prestige. Either she liked you or she didn’t. No bullshit allowed. Pulling into the parking lot of the college where his crew was working, he was glad she chose him. Otherwise, they’d have a fight on their hands. Because he knew that even if she had reservations about having a relationship with him, he’d have never stopped trying. That trait he’d gotten from his dad. Once their hearts were engaged, other women dropped off the radar for serious consideration. And he was very serious about Veronique. **** The trip to Colorado meant Frank and Veronique had another opportunity to see how well they meshed. According to her soon-to-be former assistant, Macy, Veronique had taken the opportunity to shut down her office and play house. Macy’s assessment of the situation was partially true. After all, why have the man fly all the way to Colorado and then leave him all alone. Veronique had better manners than that and had deemed it necessary to spend most of her days with him. Frank was the perfect guest, he'd had no problem visiting her office with her on the one day she actually went into work. They did some sight-seeing, although the sights they saw mostly were each other. “Hungry?” Veronique asked as she walked past the bed where Frank lounged in a pair of sweats. His brow rose at her inquiry, he licked his lips. “I meant for food, the grocery store variety.” She laughed as he leaned up on his forearms and winked. “Yeah, I can stand a little sustenance. You’ve been working me pretty hard.” He blocked the pillow she threw at him. “Hey, that’s no way to treat company.” He laughed at the finger she threw him. “You want the leftover Chinese from last night or something else?” She yelled as she bent over to look into the refrigerator. There was a lot of food, but most needed cooking and she wasn’t in the mood. After Frank’s first night, and her inability to walk straight a portion of the

next day, domestic duties had taken a back seat. Making up for lost time was time-consuming and topped their list of priorities. Long talks and hot sex. She'd brought up the baby issue again, although the discussion didn’t burn a hole through her this time. Although she remained adamant about no children, his method of trying to change her mind rated in the genius ranks. The man had a gifted tongue and wasn't afraid to share. Lordy, she’d been ready to give away her firstborn by the time he'd released her, and Cherise was grown. Hell, who knew what she’d agree to in the future, the lines didn’t appear nearly as clear anymore. Strong arms wrapped around her waist. Veronique squealed in surprise as Frank pulled her close and kissed her neck. “Chinese is good.” He nipped her neck. She shivered in his arms as his rough palm massaged her breast. “But I’ll need more of you after.” “You’ve got me.” Her breaths were uneven, harder to catch. “I’m happy to know that.” He spun her around and kissed her deeply. Moments later, after she caught her breath, he spoke again. His voice low, gravelly. “You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that. I missed you.” They’d been telling each other how much they missed one another since the first day she left, somehow she sensed this was different. Perhaps it was how hard he was holding her, or the catch in his breath, but something was up. “Baby, I missed you too. It was hard not seeing you in the morning.” She took a chance and opened up a little more. “Sleep ran from me when you weren’t there.” He paused. “I don’t like us being apart.” His lips brushed her lids as the words hit fertile ground. Her heart sang, Amen. Her mind whirled with the possibilities of his confession. As an attorney, she knew the power of words, how they could be manipulated, how they could be confused for different things. This was her heart, it hadn’t been involved with a man in a long time and she needed to make sure it was protected. Leaning back, she gazed at him. A sincere longing returned her look. “What’re you saying?” “I want to wake up with you next to me and lie down with you at night. I ache to see your lips move when you say good-morning. I need the smell of your skin in my nostrils all the time, along with the touch of your lips. I crave the taste of you and want to fill you every day. When you’re near me, I feel empowered stronger, complete.” He stroked her back, sending tingles of pleasure through her. “I know we haven’t known each other long. But I’m forty-one, and I know what I want. I want you. I’m willing to wait as long as it takes to have you. I only

