eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work. This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental. Samhain Publishing, Ltd. PO Box 2206 Stow OH 44224 Stud Finders Incorporated Copyright © 2006 by Alexis Fleming Cover by Scott Carpenter ISBN: 1-59998-002-9 www.samhainpublishing.com All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: January 2006
STUD FINDERS INCORPORATED By Alexis Fleming
Dedication To Kelly, my fantastic daughter and exacting critique partner. Thank you for your great support, your ability to spot a plot hole at a hundred paces and the many hours spent brainstorming the quirky ideas that come out of your mother’s brain. I love you, babe. This one’s for you.
Stud Finders Incorporated
MADISON PAXTON: MAKEOVER PLAN
January 27th—Final divorce papers arrive. Time for makeover. POINT 1
Lose 50lbs—join gym, tone up (allow 5 months) 9
POINT 2
Throw out fat clothes—shop for new (take Mom with me) 9
POINT 3
Visit beauty salon—cut off long hair and get blonde streaks, learn to use cosmetics to advantage 9
POINT 4
Start assertiveness and motivational classes 9
POINT 5
Go to singles bar and learn to flirt—get picked up by drop-dead gorgeous guy and prove to SOB ex-husband that I am attractive. Total failure at flirting 99 Learn to have orgasm—self-gratification?—Tacky, Madison, tacky.
POINT 6
Have sex with said gorgeous guy (protected of course) and experience orgasm for first time—prove I’m not the frigid prude Clifton made me believe I am.
POINT 7
Choose potential father material and establish relationship. Be pregnant by the time I turn 30 (October 27th) (Man needed for sperm only.)
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CHAPTER 1 “I think it’s time you got yourself screwed.” “Mom.” Madison jerked upright, cracking her head on the pantry door as she backed out. She turned and glared. “I can’t believe you said that.” Rosa shrugged. “Well, it’s true. You need a good, old-fashioned fu—” “Motheeer.” Madison gaped at her, worried about what was going to come out of her mouth next. She should have been used to her outrageous comments after all this time, but somehow her mother still managed to shock her on occasion. “Horizontal wrestling match. That’s all I was going to say.” Rosa gave an innocent lift of her eyebrows. Placing her handbag on the bench, she shoved aside the local paper, exposing the sheet of notepaper Madison had hidden underneath. Picking it up, she held it at arm’s length and squinted at it for a few minutes before waving it in the air. “This list says it’s time.” Madison dived across the kitchen and tried to retrieve the list, but her mother backed out of the way. She reached up for her glasses where they perched atop her head and parked them on the end of her nose. When she started to read out loud, Madison cringed. “Have sex with gorgeous guy and experience orgasm for the first…” She lowered the notepaper and stared at her daughter, mouth open for a moment before she snapped it shut. “Are you telling me in all the years -6-
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you were married, you never once had an orgasm? You never felt the earth shake? No skyrockets? No lighting bolts? No whoopty-do?” “You weren’t supposed to read that, it’s private. Besides, I invited you over for breakfast, not to give me a lecture about my sex life, or lack thereof.” “It’s not like it’s your diary. Even I have enough conscience not to read another person’s journal. You shouldn’t have left it on the bench if you didn’t want me to see it.” She skirted around Madison, pulled out one of the tall stools at the breakfast bar and hauled herself up. Despite her mortification, Madison couldn’t help grinning at the way her mother’s short legs didn’t even reach the bottom rung of the stool. The grin disappeared when Rosa leaned on the counter and started to read the list again. That’s how Madison thought of it. THE LIST. All in capital letters and bold type. Formulating the things-to-do plan had helped her get through the first twelve months after her husband had left her. Clifton Rossi, the walking cliché, leaving his wife for a younger woman. The rat. Or Clifton the Crud, as her mother called him. Madison shook her head. She was as bad as Clifton, playing the hard-done-by wife, sitting here hating her ex because he’d walked out with a bit of fluff not even out of her teens. Enough, already. No more self-pity. It was nothing but wasted energy. Now she was remaking herself in an effort to get rid of the woman she’d been for the last ten years, the woman Clifton had turned her into. Problem was, the makeover wasn’t going entirely to plan. “Okay, let’s see where you’re up to.” Rosa tapped her finger on the list. “So you’ve lost the weight.” She flicked a quick glance over her -7-
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shoulder at her daughter. “You did good with that one. And you’ve kept it off. You’ve got a great figure. I could just about borrow your clothes now. We’re almost the same size.” Madison grinned as she looked at her mother’s diminutive figure, feet swinging like a child’s as she perched on the high stool. Okay, so they might both have the same waist measurement now, but no way could they swap clothes, except for the odd top now and then. The idea was ludicrous. At five ten, Madison towered over her mother. Rosa had bought her clothes in the teenage section of department stores for years. No way could Madison even consider following her example. She bit her lip to stop from laughing at the image that surfaced in her mind. Given her height, if she ever had the guts to try on one of those short, flirty skirts her friends favored, she’d be lucky if it covered her ass. Nothing like advertising. Without thought, Madison ran her hand over her flat stomach. She couldn’t help the spurt of satisfaction that flared to life. Clifton had called her dumpy, one of the reasons he’d given for playing around during their marriage. A stupid term for someone of her stature. Now if he’d called her a giant moose it might have been more fitting. Each time she’d found out he’d been with another woman, instead of confronting him, she’d eaten her way out of her unhappiness. And of course, her weight problem simply got worse, along with her insecurities. She’d been so cowed by Clifton and his mother, she really did believe it was all her fault. “One thing I am glad of,” Rosa said, “is you finally let me take you shopping. Should have done it years ago.” “True, but Clifton liked me to dress a certain way. ‘Good for his image’, he said.” She cupped her chin in her hand as she propped herself up against the breakfast bar. -8-
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“What a crock of shit. Clifton dressed you like a matron, made you over into his mother’s image. The grand society dame. He screwed with your mind so much you don’t even have the confidence to go shopping for your own clothes now.” “Once again, Mother dear, you’re right, but I’m getting there. One step at a time, okay?” She grinned. “Remind you to show you the little black number I bought the other day.” Rosa shook her head. “I can’t understand why you stayed so long. You should have told me how bad it was.” “I couldn’t.” Madison winced at the flash of pain she saw in her mother’s eyes. She grasped her hand in a gesture of reparation. “I knew you didn’t like Clifton. I couldn’t tell you I’d made a mistake.” She turned away and switched on the coffee maker. “The simple fact of the matter is I was too young to get married. And I didn’t have the guts to tackle Clifton when I found out he was playing around, although it might have been easier if his darn mother hadn’t interfered.” “Clifton should have told that broad to butt out.” Madison snorted. “Clifton never stood up to anyone in his life. If Mommy said jump, he’d ask how high. She convinced him I was the wrong type of wife, that I wasn’t his social equal. She threw every society miss she could find at his head and he was too weak-kneed to refuse. I wasn’t ready to admit I’d made a mistake in my choice of marriage partner, so I turned myself inside out to be the type of wife he seemed to want.” “Yeah, a doormat, just like I was with your father.” “At least Clifton never raised his hand to me. As long as I can remember, Dad beat the hell out of you. So why didn’t you leave? If Clifton had hit me, I would have been gone.” Madison pulled down two
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mugs and poured the coffee, pushing the milk and sugar across to her mother. “Your father may have hit me when he was drunk, but at least he didn’t dictate what I could wear and to whom I could talk,” Rosa snapped. “Sorry, Mom, I shouldn’t have said that.” Madison patted Rosa’s hand, making the myriad rings on her mother’s fingers jingle. “Clifton may not have beaten you physically, but he sure did a number on you mentally and emotionally.” Rosa paused to take a sip of her coffee. “So is this all about revenge?” An expectant grin spread across her face. “No… Well…maybe, but Clifton will never know. This is about me, my sense of self-worth. What I want in my life.” Rosa glanced at the slip of paper. “Okay, so we got rid of the fat clothes. Did the hair thing…” She laid the sheet of paper back on the bench and stared at her daughter. “Having your hair layered and cut up to your shoulders suits you. Shows off those high cheekbones you inherited from your mother.” She patted at her big hairdo before running her finger over her cheek. Madison smiled. Her mother might be fifty-five, but she didn’t look it. And she sure didn’t act it. Half the time, she reminded Madison of a teenager. Rosa had reinvented herself after her husband had divorced her when Madison was only ten years old. She’d worked two jobs to make ends meet, going to business school at the same time, and Madison had never wanted for anything. Now the manager of the Blue Harbor Retirement Village on the Sunshine Coast in sunny Queensland, Rosa was content with her life.
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More than content… With her wand-slim figure and her petite stature, she indulged herself in wearing the latest fashions, even if they were supposedly for the younger set. Hair dyed a yellow blonde, teased out to fluff around her face, too much make-up for daywear—this was Rosa’s image of how a glamorous woman should present herself. Even if it did look slightly tacky and overdone at times. And if Madison ever heard anyone say that, she’d deck them one. What did it matter how Rosa dressed or wore her hair? She was a happy woman. Heck, her mother even had a better sex life than she did. She’d been keeping time—her mother’s words, not hers—with Bart Hunter, the owner of the Blue Harbor Retirement Village, for a while now. Yes, her mother was happy. Madison wanted some of the same. Hence the Madison Paxton Makeover Plan. “Pay attention, Madison. We need to work on this list. Looks like you didn’t do so good in the flirting field, baby girl. Did you manage to get picked up at that bar?” Madison shook her head, a pained expression on her face. “Well, you’re going to have to get a move on. Your birthday isn’t that far off. Did you go to the bar on your own or with a group of friends from the University?” “Just me, all on my lonesome, propped up at the bar like an idiot.” Madison sighed, pushing away the image of her aborted attempt at deliberately trying to look like a bar-fly. Rosa snorted. “There’s part of your problem. Women on their own always look pathetic. Get a group together and go nightclubbing or something. What about your friend, Gina? She’s such a livewire, she’ll pull the guys for you. You can scoop up what she doesn’t want.” “God, you make me sound so desperate.” Madison groaned and covered her face with her hands, not certain whether she wanted to -11-
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laugh at Rosa’s comments or throttle her. There weren’t many mothers like Rosa. Thank God. Rosa tapped at the piece of paper. “Forget all this. You can’t learn to flirt. You have to jump right in feet first. I still maintain it’s time you got laid.” “You’re right, but how the heck do I manage that when I can’t even pick up a guy at a singles’ bar?” Madison lifted the coffee pot and refreshed both their cups. She grimaced when she saw her mother was still fixated on her list. Darn thing. Trust her to leave it where Rosa could see it. “For Heaven’s sake, Mom, enough with my pathetic list.” Rosa just stared at her daughter, shaking her head. “I can’t believe Creepy Clifton couldn’t make you come, not once in ten years. Why, my Bart is so good, all he—” “Mom.” A daughter shouldn’t know all the details of her mother’s sex life. That was way too scary. “Besides, according to Clifton, it was my fault. I think maybe he’s right. I’m frigid.” “Again, bullshit. There’s no such thing as a frigid woman. Just bad lovers. Men, that is. I suppose Clifton was all wham-bang-thank-youma’am.” She looked down and ran a red-painted nail across the line Madison had crossed out. “And what’s wrong with self-gratification if the man of the hour is incapable of giving you satisfaction? Go buy yourself a dildo. Didn’t you ever…you know, do it to—?” “Enough, already.” Now Madison really did want to climb under the breakfast bar in embarrassment. “Okay, so my growth is a bit stunted in the sexual field. You’re right, I do need to get laid, particularly if I want to complete my makeover plan and be pregnant by the time I’m thirty, but— ”
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“I’m glad you agree, baby girl, because then you won’t be angry with me.” She smirked at her daughter. “Mother, what have you done?” A cold shiver trickled down Madison’s spine. Her mother was capable of anything. Rosa opened her handbag, pulled out a small mirror and poked at her hairspray-stiffened locks. Her voice was nonchalant as she said, “I’ve hired you a stud to practice on.” “You’ve what?” In danger of falling to the floor in shock, Madison grabbed at the bench. “I saw an advert in the local paper. Stud Finders Incorporated. I rang and asked them to find you a stud. The bill will come to me so you don’t have to worry about paying for it. My treat. All you have to do is enjoy.” “You didn’t!” “Oh, yes, I did, and don’t take that tone with me, baby girl. It’s time I intervened. I don’t want to see you spend as many years on your own as I did. You should get busy and make some grandchildren for me.” “I plan on doing that,” Madison spluttered, “but I just need a bit of help to get started.” “That’s what I’m giving you, so I don’t see what all the fuss is about. Anyway, it’s too late to cancel. The answering service said someone will be in contact with you this afternoon.” She slid to her feet and slung her handbag over her shoulder. As she passed Madison, she reached up and patted her gently on the cheek. “Sex is fun, sweetie, if you learn to relax and enjoy it. With a hired stud, it doesn’t matter what you do or don’t do. You’ll never see him again when all this is over. In the meantime, use him, get some of that whoopty-do going. After all, that’s what he’s being paid for.” Mouth open, Madison watched as her mother disappeared out of the front door of the house. -13-
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“Oh my God, my mother bought me a sex toy?”
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Stud Finders Incorporated
CHAPTER 2 “You looking for a stud, lady?” Jake frowned and scratched his head as he stood at the door of the little cottage. For the life of him, he couldn’t remember the woman’s name. Bad manners to keep calling her lady. He took a good look at the “lady” in question. She wasn’t beautiful in the classic sense, but she sure had something. Blonde-streaked hair framing her face and brushing her shoulders. Grey-green eyes that, at the moment, held a stunned expression. Long, long legs that seemed to go on forever. And a body that set his testosterone on high alert and made his cock sit up and beg for attention. A body clad in a deep blue swimsuit cut high at the sides to show off those fabulous legs. With a top plunging in front to showcase the generous curve of her breasts. Breasts that begged for his hands to reach out and tease, to… Whoa, boy. Back up a pace, Jake, old man. You’re not doing anything with those breasts. You’re just doing a favor for your dear old dad. He silently told his libido to stand down and cleared his throat. “Um, I believe you contacted Stud Finders Incorporated. Well, I’m your—” “Quick, come inside before someone sees you.” Madison grabbed his arm and dragged him into the house. “I thought you’d ring, not just turn up here.” -15-
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Jake frowned again. “Lady—” “Madison. My name is Madison.” She cast a quick glance over at her nearest neighbor’s house before slamming the front door and leaning against it, her hand on her chest as she breathed a relieved sigh. That’s when she remembered how she was dressed, or rather, undressed. Heat suffused her face as she dove past her startled guest, through the house to the French doors at the back and over to the sunbed beside the pool. Grabbing up her sarong, she wrapped it about her breasts, giving an extra tug on the knot to secure it. She’s never been so embarrassed in her life. It was bad enough her mother had to buy her a stud, but to have him catch her in her swimwear… It smacked too much of desperation, as if she was just waiting for her gigolo to come along and do the dirty. Not that there was anything wrong with her blue one-piece. It covered everything it should. No, it was more to do with the fact that she wasn’t yet comfortable with her altered image. Showing her body off like this was a new venture, and despite all the assertiveness and motivational courses, it was just skin-deep. Underneath, she was still the chunky frump her ex-husband accused her of being. It would take a while for her head to catch up with the outer image. A little more comfortable now she’d hidden her body from view, she retraced her steps and confronted her mother’s present. Holy guacamole, Mom did good. Her visitor was well over six foot, more than a match for her own lofty height. Another of Clifton’s complaints. He’d never allowed her to wear anything but flat shoes so she wouldn’t tower over him. At the time, she hadn’t seen it as lack of confidence on his part. She’d simply bowed under to his dictates.
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This man didn’t appear to have any problems. An aura of confidence surrounded him as he leaned against the breakfast bench. Denim jeans hung low on his hips. A black tee shirt hugged his muscular chest. Dark hair cut short and swept back from his face, chocolate brown eyes, and a smile that threatened to turn her insides to mush. Sex appeal oozed from every pore. A person would have to be dead not to notice. She might be a repressed divorcée, but she sure wasn’t dead. A spiral of heat exploded in her belly and slid downwards on a rush of hormones. She squirmed as dampness pooled between her thighs. Her breasts throbbed and nipples peaked beneath the fabric of her swimsuit. On a rush of embarrassment, she crossed her arms over her chest. Oh, my giddy grandma, where the hell had that come from? For the first time in her life, the mere sight of a member of the opposite sex had turned her into a molten mass of swirling heat. If she’d thought those early feelings for Clifton had been hot, wow. Try this one on for size. Jake grinned at the wide-eyed look on the face of the woman in front of him. “You didn’t need to cover up for me,” he said. She looked cute, standing there with a goodly portion of leg on show beneath the bottom of the bright blue sarong. He wasn’t complaining. And if this is what Dad walks into every time he visits a customer, no wonder he won’t retire, the dirty old reprobate. He continued to watch her as she ran one hand through her hair, the other plucking at the knot of the sarong. When he made no effort to avert his gaze from her body, the red in her cheeks deepened. He knew it was rude to stare, but he couldn’t help himself. This woman was worth looking at. “Look, I-I’ve never d-done this before,” she stuttered. “In fact, I didn’t do it. My mother bought you for me to practice on.” -17-
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Back up a minute there, Jake. What the heck is she talking about? “You’d better come in and sit down.” She waved a hand toward the living room. “We have to discuss this.” Jake followed her into the next room, his gaze fixed on the seductive sway of her hips as the sarong pulled tight across her ass. When she pointed to the couch, he sauntered over, using the opportunity to adjust the fit of his jeans. Damn hard to get comfortable in tight denim when a body had a raging hard-on. She gestured again and he sat, squirming as he felt the shape of the little black box in his back pocket dig into his ass. The stud finder, an invaluable tool used to locate the studs hidden behind the wallboards of a house. He was about to remove it from his pocket when Madison perched on the edge of the seat opposite him. “Mother, I’m going to kill you for this.” She whispered the words, but he still heard them. Huh? What did her mother have to do with where she hung her paintings? He glanced around the room. The cottage had to be at least a hundred years old, with the high ceilings and beautifully molded cornices common to that era. The flocked wallpaper and chintz drapes created an old-fashioned but delightful re-creation of times gone by. His dad did good work. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but it seemed to suit the woman across from him. He glanced back at Madison. She’d twisted her hands together in her lap. A wash of delicate pink swept up over her face and the tip of her tongue came out to dampen her bottom lip. His libido immediately raised its head again, his cock twitching in reaction. Jake ran a hand over his mouth to make certain he wasn’t drooling like a pubescent fool. A few months without a woman and he’d morphed
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into a randy teenager, turned on by nothing more than a woman’s swimsuit-clad body and the glide of her seductive tongue. His mind suddenly supplied a vivid picture of Madison going down on him, that little pink tongue flicking… For fuck’s sake, Jake, get with the program or she’ll think you’re an idiot. “So what would you like to do first?” he managed, giving his body a stern warning to behave. “Um, maybe we could start with your name.” “I’m Jake H—” “No, don’t tell me your full name,” she squealed. “It’s not necessary.” Jake stared at her. Then he shrugged. What the hell? If she didn’t want to know his last name, it was fine by him. “After all,” she continued, “we’re not going to see each other when this is over.” Feeling like he’d taken a step into some obscure twilight zone, Jake shook his head. When what is over? “Um, okay by me. I’m Jake and you’re Madison. Where do you want to do this?” “Hey, slow down. No way can I go into this dead cold, so to speak.” By now, Jake was totally confused. For crying out loud, what was she? Some kind of kook? All he wanted to do was hang a few paintings, go home, and tell dear old dad he’d done the job. “I don’t know exactly what a stud does,” she said. “I mean, it has to be more than an escort, someone to take me out to dinner and such. But I can’t just jump into it. I have to get to know you a little bit first before we…you know…do it.” Somewhere along the line, Jake had lost the thread of the conversation. He started to retrieve the stud finder as he replayed the last bit over in his head. He hesitated a moment, dragging his hand from -19-
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his pocket and sitting up straighter on the couch. His eyes felt like they were about to roll out of his head as he took in her meaning. He wasn’t certain he had understood. Guess it was time to find out. “Ah, what is it exactly you want of me?” Madison squirmed. She should have asked her mother for the phone number of Stud Finders Incorporated and cancelled this appointment, but as the man was already on the spot, she may as well hear what he had to say. Who knows? She might actually be tempted to take part in her mother’s crazy scheme. It sure couldn’t be any worse than her attempts at trying to get picked up in the singles’ bar. But to have to put it into words… It was bad enough to be in this position, but to actually tell him what she needed—Lord, she wasn’t certain she could do it. Not without sounding like a total idiot. She should throw him out, tell him she’d changed her mind. Then she spotted the Madison Paxton Makeover Plan on the polished table on the other side of the room. How badly do you want this, Madison? The question burned through her brain, the answer following quickly behind. Lots. I need to be more than Clifton thought I was. Enough to risk the embarrassment of the telling? She nodded to herself. Jake gave her a strange look, making her cringe. The poor guy probably thought she was crazy. She released her breath on a fatalistic sigh. Okay, here goes. “I need a man to teach me all about sex. Which is why my mother hired you for me.” Jake’s eyes boggled. He tried to speak, but couldn’t think of a suitable comeback. She crossed her legs and he caught a glimpse of upper thigh. Why would a woman like this need to learn about sex? She
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was sex. He had an immediate vision of rolling naked with her on satin sheets, those long legs wrapped about his body as she dragged him in… “So what do you think?” Her voice cut across the raunchy pictures in his mind. He shook his head and concentrated. “Why do you feel you have to be taught?” He tried to sound intelligent, instead of like a little boy who’d just been handed the keys to the candy store. “You must be what, twenty-six, twenty-seven? Surely you’re not still a virgin?” She looked perfectly adorable as a blush colored her cheeks. He kept his gaze trained on her face as she lowered her eyes and stared at her hands. Testosterone raged through his blood again when she bit delicately at her lower lip, the same lip he wanted to trace his tongue across, suck into his mouth, crush with his own. Why the heck did she think she needed help? “My ex-husband said I was frigid. I need to prove to myself there’s nothing wrong with me. I want more than just missionary position.” He coughed before managing to find his voice. “How long were you married?” “Ten years.” Jake ran his hand through his hair. Ten years and her husband never did it any other way but missionary? The idiot had to be braindead. Now if he had this woman in his bed… You’re boring, Jake, both in bed and out. Courtney, his ex-lover, had branded those words into his brain, never to be forgotten. He was a thirty-six year old lawyer, moderately affluent, and for the first time since he was a teenager, she had made him doubt his manhood. She had taken all his confidence in himself as a man and ground it under her two inch heels.
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Did he even have it in him to satisfy a woman? According to Courtney, he was useless in bed. Shit, maybe he was. And now this woman wanted him to teach her all about sex? How the hell was he supposed to do that when he wasn’t even certain he was man enough? He’d have to put her straight, tell her exactly what Stud Finders Incorporated was all about. He opened his mouth, the words hovering on the tip of his tongue. Then he paused and dragged in a deep breath. What if… Nah, he couldn’t. Could he? Could he pretend to be her stud, use this opportunity to get ready to jump back into the dating game? Brush up on his technique so no other woman would say he was boring in bed? He shouldn’t. He really shouldn’t. He was all set to be up-front and honest. Until she moved her legs again and the vision of those long limbs wrapped around him jumped right back into his head. His pulse picked up a pace and his body hardened a little bit more. And in that moment he was lost. “So how exactly do you want to learn?” Dumb, Jake, dumb. There was only one way to learn about sex and that was by actually participating. He couldn’t believe he was about to do this. His dad would crucify him. If he found out, that is, and Jake sure wasn’t going to enlighten him. “It’s not just the sex,” she said as she lifted her hands to cup her flushed cheeks. “I was married at eighteen. I went from my mother’s house, to college and straight into marriage with Clifton. I never learnt to… I missed out on the whole romance and flirting bit. The fun of dating. And there’s one other thing.” “What’s that?” Jake held his breath as he waited for her next revelation. -22-
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“Whoopty-do.” He frowned. “Whoopty-do?” Madison nodded. “Yes, whoopty-do. I’ve never experienced one, not in ten years.” “I’m sorry, but I don’t—” “You know…an orgasm. I’ve never gotten off.” She shrugged. “No whoopty-do.” “Oh, whoopty-do.” Jake managed to keep his face serious. He’d heard it called many things before, but this was a first. Her eyes highlighted with what appeared to be anticipation, she leaned toward him and the tension in his body tightened a notch. “That won’t be too hard, will it?” “Not hard at all.” Hard? Holy crap. Then he caught a glimpse of cleavage above the knot of her sarong. His body reacted right on cue, his jeans tightening even more over his crotch. He needed to get out of here before she twigged to the fact he had the biggest hard-on he’d had in a long while. You shouldn’t be doing this, Jake. He wanted to ignore the irritating voice in his head, but it kept chipping away at him. Damn, he was so tempted. Nothing was a greater turn-on for a man than to have a woman ask him to teach her all about sex What had his father said about her when he’d asked Jake to do this small job for him? Something about her being the daughter of a friend. That one little fact precluded him from playing around with her. In fact, if he gave into temptation, he’d be nothing but a sleazebag. Right? Yeah, right, Jake, so walk away.
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After what had gone on, if he told her who he was now, she’d be mortified. Somehow, he had to find a way to let her down without embarrassing her. “Hmmm, an unusual request.” He struggled to play the part of a knowledgeable stud. “Give me twenty-four hours to come up with a workable plan.” If he just didn’t bother ringing her, letting her think he wasn’t interested… Nah, he couldn’t do it. That wasn’t going to help her confidence in herself. He couldn’t just leave her hanging like that. Better if he called her in the next twenty-four hours and explained who he was. He could ask her out on a real date, get to know her without the subterfuge between them. That sounded like a plan. Lord knows, his cock was sure telling him it was a great idea. The decision made, he stood up, turning away from her so she wouldn’t see the telltale bulge in his jeans. A pad and pen on the side table caught his attention and he moved toward it. “I’ll just take your phone number and be in touch sometime tomorrow evening. We’ll see where it goes, okay?” Madison jack-knifed out of the chair. The makeover plan. She couldn’t let him see it. That would be just too embarrassing. Using her body to hide the damning piece of paper, she cut in front of him, grabbed the pad and pen and pushed it into his hand. She reeled off her phone number. He wrote it down, then tore the bottom half of the page off and tucked it into the back pocket of his jeans. “I’ve written my cell phone number down in case you change your mind,” he said. With that, he turned and walked toward the front door. In a daze, Madison followed him. He spun toward her at the last moment.
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“Until tomorrow night, Madison Paxton,” he whispered, then stepped outside. A shiver of anticipation trickled down her spine. She moved to stand in the doorway so she could watch him. The denim of his jeans cupped his rear end tight enough to show off the perfect symmetry of his welltoned ass, the image imprinted on her brain as he bent to climb into his low-slung, bright red sports car. Something fluttered low in her belly and a silly grin spread across her face. “Holy guacamole, Mother, you really did do good.”
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CHAPTER 3 Jake felt as if he should be wearing a trench coat and have a fedora pulled down over his eyes. Thank God there weren’t too many of his friends still on the Sunshine Coast. It would be just too galling to be caught buying books on how to improve your dating technique. Worse— books on how to satisfy a woman in bed. You’re boring, Jake, both in bed and out. Courtney’s words bounced round and round inside his brain. On one level, he knew she’d used it simply as an excuse to break up their relationship. Hell, she wouldn’t have stayed seven years if she hadn’t been happy with him at least some of the time. That was the intellectual side of him. On a purely emotional level, it chipped away at his selfconfidence, that fragile thing called male ego. Before Courtney, he’d had his fair share of women and not one of them had complained. Just the same, he’d decided to brush up on the latest in dating and romance practices. Couldn’t hurt. After all, he’d been off the circuit for quite a few years. He felt guilty enough lying to Madison. It went against everything he believed in. Okay, so he was using her to try to rebuild his shattered ego, to prove he still had it in the sack. But there was more to it than that. If she was willing to employ a stud service to learn about sex, she could end up with anyone. Some weirdo, a sex pervert maybe.
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Hell, who knew what type of man hired himself out as a gigolo? At least this way he knew she’d be in no personal danger. His decision rationalized to his satisfaction, he tried to concentrate on the reason he was here, but his mind refused to cooperate. One thought kept coming back to haunt him; he really shouldn’t be doing this. But he was already committed. Just the same, if he was going to go through with it, he wanted to give her top value for her money. Even if he wasn’t actually getting paid for it. Shit, he was driving himself crazy. He had to stop this. Forcing himself to focus, he allowed his gaze to track across the shelves of the biggest bookstore in the area. He’d already selected a few titles: The Dating Game, The Pocket Guide to Dating Techniques, Sex for the Uninitiated, How to Please Your Woman. He’d just reached out for 101 Sexual Positions when he heard a sound behind him. He pulled his hand back and spun about. Two girls, no more than seventeen or eighteen, eyed his selection of books and started to giggle behind their hands. One of them batted her eyelashes at him, planted her hands on her hips and arched her back to make her breasts more prominent. Shit, she was trying to come on to him. He was old enough to be her father. A wave of heat rushed up over his face. Bloody hell, now he was blushing like a pre-pubescent teenager. He hunched his shoulders and turned to face the bookshelves again. A slender hand, the nails painted bright red, reached around him and lifted a book from the shelf. “This is a good one,” a soft feminine voice said, breathy and suggestive. He cringed, not daring to look at the girl. Grabbing the book without reading the title, he added it to the pile in his arms. “Thanks. Appreciate
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the help.” His face still burning, he turned on his heels and beat a hasty retreat for the service counter. The sooner he got out of here the better. “Can I help you, sir?” Jake didn’t say a word—he couldn’t, he was too embarrassed. He placed the pile of books on the counter, dug out his wallet and hunted for his credit card. “Ooh, The How-To of Female Orgasm,” the shop assistant said. “This is a good one. Got some great exercises to try out with your woman. Wish more men would consider their partner’s needs instead of just their own selfish desires.” He flicked a glance at her before ducking his head and drumming his fingertips on the laminated surface of the counter as he waited for the assistant to swipe his credit card. The woman wasn’t much older than the kid who’d chosen the book for him. He couldn’t believe this was happening to him. Still keeping his head down, he scrawled his name in the appropriate place, shuffling his feet as the woman took an inordinate amount of time to separate his copy of the credit card receipt from the rest. When she handed him the paper carry bag, he grabbed it and got the hell out of there. Jake stepped out of the store with a deep sigh. He felt like he’d just gone though some devious form of torture. A man of his age buying books on how to please a woman? He shook his head. How much more pathetic could he get? And why was it so darn important that he find a way to please Madison? Before he could come up with a suitable answer, he was jostled from behind. The paper bag of books almost went flying out of his hand. The crush of people crowding the footpath finally impinged on his consciousness.
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It was the middle of the holiday period. Hot summer skies and sungilded stretches of white-sand beaches brought in the tourists. Family groups, guys intent on following the surf small though it was, and girls. Lots of ‘em. All ages, all shapes and sizes, and all dressed in shorts or skimpy dresses, and even skimpier swimsuits. They flocked to the beaches and the many resorts built throughout this area. A pick-up mecca for a lonely fellow. Not that he was lonely. And he didn’t need to search out a woman. He had one for the taking. If only he could keep his conscience under control. As he walked back to where he’d parked the car, he noted the number of covert female looks angled his way. Some not so covert. It did his ego a world of good. Okay, so he wasn’t too bad in the looks department. Now to prove to himself he could turn a woman on and follow through. Give her all the…whoopty-do she was capable of handling. When he reached the car, he slung the bag of books onto the floor in the passenger side, folded his long legs under the dash and gunned the engine, pointing the little convertible toward the beach and the Blue Harbor Retirement Village. In no time at all, he was pulling into the driveway just past the Village complex. He cut the motor and sat for a moment, feeling like he’d run the gauntlet. God, he was a fool. A lying fool. He should go inside this
minute,
ring
Madison
and
tell
her
there
had
been
a
misunderstanding. He wasn’t a paid stud, just a boring family lawyer. After that, he’d beg her to go on a regular date with him. Do things the normal way and see where it led. Oh, he’d still like to get hot and heavy beneath the sheets with her, but he’d prefer it to be a natural extension of an adult relationship. -29-
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But he couldn’t. She’d be so embarrassed when she found out the truth, she’d kick his ass and throw him right out of there. He didn’t want that to happen. For some unknown reason, it seemed important he see more of her, and not just to salvage his male pride. “Hey, you ever getting out of that car? Thought we were going fishing. High tide’s in half an hour.” As his father walked toward the vehicle, Jake grabbed the carry bag and climbed out of the car. Trying for nonchalance, he sauntered over to meet him. “Sorry. Had an errand to run in town.” Bart glanced down at the logo on the side of the bag and frowned. “Plenty of books inside if you wanted something to read.” “Ah, just some stuff on family law I needed for research.” Jake sidestepped his father and edged toward the front door of the sprawling, low-set beach house. He cringed as he thought of the titles of the books hidden in the bag. “You’re on vacation, lad. You need to slow down. Find some lady and—or maybe a woman who likes to forget she’s a lady once in a while—get out and have some fun. Go dancing. Go… Oh, I don’t know. Do something outrageous. That Courtney screwed with your head. Why don’t you go out and have hot rabbity sex with someone you don’t even know?” “Dad!” Jake didn’t know whether to laugh or hide his head inside the paper bag that held his books. “Where do you get these sayings? Hot rabbity sex indeed.” “Rosa.” Bart beamed, seeming much younger than his sixty-five years. Jake shook his head in astonishment. He hadn’t met this Rosa, but she was sure good for his father.