ask that you have mercy and not make me wait too long. I can’t imagine feeling as strongly as I do about you, all by myself. I hope I haven’t misread you, but I believe you have similar feelings for me as well.” Her throat clogged. Words. Her tools of trade. Those damn things had the ability to send you soaring in happiness to the moon or plummeting to the depths of despair. If he’d said the word love, she would’ve balked. He didn’t. He merely described his love for her and that made all the difference. Especially since she’d been miserable without him. “I do. I have strong feelings for you.” Her face hid in his chest, enjoying the strong beat. “I want all those things, but I don’t know how…how we’ll make it work. I have an office here, your company’s in Pennsylvania.” She shrugged, unable to see how they could live together. “Do you want me?” Frank’s voice sounded hesitant. Leaning back, she looked at him, but couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “Yes. I want you more than anything.” His arms tightened. “Then we’ll make it work. Don’t have to know how, just have to be heading in the same direction.” Standing on tiptoes, she kissed him. “Chinese?” he asked looking into the refrigerator. “Yeah.” She moved back as he pulled out the cartons. One of them would have to move in order for them to be together full time. Could she do it? Give up her practice and start over in another state? The idea of taking another bar exam, and starting over gave her the willies. The prospect overwhelmed her. She glanced at Frank as he placed food in bowls before popping them in the microwave. Caring strongly for a man didn’t equal that type of sacrifice, did it? “You’re thinking too hard,” Frank said, his back turned away from her. “Don’t worry at it like a sore. It’ll work out, you’ll see.” Chagrined at being read so easily, she slumped down on one of the kitchen chairs. “I know. I was wondering which one of us would move.” He turned slowly and stared at her. Flustered from his unwavering eyes, she barreled on. “The only way to see me everyday is to live together, and that means one of us has to move. I was wondering which of us would do that.” She shrugged and turned away. “Would you move to Pennsylvania to live with me?” Veronique cringed. She managed to keep from blurting her answer, and took her time turning to face him. Maybe she’d get a clue as to what he was after. He waited. The bell on the microwave dinged and yet he stared at her, waiting. Her heart raced under the threat of tears.

No matter what, she couldn’t lie to him. She’d tell him how she felt and let everything work itself out from there. Inhaling, she caught his eye. “I—” The chimes from his cell phone cut her off. He raised his finger after glancing at the caller ID. “Yeah, Dad?” He paused. His face reddened and jaw clenched. Forgotten was her confession, and their conversation. Veronique rose and walked toward him, fearful of the darkening colors crossing his face and neck. Whatever his dad said, wasn’t good news. Finally, she stood in front of him. He glanced down and pulled her close to his chest with one hand. “I see. When did he leave?” She felt his arm rise and then fall back to her waist. “I’m in Colorado right now.” He paused. The deep bass of his voice vibrated through her chest. Her arms tightened around his waist to offer comfort. He patted her on the back. “Donald and Blaine have already left?” He sounded surprised by that bit of news. Veronique had never met his twin brothers, but Cherise had filled in a lot of blanks. They sounded like interesting characters. “Okay.” Frank sighed. “I’ll get back with you. Talk to you later.” He clicked off and held her tight for a moment. His chin rubbed the top of her head. “Don’t think I forgot what we were talking about. I want an answer.” “Baby, what’s going on? What’d your dad want?” Veronique asked, instead of backtracking to that prickly conversation. Her comment earned her a smack on the ass, but he allowed it to pass. And she was grateful. She was no punk by any definition, but a procrastinator was different from a punk, in her book anyway.They’d discuss her willingness to move or not, later. Much later. After the idea had an opportunity to do more than scare her shitless. “My brother Roark is having some problems.” He paused and looked at her. “Actually, his lady is having some problems with an ex and feels she needs to handle it on her own. My brother doesn’t agree, and followed her to Michigan. The problem, from what my dad says, is the guy's involved with some serious people, and he doesn’t want him up there alone.” Veronique nodded, understanding family dynamics. “He’s sending his sons again, like he did with Red, which makes sense.” Frank snorted. “If only.” She looked at him, confused. “What?” “Yeah, he wants us there, but he’s checking into some other avenues as well. Trust me when I say the last person anyone wants in Flint, Michigan is Elder O’Connor and his kin. My old man lives for a good brawl. But that’s not all.” He glanced at her. “What?” She grew tired of the guessing game.