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“Very inventive, my Rosa,” Bart said as he turned toward the Retirement Village. “Best thing I ever did when I made her manager of the Village. Would never have met her if I hadn’t employed her. Anyway, enough of this.” He spun toward the house. “The tide will have turned before we get out there. Come on, let’s get at ‘em.” Jake followed his father inside. “Just let me put these books away and get changed and I’ll be right with you.” A thought crossed his mind. “Why rabbity sex?” Bart grinned. “You ever watched rabbits? They never stop.” Jake chuckled as he walked up the hallway toward the guest suite. “Hey, did you find the stud on that renovation job like I asked you to?” Bart called out after him. “Oh, yeah, Dad, I found the stud.” And maybe a whole lot more.
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CHAPTER 4 Jake sighed, long and loud. His father had gone to visit an old mate before going on to dinner with his Rosa. In fact, he’d said not to expect him home at all tonight. Terrific. His dear old dad was getting more action than he was. Feeling vaguely dissatisfied with life, he sat down in front of the television and switched over to a documentary he’d wanted to watch. Then he sighed, flicked off the set and fiddled with the latest whodunit sitting on the coffee table. After a few minutes he tossed the book on the floor and pushed himself to his feet, pacing over to look out the fulllength window facing the night sea. He was restless, couldn’t settle to anything. A pizza with everything from the local take-away joint had satisfied his physical appetite, but not the sexual hunger rampaging through his bloodstream. All because of a leggy blond who had handed him every man’s fantasy on the proverbial platter. He should feel like a low-life heel for taking her at her word—and he did—but overriding that was a level of excitement he hadn’t experienced in a long while. Maybe Courtney was right. Their relationship had run its course and had become nothing more than convenience. Habit. Because if he’d loved her, he wouldn’t be lusting after another woman so soon. God, he couldn’t believe how fickle he was. He’d been shattered when Courtney had split up with him. Now here he was, a few months after the -32-
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break-up, and all he could think about was Madison. It wasn’t just the thought of going to bed with her. All right, so that was a part of it, but he wanted more. He wanted to get to know her, inside and out. Wanted to discover what made her happy, what she liked and disliked. Most of all, he needed to discover why a woman who’d been married for ten years could be so sexually ignorant. On the outside, she looked like a sophisticated woman, yet he got the feeling it was all just a cover for some deep insecurities. That ex-husband of hers must have been a total idiot. Not once in ten years? She had a lot of time to make up and if he wanted to help her, maybe he needed to dip into those books he’d bought today. He strode into the bedroom, upended the books onto the bed and pulled out the one the young girl had selected for him. The How-To of Female Orgasm. How apropos. He didn’t have time to read the whole thing; he’d promised Madison he’d ring before the day was done and it was already late. For the moment, he just flicked through the text, stopping here and there to browse. Women who masturbate usually have fewer problems experiencing an orgasm with a male partner. “Bloody hell, I can’t just ask her outright if she masturbates.” He turned to another section in the book and started to read out loud. “Sexual Satisfaction: Point 1—The brain is the most important sex organ. So talk; you want to stimulate sexual thoughts. Well, I knew that,” he spluttered as he scanned the next line. “Point 2—Build the tension. Okay, I can do that. Point 3—Make certain she has an orgasm.” Jake snorted in derision. “That’s why I’m reading the damn book.” He tossed it from him, his conscience digging at him. “This is ridiculous. I’m going to ring Madison and tell her the truth.”
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ad As her mother walked in the front door of the cottage, Madison’s eyes widened. Holy heck, what was she up to now? Okay, so she was tiny enough, and slim enough, to wear all the teenage fashions, but this was over the top. The tight mini-skirt barely covered her upper thighs. Shiny metallic black, she’d teamed it with black fishnet stockings. Her upper body was clad—only just—in a brief halter-top. She’d applied her make-up with a heavy hand, the lipstick a bright slash of red, and teased her dyed blonde hair so it stood out from her head like a rat’s nest. Surely her mother didn’t plan on going out looking like that? There was nothing really wrong with the over-all picture but it was a bit…tarty. Hmm, a bit of diplomacy was needed to let her know, without any hurt to her feelings. “Ah, Mom, you wearing a bra with that?” Rosa grinned and ran her hand down over the abbreviated top. “Of course not. It would destroy the image.” “What image would that be?” “I want to look like an easy lay so I can get picked up. Reckon this will do it?” Now Madison was worried. Had her parent lost it? Maybe dementia had set in. Before she could figure out what to do, her mother laughed. “Oh, stop with the worried looks, baby girl.” She pranced on impossibly high heels into the living room. “It’s only dress-up. Bart is meeting me in the car park at the Civic Centre in town at eight o’clock. I’m going to be draped over the hood of the car in one of those sexy poses. You know, like this.” She leaned back against the lounge chair, hips angled, breasts thrust so far forward they were in danger of escaping the skimpy top. Lifting her -34-
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chin, she plastered a smile on her face and fluttered her lashes. Madison burst into laughter at the picture her mother presented. Rosa straightened up, and hands on hips, sashayed across the room. “So, as I was saying, Bart is going to pick me up. After that, we’ll go to a sleazy motel and have hot rabbity sex all night long.” “Too much information, Mom.” “Oh, don’t be a prude, Madison. Bart and I have been together for quite a while now. It’s a way of keeping our sex life interesting.” Madison couldn’t help it, although she knew her mother meant no harm. There was an immediate crack in her heart at being called a prude and all the old insecurities started to seep through. Another one of Clifton’s complaints. She turned away and blinked back the tears forming in her eyes. “Oh, baby girl, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that.” Rosa tottered over and reached up to wrap her arms around her. “Honey, I wouldn’t hurt you for the world.” Madison dropped a kiss on the top of her mother’s head. Then she spluttered, “Mom, you must have a can of hairspray on this. It tastes disgusting.” Rosa stepped back and looked up at her. “I really am sorry, Madison.” “Not your problem. I just need to grow a thicker skin. I don’t want you to have to censor everything you say.” “That’s all it is—a saying. You have to get to the point where you can reject the image Clifton pushed you into. You’re none of those things. You got to feel it deep down inside you.” She patted at her chest for emphasis. “Tell yourself you’re a vibrant, sexy woman and you’ll begin to believe it. So say after me, ‘I’m a vibrant, sexy woman with a lot to offer the right man.’ Come on, say it.” -35-
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“I’m a vibrant, sexy woman with a lot to offer the right man,” Madison repeated on cue. “I promise, I’ll say it every day.” “Don’t just say it. Believe it.” Rosa grabbed her handbag off the lounge chair. “So did your stud call?” “He turned up here yesterday afternoon.” “And?” She grinned at the avid look on her mother’s face. “And you did good. He’s…he’s a…Stud. With a capital S. He’s going to call me tonight, if he doesn’t back out, of course” Rosa fished around in her over-sized handbag. “I bought you a present. If you’re going to jump this guy’s bones, you need to feel confident about yourself. And what better way than knowing you’re wearing the sexiest underwear you could find. Well, I found it, but it amounts to the same thing. Anyway, you know what I mean.” “Mom, you’re a ditzy blond at times, but know what the frightening part is? I actually understand what you’re trying to say.” Madison chuckled as she took the package. Before she could unwrap her gift, Rosa slung her handbag over her shoulder and reached up to pat her on the cheek. “Have to go, baby girl, or I’ll be late for the performance. Can’t wait to see what Bart chooses to wear. He’s supposed to look like a john on the prowl.” She made her way to the front door. “Hmm, wonder what a john looks like anyway,” she said as she waved a distracted goodbye. Madison hoped her mother never changed. She loved her just as she was, quirky behavior and all. Gift in hand, she wandered into the bedroom. She should get something on the go for dinner, but it was too hot to eat. Maybe she’d just have some fruit later. After she checked out her present.
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She perched on the side of the bed and peeled back the fancy wrapping paper. First she lifted out the book laying, cover down, on top. She turned it over and chuckled. 101 Sexual Positions. Should make interesting reading. Next she pulled out the bra and panties hidden beneath. Panties? Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. They were nothing more than a thong with a tiny triangle of sheer black fabric in front. The bra wasn’t much better. This didn’t even look big enough to confine someone half her size. Lingerie had been included in her shopping trip when she’d set out to change her image. No more plain cotton briefs or bras that looked like neck-to-knee jobs. Instead, lots of satins and laces. But nothing like this. Her mother was outrageous. She couldn’t wear this. Why not? The question burned inside her brain. Yeah, why not? This was the new Madison Paxton. “I’m a vibrant, sexy woman,” she whispered. Not giving herself time to think, she cast off her clothes and stepped into the thong. It fit her like a dream, the straps high on her hips. It left nothing to the imagination, but it sure was sexy. She slipped on the bra. It was just as see-through as the panties, the cups under-wired to lift her breasts and show them off to best advantage. The lace edge only just covered her nipples. “Blimey, one deep breath and it would all be over.” Madison laughed at her turn of phrase. One deep breath and they would certainly be over—over the top. Hands on hips, she posed in front of the full-length mirror. Her eyebrows rose. “Hey, I don’t look half bad.” She ran her hands across the sheer fabric of the bra and slid them down her body. “Yeah, not bad at all.”
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She had a sudden mental image of posing like this for Jake. She’d waited all day for him to ring. Part of her hoped he wouldn’t; she winced at the idea of hiring a stud to teach her about sex. Then there was that other part of her, the part that went all squishy at the thought of getting hot and heavy with Jake. And that’s what was so strange. Sex with Clifton had never been enjoyable, more a duty. Yet here she was, in full fantasy about sliding between the sheets with a total stranger. A hot, sexy stranger with a body that made her go weak at the knees when she thought of it. Clifton was a weed, no muscle to speak of. All pale skin and attitude. One of those men who believed the male was the boss in the household and the bedroom. Sex for him had been nothing more than an exercise in self-gratification, and to heck with the woman’s satisfaction. Two minutes of pumping, with him in the dominant position. No foreplay, no stimulation of her breasts or anywhere else for that matter. Nothing. Just shove it in, do the deed, and get outta there. When he’d finished, he’d immediately shower, as if the very act of making love was dirty. The one and only time he’d caught her trying to learn to pleasure herself, he’d made her feel dirty. After she’d devoured myriad books on the subject, and had some rather furtive conversations with her single friends, she knew there was so much more to it than that. Clifton just hadn’t been interested enough to make certain she’d enjoyed it. Now, Jake. There was a man. Her mind created an image of the two of them in her king-size bed. Sweaty muscles—and one look at his skintight tee shirt yesterday told her he had lots of those—heavy breathing, pounding pulses. All the things her girlfriends talked about and her women’s magazines expounded upon.
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A shiver caught her unawares. Goosebumps walked up and down her arms and the breath snagged in her throat. She ran her hands over her breasts, surprised to find her nipples hard and throbbing. She may not have been any good in the bedroom as far as Clifton was concerned, but there was no doubt her mind was a powerful sexual aid. Maybe there was hope for her yet. All this was academic if Jake didn’t contact her. Tying herself up in knots over something that might never happen was ridiculous. It was time to take a dip in the pool to cool off. The phone rang mere seconds after she’d removed the bra and tossed it on the bed. An image of her mother, dressed in her tarty costume, being arrested for solicitation, jumped into her mind. Or, worse, being attacked because she’d rejected someone who thought she was a streetwalker. She scrambled across the bed on hands and knees to grab for the phone on the bedside table. “Hello.” Her voice shook as much as her hand did. “Hello, Madison. It’s Jake here. Are you all right? You sound panicked.” Madison pressed a hand to her chest, trying to still the mad thump of her heart. “No, no, I’m fine. I thought it might be about my mother. She… Never mind, you wouldn’t understand.” “As long as everything is okay.” There was a slight pause during which Madison held her breath. “Madison, what I rang to tell you is—” “Have you come up with a plan? I’m looking forward to this time with you.” She pulled her legs up under her and leaned back on the mound of pillows covering the head of the bed. Just the sound of his voice made her feel better. A man was interested enough to ring her
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Jake bit off a groan. Why the heck hadn’t he told her about the mistake right from the word go? He wanted to tell her right now—he really did—but the desire to see her was far greater. If he admitted the truth, her embarrassment would be so immense, she wouldn’t even consider going out with him. A quandary. He’d feel like a rat if he didn’t, and a total fool for passing up the opportunity to get to know this fascinating woman if he did. Maybe he could… “How do you feel about taking this slow?” The words were out of his mouth before he’d thought about them. “I think we should just go out on some regular dates. Get to know each other a bit, have some fun. I get the impression there hasn’t been a lot of that in your life over the last few years.” “I think that’s a terrific idea. I’ll feel more comfortable when we get to the sex part then. We will get to the sex part, won’t we?” Oh, boy. His body responded to the innocent question, making Jake squirm. Innocent? Bloody hell, this woman was unbelievable. What did the book say? Build the tension. From the feel of his body, they were well on the way. Or rather, he was on the way. His cock was so damn hard it was a wonder it didn’t snap in two. What about Madison? What was the other point? That’s right…talk about it. He cleared his throat, struggling for control. “If we can build the tension up, sex will follow as a natural course of events.” He struggled for an even tone. “So tell me a bit about yourself. What are you doing at the moment?” “Besides talking to you?” She chuckled. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” “Try me.” “My mother is very…liberated, for want of a better word. She brought me a present. I was just trying it on when you rang.” -40-
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“New dress?” “Ah, no, a lot less fabric than that.” “A bikini?” Jack felt his cock tighten even more. He fought to regulate his breathing. “No, but you’re getting warmer.” “Ah ha, underwear. Tell me about it.” Yeah right, talk about it. Encourage sexy thoughts. “Well, the bra is nothing but a few straps and lace and sheer material.” After seeing Madison in her blue swimsuit with its deep cleavage, Jake had no trouble mentally dressing her in her new bra. “See-through, eh?” “Oh, yeah.” “Color?” “Slinky, sexy black,” she purred. His favorite. Oh, fuck, he was in trouble. “Full cups or half?” “Itty bitty ones.” “You still got it on?” Jake said, his voice a low burr. It was getting harder and harder to keep it together. The erotic pictures in his head almost had him on the verge of hyperventilating. “Not now. Took it off just before you rang.” “So what did it feel like when you were wearing it?” Hell, he had to end this conversation before he got into trouble. Bigger trouble than he was in right now. “Soft, silky.” Madison’s voice had dropped down a notch. The husky tones washed over him, made the blood rush through his veins. He dragged in a shaky gulp of air. Talking about it was good. He didn’t know about her, but it sure played havoc with his equilibrium. -41-
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“And sexy, Madison? Did it make you feel sexy?” Struggling for control, he clenched his hand on the telephone, the other sliding down his body to grasp his aching cock. God help him, at this rate it would be cold showers tonight. Madison couldn’t believe she was having this conversation with a total stranger, but it was fun. This was flirting, a talent she’d thought she didn’t possess. She reached across the bed and grabbed the bra, rubbing the sensual fabric between her fingertips. A shiver slithered down her spine, making her conscious of her nearnaked state. She giggled. Lord, she hadn’t giggled since she was a kid. Her nipples hardened, the breath catching in her throat. The mere sound of Jake’s voice did crazy thing to her system. She couldn’t believe it. Not bad for a frigid woman. Turned on by the sound of a man’s voice. “You got the bra there?” he whispered. “Why don’t you rub it across those lovely breasts of yours and tell me how it feels? Slowly now. Slowly.” She found herself doing just that. The friction of the soft fabric on her tender nipples made her gasp. Her pulse started to pound. “Feels good, doesn’t it?” He paused a moment as if to catch his breath. “Don’t be embarrassed. This is all part of sex. Foreplay, and we can play as long as you like. Talk to me, Madison.” “It feels… I’m all shivery. My breasts ache like…like…” “Like you want my hands and my mouth, there? Sucking. Tonguing your nipples. Until you feel the ache from your breasts down to your clit.” Madison’s hand shook so much she just about dropped the phone. Her heart beat so hard she thought it would jump clear out of her chest. “You got panties to match that bra?” The air rushed out of her lungs on a gasp. She ran her hand down her body and tweaked at the band of her panties. “Y-yep.” She had to -42-
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stop and clear her throat. “A little thong with a see-through triangle in the front.” She arched her hips and trailed her fingers across the sheer material. An ache developed deep inside her. Her clit throbbed. She cupped her hand over herself, not surprised to feel her own dampness through the thin material. “Are you all hot and bothered, Madison?” She nodded her head, unable to say a word. It didn’t seem to bother Jake any. “This is what we’ll work toward. Building the sexual tension until we’re both so hot, we’ll burn if we don’t make love. So how about I pick you up tomorrow afternoon and we’ll go for a picnic at a secluded beach I know? Don’t worry about anything; I’ll bring the food. You just bring your sexy body and that blue swimsuit you had on yesterday.” Madison dragged herself out of the sexual haze that wreathed her body, and her mind, in a shimmer of heat. “That would be terrific, Jake,” she managed, despite the lump in her throat and the quiver in her voice. “I’ll see you at three thirty, sweet Madison,” he whispered in a husky voice before he rang off. Madison’s hand shook as she replaced the receiver. Her body still throbbed with unrelieved sexual frustration. Imagine, ten years of marriage and she’d never once felt like this. She sat up, hugged her arms about her body and giggled like a teenager. “Eat your heart out, Clifton. Ain’t nothing wrong with this little chicken.”
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CHAPTER 5 Jake tugged the white tee shirt over his head and pulled it down to cover the top of his shorts. Slipping his feet into leather surf sandals, he grabbed for a comb. Knees bent, he half crouched in front of the mirror on the wardrobe door and smoothed his hair into his normal restrained style. Finally ready, he grabbed the little red book called The Pocket Guide to Dating Techniques lurking on the bedside table and flicked it open. “First Date Impressions,” he read out loud. “What reaches your date first? You or your smell?” Well, he’d never had anyone complain he had bad breath. Just in case, though… Hand cupped in front of his mouth, he exhaled. “No, no problem there.” To be on the safe side, he grabbed a peppermint from the packet he’d bought earlier in the day and popped it in his mouth. “Deodorant? Check. Aftershave? Light and easy on the nose. Check. Now what else?” He stood back from the mirror and gave himself a critical look. “Do I look confident? Casual? Hmmm…suppose so.” He leaned down and inspected his hair again. “Few grey ones there, but not too bad.” The book beckoned. “Don’t dominate the conversation with too much ‘I’ or ‘Me’. Basic, Watson, basic. Geez, even I knew that.” He felt ridiculous. Just the same, he couldn’t help but eyeball the next rule. Be on time. He cast a quick glance at his watch and groaned. “What a screw-up. I’ve taken so long to get ready I’ll be flat out making it on time.” -44-
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Car keys in hand and a folded rug tucked under his arm, along with the tube of sun block, he started to head for the door. On an afterthought, he backtracked, snagged up the little red book and shoved it into his back pocket. He raced from the bedroom and skidded into the kitchen where his father was making a cup of coffee. He grabbed the picnic hamper he’d packed earlier and tracked a line straight for the front door. “Hi, Dad. Bye, Dad. Gotta go.” “Hey, son, if you’re going on a picnic, you might want to rethink. Forecast is for rain.” “Nah, it’ll never happen.” Jake cast a hurried glance at the sky overhead. He set the picnic basket on the back seat of the convertible and jumped into the front seat. He’d inserted the key in the ignition and kicked over the engine when he paused. Show her she’s special. Another gem from his little red book. He vaulted right back out of the car and raced over to the garden at the front of the house. He took a few precious minutes to inspect the flowers before he selected a deep purple petunia. As he drove out of his father’s driveway, he acknowledged how much he was looking forward to the picnic. This was the way to play it. Just a plain and simple date. Get to know each other and see where it led. He had to remind himself what this was all about—Madison’s education. “Okay, Madison Paxton, let the lessons begin.” ad Phone sex.” Madison chuckled. “I can’t believe it.” “So he talked dirty on the phone, eh? Not a bad start.” Madison juggled the telephone receiver, trying to pull her shorts on at the same time as carry on a conversation with her mother. “Well, I guess -45-
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it was phone sex. Never having done it before, I’m taking a stab in the dark here. And it wasn’t what I’d class as dirty talk but—” “Listen up here, baby girl. Did he talk sexy? Make your toes curl? Most important, did you get all hot and bothered?” “Well, I only had on my new thong at the time and…” Her voice trailed off as her body responded to the memory of Jake’s words. Her stomach muscles clenched and dampness pooled between her thighs. She waved her free hand in front of her face to cool the burst of heat on her cheeks. “Oh, yeah, hot and bothered about describes it.” “Hah, told you so,” Rosa crowed. “No such thing as a frigid woman. Just men who don’t know the right buttons to push. Now my Bart, he has the sexiest voice on the phone. He knows how to tweak a phrase until I get—” Madison blessed the sound of knocking on the front door. There were some things a daughter shouldn’t know. “Gotta go, Mom. I think that’s my stud at the door. We’re off on a picnic to a secluded beach.” “Hey, Madison, before you go, remember one thing.” “What’s that?” She jiggled on the spot as she strained to hear any further sound from the front of the house, wishing her mother would hurry up. “Whoopty-do.” Her mother did like to have the last word. Madison grinned as she replaced the receiver and reached for the cotton shirt she’d placed on the bed to wear over her blue swimsuit. If she didn’t hurry, Jake would think she’d stood him up. Hand poked through the armhole of the shirt, she slipped her feet into her sandals, hopping on one foot as she tried to pull the strap up over her left heel. A slight noise at the open Fench doors leading out onto the pool area alerted her she wasn’t alone. Balanced on one leg like a -46-
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stork, she raised her head, dropping her arm at the same time so the shirt slid down and onto the carpeted floor. Jake stood in the doorway, leaning against the timber frame. A cheeky grin pulled at his sensual mouth as he extended his hand toward her. Between thumb and forefinger, he clutched a wilted, deep purple petunia. Madison grimaced, exhaling noisily as she felt the flags of heat unfurl high on her cheeks. She lowered her leg and shuffled her feet like a kid in trouble. Her self-confidence, skin deep at best, dropped down a notch. Fancy being caught like this, not even fully dressed. “When you didn’t answer my knock, I decided to try around back,” he said. “Thought maybe you hadn’t heard me.” “I’m sorry, Jake, but I got caught up in a phone call with my mother.” “The one who rang Stud Finders, Incorporated?” Madison bent over to fix the strap of her sandal and grab her shirt. Jake watched, mesmerized, as the fabric of her swimsuit parted a fraction where the deep vee arrowed down to her waist. Okay, maybe not that far, but far enough. Enough he got a good look at the luscious swell of her breasts. Enough that his body reacted fast and furious. He stood up straight so the pull of his shorts across his bulging cock wouldn’t give him away. Shit, look at me, I’ve turned into a sex maniac. “The very one,” Madison said as she shrugged into her shirt, but left it open down the front so her swimsuit showed. Jake shook his head. It took him a few moments to realize Madison had just answered his last question. He’d gone way past that point in the conversation. “I won’t be a minute,” she said as she rushed around the room throwing hairbrush, sun cream and towel into a beach bag.
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“Take all the time you need.” Jake had plenty to keep him busy while he waited. He stared as Madison reached up into the top of the wardrobe and grabbed for a wide-brimmed straw hat. The position accentuated the long length of her legs. Then she bent over and extracted the bright blue sarong from the bottom, the very bottom, of a large set of drawers. Oh, boy, testosterone on alert. To take his mind off his raging hard-on, he cast a glance over the bedroom. Regency-stripe paper, soft grey and pink with tiny roses hovering between the vertical lines, covered the walls. The carpet, a muted grey, toned in with the wallpaper. The door on the far side opened onto a bathroom, but the one thing that grabbed his attention was the bed taking up most of the available floor space. A king size bed. Dark polished timber, the cover a soft pink. Masses of pillows and cushions in various shades of pink, some rose-patterned, some plain. Enough space to hold an army. Or maybe just two? Madison, her long legs curled about his hips and… Boy, oh, boy, more trouble. He struggled to get his mind back on track as she turned and approached him. She shoved the sarong into her beach bag and turned and grinned at him. “Okay, I’m ready.” She took the wilted flower from his hand. “How lovely. Thank you, kind sir.” “The heat got to it a bit.” Jake grimaced as he eyed the offering. “It’s still a lovely thought.” Madison breathed deep, dragging in the subtle woodsy scent of Jake’s aftershave. Hmm, light and enticing. “Come in and close the doors behind you. We’ll go out the front.” As Jake followed her to the front hallway, Madison couldn’t help but be conscious of the sway of her hips in the tight denim shorts. Never before had she been so aware of her own body. Incredible what a little bit of phone sex would do for a girl. She grabbed her keys off the hall table, -48-
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opened the front door and stepped through. Jake followed, guiding her over to the little red car and opening the passenger door for her. “Top up or down?” “Oh, down, please, I’ve never been in a convertible.” “Another new experience for you.” He grinned, taking his place in the driver’s seat. Madison tried not to think about what else she might experience throughout the afternoon. If she were lucky. “There’s a little beach I know only about half an hour from here,” Jake said as he reversed the vehicle and took off down the unpaved road. “It’s not patrolled so not too many people use it. Should be perfect for a picnic and a swim this time of day.” She silently agreed with him as a trickle of sweat ran down between her breasts. Although… “There’s a few dark clouds forming up there. Hope it doesn’t rain, it’s humid enough for a storm.” Jake cast a quick glance at the sky as he maneuvered the sports car onto the main highway. “Nah, I had a word with the weatherman. It wouldn’t dare to rain. I ordered this day just for you.” It didn’t take long to reach the greenbelt that hid the beach from view. Jake pulled up in the parking area. “Looks like we might have the place to ourselves.” Rushing around to the passenger side, he opened the door for Madison before lifting the picnic hamper and rug from the back seat. Then he guided Madison down the four wooden steps and onto the beach. A line of Coast Banksia trees on the edge of the parking lot retained the sand dunes, their branches spreading out far enough to provide an oasis of dappled shade. Jake laid out the rug and placed the picnic hamper on one corner, gesturing for Madison to take a seat. -49-
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“Sorry, I forgot the beach umbrella. This do for you?” “It’s perfect,” Madison said. “I normally go down to the main beach opposite the shopping centre. I didn’t know this existed. So much nicer when you don’t have to fight for towel space.” She glanced up and down the beach, glad to see they were the only occupants. Jake dragged off his tee shirt and sprawled out on the rug by her side. “Why don’t you get comfortable and tell me all about yourself, Madison Paxton.” Madison felt a bit self-conscious as she shrugged out of her blouse. She undid the snap of her shorts and shimmied out of them without standing up. Leaning back, she balanced on her elbows. Where she should have been nice and relaxed, enthralled by the beauty and power of the ocean as the tide rolled in, all she could see was her chest, the curve of her breasts exposed by the cut of her swimsuit. She didn’t dare look at Jake to see where his gaze was trained. She rolled to her side, propped up on one arm, now eye level with Jake. This wasn’t much better, the swell of her breasts more pronounced. So much for her new persona. She made a move to sit up again, but Jake reached over and placed his hand on her shoulder to prevent her. “Why are you so uncomfortable with your body?” He frowned. “You’re a beautiful woman, you shouldn’t feel embarrassed.” Madison wanted to dig a hole in the sand and crawl right in there. Some sophisticated woman of the world she was. “Talk to me, Madison.” He ran his hand from her shoulder, down her arm, until he could twine his fingers with hers. A streak of heat followed Jake’s fingers. She made a move to pull away before realizing she liked the feel of his hand on hers. “I wasn’t
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always like this.” She indicated her figure. “I was the original Chunky Charlie, the proverbial dumpy housewife.” “So you were a bit overweight.” “More than a bit.” Madison shuddered. “Fifty pounds worth and I had to work damn hard to get it off.” “Were you overweight when you got married?” Madison grimaced and shook her head. Jake didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to work out she wasn’t at ease. Anyone with the power of observation could spot it a mile off. “It must have been a direct result of your unhappiness in your marriage. Often the way. Tell me about your ex.” “I don’t really want to talk about him. Suffice it to say, he made me feel rotten about myself. I was hopeless in bed, looked like a frump and had no social skills to speak off, according to Clifton. And sometimes it’s hard to forget the habits of ten years of worthless marriage.” “Sounds like your husband—” “Ex.” Jake grinned and held up his hand. “Sorry. Sounds like your exhusband is the one with problems in bed. If he never attempted anything more adventurous than the missionary position, he’s the one at fault. Not you. And you have to remember that.” “Easy for you to say. I might have changed the outer appearance, but that’s all. Inside, I’m the same frump, afraid to look at a mirror because I hate my body.” “Okay, so the first lesson is to make you feel good about yourself, comfortable with your body.” He lifted his hand to brush at the feathery strands of hair across her forehead. Jake ran his fingers over her cheek and down the line of her nose. A delicious shiver tracked down Madison’s spine. -51-
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“You have a beautiful face, Madison. High cheekbones any model would give her right arm for. A pert little nose perfectly in proportion.” He tapped the tip of her nose before he traced the outline of her mouth. “Lips so sensual it fires my blood just looking at them. Made for kissing.” Madison ran her tongue over her dry lips. Then Jake leaned forward and angled a light kiss across her mouth. She dragged in a startled breath. The steady thump of her heart threatened to deafen her as his fingers moved on. “A pointed little chin that tells me there’s stubbornness hidden away inside you somewhere, despite the fact you think you’re a mouse.” He walked his fingers down her throat, following the edge of her swimsuit where it dipped in the front. Madison held her breath as he moved lower. “And breasts the right size to fit neatly in my hands. Look, see how perfect they are.” She gasped with raw excitement as she bent her head and watched Jake follow the edge of her suit. Heat gathered where his fingers slid across the exposed curves. Her breasts swelled, the nipples growing hard and pushing against the fabric. He cupped one breast and she gulped, almost forgetting to breathe. “Perfect. You have a beautiful body, just made for love.” Fire streaked through Madison’s veins, driving downward until it coalesced into a raging inferno between her thighs. She rubbed her legs together to try to find some relief from the tension gripping her body, surprised at the dampness of the crotch of her swimsuit. Ah, God, she needed a swim, needed to cool off. About to jump up and rush into the ocean, she hesitated. A wry grin caught her unawares. God in the guise of nature had answered her prayers. A big fat raindrop plopped on her head, followed by another -52-
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right on the end of her nose. She’d been so involved with how Jake made her feel she hadn’t seen the clouds rolling in. Now, the sky was dark and heavy as the first of the rain struggled to make its presence felt. “Jake, it’s starting to rain.” Madison jack-knifed into an upright position, arms crossed to hide the telltale sight of her reaction to his caresses. “Your weatherman got it wrong.” She quickly shrugged into her shirt. As Jake grabbed the picnic hamper, she snatched up her shorts and the sand-covered rug. “Lord, the car. Look, can you—” “Go. I’ll follow you up.” She laughed as she watched him take off at a run, picnic basket swinging against his leg. Men and their cars. She shook her head. A bit of rain never hurt anyone, although she did take a moment to speculate on the interior of the convertible open to the weather. She hated to think how his expensive leather seats would fare if it really started to pour. She took her time as she followed Jake, her eyes trained on the shape of his ass as he took the stairs at a rush. Something fell from his rear pocket at he bounded up the last step. It bounced once before sliding between the wooden treads. Madison went down on hands and knees at the base of the dune and reached between the steps for the object. A little red book. Embossed in gold on the front was the title: The Pocket Guild to Dating Techniques. She frowned. Now why would a paid stud want a book on the how’s and why’s of dating? She shrugged. Maybe a man in his line of work needed to keep abreast of the latest techniques, although she couldn’t imagine the practice had changed much over the years. If his performance on the beach was any indication, he didn’t need the help of a little red book. He
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was doing fine on his own. Her nipples throbbed just at the thought of his feather-light touch on her breasts. The rain was heavier now. Madison bundled the book up in the rug and took the stairs two at a time. Jake had the top of the car up and the passenger door opened for her. She raced across the parking area and threw herself into the vehicle, just as the heavens opened up and dumped all over them. Water ran down Jake’s face as he joined her in the car. He reached over the seat and groped around until he found a towel. After he’d dealt with some of the moisture, he handed the towel to Madison. “Sorry about the picnic. I didn’t expect the weather forecast to be right, it almost never is.” Madison laughed, not at all put out by the change of plans. She needed this time to get her equilibrium back on an even keel. “Never mind, it’s only a summer downpour. Let’s go back to my place. By the time we get there, what’s the bet it will all be over? We can have our picnic out beside the pool. And if all else fails, we can spread the rug in the middle of the living room and still have a feast.” “Your wish is my command, my lady.” If only. Madison grinned and settled back in the seat, ready to see what the rest of the day would bring. ad “See, told you it would be over by the time we got back here,” Madison said as Jake pulled up in her driveway. A few lonely little raindrops still bounced on the soft top of the vehicle, but the sun had already made its appearance as the cloud cover rolled back.