“He wants you to come to; he believes we’ll need a good lawyer.” She nodded, mentally moving things around in her schedule. “I can do that. I’ll have to talk to Macy about a few things.” She paused remembering a court date the following week. “I can’t stay too long, but if a few days will help, I’m game.” Besides, she’d get to see Cherise and Nora, a definite plus. A wicked thought hit her. “You’ll owe me.” She grinned when he frowned. “My dad will owe you,” he corrected. “Good, he can help you pack and move.” She walked out the kitchen, laughing as he sputtered behind her. “You want me to move here?” His tone challenged her. He’d stopped in the doorway between the kitchen and dining room, watching her intently. “Would you move to Colorado to live with me?” She threw his question back at him. Maybe he’d understand her anxiety. After all, could he just shut down his company and start over here. “Yes. Yeah, I’d move to Colorado and live with you.” He moved slowly toward her. “Whaaaat?” She couldn’t have heard him right. “What’d you say?” He took her hands, and held them in his hands. “I said I’d move to Colorado to live with you.” “But…but your company, what would you do about that?” Her heart raced, at the sincerity in his eyes. Good lord, he’d give it all up to be with her. She couldn’t wrap her mind around that reality. He shrugged and sat in one of the dining room chairs. “It’s a job. I’ve worked hard and long enough that I could’ve retired five years ago. I didn’t have anything else to do, so why not work.” He pulled her between his thighs. Flummoxed, she sat on his lap, staring at his beloved face. There was a peaceful serenity stamped on his features. “You’ve given this some thought,” she accused. “No way you could be this easy-going if it’d just occurred to you.” He nodded. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Wanting to be with you, missing you. Nothing seemed right while we were separated. Now, I don’t know, it just feels like this is how it’s supposed to be.” He shrugged. “Us together.” “But your company. It means so much to you.” She couldn’t grasp the enormity of his sacrifice. A part of her buckled in shame because she couldn’t match him as easily. “What we have means more.” His soft-spoken words jarred her out of her paralysis. Tears filled her eyes. Bending forward, her forehead touched his as she blinked back tears. The

rough pad of his thumb touched her bottom lip. “I’ve worked all my life. The company has been my world for the past twenty years; it was good and provided me a solid income. But now I’m at a point in my life when I need more and I don’t want to waste a lot of time in airports. Like I said before, I need to see you every day. You’re the woman I’d love to spend my life with and I’d move to Mars or Venus to be with you,” he paused, wiping her tears with his thumb. “If you’ll have me. What about it, will you let me move in with you?” Unbelievable. This wonderful man wanted to take a chance on her. She could barely see through the veil of her tears. Her heart overflowed with joy. Her arms held him tight around his neck. Words clogged her throat; there was so much to say. Finally, the one word he needed to hear escaped. “Yes.” ***end***

Erosa Knowles has a love for the written word. She lives in the Southwest with her husband and son. Her favorite pastime is reading and people watching. Coming from a large family, most of her stories incorporate extended families, realizing it takes a village to raise a child. Please visit her website: www.erosaknowles.com for more information. The following books are in the Men of 3X CONStruction series: www.menof3xconstruction.com. Have I Told You Lately Ready for Love Where There’s Smoke Not This Time * Run to You (Coming Soon Brenda and Roark’s story) The following excerpt is from her next book in the Men of 3X CONStruction series, Run to You. Chap 1 Brenda snuggled into the warmth of the loose embrace. Wide, rough palms smoothed her outer thigh sending tingles of pleasure up her spine. Inhaling deeply, beneath the woodsy pine scent of his aftershave, she smelled him. His natural male scent teased her nostrils, beckoning her to wake and play. Her lips curled upward into a smile that after all this time, her heart still raced when he touched her. The knowledge that she was still in Pennsylvania with this sexy man fluttered across her mind and settled. It was no dream. The past three months had flown by. Dreams really did come true. Roark was her very own prince. He'd rescued her from a bad situation and gave her the fairytale. Like Prince charming, he'd swept her into a dashing romance. Providing everything and anything her heart desired. She was, the lady of the Castle. No one had ever treated her in such a manner. He'd won her heart within the first two weeks of her stay. His kindness and understanding the medicine her bruised heart needed most. As she listened to his even breathing, she relaxed, secure in the knowledge that this was where she wanted to be. Taking care of this man, his home and building a future with him blanketed her with a sense of purpose and well-being. There were days when fear would wrack her body. Visions of her waking, to find this all a dream, into her past reality shook her to the core. It was only when she'd look into Roark’s eyes and saw his caring, compassion, and what