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“Won’t cool things off though.” Jake opened the car door and retrieved the picnic hamper. “It’ll just increase the humidity, make it steamy.” While Madison made her way to the front door, Jake reached into the back of the vehicle and grabbed the rug. He gave it a shake to get rid of some of the sand, not wanting to track it all though Madison’s neat little house. The little red book dropped out and his heart plummeted. He patted at his rear end, right over the pocket. Then he swooped and grabbed the book up off the driveway. It must have fallen out and Madison had found it. Lord, what must she think of him? A stud who needs instruction. He’d never been one for blushing, but he could feel the heat sweep across his face right now. God help him, men weren’t supposed to blush. With a silent prayer that she hadn’t been curious enough to check out the title, he reached over and thrust it into the glove compartment. What an idiot, he should have left it at home. He struggled for nonchalance as he followed her inside. “So where do you want to have our picnic?” Madison opened the doors out onto the pool area. “There’s a gazebo out back. How about there?” She glanced at Jake. His tee shirt was drenched. The dusky brown of his nipples and a trace of dark hair showed through the almost transparent white fabric. The damp material revealed every rigid muscle, perfectly delineated, to advantage. She had to battle with herself to drag her eyes away. “You go on out and I’ll get a bottle of wine and some glasses.” She beat a hasty retreat to the kitchen. For someone who’d never had much interest in sex before, she wasn’t doing too badly. Her body hummed with frustrated longing and one thought filled her mind—rip
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that wet tee shirt off Jake, throw him down, and as her mother would say, jump his bones. With a determined effort to calm her raging hormones, she grabbed a bottle of white wine and two long-stemmed flutes before she hunted in the drawer for the corkscrew. She dropped it on the floor twice before she had herself under control and could calmly walk outside with her contribution toward the feast. Jake had spread a cloth over the picnic table and emptied the hamper. An eclectic selection. Pâté and crackers. Cold chicken. Crusty French bread. Slices of fresh ham. A small crock of creamy butter. A plastic bowl filled with tossed green salad. And a dish of the fattest strawberries Madison had ever seen. “Looks good enough to eat.” And so does Jake. The unbidden thought reverberated through her mind. He’d taken off his tee shirt and kicked aside his sandals. All he had on was a pair of black board shorts that hugged his hips. She had to discipline herself not to stare at all that bronzed flesh. “A banquet fit for a princess,” Jake said with a smile as he passed her a paper plate and serving tongs. Madison felt the smile all the way down to the tip of her toes. She tried to ignore the way Jake’s gaze slid over her upper body as she served herself ham and salad. She needed to get some conversation going. Otherwise, she’d never be able to concentrate on her food. “How long have you been in this line of work?” Jake nearly choked on his mouthful of salad. He swallowed, coughed to clear his throat, and tried to come up with a satisfactory answer. “A while now.” Yeah, right, a couple of days. He reached for a chunk of French bread and busied himself slathering butter on it. “What made you go into it?” -56-
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Damn, he hated lying to her. He tried for a version of the truth. “I was in a long-term relationship. When it broke up, the lady in question made me doubt I was capable of pleasing any woman. I had to prove to myself I could.” Madison propped her elbow on the table and cupped her chin in her open palm. “I suppose you’ve had lots of women?” “A few.” He took a gulp of the cold white wine. Then another. Fucking shit, what a conversation. “And had sex in lots of different places, and used all the different positions?” Jake gulped another mouthful of wine before he answered. “It doesn’t matter where you have it or how you do it, as long as both partners enjoy the experience.” She popped one of the succulent strawberries into her mouth. Jake watched her swallow before she selected another one. She sucked at the berry before running the fruit along her bottom lip. He groaned. Such a small gesture, but so erotic. His body reacted, his cock growing more and more rigid by the minute. “There is one thing, Jake.” “What’s that?” He leaned forward over the table. “If we’re going to do this…” She paused a moment before going on. “Well, one hears so many statistics. These days it can be life threatening. But I guess a man in your position has to take that into account. So—” “Madison, what—” “So, do you?” she cut across him. “Do I what?” Jake’s brain was on a quick path to synaptic overload as he tried to keep up with Madison’s convoluted reasoning. “Have any little Germy Jims I need know about?” “Germy Jims?” What on earth was she on about? -57-
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“Sorry, another of my mother’s crazy sayings.” She grinned. “You know, Germy Jims…as in germs that—” “I get the picture.” Jake nearly choked. Okay, so a person had to be careful, but he’d never been hit with this one, not so early in the piece and not in quite those terms. He shook his head. Talk about deflating a guy. In more ways than one. “So, do you?”
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CHAPTER 6 “I could ask you the same thing,” Jake managed. Madison averted her gaze and sipped at her wine before she answered. “Clifton and I had only been married a couple of years before he started playing around. He was in and out of bedrooms faster than he could drop his trousers. The first thing I did when we split up was to get myself tested. So I know I’m fine.” Jake decided to be just as honest, at least in this. He owed her that much. “The only unprotected sex I’ve ever had was with my long-term partner, and we were both tested before we took that step. I had myself retested after we split up. So you’re quite safe.” He pushed his plate aside and took a gulp of wine. The manual said talk was good, but he wasn’t certain this was what the author meant. “I’ve never had sex with a condom. One of my girlfriends said it’s like taking a shower with a raincoat on. What do you think?” “You won’t be having sex with a condom. You’ll be having sex with me.” Jake worked hard to keep his face straight. This was becoming more bizarre by the minute. “Oh, you know what I mean.” Madison chuckled at his twisting of her words. “So are you going to tell me?” Jake grinned. She was like a dog with a bone. He’d been right about the stubborn chin. “Okay, so the ultimate is flesh to flesh.” Oh, yeah. “But the use of protection doesn’t mean the experience has to be less -59-
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than enjoyable. If a man and woman are suitably…” He fished around in his mind for the right word. “…aroused, it needn’t be an issue.” He gazed into Madison’s eyes. Good eye contact. Another one of the rules from the good old dating manual. “Tell me, did your hus…ah, Clifton, spend much time on foreplay?” Madison busied herself packing away the remains of the picnic. “Clifton was more into self-gratification than making certain I enjoyed it. Or maybe I wasn’t responsive enough.” “He didn’t kiss you, caress you?” Jake dropped his voice a notch. “Make you feel hot?” She shook her head, refusing to look at him. “Know what I’d do if I were making love to you?” Jake whispered. “I’d kiss you until those luscious lips of yours begged for more. After that, I’d move on, work my way down your throat until I came to your breasts. I’d have to stay there for a while, breasts so beautiful deserve homage.” Jake dragged in a shaky breath. Holy shit, he wasn’t certain what all this sex talk was doing to Madison, but it had sure turned him on. His cock was so hard, he felt like it was going to punch right through the front of his shorts. He squirmed around to try to get comfortable, casting a glance at Madison to see her doing the same. She crossed her arms over her chest, pushing her breasts higher. The clingy fabric of her swimsuit clearly showed the outline of her jutting nipples. Sweat broke out on his brow and he had to clear his throat before he could go on. “I’d caress and lick them all over until your nipples were hard and throbbing.” Jake wasn’t right up there with all the current information on body language, but he knew enough. Madison was showing a definite reaction. “Only then would I take you into the warmth of my mouth, tease you with my tongue, draw your nipple deep.”
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Oh yeah, talk was good. He dragged in a shaky breath, noticed Madison do the same as she wiggled in her seat. He mirrored her movement, tried to ignore the tightening of his lower body. Synchronized breathing, blinking and shifting restlessly in the seat means your partner is turned on. Another pearl of wisdom from his little red book. Looks like it didn’t only work for the female of the species. “All the while my hands would glide over your hips, along those incredible legs, as they searched for your heat. And you would be hot, so hot and wet, so ready for me, you’d—” “I need a swim,” Madison gasped. She jumped up from the table and took a running dive right into the deep end of the pool. The water was cold on her heated skin. Maybe it would damp down some of the good old-fashioned lust raging through her body. She stayed underwater as long as possible, before surfacing at the shallow end. Breathing hard, she rested her arms on the side of the pool and laid her head down. It took a major effort to calm the mad beating of her heart. Her nipples still throbbed. Her clit ached, her internal muscles clenching and unclenching. She squeezed her thighs together in reaction. Holy guacamole, Jake was good. She hadn’t felt this turned on since… She’d never felt this hot. It took all her powers of concentration to regain some of her shaken control. Just when she thought she’d done it, she felt a brush on her thigh. Before she had a chance to react, Jake surfaced behind her. Bronzed arms reached around and grasped the edge of the pool, creating a cage from which Madison had no intention of escaping. He nuzzled her neck, just below the sensitive spot behind her ear and she shivered in reaction. “You still hot, sweet Madison?” he whispered. “I think there’s another storm on the way.”
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Madison gasped. There was a storm all right, but she didn’t need to look up into the sky to find it. It was right here inside her. She angled her head back until she rested on Jake’s shoulder. His lips swept down her neck. His tongue swirled about her collarbone, igniting a fresh fire. One that burned away the cool caress of the water. Jake slid one hand across her stomach and pulled her back toward him until she could feel his body pressed against her. She didn’t need to ask if he was as hot as she was. His body spoke volumes, his rigid cock nudging her bottom. Holy guacam…. She couldn’t finish the thought. She was too busy concentrating on the soft brush of Jake’s palm across her breasts. When he slipped his hand under the edge of the deep vee in the front of her swimsuit, a moan escaped her. His palm cupped her breast, molded and shaped it. When he rolled the nipple between thumb and forefinger, Madison thought she would pass out. Nothing had ever felt so good. Fire zapped through her body, driving downward to center between her thighs. Her clit felt swollen, super sensitive against the fabric of her suit. Deep inside her core, an ache started, one that only Jake could soothe. She twisted in his arms until she faced him. She wanted—no, needed—to feel his lips on hers. Emboldened, she snaked her hands up over his shoulders, tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled. Jake didn’t need much urging. His mouth swooped, took possession of her lips in a deep, erotic kiss. Damn, but she tasted great. Strawberryflavored kisses. He pulled her closer, angled her head for better access. She opened to him and he sent his tongue thrusting, searched out all her secrets. His body was a molten mass of feelings, his cock rock-hard. He slid one thigh between her legs, pulling her higher so she was astride him. -62-
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His hips thrust, the action purely involuntary. He broke off the kiss and groaned as she moved on him, pushing her lithe body closer. When she started to ride his thigh, he applied a bit more pressure, rubbing against her cunt. And when she moaned in sexual abandon, the breathy sound came close to ripping away his control. The strap of her swimsuit had slipped off the curve of her shoulder. He nudged it further with his chin, dipped his head and captured one rosy nipple between his lips. Madison arched her back, her body high in the water, her breasts a sweet offering for his hungry mouth. Oh, boy, too much, too soon. He released her breast, seared her lips with another deep kiss and lowered her back into the water. He stood with her pressed tight against him as he tried to regulate the heavy drumming of his heart. He hadn’t meant to take it this far. All he’d wanted to do was tantalize her. Bait the trap, so to speak. Yet here he was, almost on the point of ravishing her. She was so responsive, no way was she frigid. He needed to get out of here before he disgraced himself. An unbidden thought hit him with the force of a sledgehammer. He didn’t want Madison to see him as a paid stud. This woman spoke to something deep inside of him. Something he thought he’d lost. That ideological vision of what true love should be. The type of love his parents had shared. Warm fuzzy emotions as well as red-hot passion. Shaken, he dropped his arms and stepped back a pace. Hell, he’d only just met the woman. Where the fuck had this come from? He realized something. He liked her. No, he really liked her. More than he should, considering he was, in effect, out to use her for his own ends. Time to bail and rethink this whole thing.
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His voice was husky as he said, “I just remembered I have another appointment. I have to go.” Lame, Jake. Madison blinked her eyes and stared at him. It took a moment to gather her scattered wits. “What—” She swallowed hard and tried again. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Her body hummed with unrelieved sexual tension. The breath rasped from her throat, her chest rose and fell in time with her rapid heartbeat. Heat swept across her face as she tugged the strap of her suit up over her shoulder. One hand still rested on Jake’s rock-hard chest. Disappointment washed over her as he moved further from her, breaking the contact and backing up toward the steps of the pool. “Another appointment. I have to go.” An unaccountable shaft of jealousy lodged in Madison’s heart. “Another woman who needs your…special talents, Jake?” Illogical to feel jealous when she was paying for his services. Well, she wasn’t, her mother was, but it amounted to the same thing. “I’ll ring you tomorrow,” he said when he reached the steps. “I’m sorry, Madison.” He turned and dragged himself out of the pool, grabbed his towel and slung it about his hips. “I’ll ring.” Snatching his car keys off the picnic table, he beat a retreat. Madison shook her head and hugged her arms about her body. Despite the humid weather, she shivered. “So what just happened here?” She walked to the side of the pool and sat on the steps. “What did I do wrong?” All the old insecurities landed, fully formed, on her bent head. Lack of confidence as a woman, as a sexual partner, was uppermost in her mind. She cringed as she thought of her behavior with Jake. She must have turned him off with her wanton response. Given the chance, she’d have eaten him whole. And look where it had left her. A bundle of -64-
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seething emotions. A pitiful wreck because her paid stud had dumped her. Then the anger swept in. Anger at herself for being such a weakkneed spineless idiot. But most of all, anger at Jake. Heck of a way to end a date, even if you weren’t having fun. He had been as much a party to that little escapade as she had. After all, she had been married; she didn’t need a manual to tell her when a man was aroused. For crying out loud, his cock had been so hard, it was a wonder it hadn’t snapped off when she’d been gyrating against it. Just wait until he rang again. He had some explaining to do. “How dare he?” She flounced up the steps and strutted into the house, heedless of dripping water all over the floor. Anger was good. It kept the tidal wave of self-pity from totally swamping her.
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CHAPTER 7 Jake was hot. Despite the ceiling fan whirring overhead, his satin boxers clung to his damp skin. He flung the sheet off and rolled onto his side. After a few minutes, he twisted back into his original position, punched his pillow into a more desirable shape, closed his eyes and prayed for sleep. It wouldn’t come. He was wired, his brain wouldn’t switch off. He didn’t need to be too smart to work out why. His behavior with Madison earlier. What an idiot he was. He knew her confidence was skin-deep; he only had to listen to her talk of her marriage to work that one out. Her ex had made her feel as if all their problems had been her fault. Sleep impossible, he struggled from the bed and crossed to the large plate-glass door facing the ocean. He still felt hot as hell. He needed the sea breeze on his face to cool him down. He slid the door open, stepped out onto the patio and made his way over to the low brick wall surrounding the area. Legs up, he perched there, faced the sea and tried to sort out his thoughts. He’d done the unforgivable, deserting Madison like that. He should have explained. “How could I do that without giving myself away?” he muttered to the night sky. Did he owe her an apology? Damn right he did. Did he want to see her again? “Oh, yeah.” Then do something about it, you fucking fool.
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His long legs ate up the distance as he strode back into the bedroom and grabbed for the phone. ad “Hello.” Madison propped herself up, blinked her eyes and tried to gather her thoughts. Who on earth would ring her at—she glanced at the digital clock—ten to twelve at night. “Mom, is that you?” What had her parent got up to now? “It’s Jake.” “Jake? I didn’t expect you to ring me. I thought—” “I know what you thought and that’s why I rang you now, instead of in the morning.” Madison struggled upright, plumped the pillows behind her back. Her heart rate kicked up a beat. The breath caught in her throat. Her earlier anger disappeared. Well, maybe not completely, but enough that she could respond to the husky tone of his voice. “So why did you ring?” “I owe you an apology for leaving you like that. It was crass of me and I’m sorry.” “Did I do something wrong?” She twisted the phone cord round and round one finger. “I know I’m not very good with this whole sex thing and—” “It wasn’t you. I was running scared.” “Huh?” Madison shook her head, at a loss. “Um, I don’t understand.” “I know you don’t and that’s why I rang so late. I need to explain.” “I scared you? How?” He was right. She didn’t understand. “I made a startling discovery today. I realized I wanted to be more than just your paid stud. I wanted to be your friend.”
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There was a moment’s silence and Madison wondered what was coming. A little frisson of excitement swept through her system at Jake’s words. “Okay, I want to be your lover, too,” he continued. “I’ve only known you a few days and already you’re under my skin. It scared the hell out of me so I did what most men do when confronted with their emotions. I ran.” A crazy smile broke across Madison’s face. Crazy because there was no rhyme or reason for the tumult of feelings racing through her blood. She snuggled down among the pillows, the receiver held to her ear. “So there was no other woman waiting for your stud services?” “You’re the only woman in my little black book.” “And I didn’t do anything wrong out there in the pool?” “Hell, no, I get hard just thinking about it. Madison, there is absolutely, positively nothing wrong with you. I touch you and I start to hyperventilate.” She giggled. “Are we going to have some more phone sex?” Jake’s laughter filtered down the line. “Baby, we haven’t even started with the phone sex yet. But no, not tonight. We both need to get a good night’s sleep. Because tomorrow I’m going to pick you up and take you on a tour. After that, we’ll go out to dinner. And the following day we’ll find something else to do.” “Can we make it after lunch?” Madison grimaced as she remembered a previous appointment. “The builder who renovated my cottage will be here in the morning to do a final check. After that I’m free.” “Um…ah…yeah, after lunch is okay. In fact, it works out much better for me, too. I’ll pick you up at two. That give you enough time?”
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“Two o’clock is fine.” How weird. For a moment there, with all his stuttering, he almost sounded like he wanted to rescind the invitation. “Oh, and Jake?” “Hmmm?” “Thank you. I was a bit down about what happened.” “I’ll make it up to you. Now get some sleep and I’ll see you tomorrow.” “Goodnight, Jake,” Madison whispered before she hung up. Her arms about her body, she lay there and focused on the sense of euphoria that filled her, like champagne fizzing through her veins. She was going to see Jake again, and maybe, just maybe, their relationship had a future. Did she want a permanent relationship? She wasn’t sure at this point. She still had a lot of negatives to deal with after her disaster of a marriage. A grin tilted her lips as a thought crossed her mind. She clicked on the bedside light, jumped from the bed, and clad only in her satin nightgown, raced out to the living room. There, on the polished side table, was her makeover plan. She scanned down to the bottom of the page. Man needed for sperm only. The words stood out in bold type. Madison picked up the pencil from the table and dragged a black line through the sentence. Under it, she wrote a new notation. Jake. Possible sperm donor?
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CHAPTER 8 So much for their plans. Madison scowled as she glanced at her watch again. Disappointment shafted through her at the thought that her time with Jake had to be cut short. It couldn’t be helped, but she did need to contact him in case he had other things he wanted to do today. She punched in the cell phone number he’d given her and waited for him to answer. Her heart started to fibrillate the moment she heard him pick up. “Hello.” She grinned. His voice was a husky, sleep-filled drawl. “I woke you.” “Madison?” “Yep, it’s me. I’m sorry to ring so early, but—” “Hey, you can ring me any time you want. I like to hear your voice. Besides, I was just being lazy, lying around in bed.” An imp of mischief took up residence in her head. Did she dare? I’m a vibrant, sexy woman. Her mother’s words, the litany Madison was supposed to live by, jumped into her mind. Why not? This was the new liberated Madison Paxton. She lowered her voice to a sexy whisper. “So what do you wear to bed, Jake?” There was a moment of silence before he chuckled. “You turning the tables on me, sweet Madison?” “Answer the question, super stud.” -70-
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“You really think I’m a stud?” Madison frowned. He sounded unsure of himself, as if he needed his ego stroked. That didn’t sound like the Jake she was beginning to know. That man was self-assured, confident, a man who knew the score, and who certainly knew women. “Jake, for the last ten years, I believed I was frigid. That I couldn’t respond to a man. You have shown me just how wrong Clifton was. I don’t think you need worry.” “Thank you for that vote of confidence. And to answer your question, I’m wearing boxers.” She pushed away the thought that Jake was acting out of character and concentrated on the mental image that surfaced in her mind. Jake, all that bronzed skin, in nothing but a pair of boxers. She lowered her voice. “What are they made of?” “Satin. Scarlet. The color of passion. Soft and silky against my bare flesh.” Madison dragged in a shaky breath. Talk about turning the tables. She’d set out to tease Jake, to flirt with him, but all she’d managed to do was turn herself on. “Although,” he continued, “most of the time I don’t wear anything to bed. Now if you were here with me, we would both be gloriously naked. Flesh to flesh. Your breasts crushed against my chest. And I’d run my hands—” “Stop.” She squirmed on the seat, trying to control the delicious shivers trickling down her body. “I give in. You’re better at this than I am.” “Only with you,” he said, serious undertones to his words despite the laughter running through his voice. “You have no idea how hot you make me.” -71-
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Her ego received a major boost with his comment. She hugged his words to her. For the first time in her life, she actually felt like a sexy, vibrant woman. There was hope for her yet. “Phone sex at eight in the morning.” She laughed. “I’m going up in the world.” “This is just the appetizer. Hold on until we get to the main course.” She couldn’t wait. Amid the rapid beat of her pulse, she fought for a degree of sanity. “What I rang for was to tell you my builder contacted me to say he couldn’t make it this morning. He wants to come over this afternoon. But we can still go out, it’s only a final inspection.” “Ah, no, I couldn’t… I shouldn’t be there at all. He might need your input and I’d just be in the way. How about I pick you up at seven and we go out for dinner?” Disappointment washed over Madison again. She really wanted to spend time with Jake, as much time as she could get. But perhaps he was right. Bart didn’t like to enter a house unless the owner was there. He was a stickler for protocol. “I guess I should be here. Sorry, Jake.” “Hey, don’t worry about it. We’re going to have lots of time to get to know each other. Now, dress up tonight. We’re going up-market.” “Okay, see you at seven.” Madison hung up the phone and wandered into the kitchen. She’d had breakfast earlier. The dishes were washed and the house tidy, in preparation for Bart’s visit. She tapped on the breakfast bar with the tip of her fingernail. How was she going to fill in the day? It had never been a problem to keep occupied before she’d met Jake. Now, she was impatient for the hours to pass so she could see him again. Shit, she was acting like a teenager with her first crush, but she couldn’t help herself. Her body felt on fire just thinking about him.
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Get a grip, Madison. This was ridiculous. She’d go and do some studying. After all, the new semester started in another week and she needed to get her reading up to date. After her marriage had broken up, she’d decided to go back and finish the fashion design course she’d been doing when she’d married Clifton. She had enough money from the divorce settlement that she didn’t need to work to support herself while she studied. Obtaining her degree was like a vindication for the ten wasted years she’d spent with Clifton. With a stern word to herself to get her mind off Jake and onto her studies, she wandered into the small spare bedroom she’d turned into a study. The heavy textbooks sitting on the desk beckoned to her. She sat down, opened the top one and started to read. “Color and texture…” The image of Jake in red satin boxers took over. The words blurred on the page. “Oh…rats,” she muttered. “This is not going to work.” She slammed the book shut, stood up and pushed the chair in under the desk. “I have to find something constructive to do or I’ll go crazy. Maybe I’ll hang those paintings. “ She marched into the laundry where she kept the few tools she owned and grabbed a hammer and the picture hanging kit she’d bought last week. Funny, now she thought of it. She vaguely remembered Bart saying something about coming by to hang the paintings. He must have forgotten. “Probably caught up with Mom.” She grinned. “If I know my mother she’s kept him too busy to think of anything else at all.” Knuckles clenched, she tapped along the bare wall of the living room, listening for the change in sound that would tell her there was a solid beam under the wallboard. When she thought she had the right spot, she marked it with a pencil before she took the little hook from the kit, held it against the wall and tapped gently on the end to start a hole. -73-
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That done, she screwed it in the rest of the way. Positioning the painting of an old English manor over the hook, she fiddled with it until it was straight before standing back to examine it. With a satisfied nod, she moved onto the next wall to repeat the process. The whole time, images of Jake and the coming date infiltrated her mind. ad “Hi, Mom, Bart didn’t say you’d be with him.” Madison bent down and hugged her mother. She dropped a kiss on Rosa’s lacquered, bouffant hairstyle, grimacing at the taste of hairspray. She grinned as Bart hovered close, refusing to release his hold on Rosa’s hand. Just like two teenagers. “Come on in and I’ll put the coffee on.” Bart lifted Rosa up onto one of the high barstools as Madison switched on the coffee machine. He continued to hover beside her, his gaze trained on her every time she so much as moved. It was great to see her mother so happy. Bart was a dear man and perfect for Rosa. He might be sixty-five, but he had the energy of a man half his age. How else would he have been able to keep up with her ditzy mother? It was sweet to see them together, although to the outsider they appeared a mismatched pair. Bart was a big man, broad shouldered and well over six feet, where Rosa was such a tiny thing. Madison pressed her lips together to contain a chuckle at the thought of these two trying for a goodnight kiss. The height difference was almost ludicrous. “Have you guys got plans for today?” She placed a mug of coffee in front of each of them. When Bart sugared her mother’s drink before adding the milk, Madison’s mouth twitched with amusement. She wondered if he was going to hold the cup for her, too. -74-
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Rosa grinned at her daughter. “We have some shopping to do so we can’t stay long.” She flicked a coy look at Bart. “Madison, how would you feel about having a new father? Well, a step-father anyway.” “Are you two getting married?” “Bart has asked me to marry him. Do you mind me putting someone else in your father’s place?” “I’ll look after your mom, Madison. You don’t need to worry about that.” Madison moved around to the far side of the breakfast bar and hugged her mother and dropped a light kiss on Bart’s cheek. “I know you will, Bart, and I think it’s great. Dad was gone by the time I was ten and my earlier memories of him aren’t so terrific.” She grinned at Rosa. “I’m glad you found someone who could make you happy, Mom.” “Oh, he does that.” Rosa chuckled as she reached out and grasped Bart’s hand. “Anyone who can put up with my crazy antics has to be perfect. Why, he’s even agreed to go back to that sleazy motel and play John Wayne for me.” “Too much information.” Madison tried not to laugh. “So when is this momentous event going to take place?” “We’re going shopping for an engagement ring today.” Rosa held out her left hand and waved it about. “Mother, how on earth are you going to fit another ring on that hand?” Madison could no longer control it. She started to laugh. Every finger, even the thumbs, of her mother’s hands sported at least two glittering rings. She couldn’t ever remember seeing her mother without her overabundance of costume jewelry. “Oh, these aren’t necessary.” Rosa cast a beaming glance at her new fiancé. “The only ring I’ll wear from now on is Bart’s. At least on this
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hand.” She wiggled the fingers of her left hand at Bart before she faced her daughter again. “So when are you free?” “Free?” Madison shook her head. “Sorry, you’ve lost me there.” “Bart’s son is home for extended leave. We haven’t told him yet. Bart is going to do that tonight. We thought we’d all get together and go out for dinner, get to know each other. After all, we’re going to be a family now.” “I’d like that. Just let me know when so I can clear my diary.” “Big social life, eh, Madison?” Bart said, his hands lingering on Rosa’s shoulders in a light caress. “A new social life,” she corrected, her mind immediately going off at a tangent. Thoughts of Jake filled her head. As she watched the interaction between the older couple, she realized she wanted the same. She didn’t just want a baby by the time she was thirty. She hungered for the whole lot—a cozy home, a husband who loved her to distraction, a child an extension of that love—but only with Jake. She mentally pulled herself up. Hang on there, when had that happened? After Clifton, the mere thought should have scared the life out of her, but somehow it didn’t. It left her with a warm, squishy sensation deep inside. But what about Jake? How did he feel? Maybe she could convince him to give up the stud business and all those other women and concentrate only on her. “Looks like you found the right stud,” Bart said as he looked around the living room. “Huh?” His words dragged her out of her daydream. “What—” “See you’ve got your paintings up. Most important to find the stud to hang them off. Can’t get into any trouble then.” For a moment, Madison had forgotten the beams behind the wallboards were called studs. “Oh, yeah, I found the right stud.” She -76-
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grinned, enjoying her private joke. She turned to help her mother down off the barstool. “Bart, do you mind if I borrow Mom for a moment? I need some advice.” “Girlie stuff, eh?” Bart laughed. “No, you two ladies go right ahead. I’ll get on with the inspection.” Rosa grasped Madison’s hand and dragged her off to the bedroom, closing the door on the rest of the cottage. She perched herself on the bed, legs tucked up under her as she faced her daughter. “Come on, baby girl, give me all the dirty details.” “Mom, you’re incorrigible.” Madison chuckled as she hugged her mother. “Don’t ever change, will you?” “Yeah, I love you too, sweetie,” Rosa said, returning the hug. “But let’s get down to the nitty gritty. I thought you were going to swallow your tongue when Bart asked about your stud.” Madison couldn’t help but laugh at her mother’s avid expression. “Yeah, it took me a moment to work out what he was on about. And as far as my stud goes, I have no intention of telling you all the details.” She lay back on the bed and lifted her hands above her head, stretching like a contented cat. “Suffice it to say, I don’t think I’m frigid.” “Told you so,” Rosa crowed. “Clifton was just selfish in bed, more interested in his own satisfaction than yours. So have you done it yet?” “Mother.” Madison sat up and laughed. “I’m not going into that, but I do want your advice. We’re going out to dinner tonight, somewhere flash. Help me choose a dress. Something that will knock his socks off.” “Oh, that’s easy.” Rosa headed for the built-in wardrobe. She disappeared inside and when she re-emerged, she clutched a coat hanger from which a black dress hung. “What about this one? I knew it was perfect when I bought it for you, but you’ve never worn it.”
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Madison took the dress from her mother and posed in front of the mirror, the garment held in front of her. The fabric was soft and slinky, a shiny black, the hem brushing the floor. She’d have to wear her new high heels. Something Clifton would never have allowed her to do. “Try it on, baby girl.” Madison slipped off her light summer shift, pulled the black dress over her head and held still while her mother zipped it up. She stared at her image in the mirror. The gown clung like a second skin. Her pale pink bra straps showed where the top cut away over her shoulders, and she could see a definite panty line when she twisted her body,. The split in the left side of the dress ended at the top of her thigh. “Too much, you think?” She watched the split separate every time she moved. “Never. It’s perfect for a fancy dinner and it’s sure to turn any guy on.” Rosa tilted her head on the side. “Mind you, you need to get rid of the pink underwear. Why not wear the new black set I bought you? The bra won’t show and the thong will get rid of that panty line. With sheer black stockings and high heels, it will look great.” “Hey, you girls about finished in there?” Bart called from beyond the closed door. “I need to check the bathroom.” “Give us a few minutes, sweetie.” Rosa raised her voice to answer him as Madison stripped the dress off. She waited until Madison was suitably dressed before opening the door. “Now don’t be long, sweetie pie,” she said, reaching up on tiptoes to pat Bart on the cheek. “We have to hit the shops yet.” Madison wandered out into the living room, her mother by her side. “You reckon I can bring my stud to dinner when we all get together?” Rosa frowned. “No, I think we’d better keep this to family only. Bart’s been on his own a long time. We don’t know how the son is going to take -78-
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it yet. I understand from Bart he’s just come out of a disastrous relationship, doesn’t think much of women at the moment.” “But surely that won’t make him any less happy his father’s found love?” “Well, he’s a lawyer, does divorce and family law or something. Sees lots of broken marriages. Maybe he’s a bit jaded, and what if he doesn’t like me? I can be a bit strange at times.” “Mother, how could anyone fail to love you?” Madison placed her arm about Rosa’s shoulder. “You’re perfect in every way.” Just then, Bart entered the living room. She dropped her voice to a whisper. “And don’t worry, I won’t bring my stud to dinner. At least, not yet.” “There’s another thing,” Rosa whispered in turn. “Just remember, he’s a paid stud. Don’t you go and build dreams on him. I want you educated, not hurt. Reminds me, I haven’t had a bill from that stud service yet.” Bart moved closer and Rosa quickly changed the subject. “So are we ready to go, sweetie?” “All done. Let’s get at those shops.” Bart took Rosa’s hand and walked toward the front door. “Oh, before I go.” Rosa dug into her large handbag. “I’ve bought you another present. If you’re lucky you might need it tonight.” She handed the package to Madison before waving a cheery goodbye. Madison stood in the doorway and watched the car drive off before opening her mother’s latest gift. “Okay, Mom, what now?” She leaned up against the doorframe and laughed. “I don’t believe it. A box of condoms. Twenty-four of the little suckers. Wow.”