she wanted to believe was love, that she knew she had won the lottery. After all she’d gone through with Texman and his foolishness, God had poured his favor on her at last. She made a promise to herself, to thank Him daily for blessing her with a sane and safe man in her life. Whatever it took, she'd make sure Roark never regretted bringing her home. “You wake?” His deep voice rumbled near her ear. “Um, hmm,” she moaned as his hand moved up her thigh and cupped her breast. Her body had been on low simmer since she woke, but as he pulled her taut nipples, heat flowed to her core. “You smell good.” He inhaled deep and long. She smiled as his fingertips tweaked her other nipple. “You always say that.” “Because it's true.” His hand moved into her hair, gently massaging her scalp. A major weakness for her. He bent forward, brushing his lips against her forehead triggering a tremor that shot through her body. Moving back, she rubbed against his morning hardness. A wicked sigh escaped his mouth as he pressed forward, his thick erection staking it’s claim on her ass. His arm tightened around her waist as his lips grazed her ear. Gentle nips from his teeth on her earlobe sent zings of pleasure to her core. “Roark,” she pleaded. Her voice strained as his fingertips tapped against her wet entrance. Without thought, her legs widened, allowing him the greater access they both craved. Eyes closed, she joined him as they journeyed to a place where nothing mattered, other than the meeting of their needs. Over the past three months, he had gotten to know her body so well that all it took was a glance in most cases, or a simple touch and her panties were drenched. The man knew how to make her scream and right now she was headed for the opera. “You're ready for me.” If she could move, she'd smack him for stating the obvious. Luckily, he didn't expect an answer. Pulling her leg up, he slid into her warmth. Her muscles tightened around him in welcome. He groaned and laid his forehead on top of her head. It was like coming home, nothing compared to the way he made her feel. For a moment, she basked in the sense of fulfillment, as they lay content, connected. “Love me,” Brenda whispered into the quiet of the room. His arm tightened around her waist. Months ago, when she’d first said those words, he’d tensed. Now, he understood what she meant. She couldn't say the more vulgar term, and what she did with him could never be called fucking. Not the way her heart reacted whenever he was near, whenever he touched her, whenever he loved her. For her, they made love, always had.

“Whatever my lady desires.” He started with smooth, gentle strokes. It was the way he started their morning love-fest. The beat of her heart picked up, in a few moments, he'd become more aggressive probably the way he was at work. Then, he’d hit his groove, take it up another level. That's when she’d be transported to a realm he’d created for her alone. There was no thought, or conversation. Their bodies communicated sublime pleasure, yoking them together in a way that she couldn’t explain and didn’t bother to try. Quite simply the man freed her from some unknown prison deep within herself. As he pistoned into her, his hips flexing, pounding, she lost focus as her orgasm erupted and flung her past reason into a pool of bliss that had her sputtering and babbling. Stiffening as the sensations spiraled, tightened; she released herself to his care, never doubting that they’d make the crossing together. Body shaking as waves of pleasure rolled through her, she gasped for air. Hearing his shout near her ear, she tightened her vaginal walls to give him an extra jolt of satisfaction. His hand tightened on her toned thigh in appreciation. It’d be a moment before either of them could talk. Chest heaving, she rolled to her stomach as he slipped from between her thighs. His palm stroked her ass, offering comfort. She sighed, enjoying her early morning post-coital glow. Eyes heavy, she wondered if she had time for a nap before starting her day. A stinging slap on her butt, made her jump and turn to watch as Roark left the bed. Watching the flexing of his tight ass erased the glare she’d meant to send him. This was one view she never tired of watching. The man had a perfect body and a delicious looking ass. And for this space in time, he was all hers. Fingers crossed, he’d be hers for a lot longer. “What’re you doing today?” He asked pulling clothes from the closet. Roark stood two or three inches over six feet with a wide muscular chest and thick arms. It never failed to amaze her how graceful he was for such a big man. His clothes accentuated his physique, and always fit just right. His thick mahogany colored hair stuck up over his head, but after he finished dressing, he’d look as though he stepped out of the pages of GQ. For now, he was her eye candy and she loved watching him dress. “I have some class work and then some things I need to take care of around here.” One of the reasons she’d always love this man was his encouragement for her to finish college. Even though her classes were with an online university, she felt a sense of accomplishment getting her education back on track. Roark frowned at her. “What do you plan to do here? I told you not to worry about

cleaning and stuff, I have someone who comes in and takes care of that.” This was an old argument between them. For some reason he didn’t or wouldn’t understand her need to contribute. She didn’t work and had no money to pay a portion of rent or buy groceries. And despite his arguing that he’d invited her to live with him, she didn’t feel she was a guest and couldn’t lay up and not do anything. Besides, she enjoyed taking care of him. Cooking his meals, washing and folding his clothes, and making sure things were comfortable for him when he came home. Of course, the sex was the crème de la crème and she’d offer herself on the dining room table, complete with an apple in her mouth, to make sure he didn’t stop giving it to her on a regular basis. A woman had needs and lord if Roark didn’t meet each and every one of them.