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CHAPTER 9 It took Jake three attempts to get his credit card out of his wallet. He fumbled and dropped it on the floor before he could hand it to the woman behind the counter of the fancy restaurant he’d chosen for his romantic dinner with Madison. He was all fingers and thumbs, his equilibrium thrown by the vision beside him. He couldn’t remember being this flustered on a date. Hell, he felt like a teenager on his first foray into the world of romance. And romance was the right word. This went way beyond a simple exercise in sexual education. Madison’s education, that is, but he had a feeling he was learning some valuable lessons as well. Number one being he wanted this to be more than a chance encounter built on deception. From the little he knew about Madison’s history with her exhusband, he figured she wasn’t going to be too happy he’d lied to her. What person would, man or woman? He’d wanted to tell her the truth over dinner, but it wasn’t the time or place. Besides, he’d been enjoying her company so much. Coming clean would have spoiled things, but he knew he couldn’t delay much longer. Just long enough for her to be interested in him as a man, a potential partner, and not just a paid stud. “Excuse me, sir.” “Sorry?” He dragged his gaze away from the oh-so-high split in Madison’s dress and focused on the woman behind the counter. “Oh, right.” He felt like a fool as he grabbed the pen she held out to him and -80-
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scrawled his name across the bottom of the credit card printout. He tried to ignore the knowing grin on her face as he retrieved his copy and stuffed it into his pocket. “Let’s go,” he whispered to Madison, his hand on the small of her back to guide her out of the restaurant. He walked her up the street to where he’d parked the car. Heat slid through the fine fabric of her dress and branded his palm. He fumbled twice before he could get the key into the lock and open the car door. Madison slide into the low-slung sports car and he caught a glimpse of thigh clad in dark stockings. His pulse accelerated and a fire ignited low in his gut. Heat streaked south and his cock hardened, pushing against the front of his trousers. Tension tightened every nerve in his body and the blood pounded through his veins. As she settled herself deeper into the seat, the dress parted even more and he finally had the answer to the question that had nagged at him all night. Panty hose. Not stockings and garters as he’d hoped. He hadn’t though so. The fall of her dress was smooth, no visible lines to speak of. Did that mean the panty hose was all she had on? Bloody hell, Jake, now you really are acting like a randy teenager on his first date. He took himself to task, silently telling his libido to stand down. His breathing raspy, he bent down to lift the hem of her dress into the car and started to close the door. A thought hit him and suddenly he paused. “Damn.” “What’s the problem?” Madison frowned up at him. “I forgot to pick up my credit card when I paid the tab.” He felt like a blithering idiot. His head was so full of pictures of what Madison was or was not wearing under that sexy dress, it had driven everything else out of his mind. “Lock yourself in. I’ll dive back to the restaurant and grab -81-
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it.” He couldn’t help himself; he just had to touch. He ran his finger down over the curve of her cheek. “Won’t be a moment.” Madison locked the car door, a delighted shiver feathering across her arms. The skin on her face felt highly sensitized where Jake had touched. “Oh, Mother, when you’re right, you’re right. This dress is dynamite.” She chuckled as she remembered the look on Jake’s face when she’d walked out to meet him. Talk about a boost to a girl’s ego. Shame about the shoes though. She should have known better than to wear her new high-heeled sandals without breaking them in first. Her feet hurt like the devil. She stretched her legs out as much as the limited space would allow. When the toe of her shoe connected with something on the floor, she frowned and bent forward to scrabble around in the semi-darkened interior until she found the object. Jake’s sunglasses. They must have fallen off the center console. She laid them among the welter of old receipts, the stray screwdriver and loose screws that cluttered up the little compartment, only to have them slide off again. With a shrug, she picked them up and decided to put them in the glove box in the dash. The first thing that caught her eye was the dating techniques book Jake had dropped on the beach. A trill of laughter bubbled up. The man didn’t need any help. He was doing fine on his own, thank you very much. As she placed the sunglasses in the glove box, she glanced at the spine of the second book thrown haphazardly into the compartment. Her eyes widened and she twisted her head to one side to read it again. Just to make certain she had it right. The How-to of Female Orgasm. Oh, my. The man believed in doing his research. I wonder if he puts this much time in on his other clients?
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An unaccountable arrow of jealousy speared through her heart at the thought of Jake with another woman. She knew it was unreasonable— after all, it was his job—but she wished things could be different. She was tired of sharing. Clifton had forced that on her for the better part of ten years. If only this was a real relationship. Come on, Madison, Jake could have his pick of any woman in town. Why would he want you? Although…maybe if she educated herself, knew more about what a man wanted in a woman… With a quick glance through the window to check Jake wasn’t in sight, she grabbed the book out of the glove box. Opening it at the back, she let the pages flick through her fingers, although she had to tilt the book up to read it in the glow from the illuminated shop windows. There are two kinds of clitoral stimulation: manual and lingual. The words caught at her imagination. Madison jammed her hand on the page and glanced at the chapter heading. Oral Sex. Heat arrowed down her belly to center between her legs. She quickly skimmed over a few more paragraphs, visions of the two of them on her massive bed and Jake… Oh, wow. She cut the thought off before she really got herself into trouble. Her hands shook and the breath caught in her throat as she allowed the pages to slide through her fingers. Another chapter heading caught her eye. The G Spot. She’d heard about it. She’d read about it, but she didn’t have the faintest idea where it was. A glance over her shoulder toward the restaurant told her time had run out. Jake strode purposefully down the footpath toward the car. Yikes. How embarrassing to get caught reading his research material. She slammed the book shut and started to replace it in the glove -83-
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compartment. Then she paused. Would Jake miss it if she appropriated it? Just for a little while? She could replace it on their next date. Surely she was smart enough to get him away from the car long enough to hide it back in the glove box? She had to make a decision now. Jake was almost at the car. She slammed the glove box closed and bent down to fumble for her handbag. It wasn’t a big bag, more an evening purse, but she pushed the book inside, removing her house keys so she wouldn’t give herself away when they got back to her place. It was a snug fit, but she managed it. Closing the bag was a different matter. She heard the keys twist in the lock on the driver’s door as she struggled with the clasp. Jake folded his tall frame behind the steering wheel, glancing across at her with a frown. “Are you all right? Did you drop something on the floor?” He reached to turn on the interior light on the dash. Madison reacted quickly, placing her hand over his before he could flick on the light. “No, it’s okay. My feet are killing me. New shoes. Do you mind if I take them off?” Jake chuckled. “Be my guest. New shoes can be the pits until you break them in.” She bent down, unbuckled the straps of her sandals and kicked them off. While she was head down, she gently eased her handbag closed in order to hide the results of her petty pilfering. She could feel the flush of heat staining her face with embarrassment. And something else. The words lingual stimulation reverberated inside her head. Erotic pictures caught at her mind, threatened to drive her body temperature even higher. As she sat up again and reached for her seat belt, she could only pray Jake would think her red face—oh, she was pretty sure it was
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red, sexual titillation will do that every time—was a result of bending over to undo her shoes. “You about ready to blast off?” He turned the ignition on and gunned the engine of the little red sports car. Madison’s reply was breathy and heart-felt. “Oh, yes, please.”
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CHAPTER 10 Jake drew the car to a halt in front of Madison’s little cottage. Cutting the engine, he turned to face her. “So, did you enjoy the evening?” Madison released the seat belt and twisted sideways to look at him. “It was great. It does a girl good to dress up now and then. I haven’t been out much since I moved here.” The words were enthusiastic, but the tone sounded a bit off. Shit, maybe his dating technique was so damned old-fashioned he’d made a lousy impression, despite her comments to the contrary. And just maybe Courtney was right. He was boring. There was only one way to find out. Ask her and hoped she had the decency to tell him the truth. “Is there a problem, Madison? I’m sorry if you didn’t have a good time tonight.” “Um…no, I, ah, I really did enjoy the evening. You were great company, the perfect date.” She looked nervous, twisting her hands together in her lap. She opened her mouth and then closed it again, as if she wanted to tell him something, but didn’t know how to do it. “Are you sure nothing is wrong?” “Ah…it’s just…well, I know my mother is picking up the tab for your services, but what about expenses?” She held her hand out to him for a moment before letting it drop back into her lap. “Um…the dinner, Jake.
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You’ll have to let me know how much it cost so I can write a check for you.” Jake stared at her for a minute before he found his voice. “Madison, what are you talking about?” “Well, I’m not…I don’t know the rules for dating a stud. I assumed I had to pay all expenses.” “When I take a woman on a date, I sure as hell don’t hand her a bill at the end of the evening.” Anger whipped through Jake at the mere thought. What the fuck did Madison think he was? Oh yeah, right, a paid stud. How the heck was he supposed to correct her without giving away the fact he’d lied to her? “But isn’t that standard practice for stud services?” She frowned. “I guess it goes on the bill to my mother. I’ll have to ask her how much it was so I can fix her up.” Jake felt his pulse speed up at the thought of her talking to her mother about this. The moment she did, the game was up. She’d know he’d lied. He needed more time. Time for her to learn to appreciate him in her life. Without the taint of being a paid escort. “There won’t be any bill for your mother, or you, to worry about.” Madison frowned. “What do you mean?” “I won’t be sending your mother any bills. Now or in the future.” He reached across the center console and placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’m not doing this for money. I don’t need to be paid to spend time with you. There will be no charge. I just want to help you.” God, that sounded so crass. He tried again. “I like you, Madison. I want to spend time with you. Who knows where it will lead, but I think it’s important to find out.” Madison narrowed her eyes and stared at him. “I don’t want your pity, Jake. Just because I’m hopeless when it comes to sex—” -87-
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Jake tightened his grip on her shoulders and pulled her close. He swooped in, ground his mouth down on hers. The moment his lips met hers, the anger evaporated and he submerged himself in the taste of her. He gentled the kiss, running the tip of his tongue along her mouth. When she let him in, he almost groaned out loud. She might think she was a novice in the bedroom, but she sure knew how to kiss. Lust hit him, like a fist to the gut. She sent her tongue on a quest, teased him, tantalized him, nearly drove him crazy. God help him, he was drowning. He drew back from the kiss, looked down at her and struggled to catch his breath. His voice was a husky croak as he said, “Does that feel like pity to you?” Madison let her head fall forward to rest on Jake’s shoulder. She released her breath on a deep sigh, struggling to calm the loud thump of her heart. It was an effort to force her fingers to uncurl where she had a death-grip on the fabric of Jake’s shirt. When had she done that? With her palm now flattened on his chest, she could feel the beat of his heart as it marched in time with her own. “Are you all right?” he whispered. “Oh, yeah.” She racked her brain for something else to say. “Oh, boy.” Jake chuckled. “Oh, boy is about right. You pack quite a punch, Ms. Paxton.” He closed his arms about her and tried to pull her closer. “Um, there is one thing, Jake.” Madison struggled to make her voice sound normal. “Hmm, what’s that?” Jake nuzzled at the soft skin below her ear. “There’s something hard poking at me.” She stared down at the hard bulge pulling Jake’s trousers tight across his lower body. She didn’t need to ask how Jake was feeling. His body told her all she needed to know. Moonlight slanted in through the -88-
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windscreen, giving her a glimpse of the flush of red that stained Jake’s face. Good gracious, she’d embarrassed the man, and him an experienced stud. Madison pulled back from him, a grin curving her lips. “The gear stick. It’s digging into my stomach.” There was a moment of silence before Jake burst out laughing, the sound filling the interior of the vehicle and making Madison laugh right along with him. It helped to defuse the tension in the pit of her stomach. “Ah, Madison, you’re good for me,” Jake said as he reached out for her again. “Turn round and lift your legs up onto the seat.” With a frown, she did as he asked. What was he up to now? A squeal escaped her as he grasped her under the arms, lifted her over the gear stick and settled her on his lap. Her legs stretched over the center console, her black dress parted and flashed the length of her thigh. She tried to twitch the fabric back over her legs and then gave up. An exercise in futility, the material caught up underneath her. All her squirming around just made her more conscious of the hard, muscled thighs under her ass. And something else. Jake might be employed as a stud, he might do this for a living, but he was just as turned on as she’d been by that kiss. The evidence was irrefutable and growing by the minute. “I can’t believe it,” Jake said as he pulled Madison close to his chest. “Thirty-nine years old and here I am necking in the front of a sports car like a kid.” “So are we going to neck?” Madison slid her arms up and maneuvered his head down toward her. “You bet.” He lowered his head and proceeded to drop soft kisses along her cheekbone. “All education should start at the beginning. You
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said you’d missed out on the fun of dating when you got married so young. This is your first lesson in teenage relationships.” “Oh, I do like school.” As Jake continued to cover her face with kisses, the breath caught in her throat. When he took the lobe of her ear between his teeth, she shivered. He swirled his tongue around the furled edge, dragging a gasp from her. She hadn’t realized his kissing her ear could be such a turn-on. She twisted in his lap, trying to get closer. When he tilted her head up and trailed his hot mouth along her jaw, sensation wrapped about her. The faint, woodsy scent of his aftershave teased her senses, made her want more. Much more. Impatient now for the touch of his mouth on hers, she tugged at his hair. Jake needed no further urging. His lips branded her, his tongue lapped at the corner of her mouth. Madison opened her mouth and welcomed the thrust and parry of his tongue, met him with equal fervor. He tasted of the brandy they’d finished the meal off with. And so much more. Sin, dark and sweet. It fired her blood, caused a spiral of tension to coil deep in her belly. Her clit throbbed, the little thong she was wearing useless against the dampness between her thighs. For the first time in her life, she wanted to grab a man, rip his clothes off and devour him inch by inch. When Jake pulled away, Madison couldn’t help the groan of disappointment that feathered across her lips. He moved her so she lay over one arm and brushed his fingers against the underside of her breast. Now she moaned for an entirely different reason. Need slammed into her, making the breath catch in her throat. She arched her neck, offering herself up to him, whimpering because he wouldn’t move fast enough. Just the soft caress of his fingers when she wanted him to grasp her breast, tweak her throbbing nipple. -90-
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“See how responsive your body is, Madison? We don’t need a bed for you to learn there’s nothing wrong with you. All the problems lay with your husband.” “Ex.” she managed around the lump lodged in her throat. She lost the ability to speak as he feathered a string of kisses down her neck until he could nibble at the pulse that beat out a mad tattoo at the base of her throat. “Do you like the feel of that, sweet Madison?” he whispered against her heated skin. “Oh, my.” It was the only thing she could think of to say. Jake moved his hand to clasp her breast through the slinky fabric of her dress and the breath gusted from her lungs. “And how about this?” He took the weight of her breast into his hand, ran his thumb over the turgid peak. She gasped and her whole body shuddered as a surge of sensation swept through her. Jake’s head dipped lower, his mouth nudged at her breast. He took her nipple, dress and all, between his teeth and she thought she’d pass out at the overload of emotions that assaulted her. Heat streaked down her body, coalescing into a raging inferno in her core. She cried out, her breathing choppy and labored, “Jake, I can’t—” “Oh, yes, you can, Madison. This is only the appetizer.” He sat her up and ran one hand down her back while the other continued to caress her breast. “You know what I’ve been thinking about all night?” It took a moment for her to gather her thoughts. Her brain had turned to mush. “What’s that?” “I’ve dreamt about that black underwear your mother bought for you. All night it’s driven me crazy wondering if that’s what you’ve got on under this sexy dress.” -91-
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On a surge of daring confidence, Madison leaned forward. Her voice was husky as she said, “Why don’t you find out for yourself?” She shivered when she felt his fingers at the back of her neck and heard the rasp as he lowered the zip. When the fabric gaped, his fingers ran down over the ridge of her spine, generating a fire that made her squirm in his lap. The feel of his hard cock beneath her ass just increased her excitement. She couldn’t believe how forward she was being. Somehow, Jake made it easy. It had never been like this with Clifton. When Jake pressed her back and lowered the front of her dress to expose her breasts, all thoughts of her ex-husband were driven from her mind. “Lord, I’ve died and gone to Heaven,” he whispered. For a moment, Madison wanted to cross her arms over her chest and hide herself from his view. She glanced down to see her torso gilded by moonlight, the sight taking on an erotic overtone. Her bra was black as the night sky, but as sheer as gossamer. With every rapid breath she took, her nipples played peek-a-boo with the lace trim along the abbreviated cup. One look at Jake’s face made the blood race through her veins. His face was etched with hunger, sexual hunger, hunger for her. Greatly daring, she cupped her breasts, sliding her thumbs over the pebbled nipples. “You like what you see, Jake?” In answer, he bent his head and ran the tip of his tongue along the edge of her bra, nudging the lace aside. He took the hardened crest into his mouth and suckled. Madison jerked in response. With each pull of his mouth, soft breathy moans trembled on her lips. She was totally compliant when he moved his hand behind her, unclipped the bra and slid it off her shoulders.
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“Jake,” Madison whispered just moments before he captured her lips in another deep kiss. She needed no urging this time. She opened her mouth, her tongue darting forward to tangle with his. Another moan escaped her as she felt his wild caresses on her breasts. And when he pushed her dress down and his fingers glided across her stomach, her muscles clenched and her body arched. A fit of trembling attacked her when Jake slid his hand down her silk-clad leg, before reversing the direction to brush at the inside of her thigh. She tried to catch her breath, but the sensations were too intense. So much fire. A conflagration that swept through her blood and threatened to overtake her. For a moment, she felt lost, tossed adrift in a wild sea of emotion. The tension inside her tightened as Jake took advantage of the split in her dress and skimmed his fingers along the elastic at the top of her underwear. When he flattened his hand over the triangle of sheer material at the front of the little black thong, she held her breath, waiting for his next move. Shivers feathered up and down her spine. Goosebumps broke out on her arms. The anticipation built to such tremendous proportions she thought she might pass out. Please God, don’t let him stop. Her body took over, her hips lifted, sought his touch. She wanted more. So much more. “Is this what you want, sweet Madison?” Jake’s husky voice cut through the fire inside her and lodged in her mind, but before she could respond, he moved his hand down to cup the heat of her. Madison cried out, her body trembling as she fought to ease the ache between her legs. It wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough. “The panty hose, Jake.” She had to struggle to form the words. Her mind was too focused on her body and its needs. On the throb of her clit, the pulsing deep in her core. “Take—” -93-
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“I thought you’d never ask,” he said as he slid his hand up to the band of her panty hose. Madison wriggled on his lap, stretched her body out further and lifted her hips to make it easier for him. Her foot connected with the door of the car and she started to giggle, the tension broken for the moment by the incongruity of the situation. “I’m sorry,” she gasped. “I shouldn’t laugh.” He stripped the panty hose away and dropped them on the floor before he trailed his hand up the inside of her leg again. “Why not? Sex doesn’t have to be all serious and quiet, hidden behind the bedroom door.” He grinned. “Of course, the front seat of a convertible is perhaps not the ideal place for making out.” She sucked in a shaky breath as he traced his fingers along the edge of her tiny thong, across her lower stomach and down between her thighs. She parted her legs, allowing him free access. Her body took on a mind of its own, her hips thrusting to catch the movement of his hand. The pressure inside started to build again as Jake inserted his fingers under the elastic of her panties. Her breathing grew ragged and she was sure her heart would jump right out of her chest. She could feel Jake’s heart beat right along with her own. Hard and fast. Could feel his rigid erection beneath her ass. Heard him gasp as she rubbed against him. Jake gritted his teeth and tried to slow the pace, but Madison wasn’t having any of it. She squirmed in his lap, her breath a series of needy little sobs that made the blood rush through his veins. One hand clutched at his shoulder, the points of her nails digging in. Her hips rose and fell as she tried to meet his hand and he was more than happy to oblige her.
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He pulled her closer so her breasts were crushed against his chest. He would have liked to have taken off his shirt so he could feel her skin against his, but this night was for her, to show her she wasn’t frigid. His fingers shook as he skimmed his hand across her bottom, bare but for the thong. Hooking the elastic of her panties, he pulled them down. Madison, more than willing, raised her hips again. Moonlight glinted on the fair curls at the juncture of her thighs. He traced around the triangle before he feathered his fingers over the delicate folds of flesh, parting her to find the sensitive little nub of her clit. Now she was open to his view, a feast for the senses. Every stroke of his hand generated a response. How the hell could that idiot she married think she was frigid? Then rational thought receded and he gave himself over to making this special for Madison. “I want—” She was hot and wet when he slid two fingers just inside her pussy. Madison gasped and moved her hips, pushing herself against his hand. He withdrew and thrust again, deeper this time. Madison took up the rhythm, raising and lowering her body to meet his movement. God, he couldn’t believe how wet she was, the musky scent filling the interior of the vehicle. Jake struggled for control, his cock throbbing and his balls tightening with need. “Does this make you feel good?” He added a third finger, stretching her, feeling the creamy dampness on his fingers. Madison tilted her hips to meet his next thrust. When he removed his hand, she cried out as if in frustration, only to gasp when he thrust deep again. Jake groaned at the sight before him. Madison, totally exposed to him. Fucking hell, what a turn-on, to watch this woman take her pleasure. He wet his thumb in her moisture and rubbed it over her -95-
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engorged clit, his bottom lip clamped between his teeth as he fought to hang on to his own need. Madison clamped her thighs about his hand and rode him faster. He thrust harder, deeper. Carried her along on the ride to sexual gratification. Her movements grew more frenzied, her hips lifted higher. She grasped his hand, pulling him in. Her head was thrown back, her breathing a series of harsh sobs. Then, deep inside her, he felt the first ripples of her orgasm. He captured her mouth, the thrust of his tongue mimicking the plunge of his fingers. Her body suddenly arched like a bow. She pulled her head back and cried out, calling his name. One final thrust and she shattered in his arms. Madison gasped for breath, trying to hold back the tide, but the force of the spasms sweeping through her allowed her no respite. Her only anchor in a world of molten heat, of heart-stopping emotions, was Jake. As everything flipped out of control, she clutched at his shirt, tears of astonishment wetting the fine fabric. She squeezed her eyes shut, wanting to hang on to the feelings that coursed through her. Her heart pounded. Pinpoints of fire ignited all over her body, sensitizing nerve endings. For this moment in time, there was only the two of them. As Jake brushed the hair back from her face, she struggled to even out her breathing. It seemed to take forever. Her skin was dewed with perspiration. A faint breeze wafted in through the open window of the car and pebbled her heated flesh. Jake tilted her head back and she opened her eyes and stared at him. “Are you all right?” He ran his hand down over her cheek, circling her lips with the tip of his finger. It was all she could do to nod at him. She felt boneless, replete. As if she’d run a race. And won it. She should have been embarrassed, -96-
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wearing nothing but a rumpled black dress twisted about her middle, but she wasn’t. She felt—it took a moment for her to find the right words amid the confusion of her brain—beautiful. Feminine. A desirable woman. “Talk to me, Madison.” She was unable to contain the grin that spread across her face. “Holy guacamole. Whoopty-do.”
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CHAPTER 11 “You haven’t heard one word I’ve said, have you?” Madison jumped as Rosa reached across the breakfast bar and slapped her on the arm. Not hard, but enough to drag her away from the delicious thoughts filling her mind. “Sorry, Mom. What did you say?” With a shake of her head, she tried to focus. For the life of her, she couldn’t wipe the grin from her face. It had been a permanent fixture for the last two weeks. She couldn’t believe how much she’d enjoyed being with Jake. He’d taken her at her word and introduced her to the fun of dating. All the things she should have participated in at college, but didn’t because she was already hooked up with Clifton. So what if they were acting like teenagers? They had been the only adults on the ice at the local rink, but it didn’t matter. It had been cool to act like a kid for a while, even if they did spend more time on their asses instead of their skates. Among other things, Jake had taken her to the local café and they’d sat and slurped sodas through straws. They’d held hands and whispered nonsensical things to each other just like college sweethearts. The café had now become their favorite haunt. Between going out to dinner like sophisticated adults, and clowning around like a couple of juveniles, Madison had had a ball. And then there were the stolen kisses and all the necking in Jake’s car… Hoh boy,
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talk about upping the sexual tension. Madison felt like she was about to explode. “I knew you weren’t listening.” Rosa slammed her hand down on the counter top, making Madison jump. “I came over here to ask you to go shopping with me for a wedding outfit. Seems the only way I can get hold of you these days is to show up here before you’ve had a chance to get out of bed. What have you been doing with yourself?” Her grin widened. “I took your advice.” “My advice?” Rosa frowned, then a matching grin slid across her face. “No wonder I haven’t been able to contact you. You’ve been having hot rabbity sex with your mystery stud.” “Not quite.” Madison’s thoughts wandered off track again. Erotic pictures formed inside her head. She and Jake cuddled up inside the little red convertible. Amazing what the human body was capable of, even in a confined space. “Hey, baby girl, come back to me. You’ve disappeared again.” Rosa tapped at Madison’s arm with the tip of her red-painted fingernail, the profusion of bracelets on her wrist a musical jingle. “So have you?” “Have I what?” She grinned. She knew her mother was after all the juicy details, but she wasn’t about to spill the beans. Some things a mother didn’t need to know, no matter how broad-minded she was. Rosa released a frustrated sigh. “Have you fucked him yet?” “Motheerrr. What will Bart think when he knows he’s marrying a potty mouth?” “You let me deal with Bart. Haven’t you realized yet it turns men on when you talk dirty? They find it hot.” She licked the tip of one finger and held it up, hissing in an effort to imitate sizzling steam on a hotplate. “Anyway, enough of me. Have you got down and dirty with the resident stud?” She watched the blush spread over Madison’s face and -99-
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burst into delighted laughter. “Hah, you have. I can see the answer on your face. Come on, baby girl, tell your dear old Mom all about it.” “We haven’t…you know, gone all the way.” She started to chuckle. “Good grief, what a juvenile saying, and me nearly thirty.” She held up her hand as her mother opened her mouth to comment. “I’m not going to give you all the details, but there is one thing I’ll say.” “And what’s that?” “This little chicken ain’t frigid.” “Told you so. It was all Clifton’s fault. So your stud has come through for you. Well, good for him.” A frown wrinkled the pancake makeup on her forehead. “So if it’s gone this far, how come you haven’t done it yet? What are you waiting for?” “He wanted to give me time, but you know something? My insides are turning to Jell-O while I wait. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy all the…foreplay, but the tension is driving me crazy. When I should be studying, all I can think of is rolling in the sack with my sexy stud.” “Smart man.” Rosa chuckled. “But why wait for him? There’s nothing wrong with a woman putting the hard word on a guy. Jump his bones, baby girl. Show him what the Paxton women are made of.” Madison had an immediate picture of Jake, sexy and naked, on scarlet satin sheets, the lights dimmed, soft music playing. She’d dipped into the book she’d purloined from Jake’s car. The scenario had been laid out in vivid detail. It had made her wet just reading it. As she remembered, her pulse rate increased and heat drove through her body, making her shift restlessly on the stool. Could she do it? Was she woman enough to vamp Jake? Darn right she was.
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She was tired of going through each day with the tension inside her at fever pitch. It was time Jake put his money where his mouth was. Or his mouth where she wanted it. And tonight was the night. She couldn’t wait any longer. “Strange,” Rosa said, “I haven’t had a bill yet.” “Sorry?” Madison shook her head in an effort to dislodge the lascivious images from her mind. “The bill. I’ll have to track down the advert and give the company a ring to find out what happened.” Madison sat up straighter on the barstool. “Ah, you don’t have to do that. There isn’t going to be a bill.” “What do you mean, no bill? No one hands out their services for free these days.” “The man likes me, Mom. I mean he really likes me. This is not a job. This is…there’s every likelihood this could end up a steady relationship.” “But he’s just a hired body. You can’t fall—” “Yep, I can.” Madison could see the worry etched on her mother’s face, and she understood where it was coming from, but Rosa didn’t know Jake. He was special. In the few short weeks she’d known him, he had broken through the barriers she’d erected about her heart when Clifton had betrayed her. Now she couldn’t imagine life without him. “You’ll like him.” She shivered as a surge of sexual excitement whizzed through her body. “He makes me laugh. He treats me like a princess. No, like a desirable woman, a woman he wants to be with. This is not a job to him, that’s why there’s no charge.” Rosa jumped down from the barstool and moved around to face her daughter. “Are you crazy, baby girl? How can you get emotionally involved with someone who screws for money? You need to think about -101-
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this. I don’t want to see you hurt again. I thought this was all about you being pregnant before your birthday?” Madison bent down and dropped a kiss on her mother’s cheek. “Don’t worry so much. I’ve gone into this with my eyes wide open. Who knows? I might be lucky and end up with a ring on my finger before I get pregnant.” She shrugged. “We’ll have to wait and see.” “Just don’t get your hopes up too high. I don’t want you unhappy again.” Rosa turned on her fierce mama look. “I’ll have to meet this guy and check him out.” “Soon, Mom.” But not yet. The relationship was too new to share. “Now what about you? How about we get your relationship sorted out first? What date have you set for the wedding?” “In three weeks time, the weekend of your birthday. Your birth was the most important event in my life so I thought we’d use the same day. I’ll have two special things to celebrate every October.” Rosa grinned. Then the grin quickly turned into a frown. “But if I don’t get you and Bart’s son together for that family dinner, the wedding will be here before you even meet. It’s not good enough, Madison. After all, you’re going to be brother and sister come October.” “Sorry.” She gave her mother a sheepish grin. “I know I’ve been busy, but you set the date and I’ll make certain I’m there for it.” “Saturday night. Eight o’clock. At the Golden Dragon Restaurant on Chifley Street.” She glared at her daughter. “And don’t cancel on me like you did last week.” “I promise.” She held up her hand to stop any further recriminations. She really did feel bad about opting out of last week’s dinner, but Jake had put their names down to go on a night charter on one of the tourist vessels that sailed up and down this part of the coast. Unfortunately, that was the only night they had two free bookings for the next month. -102-
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And despite the guilt of disappointing her mother, Madison wouldn’t have passed up the chance to spend time with Jake for all the rice in China. “Now all I have to do is get Bart to make certain his son is free,” Rosa said. “The boy is supposed to be on holidays, but Bart tells me he’s never home. I’ve a good mind to go over there and stake the place out until I catch a glimpse of him. I’m beginning to wonder if he’s a figment of Bart’s imagination.” Madison laughed at the fierce look on her mother’s face. She might be small, but she could be all fire and brimstone when something annoyed her. “I wonder if Bart knows what he’ll be getting when he marries you.” Hands on hips, Rosa turned to face Madison. “I’ll have you know—” “Enough already, I’m teasing.” She stood up and enfolded her mother in her arms and hugged her tight, sorry she’d been so absorbed in her own life she’d ignored this special time in her mother’s. “Any man would be lucky to have you.” She dropped a kiss on Rosa’s head. “Give me five minutes to dress and we’ll go hit the shops to find you an outfit fit for a queen.” ad “You going out again, son? I’ve hardly seen you since you got home.” Bart leaned against the doorframe, his face crinkled in a frown. Jake bent down in front of the mirror to comb his hair. From this angle, his father’s image was reflected side by side with his, as if they stood shoulder to shoulder. As they always had, from the moment his mother had died. No matter that he normally lived in Sydney, Dad had always been there for him. -103-
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Right about now, he felt like he had let his father down. God, he was a selfish bastard at times. This was an important time in his father’s life, something he wanted to share with his son and that same son hadn’t been there for him. He sat on the end of the bed to tie his shoelaces, casting a hurried glance at his watch. Madison would be waiting, but he needed to take this time to talk to his old man. “Don’t worry about Saturday, Dad. Eight O’clock at the Golden Dragon Restaurant. I’ll be there.” “And you’ll stand up for me at the wedding?” Bart pushed himself away from the door and wandered in to sit beside Jake on the end of the bed. “I’d be honored. Your Rosa sounds delightful. More importantly, she makes you happy. I’m looking forward to having her in the family.” Jake stood and paced over to the large windows framing the view of white-tipped waves crashing onto the deserted beach. The evening light dappled the scene with mystery. “Dad, can I ask you a question?” “Sure, go for it. Not certain I’ll have the answer though.” “With both Mom and Rosa, how soon did you know?” Bart raised his eyebrows. A slight smile tilted his lips. “You talking about love, son?” “Yeah, the big L word.” “With your mother, I knew the moment I met her. Rosa took a bit longer because I felt disloyal to your mom’s memory every time I had the hots for Rosa.” He paused a moment, waiting for Jake to speak. When he remained silent, he said, “I know men don’t normally talk about these things, but why don’t you tell me about her?” “Her?” Jake stared at his father. Boy, couldn’t put a thing over on the old man. As a child he’d been convinced his father had eyes in the back of his head, he’d never missed a trick. Always knew what he was up to. -104-
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Right now, Jake felt about ten years old. Fancy being forced to ask his father for advice on his love life. “Come on, Jake, I might be old, but I’m not blind. There has to be a woman involved. You come home whipped, like a dog with his tail between his legs. You looked like someone had kicked you in the gut, that someone being Courtney. I don’t know what went on with you and Courtney, but whatever it was it turned you into a bitter, morose man. Now look at you, the total opposite. So tell me about her. How did you meet her?” Good grief, I can’t tell him that. Jake flicked a glance over at the bedside table where the little black stud finder sat. A grin spread across his face as memories flooded through his mind. He wiped it away. “Actually, we met on a lie. She thinks I’m someone else.” “Not a good way to start a relationship, Jake. Best you put things straight as soon as possible.” “I’d like to, but I’m worried she’ll toss me out on my ass when she discovers the truth.” “Is she that important to you? After all, you haven’t known her long.” “Oh, yeah, she’s important. I feel… Hell, I only feel half-alive when she’s not around. It’s got so I can’t imagine my life without her.” He tried for nonchalance as he said, “I thought maybe I’d sell my share of the business in Sydney and set up a small legal firm here on the Sunshine Coast that specializes in property deals.” Bart slapped an open palm on his knee. “Great to hear it. I would never have asked, but it would be nice to have you around a bit more. I take it this woman isn’t happy with moving to Sydney?” “I haven’t asked her, but her mother lives here on the coast and she seems very close to her. Plus the fact I seemed to have changed since I came home. I’ve realized I don’t like what I’m doing. All that digging into -105-
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people’s lives with divorce cases and settlements and child custody. The families that get split up, the kids who get hurt. I just don’t want a part of it any more.” “You won’t make as much money.” “The money isn’t the issue. But this relationship…” He shook his head. “Well, it could be the most important thing in my life.” Bart levered himself upright and moved toward the bedroom door. “Tell her the truth. Before it goes any further. And don’t forget Saturday night,” he tossed over his shoulder as he disappeared up the hallway. His father’s words turned over and over in his mind as Jake grabbed his car keys and the long-stemmed creamy rose he’d bought for Madison. Dad was right. It was time he came clean with her. He just prayed she wouldn’t toss him out on his ear.
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CHAPTER 12 Madison grabbed up the book she’d filched from Jake’s car and flicked over to the section on how to create a more sensual mood. Okay, so she’d done the bubble bath bit. Wonder if Jake was supposed to take the bubble bath, too? She pondered that for a moment. Nah. That had to be for the woman. She felt like an idiot getting her information from a book, but if it was good enough for a paid stud, it was good enough for her. So on to the next rule… Satin sheets. She glanced over at the bed, the covers turned down to show off the deep scarlet linen. Fat candles graced every possible surface, a box of matches nearby to turn the bedroom into a scene for seduction. A bottle of champagne sat chilling in an ice bucket, her best crystal flutes on a silver tray beside the wine. Now, what else? Have some mood music playing softly in the background and above all fantasize, fantasize. Oh, that was easy. All she had to do was think of Jake in his tiny swim shorts, all those divine muscles, and her libido kicked into overdrive. And her imagination with it. Jake was expecting to come to dinner. And he would get fed…but after.
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She was tempted to check out the chapter on the female G spot again, but she resisted and shoved The How-To of Female Orgasm under the edge of the bed in case she needed to refer to it at a crucial moment. Wandering into the kitchen, she checked on the tray of finger food she’d prepared earlier. The book had said strawberries and chocolate were the right mood enhancers, but she figured a man would need something more substantial after all that exercise. Now, the final touch, something she hoped Jake wouldn’t be able to say no to. Her mother’s latest edition to her wardrobe. Black Magic. At least that’s what it said on the label. She just hoped it would work its magic on Jake. Excitement built up inside her as she headed back to the bedroom. She allowed her sarong to fall to the floor and slipped into the stretch lace and chiffon panties with garters attached and the matching soft-cup cami bra. Sitting on the side of the bed, she eased on the black-as-sin lace-top stockings and did them up. Shiny black high heels and she was almost done. She was just about to slide her arms into the georgette and lace, thigh-length jacket that went with the outfit when the phone rang. Please God, don’t let that be Jake canceling. She reached for the receiver with one hand and her perfume bottle with the other. “Hello,” she said as she misted the air around her with the heady scent of roses and musk. “Maddy, is that you?” The unexpected male voice washed over her, leaving in its wake a layer of shock that rippled up and down her spine. She tried to speak, but her mouth was so dry she had to swallow before she could get a word out. “Clifton?” “I’m so glad I found you. Maddy, I have to see you.” -108-
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She cringed at the shortening of her name. Only Clifton would be gauche enough to use that abbreviation when he knew she hated it. If he hadn’t learnt that in ten years of marriage, there was no point reprimanding him. Why on earth would he contact her now? Their marriage was over. “How did you find me, Clifton?” She knew her voice was cold, with no trace of welcome. Tough. “I called your lawyer, but he wouldn’t give me your address.” “Did you expect him to?” “I remembered your mother lived on the Sunshine Coast. It was a simple matter to do a computer search through the telephone listings for the area to find you. There was only one M Paxton on the Coast.” “Very resourceful of you, Clifton.” The husky timbre of his voice dredged up memories of the past. Not recent ones, but those idyllic first years of their life together. Madison shook her head and sent the memories packing. Instead, she remembered how he, and his mother, had belittled her, robbing her of all confidence toward the end. “You still there, Maddy?” The deep tones took on a whining edge. She grimaced. If you didn’t know him, his voice would suggest a man with a macho image, sexy, sure of himself. Oh yeah, he was that, but it was overlaid with a cockiness that grated on people. The old cliché about not judging a book by its cover jumped into her mind. Don’t judge Clifton by the blue-eyed, blonde good looks and self-assured manner, because when Clifton didn’t get his own way, he turned into a spoilt, whining little boy. “What do you want, Clifton?” “I have to talk to you.” “So talk.” She wasn’t about to make this easy for him. -109-
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“No, I need to see you in person. I have to…” His words trailed off and Madison could have sworn he wasn’t entirely sure of himself. She waited. “Please, Madison. I have to see you.” Good grief, after all this time he remembers to use my full name. “Why do you need to see me? We said all we needed to say twelve months ago.” “I…I miss you. We made a mistake. I should never have listened to my mother. “Come on, Clifton. A year down the track and you suddenly realize you miss me? Get real.” “I’ve grown up since you left. I had to, otherwise I’d never be able to stand up to my mother and her machinations. I’ve told her I’ll choose my own wife, that it has nothing to do with her.” “Watch out, Clifton, she’ll cut you off without a penny.” Madison knew she was being a bitch, but she couldn’t help herself. Petty? Yeah, all right, but, oh, boy, it sure felt good. “I don’t need her money,” Clifton said. “I have control of my own trust fund now, plus I’m making a name for myself as an investigative journalist.” “So you don’t need to ride on Daddy’s coat tails now?” “Please don’t be like this, Maddy. I’m sorry for all the pain I caused you. Let me apologize in person. I have your address. I could be there in twenty minutes.” “You’re up here on the Sunshine Coast?” Madison’s voice rose to a surprised squeak. She flicked a glance at the bedside clock. Jake would be here any minute. She had to get Clifton off the phone. What a way to spoil the mood. “I’m not going home until I see you,” Clifton whined. “Please, Mad—”
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Madison cut him off. “Okay, Clifton, I’ll see you, but not at my home and not tonight. I’ve already got plans.” “Are you seeing another man?” “None of your business. I’ll meet you tomorrow night. You can take me to dinner. Eight o’clock at the…” She dug around in her mind for the name of a local restaurant for a moment, before she remembered Clifton’s stingy ways. He might have money, but he’d never been one to spend it on his wife. Her grin was slightly evil as she continued, “There’s a French restaurant in the main street of Caloundra. It’s called Napoleon’s. I know how much you like French food. I’ll meet you there at eight o’clock.” “What’s the address?” “Look it up in the phone book. Now I have to go. Bye, Clifton.” She hung up before he could say another word. Her limbs, doing a good imitation of limp spaghetti, refused to support her weight. She plopped down on the side of the bed, her silk-clad legs splayed out in front of her. The hand she held up in front of her face shook in reaction to Clifton’s appearance back in her life. “My God. Clifton. Why did I agree to see him?” Despite the shortness of their acquaintance, she had a feeling she was well on the way to falling in love with Jake. Was that possible after only a few weeks? She shook her head. Maybe she did need to see Clifton, just this once. Perhaps she should treat this as a test, a gauge to see if all feelings for her ex-husband had disappeared. A bubble of malicious delight emerged and took up residence in her heart. She grinned, mentally castigating herself for the juvenile emotions that sprang to life inside her. Let Clifton get an eyeful of the new Madison Paxton. Slim, sexy, a desirable woman. Childish? Oh, yeah. -111-
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Revenge? “You better believe it,” she crowed. “Let him see the new me. I’ll knock his socks off. No more naive and dumpy housewife.” And in the meantime, she was going to enjoy her night with Jake.
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CHAPTER 13 “Happy Birthday, Jake.” Jake sagged against the doorframe, the breath dragged from his lungs in a high-pitched whistle. He struggled to find his voice, not at all surprised when it came out a croaky squeak. Kind of like a kid who hadn’t hit puberty yet. “It’s not my birthday,” he managed. “I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying ‘All your birthdays came at once.’ Well, this is it…and I’m your present.” Madison, posed in the open doorway, crooked her finger and gestured to him. “Come inside, Jake,” she drawled in a voice that drove all the blood from his head to his cock. The testosterone in his body awoke with a vengeance, carnal desire flooding his system as she allowed the sheer wrap to slide from her shoulders and pool about her feet in a dark cloud. He swallowed and stepped over the threshold. His gaze was trapped by the vision of pure sex that beckoned him on. “My God, you’re…” “I’m what?” A slight smile played about her mouth. “You’re beautiful,” he croaked. Great, Jake, is that all you can come up with? The confident, vibrant woman in front of him was an absolute stunner. She moved backwards into the living room and he followed, like a puppy with its tongue hanging out. Lord, he’d died and gone to Heaven.
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Blonde-streaked hair feathered around her face. A mysterious smile curved lips stained an erotic rose color. The tip of her tongue came into view, slid across her bottom lip and whipped up a fever inside him. His gaze lowered to take in the perfect symmetry of her shoulders, naked but for the spaghetti-thin straps of a black lace bra. Well, some of it was lace. There was a band of lace along the top edge of the cups and the same fabric hugged her upper torso almost to her waist. The rest was… Damned if he knew what the material was, but it was sheer, her nipples visible, but shadowed, by the dusky fabric. A total turn-on. Then there were the lacy panties. He caught a glimpse of Madison’s pale skin through the lacework. And oh, boy, his favorite. Garters. Attached to lace-top silk stockings. Impossibly high, shiny black shoes, the type his mates called fuck-me shoes, completed the outfit. Every man’s fantasy all rolled up in one delectable package called Madison Paxton. Jake cleared his throat and tried to come up with an intelligent comment, but she’d rendered him speechless. Him, the scourge of the Family Law courts, the man whose rhetoric had never lost him a case, and he couldn’t think of one damn thing to say. The demands of his body overrode his normal reasoning processes. She moved closer and whispered something in her husky, sexy voice, but his heart thudded so loud he couldn’t take it in. His libido had gone crazy, the blood rushing through his veins. He didn’t need to guess where it was headed. South of his belt and straight to the rock-hard cock that nudged at the zip of his trousers. He dragged in a shaky breath as Madison stepped right up to him and ran the tips of her fingers over his cheekbone. She traced the shape of his mouth before sliding her hands down the front of his shirt and around each pearl button. The scent of her perfume teased his mind, -114-
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wrapped him in sensation and increased the sexual tension tightening the muscles of his gut. Madison leaned forward and dropped a light kiss on his parted lips. Before he could take up her blatant offer, she slid two fingers between the buttons of his shirt and tugged him over to the couch. Turning him around, she exerted pressure. He sat, back upright, his knees together, hands at his sides, like a schoolboy who waited to be called into the headmaster’s office. “Now don’t you move,” she whispered. “I’ll be right back.” She turned and glided out of the room, an exaggerated sway emphasizing her hips. Jake couldn’t take his eyes off her ass. He heard her heels clattering down the hallway. For a moment, he thought to go after her to see what she was up to, but his body wouldn’t obey the simple command to get to his feet. His head was too full of the sight of Madison in that oh-so-sexy get-up. Besides, his cock was so rigid, he just might do himself an injury if he tried to move right at this minute. Instead, he sat there, trying to get his breathing under control at the same time he unglued his tongue from the roof of his mouth. Of course, it would help if he could get his mind to function properly. The sound of her spiky heels alerted him she was on her way back. He looked up as Madison sashayed back into the room. He still sat like a stuffed dummy, in exactly the same position. His brain had ceased to operate, unable to process the simplest of orders. He gulped as she approached him, a cheeky grin on her face. When she spread her thighs to straddle his knees, her weight a welcome burden, he was sure his heart skipped a beat. Her grey-green eyes twinkled with mischief as she leaned in close and circled his lips with the tip of her tongue. Her breasts brushed against
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his chest and without conscious volition, his hands curved around her ribcage, thumbs inching toward the enticing curves. She sucked in her breath before capturing his lips in a deep kiss. Her tongue darted forward, twined with his before retreating, only to thrust again. This was no tentative exploration. This was seduction in the full sense of the word. Jake allowed her to set the pace—and was lost in a sensual haze. Arms wrapped around her, he dragged her nearer and gave himself up to the taste of her, the advance and retreat of his tongue a poor imitation of what he really wanted to do to her—to fuck her until she cried out his name in ecstasy. His balls tightened, his cock grew harder, something he hadn’t thought was possible. When she slid her hand between their bodies and started to work on his shirt buttons, his whole body trembled. The dance of her fingers across his naked chest caused a sensory overload. The blood in his veins felt like molten lava. His lungs labored for fresh air. If he didn’t get himself under control, he would disgrace himself, blowing his load before he even got to the ultimate goal. He broke off the kiss and threw his head back, gasping as she continued the exquisite torture. When she gestured for him to drop his arms so she could slide his shirt from his shoulders, he complied, a shudder ripping through him as her hot lips replaced the tracing of her fingertips. A groan tore from his throat as she nibbled at his collarbone and laved the hypersensitive love bite with the tip of her tongue. “You like your present, Jake?” “Oh, yeah.” Great, Jake, very articulate. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. A gesture in futility. What hold he maintained on sanity scattered when she rocked her hips, her cunt brushing against the throbbing erection just begging for release…in more ways than one, -116-
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given how tight his trousers had become. His hips bucked, seeking her warmth, only to have her slide from his lap and reach down for his hand. “Not yet, my fancy stud. I want to play first, as in foreplay. My type of foreplay.” She grinned at him, her eyes shining, her cheeks stained with a flash of red. If he didn’t miss his guess, she was as turned on as he was. Her nipples, visible through the fabric of her bra were hard little points he just ached to wrap his mouth around. She dragged in a deep breath, pushing her breasts higher, and his libido went into overdrive. He could even smell the musky scent of her desire and he knew without doubt she wanted him. As he did her. Fucking hell, he was so hot he thought he’d burst into flames. She backed him up, pushing him toward the bedroom. His eyes widened as he took in the candle-lit boudoir. Soft music filtered in from the living room. The scent of the gardenias floating in the bowls of water she’d placed about the room perfumed the air. A veritable assault on the senses. His cock certainly thought so. He squirmed, trying to adjust the fit of his trousers, but it was useless. He was just too bloody hard. “Ah…Madison, do you know what you’re doing?” he said as she dragged him over to stand beside the bed. In reply, she ran her hands along his collarbones and down over his chest. When she reached the light covering of dark hair on his pectoral muscles, she traced her finger around his flat nipple, grinning when it hardened. He might be built differently, but his reaction was just the same. Jake grinned. Viva la différence. Leaning forward, she placed her open mouth over the same spot, dragging a deep groan from him as she teased and tempted. And as she feasted, her hands glided lower, following the path of dark hair that arrowed down his torso and disappeared beneath the waistband of his -117-
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trousers. When the belt got in her way, she groaned as if frustrated that something so simple would deny her advances. “Madison, wait.” Jake’s voice was a hoarse whisper as he tried to drag air into his lungs, only to have it stolen from him again when she lowered herself to her knees in front of him. In short order, she dealt with his belt, her head raised to watch him as she pulled it, inch by inch, from the belt loops of his trousers. He couldn’t believe this was happening to him. He was being seduced by an innocent. Okay, so she’d been married before, but her sexual education had been dealt a serious blow by her ex-husband. Before his eyes, she had turned into a sex kitten, a siren, bent on play. Was he about to fight it? No, sir, no way. His daddy didn’t raise no fool. This was every man’s dream, to be seduced by a beautiful woman. He was a great believer in dreams, particularly his. From her position in front of him, Madison reached up as far as she could and laid her open palms on his heated skin. Curving her fingers and lightly scoring the flesh with blood-red fingernails, she dragged her hands down to the top of his trousers. She undid the snap of his pants and lowered the zip in one smooth motion, the sound loud in the scented bower. Her hands felt like the brush of silk as she skimmed his trousers down his thighs until they fell at his feet. Embarrassment hit him. Why in God’s name had he worn these boxers? They’d been a joke present for his last birthday from one of the secretaries in the office back in Sydney. Everybody had enjoyed a good laugh at the time. Now it wasn’t so funny. What grown man wore black satin boxers with a white panel in the front with a picture of a fish and the words “Catch of the Day” over the most vulnerable part of his anatomy?
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Suddenly it didn’t matter because Madison bent forward and dropped a quick kiss over the hard bulge hidden behind the asinine saying. His body bucked in reaction, the breath dragged from his lungs. Hell, if he wasn’t careful, he’d lose it right here, right now. He buried his fingers in Madison’s hair, giving it a tug to force her to look at him. And oh, yeah, she was looking. Just not at his face. “Wanna go fishing, Jake? I can even bait my own hook.” She crawled forward on her knees, backed him up until the edge of the bed caught him behind his knees. There was nothing else to do but sit down. Using his knees to lever herself up off the floor, she posed in front of him. His hands came up to grasp her hips, but she moved out of reach. “Take your shoes and socks off,” she whispered. Jake complied, kicking his trousers away at the same time. His brain had ceased to function with any degree of normalcy. When he raised his head again, he almost forgot to breathe. He gulped, swallowing the lump in his throat. His harsh breathing threatened to explode his chest. Madison had removed the lacy bra thing she’d had on. Her breasts were gloriously naked, the rosy nipples jutting out, just begging for his touch. He wanted to lean forward and taste. Drag her deep into the warmth of his mouth and suckle like a babe. Hell, no, not like a baby. Like a man dying of thirst. His gut was tied in knots and as she ran her hands down over her breasts and lifted the weight of them as if in sacrifice, the tension inside him upped a notch. Madison couldn’t believe she was doing this. Jake’s reactions were all she’d dreamed of. One thing was certain, that book she’d taken from his car had been right. Set the scene and the rest was easy. Just reel him in. She smiled at the fishing analogy. -119-
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She kicked off first one shoe and then the other. Her hips swayed as she moved closer. So close she could feel the heat coming off his naked skin, inhale the scent of his aftershave, heightened by all that hidden fire. She lifted one silk-clad leg and propped it up on his knee, her hand on his shoulder for balance. “Are you one of those men who prefer stockings and garters over panty hose, Jake?” She kept her voice low and breathy. “You want to take them off for me?” She wanted to burst out laughing as his eyes glazed over with anticipation. It ceased to be a laughing matter as Jake circled her ankle with his large hand and ran it up over her knee. He lingered on the inside of her thigh. His fingers danced and skipped over the black silk, creating pinpricks of fire that swept through her blood. When he reached the lace band at the top, he paused before unclipping the first of the garters. His head dipped and he placed a heated kiss on the exposed flesh at the top of her thigh before he slid his hand around to the back and released the final clip. Madison shuddered as he rolled the stocking down, so slow she felt like screaming. Goosebumps broke out on her exposed flesh. Nerve endings shrieked for release. His fingertips brushed and caressed, leaving a trail of fire down her leg. She was so darn wet it was a wonder she didn’t slide right out of her underwear. With a gesture, he silently asked to repeat the process. She wasn’t about to stop now, not when the breath rasped from her throat and her insides felt like they’d turned to butter. She changed legs, offered the silk-clad one and suffered the same process. And suffering it was as Jake drew out the procedure, heightening the pull of desire deep in her belly. “My turn to play now, sweet Madison,” he whispered as he hooked his fingers into the top of her panties and started to ease them down. -120-
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She clasped a hand over his to stop him. “Wait.” She knew Jake had seen her naked before, but only in the semi-darkened interior of his convertible. To stand before him in a room illuminated by a mass of scented candles was a whole different ball game. So much for the sophisticated image she had tried to project. A puff of wind and it fell over like a house of cards. So how to retrieve the situation? Hands held out to him, she backed up a pace. “Come dance with me.” “Dance? Um, what—” “Ever slow-danced with a half-naked woman, Jake?” She was back in control. The stunned look of his face told her that. A grin tilted his lips and he grasped her hands and jumped to his feet, his eagerness making her chuckle. “Never let it be said I don’t give a woman what she wants,” he quipped. He took her into his arms and shuffled slowly to the music filtering in from the living room. She slid her hands around his waist, pressing her chest to his. Her breasts brushed provocatively against his rigid muscles, her nipples tightening into hard points. Jake sucked in a shaky breath and shuffled closer, his engorged cock nudging at her belly. Madison shivered. God, she wanted this man. Somehow, this had become more than just an exercise in satisfying her sexual fantasies. She had a feeling that when Jake had fulfilled his part of this venture and walked away, she may well have to deal with a level of grieving that surpassed her break-up with Clifton. Could she handle that? She had to, because no way could she walk away now. To hell with her makeover plan. This was all about enjoying her time with Jake. With that thought, she pushed all negative feelings to the back of her mind and concentrated on Jake. -121-
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With the scent of gardenias weaving about them, Madison slipped her hands under the elastic of his boxers, sliding her palms down over his buttocks. She caught at the satin and started to drag on the fabric to rid him of his underwear. As his boxers tangled about his feet, he followed her lead and slid down her lacy panties. Then it was flesh to flesh. His muscled strength called to her softness. Thank God she was tall. He fit her like a dream, his rigid erection nestled at the juncture of her thighs. She angled her hips so his cock slipped between her thighs. Impatient now to satisfy the hunger that raged inside her and made her clit throb, she backed up to the bed and dropped down onto the satin sheets, pulling him down with her. He stretched out beside her, his arms reaching to pull her close. Madison suddenly remembered the book. She was on the wrong side. Before Jake could react, she rolled across him, dipped her head over the side of the bed and flicked up the edge of the bedskirt. Just to check. Her mind wasn’t really on high-function mode at the moment and she needed to know the manual was there should she need it. “What are you doing?” Jake chuckled. Think fast, Madison, or you’re going to look like an idiot. “Protection.” She grabbed the little box of condoms beside the book and held it aloft. She’d have to fly blind on this and use her imagination. There was no way she could refer to the book without Jake thinking she’d gone crazy. “Another of my mother’s little presents.” “Very liberated mother you have. I’ll have to meet her some day.” He took the box from her and tossed it on the bed. “Come here, woman,” he growled as he reached for her again. She went into his arms, the need to savor his heat a craving in her blood. She’d thought to ravage him. Now the scene changed, with Jake -122-
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the aggressor, and she reveled in it. When he lowered his head and sought her mouth, she opened to him, allowing him to deepen the kiss. The thrust of his tongue woke a raging hunger inside her and she answered in kind. The perfect prelude to the act of love, and she knew without doubt it was love. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with Jake, wanted to make babies with him. Not cold-bloodedly as her makeover plan suggested, but a forever type of relationship, built on honesty, love and mutual respect. Rational thought disappeared as Jake broke off the kiss and slid down her body. His lips left a trail of fire on her sensitized skin. His teeth grazed the hardened tip of her breast, dragging a whimper from her. When he drew it into his mouth and suckled, she cried out, the sound needy and filled with tension. Sensation streaked from her breast, down her body to gather between her thighs. Tension coiled low in her belly. Her body throbbed with unrelieved sexual frustration. The scent of the bayberry candles and the perfume of the gardenias seemed to intensify, curling about them. And mixed in with it all was the warmth of Jake’s body, the hint of his aftershave, as he moved further down her body. His lips followed where his hands led. His tongue swirled around her belly button before it dipped inside, driving her crazy with his light caress. She hadn’t thought her navel could be classed as an erogenous zone, but Jake proved her wrong. He ran the tip of his tongue along her hipbone before moving further down her body, pushing the tension higher. Her hips bucked in reaction. She gave in to his gentle urging and opened her legs, creating a place for him in the cradle of her thighs. His warm breath feathered across the hot dampness of her nether lips, making her squirm and sob with need. -123-
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The breath caught in her throat as he ran his tongue along the length of her vulva. When he parted her and tongued her clit, she cried out, her hips lifting off the bed. Madison’s heart beat so hard she felt sure she would pass out. Surely she couldn’t take any more? Then Jake proved her wrong again. He brought his hands into play, his thumb rubbing her clit while he feasted on her. Madison lost all reason. She buried her hands in his dark hair and hung on, her body raised to meet the movement of his mouth as he thrust and suckled at that most sensitive part of her. He increased the speed and depth of his strokes and her hips moved in response. The air rushed from her lungs in harsh gasps, her throat burning with the struggle to breathe in a maelstrom of overwhelming sexual tension. Jake raised his head and she moaned in disappointment. So close. So very close. She teetered on the edge of experiencing the same mindblowing orgasm Jake had coaxed from her in the cramped interior of his convertible. Please God, don’t stop. “Don’t fight it, sweet Madison. Let it come,” he whispered. Before she could respond, he dipped his head again and placed his lips over her swollen clit and sucked, his tongue stabbing and flicking at the sensitive nub. At the same time he inserted two fingers, his movements deep and fast. Madison met his every thrust. Sensation caught her up, tossed her higher as the pressure built to an unbelievable level. When she thought she’d go crazy with need, waves of pleasure broke over her, the ripples spreading out from where Jake loved her with his mouth and his hands, both at the same time. Before the last of the spasms faded, Jake sheathed himself in the condom and moved up her body. As he caught her lips in a drugging kiss, he buried himself inside her. Madison groaned and took him deep, welcoming the weight of him over her body. She could taste her own -124-
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desire on his lips, his tongue. The scent of their lovemaking surrounded them, an aphrodisiac in itself. She wrapped her arms about his shoulders and hung on as his movements became frenzied. The wild ride caught her up again. The force built inside her, centered on that place where they were joined. She mirrored his movements, urging him on. When the first of the spasms gathered strength inside her and broke free to spread throughout her body, she heard Jake call out her name as he reached his own climax. A final thrust and he pushed them over the edge into a place where only lovers can go. The outside world ceased to exist. She clung to him, fearful she’d never find her way back without Jake as her anchor. When the room finally righted itself, she opened her eyes to find Jake had rolled them onto their sides. She smiled at him, feeling totally satiated. Then she started to chuckle. “Holy guacam—” Jake burst out laughing. When he could catch his breath, he said, “Oh, yeah, whoopty-do.”
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CHAPTER 14 Jake rolled over and stretched, only to be bought up short by the feel of the warm body beside him. His mind engaged and he remembered. Madison—and the torrid passion they had shared. What a night it had been. Madison had dropped off to sleep after their first frenzied bout of lovemaking and he hadn’t been far behind. But that wasn’t the end of it. Some time in the early hours of the morning, she’d woken him with the soft caress of her mouth. Soft? Fucking hell, it was more like pure fire. Always, in the past, he had been the one in control, but this time Madison had been the aggressor. Even Courtney had expected him to be the instigator. Ah, but sweet Madison had taken the term ravish and turned it into an art form. Was he complaining? No way. Her imagination knew no bounds and he’d enjoyed every fantasy she’d invented. He ran his hand over his stomach, around his navel. His skin was still sticky from where she’d poured champagne and proceeded to lap it up. His cock tightened in remembrance. He released a deep breath, willing his libido to drop down a notch. There would be plenty of time later for more play. Propped up on one arm, he stared at Madison. Her face in repose was beautiful, although there were faint shadows under her eyes, the result of their disturbed night. Her blond-streaked hair was disheveled, but that just made her more alluring. -126-
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The sheet had slipped off her shoulder. Her exposed breast beckoned, tempting him to lean down and lap at the rosy crest. He resisted. It was still early. Better to let her get some more sleep. Meanwhile, he’d surprise her and prepare breakfast. He slid from under the sheet, careful not to disturb her. After a quick search, he found his boxers lying on the carpet at the foot of the bed. As he bent over to drag them on, he spotted the platter on the floor on Madison’s side of the bed. He grinned as he remembered their feast in the wee hours. He’d never realized how erotic it was to feed someone tidbits in the dark. Not just anyone—Madison. He had one of those moments of absolute clarity. He wanted to wake up every day with her by his side. He couldn’t believe how much he’d changed since he’d come home. The corporate world, the world of high-profile divorce cases, had lost all appeal. The simple life called to him now. Madison as his wife, the mother of his children, a life of love and contentment. The type of love his father had shared with his mother, and now with Rosa. All he had to do was convince Madison she wanted the same. But first, he had to tell her the truth. Today. As soon as she wakened. His heart pounded with trepidation at the coming confrontation as he bent down to pick up the platter. He paused when he spied the open book half hidden by the bed linen. He slid it out and flipped it over to look at the title. The How-To of Female Orgasm. A chuckle threatened to escape so he clamped his lips together and exited the room before he lost control. By the time he’d reached the kitchen, he was grinning. He’d wondered where that book had gone. Seems Madison had wanted to do a little research of her own. Now he knew where last night’s scenario had come from. It was there in black -127-
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and white in the chapter on setting the scene. The candles, the perfumed atmosphere, soft music. The rest of it had been straight from Madison’s imagination. And, boy, did she have some great ideas. The grin still in place, he opened the refrigerator and dragged out a melon and a bunch of grapes, along with apples and a couple of oranges. In no time at all, he had sliced the fruit into segments and arranged them on a fresh plate. After that, he hunted for something to drink. It was too early in the day for champagne, but there was a bottle of nonalcoholic grape juice. Perfect. They could have that while they waited for the coffee to brew. It was one of those bottles with the plastic cork so he opened the top drawer near the sink to look for a corkscrew. Nope. Maybe he’d have more success with the next one. He slid out the drawer and stared. On top of the jumbled contents was a piece of notepaper. He didn’t mean to read it, but the title on the top of the page reached out and hit him smack between the eyes. MADISON PAXTON MAKEOVER PLAN. Before he knew what he was doing, he’d skimmed down to the bottom of the page. And what was written there stunned him. Man needed for sperm only. That was bad enough, but the next sentence made him see red. She’d crossed out the line about sperm and written under it: Jake. Possible sperm donor? Given the fact her birthday was only a few weeks away, last night’s little excursion into the delights of the flesh suddenly made sense. She had used him. She had damn well used him. Here he was thinking of a permanent relationship and all she wanted was to steal his sperm and get pregnant.
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Hey, Jake, back up a moment. He tried to control the anger bubbling up inside as his mind went over the details of the night before. She’d been the one to hand him the condoms. So what was this makeover plan all about? Maybe she wanted to lull him into a false sense of security and then wham…she’d find herself in the family way. His mouth dropped open in shock. He crumpled the piece of paper up in his fist as a thought filtered into his brain. Fuck, she’d done it. When she’d ravaged him in the early hours of the morning, they hadn’t used protection. She could be well on the way to being pregnant even now. Rage flashed through his body like a bushfire out of control. The little thief. Okay, so he was being irrational. Maybe it wasn’t classed as theft, but she’d taken something from him without his consent. The crumpled list still balled up in his fist, he started for the bedroom, halting just outside the room. He was too angry to discuss this right now. He needed to calm down, to think it through before he taxed her. Right now his faith in her had taken a serious beating. “Jake?” Her soft voice sounded sleepy, the tone husky and full of satiated contentment. He shoved his hand behind his back before he entered the room. After a quick glance at her, he hurried over to where his trousers lay crumpled on the floor. His movements were uncoordinated. He hopped from one leg to the other as he dragged his pants on. Bloody hell, he had to get out of here before he blew up. “Good morning, Super Stud.” Madison smiled as she pushed herself up on the pillows. Her body ached in the most surprising places. She frowned as she watched Jake search for his belt. His head was bowed as he threaded it through the belt loops and secured his trousers.
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“Jake?” A sense of dread filled her, burying itself deep down in her heart. What was wrong? Did he regret the night they’d shared? Please, no. “Are you all right, Jake?” Finally, he looked at her, trying to keep his face devoid of all expression. “Jake, what’s wrong?” He ignored her question, grabbing up his shoes and socks. “I made you breakfast. It’s in the kitchen.” After looking under the bed, he moved toward the bedroom door, pausing at the last moment. “I have to go.” Madison struggled to sit up, the satin sheet about her naked breasts. “You have to leave already? Why? It’s still early.” “I’ve just remembered I have an appointment. Another commitment I…ah, can’t get out of.” Damn him, how can he do this? She’d thought last night had meant as much to him as it had to her. How gullible can a girl be? Anger swept through her, anger at herself for being such a stupid fool. At Jake, for his abrupt leave-taking and for not being what she needed him to be. She was damned if she was going to show him just how much he’d hurt her. “If you’re looking for your shirt, it’s in the living room.” He backed further out of the room. “I’ll…um… I’ll try to ring you tonight.” “Don’t bother, I won’t be here. I, too, have another commitment. Although I think it will be more pleasure than the word implies.” Yep, the tone was right, nonchalant and off-hand, but it was just a cover for the pain that lanced through her body. She listened to his footsteps as he moved into the living room to collect his shirt. The slam of the front door was like a death-knell
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resounding inside her head. She heard the muted roar as he gunned the engine of the little red convertible and took off along the country road. After that, there was nothing but silence. ad Madison went on a whirlwind housecleaning session. Anger at Jake kept her at work long after the house was aired and dusted, polished to within an inch of its life. Her little cottage hadn’t really needed it, but it kept her busy and didn’t allow her any time to think. But now there was nothing left to do. She was too fired up to sit at her studies. The words just wouldn’t penetrate the haze in her mind. She wandered into the bedroom and stripped off her clothes and reached for her blue swimsuit, the one that Jake had admired. Memories of their aborted picnic on the beach tumbled through her brain. She tossed the swimsuit from her and grabbed out another of her new purchases, one she hadn’t had the confidence to wear before now. The bikini revealed more than it hid. She cringed a little when she posed in front of the full-length mirror in the abbreviated bikini bottoms and the little triangle-shaped top. What the heck, there was no one to see her. Towel and sarong over her shoulder, she headed out to the pool. After throwing an inflated sun-bed in the pool, she bent down and held it against the side of the pool and tried to climb on. The first attempt ended up with her head-first in the cool water. Laughter bubbled up out of her as she flicked the wet hair back from her face. Her eyes opened wide as she realized it was the first time she’d laughed all day. The pain of Jake’s abrupt departure had wiped all the joy from her heart.
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Once balanced on the sun-bed, she bobbed up and down on the surface of the water as she replayed last night in her mind. She could have sworn Jake had enjoyed the interlude as much as she had. That he was beginning to feel something for her, more than just normal concern of a teacher for his student in the game of life. So what had gone wrong? What had she done wrong? All her old insecurities rose to the fore. She knew she wasn’t frigid. Jake had taught her that. Maybe she didn’t have what it took to keep a man interested in her. “Hey, come out of there and talk to your old ma.” Her mother’s voice cut through the pain of her thoughts. She jerked upright, forgetting for the moment she was floating on a fragile, air-filled layer in the centre of the pool. The sun-bed immediately tilted and she tipped over into the water. She spluttered as she surfaced, swimming to the side of the pool to haul herself out. “Mother, you almost drowned me.” Rosa didn’t respond. She just allowed her gaze to run up and down Madison’s semi-clad body. “When you decided to change your image, you sure did a good job. I’m not even certain I’d let my Bart see you in that itty bitty bikini.” Madison posed, hands on hips to emphasize the swell of her new feminine curves. “Not bad for an old broad close to thirty,” she said with a grin. “Your stud must have had his eyes knocked out when he saw you in that.” The grin disappeared from her face. “My so-called stud hasn’t, and won’t ever, see me in this swimsuit, let alone anything else.” She grabbed up her towel and wrapped it about herself. Then she led her mother inside to the kitchen where she poured two glasses of iced apple juice. -132-
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“Sit,” Rosa commanded. She pulled herself up onto the barstool and pointed at the one on the other side of the breakfast bar. When Madison had taken her seat, she said, “Now, tell me what this is all about.” Madison avoided her mother’s eyes, running the tip of her finger up and down the condensation on the side of the glass. “I don’t think I’ll be seeing him any more,” she said. “He didn’t do anything he shouldn’t, did he?” “He did everything he should do, and then some.” Madison smiled, but it was an effort. “Ah, so you got down and dirty.” Rosa beamed. “And?” “And you’re right. No way am I frigid.” “Told you so. Was it all you expected?” Now Madison did raise her eyes to her mother. “Oh, yes. It was…amazing. I took your advice and seduced him. Set the scene. Candles, soft music, the works. And I didn’t have to work hard to convince him to play.” She shrugged. “This morning something went wrong.” Her mother opened her mouth to speak, but Madison cut her off with a wave of her hand. “He just upped and left. No reason given. His face looked like it was carved in stone. He said he might ring, but I don’t expect him too. I get the feeling maybe he thinks he’s finished the job now.” “Well, he is a paid stud.” “No, it wasn’t like that. He gave me the impression it was more, that he was beginning to care for me as a person, not as a client.” The tears came before she could stop them, trickling down her face and blurring her vision. “I wanted it to be so much more. Mom, I think I love him. I can’t imagine not seeing him again.”
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Rosa reached across the bench and grasped her hands. “Oh, baby girl, I’m so sorry. I don’t want to say I told you so, but I warned you not to read too much into it.” She jumped down from her stool and rounded the breakfast bar, taking her daughter in her arms. “I’m so sorry you’ve been hurt. You want I should track down this bozo and give him a piece of my mind?” Madison dashed the tears from her face and started to chuckle. Her tiny mother, all of five foot two, ready to do battle for her. A veritable dragon. “I’ll get over it. Don’t have much choice. After all, I got over Clifton’s betrayal.” She dragged in a shaky breath. “And talking about Clifton, guess who’s been in touch with me?” “Not Clifton the Crud? How could he have the balls to contact you after what he did?” “Motheeer, your turn of phrase astounds me.” “So what did the chinless wonder want?” Rosa asked in a fierce tone. “He managed to track me down and wanted to see me. Said he’s grown up now, told his mother to back off and let him run his own life.” “After all this time, he decides he’s made a mistake and wants you back? Bullshit.” Madison burst out laughing. Oh, her mother was good for her. She could always rely on Mom to drag her out of the doldrums. “I hope you told him to take a hike, that you’re not interested.” “Actually, he’s up here on the Coast. He won’t go home until he sees me. I don’t want him coming out to the house so I’ve arranged to meet him for dinner tonight.” “Hmm, I’m not certain that’s wise, sweetie.” Rosa frowned, drummed her red-painted nails on the breakfast bar. “Surely you don’t still harbor any tender feelings for him after what he did to you?”
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“No, I don’t. At least I don’t think I do and this is one way to make certain.” She grinned as a purely evil thought popped into her mind. “Of course, it could be that I want to show him what he’s missed out on.” “Revenge.” Rosa chuckled. “Now that I understand. Wear the black dress with the split and go in there and knock his eyes out.” “Knowing Clifton, he probably has some other agenda in mind,” Madison said as she cleared the empty glasses. “If he thinks he’s going to find the same dumpy, introverted, stick-in-the-mud woman he was married to, he’s in for a shock.” “That wasn’t you. It was just the mold he pushed you into.” “No, it was me at the time.” She shook her head. “I’m the one responsible. I allowed him to do it to me. But things have changed now and it will be fun to ram it down his throat.” “Go get ‘em, baby girl.” Rosa glanced at her watch. “I have to go. I’m meeting Bart for a coffee. He’s got something secret to do later on. I suspect it’s to do with Saturday night. Oh, did I tell you it’s not just a family dinner? Bart has decided it’s also our engagement party.” “Well, good for Bart. You deserve all the happiness in the world. Now get out of here. I have to start making myself beautiful so I can knock the socks off Clifton the Crud.”
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CHAPTER 15 Madison smoothed her dress down as she stepped out of the cab in front of the restaurant. She’d decided not to take her own vehicle. She fully intended to have a few drinks tonight and she didn’t want to run the risk of being picked up for drunk driving. Clifton had never allowed her to drink when she was married to him. He’d never allowed her to do a lot of things, but he was about to see the new Madison Paxton. It was a little after eight so Clifton should already be seated. He hated tardiness. She flicked a quick glance at the name Napoleon’s blazoned across the large plate-glass window before she dragged in a deep breath and approached the entrance. Her mother’s voice echoed inside her head. Say after me, Madison, you’re a warm, vibrant woman. Well, Clifton was about to learn the same. The inside of the restaurant was decorated in a French Provincial theme. The walls were done in off-white wallpaper covered in flocked, gold fleur-de-lis motifs. Deep burgundy drapes were tied back with gold cord to give the diners an unrestricted view of the busy street outside. The same rich burgundy, interspersed with gold flowers, graced the floor, highlighted by the glow of numerous gold and crystal chandeliers. The antique chairs were covered in embossed tapestry and snowy white table linen was laid with silver flatware and twinkling crystal glasses. Here and there, earthen pots of glossy green fernery softened the whole scene. -136-
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She approached the maître d’hôtel and asked for the Rossi party. Knowing Clifton, he would have taken the time to book a table. The social rules his mother had drummed into him from childhood would have demanded it. A smile fixed on her face, she glided over and stood before the table situated right in front of the windows and waited. Clifton looked up at her and then turned his head to stare at the entrance to the restaurant. The frown on his face and the glance at his watch showed his impatience with her lateness. He hadn’t changed that much. His blue eyes flashed with annoyance. He was as stylish and debonair as he’d ever been, although perhaps he had put on a bit of weight. His face had a bloated look, probably the result of too many fancy dinners at even fancier restaurants, all paid for with Daddy’s money. “Aren’t you going to welcome me, Clifton?” she said in a husky tone. She almost laughed out loud at his start of surprise, at the absolute shock that streaked across his face. He stood up so fast he bumped the table and one of the wine glasses tilted precariously. Madison grabbed it and stood it upright. “Maddy? Madison Rossi?” She moved a fraction so the slit in her dress opened a bit wider, offered a clear view of her silk-clad thigh. “It’s Madison Paxton again. I gave up your name when you gave up on our marriage.” Clifton took Madison’s hands and held them out. “My God, look at you. I didn’t recognize you. You’re even more beautiful than the day I married you. I can’t believe how much you’ve changed.” “It was definitely time to change the image a little, don’t you think?” She allowed Clifton to seat her. He moved his chair closer to her before he sat down. A frown settled on his face as his gaze slid down to the exposed length of her leg. -137-
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He grasped her hand and held it tight, his palm slightly sweaty. “We made a mistake, Maddy. We—” Madison cut him off. “We didn’t do anything, Clifton. You broke the marriage vows, not me.” She held her hand up as he opened his mouth to speak. “Although I have to shoulder my share of the blame. I should never have allowed my own standards to slip so much. If I hadn’t, you might have remained interested.” She pulled her hand from his and stared at him. Hang on a minute here, why was she taking the blame? She hadn’t been the one who’d been out gallivanting around. “Are you ready to order, Monsieur?” The waiter’s accented voice broke into Madison’s introspection. She shook her head and reached for the menu, but before she could make her selection, Clifton started to speak. “I’ll have the soup of the day, followed by the chicken in champagne. The lady will have the same.” “I’m perfectly capable of ordering for myself, Clifton,” Madison said before the waiter could leave. “You always liked me to order for you.” “No, that was something you took upon yourself and I was too much of a little rabbit to correct you.” She glanced down the menu. “The lady would like Coquilles St Jacques au gratin. And for the main course… Hmm, Langouste au Xérès.” She handed the menu back to the waiter. Clifton frowned. “What the heck are Coquilles and Lango…whatever it was?” “Scallops in cheese sauce as an entree and then crayfish tails in sherry.”
Madison
grinned.
She
knew
she
had
made
Clifton
uncomfortable. He didn’t speak French and he didn’t like being corrected, certainly not in public. -138-
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“I didn’t know you liked seafood, Maddy.” “Ah, there’s a lot you don’t know about me, Clifton.” She waved the waiter back before he could walk away. “Could I see the wine list, s’il vous plaît?” The waiter handed her the leather-bound folder and waited patiently for her to make her selection. “Merci,” she murmured as she perused the contents. “Madison, put that list down. You don’t drink,” Clifton said in a scandalized voice, his eyebrows almost reaching his hairline. “I do now.” Damn him, he’s still trying to tell me what to do. It’s time he realized that period of my life is over. There was only one way to get at Clifton, and that was to hit him in his pocket book. That would make him sit up and notice. “I think we’ll have a bottle of Moet & Chandon Vintage 1995 Rose.” She closed the wine list and placed it on the edge of the table. “Hmm, I do like pink champagne,” she murmured as the waiter left to fill the order. Clifton sat there for five minutes staring at her, then reached across and grabbed the wine list. When he spied the price, his eyes bulged. “Madison, that champagne is a hundred and thirty bucks a bottle.” She patted his hand. “It’s all right, Clifton. You’re good for it.” She raised her eyebrows. “Unless Mommy has cut you off again?” “Of course Mommy…ah, Mother hasn’t cut me off from the family. She has finally realized I’m a grown man and can make my own decisions as regards my life. And my wife.” Madison let Clifton ramble on about the changes he’d made in his life until the waiter returned with the wine. She cringed as he went through the business of tasting the champagne and quizzing the waiter about the
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merits of it. He was such a poser. He didn’t know the first thing about what constituted a good wine. After the waiter had moved away, Madison sipped at the champagne. “Hmm, lovely. Oh and by the way, you don’t have a wife.” “I made a mistake, Maddy.” He gulped at his wine. “It wasn’t until you’d gone that I knew how much I missed you.” “And it took you a year to find that out? As my mother would say, bullshit.” “I told you I’ve grown up. It took your leaving to wake me up.” “I didn’t leave, Clifton. You tossed me out and, before that, you enjoyed your little flings with every society debutante your mother introduced you to.” “I couldn’t help it. Mother badgered me to go out with them. She’d constantly compare them to you, showing me how much better they would fit into the family lifestyle.” Madison burst into laughter. Clifton sounded like a sulky little boy trying to justify himself and his behavior. “What are you? A man or a mouse? If you’d valued our relationship, you wouldn’t have been out tomcatting around.” They both fell silent as the waiter placed the first course in front of them. It was only then Madison remembered she hated scallops. She had ordered them to score points off her ex-husband, but no way was she about to let him know. She gamely picked up the little fork on the side of the plate and attacked the entrée. She’d just swallowed the last mouthful, albeit with a hefty swig of champagne, when she happened to glance over at the adjacent table. Four men, all dressed in dark suits, were staring at her. The nearest one gave her a lascivious wink.
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For a moment, she was taken aback. Then she smiled at him before she leaned back to allow the waiter to clear the first course. Every so often as the meal progressed, she flicked a glance at the men, her ego boosted when they eyed her legs. It was even more of an ego-boost when she realized how much it annoyed the heck out of her ex-husband. “Maddy, fix your dress up,” he said with a frown. “Those men are trying to flirt with you.” “Oh, don’t be such a stuffed shirt, Cliff.” She deliberately shortened his name. “No one’s being harmed by it.” Clifton shook his head. “You’ve changed, Maddy. You’re not the girl I married.” In that moment, Madison acknowledged just how much she had changed. The attention of the men at the next table made her feel like the vibrant woman of her mother’s refrain, but another thought occurred to her. She didn’t need a man in her life to validate who she was. She liked the new Madison Paxton, the grown-up one who was self-assured and confident. Just how grown-up is it to try to take revenge on Clifton? The question burned a hole in her brain and it took a few minutes for her to process the answer. It was petty and childish and would serve no useful purpose. Bitterness and recriminations were destructive emotions and she wanted none of it. She turned her attention back to her ex-husband. “Okay, Clifton, come clean. Our marriage was a mess almost from the first. I certainly wasn’t happy after the first year or so and you can’t have been either, otherwise you wouldn’t have been running around with other women.” A cheeky grin curved her lips. “Why don’t you tell me the real reason you’ve tracked me down?”
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Clifton’s face blanched, the color fading until only two brilliant splotches of red high on his cheekbones remained. Madison sipped at her champagne, her gaze steady as she watched him struggle for an answer. “I told you, I’ve realized we made a mistake,” he said. “I love you. I’m begging you to take me back, to give me another chance.” Madison raised an eyebrow, a slight smile curving her lips as she stared at him. “Please forgive me, Maddy. Let me try and make it up to you, and I promise, there won’t be any more playing around.” “Come on, Clifton, we’ve come too far not to have the truth between us now.” A sheepish look crossed his face. He hung his head for a minute before grinning at her with a little-boy-lost look. She suddenly saw the young university student she’d fallen in love with all those years ago. She shook her head and returned his grin. “Won’t work this time, Clifton. I know that look.” “Used to work once so I thought it was worth another shot.” He rested his arms on the edge of the table and stared at her. “I can’t believe how much you’ve changed.” “You did me a favor. But for our marriage break-up, I’d still be the same fat little housewife, a mouse scared by its own shadow.” Clifton shook his head. “It’s not just the weight loss, although I’ve got to admit, I didn’t recognize you when you walked in. You’ve turned into a walking, talking fantasy, every man’s dream of the ultimate sexy woman.” She chuckled. “Incredible what losing a few pounds will do for a woman, isn’t it?” “No, it’s more than that. You carry yourself like a vibrant, sexy woman…” -142-
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Thank you, Mother. “A woman who is confident, sure of herself and her worth,” he continued. “The change isn’t just visual. It goes much deeper than that. If I’d just met you for the first time, you’d have me salivating like those guys over there.” He nodded his head toward the adjacent table. Madison glanced over at the businessmen, accepting another smile and a saucy wink. She turned back to her ex-husband, her head tilted to one side as she in turn stared at him. She suddenly had one of those light-bulb moments. The dark space in the back of her mind lit up and she knew she didn’t hate Clifton any more. She’d grown beyond that, gone through the dark hours and emerged free of the inevitable pain of a broken relationship. Thank you, Clifton. Now if only she could do the same with Jake. She shut down on the thought, kept her mind focused on the matter at hand, because the hurt from this new relationship—was it a relationship?— would devastate so much more. “So who was it who urged you to find me? I can’t believe it was your mother. She couldn’t stand me. Come clean, Clifton. What’s this all about?” “It was both of them, Mother and Dad,” he said. “I’ve made quite a name for myself as an investigative journalist and I’ve dabbled in politics for a while now.” “What’s that got to do with me?” Madison took another sip of her wine before returning the glass to the table. Poor Clifton, he was going to have to pay for that very expensive wine and the bottle was still half full. “My father wants me to go into politics full time and for that I have to have a squeaky-clean image. Which means—” “Re-marrying the wife you tossed aside,” Madison interrupted. “The good old family man. The voters would accept you being divorced once -143-
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they see you’ve cleaned up your act. Then they’d expect you to have the one point…” She waved her hand in the air, tried to come up with the correct figure. “…something children. The perfect family man. Correct?” “That’s about the strength of it.” “But what do you want? Not what your father wants, but what you want.” “I like to hover on the fringes of the political scene, particularly when it comes to the union problems, but if I became a full-time politician, I’d have to give up reporting.” “So stand up to Daddy. Tell him to fuck off. You’ve a right to run your own life now.” She grinned at him. “You don’t really want to be married to me again, do you?” “Ah, no, not really. I’m not certain I even knew what love was back when we got married, but now I do.” He reached across the table and grasped her hand. “Although seeing you now, I could be persuaded to spend a bit of time with you.” “That’s sex, not love.” She toyed with the tips of his fingers. “So tell me about her.” When he tried to remove his hand, she tightened her grip. “Who? What are you on about?” “The lady who’s taught you all about true love. And don’t try to squirm out of it. I lived with you for ten years. I know you pretty well.” There was silence for a moment before Clifton said, “You’re right, there is someone. She’s beautiful and feisty, doesn’t let me get away with a thing. And I love her to bits.” “So that’s what I did wrong. I didn’t get heavy with you when you did the wrong thing.” Madison stared at him. “There’s something else. I can see it on your face.” He smiled. “I’m going to be a daddy. Debbie is three months pregnant.” -144-
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“And you’re still listening to your father? Clifton, you fool. It’s time to cut the apron strings. Go home and marry the girl. Your parents might be annoyed to start with, but they’ll come around. And if they don’t, well, you’ll have a family of your own, with enough love to weather the problems with your father. This is your life, not his.” “You’re right. I’m going to arrange a civil ceremony as soon as I get back and to hell with the family name. Debbie is as good as them any day.” Madison frowned and scratched her head as she tried to make sense of it all. “So why bother to come and see me if you were planning to marry another woman?” “I told you I’d grown up, but maybe not enough.” He frowned. “For a while I even contemplated doing what my father wanted. You’ve helped crystallize things in my mind. I guess I just needed someone to put it into words for me.” Good gracious, after all this time he is still trying to please Daddy, despite what he’s saying. I may not have seen it at the time, but I’m better off out of that marriage. “Go home and marry your Debbie, Clifton.” He grinned. “You’re right, but Madison, there’s still one thing I want to say.” She raised her eyebrows and waited. “I’m truly sorry for what I put you through. That was the other reason I came up here. You were so shattered when you left, I needed to know I hadn’t done irreparable damage.” He grimaced. “Yeah, I know, that sounds like ego talking, but I guess I feel I have to be able to close the door on that part of my life before I can walk away with a clear conscience.” “My, you really have changed.” -145-
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“I have no illusions I’m so great you’d never be able to get over me, but I still had to be certain you were doing okay.” “Clifton, you did me a favor,” Madison reiterated. “Now, let’s get out of here. Unless you want to finish off the champagne?” With a glance at the folder the waiter had placed on the edge of the table, he counted out large domination notes from his wallet. As he stood up, he said, “I hate champagne.” “I’ll let you into a secret,” Madison tossed over her shoulder as she preceded him out of the restaurant. “I can’t stand pink champagne.” Madison felt pretty good when she walked out of the restaurant. She’d laid a lot of demons to rest tonight. The old insecurities seem to float off into the balmy night air and for the first time she felt free of the past. Even the certificate she’d received when her divorce was final hadn’t given her this sense of freedom. She slipped her arm through Clifton’s and walked him toward the cab rank. “Personally, I’d like to have a boy first. What about you?” “Doesn’t matter, as long as Debbie and the baby are okay.” He paused at the first cab in line and bent to open the passenger door. “So when do you go back to Sydney?” “I thought I’d take another day to have a look around up here, it’s a beautiful place. I’ll fly home on Sunday.” With a grin, Madison wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. “Have a good life, Clifton Rossi, and send me a photo of the baby when he, or she, arrives.” She closed the distance between them and captured his lips in a searing kiss. When she broke off the kiss, the shock on his face was balm for her soul. “Just to show you what you missed out on.” She chuckled as she slipped from his arms and disappeared into the cab.
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“Go knock ‘em dead, Madison Paxton,” he called out as she slammed the door and gave the cab driver her address. She was feeling pleased with herself and the way she’d handled Clifton. Twelve months ago, she would have caved in to his demands, but she’d changed so much. And Jake is responsible. The words reverberated inside her head, bringing with them a sense of depression that threatened to smother her. She cast it from her, determined not to let it take over. “You’re a vibrant, sexy woman, Madison Paxton,” she whispered. You don’t need a man to justify your existence, she finished silently. “You are definitely the sexiest woman I’ve had in my cab all night, love,” the aged cab driver responded. A chuckle bubbled up at the driver’s sally. “Thank you, kind sir. You’ve made my day.”
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CHAPTER 16 “What the heck’s wrong with you, boy? You’ve moped around the house like a sick duck all day.” Bart sighed in exasperation as Jake pushed food around his plate. “If you’re not going to eat that meal, stop playing with it.” Jake let out a crack of laughter, surprised in spite of himself. He hadn’t thought he was capable of finding any humor in life at the moment. “You used to say that to me when I was a kid.” “Yeah, well, it seems to me you’re acting like that same kid right now. You’re sulking.” Bart collected the dirty plates and carried them to the bench, scraped the remains of Jake’s meal and dumped the dirty china in the sink. “Am not,” Jake retorted. “Are too,” Bart reiterated. “So what’s wrong? Girlfriend stand you up tonight?” Images of Madison rushed through him and filled his mind. His father was right. He had hovered around the house all day, unable to get his head together. He reached into his pocket and curled his hand around the crumpled ball of paper. MADISON PAXTON MAKEOVER PLAN. He felt like a fool, he’d been so easily taken in. She hadn’t wanted a permanent relationship, just a sperm-toting, testosterone-filled male. Any man would have done. He just happened to be the man on the spot. -148-
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And it was his own fucking fault. If he’d told her the truth right up front, he wouldn’t be in this position now. “How come you’re not out tonight? It’s the first night I’ve had you home for weeks.” “The lady and I have come to a parting of the ways.” Jake closed his eyes a moment as a shaft of pain arrowed through him. “So you told her the truth and she couldn’t take it.” Bart sat down across from his son. “You give her time to take it in or did you just toss it at her and expect her to accept it immediately? Women need time. You have to handle them gently.” Jake rolled his eyes. God help him, he couldn’t confess to his father. “Come on, Jake, I might be old, but I have had some dealings with women. If I can handle my Rosa, surely I can be of some help to my own son?” “I didn’t tell her the truth.” Jake kept his head bent and traced the check pattern in the tablecloth with the tip of his finger. Bart shook his head. “I told you, a relationship can’t be built on a lie. Did you tell her you loved her?” “No, and I’m not certain I do.” “Rubbish. It’s written all over your face.” He held up his hand when Jake opened his mouth to speak. “Uh-uh, don’t deny it. Your old man isn’t blind. Yet.” He stood and whipped the tablecloth out from under Jake’s arms. “So what went wrong?” Jake pushed himself to his feet and paced across the kitchen, hands shoved deep into his pockets. The crackle of paper in his clenched hand was fairly potent evidence of Madison’s deception. His own lie screamed inside his head, reminding him he’s been just as underhanded as Madison.
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He paused, rested his hands on the edge of the bench and hung his head. He’d started out with one objective in mind. To use Madison to get back into the dating scene. As a means of revamping his technique with women. But the whole scenario had changed. Madison had become the most important thing on his mind. Helping her to recover from the callous treatment of her ex-husband had meant more to him than proving Courtney wrong about him. He fingered the crumpled ball of paper in his pocket. Maybe the same thing had happened to Madison. His father was right. He did love her. This list in his pocket hadn’t changed that. He’d handled it all wrong. He should have given her a chance to explain. She may have started out as per her makeover plan, but he had a suspicion her emotions ran just as deep as his own. He hadn’t given her a chance. He lifted his head and stared at his father. “You’re right, Dad, I’m an idiot when it comes to women.” “Hah, women make fools of us all, but where would we be without them? You going to give her a ring and straighten this out? Women brood, you know, better to sort this out before she has time to focus too much on your faults.” “Can’t,” Jake said with a shake of his head. “She’s got some type of appointment tonight. I’ll have to contact her tomorrow.” He felt better now he had a plan of action. He grinned at his father. “Thanks, Dad.” “Don’t mention it. What are fathers for if not to give their children advice?” He rubbed his hands together. “So, if you’re free, you can drive your old man into town. I want to check with Mr. Wong at the Chinese restaurant that everything is ready for tomorrow night.”
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“No problem.” Jake was glad to have something to fill in his time. “Although wouldn’t you rather do that with Rosa?” “Rosa is with Ken Harvey at the retirement home. He’s taking over from her as manager when she moves in here. Besides, I want to arrange with Mr. Wong to make an engagement cake for tomorrow as a surprise for Rosa. I never did give her an engagement party.” Bart picked up his keys and handed them to Jake. “We’ll take my car, but you can drive. I’m too old to sit with my knees up around my ears in that little red rocket you drive.” Jake laughed as he led the way out of the house, his heart lighter already. He couldn’t wait for tomorrow to come so he could talk to Madison and straighten this out. Tell her he loved her and lay all his cards on the table. Thoughts of Madison kept his mind busy on the short drive into town. There wasn’t a lot of traffic on the road, but parking spaces in the main street of Caloundra on Friday night were at a premium. Finally, he hit on one some distance away and he and his father wandered down the neon-lit street toward the restaurant. He glanced in the windows of the shops and the many eateries they passed. At the well-lit window of a fancy French restaurant two doors down from the Golden Dragon, he paused. Maybe when he and Madison sorted things out, he’d bring her here to celebrate. It looked just the place for a romantic dinner. All of a sudden, an image hit him, smack between the eyes. Madison. At a table for two, wearing the same black dress she’d tantalized him with. But this time he wasn’t the recipient of all the sexy glamour, because across from her was another man, and to make it worse, he was holding her hand like a lover. “Hey, you coming, Jake?” -151-
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His father’s words cut through the fog in his brain. He backed away from the lighted window. Shock rocketed through him. No wonder she’d told him not to bother to ring. His steps leaden, he turned and moved toward his father. Right at that moment, he felt older than his dad, as if all the stuffing had drained out of him. “You feeling all right, Son?” “Yeah, just a bit tired,” Jake said. He leaned up against the front of the gift store beside the French restaurant. Thank God it was dark, no interior lights on. Right now he needed the anonymity of the night. “You go in and sort out your engagement cake, Dad. I’ll wait here for you.” Bart shrugged and moved off, disappearing inside the Golden Dragon. Jake made a move to step out of the patch of darkness. Then he halted. Madison and her date exited the restaurant. She looked happy, a smile on her face as she tucked her arm through her date’s. They were of a similar height. The guy was good-looking, smooth and debonair. Well, good-looking to some…if you were a woman, and if you liked that type of thing. Obviously Madison did, judging by the way she hugged his arm close to her body. “Personally, I’d like a boy first.” Madison’s words carried on the night air, despite the sound of the road traffic. Jake didn’t hear any more as they moved further down the street to the cab rank. Wouldn’t have mattered even if they’d been right next to him. His head was filled with a strange buzzing and a red haze had taken over his mind. As he watched the guy take her in his arms and kiss her, the sound in his head intensified. He wanted to go after the guy, grab him and thrash him to a pulp. His hands curled into fists as he struggled to control his rage. It wasn’t the man’s fault. It was clear Madison had another stud on the side. Or she’d called one after he’d stormed out like an idiot this morning. -152-
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Seems she was still intent on being pregnant before her thirtieth birthday. A boy first indeed. This time she’d come clean and told the fellow what she wanted to use him for. “The rotten, little—” He cut the expletive off. “Damn her,” he whispered. “She gets me to educate her, to show her how enjoyable, how mind-blowing making love can be and then she goes off and shares all that expertise with another man. She’d nothing but a user.” For the moment, he ignored the fact he’d started this whole venture with the clear intention of using Madison. How dare she see another man behind his back? Jealous, Jake? The question seared through his brain. “You bet your boots I am,” he muttered. Therein hangs the problem, and the answer, old boy. You’re jealous because you love the woman to distraction. He’d screwed it up when he’d walked away, and by the look of things, it was too late to patch it up. Well, to hell with her. He’d gotten over Courtney and he’d do the same with Madison. Who needed women anyway? They were too much fucking trouble. The rage inside built to terrifying proportions. She hadn’t even waited one night. Off with the old and on with the new. And if she did get pregnant, the baby could well be his. Before he could ponder the seriousness of that thought, his father walked up to him. “Okay, all set. Let’s go home and you can give your girl a call. She might be back from her appointment by now.” In full color, the picture of Madison allowing that bozo to kiss her slammed into his mind. Jake had to force his hands to uncurl before he could reach into his pocket for the car keys.
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“To hell with women,” he spat out as he stomped off. “They aren’t worth it.” ad Madison stripped off the black dress and sexy underwear and reached for her nightgown. She hesitated, tossing the nightgown back onto the bed. It was still early and she was feeling good. She grabbed her itty bitty bikini; she’d go for a swim. With a chuckle, she threw the bikini on the bed, too, and reached for a sarong. She’d never been game to go swimming naked, even in the privacy of her own back yard, but tonight she was about to take the plunge. Figuratively and literally. She left the bedroom through the French doors and flicked on the underwater lights for the pool. Her time with Clifton had been a revelation. They had parted friends, or if not friends, at least with no remaining animosity of her part. She’d come to a realization tonight. Bitterness was a wasted emotion. It was one of those feelings that destroyed a person from the inside out, poisoning every area of their life. Now she was free of it and she could move on. If it had to be without Jake, so be it. Dropping the sarong, she stepped down into the water. Heavens, why hadn’t she tried this before? The brush of the water against her naked body felt like silk. Breath held, she submerged and swam underwater to the far end of the pool. She surfaced and stroked back through the water to the shallow end. Her back against the edge of the pool, she allowed her thoughts to stray to Jake. Just what had gone wrong this morning? There was no doubt he’d enjoyed their lovemaking. Women could fake an orgasm, but -154-
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no way was it possible for a man. The physical differences between a man and a woman made it impossible to hide when a guy was interested. So what had happened? Just thinking about their time together caused an instantaneous reaction in her body. Her breasts felt swollen, her nipples peaked, and it had nothing to do with the coolness of the water. A throb started deep inside, arrowed down to centre between her thighs. A groan escaped her as she ran her palms down over her breasts to the juncture of her thighs. “Enough, Madison. Go ring the man and ask him why he left like he did.” Droplets of cool water still clung to her body as she wrapped the sarong about herself. She rushed through the open doors, grabbed for the phone and punched in Jake’s number. The ring of the phone echoed down the line and she was about to hang up when he answered. “Yeah, who is it?” Madison held the receiver away from her ear and frowned at it. Oh dear, he didn’t sound in a very good mood. She cupped the phone against the side of her face. “Jake, it’s Madison.” “So, Ms. Paxton, what can I do for you?” Tears filled her eyes at the cold tone of voice. “Please, Jake, talk to me. I don’t understand what’s gone wrong.” “Nothing’s wrong. We had our fun and now it’s over. I’ve fulfilled the terms of my contract, even if it was a verbal one.” “Jake, what are you talking about?” The tears overflowed to trickle down her face. She stifled the sob that threatened to break free. “You wanted to experience an orgasm. Well, you’ve had plenty of whoopty-do from me. Why don’t you get your new stud to carry on where I left off?”
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Madison felt the blood drain from her face as Jake’s cruel words sank into her mind. She swayed as she perched on the edge of the bed. The overhead fan dried the moisture on her skin, creating a cold draft that made her shiver. But Madison knew the cold was more than skin-deep. This freeze started deep in her heart and spread out to encompass her whole body. Without another word, Madison severed the connection. Her mind couldn’t take it in. What new stud was Jake talking about? God, she couldn’t understand any of this. And right now, it was all too much to handle in this highly emotional state. She’d thought she could handle life without Jake if necessary, but after the last few minutes, she was no longer certain. Her limbs felt weighted down as she pushed herself to her feet and stumbled over to the light switch. When the room was pitch dark, she felt her way to the edge of the bed and pulled back the covers. She let the sarong drop, kicking it aside when it tangled about her feet. Despite the humid weather outside, she climbed into bed and snuggled beneath the covers. Inside she was ice-cold. The click of the whirring fan became a metronome that timed the beat of her heart and the shuddering breaths she tried to drag in as she struggled to get her emotions under control.
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CHAPTER 17 Madison hissed as she placed her knee down on the metal end of the tape measure. “Ouch.” She winced as she pulled the tape out of her way. “Okay, Mom, turn slowly so I can do up the next bit.” With the pearl ends of the pins clamped between her teeth, she measured up the next length of hem and, one by one, used the pins to hold it in place. “You are going to look absolutely beautiful for your wedding,” she said when she could actually talk. She directed Rosa to spin a little more to the right. “You don’t think it’s too young for me?” Rosa twisted her head to look over her shoulder at her daughter. “Hold still or I’ll get it wrong,” Madison warned. “And no, the suit is perfect.” She grinned as she fastened the next section of the hemline. “Since when have you worried about what you wear? All your clothes are designed for the younger set.” Rosa had chosen a simple two-piece suit in a heavy silk, the color of rich, clotted cream. The style was perfect for her and Madison didn’t hesitate to reassure her. “Mom, you’ll make Bart’s eyes pop out of his head. He’ll think you’re the most beautiful bride ever. Now turn to the front and then we’re finished.” She picked up three more pins, balanced them between her lips and waited for her mother to move. “So what did Clifton the Crud want last night?”
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“Hmmup.” Madison spat the pins into her hand. “Mother, I wish you wouldn’t ask questions when I have a mouthful of pins.” With deft hands, she measured and pinned the final bit of hem and sat back on her heels to check the level. “All finished. You can go and get changed now. Won’t take us long to stitch it in place.” “Yes, but what did Clifton want?” Madison grinned. She watched for her mother’s reaction as she said, “He intimated he wanted to marry me again.” She raised her eyebrows, knowing she wouldn’t have to wait long. Rosa clapped her hand over her chest as if she were in pain. “Oh my giddy aunt, he didn’t?” She stared at her daughter. “He did, didn’t he? That lousy crud thinks he can crook his finger and you’ll come back to him. I hope you told him where to get off. I know you want to have a baby, but not his. Oh, no, not a reproduction of that chinless wonder for my grandchild.” “Calm down, Mother. It’s not going to happen.” She grinned. “Anyway, he didn’t really want to marry me. He was just following Daddy’s orders. For the last time I might add.” She pushed herself to her feet, groaning as her knees protested the length of time she’d been down on the floor. “Aghh,” she cried out as her mother went to sit in the comfy lounge chair, “Don’t do that. You’ll crush your suit.” Rosa was caught, suspended over the chair, her weight supported by her hands on the arm rests. “Goodness, baby girl, don’t scare me like that.” She straightened up. “Just give me the abridged version and I’ll go change.” “Daddy wants Clifton to go into politics and for that he needs a squeaky clean image. No nasty divorce in his background.”
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“So he thought he could come up here and sweet talk you into going back to him. I suppose he told you he’d made a mistake and he still loved you?” Madison nodded, a grin on her face. “And he thought you were dumb enough to be taken in by that? The man must have rocks in his head. Even to have a baby, it’s not worth that type of sacrifice.” “Don’t get all worked up. Clifton knows there’s nothing between us anymore. He could see how much I’ve changed, taken control of my own life.” She chuckled as she thought of the look on his face when she’d ordered that oh-so-expensive champagne. “Fact is,” she continued as she picked up the sewing paraphernalia from off the floor, “Clifton doesn’t want to do what Daddy has mapped out for him. I think this was his final swansong before he starts defying dear old Dad. He might actually have the gumption to stand up to him now. There’s another lady in the picture, with a baby on the way. Daddy is about to get a serious shock.” “Couldn’t happen to a nicer person,” Rosa said with a laugh. “So Clifton noticed the changes in you, did he?” “Well, it sure made him sit up and take notice.” Madison paused, her mind running back over the previous evening. “But you know the most important thing to come out of last night? I no longer feel any bitterness toward Clifton. In fact, we parted as friends. Incredible.” She shook her head. Rosa patted her cheek as she passed her on the way to the bedroom. “You’ve grown a lot in the last year, baby girl. I’m proud of you. You’ve finally become your own woman.” “There’s something else,” Madison said as her mother paused on the threshold of the living room. “As much as I’d like to have a child, it’s no -159-
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longer the be-all and end-all of my life. I guess I’ve discovered love is enough, a baby merely an extension of that love. Not the sole purpose for tying myself to a man.” Thoughts of Jake filtered into her mind. A blanket of depression threatened to descend over her, but she cast it away. She might love him, but she was no longer going to wallow in despair. Her university studies would keep her busy. She had a lot of friends to take her mind off things, and the one issue that had come out of last night’s soul-searching was that she was responsible for her own happiness. If Jake chose not to be a part of her life, so be it. “Go get that suit off and come on out to the gazebo I’ll have a tall glass of cool fruit juice waiting for you,” she said as she swiped her hand across the beads of perspiration on her forehead. At this rate, what with the build-up of humidity and the cloud cover, they’d have a storm before the night was over. She filled two glasses and placed them on a tray, along with the local paper and the cordless phone. It was too hot to run to grab it if it rang. Of course, you’re not waiting for Jake to ring, are you? She ignored the little voice in the back of her mind and made her way outside and settled at the picnic table. With the paper spread out before her, she sipped at the juice and flicked over the flimsy pages. There wasn’t that much of interest, but she liked to keep abreast of the happenings in her little corner of the world. She was just about to turn the next page when something caught her eye. Her movements stilted, she placed her glass on the table and stared at the advertisement. Just a small square on the top of the outer column, but it blazed at her like a beacon. A spiral of dread curled in her stomach
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as she read it. Shock feathered up and down her spine, followed by sheer mortification. “Where’s that cold drink? I sure need it in this heat.” Madison lifted her head as her mother joined her at the table. She struggled to get her thoughts under control, trying to assimilate what she’d just read. Dragging in a deep breath, she released it on a shaky sigh. “This dinner tonight, Mom. Tell me what you know about Bart’s son. Have you met him yet?” “You know, it’s funny,” Rosa said, “but in all the times I’ve been over there, I’ve never seen Jake. Bart said he’s been seeing a woman and that’s what’s keeping him busy.” “So his name is Jake Hunter?” A red haze swept through her mind as she tried to figure the probability of a coincidence. No way. Just wasn’t possible. Rosa sipped at her drink before placing the glass back on the table. “Yeah, Bart’s quite happy about the whole thing. Said his last girlfriend did a number on his head. Came home quite depressed, he did. This new lady has changed him. He’s even talked about selling the business in Sydney and moving up to the Coast.” Her fingers curled into the page of the newspaper and Madison had to force herself not to crumple it into a wrinkled ball. “To change the subject for a moment, Mom.” It was all part of the same as far as she was concerned. “Where did you find the number for this Stud Finders Incorporated?” With a tap of her nail, Rosa indicated the newspaper on the table. “The local paper. I saw a little box advertising it when I was looking for a dressmaker.”
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“A little box like this?” Madison passed the paper across the table to her mother. Rosa lifted the page and held it out at arm’s length, her eyes squinted as she ran her gaze over the black type. “Yeah, there it is. Stud Finder, Incorporated.” She squinted a bit harder. “Don’t… wreck…” “Oh, for crying out loud, Mom, you and your vanity.” Madison reached around the edge of the table and slid her hand into the pocket of her mother’s shorts and extracted the floral glasses case. “Put your glasses on and read the rest. Out loud.” When Rosa had positioned her glasses on the tip of her nose, she placed the paper on the table in front of her and started to read out loud. STUD FINDERS INCORPORATED. Don’t wreck your life. Find the right stud for the job. Phone 54926282. She leaned closer to read the fine print of the final line. A division of Bart Hunter Building Services. Located in Australia’s sunniest state. There was silence for a moment before she said, “I don’t understand. Are you telling me—” “Let me explain it to you, Mom.” Madison knew her tone was terse, but sometimes her mother was the absolute end. “The stud that—that— advert is talking about has nothing to do with male studs. Or with sex. You’re about to marry a builder so it’s time you got educated. A stud is the beam behind the wallboard of a house.” She stared at the shocked look on her mother’s face. Then she raised her eyebrows and grinned, although it was more like a grimace. “Bet you -162-
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read that advertisement without your glasses on. Want to take a guess what the name of my hired stud was?” “Not—not Jake? It couldn’t be. I didn’t even know this was Bart’s company, and I can’t believe his son would do this to any girl, let alone my daughter.” Her voice quivered and her hands trembled as she smoothed the sheet of newsprint in front of her. “I am such a fool,” she berated herself. “And you’re right, I didn’t have my glasses on, but the company name and the phone number were bigger type and really bold so I was able to read them. I am a total idiot. Madison’s thoughts turned back to the first day she’d met Jake. No wonder the guy had looked so pole-axed when she’d told him her mother had hired her a stud to teach her all about sex. All of a sudden, she saw the funny side of it, although a ball of anger at being taken for a ride still resided in the pit of her stomach. She burst into laughter. “Oh, my, you should have seen his face.” The hilarity of the situation appealed to her sense of the ridiculous and Madison doubled up over the table. When she’d finally caught her breath, she wiped the tears of mirth from her eyes and looked at her mom. “We never exchanged more than first names.” She shrugged. “I never expected to see him again after all this was over. And you never mentioned the name of Bart’s son so I didn’t make the connection.” “But I should have known,” Rosa said. “Damn him, how could he do this to you?” “He didn’t know who I was, and when I spoke of him to you, I only ever called him my stud.” And oh, he is that. She tried to ignore the thought.
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Rosa stood up, pushed her glasses up and perched them atop her head. “I’m going to go right over there and give that boy a piece of my mind.” “Hey, Madison, you there? Just came to do the lawns for you.” Madison looked up to see Greg, one of the boys from the university, stride down the side of the house to the garden shed at the back of the pool area. Cut-off shorts and an old tee shirt with the sleeves ripped out made the most of his muscular body. He waved when he saw her sitting at the picnic table. He flicked his head back as his blond hair fell forward over his forehead. Madison grinned as she watched him push his dark-framed glasses back up on his nose. She had employed him to cut her lawns once a week, just to give him a bit of extra money to eke out his student loan. At twenty, he sometimes made her feel like an old lady. Leaning back in the chair, chin resting on her fisted hand, she admired the ripple of muscles up and down his arms as he wrestled with the recalcitrant door of the garden shed. A really wicked idea popped into her head. I couldn’t. A wide grin tilted her lips. Oh, but I could. “Mom, don’t say anything to Jake about this. I don’t want your engagement dinner ruined.” “But he can’t be allowed to get away with it.” “He won’t.” Madison stood, smoothed her shorts down over her hips and tugged her tee shirt up and tied it in a knot under her breasts. “Don’t go away. I’ll be right back.” Ooo-kay, Jake told me to go out and find a new stud. Well, maybe not that, but he seems to think I do have a new one so why disappoint him? She exaggerated the sway of her hips in the brief shorts as she sauntered over to Greg. When she reached the garden shed, she propped
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herself up against the fence and watched him drag the lawn mower from amid the clutter inside. “So how’s it going, Greg? You all set for the start of classes next week?” He turned from his task of filling the mower with fuel and wiped his hands on the rag tucked into his back pocket. “It’s been a great holiday, but I’ll be glad to get back at it. Final semester. Wahoo.” With loose-limbed grace he joined her at the fence, resting one hip against the wooden structure, his glasses once again halfway down his nose. “I hopped on the university web site last night and downloaded the course descriptions for my final subjects.” He shook his head and grimaced, pushing his glasses back into place. “Sometimes I think I was an idiot for choosing Environmental Science. This last bit is going to be tough going.” “But think how good you’ll feel when it’s all over.” Madison took a deep breath that lifted her breasts high. She felt bad manipulating Greg like this, but if he’d play along, tonight was going to be fun. “Greg, how do you feel about being my companion for dinner at a Chinese restaurant tonight, all expenses paid?” “Hey, are you kidding? You know I live on my own. My cooking is lousy. I’d do anything for a free meal. Well, just about anything.” “Could you pretend to be my paid stud?” Madison waited with baited breath for his response. “Huh?” “My mother and her fiancé are having an engagement dinner tonight at the Golden Dragon. There’s going to be someone there that I… Well, suffice it to say he needs to be taught a lesson.”
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Greg grinned. “Boyfriend got your dander up, eh?” He let out a crack of laughter. “Sure, I’m game for it. It’ll be a hoot. So how do you want me to play this?” “Just make out you think I’m the best thing since sliced bread.” Madison answered his grin with one of her own. “Let him think your sole purpose in life is to please me. Think you can do that?” Madison started in surprise as Greg leaned closer and ran his finger across her exposed torso, his hand perilously close to the underside of her breasts. God help her, she hoped she hadn’t given the poor guy the wrong idea. “Lady, for an old broad, you have one fine body. Pleasing you won’t be any hardship at all. In fact, just say the word and I’d be quite amenable to being your boy toy.” She didn’t know whether to laugh or chastise him. Old broad indeed. She was only ten years older than he was. She grasped his hand and moved it away from her breasts. “Uh-uh, Lothario, friends only. Save it for tonight.” Greg continued to grin at her, a lascivious gleam in his eyes. Just for a moment, Madison felt uncomfortable. She shook her head. No way. Greg was just teasing her like he always did. “So how about I pick you up at your flat at about half-past seven?” At his nod, she started to walk back to her mother, paused and turned back to him. “Greg, can you see without your glasses?” “I’m okay on distances, but close up it’s a bit fuzzy around the edges.” “So lose the glasses tonight and I’ll be your guide dog.” “Whoof, whoof,” he called after her as she moved away. “Hey, Madison, I wasn’t fooling about the good body.” He tilted his head on an
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angle and stared at her rear end. “From this side, it ain’t half-bad, old lady.” “Behave yourself, Greg,” she tossed over her shoulder as she rejoined her mother. “At least until tonight,” she muttered under her breath as she settled back down at the picnic table. “Madison, what are you up to?” Rosa demanded, a frown on her face. “You have an evil look in your eyes.” “I can’t tell you yet. I don’t want to ruin Jake’s surprise. One thing, though, can I bring a companion to dinner tonight?” She held up her hand before her mother could speak. “I know you wanted it to be family only but—” Rosa cut her off with a bubble of laughter. “I don’t need to know what you’re going to do. I can guess. Yes, bring your companion to dinner. I’ll ring the restaurant and arrange for an extra person.” She chuckled again. “Baby girl, you are truly wicked.” “Thanks, Mom. You’re the best.” Madison stood up and rounded the table to bend down to hug Rosa. “Just follow my lead tonight and try not to laugh.” As Rosa prepared to leave, Madison added, “And be nice to Jake tonight. Don’t give him the evil eye.” “Thought you wanted to pay him back?” “I do, but you’re going to be his stepmother, so don’t push it too hard.” ad “You’re on, Greg,” Madison whispered as they walked into the Golden Dragon right on eight o’clock. “Just don’t over-act, okay?”
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He slid his arm about her waist and pulled her close. “Leave it to me, Madison. Did I tell you I took drama in high school? This little play will be a walk-over, particularly when you look like that.” Madison glanced down at her dress. Deep crimson, a figure-hugging halter neck that left her shoulders bare and plunged in the front to show the curve of her breasts. It was the shortest dress she owned, the hem stopping at mid-thigh. She’d bought it soon after she’d formulated her makeover plan as an incentive to lose the weight she’d carried around for so long. When she was finally able to fit into it, she didn’t have the confidence to wear it. She flicked a look at Greg as the waiter directed them to the private function room off to one side of the restaurant. He didn’t look so bad himself. Hunky was the word the young girls at the university would have used. In fact, she knew quite a few in her own classes who’d like to get their hands on him. And she wasn’t talking figuratively. He’d chosen to dress in black leather trousers that showed off his tight butt to advantage. With those, he’d teamed a white, silk, longsleeved shirt that gave him a piratical air. The sleeves were rolled up to show his muscled forearms and he’d left all but the last three buttons undone to expose his chest and the gold medallion he’d hung about his neck. His thick blond hair flopped endearingly over his forehead and without his glasses his big baby-blues were even more startling. And, yeah, he looked like someone’s boy toy. Eat your heart out, Jake. You’re about to learn this little chicken isn’t going to crumple in a heap just because you had some type of brain fart.
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Greg slowed his stride to allow her to walk beside him and she moved her head closer to his shoulder as they entered the private room. “Hi, Mom, we finally made it. You look gorgeous.” Rosa had chosen a pale pastel dress in a soft, filmy fabric. Even her normal big hair-do had been tamed for this oh-so-important night. She jumped up from her chair, gave Madison a hug and looked coyly at her partner. “So who’s your companion, baby girl?” “This is Greg.” She snuggled closer to him. “Greg, this is my mother, Rosa. That good-looking gentleman over there who can’t take his eyes off her is her fiancé, Bart.” Bart stood up and shook hands with Greg. Out of the corner of her eye, Madison saw Jake surge to his feet. Anger flashed across his face. She ignored the fisted hand she could see hanging at his side and leaned forward and kissed Bart on his weathered cheek. “You know your life will never be the same when you marry my mother, don’t you?” she teased. Bart hugged Rosa to his side. “With Rosa, the rest of my life is going to be one big adventure,” he chuckled. “Now come and meet my son.” He guided Madison, still linked with Greg, over to where Jake stood. “Madison, this is Jake.” Madison disengaged herself from Greg’s hold and reached up and planted an enthusiastic kiss on Jake’s stunned face. She clasped her hands in front of her and gushed, “Jake, it’s so great to meet you. I always wanted an older brother and now I’m about to get one.”
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CHAPTER 18 Jake felt the blood drain from his face as he stared at Madison. It took a moment for his brain to register the truth. Madison was Rosa’s daughter. How the fuck… Then he finally made sense of her greeting. Brother? She wanted a brother? She sure hadn’t been treating him like a sibling the other night. Horror rippled through his body. Bloody hell, he would be her brother—all right, so he’d be a stepbrother—when their parents got married. Didn’t make it seem any better. What he felt wasn’t even in the same neighborhood as brotherly love. As for pretending she didn’t know him, he had a good mind to… It hit him like a fist to the gut. There wasn’t a damn thing he could do. He had to play along with her. He wasn’t about to spill the beans and let his father, and Rosa, know what he’d been up to. His dad would skin him alive. “Hey, Jake, old man, I’m Greg, a friend of Madison’s. A very good friend.” He hugged her close and gave her a suggestive wink. “It’s good to meet you, old boy.” Madison had to bite her lip to stop the grin that threatened to break through as Greg held out his hand to Jake. They did the man thing, shook hands, and she could have sworn she felt the testosterone rage as they sized each other up. Jake winced as Greg employed a bit more muscle than necessary. -170-
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It was time she intervened. She guided Greg over to the table. Before she could sit, he went into his chivalrous mode and, all solicitous, pulled the chair out for her. “Here you go, babe, let me do that for you.” She sat, edged forward as he moved the chair in and had to stifle a gasp as the table connected with her stomach. “Thank you, Greg,” she said as she eased back a bit. He settled beside her, moved in close and grasped her hand, lifting it to rest in plain view on the snowy tablecloth. “So Jake, old man,” Greg said, “what do you do for a crust?” Jake stared at the guy leaning all over Madison. His mind had gone into a flat spin and for the moment, he couldn’t even make sense of Greg’s words. If this damn…kid called him old man one more time, he’d deck him. Just how ancient did he think he was? One thing for certain, Madison was playing in the baby pool. The boy—and that’s all he was—had to be years younger than Madison. And she dared parade this gigolo in front of his dad and Rosa? How disrespectful. He shook his head. This wasn’t about his father and Rosa. This was all to do with the green haze of jealousy that had crept over his mind. It was his own fault. He’d told her to get her new stud to continue with her education. He had no one to blame but himself. Hold on a moment. He tried to concentrate, surprised at how difficult it was. What about the guy he’d seen her with at the French restaurant down the road? Bloody hell, she hadn’t wasted much time. Two different guys in as many days. “Hey, Jake, you gone to sleep over there?” “Huh?” Jake dragged his mind back to Greg. “Sorry, what was the question?” “What do you do for a living?” -171-
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“I’m a lawyer down in Sydney.” Jake couldn’t take his eyes off Madison. He fumed as he watched her run the tip of her nails up and down the bulging muscles of the kid’s forearm. Fuck, he wanted to smash him in the face. One good punch. That’s all it would take to mar his pretty looks. “What’s your line of work?” he said instead. “Oh, Greg’s at university with me,” Madison said. “Yep, we’re old friends.” Greg draped an arm around Madison’s neck and danced his fingers up and down the exposed column of her throat. “Amazing how you can know someone for ages and suddenly, wham, you realize what you have is more than friendship.” He leaned in closer and dropped a kiss on her cheek, allowing his mouth to slide to the edge of her lips. Under cover of the table, Jake curled his hands into fists. He concentrated, reining in his anger. Okay, so the guy wasn’t a paid stud. That could be worse. She might be serious about him. After all, women had been going out with younger men since the year dot. Hell, a couple of his mates had even married older women. But he could have sworn Madison felt something for him. He suddenly remembered the makeover plan he’d found. She’d used him to teach her all about sex and now this muscle-bound jock was about to reap the benefits. Wonder if he knows she wants a baby? Although, maybe she’s going to use her other stud for that, and this guy for the fun part. After all, he is a much younger model. Jake felt every one of his thirty-nine years, like the old man the kid had called him. “You all right there, Jake? You’ve gone red in the face.” His father’s voice cut across the angst churning inside him. He had to force himself to remember this was an engagement dinner. He didn’t
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want to ruin it for his old man. He cringed inwardly as his use of the same term Greg had dumped on him. “Probably just hungry, Dad.” “Then you’ll do justice to this.” Bart gestured to the waiters as they placed dish after dish in the centre of the table. “Rosa and I have arranged a banquet for tonight.” Mr. Wong, the owner of the restaurant, approached the table and bowed from the waist. “Good evening, everyone. I hope you enjoy your meal.” He pointed to the platters of food. “Here we have Mongolian Lamb, Special Fried Rice, Garlic King Prawns.” He moved to the other side of the table. “Vegetable Delight, Lemon Chicken and last, but not least, Seafood Phoenix Nest Deluxe.” He backed out of the room, giving a final bow at the entrance. “Enjoy, enjoy.” “Something for everyone.” Bart beamed. “In honor of this special occasion,
and
for
my
beautiful
bride-to-be,
I’ve
ordered
pink
champagne.” He reached behind him and grasped the neck of the bottle sitting in a silver wine bucket. “Here, Jake, you can look after that.” Madison almost swallowed her tongue she was trying so hard not to laugh. Memories of Clifton and the look on his face when she’d ordered the same champagne filled her head. She snuggled closer to Greg as Jake came round the table and reached across her to fill the glass. A grin on her face, she angled a glance at him. “Thank you, big brother.” She felt a moment of wicked delight as his face darkened and he averted his gaze. See how it feels to be given the brush-off, Jake? A nerve twitched on his jaw line as he sat down and beads of perspiration broke out on his forehead. “Jake, you’re looking a bit hot and bothered over there,” she said. “Maybe you should ask them to turn up the air conditioning.”
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Before Jake could respond, Greg inspected the seafood dish served in the nest of fried noodles. “Hey, Madison, you reckon there are oysters somewhere in there among all those vegetables? I’ll have to make certain I have plenty of that. You know what they say about oysters being an aphrodisiac.” Rosa cast a twinkling glance at Madison, her lips twitching with suppressed mirth. “You look very young and sexy tonight, baby girl. Don’t think I’ve seen that dress before.” “Your mother is right,” Bart interjected. “You’re very fetching in that get-up.” He turned toward his son. “Don’t you think so, Jake?” “I think…” Jake paused, searched for a civil response. “I think both the ladies look terrific. Rosa, you don’t look old enough to have a grown daughter. Some women make the mistake of trying to dress too young and end up looking like mutton dressed up as lamb.” He glared at Madison before he swung his gaze back to his future stepmother. “But as far as you’re concerned, Rosa, I think you’ll remain young forever. Everyone will think my dear old dad is cradle-snatching.” Madison shook her head. Another dig at her. “Why, thank you, Jake.” Rosa sat back as Bart played the gentleman and served her. “You know, in all the times I’ve been over at your father’s place, I’ve never once run into you.” “He’s been busy,” Bart said as he filled his own plate. “Got himself a new lady friend.” Jake lifted his head and stared at Madison. Her only response was to smile at him before she turned back toward Greg. “Would you like me to serve you, honey?” Madison laid her palm on Greg’s cheek.
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“Thank you, babe. That would be great.” Greg leaned closer and whispered in her ear. “I can’t see well enough to do it. I’ll spill it everywhere.” He ran his hand down her arm. Madison suffered a moment of disquiet. Lord, if she wasn’t careful, this could get out of hand and backfire on her. Already she’d had to remove Greg’s hand twice from her knee. She may well have created a monster. She angled a glance at Jake from under lowered brows. He no longer looked angry, just shell-shocked. Her heart smote her and she realized something. There was no fun in hurting someone you loved. She’d wanted to pay him back for his callousness, but it wasn’t worth it, because it hurt her just as much as it did him. Now it was too late to back down. Greg had thrown himself into the role with enthusiastic gusto. He was like an octopus, his hands everywhere. Heaven knows how he managed to eat his food and run his fingers all over the part of her back exposed by the halter neck style. And if he called her babe one more time, she’d hit him. This is of your own making, Madison. The words pounded through her brain, reinforced by the jolt of pain deep in her heart. Besides, she had a feeling it was all for nothing. Jake hadn’t looked at her since he’d served the wine. She worked hard to keep the conversation flowing as they demolished the aromatic dishes in front of them. It really wasn’t necessary. Greg was happy with a free feed. Jake contributed absolutely nothing to the conversation. Rosa and Bart were wrapped in a little world all of their own.
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When Greg tried to feed her the last mouthful on his plate, she’d finally had enough. She placed her lips near his ear, and voice lowered, said, “Quit it, Greg, you’re overacting.” “Gotta pay for the free dinner, babe.” Madison ground her teeth together and placed her chopsticks across the centre of her bowl. She’d eaten very little, but her stomach was too churned up to force another bite down. She had to be the biggest fool ever. “That was just delicious,” Rosa said. She pushed her chair out and stood up. “Madison, how about a trip to the bathroom?” With a silent blessing to her mother, Madison complied. She couldn’t get out of the seat fast enough. “Back soon, boys,” she quipped. “Don’t go away now.” Greg laughed as the two women left the room. “Why is it women have to go to the toilet in pairs, do you think? Men don’t need anyone to hold their hand.” Bart stood up, a deep frown on his face. “Well, this is one time the men are going to follow their lead.” He nodded to Greg. “We won’t be long.” He crooked his finger at his son and gestured. “Jake, you follow me.” Jake knew he was in for it now. His father had his irate face on and he was about to be the recipient of a parental lecture. Fuck, his dad was going to kill him when he knew the truth. Maybe he could lie his way out of it. No, he’d never deliberately lied to his father in his life and he wasn’t about to start now. Okay, so he’d kept certain things from him, and maybe that was lying by omission, but he hadn’t known Madison was Rosa’s daughter then. They didn’t go to the men’s bathroom. Bart strode out the front door of the restaurant, his back ramrod straight, determination in every line of -176-
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his body. Jake followed behind, not game to say a word. He felt like a kid all over again. Once on the pavement outside the restaurant, Bart turned to Jake. “Okay, what the heck is going on here? Are you unhappy with me putting Rosa in your mother’s place?” “Hell, no, Dad. Rosa is perfect for you. She’ll keep you on your toes for the rest of your days.” Jake ran his hand through his hair before smoothing it back into place. His dad stared at him, his eyes narrowed. Suddenly, his father’s eyebrows raised and a suspicious look swept across his face. Jake shuffled his feet and squirmed in place, shoved his hands deep into his pockets and looked anywhere but at his old man. Oh-oh, here it comes. “You looked pretty shocked when you met Madison. I got the impression
you
knew
her,”
Bart
said.
“I
mean
before
tonight.
You…bloody hell, she’s not the woman you’ve been seeing, is she?” Jake opened his mouth to try to speak, then closed it again. “This night is important to Rosa. I don’t want it spoiled. We’re not going back in there until I have some answers, so spit it out.” “Okay.” Jake gave up. He may as well get it over and done with. “Yes, Madison is the woman I’ve been dating.” “And you broke up and now she’s with another man. Well, it happens so get over it.” There was dead silence for a moment as Bart eyeballed his son. “There’s more to it than that, isn’t there?” Jake shook his head. His old man was like a dog with a bone. “I can’t tell you, Dad. Part of this story is Madison’s and I won’t break her confidence. If you want to know, I suggest you speak to Rosa. All I can say is I’m a bloody fool. I may well have thrown away the chance of a lifetime.”
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“Hmm, I get the feeling it’s all show in there,” Bart mused. “I know Madison and tonight’s performance is a departure from the norm. Any reason she would want to visit a bit of payback on you?” “Oh, yeah.” Jake’s voice was filled with disgust. “Well, whatever it is, sort it out. I don’t want you and Madison at odds. Go see her when she hasn’t got that bundle of muscle on her arm.” He turned back toward the restaurant. “Come on, let’s get back in. I want to be there when Mr. Wong brings in Rosa’s engagement cake.” With a silent curse at his own stupidity, Jake pushed the remaining anger, and a hefty dose of despondency, aside and followed his father back to the private dining room. ad Rosa stood in front of the mirror in the ladies room and tweaked at the curl over her ear. “Are you having fun, baby girl?” Madison leaned up against the vanity and watched her mother. Her mind was full of thoughts of Jake. She didn’t need to be a rocket scientist to tell he was angry. It was written all over his face and in every restrained line of his body. But there was something else there as well. Was it possible he was jealous of Greg? She hugged the idea to her. Perhaps Jake’s emotions were more involved than she’d thought. Her mind skipped back to the time he’d run from her pool, and her presence, like a frightened rabbit. And the resultant phone call when he’d admitted to being scared of his own feelings. Maybe, just maybe— “I’m talking to you, Madison.” Her mother’s voice cut across her thoughts, sharp and commanding. “Sorry, Mom, I was… I was thinking of Jake.” -178-
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“Now I have your attention, I’ll ask you again. Are you having fun with your little bit of play-acting?” Was she? She shook her head. “No, I’m not. I’m sorry I started this. Getting even isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, is it?” “A little bit of revenge is okay,” Rosa stated. “Does a girl good, but not when it’s taken too far. Jake looks miserable. I think you’ve played this out as far as you should.” “You’re right. Greg and I will leave as soon as dessert is finished. I don’t think I could get him to move away from that table while there’s still food being served.” Rosa chuckled. “He does have a rather large appetite, doesn’t he?” She took a perfume atomizer from her purse and sprayed a fine mist onto her wrists before she replaced the vial in her bag. “We’d better get back out there before the men think we’ve run out on them.” “One moment, Mom.” Madison opened the evening bag hanging from her shoulder and took out a small, gift-wrapped package. “I wanted to give you this in private. It’s a bit unusual for an engagement gift, but I think you’ll like it.” She handed over the present. She grinned as her mother ripped into the fancy paper. She was like a child at Christmas. When the little box was exposed, she opened it and peeked inside. A gasp escaped her as she drew out the pendant suspended from a fine gold chain. “It’s beautiful, Madison.” Madison was pleased with her mother’s reaction. She’d hunted high and low for just the right one. The outer covering of the locket was fashioned of golden filigree, lacelike work of fine strands of twenty-two carat gold wire. “Open it,” she murmured. Inside, the jeweler had inserted panels where photos could be kept. But instead of one picture on either side, it was like the pages of a book, -179-
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the locket designed to hold four photos. In the first two panels were pictures of Rosa and Bart. The next one held a shot of her, taken after she’d lost all her excess weight. The final one remained empty. “It’s exquisite. I love it.” Rosa hugged her daughter and reached up to drop a kiss on her cheek. “I’m glad you like it, Mom. If I’d known Jake was Bart’s son I’d have added his picture as well. The whole new family, so to speak.” Rosa turned around and gestured for Madison to clasp the chain about her throat. She stared in the mirror and patted at the locket. “Oh, it looks lovely. I’ll treasure it always.” She linked her arm with Madison’s and steered them toward the door. “I can soon get a photo of Jake to complete the set.” She paused and looked up at her daughter. “You know, just because you and Jake are going to be stepbrother and sister doesn’t mean there can’t be anything between you. After all, there’s no blood connection.” Madison kept silent. “Do you love him, baby girl?” Okay, so this one she wasn’t going to get out of so easily. She sighed. “Yes, I do.” “Then find a way to sort out your differences. I want you to be as happy as I am. Now, I’ll say no more on the matter. Let’s go join the guys.” Arms linked, Madison walked her mother back to the party. By now, the table had been cleared and the waiter had brought in the dessert. “Hey, babe,” Greg called out in a loud voice, “come have some sweets. It’s Green Jade Mist, or peppermint ice cream if you want to get right down to it.” He slipped his arm about Madison’s shoulders as she sat down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Missed you, babe.” “Cool it, Greg. You’re carrying it too far,” she whispered in his ear. -180-
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“Just playing my part,” he whispered right back. They had almost finished the dessert and the coffee and fortune cookies when Mr. Wong entered the room with a large cake-board wrapped in gold foil in his hands. Situated in the middle was a heartshaped cake covered in white royal icing and deep red roses fashioned out of fondant. He placed it in front of Rosa. Piped across the top of the cake were two names: Rosa and Bart. Rosa clapped her hands together and blinked back the tears that filled her eyes. “Oh, Bart, this is so beautiful.” She laughed. “You naughty boy, you’ve been going behind my back.” Mr. Wong handed her a silver knife with a large red bow tied around the handle. Rosa took the knife and stood up, gesturing for Bart to join her. Together, they made the first cut in the cake. Madison sniffed back her own share of tears. It was heart-warming to see Bart and her mother so happy. She cast a quick glance at Jake, only to catch an unguarded look on his face as he stared at her. He dropped his gaze before she had time to sort through the mix of emotions she could see there. He turned his attention to Rosa and teased her about looking young enough to be his sister and not his step-Mom. Madison had had enough. Something important had disappeared when Jake had walked out of her life. Well, out of her house. As her stepbrother, he would always be a part of her life, but she wanted more. She wanted the fun and laughter they’d shared. She wanted—no, needed—the love she believed they were beginning to feel for each other. Was she wrong? Did Jake’s feelings go any deeper than just a fling, a roll in the sack? Greg once again ran his hand over her bare back, making her squirm. That’s it. This night is over. She stood up and rounded the table and dropped a kiss on her mother’s cheek before doing the same with -181-
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Bart. “Sorry to break up the party, you two, but I think Greg’s had a bit too much of that fancy pink champagne. Time I got him home.” “Come on, Greg, on your feet.” She tugged him up, letting him put his arm about her waist for support. “Mom, I’ll ring you tomorrow.” She cast a last glance at Jake. “We’re bound to see a lot of each other in the future. We’ll have to get together and talk.” Jake stood and looked her in the eye. In a no-nonsense voice, he said, “You can bet on it, Madison. I’m sure we’ll have a lot to share with each other.” Madison had a feeling he meant every word of it.
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CHAPTER 19 Madison rested her forehead on the steering wheel as the sound of the car engine faded into the darkness. She felt worn out. Tiredness settled about her like a thick blanket, but it wasn’t just physical weariness. More a total depletion of her emotional and mental energy. What an idiot she’d been to try to score points off Jake. Had it been worth it? No, not one bit of it. The crazy scheme had sounded good in the beginning, but there was one thing she’d forgotten. The act of vengeance has a wicked habit of turning on the perpetrator. She would have to eat a lot of humble pie tomorrow when she apologized to everyone. Yes, everyone, Jake included. With a despondent sigh, she slid out of the vehicle and locked the door behind her. A glance up at the night sky showed a backdrop lit by a zillion stars, a night made for lovers. How can that be when I miss Jake so much? If tonight had done nothing else, it had highlighted how much she loved the man. Enough, Madison. Stop with all the self-pity and get yourself inside. Straightening her back, she marched up the footpath to the front door. She fished around in her evening bag for the key, inserted it in the lock and turned it until she felt the click of the tumblers. Palm flat on the painted surface, she pushed the door wide, but before she could step inside and switch on the lights, she heard a shuffle behind her.
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Her heart raced as she spun about. Darkness encroached on all sides, hemming her in. Her mouth dried as a tall figure, still shadowed by the night, stepped forward. She wanted to scream, but her vocal cords felt paralyzed. “Don’t panic, Madison, it’s me.” The sound of Jake’s voice should have calmed her, but all it did was enrage. “Damn it, Jake, you scared me half to death. What the heck are you doing here at this time of night?” She reached her hand around the doorframe and fumbled for the light switch. The sudden illumination made her blink as she waited for her eyes to adjust. Jake didn’t seem to have the same trouble. He stepped closer to her, close enough to invade her personal space. He’d used the time it had taken her to drop Greg at home to change. Hormones went on the rampage at the sight of all that lean muscle clad in black jeans and a tight black tee shirt. No wonder she hadn’t noticed him in the shadows of the front porch. His face was like a thundercloud ready to burst and dump its payload on those beneath and, given the flinty stare and the compressed lips, she was about to be the recipient. “What do you want, Jake?” Hand out for guidance, she backed inside. “You said we’d get together and talk.” One step at a time, he followed her. The door clicked shut behind him. “I didn’t mean in the middle of the night.” Madison backed up another step. She had the feeling of being caged up with a dangerous animal. A stalking panther came to mind as he advanced another pace. “Go home, Jake. We’ll discuss this another time.” “No.” -184-
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A simple word, but it made Madison see red. Darn it, this was her house. Who the heck did he think he was, bursting in here at this time of night? She wasn’t up to this right now, either mentally, or emotionally. Anger flared at his presumption. He thought he could just turn up and she’d welcome him? Well, bully for him, but she was going to bed. “Go away, Jake. I’m not in the mood to talk to you. Lock the door on your way out.” She turned and walked toward the living room. “Tough,” he spat out as he grasped her arm and spun her about to face him. “I want the truth from you and I’m not leaving until I get it.” With an agile twist, she dragged her arm free. “You want truth tonight?” She curled her hands into fists and rested them on her hips, heedless of the way they hiked her dress up to show her thighs. “So how about we start with you, Mr. Super Stud. You must have had a good chuckle at the dumb divorcée.” She let out a harsh burst of laughter, devoid of any sounds of merriment. It took her a moment to get the anger under control before she could continue. “Teach the stupid woman what sex is all about. Show her how to experience an orgasm. Right? So how many women do you have to service, Jake? Poor boy, you must be worn out, having to spread yourself around. And how many others have you lied to?” “It wasn’t like that,” he said, “and there are no other women. Just you.” “Like I’d believe that. Boy, you sure must have been disappointed you didn’t get a virgin. Think how much fun it would have been to initiate a total innocent into the joys of sex.” She turned around and flounced into the living room, kicking her high heels into the corner. Jake followed her, leaning up against the doorframe.
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“Stud Finders Incorporated. A division of Bart Hunter Building Services,” Madison spat out. “Does Daddy know how you use his business to trawl for cheap sexual thrills?” Jake exploded, partly from anger, but mostly because Madison had chipped away at his feelings of guilt. “Shut up, Madison, and listen for a change.” “Don’t you speak to me like that,” she retaliated. “You knew in those first few moments I thought you were a paid gigolo and you deliberately deceived me. What, the law not exciting enough for you? Thought you’d hire yourself out for a bit of slap and tickle?” “Damn it, it wasn’t like that.” Jake ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “Okay, so I knew there’d been a mistake and you didn’t realize what Stud Finders Incorporated was all about. And, yes, I should have told you.” “Why didn’t you?” Jake moved further into the room and perched on the arm of the lounge chair. He frowned as Madison backed away from him. This was not going the way he’d expected. Yes, he’d wanted a confrontation, but he’d also wanted… He cut off the thought before it was fully developed. Right now, he wasn’t certain what he wanted. “I should have been up-front with you, but you looked so…so unsure of yourself I wanted to help. You got to me and before I knew it, I’d agreed to do what you asked.” His conscience reared its ugly head. Liar. The word reverberated inside his mind. He dragged in a shaky breath and started over. “Okay, so that wasn’t all of it. I’d just come out of a seven-year relationship. I was pretty beaten and insecure myself. My ex-partner had shattered me when she’d told me I was boring in bed. I guess I saw it as
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a way to reinforce my own belief in myself, to prove I wasn’t some worthless jerk in the bedroom.” “So you used me to inflate your ego.” She laughed, a slight hysterical edge to the sound. “Well, here’s a broadcast, Jake. You can go away from here tonight firm in the knowledge that you’re not boring in bed. Happy?” “No, I’m not. I’m sorry I lied to you. I wanted to get to know you. You were so down on yourself, you couldn’t see you were so fucking sexy, you turned me on with just a look. So many times, I was going to tell you the truth, but I figured you’d toss me out on my ass as soon as you found out.” “You just had your fun instead and, when you got what you wanted, you ran like a terrified little boy. Sorry, Super Stud, did I frighten you with all that emotion?” “Damn it, don’t call me that. If you want to talk emotions, how could you gush over that kid tonight? It was sickening.” Madison blinked eyes that were awash with tears. He could see the tremors in her hands before she shoved them behind her back. Right at that moment, Jake fell like a bastard, but the jealousy had taken over his reasoning capabilities. “You’re right, it was sickening, but not for the reason you think. I—” “You let that kid paw you. He couldn’t keep his hands to himself. Testosterone on legs. I might have lied about being your paid stud, but you’re not much better. I further your education as far as sex goes and you start to collect men like a bitch on heat. What is it? Notches on the bedpost?” She shook her head, her brow wrinkled in a frown. “I don’t know—” “What? You can’t even remember how many you’ve had?” He surged to his feet, was across the room before she had time to move. He grasped her by the arms and pulled her close, his cock -187-
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tightening in awareness, despite the anger driving him. “Did you get into bed with that boy tonight, Madison? Or maybe it was a bit of rough and tumble in the front of your car.” She stared at him, saying nothing. “Answer me, Madison,” he said through gritted teeth as he gave her a little shake. Madison broke away from him and put some distance between them. “What I did or did not do with Greg is none of your business. You told me to go out and find someone else and I did.” “A kid, still wet behind the ears. Did you pass my lessons on to him? Couldn’t you have done better for yourself? He’s got to be years younger than you.” “He’s only ten years younger and some men like older women.” She held up her hand as Jake opened his mouth to speak. “I’m sorry about Greg. It was all a set-up. I was angry, so I set out to get even. I used Greg and I owe him an apology.” A wave of immense relief rolled over Jake, soothed some of the hurt in his heart. That explained the kid, but what about the other man he’d seen her with? That final kiss before she climbed into the cab outside that fancy restaurant was no casual farewell. The closeness between the couple had been plainly evident and the only explanation he could come up with was she’d been seeing him the whole time she’d been involved with him. “I may have used Greg, but you not only lied to me, you used me, too. I was nothing but a way to bolster your ego.” Her words were enough to fire up the anger again, anger he had yet to deal with. It had bubbled away under the surface all night. He slid his hand into his back pocket and grasped the wrinkled piece of paper
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between two fingers, dragging it out and waving it at her. “What about you? You weren’t just going to use me, you set out to steal from me.” Madison shook her head to try to clear her thoughts. What on earth was he on about? She took the square of paper from his extended hand and opened it up. When she saw what it was, she gasped, her face hot with embarrassment. Her makeover plan. She’d forgotten all about it. How had Jake ended up with it? “So what about that, Madison? You didn’t want a man in your life. You just wanted to steal some poor sucker’s sperm so you could have a baby. Only in this case, I happened to be the gullible idiot you were going to use. Jake. Possible sperm donor.” She closed her eyes briefly as he spat out the final notation on the makeover plan as if it left a dirty taste in his mouth. The plan had ceased to matter as soon as she’d realized she was falling in love with him. She crumpled the list in her hand and tossed it onto the floor. “Jake, I wrote that bit about you being a possible sperm donor before I got to know you. After that, I knew having a baby wasn’t the allimportant thing I’d thought it would be. I wanted a real relationship with you.” She clasped her trembling hands together. “You got inside me, behind the defenses I’d erected to protect myself. Not as a stud or a man to impregnate me, but someone I—” “Any chance you could already be pregnant, Madison? After all, you did wake me in the middle of the night and instigate a bit of one-on-one before I was fully awake. You didn’t give me time to use protection. So what was all that about if not getting pregnant?” Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. She stared at him like a stranded fish before she had the presence of mind to clamp her jaw shut. A splinter of pain shafted through her, like a knife being driven into her heart. -189-
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“It wasn’t like that,” she whispered through dry lips. “It was a spur of the moment thing. I never even gave protection a thought until this minute.” The hurt turned to anger. “And damn you, Jake, you were just as much a part of that little interlude as I was. Don’t make it sound like I rolled over and helped myself. Getting pregnant had nothing to do with it.” “Yeah, right, you can tell yourself that, but I know the truth.” “Jake, you’re wrong.” “Like I’m wrong about your other stud?” “Greg?” “No, the bozo I saw you with at the French restaurant downtown.” He cut her off as she tried to speak. “I saw you, Madison, and I heard you talking about wanting to have a baby boy first. At least you had the goodness to be upfront with him, instead of trying to con him that you cared.” Madison was at breaking point. She couldn’t handle much more of this. Not without saying something she’d regret, or at the very least, dissolving into tears. After Clifton she’d vowed no man would ever reduce her to a sniveling mess and she’d already broken that self-imposed rule with Jake. She edged around him and stomped out the living room toward the front door. He trailed after her. “Get out, Jake. I’ve had enough. We’ll talk about this when we’ve both calmed down a bit.” Jake slammed past her, tossed a final barb at her over his shoulder as he stepped off the porch. “You want to talk, go find the kid.” He paused. “Hang on a moment, it’s not talk you’re after, is it? It’s a baby. Have to tell you, babe, alcohol and sex don’t always mix. Kinda dulls the performance somewhat.” He grinned, but Madison saw it more as a look of scorn. -190-
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“Tell you what,” he said, “why not go to your fancy stud from the restaurant the other night? At least he seems to know the score.” He turned and walked away into the dark. Madison had no idea where he’d parked his car. She hadn’t seen it when she’d driven up. His parting words reverberated over and over through her mind. Her fancy stud? She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She did neither. “But that was Clifton the Crud,” she whispered.
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CHAPTER 20 Madison dragged in a deep breath of the fresh sea air as she stood before the front door of her mother’s new home. The wedding was still two day off, but Bart had convinced Rosa to move herself and her belongings across to his house and allow the new manager of Blue Harbor Retirement Home to take up residence in her old unit. A small grin twisted Madison’s lips. Well, that was Bart’s excuse anyway, and Rosa was quite happy to go along with the pretence. She was glad for her mom, but visiting her had become an exercise in tactical maneuvers. Twice now, she’d literally run away when she’d seen Jake’s distinctive car parked out the front. Today seemed to be her lucky day; the red convertible was nowhere to be seen. Despite the warm night, a shiver slid down her spine and goosebumps broke out on her arms as thoughts of Jake tumbled through her mind. The sound of the waves on the beach behind the house should have soothed, but all it did was remind her of their aborted picnic and its aftermath. The spicy scent from the ginger flowers in Bart’s garden floated on the night air, reminiscent of Jake’s aftershave. She shook her head. How pathetic she’d become. This had to stop.
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She pushed her shoulders back and released her breath on a shaky sigh. Hand raised, she stepped up to knock on the door. Suddenly, the door opened with such force she stumbled back a step. For a moment, she thought it might be Jake. Her pulse kicked up a beat and her hands started to shake. Heat streaked through her body, driving downwards and pooling between her thighs. Her panties grew wet and her clit throbbed as memories of Jake’s spectacular lovemaking rolled over her. The breath wheezed from her throat when she saw her mother in the doorway, hands on her hips as she glared at her. “How many times do I have to tell you not to knock, to just use the set of keys Bart gave you? We’re all going to be part of the same family. This is as much your home as mine now.” “Good evening to you, too, Mother.” Despite the tremors that still swept through her, she grinned and moved forward to give her a hug and drop a light kiss on the top of her head. “Still using too much hairspray, I see.” “Don’t you try and change the subject, Madison Paxton,” Rosa retorted. “We were talking about you and Jake. This can’t go on. You’ve moped around for the last couple of weeks and I’m tired of seeing your sad face every time I go over to visit you.” “Actually, Mom, we were talking about front door keys, but I get your drift. You’re right, it can’t go on.” She stepped over the threshold and into the lighted foyer of the house. “Is he here?” she whispered. “No, he’s not,” Rosa snapped. “I told you when you rang he was out.” She turned and walked through the house and out onto the back patio. The area was in darkness, although the soft glow from the interior lights filtered through the windows behind them and made an effort to break up the night shroud. -193-
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Rosa led the way to a glass-top table and four chairs situated in the corner of the patio. “Sit,” she commanded and pointed to one of the chairs. Madison knew that no-nonsense tone of voice. She’d been on the receiving end of it many times when she’d been growing up. She dropped into the seat, not game to do otherwise and, from experience, she knew it was better to keep her mouth shut until Rosa finished. “I won’t have you and Jake creeping around, constantly trying to avoid each other. And I will not have my wedding ruined because—” “I’ll be on my best behavior at the wedding, I promise,” Madison interrupted. “I won’t even speak to Jake. No way would I spoil your special day.” “Be quiet and listen to me, Madison Marie Paxton.” Oh-oh, I’m in trouble now. Mom never uses my full name unless she is seriously peeved with me. Madison pressed her lips into a tight line and waited for the next volley. Rosa sat across from Madison, gave a deep sigh and lowered her hands to rest on the table in front of her. “Look, sweetie, that’s part of the problem. You and Jake not talking. How on earth are you going to sort this out if you don’t open up a discussion?” We tried, Madison thought, and look where that ended up. “When the two of you are together, the tension is as thick as pea soup. That is not conducive to the loving atmosphere I want for my wedding.” “I told you, Mom, it won’t be like that. I’ll treat Jake like a long-lost brother. I’ll be so nice you won’t know me.” “But that’s not how you think of him, is it? He is not your brother, despite the fact his father and I are marrying.” She grasped Madison’s
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hand. “He’s a nice boy, baby girl. He deserves to be happy, the same as you do.” Madison was tempted to smile at her mother calling Jake a boy, but the issue was too serious even for that much. Rosa was right. Jake deserved to be happy. And one other thing. If Jake felt the same for her as she did for him, then she was the only one who could make him happy. After all, she’d been the one to send him away. That was part of the reason she’d come to see her mother tonight. “Do you love him, Madison?” The question shattered the calm façade she’d managed to erect about her heart. Tears filled her eyes and she answered without thought. “Yes, I love him.” “Like you loved Clifton?” “No, it’s different. I was little more than a child when I married Clifton. This is deeper, richer. There’s no one I would rather spend the rest of my life with than Jake.” “I’m glad to hear you say that,” a deep male voice responded from out of the shadows. Madison gasped as she twisted in her chair to find the owner of the voice. Bart stepped forward and a shaky sigh slid from her throat. Thank God. For a moment, she’d thought it was Jake. Bart leaned over the table and flicked a lighter into life, applied it to the wick of the citronella flare sitting in the centre of the table. The flame flickered and released a fresh lemony scent into the air. He pocketed the lighter and placed a little black box in front of Madison. Then he positioned himself behind Rosa’s chair, his large hands on her shoulders in a protective gesture. “Know what that is?”
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She shook her head as she stared at the little black box. Lord, if she’d known Bart was there, she’d never have opened her mouth. “That’s a stud finder, used to locate the beam behind the wallboard of a house. A necessary device when you want to hang a painting. When Jake first came to your place, he had one of those in his pocket.” Madison wanted to crawl under the table. She dropped her head and stared at the tips of her fingernails. Talk about parents knowing it all. “Jake told me he—” With a wave of his hand, Bart cut Madison off. “No, hear me out. I know what Jake told you. I heard all about it earlier today. Jake should have informed you that I had sent him over there to hang the paintings. When he realized you thought he was a paid stud, he should have corrected the misconception, but he didn’t. He did the wrong thing, but he started off with the best of intentions. Regardless of the fact that he didn’t know you were Rosa’s daughter, it was still unethical.” He pulled a chair up and sat down. “Jake could go back to Sydney and get on with his life, but he won’t be happy, because I have it on the best authority he loves you. You can go on with your studies, ignore Jake, but you won’t be content either. What are you going to do about it?” Madison cleared her throat. “I want to sort it out.” “Enough to make the first move? Because we men are stubborn beings when hurt ego comes into it.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told that son of mine. We don’t get too many second chances in this life. I got mine with Rosa. I think you and Jake are being handed a second go-around and it’s up to the pair of you what you make of it.”
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With that, Bart stood up and disappeared into the darkness. Madison sat there, her hands over her mouth to hide the trembling of her lips. She would not cry. The time for tears was past. What she needed was a clever plan to break through the barrier Jake had erected about himself. A germ of an idea came to her. “Mom, do you know where Jake is?” “He’s gone to the library. He had some books he wanted to donate. Said they were of no use to him any longer, the way things had turned out.” Madison had a mental picture of the little red book hidden in the glove compartment of the car and The How-To of Female Orgasm still under her bed. She grinned. Just how many books did he buy? She suddenly saw the whole thing from a different perspective. Jake may have deceived her about being a paid stud, but he hadn’t used her. He’d wanted to please her, otherwise why bother buying books on the subject? The little idea inside her head blossomed into a fully-fledged scenario. Her resident imp of mischief woke, fed the picture until she had all the pieces in place. The only thing she couldn’t guess at was Jake’s reaction. “Mom, I need your expertise. Can we go to your bedroom?” “What are you up to, baby girl? You’ve got that wicked light back in your eyes again.” “If this works, Mother, you could have a stepson and a son-in-law all rolled up in the same package.” She jumped up from the table, grasped her mother’s hand and pulled her to her feet. Then she guided her into the house, a mischievous grin on her face. “Come on, let’s get this show on the road.” ad -197-
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Madison hovered behind the bushes lining the footpath just down from the library. The cell phone held to her ear, she whispered, “Hi, Mom, it’s me. Did you get him?” “He’s about to leave the library now. I told him I needed him to pick up some ice cream on his way home. You ready?” “I think so, but my knees are knocking and people are giving me some strange looks.” “Go for it, baby girl,” Rosa said before she cut the connection. Hands trembling, Madison shoved the phone into the deep pocket of her coat. She wiped a trickle of sweat from her forehead. Her body felt clammy and uncomfortable. Good grief, fancy having to wear a coat in all this heat, but she’d needed to cover her costume until just the right moment. No way would she have had the balls to strut down the street dressed like this. She crept out from behind the hedge and glanced at the front entrance of the library. No sign of Jake yet. She’d give him another few minutes before getting into character. Her mouth went dry as she dug into the pocket of the coat and pulled out the little black box called the stud finder, a bright red ribbon tied around it. A passing couple gave her a strange look as she half-hid among the foliage of the Lilly Pilly hedge. Heat washed over her face. Heavens, if the police came along right now, they’d think she was a suspicious character and pick her up for loitering. If they got a look under the coat, they’d slap a soliciting charge on her. A movement at the front of the library caught her attention. Jake, his hand under the arm of an elderly lady as he assisted her down the wide marbled steps. He guided her over to a cab parked in front of the library and helped her inside, closing the door after her. Okay, Madison, it’s time. -198-
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She shrugged out of the coat and slung it over the bushes before stepping into the circle of light created by the single streetlight. Back arched to push her breasts higher, she leaned against the light pole, one hand perched on her hip and the other, clutching the gift-wrapped stud finder, tucked behind her back. Jake walked with his head down, a forlorn picture. Madison’s heart felt heavy, like a lump of lead in her chest. Her palms were sweaty and she had a sudden desire to burst into tears. Jake looked beaten, as if he’d lost his best friend. Had she done that to him? Did she have the courage to go on with her crazy plan? There was a good chance he was so fed up he wouldn’t be remotely interested. She shook her head. It didn’t matter. She had to try. Bart was right. You didn’t get too many chances in this life, and she’d be an idiot if she didn’t at least make the effort to grasp at a chance of happiness. Her heart started to pound as Jake moved into the circle of light. She clutched the little black box tighter, ran her tongue along her dry lips and dragged in a shaky breath. “Hey, Mister,” she crooned in a husky voice, “I’m looking for a stud. I even have the right equipment for the job.” She extended her hand, the black box on her palm, the red ribbon fluttering in the light breeze. “You interested?” Jake started in surprise. The soft female voice full of sexual innuendo dragged him to an immediate full stop. For a moment, he could have sworn… Nah, it couldn’t be. He raised his head, glancing over at the woman. His jaw sagged. The blood drained from his face and he didn’t need a degree in anatomy to work out where it had all gone. His cock tightened with need, swelling to almost painful proportions. He shuffled his feet, -199-
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trying to ease the constriction in his trousers as he closed his mouth and swallowed. Ooh, boy. It was Madison all right, but a Madison such as he’d never seen before. This was pure sex, all tied up in a tidy little package, as neat and tidy as the gift she held in her outstretched hand. He moved a step closer and stared at the little black box tied with the red bow. A stud finder and, if he wasn’t mistaken, given the dent on the corner from when he’d dropped it, the same one he’d hidden in his bedroom. The very same one he’d handed back to his father earlier tonight when he’d fessed up. “I hope you didn’t walk down the street like that.” He struggled to hide the grin that threatened to break through. “You’ll get yourself picked up and I’m not just talking about the police.” Jake’s black mood disappeared as if it had never been. If Madison was prepared to go to this length to capture his attention, there was hope. Please God, let it be enough they could build on, overcome the events of the last few weeks and move on from there. Madison pushed her shoulders back even further. Jake’s eyes bulged. If she did much more of that, her breasts would spill right out of that abbreviated excuse for a top. She had on a bright red halter-neck top that dipped low between her breasts and ended just above the bottom of her ribcage, and definitely no bra. With every breath she took, her nipples pressed against the fabric and he itched to reach out and circle the pebbled crests. He allowed his gaze to slide lower to the tight black skirt split up one side, high enough he could see the entire length of her thigh. Shit, if she moved too quickly, he’d get a flash of her panties. Once again, he struggled to keep his mouth straight. He’d heard from his father about Rosa’s acting abilities. Oh, none of the details, but he’d -200-
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seen his dear old dad go out dressed up as a john to pick up a hooker, namely Rosa playing a part. Said it kept the spice in their lives. He’d hazard a guess, given Rosa’s short stature, this was her skirt. With it, Madison had donned sheer, black pantyhose that encased her legs and gave them definition, made them look a mile long. His inspection ended at the shiny black heels she wore, so high and spiky it was a wonder she could even walk in them. “I’m not trawling, Mister,” she said. “I’m looking for that one special guy to be my stud. Interested?” At the low, breathy quality of her voice, Jake’s libido went into overdrive. Testosterone-filled hormones started a rampage, each and every one of the little beggars driving south of his belt to swell and harden his cock. Tension tightened the muscles in his gut. The breath snagged in his throat, made him light-headed as a series of raunchy images filtered through his mind. So she wanted to play, did she? Never let it be said he stood in the way of the Arts. “I could be,” he said as he moved close enough to be enveloped in a cloud of heavy, musky perfume. He struggled not to cough. Heck, she must have poured the whole bottle over herself. “Depends what the price is,” he rasped. “Oh, I don’t come cheap. I was taught by an expert.” Jake swallowed hard as she stepped up to him, her breasts against his chest. She ran a finger down the side of his face and circled his lips, leaving a searing trail of heat. His tongue snaked out and bathed the tip of her finger in dampness. Her startled gasp was instant gratification. His rock-hard cock throbbed as fever-pitch excitement streaked through his veins.
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He allowed his hands to settle on her hips, pulled her closer and ground his rigid erection against her. “Oh, I’m interested, lady, but I need to know what this will cost me.” “Surely any cost is worth it if it’s something you want? Would you turn this away?” Before Jake could move—not that he had any intention of doing so— Madison lifted one long leg and draped it over his hip. The movement brought her pussy into intimate contact with his lower body. His hips bucked in reaction, the breath gusting from his lips. Sweat broke out on his forehead as his temperature shot sky high. He wanted to pick her up and rush into the bushes with her. He wanted… Hell, he wanted it all. The good and the bad. The ‘til-death-dous-part bit. He was lost without her. “So what can you give me?” he managed to get out. “I can give you the time of your life,” she whispered against his mouth. “And I do mean your life.” Madison suddenly dropped the act. Her heart beat so hard it made breathing difficult. Or was that Jake’s presence? Who cared? It was a heady feeling. She ran the tip of her tongue around the outer edge of his mouth, dipping inside to taste the heat of him. Then she drew back and stared at him. “I don’t just want tonight, a quick scrabble between the sheets. I want your life and I promise to share my life with you, for the rest of our days. If that’s what you want, too.” She paused to drag in a shaky breath. She was putting it all on the line here. “I love you, Jake Hunter.” There was utter silence for a moment. She watched as Jake squeezed his eyes shut. His face took on a pained expression. Had she made a mistake? Read it all wrong? A sense of dread threatened to overwhelm
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her. Then he opened his eyes and looked at her, and it was all there for her to see. “I love you, too, Madison Paxton, and I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than give you the rest of my life.” He lowered his head and Madison knew he wanted to kiss her. But not yet. There were certain things she needed to clear up first. She reached up and placed her palm against his cheek. “Jake, I’m sorry for what I put you through. You were right, I did set out to use you, but only to teach me all about having an orgasm. I would never have gotten pregnant deliberately.” Jake rested his forehead on Madison’s blonde-streaked hair. “Theft of sperm.” He let out a burst of laughter. “If the other lawyers back in Sydney had heard me, they’d be rolling around killing themselves with mirth.” “The makeover plan ceased to matter so much when I started to care about you. I tried to tell you, but you were too angry to listen.” He tilted her face up to him. “I should never have spoken to you the way I did. I was so jealous of that guy I saw you with at the French restaurant. That was hard enough to deal with. When you turned up with that kindergarten kid, Greg, I lost it and turned into a moronic fool. I never gave you a chance to explain.” “The guy at the restaurant. That was—” “Yeah, I know,” he interrupted. “Clifton the Crud. Your mother told me about him. And why you’d come up with the makeover plan. I knew you were insecure when I first met you, but I hadn’t realized how deep it ran. If I’d got my hands on that low-life ex-husband, I’d—” “Shut up, Jake, and kiss me. I can’t wait any longer.” Madison pulled his head down and cut off any further speech with a deep, drugging kiss. Jake allowed her the initiative for a moment, then -203-
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assumed control, tilting her head to gain greater access. Her insides felt as if they’d turned to Jell-O, all shaky and trembling. If Jake hadn’t been holding her so close, she would have crumpled into a melted heap on the pavement. “Disgusting. Right out here in the street, too.” The cracked voice of advanced age broke through the sensual haze that held Madison in thrall. She pulled back from the kiss and glanced over Jake’s shoulder to see an old couple standing on the footpath staring at them. With a disgusted grunt, they turned and walked away. Jake grinned. “We’ve made a spectacle of ourselves, and me an upright, law-abiding citizen.” She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him to her. “I don’t care. I want the whole world to know how happy I am.” “You know they think you’re a hooker, don’t you? They probably think I’m nothing but a sleaze-bag.” He dropped a light kiss on her parted lips. “But who cares, right?” As he dragged her close again, the sound of a car pulling into the curb beside them intruded. Madison turned her head to see a marked police vehicle with two officers inside. The one nearest to them stuck his head out the window. “Is this woman annoying you, sir?” he called out. Jake tucked Madison close to his side and chuckled. “This woman is my brand new fiancée, Officer.” “Well, take it home, buddy,” the officer replied. “You’re old enough to know better.” “Yes, sir.” Jake responded with a smart salute. He grabbed Madison by the hand and turned her away from the car. “You got anything to cover that get-up?” he whispered.
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She pointed to the overcoat sagging on the nearby bush. Jake grabbed the coat and helped her slip her arms into it. Then, her hand in his, he took off across the adjacent park. “Hey, Jake,” Madison said as she trotted to keep up with him. “You know I’m going to want lots of whoopty-do for the rest of my life, don’t you? After all, I was taught by a master.” “I’ve created a monster,” Jake laughed. “Holy guacamole.”
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Alexis Fleming Thirty-seven shifts in thirty years have taught Alexis Fleming to make friends where she can and what better way than through the voices in her mind. Alexis’ world is peopled with interesting characters and exciting possibilities that come to life in each and every book she writes. Her first love has always been romance, whether on this world or the next. Hot, sizzling relationships with a dash of comedy and a few trials and tribulations thrown in to test her characters. When she isn’t tied to her computer creating sizzling stories, Alexis, along with her husband and a demon cat called Chloe, runs a motel situated on the edge of a National Marine Park in Jervis Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Alexis believes you can never have too many friends and loves to hear from her readers. You can visit with Alexis at www.alexisfleming.net or email her at
[email protected]
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